Yesterday, Senator Harry Reid rolled out the Senate version of the health care reform bill. At 2,074 pages, it’s enough to make your head explode. For tonight’s Late Movies, we invite you to take your mind off the debate with some clips of amazing doctors at work.

Here are ten of Dr. J’s top dunks from his storied, Hall of Fame career. (more…)

Fifty years ago, Berry Gordy, a songwriter for local Detroit acts like The Matadors and Jackie Wilson, borrowed $800 from his family and founded two record labels that became incorporated a year later as Motown Record Corporation. In its half-century of existence Motown forged an unmistakable sound in popular music, turned a number of artists into superstars and legends (from 1961 to 1971 alone, the label churned out 110 top 10 hits), and helped bridge the racial divide with songs that everyone, regardless of their color, could dance to.

To celebrate the last 50 years and, we hope, many more to come, here are some of my personal favorite (highly subjective and whittled down from a much larger list) Motown classics, plus a few surprises at the end.

Too Busy Thinking About My Baby

“Too Busy Thinking About My Baby,” written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and Janie Bradford (the receptionist at Mowtown’s Hitsville U.S.A. studio who helped Strong write Motown’s first big hit, “Money (That’s What I Want)”, while the two were still in high school) was first recorded by The Temptations and later by Jimmy Ruffin and Marvin Gaye. Gaye’s 1969 is my favorite of the three, mostly because the bass line that drops in 10 seconds into the song hits you like kick in the chest.

I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)
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Crossing over the mythical line between acting and singing is a difficult proposition. Some have found success (Jamie Foxx). Some have found failure (Steven Seagal). And some are Joey Lawrence. Here are a few clips of actors who should have stayed behind the camera instead of leaping in front of a microphone.

Remember Eddie Murphy’s How Could It Be album? Yeah, you’re not the only one. Although his single “Party All The Time” did reach #2 on the charts. (more…)

I can’t begin to imagine how hard it would be to leave my family for months at a time, especially if my destination were Iraq or Afghanistan. And I don’t know how I could deal with my wife being deployed overseas. These reunion videos—for me, at least—shed a tiny beam of light on how emotionally draining being a military family can be. They’ll also make you want a dog. To commemorate Veterans Day, here are some overjoyed dogs greeting returning soldiers.

In our first clip, Gracie welcomes her dad, who has returned from Afghanistan.

Buddy can’t contain his enthusiasm after seven months apart from his owner. (more…)

It has lately come to my attention that some very smart people I know — who otherwise have great taste in music and art and all things cultural — don’t know who the Pixies are. If this is the case with any of our readers, I’m going to fix that today. The Pixies are revered as the indie rockers who started it all, so influential that Kurt Cobain once famously called Nevermind his attempt to “rip off the Pixies.” It’s also the 20th anniversary of the Pixies’ breakthrough album, Doolittle, and I was lucky enough last week to see them perform it live, in order, first track to last. It was such a great time, I thought I’d try and replicate the experience a little bit right here on the blog. Ladies, and gentlemen — this is Dootlittle.

“Debaser”

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I’ll readily admit that I’ve been called a geek from time to time. Geeks are innovators and we will one day rule the world. Don’t believe me? Take a look at these clips of people showing off their inner geek. Tell me there isn’t a future president somewhere in these clips.

Here’s a contraption that will unlock a door once someone provides a secret knock. Really convenient if you forget your keys or if you want to construct the best clubhouse ever. (more…)

In honor of today’s post on the Elliott Smith documentary Strange Parallel, here’s a collection of Elliot Smith playing some of his best songs. Smith died on October 21, 2003, at age 34. Read more about him at Wikipedia.

“Waltz #2 (XO)”

A beautiful performance of one of my favorite songs.

“I’m so glad that my memory’s remote
’cause I’m doing just fine hour to hour, note to note
here it is, the revenge to the tune
you’re no good
you’re no good, you’re no good, you’re no good
can’t you tell that it’s well understood?”

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Sometimes, you just gotta dance. And sometimes you should check for cameras. Then again, this could be the break you’ve been waiting for.

I remember the Safety Dance. So do these guys. (more…)

Ever since YouTube crashed onto the scene a few years ago, companies have been holding video contests, and anywhere from several hundred to several thousand video-makers have been entering each one. Now, such contests have become so popular that there are at least a dozen running at any one time, and veteran commercial directors are beginning to gripe about losing work to the great unwashed masses. So what are these contests, and which videos are winning them? I did a little legwork, and came up with this sampler of contest winners.

Doritos “Crash the Superbowl” Contest

This spot was shown during last year’s superbowl — quite an honor.

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Halloween is almost here. Just remember, scaring people can be a dangerous business.

Nice right cross. (more…)