THE TEN DVDS I CAN'T DO WITHOUT (RIGHT NOW ANYWAY)

While gathering things together for a yard sale yesterday, Susie took a look at my DVD collection and said "If you had to pick only ten of these discs to keep, which ten would you keep?"

That's like asking the mother of Siamese twins which one she likes better ... the ugly one on the left or the deformed one on the right?

(Answer: Neither. Would somebody please just kidnap these freaks and take 'em away to a European circus?!?)

It was a challenge that I felt up for and although it took about 20 minutes out of the time that I was supposed to be working, I played along.

And now ... here are my (current) Desert Island Top Ten DVDs in alphabetical order rather than order of preference because I can't do that. It's like asking the mother of Siamese twins what it's like to be the mother of freaks. Please don't ask that of me.

THE BIG LEBOWSKI: I just saw this movie for the first time about a year ago and while I liked it, I didn't think it was that great. Then I watched it again and noticed all the hilarity in the lines and fell in (purely heterosexual) love with John Goodman's character, Walter. I'm convinced that I could now watch this movie over and over again and love it more with each viewing.

BLUE VELVET: A creepy, creepy, creepy movie. Dennis Hopper scares the living shit out of me in this film. For some reason, I love movies where things get gradually worse as the movie goes on (the best example of this is "After Hours", a Martin Scorsese film from the mid 80s that is HILARIOUS). For Kyle Maclachlan, finding a severed ear in a field leads to his whole world being turned upside down. I've got to watch this thing again soon.

THE COMMITMENTS: While I love this film, I think it'd also be the first to be dropped off this list. I've seen it probably ten times and while it's still funny and the music kicks ass, it loses some of its spark on repeated viewings. But it's still a great flick.

DIE HARD: There's never been a better action movie made. Never. I'm not a huge fan of action films ... I've seen my share, but this baby beats all the rest. Biggest nail biting moment of the film is when Bruce Willis runs into Alan Rickman on a deserted floor of the building and you think Alan's tricked Bruce into believing he's not a terrorist. I remember seeing this in the theater and wanting to yell at the screen for Bruce to run.

JOY RIDE: Another creepy movie ... which will be a theme in these DVDs. Apparently the reaction I'm most happy with while viewing films is "extremely uncomfortable". Two guys piss off a trucker over the CB and now he's out for revenge. Doesn't sound scary, does it? Neither did the Rosie O'Donnell Show and that was a major frightfest.

ROY ORBISON: A BLACK AND WHITE NIGHT: It's no big secret ... I still get choked up when I hear Roy Orbison sing. On this concert he has an All-Star band backing him up including three of my favorite artists of all time (Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and Tom Waits). I can't imagine a day when I wouldn't be able to reach up into my DVD collection and this wouldn't be there waiting on me.

PULP FICTION: Still my favorite movie of all time. I haven't even watched this DVD yet, having bought it two years ago. I saw the film so many times when it came out and on video that I know it by heart. I have to wait a few more years until I watch the DVD and am able to watch it fresh.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: LIVE IN BARCELONA: I'm not sure I've watched this all the way through, but this will always be a souvenir of the tour where I finally got to see Bruce in concert after waiting for over 20 years to do so. The set list is really close to the setlist we saw and the concert is damned good.

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: This is the new one, not the classic. While many people will disagree with this choice for sure ... the movie scared the shit out of me. I had it cranked up on the Home Theater and when you hear that chainsaw come from behind you, you'll piss your pants as well. Still having trouble getting that stain out of the couch. Any suggestions?

I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART: A FILM ABOUT WILCO BY SAM JONES: I think Wilco is just about my favorite band these days and this film captures the making of my favorite album of theirs "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot". While I've heard that you don't have to be a fan of the band to enjoy the movie, I wouldn't know. I love the band. I love the movie. I love the music. I think the coolest thing is there's 70 minutes of extra footage on the 2nd DVD and that's just cool to me.

Soooo ... you agree or disagree?