May 01, 2010

Big Screen: Clash of the Titans (3D)

Soooo hilariously cheesetastic. One of those movies where you're laughing at stuff that the movie seems to want you to take seriously but it's such bad dialogue that there's just no way to hold your giggles in. Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes had particularly cheesalicious hilarious lines.

The 3D didn't look that great to me and honestly during really fast action scenes = it loses all effectiveness.

The only two not horribly ridiculous things about this movie?
a) Sam Worthington. Nom. So earnest.
b) Mads Mikkelson. Nommity nom nom. I have been a fan of his since he played Tristan in that also-not-very-good, but better-than-this 2004 King Arthur movie (Clive Owen / Keira Knightley)--but most of you probably know him as one of the villains in the last two James Bond movies. He's fantastic. Dear US Movie Producers, GIVE HIM MORE WORK. KTHXBAI.

Posted by Duff at 09:22 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

April 25, 2010

Big Screen: Kick Ass

So! Much! Fun!

There were only two things I didn't like about this movie:
1) the casting of Nicolas Cage; and
2) the way Nicolas Cage played the dad like some kinda pervy pedophile instead of a dad out for justice. This part would have been done soooo much better by, say, the likes of Bruce Willis of 10 years ago. Or Michael Keaton. Or Jason Bateman.

But other than that I LOVED it. Despite the fact that all you want to do after watching it is call people lots of nasty names and get in some rowdy fights.

Posted by Duff at 11:24 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

April 12, 2010

Big Screen: The Ghost Writer

For the most part, this was a pretty good, interesting movie with a great noir-ish look and feel and some eventful plot twists. Ewan McGregor and Olivia Williams were great, Jim Belushi was surprisingly good. The cinematography was lovely: lots of moody lighting, fog, lights off in the distance, and spooky roads/paths. Liked the way the v. last scene was filmed a lot.

On the other hand, Kim Cattrall cannot maintain a British accent for more than a few words and her performance was really, really subpar. Either her character should have been changed to being an American or that role should have been recast.

Posted by Duff at 03:48 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

March 24, 2010

Big Screen: Cop Out.

Really funny. A must see if you are a Tracy Jordan fan; Bruce Willis suffers a bit in comparison. And dang he is looking old (seems much older here than in Die Hard 4, although that's partly the character).

I didn't love it quite as much as my Dad, (I felt like there were times when you could tell Kevin Smith only did the directing, and not the writing, it was missing a bit of his usual charm) but it was definitely worth the $11.

Posted by Duff at 08:38 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

March 15, 2010

DadReaction: Cop Out!

Hilarious!! Tracy Morgan interrogates a suspect using nothing but rapid-fire movie quotes. Very tough woman victim in it, too--keeps screaming at the bad guys in Spanish no matter what they do to her. Willis staring at the insane partner he has is worth the price of admission.

EW saying Smith's direction is flat-footed is SO off-base!!!! Some great visual jokes, lots of funny stuff. Also, EW is off-base just as badly when it talks about the (absent) racial tension!!!! It wasn't about that!!!!!! COULD NOT believe Gleiberman's review.

Highly Recommended.

So the top of my list right now!!

Posted by Duff at 02:40 PM | E-Mail | Comments (1) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

March 01, 2010

Family(minusGirl)Reaction: Lovely Bones

I didn't go see this b/c of an irritation I had with the book. Reading how much my parents liked it made me decide to check out showtimes...and it's already left Chicago completely. Must not have done that well, but as you can read below, they thought it was great.

DadReaction: Did not read book. Thought it sounded too creepy. Must say though: this movie is transcendent. You're really upset at the start and it takes you on a journey of reconciliation that's so odd, so unusual--I thought, anyway--i just don't get why only Tucci got a nomination (for a NOTHING part). Peter Jackson must wonder what he has to do anymore. I mean, King Kong was the movie of the year when IT came out. Not that this one is tops, but c'mon, guys, it's so well done, so unusual, so powerful, it deserves a nod. A lot of the movie was the kid, though--really good casting. But everybody was good.

MomReaction: Your Dad would put it in the top 10 of the year. I liked the way it used horror movie techniques, music that makes you think something is going on, anticipation, really well and it was never a trick, something did happen. I also thought that you went from something that tore your heart out and then saw redemption--hard won. The family did get back to being able to love each other and live, even though something terrible had happened. And the bad guy was identified and died in a very fitting way. The between world was very interesting too.

This movie was complete. It expressed real pain and hurt as well as love, abiding love. And it had a depth that nothing else I saw this year had. So, much as I loved Julie and Julia and Avatar and Inglorious Bastards, I think this had everything they had and more. It was at a completely different level. I think it was too bad only Stanley Tucci got nominated. Although it would be fair to call this an ensemble. Peter Jackson deserved a nomination.

And the setting/background, and special effects ( maybe the category was visual effects) deserved mention in nomination. Your dad just mentioned adapted screenplay as well. Mark Wahlberg was as good as I've ever seen him, lots of emotional depth and even a kind of beauty. Maybe even Susan Sarandon as best supporting actress.

Posted by Duff at 12:52 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, MomReaction, Recommending

February 13, 2010

Big Screen: A Single Man

Oh so very arty, Tom Ford.

But unfortunately not enough plot and sense to back that art up. Pretty to look at. But lots of holes. (Every gay male is an adonis. Oh wait, that's true, right? Haha. The bar down the street has the same bartender now that it had 16 years ago. Colin Firth ages but his partner doesn't. Etc, etc.) And the whole "he's grey with misery" but "now he pinks up, alive with life" camera/film technique got old, pretty fast.

But there was lots of nice grain and soft light. And pretty pretty boys. Mmmmmm Matthew Goode. (I highly recommend the film "Imagine Me & You" (available on DVD. a very favorite.) if you want to see him get to do more than he does here.)

It vaguely reminded me of the book "The Line of Beauty" by Alan Hollinghurst (read back in 2004 so my memory of it is quite vague indeed) but that may just be b/c of the whole gay melodrama more than anything else (set in totally different times).

Posted by Duff at 06:48 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

January 23, 2010

Big Screen: Sherlock Holmes

It was entertaining and fun and weirdly action-packed and RDJ and Jude Law have nice bromantic chemistry and the steampunk-ness of it all was visually stimulating.

But it had little to nothing to do with Sherlock Holmes. I mean, my god, people, if you're going to make a movie about Sherlock Holmes, a GREAT PLOT SHOULD BE THE POINT. This movie really falls short there.

So you know, go to it to have fun. But not to find yourself intellectually challenged. As the real Sherlock Holmes, at his best, always does.

Posted by Duff at 09:57 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Daybreakers

I loved it. It's creepy and icky and SUPER GORY and it actually kind of ANNOYED THE FUCK OUT OF ME when some Zombie-dressed people (I'm not joking about that) laughed at stuff that was super gory when it clearly was NOT funny. It's super imaginative and interesting and totally worth seeing in the theater. And Ethan Hawke is actually pretty good in it and so is Sam Neill. The dude who plays Ethan Hawke's brother is yummy. FYI. If you, say, need for there to be a yummy boy for you to be interested.

Posted by Duff at 09:53 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Best of October

The best movie I saw in October was a tie between two Chicago Film Festival Flicks: SPY(IES) (ESPION(S) en francais) and Fish Tank. But I also really loved Whip It! and Zombieland.

The best book I read in October was The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, by Stieg Larsson, a fantastic end to his trilogy!! And I also loved Liar, by Justine Larbalestier and The White Darkness, by Geraldine McCaughrean.

Random personal highlights: Chicago Film Festival. Dinner with the McCains (no, not THOSE McCains, my Chicago McCains). Getting our rooms reserved for Dragon*Con! PIE SHAKES ROAD TRIP!!! FTW!!! Jazz at the Cultural Center. Dinner at Meera & Ross' new place. Francesca stops by!!

Lowlights? Lots of frustrating emails trying to get my life at school straightened out. Always being given the runaround.

Posted by Duff at 09:39 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks

January 22, 2010

iPod: Twilight / Big Screen: New Moon

I had read all the books, but I hadn't seen the movie, and then I had a date planned with a school friend to see the second one. So I watched the first one on the plane to Georgia so I could see the second one with her when I got home.

Twilight
Admittedly a very cheesy book so you know a somewhat cheesy movie. But well-done nonetheless. I mean, if you are going to make a movie of a cheesy book, you have to treat the cheese with respect. Treated the romance like it was more romantic than it was...thus making it romantic. And lordie, where they filmed this is just plain drop-dead gorgeous. Gorgeous forests, gorgeous house (the vampire house, of course). Lovely. Cheesy. Laughable at times, but not a horrible movie. Honestly.

New Moon
Not good at all. Basically felt the entire time like the director was saying "this is so cheesy! and I'm not cheesy! so here's a cheesy movie! I can't do more with this material! I'm NOT like it!" Yes, the Volturi stuff was pretty excellent. But honestly the rest of the time I just felt like he was cutting off dialogue/conversations too fast, not letting it Be what it IS and be OK with that. Still filmed in lovely places. But not as well done as the first AT ALL in my opinion. I hope they don't have this guy doing the third one. (I'm sure I could already find out if I cared enough to do a search. But I guess I don't.)

And also: They made the wolves WAY too big. They were supposed to be BIG like surpisingly big for a wolf but just enough that someone who didn't know could still kindof believe they were a wolf. Not supernaturally ridiculous big. If they're that big why would it take even one to kill a vamp let alone five.

Posted by Duff at 12:06 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

January 17, 2010

Big Screen: Four Flicks at the Chicago Film Festival.

Ah, the CIFF. One of my very favorite things about living here. So easily accessible. The previous year I saw 15 flicks there. (I KNOW! NUTS!) The year before, six (one, two, three, four, five, six). This year, I was busy with school and skeered to spend much money so I only saw four. And three out of the four were FANTASTIC. So I was extra happy I made good choices!!!

SPY(IES) [ESPION(S)]
Super! Sexy! Sleek! The main dude looked like a French Patrick Dempsey. Loved this movie. Believed in the frustrations and the attractions. Very nicely done.

Love and Savagery
The one of the four that I didn't think was great. It was beautifully filmed (in Ireland, where it's set, I presume) but the storyline and most of the acting were really below par. Particularly compared to the others.

Girls on the Wall
A documentary about girls in an IL juvenile facility who put on a musical/play for their families / guardians / etc. based on their own stories. So good. Really intimate look at their lives. There are so many places one's life can go wrong. So many times the wrong choice can turn into a terrible mistake. And then there are the ones who fight and fight and eventually rise above that. Really powerful.

Fish Tank
Kinda hard to watch. Super yicky subject. Super fantastic (FANTASTIC) acting. I think this one is now being released wider (saw a review of it in EW) and I highly recommend seeing it. I mean, the subject matter is tough. But the acting is so good. And there's a lot to like here. It really tied me up emotionally. And the main dude, Michael Fassbender, was also fantastic in "Hunger" that I saw last year (and he also plays the Scottish soldier in "Inglorious Basterds"). Dude has fantastic RANGE.

Posted by Duff at 04:07 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

Big Screen: Zombieland

Hilarious, good fun. Somewhat spoofing all those zombie / apocalypse movies ("28 Days Later" and the like) but came up with some original stuff to fill it out. Quite enjoyable.

Posted by Duff at 04:02 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Whip It!

So much fun!! I loved it just as much as my dad did. Sucks that more people didn't see this because you really missed out on one of the most fun evenings at the movie theater all year. ALL YEAR, PEOPLE.

Loved how un-Juno-like Ellen Page was in a role that could have felt very similar. Loved her interactions with her parents; loved the teams, the camaraderies vs. the rivalries. Loved the music and the boy. LOVED IT.

Posted by Duff at 04:00 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

January 12, 2010

DadReaction: The Time Traveller's Wife

Note he has not read the book (yet); I have not seen the movie. I LOVELOVEDLOVED the book. Which is why we will be reading it in our challenge this year.

Really good. Sad, sad, sad, but you knew that. One of the first movies this year in which I bought the romance--but I REALLY bought it. Eric and Rachel are so super together. Really tears your heart out. And the time stuff is handled so well--you feel like you've known these two for YEARS.

Posted by Duff at 02:05 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

DadReaction: Away We Go

Hilarious friends they had--yet there was a real ring of truth in lots of the scenes. JK and MR I thought were really good --and good together. (That first sex scene was too much for the people sitting in front of us though: they stood up and stomped out.)

I liked it too. Although I have a quibble with one bit of it that I didn't mention there. Maybe I'll write about it later.

Posted by Duff at 01:54 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

DadReaction: Whip It!

WONDERFUL movie. Does everything right that most growing up movies do wrong vis a vis romance, winning, etc. This was just great. Drew--well done!! Ellen Page--Babe Ruthless: tremendous! Good ensemble acting, from top to bottom. Lots of smiles, growls, tears, cheers--I LOVED THIS MOVIE!!

Took me back to when I'd come home from Mass on Sunday and watch--ROLLER DERBY!!! My team was the Bay Area Bombers! They had both men and women jamming in alternate periods--but this was really cool.

Highly recommended. (Minor aside--Zoe Bell, the stunt woman from Deathproof was one of the "Hurl Scouts"--I think her track name was "Bloody Holly".)

Posted by Duff at 01:48 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

DadReaction: Zombieland

FOUR STARS! High-larious! There's a mid-flick cameo that's worth the price of two admissions. A hoot throughout. Woody Harrelson's finest performance.

Posted by Duff at 01:48 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

Best of August

The best movie I saw in August was a tie between District 9 (fantastic!) and Inglourious Basterds (exhilarating!).

The best book I read in August was White Time by Margo Lanagan, followed closely by a pair of wolf books by Patricia Briggs. Wow, those are two authors I just love. You may note there are a few reads on that list from August that I'm just not even bothering to write up, mostly continuations of trade paperback mystery series. Bygones. A girl's gotta get caught up somehow.

The best gig I went to in August was The Knux' set at Lollapalooza. But, as with the rest of the year, there just hasn't been any real competition in this category. I read a LOT this year but I did not go to many shows.

My favorite tunes in August were... Damien Rice, apparently. I was mostly running around doing stuff like a crazy lady in August and not doing much listening.

Random personal highlights: My first month of unemployment in a million years. Ah, how refreshing. Also Rebecca came to visit! And school started. I joined Movie Dictators! I had a party! Greg taught us the BSG board game! Some cousins came for a weekend!

Lowlights? There was a wedding I couldn't attend. Otherwise I really don't remember. Ah, the wonder of time.

Posted by Duff at 01:35 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

DadReaction: Hurt Locker

I've already told you how much I loved Hurt Locker (twice). Dad loved it too.

OMG!!Fabulous!! Will James was so intense!! And how they'd freak out when they didn't know what was happening!! You can see why the guys in Iraq just blast away. Super.

I include the following paragraph for hilarity's sake, perhaps you need some humor in your day. No, we are NOT going to become bomb defusers.

But hey: when I came out I wondered: am I too old to do this shit? Because I would LOVE to do this shit!!!! What do you think? Look--the UN must need people to defuse all those minefields around the world, no? LET'S DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Research it! We'll do it together. (As your Mom said when I mentioned this, "You're probably too old--but, on the other hand, nobody would care if you died." Exactly!!) So let's do it!!

ETA: More musing on The Hurt Locker. Funny: Your mom really put off by it--something about the guy disturbed her. But I'm sitting there thinking: I could be that guy!! In fact, it reminded me of some of the calls I went out on when i was with Temperature Control at Purdue*--you'd walk in alone to these insane situations--steam pipes busted , heat going wild, animals freaking out in their cages, HUMANS (worst animals on earth) freaking out, and: WOW! what a buzz you'd get from the challenge!!! Just the challenge to be focused while all this chaos was around you. I mean, I so get that: that it could be your happiest time on earth.

That little smile on James' face at the end, when he's gone back for another tour and he's walking out to deal with whatever's out there. Yeah, yeah....

Oh, reminds me: one of my favorite movies is about another bomb disposal squad--called Juggernaut, w. Richard Harris, David Hemings. Seen it? Worth a look. Richard Lester, of all people, directed.

*Note he has a PhD and an MDiv but yes there was a time when he had two young kids and a wife and worked at Temperature Control to pay the rent.

Posted by Duff at 12:32 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, Watchin'

DadReaction: Julie & Julia

It gets my award for most JOYFUL movie of the year. Grinning the whole time. The mod. story (about the blogger) has been sort of carped at by reviewers, but I thought Adams and the guy were v. believable and funny and neurotic--I mean, the stories, eras, women are different but, boy I'd say Adams held her own with Streep. Of course, Streep is getting the praise and she is super--esp. playing such an outsized, well known drama queen like Julia Child. Great impersonation, but she's in the character--you laugh and cry with her, fight with her.

I thought all the humor was very character driven and not contrived (as in the romcoms of the summer--TheProposal and themoviethatmustneverbenamed), and I thought both lives were very gently led to the paths they took. Back and forth between the eras very good too--and interestingly, both eras have a grim background: 9-11 with the mod story and the McCarthy witchhunt in the Child story.

So you get this genuine search for joy in ordinary life, no matter what the world's doing, which is of course how we all live. And the movie takes you to the joy. Highly recommended.

Posted by Duff at 12:28 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Inglourious Basterds

I came out of this movie with a huge grin on my face, I just enjoyed the frak out of it. Then I turned to Carlos and said "WASN'T THAT GREAT" and he shrugged and said: "Eh. I wasn't into it." Um WHAT?!

Yeah, I don't know. People explain to me what they don't like about Tarantino movies and usually those are exactly the things that I DID (do) like. I like the stylized violence and the comic/graphic novel chop chop and the over-the-topness of it all. I like that the characters you expect to have morals don't, and the ones who seem completely cold do.

In this flick in particular, I just thought there were some brilliant casting moves, some great performances*, it was vivid visually. I loved the settings; I loved the tweaking of the history. I loved seeing an irreverent look at WWII frankly.

Although I think this article has some decent (critical) points...I don't think his movies are all schlock and awe, and to some extent, yes I think you can safely assume that his whole nonchalance attitude about a "deeper message" is just yet another subterfuge. And while yes, you should not adore something for its aesthetics if it's morally bankrupt like the Nazi propaganda films, Tarantino films are NOTHING like that to my mind. This flick's "Are you going to take your uniform off?" Q & As (and their result!) alone have a very (correct) moral message. [Trying not to be spoilerific there.]

*"Ryan" from The Office stuck out like a sore thumb for me. He's the one that I just could not see in his role. He always seemed way too clean and showered compared to the rest of the Basterds.

Posted by Duff at 12:15 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

January 04, 2010

Big Screen: Thirst

A transfusion turns a priest into a vampire and then there's just a boatload of sex and blood and murder and vampirism and oh I did NOT like this movie at all.

In fact, of all the movies I saw in 2009, which was not really very many, this is the one I really wish I had never seen (with The Wrestler and Gran Torino as #s 2 and 3 - those reviews are spoilerific, btw).

Posted by Duff at 01:54 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Julie & Julia

I've beyond sick of hearing people whine about this movie and how much they don't like Julie Powell. Particularly since that really ain't the point at all. Also: Amy Adams is fantastic in this but isn't getting credit for her performance due to the aforementioned wendy whiner whinging.

Yes, Meryl Streep is fantastic, as is Jane Lynch as her sister. Both are almost unrecognizable they're so fully sunk into character here.

And while it's great to honor Julia Child with her current resurgence of popularity, as my friend GirlDetective reminds people, this movie would not exist without Julie Powell (and her book)*. I like how this article puts it as well.

You know, Julie Powell didn't have a well-off diplomat for a husband (and didn't come from money either). She didn't get to learn to cook on her leisure during the day, gallivanting around. She had a shitty job and a shitty apartment in a hard city to live in and frankly I say more power to her.

I loved the blog / didn't like the book (had a very different tone / style than the blog. Maybe too heavily edited?) / loved the movie.

*I left a long comment there you can peruse as well.

Posted by Duff at 01:39 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: District 9

Yes, it's a little ridiculous to be writing about this now when I saw it back in September! And anyone who wants to has seen it already. I'm just trying to whip through things and close out Snip PROPERLY for the year although why I feel I MUST do that, I really can't say.

Anyway.... it was a really great movie. Effects were great, acting was great, intense storyline, very satisfying. My #2 movie of the year. (Hurt Locker was #1.)

I'm so pleased there is quality sci fi being made again. There's just nothing like seeing it on the big screen.

Posted by Duff at 01:36 PM | E-Mail | Comments (1) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

Big Screen: An Education

Really yicky in some ways. But ends better than it seemed it would.

And it is just filmed in such a classy way. The clothes, the sets, the music. You want to visit this world only NOT with Sarsgaard and NOT with all the idiots who never step in to address a situation that is clearly bad from the very beginning.

The lead, Carey Mulligan, has a very Audrey Hepburn-esque quality. Lovely performance by Olivia Williams, nice to see her somewhere other than Dollhouse.

Nicely done but sometimes hard to watch. In the way 13 is a well-done movie but something I never, ever, EVER want to see again. This isn't as harsh as that, but it's in that vein.

Posted by Duff at 01:22 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

December 27, 2009

Big Screen: Crazy Heart

Leisurely paced but not slow. Heartaching but not completely breaking. Really nuanced performances. Lovely music. Thumbs up all 'round.

ETA: And I forgot to tell you that my favorite drummer Jay Bellerose (from here and he played at this show also although I didn't know it at the time) played in the movie / on the soundtrack. Oh YES! :)

Posted by Duff at 12:38 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

December 24, 2009

Big Screen: The Young Victoria

Quite lovely.

I feel like I've seen a zillion movies about Elizabeth so it was nice to visit with a different monarch for a while. Emily Blunt was fantastic.

And I loved that she got to have a love story (and not a salacious one), even if it that meant I cried through a lot of it. Very nice interplay between the couple.

Posted by Duff at 04:17 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

December 23, 2009

Big Screen: The Fantastic Mr. Fox

Very charming. Wonderfully voiced. I really love the puppet look vs. traditional animation.

Posted by Duff at 09:11 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

December 22, 2009

Big Screen (3D): Avatar

Well. I guess I'll have to eat crow. I thought this movie looked really, really dumb (as I may have mentioned here and also here) and I went to it somewhat against my wishes.

And I really enjoyed it.

It's super heavy handed, almost clunkily so ("I AM A GOOD GUY! SEE THE SIGN ON MY HEAD!"), and very typical in its... racial... assumptions, let's say, but despite that (or because of it?) it totally works on one's emotions and I just couldn't help but care about the characters.

And it doesn't hurt that Sam Worthington is really kinda secretly sneak-up-on-you hot. (I have told you that before even though I didn't know his name then and just called him that "half-terminator dude".)

We paid for 3D and I thought the effects were SO MUCH BETTER than when I saw 3D Beowulf, but I am wondering if there's a difference between 3D on the regular movie screen and 3D on Imax...

Posted by Duff at 07:46 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

December 18, 2009

The Comfort Food of DVDs

So I like to have movies on in the background when I'm crafting but they generally have to be movies I both like and have seen a million times. I once had a friend come over and ask:

Her: "What do you do with all these DVDs?"
Me: "What do you mean? I watch them."
Her: "You rewatch movies?"
Me: [Stunned Silence.]

Wednesday

• Tristan & Isolde - Mmmm James Franco mmmmm.
  
• In the Line of Fire - One of my all-time favorite movies. Unfortunately it appears to be time for a new DVD as this one kept mysteriously skipping scenes!
  
• Three Days of the Condor - An old espionage favorite. I love her photographs.
  
• The Other Boleyn Girl - The only one I hadn't seen before (I needed a break in my crafting!). I remember this getting seriously panned but I thought it was decent. Portman and Johanssen really playing against type here.
  
• Chariots of Fire - Oh Yes. Watching this counts as exercising, right?

Thursday

• Garden State - Music and laughter.
  
• Laurel Canyon - Music and angst. And Alessandro Nivola being very sexy.
  
• Iron Man - RDJ has never been more fun.
  
• Hot Fuzz - This will never get old.
  
• Point Break - How can you watch Hot Fuzz and NOT follow it up with Point Break? But in all seriousness, this might be my favorite movie of all-time. And it is definitely my favorite Keanu movie of all-time.

And I'm off to the theater to see Avatar today. I actually think the previews make it look really, REALLY DUMB, but Steve keeps SWEARING it's good and Carlos suggested it. So we'll see.

Posted by Duff at 09:04 AM | E-Mail | Comments (1) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Lists, Watchin'

December 04, 2009

Big Screen: Up in the Air

Even though I am waaaay behind on movie reviews (which is odd considering I haven't even seen very many this year, I'm going to tell you about last night's flick anyway! I'll get all caught up on Snip over my "winter break." I'm sure you were concerned heh...

So last night I saw the new Clooney movie (I believe it's set to come out 12/25 [per IMDB] but I have connections...)... It was a really good solid flick. My friend Steve is calling it, at this point, his #1 of the year. I don't feel quite as strongly as him, but I did really enjoy it.

As Jason Reitman movies are (Juno, Thank You for Smoking), it's chock full of dialogue and witty interplay. Clooney is really charming for a character with some very fucked up ideas about how to live life, and the interplay with Vera Farmiga is pretty great.

It's quite bittersweet and the ending is either really sad or sorta hopeful depending on which members of our group you ask. We all enjoyed it. We also enjoyed that they credited someone as playing "Makeout Dave." I plan to introduce myself as Makeout Carolyn in the future. Hahahaha.

I oddly happened to be with a group of people who mostly have not seen "The Departed"* and was really weirded out the whole movie by how different Farmiga's face looked from her (awesome) performance in The Departed. Lo and behold, she was pregnant (or had just been pregnant?) during the filming. That must've been a body double in the one, fairly gratuitous, random look at her nekkidness.

*I didn't think those people existed. Watch The Departed. It's good!

Posted by Duff at 08:17 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

Dear "Bones",

You used to be a show I loved. Two seriously misguided season finales later*, and then last night's episode was basically an infomercial for Avatar? Are you fucking kidding me? I can only imagine how bad this year's season finale will be. But that's right, I'll ONLY be imagining it.

Sincerely,
we will not be seeing each other again,
because (not so) suddenly you suck,
Duff.

*I gave you a pass on the ridiculously ill-conceived, not-plotted-out reveal of Zach because the first eps of the next season were so fun. But last year's finale? ALSO SUCKED. And WAS STUPID. And this Avatar bullshit is really the last straw.

BTW, that movie looks really dumb and if you were going to be an hour-long infomercial, you could have picked something better to promote. Like a hot car. Or Beer.

Posted by Duff at 08:12 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Letters, TVTVTV

December 02, 2009

Ooooooooooo

These pictures are fantastic!!*

(Thanks, Michelle, ma belle.)

*Except for the Mel Gibson and Arnold Schwarzenegger ones, two people I care equally little about. My faves are the "Shaun of the Dead" and "Atonement" ones.

Posted by Duff at 10:31 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Photog.

October 18, 2009

Big Screen: Ponyo

I am really not a fan of animation in general, but wow I loved this movie. The art was soooo pretty, the story was sooooo sweet, the music was fun. It was happy making.

PONYO LOVES SUSOKE!!! (Susoke sounds like "Sose-kay")

Posted by Duff at 05:17 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Best of July

The best movie I saw in July was Hurt Locker. I've seen it three times so far. I would love to see it again.

The best book I read in July was "The Death of Sweet Mister" by Daniel Woodrell. It really took my breath away.

The best gig I went to in July was EMPTY ORCHESTRA. They are great and I highly recommend you buy tickets if they come through your town.

My favorite tunes in July were (you guessed it) all from Empty Orchestra. And Ryan Auffenberg singing "Sellout" live. I would like to see him live.

Random personal highlights: Cinnamon fed me lots of cast-iron-y goodness, soon coming to bookstores near you; Brenda came to town for a visit, played more Settlers, Pam's band came through town, and I had my last day of work EVER. Or EVER for the foreseeable future.

Lowlights? Mammograms HURT. For rlz. And saying goodbye to people you might not even ever want to know in real life but happen to have known for 10 years which is longer than you've known some of your good friends in real life? Is hard.

Posted by Duff at 02:24 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

Big Screen: Paper Heart

An odd little half fake / half true indie piece. One of several sweet lil romances of this summer in film. I guess the fact that I knew all along (before seeing it) which bits were faked made me never really fall for some of it. If you really love the whole awkward geek thing, this may be the ultimate film for you. Jenni and I have a whole routine of us walking around with our sleeves pulled way down and our shoulders hunched and letting out just a funny giggle every once in a while...

Charlyne Yi (writer, star) was there taking questions and it was really funny. I liked her more there in her real self than the self of her that was in this film.

Funny and worth seeing, and some good tunes, and a Michael Cera performance, but ultimately I liked both 500 Days and Away We Go better. (But maybe that's because I am looking for fantasy, and not reality, on the movie screen.)

Posted by Duff at 12:39 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Hurt Locker

Wow. Just...WOW. If you only go to one movie this year, make it this one. (If you go to two movies, make it this one and District 9.)

Really breathtaking filming in how much it puts you right into the minds and hearts of these soldiers and into the insane tense unknown world that is this war right now. There were so many scenes where I was on the edge of my seat...and the choice NOT to explain everything, and NOT to tell you whether something that appeared dangerous really was as dangerous because they went away and never saw the resolution of it... So good.

Well-acted, well-directed. Tour de force. This is brilliant filmmaking. And some other piece of crap is going to win the Oscar for Best Picture and I'm going to keep telling you: Hurt Locker is the movie that should win and that you should be watching and talking about and watching.

If I was going to send out my Christmas packages this year (which most likely I won't be due to lack of any income), this is the movie I would choose.

You may be a little paranoid after seeing it the first time. And the second. You may be noticing every car that's weaving on the streets, and every passerby who looks at you and then seems to signal to someone else across the road, and every window that suddenly closes right as you walk by it... But it's so worth it.

[I liked it so much...I accidentally reviewed it twice! Turns out I told you about it months ago already!

Posted by Duff at 12:26 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

Big Screen: 500 Days of Summer

Really not quite the sweet romance you may have been expecting. Turns the gender stereotypes upside down. Really enjoyable and funny. Great soundtrack. Nice beats. Love the pentultimate and ending scenes.

Posted by Duff at 12:24 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Public Enemies

I thought this was a good movie, but not a great one.

On the great side, Johnny Depp's performance was brilliant. The sets, clothing, atmosphere were all well done. The dude playing the agent from Texas was great - and I loved his (kind) lie at the end. Marion Cotillard was wonderful and it was so nice to see her not looking like Edith Piaf on screen! :)

On the not as great side, he winds up in jail way too soon. The audience hasn't been given enough time to know the gang, to know the politics of dealing with the other mobsters. It's like just as the action was getting good... I thought that was a bad decision in terms of timing. A lot of the dramatic tension was lost after that. And there were a bunch of scenes that I thought felt too flat (and clearly flatter than they were intended). Not enough tension / somewhat balanced out by Depp's bravura performance, but not entirely.

As Dad said when he was re-watching Point Break to get ready to see Hurt Locker (which is definitely my favorite movie of 2009, btw): Now there's a movie about bank robbers and an obsessive agent that pursues them plus a little romance --Michael Mann, take note.

Posted by Duff at 12:15 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, Watchin'

Best of June

The best movie I saw in June was probably "Moon" but my favorite movie in June was "Away We Go".

The best book I read in June was "Motherless Brooklyn" by Jonathan Lethem. Fantastic! I also really liked the short story collection "Emerald City" by Jennifer Egan.

The best gig I went to in June had to be a tie between Metric and Telekinesis!!! Being that I haven't been going to shows much at all this year, I wish I could remember more about those evenings! But hello June was a long time ago. I know we were standing at the back of the Metro for Metric and it was hot and sweaty but the sounds were great. Oddly I can't even remember who I went to Telekinesis with. Maybe I was drunk.

My favorite tunes in June were from "Back & Fourth" Pete Yorn's awesome, outstanding, lovely latest album. Gee, I guess I liked it.

Random personal highlights: the Settlers obsession continued; saw an amazing Gordon Parks exhibit; finally met a flickr friend (Meera!); went to a couple gigs.

Lowlights? I was still working then so I was still getting up at 4 a.m. every weekday. I KNOW that sucked. And my parents were in Illinois, but the days they were in Chicago I was in the 'burbs and vice versa, and I never managed to hook up with them.

Posted by Duff at 10:49 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

Big Screen: Hump Day

A "straight and narrow" dude and his wife are paid a visit by his wildchild former college roommate. Of course Mr. S&N finds himself seduced by the wild side (again, presumably) and the weekend turns into a crazy dare situation based on a festival of amateur porn films that others plan to enter: "we should make a gay porno together. and the reason it'll be awesome...is because we're not gay!"

Some of it was funny and some of it was sad; some of it felt true and some of it felt fake. Overall, I'd say there were too many disconnects that weren't solved.

The director was there for Q&A after the flick. It was interesting to here how little scripted the movie was / sounds like her process if mostly giving the actors free rein "here is what your character is about, now what do you think he would say in this situation?". Of course, the fact that the director referred to "Zach & Miri Make a Porno" sarcastically pissed me off (she obviously did not "get" Zach & Miri"). I guess she was reacting to being compared to Z&M and not enjoying that fact.

Z&M is a better flick in my opinion.

Posted by Duff at 10:31 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

September 17, 2009

Best of May

Oh good grief, I am so far behind on my own recordkeeping. Maybe I should toss it all!

The best movie I saw in May was Star Trek. I saw things that considered themselves more important than that movie, but they didn't live up to their own forecasts.

The best book I read in May was a three-way tie between The Dart League King by Keith Lee Morris and two really awesome sci-fi books: Wanderlust and Grimspace both by Ann Aguirre. But you know, unlike with going to shows, I've been reading a LOT this year (June was the first month of 2009 to see me read under fewer than 10 books), and for the most part I have really liked the stuff I've been reading. So you know, pinning it down is a bit...silly. Mayhaps. :)

The best gig I went to in May doesn't exist (as with April and March). (I have NOT been going to shows this year. Not sure what's happening there.)

My favorite tunes in May were new albums from Telekinesis!, Eminem, Green Day and Phoenix. Perhaps I'll get caught up on album reviews soon and come back and give ya a link. ;)Write-up here.

Random personal highlights: Carrie came to visit!! YAY YAY YAY!. Oh and I went to MDS&W [again]. Went to a goodbye party for Naz & Jen [again]. And I went down south to spend some time with my cousins and celebrate Kasey graduating nursing school yipee!!

Lowlights? My aunt Anita died. (SO glad I got to see here at the aforementioned trip south, just two weeks earlier.)

Posted by Duff at 03:10 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

Best of April

Oh good grief, I am so far behind on my own recordkeeping. Maybe I should toss it all!

The best movie I saw in April was Sunshine Cleaning. Not mindblowing but certainly worth seeing.

The best book I read in April was Little Bee by Chris Cleave. Really intense and thoughtful. Wasn't totally thrilled with the ending, but that wasn't enough to make me stop thinking about it and recommending it to people.

The best gig I went to in April doesn't exist (as with March). (I have NOT been going to shows this year. Not sure what's happening there.)

My favorite tunes in April were new albums from Gomez and Great Lake Swimmers, two of my very favorite bands. And my favorite single was "Lights Off" The Dears.

Random personal highlights: I paid a visit to my friends in Milwaukee. Was that the month the Settlers of Catan craziness started? I think it may have been. One of several goodbye parties for Jen & Naz (fun party, sad occasion.

Lowlights? You know, at this point, really, I don't remember! Fortunately for my mental health, I tend to only jot down the good things.

Posted by Duff at 02:51 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

Best of March

Oh good grief, I am so far behind on my own recordkeeping. Maybe I should toss it all!

The best movie I saw in March was The Reader which I was oddly unprepared for the subject matter of but thought Winslet's performance was really tour de force.

The best book I read in March was... Wow that one is really hard to narrow down (especially after all this time!). I'm going to call it a tie between "City of Refuge" by Tom Piazza, which was really heartbreaking fictionally as the Katrina situation was in real life; "Bone Crossed" by Patricia Briggs, because honestly that woman cannot write a book that doesn't keep me up all night savoring every word; and "The Girl Who Played with Fire" by Stieg Larsson, a satisfying sequel that had me on the edge of my seat.

The best gig I went to in March doesn't exist. (I have NOT been going to shows this year. Not sure what's happening there.)

My favorite tunes in March were new albums from Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Boy Least Likely To, and U2 and I was really digging these singles (still am, frankly): "Afterglow" Kate York, "Airport Surroundings" Lonely, Dear, and "Sweet Dream" Greg Laswell.

Random personal highlights: I applied for a ginormo lifechange which you may know I am now about four weeks into; Lauren and I went on a photowalk in the wastelands of downtown Chicago; awesome dinner out w/ Monica, Jen and Cinnamon (all part of Jen's extended goodbye series); and I'm not even sure at this point what some of the notations in my calendar mean so we'll just leave it at that.

Lowlights? Who knows. It was just so long ago now! :)

Posted by Duff at 02:34 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

July 28, 2009

DadReaction: Harry Potter #6

The BEST Potter movie. Some very nice moments, stunning scenery, great visuals.

[He kept it short, knowing I am not a Potter Person.]

Posted by Duff at 10:05 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, Recommending

DadReaction: The Ugly Truth

Alternate title: Cinematic Horror.

Good. God. Worst. Movie. Of. The. Year. Perhaps the Decade.

Added treat. Sitting in front of some...well, clone of the neanderthal in the movie who thought the film was high-larious. Bellowing guffaws at (all AND ONLY) the grossest parts. And, oh, there are many.

At one moment I thought: this is the kind of movie you hope your mother doesn't know you were at.

At one point, Katherine asks Gerald why he loves her--for a second, I thought he was going to say "Because the script makes me!" NO other reason.

Posted by Duff at 09:52 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

DadReaction: The Proposal

Alternate title: Movie Moan.

Spectacularly funny beginning. In a way, they did to The Devil Wears Prada what His Girl Friday did to the Front page--switched the gender of the assistant/reporter. Bullock v. good here, kid adequate. But if you can imagine Streep and Hathaway becoming lovers in Prada--go ahead, try it. No really, are you trying? Okay, now you've got some idea of what goes spectacularly wrong with this flick. The romance is EMBARASSINGLY UNBELIEVABLE. Wow. CANNOT express how unbelievable. Also, the dad is simply from some other, horrible movie about a father who drives his son to suicide. Just warps the comedy. (It's like the public humiliation of the girl in Much Ado About Nothing--you never get back to the lightness.)

What's truly disappointing about all this is that Bullock and what's his name--the Boy--have pretty good comic timing: verbal and physical. They step on each other's words and look awkward when they're pretending to be cuddly very well. Also, so much of the humor is good, like the beginning set-up. But then, just as it goes for simple romance, it goes for simple laughs. Compare the super set-up of the dog/eagle joke with the non-set-up of the
nude collision joke. (When's the last time you took a shower without knowing where the towel was? First grade?)

I'm really sick of movies that take hyper-competent women, send them to somewhere with--I don't know--TREES, and assume they will become completely helpless. I mean, they won't even be able to carry a suitcase. PLUS: she's supposed to be Canadian. Just who in Canada can be surprised at living conditions in Alaska?

You keep thinking of different ways the romance could have gone--including nowhere, with some other development of these two: what's wrong with mutual respect? Is romance the ONLY way we grow? Why not have the kid have an older brother that she falls for? Or--geez--why not have her take on the dad? She eats guys like him for breakfast in her job--she can't manage it in Sitka?

Posted by Duff at 09:49 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

July 26, 2009

Big Screen: MOON

First of all, god I am so glad space movies are back. With Sunshine a couple years ago and now Moon, things are looking up for space movie lovers like me.

That said, this is so different than most space movies, being that there is basically one dude in this movie. No big crew of lonely astronauts and their inevitable small-living-space conflicts. No scary aliens. Just Sam Rockwell at his (insane, quirky, bizarre, disturbed) best.

Really unique story. Really nicely filmed. Really creepy, in the best (and not too scary) way.

Posted by Duff at 04:47 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

Big Screen: Away We Go

Perfect soundtrack by Alexi Murdoch, some of which I'd heard before but hadn't listened to in ages. Just fit the movie perfectly.

A movie about a happy relationship through and through = so rare these days! Instead of a couple in trouble, this is a couple looking for "home". Trying to find that place they belong. Wandering together, looking for the place they both fit. Visiting friends, visiting family, seeing what they have, and what they don't. Trying it all on.

Quite lovely. (And both the leads are so NOT at all what they have been before. Really unexpectedly good performances.)

Posted by Duff at 04:44 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: State of Play

This was actually a well-plotted, well-acted, intelligently written thriller and a really good movie...up until about 10 minutes from the end when it went just one twist too far and basically EVERYTHING falls apart from that moment on. And I mean EVERYTHING. If you go home and think about what that moment CHANGES, you get about 17,000 strands going off in the wrong direction that just don't even make sense anymore.

At the exact moment it happened, P. and I looked over at each other, and I said "Sigh" and he made the universal hand motion for "DOWNHILL" and the movie just threw away all the good it had been up to that point.

If you pretend those 10 minutes didn't happen: some really tight performances by Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck, and Helen Mirren was great, and Rachel McAdams really made her part sing, and Jason Bateman has really made himself a new career out of playing slimeballs so well (what with this and with Juno) and there was some nice cinematography and wow Jeff Daniels looks HORRIBLE, WTF happened to him. And then BAM. 10 minutes of suckage that destroys all the fine plotting of the previous two hours.

Ah well. Happens to the best of us, doesn't it. I know my plotting falls apart pretty much every time I try. (I'm talking Life there, not Movies.)

Posted by Duff at 04:35 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Terminator: Salvation

So...I guess I just had really, really low expectations because honestly I can't really figure out why people are bitching and moaning so much about this movie. Hello, it was the FOURTH installment in an ACTION SERIES. How fucking good did you expect it to be?

I myself expected it to be horrible...and instead found it quite watchable. There was a sad lack of romance or even, at least, sex (hello, you are an action movie, where's the mack session?). And there was one car chase type sequence that went on way way waaaay too long. (But of course most of the people bitching about the flick didn't seem to mind that!)

But otherwise, I thought it was fine for what it was: the fourth installment in an action series, that wasn't ever that great to begin with! I liked Moon Bloodgood or whatever her name is, and yeah the half terminator dude was quite nice to look at, considering Christian Bale was a bit wooden.

And really, probably the main reason I enjoyed it was I thought it raised some interesting, and VERY Battlestar Galactica-like, questions about "man or machine" and what defines a person.

Posted by Duff at 04:28 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Star Trek

I'm so not a Trekkie, I've probably seen maybe 10 episodes total? But I've seen just enough to be able to tell what a great job they did with the casting of this flick. The actors were able to give performances that were just reminiscent enough of the actors of the original as to make it believable that this was them in their younger days.

Enjoyed a lot of the humorous touches. Didn't take itself too seriously. Some cool effects. Pretty good job, if you ask me. But again, not enough of a Trekkie to have taken issue with it anyway! :)

Posted by Duff at 04:26 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Gigantic

A quirky little indie flick that was quite enjoyable but ultimately suffers from a lack of plot. Nice nuanced performances by Paul Dano (who played the brother who rarely talked in Little Miss Sunshine) and Zooey Deschanel. But ultimately one of those movies that's a bio piece on a quirky dude but nothing much happens or if it does, it doesn't seem to lead to anything. Also there's a weird little Fight Club thing happening in the background that never ultimately amounts to much (or is even explained).

So while I liked it...I also thought it lacked that "story" or momentum that would have brought it to a higher level.

p.s. I did think John Goodman was a bit over the top. For a quiet, slowly evolving movie to have this big ole loud dude on screen? He always took me a bit out of the "action". Not that it was "action" per se.

Posted by Duff at 04:22 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

July 15, 2009

Big Screen: Hurt Locker

F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C.

Best movie you will see all year. Now get your damn butts out there to see it so it makes enough money to get wider distribution and maybe, just maybe, be shown in the teeny town theater near my pops who really, really wants to see it.

It was one of the best war movies I've EVER seen. And I have seen a LOT of war movies.

Yeah, I know I'm behind and I usually like to do these things in order. But better out of order than not at all, right? I'll try to get to the rest soon.

Posted by Duff at 09:16 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

June 24, 2009

MomReaction: Drag Me to Hell.

The reviews said it was scary and funny.

It was just stupid.

Posted by Duff at 08:22 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, MomReaction

June 16, 2009

DadReaction: UP!

Well, we have another summer where the most realistic humans are in CARTOONS!!! They do an intro montage on the life of this old couple and your jaw drops at the sheer sadness of time, time passing, frailty, as the kick off to this fantasy!!!

ALSO: The fantasy/adventure really rocks. Could NOT take kids to the flick. Much scarier than Drag Me To Hell. NO EXAGGERATION. :)

[bold = mine. he cracks me up.]

Posted by Duff at 10:54 AM | E-Mail | Comments (1) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, Recommending

June 11, 2009

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Eating: At Lula, tonight. I'm excited; I've never been!

Making: A bullshit annoying stupid summer shirt thingamabop. How do I always forget how much sewing clothes FUCKING SUCKS. I need to stick to quilts.

Reading: "Dark Places", by Gillian Flynn. I LOVED (her earlier/first novel) Sharp Objects, but this book is much more....conventional? Sort of? Its main mystery is more conventional and it doesn't have as interesting or as strong of imagery as SO. But after picking it back up this week, I really haven't been able to put it down.

Watching: Reruns of NCIS. or CSI. whichever's on. And I'm going to a screening of MOON on Monday: can't wait!!

Listening to: New albums from Eminem, Green Day, Telekinesis!, Gomez, Phoenix, and shitloads of random singles, especially the Glee cast cover of "Don't Stop Believin' ", Iron & Wine doing New Order's "Love Vigilantes" and random old, nasty nasty songs like "Crazy Bitch" by Buckcherry.

Failing at: Staying upbeat. Being patient. Imagine the shitstorm when the lack of those collides. My brain is a bad place to be!

Posted by Duff at 11:35 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

June 05, 2009

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Eating: Today: nothing. Tomorrow: a cake like this one, I hope.

Making: Good week for dreaming of projects a-plenty. Bad week for actual crafting.

Reading: Just started this month's challenge book: "Motherless Brooklyn" by Jonathan Lethem. Loving all the Tourettes' word experiments.

Watching: New season of Burn Notice, yippee. Also about to start in on the Band of Brothers DVDs. For real this time.

Listening to: "Orange Sky" and "All of My Days" (Alexi Murdoch, both) back to back to back. Thanks to seeing "Away We Go" last night (a: it was AWESOME and b: Murdoch was basically the entire soundtrack), I just can't listen to anything else.

Failing at: Focus. Control. Willpower. The usual.

Posted by Duff at 08:50 AM | E-Mail | Comments (1) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

April 21, 2009

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Eating: I'm drinking so many calories, there is no room left for eating. Bygones.

Making: Finishing the second of the two baby boy quilts. And an awesomely cute pair of wrist warmers that are sadly not for me. Sigh.

Reading: Another Dublin purchase "Eureka Street" by Robert McLiam Wilson. It's self deprecating and fun and I quite like both the scruffy narrators/heros.

Watching: All the TV there is available to watch. Plus lots of old movies on random cable channels now that I got rid of all my 975 movie channels, in a preemptive "I may have no income soon" move. Oldies like Top Gun. Ah, Top Gun.

Listening to: New Great Lake Swimmers "Lost Channels" which I LOVE; new U2 "No Line on the Horizon" which I like a lot of; and an awesome new playlist made by yours truly on which I mixed in a few oldies more than my norm. Shouldn't EVERY song sample the BeeGees? SHOULDN'T THEY ALL? Want a new mix? Got something I'd like in trade? E-mail me and we'll see.

Failing at: Restraining addictions. Of many kinds.

Posted by Duff at 07:20 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, Tunes

April 09, 2009

Best of February

The best movie I saw in February was The Class (Entre les Murs). I enjoyed the experience of watching The Wrestler...but did not ENJOY the movie. If you can parse that one out. In fact, it annoyed me greatly.

The best book I read in February was a tie between Delicate, Edible Birds, by Lauren Groff, her new short story collection, and For All We Know, by Ciaran Carson, a very novel-istic book of poetry. Both are very highly recommended.

The best gig I went to in February was a tie between the only two gigs I've been to ALL YEAR: Griffin House, who was totally kickin' it and it was a very enjoyable evening although it was a rough weekend having gotten some really shitty news at 4:45 that Friday. Grrr; and a week later Prairie Cartel, who were really great. (You may remember my friend Nan's brother Mike who used to be in Fig Dish and then Caviar (check your "Charlie's Angels" soundtrack) is part of Prairie Cartel.)

My favorite tunes in February were the latest albums from Mick Flannery and Joshua Radin.

Random personal highlights: Trip to Dublin!; Bowling Geeks Unite; Huffencooper Hot Sauce party.

Lowlights? Getting fucked over by someone on the aforementioned Friday afternoon. Getting stuff stolen from my checked luggage on the way home from Dublin. Getting violently ill upon arrival home from Dublin.

Posted by Duff at 09:40 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

April 07, 2009

Big Screen: Sunshine Cleaning

Very enjoyable. Certainly the most worth seeing of the movies I've seen recently. And I think it would stand up to higher standards as well.

While it's being marketed as another psuedo comedy, as with indie peers such as Little Miss Sunshine and Juno, it's really a much deeper movie than that. Much more concerned with the little miseries of our day-to-day lives and how much greater an effect the bad things have than the good.

In other words, you take one small step towards improving your life, it helps a tiny bit and then just one little bad thing happens and KABAM you are five steps backwards. A very realistic look at that place of struggle between "doing OK" and "not really doing OK at all" or "barely hanging on" where so many people are stuck. It was so topical and seemed very true to that moment (moreso really than Little Miss Sunshine in fact).

Amy Adams and Emily Blunt were believable as sisters not just in appearance but in attitude and we both really enjoyed it. Although T did ask on the way out: How many movies with "Sunshine" in the title are these people going to make? And are they all going to have Alan Arkin as the dad? :)

Posted by Duff at 08:09 AM | E-Mail | Comments (1) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

Big Screen: Gran Torino

SPOILERS

Another afternoon at the cheap (although $1 more expensive than before!) theater.

My dad and I seriously DISAGREE about this movie. My parents liked a lot of it, thought it was worthwhile, thoughtful, etc. (Although Dad agrees with me about the ending. I think.)

I thought it was sooooooo heavy handed and ridiculous. Most of the scenes between Eastwood and the girl next door (particularly the one in the truck) were, to paraphrase myself, straight out of "The Mung People for Dummies". (When I said this to Dad, he said "Nooooo!!!")

There's a huge difference between "thinking some particular people might be OK" and "realizing that your racist attitudes are bullshit" and Eastwood seems to have filmed the movie thinking he has persuaded you of the latter when in fact he BARELY makes the leap to the former.

I was not impressed. The dialogue was horrible, stiff and sometimes idiotic. C. and I were OFTEN laughing at things that likely were not meant to be funny. It was such a thin attempt at addressing racist attitudes. THIN. And not well done, if you ask me.

I can't quite put my finger on what made this palatable to my pops and not to me. I think it's some combination of 1) age: I found Eastwood's character so annoying and such a perfect picture of what's WRONG with so many old people you run into; how they expect you to just be fine with incredibly rude behavior on their part that they would FREAK OUT if a young person treated them with the same disrespect; and 2) exposure to Asian people in general?and perhaps a more shall we say rare Asian culture in particular? That's my guess anyway.

I really thought it was not a very good movie at all.

And the ending? Hello, suicide by provocation? It almost pissed me off as much as another ridiculous ending recently (THAT LINK HAS SPOILERS). Then he uses himself crooning (and playing piano) over the ending credits? COME ON.

I'm glad I didn't pay more than $4 for this because I would have been pissed if I had.

Posted by Duff at 07:58 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Duplicity

Basically a couples version of the Oceans 11 (12, 13) scenario (i.e. if the characters of Brad Pitt & George Clooney were romantically involved). One of those heist/con movies that works while you're watching it, but is just a little bit too slick in the end, too many things work out "just" right. Or do they? Whether they do or not, you can pick apart about a million things when you leave the theater so it's really whether or not that ruins the experience for you. (In this case, for me, it did not.)

The difference between the Oceans movies and this one is a bit of added slapstick thanks to Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti playing feuding consumer products CEOs. It's partially hilarious because you're like come on NO ONE's this crazy...but on the other hand, it's hilarious because hello CEOs of Fortune 500 companies...are TOTALLY this crazy. They both brought a very hilarious physical energy to their roles.

Not much deeper than your average bit o' fluff. But definitely entertaining and Julia/Clive played their love/hate relationship very realistically. Ah, the hidden jealousies. So nasty when they become unhidden.

MK insisted (and I mean INSISTED) we go get champagne after this movie (they seem to celebrate each assignation with yet another bottle) so we had a long leisurely afternoon... Fun times!

Posted by Duff at 07:47 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Push

An afternoon at the $3 theater* is always so pleasing as you can see things that have long left the mainstream theaters still on the big screen.

I'm not sure anyone else on earth saw this movie but really? I quite enjoyed it! It was pretty cheesy and the crazy Asian dudes whose power is SCREAMING? Yeah, they were a bit much. But if you decided to just roll with it, there was some cool Matrix-y / Wanted type stuff. And Dakota Fanning was really good. Impressively so.

I wasn't blown away by Chris Evans but I thought he did a decent job and Djimon Hounsou always manages to bring some serious gravity to his roles, even if silly.

Totally entertaining and didn't piss me off. So you know, a worthwhile afternoon at the movies! AND ONLY $3. :)

*Which JUST upped its price to $4 a few weeks after this!!! I thought C. was going to die of shock when he found that out!

Posted by Duff at 07:35 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: The Reader

I have no idea how I was blissfully unaware going into this movie that hello it's about the fucking Nazis. (Generally I cannot watch Holocaust-related movies as the sobbing and the crying just get out of control. Yup, I'm a crier.) Maybe because this and that suburbia movie with Leo were released so close together? Not sure, but somehow I just had no idea what this one was about.

Kate Winslet was totally entrancing and I really loved the sloooooow revelation of the movie, how you suddenly come to realize what the kid suddenly comes to realize. To someone who's been thinking a lot about the particular relevant issue* these days (long story), the "middle" of the story was done so nicely. Not an easy thing to portray on film.

The ending was really quite beautiful in its very sadly devastating way.

*That bit's a big spoiler so I've tried to be vague as it's worth not "knowing" going in.

Posted by Duff at 07:30 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: The Class (Entre Les Murs)

This movie was oddly affecting. Strong and interesting performances both from the main dude and the kids in his classroom. Intriguing look at a very diverse classroom/school. Also interesting to think about and watch how the teacher needs to approach students in individualized ways and when that does or doesn't work.

Yet somehow it felt a bit incomplete. A number of storylines that weren't quite tied up or where it wasn't quite clear how the resolution came about. Yet definitely kept you involved and interested and felt very "true".

Worth seeing despite feeling a bit...unclear at the end.

Posted by Duff at 07:27 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: The Wrestler

Don't read this if you don't want SPOILERS but honestly if you wanted to see this, why haven't you seen it already?

Uh huh

SPOILERS.

The ending of this movie made me so angry I had fumes coming out my ears. But T. sitting next to me was totally wiping away tears. So you know, there's another point of view.

Not sure why all the reviews are rah rah Mickey Rourke, who is basically, face it, playing himself, right down to the wrestling. COME ON. Hey congratulations on pulling your life out of the shitter and doing a decent job acting again? Hello, not sure why that's SOOOOO noteworthy.

Whereas Marisa Tomei isn't actually a down-and-out stripper in real life, yet here a) she does a great job and b) the movie is as much about her transformation as his. Perhaps moreso since her character ACTUALLY works toward transformation a bit harder than his, frankly. I wasn't prepared to see literally all but about an inch and a half of her naked body, but I thought her performance was outstanding.

So he basically gets a death sentence, halfheartedly tries to change, tries to start anew and oh gee things don't go EXACTLY his way? COME ON!!! He has a shitty day and his daughter and potential girlfriend don't give him exactly the response he's looking for? So he basically commits suicide via wrestling? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME. If I committed suicide every time things don't go exactly my way...

I spent several years in NYC working TWO jobs, 9-5 at #1 and 6-10 at #2 Monday through Friday, plus 10-4 Saturdays at #2 and some Sundays. That sucked fucking dick and it wasn't by any means the only shitty thing that happened those two years. Funny how SOMEHOW I kept going. WHATEVER.

Oddly time has not softened my feelings toward the end of this movie but made me even madder.

Posted by Duff at 07:19 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

April 03, 2009

DVD: The Happening.

Wow, this was incredibly bad. Bad dialogue, bad plot, bad everything.

Someone online called it "The Crappening" last year but I refused to believe it. Yup. Believe it.

Posted by Duff at 05:49 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

March 26, 2009

Best of January

Apparently all I did in January was read. The choices in other categories were sparse, my friends, very sparse.

The best movie I saw in January was Coraline.

The best book I read in January was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, which was just outright excellent. No doubt about it.

The best gig I went to in January DOES NOT EXIST. I didn't see/hear any live music in January? WTF!

My favorite tunes in January were MGMT "Oracular Spectacular", new Bon Iver EP "Blood Bank" and Why? "Alopecia." I was also still listening to Frightened Rabbit "Midnight Organ Fight". A lot. And other favorites from 2008.

Random personal highlights: Brunch with cousins; tail-end of Cat's visit including brunch w/ Lauren-O and Petey Sweatshirt; Cinnamon-arranged Stitch 'n' Tweet; BStarG returned to TV: fancy dinner for T; Game Day! at my house; Party in Milwaukee; Spamalot. Huh. Pretty good month. In retrospect.

Lowlights? Stress at secondary browsing location. (Shocker, I KNOW.)

Posted by Duff at 09:50 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

Big Screen: Coraline

Sometimes it ain't just about the movie. Sometimes it's about the awesome people you go with, or the personal ziplock of delicious homebaked cookies they bring you, or the boy you see in the audience that you're bewilderingly too shy to really talk to.

I am not generally an animation fan. But I loved it.

Posted by Duff at 09:15 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Slumdog Millionaire

Liked. But did not love.

Good:

• Oh the romance.
  
• Oh the feel-good-ness of it all. The Bollywood dance at the end (the intercutting of them alone, them with crowd, and them as young) was so smile-inducing. Everyone in the theater seemed so happy on the way out.

Bad:

• The framing technique got old. FAST. They should have ended it about 15 minutes earlier because the movie got SO much better once the stories all came together.
  
• So, so, so, SO predictable. You could spot that ending a mile away.

And frankly that last one is what killed it for me. Movies this predictable should not be given awards, if you ask me. Or if they are, with a "*100% predictable" tacked on the end.

Worth seeing, sure. But the Oscar? Eh. Milk should have won. That was predictable only in that IT WAS FROM A TRUE STORY.

(For pete's sake (who's pete), Iron Man was less predictable than this!!!!)

Posted by Duff at 09:07 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

March 05, 2009

Wrapping It Up: Favorite Movies 2008

Yes, I'm aware it's March and I'm randomly posting Best of 2008s. Blame the economy, hahahaha.

My Favorite Movies in 2008 Were:
(linked to their original Snip reviews)

1. Iron Man. WIthout a fucking doubt. This SHOULD have won awards.
2. Milk. So well done.
3. Let the Right One In. Spooky!
4. Zach and Miri Make a Porno. Hilarious. Yet sweet.
5. Wanted. AWESOME. With a few plot holes. Bygones.
6. Hunger. So sad.
7. The Dark Knight. It wasn't as good as IronMan. But it was good.
8. Tropic Thunder. Fucking pure hilarity.
9. Atonement. Gorgeous. Just as good as the book.
10. Leatherheads. Beautifully filmed. And I really do not care for Renee Z., yet she was unable to ruin it for me.

And if you'd like to hear about other movies I liked or DIDN'T, you can go read the full post.

Posted by Duff at 11:12 AM | E-Mail | Comments (1) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Flicks, Watchin'

February 07, 2009

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Eating: Toaster Strudel. It's my go-to breakfast when I have to leave the house before 5 a.m. Like I have to every day now.

Making: Supposedly working on two baby boy quilts. Supposedly.

Reading: Our challenge book for February, "The Broom of the System" by David Foster Wallace, which I am loving. I call it "Vonnegut if he wrote female narrators."

Watching: BStarG season 4.5 and Holy Frak the last two episodes have been NUTS. Remember all those interviews Tahmoh was giving where they asked him about the last 10/11 and he said "Everybody dies!" Yeah, I'm wondering if that might not be the truth! Also loving Bones (hockey dream sequence!!!) and the past few episodes of The Office have been really side-splittingly funny. I have a bunch of random other series on DVD saved up but I just can't get around to watchin' 'em.

Listening to: "Alopecia" Why (like a lot); "Oracular Spectacular" MGMT (Love! and hello where have I been?); Bon Iver "Blood Bank" (love) and a few singles from LadyGaGa (sounds like a combination of Pink + Gwen Stefani? no?) and just bought the latest singles from Kelly Clarkson (only the second song of hers I own! but it's fun!) and Eminem!

Posted by Duff at 09:50 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, Tunes

Best of December

The best movie I saw in December...was Bolt, the ONLY movie I saw (Pathetic! Especially considering I was on vacation the first week of the month.

The best book I read in December was... hmmm, hard to pin it down when you read 11 books that month!!! I'll make it a three-way tie between Tender Morsels, by Margo Lanagan; Deaf Sentence, by David Lodge; and Black & White, by Dani Shapiro. But I don't think there were many of my December reads that I wouldn't recommend to you. It was a great month for reading.

The best gig I went to in December was My Morning Jacket, which was allright but I actually thought the time I saw them at Lollapalooza was a better set. The ony other show I went to I didn't review. It was The Sea and Cake on New Year's Eve, which was good, but I wasn't really aware of their stuff before so I wasn't necessarily super engaged. Plus you know, NYE, crowds, loud drunk girls, etc. Cathy and I had fun but then we had enough fun so we went home early! :)

My favorite tunes in December boils down to one album: Frightened Rabbit "The Midnight Organ Fight" which I pretty much listened to nonstop. And I listened to a lot of Kanye, Killers, and Pink (all from November) as well.

Random personal highlights: A week off! Yay!; hung out with Cinnachick!; Back to the Future marathon with Carlos; dinner with my cousins; brunch with MK; brunch with KC; dinner at the Coopers; and Cathy came to visit!!! YAY!!!!

Lowlights? Can't remember any in particular. Now that's rare!!

Oh look, I finally got through December. Now I can write up my year-end lists. I'm SO TIMELY this time around. Ha!

Posted by Duff at 09:25 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

Big Screen: Bolt

It was entertaining. But I am not a huge fan of animated film. So you know, I though it was sweet and funny enough but I am not the person you want to come to for reviews of such. My dad, however, LOVED it and you can read what he had to say here.

Posted by Duff at 09:22 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

February 04, 2009

DadReaction: The Big Lebowski

We did find time--over the course of three (3) days--to watch The Big Lebowski. Wow. You wanna talk CLASSIC.......................The Dude truly abides.

Posted by Duff at 04:37 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

January 20, 2009

Best of November

The best movie I saw in November was Milk and it was EXCELLENT. My No. 2 movie for the year. So good.

The best book I read in November was "The Way of Shadows" by Brent Weeks. It was a slow month reading-wise but I did really enjoy that book.

The best gig I went to in November was....some gig that I didn't go to! First month all year with no shows. Am I slowing down? I'm certainly feeling old and decrepit but it may just be I wasn't paying attention to what was coming up so I missed out on tickets I would have wanted. Who knows!

My favorite tunes in November were new albums from Jem, and The Killers, and Matt White, and Vancougar, and Ryan Adams, and Pink, and Kanye, and Winter's Fall and...some others. I bought a ton of music over the month (click on the link and you'll see!).

Random personal highlights: HuffenCooper Halloween party; "HOLY FUCK OBAMA WINS!" is what it says on my calendar for November 4. Certainly a day that will not be forgotten; did some serious shopping in the burbs with Sara; I hung out with my nephews for the first time in ages; beers at Guthrie's with Lauren; bought some cool shit at the DIY show; I visited my "second (or third, really) home" in Milwaukee for Thanksgiving; and Michelle was in town for a day. There was a lot going on (hence the aforementioned lack of reading!).

Lowlights? Fallout at secondary browsing location continued. Missed seeing Francine Prose & Anne Carson speak, both of which I had tickets to but I'm too dumb to look ahead in my calendar when the month rolls forward. Was very tired.

Posted by Duff at 08:51 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

DVD: Death Race

Nothing more than an action movie chockfull of explosions and car chases. But for what it is? Pretty entertaining. (Far more entertaining than the movie I watched yesterday.) Maybe not enough hand-to-hand fighting for a prison movie (not enough shirtless scenes, certainly).

A combination of Mad Max, futuristic prison scenes, and The Fast & The Furious stylized car races/chases. It did a nice job of whiling away two hours for me and I certainly wasn't bored, even though I was sometimes laughing when I maybe wasn't supposed to be.

Really, my only question is: What the fuck is Joan Allen doing in this movie?

Posted by Duff at 05:06 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

January 19, 2009

DVD: Pineapple Express

My conservative estimation would be: 90% stupid, 7.5% ludicrous and 2.5% occasionally funny. James Franco was good, for what the part was worth, but Seth Rogen seemed like he was just going through the motions, and all the yelling during the first half? Boring. Most of the other acting was bad, and one guy was so incredibly bad that every time he came on screen I felt like I was watching someone's bad "home audition" movie.

I *think* this wanted to be to drug movies what Hot Fuzz is to cop movies. But it so was not.

I am completely baffled by its lack of funniness, given the reviews it has gotten.

Posted by Duff at 05:05 PM | E-Mail | Comments (1) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

January 06, 2009

Best of October

The best movie I saw in October was a three-way tie between Zach and Miri Make a Porno, Let the Right One In, and Hunger, all of which I saw at the Chicago Film Festival. In regular movie releases, I also really liked The Duchess.

The best book I read in October was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson. I also really liked Conversations at Curlow Creek, by David Malouf, my favorite Aussie author.

The best gig I went to in October would be Fujiya & Miyagi. I didn't write up any of the October shows so here's the quick and dirty: Liam Finn, was completely unlike his album, super into experimental, extemporaneous, and jam band-type style if you can be a jam band when there are only two people on stage; Catie Curtis sang some really nice sweet songs, but also some goofy stuff that isn't really my thing. And Fujiya & Miyagi was good, they sounded great, people were into it, the beats were hoppin'....but at some point all the songs start to sound the same. Felt like we heard an hour of one long song with a great beat.

My favorite tunes in October were the latest albums from Keane and Ray LaMontagne and my top two favorite songs were "Honey Let Me Sing You a Song" Matt Hires and the First Aid Kit cover of Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song".

Random personal highlights: My dad came to visit and joined wholeheartedly in my 365 project and it was outstanding.

Lowlights? Fallout at secondary browsing location continued. My Morning Jacket concert cancelled and then I wound up blowing off a Joseph Arthur concert as I just didn't have any energy that day. Also had a weird shiatsu massage that bruised/hurt my back so badly I could barely sit in a chair for two days afterward

Posted by Duff at 02:59 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Live!!, Tunes

December 31, 2008

Big Screen: 15 Features from the Chicago Film Festival.

So back in October, I saw 15 films in 10 days at the Chicago Film Festival. I was quite ambitious in my ticket buying (obviously) and although I was a bit worn out at the end (it's not like I had any days off work during this adventure), I saw a lot of interesting films, most of which I certainly would not have had the opportunity to see otherwise.

Day 1, Oct 17

The Pleasure of Being Robbed
Misleading description. Not about the pleasure of being robbed at all. Maybe a little bit about the pleasure of robbing, not that it even seemed that pleasurable, and the cinematography wasn't interesting enough to keep the viewer involved. This wasn't terrible, but we both felt it smacked of "senior year art project". And as T pointed out: it ended and you weren't even sure you knew the main character's name, much less her motivations. 2.5 out of 5.

Wendy & Lucy
Really nuanced wonderful performance by Michelle Williams. But sad, hard to watch, and one of those movies where it's more "a portrait of a moment" than a movie/story. Minimal plot. And our second movie of the day featuring a girl who is somewhat lost and alone. 3.5 out of 5. Great performance but not much there otherwise.

Let the Right One In
Beautiful. One of my faves of the festival. Slowly paced, dim and quiet. Sweden. Winter. Loneliness. Vampire. Love. So glad to see this one is getting a more widespread release (if you can consider indie theaters in big cities to be widespread). If you read the review in EW and decided not to see it, I urge you to go anyway. It was really lovely and moving. Icky in places, but quite powerful. This is definitely a 5 out of 5 for me.

Day 2, Oct 18

Sparrow
Very fun. Slapstick drama about four brothers who are all pickpockets and all get involved with the same woman. Her end of the plot was a bit lame but it was so fun, I really didn't mind that. Sort of Marx Brothers in Hong Kong with a little more seriousness. 3.5 out of 5.

Surveillance
One of only a few US-centric flicks we saw. First 2/3rds = really interesting, tightly plotted, intriguing flick. Last 1/3rd = insane twist that throws away a LOT of the good stuff from earlier on and makes it not nearly as interesting. Bizarre. And then the credits roll and "Oh, directed by Jennifer Lynch. From the content of that movie, I HAVE to think she's related to David." 3 out of 5.

Day 3, Oct 19

Hunger
So good. So sad. HARD to watch. Death of IRA leader Bobby Sands by hunger strike (which had followed a "rub shit on the walls" strike). Loved the first half. Neat stuff showing how the prisoners found ways to communicate both with each other and with the outside world. A really really interesting (long) conversation in the middle of the film between Sands and a priest. But didn't like how the second half (or last third maybe) of the movie lets all the other characters drop away and basically you just watch someone waste away, hallucinate(?) and die. 4 out of 5. Really good but could have easily been better just by keeping the stories of the other prisoners/activists going.

North Starr
Poor. Definitely the weakest entry I have seen not just this year but last year as well. Poorly written and acted, heavy handed. Maybe a 2 out of 5 and that's generous. Not sure how this even got selected.

Day 4, Oct 20: No movies for me.

Day 5, Oct 21

Everlasting Moments
WWI Sweden. Woman stuck in bad marriage, constant pregnancy, poverty, etc. Gets the gift of a camera. Changes her life. Somewhat. Beautifully done. The grunge of their lives so well portrayed/styled/etc. 4 out of 5.

Zach & Miri Make a Porno
I am not unbiased about Kevin Smith. I fucking loved this movie. I loved it even more after he took Q&A for an hour afterwards. Sure, it's crass and gross and whatever else people are saying about it. It's also super sweet and romantic and really fucking funny. 5 out of 5.

Day 6, Oct 22

Two Lovers
Not very good and you know I love Joaquin Phoenix so that was sad. Same director as We Own The Night which while somewhat formulaic/predictable was a much better movie than this one. Convoluted. And unlike how seeing Kevin Smith's Q&A made me love his movie more, this Q&A went the other direction. 2.5 out of 5.

Day 7, Oct 23

Girl by the Lake
Italian murder mystery. Starts with your classic misdirection. Some nice subplots about the lead detective's own life. Liked it. But not sure the conclusion really worked. 3.5 out of 5.

Day 8, Oct 24

Country Wedding
Two busloads of Icelandic family members lost trying to find the right church for a wedding. Some really funny stuff. Some sweet. But dragged a bit. Could have used some zippier editing or maybe a few more contretemps thrown in. 3 out of 5.

Julia
Totally crazy movie about people making insanely bad decisions and then following through on them only to have even worse happen. A lot of it was really uncomfortable and hard to watch. But this is by far the most human I have ever seen Tilda Swinton be. So that was interesting. 3.5 out of 5.

Day 9, Oct 25

Snow
Beautiful. A Bosnian village of women whose men have gone to war and vanished, trying to find ways not just to survive for themselves but to keep their community together. Slowly paced. But really good. 4.5 out of 5.

Day 10, October 26

Terribly Happy
Denmark. This is totally Hot Fuzz, minus the comedy and upping the eerie stuff by half or more. Really creepy and nuts. Very entertaining. Lots of misdirection. Had a little sense of slapstick but in a very serious way. 4 out of 5.

Posted by Duff at 08:30 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

December 28, 2008

Big Screen: MILK

Soooooo good. Outstanding performances. Sean Penn is just as good as people are saying but I was especially impressed by James Franco. At the end, they show the actors vs. the real people they were portraying? And holy crap the casting and styling on this movie were just PITCH PERFECT. Really well done, poignant and moving, but funny and crass at times as well. Not that I know much about Harvey Milk, but it seemed they were very true to who he was, and those funny quirks that make up a person.

And then you come out of the theater and think "So where are we with gay rights now, in 2008, some 30 years later? Well, let's see. We just outlawed gay marriage in a shitload of states, including some where it was already legal. That ain't a step forward." And then you feel even MORE depressed than the movie may have already made you over an untimely death.

What a Fucked Up World we are living in.

Posted by Duff at 12:30 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

Best of September

I seem to have fallen behind here, haven't I. Kept waiting for myself to have written up movies, books, etc., before doing these. Ah well.

The best movie I saw in September (of only two, so take that as you will) was Tropic Thunder, which will definitely make my Top 10 this year.

The best book I read in September was the short story collection "Dead Boys" by Richard Lange. (But I did really like both the other books (one, two) I read in September as well.)

The best gig I went to in September was (overall) Monolith and my favorite performance there was Band of Horses, a magical twilight moment.

My favorite tunes in September were (the only in some cases or the most recent) albums Schwayze (yeah, I know I'm the only one, but it's FUN), The Billionaires, The Wave Pictures and Everlast.

Random personal highlights: The aforementioned weekend at Monolith (including visiting Mariah, Stephan and Jack!).

Lowlights? Well. If you know about the secondary browsing location and events therein, then you know I had a very, very, very shitty September. Very Shitty. And honestly, the fallout is still going on.

Posted by Duff at 12:20 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

December 26, 2008

DadReaction: BOLT

DROP all that you're doing and RUN out to see it. It's just great. You get the same roller-coaster emotions, wild fun and thrilling victories that you got in Ratatouille. It's really good. Not a dry eye in the house. And ANYBODY that likes dogs--their unquestioned loyalty and the way they throw themselves into stuff--can't help but love this movie. It's so good you even like the CAT!

Posted by Duff at 07:37 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Eating: The new Clubby sandwich from Potbelly's which is so fucking delicious it may have ruined me for all other sandwiches. But it's (most likely) insanely high in calories (they don't even list it on their nutrition page!). Thus helping me in my goal of being the fattest girl in the universe.

Making: Oh, you know. This 'n' that and mostly things I can't talk about.

Reading: At home I am reading "The Whole Equation: A History of Hollywood" by David Thomson that I'm pretty sure I borrowed (from Dad) last Christmas so it's about time I read it, no? I didn't feel like carrying it on the train this morning though so in transit I am reading "Silver Wings for Vicki" by Helen Wells, who I'm sure only one of you (hi CCB!) knows is the author of the Cherry Ames books which were very, very beloved to me in childhood, although technically they are books originally from my mother's childhood (the first Vicki book was published in 1947 and the first Cherry Ames in 1943).

Where Cherry was a nurse, Vicki is a flight attendant. And just as with the Cherry Ames' series, they are full of now hilarious (but so non-PC and borderline offensive) comments on how to be a good woman (to your man), or things of that nature. Here's a "great" (that's me, being sarcastic) description of the requirements to be a stewardess, from Vicki's interview: "Real beauty isn't necessary, but you have to be nice to look at: well groomed, pleasant, and not too tall or heavy. After all, a plane must carry the biggest payload possible, and the heavier the crew the less paying weight we can carry. Did you see that tall girl who came in ahead of you? She was qualified for this work in everything except that she's five feet eight and weighs proportionately. But the airlines do recognize that American girls are growing taller, and we're gradually raising the height and weight limits."

So far, I don't love Vicki the way I love(d) Cherry, but she's growing on me. She's so perky, how could she not! :)

Watching: Only two episodes left to (re)watch in my (zillioneth) rewatch of all of BStarG to get read for the season 4.5 premiere on January 16. (So close, but yet so far.) As well as the webisodes. Which are OK. But not "oh holy shit!" entrancing. Also in the midst of a (re)watch of all four of the Alien films, although my plan to marathon through them all yesterday did not materialize. (Apparently I needed a lot of those hours for sleeping.)

Listening to: Frightened Rabbit "The Midnight Organ Fight" with a little of Sufjan's old Christmas box set thrown in. (There is a new Xmas EP out but I'm not sure I want it based on this review.)

Posted by Duff at 02:50 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

November 20, 2008

DVD: Deception

Hugh Jackman (evil and slimey) and Ewan McGregor (nerdy and naive) play against type quite effectively here. I found the whole thing super creepy and foreboding. Michelle Williams is good too although hers is at moments barely a bit part and at other moments pivotal to the plot, which gave it overall an uneven feel I thought. Also one of the twists at the end...might have been worked better.

It's got a bit of Ripley sense to it. I liked it. But I don't remember it being in the theaters for even a week. So I may be the only one. (I didn't LOVE it but I liked it.)

Posted by Duff at 09:10 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

DVD: The Bank Job

Very entertaining! Because I apparently live in a bubble*, I was not aware that it was a) based on a true story and b) set in the '70s. I guess b) accounts for the overabundance of (female of course) tits 'n ass shown up close.

Really intriguing story, with so much crossover between different players and sets of circumstances that you really don't have any idea how it's all going to work out. I mean, if you're me and didn't know the real story going in.

*There are two (in)famous ways in which this was proven irrefutably to my friends: 1) mad cow and 2) the unibomber. But if you want to hear those stories, I guess you'll have to email me.

Posted by Duff at 09:06 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

November 16, 2008

Big Screen: Quantum of Solace

Heart-pounding. Exhilarating.

Maybe a few too many scenes with his shirt on though. "Honey, it has blood stains on it. Let's just take it off. Hmmm, yes, that's better."

Posted by Duff at 11:15 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

November 11, 2008

DVD: What Happens in Vegas.

So bad I cannot even make it all the way through.

I KNOW, why would I even TRY to watch this? Because my secret super* buttloads of love for A Lot Like Love always makes me think Ashton Kutcher movies *might* be worth watching.

This is NOT.

*as opposed to super secret!

Posted by Duff at 04:53 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

DVD: Street Kings

Solid, enjoyable, super violent (a + to me) good cop/bad cop flick. Great performances from both Keanu and Forest Whittaker, and lots of interesting bit players I wasn't expecting, such as Adrian Corbett very effectively playing slime (would you have expected that of "Aidan"?) and Chris Evans also very impressive (first time I've ever thought he was actually ACTING in a movie and not just sort of playing himself or "any guy"). (And FYI "House" fans, Hugh Laurie is also present.)

I can only guess why this didn't do well in theaters (was it even in Chicago for a whole week?): it's one of those "been done" stories. Very reminiscent of Training Day, among (many) other movies.

Connected DadReaction: Similar to what Dad has reported back about the latest Ed Norton/ Colin Farrell flick "Pride and Glory". Good flick, good performances...but may suffer from the fact that it's not a "new" story.

Posted by Duff at 04:44 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

DVD: Green Street Hooligans

So.Frakkin.Good.

Admittedly I only watched this so I could determine if the Hottie from Sons of Anarchy is actually a good actor or not. Fortunately the answer is YES.

Also? This movie is AWESOME.

Elijah Wood = also good. Bar conversation/friend scenes = great. Fight scenes = soooo well done. Revelation of "The Major" = super.

Totally compelling. Couldn't take my eyes off the screen.

Posted by Duff at 04:39 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

November 06, 2008

Dear Owen Gleiberman,

I'm reading your review of "Let the Right One In", (published in Entertainment Weekly #1018) and wow, I can't believe how WRONG you got this one. The dude who kills people and drains their blood? He's neither an actual "serial killer" nor the vampire's father*. He's something like her butler, or her servant (or perhaps someone her vampire family entrusted to aid her). He goes out and kills people and drains their blood...TO FEED HER. So she doesn't go out killing people vampire-style and get caught and say, perhaps, staked in the heart.
Seriously,
I know it was in Swedish, but it wasn't that hard to understand,
CMS

*Certainly no one I saw it with thinks he's her 'father' and most vampires would acknowledge their 'father' as being the one who turned them.

Posted by Duff at 10:36 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Letters, Rags

October 22, 2008

My Evening with Kevin Smith / Big Screen: Zach and Miri Make a Porno

7:30pm - Already in line for Zach and Miri an hour from now (ridiculous).

7:31pm - But turns out pomegranate jelly bellies are addictive. So there's that.

7:43pm - This is worse than the Battlestar lines at Dragon*Con. And no twins here to keep me company.

8:35pm - Oh shit Kevin Smith is actually going to be here!!

[Viewing Zack and Miri Make a Porno]

10:31pm - Kevin Smith Q and A is making me very happy!

10:37pm - Someone just asked "Kevin, did George Lucas step on your balls about Star Whores?"

10:43pm - Kevin Smith used to be a Front Wiper. I do not jest. [Until Harley Quinn's birth when a nurse told him he should be doing it the other way!]

10:47pm - His next movie* is so bleak "it makes Dark Knight look like Beverly Hills Chihuahua."

11:12pm - Rosario Dawson was supposed to play Miri. [They moved the timing of filming and that made it conflict with "Eagle Eye" so they had to find someone else relatively last minute. But Elizabeth Banks is actually perfect in it (my opinion AND his) so it worked out great. Per Kevin: "She really grounds the movie."]

11:24pm - Kevin Smith's all-time fav porn title: "Jerk my cum crayon and color me white."

*Next movie = Red State. Described as him finally finding a way to talk politics. A political horror film. Not funny at all. Having trouble finding financing.

Explanatory:
At Chicago Film Festival to see Zach & Miri. Often there are directors and/or actors who take Q&A afterward but it's generally noted in the program. This one didn't say so but surprise surprise. So sad my dad couldn't be here to see this!!! If you don't know: Kevin Smith LOVES doing Q&As. If you've ever listened to a SModcast or watched one of his An Evening with Kevin Smith DVDs, you can pretty much imagine how a) awesome and b) funny this was. And also how insanely comfortable he is talking about any and/or every personal detail of his life.

Other random quotes that I didn't actually twitter:

Ben Affleck on viewing Jason Mewes' nude scene: "You realize Mewes is just one pump away from full liftoff, right?"

Personal note to Ben from me: Are you just maybe kinda jealous because Jason Mewes is so smokin hot in this movie? [I'm so not joking. Skinny and his hair all clean cut? And damn those shoulder tattoos are AWESOME.]

After talking about Red State and saying "Sorry for bringing the whole room down", someone started their question with "Not to bring the whole room down again" and KS yelled "So Don't!" and tried to move on. Turned out the dude wanted to ask him about the whole "how're you doing on your diet thing?" [What a dick.] KS wasn't necessarily "happy to" but he, in his usual brutally honest way, did respond and chat about it. But the best part was when he pointed out "You know, some skinny motherfucker always has to point out how fat I am!!!" And the whole audience looked at the questioner disapprovingly! Ha!

And the movie?
Lots of fun. Totally crude and nasty and gross. And soooooo funny and very sweet and romantic. Honestly, the last five minutes, even with the Dutch Rudder jokes, were so touching. YAY!!! [And I don't even like Seth Rogen.] Also Darryl from The Office? is HYSTERICAL in this. Brandon Routh was a total Tom Cruise doppelganger. So much so it gave me a little doubletake each time. A great night at the movies. The flick alone made me grin like an idiot. And then Kevin Smith's appearance just sent the evening over the top.

*Bliss*.

Posted by Duff at 08:53 AM | E-Mail | Comments (1) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Random Quotes, Recommending, Watchin'

October 21, 2008

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Eating: Way too much. Every day. I can't be stopped. I WILL be the fattest girl in the universe, just give me a couple more days.

Making: Started a pair of dad socks. That'll only take me 10,000 years. Have one quilt basted and another just about to be but won't be have time to work on either of them for a week or so at least.

Reading: At home I'm reading the Ford-edited short stories from our July / October challenge. On the train I'm reading "The Conversations at Curlow Creek" by David Malouf which is very slow and measured but weighty in its own way.

Watching: A crapload of movies at the Chicago International Film Festival. You can follow the updates on the 2008 movie page. Or you can wait for me to post about them here.

Listening to: Not a damn thing. Dad was here for a few days so all the times I'd normally be listening, I was busy talking to him. And just a few hours after he left, the Film Festival started and now all the times I'd normally be listening, I'm in a dark movie theater mostly watching totally intense, brutal movies where people's hopes and dreams are crushed to pieces and/or ripped to shreds, which may sound like the same thing but isn't necessarily so.

Posted by Duff at 12:35 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks

October 20, 2008

Big Screen: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

Sweet but cheesy. I enjoyed it more for the NYC settings (oh nostalgia to my early NYC days...Ludlow Street, I miss you!) than for the plot which I thought was sadly more juvenile than I expected. Unlike Juno, which was very much a movie about growing up, Nick and Norah was just about "being that age." Also found the title a bit of a misnomer. Like buying a sign that says "we really want to hype our soundtrack."

But Michael Cera did give a wonderfully tender, nuanced performance. So there's that.

Posted by Duff at 10:06 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Burn After Reading

On the surface, a very funny, often abruptly violent movie that you could easily just laugh through and enjoy "for what it is." Dig a little deeper and there's some very prescient criticism of the (practically defunct? hello 9/11) US spy system.

Hilarious and very twitchy performances by Clooney, Pitt and McDormand. Over the top and really hilarious belligerence by Malkovich.

Posted by Duff at 09:53 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: The Duchess

Beautifully filmed. Lovely understated performance by Keira Knightley. But oh so very, very sad.

Posted by Duff at 09:51 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

People and Things Other People Hate* that I Love

• Philip Roth / and his books
  
• Madonna
  
• Films of Keanu Reeves, in general.
  
• "Point Break" in particular.
  
• "Ishtar"
  

People and Things I Hate* that Other People Love

• Cormac McCarthy / and his books
  
• Renee Zellweger or, interchangeably, Gwyneth Paltrow
  
• Films of Mel Gibson, in general.
  
• "Braveheart" in particular.
  
• "Knocked Up"
  

*Hate merely as opposite to Love, when it could technically just be "don't particularly care for" or "like to criticize" and is not necessarily of the "hatred running through my veins at all times" variety. Although in some cases...

I'm sure this will be added to. Intermittently.

Posted by Duff at 09:05 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Lists

September 30, 2008

DadReaction: Doomsday

If you don't see this, you're missing one of the best movies of the year. Kick-ass girl-power movie. There's a one-eyed woman cop, tough as nails. Takes on all of Scotland, kicks butt. It's a lot like 28 Days Later, Mad Max, and Aliens. Also influenced by Satyricon and King Arthur.

Beautifully filmed; the action scenes are great; you're on the edge of your seat. Stunning photography. Just a great ride.

[Note: Doomsday was written & directed by the same guy who did The Descent, one of Dad's top five from last year (which was way tooooo fucking scary if you ask me.), and also Dog Soldiers (which I am way way WAY too scared of to watch).]

Posted by Duff at 02:15 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

September 28, 2008

Best of August

The best movie I saw in August would have to be the ONLY movie I saw in August which is ridiculous and pathetic but that's something for a different post, eh? Yeah, so anyway, that'd be Wall-E, which was fine but animation isn't really my thing.

The best book I read in August was The Likeness by Tana French. It's somewhat of a sequel but you don't really need to have read the earlier book to enjoy it; different main character.

The best gig I went to in August was Great Lake Swimmers.

My favorite tunes in August were the songs that wound up on my current favorite playlists.

Random personal highlights: (Only) one day at Lollapalooza (this time around); Silvia came to Chicago two weekends in a row! Woot!; Hot Doug's with Cinnamon. I actually went to KIP twice, if you can even believe that. And then there was this little thing I went to called Dragon*Con (which also encompassed a week long trip to Georgia to crash the Happy Pants home).

Lowlights? I don't know, looking back it seems like it was a fairly decent month. Maybe bursting into uncontrollable tears about 15 minutes after meeting my crush? Fun times (poor Carrie and Cat).

Posted by Duff at 06:44 PM | E-Mail | Comments (1) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

September 22, 2008

Big Screen: Tropic Thunder

So hilarious. Brilliantly satirical.

Two things alone are worth the price of admission:
1) The fake previews, ESPECIALLY the RDJ/Tobey Maguire one; and
2) Tom Cruise's performance. He deserves a fucking Oscar for that. I thought I was going to start crying, I was laughing so hard watching him during the closing credits. The boy may be totally and completely insane, but you've got to give someone credit who's willing to put it all out there like that.

If you need to know more, you can re-read the DadReaction to this flick.

Posted by Duff at 05:49 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

September 10, 2008

DadReaction: Tropic Thunder

So many laugh out loud moments. Total Monty Python-type comedy. Robert Downey was awesome. Tom Cruise was great also, Tobey Maguire. The mock previews at the beginning were HILARIOUS, you just can't help but laugh. But there was a lot of grossness too, your mom was put off by the gross bits. I didn't think she was going to make it through the fake previews of Jack Black's fart movies; thought she might walk out!

There are some really good parodies and some real black humor jolts where you think to yourself "I can't believe they just did that" but at the same time you're overwhelmed with laughter. They kept surprising you, some fun stuff with subtitles, some good slams.

However, I would say I thought it was kind of a cheap shot at Platoon, which was maybe over the top at times, but was a really moving movie. On the other hand, a great slam of Apocalypse Now.

It was kinda fun, I didn't think it was too long. But you can get tired of the guy humor/gross joke stuff. Partly because the rest of it was so clever, it was like those jokes dragged it down to a lower level.

At times you would think "I can't believe they're going so far with that handicapped joke; I've never seen anybody do that so blatantly." They just wouldn't let it go. It's so funny, but at the same time, you're looking around thinking, "I hope there's nobody handicapped sitting next to me." [i.e., being offended by my laughing at this.]

[He kept telling me this was a "mixed" review. Finally I said: "So what about this is mixed? Sounds pretty positive to me!" He laughed and said "Yeah, I guess maybe I just feel like it SHOULD be more mixed. I really enjoyed it!!" This is definitely tops on my list to see...I mean except for the fact that I have just been slacking slacking slacking on going to movies lately. I suck.]

Posted by Duff at 10:00 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

DadReaction: The Mummy 3

When I'm putting things like The Mummy 3 in my top 5, you know it's been a bad year at the movies.

That said, the photography is just great. There's a long prologue that takes place in 56 BC or something: it's just filmed amazingly, knocks your eyes out. All the Asian actors are all really great, you just buy them as part of this epic. Really intense, especially the women, you can't take your eyes off them. That section is really a highlight.

However, there is one point later on when the movie just stopped. They're at the Fountain of Youth and all of a sudden they start talking about family stuff and I turned to your mother and said "Did the movie just stop?"

But everything else was enjoyable. Very "Indiana Jones meets Lord of the Rings". The filming is tremendous, the special effects are out of sight, just wonderful and the credits are great, featuring this really cool Asian art.

Worth seeing, a nice ride.

[Wow, my dad can really sell a not-great movie on the few great things about it, can't he? :) Honestly, sometimes what I WANT in a movie is mainstream escapism for a few hours. And this certainly sounds like it was better than the new Indiana Jones.]

Posted by Duff at 09:54 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

August 13, 2008

Big Screen: Wall-E

Cute. Sweet. And only a few moments that seemed so potentially tragic as to freak out my 3-year-old companion (thankfully her Mom sitting between us reassured her quickly).

Posted by Duff at 12:54 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

August 05, 2008

Best of July

The best movie I saw in July was also the only movie I saw in July (or the only one I saw for the FIRST time anyway...). It was The Dark Knight and it was pretty fantastic. I had reservations, but they weren't "I don't love you" reservations. More like "I do love you, but I probably wouldn't marry you, because I know you'll only hurt me in the end."

The best book I read in July was Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart, which was just outrageously fucking funny.

The best gig I went to in July was either the Fleet Foxes set at Pitchfork or the Earlimart show at the Hideout. Probably have to tip the hat to Earlimart since the sound was better (purely by locational happenstance), but I remain equally entranced by both.

My favorite tunes in July were Fleet Foxes and (more) Joseph Arthur and The Kills and Nana Grizol "Love It Love It"(which you sooo need) and this totally awesome mixdisc/playlist I made for Juno. My question for you is*: What would you give me to get a copy of that?

Random personal highlights: Visit from the Nipper. Secret Family Craft Project.

Lowlights? Long slow stressful month. This summer has sucked some fucking rotten ass, let me tell you. I mean, except for that it's all shit I can't tell you.

*Do you remember when I used to use this phrase ALL THE TIME? Dang, I miss it.

Posted by Duff at 10:00 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

August 04, 2008

Big Screen: The Dark Knight

I liked it a lot, it definitely lived up to the hype for me, which these days is almost harder to do than to just make a decent movie.

• Loved Bale despite his (as always) weird gray all-the-same-length-across the-top front teeth. He continues to invest this character with an amazing sense of grim grief. It was just etched onto his face from scene 1.

• Loved Heath Ledger. Loved. Outstanding performance. Certainly worth the praise it is getting. No question. On the one hand, it makes it even sadder that he's dead now; just think what he could have done. On the other hand, to go out on the back to back performances of Brokeback and this? Wow. Talk about going out on a high note. Overall the performance just blew the fucking top off, but I have to say his mannerisms when he visits Dent in the hospital were just pitch fucking perfect. And when he walks out and is waiting for that last explosion? The move he makes with his arms there? Oh, Heath.

But I thought the last half hour dragged, too much time setting up the Two Face character. If he lived to be the villain of the next movie then it would make sense to me. But since he didn't, it made it feel long. I thought they could have edited some of that down. Yes, I understand that bringing him down was certainly one of the Joker's goals, but I thought the whole bit with the bombs on the ships just lagged. Didn't need it, we already KNOW the things that pointed out to us (or we should) and it just seemed like wasted time. While neither Iron Man nor Wanted made me get shifty in my seat, the last half hour of this had me really feeling the time. There was stuff they could've cut (and I think should've). Coulda been a little tighter.

That said, still tremendous. Super dark and delightfully so. Really a tour de force in the sequels department; takes the first movie and ratchets up quite a few notches. The additions of Ledger and Gyllenhaal really sent it over the top. Kudos. I've seen it twice already, I wouldn't be reluctant to see it again. But then that's nothing new for me and good movies; I am a repeat big-screen viewer and proud of it.

Posted by Duff at 05:10 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

August 02, 2008

Best of June

Just in time to write up Best of July... I mean, once I get the individual reviews of that stuff up. So slackerass I am this summer.

The best movie I saw in June was Wanted, which I just loved. But I also thought The Fall was visually stunning.

The best book I read in June was a tie between Lush Life by Richard Price (gritty, real and modern day) and Life Class by Pat Barker (artistic and historical). I also really enjoyed Dark Roots by Cate Kennedy, dark short stories, and I just cannot get enough of Patricia Briggs sci fi/fantasy stuff this year.

The best gig I went to in June was definitely Sea Wolf. Soooooo wonderful live.

My favorite tunes in June....were mostly things I bought in April. When I look back through my posts, I was listening to a lot of: Joe Purdy, Joseph Arthur, Fleet Foxes, Meg Hutchinson, Mason Jennings, the aforementioned Sea Wolf and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin.

Random personal highlights: Amy's whirlyball birthday party (whirlyball! so much fun!); Weis [college roommate] here for a weekend; out to dinner with Cinnamon.

Lowlights? I'm sure there were some (primarily secondary browsing location and stress related presumably) but thankfully all I can tell you right now by looking at my calendar is that I was too lazy to go to the Printer's Row Bookfair this year (either day!) and that's pathetic.

Posted by Duff at 08:35 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

July 30, 2008

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Eating: Not much. But drinking buttfuckingloads of caffeine (bad bad (and as a result) red-faced girl!). Caffeine + Rosacea = not so attractive.

Making: A blurb book from a select few of my Japan photos. Woot.

Reading: Still reading Dad's and my challenge book for the month, "The New Granta Book of the American Short Story" edited by Richard Ford, when I'm at home. And reading "Finding Battlestar Galactica: the Ultimate Unauthorized Fan's Guide" ed. by Lynette Porter, David Lavery & Hillary Robson on the El. [same as last week except FYI neither me nor Dad is going to finish this month's challenge during this month. Whoops!] whoops, wrong BStarG book, actually reading Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy: Knowledge Here Begins Out There, ed. by Jason T. Eberl. Although it is true, neither Dad nor I is going to finish our challenge book this month (we'll move on to our August book and hope we have time later in the month to go back and finish the July one).

Watching: Generation Kill. Love. Still carrying around the first disc of Band of Brothers for no reason since I've pretty much decided I won't start it until Generation Kill is over so I don't get confused about which war I'm in. Have been to The Dark Knight twice so far. Swoon.

Listening to: Earlimart "Hymn & Her". a) it is an awesome album and b) they are awesome live, super nice and sweet. Also a lot of random singles.

Posted by Duff at 01:08 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

July 23, 2008

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Eating: Like there's no tomorrow. Seriously, people. On Friday, I must have been afraid there'd be a run on meat overnight because not only did I have a 900-calorie Chicken Poblano Fresco sandwich for lunch, but then I had BOTH a Brat AND a 2-lb. Hamburger at dinner. Along with 4? 5? Kirs. And as I'm sure you can imagine, I ate even grosser than that at Pitchfork all weekend. What is wrong with me?

Making: Technically nothing, last two days have been complete fucking hell on wheels at the secondary browsing location. But Jenn did rewrite the sleevecaps for me on the pattern I'm stuck on (ravelry link) so soon I will be working on that. Soon. Supposedly.

Reading: Still reading Dad's and my challenge book for the month, "The New Granta Book of the American Short Story" edited by Richard Ford, when I'm at home. And reading "Finding Battlestar Galactica: the Ultimate Unauthorized Fan's Guide" ed. by Lynette Porter, David Lavery & Hillary Robson on the El.

Watching: The Cleaner , a show that apparently I am the only person on earth to like. Have you read the reviews? Because they're BAD. But I like it! Also The Closer, which I am enjoying but not as much; Saving Grace, which I am NOT enjoying at all; Burn Notice, which I am enjoying primarily when Tricia Helfer is on screen (she is sooo different than her BStarG character, and yet has some of the same powerful characteristics. It's kinda awesome); and Generation Kill, which I am LOVING but am *ahem* only 15 minutes into the first episode. Slacker! And I've already watched Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog three times (all 3 eps) with many more repeat viewings to follow, I'm sure. As for the Big Screen, I loved both Wanted and The Dark Knight and frankly I'd like to see them both a second time over the weekend. We shall see.

Listening: to Nana Grizol "Love It Love It" which I bought after reading about them (a bunch of times) on this blog. It is a LOT of fun. And the Sea Wolf song "Neutral Ground" over and over after this morning's El contretemps.

Posted by Duff at 12:19 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

July 17, 2008

Big Screen: Wanted.

Sooooo much fun. Completely exhilarating! Great trip to the movie theater. Very different from Iron Man, but just as completely what I am looking for in an action movie. My two favorite movies of the year so far. No fucking doubt about it.

I LOVED IT. Dad LOVED it. Nipper loved it. Michelle liked but didn't love it. The Chicago Reader hated it (prompting this response from Michelle: Damn! I liked it a little more than that dude. Who apparently doesn't understand the difference between REALITY and a FUCKING MOVIE.).

Where it suffers in comparison with Iron Man:

• The underlying mythology isn't as strong. With Iron Man, it's very clear why he decides to do what he does, what's driving him, it makes sense in a very cause-and-effect way. When he sits in front of the press and says "somehow we've become comfortable with zero accountability" it's like a jolt to your (any actual smart, responsible person's) heart, a direct attack on the fucked up situation of today. With Wanted, it's more smoke and mirrors. A very "In the Name of the Rose" or "DaVinci Code" type background. I mean, that's fine, except that no one ever questions "who's running the loom?" No one ever wonders who's in the background pushing the buttons? The assassins committed to this society BELIEVE the loom is doing it all on its own? (Although in other ways, this does work for me. That whole "secret society buzz" has a very comic book feel to it, so I think it works in the movie, I just think it doesn't work AS WELL as Iron Man's themes.)

• The situation isn't as personal, or it technically should be, but it's not presented that way. While RDJ's character in Iron Man is in many ways someone living a life who just doesn't care, when he does begin to care, it's very personal. His name on the weapons, his legacy, etc. In Wanted, McAvoy sort of falls into things with an extreme lack of knowing what's really going on. Things eventually become personal, but not at first, and they become personal via lies and misinformation that creates a kind of distance from any emotional effect. In other words: Iron Man becomes a MORAL QUEST. Wanted is about a gang of slaughterers. Fun, but kinda sick. Iron Man engages you on another dimension. As my Dad put it: It's probably not good to kill people you don't even know.

• The Hero's Glamour Factor. While RDJ's character may not be on the moral highground to begin with, he's not a frustrated loser working a shithole job and getting blindsided by his best friend either. He's a little easier to fall in love with in that "beginning of the movie, suck you in, make you want to watch him" way. Much as I love Bright Abbott dearly, oh, man, I hated seeing him be the swindler of McAvoy.

Where it SHINES in comparison to Iron Man!!:

• Hello, four words: Female Fucking Action Hero. Jolie* is just as much a focus as McAvoy, or any of the other assassins (even moreso). As Dad points out, "she is a MAJOR part of this movie, her part is outstanding and she's outstanding in it." Whereas in Iron Man while Gwyneth Paltrow is actually good (a rare enjoyment of her on my part), and has great chemistry with RDJ, her role is soooooo sidelines. And very retro, the female "secretary" role, even with sass is STILL the female secretary role. I mean, she goes to the final confrontation in 5-inch spiked heels to stand on the sidelines and shriek in distress. She's good when she's in it but she's so auxiliary.

• The Sets, particularly the Factory. While they make sense in the storyline, Iron Man's modern office buildings and desert caves don't really do as much for me as the sets in Wanted (although RDJ's house is pretty cool). The textile mill/factory is really majestic in a way, I LOVED all the car chases through the El structures and the stuff on the El itself (I love you, Chicago! You're so pretty!). And the train scenes at the end with his dad? And when Jolie drives her car onto it! VERY COOL!

Where both movies are GREAT:

• Effects, effects, exhilarating effects. Even my Dad who is not generally fan of CGI bullet fights (Peckinpah and Walter Hill did it better, OLD SCHOOL, and he will happily talk your ear off about it), even he loved the "fight" scenes in Wanted. How about the final showdown at the textile mill, where McAvoy is picking up other people's weapons as his way to reload? AWESOME!

• Wit, sarcasm, banter. Both movies have enough of this to be interesting BEYOND the effects and the drama and the Super Heroness of it all. Comic relief so you don't become bogged down by the horribleness of some of it.

• The "training" scenes. RDJ in his laboratory with his robot helpers and McAvoy gettin' schooled by Jolie. Like the scene where he's trying to grab the shuttle? And then when he finally does? All done with nice touches of humor.

I could go on (and on...) but believe it or not, I actually have something else to do right now. Shocking!

Need I even say it? Highly recommended. (BOTH)

*And if you enjoy Jolie in this, I recommend you check out Mr. & Mrs. Smith (which I LOVED a ridiculous amount!) as well as the two Tomb Raider movies, because she is great in these mixes of physicality/sass/sex/etc.

Posted by Duff at 02:30 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

July 16, 2008

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Eating: My weight in brownies from Jamie. Yum.

Making: Secret.Family.Craft.Project.

Reading: Still reading the same two books as last week: 1) at home: Dad's and my challenge book for the month, "The New Granta Book of the American Short Story" edited by Richard Ford, and 2) in transit: "Absurdistan" by Gary Shteyngart . Close to finishing #2, which has been a hilarious ride so far, and definitely spending some time gazing at the bookshelves, pondering what's on deck.

Watching: Summer TV kickoffs of Burn Notice, The Cleaner, The Closer, Saving Grace and the wonderful, truly awesome, so enjoyable Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. (I had more to say ova heah.) Also rewatching lots of old favorites. As well as (re)watching BSG season 4 so far. Wanting to see Wanted again...Sooooo good. (So good that I haven't written it up? Slacker!)

Listening: Mostly to SModcasts. About five in the past four days or so? As my Dad says, "those two make great traveling companions." Also (re)listening to the latest albums from Madonna, Gnarls Barkley, Coldplay, Meg Hutchinson and Missy Higgins. All as accompaniment to Secret.Family.Crafting. I have a bunch of new stuff I haven't listened to yet. And there's Pitchfork (with the Nipper! YAY! NIPPER VISIT!) over the weekend. So we'll see.

Posted by Duff at 11:40 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

July 15, 2008

Background Entertainment

Things that kept me company yesterday and today while I worked on a secret project. Generally I stick with old, old many-times-watched favorites for situations like this.

• SModcast #55 (not old, but too damn funny)
  
• SModcast #56 (and the same)
  
• Bull Durham (still quirky and fun on the gazillioneth watch)
  
• Streets of Fire (my love for this movie knows no bounds)
  
• The Thomas Crown Affair (the Brosnan/Russo one, sexy sexy)
  
• Lara Croft Tomb Raider (Angelina Jolie, best female action star ever?)

The bold of which is possibly my favorite movie IN THE WORLD and I am SHOCKED, s-h-o-c-k-e-d shocked, that there is no Snip entry on it to link to. My Gods, People, What Have I Been Doing with My Time?

Posted by Duff at 09:41 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Lists

July 07, 2008

DadReaction: The Strangers

Sooooo scary/good. A real psychological terror/thriller. Really well done.

Classic "things that go bump in the night". NOT a gorefest.

Dad to you, random reader who can handle scary movies and maybe even thinks they're fun: Go see it! Totally worth it!

Dad to me, scaredy freakshow, especially if she sees them a) alone or b) at night or c) any other time: Do.Not.Go.See.This.Movie. Do.Not.

Posted by Duff at 08:04 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

DadReaction: In Bruges

Howling [with laughter]. Off the wall. Black humor. Incredibly funny. Colin Farrell is so hilarious.

Dad is the second person in two weeks to recommend this movie to me.

Posted by Duff at 02:42 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

July 06, 2008

DVD: Rendition

Powerful. Emotionally moving. And extremely fucking depressing.

This IS what is going on ALL THE TIME in our world today and fuck who wants to live in a world like that.

p.s. Do Peter Sarsgaard and Jake Gyllenhaal have some clause in their contracts that they have to be in at least 90% of each other's movies?

Posted by Duff at 02:17 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

July 02, 2008

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Eating: All I want to eat is crap. Particularly the Special Dark Hershey's Chocolate Kisses that I bought to send to Max (and Alison) and then never put in the mail...Whoops. Their loss, my ass's gain.

Making: Almost done with the second thick woolly sleeveless vest (WHATEVER!). Hoping to finish the top of Kysa's Friendship Star quilt (a.k.a. Friendship Star #2) and then sandwich/baste/and quilt BOTH that AND the quick baby quilt top I whipped up over the weekend and get them in the mail to her by the 9th, which is supposedly the date on which the baby boy is going to pop out. I'm hoping he's late (although I'm sure she's not!!).

Reading: Was supposed to start July's challenge book yesterday (!), but picked it up and almost had my arm drop off due to the weight. Guess I won't be reading that one in transit!! So instead I've started "Trespass" by Valerie Martin which is prickly and dark and promises to get moreso.

Watching: Since my dad started watching BSG, I started watching it ALL OVER AGAIN (I know!) so that when he calls me and says OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS JUST HAPPENED, I know specifically what episode he's talking about (and in what order) and I don't accidentally give away a spoiler like I almost did the other night... Of course I have way more time in my day than he has in his, so I've already gotten past where he is. Maybe I'll wait for him to catch up. I mean, I so would, except for there being fucking nothing else for me to watch right now. And I saw "Wanted" which I loved as much as I thought I would and maybe I'll write a post on that for ya say over the long-ass holiday weekend during which I HAVE TO WORK ON SUNDAY and will not be in Southern Illinois with all my Blonde K-Cousins as I like to call 'em. Waah.

Listening: I listened to Matt Costa (which I mentioned here and here among other places) all weekend long, over and over, after introducing someone to him on Thursday night when we were at my house "playing DJ" since we thought we were going to see Meg Hutchinson at Uncommon Ground but she wasn't there (???) and instead there were these really pretty mediocre singers basically doing karaoke and I'm sorry but Alanis Morrisette "You Oughta Know" done on acoustic guitar with a husky Melissa Etheridge wannabe voice and admonitions to the audience to please "Join in!" ??? I don't think so.

But now I'm listening almost exclusively to the NEW! Earlimart "Hymn and Her" out yesterday that is AWESOME. Oh I love me some Earlimart (for example, this is how much I loved their previous album and here is where they were in my favorite albums of 2007) and Hello! Score! coming to Chicago on the 26th at the teeny tiny Hideout. Woot. Yes, I bought tickets. Yay! (Or, as a former coworker would say "I'm stoked!")

Oh and while the whole "Meg Hutchinson not being playing although that's the only reason we went" issue sucked, I did have some incredible pistachio-encrusted tilapia that pretty much blew my mind and this wacky french Apple-flavored beer that was DELISH. So there's that.

Posted by Duff at 11:57 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

June 23, 2008

Big Screen: The Fall

Visually stunning.

Similar to Pan's Labyrinth, the audience watches the fairytale playout of a child's imagination. Lee Pace is quite good here, very John Cusack-feelin'. Gorgeous, rich, saturated landscapes in beautiful locations (with every new scene, I thought: "WOW, where was THIS filmed???"). A sweetly charming (and ongoing) visual Indian vs. Indian joke.

Enjoyable enough plot; truly beautifully filmed.

Posted by Duff at 05:13 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

June 18, 2008

Best of May

The best movie I saw in May was Iron Man and it was fucking awesome and definitely the best movie I've seen this year (not that I've seen many) and it's so good that even the second time around when you go to a crap ass neighborhood theater and the projector breaks and you have to watch the middle 20 minutes in two-minute increments, it's STILL brilliant. Are you coming to Chicago? I'd be happy to go to it again!

The best books I read in May were the one-two punch of Dragon Bones and Dragon Blood by Patricia Briggs. Magical and mysterious and yet so human and irresistibly attractive. If only I could have jumped into these books and become an auxiliary character (Another "cousin" for Ward? A romantic interest for Oreg?)... She ranks right up there with Elizabeth A. Lynn as my favorite current fantasy writers.

The best gig I went to in May was probably a tie between the Long Blondes (for actual "best") and Crowded House (for playing some of my all-time most beloved songs).

My favorite tunes in May....Honestly, I was soooo busy watching BSG over and over (see below), I really didn't do much listening in May. Which would be why I'm now working on listening to all the many many albums I bought but did not listen to in April, May and (thus far in) June all at once. Doh!

Random personal highlights: MDS&W, not the greatest, but I did get to see my peeps. I watched like* every episode of Battlestar Galactica. Twice. (Or more, depending on how much I loved the episode and how much screen time my Future Husband had ha ha ha ha ha.) I went to visit my nephews. Met my newest cousin! And I got many back/shoulder massages at physical therapy (but see lowlights as well).

Lowlights? Physical therapy: a) the need for it, b) the stretching and lifting and pulling, ow, ow, ow, c) the ice. Hate the ice!! Had to skip a concert (Avett Brothers). Continuing buttloads of stress at the secondary browsing location.

*like used purely for valley girl emphasis, and not to approximate any less than ALL.

Posted by Duff at 10:14 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

June 09, 2008

Big Screen: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

As lame and predictable as you would expect. Total schmaltz. Some of it was fun because it pointed back to those old (much better) movies: say, for example, the bit with the snake. But some of it was so ludicrously off pitch, it stuck out like a sore thumb: say, for example, the bits with the gophers. And the monkeys.

I always expect lame dialogue from anything that George Lucas is in anyway connected to, but the animal bits were pure Disney channel. Trying to attract a younger audience? Then perhaps you should have rethought using your original star, who certainly looks his age, if not more.

It was fine for staying in out of the alternate periods of a) torrential rain and b) torrential heat that strafed the city yesterday. Enjoyable enough for that, I guess. But unless you find yourself in similar straits, I couldn't recommend it.

Posted by Duff at 04:45 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

June 02, 2008

Big Screen: Sex and the City

Bittersweet.

Disappointing.

• Given the events of the middle, I thought the unspoken "message" of the end was complete crap.
  
• Charlotte really got gypped in terms of storylines; hers had no tension whatsoever.
  
• It felt both superficial and rushed, and considering it went over two hours, it should have been neither.

That said, the other six girls in our group (no I do not know seven girls to go to the movies with in Chicago; I knew one of them) all seemed to like it. So take from that what you will.

Posted by Duff at 04:02 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

May 29, 2008

Best of April

Just in time for June!!

The best movie I saw in April was Leatherheads, which might seem like it's not saying much since how hard is it to be the best of only two, but on the other hand, I thought it was really really good. It's not its fault my lack of movie viewing didn't give it much competition.

The best book I read in April was Belong to Me, by Marisa de los Santos but Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Goff was also good and a bit more high-brow if that's what you're looking for.

The best gig I went to in April was Bon Iver. A beautiful album done even more beautifully live.

My favorite tunes in April.... You know, at this point I'm not sure what I was listening to then, probably stuff I bought in February and/or March. The memory, it ain't what it used to be.

Random personal highlights: The yearly trip to Portland, yay, including burgers, beers and brunch; trying out my new camera (Hasselblad, yo). Not much else good happened; it was a rough month.

Lowlights? Had the punes; which seemingly caused a mysterious shoulder injury (look for "physical therapy" in May's highlights); had a LOTLOTLOT of stress at the secondary browsing location. And, I'm sure, airport delays on the way to Portland because you KNOW planes are delayed in every direction if I am flying on them.

Posted by Duff at 01:42 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

May 28, 2008

Big Screen: Redbelt

A David Mamet script PLUS Jujitsu? Come on now, people, you can't go wrong with that one. Really compelling interesting story. Really cool fights (woot).

A lot of good performances here (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tim Allen (unexpected), Alicia Braga), including one from Emily Mortimer (whose character undergoes one of the biggest transitions), and a really great one from Max Martini (yum), whom you may recognize from The Unit.

I'll tell you what. He, Dean Winters and Tahmoh Penikett need to do some kind of brothers/mafia/cops movie together. Ah, that would be wonderful.

Posted by Duff at 08:26 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

Big Screen: Iron Man

A full Family Reaction even featuring the extremely rare MomReaction!! (No, we did not see it together.)

DadReaction: Eye popping effects, but with a lot of character. And not so effect heavy that you lose the humor as in some action movies. Downey is really great here. He's a stronger character as an actor and so much more entertaining than, say, Spiderman. Christian Bale brought a lot of grimness to Batman but Downey is very funny, lively and self deprecating. Really uses his wise ass attitude so well here, and it makes the idea of a superhero movie so much cooler. His and Paltrow's characters attraction feels very real, even though it's an under the table sort and they dance around it. Jeff Bridges was good too.

MomReaction: There's a really topical social edge to this movie about collateral damage and what you do to the world, what weapons do to the world. They don't hide behind the story: War is bad. Guns are bad.

GirlReaction: Fanfuckingtastic. Everything you could want in an action movie AND MORE. Lovedlovedloved it.

Posted by Duff at 08:22 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, MomReaction, Recommending, Watchin'

May 06, 2008

Big Screen: Made of Honor

Really horribly crap-ass bad. BAD.

Posted by Duff at 03:03 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Leatherheads

Beautifully filmed in lovely golden light. Completely charming. If you haven't already, you'll fall for George Clooney all over again. His Girl Friday-type snappy dialogue. Laurel & Hardy-esque physical comedy. Great soundtrack. Really lovely.

Ditto everything my dad said. Highly recommended.

Posted by Duff at 03:01 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

Big Screen: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

So one day someone said to themselves, "Hey! I think I'll take this little, charming, fun, engaging book (that in many ways is about female friendship)...and I'll throw in a little World War II (and transfer the American depression onto London) and turn it into a moody, dramatic, cat-fight-full film! It's just not good enough the way it is!" Seriously bad idea.

Some good acting but in a convoluted messed up plot created solely because... because the book was too lighthearted? Because movie producers are idiots?

Read the book, skip the movie.

Posted by Duff at 02:56 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

May 02, 2008

Cover of the Day...and Some Other Recommendations

"I Should Have Known Better" - She & Him (Zoey Deschanel & M. Ward)

Beatles done alt-country style. Sweet. Zoey D = the next June Carter Cash?

Other singles (but not covers) I'm diggin':

• "She Loves Everybody" Chester French
  
• "Tick of Time" The Kooks
  
• "Roadway Hymn" La Rocca
  
• "Heart of Mine" Peter Salett*

*So I've been rewatching Keeping the Faith lately. So what. You SHOULD be too.

Posted by Duff at 10:05 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under " " of the XXX., Flicks, Listenin', Recommending, Tunes

May 01, 2008

Still in preparation for nuclear war.

You know, when I am stuck in my apartment, which was magically protected from the fallout, and have nothing to do but watch DVDs? (Otherwise known as continuing to pad the catalog with backlog as I have been doing.)

Today's Amazon delivery features:

• Aliens Quadrilogy (Alien, Aliens, Alien3, Alien Resurrection)
  
• American History X (had Ed Norton on the mind)
  
• The Fifth Element (as I've been telling people, I like watching this as a double feature with 12 Monkeys)
  
• Memento
  
• Primary Fear
  
• Seven (apparently I am feeling the need to be creeped out)
  
• 25th Hour (see, there he [EN] is again)

Too bad I'm out of town this weekend...

Posted by Duff at 11:12 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Lists

April 18, 2008

Today's Amazon Delivery.

DVDs of old (in some cases OLD!) favorites ordered to replace battered, beat-down, taped off HBO (or some such) VHS tapes. In alpha order...

• Addicted to Love
  
• Dangerous Beauty
  
• The Fabulous Baker Boys
  
• Good Will Hunting
  
• Married to the Mob
  
• Pretty in Pink
  
• Say Anything
  
• Singles
  
• Sixteen Candles
  
• Something Wild (ooooo, Dad and I love this movie! I haven't seen it in years!)
  
• Working Girl

Movies you've seen a thousand times = good background for knittin'. If I were doin' any.

Posted by Duff at 11:09 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Lists

Best of March

Ah, March, I barely remember you... Ha! Kidding!

The best movie I saw in March was also the only movie I saw (Be Kind, Rewind), so good thing I enjoyed it.

The best book I read in March was definitely The Complete Stories by David Malouf. Really wonderful stories.

The best gig I went to in March is harder to pin down. I was excited to finally see Matt Nathanson and (separately) Dan le Sac. I thought the Raveonettes sounded great. I probably enjoyed Griffin House the most as he was all sassy and laidback and it was a really fun night.

My favorite tunes in March were lots of stuff I was already listening to from February, like new albums from Missy Higgins, Nada Surf, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, Bon Iver, Mike Doughty and the Raveonettes; but also stuff I bought in March like new albums from Jesse Malin "Glitter in the Gutter" (which I lovelovelove), Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks and Gnarls Barkley (DangerMouse can do no wrong)!!

Random personal highlights: Hmmm, let's see, nine-day trip to Japan, I guess that was kind-of a highlight (I guess! Ha!); my newest/youngest cousin was born!: Clark and I had a joint party; and I had a great long Saturday with Carlos and Shei getting back into shooting film (vs. digital).

Lowlights? Long, long, long airplane rides.

Posted by Duff at 10:15 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

April 16, 2008

Plane: Elizabeth (The Golden Age)

I really did want to see this one in the theater. But it just could NOT hold my attention on the plane. Too slow moving? Or too much variation in loud & soft, had to keep changing the volume on the headphones? I don't know what the problem was but I kept tuning out.

After that travesty, on the way home I just watched Juno over and over. Sometimes with the sound, sometimes while I listened to other things. It just gets better and better. If you're on my christmas list, you can expect to get it in your package.

Posted by Duff at 07:33 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Plane: Mr. Magorium's Magic Emporium

This movie's missing ingredient = A plot.

But Natalie Portman wears super cute outfits in it! So there's that.

Posted by Duff at 07:32 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Plane: Lions for Lambs

I can see why this tanked at the box office. It's really a three-part movie. The part with Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep? Pretty much sucked. The part with Robert Redford and the snotty stupid boy in his office? Also pretty much sucked. The part with the two hotties who became soldiers? (This one and this one). Fucking rocked. But sadly they didn't get that much screen time; certainly not enough to save this movie from the suck pond. p.s. Peter Berg was hot but had even less screen time than they did.

Posted by Duff at 07:29 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

DVD: The Descent.

Well. I may never sleep through the night again. Completely mind-twistingly scary and freaky and gross and OH HOLY SHIT! NO NO NO! RUNNNNN!!! RUNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

Dad LOVED it. In his top five for last year. I am not quite as much a fan of the horror genre as he, although I do get just as scared (thanks for passing that one down the gene pool, pops). In fact, if you ever want to have a really good time laughing at other people, you should sit between the two of us at a horror film. And wear ear plugs.

Really well done. Strong performances from unknowns. Great great locations, well chosen. Totally creepy-ass filming. I'm getting shivers just thinking about it and it was over a week ago that I watched it. *SKEEVES*

Posted by Duff at 07:25 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, Watchin'

DVD: Becoming Jane

While I know all the Austen fans are up in a flurry over this one, I thought it was charming and well done and really solid performances from both Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy. My heart broke right along with hers.

My Dad really liked it too. In fact his constant refrain has been "Years from now, nobody's going to be rewatching Michael Clayton but this movie is still going to be fresh and enjoyable." I have to agree.

Posted by Duff at 07:23 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, Watchin'

DVD: Lucky You

Too bad 90% of the dialogue sounds like it comes straight out of "Gambling for Dummies".

Posted by Duff at 07:20 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

April 08, 2008

DadReaction: Leatherheads

I thought it was a lot of fun. I don't generally like Renee Zellwegger but I thought she was really good. And I thought Clooney really did that screwball comedy stuff that they were trying for. It was really funny and they played off each other really well. John Krazinski was good as this kid who's a nice guy and is in trouble really through no fault of his own, so you kind of feel sorry for him.

I thought it was cool, and it had this really nice golden light. You know, that world still existed when I was growing up; these old railroad stations with wooden seats and the college stadiums with red brick around them, none of the glitz and the domes. That older slower world. I enjoyed the whole setting.

Randy Newman wrote the music and it was a great score; got the tone just right.

I enjoyed every part of it and I came out expecting to see a bunch of great reviews. I was in complete shock when I read EW's negative review. They called it slow, said it drags? And not funny? My jaw dropped.

Thumbs up from me!! [Dad, that is. No GirlReaction YET! But clearly it's now on my list!!!]

Posted by Duff at 04:47 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

March 18, 2008

Recommendation.

I didn't even realize that Anthony Minghella was the director of one of my favorite guilty pleasure films and yes although I do love The English Patient (one of the rare combinations where I love both the film AND the movie) and yes I thought Matt Damon was great in The Talented Mr. Ripley but no that's not what I'm talking about.

Mr. Wonderful. Rent it. It's sweet and funny and Matt Dillon is completely irresistible in it and William Hurt is as icky as ever and it's got New York City and bowling and big Italian family scenes and (sort of) karaoke and all kinds of good stuff. And I have already seen it oh 78.9 billion times. I'd happily watch it again tonight.

Posted by Duff at 03:59 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending

March 06, 2008

Best of February

I know the rest of you complain about it, but February is my favorite month, even when it's one day longer than usual...

The best movie I saw in February was probably There Will Be Blood, but I actually liked Cloverfield better. And honestly, why is no one going to see it? Monsters! Mayhem! New York mashed up! So much to enjoy there.

The best book I read in February was The Good Soldier Svejk by Jaroslav Hasek, a rollicking tale of a misfit, fumbling soldier's sojourns. But I did LOVE both the sci fi/fantasy books I read this month as well (here and here).

The best gig I went to in February was a tie between Jason Isbell and Griffin House, both of whom havewho has serious stage mojo and far more rockingness than you can hear on theirhis studio albums. Isbell was fiery and intense and rocking out; House was sassy and sarcastic and living it up. [I'm an idiot, Griffin House was in March! Doh!]

My favorite tunes in February were Bon Iver "For Emma, Forever Ago" (never found a copy of the 2007 release, could barely hold my breath waiting for this one and it was soooo worth it, absolutely gorgeous heartaching music); Missy Higgins "On a Clear Night" (husky and gorgeous); Nada Surf "Lucky" (awesome and rockin' and leading off w/ my favorite single from last year); and Clare Bowditch & the Feeding Set "The Moon Looked On". Also loving some previews of new tunes by the Counting Crows (featured on Fuel/Friends). Enjoying, but still getting to know, The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, new Mike Doughty "Golden Delicious" ("I wrote a song about your hips!" Yay! first heard in 06, finally on an album!). Bought a few others but haven't listened enough to have an opinion -- hopefully soon!

Random personal highlights: French movie night resurrected (and thanks for chili, Carla, and the Tarte Tatin, Jess!); long weekend in Vegas visiting Monica and Charlie (and Buddy and Ella!); annual milestone passed successfully; meeting Baby J for the first time (Curious George #1 recipient).

Lowlights? Not really a "lowlight" per se, but man I have been eating like crappyassola for at least a month. Gotta get back on track before my pants don't fit! Not that I regret having sour cherry pie for breakfast and molten chocolate cake for lunch on the same day. Not at all!!

Posted by Duff at 10:45 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

Best of January

The best movie I saw in January was Atonement, which was both really beautifully costumed and filmed AND the most faithful screen adaptation I think I've ever seen of a book. Lovely.

The best book I read in January was a tie between You Must Be This Happy to Enter, by Elizabeth Crane (short stories), who I've read and enjoyed before but this time I felt took the bar even higher, and Native Guard, by Natasha Trethewey (poetry), an xmas gift from my pops, really beautiful and entrancing poems about her personal history as well as civil war history.

The best gig I went to in January was Bon Iver. It was the only gig I went to in January but it was really, really good (and I'm going to see him again in April! And you know I only go see the same artist again that soon if I LOVED it).

My favorite tunes in January were Cat Power "Jukebox", Matt Costa "Unfamiliar Faces" (quirky and fun!), and an old album Chris Bell "I Am the Cosmos", which I picked up in San Fran. Bell (now deceased I believe) was in Big Star, who I started listening to last summer thanks to Rob Sheffield (yes I am a loser and didn't know about them back in the day). Also enjoying tunes from Zoey Deschanel and M.Ward (as "She & Him"), Crowded House offspring Liam Finn's debut I'll Be Lightning, and another San Fran purchase Tracy Johnson (which to me is good old-fashioned female-vocaled pop music!).

Random personal highlights: Brunch in Chicago with Carrieoke and Cathy!!!; dinner with Cinnamon; rainy weekend in San Fran visiting Ms Silvia.

Lowlights? A month and a half later, I don't remember any so they must not have been that bad!!Oh, I know! Four to six hour flight delays in both directions. Fuckin' airports = hell on earth.

Posted by Duff at 10:15 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

March 05, 2008

Big Screen: Be Kind, Rewind

Very funny, sweeter than it looks. Some nice friendship, small town, community stuff. Love the tie-in to the jazz stuff: the final movie they make is really great and such fun. The concept of "sweded" is awesome and really all I want to do now is run around with a videocamera making my own versions of everything. A Duff-sweded Matrix? Come on, that would be HILARIOUS. And it was nice to find that Mos Def really doesn't have to talk in that crazy ass high voice he used in 16 Blocks. Not half as annoying as I thought it'd be. Pleasing, even.

Posted by Duff at 11:07 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Vantage Point

Very entertaining while you're watching it...but discussing it afterward, you can come up with a lot of holes.

Seemed like the filmmakers had established a couple "rules" about the various "vantage points" at the beginning, but those start to fall apart midway through and then it's a free for all.

Some good performances, completely enjoyable...but not quite what it could have been.

Posted by Duff at 11:00 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Cloverfield

Totally fun, exhilarating monster movie! Kind-of reminded me of "Signs" / one of those "you think it's going to turn out to be psychological or Blair Witch-y but No! There are actual monsters! Yay!"

Now that I've seen it, I think the EW review was way off-base. The video backstory totally sucked me in and made me care about these characters. Very effective use of mostly little-known actors. Great New York destruction scenery. Thrilling, scary, (occasionally gross,) and awesome. I loved it. (My dad did too.)

Posted by Duff at 10:56 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

Big Screen: There Will Be Blood

Tour de force performance by Daniel Day Lewis.

Good, but difficult to watch, movie. One of those "oh it was a good movie but really? I don't ever want to see it again, I don't know if I could make it through" movies.

A demonstration of the myth behind the American dream.
The myth = work really hard and you'll become a millionaire and have everything you want.
The truth = work really hard, be ruthless, aggressive, villainous and hard and then maybe you'll become a millionaire and have everything you want.

Very effective soundtrack. So effective that at a couple points I wanted to stand up and scream JUST TURN THE MUSIC OFF! Really got under your skin, made me completely anxious, heart racing, even in scenes where it didn't need to be yet.

Powerful and vicious. Felt like checking for dirt under my fingernails as we left the theater.

Posted by Duff at 10:48 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

February 26, 2008

Song of the Day

"Gravedigger" - Willie Nelson (from Paste sampler #40, off his album "Moment of Truth")

Dude, he works "Ring Around the Rosie" into it; come on now. His voice is such a perfect combination of melodiousness and gravel. I neverrarely* buy his albums but every once in awhile I come across a tune of his I love. He's a better lyricist than I've heard him given credit for. You should never have to bury your own babies. And have you seen Songwriter? Because I love EVERYTHING about that movie, including him, his acting, his singing, and his humor. But it's one of those movies that I'm not sure anyone other than me and my Dad ever watched (Dad is a big Alan Rudolph fan).

*I did buy one a few years ago, I think it was this one.

Posted by Duff at 01:37 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under " " of the XXX., DadReaction, Flicks, Listenin', Tunes

February 20, 2008

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Eating: Potbelly turkey on skinny wheat, no cheese, just a little mayo. How can a plain turkey sandwich be so stinkin' good? Also chocolates from Moonstruck in Portland (thanks to Melanie) and Charles Chocolates in San Fran (thanks to Silvia). Because it's everyone's goal that I be the fattest girl in the world.

Making: Very very weak attempts at the daisy-stitch handwarmers I told Amanda I'd make her. Ugh, what an annoying pattern, the K3tog, yo, K3tog into the same 3 stitches was way too annoying on wooden needles -- talk about hand cramps! Will try again with addis. Lots of THINKING about the quilting I want to get done in the next few weeks, but given I was just out of town for a few days, nothing done on that front.

Reading: Dad's and my February challenge book "The Good Soldier Svejk" by Jaroslav Hasek (Svejk pronounced Shvayk). It's hilarious. Total farce. Along the lines of Tristam Shandy. With a few random other things thrown in here and there, particularly in airports, but those are all finished now.

Watching: The same movies over and over (hello Juno, I've seen you before. A few times.) with yay! a few fresh episodes of TV (Bros&Sis, Terminator, Jericho, Lost, Eli Stone) thrown in. It's almost like a season in full swing. Almost!

Listening: For several weeks, all I listened to were the new albums from Nada Surf, Missy Higgins and Clare Bowditch and the Feeding Set. Now I've got a few others thrown in including the beautiful Bon Iver (oh did you just hear my heart break?) released yesterday, just for me I like to pretend; a new Mike Doughty, because you can never go wrong with Mike Doughty; the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, based in Chicago, not Britain; live sneak peeks of tunes off the upcoming Counting Crows double album... There's a lot going on all of a sudden.

Posted by Duff at 01:58 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

February 14, 2008

DVD: Big Trouble in Little China

I remembered this movie. But I did not really remember just how hilariously AWESOME it is.

What a riot.

Merci beaucoup, SuperEggplant.

Posted by Duff at 08:51 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

February 06, 2008

DadReaction: Away from Her

I was really disappointed. It was so light; an after-school special look at the issues. Actual Alzheimers is so much worse, and the manipulations of the story distanced the problem: you could be a saint and your partner could still get Alzheimers. They don't just fall in love with other people, but still regard their partners/families/etc. kindly: they will actually start to be abusive toward the people who used to be their entire lives; not just kindly "oh who are you" / a much more violent response.

Julie Christie really stole the show, but it seemed like maybe the writer was really going for the man's story? And while there are times when it works when you shuffle time via editing ("Memento"), it's another manipulation: it's really easy to make the audience feel an intensity that isn't really there.

I was also really irritated when he complained that she was wearing someone else's sweater and the hospital administrator said "well, she looks nice in it." We deal with nursing homes administrators all the time and I can tell you, NO nursing home administrator would ever say that, particularly not one in a high-toned place like that. They are so careful and go to great lengths to make sure people's stuff doesn't get confused, partly because of the pain it causes the relatives, and also just b/c of the miscellaneous theft that goes on. They sew on labels, they're constantly policing that stuff.

Little details like that really blew the film for me.

[I liked this better than my Dad did; but I too felt that the plot manipulations were heavy-handed and obvious (and not either necessary or particularly additive to the storyline).]

Posted by Duff at 12:00 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

January 30, 2008

DadReaction: Cloverfield

It got me, I loved it. They never break the premise: You're seeing the whole thing with this handheld and you never find out anything else, you just see what's on the tape. It really wrapped me up. I loved the music.

But you know, I told somebody about it the next day and he said his daughter said it was the worst movie she'd ever seen in her entire life. And that she'd read somewhere that on the sneak preview cards, the only grades the movie got were either As or Fs.

If you don't "go with it" you're going to be thinking "Who cares?" To me, it was very believable. The desperation of some of these people, and the fights... woah, look out. I thought it was just so effective.

Posted by Duff at 02:40 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

January 29, 2008

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Making: Shower gifts. Self portraits (damn you, 365 flickr project, you are killing me).

Reading: After reading the same two books for the first three weeks of the month ("Tree of Smoke" by Denis Johnson and "The Oxford Book of English Short Stories" edited by A.S. Byatt ), I'm now in a flurry of finishing, those plus some others thrown in. I haven't written any January reads up yet, but you can always view the current year's list to know what's going on. Just finished the Johnson on my way to work today so tonight it'll be pick out a new book time. Yay! (Either that, or wait until tomorrow when I have time to go to the bookstore and pick up the new Pat Barker.)

Watching: I finished "catching up" with How I Met Your Mother on my majorly delayed in every direction plane rides this weekend, whipping through the end of season 2 and all that's been shown of season 3 so far (this strike cannot end soon enough!). While Barney cracks me the fuck up (and damn, nice abs, boy), I think Marshall is my favorite character. And I haven't seen ANY new movies because instead I just keep going with people to see Juno (their first times, my second, and third, and fourth) again and again.

Listening: Over and over again to Sea Wolf "Leaves in the River", as I have been since mid-December. Also Matt Costa "Unfamiliar Faces"; he has a real sense of fun and joy (and quirkiness) in his tunes. Cat Power "Jukebox" although I like the first three-four songs the best and I usually move on after that. Bought some new stuff in San Fran but haven't listened yet...

Posted by Duff at 01:39 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

January 22, 2008

DVD: Die Hard Marathon

#1 / Die Hard / The original: Awesome. Just as fun now as it was then. An intelligent crook, surrounded by dufus henchman. An enterprising hero. Great one liners. Great byplay with the LA cop. Lots of fun.

#2 Die Harder: Eh. Pretty much sucks. The double double-cross at the end was lame. The many many references to "why does this keep happening to me/us?" wink wink were lame. The newscaster on the plane? Moron. But it does have one redeeming moment: when Bruce Willis kills the dude by stabbing him in the eye with a huge icicle!

#3 Die Hard: With a Vengeance: Enjoyable, although not great (it's no #1). Liked that they introduced a new character not connected to either the cops or the crime. Some discontinuity with him being back in NY considering in #2 he has moved to LA and become a cop there / #3 acts like #2 never happened (I guess we can't blame it for that...). Liked that they figure out it's subterfuge but a little "same old thing again" on the crime / McClane should have figured it out faster!

#4 Live Free or Die Hard: Years later, an update to the franchise! Entertaining! I liked that they updated it to a very modern-day crime, rather than just a rehash of the same type of terrorism (as really both #s 2 and 3 were -- unlike other movies I could name from 2007 that took an "old story" and just did the same old thing with it). Liked the byplay with the kid from the apple commercials. Sort of predictable substituting the presence of the daughter instead of the mother, but fine. But things that made it less enjoyable were: a) too many explosions for no reason (rewatch #1, where the explosions are more integral to the plot!); b) if the Gabriel dude is such an amazing hacker, why would he have all these underlings doing his hacking for him now? seems like he would want to be doing it himself, and the actor seemed too young for the role (since he was meant to be the contemporary of the head FBI dude); c) McClane seems a bit dumbed down from #1 certainly and perhaps #3 as well.

Gold Medal: #1
Silver: #4
Bronze: #3
Not even an honorable mention, but for the icicle: #2.

Posted by Duff at 04:45 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

January 17, 2008

Cable: Trust the Man

One of those movies with a bunch of recognizable actors that disappeared from theaters very fast so you know it must've been disappointing. I am normally a huge Billy Crudup fan but I hated the goatee action here. Frankly Maggie Gyllenhaal's character was the only one I didn't want to give a good shaking to. And the ending is bizarrely happy and "everything falling into place" after the extremely negative tones of the rest of it. Occasional laughs or relationship insights, but for the most part not very good. Not horrible, but not really enjoyable either.

Posted by Duff at 09:51 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

January 14, 2008

Playing at a Theater Near You?

Movies I Might Try to See This Weekend

• There Will Be Blood (Looks intense, no? I am not DDL's biggest fan but it appears a lock on many awards.)
  
• The Golden Compass (My dad loved the books and still enjoyed the movie. Jen liked both. I'm still willing to give the movie a chance, despite my irrational love for the books and my fear of what other people have been saying.)

Movies I Would See But Are Not "On My List"

• National Treasure 2 (I KNOW it's not a good movie. but the first one was enjoyable despite that, and despite me hating Nicolas Cage. Remember, I'm a low class viewer of mainstream blockbusters and proud of it. )
  
• The Great Debaters (Eh. Subject matter doesn't thrill me. But you can't go wrong with two hours of Denzel.)
  
• Enchanted (Eh. No need to email me, I KNOW EVERYONE IS ALL GA-GA for it. I just don't know if I can take that much sugar.)

Movies I Will NOT See Unless You Pay Me (and more than the price of the ticket)

• The Bucket List (middle-aged males patting each other on the back? (I'm being generous there, no?) It's "Cocoon" all over again. And WHO CARES!)
  
• PS I Love You (I'm sorry Gerard Butler and "Denny", but not even for the two of you.)
  

Posted by Duff at 06:27 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Lists

January 10, 2008

Wrapping It Up: Best Movies 2007

1. Grindhouse
2. Juno (and here and here as well)
3. A Mighty Heart (Knocked down a notch by Juno, but really great and I wish more people would have seen it.)
4. No Country for Old Men
5. American Gangster
6. Control
7. Blackout
8. In the Valley of Elah
9. The Bourne Ultimatum
10. Gone Baby Gone (In retrospect, and in comparison to others, this movie moved further up the list than I originally felt)

But there were lots of other movies I enjoyed as well, and you can read more about that here.

Posted by Duff at 10:20 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Flicks, Lists, Recommending, Watchin'

DVD: We Are Marshall

Kinda sappy but sweet, and Matthew Fox is pretty great in this. Some nice byplay between him and M. McConaughey.

Not sure why it had such a mediocre box office performance/viewership; it's not the greatest flick but certainly a decent effort.

I guess these would be the reasons I liked it and perhaps the same reasons you wouldn't.
a) Sports, specifically football
b) Underdogs
c) Nostalgia
d) The classic hard knocks "rising from the ashes" story.
e) The classic "I want nothing to do with you" evolving into "Wow we're teammates and/or roommates and we can actually get along" story.
f) Matthew Fox.
g) Students vs. the administration.
h) David Strathairn.

Posted by Duff at 09:15 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen (IMAX): Beowulf

Not a great, movie, no. But enjoyable? Certainly. Melodramatic and predictable? Yes. Humorously macho? Indeed! (That's a positive!) A very muscle-y bravado Beowulf? Yum.

Decent performances from Anthony Hopkins and John Malkovich, neither of whom I had any idea were in this. And very seductive work by Angelina Jolie; I particularly like the ending where I (at least) was fairly certain we were meant to think her spell was about to work again...

I am finding myself very annoyed with people recently who will ONLY go to "good" "arthouse" flicks. Sanctimonious much? Sometimes I WANT to see an action film. Sometimes I WANT to see mainstream movies. Oh, I'm so pedestrian! You are so much MORE of a person than me! [Make. Me. Fucking. Puke.]

IMAX viewing is weird though. When they're standing super still and the camera is super close to their face, then they look real. When there's motion (of any kind) or they're not right up front, they look like 3D cardboard cutouts. Like in "Stepmom" when Julia Roberts helps the kids make big blown-up cardboard cutouts of pictures of them? Yeah, exactly like that. So you're always wondering if visually it was actually better in regular flat movie viewing. (And less queasy, surely.)

Have to laugh with Megan though, the whole "covering up the penis" shots were hilarious, there were soooo many of them, and honestly, just have him wear a loincloth and then we don't have to keep putting people's elbows, or helmets, or candles, in the way of "it".

Posted by Duff at 08:35 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Recent DadReactions

Big Screen: I Am Legend. Similar to how I felt. Good job by Will Smith but the ending sucked. And Dad also felt it was very derivative. The "ghoulie" types = copied straight from The Descent (one of his faves last year!). The "medicine becomes infection wipes out population and turns them into ghouls" = copied straight from 28 Days Later (and then Weeks also) . [Yes, we know this was a book a long time ago. But given what Carla's told me about the book, it is pretty different than the movie.]

Big Screen: Juno. He LOVED it. Smart and sweet. Really thought the lead actress was excellent. Liked the parents a lot. Thoughtful and moving.

Readin': "The Oxford Book of English Short Stories" ed. by A.S. Byatt (For our challenge. He's ahead of me because he already owned the book and I had to wait for it to be delivered!) Really really strange selection of stories. Some good ones (the Kipling story is GREAT! [man I can't wait to read it. Haven't read Kipling since I wrote my Master's Thesis (on "Kim")]) but some that are just bizarre (and not enjoyable). Thinks we should read the V.S. Pritchett-edited Oxford collection as our last month of the challenge; in comparison, he thought that was a great collection/selection when he read it (which was why he had picked up this one).

TV: The Office. I gave him season 1 for xmas and said I'd pick up the rest if he liked it. Two episodes in, it was obvious it was a go, so we quick picked up the next two. I had watched these either on TV or on iTunes whereas he is watching the DVDs. a) He LOVES it. Says if he had nothing else to do, he would already be done because he just can't get enough. b) He said the DVD extras are AWESOME and some are basically like an extra episode (20 minutes long!). [Crap, now I'm going to have to get the DVDs for myself!] c) General comments: Hilarious. Really enjoying it. Loves the Pam/Jim thing. Loves Dwight! d) Is already halfway through Season 2. Yay!

Posted by Duff at 08:17 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, DadReaction, Flicks, TVTVTV

January 08, 2008

Lyrics of the Day

If you were a wink, I'd be a nod...

If you were the floor, I'd wanna be the rug...

And if you were an ocean, I'd learn to float...

-"All I Want Is You" Barry Louis Pollsar from the Juno Sdtrk.

Great movie, great tunes. It's a win-win.

If you haven't seen this yet, or are letting some crap-ass review taint your willingness to go, go read this review. And then go, for pete's sake. Pete would want you to.

When both me AND my dad are as equally gung-ho about a film (yes, sometimes we disagree), I don't think there's anything else you need to know. It's THAT good.

Posted by Duff at 06:33 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under " " of the XXX., Flicks, Listenin', Lyrics, Tunes, Watchin'

January 04, 2008

Big Screen: Atonement

Beautiful.

Breathtaking.

As faithful to the book as possible, given that it's a film (is that not self explanatory?). Great performances. Nostalgically lovely to look at (1940s. Ah.). As (momentarily) romantic and sexy as can be...and then as heartbreaking and painful and... And it's really that good. Cee thinks so too. As she points out, the "incidental" music...is just great. The staccato typing? Wow. The back/forth juxtaposition to resolve disparate points of view? Done so well.

And by the way, the book? ALSO THAT GOOD.

Keira Knightly. James McAvoy. Joe Wright (director). Well fucking done.

Posted by Duff at 12:42 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

January 03, 2008

Best of December

The best movie I saw in December was a tie between Juno and Sweeney Todd. Both made me laugh, one made me cry (just a little!), they both had great music and great acting. If I was forced at gunpoint to pick one, I'd probably go with Juno. Sweeney Todd is as good as you would expect, but not necessarily moreso; Juno was better than you could know, given the previews and the ridiculous whining some critics are doing (IGNORE THEM!).

The best book I read in December was...even harder to pick than the movies as I really loved almost everything I read this month. The funniest was a tie between "An Uncommon Reader" and "Gentlemen of the Road". The most unusual was "Red Spikes" and the two I perhaps liked the most (and didn't know at all what to expect from either one) were "Simplify" and "Incendiary". But honestly, I would recommend ALL my December reads.

The best gig I went to in December...doesn't exist because I didn't go to any concerts in December! Can you believe it? I kinda can't...

My favorite tunes in December were Sea Wolf "Leaves in the River" and Bat for Lashes "Fur and Gold". Also loving Lupe Fiasco's new one "The Cool" and the soundtrack to Juno. Have a lot of new stuff that I haven't spent enough time with yet, but can't stop pressing repeat on the first few off The Avett Brothers "Emotionalism".

Random personal highlights: Two and half weeks off. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT.

Lowlights? The worst drive home I've had in YEARS. One of the worst drives EVER in my LIFE. Really scary.

Posted by Duff at 12:15 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

Big Screen: Sweeney Todd

Exhilarating. Johnny Depp shines once again. I loved it. A very enjoyable night at the movie theater.

If anyone ever films Dickens (again), they need to hire the guys that did the CGI London for this movie!!

Posted by Duff at 12:04 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Charlie Wilson's War

The previews for this movie didn't thrill me (as you may recall) and I'm happy to report I was proven wrong. Well acted, well directed, and quite thoughtful. Nice to see Tom Hanks having fun again. Although if I were Emily Blunt I'm not sure I would have taken that part: a real waste of her acting skills.

And holy crap does Philip Seymour Hoffman just blow this thing right out of the water: he's top notch here!

Posted by Duff at 11:16 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

December 20, 2007

DVD: Flags of Our Fathers

Some of the "storming the beach" filming was really amazing, although I think it would've been better on the big screen.

But the story was a bit scattered. And having that many well known actors popping up in bit parts can be kinda distracting, even though they were good performances.

Posted by Duff at 06:57 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

December 19, 2007

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Making: Mix CDs. I had ideas of quilting I would do this week, but so far I haven't done any. So there you go.

Reading: I just finished a book today; I think tomorrow I'm going to start reading "Ludmila's Broken English" by DBC Pierre (who won the Booker for Vernon God Little a few years back, which I did enjoy). Somehow three books in this month, everything I read had a red spine. So I decided to keep the trend going for the rest of the month. Oh the crazy ways the reading list evolves.

Watching: This week's K-Ville I enjoyed. Also loved Juno on the big screen. Maybe Beowulf tomorrow? We'll see.

Listening: I've listened to many many things today as I've been running around in iTunes listening to samples of lots and lots of stuff. Plus the new Lupe Fiasco that came out yesterday ("The Cool"). Yay! Love Lupe: : Love it. Also bought Kid SimpleSimple Kid (sounds like Beck's little brother with some Elliott Smith thrown in) and Nick Light (another melancholy boy, singer, songwriter type), and old Siobhan Donaghy since I can't find the new one yet (Reckless ordered it for me), which is very girly girly pop. Girly pop! Yay! I have to fill the iPod up for the long ride...

Posted by Duff at 06:40 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

December 18, 2007

Big Screen: Juno

I loved it. Yes, as funny as the previews made it look, but really so much more than that. Heartbreaking and bittersweet and some really lovely, deeply sincere moments.

I tried to keep my expectations low considering several much-hyped indie flicks this year that I did not feel were all they were cracked up to be (Waitress and Knocked Up, I'm talking to you). This surpassed even my more optimistic hopes.

I'm impressed. Strong performances, lovely soundtrack. Thumbs fucking way up.

Posted by Duff at 08:57 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

December 17, 2007

Big Screen: I Am Legend

Lots of really scary stuff - two of the three of us were hiding behind our coats most of the movie. Will Smith is hot (and BUILT in this film. K asked: "Why doesn't he look that way ALL THE TIME?") and I really liked a lot of it.

Up until about the last 10 minutes where suddenly everything happened all in a rush, they threw in some bullshit Utopia and extra characters and I really thought that was a bunch of crap.

And if you cannot handle seeing certain animals getting hurt = DON'T GO TO IT. That means you, Mom.

Posted by Duff at 10:30 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Cable: Duma

Heartbreakingly sweet. Beautifully filmed.

Posted by Duff at 10:29 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

December 10, 2007

Best of November

I kept not finishing writing things up so I had to keep putting off writing this post. Ah, the life of a slacker...

The best movie I saw in November was No Country for Old Men, with Gone Baby Gone a close second. Both violent, icky, and GOOOOD.

The best book I read in November was the collection of short stories Why the Devil Chose New England for His Work, by Jason Brown. Very subtle. Very good. Families, relationships, losers, loners, struggles.

The best gig I went to in November was a tie between Athlete, a band I have been longing to see and was so blown away by their show, and Griffin House, who I had no idea how good he was going to be.

My favorite tunes in November.... hmmmm... well, my favorite album purchased in November would have to be Great Northern "Trading Twilight for Daylight". I don't know if I had read about them somewhere (a blog? Paste? who knows?) but for some reason I was checking them out on iTunes and I'm really diggin it... Otherwise I spent a lot of time listening to stuff from earlier in the year (Band of Horses, Travis, Rogue Wave), thinking about year-end lists, and buying lots of random singles (old Jay-Z, new Anthony Hamilton (American Gangster), stuff from the I'm Not There soundtrack)...

Random personal highlights: Hangin' out with the nephews, who get both more lovable and more irksome every time; Michelle visits! for almost a week! yay!; Pam & Steph come down for the night!.

Lowlights? Fresh TV is drying up but for a few shows; FNL is wandering far from its strengths; meant to see a bunch of movies I never got to; and seem to have gotten almost nothing done all month. Man, what a whiner! Suck it up, eh?

Posted by Duff at 08:50 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

December 03, 2007

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Making: A second Curious George quilt as well as another stripe-y baby quilt. Yadda yadda.

Reading: Short stories by infamous blogger Tod Golberg: "Simplify". They're good. As witty and sarcastic as you would have guessed, but more tender than I expected.

Watching: Catching up on TV I was too lazy to watch last week (you know, the ones I don't HAVE to watch that night when I get home: DS$, Reaper, Gossip Girl), season two of How I Met Your Mother after Michelle got me totally addicted and we whipped through all of Season 1 while she was here, and re(re)watching earlier episodes from the current seasons of Bones and FNL. New (random) episode of The Closer on tonight! Yay! Really want to see both August Rush and Juno (opens tomorrow!) this week.

Listening: To the new Radiohead "In Rainbows". Yes, I broke down and bought it after Paul said it's all he's listened to in two weeks and then it started popping up on everyone's year-end lists. I haven't listened to Radiohead in YEARS but I do find this "listenable" which is more than I could say for their last few albums. Also finally bought Augie March "Moo, You Bloody Choir" (it was out in Australia when we went but I had bought an older album instead at the time) and Brother Ali "The Undisputed Truth" (yay! needed some new rap).

Posted by Duff at 08:27 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

Big Screen: Dan in Real Life

Somewhat predictable, occasionally contrived. Not an award winner or must-see. But enjoyable. And very, very sweet. Nice to see Steve Carrell dialed down for the occasion.

Posted by Duff at 07:53 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Margot at the Wedding.

HATED it. Yes. Hated. Thought it was one of the worst movies I've seen this year. Badly, badly written. Hard to judge whether the directing and acting were good or not / when the basis of the movie is that bad, the other things don't even seem to matter.

The "funny" parts were awkward and misplaced; the scenes with the neighbors seemed to belong to some other movie, perhaps a Stephen King-type horror flick; there wasn't really a single character (except perhaps the teenage boy) who had normal human reactions to anything that happened. And frankly, I could not even find one person I cared about, was interested in, or didn't think was a moron. There were many times in this movie, during arguments between various characters, where one person would be yelling at the other "But you're so smart! You're so intelligent!" I didn't see a single iota of evidence of that.

Tracy yelled out "Give me a break!" at one point; and we could hear people muttering "wow, so bad, so bad" as we left the theater. Since Tracy and I have rarely agreed on movies in the past month, I was surprised to find we both hated it equally. Michelle, on the other hand, seemed to like it. It cracked me up to read her comment: I find myself still thinking about this movie days after I saw it, and that's something; because until the moment I read that, I had completely wiped this movie out of my mind. (And then I read her post and thought "OH FUCKING HELL I'll actually have to think about it long enough to write it up. Yuck!")

Hated it.

Posted by Duff at 07:46 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: I'm Not There

A very original/unusual take on the biopic. The many past and possible lives of Bob Dylan, were he a few (five? can't remember exactly) different people. Some of it was very entertaining and well done, other bits I could have done without. Similar to, say, Being John Malkovich, you're either going to be able to go with it or you're not.

Thought Cate Blanchett, Heath Ledger and Christian Bale were all excellent. Blanchett and Bales's sections were some of the most factually-based bits; there were moments in Blanchett's that were straight out of filmed Dylan interviews I've even seen. (Michelle Williams' bit part was really, really nicely done and Charlotte Gainsbourg was excellent as well.) But they could have left out the entire Richard Gere segment and I would have been fine with that (except for missing a great cover) - that imagined life just did nothing for me. More of a fairytale aspect going on there. And I didn't find the segment with the little boy that engaging either.

Enjoyed the music, enjoyed a lot of it. Didn't love it. But certainly worth seeing. Not going to see many things like it.

Posted by Duff at 07:40 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

November 30, 2007

Current Favorite Single

The cover of Bob Dylan's "Going to Acapulco" by Jim James and Calexico.

The Richard Gere sections of "I'm Not There" were my least favorite parts...except for the performance of this song which was both beautiful and mesmerizing. Don't think it's what I want played at my funeral, but I am loving it a lot.

Oh right, I never even told you I went to that movie. Ah well. I'll try to catch up on reviews over the weekend, a few books, a couple movies. Maybe I'll even write up some recent TV! My, my aren't we ambitious.

Posted by Duff at 04:37 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Listenin', Tunes

November 23, 2007

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Making: Whipping up a quick baby quilt as I realized one's about to pop in the next two weeks but next Thursday is probably the last time I'll see the mom for a while... You'll like it, it's based around Curious George panels.

Reading: A very philosophical memoir "The Life of Hunger by Amelie Nothomb. Needless to say, I'm now starving.

Watching: The bitter end of Fall TV with some shows almost done (I am loving Bones so much right now!) and cramming in a BUNCH of movies over this Holiday week (Gone Baby Gone and No Country for Old Men already, the Bob Dylan movie today, Margot's Wedding hopefully Sunday).

Listening: Hmmm. This has been a weird week. What with guests and TV and movies, I haven't had a lot o' listenin' time. Played Eddie Vedder and Band of Horses for Michelle. Listened to Big Star and Pavement (from my Love Is a Mix Tape playlist) while quilting yesterday before moving on to watching Star Wars...

Posted by Duff at 09:25 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, Tunes

Big Screen: No Country for Old Men

Super (awesomely!) violent and sometimes gross. It's from a McCarthy book so you should know that going in / shouldn't come as a shock.

Super freakily (psychologically) messed up villain (Javier Bardem. Spooky as shit. Crazy entrancing eyes).

Great performance from Tommy Lee Jones and solid from Josh Brolin (and I'm not even a fan of his!) and it's fun to see LOTS of random actors popping up in bit parts (the coach from "One Tree Hill", the nasty lady who ran the grocery store on "Jericho", Woody Harrelson (what a relief to see him in something good again after that other crapass movie which I think was way worse than I seem to have written there), Garrett Dillahunt who just played a Russian mobster on "Life")...

I have to say: what made this movie for me was pure Coen brothers; you can tell/feel where they inserted themselves into this script: the small-town, down-home country humor and the warm personal relationships and comfortable feeling between many of the characters (despite the nasty killings and brutal stuff). And believe you me, humor and warmth = those are NOT things you will find in a McCarthy book.

Really excellent filmmaking and I (given my extreme dislike of McCarthy's writing) wasn't even really sure I wanted to see this...

Posted by Duff at 08:50 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Gone Baby Gone

Really good. Maybe not Oscar winning levels of accomplishment, but certainly respectable, compelling filmmaking. Kudos to you, Ben Affleck, I'm pretty impressed. There was only one thing I would consider a directorial gaffe / and it was perhaps a difficult moment of filming? I don't know, but only one moment where I thought "That's not right." I'll give you one or two (or maybe four depending) of those and still consider it a good flick.

Casey Affleck = also very impressive here. As I felt with Leo in "The Departed", this is the movie where Casey really became sexy to me. In the past = attractive but in a kinda skeevy way. In this movie = H-O-T, hot. Really liked watching him play this role, lots of subtle moral struggles. He did a great job.

Also nice bits by Ed Harris and Amy Madigan.

Although here is the conversation as I imagine it: Ed (says to Ben): "Hey, Ben, yeah I'll be in your movie but only if you have a part for my wife too. And here's the deal, you have to make me look super, super hot and older man sexy, but you have to make her look as shitty, old and bedraggled as possible. Does that work for you? Yeah? OK then! We'll do it!" (Yes, her part requires that she be somewhat more bedraggled than his does...but still...it was a bit...noticeable.)

Posted by Duff at 08:25 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

November 15, 2007

Best of October

The best movie I saw in October was Control, the Ian Curtis/Joy Division biopic that I actually went to twice. Beautifully filmed, powerfully acted, with great tunes.

The best book I read in October was ... a three-way tie? Hmmmm, OK the one I've thought about the most since reading it is "In the Woods" by Tana French. But I thought both the new Haven Kimmel and Jonathan Coe were really, really good as well.

The best gig I went to in October was Rogue Wave. Really compelling and the lead singer has such a distinctive voice.

My favorite tunes in October were the latest albums by Band of Horses, Mr. Hudson & The Library, Joe Purdy, and singles from Nada Surf "See These Bones" (via Fuel/Friends) and folksinger Tom Paxton "George W Told the Nation."

Random personal highlights: Brunch with MaryKay!; Chicago Film Festival.

Lowlights? White Stripes concert cancelled, thank you stupid internet sex tape; Steph's visit cancelled, thank you stupid airlines.

Seems like a slow month, doesn't it? But October is very busy at work for me, so there you go. Stupid work.

Posted by Duff at 07:55 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

November 12, 2007

Big Screen: American Gangster

I had high expectations for this movie and I was glad to not be disappointed. That said, the first 20 minutes or so (out of almost three hours) were not really what I was expecting. Story had some unusual twists.

Denzel and Russell were both really strong, although both looked crappier physically than I've seen them look in a while. There was one scene in which Denzel looked so bloated and slackjawed and I thought "oh are they going to make his character go all crazy and loose cannon now? To match how he's falling apart physically?" But he seemed to recover a bit from that. There are TONS of other "oh oh I know that guy, what's he been in?" actors in this. The police chief (?) from Monk. Josh Brolin (Man, I can't stand that guy. And fortunately, in this movie, he plays someone to hate so my natural feelings weren't fighting the storyline). "Stringer Bell" (yay!). This scrawny dude who was, I believe, the male lead in that movie everyone on earth loved (EXCEPT ME!!) "Me and You and Everyone We Know". A dude who recently was on an episode of K-Ville. A small role knocked out of the park by Cuba Gooding Jr. and an even smaller part played by Common.

It was long and sprawling and really followed two distinct storylines (led by their respective stars) that ran parallel but didn't truly overlap until about the last five minutes. It was violent and scrappy and sometimes offensive (in the spirit of its time). And I really (really) liked it.

Posted by Duff at 03:28 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

November 01, 2007

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Making: Working on the layouts for the two Friendship Star quilts. Also making a mini quilt out of leftover squares. But doesn't look like there'll be much time this weekend for it so we'll see if I get anything done.

Reading: Just about finished with "A Complicated Kindness" by Miriam Toews, the book that swept Canada. (Pretty sure I bought this in London last January - when Alison posted about it this summer, it bumped itself higher on my TBR list...). I'm less than one El ride from finishing. Uh oh! Better figure out what I'm going to read next!

Watching: Wow, I loved both Bones and Life this week although I haven't posted to the TV blog about either one yet. And I'm definitely seeing at least one movie this weekend although I'm not sure which one yet. Next week I've got tickets to two oldies (Peter Watkins-directed "Punishment Park" and Nicolas Roeg-directed "Walkabout") that are showing as part of the Chicago Arts & Humanities festival.

Listening: I'm listening to Stars because I'm going to see them tomorrow night, along with some other random singles, and the soundtrack to Control which I went to see for a second time the other night.

Posted by Duff at 09:45 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

October 25, 2007

DadReaction: 30 Days of Night

Up until the last five minutes: A+.
Awesome. Great vamps, very cool. Subtitling genius.

Last five minutes: F.
Totally blew the premise.

So that averages out to...a C+?

Unless you somehow figure out how to tell when the last five minutes is about to start and -- quick! -- RUN OUT OF THE THEATER.

Posted by Duff at 09:37 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

October 23, 2007

Big Screen: Michael Clayton

I really didn't fall for this movie as much as I thought I might after I read Jen's reaction.

I did think George Clooney and Tom Wilkinson were great. Sydney Pollack's character pissed me off just as much as he was supposed to. Tilda Swinton was good although I felt her "accent" slipped a few times (into frigid English bitch rather than frigid American).

But...I felt like it was an excellently acted/directed movie of something that's been done before. So I wasn't wowed. If you're going to do a movie on corporate malfeasance, I think there's a lot more to choose from these days than the same old/same old chemicals cause cancer role, and things that are more pressing/more topical (how about the government continuing to handout defense contracts to companies which were the ones already "supplying" the troops with inadequate supplies, non bullet proof "armored" cars, etc.).

Not only has the chemical angle been done before (going all the way back to Silkwood! and on through Erin Brockovich), along with the "those companies kill people who get in their way", but also the sense of a whistle-blower (The Insider, among others).

So while I thought the performances were excellent, I didn't think the movie really took a reach. I didn't think it went somewhere that blew my mind, or should be award winning. (My mom called it "very competent and enjoyable.")

But Jen loved it. So you might. And the friend that went with me came out of the theater saying "Wow, that was awesome!" (She felt this movie did some "new" spins on an old subject, say, the scenes of Tilda Swinton spreading out her clothes in the hotel rooms...)

Not so much, to me.

Posted by Duff at 09:27 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

October 19, 2007

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Making: Still nothing. I should probably just delete this stupid category!!

Reading: Not what I expected to pick up next but have gotten sucked into "The Rain Before It Falls" by Jonathan Coe. Big fan of Coe, his writing just invites you in... Right now in the "epistolary" section where Rosamond has dictated onto tape her memories of her cousin Beatrix and herself, focused by photographs from the past...

Watching: Just caught up on Gossip Girl which I hadn't been watching (thank you iTunes). Frivolous but fun. LonelyBoy Dan Humphrey is my new crush! (He was born the year I graduated high school! Wince!) Planning to see Michael Clayton this afternoon...before rushing home for FNL of course.

Listening: To lots of Joy Division and New Order and The Replacements and old, old U2 and the Cocteau Twins and The Smiths, among others, as recent viewing of Control has sent me back in the day. Or, as one of my friends likes to call it, I've been "College-ing It Out".

Posted by Duff at 09:45 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

Chicago Film Festival: Control

Dir: Anton Corbijn
Actrs: Mostly fairly unknowns (Sam Riley = awesome!!), with Samantha Morton as Deborah Curtis.

A biopic of Ian Curtis, lead singer of Joy Division, the remaining members of which became New Order after Curtis' suicide. Based on the biography written by his wife, Deborah. Reading up on details in various places, sounds pretty true to events, with some scenes/dialogue obviously imagined due to lack of other people in the room.

Corbijn is protesting in interviews being known only as a "rock photographer" although I'd say the skills of a rock photographer add greatly to the filming of this story. Regardless, it's beautifully filmed in black and white, does a good job of showing the extreme bleakness of the surrounds, where they grew up, Curtis' mental and emotional bleakness. Pondering whether either a) the side effects of his epilepsy medication made him not take the medication thus leading to more (and more?) epileptic fits on stage or whether b) he was indeed regularly taking it leading to more and more depression, paranoia, etc. The scene where the drugs are prescribed and the extreme lack of medical knowledge at the time around epilepsy was pretty scary. (Is it better now? One has to hope so.)

If not for Curtis' suicide, you feel like you could be watching a movie about the early Stones or the Beatles. The music business was such a different animal, even in the late 70s when JD was getting their start. You see the evolution not only of the band, but of their manager and record company.

Some of it is just maddening, particularly the events that appear to lead directly to his suicide. Basically couldn't handle being married and a father at his young age (they got married at 17 or 18, had a kid around 22, suicide at 23), was involved in at least one extramarital affair, (although I think the movie may have trimmed out other affairs for time), but prospect of wife divorcing him over him a) being unfaithful and b) stating to her that he doesn't love her anymore! makes him completely despondent. Yet, he's having an affair, so... Classic case of digging one's own hole, yet his mental state left him completely unable to handle it or face up to his own actions. Interesting to see events in his life tied to songs writtenly shortly thereafter ("She Lost Control" and "Love Will Tear Us Apart" particularly).

Great acting here. Actors playing the band play the music themselves. If you liked Ray for Jamie Foxx's incredibly Ray-like interpretation, or Walk the Line for a similarly incredible performance by Joaquin Phoenix, you should see this. Although Sam Riley's voice is much higher than Curtis', the band does a more than credible job of interpreting the songs and it all feels very, very real. Thought Riley did an incredible acting job, as well as Samantha Morton playing his wife and Alexandria Maria Lara playing his other love Annick (she's breathtakingly gorgeous).

In my own "rock history", given that he committed suicide in 1980 when I was whatever, fucking young as shit, I knew the music of New Order much better, became a huge fan thanks to my friend Pete freshman year of college who was the first person to play New Order for me, as well as The Replacements, and so many more bands that certainly owe some musical debts to Joy Division. Even today, bands like The National, would their lead have considered a rock career without having heard similarly low-voiced Ian Curtis, one has to wonder. Curtis was a big Bowie fan early on, there are lots of other bands up and coming alongside them (the Buzzcocks, hilarious bit in the film about the name; The Sex Pistols), and watching the movie just made me need to go home and sit down in front of the stereo...

New Order site lists showings around the country. Go! Highly recommended. Might want to bring kleenex.

Posted by Duff at 09:20 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

October 14, 2007

Big Screen: We Own the Night

Yay, Joaquin.

I thought most of the individual performances were really good and there's some pretty intense cop-on-drug-dealer action. But I wasn't totally thrilled. Felt like the movie was really divided into three parts: part 1) before Joaquin gets involved, part 2) the long middle involved and sometimes in hiding and part 3) the final confrontation. Felt like the middle part 2) was too long and there wasn't enough in the first part 1). Things started to happen too fast / I needed a few more set up scenes to get involved with more characters than just Joaquin. And then part 3) again gets short changed (due to too much middle) and things just sort of...end. And the very last scene felt a bit like an add-on. Like they needed to add a little moment / put in sort of throwaway nod to the girl. It could have ended when Joaquin walked over to the car after handing the gun over to his "uncle" (or I thought that older police dude was their uncle anyway).

Seeing previews for American Gangster and thinking "hmm, so this fall they're both making Westerns again (3:10 to Yuma, Assassination of Jesse James) and they're also making '70s NY cop/bad guys flicks (We Own the Night, American Gangster)..."

There's a pretty gratuitous Joaquin/Eva Mendes sex scene at the very beginning of this movie. At least, so far, I can't think of a way in which it advances the plot. But I'm not saying I minded. It may be gratuitous...but it is H-O-T hot. Very sexy. Smooches to you, Joaquin.

Posted by Duff at 07:43 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Chicago Film Festival: Jump!

Dir: Helen Hood Scheer.

A documentary about the sport of Jumprope, a rising phenomenon in what appeared to be mostly inner cities. Despite not being an official sport for any schools, universities, etc., it's highly organized with regionals, nationals and world championships. Film follows primarily kids from four (or five? i'm starting to forget) groups as they practice their routines, appear at the meets, etc. I was really into the Razzmatazz kids.

If the highlight of the Olympics for you is gymnastics, I think you'd probably enjoy this. These kids are pretty amazing athletes and their jumprope routines incorporate all kinds of tumbling/gymnastic skills as well as just plain muscle and endurance. There are speed competitions of several kinds, and jumprope routines done in singles, doubles, triples and quads. (When they get to worlds, seems like there are routines done there with many more kids at once.)

Unlike the competitive backstabbing world of gymnastics (no I'm not joking about that), and probably partially because this is a more intramural/extracurricular activity, these kids are very friendly with their opponents. Practicing together before meets, sharing new "tricks", teaching younger kids... The sharing and "hey try this!" bit at the worlds is really cool, and very interesting to see the different styles evolving in different parts of the world: all the Asian kids seem to incorporate breakdancing into their jumprope routines!

And just like Olympic gymnasts, these are young kids, pouring their hearts into this sport, practicing for hours on end, devoting themselves physically AND mentally. Their collective goal is to get the sport into the Olympics. They need 5 continents (they have the 5), 74 or 75 countries (they only have about 35 right now) and all under the same rules (that part was unclear). Seems less structured rule & scoring wise than gymnastics, which is something that probably comes with regulation / the more structured a sport it becomes, the more spontaneity it will lose.

Made me cry several times. Really engaging.

Posted by Duff at 07:30 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Chicago Film Festival: Surveillance

Dir: Paul Oremland
Actrs: Mostly unknowns with a great performance by Simon Callow (who you might know as the overweight gay guy who dies in Four Weddings and a Funeral)

A young teacher with a secret gay nightlife. A rich (sometimes gay) playboy with a connection to the royal family is kidnapped and murdered. London's incredible network of surveillance cameras are the only leads.

The entire film is done on CCTV and surveillance cameras, cameraphones, handhelds, etc. While this had a very direct tie-in to the plot and the point of the movie (thus a plus), it also lends itself to a very amateur look (a minus). Similar to when you're watching a well-produced, well-photographed TV show and then a super cheap commercial comes on and the filming is just flat / no depth / feels two-dimensional. While part of the point of this is the "it could happen to anyone" and "you never know what's being caught on film" and "we're being watched/ photographed/ surveilled at all times"...on the other hand, you're in a theater watching it on the big screen, and it just doesn't have the visual zing of a more traditionally produced, high quality camera & film movie.

Raises some very intriguing questions. Good performances. (The lead is a little hottie.) A very 20/20 investigative feel. Really enjoyed the Q&A with the director afterward. Some of his conversations with MI-5 and MI-6 were quite...astonishing. And followed by "I never knew whether to believe anything they were telling me. Those guys get so caught up in their own mystique." My only quibble would be: is there a way to do this, but have it look better, yet still have the "feel" of the surveillance cameras?

Posted by Duff at 07:20 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

October 12, 2007

My #2 Celebrity Boyfriend: JP

My current favorite Joaquin movies:

• Walk the Line
  
• Ladder 49
  
• Gladiator
  
• Inventing the Abbotts
  
• Signs ("I'm a miracle man!")
  
• The Village
  
• Hotel Rwanda
  
• Buffalo Soldiers

What will likely be added to this list by the end of the month:

• We Own the Night (that one maybe by the end of the weekend!)
  
• Reservation Road

Other Joaquin moments I rewatch often (and have on tape):

• Him and Kelly Ripa legwrestling on the Regis & Kelly show.
  
• Him on Conan where they discuss, among other things, him playing around with reporters and saying there was a frog on his head (during Walk the Line publicity) and it getting blown out of proportion.
  
• Him on either Conan or Dave (I guess I haven't watched it that recently!!) where they discuss, among other things, drinking. "It wasn't that I would drink often. But when I would drink, it was like it was an Olympic sport and I wanted to be the gold medalist."

Posted by Duff at 01:39 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Lists

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Making: Still nothing.

Reading: Realized I have two Jake Arnott books on the to-be-read shelf but couldn't remember enough about the book that came before them...so back I went for a reread of #1: "The Long Firm" by Jake Arnott, '60s mob scene in swingin' London. Given the boarding pass stuck inside, looks like I bought and read this one back in 2004. (Yup, looks like it.) Still really enjoying it the second time around.

Watching: Lots of TV. Plus have already been to...four movies at the Chicago Film Festival (1, 2, 3 and #4 not reviewed yet) and have tickets to two more (a documentary about jump rope competitions (!!) today and the Joy Division biopic on Tuesday)...

Listening: The new Band of Horses. Over and over. Not anything else really.

Posted by Duff at 10:55 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, Tunes

October 10, 2007

Chicago Film Festival: Silent Light

Very hard to describe. Definitely an "art house" or "film festival" flick. Starts with a sunrise. That seemed to take approximately 20 minutes. Twenty minutes!! With nothing but the sun slowly lightening up the sky. No sounds but the wind and the birds and...maybe you can hear trees growing?

A lot of the movie is that silent. And that slow. And that ponderous. Not in a bad way. But definitely in a disconcerting way. I found my mind racing, racing, racing. Any scene with even a hint that disaster could happen had me imagining the wildest things...things that would never actually happen in this movie.

Technically the "action" of the movie is about a Mennonite farmer, with a wife and six kids, who has fallen in love with another woman. And struggles with how to go on from that moment. Although he stays with his wife, she ultimately dies (of a broken heart?)...but then there's this one moment of magical realism at the end... Which was lovely, but a bit odd considering the very very NOT fantastical rest of the movie.

It was the opposite of, say, a three hour movie that feels like it only took 45 minutes. It was only a little over two hours, but oh sweet monkey sundae, I felt like I was in the theater for 25 years. Sitting in such utter silence, broken only by, say, the sound of someone's feet walking through grass. Or walking on snow. Or occasionally having a very slow, very drawn out, very few sentences conversation.

Some of it was really beautiful. And the tension in it was very powerful, despite being such non-tense kind of tension. (Maybe you had to see it to even make any sense out of that sentence.)

But it was not an easy movie, on the mind. It totally wore me out. Consider yourself warned.

Posted by Duff at 10:27 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

October 08, 2007

Chicago Film Festival: Blackout

Dir: Jerry LaMothe
Actrs: Mostly unknowns (to me) but a few familiar faces such as Jeffrey Wright, Zoe Saldana, and Saul Rubinek.

This movie was EXCELLENT. Completely compelling. I turned in my ballot with a 5 and I hope it gets a major distributor. Excellent even though the print we watched had a HUGE time code along the bottom of the screen (blocking about the bottom fourth of the screen) and no credits at the end.

Focuses on the New York City blackout of August 2003*, details the events in one Brooklyn neighborhood, particularly focused on the tenants of one apartment building and the workers at one hair salon. (Based on true events from the blackout, but believe the specific particulars are fictional.)

Really really great. Great acting, great pacing, great suspense, great passion and concern... Loved it. Both thumbs way up.

*hello, I was there! that was my last night in New York and I wound up sleeping on a couch in Manhattan unable to even get to my apartment in Queens!, and walking up and down many sets of stairs in complete darkness, and going for a very scary walk on the dark streets trying to find Amy...

Posted by Duff at 10:20 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

Chicago Film Festival: The Walker

Dir: Paul Schrader.
Actrs: Woody Harrelson (main lead), Kristen Scott Thomas, Lauren Bacall, Lily Tomlin, Willlem Dafoe, Ned Beatty.

This was a bit of a mess. We were down with it for the first half and then things started to unravel. Had a very 80s/90s feel to it, hard to believe it was filmed recently. Full of Washington DC "high society" (oh sweet monkey sundae, are those people pretentious or what) and supposed intrigue. The attempt to make Harrelson's character BOTH a gay dandyish society fop AND a gay in a serious relationship with a trendy political artist didn't really work for us. The two sides of his personality never melded and the contrast of the scenes was choppy.

Some good acting, not terrible, but would be very surprised if this film ever really sees the light of day.

Posted by Duff at 10:13 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Very, very moody and melancholy and slow and drawn out. Really really beautiful photography (cinematography?), particularly during the narration. Lots of Midwestern winter shots, snow covered wheat fields, sun dappled groups of trees. Empty rooms with wooden floors and empty rocking chairs and streaks of sun shooting across them.

Oh and yeah the acting? Brad Pitt is progressively manic (eventually becoming an actually intelligible version of someone similar to the character from Snatch) and Casey Affleck really grows on you, after seeming sort of idiot-savant like at the beginning. Mary Louise Parker was excellent in a (very!) small role, as was Zoey Deschanel. Wished Frank (Sam Shepherd) had made another appearance at the end.

At the end you realize the story isn't necessarily about what it seemed. Thought the narration would be annoying, but came to love it (gives it a very storybook feel, kind of like the narration in Pushing Daisies, although in a very different genre of storybook).

And as I said, the photography was beeeeaaauuuuuuuuutiful.

Posted by Duff at 10:09 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

October 04, 2007

Still Thinking about The Kingdom

If you're an obsessive, maniacal, ridiculous FNL fan like me, then hey, bonus, off-season sightings of Kyle Chandler and Minka Kelly who both have small roles. (And for Jericho fans, "Emily" is in it as well.) Also the background music is very FNL-feelin'. I don't know if it's actually also Explosions in the Sky and, sweet monkey sundae, I'm certainly not going to be bothered to look that up. But it FEELS like the same kind of dreamy, expansive, Texas-horizon, music.

I liked it more than it may have seemed in my previous comment.

Posted by Duff at 08:09 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

October 02, 2007

Best of September.

It's a two-fer month, a study in contrast. One high energy, intense and dramatic; versus one calm, deliberate, determined and yet still as dramatic in its own way.

The best two movies I saw in September were "In the Valley of Elah" and "The Bourne Ultimatum" (I'm a little late on that one, I know). Both were excellent in very different ways.

The best two books I read in September were "Under the Banner of Heaven" and "A Three Dog Life". As with flicks, high contrast between the two, yet equally satisfying.

The best two gigs I went to in August were Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals and The National.

I'll [add to this] post later my favorite tunes in September...[I'll talk about September tunes. Later. In another post. Hopefully. We'll see.]

Random personal highlights: Buying lots of new Fall clothes, although hardly getting to wear them this month; Jen in town for drinks!!!; and FINALLY it's time for FALL TV!!! [Kinda a slow month, eh?]

Lowlights? Can the summer heat go away now please? I've had enough.

Posted by Duff at 08:58 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

Big Screen: The Kingdom

I liked this movie, but I thought Peter Berg left the ending a little too ambiguous. I THINK I know what you're supposed to think, but in leaving it ambiguous I think he left room for people with a radically different viewpoint than mine to say "yup, this [other thing] is what you're supposed to think." If the message is what I thought it was, it shouldn't have been left ambiguous. I don't want people to be able to prevaricate about that!

And I didn't think it made that much sense to have Jason Bateman's character so obsessed with what the whispering was. It was like using him as the plot to find out something the audience supposedly would want to know...except I didn't think anyone in the audience was actually wondering that. It was a plot mechanism to reveal a similar attitude on both sides, but I think it could have been accomplished differently.

Jamie Foxx's macho attitude is definitely one of his strengths as an actor so he really excels in parts that let him bring it on. Jason Bateman is great, although totally annoying in some scenes. I really dug the #2 Saudi policeman (the one who gets beaten early on).

I liked a lot of it, despite my aforementioned criticisms. But as the boy working the concession stand told me on my way in "It's a good movie, but it's scary. It can really make you paranoid about some stuff."

Posted by Duff at 08:37 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Eastern Promises

Not for the faint of heart. The infamous naked bathroom fight scene was more notable (to me) for its extreme bloodiness (I swear that one cut goes all the way down his spine) than a few random sightings of Viggo's peeny. There's a throatcutting scene earlier that's more like a "trying really hard to chisel off someone's head with a not very sharp knife" scene.

Viggo is so solidly into character here, it's hard to reconcile in your mind that this is the same boy who played Aragorn. Not a bad flick, a number of interesting items, but I didn't find myself very engaged with it. More like a spectator from a distance than I usually feel in the theater. And a lot of people in this movie make really bad decisions. You wanted to take them into the hallway and try and shake some sense into them.

Posted by Duff at 08:33 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

September 28, 2007

Cable: X-Men III

Oh it's the kids are now "adults" part of the series. Never a very interesting plot move. But hey, I'm completely down with Rogue's decision. I mean, if you're a romantic, how could you not be?

Posted by Duff at 12:22 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Cable: Aeon Flux.

OK I didn't think it was good, but I'm not sure why this was quite as panned as it was. I mean, yeah, the woman with the hands for feet was just grotesque... but I really didn't think the rest of it was THAT bad. Charlize Theron was convincing and the dude that played her man-from-the-past was kinda hot in a Dominic West-hot way.

I've certainly seen worse movies than this. And if you got rid of a couple of really annoying things, I think it could have been decent.

Posted by Duff at 12:20 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

September 24, 2007

Netflix: Eulogy

This movie is HILARIOUS. Side-splittingly funny family farce. Along the lines of The Royal Tennenbaums, but less dark (despite it being funeral-focused). Ray Romano and Hank Azaria are funny, as expected, and Debra Winger is really funny, playing against type. Loved it.

Lots of completely inappropriate, non-PC humor, which is really the best kind, right? Everyone knows that the only gay relationships that work are between people of the same height. Or Azaria having told his daughter (Zoey Deschanel, so sweet) that her mom died when she was young "from being a social worker who cared too much." (Turns out she was actually a porno actress.) Too funny.

Posted by Duff at 06:52 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

September 19, 2007

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Making: Quilting friendship star blocks. Knitting socks.

Reading: Reading a multiple-movie-references book "Don't Make a Scene" by Valerie Block. Looks like chick lit from the outside, but rises above it. Enjoying it!

Watching: Heroes season 1 on DVD (wow I like it so much better than I liked it when I tried to watch it in real-time last year. what's up with that). And the only show that's premiered so far (on my list anyway): K-Ville.

Listening: New stuff I bought yesterday and stuff I bought last week and stuff I bought in Belgium and Common who I'm going to see tomorrow night and The National who I'm going to see Saturday night...I've got a crazy mix of things going on right now.

Posted by Duff at 12:45 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, Tunes

September 17, 2007

Big Screen: In the Valley of Elah

Intense and sad, and yet a very quiet movie. Things happening beneath the surface for many of these characters. A couple things about the mystery that I felt weren't explained quite right / didn't sit quite right. But makes its point quite well: the war isn't just happening "over there." The soldiers bring it home with them.

And if you were paying attention at the beginning, the message at the end is very clear: We are a country in distress. No doubt about it.

Really great performances by Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon. And a couple of the "unknowns" playing the soldiers really did well in their parts. Very impressive filmmaking.

Posted by Duff at 09:21 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

September 11, 2007

Big Screen: 3:10 to Yuma

Really a funny movie. Very entertaining but very silly, and a lot of holes that can be poked in the plot afterward. Weirdly my parents went to see it the same night (600 miles away) and said the same thing: entertaining and satisfying but very silly. Dad says it made him remember how some Elmore Leonard stories just go overboard into crazy silliness.

Russell Crowe is quite saucy and fun, and Christian Bale is so earnest and moral that you kinda want to slap him upside the head, or upside his weird, stereotypically English, filed to the exact same length across the top row, gray teeth. Yes I have a thing about teeth and his drive me nuts.

And for you Serenity/Firefly fans, Wash has a pretty big part and he's great in it! Yay! [And the dude who played Sam Phillips in "Walk the Line" is in this as well. He has a somewhat creepy resemblance to John Ritter in this role....]

Posted by Duff at 11:16 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, Watchin'

Best of August.

The best movie I saw in August was also the only movie I saw in August (pathetic!): Stardust. Lucky for me, I quite enjoyed it.

The best book I read in August was a tie between "Run" by Ann Patchett and "Seven Types of Ambiguity" by Elliot Perlman. The former is relatively short, concise, but emotionally overwhelming, family drama. The latter is long, meandering, stream of conscious from various narrators, personal relationship drama. Both were highly enjoyable.

The best concert I went to in August was a three-way tie: the Lollapalooza performances by The Polyphonic Spree, Lupe Fiasco and Ben Harper.

My favorite tunes in August were: Matt Nathanson!!! both his new album "Some Mad Hope" and his live album "At the Point" are totally awesome. Awesome!!; Okkervil River "The Stage Names"; and Earlimart "Mentor Tormentor" (hypnotic! entrancing!). And I'm still listening to the stuff I bought in Belgium en français...right now I really like David Hallyday, MC Solaar's "Chapitre 7" and Kaolin's "Mélanger Les Couleurs".

Random personal highlights: Lollapalooza! Trip to Belgium! Plus some quiet days with the Fam up in MN.

Lowlights? Tired out. Two weeks off really throws you for a loop when you return to normal. Need a vacation to recover from my vacation.

Posted by Duff at 11:15 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

September 04, 2007

Big Screen: Transformers

I really enjoyed about the first hour of this. Then I started to get bored, and the robots started to get preachy (thank you, humans, for working with us), and I started to want it to be over.

Despite me losing interest before the end, one can't really argue the fact that Josh Duhamel is one tall drink of water, even if I had to break up with him a long time ago as you may remember. And Shia LaBeouf plays self deprecating quite well, I can imagine him having a long future in Hollywood.

Posted by Duff at 09:51 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: The Bourne Ultimatum

Fan-fucking-tastic. The car/and other transport chases were awesome, the fights were breathtaking. Loved it.

Posted by Duff at 09:50 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

August 31, 2007

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Making: I haven't made a damn thing since before I went on vacation. Hoping to change that this weekend. But considering the state of other non-crafty items on the to-do list, we'll have to see what happens...

Reading: Thanks to one of the current-day publishing world mores* of NOT publishing most books on the same day everywhere, and a fortuitous trip to FNAC in Brussels, I just started reading "Day" by A.L. Kennedy, one of my favorite writers of the past few years, and not due out in the states until January. Woot! I win!

*(um, as far as I can tell in the dictionary there is no singular form of the word meaning "customs" 'habits" etc...bizarre)

Watching: Still watching The Closer and Saving Grace and not much else. But planning a big movie theater trip this weekend with The Bourne Ultimatum for sure and perhaps Transformers and/or the Fantastic Four sequel (showing at Brew and View !!) as well...

Listening: Lots and lots (and LOTS) of rap in french (MC Solaar, Joeystarr, Mokoboe du 113, IAM, Fonky Family, Nèg' Marrons), as well as Matt Nathanson's AWESOME new album, the new Earlimart, the new Okkervil River, and, you know, other stuff I bought last month or the month before and never listened to...

Posted by Duff at 03:44 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

Big Screen: Ratatouille

Super cute. Sweet. Utterly charming. Definitely in the top 10 so far this year (and I don't even like animated flicks for the most part!!).

Posted by Duff at 10:11 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

August 29, 2007

DVD: Premonition

Other than the last five minutes, which I thought were total cheeseball (and UCK not necessary!!), I thought this was a totally satisfying (and mentally quite torturously terrifying) movie. Sandra Bullock was completely convincing and I don't know why no one went to this movie. Although, as I said, it should have ended five minutes earlier.

Such a nice treat to see Julian McMahon (yum!) in something other than Nip/Tuck which has just gotten way too icky and weird for me. He's delish. Thumbs up from me, yo.

Posted by Duff at 08:43 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

August 27, 2007

Big Screen: Stardust

An entrancing, lovely, little fairytale. I feel the same way about the movie that Jennie of Jennie's B(ook)log felt about the book: It is just charming and winsome, and really very funny.

Thought Michelle Pfeiffer and Claire Danes both gave good performances.

Posted by Duff at 07:35 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Netflix: Attack of the Gryphon

Although this movie was cheesy to a truly ridiculous degree, I think I could have been fine with the cheese had the special effects not been so very, very bad. It's hard to believe it was made in 2007, although I realize the Sci Fi Channel does not have a big-movie-house budget.

Amber Benson = good in a badly written role. Jonathan LaPaglia = not as good. The only person in the movie whose accent (natural, in this case, I believe) just seemed too modern to fit in with the rest.

Posted by Duff at 07:32 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

August 09, 2007

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

I mean to do a "currently" post every week. Every week. And then...I just don't. Ah well.

Making: Working on two Friendship Star quilts, and just started a strippy pinwheel for a little five year old girl who refers to me as Aunt Carolyn although there's no blood tie there.

Reading: Uh oh. I just finished my book on the way home. I am not reading ANYTHING right this second, can you believe it. But I'm figuring out what to take on vacation with me on Saturday. Right now "Seven Types of Ambiguity" by Elliot Perlman is at the top of the list. Ginger's been recommending it to me and finally she just up and sent it to me for my last birthday. So I guess I'd better get to it. It's nice and thick, I figured that way I only have to pack the ONE book!

Watching: The Closer is the only summer series I've been able to consistently watch (have just LOVED the last few eps!). The TIVO keeps filling up with the others (Rescue Me, Damages, Saving Grace), and I just keep not watching them, although I think I'm almost caught up with Psych. I'm also watching Miracles, some weird show that starred my current celebrity boyfriend that I got totally obsessed with recently. It's got a LOT of religious wishy washy psychobabble crap in it though so I don't know if my crush will be enough to get me through all four discs. I really want to see Transformers (yes, I KNOW but I DO) and maybe the new Die Hard, but I can't seem to get to the theater...

Listening: Hilarious live album from Matt Nathanson, new tunes from Common (mellower than I expected), Carla Bruni (it's weird, poems by Wordsworth, Dickinson, etc. put to music), Okkervil River (LOVE it! v. fun!), and the old but only so far album by Rhymefest, who I really liked at Lollapalooza. Also listening to Paste samplers #32 and #33, both of which I like almost all the way through...

Posted by Duff at 07:00 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

Best of July.

The best movie I saw in July was probably La Vie en Rose, although I don't think it was the movie I enjoyed the most (given my ridiculous Pisces empathy trait, watching movies about people whose childhoods were just SO crappy kinda stresses me out). And despite me not liking the last 15 minutes or so, I thought Sunshine was pretty good.

The best book I read in July was "Freddy and Fredericka" by Mark Helprin, which was just side-splittingly hilarious and super sweet and nostalgic all at the same time. Worth its weight.

The best concert I went to in July was Travis. It was just a wonderful show. Really made me smile.

My favorite tunes in July? Hmmm. Well, I still spent a LOT of time listening to The National "Boxer" which is really leading the running for my number one album this year. I also really like Jason Isbell's solo album, the new Magic Numbers (!!), girlie music from Sara Bareille and Maria Taylor. For easy mellow listening, you can never go wrong with the new Josh Rouse or Stars.

Random personal highlights: Dinner with Tracy's mom (so sweet!); the Nipper came to visit!!!; Pitchfork.

Lowlights? Won't discuss it here but it HAD to be the Tuesday after the Travis concert, and if you know what I'm talkin' about, then hey, you know what I'm talkin' about.

Posted by Duff at 06:50 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

Big Screen: Sunshine

Very much in the tradition of the Alien movies...except for there not being an alien. Or not really. More about how you don't NEED for there to be an alien for everything to fall apart; that long journeys and close quarters and just being human can be enough to make things go bad. That's mostly what the movie is about. Although there was a bit at the end that I really had to wonder why it was even there. Didn't seem like it helped the storyline / may even have hurt it.

Cillian Murphy always freaks me out, no less here; he's got a weird Albino-esque-ness to him for a darkhaired dude, doesn't he? The main girl from 28 Weeks Later is here also, as well as "Flame on!" from the Fantastic 4, Michelle Yeoh, and a couple other sort-of recognizable but I can't really place them dudes.

Good acting, pretty enjoyable stuff. Except for the bit I mentioned before. (You can email me -- "Say What" below -- if you've seen it and ya wanna chat.)

Posted by Duff at 05:32 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

August 06, 2007

Cable: Blown Away.

I forgot all about this one!!! It must be years since I'd last seen it...

Jeff Bridges and Tommy Lee Jones are two Irish dudes who spent their early days doing bombings for the IRA. It's many years later and while Jeff Bridges has moved on to defusing bombs instead of building them and having a new happy family and posing as an American, Tommy Lee Jones has done a) none of those things and is b) seeking vengeance. Papa Lloyd Bridges is also in this and fun as a sort of wacky tough-old Irishman, and Forest Whittaker, back in the day, before all his (justly earned) fame, is great as a cocky young'un on the bomb squad. There are lots of cheesball things about this movie, and I honestly start totally laughing when Tommy Lee Jones starts scampering around karaoke-ing to U2 while planting bombs everywhere, but I still really like this movie. All kinds of tension. Very entertaining!

Posted by Duff at 06:24 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Multiple Viewings: Training Day

As I'm sure any of you other multiple view movie watchers can appreciate, after watching one OK but not great Antoine Fuqua movie, you must IMMEDIATELY watch a great Antoine Fuqua movie.

Denzel Washington gets his swagger on in such a truly GREAT and unbelievable way in this movie and not only that but he's BAAAAD. I mean normally he's all getting his swagger on in a hot AND good guy hero type way. To see him go the evil route...it's just breathtaking and breathtakingly good.

Ethan Hawke is really just a sidekick here, but he does a good job of being almost painfully morally upright.

I don't think I'll ever stop watching this movie. Soooooo good.

Posted by Duff at 06:21 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

DVD: Shooter

Not bad at all. What is wrong with people? I knew the critics had to have been at least partially wrong considering that despite it going to DVD supersuper fast, the DVD keeps selling out at Best Buy!

Good reasons to watch:
a) Antoine Fuqua (Training Day!) is a good director, so you figure it's got to be at least a SOLIDLY directed movie. It is.
b) Marky Mark. Hello. And shirtless. Doh!
c) A dog. And the reason to NOT let something go? SPOILER IN THE NEXT LINE! HIDE YOUR EYES! (But it is only a tiny sort of "doh! of course!" spoiler...) "I don't think you understand. They killed my dog." I am a child of my mother, that is vengeance reasoning I can totally get behind.
d) Great performance by Michael Pena, in a very Mark Ruffalo type way.

Reasons why it's not THAT good?
a) predictable.
b) predictable.
c) predictable and kinda cheesy.

Not a GREAT movie. But worth watching in my book.

Posted by Duff at 06:18 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

DVD: Breach

The acting (by almost everyone) in this movie is so stiff it makes Matt Damon's performance in The Good Shepherd look overly emotional.

The most boring espionage movie I've ever seen. And think about it: you've actually got to WORK to make a spy movie boring. Because hello: spies? NOT BORING.

Baaad.

Posted by Duff at 06:15 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

July 31, 2007

Dad Recommends: Ratatouille

The animation was really well done: when he was watching the show and realizing he wanted to be a chef, his eyes were just shining! It was really touching. You were really rooting for him. Very charming.

Posted by Duff at 10:00 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks

July 13, 2007

DVD: Hollywoodland.

If you liked Zodiac, you'll probably like this as well. Unsolved crime from years ago, completely obsessed in-this-case private eye (in-that-case reporter) who winds up endangering the rest of his life with his need to figure out what happened.

Slow moving, with a constant intercut between the PI (Adrien Brody, usually creepy but very effective here!!) in the present and Reeves and Mannix (Affleck and Lane, both giving great performances!) in the past. Moody with strong subcurrents of regret on growing old, lost opportunities, mishandled relationships. Very noir-ish. (I wish they would have shot this in black & white!)

I particularly enjoyed Bob Hoskins and hello flashback Kathleen Robertson (Steve's girlfriend "Claire" in the later seasons of 90210!!!).

Posted by Duff at 06:19 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

July 10, 2007

Best of June.

The best movie I saw in June was A Mighty Heart. Hate Angelina, hate true stories, say whatever you want, but a) you're wrong and b) this is a masterfully done, beautifully filmed, heartbreaking film. It's my 2nd favorite flick so far this year and I hope Jolie wins an Oscar for it! And I hope her acceptance speech is "fuck y'all who think I can't act and only hate me because I'm not Jennifer!!"

The best book I read in June was a close tie between "An Invisible Sign of My Own" by Aimee Bender and "Ghosts of Albion: Accursed" by Amber Benson & Christopher Golden. The former is neurotic, obsessive, math-loving compelling fiction, and the latter is totally-sucks-you-in-and-makes-you-believe-in-magic fantasy. Where can you go wrong with those combinations?

The best concert I went to in June was a tie (again) between The Pinks and Bishop Allen. Both are bands I have been DYING to see. Both are one-sex only bands (Pinks = girls, Bishop Allen = boys). Both have very specific city associations for me (Pinks = Chicago, Bishop Allen = Boston) although it might not even be really where they're from. Both were lots of fun live!!

My favorite tunes in June are technically still under consideration, but here are some thoughts: new album from Shane Nicholson; albums from new (to me) groups such as Candy Butchers, Maccabees, The Alternate Routes; highly publicized albums from The White Stripes and The National (love love love); and albums from girls I either hadn't heard of before (Jenny Owen Youngs) or had heard of but had never really put in time with (Brandi Carlile).

Random personal highlights: Visit with the nephews; lunch date with my 92-year-old great-aunt Fritz and driving by old childhood favorite spots (grandparents' house, etc.); two nights at Ravinia; back to French with Kim! yay! (uh oh, j'oublie tous mes mots!); Mom here for a few days.

Lowlights? I'm tired. Work sucks. It's hot.

Posted by Duff at 08:56 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

Best of May.

Better late(r) than never, oui?

The best movie I saw in May BY FAR was Grindhouse!!! It was a completely satisfying, entertaining and exhilarating trip to the theater and shame shame shame on those of you who didn't go it!!! The studios will just keep on putting out mediocre bullshit movies if people don't go see the ones that are actually good!

The best book I read in May was Love Is a Mix Tape which I loved, loved, loved. I mean, LOVED.

The best concert I went to in May was a close one but I'm going to have to give the nod to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Arcade Fire was also good, but not quite as good as the first time I saw them, so I'm giving them a close second.

My favorite tunes in May were: the Buffy: "Once More, With Feeling" soundtrack (who can resist???); the new Travis album, which I am listening to incessantly and hello I get to see them Live in about a week!!!; and Elvis Perkins. I also really enjoy the singles "Mama Who Bore Me" and "Totally Fucked" from the Spring Awakening soundtrack; "Find Love (Let Go)" a new single by Kyle Andrews, "Ordinary Days" new single by Dolores O'Riordan (who's a Cranberries member I think); and "Broken Radio" by Jesse Malin which features Springsteen.

Random personal highlights: Maryland!; three nights at Second Story; The Strizzy wedding!!! and wandering DC with Ame.

Lowlights? Thankfully after a month between, I don't remember what any of them were! Woot! Here's to forgetting the bad!

Posted by Duff at 08:39 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

July 08, 2007

Big Screen: Evening

The presence of so many great actresses kept me interested in this one, despite the reviews, but in the end, Roger Ebert's assessment of (I'm paraphrasing) "a movie to cry in, that doesn't make you cry" was correct. Seemed to be many different motivations going on, leaving things convoluted and not necessarily making sense.

Some good performances (some = eh) but too many moving parts / too many subplots that crisscrossed or were dropped. A lot of regret and contemplation of the past, and while one character seems insistent on that meaning everything, another character tells her it means nothing.

Had potential, but definitely fell short.

Posted by Duff at 12:15 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

July 05, 2007

Netflix: Harvard Man

This is one of those movies with so many absurd plot twists and coincidences that you just have to decide to GO WITH IT if you don't want to be driven crazy.

Harvard b-baller (Adrien Grenier) is sleeping with Girl A (the daughter [Sarah Michelle Gellar] of a mafioso) and Girl B (his philosophy professor [Joey Lauren Adams]). When he needs $$$ from Girl A and fixes a b-bball game to get it, the FBI (Rebecca Gayheart and Eric Stolz!) comes after him. Fortunately Girl B is currently engaged in a menage à trois with those same FBI agents and is able to help him out. There's also an LSD subplot and lots of (actually interesting) philosophy lectures and musings.

It's a quite a (wackjob) trip but I found it very entertaining. Plus it starts w/ a fairly hot sex scene. So there you go.

Posted by Duff at 09:40 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: La Vie en Rose

Wow, Edith Piaf's childhood was really awful. Not sure, at least from the way the movie played it, whether she ever really got over it. Thought the movie was very well done, some really impressive performances. Wondered about the point of the timeline jumps. Is the end meant to be more profound since we keep returning to it over and over? In some movies (Memento, Run Lola Run, etc) the nonlinear progression of time has a reason. Here, it didn't seem to add anything to the story.

Well worth seeing. A long movie that didn't FEEL long at all - unlike other recent viewings, two and a half hours passed by without notice.

Posted by Duff at 07:12 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Ocean's 13 (or #3)

All three of these movies suffer from an overabundance of slickness. The boys are all nice enough to look at, but otherwise it's a lot of posturing. Felt this entry in the series actually lacked some girlie action (i.e., actual "relationships" as the Ellen Barkin character is just a mark and not anyone Linus actually cares about) that might've made it more human. Entertaining enough for a nice air conditioned break from the heat, but nothing special.

Posted by Duff at 07:10 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Pirates 3

Better than Pirates 2, not quite as good as Pirates 1, but certainly enjoyable. The "many Johnnies" scenes were entertaining, but I could have done without them: they didn't really lend anything to the plot (and certainly added to the overall length of an already long flick).

The ending was actually quite poetic and lovely. A half hour (or more) shorter and I would be wholeheartedly in favor.

Posted by Duff at 07:08 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

July 03, 2007

Big Screen: 28 Weeks Later

Totally terrifying. Just as good as the first one.

I do get more scared in horror movies than the average person, however, so take it with a grain of salt.

But the best part? "Stringer Bell"* on the big screen. He is mighty, mighty fine to look at.

*the character he played on The Wire.

Posted by Duff at 09:34 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: A Mighty Heart

Just completely beautiful and entrancing. Jolie is wonderful (and understated) as Marianne Pearl, and Marianne's humanist message comes through loud and clear. Great performances by many unknown actors as the various Pakistani policemen and other journalists. Totally heartbreaking and gut-wrenching, particularly since you know the outcome going in / you're just waiting for the worst.

2nd best movie I've seen this year. Highly recommended. But bring kleenex!!

Posted by Duff at 09:31 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

June 27, 2007

DVD: Chance

Written and directed by, and starring, Amber Benson. Also starring James Marsters!! Has some very typical "first movie/low budget/indie amateur" effects: characters speak directly to the camera, the lighting is bizarre, timeline is the furthest from linear it could be, character development is touched on very lightly, etc. But there are a few charming moments, a couple sweet scenes. And the actors not only interact nicely, but the main two do a particularly good job of NOT being reminiscent at all of who you are expecting them to be together. Here's a random (lengthy) online review if you'd like.

Yes, I must be on a "Tara" kick as I've been reading her writing as well: Totally sucked in by Ghosts of Albion!!

Posted by Duff at 01:27 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Netflix: Center Stage

How could I have forgotten that I had seen this movie? Lots of lovely ballet, cheesy teenybop romances and soap operas. Anorexia! Injuries! Broken Hearts! And the battle against modern dance! All the highlights of any good ballet movie. Although there is a Russian among the dancers, the brash cocky American is really the one modeled on Baryshnikov. If only he were as good looking!! Particularly enjoyed the performance of Sascha Radetsky, who I've actually seen perform with the ABT. But, especially watching it now as opposed to when it came out, very hard to believe this didn't come out until 1999/2000. Feels very '80s/Flashdance/Footloose. Of course these ballet vs. dance movies never get old do they - Julie Stiles did one even more recently than this. :)

I remember my youthful days as a ballerina well. I would probably tear my Achilles or break an ankle were I to try any of those moves today!!

Posted by Duff at 01:22 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

June 25, 2007

Dad Does Movies Too.

My dad had a few days off this week. He went to the movies.

Waitress: He liked A LOT. But as we discussed how he liked it and I kinda didn't, everything he mentioned he liked was a very specific Keri Russell moment. So maybe he liked the film because he liked her so much (and because he was on vacation, he felt that was a contributing factor) whereas I really liked her but was ultimately disappointed that the rest of the film didn't live up to her level.

Pirates 3: He liked it better than the bad reviews (and hello the third movie of anything is going to get slammed, no?). He loved Pirates 1 but thought Pirates 2 was only OK. He said anyone who liked Pirates 1 will like this one as well, some fun stuff. And Keith Richards is great (he is KR's biggest fan).

Mr. Brooks: It's a mess of a movie, there are like seven different (and pretty much unconnected) plots. But there were enough things worth seeing in it that he thinks it's a shame that probably no one will go to it because every review will say "this thing is a mess." He said yes that's true BUT he really enjoyed the Kevin Costner/William Hurt conversations, among other things, and that there are enough enjoyable things that you wouldn't regret going to it.

We were also talking about our recent DVD watches and whether or not to watch the "extras" or "commentaries" and whether or not they're stupid.

He recommends the extras on two specific movies:

Gosford Park: commentary by the screenwriter. Completely entertaining, gives ALL KINDS of extra information, etc. Talks alot about the screenwriter's aunt who was living during that time of changeover from British "realm" to hello welcome to the real world, etc. Very cool.

A History of Violence: commentary by director Cronenberg. Said it was so interesting and compelling that it made you want to watch the movie again right away!

Does not recommend extras on:

Goodbye and Good Luck: commentary by director Clooney [and co-author?I think?]. Said it's totally lame and laughable and doesn't fit the tone of the movie AT ALL and makes you forget about how serious and welldone of a movie it was.

Posted by Duff at 06:09 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under DadReaction, Flicks, Recommending

Big Screen: Once

Painfully earnest and sincere. Very sweet. Some pretty songs. But I found myself wincing sometimes and didn't quite fall for it, although my co-viewer completely DID. She felt it was just to the acceptable side of being too saccharine. I thought it was right on the line. It didn't go so far over that I couldn't watch it, but it was teetering right there on the edge.

T: "I'm going to buy the soundtrack RIGHT NOW! I loved it!!! Didn't you?"
Me: "Um.... it was PAINFULLY sincere. Really, really earnest."
T: "So you didn't LOVE IT!! I LOVED IT!!"
Me: "No, I didn't love it. I thought it was sweet."
T: "You didn't love it????? I LOVED IT!!"

Posted by Duff at 10:10 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

June 22, 2007

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Making: I'm doing the quilting on Mariko's quilt. And pretty much nothing else.

Reading: Finally breaking into my Mark Helprin stash with "Freddy and Fredericka." It's got a good dose of irreverence and I am quite enjoying it.

Watching: I finished Buffy and Angel...and then I started all over again, but much slower this time (only one a day!). Also just rewatched season 1 of Bones: the Emily Deschanel/David Boreanaz commentary on disc 3 is a LOT of fun. I don't usually listen to those on movies, but I got into them on Buffy (although on Buffy, they give away MAJOR MAJOR plot points from future seasons. You've been warned. My dad, sadly, was caught unawares by a couple of doozies).

Listening: I bought a shitload of new music in the past couple of days and am just slowly making my way through it. So far the White Stripes "Icky Thump" is really rockin' out.

Posted by Duff at 10:43 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

June 19, 2007

Big Screen: Helvetica

Really charming and engaging. First half sways you one way: "Helvetica is so awesome! Greatest font ever!" Second half sways you in the opposite direction: "Helvetica is an evil tool of capitalism! Evil!"

Interviewees are both enigmatic and completely entertaining. Totally enjoyable flick!

Posted by Duff at 10:17 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Netflix: Mr. Fix-It

Really really bad movie. But I knew it would be -- only rented it for the Angel eye candy. I love the color of his hair here. That's what I was going for the last time but there's way too much blonde in mine currently.

Posted by Duff at 10:15 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

June 13, 2007

Netflix: Rumble Fish

Wow, I think it's been 20 years since I've seen this movie. Sometimes you just need a little Matt Dillon in your day.

It's beautifully filmed in B&W with lots of cool shots of clouds and reflections and the coloring-in effect of the fish is really before its time, isn't it. Although technically an 80s flick, it feels like a 50s/70s combination given the sock-hop feel of the stylin' combined with the general 70s vibe, particularly Laurence Fishburne's look. The fight scenes are very coolly choreographed. Diane Lane was just as gorgeous then, was she not? Same year, same director, same author, and some of the same co-stars (Lane, Tom Waits) as "The Outsiders" but totally different feel. As with many movies from back in the day, lots and lots of people you don't realize are in this just popping out of the woodwork.

Other Matt Dillon recommendations: "Mr. Wonderful" (so cheesy but one of my favorite movies EVER!), "Singles" (!!), "Drugstore Cowboy," "In & Out." (And he is quite powerful in "Crash" but I'm hesitant to recommend it as people are always yelling at me about how wrong I am and much they hate that movie.)

Not recommended: "You, Me and Dupree," which I randomly caught on cable last night while pin-basteing (and then BREAKING my quilt frame, but that's a-whole-nother story). One of those "wow, I can't believe these actors are in this horrific movie" experiences.

Posted by Duff at 11:44 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

Big Screen: Knocked Up.

Hilariously, raucously, side-splittingly funny = Yes.

Offensive, gross and sometimes downright icky, and I'm not referring to the scatological humor but rather the male/female relationships and general ideas about women you cannot help but get from this(ese) movie(s) = Also Yes.

I've sort of lost my patience for these bullshit male fantasy movies where the boy and his friends are nearly the lowest level of human possible (other than being cute, I guess he could be all that this boy is AND be ugly, that would be lower), yet the prettiest girl in the room falls for him. Oh, of course! And the very few (very FEW) things he eventually does to make himself even somewhat acceptable after the initial breaking off, the girl isn't even aware of when she decides "Yes".

There's a lot more I could say about this, but really: why bother. (You can email me if you really want to know.) That really isn't a world I'm interested in living in.

I feel pretty much the same way about this movie as I felt about "Waitress": Great performance by the lead actress. But pretty disappointed by the flick overall.

Posted by Duff at 09:46 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

June 05, 2007

Big Screen: Hot Fuzz

Soooo worth it.

The most intelligent spoof movie I've seen. Completely enjoyable.

Posted by Duff at 12:26 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

June 02, 2007

Big Screen: Paris, Je T'Aime.

According to the poster, 18 vignettes (the picture grid at the beginning & end was 4x4 so suggested 16. felt more like 30). All set in different Paris neighborhoods, some concerned with Paris, some not. Some realistic and true, some purely fantastical and nutso. Some I liked, some I hated, but all short enough that just hold out for a few minutes and you're on to a new one. A couple random shots at the end linking some of the stories to each other, but not all. Lots of famous faces popping up, some in unexpected ways. Overall = enjoyable. But quite wacky.

And tell me the Elijah Wood segment did not totally steal all its coloration ideas from Sin City (which he was also in). I cannot tell him or Tobey Maguire apart and they both kinda creep me out.

Posted by Duff at 08:29 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: Waitress

Disappointing. Some great performances, Keri Russell in particular. But I thought the plot, the characters, their motivations, and the general "story" were all convoluted. I'm all for adultery in the movies, but in this movie it was the only fun and/or meaningful thing in any of these characters' lives but for only one or two characters did we actually know or get any clue about the motivation behind it.

Very disappointed. Did not live up to the hype.

Posted by Duff at 07:46 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

May 22, 2007

À la Super Eggplant, currently, I am...

Making: Not much. Very occasionally knitting on a sock, or on Maddox. (Both are up on Ravelry if you feel like finding me on it.) THINKING lots about quilting, and basting, and piecing, and planning, but not actually doing any of that.

Reading: Uh oh, I finished a book yesterday and I forgot to put a new one in my bag before I left this morning! It's going to be Michael Chabon's new one but looks like I won't be starting it until tomorrow!

Watching: Still watching Buffy (season 6) and Angel (season 3). I was writing about them as I watched them for a while, but then I got bored with that as it just slowed me down and all I really wanted to do was watch more and more and more and more. Soon I will be done. Then what will I do with my time? I'll have to go back to real life and it won't be pretty! I am REALLY hoping to see both "Waitress" and "Hot Fuzz" (Dad review: BRILLIANT!) this week but not sure how that's going to work out given that I am shopping tonight, concerting Thursday night and probably hemming a dress or two on Friday night (don't ask).

Listening: Lots of musicals, thanks to Buffy ("Once More, With Feeling") and a new Duncan Sheik ("Spring Awakening") that How says is lots of fun. New albums by Travis, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Elvis Perkins and still Arcade Fire, as well as old albums by Liam Frost & the Slowdown Family (really like) and Josh Pyke (like), and now that Paste comes out monthly, I've got at least two samplers I've barely put a dent in, and I've got a pile of TO BE LISTENED TO that I haven't even broken into that includes Manu Chao and the Noisettes. Someday I will quit my job and then my stereo will really go up in flames. Someday.

Posted by Duff at 10:29 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Books, Currently, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

Best of April.

I'm not sure why I did so little in April as according to my calendar, I should have had three weekends free with only one weekend out of town, and one weekend with a house guest. Hmmmph. Procrastination reaches new heights!

I only saw one movie in April. And it wasn't very good.

I read a few books in April and I'd have to say that Haven Kimmel's latest memoir and the conclusion to Justine Larbalestier's Magic or Madness trilogy were probably the best two, although I enjoyed all my reads that month.

Wow, I went to five concerts in April, I guess that's what I was doing with my time. The Decemberists and Youth Group were probably the performances I just outright enjoyed the most, but seeing Josh Rouse a second time was definitely worth my while: he's a lot of fun live.

I really didn't buy as much music during April as I did in prior months of 2007. I listened a lot to "She's About to Cross My Mind" from The Red Button which I bought after reading about them here. I bought Vandaveer "Grace & Speed" after reading that he played at Number 4's wedding (!!). And after Golden Smog made my top 10 last year, it wasn't like I could pass up "Blood on the Slacks" with its Dylan teasing title. Singles-wise, I cannot stop listening to "Walk Over Me" Dirtie Blondie and the Like Rebel Diamond remix of The Killer's "Read My Mind" (both featured on Friday Night Lights, of course). I made a mix last month that's pretty damn fantastic if I don't say so myself. I might send you one. Give me a good reason...

Random personal highlights: a) How came to visit!; b) Cezanne/Picasso "Vollard" show at the Art Institute was v. cool; c) FINALLY!! eating at Mas again and having my favorite drink in all the world: Pisco Sour. YUM!; d) trip to NY for Amy's yarn inventory. Nuts.; e) brunch with the McCains and spending time with Clark's dad again, planning our some-day hike through Colorado!; f) Lollapalooza tickets go on sale = Done!

Lowlights? I remember being really, really, really tired. Just cannot catch up.

Posted by Duff at 10:10 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Art, Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

Big Screen: Away from Her

You've got to know going in, if the movie is about Alzheimer's, you might as well bring a box of kleenex with you. Julie Christie was great, and still so beautiful and luminescent at 65. First time writing & directing by Sarah Polley = pretty impressive.

That said, it was one of those movies that while totally going with the story and enjoying it while watching, afterward I just kept thinking about certain of the plot manipulations and how unnecessary they were. i.e., I could see a reason for them being there, but felt my reaction to the chain of events and the situation would have been just as powerful/effective WITHOUT those external plot manipulations. And if they stick out as manipulations, then do they really work? Worth seeing, will definitely look forward to Polley's next project. But think there were several things that could just be dropped out of the plot without any discernable loss to the viewer's experience.

Posted by Duff at 09:29 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

May 03, 2007

Big Screen: GRINDHOUSE

Best three hours I've spent in the movie theater....in a LONG time.

Exhilarating. Gruesome. Violent. Intense. Funny. Sassy. Sexy.

AWESOME.

p.s.
a) Rose McGowan has a smokin' hot body. This is why I don't wear stripper clothes: because the ass sticking out the bottom doesn't look like hers.
b) "You know what happens to bitches who carry knives? THEY GET SHOT!"

Posted by Duff at 08:55 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

April 30, 2007

DVD: Elizabethtown.

Truly bizarre. Hyperbole in EVERY scene just wears ya out. Disjointed, unconnected, illogical. There were so many things that were bizarrely wrong with this movie. A few random cute moments...that made absolutely no sense within the context of the movie. And a million more nonsensical and noncute ones. Cameron Crowe = unusually off his game.

Posted by Duff at 11:21 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

DVD: The Italian Job

Actually pretty entertaining in a goofy lighthearted way. It's just a few kisses and gropes away from being a good movie. I mean, come on, people, is that too much to ask in a movie with two hot leads?

p.s. and for my fellow Buffy fans, hello Oz is in this! And he's got some really funny lines!

Posted by Duff at 11:17 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

April 22, 2007

DVD: Babel.

Still in disbelief that this was nominated for best picture. Didn't really think much of it at all. Didn't think it was about "miscommunication" and whatnot as the title might imply. Thought one storyline was so very very tenuously connected to the others that it belonged in a different movie. Far more questions than answers. And sooooo many things that could have made it better, could have made it worth watching, could have made me care at all about any of these characters. But no.

An Altman-esque "Short Cuts" or Paul Haggis' "Crash"-type disjointed narrative. My co-viewer thought it better than Crash; although she found it frustrating, it raised interesting issues in her mind. I felt the opposite. It seemed to raise no coherent issues whatsoever. At least in Crash, the issues were recognizable whether you felt they were well done or not.

Anyone want to take this DVD off my hands? I'll happily send it to you, I'm certainly never going to rewatch it.

Posted by Duff at 09:13 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

April 10, 2007

Best of March.

Oh dear, halfway through April but so busy watching Buffy that I'm barely blogging. Dearie me.

The best gig I went to in March was on the very first day of the month when I saw Gomez. If they swing through your town on this tour, I highly recommend getting a ticket! They were just brilliant and wonderful and I've spent weeks now listening to their back catalog. Really talented musicians. Of course, the night I saw Lupe Fiasco and the Roots was also really fun and I'd have to say they were close runners-up.

The best flick I saw in March was The Lives of Others, the german film that won the foreign language Oscar. But Zodiac was a close second... I meant to see a couple other movies, but wound up cancelling on people due to my extreme slacker tiredness and ridiculous early morning work schedule. So far April is not seeing me in the theater much either so this seems to be a contining problem, doesn't it.

While I wasn't at the movie theater much, I did get back on the reading horse in March and the best book I read was "Winter's Bone" by Daniel Woodrell. It was short and sharp, biting and intense, and I was blown away. I also read some great short stories by Margo Lanagan, some poetry by Claudia Emerson, and "Black Cat", by Martyn Bedford (the author of one of my all-time faves "The Houdini Girl").

And as for tunes I listened to in March? Hmmm, that's a tough one. I was enjoying the new Arcade Fire, especially "Intervention", a beautiful new album from Great Lake Swimmers, and lots of singles from folks such as Brett Dennen, Bob Evans, Soltero, and Chris Brokaw ... and still listening to stuff I bought earlier in the year: Guggenheim Grotto, the Shins, the Fratellis, Explosions in the Sky, and Youth Group.

Random personal highlights: a) I finally uploaded my London pictures to Flickr, although I have yet to get them printed for my mom, despite her asking me every time I talk to her; b) I got my taxes done a month ahead of time; c) went down south for (another) family wedding and got some quality time with lots of my cousins and one of my aunts; d) met Jen & JR!!; e) went to an awesome Cuban restaurant I hadn't been to before; f) had a random doctor visit to find out I have officially lost 16 pounds on the infamous diet! Wooooooot!!!!; g) got a letter from Rumi, an old, old friend I haven't heard from in ages (now if only I can find some time in my slackass life to write back!!!); and h) met KC's new baby Avery (a.k.a. "Mini Coop") who I had made a quilt for before her birth.

Lowlights? I can't believe I'm saying this, but looking over my calendar, I'm not seeing any real lowlights. Must've been a damn good month! :) Maybe the lowlight is I was only out of town for one weekend, but I still didn't really get any quilting done. My powers of procrastination = they are mighty!

Posted by Duff at 09:20 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, Tunes

April 04, 2007

Big Screen: The Lookout

This movie is getting much better reviews than I would give it, Rolling Stone seemed to like it A LOT, and I'm wondering if they saw a different cut than I did? Bizarre. The manipulation stuff is, as expected, pretty fucking icky. But there's other icky stuff as well. There's about a zillion things you can pick apart in this plot, and nothing that WOWed you enough to make you not notice the gaping holes. Not recommended.

Posted by Duff at 09:12 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

April 02, 2007

Big Screen: "A Shot in the Dark"

Portuguese title: Um Tiro No Escuro. Half the story of a kidnapping, half a crime caper movie, the two of which get really bizarrely entertwined. Some great acting. Little worried that we were at a porn flick due to a few scenes at the beginning shot so close up that they make the Bada Bing look tame.

While watching: totally entranced, worried, upset, shocked, moved.
But once removed: wow, there are a lot of things you could pick apart about this plot. but oddly enough, still doesn't make me have enjoyed it any less.

Definitely worth seeing.

Posted by Duff at 12:13 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

DVD: Idiocracy

From the same brilliant minds that made OfficeSpace. But significantly darker, to my mind anyway. Two people of average intelligence are sealed up for an experiment...yet while they're "asleep" the entire society gets so dumbed down (ouch! too close to home?) to the point that when these two are mistakenly awaked, they are now geniuses. And the contretemps ensue...

Luke Wilson is great in this. And I loved the whole "Who's on First?" tattoo machine moment. Also: "Gatorade" has taken over the world! Sadly when this shit really goes down it's going to be a company a LOT worse than that...

Funny. But sort of secretly dark. Or super dark behind the scenes once you start thinking about how likely some of it feels... You could watch it without those inner thoughts. But who would?

Posted by Duff at 12:10 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Cult Favorite: Office Space

How is it possible that there are still people out there who don't know about the humor that is the masterpiece Office Space? It doesn't SEEM possible but apparently it IS as I just had the chance to initiate someone into the gloriousness of this movie. There are so many funny moments in it, it's not really describable. If you haven't seen it in a while, maybe it's time for a rewatch. And if you've never seen it...it's available on DVD and it's worth the money, slackasses.

Posted by Duff at 12:07 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Repeat Viewing: Miracle

So Glory Road reminded me how much I tend to love sports movies since I love a) sports and b) movies. It's a win-win and Miracle is one of my all-time faves, and oh look they have it on iTunes. Perfect. Looooove Kurt Russell in this. LOOOOOOVE Hockey. Love hockey fights. Love sassy boy (playing a boy) from Boston. Loooove some of the other "little" boy actors who have oddly (most of them anyway) appeared in almost nothing else of note. But they're so good in this, why people haven't been knocking on their doors offering them roles in sitcoms and romantic comedies, I have no idea. The only really recognizable one is Eddie Cahill who most of us know as "Tag" from Friends. Honestly can't think of anything I don't like about this movie.

Posted by Duff at 12:02 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

March 21, 2007

Repeat Viewing: Sweet Home Alabama

After Glory Road, my trip down Josh Lucas lane continued with a movie I have seen, oh, maybe three trillion four hundred fifty seven times (no I'm not kidding). So enjoyable. The small town vs. big town? The seven years without going home? So my life, dudes. Sadly without the whole "awesome dude who loves me in each place" bit of the story. Sadly.

Again, as with one of my other recent embarrassing admissions, rather than quoting from important "classics", movies like this are the ones I quote all the time. You know, things like "You've done it, you should recognize the gesture." or "Oh I missed you allright. But at this range, my aim is bound to improve."

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DVD: Glory Road

So after the fiasco that was Poseidon, apparently I was in the mood for some Josh Lucas as I suddenly found myself watching Glory Road. And bonus: "Bones" plays his wife! (That show is just getting better and better this season!) Good movie, but super heavy on the issues, so somewhat hard to watch. But then again, with the underlying racism that is still going on in this country, maybe should be made to watch something like this every once in a while; a good reminder. I love sports movies, and I LOVE basketball (and I'm all about the civil rights, no?) so I am really this movie's dream audience. Loved the performances of lots of the ballplayers, some of whom seemed familiar but even when I look at their IMDB resumes, nothing rings a bell.

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Big Screen: Last King of Scotland

Very intense. Yes, Forest Whittaker is pretty amazingly awesome in this movie, BUT I did not consider him the main role and I really think he should have been nominated in Best Supporting. Sure, it's a bit meatier than your average supporting part, agreed.

But in my opinion, the Scottish doctor dude played by James McAvoy is the lead role in this movie. He is the one who undergoes transformation, whose part brings about revelations to the audience, and whose emotions are the most apparent and meaningful. His reactions and realizations are what causes the plot to move in this movie. Whittaker's character, while sometimes deceptive, is really the same through and through. If you know what I'm sayin.

One really really REALLY brutal scene, which at one point I couldn't just partially close my eyes or peer through my fingers (my normal squeamish mode) but had my hand completely clamped over them. Horrible. Really not sure that needed to be shown on screen in quite that way. Wait, now I remember, there were TWO scenes I was really skeeved by. TWO. The first one being slightly less brutal because not an "active" scene, but more of a brutal tableaux. The second one being really horrific to watch.

Is it sad that my only real knowledge of historical moments like those of African dictators is through the movies? (This. "Hotel Rwanda". I also love "The Interpreter" which I think almost everyone else hated.) This made me want to ponder all sorts of issues about colonialization, and poverty, and technology, and what kinds of brutal wars happen where and why, and the "rule of law" and how sometimes you think it doesn't work but sometimes you think "wow it must work better than I think because look what happens when they don't have that". I think my random pondering really sort of annoyed my friend, who has actually spent time in Africa, and clearly knows much more about its history and civilization than I ever will. But then, that isn't a place I really WANT to go so unlikely I ever will. Ah well.

Thought some of the smaller roles in this movie were really well played as well. Gillian Anderson = very poignant. Kerry Washington = intense and sensual.

The last "party" scene was very primal and intense; made you realize how often people TRY to do that but FAIL.

Definitely worth seeing.

p.s. scottish doctor dude = he was the faun in Narnia! and also a role in Wimbledon which I've only watched a zillion times so that must have been why he felt familiar to me.

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Big Screen: Zodiac

Not just a murder mystery, but also a movie about how one person's obsession (the comic turned detective) can take over their entire life. Some pretty scary moments. Some great and unexpected performances here: who knew Anthony Edwards was in this? He didn't appear in any of the previews I saw. Mark Ruffalo = great. Robert Downey = great. Jake Gyllenhaal = pretty good. Chloe Sevigny = unexpectedly strong. Dermot Mulroney = wearing a fake stomach, no? Spans a long period of time (20 years?). Really enthralling. Great discussion topic afterward.

p.s. more unexpected appearances: the dude the wife was having an affair with on "Brothers" = a desk sergeant cop earlier on, a detective at the end. the "mouth" dude from One Tree Hill = the "young" version of the one surviving witness.

Posted by Duff at 10:56 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

March 16, 2007

Oooooo I can't wait!!

I already told you I want to see "Waitress" and then today Jen.G linked to the trailer and now I really really want to see it!!!

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March 12, 2007

Cable: Poseidon

Bad. Really, really bad. It was like it wanted to be another Titanic except that it forgot the important ingredients of every (or ANY) ounce of personal connection, caring about the characters, knowing who they were or why they were there or really anything at all about them. Some decent actors you wonder how the fuck they wound up in this. Was the script better than the final movie? Or did it suck from the get go?

Bad.

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March 11, 2007

Cable: Into the Blue.

Honestly this movie was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Even suspenseful at times, at least to a scaredy cat like me. I've definitely seen worse!! Plus it's total eye candy: Paul Walker = hot. Jessica Alba = hot. All swimsuits and open seas. What's not to like?

Ah, for the salad days of living in flipflops, board shorts and tees. Someone find me a sugar daddy, pronto! I'm living the wrong life!

Posted by Duff at 03:27 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

Big Screen: The Lives of Others

The German flick that won the foreign language Oscar.

Really, really good. About secrets and trust, and oppression and cohersion. About a sad lonely man who finds himself making unexpected decisions. About figuring out the game. When is one a pawn, and when is one the chess player?

Sad. And bleak, that deep grey institutional graffiti-ed bleakness that you may recall from old books or films you haven't seen in a long time about that particular point in German/world history...

As my dad says frequently, "I miss the Cold War."

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March 08, 2007

Guilty Pleasure

So I caught the middle third of this movie on cable the other day and realized I hadn't watched it in ages, so pulled out the DVD (yes, I own a DVD of it. so sue me.). Man, there are some really laughable things in this movie, but it is still totally fun to watch. And contains one of my favorite all-time movie quotes, although it will be memorable to no one but me I am sure and I can't even explain why I love this line so much: "Why, you're all charm and grace, boy." I say this to people under my breath ALL THE TIME (and sometimes not so under my breath). I love the gruff old men conversations in this movie. Oh yeah, it's The Presidio (only $10 on amazon! how can you pass this up?). See, I told you! Laughable. But totally a rewatch-at-any-moment (for a good time call) candidate.

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March 05, 2007

DVD: Jarhead

Raw. Raucous. Raunchy.

But good!

Gyllenhaal and Saarsgard were both good. Surprisingly (given how I felt after Dreamgirls) I really liked Jamie Foxx in this, and gotta give a shoutout to Cheddar Bob, playing the most annoying soldier ever that I definitely would have wanted to murder had he been in my unit.

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March 02, 2007

Best of February.

February's over? I personally happen to love February but I have to admit, I was pretty much of a schlub all month.

Let's see, the best gig I went to in February had to be...the Essex Green opening for Camera Obscura because, horror of horrors, I only went to one concert all month! (WTF was I doing with my time?).

The best book I read in February...well I guess that would be Proust Book 3 (or "The Guermantes Way" as it's called in this translation) but I'm not done reading it! I started it Feb 1, I believe, or Jan 31, and I've still got (exactly) 104 pages to go... Doh! That said, I did have some pretty unexpectedly busy weekends in the month, so what's a girl to do?

Only one concert? and one book? OK, this is pretty pathetic so far...

The best movie I saw in February was by far Blood Diamond, although I may have personally enjoyed Music & Lyrics a little more. You know, it had music, and it wasn't as heartbreaking. I am all about not getting my heart broken in February since I certainly get it broken every other stupid month of the year.

As for tunes in February, I've been all over the place. Obsessively listening to the soundtrack for Music & Lyrics, enjoying the new Fall Out Boy, listening to lots and lots of Rogue Wave (hi, Jackie!) especially after a (new?) single played on FNL, digging The Bees (US) and Midlake (who I told you about twice (1, 2) and then finally got...very '70s peaceful, easy feelin...), and listening to some stuff I bought at the very end of January that didn't get much play that month (new Youth Group!!!! "Casino Twilight Dogs" (*LOVE*) and The Guggenheim Grotto). Still lovin' the Shins although my ear can't recognize what's the new album and what's old...

Random personal highlights of the month were: a) Ame came to visit!; b) I went "home" (to NYC) and quilted with Jackie (and ate with Em, Stephanie and Jenn!) and saw Shawn and the kids!!!; c) new specs; d) brunch with the Strizz and her man!; e) Steph and Mark slept over in a storm; f) another night at the darkroom (hey Chicago Amy! Tracy and I missed ya!); g) finally finding yummy Chinese in Chicago!; h) flowers from MaryKay (so sweet!); and i) we got some snow!!!!

Lowlights: a) Bears lost the Bowl; b) new computer didn't work for a week and had to be dragged back and forth to the store; c) still a sad single spinsterly loser, but even OLDER! Ah, well. On to March...

Posted by Duff at 08:58 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Best of..., Books, Flicks, TVTVTV, Tunes

February 28, 2007

Quote of the Day

Off the record, I like to get kissed before I get fucked.
--said by Danny Archer in "Blood Diamond"

And no it's actually not about sex, although it appears so when taken out of context. It's something you may want to use in your work life, really.

Posted by Duff at 08:36 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under " " of the XXX., Flicks

Big Screen: Blood Diamond

Wow. For all my reluctance to go see this, I was pretty blown away when I finally did. Strong performances, intense storyline. Intense sadness. Quite the companion piece to any of the boy soldier books out now (including this one I read, as well as there's another all over the front of bookstores right now).

As for the Oscars: Djimon Hounsou was robbed!! Robbed, I tell you. He's amazing in this movie.

(For the record, I think Leo was robbed also...but in a different way: because he SHOULD have been nominated for "The Departed" and he should have won for that. While he was good in this movie, he was great in that one.)

Posted by Duff at 08:16 AM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

February 25, 2007

DVD: Imagine Me & You

My cousin had recommended this and then one day I was looking over the "to be watched" pile and found I had already bought it. Bride walking down the aisle toward Groom, exchanges glances with another girl and....Boom. Do you believe in love at first sight?

Good performances by both girls (Piper Perabo and Lena Headey [imagine Keira Knightley with more meat on her]) and a really lovely performance by Matthew Goode (Rachel, don't read that article, he mentions his girlfriend Sophie incessantly!!), who you can also see as the brother in Matchpoint. You'd want to have him as your new celebrity boyfriend, but sorry ladies, my cousin's already claimed him.

Quite a sweet little film. Enjoyed it.

Posted by Duff at 12:15 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Watchin'

DVD: United 93.

I was very reluctant to see this movie...until my Dad hit me over the head with a [metaphorical] 2 x 4, reminding me that the director is awesome...(An earlier flick "Bloody Sunday" is another brilliant piece.) My dad went to it in the theater and recommended it at the time but I never got around to it.

A bunch of the air traffic controllers PLAY THEMSELVES in the movie. Hello, that fact alone should tell you how authentic it is. Really interesting to see how played things out / how the different air traffic centers had to try and piece together what was happening / how the military was trying to piece together what was happening / how the day slowly came together in people's minds.

You're ultra hyperly aware of the whole "hindsight being 20/20" thing the whole time you're watching the film, of course, as knowing the outcome of that day makes even the most innocuous "random people making phone calls at the airport" scenes seem foreboding. Great use of background music in this flick; just enough to set you on edge.

Very powerful. Very moving. Not cheap. Not exploitive in the least. Highly recommended. But, yes, intense. Not for the faint of heart.

Posted by Duff at 12:10 PM | E-Mail | Comments (0) | Permalink | filed under Flicks, Recommending, Watchin'

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