It looks like I'll be going to see Aimee Mann sometime in July. There are a couple of options:
First, there's a show at MassMoCA in North Adams on Saturday, July 11. That could be rough because I don't want to take a night off from work.
My other option, the one I'll probably go with is Infinity Hall in Norfolk, CT on July 21- it's a Tuesday so I won't have to take any time off and hopefully I won't have to work too early the next morning.
So if you're in love with me and stalking me this could be the golden opportunity you've been waiting for.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
"Final Girl Film Club"
It's always been my dream to be a member of the Final Girl Film Club. Her's is one of the first blogs I ever read and it's still my favorite. About a year and a half ago, well before I started my own blog, I asked for her advice on what makes a good blog. I liked her advice, which for privacy's sake I won't repeat here (not that I think she'd mind; it's just that it was a private conversation (not that I think she'd even remember- it was a brief conversation)).
I wish I could write like her. Her blog is always fun to read; whether she's joking or being serious it's always a good time. It's taken me some time, but I've accepted the fact that I'm never going to write like her. So instead I'm just going to be myself, write as well as I can, and hope for the best.
The date of the next Final Girl Film Club movie is May 11, and the movie is Amityville II: The Possession, a movie which I reviewed here last year. I like the review that I wrote, still, I plan on watching the film again and writing something fresh. It's always been one of my favorite movies and it had a major effect on young RJ, so I think I have a lot to say about it. And now that I've finally written my first major movie review (Shattered Glass), I think I'm finally ready to put out a really good post on Amityville II. By the way, did you read my review of Shattered Glass? If you haven't, check it out.
Anyway, mark your calender and stop by on May 11. I'm not Final Girl, but I'll try to make it fun.
I wish I could write like her. Her blog is always fun to read; whether she's joking or being serious it's always a good time. It's taken me some time, but I've accepted the fact that I'm never going to write like her. So instead I'm just going to be myself, write as well as I can, and hope for the best.
The date of the next Final Girl Film Club movie is May 11, and the movie is Amityville II: The Possession, a movie which I reviewed here last year. I like the review that I wrote, still, I plan on watching the film again and writing something fresh. It's always been one of my favorite movies and it had a major effect on young RJ, so I think I have a lot to say about it. And now that I've finally written my first major movie review (Shattered Glass), I think I'm finally ready to put out a really good post on Amityville II. By the way, did you read my review of Shattered Glass? If you haven't, check it out.
Anyway, mark your calender and stop by on May 11. I'm not Final Girl, but I'll try to make it fun.
"No Direction Home"
Last week I went to my parents' house and borrowed No Direction Home from my dad. I watched the whole thing that night and I liked it a lot.
First off I wanna say: I really impressed myself- when an old clip from a performer was played their name wouldn't come across the screen until well into the performance. Still, right away, in almost every case, I knew who it was. Even Odetta who I had never seen or heard before. I'd only heard her mentioned by the beatniks in John Water's Hairspray.
Joan Baez was amazing- they show her young and singing a song about Jesus (by the way, is she singing, "Think I'll call him 'save-you'"? Is she saying savior and I'm just hearing her wrong? Anyway...), she's so pretty and her voice is beautiful.
It's funny how chubby Dylan is when he first comes to NYC, at least in his face. Baby fat.
And the British concert-goers cracked me up. One serious-looking guy says "I think he's prostituting himself". And it's funny that they hated the "rock" half of the show and still they werte also bored by the "folk" portion.
That Pete Seeger guy came across as a douche when it came to the story about how he wished he had an axe to cut the cables during a Dylan show because there was too much distortion and he couldn't make out the words.
What I really liked, because Dylan doesn't interest me much, is just the description of Greenwich village in the 1960s. It seems like a very romantic, exciting time. If I could time travel it would be cool to spend a day and night there.
First off I wanna say: I really impressed myself- when an old clip from a performer was played their name wouldn't come across the screen until well into the performance. Still, right away, in almost every case, I knew who it was. Even Odetta who I had never seen or heard before. I'd only heard her mentioned by the beatniks in John Water's Hairspray.
Joan Baez was amazing- they show her young and singing a song about Jesus (by the way, is she singing, "Think I'll call him 'save-you'"? Is she saying savior and I'm just hearing her wrong? Anyway...), she's so pretty and her voice is beautiful.
It's funny how chubby Dylan is when he first comes to NYC, at least in his face. Baby fat.
And the British concert-goers cracked me up. One serious-looking guy says "I think he's prostituting himself". And it's funny that they hated the "rock" half of the show and still they werte also bored by the "folk" portion.
That Pete Seeger guy came across as a douche when it came to the story about how he wished he had an axe to cut the cables during a Dylan show because there was too much distortion and he couldn't make out the words.
What I really liked, because Dylan doesn't interest me much, is just the description of Greenwich village in the 1960s. It seems like a very romantic, exciting time. If I could time travel it would be cool to spend a day and night there.
"Juno", "KInsey", "After Hours"
I'm at a friend's house and just wanted to check in and see how you were doing. Things are going good for me, but I miss being here at RJ Battles everyday.
Last week I caught Juno- it got off to a rough start but it was cute. I liked Ellen Page, and especially liked Allison Janney (The West Wing) and the guy who played Juno's father. Janney was perfect as Juno's stepmother. I bet she must've loved playing the role after the weak last few seasons of TWW. It's like they stopped writing diologue for her. I think the script would just say "CJ sits in her office and stares into space looking troubled".
Here she's got a lot of good lines (though I think her speech in the ultrasound lab is too wordy).
I love the line Juno's father had when he told Juno he was gonna come with when she went to meet the couple looking to adopt: "I don't want you getting ripped off by a couple of baby-starved wingnuts".
My major problem with the movie, aside from Michael Cera and his one-note earnest delivery (The Weekly Standard said he's the new Jack Lemmon), is the way abortion was just jumped over. They never really addressed why she backed out. They would've done better to never even bring the subject up. Instead, Juno became a movie that pro-life people could claim as a victory for their side. The Weekly Standard gave it a good review- probably mostly because Juno decides against abortion.
I watched Kinsey this morning. I liked it though it was only occasionally interesting.
After Kinsey I popped in After Hours. I was curious to see it because I wanted to compare it to Cape Fear, Goodfellas, and The King of Comedy. It's not the usual type of movie you'd expect from him, though from the very first scene you can tell it's one of his movies.
I didn't like it, not because it wasn't well made or because the characters weren't likable- it's well done and the cast is great. I just don't like that type of bad luck movie. It's just one bad thing after another for Griffin Dunne. Even though After Hours got good reviews and people consider it a smart dark comedy, I don't think it's half the movie that Who's That Girl? is.
Right now I'm reading a book on Stanley Kubrick and one on Gus Van Sant. Actually I'm only reading chunks of them. In the Kubrick book, all I'm interested in is The Shining and Full Metal Jacket (the book was written before Eyes Wide Shut came out), and in the Van Sant book (2001) I'm only reading about Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, To Die For, and Psycho. I didn't realize, maybe because I was so young at the time, that a lot of people blame River Phoenix's drug use and OD on his involvement in MOPI.
I'm thinking the next time I'm at the library I'll look for a good biography of Phoenix.
Last week I caught Juno- it got off to a rough start but it was cute. I liked Ellen Page, and especially liked Allison Janney (The West Wing) and the guy who played Juno's father. Janney was perfect as Juno's stepmother. I bet she must've loved playing the role after the weak last few seasons of TWW. It's like they stopped writing diologue for her. I think the script would just say "CJ sits in her office and stares into space looking troubled".
Here she's got a lot of good lines (though I think her speech in the ultrasound lab is too wordy).
I love the line Juno's father had when he told Juno he was gonna come with when she went to meet the couple looking to adopt: "I don't want you getting ripped off by a couple of baby-starved wingnuts".
My major problem with the movie, aside from Michael Cera and his one-note earnest delivery (The Weekly Standard said he's the new Jack Lemmon), is the way abortion was just jumped over. They never really addressed why she backed out. They would've done better to never even bring the subject up. Instead, Juno became a movie that pro-life people could claim as a victory for their side. The Weekly Standard gave it a good review- probably mostly because Juno decides against abortion.
I watched Kinsey this morning. I liked it though it was only occasionally interesting.
After Kinsey I popped in After Hours. I was curious to see it because I wanted to compare it to Cape Fear, Goodfellas, and The King of Comedy. It's not the usual type of movie you'd expect from him, though from the very first scene you can tell it's one of his movies.
I didn't like it, not because it wasn't well made or because the characters weren't likable- it's well done and the cast is great. I just don't like that type of bad luck movie. It's just one bad thing after another for Griffin Dunne. Even though After Hours got good reviews and people consider it a smart dark comedy, I don't think it's half the movie that Who's That Girl? is.
Right now I'm reading a book on Stanley Kubrick and one on Gus Van Sant. Actually I'm only reading chunks of them. In the Kubrick book, all I'm interested in is The Shining and Full Metal Jacket (the book was written before Eyes Wide Shut came out), and in the Van Sant book (2001) I'm only reading about Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, To Die For, and Psycho. I didn't realize, maybe because I was so young at the time, that a lot of people blame River Phoenix's drug use and OD on his involvement in MOPI.
I'm thinking the next time I'm at the library I'll look for a good biography of Phoenix.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Don't Worry
I haven't set up internet at my new apartment, that's why there've been no new posts in a while. I wanted to put something up when I went to my parents' for Easter but I was very tired and just did some laundry and went to bed that Saturday night.
I'll be getting some things ready, plus I'll finally join the Final Girl Film Club next month. The movie is Amityville II: The Possession, which, as you know, I reviewed a while back.
I'm going to give it another look and put something semi-new together, I think.
I'll be getting some things ready, plus I'll finally join the Final Girl Film Club next month. The movie is Amityville II: The Possession, which, as you know, I reviewed a while back.
I'm going to give it another look and put something semi-new together, I think.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Rabbit
On the first day of each month you're supposed to say "Rabbit"* as you step out of bed- it's a good luck thing. I guess it's a kid superstition, but I never heard of it until I was a junior in high school.
Even if you didn't say "Rabbit" this morning, it's still your lucky day because last night I finally posted my review of the movie Shattered Glass and now you can read it...
So what do you think? Is it worth the wait? You have to remember: I'm not a writer. I'm trying to write better though. For you. It's all for you, Damien. I think if you go back to my first post from back in October 2008 and read everything between then and now you'll see improvement.
Anyway, I'm just glad that I finally got it over with; I feel like now I'll be able to move onto other things.
*Some people say "Rabbit, rabbit".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
