Movie Log 2007:80-82
Superbad - I really wanted them to knock this out of the park. I can live with a ground-rule double. I read one review calling it a remake of Eyes Wide Shut, in that a couple's relationship is tested during an increasingly surreal walk through town, culminating in a wild party with alcohol acting as the masks. I'm not sure how McLovin' fits in there...
My Favorite Wife - Cary Grant/Irene Dunne screwball comedy. Also featuring Randolph Scott, and made while Grant & Scott were housemates.
Body - What Kirsti said. Take Body Heat, replace the sex with KISSING(!), and add musical numbers. I'm always amused at the details Bollywood doesn't need to steal from originals, yet does: here we have the wind chimes, white dresses, the same method of covering up the crime, and the wacky friend (updated to karaoke from Ted Danson's tapdancing D.A.). Oh, and an impassioned break-in, only instead of throwing something through the glass door, he...sorta...jiggles the door until the latch opens. Or something. I'm pretty sure that doesn't work like that. I'll try it next time I'm at Bipasha Basu's place.
So now we've seen Bollywood ripoffs of:
Body Heat
Sense & Sensibility (I don't know if that really counts, since adapting a public-domain work is fair game)
On the Waterfront
While You Were Sleeping
Pretty Woman
...and a crazy hybrid of E.T. and Forrest Gump
Monday, September 17, 2007
Sunday, September 9, 2007
blanket statement
Because the position of not caring is inherently neutral, there will be no football schadenfreude at this location. As I see it, your misguided belief that football is interesting is punishment enough.
Feel free to pile on about the Twins, though. Sweet Jesus, WTF was going on Friday night? But hey, Matthew LeCroy just got the callup. There's the bat we were looking for. Never mind the inevitable loss of Torii Hunter...It's gonna be so FREAKING RAD next year when Liriano's healthy and he can join Santana in losing all manner of 1-0 games.
Because the position of not caring is inherently neutral, there will be no football schadenfreude at this location. As I see it, your misguided belief that football is interesting is punishment enough.
Feel free to pile on about the Twins, though. Sweet Jesus, WTF was going on Friday night? But hey, Matthew LeCroy just got the callup. There's the bat we were looking for. Never mind the inevitable loss of Torii Hunter...It's gonna be so FREAKING RAD next year when Liriano's healthy and he can join Santana in losing all manner of 1-0 games.
While it's only because Mike built the page in order of entries received, I'm currently D.F. Last on his Alison LaPlaca leaderboard. Which amuses me to no end, because I have no expectations for this year. As I've alluded to many times, we're a broadcast-only household, but right now we aren't even that -- I unplugged the antenna when I was trying to fix something a few weeks ago, set it back up incorrectly and haven't bothered to correct it.
So here are my picks, based on as little hard information as possible.
10-Scrubs (NBC) - As far as I can tell this was the only series entering its final season (as confirmed by the network).
9-Cavemen (ABC) --by all accounts, the pilot is an absolute disaster. But remember, The Office's first effort was a nigh-unwatchable parroting of the BBC series.
8-Journeyman (NBC) I think I picked this largely on Maureen Ryan's dislike of the pilot. That could bite me in the ass, as last year she hated Heroes and praised Studio Sucksty to high heaven. It's got Kevin McKidd, anywhay, whom I like. But also Reed Diamond, who helped ruin Homicide.
7-ER (NBC) - does anyone still watch this? Rumors are they're lining up alumni for guest appearances in a final season.
6-Carpoolers (ABC) - I might not have picked this had I noticed that former Kid in the Hall Bruce McCulloch was a creator. On the other hand, the only Kid worth a damn since the breakup was Dave Foley, and he had no hand in News/Radio's writing.
5-The Big Bang Theory (CBS) It might not actually set TV back 25 years, but the formula was used back then (NBC's We've Got it Made) and the results were suboptimal (lasted a season on the network).
4-Viva Laughlin (CBS) Hm. Mädchen Amick singing should be interesting.
3-Girlfriends (CW) Stories that this 8th season will be the last are several pages in on a Google search. I think I saw earlier stories predicting its demise. We'll see. Picking a CW sitcom is always tricky, because they have nothing to lose.
2/1-According to Jim (ABC) and Jericho (ABC) -- I don't see the last-minute pickups adding up to much. Of course, there's always the possibility the Acc. to Jim episodes will go straight to syndication, denying me points.
So here are my picks, based on as little hard information as possible.
10-Scrubs (NBC) - As far as I can tell this was the only series entering its final season (as confirmed by the network).
9-Cavemen (ABC) --by all accounts, the pilot is an absolute disaster. But remember, The Office's first effort was a nigh-unwatchable parroting of the BBC series.
8-Journeyman (NBC) I think I picked this largely on Maureen Ryan's dislike of the pilot. That could bite me in the ass, as last year she hated Heroes and praised Studio Sucksty to high heaven. It's got Kevin McKidd, anywhay, whom I like. But also Reed Diamond, who helped ruin Homicide.
7-ER (NBC) - does anyone still watch this? Rumors are they're lining up alumni for guest appearances in a final season.
6-Carpoolers (ABC) - I might not have picked this had I noticed that former Kid in the Hall Bruce McCulloch was a creator. On the other hand, the only Kid worth a damn since the breakup was Dave Foley, and he had no hand in News/Radio's writing.
5-The Big Bang Theory (CBS) It might not actually set TV back 25 years, but the formula was used back then (NBC's We've Got it Made) and the results were suboptimal (lasted a season on the network).
4-Viva Laughlin (CBS) Hm. Mädchen Amick singing should be interesting.
3-Girlfriends (CW) Stories that this 8th season will be the last are several pages in on a Google search. I think I saw earlier stories predicting its demise. We'll see. Picking a CW sitcom is always tricky, because they have nothing to lose.
2/1-According to Jim (ABC) and Jericho (ABC) -- I don't see the last-minute pickups adding up to much. Of course, there's always the possibility the Acc. to Jim episodes will go straight to syndication, denying me points.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Hey, a meme!
From Craig: Comment and I'll give you a letter. Then with that happy little letter, go choose your favorite songs starting with that letter!
I got S, so...
Start Together - Sleater-Kinney - S is a common Scrabble letter and all, but I was surprised at how few of my favorite songs start with S. While the rest of the list is mostly "songs I like that happen to start with S," this is a favorite. When this turns up on the iPod, I will typically listen to the first 40 seconds several times, then play the whole song at least twice.
"17 Days" - Prince - Yes, my favorite Prince song is a B-side, so I was especially happy to hear him play it last time I caught him live.
"Stay Away from Robert Mitchum" - April March - It's hard not to crush on April March. A cute ye-ye revivalist who was also an animator on Ren & Stimpy? What's not to like? So here she is starting catfights at a wax museum.
The above three songs are available in a .zip file here.
See a Little Light - Bob Mould - the first solo blast from everyone's favorite wrestling-storyline writer and Bobby Hill lookalike.
Shake Your Rump - Beastie Boys - For as big an impression License to Ill made, Paul's Boutique remains their best album. I don't know if it was them or the Dust Brothers. The samples were dense and artful, and hip-hop will never sound that way again because the sampling economy has changed.
Statue of Liberty - XTC - One of the great things about YouTube is all the ancient live XTC footage. Too bad about that breakdown.
Secret Agent Man - Devo - Does this even qualify as a cover? I think only the chorus is the same.
Someday - Steve Earle - I first encountered this song as a Shawn Colvin cover. The saddest song on the list, because you know the protagonist never will. (sorry about the video. Bridge to Terabithia...whatever. Could have been some anime crap, so count your blessings).
Sour Times - Portishead - Ah, trip-hop. I liked the stuff out of Bristol better than the Manchester scene. I wonder why...better drugs? The idea that they were making music to get it on to instead of music to dance around like spazzes to?
Sugarcube - Yo La Tengo - I'm lukewarm on the song, but this is one of my favorite videos. The Mr. Show guys can improve pretty much anything.
Step Right Up - Tom Waits - A handful of band has tried to write songs consisting entirely of advertising come-ons, but only Waits got it right.
Safe European Home - The Clash - Give 'Em Enough Rope was considered a sophomore slump, but I always thought it was one of their better albums, and that this was their best leadoff track (yeah, better than "London Calling."
From Craig: Comment and I'll give you a letter. Then with that happy little letter, go choose your favorite songs starting with that letter!
I got S, so...
Start Together - Sleater-Kinney - S is a common Scrabble letter and all, but I was surprised at how few of my favorite songs start with S. While the rest of the list is mostly "songs I like that happen to start with S," this is a favorite. When this turns up on the iPod, I will typically listen to the first 40 seconds several times, then play the whole song at least twice.
"17 Days" - Prince - Yes, my favorite Prince song is a B-side, so I was especially happy to hear him play it last time I caught him live.
"Stay Away from Robert Mitchum" - April March - It's hard not to crush on April March. A cute ye-ye revivalist who was also an animator on Ren & Stimpy? What's not to like? So here she is starting catfights at a wax museum.
The above three songs are available in a .zip file here.
See a Little Light - Bob Mould - the first solo blast from everyone's favorite wrestling-storyline writer and Bobby Hill lookalike.
Shake Your Rump - Beastie Boys - For as big an impression License to Ill made, Paul's Boutique remains their best album. I don't know if it was them or the Dust Brothers. The samples were dense and artful, and hip-hop will never sound that way again because the sampling economy has changed.
Statue of Liberty - XTC - One of the great things about YouTube is all the ancient live XTC footage. Too bad about that breakdown.
Secret Agent Man - Devo - Does this even qualify as a cover? I think only the chorus is the same.
Someday - Steve Earle - I first encountered this song as a Shawn Colvin cover. The saddest song on the list, because you know the protagonist never will. (sorry about the video. Bridge to Terabithia...whatever. Could have been some anime crap, so count your blessings).
Sour Times - Portishead - Ah, trip-hop. I liked the stuff out of Bristol better than the Manchester scene. I wonder why...better drugs? The idea that they were making music to get it on to instead of music to dance around like spazzes to?
Sugarcube - Yo La Tengo - I'm lukewarm on the song, but this is one of my favorite videos. The Mr. Show guys can improve pretty much anything.
Step Right Up - Tom Waits - A handful of band has tried to write songs consisting entirely of advertising come-ons, but only Waits got it right.
Safe European Home - The Clash - Give 'Em Enough Rope was considered a sophomore slump, but I always thought it was one of their better albums, and that this was their best leadoff track (yeah, better than "London Calling."
Sunday, August 26, 2007
When you hear the secret word, scream real loud
Today's word is microburst, which is like a tornado except without the fun things such as a few minutes' warning. Our pal Jenni was the only one in her building when one hit their block during last Thursday's crazy storm. It tore the roof off the back of their building, and the resulting water in the walls will render their entire 6-unit condo uninhabitable for at least 4 to 6 months. We spent daylight Saturday at Jenni & Steve's helping pack 150+ boxes of their stuff and moving it to the dry half of their place. I'm still amazed at how much stayed dry. Shelves of books, CDs, and DVDs all survived. Lovely dining-room furniture, rugs, and kitchen appliances are ruined, but they're media people...much of what survived is nigh-irreplaceable.
If you plan on shopping at Amazon any time soon, please consider doing so through Jenni's e-Store link.
And our neighborhood? Moist but otherwise pristine. The construction site next to us was unmolested...nary a brick or scaffolding out of place.
Today's word is microburst, which is like a tornado except without the fun things such as a few minutes' warning. Our pal Jenni was the only one in her building when one hit their block during last Thursday's crazy storm. It tore the roof off the back of their building, and the resulting water in the walls will render their entire 6-unit condo uninhabitable for at least 4 to 6 months. We spent daylight Saturday at Jenni & Steve's helping pack 150+ boxes of their stuff and moving it to the dry half of their place. I'm still amazed at how much stayed dry. Shelves of books, CDs, and DVDs all survived. Lovely dining-room furniture, rugs, and kitchen appliances are ruined, but they're media people...much of what survived is nigh-irreplaceable.
If you plan on shopping at Amazon any time soon, please consider doing so through Jenni's e-Store link.
And our neighborhood? Moist but otherwise pristine. The construction site next to us was unmolested...nary a brick or scaffolding out of place.
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