Thursday, July 8, 2010

taking woodstock

no.174 Taking Woodstock

Ang Lee has a wide array of topics he's directed. The Hulk, wuxia, Jane Austin and our very own Woodstock Generation, from the perspective of the locals who's town was overrun by the youth of 69. I thought this perspective was very unique and spoke about the growth and understanding of those old folks involved. Most striking in the screen play was the dynamic of Eliot's family. Other people are coming up to Eliot sharing stories about his parents, their generosity, all actions that seem to blow Eliot's mind because they are actions he would never attribute to him mother or father. It's about being closed off and how the mass has opened them. From Eliot's closet homosexuality to his mother's hidden cash trove and the father that can't help but love her, no matter how messed up she is.

I'm glad he didn't focus on the music, it didn't even play into the film, other than the joke that people really wanted to see Bob Dylan. Running the mud slides and an interesting acid trip were more important that hanging back stage. I found it very ironic that they chose to play a Doors song very prominently when they weren't even invited to the festival ;)

As for me? When I was a teenager, my dad always told me I was born into the wrong generation, that I should have been a kid screaming my head off in Shea Stadium with the Beatles, that I should have been at Woodstock. I went to the 25 anniversary as an audience member, our tent ended up being in the middle of a puddle from the rain and we had to wring out our sleeping bags the next morning. I smoked too much pot that was laced and really tripped my balls off. The 30 anniversary, I was lucky enough to have been a professional. I had a blast getting bands to my stage, making them happy, playing a little hostess shuttling their people around to great secret locations to view the stage. Until the fires, then we were scared like hell.

Who are we if we have no story to tell??

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

elephant

no. 173 Elephant

Every so often, I get an odd delivery from Netflix; a film that I added to my queue so long ago I don't have any idea why I added it or what it's about. The sleeves are very misleading, often don't even feature the prominent names in the credits.

This, my friends, is one of those rare choices that I'm certain I put in my account in 2003 and somehow, in my jockeying titles around, finally floated to the top and made it to my mailbox. No idea what it's about, don't even remember any press or reviews, only that it's Gus Van Sant, so it's go to be decent.

Whatever. I kept looking at the elapsed time, dragging on and on. The mundane of kids through a day at school, to the sound track of two of the most over practices and diced piano pieces kids love and dread at the same time. Bulimia, library geeks, gay affections, photogs. THEN, at 52 min, two boys look at guns online and thunderhead form and gather on screen. We know ominous times are ahead.

I'm sure that when he conceptualized this film with HBO in 2001, it was full of meaning. Not an art piece, but not not an art piece. In 2001, were people still shocked at the concept of kids bringing guns to school? What does it say about me that I was completely unaffected by this statement of violence? Am I completely unphased and numb? Too cynical to the point where nothing surprises me? I took the time to check out one post on imbd - GVS best film ever? Unquestionable masterpiece? I just kept looking at the clock realizing that I needed to get up stairs and turn on the a/c in my bedroom soon so that it's literally not 90deg when I crawl into bed.

I really need to take the time and clean out my queue, save me from wasting another 1:20 when I could have watched the season premiere of Warehouse 13 and Jason Lee in Memphis Beat.

youth in revolt

no. 172 Youth In Revolt

When will the world allow Michael Cera to age? He can't pull of 17 year olds for much longer! I've never read the Nick Twisp books, but loved the film. I howled through out, the prose, the silly love child/dog and of course, its not complete without Francois.

Let's see if I can stay on the wagon.

Monday, July 5, 2010

mad men marathon

Normally, I'd walk away from the tv for 20 min, after I've hit the pause button on the DVR, make dinner or clean the kitchen, then come back and zoom through a tv show. I haven't really done that with the Mad Men Marathon right now - a bit of work to catch up on, dad calls, blah, blah... After seeing a FB update about said activity made me delight in reposting this blog from November.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009
mad for men?

I didn't blog about Mad Men at all over the past three months, I'd be kidding myself if I thought I could do Season Three any justice, so I'm not going to try.

Go Joanie, you're back.
Betty, your Main Line brat act is going to crumble like a toll house cookie.
Sally has been used perfectly to sit in as the audience - I liken her to Hurley.
Peggy needs to stop fucking Duck.

Men? I want to see you all grow up in Season Four. Catch up to the ladies.

vader can't fight anakin!

I'm going to remember films that somehow didn't make the log, which means I either watched them in a drug haze (always my favorite) or I was out of town.

Corbin's Xmas present was the prequels set. We watched one a day, curled up on the couch together. I think there were more questions about who was who and why and how than actually watching the films. Corbin has grown up a different generation of Star Wars fans - he knows the first three and loves the Clone Wars on Cartoon Network. This has posed a very delicate balance with the whole Vader fighting Anakin debate. I couldn't tell him the truth, he had to watch it. SOOOOO, for his birthday at the end of January, we spent another three days on the couch, many more questions this time around, as he knew very few of the characters. Chris and Dana mock me for my continued interest and love of Star Wars, but they kept creeping in, finding themselves stuck in time, unable to move due to the power of a scene. Each time, I called them on it and they tried to argue that they were just walking by, but Corbin and I know...

169. Star Wars
170. Empire Strikes Back
171. Return of the Jedi

Their holiday card says is all...

book moratorium

I've done very well sticking with my 2009 New Year's Resolution so much so, it's stuck. I've only purchased two books in 2010, with justification. I had $15 gc at Borders and got an amazing sewing book and the fiction I bought was to push to free shipping, so, a necessary evil. But who can really call the written word e-vil? mwahhhhhhh

The sad news of this year's reading is that is has not been enough. I have at least four books started and set aside (then there were the two unfortunates that got ruined in the humidifier accident.) In the past year, I've really upped my magazine delivery. Despite cutting back the New Yorker and cooking mags, I added Wired, which I love, but it didn't help with scaling reading back. I've read a couple great books with Joopers, "Drood" being a great winter Gothic Mystery masterpiece. I surprised myself in really enjoying the stark black and white pages of "From Hell" - and has lead to what's on my desk this moment, "Hawksmoor."

kiss ass shows i can't wait to start up again!

Lots of really good tv this year - I'm definatly partial to those on cable and pay because they are more realistic, sex and the word fuck make a show much more real!

Mad Men - Well, it ended last summer, but I'm eager anticipating Season Four. I haven't jumped in and watched the last three seasons, but it's going to be all but 100deg every day this week. I might get through those episodes!

Breaking Bad - Vince Gilligan is one bad ass motherfucker - I couldn't believe where he took this season. Take Walt season one and sit him next to Walt on the last episode. Not the same man, no way, no how. Bryan Cranston is knocking it out of the park.

Nurse Jackie - Who can resist a medical about an addict nurse and boob-grabbing hot ER doc? 'nough said. Oh yeah, Edie Falco's in it. Duh.

US of Tara - The deeper we go into Tara's brain, the better the show. Best part - lending her body to Buck for some action. Even better? The fact that she's been with over 30 partners during her marriage and Max stands by her everyday.

Heroes - Wait, it wasn't awesome this year and was cancelled. Can't we go back to Season One, Tim Kring??

Chuck - Subway saved the day last year and has great product placement that doesn't suck. Zach Levi slimmed down to become the Intersect 2.0. Nothing wrong with being a hot Nerd Herder.

LOST - oh, no. no... never more...

My brain is wasted. Who can really come up with six months of tv shows? There are a ton I can't remember. Like Dollhouse - but it's not coming back ;*(

OH YEAH...FRINGE - can we say a-w-e-s-o-m-e-n-e-s-s-!!!!!! Did you believe that Pacey could come back to tv and be relevant? I think people might have forgotten that little kid show when they saw Peter. John Noble is utterly amazing. Maybe Michael Emmerson might get an invite for a guest appearance? That might be the ONLY thing that could make Fringe cooler than it already is.