[ Wednesday, December 17, 2003 ]
Saw the final LORD OF THE RINGS film Wednesday. It was excellent, the kind of film that reminds you of just what filmmaking can accomplish, and why going to movies can be such a unique experience. I'm not usually fanatic about going to movies on opening day (particularly this kind of film; Michael Moore or Christopher Guest is a different story), but I wanted to beat the high-school-kid rush that was sure to accompany evening and weekend showings. There was a decent-sized crowd there, even though no one was dressed up or anything like that. I was hoping to see some Gollums, Gandalfs, Bob Geldofs et cetera. But to no avail...
That's all for now kiddies.
On the box right now: Notorious B.I.G., READY TO DIE
Peace...
Dove With Claws [8:45 PM]
[ Monday, December 15, 2003 ]
So we had fun, fun, fun until BlogSpot took our shout-outs away...
At least they work again, even though all previous comments have been erased. If y'all posted anything as a comment in the past few days that you'd like to see re-entered in the conversation, you'd be best to re-enter it.
Watched the second half of ANGELS IN AMERICA on HBO last night. I'd loved the first part, and loved the second infinitely more. As
Mr. C, who didn't see it, pointed out, every time anyone tries to explain what it's like or about they run into frustrated paroxysms of incoherence. So, since I'm stupid and ambitious, here's my best attempt:
The closest I can come to describing what it is: an impressionistic historical drama/love story/absurdist dark comedy/political critique, all couched within a discussion of the AIDS epidemic
The closest I can come to describing what it's about: the limitations of political action, the nature of love and justice, and the importance yet impossibility of true forgiveness
It's really fabulous, with great acting all around (from home-run hitters Al Pacino & Meryl Streep & Emma Thompson, to MVP Jeffrey Wright, to the core group of newcomers and lesser-knowners that drive the thing) and a story that will haunt you without explaining itself, more like the best dream you've ever had than a "movie" in the traditional sense. Powerful, moving, often hilarious, sometimes disturbing, always affecting stuff. See it; do whatever you have to.
On the box right now: Led Zeppelin, ALL YOU NEED (my home-made attempt to boil down perhaps the most overrated band in rock and roll history into a listenable single disc)
Peace...
Dove With Claws [11:32 AM]
[ Sunday, December 14, 2003 ]
So now Saddam Hussein has been captured, pulled peacefully out of a hide-out with a Karl Marx beard. Number one, congrats to coalition forces who found him and got him peacefully. Hussein's a horrible motherfucker, and I won't mind seeing him face those charges. Number two, if they think this is gonna stop the insurgency and resistance, they've got another think coming. Doesn't anybody learn from history? Number three, Democrats better figure out quick how they're going to handle this. If they don't get the initial counter-spin right, we could really be fucked...even more than we already are.
But fuck geo-politics. On to something important...Clay Aiken. For the past five days, on and off, I've had Clay's big single "Invisible" stuck in my head. I've heard this song (which I don't like at all) a grand total of ONCE, and it's become a deep earworm* lodged in my subconscious, popping up like a bobber at regular intervals. Proof once again that a good pop song is the best form of mind control ever invented. I hate the song, but I've gotta respect its writers, since they've done something that's incredibly hard to do.
(*For those wondering, "earworm" is the new scientific designation for songs you can't get out of your head. Apparently, scientists with too much time on their hands have discovered that there's a scientific mechanism at work when this happens. )
Four hours from now, I will be taking my last undergraduate final. So here's to the last time around...
On the box right now: Booker T and the MGs, VERY BEST
Peace...
Dove With Claws [8:54 AM]
