The Pop Culture Addict’s Blog

Imagine my delight when I discovered a new Sondre Lerche album to download today. I can’t believe how oblivious I was about its existence. There was a time I would’ve had a countdown calendar. Anyway, Heartbeat Radio by Sondre Lerche is amazing. I’ve only listened to it once but I’m already smitten all over again. I can’t believe I didn’t recognize his voice in the end credits of Dinner For Schmucks. His voice is a little different. I used to be completely obsessed with him and would’ve picked out his voice on any soundtrack or store stereo (as I’ve done in the past). But this time, I was not tuned in. At the beginning of Dinner for Schmucks I remember thinking, oh, they are using a real Beatles song, Fool on the Hill, and not a cover. I did notice the end song was Beatle-esque but I didn’t notice the Sondre-ness of it! Anyway, now that I’ve listened to it more carefully, I hear that Dear Laughing Doubters fits very nicely with the movie. So that’s two Steve Carrell movie soundtracks for him with Dan in Real Life first and now Dinner For Schmucks. Cool!

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Metropolis
I watched Fritz Lang’s Metropolis on dvd and thought it was interesting but not necessarily gripping. When I learned that a newly restored version was playing at Film Forum, I got excited. It was well-worth the effort. The Argentinian film archivist Paula Felix-Didier who discovered the missing footage of METROPOLIS spoke beforehand. She said she worked with others based on leads she had discovered about an original copy of the movie existing in Argentina. It reminded me of every time I read Pride and Prejudice when I realize that human nature and hierarchy of wants and needs have not changed since the beginning of our existence on this planet. Metropolis is about a father and son relationship, class distinctions, cyborgs, lost love all in 1927. I’ve seen silent movies with live music which is always fantastic and with soundtracks. This one was very full and fitting. It was restored with the original score from 1927. I found it a highly satisfying cinematic experience.

A Brand New Life
I made it to the last day of the Tribeca Film Festival. I wasn’t planning on attending but then some fellow Pop Culture Addicts said they were going to see A Brand New Life. I read the description and it sounded like something that could be watchable. I liked the way the POV was through the little girl. That was uniquely impressive. Of course, the story of a girl left at an orphanage by her own father because he can’t afford to keep her is not exactly uplifting. But through the sadness, the story of how the girl develops awareness and relationships with the other kids, etc. is captivating. It seemed like it might be autobiographical. I couldn’t say for sure but it seemed like the filmmaker might’ve been telling her story at least in part.

Ondine
I didn’t see Ondine at the Tribeca Film Festival but it debuted there. A couple of Pop Culture Addicts saw it there and recommended it. I watched it on-demand. It’s an Irish film by Neil Jordan about a fisherman played by Colin Ferrell who catches a woman in his net one day. That’s how the movie opens. It turns out the man has a sick daughter he is trying to maintain a good relationship with and life and livelihood he is struggling to manage. The woman is mysteriously played by the comely Polish actress Alicja Bachleda. The daughter is sweetly and precociously portrayed by Alison Barry. Colin Ferrell does a nicely under-stated job on par with his excellent In Bruges performance. Chris Doyle of Wong Kar-Wai notoriety (In the Mood for Love, Chungking Express, Ashes of Time, to name a few) films the beautiful locale and story lusciously. Neil Jordan gives the audience a warm, magical story. I’m glad I watched it.

Looking for Eric
When I think of Ken Loach, I think of the gut-wrenching but striking My Name is Joe. Very memorable. I heard The Wind That Shakes the Barley was good but I didn’t get to it in the theater. I’ll have to watch it in another format. I didn’t have Looking for Eric high on my list. It was “of interest” but I when I got a chance to see it early for free as a member of IFC Center, I gladly took advantage of the opportunity. Looking For Eric is an intimate, quirky movie about a guy named Eric who is down-trodden by his own life. His ex, his step-kids, his own kid, his job, they all weigh heavily on him. He derives comfort from his fandom of Manchester United and in particular Eric Cantona. Eric Cantona is a producer and actor in this film. He plays the figment of himself in Eric’s life, giving him support, advice and companionship. The real soccer footage is fun and impressive to watch. His fiery personality is only referred to peripherally. I think as he was a producer, he chose to focus on the highlights of his career vs the low points. Anyway, I could’ve used subtitles to help me with the Manchester accent and the French accent. Still, it was a different type of hero-worship, getting-it-together movie. I think Eric Cantona fans will enjoy it as will Ken Loach fans who will be surprised by the relative lightness of the story. Eric’s friends lend a levity and sweetness to the tale.

Friday Night Lights
Just a moment to welcome the return of the great Friday Night Lights. It’s heart-breaking to see Matt Saracen, my favorite character, floating around town delivering pizzas. I know his character will be leaving soon. I know his send-off will be heart-warming and worthy of the weight of his character arc. I hope that Tim Riggins’ life picks up. I just love the core of the show, Coach Taylor and Tami Taylor. She is so smooth as she straddles being the hated principal of the home of the Dillon Panthers and secret supporter of the underdog East Dillon Lions. “Hey y’all,” she says before she out-manipulates the manipulating father of JD McCoy. And poor Buddy Garrity wanting to shift to the East but having to fake support for the Panthers. Genius story-telling with engulfing characters and storylines. It has changed how I approach Friday night!

We the Kings: Smile Kids
I was making a playlist for a fellow PCA when I accidentally dl’d the entire We the Kings album Smile Kid. I only meant to dl Heaven Can Wait. It was a happy accident. I like that single Heaven Can Wait and was pleasantly surprised to like the entire album. I would’ve never thought to get it. I’ve only gone through it once so far but I look forward to many more listenings.

Keane: Night Train
One of my favorite bands is Keane. From the moment I heard Everybody’s Changing, I was smitten. So I was thrilled to see they have a new album: Night Train. I just dl’d it so I don’t have any reactions yet other than sheer anticipation for lovely new music.

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I had wanted to see Fela when it opened on Broadway. I heard such glowing reviews. Then I saw a bit of it on Jimmy Fallon and was totally underwhelmed. Given how out of hand Broadway tickets are, and given budgetary constraints, I decided to wait on Fela even though I had a good discount code. Let me find it…oh, it expired 2/28/10. It WAS FE4FANS and ?uestlove put it online for us because he was so blown away by it and wanted to make it easier for us peons to see it. You could try it. I would still see it but I don’t feel as pressed. I don’t deny the draw of Fela’s music. Anyway, then I saw the Wooster Group was putting on North Atlantic again. I think it was my first Wooster Group show. It is worth seeing but having seen it already, I thought I’d look into seeing American Idiot. I didn’t want to pay full price and did a search for a discount code. I found one. Let me find it for you… it is on Broadway Box. So I did enjoy the Green Day album American Idiot so I figured I would enjoy the music at the very least. It exceeded my expectations. At first, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to wrap my head around the Hot Topix inspired wardrobe both on stage and in the audience. It was distracting. But then the talent took over. The cast is amazing, such fantastic voices. The vocal arrangements for these familiar songs were injected with enthusiasm and had a fresh quality. Green Day has managed to stay relevant throughout the years. I noticed the choreography was done by the guy who worked on Black Watch. This was a highly-praised production at St. Ann’s Warehouse from Scotland about the special Scottish regiment that went to Iraq. For me, the choreography was the highlight of the show. The centerpiece where the history of the Black Watch is described through narration, costume changes and choreography stood out in particular. I remember finding it interesting but not as mind-blowing as reviews suggested it would be. Still, Steven Hoggett was perfect for American Idiot. The story is very easy to follow. It takes three friends who take different paths including joining the army and serving in Iraq. The songs lend themselves easily to the story of feeling lost, discontented and disillusioned. It also incorporates songs from 21st Century Breakdown. There were a lot of kids in the audience who seemed to enjoy the show. I think any Green Day fan will certainly appreciate the incredible talent and the creative arrangements. I think kids will like the punk-y quality of the show. I hope it has a nice run and that the tickets are affordable.

Tim Burton Exhibit at MOMA
I had tried to see this exhibit in the fall but it was sold out. It has been doing really well. While I am a fan of Tim Burton, I was pretty much on the fence about making too big of an effort to see it. But everything fell into place one day last week and suddenly, I had a ticket to see the exhibit. It had a lot of cool, personal elements such as the note to Johnny Depp about what Willy Wonka might say about also being edible, the letter Tim Burton wrote in high school accompanying a book he wrote and sent to Disney where he ended up working. I liked how the sketches were torn out of his notebook and still had the ruffles on the edge. I liked seeing his CalArts project. It’s always interesting to see a person’s creative roots. What I did not like was how hot and cramped the exhibition hall felt. I think it could’ve been spread out more to give more respect to the artist and the patrons. But I was glad to have seen it.

New Directors New Films 2010
I do like attending movies at festivals because I get to see movies I wouldn’t have access to otherwise, hear directors and actors talk about their experiences working on these movies and the energy is usually fun. I’m sitting in theaters with equally enthusiastic film buffs. But sometimes I’m let down or plain disgruntled. I think my tastes might run too mainstream for the New Directors New Films festival because I often feel underwhelmed or plain old disappointed by hyped up movies (Old Joy didn’t do it for me – I kept thinking there was a supernatural or thriller aspect to the story but no, it was just about two guys who weren’t really friends anymore going on a hike). Then again, sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised by what I see and want to recommend it to all of my fellow PCA’s (like My Country, My Country). Also, one year, I had tickets to Camp which I couldn’t attend and had to wait until it came out later and LOVED. So, for me, ND/NF is hit or miss. This year, I saw two movies. Both had merit.

Amer Directed by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani
My favorite part of seeing this movie was hearing the filmmakers introduce the film and then do a Q&A afterwards. They were very interesting and so adorable in their enthusiasm for cinema. For an avant garde, experimental movie, it was fairly accessible. It had a retro-look that was very deliberate and precise. It is a highly-stylized look at three stages in a woman’s life. It is not quite a horror movie although it is inspired by Italian horror movies. It reminded me of Seijin Suzuki too and that Japanese movie I saw recently at IFC called House. The directors explained that they worked carefully on the soundscape of the movie and wanted the audience to feel like it was in the head of the main character. The sound was very interesting and effective. I jumped out of my seat at least once. Amer is not for everyone and it’s not easily watchable. I think I would have to be in the right mindframe to re-watch it and take in the artistic qualities of it fully. Experimental is a good descriptor. If you like experimental movies, I think you would find Amer worth watching.

The Red Chapel Directed by Mads Brügger
North Korea and Cuba are the last bastions of Communism. North Korea has a high media profile because of the nuclear threats, the famine, the idiosyncrasies of dictator Kim Il Sung. I admit, I have seen a bunch of documentaries made in North Korea. It’s perversely fascinating though really sad to learn about this isolated, brainwashed country. The Red Chapel is described as being similar to Borat going to North Korea. I was turned off by the Borat reference. I actually found the Bruno movie funny but Borat was too mean-spirited and… broad maybe? I don’t have anything against broad comedy in general but I guess sometimes I just don’t find it funny. I like the Jackass movies because those guys make fun of themselves rather than others and do it in a creative and funny way. So I worried that The Red Chapel would be too mean-spirited for me. The director made a deal with the DPRK government to do a cultural exchange. He recruited two Korean-Danish comedians, Simon and Jacob, both adoptees from Korean. It was their first trip back to Korea since being adopted, one was 6 months old and the other a child, not sure how old. They put together the worst show ever. At first, I was turned off when the director introduced the movie and said that the performers stage names were Jul and Nosser or Christmas and Testicles. Broad comedy alert. Too stupid and mean for my tastes. So I started watching the movie with a bad taste in my mouth. As it continued, I found it so condescending, I didn’t think I could get over the tone. But then, the real reactions of the comedians, especially the younger one, 19 and not formally diagnosed in the movie but seeming to have cerebral palsy, came through on screen. Over the course of their two weeks, the PTB of this totalitarian state step in to make sure the entire show reflects the right message and right jokes. I have enough background knowledge about visiting the DPRK from the other documentaries I’ve seen and whatever I’ve learned from sources like Team America, etc. Watching the comedians and director encounter these weird scenarios was intriguing enough without the added “comedy” of the forced “irony” as the director narrated. Still, the movie ended up being fascinating and did not have too much forced crassness at the expense of others. I got chills when they were at the DMZ and walked around to the South Korea side and said, wow, this is the first time we’re visiting the land where we were born.

Popcorn Love
While I like to cast a wide net and look for as many different kinds of movie experiences as possible, I’m always drawn to the popcorn movies.

Hot Tub Time Machine
It looks goofy, it is goofy. But it was fun to see the Back to the Future references with Crispin Glover playing a pivotal and comedic role. John Cusack was relaxed and funny, Rob Corddry and Craig Robinson also throwing caution to the wind and letting the jokes wash over them. I enjoyed Clark Duke in the web series he did with Michael Cera and he’s fun to watch in Hot Tub Time Machine as the representative from the Millenium Generation. Altogether, it was a silly but enjoyable movie that had predictable but warm life lessons.

Greenberg
Greenberg isn’t exactly a popcorn movie but it’s very accessible. I saw it after hearing about how great Ben Stiller’s performance is in it. I had seen the trailer many times and found it borderline annoying, too self-aware, too wanting to be clever. But the movie is slower-paced and reasonably easy to identify with, ultra-neuroticism not-withstanding; but everyone’s a little bit neurotic, right? It’s not as alienating as it could’ve been. I liked the wit and story of The Squid and The Whale. I don’t remember the specifics of Margot At the Wedding but I remember not liking it as much as Squid & Whale. Ben Stiller and Greta Gerwig are very interesting to watch and have good chemistry. I’m glad I saw it. I recommend it.

Clash of the Titans 3D
The original Clash of the Titans has a cult following. It has a certain charm especially in the low-budget special effects. The re-make started off slow although Sam Worthington has star quality. I was worried about his skirt/tunic as he ran around. Then he changed into a longer skirt and I was able to rest easier. I admit I kept thinking about Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief because I recently read it and the protagonist is also Perseus. The 3D effects were minimal in Clash of the Titans. I think seeing it without would be fine. The movie definitely picked up and I left feeling fairly satisfied in terms of seeing entertaining mythological action sequences.

On the train
M. E. Kerr gave me When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead to read. She said it was very well written and that she had taught the book in her writing class at Ashawagh Hall. I found it very interesting. It’s a YA book about time travel. But it doesn’t have bells and whistles. It doesn’t have linearity. It is inspired by Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. A fellow PCA said it was reminiscent of La Jetee which inspired 12 Monkeys.

Lowboy
I first heard of Lowboy in the hilarious Zach Galifianakis video where he role-plays as John Wray. It was strange to read it on the subway as it takes place on the NYC subway system. It’s well-written and very reminiscent of Catcher in the Rye. It’s funny but sad. Lowboy is a teenager who is searching for something intangible while others look for him, worried about what he’ll do next.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Poor Stieg Larsson passed away before he experienced the phenomenal success of his book. I was curious to read the book that sparked so much interest and enthusiasm. I read a fair amount of crime/mystery/thriller books. Having just seen the movie, it was a little strange to start off already having the mystery unraveled. But there was a lot of editing in the movie. It’s a good beach read although I was on the train most of the time. I did sit outside on a deck for part of my reading, with birds chirping and a cool breeze blowing over me. I am curious about the next books in the series and will also see the other Swedish movies when they are released. I can’t believe how perfectly cast the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is in the movie. It’s worth seeing the movie for Noomi Rapace alone.

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Green Zone
The closing night of the Film Comment Selects series featured Green Zone. The trailer basically tells the story. It’s set at the beginning of the war in Iraq. Matt Damon’s character is part of the team searching for WMDs. He follows orders and also questions the results. The movie is fast-paced and kept me engaged. I enjoyed Matt Damon’s energy and performance. He did channel all that Jason Bourne intrigue and strength but in a more everyman kind of way. Paul Greengrass has a good track record for his Bourne Identity movies with Matt Damon and for making fictionalized movies incorporating fact. All of these ingredients result in an entertaining conspiracy thriller that falls in the vein of a couple of similar movies I’ve seen this year about how the war in Iraq came about- In the Loop and Ghost Writer. A fellow Pop Culture Addict noted the theme of the movie seemed dated but the timing didn’t bother me. We know pop culturally speaking that WWII continues to be examined from every which way. Similar stories are told, different stories are told, strategies are analyzed, theories are proposed. I just remembered that there are also recent movies in the vein of The Messenger which I heard was good and that Jake Gyllenhaal -Tobey Maguire movie. Brothers? Yes, Brothers that David Letterman could not stop gushing about. These movies are capturing people’s interest. Green Zone tries to be mainstream about it and succeeds in being an accessible action movie with a compelling protagonist in Matt Damon.

A Behanding in Spokane
It is always a treat to see live theater. It is so expensive in NYC it is hard to justify getting tickets. That’s why it is a nice thing to be able to get discounted tickets. That is what happened with A Behanding in Spokane. I remember that the playwright Martin McDonagh’s The Beauty Queen of Leenane and The Lieutenant of Inishmore received critical acclaim. I didn’t see either. But I did see and like the movie In Bruges. Also, I just watched Sam Rockwell’s amazing performance in Moon. And seeing Christopher Walken on stage was a very intriguing idea. Anthony Mackie was strong in the impressive The Hurt Locker and Zoe Kazan was sweet and cute in Me and Orson Welles. I don’t know enough about the director. Anyway, the stars aligned and I went to see A Behanding in Spokane. It is about a man played by Christopher Walken who is seeking his left hand. He has met a couple played by Zoe Kazan and Anthony Mackie who seem to have a left hand. Sam Rockwell plays the receptionist extraordinaire at the hotel where the transaction is going down. I loved Christopher Walken. He was so funny and charming while still being his quintessential persona. The only thing he didn’t do that I would’ve liked to have seen was tap dance. The Spike Jonze/Fatboy Slim/Weapon of Choice video is one of my all-time favorites. I would’ve loved more Walken and less scenes with Mackie and Kazan. Sam Rockwell has a great stage presence and filled out his role nicely. I’m not quite sure what didn’t work for me with the couple. Their lines were less funny. Their deliveries were on the shrill side. Sure, they were reacting to the circumstances but compared to the other two, they were less interesting to me. So I guess the play was uneven but I really enjoyed the good parts.

Alice in Wonderland IMAX 3D
Usually I can find something cool in a Tim Burton movie. Same with any movie featuring Johnny Depp. I didn’t see Alice in Wonderland opening weekend so I had plenty of time to hear pieces of reviews. I don’t actively read, watch or listen to reviews before I see a movie. But it’s hard to avoid. So I had sufficiently lowered my expectations by the time I saw the movie. People are not very excited about it. I have to say my favorite thing about it was Mia Wasikowska as Alice. She brought a likability to the character through every situation. I also got a kick out of the characters of Wonderland/Underland. They are so iconic. It was fun to see them. Johnny Depp certainly looked the part. He’s a fantastic actor who chooses his roles carefully and perhaps sometimes for his kids. Those contacts looked mighty uncomfortable but he gave the performance a special twist. Overall, the movie is watchable but not a must-see. Still, I was curious and had fun with my fellow PCAs.

Oscar-nominated shorts
I’ve noticed in recent years that an effort has been made before the Academy Awards to make available the nominated shorts for public consumption. I saw that the winner of the Best Animated Short from last year, La Maison en Petits Cubes, was on demand on Sundance so I watched it. I loved the acceptance speech, “Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto.” I’m guessing that it was a comical reference to the production company called “Robot.”

Watch La Maison en Petits Cubes in Animation  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Animated
I watched the 2010 Oscar-nominated Animated Shorts first. I was surprised that a tried and true favorite like Wallace and Gromit could still be considered a contender. That said, it was by far the best short among the bunch. It didn’t win. My least favorite one won, Logorama. I guess technically, it was different but the actual story was pretty empty in my eyes. But the filmmaker seemed earnest enough and clearly has technical talent. Maybe I’ll like his next movie.

Live Action
While I appreciate concise movies, this coming from someone who spent a recent Sunday afternoon watching the incredible A Brighter Summer Day, a 4 hour Taiwanese movie, I rarely get into shorts. So I wasn’t sure if I should put in the time. In the end I did. I don’t have much to say. I could see that the filmmakers had definite visions and a fair amount of money. The production value of all of the movies was really high. I had heard that Kavi was the frontrunner but The New Tenants won. I did wonder why it was Indie-star-studded. The actual story was bleak and detached. Again, it wasn’t for me, but maybe I’ll like the next movie by the filmmaker more.

Be Good Johnny Weir
I just watched the two most recent episodes of Johnny Weir’s show on Sundance, Be Good Johnny Weir. Only one ep left. I watched his Olympics performances with enthusiasm. I was happy for him. He did great and seemed pleased about that despite not placing. It is wild that he is practically over-the-hill at 25 in the world of competitive figure skating. He has so much his professional career left to pursue his other goals. Because I am a recent fan, I know that he wants to go into fashion whole-hog. He wants to go to fashion design school and create lines for everyone, women, men, children and then for the home. I’ll be watching.

Lady Gaga: Telephone
Wow. Not the most conservative vid. Definitely not for the kiddies but with vampires and Gossip Girl in the teen forefront, this vid is hardly a shocker. Still, parents beware. The video on everyone’s lips is Lady Gaga and Beyonce’s Telephone. I guess Thelma and Louise is the best comparison. I like Gaga’s cigarette glasses, Coke can curlers and hats – the giant I’m outta here one and the telephone one. I also like Beyonce’s yellow eyeshadow. This video is a great ad for working out. Everyone looks so fit. I appreciate that Lady Gaga is actually talented and sincere about sharing her creativity. I’m not sure where this vid ranks with her others but it hardly matters. It’s impressive enough that she has the draw to drop a vid and get practically everyone with an internet connection to watch it within days of its release.

Things on simmer
I’m planning on taking a break from my Victorian England reading rampage to read Muriel Barbery’s The Elegance of the Hedgehog before the movie comes out.

I’m also getting ready to see Michel Gondry’s latest movie The Thorn in the Heart (L’Épine dans le coeur) on Monday complete with a Q&A with the amazing Michel Gondry. I will definitely tweet about it!

And I am loving, loving, loving Geronimo Jack’s Beard’s Lost podcast. I typically don’t listen to podcasts because they seem to take a dedication I don’t have including patience for dl’ing new eps and then finding the right time to listen with reasonably undivided attention. This is the first podcast I have listened to from the beginning and look forward to every week. It is a must-listen for us die-hard Lost fans willing to invest time to dwell on episodes scene by scene, line by line, prop by prop.

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Does the world need yet another vampire movie? I say,sure, why not? It seems that pretty much everything we’ve ever thought of already exists with the exception of future technology (unless we can look into the minds of the likes of James Cameron, Steve Jobs and others along those lines) but there’s always room for more interpretations and variations. We move through our lives and experience different things at different times. I remember this Arts article in the NYT by Nicholas Hytner pointed out, “It is a much quoted maxim that there are only seven stories. They are, apparently, Orpheus, Achilles, Cinderella, Tristan and Isolde, Circe, Romeo and Juliet, and Faust. All other stories are adaptations of these.” So while I am against a Karate Kid remake (I enjoyed the original with Ralph Macchio but this Jaden Smith version does not work for me. So far what I know about it rubs me the wrong way. I don’t know why he has to move to China and it bugs me that he gets bullied by Asian kids before he learns martial arts to get back at them.)

Anyway, Daybreakers has a mournful, good-looking vampire who is a humanist played by Ethan Hawke. It works. Be forewarned, it has all the blood and gore expected from a goth horror movie. It is all within the context of a decent if not complex storyline. Basically, 95% of the world has become of the vampire clan. Not being of the True Blood universe, synthetic blood has yet to be invented. The surviving humans are trying to stay alive. I was entertained and not terribly grossed out. There is a fair amount of flames and beheading and the really vampiric creatures are ooky as can be. Sam Neill works as the nefarious corporate vampire boss. It’s always interesting to watch Willem Dafoe on screen. The brother has a nice arc. I don’t know his name off-hand. Let me look it up: Michael Dorman. And as mentioned earlier, Ethan Hawke carries the movie nicely.

Youth in Revolt
I find Michael Cera funny and appealing. Some don’t. He’s said that people have told him they hated his character in Arrested Development. I think it was the Superbad writers. I adored it. I can re-watch Arrested Development anytime and be entertained. Anyway, I’m pretty much interested in seeing his projects. I’ve heard that Youth in Revolt the book is a good read. The combo of Michael Cera and a YA book was enticing. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist is also a Michael Cera movie made from a YA book. It was cute enough, not the cult-movie it seemed to want to be but not without it’s charm. Youth in Revolt works much better though. Not having read either, I can’t compare the source material but it could be a factor. Somehow I found more interesting layers in Michael Cera’s character in Youth in Revolt. It has these comically outrageous moments. The angle is really adolescent male and vaguely reminded me of Metropolitan without the NYC elements. For the record, I am a fan of Metropolitan. Youth in Revolt also has a strong supporting cast (Jean Smart, Fred Willard, Ray Liotta, Mary Kay Place, M. Emmett Walsh, Justin Long, Ari Gaynor, etc.) with not much screen time but enough to add flavor to the mix of teen pretentions and aspirations as fantasized by Michael Cera and company (Portia Doubleday, Jonathan B. Wright). I might have read too much into it but I was thinking that the story might not be literal. I was thinking that along with his alter ego, Nick might have exaggerated some of his exploits. As I write, I’m noticing more and more in common with the movie Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Ari Graynor and Jonathan B. Wright were also in it. I wonder what the common factor is aside from Michael Cera or is that it? Anyway, Youth in Revolt is a funny adolescent movie that seemed fresh in its old-fashionedness.

Fish Tank
I haven’t seen Red Road, Andrea Arnold’s acclaimed movie leading up to Fish Tank but now I will seek it out. I liked Fish Tank’s authenticity. It was written and filmed chronologically so there was a lot of spontaneity on the set I think and it shows. Also, I think the cast members had good chemistry with each other and that shows on screen. I admit I was curious to see Michael Fassbender after seeing him wither away on screen in Hunger. Hunger is a beautiful, painful movie that I will never be able to watch again at least not in its entirety. I was very worried about the actor’s health after seeing the movie. He did a Robert DeNiro “Raging Bull” move in the opposite direction, like Christian Bale and others who lost way too much weight for movie roles. So it was great to see him in Fish Tank as a vibrant fellow albeit not of the strongest moral fiber. I must say I did attribute some oddities and character flaws to its British roots. I figured the hip hop featured in the movie was a decade old because American pop culture filters down to other countries in a less than instantaneous way. It turns out, the filmmaker just used music that reminded her of her youth. Also, I justified the b-boy, b-girl dance moves the main character, Mia, likes, as stemming from the resurgence of interest in that type of dancing. But it turns out Andrea Arnold was a pop dancer in the 1980s. Fish Tank is another fresh teen movie, this time from the point of view of a teen girl unlike Youth in Revolt. I don’t know if the actress who plays Mia should ever be in another movie or just preserve her great acting in Fish Tank. It reminded me of Michelle Rodgriguez in Girlfight and Ashley Judd in Ruby in Paradise. The rawness and genuineness of feeling added so much to the performances. I compare all of their subsequent performances to their first and feel slightly disappointed that they seem more like they are “acting” in the these other roles rather than acting naturally. Anyway, Fish Tank gave me a lot to think about. I also enjoyed the Q&A with Michael Fassbender. He seemed really attuned to the audience response and really aware of his environment. I liked that about him. Plus, I got to check out his post-Hunger appearance for myself. He seems fine now. He noted that Hunger will always be a special experience. I can see why. It was such an experiential movie. To make it like that, the cast and crew really had to feel it themselves.

Avatar IMAX 3D
I had to see it again. Avatar was made to be seen on the largest screen you have access to in 3D and I wanted to experience it again. The story is pretty basic but it holds up. I didn’t watch it and think, “That is inconsistent and nonsensical.” I just watched it and took it in. A story that I’m not second-guessing or following in disdain is a watchable one. The effects were still flabbergastingly astounding. I admire the minds and talent that brought those images to fruition and made me want to immerse myself completely in this fantasy world of Pandora for hours at a time. Usually I think movies are too long but I didn’t feel my usual resentment during Avatar.

Old Partner
Speaking of too long, that reminds me of this Korean movie I saw recently. Old Partner is about a 79 year old Korean farmer and his 40 year old ox living in modern day Korea. I wasn’t sure if it was a documentary or not until I read about it afterwards. There were a few artificial scenes. But for the most part it seems very real. It is a documentary and the relationship between the farmer, his wife and the ox seemed very real. It was only 77 minutes but it could’ve been shorter and more effective. I totally got the obstinance and loyalty the farmer shows to the ox and to his old world ways of farming and not driving a car. He and his wife get around via their ox-driven cart. I also derived a true appreciation for how hands on and laborious farming is and how we all benefit from it. I also was impressed by the ox., While he’s definitely on his last journey in this movie, his many talents and sturdiness are evident. I could tell what his younger life was like. He was a great ox. He lived a hard and noble life. Those are all things I really appreciated about the documentary. I just thought it could’ve been trimmed by a few minutes to make it tighter. Apparently, Koreans loved this movie. I’m glad it did well. I hope the filmmaker learned from making Old Partner and puts forth something even tighter next go round.

Lost
I finished watching Lost Season 5 and can’t wait for February 2nd. I just saw a 2-second promo with Charlie saying, “Guys, where are we?” Whoa. He’s back! Also, I read Doc Jensen’s analysis of the Last Supper poster with glee. They’re all back! Yay!

Men of a Certain Age
This show has really taken me by surprise by being good. While I watched Everybody Loves Raymond from beginning to end and same with Homicide, I wasn’t sure about the title. It seemed too on the nose, like it was trying too hard to be clever. But it actually captures the feeling of the show. It’s about three guys in their late 40s who have been friends since childhood or at least high school; I’m not sure yet. I never watched Quantum Leap or Star Trek Enterprise but Scott Bakula does a fine job on Men of a Certain Age as the bachelor aspiring actor. Also, I’m reminded of the cool conversation I had while waiting in line to see Star Trek with special effects guy Ronald B. Moore who said Scott Bakula is truly a nice guy and a pleasure to work with. Andre Braugher is excellent as a family man, a car salesman, who still has the power of Pembleton on Homicide. And Ray Romano shows a darker side as a recently divorced man with a gambling problem. Also, I always enjoy watching Carlo Gallo post-Undeclared. She’s so different in this role from her Bones role and certainly from her Judd Apatow roles.

Glee
I have been enjoying musical downloads off of the Glee soundtracks (Glee Volume 1 and Glee Volume 2). Those kids have amazing voices and the arrangements are really catchy. Also, they pick good songs. I love hearing Rachel and Kurt singing Defying Gravity and the cast singing Somebody to Love. Actually, most songs in context are fun to listen to and watch on tv. I loved seeing Matthew Morrison aka Mr. Schuester perform on the Kennedy Center Honors for Mel Brooks. It was nice to see him in his element doing a Broadway number. And speaking of Queen, the Muppets Bohemian Rhapsody is fantastic. I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before. And by now, you’ve probably heard about it too if not already seen it!

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