Dark Spots

First, I stole the title for my bundle articles from Fight.

Movie Night 1-17-07
We got free tickets to the movie that won best foreign language film from the wrinkly golden globes (I was going to link to Borat's acceptance speech, but Dick Clark Productions apparently shut it down on youtube. Dick.) Letters from Iwo Jima is not a foreign film. It tells the story of this battle with a focus on the Japanese, but it is still very clearly from the perspective of an American. That's the most disappointing thing about the movie: it purports to show the other side, but it just doesn't work in that way. I still really liked it, though. It uses the other side thing to bring up issues of how we value life, both our own and those of Others. It's long and kind of slow; it's a lot like every other war movie; its winning best foreign film is bullshit; but I still recommend it, if you're ever in the mood.

FESPN Podcast
I think it would be cool to do a podcast version of FESPN. The Wood's are way funnier than real sports talk personalities, and some of the posts on that site are totally good. Does anyone have any advice on good ways to record and post podcasts? I don't know if it will really happen, but it would be fun.

Boots
K ordered us some boots this week. I'm pretty excited about it. I haven't had boots since grade school. Those look pretty heavy duty, eh? Then we're going to go on wussy little hikes that we pretend are big and difficult and require heavy duty boots. B will love it.

Movie Night 1-10-07

We took a chance for movie night last night and chose a very recent movie. Before 2046 the youngest movie we'd watched was released in 1970.
I've heard lots of good things about Wong Kar Wai and there are definitely things in 2046 that impress me: Every scene is really pretty, almost always very tight on the characters, usually just one man and one woman, suggesting both the intimacy and claustrophobia of the relationships; the acting is subtle and interesting; and it's clear that Wong Kar Wai is an artist with something to say, and a vision of how to say it.
But, overall 2046 is a vivid mess. Kar Wai apparently wants cultural events to serve as a backdrop to the stories, but their meaning and impact upon the characters is never really examined. The "2046" gimmick is another empty layer that basically only adds confusion to what is really a very simple story. By the end even the beautiful visuals become monotonous.
That's all pretty harsh I guess, because the movie did have some interesting aspects and I wouldn't write even this much about a film that didn't affect me in some way. I guess I need to look forward to the directors next work. And to next movie nights selection being an old one.

Movie Night - 12/28/06

Last night a very few of us watched Fellini's La Strada. I think everyone enjoyed it. I did, but I don't really have much to say about it. I know it's a classic and all humans are supposed to love it. I just liked it. I love some Fellini movies. La Strada is very sad. Hmm..., you'll just have to watch it yourself. Shame for missing movie night.

That is a pretty cute little old lady Fellini likes to put in his movies.

Movie Night - 12/20/06

Not the biggest movie night group, but a good one. Everyone quietly watched The Conformist, a movie that I'm pretty sure ranks among the best I've seen. It's about politics, a topic thats beginning to fascinate and depress me (I know I'm a little late coming to this discovery). The director, Bertolucci, obviously feels a little bitter about politics too. But it's not all bitter, you see; if it were, I'm not sure it would mean as much to me. There is a spirit in the people surrounding the conformist, the character, that seems capable of rising above the oppressive political atmosphere. Sometimes I feel hopeless and powerless. The Conformist has a weird way of confirming that I'm not alone in that feeling. I can't think of any other movie I've seen that better shows the potential danger, and potential joy, of devoting yourself to a community, or movement, or whatever. Everyone should see The Conformist. It's on dvd for the first time. Queue it up, or borrow it from Gavin. Warning: Your girlfriend may not like it. Unless she's bisexual. (That's an inappropriate joke that's really a jab at my girlfriend, who thought the movie was boring. Your girlfriends sexuality has nothing to do with it.)

Youth to Youth

---Movie Night 12-6-06---
Last night a pretty good crew met for movie night. Watched one called "Unfaithfully Yours" by Preston Sturges. Funny, orchestrated slapstick. Easily one of the best movie night's yet. Everyone that actually sat and watched was cracking up. Everyone that didn't was on laughing gas. HAHAHA. Looking forward to watching more by Sturges, for sure.


---Liquor---
I want to gift myself a good bottle of liquor this holiday season, but I don't know what to get. I want to get something fairly high end, something tasty, with a name to impress my borderline alcoholic amigos. If you have some suggestions, please make them.

---Lists---
People are starting to put out their "LISTS" already. I've been disappointed with pretty much everything this year. My albums list might number 5; my movies, 3; seems like a pretty kick ass year for books (Roth, Pynchon, Powers, Eggers, McCarthy, etc.), but I read too slow and haven't gotten to any of them. Luckily, there's so much good stuff available, it doesn't really matter that all the new stuff stinks. I saw so many good movies this year. I got Remain in Light this year! Anyway, I know it's nerdy, but I like making lists, so I probably will be posting them pretty soon. Sorry. Oh, if anyone else feels like making a list, it'd be cool if you posted it here.