Aug 31, 2012
This is frickin' awesome!
Aug 30, 2012
This kind of thing always breaks my heart.
Larissa Huntsman is a student at Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek, the high school adjacent to the Whole Foods that I work at. She has been missing since Friday, August 24th. She is 5'3" and 125 pounds. The police, at this time, have no reason to believe that foul play was involved. If any of my friends in the Contra Costa County area see her, please notify the police immediately.
Who knows, she might have regularly shopped at the store. Who knows, I could have been outside on a break on Friday, and she might have walked right past me, on her way off campus wherever she decided she needed to go that day.
Plus, I have a friend here whose daughter is a Sophomore at Las Lomas, just like Ms Huntsman here.
I hope we can get her back home safe. And, I hope she is safe wherever she is now.
Michael
A Star is Born
(Well, not really.)
Charlie Pierce thinks Ryan reminds him of Nixon. But, I can not help but think of Ryan as George Minifer from The Magnificent Ambersons. Except, maybe even worse, and more deserving of his own comeuppance than Tim Holt is in his sterling portrayal of one cinema's greatest villains.
Do not listen to the courtier press about this being a game changer. It is not. Anyone watching last night has already made up their mind. And I do not know what the ratings were but this was no blockbuster television event last night, and tonight will not be, either.
Of course Ryan lied. He lied about the automobile plant in Janesville, he fudged the truth on his wealthy upbringing, he "forgot" to mention that he voted for Bush 43's budget busting wars and for Medicare Part D, that he walked away from the Simpson-Bowles Commission -- instructing other House Members to always refuse to negotiate with the Administration, lest Obama secure even modest "victories" or compromises -- and that the Obama reform of Medicare that was part of the ACA was a compromise for the GOP, which still earned supremely few votes from the GOP and was then used against Democrats in the mid-terms and will be used against them again in the General.
Tears notwithstanding, Ryan does not want to "reform" or save Medicare. He wants it destroyed. This is where Pierce has it so right with the Nixon comparisons.
This election is going to come down to whether the Democrats and Obama can expose Ryan and Romney for the frauds they are in simple and easy to understand language. If they can do that, they should win. They need to illustrate Ryan's rank hypocrisy so that it fairly shimmers on the page. And they need to do it efficiently, and with wit.
I am sure Axelrod and Plouffe are already on the case. (Where are Malcolm Tucker and Jamie McDonald when you need them?)
Poor Mittens, though, right? The party is for him supposedly, yet no one dares mention his name.
Ciao, Angels,
Michael
Charlie Pierce thinks Ryan reminds him of Nixon. But, I can not help but think of Ryan as George Minifer from The Magnificent Ambersons. Except, maybe even worse, and more deserving of his own comeuppance than Tim Holt is in his sterling portrayal of one cinema's greatest villains.
 |
| Born on third, they keep thinking they have hit a triple. |
Do not listen to the courtier press about this being a game changer. It is not. Anyone watching last night has already made up their mind. And I do not know what the ratings were but this was no blockbuster television event last night, and tonight will not be, either.
Of course Ryan lied. He lied about the automobile plant in Janesville, he fudged the truth on his wealthy upbringing, he "forgot" to mention that he voted for Bush 43's budget busting wars and for Medicare Part D, that he walked away from the Simpson-Bowles Commission -- instructing other House Members to always refuse to negotiate with the Administration, lest Obama secure even modest "victories" or compromises -- and that the Obama reform of Medicare that was part of the ACA was a compromise for the GOP, which still earned supremely few votes from the GOP and was then used against Democrats in the mid-terms and will be used against them again in the General.
Tears notwithstanding, Ryan does not want to "reform" or save Medicare. He wants it destroyed. This is where Pierce has it so right with the Nixon comparisons.
This election is going to come down to whether the Democrats and Obama can expose Ryan and Romney for the frauds they are in simple and easy to understand language. If they can do that, they should win. They need to illustrate Ryan's rank hypocrisy so that it fairly shimmers on the page. And they need to do it efficiently, and with wit.
I am sure Axelrod and Plouffe are already on the case. (Where are Malcolm Tucker and Jamie McDonald when you need them?)
Poor Mittens, though, right? The party is for him supposedly, yet no one dares mention his name.
Ciao, Angels,
Michael
Aug 29, 2012
There is a lot of talk, "buzz" (not really)
About who the Big Secret Speaker is going to be at the 2012 GOP Convention of Unbridled Hate™ tomorrow. Some say Palin, but others say, and I agree with them, that it will be Reagan.
I do not think it will be a Tupac hologram, though. I think it will be an old clip of Saint Ronnie, or numerous clips edited together.
S'funny, Fox News was running equal parts of convention coverage and Isaac coverage yesterday. MSNBC is barely talking about Isaac, at all. Strange.
I do not think it will be a Tupac hologram, though. I think it will be an old clip of Saint Ronnie, or numerous clips edited together.
S'funny, Fox News was running equal parts of convention coverage and Isaac coverage yesterday. MSNBC is barely talking about Isaac, at all. Strange.
Aug 28, 2012
My friend Shawn P
Loaned me the Criterion bluray of The Night of the Hunter. I was v excited to see a film that many consider a masterpiece, and a film that I should have seen by now, but still had not.
I wish I could report better news.
Sure, the Shelley Winters underwater scene is absolutely breathtaking, the absolute finest moment of the entire picture. And there are many lovely moments in the photography by Stanley Cortez, notably, also, the silhouette of Mitchum on his horse on the hill, singing, in pursuit of the children.
But, as far as this critic is concerned, anyone who proclaims that Robert Mitchum's performance is stunning, amazing, moving, whathaveyou, has got to be out of their mind. Mitchum's performance has got to be one of the campiest, faux-fey, appalling things I have ever seen. I am not buying this tortured, damaged Preacher Man for one second.
I am almost tempted to suggest that Mitchum was playing this as a closeted gay man. What the heck, maybe that is what Charles Laughton, in the only film he ever directed -- the film was a flop upon release in 1955, and Laughton never directed again -- asked him to do. And, Mitchum wanted Laughton, and put money in to the picture.
I also had serious problems with the Lillian Gish (Mama Sunshine -- h/t Todd Solondz' masterpiece, Palindromes) character. Here we are showing the evils of organized religion, and sure enough, then we witness a true Christian wielding a shotgun and saving the children for Jesus, and what is right.
No thanks, Sir.
My favorite part of the story was Ruby and her Suitor. But, that took up about five minutes of the entire picture. My next favorite part was when Gish shot Mitchum, and he squealed like an infant and went and ran in to the barn, where he stayed, a crying child, until the troopers rounded him up.
There is some great art direction and photography but the story and performances were major letdowns for me.
(The Wife was savvy enough -- she is so smart -- to pick up on the debt films like Cape Fear owe to this picture. But, I would much rather see the original Cape Fear again than The Night of the Hunter.)
All my love,
Ardent
I wish I could report better news.
Sure, the Shelley Winters underwater scene is absolutely breathtaking, the absolute finest moment of the entire picture. And there are many lovely moments in the photography by Stanley Cortez, notably, also, the silhouette of Mitchum on his horse on the hill, singing, in pursuit of the children.
But, as far as this critic is concerned, anyone who proclaims that Robert Mitchum's performance is stunning, amazing, moving, whathaveyou, has got to be out of their mind. Mitchum's performance has got to be one of the campiest, faux-fey, appalling things I have ever seen. I am not buying this tortured, damaged Preacher Man for one second.
I am almost tempted to suggest that Mitchum was playing this as a closeted gay man. What the heck, maybe that is what Charles Laughton, in the only film he ever directed -- the film was a flop upon release in 1955, and Laughton never directed again -- asked him to do. And, Mitchum wanted Laughton, and put money in to the picture.
I also had serious problems with the Lillian Gish (Mama Sunshine -- h/t Todd Solondz' masterpiece, Palindromes) character. Here we are showing the evils of organized religion, and sure enough, then we witness a true Christian wielding a shotgun and saving the children for Jesus, and what is right.
No thanks, Sir.
My favorite part of the story was Ruby and her Suitor. But, that took up about five minutes of the entire picture. My next favorite part was when Gish shot Mitchum, and he squealed like an infant and went and ran in to the barn, where he stayed, a crying child, until the troopers rounded him up.
There is some great art direction and photography but the story and performances were major letdowns for me.
(The Wife was savvy enough -- she is so smart -- to pick up on the debt films like Cape Fear owe to this picture. But, I would much rather see the original Cape Fear again than The Night of the Hunter.)
All my love,
Ardent
Aug 27, 2012
Oh, dear. Ron and Rand are in town, and that has got Mittens
All a-flutter. Mittens is desperate to change the roll-call rules at the last minute, to ensure that not a single Ron Paul delegate gets a chance to be heard. Well, what else is new, really? Because Mittens sure will not be talking about his new (latest?) "nuanced" views on abortion, which do not jibe with the RNC Platform, his Veep pick, or Todd "Magical Ladyparts" Akin's. Or, about Romneycare, which Mittens has suddenly dragged out of the closet in a pathetic attempt to win women voters, and, which, natch, stands in stark opposition to the RNC Platform, his Veep pick, and all the lovely Teabagging Koch-fiend crazies on the floor.
Why go over all that health care poop again? Really. We all know you will have the Ladyparts Vote all wrapped up after Ann and LL Cool P speak this week. He is soooooo hunky.
Meanwhile, here is some digby goodness about our friends with Ladyparts getting the right to vote. Plus, some more Ladyparts digby goodness, too. (Shhhhhh, they say the v-word in that song, .... )
Why go over all that health care poop again? Really. We all know you will have the Ladyparts Vote all wrapped up after Ann and LL Cool P speak this week. He is soooooo hunky.
Meanwhile, here is some digby goodness about our friends with Ladyparts getting the right to vote. Plus, some more Ladyparts digby goodness, too. (Shhhhhh, they say the v-word in that song, .... )
Aug 26, 2012
It is All Foreplay Until September & Some Fun Backstories
The "foreplay" part of the title to this post is in reference to the great Ray Ratto, formally of the SFChron, and is a quote of his in said newspaper, back in the Nineties, re baseball.
September is almost upon us, indeed. Which is when we will see which clubs are truly ready for the big postseason dance, and which are not.
This has been a very weird season for the Texas Rangers. Despite numerous rotation injuries, and underwhelming rotation performances, and a horrible two month stretch where the club simply could not hit, the Rangers have maintained one of the best records in baseball all season long.
But, Ranger fans, myself included, are not pleased. Some, in fact, are openly hostile towards their club, practically disgusted. It is certainly a strange situation to be in.
Meanwhile, the Rangers are wrapping up the "foreplay" section of their schedule and seem primed to really get down to "bidness", if you know what I mean. They have won four in a row, eight of their last ten, and are sixteen and eight overall for the month of August. And, they are not just winning games lately. They are crushing their opponents; in the Rangers last ten games they have outscored the opposition seventy-two to thirty. (Which according to the pythagorean theorem of baseball adds up to an expected winning percentage of .852. The Rangers are right below that with a winning percentage of .800 those last ten games. Meaning the Rangers, as well as they have been playing lately, have actually been a little bit unlucky, too. Scary.)
But, how about the plucky little Oakland Athletics, who have just taken two of three on the road from one of the hottest teams in baseball right now, the Tampa Rays? Like Ratto says, "It is all foreplay until September." We will see how serious the A's are about the postseason very shortly.
Here is the backstory on the song above: The song that "hit' was the b-side. They cobbled that together in like a day, just to fill both sides of a 45. No one remembers the a-side, of course. All the djs flipped the single and made it in to the monster smash that it was. And, it is still a staple in many ballparks around the country whenever the road starter is chased from the game. I think it was the 1977 Chicago White Sox who were the first to use the song in that manner.
************
Watched The Man Who Never Was last night, streaming on Netflix. It was not a particularly great movie, but it has a great true backstory, and it does star Gloria Grahame. Ms Grahame was obviously mailing her performance in in this picture, but I was still a sucker for her trademark Damaged Fuckable self.
The cool backstory is that the British Military and Intelligence "placed" a dead "pilot" off the coast of Spain with misleading information about the Allies' plans to invade Greece, as opposed to their real target, Sicily. The pilot was carrying letters to Eisenhower and the head General for the British forces. He also had a letter from his "fiancee", theatre tickets, receipt stubs from a clothing store, and other random items. The Germans fell for the ruse, and the Allies were able to secure Sicily.
************
Also saw a very excellent doc, streaming on Netflix, The Woodmans, about the artist family, whose daughter Francesca Woodman committed suicide in the early Eighties.
Honestly, I am not seeing the amazing talent that Francesca was concerning her provocative sexual canon of photography. I like her journal instead, although, for idiosyncratic reasons. The journal is certainly not "art' in the strictest sense of the word. I love the fractured sentence structure, the ellipses, the extremely deep and insightful look in to a young woman's sexuality, and her passion for creating art.
I will watch it with Renee soon. Renee is a damn fine photographer, herself, and I would be interested to get her thoughts on Ms Woodman's work.
September is almost upon us, indeed. Which is when we will see which clubs are truly ready for the big postseason dance, and which are not.
This has been a very weird season for the Texas Rangers. Despite numerous rotation injuries, and underwhelming rotation performances, and a horrible two month stretch where the club simply could not hit, the Rangers have maintained one of the best records in baseball all season long.
But, Ranger fans, myself included, are not pleased. Some, in fact, are openly hostile towards their club, practically disgusted. It is certainly a strange situation to be in.
Meanwhile, the Rangers are wrapping up the "foreplay" section of their schedule and seem primed to really get down to "bidness", if you know what I mean. They have won four in a row, eight of their last ten, and are sixteen and eight overall for the month of August. And, they are not just winning games lately. They are crushing their opponents; in the Rangers last ten games they have outscored the opposition seventy-two to thirty. (Which according to the pythagorean theorem of baseball adds up to an expected winning percentage of .852. The Rangers are right below that with a winning percentage of .800 those last ten games. Meaning the Rangers, as well as they have been playing lately, have actually been a little bit unlucky, too. Scary.)
But, how about the plucky little Oakland Athletics, who have just taken two of three on the road from one of the hottest teams in baseball right now, the Tampa Rays? Like Ratto says, "It is all foreplay until September." We will see how serious the A's are about the postseason very shortly.
Here is the backstory on the song above: The song that "hit' was the b-side. They cobbled that together in like a day, just to fill both sides of a 45. No one remembers the a-side, of course. All the djs flipped the single and made it in to the monster smash that it was. And, it is still a staple in many ballparks around the country whenever the road starter is chased from the game. I think it was the 1977 Chicago White Sox who were the first to use the song in that manner.
************
Watched The Man Who Never Was last night, streaming on Netflix. It was not a particularly great movie, but it has a great true backstory, and it does star Gloria Grahame. Ms Grahame was obviously mailing her performance in in this picture, but I was still a sucker for her trademark Damaged Fuckable self.
The cool backstory is that the British Military and Intelligence "placed" a dead "pilot" off the coast of Spain with misleading information about the Allies' plans to invade Greece, as opposed to their real target, Sicily. The pilot was carrying letters to Eisenhower and the head General for the British forces. He also had a letter from his "fiancee", theatre tickets, receipt stubs from a clothing store, and other random items. The Germans fell for the ruse, and the Allies were able to secure Sicily.
************
Also saw a very excellent doc, streaming on Netflix, The Woodmans, about the artist family, whose daughter Francesca Woodman committed suicide in the early Eighties.
Honestly, I am not seeing the amazing talent that Francesca was concerning her provocative sexual canon of photography. I like her journal instead, although, for idiosyncratic reasons. The journal is certainly not "art' in the strictest sense of the word. I love the fractured sentence structure, the ellipses, the extremely deep and insightful look in to a young woman's sexuality, and her passion for creating art.
I will watch it with Renee soon. Renee is a damn fine photographer, herself, and I would be interested to get her thoughts on Ms Woodman's work.
************
And, finally, a great quote from one of Renee, Meghan, and I's great friends, Charles:
"Charles, is not it a bit early to be drinking?"
"Hell, no, honey. Just throw some juice in it and it's brunch."
All my Sunday love,
Ardent
Aug 25, 2012
We have got Todd "Magical Ladyparts" Akin, LL Cool P,
The GOP's War on American Women™, a hurricane bearing down on next week's GOP Convention of Unbridled Hate, the economy still in the crapper with folks hurting all over the globe, and just crummy news everywhere, but we also have this, the Petaluma Nationals in the US Championship game today at twelve-thirty PDT. So, like Spalding Grey says in Swimming to Cambodia, "There's hope!"
Go Petaluma Nationals! And know boys, that win or lose today, we are all so proud of you!
-- Ardent Henry
Go Petaluma Nationals! And know boys, that win or lose today, we are all so proud of you!
-- Ardent Henry
Aug 24, 2012
There is a fantastic, though prob
Apocryphal story about Austim's insanely fabulous Texas Instruments: That someone from the calculator company actually traveled down to Austim to see the band, decided that they were not going to be any big deal, or threat to the company name, and went back home. Even if that story is not true, it is true that the calculator company was upset, and did everything in their power, surreptitiously, to sabotage the band's success. The band eventually changed their name, and then disbanded.
The (Austim) Winona Ryders opened up for t.i. (as most folks called them, anyway) at a BBQ joint in Austim, TX. It was my first gig ever, and they were very kind to split the extremely modest door receipts with us after the show.
I am thinking of t.i. right now because of Todd Akin and the 2012 General and the GOP's War on American Women™.
The song Decade of Denial comes to mind:
The (Austim) Winona Ryders opened up for t.i. (as most folks called them, anyway) at a BBQ joint in Austim, TX. It was my first gig ever, and they were very kind to split the extremely modest door receipts with us after the show.
I am thinking of t.i. right now because of Todd Akin and the 2012 General and the GOP's War on American Women™.
The song Decade of Denial comes to mind:
"We'll all be better off under a Conservative sun/We're gonna legislate your bedroom/Tell you where and with whom/I was only doing my part/And pledge allegiance to the holy ramparts/You were only speaking your heart/We better stop/And arrest ourselves."
I would advise all of you folks to hunt down t.i. records, cds, downloads, whatever you can. They are difficult to find, and, if any of my friends close by would like me to burn you a cd, or let you tape my Sun Tunnels vinyl, I would be glad to oblige.
They are certainly worth it; one of America's most thoughtful, sensitive, and greatest bands ever.
Ardent
Aug 23, 2012
Greatest Show Ever
Renee is on her way to Baltimore in a few weeks for work. So, we have been watching a lot of The Wire lately to get her ready.
How does the 2012 Spitler/Diskowski Greatest Film Poll
Stack up to the 2012 Sight & Sound Greatest Films Poll?
Not too bad, actually.
We got five films in their Top 25, and six in their Top 40, to wit: Citizen Kane (2nd); Apocalypse Now (14th); Seven Samurai (17th); Singin' in the Rain (20th); The Godfather, Part 1 (21st); and The Godfather, Pt 2 (31st). (Remember that Sight and Sound changed the rules this time and ruled you could not lump the first two Godfather films as one picture, unlike our poll, and unlike Sight & Sound had done it in 2002.)
The magazine edition is publishing the top 250 films of their 2012 Poll, and the 2012 Spitler/Diskowski Poll landed ten films in the top 250. The other four are: Casablanca -- our Poll Winner (84th); Annie Hall (127th); Star Wars, Episode Four -- A New Hope (171st); and All About Eve (235th).
Here are the numbers/stats for the 2012 Spitler/Diskowski Greatest Films Poll, ranked by the Sight & Sound Poll.
1. Citizen Kane (3rd S/D) (2nd S&S) 157 S&S votes.
2. Apocalypse Now (5th S/D) (14th S&S) 52 S&S votes.
3. Seven Samurai (8th S/D) (17th S&S) 48 S&S votes.
4. Singin' in the Rain (10th S/D) (20th S&S) 46 S&S votes.
5. Godfather, Pt 1 (2nd S/D) (21st S&S) 43 S&S votes.
6. Godfather, Pt 2 (2nd S/D) (31st S&S) 38 S&S votes.
7. Casablanca (1st S/D) (84th S&S) 19 S&S votes.
8. Annie Hall (6th S/D) (127th S&S) 13 S&S votes.
9. Star Wars, Episode Four -- A New Hope (4th S/D) (171st S&S) 10 S&S votes.
10. All About Eve (13th S/D) (235th S&S) 7 S&S votes.
11. To Kill a Mockingbird (11th S/D) (894th S&S) 1 S&S vote.
12. Blazing Saddles (7th S/D) (-- S&S) 0 S&S votes, although one critic voted for Young Frankenstein.
13. All That Jazz (12th S/D) (-- S&S) 0 S&S votes, which I consider criminal. Hopefully All That Jazz did better in the Directors Poll, which I will report on next week.
************
How does my personal poll stack up against Sight & Sound?
It is a mixed bag. I got two of the Top Five, but only three in the Top 100. And I landed eight in the Top 250.
1. Citizen Kane (2nd my poll) (2nd S&S) 157 S&S votes.
2. Sunrise (3rd my poll) (5th S&S) 93 S&S votes.
3. Casablanca (7th my poll) (84th S&S) 19 S&S votes.
4. The Lady Eve (9th my poll) (110th S&S) 15 S&S votes.
5. Trouble in Paradise (1st my poll) (117th S&S) 14 S&S votes.
6. Annie Hall (6th my poll) (127th S&S) 13 S&S votes.
7. Kind Heart and Coronets (11th my poll) (171st S&S) 10 S&S votes.
8. All About Eve (8th my poll) (235th S&S) 7 S&S votes.
9. Double Indemnity (10th my poll) (283rd S&S) 6 S&S votes.
10. Gold Diggers of 1933 (5th my poll) (588th S&S) 2 votes.
11. All That Jazz (4th my poll) (-- S&S) Still no S&S votes.
Films I was happy to see receive at least one vote in the 2012 Sight & Sound Poll? Shaun of the Dead, The Royal Tenenbaums, Dazed and Confused, Withnail & I, Bad Timing, Don't Look Now, Army of Shadows, Lone Star, Stardust Memories, The Man in the White Suit, Carlos, Safe, and somehow two people snuck David Simon's smashing HBO series, The Wire on to their Top Ten list. That is just a very small sample. You could literally spend all day combing through their explore page. I will check on Velvet Goldmine later today and Todd Solondz' films, too.
Meanwhile, here are four S&S critics I would love to have a very long dinner with: Catherine A. Surowiec, Nathalie Morris (I will forgive her Coppola Marie Antoinette selection), Leo Robson, and Philip Berk.
And here is how two of my favorite film critics voted: Manohla Dargis, and Todd McCarthy.
I love you all,
Mwah, ...
Carol Reed's The Third Man, 73rd place in the 2012 Sight & Sound Poll, 22 votes.
Not too bad, actually.
We got five films in their Top 25, and six in their Top 40, to wit: Citizen Kane (2nd); Apocalypse Now (14th); Seven Samurai (17th); Singin' in the Rain (20th); The Godfather, Part 1 (21st); and The Godfather, Pt 2 (31st). (Remember that Sight and Sound changed the rules this time and ruled you could not lump the first two Godfather films as one picture, unlike our poll, and unlike Sight & Sound had done it in 2002.)
The magazine edition is publishing the top 250 films of their 2012 Poll, and the 2012 Spitler/Diskowski Poll landed ten films in the top 250. The other four are: Casablanca -- our Poll Winner (84th); Annie Hall (127th); Star Wars, Episode Four -- A New Hope (171st); and All About Eve (235th).
Here are the numbers/stats for the 2012 Spitler/Diskowski Greatest Films Poll, ranked by the Sight & Sound Poll.
1. Citizen Kane (3rd S/D) (2nd S&S) 157 S&S votes.
2. Apocalypse Now (5th S/D) (14th S&S) 52 S&S votes.
3. Seven Samurai (8th S/D) (17th S&S) 48 S&S votes.
4. Singin' in the Rain (10th S/D) (20th S&S) 46 S&S votes.
5. Godfather, Pt 1 (2nd S/D) (21st S&S) 43 S&S votes.
6. Godfather, Pt 2 (2nd S/D) (31st S&S) 38 S&S votes.
7. Casablanca (1st S/D) (84th S&S) 19 S&S votes.
8. Annie Hall (6th S/D) (127th S&S) 13 S&S votes.
9. Star Wars, Episode Four -- A New Hope (4th S/D) (171st S&S) 10 S&S votes.
10. All About Eve (13th S/D) (235th S&S) 7 S&S votes.
11. To Kill a Mockingbird (11th S/D) (894th S&S) 1 S&S vote.
12. Blazing Saddles (7th S/D) (-- S&S) 0 S&S votes, although one critic voted for Young Frankenstein.
13. All That Jazz (12th S/D) (-- S&S) 0 S&S votes, which I consider criminal. Hopefully All That Jazz did better in the Directors Poll, which I will report on next week.
************
How does my personal poll stack up against Sight & Sound?
It is a mixed bag. I got two of the Top Five, but only three in the Top 100. And I landed eight in the Top 250.
1. Citizen Kane (2nd my poll) (2nd S&S) 157 S&S votes.
2. Sunrise (3rd my poll) (5th S&S) 93 S&S votes.
3. Casablanca (7th my poll) (84th S&S) 19 S&S votes.
4. The Lady Eve (9th my poll) (110th S&S) 15 S&S votes.
5. Trouble in Paradise (1st my poll) (117th S&S) 14 S&S votes.
6. Annie Hall (6th my poll) (127th S&S) 13 S&S votes.
7. Kind Heart and Coronets (11th my poll) (171st S&S) 10 S&S votes.
8. All About Eve (8th my poll) (235th S&S) 7 S&S votes.
9. Double Indemnity (10th my poll) (283rd S&S) 6 S&S votes.
10. Gold Diggers of 1933 (5th my poll) (588th S&S) 2 votes.
11. All That Jazz (4th my poll) (-- S&S) Still no S&S votes.
Films I was happy to see receive at least one vote in the 2012 Sight & Sound Poll? Shaun of the Dead, The Royal Tenenbaums, Dazed and Confused, Withnail & I, Bad Timing, Don't Look Now, Army of Shadows, Lone Star, Stardust Memories, The Man in the White Suit, Carlos, Safe, and somehow two people snuck David Simon's smashing HBO series, The Wire on to their Top Ten list. That is just a very small sample. You could literally spend all day combing through their explore page. I will check on Velvet Goldmine later today and Todd Solondz' films, too.
Meanwhile, here are four S&S critics I would love to have a very long dinner with: Catherine A. Surowiec, Nathalie Morris (I will forgive her Coppola Marie Antoinette selection), Leo Robson, and Philip Berk.
And here is how two of my favorite film critics voted: Manohla Dargis, and Todd McCarthy.
I love you all,
Mwah, ...
Carol Reed's The Third Man, 73rd place in the 2012 Sight & Sound Poll, 22 votes.
Aug 22, 2012
Aug 21, 2012
This is apropos of nothing,
Of nothing I have been commenting on lately. It just felt good to listen to this with some Prosecco on the walk home today. (And then I listened to some Sex Pistols.)
"When I say I'm in love, you best believe I'm in love, El You Vee!"
Once again, Kos and Charlie Pierce
Are right.
Why on earth would Todd "Magical Ladyparts" Akin drop out of his Senate race?
McCaskill is extremely unpopular in Missouri and the spot poll conducted right after the Akin firestorm showed Akin up by one point. Moreover, the poll also asked folks what they thought of Akin's comments (read real beliefs, no matter what Akin says today) and they were sensibly appalled. But, not appalled enough apparently to change their prospective vote to McCaskill.
Because this is the Modus Operandi for the GOP, and has been for decades: The sin is not in what Akin said -- most GOP folks in Missouri have no problem with that. They do not like that he said it out loud. I mean, to quote Rushmore, "Now, that's just rude."
Rove and GPS bailed, sure. But some super-secretive, super-wealthy PAC will fill their shoes. And, now the rest of the GOP Clown Car gets to look "sensitive", screaming for Akin's head whilst popping the Cristal at home by themselves. I mean, look what these pearl clutching ,"we're so horrified" by Akin GOP weasels did just fucking today! (Mittens camp let loose with a howler today re the 2012 GOP Platform, that just because he is their official nominee that that does not necessarily mean that that is part of the Mittens/LL Cool P platform.)(Plus, notice that the GOP Clown Car are urging Akin to bow out of his Senate campaign not his House Seat!)
It is the best of both worlds for these assholes. Unless. Unless we do something. Donate to McCaskill, educate your friends and family about these GOP idiots, exposing them for the cruel hateful bastards they are, and donate to Planned Parenthood, too.
There is a fucking GOP War on American Women out there. We can not let the bastards win.
All my love,
Michael
P.S. And, it is no surprise that the most eloquent excellent quote from the past few days comes from my guy, Obama: "Rape is rape, and the idea that we should be parsing and qualifying and slicing what types of rape we are talking about doesn't make sense to the American people and certainly doesn't make sense to me."
Why on earth would Todd "Magical Ladyparts" Akin drop out of his Senate race?
McCaskill is extremely unpopular in Missouri and the spot poll conducted right after the Akin firestorm showed Akin up by one point. Moreover, the poll also asked folks what they thought of Akin's comments (read real beliefs, no matter what Akin says today) and they were sensibly appalled. But, not appalled enough apparently to change their prospective vote to McCaskill.
Because this is the Modus Operandi for the GOP, and has been for decades: The sin is not in what Akin said -- most GOP folks in Missouri have no problem with that. They do not like that he said it out loud. I mean, to quote Rushmore, "Now, that's just rude."
Rove and GPS bailed, sure. But some super-secretive, super-wealthy PAC will fill their shoes. And, now the rest of the GOP Clown Car gets to look "sensitive", screaming for Akin's head whilst popping the Cristal at home by themselves. I mean, look what these pearl clutching ,"we're so horrified" by Akin GOP weasels did just fucking today! (Mittens camp let loose with a howler today re the 2012 GOP Platform, that just because he is their official nominee that that does not necessarily mean that that is part of the Mittens/LL Cool P platform.)(Plus, notice that the GOP Clown Car are urging Akin to bow out of his Senate campaign not his House Seat!)
It is the best of both worlds for these assholes. Unless. Unless we do something. Donate to McCaskill, educate your friends and family about these GOP idiots, exposing them for the cruel hateful bastards they are, and donate to Planned Parenthood, too.
There is a fucking GOP War on American Women out there. We can not let the bastards win.
All my love,
Michael
P.S. And, it is no surprise that the most eloquent excellent quote from the past few days comes from my guy, Obama: "Rape is rape, and the idea that we should be parsing and qualifying and slicing what types of rape we are talking about doesn't make sense to the American people and certainly doesn't make sense to me."
Aug 20, 2012
My Sweetie, my cats, French films, and French wine will save this day.
This whole Todd Akin thing has got me really depressed and angry. I wanted to do a v long post about the Sight & Sound Poll today, and even started writing, ... but, ...
I am going to watch 8 Femmes -- which I just bought on Friday last -- drink French wine and wait for my Sweetie to come home.
Politics can tear a soul to shreds on certain days.
Catherine Deneuve, Ludivine Sagnier, Virginie Ledoyen, and my lovely Wife can save me, though. And Molly and Mavis, too.
All my Monday love, Angels! I will get that Sight & Sound report to you soon, I swear. And, an 8 Femmes review.
Ciao,
mds
 |
| "This tiny pink pistol is so cute. And it matches my clothes." |
I am going to watch 8 Femmes -- which I just bought on Friday last -- drink French wine and wait for my Sweetie to come home.
Politics can tear a soul to shreds on certain days.
Catherine Deneuve, Ludivine Sagnier, Virginie Ledoyen, and my lovely Wife can save me, though. And Molly and Mavis, too.
All my Monday love, Angels! I will get that Sight & Sound report to you soon, I swear. And, an 8 Femmes review.
Ciao,
mds
Gosh, my friends with ladyparts, I did not know you had such amazing powers!
I mean, you really do learn something new every day.
And, I am shocked -- shocked! -- that Fox News has not said a single word about this piece of work today.
But, this is not just some unhinged "I'm running for Senate!" dude. This "argument" has been popular with the forced pregnancy crowd for decades now.
Nope, Fox News has nothing to say about Todd Akin today. They are going on non-stop about this guy, instead.
Mittens mumbled something about how awful Akin's statements were, but, do not forget that LL Cool P co-sponsored a "personhood" bill with this Akin jackwagon just last year. You know, one of those amazing teabagging "jobs" bills they all promised we were going to get?
Dang, if Claire McCaskill messes this up? UGH!
And, I am shocked -- shocked! -- that Fox News has not said a single word about this piece of work today.
But, this is not just some unhinged "I'm running for Senate!" dude. This "argument" has been popular with the forced pregnancy crowd for decades now.
Nope, Fox News has nothing to say about Todd Akin today. They are going on non-stop about this guy, instead.
Mittens mumbled something about how awful Akin's statements were, but, do not forget that LL Cool P co-sponsored a "personhood" bill with this Akin jackwagon just last year. You know, one of those amazing teabagging "jobs" bills they all promised we were going to get?
Dang, if Claire McCaskill messes this up? UGH!
Aug 19, 2012
"James is from the Valley, he'd probably like Chablis."
When Renee and I first started going out, I think I showed her a VHS copy of Paul Bartel's eighties/swinger cult classic, Eating Raoul, for the first time, never expecting her to like the film quite as much as she did.
For a while there, Renee wanted to take Eating Raoul to bed with her every night, to fall asleep to. And, the quote above, the "title" of this post, has become part of our personal Secret Language and is uttered by us all the time, oftentimes as a complete non sequitur -- but mostly whenever anyone talks about or drinks Chablis.
Anyhoo, it is my personal pleasure to announce that Criterion is releasing Eating Raoul on bluray on Renee's birthday next month -- and, no, that will not be her birthday present from me, Clever Clogs!
I am sure many will scoff that Criterion would do a super duper treatment on this silly little, very cheap, extremely black -- and sexy -- comedy. Scoff away, I do not care. I can not wait.
************
Today should be a lovely lazy day, doing laundry, drinking fabulous wine and eating wonderful food. We deserve it. That was a long week we just finished.
All my love, I hope everyone has a splendid Sunday,
Mwah, ...
For a while there, Renee wanted to take Eating Raoul to bed with her every night, to fall asleep to. And, the quote above, the "title" of this post, has become part of our personal Secret Language and is uttered by us all the time, oftentimes as a complete non sequitur -- but mostly whenever anyone talks about or drinks Chablis.
Anyhoo, it is my personal pleasure to announce that Criterion is releasing Eating Raoul on bluray on Renee's birthday next month -- and, no, that will not be her birthday present from me, Clever Clogs!
I am sure many will scoff that Criterion would do a super duper treatment on this silly little, very cheap, extremely black -- and sexy -- comedy. Scoff away, I do not care. I can not wait.
************
Today should be a lovely lazy day, doing laundry, drinking fabulous wine and eating wonderful food. We deserve it. That was a long week we just finished.
All my love, I hope everyone has a splendid Sunday,
Mwah, ...
Aug 18, 2012
"With Centrists, it takes about an afternoon."
ARTHUR: She said she applied the old sixties slogan, Make Love Not War. For several years, she slept with her political enemies to convert them. She used her body as a weapon of mass destruction of fascists. She used the term "fascist" very broadly.
BAYA: I can do great things with my ass. I mean, you can never convince people you don't agree with. It's much better to use sex.
Aug 17, 2012
Number four on the 2012 Sight & Sound Greatest Films Poll
And one of my all-time favorite films. Criterion have this available for you on dvd, bluray, and for digital purchase through iTunes. Do yourself a serious favor, buy this, and cuddle up with a bottle of Champagne or Bordeaux, and be prepared to be swept away. Renoir was an absolute master and genius.
************
Coeurs sensibles, coeurs fideles.
Qui blamez l'amour leger,
Cessez vos plaintes cruelles:
Est-ce un crime de changer?
Si l'Amour porte des ailes,
N'est-ce pas pour voltiger?
N'est-ce pas pour voltiger?
N'est-ce pas pour voltiger?
And,
"Everyone has their reasons."
AH
Yes, and that
Joe Biden guy (and that Kenyan Muslim dude he works for) are sooooo mean!
Here is what real asshattery looks like.
I am sure Mittens will denounce this ad campaign any minute now.
************
And, then there is Rafalca's owner, Mittens' Wifey, getting real huffy about The Help (h/t Charlie Pierce) repeatedly asking about them tax returns.
Yesterday, Mittens, himself, told us, "There is nothing to see here" re said tax returns. Fine, frickin' show them to us, already.
Here is what real asshattery looks like.
I am sure Mittens will denounce this ad campaign any minute now.
************
And, then there is Rafalca's owner, Mittens' Wifey, getting real huffy about The Help (h/t Charlie Pierce) repeatedly asking about them tax returns.
Yesterday, Mittens, himself, told us, "There is nothing to see here" re said tax returns. Fine, frickin' show them to us, already.
Aug 16, 2012
Now I can really get in to the details.
 |
| Man with a Movie Camera poster. |
I will post a big big big rundown later this week.
I watched Man with a Movie Camera today (number eight on the 2012 Critics' List.) It is a majestic, gorgeous, magical little "documentary" that I will purchase through Amazon this weekend. More on that later, too.
Here is David Thomson's Top Ten Ballot. (Still sticking with Blue Velvet, hunh? Ick.)
There are oodles of artists, orchestras, and bands that have scored Man with a Movie Camera. This score, heard above, is by Cinematic Orchestra, and the video above is a one reel edit of the full seven reel film. I rented on Amazon streaming the version with Michael Nyman's score. The dvd I will buy has Nyman's score and one or two other choices, I believe.
Man with a Movie Camera is very ardently highly recommended.
Mwah, ...
Aug 15, 2012
Some excellent links to thoughts on
Mittens' pick of Paul Ryan: Dante from Hullabaloo, Nate Silver from 538, and Digby, also from Hullabaloo.
Meanwhile, Democrats suffered a huge defeat in Pennsylvania today, with the Voter ID (read Voter Suppression) law not overturned.
Michael
Meanwhile, Democrats suffered a huge defeat in Pennsylvania today, with the Voter ID (read Voter Suppression) law not overturned.
Michael
Like one of our culture's all-time greatest
Sufferers, The Dude, from The Big Lebowski, Renee also lost a very valuable collection of music when she totaled her car last year.
Her Creedence was my Blue Eyed Soul cd I had made for her of my own volition. (We were going through a big Hall and Oates thing-y at the time. Do not snicker, ... )
Anyhoo, I finally got around to making her a new copy of the cd she lost in the crash. Here is the playlist and some videos:
PNUT'S (NEW) BLUE EYED SOUL
1. Amy Winehouse/Me & Mr Jones
2. The Spencer Davis Group/I'm a Man
3. Average White Band/Pick Up the Pieces
4. Dusty Springfield/Don't Forget About Me
5. Carole King/I Feel the Earth Move
6. Todd Rundgren/I Saw the Light
7. Robert Palmer/Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley
8. Ambrosia/How Much I Feel
9. Daryl Hall and John Oates/I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)
10. Daryl Hall and John Oates/Maneater
11. Bobby Caldwell/What You Won't Do For Love
12. David Bowie/Young Americans
13. Boz Scaggs/Lowdown
14. Carole King/It's Too Late
15. The Spencer Davis Group/Every Little Bit Hurts
16. Average White Band/Cut the Cake
17. George Michael/One More Try
18. Ace/How Long
I love you all,
Ardent
Her Creedence was my Blue Eyed Soul cd I had made for her of my own volition. (We were going through a big Hall and Oates thing-y at the time. Do not snicker, ... )
Anyhoo, I finally got around to making her a new copy of the cd she lost in the crash. Here is the playlist and some videos:
PNUT'S (NEW) BLUE EYED SOUL
1. Amy Winehouse/Me & Mr Jones
3. Average White Band/Pick Up the Pieces
4. Dusty Springfield/Don't Forget About Me
5. Carole King/I Feel the Earth Move
6. Todd Rundgren/I Saw the Light
7. Robert Palmer/Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley
8. Ambrosia/How Much I Feel
9. Daryl Hall and John Oates/I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)
10. Daryl Hall and John Oates/Maneater
11. Bobby Caldwell/What You Won't Do For Love
12. David Bowie/Young Americans
13. Boz Scaggs/Lowdown
14. Carole King/It's Too Late
15. The Spencer Davis Group/Every Little Bit Hurts
16. Average White Band/Cut the Cake
17. George Michael/One More Try
18. Ace/How Long
I love you all,
Ardent
Aug 14, 2012
Here you are:
Some Charlie Pierce, some more Charlie Pierce, yet more Charlie Pierce, and to top it off, a little bit of Charlie Pierce for dessert.
And, that is all just from yesterday. I have not even checked in with him and TBogg yet this morning.
************
And remember, any "Public Servant" that tells you they want to "reform" Social Security and Medicare, actually wants to destroy Social Security and Medicare.
Michael
And, that is all just from yesterday. I have not even checked in with him and TBogg yet this morning.
************
And remember, any "Public Servant" that tells you they want to "reform" Social Security and Medicare, actually wants to destroy Social Security and Medicare.
Michael
Aug 13, 2012
"A quickie?"
"You are such a coward. Take your backlog of Mojo, your shit clothes, and your eighth of dope, and your flute, and piss off!"
 |
| This is about half of my Mojo collection, and the Dylan and The Dead one you see in the shot above? I own it. |
She, the Wifey, surprisingly, liked it more
Than I did. And, I liked Ruby Sparks a great deal.
2012, the Summer of Young Love continues unabated.
My biggest issue with the film was a crucial scene towards the end, which confused me, and strained my normally massive threshold for a Suspension of Disbelief. But, Renee brought up a couple of good arguments, including a crucial one that had never occurred to me while watching the film -- and, which I can not reveal here as it would spoil the movie -- and I am beginning to wrap my head around it, liking the film more and more the further I get away from it.
There is a sizable opposition to Ruby Sparks on tumblr, due to Fox Searchlight's ad campaign there, and many young women tired of Manic Pixie Dream Girl movies. Renee hates those types of movies, too. Movies about crazy, beautiful young women with bangs, who wear colored tights every day, with names like Summer or Ruby. I imagine she entered the cinema warily. But, she did know that the star, Zoe Kazan, wrote the script, as well. Which might of alleviated her concerns somewhat.
Make no mistake, Kazan's script calls for the initial incarnation of her character, Ruby Sparks, to be just that, the Manic Pixie Dream Girl Supreme. But, there is a very important scene before her appearance between Paul Dano and his brother Chris Messina that also illustrates very bluntly that Ruby is a fanciful creation of Dano's and not at all a real person. Messina says, "You're a great writer, but you don't know shit about women."
Kazan gently subverts the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope whilst still living it large on the screen, which is a pretty canny thing to do. (And, is probably really good for business.)
I respect those young women's opinions on tumblr. I understand why they might not like the picture, and Ruby Sparks is certainly no feminist manifesto. (I have already created an "alternate feminist ending" in my head that only someone like Todd Solondz could get away with.) But, the film still has valuable things to say about the nature of controlling, self-absorbed personalities; the importance of freedom in relationships; the very fragile nature of all relationships; and the risky, dangerous power of all-consuming love.
Dano, one of my favorite actors right now, does an excellent job, and he is just starting to remind me a bit of Kevin Kline, which is fine by me. Dano's best moments are his comedic turns when Ruby makes her first appearance. And, I love that I am seeing Chris Messina (Julie & Julia "Lobster killer, qu'est-ce que c'est!") in so many things right now. Both of us really enjoyed Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas in their small roles, as well.
I thought the direction by the husband and wife team of Jonathon Dayton and Valerie Feris showed real panache, particularly in a sequence of scenes in the first act of the film, culminating in Ruby's arrival. Their obligatory arcade "falling in love" montage with Plastic Bertrand's Ca Plane Pour Moi playing over it, was smashing, too.
In fact, the entire soundtrack was fantastic. They hired an indie rock musician to do an original orchestral score, used some obvious classical choices, and some spectacular French pop songs, new and old. I have a new favorite band, thanks to this movie, Holden, who are actually are most famous in Chile, of all places. The soundtrack was used sparingly, too, which was such a relief. Normally, films like these have every scene plastered with pop songs. It was nice to just hear actors' voices, playing scenes.
Ruby Sparks is really good, and Renee and I are proud of Ms Kazan, who has probably had some tough battles with Hollywood and Broadway folks, due to her relationship to her grandfather, Elia Kazan; definitely not one of my favorite persons, to say the least, artistically or personally.
It is not something we would like to own on bluray or dvd, perhaps, but I will definitely watch it again on cable when that happens, and give you an update then.
************
Meanwhile, I wish I had good news for you about The Artist, the film that won Best Picture, and a film that many of you have already seen, I am sure.
I will be honest, the reason I did not see The Artist, a film I was extremely excited about, in the theater, was because Renee did not want to see it, and I never found the time to see it on my own.
Well, Renee was right.
We watched it at home on Saturday night and were massively underwhelmed, the both of us. If you are going to beg the indulgence of a modern day iToy/TMZ/Housewives culture with a two hour silent film, could you at least make it mean something? Could it not be important? Even great comedies often speak profoundly about life, most often about love.
This film said nothing to me about life, or love, or relationships, or even its' own theme, that Pride Kills, a theme I have mined and recognized throughout my entire life.
Plus, the film seems to have been directed and/or shot by different directors and DPs. Some shots, sequences are gorgeous to behold, only to be followed by the most pedestrian of set-ups and production design.
The dog is the best thing in it.
The original score is awful, and the dance numbers are terrible, too, particularly the last number that ends the picture. Do you really think that there is any way that Busby Berkeley would have made a musical with that atrocious set construction behind his precious chorines? No way.
I knew coming in to this that director, Michel Hazanavicius, and his star, Jean Dujardin, had built their career to date on the Bond spoof OSS films, but I expected The Artist to be a step forward, an honest to goodness statement on the magical erotic power of Silent Cinema. Instead, I received yet another silly, haphazard spoof film, full of references to Singin' in the Rain and Gene Kelly.
Massive let-down.
I took FW Murnau's The Last Laugh with me to bed after watching The Artist. And that was after Renee and I watched some real dancers on YouTube, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. TCM showed a marathon of Astaire/Rogers films yesterday, which i dvr'd, but they are all available on dvd. Watch those instead.
Here are some clips: (one of which I have already posted here, but it is so good, I am posting it again.) Enjoy!
All my Monday love,
Ardent Henry
2012, the Summer of Young Love continues unabated.
My biggest issue with the film was a crucial scene towards the end, which confused me, and strained my normally massive threshold for a Suspension of Disbelief. But, Renee brought up a couple of good arguments, including a crucial one that had never occurred to me while watching the film -- and, which I can not reveal here as it would spoil the movie -- and I am beginning to wrap my head around it, liking the film more and more the further I get away from it.
There is a sizable opposition to Ruby Sparks on tumblr, due to Fox Searchlight's ad campaign there, and many young women tired of Manic Pixie Dream Girl movies. Renee hates those types of movies, too. Movies about crazy, beautiful young women with bangs, who wear colored tights every day, with names like Summer or Ruby. I imagine she entered the cinema warily. But, she did know that the star, Zoe Kazan, wrote the script, as well. Which might of alleviated her concerns somewhat.
Make no mistake, Kazan's script calls for the initial incarnation of her character, Ruby Sparks, to be just that, the Manic Pixie Dream Girl Supreme. But, there is a very important scene before her appearance between Paul Dano and his brother Chris Messina that also illustrates very bluntly that Ruby is a fanciful creation of Dano's and not at all a real person. Messina says, "You're a great writer, but you don't know shit about women."
Kazan gently subverts the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope whilst still living it large on the screen, which is a pretty canny thing to do. (And, is probably really good for business.)
I respect those young women's opinions on tumblr. I understand why they might not like the picture, and Ruby Sparks is certainly no feminist manifesto. (I have already created an "alternate feminist ending" in my head that only someone like Todd Solondz could get away with.) But, the film still has valuable things to say about the nature of controlling, self-absorbed personalities; the importance of freedom in relationships; the very fragile nature of all relationships; and the risky, dangerous power of all-consuming love.
Dano, one of my favorite actors right now, does an excellent job, and he is just starting to remind me a bit of Kevin Kline, which is fine by me. Dano's best moments are his comedic turns when Ruby makes her first appearance. And, I love that I am seeing Chris Messina (Julie & Julia "Lobster killer, qu'est-ce que c'est!") in so many things right now. Both of us really enjoyed Annette Bening and Antonio Banderas in their small roles, as well.
I thought the direction by the husband and wife team of Jonathon Dayton and Valerie Feris showed real panache, particularly in a sequence of scenes in the first act of the film, culminating in Ruby's arrival. Their obligatory arcade "falling in love" montage with Plastic Bertrand's Ca Plane Pour Moi playing over it, was smashing, too.
In fact, the entire soundtrack was fantastic. They hired an indie rock musician to do an original orchestral score, used some obvious classical choices, and some spectacular French pop songs, new and old. I have a new favorite band, thanks to this movie, Holden, who are actually are most famous in Chile, of all places. The soundtrack was used sparingly, too, which was such a relief. Normally, films like these have every scene plastered with pop songs. It was nice to just hear actors' voices, playing scenes.
Ruby Sparks is really good, and Renee and I are proud of Ms Kazan, who has probably had some tough battles with Hollywood and Broadway folks, due to her relationship to her grandfather, Elia Kazan; definitely not one of my favorite persons, to say the least, artistically or personally.
It is not something we would like to own on bluray or dvd, perhaps, but I will definitely watch it again on cable when that happens, and give you an update then.
************
Meanwhile, I wish I had good news for you about The Artist, the film that won Best Picture, and a film that many of you have already seen, I am sure.
I will be honest, the reason I did not see The Artist, a film I was extremely excited about, in the theater, was because Renee did not want to see it, and I never found the time to see it on my own.
Well, Renee was right.
We watched it at home on Saturday night and were massively underwhelmed, the both of us. If you are going to beg the indulgence of a modern day iToy/TMZ/Housewives culture with a two hour silent film, could you at least make it mean something? Could it not be important? Even great comedies often speak profoundly about life, most often about love.
This film said nothing to me about life, or love, or relationships, or even its' own theme, that Pride Kills, a theme I have mined and recognized throughout my entire life.
Plus, the film seems to have been directed and/or shot by different directors and DPs. Some shots, sequences are gorgeous to behold, only to be followed by the most pedestrian of set-ups and production design.
The dog is the best thing in it.
The original score is awful, and the dance numbers are terrible, too, particularly the last number that ends the picture. Do you really think that there is any way that Busby Berkeley would have made a musical with that atrocious set construction behind his precious chorines? No way.
I knew coming in to this that director, Michel Hazanavicius, and his star, Jean Dujardin, had built their career to date on the Bond spoof OSS films, but I expected The Artist to be a step forward, an honest to goodness statement on the magical erotic power of Silent Cinema. Instead, I received yet another silly, haphazard spoof film, full of references to Singin' in the Rain and Gene Kelly.
Massive let-down.
I took FW Murnau's The Last Laugh with me to bed after watching The Artist. And that was after Renee and I watched some real dancers on YouTube, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. TCM showed a marathon of Astaire/Rogers films yesterday, which i dvr'd, but they are all available on dvd. Watch those instead.
Here are some clips: (one of which I have already posted here, but it is so good, I am posting it again.) Enjoy!
All my Monday love,
Ardent Henry
Aug 12, 2012
I obviously will not be sharing
These "videos" on friendface, and I hope everyone appreciates them in their original humorous and satirical context.
And, lastly:
This post is dedicated to Nick C. I love how Sodomy has become our "Party Piece" at social gatherings of late. (And, you should definitely pardon the expression.)
Mwah, ...
And, lastly:
This post is dedicated to Nick C. I love how Sodomy has become our "Party Piece" at social gatherings of late. (And, you should definitely pardon the expression.)
Mwah, ...
After yesterday's official launch
Of the USS Hapless Shrugged (serious h/t to my friendface friendie, David D), it took about ninety minutes of Fox News punditry for Stephen Moore to create Fox News' latest Paul Ryan meme, to wit:
Those folks of us with ladyparts loooooooove themselves some Paul Ryan.
Fox News this morning has been all LL Cool P all the time. They have trotted out Jan Brewer, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and the Queen of Alaska, herself, Sarah Palin. They have got themselves a serious new Manfriend, if you know what I mean. He is hunky, he shoots guns, he hates Medicare and Social Security, he is white, really white, he drives a truck, loves Jesus and Ayn Rand! -- a multi-tasker! -- and I am sure will drive all those with ladyparts absolutely wild with desire! It is like The Beatles landing in New York all over again.
Keep running with this, folks. Gonna be a winner.
Those folks of us with ladyparts loooooooove themselves some Paul Ryan.
Fox News this morning has been all LL Cool P all the time. They have trotted out Jan Brewer, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and the Queen of Alaska, herself, Sarah Palin. They have got themselves a serious new Manfriend, if you know what I mean. He is hunky, he shoots guns, he hates Medicare and Social Security, he is white, really white, he drives a truck, loves Jesus and Ayn Rand! -- a multi-tasker! -- and I am sure will drive all those with ladyparts absolutely wild with desire! It is like The Beatles landing in New York all over again.
Keep running with this, folks. Gonna be a winner.
 |
| LL Cool P iz in the heezy, y'all! |
Meanwhile, gas prices are way up this past month, so, folks at Fox News are definitely cracking open their 1997 Screaming Eagle Cabernets right now. Time to par-tay!
Aug 11, 2012
Aug 10, 2012
Uh, so now the GOP Clown Car
Has got its' panties in a twist re Harry Reid for a new and different reason.
Because it is working. Mittens' national numbers are tanking this week, and this desperate "Look! A monkey! My Veep!" ploy this weekend is not going to stem the tide. Heck, Mittens will not even listen to the WSJ and all those Fox News pundits, screaming for him to just release the damn returns, already.
Fine with me. Have fun watching those numbers sink even further, Willard.
The Mittens Campaign, in addition to the Secret Veep Sweepstakes, are also pushing hard on the "Obama is a meanie!" trope.
Dang, whodathunk Obama and his folks wanted to win this General? Who are these Jokers in Mittens' corner, really?
Meanwhile, out in Missouri, the GOP Senate candidate is desperate to legislate hisself some more vaginas. Them Ladyparts really put Right-Wingers in a tizzy, hunh?
Michael
I love my Apple teevee because
Right now I am rolling through Netflix's massive collection of streaming French romcoms of the aughts, watching one just about every other night.
They are not always great, or even good sometimes, but they hit me in a sweet spot like dessert. These films are truffles, rich luxurious barely naughty indulgences. And I am always left wiping the chocolate from my mouth after they are done.
But, on my journeys through Romcommedia Francaise (my passport was stamped with a kiss, mais oui!) I have discovered one film that it is not available streaming, 8 Femmes, from 2002, starring: Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Virginie Ledoyen, Ludivine Sagnier, Fanny Ardant (what a great name), and Emmanuelle Beart. Oh, dear. How have I missed this? So, I will track down this film and watch it as soon as possible. It is a period chateau murder mystery with an all female cast and singing and dancing, too!
This is my type of dessert.
Watch this space for more news and pictures of my journeys. There will be lots of postcards, I promise.
Mwah, ...
Aug 9, 2012
It is time to say goodbye (UPDATED!)
To one of my favorite athletes, a Woman Michael (Truly) Loves, Louisa Necib. She is currently playing in the Bronze Medal Match against Canada. They are scoreless, just beginning the second half.
Team France lost an absolutely heartbreaking Semi versus Japan on Monday. They did not play the first half with their usual offensive abandon and found themselves two goals down on set pieces, including one which was a goalkeeper howler. By the time France got back in to the game -- and by this point Necib was completely out of her head, her finest performance ever in a big-time tournament -- two things sealed their fate: Bussaglia missed the frame on her rightly called penalty and the Japanese goalkeeper stopped Necib's point blank shot later in the run of play.
Japan are a very good team, and they play as a team. Everyone helps out all over the field and they are so solid and organized that it can make up for whatever they lack in terms of an air game. The last fifteen minutes of that Semi was the first time I have seen Team Japan rattled like that.
Meanwhile the USWNT's Semi with Canada was an even greater match to watch, though by the end of it, I honestly was rooting for Canada. Christine Sinclair's performance -- a Hat Trick -- was a sublime blend of grit, power, and beauty. And, her reaction on the field after the third goal was astonishing to witness.
It makes it all the more painful for Canada due to the fact that two very controversial calls went against them that might have cost them the match. There was a very dubious "six second rule" called against the Canadian goalkeeper, which I have never seen called in any football match, men or women's ever, and another subsequent iffy handball called right after the USWNT's indirect free kick in the box.
So, sue me. I will be rooting for Japan in the final and Team France for the Bronze. (France is dominating the run of play currently but can not seem to finish. Both teams are exhausted, too.)
Mwah, ...
UPDATED: Team Canada win the Bronze, scoring against the run of play in extra time to beat Team France one nil.
Heartbreak for France.
AH
 |
| Ms Necib against Canada in the Bronze Medal Match. A bientot, Angel! |
Team France lost an absolutely heartbreaking Semi versus Japan on Monday. They did not play the first half with their usual offensive abandon and found themselves two goals down on set pieces, including one which was a goalkeeper howler. By the time France got back in to the game -- and by this point Necib was completely out of her head, her finest performance ever in a big-time tournament -- two things sealed their fate: Bussaglia missed the frame on her rightly called penalty and the Japanese goalkeeper stopped Necib's point blank shot later in the run of play.
Japan are a very good team, and they play as a team. Everyone helps out all over the field and they are so solid and organized that it can make up for whatever they lack in terms of an air game. The last fifteen minutes of that Semi was the first time I have seen Team Japan rattled like that.
Meanwhile the USWNT's Semi with Canada was an even greater match to watch, though by the end of it, I honestly was rooting for Canada. Christine Sinclair's performance -- a Hat Trick -- was a sublime blend of grit, power, and beauty. And, her reaction on the field after the third goal was astonishing to witness.
 |
| Christine Sinclair after scoring her third goal in the London 2012 Women's Football Semis. |
It makes it all the more painful for Canada due to the fact that two very controversial calls went against them that might have cost them the match. There was a very dubious "six second rule" called against the Canadian goalkeeper, which I have never seen called in any football match, men or women's ever, and another subsequent iffy handball called right after the USWNT's indirect free kick in the box.
So, sue me. I will be rooting for Japan in the final and Team France for the Bronze. (France is dominating the run of play currently but can not seem to finish. Both teams are exhausted, too.)
Mwah, ...
UPDATED: Team Canada win the Bronze, scoring against the run of play in extra time to beat Team France one nil.
Heartbreak for France.
AH
Aug 7, 2012
Kos and Charlie Pierce keep
Banging the Harry Reid is a badass drums.
Good for them. And good for Harry Reid. This whole "drama" has got the GOP Clown Car pearl clutchers seriously on the defensive.
Mittens should sue or show us the returns. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. The GOP just are not used to these kind of tactics, and the Courtier Media are aghast at just how unfair all this is. I think they might stomp their feet, even, or hold their breath.
Go ahead. Please. Maybe we will get a real press that holds ridiculous "Public Servants" accountable for once.
All my love,
Michael
Good for them. And good for Harry Reid. This whole "drama" has got the GOP Clown Car pearl clutchers seriously on the defensive.
Mittens should sue or show us the returns. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. The GOP just are not used to these kind of tactics, and the Courtier Media are aghast at just how unfair all this is. I think they might stomp their feet, even, or hold their breath.
Go ahead. Please. Maybe we will get a real press that holds ridiculous "Public Servants" accountable for once.
All my love,
Michael
I saw this delightful little souffle
Last night, streaming on Netflix. The perfect antidote to Team France losing yesterday, and The Queen of Versailles.
I will expound more on this film, and the thrilling London 2012 Women's Football Semifinals later today, tomorrow, or as soon as I can.
Mwah, ...
I will expound more on this film, and the thrilling London 2012 Women's Football Semifinals later today, tomorrow, or as soon as I can.
Mwah, ...
 |
| Virginie Ledoyen. Ooh-la-la, indeed! |
A.O. Scott of the NYT was not
The only reviewer of Lauren Greenfield's The Queen of Versailles that suggested that one of the most admirable things about the film was its "objective" sympathetic take on our "protagonist", Jackie Siegel, the Queen, as it were, of this motion picture.
Well, Renee definitely felt more for Ms Siegel than I did. I suppose I am not a completely cold-hearted cynical sort-of person that felt nothing for Ms Siegel, but seeing her walk up to the Hertz counter and asking, "Who's my driver?" does not really endear me to her, to say the least. Nor does it to see Ms Siegel asking her children, "What was it like to fly commercial?" Or, hearing Ms Siegel talk about after the 2008 Meltdown had seriously hurt their family fortune and finances (not like those millions currently out of work right now, or the thousands her husband had to lay off) that now her eight children were going to have seriously consider college as an option, and figure out what they wanted to be when they grew up.
Actually, the more I think about this, the less and less I like Ms Siegel.
Still, the real villain in this documentary -- that almost resembled a Christopher Guest film in places -- is David Siegel, the timeshare king. This is a man who has run through three marriages, has fathered over a dozen children, and never put one penny aside for his children's college fund. Everything he made went back in to his company or his houses, his wife or his personal acquisitions.
And, he refuses to abandon his Las Vegas towers or his uncompleted Versailles, which is still for sale with an asking price of $65 million. That means that when he finally completely crashes there will be nothing for the kids, period.
It is illuminating to see how his timeshare profession is not all at unlike the subprime mortgage meltdown. He is a greedy, vulgar con man, nothing more, and there is not a drop of sympathy in my heart for him.
And, the kids are nearly just as bad as their parents; insanely spoiled children with no drive, ambition, dreams, or work ethic, who only seem capable of looking forward to the next time they will be ripping open a new gift.
I did not get to see anyone rich in the film cry, and I did not laugh nearly as much as most of the large, considerably older crowd that Renee and I saw the film with in Pleasant Hill. I was too shocked and disgusted, I suppose.
The day those towers go down, and the day their Versailles is torn down and the land is sold will be days I might really feel a genuine sense of schadenfreude. Until then, I am just aghast at what capitalism's darkest side looks like. Why elections still matter. And, why, sometimes, I would rather just chuck it all, and start the frick over.
Ultimately, despite a captivating subject matter, The Queen of Versailles is not a great documentary (I think it is too kind, too subjective) but comes recommended from me, still. If you can stomach disgusting capitalistic greed, that is.
Ardent Henry
Well, Renee definitely felt more for Ms Siegel than I did. I suppose I am not a completely cold-hearted cynical sort-of person that felt nothing for Ms Siegel, but seeing her walk up to the Hertz counter and asking, "Who's my driver?" does not really endear me to her, to say the least. Nor does it to see Ms Siegel asking her children, "What was it like to fly commercial?" Or, hearing Ms Siegel talk about after the 2008 Meltdown had seriously hurt their family fortune and finances (not like those millions currently out of work right now, or the thousands her husband had to lay off) that now her eight children were going to have seriously consider college as an option, and figure out what they wanted to be when they grew up.
Actually, the more I think about this, the less and less I like Ms Siegel.
Still, the real villain in this documentary -- that almost resembled a Christopher Guest film in places -- is David Siegel, the timeshare king. This is a man who has run through three marriages, has fathered over a dozen children, and never put one penny aside for his children's college fund. Everything he made went back in to his company or his houses, his wife or his personal acquisitions.
And, he refuses to abandon his Las Vegas towers or his uncompleted Versailles, which is still for sale with an asking price of $65 million. That means that when he finally completely crashes there will be nothing for the kids, period.
It is illuminating to see how his timeshare profession is not all at unlike the subprime mortgage meltdown. He is a greedy, vulgar con man, nothing more, and there is not a drop of sympathy in my heart for him.
And, the kids are nearly just as bad as their parents; insanely spoiled children with no drive, ambition, dreams, or work ethic, who only seem capable of looking forward to the next time they will be ripping open a new gift.
I did not get to see anyone rich in the film cry, and I did not laugh nearly as much as most of the large, considerably older crowd that Renee and I saw the film with in Pleasant Hill. I was too shocked and disgusted, I suppose.
The day those towers go down, and the day their Versailles is torn down and the land is sold will be days I might really feel a genuine sense of schadenfreude. Until then, I am just aghast at what capitalism's darkest side looks like. Why elections still matter. And, why, sometimes, I would rather just chuck it all, and start the frick over.
Ultimately, despite a captivating subject matter, The Queen of Versailles is not a great documentary (I think it is too kind, too subjective) but comes recommended from me, still. If you can stomach disgusting capitalistic greed, that is.
Ardent Henry
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