Monday, August 27, 2007
Things I'll never understand
...why a pretty girl like Keira Knightley, who looks as good here as I've ever seen her, would completely ruin it for me by lighting up a cigarette.
Okay, the "Gonzales quits" thing
First, what Mark said.
Second, there's a pretty good AP story via Yahoo! News here. Pretty good-it doesn't actually say that Gonzales is a confused, confusing madman of a Bush lapdog, as I would have, but that's me, and otherwise it seems fairly truthful.
A couple of things disturb me, however, the first only mildly so, one much more. In the first paragraph:
Was it really necessary to state Gonzales' ancestry? Especially in the lead of the piece. No one's ever suggested his dishonesty and incompetence had anything to do with that. (Although, look for Bush's few remaining supporters to start suggesting that's why he was "driven from office" any minute now).
Call me too "PC" if you like, I just think that point of information would have been better off deeper into the story.
And then there's this, which is more than mildly disturbing:
Ok, things to remember: Michael Chertoff thinks "24" reflects real life. For more information on this possible candidate for the nations' leading law enforcement officer, I suggest you do a Yahoo! search on his name and the words "New Orleans."
Second, there's a pretty good AP story via Yahoo! News here. Pretty good-it doesn't actually say that Gonzales is a confused, confusing madman of a Bush lapdog, as I would have, but that's me, and otherwise it seems fairly truthful.
A couple of things disturb me, however, the first only mildly so, one much more. In the first paragraph:
Alberto Gonzales, the nation's first Hispanic attorney general, announced his resignation Monday, driven from office after a wrenching standoff with congressional critics over his honesty and competence.
Was it really necessary to state Gonzales' ancestry? Especially in the lead of the piece. No one's ever suggested his dishonesty and incompetence had anything to do with that. (Although, look for Bush's few remaining supporters to start suggesting that's why he was "driven from office" any minute now).
Call me too "PC" if you like, I just think that point of information would have been better off deeper into the story.
And then there's this, which is more than mildly disturbing:
Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff was among those mentioned as possible successors, though a senior administration official said the matter had not been raised with Chertoff. Bush leaves Washington next Monday for Australia, and Gonzales' replacement might not be named by then, the official said.
Ok, things to remember: Michael Chertoff thinks "24" reflects real life. For more information on this possible candidate for the nations' leading law enforcement officer, I suggest you do a Yahoo! search on his name and the words "New Orleans."
And now, some old words from some old friends
What I always like about bands like Tears For Fears, Thompson Twins, InfoSoc, Human League, etc, is that I think they were trying to write timeless songs...over the great drum sounds. Sometimes, to be sure, all of them made records that were better than their songs...but those can be a lot of fun, too.
Like this one from Depeche Mode. A single that came out just before the generationally definitive Black Celebration album, it's not one of the band's best (something they know). But it's got some good style to it, and in this pantomined performance, Martin is wearing a dress.
Like this one from Depeche Mode. A single that came out just before the generationally definitive Black Celebration album, it's not one of the band's best (something they know). But it's got some good style to it, and in this pantomined performance, Martin is wearing a dress.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
One more reason to hope scientists are wrong about time travel being impossible
Chance of getting to know, from left, Virginia Bruce, Carole Lombard, Josephine Dunn and Kathryn Crawford in 1930.
Everybody bow
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Well, wouldn't you just know that it would be?
 | My Fortune Cookie told me: Do not put your wellington boots in the refrigerator - the fairy cake is raging. Get a cookie from Miss Fortune |
Women my own age, Part 11
Amanda Peet, born January 11, 1972.
She's fine, and she's been a part of a Sorkin ensemble. What the hell more do you want out of life? Well, maybe that she’s the smartest actress the world has ever known, Jodie Foster be damned. I quote from E! Online:
Nicole Eggert, born January 13, 1972. I don't have too much to say about Ms Eggert, one way or another. I watched Charles In Charge like everybody else in 1984, but I barely remember her in it.
It's just that I've had this joke in my head for a few years, and I never got to tell it, so I'm going to tell it now.
In 2004 Eggert participated in a bottom-of-the-barrel "reality" series called The Real Gilligan's Island that I somehow got hooked into watching. It's probably self-evident, but if you need to know more about how this show worked, here ya go.
All you need to know for my joke is that at one point, they were doing the apparently obligatory on these series must-eat gag-inducing-food "challenge."
Ms. Eggert was heard admitting "This [bee larvae] is the most disgusting thing I've ever had in my mouth."
And all I could think was, "And you went with Corey Haim."
And now, to help you put that image out of your head,
Sarah Clarke, born February 16, 1972. Spoiler warning: I can't talk about Ms. Clarke without talking about her role in the first couple seasons of 24, so if you haven't seen those and think you're going to, stop reading now.
Ok, still with me? Clarke was, of course, Nina Myers, who turned out to be the first and best in a long line of CTU moles. It was a twist that may have made people sit up and pay attention at the time, but now has become stale (much like the series itself).
Clarke and the writers made Nina one of the best villains ever on TV, and although it made for a strong moment when Jack killed her off...
...the show still misses her.
Away from CTU, Clarke has had a guest-star part on an episode of House, and supporting roles in films like Thirteen and Happy Endings. Nothing else has brought her the fame that Nina did, but I'd keep an eye on her...
She's fine, and she's been a part of a Sorkin ensemble. What the hell more do you want out of life? Well, maybe that she’s the smartest actress the world has ever known, Jodie Foster be damned. I quote from E! Online:
“When asked why moviegoers went crazy for her as a dental assistant cum hit woman in the comedy The Whole Nine Yards, she sagely answers, “Um, ’cause I took my clothes off?”
Nicole Eggert, born January 13, 1972. I don't have too much to say about Ms Eggert, one way or another. I watched Charles In Charge like everybody else in 1984, but I barely remember her in it.
It's just that I've had this joke in my head for a few years, and I never got to tell it, so I'm going to tell it now.
In 2004 Eggert participated in a bottom-of-the-barrel "reality" series called The Real Gilligan's Island that I somehow got hooked into watching. It's probably self-evident, but if you need to know more about how this show worked, here ya go.
All you need to know for my joke is that at one point, they were doing the apparently obligatory on these series must-eat gag-inducing-food "challenge."
Ms. Eggert was heard admitting "This [bee larvae] is the most disgusting thing I've ever had in my mouth."
And all I could think was, "And you went with Corey Haim."
And now, to help you put that image out of your head,
Sarah Clarke, born February 16, 1972. Spoiler warning: I can't talk about Ms. Clarke without talking about her role in the first couple seasons of 24, so if you haven't seen those and think you're going to, stop reading now.
Ok, still with me? Clarke was, of course, Nina Myers, who turned out to be the first and best in a long line of CTU moles. It was a twist that may have made people sit up and pay attention at the time, but now has become stale (much like the series itself).
Clarke and the writers made Nina one of the best villains ever on TV, and although it made for a strong moment when Jack killed her off...
...the show still misses her.
Away from CTU, Clarke has had a guest-star part on an episode of House, and supporting roles in films like Thirteen and Happy Endings. Nothing else has brought her the fame that Nina did, but I'd keep an eye on her...
Ellison watch
I haven't felt able to stay with the "Masters of Science Fiction" anthology series ABC has been running Saturday nights, but I had to watch last night's finale. It was an adaptation of a Harlan Ellison story with a script written by him and Josh Olson (who also wrote "A History of Violence").
Starring were Brian Dennehy, most recently heard in "Ratatouille," and John Hurt of "I, Claudius" and "Alien."
It feels like it's been a few decades since I read the original short story, which was probably to the better. I didn't remember until the very last seconds what the ending was, when it came to me with a horrible certainly that was almost sickening.
I don't know how much was word-for-word-, but adaptation seemed to have a suitably "Ellisonic" flavor (and Ellison himself in a cameo).
I guess what I really what to say is that it was well written, well-acted, and well-directed (by Jonathan Frakes of Star Trek: The Next Generation)...but its cynicism depressed the hell out of me.
I know these kinds of "Dreams With Sharp Teeth" are what a lot of people expect from Ellison, but I always liked to remember...and lately, maybe more than ever...his stories with a lighter, even more life-affirming touch. Like "Jefty Is Five," or "Laugh Track" or "Mom," or best of all, and probably my very favorite of his stories, "Paladin Of The Lost Hour."
That's what I wanted to say.
Starring were Brian Dennehy, most recently heard in "Ratatouille," and John Hurt of "I, Claudius" and "Alien."
It feels like it's been a few decades since I read the original short story, which was probably to the better. I didn't remember until the very last seconds what the ending was, when it came to me with a horrible certainly that was almost sickening.
I don't know how much was word-for-word-, but adaptation seemed to have a suitably "Ellisonic" flavor (and Ellison himself in a cameo).
I guess what I really what to say is that it was well written, well-acted, and well-directed (by Jonathan Frakes of Star Trek: The Next Generation)...but its cynicism depressed the hell out of me.
I know these kinds of "Dreams With Sharp Teeth" are what a lot of people expect from Ellison, but I always liked to remember...and lately, maybe more than ever...his stories with a lighter, even more life-affirming touch. Like "Jefty Is Five," or "Laugh Track" or "Mom," or best of all, and probably my very favorite of his stories, "Paladin Of The Lost Hour."
That's what I wanted to say.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Women my own age, Part 10
Winona Ryder, born October 29, 1971. Oh, Winona. Talk about your peaking early. I mean after Heathers, really, what is there?
BTW, Sex And Death 101, on which Ryder worked with Heathers scripter Daniel Waters again, is currently placed above both Heathers and A Scanner Darkly in Ryder's IMDB filmography. Despite the fact that so far it's opened only in Italy. I don't find that at all suspicious, do you?
Christina Applegate, born November 25, 1971. I think Applegate has been, if not underrated, certainly ill-used since Married With Children ended its run.
She got a lot of attention on that show, understandably, because she is so beautiful, but if you ever catch a repeat, take a real look at her performance. She "brings the funny" to a character that in a lot of actress' hands (and in a lot of other material) could've been just stupid.
In movies she's rarely if ever had a chance to equal it, though I'll admit having oddly pleasant memories of The Sweetest Thing.
I liked what I think that movie was trying to be-a sex comedy from a woman's POV-enough to overlook the undeniable fact that it doesn't wholly work.
Natascha McElhone, born December 14, 1971.
There's a moment in Kenneth Branagh's 2000 film of Love's Labour's Lost in which the theatrical nature of this venture is underscored. McElhone's character, Rosaline, cheekily looks right at the "audience" on one line of the song "I Won't Dance, Don't Ask Me."
I liked that movie more than most critics. And though I have admired McElhone in other films-especially The Truman Show, but also Laurel Canyon-when I think of her, that's the moment I think of.
The above image, though, is from Surviving Picasso, which I've yet to see. I just think she looks hot in it.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Women my own age, Part Nine
Kimberly Williams, born September 14, 1971.
An unintended subset of these postings seems to have become my talking about little-seen movies in which these women feature...so let's talk about Coldblooded. My shorthand description of this film has always been that it's what Grosse Pointe Blank wanted to be but couldn't because that movie had "heart."
Coldblooded has no heart whatsoever. It's about a hitman's apprentice learning his trade, and is possibly the blackest of all black comedies. Williams plays his girlfriend, who reacts about as well as could be expected when she learns what her boyfriend does for a living. Worth seeking out on video, friends.
I'd love to have run an image of her from it, but, near as I can tell, there are virtually no images of her from it online. So the picture above is from Indian Summer, another Williams movie that practically nobody saw, but which I kind of liked.
Amy Poehler, born September 16, 1971. I've come to this conclusion about Amy Poehler (and I'm going to embark on one of my rarely-used sports metaphors for this): Talks a better game than she plays.
I've liked what she's had to say about comedy and women and women in comedy in interviews and such, but none of that translates to her actually making me laugh. Speaking of which...
Jenna Elfman, born September 30, 1971.
Years from now, the future masters of the earth are going to scratch their heads with their tentacles, and say, "Wait...Dharma & Greg was on for five years? And The Nine didn't even make it one?"
An unintended subset of these postings seems to have become my talking about little-seen movies in which these women feature...so let's talk about Coldblooded. My shorthand description of this film has always been that it's what Grosse Pointe Blank wanted to be but couldn't because that movie had "heart."
Coldblooded has no heart whatsoever. It's about a hitman's apprentice learning his trade, and is possibly the blackest of all black comedies. Williams plays his girlfriend, who reacts about as well as could be expected when she learns what her boyfriend does for a living. Worth seeking out on video, friends.
I'd love to have run an image of her from it, but, near as I can tell, there are virtually no images of her from it online. So the picture above is from Indian Summer, another Williams movie that practically nobody saw, but which I kind of liked.
Amy Poehler, born September 16, 1971. I've come to this conclusion about Amy Poehler (and I'm going to embark on one of my rarely-used sports metaphors for this): Talks a better game than she plays.
I've liked what she's had to say about comedy and women and women in comedy in interviews and such, but none of that translates to her actually making me laugh. Speaking of which...
Jenna Elfman, born September 30, 1971.
Years from now, the future masters of the earth are going to scratch their heads with their tentacles, and say, "Wait...Dharma & Greg was on for five years? And The Nine didn't even make it one?"
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Women my own age, Part Eight
(for those who came in late)
Rebecca Gayheart, born August 12, 1971. Always on the cusp, this one. She's obviously beautiful, but whether because of bad luck or not, she can't find many good and/or successful movies or TV series, to save her soul.
Or, put another way, what can you say about someone whose best film probably remains Scream 2?
Carla Gugino, born August 29th, 1971.
Gugino has been kicking around in movies & TV since the early '90s. But...well, is it me, or did her career not take off until she started to take her clothes off?
I'm not complaining exactly, and I'm certainly not putting her down (although I do not support her decision to go blonde).
I kind of hate to think that's it. Because I had my eye on her as a potential star as far back as the early episodes of Spin City.
But, unless I've missed something...
Ione Skye, born September 4, 1971. Oh, Ione, Ione, Ione. I've never even seen Say Anything, and yet at some point she cast a spell on me from which I've never fully recovered.
Was it in 1986, when I watched her walk the River's Edge? Or was it six years later, when I stopped for Gas, Food, Lodging, and she was the bad girl with heart (and her younger sister, BTW, was Fairuza Balk, who is not my age but otherwise would have made this series in a heartbeat)?
Or was it three years after that, as the half nude witch in one of Four Rooms?
Well, let's not kid ourselves.
But--easy jokes aside--I actually thought she was good in that segment of the movie, and not only because she was half nude. Possibly better than it deserved. I remember reading a review at the time which said that the most interesting thing about the segment was noting which of the women had the power to refuse to do nudity in the film.
According to Biskind's Down & Dirty Pictures, all the segments directors were very rushed, except the critics' darling, Massa Tarantino. So I have a feeling that who was going to go topless or not was decided very much on the day, and on the fly.
Which would be fine-I'm perfectly capable of enjoying a film with fewer or even no topless women, honest I am. It's just that it makes for an odd little coven of witches. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but as I've always pictured it...not that I've done that very much...nudity in these rituals is kind of an "all or none" kind of thing.
And I'm quite sure that covering your nipples with X's of black electrical tape isn't strictly Wicca kosher (we're looking at you, Alicia Witt!). But...that's another post.
Rebecca Gayheart, born August 12, 1971. Always on the cusp, this one. She's obviously beautiful, but whether because of bad luck or not, she can't find many good and/or successful movies or TV series, to save her soul.
Or, put another way, what can you say about someone whose best film probably remains Scream 2?
Carla Gugino, born August 29th, 1971.
Gugino has been kicking around in movies & TV since the early '90s. But...well, is it me, or did her career not take off until she started to take her clothes off?
I'm not complaining exactly, and I'm certainly not putting her down (although I do not support her decision to go blonde).
I kind of hate to think that's it. Because I had my eye on her as a potential star as far back as the early episodes of Spin City.
But, unless I've missed something...
Ione Skye, born September 4, 1971. Oh, Ione, Ione, Ione. I've never even seen Say Anything, and yet at some point she cast a spell on me from which I've never fully recovered.
Was it in 1986, when I watched her walk the River's Edge? Or was it six years later, when I stopped for Gas, Food, Lodging, and she was the bad girl with heart (and her younger sister, BTW, was Fairuza Balk, who is not my age but otherwise would have made this series in a heartbeat)?
Or was it three years after that, as the half nude witch in one of Four Rooms?
Well, let's not kid ourselves.
But--easy jokes aside--I actually thought she was good in that segment of the movie, and not only because she was half nude. Possibly better than it deserved. I remember reading a review at the time which said that the most interesting thing about the segment was noting which of the women had the power to refuse to do nudity in the film.
According to Biskind's Down & Dirty Pictures, all the segments directors were very rushed, except the critics' darling, Massa Tarantino. So I have a feeling that who was going to go topless or not was decided very much on the day, and on the fly.
Which would be fine-I'm perfectly capable of enjoying a film with fewer or even no topless women, honest I am. It's just that it makes for an odd little coven of witches. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but as I've always pictured it...not that I've done that very much...nudity in these rituals is kind of an "all or none" kind of thing.
And I'm quite sure that covering your nipples with X's of black electrical tape isn't strictly Wicca kosher (we're looking at you, Alicia Witt!). But...that's another post.
With the vision in my brain, And the music in my veins
I have just made an appointment to go into a clinic in a couple of weeks with an eye towards getting some anti-depressant medication. It's not something I'm doing lightly. But my life hasn't been something I've been happy with in longer than I can, or maybe choose to, remember.
I've been in therapy for two or three years (plus at least a couple when I was younger), and one of the reasons I chose my current therapist is that she didn't push medication right away. When I was "interviewing" potential candidates by phone, I had one person who, on the basis on one phone call with no in-person meeting, tried to throw meds at me.
I didn't like that much.
I think I resisted the idea of being clinically depressed for a long time because, for lack of a better phrase, I have this horror of being a "drama queen"-probably for the same reason that censors don't like to be called censors.
I need something to help me come unstuck from this jam I seem to be in, in my life, and at present, this seems to be the likeliest way out. Because I do need some way out, and every other method I can think of-at least those over which I have any immediate control-well, they all look like walls.
I've been in therapy for two or three years (plus at least a couple when I was younger), and one of the reasons I chose my current therapist is that she didn't push medication right away. When I was "interviewing" potential candidates by phone, I had one person who, on the basis on one phone call with no in-person meeting, tried to throw meds at me.
I didn't like that much.
I think I resisted the idea of being clinically depressed for a long time because, for lack of a better phrase, I have this horror of being a "drama queen"-probably for the same reason that censors don't like to be called censors.
I need something to help me come unstuck from this jam I seem to be in, in my life, and at present, this seems to be the likeliest way out. Because I do need some way out, and every other method I can think of-at least those over which I have any immediate control-well, they all look like walls.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Women my own age, Part Seven
Charlotte Gainsbourg, born July 21, 1971. A picture is worth a baker's dozen words. I think I'll just call her "the French girl." The definite article, you might say. I mean, look up above-have you ever seen a Frencher girl in your life?
Christine Taylor, born July 30, 1971. Probably best remembered for resurrecting the part of Marcia Brady in the '90s movies, she's also married to Ben Stiller, and was Ross' bald girlfriend on Friends.
But when I think of her, I think of a genuinely scary underrated horror anthology movie called Campfire Tales. Another one of my chance discoveries (like All-American Murder), this is the movie that Urban Legend wanted to be but wasn't.
Sydney Penny, born August 7, 1971. Another for the "Where Are They Now?" file, Penny
did the voice of Lucy for a Charlie Brown special and gave a sparky performance in Pale Rider.But after that, she disappeared from my view. Fortunately, unlike Emily Lloyd, this doesn't mean she wasn't working, just that most of her adult work seems to be in TV movies and soap operas, neither of which I watch very much.
Meme of Four II: Back in black
PJ tagged me with that same Meme, but since I've already done it and too recently to do it again, I'll just answer her additional question:
Four singers/musicians/bands that you like:
- The Beach Boys
- Romeo Void
- The Go-Go's
- The Human League
Fer the hell of it, I'll tag Johnny B (who's supposed to be thinking of interview questions for me anyway) and, of course, RAB.
My soul mate is the beige racoon?
| ANIMOLOGY: What Animal Are You? Your Result: Teal Cat You're the Teal Kitty Cat! You're as swift and sly as a ninja and very hard to please. You can be very soft yet very cruel at the same time. Your soul mate is the beige racoon and you're in conflict with the red jaquar. | |
| Silver and Red Wolf | |
| Blue Fox | |
| Gold Falcon | |
| Tan Giraffe | |
| Red Jaguar | |
| Yellow Trout | |
| Ocre and Gray Dolphin | |
| ANIMOLOGY: What Animal Are You? | |
waiting For the cheap music to stop, Don't goodbye deserve some Bach, not barbershop ?
| How will I die? Your Result: You will die in your sleep. A peaceful departure into the next life. You are blessed with the good fortune of passing from sleep into eternity. Do not fear sleep. To dream into the next life is a rare gift. | |
| You will die while saving someone's life. | |
| You will die while having sex. | |
| You will die from a terminal illness. | |
| You will die of boredom. | |
| You will die in a car accident. | |
| You will die in a nuclear holocaust. | |
| You will be murdered. | |
| How will I die? Create a Quiz | |
Actually, I've just seen "Jesus Christ Superstar" a lot
You know the Bible 74%!
Wow! You are truly a student of the Bible! Some of the questions were difficult, but they didn't slow you down! You know the books, the characters, the events . . . Very impressive!
Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes
Admit it: This is exactly how you people see me, isn't it?
| What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Literature Nerd Does sitting by a nice cozy fire, with a cup of hot tea/chocolate, and a book you can read for hours even when your eyes grow red and dry and you look sort of scary sitting there with your insomniac appearance? Then you fit this category perfectly! You love the power of the written word and it's eloquence; and you may like to read/write poetry or novels. You contribute to the smart people of today's society, however you can probably be overly-critical of works. | |
| Drama Nerd | |
| Musician | |
| Social Nerd | |
| Artistic Nerd | |
| Gamer/Computer Nerd | |
| Science/Math Nerd | |
| Anime Nerd | |
| What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace | |
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