We Read, We Watch, We Criticize

Utopia

2008-06-21T03:22:00.000-04:00

Let them drive to war!

2008-02-15T00:49:00.002-05:00

Going to see him tomorrow at Berklee. Sweetness.

Movies to put in your queue

2007-12-21T10:39:00.000-05:00

The Matador

This movie...what can I say to do it justice? It is such a fantastic mix, it is the Bourne series meets Firefly. The plot revolves around Pierce Brosnan, a lecherous burnt out corporate assassin, sharing a pretty hilarious few days with Greg Kinnear's character, a salesman from Denver, that starts at a bar and ends with a great scene at a bull-fighting event. The story progresses with Pierce Brosnan botching two jobs in a row and being marked for death by his old employer. On the run, a few months later Brosnan shows up in Denver to do one last job.....classic plot...executed so damned perfectly. Unbelievably perfectly. Brosnan, as usual, is amazing. I forget what rating system we use so I'll just give this movie a rating of "variety of adderall pills."

Shortbus

Another just wow! movie. My roommate turned me onto this movie, for the record, it got him laid (for good reason). In a nutshell, a couple has problems in the, ahem, bedroom because the woman, Sophia, can't have an orgasm. The problem is compounded because Sophia is a couples counselor and has to hear sex stories all day. A gay couple comes for a consult and one wants to allow other people into the relationship and one thing leads to another, Sophia reveals she's never had a climax. Then the film gets really interesting....check out the trailer below. For exceptional, in your face story-telling that managed to shock me on numerous occasions I give this movie one of our highest ratings ever, two flaming soccer balls.

Bourne Ultimatum

2007-08-17T22:14:00.001-04:00

I found time between romancing fat women and playing soccer to take in a movie in Boston. I checked out The Brattle, which is an independent theatre, but they were playing Meatballs so instead I stopped by the Loews in the square (Harvard that is). Couldn't find the pregnancy movie so instead I watched the Bourne Ultimatum. I had previously seen one of the other Bourne movies and was pleasantly surprised to find myself interested and entertained.

This manifestation of Bourne is interesting because the director or whoever hired a pretty good consultant that did a heckuva job making sure the little details about the spy business be correct. Whether choosing routes to walk to avoid cameras in London to using passersby as diversions or buying pre-paid telephones the movie let itself wonk out.

What's more, the movie included a rogue black-ops CIA office that was just amazing to watch. The people who ran it, the way they talked of drawing up rendition protocols and sneak'n'peeks really let me visualize (correctly or no) what I imagine to be happening in a case like Maher Arar.

The other thing I wanted to mention, since I just watched this Bourne thing, is there any movie I can't get on the internet anymore? No. Unequivocally no. There is no movie not currently residing on the internet waiting for me to find it and download it (in your face grammar).

Absurdistan

2007-08-15T14:56:00.000-04:00

This book is simply amazing. It could very well be that as an Eastern European I enjoy this book more than I would as an American. I don't rightly know. The point is, pick it up, read it, the writing reminds me of World According to Garp on speed.

Blood Diamond

2007-08-11T13:22:00.000-04:00

I avoided this movie for a while, mostly out of a not unfounded anger towards the fact that it took a blockbuster movie to begin to wake everyone up to the fact that the diamond trade is a wholly unethical business, that prices are unnecessarily inflated and lives have been lost for that 3 month salary your girl wears on her finger. I understood this back in high school and I was pretty clueless then.

Anyway, back to the movie. Leo is one of my favorite actors and he does an amazing job adopting different accents. I have heard people complain about this but he really does perform well. I think a testament to that fact is that he is acting opposite several talented African actors without missing a step. I did have some problems with the story line, especially towards the end. Sometimes the movie lapsed into the over-the-top and a bit cliched story line most movies follow. But, the movie did have excellent cinematography and some really beautiful shots of Africa.

All in all, it had potential to be better but it's still worth a viewing. I'd even consider watching it again as part of a double-feature with The Constant Gardener.

LINK

(continuing with my Africa theme I'll be watching and reviewing Darwin's Nightmare later)

Russian Debutante's Handbook

2007-07-31T11:39:00.000-04:00

I am now onto Gary Shteyngart's second book, Absurdistan. The Russian Debutante's Handbook was a great story. Starting off in New York, Vladimir is a 25 year old working at the Emma Lazarus Society for inducting new immigrants. Switching girlfriends he realizes he needs more money to maintain his lifestyle. He travels to Florida to take a college entrance exam for a drug lord's son on a recommendation from his best friend where his a-hole is put at dire risk of being penetrated but for a well-placed punch and a cabbie willing to drive to NYC from Florida for $5000. Vladimir's problems multiply and multiply forcing him to flee for his life to Eastern Europe where he meets The Groundhog, a Russian mobster...hilarity ensues.

Keep the River on Your Right

2007-07-27T22:20:00.000-04:00

I was expecting this documentary to be about the peoples of the tribes in New Guinea and Peru that painter and anthropologist Tobias Scheenbaum lived with many years ago. It turns out that it really was about Scheenbaum and his own perceptions and memories more than anything else. At first I was a bit put off. He seemed like a bit of an odd old man that was going to make an extraordinary story sounds boring. However, as the film progressed it turns out that my first impression was wrong. In fact, it became quite interesting to hear his tales of taking male lovers in New Guinea or eating human flesh in Peru. Of course, those are the 'sensational' parts of the story-the ones touted in the trailer.

In the end, this was an interesting, and even moving, look at a man who seems so genuine and so kind that it is hard not to feel a bit of bittersweet sadness when, from the top of Machu Pichu, he discusses how he has done everything he wants to do and death is going to be welcome soon.

What started out as a frustration ended rather nicely. And I couldn't help wanting to reach through the screen when they show old interview clips because the people just didn't get it. Not to say it would not be the same today.

A Map for Saturday

2007-07-27T20:52:00.001-04:00

I ordered but have not seen this movie yet. I am really looking forward to it. Here is a review via Gadling.

House of Leaves

2007-07-27T20:29:00.000-04:00

HoL is one of those books that is almost impossible to describe (though that doesn't stop me from trying). A description can't do it justice because there is only so much it can encompass. When my cousin recommended it to me he pushed it into my hands and said, "I can't describe it but you have to read it. We will talk when you are done." At times it's an extremely good, plot-driven horror story, at times it's a memoir of a strung-out Johnny Truant, at times it's movie-and those are just the obvious ones; the list could continue. But it's always deliciously, frustratingly fun. Getting lost in the footnotes that double back on themselves and finding the proper way to continue through the text that is, well, let's just say, unconventional, mimics the story so well you almost don't realize what MZD is doing until you sit back and think about it afterwards. I'm still finding stuff that I missed my first two times around.

Also, don't miss Haunted by MZD's sister, Poe. She was working on the album the same time he was working on the book and so they are both heavily influenced by each other. Not only is Haunted one of the best written albums recently, but it is conceptually very interesting (for more on what I mean read the inside of the album cover and listen very closely to everything). Much like bands from Pink Floyd to Tool, I believe that to fully appreciate and enjoy Haunted you need to listen to the entire thing. It's not a CD to where you should skip around to different tracks. That said, I'm not going to listen to my own and advice and I'm going to post one song.

Only Revolutions

2007-07-27T20:25:00.000-04:00

If you have read HoL, then you know that MZD's books are not like anything else you will read. Only Revolutions follows two young lovers, Sam and Hailey, as they travel through the US, through time and eventually through each other. Their stories begin on opposite ends, with perceptions that don't always match. They eventually meet each other in the middle, at their most intimate and understanding, before passing through to the inevitable conclusion. This is not only an extremely interesting book conceptually, but it contains a wonderful story as well. There is a lot going on and if you take the time to read it slowly and understand it, then you will not be disappointed.

Note: The audio book is now for sale. It really adds a lot to read along with it. Listen to the clip on the website for a taste.

Bukowski: Born Into This

2007-07-22T16:09:00.000-04:00

Charles Bukowksi is often hailed as the poet who brought poetry away from academia and back to the people. An abusive childhood, troubles with alcohol and women and a number of tough, unsatisfying jobs all served to make Hank not only one of the most interesting writers of the twentieth century, but one of the most interesting people of the twentieth century.

Born Into This shows the good sides and the bad sides of a passionate and sometimes tormented man through interviews, readings and the perspective of those who were close to him-including several girlfriends. As a fan of his work, it's a really interesting look at the man behind it.

Ace in the Hole

2007-07-20T14:12:00.001-04:00

Check out this slate review.

LINK

Sicko

2007-07-19T10:55:00.000-04:00

Sicko is an extremely touching movie. It features so many examples of Americans shanghaied by their own system, starting with the guy who has to make a decision whether or not to pay $60,000 to re-attach his middle finger and ring finger or just $12,000 for the ring finger and then the old couple who have to move back in with their daughter because their health insurance would not cover the guy's 2nd, 3rd and 4th heart attack.

The movie, besides being very moving, is also informational and debunks a lot of the myths propagated about other countries' health care. Alongside that Moore reminds us that -socialized- is not a bad word, it's just a straw man. He does this by reminding us about the socialized aspects of our society that work today starting with the Fire Department. He explains in the movie that firemen would literally drive past your house if you did not have a sticker on it saying that you had bought fire insurance through their company, after a few thousand people died in the Chicago fires national laws were passed nationalizing (socializing) firemen. I thought that the particular meme was very powerful and a great argument to use on the troglodytes against single-payer, namely, police, fire and health services should be universal.

I hope you enjoyed the interview with Bill Maher, if you're looking for something a little spicier and vitriolic check out this link from our other blog that Ben posted.

2007-07-18T14:22:00.001-04:00

Courtesy of my favorite online comic, toothpaste for deeener.

The Fountain

2007-07-17T21:09:00.000-04:00

Review coming soon...

The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai

2007-07-12T15:14:00.000-04:00

What a fucking movie. Holy shit.

Sachiko Hanai is shot and subsequently chased by North Korean assassins. She accidentally picked up a clone of George Bush's finger that the North Koreans want but in the process gets shot in the forehead and the bullet lodges in her brain causing her to behave bizarrely.

The movie was first released as a soft-core porno in the Japanese market (in the -pink- genre) and the money from that allowed the director to shoot the rest of the script that had been truncated in the previous version. I really can't do the storyline justice so I will refer to another reviewer:

-Imagine a porn producer who hires David Cronenberg to remake Fahrenheit 9/11, and you get the idea.-
Tirdad Derakhshani, Philadelphia Inquirer

EXCITING UPDATE: I just ordered the DVD for $7 on half.com

B-17: The Wacky Adventures of a 17 year-old Sex Slave

2007-07-12T14:36:00.000-04:00

I attended the BUFF (Boston Underground Film Festival) a few months ago. I watched several movies that blew my mind and reminded me once more that if the world were run by me I would instate the death penalty for sitcom/hollywood movie writers. They would be hunted down by me personally with a pack of jackals and hyenas to execute the sentence handed down on their soulless husks. Oh, Eric, if you're reading this, thanks for writing your blog. I really like it.

Anyway, back to the review.

B-17: The Wacky Adventures of a 17 year-old Sex Slave, was screened as the opener right before the The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai which will be reviewed shortly. B-17 was created by Sara Weis originally as an interpretive one-person show that she routinely would perform around the Boston area. She met her director, Arturo, and turned the show into a movie. She changed her room into the set for the movie and lived there for a year. Once you watch this movie you will understand the extent of that sacrifice.

The plot is thus: Sara is held captive as a drugged up sex-slave along with Yumi for a top government official (HINT: one of the blogs we write does a weekly segment about him). She is forced to hand-sew I (heart) The War on Terror polos and t-shirts and does some heavy petting with her inanimate cell mate along the way. The best scene by far includes some spectacular fighting scenes where she takes on a squad of Homeland Security goons. Bottom line is this movie gets a big thumb up. To top it all off, you can watch it, in it's entirety, on the Youtube internet.
LINK

Vice Guide to Travel

2007-07-12T10:42:00.000-04:00

Vice Guide to Travel is the first part of a quarterly DVD put out by the people over at Vice Magazine. Keeping with the feel of the magazine, the DVD follows their journalists to places of the world the mainstream does not or will not go. From traveling to the slums of Rio, looking for dinosaurs with Pygmies in the Congo, searching for the Nazi town in Paraguay, attempting to buy nuclear weapons in Bulgaria (which seems frightfully easy), shooting at mutated animals in Chernobyl, visiting the PLO 'boy scouts' in Lebanon or buying guns in Pakistan they offer an unique look at the world we don't usually see.

The individual segments seem like they should be longer, but it is overall well-done for what it is. There are also some really good extra features that should not be missed. If you are interested in traveling and interested in parts of the world that aren't romanticised by travel agents and are ignored by the media and most other people, then you will enjoy this DVD.

On youtube

Candy

2007-07-10T21:49:00.000-04:00

Love and heroin. The story has been done before, but not like this. Broken into three sections, Heaven, Earth and Hell, Candy is sad, touching and wonderful to watch and does not fall prey to a neat little ending but acknowledges the complexity in life and love.

Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish give simply wonderful performances. Their scenes are intense, beautiful and believable. They are not living the perfect lives, but you want them to succeed. Geoffrey Rush also gives a stunning supporting role performance as a friend and chemistry professor dabbling in the art of drug making.

"Once upon a time there was Candy and Dan..." So begins Candy's poem and their final descent.

The Good Shepherd

2007-07-10T19:29:00.000-04:00

The Good Shepherd is the fictional account of the beginnings of the CIA. Matt Damon leads an excellent cast (that includes Angelina Jolie, Billy Cudrup, Joe Peshi, Alec Baldwin, William Hurt and Robert DeNiro, who also directed it) as Edward Wilson. Sometimes less is better and this is how Damon plays Wilson, quiet and seemingly without emotion. Many people think this might be bad acting, but they are wrong. Wilson's character is very well developed and those who miss that probably miss out on the best part of the film.

The movie jumps from one time period to another leaving the viewer to piece together the information and understand what is happening for themselves. It is not a movie to watch passively and even though it clocks in at about three hours, I had no trouble keeping myself focused. It's a great look at the intelligence agency and the covert lives of those in the middle of it.

The View From Nowhere by Thomas Nagel

2007-07-10T18:01:00.000-04:00

This book was recommended to me my last semester by one of my favorite professors and I spent the first several weeks of the summer reading and thinking about it. It is one of the most interesting contemporary books of philosophy I have read, though it definitely takes some work. Nagel focuses on objective and subjective viewpoints and the philosophical problems they contain (viz. combining the view of a particular person existing inside a world with an objective view of the same world that includes that person and their viewpoint). He posits that there is not a 'naturally unified standpoint' from which to do this but wants to offer a way for us to look at life regardless.

The Politics of Experience by R.D. Laing

2007-07-10T17:21:00.000-04:00

Laing ends the book by saying, "If I could turn you on, if I could drive you out of your wretched mind, if I could tell you I would let you know." When I first read this book several years ago it did exactly that-drive me out of my wretched mind. I have read it several times since and it always seems to offer something new. Not everyone will get it, and certainly not everyone will agree with him; nevertheless, it contains many important insights and "challenge(s) to the sanity of today's 'normal' man."

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

2007-07-10T17:07:00.000-04:00

This book is, quite simply, a wonderful work of fiction. All nine stories are connected, yet they are all written in a different style without missing a step. Mitchell is a commanding writer able to tell a good, if sometimes scary, story of a possible future and a not so distant past. This is a must-read for anyone who loves science fiction or a good literary work.