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Philip - 2008-02-03 22:21:16
Loved "JABC" -- but then again, I would watch Emily Blunt read the phone book.
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grigorss - 2008-02-04 02:52:37
Thanks for the heads up on Build A Ship...etc. -- read an early review of this; while the idea does seem compelling; your review makes me think the execution is otherwise, however.
Haven't seen JABC, but as it stars Maria Bello, who clocks in around movie girlfriend #11 (or thereabouts), I did at least watch the trailer for this on Apple's site -- I think I'll stick with her performance in A History of Violence, thank you very much.
Didn't watch the Supper Bowl myself -- as the only possible reason to do so was the TV Spot for THIS!
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Paula - 2008-02-04 09:35:40
While I can't in good conscience recommend the movie itself (think Lifetime Channel, sponsored by Starbucks), Emily Blunt and Maria Bello are both good in this. It's also fun to see Brits Emily B and Hugh Dancy pull off credible LA accents.
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Paula - 2008-02-04 09:40:59
grigorss: That fellow--is he alive or dead? Has he thoughts within his head?
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Greg - 2008-02-04 10:46:14
Paula--nobody wants him. But seriously... I didn't do the anti-Super Bowl thing as I have in recent years (think poetry readings, museums, theater)but I watched Talk To Me, with Don Cheadle, and Syriana. The latter was disappointing to me, but only because it seemed too short. In reality it's about as good a film on the subject as I believe has ever been made...
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Greg - 2008-02-04 11:37:11
Also have to agree on Fiery Furnaces. Heard their albums. Saw them live. They just have nothing at all to say. They are the musical equivalent of not-unpleasant wallpaper. Doesn't make me uncomfortable when I'm sitting in someone's house looking at it but I'll be damned if it's going on my wall.
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Editrix - 2008-02-04 12:48:41
I thought I was the only person who felt that way about the Fiery Furnaces! Great comfort to know I'm not alone.
We tend to do something anti-football during the Superbowl (go to a restaurant that's usually crowded or an art museum), though one of my colleagues had a great idea to visit Ikea.
Have you ever seen Yogabeans?
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amatt - 2008-02-04 12:49:44
This was the only SuperBowl I have ever watched, even though I've been to a few parties. There were many fun reasons to watch this one, and it was actually really good!
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Eric - 2008-02-04 13:30:14
Oh, Jane Austen Book club wasn't that bad. I did end up buying the big book with all of the books in them, so it did achieve its purpose in the end.And Emily Blunt gets better looking over time to me. It's odd. . .
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Philip - 2008-02-04 14:32:51
I first saw EB in "My Summer of Love" -- easily the 2nd best film ever in the unholy-alliance-between-two-bored/depressed/psychotic-teenage-girls category.
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grigorss - 2008-02-04 14:40:12
easily the 2nd best film ever in the unholy-alliance-between-two-bored/depressed/psychotic-teenage-girls category
The first then, must be this.
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Paula - 2008-02-04 14:53:51
Editrix: yes, Yogabeans cracks me up, as does Fussy. (Fun fact: commentor Philip is real-life friends with Mrs Fussy.)
Re: SupperBowl--Lest anyone think I am staunchly anti-football, I really have no problem with it--it's just, I dunno, I live in a neighborhood with many, many bars and restaurants, and being out on Superbowl Sunday means walking past places where loud, drunk Brooklynites are celebrating intensely and it makes me feel left out and cranky. It's like being a teetotaler on New Years Eve. But if I'd been somewhere fun with cool people watching the game, I'm sure I could have found a way to enjoy it. I've been told it was an exciting contest.
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Mr Lojban - 2008-02-04 14:54:10
I now feel ever so slightly more self-conscious about my Fiery Furnaces fandom. I really enjoy their stuff, despite the obvious flaws: rhythmic limitation, soullessness, breaking songs for the sole point of breaking them. "Benton Harbor Blues" reminds me of the Fall's "Bonkers in Phoenix", which I think started out as a Brix track which was then intentionally broken by Mark. But nonetheless the poignancy of "Benton Harbor" still comes across very clearly to me. Broadly speaking, their songs seem to reflect a discomfort with or denial of emotional understanding. It makes me a bit uncomfortable, but somehow I still like them.
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Paula - 2008-02-04 15:02:13
The first song ("The Philadelphia Grand Jury") on Widow City perfectly encapsulates the FF experience for me--it has a brilliant riff, tons of personality, an exciting vibe, but that stop-and-start collage effect ends up irritating me profoundly and I can't listen. And it goes on for 7 minutes. Love/hate/love/hate.
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Philip - 2008-02-04 16:10:21
Grigorss -- You know it!
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Paula - 2008-02-04 17:55:40
Broadly speaking, their songs seem to reflect a discomfort with or denial of emotional understanding
I meant to respond to this: yes, good call. That describes a lot of music that I like, too. I always felt like Robyn Hitchcock is the master of that, but in his case he does it with the obliquity of his lyrics and lets the music stay pretty/catchy.
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Mr Lojban - 2008-02-06 03:16:24
Yeah, "The Philadelphia Grand Jury" is disappointing, even to me, & especially as an album opener. And it is a bit calculated to annoy. Btw I found it on Songerize, for the discovery of which I am grateful to you.* My Songerize stats of the evening -- Found: PGJ by Fiery Furnaces, "Gouge away" by the Pixies; Not found: "He pep" by the Fall, "Jennifer Louise" by Of Montreal.
*That relative clause is so much easier in Lojban, but whatever.
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Paula - 2008-02-06 15:26:57
That relative clause is so much easier in Lojban
All things are easier in Lojban.
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