Well, dear readers, it’s already the final week of February. I find this hard to believe, frankly or even davidly. I know February is a short month but this is ridiculous. Soon we will be marching to the tune of March. Where else on all the Internet can you find such information?
Last night I had quite a feast of movie watching. First, I watched a bit of the Japanese anime entitled Spirited Away, but I decided to stop because the English dubbing is quite awful – I will wait until the DVD which will hopefully have the original Japanese track included. Then I watched a documentary entitled Bowling for Columbine. I don’t know why, really, but I was dreading watching it and, in fact, have turned down the opportunity to see it several times. I like Michael Moore, although sometimes I think he’s a bit disingenuous. Well, it’s a wonderful film, and its rather astonishing two-hour length really does fly by. I am glad a film finally has the nerve to come out and say what I’ve been feeling and saying quite vocally, especially in the last few weeks – we are a nation being taught to live in fear by the media. When perfectly sane people are going out and hording water and food and buying duct tape you know there is something wrong. When cities have cops with assault weapons in the streets, when people are afraid to get on the subway because of unspecified threats (first announced by the government and then pounced on and played for high drama by the media), well, where does it stop? In any case, kudos to Mr. Moore and his crew for his wise film.
I then watched a motion picture entitled The Hours, another film I was dreading. I thought it was going to be one of those dreary Brit things that go on and on, those films no one remembers five years after they come out or, if they do remember them and see them again, can no longer remember what it was about them that they liked. Well, I enjoyed The Hours. I didn’t love it, but I liked it quite a bit. It told its story in an interesting way, was competently directed, well-written, and really well performed by its stellar cast. Both Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore have given two count them two excellent performances this year. And I must tell you that for the first fifteen minutes of the film I didn’t know it was Nicole Kidman – I actually think she’s cuter with the fake nose. She is an actress I don’t always like, but here her acting slip never shows and she’s very good indeed. The score by Philip Glass is fine, but what you’d expect from his palette of musical colors. Funnily, I kept watching that kid who played Julianne Moore’s son and thinking, “Why is he acting like that – what a strange bird” – then, of course, we find out and that took me totally by surprise, I must say. All in all, a fine evening of film.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Quick, let’s all click on the Unseemly Button below, shall we, before I review my toenails.
Isn’t it funny how sometimes a song will embed itself in your head and you just can’t stop singing it over and over again? It’s even funnier when you haven’t heard the song in ages – I mean, hearing it again hasn’t been the catalyst for it being embedded in your head, it just plants itself there for no reason whatsoever, like a canker sore. This happened to me recently when, for no reason at all, I started singing the title song to Love With The Proper Stranger. Now, I haven’t heard the song in years, I haven’t seen the movie in years, I didn’t see the title written anywhere to jog my memory. I’ve always loved the title tune, but let’s face it, it wasn’t a huge hit or anything, although Jack Jones did okay with it. The music is by Elmer Bernstein and I can’t remember who did the lyric, but it’s a fairly strained bit of business. But I’ve been singing it constantly for the last three days. Isn’t that funny in sort of a strange and unexplained way?
I promised a report on Monica Mancini’s new CD of film songs, and you shall have it tomorrow. Meanwhile, Donald has a brand spanking new radio show up today, Brent Barrett’s interview is up, in case you haven’t read it yet, and the joint is jumpin’. Soon we will be the most popular site on all the Internet. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too?
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must type up all the notes I’ve been taking, I must do a spot of organization, and then I must catch up on some CD listening. Don’t forget, tomorrow is our Unseemly Live Chat – we sincerely hope many of you will be there – and tell your friends, tell your neighbors, tell the man in the street and the woman in the window – this is where it’s happening, baby, this is where it’s at, this is the coolest, the ginchiest, the most rad site on all the Internet. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you can discuss anything your collective hearts desire. You can start by telling me if you liked Bowling for Columbine and The Hours – how’s that for a kickstart? Post away, my pretties, let’s not have the Sunday doldrums around these parts.