Beltmann

Speaking of "all-time favorites," I was just revisiting Stan Brakhage's The Dante Quartet (1987). It's my favorite film of his--it's as pure and beautiful and evocative a vision of Hell as I've seen. Over the years, I have probably seen this ethereal, scary, breathtaking masterpiece 30 times, but I never tire of it. I wish I could have it on perpetual loop in my living room as if it were installation art. And I think "Spiders" would make a perfect musical accompaniment!

Instead of melodrama, Murnau composed a sensuous, moral fable of bright settings and emotional extremes. It's about compromised dreams, but also how joy is a state of mind. Too bad his career was cut short...

I stand corrected.

That's one of my all-time favorite films, period. Top 20.

An actress best known for her tabloid exploits plays an actress best known for her tabloid exploits. But it's not just a stunt--Sienna Miller runs circles around Steve Buscemi in this movie. She might be the real deal.

) ) ) ) ) VIBES ( ( ( ( ( Many years ago, I lost my grandfather three weeks before my wedding. That was tough, especially since we were close--he was my best baseball buddy. Lots of vibeage from southeast WI, El Kev.

I loved the album... didn't know about this EP. Thanks for the heads-up! EDIT: Just downloaded the EP via eMusic... first track sounds good.

English, West Bend East. Typing during conferences? Man, I never get a break during conferences... it's four solid hours of conversation, and I usually end up staying late to meet with those at the end of the line. But I don't really mind--the nonstop meeting makes the time go by fast. (And I confess that I enjoy seeing the parents; there's usually a lot of laughing involved.)

I was thinking--and hoping--the same thing. But doesn't Turner only hold about 600 people? Wish I could have been there... damn those parent-teacher conferences... One of my students went to the show and came by this morning just to gloat. When he told me about Tweedy doing "Someone Else's Song," I stared at him and then said, "I am going to swear now. Son of a bitch."

Rushmore is one of my all-time favorite movies, but I agree with you... in particular, I felt Life Aquatic went over the edge. But even when I sense it's not working, I always admire a filmmaker who swings for the fences.

Fair enough, but I wasn't really trying to specifically defend Anderson so much as make a broad statement about how watching movies through a filter of standardized expectations is reductive, limiting, and unfair--both to the artist and to the viewer.

I finally watched the SNL performance this afternoon, and I agree: Not so hot. The band didn't sound tight, and Britt Daniel seemed very, very stiff. Neither song really sounded like the Spoon I know and love. But they sounded much better on both Leno and Letterman.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I haven't seen Hara Kiri yet, but I like Masaki. Not long ago I revisited Kwaidan, which he made right after Hara Kiri.

You mean something like this?

Yeah, I'm not sure about this development... it takes the show into more melodramatic territory, and that could be disappointing. Hopefully the writers will approach it in credible and emotionally honest ways. Last season NBC put all of the FNL shows on its website for free. I haven't checked this season, but if you want to catch up, I'd start there.

Rubrics have no place in art. One thing I've always liked about Wes Anderson movies is that they do away with established ideas about what a movie should be--they exist on their own terms.

Of course this is a cash grab. Thing is, though, there are actually people out there--a lot of people--who don't own any Dylan and this new package might be just their thing. If so, good for them. If you're like me and already have this stuff, well, we don't have to bother. What's the big deal? Are we seriously supposed to be pissed about how there's another CD out there that we must somehow find the time and energy to ignore?

Hodie!

Got screwed... can't make it.

FYI: Season 2 of this most excellent show starts tonight! NBC, 9/8c

I loved Bachelor Party as a kid... but probably only because, as an 11-year-old, I saw it by sneaking over to a friend's house and watching it covertly. Ah, memories. Just returned from: My Best Friend is a very pleasant Leconte movie--and a very rare example of Daniel Auteuil being upstaged by his co-star.