The Raven - Teaser Trailer (Mariano Cattaneo - Nic Loreti)

So exciting...check out who's narrating!

Win some, lose some

The Wrestler was completely, utterly devastating and excellent. However, Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans was a stinky crapfest (they forgot to write a script). Too bad, I really enjoyed the cheesy fun action of the first two Underworld movies.

Other random junk of note:

Velvet Moon Bathery has some new products, including delightful body powder. It's silky and comes in a pretty jar complete with decorated black feathers for application. Yum.

Did you know that Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer of the show True Blood are dating in real life? They play lovers on the show, so I'm thrilled by this. I want Bill and Sookie together forever, in real life and on TV.

Morrissey - The National, Richmond VA - March - HAPPINESS!

Two week vacation - Dracula tour - Romania - July - UNADULTERATED JOY!

Movies '08

So without fanfare or frills, here's a random list of my twelve favorite movies of '08. My requirements for this list were simply that the movie be released either in US theatres or on US DVD in 2008 and that I had to view it within the year. (Revised on 1/26/09 thanks to a memory jog.)

Choke

The King of Kong

There Will Be Blood

Young at Heart

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Penelope

Be Kind, Rewind

Funky Forest: The First Contact

Tropic Thunder

The Midnight Meat Train

Sukiyaki Western Django

Eagle vs Shark (thanks Matt!)
What are your favorites from '08?

Most awesome of the awesome

I want to see The Wrestler so badly it's almost painful. It's pretty much all that I can think about. My job is so crazy. The show tonight is sold out and I've been here since 9 am and I'll leave around 9 pm. Tomorrow will be much the same. All that's getting me through is knowing that The Wrestler is coming on Friday.

I had hoped to know very little about the movie. However, I saw the preview yesterday and it made me want to see it even more. Mickey Rourke's amazing, rambling speech at the Golden Globes sealed the deal for me. Did anyone catch that? He prompted director Darren Aronofsky to give him the finger. He thanked Axl Rose and then thanked his dogs. It was by far the best speech ever given at an awards show.

Then I found Rourke's new ad for PETA (pictured above). I really thought that Dita Von Teese had the best ever PETA ad, but this might top it thanks to the use of the word "cajones".

Yesterday I saw Slumdog Millionaire. It was good (certainly miles above Wall-E). However, after 24 hrs to ponder, I don't think it's Danny Boyle's best. I remember being just thrilled to bits with Trainspotting, so much so that I saw it 3 times in its theatrical run. I also adored 28 Days Later. I guess I enjoyed Slumdog quite a bit, but I perhaps would have enjoyed it a lot more if I had no expectations. I just kept hearing how incredible it is. Yes, it's good, but perhaps just not quite great. Oh well, still entertaining and recommended.

Oh, I just can't wait until Friday!

Random stuff on a red letter day

Today is a big happy day. First of all, it's my four year wedding anniversary! Hurray! We get to go eat sushi and fancy dessert.

Today is also the day we celebrate the kitties' birthday. They are sisters. Happy Birthday, Chucky and Ezmeralda! They are 6 years old today.

I am trying desperately to get through the goofiness that is Stephanie Meyer's Breaking Dawn. I figured that I had better finish up the series. Good grief, it's a long book and it's so ridiculous. It makes the others seem somewhat realistic and highbrow. I'll probably be a bit dumber after I'm finished. In fact, I'm pretty sure the whole Twilight thing has made me even more of a moron than I was previously. Anyway, I'm anxious to finish it so that I can dive into some books I got for Christmas as well as the novel Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist.

The new tribal dance class began last evening and I think it's going to be excellent. I believe it will be a challenge but ultimately a very rewarding one.

Last Saturday we attended a surprisingly terrific bellydance and sideshow event in Richmond. Matt was the sound man and he did a wonderful job. We saw my instructor Dana do her thing (voi dance, incredible). We also saw tribal goddess Asharah who impresses me more each time I see her. There was also a fantastic juggler and jester, Paolo Garbanzo, who juggled "mostly razor sharp knives" and told jokes. It was a superb evening.

Enough rambling. I got off track a bit. Happy January 15th!

In the minority

I am no expert when it comes to family-friendly movies. I have a sentimental fondness for movies that I enjoyed as a child, like The Neverending Story and The Princess Bride. As a film buff, I try to keep myself open and try to see all sorts of movies. Last week we got the Blu-Ray of the Pixar film Wall-E from our Netflix queue.
Am I the only person who thought that Wall-E was rather preachy and sort of contrived? I didn't think that it was terrible, per se. The animation was incredible, of course (Pixar has always been at the top of the 3-D game). I just thought it was so-so. After all of the glowing reviews, perhaps my expectations were too high. It just amazes me that this is favored to win the Oscar not only for Best Animated Feature but also may have a chance at the Best Picture award.
Perhaps I am missing something. It definitely sends a nice message to young children about taking care of the planet. However, I doubt that there's a chance that the message will reach already full-grown idiots that I see tossing their McDonald's wrappers out onto the highway.

NICE!

Check out the first comment under my fave albums of '08. Somebody got their blood pressure up! Ahahahaha! Anonymous comment, of course. Aren't they always?!

As promised, I deleted my earlier, rambling, sorrowful post. No need for that kind of stuff to be on the www. Many thanks to those who sent comments of love and support, though.

A year's worth of opinions

Hello! Happy 2009 folks. Last year was in turns lovely and eventful and stressful and scary and beautiful. I'm looking forward to lots of excitement in 2009, including an impending summer vacation to...Romania! More on that news another time, this post is for my top 10 or so albums of 2008.

1. The Cure 4:13 Dream

The Cure returns in top form with their best in well over a decade, perhaps 2. I've managed to lose my copy and I'm devastated. Hopefully I'll find it, otherwise I need to download it ASAP.

2. Girl in a Coma Both Before I'm Gone

This is cheating because this album was released in 2007. However, I finally picked it up in the late summer because of my obsession with Kathie Olivas (she is responsible for the excellent cover art). These girls are completely badass and I can't stop playing this. It's on Joan's Jett's Blackheart Records if that gives you some idea of how this sounds.

3. DeVotcKa A Mad and Faithful Telling

My friends pestered me about DeVotcKa (how many times did you see them this year, Atlanta?!?) and I finally picked up the album. It's every bit as good as was promised.

4. Tindersticks The Hungry Saw

I am kind of surprised that these guys are still plugging along. They are at the top of their game after a long break. Always haunting and gorgeous. Full of simple melodies and lush, layered instrumentation.

5. Goldfrapp Seventh Tree

Goldfrapp has never once let me down. After their glitter and glam opus Supernature, this album hews closer to their debut, Felt Mountain, but with a more sunny, pastoral feel.

6. Kate Nash Made of Bricks

Kate's not exactly Lily Allen, but she's fairly similar. However, Kate writes her own stuff and is proficient on several instruments. It's a distinctly British album, equal parts wit, cheek and bile.

7. Mercury Rev Snowflake Midnight

I love these guys and I'm forever a fan. I love this crazy electronic experiment.

8. DragonForce Ultrabeatdown

Well, it's certainly my favorite album title of the year! DragonForce is in full effect, delivering power metal at breakneck speed.

9. Flight of the Conchords

Funny.

10. Amanda Palmer Who Killed Amanda Palmer?

Dresden Doll Amanda released her first solo effort. Guess what? Sounds like Dresden Dolls. It's very nice. Dresden Dolls released a sort of B-sides album, No Virginia, but I slightly prefer Amanda's solo effort.

Runners up: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Dig!!! Lazarus, Dig!!!, Black Kids Partie Traumatic, Beck Modern Guilt, MGMT Oracular Spectacular, Portishead 3, Man Man Rabbit Habits, Emilie Autumn Opheliac, Soundtrack to Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, compilation for Nightmare Revisited

Okay, folks! Your turn to post your top favorite albums of 2008. Perhaps maybe your top 10 songs, like Toggle Switch (very nice, my friend). Maybe top 10 movies? That's up next for me. Go ahead, I dare ya!