Category Movies: Broken Flowers

The DVD release of "Broken Flowers" hit the shelves. Jim Jarmusch has a distinct style and feel to his films. A kind of wry tone, that speaks well to an audience he has built over a prolific filmography. This is a great movie, with vibrant colors and a good ear for sound and ambient moods.The story of "Broken Flowers" follows Don Johnston, played melancholic by Bill Murray. After receiving a pink letter in the mail anonymously, he is prodded by his next-door neighbor Winston (Jeffery Wright) into seeking out all possible Mothers.What follows is some of the best subtle character development I have ever seen. Much of what we learn about Johnston is learned through our assumptions. Jarmusch has made an excellent film here, and I have only one complaint; there was a lot of padding. Extended scenes of inconsequential shots. It may be in the name of art, but none of the scenes were stunning, and the camera work from inside a car is always rough. I assume it was to grant the movie a wider release, but I would have liked to see a longer sequence here or there with actual people in it. Those looking for a usual narrative fare will be disappointed by Jarmusch's rather esoteric style. The cast is rounded out by the ex club: Sharon Stone, Jessica Lange, and Tilda Swinton.

Category: Movies Walk The Line

As far as American lore is concerned, our first love is always the redeemed outlaw. Johnny Cash lived this fable. A man whose discography alone is enough to mark a major achievement, his life was more than years of recording.
Starring Joaquin Pheonix as Mr. Cash himself, the movie is laid out like many a biopic has been in the last few years. From Ali to Ray, these movies strive to give us knowledge of household names. A little bit of their childhood tragedy, the long hard road to the top, and the subsquent falter, and then the nice triumph over adversity. Ali was pretty boring, but I don't like sports. Ray was indulgent, but so is Walk The Line. Whereas a normal movie the rather run of the mill plot can be blamed on a lack of creativity in Hollywood, the biopic genre is glutted.
As I said this story is etched as an archetypes myth in our minds, like Horatio Alger's success stories, holding the secret to the American Dream. What makes Walk the Line float to the top of this crowded aquarium, is not the story, but how it gives all the context to his early material. From Folsom Prison Blues, as a cry against the Air Force, to Ring of Fire coming out of June Carter mourning Johnny's drug addiction.
whereas many biopics feels incomplete or cut and paste, Walk the Line does well as a real plot. It fits together well and the narrative and theme is consistent. Director James Mangold did a wonderful job here. I definitely give this a Great.

Category: Books Radio On: A Listener's Diary

Category: Books
Sarah Vowell’s first book “Radio On: A Listener’s Diary”, is a rather interesting concept. Listening to the radio for an entire year is something most of us do without thinking. Her point however, is that we do this unconsciously and do not take the radio in as a medium. She observes all sides; from public radio to Right Wing talk (Aside: The book was written in 1995, giving Rush Limbaugh the height of his popularity and even San Francisco radio was turning to the Right Wing.) Vowell takes it to another level, in her world for a year the radio is the doorway to American culture. Some of it best left in the ether of fuzzy A.M. stations and low powered college radio, She is unafraid to declare some of it for what it is, pure tripe. On the other hand most of the praise seems reserved for the CBC rebroadcasts on WBEZ (A Chicago Station, actually most of the book is from Chicago radio), and her alma mater’s station, and Ira Glass’s show “The Wild Room”, which he had done previous to “This American Life”. I wouldn’t be so bothered by that if it wasn’t Glass’ show that put her into the limelight and led to her second and much more wildly read book, “Take the Cannoli”.
As a historical document the book does a quite good job at reminding us of culture in 1995. From Kurt Cobain’s suicide, New Gengrich and Ruch Limbaugh’s rise to fame, and some more forgettable moments of pop culture at the time. Some of it is very illuminating, but being that it’s only ten years ago I hope you haven’t forgotten it yet.
In the end Vowell does the best she can. It contains her same wry and witty observations that her other books have. Her best work came later, but if you’ve read “Take the Cannoli”, “Partly Cloudy Patriot”, and Assassination Vacation”, go ahead and read this one. Sarah Vowell has always been a great writer and this book shows that, but for an introduction to her work, it’’ not the greatest. My rating is For serious fans only.

Redesign 2 Back and Bored!

Yet another review site on the web. Wheee!
Listen I won't review current books, unless I happen to be reading one. I promise to detail my reading and listening queues, along with some various other forms of entertainment that you should check out. Unliek other critics, I do admit my pretension. Screw it, why like crap? Welcome to the nut house. I'm dork core and debonair.
Mike NM