Monday, December 31, 2007

Or...as Bono once said...

You just have to "go away and dream it all up again"...

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Just when you thought it could happen...

I have never rooted for Eli Manning in a game in my life. Last night I did. Everything I hoped the Giants could do...happened, until the 4th quarter. Get off to early lead? Check. Have one explosive play to get crowd riled up? Check. Have the lead at halftime? Check. Get out to quick start in 3rd quarter? Check. Eli Manning have his best game of the year (not asking much there)? Check. And then it ended. The offense stalled out 1/2 way through the 3rd quarter, the Patriots came back. And after the on-side kick failed after a very late touchdown, it was over. Oh well, I can always pray the Colts or Jags (or perhaps the Cowboys in the Super Bowl) play at their highest level for one game. Possible. Not likely. But possible.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

I sit...

in this chair...with nothing else to say...

Friday, December 21, 2007

DDL...That's Daniel Day-Lewis To You

I read a nice piece on Daniel and his new film, There Will Be Blood, in today's USA Today. I recommend checking it out here. And there proceed to rent or buy any film he has been in that you haven't already seen or own :)

Monday, December 10, 2007

Let me sleep...

I know the whiskey it won't soothe my soul
And the morphine won't heal my heart
But if you take me down to the infirmary
I won't have to sleep or drink alone.

So, take me down
To the infirmary
Lay me down on cotton sheets
Put a damp cloth on my forehead
Lay me down let me sleep
Lay me down let me sleep

--Cracker, "Take Me Down To The Infirmary"

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

My Faves in Music This Year

As with the film part, you'll have to forgive me for a lack of synopsis with the lists...the mind isn't quite up to that at this time. Well...perhaps I could, it would just take until February with the state of things upstairs :)

"The Lucky 13" (or 14)

1. The Gaslight Anthem -- Sink or Swim - Who would have thought that the best Springsteen album this year would not be written by Bruce? Frontman Brian Fallon channels The Boss in both voice and spirit. Imagine, Bruce being born in 1982 with somewhat punkier influences; Roy, Nils, and Clarence not existing (sorry); and having the rest of Against Me! (outside of lead singer Tom Gabel) as his bandmates. The songs are tight, relentless, relateable, human, and everything else you would have expected out of a younger Springsteen in this day and age. Whether or not these guys survive is anyone's guess; it's hard to work your way up from the bottom. But this debut is as good as any I've heard. Oh, and of course they hail from New Jersey.

2. Joe Henry -- Civilians
3. The Avett Brothers -- Emotionalism
4. Loudon Wainwright III -- Strange Weirdos: Music from and Inspired by the Film Knocked Up
5. Minus the Bear -- Planet of Ice
6. Maritime -- Heresy and the Hotel Choir
7. Against Me! -- New Wave
8. Patty Griffin -- Children Running Through
9. Sage Francis -- Human the Death Dance
10. Willy Mason -- If the Ocean Gets Rough
11. Shadows Fall -- Threads of Life
12. Iron and Wine -- The Shepherd's Dog
13. Weatherbox -- American Art
13. Chuck Ragan -- Feast or Famine

"Best of the Rest" (no discernable order)

As I Lay Dying -- An Ocean Between Us
Ben Weasel and His Iron String Quartert -- These Ones Are Bitter
Ted Leo (and the Rx) -- Living with the Living
The National -- Boxer
Josh Ritter -- The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
Every Time I Die -- The Big Dirty
Bruce Springsteen -- Magic
Radiohead -- In Rainbows
Posion the Well -- Versions
Spoon -- Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Band of Horses -- Cease to Begin
Gogol Bordello -- Super Taranta!
The One AM Radio -- This Too Will Pass
Tegan and Sara -- The Con
Jesu -- Conqueror
Thrice -- The Alchemy Index: Vol 1 and 2
Portugal. The Man -- Church Mouth
Ryan Adams -- Easy Tiger
Tiger Army -- Music from Regions Beyond
Big D and the Kids Table -- Strictly Rude
Sundowner - Four One Five Two
The Weakerthans -- Reunion Tour
Rocky Votolato -- The Brag and Cuss
The Snake, The Cross, The Crown -- Cotton Teeth
Foo Fighters -- Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace
Maylene and the Sons of Disaster -- II
Wilco -- Sky Blue Sky
Grinderman -- Grinderman
Manic Street Preachers -- Send Away the Tigers
Aesop Rock -- None Shall Pass
Lifetime -- Lifetime

My Faves in Film This Year

A short note...I'm really not up to giving full mini-reviews on these. I apologize. Perhaps when things are better I may go back and amend. Also, there are a bunch of movies that could be on here that either haven't made it to the "cultural mecca" that is Columbus, OH (hard to imagine I know), never did make it, or passed through so fast I had no chance. I will accept blame for not having seen "The Darjeeling Limited" and "Lars and the Real Girl". The following were and are beyond my control, Juno, Rocket Science, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, The Savages, Charlie Wilson's War, The Kite Runner, Starting Out in the Evening, Youth Without Youth, Sweeney Todd, There Will Be Blood and The Bucket List.

The Lucky "13"

1. Zodiac
2. Knocked Up
3. 3:10 to Yuma
4. In the Valley of Elah
5. No Country for Old Men
6. Michael Clayton
7. The Hoax
8. The Bourne Ultimatum
9. Into the Wild
10. American Gangster
11. The Lookout
12. A Mighty Heart
13. Red Road

"Best of the Rest" (no discernable order)

Breach
Tarnation (2004)
Fracture
An Unreasonable Man
Days of Glory (2006 - France)
Bug
300
The Lives of Others (2006 - Germany)
1408
Sunshine
Eastern Promises
The Brave One
Ratatouille
Gone Baby Gone
Away from Her
The Astronaut Farmer
The Hunting Party
The Mist

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Fave Songs of 2007

Just a number of songs I listened to repeatedly during the year...though I have a feeling I left plenty others out, simply due to bad memory. Mostly all from this year with a couple of slightly older ones thrown in. Once again, no discernible order (other than alphabetical, lol).

Civil Disobedience -- Sage Francis
Common People -- Street Dogs
Daughter/Valley Morning -- Loudon Wainwright III
Denton, TX -- Damien Jurado
Devil You Know -- Pinback
Drive/I'da Called You Woody, Joe -- The Gaslight Anthem
For Broken Ears/The Grove -- Chuck Ragan
For Science Fiction -- Maritime
Forsaken -- As I Lay Dying
Girls in Their Summer Clothes -- Bruce Springsteen
Headed for a Fall -- M. Ward
Heaven That I'm Making -- Crowded House
Hide and Seek -- Imogen Heap
Intervention -- Arcade Fire
Irish Handcuffs
-- Smoke or Fire
Jigsaw Falling Into Place -- Radiohead
Paranoid in BB Major -- The Avett Brothers
Postcard from Kentucky -- Rocky Votolato
Shut Me Up/Time is a Lion -- Joe Henry
Summer's Always Gone Too Soon -- Ben Weasel and His Iron String Quartet
The Dreams -- Weatherbox
The Pizza Song
-- Bouncing Souls
Things Have Changed -- Bob Dylan
We'rewolf -- Every Time I Die
What Light -- Wilco
Where I'm Headed
-- The One AM Radio
White People for Peace/Sink, Florida, Sink (Electric) -- Against Me!
You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb -- Spoon

Favorite Video of the Year

Against Me! -- "White People for Peace"

Ain't war grand?

Monday, December 3, 2007

A few high points in TV this year...

So, the writer's strike is upon us with still no end in sight. A promising season of "24" (especially after last year's debacle) has been thrown down the toilet (cancelled completely), and the likelihood of new episodes for other shows, save for those scheduled to debut in winter/spring, is slim, and yes he did leave town with the nun. But a few things have caught my attention.

1. Journeyman (NBC) - Apparently there is a relatively high chance that this show will die because of the writers strike. It would be a shame. I'd see numerous previews for it in the movie theatres before the start of the previews and it looked interesting (at least the pilot). I'll be honest, I wasn't sold at first. Especially due to the fact that the other reason I tuned in, Reed Diamond, has a kind of a secondary role in the show (I was a huge fan of Homicide). However, he has been getting a little more screen time, and the episodes have gotten better and better, up til' now. That, and the fact that series star Kevin McKidd has proven himself to more than capable as the hero. It's kind of a hard show to explain, but in a way it reminds me of Doctor Who, just completely a un-premeditated, random, Doctor Who, lol. Hopefully, fans of Thom Baker and the like won't crucify me just as I hope that NBC won't hit the proverbial nail in the coffin on this one, as they so stupidly did with last season's excellent, Kidnapped.

2. Dirty, Sexy, Money (ABC) - Yeah, this is pretty much a pop soap drama/mystery, but its just acted so damn well. Even when the histrionics are called upon, as they always are in soaps, they still remain genuinely funny. The show also stars Peter Krause (along with Donald Sutherland and Blair Underwood among others), who plays his role as the Darling's family lawyer (while attempting to solve the mystery of his dad's death) perfectly. For anyone who missed Six Feet Under while it was running on HBO, I highly recommend it as Krause was also amazing in that. His brother on SFU, Michael C. Hall, is currently getting raves in the Showtime drama, Dexter.

Lastly, Law and Order: Criminal Intent is indeed not new. It kicked off its 7th season this year. Shown for the first time this year on USA on Thursday's, instead of its parent company NBC on Sundays, it remains one of the better crime dramas out there. And if you were to only speak of the episodes involving Kathryn Erbe and the amazing Vincent D'Onofrio, it is among the best (not a whole lot of chemistry yet on the other side as Chris Noth takes on his 3rd partner in 3 seasons). But really, it is worth it just to watch D'Onofrio on screen, especially as his partner seems to be continually unraveling for the last year or so. There is no one better to ask for this challenging role, especially when it invites him to be completely over-the-top in a laughable way. Vince never takes the bait.

Some people are charmed...

And apparently after tonight's game (among others), I would say Tom Brady is definitely one of them. God, I hate that guy.

OSU is in the National Championship Game...

That being said, the BCS thing? It's a crock. Not only is it a crock, but the coaches and writers are in on it too. It's blatantly obvious.

I understand if you want to make a point that LSU is better than Virginia Tech. I can get that. They handled them with ease (at home) in the 2nd week of the season. But here is the question...If it's all about "when you lose", and who is playing the best at the end of the season, please explain how LSU (with a more than gifted back-up in Ryan Perriloux - I'd tell you he is pretty much on-par with Matt Flynn) barely beat a so-so 3-loss Tennessee team ranked #13 by a touchdown thanks to a pathetic game by Eric Ainge and jumps from #7 to #2. In the meantime, Virginia Tech beats a higher-ranked (#11) Boston College team by 15 on a truly neutral field and goes from #5 to #4, or simply sits at #4 depending on the poll. Please explain that. You can't.

Bottom line, LSU vs. OSU is the marquee matchup, subjectivity be damned. If LSU was really "that good" after losing to another lame-ass team in overtime (how's that Kentucky loss look now?), then you (coaches, writers, etc.) should have kept that at #3 or #4 in the polls last week.

Even more glaring is the fact that no one will address this in a written piece, at least none that I have found so far. They will all tell you now why LSU is deserving of being in the game. And don't even begin to get me started on Missouri being passed up by Kansas (a team they beat and couldn't make it to its own conference championship game) AND Illinois? Are you serious? I understand preserving all that Pac-10/ Big-10 tradition for the Rose Bowl (like people really give a shit about tradition anymore), but Illinois? Over Missouri? Come on. Are you really telling me that people want to see USC vs. Illinois instead of USC vs. Missouri. Please.

I enjoyed this...

response to Michael Silver's (Yahoo! Sports writer) piece last week in which he mentioned Dave Matthews...

"Don't sweat it, Michael: The Dave Matthews Band (or 'Dave' as his obnoxious frat-boy fans call him) sucks hard. Dave Matthews is music for people who want to believe they like really good music but have no idea what really good music actually is."

Ryan, Indianapolis

Thanks. I have no comment, except to note that the anti-Dave Matthews emails came fast and furious this week. As for my own lyrical genius …

Sunday, December 2, 2007

The lists...

soon arrive...and then I...disappear