Fugitive Duck

Bonjour Paris!

2011-06-28T12:53:00.002-04:00

It's a good day to fly to Paris. While we won't be singing our way down the Champs-Élysées, I remain very excited to spend some time in the romantic City of Lights. Recent book club reads The Paris Wife and A Moveable Feast and Woody Allen's latest, Midnight in Paris, have me even more in a French frame of mind. Something tells me I may have a Russell Crowe sort of moment on Thursday night. And I think a visit to Laduree for a macaroon or two is also in order!

Pop Culture Weekend

2011-04-25T14:08:00.001-04:00

Every once in a while, the calendar lines up so that my birthday falls close to Easter. This was one of those years, which also very conveniently meant I had Friday off from work. And what were my industrious goals for that extra day in the weekend?

1. Getting ready for my book club meeting about Water for Elephants, which was my suggestion for April, and reading reviews of the movie version. Also, wondering what Robert Pattinson will do post-Twilight. This was not in fact necessary for book club preparation, but a pleasant diversion nonetheless.

2. Watching Giant, which was recorded from Turner Classic Movies during their Elizabeth Taylor marathon earlier in the month. She really did have a vibrant screen presence -- so sensual and alive.

3. Seeing a few episodes of Band of Brothers, and perfecting my impression of a World War II paratrooper during battle. (You might notice all of these activities could be done from a comfortable sofa.)

4. Getting my ping pong on at Spin and standing very near to Susan Sarandon while a guy in a Speedo and nothing else battled to be tournament champ. You might say Susan and I hung out, technically. (Also: this meant I actually got off the sofa!)

And in a final pop culture installment for the weekend, a very thoughtful someone surprised me with tickets to Anything Goes on Broadway for Sunday afternoon. A buoyant, brash, hilarious musical, I almost never wanted it to end, and the dance numbers had us tapping up and down the staircase during intermission.

Elizabeth Taylor: 1932-2011

2011-03-23T13:57:00.000-04:00

Elizabeth Taylor has passed away at the age of 79. A potent combination of beauty, talent, and sheer star power, Ms. Taylor became famous as a child actor and never stayed far from the public's imagination thereafter. From her serious health scares to her multiple marriages, the drama of Ms. Taylor's off-screen life frequently rivalled that her on-screen roles. She was one of the last great movie stars.

There are many tributes appearing online: The New York Times obituary, this 1986 piece by Vincent Canby, a look back from The Washington Post, an appreciation from Roger Ebert, and another obituary from Entertainment Weekly. Vanity Fair has a number of articles at their site, including this excerpt from a book on Ms. Taylor's passionate relationship (and two marriages) with Richard Burton.

Reasons to love England

2010-11-15T12:02:00.000-05:00

There are many things to love about England, our good friend across the pond. You have The Beatles, queens with great first names, a no-nonsense attitude about getting on with life when things are challenging, and such fine contributions to gastronomy as Ribena and the digestive biscuit. And, one of my personal favorites, their sense of humor.

Lately I've been watching and loving hilarious show The Inbetweeners, a cringe-inducing look at the live of four awkward high school students. One of the most refreshing aspects of this program is that the four leads are regular people, not impossibly good looking model types, and their situations and dialogue seem both believable and funny without being needlessly crass. Just took their "which character are you" quiz online, and am pleased that I'm most like Simon, who's bio leads off with "Not too painful -- all the time."

"I'm in a very good place right now"

2010-09-26T16:16:00.000-04:00

Elisabeth Moss, also known as Peggy Olson on Mad Men, spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the current season of her show and the DVD release of Get Him to the Greek, in which she appears as Jonah Hill's girlfriend. I hope Fred Armisen is eating his heart out.

Ben and Locke, together again

2010-09-23T23:36:00.000-04:00

More good news for J.J. Abrams and Lost fans: NBC has picked up his new show starring Michael Emeron and Terry O'Quinn, the erstwhile Ben and Locke, respectively. When Lost was winding up last spring, both actors professed their hope to work again, and the show is said to portray them as former black-ops cops.

Welcome to Fall

2010-09-22T23:49:00.001-04:00

Hello from lovely San Francisco! Work sends me to some nice cities sometimes, and while this isn't a hotel I'd plan to visit again (sorry, Radisson), I do welcome the opportunity to sit down and enjoy television premiere week on the major networks. Here's what's on my mind, pop culture wise:

1. Undercovers from J.J. Abrams. Currently playing on my TV, and halfway through the pilot episode. First, the man who created Lost, one of the most spine-tinglingly great shows ever made, is pretty much a genius, so this show already has a lot going for it. Second, what a fun premise! Two married former spies are running a catering business, having a nice but unexciting life, when they get pulled back into active duty to find a missing friend. You get world-wide travel, attractive people in exciting situations with a taste of danger, and how refreshing that it's about an already committed couple who clearly still love and enjoy each other. You so rarely see that in movies or TV -- the journey often seems to end when they get married. And for an especially great third, the lead actors are both black and it's not a big deal. A major show with a lot of money behind it anchored by two charismatic leads who happen to be minorities not usually given major roles in primetime: extremely cool.

2. A new trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! How I cannot wait for November, and not just because of a certain birthday. This. Looks. So. Good.

3. The novel One Day by David Nicholls, now in paperback. My love of all things British continues with this laugh out loud funny, moving, and altogether engrossing book. College students Dexter and Emma meet on the night of their graduation, and although they don't initially seem like natural friends, the relationship continues and each chapter revisits them on the same date for two decades. True to life in the way we don't always progress in the straight line we envisioned, and how random chance can have such enormous impact.

Dragon Tattoo Mania Continues...

2010-07-26T18:08:00.000-04:00

Just announced at Entertainment Weekly's website: Daniel Craig, also known as the current James Bond, has been cast as journalist Mikael Blomkvist. Personally, I'm excited: he has the right amount of grit and intelligence, and is good looking without being pretty. Maybe now it will make sense to audiences that basically every woman in the books falls for Blomkvist.

Swedish Summer

2010-07-23T10:39:00.001-04:00

It's a brutally hot, humid summer in New York City, but those reading Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy can imagine themselves in the more forgiving climes of Sweden. My book club is currently reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the first in the series. We gave ourselves an extra couple weeks between meetings because the length looked daunting, but the books have turned out to be such page-turners that I went on to The Girl Who Played with Fire and am nearly done with The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

Since starting the first book, I've been noticing copies of each story in the series everywhere: people reading them on the subway, in airports, across the aisle on planes. I have a sudden craving for herring, sour cream, and lingonberries. Even this review of the new chef at Aquavit opens with a reference to the series.

For me, the key to their popularity is heroine Lisbeth Salander, an antisocial computer hacker who teams with journalist Mikael Blomkvist to redress crimes against women. Lisbeth is an original and exciting creation. Whenever the narrative leaves Lisbeth, as a reader I can't wait to see what she'll do next. She's incredibly intelligent and unpredictable. She has a strong personal moral code and is loyal to those she cares about. Petite and slim, yet able to physically defend herself. And best of all, I think, is that despite all the setbacks and tragedies she encounters in her life, she refuses to accept victimhood.

Noomi Rapace, the Swedish actress who portrays her in the original film adaptations, is so absolutely perfect in the role that it's almost impossible to imagine any other actress doing it justice in the upcoming Hollywood versions. This interview with Ms. Rapace from Time Out New York provides an interesting look into her preparation for the films and what playing Lisbeth did to her physically.

News that is awesome

2010-04-06T10:30:00.001-04:00

Soon I'll have a more demanding job and, therefore, less time to peruse the internet for fun pop culture news. But today I came across some delightful news indeed: while reading an interview with Tina Fey and Steve Carell, I learned that Carell is producing a movie written by and starring Ed Helms, also known as Andy from The Office. It's about three Civil War re-enactors who get transported back in time to the actual Civil War! And for someone whose ring tone used to be the theme from The Office, and who recently spent an afternoon at Ford's Theatre checking out books on Lincoln's assassination, well, it doesn't get much better than this.

Buy, Read, Watch

2010-03-22T14:26:00.003-04:00

I read Elizabeth Gilbert's soul-searching travelogue Eat, Pray, Love two years ago. Although it occasionally meanders into preciousness, I found her to be a very endearing and thought-provoking narrator.

Gilbert is almost unbearably honest about her crushing divorce and subsequent depression, but also, often surprisingly funny. Her book has been turned into a movie starring Julia Roberts, making one of her increasingly rare leading role appearances. The trailer is here. (I tried embedding but it cuts the video in half.)

Incidentally, the song they're using is Dog Days Are Over by Florence & the Machine, which seems to be having a moment. It popped up on last week's Gossip Girl, too.

"Titanic" to be re-released in 3D

2010-03-17T13:55:00.002-04:00

Yes, the dialogue may be bad at times, and it's not cool to like it anymore, but I still harbor a love for Titanic. It's one of those movies where if I happen to come across it while channel surfing, I just can't turn off. Following the massive success Avatar enjoyed, it's no surprise that James Cameron has decided to re-release his other billion-dollar baby in 3D. Personally, I can't wait.

You're a furry little gnome and we feed you too much.

2010-03-16T16:48:00.000-04:00

General love for all things Golden Girls continues, first with Betty White finally being announced as an upcoming host on SNL, and now with this website, That's What Bea Said. Finally, a one-stop source for quotes from the funniest divorced Brooklyn teacher with a whoopee cushion selling ex-husband who ever lived!

To file under "random discoveries of the day," I'd like to add that when you search Google Images for a picture of Bea Arthur, the first result is of a painting John Currin did, which is titled "Bea Arthur Naked." Holy crap.

Roger Ebert Speaks

2010-03-11T10:28:00.003-05:00

There's no doubt that Roger Ebert is the most famous and popularly influential film critic in America today. Syndicated in over 200 newspapers, author of more than 15 books, and the co-host of two popular movie review shows with now deceased colleague and friend, Gene Siskel, Ebert is also the first film critic to win a Pultizer Prize for Criticism. Sometimes Ebert is criticized for being too lenient on movies, but defends himself, I think rightly, for judging pictures based on merits within their genre and the expectations of their intended audience.

Ebert has been fighting thyroid cancer since 2002, and over the course of his treatment and a series of surgeries, he's lost his lower jaw and the ability to speak, drink, or eat. It is strange and sad to think of a man who became most famous for his never-ending stream of chatter on movies will never speak out loud again, but to see Ebert's recent appearance on Oprah or to read this revealing interview in Esquire, he seems a truly happy man.

Reading the interview, I found the description of his unbridled excitment and enthusiasm for films to be both endearing and moving, not to mention his determination to continue communcating with fans and his loved ones, and his general outlook on life. I also liked that he's not presented as a saintly sage with important life lessons. He's still a person.

Moment where I geek out: I once got an email from Roger Ebert! During my senior year of college, I wrote to Ebert in response to column he wrote about The Shawshank Redemption, wherein he mentioned that women don't usually like prison dramas. I told him I'd happened to love that movie, and asked if he'd heard any advance word about The Green Mile, which, like Shawshank, was directed by Frank Darabont and based on a story by Stephen King, and was about to be released. So either Ebert himself, or an assistant who signed RE at the bottom, responded with a nice message and told me he hadn't heard anything about it yet. The email was maybe two sentences long, but I thought it was awesome nonetheless.

I heard things

2010-03-09T10:18:00.001-05:00

Vanity Fair is a reliable source for deep, dishy articles on celebrities and film classics, and this month they have a fascinating one on the making of Raging Bull. Some of it will be familiar to anyone who's read Peter Biskind's Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, but it's an illuminating read nonetheless.

I haven't watched Raging Bull since film class in college over ten years ago, but I vividly remember how enthralling it was to look at. It was mt first experience with a boxing film, and I never anticipated how beautifully shot or moving it would be.

While reading the above article, I was tickled to learn that Scorsese and De Niro had worked on the script in a hotel I once stayed at. And when you combine that coincidence with my mom's conviction that one of her cousins was once married to one of De Niro's, then obviously, he and I will have a lot to talk about if we ever meet, and he'll no doubt want us to hang out all the time.

The return of "Gossip Girl"!

2010-03-08T15:36:00.001-05:00

I just realized that tonight marks the first new episode of Gossip Girl in three months! For a sneak preview, watch the above and read these comments from Executive Producer Josh Schwartz. Also, nice synergy that the episode title, "The Hurt Locket," is a nod to last night's Best Picture Winner.

What do you smell like, man?

2010-03-08T15:33:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Tivo and DVR's, you rarely have to watch commercials these days, but sometimes there's an ad you actually seek out. Old Spice premiered their new commercial during the Super Bowl, and it's the funniest I've seen in a long time:

For more, visit the Old Spice site. Thanks to their new spokesman, I've learned that a lady should smell like salt water taffy and butterflies.

Countdown to "The Office" Baby

2010-02-18T11:19:00.000-05:00

I had no idea it would happen this quickly, but after the Olympics in two weeks, Jim and Pam will have their baby on The Office. Maybe it's not that quick -- they found out Pam was pregnant in last season's finale. NBC's been showing many previews during their Olympic broadcasts, and here's one of them:

They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway...

2010-02-16T11:35:00.003-05:00

One of the best things about New York, or any large city, is the access you have to an amazing variety of cultural events. I hadn't been to a play in a year until recently, and that streak was broken with tickets to see David Mamet's provocative new play Race in December, and then West Side Story this past weekend. Two very different experiences, both memorable and impressive in their own way.

In the course of my Amtrak adventures on Saturday, a fellow traveler who was missing out on seeing Race that night told me she could hardly wait to go both because of her undying crush on James Spader and her general love of David Mamet. Wherever she is, I hope she gets to see it someday because Mr. Spader is indeed very good.

Major standout in the West Side Story cast: Karen Olivo as Anita. Great singing, great dancing, and stage presence to spare. Turns out she won a Tony last year for the role, so either I am really late to this or I just have excellent judgment on stage performers. In this New York Magazine interview, Ms. Olivo reveals that she uses her own hair on stage and recently stopped being a vegan!

Zombies, zombies, everywhere!

2010-02-09T11:07:00.000-05:00

You don't have to be a horror enthusiast to appreciate zombies. I'm on the squeamish side, and yet I love Sean of the Dead and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. But what I love even more is the series of zombie self-help guides authored by my friend Scott Kenemore, he of the bearded ghost and mad drumming skillz. I have a vivid memory of watching The Thing with Scott and some other friends in college while drinking Jack Daniel's Blackberry Lemonade, and I can tell you with confidence that is not a movie or beverage which should be combined.

But I digress: Scott's new book, Z.E.O.: How to Get A(Head) in Business, came out in September, and if you like zombies and wish someone would distill their special qualities into a guide for achieving professional success, then this is the book for you. Scott is interviewed about his zombie series here, and you can also check out his always entertaining zombie blog. When he's not thinking about the walking undead, Scott spends time with his lovely girlfriend Heather.

And yet another reason to love Betty White

2010-02-08T15:15:00.002-05:00

From last night's Super Bowl. Betty White, can you do no wrong? The answer is, no. She cannot.

Viva the Golden Girls

2010-02-02T21:36:00.001-05:00

If you combine Clueless, Amy Heckerling's hilarious and sweet 1990s update of "Emma," with the comic perfection of the ladies of The Golden Girls, you get this:

My single complaint: why no Bea Arthur? It borders on tragedy.

And the nominees are...

2010-02-02T10:31:00.003-05:00

The nominees for this year's Academy Awards were just announced, with Avatar and The Hurt Locker receiving the most nods. It should be interesting to see if the new system of ten Best Picture nominees works well, and if it succeeds in attracting more viewers when the ceremony is broadcast on ABC on March 7. This is by far my favorite television event of the year.

Another favorite? Newsweek's annual Oscar roundtable, which is in the current issue. Conveniently, every actor interviewed this year received an Oscar nomination.

Also: the final season of Lost premieres tonight! My head might just explode.

And another also! My friend just reminded me that Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are co-hosting the Oscars this year. This is all kinds of awesome.

Bill Watterson speaks!

2010-02-01T20:40:00.001-05:00

Also known as the creator of the late, lamented comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, Watterson is a fellow Kenyon grad. The reclusive author was just interviewed for the Cleveland Plain Dealer; they note that this is his first time speaking to the press since 1989. As sad as I was when Calvin and Hobbes took their last sled ride, I think Watterson was right to end the strip when it was still good.

Team Coco, always!

2010-01-27T16:52:00.001-05:00

Conan O'Brien's finale as host of the Tonight Show was a perfect example of why people love him: silly humor, intelligence, and, finally, complete sincerity. His speech at the end of the episode was a great example of taking the high road. It might have been easy or tempting to succumb to bitterness there, but Conan made a very elegant and mature farewell. (Sorry, embedding isn't permitted on that one.) The very end of his speech is worth taking as a personal motto. I look forward to seeing what he does next, even if it is in the parking lot of a 7-11.

Interesting side note: hours after appearing in the final musical act as a singer and his very pregnant hippie lady friend, Will Ferrell and his wife, Viveca Paulin, had their third son.

Jay Leno, you're not doing yourself any favors!

2010-01-15T13:05:00.003-05:00

According to this story from Entertainment Weekly, the Tonight Show situation could be resolved by this weekend, with Conan likely to leave NBC for greener pastures and Leno back in his old digs. Even if Leno is getting what he wants, ultimately, he's really getting pummeled in the press and by the other late night hosts. He invited Jimmy Kimmel on his program last night, but it didn't exactly make him look good.

Late Night Wars

2010-01-12T18:35:00.002-05:00

NBC's decision to create a primetime platform for Jay Leno was observed with rabid speculation last summer, and after only a few months the outcome is clear: the show is a failure, and NBC is has decided to change their late night lineup again. Leno gets his own show at 11:35, the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien gets moved to 12:05 (which technically means it doesn't air "tonight") and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is on at 1:05. Apparently, no one's too bothered about the fate of Last Call with Carson Daly.

Earlier this evening, Conan released this statement wherein (no surprise here) he reveals that he does not want to see the Tonight Show's timeslot changed. I think he's right. NBC needs to give Conan time to develop his show and audience, and seven months just isn't long enough. And Leno is starting to seem like a jerk. It's time for him to move on, perhaps to another network.

Maybe Conan won't get the same numbers Leno did, but he has lowered the age of Tonight Show viewers, which is supposedly what advertisers all want, and he waited patiently to get this gig. He has behaved honorably, and that should be returned.

Russell Crowe: The Rapprochement

2009-12-18T14:49:00.001-05:00

Despite my inflammatory statement last year that Russell Crowe would have been a bad choice to play Drover in Baz Lurhmann's Australia, I have a soft spot for this actor, especially lately. For the moment, we'll put aside that whole phone throwing incident, and focus on the positive.

First and foremost, he is an excellent actor. Crowe initially made a name for himself stateside in Curtis Hanson's LA Confidential, a gorgeously-shot film noir, in 1997. Check out this scene where his emotionally wounded yet oh-so-manly Detective Bud White meets Kim Basinger's Lynn Bracken for the first time. This was Crowe's first major part in a big movie, and he absolutely holds your attention here. It's very impressive.

Another thing I admire about Crowe is his willingness to completely transform himself for a role. He was completely believable as tobacco industry whistleblower Jeffery Wigand in The Insider, the true story of a man who revealed that cigarette makers Brown & Williamson intentionally formulated their products to be more addictive (and therefore harmful) to smokers. Wigand was an older, slightly nerdy guy, and heavier than Crowe -- not a stereotypically sexy part -- but a real hero nonetheless, and Crowe totally inhabits him.

Not long after this film, Crowe won the Best Actor Oscar for Gladiator. This is actually, I think, one of his less interesting roles, but that's not to say he doesn't make you believe he's a wronged man out to avenge his family's murder. I am convinced to this day that Russell Crowe could hack off an opponent's limbs, romance a Roman princess, and terrify a tiger with ease. And only a year after this, he displayed similar versimilitude as mentally-ill mathematician John Nash in A Beautiful Mind. Watching Master and Commander made me damn near want to join the British Navy -- it looked so convivial and full of good, honest work, not to mention botany and entomology! And cute sailors! But I probably wouldn't be so thrilled about the whole surgery without anaesthesia aspect.

Besides all the aforementioned acting chops, however, let's consider other qualities. There isn't anyone else out there who can be as forcefully masculine onscreen as Russell Crowe. He isn't a pretty boy, and that is a very good thing. His physical presence is rather overwhelming. There's a reason the ladies on Sex and the City named him in their sex fantasy list: Russell Crowe, and those who are compared to him, is all man.

Next up, he plays Robin Hood in another collaboration with Ridley Scott.

Up in the Air

2009-12-02T16:18:00.006-05:00

We're now heading into one of the most excruciatingly pleasurable times of year for movie fanatics like me. Pleasurable because the studios bring out all their prestige, Oscar-bait films, and excruciating because how are you ever supposed to find the time to see all of them?

High on my list is Jason Reitman's Up in the Air. The first trailer is here and the second trailer is here. (Fun/random fact: a former co-worker from my game show days was an assistant to someone on the set. Flashy!)

Jason Reitman has quietly and steadily created a good name for himself on the basis of only two films so far: Thank You For Smoking and Juno. I'm sure being the son of director Ivan Reitman doesn't hurt with opening doors, but the guy is clearly a very talented, skilled filmmaker in his own right. Just 'cause your dad is a hot shot doesn't mean you automatically get to be one (see Cameron Douglas).

The New York Times has a nice little interview with Reitman, as does Newsweek.

Like most women, I love George Clooney. Not just for his smooth, handsome urbanity, but also because he's never taken the obvious route with his career. I like how he bops between the Coen Brothers and Steven Soderbergh, once wore a batsuit with nipples, and was the one who campaigned for ER to do a live episode. And this might finally be the movie to push Vera Farmiga into greater awareness with American audiences. She was so fantastic in The Departed -- I can't think of anyone else who could have played that part.

Let the "Harry Potter" machine start up again...

2009-12-01T08:55:00.005-05:00

With Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince about to be released on DVD, the magical Potter PR machine is kicking into gear again. ABC Family will have another marathon weekend of the first four movies, complete with teases of the new film and other nerdy extras like Luna Lovegood visiting the costume department.

Check out this article for the first official photo from part one of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as well as a little bit of description of how this film differs from the others in the series.

Hail to the Chief

2009-11-25T11:48:00.003-05:00

Good Lord, Michelle Obama is absolutely stunning. And you can tell her husband thinks she's pretty damn foxy too.

Politics aside -- and I am disappointed that President Obama hasn't accomplished much yet; get going, Mr. President! -- reading about this administration's first state dinner is a lesson in coolness. Love the tablecloths, love the menu, love the guest list, love the way they combined Bush and Clinton China! Love it all.

Twi-harder

2009-11-19T17:06:00.004-05:00

You know what, I'm not embarrassed to admit that I'm a fan of the Twilight series. I've already admitted to several other embarrassing things here. And if you're into pop culture you pretty much can't avoid the Twilight juggernaught, especially in the past year since the release of the first film and the subsequent hysteria surrounding lead actors Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.

Are these books ridiculous? Was the first movie laughable in parts? Big yes, but that's part of what makes them so fun.

Last spring, during an excruciatingly long airport layover on my way home from saying goodbye to a dying relative, I read almost the entire first book in the four-part series. At the time, I mostly appreciated how thoroughly distracting it was. Then I went on to read the remaining three books in the space of a month. Bella is a frequently annoying character -- whiny, grumpy, oh-so-ready to sacrifice herself -- and her relationship with sparkly vampire Edward has some disturbing undercurrents of control and sadomasochism. But the stories are compulsively readable, and lets face it, at base they're all about sex and self denial.

New Moon, the second movie adaptation, comes out tomorrow. I won't even try to see this for a few weeks at least. The shows have been sold out for a while and I'd like to maintain my hearing by avoiding the shrieks of teenage girls who go on opening night. The reviews have started coming in and so far, they range from pretty positive to so-so. Entertainment Weekly just posted theirs, here's one from the AP, and this is a very funny review from The Oregonian.

Count me in

2009-11-16T14:00:00.006-05:00

I've professed my love for Gossip Girl in this space before. Although the show's main characters are largely teenagers, I suspect the audience is mostly people my age. This recent article in The New York Times certainly supports that theory: the Parents Television Council may not like the show, but it's undeniably influencing fashion and generates much-needed buzz for the CW network. As for me, I do think Blake Lively has eminently enviable hair.

Halloween!

2009-11-12T08:54:00.007-05:00

Halloween is a great time to indulge your love of pop culture, because you can dress up as whoever or whatever you want. I've never been the most crafty person, but this past Halloween I made not just one, but two costumes! During a weekend visit to New York City, I went to a friend's annual party in Brooklyn on Friday night, and then on Saturday, to the Halloween parade and very fun event at the Soho House.

For Friday, my costume was Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz. Seeing as this year is the 70th anniversary of that landmark film, it seemed appropriate. Since I didn't have a lot of lead time, I bought the costume itself at a local store, and made the shoes myself. First, I started with an inexpensive pair of low white heels from Zappos, covered them liberally with spray adhesive, and then shook on two full bottles of Martha Stewart Coarse Glitter in Ruby. It's Dorothy -- you have to have the ruby slippers!

I decided on my costume for the next night on Saturday morning, and spent the day getting it ready. My friend went as hero pilot Sully Sullenberger, and I was his stewardess. Pretty simple when you get down to it: blonde wig, stewardess costume, sunglasses, and the red shoes again. We bought a brown feather boa from a street vendor and glued random feathers all over our costumes to symbolize the geese that caused Sully's plane crash.

On the way home on the L train that night, a drunk Princess Leia asked if I'd "sparkled my own shoes," which is now one of my favorite questions ever.

Can't get this out of my head...

2009-10-09T21:30:00.001-04:00

And maybe you won't be able to either. This song made my drive home on 83 North much more fun tonight.

First five minutes of "Grey's Anatomy" season premiere

2009-09-17T11:27:00.003-04:00

If you want to see it, the first five minutes of the Grey's Anatomy season premiere are online here.

Patrick Swayze, 1952 - 2009

2009-09-15T21:17:00.002-04:00

Dirty Dancing was one of those movies my parents adamantly refused to let me see for years, which only made me all the more determined to watch it. And when I did, it was both less dirty than I'd expected, and more meaningful. "Dirty" to me sounds tawdry, and it definitely was not that. It's a quintessential coming of age story: a young woman, who's unconventionally beautiful (and easier to relate to), smart and compassionate, experiencing love for the first time and realizing she's not her father's little girl anymore, painful as that might be. And yes, the dancing and other stuff is pretty damn hot.

Most hot, of course, was Patrick Swayze as sensitively macho Johnny Castle. During my first finals week in college, my room mate and I unwound every night by watching Dirty Dancing. We picked up on all kinds of random things, like the woman in blue screaming louder than anyone in the final dance scene, or how the third time he kicks the post when he needs to break into his car, it makes a funny popping noise. (Seriously, fast forward to 1:35 in that clip.)

You had to love Patrick Swayze for this, and his other movies. Some of it was cheesy, some of it butch, but he always seemed to be having a good time, and I liked that about him.

Library school rears its ugly head

2009-09-11T09:08:00.002-04:00

Over the past couple days, I spent a few hours organizing all of my CD's. They are now housed in six large plastic boxes under my bed in alphabetical order. What can I say, library school must have engendered a love of order and cataloguing. Each box holds about 66 CD's, and the last one is only partially full, so I think I have about 370. Is that a lot? I'm pretty sure almost no one reads this, but if you do, weigh in on how many CD's you have.

There were a few surprises, both good and marginally embarrassing. At the cooler end of the spectrum: I hadn't listened to Dummy by Portishead in a long time, or Ill Communication by the Beastie Boys, and was happy to see them again. Less cool? My copies of 'N SYNC's Celebrity (which I admit to listening to immediately) and Spice by the Spice Girls. In college, I somehow convinced two male friends to see their movie, Spice World, when it was in theaters. I owe you one, guys.

After four days in a car...

2009-09-08T21:09:00.004-04:00

Got back today from a road trip from Berekely, CA, across Nevada on highway 50 ("the loneliest road in America"), through Utah, to Boulder, CO by way of Denver. Phew! It was an amazing trip made in the company of an incredible friend, who's starting all kinds of new adventures. She's awesome and I think awesome things are happening for her.

She provided the music on the trip and I DJ'd, and here are some of the songs I liked most: Where Does the Good Go, Come Talk to Me, I Believe (When I Fall in Love), Flake, and One More Time.

Fun fact! Stevie Wonder recorded "Fingertips" in my hometown of York, PA back when he still performed as Little Stevie. At least my dad says this is true; Wikipedia disagrees.

Plane reading

2009-09-03T17:45:00.004-04:00

While I fly from Baltimore, MD to Oakland, CA tomorrow, I'll be reading the following: The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe, and How I Became a Famous Novelist. The latter was written by Steve Hely, who I met a couple times and is a very nice guy; I'm excited to see what he's come up with.

When everything goes well, I actually enjoy flying because it gives me lots of time to read. Now watch me get a horrendous delay tomorrow.

New music Monday

2009-08-31T16:08:00.003-04:00

I just got back from a great weekend in Philadelphia, during which I met my friends' new son for the first time, learned my cousin gave birth to her first child, and was introduced to the joys of Quizzo. I'm still annoyed that we missed the Jabberwocky question.

Thanks to some unused Thank You points from CitiBank, I was able to order some free new music last week, and the box from Amazon was waiting when I got home today. I look forward to listening to London Calling by The Clash and Conditions by the Temper Trap. I also replaced my lost copies of Funeral by the Arcade Fire and Give Up by the Postal Service. Except I accidentally ordered that last one on vinyl, and don't own a record player, so back it goes.

What a sweet disposition

2009-08-26T17:50:00.006-04:00

This afternoon I went to see (500) Days of Summer with my brother's lovely fiancee. It's a charming, funny movie, and a refreshing change from typical romantic comedies. It also has an especially good soundtrack. One of the standouts is Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap.

Those aren't pillows!

2009-08-21T18:52:00.005-04:00

Like a lot of people in my generation, I've been re-watching some John Hughes movies in the past weeks since he died. I think he remains so beloved because he made movies about teenagers that didn't condescend, and capture some of the awkwardness and giddiness that come with being that age. The intoxicating freedom of a day skipping school in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, one of the best father giving advice to his daughter scenes ever in Sixteen Candles (the scene with Samantha trying to sleep on the couch and telling her dad about her huge crush on Jake Ryan). Oh, that scene kills me.

And in a more adult spectrum, Planes, Trains & Automobiles is something I like to watch every year at Thanksgiving with my brother, and think of every time I'm traveling and something goes wrong.

Here are a few of the things I've enjoyed reading since Hughes passed away:

Jezebel.com had this very funny breakdown of the pros and cons of having a John Hughes boyfriend, written in early June.

This is one of the sweetest tributes ever: a woman who asked John Hughes to be her pen pal, and he actually did it.

EW ran remembrances from actors who worked with Hughes.

That's the way it crumbles, cookie-wise

2009-08-20T23:08:00.005-04:00

I just watched The Apartment, directed by Billy Wilder, for the first time since film class back at Kenyon. I think I'm on a bit of an early 1960s kick, between this and Mad Men. The Apartment covers some similar ground but in a warmer, but not sentimental, way: workplace alienation, infidelity, the power imbalance between a young woman working as a secretary or elevator operator and the more successful, less emotionally involved guy with a wood-paneled office.

Billy Wilder's dialogue always impresses me afresh, and it's hard to believe he was not a native English speaker. He pairs beautifully with I.A.L. Diamond here, and together they walk a fine line between comedy and tragedy, being touching without getting maudlin. One of my all-time favorite movies.

Bad ideas in football

2009-08-14T10:07:00.004-04:00

I was surprised and disappointed to read that the Philadelphia Eagles signed Michael Vick yesterday.

Clearly, the main goal of any sports team is to win, and the Eagles have never won a Super Bowl. They lost to the Oakland Raiders in 1980, and failed again against the New England Patriots in 2004. Michael Vick, at one time the highest-paid player in the NFL, could be the one to get them that ring.

But on a personal level, I find the idea of Michael Vick playing for the Eagles abhorrent. My dad used to take me to Eagles games when I was a kid, and my parents even celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary by going to that 1980 Super Bowl. (My mom is a very tolerant person.) Vick disgusts me. I don't believe he feels any real remorse for what he did to those dogs, and anything he says on the subject is just PR bullshit in an attempt to rehab his image.

Signing Vick is a desperate move from a desperate organization, one I think the Eagles will come to regret.

"Mad Men" is almost here!

2009-08-10T11:08:00.002-04:00

I'm a mere three episodes away from finishing season two of Mad Men, just in time for the premiere of season three this Sunday. This is one of the most engrossing, surprising, and well-done shows I've ever seen. I'd also like to steal some of the character's wardrobes.

AMC seems to be ramping up the publicity for this year in hopes of increasing viewership -- while "Mad Men" is critically adored and currently up for 16 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama, their viewership isn't that high. One of the coolest things AMC has done is MadMenYourself.com, a site that allows you to create your own Mad Men avatar. (See my profile for mine.)

Vanity Fair has this interesting article detailing how the show was created and the process for filming. Annie Liebovitz provides some great, beautifully tortured pictures of January Jones and Jon Hamm in character as Betty and Don Draper.

The current issue of Entertainment Weekly has a brief article with a recap and preview for each of the main characters, which I haven't read yet so as to not find out what happens in the rest of season two.

This makes me giddy

2009-07-31T13:58:00.005-04:00

My dad is getting more comfortable with technology. I showed him how to send text messages, so now I get frequent updates from him such as "I'm at the car dealership," "it's so hot outside," and "where are you?" The other night at dinner, he excitedly asked my mom and me if we'd heard of the "latest YouTube sensation." Which one, we said. He ran back to his office, we followed, and he showed us the JK Wedding Entrance Dance. Which I completely loved. It's so uninhibited and joyous.

Read a little more about it in this Washington Post article.

Added 8/3/09 One more reason to like these guys: due to the massive enthusiasm for their video and the sad circumstances regarding the song, they started a website where you can make donations to an organization working to end domestic violence.

Sweet Land

2009-07-23T23:17:00.004-04:00

I just finished watching Sweet Land, an independent film written and directed by Ali Selim, and released in 2005. A simple, straightforward story told mainly in flashbacks, it concerns Inge, a German mail order bride in the 1920s, who arrives in a small Minnesota farming community to marry Olaf, a Norwegian man she's never met.

With anti-German sentiment following World War I still fresh, the community initially rejects Inge and her marriage to Olaf is delayed. Waiting for her official papers to arrive, Inge and Olaf slowly get to know each other through shared labor and tiny glimpses of poetry, music, affection for animals, and concern for neighbors.

It's not a flashy story and much of the dialogue is in German without subtitles, but the film quietly absorbs your attention and draws you into the growing relationship between Inge and Olaf. It's gorgeous to look at, too. Minnesota never looked so luscious.

Through the rabbit hole...

2009-07-22T16:13:00.002-04:00

The first trailer for Tim Burton's live-action adaptation of
Alice in Wonderland was released today, and you can see it
here.

I am personally not a big fan of Disney's animated version -- as a kid, I thought it was creepy -- and love Tim Burton, so this could be very cool.

Adventures with Mom-Mom

2009-07-17T15:12:00.002-04:00

On Monday afternoon, my grandmother surprised me by calling and asking if I'd take her to see The Hangover. I've been wanting to see this for weeks, so I said yes immediately, but asked her if she was really sure this was the movie she wanted to see. Yes, she insisted, her friend said it was hilarious and she didn't even need to know what it was about.

Turns out, she loved it, and so did I. There are drugs, booze, boobies, full frontal male nudity, tigers, Mike Tyson, and vomit, but that didn't deter my Mom-Mom in the slightest. Afterwards we went out for dinner and she asked me to write up a list of good comedies for her to get from Netflix. She remains the coolest grandma around.

Another side of Kelly Kapur

2009-05-14T20:00:00.004-04:00

My love of "The Office" has been mentioned many a time before. The other night while enjoying a hamburger at Old Town, I was astonished to learn that Mindy Kaling (pictured right) had a
hilarious blog and that I did not know about it. (I wasn't surprised that it was hilarious, to be clear, just that I was so ignorant of its existence.)

Mindy seems like her character on The Office a little, but in a more toned down, less crazy way. She shares Kelly's love of shopping, romantic comedies, and top 40 music, and let's be honest, I do too.

Japanese trailer for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2009-02-03T09:40:00.002-05:00

This is a combination of completely weird and geekily exciting -- new glimpses of the next Harry Potter movie, out this summer, combined with Japanese voice over and subtitles.

Took the words right out of my mouth

2009-01-30T20:09:00.002-05:00

Well, not exactly. I don't think I could put it as eloquently as David Carr of the New York Times does, but his thoughts on the current slate of Oscar nominees and what they reveal about America right now is perfectly in line with my own way of thinking.

Sneak peek at The Office Super Bowl episode

2009-01-28T19:49:00.004-05:00

Recently, I was wondering how The Office will end. Will the Dunder Mifflin crew finally see the documentary they've been filming for over four years? Might Jim and Pam move to New York and leave Scranton behind forever? E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos reveals some slightly spoilery answers to those questions and more, as well as look at what's in store for this Sunday's Super Bowl episode.

New Daniel Radcliffe Interview

2009-01-26T20:10:00.002-05:00

Kevin Sessums interviews Daniel Radcliffe at the Daily Beast. The once and future Harry Potter is about to end his Broadway run in Equus, and discusses his homesickness for Britain, things he loves about the U.S., and even invites Sasha and Malia Obama to the set for a personal tour of Hogwarts. Even if it is a persona, I really like the way he comes across in an interview.

Don't kill Ugly Betty!

2009-01-26T19:44:00.002-05:00

Holy crapoly. I just read Michael Ausiello's latest post at EW.com and he says ABC is "temporarily" taking Ugly Betty off the air! They're placing it with Samantha Who? and a new show from Megan Mullaly.

I just don't get the networks sometimes. Maybe Ugly Betty doesn't get the same media attention as Grey's Anatomy, but it's a far superior show. Grey's was terrific in its first season and has gotten progressively more ridiculous until it's nearly unwatchable now. And Betty is worlds away from the crapfest that is Private Practice, which for some mysterious reason has not been cancelled yet.

Betty is consistently funny, moving, surprising, and flat-out a treat to watch with some of the best dialogue on TV. It better be back!

Christmas Gluttony

2009-01-09T20:40:00.004-05:00

My most obvious sign of Christmas gluttony is the four or so extra pounds currently residing on my caboose, but secretly, I have been indulging heavily in the entertainments afforded by my brand new Xbox 360, courtesy of my brother and his girlfriend. Not only can you play violent video games with startling image clarity and the ability to drive drunk, you can download movies directly from Netflix and watch almost instantly. The selection on Netflix is mainly older films and those that you have never heard of or would never want to see anyway, but there are some really good ones in there too.

For instance, I had a mini Dustin Hoffman retrospective, watching
Tootsie and Kramer vs. Kramer over a weekend and then serendipitously catching his interview on CBS Sunday Morning. And after years of meaning to watch Robert Redford's directorial debut, I got to see
Ordinary People within minutes of realizing it was available to download.

For a pop culture and movie junkie like me, the Xbox is one of the best gifts ever.

Flight of the Conchords

2009-01-07T20:23:00.001-05:00

My friends Martin and Miriam, who have consistently excellent taste, told me I should watch "Flight of the Conchords." I did for the first time today and this song sold me.

Michael Vick's dogs given new lives

2008-12-23T17:42:00.005-05:00

The current issue of Sports Illustrated has a story on what happened to Michael Vick's dogs. Incredibly, nearly all of them were able to be saved and are living happy, calm lives. Reading the article, I was amazed by the dogs' capacity to recover emotionally from their traumatic experiences at Vick's hands and very moved by the efforts people have gone to rescue them.

Dogs have so many gifts to offer and deserve to be treated with love and respect. They are truly remarkable creatures and besides being loving pets, they can help improve the lives of those around them in many ways. I could not help but think of my dog, Stella, while reading this article and how much happiness she has given me. It is wonderful to know Michael Vick's former victims are safe with new families and have a fresh start in life.

Interview: Philip Seymour Hoffman

2008-12-22T19:35:00.002-05:00

I've been a fan of Philip Seymour Hoffman since seeing
Boogie Nights, and am always impressed by his work. This in-depth interview from the New York Times provides an insightful look into Hoffman's work process and his love of acting.

Another winner from Andy Samberg

2008-12-19T19:51:00.001-05:00

Some purists may argue that the Digital Short doesn't belong on SNL because it's not live, but I don't care. It's reliably one of the funniest things, every week, and I love how Andy Samberg isn't afraid to be weird.

2008: The Year in Review

2008-12-19T19:38:00.002-05:00

It's the time of year to look back and take stock of things, and I haven't read a retrospective funnier than this one by the Fug Girls.

I seriously think the Fug Girls and I would hit it off like gangbusters. Their myriad references to Sweet Valley High and Anne of Green Gables, their love of carbohydrates, their enthusiasm for Chuck Bass...we totally need to hang out.

Hugh Jackman to Host the Oscars

2008-12-12T13:43:00.004-05:00

According to People Magazine, Hugh Jackman will host this year's Oscars. I hope this means we'll see him in a tuxedo and also his crazy Wolverine sideburns.

The choice surprised me initially, but after a little reflection I think Jackman could be a very fun host. He's handsome, he sings, he dances, he's comfortable in front of a live audience, and he's done work that appeals to male and female audiences.

Last weekend, I saw his new movie Australia with some friends and while it's definitely a very emotional, over-the-top film I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Hey, I'm a sap. And when Hugh Jackman saves a boat of children during the Japanese bombing of Darwin while wearing a skin-tight wet shirt, well, that works for me. Russell Crowe was originally cast as the Drover, and my friends and I all heartily agreed he would have been terrible. I don't want Russell Crowe to sweep me onto the back of his horse or stun a crowd by appearing in a white dinner jacket. Hugh Jackman, however, could do that any day.

Shit, it's the cops!

2008-12-10T20:12:00.004-05:00

Last night, I rewatched
Superbad and thought about how Bill Hader has had insanely good luck with his movie choices so far. His parts have been smaller, but almost always hilarious. See: Tropic Thunder, Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and of course, Superbad. They didn't really give him much to do in You, Me, and Dupree but maybe that's a good thing. I think he is one of the best guys on SNL right now, too.

Being a librarian, I can't help but research anything I'm interested in, so today I did a little research on Bill Hader. Last year, The New York Times published this interview where he discusses his love of sci-fi. He shares his long-time love of Star Wars here, and this is an interesting interview from the AV Club with Hader, Andy Samberg, Kristen Wiig, and Jason Sudeikis when they were all new to the cast of SNL.

Merry Christmas from Bailey the Unknown Reindeer

2008-12-04T13:05:00.001-05:00

This is one dog who really loves snow! Stella goes into a whirlwind when it snows and I can't wait to see her enjoy it this winter.

Gossip Girl: Who Will Die?

2008-12-01T19:34:00.005-05:00

Hey, Upper East Siders.
Gossip Girl returns tonight after a two-week hiatus with a rumored death happening in this new episode, titled "It's a Wonderful Lie." My money is on chilly business magnate Bart Bass going to the big board room in the sky. My reasons? He's an important enough character but not so important that his departure will leave a huge hole in the show or alienate fans. Two, his death would create interesting storyline opportunities, such as how will Chuck cope, what happens with Bass Enterprises, and will Lily and Rufus get together. Third, it's always the distant millionaire dad who kicks the bucket and leaves his screwed up kids behind. See also The OC and Ugly Betty. Oddly, Alan Dale played that part on both shows, and is currently doing much the same thing on Lost, except his character is still alive. Alan Dale and Robert John Burke (who plays Bart Bass) look a lot alike too. Eerie coincidence or typecasting?! You be the judge!

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T20:48:00.001-04:00

I've been neglecting this blog lately, but in honor of Halloween and my first anniversay as a blogger, here's a clip from an old Disney movie that scared the dickens out of me when I was a kid.

You charming old rascal, Peter O'Toole

2008-10-04T13:09:00.003-04:00

Last night, at the end of a very long week, I watched My Favorite Year. After seeing Peter O'Toole on Charlie Rose a few months ago, I decided I needed to watch more of his movies. O'Toole might just be the most charming man who ever lived and stars in My Favorite Year with Mark Linn-Baker, who I used to enjoy watching in "Perfect Strangers" back when I was a hard living twelve-year-old. This clip is the end of the film, and shows dissolute, drunken actor Alan Swann living up to his heroic on-screen image and saving a fellow actor from being pummeled by gangsters while an unrealizing audience watches and thinks it's all part of the act. My Favorite Year is a very funny and touching piece of work.

It's Monday, and that means...

2008-09-22T20:12:00.005-04:00

Another new episode of Gossip Girl! I was reading The Daily Intel at New York Magazine for some nuggets on my favorite prime-time soap and saw a link to this interview with Josh Schwartz, the show's executive producer. It's a little spoilery, so don't read if you want to remain completely surprised by the show this season.

Shout out to my friend Lilah Krazinpitski (how'd I do on the spelling?), a fellow fan of the late, lamtented Josh Schwartz show The O.C. Give GG a try, Lilah! It may lack Sandy Cohen's eyebrows, but it makes up for that with plenty of headbands and ridiculously bright outerwear.

A librarian who reads

2008-09-19T19:36:00.003-04:00

I get antsy if I don't have at least one book to read at any given time. Currently, I am still slogging through The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn, an exhaustively researched, persuasive, but regrettably rather dry non-fiction work by Eric Ives that I started nearly a year and a half ago. Nevertheless, I am determined to finish it, and it shouldn't be long now as I've reached the point where Queen Anne has been imprisoned in the Tower of London.

While attending AALL last summer in New Orleans, I picked up Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe's America by Andrew Ferguson. I started reading it this week and am enjoying his chatty tour through Lincoln-centric spots in America.

But back to my compulsive need to always be reading...a new resource for book recommendations (new to me, anyway) is Goodreads.com. You post what you're reading, review what you have read, and can see recommendations from friends.

Favorite song right now

2008-09-18T20:06:00.001-04:00

I'm loving "Life in Technicolor," the first song off Coldplay's most recent album, Viva la Vida. I listen to it every day as I walk to the subway on my way to work.

Countdown to The Office!

2008-09-15T19:18:00.006-04:00

The fall television season is finally starting, and I couldn't be happier. I can't say that last year's writers strike shook me to the core or ruined my life, but I didn't like it much either. The prospect of a full season of brand spankin' new TV fills me with giddy anticipation.

We (i.e., me and my dog) are enormous fans of The Office at my house. The theme song is even the ring on my cell phone. I just saw this New York Magazine interview with Ed Helms, who seems a nice, intelligent fellow.

If you're like me and enjoy whiling away free time with online content, NBC's official site includes Office webisodes, blogs from Creed and Dwight in character, and the opportunity to buy all sorts of Office-themed items. I am dangerously close to getting a t-shirt. Lucky for me, my office is very close to the NBC Experience Store.

Don't shake this man's hand!

2008-09-12T21:10:00.006-04:00

Unbelievable and so hilarious.

I like how he keeps trying to talk after everyone starts freaking out. Sounds like he's saying "Yesterday, yesterday," as in perhaps, "Yesterday I caught The Poseidon Adventure on AMC, and starting thinking about that time on set when I walked in on Shelly Winters in her dressing room trying on new brassieres, and well, my wife wasn't home and one thing led to another. Boom! I live another four days." Or something like that.

Gossip Girl!

2008-09-09T16:06:00.010-04:00

Much to my delight, another season of Gossip Girl started last week. It was a long, scandal-free summer without this show.

One of my favorite things to do during TV season is read show recaps the next day to see what editors and fans were thinking, and if it lines up with my reactions. The most fun Gossip Girl recap is from New York Magazine. Entertainment Weekly finally ponied up a full TV Watch this year. I'm often surprised by how snarky the reader comments are on the TV Watches (the ones for Grey's Anatomy can get especially nasty).

My reactions to last night's episode are as follows: Rufus is still completely uninteresting to me, as much as I loved Matthew Settle in Band of Brothers. Same goes for Vanessa -- she is so annoying, and has no apparent life outside of waiting for one of the Humphrey's to need her for coffee and/or Doc Marten wearing abilities. What purpose does her character serve? As always, Blair was my favorite. I'm enjoying watching her with her new royal boyfriend. He's cute and courtly, but I don't completely believe he's as peachy as he seems. Chuck continues to be improbably sexy.

The craziest storyline is Nate's descent into being a male prostitute! I did not see that coming, although it might have been revealed in the spoiler section of EW's recent cover story on GG. Sweet, nice, slightly stupid Nate, I hate to see you reduced to being a man whore!

Lastly, this little piece of news made me squeal internally. Leighton Meester and Blake Lively (Blair and Serena, respectively) are going to be on 30 Rock!

Marilyn Monroe

2008-09-08T20:23:00.003-04:00

Vanity Fair's current cover story is on Marilyn Monroe and a the tawdry, distasteful wrangling over her "secret" possessions. I love Marilyn and always feel a little depressed when reading something like this. Dead celebrities become as picked over as a chicken bone and in her case, I've always felt like no one with an emotional attachment was looking out for her best interests.

Gaaah

2008-09-04T20:21:00.006-04:00

I'm late in posting this (and since almost no one reads my blog except maybe my mom, then no one cares) but Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has been pushed to next summer. Maaaaan! I was so excited for November.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Trailer!

2008-08-15T22:25:00.005-04:00

I avoided the Harry Potter bandwagon until 2000. In the interview for my first post college job at a then-popular game show, my future boss said that if I had any love of books or pop culture I simply had to read Harry Potter. As soon as I got back to Pennsylvania I ran out to Borders, bought the first three, and immediately fell in geek love.

As the series progressed and deepened into serious examination of friendship, bravery, loyalty, the responsibilities of a government towards its people, and basic human rights (yes, I think J.K. Rowling is addressing all those subjects), Harry Potter came to be one of the most meaninful reading experiences I've ever had.

So while the series is over, each new movie sends me into fandom overdrive. This trailer looks perfectly creepy and scary and makes me oh so happy.

Fun Fact! The director has the same name as my uncle.

Getting serious about pop culture

2008-08-04T20:38:00.008-04:00

Today I was talking with my co-worker Mark about the state of pop culture, or more specifically, his interest in what it is and how it affects so many relationships: personal, political, economic, and legal. As much as I love pop culture, I haven't spent significant time lately thinking about is implications beyond my own gleeful consumption and enjoyment thereof. Back in college, I attempted to convince the English department that my proposed honors project on the pop culture significance and influence of Gone With the Wind was a worthy endeavor, but was met with little enthusiasm. I eventually dropped out of the honors course, but continued the project under guidance of the wonderful Perry Lentz, a fellow fan of Civil War literature and accomplished author in his own right. I regret dropping out now and wish I had formed a more convincing argument, or at the very least chosen a different topic and done a better job preparing it for evaluation.

The fact remains that I still find the intersection of high and low brow compelling, and it is even more relevent today as our world becomes increasingly saturated by the never ending flow of pop culture. I work in Times Square, perhaps the most advertizement-filled corner of the United States, and can't help noticing the ever-evolving rotations of ads whenever I emerge from the subway onto 42nd Street. To my eye, these ads are for almost entirely disposable and forgettable things. There is an enormous billboard on my office building that I think illustrates this perfectly.

Cloverfield is one of the lamest and most annoying movies I've seen recently, although that's not why I picked the above picture. Virtually every movie advertized on that billboard since I've worked in Times Square made a little money and then disappeared to no great regret of anyone, except maybe the people who made them: Blades of Glory, The Heartbreak Kid, Next, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. I love Indiana Jones, and I know that movie has made a lot of money, but it's easily the worst of the series. I'd rather watch Temple of Doom dubbed in Spanish than see that again.

At the most basic level, I find pop culture compelling because it is popular. When we examine what people like, what we are drawn to, it tells us something important about where we are as a society. What are people scared of? What do they find romantic? What makes them laugh? What kind of a message do we rally behind? For instance, how can we explain what makes The Dark Knight the biggest hit of the summer? It combines so many things. One, it's a political story which parallels our real-life fears about heroism, violence, the right of any one person to make huge decisions that dramatically affect others, and the line between good and evil. A lot of people feel uncertain these days. Two, and maybe most importantly, it has top-notch performances from great actors who make us care about the story. Three, it's well-written and directed.

I enjoy dumb, disposable movies as much as the next girl, but if you really want to make something that sticks with people, it's better to go smart. I truly think that looking critically at pop culture will tell you much more about a society at large than examining this century's operas, although you'd feel better about yourself at a party if you mention what you saw last week at the Met.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!

2008-07-31T19:21:00.003-04:00

I'm thrilled any time a Harry Potter movie comes out, but it just feels right when they premiere in the fall. It's the perfect time for a flagon of pumpkin juice and a return to Hogwarts. HP and the Half-Blood Prince will be out this November and I. Can't. Wait!

Thanks to the internet, I can easily find people who are just as nerdy as me who obsess over details in the new trailer. The nice people over at MTV posted this second by second anaylis.

Did you hear about them there podcasts?

2008-07-30T20:23:00.011-04:00

Maybe I'm a little late to the party on this one, but I just got to know podcasts. Here, I'll detail what Lost podcasts I like. I started off small with The Offical Lost Podcast. It often has interviews with producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse (including the occasional banjo solo), the actors, and some interesting behind the scenes stuff like how the freighter set was built.

But why listen to one Lost podcast when you can have three? From there, I quickly moved on to two which are fan-created. First, The Transmission, which is recorded in Hawaii by married couple Ryan and Jen. Thanks to their proximity to the Lost set, they often have fun spoilery news items to share. They just returned from ComiCon and to the delight of fans everywhere, have posted the audio from the huge Lost panel. And finally, I also listen to The Lost Podcast with Jay and Jack. I think they are a step-father/son combo and have a very entertaining banter going on. While I don't always listen to the entirety of each episode, it's enlightening to hear both shows parse out Lost details and make predictions.

Why So Serious?

2008-07-29T18:51:00.008-04:00

Since my last post was about The Dark Knight, it only seems right that my first one in almost, oh, three months should be about the same movie.

I saw The Dark Knight this past Sunday night. Even though it had already been out for just over a week, the theater was absolutely packed for the 7:45 show, and this was still with quite a few other showings in the same theater. As luck would have it, I couldn't find a parking space and got inside so late that the only seats left were in the very first row, which is just about as bad as it can get. During the previews, I sat there fuming that the one movie I was dying to see would be ruined by neck cramping. (Does that make me kind of geeky? Afraid so.)

As it turns out, The Dark Knight rocks sufficiently to make any thoughts of neck cramping disappear like bats on a summer's night. (Get it? Oh, ha ha ha.) Christian Bale is back again as the brooding Batman who makes good use of his daytime identity as billionaire Bruce Wayne, pretending to be a shallow dillettante so no one suspects his crime-fighting nocturnal activities. Maggie Gyllenhaal assumes the role of his love interest Rachel Dawes, and Aaron Eckhart is introduced as newly elected Gotham city DA Harvey Dent (and the future Two-Face). Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox and Michael Caine as Alfred round out the cast as Batman's indispensible right hand men.

The most exciting presence on screen, though, is Heath Ledger as the Joker. He steals every scene he's in, you can't stop watching him. His portrayal is a departure from Jack Nicholson's more gentlemanly take back in the Tim Burton version, and I have to say, it's phenomenal. He's charming, funny, sadistic, unpredictable, and thoroughly scary. I loved it.

The Dark Knight: New Trailer!

2008-05-05T20:21:00.004-04:00

Thanks to my brother, I saw this new trailer for The Dark Night yesterday. While I was never a huge comic book fan, I've loved Tim Burton ever since seeing his interpretation of "Batman" when I was 12, which remains one of my all-time favorite movies to this day. So because of that, Batman is also my favorite super hero.

Why do I love Batman? For starters, he's the coolest. Super-Man can be too much of a corn-fed Iowa sweetheart, and we know Spidey is a huge nerd. Batman is dark, he's brooding, he has a kick-ass mansion with the coolest gadgets, Alfred is always there to back him up, and most importantly (and most cool of all), Batman has no super powers. He becomes Batman through sheer force of will and determination.

I absolutely loved Christopher Nolan's rebooting of the Batman franchise -- its only misstep was having Katie Holmes in it, as far as I'm concerned -- and now that Maggie Gyllenhaal has taken over the role of Rachel Dawes, there is nothing to worry about.

Of course, this movie is also highly-anticipated because it is the last complete performance from Heath Ledger. Just seeing the little bits and pieces of his performance in the trailer reminds me afresh of what a talented actor he was.

Iron Man Kicks Off Summer

2008-04-29T20:33:00.002-04:00

Oh yeah, summer is coming and that means one thing: goodbye brain, hello blockbuster!

I kid. I kid because I love. I love sitting down in a dark movie theater on a hot summer day and seeing what big fat spectacle is about to light up the screen. Just because something is geared to the big crowds, like Spider-Man, doesn't mean it's without a soul. I'm hoping Iron Man achieves that enjoyable mixture of pure pop fun which goes beyond the disposable.

My affection for Robert Downey, Jr. goes back to his very charming performance in Chances Are. You can see the trailer on YouTube here. So yes, maybe it is pretty gross that he plays a man who dies before his daughter is born, and then years later comes back reincarnated as a hot young Yale grad who romances her, while snagging a sweet reporting gig for The Washington Post. It came out when I was 12, he's adorable and funny in it, and so there.

I have never read an Iron Man comic in my life and only now do I know anything about the character, but I'm going to see that movie because of my twelve-year old self's love for Robert Downey, Jr. and because I think it's awesome how he's gotten past his drug problems and can now be known for being the gifted actor he is. The New York Times profiles him here.

OMFG - Gossip Girl is Back!

2008-04-21T23:40:00.006-04:00

Just watched the return episode of Gossip Girl and damn if it wasn't refreshing like a warm bath. Yay, indulgently fabulously over-the-topishly scripted TV is back! I'm not alone in my love. New York Magazine shares my obsession and goes it one better with this awesome cover story.

Ed Norton comments on "Hulk" Controversy

2008-04-16T19:28:00.006-04:00

Edward Norton issued his first public statement on the behind-the-scenes drama of The Incredible Hulk. Read Entertainment Weekly's article by clicking on the link to this post above, but here is Mr. Norton's statement:

"Like so many people I've loved the story of The Hulk since I was a kid, so it was thrilling when Marvel asked me to write and help produce an altogether new screen incarnation, as well as play Bruce Banner. I grew up reading Marvel Comics and always loved the mythic dimension and contemporary themes in the stories, and I’m proud of the script I wrote. In every phase of production, including the editing, working with Louis Leterrier has been wonderful...I've never had a better partner, and the collaboration with all the rest of the creative team has been terrific. Every good movie gets forged through collaboration, and different ideas among people who are all committed and respect the validity of each other's opinions is the heart of filmmaking. Regrettably, our healthy process, which is and should be a private matter, was misrepresented publicly as a 'dispute,' seized on by people looking for a good story, and has been distorted to such a degree that it risks distracting from the film itself, which Marvel, Universal and I refuse to let happen. It has always been my firm conviction that films should speak for themselves and that knowing too much about how they are made diminishes the magic of watching them. All of us believe The Incredible Hulk will excite old fans and create new ones and be a huge hit...our focus has always been to deliver the Hulk that people have been waiting for and keep the worldwide love affair with the big green guy going strong.''

In large part I agree with the guy, although obviously I love knowing what goes on with the making of a movie because I write this blog and read about the entertainment industry almost compulsively. For me, knowing the backstage struggles often makes the end result even more magical.

For instance, recently EW ran an article about the making of The Graduate. Anne Bancroft was often hung over or bed-ridden with crippling menstrual cramps. But I'd never have guessed that when watching the film. Her Mrs. Robinson is complex, sexy, provocative...an absolutely iconic role. Knowing the difficulties Ms. Bancroft deal with makes me even more impressed with her work.

Other times, knowing backstage drama can produce disappointment. One of my all-time favorite directors is Billy Wilder, and one of my all-time favorite actresses is Marilyn Monroe. Natuarally, I love Some Like it Hot and The Seven Year Itch. But knowing that Ms. Monroe struggled with her lines and miscarried a baby during filming on Some Like it Hot, as she began the steady decline that resulted in her untimely death, is terribly sad, and I can never watch it without thinking of those things. I suppose there is no way you can create a film with all the scores of people needed to collaborate on it, and maintain complete secrecy.

The Incredible Hulk

2008-04-11T18:44:00.001-04:00

I think Edward Norton is an interesting choice to play The Incredible Hulk. He's a chamelonic actor, but doesn't spring immediately to mind when you think "action movie." Maybe he'll create a surprising new super hero, like Tobey Maguire with Spider-Man. The advance buzz on this movie, though, is not good. The CGI is kind of underwhelming, and looks waxy to me.

Please be my best friend, Tina Fey

2008-04-11T17:49:00.006-04:00

Wow, here I thought this blog would be a good writing exercise, and lazy me hasn't posted anything since January! With summer fast approaching and the writer's strike finally over, there are all sorts of pop culture delights to be had these days.

Last night marked the return of NBC's Thursday comic lineup, with the first new episodes of The Office and 30 Rock since the fall. As much as I love me some PB&J (AKA Pam Beesly and Jim, Scranton's winsome lovebirds), Tina Fey was the one who had me in stitches.

Maybe it's because we're both from Pennsylvania, both dark-haired, and maybe just maybe I because I aspire to be as smart and witty as Ms. Fey, but I can't help but think that she and I would be fast friends. BFFs for sure! Natually, therein lies a lot of her appeal. You want to hang out with Tina Fey and you're pretty sure she would be nice to you too.

Entertainment Weekly has Tina on the cover of their new issue this week -- click the title of this post for a link.

Arcade Fire - Keep The Car Running (BBC Radio 2 Session)

2008-01-11T20:24:00.001-05:00

This is my favorite song from "Neon Bible." I love the urgency.

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible live in an elevator!

2008-01-11T20:18:00.001-05:00

How cool is this?! I don't know what the point is, but I don't care either. It's different, and I like it.

First thoughts: Cashmere Mafia

2008-01-07T11:50:00.000-05:00

I just finished watching ABC's new show Cashmere Mafia, which premiered last night. This hour-long quasi drama follows the lives of four high-powered Manhattan women balancing demanding careers and personal lives, all while looking fabulous and having great sex. If that's starting to sound eerily familiar, add on Patricia Field as the show's stylist and Darren Star as its producer, and you reunite two of the people behind Sex and the City, a show that Lucy Liu, who plays one of the leads, once guest-starred on. Whew!

So is this just a pale imitation of Sex and the City? For most of the episode I'd have to say yes. There was a lot of running around, hopping in and out of taxis and town cars, sitting in very chichi restaurants and sipping of cocktails. There was even a bitch queen in hot dress slow motion montage, which was about the most ridiculous part of the episode. However: when Miranda Otto (who I love because of Lord of the Rings) icily whispered to her philandering husband that she's going to take a lover, I became more interested. That was a surprising response and it could be a lot of fun to watch her play that out.

For now, I'll keep watching.

New Year's Resolutions

2008-01-05T19:05:00.003-05:00

I started this blog with the intention of writing more often. Since I haven't posted since November 27, well, I can see that intention hasn't exactly come through, but I'm determined to keep trying! As much as I procrastinate, I do really like to write.

Pop culture took a turn for the serious and truly sad this week when Britney Spears was hospitalized following a three-hour standoff where she held one of her children hostage. Anyone can see now that Britney is worse off than simply being trashy or having the poor judgment to go sans panties, shave her head, and all the other shit she's done this year. She is clearly very mentally ill.

This is more than just another celebrity scandal, to me anyway. I find it deeply disturbing and I can imagine all too easily what Britney Spears has been like for her children, family members, and friends to deal with. And beyond that, no matter how negligent a mother she may or may not be, or how repellent I found her to be on she didn't ask to be sick and has a life-long struggle ahead of her.

What if George Lucas restored Singin' In The Rain?

2007-11-27T23:15:00.001-05:00

I'm not afraid to admit it: I love Star Wars. One of my earliest movie memories is of seeing "The Empire Strikes Back" in theaters and my Dad reading me Jabba the Hut's subtitles because I was too little to do it myself. This clip imagines what would happen to "Singin' in the Rain," which stars Debbie Reynolds, mom of Carrie "Princess Leia" Fisher, if George Lucas restored it.

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T20:45:00.000-04:00

Nothing says Halloween to me like this classic Disney cartoon, The Skeleton Dance. (Click title to view this.)

New Guilty Pleasure

2007-10-28T08:38:00.001-04:00

When I was in 9th grade, everyone was watching Beverly Hills, 90210. Everyone, that is, except for me, because I wasn't allowed! Aaron Spelling's prime-time soap about the Walsh twins from Minnesota thrust into the glitzy world of Beverly Hills, CA was off-limits in my house. No pregnancy scare for Brenda, no Andrea really lives with her grandmother, no "Donna Martin graduates" for me. Sigh. By the time I got to college and could watch on my own, the heyday of 90210 was long since over. Peach Pit After Dark, anyone? Um, no.

Ever since then, I've maintained a soft spot for the splashy high school drama. I fell in love with The OC at first sight. And even though The OC sometimes let me down and did things like bring Oliver on board and send Marissa to a crappy other high school, or make Ryan date that annoying math whiz Lindsay, I stuck it out and stayed true until it was finally cancelled last year. I still miss Peter Gallagher's eyebrows and fondness for morning bagels.

Now, Josh Schwartz, the man responsible for the brilliance of The OC's first year (and then leaving it to do other things and letting it go into a bit of a crapfest spiral) has brought us Gossip Girl. It may not be as great as The OC once was, but I'm still hooked. Parties every week, missed connections and misunderstandings, fabulous hair and fashion, prepping for college applications and hiding your dad's cocaine addiction...love it!

I'm obsessed with pop culture

2007-10-23T20:37:00.002-04:00

I can admit it, I'm addicted. Ask me to solve a simple algebra equation and I may fail, but if you need to know what Scarlett O'Hara was originally named in Gone With the Wind (Pansy) or what's going on with Britney's custody battle (she just had visitation rights restored), then I'm your girl. With this blog, I plan to exercise my writing muscles and comment on things that are interesting to me now: the books I'm reading, music I'm listening to, movies that stick with me, and, on a more personal note, even my puppy Stella.

On to my first real posting: I first began reading the Harry Potter books in 2001, when the man interviewing me for my first post-college job said that anyone who wanted to write should read them. Before, I dismissed Harry Potter as being a bandwagon I had no interest in jumping on. But I wanted that job and went out and bought the first three books the next day, and lo and behold, I was hooked like millions of other readers.

Through my growing obsessive attention to detail in that series, I never once suspected that Professor Albus Dumbledore was, in fact, gay. Rowling's announcement of this takes me by complete surprise.

One of the strongest and most enduring messages of this series is of tolerance, fairness, and equality. House elves, werewolves, giants, goblins, pure bloods, Mudbloods, merforlk and all the rest of the fantastic people and creatures in the wizarding world -- they all deserve respect and Dumbledore was the most vocal supporter of that idea. But I have to admit this feels a bit tacked-on to me. Why does this come out now? I always interpreted Dumbledore as asexual if anything; he didn't seem to have much of a personal life at all, although Harry even laments that at the beginning of Deathly Hallows. He'd only asked his headmaster one personal question in all the years they knew each other. Perhaps that is the best way to interpret this development.