ABC

I've decided to drop out and run to Hollywood and act. I blame this movie.

underrated

one of the best records of the new year

don't make me have to relapse on these hos

I shouldn't let the Oscars piss me off. I know the Academy is out of touch with reality and even though this year i was okay for the most part with the winners, I got some beef.
The one that got me was supporting actress.
Tilda Swinton won for her role in Michael Clayton, which Was a good performance.
However, Amy Ryan's turn in Gone Baby Gone was heads above the rest in the category.
I think it's a shame that she was overlooked, giving it to a more recognizable face like Swinton is a shame.
Also, Ryan plays Beadie on The Wire, so being involved with the greatest TV show of all time should warrant some kind of award.
Her speech to McNulty in ep. 8 (I think) of this season is priceless.

Also, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova won for Best Song. When they accepted the award, Hansard did his piece and as Irglova stepped up to the mic the music started and she was ushered off.
I was sitting there thinking how nice it would be if Stewart gave his next time on the screen to her, so she can have her moment and make her thanks.
He did that exact thing and I'd like to think it was all his idea. He did seem pretty jacked to see them win.
High-five Jon Stewart.

my neighborhood's a sauna

I had a hard time keeping interest in tonight's Lost. The reason being I watched ep 8 of the fifth season of The Wire right before it.
Just in case one of the four people who check this blog is caught up with The Wire I won't reveal what happened, but a cornerstone of the show got got.
I've seriously just been sitting here for the past couple of hours wondering what the hell just happened in the episode.
This fifth season has been wonderful, even though it's not as slow burning as the others and might feel a bit rushed or in your face compared to the first four.
Simon is still doing a marvelous job.
Clark Johnson has been consistently wonderful all season as Gus, the city desk editor of The Baltimore Sun. This episode was no different as he truly shines.
Also, McNulty and Greggs at the FBI serial killer profile meeting was one of the best scenes of the series.
I can't stress enough, you need to start watching this show. Go get season 1 and hole up this weekend. You won't be disappointed.

must've been late afternoon

If she would have done this with Vampire Weekend the blogosphere would have imploded. Klaxons just don't carry the weight they did a year and a half ago.
It's still pretty interesting.


(yes, the post title is a dishwalla reference)

let fall your soft and swaying skirt

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117981202.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Fincher, Avary and Gaiman? There's three names I don't mind seeing attached to a film.
Fincher is always attached to so many projects let's just hope this one actually happens.
I really hope he does this one right and doesn't try and make a "hollywood" hit after the lackluster audience reception to last year's stellar Zodiac.
For reals, it's so good. Go watch it again, RIGHT NOW! I don't care that it's 2 a.m. You can stay up until 5, no big deal. You're in college, have a caffeinated soda while you're at it too. That's right, have one before bed!

quit being difficult

I watched Baumbach's latest tonight, Margot at the Wedding. I'm a big fan of The Squid and the Whale, so I had high expectations coming into this one, even though the cast didn't have me excited.
I knew it was a family drama and Baumbach knows his stuff when it comes to dysfunctional families.
I really struggled to enjoy Kidman in her leading role here. I'm not usually a large fan of her work and I know her character is supposed to be a calculating bitch, but I just didn't connect with the character the way I did with Jeff Daniels' in S&W.
I don't know if it's the way the character was written or just how she went about her portrayal.
Also, the kid in this one wasn't as affecting as the the two in S&W.
Oddly enough, Jack Black was probably the highlight of the movie for me, minus Turturro's quick role, I was glad to see him. Black was funny, but a subdued funny. He didn't have to make goofy faces or noises, he kept it pretty dry and had some good lines. His crying scenes were another thing though, dudes gotta work on that aspect of his craft.
I don't want to totally hate on this film, I did enjoy it. It's uncomfortable, funny and crass just like the rest of Baumbach's work. If you enjoyed The Squid and the Whale this one is worth your time.


I had kind of a slow week school-wise and watched a couple of other worthwhile films, so I'll try and throw up some posts on those tomorrow.

I'm coming home this weekend, so let's meet up.

<3<3<3

If I had a valentine today I woulda dropped this classic on her. I wouldn't sing it or anything, just que it up on my computer. Nothing like some serious harmonizing to let her know fellas.

wolves, oh wolves, oh can't you see

As I made my way across the frozen tundra that is Carbondale today, I switched up from my normal iPod playlist for walking to class. I was freezing and didn't want to end up hearing something too upbeat on my chilly walk. As I scrolled through the artists I stopped on this gem from a couple of years ago.



I'm sure I wrote about this way back in my xanga posting days, but it's the best work he's done yet. Having "Idaho" come on during my frigid walk today was just perfect.

breakin' hearts

I know I've been gone for a minute. We had that Polar Bear deal here over the weekend and it got mad rutty. Big ups to Lance and Alex for helping me out when my car got towed.
After not having much new tunes heading out the last few days have been plentiful. New Tindersticks, Constantines and Re-Up Gang (which I'll hopefully get around to having a full post on later).
This post is for something that's not really new but it's just so wonderful.
Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are the two main characters in last years amazing film Once. To go along with the soundtrack for the film they also have released The Swell Season. It contains some songs used from the movie and some other tracks they have collaborated on.
Irglova is on the keys and vocals with Hansard handling the acoustic guitar and vocal duties as well. Irglova's voice is so beautiful and just hearing it makes me want to watch the film daily.
However, it's Hansard that makes these songs so gut wrenching. The way it builds up to the crashing crescendos in these choruses, makes me want to cry. Then I man up and listen to The Stooges or something and punch a wall.
But in all seriousness, these two are creating somes beautiful music together and you'd be doing yourself a favor by checking them out.


This is taken from the film and is also included on The Swell Season.

haterz everywhere

A good deal of Kings of Leon gets jammed at the house I've been hanging out at on the weekends in Carbondale so far. The record they put out last year got kind of passed over I feel. It's probably the best work they've done to date. Get familiar.

love's gonna live here again

This song comes from Yoakam's Owens covers record from last year, which sadly got looked over for the most part. I guess this video got directed by Fred Durst? These two in the same room is almost as jacked up as when Beanie Sigel decided it was a good idea to use a James Blunt sample on his album last year (Beans must've been on some serious weeds).

when you're drunk and the kids look impossibly tan

I bought this film for my dad over break as Christmas present because of the buzz it had and the wonderful single it had running around AAA radio.
I finally watched it one of my final nights at home before I made my way back to real college in Carbondale and I really loved it. It's almost perfect, in a minimal way. It's not your typical hollywood romance, with big name actors and actressess, but the cast feels so real, and as a viewer a connection is almost immediately made.
As I sat there watching this film alone in my basement, I was just looking forward to the next time I had an oppurtunity to share this wonderful romantic/musical with a lady of significance.

rock n roll,

Luke