Sunday, February 28, 2010
Your Sunday free tune
Jerusalem Ridge by Kenny Baker with some old guy named Monroe sitting in. And a good version by the Mayflies.
Tea Partying
Nancy Pelosi does not approve. My limited experience with the Tea Party movement contradicts this claim. The groups I have dealt with did have a grassroots origin and were still highly critical of both parties. Leaders acknowledged an affinity with the Republican Party as it is supposed to be, but not as it has been for the past 10 years. Democrats I know have reacted in very different ways, from wildly accusatory and angry to to smug disapproval.
That reaction is another reason why the Tea Partiers are disinclined to support Democrats.
Locally, I have seen Republicans angered by Tea Party criticism.
When the Tea Party does climb in bed with the GOP leadership. it will cease to have meaning as a political force. Many of the movement's leaders seem to realize this.
That reaction is another reason why the Tea Partiers are disinclined to support Democrats.
Locally, I have seen Republicans angered by Tea Party criticism.
When the Tea Party does climb in bed with the GOP leadership. it will cease to have meaning as a political force. Many of the movement's leaders seem to realize this.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Broke Sky makes it to IFC
Here's the documentary for the making of Broke Sky. My friend Jeff Burr was a producer on the film and offers some insights on this fine, fine movie made in Texas. A terrific character actor, Joe Unger, is one of the stars and he is outstanding. I saw this awhile back and really enjoyed it. Find it and watch it.
Warren's World
The Sage tells hot it should be done. Get tough with biz execs and boards when they screw up. Seems reasonable.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Movies 2
After wasting 90 minutes on "Jennifer's Body" I was reminded why I love Netflix. The OTHER movie I had waiting on me recently was the nifty French crime thriller "Dirty Money," starring Richard Crenna (!), Alain Delon and Catherine Deneuve.
Best of all it was directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, the master of French crime films of that era.
"Play Dirty" isn't an upper echelon picture by Melville's standards, but it's plenty good enough to take you along for the ride as Crenna and his cohorts pull off a pair of daring robberies.
Delon is the tough guy cop and Deneuve is the lover of both the copper and the hood.
If you don't mind subtitles and enjoy a good crime picture, "Dirty Money" is definitely worth your time.
Best of all it was directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, the master of French crime films of that era.
"Play Dirty" isn't an upper echelon picture by Melville's standards, but it's plenty good enough to take you along for the ride as Crenna and his cohorts pull off a pair of daring robberies.
Delon is the tough guy cop and Deneuve is the lover of both the copper and the hood.
If you don't mind subtitles and enjoy a good crime picture, "Dirty Money" is definitely worth your time.
Movies
The best thing about 'Jennifer's Body" is Megan Fox's body. She's quit the dish ... as the kids say. Otherwise, this teen vampire flick lacks much to recommend it.
Screenwriter Diablo Cody pops off a few "Diablo Cody" lines --boys can be such a drag! -- and snatches a laugh ot two along the way, but this attempt at a comedy horror picture is light on both kinds of yuks.
It's not "A Vampire in Brooklyn" horror-comedy lame, but it's not much better.
Basically Fox plays Jennifer, a high school hottie turned into a vampire by a rock and roll band. Jennifer then takes out her frustrations on the local boys who have wronged her, but she doesn't stop there. Soon she's nibbling on any neck she can find and MUST BE STOPPED!
Done straight up and with a heavy dose of grind house luridness, this could have been a fun outing. But it's not and so it's not.
Screenwriter Diablo Cody pops off a few "Diablo Cody" lines --boys can be such a drag! -- and snatches a laugh ot two along the way, but this attempt at a comedy horror picture is light on both kinds of yuks.
It's not "A Vampire in Brooklyn" horror-comedy lame, but it's not much better.
Basically Fox plays Jennifer, a high school hottie turned into a vampire by a rock and roll band. Jennifer then takes out her frustrations on the local boys who have wronged her, but she doesn't stop there. Soon she's nibbling on any neck she can find and MUST BE STOPPED!
Done straight up and with a heavy dose of grind house luridness, this could have been a fun outing. But it's not and so it's not.
Politics
Huckabee keeps his bat and ball at home. Too many libertarians at CPAC for his taste. Another tone deaf politician.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Tiger
Give the man a break. His personal life is a disaster and there is no easy way out of the mess he created. He stood in front of millions and admitted how badly he screwed up and clearly he wants to get is family back together. There are plenty of people who want to put the boot to Tiger while he's down and no matter what he said yesterday they were going after him.
Tiger and I weren't likely to have lunch together before his public fall and I doubt he'll want to be my buddy now, but that's OK. I have my own life. He doesn't need to blubber like a big baby and beg for my forgiveness on Oprah's couch.
I hope Tiger gets his life in order, plays good golf and makes enough money to take care of his wife and kids.
Anything else is between him and Buddha.
Tiger and I weren't likely to have lunch together before his public fall and I doubt he'll want to be my buddy now, but that's OK. I have my own life. He doesn't need to blubber like a big baby and beg for my forgiveness on Oprah's couch.
I hope Tiger gets his life in order, plays good golf and makes enough money to take care of his wife and kids.
Anything else is between him and Buddha.
Movies
The Wolfman wasn't as bad as expected but it was a long way from a classic. The biggest weakness? It isn't scary. Director Joe Johnston just doesn't seem capable of pulling off a scary scene. The pedestrian script doesn't help, but at no point does the director infuse the action with much energy or verve. Even the climatic lupo on lupo battle is a disappointment.
Benicio Del Toro is properly tortured as Larry Talbot, but Emily Blunt is mostly just torturous as his love interest. Could her character, or her performance, be any duller? Anthony Hopkins has some fun, but it doesn't much translate to the audience.
The most interesting character is his Sikh bodyguard whose fate is inexplicably left to the imagination ... or on the cutting room floor.
I like the fog shrouded look and the locations are striking, but that's about it as far as exceptional goes.
Everything about this movie is by-the-book filmmaking. I assume everyone got paid on time.
Benicio Del Toro is properly tortured as Larry Talbot, but Emily Blunt is mostly just torturous as his love interest. Could her character, or her performance, be any duller? Anthony Hopkins has some fun, but it doesn't much translate to the audience.
The most interesting character is his Sikh bodyguard whose fate is inexplicably left to the imagination ... or on the cutting room floor.
I like the fog shrouded look and the locations are striking, but that's about it as far as exceptional goes.
Everything about this movie is by-the-book filmmaking. I assume everyone got paid on time.
Food
Chattanoogans have raved about this place for years. Summerville (actually Pennville) used to have its on Round Table and it was great food as well. The fried chicken was perfect and the seafood was the freshest in the region. I miss that place.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
On TCM
Four really good ones in a row on Friday evening:
Hud (McMurtry)
Shane
The Blue Dahlia (Raymond Chandler)
All the Kings Men (not the crappy remake)
Hud (McMurtry)
Shane
The Blue Dahlia (Raymond Chandler)
All the Kings Men (not the crappy remake)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Victor Davis Hanson
The columnist gets down to bloody, brassy tacks. War is still about killing the enemy, not building schools.
The Electric Church a movie?
I am a big fan of the Avery Cates novels by Jeff Somers. Now he has a film deal. Here is the author's web site. The Cates' novels are action-packed, bloody, funny and dark. A good combination.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
McMurtry looks at books
The Larry McMurtry on the cover of his most recent book "Literary Life" looks positively laid back. Maybe the author is in a more relaxed mood now that he has completed two thirds of his memoirs.
Certainly nothing in "Literary Life" hints at a popular, if not critically exalted, author suffering much angst as he looks back at a long and productive career in books.
"Literary Life," is about McMurtry becoming an author. It follows "Books," which concentrated on his other career as a book scout and book store owner. "Hollywood," the final part of the trilogy, will detail his adventures as a screenwriter.
The subject matter of all three of these books, as it relates to McMurtry's long career, is hard to unravel. There's a lot of back and forth in the first two books (and in the third I assume) but that won't bother book lovers and/or McMurtry fans who enjoy getting a peek inside the author's head.
McMurtry drops a lot of names in "Literary Life." He seems to have met just about every author worth meeting over the last 30 years and the supply of anecdotes appears endless. McMurtry points put the warts, but isn't nasty about it. "Literary Life" is not about settling scores.
McMurtry looks at his own work and his picks and pans may surprise readers. "Duane's Depressed" is his favorite and it is a fine novel.
McMurtry continues to wrestle with the success of "Lonesome Dove," which won him a Pulitzer and put a lot of money in his bank account. The author seems almost embarrassed by the lofty perch his western epic has claimed in the popular culture.
I met McMurtry briefly this past summer and one of the many questions I wanted to ask him, but didn't, was why the hell couldn't he just admit he had written a damn fine book and leave it at that. However, I did thank him for the graceful demise he gave Duane Moore, the hero of five McMurtry novels and a favorite of many of his fans.
"Literary Life" is a fast and carefree read. McMurtry's fans will gobble it up and immediately begin hungering for "Hollywood."
Certainly nothing in "Literary Life" hints at a popular, if not critically exalted, author suffering much angst as he looks back at a long and productive career in books.
"Literary Life," is about McMurtry becoming an author. It follows "Books," which concentrated on his other career as a book scout and book store owner. "Hollywood," the final part of the trilogy, will detail his adventures as a screenwriter.
The subject matter of all three of these books, as it relates to McMurtry's long career, is hard to unravel. There's a lot of back and forth in the first two books (and in the third I assume) but that won't bother book lovers and/or McMurtry fans who enjoy getting a peek inside the author's head.
McMurtry drops a lot of names in "Literary Life." He seems to have met just about every author worth meeting over the last 30 years and the supply of anecdotes appears endless. McMurtry points put the warts, but isn't nasty about it. "Literary Life" is not about settling scores.
McMurtry looks at his own work and his picks and pans may surprise readers. "Duane's Depressed" is his favorite and it is a fine novel.
McMurtry continues to wrestle with the success of "Lonesome Dove," which won him a Pulitzer and put a lot of money in his bank account. The author seems almost embarrassed by the lofty perch his western epic has claimed in the popular culture.
I met McMurtry briefly this past summer and one of the many questions I wanted to ask him, but didn't, was why the hell couldn't he just admit he had written a damn fine book and leave it at that. However, I did thank him for the graceful demise he gave Duane Moore, the hero of five McMurtry novels and a favorite of many of his fans.
"Literary Life" is a fast and carefree read. McMurtry's fans will gobble it up and immediately begin hungering for "Hollywood."
Monday, February 15, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Your Sunday free tune
Stevie Nicks does Storms. A demo track with some vintage photos. Did anybody else write pop music like her?
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Movies
"Wolfman" bites? USA Today review not so kind. Most of the chewing (scenery) is done by Anthony Hopkins.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Movies
The Wolfman looks a lot like that stinking "Van Helsing" fiasco. The trailer is lousy. Rick Baker did the werewolf effects, by the way. Here's the trailer and some other info.
On the border
Illegal immigration numbers decline. Is it enforcement? The economy? Tom Tancredo's rants?
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Frustrations of a multilateralist
The president finds that a change in style isn't the panacea he had hoped. Matt Welch writing for Reason.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Your Sunday free tune
A day late but here's Emmylou Harris doing Crescent City, the Lucinda Williams song. In honor of the Saints win.
Nick Gillespie on Moyers
Here's the Reason link. I caught this show. Gillespie was good if a little too timid in making his case. His persistent, reasoned approach seemed to irritate Lessing, who made it clear that smart guys like himself needed to be in control of political speech.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Chavez
You gotta love the commies! The Venezuelan power system is in collapse and Chavez brings in a 77-year-old Cuban to head a committee to fix the problem. Here's the story. It would be funny if not for that part about the Cubans bringing the "counter-revolutionary fury." Sounds like Russell's Wyatt Earp vowing to bring hell with him.
Books
Reviewer loves the art of Steve Ditko, but he's not so hot on Ayn Rand. Here's the Wikipedia entry on this great comic book artist.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Newspaperin'
Whatever happened to Calvin and Hobbes? Bill Watterson speaks the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Mayberry update
Sad news. Producer Aaron Ruben passed away. He was a key figure on the greatest TV show of all time.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Olbermann bolsters ego, loses viewers
Network defends bad boy but viewers flee to other networks. O'Reilly trouncing Olbermann, whose attack on Scott Brown last week set a new low. Embarrassing.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Civil War Show coming up this weekend
War of the Northern Aggression focus of annual gathering. My story from the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
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