tuckergurl

My Top Nine Films of 2005

This has been a great year for movies. I think the diversity of films this year has been strong (though the box office has not. Netflix is to blame btw. Take it up with them.) So here are the flicks I liked. I wanted to pick films I really, really loved so I stopped at 9 instead of just adding another film to round it out. Some of the links are to previous entries I wrote about these films. Others are just the regular IMDB shout out:

9. Breakfast on Pluto - So much fun. Yeah, the sound mix is kind of strange but it kind of reminded me of a good Zadie Smith book.

8. A History of Violence - What a mind f***! You gotta see this one.

7. Mysterious Skin - I can't remember much about the film itself other than Joseph Gordon Levitt's amazing performance. Oh, and Tara and I holding each other afterwards. Man that film was rough but in a good way.

6. Down To The Bone - I just talked about this one so I'll refrain from saying too much. I would love to make a film like this.

5. Walk The Line - It is a cheezy bio pic. The script has some problems. But it is so completely satisfying. I am now Johnny Cash and June Carter fans. They were incredible!

4. Good Night and Good Luck - A smart, classy film with George Clooney. What more could a gal ask for! Plus, McCarthyism is a little obsession of mine.

3. Murderball - This movie is so much fun! What is wrong with you people?! Go out and rent it.

2. Me and You and Everyone We Know - On the second viewing, this film is not as incredible as I remember it. But it is filled with love and magic and beauty and it came along at a time I really, really needed it.

1. Brokeback Mountain - Oh, come on. You knew it was going to be #1. I saw the damn film twice. I've already sung this film's praises. It is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. I hope it wins oodles of Academy Awards. Long live Ang Lee!

(Note: I did not see the following films yet which I have a feeling might have made this list: Munich, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Wedding Crashers, The Best of Youth, Jarhead, King Kong, which I will never see and The New World, which I also will never see.)

My Favorite CD of 2005

Lately, I’ve been obsessed with music criticism. As the end of the year lists pop us, I am fascinated by what the music critics deem as the best of the best. I listened to NPR’s Best of Music show with three music critics debating the year in music. Some of the adjectives they used were just plain mean. They said things like, "That CD was just too precious." What the heck does that mean? Aren’t words meant to illuminate?

Music plays a very different role in my life than movies. Since I am somewhat knowledgeable on it, I can understand from a craft point of view what makes a movie good. At a certain point, it does all become subjective but I feel I am armed with a bit more ammunition with film. Music is a whole different thing.

I can say who I think can sing (Whitney Houston sans drugs) and who can not (Sheryl Crow, though she can write a song) but my entire opinion on these things feels a bit more subjective since I am not completely familiar with the craft.

I am curious how music critics can deem what CDs are good versus which ones are not. It seems pretty hard to do when there is such a wide spectrum on types of music. There are types of music I do not even listen to (country for example) because I do not like them. Maybe a good country CD came out this year but I sure as hell would not know.

This year, my pick for CD of the year, mainly because I listen to it over and over again, is Fiona Apple’s Extraordinary Machine. I’ve been a big fan of crazy Fiona since the beginning of her career and this new CD is her best one yet. Hell if I know why. I just like the sound of her voice and how each song sounds different from the other and yet I still like all of them. Many music critics agree with me, which is unusual for me.

Since I downloaded the older version of the CD (produced by Jon Brion who also produced for Kanye West – bizarre) that admittedly was not finished, it has been fascinating to listen to the newer CD produced by Mike Elizando and really think about the role of a producer on a CD. I had the first version for months and I listened to it once or twice but not much. It felt a little melodramatic, too many strings or something. I could not pinpoint what was wrong because the songs have good lyrics.

This new version is funkier and sounds more like hearing her in concert. Critics say this is "in", this more stripped down sound. I’m not sure about that I just really like it. So, check it out. You should actually buy the Dual CD/DVD. That way, you get a DVD with concert footage.

FYI: My other favorites CDs this year were: Feist, The Killers, L.Y.F.E., Kanye West, Mariah Carey, M.I.A., Bloc Party, Amos Lee, Sia and John Legend.

Lazy Sunday

SNL sucks right now. It sucks so bad that they made Tina Fey shorten her maternity leave to try to save it. It sucks that bad. But the Saturday before last, there was a glimmer of hope.

Lazy Sunday is this hysterically random skit on SNL that, according to the NY Times, has become a phenomena on the internet. It is about these two "rappers" making their way through the West Village to get matinee tickets to The Chronicles of Narnia. You gotta watch it to see how funny it really is! It is just so random.

Angels In America

Last night I fell asleep watching Angels in America on DVD. I had strange dreams of Mary Louise Parker in bed with angels flying over her.

Hometown Snubs Schwarzenegger

The NY Times posted this great article:

For years the quaint Austrian town of Graz trumpeted its special relationship with its outsize native son, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Born in a village nearby and schooled in Graz, Mr. Schwarzenegger was an honorary citizen and holder of the town's Ring of Honor. Most conspicuously, the local sports stadium was named after him.

But early on Monday, under cover of darkness, his name was removed from the arena in a sort of uncontested divorce between the California governor and the town council, which had been horrified that he rejected pleas to spare the life of Stanley Tookie Williams, former leader of the Crips gang, who was executed by the state of California two weeks ago.

Happy Holidays!

Ready for Company
Originally uploaded by hodge.

I saw this picture on flickr and thought it was so beautiful! Happy Holidays!

You probably have finished all of your holiday shopping but if not, you should get some crafty ideas from Superhero Designs. Scroll all the way to the bottom for Dec. 1st. Or check out the other entries. She is really inspiring and I even did one of these crafty gifts for a good friend of mine who will remain nameless until after the holidays.

Rilo Kiley's songs ...

... are too damn long. They're all like six minutes long. Enough already.

Down To The Bone

With all of the transit strike drama, I forgot to write about this amazing movie Tara and I saw. It is called Down To The Bone and it is probably not playing at a theater near you.

The film was at Sundance the same time Deadline was, almost two years ago (wow, that long ago!!!). The lead, Vera Farmiga, won a special award for her performance. I met one of the producers at a party. I know the editor. Many of my friends are friends with the director. And yet, I still could not get off my a** to see it.

The subject matter always scared me. I knew it was about a heroin addict and that it was a brutal movie to watch. Because I have seen so many bad movies about drug addicts, I was worried that the lead would be lying around naked, sticking needles in her arm with bad techno playing in the background. This was so not the case.

The movie is a small one. Not a lot happens but just enough, if that makes sense. Yes, she struggles with drugs but the movie says a lot more about the working poor than anything. Movies that are this dependent on small interactions, usually fail but this one does not. The Times called it "a small, beautifully faceted gem." I think that is just right. It ain't pretty to look at but it is the kind of DV filmmaking that actually works for the subject matter. Also, the ending is ambiguous but in a good way, not in a "I have no idea how to end this so I'll just stop writing" way.

And I could go on and on about how good Vera Farmiga is. What a real, complicated, compelling protagonist. Finally a great woman's role! Also, she is really stunning. I could not stop saying this to Tara. I have a new crush. I'd like to say that I discovered her but considering the fact that she is going to be in 4 new movies next year, one of which is Scorsese's new film as Matt Damon's love interest, the secret will be out on her soon. (I'd skip her new flick with Paul Walker coming out in January. He is really, really hot but can not act. At. All. I am assuming she needed to pay some bills.)

So, check this film out. It is only at The Quad Cinema in New York for a few more days but it is still in San Fran (at the Roxie, a favorite theater of mine) and in Santa Monica. Next up, Portland (so Jessica if you're reading this, check it out. This is so your kind of flick!).

Apparently I Was Wrong.

The minute I wrote the post up about my NOT walking across the bridge. I had a conversation with my boss that went something like this:

Her: So, that 2:30 meeting.
Me: Yeah, what are going to do about that?
Her: We have to go Ang.
Me: But ... But ...
Her: It's happening. They'll be there. I hate to say this but ...

So, what did I do today. I walked across the Manhattan Bridge to Tribeca from Crown Heights (a 2 hour walk btw). I brought a thermos and drank tea there and then back. I have many funny anecdotes I could tell but my legs hurt and I just want to take a long shower. I probably should have entitled this entry: Sometimes I Just Need To Shut Up - Take Two.

Tomorrow I am going to have to have to work through my issues with the Long Island Rail Road!

I Am Not Walking In 22 Degree Weather And You Can Not Make Me

I admire all of you who are biking to work, walking across the bridge, sharing cabs. But I am not doing anything like this in 22 degree weather.

You can forget it. It's not like I save lives for a living here.

I may try to take a cab. Maybe.

(Photo thanks to our friends at The New York Times)