The cover of Bob Dylan’s “Going to Acapulco” by Jim James and Calexico.
The Richard Gere sections of “I’m Not There” were my least favorite parts…except for the performance of this song which was both beautiful and mesmerizing. Don’t think it’s what I want played at my funeral, but I am loving it a lot.
Oh right, I never even told you I went to that movie. Ah well. NOW YOU KNOW.
Welcome in, welcome in,
Shame about the weather.
Welcome in, welcome in, it will come,
It’s a sin, it’s a sin…
-Travis “My Eyes”
I’ve randomly had some photos published in the way back past. Today I found out that one of my recent Brussels photos (this one) is going to be in the Fourth edition of the Schmap Brussels Guide. (I knew it was on the short list.)
Cool, eh?
Making: Whipping up a quick baby quilt as I realized one’s about to pop in the next two weeks but next Thursday is probably the last time I’ll see the mom for a while… You’ll like it, it’s based around Curious George panels.
Reading: A very philosophical memoir “The Life of Hunger by Amelie Nothomb. Needless to say, I’m now starving.
Watching: The bitter end of Fall TV with some shows almost done (I am loving Bones so much right now!) and cramming in a BUNCH of movies over this Holiday week (Gone Baby Gone and No Country for Old Men already, the Bob Dylan movie today, Margot’s Wedding hopefully Sunday).
Listening: Hmmm. This has been a weird week. What with guests and TV and movies, I haven’t had a lot o’ listenin’ time. Played Eddie Vedder and Band of Horses for Michelle. Listened to Big Star and Pavement (from my Love Is a Mix Tape playlist) while quilting yesterday before moving on to watching Star Wars…
Super (awesomely!) violent and sometimes gross. It’s from a McCarthy book so you should know that going in / shouldn’t come as a shock.
Super freakily (psychologically) messed up villain (Javier Bardem. Spooky as shit. Crazy entrancing eyes).
Great performance from Tommy Lee Jones and solid from Josh Brolin (and I’m not even a fan of his!) and it’s fun to see LOTS of random actors popping up in bit parts (the coach from “One Tree Hill”, the nasty lady who ran the grocery store on “Jericho”, Woody Harrelson (what a relief to see him in something good again after that other shitehole movie which I actually think was way worse than I seem to have written there), Garrett Dillahunt who just played a Russian mobster on “Life”)…
I have to say: what made this movie for me was pure Coen brothers; you can tell/feel where they inserted themselves into this script: the small-town, down-home country humor and the warm personal relationships and comfortable feeling between many of the characters (despite the nasty killings and brutal stuff). And believe you me, humor and warmth = those are NOT things you will find in a McCarthy book.
Really excellent filmmaking and I (given my extreme dislike of McCarthy’s writing) wasn’t even really sure I wanted to see this…
Really good. Maybe not Oscar winning levels of accomplishment, but certainly respectable, compelling filmmaking. Kudos to you, Ben Affleck, I’m pretty impressed. There was only one thing I would consider a directorial gaffe / and it was perhaps a difficult moment of filming? I don’t know, but only one moment where I thought “That’s not right.” I’ll give you one or two (or maybe four depending) of those and still consider it a good flick.
Casey Affleck = also very impressive here. As I felt with Leo in “The Departed”, this is the movie where Casey really became sexy to me. In the past = attractive but in a kinda skeevy way. In this movie = H-O-T, hot. Really liked watching him play this role, lots of subtle moral struggles. He did a great job.
Also nice bits by Ed Harris and Amy Madigan.
Although here is the conversation as I imagine it: Ed (says to Ben): “Hey, Ben, yeah I’ll be in your movie but only if you have a part for my wife too. And here’s the deal, you have to make me look super, super hot and older man sexy, but you have to make her look as crappy, old and bedraggled as possible. Does that work for you? Yeah? OK then! We’ll do it!” (Yes, her part requires that she be somewhat more bedraggled than his does…but still…it was a bit…noticeable.)
Or does the song “Home” by Tandy (on Paste Sampler #37) not sound a LOT like Bob Dylan?
It also has a sort of Eagles/country/lots o’ harmony voices feeling to it.
(I’m going to see that crazy eight-million-actors-playing-Dylan flick later today…)
Dunkin Donuts gave me $18 change in ONES Wednesday night (late night hot chocolate in the pelting, icy rain).
A big wad of ones in my wallet = that’s what I call “stripper money.”
New (to me) Songs/Artists I’m Diggin:
“None Shall Pass” Aesop Rock (1)
“Our Friends Appear Like the Dawn” Bodies of Water (4)
“Beloved” Minnie Driver (5)
“Bad Graces” Diego Sandrin (7)
“One Man” Eulogies
New (2) Songs by Old Friends:
“Car Crash” Matt Nathanson (3)
“Rumors” Josh Ritter (3)
“Trouble” Over the Rhine
“Black Out on White Nights” Sage Francis (6)
“Darlin’ Do Not Fear” Brett Dennen
“Hamoa Beach” (Live) Gomez
from Paste #35.
1-Hmm, I bought this album but not sure I ever listened to it.
2-Or new when the magazine came out…months ago! 🙂
3-I am diggin’ these two big time this year. Lots of great stuff by them out there.
4-Very Polyphonic-Spree feelin’.
5-This song is really kind of surprisingly beautiful.
6-Very atmospheric background. Unusual for rap.
7-Nice and sparse, simple seeming, but pretty unusual lyrics.
Bridwell of Band of Horses on Pitchfork’s Guest List (link via LargeHearted Boy).
I’m going to check out:
Tunes: A Decent Animal
Book: “Joe: A Novel” by Larry Brown.