Goings-on-matron

Oh wow, an update!

Movies!
-Hey kids, can't afford the good drugs? Go see Speed Racer! I guarentee that after watching two hours straight of images thatwontfuckingstaystill you won't be able to walk straight. For serious. I recommend focusing on Matthew Fox for the duration of the film. There is something oddly soothing about his head-to-toe black leather ensemble.

-Did you enjoy Billy Elliot? Me too! I get a kick out of precocious British kids doing wacky things. That's why I vaguely enjoyed Son of Rambow which is currently playing at Kendall Square Cinema. It isn't a masterpiece, and I doubt I'll still remember much about in a few weeks, but it is a good way to kill an afternoon. Also, I've now added the slang term "skills" to my vocabulary. It might even replace "boss".

-There's a new Narnia movie coming out on Friday! Skills!

Concerts!
-I saw Death Cab For Cutie at the TD BankNorth Pavillion on Saturday. They played a few songs from Narrow Stairs which came out on Tuesday (it is really swell). They also played a few tracks off of Transatlanticism which is easily one of my most favorite albums of ALL TIME. The show was about an hour and a half and I'm going to go ahead and rank it right up there with the Eels show I saw earlier this year.
You should really read this AV Club feature that popped up today. Good shtuff.

-I got free tickets to the Symphony last night (skills!) and saw Garrison Keillor. It was really swell. That's pretty much the best way to describe it. My guest and I were probably the youngest people there, and I'll guarentee you I was the only one with visible tattoos. A good time was had by all though. Nothing really beats the one-two punch of old-time folksy story-telling and one of the worlds greatest orchestras playing in a historic landmark. Can't wait to see the Pops play with Amanda Palmer next month. It will probably be one of the most bizarre evenings of my life. If I go.

Oh yeah, this post was brought to you by Enviga. Can you tell?

Teen Sex and Super Heroes

We're on the cusp of Summer Blockbuster Season! Can't you just FEEL the excitement in the air?

No?

Yeah, me neither. I've never been a huge fan of blockbusters. Generally I'm big on sleepers, but whatever. I'm easily coerced into watching shoot-em-ups on occasion.

Luckily for me I've always been pretty avid reader of graphic novels. This is good because the suits in Hollywood have caught on that nerds like myself will pay to see their favorite mutants and super geniuses save the world time and time again.

So, I saw Iron Man. I'm sure you've all heard the praise for Robert Downey Jr., and I heartily agree. Really, if you're going to see this film you're probably going to agree that he is the best part. Go ahead and see the damn thing if only because everyone will think you're a loser if you don't.

---


Have you seen this? Probably. This image has been shoved down my throat by the media all week and all I can think is... so? Haven't I seen this picture 5 1/2 BILLION fucking times?

I'm not EXACTLY saying that Annie Liebowitz is a modern-day Vermeer, but she IS just another artist in a very, very long tradition of depicting young women in provocative ways. Defamer has said it best (so far) with their assertion that teenagers can and DO have SEX. SHOCKING. So why is everyone so bent out of shape over a VERY MODEST picture of a young girl? Because she doesn't look so innocent? She's not. I may have been a virgin at 15 too, but I had access to MTV and movies. I'd been skinny dipping. I'd taken art classes. I'd read Lolita.
The uproar over Daniel Radcliffe's nude photographs was much more subdued, perhaps because he was 18 when they were taken... But shouldn't it be just as traumatizing to Harry Potter's junk as it is seeing Hannah Montana's half-naked body covered in a sheet (actually it is a "stole", but I'm not that fashion savvy)? Why is it OK for Daniel Radcliffe to be viewed as a sexual being at a young age, and not Miley Cyrus?
Look, I'm not saying that I approve of old lecherous farts like you guys gawking at young Ms. Cyrus, but I AM saying that at 15 she clearly knows what she's doing. She knows she can say "no". And Annie Liebowitz knew what she was doing too.

Everyone is so up in arms about this girls loss of innocence... but she already lost it as soon as she signed that Disney contract. For every girl that made it out of the Disney machine without going batshit (like Haley Mills, Christina Aguilera, Hilary Duff and Raven Simone) there are those who didn't (Britney, Lindsay). It is a GIANT cliche at this point, and certainly one I've written about before. I'm not saying that Miley is going to lose her shit. What I am saying is that we expect her to, don't we? We see that picture and we think "here we go again".

pop*creep suggests/wants

Oh hi there.
I was wondering if it would be cool with you guys (I use the plural perhaps a tad prematurely) if I posted an update.

Yeah?
Boss.

Alright then.
These are things I like and/or want.

Like:

FILM
Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Most of you were probably too busy watching The Forbidden Kingdom this past weekend to catch the new Apatow-produced vehicle. That's fine, I understand your desire to see Jet Li FINALLY tear Jackie Chan a new one (I hear you, and submitted to the same desire). What you missed out on was a clever, sweet, crude and thoroughly entertaining film. To be honest I haven't liked the last few Apatow movies. Knocked Up left me thinking "You know... in real life Katherine Heigl would have had an abortion" (I know, I know. That wasn't what the movie was "about", but whatever) and Superbad's post American Pie sight-gags left me a little cold (though I am a huge fan of the cast). Sarah Marshall on the other hand was a great return to the 40-Year Old Virgin blend of gross-out humor and tenderness that made me love Judd Apatow films in the first place. Stellar cast, great one-liners, and gratuitous male nudity. It'll make you want to B your L on someone's Ts.

BEVERAGE
Enviga: Yeah... it is a glorified energy drink. Yes, it is manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company and is probably Satan's elixir. But DAMN I love this stuff. It comes in three varieties: Berry, peach, and green tea. The berry is my favorite. It gives you a nice boost without the jitters you get from Red Bull or Rock Star (and it tastes much MUCH better). It is being marketed as a "Calorie-burner" which I don't give a shit about... I just like it as an alternative to coffee.

Arizona Green Tea Red Apple: While we're talking about green tea, let's discuss Arizona Green Tea Red Apple briefly. Delicious.

Snake Bite: 1/2 lager, 1/2 cider... all tasty.

EVENT
Recod Store Appreciation Day: ...was this past Saturday. I know, I know... but better late than never. I dropped more bank than I should have at four different Newbury Comics locations on records and CDs. There were in-stores and free swag. "Lucky" customers got to watch Amanda Palmer of the Dresden Dolls paint at the Harvard Square Newbury Comics, and folks on Newbury Street saw Mates of State. Regina Spektor played at a shop in Brooklyn and everyone got sweet deals. Hopefully RSAD happens again next year.

MUSIC
Constantines + Feist "Islands in the Stream": Kids born in the early '80s like me are likely more familiar with "Ghetto Superstar" than they are with the classic recorded and made famous by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton (and written by the Bee Gees). Hell, the song is the same age as I am. At any rate, the Constantines and fellow Canadian Feist do the song some sweet and smooth justice on their new album "Kensington Heights" and I heartily suggest you check it out. Slow, sexy, and haunting. Do the right thing and drop some change on it.

PLACES
The Arnold Aboretum: I recently spent an evening strolling around the Arboretum. It was gorgeous and relaxing. There are fabulous views of Boston and cool trees and plants to look at.

Forest Hills Cemetary: Another great place to take a walk, especially now that the flowers are a bloomin'.

Want:

THINGS
Absinthe Lollipops: First the US prohibition on Absinthe was lifted, then some wacky candy makers in San Fransisco had a brainstorm. I haven't tried these, but the former Gawth in me is intrigued. The closest retailer is in Providence, but hell... these little babies might be worth a mini car trip.

And that is all.

I'm back

So, I disappeared for a while. Sorry about that, avid reader. Apparently it took me longer than expected to settle in after my move.
Here are some highlights from the months I didn't post:

Shows
-Magnetic Fields at the Somerville Theater: The show was on Valentine's Day and was absolutely delightful. Who wants to listen to songs about people who are happily in love?

-Daniel Johnston at the Roxy: Awesome! Just an all-around fun show that let out just in time for me to catch sight of a full lunar eclipse over Boston.

-Luminescent Orchestrii at the Amazing Things Arts Center in Framingham: The more I see them, the more I love them. I'm a sucker for gypsy music and Lumi puts on a fantastically warm and welcoming show. The space was a converted firehouse.

Film
-Ratatouille and Horton Hears a Who: I'm always a bit skeptical when it comes to "children's" movies. I think that most of what is being made for the under 4-foot set is generic crap. On the contrary, these films give me hope. Rataouille is just a sweet, whimsical tale of "don't dream it, be it!" and Horton is just... oddball, surrealist fun - which is exactly what Dr. Seuss SHOULD be when it is adapted for the screen.

- Run Fatboy Run: In some ways this is a generic redemption tale, but it gets a pass because it was written by Micheal Ian Black and Simon Pegg. Simon Pegg stars and as always delivers a strong comedic performance. Hank Azaria co-stars as Pegg's competition to douche-y perfection. And the film is well-directed by David Schwimmer which will hopefully not scare you all away.

- Young at Heart: I cried on average about once every ten minutes at this screening.
This is a simply lovely documentary about Northampton's Young at Heart Choir, a group of senior citizens who sing songs by modern artists like Talking Heads, Sonic Youth, and Coldplay. Here's a clip from one of the most moving parts of the doc (and you need to see the film to understand why it is so moving):


Books
-Love is a Mixtape by Rob Sheffield: Rolling Stone writer and Boston Native Rob Sheffield's quais-memoir is out in paperback and I highly suggest picking it up. It is an easy read, but it is full of heart. Rob writes about his all-too brief relationship with his wife Renee who passed away five years into their marriage. When she died she left behind hundreds of mix-tapes that tell the story of their love affair. They are also a document of what was going on musically in the early-to-mid 1990s which is an era I find fascinating, at least literally speaking.

-Woman's World by Graham Rawle: Collage artist Graham Rawle took on the seemingly impossible task of writing a story entirely out of found words. He found the words in early 1960s women's magazines, snipped them out, and arranged them to create coherent story. The book is not only fun to read, but it is beautiful to look at.

-Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughn: I waited for this much lauded Vertigo title to end its run before diving in because I knew it would be like comic-crack. I have trouble patiently waiting each month for my favorite titles to arrive at the comic store. I've only read the first trade, and I am SOLD. There are so many things I already love about the series, but I don't want to ruin anything for those of you who haven't started. Also, please no spoilers for me.

Blogs
-Modish: I'm pretty into DIY and this is a great blog if you are too. There are countless pictures of hand-made items. There are also spotlights on artisans and eco-friendly creations. I'm really not doing it justice. If it helps, the blogger updates WAY more than I do.

And that's all I've got for now.

We're closer to this than you might think....

I moved to a new apartment in Cambridge last week. Because I'm anal retentive, I changed my default location on Google Maps to reflect my new address. In doing so, I noticed that one can actually SEE MY APARTMENT in Google Maps. Which is creepy. Because I'm in a highly residential area now.

Apparently, these guys feel the same way I do:

I actually have no reason for posting this...

...other than the fact that I am a giant nerd.

cred: Stereogum,b3ta

I don't usually post about politics....

...because I don't have the mind for it. Obviously... I mean, I pretty much just post about movies and music. But I DO give a shit, and I do think actual news like this is important. Seriously. If you haven't read about the study I just linked to, do now. You'll be even more anti-Bush than you were before (if at all possible).

And for the record, I probably won't be jumping on the political train any time soon, but I am 100% pro-voting, and I urge you to be as well. If you're curious (you probably aren't, but this is my blog) I'm Green Party so I'll pretty much vote for whichever candidate shares my views on the environment (uh... we should probably, like... do something about it). Otherwise I'm not huge on talking politics. I think the president is a lying, sexist, hatemonger (ps Dan Savage... maybe you should update the site a little).

So anyway, this is likely one of the last times you'll be seeing something political here, but don't mark my words. I'll probably have more to say come October.

Until then, I'll go back to doing what I do best (well, at least marginally better): Watching movies.