MEDIA MONDAY [UPDATED-5:20 pm]
Today, it's all things music/film/books/TV/radio related. Now that the election is over, it's time to branch out. Anyone who wants to send a review, recommendation or warning for something you're listening to, watching, or reading, new or old, or link to a site about such things that is a favorite, use this thread. Email me thoughts of more substantial size and I'll post them as a guest post. This will become a regular Monday feature.

FILM
Article 19 Film Review--"I [Heart] Huckabees"
*************1/2 (13 1/2 out of 19)
Interesting, funny, ambitious, and different. But left a strangely shallow aftertaste, considering how deep its basic subject matter is. Still thinking about it. Could revise the number up or down. Liked it better right after I left the theater. Music by Jon Brion (Eternal Sunshine...)is right on. He's quickly becoming a favorite. [UPDATE] NPR feature on Jon Brion from October 13 is here.

Best preview: Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou"

Top 5 grossing films of the weekend:
1. Incredibles
2. Ray
3. The Grudge
4. Saw
5. Alfie

Random movie thought: I finally caught "The House of Sand and Fog" on video over the weekend. Have you ever seen a more depressing movie? Brilliant acting, a really unique story, but...ugh.

MUSIC
Elliott Smith - "From a Basement on the Hill"
The more of his stuff I hear, and the closer I listen, the sorrier I am he's dead.

Isolation pushes past self-hatred, guilt and shame
To a place where suffering is just a game.
But everybody's scared of this place and stayin away:
Your little house on Memory Lane.

Hard to believe a guy with verse like that would commit suicide, huh. The music is interesting and unpredictable at nearly every turn.

Elliott Smith feature on NPR, from October, here.

On perusing the new releases for tomorrow, Nov. 9--How bizarre that "new releases" this week include Bob Dylan, The Doobie Brothers, John Denver, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jethro Tull and Count Basie. Tells you something about who buys CDs anymore. The reissue market is alive and well I suppose. Meanwhile the kids get treated to the greatest hits of Britney Spears. Does she even have enough "hits" to make a whole recording? Which hits did they lose to pare it down to only the "greatest" of the hits?

Missed this when it came out a few weeks ago, but Jody Rosen has a review of both Tom Waits'("he's a genre unto himself.") and Bjork's ("Even Björk's most devoted fans, who relish her odd juxtapositions, may find themselves bewildered") new recordings. Bjork's especially is stunningly bold and different, which is saying something compared to Waits. Haven't decided if it all works for her, but it's quite a listen.

TV
The best show on TV, HBO's Six Feet Under, is coming to an end after next season.

New video releases tomorrow include "Before Sunset." The preview did nothing for me, but I heard it is worth seeing. Anyone catch it?

What have you been watching/listening to? As I run across appropriate sites, articles, thoughts, I'll update this post through the day. It's Media Monday. How can I make it better? Suggestions welcome.