Monday, May 02, 2005

MEDIA MONDAY
What have you been watching, listening to, or reading?

Broken Flowers
Pride, Unprejudiced reports that Jim Jarmusch's new movie has a title, "Broken Flowers." It has an all-star cast: Bill Murray, Julie Delpy, Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, Sharon Stone, Tilda Swinton. I still haven't seen Coffee and Cigarettes, but his films are among my favorites: Night on Earth (featuring, with Roberto Benigni, maybe the laugh-out-loud funniest 15 minutes I've ever seen in any movie.) and Mystery Train are real favorites.

Who are today's stars?
The Hot Blog says that today's top 10 is a far cry from the old days of hepburn, tracy and cary grant:
1. Will Smith
2. Tom Cruise
3. Adam Sandler
4. Jim Carrey
5. Tom Hanks
6. Eddie Murphy
7. Ben Stiller and...
8. Will Farrell
9. Denzel Washington
10. Steve Martin

Come on though - not a single woman in the list, and Eddie Murphy and Steve Martin made it? What about Brad Pitt? Matt Damon? Julia Roberts? Leo Dicaprio? This is a truly crappy top 10 if it's accurate. Interesting how many comedians are in there. Who else is misplaced or missing?

Bummer
Paul Westerberg tomorrow night at the Cannery!! Canceled

Punk rock and bad teeth
David Byrne comments on having seen a new documentary, Punk: Attitude, in his award-winning web journal.

Weekend Box Office

1. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
2. The Interpreter
3. XXX: State of the Union
4. The Amityville Horror
5. Sahara (fading fast for a summer blockbuster hopeful?)

New documentary "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" made it into the top 20 and is getting strong recommendations (not that I've read the reviews, as you know...), like 3 1/2 stars from the Boston Globe, and this review from AO Scott. Also Roger Ebert liked it for 3 1/2 stars. Metacritics scores it an 82. My only worry is: can I withstand any more outrage?

Article 19 Film Recommendation: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
*************** (15 out of 19)
I haven't read the book in so long that I don't remember details, but enough of the basic tone that the film was like a really funny reminder. If I had never read it, or had read it recently and knew it well, I don't know what I'd have thought. But I had a really good time and thought it was very funny. Especially enjoyed Sam Rockwell's portrayal of the egocentric moron Zaphod, played with no small hint of George W. Bush twang.

Also, caught a preview for the new Batman film, Batman Begins, directed by Christopher Nolan (who made Memento, an Article 19 favorite). I know teasers are often misleading but this one is really kick-ass.

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