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

Six Feet Under
Wow - Sunday is the last episode ever! Wrapping up a series like this is bound to be difficult. I'm not thrilled with a few of the late turns--like sending David over the edge, and tying it to the trauma he experienced last season (which never really worked for me anyway). I had liked that the show would make David and Keith, the interracial gay couple, the strongest and most stable relationship this season. Still the emotion of the last few episodes has been powerful, and I know they have to build the drama and apprehension for the ending, which I hope is not marked by cataclysmic events. The show doesn't need that. Either way this has been one of the best seasons, right up there with 1 and 2. Also, I loved the Arcade Fire song that went with the closing credits of the last episode. Like The Sopranos, Six Feet Under seems to know just what music to play at all times.

If you've never seen it, rent the first season

PodCasting Question
Last week, StevenP recommended Jeff Black podcasts, and I heard an NPR story on the same soon after. It made me wonder: how many of us actually download and listen to podcasts? I've never used it myself. Are there any recommendations? Favorites?

DVD Release this week
Sin City--I never got around to seeing it in the theaters so hope to catch it on DVD soon.

Article 19 Film Review: Wedding Crashers
************ (12 out of 19)
I thought it was really funny. The end was unfortunately pretty dumb, even for a farce like this. And a couple of scenes/characters were more over-the-top than the rest of the movie demanded, but none of that really matters. Vince Vaughn is hilarious.

Weekend Box Office
1. Four Brothers
2. The Skeleton Key
3. Dukes of Hazzard
4. Wedding Crashers
5. Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
Is anyone else stunned that a film executive agreed to a second Deuce Bigalow movie? Rob Schneider's not even on SNL anymore. I can't see where there's an audience for this terrible idea.

Article 19 Book Recommendation: Norwegian Wood
I've been putting off writing about my first Murakami novel, trying to think of something good to say. Not until I got to the "about the author" page at the end did I realize that the book represents his attempt to pen a straightforward love story , apparently a break from his typical, more adventurous narrative style. Problem is, the promise of that style is what made me want to find a book of his to read in the first place.

There's nothing wrong with Norwegian Wood. But nothing special about it. I expected music and culture of the 60s to play a big role (per the back cover's description) in the themes and content, but really it didn't at all. The story could have taken place during any time. I'll try another one of his newer books before I decide that he's just not for me.