The manuscript is done and ready to mail out tomorrow. I'm so excited! Since it didn't take quite as much time this past week as expected, I did get to enjoy a little pop culture. Here are the week's picks.
Film: A Prairie Home Companion
I come and go with Robert Altman (loved MASH, found Gosford Park a bit dull), but I love Garrison Keillor so I rented Prairie this week. It was so much fun! As always, Altman chose the absolutely best cast. Watching the film makes me sadly remember Lindsay Lohan's potential but reminds how brilliant Meryl Streep and John C. Reilley are (yet I won't be seeing Walk Hard). If there is one thing Altman knows more than anything else, it's how to bring together a heavy-hitting cast into a fascinating study of humanity. I laughed throughout Prairie. Yet again I find myself wondering what it would like to go to the actual radio show.
Television: How Clean is Your House?
I discovered this BBC gem right before Christmas. Luckily I have a job which occasionally gets me home by 3pm so I can catch the BBC America reruns. "Queens of Clean" Kim and Aggie are hysterical! They go into some of the grossest homes - many of which are inhabited by single men, hmmm... - and start chipping off the goop. They have no qualms about touching the stuff and then smelling it to see what it is. Gross! In every episode there is a gross-out moment. (Usually in either the bathroom or the kitchen sink.) The show is kind of like a trainwreck in that you have to keep watching. But I also like the dynamics of Kim and Aggie, although Kim is my favorite. She will get right in there with the guys and flirt despite being their senior by a couple of decades at least. All I have to say is that the finished product is amazing! They always go back two weeks later to check in and the houses aren't always as clean as they could be. Watch if you have the stomach for it.
Books: The Thirteenth Tale
This book, which came out in paperback in 2007, is an amazing read. I read it for the January meeting of the book club I was just invited to join. If the year's remaining books are half as good as Diane Setterfield's, I'll be rejoicing. The Thirteenth Tale is the story of twins, and that is all you're going to get. It joins the stories of British fiction queen Vida Winter with quiet sometimes-biographer Margaret Lea. The two may seem worlds apart but their lives are much closer than they think. The book is a classic gothic text and continually references Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Woman in White (which I am currently reading). It harkens back to nineteenth-century gothic but has a definite twenty-first-century flare. Beware, however! Once you get to the final 100 pages or so you'll be unable to get up until you finish.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
OMG!!!!!!!!
Heath Ledger was found dead yesterday! Can you believe it? I am so saddened. The entertainment industry has lost an excellent up-and-coming actor. He was destined for Oscar greatness. Have you seen the Batman previews? His Joker is creepy and fantastic. I am still in shock.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Week Off
Sorry folks! My manuscript deadline is next week (January 31) so I am spending this week fine-tuning the old girl. Today we have off - the first time that's happened since I entered academia - and I have a long list of manuscript-related items to do. Everything should be done by the end of this week, though, so look for a new post on Sunday. Wish me luck!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
More Than Meets the Eye
Good morning! It's a lovely Sunday morning, isn't it? Okay, it's kind of dreary and getting cold but I don't care. This morning I have officially finished the entire draft of my manuscript. My deadline is January 31 and I have no doubt I'll make it. I'll be spending the coming week proofreading the entire thing and next week working on the acknowledgements and bibliography. I'll do one more proofreading the weekend of January 25 and then send it out on the 28th. The pics are coming in and they look great! I'm just waiting on a couple more from Buffy and Underworld. Come February 1 I won't know what to do with myself!
To celebrate the fact that I no longer have to watch any horror movies and write about them, I chose a fun film for last night, which brings me to my first suggestion of the week...
Film: Transformers
You know, I rarely complain about my home entertainment system but last night I really wished I had a bigger television. The special effects of Transformers were awesome and surprisingly realistic. The transformations were brilliant! Although the film was clearly meant to be a spectacle, I still enjoyed the miniscule plot. Perhaps my view was tainted by the fact that I turned off all lights and a pen was nowhere in sight for note-taking, but I laughed and I cheered throughout. I've said it before on this blog and I'll say it again: Shia LaBeouf is going places as an actor; he really makes the movie come to life. If you're looking for a popcorn flick on a Saturday night, this is your best bet. The film is certainly more than meets the eye. Ha ha!
Television: Dexter
Okay, this one was for the manuscript but it deserves a place here as well. Dexter premiered last season on Showtime. It stars Michael C. Hall as a murderer with a code, the Code of Harry in fact. Dexter only kills bad guys. Interesting, no? What do we do with a murderer who kills murderers? The show focuses around Dexter as he tries to negotiate between his pretend attachment to humanity - like his "love" for his sister and girlfriend - and his true calling as a serial killer. To add to the complexity, he works as a blood-splatter analyst for the Miami PD. Have I got you intrigued yet? The entire first season is out on DVD and I must highly recommend it. CBS has commissioned it to run in the spring, but it will be pretty watered down. You really need to see the Showtime version to appreciate the character. And stay tuned for the finale; it may just shock you to death.
Literature: The Golden Compass
Back in December The Golden Compass made my film recommendation; now I want to recommend the novel. As we all know, I love and study adaptation. I am always a bit hesitant when I go into any adaptation situation, whether it is reading the novel first then watching the film or vice versa. I never know what to expect. With The Golden Compass it's almost like two different texts. Yes, the basic storyline is the same. Yet, there were still lovely surprises with the novel. Neither is tainted by the other's choices, however; both film and novel are more than worth your time. Lyra is more fleshed out in the novel, as is to be expected, but the novel does not move as fast. I am really excited to read the other two books of Philip Pullman's trilogy, especially since the fate of the other two films is iffy at best. For any of my readers out there with daughters, have them read the book. Lyra is a fantastic heroine for young girls.
To celebrate the fact that I no longer have to watch any horror movies and write about them, I chose a fun film for last night, which brings me to my first suggestion of the week...
Film: Transformers
You know, I rarely complain about my home entertainment system but last night I really wished I had a bigger television. The special effects of Transformers were awesome and surprisingly realistic. The transformations were brilliant! Although the film was clearly meant to be a spectacle, I still enjoyed the miniscule plot. Perhaps my view was tainted by the fact that I turned off all lights and a pen was nowhere in sight for note-taking, but I laughed and I cheered throughout. I've said it before on this blog and I'll say it again: Shia LaBeouf is going places as an actor; he really makes the movie come to life. If you're looking for a popcorn flick on a Saturday night, this is your best bet. The film is certainly more than meets the eye. Ha ha!
Television: Dexter
Okay, this one was for the manuscript but it deserves a place here as well. Dexter premiered last season on Showtime. It stars Michael C. Hall as a murderer with a code, the Code of Harry in fact. Dexter only kills bad guys. Interesting, no? What do we do with a murderer who kills murderers? The show focuses around Dexter as he tries to negotiate between his pretend attachment to humanity - like his "love" for his sister and girlfriend - and his true calling as a serial killer. To add to the complexity, he works as a blood-splatter analyst for the Miami PD. Have I got you intrigued yet? The entire first season is out on DVD and I must highly recommend it. CBS has commissioned it to run in the spring, but it will be pretty watered down. You really need to see the Showtime version to appreciate the character. And stay tuned for the finale; it may just shock you to death.
Literature: The Golden Compass
Back in December The Golden Compass made my film recommendation; now I want to recommend the novel. As we all know, I love and study adaptation. I am always a bit hesitant when I go into any adaptation situation, whether it is reading the novel first then watching the film or vice versa. I never know what to expect. With The Golden Compass it's almost like two different texts. Yes, the basic storyline is the same. Yet, there were still lovely surprises with the novel. Neither is tainted by the other's choices, however; both film and novel are more than worth your time. Lyra is more fleshed out in the novel, as is to be expected, but the novel does not move as fast. I am really excited to read the other two books of Philip Pullman's trilogy, especially since the fate of the other two films is iffy at best. For any of my readers out there with daughters, have them read the book. Lyra is a fantastic heroine for young girls.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
My Kind of Town
Happy New Year to all! I hope you all had a nice holiday and safe travels. I really enjoyed my time in PA but it was also good to be back home. (That said, I think Porthos misses the roominess of my parents' house, but he hasn't run into any walls yet.) As many of you know, Alison and I spent a few days in Chicago after Christmas. It was a great time and we saw many excellent sights. We also ate deep-dish pizza at Gino's East. Although the pizza was good, we are definitely NYC "slicers." In honor of my trip to Chicago, I decided to create a Chicago-themed blog this week.
Film: The Untouchables
Yes, the car chase from The French Connection is excellent, but no film says Chicago like The Untouchables. Not to mention, the film is just awesome. DeNiro makes an excellent Capone and Kevin Costner works well as Ness. More importantly, you have Sean Connery and Andy Garcia in supporting roles. Of all the amazing scenes in this film, I'll never forget Capone beating a man to death with a baseball bat. Also, always keep in mind this sage advice from Connery's Jim Malone: "They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. *That's* the *Chicago* way! And that's how you get Capone. Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that?"
Honorable Mention: The Blues Brothers
Greatest tagline ever: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it." I don't remember how old I was when I first saw this film but I know I fell in love with it immediately. Entertainment Weekly recently did an article on fake bands and included the Blues Brothers. However, I take offense at that. While they may have started life as an SNL skit, the Blues Brothers ended up a real band with a group of actual brilliant muscicians behind them. I often wonder what would have happened had John Belushi lived. Would they still be playing to sold-out crowds? Would they have sparked a new popularity for the blues? Hard to say. What can be said, though, is that this film may have the best car chase EVER!
Television: Early Edition
I want to thank Krista for reminding me of this great show from 1996. The premise - in case you missed the short-lived series - is that Kyle Chandler's character, Gary Hobson, receives the newspaper a day early so he can change something in it. Each day he has to figure out what that something is. What an interesting premise. I'm not sure if it's out on DVD yet; if it is, it's definitely worth a look. Also, I like the fact that a cat brings him the paper, sort of. You have to see the show to understand.
Literature: Oleanna
David Mamet is one of the many great writers to come from Chicago. Of all the Mamet greatness, I love the play Oleanna. For those of you who may not have read the play, it's about the lack of communication between a professor and a student. William H. Macy starred in a film version that is definitely worth a rent. The situation starts bad and then just spirals into awfulness. I am teaching this play in my Intro to Lit class this spring. I can't wait to freak out my students by making them act it out with a woman as a the professor and a man as the student.
Film: The Untouchables
Yes, the car chase from The French Connection is excellent, but no film says Chicago like The Untouchables. Not to mention, the film is just awesome. DeNiro makes an excellent Capone and Kevin Costner works well as Ness. More importantly, you have Sean Connery and Andy Garcia in supporting roles. Of all the amazing scenes in this film, I'll never forget Capone beating a man to death with a baseball bat. Also, always keep in mind this sage advice from Connery's Jim Malone: "They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. *That's* the *Chicago* way! And that's how you get Capone. Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that?"
Honorable Mention: The Blues Brothers
Greatest tagline ever: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it." I don't remember how old I was when I first saw this film but I know I fell in love with it immediately. Entertainment Weekly recently did an article on fake bands and included the Blues Brothers. However, I take offense at that. While they may have started life as an SNL skit, the Blues Brothers ended up a real band with a group of actual brilliant muscicians behind them. I often wonder what would have happened had John Belushi lived. Would they still be playing to sold-out crowds? Would they have sparked a new popularity for the blues? Hard to say. What can be said, though, is that this film may have the best car chase EVER!
Television: Early Edition
I want to thank Krista for reminding me of this great show from 1996. The premise - in case you missed the short-lived series - is that Kyle Chandler's character, Gary Hobson, receives the newspaper a day early so he can change something in it. Each day he has to figure out what that something is. What an interesting premise. I'm not sure if it's out on DVD yet; if it is, it's definitely worth a look. Also, I like the fact that a cat brings him the paper, sort of. You have to see the show to understand.
Literature: Oleanna
David Mamet is one of the many great writers to come from Chicago. Of all the Mamet greatness, I love the play Oleanna. For those of you who may not have read the play, it's about the lack of communication between a professor and a student. William H. Macy starred in a film version that is definitely worth a rent. The situation starts bad and then just spirals into awfulness. I am teaching this play in my Intro to Lit class this spring. I can't wait to freak out my students by making them act it out with a woman as a the professor and a man as the student.
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