If you are Republican, you are—knowingly or not—supporting de-regulation and a free market economy. There is plenty of blame to go around for this crash, but you have to be willing to accept the blame (especially if you’re also willing to take the credit prematurely). If all you can muster now is that the Republicans wanted to vote for the bill (they clearly did not, with roughly 70% of Republicans voting against), then you have to take the blame for the economy. You’re just re-subscribing to your same failed philosophy of the free market: It will work itself out.

Hm, where was I? Oh yes, a little Jack Black, Mos Def, Michel Gondry film. I’m a big fan of Gondry, and always end up attributing him to the success of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind, but then realize that the real genius behind that was Charlie Kaufmann. Gondry has done some other interesting stuff, like The Science of Dreams Sleep (which had a derived a good portion of its charm from Bernal and Gainsbourg). But maybe he just knows who to work with.

This was also a charming little piece of film, which is exactly the type of film you need to see after you go see There Will Be Blood—not before. That’s exactly what we did, and it sort of ruined the whole night. We also saw this up at the Court Street cineplex, the place where feet are always hanging off railings, the machines that sell tickets so you don’t have to talk to anyone (I may be social, but I hated working in a theater after a while, too, so rudeness towards patrons is not justified, but understandable), and where I always end up spilling popcorn. That said, I will always think of Jack Black’s Ghostbusters theme when I think of this movie. Nevermind that that was in the trailers and commercials, it’s still my favorite part.

Schwarzenegger outlaws text-messaging while driving - Los Angeles Times → “"Why everybody isn't hands-free now, I have no idea," he said. Consistent with state actions in favor of human rights that began in the 1980s, Schwarzenegger also signed a bill banning state contract bids from companies that do business with the government of the African nation of Sudan.” as republican as he is, the schwarz still does many good things for one my home states.

I don’t really like Tom Hanks that much anymore, but I liked him in this, because he just played a drunk. The first time we went to Cooperstown I remember seeing all the Rockford Peaches stuff and thinking that I’m never gonna play in the major leagues. That’s kind of a shitty thing to remember first thing in the morning before you have to go to work.

The funny thing about thinking about all the movies I saw this year, you can actually tell when I’ve spent most of my time (weekends) at home because there’s movie after movie after movie of stuff that you see on USA or TBS every weekend. This one is probably seasonal, but for the life of me, I can’t understand why Miss Congeniality or Legally Blonde or Miss Congeniality 2 is always on cable. Every weekend. I’m sure there’s a real good explanation for that.

Again, one of those flicks on TBS. Sad to say it, but this isn’t the first time I saw this movie. I tell you what, though, everything in this movie is totally unrealistic—and I’m not talking about all the fate crap, I’m talking about going into Serendipity (the tourist-trap dessert bar famous for its “frozen hot chocolate” uptown) without waiting for 2 hours. I’m talking about them actually moving around in Macy’s without running into 50 other people. I’m also talking about sitting in the middle of an ice rink without getting your face stepped on. Total FANTASY.

I will say this: If they get the right script, Piven and Cusack are best-friend gold, and the more they work together, the better. In fact, if the two had the choice, I’m sure every movie they would be in would be with each other and Joan. So, watch out for it—sequels to Say Anything and Grosse Point Blank. I’ll start writing ‘em now.

The first Sidney Lumet film I saw was 12 Angry Men. I remember thinking how the hell a film that took place in one room could be so engaging for so long. I don’t know much else about Paddy Cheyefsky, but I’m willing to bet that the combination of the two is really what made this film so great. I start to think about how the media these days is so crazy and out of control, and how way back in 1972 it was all predicted and identical all at the same time. Just like how everything gets taken out of context, I hear the “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” every once in a while and think how much that’s lost its meaning.

We saw this at Film Forum, and the satire of the film made me a little bit sad and feel gross about watching the film and yet still sort of condoning the whole thing — Watching reality television and feeding into the media that’s portrayed as satire in the movie but is not far off from reality. Hell, it is reality.

This is the one that Paul Greengrass directed, and I also remember someone telling me they were doing some Filipino martial arts in this film. I didn’t notice, unless there was a point where MD was using some arnis, in which case I probably would have noticed.

The fact that Run Lola Run dies in the first 10 minutes of this movie basically gives Bourne free-reign to be a total badass, which I suppose he was in the first movie, but in this one and the next one, where he pulls the I’m-in-your-office-because-you’re-dumbm trick a few times is proof positive that he is the most badassed guy around. I also like this better than a lot of other spy role because there’s not boring or unlikeable or uncomfortable stuff that goes around and makes you feel like this is just make-believe, like the Bond films. That said, I haven’t seen Casino Royal, and the poster for the new Bond movie is pretty sweet.

But really, since all I can do is think about Palin these days, I most like this movie because MD is thoughtful about the whole ordeal. You saw that vid, right? And before you GOP-ers (are there any out there?) go talking about how celebrities shouldn’t talk politics, take a good look at Palin and tell me she isn’t milking “celebrity” right now. I mean, where’s the beef, Guv?

We went through this phase where we went out and bought all the Bourne movies and just watched them every weekend. They’re pretty consistently great and that has a lot to do with Matt Damon being able to pull of the sort of anguished, extremely-serious-but-also-can-flash-a-smile type action hero that not that many people can pull off. Doug Liman, the director isn’t someone I’d say, “Hey, I gotta see more of his movies” but I will admit almost got me to see Jumper (until I found out it was the hack Hayden Christensen starring).

Still, the franchise had room to grow, and we found that out quickly. I just saw the last half of Flight 93 today and it was gripping and sort of made me a little sick that I had to watch advertising between scenes (it was on TV). But Paul Greengrass did that movie pretty tastefully, and his directing in the other Bourne films seems to exemplify the fact that it doesn’t have to be too flashy to be engrossing.

from the Seattle PI - Sarah Palin’s record on environment is abysmal.

("Spare me the phony outrage," Obama said today, actually sounding angry instead of whiny. Good for him.)
Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, Lipstick and Calling a Spade a Spade - Robert Schlesinger (usnews.com) → more on the quote i mentioned.