I've moved to tumblr. I've had this blog for too long. to anyone that read it, thank you!

Lykke Li - Unchained Melody

Morrissey Quotes

I was looking for jobs online, found nothing and started compiling Morrissey quotes.. so! 




“I do maintain that if your hair is wrong, your entire life is wrong.” 


“I am capable of looking on the bright side - I just don’t do it very often.”


“When I'm lying in my bed I think about life and I think about death and neither one particularly appeals to me.”


“I lost myself to music at a very early age, and I remained there.” 


“I still don't belong to anyone - I am mine.” 

Andy Hull - How I Waited (with lyrics)

Recently Watched: DRIVE

Damn Ryan Gosling, damn. I know a lot of people have a fondness for the Gosling but like my fondness for Robert Pattinson (no I don't like Twilight, I am an adult!) I feel like its different than the mainstream crowd...unfortunately Lucy probably feels the same way..who is Lucy...Lucy is the 12 year old google searching images of Ryan for her binder collage. What am I talking about this is about his movie DRIVE!

So yeah, I saw Drive recently and I was entertained. I TELL YOU. It was extremely violent, but the violence made sense.. I mean honestly Pineapple Express has more unnecessary violence. Gosling's character is a stunt driver who does shady shit on the side. He's quiet, smooth and good at what he does.. but then he meets his neighbor and her son and gets involved in a mess that results in tons of violence. The opening is really strong, the music is kind of bizarre but it works, the performances are pretty amazing.. I liked it. It's an indie/noir/80's/action movie with Gosling in really cool outfits. totally see it.

Juvenile - Back That Azz Up

Thanks to XM's 90's on 9.. this gem of a tune played in its entirety at my work. MIND YOU most of our customers are above 50.

I think at one point he says "want to walk it like a dog"  also "you's a fine mother fucker" while meant as a compliment //when followed by "why don't you back that ass up" is kind of hilariously offensive.

DAVID BOWIE - REBEL REBEL

Friends - Friend Crush

this keeps coming on the radio on the way to work.. it makes me want to dance, kids!

Fast as You Can

Sometimes my mind don't shake and shift
But most of the time, it does
And I get to the place where I'm begging for a lift
Or I'll drown in the wonders and the was

actions have reactions.. and sometimes they suck!

Last night was a bit of a reality check that sometimes when you get used to doing things that you shouldn't, you lose sight of how real things could get. lesson: Be responsible in your irresponsibility.

the yeah yeah yeahs have a kind of sweet sadness, happiness/ weird reflective life? /dance? /party (ish) sound that I'm currently enjoying.

Gardens & Villa - Star Fire Power

For Your Precious Love - Otis Redding

Otis Redding - Try A Little Tenderness

Jeff Buckley "Lilac Wine" (Nina Simone Cover)

Recently Watched: The Color Wheel

I recently watched and really liked "The Color Wheel," (a film that I didn't get a chance to see at the Maryland Film Festival.)

The film was co-written by it's actors Carlen Altman and Alex Ross Perry who play sort of estranged siblings who take a road trip to move Altman's characters stuff out of her ex boyfriend/ professor house.

I thought the dialogue was really well written, funny and realistic. The characters are kind of sadly relatable to where I am in my life. (i.e The semi artsy but lazy aspiring something or others talking about what they want to do, while being unemployed or stuck in a "dead-end" job. I WORK LESS THAN 30 HRS A WEEK AND MAKE NO MONEY, PEOPLE!!)

anywayyyy I look forward to seeing more by Ross and Altman.

Bon Iver - Minnesota, WI

I get stressed man.

So as I've said on here before I've been serving for almost a year now. At times it's a real test in keeping my passive-agressive-ness in check... My hope is that customers just think I'm weird and aren't offended by my subtle digs at their RUDUNKULESS-NESS. I have an inside joke with my co-worker that inside when I feel like I'm dying from a customers wicked ways.. I sing Enyas "Only Time"

muttering the lyrics to calm myself down.. I think it's something everyone should do. You're welcome for this post.

Lykke Li - Can I Kick It (Live Cover) @ Osheaga 8/1/09

Recently Watched: Manhattan & Bridesmaids

In "Manhattan" Woody Allen plays a writer who is in a relationship with a 17-year-old-girl played by Mariel Hemmingway. I've said it before, but I find Allen a bit creepy. His whole I'm an intellect and so I understand that this is wrong so then it should be less wrong doesn't fly, yo. A 42-year-old and a 17-year-old should probably not date (or rather a 42-year-old shouldn't want to date a 17-year-old) (I know I just commented on things seemingly personal but Allen has made some questionable choices a la dating his young adopted step daughter.) With that said I really enjoyed this film. It's probably my favorite Allen movie. We have some interesting people Dianne Keaton plays the "other woman" to Allen's best friend and then to Allen...and then to his friend again. While Hemmingway's character is seemingly in love with Allen despite his constant "you should keep your options open" speeches. I think the whole thing plays out rather realistically. Allen is funny and he is also honest about all of his craziness which I think is great. But again I don't find it endearing..he creepy (yo.)
I held off on seeing Bridesmaids until I saw it was playing at the 3 dollar movies + the weather in Baltimore felt like HELL (120 degree heat index.) I'm not a big fan of the current SNL/Kristen Wigg, but I really liked her in this. Maya Rudolph and Wigg played off each other creating a realistic modern female friendship, and under the direction of Paul Feig (Freaks and Geeks,) the film had a good mix of comedy and drama. I'm new to Chris O'Dowd and I thought he was really great in the film, also Jon Hamm was wonderful at being completely terrible.

new Kevin Devine Lyrics

/now every single time that you open your mouth something like the truth comes stumbling out, a picture of the past you keep whittling down to a version of yourself you can follow around/

NYC

Recently Watched: Midnight in Paris

SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT

Midnight in Paris is a well made movie. Paris looks so beautiful, (ME WANTS TO GO.) It's well acted; Owen Wilson particularly does a great job in the lead role and the script is pretty funny in that Woody Allen dorky-clever way. I think my biggest problem with this movie was that going into it I thought that when Wilson's character explores Paris after midnight he'd be experiencing some of the current Parisian night life... SPOILER ..I was wrong.. instead Wilson goes back in time and experiences Paris in the 1920's. It's cute..he is a huge fan of the 1920's and he is meeting literary/cultural figures from the 1920's and he is aware of how crazy it is (insert Allen humor) ... it works or I should say it worked for most of the audience..but to me it got a little old after say the 15th person he met. The movie comes around ..I don't want to say I didn't like it because I did, but I definitely have mixed feelings about the plot. I really liked the ending, and the overall message of people always thinking a time before "their time" is more inspiring.

FYI: team9 vs Stereogum - Bang On A Milli

The title of this blog came from this glorious mash up of Lil Wayne "A Milli" and The Breeders "Bang On" = Bang on a Milli

The Party's Over

I want to have a party just so I can play this to make people leave.

Beirut - East Harlem

Recently Watched: Last Night

I watched this movie because I'm a fan of Guillaume Canet and I really liked him in it. The film..not so much. A lot of the dialogue and supporting characters were very convenient for the story line. Would a man at a dinner give you advice about cheating the first time you meet him? Is anyone that bold? Or is he an easy character used as a plot device??! (I'm asking you.) The dialogue was also very low. I'd like to think that I'm not a close minded American in that I appreciate accents but between Sam Worthington's Australian accent, Keira Knightly's English and Guillaume Canet's French I felt like I missed a third of the dialogue.

In list form:

-Sam Worthington has dead eyes and a flat voice.

-Eva Mendes was supposed to be "the hot girl" but she looked kind of harsh throughout the whole film.

-Keira Knightly gave a pretty good performance, but I didn't 100% care about her characters relationship issues. What does she like about her husband? What did she like about her past lover? It's not really explained.

-Canet shined mostly because HE'S FIIINE. No, but really he was good in the film. When he is happy he has spark about him that seems real. And he is the only character that seemed to convey that he was in love with another character.

The film basically boils down to will each member of the couple cheat during their night apart? What I'll tell you is ONE DOES AND ONE DOESN'T. and not the right couple, man. One last thing, I don't think their relationship was worth saving, you don't get the sense that they are really all that in love, they play out the "we've been together for 4 years so it's time to get married" story.

Cat Power- Fool

I recently bought (and by bought I mean...nvm) Cat Power's "You Are Free."

It's completely beautiful, and it has some of my favorite songs like "Maybe Not" & "Good Woman," .....but damn it's a downer.

It opens with "I Don't Blame You" which seems to be about Kurt Cobain. It's about someone not liking what they are doing anymore i.e being on stage. I like it's simplicity.

"Good Woman" which I've posted on here before is one of my favorite Cat Power tunes, it has a cinematic quality, the lyrics are simple, it's all in the way that she sings about basic human feelings that strikes the right chord. As she sings "I want to be a good woman, and I want for you to be a good man, this is why I will be leaving..this is why I can't see you no more.." the backup vocals are weirdly haunting along with the music.. plus knowing that she is a recovering alcoholic who seriously thought about killing herself probably influences the way that I feel about the lyrics.

"Werewolf" is haunting..her dark but cool sound creates a weird scene. I can hear it in a independent film trailer to a montage of dramatic shots. people dying by accident... people cheating on each other. yeah.

"Fool" see above video, is really sad in a striking way. It works on you, its seemingly mellow but as it goes on the lyrics "it's on the tip of your tongue in your suicide letter..." ... opposite of uplifting.

"He War" is completely different. Weirdly it's kind of punk to me, it still sounds like indie rock alternative but the weird changes in pace overlapping vocals with the weird voice over type break..it's grown on me.

"Shaking Paper" is a pretty special song that you lose yourself in. It has faint vocals with a continuously cloudy background, I really like this one.

"Baby Doll", "Maybe Not" (was obsessed with this song in like 2007?) and "Names" are equally depressing. "Baby Doll" is slow with southern undertones. "Maybe Not" has a simple repetitive piano part that kills you. "Names" is about real? people that have terribly sad stories filled with abuse on every level and how Marshall "doesn't know where they are." In every story she states the persons age...which is always disturbingly young for whatever they've dealt with in their life.

"Half of You" is a simple sweet love song where Marshall sings about "wanting all of you." It's a nice change lyrically. "Keep on Running" is a dark song. The last track, "Evolution" features Eddie Vedder on vocals. His soft but deep speak singing compliments her sweet but soulful style.

Today I went to IKEA and pretended to be conducting a job interview with my friend in a make-shift "office."

After like 5 mins of being a junkie boss who asked if my applicant would buy marijuana in dangerous parts of the city for me(..hypothetically ..I don't condone that. I'm a good person...., ) an older lady employee came over and she said: "Is someone getting fired??" (apparently acting in the fake rooms at IKEA is common)

and I said "no, I'm conducting an interview... "

to which she said "oh ok, do you need help because I'm about to take my lunch break."

why was this so funny to me..

Colour Revolt - Matresses Underwater

Dance Yourself Clean

"talking like a jerk except you are an actual jerk and living proof that sometimes friends are mean"

"don't you want me to wake up, well then give me just a bit of your time"

"I miss the way the night comes with friends who always make you feel good"

Recently Watched: Open Five

I watched "Open Five" a film directed by Kentucker Audley and shot by Joe Swanberg. I enjoyed it's natural pace, dialogue, and look. It had a vibrance that you don't always see in movies made for cheapssss.

The film follows two girls/women/ladypeople who are visiting the one girls semi boyfriend in Memphis. They are actresses, he is a musician and his friend is a director. The camera follows the four around for the weekend in Memphis. Does anything get resolved? not really.. Is there a major dramatic plot line? No.. but does there need to be? check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cybtQ0vmUxo

New Reads!

Tiny Fey's book is dope!

Seriously. I don't want to sound like an impressionable youth, but it was really inspiring. There were a lot of things that were really great and funny to read as a woman, but I think her sense of humor / experiences have mass appeal. Her take on how women are portrayed in the media and treated in the entertainment workplace is pretty interesting; Fey is able to balance being serious/factual while still being funny.

Recently Watched: Jane Eyre

First of all I'm so glad to be living in modern times. Sexism like whoa! With child beatings, verbal abuse, starvation etc, Jane Eyre takes on a lot. I'm not a huge fan of period pieces and I found myself wanting to slap the shittaki out of the child abusers. I hate the idea of boarding schools, especially all girl boarding schools--- in general I hate being proper. have you met me? (does that make me sound like an animal?)

Visually the film was really beautiful. I liked that Cary used modern filming techniques despite the fact that it's a period piece.

Mia Waskiowka's facial expressions aided the film; she's able to subtly convey a lot in her face. Michael Fassbender was pretty charming minus the hair. Honestly all of the bad hair styles were pretty distracting to me. (is that shallow?) <--rhetorical question

If you've read the book it's no secret that they end up together. I had mixed feelings about it.. he really looks too old for her..she has a baby face.

I liked the film but the lack of all things modern made me want to access the internet or watch television. for serious, what a cold world the 19th century was.

I'm late.

...but this show is hilarious. Yes, I had seen random ep's on tv (which I always thought were funny,) but I went to the beginning on Netflix and boom now I'm on Season 4.

Maryland Film Festival: movies for people who really like good ass movies

This past weekend I worked at/attended the Maryland Film Festival. Overall it was an amazing experience to be surrounded by really amazing people who all love film. It's really inspiring to see people making films that are funny, weird/ tapping into real people with real emotions. I'm really proud to be from a city that hosts such an amazing festival. I didn't get to see half of the movies that I wanted to see due to working both my day job and my volunteer shifts..but it's cool.. I had time for

The Shorts on Thursday.

"Green"

"The Dish and The Spoon"

& "Bad Fever"

I wrote really brief reviews here.

Recently Watched: Hannah Takes the Stairs and Easy A

Hannah Takes the Stairs was a fantastically realistic view of a girl who is confused about what she wants in relationship and how she wants to be perceived. Greta Gerwig who plays Hannah sees something she likes in every guy she meets in the film...she views everyone as a potential partner which sounds bad, but it's totally what people do.

Easy A made me kind of jealous of Emma Stone. Normally when I watch a movie I think (and this sounds bad) that I could do a better job acting (not actually true,) but in "Easy A" I felt like Stone was way funnier than me (WHATTTTT.) She was in every scene of the movie and she really WORRRKED IT. It has limited cheese, some good/funny dialogue ..along with a few flaws. EX: Like why is her hot childhood friend always alone and ..well attractive/available to her?? hmmm? riddle me that.

Recently Watched: "Conversations with Other Women" and "Enter the Void"

Kind of hungover today. I'm thinking in bullet points so here it goes.

Conversations with Other Women

-- Style of Before Sunrise/Sunset, guy and girl in real time with heavy dialogue
-- Made me appreciate Aaron Eckhart
-- Flashback scenes sometimes looked cheesy
-- middle of the night Netflix viewing session may have altered my opinion
-- overall I liked it, found it enjoyable to watch..once.

Enter the Void (deserves more than bullet points)

-- Wow.. this movie was intense. The beginning really drew me in. The lead character has a very "normal" American accent and tone to his voice, he doesn't sound like an actor and he doesn't look like an actor in the few shots that they show his face. We are mostly viewing the world through his eyes. He is a 20 something American living in Tokyo running with somewhat seedy people.

--The film is largely inspired by the Tibetan Book of the Dead..which I'm completely unfamiliar with. The lead character is reading it and is also heavy into hallucinogens. He gets shot by cops in a misunderstanding for lack of a better word and then is a spirit watching over how everything is playing out after his death. There are also cuts of his childhood, one being the day that his parents were killed in a car accident.

--The male lead is an orphan and only has his sister who moved to Tokyo after he did. She gets into stripping and is in an equally seedy situation. So when he dies he is looking over her.

--I watched this film in two parts ..its a whopping 2 hrs and some 23 minutes long. I understand why it was so long but even so I feel like it could have been 45 mins shorter.

--There were a few scenes that were particularly disturbing...nothing like Irreversible. I feel like this is a x2 kind of movie to have a well rounded opinion.

Cold War Kids @ 9:30 club

Recently Watched: Please Give

I'm a fan of both Nicole Holofcener and Catherine Keener as well as their past efforts "Lovely and Amazing" and "Walking and Talking." Holofcener writes parts for women that only a woman could write. In "Please Give" most of the main characters are women, and Keener takes the lead. She is a rich woman who has a vintage furniture business with her husband. As stated by her husband in the movie, "We buy furniture from dead people's children." Keener's character has a bit of a problem with this. Is it moral? To put her anxiety to rest she hands out money to nearly every homeless person on the street, and she won't buy her daughter overpriced jeans. In one scene Keener goes to hand a homeless man 20 dollars and her daughter grabs it and tells her to give him less. It's an interesting breakdown of an issue because who deserves the money more? Keeners character dresses well and obviously spends money on overpriced goods.. shouldn't her daughter live the same way? or should she spare 20 dollars to a homeless man?

The film deals with money, aging, consumerist culture, marriage.. it's a good mix of social issues. "Please Give," is both funny and sad, and it moves pretty fast.

Recently Watched: Fish Tank

"Fish Tank" is a slice of what it's like to live in Essex, England. All the kids are "street," listening to American hip hop, dancing in the street, swearing etc. A really young girl uses the "c" word frequently, but hey they are working class, riiiight!? Her older sister, who is played by Katie Jarvis takes the lead role. Jarvis was discovered by the director when she was having a fight with her boyfriend at a train station. I can see why she was chosen. She plays teenage aggression quite naturally.

The film is a coming of age story of sorts. Jarvis is living in a single parent home with her younger sister and within the first few minutes of the film it's understood that she has some behavior issues. Her mom isn't very supportive and talks down about her. Enter Michael Fassbender, her mothers new boyfriend. He takes interest in the kids and a bond starts to form. A series of kind of awkward sexual events occur (she hears/sees her mom and Fassbender together, he

spanks her when they are rough housing and she dances for him..) until it all builds up, blows up and falls apart. I think the relationships in the movie are pretty human, Fassbender is no good guy savior role... he comes in with his own problems and the turn out is surprising.

Recently Watched: "Sin Nombre" and "Dog fight"

I watched Sin Nombre on Netflix and was pleasantly surprised. The film was directed by first timer Cary Fukunaga who did in-depth research; conducting interviews with gang members and immigrants. Fukunaga road on train tops with immigrants to experience the dangers that lie in crossing borders.

The young actors gave really amazing performances and they all had really great looks for film. Casting is so important in these kinds of films because you need to believe that these kids are really from this hard area, leading rough lives. The film had a realistic look about it, but it managed to capture a gritty environment with rich colors. The interconnected stories were interesting, and I'm looking forward to seeing more from Fukunaga.

In a bout of insomnia I clicked on Dog Fight when Gideon Yago..yes..Gideon Yago .. tweeted about it. I had watched the commercial a long time ago when I saw My Own Private Idaho. I'm not sure what statements it was trying to make about men at war or the 60's... and that's where the movie didn't come together for me, but I really enjoyed both performances. The dogfight is a contest among soldiers to see who can bring the ugliest girl to a party. ..but it becomes kind of a love story! totally.

Recently Watched: "Cyrus" and "Dogtooth"

I wanted to see Cyrus because I was interested in watching Jonah Hill in a semi dramatic role. For what it was it was good..well acted and what not.. but it didn't leave a big impression on me. I don't even remember exactly how it ended. Catherine Keener is my dawg though.

I wanted to see Dogtooth at the Maryland Film Festival but because of the timing (last semester of school) I could only see a few films. I got around to watching it last night and Wow..this film...the look of it, the cast, the writing.. you really enter a weird little world. With one of the most cringe worthy scenes I've seen, incest, crazy dancing, unflattering one piece bathing suits and a calm stillness-- this world that you enter works. I don't think I would like the film if it wasn't foreign. Maybe because the actors are unknowns? or because subtitles make everything a bit more profound? whatever the case I found this movie fascinating.

It's been awhile..

Media intake catch-up

A friend recommended the Australian show "Summer Heights High" which only had one season. Watched it all..amazing. You should check it out.

I've been listening to The xx and The Black Keys. But mostly weird remixes and mash ups.

Yesterday I saw Blue Valentine.

Although it was sad, it didn't shake me up like I thought it was going to. Don't get me wrong I found the screaming and crying unsettling and it made me think about my future and the idea of people growing apart. On a superficial level it was interesting to see Ryan Gosling as an alcoholic with a receding hairline because it played on the fact that someone may be charming and attractive to you but in time that will fade.. and what's left? ..kind of depressing, eh?

Blue Valentine goes back and forth from past to present.

In the past Gosling is a mover and Williams is a nursing student. In the present Gosling is a house painter and is content with their life together,whereas Williams is a nurse who wants to be a doctor. Gosling drinks while Williams cleans after their child/works full time. See the pattern? They AIN'T dancing in the streets playing Elvis songs anymore, YO! (see trailer below) Gosling and Williams both gave really great performances and I liked the juxtaposition of the ending scenes.