<body>
 

FAQ! FAQ! FAQ!
You probably don't believe it - but I have one! Sometimes people send in questions, so I drafted a FAQ. See if your questions are answered. If they're not - send them my way!

Labels:

By: Alyssa | Saturday, June 29, 2002 at Saturday, June 29, 2002 | |

Big Fraud
I like to read. You may not have guessed that if you’re a regular reader and see how much I drone on and on about DVDs and movies and the like. So? I like pop culture and I love to read.

I’ve been on a little reading binge – it usually happens in the summer – and I just finished up a couple of books. One of the books is by David Rakoff and his book of short essays is called "Fraud". The essays are sharply written memoirs of Rakoff’s experiences as a writer and sometime-reporter. Now, I realize that this kind of young, pithy, urban memoir has become the new hot sub-genre – but that doesn’t mean these books should be disregarded.

I loved David Sedaris’ books – culminating in the brilliant “Me Talk Pretty One Day." I read that book while riding public transportation around Chicago and laughed out loud on the train daily. People who sat near me would invariably ask what was so funny. And "Holidays on Ice" is the funniest and most bitter book of short fiction (well, sorta fiction) I’ve ever read. I live for mean funny - it’s a weakness for me.

Besides the short essays, I picked up a book of a different kind of essays – a form that’s near and dear to me – the list. I read "The Book of Movie Lists" by Joseph McBride from the middle to the end and from the middle to the front. I love books like that – you can just start from any place and plow on through. It’s hilarious and odd and fascinating and if you’re a film lover, you’ll really appreciate the book. And because the essays (and lists – mostly lists) are short and highly readable you can pick it up anytime and spend a few minutes perusing before moving on to something else. Like another book....

I think it’s a nice piece to add to your film book collection. It’s on my shelf next to "Creature Features" and the Videohound guide to 2001.

Labels:

By: Alyssa | Wednesday, June 26, 2002 at Wednesday, June 26, 2002 | |

Hot as hell outside? DVD heaven inside...
Since it is so bloody hot out, I decided to turn on the AC from hastily installed window units and lounge around watching DVDs I bought a few weeks ago. Deeps and I splashed out lavishly on the Mr. Show series (2 disc set), Buffy season two and Oz season one. I wasn’t really interested in Oz, but Deeps likes the soapy drama, so we picked it up. Anyway, today was Mr. Show day.

I don’t think we watched all of the episodes – but we did watch about 3 hours of fine sketch comedy. For the price, you can’t beat the DVD set. I think it cost about $25 and if you’ve got a twisted sense of humor, you’re guaranteed a good time. The 2-disc set covers the first two seasons of the HBO series. The first few episodes are a little weak, but get better pretty fast. And even the weaker episodes are better than most things you’ll see on TV – especially some of the comedy that HBO tries to force on an unsuspecting public (Arli$$, I’m looking at you!).

The extras are nice – you can see some of the truly bizarre promos that Bob Odenkirk and David Cross filmed for the show. And of course there’s commentary. The commentary is hilarious – if not always clear. Odenkirk was badly miked for part of the first disk, so he’s hard to hear. But Cross is always clear, as are other members of the Mr. Show cast who show up during the later commentary sessions.

Cross and Odenkirk also dip in and out of character during the commentaries – voicing the likes of an overblown acting coach and a frumpy southern lady. The southern lady, as voiced by Cross, was particularly alarming to Deeps. He thought David Cross’ performance was a little too perfect and was therefore, creepy.

The other great bonus is a clip from “Fuzz: The musical” which features the eponymous Ronnie Dobbs. Ronnie is the character performed by David Cross who is famous for being the most arrested man on the television show “Cops.” Cross and Odenkirk made a film about Dobbs called “Run, Ronnie, Run” – the film is in the can, edited and in distribution hell with New Line, the people who brought you Lord of the Rings.

Labels:

By: Alyssa | Sunday, June 23, 2002 at Sunday, June 23, 2002 | |

Life and Death in Chicago
So we drove to Indiana this weekend. It was really hot. We saw my parents – which was nice – and they congratulated us in person on our elopement. We hung out, visited, ate, slept and drove back to Chicago. We hit massive traffic on LSD (that’s Lake Shore Drive for those in the know) and spent more than an hour trying to get home once we hit the drive. It was a long wait, a huge delay and we were a little puzzled...we learned later what happened.

The Cubs game was cancelled due to the death of St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile.

It surely wasn’t the only death in Chicago this weekend – but it was the one you heard about most for the rest of Saturday. That is until the Tribune announced the death of a little woman named Eppie, better known to the world as Ann Landers.

So we had two high-profile deaths of celebrities and sports heroes in our humble burg in less than 12 hours of each other. Given the heat wave we’re in, I expect more people will succumb to the heat. They will not be famous celebrities.

Labels:

By: Alyssa | at Sunday, June 23, 2002 | |

We're moving!
Deeps got a fabulous job in Boston, and since we’re officially Husband-and-Wife – we’re moving. I supported his job hunt efforts and support the move to Boston. Of course, now there’s the big list of everything that follows accepting a job in a city 1500 miles from where you live.

We’ve got to find a place and that is always painful and complicated (for us). Luckily, we’ve banished any thoughts of trying to buy something on the fly. But since we’re renting for at least another year, I’ve opted to avoid all charming, vintage buildings and go for some newly constructed super-structure of an apartment building.

Don't get me wrong, I love my vintage apartment – but I have grown disillusioned with old wiring and leaky plumbing. When a place is 90 years old, you’ve got to expect problems. So, when we go to Boston we’re looking for something good with closets, and AC and a dishwasher...ah...a dishwasher. Dare to dream!

Below is a list of links the nice people at the relocation office sent us for finding apartments in Boston...
bostonapartments.com
boston.com
apartments.com
bostonhomes.com
apartmentaccess.com
looksmart.com
bostonforrent.com

Job Hunt 2002 begins
The only thing that will be tougher than finding a place to live is finding a job. As Deeps explores his new opportunities, I’ll have to give up a really great job here in Chicago. But I’m confident I’ll find another great job in Boston.

And so, I’m kicking off Job Hunt 2002 – Look out Boston, here I come. But for now, here’s my resume.

Labels:

By: Alyssa | Thursday, June 20, 2002 at Thursday, June 20, 2002 | |

About DVD Players
I write a lot about movies I watch and frequently reference DVDS. I thought I should explain my position on DVDs. I caved in – finally – and purchased a DVD Player about 8 months ago. I bought a cheap APEX machine that ran about $80 and plays just about every type of video and music format. I did a bit of research and concluded that I could probably do okay with the cheapie thing.

And I’ve been pretty happy with it. The initial outlay of money was limited and we rented a few movies to get started – I’ve been hooked ever since. I’m a sucker for the extras and the quality and the extras. I am also delighted at the huge catalog of stuff available – readily available – on DVD that I haven’t been able to find on VHS. Stuff I’ve only heard about but never found in my video store is easily found at just about any discount store that carries DVDs.

So, if you don’t have a DVD player and you’re thinking about getting one – going the cheapie route isn’t such a bad idea. The thing to remember about VCRs and TVs (and DVD players) is that they work for a while and then eventually they need to be replaced. I’m not sure if you’ll get a longer life out of a fancier and more expensive model. But I’m sure if you’re a movie fan you’ll get plenty of enjoyment out of whatever model you buy to make it worth your while.

Labels:

By: Alyssa | Friday, June 14, 2002 at Friday, June 14, 2002 | |

Alternative film selections
I’ve seen a few flicks over the past few months – and thought I’d throw out a few names. First, I’d say that Donnie Darko is worth catching on DVD (or VHS if you don't have the DVD). Deeps and I saw it during its very limited run – I think it was only in Chicago for a week. We were blown away by the creepy, yet very compelling film. It’s not quite a genre film and not quite a drama – it’s something else, which I think is quite good.

Taboo – which is a Japanese film – is also worth seeking out on video. It’s a moody, atmospheric period piece about a Samurai training camp turned on it’s ear when a mysterious young man joins the order. Not your typical Samurai film, but that’s what makes it interesting.

Session 9 – which I’ve written about in the past – is a really dark, and effective thriller. It’s creepy, it gives you chills and I think it sticks with you after you finish watching it. It works like a very smart, haunted house movie on a grand scale without overreaching.

AFI – oh the AFI of it all
So the AFI published another top 100 list. I was underwhelmed by the last 30 or so choices, but I think that these lists serve a good purpose. If it inspires someone to go check out some fantastic old film that they might not have seen – like It Happened One Night or Bringing up Baby or Two for the Road – then I support it. However, I do support it under a bit of protest since Titanic was included in the survey...ick.

Speaking of lists
I also found a list from Jonathan Rosenbaum is a very fine critic from the Chicago Reader. He’s been writing about film for years and was present for Johnny Guitar when we saw it a few weeks ago. He spoke about Nick Ray, whom he met late in his life, and had tons of interesting comments and insights into the film. His stuff is always a good read.

And of course, there’s my short list of films you should see before you die – Volume 1. I just kinda came up with the list off the top of my head – sorry, I left out most good foreign films as they don’t float at the top of my head. I usually have to look those titles up. But, thanks to the popular demand of up to 3 people – I plan on adding Volume 2 very soon.

Labels:

By: Alyssa | Thursday, June 13, 2002 at Thursday, June 13, 2002 | |

Nicholas Ray
I live fairly close to Northwestern University and from time to time Deeps mentions something going on at the university that’s worth checking out. Usually it’s days after some celeb like has made an appearance – like Jon Stewart. I’m still trying to get over that.

Anyway, he got all excited about 6 weeks ago and started making entries into the calendar hanging in the kitchen to mark the start of the Nicholas Ray Retrospective at a small theater on campus.

Now, for those who aren’t familiar with the work of Nick Ray – he’s a director who made a ton of films spanning about 3 or 4 decades and he made some really famous and fabulous films like Rebel without a Cause and In a Lonely Place, and Johnny Guitar. He also made some lesser-known, but still amazing, films like On Dangerous Ground, Wind across the Everglades and Bigger than Life.

We caught three films in the retrospective. Deeps was especially excited about Bigger than Life which is an odd film about the sorts of nasty feelings bubbling below the surface of an all-American family in the 50s. James Mason stars as a mild-mannered schoolteacher who becomes overwhelmed by delusions of grandeur – a side effect of medication he needs to fend off a fatal disease.

It’s not a wildly original conceit (at least our modern era) but the freshness that both Ray and Mason bring to the film is fantastic – I was disappointed we didn’t get to finish the film. Sadly the print was in bad shape, the sound failed at different points before the film finally broke about an hour in. After waiting for a while with no luck, we bailed.

Bigger than Life isn’t available on video or DVD and is rarely screened – but if you happen to come across it, I’d encourage you to spend some time with it. I know that I’ll keep my eye out for it in the future.

Labels:

By: Alyssa | Tuesday, June 11, 2002 at Tuesday, June 11, 2002 | |

It’s not just about not sleeping
So on the last day of our honeymoonlet, there was a massive storm in the area and it rained all day. Deeps and I opted to spend our rainy day together at the movies. Yes, it was the magnificent Summer Double Feature. We saw Insomnia and Undercover Brother.

First – Insomnia...
It was a fine film – not great or mesmerizing like last summer’s Memento – but a fine film nonetheless. I’ve seen the original, a moody Norwegian drama with a different beginning and end. And more importantly the Norwegian film does not star Al Pacino or Robin Williams.

I haven’t been a fan of Pacino’s since Serpico. I think Serpico is a fine film mostly because Pacino sports a man-purse. You know, in the 70s when men tried to carry purses for all of their stuff. Serpico is also a compelling police procedural – but I really love it for the overt use of the man-purse.

As for Williams, I last really enjoyed him in Mork and Mindy. Sure, I smiled at his ham-fisted performance in Good Will Hunting. But I wasn’t really won over. Critics have praised the film for the understated performances of both Pacino and Williams. I credit Chris Nolan for that work – but I’m not sure it’s enough to save the film. Just because Williams and Pacino decide not to chew the scenery and behave on screen does not make the film a four-star feature.

Nolan, the director of Insomnia, has a lot of potential and I think his attempts to bring a pretty dark (despite the near white conditions of the original) and moody piece to mainstream American audiences is daring. But I think the Hollywood ending is a cop-out and ultimately his version is a little too black and white.

Now, for a different kind of black and white I’d suggest seeing Undercover Brother. It was a good choice to follow Insomnia because it’s a light and hilarious send-up of spy and blaxploitation films. Eddie Griffin gives an inspired performance as a man who isn’t afraid to show the love for his big hair, his big car, his big shoes and his Big Gulp. There isn’t much plot to speak of – the film is a series of vignettes designed to inspire deep belly laughs. I thought it delivered...

Everyone is great but I thought the film was the first time I’ve seen Chris Kattan be really funny and Neil Patrick Harris – formerly Doogie Howser – break out as the Caucasian Culture Expert, Lance.

Chi McBride and Dave Chappelle are especially effective as The Chief and Conspiracy Brother (respectively) complete with 3 days of stubble, a bad attitude and a boatload of beautifully recycled dialogue from every cop movie made since Beverly Hills Cop.

I might say skip Insomnia until it comes out on DVD, I’m sure Nolan’s commentary would be illuminating. But for a good summer film that will leave your sides a little sore, I’d say don’t skip over Undercover Brother.

A good, cheap laugh
Deeps and I made something of a pact to try to get a good laugh in everyday. He told me about a bit from Late Night with Conan O'Brien featuring Triumph the Insult Comic (dog) heckling some Star Wars fans. Sounds kinda funny, but when he dug up the link and showed me the clip -- I was rolling. So, if you're looking for a cheap laugh-- all you've got to do is click.

Labels:

By: Alyssa | Thursday, June 06, 2002 at Thursday, June 06, 2002 | |

Live - from the Gallery

I've updated my photo gallery -- it's something of an ongoing photo essay of things I see around Chicago. The recent updates include a few photos from my honeymoonlet and of a few recent adventures around the museum campus.

The photos are usually taken with my digital camera, which I have to say isn't bad given it's paltry $50 price tag. Vive les bargains!

Labels:

By: Alyssa | Tuesday, June 04, 2002 at Tuesday, June 04, 2002 | |

We did it!

We made it official – after all these years, lo it has been many – Deeps and I eloped on Saturday.

We chose to visit a beautiful courthouse where we had a short, but very sweet ceremony complete with our own personal photographer (or paparazzi, depending on who you ask). Afterwards we shared breakfast with friends (paparazzi included) and then went about a casual – but very hot – Saturday afternoon. Later we had a BBQ where many friends were able to join us to celebrate. It was simple, it was cheap, it was on the fly – but we had a fabulous time.

Next year we’re planning a more formal affair – I’m not exactly sure what’s involved. More to follow later.

As for now, I’ve been married for about 60 hours and so far it’s pretty okay. Actually, I’ll admit – neither of us feels different.

We decided to do the low-key honeymoon (really just a long weekend) in the greater Chicago area – is there a greater place? We stayed at the Palmer House, which is really gorgeous. We had a fantastic day today at the Art Institute and caught the last day of the Ansel Adams exhibit (it was okay), the Irving Penn nudes (good!) and the small gallery of Manuel Bravo (my favorite!).

Labels:

By: Alyssa | Monday, June 03, 2002 at Monday, June 03, 2002 | |

 
-->