for some reason, I didn't know that metacritic existed until this week. I had been wondering if there was something like rotten tomatoes, but a bit more quantified for the snap superficial movie attendance judgments I am apt to make. Oh, on closer inspection, rotten tomatoes does have a "t-meter" it just requires some clicking around. so never mind.
Monday, June 24, 2002 ::: lyd has written a very fond and nostalgic reminiscence of that eighties cartoon staple, jem. I always secretly rooted for the misfits, but I guess that's just the bad girl inside me trying to break out.
Monday, June 17, 2002 ::: I saw two movies this weekend. The first was All About Eve, which was indeed a classic. Bette Davis plays up the diva just a touch past her prime in such a way that she seems a bit more human and reasonable in her tantrums. Anne Baxter's Eve was very good, although unfortunately the character was a bit too saccharine at the beginning. Once she turned into a fame-hungry manipulative monster, however, she became much more likeable. Of course, they always are, aren't they? Addison DeWitt, the evil genius of a film critic, was that sort of character that seems to epitomize gay stereotyping of the time, but is nonetheless elegantly charming - effeminate, foppish, plummy accent, occasionally draped with a woman at his side for appearance's sake, etc, etc. Not entirely sure what to make of him.
The other was the Importance of Being Earnest. I must first say that I don't care very much for Judi Dench. Other people seem to, though, seeing as how she could probably use her oscar for a garden spade and they'd still give her another next year for another thirty second appearance as some british monarch. I myself do not generally understand the Judi lovefest and find her a touch overrated. But I LOVED her in this movie. Aunt Augusta is so wonderfully boorish and lacking in charm and yet Dench brings out these qualities as a sort of charm. The rest of the cast also did a wonderful job. Colin Firth, of course, can do no wrong. I was a little leery of Reese Witherspoon at first, since not everyone can pull off the English accent, but she performed admirably. Anna Massey was excellent as Miss Prism, but Miss Prism is my favorite character anyway. The play exists online, and it makes for good reading, as some of the witticisms seem to fly by a little too quickly on screen.
Sunday, June 16, 2002 ::: the latest read has been Greek Fire, an account of the affair between Aristotle Onassis and Maria Callas, the latter being dumped for Jackie Kennedy. The book has been a very good read, full life dramatic tales of love and war, stormy marriages, long mediterranean cruises, picturesque greek ruins, and of course, glamor, style and panache. The book is full of pictures sprinkled liberally throughout instead of stuck all together in the middle as a great many books like to do. Anyway, I'm not done yet, but I have been enjoying it immensely.
Friday, June 14, 2002 ::: So there have been a slew of vanilla coke ads in which young men are "rewarded for their curiosity." They seem very homoerotic. The ads don't seem to be viewable on the Vanilla Coke site, which has unnecessary flash in large amounts.
When I heard about sushi-making robots, I thought perhaps they might look a little more humanoid than this. Perhaps one of those little bandanas might have made a nice touch at least.
Wednesday, June 12, 2002 ::: some people I've been meaning to link to:
Yeah, totally (a blog of note from a while back)
L'hiver, Voila! Which is unclear on name, so I'm kind of guessing. It was inactive for a while there, but seems to be back up and running
Ultrasparky, who is dealing with some major life issues and so may not be lite reading at all times but is nonetheless good reading.
Tuesday, June 11, 2002 ::: I almost forgot to mention the brunch with brad. There I am on the left amidst a bunch of dc bloggers, who seem to be a fairly cordial bunch. Oh, and that link is fixed now. Sorry about that.
Wednesday, June 05, 2002 ::: An artist named Anissa Mack has set up a kitschy little cottage in brooklyn where she bakes that american staple, apple pie, and sets it out on the windowsill to cool and perhaps be taken by passersby. A large crowd gathers on weekends and it sometimes gets vicious, as dozens wait to fight over the next pie as soon as it's placed on the windowsill. courtesy the ever-sassy washington post style section.
Tuesday, June 04, 2002 ::: so while I was up in New York, I went to an exhibit at the New Museum of Contemporary Art which featured karaoke in sound-proof pods, which was lots of fun. Additionally, I also hung out in chinatown and soho and that general area and did a fair amount of shopping. All in all, an enjoyable weekend.
