In the New York Times there was a piece on the income of Americans. Constantly you hear of the income gap between people, rich get richer... poor get poorer, etc. etc. It's been reported this year that the income of college graduates has decreased 5% between 2000 and 2004. From 1974 to 2004 average earnings of college graduates rose less than 1% per year. So where have the big gains been made?

Well the top 99th percents income rose 87%. The top 99.9% rose 181%. The top 99.99% rose 497%.
99th percents income is around 402,000 per year
99.9 percents income is around 1,672,000 per year
99.99 is estimated to be $6 million per year.

(M) Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story. (Michael Winterbottom, 2005) Grade: B+

Thoughts: I was bored a few Sundays ago and decided to go watch a movie alone. This movie was pretty fun and funny. First you have Michael Winterbottom as the director who did the great 24 Hour Party People movie, second you have Steve Coogan playing Steve Coogan and third you get Gillian Anderson playing herself, whom I adore because she is Agent Scully from my favorite show the X-Files. Is there anything more I could ask for? The movie is basically a movie about making a movie called Tristram Shandy based upon the book by Laurence Sterne, which is considered a very unfilmable novel. British humor is throughout the entire film with their jokes on top of jokes on top of more inside jokes. One of my favorite characters/actors was Rob Brydon. He was just a delight to watch and had me cracking up. Oh and the surprise guest appearance of Tony Wilson interviewing Steve Coogan who played Tony Wilson in 24 Hour Party People was funny stuff. I could see this working realy well as a television show or series similiar to the BBC The Office.

(M) Flightplan. (Robert Schwentke, 2005) Grade: C+

Thoughts: Kyle (Jodie Foster) just lost her husband and is taking his dead body along with her young daughter back to NY from Berlin, Germany. While on the plane Kyle's daughter goes missing and she has to figure out what happened. Mixing a corrupt Air Marshall, bitchy airline stewardess and a stupid pilot, the film was pretty contrived and far fetched. However I do love Jodie Foster so I forgave it. I agree with Hedwig that if I had to pay for it I would have been upset. It was good to see Peter Sarsgaad in an evil role. He is a great actor but not as a leading man. He brings presence to a scene when it is needed but he cannot carry the movie. In addition, Brian Grazer’s company produced the film so it had a very 24 (the TV show) feel to it, which I enjoyed.

(M) Lord of War. (Andrew Niccol, 2005) Grade: B

Thoughts: The studio marketed this movie completely wrong. The ads for it made it out to be yet another dumb Nicolas Cage action flick, which it sort of was but there was another side to it. Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) has entered into the gun running business. With the aid of his brother Vitaly Orlov (Jared Leto), Yuri goes around to countries buying up their weapons and then turning around and selling it to other countries. It was a fascinating look into weapons, corrupt governments and sheer evil and hate. Where the movie fails is the Hollywood bullshite story it tried to integrate in the political message it was sending by dealing with Yuri and his model wife Ava Fontaine (Bridget Moynahan) having marriage issues to having a U.S. agent Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke) chasing after him. The movie would have done better as a voice over of how realistic gun running is to society and political regime. As long as there is poverty, war and corruption, there will be gunrunners supplying society with means to kill each other.

(M) Dei gwong tit (Sound of Colors). (Joe Ma, 2003) Grade: B
Thoughts: A nice and cute romance starring Tony Leung and Miriam Yeung, two of my favorite HK actors. I'm not going to review this since I know not too many people will care.

(M) Date Movie. (Jason Friedberg and Aaron Selzer, 2006) Grade: D-

Thoughts: I saw this movie because a co-worker of mine is going through some rough times. This movie was so horrible words can not describe the garbage. A shame too considering I love Alyson Hannigan so much as an actress. Oh well. (Sigh).

(G) Joanna Newsom @ Arthurball, Echo Park (Feb. 25) Grade: B+
I bought my ticket for Arthurball solely to see Newsom, who I adore (just ask New Wave), but the fest planned it so the singer/songwriter/harpist performed downstairs in the Echo basement (Ex-Plex). The last time I went to the basement was for the Fuck Yeah Fest, and all I remember was how terrible it was: poor acoustics, weird space, no circulation. Everyone packed in to see Newsom, and it became so warm, one of my friends almost fainted. To make matters worse, the Echo had DJs spinning upstairs, so you could hear the thump-thump of music as Newsom performed acoustic with only her harp. Not the best situation. If based on her alone, it would have been an A+. She performed almost all of her new material (not yet released), and they were amazing. She just gets better and better. She also appeased fans by singing some requests: “Sadie,” “Bridges and Balloons” and “Peach, Plum, Pear” (my favorite song of hers). I would love to see her again but definitely in a different setting.

Netflix update (just for you New Wave). I took my two movies to the post office Sunday. Monday was a holiday. Yesterday I was notified one of the two movies were received. Today I got notice my other movie was received. If the post office was up and running tuesday and I gave them BOTH my movies together... I doubt it took 3 days to get to Netflix. I also doubt they arrived on different days. I put them in the mail Sunday and am told I should receive one on Saturday and the other one hasn't shipped yet, so that means probably not til monday or tuesday, which means it will have taken them over a week to get me a single DVD.

I am reviewing two movies that take place on a plane. They're kind of similar and I watched them consecutively, so I hope I don't get plotlines mixed up haha.

(M) Red Eye (Craven, 2005)
Grade: B-
Watched this cuz I love Rachel McAdams. I was expecting it to be scarier than it was, but it was entertaining to me. The conspiracy was a little bit more believable than Flightplan.

(M) Flightplan (Schwentke, 2005)
Grade: C+
I wanted to watch this(for some reason) when this came out in theaters and boy am I glad I didn't. There's now way in hell any of what happened on that plane/in that movie would happen in real life. I put the plus cuz the ending was kind of cool and the premise was cool, but it fizzled mid-movie.

I liked the fact that both chick's kicked the villains ass...but I guess it's to be expected.

I'm gonna go watch the English dubbed version of Grave of the Fireflies. Wonder if it will affect whether or not I cry. The two times I've seen this movie it was with English subtitles and I cried. I'll let you guys know. I know you're waiting at the edge of your seats....

This news story really bothers me. How are people able to purchase homes considering our wages are not going up but our debt sure is. It is just so discouraging considering I would really like to purchase a home but even my salary is not enough. I make too much to rent and too little to buy. (sigh).

(A) Supernature, Goldfrapp (2005) grade: B+

So I first discovered Goldfrapp by listening to their remix of "Halo" on Depeche Mode's Remixes 81...04, which I loved (they also recently did a remix to the DM single "A Pain That I'm Used To"). I first listened to "Number 1" and it became a regular listen for me. So I decided to get the album (which won't be out in the U.S. until March 7, however the Number 1 EP is available). I really enjoy the electro mixed with the retro disco sounds. Some favorites of mine are the 2nd & 3rd singles, "Ooh La La" and "Ride a White Horse".

**UPDATE: Goldfrapp's "Ooh La La" is the FREE single of the week on iTunes, so go check it out for....you got it...FREE! (calm down FTC, I know that's your magic word)

(B) Hamlet/Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead/Waiting for Godot (Shakespeare, 1600/Tom Stoppard, 1967/Samuel Beckett, 1948) Grade: A
I thought it would be fun to engage in a literary version of six degrees of separation. Well, in this case, it is only three. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead is to Hamlet what Spaceballs is to Star Wars. Sort of... Stoppard takes the classic Shakesperean tragedy about action vs. inaction, oedipus complex, advantageous murder, etc. and switches the POV to minor characters Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet’s childhood friends. The play is amusing because these minor characters are never fully developed, which provides Stoppard with much dramatic license. In other words, these men together don’t form a full person, and everyone mixes them up, including Rosencrantz and Guildenstern themselves. The two are subject to the events that occur (no free will) and talk circles about their situation, never getting anywhere. Stoppard’s late ’60s play is often compared to Waiting for Godot, another play about existentialism. Similar set-up: two men wait for Godot, a metaphor for God or the meaning of life. Are we subject to the events in our lives or do we control them? It’s existentialism vs. the schools of thought on rationalism and positivism (see Voltaire’s Candide). All v. interesting ... for philosophy. I feel pretentious now.

The Nielsen ratings company has announced that in 2007 it will monitor the viewing habits of college kids. Maybe in the future shows like Arrested Development will have a chance.

(O) The Importance of Being Earnest (Ahmanson Theatre) Grade: A
Like Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde’s plays can be enjoyed as a text but really come alive when seen as a production. Much was made about Lynn Redgrave’s performance as Lady Bracknell, but the entire cast was great. The play was so enjoyable that I was disappointed there are only three acts. If I could afford it, I would see it again. Highly recommended.

(M) Water Drops On Burning Rocks (Ozon, French)
Grade: B

I happened to get two movies by the same director and both movies happened to star Ludivine Sagnier (Swimming Pool).

Synopsis: Young redhead Franz is picked up by older Leopold. Leopold is out of a failed Male/Female relationship. Franz is in a dull Male/Female relationship, so the two males hook up. Everything is lovely in the beginning. As time goes on the relationship deteriorates. Franz's ex-girl Anna comes to him, Lepold's ex-girl Vera comes back for him. They all dance to Samba Samba (GREAT!!!) and then run off for a roll in the hay. Franz instead decides to kill himself, Vera reveals to Franz she used to be a man and had a sex change for Leopold. Franz calls his mother to tell her he's dying, she says Bon Voyage. Anna is upset by Franz's death, Leopold tells her to go back to the bedroom where he'll make everything better. Vera wants to jump out the window but can't. This movie is a mix of things... but I'll call it amusing and comical.


(M) 8 Women (Ozon, French)
Grade: C

8 women are trapped in a house and somebody has murdered the man of the house. You have the wife, the wife's sister, the dead man's sister, the dead man's two daughters, the two maids, and the dead man's mother-in-law. Through out the two hour movie all the dirt comes out as they try to discover who has murdered the man of the house and why. For money? For sex? For revenge? For jealousy? For infidelity? For incest? Who knows... but hey, it's a MUSICAL!!!

It has come to my attention that something might be wrong with the blog page. Apparently Darth, Mac and I have all posted blogs but for whatever reason they have all gone missing. One of Darth's blogs did show up but is now missing from the page. I recommend everyone back up their blog on a Word document until I can figure out what happened. Thanks.

(M) Crash (2004, Paul Higgs) grade: B+
So I watched this movie a couple months ago and thought it was a good movie. The problem, however, was that I was drunk and wasn't paying much attention to it at the time. Drunken times are fun. So I decided to watch it again. The various plot lines are interesting. It kinda reminded me of Amores Perros (which is one my favorite movies ever). I especially loved how the Latinos in the film were not portrayed in any negative light (cos of course we are perfect...HAHAHA), as opposed to all the other ethnicities: the rich White racist, the carjacking Blacks, the murdering Persians, the immigrant-smuggling Asian. This is one I'd recommend.

(M) I Stand Alone (Gasper Noe)
Grade: C

This film by controversial film director Gasper Noe follows around a man who feels nothing goes right for him in life. After a quick story of the lead characters past we are brought into his present situation in life. He's lost his business, gone to jail for a mis-understanding, and impregnated his girlfriend (or wife). With no college education and only skilled as a butcher he heads out into the city to find a job. Sadly, the current state of employment is not doing to well.

Most of this movie is voice-over (internal dialogue). You listen to the man's thoughts as he begins to feel a sense of hopelessness and loss of hope in man, society, and humanity. He goes on further and further into despair and feeling like he and everyone in the world is trully alone in society and that morality is what you make it to be. Eventually the character seems to create a sense of hope or reason to live but sadly it's a depraved twisted conclusion he's come to. However, it's quite possibly the only thing that keeps him from killing anyone who pisses him off or even killing himself to avoid the pain of life.

The film was done well. I gave it a low grade only because it was a sad story that I didn't need to see right now.

(B) Ethan Frome (Edith Wharton, 1911) Grade: A
I recently bought an edition of this American novel for a friend. When he finished reading it, he told me he cried and was touched by the tragic ending. This reaction prompted me to reread Ethan Frome, a truly effective narrative about unfulfilled love and feeling trapped in life. I read the last 30 pages slowly, as though the ending might change and something different could happen. That’s the thing about rereading a novel—everything stays the same, which can be either comforting or disheartening.

(M) I Spit On Your Grave (1978)
Grade: A

Originally titled 'Day Of The Woman', this low budget film sparked a bit of controversy with it's female vengence and senseless violence back in the day. I thought this movie was great. It's 70's... it's low-budget... it's crazy!

A female short story writer, Jennifer Hill, rents a cabin for the summer to write her first novel. The small town isn't so friendly when a group of four guys rape and beat Jennifer and leave her for dead. Jennifer then seeks out her murderous revenge. Labeled controversial for it's repeated rape scenes and violence. The bonus feature of reviews of the movie from back in the day are on one hand amusing and on the other hand frightening as to the audiences reactions to the movie. Especially Roger Ebert's review... the guy sitting by him must have been INSANE!

(G) Stars @ Avalon, Hollywood (Feb. 11) Grade: A
Montreal’s Stars know all about that pain. So much so that they composed music to it and have built a catalog based upon it. For those happy couples looking for a pre-Valentine’s Day concert to attend Saturday, this Avalon show wasn’t exactly the place to be...

There was a story in the AP about Netflix and how they are throttling their heavy rental customers. After reading the article I headed over to Hacking Netflix, this blog about Netflix I often view. I read some comments posted about the article and it was amazing. People were angry, super pissed off at Netflix for promising to deliver unlimited movies and not receiving that. These was this one person who rented almost 20 MOVIES A WEEK. You guys should check it out if you have the time.

I've been a Netflix customer for a while, come April it will be three years for me. I have to admit in the beginning life was good for me. I was getting movies almost every other day but after a few months things changed. I started to receive my movies every 2 to 3 days. I wasn't too bothered by it until it became 3 to 4 days. I wrote an e-mail complainting about it to Netflix and things improved slightly. Currently I'm getting my dvds every 2 or 3 days but I don't mind. I realized over time I was never going out anymore because all I wanted to do was watch my Netflix so I could get another one. It became this sad, depressing cycle; you can ask Darth and Pigern about it. I have to admit I'm glad I don't get my movies as frequent so now I can leave the house more often.

So my question is a lot of you guys are on Netflix or were on it, what do you think of the service?

Dan Savage (columnist of amusing sex therapy pieces "Savage Love") wrote an opinion piece for the NY Times about the controversy surrounding Brokeback Mountain and End Of The Spear. If you're interested in reading it, just read the comment to this post.

(M) Or (Mon trésor). (Keren Yedaya, 2004)Grade: A-

Thoughts: Tragically beautiful is how I would describe this Israeli film, which won the Camera d'Or at Cannes Film Festival. Or (Dana Ivgy) is a 16 year old girl trying to take care of her sick aging prostitute mother Ruthie (Ronit Elkabetz). Or hopes if she works hard enough, by collecting empty plastic bottles and cans and working at a restaurant, her mother would never have to walk the streets again. Over time she begins to realize her mother will never stop because being a prostitute is the only life she knows. It was an interesting look into the usage of sex - for rent money, for pleasure, for revenge, for escape, for resentment. An interesting point to notice is the movie was made in and from Israel, the Holy Land. I highly recommend this movie, especially for women.

(M) Band of Outsiders (Bande à part). (Jean-Luc Godard, 1964)Grade: B

Thoughts: My first Godard film and probably not my last. Based upon dime novels and pulp fiction, this heist movie was enjoyable and I can see all the hipster kids loving the look and feel of it. Franz (Sami Frey) and Arthur (Claude Brasseur) meet good-looking and hopelessly romantic Odile (Anna Karina) in their English class. The guys find out Odile's aunt has money in her house and decide to get their hands on it. Overall the film was fun and light with a twist thrown in at the end. I found Anna Karina to be very attractive and classic looking; she had Audrey Hepburn written all over her.

(M) Murderball. (Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro, 2005)Grade: B-

Thoughts: This film about quadriplegics who play rugby in specially made wheelchairs was a different take on sports. My initial reaction to the movie was it was great but after some thought I realized these guys were all sport jerks and the only reason why you felt anything for them was because they were in wheelchairs. Still it was a well made documentary and a look into something different.

(M) Not One Less. (Yimou Zhang, 1999) Grade: B

Thoughts: A young girl is taken from her village to teach twenty some children ranging from 5 to 10 for a month while their real teacher leaves to take care of his ill mother. Initially, the girl is solely motivated by money, especially by the promise she would get ten more yuen if none of the children leave. Realistically though, children do leave due to harsh circumstances surrounding their lives - one boy must work to pay off his families' debt. On the girl's journey to look for that missing student, she learns to really care for and teach the children. The main objective of the film was to make people aware of school systems in rural areas where learning is not as accessible as it is for others.

(M) Straw Dogs - Criterion Collection (1971)
"I will not allow violence against this house!" Straw Dogs is a movie of an American man, David (Dustin Hoffman), in Europe with his wife to get away from problems in America and to work on a scientific book he is writing. Sadly, his venture to Europe doesn't prove to be any safer than a life in America.

Many events happen which lead up to the final 30 minutes of this two-hour movie. But ultimately what you are left with is a viewpoint. David is harboring a possible criminal and there's a mob of men outside his home demanding the man be handed over to them so they can deliver their opinion of justice upon his person. David refuses to hand the man over and the mob (of 5 people) begin to try to gain access to the house by any means necessary. David stands to fight them off and his wife wants David to hand the man over, even if it means death for the man. David won't allow a man to be murdered by an angry mob. What follows is a battle of ideals. Whether you agree with them or not, it's an interesting scenario. Do you sacrifice the life of a man who you do not know the guilt or innocence of for your own safety? To what lengths will you go to defend your property? If your child were killed by a man would you seek out your own vengence? To what lengths would you go to seek revenge? There's other issues as well.
It was an interesting film.


(M) Pola X (1999)
Grade: F

Pierre ou les ambiguites (P.O.L.A.) a story by Herman Melville (Moby Dick) is brought into a modern day environment, though still holding to the values of the past. Pierre is set to marry his cousin but meets a woman who claims to be his sister. Pierre lives the good life, high on the hog and gives it all up to be with his sister (and I mean BE with her... yes like that, though he's already BEEN with his cousin). He enters the world of poverty and begins to work on his second novel. He takes residence with some musical artist in a commune type place. And then I don't know what happens because it was sooooo oawful I didn't finish the movie. So, if you watch it, please explain it to mean.

Flying every week for 1 month at 6:30AM (Grade C)
Getting food poision the night before your flight at 6:30AM (Grade D)
Flying on Alaska Airlines (Grade F). When my Alaska Airplane finally landed in LAX and approached the gate, the workers could not attach the moving walkway onto the plane. The passengers had to wait on the plane for 20 minutes. We ended up walking down a flight of stairs on the back of the plane. The overall experience sucked.

(M) Something New. (Sanaa Hamri, 2006)Grade: B-

Thoughts: So while everyone was probably watching the Super Bowl, I went out with my friend and her family to go see this chick flick. I'll admit it was nothing groundbreaking but sometimes you want "junk" food for your brain and I figured why not, plus I really like Sanaa Lathan who was in Love and Basketball and Brown Sugar. Kenya (Sanaa Lathan) is a high paying accountant for a large firm who has everything in life but someone to love. She gets set up on a blind date with Brian (Simon Baker) who happens to be white and it does not work out. Instead she hires him to be her landscaper for her new home and well you know the rest. I liked the insight into black culture, especially black women. According to the film, there are at least 42.4% of black professional women unmarried. Personally I don't even think it has to be black but any race. Many woman now have to choose either being married with kids or working on your professional career. It is almost impossible or difficult to manage both.

(M) Cache (Hidden). (Michael Haneke, 2005)Grade: A-

Thoughts: A family is terrorized by a series of videotapes recording their everyday life. At first Georges (Daniel Auteuil) believes it is a stupid prank from his son's friend but when the tapes continue to arrive attached with disturbing drawing, his wife Anne (Juliette Binoche) thinks otherwise. Georges has a sneaking suspicion whom it might be causing him to revisit his past. The film moves along at a steady pace, never rushing the matter. The director shot the film from two perspectives - one from the characters watching the tape and the other from the audience watching the characters. The last scene of the movie is very important but does not necessarily answer all the questions.

(M) Beautiful Boxer. (Ekachai Uekrongtham, 2003)Grade: B+

Thoughts: After coming back from Thailand I was curious to watch some movies from the region. Based on a true story, Nong Toom (Asanee Suwan) knew he was not like the other boys growing up. He always wanted to put make-up on and preferred female goods. When he discovers his talent for Thai kick boxing, Nong decides to fight. After all the prize money for each fight is enough to pay for his sex operation to become a woman. The director did a great job of showing the mental turmoil Nong must have been going through. Nong knew he was a freak for wanted to be a woman but at the same time he knew it was what felt right for him. Today Nong Toom is now Parinaya Charoemphol a famous model/actress in Thailand but she still misses being a boxer.

There was quite an interesting article in the NY Times today on iPod, more specifically broken ones, repairs, their customer service nightmare and what may be their downfall in the long run. I have yet to buy into the Apple/iPod craze and this article sorta makes me glad. Anyway I will post the article as a comment for those who wish to read it.