Friday, May 30, 2003 :::

my nose itches.

matrix reloaded: relatively spoiler free. it rocked! action sequences were aaawesome. overall, i think i preferred the first one, because it was more philosophic, and i dig that. but i think that it really would have to be, just because it introduced the whole concept and initiated the mindfuck. this one just continues it, and does a goodly job. not as.. charming as the first one, though. like, the first one was at once deeper and funnier. but like i said.. just because the original matrix set really high standards by no means makes this a bad movie.

bowling for columbine: i thought i already reviewed this, but i guess not. totally awesome movie. funny, sad, provocative... should be required viewing for every american citizen. world citizen, dare i say? i'm not saying i agree with everything michael moore has to say--- he can be an ass from time to time-- but i still think he makes a lot of good points.

also, i started reading the eyre affair per priscilla's recommendation, and i must say that so far it does indeed rock. (not that priscilla's ever led me astray in the past ^_^) woot!
::: frowled ~renata~ at 1:24 PM

Friday, May 23, 2003 :::

In honor of my invite to the blog, a little recommendation from me... ;)

Yesterday I stumbled across a downtown bookstore I hadn't yet visited, promptly fell in love, and after a delirious half hour wandering the aisles, walked out with (among other books) a copy of The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, by Thad Carhart. It was a total impulse purchase, simply something that caught my eye on the display. I've just started reading, but it's delightful so far -- the true story of an American in Paris, the piano shop in his neighborhood, and the wonders he discovers in its back room once he gets into the inner circle....

This book makes me want to take up the piano again. And go to Paris. Oh yeah. (Hey, I have my passport and a few days off... ;)
::: frowled Jenny at 10:01 PM

Thursday, May 22, 2003 :::

You are instructed to proceed immediately to your nearest library and/or bookstore and borrow/purchase a copy of Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair, then Lost in A Good Book. They're absolutely fantastic. They're like Discworld meets Monty Python meets Buffy meets William Shakespeare. Read, read, read. I'm so sad that there are only two of them so far!
::: frowled Priscilla at 6:48 PM

Saturday, May 17, 2003 :::

dear god, it's been awhile. so let's see.

tick, tick.... BOOM! 5/17/03 mat, chicago
oh my darwin, this rocked hard. i've been madly in love with this show since the first time i downloaded that live version of anthony and jesse doing "louder than words" from the t4u benefit.. so.. a long time. yes. trey ellett was understudying jonathan, and i was a little disappointed because i'd heard so much badness about his mark, but i tried to remember the goodness i'd also heard and keep an open mind... which is good, because he was amazing. i'm not sure how i'd envision him as mark, but he was perfect as jonathan. his voice was a little too husky/raspy very occasionally, but that's about it. he was endearingly funny, neurotic.. everything. and maybe he didn't quite live up to raul esparza; but really now, who can? i have no complaints. wilson cruz as michael... his voice is too high, it was weird after being used to jerry dixon on the ocr. but really, i thought he was excellent too. just very... on. nicole snelson was also incredible. her voice was just.. amaaazing. "come to your senses" was so insanely intense and beautiful. i was just so blown away by this show. if the tour comes aaanywhere near you, definitely make an attempt to see it. i was also really interested in the staging of it... it reminded me a lot of a group interp, actually. minimal staging (think rent... and take it down a notch) and no props. except for the cake. not to mention that michael and susan play all of the other characters, too. it works really well for this show, i think.

x2
also amazing. if you've not seen this and you call yourself a geek... shame. alan cumming as nightcrawler... definitely made this movie for me. *is obsessive* but it would have been good without him. (just not as good.) much better plotwise than the first one, which was of course mostly introductions and suchlike. magneto rocks so hard. um. yeah.

the lost continent by bill bryson.
v.g. reminded me actually a tiny bit of american gods, except a lot funnier and without all the mythology and um, plot and stuff. right. basically, just a really funny (and sometimes poignant and sometimes just bitter) book about his travels about america.

frida
saw this forever ago, and loved it. if you get the chance, go, it's great.

the secret life of bees by sue monk kidd.
sweet, funny, saaad coming of age novel. not too cliched, though, which is always a plus.



::: frowled ~renata~ at 9:52 PM