Apr 29 2009

The Post-Birthday World

Category: Books — velveetahead @ 9:50 pm

The Post-Birthday World
Author: Lionel Shriver

postbirthdayworld

Irina McGovern is an American children’s book illustrator living in London with her long-time boyfriend Lawrence that might as well be her husband. He is a solid, dependable man who isn’t very romantic or passionate. They have their routines and that’s pretty much what their life has become–a series of routines. That includes having dinner with another couple each year on the husband’s birthday. He’s a famous snooker player in London who is almost past his prime named Ramsey. Lawrence is fascinated with snooker and Ramsey. Irina is pretty bored by the annual dinners until one year after Ramsey gets a divorce and Lawrence is out of town on a business trip, he convinces Irina to keep the annual birthday dinner date with Ramsey. Ramsey is passionate about snooker, drinking and life. After a night of  a bit too much flirting and drinking, it comes down to a moment where Irina could kiss Ramsey or leave before things can’t go back to how they were.

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Apr 27 2009

TAR: Torture Times

Category: Amazing Race,Recaps,TV — velveetahead @ 10:57 pm

1410massage

Amazing Race
Having a Baby’s Gotta Be Easier Than This

I believe this episode brought new meaning to the phrase “Chinese Water Torture” for some teams or maybe just Chinese torture after the foot “massage” they received in the beginning of the leg.

Order teams left the pit stop:

  1. Kisha & Jen – 1:48 pm
  2. Tammy & Victor – 1:49 pm
  3. Margie & Luke – 1:50 pm
  4. Jamie & Cara – 2:12 pm

Clue: Teams had to fly to Beijing, China. Once there, they had to find their way to a foot massage spa to find their next clue.

Everyone got on the first flight at 5:10 pm. There was still some tension between the sisters and Margie & Luke since Margie & Luke were trying to buy tickets but the counter did not take international credit cards. The sisters heard that and headed over where they could purchase them. Margie thought it was rude that the sisters went to the counter first and didn’t keep the original order of the line. What? This isn’t grade school. They left a line and got into another one. Just because you took forever to get to the new counter, doesn’t mean you get to be first again. Victor and Tammy had an advantage by talking in Chinese to the counter people. They asked if they could sit as close as possible to the front of the plane. Kisha and Jen were asking the same question at another part of the counter. Tammy & Victor got the fifth row and the sisters were in the eighth. Tammy asked that if the other teams could be as far back as possible since it was a race.

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Apr 25 2009

Movies Opening April 24

Category: 2009 Movies,Movies,Opening — velveetahead @ 4:59 pm

This week’s movies get right to the point with their one-word titles. The trend even carries over into the limited releases a bit. Soloist was supposed to come out last year, but it was pushed back to this spring, which isn’t the biggest sign of confidence from the movie studio for the film. Obsessed and Fighting seemed geared towards the teenagers that will fill up the mall movie theaters this weekend. Limited releases include a Mike Tyson documentary, major government scandal in Italy in the early ’90s, overpriced preschools in New York City, hidden mutant armies attacking humans and Bret Easton Ellis’ latest film about the beautiful and drugged out people in L.A.

Nationwide Releases

9x9_fresh Soloist
9x9_rotten Obsessed
9x9_rotten Fighting

soloist

The Soloist
Directed: Joe Wright
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander
Trailer

Synopsis: A former musical prodigy is found by an L.A. journalist living in the streets and tries to bring him back to the promise he once had.

My Take: I like that it has the added struggle of the musician dealing with some kind of mental illness instead of just being a rags-to-riches type story.

9x9_fresh RT Score: 61%
RT Consensus: Though it features strong performances by its lead players, a lack of narrative focus prevents The Soloist from hitting its mark.

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Apr 25 2009

Music Releases: April 21

Category: 2009,Music,Releases — velveetahead @ 2:26 pm

Is it the 80s again? I believe so! New releases this week:  Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys. Also:  Cage the Elephant, Camera Obscura, Manchester Orchestra,  Art Brut

Recommended

Artist: Depeche Mode
Album: Sounds of the Universe
RIYL: U2, Morrissey, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Pet Shop Boys

It has the synth sounds from older albums, and while some songs sound as good as the older songs, other ones are a little on the boring side. It might grow on me, which I have found their most recent albums need to do for me to like them with the exception of Exciter. I still hate that one. The video for “Wrong” is pretty cool and twisted so I recommend watching it.

depechemode_soundsoftheuniverse

Video: YouTube Preview Image

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Apr 24 2009

Bloc Party – Signs remix

Category: Listening,Music — velveetahead @ 8:50 pm

Bloc Party will be releasing their remix CD of Intimacy on May 12. Here is the naughty video for “Signs” remixed by Armand Van Helden. This is not safe viewing for work or kidlets, especially around the 1:30 mark.

YouTube Preview Image

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Apr 23 2009

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist

Category: 2008,Movies,Reviews — velveetahead @ 6:11 pm

nickandnorahsinfiniteplaylist1

Nick is a lovelorn boy who was dumped by a girl he is obsessed over. Why was he obsessed with Pumpkin Head? That’s how I refer to the actress that plays Tris. She’s way too skinny for her large head. Anyway, he was dumped by Pumpkin Head who was pretty much only going out with him since he was a devoted puppy dog. She cheated on him the entire time. He made her tons of mix CDs to try to win her back, which she would laugh and dump in the trash at school. Norah would pick them out of the trash and loved them. She also had a love of music and wished she had someone make her mix CDs too.

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Apr 22 2009

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Category: 2008,Movies,Reviews — velveetahead @ 12:46 pm

vickycristinabarcelona

I don’t mind voice overs when they are done well. I really hate annoying and unnecessary voice overs. Voice overs are annoying when they take the place of lazy direction and acting. When they tell us what people are like instead of actually figuring it out by their actions or what they say to other people. They are unnecessary when they tell the audience what two characters could have told each other. This movie would have been greatly improved without a voice over.

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Apr 20 2009

TAR: I Need Somebody To Shove

Category: Amazing Race,Recaps,TV — velveetahead @ 10:29 pm

1409shove

Amazing Race
Our Parents Will Cry Themselves to Death

You can’t say that Amazing Race is not educational. In this episode, I learned how to sign “Bitch!” Thanks Luke!

Order teams left the pit stop:

  1. Margie & Luke – 9:36 am
  2. Jamie & Cara – 10:30 am
  3. Tammy & Victor – 10:40 am
  4. Kisha & Jen – 12:43 pm
  5. Mark & Michael – 4:08 pm

Clue: Teams flew to Guilin, China and travel to the street of Quing Xiu Lu to find a hair salon for the next clue.

Jamie rolled her eyes when she saw they were going to China since the only thing she knew about China was it was populated and she didn’t like that. Why did she go on a race around the world when she hates everywhere? The first three teams were taking flights that connected in Guangzhou at 8:30 pm. When the sisters arrived at the airport, they found one that connected in Guangzhou at 9:10 pm so they weren’t too far behind the other teams.  The brothers were taking a much later flight so they would probably still be behind everyone else. The first three teams arrived in Guangzhou to find out their flight to Guilin was delayed. That allowed the sisters to catch up and pass them.  They never saw the other teams so they had no idea they were ahead!

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Apr 19 2009

TV Premieres: Week of April 19

Category: TV,Upcoming — velveetahead @ 12:07 pm

All the premieres are on tonight. USA has its shows and one new animated sitcom on FOX.

Season Finales: The Beast, Ashes to Ashes

Pick of the Week

inplainsight2

In Plain Sight
Channel: USA
Time: 10/9c
Starring: Mary McCormack, Frederick Weller, Cristian de la Fuente, Paul Ben-Victor, Lesley Ann Warren, Nicole Hiltz, Todd Williams, Holly Maples
Premieres: Sunday, April 19
Trailer

Synopsis: Last season, Mary’s sister was caught up in some crystal meth drug deal and while Mary was trying to clean up her sister’s mess, she was cornered by the FBI with her sister’s meth in the trunk of her car. She’ll be starting this season on administrative leave and then also dealing witha Post-Traumatic Stress disorder from things that happened last season.

My Take: I really liked the character of Mary and Marshall. I could have done without her sister and mother though. They are really what made me want to turn the show off at times, but stuck with it for the main storylines.

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Apr 18 2009

Rachel Getting Married

Category: 2008,Movies,Reviews — velveetahead @ 5:34 pm

rachelgettingmarried1

Kim is a former model who is released from rehab for a few days so she can attend her sister’s wedding. Kim is used to being the center of attention. When things, God forbid, actually center on her sister for the wedding weekend, Kim makes sure to bring all the attention back to her. She arrives and immediately blames everyone for watching her too closely and not trusting her to do anything on her own. If people actually try to get on with what they are doing without her, she brings up what step she is in rehab and once again blames others for her problems. She’s a very pleasant person.

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