Momma's Man

copyright Nina Buesing

Nina has blogged about her friend Aza several times. He is Azazel Jacobs, director of Momma's Man. The movie tells the story of a man, Mikey, who when stranded in NY amidst airline cancellations, decides to stay put in his parents' Tribeca loft. The loft is Jacob's family loft where his parents live and is a gem of a set. His parents play Mikey's parents in the movie. As the stay progresses, he starts digging through old boxes of memories and becomes entangled with the past and no longer wants to leave, or return to his wife and child in LA. This article in the NYTimes is a good read and features Nina's photo of Aza. I went to BAM last Friday to catch the movie in the midst of the thunderstorm. I have to say that it was well worth it and Flo Jacobs was amazing in the movie. Go catch it at Angelika, starting this Friday.

Summer reading

Two weeks ago, J gave me Atonement, by Ian McEwan to read. It was better than I expected, a bit wordy in the beginning but interesting throughout. She also gave me a copy of the movie, which I saw this weekend. Unfortunately, that was a disappointment. The acting was pretty good, but the directing left more to be desired.

This morning, R gave me Murakami's new memoir, What I talk About When I Talk About Running. I read the piece ( an excert from the book) he had in the New Yorker a couple of weeks ago and put the book on my wish list. It's exactly what I wanted. Thanks for spoiling me. What a sweet gift. Thank you!

Relax time

Yesterday when I walked through the park in the morning, the tulips were closed, by afternoon, they were wide open. It's SPRING!!! Because of the good weather and Passover, hordes of families and dogs are romping around the park this week. After work today, I plan on spending some relax time just hanging out on the big lawn before heading to Fairway to grab some weekend groceries.

Last night I watched Jane Campion's An Angel at my Table, the biography of New Zealand poet Janet Frame. Does anyone know her work? I'd like to start reading it, where should I start?

My Blueberry Nights

Wong Kar Wai's new film My Blueberry Nights opens tomorrow. It stars Norah Jones (who I was listening to on my ipod just yesterday). Jones and Wong were interviewed on the Leonard Lopate show today, listen to the conversation here. Other cast members include Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Katya Blumenberg- who I went to college with.

Juno

My sweet friend, Cherry, pictured above left, got me into a screening of the movie Juno while I was in Hong Kong. The script was so witty and I was completely impressed with Ellen Page's acting abilities. I was happily surprised to see Kimya Dawson's name credited for the soundtrack. I love the Moldy Peaches. Oh, I realize I'm a bit late with the movie since it was released in the States during Christmas. Better late than never I suppose. Go see it, or rent it!

(Photo by the talented Joe Maida.)

Last day of October

I stayed up watching Super Size Me (I know I'm behind the times but really Netflix is a miracle gift for people like me in Queens where there are no video stores or movie theaters) last night. I also watched a bunch of the extra interviews in the end. I thought it was really well done and it reminds me of all the good reasons I don't go to any fast food joints.

Fall is flying by and it still seems like summer to me somehow. I went out running this morning in shorts and a t-shirt and just soaked it all in. Happy Halloween!

American Wedding

I caught American Wedding on TV Saturday night. It's too bad Chris Klein wasn't in this one, I kept looking out for him. Still a funny movie.

The Lives of Others

Meera suggested Leben der Anderen, Das (The Lives of Others) to me earlier this month. It won the Oscars for best foreign film this year. It is an amazing story set in 1984 East Germany about the secret police who spies on a writer and his actress girlfriend. Ulrich Muhe gives an amazing performance as the secret police who listens and is changed by what he secretly hears.

(image from IMDB)

I absolutely heart the Darjeeling Limited!

Go see the The Darjeeling Limited. It'll perk you right up, especially if you've had a bum day. Adrien Brody gives a great performance in this Wes Anderson film.

(photos from Fox Searchlight)

Wes Anderson's Hotel Chevalier

Wes Anderson's short film Hotel Chevalier is available as a free itunes download. Hooray!

Movies that I've watched in the last week:

1. Minus Man- I really like Owen Wilson. His nose looks really awful in this one.
2. Chungking Express- I've seen this maybe 4 times now but rewatching it after going to Hong Kong, visiting Chungking Mansion and being offered curry and a room by the Indians and Africans, staying at Mirador Mansion (a similar block building one street away from Chungking Mansion), walking up and down the midlevels escalator, I have a different understanding and feel for the movie.
3. 400 Blows- I saw this first in film class in HS but couldn't remember most of it. I'm glad I rewatched it.
4. A Clockwork Orange- this one is really kind of scary. Very creepy.

(photo of Mirador Mansion that I took last November)

An Inconvenient Truth

I finally watched An Inconvenient Truth last night. It was presented in a way that was convincing. The issues at hand should matter to every single person on earth. It matters to me. We can all start by making small changes in our lives. We already use CFL bulbs in all of our lighting and will do that soon throughout our apartment building in Queens. I plug my computer to a surge protector and switch it off when it's not in use. Our next step is to convert our electric sources to alternative energy resources in both our homes.

Sicko

I just came back from watching Michael Moore's Sicko. While the medical industry is not as black and white as Moore sets out, this movie hits closer to home for a wider audience, which is great. It is an industry with issues that really need to be addressed. I hope we see the day when there is affordable healthcare for all in the States.

Xala

Senegalese director, Ousmane Sembene's 1975 film, Xala has an unforgettable ending like the one in his 1966 Black Girl. About a high ranking government official who has xala, the curse of impotence after taking a third wife, it leaves you with a bittersweet feeling for life. Sembene's passing last month reminded me of his films Black Girl and Faat Kine that I saw a couple of years ago at Film Forum. Mandabi is arriving via good ol' netflix today.