The Beat That My Heart Skipped admittedly had me racking my brain for dim memories of the original (Fingers), and I never really got past reading the lead–who is astonishing–as a gallicized Keitel. But this film was gorgeous and engaging and always a beat off the conventional rhythms of any of the genres it riffs on: noir lowlife melodrama, Rafelson-ish/Tobacksian existential guy stuff, the destructive passions of the artist. Whatever its roots in that earlier film, it goes in its own direction.
Left of the Dial is also five blocks shy of interesting. It’s a documentary about the birth pangs of Air America, but it lacks any kind of narrative focus, instead Real-Worldishly cycling from clips of on-air personalities to back-office financial shenanigans to the occasional articulation of liberals-fighting-the-good-fight-against-conservative-media-domination blah blah. None of those narratives get explored in any depth, let alone synced together. I wanted more Marc Maron, a lot less of everyone else. But, hell, I hate talk radio, whether it’s Rush or Franken or whomever–if I want people yelling their opinions at me, I’ll hold another poker night and break out the Cointreau. Least that way I might walk away with five dollars in addition to the headache. Crap film. (But I have two other interesting-looking docs on deck: Kirby Dick’s Twist of Faith and Mark’s and now Chris’ recommended Mondovino.)
I also highly recommend the new Flaming Lips album–just put “It Overtakes Me” on constant rotation–and the novel _The Futurist_ by James Othmer, instead of watching basketball.
I’m curious what you think about Together!!! I really like the first two cuts off the new Lips disc but the other Mercury Rev-ish tunes haven’t quite sunk in. I’ll have to go back and check “It Overtakes Me.” I encourage some to check out Tapes n’ Tapes, Islands, The Envelopes and the truly delightful collection See You On The Moon: Songs for Kids of All Ages.
Reynolds, no one would could have written anything as exciting and improbable as the Lakers win last night. And a Clippers/Lakers playoff seems right around the corner, so Othmer will have to wait. But I agree, the new Lips album is good.
I totally disagree on the FLips new record: Suck-O. With a big ‘S.’ I only downloaded the first three songs, but nary a one of them are listenable.
Recent music I do like, Band of Horses, Eef Barzelay from Clem Snide’s solo album, The Essex Green (not as good as their last one, but still fine 60s style orchestrated pop), Kooks, Inside Out – best pop album I’ve heard in a long time.
Loose Fur – So-so, but better than the last couple of boredom-inducing Wilco albums, The Rum Diary and the last Supergrass album, Raod to Rouen.
I’ve not heard Islands yet, but I liked their last band Unicorns, and am looking forward to hearing it.
(Save your breath trying to defend the Lips album to me.)
The Kooks album bites the big one. I only downloaded a sample of one song and it was shite.
Re: the futurist. Now that the Lakers and Clips are through, can we tell Othmer the wait is over?
Amazing–ad culture takes a quantum leap forward. Exnihilist is a promotion site for Othmer’s book. By the by–and exnihilist can blurb this–_The Futurist_ failed to live up to its potential, sliding into a complacent rehashing of old tropes about finding your self or soul via a younger woman with a painful past. There’s real promise in the novel, but I’d say it isn’t as good as the hype or its own first 80 pages. Kunkel’s _Indecision_ tramples on similar territory, sort of, and maintains its edge, its wit, its clarity of vision. And it’s all in all funnier, too. I also really liked Jennifer Egan’s _The Keep_, ‘though not as much as her last excellent novel (_Look at Me_).
but the clips are not through. they play the suns in game 7 tomorrow. is the book this sloppy?