I have liked all the other Moby albums I have heard, but this one didn’t do it for me.

Way more entertaining than Fahrenheit 9/11.

Oh, and everyone should see this one!

Found it really hard to get through this one and not only because it is meandering and vague. I know it’s supposed to be funny and satirical, but to me it just seemed a lot of obscure, dated scenes alternating with pretentious “poetry.”
The “hero” was so unlikeable I was actually kind of rooting for his death.
The swimming pool executions and the movie theater electrocution scenes were definitely memorable and unique.
I also liked the line about how no one ever lived in the past and no one can live in the future.
But that’s about it. I can appreciate what Godard was trying to do. I even like this in theory, but on viewing, it just bored me to no end.
And the scene in the car at the end…Erg.
A lot of other films probably owe a debt to this film, but as an introduction to Godard, I think I chose unwisely.

I’m still reading this, but everytime I see this on my page I think, “I really wish I could edit the ‘Oprah’s Book Club’ part off of this entry.” I get really tired of seeing that. I mean Oprah’s opinion is the only one that really matters, right? Geez.

I loved this film for all the reasons people say they love this film (e.g., the colors, the quirky characters, the inspirational tone.) I also think it gives depth and originality to the topic of romance which is so overdone. But there was a sad side to this movie as well.
Amelie has struggled all her life feeling like an outsider. In fact, all the characters are tormented by inner pain and demons—even if some of them we get to know and understand little.
Amelie tries to help because she recognizes others’ pain and one day sees she can be an instrument in changing that-something she had never considered before. In the end, some of her “help” sticks, some does not, and for others we just don’t know if it’s made any difference-but to read this film as just uplifting, without recognizing the underlying message of human alienation is to somewhat miss the point.
It’s just too bad, people aren’t so simple and transparent in real life. It would be much easier for us all to help one another.

I enjoyed this more than anything I’ve heard in the last two years. Strong vocals and lyrics—with catchy tunes that aren’t quite too poppy to feel original.

1. Chris Walla – Sing Again
2. The Republic Tigers – Buildings and Mountains
3. Colour Revolt – Naked & Red
4. Cloud Cult – When Water Comes to Life
5. Daniel Lanois – Here is What Is
6. Jade McNelis – Miles of Seas
7. Keaton Miles – Nobody Knows
8. The Wood Brothers – Lovin’ Arms
9. The Weepies – Antarctica
10. Langhorne Slim – Rebel Side of Heaven
11. Hayes Carll – Faulkner Street
12. Pete Francis – Shooting Star and the Ambulance
13. KaiserCartel – Okay
14. Jordan Zevon – This Girl
15. Sarah Mac Band – Open Fire
16. Uh Huh Her – Explode
17. Billy Bragg – I Keep Faith
18. South – Better Things
19. Steven Delopoulos – She Held My Hand
20. Colin Meloy – We Both Go Down Together
21. White Rabbits – Untitled (Live at Paste)

This month I read 4 books and watched 7 movies. I did not get around to listening to any new albums.

Best book = Ethan Frome
Best movie = Run Lola Run

I watched two Criterion films, Man Bites Dog and Salesman. I would recommend watching these two together. I was able to think about Salesman a lot more deeply having watched Man Bites Dog first.

Watched this after Man Bites Dog which definitely added texture to both films.

Probably best described as cute. It was a nice take on friendship and generosity winning out over animosity and greed.
As a kid you hear the story of a group of people who find a bag of money and decide to split it evenly. But they grow suspicious of one another and, whatever the version, it never ends well.
This movie seemed like an optimistic version of that childhood cautionary tale.