Yawn

Have had a mild sinus issue this past week and it built to not quite sleeping right for a couple nights. This led to tired and napping throughout the day. Last night I determined that part of the problem was a lack of beer. A couple of those and I slept all sorts of nice.

Still tired though. Need to catch up a bit.

Thanks a lot Jay

Wednesday during the conversation at the comic book store, my buddy Jay recommended a show called 'Snapped'. It just so happened that there was a marathon of the show on yesterday. Once I sampled it, I could not turn away. I left it on the entire day.

The premise is simple really. These are real life stories of women who finally take one step over the line and snap, generally by killing their husband. What I found interesting about the show is that it doesn't always side with the woman involved. If the story isn't cut and dry thanks to the evidence, the story gets told rather evenly. If it's clear the husband was some sort of rat bastard, you tend to feel sympathetic for the wife, even though she went too far. Sometimes the woman's just no good and the show turns on her.

There are shootings, plotted killings, wrenches to the head, poisonings, and I saw an axe murder yesterday. Good grief! You might not want to watch it while you eat either as there were some nasty looking crime scene photos on display.

Of course now I'm convinced that women are out to get me. Thanks a lot Jay.

It's good to have goals and find ways to meet them.

This past weekend I made a remarkable discovery while curled up hiding from the snow: 'Caddyshack' is a wonderful cure for writer's block. I've seen it so many times that it makes for excellent background noise while I work. I've used it three times now to great success. I'm hoping it will last a bit longer at least.

Afterall I am trying to write a book here.

Review: '24 Hour Party People'

Part of my problem with 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind' may be that I watched it a few days after watching '24 Hour Party People'. Both are movies based on real life events. Both are trying to cover decades of time within a two hour window. Both are covering entertainment that I have an interest in. One movie was affecting, drawing me into the movie and the stories it told and one didn't. Since I already said yesterday that 'Confessions...' didn't drag me in, well, the math is pretty simple on this one.

'24 Hour Party People' is the story of Factory Records, a Manchester based company headed by television presenter Tony Wilson. The story follows him despite his insistence that the bands are the important part of the story, that he merely happened to be there. While Factory released albums by a number of different artists, the movie covers the rise and fall of only two: Joy Division (and New Order that spun from Joy Division so technically three I suppose) and the Happy Mondays.

While based on real events, the movie was largely improvised by the cast, which gives the movie more of a documentary type feel, as if this was captured, 'behind the scenes' type footage. The fact that this can lead to details being altered or misremembered by the original participants is addressed within the film in a manner that I found clever and funny at the same time.

See, since Tony Wilson was a television presenter, his character within the film (played by Steve Coogan) also narrates the film to us, as if he was presenting his life on television. He pops in and out of presenter mode as the film progresses and it's always very clear as to what's happening. After a particularly sad moment in his personal history, Tony walks past a man but the camera stays on said individual rather than following Tony. The individual turns to the camera and says something to the effect of 'That's not really what happened.' Narrator Tony explains that this is the real person involved in the scene and goes to point out other cameos of the people who lived this experience including the real Tony Wilson.

Even being pulled out of the reality of the movie like this, the acting is quality enough to make it affecting. When Bad Things happen, I got sad. When Funny Things happened, I smiled. The DVD box touts it as a comedy but that's not really fair to the movie. It's amusing, light hearted when it can be, but it's not really funny as such. It may interest and amaze you how people that could be so bright at times could also be so stupid. Hmm, sounds like I'm talking about myself now. At least that's what my parents and teachers and supervisors have told me in the past.

I must note, in all fairness, that I have a 2007 BBC4 documentary on Factory Records that provides the same information found within the film only for 'real'. I've watched that a few times before seeing the film and that familiarity with the story may have helped my enjoyment of the film somehow. The information in the movie did largely match up with the documentary and seeing that accuracy might have built my appreciation. Really, the movie should be re-released on DVD with that documentary as it is very well done. It's made me want more BBC made entertainment related documentaries so it did it's job as well.

Recommended. The movie is clever enough that I think it will hold the interest of those unfamiliar with the music involved.

Review: 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind'

In general, my family's got a pretty weird sense of humour. It seems normal for awhile and then you find that subject that sets us off and, boom!, weird. Don't get me wrong, every family has its own set of inside jokes or comments just like every set of friends has but my family is oft been referred to as weird. Admittedly, I draw a lot of those comments to myself but the rest of my immediate family is not immune.

I think most of this comes from my Dad as we kinda had to train my Mom to be weird and, as is right, she's done so in her own unique way. When I was little, she used to be the more protective one of my parents, more concerned with what was going to warp me. Not that she wasn't fun or that Dad wasn't concerned but this seemed to be more Mom's job. She was the one that wasn't comfortable with me having 'Star Wars' stuff as a kid because 'War' was in the title and that was bad. I remember having to politely talk her into letting me get the Marvel 'Secret Wars' action figures for the same reason.

With all that in mind, why did I get to see so much of Chuck Barris' work as a kid? We watched 'The $1.98 Beauty Pageant' every week. I vividly remember 'The Gong Show' and 'The Newlywed Game'. Some of his other shows are vaguely familiar.

I've got one of Chuck's autobiographies. It was a fun read, mixing stories from his past in television with fun stories from his present in France. I don't remember it having any talk of him being a hitman for the CIA in it.

That's one of the main threads of the autobiographical movie, that Barris spent time working for the CIA. It's an interesting idea only because it's not clear where the truth lies. If it's true, it's great cover because I don't think most people would believe it. The best lie is a truth that no one believes. It could be that Chuck's doing this for the fun of it, that it's a gag and he's messing with us. It could also be that he's crazy. I'm not sure it makes a difference but trying to figure out that truth was the most engaging part of the movie to me.

The movie does weave moments of actual television history into its tale, expertly blurring the lines of the recreation of events with the actual moments replayed on monitors. Long time friends of Chuck comment on him and as to whether or not they believe he worked for the CIA. Chuck himself pops up at the end for a comment. The bulk of the film is a dramatization of events.

While never bad, it's the dramatizations I didn't care for. I never felt that engaged with the characters despite my familiarity with the people they were portraying. In my opinion, the movie is unclear with what it wants to be. Is it a comedy? Is it a look at a tortured soul? Is it truly a Confession of deeds done? All the pieces are there but they never really gelled for me. I didn't hate it, I didn't wish I'd just gotten the last two hours of my life back, but I never felt excited, like I got into the film. I reacted to it once or twice but never 'stepped into it' and felt part of its universe as it unfolded around me.

I purchased it second hand and inexpensively so I don't feel ripped off in any way.

Mild recommendation to avoid.

I have been behaving myself rather well, up til now anyway.

The other day in the newspaper I noted an item stating that the value of the British pound had slid. Hmm, I thought, I wonder how far a 'slide'. The last I'd checked, six months ago or so, a pound had been worth about $2 and had been so for a good year or two. I somehow find an exchange rate of $1.50 to a pound to be more 'traditional' but I don't know why I feel that way.

Amazon UK sends me email because I've bought stuff from them in the past (ah, the joys of a region free, DVD player). They are running sales, as is everyone else.

What did the pound 'slide' to anyway? Oh, just under $1.50.

I have more British television heading my way from Britain. Once I saw that the entire 'The Fast Show' (aka Brilliant! in America) was available in a 7 DVD set for 15 pounds, I was lost. That's laughs on the cheap, that is.

Locations. Memories.

I went down that street again.

I haven't had much reason to take that street of late. Even when I had a reason to visit that side of town I had been approaching it from different angles so I didn't take that street. Suddenly I had a reason and I took that path and here I am, going down that street. The restaurant is still there. Every time I see the restaurant I think of you and smile.

It was a forever ago as I recall. I can't remember why I stopped in there any more. I think I knew you worked there. I remember being pleased to see you and you not looking so pleased to be seen. When I made it clear that I didn't care about our location and was just pleased to see you, you brightened.

Return trips were easier because you were more relaxed in my presence. I could joke. I could tease. I could be silly, even from across the room. You would smile. That was nice. It made for a good boost to both our workdays, didn't it?

Indeed it was a forever ago. I don't know if I am still that confidently silly, well, from across the room anyway, in public, with only one friend around. Put me somewhere safe, with a number of friends and certainly you'll see silly but like that? I don't know. Perhaps I've lost something during the forever.

Hope you are well. And happy. Happy and well with someone that can be silly to you so that you smile.

I turn onto the freeway. I am off that street again.