12/7/10
On a frigid night in early December, one of the great singer/songwriters of American music played a show featuring the entire contents of her first 2 LP’s. For people of a certain age, recordings are meant to be heard this way; in their entirety. Actually, I had these records on cassette, and mostly listened to them on my Walkman while on tour. The second LP, “Pirates” holds a particular place in my personal pantheon. It was one of the few pop records of which I never grew tired. Every listen seemed to offer a new revelation.
Ms. Jones’ influence on pop culture should not be understated. Her look, her drawly singing style, her edgy lyrics and soulful grooves permeated hipster society in the late ‘70’s early ‘80’s. Street urchin chic, is how I classified it. Musically, she is the offspring of Laura Nyro and Bruce Springsteen, but she is nonetheless her own creation.
The show began with her biggest hit, “Chuck E.’s in Love”, a clever turn on the grown up tom-boy who hangs with the guys but never gets one. Ms. Jones’ vocals still have the cutting high belt that is her signature, and in this song her unintelligible diction was at it’s most cryptic. The band was nice and groovy right from the start. Remarkable too was the restrained sound level; no earplugs were needed. The material on Rickie Lee’s first LP is much less challenging than “Pirates”, and the band seemed to have an easier time with it. Missing however, were the amazing high harmony parts mostly sung by Ms. Jones on the recordings. Probably not in the financial cards, but a couple of female backup singers would have really helped.
Some of the highlights from the first half of the show were “On Saturday Afternoons in 1963”, “Coolsville”, which featured the unmistakable cat wail of guitar and vocals, “Danny’s All-Star Joint” on which the band really glowed, and “Company”, a great jazz ballad. Ms. Jones preceded the performance of this song with a disclaimer, mostly about her inability to play along with it. Curiously , she seemed to struggle much more with the vocals on this complex piece. Throughout the show she spent a lot of energy on tempo changing, much to the band’s chagrin. It seemed like someone who has spent a lot of time touring solo, and expecting the band to follow her every whim. During the rubato bridge of “Weasel and The White Boys Cool”, you could tell the band was at sea trying to follow her quixotic phrasing.
As she embarked on “Pirates”, it seemed she was getting a little crabby. After a moving rendition of “We Belong Together”, her most Springsteen-ish work, Ms. Jones berated the audience for being unresponsive, which was far from the truth. “Lackadaisical” was the term used, and it worked, the crowd ratcheted up their response from thereon out. The weakest performance of the night was “Living it Up”, and with good reason. It is a very difficult piece, with multiple groove changes. The original recording is miraculous, I doubt if any live version could be its equal. Rickie Lee grew somewhat angered at the band at this point. I believe “cranky” was the word that sprung to mind. Before a stirring version of what she referred to as the saddest of all songs, "Skeletons", Ms. Jones admitted that she got a bit testy at the piano, blaming it on acid flashbacks and indiscretions of her youth. It seemed a bit like an apology. After "Skeletons", she adjusted the song order to make it more show-like; rather than end with downers like the jazzy but dark "Traces of the Western Slopes" and the quietly reflective "The Returns", Ms. Jones omitted the latter altogether, placing the crowd-pleasing "Woody and Dutch" at the end of the show, and smartly so. The song that launched a hundred Pepsi and McDonald's ads, worked it's magic with the audience, and their rousing response elicited what Ms. Jones said was their first encore of the tour, which turned out to be "Satellites" from the album Flying Cowboys.
The fear that the years, which have been so unkind to many of her generation, would have undone Rickie Lee Jones' sound, style and ability to evoke powerful emotions were quite unfounded. This 2-sider show was immensely moving and entertaining, and Ms. Jones proves why she is still a unique talent, and a treasure of American music.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Top 20 Films of the 00's
My heroes at Filmspotting are doing this, so I figured I'd chip in with my own personal list. My requirements were; a) They had to be a movie I would want to see again, b) They were movies I didn't stop thinking about, c) They were enetertaining and meaningul, d) They were highly original in concept and/or execution.
1) Adaptation: I am a man who loves movies about movies. This is my favorite in how it tricks you into succumbing to formula while ridiculing the process. Brilliant!
2) Capote: The best single performance of the 00's doesn't overshadow the handling of the subject matter, which is beautifully paced and artfully shot. The subject of art and morality is as deep as it gets.
3) Sideways: This film spoke to me about people and relationships in a highly personal way. I can't think of any film that has done it better.
4) No Country For Old Men: Simply put, the reason I love the movies. Memorable scenes, relentless tension.
5) Let The Right One In: The best monster movie I have ever seen.
6) Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind: Inventive, entertaining, heartfelt.
7) Brick: I wasn't expecting this genre-twister, and it completely dazzled me. You don't need to empty Fort Knox to make a great film.
8) Man On Wire: Probably my favorite documentary. Well maybe 2nd to Thin Blue Line.
9) Memento: What an amazing job of reverse story-telling and suspense. Truly one-of-a-kind.
10) Cache: I still can't stop thinking about this film and what it means, or at least what I THINK it means. The only other film that has done that to me I can recall was "2001".
11) A Serious Man: Very personal for me. This is my people they are talking about. I think it will be considered a classic someday.
12) Inglourious Basterds: A couple of flawed scenes prevent this from being number 1. But, damn, it is GOOD.
13) Knocked Up: Just great filmmaking- one of the best rom-coms in memory.
14) Zodiac: So much better than Button or Fight Club, I think it is Fincher's masterpiece.
15) 4 Months 3 Weeks 2 Days: Not higher on the list because it is excruciating. Amazing, moving, brilliant, but also excruciating.
16) Almost Famous: A bit light-weight for me, but still some of the best scenes in movie history. Plus I have a big problem deifying mediocre rock and roll.
17) City of God: See what I said about "4 Months". Probably the best paced movie I have ever seen.
18) The Lives of Others: A movie that shows the difficulties encountered when one person tries to dehumanize another. Powerful across the board: subject matter, performances, direction.
19) Juno: I hate that this movie's era-specificity now makes it much maligned. It's fun, funny, moving, extremely well-acted and directed.
20) Ghost World: : Unforgettably funny and poignant, it is a treatise on the role of misfits and how they cope.
Honorable Mentions: Synechdoche, NY; The Brothers Bloom, The Visitor, 25th Hour, Talk To Her, 40 Year Old Virgin, Goodbye Solo, Pan's Labyrinth, Mulholland Drive, There Will Be Blood, High Fidelity, Up, About Schmidt, Ratatouille, Wall-E, Up In The Air, Milk, A History of Violence, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, The Departed, The Hurt Locker, The Station Agent.
1) Adaptation: I am a man who loves movies about movies. This is my favorite in how it tricks you into succumbing to formula while ridiculing the process. Brilliant!
2) Capote: The best single performance of the 00's doesn't overshadow the handling of the subject matter, which is beautifully paced and artfully shot. The subject of art and morality is as deep as it gets.
3) Sideways: This film spoke to me about people and relationships in a highly personal way. I can't think of any film that has done it better.
4) No Country For Old Men: Simply put, the reason I love the movies. Memorable scenes, relentless tension.
5) Let The Right One In: The best monster movie I have ever seen.
6) Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind: Inventive, entertaining, heartfelt.
7) Brick: I wasn't expecting this genre-twister, and it completely dazzled me. You don't need to empty Fort Knox to make a great film.
8) Man On Wire: Probably my favorite documentary. Well maybe 2nd to Thin Blue Line.
9) Memento: What an amazing job of reverse story-telling and suspense. Truly one-of-a-kind.
10) Cache: I still can't stop thinking about this film and what it means, or at least what I THINK it means. The only other film that has done that to me I can recall was "2001".
11) A Serious Man: Very personal for me. This is my people they are talking about. I think it will be considered a classic someday.
12) Inglourious Basterds: A couple of flawed scenes prevent this from being number 1. But, damn, it is GOOD.
13) Knocked Up: Just great filmmaking- one of the best rom-coms in memory.
14) Zodiac: So much better than Button or Fight Club, I think it is Fincher's masterpiece.
15) 4 Months 3 Weeks 2 Days: Not higher on the list because it is excruciating. Amazing, moving, brilliant, but also excruciating.
16) Almost Famous: A bit light-weight for me, but still some of the best scenes in movie history. Plus I have a big problem deifying mediocre rock and roll.
17) City of God: See what I said about "4 Months". Probably the best paced movie I have ever seen.
18) The Lives of Others: A movie that shows the difficulties encountered when one person tries to dehumanize another. Powerful across the board: subject matter, performances, direction.
19) Juno: I hate that this movie's era-specificity now makes it much maligned. It's fun, funny, moving, extremely well-acted and directed.
20) Ghost World: : Unforgettably funny and poignant, it is a treatise on the role of misfits and how they cope.
Honorable Mentions: Synechdoche, NY; The Brothers Bloom, The Visitor, 25th Hour, Talk To Her, 40 Year Old Virgin, Goodbye Solo, Pan's Labyrinth, Mulholland Drive, There Will Be Blood, High Fidelity, Up, About Schmidt, Ratatouille, Wall-E, Up In The Air, Milk, A History of Violence, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, The Departed, The Hurt Locker, The Station Agent.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Wayne's Top 10 Movies of 2009
That I've seen, of course!
2009 was a great year for movies. I don't think there was anything that will crack my top 50 all time, but there might be some intruders into the 100.
1) Inglourious Basterds
Are you a film fanatic? Guess what? I am. Same with Tarantino. It shows in his devotion to the B Movie genre, and his love for film referencing in just about everything he writes, directs and acts. Nothing he has made shows more fondness for the cinema than "Basterds". It is a love letter to the medium, a phenomenal pastiche of different influences combining to make an entirely new sub-genre. Riffing on Films, I think I'll call it. It's like listening to Bud Powell, and hearing touches of Art Tatum, Thelonius Monk, Chopin and Duke Ellington all blending to make a new style of bop piano. You've got; classic WWII melodrama, Hitchcock-ian suspense and bad guys, blaxploitation narration, a revenge plot as over-the-top as "Old Boy". All the performances are brilliant, and the cutting and pacing are expertly handled. Even the presence of Brad Pitt as a comic book platoon leader lends some real toughness and comedy to the proceedings. He does not bring the film down as he did in "Benjamin Button". Melanie Laurent is a find, she is both beautiful and very moving. However, the real star of the film is Christoph Walz, His name seems to be missing some letters, but never mind. His portrayal of the "Jew Hunter" Col. Landa is probably the most complex and interesting evil-doer you will ever see on screen. Hitchcock's bad guys from "Saboteur" and "The 39 Steps" come to mind, but neither are played to the extent that they overtake the good guys in audience fascination. This can only be said for maybe Walz's Landa, and Heath Ledger's Joker from "The Dark Knight".
2) Up In The Air
The parts may be slightly greater than the sum in this very courant movie. There are some scenes that are bound to become classics, and nothing falls short, except that there really is no message. Well, yes, there is that little thing about how easy the modern world has made it to be happily disconnected from everything, including your loved ones. We are all quite aware of this point, but like global warming, we probably need to be reminded of it from time to time, and to realize just how damaging it has become. Like global warming, this film doesn't offer a solution that is realistic, but that in itself is realism. One of the scenes destined for immortality is the Bogey/Bacall homage in the hotel bar, where the two corporate travelers compare their mileage status with less than subtle sexual overtones. The referenced scene is from Howard Hawks' "The Big Sleep", wherein the metaphorical matter is horse-racing. As for the cast, Anna Kendrick is pitch perfect, and was probably cast due to her tour-de-force role in the vastly underrated and under-viewed "Rocket Science". But truly the performance of Vera Farmiga is the central stunner in this movie. She more than GETS the character; she creates a deep, subtle and credible presence in a part that could have been something far less. George Clooney is perfectly cast. His chops are improving, and his looks don't get in the way as they did in "Michael Clayton". Jason Reitman is developing into a first-rate actor's director, and his subject matter is beginning to show the signs of an auteur.
3) A Serious Man
AKA "No Country for Jews". Huh? Besides the minds behind them, what possibly can these two films have in common? How about the central message of the random cruelty and the meaninglessness of existence? Obviously the Coens have developed a true auteur's (that word again) visual and editing style. Their films all contain similar acting and dialogue. Yet now the message is becoming part of the ouvre. With their last 4 pictures, the Coens are hitting us hard with 2 central topics;
1) Life sucks, and
2) People are incompetent.
There is a 3rd message emerging; God is not going to help you out. In fact, he might be out to get you, too. That message is pounded home in "A Serious Man", and quite effectively. The movie is very personal for me; I was bar-mitzvahed the same year as Danny Gopnik, 1968. He is listening to the same music I listened to, is obsessed with the show "F Troop" as was I, and his friends remind me of mine. His locale is quite different than mine, I was raised in New York City. My parents had long broken up, whereas his are fragmenting while the story develops. Those differences being noted, he seems blithely indifferent to the central issues, as I am sure was I. In a way, I am both Danny, and his father Larry, in that now, I fully identify with Larry's sense of hopless abandonment, and with the Coen's 2, no 3 major messages. You can't count on people, you can't count on God, you can't really count on anything. So stop counting on stuff. What good is it doing you? I couldn't stop thinking about this movie for a week after seeing it. When the police come for Larry's brother, he yells "But I didn't DO anything!" Ohhhhh, how I identify, Uncle Arthur.
Did I mention how hysterically funny it was? I feel that this is one of those Coen films like "The Big Lebowski", that will go from well-liked up to cult status, and eventually become a classic of modern cinema.
One word about the performances; stellar, from the top down, and Michael Stuhlbarg absolutely nails his role.
4) The Brothers Bloom
I seem to be alone in my reverence for this film, but at least I know my daughter Dana, with whom I saw Bloom, agrees that Rian Johnson has continued with as strong a film as his debut, "Brick". Johnson is a genre deconstruction artist it seems. "Brick" was '40's Film Noir stuck in a contemporary High School, with all the usual characters and dialogue much more at home in the genre than the locus or period. "Bloom" is a con-artist story, but re-imagined and placed inside a contemporary indie/quirky shell. Usually, that shell is many film's undoing. Progenitors of the style, like Wes Anderson, have seen efforts fall flat, "The Royal Tennenbaums" coming to mind. There's got to be laughs and true unpredictability for it to work. Johnson accomplishes both with "Bloom", plus he manages to add suspense and romance to the package. Performances by Adrian Brody and Mark Ruffalo are fine, but wholly overshadowed by the two main women, Rachel Weisz and Rinko Kikuchi. Weisz fully masters a very difficult part; she must be innocent, brainy, sexy, plucky and comic all at the same time. It is, I feel, Oscar-worthy. Kikuchi is given an impish Harpo Marx-like character, challenging enough, but she plays it for laughs perfectly. The cons themselves are well thought out, but if the film has a flaw, it is in the rather soupy ending.
5) The Hurt Locker
Director Kathryn Bigelow seems to understand men on a level that no other female director has. She gets men the way John Sayles gets women, with truth, reverence and perspective. This is her finest film by far. Not only are the pacing and suspense on the very highest level, but also the hand-held camera is used to it's utmost. When the soldiers are looking around to see if there are insurgents lurking, you (the camera, I mean) are also swinging around quickly to scan. It is immensely effective, and makes you feel like you are as much in danger as the soldiers themselves. She doesn't get bogged down in the details of bomb-defusing, in the politics of the war, or even in the inherent goodness or badness of the characters. It's all about courageous men in dangerous situations, the adrenaline rush of it, the pain of loss, the immediate gratification, the competitive urge. Jeremy Renner is amazing in the lead role of bomb-defuser. His performance could have been one-dimensional, and the film would still have been very good. Instead, he is remarkably nuanced, and it elevates the movie to brilliance.
6) Goodbye Solo
I have a friend who found the relationships and motivations in this film unbelievable. The truth is, if you don't buy into the characters, then this is a waste of time. I, on the other hand, found the two lead roles and the performers wholly realistic. Ramin Bahrani is truly an auteur ala the great Rohmer. His subject matter and style are very uniform. The subject matter is the lives of recent American immigrants, the style is hyper-realism. In "Solo", you've got a man nearing the end of his life, filled with hopelessness, and another man at the crucial juncture of his life, still hopeful and trying not to give in to the crush of reality. Solo feels that if he can give this old man a reason to continue on, then he himself will be bolstered in his fight to make it. His motivation is to save his own dreams, which are slowly being eroded. Both lead actors, Souleymane Sy Savane and Red West do a convincing job of turning a unique situation into something that seems very probable. Basically, my friend is an idiot.
7) Moon
I miss this kind of sci-fi. Films and books like "Moon" are what got me interested in the genre. What had recently killed it for me are the huge blockbusters and comic book movies that seem to permeate the medium nowadays. Even when a sci-fi doesn't lean heavily on effects, it feels like there has to be some kind of extra nonsense, like Danny Boyle's "Sunshine", with it's monster movie climax. Suspense, apparently, is not enough to carry a modern space flick. I beg to differ. "Moon" is an example of how to beautifully control pace and tension without bombarding the viewer with big time and big money effects. It works the way Tarkovsky's "Solaris" worked, the way "Alien" worked, the way the original "Day The Earth Stood Still" worked.
Tour de Force acting by Sam Rockwell and a very simple but original plot give a huge boost to this taut effort.Duncan Jones is a major new talent, I am looking forward to future works by him.
8 ) 500 Days of Summer
Here’s the pitch; It’s a romantic comedy, a chick flick, but from the guy’s point of view. He’s got quirky friends, she’s beautiful with a fun sense of humor and style. He’s kind of goofy, but has his good points. Oh yeah, it’s told all out of order, so that things they did that were fun at the beginning of the affair are juxtaposed with the same moments falling flat as the relationship deteriorates. Yes, I am talking about “500 Days of Summer”, but I could also be pitching “Annie Hall”. There are so many similarities between the two films that I stopped counting. I found it curious that neither host Jeff Goldsmith nor Screenwriter Scott Neustatder mentioned the Woody Allen masterwork when discussing “500 Days” on the Creative Screenwriting podcast. There are some great original moments; springing to mind are the Hall and Oates musical scene, and the fantasy vs. reality party scene. It’s stylish, touching, funny and altogether a charming bit of filmmaking. Just like "Annie Hall".
9) Sugar
Here's the pitch....knuckle curveball and a beauty. This may be the finest baseball movie since Bull Durham. It certainly gets so many things right that most baseball flicks miss. It's almost as if Ron Shelton and Ramin Bahrani co-directed. Shelton understood the Minors and the combination of desire and talent that a player needs to make the Bigs. Bahrani understands the lure of capitalism- the promise of success and it's appeal to the 3rd world. There is no get rich quick scheme more appealing than pro sports, and no poorer place that develops pros better than the DR. Sugar (the character) is the embodiment of so many young players in Latin America and the Caribbean. He has talent, but his desire is not tantamount. He bails on his career at the first obstacle, and with good reason. He is not driven, not compelled. Sugar (the film) is at it's best in the camps of the Dominican Republic. The language classes and the scouting combines have an honesty you'd never find on the MLB Network. Can I also mention the fact that these guys really look like they are playing ball. Is that too much to ask? Written and Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the same team that brought us "Half Nelson", "Sugar" is sure to join "Half Nelson" in gaining popularity as it gets showings on cable.
10) Up
For me, it's absolutely the best Pixar. The first 20 minutes are beautifully constructed and told, and the action sequences aren't as stupid and slapsticky as the worst parts of "Wall-E" and "Ratatouille" (both of which I loved, incidentally). The plot of hero worship, and what it means, and how it really isn't that big a deal if you find out that your heroes are actually less than you thought they were, is very appropriate for today's times. As long as there is inspiration, a hero's job is worthwhile. It's only important what YOU do with YOUR life. So if worshipping Tiger Woods makes you a better golfer, then does it really matter if he's got a problem keeping it in his pants? This is by no means a kid's movie, especially considering that last sentence I just wrote. However, what nobody told me is that it IS a dog-lover's movie. The talking dog comedy bits are laugh out loud funny, and the dinner sequence had my sides hurting.
Honorable Mentions;
"Zombieland"
"In The Loop"
"Paper Heart"
"Anvil: The Story of Anvil"
"Adventureland"
"Humpday"
2009 Disappointments;
"Taking Woodstock"
"Star Trek"
I still have yet to see: "Avatar", "Nine" and "Antichrist", all possibilities to crack the Top 10.
2009 was a great year for movies. I don't think there was anything that will crack my top 50 all time, but there might be some intruders into the 100.
1) Inglourious Basterds
Are you a film fanatic? Guess what? I am. Same with Tarantino. It shows in his devotion to the B Movie genre, and his love for film referencing in just about everything he writes, directs and acts. Nothing he has made shows more fondness for the cinema than "Basterds". It is a love letter to the medium, a phenomenal pastiche of different influences combining to make an entirely new sub-genre. Riffing on Films, I think I'll call it. It's like listening to Bud Powell, and hearing touches of Art Tatum, Thelonius Monk, Chopin and Duke Ellington all blending to make a new style of bop piano. You've got; classic WWII melodrama, Hitchcock-ian suspense and bad guys, blaxploitation narration, a revenge plot as over-the-top as "Old Boy". All the performances are brilliant, and the cutting and pacing are expertly handled. Even the presence of Brad Pitt as a comic book platoon leader lends some real toughness and comedy to the proceedings. He does not bring the film down as he did in "Benjamin Button". Melanie Laurent is a find, she is both beautiful and very moving. However, the real star of the film is Christoph Walz, His name seems to be missing some letters, but never mind. His portrayal of the "Jew Hunter" Col. Landa is probably the most complex and interesting evil-doer you will ever see on screen. Hitchcock's bad guys from "Saboteur" and "The 39 Steps" come to mind, but neither are played to the extent that they overtake the good guys in audience fascination. This can only be said for maybe Walz's Landa, and Heath Ledger's Joker from "The Dark Knight".
2) Up In The Air
The parts may be slightly greater than the sum in this very courant movie. There are some scenes that are bound to become classics, and nothing falls short, except that there really is no message. Well, yes, there is that little thing about how easy the modern world has made it to be happily disconnected from everything, including your loved ones. We are all quite aware of this point, but like global warming, we probably need to be reminded of it from time to time, and to realize just how damaging it has become. Like global warming, this film doesn't offer a solution that is realistic, but that in itself is realism. One of the scenes destined for immortality is the Bogey/Bacall homage in the hotel bar, where the two corporate travelers compare their mileage status with less than subtle sexual overtones. The referenced scene is from Howard Hawks' "The Big Sleep", wherein the metaphorical matter is horse-racing. As for the cast, Anna Kendrick is pitch perfect, and was probably cast due to her tour-de-force role in the vastly underrated and under-viewed "Rocket Science". But truly the performance of Vera Farmiga is the central stunner in this movie. She more than GETS the character; she creates a deep, subtle and credible presence in a part that could have been something far less. George Clooney is perfectly cast. His chops are improving, and his looks don't get in the way as they did in "Michael Clayton". Jason Reitman is developing into a first-rate actor's director, and his subject matter is beginning to show the signs of an auteur.
3) A Serious Man
AKA "No Country for Jews". Huh? Besides the minds behind them, what possibly can these two films have in common? How about the central message of the random cruelty and the meaninglessness of existence? Obviously the Coens have developed a true auteur's (that word again) visual and editing style. Their films all contain similar acting and dialogue. Yet now the message is becoming part of the ouvre. With their last 4 pictures, the Coens are hitting us hard with 2 central topics;
1) Life sucks, and
2) People are incompetent.
There is a 3rd message emerging; God is not going to help you out. In fact, he might be out to get you, too. That message is pounded home in "A Serious Man", and quite effectively. The movie is very personal for me; I was bar-mitzvahed the same year as Danny Gopnik, 1968. He is listening to the same music I listened to, is obsessed with the show "F Troop" as was I, and his friends remind me of mine. His locale is quite different than mine, I was raised in New York City. My parents had long broken up, whereas his are fragmenting while the story develops. Those differences being noted, he seems blithely indifferent to the central issues, as I am sure was I. In a way, I am both Danny, and his father Larry, in that now, I fully identify with Larry's sense of hopless abandonment, and with the Coen's 2, no 3 major messages. You can't count on people, you can't count on God, you can't really count on anything. So stop counting on stuff. What good is it doing you? I couldn't stop thinking about this movie for a week after seeing it. When the police come for Larry's brother, he yells "But I didn't DO anything!" Ohhhhh, how I identify, Uncle Arthur.
Did I mention how hysterically funny it was? I feel that this is one of those Coen films like "The Big Lebowski", that will go from well-liked up to cult status, and eventually become a classic of modern cinema.
One word about the performances; stellar, from the top down, and Michael Stuhlbarg absolutely nails his role.
4) The Brothers Bloom
I seem to be alone in my reverence for this film, but at least I know my daughter Dana, with whom I saw Bloom, agrees that Rian Johnson has continued with as strong a film as his debut, "Brick". Johnson is a genre deconstruction artist it seems. "Brick" was '40's Film Noir stuck in a contemporary High School, with all the usual characters and dialogue much more at home in the genre than the locus or period. "Bloom" is a con-artist story, but re-imagined and placed inside a contemporary indie/quirky shell. Usually, that shell is many film's undoing. Progenitors of the style, like Wes Anderson, have seen efforts fall flat, "The Royal Tennenbaums" coming to mind. There's got to be laughs and true unpredictability for it to work. Johnson accomplishes both with "Bloom", plus he manages to add suspense and romance to the package. Performances by Adrian Brody and Mark Ruffalo are fine, but wholly overshadowed by the two main women, Rachel Weisz and Rinko Kikuchi. Weisz fully masters a very difficult part; she must be innocent, brainy, sexy, plucky and comic all at the same time. It is, I feel, Oscar-worthy. Kikuchi is given an impish Harpo Marx-like character, challenging enough, but she plays it for laughs perfectly. The cons themselves are well thought out, but if the film has a flaw, it is in the rather soupy ending.
5) The Hurt Locker
Director Kathryn Bigelow seems to understand men on a level that no other female director has. She gets men the way John Sayles gets women, with truth, reverence and perspective. This is her finest film by far. Not only are the pacing and suspense on the very highest level, but also the hand-held camera is used to it's utmost. When the soldiers are looking around to see if there are insurgents lurking, you (the camera, I mean) are also swinging around quickly to scan. It is immensely effective, and makes you feel like you are as much in danger as the soldiers themselves. She doesn't get bogged down in the details of bomb-defusing, in the politics of the war, or even in the inherent goodness or badness of the characters. It's all about courageous men in dangerous situations, the adrenaline rush of it, the pain of loss, the immediate gratification, the competitive urge. Jeremy Renner is amazing in the lead role of bomb-defuser. His performance could have been one-dimensional, and the film would still have been very good. Instead, he is remarkably nuanced, and it elevates the movie to brilliance.
6) Goodbye Solo
I have a friend who found the relationships and motivations in this film unbelievable. The truth is, if you don't buy into the characters, then this is a waste of time. I, on the other hand, found the two lead roles and the performers wholly realistic. Ramin Bahrani is truly an auteur ala the great Rohmer. His subject matter and style are very uniform. The subject matter is the lives of recent American immigrants, the style is hyper-realism. In "Solo", you've got a man nearing the end of his life, filled with hopelessness, and another man at the crucial juncture of his life, still hopeful and trying not to give in to the crush of reality. Solo feels that if he can give this old man a reason to continue on, then he himself will be bolstered in his fight to make it. His motivation is to save his own dreams, which are slowly being eroded. Both lead actors, Souleymane Sy Savane and Red West do a convincing job of turning a unique situation into something that seems very probable. Basically, my friend is an idiot.
7) Moon
I miss this kind of sci-fi. Films and books like "Moon" are what got me interested in the genre. What had recently killed it for me are the huge blockbusters and comic book movies that seem to permeate the medium nowadays. Even when a sci-fi doesn't lean heavily on effects, it feels like there has to be some kind of extra nonsense, like Danny Boyle's "Sunshine", with it's monster movie climax. Suspense, apparently, is not enough to carry a modern space flick. I beg to differ. "Moon" is an example of how to beautifully control pace and tension without bombarding the viewer with big time and big money effects. It works the way Tarkovsky's "Solaris" worked, the way "Alien" worked, the way the original "Day The Earth Stood Still" worked.
Tour de Force acting by Sam Rockwell and a very simple but original plot give a huge boost to this taut effort.Duncan Jones is a major new talent, I am looking forward to future works by him.
8 ) 500 Days of Summer
Here’s the pitch; It’s a romantic comedy, a chick flick, but from the guy’s point of view. He’s got quirky friends, she’s beautiful with a fun sense of humor and style. He’s kind of goofy, but has his good points. Oh yeah, it’s told all out of order, so that things they did that were fun at the beginning of the affair are juxtaposed with the same moments falling flat as the relationship deteriorates. Yes, I am talking about “500 Days of Summer”, but I could also be pitching “Annie Hall”. There are so many similarities between the two films that I stopped counting. I found it curious that neither host Jeff Goldsmith nor Screenwriter Scott Neustatder mentioned the Woody Allen masterwork when discussing “500 Days” on the Creative Screenwriting podcast. There are some great original moments; springing to mind are the Hall and Oates musical scene, and the fantasy vs. reality party scene. It’s stylish, touching, funny and altogether a charming bit of filmmaking. Just like "Annie Hall".
9) Sugar
Here's the pitch....knuckle curveball and a beauty. This may be the finest baseball movie since Bull Durham. It certainly gets so many things right that most baseball flicks miss. It's almost as if Ron Shelton and Ramin Bahrani co-directed. Shelton understood the Minors and the combination of desire and talent that a player needs to make the Bigs. Bahrani understands the lure of capitalism- the promise of success and it's appeal to the 3rd world. There is no get rich quick scheme more appealing than pro sports, and no poorer place that develops pros better than the DR. Sugar (the character) is the embodiment of so many young players in Latin America and the Caribbean. He has talent, but his desire is not tantamount. He bails on his career at the first obstacle, and with good reason. He is not driven, not compelled. Sugar (the film) is at it's best in the camps of the Dominican Republic. The language classes and the scouting combines have an honesty you'd never find on the MLB Network. Can I also mention the fact that these guys really look like they are playing ball. Is that too much to ask? Written and Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the same team that brought us "Half Nelson", "Sugar" is sure to join "Half Nelson" in gaining popularity as it gets showings on cable.
10) Up
For me, it's absolutely the best Pixar. The first 20 minutes are beautifully constructed and told, and the action sequences aren't as stupid and slapsticky as the worst parts of "Wall-E" and "Ratatouille" (both of which I loved, incidentally). The plot of hero worship, and what it means, and how it really isn't that big a deal if you find out that your heroes are actually less than you thought they were, is very appropriate for today's times. As long as there is inspiration, a hero's job is worthwhile. It's only important what YOU do with YOUR life. So if worshipping Tiger Woods makes you a better golfer, then does it really matter if he's got a problem keeping it in his pants? This is by no means a kid's movie, especially considering that last sentence I just wrote. However, what nobody told me is that it IS a dog-lover's movie. The talking dog comedy bits are laugh out loud funny, and the dinner sequence had my sides hurting.
Honorable Mentions;
"Zombieland"
"In The Loop"
"Paper Heart"
"Anvil: The Story of Anvil"
"Adventureland"
"Humpday"
2009 Disappointments;
"Taking Woodstock"
"Star Trek"
I still have yet to see: "Avatar", "Nine" and "Antichrist", all possibilities to crack the Top 10.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Royal Scam LP Show at DAR 11/23
First the bad news. The DAR Constitution Hall is about the worst sounding big hall I have ever heard. The louder the music got, the more muddy it became, and for those of us spoiled by Steely Dan's anal attention to sound quality both recorded and live, it was quite a comedown. Freddy Washington's Bass was pretty much unintelligible throughout the show, and that is truly a drag. The DAR makes my guest bathroom sound like Carnegie Hall.
Now the good news. There was an opening act, The Deep Blue Organ Trio. Out of Chicago, the DBOT is a classic Organ trio, OGD in the tradition of Jimmy Smith and more. The brief set was all swing, played with virtuosity and dynamics. An original blues was followed by a swing cover of Earth, Wind and Fire's "Can't Hide Love", an arrangement I plan to cop asap. They finished with a medium groove on "These Foolish Things", with the Mother of all out-vamps finishing the set.
After a brief reset, the Steely Dan back-up band did a quick rendition of "Teenie's Blues", from the great album "Blues and the Abstract Truth" by Oliver Nelson. Then out came Don &Walt, and the vocalists in their typical deployment. Girls stage right, horns rear and stage left. At the edge of stage right was a small stand with a speaker box turntable. Vocalist Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery ventured to the TT, dropped an LP on the spindle, and placed the tone-arm down. The band immediately kicked in the groove for "Kid Charlemagne", and the LP party was ON. There are few other records I would say would be worth doing this. Obviously Dan's 3 they have done (Scam, Aja and Gaucho) plus any of their other '70's offerings. Dream ideas would be "Rubber Soul", "Revolver", "I Am", "Rags to Rufus", "Sticky Fingers", "The Nightfly", "Native Dancer", "Music of My Mind", "Child is Father to The Man".
"Scam" is a true work of art; a band at its most innovative moment, stretching their own boundaries and surrounding themselves with musicians on the highest level. The lyrics are nonpareil, the grooves are to die for, the arrangements and solos all amongst the best ever put on record. "Caves of Altamira" is my personal favorite song by SD (a close second is "Pixeleen"), and it is a smoker live. Guitarist Jon Herrington kicks off one of Dan's only true rocker songs, "Don't Take Me Alive". Visually, the only thing to look at are the female vocalists, and of course drummer Keith Carlock, more animated than I have ever seen. As the girls do their bg's on the ascending "Mu" chords of the verse, the astoundingly good light show highlights them. In fact, the lights throughout the show were stunning and entertaining. A good thing since Don and Walter are a tad static in stage presence. Next was "Sign In Stranger", which I've never seen live, and it was great. The 'not-Donald' keyboardist, Jim Beard was more than a capable stand in for the original piano part by Victor Feldman. The 1st side ended with "The Fez", possibly the best song ever written about prophylactic use. The girls did all the vocals, Donald went off stage, presumably for a quick nap. Or maybe they took him out for the last 2 minutes before halftime to keep him out of foul trouble.
Carolyn returned to the turntable, lifted the tone-arm, flipped the LP, replaced the tone-arm, and the band fired up Side 2, 1st track Green Earrings, groove entirely intact. Herrington and Walter had some fun trading solos at the end. This was followed by certainly the crowd favorite, "Haitian Divorce". The only time I heard this performed was in Hershey a few years back, and Walter sang lead. Some tunes are fine for the Becker pipes, the Divorce is not one of them. Thankfully, Donald took the lead on the song this time, and it was strained, but very true to the original. No talk box solo by Jon, but the feeling of the recording survived. Then came the only rearrangement of the album part of the show; "Everything You Did", which I renamed "Everything You Did When you Got Home At Last". They changed the groove to the Purdie Shuffle, and it worked beautifully. The album portion of the show ended when they did the title track, and it was glorious just as the lyrics say. Amazing work by Jim Pugh, on the Scammy trombone.
When the recital portion ended, Donald finally addressed the audience. We were now going to hear songs from the entirety of their "illustrious career". In fact, every album was represented except, curiously," Two Against Nature", their Grammy winner. They started with "Hey 19", which, now that I have a 19 year old daughter, and now that Donald is on the other side of 60, I found creepier than ever. Can't Buy a Thrill was represented by "Dirty Work" (sung by the women), and the lone encore, "Reelin' In The Years". Countdown to Ecstasy contributed "My Old School", Pretzel Logic gave us "Show Biz Kids" (which was a bit tired, honestly), Katy Lied was saluted with Walter singing "Daddy Don't Live in That New York City no More", Aja was, as always, well referneced with "Peg", "Josie" and an amazing version of its title track, which had Tenor saxophonist Walt Weiskopf and drummer Carlock blowing the doors off the middle and end vamps. "Godwhacker" was the offering from Everything Must Go.
No solo pieces were played, interestingly enough. So nothing from Morph, Circus Money, Nightfly etc. If you saw Donald's Morph the Cat tour, you got plenty of that stuff.
The crowd was pretty advanced in age, lots of older musician types. At one point during the organ trio part, the crowd started clapping on the 1 and 3, a very anti-jazz thing to do. My friend, drummer George Jones commented on how pathetic white people's sense of rhythm is. My wife countered with, "Actually they are clapping right. It's just the delay from their hearing aids". Nice one! George returned from the Men's room wondering why there were "Flomax" ads down there. Another nice one. Well the boys of irony are getting on in years themselves, but still, the genius of their songs, and the brilliance of the musicianship with which they surround themselves make for an exemplary night of music.
Now the good news. There was an opening act, The Deep Blue Organ Trio. Out of Chicago, the DBOT is a classic Organ trio, OGD in the tradition of Jimmy Smith and more. The brief set was all swing, played with virtuosity and dynamics. An original blues was followed by a swing cover of Earth, Wind and Fire's "Can't Hide Love", an arrangement I plan to cop asap. They finished with a medium groove on "These Foolish Things", with the Mother of all out-vamps finishing the set.
After a brief reset, the Steely Dan back-up band did a quick rendition of "Teenie's Blues", from the great album "Blues and the Abstract Truth" by Oliver Nelson. Then out came Don &Walt, and the vocalists in their typical deployment. Girls stage right, horns rear and stage left. At the edge of stage right was a small stand with a speaker box turntable. Vocalist Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery ventured to the TT, dropped an LP on the spindle, and placed the tone-arm down. The band immediately kicked in the groove for "Kid Charlemagne", and the LP party was ON. There are few other records I would say would be worth doing this. Obviously Dan's 3 they have done (Scam, Aja and Gaucho) plus any of their other '70's offerings. Dream ideas would be "Rubber Soul", "Revolver", "I Am", "Rags to Rufus", "Sticky Fingers", "The Nightfly", "Native Dancer", "Music of My Mind", "Child is Father to The Man".
"Scam" is a true work of art; a band at its most innovative moment, stretching their own boundaries and surrounding themselves with musicians on the highest level. The lyrics are nonpareil, the grooves are to die for, the arrangements and solos all amongst the best ever put on record. "Caves of Altamira" is my personal favorite song by SD (a close second is "Pixeleen"), and it is a smoker live. Guitarist Jon Herrington kicks off one of Dan's only true rocker songs, "Don't Take Me Alive". Visually, the only thing to look at are the female vocalists, and of course drummer Keith Carlock, more animated than I have ever seen. As the girls do their bg's on the ascending "Mu" chords of the verse, the astoundingly good light show highlights them. In fact, the lights throughout the show were stunning and entertaining. A good thing since Don and Walter are a tad static in stage presence. Next was "Sign In Stranger", which I've never seen live, and it was great. The 'not-Donald' keyboardist, Jim Beard was more than a capable stand in for the original piano part by Victor Feldman. The 1st side ended with "The Fez", possibly the best song ever written about prophylactic use. The girls did all the vocals, Donald went off stage, presumably for a quick nap. Or maybe they took him out for the last 2 minutes before halftime to keep him out of foul trouble.
Carolyn returned to the turntable, lifted the tone-arm, flipped the LP, replaced the tone-arm, and the band fired up Side 2, 1st track Green Earrings, groove entirely intact. Herrington and Walter had some fun trading solos at the end. This was followed by certainly the crowd favorite, "Haitian Divorce". The only time I heard this performed was in Hershey a few years back, and Walter sang lead. Some tunes are fine for the Becker pipes, the Divorce is not one of them. Thankfully, Donald took the lead on the song this time, and it was strained, but very true to the original. No talk box solo by Jon, but the feeling of the recording survived. Then came the only rearrangement of the album part of the show; "Everything You Did", which I renamed "Everything You Did When you Got Home At Last". They changed the groove to the Purdie Shuffle, and it worked beautifully. The album portion of the show ended when they did the title track, and it was glorious just as the lyrics say. Amazing work by Jim Pugh, on the Scammy trombone.
When the recital portion ended, Donald finally addressed the audience. We were now going to hear songs from the entirety of their "illustrious career". In fact, every album was represented except, curiously," Two Against Nature", their Grammy winner. They started with "Hey 19", which, now that I have a 19 year old daughter, and now that Donald is on the other side of 60, I found creepier than ever. Can't Buy a Thrill was represented by "Dirty Work" (sung by the women), and the lone encore, "Reelin' In The Years". Countdown to Ecstasy contributed "My Old School", Pretzel Logic gave us "Show Biz Kids" (which was a bit tired, honestly), Katy Lied was saluted with Walter singing "Daddy Don't Live in That New York City no More", Aja was, as always, well referneced with "Peg", "Josie" and an amazing version of its title track, which had Tenor saxophonist Walt Weiskopf and drummer Carlock blowing the doors off the middle and end vamps. "Godwhacker" was the offering from Everything Must Go.
No solo pieces were played, interestingly enough. So nothing from Morph, Circus Money, Nightfly etc. If you saw Donald's Morph the Cat tour, you got plenty of that stuff.
The crowd was pretty advanced in age, lots of older musician types. At one point during the organ trio part, the crowd started clapping on the 1 and 3, a very anti-jazz thing to do. My friend, drummer George Jones commented on how pathetic white people's sense of rhythm is. My wife countered with, "Actually they are clapping right. It's just the delay from their hearing aids". Nice one! George returned from the Men's room wondering why there were "Flomax" ads down there. Another nice one. Well the boys of irony are getting on in years themselves, but still, the genius of their songs, and the brilliance of the musicianship with which they surround themselves make for an exemplary night of music.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Catching up on Movies
Here are some of my thoughts on movies new and not so new that i have just seen;
"Zack and Miri Make a Porno"; Probably the weirdest date movie ever.....definitely the only date movie that Katie Morgan will ever be in...Kevin Smith seems to have learned how to get more from his actors than just smart-ass rejoinders...despite the fact that apparently it stays below zero in Pittsburgh from November through March, everything works in this truly funny film...Justin Long had me laughing so hard I thought I was going to need an ambulance...Elizabeth Banks is just great in everything...if it was possible to steal this film, then Craig Robinson (Darryl from "The Office") does just that.
"Atonement"; How many drawing room dramas would not exist if British people would just TALK to each other?....James McAvoy is always believeable and charming and just right....with the exception of McAvoy and Saoirse Ronan, who plays little Briony, the rest of the cast seems to be decoration, even Keira Knightly, who does her best Helena Bonham Carter imitation...the tracking shot at the beach in France is a monumental achievement, and I heard nothing about it in any review that I read....I can't imagine how long the setup was for it, and how much of it was CGI...the score got on my nerves more than once.
"Hamlet 2": Nothing like satirizing a classic film style (teacher wins over students, see "To Sir With Love") only to find that in the end you've actually capitulated to the formula...best spin in the satire was at the home of the most troubled student, where the parents are successful, caring and attentive...lots of great laughs in this film, but I am not big on Coogan's slapstick...the kids from "Spring Awakenings" were really good...there is much to love in this cute distraction.
"Michael Clayton"; described as a courtroom drama, it never actually goes to court...I waited the entire movie for Clooney to crack a smile, and he almost does at the very end..one gets the feeling that he is just too good looking to be this character....the pacing and story-telling are absolutely top-notch...Tom Wilkinson has the juiciest part and he nails it, as does Tilda Swinton in her turn...but tell me someone, why does Michael pull over and look at the horses? Couldn't they have set something up? He's supposed to be a gambler--couldn't it have been the track he was into instead of poker?....the confrontation between Clooney and Swinton at the climax of the film is worth the wait....by the way, a great and subtle score.
"Zack and Miri Make a Porno"; Probably the weirdest date movie ever.....definitely the only date movie that Katie Morgan will ever be in...Kevin Smith seems to have learned how to get more from his actors than just smart-ass rejoinders...despite the fact that apparently it stays below zero in Pittsburgh from November through March, everything works in this truly funny film...Justin Long had me laughing so hard I thought I was going to need an ambulance...Elizabeth Banks is just great in everything...if it was possible to steal this film, then Craig Robinson (Darryl from "The Office") does just that.
"Atonement"; How many drawing room dramas would not exist if British people would just TALK to each other?....James McAvoy is always believeable and charming and just right....with the exception of McAvoy and Saoirse Ronan, who plays little Briony, the rest of the cast seems to be decoration, even Keira Knightly, who does her best Helena Bonham Carter imitation...the tracking shot at the beach in France is a monumental achievement, and I heard nothing about it in any review that I read....I can't imagine how long the setup was for it, and how much of it was CGI...the score got on my nerves more than once.
"Hamlet 2": Nothing like satirizing a classic film style (teacher wins over students, see "To Sir With Love") only to find that in the end you've actually capitulated to the formula...best spin in the satire was at the home of the most troubled student, where the parents are successful, caring and attentive...lots of great laughs in this film, but I am not big on Coogan's slapstick...the kids from "Spring Awakenings" were really good...there is much to love in this cute distraction.
"Michael Clayton"; described as a courtroom drama, it never actually goes to court...I waited the entire movie for Clooney to crack a smile, and he almost does at the very end..one gets the feeling that he is just too good looking to be this character....the pacing and story-telling are absolutely top-notch...Tom Wilkinson has the juiciest part and he nails it, as does Tilda Swinton in her turn...but tell me someone, why does Michael pull over and look at the horses? Couldn't they have set something up? He's supposed to be a gambler--couldn't it have been the track he was into instead of poker?....the confrontation between Clooney and Swinton at the climax of the film is worth the wait....by the way, a great and subtle score.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A Visit to The Inn at Little Washington
For my wife’s 1st birthday as an empty-nester, I figured I’d lessen the blow of separation anxiety and aging anxiety the way Jewish husbands have for centuries; I threw money at it.
My plan was to whisk her away to Virginia wine country, take her out for a four star meal and a lavish B&B. If you know our area, the one place to do that where you know everything will be amazing is The Inn at Little Washington.
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, the Inn is about as sumptuous an experience as you can imagine. The staff is particularly impressive. When we arrived in the late afternoon to check in, they were ready for us and called us by our names before we had a chance to tell them anything. Either 1) we were the only people checking in (wrong), 2) we were the last to check in (possibly, but I doubt it) or 3) they had googled us and had pictures ready the way reporters will for prospective interviewees. That is a bit creepy, to be sure, but it’s that kind of attention to detail that is so amazing about the place. Chef and proprietor Patrick O’Connell was an actor before he took on the Hospitality game, and he has turned the experience of dining and hosting into a performance; a show complete with prologue, characters, plot development, and denoument.
After being toured through the facility, we were shown our accomodations, a beautiful little palace guest room. All the appointments ( I know that’s the right word but it sounds wrong, doesn’t it?) were luxurious. The bathroom in particular was remarkable but very tight, however, where doors open into each other, and negotiating between sink, toilet and shower was difficult. Still, the fixtures, counters, tiny ablutives, terrycloth robes and slippers were all the best money can buy. So this is how the very rich live, thought I. Treated like celebrities, coddled with the nicest of niceties. No wonder they start to think of themselves as a race apart. What I like about the Inn is that even though they might realize that you are not part of the landed aristocracy, they will treat you as such. No snobbery here, at least not to your face!
As for our meal, the show really begins when you take your seats. We had been wine tasting all day, so were not really in the mood for a bottle. I ordered one glass of my favorite wine, Chataneuf du Pape. As we perused the menu (and I was familiar with many of the dishes from looking at the Chef’s books which were coffee-table variety books strewn about our room), the meal began with an amuse-bouche. Three large porcelain spoons each with a little bite of something unmemorable. A little roasted pepper on this one, some grapefruity concoction on that.
Ordering at the Inn is difficult, since you would like to try everything. What you get is 4 courses for a lot of money. When we went there the first time back in 1991 it was $97 prix fixe. Now it is almost twice that! Talk about inflation. We ordered, and I realized that our waitress was probably the least interesting server in the restaurant. There was another waiter, a gentleman who looked like a marionette, bobbing and weaving all over the place in the most exaggerated movements. Why couldn’t we have had him?
The Maitre D’ came over and pinned a white carnation on my lapel, informing me that all male overnight guests at the Inn get one. After ordering, the bread came, delectable little rolls and slices. Quickly we were recipients of a little double demitasse of Cream of Parsnip soup. It was perfect; creamy and flavorful. It made me want to figure out just what parsnips taste like. I don’t believe I have ever had one as the centerpiece of anything.
Our first course arrived post-haste. My wife had ordered the lamb carpaccio, I the lobster salad. Round one went to her. I thought the lamb was better than any beef carpaccio I had tried, plus it was drizzled with some delicious EVOO, and served with a bit of tabouli with just the right hint of acidity to cut against the oil and lamb. My lobster salad was mostly claw meat with a little tail, some fresh grapefruit pieces and frisee. I’ve had better in a shack in Maine. I think with lobster it’s always about how it gets to your plate, and the closer you live to where it is harvested, the better it will be. Those tanks are flavor killers.
The second came out soon after we finished. Timing is everything at the Inn. Two waiters will bring your food and plop the dishes down at the very same moment. It’s one of the flourishes that makes the whole experience seem special. I had requested the “Fire and Ice”, Chef O’Connell’s famous fois gras dish. A seared slab of the glorious foodstuff is placed next to a cold piece of it. If you love this like I do, you try not to think of the process, but only of the result. Hey, I like hearts of palm, but as infrequently as I have it, I don’t feel responsible for the disappearance of the rainforest! Anyway, the birthday girl ordered pecan crusted tempura softshell crab. A very good and meaty crab, but the preparation was not really the right blend. Round two went to me and my fois gras.
Now, the main event was upon us. Rack of Lamb was the lady’s choice, crusted with pistachios (that’s a big thing, the nut crusting). I found the dish a little disappointing. The lamb, cooked rare, was a bit dry and flavorless. The reduction accompanying it was also not remarkable. There were little pillows of artichoke ravioli which were exquisite, but not enough to rescue the dish. My entrée, on the other hand was the Tuna “Masquerading as Filet Mignon”. A large center cut Tuna steak, seared and capped with a slice of fois gras (I told you I can’t resist!) which itself is masquerading as a mushroom cap. It was served with a hoisin sauce and very thinly sliced vegetables. It’s like having the most tender steak with none of the cholesterol. No contest here, my dish was far superior. Score: me 2, birthday girl 1.
Finally, dessert. My wife, evidently stuffed to the gills from watching me eat everything on both plates, ordered the “Palette of Sorbets”. I, in a final act of pure gluttony, ordered the “7 Deadly Sins”, a sampling of their most decadent dulcet delectables. The Sorbets were served on what looked like a glass artist palette, with little brushes made of cookies. It was one of the most visually stunning presentations I’ve ever seen in a restaurant. She raved about the Grapefruit/Campari Sorbet, but I also really liked the Blackberry. All I remember about my dessert was me stripping naked and diving into the plate, fork and spoon whirling together like a speedboat propeller, and then coffee. What was on the plate, I can’t tell you. I know chocolate was involved. Maybe even Crème Fraiche. Probably no fois gras.
The best part of the night was our commute back to the room. Actually, for me, I needed to walk off all that entrenching. It was a beautiful early fall evening, and I walked all around the town, which took about 10 minutes. Behind the Inn is the chef’s private garden, filled with fresh herbs and beautiful flowers. You can also look in the window upon the kitchen to see the magic in preparation. I stood there for quite some time, enjoying the action. It really was something to watch, kind of like a different reality show; Heaven’s Kitchen.
My plan was to whisk her away to Virginia wine country, take her out for a four star meal and a lavish B&B. If you know our area, the one place to do that where you know everything will be amazing is The Inn at Little Washington.
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, the Inn is about as sumptuous an experience as you can imagine. The staff is particularly impressive. When we arrived in the late afternoon to check in, they were ready for us and called us by our names before we had a chance to tell them anything. Either 1) we were the only people checking in (wrong), 2) we were the last to check in (possibly, but I doubt it) or 3) they had googled us and had pictures ready the way reporters will for prospective interviewees. That is a bit creepy, to be sure, but it’s that kind of attention to detail that is so amazing about the place. Chef and proprietor Patrick O’Connell was an actor before he took on the Hospitality game, and he has turned the experience of dining and hosting into a performance; a show complete with prologue, characters, plot development, and denoument.
After being toured through the facility, we were shown our accomodations, a beautiful little palace guest room. All the appointments ( I know that’s the right word but it sounds wrong, doesn’t it?) were luxurious. The bathroom in particular was remarkable but very tight, however, where doors open into each other, and negotiating between sink, toilet and shower was difficult. Still, the fixtures, counters, tiny ablutives, terrycloth robes and slippers were all the best money can buy. So this is how the very rich live, thought I. Treated like celebrities, coddled with the nicest of niceties. No wonder they start to think of themselves as a race apart. What I like about the Inn is that even though they might realize that you are not part of the landed aristocracy, they will treat you as such. No snobbery here, at least not to your face!
As for our meal, the show really begins when you take your seats. We had been wine tasting all day, so were not really in the mood for a bottle. I ordered one glass of my favorite wine, Chataneuf du Pape. As we perused the menu (and I was familiar with many of the dishes from looking at the Chef’s books which were coffee-table variety books strewn about our room), the meal began with an amuse-bouche. Three large porcelain spoons each with a little bite of something unmemorable. A little roasted pepper on this one, some grapefruity concoction on that.
Ordering at the Inn is difficult, since you would like to try everything. What you get is 4 courses for a lot of money. When we went there the first time back in 1991 it was $97 prix fixe. Now it is almost twice that! Talk about inflation. We ordered, and I realized that our waitress was probably the least interesting server in the restaurant. There was another waiter, a gentleman who looked like a marionette, bobbing and weaving all over the place in the most exaggerated movements. Why couldn’t we have had him?
The Maitre D’ came over and pinned a white carnation on my lapel, informing me that all male overnight guests at the Inn get one. After ordering, the bread came, delectable little rolls and slices. Quickly we were recipients of a little double demitasse of Cream of Parsnip soup. It was perfect; creamy and flavorful. It made me want to figure out just what parsnips taste like. I don’t believe I have ever had one as the centerpiece of anything.
Our first course arrived post-haste. My wife had ordered the lamb carpaccio, I the lobster salad. Round one went to her. I thought the lamb was better than any beef carpaccio I had tried, plus it was drizzled with some delicious EVOO, and served with a bit of tabouli with just the right hint of acidity to cut against the oil and lamb. My lobster salad was mostly claw meat with a little tail, some fresh grapefruit pieces and frisee. I’ve had better in a shack in Maine. I think with lobster it’s always about how it gets to your plate, and the closer you live to where it is harvested, the better it will be. Those tanks are flavor killers.
The second came out soon after we finished. Timing is everything at the Inn. Two waiters will bring your food and plop the dishes down at the very same moment. It’s one of the flourishes that makes the whole experience seem special. I had requested the “Fire and Ice”, Chef O’Connell’s famous fois gras dish. A seared slab of the glorious foodstuff is placed next to a cold piece of it. If you love this like I do, you try not to think of the process, but only of the result. Hey, I like hearts of palm, but as infrequently as I have it, I don’t feel responsible for the disappearance of the rainforest! Anyway, the birthday girl ordered pecan crusted tempura softshell crab. A very good and meaty crab, but the preparation was not really the right blend. Round two went to me and my fois gras.
Now, the main event was upon us. Rack of Lamb was the lady’s choice, crusted with pistachios (that’s a big thing, the nut crusting). I found the dish a little disappointing. The lamb, cooked rare, was a bit dry and flavorless. The reduction accompanying it was also not remarkable. There were little pillows of artichoke ravioli which were exquisite, but not enough to rescue the dish. My entrée, on the other hand was the Tuna “Masquerading as Filet Mignon”. A large center cut Tuna steak, seared and capped with a slice of fois gras (I told you I can’t resist!) which itself is masquerading as a mushroom cap. It was served with a hoisin sauce and very thinly sliced vegetables. It’s like having the most tender steak with none of the cholesterol. No contest here, my dish was far superior. Score: me 2, birthday girl 1.
Finally, dessert. My wife, evidently stuffed to the gills from watching me eat everything on both plates, ordered the “Palette of Sorbets”. I, in a final act of pure gluttony, ordered the “7 Deadly Sins”, a sampling of their most decadent dulcet delectables. The Sorbets were served on what looked like a glass artist palette, with little brushes made of cookies. It was one of the most visually stunning presentations I’ve ever seen in a restaurant. She raved about the Grapefruit/Campari Sorbet, but I also really liked the Blackberry. All I remember about my dessert was me stripping naked and diving into the plate, fork and spoon whirling together like a speedboat propeller, and then coffee. What was on the plate, I can’t tell you. I know chocolate was involved. Maybe even Crème Fraiche. Probably no fois gras.
The best part of the night was our commute back to the room. Actually, for me, I needed to walk off all that entrenching. It was a beautiful early fall evening, and I walked all around the town, which took about 10 minutes. Behind the Inn is the chef’s private garden, filled with fresh herbs and beautiful flowers. You can also look in the window upon the kitchen to see the magic in preparation. I stood there for quite some time, enjoying the action. It really was something to watch, kind of like a different reality show; Heaven’s Kitchen.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
This One Only Goes to 11
A new rule in Olympic baseball has appeared just in time for baseball to bow out as an Olympic sport, thank goodness. If you haven't heard, the IOC decided to shorten the game we love, and make a change in the rules regarding extra inning games. If a game is tied going into the 11th, each team will get a weird mulligan....starting the 11th with men on 1st and 2nd and no outs.
NBC commentator and baseball color man Joe Magrane has called this new rule "garbage", probably the only thing he has said worth quoting so far. I must agree. One of the things that makes baseball so interesting is the extra-innings tension, the endless duel of whose bullpen can hold on longest, whose defense will lose concentration and slip up, whose manager will play just the right card in pinch-hitting, bullpen move or non-move. Baseball fans live for extra-innings. Those who don't should just put their damn football jerseys on and watch a clock somewhere.
Well, I think there were some better ideas they should have considered for shortening the games, and i will list them here.
At the start of the 10th inning of a tie game;
1) Make the entire outfield turn their backs to the plate until they hear the crack of the bat. Then they can spin around and try and find the ball. Better yet...wait until an ump blows a whistle, then have their teammates direct them to the general area of the baseball.
2) Make all defensive players switch positions ala volleyball rotation after each batter. Oh yeah...they have to use the same glove no matter where they are fielding (except the catcher, of course...I mean let's be reasonable!).
3) Have Beach Volleyball girls scrimmaging in the on-deck circle....sure to cause lapses in concentration! Hilarity ensues!
4) Put Joe Magrane's comments on the loudspeaker, with a nasty reverb effect. Or, make him sound like Christian Bale's laryngitic Batman. OK, so he probably doesn't need any help sounding awful. Just his voice amplified, and I guarantee players will gladly bobble a ball or serve up a meaty fastball in order to end the game asap.
5) Stop the game, and have an Equestrian Dressage event on the infield. Do NOT have the field crew clean up afterward. Hilarity ensues! Sure gives new meaning to the ever-popular horsesh*t call.
6) Reverse the amount of balls and strikes you need for a result. 3 balls, take your base. 4 strikes, yerrr out!
7) Move all the bases in to kickball distance. Outfit the infielders with hockey masks. Make the pitcher throw underhanded. Oh, hell....let's just put a tee up there and wail away!!!
NBC commentator and baseball color man Joe Magrane has called this new rule "garbage", probably the only thing he has said worth quoting so far. I must agree. One of the things that makes baseball so interesting is the extra-innings tension, the endless duel of whose bullpen can hold on longest, whose defense will lose concentration and slip up, whose manager will play just the right card in pinch-hitting, bullpen move or non-move. Baseball fans live for extra-innings. Those who don't should just put their damn football jerseys on and watch a clock somewhere.
Well, I think there were some better ideas they should have considered for shortening the games, and i will list them here.
At the start of the 10th inning of a tie game;
1) Make the entire outfield turn their backs to the plate until they hear the crack of the bat. Then they can spin around and try and find the ball. Better yet...wait until an ump blows a whistle, then have their teammates direct them to the general area of the baseball.
2) Make all defensive players switch positions ala volleyball rotation after each batter. Oh yeah...they have to use the same glove no matter where they are fielding (except the catcher, of course...I mean let's be reasonable!).
3) Have Beach Volleyball girls scrimmaging in the on-deck circle....sure to cause lapses in concentration! Hilarity ensues!
4) Put Joe Magrane's comments on the loudspeaker, with a nasty reverb effect. Or, make him sound like Christian Bale's laryngitic Batman. OK, so he probably doesn't need any help sounding awful. Just his voice amplified, and I guarantee players will gladly bobble a ball or serve up a meaty fastball in order to end the game asap.
5) Stop the game, and have an Equestrian Dressage event on the infield. Do NOT have the field crew clean up afterward. Hilarity ensues! Sure gives new meaning to the ever-popular horsesh*t call.
6) Reverse the amount of balls and strikes you need for a result. 3 balls, take your base. 4 strikes, yerrr out!
7) Move all the bases in to kickball distance. Outfit the infielders with hockey masks. Make the pitcher throw underhanded. Oh, hell....let's just put a tee up there and wail away!!!
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