VIGGO & THE FORGOTTEN "ROAD"

Viggo Mortensen in the house.

Saw a special screening of THE ROAD a while back and never got around to writing about it. I guess the reason I neglected to write about the film is the same reason everyone's neglected the film as a whole. This is a pitch dark piece of work. It's Schindler's List type of Darkness. It's the kind of film you watch once, process and never want to watch again. I put REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and SCHINDLER'S LIST in the Darkness category as well. They are all must watch films. "Musts" that every cinephile should ingest. But in all three cases, they are difficult films to revisit.

The Road is relentlessly bleak. It's the pure personification of hopelessness... and yet it ends on a somewhat hopeful note. Not enough has been said about Viggo Mortensen's performance. The consumate actor pulled a Bale and got himself sickeningly emaciated for the role. He looks like a man a few days away from death by starvation. Completely honest and believable performance. The boy (Kodi Smith-Mcphee) in the film who plays his son gives a very naturalistic performance. Actually I wouldn't call it a performance-- it's him. I don't think the boy was acting. There's one scene where a man is basically trying to steal Viggo's boy so he can have him for dinner. It's a world of cannibals. The lengths Viggo will go to save his Boy are what any father would do to preserve his perfect son in a dying world.

It's a sad, sad film that was too much darkness in what has been an all around shitty year for a lot of people. People wanted to be transported to a different world with vibrant colors and a happy ending. The Road got lost in the shuffle-- I'm guilty of it-- but it shouldn't have been.

After the film, Viggo was in attendance and I asked him when we would see the further adventures of Nicholai in the proposed EASTERN PROMISES sequel. He expressed much trepidation about the sequel that was in fact being written at this very moment. He expressed fear about how they would top the naked knife fight in the steam room sequence. What other appendages would director David Croneberg ask him to risk in the sequel? Viggo said sequels are rarely good and the only way he'd follow up EP is if it was as good as GODFATHER 2. But he did end by saying he would follow David Cronenberg anywhere. Even hell.

Your Friend,

D.

WANDERING AROUND DISNEY ANIMATION STUDIOS

Hi-Ho!

Had to put up these nifty picks we took while walking around the Disney Animation Studio Lot. Loved how they gave Dopey a Santa Hat. What was I doing walking around the Disney Lot? Now that's another story.

Tried to locate Walt's frozen melon but security was Mission Impossibly tight.

Your Friend,

D.

BABY MESMERIZED BY XMAS TREE.

My beautiful little Lady sat mesmerized by the tree yesterday. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Your Friend,

D.

TOP TWELVE FILMS OF 2009

This is a revision of my previous Best 11 films of the year. I'm gonna go with my Top 12 Films of the year. Why 12? Because there are 12 months in a year. So one film for each month. Actually sounds like it makes sense. Right? Never really understood why everything is whittled down to 10. Is it arbitrary? Whatever.

This is my TOP TWELVE FILMS OF 2009!

Be warned. Lots of SPOILERS abound.

1) AVATAR! No big surprise there. I never doubted James Cameron would make a solid film. But he really surprised me with AVATAR. This goes beyond the edges of my imagination and my expectations. Timeliest movie of the Year. Check. Game changing special effects. Check. Mind-blasting 3D that actually works. Check. The ballsiest, most badass War Movie of the Year. Check and Check! Best Sci-Fi film in decades. Check. Big ideas mixed with even bigger action, rounded out with genuine emotion and heart. All checks. James Cameron does impressive world-building in this film, mixes it with classic archetypes, puts it all in a blender and gives us a monumental moviegoing experience. He gave us the ultimate Anti-War film with a strong eco-friendly message. The man has been elevated from King to a God. AVATAR will win Best Picture of the Year. Take that to the bank.

2) DISTRICT 9 directed by Neil Blomkamp . Great story, great effects and all done on a reasonable budget for a film of this magnitude (30 Million). Much like the MATRIX, it borrowed from several classic films to create a new beast that was both compelling and original. And the ending, caught me so off guard. SPOILERS SPOILERS... I mean it. When Wikus is seen in video footage talking about his wife and what an angel she is to him and we cut to Wikus in Prawn-form making a junk-metal rose for her (she still wants to believe he's alive), well, I was shaken. Even now I get the goosies just thinking about it. The most tragic ending of the summer. Powerhouse film that came out of nowhere and kicked unholy ass. Reminded me of when I saw MATRIX for the first time. I had no idea what to expect and came out of there blown to bits. I can't wait for DISTRICT 10!

3) UP IN THE AIR directed by wunderkind Jason Reitman and starring Cary Grant's modern Avatar George Clooney. I was fortunate enough to see it with Reitman sitting two rows behind me at the first ever public screening. Reitman was nervous but good nervous. The film plays. Clooney is devastatingly suave. An almost effortless performance or at least he makes it seem like it. It's a Career best in what has been a series of off the beaten track roles for him. Still want to see him killing again a la DUSK T'Ill DAWN. Anyhow, UITA is so prescient and current that it will have people in tears. The ending confirms just how much Reitman loves his family. The ending is an ode to family. Before AVATAR, this was the one to beat come Oscar time.

4) INGLORIOUS BASTERDS by QT. His best film since PULP FICTION. Divided people sharply and I can see why. It makes the Jew Rebels into sadistic maniacs. But damnit, I wish there was a group of blood-hungry Jews that went around bashing Nazi heads. A sort of Jewish-Gollum Boogeyman that would strike terror in the hearts and scalps of the Nazi regime. This is the ultimate wish fulfillment film. Even the crazy German with the Chaplin stash gets it good in the end. It's the biggest surprise of the film. Like all great Tarantino flicks, he breaks screenwriting conventions. There is no main character. I would say Pitt's Aldo Raine is 3rd lead. The lead, if there was one, is the greatest German Detective in the world, Hans Landa aka the Jew Hunter (Christophe Waltz). Fucking Hans will win the Best Supporting Actor Award. Hands down. All others need not apply. The opening scene on the dairy farm, as he sips milk and compares rats to squirrels, asserting that rats are a bushy tail away from being hand-fed is priceless. The Jew Hunter is the pure personification of evil. And Shoshana's story is heartbreaking. It's a film about the power and love for films. Powerhouse film.

5) MOON by Duncan Jones. Made for 5 million but looks like it cost 10 times as much. If you mixed Kubrick's 2001 and Soderbergh's SOLARIS the baby would be MOON. Sam Rockwell should get a Best Actor Nod. He's on a solo mission on the moon for 3 years... by himself and begins losing his mind or so we think. The scene when he realizes what's really happening on the moonbase and he finally finds a way to phone home. The way it plays out and what he realizes destroys me. He has one devastating line (during the phone call home) that completely had tears jutting out of my sockets. Great performance by the one man show of Sam Rockwell.

6) WATCHMEN by Zach Snyder. Very divided and controversial film. It's way ahead of it's time and will be appreciated in the future just like Blade Runner was. Yes, I called WATCHMEN this generations BLADE RUNNER. This film is so beautiful that sometimes I turn down the volume and just watch the images. The whole 20 minute Doc Manhattan origin sequence is breathtaking and pitch perfect, from the music, to the editing to the very melancholy voice-over by Billy Crudup. And to those idiots who wanted a giant squid to destroy the world at the end. Get real. The world needed an otherworldly threat to unite them. DR. Manhattan who was God-like and otherworldly fit the bill and stayed thematically close to the seminal graphic novel. Zach Snyder did an incredible job with this film. A true visionary who respected the source material.

7) HURT LOCKER by Kathryn Bigelow. This is not a movie for pussy's. This is the summer's most muscular action movie. It was like sucking on an adrenaline popsicle for two hours. Jeremy Renner owned every scene and it was a difficult role. A single-minded bomb defuser who cares more about the thrill of bomb defusion than himself or his family. Never seen someone quite like him on screen. The story is thin but the film plays, the tension is thick and the performances and direction are insanely good. Give Bigelow a superhero franchise NOW.

8) ADVENTURELAND by Greg Mottola. How did I miss this one on first run. Saw it on DVD and not on the big screen and truly regret it. Finally, a film that doesn't make fun of the 80's. This is an honest with no tongue in cheeks depiction of what life was like in 1987. I laughed. A lot during this film. The ball-puncher Dude cracked me up every single time he sucker-punched the lead in the balls. You root for everyone in this film, even the bad guys. Bella Swan is in it and she's quite good as well. This film felt like stepping into a time machine while wrapping myself in my favorite warm blanket. And it has a killer... and I mean killer soundtrack.

9) 500 DAYS OF SUMMER directed by Marc Webb. The anti-romantic comedy. After all the bulshit rom-coms this is the anti-dote. A shot of real life romance right to the heart. Zoey is enchanting and Joseph-Gordon Levitt (who should play the Joker in the next Batfilm) is a movie star in this film. We watch as Joseph desperately attempts to keep this relationship afloat. This film is cruel... but true. Especially at the end of the film. Levitt and Zoey's final conversation on the park bench was quasi-sadistic but in a subtle manner. A very effectively sad film that portrays downtown LA in a very flattering light. 500 Days of Summer is funny even when it cuts you.

10) STAR TREK by JJ ABRAMS. Best opening scene of any film this summer. The death of Kirk's dad, as he hears his son being born on the intercom is heart-shattering. Had my wife in tears and my throat lumping. Never thought I'd say that about a Trek film... well not since Spock died in KHAN. Perfectly cast. I mean if you change one person in the cast the whole deck of cards will fall. The story has some glaring plot holes but the cast is so pitch perfect and the film zips by so quick you don't notice the problems. Chris Pine as Kirk establishes his star credibility. Spock is great. The best of the summer blockbusters. In a season of big movies that failed to deliver, Star Trek delivered big time. Can't wait for the next one, just tighten the script next time JJ.

11) FUNNY PEOPLE by Team Apatow. Still can't figure out how this one failed to connect with audiences. It died at the box office. I guess no one wanted to see the Adam Sandler is dying film. It's the Sandman's best performance. Ever. Mature, measured and low key. I got to see a super-early test screening that was much longer than the theatrical cut and the audience was busting a gut. I was too. I laughed a lot. Loved Rogen in it. Schwarzman played a great Douche-bag. Eminem and Ray Romano had awesome cameos. And the casting director who cast the Swedish Doctor who looks like Hans Gruber's brother in DIE HARD really earned their dough that day because that guy was both funny and creepy. Great film that deserved a better fate.

12) THE YOUNG VICTORIA. Beautifully directed film by local Montrealer Jean-Mark Vallee. Great performances and some of the best onscreen chemistry of the year between Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend. Lush sets and sumptuous wardrobe. The film made me swoon and had the Misses in tears throughout. Swoon-inducing romantic film with a big beating heart. Blunt will get nominated for an Oscar for her rebellious turn as the Girl who would be Queen.

Honorable mention should go to Jim Carrey's I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS which hasn't come out yet and still has no distributor. It's basically a very gay version of CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. It's the craziest story you'll see this year (if it ever gets a release) and it's based on a true story to boot. Carrey hasn't been this funny in ages and Ewan Mcgregor is great as Carrey's lover. Yup, OB1 and Ace Ventura get it on, in a very graphic fashion. I don't think I laughed harder this year at the movies. The film is hilarious but it also has a heart. I hope to see it again soon. The first 20 minutes are comedy gold.

Special mention to CRAZY HEART which narrowly missed out on the Top 12. Alas, it was in 13th spot. Jeff Bridges is sublime in the film as an over the hill, washed up country music singer who wants to change his life and does but not in time to find true happiness. It shares a similar theme to Up In The Air, in that both films are about men attempting to effectuate life changes when life has already passed them by. Jeff Bridges will win Best Actor of the Year. His performance as Bad Blake has Oscar written all over it. That's a lock. No other actor even came close this year to what Jeff Bridges accomplished in that role.

There you have it. Have a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Your friend,

D.

FELIZ NA'VI-DAD!

Happy Pandoran Christmas!

I want to Wish a Very Merry Christmas and an awesome New Year to everyone!

Xmas on Pandora!

May the New Year bring nothing but goodness, cool movies and great success!

Your Friend,

D.

AVATAR REVIEWED BY YOURS TRULY

Sigourney Weaver & James Cameron.

Much like the Forests and vegetation of Pandora are interconnected (like nature's version of the internet superhighway) James Cameron has managed to tap into our collective unconscious to bring us to a place both familiar and wildly exotic. AVATAR is the reason celluloid was invented-- AVATAR is the reason we enjoy going out of our comfortable homes to experience something we've never seen before on a giant screen that swallows us whole into total immersion.

SPOILERS AHEAD for the uninitiated...

Weaver, Cameron, Worthington and John Landau.

I won't do a beat for beat review of AVATAR. All you have to do is visit Rotten Tomato's for a synopsis of the film. I'm gonna give you my impressions of James Cameron's masterwork. In AVATAR Big Jim basically took every familiar trope and archetype we've ever seen or read and filtered them into one film to give us a completely new experience. My theory is that Pandora is so wild, alien and exotic that in order for us not be completely overwhelmed, Cameron had to rely on tried and true storytelling archetypes. He placed us in a comfort zone of familiar archetypes, so he could drop us into a completely alien situation without freaking our collective asses out. There is a method to his mad-genius. And it works. Does it ever work!

Avatar has all the Cameron trademarks. Small human moments mixed with massive and I mean massive battles that will shake you to your knees. I read the scriptment ten years ago and was blown away by it but nothing can prepare you for what you're about to see. Nothing. The 3D is not gimmicky and in your face. Instead, it's subtle and slyly pulls you into the action in a subliminal manner. The film is hypnotic.

Weaver & Cameron.

I had the pleasure and privilege of seeing the film at the Mann's in Hollywood. The film was then followed by a Q & A with Cameron, Sigourney Weaver and Sam Worthington. Cameron was ebullient. No matter what he says, he WILL make a sequel to AVATAR. I would love to see what earth looks like in 2154. The mess we've made and the bed we must now sleep in would be an awesome sight. Cameron gave us Pandora in this one but will he give us a scorched earth in the next one? Does Jake Scully somehow make it back to earth in the sequel? Maybe Jake is kidnapped and the Na'vi must conduct a rescue mission. So many interesting possibilities. But I digress...

Cameron & Worthington having a laugh.

Moments that marked me:

When Avatar Jake wakes up for the first time in his new body. The running through the forest as dirt and grit fly toward us is pure joy. There's an exhilarating sense of joy when Jake realizes he can run again after being paralyzed for so long.

Avatar Jake & Ney'tiri.

Zoe Saldana as Ney'tiri.

Zoe Saldana as Ney'tiri should win the Best Actress Oscar for her performance. Hands down the most amazing performance of the year. Every nuance, every movement is like a ballet. And the moment she realizes Jake has betrayed not only her but the entire Tribe is heart-rending. This is monumental stuff. The CGI is unbelievable because it doesn't look like CGI. It's real. For me, the Na'vi exist in reality, not in pixels.

Stephen Lang as Quaritch.

Stephen Lang as General Quaritch is a force of nature. A man on a mission who won't be stopped. Even when his shoulder is on fire he keeps on going. I wouldn't fight this fucker. Perfect villain.

Avatar Jake. Notice the life in the eyes.

Sam Worthington as Jake Scully is an interesting leading man. Starts off low key and gradually becomes a hero. He makes what could've been a tough role to pull off look easy. His emaciated legs still give me the creeps. Great, understated performance.

Avatar Ripley. The resemblance is uncanny.

Sigourney Weaver. The Queen of Space Opera injects so much soul into the film. Even in her dying moments, she's the eternal botanist still wanting to get a sample.

The colors in the film are otherworldly. I saw things I never saw before. Glowing creatures that would spin like a top in mid-air. Horses with six legs. Spider monkeys with multiple limbs. This is the best creature feature in the history of cinema. It has dragons, dinosaurs and 6 legged horses. Amazing conceptualization.

That opening scene when Jake awakens from a 5 year cryo-sleep and we see dozens of scientists floating in the space craft is stunning. Just stunning. I felt like I was in space floating around with them.

I love when the film turns into Transformers vs Jurassic Park. The amp suits battling the flying dragons are a sight to behold.

I loved when Jake appeared with the red dragon. The wife said that it was like Jake showing up with a Ferrari to impress the people of Pandora (which he did).

The military hardware in this film is a gun-nuts dream. The ships, the choppers, the big-ass guns and the uber cool Amp Suits kick unholy ass. The last time we saw this type of badass hardware was in Cameron's ALIENS. In fact, I kept wondering if Avatar took place during the Aliens universe and if so, that would be hella-cool!

As much as I loved Hurt Locker, AVATAR made that film look like a pussy for not choosing sides. Hurt Locker is being praised for refusing to offer an opinion on War. On the other hand, Avatar is the ballsiest war film to come out since Oliver Stone's Platoon. Cameron basically decided to filter every vile War (Native American slaughter, Vietnam, Gulf War 1, Gulf War 2) we've been involved in and put it in allegorical terms in this film. Avatar took a stand in regards to the folly of War. Much like the director, this film is fearless in the face of adversity. Ultimately, Avatar is a War film about peace, another recurring theme in Cameron's eouvre.

The ending has to be the most astounding final battle ever committed to film. The sleeper has awakened after a 13 year slumber to show the pretenders how to shoot a coherent action sequence. After I saw AVATAR the first time I felt that James Cameron could no longer be King of The World because he is now a God. Why? Because Gods create worlds and I've never seen such a fully realized world on the big screen. Never. There is some impressive world-building in this film.

My Final thought:

AVATAR will win the Best Picture Oscar.

An interesting aside: The second time I saw AVATAR, I saw it on IMAX 3D@The Bridge with my Mother-in-Law. One Hour and a Half into the movie, I look at my Mother-in-Law and see that she's sweating profusely and has her 3D glasses off. I ask her what's wrong and she tells me she has to throw up but doesn't want to leave because the movie is so beautiful. She was in the throes of some heavy motion sickness. She went to the bathroom and unfortunately did vomit. The 3D made her feel like she was on a cruise ship. But the fact that this poor lady suffered through excruciating pain (she told me later that she actually felt like vomiting 5 minutes into the film) and yet fought it because she didn't want to leave Pandora, is a testament to the power and beauty of AVATAR. Don't worry my Mom-in-law is fine. She came back and enjoyed the rest of the film.

Your Friend,

D.

AVATAR THEMED XMAS IN MY HOUSE!

This is my First Christmas in Los Angeles & believe it or not, it's the first time I bought a real live tree (the parents favored artificial trees, something about sparing the environment). We decided to go with a Christmas in Pandora theme this year. Gives the living room a cool blue bioluminescent glow. Very trippy.

It's a Pandoran Christmas in the Salvaggio household!

Oh, and if you haven't seen it yet, get your ass over to see AVATAR in 3D!

Your Friend,

D.

THE YOUNG VICTORIA WILL MAKE YOU SWOON

Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend and the Duchess of York.

The lovely Emily Blunt & Rupert Friend.

Saw the Young Victoria directed by Montrealer Jean-Marc Vallee (if you haven't seen C.R.A.Z.Y. do yourself a favor and netflix it) a few weeks ago. I didn't expect to be so moved by it. I feel this film will slowly sneak up on people and be remembered in years to come. It's beautifully put together and the chemistry between Emily Blunt (as the Queen) and Rupert Friend (as Prince Albert. I wonder if the piercing is attributed to him?) is palpable. In fact, watching Rupert emerge onscreen, I felt how I should've felt about Orlando Bloom years ago. Let me explain: Orlando was supposed to be the next one, and he might be, but he hasn't shown it yet. Rupert is the new Orlando Bloom, kinda like Matt Damon usurped Chris Odonell's roles---Rupert will do the same to Orlando. Watch for Rupert in the future. He owns in this film. Girls will swoon for him.

What can I say about Emily Blunt: She's a great actress who's always interesting to watch and easy on the eyes as well. She's the full package. Blunt is what Carey Mulligan aspires to be. I was moved several times throughout the film and my Wife couldn't stop crying through most of it. The love story works. The attention to period detail is exacting. This film is everything Bright Star wishes it was. Young Victoria is a beautiful film that, I hate to admit, made me swoon. It had Titanic moments of romance and heartbreak. It worked.

Afterwards, there was a great Q & A with Blunt, Friend, The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and legendary uber producer Graham King. King basically said this film happened due to the undying tenacity of the Duchess who pestered him for 10 years to make the film. Take heed neophytes-- never give up. Even Royals have trouble jump-starting their dream projects. Ferguson was charming as hell during the Q & A, as she proclaimed that even she was in awe of the stars and bright lights of Hollywood. Which confirms my new belief that Royal Blood doesn't hold the same sway it did in the early part of the last century. Hollywood stars are the Nouveau Royalty. Status and money isn't enough, you have to be a star to be somebody in the "aughts". But that's a discussion for another blog. The Duchess also recounted how she used her Royal connections to secure actual locations that the story took place in. And it shows, the film looks and feels damn authentic.

I'll finish by relating the director's extreme and genuine joy at seeing the finished product on the big screen. He was both thrilled and humbled by the proceedings. A true Montrealer. Watch out for Jean-Marc Vallee, he's a force to be reckoned with.

Your Friend,

D.

HANGING WITH THE DUDE! MOTHERF-ING JEFF BRIDGES!

Hanging with the "Dude".

There are moments when, in my newish life in Los Angeles that, I have to physically pinch myself. This was one of them. Meeting Jeff Bridges, the Dude, Starman, was an awesome moment. You need to understand that one of my first screenplays was written specifically for Jeff Bridges. He's a personal hero, a living legend and a genuinely decent human being. Nothing but kindness in his eyes. To work with him would be a divine experience.

Tonight I had the privilege of seeing one of the Best Films of the Year, CRAZY HEART. Bridges plays a down and out, massive alcoholic country singer. He will be nominated for Best Actor this year. You can take that to the bank. I witnessed what is possibly the best performance of the year. Such a powerful piece of acting in a finely directed film. Maggie Gyllenhall is great, as always. Colin Farrell plays a Keith Urban-ish style country singer and he's great in a role that's basically designed to make Jeff Bridges performance stand out even more than it already does. Colin plays Tommy Sweet a popular country singer who learned everything from his mentor Jeff Bridges. You get a great sense of history between the two men onscreen, as if Colin the actor is taking in everything Bridges, the master class actor, has to give. Their scenes together are outstanding. Sweet, sad and poignant.

To make already cool proceedings even cooler, Robert Duvall was in the movie and at the event afterwards. Bobby F-ing Duvall. Tom Hagen, the Consigliere was there in person! As a dude who hails from Sicilian parents, being a few feet from Robert Duvall is like having a badge of honor in my family. Insanely awesome.

Truly a magical night. The Wife was with me and is still buzzing about the film and the night we just had.

What can I say, Christmas came early this year... I met Jeff Bridges.

Your Friend,

D.

HANGING WITH THE GREAT JEREMY RENNER

Hanging with the great Jeremy Renner.

Saw the HURT LOCKER a second time yesterday and it dawned on me that the film is about addiction. The awesome Renner plays a junkie who's addicted to War. Ultimately I feel the film is a metaphor for America's long tradition and addiction to the bloodlust of War.

MAJOR SPOILERS.

At the end of the picture Renner's character, an EOD bomb defusing expert, goes home to his wife and kid after a year long tour of duty. He has a monologue about how, as we get older there are fewer and fewer things that make him happy. And eventually there's only one or two things that will do the trick for him. Well, for him there's only one thing. He says this while looking and playing with his adorable baby boy. We think he's talking about his love for his boy but then we cut to Renner stepping off a plane in the desert. He's in his Bomb defusing suit with a big shit-eating grin on his face while the Ministry blares on the soundtrack. He's grinning like a crackhead about to get his fix, as he prepares for another 365 day tour of duty.

The film is brilliant in its depiction of the human beings involved in this bloody, ugly War. And to its credit, the film never takes a stance as to whether the War is good, bad, wrong or right. That's for us to decide. Awesome, awesome film. I continue to say that Hurt Locker is like sucking on an adrenaline popsicle for two hours and we've never quite seen a character like Renner's on the big screen. He's the rockstar of bomb defusers. On a side note, Jeremy Renner is a real class act; smart, erudite and laser-focused. A genuinely good human being. Funny as hell too.

Your Friend,

D.

MY BATGIRL FOREVER!

My Daughter of Darkness.

I mean seriously, is there no question who's daughter this is? The feeling of having this whole new little person in your life is indescribable. I don't usually put up pics of my girl but I couldn't resist putting this one up. It's my current wallpaper.

Have a great weekend.

Your Friend,

D.

UP IN THE AIR AGAIN

My lovely Wife hanging with the enchanting Vera Farmiga after the Screening of UP IN THE AIR.

Saw the Film a second time (Wife didn't see it last go-around, so I brought her this time) and I must say UP IN THE AIR improves even more upon second viewing. There were a few moments when you truly see the Clooney smoothie-superstar mask fall for good and get a true glimpse at what Clooney's real life is like... that's how close he is to the character he's playing. Vera is sublime as Alex; she's basically playing the male version of George Clooney--"him with a vagina". There's a nice reversal of roles in the film, I won't say any more for risk of spoiling the proceedings. I strongly suspect Best Actor nominations for both Clooney and Vera.

For my money, this is the film to beat this year at the Oscars. Well, I haven't seen AVATAR yet. But it will be between UITA and Avatar for me.

Your Friend,

D.

DIRTY SHOW PICS: Volume 2 (NSFW)

Centaur or Centrice? Whatever it's called, I was oddly attracted to her... it. Whatever.

This lamp looks very Cyberpunk. Like it belongs on Henry Dorsett Case's desk in Neuromancer.

Awesome painting that wasn't very dirty but uber cool. Doesn't it look like Nancy Allen in ROBOCOP? One of my fave pieces at the dirty show.

Real live doll. The same kind of fully detailed doll used in LARS & THE REAL GIRL (great little flick). I blurred the naughty parts because my little cousins read my blog. Sorry guys. It was creepy and somewhat surreal. Wife thought it felt so real... the skin.

Pretty self-explanatory painting. Phallic issues anyone?

Chocolate Starfish and the hot dog flavored water. See if anyone catches the reference.

I call this one Tribbing with Tribbles. Wife loves this one.

My favorite piece. Banana-manga girl. Too cool.

The Dirty show held over the weekend in Downtown LA was a totally perverted art show located at a Norman Bates type Motel. Everything about the show was skeevy: the rooms, the art, the smells in the rooms. Overall, pretty cool experience. I indulged in much people watching and observational learning. Writers observe and I definitely got an eyeful that night.

Your Friend,

D.

THE BEST LIVE ACTION ROBIN COSTUME EVER!

Robin Begins!

A friend sent me this pic. Without a doubt the best live action depiction of Robin The Boy Wonder's Costume I've ever seen. Don't know where this pic came from but it kicks unholy ass. I want to hang out with this guy while we're both in costume. I know, sounds borderline homoerotic. It's not! (said in Bat-Bale voice).

I will argue until I turn blue that Robin could work in the Nolan-verse. There is no doubt in my mind. It would be a challenge but it would totally work.

Your Friend,

D.

MY FAVORITE LA GAS STATION

My favorite gas station in Los Angeles. Looks like something out of ROBOCOP or MINORITY REPORT. It's a gas station of the future...

Your Friend,

D.

DIRTY SHOW WAS IN FACT FILTHY

Lovely Pool at the No-Motel in which the Dirty Show was held. Classy.

GI-HO! Gives new meaning to don't ask. Don't tell.

Some people say yum. I say ouch!

One of my favorite pieces. Very manga. Banana-manga!

The Dirty Show was held in a squalid Motel on 7th Street in Downtown LA. Every room had an installation filled with filthy art, pics, statues, etc. It was skeevy but cool. Afterwards we went to a Fetish Show that was affiliated with the Dirty Show. This is just a small sampling of pics. More later. Cause I'm going to the movies!

Your Friend,

D.