New, Old and the Same
Watch
Y Tu Mama Tambien. The cover of this movie calls it wildly erotic. I’ll agree, but at heart it’s a road trip movie where people discover more about themselves than they can hold. The script is great, the cast is beyond compare and the camera work is impressively loose. It’s filled with a modern Mexican texture that transcends borders; in other words, you’ll understand all the jokes. This movie deals with issues of sexuality that few American films do, in a mature and unapologetic way. I wish there were more movies like this here. Subtitled and available on DVD now.
Read
Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk. This is an older one, but a goody. I’ve read this more times than I can remember, and it’s always fun. Tender Branson is on a hijacked jet plane and it’s going down. Here he is, recording into the cockpit voice recorder, telling his story. I know many people that hold this as their favorite Palahniuk book, and I can understand why. It’s a funny, very dark satire of American celebrity, religion and violence. Side note: this was on the fast track to be a movie (it would make a great, incredible movie), but after the 9/11 attacks, the studios ran away. For shame. It in no way glorifies terrorists… just your typical Hollywood overreaction I suppose.
Surf
Shameless Plug Alert! I start work on CollegeClub.com very soon. You’ll see me around there quite a bit, I suppose, on message boards and the like. It’s a great site, and hopefully with my graceful touch, it’ll be even better. The roommate stories and love and romance sections of the site are a kick, so check those out. And once I start, stop by the site every once in a while and say hello.
Listen
Foo Fighters – One by One. Definitely one of their best efforts, One by One returns to the rock roots the group was founded on. Every song here works, not a clunker in the bunch. Breakneck drums, hard hitting guitars and screeching vocals all mix together. Foo Fighters are the kind of band you can put on at a party and keep everyone happy. It’s great…go listen to the clips at Amazon if you want to hear for yourself.
Play
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
I don’t own a PS2, but I’m recommending this game anyway because it’s just so much goddamn fun. Improved graphics and tightened gameplay make it even better than the already excellent GTA:3. The voice acting is supreme, the best in any game ever. I don’t hesitate to say that. You got your Ray Liotta, Dennis Hopper, Burt Reynolds, LUIS-FUCKING-GUZMAN (See Punch-Drunk Love Review), William Fichtner, Fairuza Balk, David Paymer, Gary Busey, and Jenna Jameson. Plus, Miami Vice’s Phillip Michael Thomas. You couldn’t ask for a better cast for voice acting. And the coup-de-grace, the soundtrack in incredible. You’ll sit around with your friends laughing as you jack a scooter while an Air Supply song plays. They must have licensed around a hundred songs for the game, all perfectly chosen to represent 80’s excess and cheese. REO Speedwagon, Wang Chung, Slayer, Ozzy, David Lee Roth, Thomas Dolby and wait for it….Flock of Seagulls! all make appearances. Certainly, some of the fun comes in just hopping in a car and listening to the music. One of the best games I’ve ever had the pleasure of getting my mitts on.