The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.

In an attempt to combat speculation that I am in fact no longer living, I am returning with another post. It should be noted that this post is fueled by guilt, guilt over my inability to offer up regular posts. My shortcomings have been brought into sharp focus by my cunning adversary: Christian Thom (well not actually an adversary more like a close, close friend/top notch graphic designer but I just liked the way "cunning adversary" sounded) and his new blog juggernaut known as Citizen Thom (check it out at: http://citizenthom.blogspot.com/). With three solid, informative and introspective posts in one week, Christian has left me feeling a little lacking. While I won't be bold enough to promise regular posts, I will allow Christian to shame me into posting more often.

Now you might be wondering what has kept me too busy to update my blog, but lets get this out in the open: this blog is not here to put to bed your absent wonderings, so I am just going to type and see what comes out and if that results in a blooming bouquet of sentences that provide clarification into the machinations of my daily life then so be it, but if it doesn't, don't come complaining to me, because as I have stated before I am not here to appease my audience but to educate, even if it hurts. (a moment of silence for that convoluted run-on sentence I just typed... ok, back to the post)

One thing remaining constant is my penchant for movie going, so I am going to try and catch up with some reviews of all the new movies I have taken in during the last month.


Cinderella Man: I went into this movie expecting a solid drama with a feel good ending and this is exactly what I got. Looking back, this is probably the best movie I have seen all summer but despite its many qualities I still don't see it as a lock for a best picture Oscar nomination. The movie is fueled by Russell Crowes understated but consistently moving performance. Has this guy ever given a bad performance? (Christian stay quiet with those "Virtuosity" comments right now) While the rest of the cast does some good work, there is nothing really surprising about their performances. Paul Giamatti is damn good but at this point that is to be expected and the reality is that he has been much better in other movies. Ron Howards direction is nothing revolutionary but in the end the guy knows how to make a good movie and does just enough to bring all the components together. In the end I think this film was hurt by the fact that I just felt like I had seen this story before and this kept it from achieving true greatness.


Mr. and Mrs. Smith: This movie has gotten some very mixed reviews from people I've talked to but I just want to say to people "What were you expecting?" I was expecting an action movie with some occasional laughs driven by two very, very watchable leads. Jolie and Pitt are not the finest of actors sometimes but even them at their worst is still much better than what we are used to in this genre and in the end their talents keep this from being a worthless collection of explosions. It is an enjoyable Summer movie that is easily forgotten but when I left the theater I didn't feel at all cheated and that has got to be worth something.


Batman Begins: After Star Wars, this was easily the most anticipated movie of the Summer for me and thankfully it did not disappoint. This is a serious comic book movie and that is exactly what Batman needs, someone to take the whole project seriously. The director Christopher Nolan does so many things right that I hate to criticize but I can't help but point out some of his shortcomings. Some of the action sequences are very murky and confusing and I think they show Nolans inexperience with that type of directing. Outside of that there is very little to be sad about (i still have issues with the costume, but don' get me started) but although I loved it the movie failed to shrug off the comic book shackles and become a great movie. (something that Spiderman 2 managed to do)


Ok, I am starting to get caught up but unfortunately I don't have the time cover War of the Worlds, Wedding Crashers and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but I will in the next few days.

I also promise to post some more random photos, because people love photos.

So I shall end this post with a random list (affectionately titled "In the Mix") of the various music, books and movies that have appeared on my radar lately.


In the Mix

Books: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, Underworld by Don Delillo, Oleanna by David Mamet and Sanford Meisner On Acting by Sanford Meisner.

Music: Anything by Jay Farrar, Coldplay Live at Glastonbury 6/24/05 (which reminds me, I hope you people out there got to see Coldplay play backing band to Richard Ashcroft for the Live8 performance of "Bittersweet Symphony", great stuff), The Cure Live at Wembly 1991, Damien Rice's "Unplayed Piano" and "The Blower's Daughter Pt. 2", Jay Z and Danger Mouse: The Grey Album, The Decemberists' "Engine Driver", both new Bright Eyes albums, anything by Kathleen Edwards and the new Idlewild album (still).

Movies: Black Hawk Down, Pulp Fiction, Million Dollar Baby, Big Fish, Love and Death and Before Sunset.


So that's it... I shall leave you with quote from Proust, the man who provided the title for this blog, and like most Proust quotes its not very uplifting. (I think it's about time I had a quote from Proust)

"There is not a woman in the world the possession of whom is as precious as that of the truths which she reveals to us by causing us to suffer."

with that I bid you adieu...