Staying In

I've been a little sickly lately. Flu, cold, stomach issues -- you name it. So, what does one do during those times? Watch dvds -- and a lot of them. It was a chance to catch up on some classics. It's funny how movies are different in subsequent viewings:

High Fidelity: Way more depressing than I remember. When I read the book, I thought, "Wow! What great insight into the male psyche!" When I first saw the movie, I thought, "Wow! What a great interpretation of the book!" Now that I've seen it again, it I was saddened by how even a "nice" guy is still a self-absorbed guy. Still, a good flick. Who doesn't like a "top 5" list or think about the complexities of the mixed tape.

Notting Hill: Julia Roberts is way more monotone and charmless in this movie than I remember. But, it still has an unruly cast of Brits that are full of vim and vigor -- and wit. I chuckled many-a-time.

Office Space: I can never say anything bad about this movie. It's a classic through and through. Sheer perfection. So funny. But what ever happened to Rob Livingston?

The new fall season has started. Caught Heroes. So, the big question is, what has become of Peter Petrelli? I think he is glad that he finally got to cut his hair, tho.

The new season of the Office, also launched with a one-hour episode. Yes, people, Pam and Jim ARE DATING. Chew on that for awhile!

Cool Places to Hang Out

It's fun to get to share people's favorite neighborhood joints -- long after they've moved out the of the neighborhood. So, we all know that I'm partial to the Nite Lite and the Mecca -- the hang outs of my youth. Recently I got to check out Karl's favorite places. I have to say, they rock -- and rock hard. Why did I never hang out here?

Dexter and Hayes. Even for a Saturday, we were able to get a table. Everyone was friendly and nice. It had a nice, mellow vibe. A place where you could just hang out with your peeps and have a pint or a cocktail and a chat. I would go back in a heartbeat. Plus, you never have to wonder where it is, hence the name.

Molly Maguires. A cute little joint in Ballard with a "vintage" pool table in the back. The shepherd's pie was yum -- served with soda bread, it was more filling than I expected. I had to have a Guiness because when in Rome....the clientele runs from the bawdy, salty, "vintage" Ballard folk to the metrosexual male duo who converse intimately at the bar. Love it.

Ok, Now You've Seen the Clip...

So now I'll tell you why this is the best show in the world.

1. It's about a novelty rock band from New Zealand
2. No one knows why or how they are different from Australians
3. The characters are totally low key and sweetly naive -- fish out of water in NYC
4. The band only has one fan despite their obvious hotness
5. Jemaine has the best facial expressions
6. The music is not bad -- the dancing is INCREDIBLE
7. How many animal sweatshirts can one guy have?
8. Band manager Murray is clueless, but well-meaning
9. The best characters on TV!
10. Read about them here

My New Favorite Show of ALL TIME!

Are You Bjorn Turoque?

Thank you Netflix. Actually, thank you Ebert and Roeper for recommending this documentary. Air Guitar Nation was fun, inspiring, and it totally rocked. Let no one say that you can not live out your dreams of rock hero-dom. With names like Bjorn Turoque, C-Diddy (Asian Fury), Krye Tuff, and Cherry Vanilla -- the creativity and spirit of the particpants were enough fun for the 90 minutes of docudrama. Oh, the competition. The world of air guitar convenes in Finland each year. One day, I must make the journey.

A Huge Comedy with Tiny Balls

The tagline pretty much says it all right there. And yes, I laughed. All in all, I found this movie to be pretty funny. How can you not like a dude who plays ping pong to a soundtrack of Def Leppard? I wonder how they filmed the ping pong sequences. I mean, they looked like they were really playing -- and they were really good. I want a ping pong table. I could be good.