A Rundown
I've been busy and warm. So some things I've wanted to write about have fallen through the cracks. Here's a quick rundown of what I've read, seen, and heard lately:
I watched Capturing the Friedmans, a slick documentary in desperate need of a character who elicits even an ounce of sympathy. . . . After enjoying The 400 Blows, I watched the two movies Truffaut followed it with, Shoot the Piano Player and Jules and Jim, both recommended, though I think the debut is still his strongest overall. . . . I read The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, which is great, especially if you like sentences like these three: "It seemed like a nice neighborhood to have bad habits in," "Dead men are heavier than broken hearts," and "I went back to the office and sat in my swivel chair and tried to catch up on my foot-dangling." . . . I watched Zodiac, which was one of the more underrated movies of last year. It's terrific. . . . I also saw the first season of Slings & Arrows, a Canadian TV series about a Shakespeare theater company. Mark McKinney from "Kids in the Hall" is in the cast and wrote for it as well. Rachel McAdams (swoon) is also featured. I may have more to say about this as I watch the next (and final) two seasons on DVD. . . . I was very lucky to see "South Pacific" on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Center, part of a weekend spent celebrating my dad's **th birthday. Kelli O'Hara was phenomenal in the lead role, and the rest of the cast wasn't far behind. Probably the best show I've seen in New York. . . . I continue to read Wilfrid Sheed, about whom there will be more here soon. The guy's a genius.
I watched Capturing the Friedmans, a slick documentary in desperate need of a character who elicits even an ounce of sympathy. . . . After enjoying The 400 Blows, I watched the two movies Truffaut followed it with, Shoot the Piano Player and Jules and Jim, both recommended, though I think the debut is still his strongest overall. . . . I read The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, which is great, especially if you like sentences like these three: "It seemed like a nice neighborhood to have bad habits in," "Dead men are heavier than broken hearts," and "I went back to the office and sat in my swivel chair and tried to catch up on my foot-dangling." . . . I watched Zodiac, which was one of the more underrated movies of last year. It's terrific. . . . I also saw the first season of Slings & Arrows, a Canadian TV series about a Shakespeare theater company. Mark McKinney from "Kids in the Hall" is in the cast and wrote for it as well. Rachel McAdams (swoon) is also featured. I may have more to say about this as I watch the next (and final) two seasons on DVD. . . . I was very lucky to see "South Pacific" on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Center, part of a weekend spent celebrating my dad's **th birthday. Kelli O'Hara was phenomenal in the lead role, and the rest of the cast wasn't far behind. Probably the best show I've seen in New York. . . . I continue to read Wilfrid Sheed, about whom there will be more here soon. The guy's a genius.
posted by JMW at 12:35 PM
2 Comments:
I just finished The Big Sleep a couple of weeks ago. I loved it. "Dead men are heavier than broken hearts" nearly knocked me out of my chair.
-- MattM
Hi, JW, after much too long away. This is quite an inspiring list, especially for someone who suddenly has some time on her hands.
One great thing about reading Chandler (although it's pretty far down the list) is that you can see how everyone who imitates him falls short. Leaving aside the question of how he pulls it off, here's one of my favorite lines, one not many writers could get away with: "'My God, you big dark handsome brute! I ought to throw a Buick at you.'" Somehow when I read that, I knew I was in the right place.
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