- The director's cut of DONNIE DARKO is playing at midnight on Friday and Saturday at the Landmark. The film, which I once centered my entire birthday party around, is a work of twisted genius. It's so much fun. My DVD copy of it is signed by its director, Richard Kelly, who's really cool. It's the breakout Jake Gyllenhaal movie. It's got a terrific cast, including performances from Noah Wyle, Drew Barrymore, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell, Katharine Ross, Patrick Swayze, Maggie Gyllenhaal and the scene-stealing, terrific Beth Grant, who really ought to work more than she does. This is one of my favorite quirky movies ever, and it's about what you should do if a giant, time-traveling, metal-faced bunny rabbit tells you that the world's going to end. If you haven't seen it, go to the theater. You'll be quoting it to friends and puzzling over what it all means for years.
- 99X is presenting DOWNTOWN ROCKS at Underground starting this weekend, which brings us a free concert from Cake and the Stereophonics. At different points, I've thought of their songs as "my theme song." What's your theme song?
- The new HARRY POTTER book comes out in a week. A week. So that means that next Friday night-Saturday morning, I"ll be working a shift at the register of the Barnes & Noble, fighting off dozens of people as they clamor to try and find out who the Half-Blood Prince is. (Half-blood could mean a mix of Muggle and Wizard lineage, but we've already heard that it's not Voldemort. And Hermione wouldn't exactly be a "prince?" What about Snape? I have no idea.)
- Since I was sick for the majority of last weekend, I'm just looking forward to spending some time working and being less congested.
- HEIGHTS, one of Jesse Bradford's two new movies, opens in Atlanta this weekend. It's playing at the Tara. Glenn Close is also in it as someone lucky enough to seduce Jesse Bradford. According to every review I've read, it's a pretty good movie - but Glenn Close is great in it.
- Last week, while ill on the Fourth of July, I started reading Tom Perrotta's LITTLE CHILDREN, and, thus far, it's pretty good, covering much the same suburban territory as DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, only the book features a sex offender who's just moved into the cul-de-sac.
- Oh my God, AVANTI, DA VINCI! was extended until July 10, and somebody forgot to tell me! I'm adding this update at the last minute. If you haven't seen it, run to the Center for Puppetry Arts!
- FANTASTIC FOUR has opened to some pretty dismal reviews, complete with one that called Chris Evans the "generic hottie male" and Jessica Alba the "generic hottie female." I don't know why I want to see it. Oh yeah, for that scene where Evans burns his own clothes off, even though it's PG-13.
- Do your laundry.
- Check over last week's list.
- Find out if you can still fill your prescriptions.
- Stop talking to yourself.
- Reading through the beginning of THE HISTORIAN, I was surprised to find that it's all written in first-person, and the main character is never given a first name. When this literary device works, the book can become REBECCA. When it doesn't work, it can read like a choose-your-own-adventure novel. Anybody remember those? I found a G.I. JOE one among my childhood books just recently, and I've not yet tried to read it. I'm not sure if I'd have the patience anymore to hold my page while reading through both choices to see which one gets you killed. Is that technically cheating?
- Jennifer Connelly was on the radio this morning to talk about DARK WATER. Um, I completely forgot this was coming out this weekend, so I probably won't see it.
- A movie critic told Lupo, while in an interview this week, that the best movie released in the last 10 years was ELEPHANT. Now, my initial reaction, in answering the question for myself, was to say THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, but I realized that's too old. It came out in 1991. What do you feel the best film released since 1995 has been? I'm toying with a dozen, off-the-beaten-path choices, from RUN LOLA RUN to THE TRUMAN SHOW, and I can't yet narrow it down. Oh wait, Lupo just reminded me of what my pick is: BEING JOHN MALKOVICH. What do you think is the best film of the last decade?
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