Latest Posts…
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One-upping the Dionnes
A teenaged girl, with the improbable name of Kockenloker, who has a thing for soldiers goes out on the town determined to give the boys shipping out a send-off to remember. She gets loaded, and then gets in trouble (remembering nothing of the fateful night) and spends the rest of the movie trying to get…
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Borat
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan isn’t coming out until November, but the buzz is building. Borat, the fictional TV reporter from Kazakhstan, is one of the triumvirate of characters portrayed by Sacha Baron Cohen, the master practitioner of the phony interview. Baron Cohen’s genius lies in his ability…
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John Scofield Trio at the Blue Note
From the “rock-sandwich” department: “You know, the house is kind of small.” So said the nine-year-old boy sitting two tables away, helping his dad polish off a plate of calamari. The house? How many jazz clubs has this kid been to? The Blue Note seats about 250, in a layout very similar to Dangerfield’s. What…
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2005 Movie Capsule Reviews
Brick **** Brilliant. The idea of a classic film noir set in a San Clemente high school is both interesting and dangerous. First-time writer/director Rian Johnson masterfully manoeuvres around the landmines, or at least trips over them so lightly that they don’t blow up. Yes, we have the Vice Principal as D.A., yes we have…
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Keep on Rockin’ in the AARP World
James Gang Rides Again! So said the poster out in front of the Beacon Theatre. It was a Friday night and S.Fo and I were romping about the UWS. I’ve often noticed how once a thing enters your consciousness, you begin to see it expressed everywhere. A year ago, I would have passed the poster…
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The Second Great Quintet
It’s nice to be blown away. The cynical, jaded layer that forms like a crust over gets its fuel from the despair that it’s all been seen, no more epiphanies to be had. But sometimes, by stripping away expectations and allowing yourself to open up like a neophyte, something gets through to you and humbles…
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New York: HSH
Many years since I was here, on the street I was passin’ my time away to the left and to the right, buildings towering to the sky it’s outta sight in the dead of night Here I am, and in this city, with a fistful of dollars And baby, you’d better believe it I’m back,…
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Paris blogging: victoire a vendredi
We won! And thank goodness, because the only thing that could salvage the horrendous faux pas of scheduling a dinner during a France World Cup game would be the guys pulling out the requisite win. And not just winning the game, but scoring the two points needed to advance to the next round. Jubilation! R…
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Roma blogging: mercoledi — cena, or “Trampin-in-Trastavere”
We begin the evening with more superlatives. By all accounts, the best gelato in Rome is to be found at il Gelato di San Crispino. We almost miss the little hole-in-the-wall joint. Expecting to encounter a huge line, having arrived at 18:00, we find the place empty. Told by a sign to take a number,…