life is a single skip for joy.

what are YOU doing?

i am indeed channeling the budweiser commerical on that one. but seriously. what's up? it's been a little while since my last blog, and things of little importance have been keeping me busy. i have some music to talk about, some movies, smelly people on the subway, new phones, and snowfall. so sit back, relax, pop in a toaster strudel and enjoy.

first up on the agenda, movies. i caught up on some this weekend. i get the blockbuster total access thing, and since i get home late during the week, i never get to watch the movies i get. aggie watches 'em and sends 'em back. and the last couple weekends have been busyyyy, so this weekend, i caught up. la vie en rose. film about french songstress edith piaf. i had randomly seen this in blockbuster one day a while back, and thought it looked interesting. then marion cotillard was nominated for best actress for the oscars, so i took advantage of it. and wow. usually, i'm not a big subtitle person. i like to watch what's happening AS it's happening, and the subtitles distract me a bit. however, being that i did take four years of french, i was surprised to understand a bit. random things, of course. with that being said, the subtitles hardly distracted me from this emotional film. you just feel for this lady who went through more in her short life than some of us ever will. it's amazing, really to see how she persevered. great film. i highly recommend it. and while marion's performance is truly exceptional, i feel that she will not take home the oscar, with stiff competition among her in the category. dedication. cue the artsy, indie film with an underlying love story. (it should be known that if you click on the link above here, when justin theroux introduces the trailer, that is on the roof of the tribeca film center AND i'm sitting right to the right of him as he's doing this. i think that is grounds enough to like the film, haha) but i do give billy crudup massive props, b/c the first half of the movie, i HATED his character. and that means that he did his job. bordering on schizophrenia or tourette's at times, with a generous helping of OCD - just my guess - he was sharp-tounged and downright rude. then comes mandy moore, who despite critic's opinions, i happen to enjoy as an actress. there are some moments when i'm like, "ok, maybe she should stick to singing" - but overall, she is convincing to me, especially in this role. i can't say that i whole-heartedly loved this film, but i appreciated it for what it was. somewhat entertaining with a killer soundtrack. see: deerhoof. margot at the wedding. cue another indie-type film, sprinkled with dysfunctional families and people, toss in some jack black, and again - a crafty soundtrack. i read the synopsis for this and it sold me. it pretty much described it as a messed up film about siblings - to which i'm like, well heck, that will be interesting! nicole kidman in a role that most people wouldn't guess her to be in. i prefer those roles. the ones where people are like "WOW" - those are the good ones. jennifer jason leigh, too. i liked the chemistry between the characters. although some parts you're like, wtf - it has heart. very reminiscent of the squid and the whale, which is another film that makes you happy if your life isn't that effed up. ironically by the same director. here's to not taking your complicated familes for granted. cheers! ;) i could never be your woman. ok, so i saw a preview for this one at the beginning of one of these other films. and it looked cute. and it was. there was a dull part, but any dullness was more than made up for by paul rudd's adorableness. i don't know if that is a word, nor do i care. you, female readers, watch this film, and tell me he does NOT emit adorableness. he's fun. i hope if i'm in my 40+ years that i can find a cutey patooty like him. it's fun. nothing to write home about, but it's a romantic comedy (which can technically describe approximately 84 percent of all films). there were laugh out loud parts. but i wasn't sure if that's because aggie was on her mark with her witty comments tonight, or if it was really michelle pfeiffer swooning over mr. rudd. very cute. (especially michelle's character's daughter, who has a knack for changing the words to pop songs - very clever) also, several blink 182 moments. always a classic.

ok ok. enough movie talk. oh wait. i almost forgot. last week i had a cool little experience. i was working for the premiere of be kind, rewind event at the cinemas, and i got to see a few people worth sharing. elijah wood - who is massively shorter than you could ever imagine in person. oh hobbitman. rachel dratch - who attends every tribeca event ever, but she is still so cute. very nice. blondie. um, i said BLONDIE. mia farrow. gideon yago. and my personal highlight of the evening - regina spektor. especially because i smiled and said hi when she went by, not really noticing at first who she was - and then it hit me and i almost let out this scream in her face. she was very sweet, and she, too, is little!

ok, for real. let's move on to music. this one won't be too lengthy, i promise. just a few new cats and doggs (TWO g's folks) that i've tapped into lately. let's start off with air traffic. not sure how i came across them. i think in an old issue of a music magazine. or maybe one of the many wonderful discoveries of the hype machine. either or, it's poppy, catchy rock. described as a bit of coldplay, a dash of muse, a bit of u2 and called the "UK's version of the fray." you can't go too wrong with that. the melodic tragedy in "empty space" which was written for lead singer chris wall's friend who was killed in a car accident in canada is breathtaking. in the end it doesn't matter what other people have to say, listen to and enjoy what makes you feel good. hence, air traffic. try it on for size. she and him. the power duo of m. ward and zooey deschanel - who shows off her pipes since ELF - is simply beautiful. it's folky, it's raspy, and it's great. and if nothing else, their cover of "bring it on home to me" is worth a listen. it's such an innocent sound. very relaxing.

let me just take a moment to say WOO freaking HOO for the win for glen hansard and marketa irglova for best original song for "falling slowly" from the movie once. what a beautiful film, what a beautiful soundtrack, and what a beautiful story. i'm so glad to have seen this live last year at the festival. and also, well wishes to diablo cody for juno's screenplay, only one question. couldn't you have left your stripper dress at home? ;)

i'm off to read my spanish for dummies and drink some warm apple cider. it's how i roll.

good night. and don't give up on those dreams. even strippers can win oscars. :)

something about the midwest honey, always makes miss you more than life...

i came with full intentions of talking about something upbeat. you know, to counteract the deep, serious blogs i've been strewing about. and then, i read some bad news. not quite bad news on a global level, but on a personal level. the kind of news a music fan does not want to hear. a breakup. or more like a hiatus, which we all know still means breakup.

oh, the format. i remember it vividly. i was a newbie at WZIP, let loose in the cabinet full of cds. most of which were local bands with attempts to make it big. some household names here and there, most of which were of the urban genre. and there it was. a bright red cover. with a spikey haired dude, and the big E-P letters.


five songs. nothing that absolutely blew my face off, but the first track (ironically called "the first single") is catchy as hell. if you can listen to this song and NOT clap your hands, i will give you one US dollar.

so another afternoon came, and i continued digging through the mounds of cds - and what do you know, i came across their first full length cd, interventions & lullabies. there it began. afternoons full of catchy, pop-infested tunes. but something was different. while the actual sound of the music may have been a familiar taste, for me, it was the voice. nate ruess. he's a unique fella. at first glance, he looks like your typical skinny indie singer. hair in the eyes, hipbones sticking out. and then he opens his mouth. he opens his mouth and out comes a folky, and at times country-twanged voice, that flows over the song as if there was no effort at all.

after what was quite the rollercoaster ride in 2005, topped by Atlantic's choice to drop them from the label, it looked like there may not be another album. that is, until nate and sam took it upon themselves to make an album THEY wanted to make, without the strings attached. and what resulted was one of my top albums of 2006.

dog problems. without a doubt, the best packaging of a cd that i own. it was july of 2006, and i was working at no milk records in red bank, new jersey. the first spin was thanks to kyle, who was in love with it. i went out and bought it after i was done working and the love hasn't stopped since then. it is a beautifully constructed piece of art. visually and musically. it has horns, and lots of 'em. jazz flavor, pop flavor, you name it. and the lyrics tie it all together.

throw in a live cd/dvd, another EP, and the infamous b-sides/rarities album. there you have it. the trail that was left behind by one of the best duos in music.

sometimes i get in a mood, and i don't know what i want to listen to. the format is just always something i can play, no matter how i'm feeling - it works. so it is with this that i say thank you. nate and sam - thank YOU for making music that matters and not selling your soul to do it.

http://www.theformat.com/
http://www.myspace.com/theformat

stay tuned. i'll share what female singer/songwriters are spinning in this ol' head of mine. and come on, when have i let you down before?

makeover!

yo. danielle is helping me make a HAWT blog.


stay tuned...

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