Short Rounds #1

Here are a few quick notes on movies I've watched recently, books I've read recently, music I'm listening to and other random notes. I think I will write one of these every few weeks, just because.

Movies I've watched recently:

1. The Money Pit - Dear god, this movie is funny. When Tom Hanks starts cracking up when the tub falls through the floor, it slays me.  Laugh out loud funny.
2. Funny Farm - Seems like a knock-off of "The Money Pit" - I do love Chevy Chase's slapstick though
3. Jews and Baseball: An American Love Story - Good documentary that features interviews with Sandy Koufax, Hank Greenberg, Al Rosen, Kevin Youkilis, etc. (other notables: Ian Kinsler, Ryan Braun, Sean Green, Adam Greenberg (check his story out))
4. Get Low -  Robert Duvall plays an old hermit who wants to be present for his own funeral party.  He invites everyone from town who has a story about him. Bill Murray is awesome here.
5. Dial M For Murder - Hitchcock classic. An unbelievably good story. Very suspenseful and well written. Easily the best movie on this list.
6. To Sir With Love - Sidney Poitier stars as a first year teacher in England, who turns a group of rough high-schoolers into respectful, appreciative young men and women. Better than "Lean On Me"
7. Before The Devil Knows You're Dead - Sidney Lumet is about as good as it gets (Dog Day Afternoon, The Verdict, Network, Serpico, 12 Angry Men).  This movie stars Ethan Hawke and Philip Seymour Hoffman as brothers who are both in need of money so badly that they decide to rob a jewelry store that is owned by their parents.  Their mom is murdered in the hold-up. 
8. Religulous - I've seen this Bill Maher movie about 10 times. That should tell you what I think of it (I also saw him perform at the famed Ryman Auditorium in Nashville a few years ago - amazing).
9. Gasland - Documentary about natural gas 'fracking' that is sweeping the northeast part of the nation. Landowners have a tough decision to make: do I allow drilling companies to lease my land and risk contaminating my water? or do I say no thank you to that huge paycheck that they are offering in order to stay healthy? This is, however, a biased documentary.
10. Super 8 - J.J. Abrams directed this throwback adventure movie that follows a group of pre-teens who are directing a movie when they encounter something out of this world. Spielberg produced this film, which reminded me of E.T., Close Encounters, Cloverfield, The Goonies, you get the point. A lot of fun.
11. Cars 2 - very fun, even though I absolutely hate animation.  It still bothers me that Larry the Cable Guy has made so much money off of a fake character (I mean his Larry character, not Tomater - watch this)
12. True Grit - Loved it.  This is what going to the movies is all about.  I need to see the original though.
13. Winter's Bone - Without a doubt, the best movie I saw in 2010.  A teenage girl goes on a mission to find her father in order to save the house that she and her two younger siblings are living in. Has a finale reminiscent of Fargo. A must see film.

These books are really good. Read them:

1. Under the Banner of Heaven - John Krakauer book about Mormonism, specifically the horrors of Fundamentalist Mormonism. This is my friend Craig's favorite Krakauer. I can't disagree.
2. Not Dead and Not For Sale - Scott Weiland's memoir. Wow, what a ride. This book literally takes about 2 hours to read (and I read pretty slowly).  The coolest parts are about how Core and Purple were recorded. Check it out. STP's new record is very good by the way. I just saw them play the Tower Theater recently and was blown away. The DeLeo brothers shred.
3. The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin - I have to admit, I listened to this instead of reading it. It is predictably boring, but I liked it. 
4. Beatrice And Virgil - Yann Martel's much-anticipated follow up to Life of Pi.  Not quite as good, but worth checking out if you loved Pi as much as I did.
5. The Extra 2%: How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Baseball Team from Worst to First - Book by Jonah Keri that documents the ascension of the Tampa Bay Rays in recent years.  Better than Michael Lewis' Moneyball.  I really enjoyed this book.  A must read for all baseball fans.
6. Where Men Win Glory - I am only about halfway through this Krakauer book about former NFL player Pat Tillman, who quit pro football to join the Army only to be killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan. Awesome so far; can't wait to finish it.

 Movies I'm excited about:

1. The Descendents - George Clooney plays a father who attempts to re-enter the lives of his two daughters. Seems like Oscar bait.
2. Conan O'Brien Can't Stop -  I love Conan and can't wait to see this documentary that followed him on his tour last year before his TBS show began.
3. Another Earth - What if there was another you out there in the universe? This movie seems to explore that question.
4. Buck - Documentary about the real-life Horse Whisperer that Robert Redford's character was based on. Looks good.
5. Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times - Documentary about the Times
6. Harry Potter  - no, not really
7. Cowboys and Aliens - yes! This combo can't be bad. Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig, sign me up. Directed by John Favreau (Iron Man; Iron Man 2; I Love You, Man; Swingers; Couples Retreat; The Break-Up)

New music I'm listening to:

1. Foo Fighters: Wasting Light - this album wails, plain and simple. Buy it.
2. Death Cab For Cutie: Codes and Keys - pretty good album. Although not as good as their previous stuff, it's damn close.  The Song Monday Morning is particularly good; I am certain it will be a radio hit soon.
3. The Social Network Soundtrack: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - Reznor is Nine Inch Nails, Ross is his musical partner. Together, they are in the zone.  Geniuses, literally.
4. Failure: Fantastic Planet - ok, so this one is from the mid-90s, but it is one of my favorite complete rock records ever and I recently dove back into it. Thanks to my old pal Buzz for introducing me to Failure.

Final note: The HBO original series Game of Thrones rules.