Who's House?

Seeing as I'm now a confirmed TiVo whore, there's been plenty of opportunity for me to catch new TV shows. The downside to the TiVo, however, is the lack of being able to record two shows at once. There are ways, indeed, to circumvent this matter. If it weren't for these alternate methods, I may not have caught the new drama gracing our airwaves, House.

House is just one of the many medical dramas being aired right now, and also one of what is becoming a very popular series of shows, the medical investigation drama. There are a few factors however, that make it unique. One of these is the fact that there are no crimes, nor are there epidemics, this show deals with patients on an individual basis. At its core, Dr. House, who happens to be a damaged and, of course, eccentric central character, doesn't like dealing with these patients, but in fact believes them all to be liars who will only hinder his diagnosis. Helping him out are a crack team of young doctors willing to learn, but also willing to take risks. It seems somewhat normal at its surface, but once Dr. House breaks open one of his vices, a tabloid magazine, you know this is not your typical CSI send-up.

As leads go, Hugh Laurie is in an accomplished and believable actor. His resume really speaks for itself, but the performance he gives as Dr. House is quite admirable. There's the right combination of gravitas and levity to make the character really shine out apart from the myriad eccentric leads that one might find on any channel. I contend that it's because of his performance that House is now one of my favorite shows, behind Scrubs of course. Check it out if you can, it might take some getting used to, but I like it.

Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, wherever you are. Hope you have a lot to give thanks for this year and always for the years to come.

Solvang??

One of the smaller movies, with a pretty big critical success story this year has been the Alexander Payne film Sideways. If anyone's seen either Election or About Schmidt, you get the idea that Mr. Payne has an oblique sense of humor which one might at first consider pessimistic. Rather, I'd say that his viewpoint ultimately tends towards the optimistic. The purveying factor guiding his pictures isn't the hell Mr. Payne puts the main characters through, it is in fact what they discover about themselves.

I'll have to say that this movie would not succeed with out the impeccable casting Paul Giamatti is a struggling middle school English teacher dreaming to be an author friend of the soon-to-be-married and somewhat washed-up actor played by Thomas Haden Church. What succeeds is that these actors aren't big names or marquee faces, but they seem like real people. All the supporting characters are equally as real, and you almost forget you are watching a movie and instead feel like you're observing a week in the life of two regular guys. It isn't just their looks that make them believable, it's also their acting, and I'll admit that I wasn't expecting much, but was terribly impressed in the end.

Story-wise, you get the idea that Mr. Giamatti's character, Miles, is horribly depressed. He's two years divorced and had his book universally rejected. Unfortunately, it's his task to toast Mr. Church's, or Jack's, impending nuptials with a week in Santa Barbara, wine-tasting, and golf. What seems like routine, takes a twist when Jack's intentions turn everything on it's head.

What I took away from this movie was how smart it was. I'm not sure if it was the dialogue, the situations, or just the fact that it wasn't pretentious at all. It never seemed slow and also, it was never ordinary. From that standpoint though, I will say that it's not for everyone. For me however, it was what I expected from Mr. Payne: enjoyable and intelligent.

Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

As I Lay Dying...

That's a bit of an exaggeration really, considering that I'm just holed up in bed decrying the fact that I should have gotten more sleep than I did. Thinking I should have drank more orange juice last week and also thinking it's kind of nice to have a little break. Albeit, I wish I could be having this break completely healthy right now, but that's irrelevant now. I'll just be thankful that it's a short week, and things aren't as busy as they could be at the moment. Other than that, I'm perfectly content to try and nap the disease away. Nap...

Nap...

Nap.

Breakfast Anyone?

LA Blogs asks all of its citizens about their breakfast habits. Being that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day (especially on the weekends) I'm naturally inclined to participate.

1. General question, where is your favorite breakfast in LA?
Uncle Bill's Pancake House in Manhattan has some of the best potato scrambles ever devised. I love the food, but the wait's nothing to be sniffed at. Duke's in Malibu has a fantastic brunch that has to be experienced by all.

2. What do you order?
I love the common breakfast stack which usually includes eggs, sausage, hash browns, and a heaping stack of buttermilk pancakes. The quality of the restaurant always depends on the quality of their pancakes.

3. There is great Mexican food in LA, where do you go for huevos rancheros or a breakfast burrito?
El Conquistador in Silver Lake is hands-down, the best place to go for a quality Mexican Breakfast. They serve their huevos rancheros with a nice, toasty, and crispy tortilla.

4. For a quick bagel or donut, where do you stop?
Since it's the closest place to me, Noah's Bagels is the most convenient, and has a good variety when I'm in a hurry.

5. Any greasy spoons that you brave or would like to?
Pann's is quite good over on La Cienega, but even closer than that is good ol' Chips which I haven't been to yet, but I would love to try.

6. Over priced breakfast?
Good question, I have yet to eat a horribly expensive breakfast anywhere, anyone have any ideas?

7. Coffee, tea, or juice; where is the best spot?
Juice, always. I'll pick up a Naked Juice when I can. I'm not much for going out for coffee.

8. You have guests from out of town, where do you take them for an overall great breakfast?
Either Uncle Bill's or the Original Pancake House in Torrance. If they're up for a drive, Plums in Newport Beach has an amazing spread, and totally worth the wait.

Liquid Lightning

My Free Will Horoscope this week had a couple items of note that I found kind of neat. First of all, there's this quote, "I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the Heart's affections and the truth of Imagination." and it also suggests that I refer to myself as the "Earth-Shaking, Record-Breaking, Love-Erecting, Truth-Correcting, Mind-Expanding, Justice-Demanding Bolt of Liquid Lightning." I kind of like the second idea better than the first, but I've always believed in the power of imagination. Hoo-rah.

No Capes!

Ever since I saw Toy Story, I've been a Pixar freak. Being just a fan of animation as a medium is not the only reason to see every movie they produce, being a fan of good movies in general should also be reason enough. They've produced the most consistent string of high-quality pictures over the last decade, and if you've found yourself laughing at Shrek, you have Pixar to thank. This recent legacy, and the promise of good times is why we took in the sumptuous leather seats of The Bridge for their latest, The Incredibles.

For me, the promise of The Incredibles began early when I heard that Brad Bird was directing the movie. Anyone who's seen The Iron Giant may remember him, but those who haven't caught it should make the effort since it happens to be one of the most character-driven and enjoyable animated features outside of the Pixar films in recent memory. I'll have to say this off the bat, Mr. Bird did not disappoint.

Plot-wise, the movie itself follows the canon of Pixar movies, making seemingly unrealistic situations incredibly real. They've given toys, bugs, and fish large worlds and personalities to match. What could be larger than life, and even more in-style nowadays, than a modern-day tale of superheroes. The premise is simple in itself, superheroes have been forced into retirement by frivolous lawsuits. Mr. Incredible, the biggest hero of his day, has been happy in family, but not necessarily in life and longs for the glory days of heroics to return. No sooner has he hit rock bottom does a seemingly convenient opportunity arise, but with a sinister twist. With Mr. Incredible in peril, no one else can save him but his family.

The voice performances, and those of the animated characters themselves are top-notch. You hear the emotion foremost, but it's what the animators create that make you believe it. Small movements of hands, feet, anything that makes the figure more realistic might not be noticeable while taking in the amazing set pieces, but it has to be appreciated how far these artists went to make their characters well, characters. Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, and most notably, Samuel L. Jackson give the highest expected performances, but the actors portraying the two Incredible children no doubt have to be lauded for the work they've done. There's a vulnerability they portray, but also a sense of wonder to which the viewer can relate. These aren't the only aspects though, that make the movie amazing.

Visually, dramatically, and aurally, this movie delivers on all counts. The action scenes are just what the title suggests, portraying superheroes with all the power and amazement they deserve, and also as human as they deserve. . The small scenes also speak to the familiarity of life we face every day, and the desires we might want to fulfill at any moment in frustration. It's this duality in which Pixar elevates and grounds the picture at the same time. One doesn't just watch the movie, one experiences it.

I can't say any more without writing a few thousand pages about how much I loved this movie. Every aspect of it was the best I've seen in a while, and really, I recommend you get out and see it as soon as you can. Pixar has done it again, and I believe they'll keep doing it for years and years to come.

Overall Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Last Word... Electorally

Several times throughout the last few days, I've heard arguments from both sides of the political spectrum attempt explanation of the electoral process and how we now have G-Dubb as prez for the next four years (FOUR years!). It comes down to a couple of simple issues that I've consistently seen:

1. Kerry is not a strong candidate for president.

2. Bush makes people feel like their moral values are safe.

I'll accept the first tenet because I was never fully comfortable with Mr. Kerry from early on during the primary elections. Mostly, I was suprised that he came so strongly out of left field to steal the primaries from more viable candidates, but in the end, he was it, and we had to accept that as fact. His rhetoric towards the end of his presidential campaign became much stronger, but unfortunately, it appeared to be too little too late. For what it's worth, I believed in what he had to say: that he could empower the economy, become a champion of the middle class, return our civil liberties to what they once were, and heal our standing within the international community, but unfortunately, the majority (yes, it is an official majority) of the country didn't hear this side of his message and instead saw an untrustworthy and weak-minded candidate.

Now, the second idea, that Mr. Bush makes people feel their moral values and lives are protected is not a lot of hogwash. It's no surprise that middle America finds his down-home demeanor and devotion to faith reassuring. We out on the west coast and northeast of the country may think differently, however. While many of us may have seen the economy, the international spectrum, and the war overseas as the biggest issues, many outside of these states saw gay marriages, stem-cell research, and abortion as abominations of faith that should be gutted and thrown overboard. Forget that people with different sexual orientations should be allowed civil liberties, forget that many adults suffer daily from debilitating disease, and forget that violent sexual crimes can lead to unfortunate choices, but remember that our country was founded by what else, Puritans. Is it any surprise then that moral values were the highest rated deciding factor in this election?

Ultimately, I like to believe we all wanted our moral values protected. It can be argued that those of us in the blue counties (check out the purple map to get an idea of what I mean) were thinking of others while those in red counties thought of themselves. I'm not trying to say that there's less compassion in the south and midwest than in other regions of the country, but isn't it what drives these issues. Do we not want others to have the same rights we do, or are we more concerned that their rights will infringe on ours? I like to think that it's a little of both for everyone.

I'll end by posting what the newly elected Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama said at the Democratic National Conention:

Yet even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight, there's not a liberal America and a conservative America—there's the United States of America. There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there's the United States of America. The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

It's my country, and your country, let's make it work for us.

Whoop De Doo

The only thing I have to say about the election is this: my sister was wearing a shirt today that read, "We're all going to hell."

Ha.

What'd I Say?

No longer will I look at Jamie Foxx and think of Booty Call. After seeing Ray this weekend, my opinion of him has changed completely based upon his performance. Actually, the last two movies he's been a part of have altered my opinion somewhat, but this one has reversed it entirely, unless he goes about and makes Booty Call 2, I'll be hard-pressed to remember what his performance was like in the original.

Ray itself is a really good film. Sunday nights are starting to seem like good nights for movies too, because you can still show up 15 minutes before the movie, and find plenty of seating. Although we did find ourselves surrounded by talkers, I was so wrapped up in the drama that it was inconsequential. The story itself is enthralling as you watch the life of Ray Charles the musician begin to take shape over the course of a decade. From working small bars in Seattle, to headlining national tours, Ray Charles showed a genius that never really developed until he was able to break out on his own. He had a charisma that hid a crippling heroin addiction and addiction to women that he fought with early on in his career, but it appeared that his talent and his will to persevere overcame all of this to become a musical legend. Most compelling was his early childhood and his mother's unwillingness to let him become less than he could be and her determination for him to become more than she ever was. It was this relationship that drove him, and ultimately the emotional core of the story.

Jamie Foxx gave the performance of his life. His depiction of Ray Charles is spot-on so much so, that you forget you're watching an actor and instead feel that what you're seeing is reality. He was so dedicated to this role that he wore a facial prosthetic to mimic blindness and experienced the world as Ray Charles would have. He put on an extremely brave performance, displaying not just the physical movements and vocal timbre, but also played the heck out of the piano. I mean, when they could have gotten a body double to play the music that made Ray Charles famous, there was no need in that Jamie Foxx is quite an accomplished pianist in his own right. Impressive.

I'd say this is the first great movie of the Fall movie season, and if you get a chance, go out and see it, if not just to experience some fine performances and a good story, but to be flat-out entertained in the process.

Overall Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Traffic Survey

Ah, the joy of traffic tickets, another LA Insight from LA Blogs:

1. Have you ever been ticketed for a moving violation?
Yes, but never in the state of California (knock on wood).

2. Have you ever been able to talk your way out of a ticket (just getting a warning)?
There's been a couple of close calls, but I've never had to talk my way out getting a ticket, usually the cops either have bigger fish to fry, or just want to talk.

3. Have you ever fought a traffic ticket?
Nope, I figure you do wrong, you pay the price.

4. How did you fulfill your traffic school requirement?
Took a one day course at a community college. Had to be the most horrible day I've ever spent in any class, anywhere.

5. Have you ever gotten a parking ticket? Did you fight it?
I've gotten a couple, just because I completely lost track of time. They're lame, and always at a meter, so I've never really fought them.

6. How much do you think you've spent in your lifetime on tickets? (Or, if that's too personal: Where to you advise people to avoid getting a ticketed (parking or moving violation)?)
It's been so long since I've gotten a ticket in any form that I can't estimate or give any sort of advice whatsoever.

7. Have you been ticketed in other cities/states/countries? How does that experience compare?
I've only been ticketed in the state of Arizona. Although the stretch of road I was ticketed on can be pretty deserted, it's not deserted from the highway patrol. It was a little embarrassing, but minor.

8. If you had it to do all over again, what's the one thing you would have done differently when it came to a run in with The Man?
Not speed in the first place. It's reckless and silly on a crowded or unfamiliar road. That's all I'm going to say.