I signed up for a free trial of Netflix and decided to binge on as many movies as I could in two weeks without totally ignoring my real life. I got through 11, which is pretty good all things considered, and lots of them were very good. Here's what I saw and what I thought (don't worry, no spoilers):

Juno – I enjoyed this, although it didn’t quite live up to all the crazy hype. I did like the attitude and spunk Diablo Cody brought, although honestly I would probably hate Juno if I knew her in real life. However, Allison Janney can do no wrong, in my humble opinion.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith – This was the perfect movie to watch on Valentine’s Day: sexy actors, rage, violence and deception. Good stuff.

The Fountain – A really beautiful art piece. The lighting alone makes this worth a viewing. Some of the parallels and visual ties between the past, present, and future storylines were very striking and gracefully done. But it felt like something was missing and I can’t quite put my finger on what. I almost wish they’d done one more draft on the script. It seemed to hint at a lot of profound ideas, not quite posing questions and definitely not giving concrete answers. As a piece of cinematic art, I liked it, but even a day later I’m still mulling over what more I wanted from the movie. I may need to watch it again later and see if my opinion holds.

Real Women Have Curves – I really want to have a beer and shoot the breeze with America Ferrera. I think she seems like such a fun, laid-back gal. The plot here is nothing new and I don’t think it was terribly realistic (how many high school teachers just happen to be best buds with the dean at Columbia University?), but there’s still a lot of charm in this movie. And mad props to Lupe Ontiveros, who played the mom; she was fantastic.

Me and You and Everyone We Know – A movie about damaged and detached people. I don’t quite know what to do with movies like this because it seems like they’re trying so hard to be “deep” that I can’t simply enjoy them. Visually, though, this one had great colors and some of the character quirks were brilliant. I really liked the idea of technology and connection and art, and the sections that dealt with that were my favorites. The squicky dude hitting on the teenaged girls was not my favorite, nor was the chatroom side plot. However, I’d give this movie the nod for best writing thus far in the Netflix experiment. This is also the first movie in this endeavor where I especially noticed the instrumental soundtrack and felt like it was a very right fit. The more I think about it after the fact, the more I like it. I’d like to watch it again once the marathon’s over.

I’m Not There – Awesome. Really awesome. I don’t know a lot of Bob Dylan history, but I liked this idea of presenting his many self-inventions. Interesting way of presenting an artist, music, fame and creation. Cate Blanchett and Marcus Carl Franklin were fantastic, Christian Bale had some great moments, lots of excellent supporting roles. Lots of great writing and great visuals. Not only do I want to listen to copious amounts of Dylan now, I kind of want to buy this movie. 

Be Kind Rewind – Very cute and had some genuine laugh-out-loud moments. I wish I’d seen more of the movies they were recreating, but I still enjoyed it. Jack Black is one of my favorite movie comedians, and I think he can really shine in smart films like this one (also High Fidelity). I’d definitely recommend it. 

Waiting for Guffman – The best part of the movie was about half an hour in when I realized Corky St. Clair was the six-fingered man from The Princess Bride. Who knew? The movie itself was just sort of okay for me. A little disappointing.

Thank You For Smoking – Smart and sassy. I laughed out loud at several points, and both the writing and acting were totally solid. Oddly, I feel like it had really good sets: very strong yet modern in lines and colors. It made a fitting backdrop, so props to the design team. My only question was an element of the Katie Holmes plotline, and honestly, I would have cast somebody else. She was the weakest link in a great cast and she just bothers me on principle. But despite my brief disappointment to a kind of obvious plot twist, the movie redeemed itself and took a slightly different take than I expected for the ending. I really enjoyed it and would watch it again.

Burn After Reading – If memory serves, this was my first Coen brothers movie. It was pretty good, but not a stand-out for me. Brad Pitt was hysterical, though. I really think I’ve sold him short all these years. I’ve seen him in movies that are pure fluff (see Mr. and Mrs. Smith), but even then he’s really got something kind of magic on screen. He’s a scene-stealer. The saving orphans and being incredibly sexy don’t hurt either. So good for you, Brad, you’ve finally won me over. Coen brothers, you still have some work to do.

Lars and the Real Girl – This was such a good movie to end the Netflix venture on. It was sweet and a little sad and seriously renewed my faith in humanity. (What, sometimes a girl has doubts.) It’s another one that I plan on watching again and possibly adding to my collection. I don’t have anything else concrete to say other than to highly, highly recommend it.

At dinner this evening, we started talking about our top five movies of all time. I gave my list, started debating my number five selection, then decided to be all-inclusive and just come up with a top ten. So here you are, dear readers, Anna's ten favorite movies to date, roughly in order:

1) Amelie (A past boyfriend said this choice as my favorite movie of all time said a lot about me. Take that as you will.)
2) Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (Held the #1 spot until junior year of college. I still cry at the end every time.)
3) Ferris Bueller's Day Off
4) Singin' in the Rain
5) Star Wars (A New Hope, and not the ridiculous extended version)
6) High Fidelity
7) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
8) Run Lola Run
9) The Matrix
10) The Court Jester

I also feel like I should note the honorable mention due to A Muppet Christmas Carol, as I have watched it more times than any other movie and can recite the whole thing verbatim, complete with musical numbers. However, this list could be subject to change since I'm finally giving in to the siren song of Netflix. More on my two-week, free-trial, crash-cinema-catch-up is forthcoming.

I realized that I've been involved with social dancing for a year now. An anniversary, if you will. It's getting serious. I was out on a date recently and after I mentioned going to a blues event that weekend, he asked if I had any hobbies besides dancing. Swing dancing is not a hobby. It's like if I said breathing was a hobby. It's much too important, too essential to be called that. Lindy and blues have become such a huge chunk of my life, my time and (gradually) my social circle. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I made an actual account on iTunes today to redeem a gift card. I also have over $100 in gift cards to Barnes & Noble or Borders. I'm pretty excited about converting them all into shiny new things.

Related to the above, I need recommendations on contemporary authors. The only person I can think of who's publishing now that I want to read more of is Haruki Murakami, but I need more than that. My writing is stalled once again, so I want to devour as many books as I can and try to force it into sparking. Go.

I watched five movies over the past week: Fight Club, Newsies, The Mating Habits of the Earthbound Human, Waking Ned Divine, and Liar Liar. I'd never seen any of them before. Waking Ned Divine made me think about James Joyce and how much his writing captures the culture, mindset and lifestyle of Ireland. I'm kind of proud that they're my people, albeit several generations removed.

I've been listening to "Room On Fire" by The Strokes quite a bit recently.

I'm finally throwing a party tomorrow. It's been months since I've had one, so I'm pretty excited. I also realized that there's a good chance the guests will be predominantly guys. I don't think that's ever happened at one of my soirees before. Weird.

You may have a delicious cookie recipe that calls for two cans of sweetened condensed milk. You may start making those cookies, take the cans out of the cabinet and then realize that, despite coming in virtually identical packaging, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

*headdesk*

Don't let this happen to you, my friends! Read the labels!
Excuse me, now, I'm off to get very creative in the kitchen.

I've been a very busy chickadee for the past week and a half. Let's recap, shall we?

12/10 - Had Nikki and Chez over for dinner. Killed two bottles of wine and had a very merry evening.
12/11 - Saw Die Hard for the first time. Was surprised by how good it is.
12/12 - Awkward night spent as a fifth wheel and/or way too sober for the company. Can't win 'em all.
12/13 - Went to a huge blues party in Rogers Park. Had some spectacular dances, ate very tasty desserts and was doubly inspired to throw a dance at my apartment next month.
12/14 - Had Amanda over for dinner. Made a vegan Mediterranean feast with only a little mishap when I discovered that making hummus in a blender really doesn't work.
12/15 - Had Leanne over for dinner. Made a really good mac and cheese, caught up on life and love lives.
12/16 - Observed a Justin musician interview and experienced a heavy metal burger at Kuma's. Very tasty.
12/17 - Office holiday dinner in Evanston. Free food and wine with my cool coworkers? Yes please!
12/18 - Intelligentsia in the south loop and German Christmas market, two firsts for me.
12/19 - Dinner at the Hollywood Grill and then Bluetopia with more spectacular dances.
12/20 - Had a pretty spectacular baking failure, but made amends by drinking glogg and watching Muppet Christmas Carol with Jenny.
12/21 - Survived the -12 degree weather to go to the Intelligentsia on Broadway and the Chicago Diner with Amanda and YZ. Got back about an hour ago and am still thawing.

Tomorrow I'll finally be back at Fizz and then Tuesday it's back to Madison for a few days. I'm still in slight disbelief every now and then at what my life has become, but in a very, very good way. Yes, I'm often confused or bemused, but I'm also really happy. I like it.

I have no idea what I'm doing.

Carry on.

The purists and the hip-hop heads will hate Kanye West's new album. Let's just be honest about it. It's a big departure from his past work and honestly, I wouldn't even class it as a hip-hop album. The closest he comes to actual rapping is on "Heartless" and there are two guest spots from Young Jeezy and Lil' Wayne (neither is very impressive). Instead, he sings through an Auto-Tune on every single track. I actually had to double check that T-Pain wasn't guesting on any of the songs. So yes, some major changes in sound for Mr. West.

I'll need to give it a few more listens before I can say whether I like the album or whether it's just okay. I do like a few of the tracks quite a bit: "Love Lockdown," "Heartless," "Paranoid," and "Say You Will." But just know that it is going to sound different than what you'd expect from Kanye and go into it with open ears and an open mind.

One of the things that struck me most about the album is the contrast. Much of Kanye's fame is based on his swagger, the braggadocio confidence that he's the best and no critic can tell him otherwise. That idea was the central theme of his amazing "Glow In The Dark" show. He's a star and he knows it. He's never had any qualms about saying exactly what's on his mind. But while the honesty I think is still there on 808s, it's rife with insecurities. From the jittery electronica beats to the simplified pop lyrics to that damn Auto-Tune, much of the album sounds nervous, edgy, uncertain.

The title doesn't lie: it's an album about heartbreak. No political tracks. No rap game and fame. No shout outs or attacks. Love never really featured prominently in past albums. Sex yes. Family yes. Love...no tracks immediately come to mind. In the past year, Kanye's mother died and another review of 808s said that he also had a bad split with his fiance. That's some heavy shit to go through, and it would be impossible for that not to come out in his music. I remember my initial reaction to Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool" was similar, a very dark album after the death of his father and imprisonment of his mentor and friend. It's a new direction for Kanye, and it gives some encouragement that there really is a heart and feeling behind the reputation he's created for himself.

I actually liked a lot of the music. Kanye's a great producer and he has a strong ear. A lot of the tracks have retro-sounding synth vamps matched with broad, slow hip-hop beats. And I really do appreciate when an artist is willing to try something so utterly out in left field. He ran the college/fuzzy bear arc for as long as it needed to go, and he's too creative to continue in the same vein just because it's worked in the past. Kanye never really settled for traditional-sounding hip-hop tracks, so I give him full props for coming up with a new sound that fits the album's changed, sadder subject matter.

However. For a man who has spit some of the sharpest, wittiest lines I've heard, the writing really suffered here. And I feel bad saying that, because I do think that Kanye's usual honesty is still in full force here. I would believe that he is not in a good place right now and that he means every word he says. But the way he phrased a lot of the songs just doesn't sound original. Who knows, maybe heartbreak is just too universal to be expressed in a new way? Doubtful. "RoboCop" especially didn't sit well with me lyrically, but the "Pinocchio Story" track I think had some of the most interesting writing. It's also a bad sign that I just finished listening to the whole album, and other than the two songs I'd already heard, I couldn't sing back a single memorable line.

Despite my mixed feelings about the album, one of the things I like about Kanye is that he's never boring. He always has something to say, he has brilliant ideas, and he's a master showman. If 808s ends up being an aberration in his catalogue and he goes back into traditional hip-hop, then you can bet it's going to be a good listen. If he carries on in this vein, maybe finding a way to blend his old flow with his new sound, I would be on board with that too. But, and I'm surprised to be saying this, I do hope he gets some swagger back.

“There is a really strong sense of self in Chicago: People aren’t defined by wealth or by work or accomplishments, but rather who they are,” said Alex Kotlowitz, an author who makes his home in Chicago because he believes it is a place to peer into America’s heart. “Obama seems so comfortable in his skin and with who he is. That’s so Chicago.”

1) I love the irony of that appearing in The New York Times.
2) I love that it's largely true.
3) I love Chicago.

More, 11/5/2008

More is the latest project by Chicago pastry chef legend Gale Gand (who I’m pretty sure was training a guy behind the counter while another woman rang me up – how cool!). The shop is in Gold Coast, at the corner of State and Delaware, and it is tiny. And empty. It’s strictly a carry-out operation, with no space for tables or chairs. The cupcakes look like a modern art installation, displayed behind a hanging glass plate almost up to the ceiling. The options range from traditional to highly creative, with chocolate, red velvet, pumpkin, and…bacon?

Yes, a bacon maple cupcake. How could I not try it?

It was very, very good. The cake had a nice balance of the two flavors, including plenty of bacon bits mixed in with the batter. Its texture was more like a biscuit than a cake, which I actually enjoyed. There is no greater sin, in my world, than a dry cupcake, and I’m not sure if it’s that might be because there was actually maple syrup in the mix or just because Gale Gand is a genius. However, the cake was very, very crumbly, and I probably grossed out the old Italian man on the other end of the park bench by making a mess.

This was a rare occasion for me where the cake component outshone the frosting. It had a light maple flavor, and was little more than very smooth whipped cream. Personally, I’m partial to a butter frosting, and I would have thought butter and bacon would be the obvious choice. But then again, we are talking bacon in a cupcake, so maybe obvious isn’t the point. It was fine, but not as interesting in taste or texture as the cake.

I’d like to make a note on cupcake architecture. I’ve noticed a lot of bakeries are taking a new approach to frosting. Instead of spreading a thin, uniform, some bakers are dropping a cylindrical dollop of frosting on top of the cake. It almost looks like the cupcake is wearing a Cossack hat. In theory, I think this is a fantastic idea. For me the cake is almost always a vehicle for the sweet, sweet frosting. But in practice, I have two problems with this approach. The first is aesthetics. It just doesn’t look as appetizing to me. I think I may be a cupcake traditionalist: I want it to look like a cupcake. The second, and more serious problem, is mechanics. It’s damn near impossible to eat that style of cupcake without getting frosting all over your face.

For a final verdict, I’d say the place lives up to its name. I want more. I’ve read in reviews that they sometimes have goat cheese cupcakes and other bacon combinations, but I’d also be curious to try a more typical offering to see how the cake and frosting might change for a sweet dessert rather than a savory one. On a practical note, my cupcake was just under $4.50, which I’d say is a wee bit steep for any single baked good, but in this case I think it’s mostly justified. Also, according to Centerstage Chicago, the sweet cupcakes are a bit cheaper. It’s a good indulgence, especially if the whole selection lives up to this first taste.

Epilogue, 11/18/08 – I went back for more, a chocolate and vanilla mix. Tthe cake was just the right degree of crumbly and flavorful and sweet. The frosting was superbly fudgy and was topped with a mop of white chocolate curls. Like the bacon maple variety, it was a little messy to eat, especially if you’re like me and want to save the frosting for last. But absolutely worth the effort. It’s a good thing I’m covering all sorts of baked goods on this adventure, because I may have found my cupcake supplier for life.  

Proof positive that I am convincing in drag: at least one person saw me and instantly knew I was Justin Timberlake. Also people who know me saw me walk into the party and thought I was a guy (seriously, that made my night). God, I love Halloween. Candy, costumes, booze, and free Chipotle. Best holiday ever.