Jews Kicking Ass!

22 Aug

In the new film Inglourious Basterds, writer/director Quentin Tarantino offers up a revenge fantasy that I can totally identify with: dorky-looking Jewish guys killing Nazis.

And sure enough, when Adolph Hitler, Joseph Goebbels, and hundreds of Germans get what’s coming to them in the same brutal style that they have shown millions of other innocent people, it’s a cool thrill.

Still, the movie itself leaves a bit to be desired, so the fantasy never quite feels complete.

And as a result, Inglourious Basterds is a bit of a disappointment. Continue reading →

Eat It

19 Aug

I don’t buy this whole diet thing. Oh, sure, you could probably tell by some of the things I post on here that I’m not the healthiest of eaters (exhibit a or exhibit b, anyone?). But in true Gemini style, there’s an opposite side of me that truly does want to lose some weight. And it’s been a constant struggle between the two sides for a long time now. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out which one is winning.

I don’t mind telling you that August was supposed to be the start of Martin Eats Healthy — or at least, Martin Eats Healthier. And I have made some impressive strides in that department (relatively speaking). For example, I rarely eat frozen chicken nuggets for dinner anymore. Now my meals consist more of actual meat — chicken, mostly. And instead of eating pasta as a side dish, I have either eaten corn on the cob, or broccoli, or carrots, or string beans, or some combination of them. For breakfast, I’ve stopped eating chocolate chip muffins, and now I eat a yogurt every day with some fruit (cantaloupe).

Generally, it’s alright. I have actually become somewhat addicted to corn on the cob this summer (much to the dismay of my teeth). But the yogurts? I have tried a few different flavors, and a couple different brands, but they all basically have the same tart taste, no matter what the flavor supposedly is. I’ve even been to that new place, Chill, in Cleveland Circle, and had the tart yogurt — but I have to say, it wasn’t great (I mean, compared to real ice cream, anyway). I’ve had salad for lunch, but it’s just not filling enough, and nor is a yogurt in the morning. A couple hours later and I’m hungry again.

Of course, I haven’t cut out bad foods entirely (still a few of those), but yeah, at least I’m trying. Eventually I’ll get it through my skull that eating better (relatively speaking) is only half the puzzle, and the other half is I need to exercise more. But that’ll happen in due time. Maybe if I start to see some actual results, it’ll encourage me to do more. But until then, I’m just not sure I’m cut out for this whole diet thing.

A Funnier Film Is Unforeseeable

18 Aug

During a radio interview, a British government official says that a proposed war in the Middle East is “unforeseeable.”

Thus begins the movie In the Loop, a hysterical political farce about U.S. and U.K. relations, and how this simple comment escalates into a possible declaration of war.

To spoil the film would be impossible — I dare say it would be “difficult difficult, lemon difficult.”

There are so many great lines, a ton of great insults, and some splendid profanities that you may need to see the movie a second time to make sure you heard it all (check out the brilliant trailer below for a sampling). Continue reading →

Just What America Needs?

17 Aug

In the kind-of annoying trifle Paper Heart, comedian Charlyne Yi (who you might remember from Knocked Up) plays herself in a mock documentary about love.

She claims she doesn’t believe in it, and so she heads off with her director and friend Nick Jasenovec to interview random folks across the country about why they believe in it.

Along the way, she meets and develops a not-love (or is it?) relationship with Michael Cera. Sounds cute enough, but the film actually shares quite a bit of fakery with other mockumentaries, such as Sasha Baron Cohen’s Borat or Bruno. Continue reading →

Single Minded

16 Aug

I won’t lie: I’d like to be in a relationship right now. But the reality is that I’m not, and I’m fine with it. Actually, it’s quite nice.

Case in point: last weekend I had an unfortunate cooking incident involving pancakes (don’t ask), so this morning when I woke up, I decided I didn’t want to mess around with imperfection. I got in my car and drove to a place where I knew I could have good griddle cakes: IHOP. In Harvard Square, of all places. I took a magazine with me, and I sat there at my table, alone, eating my breakfast. And I was happy. (It wasn’t the first time I’ve dined by myself, either.) Spur of the moment idea, instant activity. No one to convince, no one to stop me. And sure enough, the pancakes were tasty and I was content. With no other place to be, I walked off my meal by wandering around the Square, popping into one store or another, stopping to browse a magazine or two at the Out-of-Town newsstand. I even hung out at a farmer’s market. And when I was ready, I left.

Yesterday, I had a similar kind of day. I needed an activity, so because the weather was so nice, I decided to go on a drive — all the way to the Stoughton Triangle, my name for the intersection where you’ll find IKEA, Costco, and Jordan’s Furniture all next-door to each other. Yes, the last time I went to IKEA, I was let down, but so what? Even if all I did was have lunch, it would still have been something to do. So I got in my car, rolled down the windows, turned up the radio and went. Thankfully, I found what I needed (and then some), and I had a tasty lunch as well. Then I had a tasty “snack” at Costco, and after buying a thing or two, I meandered my way back to the city. Mission accomplished.

When you’re single and unattached, with no obligations, you can do such things. You keep your own schedule, going where you want to go, doing what you want to do, and doing it when you want to do it. And sure, maybe I’m a little too used to it at this point — it’s probably not such a good thing to be so comfortable hanging out solo at age 35 — but do you see me complaining?

It’s a Sign

16 Aug

While driving through Watertown earlier today, I saw this sign. Anyone know which two ways you can drive on Pleasant Street? Is it really up and down?

The Joy of Cooking

5 Aug

A word of warning: Do not go to see Julie & Julia on an empty stomach. By the time the movie’s over, you’ll feel downright famished. (That’s meant as a compliment, just in case it isn’t clear.) And that’s not just because there’s a lot of food in this movie, and it’s not just because the food looks really good. It’s because the movie is such a treat that you’ll just want to eat it up.

Julie & Julia is based on the book of the same name by the real-life Julie Powell (played here by Amy Adams), who decided to kick-start her life in 2002 by spending a year cooking every recipe in Julia Child’s cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and blogging about it (before blog was a household word). The movie doesn’t just make Julia Child an inspiration, it also makes her a character, by weaving in the story of Child’s own life in Paris during the 1950s (this part is based on My Life in France, Child’s autobiography). The movie shows how these two women found more than a hobby in food, and how their passion for cooking transformed their lives.

As Child, Meryl Streep is nothing short of a total pleasure to watch. She plays this woman with so much joie de vivre that it’s no wonder Child had so many fans. Nailing the chef’s sing-songy accent and walking around with a perpetual smile on her face, Streep is goofy, great fun, and just delightful. You almost wish the entire movie was about her (and it probably could have been). Thankfully, Adams and the other members of the cast (including Streep’s Devil Wears Prada co-star Stanley Tucci) are all enjoyable as well, and the jumping back and forth between the two stories is handled smoothly.

If anything, the meal is a bit over-cooked; writer/director Nora Ephron could probably have trimmed about 10 minutes and it would have been fine. But like Child herself would probably say, it’s alright to make a mistake or two when the end result is so tasty. I’m giving Julie & Julia a B+ and wishing you a hearty bon appetit!

Sad Clowns

3 Aug

They’re two of those unfortunate truisms about show business: funny people always want to be taken seriously, and when the cameras are off and the crowds have gone home, those same people who make us laugh are often very unhappy people.

Trying to understand the off-stage life of stand-up comics has been a longtime fascination of movies and television, and with the exception of Seinfeld, I can’t think of too many other movies or TV shows that have been as funny when the comic wasn’t performing. (Punchline, anyone?)

The latest such portrait, Funny People, continues this idea. Continue reading →

Sing Us Some Songs, You’re the Piano Men

20 Jul

Pardon the cheese, but it was a pretty good crowd for a Saturday over at Gillette Stadium this weekend. We were all in the mood for some melodies, and Elton John and Billy Joel had us feeling all right.

Captain Fantastic and the Piano Man were there to play another of their joint shows, and despite any mockery I may have encountered for going, it was definitely worth it. Continue reading →

Oh, the Places I’ll Go

19 Jul

There was an article recently in GQ about how we’ve all lost our ability to get lost, thanks to GPS and other tools that show us where we want to go.

Well, ironically enough, in the month or so that I’ve had an iPhone, I think I’ve gotten more lost than I ever have, because rather than just rely on directions I’d printed out, now I check and re-check the Google Maps app, re-calculating my route when I think I’ve made a wrong turn, over and over — which, of course, only makes it worse. Continue reading →

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