kevin barnett

Anton Chigurh (played by Javier Bardem), gives me the creeps and then some in No Country For Old Men (photo: IMDB)

No Country For Old Men observes the dynamic range of good, evil and innocence within the human condition. This film is nothing short of a significant accomplishment for the Coen’s as well as their cast and crew. While it is not a traditional Coen Bros. joint, I suspect this be at the top of the (long) list of films they are remembered for.

I could go on, but I’d just be re-hashing what Roger Ebert said about the film.

I was just listening to Yelle – Tristesse / Joie

It appears I can no longer put off, what I’ve known for years: that I need to have some bothersome and useless teeth (molars) removed. I can tell my bottom row of teeth are getting cramped, as it’s a tight fit while flossing. If left unattended, my teeth might start looking like a toxic Chinese-made Halloween costume accessory.

Of course I immediately think of the Ren and Stimpy classic, Ren’s Toothache. It makes me laugh yet offers little comfort from the inevitability of severe uncomfort:

I had a lot of fun at this show and there isn’t much else to report. Except that:

• There was a healthy mix of Kevin Drew’s solo material and BSS songs
• The crowd at Webster Hall was a lot of fun.
• After making an announcement that he would be in the lineup, J. Mascis did not perform with the band which could have been tragic but was just disappointing.
• Hearing them perform a Pavement song was, as they put it, return to High School days.
• Kevin Drew talked a lot…either he’s really into himself or was drunk.
• Kevin Drew requested jackets, hats, scarfs, etc to be thrown on stage which after putting all of it on, looked like a large rag doll/homeless person while signing Major Label Debut. He then stops the show to give back all of the items individually to the crowd members. While considerate, this took a lot of time, seemed unnecessary and not very rock n’ roll.
• There seemed to be some confusion, maybe even dysfunction within the band before Emily Haines came out to sing with the band
• Emily Haines vs. Leslie Feist? I call a draw. I assume Kevin Drew would suggest otherwise.

Pitchfork has posted some excellent photos of the evening.

the setlist:

Lucky Ones
Cause = Time
F-ked Up Kid
Safety Bricks
Tbtf
Stars and Sons
Superconnected
Frightening Lives
Backed Out On the…
Hard to Find (American Analog Set song)
Gangbang Suicide
Farewell to the Pressure Kids
Kennel District (Pavement song)
Almost Crimes
7/4 (Shoreline)
Anthems For a Seventeen Year Old Girl
Major Label Debut
It’s All Going to Break

When It Begins (encore sing-a-long)

I was just listening to Broken Social Scene - Cause = Time

The cast of Saturday Night Live will be performing the show this Saturday at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater. The cast of 30 Rock will do the same on Monday.

All proceeds will benefit the WGA Strike Fund. Break the man down.

I was just listening to Daft Punk - Rollin’ and Scratchin’

My portfolio site has been revamped. Finally.

I was just listening to Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze

A New York moving landmark: the strike rat (photo: swissmiss)

The celebrities have come out and walked the picket lines. Very reasonable editorials, like this one by Lost head writer Damon Lindelof in the NY Times have been published. Writers have blogged, created viral videos and come up with un-memorable picket line chants like “Eva Longoria! — We write the story-a!”

Time to bring in the rat.

In New York, the inflatable union rat is a traditional weapon deployed when any given group of workers is striking. It gets setup outside the building in which there is a picket line. And it just sits there, looking disgusting and calling attention to the picketers’ cause. As much as I enjoy seeing Tina Fey on the street, I think I’d rather see the rat come out for the writers.

Where should the WGA East should deploy the giant rodent? How about next Monday and Tuesday, in front of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Ellen DeGeneres is scheduled to tape her show there next week and I see that tickets are still available, which is odd considering the loot and swag she likes to give to her audience.

I am not sure if the writers’ strike will have an effect on the turnout, or if New Yorkers (who walk past homeless people on the streets on a daily basis) don’t care to see another show hijacked by the tyrannical bureaucracy of a private animal adoption agency in the greater Los Angeles area. Put another way, according to WGA East, she “spent an entire week crying and fighting for a dog that she gave away, yet she couldn’t even stand by writers for more than one day“.

The argument is her show is syndicated and therefore “contractually obligated” to maintain production on the shows. Yet, the show went dark for - as the WGA mentioned - one day, presumably breaking that obligation. And while it’s honorable to keep your commitments, I have a hard time believing that Letterman, Leno, etc don’t have similar contracts obligating them to a certain number of shows per year.

I know Ellen likes to wear suits, but I can’t imagine her as one of the greedy Hollywood suits. Maybe when there is an animal involved, Ms. DeGeneres will find the WGA’s picket line a more compelling cause to halt production on her show. So bring on the rat.

I was just listening to Public Enemy - Can’t Truss It