Never use a longer word...

The latest evil trend in marketing lingo: "complimentary" instead of "free."
Hors d'oeuvres are complimentary. So are magazine subscriptions. Events are not.

Armchair Visconti: What I DID like about The Dark Knight

• Heath Ledger's performance. Everything the Joker could and should be. It's like he's in a better movie running alongside this one and he shows up every now and again to show people how it's done.
• The first 20 minutes. Lean and mean, their success is betrayed by what comes next.
• Russian Ballerinas. 'nuff said.
• Bruce Wayne's Armani suits.
• Lamborghinis.
• Lucius.
• The batmobile saying "Goodbye" just before it blows up.
• Trucks flipping over.
• Operation Skyhook.
• Disappearning pencils.

Armchair Visconti: What i didn't like about The Dark Knight

First, a disclaimer: These only matter if you're concerned about a separate but related discussion about whether TDK should be considered a Good Comic Book Film, or a Good Film. To my mind, Lord of the Rings (pick any one) belongs in the latter. TDK belongs in the former. A snooty distinction, but it's what I do to amuse myself.

All plot, no story. As if Christopher Nolan said to himself, "If i put this many scenes about duality and darkness together, it will add up to a cool movie," rather than "What does an exploration of these themes look like and how would they play out among these characters?" Memo #1 to Mr. Nolan: You are not the next Hitchcock, sorry to say. UPDATE - come to think of it, I'd venture to say Christopher Nolan doesn't really understand characters. Or storytelling. What he does understand is plot mechanics. Consider Momento, or The Prestige. His movies are elaborate and intriciate constructions. They look great, have great casts, but they have no soul.

Clumsy fight scenes. Memo #2 to Mr. Nolan: Go watch the russian bath fight scene in Eastern Promises. Repeat as necessary.

Clumsy action sequences. This I found particularly odd, since the big chase scene in batman begins had at least as many vehicles moving around. Memo #3 to Mr. Nolan: Go watch any / all of the following to see how to stage action setpices:

• The French Connection
• Ronin
• Ben Hur
• Face/Off
• Terminator 2, Aliens or any James Cameron movie that has large metal things smashing into each other.
  

Aaron Eckhart's performance. Pains me as it does to write this, seeing as i saw the guy in London while he was still shooting, but I didn't believe his performance as the do-gooder. So, cool makeup aside, I didn't buy his transformation. Sorry dude, you were better in Thank You for Smoking and, if it makes you feel any better, you were the best thing about Erin Brockovich.

That's cruel...

probably late to the game on this one, but I guess we know now that's not all Steven Page would buy if he had a million dollars.

A baseball movie

Derek Jeter, from way, way up....I think this was in the 7th inning. I'm not sure if this breaks copyright. If it does I'm sure I'll find out.

Yes, more iTunes poetry

all i need, all in a day.

am i just wasting my time, amelia?

are you awake? are you ready for the country? are you real?

beware of darkness beyond the pale

bullet buried in your heart

begin the beguine behind that locked door

california dreamline, california uber alles

R.I.P. Yankee Stadium, July 19, 2008

More pix here...

Just a reminder....

when you're bored of this stuff, go over and read hugh's. that's what i do. and i run this thing.

Still Groovin'

Ok. i know one of my updates said "Delaney is sick of bluesfest." And i meant it at the time. I always volunteer for one more shift than I should, but whatever. it's fine when i get there. why am I writing this and wasting your time? i think because I'm still grooving to that Black Crowes show. It could be the best B-Fest show i've seen. and i've seen a lot. Plus their drummer, Steve Gorman, was a total class act. A lot of acts this year were pretty pissy about giving autographs - or at least that's what i heard - but he was happy to chat. though i didn't ask for his autograph. i think it's more hassle than it's worth, really.

Someone who gets it, part 1

So there we were in Syracuse. Our first three options for weekend parking dashed (the homeless shelter is down the street, see? and some of the homeless guys like to sleep in the cars. so I wouldn't park here overnight), our last hope rested in the hands of sympathetic desk clerks at the hotel. I won't say which hotel, since the story I'm about to recount may, ironically, get the poor guy fired after all, but suffice to say were really, REALLY hoping he'd let us park there for the weekend. See, there was the sign at the entrance saying "FOR HOTEL GUESTS ONLY." but after a few awkward pauses, he let us park there for the weekend.

"There's no problem at all, sir," he said. "Enjoy the weekend."

I can only imagine, or maybe project, the sheer terror that went thru this guy's mind when he said this. But hey, Carroll, a shout out to you for getting it. If your hotel chain comes up in conversation, i'll be sure to give it the good word.

I'm sorry, you were saying?

Plus - Nicholas Carr (he of the somewhat ongoing debate w/Don Tapscott about the value of IT), about what's happening to our google-addled brains. read it here: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200807/google 

If only McLuhan was here today.

"...as a matter of fact I happen to have Mr. McLuhan right here."

Hey! I make book!

455649: 1989-2008

By Photography by De...

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Even more iPoems

Blue Chair

Blue Letter

Blue Monday

Blue Finger

Dead Flowers, Dead Souls

Forward to Death, Friend of the Devil.

I'm an adult now. I'm not moving.

I'm not moving, I'm so afraid.

I kill children. I missed again.

You got me rockin' You know what i mean.

iPoems

Black Spider, Black Swan

Black Wings

Blood on our Hands

Cold War, Coyote.

 

Fade to Black, Fat Bottomed Girls

Go Home, Get Down

Goin' Out West

Hit the Lights, Hoist that Rag

Jump in the fire, cool thing.

Make it rain, Master of puppets.

Run to the Hills, Seek and Destroy

Absolute Beginners

Accidents Will Happen

And by the lake

Angels come to comfort you

Blood and Roses

Blood on our hands

Can't Find My Way Home

Can't Get There From Here

Can't You Hear Me Knocking?