Music Review: Cruisin'

The most musically talented of The Monkees was Michael Nesmith, who always wore a wool cap. As a solo artist, his best work was his 1979 studio album Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma. And the best song on the album is one that has stayed with me 30 years: Cruisin'. This is a big song, huge in scope, with a hook so big that, as Bill Cosby once said, if it was a belt it would rip the meat off your body if it ever touched you. This is one of those songs that burrows under your skin and won't let go. It forces you to sing along with Nesmith when he growls, "Lucy and Ramona and Sunset Sam, people on the streets trying to find a plan, people on the streets looking for the land, Lucy and Ramona and their brother Sunset Sam!" This is one of those songs that demands to be played as loud as possible so as to best appreciate the sparse guitars, pounding drums and eerie keyboards. Lucy and Ramona!

Movie Review: Hannah and Her Sisters

Happy Thanksgiving! If you're looking for the best Thanksgiving themed movie to watch after you've stuffed yourself, you can't go wrong with Woody Allen's 1986 masterpiece Hannah and Her Sisters. Yes, Allen's movies are wildly inconsistent, and much of his finest work is in the past. But take my word on this one; Hannah is an exceptional film that's funny and serious at the same time. The finely drawn characters resonate richly because we know all of them. The movie begins and ends at a large extended family Thanksgiving meal. In between, the characters fall in and out of love with each other in tightly wound webs of deceit, lust and blunders. There's not a bad acting job in this film, with standouts including Allen, Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey, Dianne Wiest Michael Caine, Lloyd Nolan, Maureen O'Sullivan and Max von Sydow. The movie brought home a slew of Oscar trophies, including ones for actors Caine and Wiest, and Best Screenplay for Allen. Definitely ranking among Allen's major triumphs, Hannah and Her Sisters is an important triumph

Book Review: The Book of Genesis Illustrated

One of the most amazing publishing events of the year is R. Crumb's joyous The Book of Genesis Illustrated, his complete illustrated presentation of the first book of the Bible. Crumb, who's perhaps best known for his graphic subversive underground comics such as Keep on Truckin' and Fritz the Cat, plays it straight here, with a loving and loyal adaptation of Genesis. Honeslty, Crumb has outdone himself. He spent years studying and planning for this complicated publishing event, and it shows. He doesn't cut corners here; this book actually presents the entirety of Genesis, including every word. Crumb's famous raunchiness is absent here, except for some nudity and vivid depictions of people "knowing" each other. Indeed, the cover of the book warns, "Adult supervision recommended for minors." This is a revelation, no pun intended, and is certainly in the running for book of the year. Outstanding!

>>> READ THE OPENING PAGES OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS HERE.

Music Review: Rodrigo y Gabriela's 11:11

The most amazing guitar work I've heard in a long time can be heard on 11:11, Rodrigo y Gabriela's latest disc. Really, this is about as good as it gets, and I can't even adequately describe the terrific stuff produced by this duo from Mexico. It's like nothing ever heard before, a rhythmic instrumental mash up that takes traditional Latin flamenco and crosses it with Carlos Santana and Jimi Hendrix. This is compelling, joyous stuff, so precise and so energetic. Looking for something to make you dance? Here it is. Want a new disc to motivate you while exercising? Look no further. Do you want an album that will discourage you from learning how to play six strings? Well, maybe this is it. Simply put, this is sweet. Truly astonishing.

Movie Review: Minority Report

Last week I finally got around to watching Valkyrie, Bryan Singer's 2008 film starring Tom Cruise. It's on my list as one of the worst movies ever. Seriously, it's a real stinker. I'd heard it was bad, but outside of jumping on couches I've always enjoyed Cruise's movies. To get Valkyrie's bad taste out of my mouth as fast as I could, I watched Minority Report again. Now I feel better. Steven Spielberg's incredible 2002 science fiction thriller is certainly one of Cruise's best films. He's focused, tough and vulnerable all at the same time. Yes, Cruise rocks, and so does everything else about the film: eye transplants, crawling robot spiders, intelligent deadly plants and jet packs. I'm not giving anything away by saying that the film focuses on a system that prevents crime by predicting murder. Everything about this film succeeds, including kick ass performances by Colin Farrell, Max von Sydow and Lois Smith. This is one of those movies that only gets better the more you see it. I'm not sure why. And I don't care. So, Cruise, do me a favor and give Steven a call; maybe there's another Philip K. Dick story you can adapt into a great film together. "Don't trust anyone."

Book Review: Profiles in Courage

I switched schools when I was in 4th grade. Not long after, I was called to the the principal's office. Not sure what I'd done, I walked to the school's administration office and waited nervously for my turn to see the big cheese, who also happened to be a family friend. What had I done? Why was I in trouble? When I was finally admitted to his office, the principal, Aaron Scholar, smiled at me and held up my most recent English test with a large red A emblazoned at the top. "Congratulations," he said, "I'm proud of you." A few years later, after writing profanity in a school book, I was again summoned to his office. Mr. Scholar waved his paddle in the air and told me to touch my toes. I closed my eyes and held my breath while waiting for the stinging blow. Instead, after a long pause, he said, "There's not much to hit. Now get out of here and don't do it again." Not long after that, for my 13th birthday, Mr. Scholar gave me a copy of John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage. It was a little over my head at the time, but I've come to cherish the book, which discusses such luminaries as John Quincy Adams, Daniel Webster and Sam Houston. The 1955 book won the Pulitzer Prize and helped propel Kennedy to the White House. With an inscription from my grade school principal, the book has an honored place on my bookshelf.

>>> READ THE OPENING PAGES OF PROFILES IN COURAGE HERE.

Music Review: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

If I was stranded on a desert island and could only pick one song to listen to repeatedly, I'd kill myself. But if that wasn't an option I'd probably choose (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones. I know, that's an obvious choice. Too easy. Too predictable. And too perfect. It's just the best frigging song ever, and I'll fight anyone who tries to argue otherwise. It's still as nasty and subversive as ever, and it hasn't aged a bit since its release in 1965. Amazingly, every time I hear the song, it sounds fresh, as if it was recorded yesterday. It makes me think of college parties and driving through the desert and that amazing back-of-the-boat surf scene in Apocalypse Now. Keith Richards says the famous riff came to him in a dream. Damn, Keith, sleep some more, will ya?

Backwards Movie Review: Memento

12. "We all lie to ourselves to be happy."
11. That's why Memento is so confusing, absorbing, mesmerizing and, yes, haunting.
10. So we (the audience) really have to work hard to figure things out.
9. To make this an even more challenging and moving experience, the film is told backwards, as if the editor simply reversed the scenes.
8. This is important, because he's trying to solve his wife's murder.
7. To aid him in remembering things, he's constantly writing things down on scraps of paper, taking pictures and tattooing himself.
6. For starters, the main character (the terrific Guy Pearce) has a bizarre case of short term memory.
5. A better guess might be that I'm still visited by Memento, Christopher Nolan's incredible 2000 psychological thriller. Everything about the film makes me uncomfortable.
4. I'm not sure.
3. Perhaps it's because I ate something bad before I moved west.
2. Maybe it's because I wasn't born right to begin with.
1. Don't ask me why I'm haunted.

Book Review: Arzach

Time magazine famously named Watchmen as one of the all-time best English language novels, the only comic on the list. Fine. But if I had to pick a better, funnier and more engaging graphic novel/comic to receive the honor, it would be the much more influential Arzach, penned by Jean "Moebius" Giraud. The world of Arzach first appeared in Metal Hurlant, a French science fiction publication. They were reprinted in the American equivalent, Heavy Metal. They've since been featured in various book collections. These amazing works of art feature terrific, involving stories (and moderate comic nudity) focusing on Arzach, a herioric fighter who travels atop a mightly prehistoric bird. Sexy, violent and suprising, Arzach throws open a fantastic world of alien landscapes, imposing creatures and ironic love. The Arzach stories are tough to find these days, but are still available used via Amazon, eBay and other retailers. One website features all the Arzach panels, and is definitely worth checking out.

>>> READ THE FIRST ARZACH STORY ONLINE: PAGE 1, PAGE 2, PAGE 3, PAGE 4, PAGE 5, PAGE 6, PAGE 7, PAGE 8.

Music Review: Let Me Roll It

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with this guitar riff stuck in my head. It's from Let Me Roll It, Paul McCartney's rocking fine song that appears on his Band on the Run album. But back to the riff. It's infectious, repetitive, sparse and unnerving. And it kicks ass like few lead guitar efforts to do. It's like someone talking to you, saying the same thing over and over to make a point, drilling it into your head, jabbing a finger into your chest hard enough to leave a bruise. Hell, the seven note lick is like a rock and roll lecture. If that weren't enough, a slow base string and strong gospel keyboard flow around it, bringing the guitar into focus, saying, "Take this!" Here, McCartney really answers his critics that he can't make noise, and he does it in a voice effect that echos John Lennon. Supposedly, they were warring at the time, trading accusatory songs. True or not, if it was the impetus for the guitar work on this song then I'm happy.

Movie Review: The King of Comedy

Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro have made some classic movies together, including Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Cape Fear and Goodfellas. But don't overlook The King of Comedy, their astonishing 1982 film that's a classic, as well. The King of Comedy is a disturbing film because it doesn't play as a straight comedy. Instead, we get another obsessive/psychotic De Niro character who plays it straight. The premise is amusing, but a comedy? No. De Niro plays Rupert Pupkin, a no-talent aspiring stand up comedian hell bent to land a spot on an evening talk show hosted by Jerry Langford. But it's not to be. After getting consistently turned down, Pupkin and another celebrity groupie, Masha (an amazing performance by Sandra Bernhard) hatch a plot to kidnap Langford and hold him hostage to force his way on to the show. Langord is played by Jerry Lewis in a career topping turn. De Niro has never played a more smarmy character than Pupkin (a grown man who still lives with his mother, after all) but we somehow sympathize with him. But it's Bernhard who steals the show in a magnetic performance. You'll cringe when she comes on to Langord/Lewis. "I'm gonna work 50 times harder, and I'm gonna be 50 times more famous than you."

Book Review: Moby Dick

Way before Jaws and any of the giant sea creatures in Pirates of the Caribbean, there was an even better story, a tale so mammoth that, even today, it towers over almost all the fiction that came after it. Believe me, lousy literature doesn't last. And that's why Herman Melville's Moby Dick is still considered by many experts to be the best book ever written by an American author. Though published in 1851, this isn't a stuffy parlor novel. Nope. This is the real deal. It's a rousing sea adventure by which all since must be measured, and it gave birth to some of the most finely drawn chracters ever conceived, including Ishmael, Elijah, Queequeg and, of course, Captain Ahab (..."from hell's heart I stab at thee!"). Ahab's obsessive persuit of the great white whale is legendary. You'll also enjoy Melville's pauses to offer a few history lessons. This important novel hasn't aged a day; it's still a wonderful page turner. And its heft makes a great door stop.

>>> READ THE OPENING PAGES OF MOBY DICK HERE.

Music Review: Dirty Mind

When I need some deep groove funk, I turn to Prince's towering 1980 release, Dirty Mind. Here, on his third album, Prince plays nearly every instrument and finally finds the sound that will make him one of the most important musicians ever. It's true that Prince has been inconsistent over the years, but not on this fabulous, soulful, rhythmic, rocking album. Really, it might be the best thing he's ever recorded, and that's saying a lot. Still controversial, Prince's challenging lyrics cover everything from oral sex to incest (and that only covers two songs). This is a mesmerizing CD that blows me away every time I listen to it. Note for best listening experience: windows down, volume on max.

Dirty Mind 1980
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Movie Review: Up

I finally got around to seeing Up, the Disney/Pixar movie released earlier this year. My only regret is not seeing it in a movie theater, because this is an astounding movie and ceretainly one of the year's best films. This astonishing, unpredictable work of art rolled the dice that audiences would flock to a movie where the main character is crotchety old man, Carl Fredricksen (wonderfully voiced by Ed Asner). The opening section of the movie follows his courtship, marriage and life with Elie. When was the last time you saw an animated movie depicting the infertility and death of a main character? Here, these touching and sad moments are handled with grace and little dialogue. In his grouchy twilight years, Fredricksen attempts to fulfill a promise to Elie by turning his house into a dirigible via thousands of helium filled balloons. Along for the ride is a plucky Wilderness Explorer scout, Russell. Together, they ride the sky to adventure and danger in South America, where they face menacing talking dogs and an old gun-toting adventurer. This beautiful and exciting film is an amazing visual experience. Whether you're young or old, you'll be moved and touched by this uplifting film.

Book Review: Galápagos

Unlike 99 percent of what's in print today, we'll still be reading Kurt Vonnegut in a hundred years. So, strangely, the victory is his. His novels, which are quirky mixes of satire, science fiction and dark comedy, are not the easiest to understand and love. It takes effort to appreciate Vonnegut, and maybe that's the reason for his success. One of my favorites is Galápagos, one of his later novels that continues to resonate. For starters, this "historical" novel shifts back and forth in time, and is told by a long dead ghost, Leon Trotsky Trout. In Galápagos, the only survivors of a worldwide reproductive catastrophe and financial crisis (sound familiar?) are a small band of wackos shipwrecked on Santa Rosalía in the Galápagos Islands. There, through de-evolution, they mutate back into fish with small brains. Hey, what can I say? It's classic Vonnegut.

>>> READ THE OPENING PAGES OF GALAPAGOS HERE.

Music Review: David Forman

Please forgive me for reviewing an album that's difficult to find. But an outstanding album that's not readily accessible still deserves attention. And this one is definitely worthy. I'm referring to David Forman, the artist's self-titled 1976 release. Despite a glowing review in Rolling Stone upon its releases, the album didn't sell well and not much else was heard from Forman again. The album can pretty much only be found by scrounging among imports. You might be able to find an illegal download, and now and then you can find it on eBay. But if you can get your hands on it you'll have something to cherish. David Forman is a gorgeous and sensual album, filled with beautiful piano, lush high vocals and timeless, haunting approach that can be overwhelming. His originals here are among the best post-Vietnam work ever produced, and his covers (including the terrific One Fine Day) are better than the originals. This is one of my very favorite desert island CDs.

Movie Review: The Last Wave

If you didn't see 1977's The Last Wave, you'd do well to seek it out. It's an amazing, haunting Australian film that truly casts itself as a work of art. The always excellent Richard Chamberlain (in his best performance) plays David Burton, a corporate lawyer who attempts to defend some mysterious Aboriginals accused of murder. As Burton learns more about his clients, he begins to experience strange premonitions about catastrophic weather. At the same time, bizarre phenomenon begins to hit the country. How are these fantastic occurrences and the Aboriginals related? And why has Burton seemed to be chosen as the vehicle through which to communicate an impending disaster? These questions don't get answered in a straight forward way; that would be too easy. Instead, writer and director Peter Weir presents this amazing story in a way that forces you to participate in what's happening. We desperately want to figure things out, and that draws us into this dizzying movie that is like no other. The Last Wave is about mood and doom and a fascinating culture. A very worthwhile experience.

Book Review: Lord of the Flies

A failure when it was first published in 1954, William Golding's Lord of the Flies has since been heralded as one of the most important novels ever published. I agree. Yes, this terrific allegory about young boys stranded on a desert island, is required reading in most high schools. It's held up as an essential story of man's inhumanity to man, of man vs. nature and as a primer on the failure of civilization to win out against base instincts. The book is studied for its stereotypes (the demonic Jack, the accommodating leader Ralph, the intellectual loser Piggy) and mirroring of the adult world. But it's also a rousing adventure story that can be enjoyed for its heightened plotting and disturbing, inevitable action. It's difficult not to be moved by this story. We root for specific characters and yearn so much for their safety. But we've read this novel before, so we know we're only going to be frightened and disappointed at the tragic fate that await some of the boys and their lack of insight. But we're mostly upset by its truth; these boys behave just like us. They are us. And it's not a pretty picture. Must reading.

>>> READ THE OPENING PAGES OF LORD OF THE FLIES HERE.

Music Review: Painted From Memory

One of the best collaborations ever to find its way to an album is Painted From Memory, the 1998 union between Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach. This Grammy winning, sublime music is the result of a true partnership between the legends. They worked on melodies and lyrics together, hashing out what turned out to be a terrific melding of Bacharach's retro song style (circa 1960) and Costello's nightclub croon. There's nothing very upbeat about these songs; they're pretty much all about breakups and falling apart. But that's the brilliance of these tracks. They're alive and painful and, well, beautiful. This album was a big comeback for Bacharach, and another notch in Costello's eclectic belt. The best thing about it? The delicious music that gets better with each listen. Turn the lights out, pour a glass of champagne and enjoy.

Movie Review: The Truman Show

The proliferation of reality TV shows is a plague that makes 1998's comedy/drama The Truman Show more profound than ever. This well done and very entertaining movie stars Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank, who's unaware that he's the star of his own reality soap opera. Since before birth, Burbank's life has been broadcast around the world 24 hours a day. The world has marveled at his first steps, his first lost tooth, his education, first kisses, romances and mundane daily activities such as brushing his teeth. The TV show is a blockbuster, but then things start to go wrong during Truman's 30th year. A light from the studio set crashes down into the middle of the street and Burbank's dead (written out of the script) father sneaks onto the set to see his TV son. Then Burbank's car radio accidentally picks up the frequency of the show's technical directors and he stumbles upon a back lot where actors are getting ready. Truman's fight for independence is the heart of the movie. Pulling the strings in this mammoth undertaking is Ed Harris in a terrific performance as Christof, the show's director. Written by Andrew Niccol and directed by Peter Weir, The Truman Show is a delightful, sad and poignant film.