Jesus + Sam = Magic

That's right, shut off your computer and head straight to the theater. I am co-starring in the new feature film, "Jesus is Magic", with Sarah Silverman. Or maybe it is more fair to say that Sarah is the star, and I am more like a featured player. Or a more accurate way to say this is that I am one of the people in the crowd who is laughing at one of her jokes in the concert segment of the film.

But it is still sweet!

On Saturday my brother, Alex (feel free to start posting comments, by the way. I could use some fresh NYC perspective to keep my blog East coast relevent), called to tell me he had just seen the film and was startled to see me on the big screen. So with this inside information, I met up with a couple of friends and went to see the film that night, not telling them that I would be on the big screen. Their reactions were fantastic! I guess it is kind of trippy to be sitting next to someone who is also blown up to monster size in front of you.

Sadly, I feel I must recuse myself from reviewing the film with the obvious conflict of interest. BUT, I will have no problem giving a blistering review of "Derailed" later, because that movie was terrible!

my home towns did good

On the eve of the election, I have to say I am proud of my two homes. First, Virginia, where I was born and raised, elected Tim Kaine as the new Governor. Virginia is pretty darn red, as far as red states go, and yet they have followed up Gov. Mark Warner with another blue guy.

Second, my new home, California (Kauliforneeuh), looks like it is going to beat back all of Schwarzenegger's ballot proposals. I love how his strategy of threatening Democrats with statewide initiatives whenever they went against his proposals backfired. Elected officials in the majority opposing the Governor actually represented the majority of the people. Couldn't see that coming! Bonus points for the Governor trying to pander to the Religious Right with the ballot forcing parental notification for abortion. Hopefully this is the first of many defeats for those who try to destroy the separation of Church and State.

Lastly, congrats to my two home basketball teams. The Clippers are 3-1, the Wizards are 3-0.


At least for one night, things are beautiful in CA and VA.

Tony Scott's Bones

Tony Scott's work on "Domino" firmly places him smack in the middle of a cinematic line between Oliver Stone and Michael Bay. That might be right up somebody's alley, but I mean that he draws from the stylistic cliches of both. This movie is half baked and spends a REALLY LONG TIME going over very little plot. Even the action sequences themselves get boring by the final climax. I think Kiera Knightly has nothing to work with in this script, and just sort of poses and flounders. Mickey Rourke is the only one able to have fun with his underwritten part, but he unfortunately fades away from the script as it progresses. This movie does earn comparisons to "True Romance", except without the strong plot, well-written characters, and style that serves the story well.