TV/Movie Weekend Update: 007, Slumdog, Office

-New in Oscar buzz this week is a film that I initially wrote off because I thought the title was ridiculous. Slumdog Millionaire? But as it turns out, I was very wrong, and I could not be happier. In a season where I've yet to see a standout, potential Best Picture nominee film (excluding Wall-e of course) I am intrigued by and anxious to see the plot of the film unfold. In short, Slumdog is about an Indian slum resident that makes it onto India's Who Wants to be a Millionaire equivalent, cheats, wins big, and is caught. In the process of his interrogation, director Danny Boyle weaves the intricate story of the main character's life in the slums of crime ridden, corruption addled Mumbai. Not only are initial reviews for both the film and director stellar, but the plot and narrative devices evoke Fernando Mereilles's Cidade de Deus. Cidade recounts a very similar narrative of an aspiring photographer reflecting on his own upbringing in the slums of Rio De Janiero and was itself a highly praised film. Keep your eye out on this film, and I'll be trying to see it myself asap.

-In terms of laughs at least, Thursday's Office was relatively low key. For all that Jim/Pam tension, it all resolved very quickly, something is up with that. But...Michael confronting the CFO over Holly shows continued growth for his character AND Holly is still signed for one more episode. Let's hope she'll be back for at least that episode. Classic line of the night though was Ryan, now unhappily back with Kelly, laments, "I realized that for whatever reason, I just can't do better than Kelly," as Kelly beamed giddily next to him. Also, keep your eye out for this season's online exclusive webisode series, The Outburst.

-I am disappointed, though certainly not surprised, to be hearing from friends and reading reviews left and right about the failure of Quantum of Solace to live up to Casino Royale's reinvigoration of the Bond franchise. The problem actually seems to be stemming from what I thought the solution to the farcical nature of the latter Brosnan Bond flick's was, which is to say, make Bond more like Bourne. Without a doubt all three of the Matt Damon films trumped the three pre-Royale Bond films in action, cinematography, writing, and acting and they reminded us what a taught spy thriller was supposed to be like. Then Casino Royale came along, drew from the dark aspects of the Bourne franchise (not to mention Batman Begins) and sucked us all back into the world of 007. From these reviews, however, it seems they've taken to this tactic too far, depriving Bond of some of the kitsch and campiness it was known for. You know, asking for his martini, picking up chicks with funny names, all those double entendres. I've yet to see the film for myself (and I will see it) but I am hoping that this new Bond universe, complete with interconnected, plot driven story lines will more thoroughly endear itself to fans in the next installment.

Music Better Than "Wake Up Call"

Well, I'm certainly not the biggest music person out there, but that doesn't stop me from coming across some pretty sweet leaked tracks. For the Killers, it looks like everything is going right. Their new track Spaceman is catchy and light and from the looks of the picture to the right, their lead singer lost his Mr. Brightside era eyeliner. As for Mr. West, I was a bit surprised to see that both of his tracks were so heavily influenced by T-Pain's autotune effect. That said, the two singles featured had solid enough bass lines and hooks, though they do not hold up compared to his prior successes in my eyes. Take a listen and judge for yourself, what do I know anyways.

Right Up There With Lindsay Lohan's Music "Career"

I think Western Civilization just took a hit today. I submit, for your (dis)approval, Hayden Panettiere's "Wake Up Call". As if I didn't have enough reasons to hate Heroes. So bad.

TV Monday, Kitchen Scraps

-Well it's official. Heroes is the show I now love to hate. And no, I do not hate Heroes the way we all loved to hate The OC after season 1 or Entourage or Gossip Girl, in the sense that we love the shows for all their kitschy goodness. No, I just enjoy watching the show continue to send itself down the drain. Remember how I got pissed when Sylar baked cookies? Well today he popped open a bottle of vino and almost sat down to a baked ziti dinner with a very Stepford-Wife like Veronica Mars. I am so over this show. That's what Lost will do to you I guess.

-Top Chef! Top Chef! Top Chef! Filmed in NYC! Wednesday!

-Catch the office last week? I actually tend to agree with Kelly, Jim's character has gotten a bit "smudge" and arrogant (though I'll still be furious if they do not finally get married by the end of the season). Let's see him get out of being "out-Jimmed" by his NYC bizarro self. In the meantime, I am loving the Andy/Angela (ella-ella-ella...) wedding. A lot. I hope he sings at the wedding. And Schrute Farms as the wedding locale? Genius, really. I cannot wait for Mose to make another appearance and for the inevitable reclaiming of Angela by Dwight.

-Just a while ago I received this medically themed video in my email. Why do I love it for all its amateurish goodness? Well the fact that it uses a Weird Al song isn't a bad start. Speaking of which, have you heard his last two singles, here and here? Brilliant.

-So just a week or two ago I wrote about all that to do over how NYC is such an "isolating" place. Now more propaganda! "I want a boyfriend to go to church with and have emotional intimacy with in this weirdly disconnected city …"

-And last, a pretty sweet song a friend showed me. Check one reason to begin listening to The Decemberists.

Your Awkward Years on TV

Not much to this one, but check out the motley crew they've got appearing on this season's teen jeopardy. The girls are well enough put together, but look at some of the guys, emphasis on the first row. I will now be thankful that the only footage of me on a TV quiz-show is safely within the iron grip of my mother in her video drawer. I mean, it's not like I forgot to where my glasses on the air or anything... And no I will not disclose the name of said TV show. Ever.

"The McEl Bulli Burger": Exploring High Brow vs. Low Brow

My interest was piqued when I saw this article posted to one of my food blogs recently. For those of you unfamiliar with the field of molecular gastronomy/deconstructivist cooking/avant garde cuisine/whatever insiders are calling it at the moment, Ferran Adria is widely considered to be the founder, most influential, and most visible figure within the movement. Accordingly, El Bulli, his restaurant on the Catalonian coast in Spain, is the movement's Mecca, where mere thousands out of a pool of two million are actually able to land reservations to experience his one of a kind, 4 hour long, 30+ course tasting menus. What was so surprising about the article, however, was Adria declaring that, for the money, there simply was not a better burger than that prepared by McDonald's. Which, to me, raised a very important point of consideration. How do we compare the quality of everyday fare versus extraordinary indulgences? Can the familiarity and warmth of that with which we are familiar be likened to the excitement and sense of adventure we experience when trying something truly unique?

Now, the last time I had a fast food burger was maybe two years ago and before that, easily ten years. So maybe burgers aren't the best example for me. But I know I do have a similar conundrums. What about the virtues of my Bubbe's oil, ketchup, and onion slathered meatballs compared to those that I've had in Little Italy, or for that matter, Italy itself? Or how does a homemade ice cream Sunday compared to this masterpiece I experienced (to say ate would be dismissive) at Wd-50. Let's forget about food even. It's no secret that one of my favorite movies is 2046, a Hong Kong art house film directed by Wong Kar Wai and starring a whole host of China's finest actors. But then...I also love Harold and Kumar as well as Orange County, neither of which could ever pass for a high brow movie in a hundred years, nor would I even refer to either as a "film".

Thinking about things through this lens, my answer came much more easily. To me, these dishes and films have to be judged independently of one another, any direct comparison would just be unfair. The money issue aside, unlike Bubbe's meatballs or H&K, spheres/clouds/foams/emulsions/other molecular delights and 2046 are not as always as easy to appreciate or, both literally and figuratively, digest. One of the reasons that we can enjoy the ordinary so much is that we know what to expect, and when that expectation is met, it is a very fulfilling experience. The challenge, and potential reward, of veering into the more adventurous is that while you do not know what to expect or if you will even enjoy the experience, you may be greatly surprised by what you ultimately get. Sometimes, the genius of a plate of food or film can only be appreciated through the type of scrutiny one would associate with an art critic in a museum. I myself would even describe one or two of my dishes at Wd-50 as mundane or overly complicated and 2046 as a 2.5 hour long, ill-paced, dense clunker that punishes the viewer that is unfamiliar with Wong's earlier work and is not prepared to really analyze the film. Should we really want to have to endure that drill every time we want to attempt to enjoy a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or chick flick? That's absurd. At the same time, however, to dismiss high cuisine or film as pretentious would be self-sabotaging. So in that spirit, go out and eat your big macs, just like Adria himself says. But also make an effort to indulge, in one manner or another, your adventurous side and accept the disappointments that will inevitably accompany your search.


Petit Four:
So David Chang, of Momofuku fame, and his pastry chef Christina Tosi are opening a milk bar in the East Village. Am I wrong to be deathly afraid of this venture ever opening, lest I be molested by some English droogs wearing fake noses serenading me with "Singin' In The Rain"? Damn you Kubrick.

Drop the Vote 2008

Though I'm sure most of you have seen these videos before, since I am experiencing some Election Day spirit I though I would link everybody up to a very smart plea from Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way urging all young people to vote. Also just yesterday I noticed this sequel, and even a musical addition from some people I don't know. As much as we, or at least I, may think that people really should not need any more prodding to get to the polling booths, this election is kind of a big deal. And 500 odd votes did determine the 2000 election, and ultimately 8 years of Bush in office. So if it takes a gimmicky video with pretty famous people in it to remind us of why we should actually stand in line this Tuesday (or vote early, by mail, etc). Therefore, no matter how much I hate politics, I will be voting Tuesday (for who? ask me after I vote) if only to enable me to complain about whoever turns out to be the winner for the next four years. Though hopefully he cannot be any worse than Bush, much less this would be president.