SLEEPING LITTLE

I woke up about two hours ago, at 7 am.  This happens now without an alarm on sunny days because the sun is just pouring into my cluttered little bedroom, which faces east.  Also, someone further up in the house is periodically pouring coffee off the deck, or out a window, not sure why.  I came home very late last night.  I went to see Insidious with Nick, who just got back from China on a research trip for the Bodyguard remake he's writing.  There is a place across from the Grove that has a good happy hour so we ate several pizzas and had a few drinks.  I was shocked at how much I liked Insidious.  Highly pleasing horror movie.  I'd been told the first half was good and then it descends into silliness, but I liked the second half too, with the exception of two scenes (the "throwing everybody around the room" gas mask scene and the silly exposition scene).  Then we saw Hanna, a loathsome and stupid movie, with Cate Blanchett's all-time worst, most embarrassing performance.  Then I saw Fast Five, which was most pleasing and ridiculous, although it made me wistful for the days of the great R-rated action movies, which are now gone.

BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW

Looks pleasing

KNOW A PLACE?

I need to find a property that I could rent in June -- in L.A.  If you know of anything like this, occupied or not, please email me, firstname.lastname [at] gmail.  I'm looking for a MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILY HOUSE (preferably 2 stories, 3 bedrooms) with a reasonably sized back yard and it must have a GUEST HOUSE or COTTAGE behind it.  Ideally the guest house or cottage wouldn't be too close to the main house -- a 100 feet or so, or more.  If you know of anything like that, please contact me ASAP!

REST

Wearying week. I'm going to spend tonight in bed, reading/writing/watching stuff that's piled up on the DVR. I'm loving The Killing.

THE PLANET (A DIFFERENT UPCOMING MOVIE ABOUT A PLANET)

THE PLANET

Melancholia from Zentropa on Vimeo.

BACKYARD DWELLER

SUNDAY

For various reasons I needn't go into, today has been kind of a bad, weird day, although I did get to talk with one of the guys who made my favorite horror movie of last year, so that was cool. But yeah, it was otherwise fucked, and also full of weird omens.

huh CAPTCHA?

two sets of twins.  presumably the result of genetic/hormonal meddling.

INSTANT TOP OF WANT-TO-SEE LIST

Sleeping Beauty from Pollen Digital on Vimeo.

BACK

I got back yesterday.  I was in New York to see a few friends, deal with the jury duty summons I received, be interviewed for a documentary about James Salter, and go to the Paris Review Revel Tuesday night.  The interview was fun.  I feel awkward/unprepared on camera, but I liked answering questions, and I think there's enough acceptable material that I'll end up in the film.  They interviewed Robert Redford right after me and then in the evening he presented the Hadada award to Salter.  I talked to him for about five minutes at the event and afterward I thought of all the things I should've said.  Seated beside me was Lev Grossman, whose novel The Magicians I read in the DR last year and loved.  The food was good and I drank a lot of champagne.

JUST RETURNED FROM NEW YORK

This is unsettling. They found a bag of arms and legs in that field.

NEW YORK

Leaving for NY this weekend and early next week. Going to do an interview for a documentary about one of my favorite writers and go to the Paris Review Revel.  Exhausted...

UGH

Just paid my taxes, feel like I've been stabbed in the face.  How is it possible I owe so much money to the government when I made so much less money in 2010 than I have in any other year since 2005, and I got refunds in all those years?*

I saw Win Win today, which I loved.  Not my usual thing, but definitely the best movie I've seen this year.  Sideways-level Giamatti, although slightly less corrosive.  Loved it.



* yes, i understand how it's possible. i just hate it.

MORE VERGE

Another Washington Post review of one of my dad's concerts in D.C.  Glowing marks.  Congratulations to my dad and Lina Bahn and the rest of the Verge Ensemble for making strange art in a city of politics.

GREAT DANCER

Aaron Johnson might be my favorite young actor.  He's even great, and fully committed, as a dancer -- as we see in this great music video for R.E.M.'s new single.