Media Summer

This summer, while trying to ignore how danged hot it is, I've been reading a lot, listening to a bunch of new music and seeing old and new movies.
Books:
Between Georgia, Joshilyn Jackson - Read it in one sitting til' 3am. Perfect summer read, I was really sorry when it was over.

Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut Not sure why this is a comfort read for me, such a dark book, but still, I read it over and over again. Reassuring myself that this war thing isn't just our generations' particular screw-up.

The Princess Bride - William Goldman Highly recommended, this version is what the excellent movie is based upon. Very funny and romantic too.

Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett Hilarious, of course given the two authors! An almost apocalyptic tale, humanity saved kinda sorta by accident through no effort of their own.

Absurdistan - Gary Shteyngart Wow, what a great book in the Russian tradition of absurdist fiction, but updated and oh so current with world events. Summed up in one word: LOGCAP.

American Theocracy - Kevin Phillips I'm only halfway through this, but it is a very well-written analysis of the interplay of oil, religion and debt as the basis for the US troubles. By a staunch cloth-coat Nixonian Republican too (he also wrote Bush Dynasty).

Music:
The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers Jack White from the White Stripes and friends, rock out with bluesy new music. Steady As She Goes is my summer theme song as well as one of the funniest videos I've seen.

Wolfmother The new Led Zeppelin??? maybe so. But I definitely like the funkified sound.

Franz Ferdinand - We backtracked and got their first cd, it may even be better than #2

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium, double cd, the peppers are still hot

O Brother Where Art Thou? Soundtrack - I'm such a sucker for sountracks, but I loved this movie, and the music is wonderful. I sing along with it at top volume as I'm machine quilting. You'd have to ask my family if they enjoy it or not?!

Radiohead = I have all of their cd's, and have been listening to them in order of release ever since I heard Thom Yorke interviewed on Fresh AIr on NPR, about his solo release, The Eraser. OH And guess who did the movie music for A Scanner Darkly? Yup, Radiohead, guess I'll be buying yet another movie soundtrack cd!
The Vines - Vision Valley The Vines continue to surprise, they showed a lot of growth from their last cd. Very enjoyable.
Madness = Greatest Hits Trying to introduce the boys to all types of good music from the 80's, not just the synth pop stuff.
Zingaia = Soles on Earth Another great world music/Goddess inspired/dancetrance cd.

Movies:

Out at the theatre:
A Scanner Darkly-Another great movie based on a Philip K. Dick story (Highly recommend his books!). Robert Downey Jr. steals the show along with Woody Harrelson with several paranoid druggie scenes that were gut busters. Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder are also great in this claustrophobic paranoid animated over real film. Animation is so well done you almost forget you aren't watching live action.

Pirates of the Caribbean 2 - better than the first, and be sure to stay for the end of the titles! The swamp witchy woman was great, I loved her house. But ouch, now we have to wait for #3 to find out what happens...

Superman Returns - better than the C.Reeves version, and Kevin Spacey rocks as Lex Luthor, he needed a better "doll" sidekick though.

At Home on the Xbox360 (a way better DVD player than our old one!):
Spider - A very strange movie, but beautifully acted by Ralph Fiennes

Solaris - Mind twisting movie, kind of slow, but many scenes including George Clooney and his amazingly beautiful behind.

39 Steps- The original 1935 Alfred Hitchcock, as good as I'd remembered it!

The WIld Parrots of Telegraph Hill - Lovely movie, sweet surprise at the end. Next time we visit San Francisco, I want to go looking for the flock.

Mysterious Island An awful made for tv miniseries, with Patrick Stewart as Nemo. Don't waste your time on this one.

Wizard of Oz - Zachary, my oldest son was in a production of WoOz this summer, so we had to watch it for research. Still a good movie and I still really really want to be Glinda for Halloween some year.