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Justin M. Stoddard

What I'm Reading:

Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse by John Joseph Adams

Books Read in 2008:

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

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What kind of a stupid name is The Shrubbloggers? Why is the front page filled with old crap?

January 3, 2004 - 9:00 a.m.

In 2003, Kill Bill was the most anticipated movie of the year (for me anyway). This year, that honor just may go to M. Night Shyamalan's The Village.

— Justin M. Stoddard

January 3, 2004 - 1:30 a.m.

Richard III

**** / ***** (4 out of 5)

Classic Shakespeare put to modern times. Well, not modern times exactly. From the looks of it, I would guess this film is supposed to take place circa 1940 in a very Fascist England.

I've seen this film once before, shortly after it came out. At that time, I had no idea who Ian Mckellen was, or his history of playing the very best Shakespearean characters. Of course, now millions upon millions of people worldwide know Ian McKellen as both Magneto in the now famous X-Men and, more recently, as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

As the title suggests, in Richard III, Ian McKellen plays the most diabolical, yet intriguing (in my opinion) monarch in English history. I've read Richard III a couple of times. I've even actually been to the tower of London where we were all regaled with stories of the ill fated two princes Richard III may have had murdered. I believe Mr. McKellen nailed this performance. Even those of you not interested in the sordid past of British Monarchy will have to admire what he does with this character.

Unfortunately, the movie is sidetracked somewhat by two other actors. Robert Downey Jr. and Annette Bening, two brilliant actors, are probably miscast is this film. Of course, this all may be a matter of taste. It just seemed to me that Downey's character was both superfluous and obnoxious. Bening's character, the murdered king's wife, should have made me care more about the fate of her family. Instead, her performance was somewhat flat. However, the cast was nicely rounded out by Maggie Smith, playing the role of the murdered king's mother.

All and all, a pretty darned good film. It's even better if you enjoy Shakespeare.

— Justin M. Stoddard

December 30, 2003 - 4:30 p.m.

According to an article in today's Newsday:

The FBI is warning police nationwide to be alert for people carrying almanacs, cautioning that the popular annual reference books covering everything from abbreviations to weather trends could be used for terrorist planning.

In a bulletin sent Christmas Eve to about 18,000 police organizations, the FBI said terrorists may use almanacs "to assist with target selection and pre-operational planning." It urged officers to watch during searches, traffic stops and other investigations for anyone carrying almanacs, especially if the books are annotated in suspicious ways.

Guess what book now sits prominently on my passenger seat each and every day. Perhaps it would be a bit more convincing if I highlighted some local attractions. Hmmmm

— Justin M. Stoddard

January 3, 2004 — 11:18 a.m.

Jesse Walker is continuing his end-of-year tradition of offering top-10 lists of the best films of years in previous decades, rather than of the preceding year. A great idea stemming from the fact that he claims not to have seen enough of the previous year's films to create a credible list.

Since in recent years I've generally seen a couple of hundred newly-released films per year — in theaters, no less (see, for example, my 2002 list) — I at least have the breadth of experience to create a credible list, if not the critical acuity. So, such a list will be forthcoming. I still have a few 2003 films I want to see first (Big Fish, House of Sand and Fog, Monster, Girl With a Pearl Earring, Bubba Ho-tep, Japanese Story, to name a few), but the bulk of the list is is mostly in place right now . . .

In the meantime, members of the pho list are posting their top CDs of 2003. I can't claim to have heard anywhere near as many new CDs this past year as the number of new movies I've seen, which automatically omits from my list many of the critical favorites of others. (Radiohead's Hail to the Thief? Haven't heard it. Elephant by The White Stripes? Same. Death Cab for Cutie? I've never heard anything by them, as far as I know.)

But despite my more limited breadth of experience in new music, I really do hear a lot of new stuff anyway — much of which most other critics have likely not heard. I posted a list for 2002, and so I'm posting one for 2003 as well. Here goes:

King Crimson, The Power to Believe
John Zorn, Masada Guitars
The Beatles, Let it Be... Naked
Living Daylights, Night of the Living Daylights
Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Unclassified
Bill Frisell, The Intercontinentals
Anton Fier, Dreamspeed/Blindlight 1992-1994
Marc Ribot, Scelsi Morning
Julius Hemphill, One Atmosphere
King Crimson, Live in Guildford 1972
John Zorn, Masada Anniversary Edition Vol. 3 - The Unknown Masada
Curlew, Mercury
The Tiptons, Short Cuts
Buckethead, Bucketheadland 2
The Decemberists, Her Majesty the Decemberists
Roswell Rudd & Toumani Diabate, Malicool
David Sylvian, Blemish
Warren Zevon, The Wind
Amy Denio, Nocturnis
Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Greendale
Dave Douglas, Freak In
The John Scofield Band, Up All Night
Dr. Lonnie Smith w/ David Fathead Newman, Boogaloo to Beck: A Tribute
Al Green, I Can't Stop
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Little Worlds

— Eric D. Dixon

Eric D. Dixon

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