J.T. Landry

I can't blog...I have rehearsal

2008-06-03T06:17:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine mentioned to me the other day, quite sarcastically, that he loves how often I update my blog. When I logged on this morning and saw that the last entry was in February, I was properly ashamed. Let's see if I can't get this thing back on track.

The last few months have been quite busy. I played Schroeder in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown at Pull-Tight Theater in Franklin, TN and I am playing Charlie Davenport in Annie Get Your Gun at Towne Centre Theatre in Brentwood, TN. Incidentally, we open this Friday, June 6th so come on out and see the show!! (www.townecentretheatre.com for details)

Annie Get Your Gun is one of the classic Broadway musicals. All of the music is by the great Irving Berlin and the original show was produced by Rodgers and Hammerstein. The original production featured Ethel Merman in the title role and was followed by a film adaptation starring Betty Hutton (Judy Garland was slated to star and had begun filming before the personal problems that continually plagued her forced her out.), a revival once again starring Ethel Merman, a more recent revival starring, most notably, Bernadette Peters and then Reba McEntire.

It's this latest revival that we are doing at TCT. For this revival, the show was revised and restructured to be a show within a show. The audience is at Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show where we are telling the story of Annie Oakley and how she came to be a star of the Wild West Show and fall in love with Frank Butler.

Our cast and crew is in tech week at the moment, gearing up for opening night on Friday. Ah, tech week. That unforgiving, sleep depriving, punishing, yet ultimately rewarding and irrefutably essential monster week in the life of a show. Running the show every night, fine-tuning your character, putting those last polishing touches on dance numbers, developing and locking in to a backstage rhythm and routine that carries you through the run. It can be grueling and relentless, but it's worth it. It's worth the confidence that you feel when you step out on that stage opening night. It's worth that rush of adrenaline knowing that all the hard work comes to this - doing what you love, performing a fantastic show with people that you have come to love and cherish and doing it for an audience that has come to be entertained.

Oscar Night Predictions

2008-02-21T13:53:00.000-08:00

Hey all, Just thought I'd post my Oscar predictions for Sunday night. If you're in a pool or going to a party with a pool on Sunday, these might come in helpful. I've won an Oscar pool the last couple years so I'm not too bad at guessing, but of course, use at your own risk.

BEST PICTURE
No Country For Old Men
-This film has completely swept almost every major award so far except the BAFTA (which went to Atonement). There is, I think, a
chance that Michael Clayton could upset, but I doubt it. My concern here is that voters could be split between No Country For Old Men
and There Will Be Blood which could cause a Juno or Michael Clayton
upset. As much as I hate to say it, Atonement really doesn't have
much of a chance here despite its 7 nominations. It has no Director
nomination which severely cripples its chances. I believe the last
time a film won Best Picture without a Director nom was 1989 when
Driving Miss Daisy won. I really don't think No Country can be denied at this point, and it is truly deserving of the title.

BEST DIRECTOR
Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country For Old Men
-This is a tough category to predict, but I'm going with the Coens. This feels like their time for starters, and they did win the Directors Guild award. Michael Clayton is enjoying a late surge, but I really think the voters will choose to honor it in another category, especially since this is Tony Gilroy's first directorial effort and first nomination.
Juno's Jason Reitman doesn't really have a shot here even though the movie is widely loved, and the Academy will honor There Will Be Blood in other categories than recognizing P.T. Anderson here (although he will get his Oscar at some point). That leaves the Coens' biggest threat with Julian Schnabel for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Sentiment for this film runs high and it's bound to get honored for something, and it could very well be done in here. To sum it up, go with the Coens, but if you're feeling lucky, pick Schnabel.

BEST ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
-This is one of the closest things to a lock on Sunday night. Day-Lewis's performance is probably the most talked about aspect of the film, it is a fierce performance, he doesn't necessarily make movies every day, and it is a fierce performance. He's been sweeping critics awards as well as the BAFTA & SAG awards, and has been extremely classy and gracious in his acceptance speeches. It's Day-Lewis by a mile.

BEST ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose
-This is another difficult category to call (it's a very interesting Oscar race all around this year). Julie Christie has won lots of critics awards as well as the SAG, but Cotillard has been enjoying a recent surge and won the BAFTA. Some think Ellen Page from Juno could take it, but I keep having this nagging hunch that Cotillard is going to take it. Anyone that watches the film can't deny the transformative power of her performance.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men
-Another basic lock on Sunday night. Bardem gave an unforgettable performance that is "supporting" in the true sense of the word. He's won scads of critics awards, the Golden Globe, the SAG, and the BAFTA. He's unstoppable. If anyone can stop him, it's Hal Holbrook for Into The Wild but that's an extreme longshot.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
-A very tight race here, but I'm going with Swinton. For starters, her performance is incredible - another true "supporting" performance. Secondly, the Academy clearly loves MIchael Clayton and will honor it somewhere, and here is one of the places where that will happen. Ruby Dee won the SAG and could win this on the fact that the Academy would be honoring her entire career (she's never been nominated), but her screen time in American Gangster is extremely low. Any one of the women in the category has a viable chance, but I really think the momentum has swung to Swinton.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Diablo Cody, Juno
-This is a fairly close lock. Cody's screenplay is widely admired and is an especially considerable acheivement considering it is her first. And let's face it - the writing and acting is what really drives Juno. Her closest competition here is Tony Gilroy for Michael Clayton. He could upset and it wouldn't be a surprise at all. I wouldn't actually be surprised at all if Brad Bird took it for Ratatouille due to a vote split between Juno & Clayton, but go with Cody for Juno.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Ronald Harwood, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
-This might be a bold choice, but I feel that the Academy is going to honor this film in one of it's major categories. If you're not feeling risky though, go with the Coens for No Country For Old Men.

For the rest of the categories, I'll just give you the pick since you're probably tired of reading my explanations. Have you even made it this far??

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Ratatouille

ART DIRECTION
Sweeney Todd

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

COSTUME DESIGN
Sweeney Todd

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
No End in Sight

FILM EDITING
The Bourne Ultimatum

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Counterfeiters

MAKEUP
La Vie En Rose

SCORE
Atonement

SONG
"Falling Slowly" from Once

SOUND EDITING
Transformers

SOUND MIXING
Transformers

VISUAL EFFECTS
Transformers

DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Freeheld

LIVE ACTION SHORT
Tanghi Argenti

ANIMATED SHORT
I Met The Walrus

Happy Oscar Sunday!
JT

Radar

2008-02-03T07:33:00.001-08:00

Haven't posted in a while, but here's what's been on my entertainment/cultural radar as of late...

There Will Be Blood

If I had been able to see There Will Be Blood before posting my top films of 2007, it would have definitely been on the list - more than likely at number two, just under Atonement. Paul Thomas Anderson has proven himself time and again over the last decade to be a master filmmaker with such films under his belt as Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Punch-Drunk Love. Never before though have his writing skills, directorial brilliance, and artistic purpose been so intensely focused and honed in on telling a single story; and the results are practically earthshaking.

For a time, PT Anderson was becoming known primarily for his sprawling, multi-character, multi-story films - films much in the vein of the late, great Robert Altman, films like Nashville, Gosford Park, and Shortcuts. Anderson even served as a veritable assistant for Altman on his last film, A Prairie Home Companion. He moved away from this style with Punch-Drunk Love starring Adam Sandler and Emily Watson and proved that he could be equally as, if not more, effective in servicing a more focused narrative.

With There Will Be Blood, Anderson delivers his highest achievement to date. Very loosely adapted from Upton Sinclair's 1927 novel Oil!, There Will Be Blood tells the tale of two men; Daniel Plainview, an obsessive, self-made oilman and Eli Sunday, an obsessive, self-made frontier evangelist; both locked in an intense battle of will for the hearts, minds, and -perhaps most importantly- the pockets of the smalltown, frontier people in the small town where Plainview has set up an oil-drilling operation. The film follows Plainview more closely than Sunday, and, essentially, he is the center of the story; but his story does not fully exist without Sunday's so the two characters are irretrievably bound together.

Daniel Day-Lewis, who may be the finest living film actor of our generation, plays Plainview with such strong conviction and hot fire, that you can hardly believe your eyes. Not to be overlooked, however, is Paul Dano's remarkable and revelatory performance as Eli Sunday.
The film is almost Biblically epic and intimate in scope at the same time. The sense of tension and doom that seems to infiltrate every move Plainview makes owes thanks, at least in part, to Johnny Greenwood's revolutionary score. The film is quite unlike anything that has come down the pipe in some time. It's thought-provoking and unsettling, with an ending that some consider entirely out of line with everything leading up to it, and some consider fully appropriate to what has come before (While somewhat shocking, I align with the latter camp).

I also recently watched The Apartment for the first time. This Billy Wilder film from 1960 stars Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacClaine and won the Oscar for Best Picture. It's a superb comedy-drama, defly balancing satire and pathos.

Bookwise, I've been tearing through some great reads lately.
After reading Ian McEwan's Atonement, which was my favorite 2007 read, I've set out to read the rest of McEwan's ouevre. I recently finished Saturday, which is his second most previous novel. It's a fascinating read - a character study, really, more than anything - delving into a day in the life of one man, a London neurosurgeon named Henry Perowne. The novel's Saturday in question takes place right on the cusp of the 2003 beginning of the Iraq War and follows Perowne's day in London as it begins as one of promise and devolves into one of inconvenience, stress, and eventually, danger.

I also tore through Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. I've always been intrigued by this book, but could never get around to sitting down with it. A friend lent me the movie after a conversation we had had on "Southerness" and of course I had to read the book first - so this gave me the necessary push to read it. The book itelf is nothing short of engrossing, telling the true story of a murder trial in Savannah and the stories of all of the colorful characters surrounding the trial. Savannah itself is as much of a character in the book as any living, breathing human. As soon as I finished it, I was ready to hop in my car and get to Savannah pronto to see the places, so lovingly rendered in the book, for myself. The movie was, unfortunately but not surprisingly, a huge disappointment. For me, one of the worst book to film adaptations I've seen.

Most recently, I read Henry James's novella Daisy Miller. It, too, is more of a character study than anything, and is most interesting for the fact that it was James' first real commercial and ciritcal success as a fiction writer.

Currently, I've got several books going at the same time -
Conversations with Filmmakers from Hollywood's Golden Age at the American Film Institute, compiled by George Stevens, Jr.

The United States of Arugula: The Sun-Dried, Cold-Pressed, Dark-Roasted, Extra Virgin Story of the American Food Revolution by David Kamp

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.

JT

Oscar Noms

2008-01-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

Well, I didn't do too bad in predictions. I'm fairly happy with the overall nomination slate. There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men are the leaders this year with a well-deserved eight nominations apiece. Atonement is close on its heels with 7 nominations. I was extremely happy to see Atonement squeeze in a Best Picture nomination. Many prognosticators had given the film a very slim chance of making it in, but there it is at any rate (and it was my best picture of the year - although having now seen There Will Be Blood - after my 2007 rankings - I might have had a slight shift in my list).

Also, I was extremely pleased that Michael Clayton had such an impressive showing - Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actor, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress. The film is a solid, solid piece of work. It's a tight, taut, intelligent, riveting piece of filmmaking and deserves the recognition its receiving here and in the various guild races. Ratatouille's five nominations including Original Screenplay and Animated Film are right on as well.

I do wish Sweeney Todd had fared better, but at least Johnny Depp got his nomination. Also, did we really need THREE songs from Enchanted up for Original Song?? Now the question is, "Will Amy Adams get to sing them?" Or should I be asking, "Will there be a ceremony??" I have a feeling there will be. Now that the writers are beginning to talk with the producers again, we can hope!

JT

Oscar Predix

2008-01-20T17:05:00.000-08:00

For what it's worth, here are my Oscar nomination predictions for major categories (nominations are announced this Tuesday morning):

Best Picture
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Juno
Atonement
Michael Clayton

Best Director
Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country For Old Men
P.T. Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Sean Penn, Into The Wild
Sidney Lumet, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead

Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Emile Hirsch, Into The Wild

Best Actress
Julie Christie, Away From Her
Keira Knightley, Atonement
Ellen Page, Juno
Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose
Amy Adams, Enchanted

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Vanessa Redgrave, Atonement
Ruby Dee, American Gangster

Best Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men
Hal Holbrook, Into The Wild
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Paul Dano, There Will Be Blood

Best Original Screenplay
Diablo Cody, Juno
Judd Apatow, Knocked Up
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Brad Bird, Ratatouille
Steven Zaillian, American Gangster

Best Adapted Screenplay
Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country For Old Men
P.T. Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Aaron Sorkin, Charlie Wilson's War
Ronald Harwood, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Christopher Hampton, Atonement

Recently...

2008-01-14T15:30:00.000-08:00

READ:
The Emperor's Children
by Claire Messud
A fascinating, but slightly flawed, portrait of the intersecting lives of a group of New Yorkers during the months leading up to and following after September 11th, 2001. The "emperor" in the title refers to Murray Thwaite, a celebrated writer; the "children" are the twenty/thirtysomethings that seem to orbit around him - both as a person and as a very idea. Messud's character-driven novel consistently moves towards the fateful day of 9/11 all the while sending you deeper and deeper into the lives of the characters - their fears, hopes, ambitions, secrets. It's disappointing that the novel trips somewhat in the end. The closing chapters are a tad on the anti-climactic side, even feeling a bit rushed as the final pages draw near.

VIEWED:
La Vie En Rose
starring Marion Cotillard, written by Olivier Dahan and Isabelle Sobelman, directed by Olivier Dahan
This biopic of famed French singer Edith Piaf is electrifying thanks to Marion Cotillard's force of nature performance as the brilliant but troubled singer. The film itself travels the typical biopic road (albeit with a bit more interesting use of time-shifting than you typically see), but Cotillard's performance is one to treasure. What she achieves in this film is nothing short of breathtaking. She completely bypasses mere imitation of a personality or performance traits. Instead, she so completely embodies her character in such a way that her performance becomes this vital, living, breathing thing that you simply cannot turn away from. It is nothing short of remarkable. Cotillard won the Golden Globe for Best Actress/Musical or Comedy (ironically, this film is technically not a musical and certainly not a comedy) for her work in this film. Look for her name when Oscar nominations are announced.

27 Dresses
starring Katherine Heigl and James Marsden

Very predictable film following the well-worn path of countless middle of the road romantic comedies that have come before it. What keeps the film's head above water are the performances of Heigl and Marsden. The two had great chemistry, and they've both shined in far better films (she in Knocked Up and he in Hairspray and Enchanted among others). Here's hoping the exposure they are sure to get from this most-likely hit will give them the opportunity to move on to material far better suited to their talents.

sevenLOVE/v3 - Favorite Films of 2007

2008-01-08T13:23:00.000-08:00

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen: my top films of 2007.

1.) Atonement

Hands down, no question, my top film of 2007. I read the Ian McEwan novel in November and was mesmerized by it. The film did not disappoint. Frankly, it is one of the best book-to-film adaptations I have seen. The story remains intact and is brought to intense, cinematic life by acclaimed director Joe Wright, screenwriter Christopher Hampton, and actors James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, and Vanessa Redgrave. It is a beautiful film - rich with complex performances, superb writing, stunning visuals, brilliant music (including Elegy for Dunkirk - one of the most moving and haunting pieces of film music I have ever heard), and a breathtaking 5-minute, unbroken tracking shot of WWII Dunkirk, all in testament to the devastating power and beauty of McEwan's original story. Atonement is the finest film of the year and demands repeated viewings that uncover additional layers of meaning and insight. A future classic.

2.) Juno

One of the wittiest, sharpest, and most human comedies to come along in quite some time, Juno is a marvel. It feels perfect. There are no throwaway scenes. Every line is essential to the story and feels true. Ellen Page is revelatory as Juno, the 16-year old teen who becomes pregnant and decides to give her baby away to a couple wanting to adopt. Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, and J.K. Simmons all give excellent performances as well. The real star here though is Diablo Cody and her incredible debut as a screenwriter.

3.) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Sweeney Todd is the creative zenith of Stephen Sondheim's career as a composer/lyricist as well as one of the highlights of Broadway history. Sondheim's rich and complex score, at once rife with biting humor and wickedly macabre, has been performed by musical theater companies and opera companies alike worldwide. It turns out that Tim Burton was the perfect auteur to translate this stage masterpiece to the screen. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter turn in masterful performances, the orchestrations of Sondheim's music are sublimely wonderful, and the production design is a marvel of 19th-century London grit and grime. Sweeney Todd deserves a spot near the top of the list of movie musicals.

4.) No Country For Old Men

A story, as sparsely told as the Texas desert in which it takes place, yet with such richness and force as to grab hold of you within the opening scene and refuse to release its grasp and allow you to breathe until well into the closing credits. The themes are heavy and the battle lines boldly and clearly drawn. The richness of character work done by Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones, and Josh Brolin has to be seen to be believed. Unrelenting in its storytelling and not for the faint of heart.

5.) Michael Clayton

Praised by critics upon its release, but somewhat underappreciated at year's end, Michael Clayton is still a force to be reckoned with. Rising far above its corporate thriller genre roots, this film is everything it should be - intelligently rendered with fearless performances from George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, and Tilda Swinton; and a forward-moving, top-notch screenplay exposing the dirty deeds of corporate sin and one man's cleansing epiphany of morality in the midst of it all.

6.) Hairspray

Joyous. Exuberant. Thrilling. I could go on. Adam Shankman's adaptation of the Tony-winning, smash Broadway musical Hairspray (itself an adaptation of an earlier John Waters film) exploded off of the screen in a kaleidoscope of melody, dance, color, flash, heart, and yes, lots of hair. The performances are outstanding especially Nikki Blonsky's debut as Tracy Turnblad and the revelatory performance from James Marsden as Corny Collins. The music is, of course, sensational. The choreography is on fire. The production design superb. The closing number will convince you that you can fly through the already blown-off roof. An expertly and joyously rendered screen musical that would not be out of place in the Oscar Best Picture race.

7.) Ratatouille

Such a delight. Pixar strikes again. Proving that an animated film can be both intelligent and heartwarming at the same time, Ratatouille cooks up the perfect blend of humor and pathos. As with all Pixar films, the visuals are incomparable. Brad Bird directs Ratatouille with a master storyteller's touch and vaults the film to stand alongside Pixar's especially notable masterpieces - Finding Nemo and his own The Incredibles.

Honorable Mentions:
-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
-the best Harry adaptation yet. David Yates had no easy task in translating the largest and one of the best Potter novels to the screen, but he succeeds with flying colors. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson become better actors with each successive movie, and we get the bonus of a fabulous performance by Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge, one of the most incredibly loathsome characters in all Potterdom. The series has grown up with this installment.

-American Gangster
-A classic American story of moral values, passion, crime, and family all mixed up into an irresistable cinematic gumbo. Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington are riveting to watch, and Ridley Scott turns in one of his best directorial efforts.

-Waitress
-A perfect little movie. Released amidst the storm of prequels during May, this little film is leagues better than any of those overbloated films were. Keri Russell, who was always eminently watchable during her 4-year college run on Felicity, proves here that she can more than handle a grown-up, complex adult female role with grace and aplomb.

sevenLOVE/v2 - Favorite Books of 2007

2008-01-03T13:28:00.001-08:00

I adore reading. I love fiction both contemporary and classic, literary and mass market; biographies, you name it. These books, although not published in 2007, were ones that left a mark on me as I read them this year.

1.) Atonement, Ian McEwan

Not only was this the best book I read in 2007, it is one of the best novels I have ever had the pleasure to read period. (The film is one of the best of 2007 as well. Look for more in my Favorite Movies of 2007 post.) Hauning, exquisite, beautiful, and completely devastating all at the same time, this book will move you, challenge you, and make you want to immediately head to the bookstore and pick up McEwan's entire body of work.

2.) Winter's Tale, Mark Helprin

Broad and epic in scope, yet fiercely intimate, this doorstop of a novel will take you into both the innermost parts of your heart and to another world entirely. I actually read this during the early winter months of 2007, and I can't think of a more perfect time to pick it up. The novel trips just a bit in its final pages, but it's an extremely satisfying journey. A perfect book to get lost in on a cold, wintry night.

3.) Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen

I love Jane Austen. She was a wonderful writer. Once you get rolling, it's next to impossible to put one of her books down. Her social commentary, biting wit, and shrewd intelligence were light years ahead of her time. In the last part of 2007, I began working my way through her novels. I've still got four to go, so you'll probably see Austen on my 2008 list. I do think, though, that even when finished with her body of work, Sense and Sensibility will hold a special place in my heart. It was my first Austen, read about 13 years ago after seeing Ang Lee's stunning adaptation (which is one of my favorite films). As part of my Austen journey, I revisited the novel and discovered all over again it's intelligence, humor, heartbreak, and ultimate rewarding of steadfast love in the face of trial and tribulation.

4.) The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory

I picked up this book for several reasons. One being that I love history and have always been somewhat fascinated with this particular period of English history (Tudor England). Secondly, I'm a bit of a rudimentary Anglophile so anything British peaks my interest. Thirdly, there had been so much hype and popularity surrounding this book that my curiosity needed to be satiated. It turned out to be a ripping read. It isn't 100% accurate, but then how could it be? Still, Gregory fascinates as she takes you within the inner workings of the Tudor court and more specifically inside the mind and heart of Mary Boleyn, sister to the more wildly, historically popular Anne Boleyn (she of the Thousand Days). We see this volatile period of Tudor England through her eyes from the intrigues of Henry VIII's court to Anne Boleyn's tragic and brief time as Queen of England. Gregory is very detailed and the novel reads like a breathless diary. The film, starring Scarlett Johannson and Natalie Portman, opens February 29th.

5.) Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte

A friend of mine was reading this during spring break as we lounged on the beach and was singing its praises, so I dutifully headed to the bookstore to check this classic out for myself. It's really the ultimate gothic romance with Heathcliff as the absolute standard of brooding, dark, romantic obsession and the English moors themselves staking claim as a vital character in the story in their own right. If you think classic literary fiction is stagnant, you haven't read this. It is more breathtaking a page turner than any thriller being written today.

6.) Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides

I've never been disappointed in an Oprah Book Club pick. It's true. I don't get around to reading every single one, but whenever I do, I always find myself in the middle of a fantastic reading experience. Middlesex was no different. This tale of a hermaphrodite named Cal, growing up in Detroit in the 1960's, is a stunner. In telling the complicated and intimate story of Cal, Eugenides also tells a broader story of 20th-century America and all that that means - immigration, industrial growth, social turbulence, and the American Dream.

January 2008 iPod Playlist

2008-01-03T13:09:00.000-08:00

Like You'll Never See Me Again, Alicia Keys
Back To Black, Amy Winehouse
Love Is A Losing Game, Amy Winehouse
Not While I'm Around, Barbra Streisand
Pretty Women/The Ladies Who Lunch, Barbra Streisand
Alone, Celine Dion
With You, Chris Brown
Clumsy, Fergie
Moon River, Jane Monheit
Coming Home, John Legend
Say, John Mayer
No Air, Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown
Awake, Josh Groban
LoveStoned/I Think She Knows (Tiesto Remix), Justin Timberlake
What I Cannot Change, LeeAnn Rimes
Bleeding Love, Leona Lewis
Superstar, Lupe Fiasco & Matthew Santos
Gardenia, Mandy Moore
One And Only, Mariah Carey & Twista
So Lonely (One And Only Part II), Mariah Carey & Twista
Won't Go Home Without You, Maroon 5
Come To Me (Peace), Mary J. Blige
You Don't Know Me, Michael Buble
That's All, Michael Buble
Stardust, Nat King Cole
I Wish You Love, Natalie Cole
The Altar (Acoustic), Nichole Nordeman
Say (All I Need), OneRepublic
Prodigal, OneRepublic
Come Home, OneRepublic
Umbrella (The Lindbergh Palace Remix), Rihanna
Rehab, Rihanna
Dvorak: Rusalka, Op. 144, B 203 "La Luna", Sarah Brightman
Preisner: Winter Light, Sarah Brightman
Umbrella, Scott Simons
Amazing (Thin White Duke Edit), Seal
With Or Without You, U2
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, U2

sevenLOVE/v1 - Favorite Music of 2007

2007-12-25T14:47:00.000-08:00

These albums and songs (in no particular order) were my personal favorites of 2007.
ALBUMS
1.) Amy Winehouse, Back to Black

Her increasingly bizarre exploits and lately tragic persona may be a favorite of the tabloids, but no one turned out a more brilliant, exhilarating, enjoyable album all year. From the increasingly tragic and ironic Rehab to the heartbreakingly beautiful Love is a Losing Game to the genius Supremes-infused title track to the cathartic Tears Dry On Their Own, the album, from start to finish, is a wonder - awash in vintage Motown, classic pop, and modern R&B. A modern day masterpiece.

2.) Alicia Keys, As I Am

Alicia Keys just keeps getting better and better with every album. As I Am is by far her most satisfying yet. Continuing her convergence of vintage with more modern explorations of R&B and hip-hop, she adds flourishes of rock and classic pop into the mix as well, creating a rich album full of killer songs. Smash hit No One, new hit Like You'll Never See Me Again, and Tell You Something are a few of the very hard-to-pick highlights. Also, don't miss out on a killer duet with John Mayer, Lesson Learned.

3.) Maroon 5, It Won't Be Soon Before Long

"Sophomore Slump" is clearly not in this band's vocabulary. Maroon 5 came out of recording hibernation, hooks blazing, with first single, Makes Me Wonder, a fierce disco-rock declaration, and never looked back, giving us an album soaked through with insatiable hooks, great pop songwriting, and the sweet sounds of lead vocalist Adam Levine. Don't miss Wake Up Call, Nothing Lasts Forever, Not Falling Apart, and Better That We Break.

4.) Michael Buble, Call Me Irresponsible

Some may dismiss him as a cold Sinatra wannabe, but there is no denying that voice. No one his age in music today can wrap their velvety voice around a gorgeous pop standard like Michael Buble. Not only does the guy have some of the most breathtaking male pop vocals anywhere, but he continues to prove astute with his song choices - in particular, Willie Nelson's Always On My Mind, a classic song of lost love and regret that he turns into a gorgeously lush meditation.

5.) Josh Groban, Noel

If I ever got the chance to record multi-million selling albums, I would want them to sound like Josh Groban albums. No one is making more gorgeous sounding albums than he. It was really only a matter of time before he tackled a holiday album, and thank goodness too, because this is one of the greatest Christmas albums to come along in quite some time. From the moment the choir comes in on Silent Night, you will be completely hooked and unable to let go until the closing strains of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir-assisted O Come All Ye Faithful. Don't miss the beautiful and timely original, Thankful.

6.) Barbra Streisand, Streisand Live in Concert 2006

The greatest female pop singer of our time proves that she's still got it on this double disc recording of her 2006 concert tour. From classics including a stunning, Act I closing Funny Girl suite to newer material like her haunting rendition of Unusual Way from the Broadway musical Nine, there's no denying the wealth of talent still being utilized to astounding effect in this vocal tour de force.

7.) Mika, Life in Cartoon Motion

No album this year was more irresistably fun than this one - it's like a giant glass of the most bubbly, effervescent pink champagne. If Elton John, the Scissor Sisters, and Freddie Mercury got together and had a baby, that baby would be named Mika. Don't miss the infectious Lollipop, the driving Grace Kelly, the beautiful Any Other World, the gospel finale Happy Ending, or Relax (Take It Easy) with its classic '80's sample of I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight.

SONGS
1.) Rihanna featuring Jay-Z, Umbrella
2-3.) Fergie, Glamorous (featuring Ludacris) and Big Girls Don't Cry
4.) Beyonce, Irreplaceable
5.) Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown, No Air
6.) Seal, Amazing
7.) Sugarland, Stay
8.) Chris Brown, With You
9.) OneRepublic & Timbaland, Apologize
10-11.) Justin Timberlake, What Goes Around...Comes Around and Lovestoned
12.) Mark Ronson, Stop Me
13.) LeeAnn Rimes, What I Cannot Change
14.) Robin Thicke, Lost Without U
15-16.) Rihanna, Shut Up and Drive and Rehab
17.) Hem, The Part Where You Let Go
18.) India.Arie, The Heart of the Matter
19.) Dashboard Confessional, Stolen
20.) Martina McBride, Anyway
21.) Dierks Bentley, Long Trip Alone

CONCERTS
-I only went to two major concerts this year, but oh what concerts. Justin Timberlake's Futuresex/Loveshow and Beyonce's The Beyonce Experience were both tour de forces in terms of talent, artistry, and pure musical spectacle.

Coming soon...Favorite Films and Books of 2007.

2007-12-25T13:50:00.000-08:00

My stomach is stuffed (with food). The trash is stuffed (with discarded giftwrap paraphenalia - isn't it a shame to spend so much time carefully putting together beautifully wrapped packages only to have them ripped open in a moment of post-dawn Christmas morning frenzy?). And our house is stuffed (with relatives). It must be Christmas Afternoon. And here I am - secluded away on the Mac, typing this, the very first entry in my new blog.

Now, I have attempted blog beginnings before with only the best and most heartfelt of intentions only to find my interest wane soon thereafter (whether its minutes or months) as the blog dies a slow, neglected death. This time is different though. This time, I am determined to stick with it. So here we go...