Babbittry

I'm eighty pages into Sinclair Lewis's Babbitt and now cannot resist using the word Babbittry to describe everything and everyone. Seriously, just replace all of the 1920s innovations like electric cigar lighters and alarm clocks with iPhones and HD-DVDs and it's the same damn story.

Mystic...Actress?

Not to get all Andy Rooney-esque with the rando ruminations, but what, I implore, is up with Lili Taylor? I feel like I've been seeing her everywhere and I just don't get it. She always seems to play the most detestable characters that are supposed to be likeable. Though admittedly sometimes she's the out-and-out villain (Pecker) and sometimes she's the misunderstood koo-koo-krazy villain (I Shot Andy Warhol), most of the time she frumps around with that grating voice trying to elicit sympathy from the audience. But it doesn't work because: she bugs like no other. Let's see. Hammy, doomed female protagonist of a horror movie? Check. Overprotective spouse to an already unlikeable broody male lead? Check. Betrothed whiner to Vincent D'Onofrio who, hello, why are you complaining about shagging Hotty McD'Onof, even before he got kinda bloaty but he's still a nine-foot-tall fox? Erm, yeah...check. (And that was The Haunting, Six Feet Under, and Mystic Pizza for those playing along at home.)

She also dated Michael Rapaport, which, blarckk.

I guess I'm just wondering if anyone anywhere has ever liked a character Taylor has played. Do casting folks see her as a go-to for unlikeable characters, or is it just my interpretation? I'm sure she's lovely in person but on film: bugs.

The Freshmaker: Years, Yuppie Fash & Yankee Generals

Fresh: 1980
Fresh Last Week: 1993
Stale: 2007

Fresh: Ascots
FLW: Argyle
Stale: Oxford cloth anything

Fresh: Ambrose Burnside
FLW: George McClellan
Stale: Ulysses S. Grant

Quelle Suprise!

At the conclusion of a largely ho-hum year that will be remembered mostly for...I don't know, Britney's vagina?, it seems appropriate to give props to the more pleasant surprises of 2006.

Ta-Dah!
The sophomore release from the Scissor Sisters turned out to be just as much of a party as the first with the perfect amount of dancers and downers. The upbeat songs are the best, particularly "Lights" and the first single "Don't Feel Like Dancin'".

Marie Antoinette
Upon first seeing the trailer last year, my eyebrows were raised, and not so much in a good way. Fortunately, Sof.Co. went way beyond the dreck of Lost in Translatzzzz...with this visually fun and dialogue-lite film. And the soundtrack goes without saying.

The Devil Wears Prada
Not a cinematic masterpiece but decently entertaining, though Emily Blunt deserves most of the credit.

Project Runway
It's hard to imagine that Bravo assaulted us with two seasons of PR in the past year. Although there have been some disappointements, (Not everyone was happy with Jeffrey's win, you know) the ball keeps on rolling and the show really just keeps getting better.

Little Miss Sunshine
I definitely did not want to see this movie after initially seeing the trailer. It looked like another indie-by-numbers...but with children. Which makes it worse. Though it strays into overly self-aware at times, the actors give some amazing performances.

Democrats
Who knew they'd actually turn it out?

Sia
The Zero 7 chanteuse went off on her own with her debut album, and despite slight overexposure from the Six Feet Under finale and the promos for that Hilary Swank Dangerous Minds II: Inspirational Boogaloo movie, the album is soft, personal and absolutely wonderful.

Chain Reaction
Whether for the sheer dorkness of named-straight-from-the-nineties host Dylan Lane or the spazzocity of the contestants during the bonus round, this game show is hard not to love.

Impeach My Bush
Peaches's latest album is rad for "Slippery Dick" alone, but then throw in "Two Guys (For Every Girl) and "Tent In Your Pants" and you've got a classic.

No Dancin' Today

Sorry for the neglect here. Things will be sporadic until I get grad school stuff figured out. Le sigh.

In the meantime enjoy this and join my internal debate over who is hotter: purple leather-clad, ex-stripper Jake or adorably babyfaced Del. Beware though. The song positively infects your head.

"What did you expect? Con-dams?"

I know everyone and their mother is all about it, but here are my top five reasons for loving "Shoes":

5) Tom Skerritt

4) "I'm gonna bitchslap ya, shitbag!"

3) The stoic girl with the guitar

2) The talking-on-cell phones montage

1) "These shoes are three hundred fucking dollars."

Remembrance: Addendum

Okay, so I was just sitting in yet another coffee shop and Beck's "Devil's Haircut" came on and oh my God, JUNIOR HIGH.