Movies, TV, internet, Graham Greene novels, Cuban coffee, music of all kinds that doesn't suck, writing, directing, acting, producing short filmsAlternative energy - we recently purchased a ZENN electric vehicle and previously owned a 1973 Bug that was converted to electric. The ZENN is fun to drive, especially on a sunny day with the sunroof open.
Dogs - we have a Boston terror named Anna and a sweet Lab mix named Daisy
I'd like to meet:
Actors, producers, writers, film makers and film buffs, artists, musicians, outsider artists and interesting people of all stripes.
I am especially interested in collaborating with other film makers and musicians. More info about current projects:
http://smilingzombie.com
Music:
Currently listening to Berlin (Zach Condon - amazing), Cat Power, TV on the Radio, The Veils, Ringside
Eclectic tastes - respond to strong musicianship over style of music. Love Austin City Limits and the Abbey Road series. Great source for new music - KEXP - my favorite DJ is John Richards - consistently good stuff.Taking voice lessons on and off for a year from a cool teacher at Cornish College of the Arts, Natalie Lerch.
Movies:
Dodsworth has been on cable recently - if you're not familiar with the work of William Wyler, start with this one or The Best Years of Our Lives (see below). Great storytelling, wonderful understated performances by the excellent actors - just watch 'em.The Jacket with Adrien Brody and Keira Knightley - dark, brilliantly written, directed and acted. Highly recommend for those of you into the supernatural stuff.
The Player has been on cable lately - that has some of the funniest Hollywood pitches ever - Buck Henry pitching the sequel to The Graduate is the best one. Thanks Mr Altman. Frightening thing is someone sort of made a sequel to The Graduate about the family it was supposed to be based on.
Guy Maddin's films (Twilight of the Ice Nymphs and a couple of others) - trippy, artsy, sometimes clumsy but always engaging. Hoping we get into the Winnipeg International Film Festival so our paths have more of a chance of crossing. Also watching a collection of avant garde shorts from the 20s and 30s.
Harold Lloyd's silent comedies. Did you know he produced and acted in over 60 shorts in 1916-1917? I need to get busy.
11:14 and loved the crazy plot twists and turns. Big fan of Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle), thought Crash was one of the best written scripts since Chinatown. Love off-the-wall stuff - saw a scandinavian film about a people-eating tree baby that was weird fun.
Some classic movies worth your time:
The Best Years of Our Lives - Dana Andrews, Frederic March, Myrna Loy - what happens to WWII vets when they try to live normal lives back home
The Third Man - if the zither music doesn't drive you up the wall, you can see Orson Welles at his peak form as an actor. Graham Greene script, based on his novel.
The Bad and The Beautiful - trashy Hollywood 'price of fame' story with some great performances and an awesome car scene with Lana Turner flipping out at the wheel.
Television:
Like the nerdy space stuff (Naked Science) and lately my guilty pleasure is Unbeatable Banzuke, a crazy skills game show (can you walk through gravel on your hands?)
You must see the Dave Chappelle/Maya Angelou interview on Iconoclasts.
Loved the Isabelli Rosellini/Dean Kamen matchup - very intelligent discussion. Dean Kamen is best known for inventing the Segway and the iBot wheelchair but that is the tip of the iceberg. His frustration at our inability to fix basic, solvable problems like lack of clean drinking water because of political issues and business interests stuck with me.
Dexter, Weeds, Huff (Hank Azaria), The Daily Show, The Directors, Dinner for Five, Family Guy, Mad TV, Little Britain and yes, Antiques Roadshow. Also like Mythbusters and those shows where they show you how humongous buildings and bridges were built.
Books:
Strategy guides (The Art of War, A Book of Five Rings) at the suggestion of an acting coach. It's interesting to see how these concepts carry over into life and career and choices I make as an actor.
Graham Greene's Our Man in Havana - funny, harsh story of a vacuum cleaner dealer caught up in cold war Cuba
Alice Munro's The Runaway (collection of short stories) - heartbreaking, true to the point of feeling voyeuristicDavid Sedaris' Dress Your Family in Denim and Corduroy. If I wasn't laughing I'd be crying - it's disturbing as hell but funny.
Pretty much anything by Graham Greene - don't read alot because I'm busy with projects. Books on filmmaking and acting.
Heroes:
In no order, and for different reasons:
Maya Angelou, Robert Altman, Harold LLoyd, Jimmy Carter, Joseph Wilson, Richard Clark, Graham Greene, Martin Scorcese, John Waters, Cindy Sheehan, Meryl Streep, Fay Weldon, Rosa Parks, Barack Obama
