2004-10-10 | 10:11 p.m.

funny, what a powerful thing music is.

i'm listening to the flaming lips yoshimi album right now and as beautiful and shimmery as it is, it takes me back to long nights in the office when i was the last one in the building too many times with that album on my headphones. bad sense memory, bad sense memory.

another thing about music. a certain lyric can change your day and maybe life. i was in the restroom at work when the smiths' "ask me" song came on and the lyrics (shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life you want to; if it's not love, it's the bomb that will bring us together) made me decide to make a phone call i was almost convinced not to make. and i'm happy that it did. so thanks for that, morrissey & co.

i looked up the lyrics online later that day and was pleasantly surprised it was not a buxom girl in luxembourg that was having poetry written for her, but a "buck-tooth" senorita. awesome.

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movie minute

this weekend i saw david o. russell's new film "i heart huckabees." it reminded me (and about 20,000 other people) of "eternal sunshine of the spotless mind," "adaptation" and "being john malkovich" with its metaphysical meanderings and chaotic eye candy. i have to say that it left me confused, but intrigued.

a lot of terrific ideas were raised, the acting was spot-on across the board and jason schwartzman out-babes jude law by a furlong. my only complaint is that it's all head, no "heart." (woo-hoo! too bad i don't write a review column 'cause that pun woulda made a zinger of a subhead.)

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in other movie news, i rewatched richard linklater's "before sunrise" after recently seeing the elegant sequel "before sunset" twice this summer.

the first film unites a 20-something american guy and french girl randomly on a train. they start a conversation and decide to continue it by getting off the train in vienna for his last 24 hours in europe.

the sequel picks up 9 years later when they cross paths again in france. this time he has only two hours before he has to catch his plane home. it's superbly satisfying for anyone who gets their kicks above the waistline, sunshine.

you won't find a more romantic twin set of films out there. sure, they're all talk--but what intelligent, heart-wrenching talk it is. both julie delpy and ethan hawke look better nine years later and their characters have become
even cooler people.

and before i forget, please see "dogville." i watched it during my diaryland hiatus and it almost drove me back on its own with its overwhelming impact on me. what it says about the ugly side of human nature couldn't be more important to absorb at this grim time in world history.

outside of "death of a salesman," it's the best play i've ever seen. lars von trier may be a bitch to work for, but he's a true genius of cinema and i wish more people would overcome any aversion to the film's dark subject matter and three-hour running time to see it. it will definitely be number one on my top ten list of movies this year.

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