Back in the Office: Mad Men and Me

After a months-long hiatus, I'm back on line and ready to expel some observations and opinions, most particularly today on one of the most recent DVD releases - MAD MEN: Season 2.

Released this past Tuesday, July 14th, we the public got to celebrate both the anniversary of the French Revolution and the subtle chipping away of the submissive woman of 1950s America all in one great 'Encore!' of a day.

As a francophile who's "gone mad" (as the show's ad campaign goes), Tuesday was a day to look forward to. And sure enough, while I didn't particularly celebrate Bastille Day in any style, I could not help but retain some renewed faith in media's style when I picked up the latest at-home installment of one of the most artistically-centric shows on television.

From the case to the menu, every detail of the product reflects the integrity of the show. As the first season released a special-edition box shaped like a lighter, this year's packaging is a boxed business shirt from none-other than Season One's featured retailer - Menken's. The box around the disc slides open like a gift box, allowing access to both the included swag of a Mad Men tie-clip and the DVDs within. It shows my supreme nerdiness that I smile a little every time a DVD case opens with style instead of your typical pop-open plastic case.

The detail-oriented art direction of the case mirrors that of the program itself at every level. From the stellar richness of the images to the wood-effect and Sterling Cooper logo that back the DVDs, every inch of the casing was considered. And if the cover of the box wasn't enough to remind you that the show is all about image, this season features disc labels not with various character line-ups, but instead with close-ups of the life forces of the era - the fashion, liquor, and cigarettes. The feminine and masculine, the sex and power.


And of course, the meat of the matter. Special Features. This season features audio commentaries for every single episode with cast and crew- a fantastic perk, that I will review in a later post, along with the three featurettes - "Birth of an Independent Woman" covering the 'rise of female independence in the MAD MEN era,' "An Era of Style," and "Time Capsule" which honors events and peoples of the generation that inspired the show.

So as I sit down to enjoy my return to the second installment of the disgustingly misogynistic but beautifully designed 1962 of Matthew Weiner and Christopher Brown, I already feel terribly under-dressed and under-liquored. And that's a great sign.

Sex and Vegetables

New York Magazine's Vulture blog reported today NBC's decision to reject a PETA advertisement that sported scantily clad women aroused by vegetables, with the tagline, 'vegetarians have better sex.' Citing "rubbing pelvic region with pumpkin," "licking eggplant," and "screwing herself with broccoli (fuzzy)" as reasons to not accept the ad, NBC proved to be both liberally blunt with their choice of words and rigidly conservative in their rejection of a hilarious ad that certainly would spark conversation about healthy eating habits...among other things.


'Veggie Love': PETA's Banned Super Bowl Ad


In all due fairness, as a "family affair" (which is a ridiculous assumption of traditional sex-less values), the decision not to have the ad during the Super Bowl is not surprising, but the ad is actually an ingenious take on the sexuality of advertising and the sensuality of food. No matter your opinion on PETA, this is yet another reminder of our nation's fear of female sexuality. And perhaps also PETA, as this is not the organization's first ad banned from the airwaves. For the rest of the videos, check out the PETA site.

In the midst of roughly four hours of men beating each other in sport, backlashes come out when a breast is exposed for a split second, so quickly most people probably didn't notice until it was in the news later. But the discussion about it burned it into our brains forever. Janet and her nipple accessory. If any child missed it, hir parents ensured ze got to see it over and over again during the aftermath. And now we can't handle women in lingerie with vegetables for 30 seconds.

Perhaps we would be a healthier, less violent, and more pleasant population if we embraced the natural and enjoyable necessity of sex instead of the Doritos-eating, Budweiser-drinking, Boob-Tube-watching, couch-potato-inducing events such as the Super Bowl. Alas.

While I could take the flip side of the coin and argue against the ad's objectification of the female form yadda yadda, I won't. Because as Ross aptly stated, "that is an ad." So while none of us will see it this Sunday during the game, props to PETA for their inventiveness in making vegetarianism never seem more enticing.

Good Dick Better Movie

Good Dick. That's right, it's a movie. And why yes it is referring to what you're thinking. And erotica and sex play large roles in the film, but it is actually a down to earth tale of a troubled, sensitive boy who courts a damaged, defensive girl. Written, directed, and starring Marianna Palka, the film is a gem of the indie world right now. Her co-star, Jason Ritter, performs the caring and needy guy to a tee. And different from many twenty-something movies recently, this doesn't feel contrived or desperate to seek attention.

I was pleasantly surprised to see Martin Starr, of such fame as the Apatow clan provides - most notably as Bill Haverchuck in Freaks and Geeks and Martin (the friend who doesn't shave) in Knocked Up. He can do no wrong in my book, and this film allows him an angsty character with great lines and a bit more screen time than some of Apatow's recent fare provided. I would love to see him star in a film soon. Perhaps one more along the lines of Good Dick than Superbad. Other co-stars include Tom Arnold and Mark Webber, aka 'Designated Dave' of the 90s classic, Drive Me Crazy.

(Not laugh out loud) Humorous and touching, Palka wrote a story that really captured the troubles of vulnerability and relationships many have. Her character frequently rents erotica from CineFile, the video store where Jason Ritter's character works. As he grows smitten, he tracks her down and begins stalkerly befriending her. After much hesitation, she finally gives in and he ends up crashing on her couch and trying to start a relationship based on their mutual appreciation for the video genre. However, for an undisclosed reason, Palka's character keeps her guard up, refusing to admit any attraction or even acceptance of him, even though her willingness to let him stay says otherwise. The film follows the two as he tries to break her shell and she tries desperately to keep it in tact.

Taking place in pretty much 3 locations - video store, apartment, and car - the gritty, extremely low-budget feel of the movie goes along very well with the acting and sensibility of the message. Honest, stylized, and realistic, I would recommend this over the mumblecore genre of films advertised as "so real its almost not a movie," such as the most recent, Nights and Weekends.

There are a few awkward moments and Ritter's character could have used more development, but all in all, the film unfolds very naturally, as though observing people in their typical daily routines, learning about their pasts from the first to last scene. No extreme events or atypical fantastical moments can be found here. Instead it is a frank, at times abrasive film about relationships post baggage, love post hurt, and how twenty-somethings learn to stand on their own two feet.

Unlike other movies I have seen recently, this is a film that spoke to me in my current twenty-something student soon-to-be unemployed, romantically frustrated state.

It was released in the U.S. October 17, 2008 in limited release. So check your nearest indie theater, and get yourself some Good Dick.

HounddogGood Character Study or Puritan Warning?

Hounddog, the film "where Dakota Fanning gets raped," is definitely deserving of more press than its controversy. But how much I can't quite feel out.

In 1950s South, Lewellen (Fanning) plays a young girl who, poor enough not to wear shoes in nearly every scene, is obsessed with Elvis and sings his songs to forget her troubles. And troubles she has plenty. As things gradually get worse and her religious grandmother's reprimands seep into her head, her childish antics begin to haunt where they used to free her.

Co-starring Robin Wright Penn and Daivd Morse, the narrative is quite heavy and left me wondering exactly what the message was. Bad things happen to "sexually" curious and liberated young girls? You need to suffer physical abuse and torment to properly sing the blues? Most men have the "evil snake" in them somewhere? (note: snakes are a heavily over-used motif - Biblical referent, yes; Freudian phallus symbol, yes)

Whether it is all or just one of these themes, the film ends on an unfortunately conservative, borderline regressive tone- the little red riding hood of our time, with race relations and white hegemony added in as a bonus.

These faults aside, director Deborah Kampmeier presents a beautifully shot film, full of rich yellows and greens and well paced, that depicts an interesting character study on a young girl who's forced to grow up in torturing ways. Fanning delivers an impressive performance, and while the narrative takes a bit of a nose dive towards the end, it has more to offer than the controversy leads on.

The film underwent a trial in North Carolina during shooting over the rape scene, which could have also attributed to the extreme delay in its theatrical release. Two years after filming and Dakota Fanning's numerous interviews on the subject, the film came out September 19th. But many of you may not have known it because AMC pulled it out of all its theaters due solely to the already infamous scene.

Plus side of this controversy, some people will see an independent film they may not have otherwise seen, which is always a good thing in my book. However, for me and those I went with, the knowledge of the scene coded our viewing experience. Clearly most people in the theater were waiting for the scene to occur, and each time a new male character appeared on screen, a tension came upon us all: is this the culprit? Thus, when the scene did occur, it was so anticipated that the horror of it was certainly subdued. Will the controversy then draw people to the theater but weaken their reception? Time will tell I suppose.

Those of you who have seen it, I would love to know what you think of the film's message and how the rape scene plays out to you in the context of the film as a whole.

BTW. Bryce discusses the film in his blog, I'm Feeling so Blahg, and as he ponders, "the real question is what do we think of the dad?" Discuss.

Tina Fey is My Homegirl

I can't wait to vote for Barack Obama in November, but I will be severly disappointed to lose Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on SNL when she is not voted for VP. Did John McCain select a candidate that looked like Fey's doppleganger on purpose?


As tragic as that would (and seems to) be, I will hold back political rantings in exchange for some Tina Fey lovin'. McCain's running mate makes for great comedy for all us liberals in support of that 'gotcha media' that likes to interview our candidates.

Thus, in honor of my fav political satirist, all you hockey moms and Joe Six-packs, sit back, relax, and enjoy repeated entertainment of the SNL skits in all their glory. *Pew Pew! Wink!*









The best and saddest part of all these skits? That not much original material had to be written. Thank you Tina Fey for being so amazing, returning to your stomping ground, and providing a few more people with perspective.






P.S. 'cause i can't hold back all my rantin'... WTF GOP? And to people who think she is legit, for shame. it's a terrifying and embarassing time when a person so inexperienced and unprepared can be presented as a solid candidate for VP.

Bromance and the 'Barely Were'

So I know I usually talk about movies, but after immersing myself into the world of Carrie Brownstein's NPR Music blog, Monitor Mix, I would like to spend a minute giving props to NPR and their music coverage.

I have been an on-and-off listener of Bob Boilen's amazing podcast, All Songs Considered, for some time and after Brownstein's appearances on the podcast, I checked her out.
In her entries, she refreshingly connects the music nerd/NPR nerd in her to her daily life and gets non-music buffs to feel welcome. Yes, she name drops like crazy, but her youthful approach is never condescending nor pedagogic.

In a blog, and perhaps in all criticsm, I'm not looking for a teacher, but an expert-of-a-friend to tell me what her/his experienced self thinks about a topic. Knowledge of the subject (and the reader's education) is inherent in the review. If you read her stuff you'll certainly see what I mean. She makes no apologies for her knowledge, dropping obscure or off-the-radar artists at will, yet brings all these references and reviews within a more general, approachable, topic such as iTunes Genius' effect on the playlist or what makes a good cover song.

Maybe for the true Rob Gordon's out there, her blog is not erudite enough, but for someone just delving into the world of music on a serious level, she's a great stepping stone.

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And as a side note, I'd really like to push the aforementioned podcast, All Songs Considered, as well. Bob Boilen is a wealth of knowledge on music, and with guests, interviews, and fun topics, this soothing yet truly educational podcast is a great way to learn about new artists. Note- most of the music is of the indie-rock/folk/altrock/eclectic persuasion...you won't find much hip hop, pop, or country here.

Also, Rob Gordon is the fantastically neurotic and music-obsessed character John Cusack plays in High Fidelity.

The Freshmen Seemed To Like It... Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

While watching Peter Sollett's sophomore release, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, I realized that the Me of five years ago would have loved this film. But alas, the present day version of myself is perhaps too jaded or is finally over the youthful fancy the high school romance genre once brought.

Even after living in New York for over a year now, I'm still excited when places I know and frequent are featured in films, so watching Michael Cera and Kat Dennings run around the East Village, Noho, and the Lower East Side in search of a drunk friend all the while falling for one another was definitely entertaining. But the film just was kind of "blah." It didn't leave me feeling anything in particular at all. Except the wish to be 16 again...almost.

Michael Cera offers his same old thing, but I didn't mind that. It was the directing choices and the story that fell a little flat for me. One slow-mo or dragged out scene of matching eyes is enough in a film, Sollet gave us at least three. Other directorial decisions were due to the rating of PG-13, but the "love scene" was really cheesy and almost unnecessary. Part of a random story-line tacked on in the middle of the plot, the scene is too quick, too predictable, and out of place for the story.

Additionally, as Allie C. pointed out, NYC is a character all its own in the film, and it could hinder the audience's connection with it. With lingo like "Bridge and Tunnel," Sollett stays true to his style we first saw in Raising Victor Vargas - a story of young people in NYC, as heavily connected to their environment as their real-life counterparts actually are.

Recently, this description has come up to describe the CW hit, Gossip Girl, in comparison to its counterpart- the revival of Beverly Hills: 90210. Unlike the latter, Gossip Girl is just as much about the city and its role in characters' lives as it is about the characters themselves. If it works for the show, could Sollett's film reach out to the mid-west too? Doubt it. If it looked more like the fashion magazines, probably. But instead, it refreshingly presents a downtown NYC. One without designer labels.

Just one quick note on the music, which seems appropriate given the title is about a playlist. The musical score is done by Mark Mothersbaugh, co-founder of Devo and the man behind the music of numerous films and television shows, most notably Wes Anderson's oeuvre. His work is incredible, and while the music highlighted in Nick and Norah is that of bands and mix CDs that bond the characters and jump start the plot, Mothersbaugh's music is a great accompaniment and pleasure to listen to throughout.

All in all, its a cute premise, and has a good cast of younger actors - the oldest main character is 29, most are under 24. There are conventions in the teen romance it certainly bends and plays with, but overall, its wanting. I think more than anything, its wanting a pre-teen audience.