Picks and pans

Sideways. Basically a good movie. Funny. The characters develop. Well cast. And yet, there's something pretty depressing about the movie. It's not the pathetic alcoholism of the characters so much as the fact that, the whole time, they're drinking wine. Wine wine wine. With all the fine beers there are in the world today, so many delightful looking varieties, and the microdistillery bourbons that just weren't there in my drinking days, their heads never turned, they drank wine wine wine. It was a pretty boring movie, if you ask me, from the point of view of alchohol. I'd rather watch a beer movie anyday.

Also, here in April, we're entering a new phase of the media year, as I've just unrapped and gave a listen to my last Christmas CD (Coltrane's Traneing In) and almost simultaneously worked my way through to the end of the Times Magazine's 2004 Year in Ideas issue. That should give you an idea of how up to date I am.

Coming up soon, a review of Peter Abraham's Oblivion, a damn fine mystery novel with structural components cadged from Crime and Punishment and Sebastien Japrisot. First gotta finish book.