1. pt anderson - first of all, who knew he directed parts of Prairie Home Companion? It makes sense that he and altman would be friends, considering PTA is heavily influenced by him, most obvious in the brilliant Magnolia. anyway since Punch-Drunk Love, he got married to maya rudolph, reported friend of the annoying gwyneth paltrow and Donatella Versace-impersonator (SNL), and had a baby. i liked him better with fiona apple. they were so way more tragic. PTA's new movie is, well, read about it here. i don't feel like writing about it since it's got an old-west look and that reminds me of old movies and i don't like old movies. dang. he didn't write it either, this is a set-back. it's based on a novel by someone else. i'm sure it's great anyway. he's never fucked up before. Hard Eight wasn't his fault.
2. L7 - this is one of the saddest disappearing acts in all of rock history. whatever happened to L7?? DON'T DESPAIR! i have excellent news for all shredders. donita sparks, the most awesome woman shredder ever has a new band and video. this means music!!! reminds me of a tidy mix of L7's first record and something from Slap Happy, their last album. beautiful rawk vocals, simple guitar song, a touch of psychedelia: THE BEST!!!
3. quentin tarantino - i can't believe that sofia coppola ever went out with quentin. she is truly the epitome of refined. refined sand. the kind that turns into china after you cook it. and quentin: the king of the video store nerds raised practically homeless, and endlessly intelligent. his new film has just been released and he shares a directing title with Robert Rodriguez. the last time they worked together was on the ghastly, From Dusk 'til Dawn. i'm always a little doubtful of quentin's movies anyway, they sound too campy for me, but then i see them and can easily proclaim them my new absolute favorite. STILL, his newest...i don't know, i don't think i'm gonna like it.
4. mike white - this guy wins for least expected guy to be a prolific hollywood scriptwriter. he's so unassuming, but so genius. the best movie he ever wrote is Chuck and Buck, for sure, but since has written The Good Girl, with jennifer aniston, my 2nd favorite actress, as well as School of Rock and Nacho Libre. he acts too and starred in Chuck and Buck. always an hilarious scene-stealer. he's got three films coming out soon, although i'm most looking forward to Year of the Dog, and not just because i'm year of the dog (1970). oh wait, yeah, it is because i'm year of the dog. nevermind, i'm high.
5. spike jonze - first off, he has a new girlfriend and her name is Drew Barrymore, the most famous serial monogamist of all time. i don't get why this girl consistently dumps what seem to be pretty cool guys, after professing their perfection and genius over and over in interviews. sigh. now she's got spike jonze in her claws. i wonder how long this one will last. guess what? as long as all the other ones, 2 years. as for work, he's been working on a new movie, an adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are, and it's starring Catherine Keener, my third favorite actress, YES. NICE. coincidentally, spike jonze and sofia coppola got married in the same town on the same day that i first got married. the marriages lasted the same amount of time too: 5 years. i tried to get tom waits to perform at my wedding, but sofia got at him first. Which reminds me, a girl at work once asked me who tom waits is, "is he the guy who did Missing You?" WOW. and she's a writer!
6. charlie kaufman - charlie's new movie, Synecdoche, New York is starting production right now. it's his directorial debut and he wrote it. LUCKY US. it's about a theater producer who thinks he's dying and sets out to accomplish something great, like, build a life-size replica of new york inside a warehouse. perfect. reminds me of steven wright joke: "You can't have everything. Where would you put it?" good god, can you imagine poor charlie kaufman directing a movie? he must be a wreck. i love that about him.
7. PJ Harvey - how fitting that she would be number 7. "1-2-3-4-5-6-7, all good children go to heaven." "if the devil is 6, if the devil is 6, if the devil is 6 then god is 7! then god is 7!" - to quote john lennon, and the pixies. so anyway, what's polly up to? seems she has released a live DVD called Please Leave Quietly. this is what i've been needing as proof that she is indeed possibly the very very very best live performer i've ever seen. as my third favorite rock musician ever, that is. as for a new record, i hear she's in the studio. i wonder what it is that has killed her decade-long every-two-year routine. when this new record comes out, it will have been 3 years. yeah, i'm counting. i need my vitamins.
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