Show me the way to go home! Everybody! I'm tired and I want to go to bed! Just the women!

L.A. here I come! My flight leaves in a few a hours and holy sweet moly do I need this extended weekend. My brain feels like it’s about to spontaneously combust. And that would hurt.

The NHL is officially back and the schedule has been released for the year. I love how they’re making such a big deal over all 30 teams playing on opening day. Well yeah, they have had a 15 month rest. I think they’ll be good to go opening day. Personally I’m still a little pissed at them. Yeah, I’m gonna be going to the games because it’s hockey and I love the sport. But those ticket prices better be drastically reduced (i.e. next to free) or those stands are going to be really empty. The Rangers come into town to play the Caps on Monday afternoon on Columbus Day. Boo ya. Shame the Sharks aren’t playing here this year, but I’ll be happy with a couple Rangers games.

Quick reviews:

Happy Endings – The latest by Don Roos (Opposite of Sex) is one of those movies I love going to every now and then. It’s a movie that makes you think as opposed to most summer flicks in which thinking usually hurts the movie. The cast is excellent and everyone is giving strong performances but the most surprising standout is Tom Arnold. Now go back and re-read that sentence. Wow. But honestly, he puts in a great performance as widower who is just trying to be a good father while trying to find something to grasp onto in life. His reaction when he finds out that his son (who he has been worried is gay) has a girlfriend is just superb. The thing is that he’s terrified that his son is gay but not because he’s this raging homophobe but rather that he has absolutely no idea how to handle it, he's not sure if he's supposed to act differently. He just have never had to deal with anything like that. Of course he then goes on to develop a relationship with said girlfriend (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who is really just a golddigger looking to score. Steven Coogan also gives a strong performance as part of a gay couple who begin to suspect that a lesbian couple with whom they’re best friends has been lying to them as to the whether one of them is the father of the lesbians’ child. Intersperse this with Coogan’s step-sister, Lisa Kudrow who is being blackmailed into helping an aspiring film maker make his film school entry movie in exchange for the location of the son she gave up for adoption (whom she had with Coogan, in a whole, freaky, ending of Clueless moment) and basically you come up with a movie that sounds so unbelievably out there but ends up making sense and being a solid movie to boot. Yeah, I realize halfway through this review that I just could not even come close to a complete review of this movie without a 20 page long essay diving into the themes and cross-cutting storylines. Suffice to say that if you’re looking for something other than the usual summerfare, check out this movie. By the way Maggie Gyllenhaal does all her own singing in the movie and she’s ridiculously good.

Music you should be listening to:

Coldplay – X & Y

Yes, I do think that Coldplay is often overhyped. But this is a solid album, particularly the 2^nd half. Yes, I do get annoyed (as I’m sure Coldplay does) that they’re constantly being referred to as the next U2. There are some similiarities and several of the songs on here showcase Edge-esque guitar riffs (particularly on White Shadows and Talk). But Coldplay is their own band and I think it’s unfair to judge an artist solely by comparison to another. Plus the fact that when I heard this album referred to as Coldplay’s Joshua Tree I really wanted to hit the reviewer. It’s good, but come on, Joshua Tree is one of the best albums of the past 25 years. Ok, anyways, Chris Martin’s vocals continue to be the front and center act here which he’s got a good set of pipes on him, so I’m not complaining. Speed of Sound is the big single but also try Swallowed by the Sea with its simple, yet effective worldplay and A Message with its low key acoustic guitar and Fix You which is the Scientist of this album.

Old 97’s – Too Far to Care

With more of a country slant to it than their poppier Fight Songs, this album probably won’t appeal to everyone but if you can appreciate the Alternative/Americana fusion beat, you’ll find some good tunes for hanging around to. Rhett Miller just has a great ability to write fun, catchy lyrics and you’ll find some great examples on that with Timebomb, Melt Show and Big Brown Eyes.

Alright, until next time:

“Everybody I've got bad news. We've been cancelled.”

”Oh no Peter! How could they do that?”

”Well unfortuantely Lois, there's just no more room on the schedule. We just gotta accept the fact that FOX has to make room for terrific shows like Dark Angel, Titus, Undeclared, Action, That 80's Show, Wonder Falls, Fast Lane, Andy Richter Controls The Universe, Skin, Girl's Club, Cracking Up, The Pitts, Firefly, Get Real, Freaky Links, Wanda At Large, Costello, The Lone Gunman, A Minute with Stan Hooper, Normal Ohio, Pasadena, Harsh Realm, Keen Eddy, The Street, American Embassy, Cedric The Entertainer, The Tick, Louie, and Greg The Bunny.”

”Is there no hope?”

”Well I suppose if ALL those shows go down the tubes we might have a shot.”