Closer

So if you didn’t know this about me, I really enjoy reading. Some of my Christmas gifts reading included The Mercy Seat by Neil LaBute, Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs, The Story of my Life by Jay McInerney, and Closer by Patrick Marber.

Yes, everyone knows Closer is a movie currently in theaters. I’m sure if you’re a female you’re going to see it because Jude Law is in it. And if you’re a guy, I’m sure you’re going to see it for Natalie Portman (she plays a stripper).

But for those who don’t know, Closer is also a play, and Clive Owen actually stared in the original release in London.

If you want to see the movie (which I haven’t yet), please read this tremendous play by Patrick Marber. It was a brilliant play, extremely depressing, and just when you thought couples could not treat each other any worse, they do.

I haven’t read or seen such a pessimist view regarding love and relationships since seeing Labute’s most recent film – The Shape of Things. LaBute (In the Company of Men, Your Friends and Neighbors) could convince even the most optimistic person that they were bound to never find love, or that their relationship would eventually be doomed.

The play Closer does a tremendous job of capturing the characters emotions, which memorial quotes including “Love disappoints me,” and “Why did you swear eternal love when all you were looking for was excitement.” Something that I think will be very hard to convey on screen (but as I said before, I haven’t seen the movie so I’ll reserve judgment).

The play is a very quick read, about 120 pages or so. So do yourself a favor, if you’re going to shell out 10 bucks to go see the movie, spend $12 and read the play first. Or you can but it online at Amazon.com for $10.50.

Christmas Songs

So I haven’t blogged in a while but wanted to list a few of my all-time favorite Christmas songs – 80’s style.

Do They Know it's Christmas by Band Aid
Christmas in Hollis by Run DMC
Merry Christmas by The Waitresses

Music, TV and Movies

Entertainment update:

So I haven’t blogged in a while so I wanted to give everyone a little entertainment update. There’s a lot of good stuff out there.

Music – The new U2 album is good. I can’t say that it’s great, because I’ve only listened to it once so far. Vertigo is a great tune (Ipod commercial tune) and track 6 All because of You are two of my favorites.

The Killers – Debut album called Hot Fuss is a solid rock band that infuses a little bit of the 80’s with their keyboards sounds, definitely worth downloading.

TV – My two favorite new TV show are House and Huff. Huff is a Showtime show, so if you do have Showtime, shell out the extra bucks and get it. It’s an edgy drama about a psychiatrist who has a 15-year old kid commit suicide in his office. Hank Azaria, Oliver Platt, Blythe Danner and Paget Brewster should all receive Emmy nominations.

House is on Fox and the premise is about an eccentric doctor who has a large ego, and a special knack for curing patients – by rarely actually meeting with them. The show appears on Tuesday night at 9:00 p.m.

Movies – Unfortunately I’ve fallen out of the loop with movies but did rent the movie Saved, it was parody about some over the top teens who attend a Catholic school. The movie stars Macaulay Culkin, Mandy Moore, Jenna Malone and Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous William Miller) It’s worth renting.