Luis Guzman for Cabot Cheese

This is the craziest, most random thing I've seen in a while. I never knew that Cabot had any sort of advertising budget. I definitely did not further know that they hired Luis Guzman for some of their commercials. Instead of being stupid, the commercials are actually pretty hysterical if you admire Guzman's sort of humor. He's kind of a minor master at being earnest, especially in the P.T. Anderson films. Who would have thought my research on Cabot cheese would have led me down this path...

Best line: "Yeah, but this cheese is so good, I can't stop to pick up my gun to shoot you."

[Cabot cheddar hunks]

"What's your wish? Wanna kringle like kris?"

It's Yourz @ Yahoo! Video via Kanye's blog

I vaugely remember when Forever was being anticipated, just coming out. I was really confused. I remember seeing the video for Triumph and continuing my confusion, especially at Rza's rhymes. What kind of rapper would rhyme with cerebral cortex? Anyway, this is a much better video from the same era.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

VCB will make you travel abroad, eat tapas, drink wine, and have sex, compensating for the film's flaws.

Three women, very beautiful in very distinctive ways, inhabit the very fortunate life of a painter played by Bardem. Romantic chaos naturally ensues against the backdrop of Barcelona. Allen, mostly obscured, though revealed in the credits and characteristically intellectual dialogue, lends the film a presumed legitimacy that the core substance may not completely live up to. Idle musing on the nature of art and love falls flat when juxtaposed with Bardem and Gaudi's harem of beauties.

Yet, VCB's visceral beauty and charm make it worthwhile. Johansson's performance is less than stellar, but Cruz is a spectacular, furious force who devours her screen time, even more deliciously malevolent than in Volver. Sex's prominent role marginally justifies the familiar characterization of this film as a typical Allen misogynist fantasy. But whatever. Like the amusement park the film depicts, it's an enjoyable confection - ratchet up the excess.

Past week or so in review

• Leaving Chicago sucks. Just when I was kind of starting to feel it, get accustomed and comfortable, look to the horizons for new experiences... the rug gets pulled out from underneath. However, twelve weeks was, despite what many may say about their summers, a long, long time. Here's to the hope that I'll be able to pick up where I left off upon my eventual return to the state of Illinois.
• Outer Banks is definitely worth it. Yes, the traffic is hell. Yes, everything is spread out, the island is overpopulated, and the style of life is probably the least efficient conceivable. Beside that, the feeling of self-containment, physical separation from daily worries and concerns, and attainable peace of mind makes it worthwhile to check out the beach. And, seven opinionated and at times argumentative people can survive a week together without any bloodshed.
• Absence has made the heart grow fonder. Charlottesville is a completely unique place. I'm ready to enjoy my last year there to the utmost. I also very much missed my apartment. The spartan accommodations in Chicago were killing me over the summer. It's very nice to have my things back, set up how I like it.
• Billy Corgan is tripping. The show in Charlottesville the other day was a huge disappointment. However, the evening was not a total loss... not at all.
  

It's Addictive

Doug must be stopped

I really disliked Doug when he started winning a few Jeopardy games a while ago. I knew he would be back, and he is... with a vengance. He embodies everything I hate about Jeopardy contestants. He has a really annoying voice, an arrogant way of clicking the buzzer (hands always folded, buzzer tucked away behind his arms), a weird little flower, and an affected way of writing his name. Also, he's Canadian which isn't a bad thing in and of itself, but it gives him an unnatural advantage on the Canadian province questions. (Jeopardy never asks questions about Canadian history.)

Over the past two weeks, Jeopardy has been running its Tournament of Champions. The most annoying thing about Doug's current run (he'll be playing in the finals on Thursday and Friday) is the way he's totally backed into each of his wins. Last week and again today, he dipped into negative territory. Today he was over $10,000 down to the money leader and managed to get back within striking distance before winning the match by wagering less than anyone else. (Nobody got the Final Jeopardy correct.)

Twice, he's been nearly vanquished by his own tendency to make wild guesses only to be saved by a very fortunate streak. The players have one more chance to put an end to Doug's reign of terror. If only for my sake, please, please beat Doug.

I went to Neo last night

Ok, so a couple of blocks from my apartment in Lincoln Park is this bar/club called Neo. Neo is known for being Chicago's 'goth' place to be. It's been around since 1979, which as you might know was pretty much the peak for a lot of the goth/industrial stuff, especially in the UK. Goth style seemed to have a sort of resurgence in the mid-90s, too with NIN and Manson and all that nonsense.

Anyway, the clientele of Neo is reflective of these two peaks. You've got the new wave/hipster goths (see Ian Curtis, above, right) and then the industrial/metal type goths which are generally a lot scarier. Well, they try to be scarier at least. In actuality, the clientele for Neo is not very scary at all and really pretty friendly. While I'm not into that whole style, I did feel marginally more comfortable around the people who go to Neo than your average person at Hangge Uppe or, god forbid, some other near north bar. (Aside: Hangge Uppe is not utopia, but it is the least annoying and pretensious place in its area.)

As for the actual bar, I was pretty down with it. I would only really enjoy going on Thursdays, when they have 80s new wave (heavy on the proto-goth stuff like Cure, early New Order and less Elvis Costello and certainly no Toni Basil). The other nights are metal or industrial and that's simply not my scene. In addition to some pretty chill tunes, they played Return of the Jedi and Weird Science on the movie screen behind the bar. Big up. I also got a half liter of Spaten in a stylish German glass mug. Very gothic.

The downside is that the place is damn geeky but that's just the name of the game when you're talking goth kids. That tone is preferable to me over places on the other side of the spectrum like Japonais. Also, the fake smoke machine was on overdrive. Just not used to smoke here in Chicago. Neo definitely isn't the kind of place you'd take anyone without an open mind. That probably explains why I haven't been there until this week. I'd have liked to come here more often but honestly, I don't know too many people who could tolerate it. But I think it's fun.

I hope to continue my week of new experiences by going to Delilah's at some point soon. It's a punk bar that's kind of close to my apartment also. The worst thing that could happen, I think, is I'd find another really chill place that I'll regret not going to all summer long. But I still hope for a fun night. Oh, I forgot to mention that last Tuesday I somehow ended up at a nearly vacant karaoke place at Cermak and Wentworth singing Yellow Submarine as covered by some Chinese band. Getting goaded into awkward situations can be fun..