7.13.09 My Top Ten RIGHT NOW

1. BOOK Columbine by Dave Cullen
I thought I never wanted to hear about this event, that there was nothing more to learn about two psychopath loaners killing off jocks at the Denver school.  Since that was my basic understanding, confirmed repeatedly by the media, this book became a complete eye-opener.  Putting together years of reporting, Cullen offers a stunning portrait of two misunderstood killers, a community in pain and the media circus that cemented all of it in history.  The greatest shock in the pages of this book was the understandable ineptitude of the police to deal with a radical situation and the incomprehensible decision to cover up most every fact along the way.  The only fault in this text is confusing organization that bounces the reader from the events to the aftermath with a cast too large to remember at every turn, but that’s a small price to pay for a beginning to understand the nightmare that occurred.

2. ACTOR Johnny Depp in Public Enemies
Johnny Depp glows in this film as a Robin Hood of depression era bank robbery, John Dillinger, pushing past the flattening effect of an ugly digital period piece flanked by stiff acting and shoddy editing.  Marion Cotillard looks the part, ravishing as ever, but sadly can’t break free of her thick French accent to play Dillinger’s girl.  Christian Bale is as captivatingly intense as ever, but isn’t given much in the script department to work off.  But it’s really the filmmaking that leaves this story flat.  Hitting the major moments of infamy without much context, this film is one of the most unattractive handheld camera heavy flick and cobbled together to resemble a BBC biopic made on the fly.  But go, seriously, to see a true movie star light up the screen, even if you can see every single pore on his beautiful face.

3. RESTAURANT Perennial
This new Lincoln Park eatery (this would be in Chicago, folks) offers a scrumptious evening for the taste buds.  Starting with a cheese platter, mainly because some of our dinner guests were a little late in arriving, I was pleasantly brought four cheese expertly paired with candied almonds, citrus garnish and balsamic reductions.  For an appetizer you can never go wrong with six fresh oysters on the half shell slathered in horseradish, although the corn soup did give it a run for its money.  The pork belly entrée was beyond melt in your mouth good.  I don’t think I’ve ever had a cut of meat quite so tasty, and wonderfully matched with a grilled peach and thyme doughnuts (puffed up pastry that’s beyond savory).  Finish up the meal with a deconstructed raspberry cheesecake (it makes sense while you’re eating it) or the truly delectable hazelnut crunch, basically a rice krispie treat, and this coming from someone who hates hazelnut.

4. SONG “Bam Bam” by Sister Nancy
Some songs just force you to move the instant your hear them.  Beginning with unintelligible murmuring punctuated by horns and fed through a reverb unheard of in modern recording, this song slowly builds into a full fiesta-inducing groove destined to make all your nights a dance party.  Once the beat is dropped, you’re sunk.  Drums, horns and guitar come together to infect your feet, moving up your legs until those hips inevitably find the beat and carry you across the dance floor (or what little floor space you have left in your apartment).

5. MOVIE Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
It’s ridiculous that it took me this long to see this film considering how much of a NYC classic it is, especially since I had to read the script for college.  This Sidney Lumet directed, home grown bank-robbing story starring the amazing Al Pacino, elicited a great number of laughs from the Bryant Park audience.  At first, I thought this might be contrary to the initial intensions of the film (and maybe a sign of how dated it really is) but I think it actually plays nicely into Lumet’s ability to make his drama that much more dramatic through excellent contrast.  You both root for Pacino despite the fact that you completely disagree with what he’s doing.  This becomes only more incredible when it’s finally revealed exactly why Pacino is holding up the bank.  A daring film, one that I’m one hundred percent sure would not be green lit today.

6. SOUNDTRACK Black Hawk Down

This is going back a ways, but I still find myself listening to this soundtrack repeatedly while working.  Starting with haunting Muslim chanting, Hans Zimmer’s score takes you on an emotional rollercoaster flecked with perfectly chosen songs. Rachid Tara’s voice evolves through “Barra Barra” from a hard rock raga to an evocative whisper to a blood curdling scream that doesn’t let you go. Amidst more harsh instrumental pieces, “Gortoz A Ran” rings through as a glorious elegiac piece, filled with all those sumptuous un-American notes only found in Eastern music.  And after all this affecting up and down, you are dropped into the most sweetly poignant bit yet, “Minstrel Boy” sung to perfection by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros.  From the building battle drum beat, the bagpipes, to the repetitive choral structure, you find yourself moved to tears finding salvation at the end of a long journey.  You gotta love a soundtrack that packs a punch and takes you through the same emotional trajectory as the movie it hales from.

7. CAFÉ Georgia’s Café and Bakery
Coffee and pastries… is there really anything more you need in life?  This UWS classic brings a touch of that French goodness through little bits of chocolate filled croissants covered with those perfect thin slices of almond, or beautiful fruit tarts or perfectly cooked cookies, and just about everything else that makes your mouth water and turn into that little kid in front of the food case asking to try one of everything.  Match it with a huge iced coffee loaded with milk and sugar.  Grab a seat along the “people watching” bar or at an awning covered table outside and let the day drift on by.  Starbucks?  What’s that?

8. MOVIE Miss Potter (2006)
This romantic trifle turned out to be quite a truffle…hmm, I think that last entry just made me very hungry.  I’m never one to enjoy the squinty Rene Zellweger, but she really does a nice job as the slightly zany, read Victorian era singleton, Bridget Jones-esque, Beatrix Potter, creator of the most successful series of children’s books, including Peter Rabbit.  The film plays as a romance biopic set in the love stifling structure of Victorian England, filled with go-girl sentiment of a woman breaking down barriers choosing a career over marriage as well as finding the perfect man in the process.  But don’t worry, she couldn’t have it all either.  This movie was made especially magical through delightful animation of the whimsical animals that appeared in Potter’s books deftly mimicking the protagonist’s emotional tenor.

9. RESTAURANT The Cheesecake Factory
Sometimes you just want to be a glutton, and this place certainly makes that beyond easy.  With nothing more than two appetizers, one entrée and one essential dessert, three people walked away from the table feeling five months pregnant and happy.  Start with the avocado egg rolls and the chicken potstickers, both Asian dishes nicely turned into Tex Mex for the American palate.  The Mahi Mahi fish tacos make a nice shareable entrée with a side of rice and beans.  And then finish up with any of a ridiculous number of cheesecake options.  For this particular trip, I stuffed myself with the Oreo mudslide although was told repeatedly that the pineapple upside-down cheesecake was the better choice.  No, this wont be the best meal of your life, but you’ll certainly leave fulfilled and just a bit, ummm, healthier.

10. SONG “Boom Boom Pow” by the Black Eyes Peas
I want to hate this song, I really truly do.  But I can’t seem to get it out of my head and am hearing it absolutely everywhere, so it must have pop value.  Too much press has surrounded this release, this band, the half-talented Fergie (I’m not going to specify which half of her is talented) but the band has admittedly produced a perfect summer jam.  This becomes abundantly clear half way through the track, at two minutes and five seconds in which the crazy synth sounds take over.  But lines like “I’m so three thousand and eight, you so two thousand and late” make me question my own taste here.