Review of Another Cameron Crowe Film

As I promised y'all earlier this week, I'm going to review writer/director Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous (2000, DreamWorks). This is one of my fave rock 'n' roll flicks. And here's why:
First, the cast is superb. The likes of Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Patrick Fugit, Zooey Deschanel, Anna Paquin, Fairuza Balk, Noah Taylor, and Philip Seymour Hoffman really light up the screen. In the film, Fugit plays William Miller, a brilliant but naive teenager in 1973 California who has been sheltered by his overprotective, nonconformist college professor mother (McDormand). (This movie is loosely based on Crowe's real life.) A wannabe rock journalist, William follows the career of Stillwater, a fictitous, mediocre American version of Led Zeppelin, led by Russell Hammond (Crudup) and Jeff Beebe (Lee, whom I love as the eponymous star (title character) of NBC's My Name Is Earl). William ends up being fortunate enough to score a writing gig with Rolling Stone. This gig allows William to tour the country with Stillwater and a bevvy of groupies who prefer to be called "band-aids," led by Penny Lane (Hudson).
Secondly, several scenes and lines are unforgettable. For example, Crudup and Lee's T-shirt fight and Crudup's subsequent acid-laced romp with a bunch of "real Topeka, Kansas, fans" are two of my absolute faves. As for lines, McDormand makes the movie with gems, such as: "An entire generation of Cinderellas, and there's no slipper comin'!" and "Rock stars have kidnapped my son!" The greatest part of the whole movie, however, is the scene in which the whole Band o' Gypsies belts out an impromptu version of Elton John's classic "Tiny Dancer" on their tour bus.
And that leads to my final fave aspect of this film: the soundtrack. Along with hits by Sir Elton, it boasts killer tunes by Zeppelin, Simon and Garfunkel, The Allman Brothers, The Beach Boys, The Who, Rod "The Mod" Stewart, Skynyrd, and Stevie Wonder, amongst many other artists synonymous with the "Love Generation." More importantly, each song seems to perfectly fit the scene it accompanies.
Okay, now for a little criticism. Yes, there's some things I didn't like about this movie. For one thing, I found Hudson a bit annoying. I think part of the problem is that Penny Lane is rather self-absorbed and static. Personally, I think Deschanel, who plays William's sister, Anita, was better suited for this role. But that's just me being nitpicky, I suppose. Something else that kinda bugged me were the Greeneville, Tennessee, scenes. They were, well, lame. Even Penny's fellow "band-aids (Balk, Bijou Phillips (daughter of Mamas and the Papas founder John), and Paquin)" complain about Greeneville being the "most boring place on Earth." Yeah, those scenes really drag and suck.
Overall, I give this film four out of five stars. Certain areas could use a little improvement, but nothing in this life is ever perfect. Watching this film makes me yearn for a resurgence of some, not all, the values of the era it captures.

Friday the 13th (Again)

Yes, folks, it's once again Friday, the 13th. Apparently, that's a lucky number in the Ashleyverse. My new job is going great, and I'm getting air time. What more could a gal ask for? Anywho, I'm becoming more confident. For example, I'm starting to get away from taking the Ron Burgundy (y'know, Will Ferrell's character in Anchorman) approach (i.e. reading lines off the script verbatim) when I go live. I guess if I had one wish it would be that this turns into a full-time gig.

Thoughtless Thursday

I've declared today "Thoughtless Thursday." I've decided to just turn off my brain and tune out the world. I feel that I've earned the right to tune out for a while. In honor of this occasion, I'm watching The House Bunny. Honestly, I wish I could sometimes get away with being more like Anna Faris' character, Shelley. Instead, I have to pretend to be smart most of the time. Anywho, I'll probably veg tonight and watch Almost Famous. (Look for a review of this great Cameron Crowe flick sometime this weekend.) Also, my fave shows-- My Name Is Earl, Kath and Kim, The Office, and 30 Rock-- are on TV tonight. Heck, I might even drink a few beers and chow down on some fried chicken and ice cream, courtesy of DQ. So, here's to being unapologetically lazy!

Living a Dream

I actually have the day off today. It's kinda nice. I'm so excited about the direction my life is going. I've always wanted to be in broadcasting, and it's happening. I've dabbled with various other paths and have now come full circle. I'm exactly where I need to be. It's been my experience that by following your intuition and working hard (operative phrase) to achieve your goals, you will almost certainly be successful in life. Thus, spiritual savvy and hard work are the keys to success.
Quote Du Jour:
"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined."-- Henry David Thoreau

On-the-Job Training

Well, listeners, I've been on the air twice this week. I worked yesterday afternoon and this morning. They've got me doing weather forecasts, discussing community happenings, introducing songs, and ID-ing artists. It's been a nerve-wracking yet fun (and paying!) experience. I'm learning a lot, too. For example, overnight broadcasts are conducted solely by satellite. I learned this after my mentor, Bobbie, told me that she heard my pre-recorded forecast during the early morning hours today and that I had gone a few seconds over. (Imagine that!) Anywho, that's a big deal during a satellite broadcast, since there's not an actual person there to switch the program mode from auto to manual. In other words, if a forecast or commercial runs overtime, it will overlap with music, which could alienate listeners and possibly cost corporate a lot of moola. Not a good situation! (Note to self: Just read highs, lows, and special weather conditions, not wind speeds, off script during pre-recorded forecasts. That's all audience cares about anyway.)

Why My Spring Break Isn't

I'm officially on spring break today, but it really doesn't feel like one. And why? Answer: I still have to hang out in Olney and work this week. Oh, well, c'est la vie! I'm actually excited about going to station this afternoon, though. It's too perfect; they're paying me to talk. The Mother Ship has landed! Anywho, I'll probably "work from home" this evening via Suite101. I'll keep y'all posted as I publish new articles.

An Old-But-Great Workout

Okay, this morning I did this totally retro strength training DVD, Karen Voight's Great Weighted Workout. It came out way back in the early 90s. It's really long, too-- 85 mins., to be exact. Thanks to the magic of modern technology, however, the DVD can be programmed so that prospective users can divide the routine into shorter segments, which include an upper-body workout, lower-body routine, and abwork. As for equipment, you'll need light weights (I use 2-lb. dumbbells for the upper-body work.), a mat, a body ball (or dumbbell), ankle weights, and a towel for the concluding stretch. The set and the class' outfits are totally outdated and dorky, but if you can look past all that, this is an awesome workout. (Note: Don't let the use of light weights fool ya-- this routine, especially the upper-body part, is a killer!)