I called Dirk on Sunday and we talked for four and a half hours, partly because I haven't talked to him in so long but largely because he is the chattiest man in the history of the universe. I'm not complaining--it was very nice--but I refuse the blame for keeping him up until 1:30 in the morning, especially when I told him we should probably hang ( Read more... )

Leon will arrive in Prague today, and he and I will take the night train to Krakow Thursday night. Caroline and Jirka will not be joining us, because Caroline is very sick with a kidney infection. She has taken the entire week off from work so she can rest--doctor's orders ( Read more... )

Thursday evening, I moved into a new flat in the Vinohrady neighborhood of Prague 2. Or, more simply, a flat with an internet connection and a washing machine. Although there were a few solutions to the lack of internet in my last flat, they largely required me signing a contract for a year or more, and I didn't think that made a whole lot of ( Read more... )

I'm leaving for the airport in about ten minutes, and I should be in Seattle by 10:30, I think. I have all of this nervous energy that I seem to get whenever I'm about to get on an airplane but I'm sure I'll calm down before then ( Read more... )

I got somewhat drunk last night and watched March of the Penguins. I now know that alcohol and nature documentaries don't really complement each other ( Read more... )

I'm a little surprised that Crash won the Oscar tonight, although there was talk of it being the only movie that could upset Brokeback Mountain, and obviously it did.

I was pleased to see Philip Seymour Hoffman win best actor, but I did wish Joaquin Phoenix would have taken it. I love Hoffman but Phoenix just amazed me in Walk the Line. Jon ( Read more... )

Much to my surprise (and delight), on Friday night Leon and I ended up seeing the animated shorts that are nominated for an Academy Award this year. All except "One Man Band," which is Pixar's entry, and which, presumably, Disney did not allow to be shown. In place of the Pixar short, the theater showed "The Fan and the Flower." Leon and I both ( Read more... )

Theaters in Berkeley are still playing four of the five films nominated for Best Picture, including Good Night, and Good Luck, which will be out on video in, like, two weeks. (This makes me feel very torn, because I have not seen it and would like to see it before the Oscars, but it's hard to pay $20 to go see it when I know I could get it on ( Read more... )

So remember, my high school classmate who is going to be a movie star? It looks like his American Pie sequel is finally coming out on DVD. I hope Netflix has it.

This is one of the best short films I've ever seen. Don't get turned off by the title--it's actually pretty funny.