Anothing (I went to type another thing, but I think I'm liking this slang) that I was musing on doing was a review column. I know, it sounds boring. But I'll quickly review the last few things that I've watched/read/listened to and hopefully it will be amusing. At least I get practice.

THE FILM:

Public Enemies - We pretty much all know the story. And we've certainly heard the ladies scream 'omg johnny depp christian bale channing tatum' without even stopping to breathe. First off, Channing Tatum dies. Very quickly. Let's just get that out of the way.

Second off, this movie is long, and likely too long (and possibly violent) for the attention span of said ladies (sexist, I know). The movie itself is decidedly very broody, but Johnny Depp's talent is not wasted here. Despite playing famed criminal John Dillinger with a certain amount of charm as he does well, I certainly couldn't help but dislike him. He was indeed a folk hero and celebrity among the people of the Great Depression, but he still broke the law, he still killed people, and he still usually got what he wanted at the expense of others, and eventually, himself.

Marion Cotillard seems quite conflicted here between playing the smart strong woman that knows that Dillinger is dangerous, and the vain stupidity of the public, blindly following Dillinger's every beck and call.

Christian Bale doesn't really have a whole lot to do here besides look seriously pissed at missing catching the crook at nearly every turn, but he's still fairly entertaining to watch. I mean, c'mon, it's Christian Bale. Do you want him to go and trash your lights? DO YOU?!!

And to round up the performances, Billy Crudup in his limited screen time does a surprisingly good job as the fairly young director of the FBI earnestly trying to gain the cooperation and respect of his peers.

I could say a lot more crap about how the script was, how the cinematography was, and all that jazz. But I won't. The facts are this: If you're only interested in watching this for the appearances of aforementioned stars and some good performances like I was, I'd probably wait for the DVD. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy yourself for two and a half hours.

B-

THE BOOK:

The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini - I'd better preface this review by saying that I hadn't seen the movie before reading the book, and I doubt I will, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Hosseini's story is a simple one, but the emotions go far deeper than that.

A brief overview of setting: Besides the prologue, the book starts in 1970 before the Russian's invaded Afghanistan and focuses on two young boys. The first is the son of a very wealthy man, whose mother died giving birth to him. The second is the former boy's servant, as well as playmate. This is their story.

I'm afraid this review won't go into much detail, so if you're looking for that, go find and read the book. The fact is, despite some interesting literary observations, this is not a masterpiece of symbolism and alliteration, but it is a story about emotions and manipulating yours.

I can't say I cried while reading the book, but you definitely can come to identify with Amir agha, the novel's protagonist, all while simultaneously coming even close to hating him.

This is not light reading, folks, but I'd say it's definitely worth your time. I'm almost ashamed to admit I knew almost nothing about the history of Afghanistan, and sometimes the book can be a real eye-opener.

B+

THE MUSIC:

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

My fingers are tired, so I'm just gonna say it like this: This album is one of the best I've heard in years. It's good for relaxing, it's good for car rides, and it's good for background listening. Fleet Foxes have mastered the art of maintaining the illusion of simplicity while their smokey melodies and echoing guitars all add up to anything but.

If you haven't heard the album, hear it. If you don't own it, buy it. And if you don't love it, may God have mercy on your soul.

A