Of Wine and Movies

I find the more weight I lose, the more helpful staff in stores are with me. I'm not really understanding that, but I'm appreciating it.

Tonight a liquor store fella rushed off to fetch me a bottle of wine when I said "I'm waiting to be inspired by a cheap red" in the Spanish section.

Let's see. What'd he get me, anyhow? Ah, yes. A 2006, Montalto, Nero di Avola Cabernet Sauvignon, hailing from Sicily. $10.98.

The tannins are smooth, it's robust but not heavy. A fine wine. Reasonably priced. Tragically, I see my favourite go-to cheap wine of the last three years has vanished from the shelves. A 2001 I was drinking at $10.90 or less for three years. Fuck, was it drinkable.

This may be my new Pergolas. Check it out. Ask me when I have a couple more glasses. ;)

I have an invitation to a party tomorrow. I don't really want to go, but feel I should. It's just my anti-social bent trying to beg me off from being in the crowd, but it's probably one of those parties that really oughta be attended. But it's time I take in a bigger social event with my shapely new ass, no?

Oy. Yes, probably.

I may go cycle to a matinee of The Dark Knight. I can't wait to see that. Housecleaning can certainly be ignored for that! Not sure I want to see it with anyone, either.

I remember being very disappointed to hear that, for whatever mysterious reason, Darrin Aronofsky lost his contract on Batman Beyond. I had liked Memento, but felt it was highly overrated. I thought it was a coup de editing, but over all, it felt a little heavy on the "I'm so smart, look at my unique film idea" direction, which smacks of pretension and can be found in earlier endeavours by greats like Paul Thomase Anderson et al. So I thought Chris Nolan was a good director but an overrated one, and felt he might try too hard and wind up blowing his wad on BB. Needless to say, he pleasantly surprised me. Now I'm eagerly anticipating the spectacle of the sequel. Much as I generally assume sequels to lose at least 20-30% of the predecessor's strengths and all.

And while everyone else is hotly waiting on Heath Ledger's incredible performance, I'm dreading it. I'd heard about his performance long before his death and I was stoked that maybe, just maybe, this guy allowed his boundaries to have been pushed sufficiently to have him really nail a break-out role that might define a fantastic career to come. I had always liked him, saw something intriguing in him when he did his earlier stuff. Had him pegged as "to watch", much like Josh Hartnett and his ilk.

So, when he bit the bullet in January, I was really fucking angry. Angry he was dead, angry I couldn't watch his performance with optimism instead of sorrow. I don't fuckin' know. I was angry.

But... you know... if you're gonna die young, die on the heels of your best, most brilliant work, so everyone is left truly mourning your loss. Leave your mark. Go out in that proverbial blaze of glory.

On that count, nice timing, Heath. Really.

So, really looking forward to that while simultaneously dreading it.

But anticipation outweighs dread. I mean, when I heard Christian Bale was gonna be Batman, I thought "Fuck, they finally really CAST a superhero role. Nice one!"

Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker? Not bad. What's his face as the new Superman? Good try. Robert Downey as Ironman? Totally didn't see that coming, but fuckin' A.

Not, might I add, until after the out-of-left-field surprise casting of the always enigmatic Christian Bale -- American Psycho Christian Bale -- as Batman, though, eh? Then Hollywood started thinking, "Okay, who can really, really act? Oh, right, Downey... and he's funny. And has at least 5 years of 'cute' left..."

Tobey Maguire wasn't a huge stretch, really. Peter Parker's a dork, so... Fitting, but as much as I like Maguire, he just doesn't nail that role. Something's missing. Perhaps it's just Maguire. I don't know.

Hmm. Maybe I'll see The Dark Night tomorrow after all. :)