Pitchfork List: Modest Mouse's The Moon and Antarctica

Modest Mouse was already releasing albums like The Moon and Antarctica before I discovered them in high school. To be honest though the only song I had heard of from them was "Float On", which I liked better at 25 than I did when I was 17. The question would be though would I enjoy their older work before Modest Mouse became more known?

History: This third album from Modest Mouse would cause a stir among the fans and critics as they progressed to a major label. Some reviewers would give the album very negative feedback while many would rate it very positively. The band members would encounter their share of problems while recording including an attack on the lead singer that left him without the ability to sing for some time. Knowing their fans the band did take their time to let everyone know that becoming more mainstream with their label wouldn't change the music they enjoy performing though.

Saturday Movies: Miss Congeniality (2000)

Miss Congeniality is one of the most popular chick flicks there is, but that shouldn't keep the viewer from watching it. Sandra Bullock has always been popular it seems, but of recent has definitely redefined her career for the future, since she couldn't always do chick flicks. Bullock in this one relates to a lot of women though. She isn't ever insecure, but also seems to be so scared of being classified as a female she runs from it. This makes the underlining themes a lot more real to life than the actual story is.

Summary: Gracie Hart doesn't consider herself a girl, and when referred to one she seems to take offense. She is about to have to go undercover in the most feminine role of her life though as a beauty pageant contestant. At first she doesn't even volunteer herself until fellow agent, Eric, thinks she has potential. Now it's up to former beauty pageant host, Victor, to remake Gracie into a contestant that could make the top 5. Her mission will be to seek out the person who has put a threat on the pageant, and make sure that they can't harm the contestants during the U.S. program.

244 of 1001 Movies: Dancer in the Dark (2000)

Lars Von Trier knows how to make a movie that will make you feel disturbed after you're done watching it. It's a day later, and Dancer in the Dark is a movie that has long remained in my mind as much as the moment it went off. I'm still trying to piece together what it is that I was to get from the movie despite the odd characters and the darkest musical ever. Bjork carries the lead role well though, and with the oddness of the movie she fits as she translates the lead character's life well.

Summary: Selma is an Eastern European woman who has come to America in the hopes of living the American dream. What she finds is the complete opposite though, and upon discovering that her only hope remaining is to give her son that dream she imagined. Kathy becomes her close friend at the factory they both work at, and a man, Jeff, begins to fall for Selma. Selma though is very focused on her love for musicals though, and garnering enough money to medically help her son with a problem she keeps secret in order to not ruin her job. When a neighbor threatens to destroy her plans her life begins to spiral downward.

231 of 1001 Movies: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

I've never considered myself into martial arts movies. Recently they have been some of the more enjoyable movies I've watched though. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is no exception. Ang Lee brings his eye for detail and story telling to this movie, and makes it pop with a lot of emotion and complex characters. The acting is also really good, and I felt they bring the characters to life more than any other part of the movie could.

Summary: Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien find themselves in pursuit of a stolen sword that will lead them to cross paths with an old enemy, and to a girl, Jen Yu, who is having to make a big choice in her life. Jade Fox isn't the only one who could be responsible for the stolen sword though. Jen Yu is seeking to rebel from her family, and her associations with Jade Fox are only fueling her rebellion. She has lost hope in being with her lover, Dark Cloud, and believes that she must settle for an arranged marriage. Yu Shu Lien hopes she can befriend her though, and encourage her to take the right path.

202 of 1001 Movies: In The Mood For Love (2000)

Are you in the mood for this movie? You probably will have to be. While the cinematography is great and the acting is some of the better I've seen from China, it is a very slow story. It leaves for something to be desired since so much was put into every other aspect of it. The actors never over act, the story has potential to be intriguing, and the way the movie is shot is like an eye full of great photography. Kar Wai Wong made one of the best movies I've seen from Hong Kong cinema that can expand outside of the culture to find a story that resonates worldwide, but I can't quite put my finger on what is to be taken away from the movie. With something so character driven you feel there is, but it leaves you empty.

Summary: Su and Chow live in the same apartment complex with their spouses. It seems though that their spouses are always gone out at the same time, and when the two begin to notice other suspicious behavior they believe that their spouses are seeing each other. This leaves the two feeling a bond between each other, so they begin to see each other. The two believe that they don't want to become the people their spouses did though, and avoid a relationship. That may prove difficult they spend together though.

392 of 1001 Albums: U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind

It seems that the best of U2 features the producer Brian Eno. He had disappeared from other efforts, but this one and the other I listened to, Achtung. It seems he has the magic to make their albums pop. This album reached a lot of critical claim, and once again after burning out with audiences on their previous albums they need something to once again revive them, so with the tenth album they rung in 2000 with a vamped up sound.

History: The album was much more well received than their previous albums they had doing for the past decade, and it returned to blend the sound from the 80's back into their music more.This album was also the first album to be nominated with two songs in one category for the Grammy's. A lot of the songs have personal meanings as well like "Stuck in a Moment" which was written by Bono after the death of his friend, the lead singer of INXS.

Saturday Movies: Snatch. (2000)

Guy Ritchie churns out hits like the Sherlock Holmes movies, but prior to that he created a little hit, Snatch.It stars the likes of Brad Pitt and Jason Statham among many others, and has enough twist to keep you following along. It also unknowingly stuck with me longer than I expected it to. On top of that it weaves in things about the characters that grows your attachment to them without you even realizing it.

Summary: When something goes wrong, Turkish and Tommy find they have lost a prized boxer they were going to fight for Cousin Avi, so they could lose and he could win some money. Now they are trying to convince the pikey who beat their boxer, Mickey, to take his place and lose. He may be a little prideful and defensive of the people they offended he belongs to actually lose the fight. There is also a diamond on the lose that all these people will end up looking for. Franky Four Finger sort of messes up the heist and now an assortment of characters are on the hunt for it resulting in violent chaos.