Best Films of 2008

by James Evans

Man on Wire
I’m not afraid of heights, but there is no way in hell you could get me to do something like this. Philip Petite walked a tightrope across the World Trade Center towers back in 1974. Illegally. This documentary tells the incredible story of how he did it. I simply cannot understand how anyone would not want to see this movie.

Another great documentary is Surfwise. Look it up.

Slumdog Millionaire
Danny Boyle’s Bollywood love story was a nice surprise for me. The preview made it out to be something different than it is. One of the few movies this year that I saw more than once.

The Dark Knight
This should have been nominated for Best Picture and not because of Heath Ledger dying. He is brilliant in the movie but everyone else is good, too. I love Maggie Gyllenhaal, so I was happy for her replacing Katie Holmes. I was glad that one of the times I saw it was in IMAX. It really was worth it for the scenes that they filmed in the IMAX format.

I also want to mention Iron Man, of course. That one was more fun, so it’s a different movie, but they were both great.

And I loved The Incredible Hulk. After the first movie from five years ago, I was worried about them doing it right. Especially since Edward Norton was attached. He is really hit and miss for me, but he was perfect in the role. I hope they make another with this cast.

The Wackness
If you don’t know what this movie is then just rent it. Don’t look anything up. Josh Peck and Ben Kingsley are great in this smaller film that was unfortunately overlooked. By everyone.

In Bruges
I didn’t know anything about this movie going into it, and that is how I prefer things. It’s funny and yet there is sadness behind things. Colin Farrell is great here unlike in Casandra’s Dream, which was terrible. And Ralph Fiennes shows once again he is one of the best actors today. Despite The Reader. Watch Guy Ritchie’s Rock N Rolla for a good double feature.

Let The Right One In
I actually liked Twilight, but the best vampire movie was this Swedish film. It is also one of the most unique and interesting films I have seen in a long time. I loved everything about the movie but the last five minutes will last with me forever.

Another great foreign film and another unique movie was Timecrimes. What would happen if someone turned on a time machine? Well, you get to find out if you watch this very dark comedy.

Tropic Thunder
This was just a hilarious movie. Robert Downey, Jr. deserves his nomination this year for his role. I am not someone who thought that Tom Cruise was so brilliant here though. Yes, he was good but there was way too much talk about him.

Two other comedies I loved this year were Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Pineapple Express. Russell Brand made Sarah Marshall and James Franco was absolutely the stand-out in Pineapple.

JCVD
Yes, those initials stand for Jean Claude Van Damme. He shows here that he can actually act. Although I felt his monologue went on a little too long, it was a terrific scene. The rest of the movie is good except for the very end.

And speaking of actors you wouldn’t think much of, Mickey Rourke deserves to win Best Actor for The Wrestler. Again, it’s not just a movie that shows he can act; it is a great movie with a lot of heart.

Boy A
Not quite based on a true story. This is about a boy who gets out of jail for a crime he committed while a juvenile. He is relocated and given a different name but when he saves the life of someone in a car accident, his past comes back to haunt him. It’s devastating to watch.

Under the Same Moon
I didn’t believe that this little boy could make the journey that he does, but I would like to think it’s possible so that is why I loved this movie. A small gem and a truly great story.

Most Underrated
The most underrated film of the year would have to be Speed Racer. Yes, it is too long especially for the audience they were going for, but I thought it was a lot of fun. It looked great in digital, too.

Most Overrated
The Reader. Best Picture? Watch it and tell me that it is not a bad German After School Special.

Not As Bad As You Heard
I can’t believe I am going to do this, but The Love Guru wasn’t terrible. It is not good by any means, and Ben Kingsley should be ashamed of himself. Despite that I did laugh a number of times. Still not saying you should see it though.

And Twilight. I really enjoyed this movie. For what it was. They did a good job of going after their audience. No, I still do not know why they are still going to high school after 100 years. Can’t they just say that they are home-schooled? Or what about college at least?

Biggest Disappointment
Hellboy II. I am a huge Hellboy fan from the comic books. I have a Hellboy tattoo and I loved the first movie. So what the hell happened with this second one? It was lazy, and I hated the whole pregnancy thing. I did like the addition of Johann Krauss to the mix though.

Medallion

by G. Sax

The 2009 St. Paul Winter Carnival Medallion Hunt is on, and I haven’t been out in the snow yet. After last year’s headspinner of a set of clues that led me to Phalen no less than three times and a full day of effort at Battle Creek, I’m hanging tight for a bit longer. But I still break down the clues each day, and I’ll be talking about what I’m seeing out in the field once I get there.

I’m also going to spend some time livening up the past. I have a decent collection of pages dedicated to medallion lore as it is, but it can be much, much better. And it will be. So check it out, yo.

Goodbye to “The Morning Show”

by G. Sax

I got up extra early, but it wasn’t early enough. My alarm clock went off to thunderous applause live from the Fitzgerald Theater in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. Dale Connelly and Jim Ed Poole were doing their last broadcast as MPR/The Current’s “The Morning Show.” I guess the first people in line were there at 2:30 a.m. The place was full when my alarm went off, but I was intent on paying my personal respects nevertheless.

I quickly got myself ready and made the short trek from my front door to a parking spot directly across the street from the Fitz. A few quarters bought me enough time for a good breakfast in the basement of the Central Presbytarian Church across the street. The show was being broadcast throughout the church, and they even had a live video feed playing in the sanctuary.

So after breakfast, I went upstairs instead of over to the unmoving line to get in across the street. I sat in church with a warm cup of coffee and enjoyed the beautiful church architecture and the show with hundreds of others. We applauded and laughed just as though we were there. And when Peter Ostroushko plucked a mandolin and sang “You Are My Sunshine,” there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Listen now (31:30 into the audio in the 8–9 a.m. slot on Thursday, December 11, 2008)

Reunion 20

by G. Sax

I went to my 20-year high school reunion, but at first I didn’t want to.

I dig my past and all, and I’m happy with what got me to where I’m going. I admit to a few loose ends that have perplexed me when I awoke after a particularly robust dream state, but I’m good, dude.

Plus, I’m kinda old now, and I would hope I’ve learned to keep most imagined dramas to a minimum (not always easy, but I’m always great at it in retrospect). I ended up having a real sweet time celebrating with a bunch of people who are exactly my age and a few younger ones.

Do You Remember When?

by G. Sax

I don’t bring you flowers anymore. I know. I used to write like every day, and then I just started to get weird and insular, amusing only myself—and infrequently at that.

So much has changed since those early days of this column, and I’ve touched on one big one in recent times: I’m happier. It always seems that the best artistic endeavors occur through a Gaussian blur of depression. Stand-up comics are funnier, actors and directors are sharper, and painters are downright brilliant.

Writing when you’re happy makes for some serious Disneyfied production, and I’ve never been a fan of Mickey Mouse. Some of the bitches that come out of his club, on the other hand…

See, I used to write sentences like that last one all the time, but now they sometimes feel forced, and I sometimes wonder how they will be received. I’ll try to stop worrying about that. I saw a comedian last week named Rich Vos. Funny effer, for certain. And totally brutal in the best kind of way. He asked one guy up front if his shorts came with a cock in his mouth. Of another gal, he said her young pussy was probably like a little clam shell and when you put your ear up to it, you could hear her mother’s voice telling her to clean her room.

That’s pretty fucked up. And. I. Loved. It.

Just total nonchalance in delivering language. Fuck ‘em all, y’know? Some Geto Boys shit, right there. Cypress Hill. Dice Clay. Ying Yang Twins. Sam Kinnison. Quentin Tarantino. Pauline Réage. Vincent Gallo. Jenna Jameson. Howard Stern.

Okay, I’m not them and I don’t want to be them, but I do admire their WTF attitude. Within reason. I try not to put other people down just for the sake of it. I won’t fly off on a bawdy tirade without some sort of artistic merit behind it. Usually.

Anywho. I’m just saying. Thanks, Rich Vos. For buzzing my ears with level 5 spice. Thanks for trusting that I can handle it, like a good server at a Thai Restaurant who overlooks my abundant whiteness and gives me the fire I crave.

California Soul

by G. Sax

The title anthem has been taking up a sizable chunk of my brain since the Dockers “Work. Weekend. Dress. Golf.” ad campaign has been playing full steam around here. “California Soul” by Marlena Shaw is so freakin’ awesome I could just spit. It’s my current #1 (yes, I still keep track) and I play it all the time. Including right now.

I love my home and my hometown quite a bit these days. I love St. Paul. I love living in my childhood neighborhood again. It’s all so familiar and, oh, so unexpectedly different at the same time. I feel a sense of purpose raining all over me like Shake n’ Bake that I haven’t felt since my arrival in San Francisco in 2000, the featured city in the Dockers ad.

Sweeping camera zooms onto Market, the GG, and Marin, with a final pullaway from the ferry building toward the East Bay make me homesick for the place. I’ve been wanting to get my travel on of late, but SF is just a wee bit out of reach so I’m going to soak in the culture of another great city, Chicago, in the meantime. But I’m ready to go back to SF and see what kind of trouble I can stir up sometime very soon.

I once wrote a layperson’s tour guide to San Francisco for a colleague visiting from Michigan. I’ve been wanting to share it somewhere, and this seems like as good a place as any. I’d do up a Vallejo Tourist Guide, but I’m pissed off at that place. Vallejo straight declared bankruptcy. It was one of the most dysfunctional, mismanaged cities I’d ever been a part of (and that includes Milwaukee and Baltimore, people), and I shouldn’t be shocked that it came to this.

An “Insider” Tourist Guide of SF from a Guy in MN
I lived in the Bay Area for six years. Loved it. Hated the cost. Hated the traffic. But I’d live there again under the right circumstances. I learned a few sweet things about The City (don’t call it Frisco) that tourists might appreciate. Don’t buy a book. They’re not as fun to read as I am.

And here’s an up-front tip for any city you go to. Maps are plentiful and free at both staffed tourism offices and rental car places. I tend to stop at one or the other before I explore any city, and I’m always thankful that I did. Usually you can learn a good portion of a city by studying a map while your travel partner takes a shower. You heard it here first!

Okay, on to the San Fransciso tourist’s guide.

Alcatraz (duh!): Get the audio tour; it’s worth the extra money.

Fisherman’s Wharf: Sea lions, Pier 39, seafood, silver guys, dudes painting amazing pictures with spray paint and fire to a techno, boombox beat…you can’t do SF without a visit here. If you do a lot of wandering around The Wharf, beware the guy hiding behind the tree branch.

Union Square: Shopping! Capitalism! City life! I think the visit to the Cheesecake Factory atop Macy’s is worth it. You feel like you’re somewhere special.

Ghirardelli Square: Mmmm, chocolate; beautiful architecture; great photo opportunities of the GG, Alcatraz, and The Bay. If you’re interested in a stiff (as in whiskified), caffeinated drink, stop at Buena Vista for the world famous Irish coffee. You’ve never had anything like it, I promise you.

North Beach: Italian restaurants as far as the eyes can see; if you love garlic, try The Stinking Rose. Broadway and Columbus gets a little wild late at night, but you’ll enjoy Columbus Ave. and perhaps some sidestreets around Jackson Square right up through the dinner hour. I think this is my favorite SF neighborhood.

Chinatown: One idea is to do this on the same day as Union Square; work your way to the Grant Street gate (photo op!) of Chinatown from Union Square and walk up the street for great window shopping and people watching.

Union Street (as opposed to Union Square): More shopping! this time of the boutique variety rather than the big name brands at Union Square.

Haight/Asbury: Kinda cool but you’ll probably be underwhelmed. The actual corner features a Gap and a Ben & Jerry’s—if that gives you any idea of what’s happened to the area. This is a cool neighborhood for food. Kezar Pub on Stanyan features incredible buffalo wings and lots of sports TVs, but they don’t take credit or debit cards. Magnolia is a cool brewpub. Cha Cha Cha is a “happenin’” Mexican restaurant. Proximity to Golden Gate Park is a plus.

Golden Gate Park: There’s so much to do in here, it’s crazy. One definite highlight is the Japanese Tea Garden. You won’t see anything like this anywhere else in the country. Beautiful and unique flowers and trees. A simple, enjoyable, memorable experience.

Ocean Beach/Cliff House: The old Cliff House ain’t what it used to be, but this is still one of the best places to get your ocean sunset in (if it’s not foggy), get some good walking in, and maybe get some eats at one of the overpriced restaurants.

SOMA (South of Market): The Sony Metreon is just a fancy electronics-oriented mall, but SFMOMA and Yerba Buena Gardens are nearby. Go a little further south and you’ll be in the cradle of the SF Giants civilization; the restaurants become more sports-oriented and the park itself is all wow on gameday.

Streetcars: Long waits and crowded during the heavy season, but the “F” line in the Wharf, on the Embarcadero, and on Market Street are still, in my mind, one of the easiest and best modes of transportation for tourists. It’s certainly more friendly than the 15- or 30-Stockton routes (which both go through the heart of the city if you’re into the whole immersion thing.

The Embarcadero: Lots of people stroll along it on a warm day; if it’s cool when you visit, you may find it better to ride the “F” and marvel at its uniqueness from a window seat. The ferry building is a nice stop for coffee and light food shopping if you happen to be near it. The renovation has created a lively spot where once there was nothing for a former
boat commuter like me.

Crooked Street (Lombard): Take it or leave it; maybe worth a photo at the foot of the hill if you happen to be in the neighborhood; it is interesting, I’ll say that much.

Cable Cars: Take ‘em or leave ‘em. Riding them isn’t all that exciting and the lines can be long (maybe take a picture instead).

The Castro: Take it or leave it. Unique in its open gayness, but otherwise I find the restaurants underwhelming.

The Mission District: Take it or leave it. I know tons of people who swear by its nightlife and funky little burrito joints and sushi stops. If you want to go where the twentysomethings are loudest, ask around and you’ll find a party in this realm. Cabbing back to the hotel from here should be mandatory.

Weather Hint: Pack a light but warm jacket or at the very least a sturdy sweater or sweatshirt. Unless you want to be one of the multitude of tourists who sport an “SF” jacket that screams “I came unprepared.” You’ll see plenty of them. SF can be chilly at night (and often during the day); it won’t feel like Detroit, but it ain’t LA.

Fun Hint: March to your own drum. San Francisco is often best enjoyed at random. Start with an idea and let your spirit move you. It’s as great a city as you allow it to be.

If you decide to boat to somewhere other than Alcatraz, I would recommend the quaint and exclusive town of Tiburon. It’s just close enough to SF, and it’s just small enough to enjoy a walk through its historic setting, a good meal, a wine tasting, and an ice cream all within a couple-few hours. Many tourists like to cross the GG and go into Sausalito, but for my money, Tiburon is much better and not much farther.

Basically, you’ll never do all of SF in the time you’re there, but with these tips, you can sure take a big bite.