Moving

Yo,

Liberty Hall's blog is moving over to Wordpress, in your face Blogger. Visit our new and totally awesome site at libertyhall.wordpress.com.

Love,
LH Staff

Keyboard Cat

Activate the Series of Tubes!
The internet meme, "Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat," is a worthy one. I fully support viewing almost every video of Fatso out there. One of my favorites, it's Chinatown, features Fatso's distaste for domestic violence and incest via his subtle eye-scrunching and lip-licking.

Keyboard Cat is perfect for the pathos of our existence, and his tune helps us laugh at our ongoing tragedy. Thank you, internets!
-permazorch

BULLSHIT IMAX

Aziz Ansari gets pissed at the IMAX scam. Never been to the IMAX theater in KC, but I think I'll see Star Trek at our local 12-pack. Boooooooo-urns.

Billy Gay

REBLOG THE FUCK OUT OF THIS. WARNING: AMC theaters are running FAKE IMAX's and charging $5 extra for a slightly bigger screen. Boycott IMAX, AMC, and Regal. Don't let them fool you.

Alien bro, straight chillin dude

Gomorra(h): Billy Gay's Take

Billy Gay highly recommends GOMORRA! A beautifully shot and extremely violent account of several stories told simultaneously, each giving you a glimpse into Italian organized crime. Immediately after watching the film I wanted to experience it again, you are constantly kept at a distance from the central characters as you are weaved through parallel stories that never fully meet, every person chewed up by the machine that confines them. Liberty Hall doesn't get original movies like this too often anymore, so go see it before we pick-up some Jane Austen period piece in the cinema!

-Billy Gay

3 WOMEN (1977)
directed by Robert Altman


Shy, reclusive girl Pinky starts work at a sanitarium and becomes emotionally attached to her fellow worker, Millie. After an accident, the women seem to inexplicably swap personalities, and then return back to normal. A third woman, a local artist, prowls around on the periphery of the story.

THE PROPOSITION
directed by John Hilcoat
screenplay by Nick Cave


Like Peckinpah's "The Wild Bunch" or Eastwood's "Unforgiven", this film takes a very gritty approach to the western genre. Dark, bloody, and covered in sweat, the film tells the story of a family of outlaws on the run in rural Australia in the late 19th century. When two of the brothers are captured, the middle child (played by Guy Pearce) is given 9 days to kill his older brother or his youngest sibling will be executed. Psychedelic soundtrack dudes!

THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE
directed by Nanette Burstein and Brett Morgen
based on the book by Robert Evans


A documentary about legendary film producer Robert Evans. Responsible for producing classics like The Godfather, Chinatown, and Rosemary's Baby, the film chronicles his ascension to chief of production at Paramount Studios, providing candid back story
about the production of some of Hollywood's greatest movies.

THE FIVE OBSTRUCTIONS
directed by Jorgen Leth and Lars von Trier


Oooh, Lars von Trier and his BIG ideas. To his benefit, the founder of the Dogma '95 movement does know quite a bit about film, but he doesn't have to rub it in our fuckin faces. Based on each director's personal manifestos and conversations about the nature of documentary film, Lars von Trier challenges fellow filmmaker Jorgen Leth to remake his short film "The Perfect Human" five different times, each time with varying rules and obstructions. Very interesting.

GALLIPOLI
directed by Peter Weir


While some war epics use the carnage of battle as fodder to promote anti-war sentiment, Gallipoli approaches the subject with a bit more tact, focusing on the bureaucracy of the armed forces and naivete of the soldiers fighting. The story follows two, young sprinters (played by Mel Gibson and Mark Lee) as they are thrust into the Turkish battlefront of World War I. Similar in tone to "Paths of Glory" or "All Quiet On The Western Front", the film shows how war unites soldiers and spawns brotherly friendships, only to tear them apart at the whim of a glory hungry military machine.


Also highly recommended:
Blood Simple (Forever Young commentary!)
Errol Morris' First Person
We Jam Econo: The Story of The Minutemen
Star Trek II: Wrath of Kahn

Slow-Mo Sneezing

Stop the spread of Swine Flu in Kansas! Cover your mouths! Wash your hands! (money shot at 57 seconds)

BILL MOYERS INTERVIEWS THE CREATOR OF THE WIRE (DAVID SIMON)

Without a doubt, The Wire is my favorite show and arguably the greatest TV series ever. Here is an excellent interview with writer/producer/creator David Simon. For a better quality video: Part I, Part II.

BREAKIN' WITH MR. ROGERS

THURSDAY PEOM

Hysteria
by T.S. Elliot

As she laughed I was aware of becoming involved in her
laughter and being part of it, until her teeth were
only accidental stars with a talent for squad-drill. I
was drawn in by short gasps, inhaled at each momentary
recovery, lost finally in the dark caverns of her
throat, bruised by the ripple of unseen muscles. An
elderly waiter with trembling hands was hurriedly
spreading a pink and white checked cloth over the rusty
green iron table, saying: "If the lady and gentleman
wish to take their tea in the garden, if the lady and
gentleman wish to take their tea in the garden ..." I
decided that if the shaking of her breasts could be
stopped, some of the fragments of the afternoon might
be collected, and I concentrated my attention with
careful subtlety to this end.

WENDY and LUCY

Wendy and Lucy opens this Friday, April 17th at Liberty Hall
(click here for a solid review)
(click here for movie times)

Billy Gay aka Choo-Choo aka Kenard: Video Picks

Kicking and Screaming (1995): Post-graduation and these kids got nothing to do, and they talk about it a lot. I'm a big fan of Noah Baumbach's work and he pulls a trifecta with this one: writing, directing, and acting. Not necessarily my favorite of his films, but it is an incredible first feature.








POINT BLANK (1967): TAGLINE-"There are two kinds of people in his up-tight world: his victims and his women. And sometimes you can't tell them apart." --> I love me some Lee Marvin










Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe: A short documentary film directed by Les Blank in 1980 which depicts director Herzog living up to his promise that he would eat his shoe if Errol Morris ever completed the film Gates of Heaven.









STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN: Arguably the best Star Trek film. R.I.P. Ricardo Montalban. "This is Ceti-Alpha V!!!"












TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. (1985): The film is filled with over the top performances from William L. Petersen, Willem Dafoe, John Turturro, John Pankow, among others. Wang Chung composed and performed the original music soundtrack. It does a fine job capturing the uber-testosterone filled and narcissistic ideals of the Reagan era. So much fun.






CACHE (2005): One of Michael Haneke's greatest works. Tells us how a successful and happy life can be torn apart by the simple fact that someone is watching. An incredibly quiet film that Haneke pieces together perfectly.









DEATH RIDES A HORSE (1967): A fantastic Spaghetti Western that is very hard to get on DVD (our DVD copy is obviously transferred from a VHS tape). Lee Van Cleef is one of my favorites, and he is a super bad ass.











TIM & ERIC'S AWESOME SHOW, GREAT JOB!: From the creators of TOM GOES TO THE MAYOR. This is by far my favorite show to put on when I want to drive someone out of the video store--it is obnoxious in just the right way.





STREETWISE (1986): Nominated for an academy award in 1986 for Best Documentary (it lost to THE LIFE AND TIMES OF HARVEY MILK), it shows the lives of several street kids from Seattle. This film has yet to be released on DVD (we hold only a VHS copy) these runaways are well worth the trouble of setting up your old tape player. This film will forever be on my staff picks (it also has a great soundtrack by Tom Waits). Check out photographer Mary Ellen Mark's book STREETWISE for some beautiful shots of these kids, as they grow up in extreme poverty.

Broadzilla's staff pix. Don't make me go Broadzilla on you.

1. Unforgiven: Clint Eastwood directs and stars in this modern western classic. Summary:Retired Old West gunslinger William Munny reluctantly takes on one last job, with the help of his old partner and a young man. Why I like it: Honestly I'm not a huge fan of westerns, but this one just tickles my fancy. I find that the plot is richer in this movie than in others, though it has the western feel.

2. Good-bye Lenin: It's German!!! Summary:In 1990, to protect his fragile mother from a fatal shock after a long coma; a young man must keep her from learning that her beloved nation of East Germany as she knew it has disappeared. Why I like it: It's silly with a serious undertone.

3. Turner and Hooch: Tom Hanks teams up with this adorable pooch. Summary:A detective must adopt the dog of a dead man to help him find the murderer. Why I like it: Once again, this is a silly movie, with dogs, and I like dogs. Though, I don't watch the ending.
4. King of Kong: a Fistful of Quarters:This video-game documentary rocks! Summary:In the early 1980s, legendary Billy Mitchell set a Donkey Kong record that stood for almost 25 years. This documentary follows the assault on the record by Steve Wiebe, an earnest teacher from Washington who took up the game while unemployed. Why I like it: This movie has a surprisingly good depiction of good and evil. You find yourself really rooting for something. Also these people are ridiculous!

Billy Gay's Top 5 Summer Blockbusters!!!

1. Independence Day
"All right, you alien assholes! In the words of my generation: Up Yours!" (Randy Quaid as Russel Casse)

2. Jurassic Park
"Hold on to your butts. " (Samuel L. Jackson as Ray Arnold)

3. Twister
"Why can't we spend a normal day together?" (Bill Paxton as Bill)

4. The Rock
“Your *best*? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen.” (Sean Connery as John Patrick Mason)

5. Con Air
"Put... the bunny... back... in the box. " (Nicolas Cage as Cameron Poe)

honorable mention: Speed


UPDATE: These are not my "best reviewed" summer blockbusters, but those I saw in the mega-plex and obsessed over as a kid.

Thursday Poem

Lines For The Fortune Cookies
By Frank O’Hara

I think you’re wonderful and so does everyone else.

Just as Jackie Kennedy has a baby boy, so will you–even bigger.

You will meet a tall beautiful blonde stranger, and you will not say hello.

You will take a long trip and you will be very happy, though alone.

You will marry the first person who tells you your eyes are like scrambled eggs.

In the beginning there was YOU–there will always be YOU, I guess.

You will write a great play and it will run for three performances.

Please phone The Village Voice immediately: they want to interview you.

Roger L. Stevens and Kermit Bloomgarden have their eyes on you.

Relax a little; one of your most celebrated nervous tics will be your undoing.

Your first volume of poetry will be published as soon as you finish it.

You may be a hit uptown, but downtown you’re legendary!

Your walk has a musical quality which will bring you fame and fortune.

You will eat cake.

Who do you think you are, anyway? Jo Van Fleet?

You think your life is like Pirandello, but it’s really like O’Neill.

A few dance lessons with James Waring and who knows? Maybe something will happen.

That’s not a run in your stocking, it’s a hand on your leg.

I realize you’ve lived in France, but that doesn’t mean you know EVERYTHING!

You should wear white more often–it becomes you.

The next person to speak to you will have a very intriguing proposal to make.

A lot of people in this room wish they were you.

Have you been to Mike Goldberg’s show? Al Leslie’s? Lee Krasner’s?

At times, your disinterestedness may seem insincere, to strangers.

Now that the election’s over, what are you going to do with yourself?

You are a prisoner in a croissant factory and you love it.

You eat meat. Why do you eat meat?

Beyond the horizon there is a vale of gloom.

You too could be Premier of France, if only … if only…

Nestadious's Staff Picks

Dark Days
A very moving and entertaining film about hum-bums living in a abandoned subway system, it's a great movie about down and out people still getting by and having a decent shelter to live in. Features a kick-ass soundtrack by DJ shadow.
Also recommended is the documentary on how they made the film, found in the special features.

From Beyond
A movie based on an H.P. Lovecraft story that actually retains the creepiness of a H.P. Lovecraft story. If you like weird horror movies, awesome special effects pre-CG era, then this little gem is a sure fire hit.

Hiema
A fantastic cinematic experience that explores the beauty of Iceland combined with live Sigur Ros music. Follows the journey of Sigur Ros as they do a free tour across Iceland. Beautiful, moving music to the max.

Red Dawn
The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming! Awesome horribly hilarious movie about Russia/Cuba invading America. Watch as the 8 students calling themselves the Wolverines kick some commie ass! And starring top-notch stars such as Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen!

Treasure of the Sierra Madre
What is the one thing more powerful than love? Greed. In this classic movie starring all-time favorite Humphrey Bogart, 3 strangers hear about an untouched gold mine. There they fight off the horrible rebels, each other, and eventually themselves.

Metalocalypse
What happens when you mix one part epic storyline, 2 parts bad ass metal, and 1 part Seinfeld? Hilarity. Just a note: I hated metal music until I saw this show. I still hate metal music, but DETHKLOK RULES!!!!!!!!

National Geographic's Taboo series
Well, the title kind of explains the idea. Taboo is a series that covers such taboo subjects as:
Drugs, Voodoo, Marriage, Witchcraft, Sexuality, and much much more!

The Rockers
What do you get when you cross awesome Reggae music with a pretty standard plot? A pretty cool movie featuring Jamaican landscape with some Ire Vibrations. Featuring music by Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, Abyssinians, Bunny Wailer, Third World, Gregory Isaacs and Jacob Miller and the Inner Circle.

STYLES' Stiff Staff Picks

Buffalo '66
Ever wanted to kill a pro football player? Vincent Gallo does. Before Chloe Sevigny sucked him off in 'Brown Bunny', Gallo made a good movie about revenge and dysfunctional families that would put any Wes Anderson film to shame. Written, scored, and directed by Vincent Gallo.

Marjoe
Once the youngest evangelical preacher ever ordained (at the age of 4), Marjoe dropped out of preaching and discovered hippies, pot, and women. He would never be the same again. Returning to the preaching circuit 20 years later, Marjoe exposes the money grubbing nature of religious hucksterism.

Existenz
No, it's not the all natural male enhancment pill. It's David Cronenberg's mind fuck about a virtual reality game that compounds reality until the player doesn't know what's real. Like the (Matrix + Tron)-(stupid outfits).

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
Karel Reisz directs Albert Finney in his acting debut. According to film school, there were a lot of angry young men growing up in Britain during the 50's and 60's, and they made movies about them. This is one of the better ones, with Albert drinking his weight in Guiness, working at a factory, being angry (as mentioned), and falling in love. Cheers!

Never Get Busted Again vol. 1 : Traffic Stops
Quote: "Food is a most excellent way to transport marijuana." Former narcotics officer Barry Cooper gives you the low down on how to avoid profiling, detection from K9 units, and other narcs who don't want you to have a good time. Baby, I'm in a rock 'n roll band; ROLL ANOTHER ONE!

Begotten
Cannibals eating Jesus. God disembowling himself with a razor. Fun for the whole family.

also highly recommended:
Let The Right One In
Glengarry GlenRoss
Synechodoche, New York
Tell No One

Staff Picks - Gabbo Recommended!

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
It's a Jim Jarmusch directed movie for people who don't normally love Jim Jarmusch.
The Last Seduction
The Devil could take lessons from this woman. It's modern noir from John Dahl.
Police Squad! (in color)
Better than all of the Naked Gun movies combined.
Heaven (1987)
Are you afraid to die? Do you believe in God? Diane Keaton's directorial debut is a compelling documentary.
The American Friend
A movie I love from Wim Wenders, it's a tale of Ripley, of which there are many adaptations.
Off the Map
Campbell Scott is usually an actor. He's also a good director. I love this stupid hippie movie.
Lantana
Ray Lawrence directed Aussie tale.

Thursday Poem

I'm back, two Thursdays in a row! We're actually three hours into Friday, but who cares. This poem was pulled from the January 2009 issue of The Believer magazine. My dog Gus has been a pain the last two nights, whining and barking for hours--sometimes as late as 3 am--and this poem seems apt.

-Billy Gay

He Quickley Told His Life Story
by Michael Earl Craig

A man was out backcountry skiing when he fell
and did something, broke something,
and he couldn't get up.

He lay there in the snow, miles from any road.
His dog was with him and as he lay there, this dog
raced about and snapped at the snow
and hopped over the man once, twice.
The man spoke to the dog but the dog did not recognize him.
Did not, the man sensed, seem to recognize him.

It was cold and getting dark.
The man could not feel his legs.
The dog was there, he barked insanely at a squirrel.
The man called the dog's name, ordered the dog to sit.
The man asked the dog to please come to him.

As darkness fell the man wondered if this was Death.
The dog was gone. The man lay on is back and cursed.
It was night.

Hours passed. The man thought he heard something.
The beam of a flashlight came stabbing at the trees.
It was his wife, she'd come upon him in the snow.
When he saw her he cried out. She knelt beside him
and he quickly recounted for her his life story,

starting with the birthing canal, his first blankets--
then the sun, how it warmed the universe--
jobs he'd loved and hated--his golf clubs--his marriage--
a couple cars he owned.
He blinked his eyes. He was angry.

The man raved but was alone. There was no one.
His limbs went out like candlewicks and he felt a flame
glowing in his chest. The dog ran like mad through the woods,
snapping at the wind.

Amnesty Notes

Hey-hey!
Taxes went up from 7.3% to 7.85% on 1 April, 2009. So, to commiserate, we held a Late-Fee Amnesty Day (and lowered our prices, but we'll talk about that later).
Total Amount in Late-Fees Forgiven: $1,572.43
Biggest Single Late-Fee: $258.20

In the past, we would hold an entire week of late-fee forgiveness, and it would usually take place around this time of year. It got to the point where people kind of expected it, and perhaps took it as their due, and that, comrades, will build resentment within the charcoal heart of a video-store manager. To combat the reflexive stinginess that surrounds a standard citizen (whether spending or earning money, here), we are implementing, as an experiment, a new kind of Amnesty. We, all of us, in possession of little currency but possessed by a great love of karmic renewal, will have, each and every one, our Amnesty, as sure as the date of birth that appears on proper I.D.
That's right.
You May Receive Late-Fee Amnesty on Your Birthday!
Details to follow in the posts ahead. I have to run around like a fool for a while.
-permazorch

Star Wars / Dallas opening

Few things bring more joy to me than when You Tube and Star Wars get together. Enjoy.

-Billy Gay

5 Most Anticipated Films of 2009

"The Fantastic Mr. Fox" – 20th Century Fox - Dir. Wes Anderson

Synopsis: A family of foxes try to outsmart a group of farmers who are trying to wipe them out for eating their livestock.
What You Need To Know: Wes Anderson takes a creative left turn into the world of stop-motion animation with an adaptation of the delightful Roald Dahl kids novel, and brings along old friends to do the voices (Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston), plus adds a few new ones to the fold, too (George Clooney). Co-written with filmmaker Noah Baumbach ('Life Aquatic') and with songs being written by Jarvis cocker (Pulp), this kid-friendly flick could turn out to be the highest grossing one of Anderson's career.
Release Date: November 6, 2009

"The Tree of Life" – Summit Entertainment - Dir. Terrence Malick
Synopsis: The story of a family who must come to terms with a devastating loss. In doing so, they discover life's most important lessons of unselfish love and forgiveness.
What You Need To Know: Malick is back again as writer and director with this long-gestating project of over 30 years. He has reunited with Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and legendary Production Designer Jack Fisk, the same team who brought us "The New World" in 2006. The epic traces the evolution of an eleven-year-old boy named Jack growing up in the midwest during the 1950's. Sean Penn plays the adult Jack while Brad Pitt, in a role originally intended for Heath Ledger, plays the boy's father. Jessica Chastain (pictured) plays the mother, with Fiona Shaw and Jennifer Sipes also starring. Given Malick's track record of making meditative, naturalistic, and down right stunning films, one can assume that we'll have plenty to admire with this one. The composer of 'Benjamin Button’ is also writing the music.
Release Date: Fall 2009.

"Inglourious Basterds" – Weinsteins/Universal - Dir. Quentin Tarantino
Synopsis: An elite team of Jewish American soldiers in WWII take on a covert mission to kill Adolf Hitler, but unbeknownst to them, the daughter of a slain French farmer is planning her own revenge.
What You Need To Know: Tarantino's war film is epic and could be one of the most outrageous WWII films ever made, not to mention his possible masterpiece, if he doesn't fuck up his brilliant and audacious script. Pitt leads an eclectic, motley crue cast that features many foreign newcomers (Melanie Laurent, Jacky Ido, Christoph Waltz), old school actors (Cloris Leachmen, Rod Taylor), American comedians (BJ Novak, Samm Levine) and bold faced names (Diane Kruger, Mike Meyers) many, many others.
Release Date: August 21, 2009. It could show up at Cannes if completed in time.


"Where The Wild Things Are" - Warner Bros. - Dir. Spike Jonze
The long-awaited adaptation of Maurice Sendak's beloved children's novel might be the most highly anticipated film of all of 2009 and perhaps the most discussed and poured over. Starring 9-year-old newcomer Max Records and voiced by James Gandolfini, Lauren Ambrose, Catherine O'Hara and Forest Whitaker among others, the 'Wild Things' film, co-written by author Dave Eggers, had an extremely difficult and tempestuous birth, the battles of which spilled out into the public. Taking three years to make (not counting pre-production), an early 2008 test screening was so controversial, rumors swirled the film was going to be recut and or taken away from Jonze. The gossip turned out to be semi-true, but WB and the filmmaker got over their quarrel and the melancholy children's film could potentially be destined to become a classic. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah's singer Karen O is on music.
Release Date: October 16th, 2009

"The Limits of Control" – Focus Features - Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Synopsis: The story of a mysterious loner who operates outside the law in Spain.
What You Need To Know: In typical Jim Jarmusch fashion, his next project is flying pretty under the radar. However, the film stars Jarmusch favorites Isaach De Bankolé, Bill Murray, and Tilda Swinton. John Hurt and Gael García Bernal are also involved. Shooting in Spain - Seville, Madrid, and Almeria, specifically celebrated cinematographer Christopher Doyle lenses, and the the title may or may not have a connection to a William Burroughs' essay. An indie rockstar, Jarmusch's work is thoroughly uncompromising, understated and postmodern cool. Expect more plot information to surface as the film gets a release date. Nothing yet, but Jarmusch has a history at Cannes and this sounds like a festival release all the way.
Release Date: May 22, 2009 (limited)


Honorable Mentions:
"Bad Lieutenant: Port of New Orleans" – N/A - Dir. Werner Herzog
Synopsis: Werner Herzog and Nicolas Cage finally team up.
"A Serious Man" – Focus Features - Dir. Coen Brothers
Synopsis: A Midwestern professor in 1967 watches his life unravel when his wife prepares to leave him because his inept brother won't move out of the house.
"The Hurt Locker" – Summit Entertainment- Dir. Kathryn Bigelow
Synopsis: An intense Iraq war drama that borders on action film, it focuses on an elite Army bomb squad unit defusing explosives in the middle of the chaos.
"Public Enemies" – Universal - Dir. Michael Mann
Synopsis: Notorious American gangsters John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd, take on the Feds in the 1930s.
"The Road" – Weinstein Company - Dir. John Hillcoat
Synopsis: A father and son try to survive a post apocalyptic world full of desperate scavengers and day-of-reckoning cannibals.
"Adventureland" – Miramax - Dir. Greg Mottola
Synopsis: On the verge of college, an erudite middle class teenager has to trade in his European summer dreams for a soul-crushing job at an Adventureland in Long Island.
"Broken Embraces" - Sony Pictures Classics - Pedro Almodovar
Synopsis: A four-person love story that "touches on many genres," including thriller.


There are plenty of high profile and independent films this year that look spectacular. Please let us know what your top five are!!!

-Billy Gay Cyrus

Now following....

Added Kotaku and Consumerist to the side bar. Check 'em out.----DJ Bullfrog

Have you seen image dump?

http://www.marcofolio.net/imagedump/

Cool site full of some amazing images, all of it selected by a 19 year old Dutch teen named Marco Kuiper. Found this via Metafilter. Enjoy.

What's Your Favorite Comedy?

I thought the best way to remedy the crappy weather outside was to watch The Jerk. I like hearing people laugh, and I love it when I realize there's kids in the store right when he's talking about his special purpose. But it seems like whenever I watch this film, I'm always asked to recommend a good comedy, and I've recommended Flirting with Disaster to everyone, so I want to know what your favorite comedies are. Mine usually go unrented (I recommended Duck Soup and Horse Feathers-both of them met that fate). So tell me what you like and why, be it old or new, dry or slapstick.
Thanks,
Little Edie

Thursday Poem

My favorite blog of all time (Photographer Alec Soth's Blog) stopped being updated years ago, but I often return to its archives to bask in the awesomeness it once was. One of the best recurring posts was his Friday Poem. I'm terribly unfamiliar with poetry and am quite positive I can't tell the difference between good and bad poetry, but I do respect the art and hope to become slightly more familiar with it. So, since Alec is off raising a family and taking spectacular photographs (click here), I am going to attempt to reintroduce myself into the world of poetry with a weekly "Thursday Poem". We'll start off with a native son of Kansas city, James Tate. Tate was first introduced to me by my friend Chris Nelson (he has a great weekly newsletter aptly entitled This Week In Nelson), and I actually own a few of his collections of poetry. His poems are kind of surreal.

Yeah Buddy!

-Billy Gay Cyrus

The Motorcyclists
by James Tate

My cuticles are a mess. Oh honey, by the way,
did you like my new negligee? It’s a replica
of one Kim Novak wore in some movie or other.
I wish I had a foot-long chili dog right now.
Do you like fireworks, I mean not just on the 4th of July,
but fireworks any time? There are people
like that, you know. They’re like people who like
orchestra music, listen to it any time of day.
Lopsided people, that’s what my father calls them.
Me, I’m easy to please. I like ping-pong and bobcats,
shatterproof drinking glasses, the smell of kerosene,
the crunch of carrots. I like caterpillars and
whirlpools, too. What I hate most is being the first
one at the scene of a bad accident.

Do I smell like garlic? Are we still in Kansas?
I once had a chiropractor make a pass at me,
did I ever tell you that? He said that your spine
is happiest when you’re snuggling. Sounds kind
of sweet now when I tell you, but he was a creep.
Do you know that I have never understood what they meant
by “grassy knoll.” It sounds so idyllic, a place to go
to dream your life away, not kill somebody. They
should have called it something like “the grudging notch.”
But I guess that’s life. What is it they always say?
“It’s always the sweetest ones that break your heart.”
You getting hungry yet, hon? I am. When I was seven
I sat in our field and ate an entire eggplant
right off the vine. Dad loves to tell that story,

but I still can’t eat eggplant. He says I’ll be the first
woman President, it’d be a waste since I talk so much.
Which do you think the fixtures are in the bathroom
at the White House, gold or brass? It’d be okay with me
if they were just brass. Honey, can we stop soon?
I really hate to say it but I need a lady’s room.

the dempsey's glow!

for anyone who has not had a burger/falalfel burger at dempsey's (7th and vermont st), after eating there you will have what is known as the dempsey's glow. An aura of vitality and spirit which can be visibly seen by others. Shine on, you crazy burger!!

A Minor Work

I'm adding Trees And Things to our list of monitors, running down the side. You should check it out if you want well-written stories on current events, and decent commentary. It's probably the best web site on the internet, when it comes to news and polite discourse. -permazorch

Liberty Hall: Sanctioning Paranoia Since 1986

Your friends are Cylons and will never return your movies on time because they're going to nuke the planet and in the event that you do survive, you'll be busier listening for the hum of centurions, rather than worrying about a $45 late fee, which you have to pay, because now you really want to watch Let the Right One In, but you'll have to settle for getting Twilight at Hy-Vee, because you trusted your skin job friend to turn in Blade Runner and Son of Rambow. But now there's Cylon civil war and they're too busy killing each other off to worry about us, so you're stuck watching sparkly vampires. All because you trusted too much!!
Turn in your own frakking movies. Trust no one.
So say we all.

Just stupid stuff

Tomorrow's Friday, and Liberty Hall has a new movie opening. I remember when A Scanner Darkly played, and the comment one woman made when she was told that it was animated, "Oh, that's stupid stuff."
Waltz with Bashir is an award-winning documentary. Some would say it is not stupid stuff.

Pity me, for I am a fool.

Last night for Let the Right One In! It plays at 9:30PM. See it or be a fool who will only regret the missed opportunity once you witness the movie on some home format. I will forever regret missing Grindhouse on the big screen. Don't be like me.
-permazorch

Two Days Left

Only two more showtimes for Let the Right One In. It plays at 9:30PM, tonight and tomorrow night.
Go see it. No matter how awesome your home theater is (and we do carry it on Blu-ray), nothing compares to reflected light amongst strangers, friends and acquaintances.
I did an informal twitter poll, and the (overwhelming) majority of respondents voted to keep it past tomorrow night, but alas! The movie/live event manager decided to re-install The Reader. It will open on Saturday.
This next week is jammed with live stuff, starting with The Get Up Kids this Friday, Andrew Bird on Monday and Joan Baez on St. Patrick's Day! It is, as the kids used to say, finger-licking good, y'all.
-permazorch

A Limited Time Power Application

What do you think we should have playing next Friday (the 13th)?
a) The Reader
b) Let the Right One In
c) Milk

Rob is gonna choose, "The Reader", unless you say something!

Lightning Bolt: The Power of Salad & Milkshakes

Drainage!
I told you I would eat you!
I could use a good salad and a milkshake.

"For God's Sake! Will you turn off that racket?!"

Watchmen!

Well, it wasn't as bad as I feared. Here's my favorite film essayist (critic?) on Watchmen.
It was not as good as Let the Right One In. Come down and watch the latter. It opens tonight, Friday, at 9:30PM, and plays Saturday (tomorrow), March 7th at 11:40PM. For the rest of its limited run (ending Thursday, March 12th) it will only play at 9:30PM.
That's for all the vampires.
I recommend combining a (relatively) cheap can of PBR with tomato juice. You can call it a red, white & blue-blood. That one's for free. Yeah.

No kids allowed in the video-store! We're testing The Edge of Heaven, and it's sexy. Some would say, too sexy for the lunch hour.
-permazorch

Liberty Hall Cinema: The Rumor Mill

So these dates are all subject to change, but here's what we've heard from our movie booker:

-Let the Right One In opens Friday, March 6th. It comes out on DVD this month, so we most likely will just hold onto it for a week. It will be splitting screens with MILK. Dubbed the "Anti-Twilight" we couldn't be more excited to pick-up this Swedish vampire film, even if only for seven days. CATCH IT WHILE IT'S HERE!!!!

-Waltz With Bashir opens March 20th. This is an animated documentary that was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar this year. We are all very excited for this innovative documentary.

-The Class opens April 4th. Teacher and novelist François Bégaudeau plays a version of himself as he negotiates a year with his racially mixed students from a tough Parisian neighborhood. Another Foreign Language Film Oscar nominee and winner of the Cannes Film Fest's Golden Palm award, this one is sure to kick your ass.

-Two Lovers opens March 27th. Joaquin Phoenix's swan song.

-Che (Part 1 and Part 2) is on our radar, but it's pretty unlikely that we'll pick up a 4hr 30min movie. It's at the Tivoli for a limited run, I highly suggest you catch it there.

That's all I can tell you for now. We are holding onto Slumdog for several more weeks, and MILK will stick around through March 12th. Call the Box Office at 749-1972 with questions, or the movie line at 749-1912 for showtimes.

Friends Forever,
Bill Gay Cyrus

Birthday?

If your personal economic paradigm has shifted to red, try this synergistic treat.

Liberty Hall Birthday Special:
1 Free video rental of any title in the video-store;
1 Free admission to cinema;
1 Free combo of popcorn/soda-pop in concessions;
1 Free fancy-pants coffee or tea at La Prima Tazza.

Go for one, or all! Just bring your I.D., as this is only good on your birthday.

Damaged! Monitors safe.

We're currently playing Volver on the video monitors. It's not too naughty, no soft-soap.
Cruz control.

Damaged? The Monitor is Dangerous.

So, does the disc play or not? Today's mystery disc & possibly damaged DVD: The L Word: Season 3-Disc 1. It's not exactly store-friendly, what with the explicit talking and the soft-core acting. But, we have to find out if it functions properly. There is not time enough to check all of it at home, so suffer the children at your own risk.
The monitor is dangerous.

Bloggrolling in Our Time!

Hell, are there not enough blogs existing?
Yes. And we hope to be worth your wasted time.
With each pulse-pound your essence dribbles away as the photons from your monitor beam despair straight into your eyes!

But, who do we follow? Who are we monitoring now, and why?
Ta-Nehisi Coates
He's a science fiction nerd who also writes for the Atlantic.
MetaFilter.com
Information overload, but not in a bad way.
lifehacker.com
This modern existence is very difficult to navigate. Here's help you didn't know you had or needed.
Kung Fu Monkey
Who likes comics, politics and the difficult art of screenwriting? It's a shined and refined house of geek.

Biberty Blog

Taking over the internet, one networking site at a time. Hall Monitors is the beginning of what will hopefully become a larger Liberty Hall employee run website. Thanks for checking us out, we love you.

-The Hall Monitors