Culture
This weekend, we cleared our calendar so we could finish the tiling project. Guess what? That didn’t happen. With temperatures in the teens, Sweets didn’t like the idea of setting up a wet saw outside (or even in our unheated garage). So, I agreed to postpone the project.
Instead, we had a cultural weekend full of TV, movies and plays.
Friday night, we watched the movie, Trouble the Water. It followed one couple living in the lower ninth ward of New Orleans as they prepared for, persevered through and recovered from Hurricane Katrina. Much of the footage was recorded on their own personal video camera. It was a remarkable story about survival. And it was an equally disgusting story about how our government failed. The movie won Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008. Definitely add it to your Netflix list if you haven’t already seen it.
Later that night, we began watching the first season of the TV series, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Three white boys and a girl own a bar, Paddy’s, in Philadelphia. We laughed so hard, we almost cried. Sweets and I tried describing this show to friends this weekend and fell flat in our description. So, forgive me from borrowing language from the website. The gang will do just about anything, no matter how reprehensible, in an attempt to better their own situation. It’s crude, controversial, outlandish and downright hilarious. It’s one of those shows where they pick on anyone and everyone – no one is safe. If you can muster a laugh at politically incorrect, then this show is for you. Apparently, FX is currently airing the fifth season of this show, so Sweets and I have lots of catching up to do!
Saturday night, Sweets and I went to see Private Lives with his parents. Though staged at the Shakespeare Theater, Private Lives is not written by Shakespeare. The play takes place in the 20th century. One couple, divorced five years ago, run into each other again, each honeymooning with their new loves in the same hotel. The show is light, fun and full of hilarity. It addresses questions of jealousy of prior loves, insecurities with current loves and the potential rekindling of old flames. What could’ve been slightly awkward night (hello, I’m wifey #2 for Sweets) turned out to be nothing more than a great night out together and with his parents.
And all this comes after going to the theater last Wednesday night as part of our subscription series to the Steppenwolf Theater. We went to see American Buffalo, a David Mamet play set in 1970s Chicago. It’s about three small-time crooks plotting to steal a valuable Buffalo nickel. The lack of experience lends well to unraveling and paranoia and hilarity. I enjoyed the Chicago references. The intensity of the characters. And I especially enjoyed getting home before 10PM during the week (it’s not a long show!). The show only plays a few more weeks, but is worth checking out if you’re in the area.
What movies, TV shows, plays or art exhibits have caught your fancy lately?
February 1st, 2010 at 8:40 am
I netflixed the first season of It’s Always Sunny and I just didn’t get it. There were moments of humor, but nothing that made me want to keep watching. Many people I know love it, but it just wasn’t for me, I guess.
I haven’t been to the theater in a long while! Those sound like great plays!
February 1st, 2010 at 8:55 am
I have to agree with Sweets, it was too cold to be working with a wet saw outside or even in the garage. Hope you have warm sunny weekend soon so you can finish the project.
I’ve heard people talk about Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but I’ve never seen an episode. I am horrible about committing to watch a show on tv.
February 1st, 2010 at 9:14 am
Hubs swears by “It is always Sunny”! I have yet to watch it, but it is on our queue.
I have been in a culture vacuum lately so I haven’t really gone out and explored.
February 1st, 2010 at 9:25 am
I don’t recommend “World’s Greatest Dad.” A little too much of a dark comedy for me. Though I will say Robin Williams did a great job in his role.
I do recommend “How About You,” (I believe that’s the title). It’s about two young women who own and operate a retirement home and the people who live in it. Kind of a coming back to life story, coming of age, and it takes place in England so the scenery is gorgeous.
Oh, and definitely “Sex & the Single Girl,” a movie from the 1960s which is just the perfect amount of funny, cute, romantic and just all around good. The cast is great and the clothes… oh, well sometimes I just think I was born in the wrong time period! =)
February 1st, 2010 at 9:43 am
That sounds heavenly! I’m in serious culture withdrawal these days- we have an amazing new music festival that premiers new, incredibly progressive orchestral music in a really laid back setting and I’m dying to go.
February 1st, 2010 at 9:47 am
Glad you had such a nice weekend. Thanks for the movie rec. I get very upset when I think about how poorly our gov handled Katrina. I think they are doing a better job with Haiti… no? (yes I realize a different administration) Why couldn’t they (our gov) help their own country better?
February 1st, 2010 at 10:07 am
Instead of “tiling” I first read it as “toileting.” This is going to be a fun Monday!
Since it snowed again over the weekend here and we were all pretty much trapped inside, I watched the movie Up and loved it!
Always Sunny is nothing short of hilarious. :)
February 1st, 2010 at 10:38 am
The only tv show I ever watch is Celebrity Rehab. And I’m going to the Symphony on Saturday night, immediately followed by UFC Fight Night. Yes, I’m going straight from the Symphony in my little black dress and heels to a friend’s house to watch people beat each other up. And dang straight, I’m doing it in my heels.
February 1st, 2010 at 11:17 am
Thanks for the Always Sunny in Philadelphia rec. We are always on the look out for new DVDs since we no longer have cable.
I have been feeling quite cultural myself lately. We have been trying to take advantage of the free and low cost NYC stuff so last Friday we went to the MOMA during the Friday Free Admission hours and on Wednesday we are going to see Nora and Delia Ephron’s off-broadway play for $20!
February 1st, 2010 at 11:26 am
omg always sunny has been a fav of ours since episode one! we are FX show whores. we watch almost all their shows. they’re all so good. we’ve never missed an ep! keep watching!
February 1st, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Sounds like a great weekend and I agree that it was way too cold to be doing work like that outside!
February 1st, 2010 at 12:44 pm
OK, it’s not any of those four things you asked about, but I recently discovered that Lilith Fair is back this year and Sarah McLachlan will be a part of it. And I really really REALLY want to go. But I’m sure tickets will be wildly expensive. ARGH. Hopefully by the time they go on sale Torsten’s company will have a client or two and then we can justify the expense. Maybe.
February 1st, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Season 3….”The Gang Gets Whacked”…Peter Nincompoop…my absolute favorite….hilarious. Please let me know when you get there.
February 1st, 2010 at 12:58 pm
The Cove was a really good documentary I recently watched about dolphin hunting in Japan though it filled me with sadness and rage. I’ve been hearing It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is really funny. I’ll have to check it out!
February 1st, 2010 at 12:59 pm
i saw trouble the water, really powerful film. i love your blog btw!
February 1st, 2010 at 1:40 pm
sounds like a good weekend to me! hope you stayed warm!
i watched breakfast at tiffany’s for the first time ever this weekend!
oh, and matt loves it’s always sunny… loves.
February 1st, 2010 at 2:20 pm
i started DVRing It’s Always Sunny last season and i just.. didn’t get it. for weeks. then all of a sudden i realized i was looking forward to watching each recorded episode, and would pick that first among anything else in my dvr’d queue… and now i’m totally hooked :-)
February 1st, 2010 at 2:41 pm
DUDE. YES. The hubs and I are SO addicted to It’s Always Sunny. We’ve bought every season that is released!
February 1st, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Wow! Another eventful weekend for you! I must agree with Sweets about the tile saw. When I was married we built our house and we used tile for the kitchen and the three bathrooms (including the showers) so I am all too familiar with the water tile saws and the frozen fingers! Sends a shiver down my spine just thinking about it. Tiling is HARD WORK!
Also, I love that you said to add that movie to your Netficks. So appropriate in this day and age and I think I just may do that.
February 1st, 2010 at 4:00 pm
What a fun weekend! (Also didn’t know that you’re wife #2 for Sweets and that tiny bit of info has me rethinking dating divorced men.)
I saw the Cartier show at the Legion of Honor here in SF recently and was impressed that it wasn’t just “Hey! Look! Shiny!” and actually had content about the craft of jewelry making. And I just paid for SF Ballet tickets to see Romeo and Juliet in early May. I tend to make the museum rounds fairly regularly (for perhaps obvious reasons), but don’t get to plays and (non-dance) theater things as often as I’d like.
February 1st, 2010 at 4:21 pm
I love Always Sunny—one of my fave shows. And if you liked Season One, well…get ready. Have you ever watched Curb Your Enthusiasm? That’s the show I can’t get enough of.
Also, that documentary sounds awesome. I’ll have to check it out.
February 1st, 2010 at 6:54 pm
That sounds like a lovely weekend! I go through theatre withdrawal every year, but in our city they have a Fringe festival in July and HUNDREDS of plays, musicals and improv troups hit a little spot downtown. It’s heavenly :)
My favourite shows right now are all British, I must warn you:
The new Doctor Who
Life on Mars… and even better, the spin off Ashes to Ashes
EastEnders (my guilty pleasure)
Spooks (or MI-5 in the US)
and for a darker sci-fi, Torchwood
They’re all wonderful! :) Although my Monday nights are currently taken up by the Bachelor. Don’t tell anyone.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:22 pm
I didn’t do anything that wonderful this weekend. I went to a conference on Saturday, but it was really boring, so I came home and took a nap. Then went out with friends. And, it was a little boring. And then, Sunday, the boyfriend and I got in a huge “talk” and decided not to move in together. I’ve been looking forward to this for months and have been packing. Ended up crying all day. So, I was glad to welcome Monday.
February 1st, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Wow! You have been busy! Going to the museum always boost my cultural percentage, as does seeing shows on stage. However, I am a HUGE advocate of seeing movies as a way of getting to know the culture around you that you might not get a chance to see from your office desk or living room. This weekend we saw The Book of Eli, for example, which sparked all kinds of theological and philosophical debates. No matter what people say, I really do feel like movies enhance my understanding or art, culture, language, society, history, and human nature. Like it or leave it ;)
February 1st, 2010 at 8:19 pm
You and Sweets have been quite entertained lately! I am going to Netflix It’s Always Sunny now that it has your endorsement. It sounds worth checking out. :)
I’m currently catching up on episodes of Better Off Ted. It has delivered much more than I thought when I started watching it last month.
February 1st, 2010 at 10:29 pm
I have never watched Sunny but hear it’s hilarious. I’ll have to check it out.
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:23 pm
definitely adding “trouble the water” to my queue (is that how you spell that?) right now, and sunny in philly is already on there, right after cesar millan (hehe).
we’ve just been catching up on Dexter and inspecting Sherlock Holmes and Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
February 2nd, 2010 at 6:57 pm
I love Netflix recommendations! Thanks! You make me want to incorporate more theater in my life. I’m severely lacking.
February 4th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Glee…that is all.
February 5th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
LOVED American Buffalo (although I might be a bit biased!) and can’t wait to see Private Lives. It is my all-time favorite and I even played Amanda back in my theatre days! We’re seeing August: Osage County next week and I am super excited about that!