Welcome to hell

You know when I realized I was in medical school? When I was examining a prosected cadaver on a Saturday night...with five other people. They weren't kidding; EVERYTHING about your routine changes in medical school. Me time is abrogated and study time intensifies and lengthens. If only I was disciplined enough to handle this right now at this moment, maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't be moping as much.

Pineapple Express

The latest movie from the Apatow clan is entitled "Pineapple Express" and it stars James Franco and that lovable lump, Seth Rogen. Pineapple is a movie that blends two venerable genres: the action film and the stoner movie. Both are about as American as apple pie and baseball. Anyways, this movie is about the bond between subpoena officer/pothead named Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) and his lovable, easygoing potdealer (also alliteratively) named Saul Silver (James Franco). Basically, Dale witnesses a murder while smoking some high-quality roach called "Pineapple Express". Dale makes a racket while driving away and drops his joint. The drug-dealer played by Gary Cole (Lumbergh from OfficeSpace!) picks up the joint, takes a pull, and identifies the weed as Pineapple Express, which traces it back to Saul. What follows is weed-induced hijinks and hilarity as Saul and Dale try to evade the drug-dealers.

Most of the humor is hit-and-miss I must say, but I thought the action parts worked quite well. Picture the violence of a hilariously bad zombie movie, heavy on the slapstick. It may sound cheesy, but it is an approach that works to complement the humor perfectly. The camaraderie between the two inept drug-dealers chasing Saul and Dale has to be one of the highlights of the movie, along with Danny McBride's supporting role as Red. Although Seth Rogen is strictly serviceable in the film, I personally believe that James Franco stole the show. He was consistently hilarious with his laidback, affable potdealer character. He and Seth Rogen have great chemistry and I hope to see Franco in more roles in the future.

Although I thought this movie fell short of the last Apatow production I saw (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), I was still entertained. The movie is only 1 hour and 45 minutes, which means there is very little lag time from scene to scene. The direction is reminiscent more of an indie film than a blockbuster comedy, which I found to be a refreshing approach. Lastly, the ending has to be one of the most bromantic moments in film history, seriously you expect the guys to start making out at the end of it. In short, Pineapple Express is worth watching in theatres and will sate Apatow fans until the next time he sits in the directing chair.

Political Expediency

The latest New Yorker has a small, but thought-provoking, article about the clusterfuck concerning rising energy prices. One little excerpt demonstrates the futility of emergency drilling in coastal waters of the United States:

"...Of course, the results of these or any other public-opinion surveys do not alter the underlying reality. The Department of Energy estimates that there are eighteen billion barrels of technically recoverable oil in offshore areas of the continental United States that are now closed to drilling. This sounds like a lot, until you consider that oil is a globally traded commodity and that, at current rates of consumption, eighteen billion barrels would satisfy less than seven months of global demand. A D.O.E. report issued last year predicted that it would take two decades for drilling in restricted areas to have a noticeable effect on domestic production, and that, even then, “because oil prices are determined on the international market,” the impact on fuel costs would be “insignificant.”..."

The New Yorker "Changing Lanes" by Elizabeth Kolbert

The most important point made in this excerpt is when Kolbert explains that oil is a globally-traded commodity. To assume that oil companies would restrict their sales of this oil to domestic consumers is awfully naive. Who really believes the myth of the benevolent entrepreneur? Apparently, the American government does. The proposed expansion of oil drilling is yet another example of doing what is politically expedient, rather than what works for the long-term.

I Drink your MILKSHAKE! I DRINK IT UUUUUP!

Yesterday, I finally got the opportunity to watch one of the most heralded movies of the past year, There Will Be Blood, directed by Paul Thomas Andersen. I expected great things from this film partially because of the Oscar hype, but also because I have a predilection for period pieces like these. The movie tells us of an oil man and his slow, steady descent into madness. It is, in part, based on an excellent Upton Sinclair book, the same author who wrote The Jungle. The aforementioned oil man is played by the very capable Daniel Day-Lewis, who received the Oscar for his portrayal of Daniel Plainfield the oil tycoon.

This movie was very good but I realize that it is not for everyone. This is an "actor's movie" and the plot moves at a snail's pace, mostly to allow the actors to flesh out their characters in exacting detail. In this regard, the movie is successful. The film leaves no stone unturned in the psyche of main characters like Plainfield and Eli Sunday, the so-called false prophet played by Paul Dano. In fact, the juxtaposition of the two malicious men, one who is outwardly devilish and another under the guise of God, is one of the more fascinating parts of the story. As you get to know these characters intimately over the course of 2 hours and 45 minutes, you begin to understand their motives and really what makes them tick.

This brings me to my next point: you need the patience to sit through such a movie for nearly three hours where things move sloooooowly. The beginning, especially, lags at a ponderous pace, but at the end of the first hour I found myself hooked. Someone who can last beyond that initial investment will find a movie that really penetrates you with its well-crafted dialogue and foreboding atmosphere. The last scene, in particular, sent chills down my spine and I believe this is where Daniel Day-Lewis really earned his Oscar.

That said, I must stress that you have to be the type of person who can handle movies that are more about narrative and mood than about nonstop frenetics. My brother, within less than an hour, started playing his Nintendo DS. Like most people, he needs adrenaline-pumped action (his favorite genre is Chinese kung-fu films) amidst a threadbare plot and subpar acting. By no means am I being patronizing, the Rambo and Rocky series are some of my favorite movies despite their lack of a complicated narrative. However, this discussion highlights the need for people to be "ready" for this film before viewing.

When desperation sets in...

The latest McCain ad is a shameless attempt to vilify a politician whose biggest sin is that he's incredibly popular. The message being promulgated by this ad is that Obama's popularity that cuts across many demographics is somehow correlated with current scandals of young Hollywood (represented by images of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears). Interestingly, if the message is trying to construe that Obama is not representative of mainstream America and is the "Hollywood" candidate, then why juxtapose those images with images of Obama giving speeches to thousands of people? If that isn't mainstream populist, then I don't know what is.

This ad shows me the type of campaign we can expect McCain to run: a dirty, sleazy one that will resort to political mudslinging. Race-baiting will be a part of the McCain strategy for sure and the public and media should prepare themselves for that. I guess McCain figured after South Carolina in 2000 if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Top things I'll miss from Chicago

1. My Friends, I haven't met a greater group of people in my life

2. Rush St. on a Saturday night

3. Gino's East Chicago-style pizza (Uno and Due are ok too)

4. Jogging by the lakefront

5. That fucking awesome skyline

6. Batman cleaning up the streets

7. Lincoln Park

8. Michigan Avenue

9. Ashkenaz Deli

10. Blackhawks games

11. Wrigley Field and Wrigleyville

12. Indian food on Devon

13. Evanston lakefront

14. Top of the Hancock and Signature Lounge

15. Navy Pier and Millenium Park

16. Jake Melnick's burgers

17. Drinks at the Drake (and trying not to stare at the classy, hot girls)

18. The lab (the people, not the work)

I'm sure there's PLENTY more stuff, but for now that pretty much encapsulates my amazing five years in this city. I hope to be back as soon as I can. For now, goodbye Chicago, you made me the man I am today.

Obama in Europe

So now Europe can join in the latest phenomenon to hit America: Obamamania. How eerie is it to see people waving, and not burning, American flags abroad? Anyways, Barack Obama just visited Germany where 200,000 people packed into Tiergarten Park to hear Obama deliver a cliched speech about the need for unity between America and Europe. Although I concur with that sentiment, I think Europe needs to show some wiggle room on the war on terror before we fall into each other's collective arms.

First of all, we can all agree that Iraq was a mistake. Atleast, Europe and the more enlightened half of America (which is now the enlightened 90%) have that common ground and I don't blame them for not sending troops there. However, I simply cannot comprehend why France and Germany, the strongest EU countries, are so reluctant to send troops to Afghanistan and other hotspots in the global war on terror. Afghanistan has suddenly seen a resurgence of the Taliban and a growing influx of jihadis from neighboring countries. It's unrealistic in today's world to keep paring down military expenses, especially if you are a supposed ally in the war on terror. Not to mention being so uncommittal. Say what you will about America, but atleast we have the balls to committ to something, whether it's just or unjust is a totally different question.

Regardless, Obama touched on the issue, but failed to drive it home to Europeans. Nevertheless, I commend him for not taking a scattershot approach to visiting Europe as Bush does. Bush deliberately visits countries outside of the Franco-German sphere of influence so he doesn't encounter dissenting viewpoints. I shouldn't be surprised when he utilizes the same strategy domestically. Obstinancy and closed-mindedness, qualities all presidents should have, right?

Anyways, the spirit of Obama's tour is dead-on, but I think the rhetoric needs to remain tough with regards to Europe. A certain level of ideology (but not demagoguery) will be necessary in regards to the war on terror. There is a black-and-white component to the WoT (again not to be confused with Iraq) and Europe should be mindful of that.