11/04 to 11/22

On the time-to-kill beat, we've got a Guess That First Line! site for English majors everywhere (thank you, Mike Berman) and entertainment trivia games at uproar.com. Apparently, you can win, like, $25 when you play their little click-and-score games. It's definitely shady, but a valid time-waster nonetheless. MTV, always on the cutting edge of popular (stupid?) culture, is preparing to launch "TV's first online/on-air game show." It's called webRIOT (anyone know why the "riot" is capitalized? Those MTV kids are so crazy!). You can download the game now for a test run before the 11/29 premiere.

The Onion better watch its back: the Wang has arrived.

I've tried to chill my Beck obsession, but it's no use. Canoe (straight from Canada, my friends) grants "Midnight Vultures" 2 out of 5 stars: "In the end, you're left with the nagging feeling that the musical zeitgeist Beck was so instrumental in defining has moved on without him." Hmmmm. The Irish Times interviews Mr. Hansen; the NYTimes laughs in awe at "Vultures," finding fitting comparisons to Roberto Benigni, Quentin Tarantino and "Rushmore." More important than all that: Beck (and Christina Ricci) host "SNL" Dec. 4. Beck will perform "Sexxlaws" and "Debra."

Disasterandlove.com is a wicked cool site (that's my fake new england slang coming at you). Lots of radiohead stuff, but you can also read the dude's poetry (in the digital existence section).

We all like greatest album lists. So here's some random San Francisco student's top picks. Keep in mind that his list starts after the entire Beatles catalog and anything from the Brian Jones-era Rolling Stones. Rah!

Doodie.com. This just amazes me. (via memepool)

Speaking of doodie monsters, I saw "Dogma" this week. While it is overlong & semi-preachy, Kevin Smith's religion-themed fable gave me a soft & snuggly feeling about God, faith and the end of the world as we know it. That can't be too bad. Ebert's take: "Those whose approach to religion is spiritual will have little trouble with "Dogma," because they will understand the characters as imperfect, sincere, clumsy seekers trying to do the right thing. Those who see religion more as a team, a club, a hobby or a pressure group are going to be upset. This movie takes theological matters out of the hands of "spokesmen" and entrusts them to - well, the unwashed. And goes so far as to suggest that God loves them. And is a Canadian."

Speaking of God, they've found scientific evidence for Noah's flood.

Speaking of unbelievable personalities (Noah counts, right?) here's some swell photos of rock 'n' roll people.

Speaking of lame segueways, I'm outta here. Oh, but here's Pitchfork being silly again, this time at Matthew Sweet's expense (and yes, Whitney found it first).

As part of the past weekend's exhilarating Chicago tour, my tour guide (the infamous Kimberly Fenn) and I settled down to two hours of "Being John Malkovich." Yes! Watching Malkovich perform his breathtaking Dance of Despair and Disillusionment will raise the hair on the back of your neck. If you like sexy bald men (and for some people (hello, Kim?) this can be a tragic obsession), this movie can't be missed. (Roger Ebert thinks this film should be nominated for best picture. Ah, not quite. Here's Paul Tatara's more down-to-Earth critique.)

Beck report: The "Midnight Vultures" reviews are now appearing at hemorrhage pace. Most people are saying all kinds of good things. Yeah, yeah. Didn't I tell you I find it quite disappointing (but fun)? Sonicnet's Jeff Jackson compares Beck to Ween - something I had never seen before. His review has some worthy criticisms (yes, catherine's pita had this first. damn you!). Oh, but all Beck fans must read this LA Times interview with The Man. Find out why Beck can't deal with photo shoots (he hates trying to be something he's not. of course!) and gain some insight into his long-term relationship with Leigh Limon. There's also more B.Dylan comparisons than you can count. (Again I must insist that you read Spin's cover story on Beck. Fantastic stuff! And I'm not just saying that as a blindly infatuated fan.)

Two up-and-a-long-way-coming bands:
1.) The Houston-based Oilers play every Tuesday at Rudyard's Pub. No, I haven't trekked to Texas to see them perform, but I've felt magic in the live tracks now available for your auditory pleasure. Thanks to John Nunnally for showing me the way; he recommends "Maybelline" for first-time Oilers. (No one is supposed to know that John is brother to the band's keyboardist. Shhhhhh.)

2.) The Peter Bothum-Nathan Henry duo tentatively known as Elizabeth Ring had its first practice/performance just this week. Bothum - who you may know from his lyrical work with the death-metal band Slab - describes the scene: "Fuelled by several Budweisers and shots of a Hungarian liquor called Unicum (real nasty stuff), the band, formerly known as Terminal Lunchbox, plowed though versions of "The Jessica Syndrome," "Tonic Drive," "Constitutional Wolves" and "So Into Dogs." The audience consisted of any one of Nathan's neighbors who heard them banging away through their walls."

Pitchfork's comic bashing of the new Maceo Parker album. (Whit found it)

Toohot.com. Cinnamon Altoids, I swear! (via Kempa.com)

Even USA TODAY has a story on Gary Coleman's plea for help (look at that picture!) You must MUST go to his web site and laugh at the self-inflicted mockery of one short, bankrupt virgin.

I found out about filmworks.com today when I received an email from my friend, the brand-new-mother, with links to lovely photos of her & baby, baby, dad & baby, baby, etc. etc. Apparently, you can send your film to be developed by Filmworks (based in Seattle), and they'll publish them online for you. Great way to share.

Paul Thomas Anderson, that young & gifted director of "Boogie Nights," writes how growing up in the San Fernando Valley changed him and his movies. He claims his laziness is what led him to film all location shots within 15 min. from home. I love the lazy! His upcoming film is "Magnolia," starring William H. Macy and Julianne Moore.
Also in the Sunday Times section (some people probably missed it, right?): Winona Ryder on "Girl Interrupted."
Oliver Stone on "Any Given Sunday"
and Barry Levinson on, duh, Baltimore.

Who didn't love MacGyver? Any man who can do that with a piece of bubblegum and a matchbook is worth honoring. Here's more info/photos/sound clips than you could possibly need. I hope. (via kempa.com)