You kid, but Scorsese seems like one of the nicest directors to work with and as consequence, I feel like I never know his thoughts on his actors (besides the obvious fact that if he keeps hiring them, he must like them).

That could be it. It could also be the reality of having a paying job for the first time in more than a year.

ITV saw a potential hit, and that, like they say, was that. A shame; even by soapy standards, with better plotting and writing it could have been much stronger.

That was a film I expected to be a shallow case of 'famous actors playing dress-up,' but I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Jessica Lange was predictably splendid and on-point as Big Edie, but Barrymore's performance showed a depth and intelligence from her I hadn't previously seen. It was a pleasant…

Grey Gardens offered a fascinating peek into, as you so beautifully put, eccentricity hardening into insanity. I have always wondered if, given the squalor of Grey Gardens, if Big and Little Edie had toxoplasmosis. It could explain some of their more extreme behavior (not to discount just regular garden-variety mental…

Yes. Yes, you do. Season 5 is the weakest of the bunch, but Season 6 is incredible. Mary Steenburgen joins the cast as a mob boss and she is a marvel to watch.

Oh, come on. Diaz playing a hooker with an accent that makes her sound like the Lucky Charms leprechaun was awesome.

Fun fact: Scorsese thought Diaz was brilliant in the film.

What other Ballard novels have you read, besides The Crystal World?

Thank you. Mine comes in cycles. Some weeks are great, others… well, you know what it's like.

It's my first book of his, although I do plan to read Crash at some point and rewatch Cronenberg's film adaptation.

This one is much stronger, IMO. I think the fact it really wants to explore sexual violence against men (a topic not many programs do with interest) is inherent more interesting than the first seasons's 'racism is bad, m'kay.'

Janet McTeer deserves a far bigger career. She is so great at both comedy and drama, and her character in Five Days was the best part of the series.

I only watched the first series of the show (I thought it was a fun Edwardian version of Melrose Place, but felt no need to continue), so does anyone know if Fellowes intended the series to be a one-off but ITV kept renewing it?

Uprooted for the shoutout to Babylon. That series was terrific.

There are fun, 'tis true!

Books:
I'm about halfway into J.G. Ballard's High-Rise, in preparation for the film, and I'm really loving it so far. His chilly, precise prose has a peculiar poetry to poetry and vividness to it that only makes his ideas seem all the more plausible and horrifying. It's a deeply unnerving read and I like it a lot.

Huge hugs your way. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Ice Cream Planet's LiveJournal™:
*Despite a week with relative insomnia, it's been surprisingly fun. Got a good mark on one assignment, had some fun times with a very pretty English lady (and a complimentary love bite to boot), and got to hang with a lovely AV Clubber yesterday and go the cinema. Besides that, it's…

Goddamn, I how envy you!