Meant for the Stage

I have to admit that I’ve always bee torn over the prospect of seeing The Decemberists live. Lead singer/songwriter Colin Meloy’s lyrics are so engaging, his music so, dare I say, epic, that you can’t help but envision yourself amidst 16th century privateers or early American soldiers, preparing for battle. You almost expect the band’s concerts to play out like a theatrical production, with costumes, special effects, and elaborate scenery. Those expectations didn’t necessarily hold true when The Decemberists visited the Electric Factory last night – there was only one enactment of a song, and I couldn’t see it from my spot on the balcony – but that didn’t stop the concert from being extremely satisfying.

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Systemic Anomalies

Nothing major to write about today, so instead let’s reach into the grab bag that is the Interwebs.

• Speed Racer will be a real life, live action movie, directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, the guys responsible for the mindblowing film The Matrix and the…mindblowingly underwhelming The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Somehow I can’t get the image of Racer X punching Speed in the stomach and slowly turning him into a clone.
• Kazakh movie theaters will “probably” not screen Borat. I recommend the U.S. follow suit. Borat is the next step in the devolution of comedy started by Napoleon Dynamite. I, of course, will wind up seeing it, liking it, and hating myself for it.
• Fraggle Rock will be a movie. Remember when George Lucas re-released the original Star Wars trilogy in theatres because of all the hype around The Phantom Menace? Might I suggest the re-release of The Muppets Take Manhattan to lead into this release?
• And, for what it’s worth, LOST is on tonight. You can follow all the action over at Balls, Sticks, & Stuff as loyal Moviehawk reader Tom G. liveblogs the episode.