dot.conor

See...

atonement

there are two words that immediately come to mind when thinking of the film, atonement.  the first is baffled.  we at dot.conor are completely baffled that the oscar pundits are predicting that this film will be shut out of a best picture nod at this year's oscars, much like dreamgirls last year, especially after the flick landed the best picture prize at the star-less golden globes this year.  and the second word that comes to mind regarding joe wright's masterpiece is stunning.  this movie is flat-out stunning, from the set design to the score, the costumes to the acting, and from the camera work to the script.  equal parts funny, moving, and upsetting, this period piece transfixes you.  keira knightley and james mcavoy, as the star-crossed lovers at the center of the story, have a rippling on-screen presence together, and the five minute scene of a war-stricken beach town enthralls you.  our theory that brenda blethyn has the midas touch, in that any movie she appears in is simply gold, is only proved right here time and again.  here's to hoping for a stunning decision by the academy to reward such a rich film, rather than a truly baffling one.

Add to your iPod...

superstar

by lupe fiasco

with an irresistible hook, amazing guest vocals (by matthew santos), and rhymes reminiscent of sean carter, lupe fiasco has crafted a kanye-like smash.  the song opens with a keyboard riff that channels ub40's 'kingston town', and then santos takes off leaving nobody in his or her seat in this faux-live track.  fiasco raps, "and you better wear your shades, the spotlights here can burn holes through the stage", a line that scrams kanye west's name and could easily have been muttered by any of fiasco's predecessors.  this, his 2nd album, and only at the age of 25, solidifies lupe fiasco as not only a bona-fide rap star, but a force to be reckon with in the entire music world.  you know, a superstar.

Summer is...

162 days away

while my math is more than likely wrong, it is time to get that beach bod into shape!  the holidays have passed, the kwanzaa candles have been extinguished, so there really is no excuse to not keep your new year's resolution...whatever it may be.  so stay on the wagon, keep your hand off of the stop button on the treadmill, flush your cigarettes.  just think, in a mere 6 months, the sun will be begging you to come and play.  so cut out pictures of marky mark (pre-wahlberg) and paste them in your kitchen.  even if he fails in preventing you from grabbing 9th oreo, at least he's fun to look at...

Enjoy...

coke zero

true story: i am obsessed with wcdp (wild cherry diet pepsi for the layperson).  i can easily sit down on the couch for a nights' worth of dvr and gladly down a 2-liter bottle of the stuff.  but as of late, i have been drawn to the sexy black, white & red can that is coke zero.  much to my tastebuds' delight, coke zero is the coke that i grew up loving, sans the calories and that annoying fuzz that grows on your teeth after consumption.  the chemicals will probably make said teeth fall out later in life, but hey, as long as it keeps my waistline trim now, then who cares about later?  so drink up, soda-loving citizens.  the girl in the fedora needs to keep her job.

Discover...

friday night lights

say what you will about the sopranos, the wire, or (gag) boston legal...friday night lights is by far, the best show on television.  don't be mislead - this is not a show about football.  this is a show about people merely living in a small, football town in texas, dealing with more issues off of the field than on.  kyle chandler and connie britton anchor this show as the most realistic tv couple in recent memory, and their supporting cast of relative unknowns outshine any other cast of big names on any network.  soapy at times, yes, but the writing and cinema-verite camera work make you feel more like a fly in the wall in an actual football-hungry, southern town than just a regular couch jockey.  full disclosure: keep a box of kleenex nearby.  you'll need them.  it's that good.

Invest in a...

tuxedo

if you only purchase one thing in the next year, or lifetime, make it a tuxedo.  even if you have zero black tie events on your radar for the next nine calendar years, your investment will reward you tenfold.  wear the tux jacket with just about any shirt (but not you, henley); don the tux shirt with jeans and sneaks.  lose the cummerbund for good and ditch the overly-polished wingtips.  the tuxedo can be as young-looking as you wish.  frank, sammy, and dino were on to something when they adopted the tux as their wardrobe staple.  trust us, and you'll thank us in the morning...during your walk of shame.

Add to your iPod...

time to pretend

by mgmt

brooklyn's own MGMT has created the most infectious song of early 2008.  with a sound reminiscient of good scissor sisters, the flaming lips, and a dash of kim gordon's bass, andrew vanwyngarden and ben goldwasser have crafted what should be the anthem of the new club kid.  "this is our decision, to live fast and die young, we've got the vision, now let's have some fun" should be tattooed on anyone who finds themselves rotting away in a boring 9-to-5 everyday.  so, do yourself a favor: open the windows, press play on your iPod soundcdock, crank the volume to 11, and force yourself to not feel good.   it will be impossible.

We're baaaaaaaack...

well, it's 2008, the year of the rat*.  so we here at
dot.conor thought it only fitting that we dust off the ol' word processor and throw our hat back into the blogosphere.  we hope you have missed us as much as we've missed you.  happy new year & happy reading. 

*no idea what this means

Add to your iPod...

tears dry on their own

by Amy winehouse

everyone knows that she's a drunk, can't get through a set without vomiting, and is, in general, a total mess of a human being, but amy winehouse, musically, is brilliant.  with a voice reminiscent of etta james, winehouse sets her songs ablaze with cutting lyrics and indelible hooks.  while "rehab" might be the song garnering her the most attention, "tears dry on their own" is the standout track on this, her sophomore effort.  the fact that she samples the beat to "ain't no mountain high enough" is enough to make you take notice, but it's the easy-to-relate-to subject matter compounded with a unbeatable hook that sucks you in and doesn't let you out until you're puking up patron in the corner of the bar.

Monday's point of advice...

thievery is never an acceptable way to exact revenge on someone because, well, it's illegal.