In or Aus?

Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat was so over-the-top good that his next film was bound to pale by comparison. Which is not to say that Bruno isn't funny or worth seeing; on both counts it is. But there's something about it that feels very "been there, done that," and most of the movie is maybe even a little too over the top to be believable in the same way that Borat was. And that's why I was a bit disappointed.

In Bruno, Baron Cohen plays the title character, a gay Austrian fashion reporter, who bungles coverage of a fashion show in Milan, is dumped by his boyfriend, and decides to come to America to be a famous movie star. About two-thirds of the movie focuses on Bruno in L.A., interviewing the likes of Paula Abdul, adopting an African baby, appearing on the TV show Medium, and basically being Bruno. There are some humorous things, but some of it feels fake/staged (like the Medium stuff), and that's just lame. It's not really until more than halfway through the movie when Bruno goes to Alabama and starts interacting with "real people" that the film reaches the level of Borat greatness.

Of course, if you've been watching the massive publicity blitz that Baron Cohen has been doing, both in and out of character, and you've seen the trailer and other clips, then you've already heard a lot of the better jokes. Which is alright, because there's some pretty wild stuff — definitely not for the homophobic at heart — that will surprise and amuse. Still, whereas Borat felt "real" and like a mockumentary, and found great humor in the interactions between Borat and his unsuspecting interviewees, Bruno feels more like an improvisational comedy where the star is trying too hard. In short, the novelty just isn't there this time. Bruno is a short movie — it runs just under 90 minutes — and it'd be nice to say a little goes a long way, but in this case, it's probably just enough. I'm going to give this one a B.

It Never Lets Me Down

I say it every time I go there, but it's true: Chicago is my kind of town. And my trip over the past few days was definitely one of the best yet. Sure, I do some of the same things whenever I'm in the Windy City (hello, Bean), but I haven't had the same agenda twice. There's always something new and different to do. For example, although I'd been to the Sears Tower — ahem, I mean the Willis Tower — before, this trip I got to experience the Ledge, which you've seen me mention on this blog. Suffice it to say, it didn't disappoint. I mean, it's not like the Ledge is an action-packed thrill ride or anything — in fact, it's kind of just there, with no extra signage or anything — but it is pretty cool, and given that I went on a day with perfect weather, it made for a fun time and some great pictures. That was definitely a highlight of the trip.

Also a highlight was my first trip to the friendly confines of Wrigley Field, where I saw the Cubbies beat the Milwaukee Brewers. It was a much more low-key experience going to a game at Wrigley, which I say because it was an afternoon game and though we had seats in the upper deck (section 516), Andrew and I moved around a bit and were able to sit in various seats in the field box and 100 levels. You can't do something like that at Fenway; there are too many ushers there, and the games are always sold out, with nary an empty seat to be found. Other "new" things for me this trip were a trip down the Chicago River on an architectural boat tour, experiencing the chaos of the Taste of Chicago, watching the fireworks on Yuntiff (i.e., the night before the holiday, on July 3), and a few trips on the El. And of course, I took plenty of pictures while I was there; you can see them here.

The reason I went out this week, though, was because I was invited to Andrew's wife Rachel's family's beach house on Lake Michigan ... in Michigan City, Indiana (which, I learned after the fact, is not a red state). There are many longstanding traditions at the house, including labeling your plastic cup and not getting another all weekend, the serving of Drunken Salami (i.e., salami that's been marinated for a couple months in Scotch and Russian dressing) and the awarding of a Salami King/Queen, and a great bonfire on the beach with family-bought and family-lit fireworks. It was an awesome time. You know how I feel about being in Boston on the Fourth, but I have to say, sitting there on the beach Saturday night watching all the fireworks going off (not just ours), and having a sing-along with the gang, after eating delicious barbecue, playing some beach volleyball, and watching an amazing sunset, I decided this was a perfect Fourth of July. (Though full disclosure: I had the Boston Pops' "Stars and Stripes Forever" on my iPhone and I played it around the same time they were playing it at the Hatch Shell.) And as if the weekend couldn't get any better, one other tradition is a stop at the local Dairy Queen on the way home. Yum. If you'd like to see pictures of just the Fourth of July weekend, click here (Note: it's a separate album from the other Chicago pics).

And now the vacation is over. As the song says, "Each time I leave, Chicago is / Tuggin my sleeve." True enough. Chicago is one town that never lets me down. I can't wait to go back.

The Coolest Month of the Year

If you didn't already know, July is National Ice Cream Month. According to the International Dairy Foods Association and the International Ice Cream Association, we can thank Ronald Reagan for the distinction. (Seriously.) And, if you're marking your calendar, July 19 (the third Sunday of July) is National Ice Cream Day. So go out and get yourself a cone of your favorite flavor. And before you do, check out this classic NSFW Eddie Murphy skit.

Ain't Nothing Like the Fourth

I don't know where you are right now when you're reading this, but in Boston, it's hard to believe it's July 4 already. Maybe you've heard how awful the weather has been. Rain, chilly temperatures, very little sun. It's enough to make a person flee the city. Judging by the weather, we should probably only be in April, or early May. Definitely not halfway through the summer.

But let's forget all that for a day, shall we? After all, good weather or not, it's July 4th. The Fourth of July. Independence Day. One of my favorite days of the year (after my birthday and Christmas, probably number three). When it comes to July 4th, I'm a very traditional guy. I love barbecues, the Boston Pops, and fireworks (and a Red Sox win would be great too). In fact, few things reliably give me chills of happiness and bring a smile to my face like that moment during the annual Pops concert at the Hatch Shell when the Pops come to the end of "Stars and Stripes Forever" and the flag unfurls and the confetti flies and the first few fireworks go off. That, to me, is the Fourth of July in a nutshell, and it doesn't get any better than that.

So, no matter where you are today, no matter how good the weather is, I hope you have a very happy Fourth of July, and that come 10:20 p.m. or so (Eastern time), you'll be listening to the Pops do their thing and will enjoy it as much as I do.

What's Good?

Because I see a lot of movies, people often ask me what they should see. Well, it's now halfway through 2009, and so far I've only seen 19 films. (By comparison, last year at this time I had seen 23.) Of those 19, there are four that I've given a grade of A or A– to: Two Lovers, The Girlfriend Experience, Star Trek, and Up. (Last year there were none.) So, next time you're looking for a good rental or trying to decide what to see in the theater, pick one of those four titles.

On the Edge

The Ledge at the Sears Tower in Chicago officially opens today. I totally want to go and check it out. I mean, when you've gone skydiving and taken a trapeze lesson, how scary can it be to stand in a 1.5-inch–thick glass box that's extended out 4.3 feet from the Sears Tower's 103rd floor, 1,353 feet off the ground? If I get to do it, I'll let you know the answer to that question. In the meantime, here's a clip about the Ledge from yesterday's Today Show.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

I've Got Five Years Left

This is going to make my parents sooooo happy.

According to a new study by the National Center for Health Statistics, for most Americans, the probability of being married by age 40 is more than 80 percent. In fact, for men, the likelihood of a first marriage by age 40 is 81 percent (for women, it's 86 percent). And to show that not everyone gets married so early, the study also found that men have only a 50 percent chance of being married for the first time by age 27, and just a 61 percent chance of being married for the first time by age 30. So, despite the common thought that most everyone I know is already married, the opposite may actually be true. It's nice to know I have a lot of company out there, and that like the saying goes, there are still plenty of fish in the sea.

Now, I'm not the kind of single person who sits around bemoaning his singleton status. Far from it. But it's nice to know that even though I'm 35, there's still a great chance that I could still get married before long. My parents needn't give up hope just yet.

Of course, I guess that means I had better start working on finding someone to marry now. Otherwise, I'll be in the other 19 percent.

(For more results from the study, click here.)

Rage Against the Machines

To the Town of Newton:

I realize there's probably no good time to do construction work, but don't you think 7:30 a.m. is a little too early to start using a buzzsaw and a crane and whatever else is being used right outside my window at this too-early-in-the-morning hour? There's pavement being lifted, sidewalk being removed, holes being dug ... and it's making a hell of a lot of noise. And it's not the first time something like this has happened. There've recently been a few days where I've woken up to the very loud whirring of the machines, and there was even a night not too long ago where it was going on past midnight. This work has been going on since March. When will it end???

When I moved to this condo, I realized I was moving near a college and a T stop and that it wouldn't be sooooo quiet. But this is just ridiculous. I'd love it if you could be a little more considerate and respectful of the people who live right here where you're doing this work and schedule it at less intrusive hours.

Thanks.

Sincerely,
Martin

Style, But Not Enough Substance

During the Great Depression, John Dillinger gained national attention for his thrilling bank robberies. Hailed as a modern-day Robin Hood, Dillinger was slick, suave, and cool, and the media, while covering his violent crimes, also augmented his legend. Dillinger took money from the banks, but respected the common people, who were hurting financially. And despite the public's love for his exploits, Dillinger hid from the feds right in plain sight. Michael Mann's Public Enemies details the attempts by FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) to capture Dillinger (Johnny Depp), and romanticizes the high-style life that Dillinger lived and the excitement of his robberies — with Dillinger often leaping over the counter and getting away from police by narrow margins. The movie is elegantly filmed at times, thrillingly told at others, and quite muscular in sound, what with all the heavy gunfire. It even has a heavy dose of authenticity, since much of it was filmed in the same locales the real-life Dillinger had visited.

If only the movie had more dramatic tension. Unlike some of Mann's other films (like Heat and The Insider), the mano-a-mano just isn't as compelling here. Depp, with his charisma, his confidence, and his charm pretty much runs away with the movie, and Bale never quite measures up as a worthy opponent. Even Oscar winner Marion Cotillard feels wasted in the thankless girlfriend role. In addition, there's not enough character development, so as a result, we get to watch some cool robbery scenes, some good chases, and some fun prison breaks, but there's not much more to the film, no real arc that makes us invest more in Dillinger and feel a sense of loss when he does eventually meet his end. I'm only going to give Public Enemies a B, because Depp's always great fun to watch, but it's a crime that this film doesn't really make good on its promise.

Remembering the Time

The truth of the matter is, Michael Jackson hadn't released a truly great album since Bad. But then again, after you've put out a masterpiece like Thriller, where else is there to go but down? Still, it's hard to deny that MJ put out some damned good songs when he was in his prime. I mean, "Rock with You," "PYT," "Wanna Be Startin' Something," "Billie Jean," "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Man in the Mirror," "Human Nature," "Smooth Criminal," etc. One hit after another. And that's not even touching the Jackson 5 classics. The guy was just great and all those songs stand the test of time.

I remember when I first became a Michael Jackson fan. Like many people my age, it was in 1982 when I first heard Thriller (on cassette). I wanted to be just like Michael, and I remember pestering my parents to buy me a replica jacket of the red leather one Michael wore in the "Thriller" video. (They never did give in.) How many times did I practice moonwalking back then? How cool did I think Alfonso Ribeiro was for starring in that Pepsi commercial with Michael? Did I maybe wear my sweatshirt with an iron-on Thriller cover on it too often? I'll tell you, I took a lot of grief from my classmates for liking Michael as much as I did back then. In 1995, when I was interning at Advertising Age in New York, I was there at the press conference where Michael helped announce the nominees for MTV's Video Music Awards. It was one of the highlights of that summer.

My affinity for the man may have waned over the years, but my love of his music has remained constant. In fact, I've long kept a Michael Jackson mix on my iPod or my iPhone for those moments when the mood strikes, and it does often.

It's such a shame that Michael's later years were so bizarre because they really tarnished how people saw him, and how he'll be remembered by the majority. Tonight I'm mourning Michael's premature death by putting his songs on an endless loop. Thanks, Michael, for hours and hours of musical pleasure.

A Fine Romance

No doubt the title of the new film (500) Days of Summer (which hits theaters in mid-July) has to sound like a bit of a fantasy for all of us here in Boston, where it's been a pretty bad summer so far weather-wise, what with the rain and cooler temperatures that have lasted into late June. The tough news to share is that this movie does not offer sunshine and warmth; it's actually a bit of a cold shoulder. But the good news is that should the weather stay miserable, (500) Days offers a decent alternative to walking around town with an umbrella.

In the film, Tom is a hopeless romantic who believes in love at first sight, destiny, and all that stuff. He even has the hopelessly cheesy job of writing greeting cards for a living. But he's played by indie film fave Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Lookout), so I guess that actually makes him pretty cool (or at least it's supposed to). When Tom sees Summer (played by another favorite of the indie film crowd, Zooey Deschanel), he is instantly smitten. Of course he is — Summer is adorable. And despite the fact that she informs Tom that she does not believe in love and prefers to be single, he pursues her anyway. Then one day, totally out of the blue, Summer kisses Tom. And over the next year and a half, the two bond and become something resembling a couple (at least in his eyes). We see in the film's opening scene that the two eventually break up, a development that leaves Tom devastated. Will he ever get over the girl of his dreams? Does he still believe in love and destiny?

(500) Days is a romantic film for those who don't like romantic films. It has a decidedly hipster/indie feel to it that starts with the two leads and continues through the disjointed timeline, the soundtrack (which features the Smiths, Feist, and Regina Spektor, among other folks), and the less than romantic plot trajectory. Which is not to say the film doesn't dabble in cheese every now and then (especially in a scene the morning after the couple has done the deed, where Tom hears Hall & Oates, dances in the street with strangers, and sees cartoon birds), but it's pretty far away from, say, He's Just Not That Into You and films of that ilk. Also to the film's credit is the fact that Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel both give winning performances and make an attractive couple. They ground the film in honest, cool reality, giving it a welcome authenticity that's a nice change from conventional, mainstream romances.

Still, (500) Days does feel a little too proud of its hipster-ness, and watching the movie, surrounded by young twentysomethings as I was, I felt like I may have been a little too old to really and truly enjoy it to the full extent. So that's why, when the lights came up, I decided to only give the film a B — which means the film is good, but it's not the instant classic it so wants to be.

iLove It

It's official: I'm in love. Oh, don't act so surprised. You had to see this coming. After all, a person doesn't wait three hours for something he's going to dislike. Yes, that's right, I love my new iPhone. I love how nice it looks. I love how fun it is. I love how convenient it is to check email on the go. I love the seemingly unlimited battery life (at least compared to my old lame-ass Motorola phone). I love being able to take spur-of-the-moment videos. I really love listening to and watching baseball games live, thanks to the MLB At Bat app. I love having more memory capacity than I know what to do with. I love checking Facebook whenever and wherever I am, and updating my status accordingly. I love most everything about the iPhone 3GS, and I'm baffled as to how I was able to live without an iPhone for so long. Just about the only thing I hate about the thing is how it's turning me very quickly into that guy — the one who stands there on a movie line or when he has nothing better to do and just plays or checks his messages or whatever. Wasn't I always able to amuse myself just fine before I had an iPhone, and didn't I mock people like that?

Jeez, you'd think the iPhone had just come out the way I've been going on about it the past few days. Yes, I know it's been around for two years and I'm for sure not the first person to get one. I'm late to the party, and it's not the first time. But so what if it took me a while? I love having an iPhone, so I'm going a bit overboard here. Don't mind me. I'm just a man in love.

2.5 Years and 3 Hours Later

I remember the first time I learned about the iPhone. It was January 2007 and I was in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show in the press room. Details about the new Apple device, which was not actually on display there in Vegas, spread like wildfire, and just like that, everything else at CES was rendered insignificant. But as much as I wanted an iPhone when they hit stores that summer, I knew I should wait for the second version.

Last summer, my family gave me an iPod Touch for my birthday, and I returned it because I wanted one of the new second generation iPhones, which had just hit stores. But then I heard that a higher-capacity version would be out around the holidays, so I decided to wait a little longer. Obviously, that rumor didn't come true, and at that point, I had waited long enough so I decided to wait six more months for the third-generation iPhone.

All year long I waited for news of the announcement. And as the Worldwide Developers Conference approached, reading the Unofficial Apple Weblog became a daily habit. I'd even go to various Apple stores to check some of the things I heard, but the salesfolks always kept mum. Suffice it to say, when it was announced two weeks ago that the iPhone 3GS would go on sale on June 19, I blocked that night on my calendar so I could go to the Apple Store and finally get my iPhone.

Let's cut to the chase. After work on Friday night, after getting shut out at the Chestnut Hill store (because I didn't pre-order my phone in time) and learning via phone that I'd be no more successful at the Cambridgeside Galleria, I headed down to the Apple Store on Boylston St., where I was told they had an almost unlimited supply of phones. I got there at 6:50 p.m. and got in line outside the store. Lindsay, one of the friendly and enthusiastic greeters, came by with water, granola bars, and candy for us, and then she hung around to answer any questions we had. People on the street, a surprising number of clueless ones, would stop to ask what the line was for. And then, at 7:20, I went in ... and got in another, longer line. Thankfully, I stood behind a guy who already had an iPhone (he was there to get one with his girlfriend), and after telling me about some cool apps that I should get, he gave me a tip on creating my own ringtones for free. Other greeters passed out more water, granola bars, and candy, and hung around to answer questions. Despite the wait, spirits were high all around.

Finally, at 9:05, a salesperson named Elias came over to help me. They say the S in the iPhone 3GS stands for speed, but clearly that speed did not apply to those of us waiting in line. Why did it take so long? Well, it's mostly because Apple's customer service is so good — and I say that without any hint of irony or sarcasm. Elias, like all the other salespeople were doing with other customers, worked with me one-on-one, answering all my questions, showing me any accessories I wanted to see, and walking me through the entire purchasing process. He did this enthusiastically and intelligently, without pressuring me to buy things I didn't need. How he was able to do this with such a positive, patient attitude after working all day I just don't know. But suffice it to say, I was impressed.

After my sale was final, Elias took me upstairs, where a "genius" named Lee helped me activate my phone, set it up, and get it working. Again, he did so with a smile and patience, and didn't make me feel silly for asking some basic things. Whoever is training these Apple retail folks is doing a damned good job. It made the fact that when I finally left the store, I hardly noticed that it was three hours after I had arrived.

Of course, the point of the story is this: The wait is over and I now have an iPhone! Woo hoo! I'm very excited, even if that makes me sound geeky. And so far, it was totally worth it. My iPhone is so fast and cool and I love it. I've already loaded the thing up with music, videos, and a few apps. More of each to come. Woo hoo! Kudos to Apple for creating such a cool-ass device, and for having such great people in the store selling it.

You'll Shoot His Eye Out, Kid

Unlike most people, I actually like jury duty. I just find the whole process fascinating, and there's always a good story to tell when the trial's over. However, until this week, I had never actually had the chance to sit on a jury and deliberate. I came close, in 1996, when I was seated on the panel in a drug entrapment case in New York City. It was really cool, but after sitting through three days of arguments, I was sent home because I was only an alternate. I was totally bummed. So much, in fact, that I called the courthouse the next day to find out what the verdict was (innocent, just as I would have voted).

Three years ago, I was called to Foxborough for jury duty on a random Monday in August and hoped for the best, but, well, it was a random Monday in August, so there were no cases to try and I was sent home. When I received my summons to appear this week in Woburn, I anticipated the same fate. I even sent an email to coworkers telling them that I'd be back on Tuesday. After all, what could possibly be going on in Woburn?

Well, unbeknownst to me, Woburn is now the home of the county's Superior Court, and there are plenty of cases to be tried there, most lasting multiple days. "Luck" was on my side, and when I checked in Monday morning, I was randomly assigned the number one, so I was almost assured of being seated on some case. And by 10 a.m., there I was, seated on the jury of a civil case. More on that later, though.

Surprisingly enough, having jury duty in Woburn is actually quite cool, but it's not without its amusements. For instance, as nice and high tech as the new courthouse building is, they still show that awful 1970s-era orientation film with the fake judge and lawyers, including the one who talks with his hands on his lapels as if to signify that what he's saying is so very important. Then, when the judge told us today that he was recording his instructions for us so we could play it back later, he did so on an old cassette recorder. So, while the building and the court itself may be present-day, some aspects of the operations there are still hopelessly stuck in a time warp.

But on the other hand, it was very impressive dealing with the judge and various court officers, all of whom seemed genuinely interested in the process and treated us with kindness and respect, explaining everything as we went along without being condescending. I don't have a bad thing to say about anyone, and I especially appreciated the judge on our case, who spoke with us for about 20 minutes after the verdict was rendered, to answer any questions we had about the whole process (though not about our case specifically).

Alright, so about that case. First, it was a civil case, not a criminal one, so it had nothing to do with guilty or innocent. Rather, there was a dispute we had to settle. It involved two 16-year-old guys (they're now 21), a BB gun, and a pellet that hit one of them in the eye. (Yes, it was hard not to think of A Christmas Story during the proceedings.) The dispute centered around whose side of the story was more believable: did one guy shoot the other (as the plaintiff said) or did the gun go off while the two were wrestling for it (as the defendant said)? We heard from three witnesses on both sides, some of whom were non-English speakers and needed a translator.

Both sides had a different version of the events, and that made for an interesting case (despite the fact that some of it moved kinda slowly). Suffice it to say, when we got the case for deliberation, we had plenty to discuss. A lively but thorough three-hour discussion later, we had our verdict: we found in favor of the plaintiff, and awarded him damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and "pain and suffering." I suggested that our foreperson remind the defendant that "You'll shoot your eye out, kid," but actually, the defendant was not in the room when the verdict was read — and of course, that would have been totally inappropriate. (And, it should be noted, the defendant did not shoot the other guy's eye out, but the plaintiff did have residual issues with his sight because of the incident.)

During the orientation on Monday, we were told that in 1774, John Adams said, "Representative government and trial by jury are the heart and lungs of liberty." I guess by that measure, you might say that over the past three days, I kept this country alive. Yeah, jury duty's not all bad. You just have to go into it with the right attitude.

Money Train

It's just another day in New York City when the message comes in that a subway car has been taken hostage. And so begins The Taking of Pelham 123, a remake of the 1974 film that starred Walter Matthau. In this update, Denzel Washington is subway dispatcher Walter Garber, and John Travolta is the mastermind behind the crime, a man who identifies himself only as "Ryder." Also in a high-profile role is James Gandolfini, who plays the lame duck mayor and at one point says he won't call a press conference because "I'm not running for president. I left my Giuliani suit at home."

There were moments in this movie where I wished Washington and Travolta had switched roles, and where I wished Gandolfini was less of a caricature and more of a power player. Also, there were times where the plot and characters tried my patience — the kid and his girlfriend on their webcam, for example. But as summer popcorn movies go, Pelham is a fast-moving, effective thriller. Director Tony Scott infuses the movie with an urban feel that doesn't get diluted by the big stars at the center. The film is very New York, and despite that, it's a good time. I'm giving Pelham a solid B.

Chocolate Goodness

There's a certain freedom that comes from knowing that as much as I may want to lose weight, it's more fun to not even try. So that's why when I saw on the Travel Channel or the Food Network or some other channel earlier this year that there was a Chocolate Bar at the Langham Hotel here in Boston, I knew I'd get there sooner or later. Thankfully, Nina felt the same way I did, so we went with her husband today to celebrate my birthday, his birthday, and their anniversary in gluttonous style.

I won't go into great detail about how much I ate, but let's just say I had my fill. The mini whoopie pies were delicious, as was the chocolate croissant bread pudding, marshmallow crunch cup, flourless chocolate cake, s'mores cup ... actually, it was all delicious. Yes, it's true: I had a chocolate crepe stuffed with M&Ms, white chocolate, and Oreo pieces. Yes, I called cotton candy (sprinkled with cocoa powder) a "palate cleanser." Yes, there was a chocolate fountain. No, I did not make my own chocolate bar. And no, I did not eat everything I took on my plate the three times I went up to the buffet; after a while, I was getting stuffed just looking at it. But I feel like I certainly got my money's worth (the whole thing costs a rather high $38 per person).

Clearly, buffets are my weakness. But damn ... how tasty and fun it is to indulge once in a while.