Each Thursday (or Friday, since some weeks we seem to be running behind on everything), Needcoffee.com's staff of whackos will wrack our brains to give you interesting and new things to do over the weekend. Books, movies, whatever. We'll throw them out, you do with them what you will. And hey...if you have something you want to recommend--whatever it is--drop us a line.

Incidentally, we've provided links where we can for you to buy the stuff or find out more if you're interested, courtesy of those Amazon types. Hey, come on, we can't be totally selfless in this, can we?

June 7, 2002

Book of the Week: Available Light by Warren Ellis. This time out, a short story story anthology and photo book from the same demented genius who brought you Transmetropolitan and The Authority. Clocking in at three hundred words or less, Ellis takes pictures using his palm device and a digital camera and then uses each pic as a jumping off point for a new whacked-out story. Some are observations, some are relatively "calm" and some are just out and out disturbing. Good Ellis fiction--just like Mom used to make.

Graphic Novel of the Week: Berlin: City of Stones by Jason Lutes. For those people who like good historical graphic novels, then there's nothing better than Berlin. Set in the late 1920's as the Third Reich begins to assert itself on the German landscape, it shows the affect of the time on an individual level, as characters move about in an increasingly dangerous new world. Solid and at times quietly heartbreaking, it's choice.

DVD of the Week: Cappadonna's Iron Fist Pillage. The film that made "I just kicked your ass with a bucket" the most underrated pseudo-catchphrase of 2001. Basically Cappadonna of the Wu-Tang got some buddies together and they decided to overdub a really bad kung fu flick. Completely insane and out of control, any fan of the action genre will enjoy hearing Asian hand-to-hand combatants ordering each other to "step off". It's a downright hoot.

CD of the Week: Lightning Seeds' Cloudcuckooland. An oldie but a goodie. Miss Ian Broudie, of Echo & the Bunnymen. Check out this collection of tunes and soothe your New Wave cravings. Catchy without being bubblegum pop, Cloudcuckooland might not make you think, but you just might be grateful for that.

Beverage of the Week: Darjeeling. A prince among black teas, often called "the champagne of teas." Try this relatively rare tea from the Indian Himalayas--amber-colored and full-bodied with floral high notes. A delightful change from the brasher Earl Grey, but not so refined that it loses character.

Zine of the Week: Elements and Seasons. Created by JayLene Seeley, this zine is one of Dindrane's favorite zines ever. It's a truly inspired and rich art zine, filled with practical advice, inspiration, and motivation. While her ostensible focus is art journaling, Seeley includes all kinds of other ideas, such as beaded art dolls, home decor projects, found object frames, all manner of things, especially outsider art. If you're looking for something to spark your creative impulses and get your artistic juices flowing, look no further.