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?
November 28, 2003
Book of the Week:
by Chuck Palahniuk. If I tell you we're talking about a travel book regarding Portland, then you'll probably
think I've lost my mind. However, pay attention to the author's name--and suddenly I bet you're all ears. This is
Palahniuk's guide to Portland--yes, the guy who brought you Fight Club. So you know it's not going to be, you know,
a ripoff of Zagat's or anything like that. Instead, you get a revealing look at a city that's so cool you'll go from
wondering why it's even there to wanting to visit it immediately.
Art Book of the Week:
. Ah, Amano. If you're familiar with his work with Gaiman on Sandman: Dream Hunters or his designs for
Vampire Hunter D, then you know that his stuff is amazing. Here you get almost two hundred pages of printwork,
an essay on the artist and a bio as well. Not only do you get the gamut of his career but you also get a book that will
smack any fantasy writer out of writer's block with a vengeance. This stuff's just gorgeous.
Audiobook of the Week:
by Charles Dickens, performed by Jim Dale. For those of you who haven't listened to Dale's performances of the
Harry Potter books, then shame on you. And for those of you in Europe who may only have heard Stephen Fry's take on
them from BBC Audiobooks--we pity you. Now Dale (who's currently in Christmas Carol on Broadway) does a performance
of Dickens' holiday classic with the same mastery of voice that he brought to Rowling. Anybody who likes the story (or
anybody who's sick to death of it, even) will appreciate Dale's interp. Excellent stuff.
Graphic Novel of the Week:
by Stephen Notley. One of the few people in this world who could probably get more pissed off about Jack
Valenti than myself...is Bob the Angry Flower. I am in awe of his ability to fly into a rage at the drop of a hat. I am
also in awe of Notley's ability to consistently create strips about Bob that are hilarious, surreal and wrong. A book of
just Bob strips is enough for anybody, but--overachiever that he is--Notley has included Bob's entire line of tips on punctuation
(actually, they're more threats than tips) and the story Lovebot Conquers All. Worthy.
DVD Boxed Set of the Week:
. This second season boxed set comes fairly stacked and will please any fan of the series. Not only do you get
Jennifer Garner kicking ass and burning out the eyes of most males, but you get every episode of Season 2, four of which
come with commentaries. There are two featurettes, a slew of deleted scenes (also with commentary), a blooper reel and
two scripts on the DVD-ROM side of the house. Six discs will take you through a lot of weekend, to be certain.
DVD of the Week:
. MGM has released a fairly special edition of this fun family flick. You've got not only a really nice
(finally in) widescreen edition, but it looks and sounds sweet. There's an interview with Van Dyke, some short featurettes,
a pretty choice booklet that comes with, as well as some features for the kiddies. Gather the family around and give it
a whirl.
Anime of the Week:Aline Nine Ultimate Collection.
Your sixth grade year never gave you troubles like this. Yuri has just been voted the "alien fighter," in charge of protecting
her school from all manner of crazy monsters who show up to cause grief. And in order to do this, you get to wear this
whacked out alien symbiote with wings on your head. Yeah, it's nuts and weird as hell, but this Central Park Media OVA boxed set will not
disappoint.
Documentary of the Week:
. Hollywood in the 70s. It was a...different place. This docu gets you close in with the people who were there,
making it different. You've got Coppola, Corman, Hopper, Forman, Altman--a nice parade of people to get your information
from. Between the interviews and the clips provided, this Independent Film Channel release is a nice intro to a decade of moviemaking.
Music DVD of the Week:
. If there's one place Gabriel doesn't disappoint--and there are few places that he does, mind you--it's in
his live shows. If you've seen his Secret World Live DVD, then you know exactly what I'm talking about. Building
upon that reputation is this release from Universal Music, featuring a concert shot in May of this year in Milan. Not only do you get tracks
from his latest release, Up, but the songs you would demand like "Red Rain" and "Here Comes the Flood", not to
mention extras like a behind-the-scenes docu and tour photos.
Music DVD of the Week:
. There's just something about a trio of musicians. With three guys you just can't hide. I've been in a band
with four and five people--there's always somebody who can back you up if you screw up--but with a trio, it's always seemed
to be that you simply can't be off your game. Enter Black Nasa, courtesy of Tee Pee Records; from the opening cry of "Holy Crap!" (that's the name of
the song, naturally) to the best single I haven't heard on the radio, "Diamond Girl," they simply set shit on fire while
channeling some tasty Animals-era Floyd. It's so nice to get excited about an album for a change.
Book of the Week:
by Chuck Palahniuk. If I tell you we're talking about a travel book regarding Portland, then you'll probably
think I've lost my mind. However, pay attention to the author's name--and suddenly I bet you're all ears. This is
Palahniuk's guide to Portland--yes, the guy who brought you Fight Club. So you know it's not going to be, you know,
a ripoff of Zagat's or anything like that. Instead, you get a revealing look at a city that's so cool you'll go from
wondering why it's even there to wanting to visit it immediately.
Anime of the Week: Aline Nine Ultimate Collection.
Your sixth grade year never gave you troubles like this. Yuri has just been voted the "alien fighter," in charge of protecting
her school from all manner of crazy monsters who show up to cause grief. And in order to do this, you get to wear this
whacked out alien symbiote with wings on your head. Yeah, it's nuts and weird as hell, but this Central Park Media OVA boxed set will not
disappoint.
