Switching to Tumblr

Hi my friends.  I've gone and switched to tumblr.  All the cool kids are doing it and to be honest after playing with it a bit, I can see why.  It's snazzy and seamlessly works between all the various social media.  So this blog will remain here for history's sake, but from now on you can find me:

HERE: http://kerryannmccombs.tumblr.com/

Andrew Garfield + The Goonies = SWOON

In the new edition of W Magazine my current crush, Andrew Garfield, says this:

"I found The Goonies very inspiring. I identified with every character: Mikey, the leader; Mouth, the trickster; Data, the inventor; and Chunk, this lovely, beautiful, sad, misunderstood, slightly larger kid. The Goonies is boys needing to be boys on their path to manhood. It’s a classic."

And my crush grows.

Saturdays with Hedy Lamarr #42

The Town - Movie Review

Ok, I just don't get it. Why did this movie get so much praise? A 94% Fresh rating on rottentomatoes.com?? Did we watch the same movie? I can't even properly review this, so I'm just going to bullet point it:

• Implausible plot - I'm sorry, but I just didn't believe it.  There is no way that criminals that are supposed to be so good at evading the FBI could be this dumb.
• Terrible acting or overacting - Seriously, what was Jon Hamm thinking?  "Oh I get to NOT be Don Draper so I better chew as much scenery as possible so people can see that I CAN not be Don Draper."  He was laughably bad.  Blake Lively and Jeremy Renner overacted too.  Ben didn't overact, but he didn't act very well.  The best of the whole bunch was the late, great Pete Postlethwaite.
• Cheeseball dialogue - Mainly spewed out by Jon Hamm.  I guess they decided that the cheesiest actor could have the cheesiest lines like this one, "This is the not fucking around crew so get me something that looks like a print because this not fucking around thing is about to go both ways."
• My favorite line in the entire movie?  When Jon Hamm says to Rebecca Hall's character after the lightbulb goes off that she warned Ben Affleck away, "You know we are a NATIONAL organization."  WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN???  So what, she can't fool you guys because you're a NATIONAL organization?  Dumbest line EVER.

So yeah, all in all I thought this film was terrible and I am completely baffled by the attention it got last year. The seeds of a good movie were there...they just didn't pull it off.

Portlandia - Did you read?

Are you watching Portlandia on IFC??? YOU SHOULD BE!

This American Life & SNL Influencing my dreams...

I woke up this morning from the strangest dream.

In the dream I went to a party.  It was at like a bookstore?  There were dark, wooden bookshelves lining all the walls and nooks and crannies with tables and chairs in which to get lost.  As I entered the party I found one nook where Seth Myers from SNL was hanging out with Ira Glass the host This American Life and Jonathan Goldstein, a contributor to This American Life.  I walked into the nook and immediately noticed that Seth was wearing these ridiculous Ed Hardy-like, grafittied jeans.  I smirked at him (because in the dream we were old friends and I was allowed to make fun of him) and said, sarcastically, "Nice pants." He rolled his eyes and said, darkly, "Thanks, Jonathan gave them to me." So I looked at Jonathan with a look that said, "Really?  Really Jonathan? Those are the most ridiculous pants I've ever seen!" At that exact moment, David Rakoff, another This American Life contributor walked up to us and without missing a beat from when Seth said, "Thanks, Jonathan gave them to me," I clapped David on the shoulder and said, "Speaking of Jonathan Goldstein, has everyone read David Rakoff's new book?"  This was apparently the funniest thing in the world for me to say.  Like it was some kind of bizarre inside joke and Ira started busting out laughing, you know in that cute Ira Glass laugh that he has?  In that moment what I had said was totally brilliant and funny and I was the hit of that party.  So in the dream I of course quickly walked away from them before my brilliant and funny moment could be tainted by the next unbrilliant and unfunny moment.

Weird dream, huh?  But when I woke up I felt the brilliant and funny feeling from the dream!  It was good!  I liked that feeling!  I wished I could hold onto it, which is why I immediately scribbled down this dream so I wouldn't forget it.  It sure doesn't retain it's brilliance and humor as I typed it up here.  Oh well, such is the stuff of dreams....

Saturdays with Hedy Lamarr #41

The Best Golden Globes 2011 GIFs

Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield being all cute.

Megan Fox being all scary.

Lea Michelle being all fake.

Mila Kunis and Emma Stone being all wacky.

Chris Colfer being all shocked and kissed by girls.

And finally....RDJ smiling all smarmily at Emma Stone.

(If these don't seem to be working all on the same page, please click each one individually to see the magic.)

Saturdays with Hedy Lamarr #40

The Beauty of Mad Men #20

Season 4, Episode 2, "Christmas Comes But Once a Year"

Subversia - Book Review

Subversia by D.R. Haney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I was lucky enough to meet Duke Haney once at a party at a mutual friend's house in L.A. I remember immediately liking him and after reading this book of his personal essays I now understand why. How could you not like someone who can write about their own life with such honesty and humor and depth? There is no pretension in Duke's stories even though the life he's led would allow for some. Reading this was like talking to Duke at that party. He's just a cool guy, a nice guy, telling you a bit about himself until suddenly you find yourself completely drawn in and fascinated and you want to just let him keep talking, keep entertaining you. As I read this collection, each story I finished became my favorite story. They all feel very immediate even though some take place over twenty years ago. But if I had to choose my favorites I think they would be Cutty Sarked for it's hilarious honesty, That's What I've Been Trying to Tell You for it's tragedy, beautifully expressed and The Right Profile because I myself once had an obsession with Montgomery Clift.

So, thanks Duke. Keep telling your stories. I'll keep reading them.



View all my reviews

Saturdays with Hedy Lamarr #39

Just Kids - Book Review

Just Kids by Patti Smith

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Patti Smith's Just Kids is the best book I read in 2010. It's possibly the best book I've read in the last five years. In telling the story of her relationship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe, Patti illuminates for the world what it means to be an artist, a friend, a lover, and a musician. Not what it means in general, but what it means TO HER. In doing so she tells fascinating, magical, poetic, passionate, charming, heartbreaking, ecstatic, romantic, whimsical, and unbelievable stories of New York City and its eclectic inhabitants, its cherished neighborhoods, and its institutions like Max's Kansas City and the Chelsea Hotel. I can't even begin to say how much I loved this book. I never wanted it to end. I want everyone in the world to read it. And I hope Patti Smith goes on to write more books because I know she has more stories to tell.



View all my reviews

My Top 10 Films of 2010 - Finally

Black Swan - Natalie Portman absolutely deserves the Oscar she will most likely get.

Shutter Island - I think Shutter Island actually did a MUCH better job at what Inception was TRYING to do. If that makes any sense. Plus the art direction and score are phenomenal.

The Kids Are All Right - Annette Bening is getting all the raves for this one, but can we please talk about Julianne Moore? For me her performance was the much more heartbreaking and honest of the two.

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part One - I'm dreading saying goodbye to Harry, Hermione, and Ron. This film has perfectly set us up for the final film and showed us what's really at stake in their world. Oh, and the animation sequence that explained the Deathly Hallows was gorgeous.

True Grit - I didn't care much for No Country For Old Men so was leery about seeing another Coen Brothers film but I'm sure glad I didn't miss this. Roger Deakins is a brilliant cinematographer and this film is like a showcase of everything he can do. And how fantastic was Barry Pepper??? Despite the upper echelon of actors in this film, Barry was able to steal every scene in which he appeared, which was unfortunately too few. And I can't wait to see what that Hailee Steinfeld does next.

The King's Speech - Colin Firth is doing some of the best work of his life. I wanted him to win the Oscar last year for A Single Man. He just might take it this year. What truly amazed me about this film is that director Tom Hooper was able to garner so much tension and anticipation on the simple act of a man giving a speech.

Never Let Me Go - I'm saddened by how much Mark Romanek's film was overlooked by the general public. It's a devastatingly beautiful and intellectually profound piece of art.

Nowhere Boy - Another overlooked gem. Who da thunk that boy from Kick Ass could exhibit a range that would include this searing portrait of the young John Lennon?

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - This is the one movie this year that I've found myself watching over and over and over again. It was practically ignored in the theaters but is destined to be a cult classic on DVD. Funny, clever, rocking. I love it.

The Social Network - Yes, yes Jesse Eisenberg (and his penetrating stare) was excellent in this fine Fincher film, but how about that Andrew Garfield? He was the heart of this heartless story and between his performance in this and in Never Let Me Go, I can't wait to see his Spiderman!

The Beauty of Mad Men #19

Season 4. Episode 10, "Hands and Knees"

Saturdays with Hedy Lamarr #38