Allow me for a moment, if you will, to wax rhapsodic about one of my favorite literary organizations, that being McSweeney’s. Every quarter McSweeney’s publishes their Quarterly Concerns, which is not only one of the coolest literary magazines imaginable, and the design of the magazine is often as amazing and fascinating as the works contained within it. McSweeney’s also publishes books from obscure and long forgotten authors, as well as works from widely read and respected modern authors, often times selling these works for ridiculously cheap prices (it is not uncommon that once a month a book be reduced to $.01) and often times donating much or all of the proceeds to various charities. McSweeney’s is an organization devoted to the advancement of art and literature and I am proud to give my money to such an esteemed organization.

Several years ago Nick Hornby (of High Fidelity fame) teamed up with several other writers to produce a new semi-monthly magazine from McSweeney’s entitled The Believer. It was filled with reviews and stories and original works and Amy Sedaris giving sex advice by proxy, everything one would want from a literary magazine. The Believer also accomplished two very important things, at least in my little corner of the world. The April ‘06 issue contained an interview with Paul Giamatti that was so fascinating and enjoyable I can safely call it the best interview I have ever had the pleasure of reading. The Etgar Keret interview in the same issue isn’t half bad either. But that was just the beginning, as later I would read their September ‘06 issue, simply referred to as the games issue. The issue was so captivating I have no qualms in naming it the best issue of any magazine I have ever read. Thus knocking off the July of ‘84 issue of Ranger Rick, a feat I previously deemed impossible. (more…)

So the story goes something like this; well respected actor wants to make a movie. He pitches the idea of a quirky working man’s opera to studios and one eventually decides to take a flier on it. Then when the studio views the film, they realize their idea of a working man’s opera is Chicago, when the actor turned director in question had more of a pseudo-musical that emasculates Tony Soprano type of vibe in mind. So the studio, realizing they have no idea how to market the film, promptly shelves it and hopes it will fade into obscurity. The actor/director frustrated that his artistic vision is collecting dust on some warehouse shelf, battles the studio to try to get them to release it. After two years the studio relents and sells the film back to the actor/director, so he can release the film with his own money. So without further ado, I present to you John Turturro’s anti-musical Romance and Cigarettes.

Nick (James Gandolfini) is a New York iron worker married to Kitty (Susan Sarandon) but he is having an affair with Tula (Kate Winslet). When his adulterous behavior is discovered Nick must decide if the pain and monotony of marriage is what his heart truly yearns for. (more…)