But things are still quite good.  I started working at the Shrewsbury branch this week.  It's much different there, but I imagined such.  I've had to relearn a lot of stuff, from some of the procedural stuff to simple stuff like where to get treasurer's checks from.  I'm not complaining, though.  The only thing worth complaining about right now is just that the drive is even longer.  I don't have the cash or the patience to find a new place to live, though, so I'll just kick it and save as much up as I can. 

Yes, I noticed that I haven't put any video blogs up in weeks.  I hope that everybody understands that I hardly even have enough time to do a normal post, let alone set up the camera to shoot, capture the video, and then splice it together.  I'd love to, believe me.  I enjoy doing them, I just have more drive to relax and do other stuff with actual PEOPLE on the weekends.  For instance, Greg and I are going to see The Namesake tonight, at Showcase's Cine Art of course.  I feel so cool when I go there now.

Netflix recap!
Here's a few selections from recent Netflix adventures...
This Film Is Not Yet Rated:  Kirby Dick's amazing documentary on the MPAA's ratings process blows the lid off of the super-secret organization, who works for them, and why the movies we see are rated as they are.  The popular question of why it's okay for decapitations onscreen but viewing a naked human body is prohibited is tossed around, but we've heard all of that before.  Where this film gets its most interesting bits from its private investigation of exactly who the members of the ratings board are, and even more revealing, who the ratings appeal board are.  Turns out that the folks with the ultimate say in the appeal of a kiss-of-death NC-17 rating are in fact mostly the owners or higher-ups of major movie theater chains, film production studios, etc.  Even greater is the fact that Kirby Dick manages to reveal all of this in such a way that it's exciting, unlike most documentaries I've seen lately, that just get bogged down halfway through and you begin to lose interest.  Some interviews with NC-17'd directors shed some light on the subject of censorship versus societal standards.  I just expected more from Darren Aronofsky (he was touted as one of the interviewees in just about every review of the film, but if you blink, you'll miss him).  Go check this out if you give a damn about the movie industry, it's cool no matter what you think.  Personally, I loved it. 

Domino:  I love it when I can give a review of a movie and say that I hated it.  This is only the second DVD I've sent back to Netflix without finishing it because I hated it so much (the first was The Warriors, but only because the "special edition" obviously ruined the original version).  I didn't really think I'd like this one when it came out, and I should have trusted my gut.  But I just HAD to get it because I am infatuated with Keira Knightley.  I figured that a movie about her as a bounty hunter in LA would have been pretty good, but as it turned out, Tony Scott got all the BAD genes that his brother Ridley didn't, and turned this into a frenetic piece of stylized MTV crap.  It's too bad, because it would have been a halfway decent movie plot-wise, and Mickey Rourke seemed to turn into this huge friggin' guy since the early 90's.  Yeah, I saw Sin City, but he was in makeup... I didn't think that he really bulked up like that.  Anyway, total crap this one and that's too bad.

Withnail and I:  Sarah suggested this British comedy about a couple of drunken out-of-work actors going on a terrible weekend holiday.  As is her style, it's just this side of weird and cool, and it features some outstanding writing, a great performance from Richard E. Grant (who is only famous in the UK, even I don't know who he is), and a nifty soundtrack of classic tunes circa 1969.  Great cult-fodder, Seda Puda strikes again.

LOST, Season One:  I've heard many times over that I should watch this show.  I didn't start watching when it debuted (I never watch network TV these days anyway), and I knew I'd be confused if I jumped right in.  It was Darryl who put me over the edge.  I haven't been disappointed so far.  The show's pilot is two hours of absolutely genius writing by JJ Abrams.  Every episode is filled with suspense, shot beautifully, and the cast is 100% committed.  Immediately after I finished the pilot I upgraded my Netflix account so I could have two discs at a time, therefore not missing out.  I'm only four episodes in, but I'm already hooked.   24 is also in the queue, and once Heroes hits DVD that's going in, too.

Last week was the wrestling show I was talking about.  Dave and his pals put on a really good show, regardless of being North Brookfield High School.  Even amongst the rest of the World of Hurt gang, Dave is the biggest of them all, and his moves and stuff were impressive.  It was a good time, and it was great to see the old Hannaford gang.  It was also great to see Chief Tomasian get the pinfall in the six-man tag match. 

Other than that, not much has been going on.  Work is still going well, and I'm still at the Main Street branch right now.  I'm kind of hoping I get to stay there for good, but only time will tell.  I had intended to go out and see a Sharks game last night, but we got snow again.  I'm sick of getting the snow at the most inopportune times possible.  Especially after getting nice weather for most of the work week.  I would have had a neat weekend if things had been nicer.  Sheesh.  Check back during the week, I might have a better update or two to come.  :P

866-NEON-BIBLE
Last week I picked up The Arcade Fire's new album, Neon Bible, immediately upon its release.  I fell in love with these guys when Funeral started to gain steam, when David Bowie and David Byrne were talking about them, when the Internet started to buzz.  Funeral was about death, loss, and sorrow - but just as much as it was about life, love, and hope.  It's a CD that's seemingly impossible not to enjoy from beginning to end, and the band's members are just as intriguing as their intricate and complex sounds.  Needless to say, I was looking forward to Neon Bible for a long time, and it didn't disappoint.  In many ways, it manages to exceed what the original accomplished, although at times it lacks that theme of hope that struck up an emotional chord in me and many others.  But it makes just as much sense this time around.  To paraphrase a very interesting review in the Boston Phoenix Entertainment Guide, where Funeral was about youth and naivete, Neon Bible is about growing up - and sucking it up.  You can't go out swinging on the powerlines when the snow causes a blackout.  You can't sit in the backseat forever.  As devoted a fan as I am, I agree, and it's great that these guys acknowledge it.  The best example I can think of from the new album is on "Black Wave/Bad Vibrations."  The song starts out as an optimistic, almost 80's-pop jingle in which Regine Chassagne sings about running to the sea, where the shadows fear the sun.  Hell, singing half the lyrics in French are okay there, too.  Then, without warning, Win Butler charges in and the song suddenly becomes a reality check, warning that "nothing lasts forever" and of a "big black wave in the middle of the sea."  The song sums up the duality of the albums, but does so in a way that makes sense.  It's not like these guys did a 180, they just came to an epiphany of sorts.  That's what happens when you decide to record most of your album in an old church in Montreal in the winter.

The best advances here, though, are instrumental.  Additions to Arcade Fire's vast musical arsenal include a pipe organ, which adds urgency and the fear of God into "Intervention" and "My Body Is a Cage."  Extra strings are added to a lot of the tracks, giving the beautiful Sarah Neufeld some serious backup.  Richard Reed Parry, who's been one of the most instrumentally-gifted bandmembers, seems to have himself a new synthesizer.  There's also some appearances by horns, like on "Ocean of Noise" and the new version of "No Cars Go."  Speaking of which, the original EP version was simple, but seemed destined for greatness.  After becoming a live staple, it gets the full-on treatment and is the album's crowning achievement, and perhaps the best track they've recorded so far.  It all goes on to compliment what already made them great.  Win's lyrics are just as good this time around, and his humble and honest voice conveys just as much power as the whole band's crescendos.  There's still no better feeling than when you hear Regine's voice emerge through the mix.  Her urgent shout of "GO!" with Sarah on "No Cars Go" gets me every time.  And where "In the Backseat" was like hitting a wall of pure sound at the end of Funeral, "My Body is a Cage" sends this album out as if going up an escalator to Heaven. 

Did you like Funeral?  Then stop wasting your time and get Neon Bible.

THIS!  IS!  SPARTA!
Tuesday night, Greg and I saw 300, the film adaptation of Frank Miller's comic adaptation of the Battle of Thermopylae.  I love those sword-and-sandal stories like Troy and Gladiator.  I love the big battles and even bigger characters.  I love to hear people say stuff that's absolutely outrageous to say, but in ancient times it's obvious people spoke like that, so it's okay.  I loved it, but having read the story, I knew where all of the best plot points would come.  But it's been fleshed out not only to play over two hours (the comic series can be read in a half an hour) but to try to add some depth.  The subplot that involves the Spartan queen trying to send reinforcements to the battle was thrown in simply to get some politics in there.  I almost would have said that it ruined the movie, but its payoff is somewhat satisfying. 

The main focus of 300, for me at least, was the incredibly faithful adaptation of the visuals.  Like Robert Rodriguez did with Sin City, Zack Snyder essentially uses the book as his storyboard.  Some of my favorite images from the story were brought to life with startling accuracy.  Of course, the film was done in front of blue screens with the background added later, giving even more time to work on the costumes and props.  What you get is incredible, although at times the level of violence gets to be pretty ridiculous.  But that's Miller for you.  And Gerard Butler is destined for movie glory after playing King Leonidas equal parts human and super-human.  I know that sounds silly, but the guy is great.  He obviously loves the source material and he was the perfect choice for the role.  Of course, his Scottish accent was sort of awkward, but I think Scottish people are cool and it made him more Braveheart-esque to me.  Also, Butler is a supporter of Celtic FC, my favorite Scottish soccer team.  There's one for the Old Firm.

If you wanna know about another comic-turned movie that I'm hoping to see soon, read up on the adaptation of Alan Moore's Watchmen.  It's been in development hell forever, and has had the likes of Terry Gilliam and Darren Aronofsky attached to direct it at different times.  Snyder is expected to be the next man in the director's chair and apparently he's not only ready to do it, but Butler will be in the cast in some shape or form as well.  By the looks of him, I'd say he might be capable of playing Ozymandius.  But enough of my geekiness.

And one more thing...
Don't forget to hit up the North Brookfield High School gym on Saturday night for the big wrestling show that good old Danger Dave DeJohn is putting together.  I'll be there, so gimme a holler.

It's good, though.  I've been enjoying the Commerce Bank experience so far.  The last three days I've been shadowing and helping out at the branch at Main St. in Worcester, which is downstairs in the bank headquarters.  Everyone is fun to work with and there really is never a dull moment.  Not to mention that a bank is a pretty cool place to work in.  Who wouldn't want to work in a bank?  Really, it's cool!  You know that you've always wanted to see what it's like on the inside, and it doesn't disappoint.  The only crummy thing about it in my position is the fact that I'm going to be bouncing around from one branch to another, so just when I get used to things at one, I might have to move on to another.  But hey, things could be worse.

And I still go to the movies
Greg and I checked out The Good German last night, Steven Soderberg's latest George Clooney movie.  The cool thing about the film is that it's done in the style of old black and white World War II dramas like Casablanca, right down to the melodramatic score and rear projection car scenes, but with very modern dialogue and content.  For the first half, it is a strange marriage that needs some time to get used to, but the story soon takes control and you get sucked in.  It's a cool flick and worth seeing... especially now that it's up at Showcase North's Cine Art.

I forgot to mention Little Miss Sunshine when I saw it thanks to Netflix, but Mom got it on In Demand last night and flipped for it.  I'm watching it again right now and enjoying all of its Oscar-winning goodness.  Mom pointed out how real the interaction of the characters is, and it's hard not to get realism from such a good cast.  Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette already have great chemistry from some HBO movie that came out a few years ago, and Steve Carrell, Oscar winner Alan Arkin, and the adorable Abigail Breslin are all incredibly natural.  There's plenty of movies coming out these days that try to be like this, but Little Miss Sunshine got right.  One of Hollywood's true success stories of 2006.