Matt Soniak
Our own Mutter Museum inspired science writer Carl Zimmer to meet and write about people who suffer from a rare and scary illness that causes extra bone growth. How rare? Zimmer explains on his blog:
Mike Bertha
Okay, so, Hanson probably hasn't been on your radar recently unless you're a big fan of their Christmas album (and, really, who isn't?) or you're one of those crazy fan girls who runs around trying to convince everyone that their new stuff isn't that bad (really, it's not).
Matt Soniak
Brad Carter has Parkinson's Disease. Brad Carter likes to play guitar. The former makes the latter, among other things, pretty difficult. So Brad had surgery and got a pacemaker implanted in his head to alleviate his tremors and treat his condition.
Gabrielle Bonghi, Philly.com
I guess dogs and cats do get along–when a teeth cleaning is involved.
Mike Bertha
Who'd have thought that the threshold between adolescence and actual, full-blown adulthood would feature so much ramen and so few weekends in the Hamptons? #FirstWorldProblems
Later, an embarrassing performance at a grown up dinner party leads Frances on a spontaneous and lonely trip to Europe and, subsequently, a desperate and lonely return to school. Where will she live? What will she do? Who will she love? Frances meanders through this time in her life so focused on the answers to these mysteries that she's hardly able to live the questions.
The film is not an episode of Girls. Sure, all of the similarities are there. Non-romantic, co-ed living arrangements, post-grad disillusionment, a female protagonist frolicking about New York City in chase of vague, artistic ambition. There's even the obligatory "self-wallowing in the bathtub" scene. The difference, though, is that Frances Ha director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Greenberg) manages to capture the listless existence of the Millenial poet without relying on the hyperbolic ingestion of illegal narcotics and the gratuitous use of the "abandoned warehouse rave" setting. He emphasizes the crippling worry, faux confidence, panging self-doubt, and the unknown abyss that punctuate the mid-to-late 20s for the Millennial generation.
In one Frances Ha scene, Adam Driver's Lev goes to get in the shower and walks between Frances and Sophie while wearing only a towel.
In doing so, he personifies what Lena Dunham does so blatantly and deserpately tries to accomplish with Girls. It's a literal, but subtle, commentary on the Millennial existence. It doesn't take a sexual deviant, a cultural nomad, a virgin who accidentally smokes crack, and a socially-abrupt, over-dramatic aspiring blogger poking her friends with stick (metphor!) to demonstrate the difficulty of growing up in modern society.
With Frances Ha, Baumbach, Gerwig and company demonstrate the egocentric nature of twentysomethings and rival the relevance of Girls, but do wo without the off-putting masturbation scenes, heightened insufferability, and trendy soundtrack.
Hopefully it means that we can stop referring to Greta Gerwig as "The Other Roommate (Not the Gay One) From No Strings Attached. No, Not Friends with Benefits. The One With Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher."
Also, the black and white was a nice touch.
On a scale of The Hangover Part III to The Shawshank Redemption, Frances Ha is an 8.5. It should be required viewing for anyone with an opinion on Girls.
Mike Bertha
If you haven't already seen The Hangover Part III, imagine what it would be like to watch The Hangover Part II for the third time and you only laugh once. Add non-speaking cameo from Jax Teller and a bland appearance by John Goodman. Congratulations, you just saved $13.
Mike Bertha
A while back, we mentioned that there was this new "Bang With Friends" app that allowed you to sort through your Facebook friends, sorting them as hot or not. Essentially, the app allows you to anonymously select which of your friends you'd like to sex up and then sends you an email if they want to sex you up. Easy enough, right?
Mike Bertha
With the return of Arrested Development just 40 hours away, you can get your Bluth family fix today by watching this wonderful video mashup featuring clips from The Godfather. Watch as Michael Corleone and company discuss the intracacies of the mafia business while Ron Howard narrates as though they're the Bluths. The similarities are pretty glaring, though I doubt the Corleones ever owned a stair car. [h/t NY Mag]
Mike Bertha
K-Mart has been straight killin' in with the Internet commercials recently. Earlier this year they lit the Internet on fire with their "ship my pants" campaign. Now, the puns and hilarity continues with their new "big gas savings" ad.
Mike Bertha
Cordell Walker, Texas Ranger, has FINALLY weighed in on the controversial Tim Tebow debate that will never go away, regardless of how marginally terrible the quarterback plays (thanks for everything, ESPN). Yes, the infamous Chuck Norris has taken a break from winning American Idol using only sign language and slamming revolving doors to suggest that Tebow should still get a shot at success in the NFL.
