...and they just keep tick tock ticking away

January 15, 2003 @ 3:09 p.m.

Yesterday, as a reward for the utterly retarded 'interview' I had on Monday I went to see 25th Hour, the new Ed Norton/Spike Lee film. I suppose I should explain the full retardedness of Monday. Last Thursday I had an interview up in Westminster at a marketing company. they said they do alternative advertising, talk directly to the people, etc etc. I suppose if i wasn't so desperate for a job I might've been able to see what was going on. Later that night they called and said they wanted me back for a second interview, where instead of sitting in a chair, I'd be shadowing someone from about 11:30 to 8pm. A long day, yes, but I figured it would definitely give me a good look at the company. I got there a little early, and a couple people were already there. The second interview wasn't too exclusive, as there were around 10 people there by the time things got organized. People were called into offices and sent off with employees one or two at a time. When I left it was with a way too excited Kevin, a 'first real day' employee Brian and another interviewee Lindsey. About five minutes into the drive, I knew i was in trouble. Kevin pulled out their advertising... coupon books. The job was to go door to door selling coupon books. ten minutes down... another eight hours to go. that however, is not all. It is set up as multi-level marketing. You work your way up a chain, and as you go you develop a 'team' beneath you that sells the books. The seller receives some money for each book they sell, and the people above them receive a smaller amount the higher you go. As you get higher up, you have more people below you and earn more and more money. It's a legal pyramid scheme... that's right a fucking pyramid scheme (this one is legal b/c you don't have to buy the product before you sell it). The four of us walked around a neighborhood three times, knocking on each door that no one had answered before, selling these stupid coupon books. The only benefit was the fact that Lindsay, the other interviewee was attractive and had a very nice ass (she used to be a dancer and a cheerleader, which probably explains that). She wasn't the smartest monkey in the treehouse however. She had dropped out of college a couple of times. At one point had worked at hooters, which doesn't make you stupid by itself, but the fact that the 'best part of the job' was the tiny shorts, you have to wonder a little (and in case you're wondering, which i know all of you are, she did not have the usual endowments of a hooters waitress, at least they're equal opportunity employers). So... that was Monday. Now on to the movie.

25th Hour is definitely one of the best movies i've seen in a while, and i've seen some good ones lately (adaptation comes to mind). The direction is incredible... Spike Lee deserves an award for this, no doubt in my mind. In case you haven't seen a preview, Ed Norton is going to jail the next day for seven years, the setting is post-9/11 NYC. I'll just list a few things about it, since i don't want to give too much away.

-you *will* cry, especially if you do or have lived in NYC recently. Hell, the opening credits almost got me. That definitely has something to do with the music there.

-ed norton is not the only good actor in the film... phillip seymour hoffman, anna paquin, brian cox & barry pepper aren't exactly slouches.

-however, ed norton is probably the best actor in the film, from the opening scene you can tell he's a hard nosed bastard that you're going to like.

-Anna paquin is super hot. I don't feel too creepy for saying that, since she is 20 or 21, but i sort of do since I remember her winning an oscar as an 11 year old.

-you get to see part of the gay coffee shop i worked at, The Big Cup. When Norton is going on a rant (you'll know what i'm talking about if you see it) and mentions chelsea boys, while they're on screen you can see red doors that lead to a basement and the bottom of a store front with big windows and red trim between them... that's the Big Cup. You can't see a lot of the store, but it's the only bright red thing at that point.

-You kind of have to be a music nerd/old school hip-hop fan to notice it... but it's kind of ironic (and maybe intentional?) that the main song played during the club scene and the TV commercial is Grandmaster Flash's "White Lines (Don't Do It)."

what couldn't be + what shouldn't be