Milk [Movie Review]

For many, the new Harvey Milk biopic has been a long time coming. As the first openly gay politician ever elected to major office in the United States, and the victim of an untimely assassination, Milk's life story is both inspiring and tragic.

Sean Penn doesn't just bare an eerie physical resemblance to the civil rights figure, but becomes him in every sense of the word. The transformation is incredible. But Penn offers up only one of the stellar performances in the film.

Josh Brolin plays Dan White, Milk's killer, with surprising empathy, and James Franco and Diego Luna do their real life counterparts immeasurable justice. But it is Emile Hirsch who really stands out as the best performance in the supporting cast. His portrayal of Cleve Jones is so entertaining, he comes close to outshining nearly anyone sharing a scene with him, except Penn himself.

Visionary Director Gus Van Sant was the right man for this job. The cinematography is breathtaking. The music is a perfect fit. And Van Sant's technique of blending archival footage with his own shots is so seamless it is often hard to tell if you are looking at the actors or historical figures.

I'd be hard-pressed to imagine an Oscar nomination lineup that didn't include nods for Milk in atelast the Best Ensemble Cast, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories.

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Somnio's [Restaurant Review]

Somnio's Cafe is an inconspicuous little eatery on S. First. Blink and you'll miss the single room cafe, quietly tucked away next to Flashback Vintage, but take one bite of their inventive and earth-friendly fusion cuisine, and you will not soon forget.

The locally owned restaurant serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. The menu is very limited, but the handful of tempting appetizers and entrees all seem to pack a punch.

First, we tried the mushroom stuffed avocado appetizer, which was breaded and fried and covered in queso fresco and pecans. It was hearty and delicious. I would have been satisfied with the delicious dish as the main course.

Next, it was entree time. I opted for Nynavae's tacos, which were stuffed with fried mushroom fritters and an Asian slaw. The tacos were incredibly delicious, but I kind of wish I had opted for another item, because the tacos bared such a strong resemblance to our appetizer.

My friend and dining companion opted for the Mediterranean quesadillas. Stuffed with eggplant caponata and mozzarella, they were a yummy choice indeed.

We both were served a cup of the pumpkin soup. It was a strong orange color, topped with pumpkin seed garnish, rich and earthy with a hint of sweetness.

The menu at Somnio's is largely local and organic, and extremely vegetarian friendly.

The ambiance is cozy and low-key, but the food is vibrant and sensuous.

I'll definitely be back to try the brunch.

The other cupcake joint in town

Sugar Mama's Bakeshop: try it, you'll like it.

The new bakeshop on S. First st. is family owned and operated, and specializes in a diverse range of flavorful cupcake concoctions. The neon cupcake sign is less attention-grabbing than the giant cupcake-topped airstream on S Congress, but it packs just as much of a punch.

The cupcakes are not huge. But what they lack in size they certainly make up for in flavor and affordability.

I chose the German chocolate, which proved to be a delicious and decadent choice, though my friend's Hula (coconut with coconut cream cheese icing) was equally tasty.

Sugar Mama's also cooks up dessert bars, cookies, vegan specialties and other treats daily.

Andrew Bird announces tour dates

In support of his upcoming album, Noble Beast, Andrew Bird has announced the first leg of tour dates for 2009. And lucky for Austinites, this announcement includes a show at the Paramount.
Here's a list of the US dates.

28-Jan	CARNEGIE HALL	NEW YORK
30-Jan	THE ORPHEUM THEATRE	BOSTON
3-Feb	CLUB 9:30	WASHINGTON DC
4-Feb	THE VARIETY PLAYHOUSE	ATLANTA
6-Feb	THE PLAZA THEATRE	ORLANDO
7-Feb	HOUSE OF BLUES	NEW ORLEANS
12-Feb	THE PARAMOUNT THEATER	AUSTIN
13-Feb	THE EL REY THEATRE	ALBUQUERQUE
14-Feb	THE RIALTO THEATER	TUCSON
18-Feb	THE ORPHEUM THEATRE	LOS ANGELES
19-Feb	THE FILLMORE	SAN FRANCISCO
20-Feb	THE FILLMORE	SAN FRANCISCO
21-Feb	THE ROSELAND THEATER	PORTLAND
23-Feb	THE MOORE THEATER	SEATTLE
24-Feb	THE KNITTING FACTORY	BOISE
25-Feb	THE MURRAY THEATER	MURRAY
26-Feb	THE OGDEN THEATER	DENVER
27-Feb	SLOWDOWN	OMAHA

Noble Beast will be available in the US on Fat Possum records January 20th.

2 Minutes of the LOST Season Premiere

ABC has released a two minute clip from the season five premiere of LOST. The episode, titled "Because you left" features Kate getting an unwelcome visit from some blood thirsty lawyers. Check it out, below:



Let's hope that this season will finally carry some answers, after all the series is winding down.

"Because you left" airs January 21st.

Hilltop Views Newsroom Tour

For my video blog this week, I thought I'd give you all an inside look at the Hilltop Views newsroom. See where our University's newspaper is produced, and meet some of the dedicated and serious staff. I look forward to hearing your comments after you take this exhilarating tour.

Ginger Spice makes an ass of herself

The classy folks over at TMZ have released this photo of Ginger Spice aka Geri Halliwell sporting a buttocks-bearing dress at an English children's award show.

Looks like someone could use a mirror, or at least a perceptive friend, to look out for this kind of thing before skirting off down the red carpet.

I would love to be a fly on the wall to witness when Halliwell was made aware of the blunder. Next time, wear underpants and it wont be such a big deal.