The Anniversary Party

This is a star-studded ensemble cast very much about Hollywood culture of drugs and the difficulty of relationships and loyalty in an increasingly "hollywoodization" of modern society.

Kevin Kline, Phoebe Cates, Gwenyth Paltrow, Jennifer Beals, John C. Reilly and other A-list stars portray hollywood types.

They take "Dolphins" a "name-brand" of ecstasy.

Music is by Sean Penn's brother Michael Penn.  A series of photographs play a small role in the film, and these were taken by Jennifer Beals herself.  In fact, near the end of the film, a fairly overt scene with her manipulating one of the photos along a wall of them, is a kind of nod to her real-life contribution.
Oddly, Phoebe Cates, who after marrying Kevin Kline seemed to have dropped off the hollywood scene, plays in this film with her real-life husband, as the "family" couple with whom the main characters' contrast, also played with Jennifer Jason Leigh in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.  It makes you wonder whether they really did stay in touch all these years?



"Painful truths are revealed at a drug-fueled celebration."  Starring Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Steven Freedman, Calra Demedrano, John Benjamin Hickey, Parker Posey.  Written and directed by Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alan Cumming.  2001.  115 mins.

Garden State

Written and Directed by Zach Braff. "A disaffected actor finds a soulmate in a quirky woman." Starring Zach Braff, Ian Holm, Ron Leibman, Method Man, Natalie Portman, Ann Dowd. 2004. 109 mins.


Clever, smart film depicting genuine human connection within an alienated, self-medicated world. Snide depictions of the "acting world" of L.A. within a world of anti-depressants, overnight millionaires, illicit drugs, and an underground economy is all part of the insightful character of the script.

Another "smart" thing about the film is the GREAT soundtrack. Zach Braff obviously has really cool taste in music. You know this right off, as the film opens with a quirky yet serious Indian song, (not bollywood, but perhaps even some sort of devotional song) and includes Nick Drake and other moody independent type selections, demonstrating a wide range and tasteful array of musical flavors.

Explorer: Narco State

"The drug war along the Mexican border and its northward advance."

Kidnappings and Human Trafficking rise as the drug cartels increase their activity in Arizona. Much like in Afghanistan and other ares, these practices seem to inveitably follow a drug trafficking activity.

After a fatal shooting in Juarez, the epicenter of the drug war in Mexico, songs about the Narco-corridos play over police radios, a signal from cartels declaring who's responsible- a deadly show of power.

Sicario: a hitman for the Juarez cartel.

Sinaloa Cartel: one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico. 12,000 deaths in the war on drugs.

"Americans love their country, but can only face it if they're stoned, I guess!" Charles Bowden, writer.

Reporting by Lisa Ling

The violence erupted as a result of new President Felipe Calderon who rejected the previous Mafia-like arrangement of previous govenrment corruption and cartel informed "blood is bad for business" to a war against organized crime.

So, I have to ask, will legalizing and regulating the drug trade, like alcohol and tobacco, the way to take the revenue stream away from organized crime.

Fast Food Nation

Dirty food, dirty people, dirty deeds, dirty world.