I got home early last night and had time to watch a DVD for the first time in months. I watched The Illusionist, starring Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti and Jessica Biel. I admit, I'm behind the times. This DVD has been sitting at my house for quite some time, just waiting to be watched. I actually had no idea whatsoever what this film was about, which is my preferred way of entering into a movie. I didn't even know who was in it, so I was pleasantly surprised by the cast, especially Norton, who I always enjoy watching. I found this turn of the century period piece, set in Vienna, to be quite captivating and original. Directed by virtual newcomer Neil Burger (he's directed one other unknown film) and shot on a budget well under $20M, the film went on to gross over $80M worldwide and garner an Oscar nomination for cinematography. For those of you who have also seen the film, I did actually figure out what was going on about 30 minutes before it was revealed which is unusual for me. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed the film and highly recommend it.

Talk of The Illusionist brings up another question for me. Are we still allowed to say "turn of the century" when referring to the 19th-20th century change? Truthfully, wouldn't the last turn of the century be the one that happened 8 years ago, from the 20th-21st century?

The song for the day is "I'll Be You" by The Replacements off their 1989 release Don't Tell a Soul. This album marks a change for the college/punk rock band from non-traditional to more mainstream and commercial (although they were never very commercially successful). I bought this CD not long after I graduated from high school at a time when I was becoming less interested in the hugely commercial pop-rock acts from the 80s. I was more interested in hearing things everyone else wasn't listening to, and the Replacements were certainly that.