Beth's Must List 4/24

5) The Squid & The Whale
An intelligent, caustic, and moving look at divorce and its effects on a divided New York family. One of my favorite scripts so far this year. Now on DVD.
4) TitanPoker.net
Texas Hold 'Em, while fast becoming culturally cliche, is also one of the greatest card games ever invented. It's simple enough for a casual player to enjoy, while offering incredible complexity and strategy for more serious players (try memorizing equations for pot odds, hand strengths, outs, etc, for starters). Titan, like many sites, offers both free and money games, so you can cut your teeth on practice hands until you're ready to play for real.
3) Gamecube
I took the plunge and bought my own Gamecube, and I'm pretty happy with the decision. You can read about how I finally gave in and acknowledged my inner geek in this Sunday's column. I also try to describe the lure of drunken Mario Kart for the public.
2) Chateau Chantal Late Harvest Riesling
I've never been a sophisticated wine connoisseur, but I decided to try and learn this year, so I started experimenting. What I've discovered is that I'm not especially fond of dry wines, but I love sweet wines, and this Riesling from Chateau Chantal is a particular favorite. For special occasions, I also recommend their fortified Cerise wine.
1) Wonder Showzen
MTV2 has sold itself short in not advertising this jaw-droppingly offensive skit show that satirizes Sesame Street and other kiddie shows. Same cute bug-eyed puppets (ie a blue puppet named Clarence that chases down joggers in Central Park, screaming "What are you running from?"), same educational cartoon segments (from "A Day in the Life of a Policeman": "Policemen have an itchy trigger finger...and black people help them scratch it") and same "Kids Say the Darndest Things" segments (Adult: "What is your greatest wish?" Child: "I wish Bernadette would turn back into my daddy Bernie"). There are also some great "Daily Show" like segments where kids interview people on Wall Street, asking questions like "So how much did you sell your conscience for?", and offering napkins to businessmen to help "wipe the blood off your hands." A brilliant, hilarious, and completely unappreciated show. The first season just came out on DVD; if you don't have extra cash or Netflix, you can view many of the skits for free at Youtube.com. Just search under "Wonder Showzen."