300 is a film based on 300, a graphic novel by Frank Miller. If you recall, Frank Miller is also the creator of Sin City. Just like Sin City, this move looks like it is filmed in the style of a graphic novel. Thus, I am peeing my pants with anticipation.
Yes, that’s Gerard Butler, aka the Phantom of the Opera.
Is it just me, or is this the most latent gay film ever?
I found this update on Dark Horizons: the status of the movies based on Chuck Palahnuik’s novels. Fight Club was amazing, Choke could be a good movie, the rest should remain as books. I can’t blame him for selling the rights; he has said that selling the Fight Club screenplay will make him comfortable for the rest of his life and he only needs to write one book a year.
Survivor
Rights bought by writer/director Francis Lawrence (“Constantine). Palahniuk’s agent said he was really impressed (“it was brilliant”) in regards to their script adaptation of the story of the sole surviving member of a death cult who becomes a celebrity. Concerns have been raised in the past over the ending in which the protagonist of the novel hijacks a civil airplane and crashes it into the Australian outback.Invisible Monsters
Jesse Peyronel has had the option for years now on the thriller about a disfigured fashion model who teams up with a transsexual to get revenge on the model’s ex-fiance and best friend. Peyronel’s apparently been casting for the film.Choke
The story of a hustler who resorts to utilising a con at restaurants in order to support his mother’s medical bills is partially cast, and was supposed to start filming back in March. At present they’ve got Susan Sarandon for the role of the mother, but they’ve apparently lost the male lead and are working to re-cast it.Lullaby
The option was sold this year on this horror-satire about a child’s nursery book containing an African chant capable of killing anyone who it’s sung too either out loud or in one’s mind. A Swedish man who’s made his name making television commercials and music videos landed the rights. The plan is to have “Lullaby” into production in a year and a half, two years at the most.Diary
A screenplay is set up with an Icelandic producer who’s made a bunch of Harrison Ford movies, and he’s developing it. The story follows a female artists inspired by a new wave of creativity whilst her comatose husband is being hit with lawsuits over psychotic scrawlings he left on the walls of houses he remodeled. Casting is underway.Haunted
The reality TV satire involves a frame story incorporating 23 short stories. As a result, filmmakers are still trying to decide whether to break them up and sell the stories separately, or sell the whole thing as one big package.
Hard Candy was very hard to sit through but even harder to shut off. I’m usually not sucked in to movies like this. Ellen Paige and Patrick Wilson deserve Oscars hands down, but the academy will never recognize them. Talk about one of the worst torture scenes ever.
How did I miss this Terry clip?
I couldn’t stop listening to these today. I’m quasi-embarassed
A.F.I., “Love Like Winter” (I love you Davey Havok!)
You know what I found out today? THERE HAS BEEN A WHOLE FOODS OPEN IN HARTFORD FOR A WHOLE YEAR AND I HAD NO IDEA. This is blowing my mind. All this time wasted!
Ah. So today was my quest to find a winter coat, since last night the jacket I had turned out to be as good as tissue paper. You know what that means, a day of consumer consumption. And buying a winter coat is very stressful for me. It’s just so…permenent. My first trip was the Kohl’s- the wet dream for sensible women in their mid-forties. I I really had my heart set on this one, but I’m kind of cheap. It was also difficult to fine something without down, leather or wool. So that made me grumpy enough. I was looking at hats in the men’s department, because I didn’t want something pink or woth hearts on it, and some woman laughed and said, “that’s creative, looking for hats here” as I was trying some on. I yelled “DON’T FORCE YOUR GENDER POLITICS ON ME”. Well, in my mind I did. Then, some genius in front of me decided to bring up loads of clothes and ask the cashier to price check everything and make her decision right there. I had to pretend to be looking at my phone so I would start screaming.
Something else I HATE is when people are unexplicably rude to retail or food service staff. Look, these people are just trying to pay their bills. They are not representing the companies. I stopped and Wendy’s and some embittered soccer mom was tearing the teenage chasier a new asshole because they were out of honey mustard sauce and they didn’t put a sign up. Does it make people feel big and powerful when they bully minimum-wage workers?
And here is another question: why the fuck do people back into spaces? Especially when they take forever? Is it really that important? It would take less time to back out of the space when you are leaving.
It’s official. I can never leave the house again.
My discovery of the band The Lillingtons was purely serendipitous. At the CD exchange in DC, I found a Lookout! Records sampler for 99 cents and there was the song “One Armed Man” that was so incredible I had to check out more. They are hard to find out internet-wise and their albums are pretty much out of print. Their first two albums were incredible, and some of the best pop-punk ever. And by pop-punk I am not talking about the Fall Out Panic at the Chemical Romance stuff. I’m talking early Green Day and The Adolescents and Screeching Weasel. They combine the best elements of the Ramones (simple three-chord riffs) the Misfits (horror-movie themed lyrics) and Social Distortion (a fast-tempo rhythm section). To my absolute delight, they released their first album in seven years. Now, you all know I am usually a fan of musical groups maturing as artists, but sometimes a band should just stick to what they do well. The Lillingtons sound like they haven’t aged a bit. And that’s awesome.
[THE LILLINGTONS; THE TOO LATE SHOW ]
I get Barbie Collector catalogue, and it comes to my work address, so my coworkers all have a jab at me, but then they all grab it and read it before I get to look at it. I like to play “what offensive Barbie are they featuring this month?”
Last month is was “African Princess” Barbie. She has a bird in her hair. No joke.
This month it’s “Wind Rider” Barbie. They may as well have her come with casino chips.
Can’t wait for next month! I believe we are due for some anti-semitism!
Holy shit I haven’t heard this awesome song in about 10 years. I bought the KLF album back in ‘93 probably, and I have been looking for it furiously the last few days with no luck.
[THE KLF, "JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT"]
Also, Tammy Wynette was in the video. Seriously, does it get any better? Read the rest of this entry »
I’m really torn. Findamentally, Entourage drives me crazy. Yet I keep watching more episodes. I think the thing that leeps me watching is Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven’s character). He is absolutely amazing to watch. I’m kind of in awe and sometimes dream about using his conversational and communication tactics in my job. I’ll let you know how that goes.
Vincent Chase is supposed to be a hot actor, but Adrian Grenier is neither hot (sorry, I liked him a lot better when he was younger) nor a good actor. So I don’t buy the fact that he is so sought after.
The whole show is about “the pursuit of p*ssy” and chasing vapid women they could never get anyway. It’s kind of sad.
Sure, Vincent Chase has a manager and an agent, but he does absolutely not thinking for himself. He turns to his manager to every single decision, to like what t-shirt he wears everyday. That’s annoying. He has no thoughts for himself, and no real personality.
The only person that takes things seriously is Eric, Vince’s manager. He actually works for his money and genuinely tried to get things done, although everybody else shits on him.
The other three characters and genuinely unhappy people who treat each other like absolute shit. They are supposed to be best friends til the end? They seem to hate each other. I find it grating the way they find ways to screw each other over and put each other down at every turn. This is supposed to be the epitome of male friendship and every male’s fantasy. That’s sad. I used to hate it when women would say “my friends are just like Sex and the City” and now I have heard men say that their friends are just like Vince’s entourage. Again, sad.
The characters are truly self-loathing and actually incredibly insecure and pathetic. How is this every male’s fantasy life? Supposedly?
On that note…when is Season 3 coming out on dvd?
Well Rush Limbaugh accused Michael J. Fox of faking Parkinson’s, or something like that, right? I can ignore that crap because Rush is probably doped up on prescription drugs and shoving his car trunk full of dead hookers. But then this ad pops up starring a couple of athletes and Patricia Heaton, who I hate more than life itself. More for her shitty show and more for the fact she dares to call herself a feminist. And Jim Caviezel- just because you played Jesus doesn’t make you Jesus. This is obnoxious because this is all actors and athletes- people who rely on being completely able-bodied and healthy for their jobs, and wealthy enough to afford any advanced treatments for any of the disease if they should so be inflicted.
Mxpx is still making music. Shouldn’t this be a good thing? They started out as teens, so making simple pop punk songs was acceptable. But more than a decade later? It’s just sad. The drummer looks like he just had open heart surgery. There’s something called growing as musicians. Look into it. My crush on Mike Herrera isn’t helping the cause. I got their new album, Let’s Rock! (even the title is so stupid) listened to half of it, then erased it from my hard drive, so I won’t even post it here.
Oh my, Good Charlotte has a new video. I liked them before they started taking themselves so seriously. Benji, you are not Tim Armstrong. Go back to hanging out at the Ivy with Hilary Duff. THe song is also kind of a joke. You know, in singing, there is something called changing the pitch of your voice. It’s called notes. Look into it.
Yea, just propogating celebrity worship and crushes. John Krasinski of The Office cleans up real nice.
So it was rully hard to take good pictures, because these fuckers won’t sit still. Glen has turned out to be the needy dramaqueen, and Dale is pretty chill and gets annoyed at Glen. Dale was in my lap and Glen came along to try to push him out, and Dale gave him a kitty bitchslap and then they started rolling around. It was like feline Jerry Springer.
As requested, here is Dale compared to a fork.
And Glen compared to a cd.
Glen eating my foot.
Dale running away from my foot.
Mmmmm, my fingers taste great!
How about with a tampon?
Dale went right for it.
ps fyi, I’m adorable.
In about an hour I am going to pick up two six week old kitties and foster them for two weeks! I am so excited! I can’t wait to smoosh their faces! Either this will be wonderful or they are going to urinate all over my apartment.
Update: their names are Glen and Dale. On the car ride home Glen shit in his carrier and then rolled around in it. I gave them a bath when I got home, and they were pretty good about it. They spent the last half hour crawling all over me. Pictures to come.
Update again:
Lily Allen has a new video for “Littlest Things”. She looks stunning.
I need to buy and read every book on this list: 17 essential books about music.
Gwen Stefani is collaborating with Tim Rice-Oxley of Keane. How can he lower himself?
Halloween is a time to be a whore.
THe 50 most essential albums since 2001. I don’t fucking think so.
Movies are getting exciting again (planning on seeing The Prestige, Shortbus, and Running With Scissors this weekend), some casting stuff has come up that has tickled my fancy.
Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. Come on, Tim Burton, it’s no feat to hire your wife for the lead in every one of your movies. I was holding out for Kate Winslet.
It looks like a Ramones movie is happening. I have heard that Adrien Grenier is being considered for Joey Ramone. Please god no. At least cast a Jew.
Joseph Fiennes will play composer Vivaldi in a biopic. Do me.
Although The Fountain is rumored to be a snoozefest, the soundtrack looks promising. Darren Aronofsky is reuniting with Clint Mansell, the Kronos Quartet, with contributions by the band Mogwai.
Kimber and Stormer record an album together! Jet joins the Misfits! Shayna gets a job designing clothes! The Holograms almost get viciously murdered by the Misfits in every episode!
Supload, which I usually use to host pictures here, is being a total douche and now none of my hot celeb pictures are working. That is hours of scouring the internet that I will never get back. So I guess I’ll have to start from scratch. What better way to start than pictures of Gael Garcia Bernal in a striped shirt checking his messages. Check those messages, oh yea. Do it.
In the absence of Project Runway, I am enjoying Top Chef. Although all the handling of meat is a little stomach churning. The people on it are a little quirkier and nonconforming that most reality show contestants. Although this guy Marcel gives me an urge to attack him with haircutting scissors and a machete. And is anyone else completely freaked out by the host Padma Lakshmi? Something about the way she talks totally freaks me out. You also could land a plane between her eyes. She looks like a goat.
Speaking of judging people superficially on their looks, Sam Talbot, do me! Aw, he’s diabetic. What an underdog. I can see him having to do a challenge where they have to create some sort of dessert, and he has a total breakdown. Cut to him on his cellphone with someone from home.
I’m not the biggest fan, but several of you may be interested in the new Shins album.
Oh my god. How awesome is this. An album of Clay Aiken covering the best songs ever, like Richard Marx’s “Right Here Waiting”, Chicago’s “I Want to Know What Love Is” and the grand finale, Mr. Misters’ “Broken Wings”.
And by awesome I mean it sounds like it was recorded at one of those booths at Six Flags.
[ Clay Aiken; A Thousand Different Ways ]
1. Right Here Waiting
2. Lonely No More
3. Without You
4. Every Time You Go Away
5. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
6. When I See You Smile
7. A Thousand Days
8. Everything I Do (I Do It For You)
9. Because You Loved Me
10. I Want To Know What Love Is
11. These Open Arms
12. Here You Come Again
13. Everything I Have
14. Broken Wings
I saw Marie Antionette tonight, after purposely avoiding any reviews. I was really suprised at how much I enjoyed it. If you are looking for a history lesson, this is not it. The whole movie takes place within the Versailled ground and almost no mention of French politics.Sofia Coppolla has a great way of filming a scene in that it just sort of lingers. I don’t think the movie was pushing this issue, but it kind of came about that Marie Antoinette was misunderstood. She was shipped off to be married when she was basically a child, and lived in decadence for so long, how would she know any better?
The use of the soundtrack was phenomenal, and you know what? I thought Kirsten Dunst did a good job. I know, I can’t believe I am saying that! As she gets older, she looks less annoying. Maybe because there wasn’t a lot of dialogue either…
So I just got back from Albany and the conference I was organizing. It was a pretty big feat. I think it went well, and it was months of prep. Why do I feel numb about it? I also know that event organizing is not in my future. I also want to mention that there was a social at a local steakhouse and then I got there I think they might as well have deep fried the tables. Good times. Albany is also pretty blah. Note to self: don’t move there.
This weekend’s goals: revise and rewrite resume. I already have the dry heaves.
I just got several advnance albums: My Chemical Romance, the Shins, Mxpx. I’ll let you know how they are.
Many of you may have missed this pic of Paul Rudd in the latest Rolling Stone. You should be relieved I am here to point it out to you.
Thanks John for bringing it to my attention.
p.s. Paul Rudd is a Jew.
20, 000 songs and I listed to the same six on repeat.
THE LILLINGTONS, I Need Some Brain Damage
THE STROKES, 12:51 (my current ringtone)
So someone made a new documentary about Kurt Cobain and get this, he narrates it. Someone took hours and hours of interview footage and spliced it into a narrative. Anyone who knows anything about Nirvana and Kurt Cobain would know that he would never had agreed to do that while he was alive. It’s like they raped his gravestone. Although this stuff breaks my heart.
You know what the sad thing is, I actually have no excitement over watching the Project Runway finale tonight. I always lose interest right at the end of the season. I think the problem is that none of the designers are so consistently amazing that they deserve or are capable of showing at Fashion Week. It’s like having a show where people answer trivia and at the end the winner is awarded with a Ph. D.
Now I know why the band Snow Patrol is getting so much attention after they have previously released a ton of albums. Apparently their song “Chasing Cars” was played on the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy. There are two types of people in this world: those who watch Grey’s Anatomy and those who don’t.
Has anyone watched Big Love? I just got it today. I actually do like Bill Paxton as an actor (he was amazing in Titanic). The premise sounds good, and so far I have been impressed with HBO series. Although I have about a million other series to watch first.
Solaris: one of the most amazing works of art ever camptured on film or a pretentipus piece of cinematic mastrubation? I am still trying to decide.
Have you ever had one of those days where you try something really daring and put on something that you think looks cute but then halfway through the day you really want to go home and change? Today I feel like I dressed like Claudia from the Baby Sitters Club.
Edit: So the natural thing would be for me to describe the outfit. I am too ashamed. Let’s just say leggings may have been involved.
[ Spoon; Gimme Fiction ]
If you don’t have this album, I don’t know why the fuck you’d call yourself a fan of music.
Some EuroDisney character actors were fired when a viral video surfaced of them simulating sex while “backstage”. Ok yea, it wasn’t a good idea to film that, but they were backstage people. So you all know I hate to talk about it, but when I worked at Disneyworld for a brief moment, much worse was done. I mean, after the Magic Kingdom closed, my fellow bakery wenches and I would run around and reak havoc. And there may or may not be pictures of me floating around making obscene gestures in front of notable landmarks in the park. Jeez, not to mention the other shit that went on. And was I fired? No, I was assigned to work a triple shift during the fucking Christian Muic festival. Great, I now I am thinking about Fall 1998 and getting the dry heaves.
CBGBs had its last show before it closed. It’s an American cultural tragedy. I understand the whole situation in that it couldn’tpay the rent or what have you. I am actually surprised some rich donor did not buy the place out.This is a place that can never be replaced. Music is no longer born in places; everything is digital. And with the state of music today, nothing is ever original so no movements can be born.
From Blockbuster online:
In order to provide a wholesome environment for you and your family, we do not carry films with ratings of NC-17 or X.
Excuse me, I didn’t know they were the morality police. I find this pretty fucking discriminatory, because a lot of gay films are rated NC-17, mostly because the sex is homosexual. Meanwhile they have crap like White Chicks and blood and gore flicks on there, just because they are rated R. Ha, joke’s on them, because movies that are NR are still on there. Plus, a gal’s gotta get her softcore porn from somewhere.
As a master of the craft, the bassline is always the first thing I notice in a song. A great bassline can totally make a whole song. So far these are the best basslines I’ve encountered. Of course “Civil War Fiction Japanamation Mission” would be first on this list, but that’s copyrighted.
RANCID, Journey to the End of East LA
THE WHITE STRIPES, Seven Nation Army (ok, technically, it’s played on a rhythm guitar but it’s still a bass line)
If you haven’t actually heard the Misfits, I am sure you are familiar with their mascot/logo. You’ve probably seen kids hanging out at the mall with these t-shirts.
Every subgenre of punki has another subgenre of punk. The Misfits basically created “horror punk”. They were an influential punk band of the late seventies/early eighties. Their music was pretty upbeat, but the lyrics were always about vampires, gore, and typical horror stuff. Some are quite disturbing and arguable misogynist, but I’ll let that slide right now because it RAWKS!!! [insert devil horns hand gesture]
[ The Misfits; Legacy of Brutality ]
The recent resurection of the band is certainly does not do justice to the original band. The bands the Misfits haveinfluenced is immeasuarble. They are contemporaries of the Ramones and sound like it. Some of the best stuff this album does not include are:
Last Caress*** / Teenager from Mars / Angelfuck
From Wikapedia:
The Misfits are a horror/hardcore punk band formed in Lodi, New Jersey in 1977 and led by singer and songwriter Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Anzalone). The Misfits were the progenitors and creators of the horror punk subgenre of punk rock music, and were highly influential on the genres of heavy metal, punk rock and rock music in general. Though they ceased recording and performing in 1983, a “resurrected” version of the band, without its founder and creative leader Danzig, began operations in 1995.
***If I cold only listen to one song for the rest of my life, this may be it.
I finally saw Thank You for Smoking, one I was really disappointed I had missed it in the theaters. And I was…underwhelmed. Sure, I loved the concept (a lobbyist who defends the big tabacco companies). I thought my liberal knee-jerk reaction was to condemn the protagonist; as in, oh my god, how can he sleep at night and blah blah blah. But I found myself kind of agreeing with the message- everyone should think for themselves, don’t takeeverything at face value, and investigate things for yourself. As an (occasional) smoker, I also am really annoyed who strangers and non-close aquaintances would see me smoking and start lecturing me on it. As if I am totally unaware of the affects. Really, it’s social acceptable to condemn smokers but is it socially acceptable for me to run into a McDonald’s and lecture everyone about to stuff a Big Mac in their throat? That will kill them too. Do I have a moral obligation to stop millions of Americans from watching Flavor of Love because it causes idiocy and the perpetuation of stereotypes of black women?
I love using moral relativism for arguments.
But anyway the movie: I felt like it would have been an awesome miniseries/series on cable. Great characters that were barely developed. I want everything to be a tv series these days so I have something to bootleg. ANd may I mention that Aaron Eckhart is pretty bangable, chin cleft and all. The other day when I was in the mall I was walking by a Gap store and a huge pic of Aaron Eckhart practically hit me in the face. And I proceeded to go into heat right there on the sidewalk. Seriously, whatever gets you through the day.
You can count on Sofia Coppola to pair awesome soundtrack music to her films. The French band Air did the music to The Virgin Suicides, and great alternative bands were on the soundtrack for Lost in Translation (the soundtrack by far out-awesoming the movie). For Marie Antoinette (which I am totally stoked to see next week) she uses a blend of classical, modern indie rock, and eighties new wave. I love the pairing of modern music with a period piece. Very Moulin Rouge. Currently, the trailer playing on tv uses THe Strokes’ “What Ever Happened” which I think is perfect.
[ MARIE ANTIONETTE SOUNDTRACK ]
Disc: 1
1. “Hong Kong Garden” – Siouxsie & The Banshees
2. “Aphrodisiac” – Bow Wow Wow
3. “What Ever Happened” – The Strokes
4. “Pulling Our Weight” – The Radio Dept.
5. “Ceremony” – New Order
6. “Natural’s Not In It” – Gang Of Four
7. “I Want Candy (Kevin Shields Remix)” – Bow Wow Wow
8. “Kings Of The Wild Frontier” – Adam & The Ants
9. “Concerto in G” * – Antonio Vivaldi / Reitzell
10. “The Melody Of A Fallen Tree” – Windsor For The Derby
11. “I Don’t Like It Like This” – The Radio Dept.
12. “Plainsong” – The Cure
Disc: 2
1. “Intro Versailles”* – Reitzell / Beggs
2. “Jynweythek Ylow” – Aphex Twin
3. “Opus 17″ – Dustin O’Halloran
4. “Il Secondo Giorno (Instrumental)” – Air
5. “Keen On Boys” – The Radio Dept.
6. “Opus 23″ *- Dustin O’Halloran
7. “Les Baricades Misterieuses”* – Francois Couperin / Reitzell
8. “Fools Rush In (Kevin Shields Remix) – Bow Wow Wow
9. “Avril 14th” – Aphex Twin
10. “K. 213″ * – Domenico Scarlatti / Reitzell
11. “Tommib Help Buss” – Squarepusher
12. “Tristes Apprets..” – Jean Philippe Rameau /W. Christie
13. “Opus 36″ *- Dustin O’Halloran
14. “All Cat’s Are Grey” – The Cure
I finished watching Season 2 of The Office. Yes, I’ve had my doubts in the past, but it was thoroughly funny. Although I do have my critisisms. After watching all the episodes pretty much in a row, it is very hard and unbelievable that Michael Scott was not fired after everything he did. He is way too over the top. David Brent was just awkward, but not a maniac. I know it’s a show, but I have no suspension of disbelief. One thing the American version has going for it is that the show really develops the other people in the Office. Phyllis is adorable, and Stanley is hilarious. Of course, my favorite is Angela, and I love her secret tryst with Dwight. Which I would love to see more of, more than the Jim/Pam snoozefest. Jim is adorable, but I feel what ruined it for me was that during the season finale when she told him “I’m sorry if you got the wrong idea.” WHAT THE FUCK? What a manipulative liar. At least she could have the courtesy to say, “sorry, I’m engaged” or whatever. At least the Tim/Dawn thing was left up to the imagination. I’m sorry I am not in the Jim/Pam cheering section, because I feel like she lost her chance.
It looks like in the current season, Jim is going to get with that gorgeous coworker of his. I also wonder of they are ever going to do an integration of the the Scranton branch with another Branch (like the Slough/Swindon merger). I also love how Dwight also is a fan of Battlestar Galactica.
But Enough About Me… by Jancee Dunn, former writer of Rolling Stone. It is depressing the hell out of me. She has my exact dream career. And she just fell into it by accident. Wtf.
From Publishers Weekly
Known for her celebrity profiles, journalist Dunn blends interviewing tips, dirt-digging secrets and memoir-type snippets in a mix that’s tough to define, but a delight to read. As a frequent writer for Rolling Stone and contributor to Vanity Fair, GQ and Vogue, Dunn can reach an array of stars and has the anecdotes to prove it. She details ducking the paparazzi with Mel Gibson, eating in Dolly Parton’s kitchen and posing for three minutes as Ben Affleck’s girlfriend to prove a point about how quickly gossip spreads. Refreshingly, she maintains an “Aw, shucks” quality that has become her work’s hallmark. By providing a zesty glimpse at her New Jersey childhood and young adulthood, Dunn offers a grounded counterpoint to the breezy tales of pop idol handling. Even after rising in the ranks at Rolling Stone, Dunn is mildly astounded that a Jersey girl who still slips phrases like “Yeah, right!” into her conversation should be shaking in her ritzy hotel room after being berated by Flashdance icon Jennifer Beals for asking about her personal life. Amusing, clever and affable, Dunn shares a satisfying memoir-turned-celebrity dish
One of my very very very favorite bands is no more. Well, not really, but The Darkness is continuing without singer Justin Hawkins, who is suffering from cocaine addiction and anorexia. But seriously, who isn’t? There may as well be no band then. Their first album was fucking unbelievable, and I thought they would be the saviors that brought back metal and hair bands. No one liked their second album, but I really enoyed it. One of my best memories from nyc was cutting a grad school class to see their in-store appearance at the Virgin Megastore (I had my priorities.)As tribute, here are some of their best tracks from both albums. RIP.
Growing on Me / I Belive in a Thing Called Love / Seemed Like Such a Good Idea at the Time / Friday Night / One Way Ticket
The President: King of Democracy:Thomas Jefferson had great success marketing tobacco. He is widely credited with inventing the cigarette slogans “All the cool kids are doing it!” and “You need something to do after fucking a slave.”
So, I guess you all heard about the accidental plane crash into a high rise on the Upper East Side.
However: 10-11-06. Read that date upside down.
Slate had a great piece on the character of Harry Potter and how he is actually not a hero, has no skills and relies on everything else to do stuff for him. I agree. His state-of-the art magical broom (a gift from his godfather) that is the equivalent of a Lexus in a high-school parking lot.
Harry Potter: Pampered jock, patsy, fraud. Read the rest of this entry »
Ok, so the album cover looks like a page from a Budweiser commercial, they’ve been on the Warped Tour every year, they have an active Myspace page, they are from New Jersey, and are often on MTV. But this is a seriously enjoyable pop punk album and one of my guilty pleasures.
So I’m sick with a cold, so for the last 6 hours I have done nothing but lay on my couch, check Myspace, and listen to The Dandy Warhols’ “You Were the Last High” on repeat. I think I’ll call in sick tomorrow, although I always have a major guilt complex about doing so. (I’ve only called on sick twice since January.) But I’ll just suck it up. I could use a day to relax, not have to wear business casual, and catch Tyra and continue to bootleg some music. Myspace is awful. I told myself all these years that I was above myspace, but if I check it and no one has sent me a message or left me a comment, I feel like a fucking failure. I need to get past thos.
Oh, I also rewatched some older moves that made me happy. If you have seen Woody Allen’s Manhattan and not wanted to move to New York immediately, then there is something wrong with you. But the old New York- where the Upper East Side was not a tourist attraction and there was still crime on the streets. (Never mind that he dates a 17 year old in the movie.) Go is just an all-around fantastic movie. I actually enjoy Katie Holmes in it.
I’m kind of a music snob, but I’m not really afraid to admit that I like certain music. I’m proud of the collection I have. However, some stuff that I have I advertise more than others. I have a lot of stuff that one can call a guilty pleasure. Stuff I know is crap but still enjoy. I am pretty sure that other people would enjoy it as well. [Hence the induction of the new blog topic of "guilty pleasure"']
Why not start with the biggest of all: The Vengaboys. I’m not saying I come home after a hard day and pop it in, but it does work well in the gym. I discovered them after my summer at Andover, because all the Eurpean kids were obsessed with them. Hey, I was just trying to acclimate myself to the culture.
Come on, you know you want to download it.
I had lost it for a while when my office was in boxes all summer, but at long last I’ve found my soul source of enjoyment for the day.
Today’s political Convention Schedule
7:15am- Wake up call.
7:16-Hair of the Dog
7:35- Adulterer Walk of Shame
8:00-Prayer Breakfast
11:30- “I’m Representing My State, Yo!” An Awkward Young Delegate Roundtable”
12:45pm- Audition for “Black Guy on Dais”
1:15- person with disease gives speech.
2:00-Disabled person with small business gives speech.
2:45-Disables person fights person with disease; winner gets to recite pledge
3:15-”Local Open Containers and You: an Overview and Discussion”
5:15-”How Many is Too Many Balloons? A Delegate Forum/Balloon Blowup Session”
6:45- Hey Everybody, it’s Rob Lowe/Gerald McRaney
7:00-Roll Call of the States
7:58-The Waking Up of Wyoming
8:50-Speech by doddering former one-term president
10:45-The next President of the United States cut off by local newscast
12:00am- lights out
4:30-Entire hotel suddenly awakened by screams of fellow conventioner who fears he may have just killed a hooker.
Has anyone watched Carnivale when it was on HBO? I just started it, and I am intrigued, but not yet sucked in. It totally reminds me of Geek Love.
I had a deam last night that because of the Borat controversy in Uzbekistan, they moved Erin’s peace corps program from there to Denmark, and she convinced me to apply. Most of my dream was the rigorous application process, but at the last minute, I ealized that I would have to fly to be able to get there. I am an idiot.
How awesome does the movie The Prestige look? Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman as dueling magicians, directed by Chistopher Nolan. Kind of reminds me of the movie Lord of Illusions- anyone remember that? It was kind of good. (Scott Bakula- woot!)
[Yes, I am ignoring the fact that Scarlett Whorhansen is in it.]
Lately I can’t listen or watch anything that isn’t British. Maybe I am over the crap that America produces, or maybe I just have a thing for garage music, chavs, answerphones and mobiles. (See? I know the slang.) I am currently way into two British series, one being The House of Eliott, which my mother of all people told me to watch. It is about two sisters in 1920s London who move to the city and start their own fashion design/tailoring business. You know what that means…tons of awesome period clothing. It uns just like a soap opera- love triangles, a long-lost half brother shows up, vengeful ex-friends. One of the women is 30, unmarried, and “is too smart for a single woman” but still goes ahead with the business. If this were set in present day, the theme song would be Destiny’s Child’s “Independent Women”. Whenever I watch period costume dramas, I always wish I lived in that time until I emember the lack of proper plumbing and shitty roles for women. I’d give it all up fo a cute flapper dress.
I also bootlegged my brother’s Region 2 dvds of Little Britain. It took me two episodes to get into it, because I am not usually a fan of sketch comedy, but I like the idea of the reocuring characters. Lou & Andy seem to be the fan favorites, but I can’t really stand them. My favorites are the only gay in the village (that outfit!) and the Fat Fighters meetings (anyone who has ever been to a Weight Watchers meeting will totally appreciate it). I don’t even know what is so funny- usually the characters just say the same dumb thing over and over. But I guess you say anything with a British accent and I will love it.
Also, I almost cried when Keith from the Office made a cameo. Also, I have to mention it- David Walliams is kind of a babe. I was looking on youtube fo some clips and found tons of people filming themselves doing low-rate impressions of the show. How annoying. But I did find the first episode. Read the rest of this entry »
So the first season of the State is on iTunes, which is fantaaaaastic, and the original cast reunited to do a promo. It made me realize that…the show was not always hysterically funny. But it was awesome to see the cast together again. Kerry Kenney is my hero. Where is the phone hooked up to?
This site notstarring.com is blowing my mind. My life is lived through a pop culture lens so seeing that the movies I love could have been different is totally blowing my mind.
Daniel Day-Lewis was originally cast as the lead is Shakespeare in Love!!! Holy shit. I thought Joseph Fiennes was good but this would have put me over the edge. Speaking of Joseph Fiennes, he was oiginally considered for Brokeback Mountain, opposite Ashton Kutcher. Um, hot? Also, he was originally cast in Quills in Joaquin Phoenix’s part. Holy smokes. As if that movie couldn’t get more awesome.
Kirsten Dunst was originally going to play Ivy in The Village!!!! Good god no. And Ashton Kutcher was going to play the mentally disabled guy. Holy shit.
Erica Bana was first cast to play Inman in Cold Mountain!!!! (good choice)
James Purefoy was supposed to be the lead in V for Vendetta!
Benecio Del Toro was cast as Darth Maul but then dropped out! WTF?!?!?!
Sarah Polley was originally cast as Penny Lane in Almost Famous. That would have been a completely different (and better) movie. Also, Natalie Portman auditioned for the role and didn’t get it. Hahahaha.
So, JT wanted a whole blogitude about my weekend with Cooper, but I guess I am not witty enough to create a whole blog entry about it. But, if I did, there would be tons of caps and exclamation points, as in, OMG!!!! I WANT TO CATCH THE BALL!!! I CAUGHT THE BALL!!! I HAVE TO GO PEE!!!!! I’M PEEING!!!! and probably, WHO THE FUCK IS THIS WOMAN??? WHERE’S MY DADDY?????? I’M GOING TO BE UP IN HER GRILL ALL THE TIME TO SEE WHAT SHE’S DOING!!!!!!
No, he really is a sweetie. And loving being here for the weekend. Of couse, my first stop was Whole Foods. Listen to this folks: I got edamame hummus. It’s heaven in a tub. And I also got Pecan Cilanto Mango grilling sauce. This is the highlight of my week, folks.
Although I said I was going to boycott any mall, I did spend some time at the Providence Place mall, which is a pretty impressive mall. Looking at what all the stores are featuring, I can’t help but think we are running out of decades to reinvent. I got myself another pair of leggings, and a sweater I am pretty sure I once had in grade 7.
If emprie waist dresses come back, I’m not going to complain. H&M is out of control. They are seriously going back to the fifties people. Their stuff looked like 1950s waitress costumes. I saw an actual poodle skirt. I can’t wait until loincloths and bearskins ae back in fashion.
Things I am liking/reading right now.
John Mayer’s blog. Too bad I think eveyone one of his songs sounds the same, but he is a pretty funny guy with a petty funny blog.
The Marie Antoinette Soundtrack. Looks like Sofia Coppola is pulling a Baz Luhrmann.
The Dresden Dolls myspace blog. They recount their dreadful tour with Panic! At the Disco. Well, they did decide to do a tour with them, but being booed at evey night by teenies would drive me crazy too.
Albert Hammond, Jr. of the Stokes’ solo album. And it ain’t half bad.
Heroes is picked up fo a full season. I’m just waiting for the dvd, but I hear it’s fantastic.
The cult of Klosterman. I idolize this man so much it scares me.
The uncensored Shotbus trailer. I’m still not impressed.
Ok, this is mylast plea…if you weren’t planning on doing so already, watch the Battlestar Galactica Seaon 3 pemiere tonight at 9 on ScFi. What, it’s not like you have PLANS or anything! I’ll post my thoughts later. Meanwhile, thanks to John for thisgraphic. I am Number6’s and Baltar’s hallucinated half-machine baby!!! He is fucking amazing.
LATER:
My thoughts on the pemiere. Read the rest of this entry »
[Under the Influence of Giants; Under the Influence of Giants]
This is a great new band to check out. They sound like an updated Oasis.
Brandon and I watched more of Dante’s Cove. Good lord, how did anyone actually put this script down on paper and then actually get the go-ahead to film it? And it’s so sad, because a gay supernatural show is a really awesome idea. I’ve never laughed so hard. Nothing makes me laugh harder than bad acting and ridiculous special effects. The whole budget must have gone into body grease and hair gel. I guess this is also a lil nsfw.
I’m off from work this Thursday and Friday, I’m heading up to Rhode Island to JT’s to see him before he moves to Texas and to take care of that helion Cooper. This will be the third weekend in a row that I am out of town, and even though it is good to get away, it is a little weird. I need at least one day of laying on my ass in the dark in my apartment watching stupid dvds to get myself on track. Even so, this will be relaxing, I’m going to bring some stuff I need to get done for work and a stack of books, Carnivale, Lost, and the House of Elliott.
This is the third album I’ve listened to by the Hold Steady, and I just don’t get it. People rave about this band, and I hear mediocre lethargic guitar chords with a drunk guy babbling. It is supposed to be the return of the “bar band” but I don’t know that that means. Maybe it is like the emporer’s new album. I’ll let people try it for themselves.
[The Hold Steady; Boys and Girls in America]
Raves: Pitchfork / New York Times
Pitchfork, as we know, is totally elistist about music, and often trashes some albums. But, the latest review for the new Jet album is absolutely priceless. (probably nsfw).
In other music news, Rilo Kiley has a new album coming out…better be amazing.
This is what my religion is or should be, according to the Belief-O-Matic. I thought I would actually turn out to be agnostic, without a soul, or actually as Satan himself.
| 1. | Unitarian Universalism (100%) |
| 2. | Secular Humanism (98%) |
| 3. | Liberal Quakers (90%) |
| 4. | Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (90%) |
| 5. | Neo-Pagan (76%) |
| 6. | Nontheist (72%) |
| 7. | Theravada Buddhism (67%) |
| 8. | Bah�’� Faith (60%) |
| 9. | New Age (59%) |
| 10. | Reform Judaism (59%) |
| 11. | Taoism (57%) |
| 12. | Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (53%) |
| 13. | Mahayana Buddhism (49%) |
| 14. | New Thought (47%) |
| 15. | Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (45%) |
| 16. | Orthodox Quaker (45%) |
| 17. | Scientology (44%) |
| 18. | Sikhism (40%) |
| 19. | Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (39%) |
| 20. | Jainism (33%) |
| 21. | Jehovah’s Witness (26%) |
| 22. | Islam (25%) |
| 23. | Orthodox Judaism (25%) |
| 24. | Seventh Day Adventist (18%) |
| 25. | Hinduism (16%) |
| 26. | Eastern Orthodox (16%) |
| 27. | Roman Catholic (16%) |
I’ve been having quite a time watching my Degrassi Junior High dvds. I don’t know why it is addicting. The highlights:
The ugly buck-toothed twins
Lily Allen covers Keane’s “Everybody’s Changing“. Fantastic!
I just got a late birthday present…a subscription to Bitch Magazine. This mag roolz the skoolz.
If you are obsessed with this song as much as I am, you’ll be happy to know that the artist, Cobra Starship, has their full length album out. It is actually a side project of Gabe Saporta, who is in the pop punk band Midtown. The album is a bit tongue in cheek and makes fun of pop punk (one of the better songs on the album is called “Pop-Punk Is Sooooo ‘05″) , but to tell you the truth it is one of the better pop punk albums I’ve heard in a long time.
[Cobra Starship; While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets]
So I had a lovely time visiting Erin this weekend, bringing her a tampon for after she ran a 12 mile race in Centralpark. New York people, please don’t be mad that I didn’t call, I was literally in the city for less than 24 hours. But I digress. Erin convinced me to go back and try Myspace because it is good to spy on people.
After Friendster and Facebook, I didn’t think I had the energy to keep up another profile. And I feel like an inadequate idiot. I can’t figure out how to change the background layout and I literally sat for hours (okay, minutes) trying to make my profile make me look cool. But I can’t. I end up looking like a loser who listed about a hundred movies and books. And apparently how cool you are depends on how many comments people leave that contain inside jokes.
So please help me out and be my friend if you are not already. Leave me some comments. Don’t make my lack of a cool myspace page determine my self-worth.
Later: I found some people I haven’t talked to in a while! Yay! And thanks to those who left comments! I even have a potential suitor. Check this out.
ive just gone through ur profile ,
and found it an intresting one , i see u as someone with a fear of GOD ,
im tolu , an african origin , im 30 yrs old , am an engineer by profession , am an open minded human being, i hate deciet, im the kind who believe in being honest and faithful, who also believe in our creator cause without him we are no where to be an existence , iif u the type who doesnt care about colour , or distance nor origin ,cause i know with faith and honesty of mind i believe we can go places and live as the most happiest beings on earth , with almighty with us ,……………. i care are u a police in the state ?
Ok, I have a picture from Trudy Weigel in my pictures, because I identify with her. But are people really stupid enought to think that is me?
I haven’t been having very oherent dreams lately, but I just woke up from one. It turns out that some people were organizing a roast for me. Like the ones on Comedy Central, the Roast of Denis Leary and whatnot. It took place in an auditorium at a local mall, and hundreds of people showed up. I barely know 20 people, so this was weird. Some bands performed and there were some speakers, and people had to fill in cards as they arrived that said something like, “growing up Jewish is like….” I don’t know. Someone alsodecorated the place with paper bats or something. It was also televised for god knows what channel. The thing I remember is that I was all put out about it because I was supposed to give a speech at the end and I was having a hard time coming up with fake tears because I was expected to cry out of happiness. I don’t think this dream had to do with any sort of egotism.
The Dairi Burger The Ingalls are better than you. Perv Out
