All things Goldberg, and beyond!

My 13 favorite songs of 2009

2010-01-24T13:21:00.000-08:00

#13. “Coochie” by Blakroc (ft. Ludacris and Ol’ Dirty Bastard)

This is my favorite new song featuring an artist from beyond the grave. Blakroc was conceived by Damon Dash (famous for co-founding Rock-a-Fella records with Jay-Z) to incorporate rap M.C.s with the bluesy rock of the Black Keys. “Coochie” incorporates a previously unreleased performance from Ol’ Dirty Bastard of the Wu Tang Clan, along with Ludacris and music by the Black Keys. The result is a funky blues jam with a bragging ODB stealing the show.

#12. “Say Please” by Monsters of Folk

Monsters of Folk is the indie super-group including Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) and Jim James (My Morning Jacket). This song doesn’t sound too folkie to me at all, but more like a classic rocker that makes you want to sing along. The straightforward guitar solo rocks, but my favorite instrument (harpsichord?) delivers this oddly cool repetitive plucking sound.

#11. “I Hate My Job” by Cam’ron

A very timely hip-hop track about unemployment and underemployment, which really connects with anyone who is currently in a shit job, no job, or has been there before (basically, everyone). The main music is a catchy piano riff, and there are soulful chants repeated throughout. Cam’ron is usually big on the bragging, but this earnest song works without any of it.

#10. “Here to Fall” by Yo La Tengo

This is a breakup song with bleak lyrics combined with uplifting music. Organs, strings, drums and guitars combine for a busy musical backdrop that brings immediate energy to the downfall described in the lyrics. The song feels orchestral in scale.

#9. “I Gotta Feeling” by Lil’ Wayne

Did anyone else find the Black Eyed Peas song “I Gotta Feeling” fun and catchy, but were embarrassed by the mass amount of simplistic and hokey lyrics? And the song was safely going to find its way onto Bar Mitzvah circuit DJ playlists without the pandering use of Mazel Tov and L’Chayim. Thankfully, Lil’ Wayne has come to the rescue with his “No Ceilings” mix tape. Weezy salvaged the catchy hook and beats, brings his loony stream of consciousness flow, and loses the rest of the Black Eyed Peas handiwork.

#8. “Zero” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

“Zero” is an uplifting celebration for all the insignificant nobodies. There are all sorts of crazy digital beats, synth notes, and machine-like effects that build to a danceable frenzy. Karen O insults you and puts you in your place, all the while leading to a cathartic emotional high. It feels like the electronic-dance equivalent of “Creep” by Radiohead.

#7. “Dirt Off Your Android” by Jaydiohead

Remember when all those mashups came out including Jay-Z’s “Black Album”? The most famous was Danger Mouse’s “The Grey Album” (“The Black Album” + the Beatles’ “White Album”), but there were tons of others like “The Black and Blue Album” (+ Weezer), “The Black and Purple Album” (+ Prince), “The Double-Black Album” (+ Metallica), etc. But it wasn’t until New Year’s Day of 2009 that the first Jaydiohead album was released, featuring some excellent mashups of Jay-Z with Radiohead. Somehow Jay-Z’s lyrics feel natural over edited segments of “Paranoid Android”, and Jay-Z’s voice and the music of Radiohead seem to energize each other. It all leads to the climactic brushing of the dirt off your shoulder.

#6. “Shine Blockas” by Big Boi (ft. Gucci Mane)

This song is by Big Boi from Outkast from a solo album that has inexplicably remained unreleased. However, it is only so long before tracks get leaked, and this is another Outkast great. Over a soulful 70s sample, Big Boi and Gucci Mane rap about not letting anyone hold them back from doing their thing.

#5. “That’s Not My Name” by The Ting Tings

What a ridiculously catchy song! Great hook, fun beats, and a bratty attitude. This song was released in 2008 in Europe, but not until January of 2009 on the radio in the U.S., so I’m counting it. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! If Gwen Stefani’s solo tracks were way cooler, they’d sound like this song.

#4. “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z (ft. Alicia Keys)

I saw Jay-Z perform at the "grand re-opening" of the Palladium in Hollywood after it had closed for renovations. Jay-Z compared himself to the original grand opening act at the Palladium, Frank Sinatra, even calling himself "old brown eyes". This song is clearly a loving tribute to and attempt to update of Sinatra’s “New York, New York” as the city’s anthem. Jay-Z’s lyrics are decent, but it is Alicia Keys’ swelling chorus and her piano that really makes this song so much fun.

#3. “Don’t Haunt this Place” by The Rural Alberta Advantage

One of the most high-energy and uplifting songs about a couple in a fight that seems to border on relationship-ending that I’ve ever heard. The vocals and harmonizing are beautiful, great chord progression, and amazing emotive drumming.

#2. “Crown on the Ground” by Sleigh Bells

Don’t adjust your speakers, the blown out sound is intentional. Sleigh Bells is the combination of a hard-core rock guitarist and a former singer from a manufactured girl-group. It is like a bizarro version of the White Stripes. Somehow the repetitive riffs and nonsensical lyrics add up to crazy fun!

#1. “When the Night Comes” by Dan Auerbach (ft. Jessica Lea Mayfield)

It is difficult to explain why this song has such an impact on me. This song is off a solo project from the lead singer of the Black Keys, whom I love for their raw bluesy-rock sound. But this song plays like a sweet lullaby. The music and voices seem comforting, but something about the repetition of the lyrics is disconcerting. And at the end the song goes to a minor key, and it definitely seems like things are taking a dark turn. This song feels dreamlike, providing an emotional experience without clear logical explanation.

My favorite films of 2009

2010-01-10T22:18:00.001-08:00

#1: The Hurt Locker
This is my favorite movie about the war in Iraq. The job of a bomb tech is naturally suspenseful, and that aspect certainly works. But what really elevates this film are the unique characters, excellent dialogue, and even the humor found in the tensest situations. The poster says the theme, that war is a drug, and the film thoughtfully and effectively explores this idea. There are amazing acting cameos in two memorable sequences.

#2: District 9
What a smart and interesting summer action film. The introductory documentary seamlessly transitions into the narrative. Sharlto Copley (who I can’t wait to see as Murdock in “The A-Team”) gives a best-actor caliber performance, which I fear will be overlooked for awards because of the genre and distance from the end of the year. The alien special effects are amazing, particularly with the handheld shooting style.

#3: Inglorious Basterds
There are certain sequences in this movie that just feel perfect. Tarantino masterfully builds suspense, and is able to take scenes to a conclusion that is satisfies while completely defying your expectations. Despite some self-indulgent dialogue and goofy anachronistic flourishes, it is a lot of fun.

#4: Up In the Air
George Clooney gives an understated performance that rivals “Michael Clayton” for his best work. The story is smart, funny, relatable, and even with a twist that I didn’t see coming.

#5: Drag Me to Hell
What a welcome break to have Sam Raimi not working on Spiderman. What I really liked is that this film not only had the humor of the Evil Dead movies, but it’s actually pretty scary at times, too. Alison Lohman, who was great in “Matchstick Men”, is such a charismatic protagonist. The shot that reveals the old lady in the car is perfect.

#6: The Cove
I could not get anybody to go see this movie. It’s about the slaughter of dolphins, which apparently is just too much for many to stomach. But if you didn’t see it yet, you really should. This documentary is informative, energetic, and even plays like a heist movie (within the film they reference assembling an “Ocean’s 11” team in order to uncover and document the killing of the dolphins).

#7: Avatar
James Cameron did it with the water alien in “The Abyss”, the liquid metal in “Terminator 2”, and once again dazzled me in “Avatar” with how he shows me special effects unlike anything I have ever seen before. 3D isn’t used in a gimmicky way, but to bring the fictional world to life. Watching “Avatar” makes you wish Cameron had made the 2nd trilogy of Star Wars films instead of Lucas, he is so much better at incorporating effects and story. I wish that some of the characters in “Avatar” weren’t so one-dimensional, and the movie was so long, but it was a dazzling experience.

#8: The Hangover
I was the only person on Earth to not see this movie in the theaters. I finally got it on DVD, and I get why it’s so popular. Great premise, and thankfully it is well-executed.

#9: World’s Greatest Dad
Bobcat Goldthwait makes great dark comedies. Seriously. His films could easily be described by their shocking and politically incorrect sequence that sets the story in motion, but that is not what makes the movies interesting. Rather it is the flawed characters and their very relatable experiences, as well as very dark humor. And in this film there is an extremely understated performance by Robin Williams, even in the comedic moments, which I wouldn’t have believed was possible until I saw it.

#10: Fantastic Mr. Fox
This is an animated movie whose humor is aimed directly at adults. Very smart dialogue, great vocal performances, and a stylized animation that is endearing.

Give Remix a Chance

2009-08-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

Aha!!!

2009-02-02T21:07:00.000-08:00

Finally, a reason to come out of blogging retirement. If you also love Coming to America and are aware of Star Wars, here comes 4 minutes of heaven.

Singing Shark

2008-11-22T19:47:00.000-08:00

Atonement

2008-10-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

Da Mayor: Colin...
Gen. Powell: C'mon, what. What?
Da Mayor: Always do the right thing.
Gen. Powell: That's it?
Da Mayor: That's it.
Gen. Powell: I got it, I'm gone.

McCain snubs Letterman. Not smart...

2008-09-24T19:09:00.000-07:00

David Letterman is smarter, funnier, and sharper when he's mad. McCain apparently needed to learn the hard way.

The Ladies on "The View" make McCain squirm

2008-09-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

When taken out of the safe confines of stump speeches to friendly audiences, many of John McCain's positions (and I'd wager Sarah Palin's) unravel under scrutiny. I hope there is much more of this direct interrogation from the fourth estate. Who knew "The View" would lead the charge?

Obama's appearence with Bill O'Reilly

2008-09-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

I actually watched the entire interview, which Bill-O cut up and showed over four days. It was pretty cowardly, in that Bill and his panelists could set up and then analyze the clips, bringing all sorts of spin to the "no spin zone". But the following clip appeared on Letterman, with the interview footage re-cut to give the gist of the O'Reilly experience. O'Reilly oversimplifies issues and creates black-or-white questions that try to eliminate nuance. Worst of all, O'Reilly asks these ridiculous questions and then cuts off his guest as they try to answer.

Republican Convention in a Minute

2008-09-09T01:16:00.001-07:00

The Daily Show strikes back

2008-09-04T15:51:00.000-07:00

Last night The Daily Show aired its 2nd day of coverage of the Republican Convention. The team was firing on all cylinders, and I believe it is the greatest complete episode to date. If you missed it, you should watch the whole thing on their Comedy Central web site. Below is one segment where the hypocrisy of several Republican pundits is put on display. They hang themselves with their own words...

The "O" Face

2008-08-28T00:59:00.000-07:00

Obama soars as McCain waves the white flag. If only this was the Citizen Kane-esque massive backdrop for Obama's speech at Mile High Stadium.

Amanda Beard is naked and I make the decision to no longer wear fur

2008-08-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

I found the swimmer's argument persuasive. And I am feeling oddly patriotic. The bow tie is an odd touch.

Baron Davis joins the Clippers!

2008-07-02T01:10:00.000-07:00

Oh my lord, the Clippers actually spent big bucks to get a a crucial missing piece. Re-sign Brand, throw in rookie sharpshooter Eric Gordon, and fill out with Kamen at his prime and Al Thornton developing beyond all expectations. I love Maggette, but it is clear his days are numbered.

Overall, this is a beautiful thing. There is real reason for optimism in Clipper Nation!

The Radiohead song Prince doesn't want you to hear

2008-05-31T11:03:00.000-07:00

One of the most talked about moments at this year’s Coachella (in addition to Roger Waters’ flying pig) was when Prince covered “Creep” by Radiohead. Fans posted videos on YouTube, but Prince’s people quickly took down the links by threat of legal action over copyright infringement. This is a little odd, considering Prince was performing someone else’s original song! Radiohead has commented that if anyone should be able to remove the clips, it would be them, and they want the posts to remain available because they themselves are some of the people curious to see the performance.

Anyhoo, the quality is that of a shaky camera-phone, but please to enjoy…

3 reasons why Hillary should be the nominee

2008-05-11T05:23:00.000-07:00

Ouch!

Radiohead was cool, Nine Inch Nails is cooler??

2008-05-05T12:43:00.000-07:00

Previously Nine Inch Nails have provided Garageband versions of their songs so that fans can remix them and play around. Now, Trent Reznor is giving away the new Nine Inch Nails album. Click here to get The Slip for free!

Obama picks up that guy from "Turner & Hooch"

2008-05-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

So, it was true all along...

2008-03-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

Every time you close your eyes (Lies! Lies!)

2008-03-23T23:47:00.000-07:00

Hillary Clinton claims foreign relations experience in part from her international travels as First Lady. In the clip below the audio is from Clinton on the campaign trail this year describing a harrowing experience when she arrived in Bosnia on behalf of the President, and the video is from CBS news reporting on that aforementioned arrival.

The honeymoon's over for Ollie and Jim

2008-03-18T11:47:00.000-07:00

Elevator safety may be important to New Yorkers, but that's not the real story breaking on Good Day NY.

Be aware!

2008-03-18T00:26:00.000-07:00

Bitch may be the new Black, but Black is the new President, bitch.

2008-03-16T10:34:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Tina Fey hosted Saturday Night Live, and she made a special commentary supporting Hillary Clinton. Among other things, she railed against the critique that Hillary is a bitch. Fey tries to flip the negative connotations with "bitch", embracing the word and claiming to be a bitch herself. She said you want a bitch in power, because they get things done. She concludes with a pre-primary pitch, "So come on Texas and Ohio. Get on board, it's not too late. Bitch is the new Black!"

Apparently Tracy Morgan wanted to counter the perceived SNL bias towards Clinton. He made a special commentary of his own last night, and it is hilarious. His concluding words, seen in the title of this post, are sure to polarize Obama and Clinton supporters. But you have to admit, it is a pretty sweet comeback to Fey's rallying cry.

Spike Jonze's Kanye video

2008-03-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

Hate or love Kanye, you should enjoy this music video for the song "Flashing Lights", especially the finale.

Kanye West - Flashing Lights
by kevinb1984

There is some controversy that Kanye and Spike, who co-directed the video, might have ripped off the concept from a 2002 Eskimo Joe music video (that can be seen below). Personally, I think both are pretty cool.

Larry David on Hillary Clinton's 3 a.m. campaign ad: "Does anyone want this nut answering the phone?"

2008-03-07T00:46:00.000-08:00

Larry David has written an amazing commentary on The Huffington Post about the negative ad that Hillary Clinton effectively used to scare old white people in Ohio last Tuesday. L.D. has many spot on observations, including...

How is it that she became the one who's perceived as more equipped to answer that 3 a.m. call than the unflappable Obama? He, with the ice in his veins, who doesn't panic when he's losing or get too giddy when he's winning, who's as comfortable in his own skin as she's uncomfortable in hers. There have been times in this campaign when she seemed so unhinged that I worried she'd actually kill herself if she lost.

The whole post reads like it would be an exceptional commentary segment on The Daily Show or Weekend Update.

To refresh, here is that Clinton spot, pulled straight from the Carl Rove handbook.

Although I prefer Larry David's suggestion on how to counter, I think Obama is classy and effective with his response video.

No offense Jake Shimabukuro, but bow down to the master

2008-03-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

Alright, I started getting nostalgic about "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" while publishing the last post. After a little surfing, I came across this performance of the song during George Harrison's posthumous induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. The whole performance is fun, but Prince steals the show with his guitar solos.

With my mind on Prince, I remembered how he gave my all-time favorite Super Bowl halftime performance last year. If you think for a second that Prince's show is the standard of quality for these things, just watch this year's fiasco with Tom Petty. Better yet, don't, and enjoy Prince again (or for the first time)...

Prepare to forget everything you thought you knew about the Ukulele

2008-03-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

His name is Jake Shimabukuro, and he is seriously magical with a ukulele. Check out his response as the audience yells "faster" on a song called "Crazy G".

Here he is doing a cover of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from the Beatles' White Album. I had thought ukuleles were just kind of kitschy, but this performance is beautiful.

Kama Obama

2008-03-02T06:21:00.000-08:00

Who needs mariachis, when you can have maharishis...

¡Viva Obama!

2008-03-01T10:42:00.000-08:00

The mariachi endorsement trumps any lame old superdelegate.

post Valentine's Day lovin'

2008-02-28T10:29:00.000-08:00

Oh Bork, you are priceless!

2008-02-26T22:13:00.000-08:00

This is an old clip from Saturday Night Live where they did a parody of "Iconoclasts" on the Sundance Channel. The spoof meeting of the minds was between Charles Barkley and Bjork. Just the premise cracked me up, but I think both of the impressions are pretty damn good. This sketch made me wish there was a real episode of the show featuring these two.

Guttentastic!

2008-02-19T09:58:00.000-08:00

I have not seen more then a few minutes of “Dancing with the Stars”, and do not consider myself an expert in gauging what kind of celebrity makes for a great dancer. However, I boldly assert that one competitor is going to rock the celebrity dance world to its very foundation. Yes, the new lineup of contestants for the upcoming season has been revealed. People of the world, your celebrity dance prophet and savior is coming…

Celebrity Death Pool - 6 weeks left with Lindsay Lohan

2008-02-18T12:47:00.000-08:00

Lindsay Lohan has re-enacted the lighting and poses for a photo shoot that Bert Stern did with Marilyn Monroe at the Hotel Bel-Air in 1962. Known as "The Last Sitting", these photographs were taken six weeks before Monroe died of a drug overdose.

All I'm saying is it might not be the time to invest in any Lohan projects set to shoot after March.

He's a video game, not a real person!

2008-02-17T10:26:00.000-08:00

Since Michael Jordan stopped doing the slam dunk competition, the whole event really seemed to lose its luster. As each year went by, what started becoming clear is that there just didn't seem to be that many variations in jumping up in the air and throwing the ball through the hoop. But Dwight Howard is both extremely athletic and also creative, while having acrobatic skills that are usually non-existent in the really big men (he is 6'11).

The main event...

The prep work...

some Valentine's Day lovin'

2008-02-15T10:14:00.000-08:00

Hillary is officially desperate

2008-02-14T06:20:00.000-08:00

Tom's Super Adventure Club Video

2008-01-25T12:20:00.000-08:00

The now infamous Scientology video honoring Tom Cruise has just been leaked to the Internets. It's currently up on YouTube, but I'm sure Xenu will get it shut down any time now. So, watch it quick ... it's a hoot. I don't know too much about Scientology, but if this video's anything to go by, it's an irony-free zone. In fact, the video's a dead ringer for the spoof commercials in Starship Troopers — only without the sense of parody.

It's in four parts, as it is 40 minutes long. Part 3 is the funniest...

This year's Democratic primary summed up in one photo...

2008-01-22T12:55:00.000-08:00

(click to enlarge)

I Heart Oscar Nominations

2008-01-22T11:50:00.000-08:00

I have a lifetime of memories of Academy Award nominations where my favorite films were almost always relegated to the best screenplay category. I am so happy that this year my top three films were actually given the respect they deserve, with their respective filmmakers nominated for best picture, best director, AND best screenplay. In fact, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood received 8 nominations each (including best cinematography and editing), and Michael Clayton had 7. There are solid nominations in the acting categories as well, with appropriate recognition for Daniel Day-Lewis, George Clooney, Viggo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett, Javier Bardem, Casey Affleck, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Ryan, and Tilda Swinton.

This has been my favorite year of movie releases since I was born. I am not saying that the single best movie of my lifetime was released this year, but I have never seen so many good movies come out in one year. And it is nice that this is also the year that my favorites actually received appropriate recognition. Now of course, there are still some odd choices by the Academy. I don’t understand why they have such a boner for Juno and the Ruby Dee nomination for American Gangster is kind of perplexing (to name a few). But I am definitely excited this year to see who ends up winning, whether by award show or press conference.

Here are my top 10 films of the year...

ironic truth is stranger than ironic fiction

2007-12-19T01:03:00.000-08:00

Below you will see a picture of Britney Spears and her little sister Jamie Lynn from 2002. Jamie Lynn is now 16 and pregnant.

Lynn Spears (mother of Britney and Jamie Lynn) was writing a book on Christian parenting, due out in the Spring of 2008. The book has been indefinitely delayed.

Cross Promotion

2007-12-05T00:54:00.000-08:00

Andrew and I also post on The Moviedrome, which features film reviews and analysis from across the globe. Click below to check it out...

I got a chance to see advanced screenings of Juno and The Kite Runner on consecutive nights. It is nice to see movies before the reviews and trailers give too much away. And as you read on, allow me to take away that pleasure from you!

Juno

If you have seen the trailer, or even just the poster, you pretty much know the plot: a teenager gets pregnant, decides to have the baby and give it to an adoptive couple, and laughter and tears ensue. It is the kind of movie where your enjoyment will be based on how much you like the characters and the humor.

The ensemble cast is strong, with standout performances by Michael Cera, Jason Bateman, and J.K. Simmons. Cera was one of the leads in Superbad, but I was introduced to him and also know Bateman best from their work on Arrested Development. I knew they could do comedy, and was really impressed by their subtlety in dramatic moments. But J.K. Simmons really surprised me. You might remember him in cartoonish roles like the thief with irritable bowel syndrome in The Ladykillers, or as the crotchety newspaper chief in Spiderman. But his performance in Juno is actually understated, sweet, but still funny. Everyone in the film is a supporting character to Ellen Page, the actress who plays the leading role of the impregnated Juno.

Apparently Page was impressive in Hard Candy. I have not seen it, so this was my first exposure to her. She definitely has personality and flair, a charisma that carries the film. But it is almost despite the script, not because of it. The character of Juno is practically a stand-up comedian, with almost every line being a sarcastic zinger. Juno’s wit kind of strains credibility as coming from a 16 year-old, especially with her constant cultural references that would seem to be more appropriate coming out of the mouth of someone older (like, say, that of 29 year-old screenwriter Diablo Cody). Don’t get me wrong, there are many funny lines and moments, and overall I enjoyed the experience.

I caught Juno at USC, and director Jason Reitman was there for a Q&A. He seemed proud to mention that he attended USC as an undergrad but was NOT a film major, apparently to convey that anyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps and become a working director. Having a father who directed Stripes and Ghostbusters might help compensate for the connections and access most hope to get by becoming a film major.

The Kite Runner

I definitely have poured plenty of money into the Arclight in Hollywood, and was happy to receive an offer for a free advanced screening of The Kite Runner. Well, mostly free, it did require driving into the Valley to see the movie at the new Arclight in Sherman Oaks. There was cheap wine and hors d’oeuvres, as well as the chance to get your book signed by author Khaled Hosseini. The theater itself was perfectly nice, except that one whole side of the lobby is made of windows that reveal…traffic on the 405 freeway! I guess there was a certain schadenfreude in watching people stuck in traffic, but it was a kind of bizarre way to create ambiance.

The Kite Runner powerfully shows Middle-Eastern Muslims as very relatable human beings, something that should be common sense, but is rarely portrayed in American media coverage (particularly regarding the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq). For that alone, I hope many Americans find their way to this movie. Maybe this film will have the power to make some people feel less cavalier about our current or future aggressions.

This film also has a strong cast. The two children who play the younger versions of the protagonist and his best friend are fantastic. These kids are extremely charismatic, while still giving naturalistic performances. However, I expect that the Academy Award nomination will be coming for the protagonist’s father, played by Homayoun Ershadiss. He is a captivating presence in a wonderful role, whether affluent in Afghanistan or scraping by in America. I was also pleased by the casting of Said Taghmaoui, who I thought stole the show as the Iraqi interrogator in Three Kings.

I often enjoy films that are set in unfamiliar locations. I am not sure where they actually rolled film, but the portrayals of Afghanistan and Pakistan felt vivid and well realized. There is also beauty in the landscapes. The kite flying sequences were playful and exciting, although at times a little too dependent on CGI.

My problem with The Kite Runner is the obsessive need to have plot points, props, dialogue, and characters come full circle. I think this was done to make the storytelling satisfying, but the effect for me was that upcoming scenes started getting predictable. It started feeling like you were watching a screenwriting chapter on planting and payoff in action.

Juno ***
The Kite Runner **1/2

I am a lamp - Burgess Meredith

2007-12-03T11:27:00.000-08:00

Ouch

2007-11-14T09:51:00.001-08:00

Dave Chappelle resurfaces in London!

2007-11-13T13:11:00.000-08:00

As of today, the Clippers are literally the best team in the NBA!

2007-11-07T23:52:00.000-08:00

Tonight the Clippers played the Pacers on their home court in Indiana. Like the Clippers, the Pacers were undefeated with a 3-0 record. In the last 12 games where Indiana has hosted the Clippers, the Pacers had won 11 of them. Tonight, the Clippers won by the score of 104 to 89.

Alright Andrew, here is the entire league standings. Of course this is not going to last. But I have never experienced anything close to this moment as a Clippers fan, and it is pretty sweet.

Go Baby Go

2007-11-07T10:28:00.001-08:00

Keep rolling!

2007-11-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

My kind of network

2007-10-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

A simple Facebook search has helped me clarify why I love Santa Cruz so much. Click to enlarge:

The stuff of my dreams

2007-10-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure how the makers of this got access to the inside of my head, but this is an exact representation of the dreams I have every night. (The video is even funnier/stranger if you get the British pop culture references.)

Letterman and the lovely Paris Hilton

2007-10-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

I checked this out because of an article that questioned if Dave Letterman went too far in mocking Paris Hilton during her appearance on his show. How else do you make 8 minutes with Paris tolerable (without night-vision and an NC17 rating)?

"Real Time" and the need for Democrats to wake up!

2007-09-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

Bill Maher’s show on Friday addressed the issue of why I think so many Democrats are frustrated with their own party. As Rahm Emanuel demonstrates, he and many other Democrats are allowing the President and the Republicans to set the parameters of the debate on funding the Iraq war, and subsquently use Republican logic to define patriotism and supporting the troops. Rep. Emanuel says that Bush’s budget requests must be met in order to give the soldiers the best technology to protect themselves, when Michael Dyson and Bill Maher point out that the best way to protect the troops would be to get them out of Iraq. I love Dyson’s statement that “going to the mat” for the soldiers is not to pass all budget requests, but to make the bolder move of truly challenging the President. Rahm Emanuel also says early on in this clip that what the country really needs is a new President, which I think leads to the question Bill Maher later raises and what most Democratic supporters fear most: the Democrats are not truly challenging the President because the unpopularity of the war will mean more votes in ’08, while too many lives are lost in the meantime.

The segment I am writing about begins around the second minute of this clip…

(slaps forehead)

2007-09-30T09:14:00.001-07:00

Sick Twisted Fucks

2007-09-26T06:28:00.000-07:00

This just in from the AP:

WASHINGTON - A supporter of Rudy Giuliani's is throwing a party that aims to raise $9.11 per person for the Republican's presidential campaign.

Abraham Sofaer is having a fundraiser at his Palo Alto, Calif., home on Wednesday, when Giuliani backers across the country are participating in the campaign's national house party night.

But Sofaer said he had nothing to do with the "$9.11 for Rudy" theme.

"There are some young people who came up with it," Sofaer said when reached by telephone Monday evening. He referred other questions to Giuliani's campaign.

"I'm just providing support for him. He's an old friend of mine," Sofaer said of Giuliani.

Sofaer was a State Department adviser under President Reagan and is a fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution

Giuliani's campaign had no immediate comment.

According to the invitation, "$9.11 for Rudy" is an "independent, non-denominational grass-roots campaign to raise $10,000 in small increments to show how many individual, everyday Americans support `America's Mayor.'"

Giuliani was mayor of New York during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Anbar Province “Success”

2007-09-08T17:39:00.001-07:00

The Iraqis of Anbar province are being used by President Bush to demonstrate the success of the troop surge. These Sunnis used to be aligned with al Qaeda in Iraq, and up until recently were classified by the U.S. as part of the insurgency that were attacking the U.S. military. On Friday in Australia President Bush said:

“You may have heard, on my way down here I stopped in Iraq -- stopped in Anbar Province. Anbar was an al Qaeda stronghold. Their leaders of al Qaeda had announced that they were going to establish a safe haven from which to launch further attacks on my nation -- for starters. It was a part of Iraq that was dangerous and, the truth of the matter is, the a lot of the experts in my country had said was lost to al Qaeda.

I went there because al Qaeda has lost Anbar. The opposite happened. Anbar is a Sunni province that once had people joining al Qaeda -- they're now turning against al Qaeda. Why? Because people don't want to follow a dark vision.”

Frederick Kagan in The National Review wrote that, “Anbar, as everyone knows, has been one of the hotbeds and the most important base for both the Sunni rejectionist insurgency and al Qaeda in Iraq since 2003.” These Sunnis were the same people who were loyal to Saddam Huessein, the madman who justified the U.S. invasion into Iraq in the first place. Further, up until recently, these Sunnis were classified as insurgents who fought alongside al Qaeda in Iraq to attack Americans. So these Sunnis have become our allies.

Two important facts to note are that these Sunnis are opposed to the U.S., and that their resistance to al Qaeda in Iraq happened long before the surge. The troop surge had just begun to take place in January of 2007, but it was in September of 2006 that the Sunnis began to turn on al Qaeda in Iraq to bring stability to the Anbar Province. Back on April 29th of 2007, Kirk Semple reported in the New York Times:

“The turnabout began last September, when a federation of tribes in the Ramadi area came together as the Anbar Salvation Council to oppose the fundamentalist militants of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia.

Among the council’s founders were members of the Abu Ali Jassem tribe, based in a rural area of northern Ramadi. The tribe’s leader, Sheik Tahir Sabbar Badawie, said in a recent interview that members of his tribe had fought in the insurgency that kept the Americans pinned down on their bases in Anbar for most of the last four years.

‘If your country was occupied by Iraq, would you fight?’ he asked. ‘Enough said.’”

And to the first point of how strongly these Sunni’s could be classified as allies to the U.S., Semple wrote:

“But while the anti-American sheiks in Anbar and Al Qaeda both opposed the Americans, their goals were different. The sheiks were part of a relatively moderate front that sought to drive the Americans out of Iraq; some were also fighting to restore Sunni Arab power. But Al Qaeda wanted to go even further and impose a fundamentalist Islamic state in Anbar, a plan that many of the sheiks did not share…

…For all the sheiks’ hostility toward the Americans, they realized that they had a bigger enemy, or at least one that needed to be fought first, as a matter of survival.”

Now the U.S. is supporting and supplying these Sunnis in Anbar with intelligence and military assistance (the same Sunnis who were classified as insurgents last year). A senior official in the defense department is quoted in The Washington Post last Tuesday as saying, “There are those inside the Maliki government that might want to characterize this as arming a Sunni opposition to the Shia-based Maliki government.” In addition to the same Sunni leaders who controlled Anbar Province under Saddam Hussein now being tempted to use these weapons to try and reclaim the Iraqi government, is it not also a distinct possibility that these insurgents of the previous 3 years of the war might end up using the weapons provided by the U.S. military against our same U.S. military after al Qaeda in Iraq has been neutralized?

Further, this relative peace takes place in a highly homogenous region of Sunnis, not a diverse city with major sectarian strife like, say, Baghdad.

This is the “success” story of the surge that will probably be the highlight of Petraeus’ report to Congress, and the justification for maintaining the surge troop levels in Iraq.

Highlights from the Star Wars Holiday Special: The horror! The horror!

2007-09-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

Why would George Lucas try to hide the existence of this masterpiece? Nobody gets away with their dignity intact. Except maybe Bea Arthur. Or Jefferson Starship. Or Chewbacca's family.

Laughing Yoga: the stuff nightmares are made of

2007-08-31T19:28:00.001-07:00

One more note! One more note!

2007-08-29T10:40:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this is a little old, but I thought I'd share it anyway. Presented here, in its entirety, is the final concert that concluded the White Stripes' tour across every province and territory of Canada...

More on Miss South Carolina and everything like such as

2007-08-29T10:27:00.000-07:00

This map just popped up on Boing Boing, to help clarify Miss SC's argument:

"Flight of the Conchords"

2007-08-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

If you are even later hopping on the "Flight of the Conchords" bandwagon then I am, then listen up and start hopping on the "Flight of the Conchords" bandwagon. This show is amazing, about two brothers from New Zealand who come to New York to pursue their folk-rock careers. As the show begins, they have a shitty manager (long lost brother to Ricky Gervais' manager on "Extras"), no gigs, one fan, and no money. The first eleven episodes have been aired on HBO, and I have caught up to episode 3. This is my favorite song so far, especially the verse about kids making sneakers:

"they're turning kids into slaves
just to make cheaper sneakers
but what's the real cost?
cause the sneakers don't seem that much cheaper
why we still paying so much for sneakers
when you got them made by little slave kids?
what are your overheads?"

Please to enjoy...

New law passed by educationally challenged Arkansan U.S. Americans

2007-08-28T08:11:00.000-07:00

Miss South Carolina explores the educational challenges faced by U.S. Americans

2007-08-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

John Singleton kills pedestrian, picks up directing credit

2007-08-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

Craig Brewer must have been shocked to learn from CNN that John Singleton both accidentally killed someone and directed "Hustle & Flow".

The Polyphonic Spree to George Bush ... "It is time for you to lose your excitement"

2007-07-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

I recently got to catch the Polyphonic Spree performing at the El Rey, and was happy to see that one of the many people holding their camera phones in the air had actually posted the recording on YouTube.

I love the cabaret style finale. So the narrow frame of a phone's camera really fails to capture the spectacle of a Polyphonic Spree show, with their 20 plus members in action. The horn section, the harp, the choir, pianos, drums, and various others provide so much to take in and enjoy. I cannot think of a comperable concert experience, except for maybe the Page-Plant reunion concert where they performed Kashmir will a full orchestra among other musicians while projecting psychedelic images on a video screen that is still larger then any other that I have ever seen. I had a sense during that show as well of where my ticket dollars were going.

The last time I saw the Polyphonic Spree, they wore flowing robes and seemed to be luring you to their cult. The music and message often seemed uplifting, and the songs were often ambitious with several movements within them. The new Polyphonic Spree came out in Black Military outfits, a jarring shift from the previous concert. The new songs also seem tighter and more focused. And clearly, the war in Iraq and the actions of the President have influenced the direction of the new album and tour. I liked the older albums, but the change in attitude and focus only strengthens the new songs. After they finished their first set, they returned to the stage in their robes for the encore and did a medley of their more popular songs as well as a cover of Nirvana's "Lithium". The show was much longer then expected, in a very satisfying way. The new album "The Fragile Army" is worth checking out, and see them live if possible.

Dramatic Chipmunk

2007-07-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

Real life Simpsons intro

2007-07-10T01:46:00.000-07:00

Get your TV on the Radio

2007-06-11T13:14:00.000-07:00

I am a little behind the curve on this one, but better late then never. TV on the Radio put out an album called "Return to Cookie Mountain" last year. I finally got around to listening to it, and it is creative, ambitious, and unique. Here is a music video for "Wolf Like Me", one of my favorite tracks. I simply don't believe a mediocre song could inspire a music video as badass as this. Definitely also check out "Let the Devil In", "Blues from Down Here", and, well, just get the whole album.

Sarah Silverman MTV Movie Awards Skit

2007-06-07T02:33:00.000-07:00

I went to a show at the Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater a few days before the MTV movie awards, and Sarah Silverman made a surprise appearance to try out her opening monologue jokes. They were pretty funny, especially one about the paparazzi introducing us to so many celebrity vaginas in the past year. Then she points them out around the crowd, at the likes of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, before almost forgetting to include Tobey Maguire. I couldn't believe she would do that joke on MTV, so I tuned in. Sure enough she did, as well as her more famous one about Paris Hilton chipping her teeth on the prison bars that were painted to look like penises. All this can be found on Youtube.

Here is her skit; that old fashioned gag of a host interacting with movies from the past year that Billy Crystal does every time on the Academy Awards. Sarah does it pretty well, but Jack Nicholson shines.

Top Gun...on Ice!

2007-03-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

ATG&B New York correspondent Alex appears as Goose!

Is there any nudity in it?

2007-01-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

This is from "Extras", the post-"Office" show by Ricky Gervais. There is so much potential in Patrick Stewart's screenplay...

Whatzupwitu?

2007-01-24T21:15:00.000-08:00

So Eddie Murphy hangs up his myriad of fat/old/woman/Jew disguises and sings in a musical ... and he's heading towards winning an Oscar for it. Well, before they snub Alan Arkin and give the award to Murphy, I think all Academy voters should be forced to watch this old chestnut from back in the day when Eddie was trying to be a pop star. It might help them put Dreamgirls into better perspective. I mean, what in the hell is going on in this thoroughly disturbing video? Eddie looks like he just stumbled out of the Blue Oyster Bar, and I'm not even going to speculate about why there are so many schoolboys in this thing...

I knew I recognized that sex offender!

2007-01-23T06:40:00.000-08:00

I really liked "Little Children", and was pleasantly surprised to see that Jackie Earle Haley was nominated today for best supporting actor for the role of Ronnie. Although he looked familiar to me while watching the movie, I only today understood why...

It actually doesn't seem that far-fetched that Kelly from "Bad News Bears", or even Moocher from "Breaking Away", could have grown up to be Ronnie.

Criswell Predicts!

2007-01-22T11:56:00.000-08:00

By channeling the spirit of The Amazing Criswell, I will now predict, with uncanny accuracy, tomorrow's Academy Award nominations...

BEST PICTURE:
Babel
The Departed
Dreamgirls
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

BEST DIRECTOR:
Guillermo Del Toro, Pan's Labyrinth
Stephen Frears, The Queen
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Babel
Paul Greengrass, United 93
Martin Scorsese, The Departed

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:
Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Departed
Peter O'Toole, Venus
Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness
Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
Penelope Cruz, Volver
Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal
Helen Mirren, The Queen
Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet, Little Children

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls
Brad Pitt, Babel
Mark Wahlberg, The Departed

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Adriana Barraza, Babel
Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal
Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi, Babel

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
Babel
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen
Pan's Labyrinth
United 93

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
Borat
Children of Men
The Departed
The Devil Wears Prada
Little Children

BEST EDITING:
Babel
The Departed
Dreamgirls
The Queen
United 93

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Babel
Children of Men
Dreamgirls
Letters From Iwo Jima
Pan's Labyrinth

You're gonna love me!

2007-01-16T18:04:00.000-08:00

It is definitely funny, but also pretty impressive in what Jake Gyllenhaal is able to belt out. The cowboy who can barely keep his hat on at the end of the song is amazing, too. Watch this before NBC's lawyers inevitably yank this off Youtube, so that viral videos can spread the way they were intended...only on NBC's web site.

2006 was Nuckin' Futs!

2007-01-02T00:55:00.000-08:00

Nuckin' Futs! The JibJab Year in Review | Send To Friends | Funny Animations at JibJab

Respect for a Super Bad Brother

2006-12-25T02:32:00.000-08:00

"Photojournalism"

2006-12-24T13:32:00.000-08:00

Here is today's main page from Cnn.com...

Was the Italian holding a flashlight under his chin to make his ghost story scarier? Nice subtlety by CNN picking this photo for a news piece regarding a spy.

Fond memories of Rumsfeld

2006-12-14T12:45:00.000-08:00

Take Me To Your Dealer

2006-11-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

The dangers of too much Mario Kart

2006-11-28T08:37:00.000-08:00

Best Bushisms o' '06

2006-11-27T09:44:00.000-08:00

I don't buy it that George W. Bush is a fully fledged moron. His dimwittedness is either a result of some kind of medical imbalance or a GOP strategy. Probably both. For example, check out this video on the decline of Bush's public speaking skills over the course of the last ten years. And let's not forget that, following his 1978 electoral defeat to Southern boy Kent Hance, a preppy Bush vowed never to be "out-Bubba'd" again. With this in mind, laughing at "Bushisms" because they highlight his stupidity only really serves to perpetuate the ruse that is being played on us all.

This preamble is merely to say that my picks for the top five Bushisms of 2006 are not ones that make him seem like an idiot, but rather ones that reveal what an arrogant, insensitive asshole he is. I actually think he peaked in this department on January 1st, so 2006 was all downhill from there (unless he pulls out something great in December).

I give you the top five:

"As you can possibly see, I have an injury myself -- not here at the hospital, but in combat with a cedar. I eventually won. The cedar gave me a little scratch. As a matter of fact, the Colonel asked if I needed first aid when she first saw me. I was able to avoid any major surgical operations here, but thanks for your compassion, Colonel."
--George W. Bush, after visiting with wounded veterans from the Amputee Care Center of Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 1, 2006
"I would say the best moment of all was when I caught a 7.5 pound largemouth bass in my lake."
--George W. Bush, on his best moment in office, interview with the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag, May 7, 2006
"That's George Washington, the first president, of course. The interesting thing about him is that I read three -- three or four books about him last year. Isn't that interesting?"
--George W. Bush, while showing German newspaper reporter Kai Diekmann the Oval Office, Washington, D.C., May 5, 2006
"I'm the decider, and I decide what is best. And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the Secretary of Defense."
--George W. Bush, Washington, D.C. April 18, 2006 (video clip)
Bush: "Are you going to ask that question with shades on?"
Peter Wallsten of the L.A. Times: "I can take them off."
Bush: "I'm interested in the shade look, seriously."
Wallsten: "All right, I'll keep it, then."
Bush: "For the viewers, there's no sun."
Wallsten: "I guess it depends on your perspective."
Bush: "Touché."
--George W. Bush gives a legally blind reporter a hard time for wearing sunglasses while asking him a question, Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006 (video clip)

A friend with weed is a friend indeed

2006-11-21T05:57:00.000-08:00

An oldie, but goodie...

Best DVDs o' '06

2006-11-17T06:46:00.000-08:00

There are still one or two DVD releases this year that might warrant a place in this post - such as the upcoming disc for The Conformist - but here's my take on the best DVD releases of 2006. Discs were selected based on quality of the movie, quality of the transfer, quality of the extra features ... and whether or not I've bought them (hence the lack of overpriced Criterion releases!).

THE TOP TEN:

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
One of Russ Meyer’s best films gets the royal treatment from Fox: a two-disc set featuring a superlative transfer and a wealth of extra features (including a deeply informative commentary by the film’s screenwriter, Roger Ebert). This is a one-of-a-kind film experience of the sort that they don’t make any more. Best DVD of 2006!

Werewolves on Wheels
A new outfit, Dark Sky is rapidly becoming one of my favorite DVD companies. This movie is a hybrid biker/horror film with an existential bent. I was expecting pure drive-in trash, but this film has a really striking atmosphere that raises it to a completely different level than the standard biker fare. A wonderful, surprise discovery for me.

Lifespan
Another wonderful discovery. As with most Mondo Macabro DVDs, this is a film I had never heard of before. It stars Klaus Kinski and is an off-beat, existential tale about the quest to find the elixir of life.

Let’s Scare Jessica To Death
A rarely seen American Gothic from the early-1970s. Another gem that I hadn’t seen before, and given a nice DVD release by Paramount.

The Emilio Miraglia Killer Queen Box Set
NoShame Films has quickly become an indispensable DVD company, releasing both cult and arthouse films from Italy. This set features two gialli from the early 1970s: The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave and The Red Queen Kills Seven Times. Both movies are classics and this is a quality DVD release all the way down the line - although I could have done without the ridiculous Red Queen action figure that this set came packaged with!

The Beast Must Die
Another winner from Dark Sky. This film really surpassed my expectations. The premise is an Agatha Christie style scenario where you have to guess who the werewolf is. The film even has a “Werewolf Break” where you are given time to contemplate the different suspects. What did it for me, though, was the fact that they tried to add a blaxploitation element to this very British scenario.

The Big Racket
One of three Italian crime films directed by Enzo Castellari that Blue Underground released in April ’06. All three feature nice transfers and enjoyable commentaries by Enzo. This one is the best movie of the bunch: a terrific fusion of elements from Death Wish, Dirty Harry, The Wild Bunch and The Dirty Dozen.

Female Prisoner #701 Scorpion: Beast Stable and
Female Prisoner #701 Scorpion: Grudge Song
Episodes three and four of a series of insanely stylish 1970s Japanese exploitation flicks starring Meiko Kaji. How wonderful it is to have these on DVD.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Dark Sky has answered the prayers of many with this exceptional DVD: a two-disc set featuring a fantastic transfer and an enormous amount of extra features. The person at the check-out at Best Buy, unfortunately, didn’t realize there was a Texas Chain Saw Massacre from the 1970s and starting raving about the recent remake and how excited she was about the upcoming sequel. Oh, the youth of today!

Virgins From Hell
Mondo Macabro has released several grindhouse epics from Indonesia. This DVD edges ahead of their other releases by including a second disc with over an hour’s worth of trailers for Indonesian exploitation films.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

The Devil's Sword
More Indonesian insanity from Mondo Macabro! DVD features a profoundly weird interview with the film's star, Barry Prima.

The Bollywood Horror Collection
Mondo Macabro strikes again, with this double feature of two obscure Indian horror films: Bandh Darwaza and Purana Mandir. Great stuff!

Dust Devil
A mammoth DVD set, featuring five discs for the price of one: two versions of Dust Devil, a soundtrack CD, and two discs full of documentaries made by Richard Stanley. Subversive should be commended for such an amazingly in-depth package, which is a treat for any fans of Stanley’s work. Now all we need is for Hardware to get the same kind of royal treatment.

Colt 38 Special Squad
A cracking Italian crime film and a great DVD package from NoShame. Included as an extra feature is an entire film which was never released (and thought lost) because the producer was kidnapped shortly after it was completed!

Petulia
Richard Lester’s 1968 film is one of the great critiques of the modernist society. For some reason this sometimes gets billed as a comedy, but it’s actually a very serious film in the tradition of Last Year in Marienbad. Feels like it should have a Richard Lester/Steven Soderbergh commentary track ... but sadly it doesn't.

Succubus and Two Undercover Angels/Kiss Me Monster
Blue Underground revisits some Jess Franco titles that had originally been issued through Anchor Bay, substantially improving the transfers on all three movies. Taken as a whole, these films provide a nice overview of Franco's late-1960s work, ranging from deeply strange sexadelic art films to goofy sexadelic caper films!

The Other
Another fantastic piece of American Gothic from the early 1970s. It would make for a great double feature with Let’s Scare Jessica To Death. Paramount’s DVD provides a nice transfer, but there's a dearth of extra features.

Street Law
Another of the Blue Underground Enzo Castellari DVDs, this one starring the great Franco Nero in a Death Wish inspired crime film.

Black Belly of the Tarantula
The best of four gialli released by Blue Underground in March ’06.

Columbo Season 4, Season 5 and Season 6 & 7
I’m a sucker for Columbo. These all have solid transfers, and the shows themselves are rarely less than stellar. I can’t bring myself to put any of the season box sets in the top ten, however, because Universal has released all of the original seven seasons on DVD and has yet to include a single extra feature about Columbo. Surely Peter Falk must be willing to give an interview or some commentary tracks?

Putney Swope
One of the great films of the 1960s. Any fan of independent cinema should watch this. This DVD, issued by Home Vision Entertainment, is an improvement on the old Rhino release, but the transfer isn’t quite up to their usual high standards: the image is interlaced, and the framing seems a little too tight.

Best Films o' '06

2006-11-14T12:56:00.000-08:00

I recently started trying to remember what were the good movies that came out this year. In what seems to be an annual refrain, I thought there was a huge shortage of movies that I could imagine filling the 5 slots open to be Best Picture nominees. Of course, this is still pre-December, with many of the contenders probably being held for late release. Not to mention the upcoming film this month that I have the highest expectations for, "For Your Consideration."

But when I took some time to think about the movies that came out this year, I was able to remember a bunch of 2006 releases that I enjoyed. So here is my early "Best O' 06", for your consideration.

Best Picture

United 93
The Departed
Borat: Cultural Learning of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
An Inconvenient Truth
Hostel

Rest of the Best

Miami Vice
Inside Man
V for Vendetta
The Prestige
Little Children
The Proposition
Beerfest
A Scanner Darkly
The Illusionist
Who Killed the Electric Car?

Worst Films of 2006

Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction
Lady in the Water
The Da Vinci Code
The Sentinel
Snakes on a Plane

Probable Oscar Contenders that I have not Seen

Flags of our Fathers
Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties

Hurts so good

2006-11-09T17:57:00.000-08:00

Colbert's video "love letter" to the passing Republican majority is amazing. Like the Borat movie, it left me wanting more...more!

Porcelain deer for everyone!

2006-11-09T10:32:00.000-08:00

Here (spread over two parts) is a spoof industrial film about Universal Studios made by Trey Parker and Matt Stone in the pre-South Park days. Stallone steals the show.

MORE BREAKING NEWS!!

2006-11-08T16:23:00.000-08:00

Pelosi's minions unveil the Democrats' 25-point manifesto for the new Congress:

1. Mandatory homosexuality

2. Drug-filled condoms in schools

3. Introduce the new Destruction of Marriage Act

4. Border fence replaced with free shuttle buses

5. Osama Bin Laden to be Secretary of State

6. Withdraw from Iraq, apologize, reinstate Hussein

7. English language banned from all Federal buildings

8. Math classes replaced by encounter groups

9. All taxes to be tripled

10. All fortunes over $250,000 to be confiscated

11. On-demand welfare

12. Tofurkey to be named official Thanksgiving dish

13. Freeways to be removed, replaced with light rail systems

14. Pledge of Allegiance in schools replaced with morning flag-burning

15. Stem cells allowed to be harvested from any child under the age of 8

16. Comatose people to be ground up and fed to poor

17. Quarterly mandatory abortion lottery

18. God to be mocked roundly

19. Dissolve Executive Branch: reassign responsibilities to UN

20. Jane Fonda to be appointed Secretary of Appeasement

21. Outlaw all firearms: previous owners assigned to anger management therapy

22. Texas returned to Mexico

23. Ban Christmas: replace with Celebrate our Monkey Ancestors Day

24. Carter added to Mount Rushmore

25. Modify USA's motto to "Land of the French and the home of the brave"

BREAKING NEWS!

2006-11-08T12:50:00.000-08:00

Springtime For Hasselhoff

2006-11-03T06:11:00.000-08:00

Following a year of personal-life meltdown, I was pleased to see that the Hoff's career is back on the upswing. When you think about it, the casting perfectly brings together all the things that define Hasselhoff: music, Germany, demonic evil. If only Mel Brooks can work in some green screen somewhere...

From IMDB:
Former Baywatch star David Hasselhoff is returning to the stage to play a bumbling director in the upcoming Las Vegas production of comedy musical The Producers. The actor will play flamboyant Roger De Bris in the new stage show, which is set to hit the city's Paris hotel and casino next year. Hasselhoff and show creator Mel Brooks made the shock announcement at a press conference yesterday morning, with funnyman Brooks insisting the actor was a perfect fit for the new production. Brooks said, "He has incredible comedic timing, terrific musical theatre experience and stage presence and he will be a perfect marriage with the role. And by the way, he has great legs." Hasselhoff stated, "I'm honored to be a part of anything Mel Brooks is a part of. He has always been my favorite man of comedy. He is a giant and it is a dream come true to be part of one of the greatest Broadway musicals in theatre history."

Nobody bothers me, either!

2006-10-31T12:11:00.000-08:00

Growing up in the suburbs of Virginia, there were two advertisements that dominated the afternoon cartoons. One was the Carvelle ad for the Fudgie the Whale ice cream cake.

The other, with a jingle that popped in my head the second I saw the words "Jhoon Rhee", has been revived from the dead on Youtube. Use the text to sing along from home or work.

All things Hasselhoff, and beyond!

2006-10-30T10:57:00.000-08:00

Will future generations look back and realize that only the Germans truly got it regarding the Hoff? Where all others saw insanity, was there an unappreciated genius?

Here is a double-feature of "Jump in My Car", which walks the tightrope of being one part joyful reunion with K.I.T.T. (the Trans Am from Nightrider) and one part extremely creepy seduction. The first clip is the music video, full of Hoff's trademark passion for the art of green screen. The second clip is the lip-synched "live performance" on the TV show "America's Got Talent", the program on which Hasselhoff was a celebrity judge. Yes, he lip-synched on a talent show where he was judging the live performances of others. Take special note of how Hoff's voice continues to seduce while he puts the mic aside to dance with fellow celebrity judge Brandy. Enjoy!

The Wizard of Floyd

2006-10-29T12:24:00.000-08:00


Heard about "The Wizard of Oz" synched up with "Dark Side of the Moon" ... but can't be bothered to do it yourself?

Letterman puts the hurt on O'Reilly

2006-10-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

People need to make Letterman angry more often, it brings out the best in him. It is almost sad how unable O'Reilly is to fight back.

It's your fault that this happened

2006-09-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

Learn English while you get in shape.

Conan's Emmy Odyssey

2006-08-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

Not bad for an award show medley. Especially the stops at The Office and South Park.

Dope Music Video

2006-08-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

The new Mike O'Connell jam "What's it Gonna Be?", featuring Yoshido...

Dope Ad

2006-08-23T18:11:00.000-07:00

Especially for you Grand Theft Auto lovers out there...

Bush Goes After the Inbred Appalachian Sodomizer Vote

2006-08-17T18:59:00.000-07:00

From Macon.com:

Moonshiner who appeared in 'Deliverance' pardoned

ATLANTA - A Georgia moonshiner who appeared in the movie "Deliverance" has received a presidential pardon for his crimes.

Randall Leece Deal, 66, was convicted in 1960 and 1964 for moonshining in North Georgia.

He was one of 16 pardons announced Wednesday by the White House.

"I had no idea it had been granted," Deal said Wednesday afternoon, as he was cooking dinner at his home in Rabun County, where he works for the sheriff's office. "Well, whoopee. I wanted to go out with a clean slate."

Deal said he was convicted when moonshining was common in the north Georgia mountains. He served two years probation for the 1960 conviction and two years probation for the 1964 conviction.

He said he applied for the pardon after hearing about another moonshiner who was pardoned in 2003.

"I figured if that guy could get one, why not me?" he said. "We're the same age."

In 1972's "Deliverance," Deal plays one of two brothers who encounter characters from Atlanta played by Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, Ronny Cox and Jon Voight, who get lost looking for a river during a canoe trip.

He delivers the line, "It ain't nothing but the biggest (expletive) river in the state."

At the movie's Atlanta premier, he said he told his religious mother he never used the profanity.

"I told her, 'They lied to me. They dubbed that line in there. I didn't say that,' " he said.

Chavez and Castro Moonlight for Fashion Site

2006-08-14T21:35:00.000-07:00

Best Tombstone Ever

2006-08-11T19:23:00.000-07:00

Official: David Hasselhoff IS The Anti-Christ

2006-08-11T14:37:00.001-07:00

From some gossip rag:

David Hasselhoff fears he may be the Antichrist after reading conspiracy theories about himself on the internet. The star confesses he's hooked on searching his own name on the net and reading the wacky entries fans post.

He says, "I Google myself. This morning it said, 'References to David Hasselhoff: seven million, three hundred and thirty-three thousand, six hundred. Everything from me being a God to being the Antichrist.

"I actually read it and believed it. I started thinking, 'Maybe I am the Antichrist? Maybe why that's why all this weird s**t that has started happening to me and women yell at me on the street."