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I don’t really know what to say or think about this. I hope you enjoy this clip of David Bowie and Cher singing about 300 songs in 6 minutes as much as I do.
- KR
We love the Pixies. We LOOOVE the Pixies! They are one of those rare bands that sound like nothing before them and is impossible to imitate. They are easily one the the greatest bands ever. Great art seems to thrive on conflict and dysfunction and it was ultimately this discord within the band that led to the end of the Pixies in 1993. It was one of those breakups that felt permanent and a reunion seemed as likely as Flavor Flav actually finding love on TV. Oh wait, I think that actually just happened, sort of. Well, it just seemed impossible.
Hold on, what’s this? The Pixies are getting together for a reunion tour (that was me talking to myself in 2004). So yeah, it happened and in 2004 they went on tour. A very successful tour as a matter of fact. In chicago for example, they sold out 5 nights at the 4,500 person capacity Aragon Ballroom. Yes, we were there and yes, they ruled.
The reunion tour was documented in the film “loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies” which is now available on DVD and we are officially recommending. No, we are DEMANDING that you see it! It’s a fascinating look into the more mature but still dysfunctional band and their strange dynamic. Just rent it already, geez!
Here they are back in 1988 ruling so hard it hurts. I love this song so much it makes me want to eat my computer.
- KR
I realize this is kind of a cop out posting because admittedly I do not have the energy to write a thorough synopsis or description of what is one of our favorite shows, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Is it ok if I just say we LOVE this show and leave it at that? I also don’t feel like doing a ton of research about our favortite actor on It’s Always Sunny, Charlie Day. Here’s something, according to wikipedia “Day spent most of his childhood in Middletown, Rhode Island” – who cares, the show is awesome and the entire cast is amazing. I probably should have timed this post to coincide with their new season but, again, lazy.
I will smash your face into a jelly!
Rock, flag and eagle
-KR
Back in the summer of 1985 I was between my freshman and sophomore years in high school. Wham, Mr. Mister and Huey Lewis & The News topped the charts and I spent most of my time skateboarding or at “Galaxy World” the local arcade. It was also the year I made my major motion picture debut.
John Hughes was packing movie theaters with teens hungry to have “their story” told and writer/directer David Seltzer wanted a piece of the action. His solution was a Hughes-esque screenplay about a nerdy kid named Lucas (Corey Haim) who falls for a cheerleader (Kerri Green – Goonies) and decides to climb the social ladder by joining the football team. WHAT, the FOOTBALL TEAM?!? Oh boy, that’s not going to go well!
I guess I should mention this gem of a movie was filmed at my high school, the picturesque Glenbard West in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. It really is a beautiful campus that looks more like a hillside Ivy League university than a suburban high school. It was a pretty big deal for the school and obviously the student body was excited. Lucas was packed with stars who were not stars yet – Charlie Sheen, Winona Ryder, Courtney Thorne-Smith and Jeremy Piven whose already balding head made him look like a 45 year-old student.
I played the pivotal role of a student walking through a door at the end of the day. I’m sure you remember the performance. I was lucky enough to spend an entire day with Corey Haim bragging about how his skateboard in Canada was way better than mine, although this didn’t stop him from “thrashing” through the hallways on my “crappy” board in between shots. If I only knew he was going to one day be one of “The Coreys” I would have tried harder to make a lasting bond with the Haimster. However, it’s difficult for us actors to make friends on the set. You’ve never been in a movie so you can’t possibly understand.
Corey and I acting our asses off. He was a joy to work with.
Yes, the collar is up and the cuffs are rolled. I look totally RADICAL!
p.s. Lucas dies in the original edit but they came back in the fall to shoot the “slow clap” happy ending.
- KR
Have you seen Lars and the Real Girl? If not you should and now is your chance because it was just released on DVD. I am a big fan of Ryan Gosling especially his amazing Oscar-nominated (he should have won) performance in Half Nelson but when I first heard about Lars and the Real Girl I was a little worried. It sounded like a wacky comedy about a crazy guy who falls for a love doll and I thought Ryan Gosling had let Hollywood get to him. I could not have been more wrong.
Gosling plays a lonely guy who just does not fit in with the world around him. Although he is surrounded with family and supportive acquaintances he remains painfully shy and introverted. His solution is to order a high end love doll for companionship. Unlike most people who might order a doll of this nature, Lars is only interested in her friendship. I don’t want to give away the entire plot so I will just say that what follows is a surprisingly endearing and sensitive film that is far from being just another silly movie. Gosling and the rest of the cast give such amazing performances that the joke of a lifeless love doll in every scene begins to fade away and the audience begins to accept “Bianca” as a real person just as Lars does. Lars and the Real Girl is a touching, funny and intelligent film that will most likely fill your eyes with tears at least a couple times. I know, it sounds crazy but it’s true. I would suggest having yourself a little Ryan Gosling fest and do a double feature with Half Nelson. – KR
I kind of hate it when people say “so and so is a genius” but in this case I think we can all agree it’s not just an expression. This is not breaking news. I am not going to bother listing Michel Gondry’s resume or anything like that because I really just wanted to post this video I had forgotten about. Gondry filmed this video in 1993 for the song Lucas with the Lid Off and I remember at the time as a recent film school grad being obsessed with it. You see, as a film student I knew EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING. I was awesome and superior to other humans. Side note: I never made one film.
Anyway, this video is as beautiful to look at as it is fun to try and figure out. As far as I know it’s all one continuous shot.
And while I’m at it, can I just say that YouTube rules. I don’t think it has ever failed to deliver any random clip I had a whim to watch. – KR (I guess we are signing these now so Julia doesn’t have to be embarrassed when people think she is posting the crap I write about. She’s just jealous.)
I think you just need to see this.
Is this clip already famous?
“I guess it’s not even about Donkey Kong anymore.”
That pretty much sums it up perfectly. You may think The King of Kong is a silly documentary about the tiny subculture of competitive gaming, specifically old school arcade games like Pac Man and Donkey Kong. That’s exactly what I was expecting when I walked into the theater. I was hoping to spend a couple hours watching a bunch of nerds acting nerdy but I was treated to something much more dramatic. This is an epic battle between good and evil and an intimate look into one man’s internal struggle to finally be the best at something. I say this without a shred of irony.
Every legendary story needs a clearly defined good guy and bad guy and King of Kong has just that. Our good guy is the lovable Steve Wiebe. Steve is a middle school teacher with two cute kids and possibly the most loving, supportive wife on the planet. You just want to hug this guy! He has decided to break the world record for Donkey Kong and hunkers down in the garage practicing the game for hours.
Our bad guy comes in the form of Billy Mitchell the man who has held the Donkey Kong high score for over 20 years. Billy is the perfect arch rival with his sunken eyes, tight black jeans, long “flowing” hair and an ego large enough to block the sun. I can’t help but feel a little sorry for a guy who’s whole identity is wrapped around video game records he set in the 80’s. In many ways he’s a tragic figure when you cut through all the hair and sleaziness. In the world of classic arcade games Billy Mitchell is king, he’s Mohammed Ali, he’s Michael Jordan, he’s GOD!
The real drama that unfolds is not really about Steve vs. Billy rather it’s Steve vs. Steve and it is endlessly fascinating to watch. I’m not kidding about the amount of drama packed into this story, the audience I saw it with was cheering, booing, groaning, laughing and even crying. I feel very comfortable calling this a must see. Lucky for you it’s out on DVD now!
