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November 30, 2005
November 29, 2005
Goldfrapp Video
Download the hilarious Goldfrapp video "Number 1" from her upcoming Supernature. [Via Brooklyn Vegan]
November 28, 2005
Vatican Drops Singer For Promoting Condoms
Because God would prefer people die of AIDS
A Brazilian singer who promoted the use of condoms in an anti-AIDS campaign has been dropped from the lineup of next month's Christmas concert at the Vatican, organizers said Friday.Daniela Mercury was dropped after Vatican authorities read statements by her in the Brazilian press that went "against the moral doctrine of the church," said Eligio Ermeti, a spokesman for the agency organizing the event. [continue reading]
November 27, 2005
Deadly Snakes
They're one of the most underated bands in indie rock. We're glad to see them getting some props on Brooklyn Vegan and elsewhere.
Check out their new single: Gore Veil (from Porcella)
Vietnam documents might "prompt uncomfortable comparisons"
Evidently, Bush Inc is now censoring Vietnam era documents to save face on Iraq. Perhaps we should censor history text books too. Those darn Crusades could "prompt uncomfortable comparisons" too:
[Frank Rich via TruthOut] If Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney believe they were truthful in the run-up to the war, it's easy for them to make their case. Instead of falsely claiming that they've been exonerated by two commissions that looked into prewar intelligence - neither of which addressed possible White House misuse and mischaracterization of that intelligence - they should just release the rest of the President's Daily Briefs and other prewar documents that are now trickling out. Instead, incriminatingly enough, they are fighting the release of any such information, including unclassified documents found in post-invasion Iraq requested from the Pentagon by the pro-war, neocon Weekly Standard. As Scott Shane reported in The New York Times last month, Vietnam documents are now off limits, too: the National Security Agency won't make public a 2001 historical report on how American officials distorted intelligence in 1964 about the Gulf of Tonkin incident for fear it might "prompt uncomfortable comparisons" between the games White Houses played then and now to gin up wars.
November 23, 2005
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 22, 2005
End of an era
Ted Koppel's final show will air tonight. Thanks for a classy, distinguished career, Ted. You'll be missed.
Bush Kept Two Intelligence Reports
Somehow we missed this column by former Senator Bob Graham on Sunday. It further implicates Bush Inc of intelligence manipulation. Evidently, there were twointelligence reports:
The classified version most senators did not see:
"contained vigorous dissents on key parts of the information, especially by the departments of State and Energy. Particular skepticism was raised about aluminum tubes that were offered as evidence Iraq was reconstituting its nuclear program. As to Hussein's will to use whatever weapons he might have, the estimate indicated he would not do so unless he was first attacked."
The unclassified version most senators did see:
[It was] titled "Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs." It represented an unqualified case that Hussein possessed them, avoided a discussion of whether he had the will to use them and omitted the dissenting opinions contained in the classified version. Its conclusions, such as "If Baghdad acquired sufficient weapons-grade fissile material from abroad, it could make a nuclear weapon within a year," underscored the White House's claim that exactly such material was being provided from Africa to Iraq.
Read the full story here.
American Analog Set live mp3s
We sadly missed the American Analog Set shows when they recently came to New York, but the kind people at Bradley's Almanac have got our back. Check out a complete set of MP3s from their recent live show in Cambridge. [Via Brooklyn Vegan]
November 21, 2005
Songs Illinois
We don't usually do posts to promote other blogs, but if you haven't discovered Songs Illinois do yourself a favor and check it out. It's the perfect antidote to the New York blogs that are always discussing the same two or three bands. Their specialty is alt-country and folk—in the realm of Will Oldham and Mendoza Line—and best of all, they always turn us onto music (and labels) we've yet to discover by providing lots of free downloads. Check 'em out here. We recommend downloading Arena Rock's Winechuggers, as per their suggestion.
November 20, 2005
LA Times doesn't know difference between an exaggeration and a lie
The LA Times says Bush "exaggerated." We say he lied. Decide for yourself: [From the same LA Times story]
1. "[An Iraqi defector code-named Curveball] was the chief source of inaccurate prewar U.S. accusations that Baghdad had biological weapons"2. "Curveball never claimed to produce germ weapons and never saw anyone else do so."
3. "Curveball's German handlers for the last six years said his information was often vague, mostly secondhand and impossible to confirm. 'This was not substantial evidence,' said a senior German intelligence official... 'We made clear we could not verify the things he said... He [Curveball] is not a stable, psychologically stable guy.'"
4. "The White House... ignored evidence gathered by United Nations weapons inspectors shortly before the war that disproved Curveball's account... [and] punished in-house critics who provided proof that he had lied"
Forget Plamegate. Forget Clinton's blow job. Neither caused 1500 US deaths or enabled the use of chemical weapons against civilians. Can we hurry up and fire this pig fucker from Texas?
November 19, 2005
Worst. Wonder. Woman. Costume. Ever
Hearing Ohio Republican Jean Schmidt's vile response to John P. Murtha yesterday was enough to turn our stomachs:
"Cowards cut and run" she said. "Marines never do" [the video is here]
Never mind that Murtha is a distinguished war vet who was visibly moved by the amount of carnage he has personally witnessed while visiting Iraq and vet hospitals. Once again, the GOP makes a mockery of the freedom we are supposedly fighting for by attacking any voice of dissent as unpatriotic.
Thank God Catch softened the blow by focusing our attention where it should be, on Schmidt's bizarre wardrobe.
"Worst. Wonder. Woman. Costume. Ever"
Thanks Catch, we needed that laugh.
November 18, 2005
The Complete Sun Recordings, 1955-1958
The new Johnny Cash biopic starts this weekend and thus far the reviews are pretty solid. It's no secret that we're huge Cash fans (who isn't) so we're excited to see if Joaquin and Reese can pull off a believable Johnny and June.
There have been so many Cash box sets and collections since his death, the recent release of his The Complete Sun Recordings 1955-1958 arrived two weeks ago with little fanfare. Nonetheless, this three-disk collection is essential for any fan of his music. For those used to hearing the more raucous versions of Cash classics like "I Walk the Line" and "Ring of Fire" included on the legendary Folsom Prison live record, The Complete Sun Recordings showcases a more intimate and subdued side of Cash. The box set includes the studio originals of most of his classic songs, not to mention dozens of forgotten jewels. From the liner notes:
"Can you imagine 'I Walk the Line' with a steel guitar?" That rhetorical question, posed by Sun Records president Sam Phillips, went to the heart of Johnny Cash's years at Sun...Cash's signature "boom-chicka-boom" sound, heard on his first Sun record (and nearly every record thereafter), was born of necessity… A steel guitarist accompanied Cash to his first session, but quit after one song, leaving Cash with a guitarist who could only play boom-chicka-boom. Sam Phillips' stroke of genius was to not care that this very spare sound was unlike Webb Pierce or Faron Young or Hank Williams. He realized that Cash's baritone needed no more ornamentation than that provided by the remains of his ragged little band...
Cash said, "I didn't put a steel guitar in my band because everybody has a steel guitar in their band. "Don't listen to the music on the record, listen to the rhythm."
Everyone loves the iconic Cash baritone, but listen to the rhythm. It was first put on record in his Sun Recordings. [track list here via Artist Direct]
November 17, 2005
IL's Top 40 Bands in America Today
Information Leafblower posted their blog poll of the top bands in America. It's a strange list that could be more aptly titled "Top 40 Bands in America That East Coast Bloggers and Pitchfork Obsessed Over in 2005." That said, blogger obsession number one, "Clap Your Hands Say Yeah," are strangely not on the list. We obsessed about them too this year, because they're damn good. The National secured the number two spot on the list. Come on guys, they're just not that exciting. Fiery Furnaces also secured a top spot when they would be better served with a stern punishment. Their 2004 release Rehearsing My Choir is unlistenable. And the king of hype, Kanye West, got a top billing since indie kids have to always include a hip hop artist to be well-rounded. There were also the obligatory ironic choices like Kelly Clarkson. That said, it's a decent overview of today's top indie bands put together by most of our favorite bloggers, One Louder and Brooklyn Vegan are impeccable. Best of all, the list correctly put Sufjan in the number one spot, where he should be. On another note, we were sad to see Of Montreal, The Shins, Deerhoof, Will Oldham, Grizzly Bear, Chad Vangaalen, nearly all metal bands, and any electronic band not associated with DFA excluded. Check out the full list here.
November 16, 2005
GOP-led Congress robs NY after passing bill with $24 billion in pork
Congressional budget negotiators have decided to take back $125 million in Sept. 11 aid from New York, which had fought to keep the money to treat sick and injured ground zero workers, lawmakers said Tuesday.New York officials had sought for months to hold onto the funding, originally meant to cover increased worker compensation costs stemming from the 2001 terror attacks [AP]
Meanwhile, the pork-filled Highway Bill posed no problems for Congressional leaders, on either side of the aisle:
The $286 billion legislation was stuffed with 6,000 pet projects for lawmakers' districts, including what critics denounce as a $223 million "Bridge to Nowhere" that would replace a 7-minute ferry ride in a sparsely populated area of Alaska. Usually members of Congress cannot wait to rush home and brag about such bounty -- a staggering number of parking lots, bus depots, bike paths and new interchanges for just about every congressional district in the country that added $24 billion to the overall cost of maintaining the nation's highways and bridges in the coming years [WaPo]
November 15, 2005
Kansas School Board Agues That Teaching Facts Is Not "Neutral"
From NYTimes:
On Tuesday, fueled by the popular opposition to the Darwinian theory of evolution, the Kansas State Board of Education... promulgated a new definition of science itself.The changes in the official state definition are subtle and lawyerly, and involve mainly the removal of two words: "natural explanations." But they are a red flag to scientists, who say the changes obliterate the distinction between the natural and the supernatural that goes back to Galileo and the foundations of science...
Adrian Melott, a physics professor at the University of Kansas who has long been fighting Darwin's opponents, said, "The only reason to take out 'natural explanations' is if you want to open the door to supernatural explanations."
Gerald Holton, a professor of the history of science at Harvard, said removing those two words and the framework they set means "anything goes."
The authors of these changes say that presuming the laws of science can explain all natural phenomena promotes materialism, secular humanism, atheism and leads to the idea that life is accidental. Indeed, they say in material online at kansasscience2005.com, it may even be unconstitutional to promulgate that attitude in a classroom because it is not ideologically "neutral."
November 14, 2005
David Brooks is a Playa Hata
Now that the Times have made their editorial section subscription-only, most missed this inane rant last week from David Brooks. In a nutshell, he blamed the chaos in France on rap music. Obviously, Brooks couldn't be more wrong. The true catalyst was, of course, them shoot 'em up video games those darn French teenagers are always playing. If you missed his column, it's a must read, just for its pure stupidity:
Gangsta, in French
By DAVID BROOKS
After 9/11, everyone knew there was going to be a debate about the future of Islam. We just didn't know the debate would be between Osama bin Laden and Tupac Shakur.Yet those seem to be the lifestyle alternatives that are really on offer for poor young Muslim men in places like France, Britain and maybe even the world beyond. A few highly alienated and fanatical young men commit themselves to the radical Islam of bin Laden. But most find their self-respect by embracing the poses and worldview of American hip-hop and gangsta rap.
One of the striking things about the scenes from France is how thoroughly the rioters have assimilated hip-hop and rap culture. It's not only that they use the same hand gestures as American rappers, wear the same clothes and necklaces, play the same video games, and sit with the same sorts of car stereos at full blast. It's that they seem to have adopted the same poses of exaggerated manhood, the same attitudes about women, money and the police. They seem to have replicated the same sort of gang culture, the same romantic visions of gunslinging drug dealers.In a globalized age it's perhaps inevitable that the culture of resistance gets globalized, too. What we are seeing is what Mark Lilla of the University of Chicago calls a universal culture of the wretched of the earth. The images, modes and attitudes of hip-hop and gangsta rap are so powerful they are having a hegemonic effect across the globe.
American ghetto life, at least as portrayed in rap videos, now defines for the young, poor and disaffected what it means to be oppressed. Gangsta resistance is the most compelling model for how to rebel against that oppression. If you want to stand up and fight The Man, the Notorious B.I.G. shows the way.
This is a reminder that for all the talk about American cultural hegemony, American countercultural hegemony has always been more powerful. America's rebellious countercultural heroes exert more influence around the world than the clean establishment images from Disney and McDonald's. This is our final insult to the anti-Americans; we define how to be anti- American, and the foreigners who attack us are reduced to borrowing our own cliches.
When rap first came to France, American rappers dominated the scene, but now the suburban immigrant neighborhoods have produced their own stars in their own language. French rap lyrics today are like the American gangsta lyrics of about five or 10 years ago, when it was more common to fantasize about cop killings and gang rape.
Most of the lyrics can't be reprinted in this newspaper, but you can get a sense of them from, say, a snippet from a song from Bitter Ministry:
"Another woman takes her beating./This time she's called Brigitte./She's the wife of a cop."Or this from Mr. R's celebrated album "PolitiKment IncorreKt":
"France is a bitch. Don't forget to [deleted] her to exhaustion. You have to treat her like a whore, man! My niggers and my Arabs, our playground is the street with the most guns!"The French gangsta pose is familiar. It is built around the image of the strong, violent hypermacho male, who loudly asserts his dominance and demands respect. The gangsta is a brave, countercultural criminal. He has nothing but rage for the institutions of society: the state and the schools. He shows his own cruel strength by dominating women. It is perhaps no accident that until the riots, the biggest story coming out of these neighborhoods was the rise of astonishing and horrific gang rapes.
In other words, what we are seeing in France will be familiar to anyone who watched gangsta culture rise in this country. You take a population of young men who are oppressed by racism and who face limited opportunities, and you present them with a culture that encourages them to become exactly the sort of people the bigots think they are -- and you call this proud self- assertion and empowerment. You take men who are already suspected by the police because of their color, and you romanticize and encourage criminality so they will be really despised and mistreated. You tell them to defy oppression by embracing self-destruction.
In America, at least, gangsta rap is sort of a game. The gangsta fan ends up in college or law school. But in France, the barriers to ascent are higher. The prejudice is more impermeable, and the labor markets are more rigid. There really is no escape.
Needless to say, Brooks isn't keepin' shit real. [Thanks for the tip, John]
November 13, 2005
"I was wrong"
Finally, a leading Democrat admits what we've known all along. Too bad we had to wait nearly 3 years for some honesty.
It was an op-ed opening with a rare, "I was wrong." The author was former senator and candidate for vice president, John Edward, writing in Sunday's Washington Post."Almost three years ago we went into Iraq to remove what we were told -- and what many of us believed and argued -- was a threat to America," Edward related. "But in fact we now know that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction when our forces invaded Iraq in 2003. The intelligence was deeply flawed and, in some cases, manipulated to fit a political agenda.
"It was a mistake to vote for this war in 2002. I take responsibility for that mistake. It has been hard to say these words because those who didn't make a mistake -- the men and women of our armed forces and their families -- have performed heroically and paid a dear price.
"The world desperately needs moral leadership from America, and the foundation for moral leadership is telling the truth.... [read the rest]
November 11, 2005
Even Bill Frist Disagrees with Our Commander-in-Torture
From USA Today:
Bush is threatening to veto two major defense bills because they include an amendment to ban abusive treatment of detainees that the Senate has attached to both measures....It's a fight over treatment of prisoners by U.S. interrogators that pits Bush against usual allies, such as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and prominent veterans, such as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
November 10, 2005
Yo La Tengo Hannukah Shows - Tickets on Sale
Every year, the indie icons do a series of shows in the intimate setting of Maxwell's. Each night features a special guest. The shows make the trip to Hoboken worthwhile. They sell out quickly, so get your tix while they last. [via Brooklyn Vegan]
November 09, 2005
To do tonight: Sarah Silverman premiere at Galapagos
Check out an advance screening of Jesus is Magic tonight at Galapagos. FREE
L Magazine and Galapagos Art Space present
The Williamsburg Film Series
FREE Sneak Peak 35mm movies!
Find out more here.
The Museum of Bad Album Covers
There are a few jewels here, including one by Red Foxx titled, You Gotta Wash Your Ass. Check 'em all out here. [via BrooklynVegan]
November 08, 2005
Remember to Vote
And if you haven't seen this Ferrer ad featuring a dancing Al Sharpton, it's hilarious.
New Cat Power MP3, "The Greatest"
Cat Power has a new record coming out and will be at Tribeca Performing Arts Center on Nov 14.
Recorded at Memphis, TN's Ardent Studios over the summer by Stuart Sikes, 'The Greatest' while the most confident and life-affirming work of Chan Marshall's career, is as intensely personal, haunting and provocative as any of its predecessors. The album's players are a bona fide All-Star team of Memphis musicians, including Al Green sideman Teenie Hodges on guitar, Leroy "Flick" Hodges and David Smith on bass, Rick Steff on keys, Jim Spake on sax and trumpteer Scott Thompson amongst others
Check out an MP3 of the title track "The Greatest." [Thanks Matador}
November 07, 2005
Death From Above 1979 and Japanther
Big show tonight in Greenpoint:
Canadian Vice-sters Death From Above 1979 take a night off from their tour opening for Nine Inch Nails to rock out at Club Exit with Japanther, No Dynamics, and Meneguar. Click here for all the info.
November 06, 2005
Pre-war intelligence or Pre-war stupidity?
The New York Times got a big scoop on Sunday and curiously buried it on page 14. It got trumped by their page one story about this obscure little company they discovered called Google which has, evidently, been doing pretty well recently. With Senate hearings into the handling of pre-war evidence FINALLY beginning this week, this could be a big story:
A high Qaeda official in American custody was identified as a likely fabricator months before the Bush administration began to use his statements as the foundation for its claims that Iraq trained Al Qaeda members to use biological and chemical weapons, according to newly declassified portions of a Defense Intelligence Agency document...The document provides the earliest and strongest indication of doubts voiced by American intelligence agencies about Mr. Libi's credibility. Without mentioning him by name, President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Colin L. Powell, then secretary of state, and other administration officials repeatedly cited Mr. Libi's information as "credible" evidence that Iraq was training Al Qaeda members in the use of explosives and illicit weapons.
Read it all a here.
November 05, 2005
DMBQ in van accident, rest in peace China
We are VERY sad to hear this news about DMBQ:
DMBQ's van rolled from I-95 in Delaware en route from Baltimore to Brooklyn this afternoon. All members of the band have been hospitalized, as well as Michelle Cable from Panache Magazine and booking, who has been managing their tour.Mana "China" Nishiura did not survive the accident. China was DMBQ’s drummer, as well as a former drummer in Shonen Knife. China will be missed.
Michelle Cable is conscious following surgery for a head injury. Shinji Masuko is still in the hospital but is expected to be released soon. Toru Matsui and Ryuichi Watanabe have been released from the hospital.
There is a benefit show tonight. Click here for more.
Finally....
"On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of senators plans to meet and launch what the panel has labeled "Phase Two" of its investigation. That phase will focus in part on how the Bush administration handled prewar intelligence, including whether the information was misrepresented in statements to the public. The group of six senators is to meet over three days and report back on the intelligence committee's plan for this second phase."
Read it all here.
November 04, 2005
November 2005 Movie Preview
Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic
In a month that begins and ends with polemics about the Gulf, will anyone notice? Can Harry Potter save Hollywood from an oversimplified news story that won't die, I mean, the slump, the horrible, horrible slump? And is there even the slightest chance that "Rent" won't suck? The answers to all that and more, in this month's preview…
(OK, I'll tell you right now, "Rent's" gonna suck.)
NOVEMBER 4
CHICKEN LITTLE
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Disney can live without Pixar. Oh, the pitch of the film? Animated chicken declares that the sky is falling...in alien invasion form. Yeah, I know, that's a much more believable pitch.
WILL IT SUCK?
It's from the guys who wrote "Brother Bear," so, yes. And from the director of "The Emporer's New Groove," which wasn't awful, but still. Nice voice talent, though: Zach Braff, Catherine O'Hara, Don Knotts, Joan Cusack, Amy Sedaris, Harry Shearer, Patrick Stewart, Adam West, Fred Willard, and Steve Zahn.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
"Zathura" could be an issue the following week. And after the abysmal returns for "Valiant" and the less-than-stellar performance of "Wallace & Gromit," the kid flick scene seems dicey. $27mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
I'm thinking you're gonna need bigger guns than "Brother Bear" to play at that level.
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JARHEAD
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Remember the first Iraq war? It's about that.
WILL IT (WELCOME TO THE) SUCK?
From Director Sam Mendes, who is quickly becoming one of my favorites. After "American Beauty" and "Road to Perdition," the man is starting to establish himself as the king of the intimate epic. Not quite a modern day William Wyler, but it could happen. Screenwriter William Broyles Jr, on the other hand, had a hand in the "Planet of the Apes" remake. He also has "Apollo 13" and "Cast Away" to his credit which, while being strong films, don't seem quite on the level of what this is trying to achieve.
Regardless, the cast is stellar, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard, Chris Cooper, Sam Rockwell, and Dennis Haysbert.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Anticipation for this film is fairly high, and I think it will deliver. $76mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
This is practically designed for such a feat. And with distance from the election and record unease with the current war, nobody's gonna be afraid to rain down nods. Look for Foxx, Gyllenhaal, and maybe (keep your fingers crossed) Sarsgaard, to get some love, along with Mendes for Best Director and Broyles for Best Adapted. Best Picture? Let's see what happens with "Syriana."
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THE MATADOR
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
"The Whole Nine Yards," indie-style.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good, which is ironic considering the cheesy-as-hell trailer, which really does make it look like "Nine Yards Redux" with Pierce Brosnan in the Bruce Willis role and Greg Kinnear in the Matthew Perry role. Do you suppose those are the indie equivalents?
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
This is one of the more high-profile indies, but the marketing campaign could be a bust. You can't sell wacky comedy to the art house crowd unless it's, like, French or something.
This is one of the first trailers to bear the new Weinstein Bros. logo (although it also has the Miramax insigna) so it'll get a healthy marketing push, but if they try too hard to make it look suburban-friendly to draw a larger crowd, they'll just end up alienating their hard core following and disappointing their potential recruits. $30mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Way outside shot for Brosnan.
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I LOVE YOUR WORK
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Giovanni Ribisi plays a movie star who becomes a stalker (while being stalked by Jason Lee). Adam Goldberg directs.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is bad. Also not comforting that it took this long to get distribution (although plenty of good films take time). Decent cast, though: Judy Greer, Vince Vaughan, Christina Ricci, Elvis Costello, and Nicky Katt all join Ribisi and Lee.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
The underrated comedian niche will be overtaken by Sarah Silverman the following week. This week, it'll need better reviews. $600,000.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Adam Goldberg's most Oscar-worthy work was in "Dazed and Confused," and look how that turned out.
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THE DYING GAUL
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Campbell Scott, Patricia Clarkson, and Peter Saarsgard in a movie about a screenwriter (Saarsgard) who tries to sell a gay-themed script to Campbell, only to have to change certain key elements (guess which ones). Betrayal, adultery, maybe even murder ensue.
WILL IT SUCK?
Directing debut of screenwriter Craig Lucas ("Longtime Companion," "Secret Lives of Dentists"). Nominated for a Grand Jury prize at Sundance, but since has gotten very mixed buzz. Still, the thought of seeing these three indie heavyweights share screen time is tempting.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Strand needs to amp up the marketing on this one. I don't think awareness is where it needs to be. If the arthouse crowd gets a wind of this especially in strong gay markets, it could at least start off well before word of mouth broke or saved it. $2mil.
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NOVEMBER 11
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ZATHURA
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
"Jumanji" in space.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is actually pretty good. Like "Jumanji" (same author) the premise is a little cheesy but, like "Jumanji," not terrible and, handled well, could be pretty entertaining.
Here John Favreau ("Elf," "Made") is at the helm and seems capable of delivering the goods, especially with 50% shooter David Koepp ("Spider-man," "Lost World") writing with help from the guy who wrote the Power Rangers movie (which is a good or a bad thing, depending on your point of view).
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
There's a little movie called "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" that might drum up some kid business the following week (and a kid's film called "Chicken Little" the week before) but other than that, this should be fine. $61mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
This film eschews CG (for the most part) in favor of old school fx, so don't be surprised if it makes a run for that category.
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DERAILED
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Blackmailer Vincent Cassel just won't leave that poor adulterous couple (Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston) alone.
WILL IT SUCK?
Unlikely. In spite of a cheesy trailer, which tries to pull the "Red-Eye" trailer rope-a-dope "aw it's a nice romantic comedy oh, no, he's got a gun!" schtick, this has Mikael Hafstrom (Best Foreign Film nominee "Evil") at the helm and "Collateral" scribe Stuart Beattie penning the screenplay. The combo of Owen and Cassel should almost be as much fun as the combo of Xzibit and RZA.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
I don't know that anticipation is gonna be high enough. This is one of the first titles out of the Weinstein Bro. company and it's unclear just how much marketing muscle they'll weild. Plus, there's nothing in the trailer to make this look like anything other than a run of the mill thriller, which might only bring in medium bucks with Owen and Aniston as the draw. $34mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
"Closer" this ain't.
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GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN'
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
"50 Cent Mile"
WILL IT SUCK?
Arguments about 50 Cent himself aside, putting his story in the hands of master director Jim Sheridan is a genius move, right up there with having Curtis Hanson tell Eminem's tale. Although the writer of "8 Mile", or any of Sheridan's previous efforts for that matter, isn't here, a key writer for both "The Sopranos" and "The PJ's" is and, really, isn't this story just a combination of those?
And the cherry on top? Terence Freakin' Howard.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Note to marketers, the poster of 50 Cent with the baby is gonna get you less complaints than the poster of him with a gun. On the other hand, the one with him and a gun is getting you more free press, so what do I know?
Anyway, the 50 Cent following will come out en masse to greet him, even in a drama. Look for a strong opening mitigated by the release of "Harry Potter Cent" the following week. Also, it will be interesting to see who more people come out to watch, 50 Cent or Johnny Cash ("Walk the Line" opens the following week as well). $46mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Sheridan loses nods when he leaves his home turf. All he got for "In America," which many consider to be his best work, was a screenwriting nom. And Curtis couldn't direct Eminem to more than a (rather surprising) Best Song Award. Likely nothing here for Fiddy.
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BEE SEASON
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Family drama centered on a spelling bee.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed, with the Jewish mysticism angle turning a few folks off. Still, if you like Richard Gere and/or the directing duo's previous effort, "The Deep End," you might want to check it out. Or, if you're like me and you barely remember that there was a movie called "The Deep End" (it had Tilda Swinton and Goran Visnjic), you might not care so much.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Probably the second biggest kid on the indiewood block (after "Pride and Prejudice") this week. $9mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
If the reviews improve dramatically, maybe an Adapted nod or something for Gere, but I doubt it. If they wanna spice up the event, though, I say make every presenter spell a really hard word.
SARAH SILVERMAN: JESUS IS MAGIC
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Pseudo-sketch comedy/stand-up concert flick from Sarah Silverman.
WILL IT SUCK?
Buzz is overwhemlingly positive for this raunchy (I had to verify my age before I could watch the trailer) flick. Plus, it has Bob Odenkirk, so sign me up.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
After "Bee Season" and "P&P," probably the most anticipated indie release of the week. Also has the support of "The Aristocrats'" success. $6mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
"The Aristocrats" first.
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PULSE (KAIRO)
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Another J-Horror flick(apparently that's what the kids call the scary Japanese imports these days), this one with the internet as the menace instead of phones and videotapes.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz says no. Apparently this takes the ghost story and adds a little philosophical/technical isolation theme for kicks. Might as well see it now before the American remake with Veronica Mars.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Sadly, the remake is when most people will actually hear about this flick. $600,000.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Considering this came out in 2001, not so much.
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DUANE HOPWOOD
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
"Leaving Atlantic City." With David Schwimmer as Nicolas Cage.
WILL IT SUCK?
Writer/director Matt Mulhern is kind of an x-factor. But he's from Philly so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. A bigger problem is Schwimmer. I don't know that I'm convinced he can pull of the alcoholic dad bit, but I give him props for branching out. Early buzz is fair.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Too small to get a decent release. Though it's nice to see another "Friends" alum go indie. $200,000.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
An unbelievably good performance from Schwimmer would land him an Independent Spirit nod.
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GOOD MORNING, NIGHT
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Dramatization of the real-life kidnapping and assasssination of Italian political leader Aldo Moro.
WILL IT SUCK?
In spite of praise abroad, criticism here is harsh.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Sadly, confusion with "Good Night, and Good Luck" won't help, and neither will the fact that this is an extremely crowded weekend for indies. $400,000.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Italy's already made its choice for Best Foreign submission, and it ain't this.
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PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Darcy. Some chick. An inheritance, probably. Didn't you read this in school?
WILL IT SUCK?
Actually, it's quite good. It's no BBC version, of which I watched all 5 hours straight, thank you very much. But Donald Sutherland does a better job than expected and Keira Knightley runs away with the lead.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
It should do handsomely, at least in indie dollars. $33mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Look for Keira to make a Best Actress run.
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TAKE MY EYES
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Domestic abuse drama from Spain.
WILL IT SUCK?
Unbelievably good press and a shitload of international awards, including a near sweep of the Goyas (Spanish Oscars). Probably doesn't suck.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Without a bigger marketing push or at least a move to a less crowded weekend, I don't see all the good reviews in the world helping much. $300,000.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
2003 release date.
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NOVEMBER 18
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HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Tri-wizard Tournament, Hormones, and Voldemort all make an appearance.
WILL IT SUCK?
Probably not. The big factor here is new director Mike Newell. Ever since Chris Columbus jumped ship, the franchise has been shuffling helmers. So far (with a sample size of one) this has worked. Alfonso Cuaron brought a real visual flair and cohesiveness to installment number three. However, Newell isn't known so much for his visual style as for his sometimes mediocre romantic comedies ("Pushing Tin"). But anyone who can make both "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Donnie Brasco" probably has the range to take this on.
On a much more positive note, Steve Kloves is back doing the adaptation again, which is more important than ever as (a) many fans consider this to be the best novel in the series and (b) it's as long as the Bible. On an even more positive note, Kloves has been tapped to adapt "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime."
Cool casting continues, with additions ranging from Brendan Gleeson to the lead singer of Pulp (and some Radiohead members) in a cameo as a band. Oh, and perhaps the most perfect casting in the series yet with Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
All of this movie's potential competition (with the exception of the ballsy "Walk the Line," which isn't really competition anyway) have evacuated this weekend. A lot of talk has been made of the box office slump. As of a month or so ago, Hollywood was about $250 million shy of having its second best year ever. Watch this film single-handedly make that happen. $251mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
The usual slew of music and visual effects nods.
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Walk the Line
WALK THE LINE
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Johnny Cash bio-pic.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is very good. Like, better-than-"Ray" good. I've always thought that Joaquin Phoenix, who plays Cash, was underrated, so this may be his moment to shine. And writer/director James Mangold had me since the underrated "Copland," and this might make up for "Kate and Leopold," as much as anything could.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
The only movie with the cajones (or perhaps the demographics) to open against "Potter." The following week, a smorgasbord of films could offer a challenge, but the anticipation for this one is actually pretty high. Johnny Cash fans, unite! $75mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Definitely Phoenix. Likely Reese Witherspoon, who plays June Carter. Maybe Mangold (more likely for Adapted Screenplay than Director, though).
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BREAKFAST ON PLUTO
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
In Neil Jordan's latest, a transvestite prostitute named Kitten (Cilian Murphy) goes in search of his mother in turbulent 70's London.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz, not so good, in spite of Jordan's track record. This is more of a critic's lament, as audiences tend to put it up in "Crying Game" territory. No one, however, is complaining about Murphy's performance. Good supporting cast: Liam Neeson, Brendan Gleeson, Stephen Rea. There's a freakin' Dalek in the trailer, so I'm sold, but most people need more.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Whereas the previous weekend, every single indie film known to man is opening, virtually nothing else but this enters the arthouse circuit this week. $4mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Without better reviews or box office, Murphy will be forgotten.
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NOVEMBER 23
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RENT
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Adaptaion of the Tony Award winning musical in which, according to "Team America," "Everybody's got AIDS!!!"
WILL IT SUCK?
How many things are wrong with this project? Maybe not 525,600, but let's see.
1. It's Revolution Studios. That right there should be the first and last nail in the coffin, but there's more.
2. The guy who directed this directed "Stepmom."
3. The guy who helped adapt this wrote "Christmas with the Kranks." (Same guy as reason number two, btw. Chris Columbus).
4. It's PG-13.
The only thing they did right, far as I can tell, is to keep most of the original cast. That's about it.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
It's hard to keep a crap musical adaptation down. But not impossible. "Phantom of the Opera" couldn't rely on its fan base to overcome bad reviews, and neither, I suspect, will this, even with a wider, more fortuitously timed opening. $52mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Not unless it's about a billion times better than expected.
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YOURS, MINE AND OURS
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
"Cheaper by the Dozen-and-a-Half"
WILL IT SUCK?
Hey, the director had the dedication to helm both "Scooby Doo" movies.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Good placement. Thanksgiving weekend. It sure would be embarrasing, though, if the movie this were ripping off had a sequel coming out. Oh, right. Well, "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" doesn't come out until December 21st, so, this should be safe. I really wish I were making that last part up. $76mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Worst Punctuation. Isn't there supposed to be a comma after "Mine?"
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THE ICE HARVEST
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
"Quick Change" in Wichita.
WILL IT SUCK?
A lot depends upon which Harold Ramis shows up to direct, the one who did "Groundhog Day" and "Caddyshack," or the one who directed "Stuart Saves His Family" and "Club Paradise." Early buzz seems to indicate the former. John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton might even make up for "Pushing Tin," especially with Oliver Platt there to help.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Cusack dark comedies like "Grosse Pointe Blank" tend not to do that well, and Harold Ramis dark comedies like "Analyze This" have the full support of Billy Crystal and Robert DeNiro. $28mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
I dream of the day when Cusack starts taking on roles again that could lead to this eventuality.
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JUST FRIENDS
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Ryan Reynolds in a fat suit.
WILL IT SUCK?
Hey, the director had the dedication to helm both "Cruel Intentions" movies.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Not too much competition, though "Ice Harvest" and the second frame of "Harry Potter" will nip a bit at the demo. The bigger problem is Reynolds, who couldn't close with "Waiting..." $14mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
No, but I think one celebrity should be chosen at random each year, and put in a fat suit to present.
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IN THE MIX
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Usher plays a DJ-cum-bodygaurd to a mafia princess.
WILL IT SUCK?
I repeat, "Usher plays a DJ-cum-bodygaurd to a mafia princess." And though director Ron Underwood has had a long and varied career, I'm guessing this will be more "Adventures of Pluto Nash" and less "City Slickers."
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Who do you think has more fans, Usher or 50 Cent? $17mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Okay, one more time for the cheap seats, "Usher plays a DJ-cum-bodygaurd to a mafia princess."
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SYRIANA
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
George Clooney in a fat suit. No, actually, he gained the weight himself for the lead in this "Traffic"-esque expose of the oil industry.
WILL IT SUCK?
When I say "Traffic"-esque, I ain't just whistling Oscar-bait. Same writer, Stephen Gaghan, who also directs here. That should actually be a little bit of a concern, since the last time he did that we ended up with "Abandon," but I think this will be different. Clooney is joined here by Matt Damon, Chris Cooper, Jeffrey Wright, and Tim Blake Nelson. In terms of potential, this is the one to watch.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
I think it's a mistake to open this limited. This has a strong enough cast and pre-release buzz to open against any of this week's wide releases. It can certainly clean the floor with its limited release competition, but that's still a wasted opportunity. $36mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
Depending on how the politics start shaking out over the next few months you could be looking at Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture nods.
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THE LIBERTINE
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
The Earl of Rochester was a 17th century poet whose biographers often close with the phrase "riddled with syphillis." This is Johnny Depp's take on a man who liked to drink, screw, and occasionally write poems.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good, and you can't complain about the cast, which also includes Samantha Morton and John Malkovich.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
"Syriana's" gonna be the 400lb indie gorilla this weekend, so everyone else will have to fight for table scraps. This will get most of them. $5mil.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
With the old Miramax pushing this, yes. With the new Miramax pulling the strings, it's hard to say. On the one hand, the Academy likes Depp. On the other hand, will a far more high profile turn in "Willy Wonka" confuse the issue?
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STREETS OF LEGEND
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
"Fast and the Furious" with, like, really low production values.
WILL IT SUCK?
Won a cinematography award at Sundance a couple years back. That's probably because they strapped digital cameras onto souped-up cars and actually drove them at 140mph. As far as story, acting, or any of that crap, the buzz ain't so hot.
Still probably better than "The Fast and the Furious."
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
The bottom of the barrel this week in terms of exposure or star power. Lions Gate will do their best, but it's a hard sell. $200,000.
WILL ANYBODY REMEMBER IT AT OSCAR TIME?
The Indie Spirit Awards gave it a few nods back in da day. I don't think Oscar's gonna come a-knockin' now.
Next month, we'll actually be able to confirm or refute your claims about King Kong "not havin' shit" on you.
November 03, 2005
Demander, Jan Jelinek, and New England Roses
Music Reviews by John Rickman
Demander - EP (Triplicate)
www.demandernyc.com
The debut five-tracker by New York City's Demander proves that small bands can have a big rock sound. You can hear this trio's punchy exclamation-pop trying to break free from the modest moorings of its producers' mixing consoles. The recording, intimate and unpretentious, presents the group's sound laid bare in a way that reveals the intricacies of their instrumentation—and while it ultimately leaves you wanting more, it only hints at the strength of the band as a unified whole.
Comparisons to Sleater-Kinney and The Breeders have been thrown about, but Demander walks more of a knife's edge. Stylistically, the band has a strong, stripped-down blues-punk sound that is more accurately comparable to The Pretenders or PJ Harvey. Karen Corrêa proudly prefers to play the bass guitar's lowest notes and her vocals are equally as rich and robust. It's a perfect match for Sivan Harlap's rhythmic thunder and it's this pair's ongoing tug of war for dominance that makes the group's simple guitar, bass, and drums lineup so interesting.
Corrêa detonates each lyrical line like dynamite in time with the crack and crash of the drums. The latter of which propels the poetry of "Porte Cochere" forward: "In speaking thought is half-murdered / In words love is inverted / With virtue you half-flirted, but / Insecurities were re-asserted." Both Corrêa and Harlap apparently have musical roots that predate this new project and their maturity shows. Jared Scott's modest-but-solid guitar riffage is a nice compliment and has a slight rockabilly twang to it. As a unit, Demander's music is immediate and powerful, and like most New Yorkers has enough volition behind it to rise above any limitation and attract the attention it deserves.
Jan Jelinek
Kosmischer Pitch
(~Scape)
Much of the best laptop-created, minimal techno comes from Germany. Producers from Berlin and Cologne in particular have pioneered a distinctive deep house sound that combines simple electronic rhythms and soulful synthesizers with grainy textural environments and Jamaican dub-influenced production. The style has since influenced hip-hop, ambient music, conceptual art, and everything in between.
And as with anything marginally trendy, it's gotten to be a bit played out, as most "tech-house" and "digital glitch" practitioners are content to stick to formula and rarely come up with anything new and exciting. Jan Jelinek, on the other hand, always manages to prove there are no boundaries to any kind of music and that "style" is all in the mind anyways.
On Kosmischer Pitch, his third full-length for the ~Scape label, Jelinek takes his jazzy, loop-infused mini-funk in a slightly different direction. His instrumentals still have a jazzy, blunted bounce, but the music is more dense than usual and contains few overtly phat beats or mood-enhancing bass lines. Instead, Jelinek aims for the sublime by focusing in on the richness of his synthesized and sampled sounds and the natural rhythms they create when they collide.
The first track, "Universal Band Silhouette," is a heady, slow burner that leads with subtle layers of vibrating drone, backwards guitar, and brushed snare; whereby the arrangement crescendos into a rocking, mid-tempo bop. Jelinek allows the hypnotic quality of the sounds to sink in, drawing out the rising tension from both the resultant harmonies and the tempestuous rhythm.
The effect throughout is that of being in an induced state. On "Lithiummelodie 1," Jelinek delicately simmers resonating guitar chords and bubbling digital drone into a mesmerizing stew of sound. Just as a tight groove is added to spice things up, the sounds boil over and segue into "Planeten in Halbtrauer," a pressure-cooked remix of its predecessor that huffs and puffs as it slowly builds steam.
More than once, however, Jelinek transforms intensity into beauty. "Vibraphonspulen" is a meditative relaxer that sounds more like a live recordin