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As we complete our new book, details to come, Kevin of catch.com fame (and former Commissioner of the International Arabian Horse Association) will be guest blogging. He'll be posting off and on throughout March. Be nice to him. Blogging for us, after all, will cut into his daily ritual of watching "Montel" and "The Tony Danza Show." Thanks Kevin. We owe you one.
They are now accepting submissions. Click here for information
The Billyburg Short Film Festival is a competitive film and video festival, and a celebration of a diverse collection of short filmmakers... The BSFF is also dedicated to enriching the Williamsburg film community, a convergence of up and coming artists and filmmakers, by gathering prominent industry members to a core Williamsburg event. Early every summer, the BSFF showcases talented filmmakers, artists and musicians to an audience of peers and industry leaders to enhance the spirit of independent film. In the last two years, the BSFF has amassed over 1000 enthusiasts to one event, which exhibited over 30 films, 7 bands and a half dozen fine artists. In 2005, the BSFF received over 150 submissions from around the world and presented a select 20 at North Six, a premier venue in Williamsburg.
This year, the event will take place at the newly restored McCarren Park Pool.
Even with “A Scanner Darkly” delayed yet again, March is looking better than January and February combined. Which isn’t terribly difficult. A single episode of “24” looks better than January and February combined.
16 BLOCKS
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Bruce Willis has 118 minutes (hey, that's about the length of a movie!) to get a witness (Mos Def) from police custody to a courthouse.
WILL IT SUCK?
Richard Donner knows how to bring the action (the “Lethal Weapon” series, “Superman”) but, of late, he has only brought the suck (“Timeline”). The writer is fairly new, unless you remember “Vamp” or “Just the Ticket.” David Morse should make for a nice villain, however. Early buzz is not very good.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Now that “Ultraviolet” has been moved to this weekend, the second frame of “Running Scared” isn't the only other action game in town. Expect this to be a middling Willis performer, like “Hostage” or “Mercury Rising.” $35mil.
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DAVE CHAPPELLE'S BLOCK PARTY
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Dave Chappelle holds a block party in Brooklyn and invites all his rap buddies, along with some folks from the neighborhood he currently calls home in Ohio.
WILL IT SUCK?
Caught this at Toronto. Funny. As. Shit. Also, incredible performances from some of the best names in hip hop and R&B, including Mos Def, Kanye West, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, Erykah Badu, Common, and...wait for it...The Freakin' Fugees!
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
A little bit of competition from the second frame of “Madea,” but not much. People have been waiting for anything new from Chappelle for a while now. $102mil.
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ULTRAVIOLET
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Futuristic dystopia with butt-kicking action - does the plot actually matter?
WILL IT SUCK?
Four years ago, a guy named Kurt Wimmer wrote and directed a movie called “Equilibrium.” It bombed and didn't score too hot with critics, either. However, over time, more people saw it, loved it, and recommended it. Eventually I saw it, too, and you know what? They were right.
Now, in the same sci-fi action genre (looks like it takes place in the same future, just with color) Wimmer's back. So yeah, I'm psyched. Doesn't hurt to have Nick Chilund on board as the heavy, and the return of William Fichtner (he was in “Equilibrium”) as...who cares, he's in it.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Though the Wimmer faithful will be lining up, most folks'll write this off as an “Aeon Flux” knock-off, especially with Milla Jovovich playing an ass-kicking genetically enhanced mutant for the 17th time. Plus, it was ill-advised to move this from a weekend where it had to compete with Paul Walker to a weekend where it had to compete with Bruce Willis. $50mil.
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AQUAMARINE
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Teen “Splash.”
WILL IT SUCK?
Well, you've got the writer of “First Daughter” and a writer from “Joey” adapting a novel from the woman who wrote “Practical Magic,” so I don't see any problems.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
I don't think even tweeners are gonna buy into this one. $10mil.
JOYEUX NOEL
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
A group of soldiers fighting each other during WWII stop for one night (guess which one) and hang out. True story.
WILL IT SUCK?
Nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. So probably not.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Up against the second frame of fellow nominee “Tsotsi,” and a few medium profile indies the following week. $1mil.
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OUR BRAND IS CRISIS
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Documentary showing what happens when Bolivian presidential candidate Goni outsources his campaign strategy to some yanks, including one goes by the handle "Carville."
WILL IT SUCK?
Fascinating stuff. The only thing more disturbing than the fact that campaigns employ the same focus group strategies as product launches is that those strategies work. And after you see how hard it is to get democracy to work in a country without insurgents and IED's, Iraq will start to make a lot more sense.
HOW WELL IT DO?
Political docs could do really well this year, but exposure is the key. Playing up the Carville connection couldn't hurt. Palm Pictures needs to push this harder than they did “Gunner Palace.” $1mil.
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March 10
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THE HILLS HAVE EYES
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Remake of the Wes Craven horror classic about Cannibalistic Humanoid, um, Overground Dwellers.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is actually reeeaallly good. And by good I mean it's the gorefest you'd expect from the talent behind “High Tension.”
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
“V for Vendetta” will be a little bit of a drain on the audience the following week, but this will be the big horror hit of the season. $59mil.
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FAILURE TO LAUNCH
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
When I think of a thirty-something guy who still lives with his parents, I immediately picture someone who looks like Matthew McConaughey. And I definitely see his parents needing to try to set him up with someone to get him out of the house cos' there's no way he could find somebody on his own. Could be the hardest-to-swallow premise since “Emily's Reasons Why Not.”
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz not so good and what with writers from some less-than-great TV shows on board and the director of “Showtime,” I'm not shocked that romantic sparks aren't flying.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
No real romcompetition in sight, and this is where McConaughey lives, baby. $106mil.
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THE LIBERTINE
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
The Earl of Rochester was a 17th century poet, biographies of whom often end 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 no longer so good since its very limited release back in November, but you still can't complain about the cast, which also includes Samantha Morton and John Malkovich.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
The Depp faithful will turn out, which is significant, but not much more. $52mil.
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THE SHAGGY DOG
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Tim Allen turns into a sheepdog. Repeatedly. No word yet on who turns into the coyote.
WILL IT SUCK?
The pedigree here can only be described as a Perfect Storm of Suck. The director has brought us “The Perfect Score, Hard Ball, Ready to Rumble, Varsity Blues, Good Burger,” and the premiere episode of could-be-the-worst-TV-show-ever “Birds of Prey.”
That's only the beginning.
The five writers include repeat offenders the Wibberley's (“Bad Boys II, I Spy, The 6th Day”) and scribes behind “Daddy Day Care” and “Raising Helen.”
What hath they wrought?
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
In spite of the crap, this is a Disney remake. $74mil.
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EVIL
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Boarding school is hell. Especially in Sweden.
WILL IT SUCK?
I'm gonna guess no if for no other reason than this actually got nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar two years ago and won the Swedish Oscars for Best Film. Then again, the director went on to do “Derailed.” And this got delayed until after that happened.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Beyond the Oscar, not very high profile, and runners up in that category rarely make bank, much less 2 years after the party's over. $100,000.
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ASK THE DUST
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Romance between writer (Colin Farrell) and waitress (Salma Hayek) in 30's LA.
WILL IT SUCK?
It's not bad. Very leisurely, and some nice dialogue courtesy of Robert Towne who's been trying to shoot this since, well, “Chinatown.” I'm not super-enthusiastic about it, though.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Got a pretty high profile cast for an indie. And the Towne cache will bring in a few more. $12mil.
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DUCK SEASON
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Two kids are at home with nothing to do, and even less when the power goes out. Comic misadventure ensues.
WILL IT SUCK?
Probably not. This won more Ariels (think Mexican Oscar) than any other film ever and won some Mexican MTV Movie Awards. We call that "broad appeal." Critics here seem to like it, too.
I can only hope the sequel's called “Wabbit Season.”
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Unfortunately, this faces some stiff competition, and nobody knows about it, yet. I have confidence that Warner Independent can change that, though. $1mil.
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THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
The only thing worse than one kid's crappy foster folks is his crappy biological mom.
WILL IT SUCK?
Dark, but positively reviewed. Based on the memoirs of J.T. Le Really-not-an-actual-person.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
If Palm Pictures can milk the JT controversy, they might get some free publicity. Otherwise, this is doomed to obscurity. $100,000.
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MARCH 17
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V FOR VENDETTA
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
The Wachowski Bros. court controversy. Seems the hero of this tale is a little, um, terrorist-y.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed, but those who love it, luuuurrrrrvvvveeeee it and want to have a million of its babies. Detractors are more of the "meh" variety. My favorite early endorsement is here. The fans seem to think of this as a return to form for the Wachowski Bros., though the director is actually one of their assistant directors from the “Matrix” trilogy.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
You're looking at the first Event Picture of 2006. $140mil.
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SHE'S THE MAN
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Teen “12th Night.”
WILL IT SUCK?
This may sound a bit like “10 Things I Hate About You,” what with the teen Shakespeare and all. The good news is, they actually bothered to get some writers from that movie up in here. Having the director of the “Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical” at the helm is a nice touch, and David Cross and Vinnie Jones should be fun in supporting roles.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
This should serve as a fairly viable non-R alternative for tweens to “V.” $36mil.
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FIND ME GUILTY
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
True story of a mob guy who chose to be his own defense when on trial with twenty or so cohorts.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed and I can see why. When I first saw this as footage that Sidney Lumet was shooting shown during his tribute at last year's Oscars, I thought to myself, "What the hell is up with Vin Diesel's hair?" I also thought "That looks like a courtroom drama." The marketing, however, makes it look like, "Oh, that wacky mafia! Look what they're up to now! They're kooky!" But the reviews seem to suggest that this really is a drama, at least to some extent.
“Find Me Guilty,” you're hard to understand.
I want to be psyched for this. You've got Sidney “Network, 12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon” Lumet at the helm and contributing to the screenplay. You've got Diesel (who can be good when he wants to be), Peter Dinklage, Alex Rocco, and Ron Silver. You've got a fairly intriguing premise. I just hope the marketing is just that. Hype.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
In a weekend with “V” and a viable teen comedy about, something has to take the hit. $27mil.
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THANK YOU FOR SMOKING
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Aaron Eckhart plays a tobacco lobbyist in this hilarious satire.
WILL IT SUCK?
Oh, did I show my hand in the synopsis? Yeah, this fucking rocks.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
I'm not sure if Aaron Eckhart is a big enough star to draw indie heat. Fox Searchlight is a big enough studio to make sure it happens regardless. $13mil.
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DON'T TRIP... HE AIN'T THROUGH WITH ME YET!
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Comedy concert film with the caveat that the performer (Steve Harvey) can't cuss since this is a church crowd.
WILL IT SUCK?
Intriguing premise, though you'll find plenty of comedians who don't perform blue and are hilarious. Harvey showed his stand-up chops in “Original Kings of Comedy,” so no bones there.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Harvey's following and the “Madea” crowd should make for decent indie numbers. $20mil.
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SUMMER STORM
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Gay crew team! Well, maybe one of them is in this German import.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early reviews are mixed, like the feelings of one crew team member for another.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
In a post-”Brokeback” world, foreign films are still a hard sell. $250,000.
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DON'T COME KNOCKING
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
In Wim Wenders' latest, a film star (Sam Shepherd) goes all “Broken Flowers” in the middle of a shoot.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is not so good. Part of it seems to be unfavorable comparisons to Wenders' last outing with Shepherd, “Paris, Texas.” But the movie seems to be faltering on its own lack of merits as well.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
How many people can you name who even know there is a Paris, Texas? $100,000.
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THE AMATEURS
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Small town decides to shoot a porno.
WILL IT SUCK?
The writer/director wrote “Dead Man on Campus”. And though the following actors are strong - Jeff Bridges, Joey Pants, Tim Blake Nelson, William Fichtner - the idea of seeing them in a porno is not an inducement to buy (sadly I've already seen full-frontal on Nelson in “The Good Girl”). On the other hand, Lauren Graham and Jeanne Tripplehorn. Still not enough?
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
“The Chumscrubber” had a huge cast, too, and nobody saw it. $75,000.
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March 24
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INSIDE MAN
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
“Denzel Day Afternoon”
WILL IT SUCK?
Little is known about the writers, but Spike Lee can direct a motherfucker. And with Denzel, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Willem Dafoe in his stable, he's likely to get some stellar performances and tight action.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Combining Denzel and Jodie's celebrity is a very, very good idea. $116mil.
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STAY ALIVE
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Players in a video game (where, apparently, you fight Marilyn Manson) begin dying just as their characters do. Just be glad it isn't called “Stay_Alive” or some dumb shit like that.
WILL IT SUCK?
Why couldn't it be Donkey Kong? Then they could all be killed by barrels. Or Q-bert. Then...wait, what kills you in Q-bert? In case you haven't noticed yet, I know next to nothing about this picture and can only say that if you wanna watch Adam Goldberg (and maybe Frankie Muniz) get whacked, here's your chance. Oooh, I know! Dig Dug. Then they'd eat giant vegetables and have to fight a dragon and the only weapon they'd have is that pump. Exploding fucking dragons man. That's a movie!
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
“Slither’s” gonna knock it out of the water the following week. $11mil.
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LARRY THE CABLE GUY: HEALTH INSPECTOR
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Dude, if the title isn't enough for you...
WILL IT SUCK?
In case you needed more convincing, the writers did “Max Keeble's Big Move.” (By the way, Orlando Bloom was in that movie, so if you're playing the movie game, and you need to connect Orlando Bloom to Li'l Romeo, you're welcome).
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Let's call this a niche market, but no less so than, say, Steve Harvey. $26mil.
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THE CHILD
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Okay, you think your boyfriend's bad? This one sells their freakin' baby!
WILL IT SUCK?
Won the Palm D'Or at Cannes for its sibling directors. That makes two.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Somewhat more high profile indies in the water. $250,000.
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LONSESOME JIM
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Casey Affleck goes home to chill and be kind of a jerk.
WILL IT SUCK?
This is the latest from director Steve Buscemi, who does a little acting on the side. It's pretty charming. Full review here.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Buscemi films don't have a huge history of box office success. $750,000.
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STONED
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
The Brian Jones Story.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed. This comes from the writers behind “Plunkett and Macleane” and some of the latter Bond oeuvre. So maybe that's not surprising. And any Stones-related bio-pic where they had trouble getting rights to Stones songs makes me nervous.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
I suspect the number of people who care who Brian Jones is is much smaller than it should be. $1mil.
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THE BIG QUESTION
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
What if you were to take the cast and crew of “The Passion of the Christ” and ask them existential questions about their own spiritual beliefs? That's what this doc did.
WILL IT SUCK?
Intriguing premise. Sounds more like a DVD featurette, though, than a feature.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
ThinkFilm has gotta jump on this. Any traction you can get off of “Passion” translates into interest. $250,000.
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March 31
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ICE AGE 2: THE MELTDOWN
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Our beloved characters from the first movie try to warn the world about global warming.
WILL IT SUCK?
They've got one of the directors back and the writer, John Vitti, penned one of my favorite “Simpsons” episodes ("Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk") and one of my favorite episodes of “The Critic” ("Siskel & Ebert & Jay & Alice"), so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. All the regular cast is back, plus Queen Latifah for good measure.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
This would be the second Event Picture of the year. $177mil.
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SLITHER
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Really gory (but, you know, in a funny way) chiller about an alien invasion of a small town.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good, and that's not surprising considering the source. Writer/director James Gunn has his share of crap to account for (specifically the “Scooby Doo” movies) but his “Dawn of the Dead” remake sript was well-received. What really qualifies him for this effort, however, is his work with Troma films, especially a little gem called “Tromeo and Juliet” which he co-wrote and co-directed (the latter role uncredited). It is the height of tasteless hilarity, and this looks to be more of the same.
This also has my favorite cast of the month, including the priceless Nathan Fillion as the witless sherriff, along with Michael Rooker and “The Office’s” Jenna Fischer.
I'm pretty wussy about gore-fests, but I might steel up some reserve for this one.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
No real horror competition (the second frame of “Stay Alive” can suck it) and I think a healthy cult following will have built up by the release due to advance screenings like the one I'll try to get into at SXSW. Also, Fillion's growing his own little posse due to the burgeoning popularity of “Firefly.” $45mil.
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BASIC INSTINCT 2
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Which requires less of an explanation, this or “Big Momma's House 2?”
WILL IT SUCK?
Director Michael Caton-Jones has made, like, one good film (it's called “Rob Roy” and you should check it out). The husband/wife writing team has, on the wife's end, created “Desperately Seeking Susan” and on the husband's end “Deep Cover” and “The Believer” but together made “Venus Rising,” notable only for connecting Jessica Alba and Joel Grey in the movie game. The only “Basic Instinct” vet here is Sharon Stone and some of the producers. But were you really getting your hopes up when you saw the title?
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
The film is its own worst enemy. That and haunting memories of Stone in “Catwoman.” $41mil.
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ATL
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
“Boyz N the Dirty Dirty Southern Hood”
WILL IT SUCK?
Fairly good pedigree. The director is a newcomer from the world of music videos, but of the five (!) writers, we've got a scribe from “Drumline” and Antwone Fisher, who wrote, um, “Antwone Fisher.”
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Warner Bros. is gonna hit urban centers with its preview screenings. With its “Roll Bounce” take on bustin' outta da hood, they may try to turn it into this year's “Hustle & Flow.” $23mil.
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AWESOME: I FUCKIN' SHOT THAT!
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Beastie Boys concert film shot by the fans.
WILL IT SUCK?
I'm a Beastie Boys fan, so I'm already sold, but for those of you who are not, keep in mind the concept is new. 50 fans at one concert each given cameras with the footage edited together by Nathaniel Hornblower (a.k.a. MCA a.k.a. Adam Yauch) who directed some of the best Beastie videos. Early buzz is solid.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
I wonder just how strong the Beastie Boys following really is. Concert films are almost always a hard sell. $1mil.
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THE DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSTON
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Doc telling the story of musician/artist Daniel Johnston, who has developed a cult following in spite of debilitating depression.
WILL IT SUCK?
It's not bad, but it's also not nearly up to the hype that's preceded its release. A lot of it stands or falls on just how convinced you become of this guy's genius. It's not a slam dunk case.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Two music docs in one weekend? I don't know if that's a good idea. $500,000.
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DRAWING RESTRAINT 9
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Björk on a Japanese whaling ship. That's about all I can gather.
WILL IT SUCK?
Well, if it's anything like “Drawing Restraint 1-8”...no, those don't exist. This is from experimental filmmaker Matthew Barney whose “Cremaster” series you may be familiar with, but probably not. If you like the wacky experimental filmmaking and/or the Björk, the early buzz is positive.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Experimental film is pretty much the final frontier of box office gold. $75,000.
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BRICK
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Teen noir.
WILL IT SUCK?
According to the early buzz, writer/director Rian Johnson pulls it off. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who proved he could do anything with “Mysterious Skin,” takes the lead here. Won a Special Jury Award at last year's Sundance.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Not sure this has generated enough buzz yet. We'll see what Focus can do. $1mil.
Next Month: Is America ready to relive September 11th? We’re about to find out.
-- Dave Thomas
Our favorite poliblog, Catch.com is officially signing off today. We'll miss the site—we've been stealing content from it for years—but are happy that Mr. Catch, our good friend Kevin, will get a break. He's been doing this shit forever. Forget Al Gore, Kevin actually created the internet.
The good news is Kevin has agreed to host FREEwilliamsburg throughout March while we tend to book deadlines and heavy debauchery. So as the quality of writing on this site improves dramatically over the next several weeks, you'll know why.
Thanks Kevin. We'll miss Catch.
This should be a great show. And since the L Train isn't running all weekend, why not stay in the 'hood? If you never had the chance to see the Make-Up or Nation of Ulysses perform, check out their tamer stepchild, Weird War. Front man Ian Svenonius is like Mick Jagger on crack.
Saturday, Feb 25 at HIGH FIVE loft
Weird War (former members of Nation of Ulysses, The Make-Up)
with Aa / BIG A little a, Meneguar, and Professor Murder
Directions: 538 Johnson Ave @ Varick Ave | EastWilliamsburgIndustrialPark, Brooklyn
L - Morgan / B60, B57, or B13 bus / JM - Flushing + B57 bus | ALL AGES | 8PM | $8
by John Rickman
John Duncan / Mika Vainio / Ilpo Väisänen – Nine Suggestions
(Allquestions)
The new studio collaboration between John Duncan, Mika Vainio, and Ilpo Väisänen is an awesome, mind-melting drone experience. The threesome forms an impressive and complimentary unit that draws effectively from each artist’s wizard-like way of conjuring forth waveform environments from simple sound sources.
For conceptual sound artist and American ex-pat John Duncan, that source is a shortwave radio set. His music, typified by thick sheets of frequency modulation and shrill tones of naturally ringing feedback, is often dense and aggressive. Underlying the resultant haze, however, is a subtle touch. Duncan’s manipulations of random shortwave broadcasts evoke a kind of ghostly netherworld whose mysterious landscapes infrequently reveal planes of breathtaking beauty.
Finnish artists Vainio and Väisänen, better known as analogue electronic duo Pan Sonic, also apply an artful hand in tweaking custom-built synthesizers. The pair’s skillful ability to draw warmth from their uniquely cold-sounding machinery while harnessing alternate degrees of intensity and subtlety is equally breathtaking. That their exquisite soundscapes fold seamlessly into Duncan’s divined cosmos is not surprising.
‘Scratch Ring’ sounds like a burst of energy suspended in time and space, hovering ominously amidst an ever-expanding universe. ‘Volume’ shatters that universe with a startling charge of electricity, jolting the listener from one dimension into another. ‘The Metallic Conversation’ is a calming, rhythmic experiment set against a backdrop of silence that draws attention to the individual sounds in play. More active than ambient, each one of the nine “suggestions” carries the listener through a myriad of engaging moods and movements.
Diskaholics – Live In Japan Vol. 1
(Load)
Diskaholics also consist of three innovative sound shamans. However, this improvisational trio embraces unhinged unpredictability over refined artfulness. Live In Japan Vol. 1 is a two-track tour de force that documents guitarist Thurston Moore, saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, and laptop technician Jim O’Rourke jazzing free live in Tokyo in 2002.
As with all things improvised, the performances contain the usual peaks and valleys, but the same mood is more or less maintained throughout. Hair-raising feedback and squalid atonality is the operating theme, but it’s not until midway through the second track that the group eventually settles into it.
Gustafsson is the standout here and adds a semblance of soul to the proceedings. But too often his horn is buried beneath the rumble and rubble wrought by the Sonic Youth wrecking crew. The recordings teem with adventurous and exciting sounds, but they aren't for the casual listener. In fact, this live document is for those whom harsh noise happily signals the end of all music.
RBally has a great Shins live show from 2004 available for download. In case you haven't paid him a visit, he's got some great shows including Ryan Adams, Jeff Tweedy, and PJ Harvey.
Cakehead has a funny story on Hooah! bars, military power bars. The Hooah! website makes it easy to support the troops by allowing visitors to send Hooah! bars to the troops overseas as gifts. (Surely they prefer porn, cigarettes, and food that's actually nutritious). The Hooah! bar message board is worth a visit:
Dear AnySoldier who is the beneficiary of these bad to the bone Hooah Bars, hopefully you can chow these down and maybe share them with your comrades while you have your cross-hairs on some high value targets. Whatever your duties may be I hope you enjoy! Keep up the good work and always know your surroundings.HOOAH!""I sent Beef Jerkey too! HELP IS ON THE WAY!!!!!!!"
Read the full cakehead story here.
This is just further proof that Bush's "tough on terrorism" stance is just posturing. From Think Progress:
The Bush administration has outsourced the operation of six of the nation’s largest ports to a company owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a country with troubling ties to international terrorism. The $6.8 billion sale would mean that the state-controlled Dubai Ports World would control “the ports of New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.”Some facts about the UAE:
—The UAE was one of three countries in the world to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
—The UAE has been a key transfer point for illegal shipments of nuclear components to Iran, North Korea and Lybia.
—According to the FBI, money was transferred to the 9/11 hijackers through the UAE banking system.
—After 9/11, the Treasury Department reported that the UAE was not cooperating in efforts to track down Osama Bin Laden’s bank accounts.
And just months ago, Bush was supportive of China's attempt to buy Unocal, America's ninth-largest oil company, even though the country had just threatened us with nuclear attack. We're a fan of free markets to some extent, but holy Christ, selling our ports and resources to people who may want to attack us is not good policy. What's next? Will we sell our military to Saudi Arabia? Or hand over the lease to the White House to North Korea?
So we've got a president who doesn't read newspapers or watch the news. And Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security who don't use email. Should we just shut off the power and turn the capitol into Amish country? It's ironic that the Bush administration argues that it needs to bypass the courts when wiretapping Americans in order to save time, yet two of its key members are apparently still relying on the telegraph and the pony express. Maybe we should fact-check which decade we're in, but what other white-collar job in the country would hire employees who don't use email? It's disconcerting that our nation's security is in the hands of people who don't read. Much less understand what all the hoopla is about when it comes to this internet thingamajiggy. But on the other hand, maybe email is just a fad, like TV and rap music.
Click image for a larger version. And like Cheney, we figured we'd wait five days until commenting on the shooting. Care of Animal New York.
A belated shout out for, um, us. New York Magazine has a great article on blogging this week and they were kind enough to mention us. [from NY Mag]:
FREE WILLIAMSBURG
What Is It? Hipster heaven
Who’s Behind It? Robert Lanham, 34
Based Where? Williamsburg (of course!)
Rank: No. 6,885
The site covers things ’burg locals are interested in—indie music, being ironic, and knowing which hipster events to bring their PBR to. The blog doesn’t earn Lanham much spending cash, but it has given him some breaks. “I secured my first book deal when an agent stumbled upon an abbreviated version of The Hipster Handbook I’d posted on my site back in ’99.” Next up: a redesign of the site and a third book.
In addition to the $250,000 given to Armstrong Williams to promote No Child Left Behind, here's what you money bought [from Adweek]:
A Food and Drug Administration contract had the objective of warning the public about the "consequences and potential dangers of buying prescription drugs from non-U.S. sources.""expert advice and support in the development of several marriage-related research initiatives"
an educational campaign regarding the "Medicare Modernization Act, and its coverage and benefits"
a contract regarding "message development that presents the Army's strategic perspective in the global war on terrorism"
A big thanks to RBALLY, who has lots of new live MP3's available on his blog. He's got everyone from Cat Power to Art Brut to Sleater Kinney. Here are some highlights from recent BBC performances [Via BrooklynVegan]
Belle and Sebastian on BBC
The Blues Are Still Blue
Dress Up In You
Funny Little Frog
To Be Myself Completely
Jenny Lewis on BBC
Intro
Interview Part One
Rise Up With Fists
Interview Part Two
You Are What You Love
Interview Part Three
Melt Your Heart
This is either the best idea ever, or the worst. Maybe both:
Point Break LIVE!, the absurdist stage adaptation of the 1992 Keanu Reeves extreme-sports blockbuster, surfs into Galapagos for an exclusive one-month engagement.The show, which garnered a “Seattle P-I Best of Seattle 2004” award, as well as rave reviews across the nation, tells the story of former College football star Johnny Utah—Keanu Reeves in the film—in pursuit of the bankrobbing, skydiving, bare-hand-fighting adrenaline-junkie-cum-Zenmaster Bodhi Sattva (Patrick Swayze—here played by Gearick Matthies), and features armed robbery, big-wave surfing, car chases, explosions, and no less than two extended skydiving sequences. Best of all, the starring role of Keanu will be selected at random from the audience each night, and will read their entire script off of cue-cards!
At Galapagos (directions)
2.10 8:30pm $10 in advance, $12 at door
Also 2/11, 2/17, 2/18, 2/24, 2/25
You can get tix here.
Brooklyn Rock is offering a 3-day festival of music next week. The line-up includes lots of under the radar local favorites. Best of all, they are offering a free one-year subscription to TimeOut for anyone who buys a $10, one-day ticket. Sign up here. See the schedule here.
It was Cheney who authorized the leaks.
Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, testified to a federal grand jury that he had been "authorized" by Cheney and other White House "superiors" in the summer of 2003 to disclose classified information to journalists to defend the Bush administration's use of prewar intelligence in making the case to go to war with Iraq, according to attorneys familiar with the matter, and to court records.Libby specifically claimed that in one instance he had been authorized to divulge portions of a then-still highly classified National Intelligence Estimate regarding Saddam Hussein's purported efforts to develop nuclear weapons, according to correspondence recently filed in federal court by special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald.
Beyond what was stated in the court paper, say people with firsthand knowledge of the matter, Libby also indicated what he will offer as a broad defense during his upcoming criminal trial: that Vice President Cheney and other senior Bush administration officials had earlier encouraged and authorized him to share classified information with journalists to build public support for going to war. Later, after the war began in 2003, Cheney authorized Libby to release additional classified information, including details of the NIE, to defend the administration's use of prewar intelligence in making the case for war.
Having no logical defense against his illegal wiretaps, Bush decides to rely on what always works best for his administration. Good old-fashioned fear.
Huff Post currently has this as their top story, but we thought we'd run it too since it's been buried elsewhere:
DeLay, R-Texas, ... claimed a seat on the subcommittee overseeing the Justice Department, which is currently investigating an influence-peddling scandal involving disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his dealings with lawmaker
Can anyone say "conflict of interest." To make matters worse, Repubs have also given Delay a cushy seat on the Appropriations Committee. Bill Burton, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, has this to say:
"Allowing Tom DeLay to sit on a committee in charge of giving out money is like putting Michael Brown back in charge of FEMA — Republicans in Congress just can't seem to resist standing by their man,"
Evidently, the GOP doesn't remember that Delay was just arrested, fingerprinted, and released on $10000 bail for conspiracy charges related to his own appropriations. Read the whole, disturbing article here.
Kevin from catch.com turned us onto a great new compilation, "Cowboys In Scandinavia: The New Folk Sounds From Northern Europe." All the songs are sung in English and there are more than a few gems. Put out by Fargo, Andrew Bird's label, it's one of our favorites thus far this year.
EverythingIsFire has some MP3's:
4. Nicolai Dunger - Soul Rush (mp3)
8. Dusty Fingers - Quite Alright (mp3)
12. Johanna Berhan - To Hide This Way (mp3)
And you can listen to a few others here.
We keep hoping this will just go away. From New York Observer:
The editorial staff of the alternative weekly New York Press walked out today, en masse, after the paper's publishers backed down from printing the Danish cartoons that have become the center of a global free-speech fight.Editor-in-Chief Harry Siegel emails, on behalf of the editorial staff:
New York Press, like so many other publications, has suborned its own professed principles. For all the talk of freedom of speech, only the New York Sun locally and two other papers nationally have mustered the
minimal courage needed to print simple and not especially offensive editorial cartoons that have been used as a pretext for great and greatly menacing violence directed against journalists, cartoonists, humanitarian aid workers, diplomats and others who represent the basic values and obligations of Western civilization. Having been ordered at the 11th hour to pull the now-infamous Danish cartoons from an issue dedicated to them, the editorial group—consisting of myself, managing editor Tim Marchman, arts editorJonathan Leaf and one-man city hall bureau Azi Paybarah, chose instead to resign our positions.We have no desire to be free speech martyrs, but it would have been nakedly hypocritical to avoid the same cartoons we'd criticized others for not running, cartoons that however absurdly have inspired arson, kidnapping and murder and forced cartoonists in at least two continents to go into hiding. Editors have already been forced to leave papers in Jordan and France for having run these cartoons. We have no illusions about the power of the Press (NY Press, we mean), but even on the far margins of the world-historical stage, we are not willing to side with the enemies of the values we hold dear, a free press not least among them.
This was not an easy decision. I've been reading the Press since 1988 and have dreamed of running it for nearly as long. The paper's editorial staff has worked impossibly hard hours and has come quite a ways in only a few months towards restoring the paper's tarnished editorial reputation and credibility. I'm proud of the work we've done, and wish we'd had time to finish the job. I wish the Press all the best, and hope that under new ownership and leadership it can again be an invaluable read for all good Gothamites.
Nevertheless, there's a bigger cartoon scandal at New York Press. They no longer run Maakies. On another note, NPR has decided not to publish the cartoon. And thus far no major UK papers have published the cartoons. In this country, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The New York Sun are the only two major U.S. papers to publish any of the cartoons as of Tuesday night.
Damn. And we bought tickets. Hope she's okay:
[from the Matador site]We regret to announce that Cat Power's entire US tour has been canceled due to health reasons. Out of respect for Chan's privacy, we can't give more detailed information, but we hope and assume that you'll respect her privacy during this time as well.There will be information about refunds available imminently, and the tour will be rescheduled as soon as possible.
Chan is a good friend and a dear member of the Matador family, and when we have news about future performances, we'll be certain to share it with you here. [via Brooklynvegan]
[From Daily News] A Busta Rhymes video shoot ended with a hail of gunfire that killed the rapper's bodyguard in Brooklyn early yesterday, feet from some of the biggest names in hip hop - including 50 Cent, DMX and Mary J. Blige, police sources said.
At least a dozen bullets flew after burly bodyguard Israel Ramirez got into a scuffle during the shoot in a Greenpoint film studio that also drew Missy Elliott and Lloyd Banks, a member of 50 Cent's G-Unit. Cops were investigating whether anyone involved in the bloodshed - and the dispute that sparked it - was a member of any of the big-name rappers' entourages, sources said last night.
Shortly before the gunfire erupted at 12:25 a.m., video crew members tried to keep the noise level under control as they shooed extras and hangers-on out of the building. That spurred one enraged self-proclaimed ex-con to shout, "Who the f--k are you to tell me to be quiet? I'm on .parole, mother-----r!
"You don't tell me to shut up," added the man, who sported a G-Unit jacket, witnesses said.
Moments later, as people were pouring outside, Ramirez got into a fight - sparking a barrage of bullets. [read the rest]
When you find out what’s coming out this month, you’ll be glad that February is short.
FEBRUARY 3:
WHEN A STRANGER CALLS
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Remember the beginning of “Scream?” Okay, that for 100 minutes.
WILL IT SUCK?
"The clichés are coming from inside the house!" If the fact that Simon “Tomb Raider” West is at the helm doesn't fill you with confidence, I don't know what will.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
I think audiences are just gullible enough to give this a shot in spite of the cliché, but regardless “Final Destination 3” will blow this out of the water the following week. $33mil.
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SOMETHING NEW
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Black chick dates a white guy. That's new, right?
WILL IT SUCK?
Time will tell if this is more “Love Jones” or “Booty Call,” but with a writer who's worked on both “Everybody Hates Chris” and “Whoopi” on board, either could happen. If you've been looking forward to another flick from that chick from “Alien vs. Predator” or the dead gay guy from “L.A. Confidential,” here you go. Seriously, though, you can't beat Donald Faison for your comic relief.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
An onslaught of new films next week will minimize the impact of this, which will already be compromised by “When a Stranger Calls.” $24mil.
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THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Tommy Lee Jones (in his directorial debut) takes on a corrupt border patrolman in an effort to return a corpse to Mexico.
WILL IT SUCK?
From the writer of “Amores Perros” and “21 Grams,” so expect it to be harsh. Early buzz is oustanding, and the flick won Best Actor (Tommy Lee Jones) and Screenplay at Cannes (along with a Palme D'Or nod for Jones). Also with Barry Pepper and Dwight Yoakam.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Delayed (or perhaps released only in LA for Oscar consideration) from December, and I can't blame them. It was very crowded. Here it can breathe, even if it's Oscar chances are shot. $3mil.
A GOOD WOMAN
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Scarlett Johansson and Helen Hunt in a period piece catfight.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed to bad, with audiences liking it better than critics. That's too bad, since Wilde adaptations usually produce good films. Also, in their heyday, either Hunt or Johansson could have carried a film like this on their own.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
If I were Lions Gate, I'd move to the following weekend, which is even less crowded indie-wise, to take full advantage of their star power. $2mil.
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SUITS ON THE LOOSE
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Remember “Nuns on the Run”? Okay, replace the nuns with Mormon missionaries. Get it?
WILL IT SUCK?
It's a pretty take-it-or-leave-it premise. The trailer isn't horrible, and neither is the early buzz. Neither are all that great. I think "meh" would be an achievement for this film.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
I don't think anyone knows about this and I don't think anyone's going to find out. It's kind of like a murder in the desert. $750,000.
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TAMARA
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
What if “Carrie” were really fucking hot?
WILL IT SUCK?
They have the opening clip up at IGN. It looks awesomely bad. When this comes out on DVD, have your friends over.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
If they could ride that whole "awesomely bad" wave they could probably suffer a wide release. As it is, I don't think a limited release is going to engender much goodwill. $1mil.
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WHAT THE BLEEP!? - DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
WHAT'S THE BLEEPIN' PITCH?
Remember “What the #$*! Do We (K)now!?”, the wacky indie sensation from the good folks at The Ramtha School of Enlightenment? Think of this as a Director's Cut.
WILL IT BLEEPIN' SUCK, YOU MUTHABLEEPER?
Well, the first one didn't exactly get great reviews, so I'm thinking adding an hour and a half of same won't help.
HOW BLEEPIN' BLEEP #$*! BLEEPITY SHITFUCKER!!!
The first one made almost $11mil. I don't think lightning will strike twice, even with all-new crappy animation. $6mil.
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FEBRUARY 10
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FIREWALL
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Harrison Ford must break into his own bank's security system when his family is taken hostage.
WILL IT SUCK?
Oh, yes. Think “24” with a bigger budget and smaller brain.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
It's a crowded weekend, and while there are no suspense thrillers per se, there's horror (“Final Destination 3”), comedy (“Pink Panther”), and family (“Curious George”), all of which tend to do better than suspense thrillers. $31mil.
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FINAL DESTINATION 3
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Death is on the move. This time it stalks the survivors of a roller coaster accident.
WILL IT SUCK?
If you liked the first two, you'll probably like this one. They've brought back the original writing/directing team behind the original, Glen Morgan and James Wong, who were so sublime on “The X-Files” and so not once they hit the big screen.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Believe it or not, this franchise has been seeing diminishing returns domestic. Don't expect that to change anytime soon. $41mil.
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THE PINK PANTHER
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
It hurts. Steve Martin takes over for Peter Sellers in this remake. That should be encouraging, but it's really not.
WILL IT SUCK?
There's going to be a post-mortem on this someday and it's going to be fascinating. First off, we've got Shawn Levy, he of “Cheaper by the Dozen “and “Just Married” at the helm. That sets us up for a certain kind of movie. Namely, sucky. However, our writing staff consists of Steve Martin, who knows from funny, and Len Blum, who penned two of the quintessential Bill Murray comedies of the 80's, “Meatballs” and “Stripes”.
How can these writers produce something that, from the looks of the trailer, will be impossible to sit through? Not to mention the fact that it was delayed from August, already a dumping ground, to February, August's ugly stepsister.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Having seen how well crap like “Big Momma's House 2” can do, it's hard for me to completely dismiss this. $79mil.
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CURIOUS GEORGE
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
George is a chimp. He is curious. It's not “Chinatown,” people.
WILL IT SUCK?
Oh, most assuredly. I count 11 writers, not all of them credited, mind you. Brian Grazer, wonderful when bringing us adult entertainments like “Friday Night Lights,” sucks balls when bringing us children's entertainment like “The Grinch” and “The Cat in the Hat.”
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
No children's competition around for miles. $63mil.
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NEIL YOUNG: HEART OF GOLD
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Neil Young concert movie.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is good, and why not? It's Neil Young. And he's doing stuff. Emmylou Harris is up in there, too. Jonathan Demme, no stranger to the concert film (“Stop Making Sense”), directs.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Some people would say Neil isn't worth two documentaries (Jarmusch did “Year of the Horse” back in '97), but that's not who this is targeting. $250,000.
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LONDON
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Jason Statham (sporting a shitty hairdo) does the romantic dramedy thing.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is mixed. And I should clarify the plot. It's really Chris Evans doing the romantic dramedy thing. Statham is just his wacky friend. The film also features Dane Cook playing a character called "Cockblocker," so I'm all in. As for the rest of you, I'd wait for more buzz.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
This is a bit of a wild card, but I don't see it going further than cult hit at best. $7mil.
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THROUGH THE FIRE
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
“Hoop Dreams” a la ESPN.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz isn't so good, but there's not much to go on. If you like the drama of high school-cum-NBA basketball and think an appearance by LeBron James might make the film, check it out.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
This is ESPN movies first theatrical release, so I'm guessing the people who watch that station are gonna know about it. That's not a small amount. $8mil.
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FEBRUARY 17
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FREEDOMLAND
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Ah, Julianne Moore and her missing children. This one gets abducted during a carjacking. Or was he?
WILL IT SUCK?
Sorry if I find it difficult to discuss any film starring Sam Jackson that does not involve SNAKES! On a PLANE!!! Motherfucking SNAKES on a motherfucking PLANE!!! Sam Jackson plays the detective investigating the case of the missing child who may or may not have been taken when Moore was or was not carjacked by a black man. Racial tensions ensue.
So who do you call when you want to document this with an artistic mix of socio-political insight and sensitivity. Norman Jewison? Spike Lee? Matthieu Kassowitz? No, wait, I've got it! The guy who directed “Christmas with the Kranks!” Yeah, let's get that guy!
So, Joe Roth, head of Revolution Studios who, of course, are ramping this one up to suck, is at the helm to add that special Revolution taint to the proceedings. The trailer, I will admit, actually looks pretty good, and I credit all of that to Richard Price, who adapted his own novel. If there's anythin