Top music of 2008: Day 3

Not only is it Christmas Eve, its also day three of our 10 days of new music from 2008. We’re reviewing two artist each day who's careers have either started or have grown dramatically over the past 12 months. If all goes as planned, by January 1st you’ll have been introduced to a new musician or two to love and enjoy in 2009. And even if I fail introduce you to anyone new, you’ll still enjoy a couple of great tunes each day until the New Year arrives. Have fun and Merry Christmas.

I’m starting off day three with our fifth band, who is likely the most successful band on my top 20 list. Last January, Vampire Weekend released their debut album and became an almost instant hit. They had already been performing around the US and were called band of the year by SPIN Magazine in 2007, despite having never released a full album. They certainly didn't let anyone down once thier self titled Debut arrived. They've spent '08 performing on late night TV shows and touring the world. Certainly one of the greatest success stories of ’08 and I'm certain there are great things to come. As far as thier music goes, it's said that they find thier influences in African popular music as well as Western classical music, but the resulting sound is something very different and refreshing from what we’ve previously heard. Enjoy their so called “Upper West Side Soweto” sound in Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa from Vampire Weekend. (By the way, this video is probably my favorite video of the year. And hear Peter Gabriel cover this song at www.alternateside.org)



2008 also saw the arrival of The BPA, short for “The Brighton Port Authority”. This is yet another incarnation of the great Norman Cook, who was previously known by the pseudo name Fatboy Slim. As The BPA he has only released two tracks in 2008, suggesting plenty more to come in ‘09. Knowing the strength of Mr. Cooks previous endeavors I have no doubt this project will be a great success. Here is The BPA collaborating with David Byrne and Dizzie Rascal for ‘Toe Jam’. (Warning: this is one of my least favorite videos of the year. Despite what seems to be a unique and well executed concept, it’s a little bit much and definitely, beyond a doubt, distracts from the song, which is fantastic.)

Top music of 2008: Day 2

Todays installment of the top 20 of 2008 is a strong one. (Believe me, thier are some on my list I am not so confident you'll agree with me on.) We begin with an indie rock duo that create what they have refered to as 'psychedelic folk'. The duo has been performing and recording together for some time as 'The Dodo Birds', and have just released thier first full length album simply as 'The Dodos' in early 2008. While the critics have raved at the strength of thier song writing, The Dodos have been modestly performing thier music on a fairly massive interational tour. The song featured in the video below is called Fools off of thier full length album, "The Visiter". It's hard not to enjoy them. Read more about The Dodos in this article from the L.A. Record.



Our fourth artist in the top twenty of 2008 is Ra Ra Riot. Thier debut album, The Rhumb Line, was released in August of '08 on Barsuk Records. Despite many challenges along the way, including the tragic death of a bandmate in late 2007, Ra Ra Riot has pulled through and is one of the hottest bands to watch in '09. Here is Ra Ra Riot performing "Ghost Under Rocks".



Stop in again tomorrow.

Top music of 2008: Day 1

2008 has undoubtedly been a significant year for music. An extraordinary number of new sounds have seeped up from the basements of seedy bars all around Manhattan and Brooklyn. Many of the bands that created those sounds have continued on to fame throughout 2008, while others will likely be seeing fame soon. In honor of those who began thier rise to fame in 2008, I've decided to post 2 songs per day until the New Year commemorating these fine musicians and their accomplishments. If you check in daily, you'll have a complex mix of 20 of the best new artist from '08. Feel free to suggest some of your favorites for the list.

Our first video on the list is from a group known as Fleet Foxes. In 2008 the Seattle based band released their second EP, Sun Giant, as well as their first full length self-titled album to critical acclaim. Below I've posted my favorite single from the album. While I do not believe it fully represents the Fleet Foxes sound, I do feel that it adequately captures their brilliant vocal harmonies and entrancing lyrics. Enjoy this article from Novembers Rolling Stone Magazine for more on Fleet Foxes. Give these guys a chance, and if you don't like it right away, watch it twice more. I guarantee you'll be humming this song all week. Here are the Fleet Foxes with White Winter Hymnal.



Our second video today is from a local New Yorker named Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson. If you read my blogs often, then you likely know all about MBARs successes this year. There doesn't appear to be anything slowing that momentum for 2008. Having been compared to musicians such as Bob Dylan, MBAR has his work cut out for him. With haunting lyrics and a foot-tapping folk rock sound that draws you in, I don't think he'll have to work hard to meet those high expectations. Check out this article featured in the August issue of SPIN Magazine or just watch the video below. Here is Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson with Buriedfed.



Check back tomorrow for two more songs from 2008.

"Peter Gabriel Too"

So much is happening in NYC this holiday season. A couple of weekends ago I went for a ride on the 'Nostalgia Train', a subway from the 1930's. They've got it operating on Sundays only and only for the month of December. Anyway, I've done my share of Christmas shopping, drank plenty of warming beverages ranging from cider to whisky, and eaten a very large variety of exceptional foods. All in all, I'm really enjoying this season.

For any Vampire Weekend fans out there (which you should all be since I blogged about them often earlier this year) click this link to hear a cover of 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'. In this case, the song is sung by Peter Gabriel, which is extraordinarily exciting since Peter Gabriel himself is mentioned repeatedly throughout the song (okay, maybe not that exciting, but still fun). Fun times. I'd also recommend sifting through the site a little. Alternateside.org is a new indy-rock station put out by local NPR station WFUV. Enjoy.

Black Friday in Manhattan and Other Short Stories.

As I walked from my apartment towards the 4 train I was very aware of my connection to the city. It felt good, inspiring. I enjoyed watching the black Friday shoppers scrambling in and out of the crowded apartment buildings with bags in hand, most of them speaking varying indiscernible languages, something I’ve grown to appreciate about my neighborhood. As I rounded a corner leading to the last few blocks of my short stroll, I saw a commotion on the sidewalk ahead of me. It appeared that some kids had picked this very chilly November Friday to throw water balloons from their 5th story window onto unsuspecting shoppers below. As I walked closer, I noticed that some of the balloons had failed to pop on impact. Only then did I realize that they weren’t actually balloons, but condoms filled with water. I crept by, tactfully avoiding any projectiles from above, laughing to myself as I imagined these kids, left home while the parents went searching for the best Black Friday deals, discovering these balloons and putting them to such good use. I also chuckled as I realized these kids were also likely the reason their parents had this many condoms on hand. No one else seemed to see the humor in it, and many on the street were yelling towards the sky in mixes of English, Spanish and what sounded like Russian. I love living in New York.

I met up with Josh in Grand Central and we headed towards Times Square to grab some food. The day was out of control from there. Often I feel like the city is in control, telling me where I’ll go next or what I’ll do. The days come and go and I barely know what’s happened, but somehow I’ve got everything I wanted and I’ve circled the island multiple times over. This day was no exception. After enjoying a steak in Times Square we headed to Midtown Comics so I could fill my weekly comic quota and then to H&M for some gloves and a hat. The day went on, and we went with it, to Canal Street for new lighting, a new coat at a store in Union Square, new books from a Strand Books at NYU, alcoholic drinks on Ludlow St in the Lower East Side, toys in SoHo, desert at a famous pastry shop in Little Italy, and finally a bathroom break at the Charmin Experience back in Times Square. Considering it was the notorious Black Friday, the city was surprisingly free of the usual crowds and easy to navigate. I think we crossed the island three or four times before calling it a day. Still, with most of my Christmas shopping done in this one day, I find myself pleased with the trip.

See my video below of the Charmin Experience in Times Square. It was a little out of hand for me, and I think it was the only place I went all day that was actually busy.

(video coming soon)

Beware the beast Man, for he is the Devil's pawn.

Take a quick break from whatever you're doing and watch this:


I can't help but love this idea. Obviously I'm concerned about the treatment of the monkeys, but if they are well cared for this could make them very happy. I'm also obviously concerned about the statue of liberty getting buried in sand and the monkeys taking over the saki shop and making the humans wait on them for boiled soy beans. I guess we'll just have to play it out. Thoughts? See more video below.

We'll always have Madagascar...

Work has been great! Things have finally calmed down here making life more enjoyable. My hours have reduced from 90 per week to a mere 60 per week. I feel like I have all the free time in the world! I'd be able to do more with that time if I only had all the money in the world.

My sister visited New York last weekend. She was only here for a few days, but I think we managed to make the best of our time. A few of the sites we visited were the Botanical Gardens, The Bronx Zoo and the Central Park Zoo. I had never been to any of these three places, so it was a relief to finally have the opportunity to visit. The Botanical Gardens was one of the most boring places I've visited since living in New York. If it were cheaper, and if I were at all interested in flowers etc. I may have been more entertained. The Zoos were a different story however. I will definitely return to the Central Park Zoo, where for just $8 you can relax in an oasis in the middle of Manhattan. The highlight of the weekend however was my visit to the Bronx Zoo. It was amazing, and not just for the exhibits or the animals. While my sister and I were exploring the Madagascar Exhibit, watching the lemurs leaping between tree limbs, a woman with two young children approached the glass display and stopped next to us. Her kids were clearly thrilled, although she seemed more excited than they did. I glanced over and smiled at her acknowledging the joy her two kids were obviously experiencing. It took a few moments to sink in, but after a few moments I began to think to myself, "wait a second, do I know her?" A few moments later I looked again and my thoughts were confirmed. For those of you who know me well you likely know of the female celebrities I most enjoy. Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Weisz, Franka Potente, and this woman standing next to me with her kids. Jill Hennessy. Jill is slightly less famous than some of the others on my list, but she is likely my favorite. After years as Assistant D.A. to Jack McCoy on Law and Order, followed by the leading role as Jordan Cavanaugh on the NBC crime drama Crossing Jordan, Jill has certainly made a name for herself and developed a strong following. Anyhow, I couldn't very well watch the animals after that. I'm fairly sure that my sister was more than a little annoyed with my ranting about how awesome Jill Hennessy is. I didn't talk to her. I thought it would be rude to intrude on her day at the zoo with the kids. I sent Jill a message on her myspace page complimenting her on her new musical career she has pursued since Crossing Jordan ended.

Later in the week, I had a dream that I found entertaining. It had nothing to do with Jill Hennessy (unfortunately) but instead was about my friendship with Norwegian singer songwriter Sondre Lerche. Sondre and I were hanging out at his house. This house appeared to be in Dearborn Michigan and I'm fairly sure it's the house that my good friends Mike and April live in. But in this dream it was Sondre Lerches house, or more accurately, his parents’ house; but we'll get to that in a minute. Sondre and I were going to play video games in his room because his dad was bothering him. His room was almost an exact duplicate of Zach Morris' on Saved by the Bell, with the addition of a really realistic red racecar bed, some guitars, and records on the walls. Oh, and for some reason it had classic 80s era additions like glass block dividers and some neon lightning bolts (Maybe Norway is behind in the times). Moments later we were leaving his house to go somewhere and his dad was mowing the lawn. The odd thing was that his dad was John Travolta. He smiled, nodded our direction and politely asked when we'd be back. Sondre became visibly agitated with Mr. Travolta's question and huffed past him without answering. I remember thinking to myself in my dream, "How'd I forget that Sondre Lerche's dad was John Travolta? His airplane must be in the garage." It made absolutely no sense at all which is why I loved it. I woke up laughing at my stupid dream, rolled out of bed and checked my e-mail, facebook, and myspace. Jill Hennessy had replied to my message. She said she was grateful for my compliments and that "we'll always have Madagascar." I wasn't dreaming. At the time, Jill's page had only 22 friends listed, she had joined myspace less than a week earlier. Coincidentally I was listed as #2. Who was #1? Sondre Lerche. How weird is that? Anyway, if you like Tracey Chapman’s style of bluesy folk rock, then check Jill’s page out. She should be releasing an album soon.

Sondre Lerche - Sleep On Needles
by scopitones

Web-Junk

I know I just posted a blog hours ago, but I couldn't wait to share all of this web-junk with you.

COMICS:
First off, this site is pretty awesome if you're into comics, and is probably fun even if your'e not. It comes from Marvel and allows you to create your own version of superhero based on pieces of existing Marvel heroes.

Also falling into both the comic and movie areas, it looks like Sony might be making a Spider-Man spinoff. Thanks to the hollywood reporter for this one. Check the story out here.

Finally, it looks as though the presidential candidates are the new thing in comics. I'm not gonna bother with this, but you can investigate further here.

MOVIES:
The new Harry Potter preview is now online. If you haven't already checked this one out, here's the link to do so. I'm actually very psyched for this movie.

Also, according to Variety, Warner Brothers is developing a Marvin the Martian feature film. I'm not sure what I think of this idea, but will gladly wait for the movie to arrive before passing judgement. See the story here.

Finally, it looks like Steven Spielberg might be slightly smarter than George Lucas after all. Yes, the latest instalment of Indiana Jones may have killed at the box office, but I'm not so sure that fans are going to buy tickets to yet another disappointment like crystal skull. All the same, that's not going to stop Mr. Lucas from trying.

MUSIC:
I am thrilled to mention that former Spacehog frontman Royston Langdon may have a new gig. Velvet Revolver has officially been auditioning him to replace Weiland as thier new lead. I think I might actually start listening to Velvet Revolver if this happens. Sweet!.

INTERNET:
Finally, a website that truly proves the internet is useful! Jellotime.com is not only fun and entertaining... well... it's not actually all that entertaining, or fun. But it might just be the best way to waste 3 seconds of your time you've ever found. I hoped it might do something different if poked enough, but unfortunately it's a pretty straight forward blob of jello, no tricks involved. I only know because I poked for much longer than I should've.

RANDOM:
I didn't even know where to put this news, so I've created a 'random' section. It would appear as though Buffy's beau Freddie Prinze Jr. has signed on with the WWE! No, he won't be fighting, as much as we'd all like to see that, he'll apparently be in some bhind the scenes role like writing or producing or whatnot. Seriously, how esparate can he be?

This Week

Hey kids. Sorry about my short hiatus from blogging, but I’m pretty sure I’m back at full steam now. July has been an amazing month in New York City. I’ve made quite a few new friends this month, and have become addicted to numerous new bands. The cashiers at my favorite comic book store know me by name and work is looking up. Needless to say, I’ve got so much to talk about. But, let’s start with what’s up this week.

Movies: First off, my old roommate Brandon was in town and we were able to go see the new Will Farrell movie Step Brothers. If raunchy slapstick comedy is your style, then this is a good one for you. I will admit that I laughed more than I thought I would. For a guy who doesn’t generally like comedies, that says a lot.

Music: I finally listened to the synth-pop band Metro Station. While I apparently downloaded this album a few months ago, I had failed to ever make it a priority. While it is a pretty tight album, I can’t get the image of the lead singers little sister, Hannah Montana, out of my head while listening. This pretty much ruins the whole experience for me. I can’t seem to take them seriously, which they clearly want. Also in music however, the New York band Bears Repeating released an EP today, and is allowing free downloads of that EP via their website beginning today, August 1st. The album will only be free for a short time, so be sure to download it A.S.A.P. And seeing as they have no relation to any Disney Channel royalty, I’m pretty sure it’s worth your time.

TV: Mad Men blew my socks off this week. The season 2 premier picks up exactly 2 years after the first season ended, with a lot of holes to be filled. But still, seeing the difference those 2 years made to American life is surely interesting. The addition of locks on doors, copy machines first appearing in office hallways, and women beginning to find a spot in business with the men. I can’t wait for Sunday. You can watch the entire season 2 premiere below. Go to hulu.com to watch the full screen format.



Internet: I haven’t had much time to surf the web for interesting sites this week, but I will once again recommend you check out hulu.com. Not only does this online TV network have a tremendous library of shows and movies to watch on demand, but it also has Joss Whedons’ (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly) hit internet musical “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog”. The 45 minute musical film is split into 3 segments and stars Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion. (Watch the whole thing below, or tune to hulu.com for full screen) If you are a Joss Whedon fan at all, you’ll get a kick out of this. For those of you who haven’t kept up on Joss’ blog, he says that his new goal for his shows is to always provide the unexpected. He wants to write the “episode of Murder She Wrote in which none gets murdered.” So, don’t get too upset by Joss’ surprise ending, he’s just delivering on his promise to us. I am really psyched to check out his new FOX network show, Dollhouse. Hopefully he’ll be supported by the network this time around.



That’s it for now. Check back in later for more.

George.

This short cartoon from Disney's animated release Fantasia 2000 pretty much sums up everything I thought New York would be. After 14 months here, I'm happy to say this is exactly how it is, just with less of the Gershwin soundtrack. I'm putting more Gershwin on my iPod today, then it'll be EXACTLY like this.

More vacation ideas

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a blog entry about some exotic vacations I hoped to take. I received quite a response to that post, and have a few more ideas thanks to many suggestions. I've listed some of my favorites below.

A rare and lengthy ten day visit to Bhutan sounds incredibly interesting, or boring. I know next to nothing about Bhutan, other than the picture looks amazing, so this trip would definitely take some extensive planning. According to the website however, “This is the real "Shangri-La". Isolated by the Himalayas for centuries, these independent people with strong Buddhist & animist traditions are just beginning to welcome tourists. Less than 9,000 foreigners per year visit Bhutan. Bhutan is an enlightened monarchy. Universal health care and education are free to all. Everyone studies English and ecology, so communication is easy and the scenery is gorgeous. Bhutan is 70% forested and 29% national park. Wildlife is unique (ie. golden langur, snow leopard, takin) and abundant. Frequent religious festivals feature spectacularly colorful dancing monks against a rugged mountain backdrop. The architecture is incomparable in design and brightly painted detail.” This sounds pretty good to me, and it’s a steal at only three grand for a ten day trip.

Three hours of actual dog fight training. (That would be airplane dog fights; as in aerial combat, come on!) This would be an amazing trip. At just $1,195 you get up to three hours of in flight fighting. You seriously can’t beat that… well, maybe you could. But it would still be an amazing experience. I’m thinking that while this would be tons of fun and would be a story worth telling later, I could probably get a lot more for my 1200 bucks than three hours of fun. It’s possible, but not top on my list. http://www.aircombatusa.com/

A seven day guided climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa. For only $4750 you get a professional led private expedition through Africa and up Mt. Kilimanjaro, the most famous mountain in Africa. That includes all amenities, like food, tents and climbing gear etc. According to the website, “Kilimanjaro is one of the best-known mountains of the world, and it has been an alluring destination for adventurers for more than a century. The peak has remarkable power to elicit a sense of adventure and exotic travel, and as one of the Seven Summits, it remains a strong draw for climbers and trekkers alike throughout the world. The New York Times recently named it one of The 53 Place to Go in 2008.” Of course, that New York Times list also includes Detroit as one of the top 53 places to go, so it’s hard to take them seriously. New Yorkers sure are crazy for their Detroit. http://aai.cc/ProgramDetail/kilimanjaro/

The ultimate vacation would be one year on board the classic sail boat the Picton Castle exploring the world. Obviously, a person has to be extremely dedicated to their vacations to take one that a full year long, no to mention the $39,000 price tag. To spend a year learning to sail
while travelling around the world might just be worth the hefty cost. And according to the Picton-Castle website, “No sailing experience is needed” sounds good to me. Anyone have 39 grand lying around? www.picton-castle.com/train/

Personally, I think the idea of driving classes to be much more realistic. Learning about managing cars at extreme speeds or in extreme conditions sounds like a great time to me, especially if the car being used is a BMW. At the BMW Performance center, conveniently located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, anyone can take classes in driving on a variety of courses and skill levels. I’m down for this one. http://www.bmwusa.com/performancecenter

Finally, how’s a motorcycle tour of Tuscany sound. In fact, the company that sets these up has tours all across Europe and New Zealand. Riding a BMW bike along the curving roads of the Italian Alps sounds like a great time. This one costs just $6,000 for a two week all inclusive trip. In my mind that’d be money well spent. The cost also covers the van that will drive your luggage from point to point for you and a local motorcycle guide if you want one. http://www.bmca.com/

Upcoming Movies

When I am extremely eager for a films release, I've made a habit of buying tickets to the 12:01am show on Thursday night at the AMC 25 in Times Square. I've had an average of one such film per month since my move to NYC. This month is different. Two weeks ago, I caught the 12:01 showing of Wanted, and have at least one film per week for at least the next few weeks that I'll be waiting in line to see. I've listed some that I'm looking forward to below.

Tonight: (obviously)


Next Thursday: (This is going to be great!)


Thursday, July 24th: (This one could go either way.)


Beyond this, unfortunatly I have nothing to look forward to until Quantum of Solice on November 7th: (My God, this looks amazing!)

I can't wait until Friday!

You may remember a short Hellboy promo I posted a week or two ago:
Bravo's Inside the Actors Studio


Well, it looks like Universal Studios is using it's newest family member to conduct some unique team advertising with many other Universal characters and shows. Here are two more that've been recently released:

NBCs CHUCK


NBCs American Gladiators


NBCs 'The More You Know'


I'm not sure what this is connected to, but it's a good one.


Rumor has it we'll be seeing more of these involving the casts of Law and Order, The Office, and Heroes to name a few. I'll keep an eye out for them and let you know when they're posted.

What it's like in my head.

This was meant to be a quick blog entry about the band Vampire Weekend, but it somehow took a horrible A.D.D. trip down a completely different path. Still, I thought it was a great way to show everyone what A.D.D. is like, so enjoy the ride.

The holiday weekend was fantastic, but busy. I'll surely be filling you in on everything that went down, but first I have a quick music recommendation. Last year sometime I posted a playlist on my myspace page that included a few songs by the local NYC band Vampire Weekend. Since then, they've released an album, had some time in the spotlight, and now are enjoying a little 'fame' in the indy rock scene. I realize that most of you know all about them now, but if you haven't heard them yet, this is your chance to get on board. Check out the music videos below.


Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma


Vampire Weekend - A-Punk

Now check out this Minnesota College a cappella group perform Vampire Weekends Oxford Comma.


Now watch the same Minnesota College a cappella group perform Daft Punks Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.


Now we watch a student from the same school also with a unique performance of the same song... (this is pretty cool, so be patient.)


Now for a real treat; the a cappella group and the daft hand kid performing live together!!! Awesome.


Isn't the internet great!

Finally, tune into hulu.com for all of your favorite classic and new shows for free, and even a few good movies, any time you want. They've added some commercials, but it's still far better than TV. -No, I'm not paid by Hulu, I'm just a fan.

This is my life. Now I'm going to watch Men In Black online at Hulu.com while I fall to sleep.

Mad Men

I've talked about it before, but I really must insist that if you haven't already, you watch AMCs critically acclaimed drama, Mad Men. The first season is available on DVD and on iTunes, so there are no excuses. Season Two begins at the end of July, so catch up now! Also, if you were thinking of ignoring my advice, I've posted the series premier, thanks to AMC, below in three chapters. Pay attention to the subtleties in the acting and writing. This is a show not to be missed.

I warn you, this show can be graphic in to the often uncomfortable realities that existed in New York in the year 1960. Sexism, racism, and adultery are only some of the themes portrayed unapologetically, without the usual 'moral of the story' ending we'd expect to see in mainstream television. This fresh and true approach to the time period is only an added reason to love this show.

Give Evil Hell

In my last post I briefly mentioned one movie from my short list of all time favorite films. Another movie from that list would be the 2004 film version of Hellboy. Based on the Dark Horse Comic by the same name, Hellboy was on film as unique as he is in print. Academy Award winning director Guillermo Del Toro did an amazing job of intertwining all the aspects and challenges of Hellboys’ life into an epic story that everyone could appreciate. Unfortunately, very few ever gave the film a chance, let alone appreciated it. The movie barely broke even at the box office and the executives at Revolution Studios decided that Hellboy wasn’t a profitable franchise. It appeared that there was no hope for a sequel. But, when Sony dropped Revolution Studios the rights to Hellboy were up for grabs and Universal saw it’s potential. Surprisingly, almost everyone from the original cast returned faithfully to revisit their eccentric characters. Next week, Hellboy II, The Golden Army will be released into theaters, and I’m planning to be first in line for the midnight show on Thursday night. In anticipation of the film, my Sunday comic book ritual has been dominated by back issues of Hellboy and the new spin off – Abe Sapien, in which Abe finally stars in his own comic. (maybe he’ll get his own movie too.) So, if you are one of those people who never gave the first film a chance, do so this week. I don’t think you’ll regret it.

Here's a scene of Hellboys visit to one of my favorite shows, Inside the Actors Studio.

"Thats why they're for girls."

Over the past few weeks, I’ve written a few positive movie reviews, listing all of the movies that are worth seeing. Now for the list of movies that aren’t worth seeing. I’ve been avoiding TV lately, hoping to free up time to live more and enjoy the city. Still, when I need a fix of electric entertainment, I rent a movie on iTunes. Most of the sure things action movies I’ve already seen, which left me with a less than excitable choice of obviously bad flicks that I had no interest in or romantic comedies/dramas that had some, however little possibility of being good. Here’s the entire list of the few I gave a chance and what I thought of them:

1) Enchanted. I honestly don't know what I expected. This has to be one of the worst concepts for a movie falling in line just below Kate & Leopold for worst romance movie idea ever. Apparently the executives in Hollywood think that women will buy into anything, and apparently they aren't far off. I just don't understand what could possibly have driven these actors to be involved in this, seriously? And what about all of the saps who paid to see this in the theater? The saddest part of all is that this movie is my favorite on the list.

2) Definitely, Maybe. I once heard Definitely, Maybe compared to the 2002 hit, About A Boy. About A Boy is a great movie whaich has stayed in my short list of favorites since it's release. Definitely, Maybe is no About A Boy. When I read the reviews and saw the adds, I expected this movie to be about a young guy who's dating three girls and one get's knocked up eventually becoming his babies mom (I attempted a slang version of the word, but it failed miserably, but you get the point). I thought it could really be enjoyable. The unfortunate truth is that this movie has nothing in common with About A Boy, other than starring Rachel Weise. Ryan Reynolds does not play a convincing dad, and in fact, doesn't convince me at all. His acting is stiff, often forced and over the top. It seemed as though Adam Brooks had written this with some serious wit and true humor fused in, but it didn’t play out on the screen as well as it could’ve. The only actor who seemed to properly deliver Brooks' work was the 11 year old Abigail Breslin, who we know from Little Miss Sunshine. Watching her react as she realizes her dad once drank and smoked is fun, but those moments occur too rarely. In truth, the majority of the movie was stiff and forced, despite it's potential.

3) 27 Dresses. I know, I know, but once all else is exhausted you have to do something for entertainment. Let me tell you, this is not the thing to do. I will say that it started out pretty strong, and I actually thought I might be entertained for some length of time, until they started singing karaoke at the bar. This movie had a typical storyline that attempted to tug on women’s heartstrings, which I apparently lack. I’m so glad this auto-deletes from my computer after 24 hours.

4) P.S. I Love You. I was attracted to this movie because of the impressive cast. What, Harry Connick Jr. doesn’t play the romantic lead? Hillary Swank and Gerard Butler do? That’s an odd combination. I’ve got to see that. Well, first off, Hillary Swank is no Julia Roberts and certainly can’t pull of the romantic girl all that well. Harry Connick Jr. as the bumbling bartender with psychological disorders just wasn’t believable either, and Gerard Butler, well he could’ve been alright had he actually been in the movie. Just trust me and don’t bother.

To tell the truth, the Richard Gere, Julia Roberts days are done, and so am I. For years I’ve done my best to stay open minded to all genres of film, but for the first time I’m finding myself swearing off this category altogether. How’s that expression go? “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” Let me know if anything comes out that’s worth my time or money, meanwhile I’m sticking to the comic book movies.

Crazy Busy

I have about 16 more blogs in my head right now, but no time to get them down. Work is crazy and my brother is coming to town on Thursday, and I don't think I've cleaned in months. Anyway, check out this site to keep yourselves busy. Have fun, I'll post again soon.

He can do no wrong.

Over the years I have followed one persons career more than most others. Ever since Alias first aired I've been watching J.J. Abrams as he produced and/or directed any number of projects that always turned out amazing. I began calling myself a fan once I first became an addict of his Alias follow up project, ABCs 'LOST'. But Abrams' geniu=ous seems unstoppable. From the mysteries of the LOST island to the suspensful Mission Impossible 3 (the best Mission Impossible, by far), Abrams never fails to entertain. He's got a new show airing on FOX next season and is currently in post production on the new J.J. Abrams Star Trek movie. His monster film Cloverfield was a huge box office hit and multiple sequels are rumored to be in the works. To see for yourself why J.J. Abrams is as dependably good as he is, watch the video below. The video is about 20 minutes long, so make sure you have some time.



P.S. This video comes from TED.COM. It's an amazing site with many, many interesting speakers. Check it out.

WANTED

On Friday I mentioned in a post that I had seen the movie Wanted. I'm not sure I was quite as enthusiastic about this movie as I should've been. I'm actually strongly considering seeing this a second time, or at least picking up the graphic novel. Below is a video about the movie, sure to be a bonus feature on the DVD. It doesn't spoil any of the plot, but some of the initial surprise at how stylistic this film is may be ruined. Watch this if you're thinking about seeing the movie. Warning: This movie and this preview are rated R, so don't watch if you aren't up for it.

The FADER

Last week I posted a blog on one of my favorite upcoming artists, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson. This week he's been featured on the cover of The FADER Music Magazine, Summer Music Edition. MBAR is quoted saying, "I've passed that point in my life where I want to die for my art. Maybe I'll die because I'm an idiot." Hopefully he sobers up long enough to get somewhere. Here's to MBAR, good luck man.

YBS in NYC this Thursday!!!

In a former life as the Co-Founder of D-Town Productions I had the pleasure of working with some amazingly talented musicians. It's been a few years since we did a show, but I've followed the musical careers of many of those we worked with. One group that's never failed to impress me is Your Black Star (YBS) from Louisville, KY. YBS has created a unique blend of rock that is has unusual depth, yet remains catchy and addicting. Still, they manage to avoidmany of the cliches and trends musicians can so easily fall into. Thier original rock blend is well worth checking out, and from experience I can say that thier live shows are fantastic. You can download most of thier music including thier latest album, Beasts, from thier myspace page. Also, if you are a fellow New Yorker, be sure to check them out this Thursday, July 3rd, at Rehab. Rehab is located at 25 Ave B and YBS is scheduled to perform at 10pm. This will likely be thier last tour for a while, so be sure to make it down. I'll see you there.

Vacations.

When I was young, my parents would drag us away from Detroit on an annual family vacation. These trips would pften be semi-adventurous vacations to somewhere around the U.S. We always went by car, always five of us packed in, making these trips long and rarely comfortable. If nothing else however, they were memorable. By the time I was 10 I had experience climbing some pretty tall cliffs, and I'm sure that my brother and I considered ourselves to be pro rock climbers. Other adventures involved 'spelunking' or cave exploration or white water rafting (we'd take the raft out on the roughest section of New England rivers we could convince our parents to let us in). It all seemed to be leading to a life of adventure and exploration. Now, as adults we've certainly explored much more of the worlds cities than I expected, but I recently realized that I haven't been the active young man I had expected to be as a kid.

Yesterday, My brother and I agreed to take one adventure trip per year. Inspired by the amazing vacations we read about as kids in the back pages of the Smithsonian Magazine, I've started a list, which I'm posting below. I'm looking for more ideas, if you have any. Unfortunatly, I've found that most of what's in those old Smithsonian magazines is too tame for my tastes now.

1) An Amazon River Cruise. A week long cruise in a small boat exploring areas of the rainforest that would otherwise be completely unaccessable sounds great to me. I've been to the rain forest in Central America before, but I understand that the South AMerican rain forest is a very different place. See the picture to the right of what one of these tours might be like. I'm so down for this one. It reminds me of that scene in the original mummy movie when the bad guys get on the boat and they have to fight them off. Only, they didn't have piranha in the water. By the way, despite the fact that many scientists say that piranha won't attack humans, there is a true story of a boat on the Amazon River that capsized in 1981 and as many as 300 people were eaten alive by the fish. It's true, I found it on wikipedia.

2) Dogsledding in Norway. So this sounds cold, and it likely is seeing as snow is required for sledding. Still, all of the trips can't be in beautiful warm destinations and given the choices Norway sounds pretty damn interesting. One alternative to sledding in Norway would be an Alaskan bear hunting trip. Cool, but I've never touched a gun and I'm pretty sure my brothers never hunted either, so we'd probably be the city guys who piss off the guide. Finally, there's ice fishing in Greenland. It's recently been brought to my attention that my brother isn't fond of ice fishing (something about a dislike of colorful flags I think?), so that's likely not going to happen.

3) An Egyptian Oddyssey Tour. I'm not sure what is included in this as there isn't much of a price tag included. Maybe the folks advertising this one don't think it needs description. It's Egypt, what else is there to do besides the obvious. Hey, if it involves riding a camel, pyramids, desert and a sphynx then count me in. I'm easy that way.

4) Jewel Cave Spelunking. The cave exploration we did as kids was considered amature at best. (I only realize that now, after researching the real deal.) Serious spelunking involves full diving gear as well as some serious risks. Again, count me in. Apparently any trip that could kill me is what I'm looking for.

5) Rock climbing. There are some amazing cliffs out west we could use for this, if we're looking for a financially modest vacation. Hopefully we'll find a great location in overseas somewhere though, like the Himalayas or the Andes. Seriously, how sweet would that be?

6) African Safari. This is one of those that is a must on a list of extreme vacations. Safari's are getting pretty popular these days, so we'll probably have to add in something exciting like lion wrestling or some other crazy African adventure. I know it sounds horrible, but I'd love to hang the head of a lion on my wall, or better yet a Rhino! Sweet.

This Week...

In Movies:

Last night I caught the midnight showing of the new Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman action flick Wanted down in Times Square. I will admit that I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The concept was interesting, and most of the special effects were pulled off well. Don't get me wrong, this movie was basically a series of "yeah right" moments tied together by some basic plot lines, but as far as action flicks go it's enjoyable. The filmmakers succeed at creating characters the audience can grow fond of. This could also be attributed to the excellent casting as well. Still I enjoyed this and would easily rate it a 6.5-7 out of 10. It's no Incredible Hulk or Iron Man, but it was a unique action flight to pass the time while waiting for the Dark Knight to arrive.

Earlier this week I had the chance to see The Spiderwick Chronicles on iTunes. I was really pleased by this movie. I was a serious fan of the book series and found myself having serious concerns over how well the movie would transition from the book. The truth is that they did a fantastic job. While I did feel that some of the intense suspense in the book didn't relay to the screen, the film was still excruciatingly suspenseful. This movie was outstanding and I can't wait to watch it again.

How to die on an escalator.

Again, too cool not to post.

Musical Furniture

I want one. In fact, I think everyone should have one.

This Week...

On T.V.:

This week watched the Season 2 premier of My Boys on TBS. It was a lot better than I expected, prompting me to turn to iTunes and get caught up on Season 1. I thoroughly enjoyed my time watching this show. As far as 30 minute comedies go anymore, they've really done something right on this one. In other T.V. news, it looks like Academy Award winner William Hurt will be joining Glenn Close, Tate Donovan and Ted Danson for Season 2 of FXs Critically Acclaimed drama Damages. Unfortunatly, we still have a while to wait for the insanity of Damages to return, as production began just yesterday here in New York. Luckily, the first season is available on DVD and iTunes. This is a show NO ONE should miss. It's by far one of the best things I've ever seen on television.

In Movies:

I finally got to see the Incredible Hulk this week. Edward Norton did it again. This movie was outstanding. It had good depth, plenty of comic book nerd 'easter eggs' and lots of action. I can only pray Norton returns for the sequel. I also watched 10,000 B.C. on iTunes last night and was pleasently surprised. I had very low expectations for this movie, and was happy to see that they had packed in as much plot as they did. This Friday I'm aiming to see Wanted, which I am confident will hold me over until Batman arrives in theaters next month.

In Books:

I finally finished reading A Big Life in Advertising by Mary Wells Lawrence. If your interested in advertising this is a good read. Ms. Wells ads are well known, and her developement in the industry makes for an entertaining and educational story. I've also finished half of Marley and Me by John Grogan. I can honestly say that no book has ever had the effect on me that this book has. It's extremely charming and well written and by the end of chapter one you'll love Marley as though he were your own dog. There are points when I became choked up and other times when I couldn't stop laughing while reading this book. Read the short preface and if you're still not interested, then the books not for you.

Where the hell is Matt?

If you surf the internet anywhere near as much as I do, then you've likely already seen this viral video. If you haven't, it's worth a couple minutes. It was produced over a period of 14 months in 42 countries by Matt Harding and is only the latest in a series he's done. This latest video has only been posted on YouTube.com for 4 days and has already been viewed more than 2.25 million times. Thats a lot even for YouTube. I've watched it a few times and notice new stuff every time I do. It's far better if you go directly to the YouTube page and click the 'Watch in high quality' link under the screen. The version posted below is not 'high quality' and doesn't show the colors of the scenery as well. You can see more of Matt here.

I can't tell you how jealous I am of Mr. Harding. I want this to be my life, but with better dancing.

Jack Black Sucks!

It's no secret that I waste far too much time surfing the internet in search of crazy information about the world and pop culture. Well, here's one fun activity I've found in my search that I thought worthy of sharing. It's a Swedish furniture name generator. If you've ever walked through IKEA store and thought, "where the hell do they get they come up with the names for these couches?" this is most likely the answer. I'm a side table named SVERRII. I don't know if I like Sweden.

Also, for those Jack Black/School of Rock fans out there, it looks like 2 might be in the works. Click here to see the full article. I can't say I'm excited about a School of Rock sequel, since Jack Black destroys every movie he's in. Case in point: Be Kind Rewind. Any Michal Gondry flick should be amazing, but this latest film was barely bearable thanks to the consistently annoying Black. Eh…

Moving on, Mad Men returns for season two Sunday July 27^th. I'm a TV nut, and would recommend this show to anyone. It doesn't take much to get addicted to this show. The series focuses on an advertising agency in the late 1950s. It's the most truthful portrayal of the industry and the time period I've ever seen on television or on film. While we're used to seeing the chipper, pleasantville world of the Leave it to Beaver '50s, Mad Men portrays the sexism, racism, and immorality that peaople faced during the period. Seriously, you have one month to catch up on season one before the new season begins. The first season is available on DVD or on iTunes. Check out more about the show here.

This is different; the Chicago Sun-Times ran an interesting piece on the effects of high fuel costs on indie rock. It's an interesting spin on a topic I'm really sick of being reminded of. Check that article out by clicking here.

Finally, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson. I'm hooked on this guys music. He sucks live, as he's rarely sober enough to stand let alone get words out while playing guitar. Still, he's wildly popular here in New York and his live performances are often reviewed as 'trancendant'. I disagree, but still love his recordings and can understand why he's often called 'the next Bob Dylan'. My brother and I happened to catch one of his live shows at the Cake Shop on the Lower East Side a couple of months ago. To read more about him and his music, click here.

The worlds a dirty place.

I thought this was extremely interesting. I realized I should share it with my friends. So, check it out.

Public Displays of Affection

For most of my TV watching years I have been a die hard fan of NBC. I think it started with shows like Mad About You. As lame as it is, I always dreamed that one day I'd be like Paul Buchman living in New York City with my dog, Murray. (If Jake hadn't already been named Jake, guess what I would've picked.) There are so many other classics to enjoy like Friends and Frasier, Scrubs, The Office, ER, 30 Rock, Law & Order, etc. But, despite these great shows NBC has had trouble in recent years. Often I've watched the amazing new programming get ripped from the airwaves without warning, as was the case with the Black Donnelly's. Well, today the GE operated network redeemed themselves by sending me a gift, an offering of peace. In a padded manilla folder crammed in my tiny mailbox I found a collection of Pins. Yes, pins. This is why I love NBC. I received 15 free pins in the mail today, all spoofing political pins, all advertising wonderful NBC shows. With slogans like "Get a clue: Vote SVU" and "Vote SNL" I'm both entertained and reminded to watch TV. Or how about "Baldwin Fay All the Way!" or the simplistic "Conan is our Man!" Even better, I'll be the coolest kid in New York once I attach these creative displays of fandom to my man purse. Awesome. Dorky, but awesome. I love you NBC! "Believe in Steve!"

This is the entire collection that arrived in my mailbox!

High School

So I know I've been wasting my blogs lately, but I thought many of you may enjoy sharing in these memories. I threw together a playlist to put on while at work filled with some of the most memorable music from 1994-1998, otherwise known as high school. If anyone thinks there are more songs that belong on this list, please let me know. I'm sure I've missed many.

"Luke, I am your father..."

This is awesome!!!

http://flickr.com/photos/doctorbeef/sets/72157603716342376/

Who stole my Corolla?!!!

I've seriously have had the worst week ever. Following ASSSCAT, there was construction on the one line, so I didn't make it home until almost 1am, completely blowing my 3am wake up time. Luckily, despite sleeping through my alarm, I woke up on my own in a panick at about 4am. I got dressed quickly and ran out of my apartment and down the block only to find that my car was gone. My car is a piece of shit, so I knew it wasn't stolen, and I had parked legally, so the only explanation was the thousand dollars or so in overdue parking tickets. Damn them. When I looked online I found that my car had been towed only 8 minutes before I had headed outside to find it. Anyhow, I had to find my way all over the Bronx on a wild goose chase trying to find my car and pay my tickets. This morning I finally found my car, but the evil woman at the counter wouldn't accept my debit card because it only had one of my two middle initials. Needless to say, after involving my financial institution, legal council, and the NYC Department of Investigations I finally got my car back this afternoon and am ready to finish my week off right.



Lesson to learn from this story: cars and NYC don't mix.

That's Disgusting

Over the past few months I've really begun to feel completely at home here in New York. I'm building routines and growing accustomed to all of the things that set me off after my initial move here. And, knock on wood, I haven't gotten a parking ticket in months!

You know you're becoming a New Yorker when: My dog and I were heading out for our morning walk and found the elevator filled with the building maintenance and police officers wearing large plastic gas masks. One of the officers began to make small talk, asking me if I knew the gentleman who lived in 6A. (I had heard the rumors already from other neighbors that the guy in 6A was a schizophrenic and a diabetic and had died and started rotting in his apartment, so I wasn't shocked to see all of the commotion in the elevator.) I told the officer that I didn't really know anyone in the building by their apartment number and that I'd have to see him to know for sure. (I wasn't actually asking to see him, but apparently that's how the officer understandably took my statement.) "You wouldn't want to see him." He said firmly. It was momentarily silent until I finally asked the question that had popped into my mind. "How many rooms is 6A?" I quickly realized that is was the most inappropriate question at the moment and proceeded to change the subject. Besides, with plans for school I really can't afford to upgrade right now.

Open Invitation

Initially, after moving to New York, I told my friends I'd only be gone for 2 or 3 years. Unfortunatly, as many of my friends know, I can't make a decision and stick with it to save my life, which is why you rarely find me planning ahead. After just 10 months, I decided one year in NYC was enough and planned my return to Detroit. Then, things began to change again. School in New York became an option, as well as friends and a life here. I soon decided that after my return to Detroit I would move back to New York after a year to begin a new career and finish my degree. Well, yesterday I renewed the lease on my Bronx apartment for one more year, ensuring that I'm not giong anywhere anytime soon, and I'm honestly very happy with my decision. Still, I love and miss everyone back home very much, so in the words of the great Benjamin Franklin, "We must all hang together, or assuredly, we shall all hang separately." Seriously, Benjamin Franklin said that and honestly he couldn't be more right. So I say come hang with me in New York or surely we will all hang separately... and none of us wants that. Anytime you feel the desire to waste some vaca time on a trip to NYC and have the added bonus of a free place to crash and a kick ass tour guide (that would be me), you're welcome to visit, as long as you don't mind a couch or an airbed for accomodations.

Asscat

Last night, my brother Jeff and I attended a free improv show down at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. This is only the second show I've attended, but from what I understand the usual comedians involved are fresh faces, with an additional guest comedian or two. The guest will be a touring stand up comedian or SNL alumni. Last night had a plethera of guests. Leading the troupe was Amy Poehler of SNL, also a cofounder of the Upright Citizens Brigade. The 'Special Guest' was Doug Benson, who is probably most recognizable for his attempts at humor on VH1s I Love The... series. Also in attendance (in addition to the usual faces) was Jack McBrayer, better known as Kenneth the NBC Page on the best show on TV, 30 Rock. John Lutz of 30 Rock and SNL was also present. Speaking of SNL, they threw in Horatio Sans and Seth Meyers, who were both hysterical. It's been 12 hours and my face still hurts (insert joke here) from laughing so much. Anyhow, good times. If you're ever in town on a Sunday night, I highly recommend you swing by. It's a free show, so show up early to get in line.

Garfield and more....

I've got a new favorite blog I think everyone should check out. It's called 'Garfield minus Garfield' and it features the classic Jim Davis comic strip with one minor adjustment, no Garfield. Strangely enough, when you remove Garfield from the mix, it makes Jon look increasingly insane. This new comic is dark and sometimes earily depressing. The person responsible for this latest adaptation is unnamed, but sums up his (or her) work in the following paragraph: "Who would have guessed that when you remove Garfield from the Garfield comic strips, the result is an even better comic about schizophrenia, bipolor disorder, and the empty desperation of modern life? Friends, meet Jon Arbuckle. Let’s laugh and learn with him on a journey deep into the tortured mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against lonliness in a quiet American suburb." -Awesome. This is why the internet rocks.

While we are discussing Garfield, you might want to tune into youtube.com for a series of great Garfield inspired videos. Every video features a live action version of a Garfield comic strip, followed by a cheesy laugh track and most are followed by a music video of some sort. It's one of the worst, yet funniest things I've seen on the internet to date. You can see all 28 by going to http://youtube.com/user/lasagnacat. If not, at least enjoy the sample below, it's one of my favorites.

Vomit on the 1 train.

We had a great night, jumping from bar to bar throughout the Lower East Side of Manhattan. This visit from Joe was too short. It was a classic 'Joe' night. We've had a lot of memorable nights, with countless stories to go along with them, but this one was up there on the list, next to Eric Thill's graduation party of course, and New Years Eve at my house senior year. It's awesome to know that ten years later we're still able to party like we were in high school. It wasn't the most responsible of nights, which was also good. If I were responsible I would've been at home resting or doing work of some sort, but instead, I was out on the town enjoying a variety of bands, bars, and beers. A three hour trek home is two and a half hours longer than it should be, but there was no way I could've known the difference. Still, this was easily one of my favorite nights in NYC so far.

Days off are fun.

I started the afternoon by heading down to Times Square to see Cloverfield. I intended on seeing this last week, but didn't have the opportunity until today. I loved this movie. Despite the obvious side effects of poor acting and motion sickness, this film blew my mind. Producer J.J. Abrams can't lose. I only hope he doesn't push his charm too far, similar to what writer/director M. Night Shamalan did, over saturating pop culture with his unique style. There is so much more to the story of Cloverfield that J. J. Abrams and his crew intentionally withheld from the audience, like the significant direct connection between the lead character, Rob, and the monster itself. Or the involvemend of the mysterious Tagruato Corp. and it's overly peppy subsidary Slusho Beverages. Anyway, if anyone wants to share theories on Cloverfield, I'm up for it. If you want to explore more Cloverfield conspiracies, here's the official site to explore.
After the movie, as I walked towards the 1 line subway station to head towards home, a guy in a 'worldwide pants' jacket approached me and offered me a seat for a taping of David Letterman. Having nothing else to do but laundry, I chose to accept. It was also a great show. I have no clean underwear, but I think I made the right choice. The experience was interesting. Watching all of that goes into a show like that each night was fascinating. The guests were alright, and I enjoyed the musical performance by the Redwalls. It all ended too quickly however. As quickly as I had been swept in off the street I was being booted back out.
After a quick stop for some New York pizza, I headed back home to relax. More fun days like this and I may have to consider staying longer.