New Kid On The Bloc

Over the last couple of years I have had a real difficult time jumping on the Bloc Party bandwagon. I'm not really sure why. I was just never really that into them. Now I kind of am and it is all due to the song Biko off their 2008 album Intimacy. I heard this song for the first time a few weeks or maybe it was a couple of months ago, it really is all just a blur these days, while listening to my favorite radio program on KCRW. The program used to be called Nocturna but for some reason they did away with the name and the show is now just referenced by its DJ - Raul Campos.

Anyways, I love this song and I have been meaning to share it for quite some time now. So without further ado, I give you Biko by Bloc Party:

Biko - Bloc Party - Music Video Song - Intimacy Unofficial
by TrainWreck74

Destiny Calls

Get lost in the world courtesy of Ajira Airways and Destination Destiny. Fly anywhere for $87. New destinations beginning January 21st.

Who Watches The Watchmen?

Who watches the Watchmen? Well, it looks like Fox is doing the watching. Word on the street is that the honorable Gary A. Feess intends to grant Fox's claim that it owns a copyright interest which consists of, at the very least, distribution rights. 

I don't mean to sound too self-aggrandizing but this is how I predicted the lawsuit would shake out months ago. I am still shocked that Warner Bros. didn't ensure that they fully owned the rights to Watchmen before sinking millions of dollars into making this movie. So needless to say, I am quite interested in seeing how the settlement finally gets resolved. Will Fox get a flat settlement? Will they get a percentage of gross receipts? Will the March 2009 release be delayed?

On a different Watchmen related note, I say the new trailer before a screening of The Wrestler. This trailer appears much more effective from a marketing perspective in the sense that it isn't targeted as much at the "fanboy" who already knows and loves the story as it is at the general viewer. It tells a much more cohesive story and gives the potential viewer a much better idea as to what they would be going to the theater to see. The new trailer does this while still maintaining the total awesomeness of the first trailer. The music choices for the two trailers are just phenomenal. The Beginning is the End is the Beginning by Smashing Pumkins in the first and Take a Bow by Muse in the second are mesmerizingly perfect. Just as perfect as Snyder's use of Just Like You Imagined by NIN in the epic trailer for 300.

So yeah, I really can't wait to see Watchmen. I really hope the lawsuit settlement gets wrapped up ASAP so that the release is not delayed by too much. Meanwhile, if you are looking for a new book to read than check out the Watchmen graphic novel. You don't need to be a comic book nerd to appreciate the story. The character development and story telling are excellent. There is a reason it was included on Time's list of 100 best novels.

PS I'm totally in love with Sally Jupiter. Even if she did have a thing, albeit short lived thing, for Vince. 

Tis The Season

Merry Christmas. I can't wait to watch Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story tomorrow. By far two of my favorite traditions.

Garance Dore

Each morning I read the latest post and admire the latest pictures by Scott Schuman - The Sartorialist. This morning there was a post that led me to this other fantastic photography blog maintained by a French woman named Garance Dore. 

The style of the photos is similar to that of Scott Schuman with the main difference taking shape in the increased emphasis on the upper body of the subject. Oh yeah and the blog is also in French. I guess that is a big difference as well. As I was perusing through the archives I kept hoping that I would magically start to understand what I was "reading." No such luck. Maybe next week?

Gatsby Casting Ideas

So after spending the afternoon musing on pontenial cast members for the rumored Baz Luhrman Great Gatsby Project, I have come up with a few ideas. My initial idea without having seen a script or anything (which makes this whole post an exercise in putting the cart way before the horse) is to shoot for a cast with an age range of mid to late twenties. Although, I could also buy an adaptation where everybody is significantly older which would lend itself to such potential actors as Brad Pitt, Jude Law, Kate Beckinsale, Nicole Kidman and maybe even The Clooney. Essentially the usual suspects.

Like I said though, I am leaning more towards a younger cast and once again it was a little difficult for me to get away from the usual suspects. I tried to think a little outside the box and if I put in a little more time, I might be able to come up with a few more ideas. Here is what I have so far:

James Franco - Gatsby

James McAvoy - Nick

Ryan Gosling - I could see Gosling as either Nick or Gatsby

Lee Pace - Nick

January Jones - Daisy

Rachel McAdams - Daisy. Heck, why don't we just bring back the whole cast of The Notebook and have Gosling play Gatsby and have James Marsden play Tom. Marsden "wins" this time.

So that is what I have so far. I may add to this list over the next couple of days though if someone comes to mind. I really hope this movie gets made. And for all those Luhrman haters out there (you know who you are) I disagree with you. I think he can do an excellent job with this story and could give it a fresh and maybe slightly unconventional take ala Romeo + Juliet. As for Australia, I completely enjoyed the opulence of the spectacle.

The Great Gatsby and Baz Luhrman

Word on the street is that the next project for Baz Luhrman is going to be The Great Gatsby. Supposedly he has purchased the rights to the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic and will be making/distributing the film with 20th Century Fox. It goes without saying that I am pretty excited. I love Baz Luhrman films and I love The Great Gatsby. I can't wait to see how Luhrman works out his adaptation. 

I also can't wait to see who gets cast as Nick, Jay, and Daisy. My only request is that life does not continue to immitate art and we end up with Vincent Chase as Nick. I think I am going to give this some thought and in a future post offer my suggestions for the casting of these three roles. Meanwhile, I would love to hear who all 3 of my readers think would be good choices for these roles.

East Egg 'til I die, right? Or something like that.

Give (the city of brotherly) Love a Chance

A couple of weeks ago I was talking with a few friends and they started talking about how funny It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is. They insisted that I give it a try and guaranteed that I would laugh. I must admit, I was quite skeptical. I have resisted watching the show over the last couple of years because I had this notion that I would not like it because it was a show for douchebags from Arizona and/or Orange County. It was a show for dudes who sat around and talked about tits and creatine (In order to maintain my journalistic integrity, I must state that that last line was not my own. I'm not sure where I heard it first but it still makes me laugh to this day.). I am not sure where this preconceived notion of the show stemmed from. Maybe it was something in the marketing that triggered this response. Who knows? Irregardless (I chuckeld to myself as I wrote that), I finally decided to give the show a chance. 

I started with season one, courtesy of the excellent website known as Hulu, and after watching the first four episodes I happily admit that I am hooked. I laugh out loud at least a 3 or 4 times each episode. The show, while a little on the crass side, is absolutlely hilarious. So far Charlie is my favorite character but Mac is a close second. Absolutely ridiculous yet funnier than a screen door on a battleship.

So yeah, if you had the same preconceived notions regarding the show that I did I recommend trying to get past them and giving the show a chance. You just might find something that will make you laugh.

Sia on Letterman

Last night I was enjoying dinner with a great group of friends and as is almost customary by now, we discussed and debated various media related topics such as the current season of 30 Rock, why Pushing Daisies was cancelled, what would happen if one of our friends who is 6 or 7 months pregnant gave birth to a Benjamin Button, and the greatness of David Mamet. One of the best little pieces of trivia I learned was that Mike Myers kind of stumbled into his role in the super- mega-blockbuster franchise Shrek. Chris Farley was originally cast as Shrek, but upon his untimely passing, the role was given, with much trepidation, to Mike Myers and the rest is history. Billion dollar history.

In addition to the aforementioned topics, we also discussed the ins and outs of the oft visited topic of Letterman vs Leno. This conversation reminded me of a musical performance by Sia on Letterman a few weeks ago. Sia is simply amazing and her performance is fantastic. However, what really makes this clip worthwhile is Sia's reaction when Letterman comes on stage to congratulate her on her performance and wrap the show. Her genuine happiness and excitement is quite infectious. Seriously. It is totally worth the 3 and a half or 4 minutes of your time to enjoy the entire performance and receive the tremendous pay-off in the final seconds. I totally fell in love with Sia all over again.

PS We also had the traditional Fathers Office sucks, no The Counter sucks argument. Some things never change. It is actually quite comforting sometimes.

Lost Season 5 Sneak Peek

It's so on like Donkey Kong. I can't wait for January 21st.