Imagine That comes out today and it's yet another shit stain on the career that was Eddie Murphy. What in the hell happened to him? When the hell did he become a family film actor? Looking at the films he's made, you'd have to go all the way back to 1988 to find a classic;Coming to America, one of the best films of all time. Yeah, that's right. Go ahead, dispute it.
Comedies never get a fair break, and Eddie Murphy starred in classic after classic in the 80's. Trading Places, 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, Best Defense. Ok maybe they weren't all classics but at least he tried. What has he done for us lately? Well let's take a look at all the films he's acted in the last 20 years or so, excluding animated films.
In the last 20 years he's made 3 good films. 3! Out of 23! And I'm including TheNutty Professor on that list. Do these family films make money? I guess they must or they wouldn't keep making them. Does he make these type of movies now because he has kids? Could be. We know it killed George Lucas' creative spark.
What he needs to do is start doing stand-up again. Get up on stage man! Do some new material! Do SNL one mo' time! We all know he has it in him to be king again.
Paul: This is of course not the first time Coming To America has been referenced on this site.
Myles: Ok, someone just reminded me Eddie Murphy is going to portray Richard Pryor in an upcoming biopic directed by Bill Condon. This is a step in the right direction and I will be the first to say he will without a doubt get a nomination for his portrayal. I will also be the first to say he will lose out to Alan Arkin. Again.
That's Mickey Rourke as Whiplash, the new villian in next summer's Iron Man 2. You know him? I don't know him and I ain't messing with him. He must be your boy.
How we livin' peoples! Apple has the trailer for Scorcese's newest film Shutter Island. It stars Leonardo Dicaprio and Mark Ruffalo. Apple describes the film as "the story of two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), who are summoned to a remote and barren island off the coast of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a murderess from the island’s fortress-like hospital for the criminally insane.".
When's the last time we saw a scary Scorcese pic? Been way too long. And the power of Scorcese huh? It's great how just watching footage from one Scorcese movie can immediately just make you want to sit down and spend a day watching nothing but Scorcese movies. This trailer immediately made me want to watch Cape Fear, then Cape Fear got me thinking about King Of Comedy and you know what? Maybe I should give Bringing Out The Dead one more shot (wasn't too crazy about that one the first time around), then Bringing Out The Dead made me want to hit up Taxi Driver, so on and so forth. You know what? I'm going to go toss Cape Fear at the top of my Netflix queue. Enjoy this trailer kids. Shutter Island opens in theaters October 2, 2009.
A few weeks ago I wrote a quick post about an article that appeared in the Chicago Reader. The article was a story about Chicago House music, specifically Chicago Hip House music and it's revival that was beginning to be felt in the music scene. I liked the article and I figured someone else out in InternetLand might enjoy it as well so I passed it along. Within minutes of me posting it on Facebook I recieved a message that read simply "Don't bring back hip house.". I knew who the person was. He's a prominent House DJ in Chicago, definately one of my favorites, but I won't say his name because frankly I didn't ask permission and that wouldn't be professional.
I did want to know why he didn't want me to "bring hip house back" so I asked him why. "Hip house almost killed house music". Really? Clearly that didn't turn out to be the case. House music is still going strong today while eventually Hip House did seem to become more of a novelty. But the immediate response and request to not bring Hip House back really intrigued me. Are House music lovers divided? Is there a separation of House and State? Are there 2 camps in the land of House? Unfortunately I believe there are. All does not seem well in the land of House. There is a rivalry. There is a rivalry of rhythmic design and no one is wanting to get off of the dance floor.
"You see House music is a universal language spoken understood by all."
On one side of the dance floor there are those who love the House music of today. They aren't looking to just go down House music's memory lane. They enjoy House music that doesn't only remind them of their high school dances. They don't use House music for nostalgic effect. It's as relevant to their lives today as to when they first heard it in a friend's basement, a club, or crowded around the radio with a finger on the play and record button of their tape deck so they could own for themselves a WBMX Saturday night live ain't no jive dance party. Their House music today doesn't just rely on those moments of the past. They've taken their history of House and moved forward with it. The House music they listen to and play is of today's age.
On the other side there are those who are satisfied going back to the glory days of their youth with House music. They want to hear the classic hits and everything else can fall to the wayside. They want to sing about their Fantasy Girl, they want to jack it up to The Love I Lost, and they reaaallly want to know when it's time for the Perculator. Being at a club where this style of House music is preferred and trying to play some new Deep House is risk-taking, likely to be met with looks of confusion towards the DJ booth, and eventually whispers of "What's his problem? How come he don't play no good House?".
"Gotta have House! Music all night long. With that House! Music you can't go wrong. Gimme that House! Music to set me free."
Is this rivalry the Sox/Cubs rivalry of music in Chicago? I don't think so. There's a lot of hate in that rivalry and for all the preferences House music lovers have I've never heard one group use the word hate when describing how they feel about a different style of House. I've been on both sides of the dance floor and you know what I've noticed? People just want to hear good music. Music is art and art cannot be simplified and judged and called right or wrong. On a Saturday night when we feel good cause we know we look good, the mood is right, the feelings right, you got your boys and your girls around you, we want one thing. We want to hear good music. There are nights where I want to hear some soulful Deep House that feels so good, so bumpin', so gospel-like that I can tear it up on the dance floor catching the House Holy Spirit with one fist up in the air, my feet right on the beat, and with a smile from ear to ear and you better keep up with me girl cause this is what I consider good livin'. Other nights I want to kick it old school and I want to remember why I started loving House music in the first place so go ahead DJ and tell me about Tyree Cooper, the producer, awesome super duper trooper. But it's never going to be one or the other for me and I hope it won't be for you. Like the song says, "In the beginning there was Jack and Jack had a groove. And from this groove came the grooves of all grooves. And while one day viciously throwing down in his box Jack roared and declared "Let There Be House!" and House music was born."
Highly Recommended Watching:
History Of House - Documentary about history of house music from its origins in the late 70s disco scene, to 2000. Additional content: "Disco to Hip-Hop","Universal Techno","1989 SUMMER OF RAVE", and "BBC News: World in Action - The Acid House Report."
Recommended Listening (Some of my favorite House cuts):
One of my favorite sites, CHUD, just posted this trailer and allow me to share it with you. It's the new trailer to It Might Get Loud. It stars Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White. It's a documentary about the three of them sitting down with each other and telling their story about their love for the guitar. It's directed by David Guggenheim who also directed the documentary An Inconvenient Truth which I still haven't seen. But slow down! It's like the third or fourth movie coming up in my Netflix queue so I'll be knocking that one out soon enough.
This trailer looks great. We're going to get to see how each of them comes up with their own sound on the guitar, visit some of the locations of where Jimmy Page recorded tracks, and then we get to see all three of them jam together. I can't wait to see and hear that. What was that sound you just heard in the background? That was me slamming down my paper son cause I want a ticket to this on the quickness. It Might Get Loud arrives in theaters on August 14th.
BRETT: I just watched this trailer for the 2nd or 3rd time. I am genuinely excited about this movie. Each of these artists holds a special place in my heart (as I'm sure yours) for different times in my life. Jimmy Page... We all had our Zeppelin phase. Mine was in high school. First through Stairway to Heaven and IV, but slowly making my way up and around their canon of work. I've actually spent a good amount of time these past few weeks with II. A shockingly amazing album. The Edge. U2. The Unforgettable Fire was 8th grade for me. My first concert. The song Bad meant a lot to me. Boy, and War. They were just kids, making music that would last decades, and beyond. I like U2 a lot. They are the biggest rock band on the planet still making music, for good reason. Jack White. I didn't jump on the White Stripe bandwagon early on. I let it pass, and then, one day, I listened to everything they put out and I was floored. He's a force of nature. All his projects have his indelible mark on them and he surely merits being in the company of the other two. I can't wait to see this on a big screen, with loud speakers.
I first saw the trailer to Timecrimes when I went to go see Let The Right One In last year. The trailer told me it was about time travel, it's in Spanish, and someone who looks like Darkman's brother is in it. I threw my 10 bucks at the screen and screamed, "I'm in! Dale Huevo!". For reasons that I can't recall now I ended up missing Timecrimes during it's theatrical run and wasn't even aware that it was out on DVD until my friend Patrick Garone told me he saw it. His review? "It's good. It's like Back To The Future Part 2 n'shit but in Spanish." Dale Huevo!!!
I finally hollered at that Timecrimes and I highly recommend it. Going into detail about the movie will definately spoil some of the fun surprises in there. Trust me, holler at this movie. Go ahead and check out the trailer for yourself and then holler at it on Netflix. It will do you no harm.
Revolutionary Road came out this week on Blu-Ray (and for those still living in the dark ages, DVD) and I recommend checking it out. Not for the fact that you'll think you might see Kate Winslet naked for the umpteenth time (Spoiler! You don't) or to see Leo in yet another role where he looks way to young to be playing such an adult role (don't get me wrong, he's a great actor but he still doesn't look like a man to me). No, the reason to watch this film is for a different reason. My man Michael Shannon!
Who? You've seen him before. He has that type of face you remember seeing but can't quite place. You would have seen him in Vanilla Sky, Tigerland, Pearl Harbor, World Trade Center, 8 Mile and possibly, just possibly, Kangaroo Jack. He stole the show from several Academy Award winners and nominees in Revolutionary Road while picking up a nomination himself. He of course lost to Heath Ledger, but I guaranfuckingtee he'll pick up another nom before Pauls pick Katherine Heigl.
I've actually seen Michael Shannon in person twice. The first time I was at Pick Me Up Cafe with a girl in a booth by the window when this guy strolls by, looks me dead in the eye and keeps on walkin. I said, "Hey I know that guy." I knew I had seen him in a film but didn't remember which at the time. Finally, he walked back the other way, looking as if he were trying to place where he had seen me before (I had been in the studio audience for the Bozo show). It was then that I remembered seeing him in the legendary classic Bad Boys II.
The next time I would see him was when I went to see a new play at the Red Orchid Theater with another girl. Yeah, that's how I roll. I didn't know who would be in the play at the time, and I still don't! But the person who would sell me my ticket that day would go on to be nominated for an Academy Award. This time I had remembered him from Bad Boys II, but I still didn't know his name. Now I'm no star f'er. I've been around celebrities before and never felt the need to get an autograph, shake their hand or talk to them. Well, I was tempted to ask Keanu Reeves if there would ever be a Bill & Ted 3 but that's another story. This time however was different. So I took a deep breath...and made the girl I was with go ask his name. That's also how I roll. They talked a little bit, she got his name, and we rushed back home to look him up on IMDB.
From then on anytime I would see him in a role onscreen I would say "That's My Guy!". And he would get bigger and more prominent film roles ever since until finally he got his much deserved Oscar nomination. He has an amazing filmography, but hasn't been a leading man that often. If you want to see one, go check out Bug. It'll fuck you up (Spoiler! Ashley Judd gets naked).
And just what was he doing selling tickets at the Red Orchid that day? Well their website has this explanation:
"Michael has graced many stages here in Chicago but speaks proudly of his home at A Red Orchid Theatre. Michael was among the founding members and since 1993 has acted, directed, painted, promoted and scrubbed many a floor at A Red Orchid. Michaels memorable performances on the A Red Orchid Stage include Bug, Gagarin Way, Victims of Duty, Tis Pity She's a Whore, The Killer and his direction of Ionesco's Hunger and Thirst among so many others."
Michael Shannon? That's my boy!
Paul: Michael Shannon is definitely my guy. I remember while I was watching this film being aware that he was stealing the show. It was a great performance in a wonderfully written part that worked to elevated the film. Now I've been known to predict Academy Award nominations for supporting roles incorrectly in the past. I once pegged John Leguizamo for a nom in a movie I'm too embarrassed to mention. I also thought Spud moved me in Trainspotting...but I was dead on here. I wanted Heath to win, but I also wanted Shannon to not be forgotten in this film. It was a breakout role for a guy that's been delivering for years. And yeah, I second watching Bug, but do me a favor...watch it while under the influence of NOTHING.
Regarding Katherine Heigl (that's a good name for a band!)...that prediction of her getting an Oscar goes up until the year 2025 I believe. Anyone who's seen 27 Dresses knows she has the ability. Anyone who's seen it twice knows she doesn't have the agent. Just like our boy Gerard Butler (AKA King Leonidas) they need to alter the trajectory of their careers. I'm afraid my Heigl prediction becomes more and more unlikely the longer she keeps acting like a diva on Grey's Anatomy, alienating people in the industry and possibly throwing away a long and fruitful career (and a future Academy Award). The bet still stands though, she has until she's 55 years of age to win one.
Now back to The King. What is this guy doing with his career? After 300 puts him on the fast track to leading man "I'll kick your ass and bed your wife" stardom he follows it up with P.S. I Love You? Maybe he thought he'd latch on to the Hillary Swank Award #3 train but that didn't pan out. Then, in a moment of serendipity I wasn't even aware of, he stars in The Ugly Truth with none other than, you guessed it...Kathering Fucking Heigl! Are you kidding me? Jesus...I have to get that movie as soon as I set foot on American soil again. Sorry to hijack the Michael Shannon post, but this is where it led. Lastly, Michael Shannon will win more Oscars in the next ten years than either of these two will win in their careers. That's right...he's winning at least two!
RICKY: I'd like to just add my favorite things about both of your posts gentlemen. 1) Myles used the phrase "That's how I roll". 2) Paul, I read the word "serendipity" today. 3) And finally Paul, don't be ashamed of your love for Spawn son. If I can call myself out for picking The Last Action Hero over Jurassic Park I think you'll be alright.
Damn. This is not the news I wanted to wake up to this morning. David Carradine was found dead today in a Bangkok hotel. The really sad part is that it's believed to be a suicide. Damn. Of all the ways for Bill to go out it shouldn't have been like this. Here is what MSNBC.com had to say.
I saw David Carradine a few years ago walking around in Downtown Chicago. Like with every celebrity I meet I freaked out then I referred to him as a character he played in a movie instead of his real name. I walked right up to him and said, "Aww Hell naw. you're Bill. Awesome!" He shook my hand, smiled, gave me the 5 Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique and went about his bidness.
The world will know him as David Carradine but to me he'll always be Bill.
Conan got made. That's what I was thinking when I watched his debut as host of The Tonight Show this past Monday night and as silly as it sounds it felt like we all got made with him. Conan is the voice of our generation in late night television and the books were opened, he got the OK, and now he's a made guy. Who was the first musical act that Conan chose that really drove home to me that from here on out this is going to be my Tonight Show? My guys, Pearl Jam. Word.
And this is out of respect. It ain't my favorite scene. I don't know the dude who wrote that.
Today at E3 Sony announced an upcoming game called The Last Guardian from the guys that brought us Shadow of the Colossus. I'm rarely impressed by game trailers because often enough you see more cinematic sequences than actual gameplay. I can't really tell with this one if it's gameplay or not. There's been a trend lately to do away with all the on screen information in video games in favor of leaving the screen clean. While the big talk is about XBOX's Project Natal, I think The Last Guardian seems really exciting. Coming to PS3's early next year perhaps.
Also check out Heavy Rain for the PS3 when you get a chance. Some other big announcements include The Beatles: Rock Band, which looks great judging by the trailer. The PSP GO, which is a redesign of the PSP and does away with UMD's and a PS3 motion control setup that looks like it's going to flush the Wii down the toilet. I'm glad I didn't buy one now, I'll just wait for the PS3 to release this.
I am watching King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters for the second time now.It is running on G4, and I had nothing to prevent me from perusing the channel guide for something to put my peepers on.I had remembered this movie from the first time I saw it, and I remembered it fondly.Now I am having an entirely different experience with it.To begin with the characters are great.Obviously, these aren’t characters but real people.Yet they’re they kind of real people that scriptwriters fail to write accurately, actors fail to portray correctly and directors brush with such a broad stroke as to become stereotypes.I’m bad with the review part…so here’s what Roger thinks:
"The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters," a documentary that is beyond strange, follows two arch-enemies in their grim, long-term rivalry, which involves way more time than any human lifetime should devote to Donkey Kong. I am reminded of the butler's line in "A New Leaf" to Walter Matthau: "You are carrying on in your own lifetime, sir, a way of life that was extinct before you were born.
In this corner, the man in black, wearing a goatee and looking like a snake-oil pitchman, is Billy Mitchell of Hollywood, Fla., in real life a hot-sauce tycoon (Rickey's World Famous Sauces), who says he is the man who first retailed chicken wings in their modern culinary form in Florida.
In the other corner, looking like your average neighbor, is Steve Wiebe of Seattle, who got laid off at Boeing the very day he and his wife bought a new house. He has kids, he's likable, and he plays Donkey Kong on a machine in his garage, where we gather he spends hours and hours and hours. He's now working as a high school science teacher.”
These guys are as passionate about gaming as Kobe Bryant is about winning or Lindsey Lohan is about cocaine.It’s fascinating to see them investigate the legitimacy of a replaced Donkey Kong motherboard to ensure the accuracy of Steve Wiebe’s record breaking and making score of 1,006.600 points.The importance of this record score on an arcade game consumes all interested parties.It is the same intensity that drives hall of fame athletes to victory in pursuit of perfecting their craft that motivates these “regular” guys with extraordinary memory, hand eye coordination and muscle control to become the best in the world at Donkey Kong.It is noble.There aren’t million dollar contracts or endless women (believe me…I know) to be had in video gaming.At least not for the players.Their goals are driven by no more than an internal need to achieve this monumental score.Monumental because they say so.
The impending battle between Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell contains all the tension and anticipation of a heavy weight title fight.Not of a title fight now though, because I couldn’t tell you who is the champ, but I mean a title fight like Tyson vs. Holyfield 2! Like Ali vs. Anyone!The arcade community has official referee’s, those guys that play really well, those guys that don’t play that well but love the atmosphere and the people there. There are prodigee’s, amateurs, professionals.There are wiley veterans and loose cannons.
It helps that this is about gaming.There’s a side to video games, which I’ve loved as far back as I can remember, that I didn’t know existed.I guess I should have payed more attention to The Wizard.It inspired me to get a Donkey Kong machine.An inspiration I carry with me to this day.Check this movie out.As Ricky would say, It Will Do You No Harm.
What is my problem? What is my major malfunction? I've seen one of the most overrated movies about a fake Cuban, Scarface (you read that right it's overrated people), at least a dozen times while on the other hand here is a true story about real musical legends from my country and I never bothered to watch it until almost ten years after its release. I'm embarrased people. Mom and Pop you can hit me over the head with a chankleta anytime you want.
I'm going to be sappy here but I don't care because that's how much I loved this movie. This is one of those movies that as you're watching a smile begins to creep onto your face and by the end you're grinning ear to ear until the credits roll. This one's going up there alongside When We Were Kings and Hoop Dreams as one of my favorite documentaries ever. It definately has one of my favorite names I've ever heard, Compay Segundo. You only get that name if you're big time and Compay Segundo is Big Time.*
The whole band is Big Time. All of the musical performances are amazing and this one here is my favorite. The song is called "Candela" which translates to Fire. This shows the whole Buena Vista Social Club onstage in Amsterdam with several band members really getting a chance to shine. I can't recommend this movie enough peoples. I'm going to be real professional this week and watch it again with my Pops. If you're unsure as to whether you'll be into this movie why don't you check out the trailer. Alright. I'm not asking it, I'm saying it. Buena Vista Social Club. They are my boys.
Paul: You were adamant about watching I Am Cuba however.
* I don't wait for old people, I don't wait for old people.
RICKY: Phillip Seymour Hoffman & Phillip Baker Hall in Hard Eight? Those are my guys!!! You know who's not my guy? The sonofabitch who I lent Hard Eight on DVD and I ain't seen it since. I'm looking for you. Now is this pre-Twister Hoffman or post?
What is this? What is in the box? Where did all the peoples go? Why did John Williams recycle his Jurassic Park score? These and many other questions will not be answered by the following video. Myles sent this my way a month or so ago. I don't know what the story is behind it, and I'm not going to investigate. I just wanted to share it and say, damn...this is how video games should look!
I am looking forward to the rest of whatever this is. Fill me in.
Now I'm not a big GI JOE fan, I was much more a Transformers guy. GI JOE, for all it's fantasy, was too militaristic for me. I wasn't into that so much. While I can forgive comic book heroes for being real people with special abilities I wasn't looking for that in my cartoons. But this entry is not about what I liked as a kid. It's another example of movies making a mistake when adapting source material like comics, cartoons or video games to the big screen. Much like I didn't enjoy the X-MEN costumes in the film (which I'm sure led to my dissapointment with the movie itself), or was less than thrilled with Green Goblin's outfit in Spider-man, I'm very dissapointed to see Destro done this way. Without the trademark mask.*
I know people are a little upset with the handling of Cobra Commander (cough, I'm looking at you Myles) so this makes me question the execution of the entire film. It just appears as though the people making the movies have no idea what the fan base wants. But perhaps therein lies the problem. They can't make the movie solely for the fan base. There's no real money in that. The money is in broadening the appeal. This waters it down for those who have a little extra invested in how this turns out. What do you guys think?
*Admittedly I am not a big GI JOE fan, so I didn't do the research required to post on the internets. Ricky will clear up the Destro mask thing, but still...Chris Eccleston? I loved him in Shallow Grave, but as Destro? I'll tell you who he should be playing...Daniel Day Lewis!
Ricky: True dat true dat. First off I never had any thought that this movie was going to be good. It's going to suck and that's on the nation. Why? Exhibit A. It's directed by Stephen Sommers. Is that your boy? Numero Dos. it's got Marlon Wayans in it. Yep, when I think of a live action G.I. Joe movie I think they should cast this guy:
Lastly homeboys. Watch this clip here and save your money.
I'm going to have to correct you also. Destro is going to be in the movie with the mask on. You can see the toy version of him with his mask here. It's a pic of a toy so you can't judge it too much but have we seen anything about this movie that makes us confident it's going to be good.
Paul: I figured that Destro with the mask might be a reveal, or something like that. I just don't think that's a good actor for Destro either. When studio's are in pre-production on a film I think they have a choice of making the movie realistic (as all should be) or making it a live action cartoon. They obviously chose the latter. It's like I say about The Dark Knight...it's a drama with action in it, not an action picture with dramatic moments. GI JOE looks very WB to me. Now that CGI is so affordable all the cool kids are doing it, but as Chaos enthusiast Ian Malcolm (Is that your boy?) says about Jurassic Park's scientist..."they were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." That's how I feel about the look of this film. It's too glossy, too shiny. Too unrealistic.
And one second on Marlon Wayans. He was fantastic in Requiem for a Dream and I really thought he'd start getting into more dramatic roles after that. He didn't unfortunately, but seeing Marlon Wayons is more of a death sentence to a comedy than it is to a drama. Galactica Out.
Brett: Ok... yeah. I can't tell you the first thing about GI Joe. Wasn't a GI Joe kid (straight Star Wars) and I know the term "Kung-Fu Grip" exclusively from the commercials... That being said, I loves me a big summer blockbuster. Yes, I loved Armageddon. Yes, I loved Transformers (sans the 90's cop show action scene music), YES, I'm loving the Harry Potter flix, and YES, I'm will happily plunk down my $9.50 to see this movie. For the love of God... why would you even entertain the idea that GI JOE might have any value beyond the effects and action scenes. I want shiny. I want WB. I want hot woman and guns and planes and explosions and tech and all that. I wholly expect that $9 of my $9.50 is going to the effect house.
But, I have to honestly ask, is GI JOE a person ... Or is it a Pink Floyd thing. no idea. brett OUT!
