JWFTS

Missing in Action...? Hardly.

2011-05-29T14:12:00.007-04:00

To any and all who have been waiting for a new blog post... Sorry!

I've been hard at work on my documentary film, and will be incredibly busy with production for the forseeable future.

But never fear-- I shall return to the blogging world eventually. I mean, how could I not review the biggest disappointment of the past year?

(I'll give you a hint: "H_b_ W_th _ Sh_tg_n"... pick a few vowels.)

In the meantime, you can be kept up to date with the film and our progress (production info/screenings/etc.)

over at www.MOVEdocumentary.com

Until we meet again... sooner or later... Jon

Coming Soon: Brat Productions "Carrie"

2010-10-18T10:41:00.010-04:00

This week, I'll be attending a performance of Brat Productions new show "Carrie" for Withersin Magazine.

Based upon the Stephen King novel (and the Brian DePalma film), the show is a twist on what you think you know about the prom queen soaked in pigs blood we've all come to know, love... and laugh at.

Brat Productions description of "Carrie":

In this adaptation, approved by Stephen King himself, Erik Ransom plays the telekinetic teen, alongside a cast of notable Philadelphia actors. Directed by BRAT's Producing Artistic Director Michael Alltop, and featuring some of Philly's leading designers (including a 3-person special FX team), Carrie delivers all of the thrills of the original bestselling novel with surprising and hilarious new twists. Save the date for a prom night you’ll never forget!

So, it should be an interesting evening. I'll be reviewing the show for Withersin, but my thoughts will also be posted here, on the trusty old (incredibly neglected) blog.

Until then, enjoy this...

Classic Trailer: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

2010-05-18T10:07:00.009-04:00

With the Platinum Dunes remake having been released just a few weeks ago, I've heard a lot of people say that they either haven't seen the original "Nightmare on Elm Street" in a long time or, *gasp*, they have never seen it at all!

Scandal! Come on people... this one is worthy of at LEAST two viewing a year. Should be federally mandated, actually.

And while it wasn't quite sacrelige, I do think the remake lost a bit of the charm and gut-punch scares of the original. And sure-- perhaps the reason the original stands out so much for me is that I was just a kid when I saw it, but you know what-- I just bought the original on blu-ray and I'm happy announce it totally holds up and still made me poop my pants. Not sure why I'm happy to announce that last part... but I digress.

Check out the trailer for the original. It's truly a classic horror film and a cool trailer to boot.

P.S.-- I like Jackie Earle Haley and all, but who are we kidding? Robert Englund is Freddy. End of story.

2010 Academy Awards Predictions

2010-03-05T20:50:00.001-05:00

So, here are my Oscar picks. No fuss, no muss. It' sort of a blah year in terms of nominees. But then again, it's the Oscars-- there usually aren;t many upsets.

Still, I'll be watching on Sunday. And here is who I think will be bringing home the gold.

Best Actor:

Should Win - Jeff Bridges

Will Win - Jeff Bridges

Wildcard - Jeremy Renner

Best Actress:

Will Win - Sandra Bullock

Wildcard - Gabourey Sibide

Best Supporting Actor:

Should Win - Christoph Walz

Will Win - Christoph Walz

Best Supporting Actress

Should Win - Monique

Will Win - Monique

Wildcard - Vera Farmiga

Best Director

Should Win - Quentin Tarantino

Will Win - Kathryn Bigelow

Best Screenplay (Original)

Should Win - Inglorious Basterds

Will Win - The Hurt Locker

Best Screenplay (Adapted)

Should Win - District 9

Will Win - Up in the Air

Wildcard - In The Loop

Best Picture

Should Win - Inglorious Basterds

Will Win - The Hurt Locker

Wildcard - Avatar

Best Documentary

Should Win - The Cove

Will Win - The Cove

Best Animated Film

Should Win - Coraline

Will Win - Up

Best Editing

Should Win - Inglorious Basterds

Best Original Score

Should Win - Sherlock Holmes

Best Art Direction

Will Win - Avatar

Best Cinematography

Will Win - Avatar

Best Foreign Language Film

Will Win - The White Ribbon

Trailer: M. Night Shyamalan's "The Last Airbender"

2010-02-11T19:38:00.011-05:00

The full length trailer for M. Night Shyamalan's latest film The Last Airbender was just released and it looks fantastic!

The film is based on incredibly popular anime Avatar: The Last Airbender. And, though the film dropped the word Avatar from the title (for obvious reasons), I think The Last Airbender is actually a better title.

Take a look at the trailer below (in glorious HD) and tell me you won't be there July 2nd!

I know I'll be there... but then again, I always go to the movies for my birthday, which happens to be July 1st.

And yes-- presents will be accepted.

Never thought I'd agree with this guy...

2010-01-29T13:27:00.004-05:00

But, he does make a few rather salient points.

I have an iPhone, a MacBook and a Kindle. Why would I want an iPad? What use is it to me?

Don't get me wrong, I think it's cool. Very cool, in fact. I just don't foresee jumping on any bandwagons hastily.

I'll give it a few years and a few iterations so they can work out bugs, give it a real operating system and add in several other much needed features.

Song of the Week: Air "Sing Sang Sung"

2010-01-07T10:44:00.008-05:00

This week's song comes from Love 2, the latest album from the French band Air.

I've been listening to Air for quite some time now. In fact, this March will mark the fourth time I'll see them in concert-- their live show really is that good.

They have a sort of mellow, electronica sound. You can put on just about any of their albums and just let it play through to the end-- something that can't be said for a lot of bands.

Anyhow, I believe "Sing, Sang, Sung" is the first single released form the new album, and it's quite good.

I'd say that I've had the song on loop, but really it's been the entire album. Give it listen.

Best Movies of 2009

2010-01-04T09:18:00.000-05:00

Yeah, so my "best of" list is a few days late. So what. Wanna fight about it?

As I do every year, I'll also toss in my two cents when it comes to what films I enjoyed most in 2009. I actually think this year has been particularly strong one-- well, at least when it comes to film...

I'm going to keep it short and sweet. In fact, the list is not even really in any order. It's just the ten films that I enjoyed most this year.

My Favorite Films:

1.) The Cove - I'm a huge animal rights guy, and this was one of the more well made and moving documentaries I've seen in a while. Brutal and heart breaking.

2.) Drag Me to Hell - Sam Raimi's Brand of Old School Horror. Saw it twice in the theater and twice on blu-ray so far. Fantastic!

3.) Inglorious Basterds - Great upon first viewing, and infinitely re-watchable. The Bowie song alone makes the film.

4.) Anvil: The Story of Anvil - Seriously touching portrait of friendship, faith and truly never giving up on a dream. Another extremely re-watchable film.

5.) District 9 - Refreshingly inventive Sci-Fi. Despite early reports, it's not necessarily a game-changer for the genre, but Neil Blomkamp is what Michael Bay only wishes he could be.

6.) Pontypool - My favorite horror film of the year. Neat twist on the zombie genre that plays out through what you hear more than what you see. Terrific film. Oddly not yet available on DVD or Blu-Ray in the U.S.

7.) Watchmen - I wasn't the biggest fan of it in the theater, but upon repeated blu-ray viewings at home I have really come to enjoy this film. And-- is it seriously not on anyone else's top 10 or even 20 list? It was released this year, correct? Screw it. I'm a genre guy. It's on my list.

8.) Coraline - A bit dark for the kiddies, but for anyone who enjoys Tim Burton-esque dark fairy tales, you'll love it.

9.) Where the Wild Things Are - First film in years to actually elicit tears from my cynical eyes. Especially meaningful if you are a child of divorce, or of a single parent.

10.) Up - Pixar continues its streak of solid films. Third act was a bit typical, but enjoyed the film overall enough to warrant a spot on the list.

Six films that I wanted to see but didn't:

1.) The Road - Looks interesting and depressing. Not necessarily in that order.

2.) Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans / My Son, My Son What Have Ye Done - Werner Herzog. That's more than enough reason to see these two.

3.) The Hurt Locker - I'm not so hot on the contemporary war films as of late, but I have to admit that I want to see this one. And I like Jeremy Renner, too.

4.) Fantastic Mr. Fox - Too many people whose opinions I hold in high regard raved about this for me not to want to check it out. I think it'll be a blind buy on blu-ray release day.

5.) The White Ribbon - Call him pretentious, but I think Haneke is tremendous filmmaker.

6.) Antichrist - I really wanted to see this from the first trailer. Sadly, I just didn't have a chance to. DVD will be released soon, I hope.

Four Films that left me underwhelmed:

1.) Avatar - Pretentious. Ludicrous. It was pretty-- sure. But who cares. As a writer, I was offended by the story being put way on the back burner. Waaaay back there...

2.) Food, Inc. - I'm something of a health nut, and I thought I'd love this film. Don't get me wrong, it was okay. But that's it-- just okay.

3.) Zombieland - Yeah, the cameo was great. It was okay overall. Still liked it, but it could have been so much more.

4.) Avatar - Yes. It was that underwhelming.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T15:31:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas!

My gift to all of you is the hilarious Carol of the Bells segment from the California Raisins Holiday Special.

Enjoy!

Since there's no place to go...

2009-12-20T14:37:00.006-05:00

Let it snow.

The variety of weather we get here is one of the only reasons remaining for me to actually enjoy living in Philadelphia.

This weekend we were hit with upwards of 17 inches of snow. I love that. And this pretty much assure us of a white Christmas because there is no way all of this will melt before Friday.

Although, it may be more of a murky, grey Christmas if the snow becomes that mushy, slushy crap that heavy traffic and rock salt usually turn it into.

Eh, oh well. For now, I'm enjoying staying inside and watching movies.

Song of the Week: "Metamorphosis (Parts 1-5)" by Philip Glass

2009-12-20T10:47:00.001-05:00

As I've mentioned before, I usually listen to music that has little or no lyrics when I write. It's something that I've learned works for me through a lot of trial and error. Whether it's jazz or classical, bluegrass or a soundtrack-- instrumental music is just what I prefer when I sit down to do some work.

Lately, almost all of my writing time has been accompanied by the trademark musical stylings of Philip Glass.

I first came to know of Philip Glass through his score to Godfrey Reggio's now-famous "Quatsi" trilogy. I especially enjoy the score to Koyaanisqatsi, but he has tons of other work that is equally impressive. Last week I came across his album "Solo Piano", which is comprised of five variations of his piece Metamorphosis, as well as two shorter pieces.

The song I've included here is Metamorphosis #2, which happens to be my favorite. It's a haunting piece that I've been able to listen to on repeat for the past few days.

Give it a listen. Even if Philip Glass is not necessarily your bag, it's hard to argue that this isn't a beautiful piece of music.

P.S.-- I've included his piece Pruit Igoe as well. Originally written for Koyaanisqatsi, you may also recognize it from the extended trailer for last year's Watchmen.

Wanted: "Portable Grindhouse: The Lost Art of the VHS Cover Box"

2009-12-14T17:46:00.002-05:00

As a child of the VHS generation, I love-- LOVE-- retro VHS cover art. I can remember walking around the video store as a kid studying the cover boxes, especially those that were for films that I would never be allowed to see at that age. Two that stick out in my mind were Ruggierio Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust and George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead-- both of which I didn't get to see until I was in my twenties. Gee, perhaps that's why I have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with 1970's-80's horror?

Portable Grindhouse showcases a solid selection of cover boxes-- both well-known titles and some of the more off the wall titles. And I love the subtitle (The Lost Art of the VHS Cover Box), because that's what it was-- an art form. Looking at much of the shamefully bad cover art for DVD releases these days really makes you miss the days of Drew Struzan covers, replete with rippling muscles and oversized breasts on cartoonish versions of the movies stars of the day (Romancing the Stone, anyone?)

Needless to say, this book is a great Christmas gift for the film geek in your life. And if you don't have a film geek in your life, feel free to consider me the film geek in your life, because I would love to unwrap this book on Festivus.

Anyhow, watch the awkwardly silent video below for a better idea of what to expect.

And you can read more about the book and order it at the Fantagraphic books website.

Song of the Week: "What?" by Rob Zombie

2009-12-06T20:58:00.010-05:00

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to catch the penultimate stop in Rob Zombie's tour for his upcoming album, Hellbilly Deluxe 2. I went to the show by myself and, well... you may think that's kind of odd. Perhaps-- but I couldn't give a damn because it was one hell of a show.

Zombie's live performances are a throwback to the theatrical rock shows of the 1970's. And he certainly isn't not shy about wearing his influences on his sleeve-- specifically Alice Cooper. The two of them share a similar gruff singing style and I'm actually surprised Zombie's never covered any of Cooper's hits.

But I digress...

This song (What?) is the first single off of his oft postponed new album which is set to finally be released on February 2. There is no official video, so I've posted a live version that is very similar to what I saw the other night at the Electric Factory.

Enjoy the song.

And if you ever get the chance to see Rob Zombie live, by all means go.

You'll have a great time. And if you've got nobody to go with, hell-- drop me a line. Lord knows I've been there.

P.S.-- If you like the song, you can also hear the regular album version here, or download it on iTunes.

New York City...

2009-12-03T21:47:00.012-05:00

So, I went to New York yesterday to catch up with a friend. I got into town rather early, so I decided to walk around and perhaps do some shopping.

Then I found this guy.

Now, the two of us are best friends.

And yes, his catchy jingle was in my head all day.

P.S.-- This was the first time I was able to really try out my Kodak Zi-8. I have to say, it's pretty incredible considering the price and size. Certainly recommended for bloggers/vloggers.

Evil Dead is back

2009-12-01T12:45:00.009-05:00

In the age of the crappy horror remake, it's nice to get some news about a true classic being sent back to theaters-- in its original form. Grindhouse releasing seems to have secured the rights to mount a nationwide re-release of Sam Raimi's seminal 1981 horror flick Evil Dead.

Perhaps Raimi is testing the waters for another Evil Dead sequel? It's possible, considering the success of his recent throwback hit Drag Me To Hell. While I'm not totally convinced that this would be a true barometer of how another evil dead film would play, I'm certainly not complaining.

Also-- I seem to be in the minority among Evil Dead fans in that I prefer the first film to the pseudo-sequel, Evil Dead 2.

So far there is no screening planned for the Philadelphia area, but I'm confident that will change very soon. If not I may just have to embark on another road trip to catch this on the big screen.

The scheduled screenings are available here.

What do you think-- any of you screwheads out there going to check it out?

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-29T23:09:00.006-04:00

Let's face it, from Halloween to Christmas is the greatest time of the year. It's full of parties, food, booze and loads of chances for us all to act like kids (read: idiots) again. Personally, I still go out for Halloween... with my nieces and nephews, of course. But it's still an opportunity to dress like a jackass and not only get away with it, but in some cases actually have it make you the life of the party.

Another great thing about this time of year is the number of horror films playing on cable at any given moment. Now, watching horror films is certainly not a seasonal even for yours truly. However, Halloween is the only time that I can usually convince others to join me in the terrifying fun.

So my question is this...

When you are perusing cable channels or looking at the DVD shelf, which video nasties catch your eye? Personally, I am partial to classic 1980's horror. Carpenter, Fred Dekker, Romero, Argento, Coscarelli... these are the guys I look to for some real Halloween fun. How about you?

Happy Halloween!

The Little Boy and the Old Man

2009-09-27T22:50:00.014-04:00

So, It's been a little while since I've posted anything. I've been writing something new that's taken up a lot of my time, and with getting ready to teach my first college course, I've been a little busy. However, I didn't want to just make up some stupid nonsense to post-- so I figured instead I'd post one of my all time favorite poems.

It's a Shel Silverstein piece that means a lot to me, and was a constant source of inspiration while I was writing my last screenplay. Anyone who has had the chance to read that script will understand why.

The poem is called The Little Boy and the Old Man.

Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon."
Said the old man, "I do that, too."
The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."
"I do that too," laughed the little old man.
Said the little boy, "I often cry."
The old man nodded, "So do I."
"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems
Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."
And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.
"I know what you mean," said the little old man.

R.I.P. Patrick Swayze 1952-2009

2009-09-14T22:40:00.011-04:00

Within minutes of his passing, the keyboards of bloggers worldwide were clacking away with attempts at witty, kitschy ways to deliver this news-- Patrick Swayze has succumbed to pancreatic cancer.

Never quite an A-lister, Swayze made some decent movies (Roadhouse, Red Dawn, Ghost) and his fair share of junk (To Wong Foo, anyone?)

Of course his most famous role was that of Johny Castle in the classic 80's film Dirty Dancing. While not exactly my cup of tea, the film was an undeniable pop culture phenomenon.

However, all things considered, I think his most memorable piece of work came when he was the guest host of Saturday Night Live. The genius sketch is embedded below and, sadly features two guys that have now both passed on before their time.

Enjoy, in memoriam, the terrific Chippendales sketch.

Patrick Swayze - Chippendale
by tressage

DVD Review: The Funhouse

2009-09-03T16:49:00.005-04:00

As a kid there were some VHS cover boxes on the shelf at the video store that just always really creeped me out. One of those creatively marketed titles was Tobe Hooper’s 1981 thriller The Funhouse.

While it goes well beyond cliché to say that clowns are generally creepy, the clown on the cover of this title cannot and should not be described in any other way—he’s scary as hell. So you can imagine my surprise when, some twenty years after this film first caught my eye, I finally sat down to watch the thing and there wasn’t a single damn clown in the entire movie! What I found instead was a slow burn thriller that actually pays off quite nicely—if you’re able to stick it out for the nearly 50 minutes it takes before the movie’s first kill.

Capitalizing off of the success of his underground hit The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, director Tobe Hooper crafted this film’s story very much in the same mold. Where it differed greatly was in the film’s execution (pardon the pun), which undoubtedly left fans of Massacre wondering when the other bloody shoe was going to drop.

The set-up is a simple yet effective genre staple: four pot-smoking teens looking for some excitement at a traveling carnival that stopped in their town. One of the incorrigibly horny guys has the great idea that they should hide in the funhouse and stay over when all the carnies have called it a night. Amazingly, the others agree and, just like that, we have a horror movie.

Once inside, the teens witness a murder at the hands of one especially demented Carnie (who is essentially a carbon-copy of Chainsaw’s Leatherface.) The rest of the night (and the film) is spent with the teens, as they attempt to escape the creepy killer and his equaly deranged father. The teens are, of course, picked off one by one before the break of dawn.

There is no denying that The Funhouse is a slow film, even compared to other 80’s horror. You can tell that Tobe Hooper really took his time with this one. If you look closely, you can tell that he did put great care into the film—the cinematography is tight, the creature effects are solid and there are a few legitimately impressive long-take crane shots. He even managed to slip in an homage to both Halloween and Psycho, as well as some gratuitous nudity—all in the opening 5 minutes!

And, for what it’s worth, Tobe Hooper turned down a film that was offered to him by Steven Spielberg in order to make The Funhouse. The film he turned down? E.T.

Ouch.

Overall, the film was a satisfying little thriller, with some decent scares and is definitely worth a look if you enjoy 80’s horror.

Score: 3 out of 5

(ALSO: Word on the street is that Eli Roth has been tapped for a remake. Could be interesting...)

End of an Era: Sadly, Reading Rainbow is No More

2009-08-29T14:59:00.010-04:00

It is with deep regret that I am writing this post to commemorate the cancellation of one of the most important and influential television shows of my generation: Reading Rainbow. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that, in today's society, there would eventually be no place for such an uplifting and educational program. But you know what, personally I'm not willing to accept that.

I'm not so presumtuous that I would say this show meant any more to me than any of the millions of people also mourning the loss, but it did mean a hell of a lot to me. It sparked more childhood interest in reading and trips to the library than any other program ever produced. And I don't doubt that the show had a part in me eventually discovering that what I wanted to do with my life was to write stories.

In one respect, it's more unfortunate for my own children, because they will be raised never having known the show. But I'd like to think that my own interest in reading, and ensuring that my kids have a healthy and active imagination will carry them through-- certainly due in some small part to my own exposure to the show as a child.

When I heard that the show was cancelled, I immediately looked up the introduction on YouTube and, upon hearing just the first few synthesized flute notes, nearly got choked up. I'm not exaggerating.

So, I present to you the intro to the show in it's entirety.

Godspeed to the kids of this generation who will only be exposed to the inane, ADHD inducing tripe that passes as children's entertainment these days.

Monster Mania 13 is this weekend...

2009-08-19T09:04:00.000-04:00

This weekend the ever-growing horror convention known as Monster-Mania will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill, NJ. I've been to this show five times before (including the last show in Cromwell, Connecticut) and honestly, it's always a really good time. I've never considered myself someone who would enjoy going to "fan conventions"-- and in a way, I do go about the show in different way than many fans. For one, I'm not much of an autograph maven. I don't begrudge those who wait in line to pay for their favorite stars autograph, but it's just not for me.

What I enjoy about the show are the dealer tables at which you can find some unique and truly hard to find films. Considering a lot of the lesser known horror films of my youth were not given the official DVD treatment, dealers at the show have taken it upon themselves to create these DVD's, either from VHS copies or sometimes from HD television broadcasts.

Oh, and there is one other reason I enjoy Monster-Mania so much-- I write for the official Monster-Mania Magazine. Editor Dave Hagan does a really good job with the mag, giving it the full-color, glossy treatment. The upcoming issue contains my retrospective article on the Nightmare on Elm Street series as a feature story. And hey-- if you can't make it to the show, you can always support your local Jon and order the mag online (www.monstermania.net) or pick it up at you local Barnes & Noble.

I'll report back after the weekend with any pertinent info about the

show, and how the reaction to the new issue is going. Check out the promo for the magazine below.

Song of the Week: Manic Street Preachers "If you Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next"

2009-08-17T21:06:00.009-04:00

No joke-- this song holds the Guinness Book record for longest song title that doesn't use brackets. But thats neither her nor there.

Fact is: this song is fantastic. Brit-pop at it's best.

Give it a spin already.

Enjoy.

Band of the Week: Owl City

2009-08-10T16:52:00.007-04:00

I couldn't pick just one of the songs from Owl City's new album Ocean Eyes, so I just put them forth as the band of the week.

If you consider yourself a fan of the quirky, poppy sound of bands like The Postal Service, you'll gravitate toward Owl City immediately.

In fact, I was convinced that this was a side project of TPS lead singer Ben Gibbard.

Alas, it is not. But it damn well could be-- and that's quite a compliment.

With a sound that often upbeat and lyrics that are usually deeper and more clever than your typical pop act, Owl City is a nicely invigorating addition to the proverbial stale iPod playlist.

Their first single, "Fireflies", was available for free on iTunes. After giving it a shot (and loving it) I immediately shut down iTunes altogether and downloaded a torrent of the complete album.

Sorry-- that's just how it is today.

But since then, this band has been in my ear at home, at the gym and, actually, as I'm typing this very blog post.

If you're into thoughtful indie pop, like the aforementioned Postal Service or Death Cab for Cutie, you'll certainly find something to like about this album.

It's 100% certified JWFTS "good."

Enjoy.

Artist Spotlight: Drew Falchetta

2009-08-04T10:01:00.007-04:00

On a recent movie trip to the Ritz at the Bourse I happened to come across artist Drew Falchetta's work. His art was on the pre-show slide show. Since that day his paintings have become the staple background image on my both my iPhone and my Mac. Needless to say I really enjoy his work. His paintings are interesting and dramatic, often evoking a sense of narrative despite their apparent simplicity. They're somewhat reminiscent of the pop culture inspired pieces that director Kevin Smith showcased in his extremely interesting pop art exhibit he hosted at Gallery 1988.

With images that run the gamut from serenely benign, to oddly funny and even a few that are outright macabre, Falchetta's work seemed to always leave me wondering about where the stories his paintings tell might lead. And he does all of this with a style that is at once basic and challenging. It's the kind of work that some cynics may look at and say, "I could do that." However, like many deceptively simple films and photographs, it's not necessarily the subject of the piece, but rather the context and treatment that give it real value and depth.

I'm also happy to relate the fact that Falchetta is a local artist, residing in the area of Philadelphia made famous by Rocky-- South Philly.

Give the pieces I've included a look. He's a very interesting and approachable young artist. We need more people like him to get mainstream noteriety so they can remain free to create art that attracts, engages and amuses the way his does.

You can view more work and learn more about Drew Falchetta at his website, www.drewfalchetta.com

R.I.P. Gidget, The Taco Bell Dog

2009-07-24T22:05:00.010-04:00

Gidget, the chihuahua responsible for the sale of millions of colon-cleansing Taco Bell tacos, has passed away. Though in recent years the ad campaign that made her famous had all but disappeared, the pup's ubiquitous catch-phrase "Yo Quiero Taco Bell" remains a part of the everyday pop culture lexicon.

Yo Quiero Gidget. Yo Quiero, indeed.

Rest in Peace.

Song of the Week: "Even in the Dark" by Company of Thieves

2009-07-16T08:43:00.003-04:00

This week's song came to me from the one place I really rarely ever hear new, good music-- the radio! And I don't say that to sound like some pretentious, "I Hate Radio" type of guy. It's just, I never listen to music on he radio. When I'm in my car I listen to one of two things, my iPod or talk radio.

It just so happened that I flipped to the one alternative station in Philly, and surprisingly liked what I heard. The song was "Oscar Wilde" by the featured band, Company of Thieves. It's a good song, but since downloading their self-titled album I've come to discover they have better songs to offer. Case in point, the video below-- "Even in the Dark."

The lead singer, Genevieve Schatz, has a cool style-- sort of a mixture of Fiona Apple and Bjork, two artists I thoroughly enjoy. And this is a band I'd definitely like to check out live sometime soon. If you're so inclined, check out the ret of their self-titled album, it'll be in my iPod loop for a while, I'm sure.

Enjoy.

Monster Mania Magazine Issue #2

2009-07-15T20:33:00.016-04:00

This August will mark the 12th Monster Mania convention in Cherry Hill, NJ. The show-- which is always a good time-- will also feature the long awaited release of the second issue of Monster Mania Magazine. As you can surmise from the picture to the left, this issue will be all Nightmare on Elm Street, all the time.

My article is a retrospective of the entire NOES series (films only-- books, comics, TV, etc. are all covered separately.) Depending on whether the piece was heavily edited or not, it should come in at a hefty 5000 words, or for you non-writer types, almost 20 pages.

Also worth mentioning-- you can now get Monster Mania Magazine at most book stores, including Barnes & Noble. So if you happen to be out grabbing a coffee and a book, support your favorite screenwriter-who-blogs-and-sometimes-writes-for-magazines-- me!

Check out the pics below for some shots of the mag finally on (and hopefully flying off) the shelves!

Song of the Week: "Saviour" by Dredg

2009-07-06T18:09:00.012-04:00

I came across indie-alt-rockers Dredg (not a misspelling) during one of my daisy chain iTunes hunts for new music. I start with a band I like, and then look at similar suggestions until I find something that catches my eye... or ear, actually.

Their sound is nothing particularly new, falling somewhere between Lydia and The Used. But the tonal shifts and genre crossing does just enough to differentiate them from much of the shit rock bands that are out there right now.

This album has 6 or 7 solid songs and the one below (Saviour) happens to be my favorite. Enjoy.

P.S.-- My iPod is officially broken and I am pissed.

R.I.P. Karl Malden 1912-2009

2009-07-01T22:15:00.011-04:00

Karl Malden passed away today. He was an awesome actor, and with all of the B.S. reporting about some former pop star clogging up the "media," I thought I'd do my part in making sure he was remembered.

A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, Patton AND Dario Argento's Cat O'Nine Tails!

Are you kidding me? He was a legend.

As was his nose.

Rest in peace.

Song of the Week: Steve Martin "Words Unspoken"

2009-06-28T22:02:00.012-04:00

This may come as a surprise to some of you, but I am a huge fan of the banjo. Yup-- the twangy, goofy cousin of the guitar just has some kind of charm that I've always enjoyed.

And though I've known for quite a while now that Steve Martin played the banjo, but when I saw he'd now released his own album I had to give it a shot-- and I'm really glad I did.

If you aren't a fan of bluegrass, and aren't willing to give it a fair shake I'd say you can stop reading about right.... now.

But is you are open to checking out a terrific new album that may be outside of the traditionally popular genres, you've gotta give this one a listen. Beside the catchy, picky tunes that you may expect, Martin has a few that are contemplative, sometimes melancholy and always beautiful--such as the clip I've attached below entitled "Words Unspoken." And his undeniable humorous side also shows up on childhood-themed track "Late for School." Having already more than proved his mastery as both a comedian and a writer, Steve Martin has now shown that he's a damn fine musician as well.

If you're looking for something different, or if you like the clip I've provided, do yourself a favor and check the rest of the album out. I guarantee your toes will be tapping before even the first song is done.

First Look: New Freddy's New Glove...

2009-06-19T15:33:00.009-04:00

So, apparently Jackie Earle Haley decided to tease the horror fans with a quick tease of the new Freddy Kreuger glove. The picture was supposedly taken by Haley during breakfast on the set of the Nightmare on Elm Street reboot and posted via Twitter.

It doesn't show much, but I figured I'd post it because I am very, very psyched to see how this new take on the NOES series goes. Once Robert Englund was officially off the table when deciding who should portray Freddy, I was pretty disheartened. But it seems Jackie Earle Haley is a pretty good choice, especially in light of his previous two high profile roles: a pedophile in 2005's Little Children and of course Rorschach in this year's Watchmen.

He's a talented guy for sure, and he should do well in the role of the bastard son of 100 maniacs.

Well, I hope. We shall see...

Trailer: "Zombieland"

2009-06-19T12:02:00.009-04:00

The trailer for the new movie Zombieland has just been released. It stars(?) Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg and I have to admit-- I didn't know much about this one before now. I still don't! But I think it looks pretty awesome.

Clearly it's a lighter take on the zombie genre, a la Shaun of the Dead. That's just fine with me. Some of my favorite classic horror films are more comedic in tone (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, anyone?)

Anyhow, take a look at the trailer below. If you liked Shaun of the Dead, or even the Dawn of the Dead remake, this will probably be right up your alley.

I'll be in line opening weekend.

I... am... back.

2009-06-17T21:36:00.001-04:00

Well, it's been a while since I've been able to blog. You know how it is... work, writing, school, and any number of other things. But the good news is I've finally cleared some time to catch up.

First thing's first-- I was in New York two weeks ago and I happened to stop at the mega-comics shop Forbidden Planet. I was there to try to get a copy of The Dylan Dog Case Files (which, if you have never heard of, you should definitely look into.) Anyhow, as I was looking through the

horror section (surprise, surprise) I happened to come across issue #1 of Monster Mania Magazine, right there on the shelf, with my Evil Dead article right smack dab in the middle. Needless to say it was a cool coincidence, seeing as I had no idea that it was even available in NYC. It's also available in many Barnes & Noble book stores. So, if you happen to see it in your travels, for God's sake BUY IT.

Secondly, several reviews will be making their way onto the site, including: Drag Me To Hell, My Bloody Valentine (1981), Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence, Fanboys, Bordello of Blood and... perhaps some thoughts on Firefly, which I have recently finally started to catch up on.

And finally, myself and a few friends recently took a road trip to Connecticut for the first ever Monster Mania in Cromwell, CT. It was fantastic. Unfortunately, issue #2 of the magazine was not able to be published before the show, so the teeming masses will have to wait until August for my Nightmare article. Damn. But the show itself was a blast. I even had the opportunity to discuss my Evil Dead article with the ladies of the Evil Dead, which was cool.

So... the blog will be back up and running again starting this week. In the meantime, take a look at this video that somebody put together about last weekend's Monster Mania Convention. Pretty Cool...

Saw 6... at least the poster is cool

2009-06-01T21:48:00.000-04:00

I know, I know, "not another Saw film" right? Well, you know what-- I've seen all of the Saw films released so far and if they have one thing going for them it's that they do attempt to be creative with their marketing. For instance, the poster for Saw 5 was supposedly printed with ink that included an infinitesimal amount of series veteran Tobin Bell's actual blood.

And now this... another in the new "web-only" marketing ploys (see: the internet-only poster for Gamer.) The poster is pretty cool-- perhaps not enough to save the sixth iteration of the admittedly tired series-- but it is a cool visual nonetheless.

With this summer shaping up to be pretty solid for horror (Drag Me To Hell, H2, The Collector, etc.), I may just have to see this one in the theater.

Maybe.

This is what interesting action looks like...

2009-05-13T09:39:00.004-04:00

After suffering through the trailers for both "Transformers 2" and "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra", it was so damn refreshing to see Neill Blomkamp's new alien action film "District 9."

And it's not that "TF2" and "GI Joe" look all that bad, they just look like homogenized, run-of-the-mill "action."

So, in case anyone has forgotten what a truly visionary genre filmmaker looks like, I present to you Mr. Blomkamp. The synopsis for this film had me intrigued--

An extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly find a kindred spirit in a government agent that is exposed to their biotechnology.

And now-- thankfully-- the trailer has me all in for this one and it's definitely landed in my top 5 anticipated films for the year. Honestly-- how cool is it that the alien's face is blurred out during the questioning sequence? What a cool visual!

Take a look at the trailer below and let me know what you think?

Oh-- and do yourself a favor and seek out Blomkamp's short films and commercials-- they're fantastic! You can see most of them for free right here.

♪♫ Won't you read my twitter ♪♫

2009-05-10T21:00:00.007-04:00

That's supposed to be read to the tune of Mr. Rogers' "Won't you be my neighbor..."

But really, if you check my blog on the regular, and like what you see, check me out on Twitter.

If you do, I'll tell you how to type these things... ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫

www.twitter.com/jonrocks62

This just in: Michael Jackson is weird

2009-05-07T12:46:00.004-04:00

This is a preview of the cancelled Michael Jackson estate auction. The guy who hosts the tour is pretty damn funny and, as if we didn't already know this, M.J.'s belongings are very, very strange.

Pay special attention to the animatronic baby (sans index finger) and the statues out front of the auction house.

Not the typical post for my site, but this video tickled me, so I thought I'd share.

Enjoy.

Song of the Week: Unkle Bob "The Hit Parade"

2009-05-06T00:17:00.004-04:00

I discovered "Unkle Bob", this Brit-Pop/Rock band, when they opened for "James" last year in Philly. They put on quite an impressive show, despite the lackluster sound system at the Trocadero. In fact, I went right home that night and downloaded their album, "Sugar and Spite." I was glad to see that I hadn't been mistaken-- they're pretty damn good.

Some people may recognize one of their songs, "Swans", because it was featured on an episode of Grey's Anatomy sometime last year, but that's okay-- we won't hold it against them. In fact, at the concert, lead singer Rick Webster said that the inclusion of "Swans" on that episode was probably the reason they were chosen to go on tour with a popular act like "James."

Well, good for us. The CD is pretty solid all the way through, and has been on constant rotation on my iPod for a while now. Check out the song posted below, "The Hit Parade" It's one of the best songs on the album. And make sure to check out "Birds and the Bees" too... that one is fantastic as well.

Enjoy.

R.I.P. Dom Deluise 1933 - 2009

2009-05-05T14:38:00.008-04:00

Farewell, Dominic. You were a portly, jolly, somewhat effeminate, comedic genius. Anyone who was down with the Muppets, is down with me.

There weren't many men who could pull off the "Orson Welles in his later years" look, but you certainly were one of them. Perhaps the last.

You'll be missed.

Amazing "Watchmen" Viral Ad

2009-05-05T13:24:00.007-04:00

This is some sort of viral ad for the theatrical release of "Watchmen." It's really an amazing video, considering it was all done with aerosol spray paint.

Dare I say, it's slightly more compelling than the film it's meant to advertise? Oh, I dare say indeed.

Give it a look.

"Machete" is a reality...

2009-04-27T15:45:00.001-04:00

Source: AICN

Anyone who witnessed "Grindhouse" in it's proper setting (i.e. an actual movie theater) will certainly recall "Machete"-- the most memorable of the interstitial movie trailers shown between "Planet Terror" and "Death Proof."

Danny Trejo stars in the title role as Machete-- Mexican laborer by day, knife wielding assassin by night. Director Robert Rodiguez has added the project to his seemingly infinite list of self-produced, Hi-Def video "films." Whether a movie headlined by Danny Trejo and Jeff Fahey will actually make it to the theaters is, well, doubtful. However, I think this one is tailor made for the fanboys who ate up every minute of "Grindhouse", and just couldn't understand why the rest of the people in the theaters bitched and moaned throughout.

I think "Machete" will be a direct to DVD film, and that's just fine by me. I'll be first in line to snap up a copy. It'll look nice nestled under my "Machete" poster that I'm eventually going to have Danny Trejo autograph.

Yeah... that's right.

Meanwhile, look at the bad-ass trailer for "Machete" below.

Trailer: Rob Zombie's "H2"

2009-04-26T15:45:00.005-04:00

source: filmjunk

That's right, "H2"-- as in, "Halloween 2." Just when you thought John Carpenter's iconic horror film had been ravaged for the last time, director Rob Zombie is ready to have another go at it.

The second Zombie-fied film will continue the Laurie Strode storyline, as it picks up pretty much directly after the first one ended. Now, I'm going to level with you-- I sort of enjoy Rob Zombie's films. Not in the same way I enjoy, say, a fundamentally sound horror film like "The Descent" or even the original "Halloween" (J.C.'s version**). But I do have some sick attraction to Zombie's films, and their ratty-haired, profanity-spewing characters. Admittedly, it's not everybody's cup of tea. And yes, I had some real problems with the Zombie's first Halloween-- namely the unfortunate amount of time spent on Michael Myers' youth, wherein he was portrayed with all the subtlety of a punch in the balls, by atrociously bad actor Daeg Faerch.

But dagnabbit, for some reason I'm willing to give this one the old college try. Even despite the fact that I have heard Michael Myers will be sans-mask for 2/3 of the film, I'll still be there. At least he looks pretty creepy sporting the hood-up look in the trailer...

Give it a look for yourself below.

(**J.C. as in John Carpenter, not Jesus Christ)

R.I.P. Bea Arthur 1922-2009

2009-04-26T11:46:00.002-04:00

Thank you for being a friend.

Trailer: Spike Jonze's "Where the Wild Things Are"

2009-04-25T15:39:00.008-04:00

Yeah, I know that this trailer has been floating around the blogoshere for quite a while now. But I felt compelled to post it here for anyone who hasn't yet seen it.

Where the Wild Things Are was an important part of the childhood of many people my age and, like most, I was skeptical about the prospects of a live-action adaptation. But, by the looks of this trailer, it seems as though Spike Jonze really hit this thing out of the park.

The trailer itself is absolutely beautiful. The visuals, the music-- it all works so perfectly together, it very nearly brought tears to my eyes. I'm still not sure exactly why, but there it is--this trailer really got to me. And you know what? I think it'll get to you, too.

If you haven't seen it, give it a look below.

Cool Commercial: Acura's "Bodies in Motion" campaign

2009-04-22T12:01:00.001-04:00

I've caught this commercial a few times over the past week or so. It's a rather beautiful and effective ad campaign for Acura's new line of vehicles.

Every time I see it, I find myself rewinding so I can watch it again. That got me thinking-- if only more commercials looked this good, perhaps I wouldn't DVR the few shows that I watch, so I can skip past the commercials.

Happy Earth Day

2009-04-22T09:00:00.002-04:00

I thought I'd celebrate Earth day with this pretty awesome clip of a fox hunting for it's prey under a thick sheet of snow. Really cool.

By the way, did you know that one of the people responsible for creating Earth Day is now a convicted murderer? Strange but true.

I'm sorry-- did that suck the fun out of it? Oh well.

Now go buy a ticket for Disney Nature's "Earth", would you...

"Drag me to [EXPLETIVE DELETED]"

2009-04-21T14:46:00.013-04:00

Okay, I get it. A film that is rated "R" will have less mainstream appeal than one rated "PG-13." I can understand that, from a business perspective. But when the film in question is named "Drag Me to Hell" I think a hard "R" is pretty much a necessity.

Unfortunately, Sam Raimi's much anticipated return to horror will be a bastardized, sanitized "PG-13" version of the film. What a let down. And, I know that we'll get the "Unrated" version of the film on DVD in a few months, but just the idea that even someone like Raimi, who has built a reputation as a filmmaker and has a genuinely devout following, can't even get his film released properly just pisses me off. He's been neutered.

The trailer looks very cool, and I'll still see it in the theater-- I may even enjoy it. But the entire time I watch it, I'll have a bitter taste in my mouth-- and not just from the burnt Wawa coffee that I snuck in. I'll be wondering what the film could have been, and how cool it would have been to see a gritty "R" rated version on the big screen.

Bastards.

Song(s) of the Week: "Pioneers" and "Skeleton" by Bloc Party

2009-04-20T20:02:00.008-04:00

I consider myself a pretty big fan of Bloc Party, and I've actually been meaning to include them in one of my "SOTW" posts for quite a while now. The only thing that gave me pause was choosing which of their songs to post. After looking through their videos on youtube I've settled on two-- "Pioneers", because it's a great song and this particular video is pretty interesting & "Skeleton" because it may just be my favorite of their songs.

I should mention that they have so many other songs that you should check out-- "Like Eating Glass", "SRXT", "Banquet", "Waiting for the 7:18", "Blue Light"-- just to name a few. They're a sort of punk-ish take on brit-pop, and frontman Kele Okereke is about as charismatic a lead singer you're likely to find these days.

Check them out below, and believe me-- their entire discography is well worth a look.

Enjoy.

The kids ought to love this one...

2009-04-20T13:22:00.005-04:00

Source: FilmJunk

Roughly ten years after the release of the first "Saw" film, the producers of the ever-declining horror franchise have now made the move into the world of interactive digital entertainment. "Saw" the video game will be released on all major video game consoles by the end of this year.

See? And I bet you thought you'd never get your chance to rummage through a toilet full of dirty syringes! Good things do come to those who wait.

Although the game does look kind of neat, I can't imagine that it brings much to the table in the way of gameplay. Let's face it, the only reason anyone watches the Saw films is to see the various, graphic ways in which the characters will die. If the way you win this game is by escaping the traps, and not dying... where is the fun in that?

Though I don't much have time for video games anymore, if I were to play this one, I'd hope that the gameplay would hinge mostly on the puzzle solving aspects, as the video seems to hint at. I've always enjoyed actually taking time to solve puzzles in a game, as opposed to mashing buttons, and hacking/slashing through board after board. Give me a (pirated) copy of "Castle of Dr. Brain" and I'm happy, you know?

I have a feeling this game will be like most games based on movies-- nothing more than a passing novelty that won't attract much of a following. But what do I know-- I never would have guessed the film series would be as successful as it has been. I suppose you can never underestimate the public's appetite for graphically violent death scenes. I do have to laugh, though, when I consider that my Father refused to let me play "Mortal Kombat" as a child because of the violence. Anyhow, check out the video below.

Um, game on.

Trailer: Lars Von Trier's "Anti Christ"

2009-04-20T11:35:00.003-04:00

I've not been a fan of most of Lars Von Trier's work, however I do recognize and appreciate his status as a purveyor of the avant-garde. Along with Michael Haneke, he is one of the few contemporary filmmakers who make the films that they want to make, with little or no regard for what the mainstream audience might think of them.

Von Trier's latest film, "Anti-Christ" look a whole lot different than much of his recent work. Beyond the fact that this film has y'know, like, real life sets and props and all... it's also Von Triers' first foray into what seems to be horror/suspense film territory. It has a really creepy, sort of giallo aesthetic. And I have to admit, some of that creepiness comes from the fact that I still can't say for sure what the film is even about. But the fact remains that the trailer did it's job-- I'd like to check this out in the theater. This is a big step forward for me in terms of Von Trier, whose films I usually wait for on DVD, and even then they linger at the the bottom of my netflix queue for months.

Take a look at the trailer below, and see if it strikes you in the same way. If not, leave a comment.

Lars von Trier's Antichrist - Official Trailer from Zentropa on Vimeo.

R.I.P. Harry Kalas: the Voice of the Phillies

2009-04-14T09:31:00.008-04:00

I won't pretend to have anything more meaningful to say about the loss of Philadelphia Legend Harry Kalas than everything that's already out there. ESPN has already done an especially good job covering his life and career in retrospect. But I will say this: for anyone who grew up a Phillies fan, the fact that Harry Kalas will not be calling the games anymore is a really tough pill to swallow. It's hard to understand if you've never heard him call a game, but he literally was the voice of the team and its fans.

I suppose if you can find anything positive to take away from this situation, it would be that at least he died with the Phillies being the reigning world champions.

Rest in peace.

Writer's Block? I got your cure.

2009-04-12T15:37:00.009-04:00

Like any writer, I sometimes get bogged down in what’s referred to as “writer’s block.” Truth be told, writer’s block is often times a bunch of bullshit. When we, as writers, “suffer” from a block, it’s usually either because we (A.) simply don’t know what to write or, don’t know how to write it, (B.) there’s an inherent story problem in what we’ve already written that needs to be addressed or (C.) we’re just making excuses for just refusing to make time to write.

However, sometimes all it takes to get your writing going is a fire under your ass– regardless of whether or not the source of said fire is real or … well, virtual. And it just so happens that the one I’m speaking of is indeed virtual.

A writer friend of mine turned me on to “Dr. Wicked’s Writing Lab” and, specifically, a program offered for free on the site that is sure to keep you writing… and writing fast. The “Write or Die” application lets you set parameters, such as the amount of words you need to get written, and the time in which you want them written. From there, it’s just left to you to get writing. And hey– if you decide to take a break to, you know, figure out just the right words to start that next sentence, the “write or die” app simply starts erasing what you’ve already written. That’s right– if you don’t just keep getting words on paper, you’re punished by losing that which you’ve already written. It’s maddening– but its also just what some writers need to get that first draft committed to paper.

Now, it’s not for everyone. Of course there are going to be some who are simply not up to the challenge of having such a strict taskmaster. To those people I say, get a different hobby. Two of the greatest strengths a writer can develop are writing on demand, and keeping a deadline. This application lets you put yourself on immediate deadlines that you damn well better keep, unless you enjoy seeing your hard earned word count drain off the page like so much water down the drain.

Once you're done writing whatever it is that you’re using the app for, you simply copy the text to your clipboard, and paste it into whichever document editing program you desire. And let me tell you, this has come in very handy when I’m trying to get something written that I’m not exactly looking forward to writing– like a grad school essay or a… um… blog post.

That’s right– this very post was written using “write or die.” And I’m glad to say that only once did I lose a few words. And that was only because I was so overcome by the genius raging forth from my furious typing. Or not.

So, if you’re a writer-type, and sometimes have trouble finishing what you start, give this program a try. It’s a great little tool to help you get those ideas down on paper without over-thinking every single words as you write it.

Now go get writing.

Happy Easter, Happy Passover or just Happy Sunday

2009-04-12T14:05:00.003-04:00

Song of the Week: "Your Hand in Mine" by Explosions in the Sky

2009-04-12T10:48:00.004-04:00

I came across Explosions in the Sky on the (indirect) recommendation of Sean Dwyer over at FilmJunk. He compiles rather good virtual mix-tapes every so often that you'll find at one of his other sites, Muzak for Cybernitics.

What I like about the band is that their songs are usually sprawling, 7+ minute indie rock epics that are rather artfully done. Oh yeah, and there are no lyrics. I really like that part, specifically because it makes them the perfect band to put on when I'm trying to get some writing done. Listening to any music with words can get distracting when I write. And besides-- with instrumental music, you can ascribe feelings and emotions to a song that otherwise may not occur to you because of completely inappropriate lyrics. I learned that the hard way whilst attempting to write a children's film while listening to Akinyele.

Unfortunately there isn't a proper music video for the song, so what I've posted is essentially an audio file with a static title. But I think the song itself is enough, and I it's a great example of what you can expect if you check out some of their other stuff.

Enjoy.

Twitter away the hours in an offhand way...

2009-04-11T00:31:00.003-04:00

I've just now realized how infrequently I've been blogging lately. 5 whole posts in March-- wow. And you know-- I could make a ton of excuses, like school and writing and work, but I won't. I've always had those distractions, and it never really stopped me before. So, what has kept me from blogging properly?

Micro-blogging.

That's right, Twitter. It's the new Facebook (which itself was the new Myspace) and it seems like everyone and their mother is tweeting. Literally.

In some ways I think Twitter is really cool. It's like a shared stream of consciousness with many friends at once, that has no end. It's just a string of random thoughts and ideas. In that way I like it.

What I don't like is that in tweeting all the time, I seem to put actual meaningful blogging on the back burner. (Meaningful blogging? Is there really such a thing?) That review of a DVD I watched last night? Why blog about it when I can simply tweet "Watched "Yes Man" last night... it was SHIT." You can see my dilemma.

So, now I've been forced to figure out which of my opinions/reviews are tweet worthy, and which belong on my proper blog in a longer... um... short form. I suppose this is symptomatic of today's culture...

Indulge me, if you will, in a momentary bit of rant-ish blogging...

My generation lives in a culture of crippling self-delusional pseudo-celebrity. It's okay... I'm part of it, too. Why else do we have MySpace, and Facebook and Twitter to let other people know what we're doing, all the time, every single day? Honestly. Who gives a shit. In fact, why are you reading this right now?

Okay, wait. That may have been a bit hasty. But you know what I mean.

I guess what I'm getting at is that I'm going to try to step up the (real) blogging once again. And I'll let all of you know the second I have a new post up on the ol' blog by... y'know... tweeting about it.

Song of the Week: "Hoppipolla" by Sigur Ros

2009-04-06T09:58:00.012-04:00

This week's selection came to me via the trailer for Disney's new film "Earth." Every time I watched the trailer, I found myself moved in the way that only very manipulative footage of baby animals and very uplifting music can accomplish. This trailer has both, so I had to seek out the song. I'm glad to say, the song, and the album "Takk...", is terrific all the way through, and I've listened to it about ten times since yesterday.

It's by the Icelandic band Sigur Ros. I'd had one of their albums on my iPod for a little while now, but never really gave it a fair shake. I suppose that's what happens in the age when you can download so much music in such a short amount of time-- some stuff is bound to fall through the cracks.

Anyway-- give this one a listen because it'll make you feel good and hopeful, and all that. At least that's what it does for me, and trust me-- I can use that.

Enjoy.

And here is the trailer for "Earth."

Artist of the Week: Nat King Cole

2009-03-23T14:26:00.010-04:00

This week, I simply couldn't select just one song to showcase from Nat King Cole's oeuvre-- the man was incredible. Frankly, I would take him over any of the (more successful?) crooners of his era. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin-- none of them measure up, in my opinion.

I'm truly surprised that he doesn't have a more devoted following these days, considering the attention the same old Sinatra and Dean Martin songs get. Honestly-- how many times can we hear "The Summer Wind" or "Ain't that a Kick in the Head"? No-- I'll take "Straighten Up and Fly Right" or "It was only a Paper Moon" any day, thank you very much.

The two songs that I've selected below are two of my absolute favorites. "Smile" is one of the most beautiful and personally meaningful songs I've ever heard. Nat's version always gets me right in the old ticker.

Then, there is "I Love You (For Sentimental Reasons)", one of the most classically romantic songs you're ever likely to hear. This is the kind of song that makes me wish I was alive during the 1940's, just so I could sign up for the Army and fight in WWII, all just to get the chance to come home in uniform and dance with my gal to this song. Quite an elaborate setup I know, but the song is that good. Trust me.

So, whether you're a big fan or, even if you're someone who has never listened to anything produced before the millennium, do yourself a favor and listen to these songs.

They just don't make 'em like they used to.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T12:45:00.007-04:00

In case you couldn't tell by my painfully pale skin and freckles, I'm 100% Irish. I'll celebrating the holiday by not-drinking a drop of alcohol. That's right-- I'm so Irish that I don't even like beer.

Anyhow, below are two Irish themed videos. First, a trailer for "Angela's Ashes", a really great (albeit depressing) film about depression era Ireland. If you haven't seen it, you really should. It's quite good.

Second is a live performance of "Big Strong Man" by The Wolfe Tones. It's a great song, and an even greater headband on the lead singer.

Let the rampant stereotypes of the Irish begin. Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Song of the Week: "Somebody Loved" by The Weepies

2009-03-16T23:50:00.014-04:00

This week's pick is a sweet little song that I came across while looking for new music by daisy chaining from band to band on iTunes via the "Listeners Also Bought" button. I've found a few gems this way, but it usually leads to me randomly sampling songs until about 3am. This time it paid off.

The Weepies are a pop, indie pair with a couple of albums behind them. I've only managed to get my hands on "Happiness" as of yet, but based on what I've heard, I look forward to checking out their other albums.

Singer Deb Talan has a unique and beautuful voice that, once heard, becomes instantly recognizable. In that way, she reminds me of an Amanda Palmer, or maybe even a young Allison Krauss.

In searching for a video for this particular song, I came across a few options on YouTube, none of which were superb. First off, it seems the band did a guest stint on ABC's "Dirty, Sexy, Money"-- the show with quite possibly the worst title of all time. And second, some poor jackass out there made a fan video of Jim and Pam from "The Office' to this song, which made me want to punch myself in the face.

So, I've decided to post the song here in a simple MP3 form, to save you the trouble of seeing those truly awful videos. I hope you enjoy this song as much as I do. If you have a romantic bone in your body, you'll like it. But beware, the lyrics are very easy to learn, and highly likely to get stuck in your head.

I'm just saying... you've been warned.

Somebody Loved - The Weepies

The problem(s) with "The Office"

2009-03-08T12:13:00.005-04:00

"The Office" is one of two shows that I make sure to see every single week. The other one is "Lost." And while narrative wormholes and unanswered questions are an integral part of the latter, I don't think it was an intended part of "The Office." Yet there are many questions that need be answered:

1.) If the whole show is based upon the idea of a film crew following the daily life of an American office, that's fine. But this device seems to have faded away, and the cameras have now become an omnipresent, sometimes invisible witness to the daily dramas in the office. Unless, that is, the camera can be used for comedic value. Which is it? Is there a documentary crew, or no? And this brings me to my next point...

2.) Are we supposed to feel like personal friends of Jim and Pam? Because the show has begun to lean heavily on awkward glances, and deadpan stares from both of them. It's like some sort of "Lady in the Lake", first person complicity that is lacking in the other 90% of the show. Jim and Pam are never the butt of the joke and, on this show, that makes them boring. And speaking of...

3.) Jim and Pam. Honestly-- how arrogant and annoying can two characters be? Once they got together as a couple, that storyline was finished. Their only function thee days is to look at the cameras (and us, the viewers) with a look of, "Can you believe this...?" And it's old. Really old.

4.) Michael Scott is way, way, WAY too over the top.

Sometimes.

Which is what I find so annoying. Ricky Gervais' "David Brent" was a jerk, and a heel, but deep down he had a sympathetic core. Michael Scott seems to just be a human manifestation of Homer Simpson, at some points going so far off the stupidity charts that it ruins an entire episode (such as when he drove into a lake because the GPS told him to turn.) Are we to believe that he is so unbelievably stupid, that simple functions of basic intelligence are too much for him? But then, there are moments of clarity for the character, where you do see a glimmer of humanity, and you think, "Hmm...?"But those scenes are so few and far between, I've become convinced that they happen accidentally.

4.) The Angela/Dwight affair ruined those two characters. First off, Angela-- of course she was an annoying, teetotaling bitch, but the affair made her something worse in my eyes-- a cheater. And the man she cuckolded, Andy, is one of the only genuinely likable characters on the show. When do Angela and Dwight get their comeuppance? Where is the payoff to the affair? And Dwight-- Well, that's another thing...

5.) Dwight, Dwight, Dwight... you know, it was sort of unfair, because I came into the series immediately convinced that Rainn Wilson would merely attempt to do the impossible-- to top Mackenzie Crook's "Gareth" from the BBC "Office". And, to his credit, he has done enough to differentiate the character, and has come up with some genuinely funny moments. However, he too often falls back on the hacky, over-used Dwight bits-- you know, over-emphasizing words for comedic effect, being awed by ninjas and karate and all that Will Ferrell-ish, Man-Boy stuff that has been old for a few years now. It's old, too easy and smacks of laziness.

6.) Problems with other "Office" denizens:

a.) Kevin-- someone told him that talking slowly, and over-emphasizing words in comic gold. Someone was wrong.

b.) Meredith-- The whole drunken whore thing strikes me as less funny, and more sad and annoying.

c.) Stanley-- the man has never made me laugh. He's just a grumpy old prick.

d.) Ryan-- His character has gone through a complete transformation from when he first started. They should have let him go when the whole arrest thing happened. His story-line is dead.

So, after all of that, I still want to say I like the show. I mean, it's possible to like a show and still be cognizant of it's problems. When the show is on-- it can be really good! But it seems that Ricky Gervais may have been on to something by only having 2 seasons (plus the Special) of the original series. Did it leave me wishing for a third season? Yes. But I think he knew that there was only so much you could do with the concept. A lesson that the American version may end up learning the hard way. If, by the hard way, I mean by making millions upon millions of dollars, I suppose.

Nothing like running a good show into the ground. What do you think?

Song of the Week: "Naked As We Came" by Iron & Wine

2009-03-05T20:57:00.016-05:00

This week's pick is a folksy, acoustic tune that I can't seem to stop listening to. It's by Iron & Wine, and yeah it's a bit melancholy, but that's just fine by me.

I actually love a good downer song, and lately I've found a few really great ones from Iron & Wine, Will Stratton, William Fitzsimmons and The Weepies. You can be sure that some of those will be featured in future "Song(s) of the week." But for now, give this one a listen-- it's definitely a keeper.

"Kittens" inspired by Kittens

2009-02-18T09:27:00.002-05:00

This is my favorite video currently on the entire internet.

Is there an oscar for YouTube clips?

Jon's 2009 Oscar Picks

2009-02-17T15:22:00.020-05:00

Best Picture

"The Wrestler." What's that? It wasn't nominated? Oh... uh, then it should go to "The Dark Knight". What? That wasn't nominated either? Well... I dunno. Then, I guess just give it to whoever you want. Okay, so I guess "Slumdog Millionaire" it is, then.

Best Actor

Mickey Rourke. Hands down. Yeah, he's been in some shit movies, and he looks kinda weird, and those chihuahuas... what is with those chihuahuas? But, when it comes down to the performance, his Randy "The Ram" Robinson was utterly transcendent.

Best Actress

So, the easy choice here would be to say Kate Winslet. But I have a feeling that Anne Hathaway is going to pull this one out. She is on someone's short list to be an upcoming A-list actress, and this will be just what she needs to have that solidified. But the Academy does love Winslet...

Best Supporting Actor

Heath Ledger. Yawn. It's not that I didn't like his performance-- I loved it! But it's just been so long, and there has been so much hyperbole about his performance that I'm just looking forward to giving him the award and being done with it.

Best Supporting Actress

I'm going out on a limb, and saying Amy Adams, from "Doubt." She is an A-Lister in the making.

Best Original Screenplay

I would like for "In Bruges" to win, but I think "Milk" will have this one locked up because it will be the only chance for the Academy to give the film a chance at Oscar gold. And, ahem, what about "The Wrestler"?

Best Adapted Screenplay

"Slumdog Millionaire". This one is deserved. Good script. But, I still think "The Dark Knight" should have been nominated here...

Best Cinematography

I think people will assume that this will go to "Benjamin Button", but that will be due in large part to many people ascribing the look of the film to the cinematography, when really the film's look is dominated by visual effects and digital filters. So, having said that, I think this one will go to Wally Pfister for "The Dark Knight." It's the only chance for the film to win an Oscar, and they damn well better give it to him.

Best Director

Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire" I really like Danny Boyle a lot. I have no problem with him winning. However, I have a huge problem with the fact that neither Christopher Nolan nor Darren Aronofsky were even nominated. How in the hell did that happen?

Best Animated Feature

Wall-E. Yeah. Another year, another Pixar Oscar. And sure, it was really great and all... it's just I miss 2d animation. I really do.

The Oscars are on this Sunday, February 22nd. I suppose I'll post again after the show, discussing how well my picks went over. If you want to watch a good live blog during the show, head over to Film Junk. I'll be in their uStream room for the whole show.

Song of the Week: "I'd Hate to Leave You" by Will Stratton

2009-02-17T11:25:00.004-05:00

I came across Will Stratton while looking to see if there was anything new on the horizon for one of my favorite musicians-- Sufjan Stevens. While there's nothing new for Sufjan, apparently Will Stratton is a protege of Stevens', and they even collaborate on Stratton's fantastic debut album, "What the Night Said."

Stratton is primarily an acoustic artist, and his songs are delightfully depressing-- a quality I love in my music. I don't need to be driven to commit suicide by a song, but if it plants the seed of an untimely demise, it's tops in my book.

Anyhow, Stratton only has one album out as of now-- his second will be out soon. And though I've only recently discovered his music, I have listened to it over and over. It's really great to find a new artist that I like as much as Stratton.

So give it a listen, and if you get a chance, look him up on iTunes. That's right-- I'm asking you to pay for his music.

Paying for music-- what a novel idea! I know-- It's something I'm no longer accustomed to myself. But in this case, it's well worth it.

Enjoy.

Werner Herzog's "Conquest of the Useless"

2009-02-12T11:37:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite filmmakers, Werner Herzog, has a new book coming out very soon. It's called Conquest of the Useless, and it details his experiences in film, and particularly the making of the awesome movie "Fitzcarraldo."

I don't know that much about the book, other than what the Amazon description says about it, which is listed below. But, I mean, come on-- it's Werner Herzog.

The book is out on June 30th.

Needless to say, I'll be giving this one a read.

"Fitzcarraldo", written and directed by Werner Herzog, stars Klaus Kinski as the title character - a would-be rubber baron Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald, an Irishman called Fitzcarraldo in Peru, who has to pull a steamship over a steep hill in order to access a rich rubber territory. The film is derived from the real-life story of Peruvian rubber baron Carlos Fermin Fitzcarrald. In his autobiographical film "Portrait Werner Herzog", Herzog has stated that the film's spectacular production was an incredible ordeal. It famously involved moving a 320-ton steamship over a hill without the use of special effects. Herzog believes that no one has ever performed a similar feat in history, and likely never will again, calling himself 'Conquistador of the Useless'. The casting of the film was also quite difficult. Jason Robards was originally cast in the title role, but he became ill and was forced to leave. Herzog then considered casting Jack Nicholson, and even playing Fitzcarraldo himself, before Klaus Kinski accepted the role. By that point, forty percent of shooting was complete and Herzog insisted on a total reshoot with Kinski. Mick Jagger was originally cast as Fitzcarraldo's assistant Wilbur, but his shooting schedule expired and he departed to tour with the Rolling Stones. Though none of the major cast members spoke English natively, the original soundtrack was recorded in English, as it was the only language common to the lead actors. Klaus Kinski himself was a major source of tension, as he fought with Herzog and other members of the crew. In his documentary "My Best Fiend", Herzog says that one of the local Peruvian chiefs who was an extra in the film offered to murder Kinski for him, but Herzog declined because he needed Kinski to complete filming. Les Blank's documentary "Burden of Dreams", about the production of the film, also documents these many hardships. Herzog won the 1982 Best Director at Cannes for the film, which was hailed by critics around the globe. "

Song of the Week: "Paranoid Android" by Rockabye Baby!

2009-02-10T16:52:00.010-05:00

This week's selection came to me during an insomnia induced perusal of the bowels of the iTunes store. So, apparently "Rockabye Baby!" is a musical ensemble that caters to the ultra-hip, "we-gave-our baby-a-quirky-name" set. If that sounds disdainful, there's a good reason-- I typically find this segment of the population tremendously annoying. But, I listened to some of these "lullabies" out of sheer curiosity. Turns out they're actually kind of cool.

When I write, I like to listen to instrumental music-- and this stuff fits the bill. I downloaded some Radiohead, Pink Floyd and Coldplay, and I have to say, I am really enjoying it.

I'm sure this one is not going to be for everybody, but you should check it out, if only for the quirkiness factor. And please, do what you can to refrain from naming your children after inanimate objects. Thank you.

DVD Review: "Mirrors"

2009-02-09T19:40:00.004-05:00

In 1999, director Gore Verbinski remade a little known Japanese film entitled “The Ring.” The film was a tremendous success with critics and audiences alike. What followed was a firestorm of Japanese horror (known as “J-horror”) remakes, all of which attempted to capitalize on the creepy aesthetic “The Ring” had introduced. To a varying degree, some of these films were successful. Though, more often than not, the visual style of the remakes was the only element that transferred, leaving out a rather important ingredient—a good story. Alexandre Aja’s “Mirrors”—a well intentioned, yet narratively lacking film, seems to be riding out the tail end of the more lack-luster trend of J-horror remakes.

Keifer Sutherland stars as Ben Carson, a disgraced police officer trying to piece together his broken life. In an effort to clean himself up, he takes a job guarding a boarded up, distractingly out-of-place department store in the heart of New York City. From the beginning of his first shift, Carson notices something strange about the spotless mirrors that populate the entire store. He’s quickly (arguably too quickly) thrust into a devilish game, wherein the mirrors reflect horrific images that unfortunately effect the real world that Carson lives in. The mirrors presented a unique, yet oddly difficult horror antagonist. On one hand, if Carson and his family can simply steer clear of mirrors, they seem to be relatively safe. So, just cover every mirror, right? Not exactly-- the ghastly visions inexplicably begin to appear within any surface that displays a reflection. But hey, I’m all for suspension of disbelief, so long as the story is engaging enough to warrant it. This one, unfortunately, didn’t quite maintain a high enough level of interest.

One area in which the film does succeed is its special effects. “Mirrors” contains some genuinely creepy visuals, and one set-piece in particular that took the gore factor to a level this reviewer has rarely seen. Needless to say, that scene was the highlight of the film, and this review would certainly be different if they had found a way to bring that level of horror to the film just a few more times.

As it stands, the film caves in on itself in the third act, becoming just a standard “man saves his family from certain doom” type of flick. The film had a solid concept, but simply not enough meat to satisfy even a casual horror fan. Though, fans of Sutherland’s Jack Bauer character from “24” will certainly get their fill of brooding, and gruff screaming in this one. The film is worth a look, if just for the aforementioned bathroom scene. However, you could save yourself some time, and easily find that clip on the net. If it’s thrills you’re looking for, you’ll find one or two here—though you would be better served to visit Alexandre Aja’s earlier films such as “High Tension” and “The Hills Have Eyes.”

Score: 2 out of 5

Song of the Week: "Rebel, Rebel" by Seu Jorge

2009-02-04T18:19:00.004-05:00

Okay, so obviously I'm a huge David Bowie fan. But this week's selection is actually a cover of one of his songs. Anyone familiar with Wes Anderson's film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" will recognize Seu Jorge, as he had a small part in the film. In fact, he performed a few of Bowie's songs in the film.

He later released an entire album of Bowie covers in his native language, Portuguese. The songs lose nothing in the translation, and in fact they sort of become their own entities-- the melody is familiar, but the cadence of the lyrics is slightly off, and you hear things you may never have before. For someone who has been listening to Bowie since my older sister introduced me to his music (and his crotch) a long time ago in "Labyrinth", I was under the false assumption that I had heard all of the possible iterations of Bowie. I was wrong. Even if you're just a casual fan, this is worth a listen. It's available on iTunes, I believe. And it's also available, um... on that thing.... what's it called? Torrent, or something?

However you procure the music, do yourself a big favor and give it a few listens. My wife was at a loss when I requested this one for Christmas a few years ago. But after letting (forcing?) her listen to it, she has actually become a bit of a fan herself. I think you will, too.

Enjoy.

This video is a "found footage" youtube clip. Kinda cool.

R U Professional?

2009-02-03T17:02:00.014-05:00

This one came to my attention thanks to Jay Cheel of the Film Junk Podcast. It's a mash-up of the Christian Bale blow-up on the set of "Terminator: Salvation." All I have to say about that is, what a douche. And I like Christian Bale as an actor-- a lot! But, come on buddy, it's a Terminator movie. And I know-- he's a method actor and all that. But there's a line, and he went way beyond what should be considered acceptable-- on a film set or otherwise.

And, you have to wonder if, in retrospect, Bale is struck by the irony of his asking if someone else is professional, whilst in the middle of his horrific, expletive-filled, completely unprofessional tirade?

Anyhow, this song is the work of a band called The Mae Shi. And for a bit of audio that was released just over 24 hours ago, this is pretty damn good.

So, I hope you enjoy the mash-up-- because the object of Bale's ire, Director of Photography Shane Hurlbut, sure as shit didn't enjoy the original version.

Double Dipped? Again?

2009-02-03T13:26:00.001-05:00

My favorite film of all time is Carol Reed's masterpiece "The Third Man." I watched my VHS copy so many times I literally almost wore the tape out-- It really is that good. (I only ever did that to one other VHS tape-- Luc Besson's "The Professional")

The first time the film was released in a deluxe edition was in the initial wave of Criterion discs, back when Criterion was only releasing Laserdiscs. Now, I'm not old enough to have purchased Laserdiscs, but I know that they were somewhere near $100 bucks a piece. (Of course, now that Laserdiscs are laughably outdated, I was able to grab the disc on Ebay for about $8.00)

So, my first real chance at the Criterion disc for myself was when it was released on DVD. And you better believe I bought it right up-- despite it's $38.99 price tag. Hey-- I'm a hard-workin' guy, and as such, I treat my self now and again.

Cut to three years later, and I get news of yet another, newer Criterion release of "The Third Man." Hmm. Well, Like I said, it is my favorite film. So of course, when it came out, I bought it. Luckily I was able to nab it for a "steal"-- $32.99. And, though the disc does now include a really cool commentary by Steven Soderbergh, that's about the only change that I've noticed. = I really don't mind the double dip too much, because now I see that I am sort of collecting the various versions of the film-- (so far, VHS, Laserdisc, Criterion DVD 1, Criterion DVD 2.)

But now, we all know the new high point of home video viewing is Blu-Ray. And I admit, it is amazing. No argument. But (ahem) now they're rolling out the first wave of Criterion Blu-Ray discs, and guess what film is one of the first titles available. That's right-- "The Third Man."

So, here are my questions:

1.) Do I buy it? I mean, I'm anal, and it'll irk me that this would be the only version that I don't own. And though it's the exact same version as the second Criterion release, this one is blu-ray. You simply will not beat the picture and sound of a blu ray disc.

2.) Am I an idiot? I mean, am I playing right into the hands of the Home Video industry?

The sad truth is, I'm going to buy it. There never was a real doubt about that. But I'm still interested to see what people think about the double dip, or in this case, the double-double dip. Let me know where you stand by filling out your answer below.

Monster Mania 12

2009-01-29T16:02:00.010-05:00

That's right, it's been about 6 months, and you know what that means-- Monster Mania is just around the corner. This convention is one of my ultimate guilty pleasures, and I'd be excited for it in any case, but this time I'm particularly excited. As far as I know, the next issue of Monster Mania Magazine will be available at the show. This is the issue that will include my retrospective article detailing the history of the "Friday the 13th" series. After it's published, I'll post it here for all to read. Until then-- buy your own copy!

This time around the focus of the convention is (obviously) on Friday the 13th. With the reboot film coming out in a few weeks, I suppose they're trying to wedge themselves back into the public consciousness in any way possible. I'm all for it-- I'm excited for the new film (even though, a true reboot would not include Jason in the first film, but I digress...) And, yes, I still love the old "Fridays", as well-- all 8 or 9 or 15 of 'em.

In addition to "Friday" guests, other appearances will include Tobe Hooper ("Texas Chainsaw Massacre"), Alice Cooper (Heavy Metal Legend and, of course, John Carpenter's "Prince of Darkness"), Caroline Williams (Stretch from one of my faves, "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2") and even... Fairuza Balk... of, uh... "The Craft."

But, anyway...

The convention is at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey over the weekend of March 13-15. It's always a good time, and who knows... you may run into me on Saturday. I'll be the one in the full Freddy Kreuger make-up.

Kidding.

Check out more about Monster Mania here.

"I thought you'd be taller."

2009-01-29T00:34:00.009-05:00

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a special place in my heart for Snake Plissken. So, when I came across this picture, I just knew I would have to share it.

Now that, my friends, is one badass fin.

Song of the Week: "Heroes" by David Bowie

2009-01-27T09:31:00.002-05:00

This week's song is definitely in my personal top 5 of all time. There's not much to say, other than Bowie is-- without dispute-- the man. "Heroes" is just one of his many incredible songs. Basically, if you aren't into Bowie, I couldn't imagine why. If you're a fan of music, you should be a fan of Bowie, end of story. A good place to start is The Best of Bowie. Trust me, you delve deeper after listening to that one.

And just for good measure, check out his appearance on "Extras" posted below. It's my favorite part of one of my favorite shows. Brilliant.

Gump Redux

2009-01-25T20:35:00.004-05:00

If "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" wins the Oscar for best picture, it will be like Gump winning twice. And whether or not you think Gump even deserved the first one (I personally do) is beyond the point-- it doesn't deserve a second. And If Pitt wins for Best Actor, well... I just won't go there. I don't know... should you get an Oscar for a CG effect?

Anyhow-- watch the video below.

Edit: The video was removed. Damn it.

Song of the Week: "John Wayne Gacy Jr." by Sufjan Stevens

2009-01-19T21:22:00.012-05:00

This week's selection comes from the "extraordinarily depressing" collection. It's "John Wayne Gacy Jr." by a very cool experimental, folky rock singer/songwriter named Sufjan Stevens. If you don’t already know him, I highly recommend checking him out.

And, yes, as the title suggests, the song is about the infamous clown/child murderer, John Wayne Gacy Jr. It's still an amazing song. I find I have a strange affinity for extremely depressing songs, and I actually have a sort of depression collection...

So, if you're feeling particularly morose this week, give this one a listen-- just stay away from the clown make-up, people may get the wrong idea.

Not that I'm speaking from experience, or anything...

Enjoy.

Barnes & Ignoble

2009-01-16T14:47:00.004-05:00

This morning, I visited a recently opened Barnes and Noble in my area. I've been waiting for a decent bookstore to open nearby for some time now. And, while saying that this store is both decent and nearby may be stretching the truth a bit, I'll take what I can get. Unfortunately, I forgot that what I get with Barnes and Noble ain't all that much.

I've been spending a lot of mornings split between other over-priced, faux coffeeshop type places for a while now. Sometimes it's the bagel shop Panera, other times it may be this new place, Saxby's. But wherever it was, all of the places seemed to have a few things in common-- high prices, bad coffee, no fewer than two truly creepy people hanging around, and finally-- free wireless internet service. And no, I was not one of the creepy people. At least I don't think I was.

Anyhow-- I packed up my bag, and drove up to the brand-spankin' new B&N this morning and this is what I found:

High prices: Obviously. It is Barnes and Noble. But that's okay-- I'm not buying anything.

Bad Coffee: That is subjective. I like it, but most people seem to dislike it.

Creepy people: Yes. And that's saying a lot, since the only people there were the employees.
Free Wireless Internet: Sadly, pathetically, No.

That's right. In this day and age, a solid 15 years after the dawn of the information superhighway, B&N expects me to plunk down $3.95 for a measly 2 hours of internet service. When reached for a comment, a spokesperson for B&N had this to say, "Internet? What the fuck is the internet?"

So, there I sat, stewing over the fact that I couldn't flit compulsively between checking my gmail and facebook accounts. What do they expect me to do, actually write? And it was at this time that something else dawned on me about B&N, and more specifically, their coffee.

It seems that, in conjunction with the tree bark-like fiber cereal that I usually eat, their coffee was just the free radical necessary to create something of a gastrointestinal perfect storm. I became acutely aware that my toukis was now a powder keg, apt to be set off by even the slightest upsetment. Which brings me to my next, and final, gripe. The store has one-- count 'em-- one bathroom stall. Sure, they have plenty of urinals, but that was of little consolation to me and my spasming stomach. So, then I had to... you know-- I'll stop there. I think you get the idea.

Anyhow, I suppose I am happy to have a book store relatively close. After all, I was beginning to suspect that the people of Northeast Philadelphia had given up on books completely without telling me. And as for the coffee, I don't mind it. Sure, I'd rather have a cozy, personal coffee shop, but with a Dunkin' Donuts now on every corner-- not to mention Wawa-- a real coffee shop is just a pipe dream.

So, my friends, if you find yourself headed to a B&N anytime soon, try to keep in mind what I've tried to pass on today-- Prices high, Coffee strong, People weird, Internet MIA and Toilets few. So, y'know... Immodium recommended.

Cheers.

R.I.P. Ricardo Montalban 1920-2009

2009-01-15T12:26:00.007-05:00

Khaaaan !!

Song of the Week: Fear of Pop - "In Love"

2009-01-14T20:49:00.002-05:00

Ben Folds is by far my favorite musician, so it stands to reason that he'd eventually find his way into one of my "Song of the Week" posts. In fact, he'll probably be on my list more than a few times. However, for my first Ben Folds selection, I chose a rather off-beat track entitled "In Love" from his 1998 side project, "Fear of Pop."

Now, before you listen, let me tell you that this particular track is a collaboration with the one and only William Shatner. Whatever that means to you, whether good or bad, should be kept in check until you actually listen to the song. It took me several spins for this one to grow on me-- but grow on me it has.

If you know anything about the Shat, you know he has a thing for kitschy poetry ("Rocket Man", anyone? Go on and YouTube that sumbitch'). And "In Love" is pretty much just a simple poem, accompanied by my man Ben Folds tickling the ivories.

So, there you have it-- my second song of the week selection. I hope you enjoy it.

P.S.-- if you like this, be sure to check out Shatner's cover of the Pulp song "Common People."

P.P.S. -- Blogger's spell checker did not try to correct my use of the word "Shat." Nice.

Residency Livin'...

2009-01-08T15:32:00.003-05:00

Another residency,

Baguettes freezing,

In Wilkes Barre

Missing home,

Miss my girls.

You know, they worry

Tattooed, hungry and tired

But must admit--

I'm real inspired

What is this shit, I'm not a poet

Jon writes for the screen

And we all know it

I'll post some stuff

Soon as I'm back

Until then

Check this trailer... Jack

(Told you I wasn't a poet.)

The film is a documentary called "Anvil." It looks terrific, and I found it thanks to FilmJunk.

Trailer: "9"

2009-01-02T00:06:00.015-05:00

This trailer has me very, very excited. I've never even heard of the film, or it's director Shane Acker-- but the film does have two heavy hitting producers behind it in Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov. There are no signs of a rating for this one yet, but it's not due out until September 9th (get it... 09/09/09.) I'm still holding out hope for at least a PG-13 rating. No matter the rating though, this film is the early favorite to be my most anticipated film of the new year.

P.S. -- You can watch the trailer in glorious HD here.

Enjoy.

Best Things of 2008

2008-12-31T16:16:00.002-05:00

Well, it's the end of the year. And, as is the custom on this type of site, I'll now share with you my personal favorite "things" of the past year. This specific list was devised by close friend, and fellow blogger Mike Lizzio, but I decided to blatantly steal it and post it as my own. He's my very own Bernard Pivot. So there you have it.

And now, without further ado...

The Best Things of 2008:

Movies -

"The Dark Knight" - Yeah, I know. Blah blah blah... "The Dark Knight" was great. The best comic film of all time, and all that... you've heard this many times before, now let's move on.

"Dear Zachary"- I watch a lot of films throughout the year, and this was the first film in several years years that actually evoked honest-to-God tears from my cynical eyes. It's truly a heart breaking story, but one that everyone should see, for sure. And, yeah, it's slightly amateurish in its construction, but it only adds to the piecemeal charm of the story as a whole. I loved this film and look forward to it getting released at some point on DVD so I can see it again.

"The Darjeeling Limited" - I managed to stay away from "The Darjeeling Limited" for as long as possible, after being let down in a big way by "The Life Aquatic." I'd assumed Wes Anderson had simply come down a case of terminal quirkiness. And after all that, when my netflix queue had been all but exhausted, I was pleasantly surprised when I strapped myself down and watched the film. You know what? It touched me in a way that I had forgotten that Wes Anderson's films were capable of doing. Well played, Mr. Anderson.

Book -

The Death of the Grown-Up By Diana West

This was at once the most eye-opening and aggravating read of the year. People today seem to simply refuse to behave like adults, and West hits the nail on the head pegging this generation for it's many immature faults, some of which even I'm guilty of. But this is a must read for anyone who hates seeing adults wearing pajamas out in public, or donning Mohawks at the age of 35, as much as I do. And just for the record, I even hate mohawks on children, as well. You now what-- let's just say that Mohawks should only ever be found on Native Americans, and be done with it.

Music -

1.) Ben Folds "Way to Normal"

Folds has yet to let me down. His lyrics, his music-- everything he does just blows my mind. Get into him, if you aren't already. You won't regret it. And if you do get this album, make sure to also seek out the "leaked" version, with the alternate versions of the songs. The alternate of "The Bitch Went Nuts" is one of his greatest songs ever.

2.) Does it offend you, Yeah? "You Have No Idea What You're Getting Into"

These guys are amazing, especially live. Electronic/brit-pop/funk... they are so many things, I don't even know how to describe them. They are terrific, and they have been part of my regular iPod loop for several months now.

Comic Book -

Mouse Guard by David Petersen

I'm not a comics aficionado-- not by a long shot. But I have been getting more into so-called graphic novels, and I absolutely loved Mouse Guard. I seem to really enjoy comics in which animals are given human traits (I'm also really keen on reading Maus and Pride of Baghdad.) But what can I say-- with this one, the cover blurb says it all, "it's Lord of the Rings meets Stuart Little." How cool is that? I really hope this is made into a movie. Soon.

Website -

1.) http://www.filmjunk.com/ This is probably my most frequently visited site, and by far the most entertaining film related podcast going. In fact, if I could only choose one podcast to listen to, this would be it. Good hosts, funny banter and always well-considered reviews. It's like Filmspotting, minus the film snobbery. That's not to say there isn't snobbery, just of a different sort... Anyhow, give it a listen, you'll enjoy it for sure.

2.) http://www.icanhascheezburger.com/ - I can hear the collective sighs as I type this, but I don't know what else to say-- this site always made me chuckle, and sometimes even crack up. You may have to be a cat person to truly enjoy it, but it's one of my favorite time waster on the internet. And if you have never heard of it, give it a look.

Video Game -

1.) "Portal"

It's such a simple, yet engrossing game. I wish it was 100 levels, or 1000 for that matter-- I simply could not stop playing it. And the creepiness factor was very high with this one. I can't explain exactly why, but this game creeped me out-- I think it's because I didn't quite understand the storyline-- but I do believe that was by design. If you haven't played it, you really need to check this one out. It's not your run-of-the-mill video game-- it's really a transcendent video game experience. Or, at least it was for me.

2.) "Fable 2" - It was good, certainly not great, but good. I suppose it's hard to live up to 4 years of hype, but it really fell well short of a masterpiece. That's not to say it sucked-- after all, I played it pretty much straight on through for a few weeks, so it definitely deserves a mention here. It's a solid fantasy game, which you'll beat pretty quickly and probably not play again.

Internet Discovery-

1.)Blogging - What a feeling, to write regularly and see your readership slowly grow. I love my blog, and it keeps me in the writing habit, even when I really don't feel like it. And even when I have a deadline that I'm ignoring-- like right now.

2.) Senuti- It's a Mac app (and iTunes spelled backwards...) that lets you take music off of other people's iPods and put it on yours with no hassle. It's awesome.

3.) BitTorrent - Or, as I call it, the program that saved me hundreds upon hundreds of dollars this year on music, software and anything else that can be downloaded. Sure, it's like stealing, but you can do it from your couch, so it can't be wrong, right?

Gadget -

1.) Blackberry Storm--

The much maligned touchscreen Blackberry is not nearly as bad as some people (i.e. iPhone fanboys) would have you believe. Is it as good with games and some apps as the iPhone? No. But it's a solid phone and the suretype screen is my favorite part of it. It's my connection to everyone and everything I need throughout the day, and I love it.

2.)My MacBook--

My first foray into the world of Mac has been absolutely wonderful. Everything works so effortlessly... and it doesn't crash! What a novel idea! To be fair, my first computer ever was a mac, but that was a Performa 450 back in the days of 2400 baud modems. This thing is sleek, sexy and... aluminum. Yeah, it's supposed to be the "greenest" Macbook ever. If by green, they mean expensive, they are correct. But it was worth it. This thing has quickly become my favorite ( I don't consider my wife and cat as belongings, so...), and I can already see I am slowly becoming a lifelong Mac user. I'll be selling my sperm and blood plasma to buy my next one, but who cares! Also, y'know, being a screenwriter and all, I had to kinda look the part... fake it til you make it, right?

Random celebrity happening -

1.) The Death of the Unbiased Media. Enough said.

2.) Celebrity "Pseudo-Retirement"

The fad of Actors and Actresses threatening(?) to retire from acting is just ludicrous. I'm looking at you, Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Watson, Keira Knightley. Go ahead and do it. No skin off our collective asses. Why would you retire? You're a celebrity-- the most helpless, skill-lacking breed of human going. You will retire and do what, exactly? Plan your comeback? Please. You know you are of the luckiest .01% of the human race, and you know damn well that the only thing that will stop you from acting is if you overdose on drugs or crash your sports car.

What's that? Bitter? Me? No, I'm not bitter-- why do you ask?

Conclusion

So, there you have it. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it will certainly suffice, considering it's New Year's Eve. Also-- the movies that I listed were not my top three overall, but simply three that I thought should be mentioned. I'll probably compile a list of the best films near Oscar time. Until then, I wish all of you a Happy New Year, and a hope that you'll pass on the news about my trusty little blog. Be safe. -- Jon

Song of the Week: "Funny Little Frog" by Belle and Sebastian

2008-12-28T21:15:00.004-05:00

This is the first installment of what will (hopefully) be a weekly feature on the blog. I'm not going to go too deep into my selections, beyond saying that it'll be songs that I think are great, that I think you should give a listen.

My first selection is from the band Belle and Sebastian, and it's called "Funny Little Frog."

So go ahead. Give it a listen.

Movin' on up...

2008-12-12T18:26:00.006-05:00

So, I've been a bit lax in the posting department. Good reasons all around, I assure you. I mean, the end of the semester, holidays, a trip to Disney-- all of that notwithstanding, the hold up has more to do with the fact that I'm in the process of moving the ol' blog from Blogger to Wordpress. Essentially, I'm moving from one to the other to increase the amount of customizable options available for my posts. That's right-- I'm a grown up now. Writing some HTML, even.

Anyway, I do have a few good posts brewing, though. Within a couple of days or so, you'll be redirected to the kinda new, ever-so-slightly improved jonwritesforthescreen.com. I hope.

Until then, I guess I'll catch you all surfing on the information super highway.

Game on

2008-12-03T12:21:00.002-05:00

See that, right there to the left?

That's my XBOX avatar. A recent update to the XBOX 360 dashboard has taken (read: stolen) a page out of the Nintendo Wii's book, and enabled online users to create a personalized image for themselves. My first attempt at an avatar kind of made me look like an ultra-hip lesbian, so I thought I'd take another shot. This is what I came up with-- I think it's slightly better.

I'm able to share my avatar on my blog with this neat little trick from Sean Dwyer over on his blog, Media Bytes. If you have an XBOX avatar, simply plug your gamertag into this bit address:

http://avatar.xboxlive.com/avatar/(gamertag)/avatar-body.png

Obviously you'll simply place you gamertag in the space where it says (gamertag).

And if you do have one, friend me-- my Gamertag is JonRocks62. Though I'm rarely online on my XBOX because my router is far away from my system, and I refuse to pay $100 for the XBOX wireless receiver. Truth be told, I rarely get to play it at all anymore. But, I'll get on eventually, and accept any and all friends. So, game on... at some point in time.

I'm turning...

2008-12-01T18:06:00.005-05:00

My friends, I write these words from the humble keyboard of a budget priced Gateway laptop. It's treated me well over the past few years. However, during the final days of my thesis, it averaged about 4 crashes a day. Two of those crashes saw me lose over two hours worth of work each. Not cool.

So, I've decided to do it. I'm going to remortgage my house, sell my blood plasma and visit the sperm bank a few times so that I can afford to treat myself-- I'm getting a Mac.

That's right-- I'm going to be one of those people now. You know, the people you see at the coffee shop who look upon your Gateway or Dell with a mixture of pity and disgust. I'll be joining the cooler-than-you set, which is odd because, in 99% of cases, I am not cooler than anyone. Trust me. And I do feel compelled to say that I hate-- no-- loathe those bullshit Justin Long Mac commercials. It is perhaps the most arrogant ad campaign I have ever been privy to. Those commercials alone almost made me not even want a Mac.

Almost.

What can I say-- I'm an aspiring writer. A Mac is what I've wanted all along-- and sometimes you have to look the part, right? So Apple gift cards will dominate my Christmas list this year, in hopes that they will soften the blow at the bottom line of a Mac purchase. Not likely.

So, my friends, I'll still be the same old Jon. I'll still write this blog for an audience of about 4. If you see me in a coffee shop or book store, say hello. And if I give you a smug eye-brow raised look when you plug in your PC, rest assured-- I'm just keeping up appearances. I'm still PC friendly at heart.

So, now, let me try out some snobby mac-user lingo...

Ciao, babes.

Check it Out: "Mulholland Falls" (1996)

2008-11-22T23:47:00.001-05:00

Tonight, while flipping through cable channels, I came across the film "Mulholland Falls." Initially, I had it confused with David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive," but when I realized that I was actually able to follow the story, and it had a cohesive plot, I realized my mistake. Zing.

I'd never seen the film, which is surprising, because I'm a huge fan of the films that clearly influenced it-- the noir films of the 40's and 50's. It stars Nick Nolte (when he was younger, slightly more sane) as a Detective on L.A.'s famous "hat squad" police force. As one would expect, there's a murder, a mystery, a conspiracy, and even some radioactive material thrown in for good measure.

I ended up watching, and thoroughly enjoying, the entire film. I could go into a lot of reasons why you should check it out, like the great cast (Nolte, Malkovich, Chazz Palminteri, Jennifer Connelly, et al) and the many very cool fedoras, but I'd rather just refer you to one line that comes about 3/4 of the way through the film. Nolte's hard ass Detective delivers it to a Federal Agent who's been horning in on his case. It comes right after Nolte's mopped the floor with him.

"This is L.A. This is my town. Out here, you're a trespasser. Out here I could pick you up, burn your house, fuck your wife and kill your dog. And the only thing that would protect you is if I can't find you-- and I already found you."

If that doesn't make you want to see this flick (as well as talk like that in every day life) your machismo must be at an all time low.

If you get a chance, give this one a look for sure.

Cool Commercial

2008-11-20T23:29:00.005-05:00

I've grown weary of major companies advertising with viral marketing campaigns. At a certain point, it's just no longer cool or hip when every company out there is doing it. Having said that, this is one of the coolest commercials I've seen in a while. It's not necessarily a viral video, but it sure as hell isn't a traditional commercial-- at least in a narrative sense.

Maybe it's just because I'm a cat person, but I thought it was pretty awesome. Enjoy.

I had no idea that mice lived that long.

2008-11-20T14:45:00.004-05:00

This week marks the 80th birthday of the one and only Mickey Mouse. I'm actually a pretty big Disney fan, myself. Not so much a fan of the brand, or it's now ubiquitous partnership with Pixar-- but more of Walt Disney himself, and the classic 2d animation that he revolutionized. Call me old fashioned, but "Steamboat Willie" ranks among my favorite animated films of all time. That probably doesn't surprise the people that know me well-- I'm sort of old-fashioned that way.

Most of my other favorite animated films are all of the 2d variety as well, with one exception-- "Monster's Inc." And, if you remember, last year I posted one of my other all time favorite Disney cartoons right in it's entirety here on the trusty blog-- "Mickey's Christmas Carol." I'm surprised Disney didn't have me silently assasinated for copyright infringement. Yet. And yeah-- you can look forward to me recycling that post this Holiday season.

I've often wondered how the image of Mickey has remained so popular when, as a character, he's not been in a major release in years. I guess when a character is branded into our psyche as a young child, it tends to stay there for a while.

So, Happy Birthday, Mickey.

(Coincidentally, I just found out that my lovely wife, Diana, has reserved a trip for us to Disney World for next month to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. We were engaged there about two and a half years ago. Bonus.)

News from the Monster-Mania Magazine front...

2008-11-17T15:45:00.003-05:00

Some of you may remember that I had an article published in the premiere issue of Monster-Mania Magazine. And to some extent, I feel like I'm beating a dead horse here, because it came out over a year ago, but there is some fresh news...

Monster-Mania has now secured distribution through most major book stores. That means, within a month or two, you should be able to get yourself a copy of the mag, complete with the article written by yours truly, nationwide. That, in and of itself, is very cool. But, I have even more great news.

I've been commissioned to write two more articles for the Magazine-- one for each of the next two issues. First up will be an article tracing the history of the "Friday the 13th" films, from the first time that we saw Crystal Lake, all the way up to the new, Michael Bay produced remake. (Which isn't really a remake, bcause we all know Jason wasn't even in the first film, but I digress.) That will appear in the March issue. Later, in June, I'll give the "Nightmare on Elm Street" series the same treatment. I just hope more info is available about the new "Nightmare" film by then.

So, keep an eye out-- the magazine should be on store shelves relatively soon. And, of course, you can always order it online here.

♪ ♫ And I would walk 5000 miles... ♪ ♫

2008-11-13T20:04:00.011-05:00

♪ ♫ ... And I would blog 5000 hits... ♪ ♫

This week marked my blog's 5000th hit. Not that amazing, considering that some blogs get more than that in a day... or an hour. But what the hell, I thought it was pretty cool.

Unfortunately Google analytics is so accurate these days that I was able to track 4,677 of those hits directly to my Mother's work computer. She's just so proud of her son, "the writer."

But it still counts.

Anyhow, thanks for whoever is out there
reading this. (read: Thanks Mom.)

Preview: "John Carpenter's Riot"

2008-11-13T19:19:00.001-05:00

Anyone who knows me will tell you, I'm unabashedly a John Carpenter fanatic. I think the guy is a tremendous filmmaker and, even more than that, someone who makes movies that always deliver just what I'm looking for. Usually it's equal parts character, story, practical effects (i.e. light on the CG) and, of course, a terrific, if slightly recycled, score.

For a while now he has been rumored to have been working on a film entitled "L.A. Gothic", which was supposedly an episodic horror like his previous collaboration with George Romero, "Body Bags." However, there has also been another project in the works that had been referred to as "Scared Straight." Well, it seems like that's the one that got the green light, and it's now going to be his next film, "Riot." Oh, excuse me, "John Carpenter's Riot."

Not much is known about the film other than, obviously, it stars Nicholas Cage. One other tidbit-- it takes place during a prison riot. Sounds good, right? I think we could all use a proper update of his "Assault on Precinct 13." (Let us not bring up the abomination of a remake that starred Laurence Fishburne and Ethan Hawke, please.) Anyhow, from the very little that I've heard about this film, I choose to believe that it's going to deliver. After all, it pains me to see Carpenter relegated to shooting only 2 episodes of "Masters of Horror" per year. This guy really is a master, and he deserves better!

Now, I know that Nicholas Cage is a questionable choice for a starring role these days. Especially considering Carpenter's go-to guy, Kurt Russel, was primed for a return to the big time after "Death Proof." But let us not forget, Cage has some bona fide genre-film chops. Forgetting for the moment "Ghost Rider" and "The Wicker Man", think back to a film like "Con-Air." He was terrific! And I'd like to think if anyone will know what to do with a hammy Nicholas Cage performance, it's John Carpenter.

So, you can count on me to keep you updated on this project, because it has quickly become one of my most anticipated films of next year. As soon as a trailer or synopsis hits the web, I'll dutifully steal the link, and post it here as a scoop. Until then, let's all give "Assault on Precinct 13" another whirl on the old DVD player.

R.I.P. Michael Crichton

2008-11-05T14:18:00.012-05:00

Legendary sci-fi author Michael Crichton has passed away at the age of 66. He was the man behind such terrific books as "Jurassic Park" and "The Andromeda Strain", as well as the hit TV show "E.R." Needless to say, he was a damn good writer, and I was truly saddened to see that he had passed at such a young age. I mean, a death at any age is a shame, but 66 just seems so very young these days.

And for anyone who thinks seeing the film version of "Jurassic Park" was enough, I say you're wrong! His novel was every bit as entertaining, and even more in depth. It's really a quick, fun read. If you've never read Crichton's work, this is where you should start.

So, Mr. Crichton, wherever you are-- I tip my drink for thee.

Free Coffee. That is never a bad thing.

2008-11-04T15:02:00.004-05:00

As a sort of gesture of goodwill, Starbucks will be offering anyone who voted today a free tall coffee. Against my better judgement, I get Starbucks all the time, and I still don't know the difference in the way they name their coffee sizes. Tall, Venti... just give me a medium, black coffee please. Anyhow, it figures that the one day I won't be anywhere near a Starbucks, they would choose to give away free coffee. There really aren't any Starbucks in my area anyway-- in fact there aren't many (any) real coffee shops in the area at all! Thank God for Wawa, I guess.

The legality of this publicity stunt has been called into question, as it's seen as some sort of bribe for voting. But it's not based on voting for any one candidate, so I don't see any harm in the deal-- other than the hair that Starbucks coffee will put on your chest. (Read:It's very strong coffee.)

Anyway, if you're in the vicinity of one of their 8 million locations outside of Northeast Philadelphia, make sure you do your civic duty, and get your free java.

Oh. And do that other civic duty today, too.

Why vote? Because Arnold told you to, that's why.

2008-11-03T15:15:00.008-05:00

But, in all seriousness, everyone should vote tomorrow. Anyone who knows me, knows precisely where I stand on the issues (I'm not one to keep mum about that.) But, as I have always refrained from partisan talk on my blog, I'll just say this: get off your ass and go vote tomorrow.

If not, you sacrifice your right to do the one thing everyone, of every party likes to do: bitch about politicians.

So go vote, and let's just say, I hope you've paid attention this election season, and make the right choice.

God Bless America.

Review: Midnight Meat Train

2008-10-31T14:29:00.008-04:00

These days it seems like certain films achieve a "cult" status before they've even earned a legitimate fan-base. I'm thinking of films such as "Donnie Darko", "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and "Hatchet." I'm not saying they're not good films-- but they seem to bestow the cult status upon themselves before audiences have a chance to decide for themselves. Or, in the case of "Midnight Meat Train", before audiences even get to see the film.

The film is an adaptation of a short story by horror legend Clive Barker. And I think therein lies the problem. Sometimes a story is written in short form because that is simply the correct format for it. This seems to be the case with "Midnight Meat Train"-- there simply wasn't enough, uh, meat to fill out the story.

The plot is simple enough-- a late night train, usually only inhabited by one or two commuters, has become the slaughter-ground for a silent maniac (Vinnie Jones) whose weapon of choice is a brutally blunt meat tenderizer. Oh, and some meat sure gets tenderized, believe me. In fact, the gore factor is probably the saving grace of this film for many horror fans. It's a pretty graphic flick. But in this reviewers opinion, the filmmakers fell victim to the trap of using CG gore and blood effects all too often. I would like to think that most true horror fans would rather have a good film that may have a few questionable practical effects, rather than a mediocre film that uses shiny digital blood for most of it's real money-shots. But, we live in the digital age, and I guess digital gore is going to be increasingly prevalent in the genre-- let's just hope it improves... soon. As far as the story itself... it was okay. The main character is a photographer, which has now become a tired cliche in horror films. When the silent killer inadvertently becomes the subject of the photographer's work, he's drawn into trying to discover exactly what's going on in the late night train the man takes every night.

Now, without treading into spoiler territory, I'll just say that the ending of the film was somewhat rushed, and a bit vague for my liking. I don't need everything laid out for me, but I do want a reasonable amount of time devoted to ending a film in a satisfying way.

Overall, the film was a disappointment. Was that because of the months and months of waiting for it's release? Probably. Had I never heard of the film, and just picked it up on DVD, I may have had a different reaction. But that's not how it happened. If you're looking for something creepy that you haven't seen this Halloween, this movie may do the trick. But I do believe I'm justified in telling most horror fans out there-- don't believe the hype.

(P.S.-- The film is now available to watch on FearNet for free! Even I can't argue with that price.)

My rating: 2 out of 5

It's over!

2008-10-29T23:24:00.009-04:00

Amen. Hallelujah. Thank God, or the Baseball gods, or whoever it is that is responsible for the outcome of Phillies games, because for a few moments there, I did get kinda scared. But, alas, the curse is over, and the Philadelphia Phillies are the 2008 World Series champs.

Philly... has a winner. That, my friends, feels very good to say.

I'm glad that I got to finally see what a championship team looks like. And I'm also glad for my Grandpa who, despite being the biggest Phillies fan I know, still curses Phillies manager Charlie Manuel's every misstep-- even in the championship game!

This was a great end to a great season.

And if any of you reading this are Met fans, I hope this sticks so far into your crawl, the handle breaks off and you have to get a doctor to pull it out.

Go Phils.

Disposable Art. Literally.

2008-10-28T23:10:00.004-04:00

I came across this video in one of my "research" breaks while writing my script. An artist in New York uses typically disposable materials-- literally the guy uses trash bags-- to create very interesting, vibrant pieces of art. The bags are attached to sewer grates, and simply look like garbage strewn across the sidewalk. But, when the occasional subway train passes underneath, the resulting gust of air fills the bags, and the works of art come alive.

This is one of those videos that really struck me as amazing. I didn't know that there were any videos left on the internet that could do that. Anyway-- I just thought this was so neat, I felt compelled to share.

Enjoy.

Can this wretched championship curse continue? Only in Philadelphia.

2008-10-28T14:18:00.012-04:00

Of course this would happen in Philadelphia. A mere 3 innings from our first professional championship in 25 years, and the first World Series championship in 28 years, and the game has been postponed, twice. Just to be clear, this is a first in World Series history, and yes, it's happening to our Phightin' Phils.

I have to believe that this is just a cosmic joke, and we are being toyed with one last time before we finally catch up to the dollar-bill-on-a-string that is this World Series championship.

I also wanted to showcase the photo on the left. I love this fan-made "Do it for Steve" campaign! Some of you may know, I am a huge animal fan, and as such was a big fan of the late Steve Irwin. Some may say, "He deserved what he got!" I hate that type of thinking-- he brought a lot of informational and conservation efforts to fruition through his work and , in my eyes, was the man.

We need three innings. Three F-ing innings. So I concur, do it for Steve, and let's BEAT THE RAYS!

You can quote me on this...

2008-10-24T15:02:00.009-04:00

Okay, I'm about to get esoteric and drop some knowledge and inspiration on your asses. During a bout of self-importance, I was perusing my Facebook profile and took a look at what I had listed as my favorite quotes. Now, I know how it is, when someone looks at your facebook profile they don't give a damn about your quotes, or the books you like or any of that crap. They want to see embarrassing pictures of you, say, dancing half-nude at somebody's wedding. But, I have to say, that I put some time into which quotes that I listed, and would hate to think that the effort put forth was all for naught. So, in a continuation of that self-aggrandizement, I present to you my own personal favorite quote.

It comes from Theodore Roosevelt and, while not originally meant for this reason, it holds a certain value for writers, artists and anyone else who puts themselves out there to be, well, judged. I consider myself an, ahem, writer. Still not used to saying that. But alas, it is what I strive to be known as. And this is a quote that I come back to time and again, when I feel like shit about my own work. I hope it means at least a small percentage of what it means to me for you. At the risk of sounding incredibly cheesy, I do actually get chills when I read it or, as Chris Matthews might say, a tingling up my leg. But I digress.

Anyhow, without further ado...

Take it away Mr. Roosevelt.

"It is not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

Let's go Phillies!

2008-10-23T15:01:00.007-04:00

I know that I usually try to keep this blog on topic with film, writing and such. But I just want to quickly take the time to voice my excitement and support for my hometown ball club the Philadelphia Phillies. I couldn't be happier that this year they finally broke through and made it to the World Series.

However, in watching the games this post-season, I couldn't help but notice a few things:

1.) I know it's all in good fun when a team shows their unity through facial hair, sideburns, or any number of other unifying acts. But I cannot help but be annoyed when I see players and fans with the so-called "Ray-hawk." I hate the mohawk, and especially since it has become the "in" style for pseudo-hip Moms to give their toddlers. Didn't anyone tell the Rays that mohawks are completely and utterly passe? Worst of all--Now I have to watch Joe Maddon, the coach of the Rays and a 60+ year old man, sporting the look. They deserve to lose simply because of that. Mr. Maddon, have some dignity and self-respect as the authority figure and coach of a pro ball team, and while you're at it, try maintaining a coiffure befitting a man of your age.

2.) Not to rail on Joe Maddon, but is it just me, or is his purse-lipped, bespectacled face simply the most punchable face in the history of the MLB?

3.) I'm not trying to be a baby-- after all we won game 1-- but, that cowbell bullshit is damn near a violation of the rules, in my opinion. How about next year, it's the Phillies "thing" for all 50,000 fans in attendance to bring in air horns and blast them all game? Have some cajones as fans and use your voice (you know, "boo") to psyche out the other team. That or tell them their Mom is banging Squeak. (Bonus points for anyone who replies with what movie that's from in the comments section.)

Okay. That's enough. After all, I don't have too much more to complain about, given the fact that we took game one, and we're well on our way to winning the championship. Posting on sports probably won't be a habit, but if we win this thing, expect at least one more, so I can simply tell all the Mets fans out there to eat a fat one. That is, before their team buys out Cole Hamels next season and he lays us out all year...

But as for now, I'm focused on this year. Go Phils...