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If you told me I would enjoy a chilled-out acoustic cover of The Beastie Boys’ classic “Fight For Right” I would have thought you wnt off your meds. But oddly enough, that’s exactly what this is, and it actually kind of works. Instead of a shout of protest it’s more of an intense whisper of dissent. Or it’s just a really mellow version of a protest song. You take your pick.
You can find more information about singer Andrew Paul Woodworth at his MySpace page.
A new trailer for Iron Man is out. When the movie was first announced I had very little interest, expecting something like The Fantastic Four. But I have to say, the more of this I see the better it looks. Robert Downey Jr looks like a great choice to play Tony Stark, and the effects look great, without being over the top. I’m starting to really look forward to May 2nd.
Mike Myers has a new movie coming out this summer. It’s called The Love Guru and the basic premise is this: Myers plays an American who as a baby was left at an Indian asram. He grows up to become India’s second-greatest love guru. The Toronto Maple Leafs hire him to help their star player reconcile with his wife so he will play better. Wackiness ensues.
The trailer came out today. I post it not because it blew me away, but rather because it made me question why I ever found Mike Myers funny. The trailer makes this movie look like Austin Powers in India. Same jokes, same Mike Myers physical gags, and even Mini Me. The whole thing just looks tired. Check it out below and let me know if you agree or if I’m just getting grumpy in my old age.
If you’re still interested The Love Guru hits theaters June 20th.
Details have leaked about another character in The Dark Knight. British actress Sarah Jayne Dunn is on board to play Harley Quinn, a psychotic clown who just happens to be The Joker’s girlfriend.
IMDB lists Dunn in the cast for the movie, but doesn’t give a character name. Her online resume is a different story however. It clearly lists her as Harley Quinn. There’s no word on whether Harley will get a substantial role or serve only as a henchwoman for The Joker.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Harley Quinn, here’s a brief introduction:
BTW, Kevin Smith likes Harley Quinn so much he named his daughter after her. So that makes her cool in my book.
The Dark Knight is due to hit theaters July 18th.
Kevin Smith is hard at work shooting his latest film Zack And Miri Make A Porno, starring Seth Rogan and Elizabeth Banks. Apparently feeling inspired by Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman’s recent videos, Smith unleashed this homage today. In it Elizabeth Banks admits that she is, much to her chagrin, f***ing Seth Rogan. Hilarious.
Warning: This isn’t censored. At all.
I actually watched Kimmel last night post-Oscars, and this had me almost in tears from laughing. Hilarious. See if you can spot all the celebrity cameos:
Well Juno didn’t win Best Picture, and Ellen Page didn’t win Best Actress, but they’re both still cooler than liquid nitrogen in the freezer. Here’s a clip of Page and co-star Michael Cera extemporaneously writing a song about director Jason Reitman:
via my new favorite blog Analogue
The Oscars are over, and I just wanted to offer a few thoughts.
Is there anything I missed? Have something to get off your chest? Go ahead and leave a comment.
The Felice Brothers sound like they just got here from the past. So much so that if you close your eyes you might think it’s 1965 and you’re listening to Bob Dylan with his new backing band, The Hawks. It’s not 1965 however, and it’s not Dylan and The Hawks, or The Band that came from it. It’s the Felice Brothers, a group of real brothers (plus a friend) from just outside Woodstock, NY, the town that served as a home-away-from-home for Dylan and The Band. Their music is rooted in the same sense of Americana as The Band. As a matter of fact, The Felice Brothers could be the world’s best Band cover band, if only their original songs weren’t so damn good.
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This is why Jonathan Coulton is the Godfather of Geek Rock. JoCo took the stage at the Game Developer Conference to do a short set. To close the set he brought up a couple of friends and PLAYED HIS OWN SONG IN ROCK BAND. Turns out his song “Still Alive”, which was featured in the game Portal, is going to be a downloadable extra for Rock Band. Check out the video below:
Great job Jonathan. Though next time try to get better than 95% on the vocals… 
While doing the press tour for The Bourne Ultimatum Matt Damon was fairly adamant about it being the last chapter in the Bourne series. It appears something has changed his mind, because Variety is reporting that both Damon and director Paul Greengrass are on board for the fourth installment.
This is the sort of news that needs a poll!
Loading ...Personally, if it was any other series I would be skeptical about the quality of a fourth movie (because wasn’t the fourth Star Trek the one where they tried to save the whales?), but the Bournes have actually gotten better as they’ve gone along. So I’m pretty jacked about this.
I had high hopes going into Be Kind Rewind, and it managed to exceed them across the board. I expected it to be funny. It was exceptionally funny. I expected it to be quirky. It was fantastically quirky. I expected it to be original. It was exceedingly so. What more could you ask for?
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YouTube user SweetAfton23, the ukulele player that we’ve featured covering Britney’s “Toxic” and Jonathon Coulton’s “Tom Cruise Crazy”, has posted an original song called “My Hope”. It’s very much in the vein of JoCo’s material (meaning it’s funny), and it very much kicks ass. Watch it below, then go leave a comment for her on YouTube.
The reports on Where the Wild Things Are are starting to get weird. CHUD is reporting that Warner Brothers execs may be pushing to re-shoot THE ENTIRE MOVIE. Apparently the film is plagued with technical problems, script issues, problems with the lead actor, and, in the studio’s eyes, the entire tone is wrong. No official comment from either Spike Jonze or Warner Brothers yet, but it sounds like things are not all right in the kingdom of the monsters.
A day after we found out that Ryan Reynolds will play Deadpool in the upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine we find out that Wolvie is going to have another buddy in the film. Friday Night Lights star Taylor Kitch will play Cajun mutant Gambit in the film. For those who are unaware, Gambit has the ability to charge inanimate objects with kinetic energy. Usually this means he throws things at people really hard, and they explode. Typically playing cards. Oh, and he hits people with a stick.
In addition to Deadpool, Gambit, and The Blob, Super Hero Hype also says that Liev Schrieber will be in the film as Wolverine’s nemesis Sabretooth. And Lynn Collins will play Silver Fox, Wolverine’s lover and fellow “graduate” of the Weapon X program.
Anyone else worried that they’re trying to fit too many folks into this movie?
Spike Jonze has responded to the questions surrounding the clip from Where the Wild Things Are that bubbled up to the surface of the internets over the weekend. SlashFilm has the full quote, but basically it was a very early test they did so the visual effects department would have something to work with. Basically nothing in the clip is how it will be in the final movie. So there we go. All that fuss for nothing.
In case you haven’t heard, Hugh Jackman is reprising his role from the earlier X-Men movies in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the first of what are planned to be several X-Men spinoffs. The movie, which is set to hit theaters next year, is just starting production. Details are starting to come out about who else will be in the movie, and the latest is very interesting.
Ain’t it Cool News is reporting that Ryan Reynolds, the guy who played Van Wilder to perfection, is going to play mercenary and anti-hero Deadpool. This won’t be Reynolds’ first chance to deal with comic fanboys, as he starred in 2004’s Blade: Trinity. Despite that role, I really see him as more of a comic actor than an action star, but it seems that early fanboy reactions are positive.
In addition to Deadpool, Film School Rejects reports that morbidly obese villain The Blob will make an appearance.
I couldn’t care less about The Blob, and I stopped reading comics around the time Deadpool was introduced, so anyone want to tell me why this is good (or bad) news? Anyone? Any of my readers happen to know anything about Deadpool?
Is there something in the air in Canada that makes people see the world a little differently? That’s the only explanation for Nova Scotia’s Tom Fun Orchestra. They portray themselves as a band of bluegrass-gypsies fulfilling the musical aspirations of the mythical Tom Fun, a hard-scrabble orphan whose brothel upbringing instilled an appreciation of musical excess. Got all that?
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This video is circulating the internets purporting to be a clip from the upcoming Spike Jonze adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. It certainly has some elements that look authentic. The monster in particular. But the voices don’t seem like their fully mixed, and the voice acting is sub par. So is this the real deal? Is it some sort of screen test? Or is it an elaborate fake? One thing’s for sure, if this is legitimate in any way, this movie’s going to be off the hook.
Take a look, and be sure to tell me what you think in the comments. For what it’s worth, Ain’t It Cool News thinks it’s real.
In other news, the film has been pushed back to a 2009 release, apparently because there is a lot left to do.
I’ve run across a few different things from The New Pornographers over the last few days, so I figured I’d consolidate them into one post.
First up is the video for “Myriad Harbour” off of last year’s Challengers. Not my favorite track on the album (though I seem to be alone in this…), but the video is pretty cool.
A couple of videos of the band performing live after the jump
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Get ready Lucas Fans and Lucas Haters, a new chapter to the Star Wars saga is coming to a theater near you this summer. Better start lining up now because on August 15th the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars will bring back all your favorite characters and fill in the gaps between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. The movie will serve as an intro to a tv series that will air on TNT and the Cartoon Network this fall.
Check out the promo that LucasFilms has put together for it:
USA Today has the full details. So what do you think? Is this all a shameless ploy by Lucas to withdraw more cash from the Lite Brite ATM in Vader’s chest, or a serious artistic attempt to tell more of the story? Or both? Me? I’m going with A.
The first trailer for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull came out today. I have to say, even though I was against this movie from the beginning, the trailer looks pretty good. Lots of the swashbuckling action and dry wit that made the first three so much fun. Can’t wait for May 22nd to get here.
Ah, Valentines Day. The day that greeting card companies, florists, chocolatiers love. Well, I’m not a fan. And not just because I’m a bitter single person. I feel like it’s all a little contrived. Shouldn’t we show love and appreciation for our significant others every day? Anyway, my hatred of Valentines Day aside, it does inspire some good covers. So on with the show:
Images from Be My Anti-Valentine, and the Josh Ritter cover is part of You Ain’t No Picasso’s ongoing list of “Tonight You Belong to Me”. Go check it out.
Many people only know Howard the Duck from the cheesy 80’s movie. That’s a shame because Howard has his origins in in the comics, where he was a wise-assed, cigar-smoking, pantsless satire of Donald Duck, trained in the deadly art of Quak Fu. This is the incarnation that Steve Gerber had in mind when he created Howard in 1973.
Gerber died Sunday in a Las Vegas hospital after a long battle with lung disease. Gerber created Howard while working at Marvel Comics, and despite several rocky stretches with the company, worked on Howard for more than a decade. He wasn’t a big fan of the movie though, though that’s hardly a surprise, since I’m not sure anyone over the age of 12 actually liked the movie. I was the object of scorn and ridicule for suggesting it for a movie night in college.
Gerber’s friend Mark Evanier wrote an excellent eulogy.
Via BoingBoing
The red band trailer for the Apatow/Rogan machine’s Pineapple Express leaked today, and I have to say it looks AWESOME. But don’t believe me, watch for yourself:
Pineapple Express is due to hit theaters in August of this year.
My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over. These words were spoken by President Gerald Ford on his inauguration day, but they are just as applicable today. For today marks the beginning of the end of reruns, reality tv, and crappy game shows. It marks what President Harding called a “return to normalcy”. It marks a countdown to quality entertainment. For today, this day, this glorious day, marks the end of the WGA strike.
Ok, enough reveling. Let’s get down to business. We’re all wondering when our favorite shows are going to be back. TVGuide breaks it all down for us. Hooray Lost!
Indie darling Feist performed her infectious hit “1,2,3,4″ live on the Grammys last night. It’s a good, relatively subdued version of the song, featuring what seems to be a modified dixieland jazz band.
BTW, since she’s been on the Grammys now, can we still call her indie? Regardless, here’s the video:
Sorry for the slight delay posting this. I’m in San Fran for business and got invited to party with Joe Montana, Steve Young, contortionists and Oompa Loompas so I had to take the opportunity. For full details kick me an email…
Have you ever heard of a band that lists Kurt Vonnegut and Twin Peaks as some of their major influences? Well you have now, as Sunday Music Spotlight presents The Motion Sick, not just another band out of Boston. With lyrics ranging from old Nintendo cheats to musings on the murder of 18th century French revolutionaries the band certainly knows how to blend high and low art. But as you’ll see in songs like “30 Days” they’re also able to pump out a catchy tune. This package makes them a band truly on the rise.
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File under “BOOOOOOOOO”….
Apparently the fact that Will Arnett does commercials for GM means he can’t be the voice of the new Mustang-powered KITT. Arnett bowed out of the role citing a conflict of interest. So who replaces him? Iceman himself, Val Kilmer. I’m sure Kilmer will do a very professional job as KITT, but I was really looking forward to what the former Gob Bluth could bring.
This bad news of course comes on the heels of the news that an Arrested Development movie is in the works.
Here’s a fun little experiment. Just go to Google and type in “find Chuck Norris” and hit “I Feel Lucky”. What you get is a chilling reminder of the power the bearded one holds…
For some reason I’m drawn to covers of glossy, over-produced pop songs. I like hearing the songs’ potential revealed as layers are stripped away. This is why I keep coming back to covers of Britney Spears’ “Toxic”. The song has a great melody, but all the shit piled on top of it make the glossy pop poster girl’s version unlistenable. Not so for this version by French/Isreali singer Yael Naïm.
Naim’s version a bazillion times better than Britney’s, but who would win a cat fight? Naim was in the Isreali Defence Force. Britney’s completely bat shit crazy. So I don’t know. But I know I’d pay to see it…
Is it just me, or is late night TV actually funnier without the writers? If you haven’t heard about the latest late night feud let me catch you up. Conan and Stephen Colbert both take responsibility for Mike Huckabee’s popularity in the Republican primaries, and neither is happy with the other taking credit. This has led to verbal sparring matches between the two. Then Jon Stewart got involved, claiming that he is responsible for Conan’s whole career, and therefore he is truly responsible for Huckabee’s success. Last night this all boiled over, with segments on all three shows. But the one from Conan is the definitive battle, with Stewart and Colbert crashing the show for a rumble. All I can say is “Boy, that escalated quickly… I mean, that really got out of hand fast.”
The Apatow machine is cranked up again and ready to spit out its next hit. Forgetting Sarah Marshall stars Apatow cronie Jason Segal (you may remember him as Seth Rogan’s smooth-talking friend in Knocked Up) as a man trying to get over a bad breakup by getting away to an island resort. Only when he gets there his ex-girlfriend (hottie Kristen Bell) is there. With her new boyfriend. And wackiness ensues!
Golden Boy Apatow isn’t behind the camera or script for this film, but he is a producer. Segal actually wrote the screenplay, and first-timer Nicholas Stoller is directing.
Check out the red band trailer:
Forgetting Sarah Marshall comes out April 18th.
Vampire Weekend is not “Rock ‘n Roll”. The guys are clean cut, well dressed, Ivy League educated, and come from affluent backgrounds. Not exactly the portrait of a rock stars. Their music isn’t exactly rock ‘n roll either. It’s kind of a poppy punky afro ska. Got that?
The guys that make up Vampire Weekend met while they were attending Columbia University. Once they got together they started making music that sounds like The Clash and The Kinks went to the Hamptons and listened to Paul Simon’s Graceland.
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From time to time a TV show comes along that breaks boundaries, gains critical accolades and a devoted fan base, and still fails to get good ratings. This was the case with Fox’s Arrested Development. The show’s ratings were never good, though one could argue that part of the reason was the network’s decision to move it to about 14 different time slots in its three seasons. Despite the ratings, critics absolutely loved it, as did the few people who actually watched it. Its fans were disappointed when Fox pulled the plug in the middle of the third season, sinking so low as to run the last four episodes in one block, opposite the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Winter Olympics.
But buck up fans, for there is news of hope. Executive producer Ron Howard and stars Jason Bateman and Jeffery Tambor have reportedly said that a movie is in the works. Once the writers strike is over creator Michael Hurwitz will apparently start work on a script. Hooray!
I think I’m going to watch a couple of episodes now in celebration…
Before we get to the video, let’s go over a few things. First of all, Sarah Silverman has been dating talk show host Jimmy Kimmel for over five years. Second, Kimmel has a long-running “fued” with Damon, where he asks him to appear on the show, then runs out of time before Damon gets any airtime. So, with that in mind, here’s Silverman’s clip from Kimmel’s show:
There’s a story that Paul McCartney went to see Jimi Hendrix play in London days after Sgt. Pepper came out, and was floored to hear him cover the title song. Word has it he was extremely impressed. Something tells me he wouldn’t have been quite as impressed at this version of the song, released the following year, 1968, by none other than Bill Cosby:
Bill Cosby - Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
This little gem comes from Dr. Huxtable’s album Bill Cosby Sings Hooray for the Salvation Army Band!, which was actually the second album he sang on, which surprises me, since I had no idea he sang. It’s not quite Shatneresque, but it’s close. Great job Bill.
So what brings this up? It seems The Cos is busy in the recording studio again. Only this time it’s not covering the world’s biggest rock band. No, this time it seems Bill wants to take on something a little more hardcore. This time he’s rapping.
For the love of god, won’t someone think of the children?
