Holy Ghost Revival - Christmas Everyday



"All alone, on my own"

So it's holiday week and posts will be sporadic at best until Monday. I've got to tell you, though, before I jump into today's band, that if you're in the UK and have a chance to go up to the northeast coast, go to the small fishing town of Whitby. Stunning, especially for a coastal boy like me. Now, moving on to today's post. Holy Ghost Revival, another band from the Seattle area, have been unfairly maligned by pretty much every music magazine that I've read. Not all of the stuff on their album is great, for sure, but they have a very interesting glam-infused sound that I find quite refreshing, actually. Christmas Everyday, the first single off of their just released album, Bleeding Light, sounds uncannily like early Sparks, which is no small feat. I, for one, love it.... no matter what all those critics say.

Holy Ghost Revival - Christmas Everyday (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

OTL - FIRST RESULTS SHOW ON THE LOT

I really want to like this show.

It was sort of exciting. There are people to root for. There are people to root against. There is heartbreak when it goes wrong and joy when it goes right.

There were some very good films.

There was one good line. (Something like, "It was a terrible concept, badly executed.")


But...

a) The hostess is terribly irritating. Her script is worse.

b) The format is terrribly derivative. (That's not a spelling error.) Any decent filmmaker knows that if you want respect with a sequel, you've got to work hard to innovate. OTL's a poor imitation of Idol & Apprentice.

c) Oh, and it spawns repetitive criticism, like the use of terribly in every paragraph here. As well as a chorus of similar remarks all over the boards.


d) The "voting" system is suspect and biased. There were all kinds of problems with online voting last night. And clearly the Europeans were at a big disadvantage. Someone who is good at campaigning for votes may do much better than someone who concentrates on making films.

e) The judges are not articulate, or passionate enough about their likes and dislikes. Worse, they have similar opinions. If three people say the same thing, more or less, just one is all you need. Controversy would be electric.

f) The biggest disagreement was between Carrie and herself (about Getta Rhoom). She completely reversed her opinion. The judges should pre-screen the films they are going to comment on, so they have a chance to think about what they are going to say. A movie isn't a live performance, it's a movie. So why not screen it and study it before you say something.

g) The most interesting thing that was supposed to happen was the challenge setup for next week's film. Nothing. The setup is the carryover from this show and the promo for the next show.


So here are my suggestions for the show:

a) Get a new hostess or give her much more rehearsal and direction so she improves.

b) Give the structure a big change, and put more effort into improving the script, so it has a personality distinct from Idol or Apprentice.

c) Strengthen the quality of the judging -- set up more confict between the judges and more detailed and stronger criticism and praise. (Also, when they point out film terms --eg "rack focus" -- explain it with a moment from the film. -- The hostess should be able to do that!)

d) Show more scenes from the making of the movies.

e) Make sure people can vote and that the voting is fair and balanced.

f) Devote a segment at the end of the Results Show to the setup for the next week's filmmaking challenge.

The Actual Tigers - Standing By



"I'll be standing by, I'll be standing by"

From my own Seattle, in the land that I am actually kind of missing while I'm away here in the UK, come The Actual Tigers, with their very summery brand of folk music. Now, don't instantly faint and die when you hear the words "folk music" (as I usually do), because this track is extremely catchy and fits perfectly with what I usually post on here. It's from an album released all the way back in 2001, but I recently acquired it (through where... I don't know, but probably from another blog somewhere) and fell in love with it. Add that to the fact that the sun finally came out today in Birmingham and it seems the perfect song to post.

The Actual Tigers - Standing By (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

OTL - THE 24-HOUR SHORT FILMS

Here are some comments and reviews from my response to the 24 hour films On The LOT (OTL):

Overall, I found that my judgement of the films was mostly formed by the extent to which I felt the basic story worked.

(Filmmakers in bold italics are among the 18 finalists.)

Out of Time 1 GOOD

http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=2&vd=19
Jeff Seibenick, Trevor James, Marty Martin
Drama -- Kind of a mystery.

I don't get the story. I saw it twice. It's not a coherent story. The music doesn't completely match as a whole throughout the video. Color, style & story continuity don't match from scene to scene.


Vinny's Vault GOOD

http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=2&vd=20
Kenny Luby, Jess Brillheart, Hannah Sink
Mob story -- Something's been taken

Story is real jumpy. Not completely coherent. The look is boring. Could use music. The narration doesn't add enough.


Time Out EXCELLENT -- BEST FILM

http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=2&vd=21
Zach Lipovsky, Sam Friedlander, Adam Stein
Sci-fi/drama/FX -- A confict makes time stand still.

Great! Coherent story. Nicely shot. The special effects work perfectly.


Sponsored By GOOD

http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=2&vd=22
Kai Soremekun, Daniel Tenkman, Will Bigham
Drama -- Suicide prevention

OK story. The bat bit doesn't work too well. The ideas of realizing the log line "Out Of Time" by "raising the stakes" with a suicide prevention is a little bit film-school-exercise-ish.


Call Waiting QUITE GOOD

http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=2&vd=23
Opie Cooper, David May, Justin Lutsky
Comedy -- A broad comedy short about hiring the cable guy who knows nothing.

Funny. Makes sense. Looks good. Some split screen adds a bit of interest.


Organized Crime GOOD

http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=2&vd=24
Mateen Kemet, Shira-Lee Shalit, Gil Krueger
Drama - Nefarious transaction

A coherent, but not quite credible story. The first scene is badly lit. The script uses "out of time" explictly, which is kind of exercise-ish. It tries too hard to tell a high-stakes story with a dramatic ending, but doesn't quite make it.


Wilted QUITE GOOD. THE FIRST SCENE IS EXCELLENT

http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=2&vd=25
Jarrett Conaway, Jason Epperson, Tamila D Amico

HORROR LIGHT - He is coming for you.

The script has good and bad moments. The first scene starts out great and looks great. The film kind of goes a bit downhill from there, and some of the acting is a bit off. The music works.


Reverse OK

http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=2&vd=26
Phil Hawkins, Hillary Skarl, Shanna Baca
Drama - Murder mystery

I don't really get this story. At first it seems contrived, then just confused. The "flashback" scenes are interesting. The rest doesn't work so well. Another badly lit indoor scene. Continuity? There's a girl on the train tracks, then a train goes over the tracks. Where's the girl?


Random Acts Of Kindness QUITE GOOD

http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=2&vd=27
Brent McCorkel, Hilary Graham, Carolina Zorilla De San Martin
Comedy - A woman is determined to be kind

This is cute. It is simply photographed and directed. The narration carries the burden of making the story a bit more complex. I liked the other entries in the woman's notebook. The ending is a bit forced, and her behavior at the end is too simplistic and unnatural.


Ding OK

http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=2&vd=28
Tamika Miller, Randy Slavin, X Dean Lim
Drama - Gambling problem

This doesn't really make sense. The first scene is too explicly "out of time" though it starts OK. The scene with the other gambler and with the woman are unconvincing.


Smile QUITE GOOD

http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=2&vd=29
Phil Allocco, Shalini Kantayya, Jeff Speed
Drama/Romance/Horror - A photographer discovers a beautiful modelSimple. Spooky. It works.


Out Of Time 2 QUITE GOOD

http://www.thelot.com/episodes/?ep=2&vd=30
James Breese, Claudia La Bianca, Andrew Hunt
Drama/Romance - Can he save the relationship?Carries a lot of story in 2 min.

The only film with this tone. Unfortunately, while the main character's story makes sense, the behavior of the other characters does not. Well shot and edited. Good music.

You'll have to wait until Tuesday for the start of this week's posts. Try to contain your disappointment. :)

CAFFEINE

Caffeine is a very pleasant little film. It is full of quirks and odd characters, interesting insights and gentle humor.

It all takes place in one day in one cafe in London, so we're not talking superheros saving the earth, here; but, rather, quick tales of love and work, desire, styles of living, and ways of telling other people how they should live.

The acting is very good, with many familiar faces, including Mena Suvari,
and Katherine Heigl. Marsha Thomason, the lead, is excellent.

The Golden Compass Trailer

This isn't a movie blog, but the mother of all trilogies begins this December and I have to share the trailer with you, because if this is done right, it could end up being my favorite movie ever. The books are just so amazing. So far it's looking good...

Dragonette - Black Limousine



"Got the time for a little bit of luxury"

I'm going to post a track from Dragonette's upcoming debut album, which I am convinced is too good to actually be successful. I'm hoping the UK or the States or somewhere will prove me wrong on this. So far, though, with the flop that was I Get Around, the UK doesn't seem to be showing much interest. As you listen to Black Limousine, remember that this is a late album track, not a single. Yet, it's catchier and more enjoyable than 90% of the pop on the market right now. The album, Galore, isn't out until early July, but it's full of pop music the way that pop music should be: overblown, daring, and incredibly charismatic. Embrace it, folks.

Dragonette - Black Limousine (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Preorder the album here)

STUDIO 60

Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip returns tonight after several months spring break, for what may be the last few episodes before it ends.

Rumor has it that it's been cancelled. I don't know if this was because of mediocre ratings, creative problems, cost, problems between the network and the creators, the creators own problems and desires, network desperation (seeking to turn NBC all around), or if this is simply an untrue rumor.

(Some guesses on the cause of the cancellation include the fact that it was expensive, that it is owned by another studio, that it has not found its audience -- in one season, vs Grey's Anatomy or CSI, of course not -- that ...etc)

However, 60 may be the most promising, intelligent, entertaining show on television, with the most potential of any show to develop into NBC's next "tentpole" megahit. Anything less than a Herculean effort to keep it on the air to develop that way, seems like a huge mistake on everybody's part.

(It is not a good sign that tonight's episode is called, "The Disaster Show!")

Let's get Amanda Peet to work on fixing this. I have confidence that she can set it right.

The Touch - Touch Me And Hold Me



"Got to get to know each other"

The Touch are an electronic/dance trio from Gothenburg, Sweden, and I actually don't know much more about them than that. They've got several tracks available for free download (see link below), but I've really fallen in love with Touch Me And Hold Me the most. It is very "techno," which can sometimes (and sometimes quite rightly) be a dirty word, but the squelching beat is undeniable, along with the simple, repetitive singing parts. Plus, it's got grunting! When was the last time you heard a song with random grunts thrown in? It's really quite enjoyable.

The Touch - Touch Me And Hold Me (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Download more for free here)

Goose - Bring It On



"You know I commit"

Off to Belgium today for the band indie pop band Goose. Their sound is very electronic, even though they're a "proper band" with instuments and such, if that makes any sense. Bring It On is the new single from their debut album and I could see it making plenty of waves on indie dancefloors all across the world. It's the aggressive, dominant synths on this track that really set it apart, although the band's other singles are equally as good. It's rare that a band out of Belgium gain much attention outside of their home country, but these guys seem to be generating buzz around the internet with each single they release.

Goose - Bring It On (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

OTL - THE PITCH -- A NEW PARLOR GAME

The first On The Lot (OTL) was a good show! As many people predicted, it follows the template of other competition shows and, among other things, spends more airtime showing the bad tries than celebrating the good ones.
Still, there is no doubt from the judging they showed, that this is a tough competition to pick a versatile and skilled filmmaker. Indeed, almost without warning (though they might have guessed something like this would be thrown at them), the contestants immediately faced two difficult, grueling tasks -- the first, to create overnight, and then deliver, a pitch for a feature film; the second to create, in twenty four hours, with a team of three competing directors (coopetition as a test), a 2 1/2 minute film. Anyone who can do these two tasks well is already proven to be extremely skilled.

The rest of the competition, making a dozen or so additional short films, one a week, that the public will like, is a severe test of filmmaking ability. Whatever mishaps the show's editors and producers may choose to show on TV, the contest itself is very, very real and a great test of directing expertise, agility and versatility.

Meanwhile, the Pitch Game could replace charades and other improvs as a parlor game.

Here's the non-competitive version: Sitting in a circle, one person throws out a log line (that's the theme or basic idea). The next person tells the first scene in a sentence or two. Each person in turn then adds a scene. The tenth person (or -- coming full circle-- the first person, if there are around 10 people in the group), then wraps up the movie pitch with a great ending.

The competitive version of the Pitch Game has a bunch of log lines thrown into a hat. Each person takes a random log line and has about 20 min to make a story for a movie out of it. They deliver the pitch to the group. Each person in the group votes with points for story, beginning, ending, characters, confidence, and overall impression. At the end, each person's score is added up to create a winner. With 20 minutes instead of all night to create the story, this is even harder than the OTL version, except you are not pitching to Garry Marshall, Brett Ratner and Princess Leia, you are not pitching for your future, and you don't have to stay up all night worrying.

THELOT.COM MAKEOVER

On the eve of the premiere, the website for On The Lot (OTL) has gotten a substantial makeover, with new features and a new home page. Happily, the old features have not been deleted and filmmakers and audience can (still) upload films and photos and communicate on boards and blogs.

Even before the show premieres, and while most of the world is watching the Idol finale, traffic OTL has multiplied five-fold from a usual web audience of about 11,000 to 56,131 as I'm writing this.

In addition to a casting section with headshots and resumes for actors which was added a few days ago, and the staples, which have been on the site from the beginning -- logs, boards, film uploads, photo uploads, private site e-mail, friends lists, and Hollywood film news -- some new features OTL are:

• a video creation tool from Verizon;
• a video challenge (coming soon) -- make films each week along with the contestants on the show -- also from Verizon;
• a section describing VCast downloads of show clips to your Verizon phone;
• something about "Film Critics Needed," which is not explained;
• and clips from the runup to the show.
  

0 - 0 - 0

I'm not on the show, but I do have...

My Own Film OTL:

FRAGILE (Sonnet 65) with Intro:
http://films.thelot.com/films/25479

NYT: T-SHIRT WISDOM FROM CANNES

In a dispatch from Cannes, AO Scott in The New York Times (Monday, May 21) describes a T-shirt which quotes Pierre Rissient, a French "Man Of Cinema" (that's the title of a documentary about Rissient being shown in Cannes) --

"It is not enough to like a film. You must like it for the right reasons."



This is advice that would be well applied by those who are going to vote on films in the contest On The Lot!

On The Lot (OTL) opens tonight. (See below for more stories about OTL). The OTL web site, by the way, should begin to see a huge increase in traffic as the show develops. It can be a great place for film networking.

My Own Film OTL:
FRAGILE (Sonnet 65) with Intro:
http://films.thelot.com/films/25479

Boogaloo Stu - Just Want You To Know



"You'll find you always bring me sunshine"

I can't take the credit for this one. Arjan Writes recently posted this track from the amazing Boogaloo Stu. Stu is a dj, entertainer, writer, dancer, cartoonist... secret agent as well, probably. Basically, he does everything, adding his over-the-top fashion persona to it all. His debut album, The Glambassador, was released last year and his new one's due this summer. Just Want You To Know, which sounds much more like Goldfrapp than you' think it would, is the lead single from that album, and it's an amazing slice of laidback glam pop. You get the sense from his ridiculous promo pictures and silly name that this guy's music would be far from credible. But, this track could (and should) easily be a hit in today's market.

Boogaloo Stu - Just Want You To Know (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

The Chemical Brothers (ft. Ali Love) - Do It Again



"Got a brain like bubblegum"

I'm not one for posting many songs by established bands like the Chemical Brothers, and my appreciation of straight up dance (or techno, or house, or whatever you want to call it) is sporadic at best, but the first time I heard this track I was instantly hooked. It's very simple, minimalist and repetitive, but the hook is so freaking catchy. I don't know all that much about Ali Love, but his vocals are perfect on this song. Parts of it actually sound a lot like early Scissor Sisters (pre debut album). Knowing me, I probably won't like the actual album this comes off of, but I don't see how this song won't be a massive hit, at least in the clubs.

The Chemical Brothers (ft. Ali Love) - Do It Again (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Preorder the album here)

Rufus Wainwright - Release The Stars

Release Date: May 15, 2007

Label: Geffen

I have to admit that I’ve never quite grasped Wainwright’s unique appeal before, even though I’ve always appreciated what he’s done in the past. Luckily, with Release The Stars, he’s crafted an album that manages to be more succinct and accessible without abandoning the over-the-top theatrics that makes him so charmingly unique.

Release The Stars is a pointed work. A superb example of this focus is the scathing first single, Going To A Town, which lampoons the current state of America through a gorgeous, melancholy melody. It’s understated for Wainwright, yet constructed with such simplicity that its message is powerfully unforgettable. To my ears, it’s the pinnacle of his career so far. Elsewhere, Wainwright and producing partner Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys lace the music (which is the usual theatrical cabaret pop you’d expect) with trumpets, harps, strings, and even electric guitars on Between My Legs, which is Wainwright’s first real rocker, a genre he proves surprising adept at handling. Slideshow, meanwhile, builds up slowly to a hissy fit of a chorus, leading into the playful Tulsa. Even the more straightforward moments (Nobody’s Off The Hook and Rules And Regulations, one of the album’s catchiest moments) have their own unique charms. In fact, even if the record loses a bit of momentum heading into the go-for-broke closing title track, there really isn’t much to find fault with here.

Those who have not yet succumb to Wainwright’s charms may want to give this a listen. It’s not his most challenging work, nor is it probably going to turn out to be his career defining album, but it is easily his most accessible and an accomplished record in its own right. A-

Key Tracks: Going To A Town, Between My Legs, Do I Disappoint You?

Maroon 5 - It Won’t Be Soon Before Long

Release Date: May 22nd, 2007

Label: A&M/Octone Records

With their second release, Maroon 5 promised us a harder edged, 80’s influenced affair. Other than a few bursts towards the end, this promise is broken about five tracks into It Won’t Be Soon Before Long. In addition to that dire album title, it’s really a shame that the rest of the record doesn’t reflect the three-four opening tracks, which all pulse with an edgy energy that lifts the band to an entirely different level.

Lead single Makes Me Wonder is the best example of the new disco sound, a pitch perfect summer pop song that has quickly become a deserved success. If I Never See Your Face Again, which opens the album, is the other standout, a whirlwind of electro, soul and funk. Little Of Your Time completes the trio of opening smashes with its tripped out, sped up chorus and stabbing guitar. The trouble rears its head around track five, where the band begins to use their previous hit, She Will Be Loved, as a template. The problem is, She Will Be Loved was the only patchy moment on their otherwise flawless debut, a plodding, sub par boy band ballad that did Adam Levine’s potentially whiny voice no favors. Luckily, Won’t Go Home Without You, despite sounding a lot like the Police, is nowhere near as annoying as that, but it does kick off a disturbing trend of middle-of-the-road pop that dominates the remainder of the album. Other than the wispy Goodnight, Goodnight and the funk rock workout Kiwi, there’s nothing else that grabs you quite like their debut did.

Really, It Won’t Be Soon Before Long is divided by extremes. The tracks that attempt to push the band’s sound forward work remarkably well, but the ones that try to replicate older material come off sounding like lesser versions of better songs. We’ll just call it a transitional album, I suppose. But, it should have been a homerun. B-

Key Tracks: Makes Me Wonder, If I Never See Your Face Again, Little Of Your Time

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS

I avoided this film for a while because I thought it would be another sappy success story.

It is actually a fierce success story.

It describes how a man with no financial resources takes care of his son, and deals with massive personal and financial problems while competing with dozens of others for a position as an apprentice... er... make that junior, stock broker.

There is more than a passing resemblance between the real competition the character in the movie faces, and the reality show competitions that contestants in Burnettesque shows face on television.

One reason the movie succeeds is the brilliant (Oscar nominated) performance by Will Smith. He is always on screen and always interesting. His son in the movie, played by Smith's own son, Jaden Smith, makes an excellent screen debut, and they work together with genuine chemistry.

Since the movie is about a father-son relationship, I found it rather strange that the end titles described the career of the father who was the inspiration for the movie, but not what happened to the son. Was he ??? A little strolling through the Internet, however, provides some answers.

By the way, watching The Pursuit Of Happyness would probably not be a bad way to help filmmakers prepare psychologically for the challenges they will find On The Lot (OTL), a Burnett reality show starting Tuesday.

HIFF - FAY GRIM

I really liked Fay Grim. A lot. It is funny, interesting, exciting, different.

(It was shown as a surprise, unanounced, secret, backroom preview at the Hampton's International Film Festival (HIFF), and was the bast thing I saw there this year.)



Parker Posey has done a lot of great work in both indie and commercial films, but for me this is the best and biggest thing she's done.

The film is quite quirky. It changes tone midway through the film, something I loved but some distributor-types seem to be concerned about. The director, Hal Hartley, has a "reputation". It does need some brilliant marketing to sell it. "Small" films that deserve a breakout release always do. There was a nice interview with Parker Posey in the NY Times (5/6/2007) , and the Times review by Stephen Holden on Friday (5/18/2007) was very well written, but 'twas lacking that extra spark of terrific enthusiasm the film needs (from some champion) to electrify its release.

Currently the film is showing only in select theaters; it was also simultaneously premiered on HDNet, and is scheduled for DVD release on May 22. (That's not quite "day and date"... but rather, sort of a new "day and date and week" theatrical/HDTV/DVD release schedule.)

The release pattern is part of the innovative strategy of Mark Cuban, and his new film/video projects. He was quite persuasive on Sunday Morning Shootout with Peter Bart and Peter Guber about his plans. Still, this film deserves even more (much more!) attention from the general public than it has gotten so far.

I challenge its distribution/marketing team to find a way to bring it the audience it deserves, and I urge those interested in something a little bit different to check out this movie in the theater, some repeat showing on HDNet, or on DVD.

Great film! Fun!

24 LOOSE ENDS

With 24 coming to its 2 hour season finale (8/7c Monday on Fox), it is surprising how many loose ends there are this year.

Loose ends can be tied up, left dangling, dragged to the edge of a cliff hanger, ignored, or twisted into some unrecognizable form... all methods 24 has used in the past. Several ends left dangling last year, like who was the voice on the telephone to the President, got picked up again this year. (It was Jack's brother.) Here are some of the threads that need to be resolved in the next two hours... or not.

What is going to happen to the President (currently comatose), or the Vice President (under a serious cloud)?

Who is responsible for the assassination attempt?

Who are the really bad guys? -- So far this season there has been a competition between (rogue) Russians, (rogue or government) Chinese, Jack's family, Arab terrorists, and some American opportunists to see who is most evil, and really behind this conspiracy.

Is the acting head of CTU good or bad? All the other people in CTU? What about those romances in various stages of disintegration? How is the ex-head of CTU taking his firing (by his wife)?

Why is Jack so interested in his sister-in-law? (She led him into an almost deadly trap, although she was somewhat, sort-of pressured.)

How bad is Jack's father? Why? (Or with some twist will he turn out to be really a good guy, at least till next season?)

What happened to all the civilians who were exposed to radiation in the course of various catastrophes during the last 22 hours?

What's with Jack's girl friend? Her father?

Will the Russians attack? Will the US attack?

Will Jack's daughter get kidnapped again? (This is not an active loose end, but it's always a possibility.)

Will Jack retrieve the chip that was in the Russian nuclear bomb? Why don't the American's want it? Why do the Russians really care? Is something more at stake?

Count'm up. If that doesn't add up to 24 loose ends, then that itself is a loose end.

The Tough Alliance - First Class Riot

"Something bright and pure, something that you've never felt before"

Looking back at the history of alienhits, I can't believe that I've never posted a track by Sweden's The Tough Alliance. Now is the perfect time to get around to it because the duo have released what is probably their finest single yet. First Class Riot opens with a punch of Adam & The Ants style percussion before sliding into some glorious harmonized verses. It's the most immediate and poppy single that the guy's have ever released, yet it still possesses the undeniably cool, laid-back feeling that made the duo so unique and special in the first place. This track is taken from The Tough Alliance's new album, A New Chance, which just came out this week in Sweden. If you like this track and no nothing else about TTA already, I highly recommend their older stuff as well, especially the massive single Koka Kola Veins (which just happens to be part of my playlist on emusic).

The Tough Alliance - First Class Riot (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

NYFF 2007

The Film Society of Lincoln Center (FSLC - pronounced FIZ'lc) has announced the selection committee for the 2007 New York Film Festival.

Joining Richard Pena, Chairman, Kent Jones, and Lisa Schwarzbaum (film critic at Entertainment Weekly), will be Scott Foundas (film editor and chief film critic at L. A. Weekly) and J Hoberman (senior film critic at The Village Voice, adjunct professor of cinema at Cooper Union, and visiting lecturer at Harvard University).

The 2007, 45th New York Film Festival will run from September 28, 2007 to Ocober 4. It will be held at the Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, instead of Alice Tully Hall, which is being renovated.

The NYFF Sidebar, held at the Walter Reade Theater, will honor Joaquim Pedro de Andrade, part of Brazil's Cinema Novo movement in the 50's & 60's.

Application forms, and complete rules, for submissions to the New York Film Festival are now available. The deadline for submissions is 5pm on July 13, 2007.

Some highlights of the rules are:

• Anyone may submit a film.
• The standard is very high (for example, last year "The Queen," and "Pan's Labyrinth" were among the films shown) .
• Films may be submitted either to the main festival or to Views From The Avant- Garde, but not both.
• Final version of the film must be in either 35 mm or HD Cam. If not in English, it must have English subtitles. (The version submitted with the application should best be on VHS or DVD, but there are other possibilities.)
• Opening and Closing Nights are North American Premieres; all other films are New York Premieres.

Starlight Mints - Inside Of Me



"I just want you to see what's inside of me"

They all look very serious in that picture, don't they? It'll surprise you, then, that the song I'm posting today is so jaunty. My friend recently introduced me to Starlight Mints, which have a very Of Montreal-esque sound. The album that this track is from is a bit more experimental than the poppy Inside Of Me suggests, but as you all know, I love a bit of pop... so you're getting the catchiest track here. Starlight Mints' music has been described as psychedelic bubblegum, which seems to be a genre that has gained traction within indie circles in the States recently. Not all of it is good, and the actual albums can be pretty patchy, but some of the stuff, such as this single, really stands out. Special kudos go to the opening of this track, which crashes in immediately with a great guitar riff.

Starlight Mints - Inside Of Me (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

Could The Ark be Successful in the UK After All?



Here's the deal, folks. After the official Eurovision album went onsale at UK itunes, several of the songs have been on the top 100 downloaded singles. Drag act Verka Serduchka appears to be quite successful and will feature in the official singles chart next week, but I am more concerned (as always) with The Ark.

As of now, the band's single The Worrying Kind sits at number 84 on itunes, and is the only song out of the eight Eurovision entries on the chart to actually increase in the past day (up 3 spaces from 87). Now, if momentum for this actually grows, TWK could potentially become a grass-roots hit. So you know what this means..... all you official UK residents, go out and buy the track (make sure it's the version off of the Eurovision cd, which is the same thing as the album version anyway).

And, if for some reason you still don't know who The Ark are (shame on you!), here's a bit of proof as to why they deserve to rule the world.

New Young Pony Club - The Bomb



"Don't speak 'cause your mind is amazing"

New Young Pony Club is one of the more interesting groups coming out of the UK right now. Tahita Bulmer, the lead singer, has become a sort of new rave pin-up and their single Ice Cream has become somewhat of an electropop anthem. I particularly like them because of their emphasis on otherworldly fashion and their willingness to do something that's a bit different in the pop world. Their debut album, Fantastic Playroom, is due out next month and should be in perfect time for the summer. The Bomb, a newer track, is just as catchy as Ice Cream, though it hasn't seen as much success. Let's change that, folks.

New Young Pony Club - The Bomb (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Preorder the album here)

OTL - VOLARE - TAMELA D'AMICO

On The Lot, the new reality show for film directors (see our earlier posts listed below), has just announced the 50 semi-finalists (first name only).

Dedicated trackers on the OTL site have identified several of these (first name only) directors and paired them with the films they posted on the site. One of these is Tamela D'Amico (In addition to her home-page, she has an OTL profile.)

She posted on the OTL site a trailer for her prizewinning short film, Volare. There were some 12,000 films submitted in competition. (There are many more on the site.) Hers is listed as #80, suggesting that at least some of the selecting was done really early on in the submission window. Her film was uploaded on Oct 10, 2006; and as of right now (2007-05-16 03:42 AM EST) has been viewed 126,199 times.

The 3 minute film clip looks beautiful, seems interesting, and suggests the short film itself (which is 30 minutes long) is well written, well acted and well directed.

SOME POSTS IN QPORIT ABOUT ON THE LOT (OTL):

Casting Actors On The Lot

On The Lot -- More Details

Film Networking in NY with OTL & QFW

On The Lot

Dreamworks, Burnett, Fox, Filmmakers

My Own Film OTL:

FRAGILE (Sonnet 65) with Intro:
http://films.thelot.com/films/25479

NOBU

We visited Nobu on Mother's Day, the first time I've been there in quite a while. The quality at Nobu, over the years, has varied... between excellent and sensational. This last visit it was terrific. ("Terrific" is nearly the top spot).

We chose dishes off the menu, rather than choosing the omikase (chef's choice). The oysters were spectacular, some Nobu-special sashimi dishes were fantastic, rock shrimp were great. Everything else was at least excellent. The saki was just right. The service was perfect. The atmosphere was very pleasant and comfortable.

Sometimes in the past (particularly before Nobu Next Door and Nobu 57th), it was impossible to get reservations unless you speed-dialed exactly a month before. This time we called for a table at 6 and got one for 7:15. The restaurant was pretty much full or almost full till quite late, but they probably could have managed a few more people during the evening.

There were quite a few families with children. No celebrities there that I recognized...( on past visits Nobu was usually good for name-dropping a couple of big ones... OK... here's a sample... about 10 years ago, when my mother-in-law was leaving the restaurant, Leo DiCaprio helped her down the outside steps.).

It was a thoroughly enjoyable meal, and a perfect way to celebrate Mother's Day.

Sneaky Sound System - UFO



"I saw a UFO but nobody believes me"

Australia seems to have a knack for churning out great sunny summertime pop music. The trio of Sneaky Sound System definitely continue this trend. SSS hails from Sydney and records very pop-influenced dance music. UFO, their newest (and best) single, is a throbbing piece of electropop a la Dragonette or September. It is uncanny in its pure catchiness and will grab you from the very first listen. It seems like a song like this could be really successful internationally (especially in the UK), but as we saw with Rogue Traders and September, dance music doesn't always fare so well outside its homeland. This track is a complete 180 from Luke Toms yesterday, but I am confident that you'll all love it. How can you not?

Sneaky Sound System - UFO (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar, with husband Freddie Prinze, Jr.
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"Suburban girl" New York Premiere

Vanessa Branch

Vanessa Branch
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"Suburban girl" New York Premiere
Vanessa Plays the Role of Faye Faulkner
A British Actress, model, and Page Three girl. She is also known as the Orbit Gum Spokesmodel
In addition she playes in all 3 "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies.

Luke Toms - Crazy

"Everybody tells me that I'm too young to know the foxtrot, how to waltz, or even tango"

About halfway between Mika and Rufus Wainwright, with a definite Steve Harley influence, Luke Toms joins the glam rock revival with a more subdued, quirky presentation. He's already released an EP and single, the amazing Bowie-esque ballad Peace By Myself. Crazy is that single's b-side, and falls somewhere between Cockney Rebel and Queen in sound. It's an irreverent little jaunt for sure, but one that transports you back to a different side of the 70's than most of the revivalists these days. Plus, remember that this is a b-side, even though it sounds like a potential hit. I think that alone shows the talent that we're dealing with here. Toms' record isn't out until early July, but I'll tip him right now as one to watch. If he gets it right he could become absolutely massive. And, judging from the hilariously theatrical chorus here, I think he'll do quite alright.

Luke Toms - Crazy (mp3) (zshare)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the EP and single here)

Ebon Moss-Bachrach

Ebon Moss-Bachrach
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"Suburban girl" New York Premiere
Ebon plays the role of Sarha Michelle Gellar's brother

James Naughton

James Naughton (Actor)
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"Suburban girl" New York Premiere

Marc Klein

Marc Klein Writer-Director
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"Suburban girl" New York Premiere

Deborah Del Prete Gigi Pritzker

Deborah Del Prete and Gigi Pritzker
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"Suburban girl" New York Premiere

Marin Ireland

Marin Ireland
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"Suburban girl" New York Premiere

Tommy Lister

Tommy Lister (Tiny)
6Th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"The Grand" World Premiere

The Grand

The Grand

Mathias Kiwanuka

The Grand

The Grand

Dennis Farina

Dennis Farina
6Th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"The Grand" World Premiere

Rachel Harris wearing Nanette Lapour

Rachel Harris wearing Nanette Lapour
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"The Grand" World Premiere

MUSIC & LYRICS

Spielberg, famously, in Jaws, declined to show the shark until well into the picture, after its reputation had been well established.

Marc Lawrence, the director of Music & Lyrics, makes the mistake of starting his film with a music video of the main character's hit song from the 80's. It looks more like a parody than a hit song. But then, later, as the movie develops, it turns out that we should really have realized what a great song it was.

That, along with a few other missteps, brings down what could have been quite a sharp romantic comedy, to the level of a pleasant diversion.

Marc Lawrence's script is really quite good. But the actors, Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore don’t seem to quite match up with their characters. It takes more than a Brandeis sweater to give Drew Barrymore's portrayal of Sophie Fisher some real ethnic depth. ... And unless you like Hugh Grant's mugging shtick, his character grows tiresome.

To make this a really fine movie, you also need to sell the music. We never quite recover from the dissing of the main character's song at the beginning, and neither Hugh Grant nor Drew Barrymore are great singers. They're not bad, but I wouldn’t want to hear Simon Cowell's review. This is a movie about great music, but we don't feel we are with great music.

Haley Bennett, as a teen rock star, makes her first feature film appearance and does well.

All in all, since I liked a lot of the script, I was disappointed that the film did not break out to be as good as it could have been. Still, there's nothing seriously wrong with the film and it makes for a pleasant, romantic evening at the local TV couch.

Bob Guccione

Bob Guccione
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"The Grand" World Premiere

Jeff Bowler and K.D. Aubert

Jeff Bowler and K.D. Aubert
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"The Grand" World Premiere

Well, I thought that Europe had taste, but apparently that is abundantly untrue. I guess that's what you get for putting a proper band into a competition that is clearly not about the music.

Tony Hawk

Tony Hawk lhotse Merriam

Tony Hawk Merriam lhotse
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"The Grand" World Premiere

K. D. Aubert

K.D.Aubert (Actress)
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"The Grand" World Premiere

Woody Harrelson

Woody Harrelson
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"The Grand" World Premiere

Andrea Savage

Andrea Savage
6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival
"The Grand" World Premiere