Best title for a movie ever?

I was in Blockbuster tonight, and I had to stop when I saw this selection: Killer Drag Queens on Dope

The best part was that the way the cover read, it said, "Killer Drag Queens… (On Dope)" As if being a killer drag queen wasn't enough! :-)

The 79th Oscars in Review

So, I stayed up to watch the glam fest that is the Oscars. My friend Chris sent me his thoughts, which I will use as a jumping off point for some of my own.

Best Moment:
Chris: Jennifer Hudson and Beyoncé tearing it up.
Ben: Don't forget about the musical number by Will Ferrell, Jack Black and John C. Reilly. Jennifer and Beyonce's songs were nice, but were you really listening to them 'tear it up,' or watching Jennifer Hudson lose her dress. (later retouched by some photo editors)

Best Speeches:
Chris: (1) Jennifer Hudson, (1a) Forrest Wittaker
Ben: Ari Sandel for Live Action Short. Perfect speech, because no one knew anything about this movie or this guy. Now I want to see it and he got it all done quickly and professionally. Perhaps you do better speeches when you have to work hardest to earn them.

Who got screwed:
Chris: Dreamgirls: too many Dreamgirls songs nominated, too many votes spread around, Melissa Etheridge winning, wtf?
Ben: I agree about too many Dreamgirls songs. Probably split the vote. I actually liked the Cars song the best. The person who got screwed the most however were the Babel nominees in Best Supporting actress. They were amazing and perhaps split their votes as well. It's a shame that all of them were in the same year.

Chris: Glad to see pan's labyrinth picking several awards. I loved that movie. I need to see the german film (title escapes me now). I heard great reviews and interviews on NPR.
Ben: Don't know, don't care too much about that. I will say that it was nice to see a more international set of nominees outside the foreign film category.

Chris: Ellen sucks. Every bit of screen time was painful.
Ben: Totally disagree. After watching the Grammy's I wonder why there needs to be a host at all, but I thought Ellen was fun and Dee loved her. Perhaps it was me responding to Dee's laughter, but I found everything she did to be true to herself, and fun.

Chris: What's with Jack Nicholson's dome impersonating Britney?
Ben: I was thinking it was more like Brando in Apocolypse Now. Although, Britney was apparently on everyone's mind last night.

Chris: Hollywood loves Al Gore.
Ben: Al Gore loves Hollywood.

Chris: Chris Connelly should never ever ever be put in front a camera with a microphone. Good grief.
Ben: I agree, and wonder why was he even necessary. "How's your scorecard at home?" Big surprises tonight. Well, apparently we're all betting on this stuff now.

Chris: They got best actress and actor right on. Whose biography will win next year?
Ben: They did get it right on. I'm thinking Peter O'Toole's biography.

Chris: Are Scorsese's eyebrows for real?
Ben: Are these real? Some questions, you just don't ask.

Chris: I didn't think "marty" would get both director and best picture. My guess was one or the other. I never heard him speak before. I think that was Woody Allen in a mask.
Ben: Departed wasn't Best Picture. Best Director? That's fine. I had my money on Little Miss Sunshine or Babel for Best Picture. Little Miss Sunshine wasn't winning once it won Best Original Screenplay - still very appropriate and cool.

Chris: 4 freaking hours? Come on. Throw out dancers, that's what the Tony's are for.
Ben: Absolutely too long. I'd say cut the host and the seemingly endless montage tributes to American film whose significance I still don't understand (although "The Nominees" was nice). I thought the dancers were great, but the subjects were all over. Snakes on a Plane? Why was that part of this thing?

Chris: I liked the iphone commercial. June can't come soon enough.
Ben: See here.

(Photos courtesy of IMDb.)

9/11 Remembered

I could not think of a better day to bring back this video.

When I was in school, editing the film, I didn't realize that it would transport me back to the feelings of that day, and the ones to follow, with such emotion.

Once again, let's remember those who fell that day, and those who are still with us and still need us.

Do not see the World Trade Center movie!

It would be very easy to say that that Oliver Stone's film World Trade Center is nothing more than an attempt to play on people's nationalism and grief in order to make a lot of money.

It would be easy to say this film is an obvious attempt for an Oscar-minded producer/director to play the sympathy card at next years Oscars. (If you're a member of the academy it will be like voting against the No Child Left Behind Act: "Oh, you didn't vote for the World Trade Center movie for Best Film? You must be a terrorist or French or something!")

But, I've thought about it and these are not the reasons that I will not see this film boycott this film.

I remember the events of 9/11/2001 well. It has be almost six years since that day, and I don't find my recollection of the events or my emotions to be fading.

I don't need a movie to be made for me to remember what happened that day. I don't need a movie to be made about two men, when there were thousands of other stories that day that are just as important. I don't need a movie to be made for me to remember the heroes and survivors and victims of that day.

So, Mr. Stone, instead of giving you $10, or some other ridiculous sum, to see your pathetic attempt to mimic a day that lives far more vividly in my own mind's eye... I will donate that money to help build the memorial where every story will be remembered.

I invite you to join me in agreeing to NOT see this movie, sign this petition and donate the money you would have put towards the movie to the World Trade Center memorial fund.

As an aside, if you want to see what some really committed citizens/designers/minds can do around the subject of the World Trade Center, go check out Project Rebirth.

Are Macs for drop outs?

I just saw an ad for the new movie by Justin Long, a.k.a. the "Mac" in the new Apple ad campaign. The movie is called Accepted and chronicles the events surrounding a high school senior, played by Long, as he fakes not only his acceptance into college, but the colege itself.

So, my first question is: do we need another "college is just an amazing party" movie?

The bigger question is: what does Apple think about this? The hero of their newest ad campaign, the guy who they use to personify their personal computer, is not only faking his way into college, but lying about being a college student altogether! Hmmm.

Did he use Pages to create the fake letter of admission? Did he edit the whole experience in iMovie and burn it to a DVD with iDVD for nation-wide distribution? Is this the kind of movie that Apple wants coming out close to back-to-school with high expectations surrounding computer sales for new colllege students?

OR is this only the worries of an overly-obsessed Mac geek, and no one else really cares about this stuff? Probably the latter. In fact it's probably even better press for Apple, as proven by the fact that I wrote about it at least.

UPDATE: So, after actually watching the trailer... I've noted a few things.


Justin' Long's character actually is using a Mac when he fakes his acceptance letter, but he is using Microsoft Word and an HP scanner. Proof of concept for the "Macs can do that too" ad and the "works well with other technologies" ad.

Plus the movie has the ultra-edgy moral that "all it takes is a committed group of people, dedicated to learning to make education happen... not an institution filled with traditions and schedules and credits." Nice commentary, poor premise for a movie about hazing, wet-t-shirt parties and celebrating the nerds and losers from high school.

No. 78

So, here's my running commentary on this year's Oscars. I'm sure you all will be riveted by my insight.

:: John Stewart... excellent choice as emcee.

:: Return to glamour? There's a theme for this shit?

:: Why is it that every male/female team that wins has the man speaking first? Hey, they just cut off that woman's 1/2 second of fame by cutting the mic, because that fat guy talked too long. Disgraceful.

:: Charlize Theron has just returned from 1988. Seriously, how big can that bow get?... but I'd still unwrap her.
Close you eyes half way... pucker up your lips, and say... "I like your sleeves." "Thanks I made them myself."

:: Some one please help that old woman. She can't read it. SHE CAN'T READ IT! Make the fuckin' headlines bigger. Oh god, she's dying.

:: That man stepped on Sandra Bullock's dress!

:: Hey what a surprise? The academy would like us to go to the theatres more. Hey what a surprise?! Too bad no one is listening, or cares if all of these millionaires have a few less bucks in their pockets. Instead of criticizing the DVD and new distribution media, why don't you figure out a way to allow it to help.

:: Selma Hayeck... damn!

:: Selma Hayeck... hot damn!

:: The Oscars are the new Super Bowl for advertising apparently. GM and HSBC have launched new campaigns, new tags. "Only GM" doesn't tell me much. In a time when people are worried about gas mileage and safety, do I really believe there is only GM? Do I really believe that GM is the leader in cars, trucks and SUVs, when they have just made some very public and very big layoffs?

:: HSBC's campaign seems nice. (Public disclosure: they are a client.) It's honest. I don't know if it is ground breaking or tells me much about HSBC as a bank, but at least it isn't presumptuous or tactless.

:: Plugs... this guy just gave plugs for his book and play and he just got an honorary Oscar. Should you really need to plug your work when you get an honorary Oscar. Well, I guess if you never got one for a single piece of work... seriously, this guy seems pretty cool I guess.

:: Joaquin Phoenix should be our Secretary of State. Seriously, who would fuck with us if we had his glare sitting across the table from another ambassador.

:: Nice work American Express!.

:: It's hard out here for a cuss. Apparently someone at ABC didn't like one of the ones said, although I thought "bitch" was supposed to make it through. Rap meets prostitutes miming and jazz dancing. What the hell was that? Hip hop just jumped the shark.

:: And the just won the mutha fuckin' Oscar. Thank you Jesus! Oh, another cuss. Funny that the worst part of that pretty good movie just won an Oscar.

:: Jennifer Garner... damn, damn.

:: In memoriam... when they have to include your title, you're lucky to be in the montage. "Adventures in Babysitting?" I can make it in Hollywood I guess!

:: Do women really need a new, pink! energy drink? Finally, women can feel good about an energy drink.

:: Hilary Swank... uh huh.

:: Can you go wrong by thanking your mom?

:: M&M's - nice :-)

:: Glamour ads should not have tag lines.

:: ABC is convinced that they can make every American cry for an hour every night, or they'll die trying. Miracle workers. My tear duct need a refill, please.

:: "Okay here we go." Did anyone else here the show's producer's voice slip over Jon Travolta's presentation?

:: Reese. Is it hard to go through life with an Oscar and your own peanut butter cup?

:: That guy just snuck a kiss from Charlize Theron. Lucky bastard!

:: I still really like that Diet Coke roller skating commercial. And I don't necessarily want to like it, but I have come to terms with the fact that I just plain like it.

:: Crash! That woman's boobies almost popped out she's so excited! That's a ripped producer woman.

:: You can't cut off someone's speech that just won Best Picture!

:: And finally I'd like to thank Dee, for allowing me to say all those things about the hot actresses of the evening without leaving me. Love you!