FRED Entertainment

December 31, 2009

Ken P. D. Snyde-Cast #128: Trust Us That It’s Happy New Year

Filed under: Ken P.D. Snydecast — Tags: , , , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 8:27 pm

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Adult Swim’s Dana Snyder and FRED’s Ken Plume set out to have a literate conversation between two pals, but inevitably devolve into a verbal, and funny, free-for-all full of bickering, infighting, and the special kind of male bonding that comes from conflict expressed through the podcast medium.

Actor/comedian/raconteur Dana Snyder, you’re certainly aware, is Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s Master Shake, Squidbillies‘ Granny, Minoriteam’s Dr. Wang, and The Venture Bros.‘ Alchemist. Available for weddings and bar mitzvahs (bat availability pending), you can keep tabs on him via his website, www.eyeofthesnyder.com.

Ken Plume is the editor-in-chief here at FRED. He is a friend of Dana’s, as well as his arch-nemesis.

VISIT THE SNYDECAST EXPERIENCE

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KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #128: Trust Us That It’s Happy New Year – Ken & Dana return with their year-end wrap-up, wherein much bitterness and recrimination is wiped away, to be replaced by all new bitterness and recrimination. Huzzah!

[CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Episode #128 (MP3 format)

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December 28, 2009

Party Favors: French Fried

Filed under: Interviews,Joe Corey's Party Favors — Tags: , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 4:07 am

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PARIS – When you want to escape to the Riviera without spending the vacation time, you can always catch a foreign film that captures the sea, sun and fun. The Girl From Monaco transports us to the principality nestled along the French coastline.

Fabrice Luchini plays a Parisian lawyer who heads to the coast to defend a client accused of killing a Russian mobster. He gets distracted from the courthouse drama by a local weather girl (Louise Bourgoin). Can he get his mind back on the homicide? Or has he gone on vacation?

The film is now out on DVD from Magnolia Home Entertainment. Director Anne Fontaine was willing to answer a few questions via email. Fontaine had been an actress in French cinema during the ’80s before stepping behind the camera as a writer-director. She also recently wrote and directed critically praised Coco Before Chanel.

Party Favors: What was it like to direct Fabrice Luchini? Where there any references you used for him to understand the mindset of his character?

Fontaine: I’ve known Fabrice Luchini for 25 years or so. We’ve been close friends all that time, and also worked together: I helped him to stage a monologue performance based on Louis-Ferdinand Céline. We toured the show here and there, including Monaco… The character of Betrand shares a number of traits with real-life Fabrice. So he had no problem understanding the part. His issues had more to do with the fear of exposing too much of himself. He was concerned with self-caricature, or self-indulgence.

Party Favors: What made you realize that Louise Bourgoin was the right temptress for the part?

Fontaine: I met with dozens of actresses, most of them more experienced than Louise… She combines several qualities, that are usually not going together: she is beautiful yet funny, sexy yet chic, versatile yet recognizable… It’s her ability to feature such diversity that makes her attractive.

Party Favors: Is her style in forecasting the weather popular in the region?

Fontaine: No, that’s completely fictitious. And, unlike in the US, France has no local TV stations worth the name.

Party Favors: What did you do to make sure the film didn’t become a sex farce?

Fontaine: I tried and led the actors to understand, support and care for their characters. I believe that when a relationship is genuine and “caring” between the actor and the part, the risk of being superficial (or “farcical”) is greatly reduced.

Party Favors: What made you want to keep the score minimal?

Fontaine: I don’t think it’s that minimal ( 20 minutes or so), but it’s restricted to the last third of the film. I wanted it to signal a change of tone, and a new shade in the story, as in “we’ve been mostly light and carefree until now, but there’s trouble ahead…”.

Party Favors: Is there a term for people who arrive on the Mediterranean coast and forget themselves like “going native”?

Fontaine: Not that I know of… the other way round (people from the provinces “going Parisian”) is more frequent, actually!

Party Favors: Do you ever look at a promotional still of yourself on the set with the actors and ponder if you should have cast yourself in a role?

Fontaine: I’ve been an actress a long time ago. Neither very successful, nor very good…And today, I feel much too busy on the set to think of myself in any other capacity. I’ve done a couple of cameos, not that long ago, for other directors. That’s fine. But I wouldn’t be comfortable casting myself!

Party Favors: How long did you scout locations?

Fontaine: The scouting proper was not very long ( two weeks, or so). But I’ve been to Monaco (which is tiny, anyway) a number of times, so I knew the area quite well.

Party Favors: Is it more expensive to shoot in Monaco versus Paris?

Fontaine: By and large, it’s comparable to the posh areas in Paris.

Party Favors: What did you learn from making “The Girl from Monaco” that you used in Coco Before Chanel?

Fontaine: Hard to tell specifically… I would only say that, in my opinion, unlearning is as crucial as learning.

Party Favors: Do French women actually not care if their husbands have mistresses or is that a myth spread by American husbands wanting to use your culture as a “good example” of why their wives shouldn’t attack them with golf clubs?

Fontaine: I’m not sure general rules really apply to these matters.

MICK IS STONED AGAIN?

With Ron Wood completely falling apart, seems the Rolling Stones are ready to cut him loose. Who could replace him without the Stones being reduced to a trio with backing musicians making another obvious cash grab tour?

Our dubious connection that watched an episode of Knights of Prosperity says Mick Taylor is coming back after splitting 35 years ago.

The Stones have had their spies lurking at Taylor’s club gigs scouting to see if he could be cleaned up and physically handle a World stadium tour. They understand the buzz of this reunion could help make this more than the usual “see the Stones before they finally retire” buzz.

The Mick Taylor era is when the Stones earned their title as the greatest live band ever. The man brought the voodoo chords to “Brown Sugar” and “Midnight Rambler.” Just dig up the King Biscuit Flower Hour recordings of their ’73 European tour and feel the power.

The ultimate plan for the tour is to have Bill Wyman rejoin them for a massive Wembley Stadium special. It’s a ’69 Stones reunion. One unnamed promoter declared that the TV rights would net as much as a Mike Tyson title fight.

Nothing is solid, but with the amount of cash and attention that could be gained from such a move, Jagger and Richards aren’t in their usual “we don’t want to look back” attitude. This will also patch up their public black eye from the recent articles about how the Stones screwed Mick Taylor out of his royalties.

The back up player if Mick Taylor can’t handle it: Eric Clapton. They don’t want to have to pay out Clapton cash. After Clapton the rumored guitarist will be a recent graduate of the School of Rock as part of an internship deal.

MORE AWARDS

Bob Crane Father of the Year Award goes to Tiger Woods. For months it seemed like Jon Gosselin had locked this title up. But in a historic post-Thanksgiving run, the golfing great came out of nowhere to inhale all the bad will generated by Jon upon his dumping a wife and 8 kids for a slew of skanks. On a fateful night Tiger went from the most boring superstar this side of Roger Federer to a meltdown masterpiece worthy of John Daly emotional trainwrecks. Turns out the father of two and husband of a hot Swedish wife was messing around with party girls, porn stars and a Perkins waitress. And loving it bareback with most of them. The best “denial” came from a porn star who claimed she wasn’t one of his mistresses since they’d only screwed during Tiger’s bachelor party. I bet there was rejoicing at this good news at Tiger’s house. For flaunting his family while banging a cellphone full of skanks, Tiger Woods is a Bob Crane kinda guy.

Break Thru Actress is Eva Amurri. After years of toiling in minor roles, she took over the camera on this season of Californication as the college student by day and stripper by night. Sure she was fourth on Hank Moody’s totem pole of lovers, but she had the most upward possibilities. Her ability to turn up the sass and tease should lead to her playing a few amazing ex-wives in her career.

Comeback Kid also goes to a Californication guest star: Rick Springfield. There are a lot of fans of “Jesse’s Girl” that had their eyes burned by seeing Rick in a devil’s three-way with Evan Handler. And it wasn’t any simple sex scene – Rick is pouring wax on her back while singing his hits.

Nice Vagina Award goes to Billy Bush. I’m disgusted at Billy Bush being disgusted at everything he reports on his show. If you don’t like the filth, get out of the sty and let another news piggy wallow in the “truth.”

Olympian to Watch: Katie Uhlaender has me skeleton crazy for the 2010 games. Why isn’t there a couples skeleton? The most exciting time you can have with a partner lying on top of you that doesn’t involve sponsorship from Trojan Condoms or Zippy Lube.

MY TLC SHOW

BLU-RAY HEAVEN

10 Things I Hate About You: 10th Anniversary Edition reminds us that Heath Ledger was always a cinematic stud. The film is a high school version of The Taming of the Shrew that holds up a decade later. Joseph Gordon-Levitt ((500) Days of Summer) wants to hook up with Larisa Oleynik. The problem is she can’t date until her sister (Julia Stiles) also has a boyfriend. She’s not as sweets as her sister thus it looks like this day will never come. A solution comes in the shape of bad boy Heath Ledger being hired to woo Stiles. Can she resist his Aussie charms? The trio of Ledger, Stiles and Gordon-Levitt elevates this film above the average Shakespeare adaptation. The Blu-ray image brings out the elements that made Ledger a star. He did glow. The bonus features include deleted scenes and a fresh documentary that includes Ledger’s screen test. This is much more engrossing than your dull English teacher walking you through the text.

All About Steve brings us back to Sandra Bullock’s creative focus on playing ugly characters that transform. In this case she’s emotionally ugly as a stalker. And not just any type of stalker, but one that is obsessed with a local TV news cameraman played by Bradley Cooper (The Hangover). Thomas Haden Church (Wings) is the reporter that isn’t getting Sandra’s groupie love. How can this be? The film is more goofy than witty. This isn’t a great comic follow up to The Hangover for Cooper. But it’s a dopey lazy Sunday afternoon Blu-ray for when Tiger Woods wants to unwind with his latest Las Vegas conquest. The high definition transfer makes me wonder how many man can resist Sandra no matter how insane she might be. The audio commentary includes all of the stars. A gag reel, deleted scenes and other bonus features are secondary to Cooper and Ken Jeong’s duet. These two ought to get their own lounge act in Vegas. There’s also a digital copy of the film so you can watch stalker Sandra while waiting in the airport.

DVD SHELF

The Clint Eastwood Collection gives us the four films that made Clint a cinematic cowboy icon. A Fistful of Dollars was his first spaghetti western with Sergio Leone in the director’s chair. The film remakes Yojimbo with Clint playing two rival gangsters for fools. This wasn’t like the usual horse opera. Eastwood drops his persona from Rawhide to become an amazing bad ass under the hat. For A Few Dollars More is a second dose of Sergio and Clint. He’s now a bounty hunter teaming up with Lee Van Cleef to go after a big time outlaw. Klaus Kinski is one of the baddies. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is an epic of the spaghetti western genre. Clint’s The Good, Lee is The Bad and Eli Wallach is The Ugly. The DVD in this collection is the 179 minute cut from the 2005 special edition. Hang ‘Em High was Clint bringing his Italian cowboy action back to Hollywood. He’s a survivor of a lynching who wants to bring them to rope justice. Director Ted Post did the Saturday morning cult fave Ark II. Clint’s Sergio Leone trilogy and first major Hollywood is an essential part of any DVD collection.

The Mickey Rourke Collection brings us back to the time when Mickey was a good looking guy whose face didn’t resemble a rump roast with eyeballs. The four films have star turns with the man whose career became dominated by boxing and little dogs in his pockets. “Pope of Greenwich Village launched Mickey and Eric Roberts as a dynamic duo. They’re hustlers working angles except one of them loses their thumb. A Prayer for the Dying teams him with Bob Hoskins for an IRA bomber tale. Desperate Hours is a hostage taking film that involves Anthony Hopkins. It was another of Michael Cimino’s comebacks. Harley Davidson & The Marlboro Man is brilliant cheese with Don Johnson as the breaded cowboy biker. Mickey is the leather clad Harley. It’s kinda like a movie that Easy Rider‘s Billy and Captain America would have made if they wanted to remake Cobra. It’s one of the Action Trash Masterpieces during the Planet Hollywood Era. For newcomers eager to see the latest Iron Man villain, The Mickey Rourke Collection is a low budget peak to his origins.

United States of Tara: The First Season brings together the talents of stripper/screenwriter Diablo Cody and theme park maven Steven Spielberg. The Showtime series is about a mother with dissociative identity disorder and a very understanding family. Toni Collette is amazing as she slips between being a drunken trucker, sassy teen and a ’50s TV mom. John Corbett (Northern Exposure is the husband forced to roll with the personality punches. Collette pulls off a difficult role without making it seem like a Jonathan Winters’ multiple personalities sketch. Sadly enough, the show is already dated since it seems to think MySpace is cool. How 2006. The boxset has all 12 episodes on 2 DVDs along with the season 3 first episode of The Tudors. The big bonus is an interview with Diablo Cody.

Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, A Valentine For You: Special Edition bring together three episodes of the cartoon series. This is a fun gift for any little kids you might feel obligating in introducing them to the holiday without it getting mushy. “A Valentine For You” reminds us that a person doesn’t need to be limited by who they can love. You can add others without chucking out the old. This is a good message to little kids who think there’s best friend rationing. “Un-Valentine’s Day” deals with Tigger being over-zealous in giving out heart shaped cards. Remember that you’re best giving out more candy to people you like instead of flooding them with cards. “My Hero” has piglet going airborne with his kite. He saves Tigger from drowning and discovers the burden of being a hero. The bonus game is called “Catch the Love Bug. “You click to catch the bug in a jar. Included in the DVD is 6 little Pooh themed Valentine’s Days cards to give to your special friends.

The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse: The Complete Series is the 1987 revival that had Ralph Bakshi (Cool World) and John Kricfalusi (Ren and Stimpy) in control of the rodent hero. While the series was intended for little kids on Saturday mornings, the humor leans a bit toward the attitude that now dominates Adult Swim. The 19 episodes poke fun at things like Rocky and Bullwinkle. When this originally aired, uptight parent groups swore there was a cocaine joke in the series. They include three original cartoons: “He Dood It Again,” “Gypsy Lifeand “Mysterious Package.” The best bonus feature is a 30 minute documentary about the show featuring all the key players discussing the revival. This is the perfect DVD set to blow a few gift cards on.

Becker: The Third Season gives us another 24 visits with America’s crankiest doctor. John Becker (Ted Danson) doesn’t cure with kindness. He gets extra testy in “Smoke ’em If You Got ‘Em.” He attempts to quit smoking and the charm level dips. “Dr. Angry Head” is the Christmas special that involves Becker screwing up his back at a department store. “The Princess Cruise” has him booked on a gay cruise. Because it is ordered by the FCC, Brian Posehn appears in “The Ugly Truth.” Star Trek fans will get their ears in a point on “The TorMentor.” Turns out Becker’s favorite professor at Harvard was Leonard Nimoy. “Small Wonder” gives us Regis Philbin as a homeless man. This was his nightmare when Kathie Lee split. The season finale “Trials and Defibrillations” has Marvin Kaplan, the voice of Choo Choo from Top Cat. He can handle Becker after 8 seasons of Vic Tayback’s food on Alice.

Kendra: The Complete First Season explores the union between Hugh Hefner’s ex-girlfriend and NFL receiver Eric Baskett. The couple’s beginnings are a bit hazy since they met well she was still one of Hef’s “active” girlfriends as seen on The Girls Next Door. But after she left the mansion, they made their love public. Even though she was considered the wildest of the three girls, she quickly became a one woman guy with Hank. The episodes here go from their engagement on the Space Needle to their wedding at the Playboy Mansion. There’s also a secret surprise as the bridal shower becomes a baby shower. Can a relationship survive being constantly filmed? And how long can Hank handle the flaming Jonny Makeup? He’s like the rollerskating guy on Reno 911. The show is educational when it comes to a party girl’s lessons in becoming semi-domestic.

Trailer Park: Dave Foley of THE STRIP

By Christopher Stipp

The Archives, Right Here

I was able to sit down for a couple of years and pump out a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight” right HERE for free.

Check out my new column, This Week In Trailers, at SlashFilm.com and follow me on TWITTER under the name: Stipp

sita-sings-the-blues-dvdSita Sings the Blues – Quick Review

Sooooo….this is awkward.

I want to start off by making clear my stance on this DVD is that you should buy it. Go right out and purchase it any which way you can.

My second point is that not only is this a movie the venerable Roger Ebert reviewed glowingly on his blog a year ago but you can go on the film’s website and watch it for free.

Like Roger, I didn’t really have a strong passion to sit down with this film and consume it immediately. I got to it when it got to it as I didn’t really know what this movie was about, I was intrigued by the idea that this an animated film in the 2D vein, and wasn’t at all familiar with the filmmaker, Nina Paley. As Paley states, this film “is a musical, animated personal interpretation of the Indian epic the Ramayana” which focuses on, “the relationship between Sita and Rama, who are gods incarnated as human beings, and even they can’t make their marriage work.” Avatar this isn’t but this movie is brilliant. Utterly brilliant.

With a humorous and fascinating tone, the movie lays out the mythology of a Hindu epic that millions of people know but might not make sense to us Westerners who might not be familiar with the faith of people who live half way across the globe. The brilliance is not only the animation which just pops and makes you believe that Pixar does not have a corner on the market of evocative storytelling through this medium but Paley embeds her own personal story on top of this larger one.

Paley inserts herself into this film as she draws comparisons to these gods who become man and wife, their marriage unable to be one that’s stable or cohesive. Her own marriage, in the real world, crumbles and she uses this movie as a way to work through her own issues. As well, we have a couple of irreverent narrators who help school us on the whole mythological business in a way that is downright hilarious and poignant, almost like being taught by two professors who can’t seem to agree on anything but possess a deep knowledge of the very subject we’re here to learn about,  and the end result is a movie that defies any kind of linear explanation but it is that very defiance that makes this a movie that I would positively put into my top 5 animated films of 2009. It’s a must see and I cannot express enough the notion you should at least watch a little bit online and, if so moved, purchase the DVD. You cannot go wrong.

Product Description:

NEW YORK, NY ““ When filmmaker Nina Paley couldn’t make her marriage work, she decided to use it as fodder for an ambitious project: a musical, animated and personal interpretation of the Indian epic, the Ramayana.  The highly acclaimed, award-winning result, SITA SINGS THE BLUES, tells two parallel stories: the ancient Hindu story of a god and goddess and Paley’s 21st century break-up, stunningly woven together utilizing flash animation, original watercolor paintings, rotoscoping techniques and imaginative musical interludes which link the narratives 3000 years apart.

In SITA SINGS THE BLUES, the Hindu goddess (and namesake of the film) is the leading lady of the Ramayana, a dutiful wife who follows her husband, Rama, on a 14 year exile, only to be kidnapped by an evil king from Sri Lanka .  Despite remaining faithful to her husband, Sita is forced to endure many trying tests.  Fast forward to modern times, where artist Nina (the filmmaker herself) discovers parallels in Sita’s life when her husband — in India on a work project — decides to break up their marriage and dump her via email.  With narration and hilarious commentary by a trio of Indonesian shadow puppets, both the ancient tragedy and modern comedy are married in this beautifully animated interpretation of the epic, which is also enlivened by grand musical numbers choreographed to a cross-cultural and eclectic mix of 1920’s jazz vocals from Annette Hanshaw and Indian fusion.

In SITA ““ Paley’s first feature length film and one amazingly created entirely from her home studio, using standard-issue computers and over-the-counter software — multiple narrative and visual styles (such as Mughal paintings and temple sculptures to comic books) have been juxtaposed to create a highly entertaining, yet moving, vision of the Ramayana which comes to lavish life with a cast of hundreds: flying monkeys, evil monsters, gods, goddesses, warriors, sages, and winged eyeballs.  Universally acclaimed and winner of over 30 awards from festivals the world over ““ including the prestigious Silver Bear from Berlin and the “Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You” Award at the Gotham Awards, SITA SINGS THE BLUES was also invited into the American Film Institute’s prestigious program, AFI PROJECT 20/20, designed to enhance cultural exchange and understanding, by bringing together filmmakers and their films from the US and abroad.

Whether encountering the Ramayana for the first time or revisiting a familiar cultural icon, home audiences will be fascinated, enthralled, entertained and moved by SITA, a tale of truth, justice and a woman’s cry for equal treatment that deftly earns its tagline as “The Greatest Break-Up Story Ever Told.”

DVD Extras: Director’s commentary and interview, the bonus Paley short film “Fetch!” and more

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS – Giveaway

inglourious-basterds-movie-poster-11With no hesitation or hyperbole I can state that Inglorious Basterds was in my top 5 films of 2009. This movie could have been released on DVD without so much as any promotion as it certainly doesn’t need my help in saying how utterly brilliant it was.

Christoph Waltz deserves much of the acting kudos this film receives, not that everyone else really brought their A game to a film that Quentin Tarantino obviously had a fun time creating, but the production values and script are brought together in a maelstrom of what could be said is 2009’s answer to what could be called Best Picture. My fluffery aside, I do have a few more copies of the movie to give away along with some metallic Basterds branded shot glasses and faux blood spattered baseball pens (which you can see here: http://twitpic.com/to9i9). I’ve got tons of these tchotchkes to give out so shoot me a line at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and let me know if you want to be entered to win.

Now, unless you’ve been living under a rock or have an aversion to movie theaters and pop culture here is the film’s description to see if you want to enter this contest:

Inglourious Basterds begins in German-occupied France, where Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema.

Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. Known to their enemy as “The Basterds,” Raine’s squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) on a mission to take down the leaders of The Third Reich. Fates converge under a cinema marquee, where Shosanna is poised to carry out a revenge plan of her own…

Criss Angel:  Mindfreak -Collectors Edition

mind1Ok, I am not going to posture and say that Angel is my favorite magician of all time.

In fact, I don’t have a favorite magician of all time and I realize that they themselves don’t want to be called magicians but that’s neither here nor there as I barely know who Criss Angel is. Besides the blown out hair, the chunky jewelry, the guyliner, and the Jersey sensibility to not want to don a shirt (seriously, what is in the water on the east coast that makes clothing such as a shirt repellent to these cats?) the guy is good. In fact, he’s one of the best up close-and-personal illusionists I’ve ever sat down and watched and, without question, this show sparks all kinds of curiosity out of my kids. They we’re glued to what Criss does on the camera, and as we plowed through well over a dozen discs in this set, they were just as fascinated with the first one as they were with the last one.

Tricks, sleight of hand, and visual oddities abound in this show that does make you scratch your head to think about how he is able to be in things that blow up, how he can pass through glass. There is obviously a very logical explanation to all of this but Criss, love him or hate him, makes it a great show to simply watch to be amazed. Much like Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige the trick is not so much the trick itself but the way in which it happens. Criss’ skill is how he covers up any way to figure out what he’s doing or how he’s doing it and, God love him, kept me guessing through every damn frustrating episode where I couldn’t figure it all out.

This set collects every episode that he’s done and should absolutely be seen as a present to yourself if you’re a fan of the series or, if you have the scratch, get it for that special someone in your life. While the seasons seem predicated on topping the one that came before it, you can see the level of spectacle get bigger and more engaging as the time wears on. Obviously, going from Season 1 to the present is the way to go here there is still the interesting activity of watching Criss evolve as an entertainer. That said, the one real grand extra that I found most delightful is the Inside the Mind of Criss Angel which is just a great documentary on the man himself which provides one of the better insights into the guy a lot of people know only from tabloid reports.

A product description:

The #1 Mystifier of all time presents the definitive 15-DVD Collector’s Edition set of the A&E hit series CRISS ANGEL MINDFREAK. Criss Angel’s unique art form pushes creative, physical and mental boundaries, earning him the reputation as one of the most innovative artists of his day and the Houdini of the 21st Century. Each mind-boggling episode in this 15-DVD set captures the creative master at work as he prepares for some of the most mind-blowing illusions, death defying escapes and astonishing physical feats ever attempted.

Whether he’s floating above the Luxor, escaping from a speeding truck filled with explosives, levitating ordinary people through their TV sets, walking on water or hanging by fish hooks through his flesh from a helicopter 1,000 feet above ground, Criss blurs the line between reality and illusion like no other artist in the world.

This astounding collection includes every breathtaking episode from Seasons 1-5, the Halloween Special and a bonus disc featuring 6 episodes never-before-released on DVD – all packaged in a stunning collectible gift case.

* Features all every episode from CRISS ANGEL: MINDFREAK® in collectable pop-up packaging.
* 15 DVD – Includes five episodes never before release on DVD, plus the Halloween special

Bonus features include: Six New-to-DVD Episodes; Episode Commentaries With Criss Angel; Interactive Illusions Through Your Television Screen; “Inside the Mind of Criss Angel” Interview; Criss Angel’s Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Own Illusions; Featurettes “Teach a Trick,” “Interviews,” “Practical Jokes,” “Criss Angel Special Gifts,” “Criss Uncensored,” “Criss’ Celebrity Guests”; Behind-the-Scenes Footage; Additional Scenes; Two “Best-Of” Episodes: “Uncut” and “Up Close”; Photo Gallery; Text Biography

Get Your MINDFREAK On!

American Pie Presents: The Book of Love – Giveaway

bookSo, I don’t know much about this film and won’t purport to know different so whether it’s a decent direct to DVD film or if it’s another tired entry into this series. But, I do know Eugene Levy is back again so that has to count for something, right?

I am giving away five (5) copies of the movie on DVD and all you have to do is shoot me a note at Christopher_Stipp@yahoo.com and let me know if you want to be entered into the contest to win one.

Film Description:

When three East Great Falls High buddies accidentally discover the legendary “Book of Love”, penned by some of their school’s alumni, they embark on a hilariously outrageous quest to lose their virginity with the girls of their dreams. Join Jim’s Dad (Eugene Levy) and this lovable and outrageous group of guys in this raucous comedy full of shocking and heartwarming fun!

“Utterly hilarious and outrageous!””“ Buzz McClain, Playboy.com

Dave Foley – Interview – Part 1

I have to give Kids in the Hall every bit of credit for pouring the foundation of my funny bone.

Thanks to its irreverence and wicked sensibility I found the bar for what’s possible with sketch comedy and filmed bits raised to heights that many who have come after them simply cannot match. While The Kids had an advantage of not having to be on every week like Saturday Night Live it still trumps a vast majority of what passes for funny nowadays.

While the show drove me to learn how navigate Internet newsgroups in the early 90’s just so I could geek out with like-minded nerds on a daily basis I can say that the show still holds a special place in the pantheon of great shows as judged by me. Dave Foley went on to become one of the most successful Kids when he landed on Newsradio shortly after Kids in the Hall stopped as he would stay there for the next five seasons, earning him critical kudos for his turn as Dave Nelson. A markedly different Foley, compared to the roles he performed with The Kids, allowed those around him to become stars in their own right as he once again rode the wave of success all the way through that series, films, and opportunities that have ballasted him all the way though the 90’s and into the aughts.

Dave Foley now stars in The Strip, a comedy in which Foley finds himself in the center of an ensemble of a cast of characters who all share some kind of disdain for having to work in a miserable, low-end electronics store. The movie has some laughs and is worth checking out if you can catch it in a theater near you. Dave is also going to be in The Kids in the Hall: Death Comes to Town that debuts in January on the CBC and represents the first time all the Kids are back on the air since the show went away almost a decade and a half ago. We chat about The Strip, Death, and what it’s like to be the elder statesman on the set of a indie comedy.

dave1CHRISTOPHER STIPP:  Dave?

DAVE FOLEY: Yeah.  You sound surprised.

CS:  No, I  was just waiting.  I’m totally bubbling with anticipation.

FOLEY: Well, I hope not to disappoint.

CS:  I don’t think you can.  I tried to figure out how many ways I could say ““ I’m a huge fan and I’ve been following you now for now what’s going over two decades.

FOLEY: Well, that’s a fine way to say it.

(Laughs)

CS:  I don’t know if I should say your eminence, your holiness”¦

FOLEY:  Any of those is a somewhat an understatement but perfectly acceptable.

(Laughs)

CS:  I saw the movie a couple days ago and I’m a big fan of the film.  I think I was expecting something like a mad, sort of a Keystone cops sort of movie. One where I think a lot of people have grown accustomed to nowadays”¦

FOLEY: You mean where a girls pants get torn off?

(Laughs)

CS:  It’s a quieter film.  It’s a comedy but not a seriously in your face kind of film.

FOLEY: It’s a very low key, character based comedy.  It’s more in a Rushmore vein than in another vein.  More Rushmore than Porkies.  How’s that?

CS:  Yes, I would agree with that.  Did you see that when you read the script?  Leap out at you that it wasn’t what is de rigueur in the world of comedy nowadays?

FOLEY:  I like that it’s really a character study, you know?  All the comedy comes out of these personalities  who all know each other because they share a crappy job together.  So I liked the premise to it.  We don’t wind up dealing with with the mafia or abducted by aliens or anything.

CS:  No vampires?

FOLEY: No vampires at all.  He ends up on a crazy road trip.  All comedy is based in real life which I really like.

CS:  Oddly enough, I was researching those surrounding you in this film and realize that director/writer Jameel Khan ““ this is his first foray into really anything.  Was there any hesitation?  How did you come in contact with a script from a guy who has never done anything?

FOLEY: Well they just got a hold of me through my manager.  Jameel and Jay Khan a hold of my manager and my manager just really liked them.  He called me up and said there are these guys from Chicago and they don’t have a lot of money so it’s going to be very, very low budget.  But then he said they seem like really good people and it’s got a good script.  My manager is a decent guy and I trust his judgment about people so I called them up and they were nice guys.  They sent me the script and it was a really good script and I thought if he can write the script then he can direct it too.  Basically having one conversation with them and after reading the script, I said sure, sign me up.  I’ll be happy to do it.

CS:  It’s amazing to me because you are willing to do things that just don’t seem ““ you’ve had major success with Kids in the Hall, you had major success with Newsradio and you are in the pantheon now of the Disney/Pixar heritage ““ is it hard not to fall into that trap of thinking there are some things you will not do?  You basically are open to possibilities.  Is that hard to do?

FOLEY: No, not for me it doesn’t seem to be.  I don’t think too much in terms of career plan or terms of legacy or anything like that.  If something seems like it will be a fun thing to do and if the people seems like they are going to be interesting to be with, then that is more important to me than the actual product in a lot of ways.  If it seems like it’s going to be a nice experience, because I spend most of my time, for me the movie is about making it.  To see it doesn’t take a lot of time but making it ““ you are going to be with these people for a while and I want to spend it with people I like.  That’s the great part about being an actor.  You get to meet all these people and I like being on a set and if it’s going to be a fun set to be on then I’ll show up.

CS:  That leads to the next question about the other actors around you.  I thought Federico did a fabulous job.  All these actors knew what they needed to do.

FOLEY: Yes.  And they are all not just actors but really talented people.

daveCS:  That’s what’s amazing that these guys, most of the people you were in with, do have long resumes.  They’ve done one shot here, one shot there but they’ve done a lot of productions but like you said, they are not household names but they are good at what they do.

FOLEY: Yeah, and I think they all will become much better known.  Everyone but me in that is pretty young.  Screw them.

CS:  Were you like the elder statesman on set?

FOLEY: Oh yeah.  Oh yeah.  Not sure if it was the elder statesman or the old uncle that has fun with the kids.

CS:  The one they’re not quite sure if he’s pervy or not.

FOLEY: Yeah, “Come on I don’t care if you’re 17, have a beer..”

(Laughs)

CS:  How was that with the other actors?  Obviously, it was Jameel’s first film. Were you leaned on at all?  Did you help add anything suggestion-wise?

FOLEY: They were very open.  It was a very relaxed set and Jameel really knew what he was doing.  He knew what he wanted and knew how he wanted to shoot the movie.  So, he didn’t need any help from me and he had already written a great script.  All I had to do was figure out how I wanted to play it and embellish it here and there, which is what you do when you are performing.  Jameel kept it open and shoot it in a way that we could so we could relax with each other and be very natural with the dialogue.  We could adlib ““ did a lot of cross masters and wide shots – three shots, two shots – which gave us a lot of room to play.  We were playing around within the scenes.  No one felt like we had to reinvent the scene.  We played it the way it was written.

CS:  Did you find that things moved rather quickly?  I only ask because reading in passing that from start to finish it took Jameel about 4 years to get this all together and put out there for everyone to see.  I assume you were brought on late in that game?

FOLEY: I was hired just a couple weeks before we started shooting.  Then we had a very short schedule and so, yea, we shot very quickly.  We didn’t have the luxury of shooting a lot of takes or shooting a lot of coverage so we shot as quickly as we could.  But, I’ve stayed friends with Jameel and Jay

December 25, 2009

Holiday Havoc: THE VENTURE BROS.

Filed under: Holiday Havoc — Tags: , , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 12:17 am

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venturealbum2For the past few years, the fine folks at Astrobase Go (Jackson Publick & Doc Hammer) have been providing FRED with exclusive holiday singles.

This year is no different.

However, there are still some of you out there that haven’t heard all of the tracks from previous years. So let’s rectify that. Below, you’ll find all of our exclusive VENTURE BROS. holiday tunes, leading up to the big debut of this year’s insta-classic.

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In 2004, The Monarch & Dr. Girlfriend gave us their take on the Bowie/Crosby “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy“…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros_little_drummer_boy.mp3]

2005 brought the tender trio of The Monarch and Henchmen Nos. 21 & 24 belting out Dolly Parton’s “Hard Candy Christmas” during The Monarch’s incarceration…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Hard Candy Christmas”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros_hard_candy_xmas.mp3]

2006 delivered the epic “Venture Aid 2006“…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Venture Aid 2006”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros_venture_aid_2006.mp3]

2007 found The Monarch & Dr. Girlfriend tackling a timeless holiday duet, “Fairytale Of New York”…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Fairytale Of New York”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros_fairytale_of_new_york_2007.mp3]

2008 was a bittersweet affair, as Henchmen 21 & 24 sung a tune that was recorded in June of that year, to get it out of the way so they wouldn’t have to worry about it during their big vacation in Cancun. Sadly, there would never to be a “Henchmen Cancun ’08″…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Wonderful Christmastime”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros_henchmen_21_24-wonderful_christmastime.mp3]

In 2009, The Monarch recorded a very special gift for Dr. Mrs. The Monarch with the help of Henchman 21 and the Moppets, Kevin & Tim-Tom…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“The Chipmunk Song”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros-the_chipmunk_song.mp3]

2010 found the totally hard-rocking Shallow Gravy releasing their “Fan Club Christmas Album 2010″…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Fan Club Christmas Album 2010”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros-shallow_gravy-fan_club_christmas_album_2010.mp3]

And for 2011, we get a heartwarming duet from The Monarch and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch, “Baby It’s Cold In Here”…

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DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
“Baby It’s Cold In Here”

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/venture_bros-baby_its_cold_in_here.mp3]

Check out the rest of this year’s Holiday Singles HERE

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December 24, 2009

Paul Dini’s JINGLE BELLE: #02

Filed under: Holiday Havoc,Jingle Belle — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 5:50 am

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Santa Claus gets along with every child except one ““ his own feisty teen-age daughter, JINGLE BELLE. As a special Holiday Havoc treat, Jingle’s creator Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series, Gotham City Sirens) and illustrator Stephanie Gladden (Hopster’s Tracks, Girls of Monster Paradise) will be presenting ALL NEW weekly Jing strips here at FRED this Christmas season and into the New Year. Check in each Thursday for more arctic antics!

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CLICK BELOW FOR THIS WEEK’S STRIP

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Jingle Belle and all related characters ™ & ® 2009 Paul Dini all rights reserved

December 23, 2009

Holiday Havoc: Stan Lee Presents THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

Filed under: Holiday Havoc — Tags: , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 7:22 pm

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Christmas Day is fast approaching, so we thought we’d ask master storyteller (and living legend, natch) Stan Lee to get us all in the holiday spirit with a rousing reading of THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS as only Smilin’ Stan can!

Be sure to check out Stan’s reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s THE RAVEN, and follow him on Twitter @TheRealStanLee!

If you’d like to throw some holiday cheer our way, please DONATE

Check out the rest of this year’s Holiday Havoc – and past Havoc – HERE

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Ken P. D. Snyde-Cast #127: The One With Bells On

Filed under: Ken P.D. Snydecast — Tags: , , , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 7:09 pm

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Adult Swim’s Dana Snyder and FRED’s Ken Plume set out to have a literate conversation between two pals, but inevitably devolve into a verbal, and funny, free-for-all full of bickering, infighting, and the special kind of male bonding that comes from conflict expressed through the podcast medium.

Actor/comedian/raconteur Dana Snyder, you’re certainly aware, is Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s Master Shake, Squidbillies‘ Granny, Minoriteam’s Dr. Wang, and The Venture Bros.‘ Alchemist. Available for weddings and bar mitzvahs (bat availability pending), you can keep tabs on him via his website, www.eyeofthesnyder.com.

Ken Plume is the editor-in-chief here at FRED. He is a friend of Dana’s, as well as his arch-nemesis.

VISIT THE SNYDECAST EXPERIENCE

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KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #127: The One With Bells On – Ken & Dana return with a festive celebration full of holiday cheer, in which we learn you can go home again, and that there’s always something right about ending on a song.

[CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Episode #127 (MP3 format)

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/snydecast/ken_p_d_snyde_cast-127.mp3]

AND DON’T FORGET TO DOWNLOAD THIS YEAR’S SNYDECAST HOLIDAY SINGLE:

Download Ken Plume & Dana Snyder – Holly Jolly Christmas:

[audio:http://asitecalledfred.com/snydecast/ken_plume_and_dana_snyder-holly_jolly_christmas.mp3]

SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

Got something to say? E-mail Dana & Ken at the Snydecast mailbag.

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CLICK HERE FOR THE SNYDECAST ARCHIVES

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A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & Tom Kenny (Plus A Holiday Surprise!)

Filed under: A Bit Of A Chat With Ken Plume,Holiday Havoc,Interviews — UncaScroogeMcD @ 4:41 am

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I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.

In this episode, I chat with actor and voice artist Tom Kenny, late of MR. SHOW and the voice behind Spongebob Squarepants, about the release of the Spongebob holiday single “Don’t Be A Jerk (It’s Christmas)” and much, much more…

Be it under a rock or deep in a cave upon the highest peak, you must have been living there if the Spongebob Squarepants phenomenon has passed you by. If you’ve been around any child below the age of 15, they can probably tell you exactly who Bikini Bottom’s most famous animated invertebrate is – and, chances are, there are some hip adults that will also clue you in, being fans themselves.

As the voice of the krabby patty flipping squarepants enthusiast, Tom Kenny has brought to life a cultural icon the world over… And he’s a nice guy, to boot. In fact, if you’re not aware of the scads of voice work he’s done over the years (including the mayor and narrator of The Powerpuff Girls), then you probably know him from his on-camera work in the legendary Mr. Show with Bob & David (alongside his equally talented wife Jill Talley).

He also crafted (with Andy Paley) a toe-tapping album starring Spongebob and friends titled The Best Day Ever – a glorious piece of pop informed by his idols, including the likes of The Beach Boys and The Who (in fact, Brian Wilson is a guest artist on the album).

Just in time for the holidays, though, they’ve also released a single – “Don’t Be A Jerk (It’s Christmas)” – which you can snag via iTunes or Amazon.

Not only did I sit down and have a lovely, rambling chat with Tom (which you’ll find below), but he also sent over a special, exclusive LIVE edition of “Don’t Be A Jerk” for all of you to spin this holiday season (You’ll find that below, too). How’s that for holiday cheer?

Hope you enjoy…

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Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Tom Kenny“:

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-tom_kenny.mp3]

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Download “Don’t Be A Jerk (It’s Christmas) LIVE VERSION“:

[audio:http://asitecalledfred.com/holidayhavoc/spongebob_squarepants-dont_be_a_jerk_its_christmas_live.mp3]

SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

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Drop Ken a line HERE.

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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.

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Bagged & Boarded 42: British People Are Filthy

Filed under: Bagged & Boarded — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 4:18 am

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What happens when two young men let their love of movies, comic books, and all things “geek” take over their lives? They run away from their families, bringing only the most essential DVDs and comics to their secret, highly fortified underground bunker in sunny Southern California, where they start recording podcasts that will change the world.

Are they heroes?

No.

Are they geniuses?

Far from it.

Are they the future of this planet?

I sure hope not.

Simply put… Matt Cohen and Jesse Rivers are “Bagged and Boarded”.

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BAGGED & BOARDED #42: British People Are Filthy – In which Matt is joined by special guest Bumpin’ Fresh, and the boys discuss public education, British reality television, and Matt’s years spent in the forest. Grab your walking stick and come along.

[CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Episode #42 (MP3 format)

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/baggedboarded/bagged_boarded-42.mp3]

SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

Got something to say? E-mail Matt & Jesse at the B & B mailbag.

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CLICK HERE FOR THE BAGGED & BOARDED ARCHIVES

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Musical MySpace Tour #3

Filed under: Musical Myspace Tour — Tags: , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 3:12 am

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For those outside of Great Britain and Ireland, we here just recently saw the final of a TV talent show called X-Factor, the winner of which is guaranteed to now have the number one single this Christmas (the song by the way is a cover of a Miley Cyrus track). I say talent competition–more accurately, it’s a singing competition much in the same style as American/Autralian/Afghanistanian/Whereverthehellyou’refromian Idol. This comparison is not surprising as they’re all from the same brain: Simon fucking Cowell. I read a fantastic quote recently about him in an article about the last decade and I’ll pass it on here: “In the 1960s, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, et al, transformed pop from the lowest-common-denominator business into an art form. It took only one man to reverse the process.”

After being completely immersed in this spectacle for the last few months, and after being so bloody disappointed in the world because of how it’s all turned out, you could forgive me for being a little disheartened when I sat down to write this latest column update.

I needed something, anything, to make me believe in music again. Actually that’s harsh. There is still plenty of good music out there. But it’s pop music that I miss most of all.
I grew up listening to Motown and The Beatles. When girl groups didn’t have to be pretty or sexy to sing they just had to be able to sing brilliantly. And they did. Frank Sinatra wasn’t a looker. Nobody had to vote via text or phone call to choose the lead singer of The Temptations. You just needed a great song to be number one, it didn’t matter what demographic you were marketed to. Maybe I’m being naive, or maybe I’m just tired of how transparent the industry has become.

The reason why I bring this all up is that I want to world to know my faith has been renewed a little bit after sitting down to write this article. My day just got a little bit nicer. I found at least one band here who makes me want to turn on the radio. Sometimes MySpace gives you exactly what you need.
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blacktriangleTHE BLACK TRIANGLE
www.myspace.com/theblacktriangle

I was surprised to see a band who set up their page in September to have over 5000 views. They only have two songs uploaded and one of those is an instrumental. So why the popularity?

The music is decent. I get a taste of grunge rock. The song “Fall For The Placement” wouldn’t be out of place on the soundtrack for The Crow or something similar. Nothing blows me away but it seems competent and respectable in comparison to some of the stuff we’ve come by here before.

Then, on closer inspection, it all seems to make sense. The Black Triangle formed from ex-members of Bambi and (most notably) Future Kings of Spain. The latter group were huge here in Ireland. Probably wouldn’t be known outside of the island but for a long time they were the rock darlings on the gig circuit.

Can this new band bounce back to the sort of heights that they’ve become accustomed to with their previous groups? Who knows. With only two songs to listen to it’s hard to get anything concrete from this. It’s listenable. It certainly seems close to professional. But to try and make a firm decision from such little evidence is a fool’s game.

I think I’ll pop back again in a couple of months to see how they’re getting on. I’m not going to add them now, but I’m not ruling it out in the future.

Presentation = 2/5
Content = Not nearly enough but it’s early days
Music = 3/5
Friend Request = DENIED!

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myspace-agencyTHE AGENCY
www.myspace.com/theagencyrocks

How have I not heard of these guys before?

Sure, they’re French, so that’s probably a stumbling block for me to come by them but this is so up my alley they should have changed the myspace url to www.myspace.com/heyAarontheagencyrockscheckthemout.

Two parts 1960s beach pop, one part electro outfit and with very few “indie cool” style points, this four piece are a nice breath of fresh air in the modern market. I respect anyone who can make a pop tune as catchy as “Significant” but to throw in the “weeeee” (listen and you’ll know what I’m talking about) proves that they don’t take themselves too seriously either.

One of my favourite tracks isn’t in their playlist but is one of the two live videos presented. “Mystery” presents me with a couple of facts. 1) I really want to see them live now. 2) They know how to harmonize. A lost art which I mourn on a daily basis. 3) They play small venues.

If you have a chance, I implore you to check them out. They genuinely have made me excited and if we can change their label from “unsigned” to “Major” then there will be justice in the world and I can sleep well tonight.

It’s strange, if they were terrible I could fill a page with all the things that annoy me, but when I find a good one like this I lose the words. It’s lucky I don’t find too many then isn’t it?

Presentation = 4/5
Content = Some fun remixes and enough to keep you occupied for at least half an hour.
Music = 5/5
Friend Request = ACCEPTED!

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myspace-alienkeyesALIEN KEYES
www.myspace.com/alienkeyes

To sum a lot of this up I would point to the part of the page where it says “Sounds Like:” The response from Alien Keyes? “Fuck You”. And to be honest I don’t think I can sum this up any clearer. They sound like fuck you.

This is… hardcore thrash experimental… dance? I have no idea. I get the impression that these guys don’t want to be liked though. That they’re trying to make the most inaccessible noise they could think of. They’re totally nonconformist. “We’re, like, blowing people’s mundane minds, man.” Or just taking the piss. One or the other.

With songs like “Bitches On My Dick” and “John Hughes (Don’t You Forget About Him)” I was hoping that they would have some humour which could at the very least make this interesting but the only song mildly worth trying is “Three Mile Island.”

I’d give a more in depth review but to do so would be defeating the purpose. They don’t crave my acceptance. I guess that’s the point.

Presentation = 1/5
Content = An average amount of songs and two nice pictures. That’s it.
Music = 0/5
Friend Request = DENIED!

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myspace-loversliars1LOVERS AND LIARS
www.myspace.com/loversandliarsrock

After the success of the last band who put “rock” in their url I entered this with a positive outlook. This worked to their benefit because if I came across this page in a bad mood I would be a lot harsher than I’m going to be now.

If you read the blurb about themselves on their page you’ll see that in almost every sentence they refer to how different they are from other rock bands–and to a small degree this is true. Other bands might not whisper in every song instead of sing. Other bands wouldn’t have the name Lovers and Liars… This is all I can guess.

They’re not a bad band either. They’re just total try-hards. And if you don’t know what I mean by that statement I will try to explain myself. You know that guy you knew growing up who didn’t really wear anything but jeans and a t-shirt but now that same guy wears skinny tight trousers and red shirts with a waistcoat because they’re so hot right now. I kind of get that vibe from ‘L+L’.

If I was a teenage girl of about fourteen I’d be all over this shit. I’m sure fourteen-year-old girls of the world already are. There are some good melodies here and it honestly sounds radio-ready. Their song “Holding On To Nothing” would probably be the best example of their work. Pleasant but the lyrics are too earnest for me.

How I managed to get through this without using the word “Emo-Fodder” I’ll never know.
But do yourself a favour. If you fancy a laugh listen to “T-Pain’s Tribute to Lovers and Liars” on their playlist. I had to change underwear afterwards.

Presentation = 3/5
Content = Loads of pictures and songs but too much self promotion.
Music = 3/5
Friend Request = DENIED!

Opinion In A Haystack: The Top 50

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88,000? Do your math; I rounded up to be safe.

The Lorax I am not, I do not speak for the trees. I however do speak for the Me-Tree, the tree that’s me (Dr. Seuss was a genius, I’m not. I know.) There is a strong difference between a person’s “favorites” and what a person thinks are the “best.” Many lists seem to forget that very important fact. Sure, I think There Will Be Blood, Let The Right One In, Pan’s Labyrinth, Requiem For A Dream, Synecdoche, New York (etc.) are probably some of the best films of the decade as far as craft, performances, and technique goes, but they might not make the list (you have to read further to find out.) They might not be flicks that I want to revisit all the time for leisure or laughs. As for the types of movies that usually gravitate toward my favorites, there’s a great quote by Christian Slater, as Clarence in True Romance, that sums it up perfectly:

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So, when it comes down to it, I would say my taste mingles well with Clarence’s plus one important addition (make a mental note that I said ADDITION, not difference): humor. Silly, stupid, smart, weird, dry, ironic, satirical, oddball humor”¦I love it all. I think stupidity can be genius, and genius is often required for well done stupidity. So consider that a warning. Comedy is like pornography: to each his own.

Much like any list there will be a lot of choices that baffle and anger you, forcing you to question my taste. Remember, for every one movie you and someone else vehemently disagree on there are probably five that you happily agree upon. This is MY LIST, these are the movies that made my eyes glue open with wonder, my jaw drop in awe, my giggle switch tingle with glee, and my emotionometer (?) go all upsies and downsies (??) I obviously haven’t seen every movie release in the past ten years, so before you yell at me for leaving something out, leave a comment about it and I’ll let you know why it’s not on the list. Don’t sweat the numbered order too much after the top 20, in fact try not to sweat it much at all, putting this stuff in order is hard”¦you try it!!! For the 90th time, this is a favorites list, it’s all opinion (IN A HAYSTACK!!!) and just for fun, so I’ll stop trying to justify my crappy selections and get to them:

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50. Primer (2004) I’ve always been a sucker for time travel in any shape or form, so it’s no surprise that Primer gets the best of me. Its charm comes from two areas: it’s budget, and it’s intriguingly confusing plot. After watching this film several upon several times I still can’t really figure out what happened. The time travel paradoxes lost me after the halfway mark, but happily tied my brain into knots to the point of wanting to watch it again. When I first saw it I was half asleep and the movie started confusing me so much it gave me nightmares, which in turn inspired me to purchase it.

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49. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) The amazing soundtrack to this film overshadowed what a spectacular movie it was. It’s rumored that there is going to be a new film based on Homer’s Odyssey in 2012, no matter how that turns out, I see myself still preferring the Coen Brother’s version.

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48. Frailty (2001) Who would have thunk it? Pvt. Hudson can direct a damn great low-budget thriller. Game over man, game over!

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47. High Fidelity (2000) There’s two types of people in this world, those who GET Jack Black and those who HATE Jack Black. Consider me in the former. This is the movie that gave the cinematic world Jack Black, which if you hate him will probably make it very bitter sweet as it’s a damn cool flick. Probably the last great “1990s feeling” comedy ever released.

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46. Bandits (2001) Solid Acting. Hilarious. Infinitely re-watchable. Billy Bob and Bruce in top form. Easily Barry Levinson’s best directing effort of the decade.

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45. Sin City (2005) The only movie on my top 50 that is based on a comic book. The Spirit taught us that in the hands of Frank Miller (circa this decade) that Sin City would have been close to unwatchable. Luckily Robert Rodriguez knows how to have some serious fun and is the best intentional exploitation filmmaker that ever lived (a compliment coming from me, perhaps not if coming from someone else.) R.I.P. Brittany Murphy.

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44. A Dirty Shame (2004) Hilarious movie that made the list for introducing me to a timeless concept: UPPERDECKING.

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43. Doomsday (2008) I was really hard on Neil Marshall’s Doomsday when I first reviewed it, even though I liked it. It exponentially grew on me with many repeat viewings. I get now what he was trying to do: write a love letter to John Carpenter and George Miller using the most badass ink he could find. This is the boiled down, “tough as nails” remains of the best films of his childhood, and it couldn’t be more fun to watch. Between this, The Descent, and Dog Soldiers, Marshall has proven that he is one of the coolest, hardcore, sci-fi/horror geeks working. It truly saddens me that he won’t be directing Predators.

Something needs to be said about Craig Conway’s terrific turn as Doomsday’s main antagonist Sol. He is an absolute psychotic, who doesn’t get much screen time, but milks every nano second of it. His on screen demise is one of the funniest and most extreme moments of the decade, which takes place during one of, if not the, best car chases of the decade.

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42. Cast Away (2000) Robert Zemeckis’s only non-motion-capture film of the decade and by far his best. I love everything about this film. Being alone on an island with Tom Hanks for 40 minutes sounds boring, but it couldn’t have been more captivating. There was a lot of depth to this movie that was overlooked due to the comedic potential of Wilson the volley ball. Any of us in a situation like that would need to talk to someone to keep us sane, loneliness is the true hell. Hanks was playing a man with no faith, Wilson was Chuck Noland’s substitute for god. Think about it, pretty cool right? Open message to Robert Zemeckis: START MAKING LIVE ACTION MOVIES AGAIN!!!

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41. Beerfest (2006) My biggest problem with Broken Lizard is the fact that they seemingly named their comedy group in homage to Monty Python when they are absolutely nothing like Python. They don’t make biting, clever satire, they make “party” comedies, which is fine. Drinking, and drinking parties, are prominently featured in all of their films, thus making Beerfest the apex of everything they do. This, as well as their other flicks, might not be the most finely crafted movie ever, but it’s a hilariously good time hanging out with a bunch of funny guys and their best buddies. Beerfest is on my list for a lot of reasons, if none other than the death and non-supernatural-resurrection of a main character, Landfill, all for the sake of absurdity.

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40. Zombieland (2009) Read my review here. Hope the sequel doesn’t ruin it.

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39. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) Still Wes Anderson’s most solid flick. Every frame of Bill Murray in this movie causes me to crack up. Dry humor at its finest.

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38. Drag Me To Hell (2009) If we never get Evil Dead 4, this will suffice.

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37. Little Children (2006) Some of the best acting this decade, and starring two of the Watchmen! This is the film that gave us Jackie Earle Haley (again.) It’s cliché to say, but the chemistry between Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson is all too real. I was very late to the party with this movie, seeing it only about a year ago, but since then I have viewed it numerous times, and it gets better each go around.

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36. Zodiac (2007) I know many people found this movie dawdling and anticlimactic. I saw it four times in theaters and was on the edge of my seat each time. The pacing was very intentional and meant to reflect the actual hunt for the Zodiac Killer and eventual failure to catch him. David Fincher’s best offering of the decade in my opinion. A movie so well done that it made me afraid of Roger Rabbit.

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35. Burn After Reading (2008) This is the Coen’s new Big Lebowski. An oddly paced, weird, dark, cult comedy with no clear cut reason or meaning for the events in it, that they made directly after their Oscar winning best picture. Probably my favorite ending of the past ten years, and, besides Seth Gecko, my favorite performance by George Clooney.

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34. Best In Show (2000) Most people would go with A Mighty Wind, I go with Best In Show. I adore all of Christopher Guest’s movies, but there is something about people personifying dogs that makes me laugh.

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33. Unbreakable (2000) Upon seeing this film on opening night I remember hating it. I thought it was tedious, boring, stupid, and a general waste of time. Fast forward 9 years, multiple viewings later and I think its one of the most poignant, dramatic portrayals of a superhero’s origin ever. I was too young to give it a chance in 2000 I guess. Sadly, due to poor box office take, we will never see the further adventures of Bruce Willis: Security Guard, but one can dream. Perhaps that is why most “lists” are bunk, you need around 5 years to truly test a film’s legs. I argued this in one of my first columns on this site.

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32. Donnie Darko (2001) The theatrical cut, not the director’s cut.

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31. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) A movie that will prove its merit with time, at least I believe so. I realize that most people blame Spielberg for ruining Kurbrick’s vision, but I would argue that the subject matter was way better suited to Steven than to Stanley. It’s sad that Haley Joel Osment’s career disappeared after his dynamite performance here, luckily Jude Law is still with us. His portrayal of Gigolo Joe was acutely perfect, but the award for coolest character most certainly goes to Teddy. As for the ending, I will say this: if you turn the movie off right as the camera zooms away from the amphibicopter at the end, you just watched one of the science fiction masterpieces of our time. If you don’t turn it off, you just watched a masterpiece with a pretty good, but unnecessary, second ending. What many of you have never bothered to realize is that the “tacked on ending” is Kubrick’s doing”¦not Spielberg’s. Look it up.

As much as I love it, this still doesn’t make up for Indy 4.

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30. Hot Rod (2007) Don’t crucify me. I’m praising each movie on this list according to its own aspirations and goals. That’s how I get things like Beerfest and Hot Rod on a list in company with timeless, powerhouse, Oscar winning dramas. At the end of the day I don’t really need to justify what I find funny, so why bother. When praising a movie such as this, anyone is going to be on the offensive.

As a fan of the art of editing, especially editing for comedic effect, Hot Rod destroyed me (and I’m not exclusively talking about the “cool beans” scene.) Say what you want about how stupid and awful you think this movie is, but at least it forms a well rounded old-school-style comedy film. I’m not much of a fan of Judd Apatow’s meandering, improvised, disjointed movies. They are funny and all, but they are just a big pile of catch-all riffing and outtakes coupled with way too many dated references. How many times did they mention Spider-man 3 in Knocked Up? Hot Rod is a tightly knit bag of weird soup, held together by classic winks and nods (Footloose punch-dancing) that don’t date the movie at all. It is basically The Lonley Island: The Movie (thus in turn making it the SNL Digital Short: The Movie.) It’s odd that I feel like this flick is more akin to the Caddyshacks, Animal Houses, and Vacations of the past than all the comedies of this decade that didn’t bomb at the box office”¦oh well.

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29. Storytelling (2001) Director and writer Todd Solondz never fails to deliver the most disturbingly interesting character pieces you will ever see.

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28. Children Of Men (2006) The Blade Runner of our time? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Discuss.

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27. Kung Fu Hustle (2004) Wasn’t it Roger Ebert who said this movie was a mix of Jackie Chan, Buster Keaton, Tarantino and Bugs Bunny? Well, he was right.

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26. Pineapple Express (2008) Cheech, Chong, Bill, Ted, Wayne, Garth, Kyle, JB, Jay, Silent Bob, and now Saul and Dale. Pineapple Express is a more than worthy addition to the buddy comedy genre, especially considering the weed humor and the 1980’s style theme song by Huey Lewis.

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25. The Rules Of Attraction (2002) James Van Der Beek can act. I was surprised too.

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24-22. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003) The Extended Edtitions especially. There’s nothing more that I can say about this triumphant franchise that hasn’t already been said. All I ask is that you give me credit for not coping out and using up only one slot for all three movies. I hate it when people let an entire franchise take up only one space on a list.

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21. Gladiator (2000) Has it really been almost ten years? Love the movie or not, Maximus is one of cinema’s best ass kickers in one of this decade’s best revenge stories.

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20. Grindhouse (2007) There is some contention about whether or not this is one movie or two. I saw it in theaters, billed as simply Grindhouse, for one ticket price, hence on my list it will count as a single film. Sure, it is more of an experience then a movie, an experience that was an experiment that didn’t financially work to well. Regardless, it was one of the most enjoyable movie going experiences I’ve ever had, and each flick gets even more enjoyable with repeat viewings. The beauty of Planet Terror is that it’s intentionally not completed, and the beauty of Death Proof is the over-the-top sounds of the mighty Kurt Russell getting punched in the face.

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19. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004) Not that it matters, but can we give Jim Carrey the Oscar he deserved as far back as Man On The Moon?

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18. Wet Hot American Summer (2001) Anything sir David Wain touches I want to put inside me (great sentence.) Role Models, Stella, The Ten, The State, even Superjail!…all of it hilarious, all of it sexy (as in quality.) Wet Hot is still my favorite “thing” he’s done (so much innuendo.) If there was ever a decade where GOOD spoofs needed to be appreciated, this is the one.

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17. Adaptation. (2002) For every great performance that Nic Cage puts out, he makes four ridiculous movies to overshadow it. His acting credentials this decade have been wonderful”¦if you are looking in the right places: Matchstick Men, The Weather Man, Lord Of War“¦etc. I’m a fan of Mr. Cage even at his most ridiculous, and I would say that Adaptation was his best performance, even outshining Leaving Las Vegas, which he won Best Actor for. With that said, the true stars of this movie are Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze.

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16. Sunshine (2007) The 2001: A Space Odyssey of our time? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Discuss.

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15. Tenacious D: In The Pick Of Destiny (2006) Remember back to #47 when I said there are two types of people: Those who GET Jack Black and those who HATE Jack Black. I really, really get Jack Black. I’ve loved the D ever since the first episode of their short lived TV show, and this movie/musical was everything I wanted it to be and more. The music is top notch and the oddball vibe flows hard and deep in this little movie known to it’s creators as “The greatest motion picture of all time.” Why so high on the list? Because I love it that much, and will watch it frequently for the rest of my days. This is a great little movie to add to the pantheon of silly/dark buddy comedies, much like Pineapple Express or Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey. The opening and closing musical numbers are exceptionally well done, not to mention a gut-busting hilarious cameo from Jack Black’s UCLA college buddy Tim Robbins. There’s no need for me to justify it further, either you are still with me, or I just lost you forever. Either way, fueled by Satan, the D shall live on!

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14-13. Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 (2003-2004) Note how I once again didn’t cop out and let them take up two spaces. They were both released theatrically separate, until that changes in the USA they count as two flicks according to my criteria. Two amazing flicks.

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12. There Will Be Blood (2007) If I was making a “Best Of” list instead of a “Favorites” list then Paul Thomas Anderson’s emotionally taxing masterpiece of craft, performance, and direction would be number one (sans “I drink your milkshake” jokes.)

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11. Apocalypto (2006) If this is the kind of movie that comes from Mel Gibson drinking all that crazy sauce, then his next glass is on me. ZING!

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10. Team America (2004) The Dr. Strangelove of our time? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Discuss.

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9. The Wrestler (2008) Proof that any subject (“˜80s wrestling) can be taken seriously and turned into something entertaining and ultimately beautiful.

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8. The Mist (2007) Frank Darabont + Stephen King = Heaven (but it might look a lot like Hell.) A beautiful allegory of the unstable human society that springs up when the lights go out. Chock full of commentary on religion, racism, and logic, this movie probably has my favorite film ending of the entire decade.

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7. Inglourious Basterds (2009) You know, I never considered myself a Tarantino fan boy, but looking back on this list I have included every theatrical effort made by him this decade. Guess I qualify. Why are Tarantino’s movies so damn, fudging, good? I would have to say that it’s because the guy only makes the movies he wants to make, and meticulously so. After Pulp Fiction Tarantino could have made triple the amount of films by now, instead he took his time and did what he wanted to. It shows.

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6. American Psycho (2000) By far Christian Bale’s greatest performance to date. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to return some videotapes.

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5. Slither (2006) Meat! James Gunn’s lovingly disgusting homage to a bygone cinematic era of horror, science fiction, and humor. This film hits absolutely every mark it goes for. The mainstream, choking to death on torture porn, was in dire straits until Gunn came along and turned Michael Rooker into a gorgeous pile of tortured flesh.

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4. Snatch (2000) Guy Ritchie’s air-tight, razor-sharp masterpiece of cool, comedy, crime and filmmaking. The editing is beyond impressive, and every actor does a pitch perfect job as pieces of this well oiled machine. This is easily my favorite film of Ritchie’s, however I have yet to see Sherlock Holmes, which would have to be un-fricken-believable to dethrone Snatch.

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3. Shaun Of The Dead (2004) Duh.

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2. Clerks II (2006) How must this look? Putting Clerks II as number two on a list which is being written for Quick Stop Entertainment seems like either the biggest kiss ass move ever, or the actions of a total sell out. Well I can assure you I’m not trying to kiss ass as I dearly loved Clerks II long before I ever touched a keyboard for this website. As for being a sellout, I have received no compensation for my choices on this list except for the heaping amounts of self satisfaction I get from being allowed to voice my brain waves via such a wonderful utopia of shining entertainment joy that Quick Stop most certainly is (now I’m kissing ass.) Please trust me, this is my true #2, the platform for which I write doth not affect my decision.

Clerks II is a raunchy comedy first and foremost, and a great one at that. However, I think what it does best is show the trials and tests that friendships go through when midlife is just around the corner. Hollywood often reflects societal values to their most boiled down form, which usually results in the message that love, of the romantic persuasion, conquers all. The thing that is most often pushed to the wayside in that equation is the loss of friendship, and how that loss affects those of us who value our friends just as much, if not more than, we value our romantic entanglements. In my personal life I’ve often been known to rant about how the western world hates “friendship” but upholds “romantic relationships” so you can imagine how and why Clerks II spoke to me between all of the pussy jokes. To me, the movie is ultimately about a guy learning that, while life has much to offer in many arenas, there’s simply nothing more important and satisfying than spending time with your best buddies. That it isn’t a waste of time, but rather, time very well spent. The fact that this occurred between two characters whom I had grown up with for almost a decade made it all the more affecting.

Plus it had inter-species erotica, which is also deeply affecting.

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1. Hot Fuzz (2007) “Both Edgar Wright movies in the top 5? Really Bob?” Yes, really!

This was the easiest decision for me on this list. They mixed together their sharp comedic wit, pulp action movie elements, some of the best editing of the decade, added in some gore, a touch of The Wickerman (1973), a tighter-than-hell script, and a cast built from welcomed faces of cinema’s past and got something wholly new out of the broth. It’s quick, it’s funny, its ridiculous at points, but most of all it’s 100% grade A entertaining. I could revisit this flick a hundred times and still be ready to see it a hundred more. If only all satires, spoofs, and homages could be this wonderfully crafted. Hot Fuzz and Shaun are most certainly the high watermark of their kind, and the former is easily my favorite movie of the “˜00s. Shit just got real.

Flicks that just missed the list, in alphabetical order:

28 Days Later”¦, 3:10 To Yuma, 40 Year Old Virgin, The, Almost Famous, Anchorman, Anvil! The Story Of Anvil, Aristocrats, The, Avatar, Bad Boys 2, Bad Santa, Be Kind Rewind, Beautiful Mind, A, Beowulf, Big Fish, Borat, Bruno, Bubba Ho-Tep, Club Dread, Crank, Crank 2: High Voltage, Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, The, Death Race, Death To Smoochy, Descent, The, Devil’s Rejects, The, District 9, Elf, Feast, Fido, Freddy Got Fingered, Funny Games, Gone Baby Bone, Gonzo, Gran Torino, Grizzly Man, Hangover, The, Hellboy, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, History Of Violence, A, I.O.U.S.A., Idiocracy, In Bruges, Incredibles, The, Informant!, The, Into The Wild, Iron Man, Jackass Number Two, Jackass: The Movie, Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back, JCVD, Jesus Camp, King Of Kong, The, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Kung Pow: Enter The Fist, Ladykillers, The, Let The Right One In, Lord Of War, Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World, Match Point, Matchstick Men, Memento, Mighty Wind, A, Monster House, Moulin Rouge!, Mr. Bean’s Holiday, Napoleon Dynamite, No Country For Old Men, Observe And Report, Osmosis Jones, Outlander, Pan’s Labyrinth, Peter Pan, Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl, Producers, The, Punisher: War Zone, Religulous, Requiem For A Dream, Rescue Dawn, Revolutionary Road, Road To Perdition, Rock Star, Role Models, Scanner Darkly, A, School Of Rock, Seven Pounds, Shaolin Soccer, Shoot ‘Em Up, Simpsons Movie, The, Sky High, Sleeping Dogs Lie, Slumdog Millionaire, Smokin’ Aces, Spider-Man 2, Star Trek, Step Brothers, Stranger Than Fiction, Super Troopers, Synecdoche, New York, Talladega Nights, Ten, The, Thank You For Smoking, Trick ‘r Treat, Tropic Thunder, Up, V For Vendetta, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Wall-E, Watchmen, Whatever Works, Where The Wild Things Are, Zack And Miri Make A Porno, Zathura, Zoolander

Here’s some smaller lists for ya:

MY TOP 10 DOCUMENTARIES OF THE DECADE:

(This list is really just the docs that I had a chance to see. I don’t see that many. And no, I haven’t seen Man On Wire yet. I’ll get on that.)

10. My Date With Drew (2004)

9. Jackass Number Two (2006)

It might seem like a stretch, but the Jackass movies aren’t scripted. They aren’t skits, they aren’t fake characters. These are documentaries about guys hurting each other for comedy. If you disagree that they qualify, just pretend it’s a Top 8 list.

8. I.O.U.S.A. (2008)

Probably the scariest movie of the decade.

7. Gonzo: The Life And Work Of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008)

6. Religulous (2008)

5. The King Of Kong: A Fistful Of Quarters (2007)

4. Jesus Camp (2006)

3. Jackass: The Movie (2002)

2. The Aristocrats (2005)

The most impressive collection of comedians on screen ever.

1. Grizzly Man (2005)

TOP 5 DVD EXTRA FEATURES:

5. Road House ““ Fan Commentary by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier (available here.)

It’s great, not just because of the commentary itself, but because of the mere fact that it exists, and the silly way it came to exist.

4. Freaked ““ Squeal Of Death ““ short film (available here.)

Witness the unending genius of Alex Winter.

3. Back To The Future: The Ride (available here.)

Unless you live in Japan, your home is now the only place to ride one of the greatest simulators of all time.

2. Bruce Almighty ““ Extended Scenes, Steve Carrell’s hair fire (available here and here.)

The visual of Steve Carrell screaming while a halo of fire shoots out from the back of his skull is a bigger laugh than any of the ones left in the movie from which it was cut.

1. Talladega Nights ““ Commentary by Ian Roberts and Director Adam Mckay (available here.)

Funnier then the movie itself, this commentary is a snowballing, dry delivery masterpiece of excess and sarcasm in which Roberts and Mckay talk about the ridiculous (and fictitious) multi-billion dollar production of Talladega Nights without ever breaking character. This is probably my favorite DVD extra of all time, and possibly my favorite comedic “thing” of this decade. Once you here Adam Mckay giving a deadpan description of how, during production, he was blowing up the Easter Island Heads from a helicopter using a Howitzer machine gun while thriving on diet consisting solely of human blood”¦there’s really nothing that is going to top that. Here’s an exert from the beginning:

Adam Mckay: “During the course of making this film, I changed religion four times. I gained a hundred and forty pounds. I lost another two hundred pounds. Three times I flat-lined from heart attacks. I went blind. I regained my sight…this is a journey we all want to share with you, if you will allow us to.”

TOP 7 BATS-SHIT INSANE AWESOME ACTION FLICKS:

7. Doomsday

6. Death Race

5. Rambo

4. Shoot “˜Em Up

3. Crank

2. Crank 2: High Voltage

1. Punisher: War Zone

Dominic West and Doug Hutchison deserve more recognition for whatever it is they were trying to accomplish with those accents. Hilarious.

MY TOP 5 WORST FILMS OF THE DECADE:

5. Date Movie

I used to live for spoof films pre-Scary Movie. What the hell happened?

4. Meet The Spartans

3. Epic Movie

These two writer/directors are so awful that they somehow wasted the opportunity of having Crispin Glover play Willy Wonka.

2. Disaster Movie

The worst “narrative” movie I have ever seen in a theater in my entire life.

1. Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

TOP 5 PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR WAY THIS DECADE:

5. Steve Martin

Peter Sellers? Really Steve?

4. Robin Williams

RV? Old Dogs? Night At The Museum? License To Wed? I will admit to being one of the few fans of Death To Smoochy and One Hour Photo and Insomnia were great, but still”¦why tarnish your reputation with all the crap? Hopefully World’s Greatest Dad will help solve this problem.

3. Eddie Murphy

STOP LISTENING TO YOUR KIDS!!!

2. Steven Spielberg

Indy 4? You should know better.

1. George Lucas

You should have retired in 1990.

Ok, That’s about all the list’s I can handle. Thanks for reading and Merry Holidaysmas!

December 22, 2009

Holiday Havoc: An Evening With John Hodgman & Ken Plume II

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Continuing their annual tradition (HERE is last year’s), we’ve got an in-depth conversation between minor television celebrity, PC, and literary trivialist John Hodgman and Quick Stop’s own Ken Plume. We present this audio feast for the ears, as one titan of culture and one Ken Plume touch on matters historical, Popeye musical, and those involving The Prisoner. Be sure to pick up a copy of Mr. Hodgman’s new book, More Information Than You Require, also available in Audiobook Form

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Download “An Evening With John Hodgman & Ken Plume II“:

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-john_hodgman.mp3]

Check out the rest of this year’s Holiday Havoc – and past Havoc – HERE

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SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

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Drop Ken a line HERE.

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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.

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Holiday Havoc: Matt Berry’s Christmas Relaxation Podcast

Filed under: Holiday Havoc — Tags: , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 5:02 am

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We’ve got an exclusive “Christmas Relaxation Podcast” from Matt Berry – star of THE IT CROWD, SNUFF BOX, DARKPLACE, & THE MIGHTY BOOSH. If the holidays have got you stressed, Matt is here to help.

You can also visit his official MySpace page – www.myspace.com/mattberrysmusic or follow him on Twitter @porksmith

For now, though, here’s Matt’s Christmas Relaxation podcast…

Download “Matt Berry’s Christmas Relaxation Podcast“:

[audio:http://asitecalledfred.com/holidayhavoc/matt_berry_xmas_relaxation_podcast.mp3]

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Check out the rest of this year’s Holiday Havoc – and past Havoc – HERE

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TV Or Not TV: 12/21 – 12/27

Filed under: TV Or Not TV — Tags: — admin @ 5:01 am

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Welcome to another edition of TV or Not TV where I apperently beat myself to the punch.

After breaking out the family copy of It’s a Wonderful Life and sobbing uncontrollably I was ready to come here and extole the virtues of this movie that I still love after all of these years. I drafted several paragraphs talking about this movie and just when I sat down to commit them all here at Quick Stop Entertainment I discovered, to my horror, that I had already written about the movie this same time last year!

Even though I clearly was in a smiliar frame of mind this time last year I looked back at last year’s article and find that I really scratched the surface of why I enjoy this holiday classic. I talked a bit about the plot, I talked a bit about what the film means to me, but what I really found was someone that was clearly not writing from the heart but was instead writing to meet a deadline. It happens from time to time. I sit down with the best of intentions but, usually, I’m well behind and I just try to crank out a few paragraphs to get to the listings so I can put the week behind me.

I have to say, however, that I just can’t do that this year. Even though I’ve written about it I also just can’t not write about It’s a Wonderful Life this year. I’ve already put in a few paragraphs that would be a decent buffer before my snarky comments on the shows for this week,  but for some reason I connected with this movie a lot more than years past.

When it comes to watching this film you could always count on Sam Wainwright‘s telegram choking me up, as well as seeing all of the townsfolk helping George Bailey out in his time of need. This year, however, the waterworks began well before that. Seeing the young George walk in to Mr. Gower’s drug store I already started to get choked up. I’ve seen the movie more years than not, I know what is coming with every single frame of the film, but this year I found the same thing happening with several scenes.

Part of what was happening with me might be the appreciate that can only come with age. It’s a Wonderful Life captures several era’s that truly were simpler  and more innocent times. Seeing these moments on film must have made me reflect on my own simpler times as a child. I am sure that many of you from my generation can remember leaving the house during a summer morning and having only two requirements: be back for lunch and be back before the street lights come on. Our parents could trust us out in the world, having our own adventures, having our own fun. In today’s world I wouldn’t trust my daughter to be safe 10 minutes alone in my front yard let alone riding all over the neighborhood on her bike. Simpler and more innocent times, indeed.

Watching the film I probably realized that I’m somewhere in the ballpark of having an equal number of years behind me as I do ahead of me (at least I hope) and I see the things that George does, the sacrifices he makes for his family and the greater good, and I start to wonder if I too have been making the right choices in life that will benefit my family and the lives that I’ve come to touch. Have I had a positive influence? Have I contributed to the greater good? Who would think that a movie could lead to deep innner-self examination?

There is, also, one solid reason to having the emotional reaction to this movie that I did. Two years ago my father passed and the holidays are very tough times as is. He’s not there to share my thoughts with any more, at least not directly. I miss him and so many of the eras depicted in It’s a Wonderful Life I remember my Dad commenting on when we would watch the movie, since he had lived through a few of them. Even though I hadn’t realized it at the time I now know that my wanting to watch It’s a Wonderful Life so much this year was because I wanted to reconnect with my father again, and through this movie I was able to.

I hope all of you that are nice enought to take the time to read this column have a great holiday season. Appreciate your loved ones that you have around, watch the TV shows or movies that remind you of them if they aren’t, and remember truly It’s a Wonderful Life.

Now that I’ve set my emotional baggage out there for your to read let’s take a trip throught he listings that are available this week.

MONDAY

ABC – 8:00 PM: I’ve still never been to Needles, CA but Snoopy’s brother Spike drops by from there for I Want a Dog For Christmas, Charlie  Brown!

NBC – 8:00 PM: Last week I’m sure I mocked The Sing-Off however I watched it every night it was on last week and tonight’s finale has got me as well. I’ll put my money on NOTA to win.

TUESDAY

FOX – 8:00 PM: Did you miss Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Christmas Special the first time around? Yeah, me too. Gonna watch it this time? Yeah, me either.

ABC FAMILY- 8:30 PM: With the holidays comes nastalgia, and with nastalgia I sugged Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Trust me, the snozzberries DO taste like snozzberries.

WEDNESDAY

SPIKE – 9:00 AM: If you really want to torture yourself you can take in all the Star Wars Prequels back-to-back-to-back not once but twice in one day! Befre you do, however, I strongly suggest watching The Phantom Menace Reviews full seven parts.

CBS – 8:00 PM: Just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be time for another celebrity concert on TV The 11th Annual A Home for the Holidays with Faith Hill sucker punches you.

ABC – 8:00 PM: If you haven’t gotten your Who on yet than you’ve got one last chance to take in Dr. Suess’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

THURSDAY

FMC – 3:00 PM: I don’t know who thought that Home Alone would be a great holiday movie to have playing for the next 36 hours, but it’s gonna happen regardless.

NBC – 8:00 PM: Yup, it’s Christmas Eve so they’ve rolled out the Frank Capra classic It’s a Wonderful Life to try to make me sob one more time.

TBS – 8:00 PM: For the 13th straight year Ralphie‘s quest for an official Red Ryder carbine-action two-hundred-shot range model air rifle in A Christmas Story is on a 24 hour loop to bring more cheer to your holiday.

FRIDAY

ABC – 9:00 AM: If you just can’t wait to see Ryan Seacrest on December 31st than you can see him as the host of Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade.

SPIKE – 9:00 AM: SPIKE goes the A Christmas Story route with Bad Santa for 18 hours.

NBC – 8:00 PM: Nothing says home for the holidays like a sack of  Schwetty Balls. Don’t believe me? Here’s your second chance to watch Saturday Night Live Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas. Yeah it’s hit or miss but it’s better than… um… I really don’t know.

SATURDAY

E! – 8:00 PM: I guess it was inevitable since the network was featured in Knocked Up that it would eventually air on E!

BBC AMERICA – 9:00 PM: It’s the next to last installment of David Tennant in Dr. Who: The End of Time Part 1.

SUNDAY

ABC – 7:00 PM: OK, this may finally be the year that I watch The Sound of Music. Maybe.

AMC – 8:00 PM: Another of my favorite movies I was too young to appreciate is Jeremiah Johnson.

ABC FAMILY – 8:00 PM: Can someone out there please explain to me how Billy Madison qualifies as family programming?

Will Wilkins never thought it was such a bad little tree.

December 21, 2009

A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & James Urbaniak

Filed under: A Bit Of A Chat With Ken Plume,Interviews — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 4:19 am

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I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.

In this episode, I chat with the actor behind THE VENTURE BROS’ own Dr. Thaddeus “Rusty” Venture and AMERICAN SPLENDOR’s Robert Crumb, who’s also a bit of a net bon vivant/commentator, James Urbaniak…

Hope you enjoy…

Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & James Urbaniak“:

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-james_urbaniak.mp3]

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SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

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Drop Ken a line HERE.

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You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.

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December 20, 2009

A Cabin Fever Christmas!

Filed under: Cabin Fever,Holiday Havoc — Tags: , , , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 11:43 pm

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cabin.jpgOh no! Just when you thought it was safe to hang out at the Quick Stop…

Cabin Fever (hosted by the twisted souls Brian Fitzpatrick and Aaron Poole) is the result of having too much time on your hands and access to your local community radio station.

Over the course of an hour, they manage to trawl the depths of good taste, plus throw some music in. How much more could you want from a podcast?… Quality? Oh… we didn’t think of that.

Enjoy! And we hope our cross Atlantic friends can understand the Irish accent 😉

Hugs and Kisses,
Aaron P. + Rev. Fitzy

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Ah, but how do Aaron & Fitzy bring you holiday cheer this fine, festive season? Why, with not one, but TWO gifts! Not only do you get a brand new Cabin Fever Commentary for the holiday classic A CHRISTMAS STORY (which you can download below), but first and foremost, you can lay your eyes upon the visual feast that is CABIN FEVER’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL:

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CABIN FEVER COMMENTARY: A CHRISTMAS STORY – To get you in the festive spirit, the Irish duo delve into a film not nearly as known on their side of the water, A CHRISTMAS STORY. Aaron bucks popular opinion in an attempt to point out one or two flaws in the film while Brian just bursts with delight over what he considers a gem. Hat love is evident throughout.

[CONTENT WARNING]: Explicit contents! We say every naughty word you can think of. You have been warned!

DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Cabin Fever Commentary: A CHRISTMAS STORY (MP3 format)

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/cabinfever/cabin_fever_commentary_christmas_story.mp3]

SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

Got something to say? E-mail Aaron & Brian at the Cabin Fever mailbag.

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CLICK HERE FOR THE CABIN FEVER ARCHIVES

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December 18, 2009

Win an INGLORIOUS BASTERDS Prize Pack!

Filed under: Contests — Tags: , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 4:29 am

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In conjunction with Universal Home Video, we’re giving away five (5) INGLORIOUS BASTERDS prize packs, which contain the 2-disc special edition DVD, a Baseball Bat Pens, a Shot Glass, and a Mini Poster.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 6th.

CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Official Rules

No member of FRED Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

No Purchase necessary to win.

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

One entry per day, per person.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 6th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

One entry per day, per person.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, December, 30th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

Weekend Shopping Guide 12/18/09: Total Basterds

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The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Quick Stop Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…

(Please support Quick Stop by using the links below to make any impulse purchases – it helps to keep us going…)

It’s goofy, it’s gory, its history is a mess, the acting is hammy, but I’ve got to admit – Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds (Universal, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.98 SRP) is a fun ride, and a call back to old-fashioned war movies of bygone years, with a healthy dose of Tarantino’s unique madness. The special edition contains a roundtable discussion, interviews, behind-the-scenes featurettes, extended/alternate scenes, Nation’s Pride (the film within the film), and (best of all) the original Inglorious Bastards.

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Picking up where Albert Finney left off in The Gathering Storm, Brendan Gleason steps into the role of Winston Churchill in Into The Storm (HBO, Not Rated, DVD-$26.98 SRP), which finds the British Prime Minster as wartime leader and at the height of his power and influence. Gleason is equally as powerful in the role, and I look forward to seeing him in the next installment. Bonus materials include an audio commentary and a making-of featurette.

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It’s a shame that Public Enemies (Universal, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$36.98 SRP) isn’t, well, a more interesting film, because Johnny Depp in a Michael Mann film about John Dillinger should have been a home run look at an American anti-hero. Sadly, no. Bonus materials include an audio commentary and behind-the-scenes featurettes.

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You might not know this, but Jerry Lewis hosted an NBC variety show from 1967-69, featuring a bevy of guest stars. Now you can view 13 of the episodes from that run via the 2-disc Jerry Lewis Show Collection (Infinity, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP).

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Rights issues have kept it in limbo seemingly forever, but all of that’s been ironed out enough to allow for the DVD release of Sita Sings The Blues (FilmKaravan, Not Rated, DVD-$19.99 SRP). To try and sum up the melding of various art styles with American blues and torch songs is to risk doing it a disservice. Just give it a spin.

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Melding environmentalism with action and intrigue, The Cove (Lionsgate, Rated PG-13, DVD-$27.98 SRP) is a documentary shines a light on a unique challenge for our flittered friends without sacrificing cinematic bang. Bonus features include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, a documentary, and the theatrical trailer.

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Credit must go to writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait for delivering a Robin Williams vehicle that’s actually worth watching (they’re few and far between) in World’s Greatest Dad (Magnolia, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP), a darkly comic tale of a man getting everything he wants – in the worst way possible. Bonus features include behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, an audio commentary, and outtakes.

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Formed after the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan and consisting of original members Doyle Bramhall II, Charlie Sexton, and Chris Layton, the Arcangels recently reunited to record the album Living In A Dream (Mark I Productions, $25.00), which gets a deluxe special edition release with a bonus concert DVD and a bonus CD with new studio tracks and a live track.

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Take the sensibilities of Talladega Nights and transplant it to the dysfunctional misadventures of competitive car dealerships and you’ve got The Goods (Paramount, Rated R, DVD-$22.99 SRP), which would be a much better experience if it weren’t for the fact that Used Cars did it 30 years ago, and much better. Still, it’s a decent flick, and worth a cold winter spin.

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Due to the BBC’s insane tape policy, only 5 episodes of their Sherlock Holmes series survive, but all 5 are now available via The Sherlock Holmes Collection (A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$29.95 SRP), starring Peter Cushing as Homes – a character he first played in the Hammer Hound Of The Baskervilles. The set also features the Sherlock Holmes: The Great Detective documentary.

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I have not, nor have I ever been a fan of magician Criss Angel and his goth/emo David Blaine ways. Still, there are fans out there, and for them there’s the Criss Angel: Mindfreak Collector’s Edition (A&E, Not Rated, DVD-$99.95 SRP), a 15-disc set containing all 5 seasons plus 6 new-to-DVD episodes, commentaries, featurettes, interactive illusions, additional scenes, and more.

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Ang Lee’s directorial choices usually are more interesting than the films that result from them, and such is the case with his comedy inspired by the events surrounding the staging of 1969’s seminal festival in Taking Woodstock (Universal, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$39.98 SRP). Maybe that’s because Demetri Martin is not terribly comfortable onscreen as Elliot Tiber, a local who played a pivotal role in making sure the event came off as planned, and wound up with a few life changes of his own. Bonus materials include an audio commentary, deleted scenes, and a featurette.

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Ironic that Disney’s Wizards Of Waverly Place: The Movie (Walt Disney, Not Rated, DVD-$29.99 SRP) can’t summon up half the magic of cross-cable rival iCarly, which is a shame considering star Selena Gomez seems desperate for better material than what she’s been given in this tepid feature-length special that plays like a magical Back To The Future. Bonus features include a batch of on location behind-the-scenes featurettes.

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My mind is still reeling from the sonic assualt that is the soundtrack to Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (Rhino, $18.98 SRP). For every decent, classic-sounding Chipmunks track, there’s something ear-shatteringly awful as a tune in which the accelerated vocals are auto-tuned. Yes. You heard me.

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I don’t know about you, but when I think Jerry Bruckheimer, I think of an elite team of hyper-intelligent, trained guinea pigs who go on secret missions to save the world. G-Force (Walt Disney, Rated PG, Blu-Ray-$44.98 SRP) is like a cross between The Rescuers and Mission Impossible, and veers wildly between goofy fun and laughable disaster. Kids will love it. The 3-disc set contains deleted scenes, featurettes, music videos, and the DVD version of the film.

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The third season of The Tudors (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$42.99 SRP) finds Henry VIII’s life taking a decidedly more complicated turn, with his marriages to Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves, the downfall of Thomas Cromwell, and his relationship with Katherine Howard. The 3-disc set contains all 8 episodes, a timeline featurette, interviews, and the first 2 episodes of The United States Of Tara.

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So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…

-Ken Plume

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Opinion In A Haystack: Looking At AVATAR

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LOOKING AT AVATAR

He did it. James Cameron pulled it off. All of the praise and positive quips you’ve read, heard, and watched are spot on. Avatar is a behemoth spectacle to behold, a mighty game-changing cinematic dinosaur made of fire and fueled by Jolt Cola. The all-encompassing 3D CG environment coupled with the “BEST EVER” motion-captured actors is all numbingly realistic to the point of confusion. Take one of the greatest mainstream directors of all time, let him gestate on a film’s production for over a decade, then stir in a well-used $300 million and you will get Avatar. This is hardly the misfire, dream-project that so many feared. This isn’t James Cameron’s Legend (even though I like Legend.) It has all the markings of a wet-dream-big-director-project gone wrong, yet in the equation Cameron remembered one thing, to make the movie for himself AND the audience.

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The film is a triumph not because it’s perfect, which it isn’t, but because it’s succeeds as grand entertainment. When is the last time the public received a movie of this caliber, based on original material, with this level of passion behind it? The fact that this is an original script with a production of this magnitude, sadly, gives it a nostalgia factor of 15-20 years ago, regardless of the technology. It is a very welcomed feeling that makes us glad that Mr. Cameron is back, and worried that he will go away, possibly back to the obscurity of making ocean documentaries.

The film’s plot, blue aliens, and overarching themes have obviously been heavily criticized for the past few months. The horrid advertising for the film should be to blame for this. What marketing department in their right mind thought that advertising a movie as “game-changing” was a good idea? Is “backlash” or “cynicism” not in their vocabulary? What is curious about all the criticism is that they are all more or less true, but not really in a detrimental form. Cameron’s script is simply playing on conventions as old as storytelling itself, which does lend the movie to being rife with cliché, but it’s cliché done well. Let’s take a closer look at the criticisms, from the point of view of someone who’s seen the flick:

***************EXTREMELY MILD SPOILERS**************

Criticism 1: “It’s James Cameron’s Smurfs.”

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The Na’vi are blue.

They Live in the woods.

They are peaceful.

The villain (Humans) send a “Smurfette” (Sam Worthington) to infiltrate them.

The “Smurfette” is won over by the love and way of life of the Na’vi (thank you Donnie Darko, and Wikipedia .)
The “Smurfette” yearns to become one of the Na’vi.

The male leader of the Na’vi tribe has prominent RED body adornments much like Papa Smurf. (yes, seriously.)

Conclusion: Yes, it is sort of like James Cameron’s mega-budget-ultra-serious Smurf movie. It should be pointed out that Saturday Night Live called it first, even down to the Celine Dion/Titanic joke. SNL guessed Cameron’s next movie over a decade in advance!

Criticism 2: “It’s the exact same movie as FernGully, even down to the message.”

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The humans have come to sap resources (Unobtainium) from the land.

The male lead gets physically transformed into a being much like the natives.

A female of the forest dwellers befriends a member of the humans.

The man and the native fall in love.

The humans continue to collect the resources, without care or regard for the natives.

There is a winged creature that helps the protagonists along the way.

There is a clear message about humans destroying nature for the sake of progress.

Conclusion: Ok, so it’s “sort of” like James Cameron’s live action FernGully remake. It probably even has more thematic/character similarities that I forgot to include, however that doesn’t mean its plagiarism. Do you honestly think James Cameron cares about, or even remembers FernGully? If so, do you think he’s seen this?

Criticism 3: “It’s Dances With Wolves on an alien planet”¦with Smurfs”

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I’m going to cop out and just say watch the South Park episode entitled “Dances With Smurfs.” I doubt anyone could explain it as well as Eric Cartman.

Conclusion: As usual, South Park is pretty much on the mark.

Criticism 4: “The Delgo Comparisons.”

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Look at them.

Conclusion: Yes, it is pretty similar… but what movie was in production first?

So what does all of that mean? Is James Cameron a plagiarist? No, certainly not. FernGully and Dances With Wolves are both stories built on conventions as old as time, and none of us are going back even further to see what they were “copied” from. If you are going to insult the film for something trivial, how about for using a title font, and subtitle font that is way to close (if not exactly the same) to the corny, over-used font known as Papyrus. As for the Smurfs comparison, yes, that is humorously close. James Cameron even said he found it funny in an interview, right before he went on to insult Jar Jar Binks, which should help us to give him the benefit of the doubt. When all is said and done, even if you think he stole from these other things (which he didn’t) he took the elements and made something great with them. Do you really think for the past 15 years he has been in his basement watching FernGully, Dances With Wolves, and Smurfs DVDs, while sipping cognac and laughing maniacally about his deceptive future plans? Is the theft of FernGully really worth creating revolutionary new technology for? No offense to FernGully, but no, it isn’t.

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This column, Opinion In A Haystack, is often overflowing with disdain for special F/X of the computer generated persuasion. Bob Rose (me) is not a fan of CG. However, the level at which Avatar’s environments work, and the nigh-photo-realistic skin texture and muscle movements achieved by Cameron’s team make it so real, that it’s just that, real. By the second half of the film, the effects aren’t even a question anymore. Avatar doesn’t feel like Sin City, Sky Captain, or 300. There’s not this constant search to see the seams because there is no seams, it is one giant cohesive visual. The 3D is not gimmicky either. It is only used as a tool of depth and space, much like how Pixar’s Up utilized it earlier this year. 3D most certainly adds to the whole experience, but even now I think 3D should still be considered a gimmick. Avatar would work in 2D just as well as it does in 3D, if it didn’t then the whole film would be a gimmick itself. I don’t really care how much Cameron, Spielberg, and Jackson back the tech of 3D, until it can be accomplished without the viewer having to wear glasses then it’s not “normal” cinema. To me there is a fear that some movies will start being produced ONLY in 3D with no 2D counterpart.

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All the performances in the movie are top notch, perhaps except for Sam Worthington being a touch bland. The shining star of the movie is easily Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch. Once again we have cliché in his facial-scars coupled with his hard bitten disposition, but Lang pulls out all the stops and goes for broke with the cliché. He is easily the most enjoyable character to watch through out the run time, and his physical appearance is baffling. It looks as though James Cameron told Lang to spend the last decade in physical training to play this role, it’s hard to believe that is Ike Clanton from Tombstone, or George Pickett from Gettysburg.

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The question of whether or not this movie will prove successful is not really a concern of mine. It’s classic Cameron through and through, right down to the “revolutionary” effects, and it’s a damn entertaining flick. The downfall of this will be the aura of “pretension” surrounding it, most people will walk in thinking that Cameron himself is saying that he reinvented the reinvention of the wheel and he’s damn serious about it. However, after reading most interviews with him, he is much more concerned with the quality-entertainment aspect then the need to change cinema. He didn’t spend 15 years on a useless light show, he spent it on a story he felt people would want to experience, and how to tell that story. Avatar works because Cameron worked hard.

Thanks for reading.

December 17, 2009

Ken P. D. Snyde-Cast #126: The Goat Whisperer

Filed under: Ken P.D. Snydecast — Tags: , , , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 10:51 pm

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Adult Swim’s Dana Snyder and FRED’s Ken Plume set out to have a literate conversation between two pals, but inevitably devolve into a verbal, and funny, free-for-all full of bickering, infighting, and the special kind of male bonding that comes from conflict expressed through the podcast medium.

Actor/comedian/raconteur Dana Snyder, you’re certainly aware, is Aqua Teen Hunger Force’s Master Shake, Squidbillies‘ Granny, Minoriteam’s Dr. Wang, and The Venture Bros.‘ Alchemist. Available for weddings and bar mitzvahs (bat availability pending), you can keep tabs on him via his website, www.eyeofthesnyder.com.

Ken Plume is the editor-in-chief here at FRED. He is a friend of Dana’s, as well as his arch-nemesis.

VISIT THE SNYDECAST EXPERIENCE

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KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #126: The Goat Whisperer – Ken & Dana return with a somewhat fascinating look at the world’s foremost TV channel for those desiring all things rural, then plug a few things incessantly, tease others, and begin holiday preparations.

[CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
Episode #126 (MP3 format)

[audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/snydecast/ken_p_d_snyde_cast-126.mp3]

SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

Got something to say? E-mail Dana & Ken at the Snydecast mailbag.

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CLICK HERE FOR THE SNYDECAST ARCHIVES

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Paul Dini’s JINGLE BELLE: #01

Filed under: Holiday Havoc,Jingle Belle — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 5:29 am

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Santa Claus gets along with every child except one ““ his own feisty teen-age daughter, JINGLE BELLE. As a special Holiday Havoc treat, Jingle’s creator Paul Dini (Batman: The Animated Series, Gotham City Sirens) and illustrator Stephanie Gladden (Hopster’s Tracks, Girls of Monster Paradise) will be presenting ALL NEW weekly Jing strips here at FRED this Christmas season and into the New Year. Check in each Thursday for more arctic antics!

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CLICK BELOW FOR THIS WEEK’S STRIP

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Jingle Belle and all related characters ™ & ® 2009 Paul Dini all rights reserved

Contest Round-Up: 2009-12-16

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Welcome to our weekly round-up of featured giveaways here at Quick Stop. Every Wednesday, we’ll present a new clutch of DVDs, books, and other cool stuff you can take a shot at winning. All you have to do is click on the graphics below to be taken to their respective contest pages. And good luck!

In conjunction with Nickelodeon Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) copies of SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: SEASON 6 VOLUME 1 on DVD, plus a grand prize of one (1) copy of SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: THE FIRST 100 EPISODES.

In conjunction with Fox Home Video, we’re giving away four (4) copies of 500 DAYS OF SUMMER on DVD. Winners will also receive a HALL & OATES CD PRIZE PACK (the duo’s music features heavily in the film).

In conjunction with Universal Home Video, we’re giving away five (5) copies of AMERICAN PIE: THE BOOK OF LOVE on DVD.

In conjunction with Activision, we’re giving away three (3) copies of iCARLY for the Nintendo Wii.

In conjunction with Universal Home Video, we’re giving away five (5) INGLORIOUS BASTERDS prize packs, which contain the 2-disc special edition DVD, a Baseball Bat Pens, a Shot Glass, and a Mini Poster.

Win iCARLY for the Nintendo Wii!

Filed under: Contests — Tags: , , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 4:17 am

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In conjunction with Activision, we’re giving away three (3) copies of iCARLY for the Nintendo Wii.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 6th.

CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Official Rules

No member of FRED Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

No Purchase necessary to win.

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

One entry per day, per person.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 6th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, December, 30th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

Win AMERICAN PIE: THE BOOK OF LOVE on DVD!

Filed under: Contests — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 4:03 am

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In conjunction with Universal Home Video, we’re giving away five (5) copies of AMERICAN PIE: THE BOOK OF LOVE on DVD.

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 6th.

CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Official Rules

No member of FRED Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

No Purchase necessary to win.

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

One entry per day, per person.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 6th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.
All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, December, 30th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

Win 500 DAYS OF SUMMER on DVD!

Filed under: Contests — Tags: , , , , — UncaScroogeMcD @ 3:57 am

contestheader.jpg

In conjunction with Fox Home Video, we’re giving away four (4) copies of 500 DAYS OF SUMMER on DVD. Winners will also receive a HALL & OATES CD PRIZE PACK (the duo’s music features heavily in the film).

Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 6th.

CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Official Rules

No member of FRED Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

No Purchase necessary to win.

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

One entry per day, per person.

All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, January 6th.

The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

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