Sunday, March 30, 2008

From one trip to another

Mrs. Mosley and I got back from South Carolina this afternoon and we had a wonderful time. Great weather for the first two days and crappy weather for the second two, but it all evens out.

Perhaps the oddest occurrence there was a stop at Food Lion where we found a bunch of hardback novels discounted to two and three bucks a piece. Mrs. Mosely and I (being who we are) cleaned up. One that I picked up and read in it's entirety during the trip was Appaloosa by Robert B. Parker. It was a fast and enjoyable read, and it turns out the movie version is already in post production. Ed Harris stars as that tried and true Western hero: The Stoic Lawman. He also directs the film, which his second effort behind the camera since Pollock eight years ago.

The IMDb entry for Appaloosa only links to one set photo so far, but it's a nice one:



See you in Maitland for the Florida Film Festival.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

A link exchange before I go

Mrs. Mosley and I will be celebrating five years of marriage come Friday, so tomorrow we're off to South Carolina for mini vacation. Not long after we return, I'll be departing again, this time by my lonesome, to Maitland for the Florida Film Festival. You should expect to hear from me again sometime Tuesday from my luxurious Best Western hotel room.

But before I go, a pair of links. First, a story emailed to me by a friend of mine concerning the bullet deflecting abilities of a New Orleans Chef. In an eerie coincidence, I was watching the MST3K version of The Indestructible Man last night, and now I'm trying to see if Paul Prudhomme and Lon Chaney Jr. are related.



In return, I thought I'd relay to my friend this story I found on Boing Boing today. I had never even heard of this place. I'm sure that once he sees the photos, he'll want to make it a stop on our next Orlando road trip. Hell, I'd try and visit it myself during the festival next week, but it might be an activity done best with some backup.



See you folks next week.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

The Ick from the Black Lagoon

Just when I thought I knew all the weird local history, I discovered this morning the story of the St. Augustine Monster (and, consequently, the phenomenon of "globsters").

Thank you, Metalfilter.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Skippy of the Day: Pat Buchanan

Yep, the problem with race relations these days is that African Americans aren't thankful enough for all that's been done to ... er ... for them:
"America has been the best country on earth for black folks. It was here that 600,000 black people, brought from Africa in slave ships, grew into a community of 40 million, were introduced to Christian salvation, and reached the greatest levels of freedom and prosperity blacks have ever known."
Boy, that's an incredible insult even for you, Pat!

Putting aside the whole concept of intent (apparently he thinks that "cheap labor" was a minor concern of slave owners compared to converting them to Jesus), there's honestly no telling where Africans would be right now without slavery. In the end, this little theory of oppression-as-tough-love comes a lot closer to "No Israel without Hitler" than "A Boy Named Sue".

In other words, Pat, put a sock in it.

Friday, March 21, 2008

MST3K: The List (1st revision)

It's been over 18 months since I posted a list of the MST3K episodes available on DVD. Since then, two more volumes have been released and volume 10 was re-released with the Godzilla vs. Megalon disc removed (over rights issues) and replaced with The Giant Gila Monster. Both are highlighted in the list below along with the episodes in volumes 11 and 12.


K04 Gamera vs. Barugon
K05 Gamera
K06 Gamera vs. Gaos
K07 Gamera vs. Zigra
K08 Gamera vs. Guiron
K09 Phase IV
K10 Cosmic Princess
K11 Humanoid Woman
K12 Fugitive Alien
K13 SST Death Flight
K14 Mighty Jack
K15 Superdome
K16 City on Fire
K17 Time of the Apes
K18 The Million Eyes of Su-Muru
K19 Hangar 18
K20 The Last Chase
K21 The Legend of Dinosaurs

101 The Crawling Eye
102 Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (with short: Commando Cody & the Radar Men from the Moon - Episode 1)
103 Mad Monster (with short: Commando Cody & the Radar Men from the Moon - Episode 2)
104 Women of the Prehistoric Planet
105 The Corpse Vanishes (with short: Commando Cody & the Radar Men from the Moon - Episode 3)
106 The Crawling Hand
107 Robot Monster (with shorts: Commando Cody & the Radar Men from the Moon - Episodes 4 & 5)
108 The Slime People (with short: Commando Cody & the Radar Men from the Moon - Episode 6)
109 Project Moonbase (with shorts: Commando Cody & the Radar Men from the Moon - Episodes 7 & 8)
110 Robot Holocaust (with short: Commando Cody & the Radar Men from the Moon - Episode 9)
111 Moon Zero Two
112 Untamed Youth
113 The Black Scorpion

201 Rocketship X-M
202 Sidehackers
203 Jungle Goddess (with short: The Phantom Creeps - Episode 1)
204 Catalina Caper
205 Rocket Attack USA (with short: The Phantom Creeps - Episode 2)
206 The Ring of Terror (with short: The Phantom Creeps - Episode 3)
207 Wild Rebels

208 Lost Continent
209 The Hellcats
210 King Dinosaur (with short: X Marks the Spot)
211 First Spaceship on Venus
212 Godzilla vs. Megalon
213 Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster

301 Cave Dwellers
302 Gamera
303 Pod People
304 Gamera vs. Barugon
305 Stranded in Space
306 Time of the Apes
307 Daddy-O (with short: Alphabet Antics)
308 Gamera vs. Gaos
309 The Amazing Colossal Man
310 Fugitive Alien
311 It Conquered the World (with short: Snow Thrills)
312 Gamera vs. Guiron
313 Earth vs. the Spider (with short: Speech: Using your Voice)
314 Mighty Jack
315 Teenage Caveman (with shorts: Aquatic Wizards & Catching Trouble)
316 Gamera vs. Zigra
317 Viking Women and the Sea Serpent (with short: The Home Economics Story)
318 Star Force - Fugitive Alien II
319 War of the Colossal Beast (with short: Mr. B Natural)
320 The Unearthly (with shorts: Posture Pals & Appreciating Your Parents)
321 Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
322 Master Ninja I
323 The Castle of Fu-Manchu
324 Master Ninja II

401 Space Travelers
402 The Giant Gila Monster
403 City Limits
404 Teenagers from Outer Space
405 Being from Another Planet
406 Attack of the Giant Leeches (with short: Undersea Kingdom - Episode 1)
407 The Killer Shrews (with short: Junior Rodeo Daredevils)

408 Hercules Unchained
409 Indestructible Man (with short: Undersea Kingdom - Episode 2)
410 Hercules Against The Moon Men

411 The Magic Sword
412 Hercules and the Captive Women
413 Manhunt in Space (with short: General Hospital - Part 1)
414 Tormented
415 The Beatniks (with short: General Hospital - Part 2)
416 Firemaidens of Outer Space
417 Crash of the Moons (with short: General Hospital - Part 3)
418 Attack of the Eye Creatures
419 The Rebel Set (with short: Johnny at the Fair)
420 The Human Duplicators
421 Monster A-Go-Go (with short: Circus on Ice)
422 The Day the Earth Froze (with short: Here Comes the Circus)
423 Bride of the Monster (with short: Hired! - Part 1)
424 Manos, The Hands of Fate (with short: Hired! - Part 2)

501 Warrior of the Lost World
502 Hercules
503 Swamp Diamonds (with short: What to Do On A Date)
504 Secret Agent Super Dragon
505 Magic Voyage of Sinbad
506 Eegah!
507 I Accuse My Parents (with short: The Truck Farmer)
508 Operation Double 007
509 Girl in Lover's Lane
510 The Painted Hills (with short: Body Care & Grooming)
511 Gunslinger
512 Mitchell
513 The Brain That Wouldn't Die
514 Teen-age Strangler (with short: Is This Love?)

515 Wild, Wild World of Batwoman (with short: Cheating)
516 Alien from L.A.
517 Beginning of the End
518 The Atomic Brain (with short: What About Juvenile Delinquency?)

519 Outlaw
520 Radar Secret Service (with short: Last Clear Chance)
521 Santa Claus
522 Teenage Crimewave
523 Village of the Giants
524 12 To the Moon (with short: Design for Dreaming)

601 Girls Town
602 Invasion USA (with short: A Date With Your Family)
603 The Dead Talk Back (with short: The Selling Wizard)
604 Zombie Nightmare
605 Colossus and the Head Hunters
606 The Creeping Terror
607 Bloodlust
608 Code Name: Diamond Head (with short: A Day at the Fair)
609 The Skydivers (with short: Why Study Industrial Arts?)
610 The Violent Years (with short: Young Man's Fancy)
611 Last of the Wild Horses
612 The Starfighters
613 The Sinister Urge (with short: Keeping Clean & Neat)

614 San Francisco International
615 Kitten with a Whip
616 Racket Girls (with short: Are You Ready For Marriage?)
617 The Sword and the Dragon
618 High School Big Shot (with short: Out of This World)
619 Red Zone Cuba (with short: Speech: Platform, Posture & Appearance)
620 Danger!! Death Ray
621 The Beast of Yucca Flats (with shorts: Money Talks! & Progress Island)
622 Angel's Revenge
623 The Amazing Transparent Man (with short: The Days of Our Years)
624 Samson vs. The Vampire Women

701 Night of the Bloodbeast (with short: Once Upon a Honeymoon)
702 The Brute Man (with short: The Chicken of Tomorrow)
703 Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell
704 The Incredible Melting Man
705 Escape 2000
706 Laserblast

801 Revenge of the Creature
802 The Leech Woman
803 The Mole People
804 The Deadly Mantis
805 The Thing That Couldn't Die
806 The Undead
807 Terror from the Year 5000
808 The She Creature
809 I Was a Teenage Werewolf
810 Giant Spider Invasion
811 Parts: The Clonus Horror
812 The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living & Became Mixed-Up Zombies

813 Jack Frost
814 Riding With Death
815 Agent for H.A.R.M.
816 Prince of Space
817 Horror of Party Beach
818 Devil Doll
819 Invasion of the Neptune Men
820 Space Mutiny
821 Time Chasers

822 Overdrawn at the Memory Bank

901 The Projected Man
902 The Phantom Planet
903 Puma Man
904 Werewolf
905 The Deadly Bees
906 Space Children (with short: Century 21 Calling)
907 Hobgoblins
908 The Touch of Satan
909 Gorgo
910 The Final Sacrifice
911 Devil Fish
912 Screaming Skull (with short: Robot Rumpus)
913 Quest of the Delta Knights

1001 Soultaker
1002 The Girl in Gold Boots
1003 Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders

1004 Future War
1005 Blood Waters of Dr. Z
1006 Boggy Creek II
1007 Track of the Moon Beast
1008 Final Justice
1009 Hamlet
1010 It Lives by Night
1011 Horrors of Spider Island
1012 Squirm (with short: A Case of Spring Fever)
1013 Danger: Diabolik

Just fonting around

These short films using animated typography to act out movie scenes have been getting a lot of attention lately. In the interest of keeping things at least PG, allow me to skip over Pulp Fiction, The Big Lebowski and Full Metal Jacket and go straight to The Naughty Nineties!

Huh? Just click on it and you'll see.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Somehow I knew they were from Central Florida

Submitted for your astonishment:


The most interesting thing about this is that the father decided to simultaneously "class up" his tattoo by using Old English font (which goes so well with redneck aphorisms) and also "dress down" by misspelling the last word. I guess Larry "The Cable Guy" was too high falootin for him.

I contributed by showering every day

Whodathunkit:



Given the reputation the St. Johns River has gotten for being filthy, this is a bit of a surprise.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

"Cherry, huh?"


I'm currently working on my next LEGO short, which I hope to have done by April or mid May at the latest. The above is a sneak preview and an indication of how retro I'm going with the design. Enjoy!

Before the advent of fratboy comedy and scantily clad women

A YouTube flashback showing how much commercials, particularly for beer, have changed:

Monday, March 17, 2008

"This is history!"

Soooo, Joe Lieberman, the man who would have become Al Gore's Vice President in 2000 if it hadn't been for the Supreme Court, is going to attend the Republican National Convention. Well isn't that just darling.

Actually, it's becoming a bit of a tradition now since old Zell Miller attended back in 2004 and conjured up a nice heaping pile of HATE for those in attendance.


Can and will Joe do the same this year, especially since the GOP is in such dire straits? Can he conjure up his own powerful spirits of fear, avarice and bloodlust to motivate the faithful?


Be careful what you wish for, Joe.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Invasion of the Icy Australian Blondes

This piece of casting news must have slipped by me last year. Naomi Watts is starring in a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, to which I can only respond, "Well of course she is".


If Hitchcock was alive and working today, he'd probably sign Watts and Nicole Kidman to lifetime contracts and have them star in every film he made.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

"Bomb Bomb Iran ... and China and Russia and friggin Andorra while we're at it!"

Marvellous:
Bloomberg writes that, while there is a public perception that John McCain may be "less bellicose" than Bush, in reality McCain is as determined "to stay the course in Iraq and more confrontational" on a wide range of foreign policy issues. "On Russia and China, he is clearly more hawkish than Bush," said Ken Weinstein, chief executive officer of the Hudson Institute. Ivo Daalder, a former National Security Council aide in the Clinton administration, added, "This is a man who hasn't seen a country he doesn't want to bomb or invade."

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

The fringe beneftis of fantastical films

I was happy to hear the news that Terry Gilliam, despite all the bad luck he's had with past film productions, will continue working on his latest project The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. As you may have heard, he had already begun filming scenes with Heath Ledger when he died in January. Here's the story:

Producers working on Heath Ledger's final film have vowed not to alter the tragic star's last performance, even though the actor never got the chance to complete the project before his untimely death. Work on The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus resumed on Monday after the Brokeback Mountain star's death halted filming on the project earlier this year. In his honor, Hollywood superstars Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, and Jude Law have signed up to feature in the film, which is due for release next year. However, the film's director Terry Gilliam and its producers have promised to preserve every detail of Ledger's final performance, and that the hiring of the three new stars will not affect his work. A statement released by the movie's producers reads, "Since the format of the story allows for the preservation of his entire performance, at no point will Heath's work be modified or altered through the use of digital technology. Each of the parts played by Johnny, Colin and Jude is representative of the many aspects of the character that Heath was playing." Gilliam adds, "I am delighted that Heath's brilliant performance can be shared with the world. We are looking forward to finishing the movie and, through the film, with a modicum of humility, being able to touch people's hearts and souls as Heath was able to do." Ledger had just finished shooting scenes for the fantasy movie in London just days before he was found dead in his New York apartment in January. Toxicology results released last month revealed Ledger was killed by an accidental overdose of prescribed medications.
The situation is very similar to what happened with the Matrix sequels five years ago. While the two movies were being filmed, Gloria Foster (who played the Oracle) passed away. She was perhaps my favorite part of the original film, so I was particularly saddened when I heard this.

The movie's way of dealing with it, however, was genius. In the second film, the Oracle is attacked and destroyed by multiple Agent Smiths. This scene and the ones that preceded it had been filmed before Foster died. When a new actress was cast for the scenes that followed, it was explained that the Oracle's efforts to rebuild herself were not perfect and, thus, she looks like a different person (though she was still an elderly black woman). I still smile at the brilliance of it.

Granted, that's about the only aspect of the Matrix sequels I smile at, but that's another post. Let's just hope that this maneuver works just as well for Gilliam and, in turn, makes for an even finer film.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Yes, you too can own a Heinrich Himmler minifig with custom Luger P08 pistol (if you're into that sort of thing).

What do you get when you cross the entrepreneurial spirit with LEGO mania (plus some serious advance money)? BrickArms!


Friday, March 07, 2008

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Tying Geek Culture to Pop Culture

Slate published a very nice obituary on Gary Gygax today. I especially liked this bit:
He grew unhappy with later versions of D&D, declaring them "rule intensive" and more focused on singular achievements than group cooperation. Perhaps his purist belief in an anything-goes fantasy world became out of fashion in the greedy 1980s and disaffected 1990s. For whatever reason, people grew more interested in turning their characters into godlike beings and got less focused on the intricacies of team play. (Sort of like the NBA.)

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

FFF: The Schedule

Last Sunday, a friend and I headed down to Orlando to shop for video games (him), LEGO (me) and to trade in my vouchers for actual tickets to the Florida Film Festival. I had my movies picked out in advance and was able to get all the ones I asked for (it helped that I was ridiculously early in picking them up). Here's the list with descriptions provided by the FFF:



My Brother is an Only Child - Charming and delightful, this film adaptation of Antonio Pennacchi's Il Fasciocomunista reunites the screenwriters of The Best of Youth in a tale of sibling rivalry and brotherly love set against the turbulent Italian 1960s and 1970s. Brothers in the working class Benassi family, Manrico (Riccardo Scarnaccio) and Accio (Elio Germano) are both rebellious, but otherwise opposites: the former a handsome, charismatic firebrand who becomes a Communist; the latter an ordinary confused little brother who flirts with fascism, taken under the wing of a local MSI leader. Set in Latina in the area of Sabaudia, where Mussolini built model towns, the politics are there, with the filmmaker addressing Italy's fascist past, but only at the service of character and story. Maintaining a mostly light touch, the film is nostalgic and entertaining. Who can't laugh at a "defascistized" text for Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" or a "let everyone state their views" meeting? And there's more than meets the eye--a jarring somber climax reveals dreams and disillusionment in this acclaimed dramatic comedy that was nominated for eight Donatello Awards (Italian Oscars), winning four including Best Actor and Best Screenplay.

Stuck - The director of Re-Animator returns with a blackly humorous thriller torn straight from the headlines. Compassionate caregiver Brandi (Mena Suvari, American Beauty) is on the way to the top, her years of hard work about to be rewarded with a big promotion. Hapless Tom (Stephen Rea, The Crying Game) has hit rock-bottom, out of work, newly homeless, and in search of a park bench for his bed. These two paths intersect violently when an inebriated Brandi accidentally plows head-on into Tom, lodging him halfway through her windshield as she speeds through the streets. Terrified that the accident could destroy both her career and her future, Brandi makes a decision almost unthinkable: to stow the vehicle and its captive in the garage, and make her drug-dealer boyfriend dispose of the body. But there's a complication: the body isn't quite dead and is slowly, painfully trying to escape. Inspired by all-too-true events, Stuck plunges its antagonists into an exhilarating, disturbingly funny, and always unpredictable battle of wits that will leave you gasping!

Gigi - Winning all nine of its Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, the adaptation of Colette's eponymous novel whisks audiences into turn-of-the-century France, where Gigi (Leslie Caron), a young Parisienne, is given lessons in becoming a proper young lady and capturing a wealthy suitor. Fresh from a failed courtship with Liane d'Exelmans (Eva Gabor), family friend and seasoned millionaire Gaston Lachaille (Louis Jourdan) escapes for a weekend retreat with Gigi and her grandmother (Hermione Gingold). The precocious Gigi and society-weary Gaston become fast friends, encouraging their scheming families' attempts at matchmaking. Amidst timeless numbers like "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" and the conventions of 1900s French society, Gigi and Gaston's friendship blossoms into love. Marvelous performances, stylish costumes and sets, and a sumptuous soundtrack from the team behind My Fair Lady elevate this period Cinderella story into an enduring classic that has been delighting audiences for five decades - join us for this special 50th anniversary screening under the stars.

Fish Kill Flea - In a small New York town, oddly called Fishkill, a once thriving center of commerce from the 1970s is now converted into a shopping haven for the eccentric--a flea marketer's paradise. Fish Kill Flea presents an in-depth and unfiltered exploration into the day-to-day operations of this vibrant shopping community. The lives of the flea market-s patrons and shopkeepers take a drastic turn when a corporate home-improvement conglomerate purchases the mall for purposes of destruction. These people aren't only losing their business, but for many of them, they are losing their communities too. What follows feels like Samuel Beckett by way of Errol Morris. The result is touching, often humorous, and even tragic. Fish Kill Flea presents an unflinching look at the struggle of the lowliest American dreamers and entrepreneurs. How can they compete with the tsunami of huge corporate influences?

La Corona - If only every beauty pageant had contestants who were assassins, thieves, and murderers--perhaps they would all be this entertaining. Shot in the largest women's prison in Colombia, "La Corona" ("The Crown") is a 2008 Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary Short.

Tuya's Marriage - Set against the backdrop of the vanishing life of the Mongolian herdsman, Tuya's Marriage is a simple yet compelling story of a hardworking desert herder who refuses to leave her land and her family even in the worst of adversities. Director Wang Quanan meticulously captures the slow-moving realities of these harsh but picturesque grasslands. Tuya, played by Yu Nan, is the sole bread earner of her family. She not only takes care of her injured husband and children but also herds a hundred sheep. However one day when she hurts her back, Tuya is not left with much choice. Using her plucky peasant practicality, she decides to divorce her husband on paper and find a suitor who will not only marry her but will agree to take care of the entire family. The suitors line up, but it is no easy task. The film is warm, surprisingly witty, and gentle, making it no surprise that it has won top prizes at many festivals including the Golden Bear at the 2007 Berlin International Festival and Best Actress at the 2007 Chicago Int'l Film Festival.

Battle in Seattle - "Our world is not for sale" is the declaration at the heart of Irish actor and first time writer-director Stuart Townsend's provocative and heartfelt film, Battle in Seattle. Sparked by tens of thousands protesting the 1999 World Trade Organization conference, riots in the normally laid-back Northwestern city spanned five days, and the scene eventually grew into a state of emergency. Woven together with actual footage and dramatic performances, the film showcases the events from multiple points of view including protestors, police, and city officials. Characters are drawn from those on the front lines to innocent bystanders caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. The filmmaker skillfully uses an all-star cast including Oscar winner Charlize Theron, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Rodriguez, Ray Liotta, and Andre (3000) Benjamin to bring the chaotic and frightening true events to the screen. As civil liberties and global economics collide, the fights in Battle in Seattle are as relevant today as they were at the turn of the millennium.

Intimidad - Intimidad is the latest masterwork from the filmmaking team that brought us Mardi Gras: Made in China (Grand Jury Award - Best Documentary Feature, FFF 2005) and Kamp Katrina (FFF 2007). A Mexican couple marries young and struggles to provide for their baby while saving enough money to buy a tiny parcel of land and build their own home from scraps of wood. This intimate portrait of their impoverished lives illustrates what life must be like for thousands of young Mexicans working for American corporations south of the border. Unflinching yet tender, the film follows Cecy and Camilo over the course of four years as they face a dilemma that separates them from their daughter and nearly tears their marriage apart. It is a powerful, heartbreaking, and compassionate story that reveals the enduring strength of love in the face of economic hardship.

My Olympic Summer - Words and images no one was supposed to see reveal the love that was nearly lost behind the headlines of an historic tragedy. Winner of the Short Filmmaking Award at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story - William Castle made an undeniable mark on the world of film, but his story isn't that well known. He began his early days working as an assistant to Orson Welles, where he served as a second unit director on The Lady from Shanghai. He then turned to horror, creating gimmickry for audiences in the 1950s and 60s to create the ultimate cinematic experience. These clever promotions would include flying skeletons above the crowd, insurance policies and nurses in the theater, a Coward's Corner with yellow footprints leading up to it in theater lobbies, and the infamous electrified seats for The Tingler. Perhaps his most well-respected contribution to cinema history is producing Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby, a project he was originally supposed to direct himself. Director Jeffrey Schwarz gives us a humorous and thorough account of this celluloid P.T. Barnum through archival photos, footage, and interviews with the likes of John Waters, Leonard Maltin, John Landis, Joe Dante, Roger Corman, and countless others. This compelling documentary offers long overdue appreciation for a unique artist who gave audiences something they were never expecting.

If a Body Meet a Body - Three Los Angeles County coroners answer a sobering question: How does one deal with life on a day-to-day basis when you're constantly surrounded by death?

Son of Rambow - Written and directed by Garth Jennings (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), Son of Rambow takes us on a nostalgic journey back to 1982, where kids everywhere idolized one of the greatest action heroes ever to grace the screen -- Sylvester Stallone’s "Rambo." Will is an imaginative little kid who is subdued greatly by the strict religious community he is growing up in. They all but succeed in sheltering him from any sort of outside media until the day he gets his hands on a bootleg copy of First Blood. The film absolutely mesmerizes the British 11-year-old, who then decides to make a movie of his own where he plays the son of Stallone's chiseled character. What follows is a creatively mad-cap attempt at a no-budget action epic, where the characters take independent filmmaking to a whole new level. The breakout hit of the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, Jennings's magical work is a hilariously fresh and visually inventive take on friendship, family, film heroes, and the death-defying adventures of growing up in the video age. Son of Rambow is an all-ages cinematic experience that is pure joy.

Condolences

This appeared on the MST3K fansite yesterday:

It’s only tangentially MST-related, but several people have written to inform us that Jeff Healey, the blind blues-rock singer/guitar player who had a prominent role in "Road House" as a blind blues-rock singer/guitar player, passed away last Sunday. He was 41.

Our condolences go out to his family, friends and fans. Our condolences also go out to anyone who has ever seen "Road House."

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

A GM to us all

Complete with the jerky stepping over of the tail

This video is quickly going viral and for good reason. It's great stuff:



Even better, though, is the response somebody posted:

Monday, March 03, 2008

"Oooo...It's the Big One...I'm comin' to you, Elizabeth!"

For the last couple of weeks, I had a bit of a health scare. I kept feeling pains in my chest that I thought might be heart trouble. Level heads prevailed, though, in the form of my wife and my doctor. Both told me that as a 34 year old with no family history of heart disease (plus my no-smoking, no-drinking lifestyle), that it was highly unlikely that I could be having heart trouble. A clean EKG and three chest X-rays helped to finally put my mind to rest.

As to what it could be, my doctor said that chest pains can be any number of things including indigestion and simple stress. Well, I finally found out the cause of all that misery: Twenty years after he first played FBI agent Alonzo Mosely (and twelve years since he last appeared in a feature film), Yaphet Kotto is currently reprising his beloved character ... in a Larry "The Cable Guy" Movie.

I really wish I had a snappy closing to that, but everytime I try to think of one, I break down in sobs.

A sneak peek at Toby Keith's next album

Saturday, March 01, 2008

"We are all interested in the future"

Think Progress really dropped the ball on this headline:


It should have been Kristol Predicts!

Needless to say, Kristol's predictions will be about as accurate as his predecessor's.

Giancarlo Esposito Quote of the Month: March 2008

It always sucks to be a father in a bipoic, because there's inevitably going to be a ton of baggage thrown your way. Fortunately in Ali, Giancarlo's role as Ali's father is a rather likable one, and he spends most of his screen time attending the fights and cheering his son on. Their one point of contention, over his son's Muslim conversion and name change, is shared in one scene by Ali's wife. When she and Ali leave the room to talk, Cassius Sr. and Bundini (Jamie Foxx) share both drinks and conversation:

Cassius Clay, Sr.: Took away my boy's name. What they give him back? Bad style.

(Both laugh)

Bundini: I think you drunk. Daddy Clay, you're something else. Now that's a firecracker right there. We're gonna have to work with that. A scale of one to ten.

Cassius Clay Sr.: That's right. I have one - I had a ten - Well, I didn't have a ten. I had a five - five good twos.

(Both laugh)