An Amazing Website

Props to MDV for passing this great, hilarious website along. I can't spoil it for you. It is truly genius!

GRINDHOUSE Review

I was able to catch Grindhouse this weekend, the new double feature by the clever directing duo of Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. I whole-heartedly recommend the movie with two caveats: 1) you must be willing to take a wild, self-referential, bloody ride; and 2) you have to make it through the much-too-bloody first half by Rodriguez to uncover the real gem that is Tarantino's new movie.

Rodriguez and Tarantino should both get credit for having fun. That's what these two 90 minute movies are about. Unabashed crazy blood-and-guts wild-ass fun. From fake horror movie previews to grainy film and missing reels, the directors throw in every old school gimmick but the kitchen sink.

The first part of the movie, Rodriguez's Planet Terror, might as well be a video game. Full of fast-flying bullets and exploding zombies, the over-the-top gore finally just begins to wash over you after 45 mins or so. There are some laugh-out-loud moments, which you might expect. But who in the world could have known that Rose McGowan (of Scream and Charmed fame) could be such a kickass heroine? And cutie Freddy Rodriguez (from Six Feet Under) plays a charming, gun-toting love interest.

While Planet Terror has genuine moments of suspense, Tarantino's Death Proof is the movie that actually keeps you on the edge of your seat. You know from the movie trailer that Rose McGowan gets in Kurt Russell's "death proof" car, and he tries to kill her. But that's only about 1/4 of the movie. The rest of Death Proof is balls-to-the-wall girl power. Not since Buffy have I seen some gals kick such ass.

If you don't mind gore and you want to have some fun, Grindhouse will certainly fit the bill. You'll probably get squeamish during Rodriguez's first half, but hold tight because Tarantino's second half redeems the double feature as a whole. Now I just want Tarantino to get back to making another great drama, a la Pulp Fiction or Jackie Brown. Hell, even Kill Bill would do.

Addie and Her Uncle

My Humps

Most of you have seen this already, but props to my friend Cathy for sending it along. Alanis Morisette has covered Fergie's "My Humps" in his hilarious video. It's astounding, so be sure to take a look.

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Addison Elizabeth Dunstan

Happy Birthday, Niece!

A 7lb 9 oz, 21 inches bundle of love! Congrats to my brother Adam and his wife Jenny. You can't imagine how exciting it is to have my first niece or nephew, and how happy the family is. More to follow when I stop blubbering.

Madonna and H&M Video

Props to Jeoff for forwarding me this hilarious Madonna commercial.

Mayans Rebuff Bush

This story in The Washington Post caught my eye because the title was so bizarre: "Priests to Purify Site After Bush Visit."

It's funny at first glance when you think about Mayan priests "chanting and burning incense, herbs and candles" to remove the "bad spirits" from Bush's visit. But the more you consider the relevancy, how over and over and over again other countries and their various communities are turning away from the war-mongering United States, the more disturbing this story gets.

A person speaking for the Mayans said, "That a person like (Bush), with the persecution of our migrant brothers in the United States, with the wars he has provoked, is going to walk in our sacred lands, is an offense for the Mayan people and their culture." He's certainly got a point, and it goes beyond how sick so many people are of Bush's faux-cowboy bravado. It shows that for more and more people, Bush's double-truths, greed, stubborness, and "fuck you" attitude have reached beyond simple machiavellian tactics to become almost the epitome of American political indifference, bullying, and evil.

What the Frak?

If you haven't watched this week's Battlestar Galactica then read no further. I'm warning you.

What the hell? I'm so confused. BSG is a great series, and last night was actually a good episode, but it felt a bit like Lost. After being promised big revelations and getting a huge build up, we learned zip, nada, zero.

Instead, a major character "died" for no reason, despite months of talk about her "destiny." It made no sense, and I'm hoping that the showrunners know where they're headed with this. And my hope is that Katee Sackhoff isn't off the show entirely--she gave a real spark to the series.

My guess is that Starbuck comes back as a Cylon in future episodes. Another friend has suggested that maybe it's her death that precipitates the discovery of Earth. In any case, the best show on television threw me a major curve ball last night, and I can't say I'm jazzed about it.

How Do These People Get Paid Millions?

I just read in Variety that ABC is doing a show about cavemen living in modern day Atlanta. Kind of like the Geico commericals.

WTF???

How do these tv people ever get paid what they get paid to come up with "ideas" like this. I mean...it's been a fairly non-funny commercial bit for a few years now, and that somehow translates to a "funny" sit com? I read this article and couldn't believe it. The only thing that's funny to me about the show in the making is that they chose Atlanta of all places.

Hardly Fun and Nancy Who?

So, it's raining like hell in DC tonight and nothing is on tv. After a quick stop to Amersterdam Falafel, I decide to take a sneak peek at the netflix treat I had been saving for this Sat or Sun afternoon: disc 1 from the 1976 Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Mysteries tv series. (I figured Family with Kristy McNichol has rocked enough 70's weekends lately--time for a change).

I climb up on the sofa and push play, just giddy to see Shaun Cassidy, Parker Stevenson and Pamela Sue Martin in all their wavy-haired glory. And there they are and guess what--it stinks.

Eh, stinks isn't really the word. The crazy ass music is just as eerie and good as I remember. But the "plot," (and I use quotations purposefully), is just terrible. No pacing, no story. Just lots of cats hissing, and mirrors, and trap doors, and screaming. Granted, Parker Stevenson is just as cute as I remember, riding around town in his underwear on his trail bike, but even Parker sans clothes just doesn't lift my spirits as much as I hoped he would. Plus the DVD has the shows out of order--there isn't a whiff of Nancy to be found, except in the credits. From what I remember, when the show was originally on, each week alternated between the boys and my Nancy.

So...I may just skip to season two, when the Hardy Boys actually meet Nancy Drew and they chase Dracula together. Perhaps then all will be right with the world. I can hope anyway...

West Bank Story

How many of you remember the super cute guy who won the Oscar last Sunday for his short film West Bank Story about a falafel stand caught up in the fight between Israel and Palestine? Ari Sandel's quick, empassioned speech about short films being a vehicle for new voices and talent was heartfelt and really stood out that night.

Turns out Ari is the brother of one of my friends Toby, from Alaska. West Bank Story was his MFA project in Directing from UCLA. Can you imagine winning an Oscar for your graduate thesis? Well, visit the site for Ari's movie West Bank Story. I'm going to order a copy.

(check out Ari and Steven Spielberg above, at the Academy Awards nominee luncheon in January).

Um, Well, Er, Harry Potter is Kind of Hot

People have been talking about Daniel Radcliffe in the London play "Equus," but I hadn't paid much attention. But now after seeing the pictures, I'm like, well, it's just, I don't know how to say it but Harry Potter is kind of hot.

Eddie Murphy and the Oscars

Ted Casablanca at E! is reporting that Eddie Murphy left the Oscars last night just after he lost. If you wondered why I was rooting for Alan Arkin and not Eddie Murphy, you have your main answer. I think Eddie feels entitled to the Oscar--which is ridiculous.

Think about the sound guy who has been nominated 19 times now and didn't win (again) last night. What about all the really great actors who don't have Oscars, including Peter O'Toole who (again) went home without Oscar gold last night.

IEddie is a brilliant comedian. I think he's hysterical. But in Dreamgirls his performance was only okay. Not terrible, not great. And really, his part didn't even have all that much meat to it. So I was hoping for Alan Arkin to get the win, and last night I was happy he took gold. Now after hearing that Eddie left the Oscars in a disappointed huff after losing, it makes me even happier Arkin won.

OSCARS!!!

I didn't win the work Oscar pool yesterday or the contest at my own party. The big trip-ups I made: 1) voting for Peter O'Toole because I honestly thought they'd give it to him after 7 previous nods. 2) I didn't catch on to the momentum for The Departed. I voted for Babel instead. 3) I also picked Pan's Labyrinth over The Lives of Others for foreign picture. Oops. So...those were major losses for me in terms of points. In terms of Oscars, I didn't too much care.

The things that did make me happy last night: that Alan Arkin won over Eddie Murphy, even after Murphy won every imaginable award before the Oscars. That's a twist I saw coming. I was also happy that Helen Mirren and Jennifer Hudson won, though we all both were fairly certain.

Aside from the terrible length of the broadcast, it was a fun show. DeGeneres was goofy and childlike, but not stupid. Though we could have done without 5 minute nominee sketches here and 5 minute music dedications there.

It was such a great year for movies that the Oscar nominations really seemed on the mark for the most part. And it seemed like November through January I saw a fantastic movie every weekend. Well, as I wrap this up, I leave us with the hotness that is Ryan Gosling.

Confused about Lost

Last week's Lost was incredible. It answered some mysteries, solved others. And I actually began to think that the writers knew what they were doing. I got excited again about that show--which hasn't happened in nearly a year.

Then last night we get another esoteric "how in the world does this fit in" episode. Sure, there was maybe one shock or two, but the showrunners don't seem to understand the thin ice they're on with most people. Everyone I know who watches the show, or used to, is just kind of fed up with the storyline. And "filler" shows like last night's, don't really help.

Where is Paker Stevenson?

I admit, I'm feeling nostalgic lately. This past Sunday I actually watched four episodes of the television show Family from 1976. You know, the show with Kristy McNichol and the mother (Sada Thompson) who had soul-less eyes? Anyway, I was only like 5 or so when the show started, but it was certainly in my consciousness--I remember the sad music, the longful glances, and it did make McNichol a star (and frequent contestant on Battle of the Network Stars).

But I was terribly surprised to discover that it wasn't just Mike Nichols' baby--the show had writers and directors such as the Thirtysomething guys Herskovitz and Zwick. Sigh, I miss them. And double sigh that I never really got to appreciate the brother on the show, Gary Frank, when he was in his prime (see above far right). As far as I can tell, he embodied all that was hot and steamy in the 70's.

I have ordered another Family DVD from Netflix and am also expecting a Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew DVD soon. Imagine my horror today to hear that no-talent Tom Cruise is turning the sleuthy brothers--one of my old favorite shows--into an action comedy vehicle for him and Ben Stiller. It truly makes me want to vomit. As old as Parker Stevenson is, he could still take the wee-little Tom Cruise in a fight.

Re: Tim Gunn--I Told You So

When Bravo was intimating months ago that they may go ahead on the next season of Project Runway without Tim Gunn, I said they were full of crap--they were bluffing and playing hardball with Gunn. Turns out, I was right.

Gunn announced that though he's leaving Parsons School of Design to work at Liz Claiborne, he's definitley in for the next season of Runway. My guess is that Bravo knew they couldn't fuck with a winning combination. Gunn is the heart of the show and his wit is priceless--just look at the difference between how well he does his job and how bloody awful that cutie Todd Oldham is on Top Design.

I honestly believe Runway would lose mega amounts of viewers if Gunn left. And even though Top Chef is doing well in the ratings, Bravo can't afford to lose Runway, the little show that could. It keeps building steam.

So, hurrah for Tim and hurrah for us! I can't wait.

Joss Whedon Says Adieu to Paradise Island

It sounded fun, didn't it? Buffyverse creator Joss Whedon signing on to develop and direct the new Wonder Woman film for Warner Brothers. Imagine what he could do with the mythology of Wonder Woman and Paradise Island. Think about the sharp quips Diana Prince could make as she deflected bullets with her magic bracelets.

But alas...it was not meant to be. Joss announced on Friday that he's left the film after more than a year of developing and writing a script (for which he reportedly received at least $2 million). My guess is that his Wonder Woman was a little too edgy, or he wanted to take too much creative license with the character's mythology.

Good news is--maybe this will free him up to work on more television goodness. I know he's doing another movie and two comic book series, but we can hope.