Friday, January 30, 2015

Because Every Day Should Be Halloween

Because Every Day Should Be Halloween, enjoy this classic monsters montage. Okay Al here's some Ministry too. "Every Day Is Halloween" via a video of black and white vintage cartoons made by Blake Banks: A Ministry "Every Day is Halloween" Live bootleg (1986) courtesy of youtube user Deathkill06:

Retro Pop Culture Weirdness: Otherworld

Otherworld circa 1985 Season One Episode Four "Rock and Roll Suicide" Retro Pop Culture Excellence Heads Up From My Friend Brian: "Prepare to have your mind blown! In this amazing episode of Otherworld, the elder Sterling kids, Trace & Gina, invent something called "rock n' roll" and pass off such songs as "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Modern Love", "Surrender", "Rock N Roll Fantasy" & "Bop Girl" as their own. But the authorities & the Church of Artificial Intelligence feel threatened and don't like it... especially after playing the recordings backwards!! ps- Jonathan Banks (aka "Mike" from Breaking Bad) can be seen in the last 5min as "Kommander Kroll." Best quote may be: "It's exciting but it frightens me." And why is the guy wearing a full David Bowie "Modern Love" getup in the recording studio? Seventeen minutes in the audience hair blowing is pretty epic.

Deerhoof Tour Dates 2015

Deerhoof are hitting the road and can you believe they've been at it for 20 years? They're amazing so be sure to support them if they hit your town! “Black Pitch” *European Tour Dates* 2/14: Warsaw, PL @ Dzik - w/ Marcin Masecki & Pictorial Candi 2/16: Berlin, DE @ Lido – w/ Farfara 2/17: Leipzig, DE @ Conne Island – w/ Julian Sartorius 2/18: Frankfurt, DE @ Zoom – w/ Julian Sartorius 2/19: Paris, FR @ Petit Bain – w/ Pneu 2/20: Mons, BE @ Maison Folie – w/ Trash Kit 2/21: Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg – w/ The Mysterons 2/23: Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory – w/ Cowtown 2/24: Glasgow, UK @ Stereo – w/ Cowtown 2/25: Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club – w/ Cowtown 2/26: London, UK @ Oval Space – w/ Cowtown & Trash Kit 2/28: Saint Malo, FR @ La Route Du Rock Festival *US Tour Dates* 1/31: Santa Ana, CA - Indigo Fest @ The Observatory (Main Stage) 3/09: New Haven, CT @ Toad's Place – w/ of Montreal & Yonatan Gat 3/10: Boston, MA @ Paradise – w/ of Montreal & Yonatan Gat 3/12: Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom – w/ of Montreal 3/13: Chicago, IL @ Metro – w/ of Montreal 3/14: Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall – w/ of Montreal 3/15: Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave – w/ of Montreal 3/16: Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room – w/ of Montreal 3/17: Oklahoma City, OK @ ACM@UCO Performance Lab – w/ of Montreal 3/18: Houston, TX @ Walter's Downtown – w/ of Montreal 3/19: Austin, TX @ SXSW, TBA 3/20: Austin, TX @ SXSW, TBA 3/21: Hattiesburg, MS @ Thirsty Hippo – w/ Perfect Pussy & Fred Thomas 3/23: Atlanta, GA @ The EARL – w/ Perfect Pussy & Fred Thomas 3/24: Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge – w/ Perfect Pussy & Fred Thomas 3/25: Durham, NC @ Duke Coffeehouse – w/ Perfect Pussy 3/26: Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar – w/ Perfect Pussy & WUME 3/27: Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street – w/ Perfect Pussy & Zula 3/28: New York, NY @ Webster Hall Marlin Room – w/ Perfect Pussy & Zula

Jesus and Mary Chain Announce North American Tour Dates 2015

THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES CELEBRATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF PSYCHOCANDY "the most notorious band since the Sex Pistols...Some of Psychocandy is beautifully wasted pop; some sounds like being trapped in a wind tunnel full of broken glass and bees; the rest sounds like both happening at once." - Dorian Lynskey, The Observer "The Jesus and Mary Chain's debut is a decadent alt-rock masterpiece of bubblegum pop - with "Just Like Honey," "My Little Underground" and "Never Understand" - drowned in feedback." - Rolling Stone, The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time "Psychocandy was meant to be a kick in the teeth to all of those who stood in our way at the time, which was practically the whole music industry. In 1985 there were a great many people who predicted no more than a six month life span for the Mary Chain." - Jim Reid 30 years on the band return - regularly cited by the media as one of the great rock'n'roll bands and by a raft of new groups as a major influence. THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN is now pleased to announce its first full US run of Psychocandy US tour dates, hitting new cities in May 2015. This will be the continuation of a year of activity not only celebrating the 30th anniversary of Psychocandy but also looking firmly ahead to the future. Tickets on sale Fri. Jan. 30th at 10am PST TOUR DATES: 05/01 Toronto, ON - Canadian Music Week 05/03 Detroit, MI - St Andrew's Hall 05/05 Chicago, IL - Riviera 05/07 Dallas, TX - The Bomb Factory 05/09 Austin, TX - Levitation / Austin Psych Fest 05/11 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre 05/13 Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre 05/14 Seattle, WA - Showbox 05/16 San Francisco, CA - Warfield

2015 Oscar® Nominated Short Films / Live Action | Animation | Documentary

The 10th anniversary list for the 2015 Oscar®Nominated Short Films: Live Action | Animation | Documentary Have a peek and learn about each 2015 Oscar®Nominated Short Film and read a synopsis for each film in their respective categories. Animation: Live Action: *LIVE ACTION* *AYA* Israel & France / 39 mins *Directors: *Mihal Brezis and Oded Binnun *Producers: *Yael Abecassis, Hilel Rozman, Pablo Mehler *Co-writer: *Tom Shoval *Production: *Cassis Films (Israel), Divine Productions (France) Two strangers unexpectedly meet at an airport. He mistakenly assumes her to be his assigned driver. She, enchanted by the random encounter, does not hurry to prove him wrong. *BOOGALOO AND GRAHAM* UK / 14 mins *Director: *Michael Lennox *Producer: *Brian J. Falconer *Writer: *Ronan Blaney Jamesy and Malachy are over the moon when their soft-hearted dad presents them with two baby chicks to care for. Raising their tiny charges, declaring themselves vegetarian and dreaming of running a chicken farm, the two boys are in for a shock when their parents announce that big changes are coming to the family. Starring Martin McCann, Charlene McKenna, Riley Hamilton and Aaron Lynch. *BUTTER LAMP (LA LAMPE AU BEURRE DE YAK)* France & China / 15 mins *Director: *Hu Wei *Producer: *Julien Féret A young itinerant photographer and his assistant offer to photograph some Tibetan nomads in front of various backgrounds. *PARVANEH* Switzerland / 25 mins *Director: *Talkhon Hamzavi *Producer: *Stefan Eichenberger A young Afghan immigrant travels to Zurich where she encounters a punk named Emily. *THE PHONE CALL* UK / 21 mins *Director: *Mat Kirkby *Writers: *Mat Kirkby and James Lucas “THE PHONE CALL” follows HEATHER, (played by OSCAR® nominee SALLY HAWKINS), a shy lady who works at a helpline call centre. When she receives a phone call from a mystery man (played by Oscar winner JIM BROADBENT) she has no idea that the encounter will change her life forever. *ANIMATION* *A SINGLE LIFE* The Netherlands / 2 mins *Production: *Job, Joris & Marieke When playing a mysterious vinyl single, Pia is suddenly able to travel through her life. *FEAST* USA / 6 mins *Director: *Patrick Osborne *Producer: *Kristina Reed “FEAST”, a new short from first-time director Patrick Osborne (Head of Animation, “PAPERMAN”) and Walt Disney Animation Studios, is the story of one man’s love life as seen through the eyes of his best friend and dog, Winston, and revealed bite by bite through the meals they share. *ME AND MY MOULTON* Canada & Norway / 14 mins *Director: *Torill Kove *Producers: *Lise Fearnley, Marcy Page *Production: *Mikrofilm AS in co-production with the National Film Board of Canada One summer in mid-’60s Norway, a seven-year-old girl asks her parents if she and her sisters can have a bicycle. Me and My Moulton provides a glimpse of its young protagonist’s thoughts as she struggles with her sense that her family is a little out of sync with what she perceives as “normal”. *THE BIGGER PICTURE* UK / 7 mins *Director: *Daisy Jacobs *Producer: *Christopher Hees 'You want to put her in a home; you tell her; tell her now!' hisses one brother to the other. But Mother won't go, and their own lives unravel as she clings on. Innovative life-size animated characters tell the stark and darkly humorous tale of caring for an elderly parent. *THE DAM KEEPER* USA / 18 mins *Directors: *Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi *Production: *Tonko House The Dam Keeper, an original animated short film by feature animation artists Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi, tells the tale of a young pig encumbered with an important job, and the meeting of a new classmate who changes everything. A first-time collaboration between some of the most talented artists in animation, The Dam Keeper made its world premiere as an official selection at the 2014 Berlin International Film Festival and is slated to make its US premiere at The New York International Children's Film Festival this spring. Set in a desolate future, one small town's survival is solely due to a large windmill dam that acts as a fan to keep out poisonous clouds. Despite bullying from classmates and an indifferent public, the dam's operator, Pig, works tirelessly to keep the sails spinning in order to protect the town. When a new student, Fox, joins Pig's class, everything begins to change. Made up of over 8,000 paintings, The Dam Keeper blends traditional hand-drawn animation with lush brushstrokes to bring Kondo and Tsutsumi's celebrated painting-style to life like never before. The Danish actor Lars Mikkelsen of television's Forbrydelsen (The Killing), and BBC's Sherlock, narrates this timeless fable. Directors Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi are known for their art direction on such beloved films as Ice Age, Ratatouille, Monsters University and Toy Story 3. *DOCUMENTARY* *CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1* USA / 39 mins *Director: *Ellen Goosenberg Kent *Producer: *Dana Perry The timely documentary CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1 spotlights the traumas endured by America’s veterans, as seen through the work of the hotline’s trained responders, who provide immediate intervention and support in hopes of saving the lives of service members. *JOANNA * Poland / 40 mins *Director: *Aneta Kopacz *Producer: *Adam Slesicki *Production: *Wajda Studio With great visual poetry, 'Joanna' portrays the simple and meaningful moments in the life of her family. Diagnosed with an untreatable illness, Joanna promises her son that she will do her best to live for as long as possible. It is a story of close relationships, tenderness, love and thoughtfulness. *OUR CURSE* Poland / 27 mins *Director: *Tomasz Sliwinski *Production: *Warsaw Film School The film is a personal statement of the director and his wife, who have to deal with a very rare and incurable disease of their newborn child – the Ondine’s Curse (also known as CCHS, congenital central hypoventilation syndrome). People affected with this disease stop breathing during sleep and require lifetime mechanical ventilation on a ventilator. *THE REAPER (LA PARKA)* Mexico / 29 mins *Director: *Gabriel Serra Argüello *Producers: *Henner Hofmann, Liliana Pardo, Karla Bukantz Efrain, known as the Reaper, has worked at a slaughterhouse for 25 years. We will discover his deep relationship with death and his struggle to live. *WHITE EARTH* USA / 20 mins *Director/Producer: *J. Christian Jensen Thousands of souls flock to America’s Northern Plains seeking work in the oil fields. "White Earth" is the tale of an oil boom seen through unexpected eyes. Three children and an immigrant mother brave a cruel winter and explore themes of innocence, home and the American Dream.

Friday, January 23, 2015

Bring What We Do In the Shadows to U.S. Theaters

I've long been awaiting the American release of the vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows. It turns out that sort of thing costs quite a lot of money for distribution and an indie film from New Zealand just doesn't have the scratch. So Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) & Taika Waititi (Boy) have taken to Kickstarter in the hope that fans of all things ridiculously funny (or perhaps a small island comprised of people who only view fake documentary comedies about vampires) will bring their vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows to the USA! This is one of a couple of films I've been waiting quite a long time to see and fellow fans and critics have given it their seal of approval. http:Check out the neat-o incentives while you're browsing the page. Oh, and this too, which I'm gonna go out on a limb and say nothing is lost in translation, because it is genius.

Myrna the Monster Short Film

Here's a newly released clip from director Ian Samuels short film Myrna the Monster featuring Kathleen Hannah (Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, The Julie Ruin). Learn more about the project which will debut at Sundance by visiting Ian Samuels website.