Oscar 2008: 63 Countries Competing for Best Foreign Language Film Nomination

http://www.altfg.com/blog/awards/foreign-language-film-oscar-2007-63-countries/

i wonder how many people in the world have seen every one. maybe two?

secret sunshine is hopefully next on my list. i've only seen edge of heaven on the list.

Yemen pics

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/12/30/travel/20071230_YEMEN_SLIDESHOW_index.html

Al-Hajjara, a village carved out of the rocky landscape in the 11th century.

yemen i'd go

The World of Tomorrow

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/30/nyregion/thecity/30year.html

should entice you to hypothesize about 100 years from now.

all i wanna do......................... take your money

random photo excellence.

The Shrinking Market Is Changing the Face of Hip-Hop

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/30/arts/music/30sann.html

quick look at hiphop. people who sold 1.1 million copies 5 years ago, now sell 40 thousand copies.

rap really is dying. i was browsing new videos on muchmusic.com (have to be in canada) and 90% is emo. only the very biggest urban names have videos featured. weak.

"Criterion Edition" of the already classic short The Landlord

commentary on one of the best shorts of the year

model by Zinin Alexei

random photo excellence.

Delta Christmas Message 2007

here's my one christmas related entry. you can just pretend i made the video.

my movie revues #25

almost a month to watch seven movies ha.

i am legend - see, i'm glad movies like this are still made with their blockbuster intentions. you only really understand the guys character at the very end.
once - see, it was pleasant.
killer of sheep - see, this was great once you get into it.
tideland hd - see, this would be a trip on drugs fo sho. there is good weird and absurd weird. this was good weird. and the director achieved his vision of the world through the girls eyes.
the deer hunter hd - see, haters i spot you from afar and i'm the deer hunter.
reign over me hd - see, superbly excellent.
superbad hd - see, the first thing that made me lol was too funny. in class when the girl is like "you might have taken that too far."

Oh You Mad Cuz I'm Stylin On You?

in the best videos of the year, this is right up there

ADD ME ON AIM, MY SCREEN NAME IS "DSDF"!

attractive girl + music = hit on youtube
but yeah she's good
although i will say i'm not a fan of people who speak the words "i'm so much smarter"

Alicia Keys "Live" in Madrid - Sure Looks Good To Me

yeah

Kia Shine "WOW" video

all i can say is wow!

Ashlee Simpson - Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya) video

straight garbage. timbaland beat smh

EliZe - Into Your Stystem video

most euro thing you will see today

M.I.A. U.K. TOUR PART 1

afrikan boy is funny. <3 mia

Camp Lo - Lucini video

this is it what!

Frente! - Bizarre Love Triangle video

the good shit

All Saints - Never Ever video

bet you haven't seen this in years

Blackstar (Mos Def & Talib Kweli) - Definition video

classic good vibe

Xzibit - Paparazzi video

classic

celine dion OWNED

http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/16317192/review/17437037/taking_chances

Celine dion calling her new album Taking Chances? That's like a Zac Efron musical called Making Cops Shit Their Pants, or a Lil Wayne mix tape titled Bumming Bus Fare From My Mom. Celine's shtick is as safe a bet as there is in the music biz, coming a mere six months after her last album, the Canadian chart-topper D'Elles. Alas, her cat-strangling whine is still a remarkably ugly sound, no matter what she's singing. The days are gone when she had her pick of material, ruining perfectly nice pop-trash ballads from Diane Warren or Jim Steinman — no songs here by either of them, and Linda Perry's "New Dawn" is a Nineties leftover. She interprets Ne-Yo ("I Got Nothin' Left") and the Dream ("Skies of L.A.") with awful results. She goes back to Eighties schlockmeister Aldo Nova for "Can't Fight This Feelin'," which is unfortunately not an REO Speedwagon cover. But that's nothing compared to Dion shrieking the ten millionth version of Heart's "Alone" (mad pitchy, dog!), produced by ex-Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody — Amy Lee, meet the fugliest bullet you ever dodged.

ROB SHEFFIELD

Pitchfork Feature: Top 100 Tracks of 2007

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/47681-staff-list-top-100-tracks-of-2007

it's out. the list with the most songs you never heard of. my commentary as i go over it:

ahh mutya groove armada.. i heard that was big with most. i never got into it so much.
miranda lambert.. i dunno if i listened to the album. i think i saw her perform this at cma's. heard lots of good things about her.
Sophie Ellis-Baxter.. yeah it was good
50 cent - i get money.. first track i predicted lands at 84
looks like pitchfork need better headphones "and a stuttering, addictive refrain: "I get money, money I got," repeated ad infinitum while a truckasaurus-roar of a bassline smashes"
when you have good sound you will hear "i get money, money is got" smh
Amy Winehouse - Tears Dry on Their Own... love the track
cassie - is it you.. this barely came out. i do have a copy though yay. cassie totally rules. kate moss is not in her league.
devin tha dude - what a job.. never got into the new album but i'm bumpin doobie ashtray right now..
dj khaled - we takin over .. i don't think i got into this song but the new birdman one with the red cars and the money is great.
Sharon Jones - I'm not gonna cry.. i don't see this on the new album which i got into late in the game.. any song on it is super though.
white stripes - rag and bone .. only listened to album once or twice but really enjoyed it. listening to this one now.. i imagine a hell of a live show
lil wayne - upgrade u.. well i don't get mixtapes so i didn't hear this. but i will say i have a newfound respect for lil wayne after hearing the line "i'm so fucking good like i'm sleeping with meagan" on kanye's barry bonds. suck my bat bitch owns too.
bat for lashes - What's a Girl to Do.. i would put horse and i above this one.. even though this one is more dramatic.
kanye tpain good life - i only picked can't tell me nothing for my list but this track is a stunna. gonna win a grammy. "ass than the models..." "now my grandmama ain't the only girl calling me babyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy"
dizzee rascal - Pussy'ole .. i do believe i enjoyed this track.
jay-z roc boys - this was not out when i made my list but yeah it kicks ass.
kanye - can't tell me nothing is my second prediction i guess at 25. this song is amazing for many reasons.
m.i.a. - boyz.. i will say that at some point i mentioned on my site how this sounded like a completely normal pop song. which is remarkable in itself. is paper planes still coming on the list? do they diss the timbaland track for the umpteenth time in cyberspace? time to keep going and find out. they got a point about "Listen closer for the qualification: the war-starters are "no money boys."" but i'm pretty sure they got that info from m.i.a... it could be Normanny if you wanna get technical. :P
feist - 1 2 3 4 ... yeah it's leet
jay-z - ignorant shit ... this song is trash. bad beat. you think the opening two sentences are that ingenious or something??? describing this song as a "banger" is some ignorant shit.
ugk - int'l players anthem - this is a fucking good song.
rihanna - umbrella.. now in the top 5, could it be mainstream time? i remember the first time i heard this song, i called it art. my fave parts are her background voice in the left background which becomes apparent at 0:42 and continues to underlay the whole track.
M.I.A. - Paper Planes (Remix) Feat. Bun B & Rich Boy....... well that rich boy verse was pretty much incomprehensible. i heard about this remix but never heard it until now. bun b kills it as expected but rich boy. no.

well that was pointless. if they can reach into the depths of mainstream by awarding timberlake song of the year last year, then there was no reason no one should not have cracked the list. noobs. keep thinking it's money i got.
.

High-school Confidential: Poor little rich kids on the CW

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/television/2007/11/26/071126crte_television_franklin

gossip girl is better than heroes. dead serious. bring back the black girl. she's hottttt.

dead cameras..

..produce pretty cool pics

What Emma Watson did next

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/12/16/st_emmawatson.xml

"but I have a relationship with Chanel" lol

M.I.A - Paper Planes video

general consensus is disappointing

Independent Streak

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/magazine/16wwln-Q4-t.html

q&a with coppola

10 most listened to albums of 2007

there's something to be said about actually listening to an album over and over

plies - the real testament
kanye west - graduation
common - finding forever
m.i.a. - kala
alicia keys - as i am
rihanna - good girl gone bad
amy winehouse - back to black
clipse - hell hath no fury
lily allen - alright still
ugk - underground kingz

by Hazel Thompson - london

random photo excellence.

No Strings Attached

A Toyota robot plays the violin during a press unveiling in Tokyo.
i like it

GOOD Magazine: The Big Idea w/ Danny DeVito

well good

Blonde Redhead - Top Ranking video

cool vid

pretty in b&w

random photo excellence.

two new great albums

these two albums will get you through til the end of january. lupe fiasco - the cool and jaheim - the making of a man.
lupe blew me away with that he said she said track and now i will enjoy getting into this new disc.
jaheim can't make a bad album. ask the hood.

Prodigy - "ABC" video

sick video

Jojojo by camiloruizx

random photo excellence.

Pitchfork Feature: The Year in Photos

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/47277-staff-list-the-year-in-photos

some pics, mostly dudes.

Angel Lola Luv

random photo excellence.

20th Century Fox's iconic images

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/arts/2007/12/02/sv-foxarchive-102.xml

old pics

If the Copy Is an Artwork, Then What’s the Original?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/06/arts/design/06prin.html

the most important part of this article is “there’s not a pixel, there’s not a grain that’s different,”

there is no fine line here. if the photographer sold his copyright, then malboro should/could be after money. if he owns the copyright, it's his fucking photo. it's called bootlegging. there is no spin you can put on it. if you sell my pic for 300 grand and disagree to giving me 50%, you get dead.

Delta Goodrem - Believe Again video

cgi people went a little nuts

Behind the scenes of "The Paintball Office" photoshoot

cool

grammy nominations predictions

http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/50th_Show/50thNominations.txt

majors missing from the list are norah jones - not too late and m.i.a. - kala.
on the list because they "achieved prominence" are souljder buoy and rock star boyz. gay.

my predictions:
album of the year - kanye
rap album of the year - kanye
record of the year - umbrella
song of the year - rehab
best new artist - paramore
best pop vocal album - winehouse
best alternative music album - lily
best female r&b vocal performance - no one
best r&b song - no one
best rap solo performance - common
best rap performance by a duo or group - ugk
best rap/sung collaboration - good life
best rap song - can't tell me nothing

Kate Nash - Pumpkin Soup video

well it's in color. that's for sure.

Remi Nicole - Rock N Roll video

that shirt is like the female weezer or something.

Kate Nash

"my fingertips are holding on to the cracks in our foundation and I know that I should let go but I can't."

so is she imagining she is being dragged? because she can't be falling.

January 7th – Toronto, ON – Mod Club

tempting.

Why 'Juno' Star Ellen Page Could Be the Next Molly Ringwald

http://nymag.com/movies/features/41273/

she says something about loving blowjobs. no i kid.
i read the negative review of juno and it was interesting. i'm curious if it will win me over when i see it.

r.i.p. pimp c

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/arts/music/05pimpc.html

r.i.p. pimp c. not many people knew who he was but he was a legend in the rap world.

Operator Please- Leave It Alone

creative

european film awards

results:
Christian Mungiu's "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days," from Romania, won the award for best European film and Mungiu won the best director award at the European Film Awards in Berlin tonight. The film, winner of the Palme d'Or in Cannes this spring, is set for an awards qualifying run from IFC Films & Red Envelope Entertainment in the U.S. later this month. Sasson Gabai from "The Band's Visit" won the award for best actor and the film was named European discovery of the year at the ceremony. It will also open for a qualifying run this month. Helen Mirren was honored as best actress for "The Queen." Fatih Akin won the best screenplay award for "The Edge of Heaven" and the festival's FIPRESCI critics prize went to Alain Resnais' "Coeurs." Giuseppe Tornatore's "La Sconosciuta" won the people's choice award at the ceremony. indieWIRE plans to publish a dispatch from the European Film Awards on Sunday. [Eugene Hernandez]

i guess since i have not seen 4 months, 3... it is hard to compare everything. but at least band's visit and edge of heaven picked up something 'cause those movies were crack.

if you watch gossip girl...

http://www.tmz.com/2007/11/28/gossip-girls-who-bring-on-the-boys/

then this a pretty funny entry on tmz

"Cherry Chocolate Rain" Original Song by Tay Zonday

campy or awful? you decide.

Bat for Lashes on IMF

Screentest Marion Cotillard - NYTimes.com / TMagazine

top 10 best movies i watched in 2007

these are the best films i have watched this year chosen from 24 "my movie revues" and not the select few films that get oscar buzz around this time. gonna stick to films from the last few years only (2000+).

when narrowing from 25 films to ten i asked "was it superb?" these all are.

the band's visit , the edge of heaven , the magdalene sisters , hot fuzz , inland empire , lilja 4-ever , the pianist , letters from iwo jima , district b13 , city of god , maria full of grace

Everyday Normal Guy Rap Song

well done

my movie revues #24

the man from earth - see, great film. see it. you will tell someone about it after you do.
the band's visit - see, brilliant and pleasant. nods for best actor and best screenplay at european film awards.
high fidelity - see, smart american film. seems like there are so few.
junebug - see, slightly recommended. although i think it was well done, it didn't do much for me personally. dumb people are dumb. racist people are racist. i can pinpoint the two lingering moments as when one character says "if i was a screwdriver, where would i be?" and when two characters have sex and don't want others to hear, they pause, but don't really stop.
top gun hd - see, feel good fun.
viva las vegas hd - see, any really old film with a perfect new hd picture is a delight. some of the shots of las vegas lights could be straight out of a hype williams video. funny how they ended movies back then too.
one last thing hd - see, plot is about a dying kid who wants to crush a supermodel. can't go wrong.

Jordin Sparks - Jordin Sparks

good album. i imagine she will sell the same as kat mcphee. starts with the irreplaceable beat like every r&b chick has nowadays (see rihanna's good girl gone bad song) and has good songs follow. the song "no air" is so catchy, it's ridiculous.

Paintjam Dan Dunn

i've seen live painting at a show thing, but this is spectacular.

GH3 Dragonforce Through the Fire and Flames

if you've ever played guitar hero, you know how fun it is. this is the hardest level on the hardest song afaik. the end of the video is jokes. if you haven't played, when you screw up too much, you lose and don't finish the song.

The gaze of 45 Mexican photographers

http://zonezero.com/exposiciones/fotografos/china/

lotsa leet pics. some nsfw.

my movie revues #23

it is officially movie season hence the rapidity since my last revues.

ostrov - see, there is only one word to describe this russian film. very intriguing.
waitress - see, it was good.
vera drake - see, strong story.
the nanny diaries - pass, this is the worst film i have seen this year. you could offer me 20 thousand dollars and i wouldn't watch it again.
infernal affairs hd - see, the original of this past year's oscar winner is great. tough to compare the two since people usually favor the first one they saw.
ratatouille hd - see, this rat movie is the favorite to take home the best animated feature oscar. i don't watch many kids movies but this one was good due to the cooking element and swift story.
the conversation hd - see, regarded by some as coppola's finest piece, this was excellent. i like to watch films without knowing their length and this one certainly benefitted from that.

Sugababes - Change video

yay colors

funny iphone commercial

Vincent Laforet

random photo excellence.

Brick & Lace - Love Is Wicked album

this album is on akon's label. it is very good. no idea when it comes out.

Bat for lashes "Missing time" - Live @ Rennes-UBU 2007.10.23

new woohoo

Blender Names "The 100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums Ever"

http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/generalarticlesynopsfullart.aspx?csid1=116&csid2=844&fid1=28660

good list if you need to find some great music.
38 The Strokes - Is This It
that album is nice

music critics

are people who write about music and over-think it
just failed musicians?

i have news for the critics. artists don't really care if you like their art.

click here for my 26 second musical creation.

just mentioning this because there is not a 5 star review for the new alicia keys album out there.

here's a negative review:

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/2007/11/drab-production.html

i laughed out loud when i read "Yet this well-intentioned artist has yet to produce a great album"
this guy greg kot must be a simpleton for not realizing the grammys actually mean something.
he's clearly just talking shit. who pays this idiot?
Greg Kot has been the Chicago Tribune's pop music critic since 1990.
the comments seem to be of a mixed variety. but whatever. fuck him.

all you need to know is new york times gave it a positive review.

Alicia Keys Interview rolling out tv

Alicia Keys- Like You'll Never See Me Again (Video)

good execution on the idea of the song

Riskay featuring Aviance & Real - Smell Yo D***

nsfw. great track coming to a club near you soon.

Dave Chappelle In London

funny

my movie revues #22

the magdalene sisters - see, great story, great film.
we own the night - pass, this film goes from subdue to brutal violence back and forth. not recommended.
puccini for beginners - see, simple and enjoyable.
la vie en rose - see, this had the most powerful scene in a film this year. i don't know much about acting, but i think Marion Cotillard was amazing just to be able to pull it off. let alone the rest of the film which is superb. will be interesting to see how this does at the european film awards on december 1st (up for 3 including best picture)
the edge of heaven - see, intricate and just great. i see this winning best picture at the european film awards and Marion Cotillard taking home best actress for la vie en rose.
transformers hd - see, if this doesn't win the oscar for best sound, the oscars don't mean shit.
blue velvet hd - see, this is like heart attack suspense. i watched the last 20 minutes in broad daylight and it still scared the shit out of me.

The New Deal: Band as Brand

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/arts/music/11leed.html

it's always nice to find out about a band the kids are listening to. paramore. listening to the riot album now. it's good. but any female with a good voice is going to stand out over her band. (even if dudes have mad gay hair) hence this part of the article:
"Ms. Williams said she rejected an overture from a shoe company that wanted to feature her — alone — in an ad campaign."
a great rock-type album is an album that is mixed right. this one is. and 17 million views on youtube is a sure sign of a hit song.

i know kids dress gay now but really, look at the dude on the right here:

Paris-based designer Michelle Jank

random photo excellence.

Robyn 'Handle Me' video

bet you can't stop watching

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings "100 Days, 100 Nights" video

gotta love it

Nas - Hustlers (Feat. The Game) video

good

Dizzee Rascal - Flex video

good vibe man

Statik Selektah - Spell My Name Right: The Album

this album is nice. every mc is on point. this is on a dj rectangle level. if you ain't feeling this album, you on some hurricane chris wack shit. easily a 10/10. don't sleep. this is a gem.

Sia - Buttons video

really weird to the point of absurd.

Jay-Z - American Gangster

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/46899-american-gangster

they give it a 8.6. based on the sole fact that you have to turn track 9 "I Know" waaaaay down in volume in comparison with track 5 "Hello Brooklyn 2.0" which you turn waaaaay up, this is not an 8.6. i think they might have gotten the review all wrong. anyone who listens to hip hop will tell you the beat is more important than the lyrics. and this has some awful beats (the ones with keys that sound pure cheese.) i listened to only the first half when it came out (because it was not very engaging) and a friend calls it "complete garbage."
the mainstream press seems to like it just because the idea behind it is good. the best tracks are blue magic (elite percussion), hello brooklyn 2.0 (it's the bass and the little surround sound effect touch not to mention the yelling guy is funny), roc boys (the funky horns and yelling "speech" right at the beginning), fallin (the repetitiveness seems appropriate).
if a track is not impressive beyond the intro, it's not good.
the simple fact is that great beats CREATE the soundscape that the lyrics live off. go back and listen to jay-z on "welcome to new york city" from 5 years ago to hear my point.

Charlie Rose - Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Jay-Z

interviews from about 3 years ago. best part is kanye saying his biggest fear is not having an idea.

something about voodoo

http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0711/voodoo_intro.html

i'm not in a reading mood but the pics are interesting.

stalkarazzi

look at this douche. not only is he stalking an 18 year old but he looks like a total ...

alicia no one - saturday night divas

song of the year. if it doesn't make pitchfork top 30, they clueless.

alicia on some tv show called cane

must be jokes playing yourself

Saigon - Come on Baby video

this track is only ok but the album is gonna be fire. swizz is week rappa. saigon gets props for using the term "ringtone rapper" in his song.
The Greatest Story Never Told is now set to be released on December 4, 2007.

alicia allhiphop video interview

i've been tempted to link to articles on allhiphop.com but always decided against it. here's a video from them.

Jay-Z "Roc Boys" video

the beat on the track is superb and the video was decent, therefore winner.

the wire season five preview

the wire is the best show on tv. i'm very interested to see the 5th season which will be focused on newsrooms.

Devices Enforce Cellular Silence, Sweet but Illegal

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/technology/04jammer.html

i always have headphones but i can see how it would be annoying to have to listen to other people.

Alicia Keys Interview

20 minute interviews ftw. (that means "for the win" if you don't speak internet)

my new favorite color

as a youngin my fave color was blue. now it is gray. Charlize Theron by Ellen von Unwerth...

Alicia Keys Feat. Oumou Sangaré - Fallin (LIVE)

might have a bit of an alicia keys flood over the next 10 days to encourage you to cop the album november 13. the tracks no one, superwoman and that's the thing about love are powerful (i.e. superb) and like you'll never see me again is a very nice slow one. those four are on the new album.

Delta Goodrem With 'You Will Only Break My Heart' on Sunrise

act like you know

KT Tunstall - Saving My Face

i liked it

ellen page

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/272111

movie called juno. has oscar buzz. sounds interesting. it seems like she's made to play hardened type roles as in the movie hard candy. that movie was serious. one reason it was so eery was because its cast was five people. and the other stuff too.

Monkey Swallows The Universe - The Casket Letters

you are truly indie when you are not mentioned on pitchfork. chillin album. get it.

Skye Sweetnam - Sound Solider

the easiest way to judge an album is to see if you make it through a whole listen without turning it off. this one delivers. great album. check it.

Trent Reznor and Saul Williams Discuss Their New Collaboration, Mourn OiNK

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2007/10/trent_reznor_and_saul_williams.html

nice to hear music heavyweights talk honestly about the music world. in particular, how a whole generation only knows free music.

A Conversation Between Frank Lucas and Nicky Barnes

http://nymag.com/guides/money/2007/39948/

see the movie. see it see it see it.

my movie revues #21

thin - see, wow. great doc. and i don't watch many.
american gangster - see, great film.
this is england - see, good but know what it's about before watching.
private parts - see, i listen to the show so it was good to give this a re-watch after many years. flew by fast.
american me hd - see, this one hits home if you ever did a bid. sup tony yayo.
the lookout hd - see, but only if you dig isla fisher. there is nothing bad nor nothing amazing about this one. movie ain't gonna change your life.
the fifth element remastered hd - see, this was a beautiful picture.

canadian tv

just came to the revelation that i don't watch a single canadian tv show (after reading about the gemini's.) strombo said slings and arrows is the best canadian show so i'm gonna check that out. a couple other good ones exist on showcase but are like two episodes long.
but yeah i'm big on tv right now. newest one added to the list is secret diary of a call girl from the uk. billie piper in that role is excellent.

supermodels

random photo excellence.