Pineapple Express Giveaway!

By now, you’ve no doubt seen trailers and movie posters for Pineapple Express, the latest Seth Rogen comedy hitting theaters next Wednesday, August 6th. Well in honor of the movie’s release, we’ve got (2) Pineapple Express soundtracks, which drops next Tuesday, August 5th, to give away along with (2) high gloss Pineapple Express posters.

To win a soundtrack/poster pack, email Jessica! This contest has ended, all prizes are won

Tracklisting:
01. Pineapple Express – Huey Lewis & The News (win | quicktime | real)
02. Electric Avenue – Eddy Grant
03. Dr. Greenthumb – Cypress Hill
04. Lost At Birth – Public Enemy
05. Poison – Bell Biv Devoe
06. Wanted Dread Or Alive – Peter Tosh
07. Don’t Look Around – Mountain
08. Pineapple Chase (aka The Reprise of the Phoenix) – Graeme Revell
09. Bird’s Lament – Moondog & The London Saxophonic
10. Coconut Girl – Brother Nolan
11. Hilawe – Arthur Lyman
12. Tha Crossroads – Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
13. Pineapple Fight (aka The Nemesis Proclaimed) – Graeme Revell
14. I Didn’t Mean To Hurt You – Spiritualized
15. Woke Up Laughing – Robert Palmer

Pineapple Express: website | soundtrack myspace | stream “Pineapple Express” in win, quicktime, real

Air

As a Missourian fully aware of my state’s rivalry with Kansas, I knew I would be taking a risk in making the trek across the border to see the special screening of Air, the first full-length feature of Chris Blunk and Jeremy Osbern. Air is a film set in Kansas, starring Kansans and even written and produced by Kansans. With this screening, I would risk having to admit that Kansas is actually kind of cool.

A musical is a rather daunting task for a first film, but Blunk and Osbern pulled it off perfectly. Through their artistic vision displayed in their innovative camera angles combined with the simple, but beautiful score, Blunk and Osbern told a refreshing tale. Air mainly focuses on the story of six people who feel lost , as if they are nothing more than a spirit floating in the air, but as their paths cross and each person finds love, they finally feel alive and part of the world.

The music present in the film covers several different styles from country to rock to classical. Early in the movie, much of the music is acoustic and percussive, but as the film progresses and the characters find themselves, they also find their musical style.

One character whom best epitomizes the idea of finding yourself in music is the rocker Donnie, played by Dylan Hilpman. Donnie, although a songwriter, is unable to write a love song for his girl, much to her displeasure. She leaves him and Donnie finds himself in a dreamlike state conducting an orchestra in a very romantic classical piece, but he has still to find his love rock song. Later he finds himself singing in the middle of a rock concert a do-bop song that would belong in a 50s dance. When he finally figures things out by the end of the film, he writes the love song that his girl has been waiting for and the song that is true to his character’s style.

Donnie’s song at the concert is the strongest song in the film. While local KC rockers, the Architects, are performing to an ecstatic crowd, Donnie belts his broken love song, “I’m living in two worlds / Because without you, / Everything’s breaking in two / I’m lost in the crowd.” This number is worth checking out for the cool chaos of the crowd shots, the cameo by the Architects and the catchy and moving song.

This film does a great job of endearing the characters to the audience and it shows that first impressions aren’t always accurate. Take Ian Stark’s character of Dan. Stark’s portrayal of Dan subtly turns the character’s awkwardness into a charming trait. Dan is a guy bored with the world and bored with life, but he meets a girl that awakens a sweet curiosity about her and motivates him to begin living. Like so many of the characters of the film, Dan was part of the living dead until he found love that could bring him to life. Just watch Stark’s facial expressions and you can see him come to life as he develops a little smile as the film progresses.

We can all probably see a little bit of ourselves represented in the awkwardness of these romances, the passion of these songs and the chaos in the world around the characters. There are so many details to pay attention to that this is something you’ll find yourself wanting to watch again and again.

This is a film sure to garner a lot of attention as the creators take it on a festival run in the coming months, so here’s your chance to be one of those, “I knew that film/song back when” people and check out Air, the little indie musical that will have you dancing in the streets of Kansas City.

Air: website
Through A Glass: website

by: Bethany

The Love Guru Soundtrack

Canadian comedic actor Mike Myers has created another alter-ego, this time he plays Love Guru Pitka who reveals all his wisdom through song. Never lacking authenticity, or maybe he just misses rocking out as Wayne Campbell, Myers himself sings many of the songs on the soundtrack.

The soundtrack, released by Lakeshore Records, also features tunes from greats such as George Clinton and Robbie Nevil. The soundtrack offers up cover songs from Myers as well as a remix of late 90′s hit “Brimful of Asha” by Cornershop.

The disc begins with the Indian-influenced instrumental “Morning Meditation,” a relaxing and beautiful song. It seamlessly transitions into Myers’ rendition of “9 to 5,” which comes out a bit goofy given his accent for the role, but is still catchy and dynamic. I dig remixes almost as much as I love cover songs and Norman Cook‘s remix of “Brimful of Asha” is just as catchy and fun as the original as its tempo is increased and sporadically incorporates twinges of ambient Indian music.

Myers duets with Manu Narayan on “More Than Words” before his version of Steve Miller Band‘s “The Joker” makes its appearance, sounding as if it fell right out of a Bollywood film with the obvious use of a sitar and twinkling percussion. The most invigorating and dynamic song on the soundtrack comes from Telma Hopkins And Toronto Children’s Concert Choir singing “Lead Me To Your Rock.” Hopkins can belt it out and “Lead Me To Your Rock” is, oddly, the perfect song to precede rapper B.A.S.K.O.‘s “Big Boi.”

The Love Guru soundtrack seems to have a slight case of dissociative identity disorder as tracks by Robbie Nevil and Celine Dion follow, totally out of place. These are followed by the heavily Indian tune “Mere Mitwa Mere Meet Re” by Lata Mangeshkar & Mohd. Rafi, again something straight out of a Bollywood flick. Though retaining that Indian flavor, George Clinton’s “Guru Vindaloo” is the most solid track on the album with “Mathar” by Danny Saber taking a close second. Both tracks are completely instrumental and nothing short of completely cool.

The soundtrack includes three short bits of dialogue, of which all fall short on a scale of 1 to funny. Hopefully those snippets aren’t the best the movie has to offer, otherwise movie goers will be pretty disappointed. Also falling short is the “Guru Pitka Chant” by Guru Pitka’s Ashram Band. Had Clinton’s and Saber’s tracks been the last, a so-so soundtrack would’ve ended in gusto letting the listener forget the mediocrity that preceded it. Instead, we’re reminded why summer blockbuster soundtracks rarely maintain steady rotation in the CD player.

The Love Guru soundtrack is available on June 17th via Lakeshore Records and the movie will hit theaters on June 20th.

Tracklisting:
01) Andrew Mendelson – Morning Meditation
02) Mike Myers – 9 To 5
03) Cornershop – Brimful Of Asha (Norman Cook Remix) *
04) Mike Myers – Stop Hitting Yourself (dialog)
05) Mike Myers and Manu Narayan – More Than Words
06) Mike Myers – The Joker
07) Telma Hopkins and Toronto Children’s Concert Choir – Lead Me To Your Rock *
08. B.A.S.K.O. – Big Boi
09) Robbie Nevil – C’est La Vie
10) Celine Dion – I Drove All Night
11) Mike Myers – My Name Is Guru Pitka (dialog)
12) Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd Rafi – Mere Mitwa Mere Meet Re
13) George S. Clinton – Guru Vindaloo *
14) Danny Saber – Mathar *
15) Mike Myers – Guru Lineage (dialog)
16) Guru Pitka’s Ashram Band – Guru Pitka Chant

* recommended listening

The Love Guru: website | myspace | stream “The Joker”
Lakeshore Records: website | myspace

Smart People

April 3rd marked the beginning of this year’s Philadelphia Film Festival and the entire city is in a film frenzy. Many showtimes are selling out and random people walking down the street can be overheard discussing the cinematic merits of the indie film they just saw. Last night, I got to attend a free preview of Smart People (that, truthfully, is totally unrelated to the Film Fest, but I needed an intro, ya know?), a Miramax film starring Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Page and Thomas Haden Church, which hit theaters nationwide today.

The fairly humorous films, set in Pittsburgh Pa. features Quaid as a cynical and grouchy professor at Carnegie Mellon University who, due to an act of karma, meets Parker’s character in the ER. Parker is an ER doctor and former student of Quaid’s, who had a major thing for him when she took his Victorian Literature class as a freshman. Page plays Quaid’s Young Republican, perfect SAT-scoring, soon to be attending Stanford daughter — rather different than her break out role as Juno. Church is cast as Quaid’s deadbeat, adopted brother who blows into town to ask Quaid for money and ends up moving in with his extended family and providing the lowbrow comic relief.

The storyline mostly follows the relationship that develops between Quaid’s and Parker’s characters, as well as the personal development of the crotchety professor. The entire film seemed to be a social commentary on liberals versus conservatives with stereotypes of each prevailing. The duration of the film sees each character attempting to change his or her own downfalls interspersed with some genuinely funny moments.

While I didn’t leave the theater feeling like I wanted my previous two hours back, I was happy to not have had to pay for the movie. I’d wait for it to come around on DVD, were I you. If you live in Philadelphia, check out something actually playing at the Film Festival this weekend. If you’re elsewhere, go to your local independent theatre and support them. You’ll probably find something better, and you’ll feel better for supporting the little guy.

Smart People: website

[where: 400 Ranstead St, Philadelphia, PA 19106]

Strike Watch! Victory. Kind of.

After three months of striking, writers are expected to get back to work on Wednesday. The strike cost Guild members a hefty $270 million dollars and in three years there will be a bitter and angry renegotiation. For now, writers will receive a flat fee for their works appearing online. After three years, that flat fee will turn into 2% of whatever revenues the studios receive.

Due to the reconciliation, it’s highly unlikely that the actors will strike when their contracts are up this summer.

The WGA’s West Coast President called the walkout “the most successful strike in American labor in the past decade.”

Congrats to the writers!
And, um, if any of you writers want to get writing some more episodes of Gossip Girl, I wouldn’t be mad.

The 4th Dimension Gets a Distro Deal

The 4th Dimension, a favorite film of PopWreck(oning), has scored a distribution deal with the Philadelphia-based TLA Releasing to release the film on DVD in the United States and Canada. Producer Dan Kalai says that they are also working with a sales agent to sell internationally.

Look for The 4th Dimension out on DVD April 8, 2008!Look for The 4th Dimension out on DVD April 8, 2008!

New York, I Love You

Following the success of last year’s Paris, Je T’aime, a new film called New York, I Love You is in the works. The premise will be the same: 12 writers/directors will have five minutes each to illustrate the theme of love in New York City’s five boroughs.

Signed onto the project so far:
Zach Braff (directing)
Scarlett Johansson (directing)
Joshua Marston (“Six Feet Under,” Maria Full of Grace)
Anthony Minghella (The English Patient, The Talented Mr. Ripley)
Mira Nair (Vanity Fair)
The Hughes Brothers (Menance II Society)
Brett Ratner (Rush Hour 1-3)
Yvan Attal (French actor/director/writer)
Fatih Akin (Turkish/German actor/director/writer)
Wen Jiang (Chinese actor/director/writer)
Andrei Zvyagintsev (Russian director)
Shunji Iwai (Japanese writer)
Olivier Lécot (French writer)
Alexandra Cassavetes (actress, writer)

The film is in pre-production, so any number of things can change. I suppose none of these writers are members of the WGA. Hopefully this film will be as beautiful as Paris, Je T’aime turned out to be.

Strike Watch! Golden Globes A No-Go

There will be no award show for this year’s Golden Globes due to the writers’ strike.

Raise your hand if you care.
Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Top Films of 2007

Having lived in New York City for the past four years (until this past June), I rarely went out to the movies because it cost a fortune, especially to the po’ college student city-dweller. I manage to see a handful, whether it be in an actual movie theater, through my DVD player or via the internets on the mostly wonderful Nabolister. To be noted, I do prefer to patronize my local, independently-owned movie theaters, as should you. Just saying.

My Top Ten Films for 2007 are as follows:

01. Paris, Je T’aime
I’ve been to Paris and am truly in love with the city. It’s gorgeous and romantic and full of surprises. The film was a mishmash of shorts combined to create a barely cohesive storyline, but each story is emotional and feels very real. The story of the mother pining for her dead son is heart-wrenching and the very last short is about a typical American tourist in Paris for the first time. The woman speaks horrible and totally unaccented French and is the epitome of an out-of-place, overweight, shorts and fanny pack wearing American tourist, but her love for Paris is so pure and innocent that you can’t help but love her and feel sorry for her that you know every single true Parisian and Frenchperson is probably ridiculing her like it’s going out of style. I was in Washington D.C. when I saw the movie, at The Avalon I think, but when I stepped outside of the I swore I was in Paris, which is why Paris, Je T’aime is my top pick for the year. Any movie that can make me feel as if I were actually there wins hands down.

02. The Fourth Dimension
This film was so different from what’s out there, so beautifully shot, and was just so tortured that I just can’t even explain how wonderful I think it is. It might help that it was shot by family and in Philadelphia, but it was captivating throughout and extremely well-crafted regardless of the who, what, where that was involved in its production.

03. The Simpsons Movie

On a scale of 1 to hilarity, that song alone made it the funniest movie I saw all year.

04. Juno
I just saw Juno this past weekend and what a super cute coming-of-age movie. While the premise of a sixteen year-old getting knocked up could go so many trashy places, Juno was funny, adorable, and often heart-warming. Ellen Page is an extraordinary actress beyond her years and Michael Cera plays the sweet-but-really-awkward guy perfectly, as also exhibited in Arrested Development and Superbad. Jennifer Garner was perfect in her role and played it so vulnerably that you couldn’t help but love her and end up despising Jason Bateman, something I never thought would happen because of my huge crush on him stemming from, yes, The Hogan Family. Some of the dialog seemed forced as Diablo Cody tried to invent new catchphrases a la Amy Heckerling (think Clueless), but overall, worth a viewing. Not to mention the soundtrack is awesome, plus there are some obscure-o movie and music references.

05. The Darjeeling Limited
I am a huge fan of everything that Wes Anderson has had a hand in. The short film before Darjeeling tied in nicely to the storyline, coming back in a full circle, and gave the audience an idea of Anderson’s ability to work within tighter time restraints. The feature length film’s Indian scenery and the use of cinematography was gorgeous. Each of the characters’ nuances played well off of each other and you got the sense that Owen Wilson, Adrian Brody, and Jason Schwartzmen really were brothers. I was bored one night but still in a mood to be by myself, so I ended up going to the theater alone and am certain that having seen this movie with anyone else, or having seen any other movie alone, wouldn’t have left me with the same feel-goodery I had when I left.

06. Superbad
I love Michael Cera. His nerdy guy act (act?) is spot on and he’s just so lovable. The scenes with the cops hanging out and causing chaos with “McLovin” made me laugh out loud. You’re never too good for stupid funny. Judd Apatow had quite a year.

07. A Mighty Heart
A tragically sad tale based on the true story of reporter Daniel Pearl and his wife Marianne, played by Angelina Jolie. What struck me most was how flatter the actual Marianne Pearl must have been to be played by the gorgeous Ms. Jolie. What a compliment. The entire ordeal Mrs. Pearl suffered through was tragic and the film showed it in a tragically beautiful light.

08. This Christmas
I saw this the week before Christmas and it totally put me in a Christmas-y mood, which I’d be lacking up to that point. Chris Brown’s performance was great and even though the lip syncing was obvious, the boy has a beautiful voice. Loretta Devine is always hilarious, but also gets the emotional scenes across in a convincing and honest manner. I also love Regina King; she is so vulnerable on-screen that I can’t imagine anyone not loving her. This was definitely feel goody, too, mixed with a whole lot of laughter. If you see it, stay tuned during the credit for a random dance party full of sweet moves by the cast.

09. Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix
I’m a fan of all things Potter. A little weirded out that J.K. Rowling “outed” Dumbledore randomly and for, like, no reason. The H.P. movies always have some rad effects, and I think that Emma Watson is a beautiful girl. The last time I read this book was probably when it came out, and I haven’t read any since, so I can’t say how it matches up, but not a bad flick overall.

10. Knocked Up
It was pretty funny. I’m still kind of really, really grossed out that they showed the crowning not one but three! times. Ew. Never having children, thanks. I remember laughing, and it was better than the other movies I’d seen that could have rounded out the list. Other than that, not so much to say.

Still meaning to see:
I’m Not There — It probably would’ve made the list if “a fool such as I” had seen it.
Hairspray
P.S. I Love You
Sweeney Todd – I feel like this probably also would’ve made the list.

Strike Watch! Carson Daly, Still a Tool

It’s been no secret that Carson Daly, made famous by MTV’s Total Request Live (thanks a LOT, MTV), declared his disloyalty to the WGA by saying he’d be the first late-night talk show host to cross picket lines. He’s returned to the terrible Last Call to produce new shows without his writers. Scab.

Well last night, some of Daly’s writers invaded Last Call‘s studio audience for one of the last tapings of the year. The WGA frowns upon the action taken, but it doesn’t make it any less deserved. Writers in the audience heckled Daly during an interview with ex-NFL star Jerry Rice saying that Daly needed writers so he could have decent jokes to tell. Production assistants and security immediately took the writer from the audience and escorted him out. Alarmed, Daly asked Rice to start the interview over again, which Rice agreed to.

Following the start of the second interview, another writer stood up declaring, “I feel so bad for the striking writers. Can I please leave?” On the way out, the writer noted Daly’s cue cards and asked who was in charge of writing the show now that the WGA was on strike. Three more people were removed from the studio and a production assistant announced that anyone else interrupting the show would be immediately prosecuted and urged other writers to leave then. More than twenty people promptly stood up and left the studio, leaving audience members and Daly in shock.

I’m a huge fan of this idea and would like to congratulate the audience-infiltrating writers for calling out Daly for being an asshole and crossing the picket lines. Maybe Carson thought being the only new late-night talk show not in reruns would finally get him some viewers. I’d also like to point out that Jerry Rice is dually an asshole for going on the show. Please exhibit some support for the writers, Jer! Same to whomever the musical guest was last night. All the productions assistants, security guards, anyone in that studio, can suck it.