The Killing Nazi Business...

As Lt. Aldo Raine (played by Brad Pitt) so eloquently puts it "business is a-boomin."

Quentin Tarantino's latest cinematic adventure Inglourious Basterds is said to be his greatest film since 1994's Pulp Fiction, and in my opinion who ever says this, speaks the truth. Basterds is about (I don't know why I'm bothering to describe it, I'm sure everyone has seen the trailer and gets the jist of it, but nonetheless, I'm going to inform you all anyway...) a group of Jewish-American soldiers who are dropped into Nazi occupied France with the simple directions of killing Nazi's and to take no prisoners.

What the trailer fails to delve into, is the film's other plot line. That of the Jewish girl who's family is murdered by the Nazi's and her plan to, also, take down the main contenders of the Nazi party (ie Hitler and his successors).

I have no intention of ruining the movie for all of you, yet I feel I must warn any history buffs out there, Tarantino definitely takes artisitc license with this one. That is all I shall say about the plot.

Basterds is a highly entertaining movie and I recommend it to you now (unless, of course, you cannot stomache the sight of blood. If thats the case, be prepared to feel queasy). Roger Ebert describes the movie as "a big, bold, audacious war movie that will annoy some, startle others and demonstrate once again that he’s the real thing, a director of quixotic delights." I don't think I can say it any better, so I will leave you all here.

~Hans

OH! And Ferdinando, my dear, was that last post published because someone is feeling a bit guilty about a shopping addiction??

One Week of Danger

I’m going to say what shouldn’t be said. Youth and Beauty are fleeting. So, take heed, my friends. Go be both brave and stupid. Remember, being smart is not always the best choice. Live paycheck to paycheck and take that chance. I'm reminding you as I remind myself. This is your only chance. Fortune beckons.

"But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin. "

- Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

~Ferdinando

American Ingenuity, Marc Jabobs!

"I was thinking about the good old days in New York, when getting dressed up was such a joy."

-Marc Jacobs

Being that Marc Jacobs created a Fall '09 line that paid homage to the great City of the 80's, I will pay homage to Marc Jacobs. I partly do this in respect for my close friend, whose close encounter with her favorite designer left her faint. Star struck? Hell no, we're New Yorkers! Designer-dazzled? You betcha.

~Ferdinando

Alexa Chung, I freaking love it

So right now, I’m sorta obsessed with Alexa Chung. She is probably the only celeb-type that has earned my envy, let alone capable of getting me to admit it. I’m addicted to her show and I turn practically green when I consider her effortless style. All this makes her enviability level sky-high! [defined: ability to be envied]. Oh, let me count the ways...

She is one who captured herself a Monkey. And oh! how that Monkey sings and writes. That, my friends, is a success in itself, even if Alexa + Alex = a little matchy-matchy.

She’s has a great job just being her own charming self and interviewing celebs.

Half Chinese, Half British = She is stunning. Not in an overwhelming way, but combined with her next quality…

…her quirkiness makes her seem like someone you actually could be friends with.

Basically, I am jealous of her. And for someone that never considered themselves a jealous person, this is a tricky thing to admit. But she is so refreshingly different from all the same celebs who take themselves too seriously. I freaking love it. :)

~Ferdinando

The Year of the Flood

Ah, Hans! She certainly knows how to chill my blood properly – and in the best way possible. I think that our love of the grim may be beginning to show. You’d think that to best not deter the faint at heart a more appropriate post would be more cheery, but my latest obsession is gloomy still. Still, how surprised you would be if you saw Hans, Francois, or I...we are farther from the dark characters you may envision.

If you have ever read a book by Margaret Atwood you know that her vision tends to look toward society and remark upon the broken pieces, the cracks, if you will. I first was introduced to her through a high school English course where essays reigned supreme. I know what you’re thinking – not a school book! But hold still! her books are an interesting combination of a story that mainstream society can read and not scream over and intellectual enough where book nerds [like myself] can enjoy without throwing it across the room.

I personally would recommend Oryx and Crake for the first read. It is a little intense but well worth it. Then if you need a boost to your feminist side then I would recommend Handmaid’s Tale. That’s the one that pulled me in. My next choice is going to be Cat’s Eye, which is currently in my Amazon cart. What I really would like to mention, though, is an upcoming book of hers, The Year of the Flood, which is going to be released this September. This is going to be a companion novel with Oryx and Crake, though it will delve more into a religious extremist view of some characters in the story. Honestly though, I can’t wait to get my hands on another one of her books. I recommend them to one and all.



Warning: loss of hope in humanity can be an unfortunate side-effect. Good luck.

~Ferdinando

A Bloody Good Time part 2

A know this is new for me, two posts in one day, but I couldn't resist. In my opinion (and I know Ferdinando will agree with me) the best show currently on tv is Showtime's Dexter.

Dexter is based of the books by Jeff Lindsay (Darkly Dreaming Dexter is the first one). The show follows Dexter Morgan, who is a forensic blood splatter analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department by day and a serial killer by night. He was trained by his foster father as a child on how not to get caught and to only kill those people who deserve it (in other words other killers). "He'll charm fellow officers with a doughnut, wile away a Sunday with his girlfriend Rita, or chop up a victim and package their body parts in plastic bags. Hiding beneath the mundane exterior and contrived façade of Dexter, a charming blood spatter expert for the Miami Police Department, is an obsession with meting his own twisted brand of justice: stalking and murdering the guilty" (as Showtime describes him). Michael C. Hall brilliantly portrays the completely lovable Dexter (to the point where I want to be one of his victims...)


The shows fourth season begins on September 27th (I CANNOT WAIT!! I know Ferdinando understands) and is definitely going to have an entirely different feel to it after the way last season ended..

Goodness I really want to talk more in depth about it but at the same time I just want to motivate you all to go watch it. So all I'm going to say is check it out people! I have never met a person who has been disappointed by this show. Feel free to back me up on this ones Ferdinando (I keep typing in your actual name my friend, I think I fixed them all though).

~Hans

This is the season 4 promo, it looks awesome no?

A Bloody Good Time part 1

Hello Beautiful People,
this week I have decided to discuss HBO's awesome show, True Blood.

True Blood is based off Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series. As a fan of True Blood, I have read all of the books, and while they are entertaining they are nothing to write home about. I much prefer the tv series. While the show only has three more episodes left of the season, I highly recommend getting ahold of the first season and joining the millions of other people who have become intrigued by the vampires of Ms. Harris' imagination.

The premise of this addicting show surrounds the town of Bon Temps, Louisiana and its inhabitants, mainly the telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse and her vampire lover Bill Compton. (I am finding it ridiculously difficult to resist telling you all what is going to happen but I know that my dear friend, Ferdinando, would kill me).

True Blood is filled with (obviously) plenty of blood and quite a bit of sex, so I would not recommend the show for the faint hearted (or the prudes for that matter..). But if you have time to kill True Blood (and the novels) are a good time killer.

~Hans

"Alice In Wonderland"

Despite the fact that I have known all of you for quite a few months, I am getting the feeling we don't know enough about each other. Instead of beginning with the blatantly obvious facts like my name, where I live, etc, etc, I think I should admit that I am a intense supporter of all things Johnny Depp. Original, I know. I have been a fan of Depp for many years, considering the fact that, as unusual as it sounds, I grew up watching Edward Scissorhands and it is my life goal to see every film he is affiliated with. All I can do now is convince you that my love for him as a fan is hugely based on his talent in the cinema. I say hugely based because I'm not blind and I am in fact a girl. I also stand by my opinion that his three Oscar nods are simply incapable of encompassing the talent this man has for acting. But I digress.

Instead, I figured I should remind you all that one of his next films is another collaboration with Tim Burton, his 7th to be exact. Yes, m'friends, Alice In Wonderland, give the readers a gold star. Not that Johnny is the only star to be cast. The film is comprised of such people as Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Michael Sheen, Anne Hathaway, to name a few. The largest issue I have with this particular adaptation is that it is not going to be released until March 5, 2010. The wait will be long, but I expect to exert the mental work that will be required out of the necessity of waiting for Johnny.



As a parting gift, I recommend one of the best interviews I have seen of the actor to all of you Johnny Depp fans out there that have been living under a rock. The June issue of Vanity Fair was fantastic in its ability to look beyond the stereotype of Johnny Depp and delve into the depth below the actions we see through the public eye. Enjoy.

~Ferdinando

Wild Rumpus!

"When he came to the place where the wild things are they roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws"

Spike Jonze. Learn his name. The man responsible for directing and co-writing the screenplay with Dave Eggers for the October 16th release of Where the Wild Things Are has more ability than most directors in creating a story that eagerly runs parallel to the music contribution. The reason is due to Jonze's resume, which has a strong base of music videos and short films chronicling varying bands. That's why I call to the masses to consider the soundtrack for this film. As a childhood reader of Where the Wild Things Are, book form, I must say my excitement for Where the Wild Things Are, movie form, is paramount. But my excitement for the soundtrack? Slightly more excessive.
So when the trailer displayed the song "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire, I knew I needed to learn about the music in this beloved classic and alert all those that would listen to take heed. I considered that there might be other music lovers out there that needed their own poke to get excited. It might help if I told you that Karen O of the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs is the major contributor to the soundtrack. Now are you interested? So get excited! Watch the trailer...again...and count down the days. Because my wild days of today were not born overnight and the origin must be acknowledged.

Let the wild rumpus start!

~Ferdinando

Ledger's Modest Mouse Contribution, King Rat, finally released

The video was directed by the late Heath Ledger in order to raise awareness against commercial whaling.
The band's website states, "Heath’s vision, brave and unapologetic in its nature, would marry his love of bold and original music with his impassioned stance against the illegal commercial whale hunts taking place of the coast of Australia each year. Always one to operate from his heart and take a stand for what he cared deeply about, Heath's intention was to raise awareness on modern whaling practices through a potent visual piece without having to say a word. It was his way to let the story, in its candid reversal, speak for itself."

Modest Mouse - King Rat (International Version)


Inspired?
Proceeds from iTunes video downloads in the first month of release will go toward Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Greater contributions,with both money and time, can be made at the Sea Shepherd website.

~Ferdinando

Real Love

Shockingly, I finally have internet connection again! The reason for my extended absence is due to shitty cable companies, but alas, it is fixed...at least for now.

Judd Apatow's latest cinematic adventure, Funny People, was entertaining enough. It had its funny moments but was nothing particularly memorable. What was memorable (for me at least) was the soundtrack. The music directors were Jason Schwartzman (who also plays one of Seth Rogan's friends, Mark) and Michael Andrews. The soundtrack includes music from Paul McCartney, Coconut Records, James Taylor, Andrew Bird, Adam Sandler (unexpectedly his cover of Real Love was really good) and quite a few others. I highly reccomend checking it out.

In other music news, the Arctic Monkeys are getting ready to release their newest album, Humbug. I don't know if I'm allowed to say this but you know, it's a special night. And you are such a great audience! And I really feel like I can talk to you, you know? Because...because I'm gonna tell you the truth! Through some excellent connections of ours, we were lucky enough to get our hands on the album before the release date. And just let me say, it is AWESOME! It holds up amazingly well with their previous albums. I particularly love the track Dangerous Animals. Be excited for it people, its fantastic!

Ten points for the person who Spots and Names the flick on the quote I used!
~Hans

Which side are you on?

TEAM URIE
http://www.myspace.com/panicatthedisco
check out "New Perspectives"

I think I'm sensing a theme in the whole Panic! at the Disco & The Young Veins split.

check out "Change"
http://www.myspace.com/theyoungveins
TEAM ROSS