Scarface lives again… this time in Iraq. Recently released film, “The Devil’s Double,” tells the true story of Latif Yahia, an Iraqi civilian who worked as a body double (a “fiday”) for Saddam Hussein’s psychopathic eldest son, Uday Saddam, from 1987 until late 1991. The film serves up an incredible story, but sacrifices too many realistic elements demanded by widespread theater distribution.
3. Darren Aronofsky– The Wolverine: Darren, I love you. That said, go f*ck yourself. As you’ve made clear, you’re too GOOD for the Wolverine franchise and have no wish to dirty your hands with a comic book movie and turn it into something Nolan-worthy. Want to spend more time with the family? What kind of director are you? (And is that why you’ve just had four films in pre-production, you lying bastard?) What went wrong? Is it the script? It’s a piece of sh*t, isn’t it?
Set in the near future, indie film “Another Earth” posits the discovery of another planet, a replica of Earth with ALMOST identical lives. What if there was another You that didn’t make the same choices? What if you could have been happier? The kicker of the film is when people from Earth one are given the opportunity to visit Earth two. What if those opportunities you passed on were still available to you?
Remember the dreams you had as a kid which evoked disturbing emotions for which you had no names? The latest film, Cold Fish, by epic Japanese filmmaker, Sion Sono, recalls them all. Sono’s unique style of gore brings to mind the work of artists Paul Thek and Maskull Lasserre in the ways it makes the audience uncomfortable but introspective.
The Electric Daisy Festival is quickly turning out to be the newest Coachella— a massive music extravaganza that has tapped the mainstream pulse of a nation’s youth, drawing in fans by more and more thousands each year.
But did you know it’s also likely to incite mass chaos and rioting in the streets – especially if those punk-ass raver kids ain’t happy?
Mexico City – Drake partakes in mezcal tasting, joins a mariachi band Plaza Garibaldi, forces down pulque at a pulquería, rides moto with Homero Diaz – Mexico’s top rider, explores witchcraft and gets a shamanic cleansing at Sonora Mercado and gets tossed around like a ragdoll in a lucha libre lesson. And this is just episode #1.
Drake’s Passage, a six-episode original travel series, premieres on Monday, August 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT during FUEL TV’s “Raging Mondays” programming block. Produced by Red Bull Media House North America, Drake’s Passage takes viewers to iconic cities around the world and showcases them through the eyes of Drake McElroy, who is one of the most stylish, cultured and respected riders in the freestyle motocross world.
It’s been a slow news week for movies, aside from a couple Dark Knight Rises developments — which I’ll spare you, just because I’ve done enough reporting on that and there’s really nothing that big. Apart from the fact that Nolan and co. want to land a big-ass cargo plane called a Hercules on some residential street in Scotland (which has some of the yokels up in arms about it understandably) and Anne Hathway’s Catwoman costume will more closely resemble the one of recent comics as opposed to the Eartha Kitt/Julie Newmar/Michelle Pfeiffer digs.
(Conceptual Artwork courtesy of fanboiii). Whaddya think? Too realistic, not sexy enough? Cause according to official sources, this may be the pretty much the next closest thing.
Way to start the weekend Vanessa! After watching this video I’m both jealous and thirsty. Join Cole and Vanessa as they head to downtown Los Angeles to a hidden gem of a bar called La Descarga. They stop and visit with Janet Varney and Samm Levine along the way.
It was the opening day of the third annual Northside Festival in Brooklyn and at every step of the way I couldn’t help but make SXSW comparisons. First, there was free beer at the press badge pickup and I was off to a great start. The festival is very definitely music heavy but is also featuring film and ‘Ideas’ showcases.
I saw a few shorts by NYC filmmakers at indieScreen, a beautifully designed small theatre three blocks from my house that I didn’t even know existed, before heading over to The Music Hall of Williamsburg to catch Gordon Voidwell and Theophilus London at the Northside Festival Opening Party. I have to say that Gordon Voidwell stole the show. That voice! Their style! The girl on the keys!
Foo Fighters: Back And Forth is released on DVD this week. If you’re a fan of music and a good story, then seeing Foo Fighters: Back And Forth is essential viewing. ChinaShopMag got to hang out with the film’s director James Moll on the Universal Lot where his office is tucked behind the legendary Phantom of The Opera soundstage (oh it’s legendary alright! And possibly haunted). Hearing him speak about the art of film, it’s clear that James Moll loves his job! Which is handy when you make movies for a living.
When he first started working on the lot, he told me he’d take his lunch up to the Psycho house on the hill and eat it sitting on the porch, watching the tourists roll by on the Studio Tram. It’s a lovely view from up there he tells me. Today on our impromptu walking tour of the Universal Studios lot, Moll is posing for photos in front of the CSI set on stage 24. A Tram rolls by, and they start snapping fervently perhaps mistaking the director for a star of the crime scene show. Moll is working on his EGOT, so far nailing a few Emmys and an Oscar. The former for Best Documentary Feature for The Last Days in 1999. EGOT stands for Emmy-Grammy-Oscar-Tony. Tracy Jordan has one on 30 Rock. If James Moll keeps it up, he’ll have his EGOT soon enough.