December, 2007

Overheard “Reel” New Years Resolutions


Briony: I promise to stop embellishing the truth.


Sweeney Todd: I will have vengeance


Robert Graysmith: I will stop obsessing on serial killers … or, to be more specific I will stop obsessing on serial killers as soon as I finish this book.
and all the other ones I borrowed from the library. Really I will.
OK and the ones I ordered from Amazon. After that I will stop. I swear.


Leonidas: I vow to schedule that appointment with the otolaryngologist.


Agnes: I will no longer let the men in my life define me!


Plainview: I will drink all of your milkshakes *
If you’ve overheard any new years resolutions from the stars this year, please share them in the comments. Maybe we’ll add few to this list.*

Source: Overheard “Reel” New Years Resolutions

Monday Morning Poll: Downloading 2008

Erik Davis
Filed under: Fandom, Tech Stuff, Distribution, Newsstand, Home Entertainment, Monday Morning Poll

For the last official Monday Morning Poll before 2008 comes rolling in, I thought we’d tackle a topic that will be talked about a lot throughout the month of January and well into the new year: Movie downloading. Or, more specifically, renting your films online through iTunes. Chris told us recently that Apple was gearing up to launch a service that would allow folks to rent films through iTunes (with an official announcement expected to land during next month’s MacWorld). As of now, iTunes only allows users to download films for purchase, and not rentals. However, the majority of people would rather rent, and so this new service — coupled with a familiar name like iTunes — could revolutionize the entire rental industry come 2008.

Add to that the fact that Variety has just announced Apple’s first studio partners in the rental game: 20th Century Fox and Disney. Other studios like Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM — all of whom already make titles available for purchase on iTunes — are expected to join the club as well. While on-demand rentals are nothing new, being able to rent and download directly to an iPod is new … and very exciting for some. Me? I’m not hip enough to start renting and downloading online, and so I’m not yet prepared to dive in. But I am curious to know how many of you will be scarfing down iTunes’ new video rental service? Is this a big deal? Or not so much?

Will You Rent Movies Through iTunes?

Tags: 20th century fox, apple, cinematical, disney, itunes, itunes movie rentals

Source: Monday Morning Poll: Downloading 2008

And Now…. A Brief Music Video Break

The deeper I sink into cinephilia the less room I have for other things in my life like music. I can’t do a top ten list of favorite songs or CDs since I haven’t been paying much attention. But I do occassionally get into something or am convinced to love a song/artist by pleading friends. A close friend of mine –who some of you will know from the comments as ‘kristoferrobbin’– is in town and he’s making cinematic concentration difficult. Damn him! So herewith a semi random assortment of 10 videos/songs I dug this year. Enjoy whilst I work on the movie stuff.

Jay Brannan (Shortbus) official video for “Body is a Temple”. You should also be reading his blog –good stuff. And I’m sure you’ve seen Alanis Morrisette’s Fergie spoof “My Humps” –it’s still the funniest few minutes of film I’ve seen all year. With the possible exception of The Landlord.


Jackie Beat’s “Filthy Whore” [NSFW] which is a spoof/response to Britney Spears lame ass “Gimme More” video. I f***ing love Jackie Beat. One of the only drag queens that still understands the old John Waters school of thinking. Quoth he ‘I think a drag queen should horrify a family. I think families should run up the street in fear at a drag queen and not want to invite him home for dinner.’ Jackie is terrifying. and genius. Let’s pair Jackie with adorable and tiny Mika and “Grace Kelly” –she’d eat both of them alive.

Rihanna’s “Umbrella” ella ella ay ay ay and Pink’s “U + Ur Hand” because who doesn’t love these songs? Pink’s CD came out ages ago but it hangs on.


Björk’s Volta CD only really scored media wise with the lead single “Earth Intruders” but I actually prefer the second release “Innocence” which has a triptastic beat. If a hip hop artist had thought that one up, they’d be bragging about it for the rest of the CD it’s so hot. And let’s pair Björk with another legendary crazy gal, Dolly Parton. Her new single is called “Better Get to Living” and her video stars the one and only Amy Sedaris. I mean… why not?


Behold: Charlotte Gainsborough’s “Songs That We Sing” I’m having the crush this year on account of this but mostly her spin on the jilted wife role in Todd Haynes’s Dylan dissertation I’m Not There. And in every music post I must spread the gospel of Rufus Wainwright. This is “Rules and Regulations” His music hits me right there.

Finally, these aren’t from 2007 but the Ian Curtis biopic Control is and its still haunting me around the edges a week after seeing it. So with Joy Division in my brain, I thought I’d throw up two covers for your consideration. First is Agent Provocateur and Siobhan Fahey (of Bananarama / Shakespeare Sister / ex Mrs. Dave Stewart fame –It makes me crazy that she never records a CD) doing “She’s Lost Control” [NSFW] and then there’s Swedish singer/songwriter José González with a cover of “Love Will Tear Us Apart”. Such a flexible classic.

Any music recommendations you’d like to share? You know what to do.

Source: And Now…. A Brief Music Video Break

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