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Radiohead is having a contest to remix the song “Nude” from In Rainbows and are posting the top 10 remixes here.

I went to see Cloverfield (written by Drew Goddard; directed by Mat Reeves) on opening night with Colin, Ian and Steve. I’d been looking forward to it since I saw the vague but extremely exciting teaser months and months ago, in front of Transformers (which was a terrrrrrrible movie). Although I followed a bit of the relatively elusive online marketing campaigns (such as Slusho and 1-18-08), I managed to steer clear of anything that would ruin it for me.

I did, however, read a couple of spoiler-free reviews over at Twitch and I’m glad I did. I didn’t know what I would see, and after reading the reviews I realized that I shouldn’t go in expecting a full-out “monster movie“. Yes, there’s a big monster (and friends) invading New York, but we all knew that already. What I was glad to know in advance was that this is not simply a story about the monster.

I gotta say, I loved this movie. It was a lot of fun and a great 85 minutes of entertainment. Lots of bangs and creatures and running around and things blowing up and blood and long shots and improvised-style acting… plus it was nice and noisy. Sure, it was a bit cheesy at times, and the handheld-camcorder type of filming has been done before, but I think they did an amazing job. I was alternately (and sometimes simultaneously) gripping the armrests and getting goosebumps! I loved the crazy-shakey-handheld-”camcorder” camera work and the CGI was great. (As far as the camera goes, here’s a little post about it.) I have a strong stomach so I was fine, but some people were clearly uncomfortable with the jerky camera movements.

It’s been a while since I’ve been so hyped for a movie and not have it disappoint me. It was damn cool.

Here’s an interview with director Matt Reeves. It’s got a fair bit of interesting stuff in it. And here’s one of many Cloverfield blogs. apuesta portal interneton line casinosjugar roulette gratiscasinos chilejuegos online ruletacasinos descargas portalesjugar interactivo portalescasinos portales webdescargas gratisharveys casino hoteldescargar juego de casinojugar video poquer onlinejugar dadoscasinos virtuales portal webjuegos apuestas portalcasinos pagina webvideo poker portales webslots machinesdescargar casino gratistragaperra paginas webpremio portales webcasinos portalesbaccarat gratisjuego seguro lineajugar interactivo internetjugar de la ruletadownload rouletteganar premios webpromocion casino portalformas manera ganar ruletacasino virtual,grand virtual casino,juegos de casino virtualjugar a la ruletajuegos apuestas portales internetganar dinero onlinepremios paginas webonline baccaratonline gamespremios dinero lineacasinos espana lineacasino internacional paginas webjugar interactivo portal webruleta on lineganancia casino paginas internetjuegos casino portal webjuego pagina webganar dinero portales internetganar premios pagina internetjugar gratisdescarga ruletaganar premio portal internet

My friend Vicente and I went to check out Irish singer-songwriter Fionn Regan. It was a great show, except for the annoying girl who kept asking me to move over,

but who was talking continuously through each song.

Here are some pics and videos from the John Vanderslice concert from a couple of weeks ago.

This was our first TIFF film of the year, and it was a nice way of easing us into a fairly busy 9 days. Les chansons d’amour was directed and co-written by Christophe Honoré, and co-written by Gaël Morel. After looking these guys up, it would appear that I am quite a fan. Of the films that Honoré has written and/or directed, I have seen Le clan, Ma mère, Novo and Tout contre Léo. Morel co-wrote Le clan and I have seen one of the films he directed, À toute vitesse.

Les chansons d’amour is a musical, and a rather unconventional one. Honoré wrote the film around songs that Alex Beaupain had already written. Also, the musical numbers kind of float in and out of the story - and actually feel quite natural - as opposed to being grand productions. Of this, Honoré explains that “this film is a musical because the characters can only express their feelings by singing.”

We’re introduced to Ismaël (Louis Garrel) a few weeks into a newly-evolved relationship with his girlfriend, Julie, as they have recently adopted a third person to their mix: Alice. This situation is quite funny and introduces us to some of the film’s questions: What is love? Who can I love? Who could love me? What kind of love do I want?

Things happen and Ismaël finds himself alone. Well… almost alone. He now has a stalker, a young student named Erwann (played by Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet, first seen four years ago in André Téchiné’s Les Égarés). This young man’s advances cause Ismaël to ask himself the same questions as he did in the beginning of the film, but out of an entirely different situation. Or maybe it’s not so different…?

I really enjoyed this movie. It was very charming, and I found myself smiling almost the entire time. It was a combination of the songs, the characters, the stories, the actors… and maybe also by watching them run around Paris…

Here are the films that I am seeing this year, in screening order:

1. Friday, Sept 7, 7:15pm
Le chansons d’amour (Love Songs) (France, Christophe Honoré)

2. Saturday, Sept 8, 9:00am
Control (UK/USA, Anton Corbijn)

3. Sunday, Sept 9:15am
Boy A (UK, John Crowley)

4. Monday, Sept 10, 2:00pm
Silent Resident (Weisse Lilien) (Austria/Germany/Luxembourg/Hungary, Christian Frosch)

5. Monday, Sept 10, 9:45pm
El Pasado (The Past) (Argentina, Hector Babenco)

6. Tuesday, Sept 11, noon
Vexille (Japan, Fumihiko Sori)

7. Tuesday, Sept 11, midnight
Sukiyaki Western Django (Japan, Takashi Miike)

8. Wednesday, Sept 12, 9:45pm
Import/Export (Austria, Ulrich Seidl)

9. Thursday, Sept 13, midnight
Flash Point (Dao huo xian) (Hong Kong, Wilson Yip)

10. Friday, Sept 14, 12:15pm
Déficit (Mexico, Gael García Bernal)

11. Friday, Sept 14, 5:00pm
Hengbok (Happiness) (South Korea, Jin-ho Hur)

12. Friday, Sept 14, 9:30pm
Chrysalis (France, Matteo Botrugno, Daniele Coluccini, Julien Leclercq)

13. Saturday, Sept 15, 6:30pm
Shadows (Koski) (Republic of Macdeonia, Milcho Manchevski)

14. Saturday, Sept 15, 10:00pm
Ex Drummer (Belgium, Koen Mortier)

The only film that I didn’t get tickets for yet is Jar City (Mýrin). I’ll be checking the box office but may need to rush it on Thursday afternoon.

My boss is kind enough to allow me to make up time for daytime weekday screenings. I can’t see anything in the afternoon or evening of this weekend (Sept 8 and 9) because of my comp tickets to Virgin Fest. Regardless, I’m seeing at least 14 films this year and Seana and I are going to have a blast!

Documenting the band Acrassicauda in Heavy Metal in Baghdad (Eddy Moretti and Suroosh Alvi) was a “risky, dangerous, and really fucking stupid” undertaking, according to journalist Suroosh Alvi, and those words are certainly descriptive enough for this film. I was expecting a relatively light-hearted, fun and even novel documentary on the only heavy metal band in Baghdad. And yes, there are more than a few “light” moments, but this is a sober and emotional blow to the head of the reality of what is happening in Iraq as seen through the eyes of people just like me: regular, working class guys who are also passionate about music. And it’s nothing like you’ve ever seen on the news.

The filmakers’ involvement with Acrassicauda began in 2003, when VICE Magazine ran a short piece on them. What followed was a gig set up by VICE two years later, which marked the band’s final performance in Baghdad. After that gig, the band members weren’t heard from again, until a year later when Alvi and Moretti traveled to Baghdad to “see if they were still alive”. This is where the film takes a turn from an already atypical band bio to a “meeting the band” that you have never experienced before (thankfully without the airplane nosedive). Firas, the band’s bassist, plays tour guide for a few days as Alvi and Moretti document both a country and a band that war has torn apart. What follows is a journey through the streets of Iraq, with bulletproof SUVs and a slew of armed bodyguards as company.

As they talk, we learn a lot about these men - about their fears, hopes and dreams. They want to have families. They want to wear their Metallica and Slipknot t-shirts, grow their hair long and have goatees, but any of these things could get them shot, even if they are walking outside before the 9pm curfew. They want to headbang without the fear of being mistaken as Jews in prayer, and killed. They want to flee Baghdad and live in freedom, but they don’t want leave their families behind or be alienated elsewhere. They want to, as the band’s friend Mike puts it, “fly and be free.” But most of all, they want to rock - but how can you do that in a country with a government legislature banning “music filled parties and all kinds of singing”?

With songs like “Massacre”, “Between The Ashes” and “Under World”, Acrassicauda’s song titles seem to be typical of many a metal band’s; the sad truth, however, is that these titles are completely literal, and their lyrics describe the reality of their world. After seeing things through the eyes of these men (both the filmmakers and the band members), who are really not so unlike me and my friends, I feel much closer to understanding what is really going on over there. I am a music lover, and this angle (for lack of a better word) was extremely effective and emotionally stirring. It was a very sobering experience, watching this film, and it will surely stick with me for a long time.

I was able to see this film at a pre-festival press screening at Bovine Sex Club.