Encounter #26: Lights and Music

Just watched this. After a night like last night (with hard stuff like this), these Australians can gimme creamy candy like this all day long. Plus, they make the low-budget video work. --RWK [via]

Community #9: Not For Attribution

Although Butchie's departure was painful, this was the funniest episode ever of The Wire. If Simon keeps it up I may have to take back my complaints with the first two episodes. (Probably won't, though, since that second episode was plain obvious.) More from Cuyler at VINYL shortly right here. Just wanted to put these up here now. And cuz we didn't use Batman Bug in our eventual layout. --RWK

Encounter #25: Television is evil after all. (Or it is in Mexico when it's called Infarto.)

I don't speak Spanish but I can recognize evil. This is a clip from the Mexican prank show Infarto, and the pranks pulled and produced by these assholes are only bad news bears. Why am I posting this, then, years late to this hateful party scene of evil jokesters and fiendish non-laughs? Cuz I love The Soup and think Joel McHale has perfect timing. (And cuz The Soup came on after The Wire.) Apparently McHale calls this waste of space idiot box trainwreck of a program "the most evil practical-joke show in the world." He's probably right. Although, you know, given that everything looks so staged, it could be the best Brechtian joke ever, maybe, if, well, if it weren't in the business of making people want to die. --RWK

Encounter #24: Never Forget You Are So Electric

Because I've had that Cut Copy So Cosmic mix on repeat, I had to find a way to listen to this song foreal. And this song is still pretty great. But, believe me, it's even better when blended with Lifelike. So there's this, too:



Believe. --RWK

uhh, yes.

>>cb

Some Cool via Lupe

his album isn't my favorite, but he's undeniably dope.
so ... i thought a live spot of "Paris, Tokyo" would be better.



>>cb

Genius Marketing #1: Why So Serious? (The Dark Knight)

Since I brought up the Joker and his (new?) catchphrase yesterday I thought I'd geek out a bit and throw some accolades of my own at the marketing genius (or team of marketing geniuses) behind the promotional campaign for this summer's The Dark Knight, which I somewhat hate to admit is maybe my most anticipated movie of 2008. (I don't really know what else is coming out. Snow Angels? Ellen Page and Olivia Thrilby making out? Oh, right, Cloverfield on Friday, another film aided by another genius marketing ploy.)

But back to Batman. Or, back to the Joker. How do you replace Jack Nicholson's performance? Well, you get a really handsome and talented young guy willing to act a fool and you make him ugly to go along with his own brand of crazy line readings. Heath Ledger is still sexy, sure, and more magnetic than new-to-the-franchise Maggie Gyllenhaal, but that Joker make up is quite a severe look. What's weird is that I think he's kinda right on, if nuts. "Why So Serious?" It's almost as if Heath is asking Christian Bale, not the Joker asking Batman. Cuz, talent and good looks are one thing but Christian Bale is always working. One thing I like about Heath is how much he's willing to play and have fun. (Have you seen those pictures from the set of the new Terry Gilliam movie?) Heath is a lot more like Gary Oldman than I'd thought before. When Batman Begins came out I thought it was Bale who was like Oldman, but maybe Bale is his own brand of crazy. Anyways, the point of this post was to talk about how cool the ads for Heath's turn as the Joker looks like it will be. So how about some ads?



I doubt The Dark Knight will top The Prestige but if it does it will be fucking fantastic. Also: If I could get a job doing this kind of advertising, I'd be pretty happy, and probably pretty rich. But, hey, I don't even have MS Publisher any more. Nor have I had a copy of Photoshop in half a year. --RWK

Encounter #23 Community #8 "New and better realities." Tom Cruise is insane.

DOWNLOAD THIS AND WATCH IT. [via Cam, via WWTDD, who's doubly funny - ONE and TWO]

Say what you will -- yes he's charming, yes he's good looking, yes I'll see his movies -- but motherfucker is insane. And here's the bold, naked proof of his conviction that Scientology is the way to save the world. I don't even understand half of what he says. I mean, I want to save the world, sure. But I'm not gonna wig out and force my ethics on other people. But that's exactly what he says he will do to improve the world: "I won't hesitate to put ethics in on someone else. Cuz I put it ruthlessly in on myself. And I think that, ah, ...I respect that. In others. And, I, uh, I'm here to help -- we're here to help. My opinion is, look, either you're on board, or you're not on board, okay? But if you're on board then you're on board just like the rest of us." Wow, right? This from a guy who's making a movie about Nazis. Yeah, I know, it's about a "good" Nazi. Whatever. He's still making a movie about Nazis and talking about putting ethics, ruthlessly, mind you, in on other people. I didn't know ethics could go into somebody like a dagger or a spear or a spray of shrapnel or a baseball bat to the face.

The next thing he says is only better: "We are the authorities on getting people off drugs, we are the authorities on the mind, the authorities on improving conditions... cimina-, we can rehabilitate criminals. We can bring happiness, we can bring peace. Uhhhh. And unite cultures. Uhhhh. That once you know these tools and you know that they work it's not good enough that I'm just doing okay." If you believe that, why the fuck are you so solemn about it, Tom? Is there any fun in Scientology? You don't even seem to enjoy saying you help people. The Joker's got it right, at least in part: "Why so serious?"

What is he doing here? Laughing? Sure, but what comes next?
"Ah, she said, uh, ha, they said, 'Have you met an SP? HAHAHAH!" What the fuck? What the fuck is an "SP?"

His response? "HA. And I, uh, ha, uh, and I thought, you know, what a beautiful thing because maybe one day it'll be like that. You know what I'm said? Maybe one day it'll be that -- uh-Ha -- wow, SPs, you don't just read about that in the history books, you know? Haha!" Now I'm serious: seriously, WHAT THE FUCK?


It only gets worse. Or more hilarious. Or more terrifying. Or more hilarious. Seriously: What the fuck? I'm scared over here.

Encounter #22: Armand Van Helden - Hear My Name

Who do you want to spank you? Would you wait in line? [via Willie] --RWK

Encounter #21: Robyn - Be Mine (Ocelot remix)

A great remix with an even better video. How's this for jowling? Huh? --RWK [via]

Top 7 in '07

>>cb

Community #7: Waiting for Tonight oh oh

Encounter #20Community #6Neon vogue jump style dance off

Via A.A. in the EU. Sleep is for the weak, or something. --RWK

As Far as Cute Movies Go, Juno is Boss

Juno (the tiniest pregnant girl I could ever imagine and Ellen Page) has a loving family and friends. Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera) loves to run in sweatbands and be funny (both intentionally and not). Mark and Vanessa (Bateman and Garner) want Juno and Bleeker's baby. Its cute when its sad and perfect when its happy, see it with a friend, with a soda and see it this winter.

Elbert Ventura from Reverse Shot didnt like it. here;s why. he hates hipsters even less than he hates almost-hipsters. its not this year's Little Miss Sunshine

Encounter #19: "Sensual Seduction"

New ish from Snoop Dogg. Dig that irony. Or something. Ya heard? Can't wait for the remixes. --RWK [via Cam]

Encounter #18:Killing Your Family Never Seemed So Easy: Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

What I mean to say is that killing your family is ugly. And this is a boring movie that makes the murderous acts feel somehow justified. Brothers Hank and Andy, father Charles (Ethan Hawke, Philip Seymour and Albert Finney) are all good actors, and act well in this. Marisa Tomei is naked most of her time on screen (she has the body of 22 yr old, in a good way). Opening scene? P.S.H and Tomei fucking doggy-style in a Rio hotel room with full body mirrors surrounding. I cant say this movie didn't show promise.

regretfully negative >>cb

Encounter Bill Clinton?

Because im an odd creature of pop-culture i read all the magazines on the stand at my local liquor store. _GQ_ is one of them (Kanye is on the cover). It is the Men of the Year issue featuring Kanye, Weezy, Casey Affleck, Seth Rogen, other good looking or talented (or both) dudes ... and Bill Clinton. I read the article, it made me cry. _GQ online_ only provides an interview that is not even good. read it if you like. But go buy this month's issue and enjoy.
http://men.style.com/gq/features/full?id=content_6198

Note: this recommendation comes from a guy who knows nothing about politics, world affairs, Bill Clinton, Africa, AIDS, etc... I dont say this with pride, just to display that the article is not only working on the level of what it discusses, but how (seemingly) perfect it portrays the more than fascinating former President Clinton.

>>cb

Encounter #17Seinfeld: All About Everything ... always.

Take This! Encounter for the Holidays

From www.davidshrigley.com

>>cb

It's getting gold outside.