Yes, Please...

I do not envy the hype Ledger has to bare, but this is awesome!

Better than "Into the Wild" could ever dream... The Mist.

The Mist, directed by Frank Darabont (of Shawshank Redemption fame) is so much better than it's being given credit for. In fact, the only thing actually working against this film is a few scenes of mediocre CGI, but the poor CGI is ultimately canceled out by some (in particular one giant) instance of CGI glory. However, this film shines because its CGI creatures are NOT the stars of the film. Wouldn't you know it, the HUMAN ACTORS are what prop this film up with excellence. It's a horror film that is not catering to pre-teens and torture fetishists, that manages to be entertaining in a way that doesn't require it to be so bad it's funny.

Hearing about The Mist before it arrived in theatres, I wasn't exactly counting down the days: Another adaptation of a Stephen King novel, and this one's about sinister mist... No Country for Old Men should be out soon! But NO, Frank Darabont, an actually credible director, was not gonna go down like that (i.e. The Grudge, Hostel II, shit etc. etc.). He deserves major kudos for the screenplay and his almost documentary like shooting. The film also has a pretty unobtrusive film score. The composer has the rare gift of understanding the benefit of silence. We don't need music to tell us when to be scared.

When the preview rolled around, my senses were perked by the presence of Thomas Jane. Thomas Jane is sorely underused these days, and even though The Mist is inexplicably getting lame reviews by upscale snooty film reviewers, as well as performing rather poorly at the box office, I like to think that someone who has power in the industry could see this film and recognize the quality acting going on, especially from T. Jane.

Unlike what the preview suggested, the actual mist in the film looks excellent, and slithers creepily and realistically over the small New England town. Had the filmmakers desired it, and had they balls that huge, the creepiness of the film could have been sustained by the mist alone. Of course unraveling human psyches barreling down the path of sociopathic religious hysteria never fails to create an uncomfortable and dangerous environment. Marcia Gay Harden plays her best role in years as the town batshit-crazy religious zealot. She is indeed a villain you don't have a warm spot for, and that's refreshing. A wiser choice than her embarrassingly awful and cliche roles in Into the Wild and The Invisible, two of the worst films I've seen so far this year.
The central child in the film, Jane's son, is not annoying or meant to be abnormally intelligent or creepy, which is also refreshing. No one trapped in the grocery store is portrayed as particularly remarkable, including Jane's character, who is more or less the hero of the film. Anything goes when everyone in the room is just a regular joe who simply wanted a few nonperishable goods to store in the house after a nasty storm. The fun of these disaster survival movies is being able to relate to the characters, and in your mind play out the way you would personally react to each situation.

The ongoing battle between religion/hysteria and science/rationale is played out between the increasingly divided store patrons. Sure, some points are cliche and some of the characterizations come off as over the top, but you can't really say that it's an ultimately dishonest display. One character, whom I shall refer to as Capote II, sums up one of the main commentaries in the film when he states, and I'm paraphrasing, that if you put more than one person in the room they'll immediately take sides and then think of reasons to kill one another. Why do you think we invented politics and religion? Amen to that. Of course another reason to start killing each other out of fear could simply be government experimentations that cause a portal tear into a sinister otherworld that spills over uncontrollably into our own. Simply a theory. Life affords us so many possibilities.

For a good time that won't cause cantankerous sores in the brain, go see The Mist.

J Dogg and The Lizzles

*Small's Hamtramck, MI Nov. 14, 2007

At a young age I would sneak downstairs late at night and watch unmentionable things on Cinemax. Late night porn aside, there was plenty of R rated goodness my parents tried so hard to shield me from. The most standout memory from all this sneakery is a film called Strange Days from 1994 starring Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett and Juliette Lewis. I still love that film, but the defining aspect of it for me was Juliette Lewis with long fiery red hair, barely there rocker chick clothing, belting out this song that I thought was so awesome it pained me that I could not listen to it whenever I desired. It wouldn't be until 2000 that I would learn that the two songs in the film Miss Lewis sang were PJ Harvey songs (Rid of Me and Hardly Wait), and shortly thereafter I discovered that the soundtrack to Strange Days had the coveted Hardly Wait cover that I so enjoyed.

*Strange Days 1994 singing Hardly Wait

While Miss Polly Jean is the true innovator, and I would come to worship and adore her, Juliette was the one who infiltrated my brain first, and I kept on eye out for any other vocal endeavors she may embark on. In Natural Born Killers she sang a bit of a tune called Born Bad, which was sampled by a group called The Infidels in a song called Bad Brother. In 2004 Lewis sang on two Prodigy songs- Spitfire and Hot Ride- on their album Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned. Those were easily the best songs on the meager offering. Then FINALLY she got her own band together and left the cruel film world in the dust...for the most part.

Like a Bolt of Lightning...
Juliette and the Licks debut e.p. - released 2005

This is by far the crown jewel of The Licks' releases so far. Bad ass rock n' roll at it's finest. If you're curious, this is the place to start...and maybe end. I don't mean to sound harsh, but it's best to by their other songs individually. If you care...

You're Speaking My Language
released 2005

Not a strong LP. It is clear that the group can only make half a strong album, at least in my opinion. It is unfortunate, but things don't seem hopeless, and Juliette is clearly hellbent on a CAREER, so there's plenty of time for growth.

Four on the Floor
released 2006

I am relieved that J Dogg and the Licks are pumping out the tunes, but again, it's only half a good album. I am thrilled that the group is beginning to be taken seriously and appear to have conquered Europe like they made the place.

The live show, that's where it's at. Unfortunately, I was cheated out of two previous opportunities to see Juliette rock the shit. The first, in 2005, they played at the Magic Stick, and I found out about it the DAY after. Tragic. Second, in 2006, for months the Licks are scheduled to play at the Magic Bag (note to out-of-towners, these are both gloriously small indie rock venues/bars in the metro Detroit area) it became increasingly clear that they were double booked, and by the time I learned that the show had been rescheduled for a venue in Ann Arbor (45 min. away) it was too late. My next opportunity was a few months ago when the Licks were opening for Chris Cornell. Love the man, not so much his solo work. Would have gone if not for the obscene ticket prices (ok, 35 + ticketmaster slave fee) could be worse, but more than I can afford). I was torn, but thankfully a headlining tour was announced for the band.

Success! I finally get to witness the greatness that is Juliette and the Licks LIVE. This is hands down her calling in life- LIVE ROCK SHOWS. I felt fifteen again, screaming my head off. It was like seeing Shirley Manson for the first time, except Juliette-FUCKIN OSCAR NOMINATED BAD ASS BITCH DATED JOHNNY DEPP AND BRAD PITT-Lewis was in front of me belting it out like a real rock pro. Her voice was strong and not over powered by the music. Her band was a bunch a hot dudes in jeans w/ no shirts on who are excellent rock musicians. She commanded the stage like nobody's business, and proved to be one of, if not the most generous performer I have ever seen. She exuded so much positive energy that I felt extremely elated, excited afterwards. If nothing else, people, see this woman live. They played songs that I KNOW I do not like, and the energy made them awesome. Rock shows in small venues, good times. Good. Times.

In Television News: This is What Happens, Larry, When You Fuck a Stranger in the Ass!!!

See mom and dad, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I instinctually knew that what I aspire to be is being severely shit upon anyway, so why bother?

Not that entertainment is the most important aspect of existence, no of course not, but I pray that the Mayans are right, and the apocalypse comes soon because I want to relish the ultimate destruction of every blood sucking, creativity stifling, shamelessly greedy and heartless corporation on the face of this Earth. I want to watch them burn and crumble to the earth and get swept away in the ashes of the fallout, and then drowned in the rising of the seas. I will be cackling atop a mountain eating s'mores, hoarding the last batteries on earth and blasting Heresy by Nine Inch Nails, and waving a giant flag with my mantra :
"The people you're after are the people you depend on. We cook your meals, we haul your trash, we connect your calls, we drive your ambulances. We guard you while you sleep. Do not fuck with us."

The WGA Strike: Keep on!

The WGA Strike and the Death of Television

This WGA strike sucks, to be sure. If it goes on for more than three months (which is looking increasingly likely), pilot season won't happen, no new shows will be created, no new seasons will come back, and we'll be stuck with the dregs of reality TV for a full year. Yep, that means no last season of Battlestar Galactica, no new season of Lost, and no new episodes of The Office. It's no small thing, and not just because you'll be inconvenienced by marathons of Overweight Celebrity Chili Cook-Off Island or whatever the networks will throw up when they run out of new programming.

TV is not disappearing anytime soon, but clearly, it's going to be replaced by either the internet or some TV/internet hybrid. Like the music industry, the TV industry realizes that their tried-and-true business model is about to be useless, and it's lashing out in panic. Unlike the music industry, who stupidly attacked its fans, the TV industry is attacking its own creative source: writers. But the WGA wouldn't be striking if this wasn't important. We talked to both sides to get at the root of the trouble.

Eric Appel, who's written for Crank Yankers and The Andy Milonakis Show and consulted for MTVs Human Giant, told me:

"New media is where television is going. In a few years cable is just gonna be the internet. And unlike TiVo where you can skip the advertisements, in [new, network-run] streaming players you're forced to sit through the ads. The networks are making money on that, and the studios don't want to give writers any of it."

Imagine if the recording industry decided that the internet was merely a way to promote CDs and that no songs sold online counted when paying musicians. Their argument would be that people were just checking out those songs and might go buy the CD later, at which point the artist would get paid. This is essentially the argument the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) is making.

Here's what a spokesperson told me:

"New media has proven to be an effective and cost-effective promotional and marketing tool for both films and television but there is not enough marketplace data to judge its true potential, ultimate impact on traditional media or viability as a business."

Basically, they claim they don't make any money off the internet so there's nothing to share with the writers, and since "each new month brings new ways to produce, distribute and consume media and entertainment" they don't want to agree to give writers any new media residuals.

As it stands, writers get a small percentage of revenue if a show is successful and reruns often, which is why Jerry Seinfeld drives a gold-plated flying car between his mansions in the Hamptons and Dubai. At the moment, they aren't paid any residuals for new media distribution, despite the fact that online content delivery is the future.

The problem with this logic is that if new media really didn't bring in any money, there wouldn't be a problem. The writers are asking for a percentage of profits from new media — a percentage of nothing is nothing, after all.

So what this battle basically boils down to is the producers trying to move away from a residuals system, one in which writers are paid once for their work and get nothing for creating huge hits. It'll make them a whole lot more money and writers a whole lot less. And it's not just the livelihood of writers at stake; this same issue is going to come up with actors and directors as well in the near future. It's a battle for how business will be done in TV's new age, and one that will affect the entertainment that all of us consume for the foreseeable future.

*originally posted on http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/solidarity/the-wga-strike-and-the-death-of-television-322068.php