Tuesday, May 13, 2008 Another forgettable 100-list POST A COMMENT I'm a pseudo-film-buff, but never had a favorite film...I am a student of film - (even went to film school)...I watch a film a day (some days two)...'And as a general rule - (with few exceptions) - I'll never watch the same film twice (once is more than enough, thank you)... so, I'm simply amazed at people who make lists of the top 100 (gotta have a-lot-ta free time on your hands for such non-sense): 1- Casablanca: please, number one? Barely remember what it was about... 2- There will be Blood: haven't seen it yet. 3- ET: The Extra Terrestrial: nice effects, but glad his ass finally went home... 4- Chinatown: Jack was okay, story was full of drama queens... 5- The Shinning: Jack was great...slow pacing, borderline-pretentious most flew right over my head. 6- Vertigo: Okay, this was a popcorn flick... 7- KES: wha...? Never heard of it. 8- Sunset BLVD: never saw it. 9- ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND: It was okay, but very forgettable. 10- THE GODFATHER: Barely remember it...Brando was good in it. Don't get me wrong, I love the act of watching new movies; eat 'em up...good, bad...and especially ugly messes...but, it's mainly a throwaway, none stick to me....Guess, my list...if I wasted time making one...would be what I saw that week - (and didn't fall asleep). Resource: Times UK Labels: Film posted by Henry Cruz at 4:13 PM Monday, May 12, 2008 Saving-what-that-movie-will-do POST A COMMENT As heads-roll, over at the "Speed Racer" camp...The need-to-know-it-all-now-dorks - ('spoiler sites like: aintitcool - that feed off film titles, script-deals, and such...'before one frame is shot, also telling you everything that's in the film) -- saving us all the time of actually ever having to leave the house...gee, thanks. well, those same sites are offering "mixed reviews" to the yet-to-be-released INDY 3 - and Studio Exec's -- have their panties-in-a-bunch; wanting to avoid the "crash and burn" box office of that racer-clunker: "young males who love their action heroes almost as much as their personal computers." I wrote earlier on "How to Direct a blockbuster film" (read it here)...'old-school-ers like Speilberg need-to-remember that old adage: "Keep you enemies close." More than ever before, Consumers (and geeks-alike) now control the Buzz-machines...and in turn have become the gate keepers of the what's the next big thing. Take "Speed Racer," for example...to see where it all went all-wrong; Instead of attracting that R-rated Matrix audience, explains Cinemablend. They should have gone after 12-year-olds boyz. Exec's - "forgot to tell parents that this was a kids’ movie." - Basic marketing-101 in this new era... is to narrow the message to the target viewers...and let them build-up the buzz for you. In this youtube world, viewers not only will make content...they will voice their three cents..the biggest change in the new Hollywood — is the auteur. And mobilizing those people to tell your message to others. In todays world...everyone, and Anyone, can write, direct, produce and market videos without ever having to shake the hand of a Hollywood executive. The next generation of filmmakers, won't need any help from Hollywood. They can, and will, set the tone for what's-next! - and will be the first to tell others what they should do with their time. Check out this cool video primer on Emerging WEB Trends: Labels: Film, News Trends, web trends posted by Henry Cruz at 3:47 AM Sunday, May 11, 2008 Not Naming Names... POST A COMMENT Former MTV exec - just penned a memoir of his life in the hip hop industry as a peter-puffer... 'guess-in to push book sales...gaaak, he claims some of the folks in Hip-Hop are actually Gay. Using fake names, dropping clues -- (to pseudo-Out)-- various butt-pirates getting their Hip-Hop-freak-on-the-D.L. -- (or poss. to avoid those law-suits from high profile celebs if he did name-names). 'The book is not about outing people.' Dean Said. 'I wrote it so that people realise the industry has a gay subculture and we are part of this music...' During Dean's interview on the Wendy Williams Radio show (see audio clip), the opening comments pretty much sum it up: He's a "Nasty tattle-tale..." Wendy says. "I'm almost bored with the topic..." -- over the course of the interview hints are dropped...but, none confirmed... boomp3.com In an excerpt posted online, (it reads like an E. Lynn Harris novel): “...like two lovers in heat. We wanted each other badly. We explored each other’s bodies as we peeled off our clothes and strewn them throughout the room...Preston was ferocious in bed...We kissed tenderly, and then passionately. Our tongues danced in each other’s mouths.” Hmm, Yawn...sounds very Low-Rent- and Trashy...And if you really think about it for a second...I'm not buying a tell-all Hip-Hop book that keeps me guessing... worse, makes the reader do all this extra work to figure out who the bone smugglers. Snoooze, Wake me when actual names are revealed. Labels: Books, Gay Hip-Hop, Hiding in Hip Hop, Terrance Dean, Wendy Williams posted by Henry Cruz at 2:38 AM Saturday, May 10, 2008 Kids gone...ho-tackular? POST A COMMENT Here's my vote for the worlds Scariest Ad in Kids-wear: Shout-out to our friends at Glitterati Gossip for calling out this Hot-Tranny-Mess in kids wear: "Why, Beyonce, Why? We understand that you're ho-tackular, and that's fine with us - believe me, it's more than fine - we like you as tacky and slutty as all get out, we do. We've accepted that it's gotten to the point where we can no longer believe what 12-year olds are wearing in the race to emulate you and people like you, but can you keep your hands off the pre-schoolers at least?" - well said. * speaking of real hotness, check out the Gnarls Barkley "Going On" music video premiere at PrettyBoring.com Labels: Beyonce, Culture, ho-tackular, kids wear posted by Henry Cruz at 4:57 PM Friday, May 09, 2008 Don't drop the Soap...(no really) POST A COMMENT Gotta say up front, we should put all street dealers out of business by legalizing every drug out there - (and then the government could benefit by taxing it)...'Seriously doubt those "pill popping wives" getting legal prescriptions get a much different high then tokes of stuff that grows in the ground....'cept the fact that prescription companies are raking in boatloads of cash medicating Americans. 'Love me: operation sudden fall....or any story that deals with other folk's pain (especially if they are stupid people). Like that Frat Drug - bust...Yeah, gotta admit, I was giggling like a little school girl. At the sheer balls and knuckle-head factor of Frat Boys dealing out in the public....'they gonna love them asses in jail...esp. the one on the right (he'll be somebodies wifey, for sure). This part killed me: Members of "Theta Chi sent out a mass text message to his "faithful customers" stating that he and his "associates" would be unable to sell cocaine while they were in Las Vegas over one weekend, according to the DEA. The text promoted a cocaine "sale" and listed the reduced prices." But, because the dealers in this case were mostly white males, they'll probably end up doing very little time. Then again, in my perfect little world, nobody would do time for such victimless crimes. Labels: drug bust, race relations, rich and poor divide posted by Henry Cruz at 2:23 PM The Mommy Dance POST A COMMENT With Sunday being Mother's Day... I came across this Funny Video (above) and pearls of motherly wisdom (Craig Wilson, USA TODAY): Mr. Wilson says, "I find my thoughts, not surprisingly, turning to toilet seats. The ups and downs of toilet seats, to be exact. Every mother's lament. Especially mothers of boys." Say what? - When did the Ups and downs of the toilet seat become a family Momma-drama? A midnight fall into the toilet is small potatoes compared with monitoring a daughter who changes her name to Monique and starts trolling for "friends" on Facebook. (hence the author determines it's easier to raise boys)...all you mothers of sons out there, relax. It's your day. Have a seat. Happy Mother's Day. (Ditto that, thanks Mommy for putting up with me) Source USA Today Labels: Culture, Mother's Day, Toilet seat posted by Henry Cruz at 12:52 AM Thursday, May 08, 2008 Soap Dropping...and chicks! POST A COMMENT Highlighting what really drives innovation on the Net: 'chicks mean clicks,' said the genius myspace TV exec's - (which was bought by ubber-conservative Fox Network). Using the same ain't broke-yet-trashy formula-that worked for the low-brow-Fox-Network...but, downsized for the short-attention-span-friendly web audience (tiny bite sized clips at 2 mins a pop). This newest pitch sounds like a page from the pile of rejected-scripts from ABC's Ugly Betty: Dirty Soap -(which plans to have babes, a murder mystery, racy double entendres) - The direct to web telenovela --(is a reworked '70s sitcom "Soap" about a dysfunctional family) -- with a PG-13 rating, to stay sponsor-friendly. The one Note from the powers that be at Fox: "more women, preferably wearing as little as possible." Of course, the cast are being paid slave wages of $100 a day, the union minimum, and shooting at their mini-studio in Baja, Mexico. Hate to say it, but, they might have something..."I'll be watching!" Source Business Week Labels: myspace.com videos, News Trends, Web TV posted by Henry Cruz at 4:54 AM Tuesday, May 06, 2008 Tracking Every Mistake POST A COMMENT I'm not a big invasion-of-my-privacy dude - So, I get... Tracking software - (allowing Parents to monitor their kids daily performance) - "Did the homework go from backpack to teacher's hand? It's about accountability for me." Said one parent. "Instead of saying, 'How was school?' I can say, 'I know how the test went. Good job.'" The perks of engaging parents - (like an early warning system) - is to catch the patterns of mess-ups, before total failure. The backlash is more psychological: "If you're overly involved and breathing down your kids' neck...they are not going to share with you what's going on in other aspects of their lives...they'll build big thick walls in other areas you want them to communicate with you about" Also, tightening the grip with I-need-to-know-everything adds more pressure to make everything perfect. Which is good if you want to turn your kid into a neurotic mess. A big part of growing into responsible adults is about allowing kids to make their own mistakes...Ultimately, allowing them to learn from their mistakes. It's about finding that balance; let's at least give them an allusion of independence - (I mean, isn't the allusion of freedom the real American way). Source: NY Times, ABC News Labels: News Trends, Tracking Software posted by Henry Cruz at 1:03 PM     ARCHIVES October 2005 . November 2005 . December 2005 . August 2007 . September 2007 . October 2007 . November 2007 . December 2007 . March 2008 . 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