Howlin' for you

The most popular poem of its time and defining voice of a generation, which sparked a widely-publicized obscenity trial ... sure sounds like the stuff of a feature film, doesn't it? With an all-star (albeit perhaps too good-looking) cast featuring James Franco as Ginsberg, Jon Hamm as his trial lawyer, Jeff Daniels, Mary-Louise Parker, and more, Howl (the movie) has all the ingredients for a hit biopic. First Harvey Milk, now Allen Ginsberg - looks like Franco's in on the fact that straight actors in gay roles are pretty much Oscar bait.

Is it possible to do cinematic justice to Ginsberg's immortal words? Let's just hope Hollywood doesn't screw this one up - and hey, at least the poster's pretty.

Dinner and a movie

There are a few things that Baltimore has over New York: hardly any lines for a plethora of free/cheap good concerts, a more hilarious breed of hipster, John Waters, and Old Bay seasoning, to name a few. Now, something I never thought New York would legally allow us to enjoy is crossing over North. Gone are the days of paper-bagged 40s and purse popcorn, because the blissful trio that is food, booze and a movie screening will soon be possible (sans-smuggle) at Williamsburg's indieScreen (of course it's in the 'burg, and of course that's what it's called). Opening Thursday for the Northside Film Festival and built by the guy who curates the Brooklyn Film Festival, it will have a single screen playing a rotation of classics, as well as new indie films. Each seat features a personal fold-out desk for ease of chowing down on the restaurant's international fare, and although drinks will only be allowed from the bar into the theater on special occasions, well ... there's always Baltimore.

Summer school

NY Mag published a list of seventeen summer classes, ranging from burlesque dancing to herb gardening. If you're bored with your day job or are in the market for some new dinner-table conversation, check out the options here. I'd like to add one more to the list: the JCC's cooking classes, some of which are being taught by my very talented friend Galee Kalikow (she's only 19!). Get your learn on, New York.

TWSS

Before Michael Scott, it appears Alfred Hitchcock was the king of sexual innuendo and double entendre. The first known recording of a "That's what she said" quip (the old-school version apparently being "as the girl said to the soldier") came during a sound test for Hitchcock's 1929 film, Blackmail. With a surname like that, no wonder he can crack a pervy joke.

Your summer calendar is here

This is going to be a short post, both because there's enough in one link to last you more than a few procrastinatory hours, and because this blessedly abbreviated week means more work in less time. Without further ado, I present Vanity Fair's infamous all-access guide to all things summer in NY - the 2010 edition.

Also, I kind of love this Summer Goals blog. Working on my own - so far I've got: a tan, a positive balance in my bank account, and a functioning liver. What are yours?

The path to peace

Last night I had the pleasure and privilege of seeing an inspiring documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival, thanks to my friend Adam. Budrus tells the story of a village in the West Bank that was in danger of losing 300 acres of land and 3,000 of the olive trees that are both crucial to the town's economy and representative of their history. In 2003, the Israeli government decided to build a separation barrier that went well past the Green Line, cutting through several Palestinian villages in order to insure the protection of the Israeli people. Budrus was one such village, whose residents successfully challenged the barrier destined to expropriate their land by using tactics not often associated with the Israeli-Palestinian problem. Their path of nonviolent resistance was aided by rival parties Fatah and Hamas, as well as the citizens and journalists from around the world who arrived in busloads to help. Footage of Palestinian villagers standing side by side with Israeli peace activists, facing down bulldozers and suffering at the hands of IDF soldiers, provides a poignant glance into a side of the story we rarely see. It is a hopeful one, a vision that speaks to the power of individuals coming together to fight for change in one of the most conflicted territories in the world.

Visit justvision.org, the filmmakers' non-profit organization, to learn more about what global audiences can do to help the nonviolent movement.

Houston gets Fairey-fied

Image courtesy of Wooster Collective

The wall space on the corner of Bowery and Houston which famously sported a Keith Haring mural (and was more recently replaced by the work of Brazilian artist-twins Os Gemeos) is undergoing yet another transformation. Shepard Fairey (he of the OBEY line and the now-infamous Obama HOPE poster) has created a promotional piece for his upcoming show at Deitch Projects called May Day. This will be the gallery's last show before closing, so Jeffery Deitch can take over L.A.'s Museum of Contemporary Art. The mural also happens to be directly across the street from the Landmark Sunshine Cinema, currently screening Banksy's "Exit Through the Gift Shop," which features Fairey. You've got six months to ogle this piece, just blocks away from the spot where Fairey once tagged walls - back when street art was, you know, illegal.

DeNiro's brainchild, back for round 9

Tickets to the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival went on sale for American Express cardholders yesterday; downtown residents can snap up the remainders on Sunday, and as for the rest of you plebians, well, you'll just have to cross your fingers and wait until Monday. I'm hoping to score seats at one or more of the following: Gainsbourg, Je T'aime ... Moi Non Plus (a biopic of French singer Serge Gainsbourg, starring Laetitia Casta as mistress Brigette Bardot), Sons of Perdition (a documentary about breaking free of a polygamist cult), William Vincent (starring the ever-talented and swoon-worthy James Franco), and Heartbreaker (a French romantic comedy about the business of breaking hearts, starring Johnny Depp's baby mama, Vanessa Paradis). Those of you cursed to live somewhere other than New York need not despair: starting April 21, 15 of the festival's films will be available on demand, in the comfort of your own home.

Addams Family drama

Last week, Mike Flemming broke the news that Tim Burton would be creating a 3D, stop-motion animation adaptation of The Addams Family, based on the original drawings in the New Yorker. I couldn't help humming the theme song to myself (da, da, da, dum) and snapping in excitement. But then! MTV, killer of dreams, debunked Flemming's story as the stuff of myths, announcing that Burton had denied the report. Now Flemming is striking back, and I want ever-so-badly to believe he's right. Plus, The Addams Family is listed as "in development" on Burton's IMDb. I'm crossing my fingers. Snap, snap.

Disney's fairytale

Waking Sleeping Beauty is a documentary about Disney in its heyday, when the studio created such animated masterpieces as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. Behind-the-scenes footage of Tim Burton and John Lasseter is just the tip of the iceberg: to find out more, you can check out an early screening tonight at the MoMA, or catch it in limited release starting March 26.

Uber bingo

Although it may have been a little long, between George Clooney's facial expressions, Jeff Bridges' dude-worthy acceptance speech, Katherine Bigelow's First Wives Club-style win (take that, James Cameron!), and four hours worth of comic relief from Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, Neil Patrick Harris, Tina Fey, Robin Williams and Ben Stiller, this year's Academy Awards Ceremony did it up right. Except come on, give Tarantino his due respect! That was the birthday present I was waiting for (although this near-60 degree weather isn't a bad substitute).

Go ask Alice

Just two days left until Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland hits theaters near you! Until then, check out artist Camille Rose Garcia's gothic illustrated interpretation of Lewis Carroll's classic, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Creepy and colorful - Monsieur Burton would approve.
And the first-ever film adaptation (dated 1903!) has just been restored by the British Film Institute. 107 years ago - does this not rock?

Adventures in wonderland

First non-trailer clip from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is out! Anyone else feel like they've been waiting for March 5th your whole life?

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

The soundtrack is a little disappointing though (Avril Lavigne? All-American Rejects? Really, Tim?) so here's my own interpretation.

Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit

Rolling Stones - Mother's Little Helper

Strawberry Alarm Clock - Incense and Peppermint

The Beatles - Glass Onion

Pogo - Alice

Bob Dylan - Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll

The Noisettes - Malice in Wonderland

Lynrd Skynrd - Mad Hatter

The Beatles - I Am the Walrus

I'd like to thank the Academy . . .

Oscar noms were announced today, and despite the weird 10-film development in the Best Picture category, there were some pleasant surprises. For one, thankfully someone with a little sense knew to leave Avatar out of the Best Screenplay category. To me, a film that hasn't been nominated in that department has no place in the Best Picture category, but hey, take what you can get, right? Animated Feature Film is full of good stuff (this is one of the best years for animation in a long, long time), and I can't say I'm disappointed with the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor picks either. But where oh where is the recognition for Broken Embraces, Almodóvar's epic, brightly-lit neo-noir masterpiece? If the Academy has the hots for Penelope (as clearly they, and everyone with an operating libido, do), why pick her writhing performance in Nine over this? Oops, guess I answered my own question. Here's hoping Inglorious Basterds wins every category it's nominated in (although I wouldn't be sad to see Up take Best Original Screenplay), and that James Cameron doesn't get too many more opportunities to speak Na'vi on national television. From now until March 7, I'll be making sure to see A Serious Man, Crazy Heart, Ajami, and Food, Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen, cast your ballots!