On the off chance you haven’t noticed, we’re taking the summer off. Writing up new material, redesigning the layout, changing servers, all that stuff. As Stan Lee would say, Excelsior!
In the meantime, I’ll be periodically posting mp3 mix tapes. This one is basically for stoners, and it’s best enjoyed outside on randomized order. A soul one is coming soon and you can probably expect more after that (depending on how long the redesign takes).
After a several week hiatus, Robert Downey Jr. and I are back and ready for action! I would guess that most have never heard of this week’s film, Johnny Be Good (1988). Remember little Anthony Michael Hall, John Hughes’ nerd extraordinaire? Imagine something decided to make a movie wherein Hall played the jock rather than the dweeb. Okay, let’s take that a step further. Not only is he a football player, but he’s one of the top players in the country, being recruited by schools from all over the nation. Unbelievable as this may be, herein lies the premise of this late-eighties gem (note: “gem” to be read with intense sarcasm).
Looking for a place to publish the short story you recently finalized? What about that short film that you just wrapped up? Well, you’re in luck. glasses glasses is currently accepting fiction and video submissions. All written pieces must be 800 words or less. Film submissions should be under 7 minutes long. If you have [...]
In 1987, Robert Downey Jr. starred in the very loose adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ Less Than Zero. Although RDJ gives quite the performance of a drug addict (working off of real life, perhaps?), the film bears very little resemblance to its original source. Basically, it was like watching the original Ellis novel as produced by D.A.R.E. Allow me to expound…
This week’s viewing of The Pick-up Artist (1987) highlighted a landmark event in Robert Downey Jr.’s career–a leading role. Hold the phones. Stop the press. He’s a sidekick no more.
Robert Downey Jr. took me Back to School (1986) this week. In the film, Thornton Melon (played by Rodney Dangerfield) decides to take a break from his lucrative Tall & Fat clothing enterprise to bond with his nerdy son at college and advance his high-school-level education. Hilarity ensues in a series of one-liners and oh-so-many puns.
I’ve always been an unwavering John Hughes fan. Unabashedly so. Truth be told, the man was a pop culture powerhouse. From the The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (which he wrote, directed, and produced) to the Home Alone movies (writer/producer), Hughes made a lasting imprint on several generations of viewers. I’ll even admit to watching the live action Dennis the Menace film more times than I can count, loving it increasingly more with each viewing. Somehow, despite my years of John Hughes cinephilia, I had never seen Weird Science, his much-beloved 1985 classic. Finally, with the guiding hand of Robert Downey Jr., I accomplished the task this past week.
Tuff Turf (1985) is a bit like Pretty in Pink—both are high school movies rife with class issues and pumping synth riffs. But imagine Pretty in Pink set in the Valley. Andrew McCarthy’s character—now the protagonist—has just moved to town. Due to hard times, rather than buying another big, fancy house, they’ve relocated to the wrong side of the tracks. Give him a touch of Kevin Bacon à la Footloose and add a sprinkle of Ferris Bueller can-do, and you have Morgan Hiller (played by James Spader). Molly Ringwald’s character—with a far lesser role—is played by 80s Coke Whore Barbie and dates the leader of a Warriors-style gang. Ringwald and McCarthy fall in love. Class conflict and gang-related violence ensue.
Only days into 2010, it is impossible to predict exactly what will set the new year apart. That being said, with Sherlock Holmes pulling in major revenue as we speak and the second installment of Iron Man a merely months away, one trend has already emerged: 2010 is the year of Robert Downey Jr. In honor of his reign over blockbusterdom, I have decided to watch every Robert Downey Jr. film available on Netflix—from earliest to most recent.
“Skin Deep” by Five O’Clock Heroes. Featuring clips from a live performance at the Mercury Lounge on October 27, 2009.
Click to watch!
Skin Deep from glasses glasses on Vimeo.
One shot each week. Meant to be watched with a sound of your choice or silently. Sound is included in the event you are lazy. Tag of related links included with each. –Christopher Ventura
closely watched trains.
One shot each week. Meant to be watched with a sound of your choice or silently. Sound is included in the event you are lazy. Tag of related links included with each. –Christopher Ventura
birth from man.
One shot each week. Meant to be watched with a sound of your choice or silently. Sound is included in the event you are lazy. Tag of related links included with each. –Christopher Ventura
before them liberty.
One shot each week. Meant to be watched with a sound of your choice or silently. Sound is included in the event you are lazy. Tag of related links included with each. –Christopher Ventura
this is cows.
So my social life has been hurting my TV regimen in a big way. Yeah–friends, sunshine, beach, Hamptons, patriotic celebrations, delicious meals, general merriment–that’s right, I blame you. And if you, dear reader, are unfortunate enough to identify with the aformentioned–I expect that like me, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do with [...]
NYC PREP: The Comic, Volume 1, Issue 1, “Season Preview”
Hi everyone, J. Marx here covering all the &%$# you didn’t miss last night.
The second season premiere of “Paris Hilton’s My New BFF” started off like this:
“Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, I’ve called this press conference to alert the public to some very serious news. My BFF and I are no longer BFFs. She [...]
Hi, my name is Jessica and I’m a TV Addict. You see, I grew up without it (cue YOU feeling sorry for ME). I mean, we had a television, but it was without cable and located in an area with terrible reception so thus not even basic channels came through. Not surprisingly, my parents were [...]