KUNG FU HUSTLE

What is it about that name that immeadiatly causes people to dismiss it?  See, like right now, you don't even want to read any further.  I've tried to talk at least 27 people into seeing this movie, but NONE of them have.  And this, despite my fervent pleas for them to go and immeadiately rent it.  I've tried everything I have in my persuasive playbook; phrases like:

"It'll change your life."  

"This is the best thing I've seen all year"  

"Think awesome, then double it" 

"It's funny, it's visually entertaining, a good story AND it has depth"

None of these work.  So here's  a new strategy:  Whatever you do DON'T see this movie when it comes to the Loft this Friday and Saturday night at 10p.   It will be a waste of measley $5.  You'd be better off spending this on tofu bricks or something.  I won't be there.  Don't go.  

Still I feel a bit vindicated that The Loft is showing as part of their Cult Classic series.  I told you so.  http://www.loftcinema.com/node/527

Top 5 things they should have called KUNG FU HUSTLE to get people to see it:

1) Batman Returns (as a Kung Fu guy)

2) Sex

3) Donuts and Beer

4) Kung Fu Hustle- The Unrated Version

5) Star Wars Epidsode IV- Kung Fu Strikes Back

Vanagon Love

What could be more fun than combining two of my great loves in life?  Sleeping and Eating you might wonder?  Well, this WOULD be amazing, but no, not this time.  Instead: 

Vanagons 

and 

Jumpy Pics.

Yes, it's true.  And the great thing is that it's not too late for YOU to

1) Buy a Vanagon* (or just find one to take a pic of)

2) Think of something creative to do with a Vanagon.  

3) Take picture of this

4) Which, if selected, would cause you to be part of the highly coveted First Annual GoWesty.com Vanagon calendar contest. 

 http://www.gowesty.com/view_page.php?name=2009%20Calendar%20Contest

5) And if the personal satisfaction of winning this prize isn't enough, you'd also get a $20 gift certificate and a free calendar.  Oh yes!

Don't delay, the deadline is midnight (PST) Oct 1!! (I couldn't give you too much of a head start....I want a free calendar after all!)

Here are my own attempts at Vanagon greatness:

Once, Again

The first time I watched Once, I saw it twice.  It's true; I liked it that much.  I went to see it with some friends, came out, bought a piece of pizza cause I was hungry, went back in (this time alone) and watch it a second time.

In case you haven't heard, Once is a low budget, musically driven independent film that took Indie Film Land by storm about a year ago.  I saw it twice in one sitting, someone I know cried through the whole second half.  And not the cry because they can't wait to leave, but the cry because it woke something up in them.  The reason they could cry through the whole second half and not get yelled at by the person in front of them is because Once is about 75% music.  Because of this, some people have called it a musical.  I think this is misleading because it conjures up images of people doing coreographed dancing while singing tunes that are later made into Broadway musicals.  (or maybe it's the other way around)  In this case, first came movie, now comes concert tour....well actually first came the band, then came the movie starring people from the band who fell in love while making said movie, and now comes their lovebird tour of songs from the movie.  

The bottom line is GO SEE THE MOVIE and then GO SEE THEM LIVE!  They tour under the name The Swell Season.  And the crazy thing is that a great, great band named Iron & Wine is opening for them!  Two stellar bands, one moderately expensive price- but a great value nonetheless.  

The catch is they're only playing in 5 places in the US and then they go back over to Europe.  I happen to live in one of those places(Yay!  This is big new for Tucson btw).  However, I'll be in Seattle when they're in town (Boo, Hisss.  I didn't think I'd ever say that about me being in Seattle).

So all you droves of people in Tucson that follow this blog: Please go for me.  You won't regret it.

And if you happen to live in

          Austin, Dallas, Albequerque, San Diego or LA,

                                                         then count yourself lucky and get to it!

Tour dates and some song samples (start with Falling Slowly for a first taste).

http://www.myspace.com/theswellseason

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Lastly, on another note, The Manhattan Film Festival is verified to be great, not only in theory but also in practice!  A fun night was had by all. 

  

If you live within an hour of a venue, seriously go to the film fest.  It's worth it.  (I'm talking to you Jeter)

If cant' make it, you can buy it on DVD here:  

http://www.msfilmfest.com/purchase.html

The Manhattan Film Festival. in a city near you. if you're lucky.

Short Film Festivals are great.  Why?  Because if the film sucks, just wait a couple minutes and it'll be over.  Also, they have the same draw as ordering the Super Sampler at Applebees; you get to sample a little bit of everything and even if you didn't expect it, odds are you'll find something that you love.   

Every Short Film Festival I've been to has lead to the following:

-me not sitting at home alone and wondering what to do

-me sitting in the same room with edgy film festival types,  which makes me feel like I'm cool

-the smell of popcorn

-feeling uncomfortable by something on screen because I disagreed with it

-me laughing out loud

-feeling like I just found my new favorite little gem of a movie that made me want to live life more fully

-interesting discussions with the people I've gone with

Life doesn't get much better than the above folks.  So follow these links below and see what happens.

The Manhattan Film Festival probably already came to a city near you (if it came at all).  But if you catch this blog in time, it's worth it.  

The Shorts you'll see:

http://www.msfilmfest.com/2008finalists/index.html

Here's some upcoming dates that might be near some of you:

Anchorage 9-25 to 9-28

Santa Monica 9-26

Tucson 9-25

Durango 9-25

Chicago Suburbs 9-27 and 9-28

Ann Arbor 9-27

Montgomery 9-26

NYC 9-28

Lempaut, France 9-26 to 9-28

Buenos Aires  TBA

For those of you in Tucson, you better come.  What else are you going to do?  Really.

The Loft Cinema is our gracious host. 

Show starts at 7:30 this Thursday 9-25.  I'll be there by 7:15. 

Adults: $8:75     Students: $6.50

Oh and order the Pumpkin Ale.  It's the beer of the month and quite tasty for only $2.50.

http://www.loftcinema.com/node/471

Venues for the rest of the known world:

http://www.msfilmfest.com/v_confirmed.html

Thought you knew it all at IN-N-OUT?

try this:

As you're picking up your delicious bit of high calorie goodness from the counter,  pause for a moment and request that the nice person with the enormous safety pin give you some hot chilies.  Then take them back to your table, peel open the fun little plastic packages they come in, bite into one and squeeze the spicy juice all over your burger.  Take a bite of burger. Repeat.   

Yes.

I said HOT CHILLIES.

This is remarkable for a few reasons.

-the are delicious

-they are truly hot.  i'm serious.

-they are small and yellow

-I'm not sure at this moment how to spell chillies.

-I've been going to IN-N-OUT for years and I NEVER KNEW THIS EXISTED

-It has done the impossible.  Made a Double Double Animal Style even BETTER.  Maybe twice as good, which is ridiculous.  I think I've gained like 6 lbs since discovering these peppers.

P.S. in any other context I would never refer to them as chilis.  They are what I would describe as "hot peppers."  But somewhere inside the IN-N-OUT top secret bunker, they decided to call them "chillies" (however you spell it) as this is what the register reads when  you order them on your burger.  That's right, they'll also cut them up and put them on your burger for you.  

I'm making myself hungry.