Chalk it up to being out of the Sundance loop this year, but the amazing film Sin Nombre just about flew under my radar. This is an incredible story of loss and redemption set against a backdrop of gangland Mexico. Young actors Edgar Flores and Paulina Gaitan lead an excellent cast directed (and written) by up and commer Cary Fukunaga. It is easy to see how this film won both the directing and cinematography prizes at Sundance. It is still playing in LA (Laemmle’s Monica and Playhouse) and in Seattle (Egyptian) but with the big summer movies rolling in, don’t expect it to be around long. This one will surely end up on the end of year top 10.

Trailer – Showtimes

Check out this interesting CNN Article regarding the role Michelle Obama plays for women around the world.

“She could be a new face for India,” says Ferreira, program officer for an HIV-prevention program run by World Vision, an international humanitarian group. “She shows women that it’s OK to have dark skin and to not have a son. She’s quite real to us.”

Link

A new flickr photoset is up from the recent trip to Jalama Beach.

Wow – an extremely cool mashup of Tarantino flicks. Fantastic editing of music, sound and video. Worth watching all the way through (how cool is the drumming around 5′?!).

I haven’t checked out Eclectic Method’s other stuff but I’m gonna have to soon.

I have never seen tilt-shift applied to a video but the effect is f-ing awesome. More about the project here.

An oldie but a very goodie (from Look Around You season 2).

You might remember this French guy Remi from his hialrious Mario Kart stunt. Well he is back at it. Can’t wait to see what is next.

From Kotaku – Thx Jonathan

Always on the look out for cool animation. This original idea is out the jp.

Good find J.

I came across this roundup of bars in Hollywood and east when I was looking for links in the MyLA post. It is a kinda fun read and covers most of the bases. Here is the review of 4100:

We went to this bar on like, Thursday. Maybe it was Wednesday or Tuesday. Anyways, the point is, is that there was an unusually high number of females there. The interior design is all “magic-carpet” style. All of a sudden, we were surrounded by intoxicated ladies. It was like our own harem. It was great.

It is, however, a bit outdated. I know at least Lava Lounge and Star Shoes have closed and where is Cha Cha? Anyway, have a look and post your score. I’ve been to 17 of 30.

Link

MyLA is a feature I’d like to start for the people who call LA home to say a few things about what this town means to them. This can be whatever makes sense to you. What makes it your LA? Please let me know if you’d like contribute your piece to the MyLA project.

My LA is my morning cup of Zen Blend from Nature Mart on my balcony. My LA is a pen, a notepad, and a large drip coffee at Silverlake Coffee or Psychobabble or maybe Sabor y Cultura. My LA is Griffith Park – from hiking up into the hills to shagging balls at the driving range with a tall can to shooting on a goal made from a trash bin and a tree. MyLA is eating on Hillhurst. Brunch at Mustard Seed, lunch at Alcove, dinner at Green Leaves. My LA is flicks at the Vista, Los Feliz 3, or Arclight. My LA is frozen veggies, tandoori naan and 2 buck chuck from the Trader Joe’s around the corner. My LA is Sapphire & tonic at 4100, Tecate at Cha Cha or $1 tequila shots at The Gold Room if I’m really looking to tie one on. My LA is racing to Mt. High for 5pm-10pm night boarding (only $30). MyLA is a fun-filled afternoon at the track, seriously one of the most enjoyable (and surprisingly inexpensive) ways to spend a day …especially a work day. My LA is watching soccer on Saturdays and Sundays and probably Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays (but only sometimes Mondays and Fridays). My LA is shows at Spaceland, The Echo(+plex), and The Greek. My LA is shopping at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market and then cooking a fresh Sunday dinner with my LA fam. But more than anything else, my LA is the view from my balcony as the sun sets over the city I call home.

Seattle sports fans finally have a reason to get excited – and it is for the beautiful game no less! MLS kicked off the ’09 season last night in Qwest field with the expansion team Seattle Sounders FC dismantling the NY Red Bulls – a team that played in the MLS final last year! Seattle has a great squad, led up front by 21 year-old Colombian phenom Fredy Montero (two goals and one assist) and in the net by 39 year-old captain Kasey Keller, one of USA Soccer’s best goal keepers ever. Former Arsenal star Freddie Ljungberg, certainly one of the best in MLS, is also on the squad but not quite in match form as he recovers from hip surgery.

What was really incredible was the support given the team by the fans. Qwest was roaring like the 4th quarter of a Seahawks game – the crowd a sea of rave green and sounder blue scarves. Everyone from the MLS Commish to the commentators was impressed.

“Having spent my whole career in Europe, I was worried about being let down — why come home for this?” said a beaming Kasey Keller. “But there’s probably not a better atmosphere for soccer in America.

“This team is raising the bar for what our teams could achieve,” Don Garber, MLS commissioner, gushed at halftime.

“This is the most successful launch in MLS history,” Joe Roth, the Hollywood movie producer and part-owner of the team told the crowd. “We proved Seattle is the capital of soccer in this country.”

MLS gets a lot of flack for the play not being up to the level of the Euro leagues. There is a lot of truth in that. But I for one am extremely excited to finally have a team I can fully support. Now just don’t move to Oklahoma.

The Sounders next take on Real Salt Lake a week from Sat. at Qwest. Here are some links:
Art Thiel reports (P-I) — Sounders Home — Sounders $5 T-shirt QFC Promo (someone in NW wanna grab one of these for me – size M pls?)

There has been a slew of media recently explaining the current credit crisis in layman’s terms (if a bit late guys). A few highlights are the This American Life/NPR News episode from a few weeks ago (a follow up to their great Giant Pool of Money show that aired last year – not as late I suppose) and a couple of articles from this month’s Wired.

The video above is a pretty neato visualized explanation from LA designer Jonathan Jarvis that does a nice job of explaining things pretty quickly.

Def winning this week’s award for best blog name, sboogie and dbot have got their new NW based blog up and running. Check it out and congrats yo.

President Obama will be in Los Angeles on Thursday for a town hall meeting that is taking place at an undisclosed downtown location. A ticket lottery is running until noon Tuesday – enter here.

I just put together a mock-itinerary for a friend who is thinking of traveling to Turkey. This is how I would recommend someone spend two weeks. Most of the photos are from my 3 week trip there 2005 (full flickr set). The photos above and below are the Blue Mosque in Istanbul – where any trip to Turkey should start (clicking most of the images will get you a bigger view).

Click here to continue on to the itinerary.

Awards season is officially over – and without any big surprises. Let us reflect now with Mickey Rourke’s wonderfully hilarious acceptance of his Indie Spirit award from Saturday night. Classic.

The SASQUATCH! 2009 lineup is out and I am very, very impressed. Not the Seattle-centric lineup of last year but still a fantastic and actually stronger lineup. Once again the fest takes place Memorial Day weekend at the Gorge, about two hours east of Seattle. Here’s the lineup:

Saturday, May 23th
Kings of Leon / Yeah Yeah Yeahs / The Decemberists / Animal Collective / Bon Iver / M. Ward / Doves / Sun Kil Moon / The Gaslight Anthem / King Khan & The Shrines / Ra Ra Riot / Shearwater / Passion Pit / Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band / Vince Mira / Blind Pilot / Owl City / Arthur & Yu / Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele / Death Vessel / Hockey / James Pants / Todd Barry / Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! / People’s Republic of Komedy

Sunday, May 24th
Jane’s Addiction / Nine Inch Nails / TV On The Radio / Peter Bjorn and John / of Montreal / The Avett Brothers / Calexico / M83 / The Airborne Toxic Event / The Walkmen / The Wrens / St. Vincent / The Dodos / John Vanderslice / The Submarines / Viva Voce / The Builders And The Butchers / AA Bondy / Fences / Point Juncture, WA / The Red Wine Boys / Jon Benjamin / Zach Galifianakis / Deadmau5 / Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head / People’s Republic of Komedy / Devotchka

Monday, May 25th
Ben Harper and Relentless7 / Erykah Badu / Silversun Pickups / Fleet Foxes / Gogol Bordello / Santogold / Grizzly Bear / Explosions In The Sky / Girl Talk / Blitzen Trapper / The Knux / Monotonix / Bishop Allen / Black Moth Super Rainbow / Beach House / Mugison / The Dutchess And The Duke / School Of Seven Bells / Horse Feathers / The Pica Beats / Loch Lomond / BLK JKS / Demetri Martin / God’s Pottery / Chromeo / Tobacco / People’s Republic of Komedy

I’ve tried to bold the acts I am most excited about but it seems that is most of the main acts. Organizers have done a great job to get stronger closers as it seemed like the main attractions last year were the second to last bands. Still, NIN going on before Jane’s is a bit baffling – but I guess they are touring that way.

We had a helluva fun time camping at the nearby Wild Horse Campground and taking in the show last year and with a lineup this strong, I think I gotta go back. Tix go on sale weekend after next and if you buy them then, you get all 3 days for $155 – way cheaper than Coachella. Anyone else interested? Who are you most excited about? Anyone into any of the smaller acts?

The Oscars are this weekend so I figured I better throw my hat into the prediction game ring. Predicting Oscars is really way more like guessing. Things like which studio has spent the most money and who has the most friends who vote are more important than the actual quality of the film (how else could Crash have won?). Now I’m not one of those jaded Hollywood types who complains about all this – I just think it is important to recognize the system that is in place. I mean, it is all subjective anyway, right? So I’ll try to focus a bit more here on who I would choose to win if I had a vote.

One other note – anyone notice that Hugh Jackman is hosting this year? Odd choice (and in a year when he has a big summer blockbuster coming, if you can believe it) – but I think the guy can be pretty funny so I am keeping my hopes up.

Best Picture All right I give in – Slumdog Millionaire is the year’s best picture. I know, both Milk and Frost/Nixon were on my Top10 – but I’ve gotten swept up in the fanfare and I’ve converted… but I’m not giving it any writing awards. I wouldn’t complain if Benjamin Button snuck out the win (please not The Reader) but I think it’s looking like this will be the final answer.

Best Supporting Actor Heath Ledger played one of the best villains ever on screen in Dark Knight and it would be a shame if he wasn’t awarded for it. All of these roles were just supremely played and any of them are deserving (especially Brolin in Milk) but this is Heath’s award.

Best Supporting Actress This category is a little less clear. I think the odds are on Penelop Cruz for VCB but I am giving my pick to Taraji Henson for her lifetime spanning role in Benjamin Button.

Best Actor Wow, what a category this is. This was a fantastic year for acting and I have to say the best performance I saw was Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler. He may get beat to the finish line by Penn, but Rourke’s role was so much more challenging both physically and emotionally and he certainly deserves the statue.

Best Actress This one is all me and I don’t care what Harvey Weinstein has to say about it. I loved Rachel Getting Married and I’d love to see Anne Hathaway get the award.

Adapted Screenplay The writing categories are a bit strange this year. Usually the writing awards go to the indie darlings that coudn’t squeak out awards/noms for the big categories. Isn’t this just all the Best Pic noms? Well fine – I guess my choice would be Benjamin Button then.

Original Screenplay I don’t like these noms much at all. The writing in Happy-Go-Lucky was atrocious (plot? character arc?) and the screenplay of Milk was its low point. But In Bruges was brilliantly written and deserves the award, even if Wall-e was seen by millions more people and probably a lot more Oscar voters.

Best Director …whatever wins best picture.

And the rest will go to movies that certainly deserve it (unless they go to The Reader). It isn’t the most exciting list of awards ever assembled (except the male actor categories). Heath winning a posthumous award could be a real touching moment, especially if Michelle Williams accepts the award. There is always the chance that Sean Penn will win an award and get another chance to talk about what a fine actor and man Jude Law is, no matter what Chris Rock says (it was a joke, dude). Or it could just be a night of getting way too drunk playing the game where you have to take a shot every time Slumdog wins an award. I’m just hoping I see people I know in the audience.

No, no, according to Deadspin it is just an extra generous dose of NO2 – but man is that funny.

Thx Oliver

I wouldn’t say it has been an overwhelming year for music, but there have certainly been some highlights. Pretty mainstream, I know – but I’m not quite as on the ball as I’d like to be with new bands. Here is my top 10 with a few new discoveries on the list and a few albums from old faves. What do you think?

10. Fleet Foxes Just making it in under the wire, I have a feeling this album is going to continue to grow on me. At my live intro to them at Sasquatch last May I thought they were fine but didn’t fall in love. I’m glad to say their recording has some fever I didn’t catch at the vast open stage of the Gorge.

9. Duffy – Rockferry I like Adele and can get down with some Amy Winehouse, but when it comes to the British female vocalists, Duffy is just my speed and this album is a classic.

8. The Verve – Forth I continue to be impressed by this great band and it seems to me that this is their best album yet.

7. The Mars Volta – The Bedlam In Goliath Teh Volta is back and as strong as ever. The crashing cymbals and blaring guitar are still present but Cedric and co. take this album in a bit of a different direction from previous studio recordings. I was surprised by the new sound and very, very happy.

6. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III I’ve lost track of hip hop a bit in the last few years but I was immediately blown away when I heard what Lil Wayne was doing on this album and his abundant mix tapes. This guy is taking rap music in a whole new direction and, love it or hate it, it is simply incredible to witness.

5. The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely Performers of the year honors go to The Raconteurs whose show at the Greek last fall was a barn burner (maybe only equaled by MIA). Every track on this album rocks.

4. Santogold Twisting and turning, Santogold rips it in every direction with her dancehall/hip-hop/reggae/jazz/rock/fill-in-the-blank inspired beats and awesome vocal stylings.

3. Kings of Leon – Only By The Night This album would make my top 10 if it just had Sex On Fire on it 11 times – but instead we’re lucky enough to get 10 other great tracks. A bit more radio friendly than past albums, perhaps, but I think it adds up to one solid rock album.

2. TV On The Radio – Dear Science I don’t know what to say about these guys but whatever they are doing I just hope they keep doing it. I love their out there sounds and this album’s infusion of a bit more melody only makes it stronger.

1. The Killers – Day & Age I already know I am gonna get a boatload of shit for this pick. It seems this album really polarizes people. I can’t get enough of it and I keep finding tracks I like more than the last. Waaah, you don’t like the lyrics to Human. I don’t care. The song’s synthesis of current rock and 80s electronica equals one of the coolest sounds I’ve heard in a long time. You don’t think they rock? Listen to the power chords in the chorus of Losing Touch. Because of this album, The Killers have just jumped to the very top of my list of bands I need to see live soon!