Paul McCartney & Jimmy Fallon

This week’s guest start on Jimmy Fallon was none other than Sir Paul McCartney. Im not sure how he did it- but Fallon was lucky enough to not only pitch the idea of singing his spoof of The Beatles “Yesterday” on the show, but he actually got McCartney to sing the duet to “Scrambled Eggs.”

James Cameron is addicted to 3D

It was recently announced that James Cameron is moving away from his beloved world of Pandora and to one that is far more realistic…in a sense.

Cameron, one of the most successful directors of all time, is teaming up with Cirque du Soleil to bring viewers a 3D film. Dateline stated that “[the] intention is for this to launch a series of family features that incorporate Cirque du Soleil into their storylines.”

At the head of this production is director Andrew Adamson (Chronicles of Narnia, Shrek), who has sought out Cameron as producer.

However the really odd thing about this is that production is almost 1/3 of the way done, and this story just broke two days ago.

Regardless of reasoning, everyone is expecting greatness from the leading entertainment group in the country and the leading mastermind behind 3D film.

Business Cards: The New Art

In a world where design has been completely pushed into the digital realm, personal business cards have taken on an entirely new & artistically driven transformation.

Now, the once standard black and white card must set itself apart in a sea of creative entrepreneurs.

Sam Buxton has taken this idea to a new level.

Working only with a thin metal sheet and cut-outs, Buxton has been able to capture a 3D environment that is no less than moden art its self.

His collection, appropriately called MIKRO-Man are now being showcased in a art exhibit in London. Now in mass production located on the Mikro Mart website, you can too order your own 3D metal sculptures.

The Three Stooges are a bunch of Jackasses

The guys from Jackass have been changing the face of comedy, most recently in 3D. But is their sense of humor filled thats filled with blood, sweat, vomit, and feces as revolutionary as the Three Stooge’s slapstick style was in 1930′s?

Vanity Fair sure seemed to think so. In their October issue, photographer Gavin Bond shot the Jackass crew as the stooges, receptively.

The Jackass franchise has definitely made its mark on comedy and the media. I wonder what Curly, Larry, and Mo would think about their modern counterparts?

How Dinosaurs Really Died

Let the truth come out!

Favorite Soundtrack of All Time: Scorpio Rising

If film theory taught me anything, its that I still feel awkward when I am the only one in the room who is laughing to a scene where a handful of leather clad bikers are engaging in various sexual acts with images that are juxtaposed to imagery of Jesus Christ and Adolf Hitler.

Sounds offensive, doesn’t it?

Scorpio Rising was really a commentary about American consumerism and how the media influences how society follows ideals. Director, Kenneth Anger’s experimental film was such a hit that it subsequently influenced other successful directors such as Martin Scorsese and David Lynch.

But really it is the music in Scorpio Rising that permits for a sense of humor to flow into the psyche, and ultimately, lets the view digest the film. It is also the first film to use popular music of its time to narrate the audience through the odd images of motorcycles, homosexuality, Jesus Christ, and James Dean.

The soundtrack follows as:

1. Ricky Nelson – “Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)”
2. Little Peggy March – “Wind-Up Doll”
3. The Angels – “My Boyfriend’s Back”
4. Bobby Vinton – “Blue Velvet”
5. Elvis Presley – “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise”
6. Ray Charles – “Hit The Road Jack”
7. Martha Reeves and the Vandellas – “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave”
8. The Crystals – “He’s a Rebel”
9. Claudine Clark – “Party Lights”
10. Kris Jensen – “Torture”
11. Gene McDaniels – “Point Of No Return”
12. Little Peggy March – “I Will Follow Him”
13. Surfaris – “Wipe Out”

 

For a film that has no other audio and has been studied as one of the most influential post-modern films of all time, Anger definitely broke boundaries that allowed for the public into a previously taboo world through the use of rock-and-roll.

Watch the 30 min film here:

Red Lipstick: For the Women or the Men?

The lure of makeup has always been around for women of all ages. Once thought of simply a cosmetic enhancement, makeup is now looked at in a more professional light with specialists who master its art. Like fashion, makeup can be used as a form of expression that is either subtle or bold.

Red lipstick is a bold choice that is reminiscent of the classic Hollywood era of elegant glamour. But is it really so much for the women anymore?

Huffington Post recently reported a study done at Manchester University that proves that the lips of a woman are the first thing that a man notices- even before the stereotypical notion of her breasts.

The study also found that the color red yielded the longest lip-gazing time, with an average of 7 seconds. 7 seconds! This may not come as a surprise for many, as it is obvious that red is a bright and noticeable color. But as Poppy King points out, the color red has previously scared many women away from it. Many women have been told not to accentuate their pout with prior trends resulting in a more “muted” mouth tone. However, this look actually takes away from the shape of the mouth and [perhaps] as a result, more and more are getting lip plumps and injections to unnaturally showcase areas of their face.

But never you fear! Red lipstick is to the rescue and is proving women wrong who had thought that it is overdramatic or adds age to their facial structure. This is one trend that I would be glad to see stay for a little longer- if not simply to add a little color to life, then to promote women to be bold and confident in their choices, even down to the shade of lipstick that they wear.

Photoshop Tutorials

Photoshop. The (seemingly) daunting program that is now the standard for any type of design this side of this Mississippi. Used by people of all ages, Photoshop and the entire Adobe CreativeSuites have not only saturated the market, but have become extremely accessible to those seeking the expensive programs.

But once one gets their hands on a copy, how do you actually use it? There is a plethora of online resources for a beginner to investigate into- however I have found that many require at least a little previous knowledge of the program and its tools to fully utilize it.

Out of all the tutorials I have found, this one from Elite by Design is one of the most stranger friendly and approachable lessons I have come across.

Appropriately titled “How To Master Photoshop In One Week”, it takes you through step-by-step to not only use the program- but to really understand it.

Now there is no realistic way to become a Photoshop “Master” in a week- but this tutorial will get you going in the right direction.

People Who…

Got a pet peeve? A certain irritation over the way some people do things? Well so does the website “People Who…“

Originally starting a personal Tumblr, People Who is written by Wireless G: a self-describing “frustrated anthropologist in search of an outlet to clearly identify those people who confounded him with their CONTINUED, PERSISTENT EXISTENCE.”

Since its start in the summer of 2010, People Who has gained quite the following that the Tumblr page was even posted on the Huffington Post.

There is a certain unifying gratification in pointing out others flaws and tendencies. If taken with a humours grain of salt, People Who… will make you laugh hard at people. It will also make you laugh even harder at yourself when you realize that you probably fall into the majority of “annoying people.”

There is even a drinking game to People Who!

The Alamo Drafthouse: More Than A Cinema

The Alamo Drafthouse’s self-slogan of “Bad-Ass Cinema” is a severe understatement.

The mecca for filmmakers, movie critics, and film fanatics from around the country is now one of the most popular places in town. In 2005, Entertainment Weekly called in the No. 1 theater in America and since then, Steve Rose with The Gaurdian has deemed it “Possibly the best cinemas in the world.” But how did this locally grown business transform into the multi-million dollar franchise that is currently changing the face of modern day cinema? The answer: one brilliant idea.

In 1994 recent graduates of Houston’s Rice University, Tim and Karrie League were young, in love, and unhappy with their careers. Tim, an engineer at Shell Oil, and Karrie, a microbiology researcher “got into the movie exhibition business accidentally.” League told MTV that neither he, nor his wife, liked where they were and “at the age of 24, decided to open up a movie theater.” The Leagues made their first attempt at their now iconic cinematic vision somewhere one might not expect for the conceptual birthplace of the Alamo Drafthouse: Bakersfield, California. And so the young couple started their path at the historic Tejon Theater, located on the east side of the city on Baker Street. The two worked hard to renovate and reopen the Tejon in hopes of finding a specific audience. They simultaneously realized that there had been a giant gaping hole in the industry for the movie-house patron who desired something more than first-run, mainstream movies paired with stale buttered popcorn and cherry flavored Icees. Following the design model of other independent theaters such as the Landmark chain, The Tejon specialized in screening various independent, classic, and cult films. This instantly set them apart and paved the way for their now famed, alternative programming. However, success did not find the Leagues in California. The combination of bad luck and poor geographical placement of the Tejon, both played in the downfall of their first theater. League told MTV, “That theater ended up being a huge mistake. It failed, really. It just didn’t work out.” The inability to obtain a liquor license by the local Alcohol Beverage Control ultimately lead to Leagues resulted in selling the theater in 1996. Since then, it has since been converted into an evangelical church. However, hope was not lost and the Leagues knew they could continue their dream elsewhere: back in Texas.

On June 1^st 1996, the couple made the move from Bakersfield to Austin, where the Alamo Drafthouse would find its new embracing home. “We chose Austin for a number of reasons,” stated League to MTV. “It was a cool town, it had a big university, real estate at the time was relatively affordable and there wasn’t anything like it, but there was still a really receptive film audience. I had some family…in Austin, so it was easier to start there [than in] someplace like New York or LA, but it was still a pretty cool scene.” On December 1^st, the Leagues signed a lease for a building downtown and construction finally began. While still under construction that following spring the Alamo, which did not have its permit at the time,  illegally opened its doors to the public for the 1997 South by Southwest Film Festival. It was Austin’s first taste of the theater and on May 24^th 1997, the Alamo Drafthouse legally opened its doors to the world.

Since then, Tim and Karrie eventually evolved their original idea of a “different” movie theater into something completely unparalleled. “[We were] always trying to find an advantage that we could offer that other types of movie theaters couldn’t,” stated League. It is the combination of their novelty event-driven screenings and audience participation, which provides for the one-of-a-kind cinematic experience that the Alamo Drafthouse delivers.

People love food, and people love movies. The ability to capitalize on this is the first factor in the theater’s recipe for success. The Alamo has an efficient seating arrangement with rows of tables for every row of seats, which is also complimented with an open isle, used for quick and non-distracting transportation by both servers and audience members. The Alamo Drafthouse has a full menu with specialty dishes that correlate with current new-events and seasons. On top of that, the Alamo now has its liquor license and serves a wide array of wine, beer, and at the downtown location, liquor. Additionally, the Alamo also has specialty drink selections such as the serving of Butterbeer with the release of the Harry Potter films, and other favorites such as the “Grown-Up” milkshakes made with Makers Mark Whiskey and vanilla ice cream. The combination of dinner and a movie, actually AT the movies, has not only revolutionized the stereotypical date while making the Alamo extremely profitable, but has also expanded its audience demographics to nearly any movie goer who cannot say no to the comfort of being served quality food while relaxing during a film.

Aside from the element of food, there is also the element of fun in their programming. What makes the Alamo such a safe haven for film fans is the evidence that they love movies just as much as their audience. Through this, they utilize an audience’s involvement in a film and have specific events that have now become Alamo staples.

The Action Pack produces theatrical and interactive events which include: The monthly Alamo Drafthouse Sing-Along’s feature various hit songs from a specific artist to genre such as Michael Jackson or the upcoming, “Xmas Pops Sing-Along.” During this event, audience members are encouraged to participate as much as wanted by singing and dancing in their seats or in the isles. The Alamo’s Quote-Along’s are in the same nature by encouraging viewers to yell out the quotes to their favorite movies that rotate weekly. The latest and upcoming Quote-Along’s that are scheduled include movies such as “The Labyrinth”, “ELF”, “Zoolander”, and “Super Troopers.”

The Alamo’s various Feasts and Films offer multi-course meals paired with a specific movie. Upcoming events include a “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Pizza Party” with all-you-can-eat pizza, and the “O Brother, Where Art Thou Feast”: with an appetizer of Beef and gravy on toast points (prison food), pulled porkraised brisket (greasy horse) and gopher grits (gopher). A soup of Frog “you though it was a toad” Jambalaya. The entrée consisting of chicken fricassee with greens, spicy corn on the cob, and mashed potatoes and of course, a giant peach pie for dessert (served on newspaper).

The Big Screen Classics are sometimes rare movies that the Alamo has been able to get 35mm prints of to re-show on the big screen. December’s screenings include “The Holy Mountain”, “Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas”, and for Christmas, “Dark Side Of The Rainbow.”

Weekly, the Alamo hosts specialty genre nights which are respectively called Music Mondays, Terror Tuesdays, and Weird Wednesdays. With Terror Tuesdays and Weird Wednesdays only costing one dollar (Music Mondays cost two dollars), these late night screenings bring in fans of music documentaries, campy horror movies that are rarely shown on 35mm, and a wide array of cheesy 70’s exploitation films of all kind.

Aside from its usual programming, the Alamo Drafthouse also hosts many different events that are unique to it such as big movie screenings with directors and cast members in attendance. These screenings are followed by an audience Q &A session where any question may be asked. Musical events can also be found with certain film screenings and are paired with live musical acts or symphony members. Another main attraction over the years is their Master Pancake Theater, which is a comedy act in the style of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

The Alamo Drafthouse also hosts film fests such as Harry Knowles’ annual Butt-Numb-A-Thon and Fantastic Fest, which Tim League co-created with Knowles. Fantastic Fest is now one of the fastest growing film festivals in the country that still specializes in the genres that the Alamo usually represents such as sci-fi, action, fantasy, Asian, horror, and cult films.

The success of their identity has allowed the Alamo Drafthouse to branch out and expand outside of Austin. In the summer of 2004, Tim and Karrie sold their brand to build up a franchise model, but remained in control of the three main theaters in Austin, Texas. The expansion has gone so far as Winchester, Virginia and has currently totaled 10 different locations in Texas alone. In June 2010, Tim League was officially brought back as the CEO of the Alamo Drafthouse franchise.

Since then, League has even larger endeavors for his company.“Myself, I want to move into New York and LA and hopefully in relatively short order have Alamo Drafthouse locations open up in those major markets.” But much bigger plans are on the horizon for the patron CEO this time around. On September 9^th 2010, the Alamo announced that is would be creating its own film distribution company, Drafthouse Films. An interview with MovieFone revealed that that League knew this could only happen with him at the front of his theaters, adding “All of this couldn’t come together until we merged the company and I came back on as CEO.” What this means for the company is that they do not have to wait to play a new title at their theaters, have the freedom and ability of now being able to bid for any film they wish to distribute. Drafthouse Film’s first picture under their name is Chris Morris’ “Four Lions”, a satirical comedy about Jihadist bombers-which had not been picked up by any other big distribution company due to its controversial material.

With the success of the Alamo Drafthouse and the recent start of Drafthouse Films, America will soon be infiltrated by the Drafthouse ideology. This will change the way that public consumers view film, and ultimately bring a revolution to the world of cinema, one Drafthouse at a time.

Additional information was provided by moviesblog.mtv.com

A Dipity interactive timeline of the Alamo Drafthouse:

A short video blog about the Alamo Drafthouse: