Judd Apatow's Next Directorial Effort Announced

My in-depth ramblings on Judd Apatow's next project are after the jump.

so before I go on, here's the story from Variety:

Judd Apatow has tapped Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann to star in the next comedy he'll direct.

Untitled pic will be a co-production of Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment, with production to start in late summer or early fall.

Apatow, the sole writer on the project, is keeping the plot under wraps. While the studios will split the costs, U will distribute worldwide. Dealmaking is under way with his cast, and producing credits are still being worked out.

Apatow continues to work with familiar faces: He and Sandler collaborated to write, with Robert Smigel, "Don't Mess With the Zohan," the Sandler starrer that Columbia will release June 6. Rogen and Mann starred in Apatow's first two feature directing efforts, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up."

Mann (who is married to Apatow) stars with Owen Wilson in "Drillbit Taylor," which Rogen co-wrote and Apatow produced. Paramount releases the comedy March 21.

Apatow also produced "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," the comedy that stars Jason Segel, who, like Rogen, began in the ensemble of the Apatow-exec produced TV series "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared." Universal releases that comedy April 18.

Sandler is shooting the Adam Shankman-directed comedy "Bedtime Stories" for Disney, while Mann stars opposite Zac Efron in the Burr Steers-directed "17 Again" for New Line. Rogen, who lends his voice to "Horton Hears a Who," which Fox releases Friday, is shooting "Zack and Miri Make a Porno."

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117982103.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

okay. now to dive in.

• First off, the big story of this is that Adam Sandler has been cast as the lead in the movie. This is pretty startling news in that for Judd's previous two movies (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Knocked Up for those in a cave) he has gone with smaller stars that went to break out with the movie (Steve Carell and Seth Rogen for those, again, living under a cave).
  
  It's not surprising that Judd would work with Adam, because they have been buddies since College. Judd also did some re-writes to some of Sandler's movies (Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, and Big Daddy), and also co-wrote Sandler's upcoming comedy Don't Mess With The Zohan. So their involvement isn't surprising at all. It's just surprising that it's one of Judd's movies. I think it's fascinating stuff, and I think Judd with push Sandler to not do his usual shtick, and make it more realistic. Something that Paul Thomas Anderson did amazingly in his film Punch-Drunk Love, which is Sandler's finest work as an actor. Judd should make Adam do some of his best work to date while also being very funny.



• It wouldn't be an Apatow film without Seth Rogen in there somewhere. Really glad he's in this, because his projects were lining up to not working with Judd for a bit (Zach and Miri Make A Porno, Observe and Report). While both of those movies sound fantastic, Seth is always best when is working with the Apatow crew.



• It also wouldn't be an Apatow film without Leslie Mann either. Besides being Judd's wife, Leslie is a very talented and hilarious actress. While I enjoy Kevin Smith's films, his inclusion to always put his wife Jennifer Schwallbach in his movies is very ill-advised. I don't think she's a good actress, she isn't funny, and she just brings nothing to her roles, in my opinion. it seems like Jenn is forcing Kevin to put her in all of his movies. While in the case of Leslie, she is just tremendous. She should be someone always in Judd's movies even if they weren't married, because she does a great job every time she's on screen.



• I also can't help but be remembered of the episode of Undeclared where Adam Sandler visits the dorm with Seth Rogen's Ron there. The exchanges between Sandler and Rogen in that episode were fantastic, and I hope we get more of them with this new movie.



• I also think it's hilarious how both Universal Picture and Sony are teaming up to produce it. They are the studios in which Apatow has worked with the most. With Universal he has The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Five-Year Engagement, A Whole New Hugh, and some others. While at Sony's Columbia Pictures he has Talladega Nights, Superbad, Walk Hard, Step Brothers, Pineapple Express, The Year One, and others. They both couldn't handle losing him, and this sure-to-be huge hit so I guess they decided to partner up. Just goes to show how big Apatow has gotten over the past few years.



• So yeah, there is no title or plot details at all as it says in the story. Just left here speculating of what it could be. I have heard that Judd wants to try to make a movie about addiction the same way he made movies about sex, and pregnancy. Whatever it is, i'll be there opening day.

Whenever new details of this project emerge, i'll be posting them on my blog. Look out in the upcoming days for Benjammin' #4, and whatever else pops in my mind at the moment.

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Seth Rogen is actually blowing up (!)

I like getting behind things (pause). Whether it be musicians, actors, comedians, TV shows, whatever. I like trying to spread the gospel of a certain thing to get that thing into the public spotlight. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. Probably one of my biggest campaigns has been Seth Rogen. I watched Undeclared when it aired in 2001, but I wasn't a Seth fan then. More a fan of the show overall. I become a rabid Seth Rogen fan like many people did with his role as Cal in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. He consistently cracked my shit up during the film, and he shares probably my two favorite scenes in the movie (besides the finale): The woman fucking a horse monologue, and the phone conversation between Andy and Cal where Cal says his grandma looks like Jack Palance and makes old people jokes. Just gold. I then watched Freaks And Geeks and re watched Undeclared and became a full fledged fanboy for Seth.

News came out following the huge success of Virgin that Judd Apatow's next directorial film would be a film called Knocked Up which would be a vehicle for Rogen. I was completely jazzed. The pre-release buzz for Knocked Up was over the moon. Seeing the now iconic What If This Guy Got You Pregnant? poster was just amazing, and I was so happy for him. I realized that he might actually be becoming a big star. Of course, Knocked Up came out and did huge business, and so did his pet project Superbad which he had a co-starring role and co-wrote the script.

Following that he went to shoot Pineapple Express with James Franco, which you have all heard about by now. Then he went to do Kevin Smith's Zach And Miri Make A Porno with Elizabeth Banks. Now word comes tonight that he just got signed on for Jody "The Foot Fist Way" Hill's Observe and Report where Rogen will be playing a mall cop. Just amazing projects all around.

The thing that really blew me away last week was seeing the TV spot for Horton Hears A Who in which Seth Rogen gets billed in the commercial with such heavyweights as Jim Carrey, and Steve Carell. Hell, in another spot i've seen he's third billed behind them! I didn't realize Rogen would ever get this big. It was just wishful thinking on my part, and now he is just going to the moon. I am so, so, happy for him, and hope this success continues on for years to come.

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Semi-Pro review

My review of Will Ferrell's Semi-Pro after the jump

This movie is such a vast improvement over Blades Of Glory, which I felt to be a colossal misfire. Yeah, it had a great cast, but there wasn't a whole lot of laughs to be found I thought. I think it has a lot to do with Jon "One-Note" Heder co-starring with Ferrell. But that isn't the topic of this review. It's about Semi-Pro which I thought delivered in ways that Blades didn't.

When you give Will an R-rating, he shines like crazy. I mean "SUCK MY COCK, I'LL MURDER YOUR FAMILY" is just hilarious as shit to me. You can't say that in a PG-13 comedy.

As well the absolutely stellar supporting cast is a comedy juggernaut which includes such comedic treasures as Andy Daly (amazing as Dick Pepperfield), Andy Richter, Will Arnett, Rob Corddry, Jackie Earle Haley, Kristen Wiig, and more. The supporting cast alone is worth your money. Andy Daly should get some award for his work in it. Dude is just fuckin' jokes.

The surprising thing about the film is that it actually plays as a very faithful sports movie. Woody Harrelson's Monix character seems to be ripped directly from another sports film and it really works. His whole plotline with Andre 3000's Coffee Black was a nice touch and puts some real weight into the whole plotline. Don't be fooled though, it is still a laugh-riot of a movie but just expect some nice dramatic scenes as well.

If you are a fan of Will Ferrell, you have probably already seen Semi-Pro and loved it. If you haven't and are, then it's definitely worth it. There isn't a worthwhile movie until Drillbit Taylor's March 21st release so you have no excuse to not seeing it.

Sadly, the movie for some reason underperformed at the box office, and that makes me sad. Blades deserved this type of run, not Semi-Pro. Oh well! Walk Hard didn't do well at the box office either, and that looks to murder on DVD. Semi-Pro should do the same.

As you probably saw before the movie (or on the internet), the Step Brothers trailer played before it and it's just amazing. It really looks to rank up there with Anchorman for one of Will's best. Also really helps that you have John C. Reilly in it to bring the laughs. People who have seen the movie at test-screenings this week have said that Ferrell and Reilly could end up as one of the best comedic teams of this generation with this movie. From the trailer, I can definitely see that, and can't wait to see the movie for myself in July.

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Benjammin' #3

Benjammin #3 after the jump.


The Black Keys
"Same Old Thing"
"Oceans And Streams"
"Things Ain't Like They Used To Be"
Album: Attack & Release
release date: April 1st, 2008

This was the album I couldn't get enough of this weekend. I had heard a lot about The Black Keys over the years, but never gave them a proper chance. So, when their new album leaked on Monday I was ecstatic to hear it. I heard one of their albums Rubber Factory before listening to Attack & Release, and I really dug it. Attack & Release is a shift from that sound a bit, but it's the best album of theirs that I have heard. It was produced by Danger Mouse, who produced my #3 favorite album of 2007 in The Good, The Bad & The Queen, and he does an equally good job here giving the group some new things to do. These three songs are among my favorites of an album that doesn't have a single weak spot. I suggest if you like these songs to check out the full album. You'll really like it. Check out the Yazz flute on "Same Old Thing". It's hardcore.

Sondre Lerche
"My Hands Are Shaking"
"Modern Nature" with Lillian Samdal
album: Dan In Real Life soundtrack (Modern Nature originally found on 2001's Faces Down)
release date: October 2nd, 2007

I just saw the movie Dan In Real Life, the Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche rom-com, this week, and I really enjoyed it. Carell does some great acting in it, and it's just a nice story to watch unfold. Very realistic. The other thing I really enjoyed about it is the soundtrack provided by Sondre Lerche. He pretty much handles every song in the movie, either with instrumental interludes or songs written especially for the movie. He also has some songs from previous albums in the film like "Modern Nature" which closes the film with a performance in the movie by Sondre and Lillian Samdal. These are great, well-written songs that get stuck in your head.

Billy Bragg & Wilco
"Walt Whitman's Niece"
"Hoodoo Vooodoo"
album: Mermaid Avenue
release date: June 23rd, 1998

Now this is a classic album. One of my all-time favorite bands in Wilco collaborating with probably one of the coolest people around in Billy Bragg with previously unreleased lyrics by Woody Guthrie. Both Wilco and Bragg got together to give these great Guthrie lyrics justice, and they deliver hugely. I just really love the whole album, and these two songs are among my favorites. "Hoodoo Voodoo" should of been the theme song to some kids show. Please do check out the entire albums. It's one of my all-time favs.

Also on a completely unrelated note, the name Walt Whitman is the name of Bryan Cranston's character on one of the best shows currently on TV in AMC's Breaking Bad. I know that is obviously where they didn't get the name from, because the album's been out for 10 years but yeah. Just thought I should point that out/pimp the show.

EDIT: well, I fucked up there. I just mixed two AMC series' into a name. Walter White is Bryan Cranston's character on Breaking Bad, while Dick Whitman is the real name of Don Draper on Mad Men. Two of the best series' on TV. Just wanted to clear that up.

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Jason Segel is finally going to be a big star

and it's about damn time too. Jason Segel is probably one of the most fearless actors I have seen in a while. I first grew to love him on Freaks and Geeks as his classic character Nick Andopolis. He played that to perfection. Following that role he landed a recurring role on Judd's next TV series Undeclared. He played Lizzie's (eventual) ex boyfriend Eric, and his performances are probably among some of the most fearless comedic acting i've seen on television.From there he got cast in the best-sitcom-you're-not-watching in How I Met Your Mother which is still going strong today. Last summer Segel co-starred in Knocked Up as one of Seth Rogen's friends (which he, and everyone else in the circle are in real life).

Now looking to 2008, he has Forgetting Sarah Marshall (a movie he also wrote) coming up on April 18th, and it's going to be great and catapult him into stardom. In 2009, he then has a co-starring role with Paul Rudd in the upcoming buddy comedy I Love You Man which also stars Rashida Jones. Then it was just announced that he is coming back with the Forgetting Sarah Marshall team (Segel co-writer/star, Nick Stoller director/co-writer, Judd Apatow producing) with Five-Year Engagement. Plot summary goes like this: A bawdy, couples comedy, charts the five-year engagement of a man (Segel) and his fiancee, following the ups and downs of their relationship.

With all of this upcoming work on his plate as well as a starring role on CBS' How I Met Your Mother, Segel is finally getting his due. Look out for more of my thoughts on Forgetting Sarah Marshall up to (and probably after) the release date. And here is the rest of it.

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Danny McBride's star-making appearance

i've been really big on this guy for nearly a year now, and it seems that he's finally about to break out to the mainstream. In the clip above from last night's Late Night With Conan O'Brien he appeared in character as Fred Simmons, the character he portrays in his movie The Foot Fist Way. The whole thing is amazing on a nearly Andy Kaufman level. Will Ferrell, who is on the couch and is berated by Fred Simmons, is actually one of the people who bought The Foot Fist Way from Sundance 2007. That and Danny will be co-starring with Ferrell in the upcoming 2009 remake of Land Of The Lost. So, he is definitely in on the joke.

The Foot Fist Way goes into limited release starting April 11th. If the buzz continues to grow for him like it is now, it should expand very quickly.

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80th annual Academy Awards thoughts

my thoughts on what happened at the Academy Awards are after the jump.



bulletpoint edition!

-Jon Stewart, once again, killed. With only a week of prep time, he did really well. People who say otherwise probably aren't fans. He should host every year.

-Not a lot of surprises in terms of awards. The only real surprises I thought were the 3 wins for The Bourne Ultimatum crew. well deserved since it's a great movie, but I wish No Country or There Will Be Blood could of snagged some of those.

-Best acceptance speech: I would say it's between Javier Bardem, The Coen Brothers for director, the Once crew, Diablo Cody and Daniel Day-Lewis. All very deserving winners with great speeches.

-Loved the friendly banter between Jon Stewart and Steve Carell. With Jon in New York, and Steve in L.A. they hardly get chances to interact anymore. So whenever they do, they are like old friends.

-Speaking of, I wish Stephen Colbert was there. it's a known fact that Jon and Stephen are a great team, and it would of been great to see them take a segment to riff. Oh Well!

-Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill: Killed! Definitely the best presenter bit of the night. Really the fact that they are on that stage is just mind blowing. To think a year ago today if you were to tell me that not only Seth Rogen would be presenting at the Oscars but Jonah Hill as well, I would of said you were full of shit. So very happy for their success.

-Speaking of Rogen and Hill, this part of an AP piece on Oscar weekend just made me very happy:

"FUNNYMEN UNITE: Oscar freshmen Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill were welcomed to the Kodak Theatre by sophomore Jon Stewart.
He jumped up and down on the side of the stage as the "Superbad" stars rehearsed for their Academy Awards debut on Saturday night. Stewart, who hosted the Oscars in 2006, rushed across the stage to greet them, then disappeared into the wings.
Wearing matching black horn-rimmed glasses, Rogen and Hill cracked jokes and scoped out their seats in the theater from the stage. Afterward, they met with Stewart in his dressing room.
"It's going to be so weird," Rogen told the show host. "It's so epic."
Stewart chatted with the pair before sending them on their way with a snack.
"Can I offer you a rugula?" he said.
Each actor took one of the cookie-like confections, then headed off."

That just makes my year.

And as quickly as that The Oscars are over for another year. Now it's time to predict what will be big at the 09 show. Scorsese's Shutter Island? Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button? The Coens' Burn After Reading? Who knows. I would of said a year ago that American Gangster was a shoo-in to Best Picture, and look what happened there. Also who could of predicted Juno's gigantic success? We can predict all we want now, but we usually have no idea until the movies are actually completed and screening.

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80th Annual Academy Awards predictions

my predictions and thoughts on the 80th annual Academy Awards are after the jump.



Best motion picture of the year
“Atonement” (Focus Features)
A Working Title Production
Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Paul Webster, Producers

“Juno” (Fox Searchlight)
A Mandate Pictures/Mr. Mudd Production
Lianne Halfon, Mason Novick and Russell Smith, Producers

“Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)
A Clayton Productions, LLC Production
Sydney Pollack, Jennifer Fox and Kerry Orent, Producers

“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
A Scott Rudin/Mike Zoss Production
Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers

“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)
A JoAnne Sellar/Ghoulardi Film Company Production
JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Lupi, Producers

Will Win: No Country For Old Men
Should Win: There Will Be Blood/No Country For Old Men

Before I go on, let me just say this is the best Best Picture noms in a long time. Really, all of these movies are at the very least good. Atonement is my least favorite of the bunch, and it's a well made movie. Usually for my least favorite movie in the category is something I despise. Of course it isn't perfect. It never is. I would of replaced Atonement and maybe Juno with either Zodiac or The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford to make the category truly perfect.

Atonement has no chance at all and as it should be in a field like this. Juno, while being a nice, fun little movie, really shouldn't win this. It is however, better then last year's quirky comedy entry in Little Miss Sunshine. I'm hearing people are thinking it may upset, but I doubt it. In any other year, Michael Clayton would stand a good shot of winning cause it's a truly amazing film, but not in a year as stacked as this one. Which then leaves us with No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood. The momentum is definitely on No Country's side and I think it has it locked up. The fact is, and something I never say, I would be perfectly fine with either NCFOM or TWBB winning. They are both masterful films made by two of the very best directors around today. It is really the coolest faceoff in years for the Academy Awards. How they both got the most nominations just makes me so, so, very happy.

Achievement in directing
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (Miramax/Pathé Renn) Julian Schnabel
“Juno” (Fox Searchlight) Jason Reitman
“Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.) Tony Gilroy
“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage) Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax) Paul Thomas Anderson


Will Win: Coen Brothers, No Country For Old Men
Should Win: Coen Brothers, No Country For Old Men

A lot of the times when big directors finally win an Oscar for their work it's for a film that isn't as good as their previous work. That is not the case here. This is one of the Coen Brothers' very best films, and I will be so happy to see them win. They made my all-time favorite film in The Big Lebowski and it's just very deserved.

Performance by an actor in a leading role
George Clooney in “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)
Daniel Day-Lewis in “There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)
Johnny Depp in “Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
(DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
Tommy Lee Jones in “In the Valley of Elah” (Warner Independent)
Viggo Mortensen in “Eastern Promises” (Focus Features)

Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Should Win: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

don't need to explain this one. It's obvious. Pretty great category though with very deserving performances from Viggo Mortensen and George Clooney in there. but, yeah. It's the Daniel Day-Lewis show. as it should be

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (Universal)
Julie Christie in “Away from Her” (Lionsgate)
Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose” (Picturehouse)
Laura Linney in “The Savages” (Fox Searchlight)
Ellen Page in “Juno” (Fox Searchlight)

Will Win: Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
Should Win: Ellen Page, Juno

This is really a category where I have no real judgment in here. I have only seen one of these movies (Juno), while the rest I either have no interest in (Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Away from Her) or have been waiting to see (The Savages). From what i've seen of Marion's performance it's really some amazing stuff. She's definitely a future talent. I picked Ellen Page though, besides it being the only one of these performances i've seen, but it would be great to see her win. Canada represent!

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Casey Affleck in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” (Warner Bros.)
Javier Bardem in “No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Charlie Wilson’s War” (Universal)
Hal Holbrook in “Into the Wild” (Paramount Vantage and River Road Entertainment)
Tom Wilkinson in “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)

Will Win: Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men
Should Win: Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men

Another obvious one, but this category is really stacked. All of these performances are really great work. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is one of the best working actors around today, Hal Holbrook is great in Into The Wild, Tom Wilkinson is just amazing in Michael Clayton, and Casey Affleck is just perfect in Jesse James. Javier's win in here has been pretty much sealed up since last May, but it's very deserved. Would love to see Casey Affleck win though to give Jesse James some love.

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett in “I’m Not There” (The Weinstein Company)
Ruby Dee in “American Gangster” (Universal)
Saoirse Ronan in “Atonement” (Focus Features)
Amy Ryan in “Gone Baby Gone” (Miramax)
Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)

Will Win: Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Should Win: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone

Amy Ryan at one point was the frontrunner in this category, but now it seems that Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton are neck-and-neck for it. Those are both great performances, but I would love it more if Amy Ryan won. it is truly a great performance, and it would give her more attention. She has been amazing on The Wire for years now, and it would be great for someone to honor her for her hard work.

Adapted screenplay

“Atonement” (Focus Features)
Screenplay by Christopher Hampton
“Away from Her” (Lionsgate)
Written by Sarah Polley
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (Miramax/Pathé Renn)
Screenplay by Ronald Harwood
“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)
Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson
Will Win: Coen Brothers, No Country For Old Men
Should Win: Coen Brothers/Paul Thomas Anderson

I'm fine with either winning. Read the Best Picture summary.

Original screenplay
“Juno” (Fox Searchlight)
Written by Diablo Cody
“Lars and the Real Girl” (MGM)
Written by Nancy Oliver
“Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)
Written by Tony Gilroy
“Ratatouille” (Walt Disney)
Screenplay by Brad Bird
Story by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Brad Bird
“The Savages” (Fox Searchlight)
Written by Tamara Jenkins

Will Win: Diablo Cody, Juno
Should Win: Anything

I really wouldn't mind any of these winning. They are all amazing films, but Diablo Cody is the new queen in town so her win will be much deserved.

Best animated feature film of the year
“Persepolis” (Sony Pictures Classics) Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud
“Ratatouille” (Walt Disney) Brad Bird
“Surf's Up” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Ash Brannon and Chris Buck

Will Win, Should Win: Ratatouille

AKA, the give Ratatouille an award category. One of the best animated movies i've ever seen. Brad Bird has done it again. With this win he will be the only director to win the Best animated feature Oscar more than once (He won it before for The Incredibles).

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“Falling Slowly” from “Once”
(Fox Searchlight)
Music and Lyric by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

“Happy Working Song” from “Enchanted”
(Walt Disney)
Music by Alan Menken
Lyric by Stephen Schwartz

“Raise It Up” from “August Rush”
(Warner Bros.)
Music and lyric by Jamal Joseph, Charles Mack and Tevin Thomas

“So Close” from “Enchanted”
(Walt Disney)
Music by Alan Menken
Lyric by Stephen Schwartz

“That’s How You Know” from “Enchanted”
(Walt Disney)
Music by Alan Menken
Lyric by Stephen Schwartz

Will Win: Falling Slowly, Once
should Win: Beautiful Ride, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

This category is an abomination this year. I'm sure Enchanted was a nice little movie, but 3 song noms?!? That is fucking ridiculous. August Rush?!?! No one saw that shit. The only deserving nom in here is the one who will win: Falling Slowly from Once. I do think the whole Once train has made it overrated, but you can't deny how nice the music is. How nothing from Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story didn't get nominated is bullshit on the highest level. Those songs are all much more memorable then anything in this category. Eff that noise. I guess I can't expect much from the same people who gave an Academy Award to Phil Collins for his Tarzan song over Aimee Mann, and Trey Parker and Matt Stone.


I'll probably do another post following the show for my thoughts on what went down. Look out for it!

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Benjammin' #2

This came sooner than I expected. With the complete wealth of new music this week I had to jump on this early.

see Benjammin' #2 after the jump.

Young Dro
"Tropical"
"How I Ride"
album: I Am Legend mixtape
Release Date: now

I wasn't initially sold on Young Dro. I mean "Shoulder Lean" was a nice catchy song, and "Rubberband Banks" was great too, but they didn't sell me on Dro being a good rapper. With the release of the I Am Legend mixtape this past week I am now completely sold. His flow is ridiculous, his content is insane, he is really funny, and he is just one of the best new rappers out right now. I have now actually checked out his entire album Best Thang Smokin', and I realize how off I was. This man is a force to be reckoned with.

I chose two songs from the mixtape to showcase his talent. They are both great but especially "How I Ride". The hook for "How I Ride" is just something of goofy greatness: "This is how I ride / My car just died / The brain blowed out, doors committed suicide / The man in the trunk the only thing that's alive / And that's what I tell them when they be asking how I ride.". Great!! Young Dro is set to release his second full length album sometime in 2008, and I can't wait to hear it.

The Roots
"75 Bars" (Black's Reconstruction)
album: Rising Down
Release Date: April 29th, 2008


The Roots are back!!! Been waiting on the release of Rising Down for a while now, and today the first song has been released. It isn't the first single, it's just a song from the album that they put out there to get blog hype. The first single is said to be a song called "Birthday Girl" featuring Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy. As for this song though, it's just Black Thought completely blacking out in his rhyming. He shows on this song why he is the most underrated rapper around today. Also on the song is a tuba supplied by Tuba Gooding Jr., and it fits the song well. I am completely amped about the album, and if you want to learn more about it then check out this recent feature Entertainment Weekly did on previewing Rising Down: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20179171,00.html

She & Him
"This Is Not A Test"
"I Was Made For You"
album: Volume 1
Release Date: March 18th, 2008

Just as soon as I talk about the lead single from the album, the album leaks. Volume 1 is really just amazing. My favorite album of the year so far. It was hard to choose just one song from it, so I decided to pick two of my favorites. These two songs are great, the whole album is amazing, Zooey is a goddess. The End.

Erykah Badu
"Twinkle"
album: New Amerykah Part 1 (4th World War)
Release Date: February 26th, 2008

It's been a while since Erykah Badu has released an album. Luckily, New Amerykah is really fantastic and worth the wait. It's really an album that deserves to be heard front to back, but i'll choose my favorite song currently from it in "Twinkle". I believe it was produced by the great Madlib, but I could be wrong. Go check out this album. I'm sure you'll really enjoy it.

80th Annual Academy Awards prediction post coming later today. look out for it!

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Step Brothers will blow minds away

The poster for Step Brothers came out tonight, and yeah. Just look at it. Is that not one of the greatest things you have ever seen? It's up there for me.

So, looking at this poster you might say "hey, Ben! what the hell is Step Brothers and why should I care about it?". Good question, faithful readers. A stupid question, but a question nonetheless.

What is Step Brothers? it's a comedy (duh!) with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly starring as 40 year olds who still live with their parents. When Nancy Huff (Mary Steenburgen) and Robert Doback (Richard Jenkins) get married Brennan Huff (Ferrell) and Dale Doback (Reilly) become step brothers. As the official summary goes on to say "As their narcissism and downright aggressive laziness threaten to tear the family apart, these two middle-aged, immature, overgrown boys will orchestrate an insane, elaborate plan to bring their parents back together. To pull it off, they must form an unlikely bond that maybe, just maybe, will finally get them out of the house." Judd Apatow describes the movie as The Parent Trap with men.

So yeah, that sounds amazing. Now your next question is why should you care about it? Well, quite simply its Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly starring as step brothers. Okay, still not sold? The movie is done by the same team that did Anchorman, and Talladega Nights. What team is that you say? Directed by Adam McKay, Written by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell, and produced by Judd Apatow.Anchorman for my money is one of the funniest movies of this decade so far. Just an amazing work of comedic brilliance. Talladega Nights was also great, and I say very underrated.

You might say you are sick of Will Ferrell. Ferrell has really only had a few missteps in his career so far (Bewitched, Blades Of Glory), but beyond that he has been doing great stuff. His upcoming movie Semi-Pro looks like a return to form for Will as it's an R-rated comedy where Will gets to let loose. Also John C. Reilly has to be one of my all-time favorite actors. His dramatic work is just amazing, and his work in Chicago earned him an Academy Award nomination. His comedic work recently though is what has taken him to great heights with me. Talladega Nights, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, and best of all as Dr. Steve Brule on Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job! Not only is he one of my favorite dramatic actors, but he's one of my favorite comedic actors as well. He can do it all.

Speaking of Semi-Pro, I would assume the first trailer to Step Brothers will be attached to it. If it is, I'll post the trailer in here and give my thoughts about it.

I'll be doing quite a bit of stuff in the blog pretty soon. Look for the obligatory Academy Awards predictions post in the coming days, and also a Top 10 list of my all-time favorite TV Shows ever. That as well as Benjammin #2, and whatever else comes to my mind at the time.

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