bestmediablog

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 04:51:49 GMT

The Fighter

By Vadim Rizov


Many people have argued The Fighter, now out on DVD, is decent but underwhelming, a get-out-of-jail-semi-free card for a filmmaker in dire need of commercial success. "David O. Russell is wasting his crazy talent on movies like The Fighter," ran a headline for Dan Kois" dispatch during this year"s Slate Movie Club. "Is this really the kind of movie we want our David O. Russells directing?" he asked. "Any competent welterweight could punch his way through this story." The answer"s ambivalent: do you want pure self-expression, or do you want the classical auteurist game of teasing out a director"s personality through a product that initially seems reasonably generic?

The idea that The Fighter is business as usual, helmed a little more vigorously, is a little silly. If The Fighter looks standard-issue, that"s only in comparison to Russell"s previous confrontational, oft-outre movies. Though technically working from someone else"s script - four credited writers, to be precise - Russell told Sight & Sound"s James Bell that he reworked the film "in a direction that was quite different from what I inherited." The two big changes from formula that got everyone"s attention: the Greek chorus of seven sisters that haunt boxer Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) at every turn - not so much a real group of women as a gaggle of unison-speaking/thinking harridans, acting as overt comic relief - and the omission of Ward"s final fights, his brutal rock-em-sock-em three rounds against Arturo Gatti. Posted by: cphillips      Read more     Source

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:05:39 GMT

Oh Dammit to hell, KFC

Remember that God awful rap song that Spencer Pratt shat out onto the Internet that was supposed to be a shill for KFC? Well it turns out they heard it, and instead of doing what any rational business would do by sending a cease and desist letter or carpet-bombing his parent"s pool house where he lives, they want to help him unleash it on humanity. In the letter, Eaton says, "We heard the song came out before it was fully cooked, and that you were just winging it as a first cut. So on behalf of the entire Kentucky Fried Chicken family, we want to make you an offer so good you can"t resist." Chicken puns .... free of charge. Eaton continues, "We"re willing to help you tune up the track and even turn it into a tasty music video, featuring the Colonel himself. That is, if you"re not chicken." SOURCE This is why I don"t eat KFC. No, not just because their chicken is covered in fat and I enjoy unclogged arteries, but because they would employ Spencer as anything other than a janitor. You people are enablers, you hear me? ENABLERS! Never again will you tempt me with your weirdly delicious chicken skin which I"m pretty sure will some day kill me dead. Posted by: Popbytes      Read more     Source

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 17:10:51 GMT

Hamamelis mollis

Previously featured on BPotD five years ago, Hamamelis mollis (or Chinese witchhazel) is one of the few dozen or so taxa in bloom in UBC Botanical Garden at the moment (this photograph is from a couple days ago).

This wide-spreading small tree (to ~8m tall) has a native range restricted to China (Hamamelis mollis in Flora of China), where it flowers in the months of April and May. In UBC Botanical Garden, however, it is reliably in full-flower by the end of January.

Additional photographs are available from the University of Connecticut"s Plant Database: Hamamelis mollis. Posted by: Daniel Mosquin      Read more     Source

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 23:45:06 GMT

Three-In-One Measuring Tape

Have you ever been doing a home project, and been extremely annoyed by how many tools you have to pull out to do one job? Fixit Laser has made a three-in-one device that will handle most, if not all of your needs for measuring and leveling. It comes with a measuring tape, three leveling bubbles at different angles, and a laser level.

The measuring tape will go out 8 feet, and the laser will go as far as 13.75 feet. Much past that and the laser projection won�t last. There is of course an on/off switch and a need for batteries, as it doesn�t come with a fancy charging station. This can save a lot of time digging through various toolboxes throughout the house, and it only costs about $10. Share and Enjoy:

Posted by: Redferret      Read more     Source

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 02:50:34 GMT

Vintage Chanel '97 CC Crystal Earrings

Shopbop stocks a fairly extensive selection of Chanel vintage jewelery, which surprised me since it doesn"t necessarily fit into what you"d expect the home of Elizabeth and James, DVF, Halston Heritage, Derek Lam and other contemporary and designer brands to stock. I can"t imagine ever buying any of these pieces and not only because the prices are absurdly high, but because they just look so incredibly dated! How could you not look like you"re having 90s withdrawal if you went out sporting the WGACA Vintage Vintage Chanel "97 CC Crystal Earrings pictured above! They"d be awesome for Halloween if you were going as Madonna, but for any other day.... And oh ya the price.....$1,045! The odd thing is that Chanel still makes a lot of Chanel logo-centric jewelry pieces today and I love, love, love them - especially their layered logo necklaces. Somehow the vintage pieces just go over-the-top and don"t seem fun, just tacky. What do you think about these vintage finds? Would you wear them? Posted by: Ms. Jewel Snob      Read more     Source

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 02:45:51 GMT

Ring In the New Year with Grayce

I have no idea what dress I"m wearing for New Year"s Eve but I know I"ll be wearing one of my Grayce pieces from Molly Sims.  I am obsessed with Grayce jewels-- who better to design a line of chic baubles than the timeless beauty herself?!?!  Every time I wear my Grayce crystal point layered necklace with art deco pendant my friends go nuts and try to steal it off my neck (actually three of my Grayce pieces were stolen from my hotel room in NYC last May, they left the Cartier but took the Grayce, true story!).  Luckily the hotel replaced the pieces and I"ve since acquired a few more for my collection (see above!) which I"ll be wearing to welcome the new year.  What about you, are you ready to ring in the new year with Grayce?


1. Rhinestone Pear Drop Earrings- these earrings look vintage with the antique silver honeycomb setting and wire hook.  Wear them with your hair up and let them glitter!
$250.00

2. Deco Short Pendant Black- an amazing piece alone or layered (Molly suggests layering it with the multi strand crystal point necklace I mentioned above), it"s one of those versatile pieces that you can wear with jeans or a LBD!
$475.00


3. Pearl and Crystal Front Back Necklace- the ultimate for the glamour puss (would that be you?).  I like wearing it with a strapless dress or halter style top to show off all the crystal details! 
$465.00 Posted by: Ms. Jewel Snob      Read more     Source

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 02:38:43 GMT

Deep-dish pizzapits

Perusing Craigslist personal ads in the depths of your boredom is a lot like slowing down when you pass a car wreck -- you welcome the reminder that, all things considered, you"re actually doing ok. At least you aren"t tangled up in a fender-bender or, say, looking for love in emotionally vacant places.

But then there are those posts that are ten-car pileups, like this one. You don"t gawk because it says something about you. That shit is just crazy. Pizzapits? PIZZAPITS?! No, Papa John, keep your pepperoni away from me.

Posted by: Kevin      Read more     Source

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 04:08:39 GMT

Murdered Philippines Politician Photographed His Killer Before He Was Shot

Philippine police investigating the New Year"s Eve shooting death of a local councilman did not have to look further than the last photograph the victim took. The picture, taken outside the councilman"s house in metropolitan Manila, clearly shows a man aiming his gun from behind the victim"s smiling three-member family, seconds before he was shot.

The relatives - Councilman Reynaldo Dagsa"s wife, daughter and mother-in-law - are seen standing beside the family"s car, and the gunman, wearing a baseball cap with its visor turned back, is bracing himself against the vehicle and pointing his gun at Dagsa. Posted by: Gerard      Read more     Source

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 03:39:28 GMT

Porn Stars' Oscar Picks

by Steve Dollar



They call Southern California"s adult film industry "the other Hollywood." And much as their mainstream counterparts, porn stars, too, gather during awards season to hand out trophies to their best and brightest. Although you"ll likely never see Meryl Streep nominated for best performance in a double penetration scene.

As the XXX elite gathered in Las Vegas for tonight"s AVN Awards ceremony-the Porno Oscars, if you will-I chatted with a few notable talents to get their favorite contenders in that "other" race.

[WARNING: Far safer for work and more thoughtful than you"d expect.] Posted by: ahillis      Read more     Source

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 03:37:27 GMT

Brugmansia sanguinea

This cultivated specimen of scarlet angel"s trumpet or red floripontio was photographed in the Berkeley Botanical Garden this past April. Like all members of the genus, it is native to South America: in this case, the mountain slopes of the Andes from northern Colombia to northern Chile at elevations of 2000-300m (6500-9750ft).

The photograph doesn"t provide an idea of scale, so I need to note that the flowers are roughly 20cm (8in) in length. The Preissels, in their book Brugmansia and Datura: Angel"s Trumpets and Thorn Apples, note that Brugmansia sanguinea "is the most wonderfully colored of all" members of the genus, with significant variation in number of colours on the flowers (up to three) and range of colours (from brilliant red to pink, orange to light yellow). Intriguingly, flower colour is correlated with temperature, so flowers developing in the summer will be differently shaded than flowers borne in the autumn. Too hot of conditions, however, will lead to flower development being inhibited in this species.

Unlike other members of the genus, Brugmansia sanguinea is not fragrant. Its pollinator (hummingbirds) doesn"t rely on scent, but instead homes in on the (typically) red colouration.

Members of the Solanaceae often (always?) contain potent alkaloids. In the case of Brugmansia species, scopolamine and related compounds are found in high concentrations. At extremely low doses (e.g., 330 micrograms / day is cited by Wikipedia), scopolamine can be medicinal for purposes of treating nausea or intestinal pain. Somewhat higher doses were/are taken by indigenous peoples of South America to enter a mind-altering state purportedly used to make contact with the gods or spiritual ancestors. This has led to the occasional modern-day recreational usage, but I would say (in my opinion) only in instances of extreme stupidity given that it is: a) easy to take a fatal dose; and b) painful. Here"s an account cited in the book by the Preissels, from J.J. von Tschudi"s observations during travels in Peru between 1838-1842 (so in the public domain, I hope):

"The beautiful red Thorn Apple trees (Datura [Brugmansia] sanguinea) grow at the river"s edge .... on the less steep slopes of the mountain. The natives call them Huacacachu, yerba de Huaca or Bovachero and use the fruit to prepare a very strong narcotic drink which they call Tonga. Its effect is terrifying. I once had the opportunity of watching how it affected an Indian who wanted to communicate with the spirits of his ancestors. The ghastly scene is so impregnated in my memory that I will never forget it. Soon after drinking the Tonga, the man fell into a dull brooding, he stared vacantly at the ground, his mouth was closed firmly, almost convulsively and his nostrils were flared. Cold sweat covered his forehead. He was deathly pale. The jugular veins on his throat were swollen as large as a finger and he was wheezing as his chest rose and sank slowly. His arms hung down stiffly by his body. Then his eyes misted over and filled with huge tears and his lips twitched convulsively for a brief moment. His carotids were visibly beating, his respiration increased and his extremities twitched and shuddered of their own accord."

"This condition would have lasted about a quarter of an hour, then all these actions increased in intensity. His eyes were now dry but had become bright red and rolled about wildly in their sockets and all his facial muscles were horribly distorted. A thick white foam leaked out between his half open lips. The pulses on his forehead and throat were beating too fast to be counted. His breathing was short, extraordinarily fast and did not seem to lift the chest, which was visibly fibrillating. A mass of sticky sweat covered his whole body which continued to be shaken by the most dreadful convulsions. His limbs were hideously contorted. He alternated between murmuring quietly and incomprehensibly and uttering loud, heart-rending shrieks, howling dully and moaning and groaning. This dreadful condition lasted for a long time until gradually the strength of the symptoms abated and peace was restored. Immediately the women hurried over, and washed him all over with cold water and made him comfortable on some sheepskins. He then slept quietly for several hours. In the evening I saw the man again when, surrounded by a circle of attentive listeners, he was relating his visions and his talks with the spirits of his ancestors. He seemed to be very tired. His eyes were glassy, his body was limp and his movements were lethargic."

And, in case that isn"t enough to dissuade, here is a sehis body was limp and his movements were lethargic."

And, in case that isn"t enough to dissuade, here is a search on Google for fatal Datura with results pointing to a number of separate incidences of death (often young and male). Datura is a close relative of Brugmansia, with the same set of alkaloids. Posted by: Daniel Mosquin      Read more     Source

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 12:04:05 GMT

Ten Thousand Points of Light

by Steve Dollar



No less an intrepid globetrotter than Werner Herzog once declared that the most exotic culture in his death-defying travels was to be found in North America. Though I"d trace it back to William Eggleston"s under-the-radar 1973 documentary Stranded in Canton, the genre that critic Jim Hoberman would later coin as "Americanarama" seemingly arose to prove Herzog"s assertion. Between the late "70s of the director"s own Stroszek and into the "80s of Vernon, Florida, Stranger Than Paradise, Blue Velvet and Something Wild, all the hipper auteurs were, to varying degrees, taking detours into Waffle House Nation. Whether the tone was deadpan ironic, sideshow creepy or joyously phenomenological, these films nearly always relied on the perspective of a character in limbo, variously terrorized or liberated by the oddball milieu, even if the character was the filmmaker himself.

Shot during the holiday seasons of 1989-"90 and exhibited a year later, Ten Thousand Points of Light arrived at the end of the wave, its title spinning off of George H.W. Bush"s 1988 speech at the Republican National Convention and its reference to "a thousand points of light." The Reagan Era was in slow fadeout, with President Bubba-Bill Clinton-looming in the wings, not yet a contender but soon enough to turn the White House into its own Americanarama set. Posted by: ahillis      Read more     Source

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:12:26 GMT

Hilary Swank loves discount vouchers

Hilary Swank uses money off vouchers when she goes shopping.

Although the Oscar-winning actress is financially secure and lives in a Los Angles mansion, she doesn"t see why she should have to pay full price for something if she doesn"t have to, as she has always been taught the value of money.

The 36-year-old beauty - who grew up on a trailer park - said: "I would use a coupon - just because I have some money now, I wouldn"t? That doesn"t make sense to me. I see it as a dollar in my pocket. People around me laugh, because I have a deep understanding of what a dollar gets you and how far to make that dollar go.

No wonder my closet is a hodgepodge. I have everything from Louboutins to Gap. You don"t have to have a brand name to be stylish. You can mix it together and it works.

"No wonder my closet is a hodgepodge. I have everything from Louboutins to Gap. You don"t have to have a brand name to be stylish. You can mix it together and it works."

As well as still using vouchers to go shopping, the "Conviction" star also revealed how her upbringing has made her appreciate the good things and not let the bad times bring her down.

She told InStyle magazine: "You hear people say, "Oh, I didn"t get that bonus," or, "I got fired." And look, I"ve experienced not getting that bonus and I"ve gotten fired. I feel it and say, "That sucks." I get depressed. I cry. I have feelings. I don"t gloss over them. But then, after that, I pick myself up, brush myself off and say," Why did this happen? What am I supposed to learn?""
Tags: Hilary Swank, Oscar, Oscar, Beauty, Oscar, Shopping, Oscar, Magazine Posted by: Melissa      Read more     Source

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 04:20:55 GMT

Losing Cannon's Loose Canon

By Vadim Rizov

As time passes, once disreputable or barely considered movies are re-evaluated: film noir has long been made classic fare on par with glossier Hollywood, and "70s horror and exploitation were more recently brought back into the fold. The bulk of the Cannon Films corpus - cheap "80s ass-kickers for undiscriminating multiplex audiences - is unlikely to ever benefit from such crate-digging instincts. In making a case for the oft-reviled producing team of Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, Lincoln Center"s retrospective focuses on auteur-friendly cinema, the anomalies in the company"s slate. Posted by: cphillips      Read more     Source