Check out the new Trojan campaign

Spider Lillies

These lovely ladies are the leads in Spider Lilies, a film from Taiwan that just won a Teddy award at the Berlin film festival. I clicked on the instant button at Netflix admittedly just because I was feeling kind of horny, and they recommended it because I loved The Dreamers so much. Well, it was REALLY good. I mean, I've taught myself to cry at chick flicks - mostly for the stress relieve benefits, but this one really had me going. It is so beautifully shot. And it doesn't make a huge deal out of the fact that the lovers are two women. And the tattoos are so cool. I can't really say more without spoiling it, but even if you're not into lesbians or romance or foreign film, you should still watch it.

> Check out the Trailer on YouTube
> Asian Popcorn Premeire coverage (where this sizzlin' pic is from)
> Screenpics of my favorite scenes
> Buy the DVD

Muppets and Showcases

I saw Vampire Weekend play at one of their first shows at The Pullout Method, a showcase that starts after 10 pm!!!! every other Friday night at Club Midway in the Village. This is the ultimate of tastelapping events!

My Easter resolution is to not miss the next one, which will host The Flying Machines and War Canoes. Oh, and they have this awesome muppet video (above) on their home page.

> The Pullout Method
> Vampire Weekend
> Club Midway a.k.a. rehab
> The Flying Machines
> War Canoes

The Pickup (1975)

I can't believe that this film doesn't even have a listing on imdb. It is SO good. Not just because there are boobs. It is really trippy, reminds me of Easy Rider. It's interesting just from the early synthesizer perspective. Then you add trippy visual sequences, bizarre plot lines, a 70's luxury mobile home, and lots of hot yet not X rated sex. It's awesome! Soooo glad I downloaded it. Yes, I'm a Tarantino fan, but you might like this "grindhouse" film even if you don't like him.

Actually, I'm a bit appalled that I haven't drummed them up on my own yet.

>The Pickup on Amazon
> Myspace page (yep!)
>Youtube clip (not embeddible, dammit) of Apollo Goddess sequence

The Attorneys - I mean Flying Machines - live in Arnheim, CA

One of my favorite NYC bands, The Attorneys, re-formed as the Flying Machines and got sponsored by Fender. Here's one of their new songs, "I Don't Remember", live in Anaheim.



Check them out at Rockwood Music Hall this Thursday or at Parkside Lounge on the 23rd.

>The Flying Machines myspace page
> Rockwood Music Hall
> Parkside Lounge

Letchworth Village on Opacity

Lechworth Village is where Kinsey was filmed and also a new short called "Boob," about to be released by the Honest folks. The photographs of the abandoned mental institute buildings on the Opacity site are GREAT! They're by photographer Motts (pic on right). I came across this site years ago and looked at every single page - so glad I found it again!

> Check out the pics
> The Kinsey Institute
> Honest

We Are Friends exhibit

Last night I went to Daniel Anthony St. George II's studio in Billyburg for a show he organized of his friends' work. I was completely blown away by Jeremiah Maddock (pictured). Very detailed and meticulous, using unique techniques - but the really interesting thing was the use symbolism from all over the place. There are your basics, like Christian crosses and masonic eyes, but then there are also Hopi, Pacific NW native, Hindu, Haitian, Egyptian, Pennsylvania Dutch, sideshow, etc. etc. influences. I spoke with him briefly about his art, and surprisingly he didn't seem to be very research oriented in his process. He said simply "I think those things are just all fucked up and weird." When I mentioned the psychedelic impression they made on me he said that he sometimes will go into a bit of an altered consciousness state when he's at the end of a piece. But the next day when he looks at it, it's gone.

He traded one of his pieces for this amazing winged buffalo statue with bright red genetalia by Meena Kim of Meena Made. She was rocking some fab homemade arm warmers and a beribboned cape-like garment. I learned from a nice fellow that if you put grapefruit juice on paper, it will leave a brown stain quickly when put to flame. In a corner there was a monitor with a cool stop-motion Aesop Rock video by asif.

The show is open by appointment, and many of the pieces are very affordable - so make an appt with Daniel to view them. Finally, watch this Art, or Not Art? video posted on Dan's blog.

Links>>
We Are Friends Flier
Buy the Art Online
Daniel Anthony St. George II aka AzStar78 website
Flickr pics from the show
asif site

Hugo Arcier

Hugo is a talented young director and video artist in Paris. He has a blog called du temps perdu that covers what's happening in the Paris art world. You can see his work on his website, Yaschik. He recently finished a bumper that you can see on VirginTV. What I love most is his personal film work, like Hypocondria, which brings you inside his colon. Gotta love the French :D

Hairstyle Tool

Finally there's another hairstyle tool online. The registration and photo upload is quick and painless. It's important to start out with a good photo. Mine looks a weird because my face is at an angle. It's fun but lacks a good range of colors for red. Still, I love having access to a tool that lets me try out Katie Holmes' new bob. Even though I look really stupid in this shot I can use my imagination to fill in the gaps. Thanks, InStyle!

Pablo Perez

I met a nice fellow at Bar Reis last night, an editor at Gridskipper. I went online to check it out and they had this very cool artist featured, Pablo Perez. There's an interesting mix of psychedelic and pop art, also video and sound which I haven't perused yet.