it's good to be the king

Ladies and gentlemen....may i present...

the VERY funny (and underrated)

H I S T O R Y  O F  T H E  W O R L D 

 
a film by Mel Brooks

 

"it's good to be da king..."

I first discovered this little GEM of a flick way back in circa 1996. My BFF Alicia and I were total geeks back then (we're totally cool now...ok maybe not!), and would gorge ourselves on Schwanz ice cream and watch this movie over and over again. For the sad, bleak lot of you who don't know what this film is all about, allow me to explain:

Mel Brooks (who in my humble opinion is one of the most talented and original actors in Hollywood) directed and starred in this movie. It's a parody/documentary of some various important milestones of the human existence, including (but not limited to):

*The French Revolution

 

"you don't PUT out....he don't GET out!"

* the 10 Commandments (originally 15 but he drops one of the tablets. VERY funny scene)

"The Lord, the Lord Jehovah has given unto you these fifteen-- Oy! Ten! Ten commandments for all to obey..."

*  The Spanish Inquisition (which Brooks transformed into a musical)

 

aaaand (also maybe my most favorite part of the flick...)

*the Roman Empire

 

I think the sheer genius of Brook's comedy is that he isn't afraid to be bold. There are many eyebrow-raising scenes throughout the film (for example, Gregory Hines, who plays a slave, deters a persuing group of guards with a giant joint of marijuana that he rolled after coming across a field of the drug), yet (questionable or not) they're innocent enough to still manage to get a good belly laugh out of the audience. I've read a few online articles about this movie, and it kills me that there are such stuffy critics out there. This is in a genre of it's own....there's no way you can characterize it as a "dumb comedy". For one, as a teenager I didn't even understand most of the humor until I was in my late teens/early 20's. For two, it's fricken MEL BROOKS!!  

today's society needs to purge itself of such films like "Dude, Where's My Car" and "Napolean Dynamite" and get back to the classics.  


 

to put it bluntly, add this movie to the top of your queue on Netflix. ASAP.

XOXOXO

break me off a piece of THAT!

ok. so after many minutes of racking my brain trying to decide what fresh sound I wanted to promote to all of you, i simply 

could 

NOT 

make

a 

single 

choice. 

...therefore, i figure it's best that i just let you all in on a scrumptious little secret oasis of music i enjoy on a daily basis:

 sirius xm

this is a delightful indie rock channel on my online radio subscription, full to the brim of raw talent. i've discovered seriously rad bands such as...

mannequin men, mika miko, screaming females

 

....among a number of other underground, post-garage phase, minor label signed bands.

if ANY of you are die-hard indie fans like me, this station is well worth the $15/month you'll have to fork over. 

so.....dig into your In n Out burger fund, and jump on the XM bandwagon!

xoxoxo

calling all woodstock fans...

there is a growing fashion trend that I have been somewhat on the fence about. one that can either make or break one's image.






it can look fabulous or completely CHEESY.

drum roll please......

presenting THE HIPPIE HAIRBAND. 

i myself have tried this look, however i think that i bought the wrong hairbands (or...perish the thought....i have a GIANT noggin) because:

a)  my hair kept mushrooming up from how tight the hairband wrapped around my head

b) i felt like i was having an aneurysm from the pressure on my skull, not to mention the fantastic stripe that was slapped across my forehead after taking off the hairband.

while mrs. peter wentz does pull off the hippie image without looking cheesy, i'm wondering if it's a look most twenty-something fashionistas such as myself and my fabulous group of friends can also rock?

any votes? to hairband or not to hairband?

for all of you Urban Outfitter fans, here's another hairband that I found to be totally H-O-T. i am a huge fan of the vintage look, and this one really set the bar with rad and trendy hair accessories. 

 

let me know what you all think of this trend, and if you have any referrels as to where i can find some comfortable hairbands that don't threaten to squeeze my brain out of the top of my skull PLEASE PASS THEM ON TO ME!




xoxoxo



 

little lovers so polite

 

 (psssst!  don't tell my boyfriend)

 ...but these days, i am confident to say that i am completely smitten by a certain indie band from L.A.

ummm....have you heard of Silversun Pickups??

if not...DO check them out. they're a delicious, modern, fantastical indie-rock band blending sounds reminiscent of Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins, and a dash of Velvet Underground. 

basically....pure, undeniable magic.

Needless to say, lead singers Brian Aubert and Nikki Monninger have completely stolen my heart. Their voices are beautifully harmonic and in sync with each other, and give their musical image that "certain something". 

I've had the song "Rusted Wheel" playing on repeat in my car for 2 days straight now, and have zero intention so far of changing it.

so hop onto iTunes...head to your nearest record store...or check out their Myspace page. let me know what you all think!

xoxo

soundtrack of my life

so....for those who have not had the pleasure --- nay, the honor -- of seeing this film, please excuse yourself immediately, and drive to the nearest blockbuster to rent Garden State. 

 this is my all-time favorite movie, hands down, and i believe that EVERYONE should see it!

fantastic facts about this movie:

a) zack braff and natalie portman have amazing chemistry in this film, believe it or not

b) the soundtrack definitely is one of the BEST i've ever heard.

1. Coldplay - Don't Panic
2. The Shins - Caring Is Creepy
3. Zero 7 - In The Waiting Line
4. The Shins - New Slang
5. Colin Hay - I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You
6. Cary Brothers - Blue Eyes
7. Remy Zero - Fair
8. Nick Drake - One Of These Things First
9. Thievery Corporation - Lebanese Blonde
10. Simon and Garfunkel - The Only Living Boy In New York
11. Iron And Wine - Such Great Heights
12. Frou Frou - Let Go
13. Bonnie Somerville - Winding Road

c) there's a scene where one of the characters is dressed in a full suit of armor due to his employment at Medieval Times. 'nuff said.

this cinematographic style of this movie is pretty rad, and the tone of the film is fairly mellow, albeit a bit dark. Zack Braff's character (Andrew Largeman) really sends out the message that he is desperately reaching out for normalcy, even though he has been doped up on prescription drugs since he was a young boy to prohibit him from "going crazy" after a tragic accident left his mother confined to a wheelchair for the remainder of her life. He isolates himself from those who know and love him after he moves to California to pursue an acting career, but is forced to come home after his mother unexpectantly dies. Throughout the movie, Largeman grasps onto tangible objects to keep him grounded, and he is finally able to truly have a clear mind, without the aid of drugs. Sam (Portman's character) is a breath of fresh air for Largeman. She's charmingly naiive, going through life with the care-free attitude of a 12 year old trapped in a 20-something year old girl. There's a scene where she and Largeman are in her room, and it makes her seem even more young...from the jumbled and dusty collection of random toys and records, to the chaotic mess of clothes covering her bed, one really seems to feel that Sam has no real clue about living like an adult in the "real world". However, that naiivety seems to be exactly what Largeman needs in his life. After taking orders from his dominating father, to the equally fast-paced life of his "acting" career in Hollywood, coming back to his roots in New Jersey seems to be the pivotal point in his life where he realizes what's important to him. Not fame, not social approval, not wealth....just true love and a free spirit.

 

anyway, once again, PLEASE see this movie. you'll thank me later!

xoxoxo