thereal_p46_47

The Real Napolean Dynamite, originally uploaded by lennon818.

thereal_p46_472, originally uploaded by lennon818.

Read more!

thereal_p46_472

thereal_p46_472, originally uploaded by lennon818.

Read more!

efren ramirez

efren ramirez, originally uploaded by lennon818.

Read more!

efren ramirez2

efren ramirez2, originally uploaded by lennon818.

Read more!

IKAR Grey Area (Trembling Before G-d)

Flash Slideshow

Read more!

UPDATE!!

Yes its been a long time since I last wrote something. When you are a freelance writer you sort of lose track of time, actually you lose track of reality but that is something different altogether.

Anyhow here is a quick update on what is going on and what you can expect:

1) AFI FILM FEST
Yes it is once again time for AFI so I should be posting frequently. They have an open bar so that might change .

2) Election Time
Just wrote this article about the CA Election, let me know what you think.

3) Gestalt Magazine
Working on something big for this magazine. I will keep you updated.

I think that's it. Thanks for those of you who are actually reading this.

'till I complain again

Read more!

Golden Star Shorts Fest

I attended the Golden Star Shorts Fest preview party last night. It is a rather interesting idea; a quarterly shorts film fest. As usually the films were hit and miss. Two where rather awful while one, The Day of the Grackle, was funny and innovative.

The review will be published in Gestalt magazine and when it is finalized here as well.

I might also might post the Q & A onto my podcast.

As for future plans, I have no idea; I am sure something will come up.

'till I complain again

Tags: Golden Stars Shorts Fest

Read more!

The Real Viper Room

The Myths of Hollywood

With the echoes of the amplifier still ringing in your head, your eyes bleary from that appalling movie, where do you go to escape the vicissitudes of modernity; to find your island of stillness? Ironically, The Viper Room on a Sunday night is the place of respite.
LA is a town of myths; nothing is really what it seems to be. The Viper Room is a perfect example of this. For many it is synonymous with sex, drugs, and rock n roll; it is, after all, the place where River Phoenix died. Once you get pass the velvet ropes you are faced with Frost’s dilemma. Head up the stairs to the den of iniquity or go off the beaten path and stroll into their secret bar. While many head up the stairs to the main showroom, you are far better off following Frost’s advice and taking the road less traveled. Bravely pass the stairs and head into the secluded bar in front of you.
Instantly you are transformed to . . ., (feel free to pick your decade) For me it is 1940’s Hollywood. The mahogany walls and low ceiling radiate warmness; the plush booths beg you to sit down and fade away. I have no idea what a speak-easy was like but I’m sure it was something like this place. Stroll over to the bar and in your best James Bond impersonation order a martini or some other libation. Find a corner booth and melt into it. If you happen to have a girl with you, put your arm around her and stare in her eyes, looking for the day when you first feel in love.
If you are lucky enough to be there during an acoustic set, let minor cords wash over you and be reminded of the warmth and comfort of mom tucking you in at night. Regardless of why you came you will be glad you did.

The Viper Room
8852 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA.

Acoustic sets Sunday Nights 7ish.

Read more!

Our Roots

Our Roots
There are myths in Rock n Roll. There are myths about 24 hour sets. There are myths about jam bands that started a jam sometime in the mid sixties and are still playing that same song. There are myths about musicians selling their souls to the devil. There are myths about lead singers being possessed, live on stage, by the spirit of Robert Johnson, James Brown, and Prince. There are myths about bass players playing their bass with a cordless drill. At least I thought these were myths; for I now know some of these to be true.
These are just some of the things, some of the others are not fit for print, I witnessed when I saw The Toledo Show at Harvelle’s. We children of the digital age have sacrificed a lot; vinyl records and b-sides are just two examples. Perhaps our greatest sacrifice has been the live show. Sure, Bruce Springsteen still has a great show and when Prince feels like it he parties till the wee hours of the dawn, but when was the last time you saw an unknown act that knew how to jam.
When was the last time you saw something new and unexpected? Heard a lead singer sing in a way that you never knew existed? Saw a man possessed by the ghosts of the blues, jazz, soul, and rock n roll? Saw the bassists cast a spell like a voodoo priest, bewitching the entire audience. Heard the echoes of Jimmy on the guitar and Louis on the trumpet? Before we called it jazz, soul, blues, or Rock n Roll, there was MUSIC. Ancient rhythms used to cast away evil spirits, to usher the dead to the other side, or to celebrate life. The Toledo Show returns us to our roots.
Their music makes you want to dance. Makes you want to grab the first girl you see and engage in ancient rituals banned by the Church. Their music makes you stop thinking and start feeling.
It reminds us that we are young. It reminds us that beautiful dancers moving in front of us can simply be dancers. It remind us of a time when we were able to just have fun without psychoanalyzing every thing we saw and heard. It reminds us that the professed reason we drop bombs on Afghanistan and Iraq, the reason we treasure our freedom, is so we can go out, lose ourselves in the music, get drunk, and well . . .

The Toledo Show
Harvelle’s Sunday’s at 9:30 pm

Tags: The Toledo Show, Harvelle's

Read more!

Hollywoodland vs. Citizen Kane

Moving Pictures

In this post-modern world of ours it is easy to get lost. With no past to cling to we are often lured by the siren song of the future. Hollywoodland reminds us of our film past. It takes us back to a world before digital technology and special effects ran amok; before George Lucas threw up on everything.
Hollywoodland is a filmmaker’s film. Every shot is exquisitely framed and lighted; every shot captures the beauty of light and the harshness of shadow. It reminds us of the need for harshness and contrast; a quality digital film fails to capture.
I’ll let you in on a little secret. When I watch a movie, in my critical capacity, I have two tests:
First, I will randomly pause a film and treat the image like a still photograph. I will look at how it is framed; how it is lit. Many people fail to realize that a movie is simply a string of photographs linked together. Needless to stay a vast majority of films fail this test.
Second, I like to turn off the sound. This might seem weird at first, but you have to remember that you are watching a film and not attending the theater. In theater the images are superfluous, it is all about the dialogue. In film, however, the dialogue is not the key component, the images are. A truly brilliant film will captivate and enthrall you with the simple use of images. It will convey its meaning without the use of a single word. In fact, sometimes the words get in the way.
Many believe that Citizen Kane is the greatest film ever made; many also find it to be extremely boring. How can this be? One can only answer this by watching it with the sound turned off. Once the mind is freed from concentrating on the words it can truly appreciate the beauty of light and the revolutionary camera angles employed in this movie.
I found the plot of Hollywoodland to be superfluous as well. The plot is simply a vehicle to heighten the cinematography. Think about it. If this film focused on our modern era would the cinematography have been the same? The softness of the light, for example, would seem a little ridiculous. If this film was not a detective-noir film would such extensive use of shadows been permissible?
One of the main debates in film today is about the small screen versus the big; the theater versus the home-theater. Many believe that with the creation of home theaters attending a movie theater has been rendered unnecessary, and while for many films I would agree with this, nothing could be further from the truth in regards to this film. Ironically, a detective noir film set in the late 50’s might be the saving grace of film studios.

Tags: Hollywoodland

Read more!

UPDATE

Long time no blog. Things have been crazy on my end so I apologize. Also, I am not as young as I remember; I am dead tired after only two nights of going out. There will be a lot of posts in the near future so please come back often.

Here is what has been happening and what will be happening.

Last Saturday I was at the Soul Cafe to catch Chelsea Williams. She is one of the last coffee house singer/songwriter and she is great. She actually is a street performer on 3rd street. Trying to set up an interview and write an article on her.

Last night, Sunday I think, I was at the Viper Room. Hollywood is a funny place. There are these great myths surrounding places like the Viper Room, the place where River Phoenix died, but when you actually go there things are 180 degrees different. I am working on an article trying to articulate all of this and work in two great acoustic acts I saw.
Oh and for any new bands out there who want a music critic to fall in love with you two words of advice: minor cords.

Tonight there is a big party at Cinespace, so if I survive I will no doubt have something sarcastic to say about the whole thing.

Thursday I am going to a preview of Hollywood Land at the Arclight.

I am also working on a grant application.

Also I might be joining some new magazines.

That's it for now.

'till I complain again

Read more!