The Movies I’d Like to See Nominated for a Best Picture Oscar…
If I was able to cast an Oscar ballot for this year’s Best Picture nominees, I 
would go with:
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” I was blown away by this movie. You have the emotionally scarred Lisbeth Salande alongside a defeated Mikael Blomkvist, joining forces to solve a mystery that is set in the harsh wintry weather of Sweden. I love how director David Fincher goes with two different movie styles during the first half of the movie as he switches between the darkness of Lisbeth and the professional world of Mikael Blomkvist and then blends them perfectly together when they finally join forces in the second half. This movie isn’t for the weak of heart. There are scenes that will make you squirm, but the movie doesn’t back down from those moments. And one has to mention Trent Reznor, because his music drives the movie forward.
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.“ I am a Harry Potter fan. This movie ends the series in wonderful style. Wizards. Battles. Good vs. Evil. There aren’t any stupid Quidditch-moments. We get to finally say “goodbye” to evil Voldemort. Sometimes life isn’t about having fun, sometimes it is about life and death and this movie takes us on that journey.
“Hugo“. A love story to the beginning of movie making. And along the way we get to watch a story where adults and children learn from each other.
“Bridesmaids.” The funniest movie of the year. (more…)
FILM REVIEW: ‘YOUNG ADULT’
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It could be my imagination, but Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron are starting to look like sisters.
Okay, “Young Adult” is about Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron), an author of a young adult book series (a book series that is coming to an end). That is her job, but as a person, she is a self-absorbed narcissist, and partially delusional. We see this within minutes when she goes on a date. The guy talks about how he spent time in Asia, teaching. Not all of us are meant to leave the US and take a job in some foreign country, teaching underprivileged youth; however, Mavis’ response is to show pity that he was exiled away from the big city of Minneapolis. Of course, this doesn’t stop her from sleeping with the guy. Her inability to grow out of her high school queen attitude is perhaps driven by her career choice. Due to her young adult writing, she is constantly watching teenage reality television and eating out at teen hangouts.
She gets a baby party invite from Beth Slade (Elizabeth Reaser). Beth is now married to Mavis’ high school boyfriend, Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson). Mavis initially interprets this as a slight by Beth. She hasn’t been back to her hometown of Mercury, Minnesota in years and doesn’t consider them to be close friends. To her, this is just Beth sending a reminder that she is married to Buddy. With her teacher-one-night-stand still sleeping in her bedroom, Mavis decides she’s off to Mercury. Somewhere between getting the invitation and her one-night stand, she decides that she is going to win Bubby Slade back and show folks that she is still the prom queen.
As she drives through Mercury, you can almost see her distain for her hometown. To one side, she sees a Staples. On her other side, she sees a KenTacoHut. (Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut). Never mind that she had just shopped at a Staples store in Minneapolis. And never mind the fact that (more…)
THE NEW NEW WRTZ SHOW: EPISODE 48 – HOLIDAY LOUNGE AROUND! TODAY AT 2PM (PST)
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HOLIDAY LOUNGE AROUND! A BRAND NEW “NEW, NEW WRTZ”
Wed. Dec. 7th 2pm pt
Sun. Dec. 11th 8pm pt
HO! HO! HO! and how we doin’ gang? Blah, blah, blah you look great. well, tis the season kids! time for sleigh rides, hot cocoa, jingle bells, and more it’s x-mas time!
This week on the NEW NEW WRTZ I bring to you episode 48 the NNWRTZ: HOLIDAY LOUNGE AROUND show! In this hour I bring you you a fine mix of loungin’ tunes holiday related and not. A hodge podge of hot toddies a sleigh full of songs to get you in the mood for whatever it is you need to be in the mood for and I go on a jag about yellow mustard. It’s really a hoot!
It sounds like this:
1. “CHRISTMAS IS”- LOU RAWLS- ULTRA LOUNGE: CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL VOL. 1
2. THE MERRIEST- JUNE CHRISTY- MERRY MIXMAS
3. “WELL DID YOU EVAH”- F. SINATRA & B. CROSBY- THE COMPLETE CAPITOL SINGLES COLLECTION
4. “GEE WHIZ IT’S CHRISTMAS”- CARLA THOMAS- JOLLY OLD SOUL
5. “STANDING ON THE CORNER”- DEAN MARTIN- THE ESSENTIAL DEAN MARTIN
6. “SO DANCO SAMBA”- WANDA DE SAH- ULTRA LOUNGE: BONGO LAND
7. “PLEASE DON’T TALK ABOUT ME WHEN I’M GONE”- SAMMY DAVIS JR.- ULTRA LOUNGE: WILD,COOL & SWINGIN’
8. “RUDOLF THE RED NOSED REINDEER MAMBO”- ALVIN STOLLER- ULTRA LOUNGE: CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS VOL. 2
9. “THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA”- F. SINATRA & JOBIM- THE COMPLETE REPRISE RECORDINGS
10. “HAPPY HOLIDAY”- ULTRA LOUNGE: CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS VOL. 1
…and there you have it. If you need some NEW NEW WRTZ right away you can listen to the archives right now on www.newnewwrtz.podomatic.com and i’m on the ITUNES just type in “NEW NEW WRTZ” and i’ll be there for you. subscribe today!
POST OF MONDAY’S PAST…IN PHOTOS (PART II OF III)
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Special thanks to all the venues for allowing us to photograph these nights
TRAFFIK SCHOOL: THE JENNY LEWIS EPISODE
Air Date: 10/28/11
The topic of today’s show is one of my favorite women in rock, Jenny Lewis.
Jennifer Diane Lewis born in Las Vegas, Nevada, is an American musician/singer and
former child actress. She is best known for her work the indie rock band Rilo Kiley, but
has also released two solo albums and is currently in a band, Jenny & Johnny, with
boyfriend Johnathan Rice. Her biggest acting roles as a child were in “Troop Beverly
Hills” and in the 1989 movie “The Wizard” in which she co-starred w/ Fred Savage of
the Wonder Years and Christian Slater. Her big music break came in the band Rilo Kiley
with fellow child actor, Blake Senette.
For more info about Jenny Lewis, check out http://www.jennylewis.com.
Playlist:
Rilo Kiley – “It’s a Hit”
Rilo Kiley – “Hail to Whatever You Found in the Sunlight That Surrounds You”
Loretta Lynn – “Coal Miner’s Daughter”
The New Pornographers – “When I Was a Baby”
Rilo Kiley – “Jenny, You’re Barely Alive”
Tilly and the Wall – “Lost Girls”
The Elected – “Waves”
The Postal Service – “Brand New Colony”
Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins – “The Charging Sky”
Dusty Springfield – “You Don’t Own Me”
Jenny Lewis – “You Are What You Love (Live at the Echo)”
The Beachwood Sparks – “The Sun Surrounds Me”
Jenny Lewis (with Elvis Costello) – “Carpetbaggers”
She & Him – “Thieves”
Jenny & Johnny – “My Pet Snakes”
Johnathan Rice (with Jenny Lewis) – “The End of the Affair”
The Watson Twins – “You Showed Me”
Jenny & Johnny – “Committed”
dntel (with Jenny Lewis) – “Roll On”
Brandon Flowers (with Jenny Lewis) – “Hard Enough”
Rilo Kiley – “Rock and Roll Suicide (Live Bowie cover)”
THE NEW NEW WRTZ SHOW: EPISODE 43 – TALK HARD! TODAY AT 2PM (PST)
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TALK HARD! A brand new NNWRTZ
1. “FREEDOM OF SPEECH”- ABOVE THE LAW- PUMP UP THE VOLUME SOUNDTRACK
2. INTERVIEW WITH DR. CAROL GLASSER PHD of the FREE SPEECH 8