LUSCIOUS JACKSON - “LADYFINGERS” (1999)

“FRIENDS OF P” - THE RENTALS (1995)

FOLK IMPLOSION - “NATURAL ONE” (1995)

“Surfer, Dude” is an upcoming comedy out this fall starring Matthew McConaughey in the title role. Is this type casting at its best folks or what? This isn’t a big stretch for McConaughey who lives and surfs daily in Malibu. Needless to say this is not Oscar material folks. The whole surfer dude speak is pretty tired in my book, I mean c’mon is this supposed to be “Legally Blonde” for boys? I am not sold on this clunker folks…what do you think?

Anyone remember Coppola’s last solo record? Me either! But this duo looks pretty fun and I love their pop sensibilities. This little jam is currently the theme song to VH1’s tragic reality show “New York Goes to Hollywood”. The show is unwatchable, but this song caught my ear and I did a little research to see who sang it.

Imani Coppola has returned as one half of the pop duo Little Jackie with their hit single “The World Should Revolve Around Me”. Blend the old-school R&B sound with a quirky hybrid of hip-hop and pop and you get Little Jackie, the creation of genre-defying singer-songwriter Imani Coppola and multi-instrumentalist Adam Pallin.

If you don’t know who New York is, she was a contestant on the dating show “Flava of Love” with Flava Flav and she eventually received her own spin off show to fins a mate (both were trashy and addictive). “The World Should Revolve Around Me” is also a current U.K. top 20 smash. Do you think this song or group have a chance here in the U.S.?

Portishead have been pioneers of moody trip-hop and experimental electronic music for two decades and nothing is more proof of this than their recent album “Third”. The second single from that album, titled “The Rip”, is a powerfully haunting song with an equally jarring music video that will take your breath away. The song actually grows on me with this companion piece of visual art to go along with it.

Watch the amazing video below:

PORTISHEAD

The familiar tits and ass premise of a teenager who travels across country to lose his virginity to a girl he met online is always good for a laugh when it’s done right. And yes, it can be done right…”Weird Science” anyone? The trailer posted below alone has me in stitches. And how can you not love the always adorable James Marsden?

This film may come off as a “Superbad” rip off but my bet is that this quirky 80’s style “Porky’s” homage may be another comedy gem for 2008. If so, this year will go down as another great year for smart ribald adult films. I am looking forward to this movie.

*** STARS

Most ego-driven films that are directed, produced and written by it’s main star tend to flop (think of John Travolta’s “Battlefield Earth” or Kevin Costner’s “The Postman”) but Ben Stiller is smarter than your average Hollywood mover and shaker. “Tropic Thunder” has the same comedic magic that “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Pineapple Express” had, but it adds a twist that creates a non-stop wizz bang laugh filled ride with lots of highs and a few small lows.

Stiller has a wicked sense of humor that is honest and always innovative. The most unique and refreshing part of “Tropic Thunder” is that it pokes fun at all the contrived bloated messes that have been churned out by Hollywood for years. Using a war film plot and incorporating huge action sequences this movie raises the bar on high concept comedies.

Unfortunately the humor of a movie within a movie premise gets old; thankfully the brilliant cast is able to rise above the uneven material and save this film from feeling like it was all over the place. There was one casting fumble in my opinion and it was Tom Cruise’s mini-role as the Weinstein-esque studio head. It was an over the top role and an obvious ploy by Stiller to give a boost to Cruise’s recently tarnished reputation, and it wasn’t that funny.

Robert Downey Jr. is also riding a wave of popularity in Hollywood with the double whammy of “Iron Man” and now “Thunder”. I am pretty sure at this point his “controversial” politically incorrect, genius portrayal of an African American soldier will garner him a Golden Globe nomination or win. His performance is down right brilliant as it wavers on the edge of uncomfortable and side splittingly hilarious.

The first 15 minutes of this movie are comedy gold. I can’t give too much away but the originality and laugh per minute ratio are in full gear. The middle of this film becomes sluggish when we learn more about Jack Black’s character. When all of these lead actors come together on screen they make magic that will leave you in stitches. Keep your eyes out for awesome performances by the always funny Steve Coogan and Danny McBride.

I am sure that after multiple viewings this film will provide more laughs that I may have not caught before. At the very least “Tropic Thunder” is a terrific R-rated film for grown ups to enjoy. I personally loved the sweet and gritty edge that “Pineapple Express” provided more than this movie.

“Tropic Thunder” does offer up some biting satire and genuinely funny moments that must be seen on the big screen. Even though the main gimmick and broad set up gets a bit old and far fetched, the huge who’s who of comedic actors in this movie makes it a special treat. Just when I thought this summer couldn’t get any bigger, a unqiue treat like “Tropic Thunder” comes out.

SINEAD O’CONNOR - “MANDINKA” (1988)

PETER GABRIEL - “DIGGING IN THE DIRT” (1992)

THE ESCAPE CLUB - “WILD WILD WEST” (1988)

LISTEN TO A NON-STOP MIX OF 100 OF MY FAVORITE SONGS TO LISTEN TO AFTER THE PARTY SLOWS DOWN OR WHEN YOU’RE LOOKING TO CHILL, BUT NOT GO TO SLEEP, AND THERE ARE NO REPEATS!

CLICK THE “STREAMING MUSIC” TAB IN THE CATEGORY SECTION TO THE RIGHT TO LISTEN TO PAST JUKEBOXES AND HAVE FUN!

About 4 or 5 months ago I posted Sam Sparro’s “Black & Gold” music video on this blog and as of today that single is currently on Billboard’s heatseakers chart and making somewhat of a buzz on dance music stations here in the bay area. “Black & Gold” is hands down my favorite single of 2008. All of this hype is well worth it! Critics have called him “LCD Soundsystem meets Marvin Gaye” and that comparison is not far off.

Sparro is currently living in L.A. but he is originally from Australia and comes from a gospel music background. He is currently making waves on the summer music festival circuit across Europe and is receiving raves for his live performances. I saw him perform with Mark Ronson at Coachella this past Spring and it was the highlight of the whole 3 day concert.

Sparro’s debut is a surprisingly soulful mix of electronica which is pretty impressive for a 25 year old white boy from down under. And don’t think Sparro’s good looks have been lost on this reporter, as an out of the closet gay man he has slowly become a sex symbol of sorts in the community.

It’s refreshing and exciting as a gay man to have such a hot talent on the music scene representing gays in such a fabulous way. His day glow 80’s neon sense of style has already been somewhat a trendsetter over in the UK. Check out the sexy music video collection by Sam Sparro below and let me know if you are as much of a fan as I am!

WATCH SAM SPARRO PERFORM A COVER OF ESTELLE’S “AMERICAN BOY” BELOW:

“21st CENTURY LIFE” MUSIC VIDEO

THE “COTTONMOUTH” MUSIC VIDEO

THE “BLACK & GOLD” MUSIC VIDEO

Henry Selick’s latest project announces that stop-motion is back in style! Selick’s last feature-length project (”James & the Giant Peach”) was over a decade ago, while it’s been 15 years since he revolutionized the medium for modern audiences with “The Nightmare Before Christmas”.

“Coraline” is the 2008 animated stop-motion fantasy film based on Neil Gaiman’s novella of the same name. It will be animated and co-directed by Henry Selick and is scheduled to be released in theaters on February 6, 2009.

Selick’s return to the movie fold comes in the form of Coraline, a marriage of his knack for dark whimsy and novelist Neil Gaiman’s gently twisted sense of humor. The plot details a young girl named Coraline (voiced by Dakota Fanning) and her descent into a fantastical alternate reality that will require all her brains and resources to escape out of and back into our world.

“James and the Giant Peach” is a genius piece of animation, “The Corpse Bride” was WAY underrated and we all know “Nightmare Before Christmas” is a classic, so this new tale is highly anticipated in my little world. Animation is my all time favorite genre of film and Selick is considered a god amongst the folks at Dreamworks Animation, Disney AND Pixar if that is telling you anything. I cannot wait, enough said.

WATCH A SNEAK PEAK OF “CORALINE” BELOW:

MOVIE STILLS FROM THE 2009 ANIMATED FEATURE “CORALINE”