(FROM WIKIPEDIA.COM)

“Quantum of Solace” is the 22nd James Bond film by EON Productions, due for release in the United Kingdom on 31 October 2008 and in North America on 7 November. This is the sequel to “Casino Royale” (2006) and it is directed by Marc Forster, and features Daniel Craig’s second performance as James Bond.

But Bond is also on a rampage and seeks revenge for the death of his one time love Vesper Lynd (from “Casino Royale”), and is assisted by Camille (Olga Kurylenko), who also wants to kill Greene. The title was chosen from an unrelated short story in Ian Fleming’s For Your Eyes Only (1960).

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Every so often a film will come out and its universal charm and message captivates a generation with its unique message. Pixar’s “Wall-E” is that film that breaks down barriers and touches people at their core. The beauty about Pixar’s films is that they illicit emotions from inanimate objects and silence, this films first 30 minutes proves that a lot can be said without saying anything at all.

I could pick this film apart in so many fun, thought provoking ways but that would be the over analytical adult in me trying to make sense of this simple little story of two robots coming together and learning how to love. There are no heavy handed spiritual revelations or religious undertones in this movie. This is a cartoon where you must suspend disbelief and the idea of a “soul” becomes irrelevant. The story unfolds in such a fluid and realistic fashion that you never once pause in disbelief.

The sweet story of a sensitive robot and his search for love and friendship may sound simple but Pixar’s distinct brand of storytelling gives this animation an edge none of their other movies have. There are some dark themes in “Wall-E” that had me pausing and realizing how deep some of these messages truly are. The way Pixar depicts the catastrophic environmental damage and the evolution of the human body in the future doesn’t depict people in the same loveable manner as the mish mash of robotic characters seen on screen.

I think that animation allows people to learn different things that live action sometimes can miss and this love story is one of a kind and wholly original. I will echo what many critics are saying that this film will garner a Best Picture Academy Award nod. Not since “Beauty & the Beast” was released over 15 years ago has another other animated film been worthy of the nomination. As of right now this is my favorite film of 2008 and I doubt any other film will move me more.

WATCH THE “WALL-E” MOVIE TRAILER BELOW:

Hercules and Love Affair is a musical project from New York based DJ Andy Butler. Members include Nomi, Kim Ann Foxman and Antony Hegarty (lead vocalist in Antony & The Johnsons). Hercules And Love Affair continue their disco revolution with the release of the brand new single “You Belong” taken from their critically acclaimed debut album.

This album has all ready cemented itself as one of 2008’s stand out achievements in dance and pop music. I plan on seeing them perform this July in San Francisco so please keep your eyes peeled on this site for a review later this month. Until then check out the fabulous new music video for “You Belong” below.

Madonna’s latest CD “Hard Candy” has slowly been growing on me, but this track is the stand out song on the album. Madonna has always been an innovator when it comes to sharp artistic music videos with high production values, this video is no exception. Once again Madonna has her hand on the pulse of modern pop music, check out the fabulous music video for “Give It 2 Me” below:

THE FLAMING LIPS - “DO YOU REALIZE?” (2002)

GOLDFRAPP - “STRICT MACHINE” (2003)

TRAVIS - “WHY DOES IT ALWAYS RAIN ON ME?” (1999)

LISTEN TO A NON-STOP MIX OF OVER 100 OF MY FAVORITE “BRIT-POP” TUNES OF ALL TIME WITH NO REPEATS!

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

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Michel Gondry is a Director who has the ability to make everyday living things look animated and larger than life. His music videos with Bjork are monumental pieces of artistic eye candy. His film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is one of my favorite “quirky” films of all time. Along those same lines as his past films “Be Kind, Rewind” is a modern adult fairy tale with some surprisingly sweet and sincere moments made for movie lovers.

If you LOVE movies then this movie is chock full of pop culture and movie references for you to gobble up. I nearly pissed myself watching Jack Black’s character try to sing the “Ghostbusters” theme, his role in this film adds a childlike exuberance to the screen that very few actors can portray. Even when he is the bumbling fool he can bring a smile to your face. His accidental prone paranoid character in this movie adds a sense of glee to the film.

Mos Def has slowly but surely become one of the best actors around today. His genuine and down to earth acting style make you fall in love with his character within the first few frames he is on screen. Him and Jack Black have some great old school Hollywood moments ala’ Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon in the “The Odd Couple”. Mia Farrow and Danny Glover also give warm and fuzzy performances in this movie that reminds you what great actors they truly are.

The plot behind “Rewind” centers on Black’s conspiracy theorist character Jerry who tries to sabotage the local power plant, but he accidently receives an electric shock, causing him to become magnetized. The next day, when Jerry goes to the “Be Kind Rewind” video store to see his friend Mike (Mos Def) his magnetized body erases all the tapes in the store.

The best part of this film is obviously Gondry’s colorful interpretation of Hollywood hits; he adds a level of detail that is completely original. His creative technical skills when it comes to cartoonish over the top set pieces and costumes adds a youthful style to this film that reminded me a lot of Tim Burton. As the characters try to recreate movies to replace the ones they accidently erased (they coin the phrase “sweded” to describe the new movies), you can hardly wait to see which film they will lampoon or recreate next.

“Be Kind Rewind’ is already one of my favorite comedies of the year. This sweet modern fairy tale won me over within the first moments it started. The dialog is uproariously funny and real to life. The images and movie re-enactments are non-stop fun. This is one film that movie fans can watch over and over and find something new hidden in the mountain of details with each viewing.

WATCH THE “BE KIND REWIND” MOVIE TRAILER BELOW:

WATCH THE “SWEDED” TRAILER OF “BE KIND REWIND” BELOW:

Over 5 years ago Ang Lee released his version of the “Hulk” to scathing reviews and little fanfare from audiences. His looney translation of the popular comic angered fans and made the film a phenomenal flop. Edward Norton’s recent outing as “The Incredible Hulk” is a fun ride but the pay off at the end feels empty. But this time around I walked out of the theater much more satisfied then the last time I saw the big green monster on the silver screen.

Most of the excitement and thrills in this film come from Edward Norton’s testosterone charged action scenes as Bruce Banner. Once the “Hulk” comes on the screen the pay off doesn’t feel worth the wait. The visual effects in this movie don’t cohesively exist with the real life actors and backdrop they feel more like animation than CGI. When the “Hulk” is on screen he doesn’t look real and at times he borders on looking cartoonish.

The performances in “The Hulk” save it from sinking into campy B-movie territory. Liv Tyler does a sweet job as Betty Ross the love interest to Bruce Banner. One of the most fun aspects of this movie is watching Tim Roth chew up the scenery as the evil Emil Blonsky (who later turns into “Abomination”). Edward Norton is terrifically cast as Banner but the rest of the script doesn’t rise above being silly and familiar.

If you put some of the visual styles aside, this movie was fun and entertaining. I would be lying if I didn’t say that I was a tad bit disappointed by this latest rendition of the popular green superhero. I can’t help but feel that a truly incredible “Hulk” film is still waiting to be made. Norton’s sexy charismatic personality and acting aren’t enough to make this film a classic along the lines of “Spiderman 2″ or “Batman Begins”.

This “reality film”/documentary was a huge hit at the Sundance festival this past winter. I am skeptical that a reality film genre will do well in the age of huge special effects extravaganzas. This trailer has peaked my curiosity and it may well be a great rental on Netflix. Does anyone else find it odd that a movie titled “American Teen” doesn’t showcase a single minority? Read the film synopsis below:

AMERICAN TEEN is the touching and hilarious Sundance hit that follows the lives of four teenagers - a jock, the popular girl, the artsy girl and the geek — in one small town in Indiana through their senior year of high school. We see the insecurities, the cliques, the jealousies, the first loves and heartbreaks, and the struggle to make profound decisions about the future.

Filming daily for ten months, filmmaker Nanette Burstein (ON THE ROPES, THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE) developed a deep understanding of her subjects. The result is a film that goes beyond the enduring stereotypes of high school to render complex young people trying to find their way into adulthood.

WATCH THE “AMERICAN TEEN” MOVIE TRAILER BELOW:

The poster for “American Teen” may look familiar to some 80’s teen movie fans…it is an obvious homage to the seminal 80’s teen movie “The Breakfast Club” written and directed by John Hughes (see the picture below).