Ballet is a monster.  Or so suggests Darren Aronofsy by way of his latest film.

Two years after resurrecting the career of Mickey Rourke and moving audiences (meaning me) to tears with The Wrestler (2008), the director has put his stamp on the year 2010 with Black Swan, a nightmarish exploration that reunites the filmmaker with the surrealism so distinctive in his previous works.  This go around, he trades wrestling for ballet, and in place of Mickey’s weary gaze and weathered face is the graceful, fluttering visage of Natalie Portman.

Portman plays Nina, a dancer at a New York City ballet company, striving to be noticed by her domineering and egomaniacal director, Thomas… or rather, toh-MA (Vincent Cassel).  Soon, through a somewhat creepy set of circumstances, Nina is cast as the lead in the company’s revival of Swan Lake, just as a new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), arrives at the company to shake things up.

The role of the Swan Queen is actually two different characters in one: the enchanting white swan who wins the love of a young prince, and the alluring black swan who eventually, through a case of mistaken identity, seduces the prince away, leading to the white swan’s demise.  The latter is a role less dependent on precision, relying more heavily on physical sensuality and a sexual freedom that Nina, a meticulous technician with a manically pathological work ethic, has great difficulty accessing.  She is reminded of this constantly by Thomas, who harshly points out her inadequacies during rehearsals and earns major creep-meister points by morphing into a kind of sexual puppet master.  Nina is momentarily comforted by a burgeoning friendship with Lily, a weaker but strikingly more charismatic dancer, who tries to shake Nina loose of her own self-control.

But Nina isn’t chasing freedom.  Her true pursuit… is perfection.

Swan is largely a story of the artist’s toxic obsession with this impossible goal, and the destruction it causes when expectations and dreams blur into madness.  The more she pushes herself, the more she starts to flail… and starts careening toward Crazytown.  What unfolds is a Kafkaesque tale of creative delusion, complete with wild paranoia, self-mutilation and one drug-fueled lesbian encounter (I spoiled nothing.  Watch the trailer).

It is an impressive visual accomplishment; both awesome and gruesome.  Aronofsky is a master of creating beauty out of ugliness, a perfect fit for his chosen subject, which comes wrapped in its own mystique.  Ballet is a form that demands supreme physical control with the look of floating on air.  Dancers appear to soar on stage because in the time between performances, they are running their bodies into the ground.  Those lovely pointe shoes wrapped around their feet that give length to the body lines also conceal a mess of blisters and bloodied sores.  Every lift is another bruise, every twist is another morning of back pain.  And off-stage is no different.  What appears so pristine and elegant on the service is actually a labyrinth of politicking and fierce competition… and at times, sabotage.  But ballet’s appeal has always been in its refinement  -its poise- which seems to draw in its more blue-blooded audience, who likely gives little thought to the drama that plays out long after the curtain goes down.

Aronofsky constructs this world with great care, and his work in Swan is unquestionably gorgeous.  But the film is wrapped in a fog of coldness that, intentional or not, keeps his audience at a distance.  I have noticed the word “visceral” getting thrown around quite a bit in other reviews.  But that’s pretty much the only time I’ll use it.  There is certainly intrigue and tension; a mental unrest that develops from watching Nina come unhinged.  But the experience isn’t so much “visceral” (I lied) as it is a psychosomatic reflex; the arthouse equivalent of covering your eyes during the scary parts.  While we are engaged and interested in Nina’s torment, we never give much thought to her humanity, partly because we never really see it.  The ballet, as it turns out, isn’t merely a backdrop or an expression of the human story underneath — it is the entire story; a parable of what can result when our artistic pursuits turn cold and maniacal, when the psyche gets swallowed up… and the artist prevails over the self.

Though Swan may suffer from the weight of its own psychosis, it does contain some stellar acting.  Portman delivers one of her most adult performances to date.  She infuses Nina with an almost inconsolable fearfulness that only heightens her mental instability.  Mila, as Lily, is appropriately saucy, and her spunk provides a distinctive, but in-no-way-cartoonish contrast to Portman’s mental frailty (Mila, you’re adorbs and you give wonderfully sassy interviews).  Vincent has made a career of playing arrogant, somewhat smarmy men, which would be a problem if he were bad at it, which… not at all.  And Barbara Hershey is a glorious ball of nervous obsession as Nina’s controlling stage mother.

Black Swan is certainly a worthy accomplishment, inarguably one of the most original visual works I have seen in some years and engrossing from start to finish.  But its aura is one of detachment… distance.  As someone who holds every viewing experience as an opportunity for empathy, I left this one feeling patently unsatisfied.

1. LOCATION Las Vegas

Disgusting, overly opulent, excessive and quite possibly the best damn two and half days in recent memory.  Whether wondering from overdone hotel to insanely themed hotel, beverage always in hand, sunning ourselves at the pool, losing money on penny slots and video roulette (one experience at an actual table was too horrifying to continue down that path) or eating at the overpriced but amazing restaurants, this place is pure ridiculousness and thus pure fun.  I can’t imagine spending more than a couple days without going insane, but it was such an overwhelming feast for the senses and a social experiment unlike any other that I’d happily return…after I’ve recovered… A

2. ALBUM Have One On Me Joanna Newsom

I honestly don’t know how to write about this epic, three disc set of indie songs with a harp as the main instrument from one of the most interesting current recording artists.  Her sound is totally unique with flecks of Bjork thrown in but remains accessible, more so in this grouping than ever before.  The songs are long (although relatively short compared to her previous release Ys), meandering with melodies that morph and undulate and lyrics that are beyond erudite.  I simply must leave it at you have to listen, and listen and listen one more time before you can even comprehend how intimate and yet expansive this creation truly is… A

3. BOOK The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

After so many glowing reviews, I had to find out for myself that this book completely lives up to the hype.  Bouncing back and forth in time, an amazing story of one woman’s unknown contribution to science inspires and horrifies all while illuminating a spectacular debate about what constitutes property, who has rights over human cells and forces the question why can’t we all just get along in the name of science and curing deadly disease.  Of course, where there’s money to be made in legal battles and patents, progress seems to be the ultimate loser and in turn terminally ill humanity.  But all this in turn makes you wonder about the author and her intent, forging a caring relationship with the descendents of Henrietta and now reaping benefit from the book’s popularity… A

4. SHOW Ka

Unlike many Cirque shows, this has a distinct and slightly complex narrative as a backbone rather than the slight cohesive spectacle of so many others.  All that’s not to say this isn’t a spectacle because it’s a constant feast for the eyes.  The hydraulic platform at the center is so malleable that it seamlessly transitions from a sandy beach to a mountain face to a glacier.  As usual, the music is transporting, boosted by speakers in each individual seat.  The show was a bit slow to start, but by the time the stage has become a massive jungle with oversized bugs crawling along bamboo shoots, I was totally sold.  A truly magnificent entry in a long line of solid work from Cirque… B+

5. ALBUM Sweet Heart Rodeo Dawn Landes

Excellent tune crafting is what this artist is all about, be it on upbeat hook-laden tunes or bouncy romantic riffs that float easily out of the speakers.  Just listen to “Romeo” with its swinging beat and sweet vocal, playfully tuneful but not so airy as to pass you by.  Even on odd fare like “Clown” with a backing track that sounds like it came from my Casio Keyboard, Landes is sublime, making a little ditty into something of an addictive spectacle.  “Wandering Eye” is my favorite track with a guitar and harmonica heavy orchestration turning this shuffle into perfection.  Another excellent set of tunes from Landes… A-

6. FOOD Malo Cantina Suavecita in LA

Start with the soft tortilla chips and salsa and you might not even make it to your main course, they’re just that addictive.  If you do have the stomach to last, sample some of the excellent tacos, there’s even a burger taco of ground beef, pickle and a sprinkling of cheese.  The enchiladas smothered in salsa verde will delight.  But my pick has to be the floutas, basically because they have all the excellent ingredients of tacos and enchiladas but they’re also fried, and everything is better when it’s fried.  Add a salted rim margarita to the meal and you’re set for an excellent evening of dining… B

7. ALBUM Divide & Conquer Vandaveer

This band fantastically combines male and female vocals like the excellent work of Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Dean & Britta and She & Him.  The sexy suave cool of “Fistful of Swoon” will seep into your soul like a Tom Waits classic.  On more rocking tunes like “A Mighty Leviathan of Old,” Mark Charles Heidinger sounds amazing, like a male Brandi Carlile (yes, that’s a huge compliment from me).  My favorite has to be the groove of “Turpentine,” slowly building into a towering sound of mournful splendor.  Pay attention to this band, you will be hearing from them… A

8. ALBUM Odd Blood Yeasayer

This is an awesome album of noise. Hits and bings slowly turn into the awesome and accessible “Ambling Alp.”  “Madder Red” has a bit of the sound that Vampire Weekend has capitalized on, only here it’s done a little less cloying with a greater focus on musicality.  My favorite, “I Remember,” sounds like something that ELO left behind and Yeasayer recorded a new vocal track over.  And with elements of Animal Collective, “Rome” plays splendidly.  It’s an odd batch of songs but such an excellent album, and one that requires listening from beginning to end as a complete album… B+

9. BUILDING Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall

I’ve never written about a building for this column, but after spending a good thirty minutes touring the structure with a group of aspiring architects, I feel compelled to commend what is both amazing and in other ways a failure.  The undulating structure is both romantic in its curves but harsh in its execution.  Every corner you turn seems to offer a new and beautiful perspective on the leaves and sections of the building.  But on closer inspection, and this might be a bit due to the group I was with, the actual construction seemed unfinished.  Edges aren’t quite sealed, water stains plague the metal at various parts, sometimes causing interesting patterns, other times causing the interruption of the overall aesthetic.  It’s a fascinating piece, one that I hope to return to and actually step inside for a concert, but I’m hoping by then the carpet will have been changed (seriously, the ugliest carpet I’ve ever seen on a structure of this nature)… B

10. MOVIE The Addams Family (1991)

After being traumatized by the pre-Broadway run of the musical version of this haunted family, I needed to return to happier memories of the brood in this excellent Barry Sonnenfeld helmed film version of the comics.  Anjelica Huston embodies Morticia so fantastically, all floating grace and that film noir lighting hitting just her eyes in every shot.  And nothing compares to the dearly departed Raul Julia making Gomez both ridiculous and enthralling in the same breath.  The dark twisted humor actually generates laughs here as opposed to that heap of crap that graced the stage in Chicago.  I can only hope that the massive amounts of money that have been funneled into rewrites bring it closer to the humor and intelligence of this film… A-

Enter Pogo, who, according to a brief bio on LastFM:

is an emerging electronic music artist in Perth, Western Australia. He is known for his work recording small sounds from a single film or scene and sequencing them to form a new piece of music.

Essentially, a remix artist – taking sounds from films, completely divorcing them from context and removing any link to their original meaning, recombining them, and then often pairing them with a music video constructed from the original source material (but similarly divorced from context). The results, clearly painstaking, are marvelous. Here are a few examples:

Terminator 2

Up!

Harry Potter

and the superb Alice in Wonderland

This is definitely an artist to watch. Main website here.

Here’s my list of ten (or thirteen) souls have pulled it off in style.

10. Billy Zane – Zoolander

Billy Zane had it pretty easy… he got a lot of mileage out of other folks saying “listen to your friend Billy Zane, he’s a cool dude.” Still, he comported himself in style.

9. Oprah – 30 Rock

Playing yourself as a hallucination takes a special sort of talent. Luckily, Oprah is all-talented.

8. Elizabeth Shue – Hamlet II

In my heart, I’d like to believe that this is a true story, and that Elizabeth Shue only returned to acting to reenact the true story of how she left acting forever to become a nurse. If that IS the case, this gets an immediate bump to #1.

7. Tom Jones – Mars Attacks

It’s easy to forget about this sublime, laser-filled performance from Mr. Jones, because Mars Attacks is not a movie one thinks about very often (unfortunately). The above clip is ok… but the best part is when an eagle lands on his arm, and he doesn’t even flinch.

6. Adam West – Family Guy

For the past few years, he’s played himself… as a cartoon mayor. Well done, Mr. West… I thought your career had peaked after the pilot of Lookwell, but I was wrong.

6a. Neal Patrick Harris – The Harold and Kumar Cycle

(Thanks Peter, I forgot about this one, but it deserves a place of honor)

5. Garey Busey – Entourage

Garey Busey gets a lifetime achievement award in this category. He is always playing himself, and always doing an amazing job.

4. Larry David – Curb Your Enthusiasm

Larry David has played himself as a total jackass for seven seasons of TV. Though he often veers into uncomfortable amounts of douchery, he just as often makes it work. Highly respectable.

3. Peter Falk – Wings of Desire

This is the only actor-as-himself dramatic role I’ve ever seen work. Yes, it’s a little obscure, and a lot German… but Peter Falk steals the show, simply by being a slightly more ethereal version of Peter Falk. Apologies, Youtube came up a little light on this movie… all I have is the “companero” scene dubbed in Italian.

2. John Malkovich – Being John Malkovich

Come on, you knew this one was coming.

1. Bill Murray – Zombieland

In my mind, though, despite the joy of Being John Malkovich, it’s Zombieland that nailed the perfect as-themselves cameo. This scene takes everything you could possibly want from Bill, concentrates it into four minutes of bliss, and ends it with some mothafuckin Gravitas:

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN AS-THEMSELVES CAMEOS:

Extras

Ricky Gervais’s Extras is the gold standard for the as-themselves cameo… it’s the entire bread and butter of the show. It wasn’t fair to include it with the rest… but here are some sweet sweet highlights:

Kate Winslet:

Ian McKellen:

Patrick Stewart:

(At least 100,000 of the 600,000 views on that last one are probably mine)

And there you have it… as-themselves at their finest. Did I miss any gems? If so, drop ‘em in the comments.

SPOILER ALERT: This post may include revealing details of Star Wars: Episode IV – Return of the Jedi (1983). And if you haven’t seen Avatar (2009), I’d love to know your mortgage obligations on that cave in Antarctica.

The Conceit

When it comes to depictions of comfortingly anthropomorphic nature-loving creatures on a moon, we should know by now that Hollywood takes a purely American standpoint to race relations. Despite each film being set in either the distant future or a long time ago, the locals have some kind of spiritual awareness and one-ness with nature that we’ve just stone-cold raped and abandoned here on Earth because of our couch-potato, SUV-driving, gadget-addicted ways (though The Force is universal). That all represents a regression, you see, and petting the plants and animals in a loincloth is real, true living (I’m looking at you, Brauer).

In order to overcome the evil, evil baddies with their military industrial complexes and small genitalia syndromes, the locals need the leadership of a violently-inclined, handsome White Man. This is a given. But within that not-so-democratic militant insurgency, how do each of the alien races match up? Let’s do a comparison:

Physical capabilities: The Na’vi are ten feet tall, admirably lithe, have impressive athletic abilities, can breathe the local atmosphere, eat dinosaurs and possess carbon fiber bones. Their arm length also gives them a better range when using the bow and arrow. They also speak English (BIG advantage in the 22nd century). The Ewoks have a tough matted fur and may be herbivores. Opening point goes to the Na’vi.

15-love: Na’vi

Physical attractiveness to the White Man who will lead them: Herein lies the quintessential question of attractiveness – sexy or cute? The Na’vi have tight, athletic bodies, they wear skimpy clothes, they look like cats and they have anime eyes (not brown). So they’re hot, in a light-skinned blue people sort of way (read: not black), or at least hot enough for Jakesully to bone the princess. (Personally, I think he should have played the field a bit longer, you know, seen what’s on offer. After all, we are never introduced visually to a viable female competitor to Neytiri and the grass could be greener, er, blue-r on the other side.) On the other hand, despite their beady little eyes, the Ewoks are cute, cuddly and instantly lovable – 30 million Ewok lunchboxes sold and counting can’t be wrong – but they also have strength and courage in wartime. They’re like Teddy Ruxpin after hitting the gym hard for 6 months and doing a tour in Anbar province, and they convince the lady the White Man wants to bone (Princess Leia) that they are worthy. And The White Man knows that keeping the princess happy keeps The White Man happy. However, at the end of the day, cute can only very rarely be sexy, while sexy can easily be turned cute (hence the anime eyes). The Na’vi have it.

30-love: Na’vi

Extra Sensory Perception: When Leia first gains the trust of the Ewok by feeding him stale oyster crackers, he senses the hidden Stormtrooper snipers and ducks before they can fire. The entire Na’vi population, on the other hand, despite being able to fiber-optically interface with the whole goddamn planet, can’t detect an entire fucking armada of obnoxious flying machines until they come around the mountain into plain sight. The bugs in Aliens and Starship Troopers showed a bit more mental pluck than the Eiffel 65 rejects. Honk if you smell Ewok comeback!

30-15: Na’vi

Battle tactics: Why, oh why, must the underdog force always charge headfirst at the waiting enemy, thus suffering massive unnecessary casualties? Because it’s somehow more “honorable”? These are wars of attrition, folks, you win the way you can. I ask you: who won in the end: The Wolverines of Red Dawn (aka Al-Qaeda in America) or Tom Cruise and co. in The Last Samurai? Here, again, the Ewoks (unlike the rebel fleet flying above them) display much more tactical ingenuity, turning a hostage situation to their advantage, staging ambushes and hit-and-run style attacks, and using the enemy’s superior weapons against them by grabbing the lasers of fallen stormtroopers and commandeering speeders and AT-STs. The Na’vi run straight at the guns on their horses, or fly right into a mass of blasting helis, and subsequently get their asses kicked before being rescued by a bunch of sleep-deprived bird-dragons. If I shed a tear for each of the unnecessary Na’vi deaths, it would’ve filled the theater. The Ewoks tie it up!

30-30: Na’vi/Ewoks

Technological ability: In terms of living facilities, the Ewoks’ decentralized network of tree houses is the more sophisticated solution for forest dwellers. They are far easier to defend, move among, repair, relocate and reassemble than the ginormous Na’vi Hometree, as epic as that tree may have been. In their battle against Stormtroopers, armored AT-ST Walkers and speeders, all bearing lasers and precision guidance systems, the Ewoks showed a remarkable ability to create log-rolls, trip wires, somehow hung gigantic trees in the air (a marvelous feat of engineering for 3-foot tall furry circus rejects), fashioned flying devices for rock dropping and so on, all on very short notice. The Na’vi couldn’t think of any of that, despite that famed collective intelligence, and really didn’t use any of the natural environment around them to their advantage. Perhaps there’s some message in there about them not needing to fight or make weapons or something on their peaceful Pandorra, but then what’s with the tribal competitiveness? So much for that one-ness. The midget bears take this one.

40-30: Ewoks

Persuasive abilities regarding dangerous creatures: In most arenas, the big unknown is whether the lion/tiger/bear mauls you or your enemy first. While no vicious creatures seem to live on Endor, the other gnarly orthodontist’s nightmare of Jedi, the Rancor, played for their team, not ours. To extrapolate, the Ewoks may have kept small lizards as pets, but otherwise the wild animals decided to get the hell out of dodge when the shit when down. On Pandorra, however, the Na’vi can link their braid to many fearsome beasts such as the flying bird-dragon, the six-legged horse, the giant puma/doberman and the even bigger bird-dragon. In light of their apparent disregard for either technical cleverness or tactical creativity, this is their biggest advantage yet. Yee-haw, ride ‘em Na’vi!

Deuce

Openness to monotheism or religious conversion to such: Sorry, but in Hollywood not only does the White Man need your people to be bone-able and willing to be led to the slaughter, but he also needs to know you believe in One White Old Man Flying In The Sky in order to trust your pinko tree-hugging asses. The Na’vi believe in some real hippie shit, some kind of pantheistic earth mother organic crunchy one-ness that sounds great in Williamsburg or Silverlake, but look, is it going to defeat Islamic extremists or Chinese gunships? I mean, the Na’vi even say that Mother Nature will only maintain the balance of life – whether that includes us or not is just not written down in a book that we must obey. They don’t even write at all for Christ’s sake! The Ewoks bow down to a Golden droid (the White Man’s most magnificent creation, an image of himself, only more perfect) floating above them yammering like a crackhead – in a very White Old Man voice. I think we know who’s with us and who’s against us. Most impressive, young Ewoks.

Advantage: Ewoks

Ability to “Finish the Job”: When Big Bird-Dragon Rider Jakesully and the Na’vi defeat the ugly American army types and their corporate boss on Pandorra, they send them packing back to… the orbital death platform to stage a massive counterstrike/nuke-the-whole-site-from-orbit-it’s-the-only-way-to-be-sure? At that point in the film, I wasn’t exactly convinced things were “over”, though I had to pee so badly I literally sprinted out of the theater before the credits even began to roll, so “so long folks” was good enough. In retrospect, leaving it open-ended foreshadows the possibility of a sequel. But c’mon, if the whole message of Avatar is this condemnation of corporate exploitation of natural environments/peoples, yet this the most corporate, big budget consumer blockbuster success ever conceived, hasn’t an equally wasteful sequel already been shot? Mixed messages anyone? In Jedi, however, the Ewoks git ‘er done, as they say, taking out the shield generator, thus allowing the Rebel Alliance to blow up the Death Star and save not just the forest, but the entire fucking galaxy. It’s all a matter of scale, and in this case the little furries go B-I-G. Ewoks: Mission Accomplished.

Point, set, match: Ewoks

I am officially completely obsessed with the Gedda Headz’ video Spaced Out. Upon visiting their website I realized they are more than a band, and actually an enclave of cool gamer people. They all have avatars that fit into some simplified 3d future. The band wears 3d masks in the video to keep their identities secret.

Zoe from the band says, “So what..s up with the Gedda-Headz masks, you ask? It helps us being just symbols and act out the changes not a question of hiding or pretending, but letting the actions speak volumes for themselves. We will drop the masks in due time.”

Their mini-bios are below. This group of people are ones I can’t wait to learn more about, and understand what kind of impact they want to have on the world.

	JasperLooks like a salty dog, behaves like a crazy cat, constantly on the outlook for new adventures. Plays a mean keyboard, has a genuine Steinway at home. Hates poetry but loves music – plus there’s a certain girl he’s been sweet on, a long long time….
	FranckUnofficial 2nd in command of the Natives. He’s the stringer, if you need anything – cool and clever. Nice guy, but don’t mess with him – he wins fights and he’s got the scars to prove it.
	Zoe Zoe is a dedicated ghetto-gurrl gamer. She will kick you hard if you suggest any cute girl games to her – and fragg you instantly, if you challenge her in Counterstrike. She is a bit of a mystery girl – likes goth styles and old school heavy metal, and is most comfortable in company with her fellow Hoodz. She’s inquisitive and the born explorer – if you want to know about any easter eggs in your favorite game, ask her.
	Jankel Jankel is the leader of the Natives. He is very smart but also a gentle guy. He is a great singer too and founded the Gedda-Headz. The band takes all his time but he still manages to rule the streets. In his ear he wears a big blue diamond

A fansub (short for fan-subtitled) is a version of a foreign film or TV program which has been translated by fans and subtitled into a language other than that of the original. As Tanya stated, fansubbing can be illegal according to copyright laws in various countries. Even so, it doesn’t stop people from doing it for as long as they can. Most cease fansubbing a series once it’s licensed for release in their language.

Fansubs originated during the explosion of anime production in Japan during the 1980s. At the time, relatively few titles were licensed for distribution outside of Japan, and as a result it was difficult for anime fans to obtain new titles. Thus, some fans, generally those with some Japanese language experience, began producing amateur subtitled copies of new anime programs so that they could share them with their fellow fans who did not understand Japanese.

In the beginning, fansubbed material was distributed on VHS tapes. These copies were notoriously low quality, time consuming to make, expensive to produce and difficult to find. However, with the technological advancements over the years, the original process has largely been abandoned in favor of digital fansubbing and online distribution. This has allowed fansubbing to transform from a slow and tedious task that generates a low quality result to a cheap, easy, and quick way to create a high quality and easily available alternatives to official releases.

Much like file sharing, fansubs are the source of controversy, not only from the companies, but between fans as well. Since last year, I’ve noticed a split within the fan-base regarding the attitude towards fansubs. Some who download fansubs will still support the companies and buy the official releases when they’re out. Others side with Japanese and North American anime studios and distribution companies, saying fansubs are drawing a large amount of profit away from them.

The Yale Economic Review’s recent research has called the latter conclusion into serious question though, as it’s shown that people who download movies are no less likely to buy movies than those who do not.

There have also been a number of shows that were overlooked for US distribution at first, only to be picked up later when fansubs helped create a buzz about them. One example of this was Azumanga Daioh, now released by ADV Films. In the summer of 2005, one of the founders of ADV admitted that they initially thought the series would not be popular in America. Additionally, Kadokawa Pictures USA and Bandai Entertainment specifically thanked the fansub community in the promotional video announcing the American license of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. That was the first instance of a Japanese company admitting and accepting (but not necessarily supporting) the well-intended piracy among fans.

Even so, anime studios in both North America and Japan have decided to see just how far they can go. They’re licensing as much as they can, and in some cases, working out simulcasting deals with the original studios and/or streaming websites. Simulcasting results in much less wait time for fans overseas and it benefits the studios much more than any amount of fansubbing could do.

In April of 2008, two series produced by Gonzo Digital Holding (The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk and Blassreiter) began free, subtitled simulcasts with their Japanese TV-airing counterparts on streaming websites YouTube, Crunchyroll, and BOST. North American companies Viz Media and Funimation have also began simulcasts (Inuyasha: The Final Act, and Shikabane Hime: Aka and its direct sequel Kuro respectively) streaming on Hulu.

Also in 2008, Crunchyroll began striking legal distribution agreements with companies, including Gonzo, Sunrise and TV Tokyo, for an increasing number of titles. In addition, viewers may pay for the membership plan of their choice that lets them receive early access to the shows, and an “exclusive” higher-quality stream. As of November 2009, a large number of new anime are being distributed using this model through Crunchyroll.

The general reaction to this from the fansub community has been to not do these shows, though in certain cases the streams are released days after the Japanese airing and in subpar quality, causing fansubs to still be done of such shows. That said, the Japanese animation studios’ increasing support for Crunchyroll’s model suggests that it’s working quite well. The number of fansubbing groups has also decreased, because many people don’t feel the need for fansubs when they can stream these shows legally.

Anime, or Japanese animation originated way back in 1917, but it’s only really caught on in the west within the last 20-30 years. The term itself is an abbreviated pronunciation in Japanese of “animation.” Anime, like its book form counterpart manga (Japanese Comics), has a large audience in Japan with an ever increasing audience in the United States. Both, hand drawn and computer animated anime exists.

Recently, anime has come to be considered an art form developed in Japan. In fact, you’ll see the word “anime” in the English dictionary defined as “an animation technique developed in Japan” or “an art form developed in Japan”. Average people like you and me, however, just see it as a great form of art that with the right characters, plot, and character development can really draw you in and make you addicted to this form of animation.

Anime is typically identified by its “big eyes, small mouth” characteristics. But, styles can vary widely depending on the artist or the animation studio. Some artists use a more realistic looking approach while others use a more “cartoon” driven style. Some styles, like in Pokemon for example, do not allow for any nationality identification. Thus clarifying that anime does not have a common identifiable style. But, generally, the most common form of anime drawings include “exaggerated physical features such as large eyes, big hair and elongated limbs… and dramatically shaped speech bubbles, speed lines and onomatopoeic, exclamatory typography.” (Taken from Wikipedia article on anime.)

Anime distribution companies handle the licensing and distribution of a series to other parts of the world. Take, for example, Inuyasha, which aired in Japan and then a year or so later was licensed in America by Viz Media. Viz then took the series and dubbed it into English for airing on Cartoon Network from August 31, 2002 through October 27, 2006. Subsequently, the DVDs for the series were released, as is common in for anime with the option to watch it with the original Japanese dubbing with English subtitles. Sometimes, the licensing studio edits out various cultural aspects of a series in an attempt to make it more easily understood in the country in which the series is being aired. This practice has some die-hard fans foaming at the mouth, because they do not think the original storyline or animation should be altered.

Frequently, anime can be found on the internet “fansubbed” even though it can be illegal according to copyright laws in various countries. Many fansub groups do not sub nor distribute the anime for profit, which brings in ethical implications when discussing this particular phenomenon. When a series in licensed in a certain country, the fansub groups tend to cease subtitling and distribution. In one event, a licensing company even thanked the fansub culture for helping to make a certain series wildly popular.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to post another MJ blog, because 1) it’s still legit sad to me and 2) I’m like 14% embarrassed about it… maybe more like 12%.  And, when the promotion started for this concert/rehearsal/musical feature, documenting his preparation for the concerts that would never actually be (see… sad), I was half overcome with too-soon-syndrome.  But I also knew I’d see it eventually, and decided it was one to see in the theatre.  Cause who wants a DVD-size MJ when you can have big screen MJ, right?  Exactly.

Setting aside all of my jokey rhetoric, it must be said that I was moved from start to finish.  The film’s first series of shots are interviews with auditioning dancers, many of whom had traveled halfway across the world to perform in front of their idol.  With overwhelming humility, they attempt to express the value of this moment in their lives.  Many of them struggle to find the words, and it’s in these earnest, yet clumsy and unrefined confessions that we understand the poetic symmetry of being a dancer who has been selected to dance for Michael Jackson.  Because for anyone who has ever aspired to perform on stage or work as a touring dancer, there is no greater inspiration than The King of Pop.  And after bearing witness to his process, the same can be said for anyone who aspires to be great at… well, anything.

Though born with gifts that often made him seem otherworldly, MJ also possessed a meticulous and largely unmatched work ethic, one that is generously on display throughout the film’s entire 111 minutes.  You get the feeling that while the physical show may have been a work in progress, the one in Michael’s mind was not only complete, but perfect.  His eyes are often shielded behind enormous sunglasses or the brim of his hat, but there’s no mistaking who controls every maneuver on the stage, and always with such admirable professional grace.  He corrects with smiles and encouragement, gentle reminders, always maintaining his calm.  Michael had beautiful manners.

The songs featured are Jackson classics and never stray too far from their original incarnation, a testament to the lasting quality of his music.  When did MJ ever need a club remix or Autotune to get people on their feet?  The voice is still there, and brilliant.  And the moves… even at the age of 50 and at half throttle (he’s in rehearsal mode, after all), are shake-your-head-this-guy-is-not-human impressive.  But what is most clear (and not entirely unpainful to see) is that the artist in Jackson was still alive and well.  Despite attempts to preserve his energy during rehearsals for Billie Jean, he can’t help but give in to the cheers and applause from the crew of dancers and musicians who are watching him; no doubt a heady experience for them all.  And as they yell and root with appreciation, he simply smiles, nods his head and murmurs a heartfelt ‘thank you’, content that he has pleased his audience.  And hopefully reminded, in some small way, that he is loved.

I just had the pleasure of watching The Guild seasons 1 and 2 on a sweet two-disc set.    I remember watching  season 1 on the internet when it came out a couple of years ago.  But I must say this show is definitely best when packaged together on one DVD.  While each season is broken up into many episodes, the over-arching storyline takes a full season to play out.  So watching a season all together is a lot more like watching a movie than a web series.

For those who have never heard of The Guild,  it’s the first ever web based sitcom about online gamers.  It was written by and stars her hotness Felicia Day of Buffy The Vampire Slayer fame.  It uses YouTube-style confessionals intercut with sitcom-style interactions to tell the story of an online gaming guild.  This show embraces the internet like no other and will probably spawn many imitators.  What impresses me the most about the show is how far it’s come from its origins as an unfunded labor of love.  Today it’s fully sponsored by Microsoft.  Each season (part of season 3 is now available free online) clearly one-ups the last on both plot and production value.  The Guild is a testament to what can happen if you connect with ravenous fan base / subculture.

Top Ten People who should buy this DVD  and Season 3 Episode 1 after the jump.

10. Buffy Super Fanatics

9. Youtubers

8. People who like to dress up and go to conventions

7. Stalkers

6. People being stalked

5. People who want to know what the future looks like.

4. People who like to laugh

3. Parents  of Wow players

2. World of Warcraft Players

1. Anyone who wants to know what successful a web series looks like.

HBO just put out a brand new sort of video experience. It’s pretty amazing to say the least if not just a touch confusing. Essentially, you find yourself in a big 3d web of thin lines, and attaching all of them together are some boxes and cubes. Each cube has a short snippet of a movie from four different angles on it. If you spin the cube around you can see the entire thing play out from each perspective . Other nodes in the web are one scene from one perspective, and yet others are just audio. It’s a touch experimental to say the least, and there is a lot of emphasis on having  more than one thing happen at a time.

The fun is really in the interface though, and having a tangled story all around you. You can peruse it all by zooming out, and clicking on whatever suits your fancy. Go take a look for yourself, and unlock the entire mystery. It all starts with an affair… More screenshots of the tangled web after the jump, and also a previous project where HBO was being a little inventive as well. Personally, I find these trippy flash websites to be a little too difficult to navigate.

Victor tipped me off to this older project called Voyeur. Seems like HBO has been experimenting with this sort of sandbox storytelling for a little while. Although the one pictured above seems to have a few more layers to it than what you see below.

Something bizarre happened on the internet yet again. An indie horror film called “Paranormal Activity,” is about to be released nationwide because fans of the film raved about it on twitter, facebook, and myspace. It showed in 13 college towns, and people loved it. From there, it has taken over social media, from Twitter to Facebook. The big push made to get a nationwide release was through a company called Eventful. The company provides a service that lets performers ask their fans where they should appear. This is where people went to demand it.

What’s interesting about the campaign is that a studio promised to release the film if a million people demanded it. It not only gauges interest, brings fans together, but more importantly it holds a studio accountable. Rest assured that the indie film community is watching. I can already feel the facebook fan pages jumping all over this simple action item. We’re running directly into a world where everything is grassroots.

Paramount Pictures says this about the film: After a young, middle class couple moves into what seems like a typical suburban ‘starter’ tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be somehow demonic but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. Especially when they sleep. Or try to.

I have a dilemma. Can anyone remember what the heck happens in “Where the Wild Things Are?” I keep talking to people and they’re like “OMG I can’t wait best book ever reminds me of my youth yay!” and I’m like “Great, could you maybe go over some of the major plot points with me?” and they can’t.
Trying to find out what happens online is useless. Yahoo Answers has a ridiculous answer to the question “Where can I read WTWTA on the internet?” I’m all for intellectual property rights but as far as I can tell the book’s been around for 50million years, so I’m sure the author isn’t hungry. I’m also pretty sure that the number of people trying to read it online if there wasn’t a movie per year would be approx: 7.
Therefore I cannot review this movie until I read the book, and I can’t buy the book (it’s 10 sentences long for crap’s sake) because I’m an adult. However, I can’t see the movie until I read the book. (Stuff White People: Like the best source of actual information on this topic)

But more importantly, once a book has been made into a movie, a white person can no longer read that book. To have read the book after the movie is one of the great crimes in white culture, and under no circumstances should you ever admit to doing this. Literally dozens of white friendships have imploded when it was revealed that someone read Fight Club after 1999.

Well that explains this epic longing to read it… can someone please tell me what it’s about?

The Informant!, if nothing else, epitomizes what can most aptly be termed The Soderbergh Dilemma.  There are few directors as adept at aesthetic as Steven Soderbergh, for whom I have the utmost respect.  I root for his career, for reasons I cannot always explain (though A.O. Scott does, far more eloquently than I can at this particular moment, so totally check it out).  I want to like everything he does.  And when I don’t… I feel a little guilty.

The problem with The Informant! is the gap between what it is and what it wants to be… and neither one is clear.  The film centers around the true story of an executive, Mark Whitacre, employed at Archer Daniels Midland, a huge food conglomerate based in Illinois, who turns whistleblower on the company’s illegal price-fixing tactics.  I mean it’s the stuff of great drama.  Morally bankrupt corporation (a corporation that makes its riches by facilitating the production of craptastic and grossly unhealthy food products that are designed to benefit government-subsidized agriculture, which is totally overproduced and keeps everybody sick) is found to also be stealing from the public!  But our whistleblower is kind of incompetent… and maybe a little delusional.  But he’s all there is.  And that could have been the stuff of great comedy.  Only it’s not.  After a promising first act, it feels as though someone simply hit REPEAT, subjecting us to what feels like an endless loop of the same joke for an hour and 48 minutes.

This exhaustiveness is sort of reflective of Soderbergh’s obsession with the problem-solving nature of filmmaking.  As an admitted process geek, his work often feels like an experimental exercise designed to resolve a conflict that is entirely his own.  It’s not uninteresting.  But, as a trusted friend and writer says, ‘interesting’ and ‘good’ are two different things, and The Informant! is no exception.  What results is a film that pivots somewhat clumsily between farce and satire, topped with a wild and zany music score that tries just a bit too hard to make us laugh… which we do, but more out of confusion than amusement.  That overt insertion –the gag, if you will– is the kind of thing Soderbergh doesn’t need to do.  He’s better than that.  So what’s it doing here?  Is it on purpose?  Maybe… but it falls flat, nonetheless.

BUT… as a way of dispelling my guilt, I will say that Matt Damon’s performance has some wonderful moments.  Damon has evolved into a truly fine actor, and it’s almost hard to believe that the tubby and utterly unimpressive Whitacre of The Informant!, and the face-breaking, fiercely serious Jason Bourne are played by the same person.  Damon’s Whitacre lumbers along with swagger-less banality; his pitiable wide-eyed expression eliciting some genuine laughs, along with Damon’s spot-on voiceovers, which amusingly undercut  Whitacre’s misguided view of himself as a white-hat hero.  I only wish the story had provided a larger landscape for him.

I wouldn’t exactly call The Informant! a failure.  It’s uneven, it’s underdeveloped, it suffers from style fatigue.  Yet, despite its flaws, it also joins the ranks as one of several cinematic experiments that manages to endear me to Soderbergh’s trajectory as an artist… again, for reasons I can’t entirely explain.  Even amidst my disappointment/guilt, I still await his next project.  But not with eager anticipation… just the regular kind.

Virtual gold?  MMO-huh?  World of WTF-craft?  Who are these people?

Well… they’re everyone, actually.  At least according to Second Skin, a fascinating documentary about the world of online gaming.

Computer games have come a very long way since the original days of Oregon Trail (isn’t there an online version of this game now?), in which the average virtual lifespan was maybe 4 minutes (or however long it took to have to cross the river and inevitably someone would die from dysentery or something equally horrifying).  With the advent of the internet, gaming has gone almost post-interactive, allowing those who participate to not only live vicariously through these narratives… they are actually living them.   It is a virtual civilization with virtual property that is exchanged within virtual space, and actually translates into real world dollars (many, many dollars) that circulate in the real world market, creating a hugely viable industry (virtual and real).

But Second Skin paints a much bigger picture, showing the evolution of gaming as more than a cross section between opportunism and technology.  It is a global phenomenon of people, one that speaks volumes about the reach of our inherent human connectedness.  With so many people (and there are a lot, the numbers are sort of staggering) choosing to spend so much time in these virtual worlds, ‘what does that say about the world we’ve created out here?’

The film offers a generous glimpse into the lives of several gamers, all at various levels of immersion in the virtual world, beginning with a group of housemates –all committed gamers–  one of whom is soon expecting twins and another in his last few throws of single life, who plan their weekends around marathon sessions of World of Warcraft.  There is the recovering gamer, whose intrigue-turned-obsession with the virtual world has caused his life to spiral into unemployment and depression.  And, since every film needs a love story, there is also a budding romance; sprouted within the pixelated gardens of Everquest.  While they may remind you of some people you may have sat next to in your high school math class, which doesn’t exactly dispel any misguided stereotypes, what becomes clear over the course of the film is that none of them really care.  Success or failure in the gaming world is very much a measurement of skill and mental strength.  

Yes, gaming has certainly had its time serving as a pop culture punch line.  South Park even made an uproarious/completely disgusting episode revolving around the ethos that seems to drive this particular group.  But tongue-in-cheek mockery is not the aim, here.  In fact, the film treats its subject with a certain amount of reverence, devoting time to industry experts and gaming pioneers who view the growing number of virtual inhabitants as a sign that more and more people are choosing to live outside the obvious rigidity of the rules that govern our real world.  And for the gamers in the film (unlike many who agonize over online profiles and spend hours crafting their perfect virtual personalities), the world that exists behind their computer screens allows them the freedom, not to be someone else, but to be who they truly are… at least for the most part.  There are tragedies, unfortunately, which the film neither ignores nor exploits, though it does expose a deficiency within the mechanics of our society and the separateness that seems to have developed out of our tendency to organize and exclude.

The truth is, we’re all living online now in some form or fashion.  But hopefully, we’re all living as ourselves.

And for anyone a little too eager to ridicule gaming as an indulgent exercise in an imaginary and pointless competition, I have two words:  Fantasy.  Football.

1. Point Break - 1991- An FBI agent goes undercover to catch a gang of bank robbers who may be surfers.

It’s just the best action film ever made ~ that’s all ladies and gentlemen. It doesn’t happen everyday, and it’s unlikely to happen again. This film has more adrenaline pumping action sequences per capita than anything that predated it, and I think is the prism by which bank robbery scenes were reinvented. You’ve got ex-president bank robbers, surfing, skydiving, Busey, and Reeves. Is there anything more you could ask for? The answer is NO, but did they listen to you? Again the answer is NO. Swayze Happens! Before 1991 all I could do was swoon when I saw Swayze. After this film Swayze became synonymous with baddest mofo on the planet. He is the ultimate best friend turned bad guy, and makes the movie a complete success.

2. Dirty Dancing – 1987 – Spending the summer in a holiday camp with her family, Frances (‘Baby’) falls in love with the camp’s dancing teacher.

It’s strange that a movie like Dirty Dancing is pretending to be in the 60′s when it feels so emblematic of the 80′s. It’s weird that every time I saw this movie growing up it had more dimensions. It was the first sex scene I ever saw when I was a kid. Later on I realized it was about having an abortion. Way later I caught onto the fact that they were at a Jewish camp. Here I thought all this strife was over a class struggle. I know that for a lot of people this is not only their number 1 Swayze flick, but their number one movie of all time. This is the quintessential Swayze movie, and what will keep him in alive in the annals of history. I hear you all, and I love this movie too. It’s got some of the most memorable scenes in any film, and a couple quotable lines that will outlast most of us reading this today. There are only two movies where I am moved by dancing, and this is one of them.

3. Ghost – 1990 – After being killed during a botched mugging, a man’s love for his partner enables him to remain on earth as a ghost.

It’s easy to get gushy over this movie about how romantic it is, but there is also something pretty badass going on here as well. The idea of heaven and hell in this movie are fun to watch play out, and interesting to see how people’s choices affect them immediately. It’s something scary that I think any God fearing person worries about when they ponder what happens as one crosses over to the after life.  The clay scene is also fantastic and unfortunately has become the takeaway for this film. I think there are much better ones to choose from ~ like when Swayze learns from the other ghost how to touch things in the real world.

4. Road House – Dalton is the Cooler in bars; He backs up and directs the bouncers. He takes a job in a Road House that has gotten far too rough. His attempts to clean things up put him in conflict with Brad Wesley, the town bully and rich person. Things heat up.

When I first made this list I hadn’t seen Road House yet. I know, it’s bad. Thanks to Ji-un (fellow Poptenner) I was able to right my wrongs. I’m sorry Patrick. Because I should have known this genius while you were still alive. Brilliant action sequences, pure fun to watch, and classic Swayze looks. From the first moment where he comes out in white pants to the near end where he pulls out someone’s throat with his bare hands – this just has it all.

5. The Outsiders – 1983 – When two poor greasers are assaulted by a vicious gang tension begins to mount between the two rival gangs setting off a turbulent chain of events.

This movie is a nice Swayze gem. If you haven’t had the pleasure of checking this out then you should. Strangely enough the only reason this picture got made was because a class of students wrote to Coppola saying, “Hey you would be the perfect person to make this film”. Basically he agreed, and that was the next project he did. So if you have any dreams of getting films made by your favorite director, just ask. Maybe they’ll say yes.

6. To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar - 1995 – Three drag queens travel cross-country until their car breaks down, leaving them stranded in a small town.

I just never really understood how this movie got off the ground. Swayze, Snipes, and Leguizamo as Vida, Noxeema, and Chi Chi. ~ What?! What is going on? I’m so confused how this got the greenlight, but I’m glad it did. The story is a lot of fun, and the guys put on a great show as drag queens. Snipes is probably the most convincing of the bunch, but Swayze really doesn’t slump on the job either.

7. Donnie Darko – 2001 – A troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes, after narrowly escaping a bizarre accident.

Although this isn’t specifically a star vehicle for Swayze I think his small part is so riveting that it deserves a place in the pantheon. Swayze plays Jim Cunningham, a local celebrity with a dark secret, and it’s sort of uncanny how well he slips into this role.

8. 11:14 - 2003 – The story follows the chain of events of five characters that all converge to tell the story of murder and deceit.

It will probably give you a couple of nightmares. Hawkes wishes she had never seen this movie, and that she could get her time back. Which goes to show you how damned disturbing it really is. I’m actually surprised it didn’t make a bigger splash, because it really does have some teeth on it. Hilary Swank is brilliant as a convenience store worker afraid to lose her job. Swayze (the powerhouse) has the usual intensity, and here portrays the overprotective Father. While Rachael Leigh Cook’s character creates her own little world of chaos in this small town. Whether you like it or not it will probably fester in your head.

9. Red Dawn – 1984 – It is the dawn of World War III. In mid-western America, a group of teenagers bands together to defend their town, and their country, from invading Soviet forces.

I would have ranked this one higher than its brother ‘Steel Dawn’, but not every movie has a world record. This film was entered into the Guinness Book of Records as having the most acts of violence of any film up to that time. It was calculated that on average an act of violence occured at a rate of 134 per hour or 2.23 per minute.

10. Steel Dawn – 1987 – In a post-apocalyptic world, a warrior wandering through the desert comes upon a group of settlers who are being menaced by a murderous gang that is after the water they control.

I accidentally caught this once, and it’s not quite exactly good, but it deserves to be on here. In college we created an Absolute scale for movies where are movie could be a positive 10 or a negative 10. Each score was perfect in its own way. A +10 equaled an honestly perfect film such as Treasure of the Sierra Madre. A -10 on the absolute scale is The Mummy Returns which is also perfect for exactly the opposite reasons. In that way Steel Dawn gets a -7.

Honorable Mention: Youngblood – 1986 – A skilled young hockey prospect hoping to attract the attention of professional scouts is pressured to show that he can fight if challenged during his stay in a Canadian minor hockey town.

This movie isn’t very good, but the cover sure is. Rob Lowe stands alongside Swayze for mediocre results. While this film seems pretty benign to me it has inspired some anger in Canadian hockey fans. If you end up catching it I would suggest checking it out with someone with love for the game just to see them cringe.

I’m just going to come out and say it.  Point Break is probably my favorite movie of all time.

Sure, if I’m asked, I’ll size the person up, and give one of my stock answers.  Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The Lord of the Rings, Bonnie and Clyde or Empire Strikes Back.  (It’s either go geek or go film geek.)  All four are true.

But if I had to take a test where, minute by minute, I had to gauge how much I was enjoying a film, and then compared all the movies I’ve ever watched- it would be Point Break, no contest.  (Well, that or Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.  Just saying.)

So RIP Patrick Swayze.  The newspapers are all citing Ghost and Dirty Dancing, but what do they know?  The role you poured your entire heart and soul into is none other than surfer-cum-bank-robber Bodhi.

Like you said in Point Break, Swayze, “If you want the ultimate, you’ve got to be willing to pay the ultimate price. It’s not tragic to die doing what you love.”

Amen, man.

After the jump, some assorted Point Break videos.  Fall in love again.