You know how you go to the movies and there’s always several people who insist on texting – or heavens forbid, talking – on their cell phones during the movie? I don’t know about you, but I find it ridiculously annoying and quite rude, too! In the US, the “no cell phones” rule is more strictly enforced in cinemas and especially on Broadway (trust me, don’t try using your cell phone during a Broadway play, you’re in for a rude awakening). Anyhoo, a movie patron in Austin, Texas, was escorted from The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema for using her cell phone during a movie. I love the post on their website by their CEO and his closing line, “Ma’am, you may be free to text in all the other theaters in the Magnited States of America, but here at our “little crappy ass theater,” you are not. Why you may ask? Well, we actually do give a f*$k.” Can you imagine if Palace Cineplex in Jamaica did that? HA!
It’s kind of been a crazy couple of weeks. I’m starting off this round-up with a mini battle of the sexes – the women of the Jamaican Bloggersphere take on a range of topics – infidelity, Twitter personalities and more. Check it out.
Last night, I ran into a preview of an upcoming documentary called Dark Girls. The name alone should suggest what the film is about – an exploratory look at the “deep-seated biases and attitudes about skin color – particularly dark-skinned women, outside of and within the Black American culture”. You may ask why on Earth I’d be sharing this, but we have the same issues right here in Jamaica. One only has to take a look around and see the men, women, boys and girls who fervently practise (and advocate) bleaching of the skin. Scheduled for release in Fall/Winter of 2011, this documentary promises to be powerful.
I still have mixed feelings about this song – although I think for the most part, I really like it. BUT, this woman’s performance was INCREDIBLE. Forget the rumours/theories about body doubles in the video and take a look at her killing this on stage. Not to mention, the graphic support for the performance – ridiculously amazing. Major Lazer runs the world – the 2-year-old well-known rapid-fire Pon De Floor beat (sampled extensively in Beyonce’s track) is definitely getting noticed. Diddy Dirty Money’s “Ass On The Floor” ft Swizz Beatz is the last track before Bey’s to use it – I think. In the land of music production, it would appear that Major Lazer is king. Check out Lazer’s YouTube channel and the Pon De Floor riddim below.
Although I’ve never produced a motion picture, as an artist and an on-again-off-again writer, it’s easy to understand the creative process involved in bringing an intangible idea into the realm of the tangible. Sometimes, whether intentionally or otherwise, you end up having work of your contemporaries influence you. This can go one of two ways – the influence can either be a tasteful one communicated via way of a nod to the original creators, OR, it can be a flat-out rip-off. Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill would be an excellent example of the former. The video’s creator is robgwilson.com.