by Dave Thomas

The Wackness

Just to be original, I'd try to tell you that there's something more interesting happening this month than The Dark Knight, but that would be a lie.

JULY 4

HANCOCK

WHAT'S THE PITCH?

Alcoholic superhero gets PR makeover.

WILL IT SUCK?

Dude, how awesome would it be if this turned out to be a Herbie Hancock bio-pic with Will Smith in the lead, and all this superhero stuff was just a scam?

I think the mock-superhero genre is played out (the death knell was My Super Ex-Girlfriend). The only thing that gives me hope here is the combo of underrated helmer Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom) and X-Files vet writer Vince Gilligan and Vincent Ngo, who wrote a couple of those kick-ass BMW shorts back in the day.

Early buzz is mixed with audiences taking a shine while critics bring up the specter of Last Action Hero.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?

Will Smith with July 4th weekend all to himself? I don't care if the marketing campaign can't make up it's mind as to what kind of movie this is, he'll pwn that shit. $192mil.

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THE WACKNESS

WHAT'S THE PITCH?

Kid grows up in New York dealing dope to his therapist while dating the therapist's daughter.

WILL IT SUCK?

It's not the second coming of Rushmore or anything, but it's a good, hip, indie coming-of-age flick. More here.

HOW WELL WILL IT DO?

Been building good buzz since Sundance. $10mil.

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GONZO: THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON

WHAT'S THE PITCH?

Doc about the life and work of that weird-looking muppet. No, wait.

WILL IT SUCK?

Continue reading "The July 2008 Movie Preview" »

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We were never under the delusion that Obama was going to be the perfect candidate. There have always been way too many Obamamaniacs who swear his poop smells like peach cobbler. Still, we had guarded optimism that the tremendous amount of faith people have instilled in him would cause him to rise to the occasion. Then this happened. Then this. Then, he voiced support for the Supreme Court's decision to overturn DC's ban on handguns.

Now, he's expressing the desire to expand Bush's faith based programs. Faith-based, of course being a euphemism for Christian. We're still glad that Hillary isn't the nominee. As Rumproast pointed out, she was beginning to look as conservative Joe Leiberman before the general election was even underway. Still, we were hoping to proudly support Obama in November. Sadly, we'll be holding our noses.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Via Rumproast

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Florent officially closes.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sign the petition.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Acorn

ON FRIDAY:

All hail King Khan. The recent Vice Records signee and his nine-piece psychedelic garage-soul band storm into the Seaport tonight like whirling dervishes of rock, brandishing organs, horns, and attitudes aplenty. The Montreal (via Berlin) group sounds more like it hails from Memphis, tempering a classic rock/soul sound with a cheeky garage swagger reminiscent of acts like the Animals, 13 Floor Elevators, and any number of Nuggets-era obscurities. Led by consummate frontman Khan, the Shrines kick open the gate for the custom-fuzzed tones of apocalyptic shoegazers A Place to Bury Strangers

Unleashing "cave-stomp drums, barroom piano and chiming post-punk guitars," (Rolling Stone) COLD WAR KIDS eschew preciousness for grit. Live, they’re all smoldering energy and raw power. Joining them are local favorites ELVIS PERKINS IN DEARLAND with their dream-like folk rock "drenched in equal parts sunshine and cloudy grey skies," (Drowned in Sound) and the tuneful but hard hitting SAM CHAMPION, "an absolute force of nature." (Sterogum)

ON SATURDAY

More information at Citysol.com.

Music begins at 2pm. More information East River Music Project's website.

ON SUNDAY

The Hold Steady

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 01:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here's the background, via Sherman Foundation:

One of my friend's from work and her friend were out one night in the SF Marina district and were hanging outside of the bars trying to find a cab. One of the girl's, Olga ends up meeting this guy Dmitri and they talk for at the most 2 minutes. She hands him her business card and says call me.

Well attached is the actual voicemail that this guy left her. Wait till you hear it you will be laughing so hard you'll fall out of your chair.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Alongside Hercules and the Love Affair, Solid Gold is poised to become our latest, shameless pop obsession. Here's their new video, via Buzzfeed:

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 04:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Go away Nader.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)

Full schedule at HBO.com.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We're not sure what issue of The Believer this is from, or how we missed it for that matter since we love Zach, but he's got the whole thing posted on his site. He should do this full time for People or Parade.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Did they hire Dov Charney as marketing director? The Jeebus people are not going to like this:

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Adam Rosen was kind enough to invite FREEwilliamsburg founder, Robert Lanham, to speak on Thursday, June 26, at Happy Ending Lounge. Hope you can make it. He also posted an interview with Lanham at Gelf Magazine. From Gelf Magazine:

The Non-Motivational Speaker Series returns to New York on Thursday, June 26 at 8 p.m. Curated and hosted by Adam Rosen, this monthly event features an above-average lineup of decidedly non-motivating authorities, each presenting views alternative and overlooked on a veritable goody bag of topics. A different theme will be tackled clothesline-style each month, including, but not limited to, comedy, amateur pornography, culture jamming, and religion.

Small Media (as opposed to...Big) will be this month's topic. Featured speakers are Anna Holmes, Editor of Jezebel.com; Chez Pazienza aka Deus ex Malcontent, blogger par excellence, emmy-winning TV producer ([very] formerly of CNN), and PDF-published memoirist; and Robert Lanham, Editor of FREEwilliamsburg and author of The Hipster Handbook and The Sinner's Guide to the Evangelical Right.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

FRIDAY AT 8PM: Rooftop Films presents Shorts about Love with music by Deer Tick

Short films about love and loneliness will tug at your jaded heartstrings; Deer Tick will make you gaga for the new wave of Americana; an open Radeberger beer bar at the after party will wash all your sorrows away.

ALSO STARTING ON FRIDAY: The New York Asian Film Festival. Tokyo Gore Police looks awesome [NSFW]:

SUNDAY AT 3PM: Sunday Best! feat. Afrika Bambaataa

From The Yard's website:

Gussie up to get down. It's an easy-going, late afternoon, barbecue come dance party. Sunday Best! is once again taking over The Yard, a leafy waterside lot on the Gowanus Canal for a nice, mid-afternoon barbecue. It’s no ordinary weenie roast, though. The bar-b’s organic (provided by Kelly Geary of Sweet Deliverance) and resident DJs Justin Carter, Eamon Harkin and Doug Singer are playing alongside Afrika Bambaataa. The electro creator and hip-hop godfather is bringing it block party style. Get our your cardboard boxes and break one off.

Doors 3pm
Tickets: $8
rsvp@sundaybestnyc.com

SUNDAY AT 3PM: PS1 Summer Opening Celebration on June 22 will feature performances by Hex Message and Ecstatic Sunshine. More information here

P.F.1 (Public Farm One - pictured above) is an urban farm concept that evokes the look of a flying carpet landing in the P.S.1 courtyard. Constructed from large cardboard tubes, its top surface will be a working farm, blooming with a variety of vegetables and plants. The structure will create a textured, colorful, and constantly changing surface in contrast with P.S.1's angular concrete and gravel courtyard. P.F.1 will work as an interactive bridge between outside and inside, creating multiple zones of activity including swings, fans, sound effects, innovative seating areas, and a refreshing pool at its center. The installation will be a living structure made from inexpensive and sustainable materials recyclable after its use at P.S.1

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 03:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As was pointed out yesterday on Michelle's appearance on The View, the media is misquoting her as saying:

"For the first time in my adult life. I feel proud of my country"

‘For the first time in my adult life. I feel really proud of my country"

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

People with sophisticated taste know that Anchorman is the best movie ever made. That's why we were excited to discover the all-new Ron Burgundy Interview series on Funny or Die. Here's Ron interviewing Rebecca Romijn. Tom Brokaw after the jump.

Continue reading "The Ron Burgundy Interviews" »

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just when you think Bush Inc can't get any more fucked up. Via HuffPost

The U.S. military hid the locations of suspected terrorist detainees and concealed harsh treatment to avoid the scrutiny of the International Committee of the Red Cross, according to documents that a Senate committee released Tuesday.

"We may need to curb the harsher operations while ICRC is around. It is better not to expose them to any controversial techniques," Lt. Col. Diane Beaver, a military lawyer who's since retired, said during an October 2002 meeting at the Guantanamo Bay prison to discuss employing interrogation techniques that some have equated with torture. Her comments were recorded in minutes of the meeting that were made public Tuesday.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Finally, a summer movie we want to see is about to be released at Cinema Village on Wednesday, June 25th. Appropriately, it's called Full Grown Men, channeling our angst at the ten million *retarded* superhero movies released every year for the 11-year-old boy demographic. Full Grown Men features Amy Sedaris (worth the price of admission right there) and Debbie Harry as a mermaid. The trailer looks solid too: [hat tip Buzzfeed]

Amy Sedaris Outtakes after the jump.

Continue reading "Full Grown Men" »

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

You'd think he'd realize that his 15 or 16 remaining fans have no idea who Coby Bryant is in the first place.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Looks like its going to be a great weekend to be outside:

Sat and Sunday, from 11-7 check out The Renegade Craft Fair at McCarren Park Pool.

The Renegade Craft Fair is a unique DIY event held 4 times a year in Brooklyn, NY, Chicago, IL and San Francisco, CA. RCF has gained a reputation over the last five years as being the biggest, best and the most well-known of all the DIY craft fairs out there. Each individual fair draws hundreds of applicants and tens of thousands of shoppers from all over the country and abroad! At the RCF you'll find all sorts of cool handmade stuff ranging from comic books to craft kits, silkscreened posters to reconstructed clothing.

And on Saturday at 4pm, Vampire Weekend are playing Summer Stage [it's FREE, yay] with openers Melissa Young and Born Ruffians

Melissa Young is the older sister of DJ J2K from the project Flosstradamus. Taking her brother’s lead, Kid Sister picked up the mic and instantly blossomed into a formidable MC, with connections. She recently collaborated with Kanye West to produce “Pro-Nails.” Kid Sister’s strong presence on the mix-tape circuit and regular rotation on MTV has everyone anticipating her upcoming full-length album, Koko B. Ware.

Canadian indie rock trio Born Ruffians is the newest captivating band to surface on Warp Records. Their debut LP Red, Yellow and Blue, is a superbly poppy, intelligent and well-produced concoction that has received extensive airplay throughout Canada and is poised to go further. With infectious, sing-a-long choruses, an endless touring schedule, adoring press and growing fan base, Born Ruffians will not remain underground for long.

Also: Scumstravaganza and Sunday Best at the Yard
Love Is All, Vivian Girls, CaUSE Co-MOTION! at Market Hotel

Vampire Weekend - "A-Punk"

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

[Thanks Rumproast]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Sorry media, Harriet Christian is not representative of the typical female voter. The overhyped "women and former Clinton supporters won't vote for him" rant is a media-created non-story propelled by a few overzealous Hillaryites. Here's the proof: [via Rumproast]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

A "terrorist fist jab"? WTF???!!! Watch MSNBC slam Fox:

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 07:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

We know it's a ways away, but we're already excited to see The Dodos play Spiegelworld on September 28th. If you're not familiar, go buy their record now. Here's a taste:

Download "Fools" by The Dodos here.

We've also been LOVING The Acorn's absolutely essential "Glory Hope Mountain" which was shamefully excluded from our best of 2007 list. We hadn't heard it! It's a odd mix of Califone and Talking Heads which somehow works perfectly. Again, if you don't own it, run out and buy it now.

Download "Flood Part 1" MP3 by The Acorn here.

We also need to do penance for neglecting to mention Delta Spirit's Ode to Sunshine when it came out last year. It could be more aptly named Ode to The Kinks and Stones. And if you like either of the aforementioned, you'll dig "Ode to Sunshine."

Reminiscent of "Let's Spend the Night Together" Delta Spirit's single "Trash Can"
is a good place to start. You can grab the MP3 here.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 07:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brooklyn Vegan has the story.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 05:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Did we mention it's free. More info here. RSVP at 800.304.5226.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 02:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This guy is hilarious. [Hat tip Rumproast]

Trale Lewous on Butterfinegers after the jump.

Continue reading "Hey It's Me, Trale Lewous!" »

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

From the event's website:

Neighborhood artists will open their studios Saturday June 7th and Sunday the 8th from 12 to 7pm. Hundreds of artists will be showing work in their own studios and in group shows at venues in the neighborhood. There will also be dozens of artist-organized events throughout the weekend.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We personally think Hillary's reasons for refusing to concede are monetary in nature. She wants the Obama campaign to give her money to pay off her supposed debts. [Even after lending her campaign $5 mil, the Clintons are still loaded]. Still, The Guardian makes a compelling argument about her intentions.

Once again, it's all about Hillary Clinton, who delivered the most abrasive, self-absorbed, selfish, delusional, emasculating and extortionate political speech I've heard in a long time. And I've left out some adjectives, just to be polite.... What's her game? It's this, I think. It's not merely to be vice president. Although apparently it is that. I take it she and Bill have decided that being Obama's vice-president for eight years is the most plausible path to the presidency. But she did not on Tuesday night merely try to make a case for herself as a good vice-presidential candidate. She held a rhetorical knife to Obama's throat and said, in not so many words: I'm still calling some shots, buddy. You offer me the vice-presidency, or I walk away. But she has also forced Obama into a situation whereby if he chooses her now, he looks weak. So that's the choice she is hoping to impose on the nominee: don't choose me, and Bill and I will subtly work to see that you lose; choose me, and look like a weakling who can't lead the party without the Clintons after all. Now that's putting the interests of the party first, isn't it?

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Now let's go kick McCain's ass.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)