Cornelius Perform On Nick Jr.'s Yo Gabba Gabba!

No longer the die-hard Nickelodeon-Head that I absolutely once was, I've missed out on some serious next-generation kids show scoping. However, you, like me, may have collected word over the past couple of years that Nick Jr. show Yo Gabba Gabba! was laying claim to some pretty killer format experimentation, most notably of which consists of sing-alongs lead by a handful of impressively top name indie bands.

There was mention of The Shins & Mates of State taking part in the action, first peaking my interest. Both those bands create music one can imagine children digesting comfortably & singing along to in joyful, melodious wonder. But last week, it was reported that Cornelius had taped a performance for the show. As in the awesome, shredding, Japanese math rock band, Cornelius?! This Cornelius?!?!?:

Clearly, Yo Gabba Gabba! is the greatest children's show of all time.

Unfortunately, there is no way to embed video of the performance, but you can and should take a look over at Jezebel, or watch full screen on Yo Gabba's own site (how cool is their site? Adult Swim for kids).

Cornelius is one of my favorite artists whose rockin', strange time signature music practically begs to be used cinematically. Ranging anywhere from acoustic, Zen-like calm to thrashy, noise-art rock, their kinetic & frenzied sound marries wonderfully to visuals, and some of Japan's top visual artists agree. In addition to some fantastically surreal & beautiful music videos, the band performs live in front of a large screen displaying video pieces created by various such artists that are specifically synchronized to their playing. Here's what the beginning of a show looked like during their recent Sensuous Synchronized tour:

I think it's safe to say that Cornelius is breaking some new ground in redefining what's possible at a live show. Videos like that prove you don't have to be U2 or Radiohead to utilize the wonders of synched visuals. Here are some more of the group's amazing background videos, sans the band:

As mentioned before, the band has some great traditional music videos as well. Take a peak:

I myself used many songs off the band's 2001 album Point throughout SEAN. (a feature film I made in 2005) and the band's "I Hate Hate" was the theme song to a television public access show I co-created called I'm On Public Access!:

Cornelius' last release was Sensuous in 2006, and assumedly, a follow up is in the works. Until then, may I suggest feasting the eyes & ears on their Grammy-winning CD/DVD Sensurround + B Sides ("Best Surround Sound Album" Woooo!).

*UPDATE*: Just learned that Cornelius has apparently written new music for Shawn Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright's new film, Scott Pilgram Vs. The World. Hopefully, this signals a new venture for Cornelius in scoring film.

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Go Forth: Levi's Dreamy New Ads Are The Bomb

Obama '08!

By now, most of us are familiar with Levi's newest series of ads: a jumble of wistfully filmed footage evoking the nostalgic sense of old-school patriotism apparently running rampant in today's Obama-era youth. One thing is for sure - they are some of the more visually & creatively striking ads in recent memory. But do they successfully redefine the Levi's brand? Are they too much all at once?

Here is Levi's first, extended 'Go Forth' ad which first caught my eye online a couple of months ago:

When that appeared during the opening previews to a film I saw in theaters (before trimmed versions of this began airing all over TV), the audience of young 20-somethings - the ad's intended demographic - burst into laughter at the abrupt Levi's logo tailing the piece.

One obvious problem was the lack of straightforward product display in the pitch - the same criticism so commonly leveled at...abstract jean ads that don't show any jeans. But, the scoff itself was also a sign that people were invested & proof of the advertisement's powerful ability to move. The interjection of the brand's logo during the haunting sound of a violently waving flag after an ear-shattering gunshot may not have been the smoothest exercise in subtlety, but it certainly lets us know who's running the show.

Aesthetically, the ads have a uniquely cinematic dream quality that is immediately gripping (we have the ads creators, Wieden & Kennedy, to thank for that, who, funny enough, also created the great Maria Bamford Target Ads I wrote about last week). Ethereal and atmospheric, the spots present a new, inventive idea - great editing undercut by scratchy phonograph recordings of poets reading their own words, balanced with strange & moody background music.

But again, are they effective? As a consumer, do I now have a different, more positive image in my head of what Levi's jeans & clothing represent? Actually, yes. Yes I do. In fact I can't even recall the last incarnation of Levi's identity. Up until this much needed facelift, they had succumbed to being just...jeans. Another company. Now, at the very least, they stand out as something.

The rest of the campaign, unfortunately - and perhaps inevitably - slips into gimmick. One look at their Go Forth website, with it's attempts to act as a gathering place for those with "indomitable american spirit" and "revolutionary thinking", is enough to make you throw up all those beers you drank while listening to Obama's inauguration speech last January. We saw the ad, we don't need another social network. Please just, just show me where to buy the jeans.

And let's not forget, in theory, the intention of these ads is no different from that of the horrendous, hilariously condescending Miracle Whip ads that have aired in the past year:

Clearly, it is the execution that determines whether or not we figuratively & literally buy it.

So, as a result of all this, do I want to Go Forth (get it) and purchase a pair of Levi's jeans? No, I'm OK. I have a couple of pairs of jeans lying around that still fit and look fine. Not to mention there are few experiences I look forward to less than trying on pants in a store. But I've made a mental note for when my "This Country Was Not Built By Men In Suits" look needs some creative retooling.

(For anyone looking to read more on the subject, Bob Garfield, a writer for AdAge, has an interesting review of the Go Forth ads I ran across while "researching." It discusses further the paradoxical nature of the campaign: "it's no good because it's too good by half." Worth checking out.)

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Last Call With Carson Daly: Suddenly...Awesome?

Then:

Now:

When NBC made their big late night transition, moving Leno to 10, Conan to 11:35 and Fallon to 12:30, it seemed an existential crisis was in order for Carson Daly and crew. Last Call With Carson Daly, Daly's attempt at a studio talk show, was in poor shape. Having appeared in the 1:30 spot after Conan since 2002, the half-hour show never failed to emit the feel of an awkwardly painful, 3rd rate talk show. The problem wasn't just that Daly wasn't a comedian and had trouble managing a studio audience; the bigger issue seemed to be that the show didn't offer any unique reason to tune in.

So, in the midst of this line up shake-up, Carson & gang decided to take a week, hit the road and film some travel segments outside the studio while on a cross country extravaganza through various American cities. Though this period sometimes took on the look and feel of a Coke commercial targeting young 20 somethings enhanced by the annoyingly reflective narration of Daly, it was evident that this new format might signal an interesting evolutionary step in the right direction for the show. Could this be the key to harnessing Daly's inexplicable and hard to pin down calm charisma that made watching late 90's pop music videos somehow easy to digest?

Smartly, they quickly realized that their old format would not hold water in this new, jazzed up era of NBC late night. Instead, they decided to embrace their inability to draw substantial talent by introducing newer, "undiscovered" acts to a television audience that wouldn't normally have the chance at this stage in their career, if at all.

And, since shedding the need for a studio audience, the show has become mobile, allowing for intimate--and many times, insightful--interviews. Carson may not be the best interviewer in the game, but he is an excellent converser, and can bring the interviewees down to a level of open casualness that isn't possible in front of a live audience. In this sense, Daly's lack of knowing, comic wit, which propels shows like Conan's, is his greatest advantage. He gives the sense that him & the guest are hanging at a bar, talking over a beer, which many times, they are.

The show also features a strong focus on music, which is where Carson is in his element. Not only is the show able to film bands as they perform for their own fans in venues around LA, but the edited segments feature some of the best, coolest music that can be heard on TV (a whole lot cooler than MTV). I've found that one of the draws of considering Carson Daly's musical taste is that it isn't grounded in whether or not the music is hip, but whether or not the music is actually any good.

But, perhaps the coolest aspect of the new and improved Last Call with Carson Daly, is that it's become the first late night show I can think of where the audience can learn about things they wouldn't have otherwise discovered, rather than being presented with a continual stream of guests merely pedaling their media product du jour (French for, "of the day"). The guests on Last Call feel more like subjects the show has chosen to cover rather than talent ordered by the network to have on, which, assumedly, is the freedom that comes with having an undesirable 1:30am slot. "Check this out" is something Daly often says before cutting to a segment, and that's exactly how it feels: a small group of people making a show composed of things they think are cool or interesting, and they are excited to show it to you and hear what you think. It's a strangely humbling goal in this day and age of television.

The show can still suffer from editing overkill, looking like a film school student's interpretation of an MTV show. But hey, it's on NBC, not MTV. And again, at 1:30 in the morning. It's all part of the aforementioned humble-factor. I'll put it this way: it could be a whole lot worse. Let them experiment. I'm all for it. Good job, Carson & crew, it's working.

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Target Courts Maria Bamford

Black Friday Post-Thanksgiving Shop/Consume/America/Buy Buy Buy Day was a week and a half ago, but I didn't want to miss posting these amazingly weird Target ads staring the underrated Maria Bamford:


That aired on national TV multiple times. Isn't that...cool? While it's nothing super crazy, its nice to know that we're at a point where more alternative, weirdo comedy can comfortably enter the mainstream commercial lexicon.

Also, its important to note this isn't a Skittles or Snickers commercial, where the target (ha) audience is composed of 15 year old Venture Bros. fans. This commercial is intended for the very demographic -- shop-conscious middle aged moms -- it's more or less spoofing as, well, crazy. So, props to Target for having the balls to take a chance with these.

If you, like me, have been a fan of Bamford's since her emergence on Comedy Central stand-up specials way back, you'll recognize the character in the ads as sort of an exaggerated incarnation of her "deep voice" character. Bamford, in reality, has more of a shy, mousy voice and the contrast produces hilarity. This little bit (from her 1st Comedy Central special, the one I remember first seeing her in) is interesting considering her so far strange, winding career. Who is Maria Bamford?:
Comedy Central Special (#1) Clip

Maria Bamford! MySpace Video

Bamford found a place in the alternative comedy scene when she went on tour with these dudes:


She then began collaborating with Tim & Eric, perhaps further developing the spotty character that would emerge in the Target ads:



Unsuprisingly, she has done a fair amount of voice work, appearing in audio form in Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz's Sit Down Shut Up, American Dad!, Home Movies and a bunch of kid's cartoon shows. I really hope her work in these Target ads springboard her career toward more live action roles; Bamford deserves to be in front of the cam in bigger mainstream projects.

Maybe as the evil sister of (unusually similar looking) Rachel McAdams?

Here are two more of the Black Friday Target ads that aired on TV staring Bamford:



Get this woman a show!

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Ken Jeong: A New York Times Profile In The Making

Few comic actors manage to suddenly appear in every funny project spanning multiple mediums in a matter of three short years. When someone does, it's a good sign that there is a wellspring of untapped potential genius waiting to burst into leading man territory.

If one were to ask a typical TV or movie watcher whether the name Ken Jeong rang a bell, it likely would not. But, granted they are not an Amish recluse, they know and have seen him before. Between 2004 and 2009, Jeong has the following (among many other) credits to his name:

Grounded For Life

MAD TV

Two and a Half Men

Mind of Mencia

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

The Office

Entourage

The Shield

Knocked Up

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Boston Legal

Step Brothers

Pineapple Express

Role Models

American Dad

Party Down

The Hangover

The Goods

Community

Couples Retreat

So let's see: Apatow loves him. Will Ferrell & Adam McKay love him. Larry David loves him. Seth MacFarlane loves him. Greg Daniels & Ricky Gervais love him. David Wain loves him. Jon Favreau & Vince Vaughn love him. Todd Phillips (Hangover & Old School director) loves him. For Christ's sake, Charlie Sheen & gang love him. (Unfortunately, Carlos Mencia, too, adores Jeong). It appears pretty clear that we should start paying close attention to Mr. Jeong and his work.

As of right now, his IMDB page doesn't list a starring vehicle in the near future. I believe, however, we will see one within the next few years. I wonder what type of film he could helm? I'd like to see him in a role that utilizes and explores his darker acting talent (the doctor in Knocked Up, quick role in The Office episode, teacher in Community), rather than his goofier, over the top "I'm an Asian guy" bit (The Hangover, Role Models, The Goods). More than likely, it'll probably be a hybrid of the two, which may be the best route anyway.

Long story short, he deserves better than this:

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Todd Solondz, Todd Solondz, Todd Solondz.

After re-watching Palindromes last night for the first time in a long while, I was reminded just how masterfully skilled of a writer/director/artist the film's creator really is. If you're not familiar with Todd Solondz's work, he has made a total of 5 films, each a darkly comic look at the strange, the outcast, the things in society we fear examining too closely out of the discomfort they evoke. Pedophilia, rape, underage pregnancy, severe mental and physical handicap are all common themes that take precedence in his films.

Here's the thing: his films are fucking hilarious. "You sick bastard" is the response I'm sensing. In less talented hands, yes, this would likely be the case. But the genius of Todd Solondz's work lies in getting his (staggeringly talented) actors to portray such funny, overly-flawed characters as if there is nothing funny or comical about them. The resulting effect can be disturbing, sad, profound, and hilarious all at the same time. It's unlike anything else, and the strangeness and incongruity of it all immediately sucks you into its world. And how it is able to do this, is all because of Solondz's shrewdness as a fantastic filmmaker.

Before I get to Palindromes, here is one of my favorite scenes from Solondz's 2001 film Storytelling, which will hopefully give the uninitiated a taste of the rhythm and balance of tragedy and humor in the writer-director's work:

Here's a scene from his 1998 film Happiness that, considering the wholesome, sit-com lesson-learning string music that rides in, leans more toward the overtly funny. What makes it funny, is that this music is paired with an absolutely cringe-worthy scene involving a father talking to his son far too candidly about masturbation. (*Only watch until scene ends at 2:30 to avoid spoilers.)

In my eyes, Palindromes, his fourth major feature film, takes things to an entirely new level creatively, artistically and philosophically. It is the journey of a single soul embodied by 8 actresses who couldn't be more different on the outside, yet in each we see the same quiet, sweet speaking pattern and soft, hurt eyes. There are so many tragic, flawed, and sad, sad characters in this film, and one question the film asks is: Is there such thing as hope?

When I first saw Palindromes a couple of years ago, I considered it one of Solondz's lesser films. An intriguing experiment that was not 100 percent successful. After last nights viewing, I'm convinced Palindromes is Solondz's masterpiece. Unfortunately, there aren't ideal clips of the film online, so I'll instead post one of the film's trailers:

Solondz's newest film, Life During Wartime, is due to hit theaters soonish, but no trailer has been released as of yet. Needless to say, I'm super psyched.

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The Coolest Music Video of 2009

Justice, the French two-man DJ group, it could be said, share certain similarities with fellow French two-man DJ group, Daft Punk. Not only do both artists transform obscure sample hooks into rockin', pulsating electronic dance jams rather brilliantly, but each also produce some of the more inventive, visually (and creatively) daring music videos in the music video game.

Case in point: Here is the video for Justice's remix of the Lenny Kravtiz song "Let Love Rule", and my vote for Coolest Music Video of 2009. (Directed by Keith Schofield) [Credit to G. D'Amico for sending me this].

Lenny Kravitz (Justice Remix) - Let Love Rule
by elnino

Pretty darn neat, huh? I wanna see a movie end like this. We need more creative emphasis on ending credits in film.

Justice seem to take a liking toward videos that play around with this concept of interacting with super-imposed text. Here's one for their song "D.A.N.C.E.", which was nominated for Best Music Video at the 2007 MTV Music Video Awards. (Directed by Jonas & François (75 prod), Graphic Design by So-Me)

JUSTICE - D.A.N.C.E.
by edbangerrecords

And finally, a third text/font based video from the duo, a barrage of logo-inspired typeface displaying phrases and lyrics from the song. Here's the video for "DVNO". (Directed by So-Me, Yorgo Tloupas and Machine Molle)

Justice - DVNO (Official Music Video)

Jus† Daf† | MySpace Video

Any suggestions for other cool/interesting/inventive music videos produced in 2009? Let me know!

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The Something Something Something Something of This Person

First off, we all know AMERICA IS THE BEST AT CREATING ANYTHING EVER. So, it's slightly jarring to learn the news that David Cross created a television show staring him, Will Arnett and Spike Jonze (you heard right) specifically for a UK television network. The title of the show is The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret which unfortunately, I hate. This kind of title is becoming a trend for shows that are horrible (there's one with Julia Louis Dreyfus I think, and something else. A baseless generalization, haven't seen any of the shows that have similar titles. Can't even name them. Fact is I don't like 'em, and that's that.) Good news, however, is that this one looks promising. And Todd Margaret is a hilarious name for an insecure, "pussy" protagonist. Here's a clip of the show's pilot:



Liiiittle heavy on the dick boss saying 'fuck' humor, but the combo of these three is something to behold.

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