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A 'Breakdown' for Green Day
In 2004, seminal punkers Green Day unleashed "American Idiot," a sprawling, ambitious rock opera that went on to sell more than 5 million copies in the U.S. alone, and win Grammys for best rock album and record of the year. On May 15, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool unleash "21st Century Breakdown," their new disc that plays on an even grander scale than "Idiot."
Broken into three acts -- "Heroes and Cons," "Charlatans and Saints" and "Horseshoe and Handgrenades" -- "Breakdown" consists of 18 songs and clocks in at 69 minutes. Of the new record, New York Times music critic Jon Pareles wrote "The music is more expansive in every way, encompassing more styles and arriving in a newly spacious, three-dimensional production."
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Holy ponzi scheme, Batman! Adam West is broke
"That sounds like something the Riddler would say!"
The Web site, funnyordie.com, continues to mine comedic gold, this time with actor Adam West skewering himself as Batman. In the short, West who refers to himself as Batman in the third person, is having a Bat Cave garage sale, because "Earlier this year, Batman succumbed to the evil perils of Bernie Maddoff!" After putting a price tag of $1,000 on a Bat Communicator, Batman, er West, settles for $20, gleefully saying to himself "Batman is $15 closer to another night at the Ramada Inn!"
He implores another couple to take him to Arby's for a Big Beef and Cheddar, and feigns falling asleep on his feet to stop their incessant questioning of his finances (when the couple ask the snoring West if he is faking, West shakes his head no.).
By the end of the video, West finally gets that Big Beef and Cheddar, proclaiming to himself "Better than hot water and ketchup, right Batman?!"
Go to funnyordie.com and search for keywords "batman garage sale" to bring up the video.
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Jean Claude Van Damme is Jean Claude Van Damme
Is there anything cooler than watching a cheesy action star play himself in a spook mockumentary about his own life? I would venture that, no, there is not.
"JCVD" is a French film (yes, it has subtitles) which stars Van Damme as a down-and-out action star who has no money, no job and is in the middle of nasty custody battle with ex-wife over his daughter.
After pretty much giving up on life, Van Damme returns home to Belgium where he is still revered as a national hero. But in this world of Van Damme as ultimate loser, even that doesn't last long.
When he arrives at a local post office to receive a wire transfer, he unwittingly finds himself in the middle of a hostage situation which through a series of misfortunate events, police believe he is the perpetrator of. The events that follow are played out from a variety of angles featuring Van Damme in several roles: JCVD as hero to the hostages, or as hostage negotiator and so on.
"JCVD" is now available for rental and for you Netflix users, the film is available to watch instantly from your computer.
-- Staff Report
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