In director Lee Toland Krieger's comedic drama Celeste and Jesse Forever, Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) met in high school, married young and are growing apart. Now thirty, Celeste is the driven owner of her own media consulting firm, while Jesse is once again unemployed and in no particular rush to do anything with his life. Celeste is convinced that divorcing Jesse is the right thing to do--she is on her way up, he is on his way nowhere, and if they do it now instead of later, they can remain supportive friends. Jesse passively accepts this transition into friendship, even though he is still in love with her. As the reality of their separation sets in, Celeste slowly and painfully realizes she has been cavalier about their relationship. While navigating the turbulent changes in their lives and in their hearts, these two learn that in order to truly love someone, you may have to let them go.

As you you might have been able to tell from the flyer above, BrooklynVegan is presenting a free preview screening of Celeste and Jesse Forever on Monday, July 30 at 7PM at Landmark Sunshine Cinema (143 E. Houston St., NYC). To get a pair of screening passes, you need to RSVP to to BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM with the subject line "Celeste and Jesse Forever." Include your first and last name in the email and your phone number. Your contact info will not be shared with anyone else, and only used to confirm your reservation. BUT, as usual with these sort of things, you need to RSVP, but the screening (capacity 166) is first-come, first-served for those on the RSVP list (aka RSVP does not guarantee entry so arrive early to claim your spot).

The day after our screening, 92YTribeca will show the film as well, with a post-screening Q&A with actors Rashida Jones (who co-wrote the screenplay) and Will McCormack as well as director Lee Toland Krieger. This one's not free ($18) and you can buy tickets here. The film opens at Sunshine Cinema and elsewhere in NYC & LA in limited release on August 3. You can watch the trailer below.

Continue reading "come to a free screening of "Celeste and Jesse Forever" (starring Andy Samberg & Rashida Jones)"

The Year is 1984, and on the rural East Coast of New Zealand "Thriller" is changing kids' lives. Inspired by the Oscar nominated Two Cars, One Night, BOY is the hilarious and heartfelt coming-of-age tale about heroes, magic, and Michael Jackson. BOY is a dreamer who loves Michael Jackson. He lives with his brother ROCKY, a tribe of deserted cousins and his Nan. Boy's other hero, his father, ALAMEIN, is the subject of Boy's fantasies, and he imagines him as a deep sea diver, war hero and a close relation of Michael Jackson (he can even dance like him). In reality he's "in the can for robbery". When Alamein returns home after 7 years away, Boy is forced to confront the man he thought he remembered, find his own potential and learn to get along without the hero he had been hoping for.

BOY was written and directed by Oscar nominee Taika Waititi (Flight of the Conchords, Eagle vs Shark) who also stars in the film. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2010, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. It since has done really well in New Zealand, where it was released to much acclaim. It will get an American release on March 2, but you'll be able to see it a bit sooner than that.

BrooklynVegan is proud to present a free screening of BOY at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on Tuesday, February 28. The movie starts at 8 PM and will be followed by a Michael Jackson dance party in the front bar at 10 PM.

Like our 2010 screening of Exit Through the Gift Shop and our 2011 screening of Senna, Knitting Factory will be filled with chairs and the screening is first come, first served.

Taika Waititi is also funding the American release of the film on Kickstarter. As of this post, there's 8 days to go and the $90,000 is just under halfway met.

Watch the film trailer below...

Continue reading "BV Presents a free screening of 'BOY' @ Knitting Factory Tues."

"I make a lot of coffee," James Murphy told NY Mag in an interview after the movie's premiere. "For my birthday, my girlfriend got me a training course with the world champion. That's what I'm going to do when I get back to London."

Yet another one! Joining Wilco, David Lynch, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, and Starfucker in the coffee business is former LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy.

Most recently done by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy with his limited edition "Bonny Billy Blend" from Kona Rose Coffee (available for purchase via Drag City), Murphy is planning on reiterating the trend with his own espresso blend.

According to Murphy himself, he plans to "just go to a roaster who lives near me and just start tweaking beans and temperatures," for the fun of it.

He loves coffee so much, he's releasing the hits, "Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up (Without Coffee)", "Disco Percolator", and "Bean Connection."

Well, not really, but James is keeping busy in the art world too. The LCD Soundsystem documentary Shut Up and Play the Hits just premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22. Billboard reports:

The film is reminscent of Martin Scorsese's "The Last Waltz" (1978), about rock group The Band's final show, in that it documents an influential group's guest star-laden final live performance and largely focuses on the frontman (in "Waltz's" case, Robbie Robertson). When asked during a post-screening Q&A about trying to best Waltz, Murphy joked: "I was just like, 'that chump Robbie Roberston, I'm gonna take him --'"

Going into the project, Murphy said he was aware of the thematic similarities with "Waltz." "We all talked about it. Knowing that it is there, you can't not deal with it," he said.

In the film, Murphy is often shown "crouched by an espresso machine," depicting his love of coffee, and inspiration for his blend.

And, "Shut Up and Play the Hits" was just one of two movies Murphy was involved with at Sundance this year. He also stars in The Comedy along with Bonnie Prince Billy's Drag City labelmate Neil Hamburger, Tim Heidecker (of Tim & Eric who also premiered another movie at Sundance), Eric Wareheim (of Tim & Eric who also premiered another movie at Sundance), Matador-signed comedian Jeffrey Jensen, Will Sheff (of Okkervil River), and many more. The film was directed by the Jagjaguwar-signed Rick Alverson, and the indie label is also involved with the film. Check out a clip with James,Tim & Eric below...

Continue reading "like Bonnie Prince Billy, James Murphy is making his own coffee (and he's in 2 new movies too) (1 with Tim & Eric)"

Tim & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, #shrim

"The number of walkouts during a recent Sundance showing of Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie, was almost as funny as the vulgar abominations of comedy happening on screen.

Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, known for their bizarre comedy sketch show Tim and Eric's Awesome Show, Great Job! on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, expanded their gallery of grotesques and non sequiturs to a feature-length movie, which made its debut here in Park City.

The surreal (to say the least) story follows Tim and Eric after they lose $1 billion on a movie starring a Johnny Depp lookalike, then have to take over an apocalyptic shopping mall full of hobos, wolves, and losers to earn back the money. Bloodshed, sadistic bathroom humor, and heavy-duty nincompoopery follow.

At least one couple storming out of the theater actually hollered back at the screen. Heidecker and Wareheim could barely contain their glee at a post-screening Q&A. "What'd he say?" Heidecker demanded." [EW]

There's my Chippy! Someone break out the shrimp and white wine, Tim & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie premieres on demand TODAY (1/27). Check your cable listings. The film by the comedy duo, which hits theaters on March 2nd and made its premiere at Sundance, also features Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and Will Forte.

A few lucky (?) people will also get to check it out on a big screen before 3/2 along with the stars of the film Tim Heidecker & Eric Wareheim in the house, appearing as part of a Q&A session. You'll find Tim & Eric in San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Austin, Los Angeles, and NYC in February and early March, though tickets to all these special screenings (like at Sunshine Cinema in NYC on February 16th) are pretty much sold out.

More details on the appearances and the trailer and other videos below...

Continue reading ""Angry moviegoers storm out of Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie" (which goes on demand today)"

LCD Soundsystem at MSG 4/2/11 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

LCD Soundsystem played their final show at Madison Square Garden on April 2, 2011 after a four night run at Terminal 5. BV photographer Dominick Mastrangelo, who was at the show, wrote:

From where I was in the middle of the front GA section nobody stopped dancing, or singing along or smiling the entire night. (Save for, like at all four Terminal 5 shows, the couple of awkward, yet brief and deserved intermissions.) Every turn to scan the Garden saw people full-on, in the groove dancing; not just some barely-registered shuffling back and forth. Honestly, everyone who was there should take a bow because they were fantastic.

And no, there was no Daft Punk, but there was Arcade Fire singing joyously along on "North American Scum" (the third set's highlight) and an appearance by Reggie Watts who also played with the band at three of the four Terminal 5 shows. The boys choir featuring members of Mr. Dream was there, as were the two female backup singers, and the horn section that included Kelly Pratt and Colin Stetson. Original LCD guitarist Phil Mossman was back and featured a few times in addition to LCD band members
Nancy Whang, Tyler Pope, Pat Mahoney, Matt Thornley, Gavin Russom, and David Scott Stone.

A documentary of the show, titled Shut Up and Play the Hits, was made and will debut at the Sundance Film Festival this month. It was directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace. Watch the trailer, with more info about the movie too, below...

Continue reading "LCD Soundsystem documentary about final MSG show debuting @ Sundance (watch the trailer now)"

Cee-Lo @ Sundance 2011

Cee-Lo Green, who made a surprise appearance at 'Bing Bar' at Sundance on 1/23, will open for Prince at Madison Square Garden on February 7th. That's six days before he performs on the Grammys along with Eminem, Lady Gaga, Arcade Fire, Justin Bieber, Miranda Lambert, Katy Perry, Muse, B.o.B, Usher, Bruno Mars, Jaden Smith and Janelle Monae who also recently opened for Prince.

In March Cee-Lo heads to Europe for some shows after a rumored appearance at SXSW.

Check out the trailer for "Bodies", Cee-Lo's new "motion picture by Mikael Colombu Films," starring Kerry Washington, Karl Lagerfeld, and Janelle Monae, below...

Continue reading "Cee-Lo played Sundance, opening 4 Prince, playing Grammys"

by BBG

A Tribe Called Quest takes it to the stage.

The Sundance Film Festival is the pre-eminent independent film festival in the US, and 2011 features some interesting competitors in the way of music (and music related) film. First up is a new documentary on a legendary hip hop crew, A Tribe Called Quest. directed by Michael Rapaport (yes, that one). Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest chronicles the internal battles between Q-Tip & Phife Dawg and features appearances from Nas, De La Soul, The Roots, Mos Def, Kanye West, Large Professor, Prince Paul, all four members of ATCQ, and many many others. Trailer for the film is below.

Elgin James has distanced himself from his FSU past, and now he's stepping behind the camera for a new film etitled Little Girls. James serves as Director and Screenwriter for this feature...

"Amidst the stark landscape of the Salton Sea, two 15-year-old girls test the limits of their friendship when one follows the other to Los Angeles. Cast: Juno Temple, Kay Panabaker, Leslie Mann, Kate Bosworth, Kyle Gallner."

I didn't see the words "edge", "core", or "scene" anywhere in that synopsis. And yes, that Leslie Mann and Kate Bosworth.

James Taylor & Carole King will be the subject of Troubadours "A musical journey tracing the lives and careers of ...[these] pillars of the California singer/songwriter scene, which converged in and around LA's Troubadour Club in the late 1960s and early 1970s." This documentary is directed by Morgan Neville, who helmed docs on Stax Records, Iggy Pop, Johnny Cash, and many others.

Last but not least, Sing Your Song examines the man that I best knew for soundtracking my favorite Beetlejuice scene, Harry Belafonte. Besides sunny songs, the film "unearths his significant contribution to and his leadership in the civil rights movement in America and to social justice globally."

Full list of Sundance films is here, and you can check out the (must see) ATCQ trailer below.

Continue reading "A Tribe Called Quest documentary & other Sundance films"

DOWNLOAD: Califone - Funeral Singers (MP3)

Califone are currently on tour with Wilco. On Wednesday, March 17th, you can catch them at SXSW where they'll be playing the official BrooklynVegan showcase at Club DeVille along with Serena Maneesh and four more artists TBA.

After SXSW, Califone will head to NYC for a Tuesday, March 30th show at the Bell House with Sonoi. Tickets are on sale.

Though they won't at the Brooklyn show, or at the official SXSW show, Califone will be (and has been) playing along with their superb All My Friends Are Funeral Singers film on other dates (as they did at 92YTribeca when they were last in NYC during CMJ). The accompanying CD came out last year on Dead Oceans. The film just screened at Sundance in January and was picked up for release on DVD...

IndiePix Films announced today the acquisition of distribution rights to "All My Friends Are Funeral Singers", the film directed by Tim Rutili and executive produced by Glen Sherman. DVD release is scheduled for April 13. Zel is a fortune teller, sharing her home with a group of ghosts who help her remove clients' aches and pains, advise gamblers, and channel cranky spirits to check on their loved ones. When a mysterious light appears in the woods and the ghosts realize they are trapped, Zel is forced to come to terms with the origins of these spirits and let go of the only family she has ever known. Superstition, sound and the confines of Zel's claustrophobic house feed the film's construction, allowing the story to unfold like the music of Califone, who provide the lush original soundtrack. IndiePix will manage the distribution of this film in theatrical, DVD, digital and new media markets worldwide.

You can get "Funeral Singers" (the almost-title track) from that record above. Clips from All My Friends and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Califone playing Brooklyn & the BrooklynVegan showcase @ SXSW --- movie screened at Sundance, DVD out in April "

DJ Geologist @ AMNH on January 8th (more by Tim Griffin)

Animal Collective and frequent collaborator Danny Perez created a very colorful movie that entirely lacks a plot, but is a series of musical and visual motifs to make a whole. It kick-starts with what seems to be headlights on tall grass, and that's as explicable and transparent as "ODDSAC" gets.

It clocks in 53 minutes and boasts all-new compositions from the Brooklyn-based noise-crafters unlike anything we've heard from them before. These generally are not complete songs, but moods and, at times, predictably, purposefully grating rhythms and riffs. [Hitfix]

ODDSAC, "A Visual Album by Danny Perez and Animal Collective," premiered at Sundance on Tuesday (1/26) - it plays there all week, and has scheduled screenings in NYC and Chicago this March.

There will be two Tuesday, March 2nd showings (6:30pm, 8:30pm) at NY's Visual Arts Theatre (333 West 23rd St). Tickets for 6:30pm and tickets for 8:30pm are both on sale. Director Danny Perez and members of Animal Collective will be in attendence.

If Panda Bear is one of the members attending, he'll have to work it around his European tour dates, which are mainly in March with scattered other overseas days that include ATP UK on May 7th and Barcelona's Primavera Fest on May 27th.

ODDSAC trailer, screening times, and all Panda Bear tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Animal Collective movie ODDSAC premiered at Sundance, screening elsewhere (tix on sale) +++ more Panda Bear dates "

Beach House @ Williamsburg Waterfront (more by Bao Nguyen)

Beach House have announced a full set of 2010 tour dates that include an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (Jan. 22nd), Sundance (Jan 24), The Bell House (with Jana Hunter), Webster Hall, and much more. All dates below...

Continue reading "Beach House - updated 2010 Tour Dates"

The RZA @ Hiro Ballroom, NYC - Dec 30, 2007 (Ryan Dombal)

Jeffrey Lewis @ Joe's Pub - Jan 10, 2008 (Ryan Dombal)

* Antibalas @ Southpaw
* Patti Smith @ The Met
* Laura Marling @ Union Hall
* The Rosebuds & Tigercity @ Music Hall
* The Mugs, The Diggs & Mussels @ Cake Shop
* The Mooney Suzuki and others @ Luna Lounge
* Au Revoir Simone, April March & Bell @ Bowery Ballroom
* Redford touts new generation of Sundance filmmakers

What else?

Comprised of collected performances from U2’s 2006 South American tour, U2 3-D makes use of “digital 3-D and surround sound technology to plunge us into almost supernatural proximity to the musicians.” In other words, you can almost pluck the fly eyeshades from Bono’s slickened hair. Sounds like a can’t miss doc for U2 fans, who couldn’t afford tickets anywhere but the nosebleed section. Besides it wouldn’t be a Sundance music doc without Bono sticking his Irish mug somewhere. [Rundown On Sundance Music Docs]

I actually saw the trailer for this in a 3-D IMAX theater in Washington DC right before New Years. I definitely would have paid to see the whole movie on that screen (which is billed as the largest screen in the world). That's partly because I love everything in 3-D IMAX, partly because I'm a "music fan", and partly because the trailer just made it seem hilariously awesome - this GIANT Bono making Bono faces right in your face in 3-D, the roaring crowd, etc. I don't know if I would see it anywhere but IMAX though. It opens in a bunch of them (including Lincoln Center in NYC) on January 23rd, then a lot more theaters on Feb. 15th, and it's at Sundance now.

Also at Sundance now
1 - CSNY: Déjà vu
2 - Patti Smith: Dream of Life
3 - Slingshot Hip Hop
4 - Anvil! The True Story of Anvil!