#< australia's fred armisen

[ratherembarrassing]

2023: WEEK 1

triangle of sadness (2022): nearly didn't go see this because i was deeply nervous about the vomiting scene, which turned out to be hilarious and only a little bit incredibly gross. a tremendous visceral movie about, amongst other things, how lacking in viscera society is at the moment.

the menu (2022): i watched this the day after triangle of sadness, and it was the perfect time to watch it. the impulse, i imagine, if you saw this some random day in your life, would probably be to extrapolate out a general commentary on rich people ruining everything. but it's so much better on a microscopic level, to think about it only and specifically in relation to the intersection of something so fundamental as food and something so abstract as art with a capital A and something so revolting as money.

wednesday (2022, netflix): the 1991 addams family movie and the 1964 addams family tv show are keystones to my existence, so i was somewhat skeptical about this because to be honest i hate tim burton. but i think everyone else involved in making this was likely tasked with tying him to a chair and telling him "no" a lot, because beyond the bounds of where you could feel his touch all over something, there was so much where you could feel his absence, which made the bits where he was allowed mostly better. i did not care for fred armisen's uncle fester.

just a minute (1967-, bbc radio): the answer to what did i do on my two 9-hour car journeys across australia was listen, non-stop, to every episode of just a minute on the bbc sounds app. now i'm making my way through random compilations of earlier series on youtube.

the lgbtqia themed rubik's cube that was going around on tumblr like 6 months ago that finally arrived this week in my mailbox: this thing is fucking hard to do. i can do a rubik's cube, but when you have to also hold the colour arrangements of every pride flag in your head as well, it's fucking hard.

a tiny pink plush cube with face like : 0 embroidered on it: thank you kmart.

[kokomeong]

The End of An Era - A Tribute to Milk! Records

How fast time passes us by, so why don’t you hold them - Remedy Waloni

I am writing this piece as I sip on a tall hot latte at a Starbucks inside a chain bookstore near my campus, a scene that I would have never imagined when my girlfriend took me to Seven Seeds in Carlton near her campus nine years ago. Her senpai took her there on her first week in Melbourne and she ordered hot chocolate, not convinced that the famous Melbourne coffee was different and would win her over. She used to not be able to stand the smell of second-wave coffee and coffee shops. In the early 2010’s, my brand new (and still alive) iPod video consisted of Alvvays, Bon Iver, Beirut, DCFC, Bombay Bicycle Club, and Wild Beasts. Teguh Wicaksono regularly made a super indie playlist for National Geographic Traveler. It was an exciting time. We went from spending our time going to Periplus Malioboro just to stare at Frankie to finding them at news kiosks everywhere in Australia. The third-wave was taking over in the peak of the hipster years, and we were relieved that the same trend had occupied Yogyakarta when we returned home a year later. Light roast direct trade coffee with manual brew and single origins were introduced perhaps not very successfully by snobbish male baristas as the market preferred cheap iced coffee with condensed milk as their go-to drink and young male smokers remained loyal to the dark roast americano with sugar added.   

I was reminded of all the buzz about the end of an era as Ronaldo and Messi left the European football scene when I heard that Milk! Records announced that they will close its doors in 2023. It was the heart of Melbourne independent music scene. I learned and took so many references from that music label and its community. It was the year Real Estate released Atlas, the year I was hooked by the brilliance of Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein’s Portlandia. Courtney Barnett released Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, Methyl Ethel and Twerps completed their second album, and Dick Diver finished Melbourne, Florida, a staple of their distinctive Australiana sound.

Melbourne was a manifestation of an idea of how diverse the communities can be in a city. It could not be better: multiculturalism, the rising awareness of indigenous issues, Palestine, and animal rights debates, farm-to-table dining and direct trade sustainable produce, the tram lines, queer people kissing in front of old houses in Brunswick, the radical ideas of what a library is and can be, the New Year’s Eve fireworks in River Torrens, all the bookshops and empty wet streets, Papa Gino’s in Carlton, the A1 bakery in Sydney Road, Al-Alamy in Coburg, taking a book conservation training under the supervision of Karen Vidler, summertime bus ride along the majestic Adelaide coastlines, Adelaide Showground, the morning view from a room in Sturrock Street, a summer evening in St Kilda, my obsession with Steph Hughes’ illustrations, and the bitter smell of cheap morning to-go coffee in an unnamed stall in Adelaide station, introduced to me by a woman who worked in my apartment. They ground the beans and made the coffee in a proper espresso machine. There was always a long line of blue collar workers. The beans were dark roast, so bitter that you cannot drink it properly without sugar. I remained one of their regulars during those beautiful days in Adelaide because what is coffee even for if not to be romanticized.

That era in Australia changed (if not solidified) me, and I could not feel more fortunate to do my Master's there. I was a nobody, a 23 year-old working administrative-level job under a yearly contract dying to escape my routine and dysfunctional family dynamics. It was a small chance as the scholarship mainly goes to civil servants with a solid experience and career path. I didn’t have much to offer so I had to make it seem like I knew what I was doing somehow and they bought it. I spent all of my savings to give the best care to ten stray cats I rescued. My parents did not give me any money when I left for Australia, despite their ‘success’ in their respective career. I even gave mom my last 100,000 at the airport because I knew she needed the money.

When I rode my Tokyobike slowly for a morning commute to campus, I felt that it was surely the end of an era. The new young Indonesian bands I can no longer relate to, the fact that my hair is no longer perfectly straight and surrenders to my mom’s curly genetics, the way I managed to understand Japanese cashiers and their many questions before letting me pay for my order, reminiscing the Sefton Park suburb while indulging in the views of Zuibaiji river and the vast open rice fields everyday on the way to campus.

Australians enjoy a slow brunch, the Japanese eat a very effective breakfast. Australians spend a long summer holiday, the Japanese take a week-long summer break. Australians invented their perfectly balanced flat white, the Japanese preserved and perfected their simple drip coffee.

They are totally in contrast, yet from the life I have here and there I learn something in common: that you can be the kind of people who do not define yourself with your titles, job positions or external achievements. The kind of people who have a life outside their job. The people who are more interested in enriching their lives than pursuing the conventional idea of success. People who take seemingly trivial things seriously and deeply. They read, bike, walk, garden, bake, brew, ferment, cook, eat, drink, taste, feel, meet, see, write, watch, and listen consciously. They keep searching for something new and they are excited to learn.

Some people need to advance their career so much they are willing to do literally anything and sacrifice others when they realize they can’t do achieve anything just by relying on their skills and competence. They’re the type who might not appreciate walking to a green space, getting joy from looking at the ducks in the pond, being overly excited to see wild turtles in the river. But there’s no need to be so stressed out about going down if you can just choose to not go up.

Your titles and privileges can and will end, but ideas and knowledge go on. Rest in Peace, Milk! Records.

[therewillbekpop]

[lawbreaker13]

it's not for kids!! the only age of kids that need any form of guidance with goddamn masturbation and puberty are in the ages of 9-13 at MAXIMUM and big mouth is absolutely NOT appropriate for those ages! The animation is ugly and cheap and it's full of weird creepy sexual shit involving child characters. Accept that no confused 11 year olds are watching it for educational purposes or continue to lie to yourself, because those are the only options.

Okay so that’s SUPER not true. You’re right, the show is not for young kids, but to say that people over the age of 14 don’t need sexual guidance is just plain wrong. Many, many people (statistically more women than men, but still) don’t even consider masturbation until they’re in their late teens/early 20s. While the AVERAGE age is 11-13, studies range from about 20-45% of women and 10-25% of men never having touched themselves before age 17 (we actually discussed these statistics in my high school health class but a 5-minute Google search will confirm the numbers). Several of the people I know personally who watch the show, as well as people I’ve seen commenting on the show’s Instagram and Twitter accounts have said that Big Mouth has helped them understand things about themselves that their parents and public/private school educations never taught them about sexual and mental health. There are many episodes that explore sexuality, some that discuss toxic masculinity and body shaming, and several that cover mental health. There’s an entire character arc that revolves around a 13-year-old’s parents divorcing and her falling into a deep ongoing depression. There’s an episode about fighting rape culture. There are several coming out stories. And the reason that everyone feels the whole show is so perverted is because it deals with two very different kids, one who’s growing up in an incredibly abusive household and the other who’s parents are overly uncomfortable addressing sexual subjects with him, who are both struggling with their sexuality and high sex drives and don’t know how to handle it. There’s an entire character called the Shame Wizard who preys off children’s fear and shame, mostly regarding their sexual actions. ADULTS ARE BENEFITING FROM THIS SHOW AND LEARNING ABOUT THEMSELVES JUST AS MUCH AS ANY KID MIGHT. People are learning that their crazy puberty experiences are not unique to them. People are learning at 18, 25, and 40 that they don’t need to be embarrassed about sexual feelings and that sometimes depression, anxiety, ADHD, diagnoses happen and that doesn’t make you weird. BIG MOUTH HELPS ADULTS DEAL WITH CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND TEACHES IN A CRUDE AND ENTERTAINING MANNER MEANT TO ENTICE THEM, THINGS THAT HEALTH CLASSES SHOULD’VE BEEN TEACHING MANY YEARS AGO. Not to mention, the show is based on REAL LIVES. This isn’t a bunch of 60-year-old men drawing hentai and airing it on Netflix. This is a group of men and women of various ages, mostly comedians, who are sharing THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES in the LEAST sexually appealing way possible. The writers, producers, and animators have made a very conscious effort not to put any of the young characters in any “sexy” situations. They are actively avoiding giving any adults a reason to be aroused. Honestly, if you’re being turned on by what’s going on in that show, there’s a totally separate issue at hand.

In terms of the animation, yeah, it ain’t pretty, but believe me when I tell you it is NOT cheap. I’m going into film and animation as a career. Trust me when I tell you Big Mouth is not at all a cheap show to make. I’m pretty sure it’s crude looking on purpose given the subject matter. It’s the “trying to keep it from looking sexy” thing again. And on top of that, sometimes that’s just how adult cartoons are because they don’t have to aesthetically appeal to children.

You don’t have to like Big Mouth. No one does. There’s a whole load of reasons not to, or maybe it’s just not your speed. But there is nothing perverted about this show, the people who make it, or the people who watch it.

[usgunn]

September 29, 2019

CLICK HERE for the September 29, 2019 playlist

1. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - “Sick Bug” (2017)

One of a seemingly endless string of quality indie rock bands that pour out of Melbourne, Australia year after year.  Three vocalists that all kind of sound the same and trade lines seemingly arbitrarily.  They put out a great album last year, but this song comes from an EP that came out a year before.  Saw them at Terminal West last year, and the drummer had to keep playing on his knees between songs to keep the blood flowing for the unrelenting pulse beat.  It was killer.

2. The Dentists - “I’m Not The Devil” (1985)

Band from Medway, Kent that added a 60′s psych flair to a sort of early indie-pop sound.  That’s about all I know.  Reissued a couple of years ago by unstoppable Chicago powerhouse Trouble In Mind records.

3. The Toms - “You Must Have Crossed My Mind” (1979)

The Toms is the solo moniker of Tommy Marolda, a New Jersey recording engineer who I think may have had some sort of Bon Jovi connection at one point.  This is from his first, self-titled record, on which he played all the instruments and allegedly recorded and mixed the entire thing in a single weekend (no easy feat, particularly pre-Pro Tools) on a break from paying work.  Some obvious Beatles worship going on here, but glorious all the same.

4. Emitt Rhodes - “Fresh as a Daisy” (1970)

Speaking of obvious Beatles worship and self-recording... This comes from Emitt Rhodes’ self-titled, second album, which he recorded at home (against union rules at the time!), playing all instruments himself.  This whole album sounds like what I wish a contemporaneous Paul McCartney solo album would have sounded like.

5. Echo & The Bunnymen - “Never Stop (Discoteque)” (1983)

Ian McCulloch is my preferred British post-punk Ian -- sorry Joy Division.  This non-album single is maybe my favorite moment of theirs.  Check out this killer live video too. 

6. Francis Bebey - “The Coffee Cola Song” (1982)

One of my favorite discoveries during my time at WXDU, Francis Bebey spent time in Cameroon, France, and Ghana, writing, teaching and making idiosyncratic pop music.

7. Yamasuki - “Yama Yama” (1971)

At this point I can’t even remember how I got to this.  Two French dudes making their idea of “Eastern” music, sung by a children’s choir who may or may not be singing in actual Japanese?

8. Rexy - “Funky Butt” (1981)

I think if my kids were to write a song, they would probably call it Funky Butt.  Who knows why a grown-ass UK art student decided to name a song that, or to weirdly grunt her way through the song, but here we are.

9. Ruins - “Nice Song” (c. 1982-1984)

Italian experimental synth band that I first heard on one of the Minimal Wave Tapes compilations.  Apparently very tied in with the acadmic/visual art scene in Venice.

10. Craig Leon - “Region of Fleeing Civilians” (1982)

Producer who had a hand in the first albums by the Ramones, Suicide, and Blondie, and on the side made weird synth albums.

11. Denzel Curry (feat. Twelve’len and Goldlink) - “13LACK 13ALLOONS” (2018)

Florida rapper who the internet tells me makes “Soundcloud rap.”  I don’t know what that means, I just like this song.

12. Sampa the Great - “Final Form” (2019)

Another Melbourne-based artist, this Zambia-born artist just put out her first record on Ninja Tune, a label not usually known for hip-hop.  She’s apparently a big deal in Australia but just kind of stepping into the US.

13. Slum Village (feat. Busta Rhymes) - “What It’s All About” (1998)

Legendary producer Jay Dee/J Dilla got his start as one-third of this Detroit-based rap group.  This song features both production and a verse from Dilla, plus, of course, Busta Rhymes.

14. Damon Locks & Black Monument Ensemble - “The Colors That You Bring” (2019)

Damon Locks started his career as the frontman for Chicago’s Trenchmouth, a band which featured a pre-fame Fred Armisen on drums.  He’s now a sound artist in Chicago, and this comes from Where Future Unfolds, a live performance of a band he put together combining live music and samples of Civil Rights-era speeches.

15. Herbie Hancock - “Wiggle Waggle” (1969)

I never knew about this album, Fat Albert Rotunda, until Antarctica Starts Here, a reissue label run by the Superior Viaduct people, put it out last year.  Seems to be an anomaly in his catalog, wedged right at the end of the 60′s between his more traditional recordings and the fusion and experimental period in the 70′s.  It’s probably the most purely fun music he ever made.

16. Allen Toussaint - “What Do You Want the Girl to Do?” (1975)

Sort of ashamed to say I first heard this song when a band called Chesnut Station (a bunch of indie rock nerds from Chicago playing 60′s and 70′s pop and soul covers) closed their album In Your Living Room with it.  Glad I eventually heard the original--haven’t looked back since.

[orendamagau]

Bi-Weekly TV/Movie Wrapup (Part One)

Fallen behind in the world of visual entertainment? Well fret no more as Cal Behrendt take a look at some exciting new shows and movies that have dropped in the last two weeks!

The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards (NBC)

The biggest award show for the television industry, the 2018 Emmys (hosted by SNL’s Michael Che and Colin Jost) were a very mixed bag. Bill Hader and Henry Winkler — who won his first-ever Emmy despite five previous nominations stretching back to 1976 — picked up Emmys for their work in Barry. The Academy finally recognised some of the best talent to grace our screens in a long time, but even a shock mid-telecast proposal couldn't even save a trainwreck of a ceremony.

Even a shock mid-telecast proposal couldn't even save a trainwreck of a ceremony

Arguably the biggest surprise of the night was The Americans picking up two Emmys for its swan song run. Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg picked up the Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Emmy for the series finale START. In the same episode, Matthew Rhys finally picked up the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Phillip Jennings (one of my all-time favourite characters and acting performances). But despite this, the Emmys still dropped the ball in many spots. How the hell did Keri Russell not win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and how did the consensus worst season of Game of Thrones win Best Drama Series ahead of The Americans? To me, nothing was worse so than the awkward-as-hell gags where Che and Jost kept cutting back to Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen — self-claimed Emmy ‘experts’ — throughout the ceremony. These gags were painfully unfunny and poorly timed, and they really took away from the rest of the telecast. It only shined in the unexpected moments, like Glenn Weiss’ proposal to Jan Svendsen, and Sandra Oh awarding the Emmy to LaLa Land after ripping the envelope.

How the hell did Keri Russell not win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series?

BoJack Horseman Season Five (Netflix)

Everybody’s favourite sad horse show has returned for another season. Once again, creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg and the crew have created a strong season of one of the best shows currently running. Season Five continues to make these characters feel so real that it is hard to believe this is a cartoon about anthropomorphic animals.

Everybody’s favourite sad horse show has returned for another season

The season also hits many topical issues right on the head, from the perfectly-timed examination of #MeToo to casting race-appropriate actors and actresses. Season Five is a perfect addition to a series that seems to get stronger every year. Once again we have a handful of standout episodes, but the episode Free Churro stands high and proud above everything else this show has done. It pushes the boundaries of what an animated show should be doing. If this episode and Will Arnett’s performance don't find their way into the Emmy winners circle in 2019, I will be madder about this than I will be about Twin Peaks' Emmy snubs.

American Vandal Season Two (Netflix)

Also dropping on the same day as BoJack, true-crime mockumentary series American Vandal makes its return. Season Two introduces a new setting and crime, with the crew travelling to Washington to investigate the ‘Turd Burglar’ — a student who is doing crap-filled pranks at St Bernardine’s. It could have easily been a re-tread of the first season, but Season Two expands on a lot of the previous issues to make yet another engrossing season. Not only do we get another fantastic mystery filled with twists and turns, but we also get a perfect examination of high school culture and how, in this social media-driven age, a lot of us feel lonelier than ever. But American Vandal is not content with just doing all that. It also pulls together a number of strong performances to anchor the season: from Travis Tope’s oddly charming Kevin McClain to Melvin Gregg’s MVP performance as DeMarcus Tillman, a basketball prodigy who, underneath the bright and popular exterior, is an insecure individual who just wants to be loved for something other than his basketball. American Vandal Season Two is a fantastic follow-up and shows why this program has quietly become one of the best shows out there.

American Vandal Season Two…shows why this program has quietly become one of the best shows out there.

Also Released:

Maniac Season One (Netflix)

Jonah Hill and Emma Stone star in this Cary Fukunaga-directed miniseries about two strangers who connect during a pharmaceutical trial. Many critics have praised the performances and the direction as well as the overall aesthetic of the series. I think my friend summed it up the best so far: “No idea what’s going on, but Jonah Hill and Emma Stone are great. It is well and truly some weird shit.”

It is well and truly some weird shit.

American Horror Story Season Eight (FX)

The long-running FX horror anthology has returned for another season with the eighth instalment, Apocalypse, which marks a departure from previous seasons. Not only is it set in the futuristic year of 2021, but it crosses over two past seasons — Season One’s Murder House and Season Three’s Coven — into one story. Two episodes have aired so far, and early reviews state that it's another solid entry into the franchise.

The Good Cop Season One (Netflix)

Do you like Josh Groban? Well then, I have the show for you! This Netflix police procedural stars Groban as a cop who goes by-the-book rather than become like his father (played by Tony Danza), who went to prison for being a dirty cop. The Good Cop sees them pair up to solve mysteries in New York, in a premise that sounds as 90s NBC-core as you can get. Most of the reviews I have read have pegged it as pretty mediocre, but if you love shows like Law and Order running in the background while you do other stuff you'll get a kick out of The Good Cop.

A premise that sounds as 90s NBC-core as you can get

Movies

Lizzie (Saban Films/Roadside Attractions)

The story of axe-murderer Lizzie Borden has been covered a lot over recent years. But this biographical thriller directed by Craig William Macneill jumps on top of the crowd, covering the story from a more feminist angle. According to critics, Chloë Sevigny and Kristen Stewart turn in strong performances as Lizzie Borden and Bridget Sullivan respectively, but it appears a common complaint is the story is not as gripping as it could be.

Colette (Bleecker Street/Lionsgate)

Colette follows the life of French novelist Gabrielle Colette, with Keira Knightley taking on the main role. It's directed by Wash Westmoreland, one of the most interesting names in the business,  having directed 2014’s Still Alice. Early reviews have been glowing across the board, with critics praising the performance of Knightley who turns in one of the strongest performances in her career to date. Also praised is the direction and overarching themes of feminism and the battle against misogyny Colette experienced. Colette won’t be released in Australia for a while yet, but keep your eyes open for this film when it does release. It's a potential early Oscar contender.

Early reviews have been glowing across the board

The Sisters Brothers (Annapurna Pictures)

This Western dark comedy focuses on a pair of hitmen searching for a chemist in 1800’s America. It features one of the most stacked acting lists I have seen in a while: John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix take on the titular roles of the Sisters brothers alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, Riz Ahmed, Allison Tolman and Carol Kane. Early reviews peg this film as one driven strongly by the Western genre whilst focusing on a strong character study of family and familial relationships. This movie has already picked up an award for director Jacques Audiard, who claimed the Silver Lion for Best Director at the 2018 Venice International Film Festival. This film will definitely be one to watch when it drops in Australia in the near future.

[thejoyofviolentmovement]

New Video: Rising Aussie Singer-Songwriter Carla Geneve Releases an Intimate Visual for "Don't Wanna Be Your Lover"

New Video: Rising Aussie Singer-Songwriter Carla Geneve Releases an Intimate Visual for "Don't Wanna Be Your Lover" @dotdashau @rcontrol @revolverusa @ProperMusicGrp

  With the release of last year’s self-tiled debut EP, the Perth, Australia-based singer/songwriter and guitarist Carla Genevequickly established herself as one of Australia’s rapidly rising artists — thanks in part to material centered around a unique brand of brutally honest songwriting and a captivating live show. Building upon…

[asfeedin]

7 Days in Hell, a rare Test win in Australia and Skydiving from space

4:44 PM IST

ESPN staff

Struggling to cope in a world without any sporting action? Fear not. In our latest series, we put together a list of videos you can watch right now to fill that adrenaline pumping again. This week’s picks features a rare Indian Test win in Australia and skydiving from space.

7 Days in Hell

The Wimbledon 2010 first round match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut is the kind of stuff they make 30 for 30 documentaries about. Until they do, we have 7 Days In Hell.

Comedian Andy Samberg and writer Murray Miller get inspired from the longest tennis match ever and take it into a weird and hilarious direction. Samberg and Kit Harrington play Aaron Williams and Charles Poole, two tennis players locked in a never-ending battle at Wimbledon. The origin stories of the players – which include a reverse Blind Side situation, prison escapes, bad parenting and drug abuse – serve as the perfect set-up leading to the climactic 7-day finale on the Centre Court. Williams is the adopted brother of Serena and Venus Williams, making a comeback, and Poole is a child prodigy who idolises Aaron Williams.

2 Related

The dramatic match features interruptions caused by things like weather delays and streakers, to things like road accidents and a failed magic trick by David Copperfield.

The documentary stars Serena Williams, John McEnroe and Chris Evert playing themselves, and a lot of other comedians, including Lena Dunham, Howie Mandel, and SNL alums Fred Armisen and Will Forte. – Annanya Johari

Watch it on Disney+Hotstar

When Tests were competitive but gentlemanly

In recent times, Jai Galagali has become a popular YouTuber thanks his Time Machine, rare footage of vintage Indian cricket. This is a clip of the final day’s play at Sydney between India and Australia in 1978. Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket had taken off, and Australia were forced to call Bob Simpson back from retirement to lead the team against Bishan Bedi’s Indians.

With Kapil Dev still months away from his debut, Karsan Ghavri and…Mohinder Amarnath shared the new ball. The pace of play is leisurely, but the quality is good. Bowlers applauded batsmen for a good shot, and fielders escorted the ball to the boundary (though substitute Madan Lal didn’t get that memo, around 17:55). It’s a rare Test win in Australia, though, and by all accounts India should have wrapped the series at Adelaide, but fell short of what would have been a record fourth-innings chase. Watch out for the interviews at the end, with Simpson appearing in his Australia blazer. – Debayan Sen

Watch it on Youtube

The ghost F1 lap

The best way to understand what Ayrton Senna meant to race driving worldwide is to see the 2h 43m Asif Kapadia documentary, Senna. A clip on YouTube shows a video of his 1988 Monte Carlo GP race, camera set up on his McLaren, and runs his voice in audio saying he felt like he was “in a different dimension… The circuit for me was a tunnel and I was just going, going more and more and more.” Senna wasn’t talking about the race, he was talking about his qualifying lap in an interview he gave to Canadian journalist Gerald Donaldson.

The YouTube clip off the documentary certainly looks like it belongs to that out of body experience, but it doesn’t. There is, in fact, no recording of that surreal qualifying lap where Senna dropped two seconds off his McLaren teammate Alain Prost, racing in an identically set-up car. The mystic lap remains part of the Senna allure but McLaren did produce an astonishing simulation complete with commentary. It was put together by Codemasters, the makers of F1 video games and commentator Murray Walker’s enthusiastic voiceover. It’s not the real deal, but you could be fooled. To get a taste of Senna on the charge, there’s the emotional six-odd minutes of Lap of Life – beautiful, powerful. – Sharda Ugra

Watch it on YouTube

Falling faster than the speed of sound

Felix Baumgartner once jumped out of an aeroplane, wearing a wingsuit, and beat the plane in a race. He has jumped into the world’s second biggest cave. He has jumped off two of the world’s tallest buildings (illegally). He has flown across the English Channel on a wingsuit (no jet pack, no engine, he glided across 34 kms at ~350kmph). They all sound impossible, and look even better. And yet, they don’t even come close to his greatest stunt.

That’s because, in 2012, Baumgartner went up into space, stepped out, looked at Earth as we have seen only from satellite pictures, and thought, ‘heck, let’s jump.’ – Anirudh Menon

Watch it on Youtube

The truth behind doping in sport

In Icarus, an amateur cyclist and playwright, Bryan Fogel pedals through the rickety cycling testing system in the wake of Lance Armstrong’s doping scandal. To uncover its facilitators, Fogel, the director of this documentary, takes performance-enhancing drugs himself and tries to dodge detection in preparation for an amateur cycle race. It’s only the starting point for graver, more morbid truths. He’s led to Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, the head of Moscow’s anti-doping center, who is shown to display extraordinary commitment to furthering the cause of tainted sport. Rodchenkov goes even as far as confessing on camera that Russia’s medals at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games were ill-gotten, a product of its athletes using drugs to fudge performances. In that edition of the Games, Russia topped the medals tally with 29 medals, 11 of them gold. Rodchenkov is only a small part of a grand design. The documentary uses George Orwell’s 1984 as a narrative tool and what slowly creeps up on us is the workings of a state-backed doping program with links to the highest levels of the Russian government. – Susan Ninan

Watch it on Netflix

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Tags: 7, 7 days in hell, Australia, classic matches, coronavirus shutdown, covid 19 isolation, days, hell, lockdown watchlist, Rare, Skydiving, space, Test, weekend watchlist, what to watch, Win

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via Google Alert - celery Fred Armisen Is Coming to Australia https://ift.tt/2XYMVwX

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New Post has been published on http://otakudome.com/comrade-detective-niko-and-the-sword-of-light-dated/

Comrade Detective & Niko and the Sword of Light Dated

Amazon has dated exclusive Comrade Detective:

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun. 29, 2017– (NASDAQ: AMZN)–Amazon Studios today announced Comrade Detective, a new half-hour live action series that will premiere August 4 exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. A co-production with A24, Comrade Detective comes from creators and executive producers Brian Gatewood (The Sitter) and Alex Tanaka (The Sitter) with Rhys Thomas (Documentary Now!) directing and executive producing. Free Association’s Tatum, Reid Carolin (Logan Lucky), Peter Kiernan (Mad Love) and Andrew Schneider are executive producers along with A24’s Ravi Nandan (The Carmichael Show) and John Hodges (Safety Not Guaranteed).

Comrade Detective is a one-of-a-kind cop show and comedy set in 1980’s Romania. True to its nostalgic inspiration, the series is presented in Romanian and dubbed in English–as a Romanian show of that time would have been. Channing Tatum (Logan Lucky) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Looper) provide voice over dubbing performances for the series’ two leading roles, Detectives Gregor Anghel and Iosef Baciu–both characters played on screen by leading Romanian actors, Florin Piersic Jr. (Killing Time) and Corneliu Ulici (The Devil Inside).

In addition to Tatum and Gordon-Levitt, the illustrious roster of talent dubbing other roles includes Jenny Slate (Obvious Child), Chloë Sevigny (Bloodline), Jake Johnson (New Girl), Jason Mantzoukas (The House), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation), Fred Armisen (Documentary Now!), Kim Basinger (LA Confidential), Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Tracey Letts(The Lovers), Bobby Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire), Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), Debra Winger (The Lovers), Mark Duplass (Safety Not Guaranteed), Katie Aselton Duplass(Legion), Jerrod Carmichael (The Carmichael Show), Bo Burnham (The Big Sick) and John Early (Search Party).

“In a world of global television it was inevitable that the best comedy of the year would come from Romania. Well that day has come,” said Joe Lewis, Head of Comedy, Drama and VR at Amazon Studios. “Comrade Detective is unbelievably compelling, visually brilliant, and Gregor and Iosef are the heroes we need. Thanks to A24, Channing Tatum, Rhys Thomas, Brian Gatewood, Alex Tanaka, as well as the incredibly creative team behind this wild new series.”

“As passionate fans of cinema and television, we have long heard about this genre defining show and are thrilled to work with Free Association and Amazon to bring it to audiences,” said A24.

About Comrade Detective

In the thick of 1980’s Cold War hysteria, the Romanian government created the country’s most popular and longest-running series, Comrade Detective, a sleek and gritty police show that not only entertained its citizens but also promoted Communist ideals and inspired a deep nationalism. The action-packed and blood-soaked first season finds Detectives Gregor Anghel (played by Piersic) and Iosef Baciu (played by Ulici) investigating the murder of fellow officer Nikita Ionesco and, in the process, unraveling a subversive plot to destroy their country that is fueled by–what else–but the greatest enemy: Capitalism. Though the beloved show was sadly forgotten about after the fall of the Berlin Wall, it has been rediscovered and digitally remastered now with its main heroes voiced by Tatum and Gordon-Levitt. Comrade Detective is a true portal into a time and place and a powerful reminder of what art can be–and it is now ready to be seen by the modern world on a larger scale than ever before.

Amazon today announced its original animated series for kids ages 6-11, Niko and the Sword of Light, is scheduled to premiere on July 21 on Prime Video. The new fantasy adventure series–the first Amazon Original to win an Emmy Award for the pilot before the series launch-features the voice talent of Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants), Andre Robinson (Doc McStuffins), Steve Blum (Star Wars: Rebels), Kevin Michael Richardson (The Penguins of Madagascar), Jim Cummings (Shrek), and Kari Wahlgren (Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness). The pilot is now available to stream exclusively for Prime members via the Amazon Prime Video app for TVs; connected devices, including Fire TV, mobile devices; and online–Prime members can also download the pilot to mobile devices for offline viewing at no additional cost to their membership.

“We’re excited for kids and families to enter into Niko’s unique, rich world and meaningfully connect with the series characters as they tag along on epic adventures together,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming at Amazon Studios. “The series pilot was extremely popular among viewers, who were won over by the show’s quirky engaging storylines and humor, and we can’t wait to present them with many more exhilarating escapades in Season 1.”

Niko and the Sword of Light follows 10-year-old Niko, the last of his kind in a strange, fantastical world, as he embarks on an epic quest to defeat the darkness and bring the light back to his land. Armed with his magic sword, brave Niko journeys to the Cursed Volcano, making new friends and powerful foes along the way, all while uncovering secrets about his mysterious past. Based on the motion graphic comic by Imaginism Studios, Inc., the studio behind character and concept designs for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and Men in Black 3, and Studio NX (The Carrot and Rabbit Show, Tree Fu Tom), Niko and the Sword of Light is animated by Titmouse (Motorcity, Metalocalpyse, Turbo FAST, Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja) and executive produced by Rob Hoegee (Generator Rex, League of Super Evil, Storm Hawks, Teen Titans) who also serves as showrunner.

Below are what customers have said about Niko and the Sword of Light:

“Best new animated kids show in a long time.”

“This show is amazing!! It provides a rare place where both my son loves it and I love it for him to watch.”

“Watched this with my 4.5 year old daughter and we both LOVED it. She immediately asked to watch the next episode. I love the characters designs and motivations.”

“Great characters and animation featuring young children of color. We are thirsty for this!”

“Wonderful, imaginative, uplifting.”

The Niko and the Sword of Light pilot is currently available to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Prime Video app for TVs; connected devices, including Amazon Fire TV and mobile devices; and online at www.amazon.com/originals. Customers who are not already a Prime member can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream. Niko and the Sword of Light is also available as part of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, the all-you-can-eat subscription service designed from the ground up for kids. FreeTime Unlimited is available exclusively on Amazon devices, including Amazon Fire TV and Fire tablets, and a year-long subscription is included with every Fire Kids Edition.