Wednesday Clearinghouse…

I had planned to update the site with new reviews and whatnot this past weekend, but a slew of new stuff came in at the last minute that I’m still going through. So I’ve decided to push any more updates back until this coming weekend. But trust me, it’ll be worth the wait.

So in lieu of “real” content, here’s an assortment of off and cool things that have had me excited, jazzed, and just plain perplexed over the past couple of days.

Ahnuld… I never thought I’d find anything stranger than those Japanese commercials that Arnold Schwarzeneggar did a few years back — and believe me, they’re pretty strange — but then I saw this. At first, I thought it was some sort of Bush parody. But as it turns out, it’s actually a commercial of sorts for a Japanese English language school that just so happens to feature a Bush parody. Which only makes it stranger. (Link courtesy of MeFi. All videos require QuickTime.)

Casshern… And speaking of Japanese craziness, I just perused the trailer for Casshern again, and holy moley but that’s a cool looking film. Bubba over at The Movie Blog has been raving about it again, and for good reason. An American distributor is in talks to distribute the film Stateside, as well as possibly remake. Just please oh please don’t let it be Miramax.

And as if the wait wasn’t unbearable enough as it is, a couple of reviews have popped up on the Web, and it officially sounds like the coolest thing EVER (along with Sky Captain). If you want to get another taste of film’s visual style, check out the director’s website, which features his photography and video work. (Many thanks to the mighty Movie Blog.)

Kite Pilot… It’s always nice to discover another interesting band in your own backyard, and I think I’ve discovered another one. Or rather, one has discovered me. I got an e-mail earlier today from an Omaha band called Kite Pilot. Unfortunately, they only have one song available on their website, but it’s real nice in the Elephant 6 (RIP) tradition, with pretty horns, drippy little synths, earnest vocals, and some hearttugging hooks. And apparently, their drummer is into glass-blowing, which adds some coolness points right there. It’s just one track, so it’s hardly representative of their sound as a whole, but my curiosity is certainly piqued.

Bus 174… I caught Bus 174 a few days ago, and it’s a film that deserves as much exposure as it can get, especially among Americans — if only because it exposes you to a world of poverty and depravity that is so far removed from us here in the States. There are images in this film — scenes of young runaway children performing in the streets for spare change, a hellish tour through a Brazilian jail, news footage of the hostage crisis as its going down, interviews with the hostages, etc. — that don’t just burn themselves into your memory, they punch you in the gut and leave you gasping for breath.

Shortly after getting back from the theatre, I started spilling out my thoughts in a blog entry which has obviously not been posted yet, and yet seeing Bus 174 just seemed to tap into a lot of things I’ve been thinking about lately in light of Iraq. I hope to post it soon, but I’m still trying to get my head around what I saw — and what I might discover may just be a bit too personal to post. Whatever the case, it’s an excellent film, and yet I don’t even know how to begin comprehending the tragedy and brutal reality that is revealed. But I know I’ve been moved, challenged, and convicted in ways quite unlike anything I’ve experienced, at least from a movie.

Critics are essentially unanimous in their praise of the film. Here’s a good one, courtesy of the Matthew’s House Project, and another one, courtesy of Roger Ebert. BTW, for those of you going to Cornerstone 2004, Bus 174 will be screened as part of this year’s Flickerings program.

Soof-yawn… And finally, Relevant has just posted an interview with the man of the hour, Sufjan Stevens (if you haven’t picked up Michigan and/or Seven Swans yet, you have no idea what you’re missing). And for even more Sufjan info, check out this outstanding interview at Delusions Of Adequacy, courtesy of Matt Fink.