THIS IS ENGLAND '86

This is England '86 is a sequel of sorts to the movie This is England, except instead of being a feature film, this one is made for TV as a 4 part mini-series. Currently airing on Channel 4 in the U.K., but will be available on DVD on October 11, 2010.

From the Channel 4 site:

It's 1986 - the year Chris de Burgh is at number one, Top Gun is filling the cinemas, VHS is trumping Betamax, the World Cup is raging in Mexico and over 3.4 million Brits are unemployed.

As Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) sits his last school exam, the realisation dawns that adulthood beckons and in mid-80s England he's going to have to find his own way in the world. Luckily life has dealt a surprise hand to his friends too and no one is quite where they thought they would be. Woody, Lol, Smell, Gadget, Milky - they are all looking for love, a laugh, a job and something that resembles a future.

This Is England '86 is a brand new drama coming to Channel 4 this September. It revisits the gang from the hit film This Is England three years on.

"When I finished This Is England I had a wealth of material and unused ideas that I felt very keen to take further audiences seemed to really respond to the characters we created and out of my long standing relationship with Film4 and Channel 4 the idea for a television serial developed. Not only did I want to take the story of the gang broader and deeper, I also saw in the experiences of the young in 1986 many resonances to now recession, lack of jobs, sense of the world at a turning point. Whereas the film told part of the story, the TV serial will tell the rest." - Shane Meadows, Director

DRINK RECIPE: 2 TONE (A Cultured Hooligan Exclusive)

The 2 Tone, a Cultured Hooligan exclusive. This is a quick and easy drink recipe that I created* when I had Guinness and Red Stripe in the fridge. Based on the classic Black and Tan.

What you'll need:

1 can of Guinness Draught (these also come in bottles now, but I prefer the can)

1 bottle of Red Stripe

1 Pint Glass

1 Spoon

Directions:

1. Grab the pint glass and hold it at about a 45 degree angle.

2. Pour the Red Stripe along the side of the glass about half way up.

3. Put the pint glass on the table, grab the spoon and hold it with back of the spoon facing up over the opening of the glass. Makes it easier if you have a black and tan spoon, but not necessary.

4. Slowly pour the Guinness over the spoon. Do it slowly and you'll see the Guinnes laying on top of the Red Stripe.

5. Let the Guinness settle, drink up, and enjoy.

6. When done repeat steps 1-5 with the remaining beer.

*No, I'm not so delusional that I think I was the first to come up with this. As I was doing this a quick Google search came up with the name Black and Red, but the 2 Tone is such a better name.

REVIEW: LA MISSION

Well, I wasn't disappointed. This was an enjoyable film (pronounced fil-em) that deals with the issue of a machismo father and his acceptance (or lack thereof) of his "best friend", his son, who is gay. Add to that a few lowrider cruising scenes, some obligatory "hood" elements, an OK 1970's influenced soundtrack, and it made for an overall pretty enjoyable movie. Keep in mind it's an independent film, and looks and acts like one and you'll be happy. One of the few movies that you can watch with your chick (or with your dude if you go that way). Check this previous post for the trailer and more info.

LA MISSION

A movie featuring low riders, tattoos, and struggle of a tough hood dad accepting his son. Enough of the stuff that I like mixed with an intriguing premise to make me check it out.

I'll follow up with a review. I really hope this doesn't turn out like when I was waiting for Deuces Wild to come out, and then regretted it when actually did.



From the official website http://www.lamissionthemovie.com/:

Growing up in the Mission district of San Francisco, Che Rivera (Benjamin Bratt) has always had to be tough to survive. Hes a powerful man respected throughout the Mission barrio for his masculinity and his strength, as well as for his hobby building beautiful lowrider cars. At the same time hes also a man feared for his street-tough ways and violent temper.

A reformed inmate and recovering alcoholic, Che has worked hard to redeem his life and do right by his pride and joy: his only son, Jes, whom he has raised on his own after the death of his wife. Ches path to redemption is tested, however, when he discovers Jes is gay. In a rage, Che violently beats Jes, disowning him. He loses his son and loses himself in the process. Isolated and alone, Che comes to realize that his patriarchal pride is meaningless to him, and to maintain his idea of masculinity, hes sacrificed the one thing that he cherishes most the love of his son.

To survive his neighborhood, Che has always lived with his fists. To survive as a complete man, hell have to embrace a side of himself hes never shown.

From writer/director Peter Bratt comes La MISSION, a 5 Stick Films, Inc. and TomKat Films production. Produced by Benjamin Bratt, Peter Bratt, and Alpita Patel and executive produced by Tom Steyer, Kat Taylor, and Dan Nelson, La MISSION stars Benjamin Bratt, Erika Alexander, Jeremy Ray Valdez, Jesse Borrego, and Talisa Soto Bratt. The supporting cast includes Kevin Michael Richardson, Patrick D. Shining-Elk, René A. Quiñonez, Ruben Gonzalez, and Max Rosenak.

The talented behind-the-scenes crew includes director of photography Hiro Narita, production designer Keith Neely, editor Stan Webb, costume designer Aggie Rodgers, composer Mark Kilian, and casting director Victoria Thomas.

LIVING THE LIFE

Came across this new book during my travels around the world (wide web). Thought you might be interested. Fits in with my fixation with the whole MC (Motorcycle Club) culture of the 60's and 70's that came over me after reading Hunter S. Thompson's Hells Angels. From watching every Gangland episode with biker gangs, watching Easy Rider (do yourself a favor and don't, I think it's one of those you had to be there during that time kind of thing for it to have any impact on you), watching Hell Rider (do yourself a favor and watch this instead of Easy Rider and you'll be much happier), to watching the male oriented soap opera featuring the boys of SAMCRO Sons of Anarchy (new season starts next month). Get the limited edition hardcover for $40 here.

From the Publisher:
180 Pages. 9" x 9", limited edition hardcover.

Classic images of bikers from the 70’s and earlier are a hit among today’s discriminating enthusiasts. And it’s not just a case of looking back through rose colored glasses to motorcycling’s past. Rather it is the natural consequence when popular culture celebrates cartoonish exaggerations, and shuns the genuine.

Doug Barber’s photos remind us of a time when the bikes, and the people that rode them were the real deal. Thankfully, Doug was there living it; not just as an observer from the outside. This collection of images combined with the words of Sorez the Scribe provides a unique glimpse into our culture’s past. For those that lived, partied and rode during that time it’s a memory book of sorts. For the new generation it represents the path less chosen, inspiration, and a history book of our two- wheeled forefathers.

Living the life, it’s good for your soul.

REVIEW: WHO KILLED NANCY

Like many a young punk rocker, the Sex Pistols were one of my favorite bands growing up. With the Sex Pistols comes Sid Vicious. With Sid came Nancy. With Nancy came turmoil. With turmoil came the murder (?) of Nancy. With Nancy's murder came the overdose of Sid. With Sid's overdose came infamy, notoriety, and legendary status. With this legendary status came the legend of Sid and Nancy, and why 30 plus years after the death of these two junkies in their young 20's we're still wondering what the hell happened that night and how did Nancy end up in the bathroom laying in a pool of blood with a stab wound in her stomach.

With a title like Who Killed Nancy I was expecting this to be a deep investigation into the crime that ended with the death of Nancy Spungen in room 100 of the Chelsea Hotel. In actuality this is more of a biography of Sid and Nancy, their relationship together, and their demise. The story is strung together with interviews with their friends (but none of the famous ones you'd really expect - No Johnny Rotten), interspersed with some crudely animated drawings/pictures, reenactments, live performances, old documentary footage (DOA?), and news footage. The "who killed Nancy?" question seems thrown into the movie as more of an afterthought. Seems like they had the idea about making a movie about who killed Nancy (as per author Alan Parker's supposed promise to Sid's mom), but realized they had about 5 minutes worth of that title subject matter, so they decided to fill up the time by telling the story of Sid and Nancy. The movie probably should have been called Sid and Nancy, but Alex Cox beat them to the punch using that title decades ago.

Overall an OK documentary, good for both those who do or don't have knowledge of who Sid and Nancy were (but probably better for those with an interest in the subject matter).



From the Press Release:

Based on the book Sid Vicious: No One is Innocent

On October 12th 1978 Nancy Spungen, an ex-prostitute, sometimes stripper and heroin addict, was found dead in a bathroom at the Chelsea Hotel in New York. She also happened to be the girlfriend of the Sex Pistols’ bassist Sid Vicious, who was quickly accused of her murder. Less than 6 months later, he died of a heroin overdose and the case was closed.

The death of Sid and Nancy has passed into rock legend and has only added to the controversial and notorious image of the Sex Pistols and punk music. At the request of Sid’s mother, who committed suicide in 1996, rock author and punk expert Alan Parker has devoted himself to discovering Who Killed Nancy? By interviewing 182 people and re-examining NYPD evidence, he reveals what he believed happened that night in room 100.

REVIEW: CALABRESE'S BARBER SHOP

Got an AMAZING straight-razor-shave and a haircut from the barber/owner Chris a little while ago. Chris knows what he is doing. My face felt and looked great, not one iota of irritation, it was baby smooth. My hair was cut perfectly. Glad to see that there is a place that is bringing back the lost art of the straight-razor-shave. Very cool place with an old school feel, but not in a kitschy kind of way. It's cool without being pretentious. I've been to numerous barbershops but this will be my new go-to place for haircuts and shaves, and I live an hour away! This is the kind of barbershop every man wishes he had around, and now I do. Don't be jealous, check it out for yourself.‎

Calabrese's Barber Shop
33 West Front Street
Keyport, NJ 07735
(732) 217-1491