Wide Web World

The web can be a dangerous place, as the Code Red worm demonstrated. But at times, it also connects people in the most unexpected, amazing ways. The world is so much smaller. I watched Wong Kar Wai's BMWFilm The Follow, was intrigued by the music, and tried like heck to track down the recording used in the movie. Turns out it wasn't off any commercially available CD. I even tried e-mailing the BMWFilms webmaster. Then tonight, I come home, and I have an e-mail from someone named Shiun, containing a link to the website of Jeff Rona where MP3 versions of the music were posted. Shiun had been searching for the music as well, come across my site, noted my interest, tracked it down, and dropped me the link. Cue the music from those Nortel Networks or Cisco commercials, with multi-cultural kids and monks and shepherds around the world connecting to each other through laptops. Yeah! Thanks Shiun. By the way, the music from The Follow, a rendition of the Cuban ballad Unicornio, is lovely. Check it out.
What is the X-files morphing into? Something different than the show I used to watch, for sure. Directors exert the greatest influence on a movie, in my opinion. Many TV shows are a bit different, though, as they seem to focus more on character and less on style. TV shows tend to establish a given style which deviates little over time, so while the style of the show is noticeable early on, eventually it fades into the background. The X-files style is fairly clear to all its fans by now, and I watched primarily to see how the characters Mulder and Scully evolved.
Now, with Mulder gone, a new cast of characters has joined the show. It's still a decent show, but it's not the one I loved in the old days. What used to be a can't miss show for me might not be this fall. The latest addition? Cary Elwes, of The Princess Bride fame.
"According to The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Cary Elwes (Princess Bride) has signed on to a recurring role in FOX's THE X-FILES. Elwes, who makes his first appearance in the show's November 4th season premiere, will play FBI assistant director Brad Follmer, and the ex-boyfriend of the agent played by Annabeth Gish."
About a week ago, a former friend of Pete Rose came out and leveled some new accusations at him. Rose is still trying to get into the Hall of Fame, and as has been his style recently he defended himself vigorously. Generally, the public seems to be in favor of forgiving him and letting him into the Hall. Turns out the original report which led to his ban from the Hall is available online. I flipped through it, and it sure seems like Rose is guilty of betting on baseball and on the Reds. Sure, he was a very good baseball player, but I don't see how you can let someone who called into question the integrity of the game itself into the Hall. Seems like Rose should just admit his guilt and throw himself on the mercy of the powers that be, but that seems to run counter to his combative personality. The truth shall set you free, Pete.
Bill recently pointed this out to me: that song by Train, the one playing on the radio now, that sounds like a Counting Crow song? It has a line "the best soy latte you ever had". What?!? That will either be viewed as a nostalgic, time-capsule lyric by future generations or will help to relegate this song to the trash bin in three months. I'm guessing the latter.
Do you enjoy pop culture--movies, music, TV, general entertainment? If so, you should subscribe to Zentertainment's newsletter. Good compilation of news in the entertainment world. Some overlap with Ain't It Cool News on the movie front. For example, this interesting rumor:
WALKER TO WRITE WORLD'S FINEST MOVIE
DAILY VARIETY reports screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker (Se7en, Sleepy Hollow) has been hired to write an untitled live-action movie teaming up Superman and Batman. Wolfgang Petersen (The Perfect Storm) is attached to direct the WARNER BROS. film, and its expected that he'd cast George Clooney to play the Caped Crusader. There's no word on who would play the Man of Steel, but AINT IT COOL ran a crazy rumor over the weekend that John Travolta would be meeting with the studio today for it. WARNER BROS. also has producer Jon Peters developing a SUPERMAN film, Darren Aronofsky developing a BATMAN: YEAR ONE film, and Boaz Yakin developing a live-action BATMAN BEYOND movie.