Digital Ink Los Angeles

And the winners are…

Digital Ink L.A.’s 82nd Annual Academy Awards picks:

-Adapted Screenplay-
“Up in the Air”
(Paramount in association with Cold Spring Pictures and DW Studios) Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

-Original Screenplay-
“Inglourious Basterds”
(The Weinstein Company) Written by Quentin Tarantino

-Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role-
Jeff Bridges
“Crazy Heart” (Fox Searchlight)

-Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role-
Christoph Waltz
“Inglourious Basterds” (The Weinstein Company)

-Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role-
Carey Mulligan
“An Education” (Sony Pictures Classics)

-Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role-
Mo’Nique
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)

-Best Animated Feature Film of the Year-
“Up”
(Walt Disney) Pete Docter

-Achievement in Art Direction-
“Avatar”
(20th Century Fox) Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg
Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair

-Achievement in Cinematography-
“Avatar”
(20th Century Fox) Mauro Fiore

-Achievement in Costume Design-
“Coco before Chanel”
(Sony Pictures Classics) Catherine Leterrier

-Achievement in Directing-
“Avatar”
(20th Century Fox) James Cameron

-Best Documentary Feature-
“The Cove”
(Roadside Attractions)
An Oceanic Preservation Society Production

-Achievement in Film Editing-
“Avatar”
(20th Century Fox) Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron

-Best Foreign Language Film of the Year-
“Un Prophète” (Sony Pictures Classics)
A Why Not/Page 114/Chic Films Production France

-Best Motion Picture of the Year-
“The Hurt Locker” (Summit Entertainment)
Voltage Pictures Production

Administrator 21st Century Culture, Movies and Cinema Academy, actor, actress, awards, buzz, drama, entertainment, film, Hollywood, movies, Oscars, screenplay, social

What causes us to search for a New World?

A new route to the Far East spice trade? Nah.

Desire to spread the word of God, like the Dominican and Jesuit missionaries of the 18th Century? Not likely.

Escape from nuclear Armageddon or biological malaise? Maybe.

Discovery of raw materials and new water sources? More than likely.

The recent opening of the billion-dollar CityCenter in Las Vegas is a boastful nod to New World capitalism and its achievements, with the tagline: “Capital of the New World.”

What gives? Films like The Road, Armageddon, Cloverfield, and WALL-E portend the destruction of Earth.

Does Hollywood know something we don’t? One thing for certain, James Cameron won’t be directing my escape ship. And it’ll probably be pretty obvious we’re “not in Kansas anymore.”

Remember that song from the 70s, Children of the Sun?

“‘People of the earth can you hear me?’
came a voice from the sky on that magical night.
And in the colors of a thousand sunsets,
they traveled to the world on a silvery light…”

In 3-D, of course.

Administrator 21st Century Culture, 70s, Earth, Movies and Cinema, Social Responsibility, The New World aliens, armageddon, Avatar, Earth, entertainment, hope, people, social

According to yesterday’s New York Times article, “‘Boneless’ Wings, the Cheaper Bite,” it is now more expensive to purchase chicken wings with the bones in than buying boneless chicken.

Hmmm…

The article states:

“All this is happening because wholesale chicken prices have turned upside down. The once-lowly wing is selling at a premium over what has long been the gold standard of poultry parts, the skinless boneless chicken breast.”

“Like the tail that wags the dog, the wings are now flapping the chicken.”

Thanks to all those tail-gaters, Happy Hour buffets, and Monday Night Football parties, wings are now a high-ticket item.

If that’s not a Sign of the Apocalypse, then WalMart’s recent selection as global leader in promoting a “green” economy might be.

Stay tuned.

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Administrator 21st Century Culture, New America, New Economy, Social Responsibility 2012, Apocalypse, Buffalo, chicken, economics, flavor, food, football, madness, party, prices, sauce, social, wings

New Orleans is a great city, and they have an up and coming film festival to boot.

One of Digital Ink Los Angeles’s favorite single-screen theaters in the country — The Prytania Theatre — is hosting a few screenings this year. Well worth a visit.

In particular, the Make Out With Violence screening on Monday, Oct 12th, at 9:45PM at the Prytania Theatre should be good.

Make a date with a New Orleans cultural gem, the NOFF, from Thursday, October 8th through Thursday, October 15th.

In the words of Louis Armstrong, “What we play is life.” And films are life. Get out and enjoy.

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Administrator 21st Century Culture, Movies and Cinema, Stylio, The Good Life cinema, culture, entertainment, festival, film, GOOD, movie, New Orleans, screenings, social, style

In 1958, CBS bought Serling’s teleplay, “The Time Element,” which he hoped would be the pilot to his weekly series.

The story was about a bartender who keeps waking up in Pearl Harbor knowing the Japanese will be attacking the next day but unable to convince anyone he’s telling the truth. CBS bought it, and the rest is an adventure in madness.

The premier episode of The Twilight Zone series was “Where Is Everybody?” on October 2, 1959.

“The Hunt” is Digital Ink Los Angeles’s favorite episode, the 19th episode from the 3rd season, 1962.

Enter another dimension of time and space…

Watch an excerpt from the premiere episode below:

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Administrator 50s, Movies and Cinema, Stylio anniversary, CBS, entertainment, fun, Hollywood, mystery, science fiction, social, television, Twilight Zone, weird, writing

Afrika Bambaattaa, Soul Sonic Force, Egyptian Lover, Mantronix, Run DMC, LL Cool J, and EPMD are break-beat, hip-hop geniuses from the 70s through the 80s.

Everything hip-hop music has become starts with the sampling, looping, and remixing achievements of these forefathers.

Nary a piece of fresh cardboard has been dropped on pavement without a break, hyphy, or crunk dancer knowing these beats.

Boom, pop, boom, boom, pop. Repeat. Got a rock it, don’t stop it. Got a rock it, don’t stop.

Lesson #1: How a Black Spades gang member from the Bronx figured out a way to escape his tenement nightmare via the electronica of Soul Sonic Force and their search for a Planet Rock.

Rock, rock, to the Planet Rock, don’t stop.

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Administrator 21st Century Culture, 70s, 80s, Aural Pleasure, Stylio, The Good Life bass, beats, entertainment, fun, GOOD, goodness, hear, hip-hop, music, pleasure, rap, social, sonic, sounds

For most L.A. Westsiders, the 25th Annual Abbot Kinney Festival happening this weekend in Venice, California, is like a little New Orleans Mardi Gras mixed with Austin’s South-by-Southwest Music Festival.

Abbot Kinney was a visionary and a conservationist, but he was also a businessman. More than likely he would be proud of the current gentrified state of affairs on the street named after him — Abbot Kinney Boulevard.

Abbot Kinney’s dream of a “Venice USA” beach recreation development opened on July 4, 1905.

Though Abbot Kinney tried to create a bohemian mecca for arts and culture, the residents were more inclined for social parlors and sports activities. Even with some of the most astute lecturers and performers of this era providing a cultural beacon, Kinney’s artistic endeavor was a financial loser.

According to Westland.net, “By December 1905, Kinney knew his dream of creating a great cultural Mecca had failed and, ever the astute businessman, he turned his attention to accommodating the wishes of the public. The character of Venice succumbed to the beach goers and summer holiday guests who frequented the community’s many amusement attractions and Venice came to be known as the ‘Coney Island of the Pacific.’”

“By mid-January 1906, an area was built along the edge of the Grand Lagoon that was patterned after the amusement thoroughfares of the great 19th and 20th century expositions. It featured foreign exhibits, amusements, and freak shows. Trolley service was available from downtown and nearby Santa Monica.”

“Visitors were dazzled by the system of canals complete with gondolas and gondoliers brought in from Venice, Italy. There were ornate Venetian-style businesses and a full sized amusement pier. Around the entire park was a miniature steam railroad along a 2 1/2 mile track. Kinney and some of the nearby residents were aghast at some of the low-class shows that Venice began to offer, but it was considered the best congregation of amusement devices on the Pacific Coast, and it made a handsome profit.“

Eventually Kinney gained control of city politics and had the name changed from Ocean Park to Venice in 1911.

Today, Abbot Kinney Boulevard has replaced the beach boardwalk as the center of arts and culture in this seaside community. The 25th Annual Abbot Kinney Festival is a celebration of the man from New Jersey and his dream for a Utopian arts and culture mecca.

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Administrator 21st Century Culture, Stylio, The Good Life Abbot Kinney, artists, arts, California, celebration, cutlure, festival, fun, GOOD, Los Angeles, social, Venice