http://chud.com/articles en-us N/A nicknunziata@gmail.com Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:51:08 EST 20 http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1591/Rian-Johnson-is-the-nicest-man-on-the-planet.html
Let me just start off by saying that every single person who has done a festival with me, or even just come to do a Q&A for a film has been incredibly rad. I have loved everyone.

But Rian Johnson is just NICE. Really nice.

Tomorrow night is the last night in his Festival of Fakery, and I shall be sad to see him go. He has been so dedicated, showing up for every night of his fest and putting together a kick ass slide show for every double. He even arranged for Joseph Gordon-Levitt and friends to play a Tom Waits song on stage before F for Fake! (And he did a silly dance! And played the cowbell! And let me play tambourine!) Awesome.

Besides being nice, Rian is also very talented. Anyone who saw Brick knows this. We got to sneak preview his new film, The Brothers Bloom, at his festival and it is a super duper film. Highly recommended.

The long and short of it is, support this man. He's good people. ]]> no@spam.com (Julia Marchese) Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1591/Rian-Johnson-is-the-nicest-man-on-the-planet.html http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1580/Bring-Gimmicks-Back.html
I’m talking William castle-style seat tingling, skeleton flying, life insurance waver signing type gimmicks.

I went and saw two 3D movies this weekend and had a blast. Nothing makes you feel more like a kid than reaching out to see if you can touch the effect coming out of the screen. It just makes movies fun again. Obviously, these kinds of gimmicks only apply to a certain kind of film. Requiem for a dream in 3D? No Thanks. (Although I have seen pornos in 3D, which is an experience all to itself. Things really do “come” off of the screen.)

William castle knew what was up. He knew his movies weren’t very good and that he needed a little something special to jazz them up. Think of how much better all of the terrible movies that are being released today would be if your seat buzzed or if zombies came barreling at you from behind the screen!

I won’t go on my sequels and remakes rant here, but I will say that they would be 100% better in 3D. And hell, it’s 2009, who’s going to invent 4D? I want to fucking touch, taste and smell those effects! Step it up, folks, step it up.
]]> no@spam.com (Julia Marchese) Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1580/Bring-Gimmicks-Back.html http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1572/booze.html
Lame sauce.

Why would I want to spend hours trying to get myself to like something that I don’t? I could just pick up something, like a root beer float, that is tasty at this exact second. It’s baffling to me. What’s even more baffling is that people won’t get off my case about it. They ask if my parents were alcoholics (no), if I am in AA (no), if I have problems losing control (no). Is it that weird to just not like it?

I will say, however, that from time to time I feel as if I am missing out on the “fun”. Well, maybe not fun, but the screaming, guffawing, stumbling, slurring nights that everyone else has. And I don’t want to complain, but if you have ever been the only sober one at a party, you know the annoyance level.

It was even worse when I lived in England, and drinking is simply a part of life. You don’t go out to dinner with friends, you meet them at a pub. And if you aren’t completed wrecked at the end of an evening, you’re a pussy. There you don’t dance, talk to a girl, or stir from your seat until you are good and sauced. I think its nuts.

Looking at alcohol culture from the outside is really bizarre. Not being able to see the appeal, it just seems confusing and sad. Look, I’m not going to knock anyone for having a good time. Have at it, but leave us sober folks alone. It’s enough work just talking to your maximum volume braying self when you are toasted. ]]> no@spam.com (Julia Marchese) Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 EST http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1572/booze.html http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1398/twilight.html I have always been the kind of person who shuns popular media. Harry Potter makes me puke, Oprah's book club is nauseating, Heroes and Lost pedestrian. I never give any of these things a chance, of course, because I am a tremendous snob.

I hold vampires near and dear to my heart. I always have. As a freshman in high school, I read a young adult vampire novel called "The Silver Kiss" by Annette Curtis Klause and was blown away. I wrote to her to express my love of the book, she wrote back, and for 15 years we have been pen pals. I take it very seriously. I even wear red shoelaces in my black converse because the vampire, Simon, in that novel did and I fell madly in love with him.

So when I heard about Twilight, I shrugged it off. Too mainstream, too popular. Then one of my best friends from high school, Ali, told me to read Twilight. Said it was a book written for me, that I would fall madly in love with Edward, the main vampire. Said he was as amazing as Simon. (My affinity for falling in love with fictional characters is nothing new). I didn't take it seriously, but then saw Twilight on sale in Target for $8, said why not.

I'm not kidding when I say it is a cult. The books are like crack. It's taken me a ridiculously short amount of time to finish all four books, over 2,000 pages altogether. I can't put the fucking things down. I haven't been this excited about a book in a long time, which is saying alot because I am a constant reader. I fell for Edward HARD.

And I can't really explain what it is about the books, exactly. I don't know if it's because I am a woman and the books touch something deep inside that screams that I am not good enough, not special enough (as the main character, Bella, believes about herself). I'd like to think myself intelligent enough to be able to see into any sort of romantic true love brain washing the books may use.

But i'm not smart enough. I am a hopeless romantic, always have been. Convinced I would love passionately and die for love, if necessary. I know this blog will make all of the CHUD readers puke, and I apologize for that. But if you can get past the love story, there's a great action story there too. And I think men could learn alot by reading these books. Edward is exactly what women want.

exactly.

And its not about being a vampire, or beautiful, or rich. It's about making the woman feel like she is the most glorious thing in the world, and that you would give up immortality for her.

Im trying to help you guys get a piece of tail, alright?

But be careful and take this cult very very seriously. ]]> no@spam.com (Julia Marchese) Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 EST http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1398/twilight.html http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1210/Seth-Green-In-Person-Tonight-at-the-New-Beverly-Cinema.html
DEFENDING YOUR LIFE & DEATH BECOMES HER at 7:30


With Seth Green in attendance!!!


Please arrive early, no advance tickets will be sold, cash only!!

See you tonight!!!

7165 Beverly Blvd - Between la Brea and fairfax

newbevcinema.com
]]> no@spam.com (Julia Marchese) Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1210/Seth-Green-In-Person-Tonight-at-the-New-Beverly-Cinema.html http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1204/In-response-to-a-previous-blog.html
I was in Seattle a few weekends ago and happened upon the Pho 999 in the Broadway district. My mom went to Vietnam for vacation last year and has been a devoted Pho junky ever since. After some extraordinarily delicious spring and egg rolls, i tucked into my beef with lemongrass and peppers. Requested, as usual, extra spicy. It was fucking awesome.

it was so hot that half way through i wasn't sure if I could finish it. I have never had that feeling before in my life. And while it was mouth scaldingly hot, it was also terrifically delicious. I have never been in so much gastronomic pain before and yet i was completely delighted. Finally! A restaurant that gave me what I asked for, tastebuds be damned!!

so not only did they rock my socks off with my entree, they also gave out FREE cream puffs for dessert. I was thinking about moving in. I am a pastry fanatic and these cream puffs were from outer space. i had to buy more just to bring some back so my family would know what a cream puff is supposed to taste like.

if only there was a Pho 999 here....sigh.
]]> no@spam.com (Julia Marchese) Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1204/In-response-to-a-previous-blog.html http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1203/Fast-Food-Independents-Dying.html
Farm Basket is a down home style fast food joint, with a barn shaped building and an interior done entirely in kitschy plaids and country thingamabobs. The menu board is simply white with black letters stuck on, none of this moving picture menus here. The employees are bored and surly, as fast food employees should be.

But, oh, that fucking delicious food. Primary on the menu is the Super Clucker and Great Gobbler, a chicken/turkey sandwich, breaded and deep friend until crisp and brown, served on a white roll with miracle whip and cranberry sauce. it's like a little mini Thanksgiving on a bun. it comes with either scrumptiously seasoned french fries or mashed potatoes with country gravy. You can get drumsticks, breasts and wings, but everyone just sticks to the sandwiches.

Or. The Clucketoes. Technically, Clucketoes are simply chicken taquitos but they go so much beyond that. They are what chicken taquitos should be. Perfectly friend and stuffed with seasoned and moist chicken. Topped with lettuce, cheese and spicy salsa. They are to die for.

I just adore how low-budg Farm Basket is. They can't even afford drink cups with their logo on it, it's just plain styrofoam. When I asked the girl behind the counter if I could buy a Farm Basket T-shirt, she looked at me as if I had a Clucketo sticking out of my nose.

Sadly, there is only one Farm Basket left in Las Vegas, where once there were many. I know it, too, will shortly be gone, so i make it a point to stop there whenever i am home on vacation. Keep the dream alive, and next time you go to Las Vegas, stop at the Farm Basket on Charleston and Jones for a Great Gobbler. tell 'em Julia sent ya. ]]> no@spam.com (Julia Marchese) Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1203/Fast-Food-Independents-Dying.html http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1191/Seth-Green039s-Calvacade-of-Horror.html
SETH GREEN'S CALVALCADE OF HORROR


The super rad movies Seth is showing are:


Sept 3-4 ROBO COP & DIE HARD



Sept 5-6 DEFENDING YOUR LIFE & DEATH BECOMES HER



Sept 7-9 YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES & THE WARRIORS



Sept 10-11 THREE O CLOCK HIGH & STATE OF GRACE



Sept 12-13 BEVERLY HILLS COP & RUNNING SCARED



Sept 14-15 TBA


Don't miss this awesome festival!!


No advance tickets will be sold, cash only, box office opens 15 minutes before show time.


Also....tonight, sept 2nd its a super sci-fi double with

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA & THE BLACK HOLE!!!
]]> no@spam.com (Julia Marchese) Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1191/Seth-Green039s-Calvacade-of-Horror.html http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1159/Seth-Green039s-festival-at-the-New-Bev.html
The New Beverly Cinema is proud to announce the 5th in our special guest programmer series, SETH GREEN, star of Cant Hardly Wait, Robot Chicken, Family Guy and tons and tons more. Get ready for:



SETH GREEN'S CINEMATIC CAVALCADE OF HORROR!!

special guests TBA!!!

The New bev is finalizing some last minute bookings...the final film announcements will be made soon!!]]> no@spam.com (Julia Marchese) Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1159/Seth-Green039s-festival-at-the-New-Bev.html http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1109/The-candy-that-nobody-eats.html But my affection goes out to those candies that no one likes. To the Mike N Ikes, the Dots, The Hot Tamales, the Big Cherry. I recently read a book called Candy Freak, and in it the author describes the (surprisingly fascinating) history of candy bars. How Hersey's, Nestle and Mars corporations have essentially swallowed up all of the little guys and how its really hard to be an independent company these days. (I guess that's true of everything). The book focused on the candy bars that are family run and are still being made the same way today they always have been. the Goo Goo Cluster, Valomilk, Abba Zabbas and the like. I have more respect for these candy bars, of course. But no one eats them.

I was marvelling yesterday how for every product in the entire world, there has to be someone, somewhere, who is a die hard fan. Someone loves Chuckles so much that they are loyal to that candy, probably collect merchandise about that candy, and tells everyone they should eat that candy. If you think about the scope of this premise, its pretty crazy.

And its the same for everything. Someone out there is a Matthew Modine fan (the most milquetoast actor on the fucking planet) who has their little fan site and watches his movies on repeat. Why? What is it about human nature that encourages us to be obsessive and nostalgic and yet at the same time, victims of advertising and peer pressure?

In conclusion, I say fuck Snickers and Brad Pitt. Love your Modine and Chuckles with pride. Go out to your local convenience store today and buy the most obscure candy you can find, and then go rent Vision Quest. Right on.
]]> no@spam.com (Julia Marchese) Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://chud.com/articles/blogs/1109/The-candy-that-nobody-eats.html