Cinema Arts Festival Houston: November 11-15, 2009

The five-day, contemporary film and multimedia arts events showcases a series of films depicting and reflecting the creativity of artists working in the visual, performing, and literary arts. Theatrical Screening of films by and about artist complement a vibrant multimedia arts festival featuring live music, media installations, and more. Events are taking place at multiple locations throughout Houston, including: Alabama Theatre, Angelika Film Center; Discovery Green; Miller Outdoor Theatre, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Rice Media Center; University of Houston; Warehouse Live; and more.

Tickets on sale. For more information visit www.cinemartsociety.org

The 2 Most Shocking Movie Previews I’ve Seen in Years: “Antichrist” & “Precious”

ANTICHRIST

If you happen to be afraid and somewhat churchy about Halloween and scary movies, you may not want to watch this preview. I’m warning you. My boy, Will Dafoe (I mentioned him in the previous post) stars in this sick yet genius film and I can’t tell if he’s the Antichrist.  Imagine that! This movie had a crazy buzz at Cannes Film Festival.

” Some audience members think it’s the most offensive film they’ve ever seen.”- Sukhdev Sandhu

Directed by Lars Von Trier. Starring William Dafoe. Check out the Preview of the “Antichrist”

PRECIOUS

She wishes she had a light-skinned boyfriend. She gets beaten. She’s Unhealthy. The setting is placed in Harlem in 1987. It’s 2009 and this story is sadly still a voice of the rotten socioeconomics of America. Our generation made it happen to that the USA finally won upped the world and voted  the first progressive Black president to run the country and a few others. Still some environments will remain barbaric from coast to coast. As we go to work, fuss about traffic, pray for a miracle, pump our high gas, and buy our lattes, our peers are battling the seriousness that is poverty -the permanent recession- and a lack of education. Have you ever visited the projects in Harlem?Baltimore? what about New Orleans or Newark? If you ever hear a non-native say, “Ya’ll have it good down here”, It’s because for the most part we do here in Houston. This movie has motivated me. The Mary J. Blige song helped as well. Folks should really support this film and join a volunteer group.  There’s so much work to be done still.  It’s THE untold story. “Precious”.

Set in Harlem in 1987, it is the story of Claireece Precious Jones, a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would want. Shes pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother, a poisonously angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is a place of chaos, and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and an awful secret: she can neither read nor write. Precious may sometimes be down, but she is never out.

This may be too early to call, but if Mo’nique plays this role with all the  experiences of “B-more” , she may get a nod for a Screen Actor’s Guild Award or an Oscar.

http://www.serve.gov/

cradlestocrayons.org

kramden.org

thelampnyc.org

ANGELS & DEMONS Masquerade Affair

Julian Marley | HOB 11/19

Julian Marley, member of the legendary Marley family, will be making his way to Houston mid-November promoting his latest album Awake.

WHO: Julian Marley

WHERE: House of Blues

1204 Caroline Street

Houston,  TX

77002

WHEN: November 19 at 8 p.m.

Tickets start at $21

Festivals and Fashion Markets

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There will never be another Woodstock. Never. We’ve seen the images of flower kidz, zonked out from the overindulgence of sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. The mud baths, the iconic performances of artists, Hendrix, Dylan, Santana, The Band….since 1969, many festivals have tried to do repeat- think Lalapalooza and Coachella, but ya can’t redo an era.

I’ve heard references to the new Obama generation as a light weight spin off to the 1970’s hippie movement. It’s quite far-fetched and our hybrids wouldn’t support muddy interiors anyway.

Here are some great examples of festival fashion. There were hipsters who seemed to Battle each other for the coolest concert t-shirts, Structured leather jackets (the temp was a nice 85 degees in Austin)and free spirited beauties roaming in bliss on the grassy park.

RAPHAEL SAADIQ LOOKED RATHER CLASSIC IN his 60’s styled vintage black suit.

If you missed The Find, this past weekend you missed out on a treat. Mostly women, vintage lovers came from all over River Oaks and The Heights in search of unfound diggs to sport for the fall.  I came across the best booth of the entire market. A young lady by the name of Samadhi and she happens to have one of the largest vintage collections in Houston, Texas. She’s been in business for over 10 years with her mother. After salivating over a vintage gucci bag that I was close to buying, but in guilt passed off to my cousin, I was able to cop an eel skin clutch made in the 60’s for amazingly $60. Eel skin clutches run about $300 in high end stores. Check out her website at ancestorvintage.etsy.com.

Products Babies of all Ages Can Enjoy

So after an innocent conversation with my husband recently, he went into detail about the many uses of baby products by men.  Now, just to let you know, my husband is about as rugged as it gets so for him to explain the uses and why men use baby products was interesting, and I thought I should share with you, if not for useful information, but at least a good laugh.

So you just had an amazing night, wake up for you usual routine in the morning and what do you find, no tissue, but baby wipes instead.  This may freak a girl out, but then you think, I guess he is a real stickler for cleanliness.

In the heat of the moment, anything can happen, but what would you do when you you’re covered in baby oil and no end in sight.  I mean it can be a nice little touch to intimacy, but really, an entire bottle gone and he still wants more?  It is a little off putting, but hey, you have baby wipes right?

So I have not personally used baby powder since I was 5-years-old, but apparently men never stopped using it.  Whether it’s for feet, chaffing or sweat prevention in the private region, it is usually not a good look when you reveal yourself to your partner and white powder is falling to the ground.  It was cute as a child, but as a grown person, it is just ridiculous.  And don’t even think of using baby oil after that, it just creates a weird paste that is hard to clean.  Not even baby wipes can save you then.

Have you ever tried Vaseline?  It is interesting to say the least when getting ready to have relations with your partner and he pulls out Vaseline.  I have asked a few guy friends what is the appeal of this medium and they simply say it is not a messy as baby oil and seems to last longer.

Now the point of this column is to be a bit of informative and hopefully a little humorous as well.  Now I consider myself hip and in the know, but I did not know about this.  I have been married for some time so my interaction with baby products and the opposite sex is almost non-existent, but when I asked my friends, male and female, exactly what is the appeal, they all say the same thing, one they smell good, plain and simple, two, they feel good, no irritation for sensitive skin and finally, it is just cheaper.  I mean a good bottle of personal lubricant is about twelve bucks, foot powder, maybe four bucks, a bottle of baby oil is about two buck and there are always coupons, it’s a recession people, got to save where you can. Now baby wipes can be expensive, I have children, I know, but that clean feeling cannot be matched.

Even celebrities get in on the action, Oscar-nominated actor Terrence Howard has gone on record to say he will not even be interested in a potential mate, unless he knows she uses baby wipes.  Kelly Rowland, former member of Destiny’s Child, has publicly stated that she maintains her sexy glow with baby oil on her legs and Vaseline on her hands at night.

So there you go, ladies and gents, don’t be shy or surprised when you finally get invited over for the first time and he has more baby products than Target.  Its ok, he’s clean, and smells good and at the end of the night you will literally be slipping into the sheets together.

They’ll make you want to scream

Halloween is approaching and instead of spending money on a costume, try spending money on a good scare. While guys do enjoy watching women walk around scantily clad, and ladies look forward to getting some cuddle action during a scary movie, nothing can compete than getting that adrenaline pumping. It’s a great way to see which one of your friends are the most chicken, and a way to see the ones that like to act hard. If you’ve ever been to a haunted house in the city know that they can look like hole-in-the-walls and be elaborate on the inside. Here’s a sampling of where to go to get yourself freaked out for fun.

Nightmare on the Bayou:

Nightmare on the Bayou is located next to Houston’s oldest graveyard and is the only haunted house in Houston that’s really haunted, so we hear. NOB was seen on the Travel Channel as one of America’s Scariest Halloween Attractions.

Where: 1515 Studemont, Houston, TX 77007

Cost: $30/regular ticket – Group rates available for $5 per ticket for groups of 25 or more

photo credit www.nightmareonthebayou.com

Scream World:

Scream World has three haunted houses in one: the Haunted Hotel, The Edge of Darkness and Movie Monsters in 3D. This creepy collaboration of haunted houses was selected as one of the best-haunted houses in America by americasbesthaunts.com.

Where: 2225 N. Sam Houston Parkway W., Houston, TX 77038

Cost: General Admission, $25 (discounts for students & family night)

photo credit www.screamworld.com

Phobia:

Phobia has two locations offering nine different attractions featuring several themes including the following: Dawn of the Machine, Claustrophobia, Mind Control [Asylum], Darke Institute, among others. Phobia is selected as one of America’s Scariest Haunts by ratethehaunt.com.

Where:

Location 1 – 18777 Hwy 290 (exit West Road) Houston, TX 77065

Location 2 – I – 45S (exit 15/Mainland Mall)

Cost: $12 per haunted house (multiple attraction discounts available)

photo credit www.darke.com

Devin The Dude: Growing Pains of an Underground King

THE CONCERT

A full audience crowded the stage and many more concertgoers were pouring into the venue. The opening act of the performance seemed to be all private school graduates turned derelicts of the privileged.  River Oaks and Rice Village kids I assume.

As The Blvd team stood near the entrance of Wearhouse Live in Houston Texas, the hard at work trio of Carlos, Ivory and Lennis aka Lee-Lee, could barely crank out the merchandise of t-shirts, coffee mugs, CDs, and posters quick enough, as the mostly crowd of high schoolers dropped the almighty dollars to bless their hero.

“What’s up with the crowd?”

“Is it always majority white college and high school kids?”

“This is how a Devin concert is, they love him,” Lee Lee said with a smirk. “They get a chance to break away from home and smoke weed. They wanna be rebels and shit.” A familiar odor wafted through the air, but no one seemed to mind.

“We don’t really celebrate smoking like that, if we do smoke we do it in the comfort of our home,” says Lee Lee. “The police would never allow it.”

The back room was packed with cousins of Devin, professionally rolled blunts and loud chatter. In the smoked filled dressing room turned Coughee Shop, Devin stands in a cipher of 10 young fans in preparation for a performance he was to headline at Warehouse Live.

“What’s this I hear about you Fucking Somebody’s Mother?” questions a girl with a heavy Brooklyn accent. In full denial, Devin Copeland, responds with a coy “ I never said that” “ What you talking about?” “I would never do something like that.”

As the tight-eyed Brooklyn native, and obvious fan of marijuana, giggles at her new-found friend, Devin smiles in relief.

BIG COJONES

The Coughee Brothaz are a mash up of producers, old school rappers, singers, aspiring protégés, and Devin Copeland. The bloodline of the Coughee Brothaz starts with The Odd Squad, a 1994 trio of Devin the Dude, Blind Rob, and Jugg Mug. Devin never wanted to be an independent artist.

“It’s always power in numbers, I never wanted to be on my own,” Copeland said. “The Odd Squad was the only project I was concerned with representing.”

Keeping the bond of his brotherhood with his child hood friends, Devin never turned down an opportunity to possibly better position himself and his crew.

With the kinship of former Geto Boys leader Scarface, Devin helped create a name for himself by joining a compilation project called Face Mob created and organized by Scarface. With the Face Mob push and his work on Scarface’s album, Devin’s hook on  “Fuck Faces,” not only finessed the heavy lyrics of his predecesor, but actually made it a song to remember. The rest is history. Countless classics and a loyal under ground marijuana induced movement has maintained the legitimacy of this operation known as the Coughee Brothaz. Their album, properly titled ” Coughee Brothaz: Waitin’ Our Turn” is available in stores.

THE CRAZY IDEA

If you look at today’s rapper, most get thrown into fame with no skill, no wit, and no love. Devin has classic hooks, hits, and albums, and he’s still grinding and working his ass off. I can’t even waste the time to list all the major moguls he’s worked with, because it would be a disservice to myself and the fans.  As a layman you’ve heard him and as a fan you want people to know him, because he’s hilarious, smart, and just enough raunch to make you feel uncomfortable when your parents pass by, even as a grown up.

Some fans respect his music so much that they go to great lengths to catch his attention, hoping to land a career.

Take 14K for instance. What does 14k mean? The gold standard. At first introduction the name seemed too typical. Like most up and coming artist their braggadocio fell on deaf ears with me until I heard their unusual story and a viewing of a performance of the two killing the stage on video. Haven’t seen a young rap duo perform with this type of control in a long time and actually keep my attention.

These guys out of  New Mexico, two brothers Wood (Brandon) and Quad (Kyle), literally packed their shit and left nine years a go after a bootleg phone call changed the dynamic of their rap dreams.

“I was skipping school one day and I remember this promotion of a phone number that allowed you to call anyone in the world, 10-10-9000. I found his number on an old album. I asked the operator to connect me and Devin answered,” says Wood.

“When he answered, I just went off and started rhyming,” Wood proudly recalls.

Devin laughs as he reminisces on that call. “ I’d heard a lot of random shit on the phone, but that caught me off guard. I couldn’t hang up, cuz the lil niggas could flow”.

After inviting the brothers to Houston, Wood and Quad sold all of their weed and jumped on the first flight smoking. Their history is still in the making as Devin takes the two under his wing. They’ve been featured in fan favorites, Somebody Else’s Wife (Devin the Dude) and Highway (Landing Gear). The album unnoficially titled “Wake Up”, is in the finishing stages.

THE BEST AROUND

On his latest album “Landing Gear ” (2008) , Mr. Copeland definitely cleaned up his approach. A little less description of fellatio and its after effects, while still calling out bitch*s and hoes for what they are. In “I Don’t Chase Em” featuring Snoop Dogg and Tony Mack , this anti-boppers anthem hits a pulse to industry cats getting chased by the cat.

Devin the Dude, has three daughters and one son. His potty mouth remains as is. It’s his bread and butter. Even as a fan, I’ve had a hard time believing half the bizarre sexual acts he jokes about in his music and he’s getting old, so I asked him, “Are you really knockin hoes down like that?”

He laughs, “Well, some of the lyrics have a lot of truth, but most are just experiences I hear from friends and my fantasies. ”When asked how he approaches his misogynistic references now that he’s a daddy, he admits, “I’m growing, I’m getting older. I have children and as a father, how can I not think about my message? They listen to just the production, not the lyrics. It’s how I choose my tracks for my albums. If they’re feeling it I know it can be a hit.”

His team of Coughee Brothers and Sisters definitely remain a vital support system for the family run operation. How else would he remain in the game? He doesn’t have a contract with Rap A Lot as of 2008, a positive. He’s a free agent, jumping around for the best distribution deals.  In his best Richard Pryor he explains, “I can’t be an old ass rapper, asking for a deal, I can’t do that shit anymore.” In the current music climate it seems everybody can be a brand, but at least this crew has a legend on the team.

Devin welcomed THE BLVD MAG into his home and we broke bread with the Coughee Family.

As the cravings kicked in, Devin served a southern masterpiece of fried chicken, jambalaya, and potatoes, (the AD Director left no scraps), Devin politely washed dishes as he schooled us on some history. “You know Blowfly was the originator of raunchy lyrics. He was the first. Look him up.”

Check out Landing Gear! It’s a solid album.
You can get more information about The Coughee Brothaz and future tours on myspace.com/cougheebrothaz and myspace.com/devinthedude

10100110: Schipulcon

Thanks to the Schipulcon Web Marketing Conference this week for engaging local Houstonians to web marketing initiatives put on by Schipul, a Houston Web Marketing Agency. The BLVD team enjoyed two full days of panels that ranged from technology, film, Search Engine Optimization, and social media best practices.

Schipulcon’s two-day agenda focused on Executing Interactive Online Strategies using Tendenci, Wordpress & Drupal. public relations and social media best practices, understanding your SEM and site analytics. Highlights of the conference were hte keynote speech by Ed Schipul on personal branding and learning how to create a company brand with social media.   Raymond Dayle, the independent filmmaker of award winning Electric Purgatory: The Fate of the Black Rocker, presented an informative speech where young entrepreneurs in the media industry could benefit from Dayle’s advice on bootstrapping their startup.

To top it off, the conference ended in a cocktail hour at the Houston Zoo, where everyone from marketing executives to interns mingled and networked with local and out town companies.  We had the chance to meet the Schipul team and let other’s know about the www.theblvdmag.com. To find out about next year’s Schipulcon, follow the company @Schipul.

Photos courtesy of Schipul.com

HOT SPOT: MonnaLisa

If you’re tired of the same scene in the heights, downtown, midtown or even uptown, consider the MonnaLisa Lounge located at Hotel Sorella in the new City Centre in West Houston. This upscale modern lounge has a sexy scene along with a pool area decked out with cozy cabanas draped with white linen. Enjoy sipping one of their specialty martinis like the Lychee Martini when you’re with friends when you’re sitting poolside. Inside, the bar features top shelf drinks as well as delicious gourmet sandwiches. This is a great place to have a drink with a few friends or get cozy with that special someone. The ambiance is tranquil with ambient music playing as the soundtrack of the evening. The next time you are in a mood to just chill, relax and have a good time, consider the MonnaLisa Lounge.

MonnaLisa Lounge

Hotel Sorella

800 West Sam Houston Parkway, Bldg 9

Houston, TX 77024

713.973.1601

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