Random Randomness

Radiohead just got trippy! Well, I guess they’ve always been trippy. [Everything in it’s Right Place, anyone? I was playing that song once and my mother actually thought the CD player was breaking. Once I told her the song is meant to sound like that she asked me if he was singing about math. I really, really love my mom!] I was surprised to see this on Variety. It’s time lapsed HD video of footage shot in Telluride, Colorado during the Telluride Film Festival. It’s a relaxing romp through the mountains and the city set to the Radiohead song “Nude,” from In Rainbows. It’s fun and goes really well with a cup of coffee or tea. I’d also like to congratulate Radiohead for donating the usage of this song for the festival, it’s rare for artists to just give it away for free. Thanks to Variety for putting this up.

It’s always nice to remember that sometimes music paired with film can make you feel. I wanted to post the video here, but their embeddable player was freaking out once I published. Heads up, Variety: get this figured out. I am giving you a link [gasp!] in the video's absence.




© 2008 MD TOTAL all rights reserved.


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FIFTY.

Pop the champagne! This marks Soccerboy in LA’s fiftieth post! Everybody at MD TOTAL is feeling pretty proud of what’s been accomplished here since July Eleventh! Even I didn’t imagine I would have had that much to say in two months, much less publish it for the world to see. I will admit it’s an extremely fun process that is wonderfully difficult.

This magazine is published five times a week on average. Some weeks are all seven days, and some weeks have consecutive days off. Generally, I figure out what I’m going to write about, write it, rewrite it, edit, rewrite again, edit again and publish all on the same day. As an artist, I rely on a strong process to get this accomplished. Some features require more time for me to establish a point of view, so I chew on those ideas, writing for a few days at a time before I publish them. I will say this: it is surprising even to me what features take a long time to get out of me. Luckily, I have a process. Though I must say, the best part about reaching Fifty is that I get to thank you.

Thank you for reading this magazine! :)

It’s great that you guys show up at all, and that you feel comfortable enough to join in on the discussion. It’s fulfilling. Speaking of, now would be a good time to give a shout out to our readers in Rhondda! And Panang! I never dreamt that Soccerboy in LA would be read as far as Wales and Thailand, but dag y'all… Thanks for showing up! And tell a friend to drop by! [shameless plug] New Visitors are always welcome!

We’re nearing the end of the second cycle, and it’s a crazy/amazing feeling just to be here and know that we’re moving forward! Cycle Three is looking to be pretty cool and should take us through the New Year. We’re working on some things that are pretty exciting if I say so myself. The feel will be the same and the recurring features will still recur, we’ll just get some new ones as well. That’s all I can say!

Pop the champagne and celebrate Soccerboy in LA’s Fiftieth Feature and give a toast to your good sense for reading it!

Keep it Real.



© 2008 MD TOTAL all rights reserved.



Member of the Boxxet Network of Blogs, Videos and Photos

Box-Office Round Up: 7.13.08

Here’s this weekend’s box office estimates!

1. Hellboy II: The Golden Army $35.8 million
2. Hancock $33.0 million
3. Journey to the Center of the Earth $20.5 million
4. Wall•E $18.5 million
5. Wanted $11.6 million

7. Meet Dave $5.3 million

Now this was an interesting weekend. Hellboy II performed as expected, and is now halfway to making its money back. Huzzah for Guillermo del Toro! The man is an imaginative genius, and completely deserves to make pictures as long as he is on this planet. Journey/Center of the Earth performed as was expected for a movie based on a Jules Verne novel, even though it had a decent review in Variety. The real question is why do we keep making movies based on Jules Verne novels when nobody shows up for them, even if they are in stunning 3D digital? To be fair, $20 million is nothing to sneeze at, but traditional opening weekend math says this picture will barely make back its production costs during its theatrical release, which gives DVD and TV the burden of earning back the cost of prints/advertising. Historically, this is not a sound model for a tentpole. At least they’re doing better than Eddie Murphy in Eddie Murphy in Eddie Murphy is Eddie Murphy in Meet Dave. I won’t comment on what I thought of the trailer, but with a weekend gross of $5.3 million, America sure did. The only way it could have been a bigger flop is if Fox spent more money on it. It begs the question, why does Eddie Murphy keep making these movies, only to have no one show up to see them? My advice to Mr. Murphy is to get the hell back on a standup tour to find himself again. Marriages and kids and a cancelled Oscar Award (which happened because of a movie like this) could definitely make you lose your edge, so go create a real Eddie Murphy Standup Act. That’s how we fell in love with you in the first place! And it could quite possibly inspire some screenwriter to write a fresh vehicle for your renewed persona.

And that’s the weekend!




© 2008 MD TOTAL all rights reserved.