Brooklyn Steeze
September 3rd, 2018 by Mr. C
(a view from Louis Valentino Jr. Park & Pier in Red Hook)
(Gowanus area)
Over the Labor Day weekend, I was intending to utilize the free citibike day pass that was offered by Showtime but a few glitches in the Citibike App system prevented me from cashing in on the free day until they fixed the problem at around noon time, too late because I brought my own bike to romp the streets of Brooklyn! Our plan of attack was to set the roots in Park Slope, fuel up with some bagels and start the adventure pedaling from Park Slope through Gowanus then head to Industry City and finish things off in Red Hook before pedaling back to the 4 wheel cage! Follow along with the photos!
(Stopped off at this excellent Bagel Shop in Park Slope to fuel up on some carbs!)
(Did a lightning round of farmers market shopping for some fresh fruits!)
(Headed to one of my favorite bridges in NYC, The Carroll Street Bridge!)
(The Carroll Street bridge was built in 1889 and is one of only a few retractile bridges left in NY . A retractile bridge slides along a track to allow the bridge to move and ships to pass. Check out the Belgian blocks on either side of the bridge and those wooden planks on the bridge!)
(The Retractile cables and pulleys of the bridge. Check that track jack!)
(Next Stop, dashed off to Industry City! Industry City is a waterfront community of old industrial warehouses, manufacturing, and shipping buildings of yesteryear – refreshed into a somewhat shopping, eating, & art/music mecca. IC is a work in progress but the scene and businesses that currently reside there provide a good base of culture. Now all it needs is a mass marketing plan to get the heads over to Industry City! It does have great potential!)
(Looks like a lot of the Adult video & accessory industry moved to the Industry City area on 3rd Ave!)
(Final leg of the bike ride – heading towards Red Hook! 1st stop Red Hook Ball fields for some latin food trucks. Just ended up getting a real refreshing passion fruit drink.)
(This once impressive concrete structure off columbia street was once the processing center for grains used for breweries and distilleries. Now it’s an impressive ruin. The track & soccer field in front of this structure is now looking more like a corn field and the space is severely neglected. I remember free summer concerts / summer stage NYC used to be in this area of this ballfield by the concrete silo ruins.)
(Metal Sculptures in the Hook)
(At Steve’s Key Lime Pie for what else…Key Lime Pie and an iced coffee!)
(Brooklyn Motor Works – right next to Key Lime Pie)
(You ain’t been to Red Hook officially if you haven’t stopped by the pier to soak in some Lady Liberty!)
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Exploring New York : Kensico Dam
July 29th, 2018 by Mr. C
(Kensico Dam Plaza – base…how low can you go!)
(Kensico Reservoir – view on top of the dam)
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On Saturday, we went on a quick excursion to a location about 30 miles north of NYC that has to be seen in person in order to believe the enormity and seriousness of this astonishing structure that was solely designed to hold back water. The design of the Kensico Dam and the park grounds is simply breathtaking. When you drive up to Kensico Dam Plaza, you’re like damn (sorry, pun intended), what is this the Great Wall of China in Westchester or some kind of fortress of some-sorts?
(Kensico Dam Plaza )
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Just a quick history of the dam – as the population of NYC grew, the water supply demand also needed to grow. Before the Kensico Dam, the old croton dam and eventually the new Croton Dam (built in 1906) / Croton Reservoir were created to supply a system of reservoirs designed to bring water from Putnam and Westchester Counties to New York City.
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While the population of NYC kept on growing feverishly, the construction of a new masonry dam in 1915 was needed. It replaced the old Kensico dam, and expanded the water supply by bringing water from the Catskill Mountains over a distance of more than 100 miles. The Kensico reservoir serves mainly to store the waters received from the Catskill Mountains west of the Hudson River.
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(Kensico Dam Plaza – looks like this area may be a large ice skating rink in the winter?)
(on the Plaza looking out into the Park)
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So on this morning, my friend Kurt wanted to do an up at his favorite park/recreational location in the Tri-state area called Kensico Dam and I tagged along for the ride. Kurt has been telling me about Kensico Dam since the late 90s and basically I’ve been telling myself, what’s the big deal? Now I understand the dealio and how peaceful, awe-inspiring, & potentially damaging this space can be. It can also be training grounds for a serious workout if you decide to do a few loops up and down the steps to the top of the dam and then back down. Rinse then repeat! Did I also mention that this park and the parking is free!? The view on top of the dam is tremendous. One side is the view of the reservoir and the other side overlooks the Plaza, the 9/11 Memorial, and the Park. After the events of September 11, 2001 the road running across the top of the Kensico Dam was closed indefinitely for fear of an attempt to destroy the dam. A breach of the dam would mean a diminished water supply to New York City and the flooding of many communities in Westchester. On September 11, 2005, a 9/11 memorial was erected to honor the 109 residents of Westchester that lost their life on 9/11. In May of 2012, the road on top of the Kensico Dam was reopened for bike and pedestrian traffic only.
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The Kensico Dam structure is just a very impressive work of art & marvelous study of engineering on display! The stonework & masonry is just simply stunning!
The grounds of the park also contains a touching tribute to the 109 victims of 9/11 that lived in the Westchester area. The base of “The Rising” 9/11 memorial contains the name of Westchester residents killed on that day.
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The park also provides a hip canvas of activities which includes ethnic celebrations, concerts, antique shows, arts and craft fairs, as well as areas for picnicking, skating, jogging, walking, and nature study. I’ve even heard that the fireworks on display on July 3rd to celebrate the 4th of July is something to marvel at as well! I’ll have to remember to get back here for the fireworks show one of these years!
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Kensico Dam
1 Bronx River Parkway Rd
Valhalla, NY 10595-2112
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(The march up the steps to the top of kensico dam!)
(Views on top of the Kensico Dam!)
(the Rising – 9/11 Memorial in the distant)
(dreamy views of the Kensico Reservoir from top of the dam)
(The Rising – 9/11 Memorial that pays respect to the 109 residents of Westchester lost in 9/11)
(more dreamy views of the reservoir)
(beautiful willow trees)
(Park joggers and dogs milling about!)
Tags: kensico dam, kensico dam plaza, new york state, valhalla, westchester new york
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Vintage Cartoon Festival in NYC
July 22nd, 2018 by chocko
Last month, a vintage cartoon festival titled “Silly School Daze!” was screened at THE ROC (59 E. Second St., New York) and was hosted by Tommy José Stathes. The program featured old cartoons mostly from the 1930’s from the Stathes Collection that focused on childhood and school. The cartoons were screened from a 16mm projector and when needed, live musical accompaniment was provided on the piano by the amazingly talented Charlie Judkins, a practitioner of traditional ragtime and blues. The program featured 12 cartoons with some familiar faces on the screen such as Popeye, Felix The Cat and Porky Pig as well as lesser known cartoon characters such as Bobby Bumps and Dinky Doodle. There was also an intermission in the middle of the program which was perfect for getting out of your seats and perhaps grabbing a snack or checking out what’s for sale at the vendor table or getting in on the raffle where the winner got all sorts of prizes. The event also served as a benefit to help preserve the vast collection of films owned by the exhibitor Tommy José Stathes. Much of his collection are old and delicate film reels that must be kept in a safe and temperature controlled environment. Tommy is an “archivist, historian, distributor and educator in the realm of early animated films” and is pictured below hosting the event where he explains the history of the animated films and takes questions from the audience that ranged from curious children to nostalgic adults.
Tommy José Stathes also started the Cartoons On Film early animation rerelease label and Cartoon Roots Blu-rays which are for sale at the cartoon programs. All the proceeds benefit the Stathes Archive activities and overhead. Chocko picked up new Halloween Haunts collection from Cartoons On Film which features 15 rare silent and early cartoons. Great art work…recommended and looking forward to collecting more!
The Next Film Programs:
Cartoon Carnival 69: Hot Stuff
– nearly two hours of more archival 16mm (no digital!) animated cartoons from the 1920s to the 1940s, straight from the Stathes Archives to the silver screen in Bushwick. Featuring live ragtime accompaniment by Charlie Judkins for select silent-era shorts!
Bar refreshments and light food available (i.e. hot dogs, hamburgers, etc.) —Support the venue!—
Show tix $10 at the door. ~Arrive on time for good seats~
Sunday 7/22/18 6pm at 389 Melrose St., Brooklyn N.Y.
Cartoon Carnival 70: Going Places
“Come on out and bring your friends to this barrel of mid-summer travelaffs!”
Sunday 8/19/18 6pm 389 Melrose St., Brooklyn N.Y.
Tags: animation, cartoon carnival, cartoon roots, cartoons, charlie judkins, early animation, new york city, nyc, tommy jose stathes
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WWE Live: SummerSlam Heatwave Tour at Madison Square Garden (Results)
July 18th, 2018 by chocko
Nia Jax and Rowdy Ronda Rousey at MSG
WWE house shows have always been special at Madison Square Garden…you never know what could happen. Almost a year ago at Madison Square Garden, a title was changed and a new champion was crowned when AJ Styles captured the U.S. Championship against Kevin Owens. The pro-wrestling event early in July was no different. With The Undertaker and Ronda Rousey on the card, that was enough to get people in the seats! Here are the results of the evening’s matches.
Results: 07.07.18 Madison Square Garden NYC
Bobby Lashley defeated Jinder Mahal
-a big moment in the match happened when Jinder took a swing at Lashley but accidentally clocked his Bollywood Boy, Sunil Singh
-no chance for Jinder after getting a jackhammer courtesy of Lashley
Cedric Alexander defeated Buddy Murphy to retain the Cruiserweight Championship
-technical skills were on display for one of the best matches of the night
-Buddy Murphy is one awesome heel. Definitely one to watch!
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt defeated Titus Worldwide and The B-Team to retain the RAW Tag Team Championship
-The B-Team worked the crowd with their dance moves and comedy relief but ultimately the win went to Matt and Bray that night after Matt connected with the Twist of Fate and it was nighty night for Titus O’Neil.
Bayley, Natalya and Ember Moon defeated Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan and Alicia Fox
-The leader of the Riott Squad, Ruby Riott has been out due to injury so the Squad recruited Alicia Fox to square up against Bayley, Natalya and Ember Moon in her Madison Square Garden debut.
-Bayley was able to clamp on a Bayley to Belly on Liv Morgan which Morgan could not kick out of, so Good Night Irene!
Mojo Rawley defeated Bobby Roode
-Mojo, in a chorus of boo’s, jumped Roode even before The Glorious One could get his shiny robe off. Not cool, Mojo!
-Not a very glorious MSG debut for Roode, appeared to bust his knee on a bad landing and just couldn’t recover from the Mojo onslaught
Dolph Ziggler defeated Seth Rollins and Finn Balor to retain the Intercontinental Championship
-arguably the best match of the night with each wrestler at the top of their game…definitely a PPV level match. Intensity to the extreme.
-Drew McIntyre accompanied Ziggler to the ring and was ejected from ringside early in the fight only to sneak his way back for the assist which got Rollins pinned
-After the match which got at least two “This Is Awesome” chants, Balor landed the Coup de Grace on Drew McIntyre and Seth curb stomped Ziggler to the delight of the rabid audience
Lucha House Party defeated Drew Gulak, Jack Gallagher and Brian Kendrick
-Cruiserweights in the house! Lucha Party consists of members Kalisto, Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado
-super acrobatic match which got the luchadors the win after a furious double stunner and high flying elbow
Ronda Rousey defeated Nia Jax
-Alexa Bliss was originally scheduled to referee the match but brought out Mickie James to do the job while Bliss became the ringside Enforcer
-Rousey got a huge ovation with her recent induction to the UFC Hall Of Fame…she’s a crowd favorite and here to stay
-Nia is not an easy opponent to beat with her power moves and Mickie as a ref with her slow counts did not help Rousey in the the least bit
-after Nia and Ronda slapped Alexa and Mickie around a referee had to run in and stop the match after Nia tapped out from an armbar
The Undertaker, Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman defeated Kevin Owens, Baron Corbin and Elias
-loud boo’s for Elias as he dissed the crowd and trashed NYC in his signature style
-tremendous ovation for The Undertaker…not many wrestlers can get a welcome like we saw that night at The Garden
-Braun started the match and Roman got tagged in for a prolonged beatdown at the hands of KO, Corbin and Elias
-Taker eventually got tagged in. The crowd went nuts and KO got choke slammed and tombstoned which got Taker’s team the victory
-after the match Braun and Roman got the handshake from The Undertaker, perhaps clearing the slate between the monsters and beasts.
Lucha House Party
the view from Seventh Avenue
The Undertaker, Braun Strowman and Roman Reigns enter the ring
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Tags: braun strowman, madison square garden, msg, new york city, nyc, pro-wrestling, results, ronda rousey, summerslam, the undertaker, wrestling, wwe
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House of The Rising Sons at 2018 New York Asian Film Festival / NYAFF
July 6th, 2018 by Mr. C
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Director: Antony Chan
Cast: Carlos Chan, Jonathan Wong, Tan, Eugene Tang, Lam Yiu-sing, Him Ng, Simon Yam, Kara Wai
Language: Cantonese with English subtitles
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House of the Rising Sons was a fun biopic film of Hong Kong’s own rising son of cantopop fame known as The Wynners or should we say formerly known as the Loosers! I grew up in a household of 3 older sisters who were mostly raised in Hong Kong in the 60s & 70s before I came to existence in NYC and they were big Wynners fans! I can still remember my sisters jamming out to Wynners Tunes on vinyl, 8 track cassette in their Ford Thunderbird, and then eventually the cassette tape in in their Chrysler Cordoba. I was never a big fan of the Wynners and actually thought it was quite embarrassing hearing cantonese pop music being blasted in our car. Later on in my teens I ate my words as I came to be a pretty big fan of Alan Tam, one of the lead vocalists of The Wynners.
(Antony Chan on the drums at NYAFF!)
But before I digress, House of The Rising Sons made its world premier screening at the 2018 New York Asian Film Festival with director and drummer of the Wynners, Antony Chan who was on-hand for a Q/A and a quick drum solo to warm up the crowd before the showing of the movie! There was also a live performance from Wynners tribute band – Wyn Wyn Magic who re-winded us back to trippy 70’s visuals and sounds of the Wynners from Hong Kong!
(Wyn Wyn Magic – Wynners tribute band at NYAFF)
(Wyn Wyn Magic with some Wynners Tunes at NYAFF)
I thought House of the Rising Sons was a lightweight and enjoyable flashback flick to the origins of the Wynners. It didn’t really get too in-depth to the bands drum and heartbeat nor did it entail the trials and tribulations of the inner workings of the group while growing up in a struggling society. the film just gave enough background to make the new listener, new fan wanting to know a little bit more of the Wynners. This was not intended to be an all inclusive film about a band that has been together for 40+ years. It was interesting to see how the story was shot & told from a person with first hand knowledge being an actual member of the band! Through the q/a though, director Antony Chan did acknowledge that the end product was based a little on the commercial aspect of the business as getting investors for the film proved to be a challenging hurdle. It sounded like the director had to walk a fine line between being true to the arts (film & music) and taking care of business.
The film proved to be a brief but highly dramatized biography of this fab 5 (or really the fab 2?) who began to form a mold for the cantopop future to come! I especially enjoyed the conflicts among the parents who were against their kids choosing music over a viable blue collar profession such as selling BBQ meats. I thought the film captured a great snapshot and day in the life of Hong Kong in the 1970s with attitudes and attire to match! The story did seem to be rushed a bit from a band that was separated indefinitely in its early years to then reconciling after 5 years or so to do reunion shows even up till these present times! The cast who played the roles of the Wynners seemed to all gel together on-screen really well and had pretty good working knowledge & passion in music if not being a little bit green on the acting side of things. Actual live footage of the Wynners were sprinkled towards the end of the film to give you a good visual of how everyone matured! In the end, two members of the band in particular Alan Tam and Kenny Bee were very influential in Hong Kong pop music and in the acting realm but the House of The Rising Sons biopic put the other 3 members of the band including a very geeky but spunky drummer on the map!
Tags: 2018 nyaff, alan tam, antony chan, hong kong cinema, kenny bee, new york asian film festival, wynners
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The Beast Stalker (2008) playing at the New York Asian Film Festival 2018 / NYAFF
July 1st, 2018 by Mr. C
Director: Dante Lam
Cast: Nick Cheung, Nicolas Tse, Zhang Jingchu
Language: Cantonese with English subtitles
I miss HK movies like this. It’s less about the action, explosions, CGI, and more about the insane character driven roles within this glorified train wreck of a suspenseful crime story. Yes, it’s over the top in every single fashion possible tauting kidnappings (emphasizing kid), collusion, & extortion but it does draw out emotions and reactions for the players in the film whether sympathetic, empathetic, or inciting anger and confusion for the viewer. Good but overzealous cop – Sergeant Tong (Nicholas Tse) is on a mad hunt for a “Beast” (Nick Cheung) that was involved in an armed robbery that led to the getaway and massive car crash that will provide the impetus and inspiration for the rabid quest for redemption and revenge for both the hero and the bandit in the film in this slightly twisted story within the story.
Yes yes, y’all, it’s a gritty mess for sure. Any Hong Kong movie that starts out in a tea house and then proceeds to take us on chases on Hong Kong rooftops is a good film for me! I’m not joking about the quintessential Hong Kong melancholy ending.
It’s a sad & dark film all throughout. Nothing less & nothing more than you come to expect with the Dante Lam & Nick Cheung collaborations! Beast Stalker is playing tonight at the 2018 New York Asian Film Festival at 9:30pm at Walter Reade Theatre at Lincoln Center. Director Dante Lam will be in attendance for the film! Maybe we’ll ask him what inspired him to create such a dark & moody film!
Tags: beast stalker, dante lam, hk films, hong kong films, new york asian film festival, nyaff, nyaff 2018
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Unbeatable (2013) at NYAFF 2018 – New York Asian Film Festival
June 30th, 2018 by Mr. C
Director: Dante Lam
Cast: Nick Cheung, Eddie Peng, Mei Ting, Crystal Lee, Philip Keung, Jack Kao
Language: Cantonese with English subtitles
Unbeatable is a 2013 mixed martial arts – melodramatic piece set in the backdrop of Macao and Hong Kong. I can say that I enjoyed the underlying story of our 3 protagonists strapped with bad fortune more so than the actual mixed martial arts action in the movie. The MMA action was a good vehicle to unite the causes & provide inspiration, though I think the real winner in the film was the melodramatic sequences and performances. The hot mess of family relationships fueled with drama & the cruelties of humanity within the common theme of get back up when you get knocked down offered a glimmer of hope with redemption at life to the characters in the film. This really drew me in. Also, the humor element within the melodrama alongside the action provided an excellent contrast to lighten up the story when things got real heavy.
The trio of lost souls in the film, former boxer & prison in-mate Ching Fai (Nick Cheung), a young man searching for himself in Lin Si-Qi (Eddie Peng), and single mother Ming-Jun (Mei Ting) with mental issues from a heavy past will lead you on a roller coaster ride of emotions! Nick Cheung with his role of Ching Fai showed off his dramatic acting & action chops – he really deserves a standing ovation in my mind. Unbeatable relays the universal message of always keep the fighting spirit & persistence to overcome the odds.
Unbeatable is screening at the 2018 NYAFF on Sunday July 1st with Director Dante Lam in attendance!
Tags: action, dante lam, hkfilms, hong kong, marital arts, new york asian film festival, nyaff2018
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WE WILL NOT DIE TONIGHT at New York Asian Film Festival
June 30th, 2018 by chocko
Director Richard Somes at Walter Reade Theater
Day One of the 17th Annual New York Asian Film Festival featured a 10PM screening and world premiere of the Filipino movie, WE WILL NOT DIE TONIGHT. Director Richard Somes was in attendance to introduce the film which is his homage to Walter Hill’s THE WARRIORS. The movie stars Erich Gonzales who plays the role of Kray, a hard working and underpaid stuntwoman who joins up with her old gang for one more job only to find herself being chased down by some hardcore thugs in a deadly chase of survival in the bleak underbelly of Manila. This movie is brutal in every aspect of the word. It’s got knife fights galore, machetes slicing and dicing, sharp objects of every kind constantly stabbing and poking, bodies flying all over the place and sledge hammers are getting swung around without remorse. There is an endearing subplot between Kray and her ailing father. We get hints that he was also a stuntman in his younger years as the father and daughter have a little sparring session in the kitchen. After that cute little scene, the movie takes a sharp turn into a savage underworld where mindless violence and brutality reign supreme.
Director Richard Somes is celebrating his tenth year as a director. Although, there was no Q&A after the screening, he did take the time to introduce the film. He also showed off his new tattoo which a friend of his did earlier in the day in downtown New York City. Check it out below! If you like what you see, follow his Filipina friend Sarah Gaugler who does custom designed tattoos. Follow her on Instagram: @SARAHGAUGLER
NYAFF runs from June 29 to July 15 at the Walter Reade Theater in Lincoln Center and SVA Theatre. The savage seventeenth year is gonna be buck wild with lots of guests, Q&A’s and movies from all of Asia!
Tags: 2018, cinema, filipino, movie, new york asian film festival, nyaff, richard somes, we will not die tonight
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Punk Island: 11 Years of PUNK
June 23rd, 2018 by chocko
Today is the day, Punk Island is coming back atcha for a fist flying 11th year in beautiful Randall’s Island, NYC. Saturday June 23, 2018 10am-8pm BE THERE! It hasn’t been on a Saturday in a long time and by the way, IT’S FREE, ALL AGES and ALL DAY! Come on down and get there by bike, foot or parachute in…just come. This year looks like it’s gonna be a muddy event so bring your umbrella and galoshes. Wear a poncho!
Featuring 6 stages representing DIY and punk rock in full effect:
All We Got! Records
Basement Dwellers
Brooklyn TransCore
Gilligan
Hoosatron
Taking Back Queens
SCHEDULE:
Brooklyn TransCore:
11:30- Danger Sluts
12:10- Mean Siders
12:50- Alexa666
1:30- Seppuku Pistols (Japan)
2:10- Enziguri
2:50- Treads
3:30- Trash Boy
4:10- Baby Got Back Talk
4:50- Transrectifier
5:30- Trashy
6:10- Stay Inside
6:50- Choked Up
Hoosatron:
11:30- Torpedoes
12:05- True Dreams
12:40- Universe Ignore Her
1:15- Hekla
1:50- Dunning Kruger
2:25- Dirty Bandaid
3:00- SPANDEX
3:35- Sister Munch
4:10- Witch Slap
4:45- The Loneliers
5:20- Nevva
5:55- Nihiloceros
6:30- Lady Bizness
7:05- Desert Sharks
All We Got! Records:
11:35- All New Episode
12:10- The Lot
12:45- Younger Than Neil
1:20- Fat Chance
1:55- The Windermeres
2:30- Disposable
3:05- The Upfux
3:40- Answering Machine
4:15- No Use For A Tribute
4:50- The Jukebox Romantics
5:25- Cold Wrecks
6:00- Aimless Again
6:35- The Pandemics (NY SKA!)
Taking Back Queens:
11:30- My Own Confusion
12:15- Left In The Attic
1:00- Hopeless Otis
1:45- Megaweapon.
2:30- Synapses Firing
3:15- Shakeout
4:00- For Lack Of A Term
4:45- The Holophonics
5:30- Behind The Façade
6:15- Jump For The Sails
7:00- American Pinup
Gilligan:
11:45- A Day Without Love
12:20- Arson Welles
12:55- NCM
1:30- Shut Up!
2:05- Hair Bag
2:40- Necrotic Society
3:15- Raddigan Brothers
3:50- Eskrofula
4:25- MAAFA _hardcore
5:00- Nine of Swords
5:35- Mary Todd
6:10- TOP nachos
6:45- Ronx
Basement Dwellers:
11:20- Passive Aggressive
12:00- Winterwolf
12:40- Bluntworks
1:20- The Road Sodas
2:00- Hood Rats
2:40- Big Band
3:20- Big Cheese
4:00- I Against Eye
4:40- Swinging Riot
5:20- Field Goal
6:00- Alouth
6:40- Dog Breath
7:20- The Troublemaker
These are the items prohibited at Punk Island!
-Weapons of any kind. Leave your brass knuckles and nunchucks at home!
-Fireworks or explosives
-Alcohol. Punk Island is a DRY event. A couple hours of sobriety won’t kill ya, punk!
-Vehicles other than bikes/skateboards/scooters
-smoking is not allowed
-You CAN bring your dog but it must be leashed at all times and pick up their poop!
Violators will be thrown into a volcano. See you at the Island. Have fun at the show and don’t be a jerk. Check out some videos below from 2017!
Tags: diy, free event, music, new york city, nyc, punk, punk island, punk island 2018, randall's island
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The Nuclears and Windbreaker played Human Head Records
June 20th, 2018 by chocko
Human Head Records is a record store located in the heart of Bushwick, Brooklyn. I’ve been meaning to stop by and check it out and after running into an instagram post of an upcoming in-store, that was all the extra push needed to make it happen. After some bridge crossings and zig-zagging through post apocalyptic rush hour traffic, we made it just in time to catch two NYC bands, The Nuclears and Windbreaker rock the house. Windbreaker were just getting started as we walked through the store which was filled with new and used records and mannequin heads.
Windbreaker are a band from NYC that play scorching powerhouse rock and roll with a towering lead singer with an array of lethal ammunition to keep the party going including maracas, killer harmonica riffs and Elvis sunglasses! You can’t go wrong with these guys…the energy they give off is infectious and their music got my bones rattling and my skull nodding to beat. They played a bunch of originals which need to get put out on an album and they threw in two covers…”Save It For Later” by English Beat and a rocking version of “Do It Again” by The Kinks.
The main event of the evening was another rock and roll band from Brooklyn…The Nuclears. Not much to say other than they absolutely rule and the party starts when they hit the stage! You get three bands in one with The Nuclears…three equally awesome lead singers that take turns with the lead vocals. I really enjoyed the country song they performed about how New York City sucks. They have another Brooklyn show coming up on June 29 at 9PM at Goldsounds (44 Wilson Ave, Brooklyn) with The Memphis Morticians, The Omega Men and The Bloodshots. Check them out, but in the meantime check out some more photos and videos below and definitely stop by Human Head Records. Definitely worth digging around up in there for vinyl. I bought a Cold Crush Brothers “Fresh, Wild, Fly & Bold” LP and DJ Chuck Chillout and Kool Chip “Masters of The Rhythm” LP. You old school hip hop heads already know!
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Tags: brooklyn, bushwick, free show, human head records, in-store, new york city, nyc, record store, the nuclears, windbreaker nyc
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NYAFF – New York Asian Film Festival announces 2018 lineup (June 29 – July 15)
June 14th, 2018 by Mr. C
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THE FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER
and
SUBWAY CINEMA
Announce Full Lineup for
THE 17th NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL
June 29 – July 15, 2018
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New York, NY (June 12, 2018) – The Film Society of Lincoln Center and Subway Cinema announce the 17th edition of the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), June 29 – July 15, 2018.
From vicious, life-destroying phone scams to balletic battles between equally corruptcops and yakuza, NYAFF offers films that reflect on contemporary society while offering extreme genre pleasures. There are self-referential takes on cinematic zombies, existential date nights, and teens finding their own corners of the world despite familial and societal expectations.After last year’s Sweet Sixteen, this year’s program is dubbed the Savage Seventeenth edition with four world premieres, three international premieres, 21 North American premieres, three U.S. premieres, and twelve New York premieres, showcasing the most exciting comedies, dramas, thrillers, romances, horrors and arthouse films from East Asia.
Savage Seventeen: The festival has a rich history of presenting films that deal with the social issue ofteenage bullying. Many of these have proven to be launching pads for some of Asia’s biggest stars, and the subject is at the root of such modern classics as All About Lily Chou-Chou, Whispering Corridors, and Confessions. In a year when youths in the U.S. are standing their ground and demanding political change, NYAFF presents the North American premieres of three films about teenagers who just won’t take it anymore: Kim Ui-seok’s After My Death, Ogata Takaomi’s The Hungry Lion, and Naito Eisuke’scompetition title Liverleaf.
More than ever, the festival aims to show that Asia is a beacon of cinematic excitement, its films as rich in provocative artistry and as emotionally compelling as those of its Western counterpart. In the age of algorithm-dictated curation and Eurocentrism, NYAFF holds two convictions: that taste in films cannot be deduced or reduced to one’s browser history; and that the best in new cinema is rising from the East.
Opening Night is the North American premiere of Tominaga Masanori’s Dynamite Graffiti, an unorthodox and sprightly drama based on the life and times of Japanese porn magazine king Suei Akira, who cultivated future artists such as Araki Nobuyoshi and Moriyama Daido. This spirited tale of sexual exploitation is an ode to free expression, proving that the so-called “smut” of today might very well become the art of tomorrow. The film is a metaphor for the humble origins of the festival as a Chinatown-born grindhouse showcase introducing the works of Johnnie To and several of the modern masters of Korean cinema.
Closing Night is the world premiere of Erik Matti’s BuyBust from the Philippines. On the surface, it is structured like an action film in the vein of The Raid, with superstar Anne Curtis and MMA worldchampion Brandon Vera as narcs taking down a drug kingpin against insurmountable odds over one unrelenting rainy night. The film employed 309 stuntmen and features a wildly ambitious three-minute, one-cutaction scene. Being a Matti film, it also offers a searing perspective on the ongoing drug war and broader issues of political corruption. The director and stars will attend the screening.
The Centerpiece is the world premiere of Sunny Chan’s Men on the Dragon, starring Francis Ng and Jennifer Yu. Always central to the festival’s DNA, Hong Kong cinema demonstrates the resiliency of an industry whose identity is easily blurred with Mainland China, but on which it also exerts a considerable influence and provides storytelling expertise and craftsmanship. The film is a quintessential underdog story about a group of blue-collar workers who reluctantly join their company’s dragon boat team. A directorial debut of a veteran Hong Kong screenwriter, Chan’s film is being presented one year after NYAFF had a special focus on first-time directors from the territory. Chan and actress Jennifer Yu will be among the attending guests.
Seven films will battle in the second edition of the festival’s re-launched Main Competition: Shiraishi Kazuya’s Blood of Wolves (Japan), Nam Ron’s Crossroads: One Two Jaga (Malaysia), Naito Eisuke’s Liverleaf (Japan), Dong Yue’s The Looming Storm (China), Sunny Chan’s Men on the Dragon (Hong Kong), Jeon Go-woon’s Microhabitat (South Korea), and Treb Monteras’s Respeto (Philippines). Six of the seven films are receiving their North American premieres at NYAFF, with one world premiere. Four of the competition titles are debut films, reflecting the festival’s ongoing support for new directors.
The festival honors its tradition of presenting awards to recognize outstanding talent and filmmakers from Asia that are still under the radar in the West.
Hong Kong’s Dante Lam has been at the creative forefront of the action genre for ten years, when his psycho-thriller Beast Stalker became an instant modern classic. The festival celebrates his career by awarding him the Daniel A. Craft Award for Excellence in Action Cinema and a special 10th anniversary screening of Beast Stalker on 35mm, together with his MMA drama Unbeatable and his latest film Operation Red Sea. The latter made over half a billion dollars in China to become the second highest-grossing Chinese-language film of all time, and Asia’s biggest hit of 2018. Lam attends our opening weekend to discuss his films with long-term producer Candy Leung.
This year, the festival presents two Star Asia Awards:
South Korea’s Kim Yun-seok is best known to North American audiences for his role as the grizzled ex-cop in 2008 serial killer thriller The Chaser. A decade on, he stands firmly in the top tier of his country’s leading men. Like his contemporaries Song Kang-ho and Choi Min-shik, he came late to movies after a background in theater. Jang Joon-hwan’s powerful drama 1987: When the Day Comes screens, in which Kim plays the frightening head of South Korea’s anti-communist bureau, hellbent on holding back the country’s democracy movement.
Chinese filmmaker Jiang Wu’s career has bridged independent cinema and mainstream success for 25 years. Two decades ago, he was at the forefront of a new populist independent cinema about big city life that transformed modern Chinese cinema with Zhang Yang’s Shower. He has worked with Zhang Yimou (To Live), Jiang Wen (Let the Bullets Fly), Jia Zhangke (A Touch of Sin), and Herman Yau (Shock Wave). Xin Yukun’s part noir, part western Wrath of Silence will screen in tribute, in which his terrifying nouveau riche mining magnate falls into a trap of his own design.
The Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Japan’s Harada Masato, a former U.S.-based film critic. He is most recognizable to Western viewers for his role as the villain Mr. Omura opposite Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai. Since his debut in 1979, he has positioned himself as one of Japan’s most unique and important directors. While he has worked in nearly every genre, he is best known for tackling societal issues such as teenage prostitution, illegal immigrants, and the role of the media. Screening in the festival are his dark classic gem Kamikaze Taxi on 35mm, the recent Kakekomi (2016), a period piece about female empowerment, and his most recent historical epic Sekigahara, about the one-day battle in 1600 that defined modern Japan.
The Screen International Rising Star Asia Award recipient will be announced at a later date.
The Hong Kong Panorama, backbone of the festival’s programming, returns with nine features, including two world premieres: Sunny Chan’s debut Men of the Dragon and Antony Chan’s comeback House of the Rising Sons. Antony Chan is an original member of The Wynners, the popular teen-idol band of the 1970s that launched the careers of mega-stars Alan Tam and Kenny Bee. Chan, the band’s drummer, returns to the director’s chair after 26 years to present a vibrant biopic that avoids hagiography. Highlighting the miracles of motion and irresistible kinetic force that are the signature of Hong Kong cinema, is a three-film Dante Lam tribute, and an action-packed thriller run on July 4: Jonathan Li’s debut The Brink, Oxide Pang’s The Big Call, and Wilson Yip’s Paradox. Also screening is Chapman To’s family drama set in the world of karate, The Empty Hands starring Stephy Tang.
The China section continues to take a more central role. One year ago, NYAFF committed to supporting the new generation of first-time directors emerging in Asia with the Young Blood series, focusing on Hong Kong; this year the festival shifts to Mainland China. Once again, the films are heady and diverse in subject matter, including Hunan-set, rain-drenched serial-killer thriller The Looming Storm, Inner Mongolia-set sexagenarian drama Old Beast (produced by Chinese auteur Wang Xiaoshuai), and the razor-sharp Northeastern comedy Looking for Lucky, which revolves around a man, his father, and a missing dog. The Chinese film industry is changing fast, and trends are best reflected in where new directors are taking it. We also present films about the shifting rules of romance: Dude’s Manual and The Ex-Files 3: The Return of the Exes.
The New Cinema from Japan lineup is represented by one of the festival’s largest contingents of directors yet. In addition to NYAFF’s tribute to veteran director Harada Masato, the festival is bringing a group that could be described as defining a “new wave” of Japanese cinema: Naito Eisuke with his circle-of-revenge drama Liverleaf, Ogata Takaomi with experimental youth drama The Hungry Lion, Takeshita Masao with slow-burn drama The Midnight Bus, and Kanata Wolf with his slacker debut Smokin’ on the Moon. Also attending is actor Emoto Tasuku who brings his mischievous charm to the protagonist of porn publishing odyssey Dynamite Graffiti. Other highlights include Sato Shinsuke’s cross-generational superhero showdown Inuyashiki, Ueda Shinichiro’s meta zombie film homage One Cut of the Dead, and Yukisada Isao’s brutal youth drama River’s Edge.
There are ten films in the South Korean Cinema section. This year, female-directed titles represent almost half of the NYAFF selection. They include Jeon Go-woon’s competition title Microhabitat, Yim Soon-rye’s Little Forest, and Jeong Ga-young’s Hit the Night. Actress and director Jeong’s positioning of herself as a female Hong Sang-soo—she recently starred in and directed Bitch on the Beach—is itself a critique of the macho posturing of much of South Korean cinema.
The festival selected five films showcasing the uniqueness of Taiwan cinema and the strength of both its arthouse productions and its genre output. Of note is the North American premiere of gangster film Gatao 2: Rise of the King, poised comfortably between classic yakuza and triad movies from Japan and Hong Kong. In complete contrast is The Last Verse, which charts a romantic relationship through the turbulence of three presidential eras; it was directed by Tseng Ying-ting, one of Taiwan cinema’s freshest voices since Edward Yang.
This year’s program features the largest Southeast Asian Vanguard selection yet, representing a fifth of the festival lineup. This region is one of the most creative corners of Asia, which NYAFF continues to champion in the film selection and guest lineup. Outside of Asia, arguably no other film event has so fully committed to exploring Southeast Asian cinema, which is at the heart of the festival’s future. Six films from the Philippines, three films from Thailand, two films from Malaysia, and one film from Indonesia will screen.
The festival goes all-in on the Philippines with the largest lineup in NYAFF since 2013. Three strong films examine the nation’s ongoing drug war: Mikhail Red’s Neomanila, about a “mother-and-son” death squad; Treb Monteras’ Respeto, set in the milieu of rap battles; and Erik Matti’s BuyBust. There will also be a special screening of Matti’s thriller On the Job. On opening night, NYAFF hosts the world premiere of Richard Somes’s brutal We Will Not Die Tonight, starring Erich Gonzales as a stuntwoman trying to survive a single night. On a lighter note, Irene Villamor’s blockbuster (anti-) romance Sid & Aya (Not a Love Story) screens, also starring Anne Curtis from BuyBust.
There has been a recent Malaysian New Wave reflecting the country’s societal and political changes, and it is only now reaching our cinema screens. NYAFF presents two films that would never have seen the light before 2018: police corruption thriller Crossroads: One Two Jaga and black magic thriller Dukun. The latter is the long-buried debut of top Malaysian director Dain Said, screening twelve years after its shoot was completed. Together with Brutal/Jagat (NYAFF 2016), these films hint at why Malaysian cinema is a territory to watch.
Southeast Asian Westerns: The links between the western genre and Japanese cinema are well documented, from remakes of Akira Kurosawa’s classics to Lee Sung-il’s own remake of Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven. But the western was also a genre embraced in Southeast Asia for decades, most recently with two Indonesian films: Mouly Surya’s Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (which opens in New York on June 22) and Mike Wiluan’s Buffalo Boys, which screens on the final day of the festival. Like their Northeast Asian counterparts (the Manchurian western), the genre offers tales of freedom and emancipation with Eastern heroes rising against their colonial oppressors. This year, Wisit Sasanatieng’s madcap Tears of the Black Tiger returns in a special 35mm screening.
Young Art at NYAFF: “Safe Imagination Is Boring”
“Safe Imagination Is Boring” is a group exhibition of 10 emerging artists who have created new work inspired by Asian cinema. The exhibition features Asian, second-generation Asian-American, and mixed-race artists.
HBO® Free Talks at NYAFF
This year, NYAFF presents several free talks, sponsored by HBO®, at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center’s Amphitheater. They include opportunities for NYAFF audiences to meet festival guests from Japan, China, and Southeast Asia and discuss their careers, trends, and regional genre cinema. Guest speakers include Harada Masato, Dong Yue, Xin Yukun, Erik Matti, and Mike Wiluan.
The New York Asian Film Festival is co-presented by Subway Cinema and the Film Society of Lincoln Center and takes place from June 29 to July 12 at the Film Society’s Walter Reade Theater (165 West 65th St), and July 13 to 15 at SVA Theatre (333 West 23rd St). It is curated by executive director Samuel Jamier, deputy director Stephen Cremin, programmers Claire Marty and David Wilentz, and associate programmers Karen Severns and Mori Koichi.
FULL LINEUP (58)
Titles in bold are included in the Main Competition; the list excludes the surprise screening.
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CHINA (7)
Co-presented with Confucius Institute Headquarters and China Institute
– Dude’s Manual (Kevin Ko, 2018)
– End of Summer (Zhou Quan, 2017) – New York Premiere
– The Ex-Files 3: The Return of the Exes (Tian Yusheng, 2017)
– Looking for Lucky (Jiang Jiachen, 2018) – International Premiere
– The Looming Storm (Dong Yue, 2017) – North American Premiere
– Old Beast (Zhou Ziyang, 2017) – New York Premiere
– Wrath of Silence (Xin Yukun, 2017) – New York Premiere
HONG KONG PANORAMA (9)
Presented with the support of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York
– Beast Stalker (Dante Lam, 2008) – Tribute to Dante Lam
– The Big Call (Oxide Pang, 2017) – North American Premiere
– The Brink (Jonathan Li, 2017) – New York Premiere
– The Empty Hands (Chapman To, 2018) – New York Premiere
– House of the Rising Sons (Antony Chan, 2018) – World Premiere
– Men on the Dragon (Sunny Chan, 2018) – World Premiere
– Operation Red Sea (Dante Lam, 2018) – Tribute to Dante Lam
– Paradox (Wilson Yip, 2017) – New York Premiere
– Unbeatable (Dante Lam, 2003) – Tribute to Dante Lam
INDONESIA (1)
– Buffalo Boys (Mike Wiluan, 2018) – US Premiere
JAPAN (14)
– Blood of Wolves (Shiraishi Kazuya, 2018) – North American Premiere
– Dynamite Graffiti (Tominaga Masanori, 2018) – North American Premiere
– The Hungry Lion (Ogata Takaomi, 2017) – North American Premiere
– Inuyashiki (Sato Shinsuke, 2018) – North American Premiere
– Kakekomi (Harada Masato, 2015) – Tribute to Harada Masato, New York Premiere
– Kamikaze Taxi (Harada Masato, 1995) – Tribute to Harada Masato
– Liverleaf (Naito Eisuke, 2018) – North American Premiere
– Midnight Bus (Takeshita Masao, 2017) – North American Premiere
– One Cut of the Dead (Ueda Shinichiro, 2018) – North American Premiere
– River’s Edge (Yukisada Isao, 2018) – North American Premiere
– The Scythian Lamb (Yoshida Daihachi, 2017) – New York Premiere
– Sekigahara (Harada Masato, 2017) – Tribute to Harada Masato, New York Premiere
– Smokin’ on the Moon (Kanata Wolf, 2017) – International Premiere
– The Third Murder (Kore-eda Hirokazu, 2017) – New York Premiere
MALAYSIA (2)
– Crossroads: One Two Jaga (Nam Ron, 2018) – North American Premiere
– Dukun (Dain Said, 2018) – International Premiere
PHILIPPINES (6)
– BuyBust (Erik Matti, 2018) – Tribute to Erik Matti, World Premiere
– Neomanila (Mikhail Red, 2017) – New York Premiere
– On the Job (Erik Matti, 2013) – Tribute to Erik Matti
– Respeto (Treb Monteras, 2017) – North American Premiere
– Sid & Aya: Not a Love Story (Irene Villamor, 2018) – New York Premiere
– We Will Not Die Tonight (Richard Somes, 2018) – World Premiere
SOUTH KOREA (10)
– 1987: When the Day Comes (Jang Joon-hwan, 2017)
– After My Death (Kim Ui-seok, 2017) – North American Premiere
– The Age of Blood (Kim Hong-sun, 2017) – International premiere
– Counters (Lee Il-ha, 2017) – North American Premiere
– Hit the Night (Jeong Ga-young, 2017) – North American Premiere
– I Can Speak (Kim Hyeon-seok, 2017)
– Little Forest (Yim Soon-rye, 2018) – New York Premiere
– Microhabitat (Jeon Go-woon, 2017) – North American Premiere
– The Return (Malene Choi, 2018) – East Coast Premiere
– What a Man Wants (Lee Byeong-hun, 2018)
TAIWAN (5)
– Gatao 2: Rise of the King (Yen Cheng-kuo, 2018) – North American Premiere
– The Last Verse (Tseng Ying-ting, 2017) – New York Premiere
– Missing Johnny (Huang Xi, 2017) – New York Premiere
– On Happiness Road (Sung Hsin-yin, 2017) – North American Premiere
– The Bold, the Corrupt and the Beautiful (Yang Ya-che, 2017) – New York Premiere
THAILAND (3)
– Premika (Siwakorn Jarupongpa, 2017) – North American Premiere
– Sad Beauty (Bongkod Bencharongkul, 2018) – North American Premiere
– Tears of the Black Tiger (Wisit Sasanatieng, 2000)
NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL (NYAFF)
Now in its 17th year, the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) is North America’s leading festival of popular Asian cinema, which The Village Voice has called “the best film festival in New York,” and The New York Times has called “one of the city’s most valuable events.” Launched in 2002 by Subway Cinema, the festival selects only the best, strangest, and most entertaining movies to screen for New York audiences, ranging from mainstream blockbusters and art-house eccentricities to genre and cult classics. It was the first North American film festival to champion the works of Johnnie To, Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook, Takashi Miike, and other auteurs of contemporary Asian cinema. Since 2010, it has been produced in collaboration with the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER
The Film Society of Lincoln Center is devoted to supporting the art and elevating the craft of cinema. The only branch of the world-renowned arts complex Lincoln Center to shine a light on the everlasting yet evolving importance of the moving image, this nonprofit organization was founded in 1969 to celebrate American and international film. Via year-round programming and discussions; its annual New York Film Festival; and its publications, including Film Comment, the U.S.’s premier magazine about films and film culture, the Film Society endeavors to make the discussion and appreciation of cinema accessible to a broader audience, as well as to ensure that it will remain an essential art form for years to come.
The Film Society receives generous, year-round support from Shutterstock, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. American Airlines is the Official Airline of the Film Society of Lincoln Center.
Tags: asian films, lincoln center, new york asian film festival, nyaff, nyaff2018, subway cinema
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a week later at Branch Brook Park
April 22nd, 2018 by Mr. C
(Branch Brook Park – Park Avenue and Lake Street – Newark, NJ 07104)
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Today was a sunny and warm Sunday morning at 50 degrees. I had an hour or two to spare so I drove back to Branch Brook Park to get a visual update on how the park and its Cherry Blossom Trees were doing after attending last week’s cold and windy Cherry Blossom Bloomfest event! A week later, I’m happy to report that the Cherry Blossoms at the park were certainly blooming, colors from plant life were starting to get vibrant, and I’m noticing that people have more pep in their step doing the happy truffle shuffle enjoying mother nature at its finest!
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(I should be paying attention to the road, but I had to snap a few photos while entering the park on Mill Street – Newark)
(Prudential Grove area)
(the Sacred Heart Cathedral across the lake)
(The Sacred Heart Cathedral)
Tags: 2018 bloomfest, bloomfest, branch brook park, cherry blossom festival, cherry blossoms, nature, new jersey, newark, parks
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