If you need any reason to drop the mid work week blues and are in Los Angeles, change up the go-home-and-watch-whatever’s-on-WB routine by heading out on Wednesday night to check out French street artist and moviemaker Mr. Brainwash’s premiere Life Is Beautiful show at the old CBS studios on Sunset Boulevard, which will open its doors under the support of Swindle Magazine. The story of Mr. Brainwash goes that he was filming a doc about street artists in California but ended up exchanging the camera for spray paint, coming into full effect with a style that purposely regurgitates iconography into irreverent images. While the promise of a signed, hand-done print for the first 200 attendees is a great incentive, equally so is an installation made from 100,000 shoes and the presence of painter Edward Hopper’s super-famous Nighthawks in life-size form. Sounds like a good reason to not crash out in front of the boob tube.

The one-of-a-kind collaborative playground that Zune Arts offers to artists, musicians, and designers has created some of the most innovative, beautiful, and sometimes plain whacked out digital shorts we've ever seen. For their fearless support of pushing artistic boundaries, they deserve as many accolades as can be thrown at them. When it comes to being honoured, there's nothing quite like having your work inducted into the permanent collection of New York's iconic Museum of Modern Art.

On June 3rd at the 17th annual AICP Show, the announcement dropped that Zune Arts' "Masks" is headed for a permanent home in MoMA's film archive. Created by legendary NYC-based animation collective PandaPanther (a.k.a. Jonathan Garin and Naomi Nishimura) and set to music by The Black Angels, "Masks" takes the timeless idea of seeing the world through someone else's eyes and gives it an exceptionally well-crafted spin. The result is relevant and undeniably powerful. If you haven't seen it yet (and even if you have), check it out now in all it's glory.

Zune Arts is on a roll. Last year, "Generous Monster" was the first of their films to be inducted into MoMA's permanent collection. No pressure or anything, but we can't wait to see which new Zune Arts masterpiece will possibly make it three in a row…

Normally, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Unless your mission is to hype the 10th anniversary of one of the hottest and fastest-growing film fests in the world. Then, it's all about getting the word out.

Just like Sin City where it all goes down, the CineVegas Film Festival is known for pushing our sensory limits. The filmmakers chosen are cinematic daredevils, and their equally dangerous flicks aren’t the kind you’d find on the slate at more conservative fests. Selecting entries is no easy task, but there are some heavy hitters working behind the scenes. With former Sundance Senior Programmer Trevor Groth as Artistic Director and famed actor Dennis Hopper as Chairman of the Creative Advisory Board, you know the festival is in good hands — whether they're rolling film or dice.

To celebrate their 10th anniversary, CineVegas had alum directors create viral videos with the title "Ten Things I Know About Vegas." Short pieces by Cam Archer, James Fotopolous, and Kevin Everson are already up on the CineVegas YouTube site, with more to be added during the run up to festival’s start on June 12th at the Palms Resort and Casino.

Very few people across the globe would confuse George W. Bush and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair with saints. Most can’t wait to see George W’s reign expire come January and are glad that Tony has been out of office for quite some time now. Filmmaker Mato Atom happens to be one of those folks who won’t fondly remember the Bush-Blair era as “the good ol’ days.” His online animated film Champions (Remembering the New World Order) is a look back at the dark climate these two world leaders created, using soccer as a metaphor to exhibit lack of respect for international convention and their propensity for not playing fair. While the film may be a little heavy handed in its political message, there’s disturbing beauty (and more than a little irony) in the instrumental version of “We Are The Champions” by Henning Lohner. No matter your politics, this film is definitely worth a look.

Many horror movies are extremely laughable due to the fact that the situations presented within them are completely unbelievable, allowing audiences to suspend their disbelief for the entire course of the film. However, Errol Morris’s latest film, Standard Operating Procedure is no laughing matter. The events it covers actually did happen. Opening April 25th, this feature length documentary from the director of The Fog of War and The Thin Blue Line, which is being billed as a non-fiction horror movie, takes an unflinching, in-depth look at the atrocities carried out at Abu Ghraib and the people behind them. With exclusive interviews with almost all of the principles in the now infamous photographs including Lynndie England, Morris probes for the context surrounding the photographs and explores the surrounding influences in terms of Post 9/11 Culture and the U.S. military and intelligence chains of command. In other words, it’s a must see.

At the end of February we tipped you off to the first of three web films, an astonishing claymation piece on adidas founder Adi Dassler, that helped kick off the sportswear brand’s Celebrate Originality Campaign. Nearly a month and a half later, we’ve got the scoop on round two. The second film entitled The Superstar Film a.k.a. “The Left-Right Project” documents what happened when a gigantic pair of the iconic ADIDAS Superstar (shell-toe) sneakers were dispersed to opposite ends of the North American continent and bestowed upon two groups of talented artists, who were then faced with the task of adorning said blank canvas with the aesthetic of their particular coast. As you’ll see, the west coast contingent featuring artists from San Francisco’s Upper Playground and the East Coast crew made up of artists from NYC’s Surface 2 Air, came up with stunningly original works of art that while completely different, seem quite complementary. Check out photos and behind the scenes footage of the making of these dope designs for yourself at the campaign’s HQ and you’ll see just what we’re talking about.

In 2007 Arab-American documentary filmmaker Jehane Noujaim was awarded a TED Idea Prize for her wish to "bring the world together for one day a year through the power of film."

The realization of her dream will happen on May 10, 2008 as Pangea Day takes over the world. Professional and amateur filmmakers are needed to send in their own short films — the only criteria being that they provoke thought, inspire others, and share pieces of their experiences with people who will never meet them. Official live viewings will be hosted in Brazil, Egypt, India, the UK, Israel, the Palestinian Territory, Rwanda and the US; a four-hour live video-conference will show a stretch of films, speakers and music to unify people through the power of common emotion. If you're not in the host cities, then the program will also be broadcast live on TV, online, and on mobile devices or you can take part in hundreds of public viewings being organized in cities everywhere. Even better, you can get involved yourself and host a viewing of your own.

The hope is that millions of people around the world will gather outdoors, at theatres, and with their families to connect with the entire globe. The site explains it perfectly: "Movies alone can't change the world. But the people who watch them can". The February 15th deadline is almost here. Get inspired by the trailer and take part here.

The Munich Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ludwig Wicki will be bringing the award winning score to Lord of The Rings into the concert hall in a few months for a handful of lucky folks. Howard Shore’s amazing score will be played by this incredible orchestra as the 3-hour film is projected live, alongside the musicians (very bad ass). The music of LOTR (yes my precious, I’m a fan), is considered among film music’s most complex and comprehensive work. If you’re in Munich this Spring, grab your tickets here for the shows which will surely sell out the 26th and 27th of March 2008. Rumor is this will happen stateside as well, presumably in NYC very soon. Thanks Jordan!

I just received an invitation to check out the screening of a new and interesting U2 film, and the title U23D Movie really caught my eye. It’s the world’s first ever live-action 3D concert movie, featuring, well Bono and his sunglass-clad group, U2. As they put it, the film is a marriage between innovative digital 3D imagery and 5.1 Surround Sound, which creates an immersive theatrical experience. Shot in South America and directed by Irish artist Catherine Owens, this looks to be a real treat. Pop over and check out the trailer — I’ll be sure to let you know how the screening is next week in New York. No word if it’s IMAX or if I’ll be putting on retro 3D glasses for the show, anyone know how this works?

Last Fall, Quebec born Ridehouse Clothing impressed us with their thoughtful and functional Heartwood line. With board sports brands a dime a dozen these days, it’s refreshing to run across a brand that stands for something unique. Ridehouse has nailed it in that department; their feature film, Funderful, will explain it all. This year, they’ve added even more features and understated flair to their clothes, and the Broadband Hoodie is a prime example: limited edition (514 of ‘em), chin-saving collar, embroidered labels, styled out shadow print, super soft fleece inside, and hidden iPod pocket make this my pick for that necessary winter insulator. C’est magnifique!

I am so psyched; Jonathan Wells, founder of the hugely successful digital film festival Resfest that I make a point to never miss, is readying a new annual event with a distinctly West Coast feel at the end of September in Los Angeles, christened Swervefest. With the backing of Fuel TV, he’s coaxed Beautiful Losers co-curator Aaron Rose on board to organize the art segment of the multi-discipline festival and that alone is a good indication of how well-attended this is going to be; Rose’s pals Ed Templeton, Geoff McFetridge, Mike Mills and others will showcase their work, while film entries include Anton Corbijn’s Ian Curtis biopic, Control (the #1 reason I’m going — gotta dig out my black clothes from my goth days) and Doug Pray’s new documentary, Surfwise. Brazilian baile funkers Bonde Do Role and indie rockers The Black Angels will lead the music program. In between the shows, patrons can attend workshops and lern how to customize a skate deck or the basics behind screenprinting.

Count me in. Tickets go on sale for the Sept. 28-30 festival soon. Click here to watch the trailer.

This trailer for Heima, the documentary by Sigur Ros is a must see. It’s gorgeously shot (HD is stunning), and shockingly moving. The film was made last summer at the end of an extensive world tour– the group returned home to Iceland and played a series of free concerts around the homeland, all unannounced. The film takes us through venues and scenery throughout their beautiful (read: incredible) homeland, from an abandoned fish factory to a protest camp at the edge of a controversial dam. The DVD will also have a companion album entitled Hvarf-Heim which will feature a few unreleased songs. Go, watch it now! I look forward to the DVD’s release on November 5th.

There is a screening of Heima on Wednesday 24 October at Cecil Sharp House in London– the BBC website has some more information about this showing as well as a couple more sneak peaks at songs performed in the film.

You may recall some of Jonathon Keats’ previous whacky yet positively pertinant conceptual art projects — there was the silent ringtone, a 4:33 "interlude of digitally-generated silence,” and also the one where he observed the drawing prowess of “non-sentient” spruce saplings in Maine. Keats’ most recent project is admittedly a bit risqué, but heck, we’ll cover it anyway. Cinema Botanica: Pornography for Plants features the “explicit acts of cross pollination,” and is sure to solidify Keats as a motion picture mogul. In his quest to reach out to the plant species market — which just so happens to be much more vast than the traditional human market — Keats racked his brain to find the most alluring film genre for plants. His final decision was to feature plants in the salacious act of sex, editing his uncensored footage into a gritty black-and-white porn video. The trailer you see here is just a short, teasing clip of what you’ll see if you attend Keats’ showing at 1078 Gallery in Chico, CA, starting September 10th. Just remember… you may be battling a gang of eager saplings to get in the door of the gallery.

This isn’t a drastically belated post about the Beautiful Losers exhibit. It’s not even a post about the book (which I hope to death you all have, because it is amazing — amazing); this post is about the film documentary, which is coming to us April of 2008. Originally started as the film component to the Beautiful Losers exhibition, Beautiful Losers — the doc — will feature a ton of the same artists as the book, with the added benefit of the intimacies so innate to film. Directed by Aaron Rose, the film will introduce viewers to Alleged Gallery and many of the early founders of the DIY subcultures that are so influential today; Ed Templeton, Margaret Kilgallen, Mike Mills, and plenty more key members of the early 1990’s punk, skateboarding, surf, hip hop and graffiti scene will make appearances in the film, drawing parallels between the artists of yesterday and the today’s youth.

Oh dear Lord, I can’t wait. We’ll keep you posted with developments; until then, it might help to watch this page at Behance Network.

Legendary hip-hop producer Pete Rock is kicking off the opening of the 2nd Annual Hip-Hop Show in Sao Paulo with a DJ show tonight at the Pompeia location of SESC for only 10 bucks. SESC’s a network of public cultural/rec centers run by the government, which means shows are always financially accessible. (Think about it: It’s like if, say, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sponsored a hip-hop film fest. Uh, never.) He’s setting the tone for the week-long event, which will feature 13 films — all with free entry — repeated over the week so Paulistanos will have plenty of chances to get schooled on the history of American hip-hop, from Biggie Smalls and sneaker-freaker madness in Just for Kicks to Wu: The Story of the Wu Tang Clan and the graff documentary Rock Fresh. But new to this year’s edition are two national entries that explore the stories of Brazil’s old and new schools of hip-hop, divided into various shorts that date back to as early as 1990. Very fresh.