there is, in california, an inherent strangeness that has always attracted loners, dreamers, and outliers.

yesterday i went to lacma with my brother and our taiwanese sister. we geeked out to the stanley kubrick exhibit and on the hungered walk to the car, we saw these two older folks leaning against the truck of their car, passionately embracing and littering each other's faces with stray kisses.

i dedicate this song to them, the anonymous parking lot pimps.

-t

people prefer legend to reality.

james franco has his hands all over an assortment of things. actor, writer, producer, skyfall sleeper, artist, huffington post blogger. google him and there's a lot to see. what should also come up is one of his latest films, a tiny indie called "about cherry". set in san francisco, it's about the porn industry and features franco as a romancer of a teenage adult film star.

while i'm sure this new chromatics jam has nothing to do with franco or that little independent release, its lyrics seem to align themselves with that line of work quite nicely.

-t

forget forgiveness, forget all of the rules.

this was the first nite jewel song i fell in love with many moons ago.

oh ramona, how you've grown.

-t

do me a favor and pass the gravy.

if you were too busy spooning a turkey on thanksgiving, this rashida jones x jimmy fallon collab is essential viewing for the holiday season.

love love love rashida jones.

-t

this house feels like the whole world and the party's just next door.

unfolding like a homemade wong kar wai film, the video for bayou's new single, "cherry cola" also shares the filmmaker's tendency for romance and sensuality, with an intricate display of emotion.

depending where you are or the squares that surround you, this may be a little NSFW.

-t

it's not paranoia when it's real.

what's your favorite brand of orange soda? mine is crush.

-t

i've been trying to do it right. i've been living a lonely life.

(still) sad. (still) true.

young dreams - "feels like we're only going bachwards (tame impala cover)"

-t

the earth is wild, you've got no time.

sorry thor and peeta, but red dawn isn't very good.

wrote this about the press day: 'red dawn': josh peck & adrianne palicki talk boot camp, stunts and remakes

-t

tell me that the lights won't change. tell me that it will stay the same.

i adore attending press days where the talent participating are not just charming, but display both intelligence and eloquence in discussing their inspirations, visions and preparations. the anna karenina press junket was only attended by keira knightley and director joe wright, but remains one of my favorite thanks in large part to their ability to really engage every question with deep insight, care and eye-contact.

knightley is absolutely gorgeous in person and i could listen to her talk for hours, especially when she enthusiastically drops f-bombs like a sailor. although problematic, anna karenina is so beautiful and fluid that it's worth a chance, even in this crowded holiday schedule.

click through to see what i wrote: keira knightley & director joe wright rediscover 'anna karenina'.

-t

your name is a wave washing over me.

it's official. this is my favorite song sung by a man this to wife, in their living room.

-t

i don't need perfection, i love the whole.

allow me to introduce rumtum and his latest single, "birdeyes" off denver imprint, HUG. (a hat trick of impeccable names.)

-t

put your sad down.

the sky this month has been surprisingly more thoughful than usual. despite the rain that has been sporadically invading our usual cluster of clouds, i've enjoyed the peace and occasional isolation it's unveiled.

tomas barfod - "november skies (jerome LOL remix)"

-t

a little wine, you stole a smile.

society claims that old habits die hard. but what if your habit was more of a personality trait that just couldn't be discouraged. is it an addiction or simply the inability to differentiate what's right? if you destroyed what mattered to you the most, is forgiveness a possibility or is it simply a series of compromise and suppressed hurt? wildness will always breed an insurmountable pile of questions that will only sometimes reveal answers.

beach house - "wild"

 

-t

we have a problem and it's not to be broken.

what i want to know. is it mutual?

-t

i dont rock the boat, but it's always unsteady.

if you've got an aversion to beautiful things or men with beards, do not press play (and probably unbookmark this page *wink).

"old norse" by andrew telling

-t

everything's amazing, nobody's happy.

nervousness breeds the unnecessary. the goal is to keep the embarrassment to a minimum while you're trying to calm down. however, if you're struggling to keep it together, then don't let your mind wander and certainly don't let your body go. plant those feet, cross your fingers and hold down the mind fort.

phantogram = the best.

-t

this i do declare. trust me i'll be there.

slow dripping and atmospheric in it's beginning stage, things really start to take off with an introduction of seductive vocals that beg and plead till you abide by the lyrics and promise a future injected with genuine feelings.

flight facilities - 'clair de lune' 

-t

it's not that i don't care, it's that i've lost patience.

fuck the winter happy fat and let this be your new cold weather company keeper.

-t

everything we touch turns to gold.

"back down, let your heart decide."

-t

the best upgrade is you.

let your freak flags fly kids.

-t

this time we'll take it slow.

my love for rihanna while mostly understated is quite strong and ignites like wildfire when my old boss tells me stories of what it's like to work for the most liked person on a little thing called facebook.

-t

who doesn't like a brat with dirty hair?

a few weeks ago i got to cover the wreck-it ralph junket at the historic beverly hills hotel. i scored individual interviews with director rich moore, screenwriter phil johnson, producer clark spencer and 30 rock's jack mcbrayer (aka fix-it felix jr!). on top of that, i sat in on roundtables with john c. reilly, jane lynch and sarah silverman (who hilariously told me i should dress up as mulan for halloween cause i'm asian). i also worked the red carpet premiere on monday.

in my humble opinion, wreck-it ralph is the best animated movie of the year and to learn about its journey to the big screen from the dedicated filmmakers and charming cast was an unparalleled treat.

i wrote these if you're interested:
wreck-it ralph: cast talks comedy democracy, smart alecs & the 'greatness in your code'
wreck-it ralph: filmmakers discuss what makes a good comedy & who is 'the secretary of awesome'
wreck-it ralph: jack mcbrayer lends his southern charms to fix-it felix jr

to say working press for a disney movie is a pleasure is a severe understatement!

i'm gonna wreck it!

-t

but you're pulling on my heart strings and they're breaking.

if game recognizes game, then sadness is its most obvious form. when we're struggling to cope, verbalizing an issue often takes a back seat to unfiltered internet transmissions. occasionally disguised but not often misinterpreted, they allow our broken hearts the opportunity to speak to the universe, even if the message should never reach it's intended target.

-t

hopefully i've hidden some of it so it's not too much heart on sleeve.

"they're embellished stories. i found it easier to write like that cause I wasn't prepared to give up my soul just yet." - jessie ware

-t

never forget, refuse to regret.

over-indulge without leaving the comfort of your seat.

from japan with love (and dashi) - the perennial plate.

-t

could i make it more clear? should i give you more time?

no one's going to tell you when enough is enough.

 

-t

chronicles of a fallen love.

for all of the broken promises and attempts unfulfilled.

-t

the roads i knew became a city.

the girl with the dragon tat (rooney mara) is back and is driving magic mike (channing tatum) a little crazy. can't wait to see this play out.

side effects puts the cinema under the influence this february.

-t