Football Championship Subdivision Preview
Summer officially ended yesterday. Oh I know there’s still Labor Day and we haven’t officially reached the month of September yet, but I don’t really care about that. For me the summer ends when college football starts. In the words of a Raleigh, North Carolina sports radio host, from this day forward, football, whether it’s pro or college will now dot the calendar from here until February. For someone like me, this means just about every day forward is Christmas. I’ve already chronicled my love for college football in prior posts, so I’m just going to make this short and cut to the chase. BCS football is great and all, but FCS and Division II and III football have it right. Playoffs determine winners, not a computer ranking.
One of the greatest supporters of FCS football is my brother Doug. He has provided the following preview of the upcoming FCS season. I hope it gets you as excited as I am.
App State - 4 in a row? (Through Armanti Edwards all things are possible)
I-AA over I-A - how many this year? (Over 80 games in total, among the possibilities: Hofstra at UCONN ; James Madison at Duke ; Cal Poly at San Diego State ; McNeese State at North Carolina ; Southern at Houston ; Weber State at Hawaii ; Eastern Washington at Colorado ; New Hampshire at Army ; Northwestern State at Baylor ; Texas State at SMU ; North Dakota State at Wyoming ; Central Arkansas at Tulsa ; Cal Poly at Wisconsin
Montana’s dominance ending in the Big Sky? (Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona and Weber State all look to spoil the annual Grizzly party)
Can Cal Poly be the one true hope of a Mountaineer four-peat? (With a ridiculously potent offense, the most legitimate contender in the country)
Campbell football for the first time in 58 years (Enough said. A fascinating fact about the team. Currently every number is taken on the roster from 1 to 99. Of all those spots, 6 are sophomores… the rest are all either true or redshirt freshmen.)
Will Delaware’s traditional success of transfer QBs continue? (Welcome Rob Schoenhoft, an Ohio State transfer)
New Hampshire - is there life after Ricky Santos? (Sophomore RJ Toman takes the reins at quarterback)
The Joe Taylor era begins at Florida A&M (Abruptly left Hampton at the end of last year to take on rebuilding project of once storied program)
Can Prairie View top last year and win the SWAC Western division? (Henry Frazier had the Panthers capture their first winning season since 1976 and most wins since 1964. With loads of talent returning and promising sophomore running back, why not?)
Changing of the guard in the Patriot? (No longer Lehigh & Lafayette as Holy Cross and Fordham stand as the top 2 teams this year)
Something special in Lynchburg, VA. Can Liberty make the playoffs? (Coach Danny Rocco brings back a loaded team with possibly the most underrated backfield in the nation with RB’s Rashad Jennings and Zach Terrell, and QB Brock Smith returning as well. A playoff berth is attainable)
How many teams will the send to playoffs this year? (The South division could very well send five of their own between Delaware, Richmond, James Madison, Villanova and a strong darkhorse in William & Mary. Let’s not forget UMASS stands in the Northern Division).
Will the Dakota influx of the newly renamed Missouri Valley stir things up with the ole Gateway mainstays? (Gateway changes to Missouri Valley and welcomes North Dakota State and South Dakota State as well. NDSU brings back RB Tyler Roehl and will contend for the conference title).
Samford gets a harsh taste of a premier I-AA conference. Welcome to the Southern Conference. (Abandoning ties with the Ohio Valley, the Bulldogs from Birmingham will find out the hard way to be not so sweet Southern Comfort.
Watch the nation’s best two passing quarterbacks - of all places, Central Arkansas and Eastern Washington (Matt Nichols, just a junior, at Eastern Washington, already has people forgetting about Erik Meyer. Nathan Brown at Central Arkansas is the best QB that nobody knows about)
Rhode Island says goodbye to the option (and a likely winning record) (New Coach Darren Rizzi abandons the option offense to go spread)
Can North Carolina A&T win a game for the first time in 3 years? (0-11 in 2007, 0-11 in 2006).
Can Albany prove their worth against top flight competition? (At UMASS, Hofstra, New Hampshire and Delaware to open their season)
Will North Dakota State make it 4 I-A wins in 3 years? Watch out Wyoming! (Ball State in 2006, Central Michigan and Minnesota in 2007. Are the Cowboys next?)
The nation’s best two running backs play for Colgate and Yale. (Jordan Scott at Colgate, Mike McLeod at Yale)
2009: Year of the rejected I-A QB. (Rhett Bomar - Sam Houston State ; Ryan Perrilloux at Jacksonville State ; Bobby Reid at Texas Southern)
Listen to Passenger!
Thank God for Britain. Whenever I lose faith in the American music scene (i.e. Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothers and Katy Perry) I can always find salvation in Britain. The latest group to win me over is a quintet that goes by the name Passenger. Self-described as alternative acoustic folk, these Brighton boys are a bit more ambient than the name lets on. With splashes of keys, computer twitches and a heavy dose of loops, this is a chilled out tonic for the soul. Though the overall tone is mellow, there are a good bit of danceable numbers on this offering that cement this as a CD to watch. It seems to take what British rapper Just Jack puts together on his album Overtones and dresses it up with a singer/songwriter sensibility. The album’s greatest asset is that It takes a good four tracks before there’s any sign of a clunker. Fifth track “Do What You Like” is a bit too shrill and in-your-face but for most bands this song would be a career saver. After that it’s one killer song after the next. The vocals are very reminiscent of Damien Rice and David Gray and it’s those comparisons that will probably carry this band to the promised land. There’s something about minimal guitars, a gently lilting rhythm section, smooth verses and irresistible choruses that’s too hard to pass up. Released last fall, the album hasn’t made much of a splash in the United States, but the slightest amount of buzz could turn that around.
Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium
What this world needs now is a little wonder and Magorium delivers. My surprise nomination for movie of the year is a delight with fun for the whole family.
Mr. Magorium, well acted by the great Dustin Hoffman, is 243 years old and runs a magical toy store. In all that time, Magorium never pursued his doctorate? It’s a wonder. It really is. I must say that I skipped this one over at the video store (I mean, Netflix queue) time and again thinking it probably some inane rehash of Robin Williams in Toys. Boy, was I wrong. I sat more enthralled than my 3 year old.
Magorium has purchased plenty of one particularly perfect pair of pedal pushers for perpetuity (that’s alliteration for all you non-English majors out there). But he’s on his last pair of loafers and feels he must leave the store to his store manager, Molly Mahoney, the winsome as always, Natalie Portman, before he leaves this world. Mahoney was considered a child prodigy at the piano and is constantly trying to finish her first symphonic masterpiece. The fingers of her right hand repeatedly tap out the notes trying to find the right melody which seamlessly creates part of the soundtrack.
Eric, a 9-year-old hat collector is a fixture of the store, but cannot seem to make friends despite his amazing creative talents (see life-size linkin’ log sculpture). His mother charges him with trying to make friends so he can avoid the social nightmare of summer camp and thus he attempts to befriend the least likely candidate: an accountant who is all work, and no play.
The Accountant Henry Weston played by Jason Bateman is hired by Magorium to evaluate the worth of his store that he might pass it on to Mahoney. Henry, labeled “the Mutant,” is your typical stodgy number-cruncher without an imaginative bone in his body, or at least that’s what we’re led to believe.
The Emporium itself is a great character. Like Willie Wonka’s elevator, you can turn a knob and find a room in a seemingly different universe. It’s walls begin to turn gray at the thought of Magorium leaving. Like a mad toddler, it throws a little bit of a temper tantrum, and the toys reflect the mood of the store as evidenced by a lonely sock puppet monkey who just needs a hug or a cranky lemur where a new toy should be.
The message is typical for kids movies that dreams can come true if you believe in them. However, it has an equally important message to adults. In Mahoney’s failure to acheive the lofty expectations of her peers she embraces an equally wondrous destiny: a block of wood. No, you’ll have to watch to find out.
For kids from one to ninety-two, this is movie that will heal you and help you believe.
Love Comes Lately Fizzles Despite Great Cast
For all it’s flaws the sentimental film Love Comes Lately is a breezy jaunt about old age, repressed dreams and romance. Equal parts quirky, comedic and poignant, the film attempts, perhaps awkwardly, to bridge together the short stories “Briefcase,” “Alone,” and “Old Love,” by Noble Peace Prize writer Isaac Bashevis Singer. The biggest star of the film is Rhea Perlman who plays the girlfriend of the film’s protagonist Max Kohn. Despite being with Max for 12 years, she still manages to put up with his bumbling ways and infidelity, all while feeding him barbs and put downs. It’s Perlman doing what she does best, but it’s not exactly thespian gymnastics either. Her turn as a psychiatrist in the made-for-TV movie “Secret Cutting,” was more effective than this bit. Kohn is curmudgeonly and set in his ways and it’s cute and sweet for the first 40 minutes, but after awhile gets a bit tired.
One of the film’s more quirky and memorable turns is a hotel scene in Miami Beach in which Elizabeth Pena plays a crippled hotel employee who comes on to Kohn in a dream sequence. Though it’s presence is a bit questionable, it’s effective, humorous and well-acted. Barbara Hershey tries to turn the film around as a former college student of Kohn’s, who now relegates to smoking pot and has admitted to giving up on men. She also tries to come onto Kuhn and succeeds. The last woman who courts Kohn is Toveh Feldshuh, who has the clear standout performance, in a tragic and short-lived role. Her presence, attached to the short-story Old Love, feels tacked on and out of place in the film, and very much could have been a film of itself. That it appeared as an entire script five years prior is no coincidence.
Hailed at the Toronto International Film Festival for being “utterly enchanting,” the flick had a short release in New York, earlier this year, before fizzling and heading to DVD. And righfully so. Considering its plot structure, its themes and the cast of supporting characters, Love Comes Lately could have been great. Instead it’s a middle-ground, mild treat that’s probably best viewed as a NetFlix rental or at a discount theatre. Similar to Paul Reiser’s The Thing About My Folks, it’s a simple film that sometimes goes for giggles instead of gravity. Singer’s short stories are piercing, thought-provoking works that scintillate and sever, and this film does little of that. Otto Tausig as the main character appears in over his head. He’s great at being befuddled, geriatric and misunderstood, but he’s not good at being engaging, captivating or sympathetic. While his facial expressions and broken English are worth merit, that’s really about all there is to his performance. As much as Tausig is to blame, so too is writer/director Jan Scutte, a German, who probably could have taken his time with this piece and created something far more Oscar worthy. So it goes.
Mating Dance is a Sensual, Sexy Cinematic Delight
For a movie about a werewolf, Cate Caplin’s Mating Dance is a stirring and thought-provoking film. Adapted from the play “Mating Dance of the Werewolf” by Canadian playwright Mark Stein, the movie came about as Caplin was asked to write a vampire, slasher, thriller type film for Cineville and not coming up with any ideas fast, pitched the idea of a werewolf play after recently completing choreography for “Mating Dance of the Werewolf,” produced at the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura, CA. As she explains it, “I thought maybe it might fit into the criteria of the edgy thrillers that they were looking for and at the same time satisify my love for strong characters, dance and comedy within theatrical story telling.”
The end result is a film akin to Interview With a Vampire, Caplin gives a more humane, character-driven approach to a startling and lofty subject matter. Her touch helps create a sensual, lustful, quirky drama about a woman with lycanthropic impulses and a carnal desire for murder. If this sounds all a bit out there, that’s because it is, but then again this is a story about a werewolf, how much gravity can one expect. The meat of the film is the acting, cinematography and choreography.
Lead role Lauren German as Abby, the aforementioned werewolf is incredible. She’s sexy, enigmatic, engaging, inviting and highly charismatic, if not a little nuts. Ken, the man courting her, played effectively by Shawn Christian does well in his role and adds a dose of reality to the film. The amount of times he second-guesses her and then succumbs to her is wholly realistic and highly effective. Lisa Rotondi’s turn as Ken’s ex-girlfriend Pam is another solid touch to the film and the key link to the depth and complexity of the script. Touted as a cop thriller with a twist, it’s more or less a character study about deception, betrayal and romance.
Eric Lang as Ken’s friend Allen, inserted to add a bit of a Sideways buddy comedy element is a bit of a stretch and the film’s weakest point. Roberto Sanchez as Raul, the new love interest of Pam, and the cop trying to solve the crime is another plothole that leaves a bit to be desired. Though it takes a few soap opera-like turns and at times leaves a bit to the imagination, it’s a winning film and a nice addition to an ever-growing movie library.
Looking at the film as more than just a flick, brings a lot more depth and dimension to the film. Director/writer Caplin is a world champion theatrical ballroom dancer and award winning
choreographer who treated the film’s narrative structure in a choreographed manner. To put it bluntly, the character of Abby (Lauren German) dances in and around the lives of these four
friends and their lives are captivated and turned upside down by her presence. Numerous scenes, including Pam’s seduction of Ken, a club scene between Pam and Raul, a dancing scene between Allen and Abby, a head-turning sniffing scene, and the numerous seduction scenes are carefully
choreographed and physically staged. To quote Caplin, “We rehearsed the film like a play and worked out all the moments and actually had a run through before we went into our intense shooting schedule. A good shoot day is typically 4-6 pages and we were shooting 12-15 pages a day. It was intensely storyboarded and rehearsed and that’s how we were able to knock out the whole film in 12
days.”
The film was screened at the Long Island International Film Expo and has already appeared at the Riverside International Film Festival, The West Hollywood International Film Festival and will screen on opening night at the Central Florida International Film Festival. With German’s captivating presence, Eric MacIver’s tantalizing cinematography and Caplin’s deft work as director/writer, there are enough reasons to consider this trio as surefire up-and-comers. For all it’s flaws, Mating Dance is the surefire arrival of new talent on the rise.
Virginia Coalition’s Mellow New Album
Perennial jam-band Virginia Coalition (VaCo) has found a comfortable and mid-tempo groove on its latest album Home This Year. The band, which consists of singer Andrew Poliakoff, bassist Jarret Nicolay and guitarist Paul Ottinge, has reduced in numbers over the years. A band which started as five is now down to three and despite this adversity has consistently honed their craft, so much so, that the VaCo of 2008 sounds almost nothing like the VaCo circa 2005. While Poliakoff’s powerhouse vocals remain the band’s strongest suit, it’s the songwriting that comes up a bit short. Sure the album is polished, pristine and mildly engaging, but as an album there’s nothing decidedly epic or intense about it.
For a band who has spent a career packing concert halls and putting on frenetic live performances, Home This Year is a decidedly mellow and contemplative album. This isnt the kind of disc to make you get up and dance, nor does it possess the kind of hard-charging rockers they’ve created in the past. The best songs are the aforementioned title track and the breezy “Lately,” but after ten tracks, it becomes more of the same and everything blends together. As a VaCo fan this is disappointing and upsetting. The band credits fatherhood and marriage for mellowing their ways and while no one can fault the group for such honorable decisions, its worth considering if the band was still single and younger, if the album would be as mellow and such a marked departure.
For all its shortcomings, in a decade long career the band rarely disappoints and there are a few upper echelon tracks here. Credit producer Marshall Altman (Matt Nathanson, Farmer, etc.) for pushing all the right buttons and forcing the band to carve an interesting path. Is it worth the purchase? Depends how you look at music. Is an album worth it for five or six good songs? If so, pick it up, and at the very least, see this band live. They will not disappoint.
The world is a mess and Dr. Horrible just needs to rule it.
RMP Joe professed his love for Joss Whedon’s Firefly (Whedon, he of the beloved shows that always get canceled) a while back and, in the comments, RMP Greg pointed to Whedon’s recent online 3-part series, Dr. Horrible.
Neil Partick Harris stars as the title-character, an evil mad scientist with a video blog. His nemesis, the smug hero Captain Hammer is superbly played by Whedon-favorite Nathan Fillion. Their rivalry is made complete by a shared love interest, Penny (the lovely Felicia Day). The whole thing is ridiculous in the best sense of the word, the dialogue hysterical, and the musical numbers are catchy with just the right amount of camp. Harris has spent a lot time performing on Broadway, and his vocal and comedic talents steal every scene. He’s come a long way since Doogie Howser, M.D.
It’s very rare that a movie or tv show inspire me enough to watch it repeatedly, let alone a video on the internet, yet I can no longer count how many times I’ve replayed Dr. Horrible on one hand.
If the internet has not conspired to make you a fan of Dr. Horrible already, Hulu.com is still streaming all three episodes (42 minutes in total) for free, at least for the time being. After that, you’ll have to wait for the DVD due out by Christmas, or buy it on 
There’s also a rumored fourth episode coming soon…
Osei and 23: Two Names To Watch in Hip-Hop
We don’t give enough attention to hip-hop on this blog and for that I am a bit remiss. In an effort to remedy this, I’m posting a song below by a new hip-hop group that stumbled into my life in the past few days. The song, entitled “A.F.R.I.C.A” is absolutely incredible. The artists behind the song are a Ghanian-American, born in Brooklyn, named Osei, and a Colombian-American, born in the Bronx, named E.J.
The group goes by the name 23, and have been performing together since 2000 when the two met in college. These two conscious artists are rewriting their life situations through music. The hardworking, cerebral duo use their intellectual capacities and cultural diversity to preserve their identities and put forward a message of positivism and awareness. In the words of Osei, “Our ultimate goal is to use our versatility to reach all facets of hip-hop. Our distinct sound blends African and Latino roots with the colorful metaphoric word-play of the new school while keeping the conscious, social awareness spirit of the old school.”
As for the song. It’s evident from the very first lines that Osei can flow incredibly well. His strident vocal delivery displays confidence, the prerequisite hip-hop swagger, a comfort/ease behind the mic, and sounds like something he’s been doing all his life, suggesting that perhaps he was born to do this. Additionally the chorus works really well, and the verses are a revelation. Topical, insightful, sans vulgarity/profanity, articulate and well-thought out, it is the exact song that hip-hop needs. As we know with Kanye and Lupe Fiasco, literate and bookish rappers are certainly gaining more steam, and I see no reason why Osei and his group 23 shouldn’t join them.
I for one, am crossing my fingers, this music gets in the hands of the right people. This group’s future is indeed incredibly bright.
Spellbound by Lars and the Real Girl
RMP Greg already did a full and insightful review of Lars and the Real Girl last November, but it finally made its way to the top of my Netflix queue, and it was so good I had to make sure it was mentioned here again.
The absurd one-sentence premise for the movie — a man who falls in love with a sex doll — is effective as a hook, but does the meaning and beauty of this movie no justice. This is a touching and remarkable portrait of human frailty, love, and kindness revealed slowly and perfectly, without being lewd or patronizing. It is a reminder why the connections of community are so valuable in a world where real personal interactions are rapidly disappearing.
Easily the best movie I’ve seen since Once.
Warped Tour Recap: Uniondale, NY 7/26/08
Having attended and very much enjoyed Warped Tour in 2005 and 2006, I took a break last year and flew to Chicago to take in some Lollapalooza after-parties. Vowing to make up for last year’s absence I attended this past Saturday at Uniondale’s Nassau Coliseum. After waiting more than an hour in a longer-than-expected press line, I managed to miss three sets I had penciled in as “must-see.” So it goes. Welcome to Warped Tour. When I finally got a chance to see a live set, by the Canadian reggae band Staylefish, I was blown away. The band put together a set that was energetic, skilled and dripping with reggae proficience. Lead by a Jamaican dreadlocked lead vocalist, the band was playful, captivating and highly original. Philly punk band The AKAs took the stage next and delivered a brash, in-your-face set of politically charged anthems that felt more akin to that of 60s and 70s punk than the various contemporary incarnations that dot the airwaves.
Wauconda, Illinois’s quirky quintet Dr. Manhattan was easily the afternoon’s crowning achievement as the band combined performance art with that of punk rock. Keyboardist Andrew Morrison appeared on stage in a white jumpsuit beside a spare bass drum, while bassist Adam Engers appeared on stage in a blue jumpsuit, fuzzy guitar strap and a Borat mustache. Additionally, drummer Nick Vombrack set up his drums vertically, so that his kit was perpendicular to the band’s performance, and the band held up green Go signs at various points during the set. But for all the aesthetic weirdness, the music was nothing short of stunning. Equal parts jerky, jittery and thumping, the band proceeded to push through six songs that dripped with cohesion, maturity and polish. The band was in step every second and each musician was razor sharp in their playing. Their self-titled debut album is currently out now on Vagrant Records.
Proving to be just as eclectic was Atlanta, GA’s Family Force 5 who played a highly danceable blend of funk, pop, rock and dance. Wearing brightly colored clothing, not unlike the Power Rangers, the band appeared alongside a man in a silver leotard who danced during the duration of the band’s six song set. Much like Dr. Manhattan, the band was energetic, focused and bristled with the shine of seasoned veterans.
St. Louis’ Ludo successfully married comedy and Weezer-like charm as they put together a set of light, Moog-accented pop-punk that was well-executed, original and highly infectious. Lead vocalist Andrew Volpe, clad in suspenders and a bowtie, introduced the song “Part One: Broken Bride,” by saying “This is a song about your wife that dies in a car crash, and you go back in time to rescue her, but when you do, you go back too far, and you have to wrestle dinosaurs.” The comedic anecdote proved that while many of Warped Tour’s headliners were busy taking themselves too seriously, the St. Louis quintet was quite okay writing songs with nonsensical lyrics and sprite melodies. The band is currently busy supporting their debut full-length [I]You’re Awful, I Love You[/I], produced by Matt Wallace and released on Island Records. The album marks the first in a multi-year deal with the record label.
Florida’s Anberlin turned in the best performance of the evening as their thunderous anthems whirled around with ferocious hard-hitting gutiars, tons of melody and incredibly catchy choruses. Vocalist Stephen Christian’s big-throated voice was in fine form as he bounced around stage like a pogo stick. His buoyant spirits never let up as he told the crowd, “This has easily been one of the best Warped Tour performances we’ve ever had. You guys are absolutely incredible. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. I swear I’m not just saying that to say it.” Having seen the band five times prior, I can honestly say I’ve never seen the band as cohesive, in-step and as loud as they were Saturday night. Despite the fact that they are a couple months away from releasing a new album, the band kept the new song limit to two and instead dove into their back catalog, as Christian introduced each song by saying, “This is for all of you guys who came out to see us a couple years ago,” “This is for those that were there in the beginning,” “This is for anyone who came to see us play last year.” The band’s major label debut [I]New Surrender[/I] is due out on Universal Republic in September.
Other than that, there weren’t many other triumphs. Poughkeepsie’s Just Surrender put together a set that was energetic and inspiring, and while it vaulted to heights that many of the other pop-punk outfits never ascended to, it still felt a bit too formulaic. The band’s best asset is their use of two lead vocalists, whose voices were in fine form. Unfortunately much of the set was marred by a hurried pace and an unexplained sense of urgency that seemed to rush the songs along, proving to be much faster than their already speedy nature.
Maryland’s All Time Low, who is steadily rising up the charts, certainly deserved points for energy, but their sophomoric Animal House banter was a classic mistake by a young band not realizing or appreciating the chance to be on a national platform. Moreover, the choruses came across tinny and hollow compared to the crystalline sheen that dots their album.
Tom DeLonge’s Angels and Airwaves proved to be disappointing, as the layers of guitars that dot the band’s two albums felt hollow and tinny on stage. Similarly pop-punk acts A Cursive Memory and You, Me and Everyone We Know performed sets that rattled with energy but very little substance. Additionally the vocals in each band’s set were thin, restrained and entirely commonplace. Even when A Cursive Memory invoked Vanessa Carlton and performed a cover of “A Thousand Miles” could the band be saved.
On another stage, female singer/songwriter Paige Wood succumbed to the lackluster as well, as she performed a five-song set that was predictable, unoriginal and stale. Aside from a punk-inspired version of Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me,” there was little that could save her performance from its exercise in banal monotony.
By 7:30 p.m., my head had conceded to the noise and asked for an escape. My adventures of Warped Tour 2008 were over. For a more expert opinion of the afternoon, read this.
