This film, about a gang of bumbling, inept wannabe British jihadists, actually came out last year but my sister just put me up on it. Looks hilarious which is not small feat considering the delicacy of the subject matter at hand here. Not sure this film would get any traction in the US, even in more progressive, liberal markets, where all matters terrorist-related are extremely touchy still even ten years after 9/11.
Watching this trailer put me in mind of another British film from over a decade ago about bumbling criminals that I used to love, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, not the least of which is that both movies feature key characters named Barry! The fact that a movie dealing with the same theme nowadays has to ratchet up the subject matter from bungled attempts at robbing antiques to full-fledged terrorism is a sign of the times we live in, I guess. But that a film like this can even get made now is a good sign, I think.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the movie.
Semi-related:
6 Charged in British Terror Plot. [The Daily Beast]
and here’s Arcade Fire accepting the $30,000 for winning the Polaris Music Prize:
Like I said on twitter, I think they’re worthy winners but Arcade Fire winning yet another award is so unexciting from a PR point of view. And just curious: do people outside of Canada think they are the best rock band in the world right now like one of my co-workers claimed the other day? Leave your thoughts on that in the comments below.
And if you’re curious about my thoughts on all the albums from this year’s Polaris Music Prize Long List, check them out by CLICKING HERE.
Polarsets: Morning by itsmodamusic
Regular readers remember the homie, Jeremy Glenn right?
Hit the jump also for Jeremy’s excellent Tropical Remix of Piper Davis‘ “Academics” which is old but my homegirl, Steph happened to post it on twitter the same day I got wind of this remix for some random (?) reason but without actually mentioning/crediting Jeremy though, weird!
“Grabbed by school of hard-knocks, I can show you my degrees
Couple A, B, C’s, bad bitch double D
Popping E I don’t give a F, told you I’m a G….”
If you keep up with your hip-hop blog reading, you’re more than aware of this new MC, ASAP Rocky from Uptown, Harlem New York who seemingly came out of nowhere (?) earlier this Summer.
My homegirl Anousheh tried to pull my coat sleeve and alert me to the young gunner a few weeks back when she DM’d me the “Purple Swag” video and a couple other clips over Facebook. I was kind of dismissive saying something like he was the worst parts of Lil B and Paul Wall combined. Then I heard this track on the radio on Friday and, I won’t say I had a conversion per se, but I do dig it and now, especially after seeing this video too, I ‘get’ it.
It’s a new kind of Harlem swag going on here, musically and stylistically. If Dipset was just coming out today or Taylor Gang came from uptown instead of Pittsburgh, I think, something like ASAP Rocky is what you’d get. But is it enough to ‘bring NYC back’ as pundits who have nothing better to think about are always hoping and praying for (‘cos Lord knows, Maino, Uncle Murder and Red Cafe ain’t getting it done)? Only time will tell….
MP3 Download: ASAP Rocky – Peso
After hearing there were vigils, not only in the US but around the world including Iceland, I went down to the US consulate in Toronto thinking maybe there would be one down there too. Crickets! Toronto, tonight I’m ashamed to be from here….