Commercial obsession continues

Does anyone know the name of the song for the latest March 2011 Target commercial? There is a remix of the Shirley Temple song Early Bird. Sounds like a Pogo remix but I went to his page and he didn't mention doing one. 

Why do I love Ho-Z...let me count the ways!

Monday I posted a DJ Premier and Pete Rock music battle on the blog...which I absolutely love; compliments of The Boy Wonder=Ho-Z. There was a 3 second snippet of music that I fell in love with but didn't think I'd ever figure out how to find. Let's face it, a DJ will lift beats from obscure songs that nobody ever thought to listen to.


Of course I had to go the 'Master of Music'. I sent Ho-Z this message on Facebook last night: 

I'm loving that DJ Premier vs Pete Rock, listening to it every single day! But what is that song that Pete Rock plays at 1:59 and five second?! It's a soft mellow Asian-like instrumental. I must have that song~paces back and forth like a crack head~

Then I went to bed and this is the message I got back the next day:  

You need to listen to the words of the track Premier plays after to get it. Pete played the sample and he played the track after, Anyways,

its the start of PITCH BLACK - IT'S ALL REAL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVltI3nNiKU 

sample of Caldera-Ancient Source-(1977) 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53bpoehBRS8


So...not only do I get my dream song, but he also sends me the original 1977 version that it was sampled from??? I have never freaking won a music challenge with this kid and I probably never will!

The Sweetest Taboo

Darnit, got kicked out of The Sweetest Taboo for not posting enough. Oh well...I don't think I can do it.

DJ Premier vs. Pete Rock

I was talking to Ho-Z today and he asked me how many stories I was working on. I told him five...and became amazed. Damn...I'm working on FIVE stories? We were on SKYPE so I saw him grin and say, I guess you need a new playlist, huh? Then I started grinning and I said, hell yeah. If you are lucky enough to have Ho-Z make you a playlist then you are truly blessed. He puts together the best music!


He sent me this DJ Premier vs. Pete Rock. Obviously skip it if you don't like hip hop, but if you like it then this is OUTRAGEOUS! Watch these guys on the wheels of steel and they way their hands move. They are masters at spinning music. This is over two hours long and and they start from the Motown era up to current black music. I was supposed to be writing and I was singing and bobbing my head! But it was worth it.

Mild Profanity

DJ Premier vs. Pete Rock: Round 1 (FULL) from AlohaServedDaily on Vimeo.

Stephen King's; The Dark Tower Series

My favorite book (which fluctuates between Octavia Butler's Kindred) is The Talisman by Stephen King. No one ever talks about this book, nor do they even think about making it into a movie or mini-series (thank god!). I've read it no less than 10 times and I'm about due to pick it up and read it again. ~smiles~ So, imagine my happiness when I began reading the Dark Tower Series and discovered that it dealt with the same theme; the twin worlds and the twin people with one constant; The Dark Tower.


I always thought THAT ONE would make a good movie and now it looks like Ron Howard just might be the one to do it! Check out this article by Chelsea Davison.

'The Dark Tower': My Dream Cast

By CHELSEA DAVISON

"The Man in Black fled across the desert, and the Gunslinger followed." 

Let's immediately make one thing clear, I love Stephen King's The Dark Tower series. So much so, that I have been nervous for years as the rumors have swirled around potential movies, miniseries, and TV shows adapted from the seven books. At one time, J.J. Abrams was said to have finally gotten the green light from Stephen King and bought the rights to make it for a symbolic $19. However, now the torch has been passed to director Ron Howard and plans are moving forward for three feature films and two seasons of a television series. So, now the looming question is who will be cast in this epic undertaking? Here are my picks for The Dark Tower cast (though of course, casting unknowns would also be fantastic), includes choices for the Gunslinger, Eddie, Susannah, Jake, Susan Delgado, and The Man in Black.
Beware, this list includes a few hints/spoilers.

Roland Deschain: Josh Holloway

Dark, mysterious, deadly. The morally amiguous protagonist of The Dark Tower series is The Gunslinger and I think Josh Holloway would pull this off beautifully. With a bit of black hair dye and some bright blue contacts, Holloway could easily transform into the obsessed man tracking down The Tower and The Man in Black, especially since we saw he can handle a complex, often cruel character during his time playing Sawyer on Lost. My only concern is that he is not old enough to play the grizzled killer, but a bit of good acting could make the choice perfectly believable. Besides, worn doesn't necessarily require old.
However, choosing Holloway was a hard choice and I considered other candidates (get it, Lost fans?), such as Javier Bardem, Clive Owen, Christian Bale, and more. Check out my full list of possible actors who could take on the role of the last Gunslinger. 


Eddie Dean: Kevin Zegers

Naive, wild, addicted. Eddie is the 21-year-old heroin junkie from New York City who joins Roland in book two and Kevin Zegers is exactly how I envision him. He's a little dirty, grungy, but with youthful good looks and his starring performance in 2005's Transamerica proves he can deal with the depth of poor Mr. Dean.

Check out my other suggestions for what actors could play Eddie. 

Susannah Dean/Odetta Holmes/Detta Walker: Zoë Saldana

Powerful, damaged, wise. I almost didn't put Ms. Saldana in this part because it seemed just too obvious. But really, she is perfect for the wheelchair-bound fighter with a few too many identities. One look at her and it's clear why Eddie would fall in love and she brings the right balance between wisdom and ferral ferocity.

Choosing Susannah was really tough because the actress has to take on three parts, not one. I considered Naomi Harris a lot too, which you can see on my full list of actresses I think could play The Lady of Shadows.

Jake Chambers: Nathan Gamble.

Innocent, brave, special. Jake Chambers is the 11-year-old boy who joins Roland's ka-tet, first as a sacrifice and later as a son. Nathan Gamble, known for his roles in The Mist and Marley & Me, is one of the few young actors who could handle Jake's strong, mature manner. Plus I think he has the perfect look for Jake.

My only other strong suggestion for the part would be Lewis Howlett, but I weigh out the pros and cons of each in my full list of actors who could play Jake.

Then, I know these characters aren't brought in until Wizard and Glass, but it seemed appropriate to immediately cast them. Especially since I don't know what order chronologically the narratives will take.

Young Roland: Nicholas Hoult

When Roland and friends enter Mejis, he is just a teen. However, the blue-eyed Gunslinger matures immensely through love and tragedy during their time there. Nicholas Hoult clearly has the chops to take on the young Deschain because of his work in Skins, but really it was his piercing eyes that sold me on him. It works especially well if one of my alternates for older Roland takes it, such as Clive Owen, Hugh Laurie, or Christian Bale.

Check out the full list of young actors who could play the Gunslinger at age 14. 

Cuthbert Allgood: Freddie Highmore

Bert is Roland's best friend--the joker of their ka-tet and "twinner" to Eddie Dean. Freddie Highmore has taken on leading roles in numerous films including August Rush and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but now the audience can see him take on a more adolescent character. There is something so optimistic and goofy about Cuthbert and Highmore captures it effortlessly.

Alain Johns: Chord Overstreet

I know some may doubt my choice of putting this Glee star in Roland's ka-tet of the past, but I just can't help that Chord Overstreet looks exactly how I pictured Alain Johns. A bit older than the other two and certainly more stocky, Overstreet could easily play the relaxed third member of their party, the one strong in the "touch."

Susan Delgado: AnnasSophia Robb

Casting Susan is difficult because the blonde beauty is so young and yet described as being heartbreakingly beautiful, yet AnnaSophia Robb is exactly that. The true love of Roland Deschain, she is the unfortunate victim in Wizard and Glass and so must be capable of portraying the emotional but fierce girl torn apart by fate. Robb's past roles in Bridge to Terabithia and Soul Surfer have me hopeful that this young girl could pull off such a powerful character.

However, check out the list of candidates I made of other blonde bombshells who could play poor Susan Delgado of Mejis.

UPDATED: So, I know, I didn't include The Man in Black, but you asked, so here's my choice:

The Man in Black: Jeremy Irons

The Man in Black fled across the desert and the Gunslinger followed. Mm, yes, the mysterious and powerful antagonist who goes by many names and evades Roland. While many actors could bring the right air of dark illusion, the one that instantly places himself in my mind is Jeremy Irons. Irons has the right look for the role--weathered yet alluring--and his work over the past four decades proves he is capable of handling the heavy acting. However, what really sells me on Irons is his voice. Perhaps it's because I grew up fearing him as Scar in The Lion King, but Jeremy Irons has a voice that I cannot help but associate with evil and mysteries. 

A few others are certainly worth considering for this part however, so click to see my full list of nominees for the Man in Black.

I think she did a great job in creating a fantasy cast--but I have to disagree with Jeremy Irons! This is Pep's pick for the Dark Man...

Ralph Fiennes. 

Ralph is sexy...no one said the Darkman was sexy but that doesn't matter. I've had a crush on him since I saw him lock lips with Angela Bassett in STRANGE DAYS. He usually plays good guys but he has a look about him that tells me he could cross over into crazy-ville pretty easily!

For Colored Girls

I just finished watching For Colored Girls. The movie is based on Ntozake Shange's play "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf. I was supposed to be writing but I took a break to watch the movie on pay per view. Wow. It was one of those movies where you have to call your sister and your mother!

Just wondering if anyone else had seen it and what your thoughts are on it? Yes I know that I am about 4 months late in blogging about this movie but I only just now caught it.

Kim Harrison; The Hollows Series

Hi everyone. I was just wondering if anyone else read the Kim Harrison books? They take place in Cincinnati (My Favorite place to write about) and they deal with witches, vampires, demons, pixies and other supernatural beings that live alongside humans. Pale Demon is the next in the series and was released February 22nd and usually I am the first one to be waiting for the bookstore to open. I was just super super busy and toying with the idea of ordering it on my Nook. I'm just afraid that I'll be disappointed. What I mean is, I don't know if there is some strange transition between an ebook and a REAL book. I KNOW that I won't be disappointed with Kim's writing. When they turn a story into an ebook does it match word for word? I'm not taking any chances on missing out on anything the way you do when listening to books on tape.


Still an ebook novice...and haven't been very impressed with the stories I've purchased. I do recommend this series. It is light on sex and swearing but BIG in action, humor, romance and fun.

Everybody's free...to wear sunscreen