Olivier Magny’s book, Stuff Parisians Like, is out today. He’s the creator of the blog with the same name, which you can find here, and he’s also a serious sommelier — so much so that he started a Parisian wine-tasting school called O Chateau when he was in his early 20s. As a native Parisian he has a lot to say about its residents, and much of it is tongue-in-cheek. Early on in the book, he writes, “Paris has become a tepid city full of tepid people.” (It’s probably good to insert a lengthy sigh here.) However, these “tepid people” are also incredibly judgmental and easy to poke fun at, which is why the book can play off the success of sites like Stuff White People Like and get away with it. At the end of every section, Magny includes useful tips that will make you appear to be oh-so Parisian. So read on, dear readers, and tell us what else you love to hate about France.
Jim Riswold’s spirited compositions evoke child’s play, with unlikely subjects selling subversive ideals while cheekily mocking modern life.
Riswold’s intentionally dubious art reflects a twisted vision of history and society, featuring high-profile characters out of step with their scaled-down surroundings. His strange blend of erudite thought and guileless simplicity suggests a new form of non-narrative visual storytelling that builds upon pop-art aesthetics.
Featuring an original score by Sean Lennon, Jordan Galland’s inventive debut feature is equal parts slacker comedy and vampire showdown, with a healthy dose of Shakespeare.
The film stars Jake Hoffman as Julian, a twentysomething unemployed director whose life is a blur of one-night stands, until he’s offered a job directing a nocturnal twist on Hamlet — written by an actual vampire. Literary pun title cards like “Job Interview with a Vampire” and “As I Lay Undying” punctuate the fast-paced scenes with whimsy, while the appearance of familiar faces like Devon Aoki and Ralph Macchio further propel the enjoyable satire toward future cult-classic status.
Hey, we enjoyed Juno as much as anyone [ed note: that's the editorial we; I sort of agreed with bloggers who thought it sucked] but, like many of its indie compatriots, its conformity to indie stereotypes made it ripe for satire. In this ode to “every indie movie,” the Rotten Tomatoes Show hosts Ellen & Brett attack everything from Garden State to The Royal Tenenbaums, waxing on bearded intellectuals, wood paneling, and Kimya Dawson along the way.
There’s a brilliant satirical piece on the future of book publishing by Steve Hely up on The Rumpus that everyone should check out right now. And don’t skip the comments, which no offense to Hely (seriously, I snorted Diet Coke at the inspired idea of a “Post-Paper Evolution Consultant” and the bit about being raised by a Nintendo), might be the best part of the post. Also, the credit for the clever image I swiped goes to Jon Adams, whose Eisner-nominated Truth Serum comic appears in weekly installments on The Rumpus here. It’s like my mom always said: Never trust the quiet Kindles…
