God, Please Save These Troubled States

Hollywood - In an exclusive recent interview with Buzznet, Murder by Death, on tour with the heavy blues masters Clutch, spoke candidly about the origins of their new record, the inevitable comparisons to Johnny Cash, and the surprising news that they're trying to get on the soundtracks for two upcoming Cormac McCarthy film adaptations!

Who are Murder By Death?...

Anti-Flag has released information pertaining to a video shoot next week for "The Bright Lights of America," the title track for their upcoming album. If you're willing to wear black and hang out at a rolly derby arena for over 12 hours, you can be in the next Anti-Flag video!

Anti-Flag and rolly derby???

"21" follows the exploits of a student played by Jim Sturgess, who attempts to pay off his college tuition by joining a team that counts cards in blackjack. It takes far too many predictable turns to set it apart from mainstream fare, but it’s still an entertaining film.

Does ‘21’ live up to the hype?...

Fresh off the release of Ghosts, Trent Reznor has announced that Nine Inch Nails have re-formed and will embark on a long tour in support of the album. The first leg on the road will hit a large number of arenas in North America, starting at the end of July!

Are NIN coming to your city?...

"Run Fatboy Run", Simon Pegg’s latest foray into comedy, suffers from misdirection, obvious jokes, and predictability. The script, written by Michael Ian Black and Pegg, is directed by “Friends” alumnus David Schwimmer, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any of that show’s humor present here.

Is ‘Run Fatboy Run’ worth a viewing?...

It's no surprise that an L.A. Times story about the current wave of pop punk influencing the popularity of underground hardcore and punk bands would send our community into a tizzy. Where do you stand? Do you agree with our members who say that name-dropping contributes to popularity? Or do you feel that fans are actually tiring of mainstream music?

MCR and Fall Out Boy inspire anger inside...

Sir Ian McKellen has confirmed in a post on his Web site that, if approached by Peter Jackson, he would return as Gandalf in the upcoming "The Hobbit" film. As if that isn't good news enough, he also states that Guillermo del Toro has been confirmed as the director as previously rumored!

Has our faith in 'The Hobbit' been restored?...

Elizabeth Banks has been cast in Oliver Stone's upcoming biopic of president George W. Bush. The film, which has already nabbed "No Country For Old Men" lead Josh Brolin to star as Bush, is another addition to a long line of biographical movies from Stone.

Can Elizabeth Banks play The First Lady?...

Could Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance be helping to give popularity to underground bands? The L.A. Times music blog speculates that a bizarre resurgence in hardcore and mid-'90s-style punk rock can be attributed to larger bands name-dropping their smaller contemporaries.

Do MCR and FOB give cred?...

Jacob Bannon, singer of Converge and founder of Deathwish Records, has created a Web site to chronicle his many musical and artistic projects. In the inaugural posting, he casually mentions work on a new Converge record!

What else does Jacob Bannon have in his future?...

Johnny Depp fans, brace yourself: Ain't It Cool News has posted images of the actor portraying John Dillinger on the set of Michael Mann's upcoming crime biopic, Public Enemies, onto the Web. There's no look at Christian Bale yet, but we're OK with that.

See Johnny Depp playing with tommy guns...

13 Blues for Thirteen Moons, the new album from A Silver Mt. Zion, is a tough record to listen to. Full of long, repetitive passages of guitars and wavering vocal lines, this is an album that requires frequent spins to be "understood." But it's a rewarding record if you give it a chance.

A Silver Mt. Zion who???...

Less Than Jake drummer and co-founder of Fueled By Ramen Vinnie Fiorello has announced the formation of a new record label. Paper and Plastick Records will focus on releasing albums from underground artists who want to bring physical art back to music.

What makes Paper and Plastick so unique?...

The possibility of a third "Fantastic Four" movie has been severely diminished by a statement from Chris Evans, who played Johnny Storm in the series. MTV reports that Evans and the rest of the cast still haven't been approached by FOX to make a third film.

Is the Fantastic Four series over?...

A "G.I. Joe" fansite has just released the first look at Ray Park as Snake Eyes in the upcoming live adaptation of "G.I. Joe". The photo isn't even a CGI mock-up; it's a first-hand look at the exact costume that will be worn in the film!

How does Snake Eyes look?...

A Brazilian fansite has posted a scan of a new image from Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint all make an appearance as they lounge in a Gryffindor Common Room.

See the Harry Potter preview here...

Superbad and Juno star Michael Cera has signed on to be the title character in a live action adaptation of Scott Pilgrim's Little Life. The graphic novel deals with a slacker who, in order to win the affection of the gal of his dreams, must battle her seven evil ex-boyfriends.

Michael Cera becomes Scott Pilgrim inside...

In an ambiguous and sparse press release, MGM has announced that a new RoboCop flick, along with another Outer Limits movie, are on the way. Continuing Hollywood's trend in remaking any and every movie under the sun, the studio also briefly mentions in the release that it's making a new installment in the Death Wish series, which originally starred Charles Bronson.

See what MGM will butcher next...

Heavy Metal, the cult magazine and movie of the same name, is being updated by Fight Club helmer David Fincher and a team of other directors, FirstShowing reports. The animated film will honor the aesthetics of the original magazine and feature eight or nine new animated sequences, each from a different director.

More 'Heavy Metal' madness inside...

Production on the upcoming X Files movie has completed, The National Post reports. According to the Canadian paper, David Duchovny admits that the kiss between Mulder and Scully that was so highly publicized recently was a publicity stunt. How much further will we be duped???

See what Chris Carter has to say about the film...

Snow Angels, starring Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell, is a depressing drama that follows the lives of three couples as an act of violence tears apart a tiny community. Featuring a few Oscar-worthy performances, it's a sobering look at love.

Is 'Snow Angels' worth the hype?

Nine Inch Nails, following the release of their successful instrumental album Ghosts, has announced an expansions of the project by inviting fans to create short films based on each of the nameless tracks on the record. Trent Reznor himself promises to review all entries for an eventual "film festival" of the best work submitted.

See Reznor's plans for the festival...

Funny Games, a new movie that opens Friday and stars Naomi Watts and Michael Pitt, is a scathing and horrifying indictment of our obsession with violent films. Director Michael Haneke, who made a 1997 German film of the same name, has redone his original to make it more applicable to an American audience.

Read more…

Bryan Singer, director of Superman Returns, has confirmed a sequel to his modern adaptation of the comic book character is currently in development. He's promised that Brandon Routh will also return as Superman and that this film will be less "nostalgic" and more "terrifying."

Read more...

Monsters vs. Aliens, Dreamworks Animation's next animated feature, is the first comic book adaptation to be put on the screen by the company. Taking a direct inspiration from '50s horror films, the movie stars Reese Witherspoon as a woman who gets hit by a meteor on her wedding day, turning her into a giant.

Read more...

The live-action adaptation of Speed Racer, featuring Emile Hirsch as the titular lead character, now has two full-length trailers available online. The film, directed by the Wachowski brothers (The Matrix), is the first of its kind, using HD technology to give the film the appearance of a live anime cartoon.

Read more...

Despite a poor showing in the United States, The Golden Compass has performed surprisingly well internationally. Given this, there's speculation that the final two parts of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy might be given the green light for production.

Read more...

There really isn't a more anticipated film this summer than Christopher Nolan's second venture into the Batman universe with The Dark Knight. In an interview with the New York Times, he elaborates on his indie techniques for making the movie and how he's dealing with the death of Heath Ledger.

Read more...

The Sopranos might be gearing up for a movie based on the series. The owner of a strip club used as the location for the Bada Bing reportedly received a call from HBO asking him to preserve his location for additional shooting. Looks like we might see Tony Soprano once again!

Read more...

Skateboarding culture and moral relativism collide in Gus Van Sant’s engrossing new feature, Paranoid Park. Featuring a cast of unknown actors, bizarre dialogue, and non-linear storytelling, it’s a refreshing look at how an act of violence affects a single person.

Read more...

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson were recently spotted on the set of The X Files sequel swapping spit. While millions of X-Philes across the world collectively had a heart attack, we wondered if this was a spoiler of epic proportions. Will Mulder and Scully get it on in the next X Files flick?

Read more...

Zack Snyder's film adaptation of the Watchmen comics doesn't arrive in theaters for a year (it's coming out March 6, 2009), but we've been given a sneak peek at the world he's created for the movie. Check out all of the main characters in full costume and nerd out. Could we have the first legitimate comic book movie on our hands?

Read more...

Despite an acclaimed performance from Will Smith, the apocalyptic flick I Am Legend suffered from a poor ending. Just in time for the DVD release, though, the alternate ending has been leaked onto the web. Is it more faithful to the novel or is it just another version of what we've already seen? Check it out!

Read more...

Paul Thomas Anderson's epic oil drama, There Will Be Blood, is set to have an April release date for DVD. The 2 disc package will reportedly have an entire disc devoted to extra features, including over 15 minutes of deleted scenes. Time to drink that milkshake up!

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Nine Inch Nails' album, Ghosts I-IV, is proving to be a successful venture for Trent Reznor. Copies of the $300 deluxe edition of the album have already sold out, reportedly netting Reznor $750,000. This seems to be proof that fans are still willing to buy high quality music – if it's worth it.

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Proving that nothing is sacred, Michael Bay's production company, Platinum Dunes, is reportedly securing the rights to remake Roman Polanski's legendary horror film, Rosemary's Baby. There's no news yet as to who might play the iconic characters or how many explosions will be worked into the film.

Read more...

Murder by Death's Red Of Tooth And Claw, their debut on Vagrant, signifies a marked departure from their previous work. This is the band at its most electric, sexual, and urgent. It's the soundtrack to a thousand country westerns that were never made and it might just be the best record of 2008 so far.

Read more...

Sacha Baron Cohen, known for his roles in Borat and Da Ali G Show, has begun filming a Bruno movie, Defamer reports. Witnesses reportedly spotted the actor in Southern California dressed as the character and asking parents how much pain they'd be willing to put their kids through in order to be in a commercial.

Read more...

Just when you thought you'd heard it all, '80s cult classic The Breakfast Club is being remade into an indie flick called Bumped. There's no information about the cast or the plot; however, we do know all the teenagers will be replaced with twenty-something adults and set in Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Sound appealing to you?

Read more...

NIN - who are free from any label concerns after fulfilling their obligations with Interscope last year - has announced their seventh full length record, Ghosts I-IV. Trent Reznor posted an update over the weekend about the record, which is immediately available in five different formats and ranges in price from $0-$300. Another new music revolution is here.

Read more...

This year, two Buzznet employees (myself and Richard) will be riding from San Francisco to Los Angeles in 7 days in order to raise funds to help combat the spread of AIDS. That's 545 miles; we start riding on June 1st and roll to the finish line in front of the federal building on June 7th.

Why are we doing this? It's a form of activism that has immediate results; by raising money for the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center, we will provide funding to help keep the employees working towards providing education, medical care, and the knowledge to help stop this epidemic that continues to ravage our nation.

We're required to raise $2,500, at the very least, in order to ride. About 1/3 of this will cover the cost of keeping us on the road: vehicle and maintainence support, food, camping, and other necessary items to get us down to Los Angeles. But the other 2/3 will go directly towards funding programs and the continued work of the LA Gay & Lesbian Center.

How can you help?

Any donation, no mater how small or large, will not only help us out, but provide the necessary monetary support to an organization trying to institute positive change for this world.

This is my LifeCycle page.

This is Richard's LifeCycle page.

There is a very easy (and tax deductible!) way to send the organization money on our behalf using a credit or debit card. If you're not old enough, ask your parents! Show them this blog, show them our pages, and explain to them what we're doing to take a stand against AIDS.

If you don't fancy credit or debit, you can paypal me the money and I'll send you screenshots of the transaction to show I submitted it on your behalf. If you'd like to do this, leave a comment below and I'll contact you.

You guys know how passionate I am about political action and cycling. This is my chance to combine the two and hopefully save a life in the process.

If you have any question, feel free to ask me below. Many, many thanks if you can help Richard or myself out!