My friend Yung Chang is in town doing some Q & A’s for his documentary Up The Yangtze, which I saw at Sundance. I will most likely be at one of the screenings.

Here’s the trailer -

Press and info on where it’s playing:

LA TIMES REVIEW

If you’re into Podcasts and stuff like that, he was recently on Fair Game (NPR), tho Faith Salie drops some spoilers. (C’mon girl, you should know better). It’s worth a listen, if only for Yung’s very enchanting voice.

UP THE YANGTZE
STARTS MAY 16 AT:

Los Angeles
Laemmle’s Royal*
11523 Santa Monica Blvd.
310-477-5581
www.laemmle.com

12:40pm 3:00pm 5:20pm 7:40pm 10:00pm

* Q&A WITH FILMMAKER ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
After the 7 pm Show

Pasadena
Laemmle’s Playhouse 7*
673 East Colorado Blvd.
626-844-6500
www.laemmle.com

12:00pm 2:20pm 4:50pm 7:20pm 9:55pm

* Q&A WITH FILMMAKER ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
After the 5pm Show

Encino
Laemmle Town Center 5
17200 Ventura Blvd.
818-981-9811
www.laemmle.com

1:00pm 3:20pm 5:40pm 8:00pm 10:15pm

Santa Ana
Regency South Coast Village
1561 W Sunflower Avenue
Sunflower & South Coast Plaza
714-557-5701
www.regencymovies.com

as a bonus, here’s some recent pics of us channelling our inner Tommy Wiseau’s.

fun fact: we both saw this movie together a few years ago and afterwards went to an Echo Park speak easy. Good times.

I’ve always been a fan of Robert Downey Jr. and even went so far as to watch a few episodes of Ally McBeal back in the day (say what you will, but that was some fantastic television).

From NYMAG, here’s his speech from last night’s TIME 100 Gala in which he honors his father.

p.s. IRON MAN RULEZ.

remember - when dividing with a fraction you multiply with the reciprocal, or something like that -

“Dolph is in Command, Now: Karate champ turned actor Dolph Lundgren will star in and direct Command Performance, a script he also co-wrote. Lundgren describes it as Die Hard at a rock concert, where bad guys take over the show, but luckily the drummer is an ex-Marine. For real, Dolph says he “got the idea from Madonna.” Asks little orphan Tommy: “Vulture? Will this be the best movie ever made?” Yes, Tommy. Yes, it will. [HR]”

from NY MAG’s Vulture Blog

Also, I saw over at Nate’s Tumblr that Cat Power will be opening for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at the Hollywood Bowl. The original opener was Spiritualized, with other acts to be announced. My hope is that Spiritualized will be added back to the bill. Now that would be a dope show.

p.s. - Was anyone planning on going to the REM/Modest Mouse/The National show? I dunno yet if I’m willing to put up with REM just to see The National. Ticks go on sale this Sunday.

I saw this film as part of a tribute to director David Gordon Green (George Washington, the upcoming Pineapple Express) at The Egyptian Theater in Hollwyood. Man oh man. It’s been a very long time since I was floored by such a low-key, subtle, honest film such as this one. I think the last film that affected me in the same was John Duigan’s Flirting (with a young Thandie Newton, Noah Taylor and Nichole Kidman) which I saw for the first time nearly 13 years ago.

I really can’t think of any other film that nails what the genesis of a relationship really feels like. Zooey Deschanel is amazing and I have to wonder why Paul Schneider is not in more films (he really held his own against Ryan Gosling and Emily Mortimer in Lars and the Real Girl).

Now I need to go and watch more films by David Gordon Green and hope that the upcoming success of Pineapple Express does not steer him away from making such gems.