LOCAL FILM SCENE >>>

What the hell kind of film would have the Weekly Volcano in it?

A Randy Sparks' film, thank you very much.

Local filmmaker Sparks, he of It Don't Rain on Sunny Days and A Glitch in the System, will incorporate a Weekly Volcano mock-up cover as a newspaper prop in a scene he's filming today for his new flick, Rose Colored Shades. In the scene, Michael, a.k.a the Stranger (Doug Mackey), calls Lucky Joe Ware (Rod Long), a hired assassin, to congratulate him on his latest work as seen in the newspaper. The unlucky targets of Lucky Joe's hit were Cameron and Raul, the muscle for Gaberiel, who happens to be Michael's nemesis.

We have no idea what this all means, but EXCITING!

As for the brown spot on the sheet pictured on the cover? "You'll just have to see the movie," says Sparks.

LINK: Movies showtimes in the South Sound

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Tacoma School Board Update: McKinley and Wainwright can be yours. (News Tribune)

Tacoma Week In Review: Tacoma School District drama and Washington State History Museum friends with benefits (Weekly Volcano)

Wall Street Unlawful? Well We Never: JP Morgan must pay $88.3 million to the Treasury Department for egregiously violating sanctions with Cuba, Iran and Sudan. (New York Times)

Oh Shit: Geographer thinks U.S. West Coast is due for a massive tsunami. (Outside magazine)

Sickening: The fake barf industry. (Collectors Weekly)

Ghostbusters 3: Many Shuvs and Zuuls will know what it will be like to be roasted in the depths of the Slor the day this comes out. (Movie Line)

Photoshop Rap Part 2: "But if your selection is looking jaggy and wrecked, here's a tip run that fur with a feather select." (College Humor)

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

School Bullying: Tacoma School District and the union shove each other. (News Tribune)

Could This Save The Cliff House Restaurant?: Hylebos Waterway drawbridge is getting close to opening. (News Tribune)

Buffet Boost: Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway announced it is investing $5 billion in Bank of America. (NPR)

On The Job: 11 pivotal in Steve Jobs' career. (TechFlash)

Don't Blow Away Your Immune System: The DEA has announced that three-quarters of cocaine in the U.S. can sometimes fatally lower a person's white blood cell count. (Scientific American)

Dying: Walmart and Groupon. (Ad Age and Gawker)

Reunited And It Feels So Good: The Royal Tenenbaums. (Gothamist)

Video: Princess Leia loss 50 pounds. (Hollywood Reporter)

Two Words: R2-D2 helmet. (walyou)

DAY SIX OF THE 25 NEW FACES IN INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL >>>

By now you know the 14th edition of Filmmaker Magazine's annual look at the new, up-and-coming talent who are transforming the current film scene has been screening at The Grand Cinema since Friday. If you haven't heard yet, read our preview here.

Among the magazine's "25 New Faces of Independent Film" is 20-something Gingger Shankar - she of musical family that includes Ravi Shankar and Norah Jones - who will introduce the film Homecoming at 2:15 p.m. today inside The Grand Cinema. Shankar provided the original music for the film, which tells the story of Estelle Szymanski, an Army medic who returns to her Central Florida home and reconnects with her community.

Also on the festival's docket today:

"Best Of" repeat screening at 4:30 p.m.
Alrick Brown's Kinyarwanda at 6:45 p.m.

[Grand Cinema, $6.50-$8.50, 606 S. Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, 253.593.4474]

WHAT WE FOUND TODAY >>>

Will They Have Pot Leaf Emblems On Their Chests?: Tacoma OKs medical pot panel. (News Tribune)

Will There Be Pop Up Ads?: Website shows DUI patrols in Pierce County. (Seattle Times)

Wednesday Bloody Wednesday: Rebel leader says 80 percent of Tripoli under their control (CNN)

Now They're Talking: The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, has agreed to consider a moratorium on nuclear weapons tests and production and to return to stalled six-party talks on the nation's nuclear program. (New York Times)

Nevermind Is 20 Years Old: Nirvana members open the vault on the making of the classic album (Rolling Stone)

Glassblowing Reality Show: Would you watch it? (Deadline)

Nauseating Video Of The Day

25 NEW FACES FEST SCREENS WITHOUT  >>>

In The Weekly Volcano's recent "Super Best of Tacoma" issue, I named last year's 25 New Faces of Independent Film "Best New Film Fest," emphasis on new. At a time in which Hollywood has other buzzwords in its lexicon - prequel, sequel, reboot, adaptation - a collection of raw, original indies feels like cold water in a draught.

So with The Grand Cinema's event returning last Friday, I knew I had to catch at least some of this fresh crop of faces.

But what to see? Besides a mention in Filmmaker magazine, on which the concept of this festival is based, you won't find much critical response available on these movies. Luckily, some months ago I fell upon Charles Mudede's glowing review of a feature entitled Without, which played at The Grand Saturday evening - a perfect day to bask outdoors yes, but the theater's air-conditioned interior beckoned me.

And the promise, from one critic at least, that Without would prove worthwhile.

Writer/director/editor Mark Jackson, though based in Brooklyn, shot his entire film in a place we Northwest folk instantly recognize: Whidbey Island. Within a festival about faces, the first shot appropriately gives us a close-up of a pretty girl named Joslyn (actor Joslyn Jensen) staring somewhat sadly below frame. The cut to her profile reveals more of the surroundings - the interior of a ferry, steadily whisking its seemingly sole traveler to her destination.

Read more...

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TODAY >>>

Christmas Present 2012 (If We Are Still Alive): Tacoma city engineers say the $57 million renovation of the Murray Morgan Bridge is on budget and will reopen to pedestrian and vehicle traffic in December 2012. (News Tribune)

Of Course You're Going To Win: Washington state Lottery reports sales increased 4 percent in the past fiscal year to more than $510 million. (Seattle Times)

There's A Starbucks For That: Starbucks is giving away free app downloads in its stores. It kicks off today with a free Shazam Encore app - a $6 value. Quite the deal for just a trip into Starbucks, even if you get a coffee. (CNET)

Darren Stevens Syndrome: Mad Men gets a new Bobby Draper. (Digital Spy)

Will There Be A Replacements Reunion?: Probably not. (Rolling Stone)

This Is Stupid: The Worst 50 States in America countdown. (Gawker)

This Is Not Stupid: Nerd hats! (Topless Robot)

Do Doo Do Do Do ...: The history of Mahna Mahna!(OC Weekly)

TUESDAY, AUG. 23, 2011 >>>

1. When we want artistically soulful, intellectually satisfying, and more visually challenging filmgoing, we'll stick with the one that's been giving it to us for years. As always, The Grand Cinema programming leans to the artier, the indie, and the auteur-embracing, and while it would be nice to see it try something riskier on every now and again, its various film series provide much-needed cinematic food for the soul. The indie film house's new Tuesday Film Series will offer an awesome film (new or classic) every Tuesday for a year, with two screenings each Tuesday - afternoon and evening. Today, Into Eternity - a film exploring the utter impossibility of storing nuclear waste for 100,000 years - screens at 1:55 and 6:30 p.m.

2. The University of Puget Sound Art Department Faculty Show features works by John McCuistion, Janet Marcavage, Mike Johnson, Elise Richman, and Becky Frehse from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. inside Kittredge Gallery.

3. Bonaventure, Olympic Wine Merchant and Paprika Catering presents Sips, Chocolate & Shoes for those obsessed with, well, wine, chocolate and shoes from 6-8 p.m. at 116 Fifth Ave. SE in Olympia.

4. Morgan & The Organ Donors will rock the Shelton Timberland Library at 6:30 p.m.

5. Geeks Who Drink Quiz Night with Quizmaster Holland Hume goes down at 8 p.m. inside Paddy Coyne's Irish Pub.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Live music tonight in the South Sound

ONLINE CHATTER >>>

Today's comment comes from Stephanie Dunning in response to a Movie Biz Buzz SPEW post by Christopher Wood from late July, which focused on local filmmaker Rick Tobin.

Dunning writes,

I have read many of Rick Tobin's scripts. He has a style that makes me hold my breath and physically feel tense. I love his twist and turns, that is what makes his scripts screen worthy. He is a a family man, a friend, an awesome writer and a true lover of gore. I will be first in line to see The Resolution on the big screen!!

GIVE! >>>

So it's been a few years since any of us at the Weekly Volcano have been in college, but if there's one thing we know about 18-to-22-year-olds, it's that they love free shit. The Grand Cinema will donate 10 free tickets to the University of Puget Sound, Pierce College and other colleges for every $65 donated to the 2011 Tacoma Film Festival.

The Grand will chat donations at 253.572.6062. If you're shy, you may mail your donations to:

2011 Tacoma Film Festival
Free Student Ticket Program
606 S. Fawcett
Tacoma, WA 98402

LINK: See a film right now!