Daily Archives: March 8, 2011

Today’s Special with Aasif Mandvi

Today's Special with Aasif Mandvi

If you missed the festival run and theater run for “Today’s Special”, it will be coming soon on DVD. TODAY’S SPECIAL is a heartwarming comedy with a culinary flavor, co-written by Aasif Mandvi, Jonathan Bines, and directed by David Kaplan (Year of the Fish). The movie was inspired by the Obie Award winning play, Sakina’s Restaurant, a one man show written and performed by Aasif Mandvi. Here’s a synopsis of the film:

Samir (Aasif Mandvi, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, THE LAST AIRBENDER) is a sous chef who dreams of becoming the head chef at an upscale Manhattan restaurant. When he is passed over for a promotion he impulsively quits and lets his co-worker Carrie (Jess Weixler, TEETH) know that he intends to go to Paris and apprentice under a master French chef. Dreams must be put aside though after his father Hakim (Harish Patel, RUN FAT BOY RUN) has a heart attack and Samir is forced to take over Tandoori Palace, the nearly bankrupt family restaurant in Jackson Heights.

Samir’s relationship with his parents and his heritage is immediately put to the test. He has been estranged from his father since the death of his older brother, and his mother Farrida, (played by legendary cookbook writer and actor, Madhur Jaffrey), is consumed with finding a wife for her remaining son. While Samir is being forced to forsake his dreams, he is desperately trying to master Indian cooking to salvage the family business.

Luckily, he crosses paths with Akbar, a taxi driver, passionate chef, and worldly raconteur (portrayed by the icon of Indian cinema, Naseeruddin Shah, MONSOON WEDDING). Akbar inspires Samir and teaches him to trust his senses more than recipes; to stop measuring his life, and to start truly living it. With Akbar’s guidance, Samir has a chance to rediscover his heritage and his passion for life through the enchanting art of cooking Indian food.

You can pre-order Today’ Special at amazon. It’s expected to be released May 24, 2011.

Today’s Special with Aasif Mandvi

Help fund Obake short film

Help fund Obake short film

Filmmaker Christopher Yogi is trying to get funding for his latest short film “Obake”. In an effort to pay tribute to the Nisei and Sansei generations in Hawai‘i, this short film was inspired by the recent loss of his two grandfathers, the generation that built Hawai‘i into the place that it is today. This film is dedicated to them.

OBAKE is a ghost story but not in the traditional sense. It follows an old Japanese man living out his last days in his countryside home. As he lies ill, time becomes malleable, the past and present converge and we experience his life as a young man in 1930s Hawaii. As young Japanese teen, he must say goodbye to a young love whom is moving back to Japan for schooling. He doesn’t know this at the time but because of the outbreak of the war, he will never see this young woman again. Stylistically, the film will be a quiet and dream-like, weaving in and out of the past and present to capture the lyrical nature of time and memory.

This short film will run around 10-15 minutes and will be shot on-location in Hawaii, using local cast and talent. Post-production will be completed in Los Angeles. In addition to paying for equipment and travel, your pledges will go toward costumes, set design, insurance, food for the crew, and the myriad of small expenses that go toward bringing a high-quality film to life. You can help fund the project here.

Obake short film promo

Also support Hibakusha, an animated documentary about the atomic bombing of Japan.

DJ Qbert’s Breakfast Of Champions

DJ Qbert's Breakfast Of Champions

Traktor DJ gear was on the menu at a Breakfast of Champions recently, hosted at DJ Qbert’s crib in San Francisco. Witness a three-way jam session with DMC Champs DJ Qbert, Shiftee and Rafik performing on 4 turntables with just one Traktor Scratch Pro 2 system in this video, making full use of the 10 inputs and outputs of the included Traktor Audio 10 interface. Seriously sick scratching!!

DJ Qbert’s Breakfast Of Champions

Like a G6 in Jennifer Aniston Smartwater video

Like a G6 in Jennifer Aniston Smartwater video

Far East Movement is everywhere. Their song Like a G6 made it into Jennifer Aniston’s viral smartwater video. Besides electrolytes, the commercial from the former “FRIENDS” star is filled with puppies, a parrot, dancing babies (better than those Evian babies on roller skates), and a double rainbow. It’s crazy comedy packed “sex tape” video.

Like a G6 in Jennifer Aniston Smartwater video

THANK YOU…NEXT web series

THANK YOU…NEXT web series

“THANK YOU…NEXT”, a new web series created by Ben Gettinger and Raymond J. Lee, is a mockumentary web series that follows a disconcerting creative team as they attempt to cast a musical version of the 1999 film Boys Don’t Cry. Inappropriate, and genre bending in it’s style, “THANK YOU…NEXT” gives twisted insight into what is means to be involved in the process of casting a Broadway bound Musical. Filled with satirically dry humor and at times uncomfortably raw improvisation, “THANK YOU…NEXT” lampoons musical theater and in it’s own way attempts to reclaim the integrity lost in the commercially conscious art form.

The series stars Broadway’s Isaac Calpito (West Side Story), Lori Hammel (Mamma Mia!, Forbidden Broadway), Bryan Scott Johnson (Mamma Mia!), and Daniel Reichard (Jersey Boys). Featured in the series is a myriad of Broadway talent including Donna Vivino (Wicked, Fame Becomes Me), Courtney Reed (In The Heights), Alysha Umphress (American Idiot), Marla Mindelle (South Pacific), Ven Daniel (Legally Blonde), Tracy McDowell (Rent), Nataysha Ann, Charl Brown (Sister Act), Felicity Claire (Mamma Mia!), Sara Dobbs (West Side Story), Corey Greenan (Mamma Mia!), Andy Kelso (Mamma Mia!), Veronica J. Kuehn (Xanadu), Eric William Morris (Coram Boy, Mamma Mia!), Margo Seibert, Jessica Stewart, Brandon Sturiale, and Leah Zepel (Mamma Mia!).

With three episodes currently online, the series is garnering attention from industry people and fans alike. Nominated for the Indie Intertube Audience Choice Award, the series was named one of “2010’s Grooviest Web Series” by Deep Dish Blog, with Daniel Reichard and Isaac Calpito both receiving accolades for their respective characters. “THANK YOU…NEXT” is also proud to announce that it is among 30 new web series accepted into the Second Annual Los Angeles Web Series Festival, held in Los Angeles at Stage 52 between March 25 – 27, 2011. The web series has just launched a new trailer for the series.

THANK YOU…NEXT web series trailer