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Watch the Trailer for "Love,"Gaspar Noe's New X-Rated 3-D Film

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Argentinian director Gaspar Noe shocked Cannes audiences earlier this year with this erotic drama Love -- complete with 3-D cum shots directed right at the camera, y'all -- and today we get two, um, more cleaned up, trailers for the film. The top, which is the French cut, features many a breast and ass. The bottom version, for American nerds, is SFW. Love hits theaters November 6th. 



Play the Future-Drake-Metro Boomin Jumpman Game

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Can't get enough of Future and/or Drake? After watching the vlog documenting their joint mixtape, check out the actual video game version of "Jumpman" (the title of which in turn references classic video games), made as what looks like a custom version of mobile game Doodle Jump. You can play as Drake, Future, and now extremely important producer Metro Boomin, bouncing for dear life through the album cover while the "Jumpman" chorus exhorts you to just keep jumping, lest you lose the tempo and die. It joins the likes of Kanye Zone in the immortal hall of "rap video games that are kind of great for, like, ten minutes."

Caitlyn Jenner Talks About the Pressures of Being a Role Model In a New I Am Cait Clip

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"My mind's just spinning with thoughts," Caitlyn Jenner says in a brand new clip from her E! docu-series, I Am Cait. The scene opens with a shot of Jenner makeup free and sitting in a robe in her bedroom, telling the camera that it's 4:32am and she can't sleep with her mind racing about the pressures that come with her new role as a spokeswoman and advocate for the trans community.

She says:

"I feel bad that these [people] -- especially young people -- are going through such a difficult time in their life. We don't want people dying over this. We don't want people murdered over this stuff. What a responsibility I have towards this community. Am I going to do everything right? Am I going to say the right things? Do I project the right image? My mind's just spinning with thoughts. I just hope I get it right. I hope I get it right.

For someone who's entire transition and coming out has seemed to be choreographed to the T, the clip is a refreshing glimpse into the understandable doubts and vulnerabilities Caitlyn is feeling during this time. You can see more of Caitlyn's journey when the series premieres this Sunday, July 26th.

The First Trans-Exclusive Modeling Agency Launches in LA

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With Hari Nef signed to IMG and Andreja Pejic making make-up modeling history, it's been a good year for transpeople in the fashion industry -- and it's about to get even better because there's now a trans-exclusive modeling agency in the game, dubbed Apple Model Management.

Originally founded in Thailand, Apple has just expanded to LA, where they've become the first modeling agency to launch a transgender division. "We see trans individuals as beautiful," agency director Cecilio Asuncion said. "But their full potential was never reached because of the stigma the community-at-large had towards the trans community. This has to change." 

Asuncion, who also made the 2012 transwomen documentary What's The T?, went on to say that the agency's commitment lies in "developing them as successful models," rather than "quantifying or qualifying their gender." 

"It's never a question of if they are women or men," Asuncion said. "It's about their passion and commitment to being the best possible models they can be."

As of press time, the agency has six signings, though they're currently casting


15 Newly-Graduated Young Designers to Watch

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Late spring is always a quiet time for fashion, with the women's fall/winter shows over in March and the men's shows yet to begin. But for the soon-to-be graduates of the fashion programs at major design schools like NYC's own Parsons and Pratt, this lull is marked by flurry of needle-to-tulle activity as seniors scramble to assemble -- then present to a panel of professionals -- the collections that will comprise their theses. Only a small number of these students are then given the opportunity to showcase their work in the schools' storied end-of-year fashion shows, which have counted industry heavyweights like Anna Wintour, Vivienne Westwood, and Marc Jacobs among their past guests.

Needless to say, there's plenty of talent to be found on these runways -- or, rather, backstage of them -- so we've taken on the difficult task of paring it all down to just a few looks. Below, check out work from 15 student designers that left us hoping Barneys would pull another Proenza Schouler and buy all these collections out already.

max goh.jpgJon Max Goh, Parsons The New School for Design

Goh flouted the conventions of menswear and impressed audience members and judges alike at the Parsons end-of-year show with his abstract floral prints and androgynous forms. Drawing inspiration from his upbringing in post-colonial Singapore, Goh's collection -- which earned him his alma mater's Menswear Designer of the Year award alongside Sungho Kim -- fluidly melds East and West in a reflection of his personal identity.

(Fun fact: Goh also sings.)

jenisa sukanjanapong.jpgJenisa Sukanjanapong, Parsons The New School for Design

Unlike Goh, whose vivid looks won him features in outlets like Style.com and The Impression, fellow Parsons grad Sukanjanapong seems in large part to have flown under the media radar -- which is unfortunate, because we adore her minimalist aesthetic. Her designs fall somewhere on the spectrum between Helmut Lang and The Row, but they're somehow softer -- less workplace-chic, more gauzy snow princess with an edge.

tamara krantzberg.jpgTamara Krantzberg, Parsons The New School for Design

Given a clothing market already oversaturated with fast fashion, we thought there'd be little room for any variation on the boho look (because if you couldn't make it to Coachella, at least you can dress like you did) --  but it looks like Krantzberg proved us wrong. With some help from artisans in her native Mexico, the Parsons grad veered in an unexpected direction for her senior collection by combining a neutral color palette in mostly solids with classic festival silhouettes. Boho minimalism, anyone?

claire mckinney.jpgClaire McKinney, Pratt Institute

McKinney took home top honors at Pratt's end-of-year show for her denim-heavy, vintage workwear-inspired collection, which featured items like loose khakis and a bona fide apron -- artfully draped, of course. With $25,000 in entrepreneurial and design funding her pocket from the Liz Claiborne Award for Concept to Product, we're sure we'll be seeing more of this young designer and her work in the future.

Kit Woo.jpgKit Woo, Pratt Institute

Woo's designs immediately remind us of some of the looks that came off the runway at Seoul Fashion Week this past spring, and we mean that in a very good way. The onetime CFDA Scholarship winner paired tried-and-true design elements à la Alexander Wang (leather draping, neoprene -- Woo calls his particular take on it "suitprene") with streetwear styles (cropped pants over long socks) to neo-goth, "black is a color" effect.

Lauren Nahigian.jpgLauren Nahigian, Pratt Institute

Nothing could be further from the neutral, silhouette-driven looks we've seen so far than Nahigian's bold colors, rich fabrics, and in-your-face designs. We're particularly enamored of the purple-furred cape she sent down the runway -- it's Rihanna-in-Guo Pei before Rihanna ever wore Guo Pei (Pratt held its end-of-year show three days after Rihanna donned the Chinese couturière's dress, but Pratt seniors submit their collections well before that date). On the side, Nahigian is also an incredibly talented artist, because of course she is.

samanthamcdonald.jpgSamantha MacDonald, Savannah College of Art and Design

Something about MacDonald's designs just screams "Southern belle with an edge" to us. Is it the lovely draped silks? The vague air of Ming vase chinoiserie? Maybe it's just the fact that the collection debuted at SCAD. Whatever it is, we want more of it -- and with MacDonald set to begin training as an assistant fashion designer at Macy's this fall, we're banking on the slim possibility that some of her aesthetic filters through the hierarchy into the department store's styles.

alexanderd'orlando.jpgAlexander D'Orlando, Savannah College of Art and Design


We're not sure how D'Orlando managed to integrate fully functional fiber optic cables into one of his coats, but we definitely appreciate the ambition. Blue lighting aside, the SCAD grad's vampy, menswear-inspired designs are much more Balmain than Hot Topic and promise to take women's formalwear to a new, shoulder-padded place.

mollysayers.jpgMolly Sayers and Kristen Hughes, Savannah College of Art and Design

From her collaboration with fibers major Hughes, you wouldn't know that Sayers cites Iris van Herpen as one of her fashion influences. Instead, drawing on the time Sayers spent as a child in Qatar, the two took the salwar kameez for a spin, juxtaposing flowing fabric against geometric detailing made from laser-cut wood triangles. The result -- despite the wood -- is one of the most comfortable-looking collections of the season, and one we wouldn't hesitate to throw on for our next Netflix binge.

elizabeth hilfiger.jpgElizabeth Hilfiger, Rhode Island School of Design

We know you're all thinking it, so let's get it out of the way first: Yes, that's Hilfiger as in Tommy. And while we can see hints of the designer's signature preppy aesthetic in his middle daughter's work, this collection is a reworking of those all-American classics, not a regurgitation. Elizabeth adds a cool, downtown-girl touch -- geometrically inspired, she says -- to Tommy staples like the varsity jacket for a look that's all her own.

ju young han.jpgJulia Han, Rhode Island School of Design

The fashion world has already taken notice of Han: Less than a year out of school, she'll be presenting capsule collections at the upcoming New York and Paris Fashion Weeks. It's an impressive feat, but looking at her Patti Smith-inspired senior thesis -- she juxtaposes wildly different textures and materials while sticking to a single color palette -- we can't say we're at all surprised.

Wow Khoman.jpgPatamon Khoman, Rhode Island School of Design

We know our bank accounts would be empty if Khoman's senior collection hit the market, with fast fashion staples like crop tops and chunky mules turned ultra-luxe -- and ultra-expensive -- with lush fur trim. Fortunately for our financial security, the Thai designer's favorite fabric is apparently the much less costly organza.

pierrecampo.jpgPierre Campo, Central Saint Martins

CSM is known for its over-the-top approach to fashion -- design elements at this year's show included space-themed antenna headgear, a wearable ball pit, a poufy poncho that bears an unsettling resemblance to a blanket my Chinese grandmother owns, and... this -- but Campo proved that less can be more by taking home a runner-up award for his pared-down menswear designs that made use of quality fabrics in elegant, not-quite-conventional cuts.

camilla holmes.jpgCamilla Holmes, Central Saint Martins

Holmes' might have taken a subtler approach in her designs than most of her fellow CSM grads, but the pièce de résistance of her collection -- a UK flagemblazoned with the slogan "Respect our existence or expect our resistance" -- captured the sentiment around 1 Granary as students not selected for the official end-of-year show held their own presentation, Salon des Refusés-style, outside the venue. Even without the political sentiment, the designs hold their own as an across-the-pond take on the streetwear aesthetic so ubiquitous here in the States: London workwear with a haute twist.

hankim.jpgHan Kim, Central Saint Martins

The Korean-born designer used his Savile Row experience to great effect in his triple award-winning senior collection: if you can get past the massive 3D-printed structures, the tailoring is attentive and the embroidery incredibly detailed on these colorful, whimsical garments. Keep your eyes peeled -- with a little bit of RTW adaptation, there could be a surprising amount of wearability in these out-there designs.

There are Vagina Yarmulkes Now

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Hippie Judaism is no stranger to anyone who has ever been around the right parts of Los Angeles or New York (or seen a single episode of Transparent, which if all is right in the world should launch the caftan back into its rightful place of talit-adjacent dominance). Now, someone on Etsy (naturally) has taken that to its logical conclusion, with a fresh line of vagina yarmulkes depicting birth in chronological/physiological order, over the crown of the head. (Thanks for catching them, Heeb Magazine!)

vagina raymulke.jpg(via BeanSproutLadyJew on Etsy)

Seller Zoe Jordan describes the kippot as:

"Ideal for Bat Mitzvahs, Lesbian Weddings, Lady Rabbis, Feminists of the chosen variety, Midwives, Doulas and Renewalists. Also great for any-gendered and any-affiliated folks who appreciate a cheeky traditional-non-traditional way to acknowledge and REMEMBER WHERE YOU CAME FROM :) It's kind of like a high-five and a wink at your creator."
This could go well (or maybe the opposite of well) with other recently conceived Jewish sexual products, which target a more observant audience. What religious object will next become irrevocably intertwined with genitalia? Will there be penis-shaped Tefillin? Yads? Or... oh no...

6abfe31c5b9ec153dc51b90ac5cca1a4.jpg(via foodgawker.com)

Good Shabbos, everyone! (And it's not even Friday.)

Check Out Proenza Schouler's Dreamy New Campaign

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Shadows, movement, negative space -- Proenza Schouler's ethereal new fall/winter campaign is what fashion dreams are made of. It's also the brand's first time using a group of models -- in this case Liya Kebede, Anne Catherine Lacroix, Karolin Wolter and Liisa Winkler -- and the results are artfully-arranged compositions that feel simultaneously striking and subtle, much like the brand itself. The images were shot by David Sims, art directed by Peter Miles and styled by Marie Chaix. Take a look at the photos above and below.

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Baby Phart: Anti-Flatulence Jeans Are a Thing

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Got a chili cook-off first date? A boy who loves broccoli? A lady who loves legumes? Well worry not, because there are new fart-neutralizing pants on the market so that you don't accidentally rip one when y'all just trying to get down. 

That's right, the geniuses at British clothing company Shreddies (omg) have just released a new line of pajama pants and jeans that, yep, mask the smell of your rank-ass toots. Made from a "special, highly porous carbon cloth back panel" that absorbs and neutralizes any sulfuric stench, it's the same stuff used in chemical warfare suits and so we're pretty confident that they work.

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However, this isn't Shreddies' first foray into anti-fart wear, as their flagship item has always been the "flatulence filtering underwear" -- which actually has some merit for sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn's Disease and food intolerances. IBS aside though, we're sure they're a great substitute for always buying more Bean-o, or you know, living a cruciferous-less existence. 

But best of all, guess what's up next? Yep, apparently work-ready chinos. 🐒💨



Pop Some Seeds: New York Has a Bagel Statue

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bagels.jpgArtist Hanna Liden has finally gifted New York with something the city has sorely been missing, like a hole in the center of its doughy heart: a full statue of bagels. The installation, called Everything (appropriately, because bagels) has been placed around Hudson River Park and Ruth Wittenberg Plaza. Produced by Art Production Fund (and sponsored by Kiehl's), it's Liden's first opportunity to display her work outside of a gallery, and almost certainly her most delicious. To bite into the, uh, everything of the story, check out an interview with Liden at ArtNet.

Maybe Jon Stewart Leaving The Daily Show Isn't Such a Bad Thing After All

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wyatt-cenac-16x9.jpgAs Jon Stewart's departure from the chair of The Daily Show -- a position he has held for almost four full presidential terms -- draws nearer, it's natural for nostalgia to kick in. "What will we do without Jon Stewart telling us what to think about stuff?" liberals will cry while running around like chickens with their political heads cut off, nervous that controversial replacement Trevor Noah won't prove as effective a moral compass. This is a good thing.

Somehow, by a trick of the culture and the particular political climate during the Bush administration, Jon Stewart -- a comedian and the host of a fake news show -- became one of the major consensus moral centers of America. That's kind of insane. It's also unsustainable. Staying in that position for so long without moving leads, by necessity, to a kind of stasis. And holding the moral high ground for over a decade can make you an asshole.

Nowhere is that more evidenced than in a story former Daily Show writer and correspondent Wyatt Cenac told Marc Maron on a recent episode of the WTF podcast. If you don't have time to listen to the podcast, read Vulture's summary, and if you don't have time to read that, here are the bare-bone details:

  • During the 2012 election, Stewart was using a voice to make fun of Herman Cain that Cenac considered insensitive, coming from a place of racial ignorance.
  • After trying to broach the subject as the only black writer in the room, Cenac found himself the subject of a massive outburst from Stewart, who was enraged at the suggestion that he was maybe being racist or racially insensitive and allegedly kept screaming "fuck off, I'm done with you."
  • The ensuing fight, which Cenac describes as an "explosion" went on until it was literally stopped by some worked-up office dogs, leaving Cenac to go to a nearby baseball diamond and break down.

"Yikes" doesn't even begin to cover it.

It's not surprising that to hear that Jon Stewart might be kind of a dick -- you have to be in his line of work, and it obviously helps to be overly sure of yourself if your job is to go on television every day and spew opinions and judgments about people (this likely applies to many writers, too). What's not acceptable is the refusal to listen to literally the only black employee in the writers' room about a matter that explicitly and exclusively pertained to the show's representation of black Americans. That's just being an awful, no-good, rotten ally.

On the most charitable reading of the story, it sounds like Stewart can barely even consider entertaining the possibility that he and the show could be offending the groups he purports to care about -- he refuses to admit he might be fallible, even though his job is to wade into uncertain waters night after night. For even the most sensitive people, a run at his job would entail at least one flub, because that's just how people are -- ignorant and frequently insensitive and oblivious, even when they mean well.

What matters is how you respond when you get called out for those flaws, and the suggestion that Stewart was so trapped in his role that he couldn't escape his own head -- like the mummy presiding over a beautiful pyramid that's also a tomb -- is a more than sufficient argument that, yes, it was time for him to go. All indications are that Stewart is going to spend at least part of his retirement chilling on a farm. Let's hope that the time is well spent, and that he has some space to consider the limits of his own perspective -- and that we all have the strength to do the same.

Chloe Sevigny Is Crowdfunding Her New Movie

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Want to contribute to the next Chloë Sevigny film? Easy, just go to this Kickstarter page and you can help finance the production of her new upcoming work Slow Machine. Shot on 16 mm film, this lo-fi "screwball thriller about performance and surveillance" will be directed by Paul Felten  and Joe DeNardo (photographer/cinematographer and member of the art-punk group GROWING), but the film needs $30,000 of crowd funded money to be completed. In it, Chloë will play a character named Chloë, a struggling actress who becomes romantically involved with an "slighty manic" NYPD counter-terrorism specialist. After their relationship goes sour, she runs away with Eleanor Friedberger's band. Sounds great. If you donate your money will go towards basically everything from food to equipment rental or the occasional broom.

Watch Nicki Minaj Perform on GMA, Discuss Taylor Swift

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In a bit of fortuitous scheduling that likely brought glistening, Nielsen-shaped tears of gratitude to the eyes of Good Morning America's producers, Nicki Minaj performed on the show this morning -- an appearance that's been on the books for weeks and just so happened to coincide with her involvement in one of the most fascinating, and necessary, celebrity "feuds" in recent memory.

In an interview before her performance, Minaj said she had spoken on the phone Thursday to Taylor Swift, who also Tweeted an apology to her yesterday: "She was super, super sweet. She apologized and said, 'Look, I didn't understand the big picture of what you were saying, but now I get it.' So we're all good."

Minaj went on to say this about her initial tweets, which Swift misinterpreted to be a direct attack on herself and a not a bigger comment on the way black female pop stars are rarely celebrated or rewarded by the entertainment industry like their white counterparts are:

"Anaconda" had such a huge cultural impact, and on top of that, we broke the Vevo record. So this is actually my third time breaking the Vevo record, and "Anaconda" therefore should have been nominated. I do think that if it was one of the pop girls, they would have had many nominations for it. I think I got two nominations for "Anaconda" -- for female and for hip-hop, but it should've been for the year. [...] I think that we have to have both images for girls. We can't just have one type of body being glorified in the media because it just makes girls even more insecure than we already are."

Watch Minaj perform "Feeling Myself" and "The Night Is Still Young" below. Interview above.



Feeling Myself

The Night Is Still Young

Donald Trump and Iggy Azalea Are Ruining Everything For Geminis on Tumblr

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So last night I was scrolling through my Tumblr timeline (cultivating my "aesthetic," of course) and stumbled across this timely "Gemini Hate Meme."

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Exactly what it sounds like, the Gemini Hate Meme is the bizarre new trend brought to you by the nether-sphere of deep Tumblr, in which those born between May 21st and June 21st are derided in those insanely re-blogged "your sign as a" posts.                                                                                 
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But, uh, why? The site Meme Documentation, says it's actually a phenomenon that's been going on since last year, a meme descended from a post on the popular astrology Tumblr gothstrology that has since been deleted.

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So far, the only explanations for "OK, but, still, why Geminis doe?" seems to boil down to two things, that a) multi-faceted Gemini, which comes from the latin word for "twins," are "two-faced" and b) current Tumblr persona non grata Iggy Azalea and Donald Trump. And a shit ton of those memes revolve around the fact that both Donald and I-G-G-Y are Gemini. 

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It's not surprising that two ugh-inducing people who have kind of become the standard-bearers of racism as of late will cause might cause a few Tumblr tweens to leap to conclusions -- especially in the name of social justice, which has become a (wonderful) trend among young Internet users. Put through the Tumblr prism, however, that's manifested itself in some very strange ways, including astrological hate. 

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So just because your parents did the nasty between late August and September, you must suffer the wrath of the Interwebs, forever bobbing in the putrid Trump-tainted waters of Tumblr? Fear not, Gemini, because guess who else is a Gem? Johnny Depp! Angelina Jolie! Marilyn Monroe! Prince! Mr. T! Jussie SmolletLaverne CoxKanye!!

And meme-teens, just a word of advice. I love Bernie too, but every time you validate a xenophobe as a legitimate competitor, Berns cries a little.

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Congrats Kylie Jenner, You're a High School Graduate!

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Last night, Kylie Jenner, the world's oldest 17-year-old, finally hit the final (legal) milestone before becoming a sort-of adult: Having a big Kardashian party to celebrate graduating from high school, a party that also included Kendall (who had already graduated) for no apparent reason.


So, congrats Kylie (mostly)!

We know a lot about the party itself (Tyga was there, it was hosted at Kris Jenner's house, Ryan Seacrest hosted which okay), but, of course, we know very little about the circumstances under which Kylie graduated, or how she was doing in school. We also don't know how Kylie was actually in school at all, considering that she's one of the most famous people on the planet, owns her own home, and spends a lot of time thinking about chemtrails. She's basically the youngest 35-year-old, ever. 

Which means that it's possible to dream of a situation where, in the interest of someday taking over the Kardashian empire, Kylie had to undergo a Billy Madison-type situation in which she had to complete all 12 grades in two weeks, while looking fabulous and taking fire selfies during the academic decathlon. Just imagine -- did Kylie have to go... back to school? [via Complex]

Who is the Hotline King? Ranking the Best (and Worst) Covers of "Hotline Bling"

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Whatever else you want to say about Drake, his skills as a pop songwriter are undeniable. As Lorde puts it, he has a "really creative clever way of saying something really simple," a description used directly in reference to the nigh-inescapable "Hotline Bling." The track has nearly everything you'd expect from a Drake hit -- a catchy, well-produced beat drawing on a previously established musical tradition in an interesting and universally accessible way, a hook that's lyrically impossible to forget, and, of course, a lot of performative sadness and angst about failed relationships.


Like Taylor Swift's 1989, "Hotline Bling" has produced a vast number of cover and remix versions from all sorts of artists, latching onto the simplicity and directness of the hook (with all of the Drake-like feelings it conveys in so few words) to express themselves. Let's look at a few different versions of "Hotline Bling," and mercilessly rank them to determine: Which one is the Hotline King?


7. Stella
Carlos Santana's daughter doesn't do a ton with "Hotline Bling," turning in a relatively straightforward cover that isn't necessarily bad -- it's just unnecessary, and kind of boring. Let's move on.


6. Disclosure and Sam Smith
This one is a bit of a change of pace from the original, but, like Smith's new Bond theme, it's exactly what you would expect from a Sam Smith and Disclosure cover of "Hotline Bling." If that sounds like something you'd be into, check it out! Otherwise... maybe take a nap or read a book instead?


5. Alessia Cara
Given her intensive introspection (and background in Toronto), rising pop star Alessica Cara has quite a bit in common with Drizzy. But her cover of "Hotline Bling" doesn't have much to do with the original -- it's an acoustic jam, tapping into a much different (but still authentic) set of emotions as the original. It's definitely slower and not appropriate for the club, but it certainly has its time and place. 


4. Jadakiss and Nino Man
The existence of a "Thot Line Bling" track, however obnoxious and retrograde, was an inevitability given the ease of rhyming. But we're glad that it was Jadakiss, of all people, who ventured into this sort of lazy territory, because "Thot Line Bling" is pretty fun.


3. Charlie Puth and Kehlani
This one leans hard into Aubrey's sadness, and, even though Charlie Puth is kind of in the Sam Smith "weepy belting" zone, Kehlani's presence (and the stripped-down piano arrangement) vaults it into the top tier of "Hotline Bling"s. If you're going to make a depressing version of an already kind-of depressing pop hit by Drake, you should really go all in, and at that, Puth and Kehlani certainly succeed.


2. Fuego
Not only is the Spanish remix of "Hotline Bling" excellent, imbuing the track with more humanity and genuine emotional pain than the original, it's also by Pitbull collaborator Fuego. And it's even truer to the original's influences.


1. Keyshia Cole
Somehow, the Keyshia Cole version of "Hotline Bling" sounds even crisper and cooler than the Drake version, and its lyrical conceit of redirecting the same narrative from the woman's perspective, reading insecurity and masking of pain into the original (and demonstrating that there are at least two sides to every relationship) is just fantastic. I've been listening to this remix for about a day, and it reveals new layers to how much fun (and how interesting) it is every time. Put down the phone, we've found the "Hotline Bling" queen. 

The 7 Must-See Movies to See In October

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From a brilliant performance in a film about a mother and son in unspeakable circumstances to a psycho yakuza-themed thriller, here are the movies you can't miss in October.

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It's unlikely you'll see better performances this year than Brie Larson's electrifying turn as a young woman and Jacob Tremblay as her hyperactive 5 year-old Jack who have been held captive by a predator in a single room. Directed with great economy by Lenny Abrahamson with a nice screenplay by Emma Donoghue (who also wrote the book this is based on), it's a terrifying scenario. To Jack, who was born in this room, what exists outside those four walls is a concocted fantasy carefully scripted by his mother to keep them sane. But what happens if they are suddenly free? How do they connect with the real world again? How do they deal with parents (William H. Macy, Joan Allen) who have given them up for dead? With gawking neighbors and newsmen? Brie Larson's portrays the protectiveness for her son and anguish for her own state with heartbreaking subtlety and grace. It's a performance of such stunning virtuosity it takes your breath away.

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A rousing, intensely moving, fact-based, story of a same sex couple's fight for justice with powerful performances from Julianne Moore and Ellen Page in the title roles. Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) was a decorated New Jersey police officer who kept her personal life private, even her budding romance with a younger woman she met at a volleyball game, Stacie (Ellen Page). Even the officer she partnered with (Michael Shannon) had no idea she was gay. But when Laurel comes down with terminal cancer and tries to make sure her pension goes to Stacie she is turned down by the city council in a public way. Steve Carell is quite funny as a gay marriage political advocate who takes on her case as a cause. But Laurel insists it's just about justice as she fights her illness and city hall with the same heroism. Director Peter Sollett handles the material with compassion and Ron Nyswaner's (Philadelphia) script is smart and touchingly effective. But it's the performances that really make this story resonate, and Julianne Moore, Ellen Page and Michael Shannon are all extraordinary.

Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 11.45.24 AM.pngThe Forbidden Room
A deliriously deranged cinematic labyrinth from the truly visionary director Guy Maddin. Even more layered than usual from the scratched, faded, battered-up, silent movie-style imagery to the fractured storytelling beginning with several frightened men on a submarine fading into another story about a woodsman rounding up men to rescue a damsel in Red Wolves Cave fading into another story, which then circles back around and eventually starts at the beginning. Wonderful actors drift in and out from Charlotte Rampling, Mathieu Amalric, Geraldine Chaplin and Udo Kier. And there are the sublime ludicrous moments like an instructional film on how to take a bath that reappears amusingly. Weird and just wonderful.
 
Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 11.49.23 AM.pngKnock Knock
Eli Roth's gleefully perverse remake of the 1977 sleaze classic Death Game. A wonderful Keanu Reeves plays Evan Webber, an architect and happily married dad who, while alone one weekend on a stormy night, gets a knock on the door and is greeted by two sexy strangers, Genesis (Lorenza Izzo) and Bel (Ana de Armas) who claim to be looking for the address for a party. He stupidly invites them in with catastrophic consequences. The original shocker starred Sondra Locke and Colleen Camp -- both producers on the movie -- and Colleen Camp even makes an amusing cameo. The twisted games the women play escalate in this effectively sick chiller.

Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 11.53.12 AM.pngYakuza Apocalypse: The Great War Of The Underworld
A brain-melting, demented action film from the prolific and wonderfully warped mind of director Takashi Miike (Audition,Ichi The Killer) about the fearsome leader of a Yakuza gang who has been transformed into a blood-drinking vampire by his boss. He ends up biting and turning the town into his vampire mob, coming under siege from an assortment of insane assassins. A foul-smelling troll-like creature with a beak for mouth. An English-speaking man in a Shakespearean outfit carrying a coffin backpack containing a special gun that kills the undead. A female Captain who drips strange liquid out of her ear (which when planted in dirt and watered with milk creates babies). Oh, and did I forget to mention an unstoppable fighting machine (played by The Raid's amazing Yayan Ruhian). And a villain in a giant frog outfit. Yes it is that nuts, but enjoyably, goofily, so. Sit back and enjoy the wild ride. Go Frogzilla, go!

Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 11.55.05 AM.pngMomentum
Kick ass, non-stop action thriller sleekly directed by Stephen Campanelli about a elaborate bank robbery in South Africa of a specific safety deposit box filled with diamonds. There is also something of special value in there too, which a nefarious congressman in the United States (Morgan Freeman) wants back at all costs. So a "cleaner" -- Mr. Washington (James Purefoy) -- is brought in to get it back. But one of the thieves is a mysterious woman named Alex (Olga Kurylenko) and she proves to be a deadly match for his gang of professional assassins. "I like this girl!" Mr. Washington exclaims after she wipes out half his crew. Wild shootouts through a hotel, breakneck car chases, a crazed showdown in a warehouse. Once the movie kicks into gear it never lets up. Olga Kurylenko is pretty terrific in the lead, and James Purefoy is so deliciously evil it makes for a fun ride.
 
Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 11.57.35 AM.pngThe Final Girls
Maniacally entertaining meta horror film directed with wit and great affection for the genre by Todd Strauss-Schulson. Taissa Farmiga (who I've loved ever since American Horror Story) plays Max, the still grieving daughter of an actress well known for an '80s summer camp slasher movie. She begrudgingly is convinced to attend a cult screening of the film and when a fire breaks out in the theater she and her friends try escaping through the screen and land inside the horror movie. They have to navigate the plot contrivances but can they survive until the credits? Max also has to deal with confronting her late mother in the film (a lovely Malin Akerman), who plays the shy girl with the clipboard, and keep her from getting murdered in the movie. The '80s movie actors are just a riot -- particularly Andy DeVine as the loutish lothario and Angela Trimbur as the slutty blonde. 

Preview New Photos From a Book Showing Detroit's Vibrancy Amid Decay

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Photographer, and Detroit native, David Jordano's new book Detroit: Unbroken Down portrays an unflinching yet optimistic look at one of America's most economically devastated communities. The book shifts focus away from the Motor City's crumbling infrastructure to the vibrant lives of its inhabitants. Speaking to Slate, Jordano describes his subjects as "people on the fringes; the marginalized, the poor, and the forgotten eking out a living day to day." He encounters a wide array of individuals from a homeless man who decided to build a one-room structure in a parking lot so he didn't have to sleep on park benches anymore to Mo, an Iraqi man who has raised over 2,000 pigeons in the 50 years he's lived in the city. Detroit contrasts vibrant colors with signs of urban decay painting a bleak, but not entirely hopeless, portrait of the city.

The 10 Must-See Art Shows Opening This Week

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Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 5.00.07 PM.pngSeveral of this week's big art openings aren't happening in galleries. Thursday, October 1, 7:30 p.m., sees the grand opening of a new, "artist-led, non-profit venue" in Williamsburg called National Sawdust (80 North Sixth Street, Brooklyn) featuring various "world premiere" musical performance by artists including Nico Muhly, Theo Bleckman, Jacob Cooper, Glenn Kotche and many more.  The fun continues later that night with the NYC 90s band Cibo Matto plus special guest Nels Cline of Wilco and James Murphy DJing. HERE's the complete calendar of upcoming shows. Gothamist describes the space, desiged by Brooklyn's Bureau V, as "a miniature BAM that looks like a spaceship."

Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 5.05.36 PM.pngThis week also sees the official re-opening of downtown's World Financial Center and it's showcase, shopping and dining destination now known as Brookfield Place.  For the big launch, they've asked Cecilia Dean and David Colman to curate "MOVE!" with participants from the worlds of fashion and visual arts including Rob Pruitt, Proenza Schouler, Ryan McNamara, Diane Von Furstenberg, Kate Gilmore, Olaf Breuning and Cynthia Rowley.  There's a private, VIP preview on Thursday night, but it's free and open to everybody over the weekend from noon to 8 p.m.

HC_Header_900x400.jpgAlso from October 2nd thru the 4th, you can check out a new performance and installation called "Habeas Corpus" at the Park Avenue Armory (643 Park Avenue).  The work is a collab between Laurie Anderson and Mohammed el Gharani, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee, and it looks at themes of "lost identity, memory, and the resiliency of the human body and spirit."  Tickets to the daytime installation only are $15, and the night performances (8 p.m.) are $45 and include access to the installation. Go here for more info.

SK_GalaStD_Events2015.jpgStorm King Art Center hosts their annual fundraiser on Thursday, October 1, 6:30 p.m., at the Four Seasons (99 East 52nd Street).  This year's honorees are The Duke of Devonshire and Andy Goldsworthy and after dinner, artworks by Lynda Benglis, George Rickey, Joel Shapiro and Richard Serra will be auctioned, along with a private tour of Chatsworth House.

feature1-1_10-9-14.jpgMarjorie Cameron

Yes, there are some gallery openings this week, including Marjorie Cameron show "Cameron: Cinderella of the Wastelands" opening on Thursday, October 1, 7 p.m., at Jeffrey Deitch (76 Grand Street) with a panel discussion on the artist's life and work featuring William Breeze, Cynthia Macadams , Allen Midgette and Scott Hobbs.  The post-war, L.A. artist Cameron was married to noted occultist -- and follower of Aleister Crowley -- Jack Parsons until his death after an explosion at his house in 1952. HERE's a short film about Cameron by Curtis Harrington. The Deitch show is up until October 17th.

EV_flyer_GivingTree_562.jpgThere's a show of new works by Brooklyn-based artist Sebastian Gladstone called "The Giving Tree" opening on Thursday, October 1, 6 to 9 p.m. at Ed. Varie (171 Elizabeth Street).  It's Gladstone's first solo show in NYC and the works look at his LA youth while "reinterpreting the suburban American dream."  Up until October 4th.

f751cc08d77f7da35e566da56daeffa2bbcc97bc.jpgRichard Pousette-Dart

Also opening on October 1st, 6 to 8 p.m., is "Richard Pousette-Dart: 1930s," the first in-depth look at drawings by the American artist at The Drawing Center (35 Wooster Street).  Also on view is a site-specific installation by Rashid Johnson called "Anxious Men."  Both are up until December 20.

autre-ne-veut-age-transparency-stream-album.jpgAutre Ne Veut / Age of Transparency

While celebrating this week's release of his latest album, Age of Transparency, -- out this week on Downtown Records -- Arthur Ashin, aka Autre Ne Veut opens a pop-up, collab installation with Allie Avital on Friday, October 2, at the Wallplay Shop @ The Hole (312 Bowery).  The work, including elements of "augmented, virtual reality," will be on view until October 9, noon to 6 p.m. daily.  Autre Ne Veut plays the Bowery Ballroom on October 26.


Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 5.41.00 PM.pngDonald Judd

Donald Judd's son, Flavin, curated an exhibition of woodcut prints and metal furniture created by his late father, opening on Friday, October 2nd, and on view on the ground floor of the Judd Foundation (101 Spring Street) through December 19.  Check it out Thursdays thru Saturdays, from 1 to 5:30 p.m.

81139-1442273285-LopezA001-xl.jpgGrace Jones by Antonio Lopez

If you're out in LA on Thursday, stop by Milk Studios (855 N. Cahuenga Blvd.) between 7 and 10 p.m. and participate in "PHOTO15," a photo auction to fund an AIDS monument in West Hollywood.  You can also bid now on works by photographers including Herb Ritts, John Waters, Greg Gorman, Jack Pierson, Antonio Lopez and many more via Paddle 8 HERE.

The Bowery Mission hosts their annual L.E.S. Art Drive kick-off on Sunday, October 4, noon to 3 p.m. at Ludlow Studios (40 Ludlow Street).  Pick up a Art Drive bandanna and bag, download the ARTLOCAL app and check-in at participating galleries where 100% of the proceeds from the sale of special artworks will go the Bowery Mission.  The drive runs until November 1.

New York design gallery, Chamber  (515 West 23rd Street), launches their new, "Collection #2: Human l Nature" curated by Andrew Zuckerman on Tuesday, October 6.  Each year, a guest artist or "creative" curates the gallery's central program, with Studio Job doing the honors last year.  Zuckerman plans to "create a collection of objects that reintroduce organic forms or concepts into designed spaces."  Juan Garcia Mosqueda is the founder of Chamber.









Help Fund This Printed Art Book Of Twisted, Erotic Fashion GIFS

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gif by Frances Adair Mckenzie

GIF art is all over Instagram already, but the next step is actually bringing it to life via augmented reality -- and at the forefront of this movement is art book publisher Anteism. 

But how does it work, exactly? Well basically, Anteism is printing a physical book with normal, 2D pictures, however, once you can scan said photo via a special app, you'll be able to play the corresponding GIF on your phone or iPad. And their next effort? A project from Montreal-based artist Frances Adair Mckenzie's Glossed Over and Tucked Up, which highlights her warped and "weirdly erotic" fashion-influenced characters. 

As Mckenzie told The Creators Project, she believes her work is particularly suited to this method of presentation as the photos will "initially appear quite innocent, then as the screen unveils their movements, you really understand their intrinsic sensuality." And the idea of the viewer being the one who ultimately, er, "stimulates" the images is apparently "totally ideal!"

Help crowdfund the book here.


[h/tCreators Project]

Tumblr Is Putting Miley Cyrus On Blast for Failing to Make an Account

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