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The 10 Most Overexposed Stars In the Biz

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Too much of a good thing is still too much, and I have to say that while most of the stars I'm listing here are absolutely wonderful, "all things in moderation" is a healthy motto they should probably get acquainted with. In some cases, their overexposure is not their fault -- all their projects happened to "drop" at once, for various reasons beyond their control -- while in other cases, it's totally their fault because they obviously can't say "no" to anything. In either case, enough! Here are the 10 most overexposed celebs of all (but please don't read it or they'll become even more so):

jamesfrancomusto.JPG[Photo by Jimi Celeste/PatrickMcMullan.com]

James Franco
Earlier this year, I published a love letter to Franco, praising his willingness to try just about everything without fear or reservation. I still feel the same way and surely wouldn't throw him out of bed, but I must say I've gotten one too many press releases about movies, plays, poetry books, documentaries, scandals, and art projects with his name on them. James, when I said "just about everything," I didn't mean really everything. Hopefully you'll learn to pick your triumphs -- just like your battles -- but until then, there are way worse people who could be overexposed, so I guess just keep doing what you're doing.

reesemusto.JPG[Photo by Andreas Branch/PatrickMcMullan.com]

Reese Witherspoon
The Oscar winner for Walk The Line has had a patchy career since then, with some flops mixed in with valiant efforts. But now, it seems, she's taken over the universe. Reese stars in The Good Lie, has another Oscar bid in Wild, and also plays a plum role in Inherent Vice. What's more, while watching Gone Girl, I saw her name go by in the credits -- as a producer! Reese, I know the more you do, the more your ex-husband will go nuts, but what about the rest of us?

jessicachastainmusto.JPG[Photo by David Crotty/PatrickMcMullan.com]

Jessica Chastain
It wasn't that long ago that Jessica exploded onto the scene by appearing -- due to scheduling quirks -- in seemingly every movie that was being released that year. She proved herself to be a gifted actor in all of them, but the glut of Jessica was surreal and a little bit unsettling for those of us who prefer to discover new stars in stages. Then, last year, she was in nothing, and you had to wonder if the multiple Oscar nominee had burned out from overexposure. Nope. This year, she stars in The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (which has been seen as a single film and also as a two-parter), the wildly anticipated Interstellar, and the crime drama A Most Violent Year, plus she toplines the Strindberg adaptation Miss Julie, and her Salome (with Al Pacino) finally surfaced in a one-night showing complete with Q&A and will no doubt be seen again. Sheesh. Even Julia Roberts took a long break at one point.

merylmusto.jpg[Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/PatrickMcMullan.com]

Meryl Streep
There's no denying Meryl's brilliance, her range, and her wonderful ability to pick choice projects. But does she have to get every role for women of a certain age? This year alone, she's in a musical, a futuristic drama, and a western, for God's sake (though she's not a producer of Gone Girl). I'm surprised she didn't also turn up in Guardians of the Galaxy! Even a younger actress recently told a reporter that Meryl shouldn't land all the roles for mature women. Then again, bear in mind that it was Jessica Chastain!

Screen Shot 2014-10-29 at 3.00.14 PM.pngIggy Azalea/Rita Ora/Ariana Grande/Nicki Minaj/Charlie XCX/Jessie J
These six ladies, in various combinations, seem to have 11 songs in the top 10. Anyone who listens to -- or watches -- music can't escape them these days because they are completely plugging up the airwaves with their big, combined mishmash of sound. Whether it's "Iggy feat. Rita" or "Nicki feat. Whoever," they're all combo-ing it up for endless permutations that don't allow anyone else onto the charts. And it ain't right.

ryanseacrestmustolist.JPG[Photo by David Crotty/PatrickMcMullan.com]

Ryan Seacrest
The man is everywhere. He's good looking and slick and professional and a bit bland in a way that makes the networks able to plug him into any imaginable format, the way you can throw tofu into any dish you could dream of. From reality shows to entertainment news to New Year's Eve, there's no avoiding Ryan's game-show-like grin. In response, I've stopped watching all television except to occasionally check it out so I can cook up lists like this one.

Screen Shot 2014-10-29 at 2.33.10 PM.pngKate Middleton
Here's a typical recent news flash: "The pregnant Duchess of Cambridge is reportedly struggling terribly with severe nausea. It has gotten so bad that she has retreated to her family's home in Berkshire with Prince George, according to a heartbreaking new report." And while I totally empathize and hope Kate gets better, I don't want to hear about it anymore! Spare me every royal bowel movement!

Screen Shot 2014-10-29 at 2.25.57 PM.pngGolden Girls
The '80s sitcom about a trio of lovably  sarcastic old bags who create a hormonally active family with a simpleton is the most visible show on TV, popping up on no fewer than three channels. And I couldn't be happier about it! The Girls' bitchy banter and endlessly resourceful problem solving totally holds up, so let's let their overexposure reign forever. In fact, I feel they should be on every channel.

steveharveymusto.JPG[Photo by Paul Bruinooge/PatrickMcMullan.com]

Steve Harvey
Steve's certainly funny, but it seems like his face is there every time I turn on the telly. (Every time it isn't Ryan Seacrest, that is.) And I hate to become an old Puritan, but it's pretty low that the Family Feud answers have gotten so aggressively cheesy. No matter what the question is, the responses these days will involve stuff like "A happy ending" or "Farts like a horse." I never thought the Dickie Dawson years would be looked down as a golden age of taste, but hey.

Screen Shot 2014-10-29 at 3.08.37 PM.png
A certain trashy family
They're on TV. Their every tummy tuck makes headlines. Their weddings get ratings. Their divorces get bigger ones.They are everywhere, and I can't even say the name for fear that by adding to their overexposure, they might explode. Though actually....


Miley Cyrus Is Going Glam

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Noted "dirty hippie," Miley Cyrus has been named as MAC's new Viva Glam spokesperson. A quick scroll through the pop star's Instagram feed makes it clear that Miley Cyrus is better known for questionable kitsch than, well, glamor. Thankfully, the crafting enthusiast isn't mixing her own cosmetics from glitter and bong water but she will, according to her Twitter, have a line of MAC lipsticks in 2015. WWD reports that all the proceeds from the Miley-inspired cosmetics will go towards AIDS research. We just hope everyone is ready for the glitter lip gloss from your worst 90s nightmares to make a comeback. View the Miley collection, below.


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[h/t WWD]

Ten Sad Alt-Bro Bands That Should Play At Bon Iver's Music Festival

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Bon Iver 's Justin Vernon has passed the final round of documentation to make his brainchild, the Eaux Claires Music And Arts Festival, official. Basically, Bon Iver is now curating a festival line-up. The alt-bro inside of all of us is smiling, but now the real question is: who's going to play this sad-music extravaganza? To take a little bit of the pressure off Justin we rounded up ten sad bands that are perfect for his festival and make us want to go to the mountains, grow a beard, write some poetry, and cry a lot.

1. Iron & Wine


If you've never cried to "Naked As We Came" you've probably never gone to high school.

2. Phosphorescent


Another moniker, another beard and another guitar: Phosphorescent (aka Matthew Houck) is like Vernon's Brooklyn-by-way-of-'Bama cousin. His sparse yet emotional lyrics sound like how it feels to drink whiskey alone.

3. Laura Marling
 

While Laura Marling sometimes drifts into anger instead of sadness, she gets bonus points for providing the right soundtrack for a rage-filled walk through the woods.

4. Fleet Foxes


At one point in time (aka 2008) we've all had a playlist called "winter" on our iPod classic that includes FF's "White Winter Hymnal" right next to Bon Iver's "Skinny Love."  

5. Beach House


Straight-across bangs are the female version of the lumberjack beard so Beach House's Victoria Legrand nabs a place on the bill.

6. The Antlers


Just imagine a sea of sad dudes in watch caps and flannel listening to The Antlers play in the Wisconsin woods -- we bet a few would never leave.  

7. Youth Lagoon
 


Any music video that includes sadly skateboarding through the suburbs is definitely prime alt-bro territory.

8. Gem Club
 

Gem Club is the kind of band you listen to while crying over a broken heart, and not just light tears but wholehearted sobbing in the dark for days on end. We can't imagine any better mood to set in the middle of a music festival.

9. Elvis Depressedly
 

While Elvis Depressedly, the alter-ego of Mat Cothran, has only been on the sad-scene for a comparatively short time he has a few songs that are reminiscent of the lo-fi sadness that made Bon Iver famous.

10. Perfume Genius


Perfume Genius would round out the line-up with a group cry to "Hood."

Listen to Haim and Calvin Harris' Collaborative Track "Pray to God"

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haim_header.jpgHaim has teamed up with the EDM hit-maker Calvin Harris for "Pray to God." Calvin Harris' thumping dance beat is nothing surprising, but Haim's charm and distinct sound make the track worth listening to. In addition to Haim, Calvin Harris' new album, Motion also features Big Sean, Gwen Stefani, Ellie Goulding and Tinashe. Listen to "Pray to God," below.



[via Pitchfork]

11 Must-See Art Shows Opening This Week

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21040_hw944gt.jpgOne the most intriguing (and humorous) openings this week is on Thursday, October 30, 6 to 9 p.m., at Mike Weiss Gallery (520 West 24th Street).  We are all invited to "fill our souls with healing art" by the 34-year-old artist -- and graduate of the Bruce High Quality Foundation University -- Cameron Gray during his "GYMNASTY" exhibition.  Since we're pretty much in the dark about what's happening, let's let the invite do the talking: "Gymnasty is an equal opportunity exhibition filled with multisensory integration experiences, joyous celebration, spiritual reflection, contemporary contemplations of Plato's Cave, and cathartic ectoplasmic growth."  On view until January 3, 2015.


2d7d4427e239ced3bd8062bc8d1b8119.jpegSargent's Daughters Gallery (179 East Broadway) has a new show of works from the ongoing collab between Jennifer Rubell and Brandi Twilley, working under the pseudonym "Brad Jones." The exhibit, "Diptychs," opens on Wednesday, October 29, 6 to 8 p.m. and runs until December 7th. The duo get together each week for a live session in which Rubell poses nude and Twilley paints.  The "Jones" moniker is their imagined "next sensational, aggressive American (male) painter."  Rubell is also hard at work on her latest food-based installation/performance for "Paradiso," a part of Performa 2014 that's happening on November 4th; and she's busy baking 50 cakes to feed the crowds during Art Basel Miami Beach and, more importantly, to celebrate her parents 50th wedding anniversary.  Congrats, Don and Mera!

5675.jpgIf you haven't made plans for Halloween, why not check out the annual benefit party for the Storefront For Art & Architecture?  This year's theme -- for both the party and costume competition -- is "I-Relevance" with the fun starting at 9:30 p.m. down at 80 Greenwich Street.  You can get a $50 ticket HERE and it includes open bar and music by Hessismore, Sergio Rebelo and DJ n-ron.

Andrea Rosen Gallery (544 West 24th Street) opens two, three-person shows on Thursday, October 30, 6 to 8 p.m.  The first includes works by Michael St. John, Borna Sammack and Martha Rosler who investigate "transition, transformation, documentation and representation"; and the second features Magali Reus, Bill Bollinger and John Divola.  Both shows are up until December 6th.

fillette_sweeter_CB_1_XL_copy1.jpgFILLETTE (SWEETER VERSION) 1968 by Louise Bourgeois

Also on the 30th from 6 to 8 p.m., Cheim & Read (547 West 25th Street) opens "Louise Bourgeois: Suspension" the first survey devoted solely to the artist's hanging sculptures.  The works will be paired with a group of her drawings from the 40's along with an exhibition catalogue with text by Robert Pincus-Witten. On view until January 10, 2015.

Screen Shot 2014-10-29 at 3.43.59 PM.pngPhoto by Vivian Maier.

Exhibitions of photos by Bruce Davidson and also by his daughter Anna Mia Davidson open on October 30th at Howard Greenberg Gallery (41 East 57th Street) and are up until December 6th. The former, "In Color," will feature 30 images from 1957 to 2004; while the later, "Human Nature" -- in the alcove gallery -- is the photographer's first show in New York.  The gallery also opens an exhibition called "In Her Own Hands" on October 30th, 6 to 8 p.m., featuring photos by Vivian Maier.  Maier, who passed away in 2009, was born in NYC, but worked as a nanny in Chicago for 40 years.  Though she took thousands of street photos, they were mostly unseen until purchased at an auction after she died, and they are now the subject of a copyright dispute.

programs_rubinstein_34-portraitgalleryphoto_hero.jpgThe Jewish Museum (1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street) opens "Beauty Is Power," the first museum exhibition about the legendary cosmetics entrepreneur Helena Rubinstein, on October 31 and running until March 22, 2015.  Over 200 works of art, photos and ephemera will be on view.  While you're up there, be sure to check out site-specific floral sculpture by the Dutch artist Willem de Rooij in the museum's lobby.

Fans of Op Art should check out the show of 12 large-scale paintings by the Polish-born artist Julian Stanczak at Mitchell-Innes & Nash (534 West 26th Street) opening October 30, 6 to 8 p.m. and up until December 6th.  The artist moved to the US in the 50's and studied under Josef Albers at Yale.  He currently lives in Ohio.

xanthopastis regnatix male.jpgJoseph Scheer: "Automeris colenon male" Archival digital print on watercolor paper.


Claire Oliver Gallery (513 West 26th Street) opens a group show of selections from Alfred University's Institute for Electronic Arts called "Migration" on October 30, 6 to 8 p.m.  The artists on view include Kiki Smith, Xu Bing, Ann Hamilton, Oliver Herring, Eric Souther, Peer Bode and Joseph Scheer.  It will up until December 6th.

There are several shows opening over the weekend including a group photo show called "Something Beautiful" opening on November 1, 6 to 8 p,m, at Marianne Boesky Gallery (118 East 64th Street).  Curated by CRUSHfanzine, the show "uses contemporary photographic portraiture to examine the ideals of youth as a product of memory." 

klamp.jpgKlara Liden.

Klara Liden's "It's Complicated" also opens on Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. at Reena Spaulings Fine Art 165 East Broadway) and James Hoff's "Skywiper" on Sunday, 6 to 8 p.m., at Callicoon Fine Arts  (49 Delancey Street) and up until December 21st.

T-Pain Sings Without Autotune, Is Suprisingly Good

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While T-Pain was known as being the king of autotune, awkward grinding sessions, and ringtones back when ringtones were a ~thing~ he apparently has some real talent to back up all the titles. To promote his upcoming greatest hits album (which he's releasing as a 30 year old, go T-Pain!) he stopped in the NPR office to give an unplugged performance as part of their Tiny Desk Concert series. He seems pretty nervous but as soon he starts singing you can almost hear the mouths of his audience drop because damn, T-Pain has some pipes sans autotune. Before this performance we never thought "Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin')" could sound like a ballad, but surprises happen everyday and this is one of them. The lyrics are all still pretty silly, but T-Pain's voice is good enough that we don't even really care -- which is a sentence no one ever thought they'd even think.

What Would Yeezus Wear Is Our New Favorite Instagram

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Who wore it best? The Instagram and Tumblr, What Would Yeezus Wear, perfectly recreates Kimye's sartorial style. Even their Beyoncé and Jay Z is on point. In a recent interview, the two besties behind WWYW admitted that when choosing looks "it's always a battle for Kanye."    

Watch Jimmy Fallon challenge Jake Gyllenhaal to a completely insane water battle. [via Uproxx] 



Our favorite videobombing teen diva, Brendan Jordan is baaaaack. Watch his magical vogueing powers transport Queen Latifah back to the 80s.



Ellen puts together the cutest and most elaborate "last minute costumes," including a take on Frozen and Pharrell -- or as adorable little kids call him, "Raphael." [via TastefullyOffensive] 


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#FreePasta #EndCarbShaming [via FuckYouNoFuckMe]


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The Winter struggle is real.  


Watch Allison Williams' Windblown Pixie Cut in the First Full Promo for Peter Pan Live!

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We had a few thoughts when we first saw Allison Williams as Peter Pan. For one, we were completely baffled by the '80s-Sunset-Strip-troubled-teen-punk vibes that she was giving off in that costume. However, our main concern was with the GIRLS star's wig, which seemed incapable of movement, despite the sea breeze suggested in the photo. But now, we get to see Allison Williams' magical pixie cut in action as she flies through the air and pretend-fights Christopher Walken in the first 30-second promo for Peter Pan Live! Watch all the action, above.

[h/t Vulture]

This Halloween, It's All About Cartoon Villains

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Fashion from the dark-side to unleash your inner baddie.
 
Villain1.jpg
Jack B wears a Public School top, Marc Jacobs jacket and Darrell Thorne headpiece.

Villain2.jpgRebecca wears an Elie Saab dress, Darrell Thorne shoulder piece and Zana Bayne necklace.

Villain3.jpgPaula Cheng vest, Chanel jacket and pants and Darrell Thorne headpiece

Villain4.jpgJack wears a Fendi sweater and fur scarf, Bobby Abley shorts, Coach leggings, Public School shoes and screaming Mimi's crown; ira wears a Fendi fur jacket, Marc Jacobs fur scarf, Coach fur hat, Moncler fur rug, Pure Vile headpiece and O Thongthai bracelet and rings

Villain5.jpgVillain6.jpg
Fendi skirt, Dolce & Gabbana dress and boots and Darrell Thorne mask

Villain7.jpgThom Browne blouse, jacket, shirt and shoes, Pure Vile necklace and Bijules rings

Villain8.jpgXander Zhou coat, off white harness, jeans and scarf and Lie Sang Bong skirt

Villain9.jpgKTZ gloves, dress and leggings, on Aura Tout Vu mask and O Thongthai necklace

Villain10.jpgVersace dress, Patricia Field leather body accessory, Skingraft gloves and Olympia Le-tan bag

Villain11.jpgPublic School top, Sncl shorts, the white briefs leggings, James Long jacket and KTZ shoes

Villain12.jpgRebecca wears a Chromat cape, an Aura Tout Vu headpiece, Iris Van Herpen shoes and Bjorn rings; jack wears a Hood By Air coat, Marc by Marc Jacobs jeans, Givenchy shoes, Dolce & Gabbana hood and gloves and a Public School hat

Villain14.jpgVillain13.jpgGareth Pugh dress and collar, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi shoes and Bond Hardware finger cuffs

Villain15.jpgJ.W. Anderson shirt and pants, MCQ coat and Darrell Thorne headpiece

Villain16.jpgDarrell Thorne skirt

Villain17.jpgPublic School cape and hat, Gucci sweater and pants, Alexander Wang scarf and shoes and Fendi accessories

Villain18.jpgThom Browne top and Pure Vile necklace


makeup by Angela di Carlo for Kett cosmetics
hair by Hiro + Mari for Kerastase at Salon 87
modeled by Rebekah Underhill at Request models, Ira Sumbaeva at Muse NYC and Jack B and Jack Lankford at Wilhelmina models
prop stylist Eric Vidmar, photographer assistant Lauren Caulk, stylist assistant Josh Lao, intern Shannon Townley, location Go Studios


5 November Films That You Don't Want to Miss

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the-imitation-game.jpgThe Imitation Game

We've all seen how great Bendedict Cumberbatch is at playing eccentric, brilliant, difficult, oddballs (Sherlock). That's why he fits perfectly into this true life story of Alan Turing, a brainy mathematician who, during World War 2, led a small group to crack the biggest puzzle of all -- Germany's Enigma code. Not exactly a team player, Turing completely alienates his crew with his almost autistic, obnoxious, behavior. His only ally is Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley) -- a master puzzle-solver who helps him immensely with his work and helps integrate him with his men. Together they build a computer-like machine that breaks the code. The tragedy in this story is that in the 1950s, this heroic genius was arrested for homosexual acts and chemically castrated -- another shamefully bit of history. Director Morten Tyldum (Headhunters) has crafted an exceptional, gripping, drama out of this inspiring and tragic tale. 


foxcatcher-channing-tatum-steve-carell.jpgFoxcatcher

A mesmerizing, bizarre, true-crime tale of an Olympic gold medal wrestling winner, Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) who is summoned by a wealthy eccentric, John du Pont (an almost unrecognizable brilliant Steve Carell) with an offer for du Pont to be his sponsor and mentor. In the few, but vibrant scenes with du Pont's mother (an imperious Vanessa Redrave), John rages under the long shadow of her many equestrian trophies. She also condescends wrestling as "a low sport." Trouble arises when Mark's older brother David (Mark Ruffalo) is brought in to coach the team to victory and John's Svengali-like grasp over Mark is relinquished. David's devotion to his younger brother is palpably poignant and both Tatum and Ruffalo are sensational. Director Bennett Miller's (Capote) superb grasp of the Freudian complexity of this story makes sure Foxcatcher haunts you for days afterwards.


the_babadook_matt_nettheim.jpgThe Babadook

This majorly creepy feature by Jennifer Kent features a phenomenal performance by Essie Davis as Amelia, a sleep-deprived widow raising a precocious son, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), who is constantly awakened by night terrors. After reading a mysterious children's book called The Babadook -- about a fearsome creature lurking in the shadows -- Samuel starts acting out at school and with relatives. As the nights progress, the mother suspects something sinister is actually lurking in the shadows. There's a nice balance of "is she crazy or "is there really a supernatural entity" and the visuals are genuinely unsettling.
 

335369c4afe4.pngWhy Don't You Play In Hell?

Why Don't You Play In Hell? is a maniacally deranged new film by visionary director Sion Sono (Love Exposure). The plot follows a Yakuza boss who hires a rag-tag group of wannabe filmmakers, who call themselves "Fuck Bombers," to make a movie commemorating his wife's release from prison, starring Sono's own daughter in the lead. Mixing fiction with actual sword battles between warring gangs proves lethal for these demented action-loving auteurs. There's exuberant glee in all the splattery madness as arterial spray and sliced limbs fly during an insanely over-the-top finale. Not all of this works, but it sure is a bloody blast to watch.
 

x900.jpgThe Theory Of Everything

Director James Marsh (Man On Wire) mixes tenderness with fierce intelligence to tell the extraordinary story of Stephen Hawking (phenomenal Eddie Redmayne) as a gifted Cambridge student in 1963 who, at age 21, receives a devastating health diagnosis. He has a motor neuron disease (Lou Gehrig's) and possibly has only 2 years to live. The story of his love affair with fellow student Jane Wilde (terrific Felicity Jones), marriage, fatherhood, and scientific exploration into the creation of the universe is a fascinating one, but Marsh also fills it with lyricism, passion and humor. The intriguing and touching introduction of a handsome church musician (sublime Charlie Cox) into Hawking's and Jane's life adds a surprising wrinkle in this odds-defying love story.  


"High Maintenance" Will Be Making A Triumphant Return on Vimeo On Demand

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Just a few months ago husband and wife team, Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld were bootstrapping their excellent web series, High Maintenance. "We put all the money up for 12 episodes. Now it's at a point where I've not taken on any new casting jobs and Ben has been putting all of his energy into this too. And so now we're like, 'Well, we actually can't afford to not make more.' So we've started selling fake 'weed baggy' magnets. It'll help us with the production costs for the next episode," they told us in February.

But now that they've picked up some funding from Vimeo, in a bid to roll out original programming, Ben and Katja have surely ditched the homemade magnets. With the extra cash to play with, Vimeo promises that they're bringing us darker, longer, and funnier episodes of our beloved stoner web series that follows a nameless drug dealer (Sinclair) and a revolving cast of characters. If you need to get caught up to speed before High Maintenance returns to Vimeo On Demand on November 11th, stream all 13 existing episodes here.

[h/t Flavorwire]

Art Department's "Cruel Intentions" Video Is Spooky-Scary

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The Art Department video seems like a perfect fit for Halloween.  It's creepy, rather than scary; and that's probably something to do with the X-ray effects that make all the dripping liquids look like blood. Plus the song's title, "Cruel Intentions," and black and white film reminds us of a Hitchcock film.  The Toronto-based duo of Kenny Glasgow and Jonny White hooked-up with Detroit DJ/producer Seth Troxler to make the track, taken from their new album Natural Selection, out November 18th on No. 19 Music.

James Bay Is a Singer to Watch

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James Bay hails from Hitchin. Can't blame you if you've never heard of the little town north of London, but maybe the 23-year-old singer-songwriter can help put it on the map. He got signed to a major label, Republic Records, after they spotted a fan's iPhone video shot at a local pub on YouTube and flew him to New York. "Hold Back the River" is off his latest EP and the track was just picked earlier this week as BBC Radio 1's "Track of the Day." Check out his great cover version of Haim's "Forever" too.

New York Artist Clayton Patterson Responds to Taylor Swift's "Welcome To New York"

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Clayton Patterson made a stunning career out of documenting New York's teeming downtown world in the '80s. Lately, the artist has been threatening to move to Austria since the New York he once admired, lived in, and struggled against -- with bonafide punks, bohemians, and outsider artists -- is, in his eyes, gone. Now, he's responded to Taylor Swift's chipper love letter to a new New York with jarring clips of police brutality, raves, and bizarre happenings from the '80s.

The New York that Taylor Swift has gotten to know in the short time that she's served as the City's ambassador glosses over anything that's not inspiring and uplifting, which makes sense. Taylor Swift is trying to welcome tourists, not scare them off. And for what it's worth, the New York City that Taylor Swift lives in probably really is a fairytale free of grit. As Vulture points out, when Taylor Swift does decide to explore the city in a twee dress with her cat in tow, she doesn't stray very far from her $20M Tribeca apartment.

Even though there's plenty of occasions for the City to be less than hospitable for those who aren't rich and white, even Patterson himself admits that New York has changed, become corporate -- almost validating Taylor Swift's perspective. "The energy is gone. My community is gone. I'm getting out. But the sad fact is: I didn't really leave the Lower East Side. It left me," he told the New York Times. But we're not sure what Patterson is conveying here, in his Taylor Swift mash-up. Is he critiquing Taylor Swift's simplistic view of NYC or is he only lamenting the New York "energy" of the 80s, even it's darker tones, that he once loved and made work from?

Watch Sad Rapper Little Pain's Halloween Inspired Video for "L.I.T.T.L.E"

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Just in time for Halloween, sadwave rapper Little Pain -- who is mostly known for his straightforward account of that time he got high and started crying -- just dropped a new song, "L.I.T.T.L.E." The video, above, features a lo-fi horror film motif to go with the track's not-so-subtle organ-heavy production.

On "L.I.T.T.L.E," the rapper sets a new tone for himself right from the start: "Time to wild out now," he begins, marking a shift away from his signature sadness. Although he does take time at the end of the track to self deprecate: "I'm a shitty ass person, I've been shitty since a child/I should be a fucking toilet, being shitty is my style." In an interview with the Fader, Little Pain made it clear that he doesn't want to be known as just a sad rapper anymore, but it seems like he just can't help it.

[h/t Complex]

Portlandia's Goths Plan Their Fantasy Funerals

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Goths planning their fantasy funerals in this new Portlandia season 5 preview is the only way to start your day on this Halloween morning. "Who isn't shrieking?"  [IFC]
 
Happy Halloween from some cats who could seriously give an F. [TastefullyOffensive]

gameofbones.pngDognerys Dogaryen. [TastefullyOffensive]

inagartendenim.png Ina Garten is a denim shirt vampire! [FYouNoFMe]
 
Just some chickens playing a tiny piano. [TastefullyOffensive]
1192Y.jpgA million times YEP. [Mlkshk]

tumblr_ndkms55az01s3ovb0o1_1280.jpgPretty much. [HexGirlfriend]


Because it wouldn't be Halloween without the KXVO Pumpkin dancer. A classic.
 
And it also wouldn't be Halloween without Werewolf Bar Mitzvah. Boys becoming men, men becoming wolves!
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Have a great weekend. [Mlkshk]




Katy Perry Wins Halloween as a Giant Flaming Hot Cheeto

Watch Kool A.D.'s Trippy Double Video For "Look" and "Jose Canseco"

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Astrological expert Kool A.D. has shared an "epic double video" for "Look," a track from his recent mixtape WORD OK, and "Jose Canseco," from Peaceful Solutions. The first half of the video features Kool A.D. in front of a retro TV set, watching both nostalgic 90s cartoons and raunchy cartoon orgies. Surely, there's no other rapper that has introduced us to as many animated boobs as Kool A.D. has. The second half of the video continues with trippy, color-inverted visuals featuring Kassa. Watch the double feature, above.

The Tao of Dustin Yellin

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Dustin04_photo cred Kaan Hiini.jpgPhoto by Kaan Hiini

Spend 5 minutes with artist Dustin Yellin and you'll feel like you've fallen down the rabbit hole.
The 39 year-old-artist, best known for his large, dystopian-themed sculptures, has a way of speaking that's equal parts coherence and confusion. We had the chance to sit down with him during The Feast, an annual event that brings together artists, filmmakers, scientists, entrepreneurs, and technologists to engage each other in discussions about creating world-shaking change. This year's conference was hosted at Pioneer Works in Red Hook, a center for art and innovation, and the brain-child of Yellin. An appropriate choice of venue since the theme of this year's event, progression, was largely inspired by the artist's efforts to turn this space into a cultural hub.

Simultaneously humble and confident, Yellin kicked off our chat by dipping in and out of a fake British accent to explain that his decision to lay roots in this particular part of Brooklyn, once home to natural wetlands, was inspired by his love of the ocean. "I'm like a bird that eats a flower, and then flies over [the Atlantic], and then shits on a rock, and then that rock becomes a fertile island because of the seeds," he said. "So I suppose that I found myself in Red Hook because I love the sea." He continued, "[Red Hook] was creative before I came and will be creative after I go. I just add one more seedling into the pod of creativity in this blossoming by the sea. I think it's beautiful that all of these incredible people could come together, to live next to each other, and to share their warm thoughts around our fireplace."

Yellin moved to New York City from Colorado back in 1995, making ends meet by breakdancing on the sidewalks while creating art in his spare time. It was ten years later before he finally got his first solo show at James Fuentes gallery. It didn't take long for a wider audience to catch wind of his talent; nowadays Yellin can be seen collaborating with Vito Schnabel, partying with the Gyllenhaals, modeling for Misha Nonoo during New York Fashion Week, running from knife-wielding Bijou Phillips, and dating celebrity goddesses like Michelle Williams and Charlotte Kidd.

Dustin01_photo cred Dustin Yellin.jpgDustin Yellin's "Psycho Geography" sculptures. (Photo by Dustin Yellin)

You're apt to run into any of these people at Pioneer Works where, Yellin says, their talents and ideas often cross-pollinate. "You can walk in and see a physicist looking at things at the nano-scale and then you can see someone playing music, and another person writing a poem, and another person making a painting, and another person doing a dance," he tells us, adding that "hopefully things like that will trickle down into civilization, and then we'll realize that we can all get along and resolve all of these problems all over the world, and then all over the multiverse."

As we continue our conversation amidst Yellin's life-size 3D face of his friend -- Butthole Surfers frontman Gibby Haynes -- and his twelve "psycho geography" sculptures made from collages sealed in resin, encased in layers of glass, and standing tall like the ancient Terra Cotta Warriors, the artist starts doling out advice for aspiring creatives. "Have you seen the movie Fitz Colorado?" he asks us. "[Making art] is like pulling a ship over a mountain. You have to live it. You have to feel it in your bones. There's nothing else you can do. You have to be relentless and tireless to make your dreams a reality."

And regardless of where you are or who you know, Yellin says one of the most important things a young artist can do is establish their own creative community. "People are key. Community is real. You must build your culture," he insists. "I don't believe in networking (net-worth or the net)! I believe that you have to professionally take LSD on the beach with your friends once a year, drink fresh lemonade, visit the red baby deer in Nara, dip your feet into the warm sea and learn how to surf. I believe that you have to come together. That is important." Feast on that.



Arcade Fire Released a 21 Minute Horror Film

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In the spirit of Halloween, Arcade Fire has released a 21-minute-long horror film called Festi. It begins with a soundcheck in the rain but quickly amps up the creepy factor. The plot revolves around Will Butler trying to escape the infamous '27 Club' on his 27th birthday during a night punctuated by spooky going-ons and encounters with the ghost of Jim Morrison. There's also lots of fun celeb sightings: keep your eye out for some of Arcade Fire's famous friends like James Murphy, Fleet Foxes, Peter Gabriel and a special musical performance from Slash.
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