Welcome to The Guest List, where indie musicians become film critics and actors become political analysts. Celebrity experts from every industry have joined ifc.com this month for some round table discussions on the world at large. Enjoy the free flowing independent perspectives as these insiders give us their thoughts, opinions, grudges and acclamations. There are no parameters and no prescribed topics. Stream of blogisciousness, if you will.
Zach Galligan
Summer Preview, Many Thanks, and Aloha, Mr. Hand!
By Zach Galligan on 05/30/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganSummer is typically a pretty solid time for books, music and movies. Here are some I'm looking forward to, regardless of quality. Movies: The Dark Knight: Christopher Nolan's first crack at Batman was so strong, I'm kinda dying to see how he's going to up the ante. Plus, how could you not want to see the late, great Heath Ledger's final performance? Hancock: Maybe the trailer is just superb, but Will Smith really picks his material well. This superhero as anti-hero popcorn flick looks to be more original than 99% of summer flicks, and it also stars the exceedingly... MORE »
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Door Blockers and Subway Sprinters: An Observation
By Zach Galligan on 05/29/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganI live in Manhattan and take the subway practically everyday. Over the past year or two, as subway ridership has reached record levels, I have noticed a pattern of behavior among a certain group of fellow strap hangers (OK, the strap is long gone, but the cool nickname remains) that is typical of Type A New Yorkers. I'm sure other people have noticed this behavior as well, but I haven't seen it discussed in any detail. I'm talking, of course, about Door Blocking and Subway Sprinting. Let's begin with the more common affliction, Door Blocking. You are a commuter, and... MORE »
Jason Statham: Getting Better All the Time
By Zach Galligan on 05/28/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganTen years ago, when I saw Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, I was impressed with an unknown actor named Jason Statham. He seemed raw, yet had an undeniable charm and, yes, that indefinable quality, charisma. He displayed it again in his next Guy Ritchie film, Snatch, playing Turkish, the sketchy boxing promoter who gets pulled into the criminal underworld. Soon, I began to see commercials for something called The Transporter, and there, again, was Statham. Not being much of an action film buff, I passed. As I flipped through the cable channels a few years later, the Italian Job... MORE »
The Chef Boy Ar Dee Incident
By Zach Galligan on 05/27/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganIn order to make sense of this story, you need to know a few things. First of all, my wife likes to shop for shoes. Often. Usually she exercises restraint, but every now and then, given the time, money and inclination, she can make Imelda Marcos seem like a rank amateur. So, when I happened to have a little cash lying around - maybe a couple hundred bucks - I would slip it in an envelope and put it in the cutlery drawer, just in case she or I needed a few dollars. Soon, however, I began to notice that... MORE »
Wow, That's Just So Random...
By Zach Galligan on 05/22/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganSitting here in front of the computer, still reeling from the pulse pounding American Idol finish last night (totally, deeply kidding), I am mildly surprised. For the first time in nearly three weeks, I don't feel a pressing need to write about one specific topic. I'm not in the mood to be introspective, deep, or even vaguely thoughtful. Instead, I would rather talk about a bunch of random stuff, the mental bric-a-brac that tumbles through my head without warning and, more often than not, reason. So, in no particular order: White Beer: I'm not much of a beer drinker, and... MORE »
Trapped in Cell Hell
By Zach Galligan on 05/22/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganI tremble as I begin to write this - not out of excitement, but out of rage - because even though the topic has been discussed to the point of exhaustion, the problem just seems to be getting exponentially worse. No, I am not talking about bedbugs (although they're pretty horrendous) or the Bush administration, but the plague that threatens to destroy us all as a civilization. I'm talking about cell phones and the way they are used by - or inflicted upon, depending on your point of view - society at large. Let's cut to the chase, shall we?... MORE »
All We Are Saying is Give Chirp A Chance
By Zach Galligan on 05/21/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganIn August of 2006, I received an odd e-mail. It was a short, somewhat rambling message, but the crux of it was that a 23 year old NYU Film Grad named Jonathan Blitstein had written a screenplay entitled Let Them Chirp Awhile and, apparently, was offering me a role in the picture. Inwardly, I groaned, because I had read a cornucopia of screenplays that had been sent to me, either for my opinion or possibly my involvement, and generally they were pretty poor. As I started to read, however, a smile crept across my face. The script was pretty darn... MORE »
Some Things Are Better Left Undead
By Zach Galligan on 05/20/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganFrom five to about fifteen years of age - the glory years of childhood and adolescence - I was an avid comic book reader. I thrilled to the exploits of Marvel comics superheroes and Jack Kirby inspired monsters, and breathlessly hurried to the comic book stand at 86th and Broadway with my fistful of change, hoping for the latest issues. In the 60's and 70's, comic book heroes were noble, almost perfect role models for kids, save the occasional self absorption of Spiderman or the suggested alcoholism of Iron Man. There was a cartoonish level of violence, no bad language... MORE »
Flight of the Knife
By Zach Galligan on 05/19/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganIf there is going to be a more obvious explosion of musical creativity in 2008, I'd like to hear it. But I'm willing to bet that the second album from Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears will be the sonic supernova that will stay on my Ipod for the next several weeks, if not months. Combining elements of ELO, Squeeze, Peter Gabriel-era Genesis, Elton John and XTC into a power pop-prog confection that is irresistible and stands up to repeated listenings, Scary and his shockingly solid, terrifically tight band - keyboardist Mike Acreman, drummer Brian Bauer, guitarist Graham Norwood and... MORE »
Ten Songs I'm Embarrassed I Like
By Zach Galligan on 05/16/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganGreat songs are easy to enjoy - they're either the product of 'accepted', hip bands (like Radiohead) or universally praised for their excellence (like U2 ,the Beatles or Kanye West). Loving a cool song is, pretty much, simplicity in itself. Then there are the other songs, the ones that you sheepishly, grudgingly admit you like. The reasons for their utter wackness are legion - they're too cheesy, poppy, sappy, annoying, feminine (or masculine, depending on your gender), or simply overplayed beyond belief. Whatever the reason may be, you don't care, you still dig them...a lot. But, in all likelihood, you... MORE »
Politics: Smart Folk...Ah Don't Trust 'Em!
By Zach Galligan on 05/15/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganOften times I hear my students complain about the current President, saying things like 'He's so dumb!' or 'How could we elect a C student as a President?' (Bush's average was a 77 during his stay at Yale). But a quick look at US History (my major at college) will tell you that, given a choice between an obvious intellectual and a simpler, less educated person, America almost always avoids the smarter person. Let's take a look at the last 60 years of Presidential elections: 1948: This contest was between Thomas Dewey, a graduate of University of Michigan and Columbia... MORE »
Warning: Surround Sound Needed
By Zach Galligan on 05/14/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganAfter talking about movies on Monday and music yesterday, I thought I would chat briefly about the next logical step : movies with music. No, not concert films (with the exception of a few - The Last Waltz and Stop Making Sense come to mind - most are pretty ordinary), but films that have excellent music inextricably woven throughout the story. Here are three lesser known films that fit the bill: Rockers Sure, The Harder They Come is a midnight staple all over the country, but the less heralded Rockers stands up better over time. Sporting one of the greatest... MORE »
Play This, Dammit!
By Zach Galligan on 05/13/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganIt's pretty obvious why classic rock radio is so dreary and moribund when it simply doesn't need to be: its play list is about 50 to 100 songs long. Seriously. Now, I love Boston as much as the next 40 something geeky white guy, but if I hear More Than a Feeling one more freakin' time, I'm gonna turn purple, soil myself, and explode into a thousand pieces. Speaking of purple, how come all you ever hear from Prince is Kiss and When Doves Cry? The guy has 4.2 billion songs, and those two are practically the only ones they... MORE »
Three For A Rainy Day
By Zach Galligan on 05/12/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganLike most people, I enjoy renting the latest films and checking out what I missed (or, usually, didn't) at the local Cineplex. But occasionally, I like to be challenged and entertained at the same time. Sure, it's fun to turn your brain off and watch the latest Jet Li film or formula romantic comedy, but sometimes I like to think, even if it's just for a couple of hours. These three films will definitely leave you pondering this giant thing we call Life. Sadly, you may have to do a little work in order to find them, but, hey, you're... MORE »
It's All You Need
By Zach Galligan on 05/09/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganTwo weeks ago, my lovely wife Ling and I spent some time in Las Vegas. We were there for the usual reasons - sun, fun, perhaps a little gambling - but our super objective (to use a popular acting term) was to see the Cirque de Soleil/ Beatles extravaganza, Love. She and I had both heard positive things and managed to score pretty solid seats (probably because it was a Sunday night, and Vegas, mercifully, was emptying out), so I would describe the level of anticipation as pretty damn high. We were not disappointed. Although I'm sure we influence each... MORE »
Everyday, I get bombarded with spam...
By Zach Galligan on 05/08/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganEveryday, I get bombarded with spam. Just last week, in some kind of coordinated attack, I received well over 50 spam e-mails in a 12 minute period. And this morning, riding on the subway, my phone buzzed, signifying an e-mail, which turned out to be, of course, spam. But here's the thing: I get no service in the subway. Ever. And yet, somehow, the spam found me, like some demon dog from hell forever nipping at my IP number's all too visible heels. My carrier, T-mobile, is clearly unable to come up with any spam filter that is even... MORE »
Hard Rock Heaven
By Zach Galligan on 05/07/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganNo matter what I do, I just can't get it out of my head. No, not the latest Pitchfork-approved indie rock darling. Rather, the sounds that are clamoring for space in my head are the crunchy, dulcet sounds of hard rock. I don't know which of these events triggered it - reading Chuck Klosterman's Fargo Rock City, getting re-hooked on Aerosmith and UFO, or discovering the 4:56 version of Better (the Chinese Democracy demo) - but I am officially on 1989 time...and I couldn't be happier. I never thought listening to Tesla could make me so content, but I'm pleased... MORE »
Things You Should See : Human Tetris
By Zach Galligan on 05/06/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganThe YouTube phenomenon has been, culturally speaking, kind of a double-edged sword. For every worthwhile clip (a herd of wildebeest dramatically fighting off a pack of lions, for example), humanity has been deluged with silly snippets of kitties swimming blithely in bathtubs, border collies destroying pumpkins for a Snausage, and mentally unstable fans declaring their undying love for Britney Spears. That's why I was cautiously jubilant when one of my students (I teach at Stonestreet Studios, a secondary studio affiliated with Tisch School of the Arts at NYU), Chelsey Donn, told me about a YouTube clip called Human Tetris. The... MORE »
Ten Songs For Your Listening Pleasure
By Zach Galligan on 05/05/2008
Filed under: Zach GalliganBy Zach Galligan Although I've been an actor most of my life, music has always been one of my greatest loves and, at times, a fevered obsession. I've gone through many phases - the Zeppelin phase, the Dylan phase, the Coltrane phase, the Manilow phase (ok, I made that last one up) - and tried to explore as many different genres as possible. I'm happy to report my fascination with music, both popular and obscure, continues unabated. Speaking of obscure (or, at least, not very well known), here is a list of ten songs on my Ipod which continue to... MORE »
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