ReelAbilities Film Festival in Atlanta, GA!

by Eric Pudalov

Having been a Communications major in college, I spent a great deal of time studying film and video. So it should come as no surprise that I’m a huge supporter of film festivals, particularly in the Atlanta area.

Therefore, I encourage as many people as possible to attend the ReelAbilities Film Festival, which will begin Saturday, Oct. 1 at , located at 3110 Roswell Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30305.

The founders of the festival hope to draw audience members from three specific demographics, according to their homepage:

• People with disabilities who will share their stories and points of view
• People directly impacted by disabilities, family members, service providers, or other stakeholders
• The film-going public who are interested in films that they may otherwise not see in Atlanta

This film festival, which was founded in NY, is committed to telling the stories and raising awareness about the lives of people with all kinds of disabilities, both physical and mental.

2011 marks the first ReelAbilities ATL, which will present award winning films in a number of locations throughout the Atlanta-Metro area. Additionally, the festival includes discussions and other gatherings designed to bring members of the community together for a chance to recognize and champion the variety of life experiences each of us share.

For more information about this film festival and to purchase tickets, please visit , and play a part in this incredible experience!

Alcove Coffee and Tea Cafe in Atlanta, GA: Where Art and Food Unite
The best coffee shops, at least for those who are passionate about their java, have their own character, in addition to great drinks and pastries. For Alcove Coffee in Tucker, GA, all of the above apply.
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Film Fanatics, Unite!

by Eric Pudalov, Freelance Writer

Most recently, on Associated Content, I published a review of an amazing Atlanta video store, called “Videodrome.”

For non-Atlanta residents, of course, it may not hold as much interest, but it’s just as much about independent film as it is about video stores.

As much as I like services like Netflix and Hulu, I still enjoy the experience of heading out to the video store and renting a DVD, especially one that I was unable to find anywhere else (and Videodrome seems to specialize in those).

So, here’s the link, if you’re interested: Videodrome: A Hot Spot for Atlanta’s Indie Film Buffs.

If anyone has the chance to read it, your feedback is welcome (whether on the blog or on the article itself. Thanks so much!)

As a matter of fact, I’m starting to read more film blogs, so as to have the chance to improve my own (though this blog isn’t exclusively about film). However, seeing as I constantly watch films, and have been writing enough about them, I might as well gear things in that direction.

So, first on my list is The Guardian’s Film Blog, from Britain. I happen to like British film, and though I haven’t read many British film critics, per se, I respect their opinions.

Second, I’ve just discovered Space Ramblings, an awesome sci-fi-oriented blog, from which I’ll definitely cull inspiration. Who knows? They may even inspire another article.

And please, support your local awesome video store/record store/bookstore. We should appreciate them while they’re still around.

TweetDeck: How to Keep All Your Tweets in One Place

The above title is merely my latest Associated Content article, based on my limited experience with TweetDeck, Twitter’s latest social networking tool.

Here’s my two cents on TweetDeck: TweetDeck: How to Keep All Your Tweets in One Place. Though the review is, for the most part, positive, I made an effort to touch on both the app’s strengths and weaknesses.

I’ve noticed a number of people who are either strongly for or against Twitter in general, and that may just be because it’s mainstream. Who knows? In my case, I’m finding it more and more valuable. And in case you’re wondering, I follow Ashton Kutcher (who has more Twitter followers than anyone else, apparently). He’s really a smart guy, in spite of what his movie and TV roles would have you believe!

On a side note, to the author of Tangled Up In Words, you may get a kick out of this article. As a fellow writer who wants to get her work out there, I thought it may apply to you. Let me know what you think!

For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, check out the main site. It’ll explain the rest. Thanks for your support!

Poetic Devices

Inspired by Thaleia, I decided to write this. I plan on posting more poetry soon.

“Dementia”

symphonic tubes
breathing blue wisps of strained
oxygen
together, forming a systemic
bloodline, spiking fever

choral vocals magnified inside cranial
mazes, without maps
as she is lost in mine and I
find my dementia in a depth-ridden skull

transparent walls speak echoes back from her
lips, tracing languages
inside fluid-bursting pipes
combined to form a migraine thought

and all throughout, this is merely hallucination
selective serotonin reuptake verses
that drag me through this depressive wave

below

Forthcoming Interview!

by Eric Pudalov

Later today, I’m scheduled to do an interview with comedian DC Benny. I feel that the latest trend, at least in my personal interview interests, has leaned towards comedians.

The last phone interview I conducted was between me and Jay Pharoah, the awesome impressionist (and for the life of me, I can’t remember if I already mentioned this on here or not). He seems to be doing great in his career, thanks in no small part to having an awesome sister (Shaina Farrow) as his manager.

Jay Pharoah:

DC Benny:

Having never talked to DC Benny before, I confess to being a little nervous about the interview, but it’s probably nothing to worry about.

If “DC Benny” doesn’t ring familiar, either watch the clip above, or go on YouTube and watch this video: White Boy Rips It at the Apollo. And I hope you laugh your ass off.

Comedy, I realize, is one of those “personal-taste”-based things, even more so than movies and music, perhaps. If you can’t relate to the jokes, or the comic’s style, the whole thing just doesn’t work. So how are some guys and gals able to relate to so many? Some just have that “mass appeal,” I guess!

So, once the DC Benny interview is finished, I’ll post it here, and other places. Feel free to read!

Cinemassacre.com: Home of the Angry Video Game Nerd

by Eric Pudalov

I guess it’s been awhile since I’ve actually posted anything on here, and if I hope to use this as a promotional tool, that’s not really a good thing, is it?

In any case, does the name Cinemassacre ring a bell? If not, let me introduce you! For anybody’s who’s a lover of retro games, film, and/or classic board games, this site’s right up your alley.

Specifically, some friends of mine turned me on to “The Angry Video Game Nerd,” a video series in which creator James Rolfe, playing the titular character, does exactly what it says in the theme song:

He’s gonna take you back to the past
To play the shitty games that suck ass
He’d rather have a buffalo
Take a diarrhea dump in his ear

He’d rather eat the rotten asshole
Of a roadkill skunk and down it with beer

Lovely, right? This is the first excerpt in which I’ve quoted that much of the lyrics. Everywhere else, I wasn’t sure people would still be interested afterwards.

Anyway, being a “retro-gamer” myself, I get a kick out of the Nerd’s videos every time. Many of these “shitty games” I used to own, or at least played at one point. And come on, didn’t most of you own an NES, or at least have friends who owned one? Specifically, to see episodes of “The Angry Video Game Nerd,” click here: AVGN Videos Full List

Oh, and my other point: I actually wrote an article about the AVGN, at this link: Associated Content – Cinemassacre.com: Home of the Angry Video Game Nerd. Check it out – it’ll be worth your time, I promise!

Actually, I’m looking to get more readership on this blog in general, which means I should probably start writing more, but does anyone have some advice on how to do that? I’m still getting a lot of training in this whole “SEO” field, and it seems like you have to re-educate yourself at least 5x a day to keep up.

Well, that’s my rant for this morning. I look forward to reading some of your blogs as well. Happy Wednesday!

An Article of Note: “Join Causes on Facebook”

Though I’m relatively new to WordPress, I have a number of articles on Associated Content; if you aren’t already familiar, it’s an open content network where people post not only articles, but poetry, fiction, photography, and videos as well.

My most recent article was entitled “Join Causes on Facebook: Support the ASPCA, United Palestinian Appeal, and More. My intention was to bring more press to Facebook’s Causes application, because I feel that it has been a helpful way to gain more information about important issues, and in some cases, to raise funds.

Specifically, I described three different Causes in detail: “Fight Animal Cruelty,” in which donations go to the ASPCA; “Support Individuals with Developmental Disabilities,” maintained by Evan Pearson of Georgia Community Support and Solutions; and “TPRF: Food for People,” maintained by members of The Prem Rawat Foundation, an organization that helps give food, shelter, and water to those in need in places across the world. I would love for anyone reading this to check out the article, as well as the different Causes, and see if it resonates with them.

Even if you’re unable to give money to a Cause at this time, it’s still helpful to post relevant links and information, as well as “telling your story,” i.e. letting others know how the issue personally affects you.

So, if you have the chance to read it, I thank you, and I hope you gain something from it as a result.

OffbeatBride.com: For Those Who Love “Wedding Porn”

OffbeatBride.Com: For Those Who Love “Wedding Porn”
Don’t let the subtitle mislead you. Offbeat Bride, maintained by author Ariel Meadow Stallings, is the perfect site for those who cringe at the word “traditional.” The site is part-blog, part-advice column, and part-bookstore.
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Read this article on Associated Content…please enjoy!

Pre-Halloween Birthday (and some GA updates)

Being that my birthday (today) comes right before Halloween, I’m looking forward to Oct. 31st more than ever this year.

I’ve custom-designed a Mad Hatter costume in honor of Tim Burton’s upcoming version of Lewis Carroll’s classic book. As for where I’m going to show it off, I’ve no clue. I’d thought that perhaps I would be going to one of those temporary “haunted houses” in a cornfield somewhere in rural Georgia (scary enough by themselves). But if nothing else, I plan on just parading around Midtown Atlanta or Little Five Points in costume with my fianc

I had hoped to make it to the Little Five Points Halloween Festival this year, but alas, it simply didn’t work out. According to AccessAtlanta, however, there’s a whole smorgasbord of things going on. In Stockbridge, for instance, at Yule Forest, they’re hosting The Pumpkin Patch, with pumpkin picking (that goes without saying); the “Georgia on My Mind” exhibit, featuring Georgia Growing Green; a “Talking Chicken Show” with Pete the Farmer; and a Hayride. Sounds great, except for possibly the “Talking Chicken Show” thing – I’d have nightmares.

Stone Mountain Park is also featuring their annual Pumpkin Festival, including “The Pumpkin Tumbler,” a 40-ft. obstacle course, a pie-eating contest, a Trick-or-Treat Scavenger Hunt, and a Costume Contest. Family friendly stuff (I promise).

As for Halloween night, if you can make it to Six Flags Over Georgia in Douglasville, Fright Fest is currently going on…and will be until the 31st. If there’s anywhere you should show off your costume, that’s it!

In any case, more updates will be coming, as my internal web crawler finds them! Thank you for dropping by, if indeed you have.