Film of the Week - The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

Documentaries these days are borderline drama. Rather than strictly document, the filmmakers want to elicit some sort of emotive response. Unlike filmmakers like Ken Burns or Errol Morris, the filmmakers of The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters want you to root for the heroes and boo at the villains. It feels more like an underdog tale than like a documentary about competitive video gaming. And is any of this a bad thing? Not at all.

The King of Kong follows the rise and fall of both Billy Mitchell, a fabled gamer who holds records in various games, and the lowly Steve Weibe who is unemployed, possibly autistic (at least his mother thinks that) and is your average Joe American dad. As Weibe rises to the top and beats the all-time high score in the classic Donkey Kong, a series of insane events, from people coming to his house to investigate his machine to Billy refusing to play a live match against him, it seems nothing can go right for the man. The life of Steve Weibe is the foremost interesting part of the film. The second thing that makes this documentary such a fun moviegoing experience is the insider look into the world of Competitive Gaming. The world of gaming goes well beyond every high school thug trying to be better at the latest Madden game. These guys, mostly 30 somethings who grew up with the original games like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong, compete for free to be the best. The coveted Kill Screen, in which the memory capacity for games ends and you automatically die, is their one true goal. The glory of holding a World Record is more important to most than fame and fortune.

Where the movie kind of lags is in the over-the-top dramatization of the story. Yes these are real people, but a recent A.V. Club interview with Billy Mitchell shows that maybe everything in the documentary isn't exactly documented with fairness. Whether you read this interview and agree with Mitchell or the filmmakers doesn't mean a single thing in the long run. Regardless of anything, The King of Kong is an inventive, fun movie that is one of the best popcorn films of the past few years. It's just a shame that it happens to be a documentary. This may mar the overall legitimacy of it, but by God if you don't watch it and find your self hooting and hollering for Steve Weibe to get that Kill Screen. The King of Kong is out on DVD so definitely check it out.

Album of the Week Vol. 1 - Vampire Weekend

In order to keep things fresh and keep this blog read-worthy, I will do an album of the week every Sunday/Monday as well as a Movie of the week every Wednesday/Thursday. Some will be classics, some will be new listens that are noteworthy. Regardless, here is Vol. 1.

Buzz bands and hype bands aren't quite the thing. Buzz band has a more positive connotation to it meaning you are just hearing about them a lot. A hype band is a band that may get over hyped by the time you get to hear the album and they don't usually live up to what you heard, therefore ruining the experience. Vampire Weekend walks a thin line between hype and buzz. Regardless of any of that, now that the album has dropped and we can give it a listen, we should forget what we may have heard about the group, lower our expectations and listen to it.

That said, after many listens through, Vampire Weekend's self titled album is a delightful pop record. Blending the sounds of afro beat and modern indie pop, the album consists of very enjoyable and modern pop songs. That being said, their isn't much new brought to the table on this record. Many songs sound similar in style to some other buzz/hype bands, especially the band Tapes N Tapes. They are only similar in their stripped down pop sensibilities. This doesn't make it a bad album, it just makes it another in a whole line-up of indie rockers that are blending old styles with stripped down goodness. The album has a dreamy tone, the vocals are quality and the music is great for driving on a summers day (even though I have yet to do this since it's January.)

The album kicks off with the first single "Mansard Roof", a jaunty organ ladled jam with minimal guitars and lyrical wordplay. The album follows this formula for the most part. Songs like "A-Punk" amp up the guitars rather than the organ and "Oxford Comma" shows it's disdain for grammar. The most delightful tracks come later in the album. "I Stand Corrected" is the most melancholy track on the album although it's definitely not a slow or mellow song in the least. "Walcott" is by far my personal favorite track with it's very echoey piano line, building passion and escapist attitude towards Cape Cod. "M79" sounds as if it were written to be added to a Wes Anderson soundtrack with it's grandiose harpsichord's and string arrangements.

If anything, Vampire Weekend is definitely worth a listen if you like pallatable indie pop music. Is it going to expand your mind? No. Is it the best new thing you'll ever hear? Probably not. Is it damn good pop music? Hell yes. That in itself makes the album worth the listen, the buy, the borrow, the steal.

Voyeur Pleasure

Sorry for the horrible pun. I couldn't resist.

Recently a friend of mine who has a film history class was assigned to watch the 1974 classic The Conversation. It had come to my knowledge that I had never seen it all the way though, if at all, so I quickly launched it to the top of my Netflix queue. Without really paying attention, I received two films with similar looks into the world of surveillance and it's voyeuristic conflicts. The other film was 2006's Das Leben der Anderen, or better known as the Oscar winning The Lives of Others. I remember seeing previews of that film and when it beat out Pan's Labyrinth for Best Foreign Film I was trying to wrap my head around it, thinking very naively that anything could possibly have been better than Pan's Labyrinth. Much to my surprise, The Lives of Others is easily one of the finest films of the past 10 years that I have seen and am blown away by how amazing it is. But more on that later. The real point of this post is the strange alignment of the planets to drop these two films on my lap at the same time.

There is no better medium to show just how powerful and life-ruining voyeurism can be. 1974's The Conversation and 2006's The Lives of Others may not be the most similar in story-line, but they do have a lot in common that can't be overlooked.

The Conversation follows Harry Caul, a sort-of peeping Tom for hire who is commissioned to record a conversation of a man and a woman which looks seemingly like a simple act of infidelity. Caul is so entranced by their conversation trying to find out what's really going on and slowly reels into a nightmarish paranoia that obviously runs his life and is his tragic flaw. The ensuing cat-and-mouse game that happens between Caul and himself is one of the most intriguing character studies you can see captured on film. In one of Coppola's (if not his finest) moments behind the lens, we take the position of a peeping Tom as viewers of the movie as his camera shots peer in from windows, through doors, around corners and even from eagle eye views like the opening zoom shoot. It's uncomfortable, yet utterly enrapturing to watch. You can't help but want to watch his dilemma that he basically forces upon himself. He can't stand people watching him or asking him questions, yet he can't help but spy on them.

I forgot to mention Harry Caul is brilliantly portrayed by Gene Hackman in easily one of his best roles along with Jimmy Doyle and Royal Tennenbaum. The subtle performance is so sharp and precise, just like his work has to be, that only a few times does he ever really lash out. Just like a true sociopath of sorts, he really hides his true feelings of the world around him until you really push his buttons. This performance seems to be overshadowed by a lot of his other intense roles, but it's in the simplicity of the role that really makes it so special and intriguing. Without Hackman, I'm not sure if this movie would be just as brilliant as it is.

Next on the queue was The Lives of Others. I had anticipated this movie being good, but was taken aback about how much of a statement it really was. Even more so than it showed the powerful effects that voyeurism really can take on a person. The Lives of Others follows a different protaganist than in The Conversation. His imposed surveillance work is Government oriented and the seeming drive of his ambition. He seems to enjoy listening to people, interrogating them and putting people away for their treasonous rhetoric. So much as just speaking out against the Eastern Block of Germany was seen as treason. If you helped someone escape the GDR, you were locked up. Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler is the man on the earphones listening in on a German playwright named Georg Dreyman. Dreyman is suspected of Anti-GDR leanings form a higher up official in the Stasi and orders that he be watched. Wiesler is one of the best men in the Stasi and takes on the task. They bug Dreyman and his girlfriend, actress Christa-Maria Sieland's apartment thoroughly and 24-Hour surveillance begins. The film follows Wiesler and Dreyman very closely through these monitored days and weeks and much to the surprise of Wiesler, nothing is coming of it. If anything, Dreyman seems to be a very pro-GDR writer and has the least bit of anything against the establishment. Wiesler almost has a reverse Stockholm Syndrome effect occur to him where he starts to really care about the people he has been listening too. More events unfold and weave as the film goes along, but I will not elaborate further due to spoiler possibilities.

Again, the real treat in this film is the relationship between the viewer and the voyeur. Wiesler is at first an uncompromising, loyal follower of the GDR who enjoys interrogation. Unlike Hackman's Caul, the late Ulrich Mühe's character starts to feel for the people he is listening in on and wants to help them. He forges documents and tries to save Dreyman as if he was falling in love with the man and wanted to save him from the fate of ruining his artistic integrity. The very subtle performance of Mühe is brilliant on pa with Hackman. It's only rarely we see the soft side of Wiesler. In a brilliant scene between Wiesler and the Sieland, we see the utter humanity shining through what seemed like a GDR robot of the nation. Unbelievably convincing and uncomprimising, Mühe made his performance look easy.


Both films are perfect in their own right and deserve multiple viewings to totally see the pure brilliance, but even just a one time viewing of these films brings sheer movie going joy beyond their deep meanings. Although The Lives of Others is more of a political statement than The Conversation lets on to be, we still get a brilliant look into the world of surveillance and voyeurism. Each movie has a breathtaking and mind boggling third act and each film has it's share of understated supporting roles. Both films use the medium of filmmaking so well to portray the world of voyeurism, even though The Conversation nails it to a tee. More or less, I was thankful that Netflix randomly plopped these two similar works of genius on my lap one after the other.

All Points West Fantasy List

It's kind of absurd to try and even take this and make sense of it, but the All Points West Festival is making my year. With paid vacation and the want and need to see a huge-ass festival in my lifetime, this is the perfect remedy to me having a crap car and not enough money to go to Coachallea and not enough drugs to go to Boneroo (misspelling on purpose.) And although these festivals have, like, 80 bands play at them, I am doing my three day, 10 band each day fantasy draft for what I'd love to attempt to see at this coming festival. We'll check back soon to see what happens.

Night One - Kick It Off Dancing

There is no better way to start a weekend of kick ass jams then to get some sweet ass danceable bands together. I know that they won't seperate the acts by style, but I'm doing this to make it easier to check back and see whats up. Some Techno, some straight up indie pop, some out of left field, but all danceable and kick ass nonetheless.

The day would start off with the indie pop bands that get your juices going, but don't exactly get you full on dancing. I mean, it would be harsh to get started with a punch to the face, so let's loosen you up. Falling into these early sets would be the jaunty yet groovy Tapes N Tapes. With a new album expected out sometime in '08, what better way to showcase your new songs to a huge crowd. More classic, yet also with forthcoming material, Matt Sharp and The Rentals would moog it up to no end in one of what I heard was the best live acts of 2007. Dancing and bouncing around doesn't have to be all light all the time and The Faint could bring their dreary techno pop to the stage to shake up the mood. In the same vein, yet still dynamic enough to change the soundscape of the day could be brought from LCD Soundsystem. Songs like "Get Innocuous!" and "North American Scum" can get your feet ripping it up. Somewhere in this muddled mess would be disco punk kings Electric Six. Only miles away from two venues they frequent often (Maxwell's in Hoboken and The Bowery Ballroom in NYC), there would be no excuse for these guys to play outside. Last in the set of somewhat smaller acts would be all the way from Britain bringing her brand of Marc Bolan techno dream pop would be the sweet sounds of Goldfrapp. A small stage group for such a huge venue, yet fitting the vein of great dance music. The final four acts would be a sonic frenzy. Although with more subdued tracks than the other three here, the french duo Air could cool us off in between sets and with a large catalog of tracks, it would be refreshing to have them play. That being said, two more french duos should join forces on stage and that would be none other than Daft Punk and Justice. They could have a dance-off on stage or just both play sometime during the festival, but it would be kick ass if they dueled. Finally, with all these acts playing, there could be room for callabo onstage. My personal choice for a headliner this year for a dance frenzy would be none other than Beck. He has callaborated with Air in the past and to bring some of those tracks back to life would be kick ass. And if Beck stuck to his guns and played all his more dancy, groove tracks, it would be a psychedelic explosion.

Night Two - Cool It Down, Just A Smidge

Here's the more indie mellow acts I'd love to see and one day of full on acoustic/jammy/whathaveyou stuff would help your legs recover from all the dancing you did night 1.

An act I hear is great live and whose Philly show sold out would be Band of Horses. Just recently I picked up their latest album and it's filled with amazing pop songs. Badly Drawn Boy would be the first overseas import on day two. His live act is quite special and his great folk-pop songs would be a great addition to the day. Hopefully coming to the USA sometime, but what a better way to do it than this would be The Earlies. Their album from last year would bring a large mass of people on stage, but I know that a big show like this would launch them among the indie scene here in the states. Another strange, but intriguing live act would be Panda Bear. Although the album might be next to impossible to carry over live, I'd love to hear it done with a huge mass of people, a throng if you will, singing behind the dreamy vocals. They would be a great segue into Sigur Ros. A great relaxing way to continue the beauty and haze of the same euphoric sound Panda Bear would emit. Yet another band I'd love to see would be Explosions in the Sky. Their grandiose melodic instrumentals would be yet another great addition to the night. The last four acts will kick it up just a notch or two but four acts (with one possible state-side reunion) to play. If Yo La Tengo doesn't make the 25 minute or less drive over from Hoboken to this event, I'd be really really surprised. Lord knows they have been touring a lot lately, but for them not to be there for this would be a travesty. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks would also be nice to see, especially with the new album coming out this early summer. They are touring around here in March sometime, but a little is never enough when it comes to Malkmus. The hard part here is to choose who headlines and who doesn't, but it's clear that Radiohead would be the obvious openers for this kind of show (and they are rumored to already be on board.) However, the most exciting possibility would be the American Reunion show of My Bloody Valentine. Just like other luminaries who have gotten back together in the past and soon to happen (Rage Against the Machine and Portishead respectively) would be the event of the year. Either way, both acts are definitely cream of the crop headlining gold.

Closing Night - Out With a Bang

Ending with an all out Rock assault would be kick-ass, but even in that, this is more of a list of live acts that I have seen in the past and hope to see in the future that I know would be amazing in a festival setting.

Black Mountain is easily the best new rock band out there. The live show would be transcendent at a live festival with lots of people to share in the sonic fury that is their show. They are as close as we can get to new Pink Floyd/Led Zeppelin style songs without those two acts reforming and growing 30 years younger. Autolux is another exciting live act that has new material to showcase. They sound great in small clubs, but I know they would have a decent on stage performance in an outside venue. Earl Greyhound should also be on tap thanks to their Brooklyn residence so good rocking can be spread over the large scale crowd. Even though they lost a guitarist, Secret Machines are still going to have new material and a new guitarist to show off and what better way to do so than here. The Raconteurs were announced for Bonaroo, so they could come to Jersey too and show of some Jack White mayhem. New album again to show off means good chance we will see them. My Morning Jacket is so good live that it's kind of scary so no way would we not want them on the bill. Wilco could slow it down and rock out sometimes before the rest of the evening kicks you in the teeth. One of the most exciting tidbits of news is the fact that Stone Temple Pilots will be touring in 2008. Yet another kick ass reunion could grace this stage in Jersey. Keeping it grunge for the last two acts, I need to see a longer Primus set without a sick Les Claypool. Easily one of the best live shows you can see and their festival friendly attitude would be a kick ass late night foray. Their wouldn't be any better closer than for Pearl Jam to kick it hard on the main stage for the finale. Yet another mammoth live show, this is probably the most kick ass band that could end it. They would do it right, too.

Basically, the headliners should and could be as follows: Beck, Daft Punk, My Bloody Valentine, Radiohead, Pearl Jam and Primus. If even one of these gets into the headliner position, I will be stoked and it looks like Radiohead is a good chance. Jack Johnson is playing a lot of these fests and although I don't know his stuff that well, I can't imagine him being bad live. This is just what I fantasize. A lot of these groups are definite possibilities, but heres hoping even 1/3rd of these guys sign up for it.

My Compass Points West, Sorta, Not Really

Exciting news for music festival fan slackers like myself has been announced recently after the announcement of the Coachella Lineup which boasts a strange three way headlining acts Roger Waters, Portishead and Jack Johnson. The exciting news, however, is that the great state of New Jersey will host the All Points West three day music festival coming August 8 - 10th! What makes this so exciting is the fact that I, a music slacker, can't find value in spending oodles of money on concert tickest and then having to spend more money traveling to Tennessee (Bonaroo) or L.A. (Coachella) or any other ungodly far place to see three days of bands. Now that New Jersey has one at the great Liberty Park (with views of Lady Libs and Ellis Island), there is no way that three of my vacation days will be used to travel up and kick out the jams with some bands I need to see light up the stage. Now, no bands have been announced, but it's safe to assume bands such as Black Mountain, Stephen Malkmus, Autolux, Kraftwerk and the headliners of Coachella could even possibly play this luminous occasion with other visionary bands to be added to make it a lil different then Coachella Even the very slight possibility that My Bloody Valentine could pop up (not even a rumor, but they are getting back together) is exciting.

Check at the website for any possible news at www.apwfestival.com.

YES!

Innovative Popcorn

Making a low budget Blockbuster almost sounds like an Oxy Moron. But when Cloverfield was teased to audiences many months ago, no one knew what was to come. A beheaded Lady Liberty was all we got to see and that was enough to feed the bloggers for some time. Now that it's out there for audiences to eat up, the film is destined to disappoint many people, but on the contrary, Cloverfield is quite the movie going experience. Compared to most blockbusters of it's kind, a paltry $30 million budget is a kick to the shins of films like last summers Transformers or Live Free or Die Hard. It's this that shows what ingenuity and great film making can do.

The Blair Witch Project meets Godzilla is what you get witg Cloverfield. From the point of view of some posh rich kid New Yorkers, we see a city in peril. After a long build of the characters interacting and partying, we abruptly (and the best abrupt launch into action ever) get thrown into the pits of death, destruction and mystery along with the characters on the screen. Lady Liberty's head makes an appearance at the front step of the apartment building, we get a glimpse of what wrathchild is pouncing the city streets of Manhattan. We see all too realistic landmarks topple and dramatic street wars engulf one of America's finest towns.
Although I don't give a whole lot away, it's best to stop reading and go see the movie to read the rest of this post.

Once the action begins, the impressive nature of the hand held direction really takes effect. We get unrelenting up close emotions from our characters that are sometimes hard to watch as their friends get killed, their loved ones get lost and everything falls apart. It's in this that we get some engaging acting from a laundry list of nobody's.

The film is put together quite interestingly. How do you get any back story to the characters without distracting from the kick ass action? Easy. Make the camera holding the infamous tape of footage dubbed over old footage of the main couple's relationship. It's great way to give us literal flashbacks. When they stop the tape to rewind and see what the monster looks like, we flash back to a few weeks earlier and get the back story we need to make the human characters more interesting.

The monster itself is an interesting enigma still even after seeing the film. What most people will be annoyed is with the no resolution ending. We have no idea what happens and if the monster is ever finished off or gets away. We don't even know what really happens to our documentors. They aren't heroes, just unaware documentary filmmakers of a disaster. This leads to even more speculation. There could be endless amounts of "sequels" from different points of view. Could be from the reporters, the military or from people not in NYC watching the footage on television. This anti-resolution is a very bold move especially since this is a big blockbuster. This is going to piss of much of the general public. Knowing that, the film is a thrill ride. A roller coaster of thrills and intense edge-of-your-seat action that is surprising from such a low budget affair.

Best Films of 2007

The year of 2007 had an interesting array of films. Most of which were blockbuster crap, but some of which had a really dark tone and interesting moral messages. A sign of the times? Maybe, but regardless some amazing performances were delivered on the big screen. Here are my favs of the year.

10. Superbad - Easily one of the best comedies of the year, maverick producer Judd Apatow delivers anothe rhit, but this time one that has some heart. What set Superbad aside from other Apotow films this year (Knocked Up, Walk Hard) was it's characters. Face paced, foul mouthed smart asses that are lovable in their nerdiness and pathetic teenage existence lead us through your classic 80's style "into the night" plot line. It's a re-used story, but thanks to the break-out star making performances of Jonah Hill and Michael Cera, we achieve greatness. The supporting cast also boasted side splitting glory. "McLovin" is the year's new favorite character and no one can forget his gallivanting around with two pitiful cops who are just as lame and pathetic as the kids. It's not the kind of pathetic that you don't root for, it's the kind of pathetic that is hilarious and easy to relate to. Oh, and there were just a few dick jokes.

9. Waitress - One of the saddest moments any film fan can go through is hearing one of it's best is murdered in cold blood. Adrienne Shelley, an indie starlet of the 90's and a decent director was murdered in new York before her movie, Waitress, was to be released. Early 2007 it was finally released and a warm and beautiful story of truly American proportions was told, and not in the in-your-face propaganda way. A story of a small town girl getting pregnant by her dead beat husband and taking her anger and indifference out on the situation on pies. It delightful story with a quirky cast and a heart-felt story of triumphing over a situation that you have no control over. Keri Russell stands out more than ever in a very whimsical role as our leading lady and a surprise visit from Andy Griffith adds another touching part to the story. Looking past the sadness that overwhelms the tragedy of Adrienne Shelley's death comes a shining light and a really great film that stood out like a beacon among other movies of muck and mire that liter the film landscape of 2007.

8. Rescue Dawn - I already posted about Werner Herzog's tale of Deiter Dengler and his escape from a Vietnam torture prison. A harrowing journey through the jungles and through the human psyche, herzog gives us another amazing look into the human spirit. Although his documentary Grizzly Man was straight up document, he uses his skills to give a realistic feel to a truly great story. Much the theme of this year's finest films is the fact that the performances drove the story to greatness. As usual, Christian Bale turns in a brilliant performance as Dengler and as usual goes through a physical journey to show the war torn human spirit. Steve Zahn surprises with my pick for best supporting actor of the year. His mental breakdown and outstanding dramatic turn is impressive and one that should be hailed by many. Again, this film will suffer from the "released too early" syndrome that will ultimately make Rescue Dawn a forgotten classic.

7. I'm Not There - As pretentious as it may seem, I'm Not There is a triumphant film going experience. Maybe a little too insider, it's not the tale of Bob Dylan or the story of his life as much as it is the embodiment of his lyrics. This can be seen in the laundry list of impressive artists playing tribute to his songs on the soundtrack. But what makes I'm Not There so good is the fact that director Todd Haynes does justice to the schizophrenic career of the troubadour through a very frantic film style. Different actors playing caricatures of Dylan ranging from the impressive Marcus Carl Franklin as the ramblin' "Woody Guthrie" and the very hilarious pop icon role played by Cate Blanchett. My personal favorite side was portrayed through Heath Ledger and his relationship with Charlotte Gainsbourg showing the most humanistic side of Dylan. The hopeless romantic story between the two is touching and engaging. The early montage love affair set to "I Want You" and the heartbreaking send off with Dylan's Basement Tape version of the titular song are some of the most worthwhile scenes in a film of jaunting beauty. Definitely not for everyone and not really all that great if your looking for your usual story, but that's Dylan for you. "The sky ain't yellow, it's chicken."

6. Grindhouse - Schlock-o-philes Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez diced up one of cinemas most daring experiences this year. A double feature double dip 0f exploitation goodness saturated with hilarious gags, badass action and purposely bad films. was the more standard of the two. A great zombie flick with amazing one-liners and gore galore, the purposely grainy footage and "missing reels" leads to the most laughs. Planet Terror was followed by some fake trailers from Rob Zombie, Eli Roth and Edgar Wright that are some of the funniest moments of the year. Death Proof starts and you either loved it or hated it. Regardless, it's almost nihilistic story of some attractive females cruising around leads into carnage by car. The "Ship's Mast" final car chase is by far one of the most intense stunt's I've seen in years. In the age of CGI, it's nice to see some Mad Max/Vanishing Point style stunts again. Why does this get such a high slot on my list? It was the years most enjoyable time sitting in the theater this year. Side Note: Death Proof wins best Soundtrack for 2007. So Good.

5. Hot Fuzz - The year's best comedy comes in parody form. Mocking Point Break and Bad Boys II sounds like an interesting idea, but adding in the British humor of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and the directing tact of Edgar Wright, a truly amazing slice of comedy was served to moviegoers. Parody films are so terrible this day and age, Hot Fuzz comes as a breath of fresh air. Hilarious sight gags, in your face self-mockery and a plot that you actually enjoy following, it's not just a parody of buddy cop films, but a kick ass buddy cop film in itself. Just like it's predecessor Shaun of the Dead, we get a genre reinvention and an enjoyable one at that. Pegg and Frost are the best on-screen comedic duo since, I don't know, maybe Wilder and Pryor? Maybe way better then they were. Regardless, another amazing moviegoing experience, the kind that reminded me that the best films aren't always the most thought provoking, but are sometimes the most enjoyable. The year's best comedy by far and a total delight. I can't wait for the next Pegg/Frost/Wright mock up, if it is a continuing trend.

4. Zodiac - When I heard a movie about the Zodiac serial killer was coming out from director David Fincher, I immediately thought it would be a rehash of Se7en and be pretty standard. Ye of little faith in the auetuer. Instead of being about the Zodiac killer, it was about three separate lives sucked into the mystery of the murderer and their desperate need to find out who it was. A law man, a newspaper columnist and a newspaper cartoonist search through the shrouds of mystery and through the clues to find out who was killing what seemed to be the most random people. No real patterns and years and years of painstaking work that led all to nothig for a few decades. Three great actors, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr. and Jake Gyllenhaal all bring their A+ game and even with it's long drawn-out narrative, we are right there next to them hoping and praying they find out before they all lose their minds. Brilliant direction, writing and acting make this an easy candidate for the years best. Again, this one will slip by come Oscar time due to it's early January 07 release, but it's an instant classic in the Fincher catalog and possibly his most divergent film to date.

3. No Country for Old Men - The Coens have totally redeemed themselves. In a turn back to their gothic tales of deep, dark America, the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men is a daunting tale of greed. A scorched Texas is the backdrop to the intertwining lives of three men. One lawman, one man in the wrong place at the right time and one sociopath bent on destruction of any living creature he meets. It's a brutal tale, but one that drips with some realism and some monstrous acts. Javier Bardem turns in the most chilling performance as the socipath Chigurh hunting down poor Josh Brolin as Moss. Barely any soundtracking leads to a non stop suspense fest that will leave you chilled to the bone. Such a nihilistic movie is bound to get crap for it's ending, but that's because people might not get the point of what the film is about. The Coen's return to form not only brought them back into the graces of their fans, it also generated easily yet another masterpiece for them. Can someone have more than one masterpiece? Yes.

2. Michael Clayton - Three amazing performances in one film is not something you see all the time yet this year was chock full of them. Although the performances of Clooney, Wilkinson and Swinton were outstanding, the real thrill was seeing writer Tony Gilroy get behind the lens and direct a debut like no other. The tale of a "cleaner" who helps out a corporate law firm turn over when something goes wrong is one of lies, deceit, greed and despair. Besides the story of cover ups and turning over stones to find treachery and other evil deeds, we get into the minds of the characters and see their tortured lives trying to deal with every day life. The plot never wears thin, the characters stay intriguing and the mystery is revealed slowly to us just the way it is to Michael Clayton. This is my pick for the years best original screenplay and I look forward to more from Gilroy behind the lens.

1. There Will Be Blood - P.T. Anderson out does himself with a little help from Daniel Day Lewis in the ears finest film, There Will Be Blood. It's sometimes hard to watch as Daniel Plainview gets more powerful and becomes more greed hungry, his descent into madness is harrowing and visceral. From digging the California soil for oil to wheeling and dealing the locals to "drink up" their oil, Plainview's journey is the years most interesting character. Eli Sunday played by Paul Dano is yet another groundbreaing, career making performance. His preacher is beguiling and scary. The preacher has as much greed in his heart as Plainview and their on screen encounters are the most intense. Music care of Johnny Greenwood should earn the Radiohead vet an oscar nom for Best Score and it should be a dead lock for Lewis and Anderson in their respective categories to take home the gold. Even though the tragic rise to power is hard to watch sometimes, it's not literally hard to watch thanks to the great performances, the intense direction, gorgeous cinematography and bone chilling music, there is no doubt that There Will Be Blood is an instant classic and the best film of 2007.

2007: My Life In Music

Every year, I do a blog post summing up the past year. Since this blog has become less personal in the past few months, this is kind of a sore thumb amongst posts, but tradition is tradition and I can't break most of my nostalgic traditions that I live by.


2007 was a year of status quo. That wasn't a bad thing, but nothing really changed. This was my first full calender year as a non student and although I miss some of the human interactions that institutionalized education gave me, I do NOT miss school. I moved out, I traveled to Italy, L.A. and Pittsburgh, the latter two on my own and I discovered some old bonds are hard to keep, but new friendships and relationships grow all the time.

It wasn't the best year, but it was a decent one. The mix reflects this feeling of longing for something more, but enjoying what you got all the same. Thanks to everyone who was there and thanks to those who dissappeared who and let me get over things. Distance helps sometimes and I think I want it all to stay that way.


Looking ahead to 2008, I see some major overhauls in my life. This is the first year I really think I need to make changes in the way I handle situations and enjoy my life. Being an adult is sweetass and I love it, but I'm ready for the next thing.

Here's the mix. This time, not as self indulgent as my two-discs forays in both the best and worst year of my life to date (2004 & 2005 respectively.)

1. Pete Townshend - Teenage Wasteland (Baba O'Riley Demo from Lifehouse)
2. Arcade Fire - Intervention (Neon Bible)
3. Islands - Rough Gem (Return to the Sea)
4. Dr. Dog - Ain't It Strange (We All Belong)
5. Mott the Hoople - Marionette (The Hoople)
6. Dinosaur Jr. - Back To Your Heart (Beyond)
7. Interpol - Rest My Chemistry (Our Love to Admire)
8. Lemons Are Louder Than Rocks - All My Old Friends (All My Old Friends EP)
9. Warren Zevon - Empty Hearted Town (Preludes)
10. Yo La Tengo - Barnaby, Hardly Working (Fakebook)
11. The Sharp Things - Through With Love (A Moveable Feast)
12. David Bowie - Word on a Wing (Station to Station)
13. Radiohead - Bodysnatchers (In Rainbows)
14. Daft Punk - One More Time (Discovery)
15. Justice - D.A.N.C.E. (Cross)
16. Wilco - Walken (Sky Blue Sky)
17. Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade of Pale (Best Of...)
18. Brian Eno - Everything Merges With the Night (Another Green World)

Onward and Upward in 2008.

Power and Greed

When first hearing about the project There Will Be Blood, there were two names attached to it that equaled instant success: Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis. Two power house eccentric's working together is definitely a recipe for something exciting. It surprises me that the two haven't worked together yet, but here we are in an intense year of dark films with one of (if not) the best film of the year. But more about the match-up later, on to the film itself.

When taking head of the menacing themes of Power and Greed, there is no better place than the early 20th century oil boom. There Will Be Blood shows the rise and rise and the pinnacle of Daniel Plainview. He's an oil man, as he likes to put it many times over. His business man attitude and his "family man" approach to buying up land and drilling for oil to make him and the locals money is impeccable. His success leads him to a lead in a town called Little Boston somewhere in California. His lead was from a young man who sends him to the Sunday Ranch. He meets a young preacher, Eli Sunday, and convinces the town that the oil rig is just what the town needs to make it flourish. In the process, Plainview reels out of control isolating his son, H.W. and any other human contact unless it's about business. It's all about the oil and that leads to his tragic flaw of greed.

Sounds pretty basic, right? It is in a sense that it's your classic story of a power hungry individual hell bent on God status. However, what P.T. Anderson brings here is an unflinching view into the psyche, soul and world of Daniel Plainview. And what Daniel Day Lewis brings to the character is a charged, passionate performance. It's a harrowing journey thats sometimes hard to watch and all the time gripping and impressive. The amount of emotion and energy DDL brings to any character in his sprawling, yet sparse career is impressive. He immerses himself fully into Plainview so much so that you see nothing but Daniel Plainview. His convincing acting is the core to why There Will Be Blood is so great.

This alone does not carry the film. The supporting cast, especially Paul Dano as the young "prophet preacher" Eli Sunday is an impassioned performance all at once tragic and sometimes comical. It shows the weaknesses of his youth and the sheer power that he gains as being seen as a prophet. Greed runs through his veins just as much as it does through Plainview's and their confrontations are the most intense throughout the film. Another standout performance is by newcomer and youngin' Dillon Freasier who plays H.W. Plainview, the young cherub son and "business partner" of Daniel's. Their relationship changes dramatically through the events of the entire film making it one of those dynamic points to the film. It stands out and stays with you throughout the movie even when H.W. is not on the screen.

P.T. Anderson nails the rest of the film with brilliant cinematography care of Robert Elswit (who also worked on Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love and other various films) hits home with fluid cameras, intense mood canges with lighting and other effects that catch the eye. To take care of the soundtrack is Radiohead vet Johnny Greenwood. The score is just as intense as the visuals making the overall experience gripping and solidifying the images on the screen. Hair raising intense strings and percussion syncopate with what the action of the film is portraying showing the harsh landscapes of early oil drilling.

Overall, There Will Be Blood will be the best dramatic film you can see this year. I have yet to see some other top contenders for the prize, but overall, the experience P.T. Anderson and Daniel Day Lewis bring to the table is gold. Black gold, maybe, but gold nonetheless.

Flying Under the Radar

This year has been filled with some memorable movie moments. From No Country for Old Men to Michael Clayton to Hot Fuzz, we've seen some great screen gems. There are always a few great films that fly under the radar and never get noticed. As I have yet to see everything considered in most top lists, I don't know what the best movie of the year is going to be. However, I do know that a certain film flew under the radar of most critics lists and deserves a fair shot as one of 2007's best films.

The film in question is Werner Herzog's Rescue Dawn. The true story of Deiter Dengler, a German American pilot during the Vietnam War, is a riveting, harrowing and uplifting tale of survival. The story takes place early in the Vietnam Conflict when most people wouldn't have expected it would turn into a full scale war. The mission was top secret and Dengler was shot down somewhere over Laos. His capture leads to a trek through the jungle, torture and then imprisonment. His is held with only a few other hostages, two other Americans and three south Vietnemse. With the help of Dengler, they are able to escape the camp, but then are on the run from the Viet Cong, the elements and even friendly fire. The harsh Jungle is the biggest threat to the saftey of Dengler, yet through a miracle and through his ingenuity, he is able to get rescued and become a hero to many other Vietnam pilots.

Christian Bale fills the role of Deiter Dengler and, as usual, brings his A game. Throught the film, he slowly gets thinner, shaggier and more convincing in the role of an imprisoned man. Another challenging role for the actor, he doesn't miss a beat nailing the performance of a man who would not give up on his life.

The surprise joy of this film comes in the performance given by Steve Zahn. Yes, that Steve Zahn. He plays another military pilot named Duane Martin and immediately becomes a friend of Dengler. Zahn approaches his role with that borderline shell shocked attitude that so many Vietnam Vets came home with, but it comes off convincing and authentic rather than goofy or inappropriate. The relationship between Dengler and Martin is one of the films finest touches.

The other triumph is the cinematography. The wild and dangerous jungle of Laos and Vietnam is captured in all it's untouched beauty. The dangerous and safegaurds of the jungle are used to the advantage of the characters and the scenes of transit through the jungle are beautifully shot. Werner Herzog's documentary work in the past gives this feel a realistic vision which makes the story all the more riveting and exciting.

Amongst one of many movies that will be forgotten this year in the awards race, Rescue Dawn has a lot to offer. An emotional and engaging story, interesting characters with realistic struggles and gorgeous cinematography leads to one of the best film performances of the year.

Sci-Fi Noir

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the darkness at Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain...Time to die."

With a little help from a new and improved final cut, Blade Runner has the chance at impacting another generation of minds. With it's utterly impressive ahead-of-its-time special effects, brilliant screenplay and stand-out performances, it's no surprise that Blade Runner is one of the greatest films in Hollywood history.

A bumpy first release of Blade Runner will forever plague it's brilliance. Originally released in 1982 with a dense, overbearing voice over by Rick Deckard and a crappy tacked on ending, Ridley Scott quickly was unhappy with the way his film was released. A few years later, he released a Director's cut which polished it up, took away the crappy ending and voice over and was considered the definitive edition. Now in theaters for a short time and on an intense 5 disc collector's series, the "Final Cut" is being released. The Final Cut only polishes the film more making the transitions clearer, the effects sharper and some small differences that even most fans can't tell.

Why re-release Blade Runner now? That's what I'm thinking. It may be the 25th Anniversary of the film's original release, but it might be because the dystopian epic is just as relevant today is it was in the 80's during the technology revolution and the impending doom of the Cold War.

For those unaware, the film is based (only loosely) on Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. The film takes place in the future. A race of Artificial Intelligence known as Replicants were created basically as Slave labor on outer world colonies. These replicants start an uprising as they have some emotive responses and are almost human. A group of replicants escape their slavery and head back to earth, which is illegal. Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is a Blade Runner taken in to hunt down the replicants and "retire" them before they can cause any harm. The plot runs thicker when a new model of Replicant is able to have memories, true human emotions and even learn their own emotive responses. This poses interesting ethical issues and shows the danger that replicants can now face.

There is a lot more to it, but delving much further is unnecessary in this post as it would give away what's so special about Blade Runner. The most important thing in this film is it's central characters. Deckard, modeled after your typical noir anit-hero is brilliantly played by Harrison Ford. He gives the character a strange demeanor that shows a dark past and an interesting question that fans have wanted to know for years. It's these kinds of roles that really show the true extent of Ford's ability as an actor. Usually getting these brute, tough-guy roles would type cast the actor (Han Solo, Indiana Jones, etc.) but Deckard has a lot more going on beneath his tough guy attitude that makes it a truly unique performance.

The real acting triumph is in the demonic/heroic Roy Batty. Rutger Hauer, a fallen angel of sorts, poured more than everything into this role making it one of the most stirring and brilliant performances, if not the best, of his career. Batty has the kind of scary maliciousness that offers not only an edge of your seat villain, but in the long run, a sympathetic hero for the replicants. His goal is to extend his life and that of his four comrades. Isn't it the goal of every human to live as long as they can? With only a four year lifespan, it's harder for a replicant. This sympathetic side shows true depth to these characters.

Edward James Olmos plays the most strange and elusive character in the entire film. His brilliant line "It's too bad she won't live! But then again, who does?" is the whole point of the film. More existential then most would assume, Blade Runner is a film ahead of the pack. It's an action sci-fi film with film noir elements and a deep subtext about identity, life and the struggle to stay alive. The Final Cut of Blade Runner is a great big-screen experience and a fantastic classic that deserves a new generation of fans.

Top Albums of 2007

Although this is mostly a movie blog, I do however do this every year at the end of the year. Although there are a few weeks left, I'm going to say that nothign can top the ten albums that I will put on hear (that I can forsee.) If something brilliant comes along, I will add that as an addendum to this post another day.... if you care. So here are the ten best albums of 2007.

10. Radiohead - In Rainbows - Although overall slightly not what I was expecting, Radiohead's ambitious and somewhat groundbreaking In Rainbows makes the list. Not jsut for it's over hyped online for "whatever price you want" without a label "gimmick", but because it's Radiohead as a cohesive, audible band again. Not that Kid A, Amnesiac and Hail to the Theif are bad, but it's nice to hear Johnny Greenwood's guitar again. Songs like "Bodysnatchers" show us that Radiohead can rock out and be brooding at the same time. The re-recording of "Nude" is a beautiful arrangement of ambience, orchestration and simplicity that was missing from Radiohead in past efforts. It's a beautiful album of great songs. I can't wait for the Disc Box which is en route. This will make it even more of a contender for this list as a bonus disc of tracks as well as album art will make the In Rainbows experience more worth while.

9. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible - Following up one of the best debut albums in the past 10 years is tough, but Arcade Fire has done a decent job of side-stepping the Sophmore Slump. Not much has changed in the style of arrangements and the array of instrumentation we heard on Funeral, but Neon Bible still stands out as a sequel to their Baroque Pop sounds. Pipe Organs, orchestras, grandiose harmonies and piano driven songs are the backbone of the album. The lyrics are as romantic and epic as in the first album and Win and Regine take the helm at the vocals adding the flair of mixing it up. Losing their sense of urgency and with more of a brooding overtone, Arcade Fire strikes a bit darker than it's predocessor. "Black Mirror" points in the direction of where the album takes you, the two-part "Black Wave/ Bad Vibrations" shows the many facets included in the album in one song and "Intervention" stands as the albums full on Baroque Prog epic with booming organs that sound from a time long lost. Overall, the album stays true to what we would expect from Arcade Fire and is a good new full-length entry in what is hopefully a fruitful career.

8. Pelican - City of Echoes - A lot of friends of mine were talking about this band early in the year and so I went on the search for Pelican's City of Echoes. Once I found it, which I got in conjunction with a compilation with another Pelican song on it, I immediately heard what everyone was talking about. Although not their debut (that was a self titled EP in 2001), this is a perfect disc to get into a great rock band. One thing to note to thsoe who may be unfimiliar with Pelican as I was pre-summertime: this is an instrumental band. Think Explosions in the Sky or Mogwai, but harder at times. The songs are thought provoking workouts in both heavy rock and calm instrumentation. The crafty guitar playing and intricate beats set up bring the listener into a world of strange beauty. The songs elucidate a truly gratifying feeling inside. The disc kicks off right with "Bliss in Concrete" and this melodic metal (if you can call it that) sprawls over the next few tracks giving way to the acoustic and organic "Winds with Hands." Picking up the kick of the first few tracks is the traumatizingly hypnotic "Dead Between the Walls." All the grandiose epic rocking leads to the cathartic and calm track "A Delicate Sense of Balance." leaving you cooled, refreshed and ready to start the album over again.

7. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky - Back to it's roots, Wilco's Sky Blue Sky is a meditative reflection for Jeff Tweedy and Co. Less of it's drug addled jamming and more straight-from-the-heart lyrics than their last two efforts, this album is a beautiful reflection peice in the vein of most tracks off of Being There. When the songs do jam out, their is no heavy distortion or ambience filling in the holes, it's just the band as is without all the frills attached and over production. Keeping it simple, Tweedy's lyrics are more of the centerpiece than the overall experience of the songs. Songs like "Sky Blue Sky" and "Please Be Patient With Me" are the albums most straightforward tracks. "Impossible Germany" and "Side With The Seeds" are the most jamtastic tracks teh album sees, but again the simple straightforward guitar work tells the tale and fills the space. "Walken" is the happiest tune on the album making one feel glad to be alive while "Hate It Here" is a heartbreaking anthem with a misleadingly catchy jaunt to it. Overall, Wilco can't go wrong writing good songs the make you feel all sorts of emotions. The real triumph is in it's simplicity.

6. Vietnam - The self titled debut from Vietnam is the kind of album that is labeled retro or throwback before giving it a chance. Not that being retro or throwback is a bad thing, but it's definitely worth setting aside all the similarities to electric Dylan and other electrif folk and blues bands out there. That being said, it's best to describe this as a classic late-60's revolution rock group. If there is any time that resembles the 60's, it's our current state of affairs. Although the innocence of the 60's is gone, the sound of it's musical revolution is clearly still impacful on new groups today. Vietnam packs in some epic classic rock, tongue twisting Dylanesque poems and reverb-tastic guitar work. Vietnam also packed a brilliant punch live when they opened for The Lemonheads late in '06. At that point, they just had an EP, but the self titled release shows the promise of good old American Rock and Roll to come. "Step On Inside" is the perfect mission statement with it's gospel choir style harmonies and building music. "Priest, Poet and Pig" is where you get your biggest slab of Dylanesque storytelling where "Mr. Goldfinger" shows their more tongue in cheek social conscience peering through the reverb. Listening to these tracks is a refreshing reminder that straightforward songwriting and rocking is no longer a thing of the past.

5. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away - One indie rock band that has yet to dissapoint (minus there cult success after the lackluster movie Garden State sent them into somewhat-super stardom) is The Shins. With their third album, although overall not a huge leap forward, there is something about Wincing The Night Away that shows growth, development and adding sleek production to the table. With songs about the lead singers insomnia (hence the album title and the first track "Sleeping Lessons") we get a dreamscape of melodies and lush lyrics that resonate much like the tracks off of Chutes Too Narrow. The dreamy melodies are enchanting and altogether soothing. The songs jumpiest anthem, "Australia", is easily one of the best songs of '07 with it's danceable beat and groovy melodies. "Sea Legs" and "Split Needles" both have a jaunty aura stretching the mold of sounds that The Shins have done in the past and what they are doing currently. "Red Rabbits" is more ethereal with a strange ambient feel to it, but still shining it's bright pop music light on the listeners ears. Wincing the Night Away is another stellar outing for The Shins who seem to be one of this decades finest indie rock bands.

4. The Earlies - The Enemy Chorus- When whittling away the last four albums of the year, it was hard for me to rank them. In my interim best of 07 list mid-year, The Earlies wound up at #1. But with the release, discovery and overall aesthetic, they dropped a few spots still within the top five. That being said, nothing is wrong with this album. If anything, everything is right with it. A great spectical and fanfare of psychedelia is ladeled over Beach Boy style harmonies and frenzied orchestrations. With a variety of songs, this album has some of the best pacing on an album like any good concept album should. Kicking off with the frenzied "No Love In Our Hearts" and plowing through several frantic tracks, the listener is sucked into the world the Earlies have created. The pace slows with the beautiful ballad "The Ground We Walk On" and gets a brooding outlook on both my personal favorite "Bad is as Bad Does" and the instrumental "Gone for the Most Part" only to burst back triumphantly with the horn driven "Foundation and Earth." Quite the listening experience overall, The Enemy Chorus will bring forth images of granduer and of a foreign world.

3. Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55 - This is gorgeosity manifested in audio. With the french duo Air taking care of the music, Jarvis Cocker and Neil Hannon covering the poetry and Nigel Goodrich helming the project by producing it, Charlotte Gainsbourg's first effort since she was 13-years old, 5:55 is a triumphant pop record. Charlotte's voice is a soothing, sultry and innocent tone that is enrapturing. As usual, Air creates gorgeous arrangements that float through the atmosphere that they create. The lyrics are truly wonderful love songs of love lost and found or strained. "The Operation" has some of the strangest imagery for a love song making it utterly unique and beautiful at the same time. The singles "5:55" and "The Songs That We Sing" are that kind of radio friendly songs that you will never hear on th radio. "Tel Que Tu Es" is the only track in Charlotte's native tongue and "Beauty Mark" is a lullaby for the ages. The standout track from this album is far and away the passionate "Everything I Cannot See." The exassperation in Charlotte's delivery matches the fragile notes pounded out on the piano. It's to be noted that Air released their album Pocket Symphony this year as well, however, it seems their finest work was put into this project, one that hopefully will spawn more works of staggering beauty.

2. Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond - The comback of the year lies within the fossil restructuring of Dinosaur Jr.'s original lineup. J Masics, Barlow and Murph reunite for the furiously amazing Beyond, an album crystallized in the amber of late 80's grunge. Although more polished and less sludgey than their earlier works, Beyond most resembles the trios first few albums, namely their masterpiece (up to this point) You're Living All Over Me. 22 years since the original line-up recorded and 10 years since the Dinosaur Jr. name walked the earth, Beyond acts as if they never left or ever ceased to be a cohesive entity. From the opening licks of "Almost Ready" to the closing fury of "What if I Knew", we see the remergence of Dinosaur Jr. as a viable rock band and hopefully one that will continue to sludge forth. Barlow's "Back to Your Heart" reeks of flannel, ripped jeans and stage diving. The sound of a youth of yesterday that still rigns true today is a refreshing feel. It's also strange to realize the fact that the sound of this album is now 20 years old. Weird. My choice for best song of 2007 comes in "Pick Me Up", a 6 minute anthem of epic proportions which has the structure of genius and guitar licks to peirce the ears when fully blasted, but to be fully appreciated by anyone walking down the street when your car windows are rolled down and the song is playing at maximum velocity. It's good to have an old favorite back, and their live show is one to be rivaled by any other band out there.

1. Justice - † - And here it is, the numero uno, the surprise of the year. The French Duo, Justice, was first discovered by myself on the Death From Above 1979 remix album Romance Bloody Romance. Their version of "Blood on Our Hands" was hypnotic and primal. It was danceable and brutal. It led me to search far and wide for anything and everything else they did. I stumbled upon †, or Cross if you will, at the beginning of the summer and immediately was entranced by it's gorgeous rollicking techno. It was a mechanical techno that wasn't afraid to bear it's fangs and bite into your ear drums with pulsating beats and fantastic melodies. If it weren't for the seamless dance epic it is, Cross would not be as high on this list. What makes Justice brilliant here is it's one long epic dance fest. Where Girl Talk drops the ball and just has a gimmicky feel of mixing tones of songs to create one dense track, Justice creates all original licks with a few samples here and there to create the sexiest atmosphere on record in 2007. From it's opening fanfare on "Genesis" to the frantic nature of "Let There Be Light" and into the radio friendly and utterly remixable "D.A.N.C.E.", we have a frenzied first three tracks with seamless goodness. French techno diva Uffie makes a guest appearance on "TTHHEE PPAARRTTYY" for the albums late in the game mission statement and the duo of "Phantom" and "Phantom Pt. 2" give the album it's most enjoyable one-two punch. All in all, a genre not taken too seriously, and yet maybe a little too seriously at times, Justice's Cross is anything but a burden, except maybe to your whole body after so much dancing. Their tour this year was also a sick delight of mixing the best worlds of the album and a live performance.

American Gothic

When it comes to the dark side of Americana in cinema, no one captures the essence of America like the Coen Brothers do. In their latest American Gothic tale, the Cormac McCarthy adaptation of No Country For Old Men, many facets of American life are focused on. Beyond this, a mesmerizing tale of brutal violence is told through three amazing characters. It's not often a director (in this case, brothers) can come back form a hiatus and make yet another masterpiece.

The Coen Brothers have somewhat fallen by the wayside with their last few efforts. The disappointing remake of The Ladykillers and the lackluster Intolerable Cruelty were tough films to watch from a reliable source. The days of Fargo, The Big Lebowski and Raising Arizona seemed to be in the distant past. Lucky for us, with great source material came greatness on the screen. No Country For Old Men, which has similar themes to Fargo, is an amazingly riveting addition to the Coen Brothers repertoire.

The story begins as Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) stumbles upon a massacre along the border of Texas and Mexico. He finds a large amount of Heroin and a satchel filled with $2.4 million dollars amongst the bullet riddled bodies. Here in lies the main point of many conflicts. When someone finds that much money, you know someone else has to be looking for it. Enter Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), the "ghost" who has no moral compass, no soul and is armed with an industrial cattle prod and a shotgun with a silencer. Anyone who lays eyes on him is dead shortly thereafter. Hot on his trail is Sherriff Ed Campbell (Tommy Lee Jones.) He's your typical southern law man. Quick on his toes, smart, funny and a man of the people. He echoes the heroes of the old west with one difference: he's on his last legs as a lawman and hanging up his gun. Needless to say, the murderous rampaging of Chigurh.

The film takes an amazing approach to suspense. The stark, fiery landscapes are veiled in a soundless expanse. Unlike many thrillers, suspense is built in close to total silence. The lack of a soundtrack may have been the best move. No string arrangements were necessary to keep you on the edge of your seat and watching your back.

The three lead performances were incredible. Josh Brolin, who before now I would never peg as anything more than the older brother from The Gooines, plays his 'Nam Vet with a cool, calm and collected atmosphere. Although his character is flawed, he is the kind of tragic hero that you just can't help but like. There is something dark about him, but you can't but help to route for him throughout.

Tommy Lee Jones puts together yet another great performance. His character is very similar to the one he played in his directorial debut The Three Burials of Malquiedas Estrada (check out me Neo-Western post for more on that fabulous film.) His character is the moral epicenter of the film, which without him would show a world without heroes or people with morals. It's a good balance between Moss and Chigurh.

And now onto Javier Bardem. When I think of purest evil, this will now be the face, voice and overall demeanor I want to see. Forget Darth Vader. Forget Hannibal Lector. Forget the Devil himself. Anton Chigurh has no moral compass, no regard for any human life (minus children surprisingly) and a strange set of principles that he has to live by. Literally putting lives up to the toss of dime and killing anyone who lays eyes on him put with a few unexplained exceptions (children and those who win the coin toss) is a chilling attribute that makes him one of the greatest movie villains you will ever encounter. His little boy haircut, his pressurized cattle prod and his blank stare are enough to leave you on the edge of your seat.

With a film of this caliber and this amount of excellent acting, not to mention superb cinematography, this is sure to be one of those movies you can't forget and hopefully one of those moveis that goes on to acheive great awards and legendary status.

Wholphins Can('t) Suck It!

Thanks to a friend's brother, I was introduced to an amazing Film Magazine (of sorts) released by McSweeny's. Entitled Wolhpin, most of the films collected on these DVD magazines are rare or unseen shorts by some of today's best directors and older unseen footage. Basically just like McSweeny's started as a magazine for rejected works of literature, these are rejected or unseen works of filmmaking. With the likes of Spike Jonze, Bob Odenkirk, Steven Soderbergh and many more, these itneresting peices of filmmaking definitely show that Wholphin is something any art student/film nerd is going to want/need in their veins.



I was able to see most of volume one and parts of three and I have picked out a few to talk about here, but these are best watched and discussed by many. I highly recommened everyone who reads this to check it out.



1. Untitled Al Gore Doc~ Spike Jonze- On Wholphiun Vol. 1, a documentary that should have been released when it was made shows the amazing contrast side of Al Gore during his campaign in 1999. Spike Jonze invades a weekend visit with the Gore family and shows a soft, loose side of the man who came off as a stiff loser during the 2000 election. He makes great statements about his campaing that I don't remember hearing and he shows that he's more human than robot. Definitely an awesome 13 minute doc.


2. Tactical Advantage- Seriously, this is my vision of God. I hope he is like this and I hope heaven is like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMsFxixTuu0


3. The Big Empty ~ Lisa Chang and Newton Thomas Siegel (2005) - This is a fantastic short about a woman and her big, empty vagina. Yes, her empty Vagina, folks. It's Hartley meets Allen meets Vonnegut. A beautifuly love story and cinematic eye candy. Selma Blair has never been so good.


4. The Writer ~ Carson Mell (Animated) A hilarious look into the mind of a Writer and what makes him tick. I think this one is on his website. http://www.carsonmell.com/

Once I get the DVD's, I will host a viewing of these great shorts.