Eno as Genre

So I wrote this for the Collegian for this weeks issue and it reads more like one of my ranty blogs, so I decided since I'm proud of it to a certain extent that I'd post it here as well. Basically the commentary mag page was about genre so I decided to invent one by looking at the stuff Brian Eno has produced, written, recorded and how he became... well read it and see what you think. This is also unedited, so it is probably riddled with errors. So for more concise and polished reading, check out this weeks Leeg.

Musical genres sometimes alienate the listener from the artist. When an artist somehow transcends the status of being an artist and becomes a genre, sometimes the music is no longer the focal point but the person behind it is. Many producers of music have become genres in themselves, and one of the most influential and purely addictive genres is what I call Eno. Brian Eno, an original member of Roxy Music turned solo artist turned producer transcended the sounds of the ’70s progressive, glam and avante-garde scene. These three genres molded into one becoming the genre of Eno.

It all started with Roxy Music, a glam band of the early ’70s hailing from Great Britain. The band’s unconvential sound, mixing horns, synthesizers and elaborate vocal arrangements were the springboard for Eno to pounce what could be done with popular music. Bending and twisting the sounds of his synthesizers, he made instruments make the noise of some different realm that no one else had ever heard. Roxy’s album For Your Pleasure is the first truly Eno album.

Brian Eno was not the only artist to be affected by his new approach to music making. Many of the greatest artists of the early ’70s sought out collaboration with the man. Robert Fripp of King Crimson would create an album of instrumental genius entitled No Pussyfooting that pointed at the direction Eno would take his later ambient music career. Mixing the sounds of Fripp’s guitar work and Eno’s pop music mentality, Eno recorded early solo albums that evolved the sounds into shorter pop songs that pointed towards the future of music. His first solo album Here Come the Warm Jets released in 1974took some of the feel of his work with Fripp and blended it with his experience in Roxy Music for a new pop sound that was far ahead of anything else that was being produced during this time.

With Eno behind the board of a production, an album would be sucked into his mind and warped into a masterpiece for some latter day ’70s artists. Notably first was David Bowie’s album Low which has instrumentals and short catchy fast-paced synth and guitar driven songs. The second half of the album takes on the darker ambient soundscapes the Eno would produce later in his career. He would also go on to produce Bowie’s albums Heroes and Lodger. The song “Heroes” itself has many Eno moments in it. The thing with his producing was not that he took over the music; rather he influenced the artist to take some of his thoughts on music and infuse it with their style. This made the late ’70s Bowie albums different from his early works, but very complex and beautiful albums that pointed to the future of music.

Possibly the best of the Eno genre were the three albums Brian Eno produced for the Talking Heads. Starting with More Songs About Buildings and Food and ending with the magnum opus of Remain in Light, the repeating sounds, howling instruments and third-world beats came together to create pop music with a smart edge. With David Byrne, Eno found a like-minded genius who loved pop music and new musical territory. Songs like “Once in a Lifetime” by the Talking Heads are another sound that Eno influenced. For an adventurous listener, checking out Byrne and Eno’s My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, you will get an advanced taste of their two backgrounds in an album that broke musical boundaries.

Saying all this shows how several artists were affected by a single person. Much like Phil Spector in the ’60s, Brian Eno created a sound for the ’70s that was ahead of its time and moved music into new territory. Bands of the ’90s and today take after the ideals of what Eno pushed in music. The band My Bloody Valentine’s album Loveless has the ethereal feel of an Eno album. Bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor! would take the ambient sound of Eno’s career and make albums that took after what Eno did with ambience. Radiohead and Grandaddy albums take a page of Eno’s sense of pop music mentality and futuristic sounds and themes to make accessible smart pop rock. Listen to Radiohead’s Kid A and Eno’s Another Green World and you will see what I mean.

Brian Eno became a genre by influencing music with his ideas. Although not fully mainstream, his function as artist and producer in the ’70s has made his music identifiable through specific sounds and styles. Artists that became bigger than his own solo work took on the elements of what he was doing with sound and instruments. Genre is defined by style and sound when it comes to music. Brian Eno has definitely transcended the gap between a genre label and his own artistry by becoming a genre in himself.

Wiggle your big toe

I made my African Night Flight today. Well, it was more like Noon flight, but still. I left the house for the first time in several weeks. I realized a few things, however.

1. Atrophy can happen to you. Walking sucked. It felt like the string in my leg was broken (let's see who can get this refrence first.) It's really to be expected that this would happen since several weeks of no activity besides watching movies and writing boring blogs on the computer and reading will not stimulate the leg muscles. It is really hard to walk around. And I don't like that since I am feeling better today (although at this later hour, as usual, my throat hurts more than during the day.)

2. Driving was an adventure. I haven't been behind the wheel in a month, so I forgot how the car took the gas from the car I was driving. It felt sluggish like every part of my being. I was actually scared I would crash the car at first, but after a minute I was fine. But I was actually freaked at how that long without driving effected my skills behind the wheel.

3. Fatigue is finally setting in. Although I haven't slept in the while, I finally feel the need that sleep will soon take over the essence of my being. It will be sucky because I will be freed from this metaphysical jail, but at the same time be stuck to going to bed massively early and not wanting to wake up.

4. I have way too much work to catch up on. It seems like I've had a four week vacation, but this damn illness makes it extremely hard to concentrate on anything. So that sucks.

5. It was good to be out of the house and with great friends. Thanks to Danno, Dr. Carey, Simon, Stev, Kevner, Norlax, Lindsey and Jeanne for making today a raucous good time of Apples to Apples (I still think the Philosophy of Winning the Lottery was the best there) and 10 dollar tourney (so far I'm on my third tourney win in a row, so my downfall will be soon... but money enough to pay my Built to Spill ticket AND reclaim my spending for the day was nice.) Seriously, you guys don't know how good it was to be out and with you. Seriously, thanks.

6. I miss the Collegian and School and Internship and Life. After my doctors visit, we will see if my long awaited return is finally a welcoming one. Although, I have a lot of shite for Monday that I am not ready for. (Esp. Bro G. midterm... I'm going to beg for a few days time for that one.) Here's to coming back, but also getting my work done. Tomorrow I will write my Droppliger paper and read as much of Straight Man as I can.

So thanks to everyone who made my African Night Flight possible. It was a worthy time.

P.S.- Smarch Madness is more or less over for me. Illinois is out. Tennessee is out. Luckily my Oakland Bracket is pristine (minus my fuck up with having Bradley on paper, but not on ESPN.com [Can I explain to you the difference... between digital and analog bracketology?]) So here's to not winning like I predicted. It's still early, but I sincerely doubt my commitment to Sparkle Madness.

Destroy all rational thought

Bill Lee: I understood writing could be dangerous. I didn't realize the danger came from the machinery.

David Cronenberg ceases to amaze me with his talent for filming things that are strange, yet meaningful. Taken from the William S. Burrough's novel and from biographical events in his life Naked Lunch is a film that transcends adaptation and biography. Taking events from the novel and events from Burrough's life, the film takes on mystique of trying to figure out reality and the other world in which the drug-abusing Bill Lee lives. What is real? What is in his head? What parts of the talking typewriter bugs are actually there? It's a really bizzarre film that leaves you questioning what is going on. But that's what makes it great. It's like Videodrome where nothing can be trusted, yet everything should be seen as real. Cronenberg loves these topics. Even A History of Violence takes on the topics of what is real and what is not (although in a much more basic and realistic way.) Where Naked Lunch shines among Cronenberg's films (probably second only to Videodrome for me) is in its effects and its ability to make the fantasy elements of the story come to life. I really miss the days where effects came from tangible things rather than CGI. The bug typewriters, although obviously not real, seem more realistic than if it were done today with a computer. The mugwumps too look much better as animtronic or puppets or whatever you want to call them. You know its a film and its not real, but it looks better than Jar-Jar Binks, which is basically the same exact creature. Another thing Cronenberg loves is the idea of the mechanical. In Videodrome, the camera and television were extensions of the body, so much so that the one character could only appear through VHS tape on a television screen. In Naked Lunch it was the was the typewriter that was the extension of the mind. Writing took over the body so much so that the typewriters came alive. Naked Lunch is hard to talk about unless you are in a group of people who have witnessed it. It's just flat-out bizzarre. And I love it for that. Here is a monologue that is actually verbatim from the novel, but you have to love Peter Wellers delivery of these lines.

Bill Lee: Did I ever tell you about the man who taught his ass to talk? His whole abdomen would move up and down, you dig, farting out the words. It was unlike anything I had ever heard. This ass talk had sort of a gut frequency. It hit you right down there like you gotta go. You know when the old colon gives you the elbow and it feels sorta cold inside, and you know all you have to do is turn loose? Well this talking hit you right down there, a bubbly, thick stagnant sound, a sound you could smell. This man worked for a carnival you dig, and to start with it was like a novelty ventri-liquist act. Real funny, too, at first. He had a number he called The Better Ole that was a scream, I tell you. I forget most of it but it was clever. Like, "Oh I say, are you still down there, old thing?" "Nah I had to go relieve myself." After a while the ass start talking on its own. He would go in without anything prepared and his ass would ad-lib and toss the gags back at him every time. Then it developed sort of teeth-like little raspy in-curving hooks and start eating. He thought this was cute at first and built an act around it, but the asshole would eat its way through his pants and start talking on the street, shouting out it wanted equal rights. It would get drunk, too, and have crying jags nobody loved it and it wanted to be kissed same as any other mouth. Finally it talked all the time day and night, you could hear him for blocks screaming at it to shut up, and beating it with his fist, and sticking candles up it, but nothing did any good and the asshole said to him Its you who will shut up in the end. Not me. Because we dont need you around here any more. I can talk and eat AND shit. After that he began waking up in the morning with a transparent jelly like a tadpoles tail all over his mouth. This jelly was what the scientists call un-D.T., Undifferentiated Tissue, which can grow into any kind of flesh on the human body. He would tear it off his mouth and the pieces would stick to his hands like burning gasoline jelly and grow there, grow anywhere on him a glob of it fell. So finally his mouth sealed over, and the whole head would have have amputated spontaneous - except for the EYES you dig. Thats one thing the asshole COULDN'T do was see. It needed the eyes. But nerve connections were blocked and infiltrated and atrophied so the brain couldnt give orders any more. It was trapped in the skull, sealed off. For a while you could see the silent, helpless suffer-ing of the brain behind the eyes, then finally the brain must have died, because the eyes WENT OUT, and there was no more feeling in them than a crabs eyes on the end of a stalk.

Definitely a must see film. Just be prepared for something rediculous and out there. Again, along with La Dolce Vita, it's not your popcorn flick; you need to use your mind. Also, popcorn might not be good since it is gross at many times.

Smarch Madness, Baby!

I used to actually watch TV a lot. I even liked sports so much that I had teams! Football was Michigan, Hoops was Syracuse (Orange Men?) and I loved watching bits and peices of NCAA March Madness (agreeing with Lazor that it's the best sporting on TV...so intense!)

Anyway, I rehashed my love for it and have done a bracket this year. It started already and I picked 4 right and 3 wrong thus far (suck) but luckily my teams that I have going semi-far and some of my good upsets have won. So here are my Elite 8, Final 4, Champ game and the winner.

Elite 8:
Duke vs. Texas
Pitt vs. UCLA
Illinois vs. Tennessee
Florida vs. Boston College

Luckily today in a super exciting game, Boston College eeked out a win in double overtime. I believe Florida won close too. Tennessee wooped I believe. Regardless, I have them right in this first round.

Final 4:
Duke vs. UCLA
Illinois vs. Florida

Championship:
Duke vs Illinois

Orignally on paper, I had UCLA, but on the online dealy, I friggin put Duke, so I am stuck with my enemy there, but thats not such a bad thing since they have a damn good team... that said...

COME ON FEEL THE ILLINOISE, PEOPLE!
I'm channeling my inner Sufjan Stevens, John Wayne Gacy (Jr.) and such for this one. I doubt it, but they got robbed last year. They had a damn good team. Now it seems unlikely, but who knows. Fuck Duke.

Anyway, the games today were really intense. Esp. Boston and Pacific. I just watched Alabama vs. Marqutte game which was an upset choice by me. It was uber close until the last 15 seconds or so when Bama rocked it out to move on.

I don't plan on winning this pool, but it's damn fun to watch. I've spent 10 bucks well. And hey, we have more than 15 people playing, so if they do placements, I'll shoot for Bronze if I end up doing better than I am right now. Luckily the ones I chose wrong were upsets I didn't do and the ones who beat them don't really move on past the next round on my brackets. So there!

PS- After I finish my homework of writing a craptastic Brother Gerry paper, I will be finishing Naked Lunch which I watched half of today. Gotta love that insane Cronenberg. Genius!

Director's List (still a nerd, still sick)

I love film. Duh. I decided since I can't focus on Neo-Nazi's or studies on Violence in media right now, I decided to do this. A nice list of my favorite directors. It's large. And I'm still sick so its really ranty. But, I need to pass the time and I want people to read this and leave me nice comments so it gives me something to do while I'm still laid up. So here are my top 20 (with the top ten getting write ups) directors of all time. These are the people I look up to when looking into the film business.

20. Fernando Meirelles (City of God, Constant Gardener)
19. Peter Weir- (Witness, Dead Poets Society, The Truman Show)
18. Terry Gilliam- (Brazil, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 12 Monkeys)
17. Darren Aronofsky- (Pi, Requiem for a Dream)
16. David Cronenberg- (Scanners, Videodrome, A History of Violence)
15. David Lynch- (Elephant Man, Lost Highway, Mullholond Drive)
14. Spike Lee- (Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X, 25th Hour)
13. Jim Jaramusch- (Down By Law, Dead Man, Broken Flowers)
12. Christopher Nolan- (Following, Memento, Batman Begins)
11. Spike Jonze- (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation.)

Just some notes on these guys up here. We will see a new Lynch pic, Aronofsky flick this year (or early next) AND an untitled Jonze/Kauffman project. YES!

Now here are the top 10. I'm including a fav of my actors that these directors seem to utilize over and over too. I find it odd that they all have one. So it's just a fun fact for the list.

10. Alfred Hitchcock- I think we all know any fan of filmmaking owes a ton of kudos to the first real insane perfectionist in filmming. He's a genre for God's sake! And, his films are damn good. By far the best of the classic directors, Hitch knew how to make a movie that would suck the audience in and scare the hell out of them with their psychological twists and turns. The man loved the climax of his movies so much, that a lot of them pretty much end at that high point (see Torn Curtain, Rear Window or Sabatoge and you know what I mean....plus many more.) I went through my Hitch addiction early, but those were good times renting all those classics. Psycho the first time always rules, Vertigo never fails in its amazingness, Rope is the underdog fav of mine and With a Friend Like Harry is pretty hilariously dark. If you truly love film, you gotta love Hitchcock. ~Fav Actor/Director Team Up: Jimmy Stewart (Vertigo, Rope).

9. Tim Burton- I know I warned him recently, but Burton's style and eye is something I will always love. His love of Suburbia and skewing it to this surreal atmosphere is fitfully brilliant. I love it. From his first full-length feature to now, he has kept that Gothic image no matter what film it is. Not all his movies are amazing (Planet of the Apes) he has too many classics under his belt to not let him on the list. Pee Wee's Big Adventure is still hilarious today as it was when I was younger, and for different reasons. Batman is still the greatest comic book movie, even if Burton was forced by the studio's to do a lot of things with it (Prince). Ed Wood is obviously his masterpiece. Beetlejuice is probably the underdog of the bunch, but how can you not love the scene where Keaton seduces a fly with a Zagnut! Burton has his ups and downs, but his ups a so much higher that his downs are pretty much excusible. Dark and funny make for a great experience anytime, but Burton's eye for the oddities of the real world and his world blend together. And let's not forget Danny Elfman. ~Fav Actor/Director Team Up: Johnny Depp (Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood)

8. Jean-Pierre Jeunet- I already wrote a long post on this man in my blog entitled Artistry Part II, but hey, why not again. Some of the finest films ever produced, Jeunet's eye for "motion pictures" is something that only a French man could do. Splashes of color, the lust of the story telling and the characters (not to mention same actors) are always complex, quirky and so well acted that his films have a mystique. He's a true Auetuer if there ever was. Amelie is the most beautiful film I've ever seen. Not to mention the introduction of one of the most beautiful women ever to my life (swoon for Audrey). A Very Long Engagement can take a dark subject like World War I and weave a beautiful love story into it. Delicatessan is a Gilliam movie times 3. Hilarious and dark with a ton of quirks, it just works. He is the highest foreign director on here and deserves his spot in the top 10 (even if he directed Alien: Ressurection... *shudders*.) ~Fav Actor/Director Team Up: Audrey Tautou (Amelie, A Very Long Engagement)

7. Quentin Tarantino- What an annoying person. But what a brilliant director. The love of ultra-violence, broken narratives, explotation films and amazing dialogue, there is no doubt that this annoying person is one of the best of all-time. He led a new generation in independent cinema that now is the mainstream. His influence has also spread into bringing some fringe foreign films like Hero to the USA. Thats a true lover of filmmaking. Reservoir Dogs started it all with the fast-paced dialogue and bloodtober gest that we all know and love about Q. For me, this film tops my list of favs for him because lord knows I love the low budget grittyness of it, but he perfected this with Pulp Fiction which argueably has his best characters. Kill Bill is rival to Pulp in its characters and winding story, but they are all so different in themselves. Even Jackie Brown which I love is a different take on Q's love of explotation films and violence and hilarious witty dialogue. He jsut knows what he's doing and hasn't gone wrong yet in his directing career. Keep it up! ~Fav Actor/Director Team Up: Uma Thruman (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Series)

6. Paul Thomas Anderson- Another eccentric, PTA is another consistently brilliant director. His quirks lie deeper within then that of some other directors. He usually likes to bury his subtexts deep within the characters psyches and the all around direction of the films. Magnolia has the best ensemble cast of all time and makes Tom Cruise an oscar nominated nutcase (and he deserved it that year... no offense Michael Cane, but Cider House Rules sucks). Magnolia has so much depth to it that even though it has a three hour running time, I still find bits about it that I didn't pick up before after many many many viewings. This and The Godfather are the only super-long movies that go by like a flash. Boogie Nights is his Goodfellas of the porn industry. Punch Drunk Love is the darkest romantic comedy ever. I love every frame of that film. Hard 8 is even great. It's just that magical artsy movie making I love. And yes, he is artsy fartsy... which isn't bad because he can do that and be a little more mainstream then some. ~Fav Actor/Director Team Up: Phillip Seymour Hoffman...which was actually a tough call toss up with John C. Reilly, but I have to be honest with myself sometimes. (Uhhh, every film? But noteably best in Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love.)

5. Woody Allen- I think he's up to #37 (almost in a row, but not quite) and he has two more movies coming out. What a career! He's a lover of NYC, comedy, sex, lies, relationships and some really dark shit. And they all transcribe and flow together at times to make a career that seems like one huge film at times. He really knows how to make an actor shine. With so many films, lets start with the best. Manhattan is just pure Woody at his ultimate. It has the best opening montage sequence I've ever seen backdropped to "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin and put in black and white (like he says New York should be depicted in this film.) Crimes and Misdemeanors is dark and hilarious. Landau is brilliant and Alda is so hilarious as well. Not to mention a Law and Order double dose with both Sam Waterston and Jerry Orbach! Annie Hall is just comic masterpiece and the list goes on and on.~Fav Actor Director Team Up: Diane Keaton (Manhattan, Annie Hall, Manhattan Murder Mystery)

4. Wes Anderson- New to the top 5, I had to admit my love of his style to being worth this high spot. His film Rushmore was the first film of that style (quirky, artsy, different) that I actual liked and appreciated. I turned a new leaf in life enjoying the artistic side of film. Anderson has a style of story telling and writing that really hits home for me. Hilarious and meaningful, he hits the heart and the funny bone with precision. Rushmore is in my top 5 for these reasons. It shows the best of his attributes in one cohesive stroke of brilliance. The Royal Tenenbaums has the second best ensemble casting ever and my personal favorite role for one of my all time fav actors, Gene Hackman (robbed of an Oscar nomination and win.) Bottle Rocket was an excellent first film and has some of the funniest moments from his and Owen Wilson's writing. The Life Aquatic takes on the amazingly hilarious subtext of the self reflective film. "It's all really happening" as Bill Murray stands inside an obvious huge set peice of a boat and the proceeds to appear actually outside on the deck of a real boat. Wes just knows how to do it and has yet to dissapoint. Let's hope this next project can live up to the films we all own on DVD right now (I suck, however, lacking Bottle Rocket. It's on my list of needs though.) ~Fav Actor/Director Team Up: Bill Murray (Rushmore, Royal Tenebaums, The Life Aquatic)

3. Martin Scorsese- Marty! Where can I start. His films range from the gritty, dark tones of his 70s catalogue to the lush, epics of his modern day flair. Regardless of this, he takes on topics he loves and puts them on celluloid. Never did Marty have a movie he didn't want to do or get it done. Some have taken him a while (Gangs of New York was one of three films he wanted to do for a long long time) and some seem to be just perfect for their time and place. Taxi Driver still haunts me to the bone with its dark subject of paranoia and isolation. Mean Streets still reeks of penance and sin. Raging Bull still flows on the screen and shows a lost soul fighting for his life. After Hours is still fitfully hilarious and dark. Goodfellas is a brilliant epic in its own right. Marty adds a personality to his films that stand out among a lot of other directors. The thing with this, however, is that its harder to pinpoint what exactly it is. You can pick out Burton or Hitch's style, but Marty is more elusive. ~Fav Actor/Director Team Up: Robert DeNiro (Mean Streets, Raging Bull, Goodfellas)

2. Hal Hartley- I can't thank Byron enough for this one. Hal Hartley is the greatest indie director I have ever encountered. And it's his renegade style that makes him a cut above the rest. Even more than any other director I know, he uses the same group of actors which make all his films flow into one magnum opus on life. He relives the same topics over and over again, but they always take on a new life. The deadpan acting style, the smart high brow dialogue mixed in with punch in the face comedy moments cause for a learning experience that film has never given me until I found him. Surviving Desire is the greatest short film I've ever seen (which isnt saying too much since most of the others I've seen are Hartley shorts). You get so much in just 60 minutes from that film including a great dance scene. Trust takes you on a journey of love that is dark, hilarious and very melancholy at times. Henry Fool is his masterpiece mixing all the styles he has ever done and bridging the gap between his early 90s films and his later films. The Book of Life is a really great portrayal of religion and the end of the world (maybe). Simple Men and Amateur blend together to show just how clockwork his style is. Some of the funniest film moments I have ever experienced can be found in a Hartley film alond with some of the most meaningful.~Fav Actor/Director Team Up: Martin Donovan (Trust, Surviving Desire, The Book of Life)

1. Stanley Kubrick- Whoever didn't already know that Kubrick takes the cake probably has never seen the fact that I own his box of DVD's. His craftsmanship at shaping a shot, telling a story and getting a feel across works in every single one of his films because he is so good at it. His filmography isn't as large as you'd think (over almost 50 years, he only made 13 films!) but from Lolita to Eyes Wide Shut, you got nothing but genius. I may harp on Barry Lyndon a lot because it's slow and kind of a boring story, but God is it ever amazingly beautiful and radiant. It's a true art peice for a director who knows how to mix the two better than anyone else ever. Lolita is really creepy but in a really funny way (thanks to Mr. Sellers.) Dr. Strangelove is the best satire ever filmmed with the best performances from, once again, Peter Sellers. Then Kubrick moved into the next level of awesomeness. 2001: A Space Odyssey is his masterpiece of visual brilliance. It holds up so much better than any CGI ever will. It's extremely trippy and deep philosophical side also stand the test of time. A Clockwork Orange continues this tradition to a new level of greatness. One of the best characters ever and the best performance of Malcolm McDowell's career. The Shining is my personal favorite horror movie of all time. Not even Shelley Duvall could ruin one of Nicholson's most psychotic and awesome performances. Full Metal Jacket is a great look at war. No matter what anyone says, just because the Parris Island stuff is so memorable and awesome, doesn't make the movie whole. You need the horror of Nam after the glorification of killing and the military. Besides the bathroom scene with Private Pyle and such, the best image is when the soldiers find the sniper out to be a little girl. Another one commonly knocked, Eyes Wide Shut was his last and still an amazing look into a relationship (and one that was semi-real with Cruise and Kidman). Even after death, his next film would have been A.I.:Artificial Intelligence which even though people knock it for the ending (blame Speilberg not listed on the top 20) it still reeks of what might have been on of his finest images had he taken the helm. We miss you, Stanley. However, we will always remember the fact that you had the greatest eye for cinema.~Fav Actor/Director Team Up: Peter Sellers (Lolita, Dr. Strangelove)

15 All Time Video Games (I'm a nerd... duh)

Screw your Madden and MVP. Even my addiction to XIII is only because I'm sick and I can't find my other games. But thanks to Danno rehashing the NES games list, its time for me to do my long awaited top 15 games of all time. Since I was deprived of NES as a youngin (my first system was, in fact, Gameboy) I will do all platforms. I never had that many games, but I played a lot (rental, borrowing, etc.) I'm including computer games on this list as well since I've had my share of comp game addictions. And I'm making this list 15 for no reason. 20 is probably too many (altho I could do it) and 10 is too little. So here tis. The main criteria for this was the gameplay-ability. Meaning no matter what (even the RPG's) I could keep playing these games over and over again. And yes, if i had the systems and the games, I wouldn't be writing this now and probably playing one of them. Anyone who knows me well will automatically know what isn't on this list. And that's Contra. Not because it didn't own, but because I was so detreimentally bad even with the code, that I can't like it. Everyone would say, eff playing with you, you suck! So I ended up hating it. Anyway, here we go.

15. Final Fantasy VII (Playstation)- No other game universe as as unique as the FF universe. With a ton of games under it's belt (and two more to come on my list), between amazing stories, endless amounts of possibilites and the first of the post Nintendo FF's, VII is a legend in the gaming world. It's pretty much the perfect RPG. And anyone who is a fan of the real-deal RPG's and not the Action RPG's which are also amazing, this is the best. However, it ranks third on my FF list and 15 overall game of all-time. Why? You'll find out when you read about the other ones on this list. It is epic and great and lord knows those cut scenes are amazing, but something about the Materia gameplay made it so complicated at times that it held me back a bit. Overall, this game is amazing and a lot of people rank it as one of the greatest ever made. I can see why.

14. Super Mario Kart (SNES)- Yes, I went there. I love Kart in every form, but every incarnation of it (for me at least... I know no one will agree with me on this one) just wasn't as good as this. This game had some of the hardest levels (between the ghost levels and the various rainbow roads) that made it challenging and amazingly fun. This also has the best memories for me as me and my oldest sister had massive rivalries at who would trump who. Koopa Troop was my fav. Also, personalized songs for when certain characters won was pretty sweet. The one thing this game had that was odd that I loved was the feather item that made you jump mad high. And it seems kind of useless at first, until you hone your skills and learn when to use it to jump a tight turn and get ahead. Regardless, probably one of the games I spent the most hours playing.

13. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2)- Probably the most recent game on the list, this is the premier third person shooter, although there is not a huge amount of shooting. The ultimate test of stealth and thriftyness (you run out of ammo so fast, it's not even funny) and the thinking mand's violent game. The story picks up after MGS 1, but is a little more intriguing. I usually don't care if my game has great graphics, but my word. Lush is a good word to use. There is soemthing about sneaking around, putting an enemy to sleep and then hiding his body in a closet that makes a game great. When you have to think as much with a shooter like this, it makes the gameplay so much better than any other. Oh yeah and a crazy awesome ending that freaks your mind.

12. Super Mario World (SNES)- Again, I'm turning heads here, but this is by far the best Mario Bros. game for any system. It has the best power-up's (The cape is the best hands down), Yoshi, the many Koopa's named after several hard rockers (Iggy, Lemmy etc.) and the inspirado for the first mario spin-off game (Kart... all the races parallel the games levels), and just all around amazing endless gameplay and hidden secrets, Mario had never been this unique and intricate. Mario 2 can suck it as far as I'm concerned. It goes by too fast. Mario 1 is great and all, but this took the smae greatness of that and injected it with Awesome. The closest to greatness that comes from any other Mario game is the real Mario 2 coined Lost Levels that came out for Mario All Stars.

11. Goldeneye 007 (N64)- This is on everyone's list because we all wasted most of our late teen years and on for this games multiplayer greatness. Even the 1 player game was unfettered brilliance, but here you got a game that did both. A lot of times the game is good at one and crappy at the other (Smash Bros.). But here we have a first person shooter that is just plain fun. There really isn't too much depth to the game (and that is why its not higher on my list... i have 2 other first person shooters that trump Bond), but we all know that it was reliable enough to be damn fun. That and this is one that I think myself, Stev, Norlen and Dr. Carey all claim to own. So this usually calls for the best match-ups in big gaming events (this and Kart 64).

10. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarnia of Time (N64)- The first of the 64 games that really showed the future of gaming. Real time atmospheres, highly advanced gameplay and great story make this the second best Zelda game of all-time. Difficult at many turns, yet super fun with lots of side games and such. The useage of actually playing the Ocarina is a sweet add with rediculous spells and such. I found myself just fishing in the one pond at times for a while. The horse riding was awesome too. Just an all around complex, yet fun game. It was never so complex (minus that goddamn water temple... most annoying level in that game) that I lost interest. That and the bosses were awesome. I miss this game a lot.

9. Half Life (PC)- What can I say about one of the scariest game I've ever played. Yes, this freaks me out sometimes way more than Resident Evil. The AI in this game is really creepy. Stalks you when you need to run because you only have a few bits of health and a few bullets. You try to run, but they track you down. This game also brought on the best online multiplayer I have ever played. With a few spin off mods (Counter Strike) and a specific online version (Team Fortress Classic) had one too many hours on this. I got so good that I had nerds bigger than myself asking me to join their "clan". Never did that because they did training and practice. Thats lame. The single player game was one of the coolest stories ever, enough so that I think this deserves a movie before Halo. A cliffhanger open ending to a video game is always awesome too. This is also one of the hardest games I've ever played on an advanced hard mode. You have to be the best to beat that shite on the hardest level of ability. And even myself who prided in being damn good, took so many hours trying to finish that on the hardest level. Fun times.

8. Final Fantasy V (SNES)- Why was this game never brought to the states until playstation did it like 10 years later? I only played this on emulator on the computer, but my word was it amazing. The job system was really cool. You honed your skills as specific types of characters (black/white mage, knight, dragoon, ninja, etc.) and then once far enough in the game, you could mix your characters abilities and make them an ultimate fighter with healing skills, magic skills and fighting skills like whoa. Rather than having to change your line-up and leave certain characters out, you had four of them who could learn all trades and types of fighting. Not to mention, the characters and story were so complex that this was the most complex FF I think they ever dreamed up that didn't lose any gameplay-ability. If you like classic RPG's, try to download this. So worth it.

7. System Shock (PC)- I got this game randomly one Christmas from my sister who probably had no idea that she bought one of the strangest and most awesome PC games ever made. I said Half Life was scary, but I forgot about this game. A shooter it was, but it was more than that. It was a game about being stuck on this space station where the computer took over and mutated the people on it to these weird cyborg things or humanoids and such. Your goal was to shut down the computer that was at the top level, but it was so intricate that you had to accomplish things sometimes in a viruatl reality type part of the game (not that I had to wear something on my head, it was all in game stuff.) This game also had so many intricate possibilites. You woudl get fatigued and there were patches you had to apply to yourself sometimes in order to funciton right. Also, although it got annoying if you forgot to save, but there were some small chances that you could prematurely end the game. It only happened to me like twice, and they were two different possibilities, but it sucked. This game was really hard and really great. I doubt anyone else has ever played it, but since its so out of print and I had to install it via like 8 floppy disks back in the day, its a lost treasure. They made a sequel which I need to find, but I bet it lacks the greatness of the first one. It was made way late after the other one, so who knows if any of the first developers were on it. It ruled and I need to find it (so if you see it at a flea market, Ryan, get it for me no matter the price.) Also, System Shock was "the gaming world's first 3-D environment." This game eludes me so. I need it back!

6. Donkey Kong Country (SNES)- Ah yes. The many days spent on this amazing masterpiece of a game. Takes the Mario jumping on heads format and perfects it into a fun adventure game. Chock full of the best side-scrolling gaming ever made, the levels were more complex and interesting than any Mario game for these early systems (Even Super Mario World couldn't touch the complexity of these levels.) Also, some of my favorite game music is on this game. It's not the great 8-bit sounds of NES that forged the best tunes, but its the jungle tunes that made you tap your feet as you stomp all sorts of crocidilian creatures, armadillos and snakes. Plus, who could resist the much fun of the mine cart levels replaying the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom feel... but with primates. I beat this game with over 100% completion several times (that means I really searched for those extras.) The good old days of SNES.

Now to the 5 games I wish I was playing right now.

5. Civilization II (PC)- You know you are a real gaming nerd when you have Civ II in your top 5. But this game has the same addictive effects as tobacco. There is no game on this good earth that I have played for more hours than this. Nothing can compare. You would think that a game based upon raising an entire civilzation from the days of inventing the wheel to the implications of Nuclear Weapons and trying to end the game by building a space craft large enough to reach Alpha Centauri would be amazingly lame. Well, many people probably would hate this game, but when you love spending time building army units, creating world wonders, keeping the peace in all your cities and getting money from your citizens, you get pretty engaged in it. Civ III was great and all since it had better graphics, but gameplay was at its height on this game. I found a site where a guy lost all hope in school, relationships and life in general from this game so much that he deleted his game, tried to sell it on ebay and when no one bid on it, he took a gun and shot it (not really, but heres the picture dramatization.) Games can take over your life and this one is probably the one that would end me if I still had it. Too much fun and so time consuming!

4. Final Fantasy III (SNES)- The best classic RPG ever made in the (Final Fantasy series). In Japan, this one was VI. The story line in this is rediculous and intricate. It also varies so much that you can play this game so many times and have a totally different outcome so much so that I have no idea how many it really is. It all depends on certain points what characters path you decide to choose. My word it was hard. But hard never made it bad like some games could be for me. The plot was about a time when magic was dead, yet this strange person was discovered with the power to hone the magic skill. This was bad with the reign of some king that I forget his name, but it got intense at times the stuff you had to do. And for SNES it was worlds ahead of any other game to that date. I probably rented this game more than any other because I had to keep it out long so other people didn't delete my game. That's all I'm saying on it. It's been too long since I've played it and I'm searching for the playstation re-release that has this AND V on it. That would rule to own.

3. Tetris (Any system, but I had Gameboy version)- Well, this is the simplest game ever made, yet it's more fun than most any other game I've ever played. So much so that my Dad and Sister would ask for some time on Tetris on Gameboy and I'd have to fight for it back. Everyone can play, but not everyone is good at it. Regardless, the tension builds perfectly and the gameplay will never let you down. If I still had my classic gameboy (it broke on me.... piss) I'd still be playing this. This and my Atari games which I didn't include on this list for some reason, but I really only loved Joust and that's probably #16. I don't like the online Tetris I find, so I need either a Gameboy or NES to get this fix back. Tetris Attack was cool, but dynamics were different. That was better for multiplayer anyway. I need some alone time with Tetris...

2. Chrono Trigger (SNES)- This, my friends, is finally the greatest of any classic style RPG. It blends some of the elements of the Action RPG style (Zelda) and throws in the classic turn-based style of other RPG's (Final Fantasy) and it does it perfetly. Another amazing plot and another game that sucks your life away for several hours on end. I think everyone reading this is finally noticing that I had a very lonely existence and played a lot of one player RPG's, but what you don't know is that I played a lot of these games with friends each taking turns and contributing to the process on those long all-nighter grade school sleepovers. This one wasn't one of them, however, for I found it late in the game and had to play it on emulator style. You know a game rules when now it goes on ebay for a good chunk of change for a SNES game (I've seen 80 bucks shelled out.) Another game that depends on what you do and such andone that changes when you select certain characters. I also now have this on the Playstation release they did with this and Final Fantasy II. Lot's of fun and there is a huge cult following for Chrono Trigger.

1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES)- You all know (unless you haven't played it like Dr. Carey) that this game is the best. Tons of levels, items to find, characters to meet (I freaking love Shahsrhashrasrrhhsrhsahhshrsahshshaala or whatever his name is) and the greatest gameplay ever, you got lost in this game. If you haven't, discover it on emulator or SNES somehow. It's engrossing to the max, has the greatest musical score of any game ever hands down, and it's just damn good fun gameplaying. I really can't say much else about it. You know how awesome it is.

Mono in Stereo

That's the title I've come up with and I made a companion dance peice for it. I felt I needed to make a funky groove disc so when I read Cold "Fucking Peice of Shit" Mountain tomorrow, I won't want to slit my throat to some Cat Stevens songs and pray for death because the book makes my life feel meaningless. Seydow, you're only strike so far. Anyway, here is disc two of Mono in Stereo. Also, once I watch Thumbsucker tomorrow, I'll have another fancy double review for that and The Weather Man which I watched tonight rather than read that drudgery. So here it is. I keep going on tangents.

Mono in Stereo Disc II (Lot's of repeat artists)

1. The Shins- Baby Boomerang (T. Rex Cover!!!)
2. Weezer- I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams
3. David Bowie- Speed of Life
4. The Strokes- Juicebox
5. Wilco- Nothingsevergonnastandinmyway (Again)
6. The Raveonettes- Sleepwalking
7. Arcade Fire- Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
8. Dump- Raspberry Beret
9. Kings of Conveinence- Leaning Against The Wall (Remix)
10. Brian Eno- King's Lead Hat
11. Beck- Arabian Nights
12. Roxy Music- Do The Strand
13. The Fever- Put it On You
14. Of Montreal- Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games
15. Electric Six- I'm the Bomb
16. Gorillaz- O Green World
17. Prince and the Revolution- Let's Go Crazy
18. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists- The High Party
19. Refused- Refused are Fucking Dead (Remix)
20. Talking Heads- The Great Curve

The last song is what made me want to make this mix. If anyone knows that song, they know you pretty much have to get up and get your funk on. 6 minutes of crazy guitar riffs, a pounding bass line, tons of latin-esque percussion and amazing overlapping vocal work PLUS guitar solo near the end by second generation King Crimson star Andrew Belew that melts my face each time with its howling precision of awesomeness. The rest was random pretty much, but they are all songs I like to rock out to and dance in my mind or by myself in my house. Anyway, check it out sometime when I'm no longer dead. You'll be surprised how much it rules.

Sorry I update so much readers. But I am really bored and totally losing my mind here in sick world. Just pray I get better and sleep untill I can return to the real world and have human contact, school and internship to talk about. I don't know whats going on with all that and stuff... I feel like I'm on the moon (more so then what Drew Stephan says about Philly... he has no idea what he's talking about anyway... he lives in the woods in Mass.... loser.)

So yeah. That's that.

I was talking to preachy preach about kissy kiss

Yes, I'm posting twice in a day... but I was going to add this to the last one then I realized that I had to perfect this... so here it is... #2. I made a mix that has evolved a lot. I am saving a sweet transition for another time, but this mix documents the month of February through songs. This month has been harsh. I saw the end of promising relationships, the end of a great health record, the insides of this house for weeks and weeks and the beginning of insanity on my part. So this mix is random as hell. It's basically the reeling of the insiade of my head the past month. Mono seriously effed with my brain and my will to live. So here is the track listing. I'm just finishing the touches on the track listing and such, so this is the final cut.

1. Black Sabbath- The Wizard
2. System of a Down- Hypnotize
3. Pixies- Bone Machine
4. Lou Reed- Gimme Some Good Times
5. David Bowie- Sound and Vision
6. The Police- So Lonely
7. Dump- The Beautiful Ones
8. Brian Eno- St. Elmo's Fire
9. Neil Young- Powderfinger
10. Electric Six- Future Boys
11. Warren Zevon- Raspberry Beret
12. Electric Light Orchestra- Do Ya
13. Sufjan Stevens- In The Devil's Territory
14. Arcade Fire- Crown of Love
15. The Rolling Stones- Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)
16. John Cale- Fear is a Man's Best Friend
17. Jeff Buckley- Morning Theft
18. King Crimson- Starless

The has yet to be determined. I'm leaning towards Enlarged Spleen since that is a symptom fucking Mono, but I haven't settled it yet. Leave some comments if you have a decent title idea based on track selection or on just general names.

Also, if you noticed, there are TWO Prince covers (and one by Warren Fucking Zevon!) so that is a tasty treat. Maybe I'll use a Prince quote as the title. I don't know. Regardless, these songs are just more or less my obsession over this past month. No real connection at all (except a few.) I think the only song representing anything remotely happy is the Bowie Track which I dance to all the time and E6's Future Boys since that night I actually got out and about and ROCKED HARD! Although I wanted to get faced and was unable to do so since I had Grauke till 9. Harsh. He kills me E6 drunken dancing buzz!! Whatever.

Another thing, I miss partying. I missed a sexional event last weekend for Mr. Robert Ealer. Lord knows I would have been in my element with full on Strega shots, Beer Pong with (Enter Name Here) and so much dancing to Beck. Nah, missed that... instead I sat at home, coughed so hard I probably gagged and watched movies and played XIII (which is really fucking fun I might add.) Tonight is 80s party at freaking Carly, John and Jill's place three blocks away. GOD! 80S! JEEZ! I would have made a mix chock full of Toto, Cory Hart, Prince, The Police and REO Speedwagon, brought it with me decked out with sunglasses at night and some wacked out costume and bought some kind of random beverage to drink and get so faced that walking home at 6am and almost getting hit with a newspaper would be yet another great feeling. And tomorrow is another EMO house event. Although no one besides Crasian, Joe Ross, Cara, Arly and Eryck are there that I care about anymore (besides random George visitation and sober Taylor-Lynn early hangouts.) The spirit and fun of the place is dead. I miss Steph! GRRR! Anyway, if I get better by this weekend, although it may be a bad idea, I am getting faced with Dr. Carey at that Stagency show and it will be Drunk-Tank-O-Liscous. I hate to sound like an alcoholic, but I miss the socializing that I have missed. It's harsh being cooped up.

Cabin Fever Must END!!!!!!!!!!

And Cold Mountain is the hardest book to get into.

That's all.

Desert Storm, Were-Rabbits and a Warning to Burton

So here are the three other movies I watched recently that were new to me and I have a few comments on them. Yes, I've been doing a lot of ranty reviews for movies, but when your days comprise of laying in bed playing XIII, watching DVD's and slacking on reading, that's really all I can talk about in this blog. And this gives me something else to do. So shut up if you don't like it.

Jarhead- So I'm glad I watched this, but I'm glad it wasn't in the theaters. Obviously, this isn't a war movie, altho marketing it as one was a bad idea. I like the idea of making a movie about the military in a war where no fighting took place. But I felt something was missing. The performances were really good in this movie (esp. Sarsgaard and Foxx) and Mendes never fails with his amazing use of the camera. And I didn't care that there was no war in this war film. That was the point. But that didn't mean it was at all interesting. I think they needed to dig deeper into the psyche of the troops. The dream sequence using "Something in the Way" was a good portrayal of this and so was the scene where Gyllenhaal shoves the M16 in the guys face and then makes him point it at him, but after that, they gave up on the insanity that the military drives troops to with their brutalization in training (done better in Full Metal Jacket.. and yes, iuts fair to draw parallells because they sort of went the same route... start in training camp and glorify killing and war then show what war is really like accept in this case war was non-existent and made the troops feel meaningless.) Overall it was enjoyable and a good viewing, but one time is enough. It doesn't show proise of replay value (which I love in movies because you can pick up new stuff if its worth more than one time deals.) Lastly, you think Sarsgaard has a Desert Storm card of himself in that collection? Let's hope it's not bent like Wolf Blitzer.

Wallace and Gromit:Curse of the Were-Rabbit- I love Wallace and Gromit. Nick Park (creator and director of all those Brit claymations) is a comic genius and an amazing animator. The story is funny and accesible to anyone really. The vocal work of Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bohnham Carter are great additions. Gromit, as always, rocks out and is the best part. The antics that they cause are great and it definitely deserved to take best animated feature Oscar (see next review for reasons why.) Beyond the Academy loving the two characters (as Nick Park has one several times for things like The Wrong Trousers [which is the best W&G ever] and several other short animated things) and the story being really good for a full length version of the usual half-hour W&G's, it really went for it and did a good job all around.

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride- So dissapointing. A cross breed between Beetlejuice and Nightmare Before Christmas, it just didn't work. The story was boring, the songs were not memorable like Nightmare (come on, Elfman! You know you can do better than that!) and it was just all around lame. Even with Christopher Effing Lee and Johnny Depp it was a complete crap fest. The songs were the most dissapointing thing however. The one was just like "Making Christmas" near the end when they are getting ready for the wedding (work song) and the other song was just like the one from Nightmare when the chick whose limbs fall off all the time is singing about Jack! The only thing going for it was the awesome claymation job. Two hot chicks (one dead voiced by HBC [better in W&G] and one voiced by the super cute Emily Watson) an awesome villain chin and great useage of bones and such in the underworld. But that doesn't cut it for me, Burton! I didn't see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but from what I saw and such, Burton has a lot of ground to cover to get back on track (what happened to great stuff like Big Fish!) I think he's lost his touch for greatness, but I'll put him on hold. Don't eff up your next proj, Tim! That's all I'm saying.

Next reviews will be Thumbsucker and The Weather Man. I also re-watched History of Violence and still love it. Cronenberg might take Burton's spot on my all-time list if Tim's not careful...

Until next time.

This isn't love, it's brutalization!

Other films I have watched over this sick period have been decent and good, but none have been as moving, meaningful and great as Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita. So the other movies I have seen will take the back burner for a while and I will do a big lump sum review for them. But now, here are my thoughts on a classic that I have been waiting to watch for too long.

La Dolce Vita is the kind of movie experience that I love. Visually stunning and brilliant, deep inner subtext and intriguing layered characters. And what makes it even better is it's Roma backdrop. Nothing makes a movie better. Fellini's touch to filmmaking is something I have been putting off because the selection at good 'ol Wow sucked and was all dubbed versions. Thanks to Netflix, I got to see the film in all it's grandeur on DVD, in Italian (and german and english sometimes) and not colorized like some versions. I hate that shit. Anyway, the film is about a playboy journalist named Marcello and his life of luxury and prestige. Or is it so luxiorious and presitgous? It shows the night life of the upper class Romans, pokes fun at the american cinema stars that thought they owned the world, and what really matters in life. The film definitely does the job right. I knwo AFI did a top 100 american films, but I need to see a published best films of all time list including films from around the world. Lord knows this will be up there in the high ranks (and will be quickly and swiftly added to my upper echelon of favs.) The movie is long and sometimes you can feel it, but the payoff is worth the lengthy, long-winded scenes of partying at all hours of the night and early AM to get the story across. The only other older classic foreign films that were as good as this that I have watched recently were Rashomn for Touey and The Seventh Seal. Something about this was better than those, however. Its probably because I have grown to love Italian cinema after my class this past semester, but I don't know what it is. I think the film was just a beautiful film all around. It was also pretty scathing of the media in general with many scenes ripping apart reporters and the Paparazzi. Regardless, be forewarned, this one is a film lovers film. Not one you pick up on a Friday night to watch and enjoy it to some popcorn. So although it's definitely one of the best, watch it when you are prepared for the goods.

Also, before I forget, there is a sweet cameo by Nico in the film. She plays herself. Put yeah, once I heard that deep, soothing germanic voice, I was freaking (although I know I heard she was in it a while ago.)

I leave with my personal favorite scene and quote from the film.

Steiner: Don't be like me. Salvation doesn't lie within four walls. I'm too serious to be a dilettante and too much a dabbler to be a professional. Even the most miserable life is better than a sheltered existence in an organized society where everything is calculated and perfected.

Oscar Wrap-Up and Two More Reviews.

So the Oscar's were again kinda boring and flat. A few things annoyed me about the whole thing and a few things pleased me. First off, what the hell was the change with playing music while the people were excepting their awards? That was really uncalled for and rude. They cut off a couple people who had multiple parties who wanted to thank people and that was pretty lame. I would be pissed if it was a duo and I didn't get to get my words in. As for the actual winners, I was pretty much right with my predictions. My lovely enchanting future wife (yes, it's my child) looked beautiful even 7 months pregnant and she of course won. I didn't realize btu the Supporting Actor category was the most competitive. I wanted William Hurt to win for A History of Violence because his role was so rediculously awesome, but Mr. Clooney took it. Which is fine by me, because Clooney is one of the Hollywood elite that I kinda love. Of course, I was pissed Reese Witherspoon won for actress, but that was obvious she would win. As Jon Stewart said in his monologue, "Walk the Line was Ray with white people." And her performance wasn't that great. I wasn't ever convinced that she was June Carter, but she always seemed like Reese Witherspoon playing a weak version of June Carter. And that doesn't deserve the Oscar. That category was wacky anyway. Like I said before, Rachel shouldn't have been a supporting actress, but I guess that was a smart move on her part since she took home the prize. I figured Ang Lee would win director and from what I gather from Brokeback Mountain (still need to see it) it was extremely well shot and laid out and directors deserve credit for bringing that feeling to the film. Plus, he deserved it way back when he made Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon which is an amazing film. Writing went to the obvious choices but not the ones I wanted. Crash won original screenplay when I wanted Noah Baumbach to win for Squid and the Whale (again didn't see it) or another one for Woody Allen for Match Point. Original Screenplay went to Brokeback but I wanted A History of Violence or Constant Gardener to win that because they got shafted on the Best Picture category. Which brings us to that. Crash took home the gold and I'm glad for two reasons. 1) It'll piss off Stev who HATES the movie just like the characters in the movie are filled with hate and 2) It was the only one up for best picture that is anywhere near the top of my list of best of 2005 films (and it ranks at like #7 right now... i still haven't seen some major players.) Other than that, the night was boring and such with Robert Altman being a nice added surprise. That dude is OLD but he's made some excellent films in his long lifetime.

ANYWAYS, once I see three or four key films, I will finally do a 2005 best films. I saw a lot in the theater last year, but I missed a lot as well.
On the docket is Syriana, Munich, Brokeback Mountain, Squid and the Whale and Palyndromes.

Now, here are two more movie reviews of stuff I've seen whilst sick (and yes, I still am with more intense throat pain than ever!)

North Country- Ok, so the movie was decent and the performances were ok, but not really Oscar Worthy. I love Frances McDormand, but her part was kind of boring and I didn't really feel that she deserved the nod. Regardless, lets get down to brass tacks. Charlize Theron (who everyone says can only act when she gets fat or ugly) was really good in this. I don't think that she did what people were saying and got ugly for the role. Anyway, who gives a shit if she is ugly in her films and amazingly gorgeous in real life? That's not how you rate an actress. Her work in this film was filled with emotion, passion and was much more intriguing than Resse Witherspoon in Walk the Line (God I love ripping on that movie.) I believed that she was a caring single mother who cared about her family and herself enough to battle the big business that was oppressing her. She did a really good job at it. I always thought she was B material and I have yet to see Monster, but now I know what all the hype is about. Kudos to you, Charlize. The movie as a whole was kind of slow and there was NOT enough Woody Harelson, but besides that, it's an enjoyable one time see flick. Definitely a renter. Oh yeah, I forgot, also no nearly enough Sean Bean who fucking OWNS!

Junebug- What an excellent movie! I wasn't expecting much from this, but it ended up being just the kind of movie I wanted to watch. As I was watching, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not, but yeah. It's really a great film. All about seperation, isolation and disconnection with the ones you love. And it's pretty damn hilarious. This is where (again, i know... repetitive) I think Rachel Weisz shouldv'e been Best Actress in a Leading Role so Amy Adams could have won supporting for this. She lit up the screen whenever she was on and was so hilarious that even in my soreness of throat and mute-ish state I was crakcing up. The family dynamic was well laid out, the sense of isolation was done well with a lot of silent empty space shots and my personal favorite touch was the artist character who was a lot like Henry Darger (who if you don't know his stuff, definitely look into it... its bizzare) was a really good touch. The film made you put a lot together which I liked because it made you feel like an outsider looking in. They didn't tell you why yht erelationship between the brothers was so awkward or why the dad was so out there, but you can figure out for yourself because that's not what the movie was about. This is definitely high up on my list of favs for 2005.

That's it for now. My mom is picking up more movies today from Wow so I'll have some new reviews of some movies I missed (probably Wallace and Gromit [God I love them.])

Until then, keep it real.

Deaf Dumb and Blind Boy

I'm not blind or deaf, but I am a mute (dumb.) More or less mute. My throat has reached the peak of intense pain. So I'm hoping this means that I will magically fall asleep for the first time tonight and wake up tomorrow 100% better for Rob Ealer's birthday party at the Sexional. But that's about as likely to happen as for me to find a woman who isn't insane to date in the next few months. Just not gonna happen.

So here is my voice. Blogger.

As I have been laid up the past few days, I have watched a lot of old favorites and some new tricks. So here are my reviews of the new guys.

Walk the Line- Most overrated film of 2005. Wow. I didn't think it could be that boring. Yes, Joaquin phoenix is a good actor and did a good job of singing and playing all of Johnny Cash's ultra hard songs to play(yes that's sarcasm), but he made Johnny Cash seem like a boring person who was just a drug addict who was obsessed with June Carter. I mean, yeah, how many stories of fame breaking homes and making the star a junkie have we seen. The film was paced really slow as well. Also, what was with the casting of the other stars?! I mean, the guy who played Jerry lee Lewis? And Elvis? And Wille Fucking Nelson?! They looked terrible. I know thats a small factor, but they barely had lines, just get look-a-likes for Godsake! Anyway, rent Ray if you want a better story. I guess because he was blind it makes his character more interesting, but Walk the Line was good for one thing--the music. So I'd rather listen to Live at Folsom for 2 hours that sit through that again.
Also, the relationship with the father was boring but could have been much more interesting. Especially since his dad was too busy searching for John Connor and not caring about John Cash the whole damn time.


Hustle and Flow- I didn't expect to like this movie as much as I did. Now here is a similar kind of movie except it goes in reverse. Terrence Howard plays a pimp trying to change his life (kind of a mid-life-crisis.) He decides he wants to try his ways at being a rapper after he sees someone from his hometown of Memphis making it big (played by Ludacris... and I never gave him any credit, but he's not a bad actor.) The story follows as D-Jay writes, records and tries to hustle his mix-tape. There's a lot that happens that I won't say as to not give it away, but the movie is really intense and well played out. All the characters, even the prostitues, are well fleshed out and intriguing (unlike the real-life people in Walk the Line) and great performances are played by all (esp Howard who deserves the nomination) and Anthony Anderson who plays the producer and old friend of D-Jay. I highly reccomend this film to anyone who hasn't given it a chance. It was really great and enjoyable. And the hip-hop songs are all sung or rapped or whatever you want to call it by Howard. If PSH wasn't so damn good in Capote and garunteed victory, I'd say that Howard would deserve it after him.

Tonight I will either watch North Country or Junebug. Not sure.



Also, I have brought back from the dead a great video game. XIII. Originally I could only play the multi-player because the disc was scratched real bad when I bought it from Wow (fuckers) and it was highly addictive. The game is set up like a graphic novel so the graphics are 3-D yet more comic booky then your average shooter. In the back of my mono riddled brain, I vaguely remembered being able to play past the point because I tried to clean it up at Wow. And yes, I did. So now its ON! I've been playing the past two days like whoa and am now stuck in this really hard part. It sucks because when you die, you don't come back to the beginning of the level with ful health, you come back to the check-point with whatever health you last had. For me, it was 25 and I was in a spot with a shit load of gaurds. So I'm going to have to whip out some mad skills to move on to the next level. That will probably occupy most of my night until dinner comes. It'll be fun, so that's pretty cool. Until then, I'm gonna listen to the new Secret Machines album Stev is creaming over and see what all the hype is. If I know my band well enough, they won't dissapoint.

Which brings me to my final point. I realized a lot of my fav bands have manifested themselves from a compiliation I bought a while back in like 2002 called "Yes New York." I bought it for the Interpol and Strokes song that was on it and hoped that maybe there would be some other redeeming tracks. And then I found about 6 other bands that I now love and have passed along the way to others (and I take full credit in this for most of you suckers who listen to some of these bands.) On that chompy was The Fever, Secret Machines, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, The Rapture and the Rogers Sisters are all awesome and have a few albums to their names since this comp. Kudos to them. Secret Machines and The Fever have new ones this year. I'm not sure about the others, but who knows. They might come a'rollin.

That's all I got for now.

One More Red Nightmare

Tonight is the night. If I don't sleep tonight, I swear to the lord above that I will not be able to move tomorrow. Sleep is seriously the greatest thing about human life. Not interaction, not learning, not eating. Sleeping. I usually wouldn't say this. For a long time, I have been a fan of staying up as late as possible doing next to nothing, reading, watching movies, or expanding my mind with gambling and other vices. Now, that it has been OVER a week since I have had any fruitful sleep, I realize that sleeping is NOT for the birds (since if this were summer, lord knows I'd hear them chirpping away like crazy at 2am) but is the greatest American past time. Here is a nifty little article on how much sleep rules. And check out the stages of sleep. They all have clever names. There are 5 stages. They are called 1,2,3,4 and REM. The best part of this is that they explain morning wood. During REM, dudes get penile erections. So ladies, get over it if I'm hiding my wood early in the morn. That is nature, baby.

Back to sleeping, I definitely have Insomnia. Here is my proof.

Illness or medical problems.--It is not uncommon for people experiencing illness or medical problems to suffer from insomnia. Common conditions that often cause or exacerbate insomnia include: arthritis, chronic pain, breathing problems, heart conditions, hormonal or digestive disorders.

Fun fun fun. Now, how to I remedy this you might be asking? And why am I so confident?
Well, thanks to good ol' Dr. Higgins (my doc), I got a perscription of these teeny tiny pills called Lorazepam and I am taking max dosage tonight (2 pills) and hoping that I don't wake up until at least 5pm tomorrow afternoon. I don't see how I'm going to get better if I'm not sleeping.

So adventures in codine didn't work. So the T3:Rise of the Lorazepam better do the trick. If not, seriously... I will not be back in action till after break. At least that's what I'm fearing if I don't get some sleep tonight.

So keep me in your hearts for a while and hope I can make it to Mr. Ealer's B-Day this saturday. I'm not counting on it.

All Bets Are Off

The winner is... Mono.

The Sickness Unto Death Part III

So I'm still sick as a dog. I missed every class this week and will probably miss Seydow tomorrow unless some miracle comes to me in the night. Don't count on that though. I have a high fever again and my throat is closing up so much that I can feel the two sides rub against each other in this kinky, disgusting dance that is causing huge amounts of pain. Yuck.
I went to the Doc again today, and got some blood work done. I want my friends to know I have some huge possibilities of bad sickness or just the usual case of Mono (which yes I hope its that.) Here are the contenders. Place your bets:

(Disclaimer: This may be kinda gross and sharing a lot of info about how I'm feeling, but since no one has asked me much, I figured let it all out before the word comes back. Don't read if you don't want to know. Scroll to the bottom for a message for the queasy and uneasy!)

1. Infectious mononucleosis (3 to 1 odds) - also called "mono" or "the kissing disease" (funny because I haven't been kissing anyone for a good long while)- is an acute infection of the lymphatic system caused by the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). It is usually characterized by fatigue, fever, sore throat, and swollen glands in the neck. However, some mild cases are largely asymptomatic. Early on, vague complaints of "not feeling well," headache, tiredness, chilliness, puffy eyelids, and decreased appetite are common. Later, fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands at the side and back of the neck, and also under the arm and in the groin may appear. The firm, tender glands vary from bean to egg size for several days to a few weeks. A fever for about five days is usual, and may continue intermittently for one to three weeks. Tonsillitis, trouble swallowing and bleeding gums may be present. Some people may develop a rash.

In half of all cases, the spleen, an organ under the left rib cage, will be enlarged. Liver enlargement, under the right rib, occurs about 20 percent of the time. Rarely, yellowing of the skin (jaundice) is seen. In most people, infection with EBV confers life long immunity. (This is important because of the other possible things I may have... read on if you are interested in my battle with healt.)

This is looking most likely. Although I have some other symptoms which we will get to later.

2. Hepatitis A:(45 to 1 odds-- All I have to say is Jesus Titty Fucking Christ it better not be this) is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). Hepatitis A can affect anyone. In the United States, hepatitis A can occur in situations ranging from isolated cases of disease to widespread epidemics.
Persons with hepatitis A virus infection may not have any signs or symptoms of the disease. Older persons are more likely to have symptoms than children. If symptoms are present, they usually occur abruptly and may include fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). Symptoms usually last less than 2 months; a few persons are ill for as long as 6 months. The average incubation period for hepatitis A is 28 days (range: 15–50 days).
This is scary because I have most of these symptoms (except im super hungry) and nausea is the biggest thing I have been seeing.

3. Some other liver problems (90 to 1 odds). Doc said it could be something else, but until blood comes back, you can't be sure. Jesus... that is scary.

4. Some other stomach virus (125 to 1 odds)- This is rediculous because anyone who has a stomach virus or even food poisoning isn't sick for a whole month. That's rediculous.

Place your bets. All bets are off as soon as I get the informationi tomorrow from the Doc. If anyone bets on Hep A, I hope you lose.

Click here if you skipped it all.

The Sickness Unto Death Part II

Sick again. Yes. A-fucking-gain. It sucks. And since I haven't posted in ages, I will update you on what has happened in the past few weeks since (wow it's a long time) the super bowl. The truth is, not much at all. But suspended animation is what this month has felt like. I feel like I was sick the entire month (which may be the case, but the jury is still out on that one.) Missing school sucks. But here are some highlights:

I quit my day job and am now focusing on my craft. Wow Video is dead to me (except I have a paycheck to pick up and a tax return to claim in a few months... money will be good to get around that time.)
I am officially placing an embargo on a relationship. Seems like anything I try is a failure. Probably goes to show taht I'm not ready like I thought I was. Some broken lamps just come floating back to you.
I have a new addiction...and his name is Dump. He has a cd of all Prince covers called That Skinny Mother Fucker With the High Voice? that is simply too addictive. If this sounds like your bag, let me know and I can burn you a copy of the disc. It's more out of print than anything you've ever thought could be possible.
Side Note: Raspberry Beret is so addictive that sometimes I have to listen to the Prince version, the Dump Version AND the Warren Zevon version in a row and several times over. It will take a girl with such a hat that she might find at a second hand store to end the embargo.
Neil Young: Heart of Gold is amazing. Yes, Neil is my fav singer/songwriter after this movie because the stories behind his new album are so touching and beautiful that it is almost impossible to think he is a genius. Pick up a copy of Praire Wind ASAP and go see the flick.
My script has taken a halt, sadly, due to writers block, super busy school schedule being demanding as fuck and all that other jazz. Maybe over the summer I will film it, who knows. I want to do this so bad, but it might just have to take hold.
Grauke is the man. Seydow is even better. Bro. Gerry is awesome and Droppliger isn't as bad as it could be. Maybe that's because of Team Maximum Carnage.

Other than all this, my i-ship is going well, my reading is coming along and thats all I got. Back to movies, sulking, coughing, sleeping and eating toast because that's alL I can stomach (I hope.)

Steel City Baby!

Since about the 7th grade, my infatuation with my PA brothers from the west has always had a spot in my heart. That, of course, is the Steelers. Jerome Bettis and Bill Cower have always had a special place in my all time favs of football. And I've always felt bad that they had missed out on the grand occasion that is the Superbowl. And this year, I knew, was there year. It took a long time to come. So in full battle regalia, myslef, Dino, Dr. Ryan Carey, Stev and Hyslop traversed to Starters Pub near Bethlehem PA to enjoy the game at the #1 spot to see the Steelers play with Mr. Danno Somavilla. It was GLORIOUS! Beyond Dino rockin' some LaSallian girls digits, having a waitress who not only was super cute and cool, but gave me special a winning ticket for a Terrible Towel, good food, Steel City Beer! and of course, A Steelers Win!! Jerome Bettis can retire with a championship that he totally deserved after years of service. This past week (and two weeks at that) have been pretty downer. Lonely, boring and let downs all around, This was the way to start it all up again.

Let's hope life in all terms gets a jump start with this glorious victory for the Steel City. It's a good prelude to the goods.

Artistry Part II

art·ist·ry ( P ) (ärt-str) n.
Artistic ability: a sculptor of great artistry.
Artistic quality or craft: the artistry of a poem.

So I did one of these posts before talking about some rockin' great artists (writers, sculptors, poets, rock artists) and I feel it is time to rediscover what I love about art.

Art is something that makes life worth living. It brings out the joy in people's daily grind. Without some form of artwork, be it a film or a poem or a painting, life would be eat, work and sleep. That's about it. We wouldn't learn anything in our schools but science and math and that just plain sucks. Who in their right mind can think of their favorite professor and say "Had to have been my freshman math prof." and not cringe at that thought. It's the arts that bring the best out of us. So here are a few more of my favorites. Most of these are new to the list, but some are old standards. So here tis. Artistry Part II! (This one has been in reserve for a while, so I'm finally providing the goods.

Tom Robbins (novelist)- Thanks to Prof. Jack Seydow, I have had my eyes opened to the greatness that is Mr. Robbins. His style of writing is nothing short of insanity. It's more poetic than it is straight prose. Something about his word choice strikes a chord in my head, my heart and my entire being that makes me love it more than anything (maybe not Kurt, but it's a different love affair.) His book, Jitterbug Perfume, is the only one I have read so far, but I plan on getting my hands on whatever else I can find. His interesting characters and narritive structure sucks you in like a vortex and doesn't let go till it spits you out on the other side. Here is one of my favorite passages.
"Of our nine planets, Saturn is the one that looks like fun. Of our tres, the palm is obviously the stand-up comedian. Among the fowl, the jester's cap is worn by the duck. Of our fruits and vegetables, the tomato could play Falstaff, the banana a more slapstick role. As Hamlet-or Macbeth-the beet is cast. In largely vegetarian India, the beet is rarely eaten because its color is suggestive of blood. Out, damned mangel-wurzel..."

Robert Rauschenberg (painter)- When I went up to NYC a few weeks back, I visited the MET for the first time and saw their special exhibit on this man. It was really interesting, powerfully weird stuff. And Lord knows I like my stuff weird. His art was a mix medium that had a weird aura to it. As later described by my sister, a lot of it has to do with anal sex, but what in art doesn't mean sex, penetration, pahllic symbols blah blah blah. Regardless, it was awesome stuff to see. Here are a few pieces that struck me as wicked cool. This one wasn't there, but thats really cool. Here is another part of the car. Just cool stuff. I don't know much about painters and paintings, but anyone who can find art in random stuff and mix it all up into one bigger picture, that takes some talent.

Jean Pierre Jeunet (director)- The finest French auetur if there ever was. His films have an air about them that suck you into a dream world of greatness that no other director can do. He is France's Terry Gilliam, but his films seem to be more about reality then the skewed visions of Gilliam's mind that sometimes shine through. The only blemish on his career of course is Alien:Ressurection (yes he did that) but even in that film, you can see him trying to make his mark. His greatest acheivment is, of course, Amelie. The beauty of the film alone is like a painting in itself. A starker beautiful image of his work can be found in A Very Long Engagement. Even in it's darker story of lost love during the slaughter of World War I in France, the love story beats through with awesome intensity and beauty. Check those out and Delicatessen which is just as brilliant as the last two, and sometimes I like it the best. Just do it for yourself if you are at all interested in film.

King Crimson- Everyone knows I've been addicted to the 70's avant garde movement lately listening to a lot of later Bowie, early Talking Heads and Brian Eno. No single band, however, has had this many talents stem from it for this style of music. This band managed to outdo themselves forever on their first album. And yes, it's the first song on that album. "21st Century Schizoid Man" is a rediculous effort in prog rock that moves with such intensity that by the end, it sounds like the band didn't really know how to end the song except in a fury of sound from all instruments. Their career greatness didn't end there. Yes, some albums seem a little less awesome with a lot of jammy stuff from a few of their early albums, but this is a band that within the years of 69-74 released seven albums. That takes a lot of work. Each member from both phases (they stopped recording until the 80's as Crimson after Red in late 74) is amazing. Robert Fripp at the helm with his "frippertronics" guitar stylings, Bill Bruford on the skins with the ability to find a hole in a sogn and fill it with furious beats, the bassists from both eras, First John Wetton who was a little more subdued then the later bass work of Tony Levin. However, each of them are fitfully brilliant and fast players. Lastly was second era guitarist Andrew Belew who made his guitar howl like a wolf on the prowl. All these members had side proj's, AND worked on the albums of the other aformentioned 70's genius above! Talk about hard working genius! They love the music. Check out In The Court of the Crimson King, Red, and Discipline for the best work of their early and later career.

That's all I got.