December 22, 2007

Charlie Wilson's War


© Universal Pictures

Charlie Wilson's War is the true story of a congressman who single-handedly helped end Communism and the cold war. Played by Tom Hanks, Wilson did this by manipulating all the right people in all the right places to get Afghanistan more defense power. An incredible feat but not accomplished without help from C.I.A. agent Gus played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman and a very wealthy Texan woman Joanne, played by Julia "What have you done for us lately?" Roberts. A truly amazing story that once translated to film, flaws are born. The movie, for the most part, is boring to look at. No interesting camera work at all other than some fantastic war moments. In fact, without scribe Aaron Sorkin's colourful dialogue, it would be downright dull. The acting also helps. Tom Hanks does a good job playing the charismatic Wilson. It's quite annoying, however that Hanks sure loves playing extraordinary men. If you take a look at Hank's seemingly diverse roles, you'll notice he likes playing sentimental crowd pleasing characters. I'm not saying he is not a great actor, but I'm getting damn tired of him. The female version of Hanks (meaning an actor who is far too distracting from the actual character) is Julia Roberts. Guess what!? She has a similar performance and I'm damn tired of her as well. Thank God that Hoffman plays Gus, which on his own makes up for everything else. An overlooked Amy Adams as Wilson's assistant is terrific as well. What Charlie Wilson achieved was important but as we all know, led to some terrible consequences. Afghans who received weapons and training have become terrorists (Osama Bin Laden) and have caused some terrible events. It is very interesting when Wilson and Gus are having a conversation, about whether there will be repercussions of their actions, on an apartment deck (pictured above) and you can clearly hear an airplane. It is normal to hear an airplane from a deck I know, but it is nearly as loud as the conversation being had. I believe this to be a form of foreshadowing regarding 9/11. Another interesting film making choice is mixing movie war scenes with real footage, which I also found effective. The screenplay is great but perhaps no more impressive than Sorkin's work on television (The West Wing, Studio 60). The story is so engaging that it makes up for an occasional lack of film making flare. A very good movie indeed, but amongst so many greats this year, it will likely be forgotten. Or, it should be. But Hollywood is not damn tired of praising Hanks and Roberts.

Walk Hard


© Columbia Pictures

Walk Hard is a film spoof of the recent run of music bio-pics (Ray, Walk The Line). Starring the previously under-used John C. Reilly, this comedy is truly hit or miss. Reilly does a very good job here and it's nice to see him with a starring role. However, the movie itself is a bit too silly and over the top. At times this pays off but mostly causes even entire scenes to fall flat. As soon as a comedy decides it will not have any emotional resonance or endearing characters, it needs to be damn funny. This is Walk Hard's fatal flaw. It completely relies on it's jokes, which half the time do not generate a laugh. Fortunately there are so many jokes that you find yourself laughing often. But barely any belly laughs or super quotable parts. The real saving grace are the marvelous cameos which I will not spoil. One particualar scene with the Beatles is truly memorable. Perhaps if released at the beginning of the year, or better yet a couple years ago, Walk Hard would be very satisfying. But the bar has been raised in comedy, thanks to recent classics like Little Miss Sunshine and Judd Apatow's other works (The 40-Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up) and this year's best in Juno and Superbad. A bold new standard has been set, and when considering this it is apparent that "just for laughs" flicks don't quite cut it anymore.

December 21, 2007

The Savages


© Fox Searchlight Pictures

The Savages is a painfully realistic story of a brother and sister who must deal with their father's aging. Once they discover that their dad can no longer care for himself they struggle to deal with the necessary consequences as well as their own issues. Through this ordeal, they begin to discover why it is they have trouble being happy in their own lives.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman, with his second Oscar-calibre performance this year, is the brother, Jon. Laura Linney is just as good playing the sister, Wendy. The film is at times funny, depressing, sad, hopeful and frightening. It never steps out of line to please the audience, truly uncompromising. This allows the story to seem completely real to life, and therefore all the more effective. The way the movie is filmed is perfectly in sync with the tone and subject matter. Once again, the acting is so good that it makes the title characters so believable. Because of this, with each mistake they make, you feel genuine disappointment. And as convenient and initially pleasing as it would be, these characters don't turn on a dime. From start to finish they are flawed and partly unlikeable. In an odd way, this actually helps the viewer warm up to them as we can truly take them seriously.

Writer/director Tamara Jenkins does an extraordinary job of creating a accurate tale that we can all relate to, whether or not we have gone through similar crises. Truths are revealed as we learn more about the characters, and ourselves. A great movie.

December 16, 2007

Juno

© Fox Searchlight Pictures

It's not often that a film can change how you feel about film. It's not often a teen comedy provides more insight than most acclaimed dramas. It's not often a movie is so special that as you're in the theatre, you actually take notice, and thank the movie heavens for such a miracle. It's not often you enter a movie with such high hopes and are still surprised. It's rare. Juno is such an experience.

The magnificent, Canadian Ellen Page plays Juno, a 16 year old who suddenly finds herself pregnant. The father to be, Paulie Bleeker, played by the magnificent, Canadian Micheal Cera, isn't even her boyfriend. Paulie is a good friend, who, one night and one night only, was something more. Rather then beginning with the act that leaves Juno in such a difficult situation. We begin with that difficult situation. We get to follow and observe every consequence and lesson learned.

The film presents itself in four parts, Autumn, Winter, Spring and finally Summer. First with an abortion clinic, then a change of mind, and then a search for adopting parents. Every bump along the way is executed brilliantly. The wonderful cast of characters, from Juno, her parents, best friend, and the (seemingly) aspiring parents is pitch perfect. In fact, this may be my favourite portrayal of people I have ever seen. Honest, fair and wise, never has a comedy been so insightful.

It's quite amazing, when, in a year with the classics "Knocked Up", an excellent tale of a unexpected pregnancy, and "Superbad", a superb high school movie (both delivered from the film Gods Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow), that one movie can surpass both in nearly every way. It's quite ironic that the film in question is a masterpiece about an unexpected pregnancy in high school.

The script is perfect, the acting is phenomenal, the soundtrack is charming, the characters are endearing. The magnificent, Canadian director, Jason Reitman creates another winner. There are a couple promising titles still on the horizon in 2007, such as P. T. Anderson's There Will Be Blood. But unless they truly are something rare, surprising and special, then they don't stand a chance. The film of the year has arrived.

December 14, 2007

I Am Legend



I Am Legend is the story of the last man on earth, survivor of a world-wide airborne virus. Robert Neville, alone except for his beloved dog Samantha (a surprisingly effective character) is still trying to save humanity. Before the infection hit, he was the leading scientist dealing with the problem, but failed. Still at ground zero in NYC, he will not give up. Legend is part silly blockbuster and part intelligent sci-fi drama. As I watched the film i could feel each half tugging at each other. Strong acting and fairly developed emotional resonance combating with poorly used CGI and action movie cliches.
Will Smith is captivating and heartbreaking throughout what I consider to be his best performance (even far superior to his acclaimed role in "The Pursuit of Happyness"). Unfortunately the writing, which at times seems like it is going to be great, never quite matches his performance. It leaves me to believe that had the material been better, Smith could have raised his game further, perhaps to Oscar heights. I found it interesting to discover that the screenplay was written by those with these films in their collective resume': "A Beautiful Mind", "Lost In Space", "Batman & Robin" and "The Cell". Two intelligent films and two very not.
Ultimately, the good or even great side of this film never is completely absent, allowing Legend to never be too far gone. Simply, it is never bad, but rarely great. However, when it is great, it hints at overwhelming potential and unexplored depth. One wonders if the film was in the hands of a worthy director (mind you, "Constantine's" Francis Lawrence occasionally succeeds) such as Danny Boyle, Alfonso Cuaron or at the very, very, very least an inspired Spielberg a' la "Minority Report" that this would have been a considerable cinematic achievement.
One of the areas where Legend thrives is in being suspenseful. At times the tension reaches points movies don't often approach. Of course this is then ruined by close up CGI moments of the "dark seekers" or infected humans. At the boring, unimpressive view of their faces, the realism and effectiveness is at once lost. I can't help but complain that human actors were not used where it's quite obvious they should have. In the great "28 Days Later", the sight of a once human, now infected monster was not only frightening but sorrowful. The creatures in Legend are so far removed from reality and plausibility that it is impossible to feel that despair and sadness in what has become of our race.
It sounds like I am just complaining but that is only because I caught wind of what could have been. Overall, this is a movie that could have been a masterpiece but falls short. But thanks to a strong performance from Smith and a story and character(s) so engrossing it helps carry the weight of this treatment's flaws, the movie is good. I Am Legend isn't brilliant, but it isn't dumb either, and on entertainment value alone, it's worth the price of admission.



image © Warner Bros

November 26, 2007

Before The Devil Knows You're Dead


"May you spend half an hour in heaven...Before the Devil knows you're dead"

This quote is shown near the beginning of the movie, and besides just being cool, it actually does ring true later in the final act. At first glance, this is the story of a heist gone wrong. Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Andy) and Ethan Hawke (Hank) play brothers, both desperate for money, who decide to rip off their parent's jewellery store. Not too far into the film we discover that it's more about how an act of betrayal tears a family apart. In fact each of the main characters belonging to this family are slowly destroyed from the inside. Their morals begin to slide. And we get to watch as Andy simply becomes unravelled. Hawke is outstanding and proves once again he is better suited for a supporting role alongside a great actor, it seems to raise his game (think Training Day with Denzel's Oscar winning role). The great actor in this case is of course Hoffman, who actually has one of his very best performances here. The character of Andy at one point explains how he isn't "the sum of his parts" and that he doesn't "add up". We actually get to see this in action in various scenes where something is certainly wrong beneath the surface. Albert Finney is great as the father, who's role becomes very important in the film's second half. From the opening moments to the end credits, "Before the Devil..." sets an indescribable tone. It leaves you feeling hollow and disappointed (not in the movie itself but with the character's actions). In fact, although not in a traditional or enjoyable way, this may be the most emotionally affecting movie this year. It's very hard to explain unless you see it yourself. Which you should. Immediately. Directed by 83 year old Sidney Lumet (Dog Day Afternoon), "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" is an expertly shot, superbly acted powerhouse of a film.


image © ThinkFilm

November 14, 2007

All Apologies

I just posted a bunch of reviews in like 10 minutes. They suck. I'm sorry. I felt like I was getting behind.

check out my flickster profile at www.flickster.com, my username is adamcook82

By the way, I don't think I have ever been as excited for a movie as I am for the upcoming There Will Be Blood.

No Country For Old Men

No Country For Old Men is a brilliant film from the famous Coen bros. From start to finish, No Country's excellent writing stands out and sets the tone for this dark thriller. The plot starts off fairly simple, but further on, the movie reveals unexpected themes. Featuring a great cast led by a never better Tommy Lee Jones, the film is deservedly creating some early Academy Award buzz. The movie has some good twists, and is cinemtically perfect. Definitely one of the best this year.

Lars & the Real Girl

Lars & the Real Girl is a sweet, heartwarming story about a man who develops a relationship with a life size doll. Ryan Gosling plays Lars, an anti-social towns-person who actually does believe his new lover is real. Instead of all the people in town freaking out, they are advised to go along with his delusion. The hope is that Lars will eventually get over it on his own. The film's strange but excellent premise unfortunately succumbs to typical light comedy for the most part but does stand out occasionally. This is mostly due to the brilliance of Gosling, who again shows evidence of Oscar calibre acting. The film does what it sets out to do by being an entertaining and moving little film. This is fine, however, I can't help but wonder if under someone else's direction, this could have been a spectacular character study. A good, but uneven comedy/drama.

American Gangster

Already being hailed as a great film, American Gangster is a muddled, over long, over hyped disappointment. Russel Crowe and Denzel Washington excel with their roles, but that is one of very few highlights. Ridley Scott tries to give a 2 page story the same scope as Gladiator, thus creating a slow, boring mess. At times, Gangster is pleasing stylistically and plot-wise but ultimately fails in every area. I suppose I may have enjoyed it more had I not heard so many good things about it. Perhaps a good rental, but no reason to see this in theatres.

The Darjeeling Limited

After the excellent film Rushmore, writer/director Wes Anderson followed up his debut with weaker movies The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic. Both movies had their moments, but compared to Rushmore they were very dissapointing. The Darjeeling Limited finally sees Anderson back on track. The film is both hilarious, heart breaking and stunningly beautiful. Although not quite as good as Rushmore, at least now it can be said that Anderson can make more than one great movie. One of the best this year.

30 Days of Night

30 Days of Night is a horror film that tries to reinvent the vampire. To try and change the standing romantic symbol to one of terror. In this regard, the movie is somewhat of a success. But despite this, and impressive visuals, the film is very weak. Bad story, bad characters and strange pacing drag it down to the level of forgettable.

October 24, 2007

Into The Wild

Into the Wild, starring an outstanding Emile Hirsch, is one of the best films of the year. Sean Penn directs a magnificent true story about a young man who gives up his normal life to go on a cross country journey to Alaska and be one with the wild. With hardly any money, "Alexander Supertramp" travels across the USA and even Mexico and encounters adventures along the way. Through either nature, people or places, he has found the freedom he has always desired but he also learns the price that comes with it. The people he befriends are all charmed by his wonderful spirit, but they all see something he does not, that happiness is meaningless if not shared. As the character roams, he is stunned by simple beauties and repulsed with his past and the normal lives everyone else accepts. But as he is happy with life on the road and in the wild, he is oblivious to the pain he has caused to his parents he left behind, although it becomes apparent they are the main reason for his departure. But he also hurts his abandoned sister, the only person he really trusted. At one point he claims that happiness does not come from human relationships. I suppose we are to believe that in his mind, it comes from your relationship with nature. However, it may be too late when he realizes it's both. A beautiful film from beginning to end. Into the Wild is one of the few unforgettable movies of the year.

Gone Baby Gone

Gone Baby Gone is a film about a little girl who goes missing and the people who try to find her. This is Ben Affleck's directorial debut and it is extremely promising. The story is complicated and nearly treated with the care such a story needs. Important, difficult questions are asked, and in the end we are left to ponder them. Too many movies try to have a bright side or a happy ending but Gone Baby Gone fearlessly presents life with no easy answers. The lead performance by Casey Affleck is good, maybe very good, but not great. As his wife and partner, Michelle Monaghan is boring and out of place in almost every scene. Ed Harris is excellent and Morgan Freeman does his thing. The film loses it's way a couple times but Ben gets it back on track, especially at the end. Gone Baby Gone isn't perfect, but it's a serious movie with serious themes worth checking out, and it may revive Ben Affleck's career.

October 13, 2007

New Album Review: In Rainbows by Radiohead

It's far too difficult to write an interesting Radiohead review, so I'm gonna keep this short and simple. For a more extensive review check out Rolling Stone.

In Rainbows is Radiohead's follow up to Hail to the Thief, an album which received mixed reactions. It was the first album where they tried to bridge the gap between their unique alt rock sound and electronic experimentation. On their latest, they have really faded out a lot of their electronic sound in favour of the music more familiar to OK Computer. After one listen, In Rainbows did not particularly grab me. At least not in the way Radiohead's previous works have. On OK Computer they made a rock album that sounded like nothing else before it, and with Kid A they created a shockingly ugly yet beautiful and completely strange masterpiece. This is not to say In Rainbows is a failure, because even if they aren't breaking new ground, it is still only ground that Radiohead CAN cover. After multiple listenings, the subtle beauty of Rainbows shines through, revealing another powerful work of art. There are few artists in history that made music unlike anything previously heard. Obviously The Beatles come to mind, and no one could ever convince me that Radiohead isn't every bit as good, if not better.

October 02, 2007

I'm Back!

Hail, hail, small citizens of wheremever you may be! I have returned, chock full of scathing wit and improper grammar, in true form, ready to once again provide endless minutes of entertainment with my no holds barred and highly irrelevant...words. And such a wordsmith am I, that I shall fleer and flaunt all the fantastic furniture of the future while fidgeting, following, and fucking; for I am nothing if not a feathered flea, flapping fondly as fantasies fortell of fleeting fagels forworned of freed flakes of fluff from a fellow aged fifteen; fifteen forlorn and fancy free fortnights. In short: I am a man.

And I figure if Adam gets to display photos of all things him, why can't I showcase a few original pieces of art. I call this one "Faded Multi Colour Dots Set on a background of a colour between cold steel and blue." Enjoy:











I know. It's fantastic.
Well, I guess i'm done, seeing as how this whole post was just so that people didn't forget I also contribute to this blog.


remember him....remember him...

I like taking pictures and then showing them to people

Just a reminder that you can view all my photos at www.flickr.com

My profile name is adam.cook

I hope to post photos directly to the blog more often but it's very slow to upload so the majority of my images will remain exclusive to my flickr page.

the city and the woman i love...


My girlfriend and I recently shared our two year anniversary. In some ways, the time has flown by, but if feels like we have known each other forever. We have gone through ups and downs, faced turmoil and have achieved triumphs. And through it all, I have discovered who I am and hope to be. Meanwhile, I experienced this evolution with the human being I hope to be close to forever. Having someone you can trust completely and be able to enjoy their company above all else is incredible as well as helpful in learning and growing personally. In the end, i have benefited infinitely due to luck in finding such a rarity, and I will never forget how grateful I am.

I love you, Nicole.

In Rainbows...

Out of nowhere, Radiohead has begun to sell their new album, In Rainbows, only available from their website www.radiohead.com

In one of the coolest moves ever, they are releasing the album independently (they are no longer affiliated with a label) for however much you want. That’s right, you decide the price. When you go to the site to buy the album you type in how much you want to pay (in pounds). The only amount not accepted is 0.

0.01? Go for it. It’s bound to be another classic album, and the method of it’s release will shake the industry. Something Radiohead is pretty good at.

However, in my opinion they deserve the money for the album.

That didn’t stop me from choosing only 1 pound though……

The Kingdom

The Kingdom is a film about a team of FBI agents sent in to Saudi Arabia to investigate a terrorist attack. The movie is the next film from director Peter Berg. His last film, Friday Night Lights, is my bold pick for best sports movie of all time. Through his screenplay and direction he took what could have been average and made it emotionally charged and original. Berg, however, did not write The Kingdom, so it’s not as tight an artistic package. He takes an above average screenplay and breathes similar life into it as he did with (a much better screenplay) Lights. The major players, Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner and Jason Batemen are all solid, perhaps as good as they could be with the material. The Kingdom is certainly not a character piece and will not provide much insight. But that is not the aim of the film. Critics have been dissing the film for being too action packed and unrealistic, faking political awareness. Unfortunately most have missed that the point is much smaller than any huge political commentary. This movie is about human beings, their perspectives and how they interact. The political storyline is at most times, merely a vessel to tell a small, yet beautiful story. The action is a highlight though. The last bit of the movie is insane and will get your heart pounding. Another common complaint is that the terrorists are reduced to incompetent targets for Americans to shoot at. I believe this to be on purpose and a method to get something across to the viewers. The Kingdom is exciting, beautifully shot, wonderfully directed, and although it has it’s shortcomings in writing and character development, it is one of the best movies of the year.

Resident Evil: Extinction

When Resident Evil was released in 2002, many fans were disappointed of the direction of the movie but some were satisfied. It didn’t truly follow the plot of the excellent video game franchise but it was a solid horror film with some unique aspects. In fact, I liked it and was excited when the sequel, Resident Evil: Apocalypse was released. But as most were, I was incredibly let down, not only did the movie not improve on the original’s flaws, but it failed in every area a movie can…..miserably. It stands today as one of the worst movies I have ever seen. And oh my god, wait for it…….Extinction is worse. Jaw droppingly bad writing, terrible terrible acting (Oded Fehr as Carlos may be the worst performance this year) and quarter-ass plot. I don’t really need to elaborate, this is a truly awful film. And, unfortunately, it gets worse, due to the cliffhanger at the end, it becomes evident that the title, Extinction, is not referring to the Resident Evil movie franchise.

NO STARS

Eastern Promises

Canadian director David Cronenberg’s latest film Eastern Promises, is another fabulous movie. It features Viggo Mortensen as a right hand man for the Russian mafia and Naomi Watts as a normal woman who becomes tangled in their dark world. After a young girl dies during pregnancy, Watts’ character wants to find the deceased’s relatives to give the child a home. She discovers the girl’s diary (in Russian) and traces the clues to the mob. The film is eerily intense at the most anti-climatic times, such as during the many conversations Watts has with the mob boss. The plot is terrific, and has Cronenberg all over it. However, the highlight is Viggo Mortensen’s fascinating character. This one of the few times where a character is actually more interesting then the actual story taking place. Thanks to Mortensen’s acting and brilliant writing, Eastern Promises offers one of the best mafia films and thrillers in recent years.

Sorry...

Parker and I hardly post anymore and I apologize. I swear it is not a result of apathy but of uncontrollable lack of creativity and laziness. For now on, I want The Bronze to be a consistent vessel for my reviews and photography supplemented by Parker and I's randomness. Also, in an effort to make up for our shortcomings, I'm starting off October with a bang.

Enjoy.

September 12, 2007

Shoot 'Em Up

I actually attended the world premiere of Shoot 'Em Up in San Diego over a month ago, however I have not reviewed until now because I have had trouble making up my mind of whether it was brilliant or kinda dumb. I admit that during the film, I had the time of my life. Dozens of laughs thanks to the over the top action provided by writer/director Michael Davis (of whom I had the pleasure of meeting). I wouldn't go as far as to call the film a spoof, but it does seem to set out to parody the slippery slope of action movies. However, rather than being a "action movies are stupid and ridiculous" statement, the end result seems to be a comment more like "relax and enjoy, it's just for fun". Something, I myself, may have forgotten of late. The film follows our hero "Mr. Smith" played by Clive Owen, who effortlessly plays it cool for 90 minutes, on the run from our very creepy villain "Mr. Hertz", played by Paul Giamatti who actually puts on quite the performance. Throughout the movie are wonderful thrills and hilarious finishing moves (trust me, you'll never look at a carrot the same way again). And you'll laugh your head off and you're in for a few wonderful surprises as well. So if you want to see a brainy thriller, look away, but if you want to have a good time, rush to to the theatre as soon as possible.

3:10 To Yuma

3:10 To Yuma is the story of a rancher, played flawlessly by Christian Bale, who must escort an outlaw, played flawlessly by Russel Crowe, to a train which will take him to prison, and perhaps his death. It is a simple plot, which isn't hard to believe as it is based on a short story, but it is not a simple film. The two aforementioned main characters are complex and fascinating. The relationship between them is a thrill to watch and is immensely rewarding towards the end. Eventually the two men end up in a room alone, equipped with brilliant dialogue, and it creates a legendary scene that leads to the surprising climax. The action is secondary to the character development and the superb acting. It may not be surprising that Crowe and Bale are terrific but the supporting cast is impressive as well, led by Ben Foster, Peter Fonda and Alan Tudyk. Although some of the gun battles are entertaining, the film is most intense when "Ben Wade" and "Dan Evans" are engaged in conversation. Someone looking for a good old-fashioned shoot 'em up western will be disappointed. Someone looking for a brilliant character study will be more than satisfied.

August 22, 2007

New Mini Movie Reviews

During the last while I have been quite lazy and decided not to review movies I saw so here are some quick ratings...

The Simpsons Movie ***1/2
-superior to most of the episode quality of the last few seasons but not near how good The Simpsons was during it's golden age.

Stardust *** 1/2
-a very fun film, with Shakespearean like qualities in it's storytelling that are impressive yet outdated

Rescue Dawn ****
-very unique and sometimes masterful, the movie's weak points are rescued by Christian Bales's acting

Once ****1/2
-an impressively beautiful musical that surpasses most classics but will never get the recognition it deserves due to it's low budgetness and all too real screenplay

Transformers *
-LeBeouf tries his best to win over the audience with his charms, but he can't overcome poor writing and astoundingly terrible direction, the film earns it's only star from how cool Optimus Prime is

Superbad

Quite often we hear from people how much they love a certain movie. A lot of the time it's a comedy, usually a teen comedy. They rant about how it's the best comedy ever made. The truth is that that comedy probably came at out at a time when it was relevant in their lives. However, that shouldn't take away from that hypothetical comedy as it takes an incredible film to define a generation. It is pretty much tradition that certain comedies define certain people, think American Pie, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Animal House. To most of us, those are great comedies, but for some it holds an even higher value due to the age and place in their lives when they saw it. While recent masterpieces The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up are excellent, they are not in this category. Superbad most definitely is. Considering the screenplay was actually written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg whilst still attending high school, it's not hard to believe that Superbad flawlessly captures life as a teenager. I would go as far as to say that the portrayal of a high school student body has never been so accurate. The movie takes place over a 24 hour or so period and follows three graduating friends making one last effort to get in with the cool kids. Where as most comedies show the geeky kids as, well, really, really geeky and the cool kids as the awesome partiers who are either douche bags or well, really, really cool, Superbad gets it right. The geeky kids are actually cool in their own right, and as normal as everyone else and the cool kids are occasional drunk morons but more commonly, decent human beings. Approaching teenagers with honesty and sincerity rather than follow the stereotypes is one of the film's many strong points. But more than anything else, the movie is hilarious. The best thing is that every joke comes as natural as gun fire in a James Bond flick, rather than the popular trend of throwing in random punchlines that don't truly fit in with storytelling (thanks Family Guy). Also, as with every Judd Apatow/Seth Rogen film, at the center of the story is overwhelming heart, something severely lacking from the industry. Superbad is tremendous, an absolute classic and nothing should stop you from seeing it. I mean, why go see a re-hashed buddy cop movie (Rush Hour 3) when you can see a film so outstanding that it defines a generation.

August 02, 2007

Adam's Highlights of Comic-Con 2007



Well, we are back and I wanted to make a post about all the amazing stuff that happened to me.

Wednesday (Preview Night)...
on wednesday only the exhibit hall is open but it's freakin' sweet. There are retailer booths, publisher booths as well as several movie production booths (warner bros., new line cinema, etc.)Thursday...
I met Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham, the writer/creator and artist of Fables, my favourite comic book. Bill signed my #1 Fables issue and Mark did a live sketch of my 2 favourite characters.


I went to a "Lost" panel with the creators/ head writers of Lost as well as a special guest.


I went to the world premiere of Shoot Em Up. They handed out carrots after the movie (if you see it you will understand why).


Friday....

I met Richard Kelly, writer/director of Donnie Darko and the upcoming Southland Tales.



I met Nick Frost (actor) and David Wright (director), the men responsible for Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and one of the best TV shows ever, Spaced.



We went to the Kevin Smith Q&A which may have been the funniest hour of my life. During the panel the premiere of the TV show Reaper was shown. My cousin Kyle, who lives with me has a role in the show.



Saturday...

Dark Horse Comics announced a Joss Whedon signing at the beginning of Comic-Con. Everyone got a ticked and there was a raffle for who gets to meet Joss. About 150 out of 2500 people were chosen, Parker and I were not one of them. However, with a perfect display of the type of people that are Whedon fans a guy who had previously met Joss won but decided to give away his ticket to someone else. I asked him for it and all he asked in retunr was that I donate some money to Equality Now (Joss's favourite charity). I of course agreed. So it was a random act of kindness that lead to my meeting with my hero.

I also got to meet the artist of the Buffy comic, Georges Jeanty.

Next up was the Joss Whedon Q&A which included some huge announcements:
-there will be a Giles tv special on the BBC titled "Ripper"
-Oz will return in season 8
-Joss has written a horror movie "Cabin in the Woods"
-Joss will be making a short film, a ballet starring Summer Glau
-there will be a season 9
-Joss will return to musicals eventually
-there will be more "Fray"
-the script for "Goners" is being edited right now
...I may have missed something but that's a lot.

After that, we checked out a radio type show called "The Comic Book Club", it was hilarious. Check out their site: www.pulpsecret.com

Then it was a 10th anniversary celebration of Buffy held by whedonopolis.com, t wasn;t well organized but singing along to the musical with 1000 people was awesome.
I have tons of other pictures I'll eventually put on my flickr page which can be accessed from the sidebar.

Well that's it for my highlights of Comic-Con, a loth of other fun stuff happened on our trip but that's my "Greatest Hits" collection. I'm sure Parker will post more and I may at another time.
Overall, Comic-Con was pretty much the best thing ever and we will be going again next year. We plan to blog live from San Diego so it should be pretty cool.

Joss's handshake was amazing...

July 17, 2007

Countdown To Comic Con

Two Men...
Two Men and a thirty-six hour bus ride...
Two Men, a Thirty-six hour bus ride, and Joss Whedon...
Equal one hell of an epic journey.
A true tale of life, love, and the trials of redemption as two travelers traverse the landscape leading to what they both so desperately seek...acceptance.
Follow them on their quest (figuratively speaking, unless you really want to follow us) as they survive the harsh winter of San Diego on the streets; living as those who are less fortunate must: one day at a time. Hungry, cold, and caring for the small abandoned orphan child they took under their wing, they must find a way to free hat little family they have left from Sergio Montane Guilioma Francesca Coompadret, the evil beast of a man who guards the princess in the second tallest tower of the castle right across the street from the San Diego Convention Centre. Armed with only their wit, cunning, and an A-bomb they stole from the peruvian government in a previous adventure, they must free said princess without using said A-bomb. Can They Succeed? Will they succeed? How can they not with the power of mediocrity and the power of not-good-but-not-evil-somewhere-in-the-gray-area on their side.

I'm Excited.

Are you?

DUN DUN DUUUNNN.


P.S. that should have been read in an epic voice. All of it.

P.P.S But seriously, comic con is only 6 days away. And yes, it will ROCK....YOUR...WORLD!!!!!!!!

Coming this fall to a theatre near you.

July 16, 2007

New Album Review: Hospital Music by Matthew Good

*please note that Hospital Music will not be released until July 31st.

Matthew Good’s career spans over a decade at this point. In that time he has released 7 full albums and 3 EPs and 1 greatest hits collection. A lot of other things have happened to Matt during his career; he holds the record for the best selling independent rock album in Canadian history (1995’s Last of the Ghetto Astronauts), he has won several Junos (not that they mean anything), he has been banned from Winnipeg (and then let back in after a couple years), had a disease in his throat that lead to surgery and he actually had to learn how to talk again, he has quit smoking, he has broken up with his band, been married and eventually divorced, he has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and, of course has taken up smoking again. However, there is one thing he hasn’t done, and that’s disappoint. Every release has been at least great, and occasionally phenomenal. I am glad to say that that does not change. In the last year, Matthew has been to the hospital a couple times, because during last year’s tour he collapsed with exhaustion, and more recently, due to taking too much medication. During his stays he wrote a lot of the album, which explains the title, Hospital Music. Most of his albums have been extremely complex and rich, however this is not the case here. His lyrics are no longer masked with metaphors but are straight to the point; the music is also more simple. This is not necessarily a bad thing as the most straightforward song is also the most emotionally effective (She’s in it For the Money). Some might say that on old material Matt hid behind his poetic writing but now, for lack of a better term, he is completely naked. He has nothing to hide, to hear this album is to become close to someone you have never met. The experience is at times heartbreaking, but we are better for it. Music naturally makes us feel alive, it unites us, but with such honest lyrics as on Hospital Music we feel in touch with humanity to an even greater extent. To understand another human being through his art, we take their pains with us and relate to it, and sometimes come out as better people then we were at first. The power of music is incredible but not usually used to it’s full potential like it is here. One thing has always amazed me about Matthew Good, the fact that every album he changes his style. You can never predict what his next release will sound like. I am not sure if there is another artist I could say that about, possibly Radiohead, but there aren’t many. On Hospital Music, Matt reinvents himself again, and we are treated to his most personal work to date. Because of it’s simplicity, it lacks the astounding depth of his masterpieces Audio of Being and Avalanche, but it still kicks the asses of most of the popular stuff around today. It may not be Matt’s best or the best album of the year but it makes for another worthy part of a truly remarkable career, as well as a worthy part of any music collection.

July 03, 2007

Ratatouille

I went into Ratatouille with high expectations, having read many positive reviews. After the opening 10 minutes I was unsure with how I felt. It wasn't very funny at this point, and nothing seemed very special about it. Even after the movie picks up I was still uncertain. It wasn't until Remy (the main character) looks outside the window of an apartment to reveal a beautiful view of Paris that my heart was captured. The view of the city may be the most grand achievement in animated film history. As someone who prefers classic drawn and painted animation to today's CGI, this is a big statement. Easily the best looking animated film made with CGI to date. Ratatouille is visually stunning, pleasing and breathtaking. Director Brad Bird is the best American out there making animated movies right now, his previous two are The Iron Giant and The Incredibles. One of which is one of the best ever made while the other is possibly the funniest. Bird may be the only American willing to tackle animated films with new ideas while completely avoiding proven formulas. This film has more authentic heart than the last 10 animated releases put together, maybe more. The voice acting is flawless, the story is excellent and the writing is superb. With many metaphors abound, older viewers will surprisingly enjoy a rich movie-going experience, more so than many adult films already out this year. I think it's obvious by my review that I was blown away, and for good reason. Ratatouille is on pace to be the best this year easily while also being the superior American made animation of the 21st century so far. In fact, this movie should start showing up on lists of the best of all time. Incredibly unique and awe inspiringly beautiful, Ratatouille is simply one of the best. Many people and critics say animation is in another golden age but I strongly disagree. Animated films are in a big rut, with each release just entertaining and funny enough to get by with good reviews, meanwhile no real advancements or improvements are made in storytelling. So lets hope Disney, Pixar and every animated filmmaker take notice of Ratatouille because if it starts a trend, it will be ushering in another golden age of animation. Actually, if animation does maintain the quality seen here, it will be the greatest age in it's long history.

June 27, 2007

The Bronze Break

Parker and I are going on vacation tomorrow but we shall return Monday night. So I will leave with some announcements:
1. The "Comics This Week" feature has been retired. However, whenever I read a graphic novel or Trade Paperback collection of comics it will be reviewed.

2. There will no longer be a free song of the week.

3. A new feature "Wisdom From The Bronze" will be launched officially next week in an effort to fill the void and to provide entertainment with Parker and I's average wit.

4. I will no longer be wearing pants when I blog.

5. Parker shaved his head.

6. I will now be reviewing concerts. This will be a rare feature as I can only afford to go to a handful each year.

7. I will no longer be attending concerts whilst wearing pants.

8. Making announcements is fun.

June 22, 2007

Free Hospital Music

Matthew Good's next solo album "Hospital Music" will be released on July 31st. However, on June 29th if you go to www.matthewgood.org, you can hear the entire album for free. I recommend to those who have not listened to him before to check it out. A few songs have leaked already and they are superb so the album should not disappoint. Also just check out his site for kicks as he has the best blog going.

Sicko

I'm a big fan of Michael Moore's documentaries (Roger & Me, Bowling For Columbine and Fahrenheit 911). Many critics and politicians claim he is very biased and spins stories in his favour. I disagree, all of his concerns are only human and he presents his points in such a way that you can make up your own mind about it. Also, he makes the most entertaining documentaries ever. Each of his films has moments of hilarity and strong emotion (be it anger or sadness) and a few shocking revelations. However, even if you are one of those Moore haters, it's hard to knock Sicko. Maybe you disagree about gun control or about George Bush but if you disagree about health care you are either a retard, a soulless bastard or a money grabbing politician (oops I think i was a little redundant there). Sicko compares the health care system in the US to that of Canada, Britain, France and even Cuba. The findings are both shocking and heartbreaking. There is no argument here, only devastating truth. The horror stories from the States compared to how well we Canadians do and how other countries do even better is unbelievable. We get to find out who benefits from the health care system, with politicians making hundreds of thousands of dollars. Despite this movie being about health care, through an encounter with Cubans towards the end I realize something else. The US has distorted our perspective of the world's people. Maybe this is why we could care less about people in third world countries. This short segment of the film filled me with anger and sorrow to an extent no other film has reached. For those that have seen the movie "V For Vendetta", the horrors the British government is responsible for in the film are not far off from those of the US government. Also, V For Vendetta's catch phrase rings true as well, "People should not be afraid of the government, the government should be afraid of it's people". Moore teaches us with the help of some Americans living in France that the reason things are great in France is because of protests. In France, the people fight very hard for what they want and they get it. All Americans need to do is follow suit. It's up to the people to shift the balance of power between them and their government. Hopefully this movie makes a difference, maybe things will change. That's what Michael Moore wants. He's doing something to help make that happen. Why aren't we?


Sicko will be released in theatres on June 29th

June 18, 2007

Free Song of The Week

Hey Kids! Free Song!

Here's one of my faves off the new White Stripes album...

Conquest by The White Stripes

June 15, 2007

Comics This Week

Reviews of comics released on June 13th, 2007...


DMZ #20 (Vertigo)
Written by Brian Wood, Art by Kristian Donaldson

The latest DMZ story arc "Friendly Fire" has been the book's best since it began. This latest issue falls a little short of the first two entries if only because of the guest art. Donaldson steps in with a much more cartoony style which is fine, but not for DMZ. The regular art is rough and lends to the mood and style of the writing. However, this is another brilliantly written issue, setting up the next one beautifully. I don't think Wood has made an arc where every issue is fantastic, but if he follows through on the next two, that will change.


Fables #62 (Vertigo)
Written by Bill Willingham, Art by Mark Buckingham

Fables is the best comic on the shelves. Willingham continues to have his story evolve to an inevitable all-out war between our beloved fables in Manhattan and Ghepetto's armies of the homelands. This book has wonderful characters, it is sometimes dark but almost always has a strangely light tone accompanying it. However, Fables is getting very intense and this may be the most exciting point of the story so far. In an issue with pretty much a bunch of talking, Willingham gets your blood pumping with anticipation for the epic story in the horizon.

June 12, 2007

Free Song of the Week

I recently discovered this song and it's amazing....Enjoy.

Waste of Paint by Bright Eyes

June 11, 2007

Parker's Post #3

Hey, Hey, Hey all you (expletive) (expletive)'s! I realize that in the theme of keeping this blog family oriented I should not cuss or swear, because if I were to learn that I had warped some small child's mind i would feel just pretty damn shitty now wouldn't I? However then I realized that no small children actually read this, and I was all like, "...huh...". So screw you kids! If you don't want to read dirty words like poo, orgy, stupid-head, boobs, bum, bum-crack, bum-hole, ass, ass-face, hooker, concubine, nuts, shit, crack-whore, and various other body part related words, and if you don't want to read phrases like "your momma is so fat...", or, "man, gonorrhea itches like a...", than I strongly recommend you don't read what you just finished reading. you're a very dirty person. For shame.

Moving on. Just 3 days left of school and then I'm done! Oh and Adam too. congrats there palio. But I'm more done. So...Ha. I apologize. I am beginning to ramble, because I really have nothing to say, so I'm going to develop a topic right now...and...Go.

What's the deal with the vegetables? Seriously, they get their own compartment in the fridge and everything. Why should vegetables be given special treatment over other food products? sure they're chock full of vitamins and nutrients, but what about dairy products. they contain nutritive goodness like calcium and vitamin D, but nooooo, that's not good enough to warrant their own special bloody pull out drawer in the fridge. I personally think vegetables are playing us all for fools. I mean, look at celery. What the hell has celery ever done for us? We can't even digest that shit. And shit is what it becomes, because it just passes right through us. We don't even retain calories from it. In fact if you only ate celery, you would die of starvation. So I ask you, my fellow human beings, Will we take this lying down? No! We shall rise up at the evil, repressive fridge drawers for the segregation they impose upon our food groups. I ask you, are not all food groups created equal? Is not protein as necessary to life functions as vitamin C? Rise up brothers and sisters of the new order, rise up and take back from the veggies that which we have worked so hard to create! For I have seen the future, and it is a future in which asparagus and cream cheese walk hand in hand through a new garden of Eden, a garden that has been man made through advanced engineering and mechanics, a fridge without plastic constraints. A fridge of peace and understanding, so that the age old battle between good and evil, right and wrong, veggie and dairy, comes to an end, and a new generation of some kind of cross bred dairy/veggie freak of nature can rule the fridge, and one day, even the counter. And the first step towards this new world is removing that damn slide out drawer that makes the freakin' green pepper so pretentious. Screw you green pepper! I'll eat your children! That's all I have to say about that I guess. And Adam if you never want me to write on here again I'll understand...

peace

June 09, 2007

Hostel Part II

Hostel was an odd movie. The first half was pretty much porn, but the second half offered a terrifying yet intelligent horror film. With Part II, filmmaker Eli Roth has avoided another first half of porn and opted to go with strong characterization and a more interesting story. The film adds to the "Hostel mythology", letting us in on lots of secrets behind everyone's favourite vacation, which of course is killing an American in Slovakia. Instead of just torture, we discover more and more, while in a way, wanting to know less. The business like fashion that everything is being run is scary in it's own right. Speaking of torture, there's less of it here, but when the couple scenes occur, Roth raises the bar again. The one thing that stands out in Part II is that we get to see inside the minds of the killers this time. The movie follows two men in the States all the way to the torture room. During this journey we are presented interesting characters, and while we are not giving every little detail about them, Roth presents them in an indirect style which lets us put together the pieces until the shocking climax. Eli Roth proves again to be a director with enormous potential, and some of said potential has already been realized. Hostel Part II ups the horror, suspense, the story, the characters and now may have in his hands a "Saw" like franchise. The difference? The Hostel movies are brilliant.

June 08, 2007

Grrr Arrgh

It's been a long time since I reviewed comics. In the last 3 weeks, only 1 issue came out I wanted. However, this week, I have no excuse, but I swear my comic reviews will return next week. Also, I plan to start reviewing graphic novels and trade paperbacks at some point.

June 03, 2007

Free Song of the Week

This week's free song is Matthew Good's brand new single "Born Losers". His new album, "Hospital Music" will be released July 31st. He plans to tour acoustically this september in Canada, USA and possibly overseas.

Enjoy.

Born Losers

June 02, 2007

Knocked Up

Knocked Up is a comedy from the guys responsible for The 40 Year Old Virgin. This includes director/writer Judd Apatow and Vancouverite Seth Rogen. Like "Virgin", this is a much longer comedy than usual, something I like but others feel strongly against. Rogen plays 23 year old unemployed stoner who manages to hook up with a girl, played by Katherine Heigel, who is way out of his league. After disappearing from his life the morning after, she returns in 8 weeks to tell him she's pregnant. They decide to get to know each other to try and make it work. Knocked Up is hilarious, crammed with dirty jokes about sex and even pinkeye. However, what makes Apatow's films special is that they contain genuine, overwhelming heart. The movie is surprisingly well acted by it's two leads, especially Hiegel. The film has a even more serious undertone than "virgin", with several scenes that are almost only dramatic acting and situations. Seth Rogen establishes himself as the next big thing with his unique style of comedy and his easy to relate to personality. The movie's last 20 minutes or so fall short of the rest of it, but overall Knocked Up is a great comedy that shouldn't be missed.

May 28, 2007

New Album Review: Chronophobia by Insert

Insert is my friend and co-blogger's band, but I assure you I approach this review with no bias. Also, I think it is vital to mention that I am reviewing this album with the same scale of any music review. Chronophobia begins with a keyboard intro that simultaneously sets the tone and perfectly leads into the next song. But the disc is not always perfect. Insert, for the most part, have a refreshing original sound containing a great combination of elements. Said elements include heavy drumming, old school guitar shredding, and a violin, which adds a folksy sound instead of blending in with the other instruments (see: Yellowcard). Remember when I said mostly a refreshing sound? Insert occasionally drifts into a familiar hard rock sound. That is a real shame considering they seem to be a creative group with adequate capabilities. However, it is something that can improved upon in the future. There are no real bad songs here, some average, some good, a couple very good and a couple great tracks. When listening to a teen local band's music, I always bear in mind the lack of production quality and the not completely developed talents within. However, with this album, I was surprised to find myself unable to stop listening to it. Favouring Insert tracks over my regular major artists when casually listening to music. Insert has shown that they may be a band that has a long way to go, but they are well on their way. The album is a major accomplishment. At first glance, a 3 star rating may seem a bit average but I have dozens of albums released by major label artists that would score less. The definition of chronophobia may be the fear of time, but the only time listeners have to fear is how long until album number two.

Free Song Of The Week

So, here we are again. This week I am offering a song from Parker's band "Insert" titled "Endless". They released their first album last week ("Chronophobia") and i thought it was appropriate to have the free song coincide with said release. If you like the song and are interested in the band, visit their site (link on the sidebar) or leave a comment. Thanks!

Endless by Insert


postscript: i will be reviewing Chronophobia this week...


May 27, 2007

Parker's Post #2

Hello again. I offer you, the reader, this lighter and possibly more amusing post to counteract the more serious and vaguely disturbing post presented by Adam and Joss Whedon below, which I will refuse to comment on as it is far to heavy a subject for me to get into in my classically short posts. Nyhah. Moving on; I have come to the conclusion in the last 10 minutes that attic bedrooms lead to an increased level of fitness. Bear with me as I expand on my genius thesis. Due the nature of attic bedrooms, computers have a difficult time receiving wireless internet signals. This in turn leads to me having to set my laptop up in the middle of the floor in my room, in order to access the internet and explore the vast realm that is cyber space. Unfortunately, this lack of a chair and desk leads to uncomfortable seating options. Now you may believe in your naive way, that that would be comfortable, however you would be as wrong as a naked fat man at a nude beach. After the many hours I spend on the computer, sitting cross legged is quite painful and leads to equally painfull pins and needles, which in turn lead to hopping, cursing, banging my head on my low ceiling, blacking out, and waking up in the middle of a park with my pancreas missing (fortunately that only happened once), and now due to my fluctuating blood sugar levels I find it even harder to sit and blog. My lack of insulin aside, this uncomfortable seating means I change positions often and frequently take strech breaks. This stretching has led to an increased level of flexibility, so much in fact that I can now blast out a bridge and touch my toes (with straight legs I might add!) In short, I'm so flexible now I could bang your mother and she'd say, "Damn, that Parker boy is really flexible." And I be all like, "You know it baby."

Well that's that I suppose. Expect more soon, but I figure it's best to give people time before reading more of my posts to prevent people from getting lost within the paradoxial free confines of my twisted mind.

Until then,
Peace

May 24, 2007

Everytime I Close My Eyes

I just got back from seeing The Arcade Fire concert at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby. Over the years I have seen many bands play live and I have reviewed each. This performance was only the third out of roughly 30, to achieve a 5 star rating. Deer Lake Park is also my favourite venue ever now and I will make an extra effort to check out shows there. The concert was incredible, if you ever have a chance to see Arcade Fire live, take it.

May 23, 2007

Women = Men

I completely believe in equal rights for all people. I find it crazy that people can believe a woman's life is any less valuable than a Man's. It's a ridiculous notion that should never even have to be discussed, but in this world, it does. I'm not a great speaker or writer and shy away from talking about such large issues as I never can present my ideas as clearly as they are in my mind. But, thankfully, I can use someone else's words to describe my feelings. Today I found a blog-like entry by my hero Joss Whedon on his fan site, Whedonesque. It may be on of the best pieces I have read on this topic. It's very moving but also very angry. I'll stop rambling...Here it is:

Let's Watch A Girl Get Beaten To Death.
This is not my blog, but I don’t have a blog, or a space, and I’d like to be heard for a bit. Last month seventeen year old Dua Khalil was pulled into a crowd of young men, some of them (the instigators) family, who then kicked and stoned her to death. This is an example of the breath-taking oxymoron “honor killing”, in which a family member (almost always female) is murdered for some religious or ethical transgression. Dua Khalil, who was of the Yazidi faith, had been seen in the company of a Sunni Muslim, and possibly suspected of having married him or converted. That she was torturously murdered for this is not, in fact, a particularly uncommon story. But now you can watch the action up close on CNN. Because as the girl was on the ground trying to get up, her face nothing but red, the few in the group of more than twenty men who were not busy kicking her and hurling stones at her were filming the event with their camera-phones.There were security officers standing outside the area doing nothing, but the footage of the murder was taken – by more than one phone – from the front row. Which means whoever shot it did so not to record the horror of the event, but to commemorate it. To share it. Because it was cool. I could start a rant about the level to which we have become desensitized to violence, about the evils of the voyeuristic digital world in which everything is shown and everything is game, but honestly, it’s been said. And I certainly have no jingoistic cultural agenda. I like to think that in America this would be considered unbearably appalling, that Kitty Genovese is still remembered, that we are more evolved. But coincidentally, right before I stumbled on this vid I watched the trailer for “Captivity”.A few of you may know that I took public exception to the billboard campaign for this film, which showed a concise narrative of the kidnapping, torture and murder of a sexy young woman. I wanted to see if the film was perhaps more substantial (especially given the fact that it was directed by “The Killing Fields” Roland Joffe) than the exploitive ad campaign had painted it. The trailer resembles nothing so much as the CNN story on Dua Khalil. Pretty much all you learn is that Elisha Cuthbert is beautiful, then kidnapped, inventively, repeatedly and horrifically tortured, and that the first thing she screams is “I’m sorry”.“I’m sorry.”What is wrong with women?I mean wrong. Physically. Spiritually. Something unnatural, something destructive, something that needs to be corrected.How did more than half the people in the world come out incorrectly? I have spent a good part of my life trying to do that math, and I’m no closer to a viable equation. And I have yet to find a culture that doesn’t buy into it. Women’s inferiority – in fact, their malevolence -- is as ingrained in American popular culture as it is anywhere they’re sporting burkhas. I find it in movies, I hear it in the jokes of colleagues, I see it plastered on billboards, and not just the ones for horror movies. Women are weak. Women are manipulative. Women are somehow morally unfinished. (Objectification: another tangential rant avoided.) And the logical extension of this line of thinking is that women are, at the very least, expendable.I try to think how we got here. The theory I developed in college (shared by many I’m sure) is one I have yet to beat: Womb Envy. Biology: women are generally smaller and weaker than men. But they’re also much tougher. Put simply, men are strong enough to overpower a woman and propagate. Women are tough enough to have and nurture children, with or without the aid of a man. Oh, and they’ve also got the equipment to do that, to be part of the life cycle, to create and bond in a way no man ever really will. Somewhere a long time ago a bunch of men got together and said, “If all we do is hunt and gather, let’s make hunting and gathering the awesomest achievement, and let’s make childbirth kinda weak and shameful.” It’s a rather silly simplification, but I believe on a mass, unconscious level, it’s entirely true. How else to explain the fact that cultures who would die to eradicate each other have always agreed on one issue? That every popular religion puts restrictions on women’s behavior that are practically untenable? That the act of being a free, attractive, self-assertive woman is punishable by torture and death? In the case of this upcoming torture-porn, fictional. In the case of Dua Khalil, mundanely, unthinkably real. And both available for your viewing pleasure.It’s safe to say that I’ve snapped. That something broke, like one of those robots you can conquer with a logical conundrum. All my life I’ve looked at this faulty equation, trying to understand, and I’ve shorted out. I don’t pretend to be a great guy; I know really really well about objectification, trust me. And I’m not for a second going down the “women are saints” route – that just leads to more stone-throwing (and occasional Joan-burning). I just think there is the staggering imbalance in the world that we all just take for granted. If we were all told the sky was evil, or at best a little embarrassing, and we ought not look at it, wouldn’t that tradition eventually fall apart? (I was going to use ‘trees’ as my example, but at the rate we’re getting rid of them I’m pretty sure we really do think they’re evil. See how all rants become one?)Now those of you who frequent this site are, in my wildly biased opinion, fairly evolved. You may hear nothing new here. You may be way ahead of me. But I can’t contain my despair, for Dua Khalil, for humanity, for the world we’re shaping. Those of you who have followed the link I set up know that it doesn’t bring you to a video of a murder. It brings you to a place of sanity, of people who have never stopped asking the question of what is wrong with this world and have set about trying to change the answer. Because it’s no longer enough to be a decent person. It’s no longer enough to shake our heads and make concerned grimaces at the news. True enlightened activism is the only thing that can save humanity from itself. I’ve always had a bent towards apocalyptic fiction, and I’m beginning to understand why. I look and I see the earth in flames. Her face was nothing but red.All I ask is this: Do something. Try something. Speaking out, showing up, writing a letter, a check, a strongly worded e-mail. Pick a cause – there are few unworthy ones. And nudge yourself past the brink of tacit support to action. Once a month, once a year, or just once. If you can’t think of what to do, there is this handy link. Even just learning enough about a subject so you can speak against an opponent eloquently makes you an unusual personage. Start with that. Any one of you would have cried out, would have intervened, had you been in that crowd in Bashiqa. Well thanks to digital technology, you’re all in it now.I have never had any faith in humanity. But I will give us props on this: if we can evolve, invent and theorize our way into the technologically magical, culturally diverse and artistically magnificent race we are and still get people to buy the idiotic idea that half of us are inferior, we’re pretty amazing. Let our next sleight of hand be to make that myth disappear. The sky isn’t evil. Try looking up.
by Joss Whedon

New Album Review: Sky Blue Sky by Wilco

Wilco is a great band, they play an interesting brand of rock and roll. Their best album, "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" remains one of my favourites. Even after they changed their lineup a little they released another great album, "A Ghost Is Born". This sets the standards pretty high for "Sky Blue Sky" and the enjoyment level of this album suffers because of it. It lacks something their last two releases didn't. Perhaps having long tracks (7 to 15 minute songs are absent here). Maybe it's the lack of strange sound effects or even, as surprised as I am to say this, it's because there is no clear-cut poppy radio friendly song. Whether its all, one or none of these things, there is something missing, but that doesn't keep it from being a solid addition to a music collection. I went song by song, and individually, I have no complaints. Each song ranges from good to very good, no skipable tracks but no masterpieces either (something their past CDs had). Overall, this is a pretty good album that seems to have the potential to continue growing on me. Any fan of rock and roll should probably check out Wilco and "Sky Blue Sky" is not a bad place to start.

May 22, 2007

Parker's Post #1

Sorry about that Adam, my fault entirely. Far be it from me to post infrequently on this blog. However, Yes, I am Back from the wanderings that I partook in mine own mind, and while there was a space of a month in between my previous post and this one, rest assured they will only get more frequent. Unless I die. Which would be unfortunate. However, because I just learned today that I did not make it into Cap college I suddenly will have much more spare time in the upcoming year (read: no life) so perhaps I shall dedicate my life to the bronze, in commemoration to all it has given me in return.

In any case I must be off, but I just wanted to make sure people know I haven't forgotten about this fabulous posting network I belong to. On a quick side note; the new Insert album comes out on Friday the 25th, and the CD will be released at a show at the North Shore Alliance church, the cost is $7 dollars entrance plus $10 for a CD. For more info on go to www.insertband.ca.

peace

May 21, 2007

Free Song Of The Week

Sorry about the lack of posts recently, I'll tell Parker to pick up the slack as it is his fault and his fault alone. In the meantime here is the free song of the week!!! Because I am reviewing Wilco's new album later this week, here is an amazing song of theirs, "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart"

The song is located on the sidebar

May 13, 2007

Free Song of the Week

This week the free song is the best track off of last year's best album, The Eraser by Thom Yorke.

There is an interesting article about it on Wikipedia you should check out.

The download for the song "Harrowdown Hill" is available on this site's sidebar. Enjoy.

Hot Fuzz

Hot Fuzz is a hilarious homage to action movies, made by Simon Pegg, David Wright and Nick Frost, the guys who brought you "Shaun of the Dead". Pegg plays the perfect big city cop in London who is unwillingly transferred to a small town in rural Britain. The town is Sanford, where everyone knows each other and there have been no murders in 20 years. Not long after the boredom of a crime free town sets in, a series of "accidents" occur. Pegg's character is the only one who believes it to be murder, and without any support except from his action cop movie fanatic partner, played by Frost, he tries to unravel the mystery. The film is extremely funny and much more clever then most of the gross out comedy trend films of recent years. The movie also manages to be expertly filmed, suspenseful and includes more satisfying action then in any of the huge CGI-happy franchises out there now. Also, like Shaun of the Dead, it has sincere characters that get you emotionally attached. Hot Fuzz is an absolute joy to watch, with dozens of solid laughs, terrific action sequences and even an excellent plot. In fact, I think it might be the greatest action comedy I have ever seen. At least, it is the best movie I have seen so far this year.

28 Weeks Later

28 Weeks Later is the sequel to 28 Days Later, one of my personal favourite movies ever. It's a brand new cast and crew for "Weeks", and they have big shoes to fill. The cinematography, the acting, the writing, the characters, the horror. They are many things that would need to be top notch to reach the quality of the first one. The characters and the actors that play them are great. The story is just as interesting and it's a very well written movie. The opening scene may be the best opening scene I have ever seen, but it goes downhill from there. The terror from that scene only makes a couple more appearances. The camera work is fantastic throughout but certain moments in the first few minutes are the best. The movie is not scary the whole time, but when it is scary it's very scary. The movie loses it's way a couple times, something 28 Days Later never did, but does get back on track. It is hard to compare this movie to it's predecessor because they are so different. Not a classic, but still a very good film. It is one of the better horror movies I can think of, with riveting drama and the emotional pull that the first one had. Overall, this is probably going to be the best horror movie of the year.

May 10, 2007

Comics This Week

Reviews for comics released May 9th, 2007...


DMZ #19 (Vertigo)
Written by Brian Wood, art by Riccardo Burchielli and Nathan Fox

There is no shortage of great war stories out there, in every medium, be it in book, film or comic. However, none manages to put things in perspective like in DMZ. Especially in the current arc, DMZ shows how people are able to commit the horrors we hear about. It makes you think how different people are when armed and frequently facing the possibility of death. This isn't the best war story, but it is a very good one, and I recommend it to anyone, not just comic book fans. On a random note, if you love war stories go out and buy "The Other Side" graphic novel, also published by Vertigo Comics.

Jack of Fables #10 (Vertigo)
Written by Matthew Sturges and Bill Willingham, art by Tony Akins

I have been dissing Jack of Fables for a while now. I've called it stupid, pointless, boring comic, but I liked it when it started out. It was funny. But when a book made primarily for laughs gets less funny then it kinda loses it's appeal. However, it gets funny again this issue whilst adding a strong ending to a terrible arc. It redeems itself quite well and sets itself up for better stories in the future. I am gonna give Jack of Fables a chance based on the potential this issue shows. If it keeps it up, I'll keep buying it, but another arc like this one and I'm done with it.

Y: The Last Man (Vertigo)
Written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Pia Guerra

Y: The Last Man is one of the best comics I have ever read. It has gotten weaker in its last quarter (it's ending at 60 issues), but is still an incredible series. Vaughan, however, has made one of the most memorable issues with #56. A joy to read from start to finish, complete with a twist, laughs, suspense, and tears, this issue reminded me that this may be the best complete series ever. I do not care who you are, whether you read comics or not....GO OUT AND BUY Y: THE LAST MAN, NOW!!!!!!!!! I find it hard to believe anyone could not love this series if they tried it, ANYONE. The issues are collected in trade paperbacks, a total of 10 volumes (9 out right now). You can find them at any comic book store, online (http://www.amazon.ca/) or you can order them through major book stores (Chapters, Indigo). BUY IT.

Next Week: I can't remember...