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.