For almost a decade, the word "reboot" has been a four-letter word. Aside from the whirlwind success with Christopher Nolan's Batman/Dark Knight trilogy (thus far), every other attempt at a reboot or remake has been met with disdain and discord. So when Sony decided to reboot the Spider-Man franchise about five years after the "Spider-Man 3" left such a sour tastes in the mouths of critics and, more importantly, audiences, the groans were to be expected.
Indeed, "The Amazing Spider-Man" is a reboot. And has absolutely nothing to do with what Sam Raimi has done with the prior three Spidey movies. And perhaps that's the most glorious part of the movie.
Not only is this a do-over for the franchise, they're incorporating the full story from the original comics generations have loved. Let me tell you...this is how Spider-Man is supposed to be.
Mysteriously abandoned by his parents Richard and Mary (Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz) and left in the care of his uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and aunt May (Sally Field) when he was little, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is your run-of-the-mill high school nerd. He loves science, takes pictures for various school functions, and quietly has a crush on classmate Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone).
When Peter finds a folder in his father's old brief case with a bizarre formula in it, he goes to Oscorp in search of his father's former colleage, Doctor Curt Conners (Rhys Ifans). While in Oscorp, Peter is bitten by a genertically altered spider, and realizes he has similar abilities as a spider. After developing custom web-shooters and honing his abilites, he begins a crusade to stop crime on the mean streets of New York, while dodging suspicion from his aunt and uncle, getting arrested or killed by Gwen's father Police Captain Stacy (Denis Leary), and Doctor Connors himself, who's science experiment goes terribly wrong.
Director Marc Webb ("(500) Days of Summer"), along with writers Alvin Sergant (screen story writer for "Spider-Man 2"), Steve Kloves (every Harry Potter film except Year 5) and James Vanderbilt ("Zodiac", "The Losers"), have literally thrown out everything Sam Raimi did before and finally give us the Spider-Man film we deserve. Peter Parker is a snarky geek, they have Gwen Stacy rather than Mary Jane Watson, and ground as much of the film in a stark realism as they can. The characters are real and relatable, and so are the situations.
Tobey who? Who cares! Andrew Garfield IS Peter Parker in every way, shape, and form. They couldn't have casted this film any better. From his gawky mannerisms, his perfect delivery, and his expressive face, Garfield is going to have a long career as Spider-Man ahead of him. Emma Stone radiates as Gwen Stacy, showing comic book heroines don't have to be stupid (Kirsten Dunst, we're glaring at you).
The rest of the cast? How can you not love them? Sally Field as Aunt May. Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben. Denis Leary as Captain Stacy. This is casting at its finest.
Much like what Christopher Nolan did for the Batman franchise, "The Amazing Spider-Man" is a grittier. darker take on the series. Fans, worry not. Peter still cracks all the jokes he did in the original comics, and the love story between he and Gwen is a endearing as you would expect. But expect to have your breath taken away from you when the action starts up -- especially if you're seeing this in IMAX 3D. As great as the story is, the action is pure magic. Pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat magic.
FINAL VERDICT: Forget what has come before it. "The Amazing Spider-Man" lives up to its name. This is the film that geeks and movie-goers will be able to agree on for once. As awe-inspiring as it is sweet, as incredible as it is human, "The Amazing Spider-Man" is the movie that should have been made the first time around, and the new franchise I will not-so-patienty be waiting for (the sequel comes out in 2014).
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Movie Review: "Moonrise Kingdom"
If there's something more I enjoy more than the big blockbusters ("The Avengers"? Hell yes!) during Summer Blockbuster Season, it's the fabled sleeper hit. This is a movie that is an independent film that is being shown in a quarter of the theaters the blockbuster is being shown in that cracks the Top Ten at the box office and shows up many of the bigger films.
Last year's sleeper film was "The Help". This year? It's "Moonrise Kingdom". Currently being shown in less than 900 theaters in the US (in comparison, "The Amazing Spider-Man" this weekend is in more than 4,000 theaters), and it is currently making quite a bit of money. After seeing it finally, I can see why.
It's Summer on a sleepy New England island, 1965. Young love is in the air when Khaki Scout Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) devises a plan to run away with his crush Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward). When this happens, all hell breaks loose. Town sheriff Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) is trying to search for the missing children while Mr and Mrs Bishop (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand) keep intervening when they shouldn't be, Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton) is trying to keep the rest of the scouts in line, and the rest of the scouts are taking the word manhunt to its literal translation -- all while a huge tropical storm is about to hit the small island community.
Director Wes Anderson ("Rushmore", "The Darjeeling Limited"), who co-wrote the movie with Roman Coppola ("The Darjeeling Limited") to make the darkest comedic tale of young love out there. Of course, twisted romance really isn't anything new for Wes Anderson. He did create "Rushmore" after all. But like "Rushmore", Anderson's penchant for making enigmatic romances amidst dark times only makes you root for the protagonists that much more.
The cast is brilliant. Including appearances from Anderson veteran Jason Schwartzman as Cousin Ben and Tilda Swinton as Social Services, performances from the likes of Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, and Edward Norton. But it's newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward that shine the brightest here. Keeping up with the likes of Willis and Norton is no easy task, and these youngsters are amazing. I can definitely foresee long careers for both of them.
"Moonrise Kingdom" is darkly hilarious on the surface, but a sweet, endearing love story at its core. The love that Sam and Sally have for each other is brave and strangely hypnotic. Sure, they're both not quite teenagers yet, but that doesn't stop them from allowing the other person to love them for all their traits and flaws. Both are labelled as having emotional problems by the people who surround them, but, when together, they are fearless and protective of each other, which makes their love less immature than it would appear. Hollywood movies don't have this kind of conviction. Show me a movie where Meg Ryan shanks a guy in the kidney with a pair of left-handed scissors to protect Tom Hanks, and we'll talk. Until then, this movie is one of a kind.
FINAL VERDICT: In a Summer Blockbuster Season as amazing as this, "Moonrise Kingdom" is the sleeper hit this season deserves. Wes Anderson knocks it out of the park yet again with an amazing original tale of true love and the adventures it sends us on. Sure, you can make the argument that it's only young love, but, much like the film's young protagonists, the film is much more mature than it would seem.
Last year's sleeper film was "The Help". This year? It's "Moonrise Kingdom". Currently being shown in less than 900 theaters in the US (in comparison, "The Amazing Spider-Man" this weekend is in more than 4,000 theaters), and it is currently making quite a bit of money. After seeing it finally, I can see why.
It's Summer on a sleepy New England island, 1965. Young love is in the air when Khaki Scout Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) devises a plan to run away with his crush Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward). When this happens, all hell breaks loose. Town sheriff Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) is trying to search for the missing children while Mr and Mrs Bishop (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand) keep intervening when they shouldn't be, Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton) is trying to keep the rest of the scouts in line, and the rest of the scouts are taking the word manhunt to its literal translation -- all while a huge tropical storm is about to hit the small island community.
Director Wes Anderson ("Rushmore", "The Darjeeling Limited"), who co-wrote the movie with Roman Coppola ("The Darjeeling Limited") to make the darkest comedic tale of young love out there. Of course, twisted romance really isn't anything new for Wes Anderson. He did create "Rushmore" after all. But like "Rushmore", Anderson's penchant for making enigmatic romances amidst dark times only makes you root for the protagonists that much more.
The cast is brilliant. Including appearances from Anderson veteran Jason Schwartzman as Cousin Ben and Tilda Swinton as Social Services, performances from the likes of Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, and Edward Norton. But it's newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward that shine the brightest here. Keeping up with the likes of Willis and Norton is no easy task, and these youngsters are amazing. I can definitely foresee long careers for both of them.
"Moonrise Kingdom" is darkly hilarious on the surface, but a sweet, endearing love story at its core. The love that Sam and Sally have for each other is brave and strangely hypnotic. Sure, they're both not quite teenagers yet, but that doesn't stop them from allowing the other person to love them for all their traits and flaws. Both are labelled as having emotional problems by the people who surround them, but, when together, they are fearless and protective of each other, which makes their love less immature than it would appear. Hollywood movies don't have this kind of conviction. Show me a movie where Meg Ryan shanks a guy in the kidney with a pair of left-handed scissors to protect Tom Hanks, and we'll talk. Until then, this movie is one of a kind.
FINAL VERDICT: In a Summer Blockbuster Season as amazing as this, "Moonrise Kingdom" is the sleeper hit this season deserves. Wes Anderson knocks it out of the park yet again with an amazing original tale of true love and the adventures it sends us on. Sure, you can make the argument that it's only young love, but, much like the film's young protagonists, the film is much more mature than it would seem.
Movie Review: "To Rome With Love"
A new year, a new Woody Allen movie. They come out every year like clockwork. Last year, Woody Allen stole our hearts (and the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay) with the brilliant "Midnight In Paris".
This year's movie "To Rome With Love" is Allen's next European adventure in love, life, and the bizarre. And when I say bizarre, I mean there is more than one occasion where you occasionally go "What the hell?". It's not as profound and powerful as "Midnight In Paris", but it's still a lot of fun.
This ensemble movie revolves four story lines in the streets of Rome: (1) Newlyweds Antonio (Alessandro Tiberi) and Milly (Alessandra Mastronardi), on their honeymoon, get separated, leaving Antonio bizarrely in the hands of an enigmatic prostitute Anna (Penelope Cruz) and Milly, while lost in Rome, winds up on a movie set with superstar Luca Salta (Antonio Albenese); (2) while on vaction, famous architect John (Alec Baldwin) runs into [wait for it] his younger self Jack (Jesse Eisenberg) and girlfriend Sally (Greta Gerwig) while Sally's best friend Monica (Ellen Page) shows up, making Jack starry eyed and confused over the fascinating Monica -- all the while being chastised by John; (3) American Haley (Alison Pill) and local man Michelangelo (Flavio Parenti) fall in love instantly, become engaged, and has Haley's parents Jerry (Woody Allen, acting in his first movie since 2006's "Scoop") and Phyllis (Judy Davis) fly out to Rome to meet Michelangelo and his father Giancarlo (Fabio Armiliato); and (4) unassuming everyman Leopoldo (Roberto Benigni) all of a sudden becomes a celebrity for no apparent reason, and is accosted by the paparazzi everywhere he goes.
Writer/director Woody Allen (2005's "Match Point", 2008's "Cassandra's Dream") strays away from the dramatic thrillers and intelligent comedies to have a little fun like he used to with such surreal movies like "Scoop", "Sleeper", and "Things You Always Wanted To Know About Sex (But Were Too Afraid To Ask)". The script may not be completely over-the-top like the last movie I mentioned on that list, but it's still fairly bizarre and sardonically funny.
Due to the fact there are so many cast members to go over, it's hard to go over everyone. To simplify things, here's the highlight: Alec Baldwin and Jesse Eisenberg have amazing chemistry together, and are hilarious! The downside: Roberto Benigni. I don't care about "Life Is Beautiful". Benigni is really. Not. Funny.
It would be easier to explain quantum mechanics than all the events "To Rome With Love", but that's part of its charm. Woody Allen has always been known for making comedies that, well, don't make a hell of a lot of sense, but are still fun to watch. It's not as laugh-out-loud funny as "Ted" is, but it is funny, and makes you feel good.
FINAL VERDICT: "To Rome With Love" will probably not be nominated for many awards this year, but who cares? Woody Allen is surely returning to the quality he was once known for back in the early 90s and before. You won't be grabbing your sides with laughter, but you will be thoroughly entertained.
This year's movie "To Rome With Love" is Allen's next European adventure in love, life, and the bizarre. And when I say bizarre, I mean there is more than one occasion where you occasionally go "What the hell?". It's not as profound and powerful as "Midnight In Paris", but it's still a lot of fun.
This ensemble movie revolves four story lines in the streets of Rome: (1) Newlyweds Antonio (Alessandro Tiberi) and Milly (Alessandra Mastronardi), on their honeymoon, get separated, leaving Antonio bizarrely in the hands of an enigmatic prostitute Anna (Penelope Cruz) and Milly, while lost in Rome, winds up on a movie set with superstar Luca Salta (Antonio Albenese); (2) while on vaction, famous architect John (Alec Baldwin) runs into [wait for it] his younger self Jack (Jesse Eisenberg) and girlfriend Sally (Greta Gerwig) while Sally's best friend Monica (Ellen Page) shows up, making Jack starry eyed and confused over the fascinating Monica -- all the while being chastised by John; (3) American Haley (Alison Pill) and local man Michelangelo (Flavio Parenti) fall in love instantly, become engaged, and has Haley's parents Jerry (Woody Allen, acting in his first movie since 2006's "Scoop") and Phyllis (Judy Davis) fly out to Rome to meet Michelangelo and his father Giancarlo (Fabio Armiliato); and (4) unassuming everyman Leopoldo (Roberto Benigni) all of a sudden becomes a celebrity for no apparent reason, and is accosted by the paparazzi everywhere he goes.
Writer/director Woody Allen (2005's "Match Point", 2008's "Cassandra's Dream") strays away from the dramatic thrillers and intelligent comedies to have a little fun like he used to with such surreal movies like "Scoop", "Sleeper", and "Things You Always Wanted To Know About Sex (But Were Too Afraid To Ask)". The script may not be completely over-the-top like the last movie I mentioned on that list, but it's still fairly bizarre and sardonically funny.
Due to the fact there are so many cast members to go over, it's hard to go over everyone. To simplify things, here's the highlight: Alec Baldwin and Jesse Eisenberg have amazing chemistry together, and are hilarious! The downside: Roberto Benigni. I don't care about "Life Is Beautiful". Benigni is really. Not. Funny.
It would be easier to explain quantum mechanics than all the events "To Rome With Love", but that's part of its charm. Woody Allen has always been known for making comedies that, well, don't make a hell of a lot of sense, but are still fun to watch. It's not as laugh-out-loud funny as "Ted" is, but it is funny, and makes you feel good.
FINAL VERDICT: "To Rome With Love" will probably not be nominated for many awards this year, but who cares? Woody Allen is surely returning to the quality he was once known for back in the early 90s and before. You won't be grabbing your sides with laughter, but you will be thoroughly entertained.
Video Back-Log: "Goon"
**original release date: 2/24/2012**
It's no mystery to those that know me I've never been the biggest fan of sports movies. But every once and while, like "The Blind Side" or the under-rated "Wimbeldon", one catches my attention.
Though not in the same caliber as "The Blind Side", hockey comedy/drama "Goon" manages to make you laugh as hard as you cheer in this bizarre underdog tale. Often crass and over-the-top, "Goon" encompasses everything that is great about hockey while making it accessible to non-sports-watchers such as myself.
After watching his idol Ross Rhea (Liev Schreiber) for years, bouncer Doug Glatt (Sean William Scott) gets a chance of a lifetime when he angrily squares off against a hockey player, is seen by the rival coach, and is instantly made a hockey player. Driven by encouragement from his best friend Ryan (Jay Baruchel), Doug becomes the enforcer (the guy responsible for all the fights on the ice) for the Halifax Highlanders.
Soon becoming an overnight sensation, Doug is quickly faced with disappointing his intellectual parents (Eugene Levy, Ellen David), his team because he's not the greatest skater, and falling for hockey fan Eva (Alison Pill), who, by the way, already has a boyfriend.
Director Michael Dowse (the wonderfully under-rated "Take Me Home Tonight"), with writers Jay Baruchel (feature film debut) and Evan Goldberg ("Superbad"), turn the sports movie on its head. The typical humor you would expect from a writer of "Superbad" with the intense, uncensored action of hockey, this team creates a movie that is violent and goofy, yet still manages to hold up to other great sports comedies like "Major League" and "Necessary Roughness".
Seann Willam Scott is wonderful as Doug, the enforcer with a heart of gold. This is a role that Scott was virtually born to play: ruthless, somewhat dim-witted, but ultimately a great guy. It's nice to see him stray away from the Stiffler character from "American Pie". The rest of the cast is great here, but this truly is Doug's story, and Scott is great in the spotlight.
Based on the book by Doug "The Hammer" Smith and Adam Frattasio, which is about Smith's actual career in hockey, "Goon" is hard-hitting good time. It doesn't do much for the good name of hockey, I'm sure (we really don't see much puck-work until the last game in the movie), and its crass dialogue can be off-putting at times. But, in reality, have you ever listened to any athletes talk amongst themselves in the locker room? Let's just say they're not the most eloquent of speakers. So, in a way, "Goon" is a bit more grounded in the gritty underbelly of professional sports that the public never gets to see, and it's fun as hell to watch.
FINAL VERDICT: Though not an Oscar contender by any stretch of the imagination, "Goon" is a really fun, bizarrely inspiring, underdog tale set in the world of professional hockey. Sure, it has more bloodshed and curse words than "Miracle", but it's hard not to root for the film any less.
It's no mystery to those that know me I've never been the biggest fan of sports movies. But every once and while, like "The Blind Side" or the under-rated "Wimbeldon", one catches my attention.
Though not in the same caliber as "The Blind Side", hockey comedy/drama "Goon" manages to make you laugh as hard as you cheer in this bizarre underdog tale. Often crass and over-the-top, "Goon" encompasses everything that is great about hockey while making it accessible to non-sports-watchers such as myself.
After watching his idol Ross Rhea (Liev Schreiber) for years, bouncer Doug Glatt (Sean William Scott) gets a chance of a lifetime when he angrily squares off against a hockey player, is seen by the rival coach, and is instantly made a hockey player. Driven by encouragement from his best friend Ryan (Jay Baruchel), Doug becomes the enforcer (the guy responsible for all the fights on the ice) for the Halifax Highlanders.
Soon becoming an overnight sensation, Doug is quickly faced with disappointing his intellectual parents (Eugene Levy, Ellen David), his team because he's not the greatest skater, and falling for hockey fan Eva (Alison Pill), who, by the way, already has a boyfriend.
Director Michael Dowse (the wonderfully under-rated "Take Me Home Tonight"), with writers Jay Baruchel (feature film debut) and Evan Goldberg ("Superbad"), turn the sports movie on its head. The typical humor you would expect from a writer of "Superbad" with the intense, uncensored action of hockey, this team creates a movie that is violent and goofy, yet still manages to hold up to other great sports comedies like "Major League" and "Necessary Roughness".
Seann Willam Scott is wonderful as Doug, the enforcer with a heart of gold. This is a role that Scott was virtually born to play: ruthless, somewhat dim-witted, but ultimately a great guy. It's nice to see him stray away from the Stiffler character from "American Pie". The rest of the cast is great here, but this truly is Doug's story, and Scott is great in the spotlight.
Based on the book by Doug "The Hammer" Smith and Adam Frattasio, which is about Smith's actual career in hockey, "Goon" is hard-hitting good time. It doesn't do much for the good name of hockey, I'm sure (we really don't see much puck-work until the last game in the movie), and its crass dialogue can be off-putting at times. But, in reality, have you ever listened to any athletes talk amongst themselves in the locker room? Let's just say they're not the most eloquent of speakers. So, in a way, "Goon" is a bit more grounded in the gritty underbelly of professional sports that the public never gets to see, and it's fun as hell to watch.
FINAL VERDICT: Though not an Oscar contender by any stretch of the imagination, "Goon" is a really fun, bizarrely inspiring, underdog tale set in the world of professional hockey. Sure, it has more bloodshed and curse words than "Miracle", but it's hard not to root for the film any less.
Two-Cent Review: "Blue Valentine"
**(original release: 2010)**
Another swing and a miss on the Video Back-Log.
Per request by one of my faithful readers, I rented "Blue Valentine". Let me preface that I am not revoking the request privileges of my fans...but this one made me question why this particular fan requested this one.
It's an interesting concept: we find Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams), a married couple of some indeterminate years, and the film cuts between when they fall in love, and now, when they're falling out of love with each other. And, like many great concepts in the indie film world, it gets mercilessly screwed up in the screenplay.
Director Derek Cianfrance ("Brother Tied"...yeah, I haven't heard of it either), along with co-writers Joey Curtis ("Brother Tied") and Cami Delavigne (feature film debut) create a movie that could've been great, but it's all in the execution. Instead of showing the characters actually be in love and make the audience actually care about them and their romance, they show Dean and Cindy relatively better on their own rather than together -- Dean is a sweet guy who goes out of his way to help others, while Cindy is a free-spirit from a miserable home and a moronic boyfriend. So okay, Dean is better off at least. The point is that this film did not make me care about either of them in the 40 minutes I kept this in the player.
I usually enjoy Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, but this film made me too sad to actually enjoy their performances here. As a writer, I know how crucial the screenplay is to a film. Much like "Star Wars" Episodes 1, 2, and 3, it doesn't matter how good the actors are. If the screenplay sucks, it makes the actors look hackneyed and amateurish.
Perhaps the film gets better in the second half, I'll never know. I couldn't get myself to get there. It's a mystery what other movie critics saw in this movie, but it matters not. I sadly could not get into this film.
MY TWO CENTS: I don't know what the critics saw in this to give it such good reviews, but "Blue Valentine" is a prime example of how not all independent movies are good. Writer/director Derek Cianfrance has three upcoming projects. Let's pray that at least one of them is better than this.
Another swing and a miss on the Video Back-Log.
Per request by one of my faithful readers, I rented "Blue Valentine". Let me preface that I am not revoking the request privileges of my fans...but this one made me question why this particular fan requested this one.
It's an interesting concept: we find Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams), a married couple of some indeterminate years, and the film cuts between when they fall in love, and now, when they're falling out of love with each other. And, like many great concepts in the indie film world, it gets mercilessly screwed up in the screenplay.
Director Derek Cianfrance ("Brother Tied"...yeah, I haven't heard of it either), along with co-writers Joey Curtis ("Brother Tied") and Cami Delavigne (feature film debut) create a movie that could've been great, but it's all in the execution. Instead of showing the characters actually be in love and make the audience actually care about them and their romance, they show Dean and Cindy relatively better on their own rather than together -- Dean is a sweet guy who goes out of his way to help others, while Cindy is a free-spirit from a miserable home and a moronic boyfriend. So okay, Dean is better off at least. The point is that this film did not make me care about either of them in the 40 minutes I kept this in the player.
I usually enjoy Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, but this film made me too sad to actually enjoy their performances here. As a writer, I know how crucial the screenplay is to a film. Much like "Star Wars" Episodes 1, 2, and 3, it doesn't matter how good the actors are. If the screenplay sucks, it makes the actors look hackneyed and amateurish.
Perhaps the film gets better in the second half, I'll never know. I couldn't get myself to get there. It's a mystery what other movie critics saw in this movie, but it matters not. I sadly could not get into this film.
MY TWO CENTS: I don't know what the critics saw in this to give it such good reviews, but "Blue Valentine" is a prime example of how not all independent movies are good. Writer/director Derek Cianfrance has three upcoming projects. Let's pray that at least one of them is better than this.
Friday, July 6, 2012
On The Record: Great New Music
It's hard to deny that, this year, there is some kick-ass music!
Whether it's a brand new band or one that is making a comeback, one thing that's for certain: your stereos will be slamming this summer when you check these bands and albums out.
BLUES TRAVELER, "SUZIE CRACKS THE WHIP"
You may only know these guys for their runaway hit "Run-Around", but Blues Traveler is actually celebrating 25 years together this year, and "Suzie Cracks The Whip" marks their first album since 2008's "North Hollywood Shootout". I'm sure that means absolutely nothing to you, but, trust me, this album is the one that you didn't know you were waiting for.
Starting with the radio-friendly "You Don't Have To Love Me", the blistering "Devil In The Details", and the soulful "Love Is Everything", Blues Traveler has never been better since their breakout album "Four". When getting this album, I suggest getting it from Best Buy, which will net you 6 additional tracks, including the dark blues number "Maureen", which left me chilling.
LINKIN PARK, "LIVING THINGS"
After the aptly titled "Meteora", Linkin Park had a swing-and-a-miss with "Minutes To Midnight" (except for the awesome "Giving Up" and the irresistible "Bleed It Out") and got slammed for the under-rated "A Thousand Suns". Now, with "Living Things", Linkin Park comes back to making stellar songs. Labelled as a more personal album, Linkin Park knocks it out of the park with "Burn It Down", "Lost In The Echo", and "Powerless" (my favorite track on the album).
It may not be as amazing as "Meteora" or "Hybrid Theory", but Linkin Park has definitely starting to get their grove back.
ICON FOR HIRE, "SCRIPTED"
Making a stellar debut, Icon For Hire is a brand new band that has other female-fronted bands like Evanescence and Flyleaf a run for their money.
From the blistering lead track "Theatre" to the startling "Get Well", Icon For Hire displays masterful lyrics from lead singer Ariel and the blistering music of guitarist Shawn Jump and drummer Adam Kronshagen. Debut albums like this don't come around every day, so when comes from a completely unknown band like this, it's hard to ignore. Let's see what happens with their second album.
I FIGHT DRAGONS, "KABOOM!"
Whenever the term "YouTube sensation" comes up, we usually get something like Annoying Orange or "Come To Candy Mountain Charlie". Punk-chiptune band I Fight Dragons is one YouTube sensation worth checking out.
Starting with incredible MP3-only albums "Cool Is Just A Number" and "Welcome To The Breakdown" set the stage to amazing harmonies, brilliant music, and soundbits from NES, Atari, and GameBoy games makes I Fight Dragons an incredible band. The band currently is known for their YouTube video "Rickroll + Mario", where they take Rick Astley's song "Never Gonna Give You Up" and combine it with the classic Super Mario Bros. theme song, but, after the drop of their debut album "Kaboom!", hopefully they'll be known for more than that soon.
From incredible singles "The Geek Shall Inherit The Earth" and "Save World Get Girl" to over-the-top catchy title track and surprisingly soulfull "With You", "Kaboom!" has something for everyone to enjoy. I Fight Dragons can be currently seen on the Vans Warped Tour, so it's only a step of things to come for this band.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Soapbox Commentary: Dawn of the "Ted"
In a surprise upset this weekend, Universal Pictures' "Ted" defeated not on "Magic Mike", but Pixar's "Brave" at the box office to become the supreme champion this weekend, stealing the coveted Number 1 spot with an astonishing $54.1 million total. That's better than "The Hangover" when it debuted in May of 2009, and it marks the third best R-rated comedy debut behind "The Hangover Part 2" and "Sex In The City".
How did a foul-mouthed, pot-smoking bear conquer all this weekend? To put it bluntly, originality.
Both "Ted" and "Magic Mike" (which settled for Number 2 this weekend at $39 million) managed to sweep in audiences without the gimmick of 3D, and without the upcharges on the tickets to swell the numbers. Therefore, they had to rely on cast and story to do the trick.
I'm going to make the argument that both had gimmicks of their own "Magic Mike" had hunky men like Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey shaking their moneymakers and shedding clothes, while "Ted" had a walking, talking, pot-smoking, alcohol-chugging teddy bear. Both had amazing advertising campaigns, and I thought that "Magic Mike" had the better one, making the film into an event movie for women to go in groups like they did with "Sex And The City" in 2008.
However, "Ted" still came up on top with what appears to be a massive following. It's hard to imagine that Channing Tatum couldn't beat a teddy bear at the box office, but it's true. How, you may ask? Once again, originality.
You can make the argument that both films are originals, and you would be right. Neither are sequels, prequels, remakes or reboots. However, "Magic Mike" is loosely based upon Channing Tatum's career days as a male erotic dancer, so it could be argued as well that it's not quite an original story. "Ted", on the other hand, is completely original.
Satirizing Disney-like stories of toys coming to life from a young child's wish ("Life Size", for instance), "Ted" shows what happens when both the boy and the toy grow up together. Adding Mark Walhberg as Ted's man-boy friend John and Mila Kunis as John's way-to-good-for-him girlfriend Lori was an added bonus to writer/director Seth MacFarlane voicing Ted himself, and the story provided to make this movie great.
Sure, "Family Guy" fans showed up in droves to see this movie since it is Seth MacFarlane's big screen debut, but, despite the various cameos by "Family Guy" stars and few "Family Guy" references, this is NOT a "Family Guy" movie.
"Ted" makes a huge leap in MacFarlane's career, opening up at such an astonishing number, and the story is what carried it there. Star power aside (Wahlberg is not a huge draw anymore, while Kunis' last film, "Friends With Benefits", was considered a flop), "Ted" is not just about a talking teddy bear, but about love, friendship, and growing up -- all relatable concepts. Indeed, the poignancy of "Ted" comes as quite a shock, but the fact it can make you laugh while warm your heart is why this film is as genius as it is. Much like "The Hangover Part 2" that added intelligence to the humor to up the ante, "Ted" adds sentimentality, love and loss to the story to make the film grounded in reality to make you realize that Ted, at the core, has emotions too at his fluffy core.
Though in the weeks to come with comic book adaptations "The Amazing Spider-Man" (reboot) and "The Dark Knight Rises" (sequel) dominating the box office, it's nice to know that film audiences are not as desensitized to unoriginal films as they seem to be. Granted, they rejected the wonderful "Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World", but, hey, pick your battles.
How did a foul-mouthed, pot-smoking bear conquer all this weekend? To put it bluntly, originality.
Both "Ted" and "Magic Mike" (which settled for Number 2 this weekend at $39 million) managed to sweep in audiences without the gimmick of 3D, and without the upcharges on the tickets to swell the numbers. Therefore, they had to rely on cast and story to do the trick.
I'm going to make the argument that both had gimmicks of their own "Magic Mike" had hunky men like Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey shaking their moneymakers and shedding clothes, while "Ted" had a walking, talking, pot-smoking, alcohol-chugging teddy bear. Both had amazing advertising campaigns, and I thought that "Magic Mike" had the better one, making the film into an event movie for women to go in groups like they did with "Sex And The City" in 2008.
However, "Ted" still came up on top with what appears to be a massive following. It's hard to imagine that Channing Tatum couldn't beat a teddy bear at the box office, but it's true. How, you may ask? Once again, originality.
You can make the argument that both films are originals, and you would be right. Neither are sequels, prequels, remakes or reboots. However, "Magic Mike" is loosely based upon Channing Tatum's career days as a male erotic dancer, so it could be argued as well that it's not quite an original story. "Ted", on the other hand, is completely original.
Satirizing Disney-like stories of toys coming to life from a young child's wish ("Life Size", for instance), "Ted" shows what happens when both the boy and the toy grow up together. Adding Mark Walhberg as Ted's man-boy friend John and Mila Kunis as John's way-to-good-for-him girlfriend Lori was an added bonus to writer/director Seth MacFarlane voicing Ted himself, and the story provided to make this movie great.
Sure, "Family Guy" fans showed up in droves to see this movie since it is Seth MacFarlane's big screen debut, but, despite the various cameos by "Family Guy" stars and few "Family Guy" references, this is NOT a "Family Guy" movie.
"Ted" makes a huge leap in MacFarlane's career, opening up at such an astonishing number, and the story is what carried it there. Star power aside (Wahlberg is not a huge draw anymore, while Kunis' last film, "Friends With Benefits", was considered a flop), "Ted" is not just about a talking teddy bear, but about love, friendship, and growing up -- all relatable concepts. Indeed, the poignancy of "Ted" comes as quite a shock, but the fact it can make you laugh while warm your heart is why this film is as genius as it is. Much like "The Hangover Part 2" that added intelligence to the humor to up the ante, "Ted" adds sentimentality, love and loss to the story to make the film grounded in reality to make you realize that Ted, at the core, has emotions too at his fluffy core.
Though in the weeks to come with comic book adaptations "The Amazing Spider-Man" (reboot) and "The Dark Knight Rises" (sequel) dominating the box office, it's nice to know that film audiences are not as desensitized to unoriginal films as they seem to be. Granted, they rejected the wonderful "Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World", but, hey, pick your battles.
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