9 Songs (2004, Michael Winterborn) Grade: C
Okay... let me basically time line this barely over an hour long movie for you:

Man reflects on his relationship with a woman.
Couple are at a Black Rebel Motorcycle Club concert
couple have sex
Couple are at a Von Bodies concert
couple have sex
Couple are at an Elbow concert
couple have sex
Couple are at a Primal Scream concert
couple have sex
Couple are at a Dandy Warhols concert
couple have sex
Couple are at a Super Furry Animals concert
couple have sex
Couple are at a Franz Ferdinand concert
couple have sex
Couple are at a Michael Nyman concert
couple have sex
Ends at a Black Rebel Motorcycle Club concert (woman has gone away to America, man still in Europe).

Aside from going to concerts (of which they all are actual live performances showing one single complete performance of a song) they take a drive to a beach, go out to dinner, make a dinner, drink coffee.
Some sex scenes are longer than others, some are very short. One shows cunnilingus, one shows fellatio with ejaculation, final one shows penetration. So... it's "graphic" sexually. Though in my opinion not offensive in any way and it's not like watching a porno. You just watch what comes across as an average relationship going through the mundane aspects of life and in relationships there's lots of sex, monotony, and if you love music and can blow your money on gigs, lots of concerts.

I think the relationships progression was described through the lyrics of the songs but since each song was in a live fashion you can't really distinguish much of the lyrics, but then sometimes I feel the lyrics don't apply to the relationship, so who knows.

I really didn't know how to grade it. I guess it's an ok movie so I gave it a C.

(M) Ice Harvest. (Harold Ramis, 2005) Grade: C-

Thoughts: Darth will never let me forget about taking him to this bore of a film. Harold Ramis has done some great work - Caddyshack, the Ghostbuster series and my all time favorite Groundhog Day but I can not say the same for this one. John Cusack is Charlie Arglist, a lawyer for a mob boss (Randy Quaid) in Kansas. He steals $2 million from his boss with the help of Vic Cavanaugh (Billy Bob Thornton) and has to get out of town once the ice storm has passed. The only highlights for me in this 88 minute mess were Billy Bob and Oliver Platt who played Pete Van Heuten, Charlie's drunken buddy. The entire movie dragged along and even at the end with the plot twist you just did not care what happened to any of the characters.

(M) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. (Andrew Adamson, 2005) Grade: A-

Thoughts: I remember growing up and watching the BBC and cartoon version of this cherished children story. Please note I said children story because before it is a vehicle to preach the gospel, it is a simple children story which C.S. Lewis himself wrote for his goddaughter (thanks Hedwig). One aspect of the film I really enjoyed was the use of mainly unknown expect for a few exceptions like Tilda Swinton (Jadis, the White Witch), Rupert Everett (voice of Fox) and Liam Neeson (voice of Aslan). All of the children were new to acting or had very little acting experience and the casting for Lucy was pretty dead on. My biggest issue with the movie was the fact fricking hatful Disney distributed it. During the key battle scene between Good vs. Evil the audience is not allowed to see ONE shed of blood which made it the safest battle I've ever seen in my life. Granted I've watched too many Lord of the Ring-ish films that I'm use to gore but come on. Another complaint I've heard is the heavy use of CGI. Yes I will admit the background scenes and some of the creatures look very unreal but you know half the movies in Hollywood are made that way now. Overall, I really enjoyed the movie and recommend everyone to go and watch it.

(M) Marche de l'empereur, La (March of the Penguins). (Luc Jacquet, 2005) Grade: A-

Thoughts: This documentary is informative and heart warming. The penguins are so cute with the little ways they waddle along and the baby chicks are even cuter. I would be interested in seeing the French version where the penguins are treated like characters talking to each other.

Hey Pigern, Details magazine labeled Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah as one of the top 10 albums of the year.

Everyone else, I don't know if you go to useless junk or not but some crazy guy in Ohio made a ridiculous light show with Christmas lights on his property. Check it out if you want. It is timed to music so if you're at work and can't have speakers on, wait til you get home to watch.

Here you go.

Will the U.S. turn their backs again? In one of today's NY Times editorials they are talking about Darfur and labeling it the next Rwanda Genocide. Whether it will reach such levels or not will be seen in the future. It's a short piece so you can read it here if you wish.

I really like this Ok Go video for A Million Ways to be Cruel. The dance moves are flippin sweet. I wonder how long it took them?

Check it out!

(M) Dot The I (2003, Matthew Parkhill) Grade: C-
Not horrible, not amazing, though I wouldn't care to watch it again. This movie has Gael Garcia Bernal (Motorcycle Diaries, Y tu mama tambien, Amores perros). Basically he see's a girl in a restaurant who he is attracted to. They meet, she's engaged, he wants to be with her, she's attracted to him but plans on going through with her marriage anyway... drama follows, plot twists evolve, and ultimately you end up with crazy things that could NEVER be acheived in reality but are used in movies because you can create these crazy twists as if they'd work.

(M) Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. (Mike Newell, 2005). Grade: B+
(Note: Potential spoilers)
As someone who's read this book twice, and forgotten maybe 20% of what happened, I feel that what was included and what was not included was sufficient enough for me to get the storyline. (But then again, you may get a different answer from someone who did not read the book at all.) And as Hedwig mentioned, there is the understanding that everything that happens in the book is not going to show up in the movie. Although I am in full support of reading a book first before watching the movie version, I do understand that a lot of things are not going to make the cut in the movie, and I am okay with that. I think if you hold onto the book version too much, you really don't give the movie version a chance. I don't like when they mess with the plotline too much, but realistically, how do you fit an 800 page story into a 2.5 hour movie?

That being said, I was disappointed that they left out most of the Quidditch World Cup. This was a major storyline in the first part of the book, and they really just glossed over it. The same with the first task of the TriWizard Tournament. However, I'm really glad they left out minor stuff (i.e. the house elves, Rita Skeeter being a spy), which I conveniently forgot about anyway, and which were not detrimental to the overall plot.

Visually, I enjoyed the special effects more in this movie than any other HP movie. If you compare the first movie to this one, they've come a long way. Compared to the Quidditch Cup Stadium, Voldemort, the dragons, etc. from this movie, the troll and special effects from the first movie seem elementary and almost cartoon-like. And thank goodness for the PG-13 rating! I've long felt that the HP books have a lot of adult themes, and everytime I watch one of the movies, I feel that they cater too much to children, with the inclusion of cheesy scenes added for comical effect only. There were some sorta cheesy scenes in this movie too, but not as bad as before. Let's not talk about Moaning Myrtle, who annoys me to no end. - Overall, the plotline is much darker, and deeper than the previous 3 movies, which felt to me like too much of children's movies.

And let's address the acting issue. Hedwig mentioned that perhaps Emma Watson's overacting is due to the director. I'm not so sure. I think she's just over-emotional on her own. Especially considering that she's been like this since the first movie until now (which have had 3 different directors). Overall, I think the acting by the 'children' is not superb. It's good enough, but they seem the same to me, like their acting skills have progressed marginally since the first movie. Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Harry Potter, always has the overly concerned or angry look on his face. Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley always has a tortured, goofy look for comical effect. However, their acting is supplemented by rather convincing actors, like Mad Eye Moody (?) and Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). Hagrid and McGonagall are always pleasant, even though they both weren't in this movie as much. Viktor Krum was as menacing as I'd imagined too.

Overall, I did enjoy this movie more than any of the other movies. Cool special effects, deeper, more complex storyline, more adult oriented, darker themes, more of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters...I've never felt like I wanted to re-watch any HP movie, until I watched this one.

(M) Samaria (Samaritan Girl). (Ki-duk Kim, 2004) Grade: B-

Thoughts: WTF! Two young teenage girls, Jae-yeong (Yeo-reum Han) and Yeo-Jin (Ji-min Kwak), want to go to Europe so badly that instead of getting regular jobs they become amateur prostitutes. It all makes sense right. Well Jae-yeong dies by jumping out of a two story window to avoid being caught by the cops and Yeo-Jin takes it upon herself to sleep with the men and give them back the money they had paid them. Her father finds out about the whole thing, who is a vice cop and sees young girls dying from being prostitues, is wrenched with pain and agony. Although the film is only 90 mins it does move along slowly. I've already seen three movies by this same director and he is a nutcase.

(M) It's All Gone Pete Tong. (Michael Dowse, 2004) Grade: B

Thoughts: I didn't know much about this film but it was recommended by Netflix so I decided to give it a try. The first 15 to 20 minutes I was about ready to give up on the whole thing but by the end I really enjoyed it. Paul Kaye plays Frankie Wilde, a famous DJ at the top of his game playing all the biggest venues until he finds out he is slowly going deaf in both his ears. When Frankie's hearing finally does go, it pushes him into deep depression and heavy drug use until he pulls himself out of the whole ordeal and learn to read lips and dj again. I've read the movie is based on a true story but there has been some dispute about how real the whole story is. The title of the film seems to bring a lot of confusion about who or what the film is about. Apparently the term "It's all gone Pete Tong" is Cockney rhyming slang for it's all gone wrong and not in reference to Pete Tong, a famous BBC dj who happens to play terrible house/techno music.

(M) Pride and Prejudice. (Joe Wright, 2005) Grade: B+

Thoughts: First off this is no A&E/BBC version of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. This is an updated hip and with it version for the next generation and not a bad one either. Keira Knightley plays Elizabeth Bennet and does an alright job but she would not have been my first choice. When I saw Matthew MacFadyen was Mr. Darcy I thought he was terribly unattractive but after watching the movie I changed my mind completely. He was a great Mr. Darcy and very hot. The film did an excellent job on the casting by getting people who really fit the characters they were playing i.e. Simon Woods who played Mr. Bingley. There were quite a few cheesey parts/lines in the movie, but overall worth checking out.

Happy Thanksgiving from my friends to all y'all!!!

(O) Masters of American Comics (UCLA Hammer Museum) Grade: B+

The exhibit is actually split in two with one here and the other at MOCA. The Hammer showcases all of the earlier artists, who were really influential and groundbreaking. My personal favorite is Frank King, whose Gasoline Alley strips were simple yet somewhat surreal. Alley also has fantastic use of color and innocent storylines about imagination. And of course, Charles Schulz is always a favorite. I took the time to read all of his displayed pieces but mostly skimmed the others’ work.

(M) Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) Grade: B

When I was a child reading this series, the Christian themes were not even a consideration. Viewing this film now, the religious aspects are so overt, one might be a bit thick (or too young) to miss them. As a film, it is a fairly standard piece of work: good versus evil, good prevails despite all odds, warm and fuzzy ending. Disney did follow the book closely, which is a relief.

(B) Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs (Chuck Klosterman) Grade: B

I admit it. Sometimes I buy books based on their title (i.e. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People). I think this is slightly better than judging a book by its cover but slightly worse than actually knowing what the book is about. For the most part, Sex, Drugs is funny--its pop culture wrapped up in a sociological context (to make you feel smart). But those chapters in which Chuck writes about sports were a bore (for me).

(TV) Family Guy / Sunday 11/20/05
Uhhh.. This was SO great during Family Guy.
Now watch it!

(M) Shopgirl / Grade: will be determined as I flush it out, grade will be at the end.

Alright, so I saw Shopgirl last night. First, I guess I'll go with a likes/dislikes.

To start, I liked the shots of LA from the mountains and desert and the vastness of the sky. It made me think of how we're really surrounded by this open space and LA actually can look pretty from a distance (or an eye-sore, depending I guess). I thought it was a nice contrast to the hustle and bustle / me-oriented people who make-up the clientel of a place like Saks Fifth Avenue and Los Angeles in general.

Jason Schwartzman - now this guy was hilarious and he had to have ad libed because Steve Martin would not have written the things this guy said (and in fact, didn't in the novella). I could watch the beginning of this movie over and over and over and over just for his character. He gets an A+.

Steve Martin - Not impressed on one level but his character seemed fitting for me since he was playing an emotionally distant person, and that's what came off. Some may say his character was too flat... but, that's how emotionally distant people seem. They seem... sorta flat because they are afraid to invest in others and when they do, it's still reserved, so I think he did fine as that role.

Claire Daines - She was fine for the role. The crying scene was AWFUL though. Outside of that I bought her as her character.

Voice Over - AWFUL. I mentioned this before how internal adaptation movies need to rely on voice-over (which they did in this one, but sparingly at least). None the less, I hated that Steve Martin was the voice over for what Claire Danes was feeling. Claire Danes should have done the voice over for what she was feeling or they should have had some outside person who is not a part of the movie do the voice-over.

Adaptation from Novella to Screen - Not bad, but not sufficient. It's interesting because in the book, it's the end that made it mean more to mean whereas in the movie it was the beginning that was most enjoyable for me. The break-up in the book was somewhat emotional for me whereas in the movie, when they split I wasn't sad, but then the talk outside the Art Gallery is where it hit me in the movie. Also, reading about the older man with the younger woman in the book is easier to take than seeing it on screen for me.

Overall - So I guess I have to look at the movie this way, what stands out to me is Jason Schwartzman. However, the movie wasn't about him, it was about Claire Danes. So, if I walk away with my fondness for the movie being for somebody that it's not about, then perhaps the movie wasn't as effective for me. But with the book, I was able to reflect on the main character which is how I think it should be so I will have to give the novella more credit than the movie.

Rating - I don't use the rating system here such as A = full price ticket, B = Matinee, C = Rental, etc. I was treated to this movie, but I would still have gladly paid full price to see it and I'd pay full price to see it again, though that doesn't mean I'd give it an A. For me, I'd buy anything I give an A. (Speaking of the rating system, New Wave... if we talk about things other than movies, how come the rating system is based on a movie watching experience?). It's not an A for me but I feel like it's better than a C, but for not delivering what it should, for me, (reflection of the main character not a supporting one) I feel it'd be wrong to give it a B. I will go with somewhere between a B and a C though when it comes down to it I will just say it's a B.

End Result Grade = B

(G) Shout Out Louds (Troubadour, 11/18/05). Grade: B+
With enjoyable opening bands, The Sun and The Rosebuds, this was overall a great show. Although it was energetic, fun, and lighthearted, I think I would have enjoyed it a bit more if I hadn't been tired from the work week. Friday shows just get to me. Shoud Out Louds had good stage presence (well, perhaps in comparison to the opening bands), and their set was complete with white Christmas lights too. I'm not a music critic, so let's just say I liked it. (And it was one of those rare shows where I actually enjoyed the opening bands.)

(M) Shopgirl (2005, Anand Tucker). Grade: B ?
Hmm. Hard for me determine what grade I want to give this movie. I enjoyed the movie as a whole, but I did think there were things that could have been done better, like the portrayal of the relationship between Mirabelle and Ray, which I suppose is an integral part of the movie. I don't think it was effective enough for me to really feel like what I was watching was "real." And Steve Martin's narrations interspersed throughout the movie felt too forced and contrived. It felt like its sole purpose was to narrate what the characters didn't act out in the movie. However, there are some saving graces, like the hilarious Jason Schwartman, who I think stole the show. Claire Danes was pleasant as Mirabelle. And uh, let's give the costume designer a big A for all the super cute dresses Claire Danes wore. I drooled a little (because of the dresses, not Claire Danes.)

I'm glad I watched it for myself and didn't let people's negative reviews affect my decision to watch the movie. And if anyone thinks I graded too high, let's just remember that someone here actually watched Miss Congeniality 2. Ahem. Hehe.

(G) Depeche Mode/Raveonettes. (Staples Center, November 2005) Grade: A-
Please note photos provided by one Mr. Charles Pham.




Thoughts: Just got back from the Depeche Mode show and what a show. The Raveonettes were the opening act and I felt bad for them. You know no one cared one bit for them ... they all wanted Depeche Mode and I don't blame them. I enjoyed their 30 min set but I think they are meant for smaller venues. After another 30 mins to set up, Depeche Mode hit the stage with A Pain That I'm Used To off the new album Playing the Angel followed by John The Revelator which is strong live. The band is pretty much playing the same setlist for their whole tour which is good and bad. I think mixing it up every once in awhile would be nice but I'm sure more work. The best songs live were John The Revelator (so great live), Suffer Well (has a good feel to it), World In My Eyes, Personal Jesus (always a classic) and Enjoy the Silence (amazing stuff). The first encore was Somebody and I was pretty hyped about that one. Martin G. got up there and sang his heart out with just a piano playing as back up. Amazing! Then came Just Can't Get Enough and then .... Everything Counts which I freaking love. What a great great song. Their second encore was Never Let Me Down .. always a classic and then Goodnight Lovers. After the show I came to the conclusion I am madly in love with Martin Gore and think Dave Gahan is cool but a bit of a ham. He starts off the show with a suit and by the end is topless and thrusting his groin out to the crowd ... swinging the mike around ... swaying all over stage ... just hamming it up. I like my artist to be playing instruments and stuff but I think Dave G. is more a showman which is fine as well. So I guess the only thing left to say is ... how do you rank the three? I've asked Bleed Like Me and Darth this question before but I'll throw this out ... how would you rank the following bands? - The Cure, Smiths, Depeche Mode. That is my order.

(M) Crash / Grade: C+

I had heard so many good things about this movie that I guess I expected too much from it. Basically I just came away from the movie as it being on one hand, telling us that here in Los Angeles we're critical of any nationality that isn't our own, we're ignorant to nationalities in general, we're self-interested / self-seeking people, and we shield ourselves from others out of fear. On the other hand, we have the capacity to do great things, to set aside our differences, to be human and help another person simply because they are also human. All in all not exactly wrong or bad. I just wonder if people out there don't think this way already and so they were suprised by the realization of it. Anyway, I am glad I didn't pay to see it in the theater but enjoyed it as a rental.

(A) Black Eyed Peas - My Humps Grade: F-
What the hell is wrong with the world? Next to 'Trapped In The Closet' this is the worst piece of crap… no wait… I can actually be entertained by the idiocy of 'Trapped In The Closet'… this is just from Satan.



(M) Lost Boys Of Sudan (Documentary) Grade: B-
A bunch of boys from Sudan are the only survivors from internal war in the country. As they reach the end of their teen years they are taken to America to improve their lives. They are followed around showing the cultural and life struggle adjustment in a new country. The boys end up in Texas and some go off to Kansas City. What’s great is the comedy that I found in this movie in the things that happen due to cultural differences. I laughed out loud quite a few times during this film.



(M) Ghosts of Rwanda (Documentary by PBS) Grade: A+
Amazing! I bought this after watching it because I thought it was so great. Though the content is DEPRESSING. I was not really up on these events when they were going on because I was involved in my teenage self-centered universe. Hotel Rwanda brought the events to mind for me but since it is was a movie it didn’t hit home the way this documentary did. It’s amazing. Oh, and a BIG middle finger to the US Government and Bill Clinton for doing jack shit to help these people.



(M) Luther / Grade: C-
About Martin Luther and his reform. They made Martin Luther look like a possessed freak. I thought it was overboard. The highlights were some insight to the absurdity of the Catholic Church during this period in time.

(M) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Newell, 2005)
Grade: B-
WARNING, SPOILERS....
I've always been a harsh critic when it comes to these movies, but there are reasons. I'm interested to read a review by someone who hasn't read the book. Did the movie make sense to you?

Cons: Ok so I've finally made peace with the fact that parts of the book will be missing out of necessity because the book is friggin long. I understand that the whole subplot w/ the S.P.E.W. elf rights would be cut and i'm glad they cut it...dobby helping him with the tasks...the twin's weasley's wizarding wheezes joke shop inception....and i can't remember other stuff, but I'm sure alot had to be cut due to time constraints. HOWEVER, how are you going to cut out the quidditch world cup?? the veela's, the GAME. I mean why waste your time in CGI-ing an amazing field only to show the entrance of the teams and the audience's introduction to Victor Krum. I would have sat for 5 more minutes just to see the quidditch game. that was strike one.

Secondly, I did not particularly like how this movie was directed. Some of the scenes didn't flow very well, making some of the revalations in plot anticlimactic; some of the lines fell short in execution. One could blame the actors for this, but since the actors have been able to pull off their lines in the past, i'm going to have to blame the director.

Speaking of actors, as cute as Emma Watson is, does anyone else think she overacts EVERYTHING?? I mentioned this to the red head and he said that she's just an emotional character. I agree with this b/c of hormones and what not, but EVERY line??? It seems like every line she speaks in this movie, she's either on the verge of tears, REALLY REALY pissed off, or REALLY REALLY happy. it's kind of annoying really. Director's fault? Maybe.

OHH and i almost forgot. The cheese factor. Seriously? Did they seriously need to make the ladies from Beuxbaton's entrance so friggin cheesy? And what was with Hermione's entrance at the Yule ball? Even the Harry/Cho moment in the owlery sort of made me cringe when they were trying to get by each other....the dialogue was cute tho. It was really weird to hear an asian girl with an irish? accent.

Pros: I think they did a decent job with reworking the story to fit the time, except of course for the quidditch. The special effects with the world cup stadium, the dragon, the merpeople, and the maze were pretty cool. Ralph Feinnes is actually a convincing Voldemort...man i wish he had been in full human form... cuz he's HOT. Miranda Richardson(?? i think) did a great job with Rita Skeeter's character. Added a kind of creepy perverted aspect to the character preying on teenage boys!! The Durmstrang boys are hot too...oh those bad boys lol.

I didn't give this film a C because you should just go see it on the big screen. I probably am overly harsh with my review, but it's only because I cherish the books so much and sometimes you just can't convey all the emotions/intricacies of a book in a movie.

Looking forward to: RENT next week...look for my review.
See New Wave I BLOGGED FOR REALS!!

Trapped in the Closet (Ch. 1 -12)
Grade: Depends on what you're looking for. F - music, A - comic relief

I too have watched the released Trapped in the Closet videos in its entirety. All I can say is wow. Darth and I had agreed to review this so here it is, and we share similar views, except he refuses to give it an F. Chapters 1-5, you probably are already familiar with. Then comes chapter 6-12 a brand new epic event. These chapters bring in a plethora of new characters to the twisted plotline of "trapped." The previous chapters held, Sylvester, Chuck, Rufus, the two ladies, and the crooked cop. Now there is Bridgette, who is in love with a midget, a midget that calls himself "big man," Twan, Sylvester's brother in law, and a nosy neighbor named Rosie....and i'm sure there are more to come. It is simply amazing. I am going to go out on a limb and say that this might be the worst thing ever in entertainment to come out in the year 2005.

The Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior (WWE Entertainment) Grade: A

This is pure Vince McMahon propaganda. He totally ruins the Ultimate Warrior in this feature length documentary. The Ultimate Warrior was also one of my favorite wrestlers back in the glory days of the WWF. Other than Mr. Perfect, rest his soul, the Ultimate Warrior was one of the most vibrant characters of that era. Who could forget story lines vs, Hulk Hogan, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, and the infamous Papa Shango? I know I can't. Getting back to my point. This documentary is very one-sided as the Warrior has no say in it, he was not asked to participate as he is a liability in the views of the WWE. Even with this in tow, I still believe that this was the best piece of WWE propoganda ever. It made Darth and I laugh for about 5 days straight after viewing it, actually, i'm still laughing. Do yourself a favor and borrow it from him.

Trapped in the Closet Chapters 1-12 (R. Kelly, 2005) A+

I know many of you have seen the first five chapters of this video/movie, but to fully understand the masterpiece that it is you must seen it in its entirety. I won't even attempt to go into detail about the plot line of this movie, but the ongoing themes and storylines involve adultery, lies, guns, threats of violence, cherry pie, and midgets. If that doesn't get you hooked I don't know what will. Yes I know the music doesn't change and seems to get repetitive, but once you start listening you just laugh and say WOW! R. Kelly has teased us, saying that he has written 22 chapters to this epic, but only released the first 12 and who knows when that will be. I cannot stress the importance of watching all these videos, they will hit you on every emotional level possible.



The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior (WWE Entertainment, 2005) A+

This is a documentary made by the WWE (formerly WWF) that explores how a wrestler at the top of his game could through it all away basically because of a large ego. The Ultimate Warrior was one of my favorite wreslters in the glory days of the late 80s/early 90s, back when good guys were really good and bad guys were really bad. He was to be the next big thing, he beat Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania, he held every belt possible, everything looked good to the audience, but things were far from right. The Warrior lacked any real wrestling skills, no one wanted to wrestle with him, he started making wild money requests, had unusual demands during publicity tours. Basically he started thinking he was bigger than everyone else. Watching old wrestling highlights and stars from my day was pretty cool, and I felt that I learned a lot about the business. I think the highlight was watching today's wrestlers make fun of the warrior. Awesome. Oh, on a side not warrior did not participate in this video, and as of a few years ago has officially changed his name to warrior. You can read his crazy ramblings on the web.

check it out

I saw the trailer for that movie Just Friends on tv, and I thought to myself: I can't believe that someone would write that crap, then someone else would read the script and think that it was good, and that a movie would be made. And what's worse is that there are people out there who would actually watch it. Yeah. Like those dumb Ashton Kutcher movies. Ugh.

Can anyone think of any really good movies that came out this year? Because I'm thinking, and nothing really stands out.

(A) The Emancipation of Mimi: Ultra Platinum Edition (Mariah Carey, 2005) grade: A+

Re-release of the already-fantastic album. Has four new tracks (on top of the 14 original tracks): the current hit single "Don't Forget About Us", "Makin' It Last All Night (What It Do) (feat. Jermaine Dupri)", "So Lonely (One And One Part II) (w/Twista)", and the previous digital-only "We Belong Together (Remix feat. Jadakiss & Styles P.)". OK, so the great part is that the price hasn't been jacked up, this album is available at Best Buy for just 9.99.
I actually got the "Ultra Platinum Deluxe Edition", which is a CD+DVD combo (for just 11.99 at Best Buy). The DVD has the videos for the first 3 singles, plus the European-only video of "Get Your Number (feat. Jermaine Dupri)" and a link to the video for "Don't Forget About Us" and an interview with Mariah.
Don't call it a comeback, she's been here for years!

I can't wait until Friday (11/18/05) when the Harry Potter movie comes out! Anyone gonna watch it?

(M) The Squid and the Whale (Noah Baumbach, 2005) Grade: B

This film had several things going for it: Baumbach is the co-scripter with Wes Anderson of such films as Life Aquatic; Anderson is the producer; and Laura Linney. Squid was somewhat entertaining, but I was a wee underwhelmed. The performances were outstanding and there was some memorable dialogue; especially the banter between the two writer parents. Example: Jeff Daniels declaring Tale of Two Cities “mediocre Dickens” and wondering why English classes force its students to read the worst books by the best writers. Ha!

(B/M) Shopgirl (Steve Martin, 2005) Grade: C-/C

I think I missed the charm of this novella entirely. A friend recommended it, but I struggled to finish the very short 120-some pages. It might have been Martin’s writing style (or really lack thereof) that I found distressing and distracting. Perhaps I am just wary of actors-turned-writers (i.e. Ethan Hawke). But for me, the novella read like a screenplay. And screenplays don’t work as books. Curious to see the film despite my initial negative opinion, I enjoyed the cinematic adaptation more but only marginally so. As I suspected, Shopgirl worked better on screen. The execution of it all, however, was a bit of a mess. Scenes were repetitive (in order to demonstrate the intense bond between Claire Danes and Martin’s characters), but since there was an obvious lack of chemistry, the scenes were ineffective and pointless. Lack of editing really hurt this film’s chances. The only saving grace was Jason Schwartzman.

(G) Death Cab for Cutie/Stars @ Wiltern (Nov. 12) Grade: A

Although Death Cab focused mostly on new album Plans, the band has certainly improved its on-stage persona. I just wished they delved more into their past catalog for the fans that have been with them since Something About Airplanes. Stars were ace as the opener, and Ben Gibbard even did a duet with singer Torquil Campbell, who is lovely when he dances. All in all, an enjoyable night (despite the younger age group).

Random thoughts:

- Arrested Development being cancelled is sad but I guess I can't say I'm that surprised.

- Game night at Hedwig was fun and neat. I haven't been out to the IE in a long time. Darth and I got to see a man dressed in a bright pink suit with a white hat at the supermarket. So awesome. Oh and the biggest Target I've ever been to.

- A creepy/scary version of 10 year Alhambra High School reunion was strange for me, Mac the Knife and Darth Bronger. Freaking weird.

- I'm on a Asian film watching kick so all my reivews might be that for awhile. After I get tired of that I was thinking a Criterion Collection kick.

- The holidays are upon us which means shopping, eating and all that junk.

(M) Shopgirl. (Anand Tucker, 2005) Grade: C-

Thoughts: I would give this movie a D but there were a few scenes that saved this piece of crap. I was actually really looking forward to watching it but I was so disappointed and bored. Mirabelle (Claire Danes) works at Saks Fifth in Beverly Hills in the glove department. She is a lonely and quiet girl until she meets Jeremy (Jason Schwartzman) one day at the laundromat. They try "dating" but things don't work out exactly the way Mirabelle likes. Enter Ray Porter (Steve Martin) who sweeps Mirabelle off her feet with nice dinners and fancy presents while never letting her into his heart. The biggest problem I had was I never cared for any of the characters and it was difficult to get involved with a movie when you have no interest in what will happen to the people. The film was only 104 mins but it should have been less than 90 mins. Mirabelle was too weak/helpless, Ray was too cold and isolated and Jeremy was not in the film enough.

(M) Jue lai yip yue leung saan ang (Juliet In Love). (Wilson Yip, 2000) Grade: B+

Thoughts: I wouldn't mind if they made an American version of this film because it has a strong story. Jordan Cheng (Francis Ng) is a low level gangster trying to make it in the cities of Hong Kong. He befriends Judy Chu (Sandra Ng Kwan Yue) a hostess at a Chinese restaurant and recent divorce who has just suffered from breast cancer. They forge a friendship/relationship due to strange circumstances and end up trying to learn to love again. The acting by both Ngs is amazing and Francis Ng is moving up on my list of actors I like watching.

(M) Liu sue oi seung mau (Cat and Mouse). (Gordon Chan, 2003) Grade: C

Thoughts: Not a great film so I won't say much. Zhan Zhao (Andy Lau) and Bai Yutong (Cecilia Cheung) are foes that end up falling in love, although it takes awhile for the both to realize it.

(M) Hak bak sam lam (Colour of Truth). (Marco Mak, Jing Wong, 2003) Grade: B

Thoughts: This film had some Infernal Affairs undertone but is not nearly as good. Coke (Ho Yin Hong) finds out his cop father is killed by Huang, a long time cop friend, (Anthony Wong Chau-Sang) and decides to avenge his father's death by killing Huang. Unfortunately Coke becomes a cop himself and works under Huang where they develop a father/son relationship. The ending a bit flat but I still found the movie entertaining.

(M) Hung wun chiu yun (My Lucky Star). (Vincent Kok, 2003) Grade: C+

Thoughts: Yip Koo Hung (Miriam Yeung Chin Wah) has been cursed with bad luck throughout her life. She is hoping Lai Lu Po (Tony Leung Chiu Wai), a Fung Shui master, can help her out. The only problem is her bad luck is actually coming from her evil stepmother. I have to admit it was not the best movie but it was decent enough and Tony looked quite good.

(A) Playing The Angel (Depeche Mode, 2005) grade: A

When I first listened to this album, I was pretty disappointed. After enjoying the first single, "Precious", which I thought was amazing, I expected great things from the album. As is usual with me and a new DM album, it takes me a while for the songs to grow and me and love them (this is why I've waited so long to review it). It's happened again. I now really enjoy this album (thus the grade). The next single will be "A Pain That I'm Used To", which seems rather unconventional. It's a great song that reminds me of "The Dead of Night" from Exciter. I also enjoy "John the Revelator", especially the end, where it sounds kinda ghetto to me (like it could be a beat to a hip-hop song). Definitely check it out.

(A) Confessions on a Dancefloor (Madonna, 2005) grade: B-

So after hearing the first single, "Hung Up", and liking it, I expected this album to be pretty good. I was dissappointed. The beats and music are pretty good, but the songs are ruined by her perpetual promotion of her spirituality. She also did this on Ray of Light, but the songs didn't suffer then, I guess she is just more "into" it now. The only song besides the first single that I enjoyed was "Forbidden Love"

(M) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Tim Burton, 2005) grade: C

So after missing the chance to see this in the theater, I was rather upset. But boy am I glad now. All in all, this "re-interpretation" of the book by the same name is awful, especially compared to 1971's Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Tim Burton failed to create the awe-inspiring images of candy that made the 1971 film so great (even with the cheesy special effects). Besides, you can't beat the orange Oompa-Loompa's.

(A) Super Extra Gravity (The Cardigans, 2005) grade: B+

This "one-hit wonder" band has consistently put out good albums since their hit, "Lovefool". Upon listening to the first single from this new album, "I need some fine wine and you, you need to be nicer", I knew I had to check out the album. The songs aren't as strong as the ones on the last two albums, but they're still catchy and entertaining. Personally, I like Nina Persson's voice, which gives the songs a nice quality. Worth a listen (although I don't think it's out in the U.S. yet).

Hey party people, just got back from my 10 year reunion, and boy was it great! Oh no....wait.....wait.....it wasn't my 10 year reunion, it just felt like it because I saw everyone from high school jam packed into one area. Darth I will end you for picking me up and taking me there, New Wave you're still cool. Anyways i'm still up for some reason and have decided to promote my new blogsite. I will still be a contributor here, but I just wanted to let you know how stupid I could be. So here it is: Dance Like Geisha. Oh yeah and the GRADE = F for my blog.

(M) Bonhoeffer (2003, Martin Doblmeier - Documentary) Grade: C+
Grade of the documentary is a C+, actions of the man's life = A
This German theologian who had his doctorate in theology by the age of 21 and graduated summa cum laude from his university challenged Christian thought during his life, but more importantly resisted the Nazi regime and Hitler. He organized a group of people oppossed to the dictator and attemped to assasinate him.
The documentary is a mixture of historical B&W German footage mixed with interviews with students and friends of Bonhoeffer. Still shots are used of Bonhoeffer but there is no motion picture footage of him, he was killed by the Germans after a bomb they had planted in a room with Hitler exploded killing several officers, but miraculously Hitler survived.

(O) (Per New York Times): The estimated death toll in South Asia's earthquake jumped to more than 87,000 on Tuesday, the one-month anniversary of the disaster, as survivors prepared for the region's savage Himalayan winter.

(G) The Most Serene Republic @ Spaceland (Nov. 7) Grade: A-
What a treat. MSR performed for free tonight and it was a shame more people did not turn out to see them. Musically, their landscapes are similar to Architecture in Helsinki in that within one song there are high points (crashing cymbals, screaming vocals) and lower plateaus (piano melodies, singer Adrian Jewett harmonizing with his mouth). After seeing MSR live, the almost frenetic energy compressed and then released throughout their album, Underwater Cinematographer, makes sense with such a borderline ADD case as Jewett in the frontman role. Filled with boundless energy, he almost stole the show. But what was more mesmerising was the sweet vocals of Emma Ditchburn. Although they are not breaking new ground, MSR is worth giving a listen.

(More Canucks tomorrow with Arts & Crafts label mates Broken Social Scene. Glee!)

Tomorrow is Election day and I hope all of you will be going out there and voting. Here is a link to find out more information about the propositions and polling places.

(O) Cat on a Hot Tin Roof @ Geffen Playhouse (Nov. 6) Grade: B+
As part of the reopening of this theatre, the next few plays to be held here will celebrate American playwrights. Fitting then that the celebration starts off with Tennessee Williams. This Cat offered lots of great performances: John Goodman was an imposing figure as Big Daddy, Brenda Fricker concealed her Irish accent well as the deluded Big Mama and Jennifer Mudge was an effectively strong Maggie. I also thought the overall theme of mendacity versus truth and how each character seeks them were well explored. The play’s official opening is Nov. 16, so try to catch it if you get the chance.
Didn’t you notice the powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity in this room?

(G) Magic Numbers @ Troubadour (Nov. 1) Grade: A
This band is huge in the UK right now. And no, I’m not referring to their size. The two pairs of brothers and sisters are the antithesis to the thin, well coifed and smart dress acts of today but Magic Numbers proves that all of the above is just about marketing and not about, well, the music. This was the first date of their headlining U.S. tour and it was obvious that they were as happy to be there on stage as the sold out audience was to see them. In fact, I don’t think singer Romeo Stodart stopped smiling. As Pitchfork writes: The Magic Numbers are easy to love. Why, yes, they are. Highlight: I See You, You See Me

(M) Saw (2004 Suspense/Horror movie) Grade: B+
Okay so I had a HUGE midterm thingy on Wednesday so I had to pass up Halloween on Monday for a night of studying. However, Friday night I made up for it on "scary movie night" in which somebody recommended watching this movie 'Saw' which I had no real interest in seeing but was curious as a sequel was made so I figured it might be somewhat interesting. I was very suprised by how much I actually enjoyed this movie. Though the acting is not tops (but it was shot in 18 days with no rehearsals due to such a small budget). Anyway... it was somewhat different from modern day horror/suspense movies, though I did kinda feel somebody watched the movie Seven and decided to make their own "do the world good by being bad" movie. Anyway... it can be suspenseful, not really "scary" but it is bloody and I didn't see the end coming at all which was really interesting.

Quick Synopsis: Mystery person is putting people in life or death situations so that the victims will appreciate life. They can either die which they deserve, since anybody who doesn't appreciate life shouldn't be allowed to live, or they can try and get out of this "trap" and live to bring realization and meaning to their life, provided they can escape the situation before the situation brings about their death.



(M) Saw 2 (2005 Horror/Suspense Movie) Grade: B-/C+
Off of the enjoyment of the first one which I saw Friday, I rushed out to see the second one Saturday night. Had this one been the first movie, I may not have gone and seen part 2... but it wasn't the first one, it was the second one so maybe I shouldn't have expected much originality. Though I enjoyed it, it was probably the end that raised my opinion of the movie. However, I discredit a movie that relies on the ending to justify the entire movie as "good". But it was ok, well.. better than ok. Instead of showing different scenarios that different people had to go through (like in the first one), it was a group experience of "torture".

I guess since in the first one you were learning what the mastermind behind all the torture scenarios was doing and why and trying to figure out who he was, it made it more engrossing. Now, knowing who the bad guy is, it takes away the mystery and leaves just wondering who will live, who will die, and what the "catch" of the movie is.

BAD MUSIC!

First and foremost, I am not a music snob, nor do I pretend to know a lot about music, I just likes what I likes, but I do know Autobots from Deceptacons, He-man from Skeletor, Jedi from Sith, etc. This is my take on the current day Elmer Fudd's of the world.

Has anyone else heard Kevin Federleeezy's "cut" that is on the mutha net? It is sooooo bad. I heard it on Kevin & Bean earlier this morning and I sat there laughing. I do not understand how this idiot even thinks that what he is doing is considered music. At one point he says something about paparazzi following him, but it sounds like Pavarotti. Grade: F

R. Kelly has released his Trapped in the Closet DVD's for chapters 1-12, and he has already been quoted as saying he has already written up to chapter 22. There's still more to come. How can people support this idiot. He is the same guy that pee uRinates on underaged girls, who knows what else he's done. He says that people can relate to this Hip Hopera because it happens in real life. When was the last time one of you cheated on your wife, then came to find out that she was cheating on you? Only to find out that your wife is cheating on you with your mistress' husband. Only to find out that the guy is a gay priest that has a lover, all this to drive home and get pulled over by a police officer who is also probably sleeping with your wife. Yeah....please don't support this guy. Go download it if you really must see it, or borrow it, but please don't buy it.

That's all, I felt like I needed to type up something, because I was threatened to be discommunicated from 742, by Pontiff New Wave. =)

(O) Not being able to move your neck. Grade: F-

I don't know what I did but my neck started hurting at work this afternoon. It hurt to turn to the right and bending to the right. Now it's progressesd to hurting in all directions even when I'm in neutral position. So I am uncomfortable ALL THE TIME. I'm gonna take a muscle relaxant before bed and hopefully I'll be all better tomorrow.

Thanks New Wave for the Links section. I think I'll have something to do at work now.