I Take It With Jello

Return, reboot, rebirth, reawakening, re-blah blah blah...

2010-03-12T19:43:00.002-07:00

This blog was too cool once upon a time, and I can't just let it go out with a whimper into that good night (if I may butcher a couple literary classics).

This blog will rise again!

Anyway, on the music side of things, there have been some great albums released this year. I have been hooked on the Liars' new album Sisterworld. I've always appreciated the Liars more than I've enjoyed their music, mostly because I haven't listened to them as much as I should have. Well, a couple songs from this album hooked me right off the bat, but I didn't really go through the entire album...until this week. This is a very good album, a very good album indeed.

Liars isn't a band for everyone. I'd be a fool to believe they have mass commercial appeal. Over the course of their career, they've created a distinct sound, and this album furthers that sound. A lot of these songs have a dark, tense undercurrent to them, and a lot of them rock my socks off.

Recommended tracks for any interested parties: "Scissor", "Goodnight Everything", "No Barrier Fun", "Scarecrows on a Killer Slant", and "Proud Evolution".

On a totally unrelated musical note, I also really like the new Joanna Newsom album. Unfortunately (and fortunately), it's a massive album, a triple LP, and that is a lot of music. I have yet to really dedicate enough time to the music. The first few songs are awesome, especially "Good Intentions Paving Company" (my current favorite track on the album). I'm gonna need a lot of time to really take in everything on the album, but I have a premonition that this may be one of my favorite albums of the year. The final track, "Does Not Suffice," has become another favorite of mine. For the last week I've been listening to that track right before going to sleep. It's a perfect closing track, and I am a huge fan of the song.

This has been enough for now. I Take It With Jello is back.

Weekly Film Symposium #3: 1st Response

2009-08-14T16:21:00.002-06:00

Rating: 2/5

That was a very well articulated post, unfortunately I am going to be a huge disppointment. Please remember that everything that I say in the post is excluding you. You explained your view's very well and I don't argue with them. So if I generalize, remember, I am not aiming those generalizations at you.

With that being said, this film for me was a complete failure. When people out in the movie world accuse people like us (self-admitted film snobs) of being pretentious this is the kind of movie they use to prove their point. For me, this movie is completely pretentious and it seems like the only reason it was made was for pretentious people to pat each other on the back. Sure the style is very unique and unconventional, I will give it that, but being unconventional doesn't automatically make your film good.

I must say that I was hugely disappointed because the premise and the style are both very intriguing. However, the plot is ridiculously dull and the style becomes very old after staring at nothing for long periods of time. Yes, I realize what the director was trying to accomplish, but for me, he wasn't even close. I do applaud him for being original, because we certainly don't have enough of that these days, but if I wanted to, I could go outside and stare at my neighbors house for two hours and get the same effect.

I also applaud the acting. Juliette Binoche was good like she always is, and Daniel Auteuil was also very solid. I understand that this movie is very technically sharp but that, to me, doesn't make a movie. For me, it's combining great technical work with an engaging and entertaining story. I, like you, watch and view film as art. But at the same time, I can't appreciate art when it's dull and offers me nothing. This film was insanely dull and uneventful for me and I found myself not caring about any of the characters. I understand the ambiguity and that's not where the film loses me. I love ambiguity, it's one of my favorite elements in film and I wish it was more prevelant in film. This film lost me when halfway through I thought to myself, " I don't care." And I didn't. I believe it's the film's job to make me care and it couldn't do that for me.

I don't mean to be insulting toward you at all, and if I have been in any way I sincerely apologize. But that's why I wanted to do this with you, because we are both film snobs (proudly) and we are both mature people with strong view points. And if I were to say any of this on an IMDB board, they would just throw the whole "You just didn't understand it" thing out there. And that bothers me. Because I did understand it, I just didn't like it.

Weekly Film Symposium #3: Cache

2009-08-10T22:09:00.004-06:00

Cache - 2005 - written and directed by Michael Haneke

My rating: 3 1/2 stars

I chose this film because of the critical acclaim it had received (Sight & Sound's top film of 2006, nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes, etc.). While that may not be the best reason to choose a film, it was the reason behind this choice.

Cache is about a French couple, Georges and Anne Laurent (played by Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche), who begin receiving mysterious videotapes on their doorstep. These tapes usually contain nothing but hours of a camera pointed at their front door, but the characters begin to feel more and more oppressed and paranoid about the nature of these tapes, fearing someone dangerous is stalking them and their son. The police can do nothing until an actual attempt at violence is made so Georges takes it upon himself to resolve the situation. Majid, the son of an Algerian couple who used to work for Georges' parents, becomes the prime suspect. Gradually, a past conflict between Georges and Majid is brought to light, and Georges' suspicion of Majid ultimately leads to tragic consequences.

First off, Cache is a very interesting, if not entirely successful film. It is very ambitious in terms of straying from traditional narrative forms, and it possesses a high degree of ambiguity, forcing the viewer to actively engage with the film or fall by the wayside and lose interest. There are almost no explicit conclusions made in the film; nearly everything is left for the viewer to decide for his or herself. Of course, this ambiguity can be disorienting, and even after the film had finished, I wasn't sure what had just happened. In the case of this film, I wasn't put off by that ambiguity; it forced me to rethink things in order to better understand the film.

One of the most obvious ways the film differs from traditional cinema is in the cinematography. Haneke, the director, makes some very interesting stylistic choices. Because the film often incorporates the mysterious tapes the Laurents receive into the actual film itself, there are a good number of very long takes from a fixed camera. I can see how this could become boring for viewers, but I experienced a certain tension. The longer the shot lasted the more I expected something to happen. As that expectation and tension grew when nothing happened, I began to understand, to a degree, what Georges and Anne must have felt. Another thing I liked about the long takes is that a lot of dialogue takes place off screen during those takes. There's a disconcerting juxtaposition as the dialogue takes place in the more immediate present, yet we're stuck looking at a mysterious recording of the past. Most films place the viewer in a heightened state, where the camera helps direct the eye and sounds come through loud and clear, and the viewer is more present than is otherwise possible in real life. Cache does away with the viewer's omniscience. This makes for fascinating theoretical discussion, though perhaps not a terribly entertaining film.

Cache, French for "hidden," has a tremendous amount of significance as the title of the film. I want to discuss a few of the significant aspects of the title in relation to the film.

The most superficial and immediate aspect of the title's significance is the hidden camera filming the Laurents. It provides the impetus for the story and the central conflict.
The hidden past factors significantly into the film, primarily the childhood relationship between Georges and Majid. Gradually that past returns to the present, but it is hidden for most of the film, coming out only in brief moments like Georges' disturbing dreams and the small portions of his past he shares with Anne. Though apparently hidden, the past yields an incredible amount of influence on all involved, and it is the past that fuels Georges' unyielding conviction that Majid is responsible for the tapes. Ultimately, the hidden tragedy of the past results in the tragedy of the present.
While the hidden past is perhaps the most significant force behind the characters' behavior, there is much about the present that is also hidden. What remains hidden in the present affects many things but perhaps more than anything the marital relationship between Georges and Anne. The tapes terrify both of them and cause them to fear for the safety of their family, but neither is truly able to include the other in their suffering. Their inability to come together in a time of crisis drives a wedge between them. When Anne opens up to Georges and confronts him about keeping things from her, he fails to bridge the distance between them. He appears cold and aloof, yet in another scene he breaks down alone in the kitchen and shows that he is not unfeeling and unaffected by everything. Despite having someone to share his pain with, Georges chooses to keep both his knowledge of the past and his present feelings hidden, and he tries to resolve everything on his own rather than bring those hidden things to light.
Another aspect of the hidden present regards Anne and her relationship with the family friend Pierre. Anne's son, Pierrot, accuses her of having an affair with him. This is never explicitly confirmed nor denied in the film, but one thing is for certain: Anne cannot find any comfort or reassurance from Georges. There is a startling lack of emotional and physical intimacy in their marriage. There is very clearly a distance between the two of them, one that had surely existed for some time before the arrival of the tapes. Did Anne turn elsewhere for the connection that was missing with her husband? I cannot say either way.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the hidden present is Georges' and Anne's son Pierrot. The final shot of the film shows Pierrot speaking to Majid's son. We're not sure if it takes place in the past or in the present timeline of the film, and we're kept far enough away in the shot that there is no way to know what passed between the two of them. Did Pierrot know Majid's son? Did Majid's son tell Pierrot that Anne was having an affair? This is one of the hidden things I wish were revealed. Alas.

Overall, I found Cache to be an interesting film, both in terms of form and content. I read some message board posts about how the entire film is allegorical about the relationship between the French and Algerian immigrants, but I'll let others talk about that elsewhere. The film never really struck an emotional connection with me, but I still enjoyed it. There are a couple scenes that were really amazing: one incredibly effective and shocking scene of violence (I was taken aback by it, and the sound design, i.e. the gurgling, was gross and awesome at the same time) and an awesome shot of Majid's son and Georges in the elevator. While I cannot recommend this film to everyone, especially not casual moviegoers, I will recommend it to anyone willing to watch an ambitious and nontraditional film.

Was this long enough to make up for my sloth in writing it?

Just a few things...

2009-08-09T00:39:00.002-06:00

A couple days ago I found There Will Be Blood in the $5 movie bin at Wal-Mart. I immediately figured that someone had misplaced it. When I saw another copy of the film, I started to wonder. I found one of those price scanner things and quickly scanned it. Price: $3.00. I was shocked but decided to not question Wal-Mart's generosity. I purchased the film.
Other $5 films I found at Borders: 12 Angry Men (such an incredible film) and Much Ado About Nothing (just for Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson's performances).
500 Days of Summer passed the second viewing test. The second viewing test - I just named it - is the test given to a film that I really enjoyed the first time I saw it to see if it holds up just as well or better upon a second viewing. Some of my favorite films like Eternal Sunshine and Children of Men aced the second viewing test. It is during the second viewing that the film undergoes the increased scrutiny that comes once the initial experience of discovering a film's plot, characters, and themes has passed. In the case of 500 Days of Summer I was a little worried that the second viewing wouldn't be as good as the first. I really liked it the first time, and the film had been on my mind ever since I saw it. I couldn't shake myself of certain images or lines or even the songs on the soundtrack. When I saw that it would be opening in Provo, I knew immediately that I would have to see it again. I rounded up some friends and made it happen. And I'm glad I did. I have to say that my second viewing was just as good as the first, maybe even a little better. I realize the film is not perfect and would probably change a few things, but I cannot help but love the characters. Tom and Summer are such well-crafted characters, kudos to the writing but especially the acting, and I took advantage of the second viewing to try and really understand them and why they did what they did, said what they did, and felt what they did. This allowed me to experience an even greater empathetic connection with them, more so than what I think is the more superficial "girl done me wrong" connection that really came across after the first viewing. I really wish I had this film on DVD and could watch it again because I feel like there is still a lot to be gleaned from it. Fantastic film.

Weekly Film Symposium #2: Third Response

2009-07-29T22:39:00.005-06:00

Wow, I suck. This is a very belated response, and I apologize for my slothfulness. I have been meaning to compose this entry for some time, but only now am I actually getting around to it. Since I posted my first response, I have been able to read the book and gleam a few insights from it. That being said, I'll get on to my response.

Book vs. Film

I really enjoyed the book. The movie created a strong desire to know more about the characters, especially Eli and her background, and the book helps fill in some of the back story. The book also contains more of your conventional horror elements. It has more dark scenes, more disturbing elements to the story than the film, and as such, is quite separate from the film. What director Tomas Alfredson and novelist and screenwriter John Ajvide Lindqvist were able to do was extract the most important elements of the novel, primarily the relationship between Oskar and Eli, and create a focused and artistic film that stands entirely on its own. In fact, I would recommend that anyone interested in seeing the film and reading the novel go about it the same way I did: backwards -- film first, novel second. I feel the film achieves a greater artistic unity than the novel. There is really nothing I would change about the film if I could somehow go back and alter it during production.

The Title

Personally, I love the title Let the Right One In. It has thematic importance and alludes to vampire mythology and the requirement that vampires be invited into a room before they can enter. Several times Eli asks Oskar if she can come in, and the scene where Oskar taunts her and forces her to show him what happens if she enters uninvited is pretty astounding. The title factors significantly into the relationships of the film. Both Oskar and Eli are very lonely, and both need to "let the right one in" to their lives, to move beyond their solitude and enter a better, healthier way of life. There is a section in the novel that further explains the significance of the title. It comes after Lacke, despondent upon learning of Jocke's fate, tells Virginia, the woman he loves, that he has no one now that Jocke is gone. Virginia storms away, hurt and angry, and has a nasty surprise in store for her. Before she receives that surprise, the novel gives us insight into her thoughts:

Let a person in and he hurts you. There was a reason why she kept her relationships brief. Don't let them in. Once they're inside they have more potential to hurt you. Comfort yourself. You can live with the anguish as long as it only involves yourself. As long as there is no hope.

While that explanation comes from Virginia, it's most applicable to the relationship of Oskar and Eli, which I will further analyze in the next section.

Oskar and Eli

I feel like posting a few more thoughts, some informed by the novel, about the story's central relationship. The actors cast in the roles of Oskar and Eli were phenomenal, though I learned that they dubbed a less feminine voice over the actual actress who portrays Eli. Apparently she sounded too much like a girl. Anyway, one of the aspects of the story that has most intrigued me and remained in my thoughts is the co-dependence that develops between Oskar and Eli.

Oskar, more than anything, needs a friend in his life. The movie portrays him as completely friendless; he is picked on by bullies at school and plays alone in the courtyard outside his apartment building after school. Only the gym teacher shows Oskar a little sympathy, but that is not enough for a twelve year old child. Because of his alienation from his classmates, Oskar develops unnatural and violent tendencies, and this only alienates him more. He has a few nice moments with his parents -- I love the scene where he and his mom are brushing their teeth, and I was pretty moved by the joy he felt at times when he was visiting his father -- but those moments don't last. Oskar's family is broken, and his parents cannot understand him. He is in desperate need of someone, anyone to offer a sympathetic smile and an understanding heart. Eli fills that void in his life, and for the first time in Oskar's life, he has a friend. (The novel gives Oskar a few friends, but they are not around when he needs them and cannot be the type of genuine friend he needs in his life). Oskar comes to depend on Eli's presence in his life. An image from the film really drives that point home for me. The morning after Eli leaves town in the taxi, Oskar looks out his bedroom window at the empty courtyard. The shot is framed with the camera outside the window, looking in at Oskar. He has clearly been crying for some time, the pain caused by Eli's absence being too much for him to bear.

What strikes me, and this might just be me once again reading too much into things, is that Oskar looks like Eli when she needs blood. He has a similar paleness and red, sunken eyes. Like Eli needs blood to survive physically, Oskar needs Eli to survive emotionally. He is dependent on her.

The film portrays Eli in a slightly different light than the book, and I think the differences are noteworthy, especially when looking at her relationship with Oskar and whether it is genuine and sincere or merely masterful manipulation to ensure her continued survival. In the book, Eli is a clumsy and ineffectual killer. She has a number of blunders and is clearly in need of a helper. Enter Hakan and later Oskar. In the film, however, she is portrayed as a better killer. What sets the film portrayal apart is that Eli seeks assistance, not because she is a blundering vampire, but because she doesn't enjoy killing. After Hakan messes up in the beginning of the film, Eli angrily asks, "Do I really have to take care of this myself?" An ineffectual killer would act more frightened than angry in this situation, but the film shows Eli very angry in this scene.

The film leads me to believe that Eli seeks Oskar's companionship out of a genuine need for friendship, not because she needs another assistant to fill Hakan's position. The book clarifies the relationship between Eli and Hakan, and while I don't want to go into particulars, I will say that it is very, very different from the relationship between Eli and Oskar. Though, like you pointed out, Justin, Oskar will very likely end up in Hakan's position later in life. Another element of the story, this one from the novel, that leads me to view their relationship as genuine, especially on Eli's end, occurs as she is able to help Oskar literally see things from her perspective:

For a few seconds Oskar saw through Eli's eyes. And what he saw was...himself. Only much better, more handsome, stronger than what he thought of himself. Seen with love.

I love that passage and think it really clarifies a lot of the uncertainty regarding their relationship. The film never gives such an explicit defense of the genuineness of their relationship, but I think it can be inferred from the way Oskar and Eli look at each Other. Eli depends on Oskar's friendship more than she will depend on his assistance to acquire blood. She is more than willing to leave in the dead of night and start over somewhere, and that willingness tells me that she is capable of living on her own and probably has at some point during her very long existence as a vampire. She chooses Oskar's companionship, not to avoid killing for herself, but to have love and friendship in her life, for however long it might last.

Anyway, I have written more than enough for now, though I'm sure there is a near endless amount of things to talk about regarding this film. It is definitely one of the best films of 2008, and I'm doing my best to share it with other people.

(500) Days of Summer Initial Response

2009-07-22T22:53:00.003-06:00

I just got back from watching a free promotional screening of (500) Days of Summer in Salt Lake City. First off, how cool is it that I got to catch a promo screening a week and a half before the film officially opens in SLC? I think it's pretty dang cool, and I'm grateful that I was able to make the screening. Along with a lot of other people. We got there half an hour before the scheduled 7:30 showtime, and the theater was nearly full. We ended up sitting 4 rows from the front on the right side of the theater; the view wasn't optimal as I would normally prefer, but it wasn't detrimental to my enjoyment of the film or anything. Quite frankly, I was surprised (and in a way pleased) by the early turnout.

Alright, so I'll talk a little about the actual film. I enjoyed the movie a lot. I feel like it is one of the few romantic comedies that is honest and genuine. It looks at both the good and the bad of the central relationship between Tom (played by the ever-awesome Joseph Gordon Levitt) and Summer (played by my celeb crush, the stunning Zooey Deschanel). I couldn't imagine this film with anyone else cast in the lead roles; Zooey and Joseph are perfect. They have excellent on-screen chemistry and nothing feels amiss in their performances. I don't feel like the film reaches the emotional catharsis of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but it's unfair to expect that of any film.

(500) Days of Summer reminds me of Eternal Sunshine in a couple ways. Both look at relationships differently than most conventional films, they use nonlinear storytelling to portray the ups and downs of the relationship, and they are both quite creative in their visual approach. Eternal Sunshine is hands down the better film, but it is one of my all-time favorites so it's not surprising I feel that way. One of the reasons I feel Eternal Sunshine is better is that the female character, Clementine (played by Kate Winslet), is one of the best female characters in cinema. She is complex and unique and never easily reduced to any one thing; she is simply Clementine. In (500) Days of Summer the story is told completely from Tom's perspective, and because of that, Summer remains a mystery. We're given little glimpse into why she is the way she is; as the viewer, we understand even less than Tom, even though Summer is still a mystery to him at all times. I understand the filmmaker's intent in leaving Summer as an enigma, and I can accept that choice and how it impacts the film. I think, however, that the choice to not really delve into her motivation limits the film and prevents it from being as poignant or affecting as it could otherwise have been. Tom is a sympathetic character and Summer is intriguing and enchanting, but I could only ever relate to Tom, no matter how much I wanted to understand Summer. That's not to say that I didn't like Summer because I did like her a lot; I just couldn't understand her in the end, and, like many females in real life, she just left me frustrated and confused. And yet, one more shot of her blue eyes and all that confusion and frustration would vanish --- let's be serious, Zooey has amazing eyes, does she not? I suppose that conflict of being simultaneously enraptured and frustrated by Summer is what the filmmakers intended to happen.

I really want to see this film again, and I hope it continues to perform really well in its limited release so that it can receive a wide release and play in some theater in Provo/Orem. There are a lot of very funny moments in the film, and it has a really good soundtrack as well. If you have any chance at all to see, I think it is definitely worth it.

This was one of the best movies I've seen this summer.

Weekly Film Symposium #2: Second Response.

2009-07-14T00:45:00.003-06:00

Dude, I never even saw your response get posted. So sorry it took me so long to respond again. I hate it when that happens. Anyway...

I agree with you that I feel like the relationship between Eli and Oskar is completely genuine and sincere. I believe that it started out as manipulation by Eli but very quickly turned into something else. She said that the first thing she heard him say was "squeal like a pig," or something to that effect, and she had been observing him. I believe that she knew that he was perfect to be her next care taker. I believe in the context of the film, that was her intention but she quickly and genuinely fell in love with Oskar. I love their relationship, even though it is pretty messed up. However, I don't see it ending well for Oskar.

Jesse and I were talking about this movie and she mentioned that Oskar was just going to fall into the same role that her current care taker was in, and that broke my little heart a tiny bit. I don't know why I didn't think of their future at all, except for the fact that they were going to be happy together. Now, I truthfully believe that Oskar is just going to end up like the guy she has now. He will take care of her and kill for her and move her around, but he will grow up, and she won't. At some point he is goint to be a middle aged man and she will still be twelve. Does this turn their relationship from one of requited love to a father and daughter relationship? Then she is going to have to eventually find a new care taker, and that just sucks for everybody. Oskar will fade away and Eli will continue on. I guess she could make him a vampire as well, but we don't want Oskar to burst into flames like the other lady (how awesome was that?!) I am also very glad that he didn't go for the cheap thrills like american "horror" movies do. I truly can't say enough about the director and the choices he made. Not like he needs me to tell him that he did a great job but he really did. I am glad we watched this and both loved it.

Bands Listened to at Work Last Week:

2009-07-13T10:54:00.003-06:00

I only worked three of the five work days last week so the list is going to be shorter than prior ones.

Spoon (all albums in reverse chronological order, a bunch of B-sides as well)
Bon Iver
Rilo Kiley
The Besnard Lakes
Future of the Left
Silverchair (a couple songs)
Dark Was the Night 2-disc compilation
Beulah
Blonde Redhead

5 More Actors Who Need to Work More

2009-07-08T19:53:00.002-06:00

1. Cillian Murphy

2. Guy Pearce

3. Viggo Mortensen

4. Kevin Spacey

5. Clint Eastwood (still the best bad-A in the world)

Edit: Ethan Hawke was totally meant to be on one of my lists. He was, in fact, one of the names that made me think of first creating that list. I recently watched both Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and Gattaca, and I thought he was very good in both. I read some personal quotes on IMDB, and he seems to have a good mind as well as acting chops. He should work more.

Weekly Film Symposium #2: Response

2009-07-08T14:27:00.002-06:00

Let the Right One In

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

My immediate response: wow. This film has not left my mind since I finished watching it. I cannot get certain images and scenes out of my head, and I marvel at the film's permanence. I think this lingering quality, though it is sometimes undesired, is the mark of a great work of art. I remember some of my favorite films lingering in a similar manner (Children of Men, Eternal Sunshine, etc.), and as I would recall those images and scenes, new meaning and significance would inevitably arise.

Such is the case with this film, I believe.

I absolutely agree with pretty much everything you wrote in your post, Justin. I don't think there is anything I would change about this film. The writing, cinematography, sound design, casting, directing, and acting all felt complete. You wondered if all foreign films are always perfectly acted with nothing out of place, and it sure seems that way. I'll briefly offer my two cents regarding that. First, there is definitely a filtering process taking place with foreign films. Only films receiving critical praise, usually at the major film festivals, or those with some commercial appeal will be picked up for distribution in the United States. This means that when a foreign film does reach our shores, it is probably a good film. Trivial or puff movies that would absolutely fail at the box-office aren't even considered for distribution. Secondly, there is really only one national cinema, that of India, that rivals Hollywood in terms of moneymaking and the number of films produced -- India actually surpasses the number of films made in the United States. In all other nations, it is much harder to produce a film with a significant international presence. Therefore, instead of getting a Swedish Transformers or some other mind numbingly dumb waste of celluloid, we get superbly crafted works of art. Granted, we lack exposure to the majority of foreign films, and they may have their own cinematic drivel that doesn't reach us, but I'd like to believe that the difficulty of producing film in these countries forces the poser filmmakers into other professions. Thus, the people actually willing to put forth the effort to make a film are genuine artists. At least that's my romanticized notion of things.

Anyway, back to Let the Right One In. What a beautiful, chilling, poignant, and shocking film! Like you said, the vampire element is really just on the side; it's not the central feature of the narrative, and that is one of its most distinguishing characteristics. It's a film about two lonely twelve-year olds. Oskar is scrawny and has a terrible haircut; he comes from a broken home and spends most of his time alone. He's constantly bullied, has revenge fantasies, and is morbidly fascinated with murder and death. Eli (pronounced 'el-lee' not 'e-lie') lives on the move and cannot stay too long in any one place; she wants friends, but the reality of her existence demands that she remain solitary. For both of them, normal childhood is not an option. They need each other, and, for better or worse, are exactly what the other needs. They provide one another friendship and companionship, as well as protection and support. I would like to think that their connection is genuine and sincere, but I can see where others might be suspicious of their relationship. It is possible that Eli manipulates Oskar into becoming her new helper, like others before him. She recognized in him the characteristics that would make him a good assistant and then manipulated him into loving her. I see how you could interpret things that way, but my personal opinion leans toward the sweeter, genuine connection. I don't know if you have read this, Justin, but according to the IMDB trivia, Oskar spells out P-U-S-S in morse code -- that means little kiss in Swedish -- when he and Eli are travelling on the train at the end of the film. Just a sweet little moment.

I've got to agree with you on the use of the cinematography and sound; both are simply superb.

I think I'll write about some of the film's more memorable moments before closing this initial response.

The meat and potatoes of the story is the relationship between Eli and Oskar, but there are some genuinely frightening and horrific moments in this film. I love that the director never resorts to cheap make-you-jump scares. Right before we see Eli kill Jocke in the tunnel under the road, the director subverts our expectations. Eli calls out for Jocke to help her, and he begins walking toward her. The whole time I was waiting for her to spring her attack, and the tension was quite high as the film had yet to show her attack anyone. As he nears her, a loud truck speeds by on the road over the tunnel, and it is at that moment that a normal horror film would have sprung make-you-jump moment. Instead, nothing happens. The trucks goes by, and Jocke continues walking towards Eli. By not resorting to the expected tactic, the director is able to create an even heightened sense of dread and tension. It's really quite brilliant.

I found Virginia's subplot very interesting as it shows what happens to those who are bitten but not killed, and it also leads to two of the most startling images that have stuck with me. How crazy is the scene where she gets attacked by the cats? I found that pretty creepy and awesome. Then in the hospital, rather than allow her transformation into a vampire to become complete, she asks the orderly to raise the blinds. I was not expecting her to burst into flames; it was definitely a very stark and memorable moment. This makes me wonder if Eli would always make certain to kill those she bit, like she did with Jocke. It seems to me, since we already know that she doesn't like to kill people but does so to survive, that she is merciful to her victims by not putting them through the painful transformation that Virginia has to go through. I wonder, not knowing much of Eli's back story yet, if she were bitten by a vampire at the age of twelve and went through that process herself. Just some speculation.

I also really enjoyed the scene when Eli climbs into bed with Oskar. She is still cautious and wary of revealing her true self to Oskar and won't let him look at her. He lies on his side and she climbs in behind him. This strikes me as a particularly intense scene. Oskar not only makes himself vulnerable emotionally by asking Eli to go steady with him, but he is also, without knowing it, extremely vulnerable physically. His neck is easily accessible, and should Eli feel the desire to bite him, it would be the easiest thing in the world. I love the tension his dual-vulnerability creates in this scene. Eli agrees to go steady, and Oskar peacefully slips into slumber. The most lasting image of the scene takes place then as Eli lightly traces her fingertips from Oskar's shoulder down the length of his arm and ends by slipping her hand into his. It's a shockingly sweet and tender moment that leads me to believe that the emotional connection they share is genuine.

The final moment I will discuss relates to the clip of the film you posted on your other blog and why I feel that the clip needed to run another few seconds to achieve the maximum emotional effect. When Oskar is saved and he comes up out of the water, the camera focuses on his face. After taking in a deep breath, he slowly opens his eyes. The next shot is from his point-of-view, and we see Eli, Oskar's protector. Rather than showing us all of Eli's face or even a shot of her whole body, we get a close-up on the upper half of her face, framed halfway up her nose to most of her forehead.

I believe this to be a very significant shot. Every other time Oskar was near Eli when her vampire instincts came out, he was scared or disgusted by what he saw. Even after he helps her defeat Lacke, he merely stands there as she, still covered in Lacke's blood, hugs him and thanks him. I interpret Oskar's actions as indicative of his hesitance to truly accept Eli; he wants to but struggles to move into complete acceptance. In the aforementioned POV shot, Oskar sees Eli's eyes (which are always very striking and, I think, different colors throughout the film) and nothing more. He doesn't see her mouth, which would be covered with blood, or her hands or anything that would remind him of her vampire brutality. No, he just sees her eyes. This shot informs me that Oskar has completely accepted Eli for who she is. The fact that she is a vampire that kills to survive and will brutally kill to protect him doesn't matter anymore. He chooses not to see that, or at least to not get hung up on that. This is the pivotal moment of the film's climax, and I love that the director chose to convey it subtly through his shot selection. Then I love how Oskar smiles at Eli, and she, still framed in that close-up, returns the smile, and we can see she is smiling only in the slight movement of her cheeks. Her reciprocal smile is what is missing from your clip. It's a beautiful interchange, one of my favorites of the entire film, another example of how perfectly the film mixes the beautiful with the horrific.

I've seen this film twice now, and I feel like we've only just scratched the surface of all there is worthy of discussion. Great choice, my man. Great choice, indeed.

Top 5 Actors Who Need to Work More So I Can Have More Amazing Performances to Watch

2009-07-07T23:05:00.001-06:00

My list is very similar to yours.

1- Joseph Gordon-Levitt
2- Djimon Hounsou (just better work, come on dude)
3- Edward Norton
4- Daniel Day-Lewis
5- Cillian Murphy

Top 5 Actors Who Need to Work More So I Can Have More Amazing Performances to Watch

2009-07-07T00:41:00.003-06:00

1. Bill Murray

2. Daniel Day Lewis

3. Ryan Gosling

4. Joseph Gordon-Levitt

5. Edward Norton

Weekly Film Symposium #2

2009-07-06T12:37:00.003-06:00

Lat Den Ratte Komma In
(Let The Right One In)

Directed by: Tomas Alfredson
My rating: 4.5/5

'Let the Right One In' is a swedish film about a 12 year old boy named Oskar. Oskar is picked on by the bullies at school and is neglected by his family. For all intents and purposes, Oskar is completely alone in his life, and as a result he has developed some pretty sociopathic tendencies. One night while Oskar is out he comes across his new neighbor, a twelve year old "girl" named Eli. Oskar and Eli quickly develop a friendship as they are both alone. But the one thing that sets Eli apart is that she just happens to be a vampire. Oskar and Eli help each other as they struggle to fit into everyday life.

First off, let me take a second to be twleve. How ugly is the kid that plays Oskar? Seriously, Those Swede's are not very attractive. Ok, now seriously. I thought this film was fantastic and tragically overlooked when it came to the oscars. Obviously it is because of the nature of the film, but one of these days those academy members are just going to have to get over their biases. I thought this film was superb in every aspect. This film perfectly supports my rant on my movie blog about how foreign films are more daring and more interesting. But let's take this one thing at a time.

I thought both Kare Hedebrant (Oskar) and Lina Leandersson (Eli) did great jobs, and both perfectly conveyed their characters and their struggles. I don't know if it's just me, but is it harder to see poor acting in foreign films? I have never seen a poor performance in a foreign film. Is it because they are talking in a different language, or is it because they are better actors....or is it because I haven't watched their popcorn blockbuster movies? Maybe I would be able to recognize it when I see it. Anyway, none of that is the point. Both of these two actors are fairly young and already seem to know what it takes to be a good actor. You act as much without words as you do with words, if not more so, and they both did that very well.

However, the thing that stood out to me the most was the directing. I thought it was absolutely brilliant. Most foreign directors seem to be much more imaginitive, original, and stylistic than American directors. There were some things in this movie that were absolutely breath taking. When Eli kills the first guy under the bridge, and then breaks his neck, I thought that scene was incredible. Then the scene where the nurse goes outside and you can see Eli scaling the building in the background. That was also brilliant. My favorite scene in the movie though was the end scene in the pool, when that punk kid is holding Oskar under the water. That was so disturbingly beautiful I don't even know what to say about it. Completely original and mind blowing. I also loved his angles and how he used his space. Very smart directing on top of a very good story.

I loved how the movie made me care about a couple of creeps. See, I bet that sounded kind of harsh, but that proves to me that the movie did the same thing to you. When we see a child like that, we usually don't feel so much sympathy toward them. I mean, in school we also thought of these kids as "strange" or "weird" and tried to avoid them at all cost. The kid does have obvious issues but they are a result of his circumstances. Same with Eli. Yes, she killed people, but she did what she did only to survive. I felt such sympathy for both of these people because all they wanted was a friend, or somebody to love them. They wanted to belong somewhere and I love how they found that in each other. They didn't judge one another for their "downfalls," but the movie taught me that we really should not judge another person when we know nothing about them. Most people are just doing what they need to get by, and that was definitely the story with both of our main characters.

The sound was also something that strongly stood out. It was very well done and played a very important role in the overall effect of the film. You could very vividly hear her drinking blood, and when the dad slit that first boys throat, you could very vividly hear it draining into the tub thing. I also loved when they pick on Oskar outside after school. You can hear every single footstep crunch on the snow. It's effect was tremendous. I swore during some of the scenes I could even hear the snowflakes falling. I loved it. That also brings me to another point. The movie succeeded very well in setting the tone. You could seriously feel how cold it was in almost every scene. I have seen many movies that take place in winter, but both this movie and 'Frozen River' made you actually feel that cold. Very good filmmaking going on in Sweden.

I also love how this movie is considered a "vampire" movie, yet the fact that she is a vampire is just a side note. It's obviously important, but what's really important is the friendship and love that they find in each other. I love the fact that their is so much more to this story than just simply being a vampire tale. However, if we want to discuss it that way, the cover art for the movie has a quote from the Washington Examiner that says, "Best. Vampire Movie. Ever." And that is absolutely right. This is easily the best "vampire" movie I have ever seen and will ever be likely to see. Amongst all the violence and chaos, this movie is beautiful. I highly recommend this film. I have so much to say but I want to leave it open for discussion instead of just spewing it all out right now. So I will leave it at this. Oh, and how awesome is that title? I also heard that it is being remade as an American film, and this disappoints me greatly. First off, can we do nothing original? Secondly, American's don't know how to make "horror" movies, and we will destroy this one. Guaranteed.

Another Post Detailing the Bands I Listened to at Work

2009-07-05T22:55:00.002-06:00

The Orchids (six songs)
Os Mutantes
One for the Team
Okkervil River
The Olivia Tremor Control
The Octopus Project
Ozma (three songs)
McLusky (many times)
The Field (two songs)
Dinosaur Jr.
Future of the Left (many times)
Spoon (new EP!)
Love is All
Magnetic Fields (multiple albums)
White Rabbits
Super Furry Animals
Talking Heads
The Love Language
Phoenix (nearly three times)
Wilco
Bat for Lashes
Styx (seven or eight songs)
Flaming Lips (three songs)

Weekly Film Symposium #1: Third Response

2009-07-01T23:18:00.002-06:00

There are a couple of things I wanted to touch on that you brought up, and that I missed in my initial response. First, I as well really thought about how far I would go to provide for the ones that I love. I realize that you don't want to get into a discussion of moral relativism, but I must say that as a husband, I would do almost anything to make sure that my wife had everything that she needs. The operative word there is almost. I agree that with you that people's actions can be justified by their situations and intentions, to a certain extent. As I said, I would do almost anything to provide for her and I would except the consequences for my actions. That is why I also loved the ending. She is willing to take her lumps because she knows what she did was illegal, but a mother's got to do what a mother's got to do. And I can't fault her for that. It's great to see and ending like this in a time and age where so few people are willing to take responsibility for their actions. I am also really glad that we both felt like the ending of the movie was hopeful, and that the worst of the storm had passed and that the dawn was coming.

I also wanted to mention that I loved the feeling that the film conveyed to me. It conveyed the feeling of hope and love amongst all the bad that was going on. Sure what she was doing was illegal, but it was for a better future for her family. The same went with Lily. I don't know, I started writing this paragraph and now I am really struggling to find my words. I think you may know what I mean though.

Also, I feel that the film perfectly captured the mood and desperation of the characters. Not only with the dialogue, but more importantly, without it. There is so much that is conveyed with the use of facial expressions, and demeanor. Melissa Leo definitely deserved her best actress nomination. Her performance was great. And back to the baby thing. I also feel that it was a little bit of luck and a little bit of, what I like to call, divine intervention. I like to think that that baby was protected by things greater than this world. But like you said, it's up to every viewer to decide, and I love when film does that. Also, when they were driving across the ice, could you just feel the bitter cold and the weight of that car on that ice? Everytime they drove across it I could feel the pressure that the car was putting on the ice. I found myself very tense and very worried about the inhabitants of the car, every single time. And once again, they did it without manipulation tactics. It was a risk they were taking, nothing more and nothing less. I loved the fact that I felt like I was out there with them. This was a great film and I would definitely watch it again. Did I already say that?

Bands I Listened to at Work Last Week

2009-06-30T22:33:00.002-06:00

I can basically listen to music the entire time I am at work. I don't utilize all of the forty hours I work each week listening to music, but I do listen to a lot of tunes. Here are most of, if not all, the bands I listened to last week.

Bands with complete albums listened to:

Future of the Left (most listened to band of the week)
McLusky (a very close second)
Les Savy Fav
Detachment Kit
Danananankroyd
Braid
Jimmy Eat World
Grizzly Bear
Franz Ferdinand
Sunny Day Real Estate
Antony and the Johnsons
The National
HUM
White Rabbits

Bands with a few songs listened to:

Faces on Film
Fall Out Boy
Drive Like Jehu
Ingrid Michaelson
Dear and the Headlights

I don't the know the specific number of times I listened to Future of the Left and McLusky, but I listened to them at least once a day at work and then again after work (while driving, disc golfing, etc.). I'm assuming you haven't heard of them, Justin, as they're quite obscure, but I'll try to write about them sometime soon.

Weekly Film Symposium #1: Second Response

2009-06-29T17:04:00.002-06:00

I've thought a bit about the larger implications Frozen River, what watching it has meant to me, what themes really impacted me, etc. What most struck me was how the film portrayed the lengths desperate people will go and the price they will pay to provide for the ones they love, especially single mothers. Melissa Leo's character did everything she could to provide for her children, even breaking the law. Our first introduction to her character shows us great insight into her emotional struggles. She sits in her car, the glove box opened and empty, and cries. We later learn that her gambling addict husband has stolen the money she had hidden in the glove box to pay for the family's new double wide trailer, but even without knowing exactly why she cries, deep pain and anguish is visible in her face. Again, Leo gave a fantastic performance. Her character isn't the only person to act desperately. Lily Littlewolf acts self-destructively because her mother-in-law, bitter because of the death of her son, takes her newborn son away from her. She smuggles immigrants across the border then puts the money in Pringles cans and leaves them on her mother-in-law's doorstep, hoping in some small way to provide for the son she longs to nurture. I feel so much empathy for these characters, good people beaten down by life, by the cold, and by circumstances they often can't control.

I agree with you, Justin, that the moment they learn there was a baby in the bag they left behind was intense and heartbreaking. I assumed the worst and ached for the immigrant couple. I wasn't sure how to view the baby's revival, whether to accept it as medical good luck like Ray or to see the hand of Providence in it like Lily. I was browsing the film's IMDB message board and came across an interesting wikipedia link to something called brown fat. Apparently mammals are born with a type of fat called brown fat, and this fat's primary purpose is to generate heat. In fact, one of its primary functions is to generate heat even when body temperature is below the regular threshold. This is vital for infants because of their inability to escape cold on their own. It's possible then that the child could have survived the cold because of its brown fat, but there's no way to say. I appreciate the film leaving this conclusion ambiguous; each viewer has to decide for themselves. Personally, I see a little bit of both sides in the baby's survival, but that is just my personal opinion.

A question I've been thinking about since watching this film is: how far would I go to provide for my family if I were in similar dire circumstances? Would I break the law? How much can you fault someone in that situation? I realize that I will not likely, at least I hope, find myself in such dire necessity and inability to provide the basic needs for my future family, but I realize that life is unpredictable. I am blessed to have resources to turn to in dark times (my family, the Church, etc.), but if I didn't have those fall backs, how would I behave? I really can't say. I think of my nephews and niece and how much I love them and would do anything to help them, and that is coming from an uncle. I almost cannot fathom how much stronger I would feel as a father and husband. I'm pretty certain that I would do almost anything for my family, without resorting to violence or other major violations of the law and/or other's rights. I don't want to get into a discussion of moral relativism, but I really believe a person's circumstances and intentions determine the justness of their actions -- to an extent, of course. Mostly I feel that people acting out of love for their families will receive mercy and understanding in the end, but I realize the law of the land cannot bend. That's why I'm glad that Ray accepts her punishment at the end of the film. I find the ending to be very optimistic and hopeful, like the worst of the storm has passed and better things are in store for both Ray and her sons, as well as Lily and her child.

This really is a fantastic film, and I'm glad we agreed to watch it.

Weekly Film Symposium #1: Response

2009-06-23T23:31:00.002-06:00

Rating: 3.5/5

What really stood out to me in this film was the performance of Melissa Leo. I thought she was absolutely fantastic. Just like you Chris, I found myself watching a character, not somebody playing a character. She was so subtle and believable in her performance one possibly cannot say enough about it.

The writing and directing also deserve a giant kudos. The film was written with all believable characters, and realistically what people would do in a desperate situation. I didn't find myself doubting anybody's actions at any point. Although the film is subtle and moderately paced, it is far from boring. Although I don't feel like this is a film for everybody, I think anybody who wants to watch a good, moving, heartfelt drama should definitely pick this one up.

I also agree that the emotional scenes were done well, and were very effective without being overly dramatic or manipulative. The scenes that really stood out to me emotionally, were the one that Chris mentioned about the older brother putting the younger brother to bed on Christmas eve. The other one was when they realized that the bag they had left behind in the freezing cold contained a baby. That whole scene was impeccable. The look on Melissa Leo's face when she finds that out is stunning. She does so much acting in this movie without ever having to say a word. Anyway, back on track about the baby scene. That scene was very moving without having to use any manipulative tactics. My heart dropped when I found out that they had left the baby, and I felt an overwhelming sense of joy when they saved it. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and would definitely watch it again.

Must see show!

2009-06-23T22:23:00.003-06:00

I just read that Sunny Day Real Estate is going to reunite and tour this fall. The original lineup is going to be playing a show in Salt Lake City in September. I must be there.

That is all. I am excited.

Weekly Film Symposium #1: Frozen River

2009-06-21T14:00:00.000-06:00

Justin texted me on Monday with a suggestion for a recurring feature for this blog. We both feel like we haven't come anywhere near to doing enough for this blog, and we are sorry for squandering this blog's potential for so long. His idea was for us to choose a film that we would both watch and then discuss on this blog. We are both seeking intelligent film discussion, and sometimes it's hard to come by. Almost everyone in my peer group approaches film as entertainment, and while I cannot fault anyone for thinking that way, I also cannot allow myself to see film as entertainment only. Granted, film ought to be entertaining, but I believe it should also do much more. In a post I wrote about the film Young@Heart, I put forth my views that film, like all art, ought to do certain things:

It creates connections between the viewers and the work's subject, connections that are intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. The work promotes increased understanding of others, their view points, personalities, life experiences, and the essence of their being. Viewers should feel their understanding has expanded to include the subject of the work of art, and they should feel a sort of rebirth, like they have changed and can no longer remain the way they were. Lastly, a great work of art will create true and genuine empathy, what some might call charity or love.

With that in mind, I am pleased to write the inaugural post of our weekly film symposium. I suppose I ought to put a SPOILER ALERT into effect for this and all other weekly film symposium posts. If you plan on watching any of the films we will be discussing, you may not want to read what we have to say until you've seen the film for yourself. Because we will be discussing thematic issues and other substantial matters regarding these films, we are interested in others' opinions on these films, and we welcome any and all comments.

Frozen River - 2008 - written and directed by Courtney Hunt.

My rating: 3 and 3/4 stars

Frozen River was an independent film released last year. It garnered very positive reviews, reaching 88% overall on Rotten Tomatoes, and Melissa Leo received a Best Actress Oscar nomination. The films deals with a woman, Ray Eddy, all but abandoned by her gambling addict husband, and her struggles to keep a roof over the head of her two children and food on the table. She works part-time at a dollar store and is unable to persuade her manager to move her to full-time even though she is more punctual and dependable than the younger, more attractive woman working full-time. Ray gets involved in smuggling illegal aliens across a frozen river on the Mohawk reservation on the New York - Canada border. Needing money to pay for a new double-wide trailer and put presents under the Christmas tree, Ray decides to make a couple more smuggling runs with the Mohawk young woman, Lily Littlewolf. Each trip becomes more dangerous and desperate than the last.

I was quite impressed with Courtney Hunt's writing and directorial debut. I thought the film was quite subtle and mature. It deals with a very sensitive issue (e.g. illegal immigration) in a way that is neither heavy handed nor didactic. The film portrays realistic characters struggling to get by, and I was really struck by the portrayal of single mothers and the many difficulties they face. The cinematography is unassuming but effective. You can almost feel the incredible winter cold just by looking at the frozen landscape. Mostly I was impressed with Melissa Leo's performance. I can't think of another think I've seen her in, but IMDB shows a good body of work. I think her performance and Oscar nomination for this film will probably earn her a few more leading roles. In a way, her performance reminded me of Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone, not necessarily that they played similar characters, but they both really were their characters. I didn't feel like I was watching a performance, and whenever that happens, I know that I am watching an excellent performance.

There were a lot of small moments that really caught my attention. Ray putting on a smiling face for her youngest son, not wanting him to know just how dire their circumstances are. The oldest son putting his brother to sleep on Christmas eve. Just a lot of subtle moments that could have been overly sentimental or mishandled in some way. Overall, I would recommend this film to viewers with the patience to watch a deliberately paced film with strong performances that leaves each viewer to draw their own conclusions regarding the characters and the choices they make.

That's all for my initial remarks regarding the film.

Music in the Dark

2009-06-15T00:52:00.003-06:00

I watched Toy Story with some friends tonight. After it ended (still such a fantastic film), we sat around and talked. Then the time came for people to head home. My roommates went upstairs to sleep, and I just stayed where I was, sitting on the couch in the dark with my MacBook on my lap, listening to Elliott Smith.

For some reason, I thought I should share this image with you, Justin.

The Letter A

2009-06-07T17:00:00.000-06:00

I guess when you announce that you are going to do something (like create a new recurring feature for a blog), you should probably follow through. Here I am to quell every one's fear that I might not follow-up with my previous announcement.

The letter A is a pretty good place to start this new feature highlighting my favorite albums by bands whose name starts with a particular letter of the alphabet. Here we go:

The Arcade Fire - Funeral

When I returned from my two-year LDS mission to Brazil, one of the first things I did was hop online and search for end of year best-of lists, hoping to find the best albums released while I was otherwise occupied in the shortest amount of time possible. Pitchfork, probably the biggest indie-music site right now, has always helped me find good music since I first discovered it way back in 1999. At the top of Pitchfork's best albums of 2004 list was Funeral by The Arcade Fire. It wasn't long before I found myself listening to the album. I was struck immediately by the urgency in the music, both in the instruments but mostly in the vocals. There was just such power in the music and in the lyrics. Having not listened to very much music for the two previous years, hearing the Arcade Fire was like being struck by a bolt of lightning.

The entire album is amazing, as is the group's second album, Neon Bible. If I were forced to pick my three favorite tracks, I would go with: "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)", "Wake Up", and "Crown of Love", with "Rebellion (Lies)" a very close fourth. As powerful as I thought these songs were on the album, nothing could have prepared me for hearing them live. I first saw the band play at the 2007 Coachella music festival, then a second time at Thanksgiving Point, Utah. There are very few bands better than the Arcade Fire in a live setting. Each member of the band, as many as ten people playing a diverse group of instruments, puts everything into every song. There is an incredible amount of energy in their live show, and I was blown away both times I saw them. There were so many fist-pumping, sing along at the top of your lungs moments. Each performance would likely find itself in my top 10 shows if I were to make such a list someday.

I cannot recommend this band and both of their albums enough.

At the Drive-In - Vaya EP

Okay, so an EP isn't technically what we would consider an album, but I had to include this band, one of my favorite and first indie-bands I discovered as an adolescent. This blog's title came from a misheard At the Drive-In lyric. Here is another band overflowing with energy. This seven song EP is probably the best place to start with this band. It's more polished, in its songwriting and in its production, than the band's earlier work, and it's more consistent than Relationship of Command, the band's only release after this EP. But every release is very good. In fact, some of you may have heard the song "One-Armed Scissor" back in 2001-02 when it got a decent amount of play on MTV2 and the radio.

Anyway, this band rocks hard. The lyrics are pretty obtuse, but it doesn't matter. The dual guitars are loud and intricate, the rhythm section is very tight, and the spoken/sung/screamed vocals are fantastic. My favorite tracks on the EP are: "Rascuache", "Proxima Centauri", and "Ursa Minor." But as I stated previously, this is a consistently great EP. All of the songs are worth listening to. (I am guessing that this will hold true with every album I ever write about because I'm choosing some of my all-time favorite albums, and I wouldn't like them that much if they had bad tracks on them). Sadly, At the Drive-In broke up into two lesser bands which have yet to equal their earlier glory. I'm hoping for an eventual reunion tour.

Autolux - Future Perfect

I wrote about this band previously when I gave them the "Get On With It" award so I won't go into too much detail about this band in this post. Autolux is just a fantastic rock band. Their sound is distinct. They have some of the best sounding rock songs I've heard. I just love the guitar tone, and the drums sound incredible. Future Perfect is a superbly produced album. Of course, the production would be meaningless if the songs weren't well-written. Don't worry - they are very well-written. My favorite tracks are: "Angry Candy", "Subzero", and (it's tough to choose just three) "Here Comes Everybody." I urge everyone to listen to the Autolux songs in my playlist on this page.

Albums by 'A' Bands Worth Mentioning: Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock and Roll, And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Source Tags and Code, Annie - Anniemal, Andrew Bird - The Mysterious Production of Eggs.

If anyone is interested in hearing these albums, leave a comment and let me know. I'll find a way for you to hear them.

A-B-C, 1-2-3.

2009-05-06T19:43:00.002-06:00

I'm back. Though I haven't really been away; I've just been too lazy (sometimes busy) to write anything. In my defense, I was always thinking about things I could write (best albums of 2009 so far, more movie musings, etc.) for this blog.

The other day I was reading Jake's blog and posting some comments. By the way, it's pretty amusing to see the web of musical influence spreading outward. Maybe it's just my egotism manifesting itself, but it gives me satisfaction when someone I know expands their musical tastes because of my own direct or, in this case, indirect efforts to share the music I love. It's cool to see Jake writing about bands like Built to Spill, Cursive, the Decemberists, etc. Bands we've been listening to since back in the day.

Anyway, I bring this up because I've decided to do something similar to what Jake is doing with his blog. Where he highlights a band's entire discography, I am going to do something different. I've decided to choose anywhere between 1-3 albums by my favorite bands that start with each letter of the alphabet. For example, for the letter 'D' I could choose an album by the Dismemberment Plan, the Decemberists, and Death Cab for Cutie. I'll go through the entire alphabet in however long it might take me. It should be fun and, hopefully, interesting to read. I need to come up with a catchy name for this, but I can't think of anything right now. Lost is on, and I must focus all my energies on the infinite mystery of the show.

Adventureland

2009-04-11T13:09:00.003-06:00

As you know we went and saw Adventureland this past week, and as I have previously stated, I liked it. However, I liked it in spite of many many things. These things I will tell you. Apparently I should have written this when it was more fresh in my mind. Oh well.

Jesse Eisenberg's character- Is anybody else getting sick of seeing this character in every movie that's about a teenage or young adult male. Seriously, I feel like this is the only character written these days. The pseudo-intellectual that is awkward around the ladies and is trying to come into his own. The whole time I was watching this movie I couldn't help but think that his character is every character and the only character played by Michael Cera, and that he would have been much better in the role. But aside from that, I hated him. I thought he was an arrogant, selfish, spoiled little baby. I mean the kid was whining about having to find a job. Are you freaking kidding me?! Oh mommy and daddy can't pay for your trip to Europe, you poor baby. He drove me nuts.

Kristen Stewart's character- Don't get me wrong, like you said, she actually did a good job in this movie. I still would not call her a good actress, but at least now I won't call her a bad one. Her character bothered me because I feel like that is the only young adult female character written these days. The super cool chick that starts to get close to some kid but has excess baggage so she distances herself. How many times have I seen this?

Stupid Frigo- Is this not the worst, most obnoxious character ever put into a movie? And not in a good way. I realize he was supposed to be retarded and annoying, but it wasn't that. I felt like the character was very poorly written and the movie would have been so much more effective, and so much more enjoyable without him. He added nothing, and detracted a lot from the movie.

The Lack of originality- I felt the entire movie was regurgitated characters and jokes. Like you said, it felt like Freaks and Geeks on summer vacation, yet it was done by somebody else so it didn't have the same charm or effect. I don't know, nothing in the movie felt original to me at all.

The Fact that I hated all of the characters- It's quite difficult to enjoy a movie when you hate everybody. James was a selfish, hypocritical schmuck, Em was a homewrecker, Mike was simply retarded, and Lisa P., well, just look at her. There was only one character that I actually liked, which brings me to my next point.

The best thing about the movie for me was Martin Starr. He is so funny. I swear everything he says is hysterical to me. I wished that he would have been the main character. This guy needs his own show somewhere. He is so interesting and also appears to have so much going on inside his head yet nothing all at the same time. I love him. In spite of all the things I didn't like, I still found myself somewhat intrigued. I liked it, but would only give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Sad Songs Make Me...Sad(?)

2009-03-30T01:24:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I get in a mood where all I want to listen to is something that will hit me like a brick, and one of those moods hit me just minutes ago. I'm not sure why it happens. The obvious answer would likely be that it's a manifestation of longing and loneliness, the desire for some greater, authentic soul-to-soul connection that I lack. I'm sure each and every failure, every squandered opportunity, every word that once burned within me yet remained unsaid contributes to this painful melancholy. Why is it that we turn to sad music when we're struck with these moods? There's almost some pleasure in feeling that sadness as much as we possibly can. Maybe the connection we form with those sad songs eases our pain and tells us we're not alone, that someone else has felt these same feelings. Though we lack the soul-to-soul connection with another physical human being, we form a similar, less powerful connection with that synthesis of words and music.

Right now I'm listening to "13 Months in 6 Minutes" by the Wrens, one of my favorite sad songs. I recently read an interview with Charles Gessell, one of the band's guitarists/vocalists/songwriters, and he was asked if most of the songs and the people mentioned in the songs were real people. He stated that most of them were based on real people, but the names were fictional. He mentioned, however, that "13 Months in 6 Minutes" was absolutely autobiographical. This makes the song hit me all the more. It's not about some intense breakup; it's just a gradual drifting apart. And there is such remorse and regret in Charles's lyrics. He admits to messing up, to being a fool, and his inability to change the situation haunts him (and me). The line "I'm a footnote at best / I envy who comes next" has always killed me.

(I'm currently on my third time listening to the track).

I know you understand what I'm saying, Justin, as we've talked about this song in the past. It really goes along well with "I've Made Enough Friends" as sort of the antithesis or the aftermath of what that song expresses. In fact, I'm going to play that flawless song right now. As much as I love these songs, I hope to sleep off this melancholy. The last thing I need is to be all mopey and forlorn to kick off a new week.

Here are the lyrics to "13 Months in 6 Minutes" for those unfamiliar with them:

not yet 21 - with introductions done - a first slow dance just ends.

I was at my best - we ignored the rest (my band and your friends).

But as better night became best day we left the party while last records played.

What started as dessert back at your house ended on the couch…

hours at your mouth…sunday’s on our hands. We followed where it led.

I followed you to bed. We started secret plans.

Forward 7 months: I’ve only seen you once…I never call on time.

Trying to seem tough, I said one visit’s enough - enough to keep you mine (of course it wasn’t…)

We were done by june. You’d graduate and leave forlondon soon.

Your layover at newark’s near my house. We met for dinner there…

just one hour to spare - your 20’s all mapped out. I’m in my driest drought

feeling old and shot and how.

And this is what I thought: I seem to still be caught…

I’m a footnote at best…I envy who comes next…wish we could just make out.

‘The hour’s almost up’, you said into your cup. And it makes no difference now, as I help lift your bags out, that I’m lost and out of rope while on my wrist you wrote your newest number down.

I kind of said your name but you’d turned to your plane so I backed my car out.

I knew we’d never write (somehow that seemed all right) but this counts as calling three years out.

And then the awesome coda at the end with the chord progression that I wish was stretched for another 6 minutes and that aching melody with the lyrics that are just too faint to comprehend. This is a perfect song.

Winter Passing

2009-03-11T18:32:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I rented 'Winter Passing' from my local Hollywood video. I am surprised at our selection sometimes. We have a great selection of independent and foreign movies. I love my store. Anyway, I watched it last night and it left me a little frustrated. Why? Because once again Will Ferrell proved that he can act if he really wants to. If the guy can just refrain from having to be the center of attention all the time he can do quality work. However, I think quality is pretty low on his priority list. Moron. Once again Ed Harris proved that he is a great actor with so much range. He was great in this, he played a good cowboy in appaloosa, played Jackson Pollack flawlessly, and many many other great roles. He can be good or bad it doesn't matter. He is terrific and I always love watching him. Good movie, thanks for the recommendation. I had never even heard of it before, and that's pretty rare for me. Not that I am all knowing but the people at work have called me a walking database. I liked that. It made me feel cool and totally nerdy. Zooey was also ridiculously cute and adorable as she tends to be. Even when she is supposed to be cracked out she still manages to be a cutie.

2009-03-10T01:01:00.003-06:00

I don't know why my computer is not letting me leave comments. Stupid computer. I liked happenstance when i saw it and i really like the fact that you said that Audrey Tautou was the Audrey Hepburn of her generation. I like it because now I have said that, you have said that, and a girl that i used to work with said that. She has that same charm and likeability that the first Audrey had on top of their obvious talent. Audrey Tautou's performance in Amelie is one of my all time favorite female performances. I also really dig 'Batman Begins.' I really like Cillian Murphy and i wish he were in more movies. A couple of months ago at work a customer told me that i have the same exact profile as him. He said not so much from the front, but our profiles are identical. That made me feel pretty cool so i thought i would throw that in there.

Ooh and i just watched this fantastic documentary called 'Murder on a Sunday Morning.' I don't know if you have seen this or not but if you haven't you really should. Really well made and really interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Also, our stupid theater here in Cedar finally got The Reader and The Wrestler. It's about time. That made me so mad that it took so long and i had to find different ways of watching them.

Movie Musings - 09 March 2009

2009-03-09T22:29:00.006-06:00

There seems to be a theme amongst a majority of the films I muse about in this entry: they feature adorable actresses that I cannot resist. The presence of those actresses usually guarantees a decent level of enjoyment when viewing their films, and that's not just because I find them beautiful. I appreciate and admire their talent as well. They just have an effortless way of winning me over. Anyway, I know you understand my way of thinking, Justin. I'm pretty sure we agree on these three actresses' high quality. On we go!

How to Steal a Million (1966) - directed by William Wyler.

Date Viewed: 08 March 2009. My Rating: 3 1/2 stars.

It's been a good time for movie watching lately. I found myself invited to watch this film with a group of people Sunday afternoon so I accepted the invitation. Unfortunately, losing an hour of sleep made it impossible for me to stay awake throughout the entire film. There was a good portion of the middle-third of the film that I missed. Nonetheless, what I saw was quite good, but that's pretty much a given with an Audrey Hepburn film. If there is one woman in this world that I would travel back in time to marry, it would be Audrey Hepburn. She is simply irresistibly adorable in her films, and, to make things even better, she was a fantastic person in real life. She is her normal adorable self in this film, and it is a pretty good romantic comedy/heist film. There is good chemistry between Audrey and Peter O'Toole, as well as many comedic moments. Just a very fun movie overall.

Batman Begins (2005) - directed by Christopher Nolan.

Date Viewed: 08 March 2009. My Rating: 4 stars.

I happened to watch this on TV Sunday night. I was chilling with some homeboys, and we were hoping to find something to do around our apartment complex. Nothing really turned up so we watched the movie as we waited futilely. This is a very solid movie, and Christian Bale delivers a fantastic performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman. As a character study, it succeeds admirably. I actually wish The Dark Knight had spent a little more time delving into Bruce Wayne's psychology a little more. While I don't think this movie was groundbreaking --- other than revitalizing the Batman series --- I like it a lot and can't really find many faults with it. Bale has a very good supporting cast, and a director that seems to really care about the franchise. I am excited, albeit somewhat reserved, to see how well the third Nolan-directed Batman will turn out.

Happenstance (2000) - directed by Laurent Firode.

Date Viewed: 08 March 2009. My Rating: 3 1/2 stars.

Well, another French movie. This one features the adorable Audrey Tautou, and any film she is in will get at least an extra 1/2 star just for her presence. She is basically our generation's Audrey Hepburn, and the two actresses share more than just a first name. She is always so appealing and has such grace on screen. Even when her characters might not seem like the most empathetic person, it's hard to think too poorly of them. I always find myself enraptured with her characters. I wonder how I'd react if she were to portray a truly reprehensible person onscreen. Anyway, this movie was worth watching just to see how cute Ms. Tautou is when her character says, "Oui," within the first five minutes of the film. I would pretty much do anything for a female capable of looking so beautiful, bashful, and innocent while saying, "Yes." It's true.

The film itself is about how interconnected the lives of human beings truly are. The film highlights how even the smallest decision someone makes can affect the lives of others around them. It works better at times than it does at others, but it is an enjoyable little film. My Audrey Tautou bias had me wanting to see her character onscreen more frequently, but the restrictions employed by the narrative required that the other characters get their fair share of screen time. I understand why the writer and director chose to take the story one way, but some of the characters just seem unnecessary. Certain plot developments just seem forced in order to continue the interconnected motif. Still, the film is quite charming, and Audrey Tautou is as lovely as ever.

Winter Passing (2005) - directed by Adam Rapp.

Date Viewed: 09 March 2009. My Rating: 4 stars.

This is an excellent independent film; it is very well-acted, subtle and moving. And it features Zooey Deschanel in the lead performance, and she has many of the same qualities as Audrey Tautou described above. Zooey is definitely one of my favorite actresses, and she doesn't disappoint in this film. She plays Reese, the daughter of two intellectual novelist parents working as an actor in the New York. The film picks up shortly after her mother's death. Reese is somewhat estranged from her family, and when an editor offers her a large sum of money to publish her parents love letters, Reese is forced to confront some emotional issues as she returns to the family home in Michigan. Ed Harris is excellent as her father, and Will Ferrell is pretty good in an offbeat, but low key role as a boarder in her home.

I really, really liked Zooey's performance in this film. Her character is far from perfect and struggles to deal with some emotional issues throughout the film, but Zooey's portrayal is honest and poignant. She is able to communicate so much without saying a word. She really is extremely talented (and she can sing too!). Perhaps the perfect woman... Curse you, Ben Gibbard.

Justin, I don't know if you'll find this in Hollywood Video, but it is available for online watching at Netflix until March 15th.

We Own the Night (2007) - directed by James Gray.

Date Viewed: 09 March 2009. My Rating: 2 1/2 stars.

When I first heard the premise for the film and saw the trailer, I had high hopes for this film. Then it was poorly received critically, and my desire to see the film basically disappeared. I threw it on my Netflix queue and basically forgot about it. I finally got around to streaming it online. The acting is decent in the film, but that's expected with a cast like Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, and Robert Duvall. The film tries so hard to be epic, but it never reaches the heights it aspires to. And I kept getting distracted by the soundtrack. They kept returning to this motif that sounded like a music box or child's lullaby or something; it just seemed really out of place for a film about the Russian mafia and New York officers of the law. The film was barely entertaining, and I struggled to remain interested in any of the characters. I don't see myself returning to this film any time soon, if ever.

2009-03-09T00:53:00.002-06:00

First off, I love the movie musings. You must keep them coming. Secondly, I really want to talk about Synecdoche but I have no idea what to say about it.....I feel like there is a lot of meaning that I am not getting and I still really liked it. I would give it 4 stars, on a 5 star scale of course. I really wanted to understand but I just couldn't. I would probably have to watch it many more times. Like you said, I personally have no idea what was real and what wasn't. I'm not....I don't know.

Movie Musings - 07 March 2009

2009-03-07T14:23:00.005-07:00

Yeah, more moving musings!

Paranoid Park (2007) - directed by Gus Van Sant

Date Viewed: 05 March 2009. My Rating: 3 1/2 stars.

This film is about Alex, a sixteen year old skater, who is involved in the accidental death of a security guard, and the psychological effects that has on him. Van Sant definitely approached this film much differently than he did Milk, which was pretty convention. Paranoid Park strives for a different effect. There are lots of long, tracking shots, slow motion close-ups on the actors' faces, and long stretches of movie without dialogue, just music and good manipulation of diegetic (fancy word: means from within the film's world) sound, especially water sounds (rain, a shower, etc.). The film moves slowly and provides an interesting experience. I enjoyed it, but I guess I wanted a little more. Some of the acting leaves a little to be desired. Most of all, I wanted more resolution. It's worth seeing, and it clocks in at a short 82 minutes.

Corpse Bride (2005) - directed by Tim Burton.

Date Viewed: 06 March 2009. My rating: 3 1/2 stars.

This is just a fun little film. I felt like watching a movie last night before sleeping, and with a short running time, Corpse Bride was a perfect choice. I really don't have much to say about this film. It's entertaining, moves pretty quickly, and, while it doesn't do anything too spectacular, it's also consistently good in pretty much every way. We need more stop-animation films.

I've Loved You So Long (2008) - directed by Philippe Claudel.

Date Viewed: 07 March 2008. My Rating: 5 stars.

I know it's cool to be all anti-France and whatnot, but I love French cinema. The French New Wave in the 60's was incredibly influential, and films like Truffaut's The 400 Blows are still amazing and some of my favorite films. I need to watch more French films. Contemporary works like Amelie and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly are some of the best films I've seen, and I'm sure there are so many other great films waiting for me somewhere. So many movies, so little time.

Anyway, I first heard of I've Loved You So Long on Rotten Tomatoes. I remember seeing it was being very well-received by critics, and I even saw that it would be playing at the Broadway theater in Salt Lake. Unfortunately, I never made the trip to see it. I read a lot of good things about the lead performance by Kristin Scott Thomas. I decided to take a look at the Redbox selection while I was grocery shopping at Smiths earlier today. I saw they had this film so I entered in a promo code and got a free rental. I came home, ate some lunch, and immediately put the film on.

That was a very good decision on my part. This is a fantastic film, and it deserves more recognition than it received here in the U.S. Let it be known that Kristin Scott Thomas deserved an Oscar nomination, and I would put her subtle and moving performance up there with the best performances of the year. She showed tremendous emotion with incredible subtlety. I thought Anne Hathaway was fantastic in Rachel Getting Married, but I think it must be somewhat easier to show deep emotion when your character is a wreck. You can yell and scream and act out as manifestations of your pain, but in this film, Kristin Scott Thomas was able to do so much with calm and restraint. Her one big emotional scene is all the more powerful because of the reserved manner she'd used prior to that moment. Really a fantastic performance. I don't want to give away too much of the plot because I thought the way the film reveals the story layer by layer was incredibly well-done.

This film really moved me. There are a lot of very good performances. In fact, it's one of those films without a forced or poor performance. Every character was perfectly cast and well-acted. Everything about the film is high quality. I read some one's comment on imdb.com (how I love that site!) and they described the film as a "subtle, empathetic presentation of characters," and I couldn't agree more. Had I seen this film back in 2008, I'm confident it would have made my list of favorite films for that year. It's just a beautiful film and completely deserving of 5 stars. I plan on watching this again in the future. Thank you, France.

Justin, I'm curious if you've seen this film. If so, what did you think? If not, I think you and Jesse should watch it and tell me what you think.

Watchmen

2009-03-07T00:57:00.003-07:00

Jesse and I saw "Watchmen" this afternoon and overall I still am not sure what my feelings are. To get things straight to begin with, I love the graphic novel. I think it is a fantastic piece of literature. Now that we got that out of the way. There was both good and bad in the movie.
First off I was planning on doing an 'oscar watch' section on my page but I didn't think I was going to have to start it until about July or August. But my oscar watch has already officially started. Jackie Earle Haley was absolutely brilliant as Rorschach. He embodied that character and brought him straight from the comic onto the screen. I didn't feel like there was any difference in the characters at all. He also does what I will refer to as "almost batman voice." But it's awesome. He understood that there was a fine line between being intimidating and sounding ridiculous. You can understand every word that he says. Don't get me wrong, it is nowhere near as extreme as Christian Bale's stupid batman voice. He just puts some grunge in his voice and I loved it. How this guy fell out of acting for almost fifteen years is beyond me. He is a brilliant actor and that is why he won the Justademy for best supporting actor two years ago. His performance in Little Children is also nothing short of brilliant but once again the academy has a love affair with Alan Arkin and with perverted old men roles. Rorschach is my favorite character in the book and I couldn't have asked for a better portrayal of him onscreen. Absolutely loved him. Jackie Earle Haley in the running early for best supporting actor. Too bad movies like this don't get much credit.
On the other hand Malin Ackerman is a horrible actress. She hurt the movie for me a little bit because she just simply cannot act. She has terrible delivery and even worse is she has absolutely no emotion ever.....at all. She was a terrible choice to play that part but I also am not a fan of her character.
One thing that was really weird for me was when Dr. Manhattan spoke. I knew Billy Crudup was playing him but his voice still took me by surprise. As I read the novel I always pictured him having a much deeper voice, and Billy's just isn't. I wish his voice would have been deeper but that wasn't a big deal at all. Just personal preference, but it has zero bearing on the overall impression of the movie. And they didn't do what I thought they would. They actually showed his penis throughout the movie. There is a whole lot of penis in this movie. I was a little surprised. I also completely dug Jeffrey Dean Morgan's portrayal of the comedian. He was fantastic and portrayed him just how I would have.
Now the thing that bothered me the most about this movie was the music. This has to be the worst use of music I have ever seen in a movie. Seriously. It felt like I was watching a movie and somebody was sitting by me listening to a totally unrelated cd. It drove me nuts. The music didn't fit at all, it made you feel awkward, and it made everything on screen look awkward. I have no idea what Zack Snyder was going for, but it didn't work at all. At all. There were also some terrible decisions made by the director and obviously the editor as well. There were some scenes at certain moments that were horribly directed and looked very clumsy. Mr. Snyder does love his sex scenes and over the top violence, he didn't cheat anybody out of that. The one sex scene between Dreiberg and Laura on the ship is so exaggerated in the movie and semi-pornographic. He did this in 300 as well. But it wasn't all bad, this movie has some of the coolest moments in a movie that I have ever seen. Some actions sequences and the special effects are absolutely brilliant. Overall for me I just felt like the movie lacked the depth and emotion that the novel had. I really felt like Zack Snyder misinterpreted meanings and scenes because he shot some things in a comedic way and portrayed them like they were supposed to be funny and I really don't think that was the intention. Overall after writing this and thinking about the movie for about seven hours now I realized that I enjoyed it. The action sequences are awesome and the movie doesn't fail to entertain. It didn't feel like a 2 hour and 40 minute movie at all. I would give it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. I would like to know your thoughts on this Chris when you see it, or if you already have.

I want an award

2009-03-06T11:40:00.002-07:00

I have never listened to autolux, but thanks to your post i definitely want to now. So now i will get on with it and listen to them. And yes, i do know who is very deserving of this award, and they better get on with it and quick. Or else....

p.s. I tore the house down with my speech today. When you gave me the idea about talking about the different editing styles it all came together. I couldn't transition from one thing to another, but when you gave me that idea, it all just came to me. Thank you Chris. My speech rocked.

The "Get On With It!" Award - #1

2009-03-05T21:16:00.003-07:00

The idea for this blog came to me one afternoon at work. I was probably quite bored, listening to my ipod, and then bam! the idea struck me so forcefully that I had to write it down in the little notebook I carry with me everywhere.

The "Get On With It!" Award (think back to Monty Python and the Holy Grail) was created in order to draw awareness to an artist or band that needs to kick things into gear. They have undoubtedly created something brilliant in the past, something that has rocked me and/or moved me, but I am getting impatient for something new and equally brilliant. Franz Ferdinand would have been a perfect recipient of this award two months ago. Prior to the end of January 2009, they hadn't put out an album for over three years. That is simply too long for me to wait. While I'm sad that I can't bestow this award upon them, I am happier now that they have released their third album (which I have been rocking a lot lately).

The first recipient of the "Get On With It!" Award, is not the most deserving. No, that band will get theirs very soon. You know who I am talking about, Justin. No, this winning band happens to be none other than Autolux. Autolux is a trio from Los Angeles that I first listened to back in late 2005/early 2006. I was immediately impressed with their sound, not surprising once I found out that their guitarist, Greg Edwards, was in Failure. Their debut record, Future Perfect, is one of the best sounding albums I've listened to. Not only are the songs great, but the production is fantastic. I love the way all the instruments sound. The guitar tone is deep and heavy, but not overbearing. The vocals, both male and female, are, I want to say, calm and placed perfectly in the mix. The contrast between the vocals and instrumentation is very striking, but it all works so well together. And the drumming of Carla Azar is pretty amazing. Really, just great stuff.

Future Perfect was released in the fall of 2004, more than a year before I ever listened to it. It's been over four years since then, and, quite frankly, it's time to get moving, Autolux. Thankfully, their second album, Transit Transit, is scheduled to be released sometime this year. It is definitely one of my most highly anticipated albums of the year, but until it actually hits the airwaves or internet-waves (?), I'll just have to keep listening to the fantastic music they've already put out.

I've added nine Autolux tracks to my playlist for the uninitiated. I think we listened to their album on the way back from the Decemberists concert at the Oregon State Fair, Justin. That was awhile ago, wasn't it? Anyway, congratulations Autolux. Now get on with it!

Sasquatch, I'm coming!

2009-03-05T21:07:00.002-07:00

As I reported on my other blog, I spent last Friday and Saturday camped out in line for the BYU-Utah basketball game. I mentioned being relieved in line for long enough to return to my apartment, take a shower, and pick up some pizza. What I forgot to mention was that I was home long enough to order my 3-day pass to the 2009 Sasquatch music festival. I must say that I am pretty freaking stoked for the festivities.

Justin, you really need to find a way to make this work. Like I said before, I am more than willing to help make this happen. Imagine seeing the Wrens again. I know that's all I really need to say. Let me know what the status is because tickets are cheaper the earlier you get them. My good buddy Whitney (from the Whitris Fruits movie I made my freshman year and which I believe I showed you) and I will definitely be heading up there from P-Town so there will be room in a car for you and yours. Anyway, that's all I wanted to say about that in this post.

Netflix the Oppressor

2009-03-04T16:07:00.001-07:00

The dang comment box was giving me serious problems so this comment just turned into a post instead.
Stupid netflix trying to tell people how many movies they can put in their queue. 500 movies in a queue is pretty dang impressive though. I know there are so many movies that i need to see but this last week i am feeling like i have seen everything worth seeing. Obviously that's not true, but it's how i feel lately. And no way could i watch all those movies before adding another one. I think that's just crazy talk. I wonder if we got the movies for next week into work today. Synecdoche should be in there. I am going to go check right.........now!

Why Netflix? Why?!

2009-03-03T20:37:00.003-07:00

I routinely visit Netflix, often just to randomly browse the selection or to see if anything new has been made available for online streaming. About an hour ago, I was at the site, and I tried to add a film to my queue. I clicked on add and everything was going as it should, but the normal confirmation window didn't pop up. Instead I received a message telling me that I had reached 500 films on my queue and could not add any more to it until I either watched or removed some of those movies on my queue. I was disappointed that there was a limit to my queue, but I guess it's not surprising or anything.

I've been a Netflix subscriber since the fall of 2005, and my queue has never gotten shorter. Being a film major didn't help. I would essentially leave each film class with a couple movies to add to my queue, and yadda yadda yadda my queue is too long now. I've got to find a way to get through all those movies. I've seriously got at least two years' worth of films in my queue, more if I keep watching at the glacial pace I've maintained the last six months.

I'm almost tempted to not add another film to my queue until I watch every last one that's on there right now, but I don't know if I could do that. Do you think you could do that, Justin? It would require immense self-discipline on my part. Then again, I'm not sure I want to do it. I know without a doubt that there are amazing films not on my queue. Why should I prevent myself from watching a great film at any time? Forget that idea.

Movie Musings

2009-03-02T16:56:00.009-07:00

I've decided that I will write at least one paragraph about every film I view for this blog. I'll give a quick little review and whatnot. It won't be anything super comprehensive unless the particular film warrants a more copious discussion. I should probably come up with a catchy little name for this segment, but I'll work on that later. I'm going to start with last Friday and catch up to the present day.

Troll 2 (1990) - directed by Claudio Fragasso.

Date viewed: 27 February 2009. My rating: 1/2 star (or 4 1/2 stars for being so awesomely terrible).

According to various sources on the internet, Troll 2 is basically the worst movie ever made, and for that reason, it has become quite famous as one of the best bad movies ever made. And let me tell you, it is terrible --- and hilarious. We watched this while camping out Friday night, and it was scary (in how bad it was) and very entertaining, especially if you love movies that are so bad they're good. First off, there are no trolls in this movie. That's right, a movie called Troll 2 is actually about goblins that live in a town called Nilbog and try to eat any tourists that pass through. The writing is atrocious and the acting only accentuates how poorly it is written. My favorite line of the movie is delivered by evil goblin who disguises himself as a preacher. When Joshua, the protagonist, is saved by his dad and taken away from the goblins, the preacher, with a scowl on his face and a menacing tone in his voice, says "We need time for some things to happen." I recommend the film to anyone who wants to have fun with one of the worst films of all time.

The Interpreter (2005) - directed by Sydney Pollack.

Date Viewed: 28 February 2009. My Rating: 2 1/2 stars.

This movie had been in my Netflix queue since the beginning days of my membership in the fall of 2005. I decided to finally give it a go Saturday night, and it worked well enough as a mildly entertaining film. The acting is decent, about what one would expect from a cast including Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, and Nicole Kidman, directed by the veteran Sydney Pollack. The film was pretty pedestrian, and I didn't really feel much for any of the characters. Their grief seemed a little too manufactured, probably the script's fault more than anything, but when the film finished, it left me exactly as I'd been before I watched it. Like I said, it worked well enough for mild entertainment, but that's it.

Synecdoche, New York (2008) - directed by Charlie Kaufman.

Date Viewed: 01 March 2009. My Rating: at least 4 stars (will likely change with time).

This is a film that very few people heard about and even fewer people saw. It played in the state of Utah at one theater for about two weeks. I was upset when it left the theater before I could make a trip to SLC to see it. Anyway, Synecdoche is the directorial debut of acclaimed screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkevich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind --- one of my favorite films of all-time), and I had been waiting impatiently to see this film. Critics seemed to have one of two responses to the film: either they loved it and declared it a masterpiece, or they absolutely disliked or hated it. Any film that polarizes critics like that is doing something unique and could hardly pass as fodder for the mainstream movie going public.

It won't surprise anyone familiar with Kaufman's work that this narrative is complex, blurring the distinctions between reality and dreams. I wasn't always sure what was going on in the film, whether it was truly happening or whether we were in the head of the film protagonist, Caden Cotard (played by the ever-impressive Phillip Seymour Hoffman who knocks this role out of the park). After I finished watching the film, I wasn't sure how to react. Kaufman definitely has a lot on his plate in this film, and he's tackling some heavy personal issues (life and death, love, the role of art, etc.) and it can be difficult, perhaps impossible, to truly know what he's saying. But, to some extent, what he's saying through his film may not be as important as what the viewer hears for themselves.

I texted Justin after I watched it and told him that watching Synecdoche is like going to a buffet after fasting for a couple days: it's going to take some time to digest everything. It's been one day since I watched it and I'm still not sure that I've been able to process even a tiny portion of what is going on in this film. It will definitely require another viewing or two. How then, if there's still so much I need to process, could I rate the movie so high? Despite the complexity of the narrative, Kaufman is sincere and genuine in his search for meaning, and there are some truly powerful and poignant moments in the film. Eternal Sunshine left me feeling similarly befuddled after my first viewing, but each subsequent viewing has revealed greater emotional depth and wisdom and I expect Synecdoche to reveal itself to me in the same manner.

I recommend this movie only to those willing to approach the film with an open heart and mind. This is a very serious film for mature audiences, so watching it with a group of people unaccustomed to serious cinema will prove disastrous.

Late night texts

2009-03-02T15:49:00.002-07:00

Dude, sorry i keep getting your texts when i get off of work and then i don't feel that i should respond because it's about midnight. So I apologize, but i am excited because we should be getting synechdoche this week so I should be seeing it in a couple of days. I really hope Charlie Kaufman doesn't disappoint me like Wes Anderson did with his most recent film. I wasn't a huge fan of "The Darjeeling Limited." You said it would take a couple of days to digest, so hopefully when it all does I will have seen it by then and we will be able to discuss. Gone.

What I Think Director's Do (or Should Do)

2009-02-28T20:39:00.004-07:00

First, I hope your last blog title is an allusion to that hilarious Nutrigrain commercial. Okay, so my thoughts on the three most important things a director does are the following:

1. The director has the "vision" for the film. He (for simplicity sake I will refer to the director as he, but a woman could and should often be in the director's chair) has worked closely with all the major crew positions (director of photography, production designer, etc.) to communicate all the pre-production work he has done. With those crew members' input, he creates the "vision" for the film project, including the themes he wants to emphasize, the look and feel he envisions for the film, etc. For the film to really succeed, the director's vision needs to be consistent in all aspects of the filmmaking, and he needs to help others believe in and capture that vision.

2. The director deals with the "talent" (i.e. the actors), and the way he interacts with them definitely influences the film's outcome. Some actors are more difficult to work with than others, and that can influence every one else on set negatively. The director needs to know how to work with all kinds of people to ensure that the work continues efficiently and the performances are strong. When a film is successful, and I'm thinking more artistically than commercially, signs usually indicate that the cast and director had a very good working relationship and a strong friendship.

3. Wow, coming up with a third task is suddenly difficult. The first two came easily. Okay, I got one. This third one is more a reflection my personal philosophies regarding film as art. All art, I believe, serves to help human beings better understand one another. So this third task is actually the motivation underlying all that a director does: he wants to make a film that either reflects something he has learned in his quest to understand people, or it acts as an exploration of human nature in an effort to increase his understanding. I realize this reflects just my personal beliefs, but I think most good directors (those not making terrible commercial films) would admit to using film for similar purposes.

So that's what I think, but I could be way off.

Directors Everywhere

2009-02-28T00:53:00.003-07:00

We were talking about this at work and couldn't really come to a consensus. So, I ask you. What do you think the three most important things are that a director does? I know everything is important, but what is the most important? Maybe there isn't an answer and that's why we couldn't agree on one.....

Oh Jolie!

2009-02-27T00:54:00.002-07:00

So I pose this question to you Chris, and everybody or anybody else that reads this. Why do people hate Angelina Jolie so much? You can always find somebody out there that hates a certain celebrity with a passion, but an eery amount of people absolutely wish this woman would die. It's quite astounding. She has to be the most hated person in hollywood.....and I don't know why. She does a lot for the world and for her fellow earth inhabitants. People say it's fake and just for publicity, well I say even if it is fake she is still doing it and people are still getting help. I have been told that reason, and the fact that she is a home wrecker (that whole brad pitt, jennifer aniston thing.) But if that's the case, why isn't there the same hatred for Brad? The only people that hate him are guys, and not just guys, but guys that are jealous of how sexy he is. And boy is he sexy.

Post-Ceremony Oscar Thoughts

2009-02-23T20:44:00.002-07:00

The biggest snub of the night was Mickey Rourke not winning Best Actor. My fear of the Academy overlooking Rourke for Sean Penn's political performance was justified. With each passing day, I am more and more amazed with Rourke's performance, and I really, really want to see The Wrestler again. Rourke speaks some of the greatest, most heartfelt lines in a conversation with his daughter, and I am not satisfied having seen the scene only once.

Also, I guess I should have stuck with Slumdog for more categories. I'm pretty sure most Academy members don't really know the difference between sound editing and sound mixing, and it seems kind of foolish to have two technical sound categories that people can't differentiate. Also, I don't get why Penelope Cruz won for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. I watched the movie and can't tell you why her performance was so special. I think all the other nominees were more deserving. Amy Adams will win something eventually. Who knows about Marisa Tomei. Hopefully the exposure generated by her nomination will help her land some more excellent roles in the near future.

I know you were upset with Kate Winslet winning Best Actress, Justin, and I can sympathize with you on it, though perhaps for different reasons. First off, I'm not even sure why she was nominated in the Best Actress category for The Reader, especially considering the fact that she was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (which she won, along with Best Actress for Revolutionary Road). I don't feel like hers was a leading role, but oh well. Even if it was a leading role, it wasn't the best performance of those nominated. I really liked Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married. I hate that the Academy tends to overlook amazing performances by young actors because they figure they'll eventually win sometime in the future. This is why Kate Winslet won this year; she'd been nominated so many times in the past that she was due, according to unwritten Academy standards. Hathaway, Angelina Jolie, and Sally Hawkins (completely snubbed) all gave stronger performances than Winslet. Mind you, I am a big Kate Winslet fan. Her performance as Clementine in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of my favorite female performances ever.

Question: will next year's Best Supporting Actor winner be another frightening depiction of evil? Last year it was Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men, and this year it was Heath Ledger as the Joker. Both actors completely deserved their awards. I just find it interesting that their roles were, though quite unique, similar in many regards.

I look forward to seeing what films will be up for consideration next year. I am hoping for The Road, and I really think Viggo can pull in a Best Actor nomination and win, if the film turns out the way I hope.

We're deep in the abyss of the winter void of good films, though Watchmen is coming soon, and I am very excited for it. Justin, I recommend that you grab the graphic novel (or just read it in chapters at a local bookstore) because it is sweet. I'm amazed every time I see footage of the film. Can you think of any other good films coming out soon? I need something to look forward to, though I am excited to re-watch some of my all-time favorites. Maybe I'll even get some more reading done.

Lemon out!

Your oscar thoughts

2009-02-23T02:54:00.002-07:00

I really enjoyed reading your oscar thought. Very insightful and very entertaining. I agree with a lot of what you said, however, i have come to the conclusion that i do respectfully disagree with one thing. I have been thinking about this for a long time and i have concluded that i don't think animated films should be able to be considered for best picture. I have come to this conclusion because i believe they are two totally different art forms that require two totally different processes. But mainly because with live action there are limitations, and there are degrees of difficulties with getting certain shots or certain angles, or getting certain things to do certain things. But with animation you can just draw or animate it. You can basically do whatever you want. Take Sunset Boulevard for example. In the opening scene where he is filmed in the pool from the bottom of the pool. That shot is amazing because they didn't have underwater camera's back then so they had to position mirrors and film the mirrors. Whereas with animation they just draw it. Not the same challenges and not the same thing in my opinion. Does that make sense? Anyway, my point is basically that i just don't think they are comparable so they can't really be put in the same category. But that is just my opinion.

My Oscar Thoughts

2009-02-22T12:18:00.006-07:00

I completed my quest to see each of the five Best Picture nominees in the theater this past Thursday when I caught a showing of Milk as the second half of a double feature. This is the third year in a row that I have seen every Best Picture nominee in the theater, and I suppose I will keep the quest going as long as I can.

I've been busy this week editing a random film some friends and I decided to make on President's Day. Like I tend to do, I found plenty of ways to make the project more complicated (and hopefully more fun and interesting) than I had originally planned. Thus, most of my free time this week has been spent on this project, and that explains why I am writing about the Oscars only hours before the winners will be announced. Anyway, let's get to it.

(In hindsight, I feel like what I've listed as a prediction isn't so much a prediction as it is my own personal choice).

Best Picture:

This has been a tough one for me to figure out. There hasn't been a film to truly stand out above the others, no clear winner like last year's No Country for Old Men. I'll just list my thoughts on each of the nominees.

The Reader - of all the nominees this year, this is the weakest. I still enjoyed the film, but I think a large part of my enjoyment and comprehension of the film was the result of having read the book before seeing the film. The book and film go together very well, but without reading the book, I think I wouldn't have understood the characters' motives very well. There are some interesting symbols in the narrative, and the film is shot well and the acting is pretty good, but overall, I don't think it should have been nominated. There are at least three films I can think of that deserve the nomination more.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - I wrote a rather large blog on my reaction to this movie, and my initial feelings still remain. I really liked this movie in so many ways, but then some other things just didn't work for me. Since watching it, I can't say that I have felt the desire to watch it again nor have I returned to it much in my thoughts. Maybe that's not necessarily the best criteria for determining the best film of the year, but I happen to regard a film's success, so to speak, by the way it affects me, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. This film did affect me on many levels, but mostly in a way I didn't wish to be affected, I suppose. The film is deserving of its nomination though, and I'm glad its director, David Fincher, is getting some of the attention he deserves.
Milk - I enjoyed this movie a lot. Much of that is due to Sean Penn's performance as Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in the United States. Penn creates a very likable, compelling character and carries the movie on his back. It helped that I didn't know much about the story beforehand, so the history behind the narrative was intriguing and captured my attention. The film could be favored by its political nature, but I'm not sure if the Academy will choose it because of the timely nature of its politics or not. I don't feel like Milk was the Best Picture, but I do understand it being nominated. There is nothing wrong with a filmmaker trying to convey a message, even a political one, through the medium of film. I can support and applaud the effort.
Frost/Nixon - Of this year's nominees, this film probably took me most by surprise. I figured it would be entertaining enough, but I wasn't prepared for it to be so compelling. The acting is superb all-around, with a couple powerhouse performances by Frank Langella and Michael Sheen - Langella is up for Best Actor but Sheen got completely snubbed and should have received a Best Supporting Actor nomination. What surprised me most is how the film was able to use the character of Richard Nixon, make him frightening and cunning and aggressive, but then, in a matter of seconds, with just a few facial expressions, completely humanize the man. Instead of vilifying him, the film made me feel genuinely sorry for the man. He appeared as a broken man, tortured by his mistakes and resigned to the exile that awaited him. I didn't see that one coming.
Slumdog Millionaire - I remember first hearing about this film after it won some kind of award at the Toronto Film Festival, and I was immediately intrigued. I have enjoyed all of Danny Boyle's various films, and I figured I would like this one. Like it I did. I really like the film's style, the way it looks (some interesting camera work), the way it uses music (great soundtrack), the acting (inspired casting of those kids), the narrative structure, and the happiness it left with me. Of all the films nominated for Best Picture, Slumdog is the only one that could possibly be deemed a happy film. It's a sort of modern fairy tale, quite Dickensian, and though it does show many terrible realities of life in the slums of India, it ends with hope. And I liked that a lot.

My prediction for Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire.

Movies that should have been nominated: WALL-E and The Wrestler. WALL-E is still my favorite film of 2008. I think it's time the whole animated film can't be nominated or considered for Best Picture prejudice goes away. Seriously, it was such a stunning work of art. And The Wrestler was pretty amazing as well. I'll talk more about it when I get to Best Actor, but Mickey Rourke was amazing. I know a lot of people think The Dark Knight should have been nominated for Best Picture, but I can't really say I feel the same way. My nominations would probably include the following: WALL-E, Slumdog Millionaire, Frost/Nixon, The Wrestler, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Best Director:

This usually seems to go to the director of the Best Picture, but I'm not sure if things will play out that way this year. Each of the five Best Picture nominated films' directors were nominated, so I guess it will likely go to the winner of that award. I have to say that the directing of The Reader and Frost/Nixon really wasn't spectacular by any means. Gus Van Sant did a good job with Milk, but I don't think it was spectacular. I'd have to say that it is going to come down to David Fincher for Benjamin Button and Danny Boyle for Slumdog. Of those two, I'd say that I would go with Danny Boyle. I feel like his direction was more integral to the overall success of his film. That isn't to say that a director's hand has to be seen at every turn because I thought Fincher's direction was very understated but very efficient.

My prediction for Best Director: Danny Boyle.

Directors who should have been nominated: Darren Aronofsky is an incredibly talented director, as each of his films attests. The Wrestler was so different from his other highly-stylized films that I think he may have disappeared from people's minds, which is a tragedy. He should have been nominated over Stephen Daldry and/or Ron Howard. Once again, I know people think Christopher Nolan should have been nominated, and I would agree if it weren't for Christian Bale's Batman voice. Seems like a stupid holdup, I know, but that was such a terrible decision as an actor and as a director. Nolan, like Aronofsky, is too talented to keep getting snubbed. He'll get a golden statue eventually, right Scorsese? I know people (the Academy) don't want to think that the director of an animated film does the same job as the director of a live-action film, and to an extent that is true, but they are also very much responsible for every aspect of their film. With that in mind, I think Andrew Stanton of Pixar is as worthy of a nomination as anyone.

Best Cinematographer:

This is going to be a tough one for this year. I am of the opinion that the Academy isn't a very credible group when it comes to this award, and I base that opinion solely on the fact that Children of Men didn't win the award when it was nominated. I'm not sure enough of the Academy has a sufficient technical knowledge to vote correctly, not that I am saying I do, but I'll offer my prediction anyway.

My prediction for Best Cinematography: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Best Actor:

This might be the toughest ballot of the entire evening. I haven't seen The Visitor and can't comment on Richard Jenkins's performance, but the other four nominees are very deserving. In my mind, it comes down to Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke. Frank Langella was incredible as Richard Nixon, but other two completely dominated, in my opinion. Sean Penn is a tremendous actor and somehow manages to completely lose himself in his role. A small clip of the real Harvey Milk was shown in the credits of the film, and I could instantly see the mannerisms, gestures, etc. that Penn captured in his performance. Just from that small clip I could tell that he really nailed the essence of that character. Pretty incredible. Mickey Rourke's performance in The Wrestler was just as incredible. There is an incredible parallel between Rourke's personal history and the story of the film. The more I think of his performance and that film, the more amazed I am. During the film, I forgot that I was watching an incredible performance. Rourke was that character, and it was remarkable, looking back now, at how completely his performance enraptured and moved me. Rourke did upset a lot of the Hollywood establishment in his younger years, so who knows if they exercise a personal vendetta on him and go with the well-beloved Penn.

My prediction for Best Actor: Mickey Rourke.

Best Supporting Actor:

This one isn't much of a contest, in my mind. The award should go to Heath Ledger. He owned the screen in every single scene he was in The Dark Knight. I almost think he was too good, that his performance overshadowed everything else about the film. I think the other nominees are deserving, but Michael Sheen should have been nominated for his role as David Frost in Frost/Nixon. How he didn't get nominated is beyond me. He was better than Josh Brolin in Milk and Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder. But yeah, I think this one is a no brainer.

My prediction for Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger.

Best Actress:

(This is taking longer than I thought so I'll condense my remarks from this point forward). The Academy dropped the ball by snubbing Sally Hawkins in Happy-Go-Lucky. I thought her performance was really amazing. That being said, I think the most impressive performance of the nominees was Anne Hathaway's in Rachel Getting Married. I hope they don't give the award to Merryl Streep. She was good in Doubt, but does anyone think it's hard for her to play the angry old lady anymore? Hathaway's performance was revelatory - the girl really can act. I fear the Academy might give the award to Kate Winslet, a remarkable actress, but her performance in The Reader was not even close to Hathaway's.

My prediction for Best Actress: Anne Hathaway

Best Supporting Actress:

My guess is that the Academy will reward Penelope Cruz, though I'm not sure why. I think the other nominees are all very good, but I would give the award to Marisa Tomei for her role in The Wrestler. I thought she was fantastic.

My prediction for Best Actress: Marisa Tomei.

From here on out, I'm just going to list the category and my choice for winner.

Best Animated Feature: WALL-E, no contest.

Best Art Direction: Changeling

Best Costume Design: The Duchess, those 17th or 18th century costume dramas always win.

Best Documentary Feature: Man on Wire

Best Documentary Short: I really have no idea...Smile Pinki

Best Film Editing: The Dark Knight

Best Foreign Language Film: The Class

Best Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Score: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Music (Song): "Down to Earth" (WALL-E)

Best Short Film (Animated): "Presto"

Best Short Films (Live Action): "New Boy"

Best Sound Editing: The Dark Knight

Best Sound Mixing: The Dark Knight

Best Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Slumdog Millionaire

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)Milk

Well, I think that is everything. I hate trying to reconcile what I think is the best and what I think the Academy will choose because to do well at guessing you have to think like the Academy and not like yourself. Anyway, I've mostly stayed true to what I think should win. It will be interesting to see how things turn out. This is all.

May

2009-02-20T23:02:00.001-07:00

Oh man mogwai would be awesome. that is a band that i have never seen that i would really really like too. Awesome. May is a good month.

Must see concert!

2009-02-20T17:43:00.001-07:00

Mogwai will be playing at Salt Lake's In The Venue on May 13, 2009. I will be there.

I Heart Double Features

2009-02-19T23:40:00.001-07:00

Chris, i do not know if you are home yet from your spectacular double feature but i have to know what you thought of both of those films. I can't wait to find out and i am so stoked for sunday. I love the academy awards!!

Sasquatch is calling my name.

2009-02-19T17:07:00.003-07:00

No, the hairy mythical beast is not calling my name; the Sasquatch Music Festival, held at the Gorge in Washington state, is beckoning me, and I must heed its call. Music festivals are a music lover's Mecca, a pilgrimage that needs to be made at least once in a lifetime. I have been to two festivals in the last two years, Coachella near Palm Springs in late-April 2007 and Lollapalooza in Chicago in August 2008. It's difficult to adequately describe a three-day music festival. There are so many bands in such a short amount of time that scheduling conflicts often force you to miss a band you'd like to see in order to catch another, seemingly endless walking from one stage to the next, overpriced food and beverages that you have to purchase in order to survive, hordes of people everywhere, often intense heat and/or humidity, very little shade for refuge, and yet, it is a glorious experience. Nowhere else can you get so much quality live music at one time, and for me that trumped all the discomfort and expenses of the experience. Though at the end of both three-day festivals I've attended, I have been absolutely exhausted. Happy but exhausted.

Earlier this year I had spoken with my brother, Mike, and my friend, Devin, both of whom have joined me in the music festival pilgrimage, and we all expressed desire to attend a festival this year. Coachella announced its lineup, and it was decent, nothing too special. Then Bonnaroo, held in Tennessee, announced its lineup, and it also failed to impress. We then hoped that Sasquatch, held in late May, would field a decent lineup. It seemed like our best bet because it's not too far away, the weather will actually be quite bearable, and it's in a beautiful location we all want to see.

Well, Sasquatch announced its lineup earlier this week. I was looking through the bands, making note of the bands I would want to see, when I came upon the trump band, so to speak: The Wrens. The Wrens are pretty much my favorite band. Justin and I once drove to Seattle in late-December to see The Wrens play a benefit show, and then we slept a few hours and returned to Utah. It was an unforgettable trip, and The Wrens's show was remarkable and intense and everything we had hoped it would be. Seeing them play again has always been a dream of ours, but due to the band's circumstances, they very rarely play anywhere near Utah. But once I saw that they were scheduled to play Sasquatch, I knew I had to be there.

Thus, I announce my intention to attend the 2009 Sasquatch Music Festival. Here are a list of the bands that I am excited to see perform: The Wrens, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Decemberists, Animal Collective, Bon Iver, Doves, Shearwater, TV on the Radio, Of Montreal, Calexico, The Walkmen, The Dodos, John Vanderslice, Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, Explosions in the Sky, Girl Talk, Blitzen Trapper, and some others I'm not too familiar with at this point but will be before the festival rolls around. There are apparently more bands to be announced in the future, and I'm hoping some more big name (big by indie standards) groups will be announced. I'd be ecstatic to see The Arcade Fire or the National again, but the already-announced lineup still makes me happy. The Wrens are really enough for me, but I'll take those other acts as well.

Justin, we really need to make this happy. I think that Mike will be down with it, but I still need to talk to him. Anyone reading this who might be interested in attending an awesome music festival, let me know. The 3-day pass is selling for $154 until the beginning of March, then the price will go up. This will likely be my big road trip of the year, and I am already very excited for it. I'll work on getting some music from the Sasquatch lineup on my playlist soon. Anyway, I just had to say a few things about this festival.

That's all.

Welcome to the rest of your life.

2009-02-18T22:23:00.002-07:00

Welcome to the new collaborative blog of Chris John and Justin Betts. Though we hope you (whoever you are) enjoy this blog, we need to be upfront with you: we're not writing this for anyone besides ourselves. This blog's purpose is to provide us with an informal forum to communicate our thoughts and feelings on art, be it literature, movies, or music. Normally this type of informal communication would best take place face-to-face, but that is just not feasible within the circumstances of our lives at this point. We both feel a need to communicate more frequently about these topics like we used to in our younger days, and we are optimistic this blog will be a success.

All this isn't to say that we don't want others to read this. We hope that what we blog about will help you in your pursuit of excellent art, if you want to pursue what we deem excellent art, and in the least we hope you'll be entertained. But that is not the primary reason for the creation of this blog, and both of our original blogs will still be updated as actively as before.

I feel the need to explain the origin of this blog's name, I Take It With Jello. In the spring of 2006 Justin and I were in Moab, Utah, sitting in a car outside a school, waiting for a volleyball tournament to begin. We were listening to music to pump ourselves up, and we decided to listen to At The Drive-In, fantastic pump-up music. There is a song on the band's final album, Relationship of Command, that has a lyric we couldn't quite make out. Justin said he thought it sounded like "I take it with jello." We listened more intently, and I thought it sounded like, "I take it with trouble." We agreed that my conclusion seemed more plausible with the band's general lyrical themes, though ATDI's lyrics are incredibly varied and often seem quite random and/or nonsensical. Though we both thought it was probably "I take it with trouble," we agreed that "I take it with jello" was more awesome and definitely funnier. The whole conversation generated a lot of laughter and caused that line to stick around in my brain long enough for me to remember it when trying to come up with a name for this blog. Justin and I both agreed that it was a natural fit for our collaborative blog, and that brings us to the present.

Anyway, it will take awhile before we have the blog completely set up and running at full steam, but we hope it won't be long before we're rocking the internet and taking it with jello.