Super High Me review June 28, 2008

Ricky Williams’s new favorite movie, this is a take-off of Super Size Me, but insert marijuana for McDonalds and add alot of comedy. Standup comedian Doug Benson, a self-proclaimed stoner, undergoes a 30-on/30-off campaign with a group of doctors, therapists, and psychics trying to gauge the effects. He goes on tour about the same time and needless to say he’s a very funny showman. When he’s back home you get a feel of what its like inside the elite LA comedy circle. The legal issues were interesting and especially revelatory were connections to the AIDS epidemic. The movie feels too long in places, and it does seem to popularize weed, which I feel at times is a gateway to more life-destructive “highs”, but this was funny and enlightening.  Rating: 7/10

Peverelist – Roll with the Punches June 24, 2008

Finally, a great video to a great dubstep track… It seems to start a bit simple or minimal, but by the time it ends you should emerge from its hypnotic spell. Don’t miss Peverelist’s other mini-journeys if you like this.

Wanted review June 20, 2008

You wouldn’t know it by the modest trailer, but this is the action movie of the summer. This will inevitably be called the crossing of Fight Club and The Matrix, so at least I’ll say it first. The director Timur Bekmambetov honed his chops in Russia on the Nightwatch and Daywatch movies, so you know you’re at least getting a visual treat. With this movie he might become one of the most wanted directors in Hollywood. Jolie plays perhaps her sexiest bad-ass yet. And McAvoy can officially carry an action film. Like the movies I mentioned above, movie audiences don’t know what is about to hit them, so let the hype begin.

Rating: 9/10

The Machine Girl review June 19, 2008

Japanese grindhouse film is a quasi-success that fulfills it’s popular trailer. Action, laughs, and lots of blood are served up in an entertaining spectacle. And when the special effects are a letdown, that’s funny too. This movie’s goal is to desensitize you to violence via arterial spray and severed limbs. And something’s wrong when you start to get bored with all that towards the end of the movie.  It took a drill bra to wake me up again. Need to watch a family drama now. Rating: 6.5/10

Shy Child – Summer June 17, 2008

Well it is that time of year in Austin that you get so hot you swear your skin will slide off like cheese on pizza, but back on track, Shy Child just dropped their first full length this month,The Noise Won’t Stop, and this is my favorite by them.

 

Funny Games review June 13, 2008

This English language remake is an improvement over the 1998 German original due to the cast and performances, but I could be biased since I speak this tongue. It makes it even better that Michael Haneke had the audacity to remake his original film shot-for-shot (which in my memory the shots seem different–which plays perfectly into the film’s message). Naomi Watts is stunning as usual and Michael Pitt couldn’t be more perfectly cast. Avoid this if you can’t stand pretension. Love it or hate it, one man’s trash is another’s treasure. 

Rating: 9.5/10

Cracks in Stern’s iron fortress? (Fixing NBA officiating.) June 11, 2008

The flood gates are beginning to open.

Anybody who wasn’t a Miami Heat fan in the 2006 NBA finals saw the officious officiating in Game 5 (where Wade got to the foul line to tie the game without getting touched) and thought deep inside that David Stern would choke on his own vomit before handing a Championship trophy to Mark Cuban, who interestingly enough was recorded screaming on the court to Stern’s face that his NBA was rigged. Well now that disgruntled ex-ref Donaghy is coming forward with information that the refs are fixing games by trying to elongate the series to therefore make the NBA more money, that Game 5 of the Finals is beginning to look more suspect.

How about weeks earlier of the Finals when coach Jeff van Gundy of the Houston Rockets was fined $100,000 for simply telling the truth about how a NBA official contacted him about the “plan” to target Yao Ming? Even when he was reporting facts the league was obviously trying to hush and censor him while scaring other liberal minded coaches from their rights of speech. Enter recent statements from Donaghy which may substantiate Gundy’s claim.

Everything about officiating fouls is too subjective. Look at this playoff season: The obvious foul that would have won the game for the Spurs against the Lakers that wasn’t called simply because it was in the last seconds of the game. Officials deciding when hand-checking is and isn’t ok. One team getting to catch-up at the foulline because they fouled the heck out of the other team, and the foul stats look unfair. Van Gundy himself stating that star players (like Kobe) shouldn’t be called for fouls in the playoffs because they deserved to not foul out.

The solution? How about letting coaches “challenge” 2-3 ref calls a game? And this includes the NFL, where coaches should be able to challenge shady holding and pass interference calls that obviously affect game outcomes.

The NBA is going to try to smash Donaghy’s credibility to pieces, but Kings fans deserve to get to the bottom of this. I have a feeling that other officials will eventually come forth, and obviously if there is fixing going on it will be put on hold until the storm clears or Stern leaves as commissioner, which should create a fair Championship series.

Mgmt – Kids June 9, 2008

One of the top tunes of the year. This is an unofficial video (that isn’t Mgmt), but this video did get them the job for the next Mgmt video. Proves to be danceable, end-of-set material.

 

Blaze by Richard Bachman audiobook review June 6, 2008

It is a bit curious when Stephen King uses his old alter-ego and asks readers in his foreward to not be too harsh due to this being a trunk novel. But alas this audiobook experience doesn’t work. Ron McLarty does a fine job reading, especially with all the characters, so I can’t put the blame there. The story was mildly interesting and I stayed just to see how it would turn out. The humor was mostly too crude, and it was hard to identify with these characters. Not having any fantastic elements also cut into my interest. I love the King but this wasn’t my cup of tea.  Rating: 4/10   

 

Bumblebeez – Dr. Love June 4, 2008

See chart below. Playing chicks off a fat man’s belly is quite hilarious.

 

June’s 15 Summer Slammers June 3, 2008

This month continues the trend of the French and Aussies blowing up the scene. There is also alot of artists taking over musical vacancies that other artists have moved on from. Also, electro-trance has arrived.

1. Pendulum – In Silico

Well it’s here and it’s an overwhelming success. Pendulum have fused stadium rock with electronic dance in a fresh and uniquely singular sound. They still have alot of room for improvement (make the rock parts more Tool than Silverchair), but this is a fantastic first step. Fans of NIN, Vast, or Prodigy should check this out immediately.

2.  The Presets – Apocalypto

Another Aussie outfit, these guys have aimed more for the clubs with this album, and it is their best yet. “If I Know You” could be a club smash in the vein of “Blue Monday”. Fans of Underworld, Depeche Mode, or EBM should also check this out immediately.

3. Apparat – Things to Be Freckled

This is a double CD set of Apparat remixes and others remixing them. When their name is involved you can expect state-of-the-art and next level production that goes for the jugular.

4. Padded Cell – Night Must Fall

These guys have plumbed the best sounds from the 70’s and early 80’s to create a gothic-funk throwback album.

5. Bumblebeez – “Dr. Love”, “Spaceships”, and “Rio”

More Aussies who throw rock’n'rave, grime, electro, and punk together for a decadent party. From the album Prince Umberto & the Sister of Ill

6. The Black Ghosts mixtape 

Electro that hits all the right buttons at the right times. Fil OK’s “Wink Wink (touche mix)” is one great electro track.

7. Cut Copy – “Hearts on Fire (Midnight Juggernauts mix)”

I’m astonished at the quality that Midnight Juggernauts continue to shell out.

8. Sebastian – “Momy”, “Army”, and “Dog”

Sebastian is working hard to combine rock and electro with mostly successful results. “Dog” actually tries to incorporate hardcore and electro while remaining club playable.

9. Jdsy – “Else”, “Saboteur”, and “The Beetle”

Imagine Aphex Twin with vocals. Fans of Matthew Dear step right up.

10. Little Boots – “Stuck on Repeat”

Here’s a perfect slice of vocal electro-house that takes the spot Goldfrapp used to inhabit before she went folk.

11. Noze – Songs on The Rocks

Filthy French electro-lounge album that gets jazzy and never bores.

12. Snoop Dogg – “Cool”

Yes, this new Snoop track is THE jam. You’ll hear this out for the rest of summer.

13. Rafael Frost – “Minimum”

Electro and trance are expertly mixed here to produce a slammin number.

14. Kraak & Smaak – “Squeeze Me” original & A Skillz remix

The video for the original is below and the A Skillz remix adds a nasty, grimy bass that should also kill it on the dancefloor.

15. Concord Dawn – “Fly Away Home”

Takes the spot that Pendulum left, which is drum n’ bass with a rock edge.