Tuesday, April 26, 2005

summer movie madness

I really wish my wife were into going to the movies...
and then, I wish she was into creepy/zombie/horror and science fiction movies...
'cuz it looks as if this summer is full'uv'um.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (FUN!!)

High Tension

Night Watch//Nochnoi Dozor
(A Russian horror trilogy of epic proportions?)

War of the Worlds
(A Tom Cruise/Stephen Speilberg vehicle... I know, I know....)

SW III: Revenge of the Sith
(I've seen all the others, not seeing this one would be an ultimate sacralige... and it looks as if it might be the saving grace?)

The Devil's Rejects
(Rob Zombie's latest... looks as if it could be an old school gorefest/creepout... although I'll probably wait until it comes out on video.)

Undead (ZOMBIES! ...and aliens... hrrmm?)

The Island (Logan's Blade Run(ner) 2: Clone Wars?)

George Romero's Land of the Dead (tm)
ohhh...

and there's Batman Begins... which I guess fits into neither of the above categories because it's really a comic book movie...

and Crash looks pretty good... and no it's not a reinterpretation of J.G. Ballard's book by the same name... I'd never get Allison to see that... this Crash... maybe.

However, before the summer hits, I still need to see Sin City.
...and I'm still waiting for a release date for A Scanner Darkly

Sunday, April 24, 2005

Burn To Shine Redux

MYSTERY SOLVED!
The house is donated to, and burned for training purposes by, the DC Fire Department.


Bookended by a nice intro and footage of the training exercises
The footage is really nice. Very intimate.

Quick reviews:

Q and Not U -- Pretty typical performance from them, although they've got a new keyboard which helps with their bass sounds. Very nice. "Ch-Check! We are in an old house...."

The Medications -- If you were a fan of Faraquet, and never got to seem them live, and are worried that you might not see this Ocampo band before it breaks up... the DVD is worth it alone for this footage. Hot. Math. Rock.

Garland of Hours -- Amy Domingues (vox/keys) Brendan Canty (bass/vox) Devin Ocampo (guitar) Jerry Busher (drums)
Very reminicent of Smart Went Crazy's more mellow side...

French Toast -- While I love the ideas that Busher/James Canty throw out there... it somehow doesn't seem to come off right.
This has always been my feeling about this band, although as people/houseguests Canty and Busher rank up there at the top.

Weird War -- Also, am I the only person out there that thinks Ian Svenonius is scary charismatic? Did he get his teeth knocked in or something? Has he started a real cult yet? Why does his guitar player look like Michael Ian Black and riding that Wah-Wah like his life depends on it? Why is Michelle Mae wearing a blanket and playing such an innane bassline? Is the drummer wearing a shawl? (Although I do like his pink socks/Nike combo.) Not a fan. Never really been. Please reform NOA or find a new artistic release, Ian... please... "AK-47 AK-47 AK-47 AK-47"
(Svenonius cultists are currently lining up to gun me down, so please form the queue to the left.)

Ted Leo -- Nice version of "Bleeding Powers" solo style. Will probably help the sales of this DVD.

The Evens -- Sounds like Ian. Good song though... I'm interested in hearing this album. Is it in Amy Farina's "contract" somewhere that she can only work with the MacKaye brothers?

Bob Mould -- Old Sugar song on 12-string. Very nice. Don't remember the words... does Bob?

Also, it's interesting to see "personalities" growing older.
Looking back at the cover of Fugazi's "Repeater" and then seeing Brendan Canty and Ian MacKaye in the film... wow... however, Bob Mould has never looked better.

==
Oh, and lest I forget.
Here's your ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead review I promised, oh so long ago...
Go out and buy Madonna and listen to "Mark David Chapman" and "Perfect Teenhood."
You're much better off.

Friday, April 22, 2005

in the begining...

So, I've really been getting into Peter Gabriel and Genesis.

i just need to track down the Birdy OST and Passion album...
and then decide if i'm really interested in any of the live albums.

As far as Genesis goes... I'm just diving headlong into Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. This may take weeks/months to fully digest and appreciate, although if what I've read on the interweb is correct... ALL 475 PAGES OF IT... I may only have to pay attention to half of it?

In the meantime, I'm working on an illustrated button set of PG's different costumes/hairstyles/identities in his Genesis days.
It'll consist of: "Foxy," The Watcher, Slipperman, "Flower," Magog/"OldMan," Torbillion, "Scary Triangle Head," and
"White Face/Fucked Hair/Jesus Crown."

[If you know the correct names for any of the personalities... lemme know, eh?]
Interested in a set?

Here's some crazy old footage of the Genesis' "Best Line-up" (Gabriel/Hackett/Banks/Collins/Rutherford) from Belgium TV,
to show why I'm currently obsessed.