Movie Review: The Squid and the Whale (2005)

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

I’m very depressed about this last weekend’s box office. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen not only made more money than its empty predecessor, but is the top-earner of the summer. And with over $200 million under its belt, very few films aside from Harry Potter are poised to usurp Transformers from its undeserved position. Word-of-mouth has been poor for months and critics are unanimously in agreement over Transformers’ noisy, mindless stupidity, and yet here we are, Monday morning, and should I really be surprised? I guess it was the biggest movie out this week. Also there’s Meghan Fox. I would be greatly relieved to find out $100 million of Transformers' earnings was simply from horny young (or old) men desperate for some Fox-y eye-candy. Sadly, I know this is probably not the case. In lieu of a Transformers review, which I will leave for someone else to write, here is a rental recommendation for those of you who still have yet to see Noah Baumbach’s The Squid and the Whale (2005).

The Squid and the Whale is an artsy, witty, independent dramedy of a style that is more popular today than it was in 2005. Wes Anderson has built his career on this style, and owns a producing credit on this feature. It’s a little like Juno (2007), or Adventureland (2008). The cast is young and their world is dressed to feel familiar and real. The film is an examination of family dynamics which are never melodramatic or soap-opera-y; this is a very functional family that appears to be going through genuine difficulties. In fact, one might say their troubles are somewhat mundane, but it is the wit of the characters and the heart of the story that makes The Squid and the Whale so entertainingly watchable and darkly funny.

Laura Linney plays Joan, the mother of the family, who is almost instantly likeable and sympathetic, especially when compared to her snobby, egotistical husband, Bernard. But she is far from perfect, as you will learn. Her character, and almost all of the others, finds redemption or recognition one way or another by the end of the film: a growth that feels both natural and eventual. This is satisfying.

Her two children are without strong male role models. The older boy, Walt, idolizes his father and is impervious to the superficiality and destructive advice his father bestows. The younger boy, Frank, is more attached to his mother and is more attracted to the qualities embodied by his tennis instructor Ivan than those embodied by his father who frequently belittles this relationship and denounces Frank’s attractive interpretation of Ivan’s lifestyle. Ivan is a “Philistine,” Bernard exclaims: someone who is uninteresting because he or she shows little interest in good books or movies.

Jeff Daniels plays the only character who never really develops, who is stubbornly ignorant of his short-comings which prove destructive as he mentors his oldest son, Walt, in academia, love, and relationships. Daniel’s Bernard Berkman is only sympathetic because he is so pathetically ignorant of his arrogant, elitist artificiality: a psychosis that not only rots his marriage, but threatens to disrupt the growth of his kids.

The Squid and the Whale is really about Walt finally stepping out of the shadow of his image-conscious father and becoming his own person. The final scene of the movie features a profound image that references a seemingly trivial anecdote symbolizing a young man made ignorant through reverence of his father, but who now sees the entire picture.

Final verdict: a superbly written, masterfully acted drama about parents and their children coming-of-age amidst the turmoil of divorce.

Professor Puff

Top Video Games (With a Heavy Emphasis on Story) #2

2. Final Fantasy VII (1997) – PC

A great deal of time has passed since the release of Final Fantasy VII in 1997, and I have often heard the word “overrated” used to describe Square’s masterpiece in recent years. Due to the constant progress of technology and graphics, it is difficult to look back upon many games and appreciate them within the context of the era in which they were released. But make no mistake, this game is a behemoth of excellence. The story, as long and multi-faceted as it is, remains as a high-point in videogame history. The quality of its premise, world, characters, plot arcs, and climaxes stands up against all other forms of media. The ending is perhaps one of the most touching and evocative I have ever seen, with rich eschatological messages and meditations about the meaning of life, the universe, and spiritual energies. This is perhaps the only time I have ever been moved to tears during a videogame. And looking back at Cloud’s blocky fists and triangularly-spiked hair, looking back at the rudimentarily-textured over-world (by today’s standards anyway), and remembering the countless hours I spent trying to kill that red desert dragon that just would not die, there must have been something particularly special about the game’s characters, and the world they so vividly inhabited, to have generated the diverse array of emotions that they did from me during the 40 plus hour experience.

Final Fantasy VII is a game that needs no introduction. Those who have experienced its charm know what I am talking about. Those who haven’t better track down a Playstation or pray that their computer will still run a game designed for Windows 95. It could be one of the greatest books I ever read, or one of the greatest movies I ever watched. The fact that it is a videogame only limits its audience and deprives those with stigma of the medium from a sensational narrative. The game was so popular that it nearly bankrupted Nintendo who had a long relationship with Square and the franchise, but stubbornly refused to utilize optical disc media for its upcoming console, the N64, instead choosing to stand by the aging cartridge format. Square knew that their ambition for Final Fantasy VII could not be realized on Nintendo’s cartridge so they severed ties with the big N and signed a legendary deal with Sony: a deal which propelled Sony’s new console, the Playstation, to commercial success over their rival Sega’s console, the Saturn. Both consoles had been neck and neck in sales reports up to this time, but Square’s deal with Sony assured singular victory and Sega would never recover despite yet one more last effort.

Final Fantasy VII’s tale of a world whose lifeblood is being drained and harnessed for energy by a global conglomerate is more pertinent today than ever. FFVII’s planet nearly gives up on its inhabitants who must prove that they are worthy of its beauty and splendor. Let’s hope ours doesn’t give up on us.

Album Review: Cracker - Cracker (1992)

Cracker - Cracker (1992)

It’s not quite accurate to say that in 1992 Cracker burst onto the scene with their self-titled debut album, more like they just showed up drunk in a decrepit Pinto running on fumes. Nevertheless, from the opening rift on the driving “Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now),” it’s clear that they are amazingly here to stay.

Born of David Lowery (from Camper Van Beethoven), Johnny Hickman (from The Unforgiven), and David Faragher (from who knows where), Cracker helped to flush-out the 90s roots rock revival, adding needed satire to the mostly dark and bare imagery of the genre. While the band’s sound has virtually remained a constant throughout their career (and they certainly establish that here), Cracker finds the band a little more on the country side of things (as opposed to the slightly punkish nuances of their subsequent efforts). But keep in mind that 1992 was the year of alt-country, and the band’s implement of acoustic vibes is done so with the greatest care, taking none of the fun away from an excellent debut.

“Teen Angst” is an obvious classic and gets the album and band off to a rousing opening, even if its upbeat nature isn’t very indicative of the rest of album. But the classics don’t end there; next to come is “Happy Birthday to Me,” a drunken ode to oneself, complete with a lazy harmonica for the exuberant sod in all of us. These two tracks alone cemented Cracker’s position at the forefront of the roots/rock movement, and the rest of the album justifies it. But what’s truly amazing about Cracker, is that all of the characteristics that have since defined the band’s personality are all well established here. Being perfectly frank (but in the best way possible), Cracker has been Cracker since day one, and there’re better for that. All of their elements and eccentricities are here: roots-rock sensibility, absurd lyrics, multiple vice references and above all, self deprecation soaked in irony. These guys aren’t dumb, they just act like it. And if Cracker has all of the essentials, then this album runs the classic Cracker gambit of songs. There are the drunken rockers (“Teen Angst” and “Satisfy You”); there are the drunken ballads (“St. Cajetan” and “Another Song About The Rain”); there are the drunken ramblers (“Happy Birthday” and “Mr. Wrong”); and the drunken self-referential yodel-fests (“This Is Cracker Soul”). There’s even a shantyesque tune that could have inspired The Decemberists (“Dr. Bernice”). Of course, Cracker’s penchant for amusing song titles is alive and kicking, especially with the excellent folk ballad “Can I Take My Gun to Heaven” and the lone punker “Don’t Fuck Me Up (With Peace and Love).” It’s all here, and in great form, meaning that Cracker ranks as one of the band’s best albums (arguably second only to their sophomore offering Kerosene Hat (1993)).

Despite Cracker’s fame being ephemeral, they got off to a great start with this feel-good debut. But what’s really important about Cracker is how much fun it is; it’s not very often that you come across an album that just makes you laugh, but that’s the case here and you would be hard pressed to find a more enjoyable selection of pop-music outside of the Yankovic camp. Indeed, Cracker had us at “I think I’ll go and fix myself a tall one.”

4/5

"'Cause what the world needs now / Are some true words of wisdom / Like la la la la la la la la la"

McS

Top Video Games (With a Heavy Emphasis on Story) #3

3. Bioshock (2007) – PC

“I am Andrew Ryan, and I'm here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? 'No!' says the man in Washington, 'It belongs to the poor.' 'No!' says the man in the Vatican, 'It belongs to God.' 'No!' says the man in Moscow, 'It belongs to everyone.' I rejected those answers; instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I chose... Rapture, a city where the artist would not fear the censor, where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality, Where the great would not be constrained by the small! And with the sweat of your brow, Rapture can become your city as well.”

And with that you descend into an elaborate underwater metropolis, once a scientist’s utopia, now a crumbling gateway to hell where genetic enhancements and biological advancements have spiraled out of control far beyond the sight of God. We do not hesitate to look back in history and criticize the excess and extravagance of culture, which often leads to the downfall of civilizations, but it is only through science fiction and postulation that we can criticize an excess of science: crossing the line between making humanity stronger and playing God. Biosock is brilliant because it takes on this criticism, but places its narrative in our recent past. The architecture, clothing, and even the music are very reminiscent of a real period in our past. You will listen to “How Much is that Doggy in the Window?”, and, of course, “Beyond the Sea”. I love seeing science fiction blended with history, it allows from some beautifully creative esthetics, which is good because all of Bioshock’s action takes place down in Rapture and mundane, familiar set design would really hurt the game.

As it is, however, the game is gorgeous. Developers dedicated an entire unit to water animations, and it pays off. I stared at the opening screen for a full minute, which I thought was a pre-rendered cutscene, before I realized I was looking at in-game graphics and I was expected to play.

A spiritual successor to System Shock 2, Bioshock borrows many of its predecessor’s concepts and plot twists, but it hones them more effectively, and given the touch of modern graphics, the whole experience turns out to be a vastly superior product to one that is still a near flawless masterpiece. The story is told on the graffiti- covered walls of Rapture that implore rebellion and fear, and on the discarded cassette tape diaries scattered around the city, and through a mysterious man known as Atlas who needs your assistance to save his family and escape the dying city. It’s difficult to tell a good story in a first-person shooter. Developers always seek to affect total immersion, which can be hindered when perspective changes to third-person cutscenes, so Bioshock deserves extra points for incorporating one of the greatest narratives in videogame history into a fully-immersive first-person shooter with no sidekicks or buddies, and a cast whose number can be counted on one hand.

There exists a stunning sequence near the end: a shocking and terrifying confrontation that will rattle your bones. It’s disturbing, insightful and thought-provoking, and it questions all your motivations and actions up to this point. There is an interesting dilemma about who is the bad guy. Andrew Ryan is no doubt responsible for the nightmare that befall rapture and the suffering that ensued, but his intentions were good and his ambitions were great. Trying to change the world is a dangerous endeavor, but is such ambition only commendable when the result is without consequence? Be prepared to face some very difficult questions in Bioshock: the most mature, sub-textual, and thematically-challenging first-person shooters ever made.

Top Video Games (With a Heavy Emphasis on Story) #4

4. Resident Evil 4 (2005) – GC

The Resident Evil games have always delivered a dependably-polished experience, although there were some bumps along the way via the series’ notoriously awful, non-canonical on-rails shooters. No one, however, was expecting anything as groundbreaking and genre-evolving as Resident Evil 4. Its revamped over-the-shoulder action has become a staple in some of today’s top titles including Gears of War. Developers took a huge risk forgoing the zombie antagonists for plague-crazed European villagers. To be honest there isn’t that big of a difference. The villagers shout and wield weapons, and some even movie quite quickly. You still get the claustrophobia of being surrounded by the enemy, and you are still always low on ammunition and health. This is Resident Evil, just with a much-needed update.

It’s no shock that Resident Evil 4 was the best-looking game at the time of its release. What is shocking is that the game was released exclusively (at first) for Gamecube: a system not often associated with superior graphical processessing power, especially compared to its beefier Sony and Microsoft competitors. The game is also huge, with creative, purposeful architecture designed to make you think about more efficient methods of destroying enemies aside from simply blowing their heads off. There are exploding barrels and other recognizable paraphernalia, but there are other less obvious strategies. Some villagers carry lanterns that, if shot, throw fire over the carrier. Villagers can be shot or kicked off of precipices, you can knock ladders down while villagers are mid-climb, and you can lead them into traps. Taking out crazed villagers is always fun, but nothing is more terrifying than being trapped with a chainsaw-wielding madman who usually appears from nowhere and is nearly invincible. The boss fights are cool too. You will become snagged to a lake monster, run from El Giganto, and tussle with hardened soldiers of fortune. My favorite enemy is a tortured strongman who has been blinded by a sadistic head piece. He can’t see you, but his ears are very sensitive so watch your step; he has meter long blades attached to his hands and flails widely when taunted. Fighting him is a real test of nerves.

Resident Evil 4 plays with shooter conventions. Headshots, an always dependable method for zombie disposal, are not always the best choice here as villagers suffering from advanced stages of plague can sprout grotesque parasitic appendages from their destroyed heads.

The story is ripped from a B-movie, just like every Resident Evil story, but is very effective at leading Leon Kennedy through gothic European churches, villages, and caverns. Exploring and puzzle-solving is the focus here, but the action elements are more fluid than the clunky system that limited the previous entries. Resident Evil 4 is the best of the series, and was awarded the game of the year award in 2005.

Movie Review: The Hangover (2009)

The Hangover (2009)

This last weekend featured 2 major movie upsets that defied all predictions. Not only did The Hangover beat out Pixar's one-week old family-friendly hit, Up, stealing first place, but it also demolished Will Ferrell's Land of the Lost: a massively over-advertised and bankable summer special effects comedy that had triple the budget of the R-rated Hangover. Land of the Lost barely cracked 19 mil... pretty pathetic for a 100 mil film starring one of Hollywood's most popular comedic talents. Part of this upset is no doubt due to Land's awkward release campaign that suffered from advertisements portraying the film as kid-friendly, while in reality it wrestled not to get an R. The other part of the upset is surely due to The Hangover being a genuinely funny film that has great character chemistry, hilarious gags, a fresh cast, and intelligent writing. I am always really satisfied when the movie-going public actually rewards the better movie, a feat rarely achieved, especially in the flashy summer season.

The cast is made up of a bunch of relatively unknown actors. Bradley Cooper, who lead the way in Midnight Meat Train (2008), Ed Helms from TV's The Office, and newcomer Zach Galifianakis. All are at the top of their game, and I plead with Bradley to stay clear of anymore romantic comedies like last year's abysmal He's Just Not That Into You, because he is much better than that and still has a chance to maintain his dignity, unlike Matthew McConaughey whose career will never deserve anything close to respect. Ed Helms has solidified his transition from TV to movies. He is hysterically funny, and he isn't even playing to the oddball. That role goes to Zach Galifianakis. I would not go so far as to call his performance "breakthrough," but he holds his own against some very funny actors and that is commendable.

The movie is surprisingly smart despite some truly juvenile gags and language. The movie is designed to please a wide range of adults. If you like your humor a little smarter than your average Will Ferrell movie, you will appreciate The Hangover. And the movie actually has some critical subtext, exploring society's civilizing effects on men who feel that their independence is threatened. The Hangover is about sacrifices, both positive and negative, that allow all of us to get along in harmonious ways and fall in love for all the right reasons.

The final verdict: a hilariously entertaining summer comedy for adults who don't mind a smidgen of adolescent humour on the side. It's lovely to see an R-rated comedy succeed at the box office, especially one as smart and endearing as The Hangover.

Album Review: The Wallflowers - The Wallflowers (1992)

The Wallflowers - The Wallflowers (1992)

Whenever The Wallflowers are brought up in a conversation, one person will likely respond with “Oh Man, I love ‘One Headlight’” and probably nothing more. In all honesty, you could review any live show or even album by the band and start it off with “One Headlight.” And it’s true, that song kicks ass, but it’s not everything, it’s not even the starting point. Most people are unaware that that band’s incipient statement was not with “One Headlight” and Bringing Down the Horse in 1996, but with their self-titled debut way back in 1992, which even arrived two years after the band’s genesis. Of course, there’s little reason why most would know this, The Wallflowers was a minor release that failed to produce a sizable hit of any kind, and was seen at the time as being relatively disappointing commercially. However, it would be a fallacy to suggest that the album’s tepid performance should render it a poor product, because The Wallflowers is far from mundane. In fact, it might just be the band’s most distinctive album, even if it isn’t their best.

What’s important about The Wallflowers is that it’s a 1992 debut album, meaning it’s a band’s initial offering into the prevailing musical taste of that time. Therefore, it’s no surprise that The Wallflowers is incredibly roots-rock oriented, more so than anything they’ve done since. While the band has always embodied the roots/folk-rock essence, they do it so here in the purest form imaginable, lacking virtually any alt-rock sensibility that would drive the band on all their subsequent efforts. In this form, the band sounds less like Tom Petty, and more like The Jayhawks; indeed, this is the closest The Wallflowers have come to alt-country, and it actually suites them well, but it might take a while to adjust. The majority of the songs ramble over the five minute mark, and nothing is smooth. However, there’s a lot to admire in the lack of production, mainly because it paints an ingenuous picture of the band, which is actually supportive for them because it clearly displays their innate talent.

The opening “Shy of the Moon” shuffles along to an alcohol-drenched piano line, which is really all the disclaimer you’ll need. Throughout The Wallflowers, country, blues, folk, and some rock tangle with one another, as if in a barroom fight, telling stories of death, life, love, money, independence, and more death. There’s no doubt that this is the darkest Wallflower’s effort, but it makes for some excellent music, as witnessed in “Ashes to Ashes,” the album’s nail-in-the-coffin opus (and one of their best songs ever). Other highlights that continue in this vein are “For the Life of Me” and “Asleep at The Wheel,” an austere acoustic number that may be the most somber track in their catalogue. It’s not all gloom though, both “Be Your Own Girl” and “After the Blackbird Sings” lighten the mood a bit, but just a bit. All in all, it’s not an easy album to listen to, but it’s certainly a necessity for fans and recommended for the curious.

All things considered, you might call this the band’s weakest effort, but as a starting point, it shows an amazing potential and quite a level of sophistication for a new band. All that was needed was a little focus, which was achieved with ease on their next album, but not without the overhaul of band personnel; indeed, only lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Jakob Dylan and keyboardist Rami Jaffee made it to the sophomore release, but they’ve always been the soul of the band anyway (a fact that is evident even on this album). At this point, Dylan is still finding his voice, but he doesn’t have too far to go. While it may be difficult to endure in places, The Wallflowers is a fascinating listen relative to the band’s slicker and tighter latter-day efforts; there’s nothing like a cluttered origins album to the get the ball rolling!

3.5/5

"Asleep at the wheel/No windshield/But you know that the streets/Here don't change"

McS

Revisiting Myst

For those who were around computers in the early 1990s, it was nearly impossible to have missed, Myst. By many standards it was a revolution in gaming. Myst was unique because you couldn’t die and you couldn’t fail. There was no redo, no score, no timer and no replay button. Instructions were limited and users were pushed to discover everything on their own. It brought about a new way of thinking for game creation, and was one of the main applications responsible for the eventual take over of the CD-ROM as the primary medium for game (and data) distribution in the 1990s.

For those who missed it, a quick recap of the game. Myst offered a complicated, non-linear story held within a beautifully rendered 3D environment. You played from a first person point of view and controlled the game with your mouse. To move you simply clicked where you wanted to move to. Interactions with objects and puzzles was also done with a simple click or, excitingly enough, a click and drag. No keyboard or joystick was needed. Not even a right mouse button.
In actuality, the environments were all pre-rendered stills which had been created using very primitive and basic 3D software, Stratavision 3D, on early Macintosh Quadras. Any touch-ups were done with Photoshop 1.0! The game was made up of 2,500 frames and 66 minutes of QuickTime animations and full motion videos (FMV). The rendering and animation were done in the days of 8-bit colour, so painstaking effort was taken to make the stills appear as lifelike as possible despite the lack of a proper truelife colour pallet. The entire game was created and meant be played on Apple computers. (An ironic shift that such a ground breaking and popular game was made for a Mac and not a PC. Oh how the times have changed.)

The game ended up being so popular that it was ported not only to PCs but as well to a handful of other lesser-known, or more likely forgotten, systems such as Jaguar CD, AmigaOS and CD-i. It spawned 4 (semi-)official sequels along with several remakes, re-ports, and books . The entire game was recreated in 2000 to offer a free-roaming version that rendered the world in real time. The game has also been released for the Xbox, PS2, PSP, Nintendo DS, and where I’m currently replaying it, the Iphone/Ipod touch.

The game was made up of several worlds (better described as islands) in which the gamer explored, found clues to the true meaning of the game, and tried to figure out very complex and often times frustratingly difficult puzzles. The majority of the story was told through the 66 minutes of FMV mentioned above and clues embedded within the game. I’ll leave out any details about the actual story of Myst, because knowing anything before going into the game will only serve to reduce the fun and challenge it offers. No detail was insignificant and the manual that accompanied the game recommended players keep a journal of any details they may discover on their journey.

I never finished the game when it first came out. I found it to creepy, weird and difficult. (I use to prefer games like Gizmo’s and Gadgets). My dad never finished it either, despite buying at least 2 of the subsequent sequels (One of them was 4 CDs long and still only consisted of pre-rendered stills). Because you couldn’t die, you couldn’t really screw up either. However running into roadblocks wasn’t all that uncommon. (Remember, this game was in the days prior to wide-spread access to the internet, and as such online walkthroughs were basically unheard of - although I do remember being able to buy 200-300 page books on how to complete the game.)
So, what is it like returning to the game some 15+ years later? First off, this game works perfectly on the Iphone. The basic touch to move system carries over seamlessly and the sporadic nature of gaming on the Iphone works flawlessly with Myst (No saving is required, although it is possible. The game boots quickly to your last location.)

Graphically, I was amazed to remember how blown away I was at the game way back in the 90s. Don’t get me wrong. It looks great. But it sure isn’t Call of Duty 4 or Farcry. By today’s standards I would put it at around 5/10. Not bad for a game that will be 20 years old soon. There are spots where the amount of detail that went into the visual aspect of the game really shines through. While a few of the textures are absolutely horrible, a majority of them range from decent to absolutely amazing. As well, the FMVs are worked into the game seamlessly and don’t cause the player to be pulled out of the environment as they often do today.

The music in the game is sparingly used at best. Again the creators took great pains to make sure it works to bolster the atmosphere of the game and not diminish it. In returning to the game, perhaps what surprised me the most is the use of sound effects. Not only are they used in creating the atmosphere, but they are also used in solving many of the games puzzles. (For example, having a background in music and a musically trained ear may not be necessary for one of the puzzles, but it sure helps). The sound effects that are chosen are grounded enough in our world that they can give some sort of hint to what is occurring in the game world.

Perhaps what separated this game the most from everything else on the market at the time was the game play. The creators took a very basic engine, which simply loaded a single frame and sound effects when the user clicked in appropriate places, and created an entire world to explore. Amazingly enough, the game play still works today. There are limitations, and they are obvious, but they are also a huge part of the game. Part of what makes Myst enjoyable is learning to work within what the creators have given you. You want to look in a certain direction, but the game won’t let you? Perhaps there is a reason for this, or maybe you need to rethink your approach.

Finally, the issue of difficulty. The game was known for being very hard due to its intricate puzzles. Sure you couldn’t die in the game, but getting stuck in a puzzle sure made you feel like you had. Coming back to the game some 15 years later, I amazingly enough do remember a lot about the game. I remember some solutions to early puzzles but at the same time I also got so stuck that I had to look up the solution on the internet (apparently, you need to shut an elevator door, before the button to make it goes up works). So far I have found the game mostly easy, but I still have well over half of the game to play and expect as my memory run’s out, the game’s puzzles will become more challenging. I also remember the difficulty of Myst being linked to the all islands’ large size and complexity. However, returning to the game, I think that probably has to do with being less then 10 years old when I first played the game.

All things considered, the game has held up nicely over the years. It may not get your blood pumping as fast as it will playing any of the newer games around now a days, but Myst still manages to pull you into it’s world remarkably fast and to keep you there. (I only felt really pulled into the world of Call of Duty 4 once in the entire game) Not bad for a group of 6 guys working out of a garage.

If you have an Iphone or Ipod touch and have $5.99 lying around in coins, I would recommend taking the opportunity to revisit the worlds of Myst.

We Won?

Yeah, apparently. A few weeks ago Professor Puff and his lady friend submitted a personalized translation of a Swedish music video to an exciting new blog which specializes in such things. We were not particularly proud of our offering, and we had no idea it was a contest, but, yeah, we won. So I guess this obscure validation warrants a post on L&G. Enjoy "I Toot."

http://www.tofulator.com/2009/05/07/i-toot/#comments

Also I would like to take a moment to acknowledge a milestone: Lies and Gasoline now has over 100 posts. Congratulations me and all you other fabulous editors.

Professor P

Album Review: The Jayhawks - Hollywood Town Hall (1992)

The Jayhawks - Hollywood Town Hall (1992)

1992 might just be the first flagship year for the modern alt-country movement. While it’s true that Uncle Tupelo supposedly kick-started the genre in 1990 with No Depression, 1992 saw bands like Cracker and The Wallflowers emerge with the rise of roots rock, but more importantly it marked the ascension of The Jayhawks. Indeed, while Uncle Tupelo was falling apart from the inside, The Jayhawks finally made their stand with Hollywood Town Hall (1992), a true masterpiece of the genre.

Here the band fully develops their signature sound, punctuating country-rock landscapes with piercing guitars and haunting harmonies. This juxtaposition is a fundamental of the genre, but it is also incredibly jarring, which is why it garnered so much attention. There’s no doubt that The Jayhawks were on the right path with their previous Blue Earth (1989), yet those songs lacked the kind of transcendence found here. And even though the band retains their country roots (as opposed to Uncle Tupelo’s punk roots), Hollywood Town Hall sheds any outstanding country elements that might hold back the alternative title, thus confidently addressing the primary flaw in Blue Earth. All of this becomes apparent with the opening classic “Waiting for the Sun,” where piano and jagged guitar call forth the essence of Tom Petty, yet adhere to the tender pacing of country’s vast imagery. Such a tone shimmers throughout the entire album, achieving moments of musical bliss exemplified by a handful of songs that rank as some of the most definitive alt-country statements. “Crowded in the Wings” and “Take Me with You (When You Go)” are achievements in most honest sense, as they cascade through a simmering roll, while “Settled down like Rain” chimes with a rocking force. The album itself is a cohesive entity, built upon subtle hues that suggest a kind of warmth and optimism, something to both but tug at heartstrings and inspire. And it’s all of these qualities that confirm Hollywood Town Hall as being the band’s ultimate masterwork, and a classic alternative album of the 90s.

All in all, Hollywood Town Hall is an album built on simplicity, but it works because it makes that simplicity effective and memorable. There is nothing fancy about this album, but The Jayhawks are able to thrive without being fancy, which shows the kind of pros they are (something to be envious for sure, it’s the kind of thing bands would trade their bass player for). And while The Jayhawks would venture into more elaborate territory with great success on subsequent efforts, here they achieve their greatest heights at their greatest efficiency, striking the perfect balance between the band’s raw country upbringing and their sophisticated alternative ambition and mentality. In a time where music was changing and moving in unpredictable directions, Hollywood Town Hall remains timeless, and The Jayhawks certainly deserve a medal for that, if not for just keeping things together, unlike some of their peers (yes Uncle Tupelo, I’m talking about you)!

4.5/5

“Each night when I go to bed I pray / Take me with you when you go”

McS

Movie Review: Terminator Salvation (2009)

Terminator Salvation (2009)

God I love summer, and in 2009, tis the season to reboot! Sometimes this is good, sometimes it’s bad, and sometimes I just want to hurl. Regardless, one must always approach the summer action blockbuster with caution, at least for your expectations (your wallet is obviously a lost cause). This is especially important when being faced with so many franchises, where there are more sequels than Nickelback flaws. While the season got off to a rough start with X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), things certainly picked up with Star Trek (2009). This, of course, now brings us to Terminator Salvation (2009), the 4th installment of the classic franchise and the first to star Batman but be more or less void of Arnie. Naturally, such a notion would cause hesitation, but the more skeptical you are, the more you will probably enjoy it and be pleasantly surprised. The movie is a non-stop thrill ride featuring excellent special effects layered upon carefully crafted action sequences. It goes for the gut and achieves, but just keep in mind that it only goes for the gut, not the mind. While you may have reservations about its function in the franchise, it certainly retains and transfers the momentum of the summer’s action blockbuster entertainment value.

Continuing on the timeline established in the original movies, Terminator Salvation finds John Connor (Batman) in 2018, leading the human resistance against the ruthless machines of Skynet, post-Judgment Day. Despite having a leading-the-human-resistance-in-the-future-book-on-tape courtesy of his mother Sarah Connor (archival Linda Hamilton, providing at least a smidge of continuity), John soon discovers that something’s different. This is confirmed with the emergence of enigmatic Marcus Wright (an excellent Sam Worthington who tries very hard to hide his Australian accent), a terminator by design, but equipped with a human heart and soul from his former human self. John then spends the rest of the movie figuring out what to make of Marcus, and parleying that into an attack on Skynet to secure Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin, sans Russian accent) John’s would-be-maybe-dad-in-the-past-but-in-future-form-undad. This basically equates to a sludge-fest ride of metallic mayhem, and the movie wears it well.

Now, I will be the first to admit that the director made me skeptical; I mean, we can certainly all thank the Brothers Strause for giving directors with bad names a bad name – they managed to destroy two beautiful birds with one bomb in AVPR: Aliens vs Predator - Requiem (2007). Despite his shortcomings, director McG managed to lay it down on this one, and that almost deserves a medal. While Terminator Salvation ultimately falls short of the achievement of Star Trek, it is far superior to Wolverine, primarily in the effects department. McG certainly spared no expense in the CGI, as it is almost flawless. In addition, the film’s cinematography boasts a creative quality usually reserved for the more critical fare, which is impressive since Batman almost killed the DP. Basically, the action and special effects work, what doesn’t work is the story. Not only have gophers been through the plot, but the characters are mismanaged and/or underdeveloped. Bryce Dallas Howard is severely underused as John’s wife Kate Connor, and Common just seems plain confused as resistance fighter Barnes. Batman only really gives his intense face for the entire movie, making it difficult to see what’s so dynamic about the supposed humanity that’s at stake. And while Sam Worthington’s Marcus sees the greatest character attention, it’s ultimately disappointing because it doesn’t feel like Worthington was given the chance to truly flush out his character. Several story elements feel unnecessary, which is unfortunate since most of the plot is manufactured to connect action scenes. Scenarios such as the HQ bureaucracy give the audience painful reminders of the Matrix sequels, but without the metaphysical meat behind it. The philosophical subtext that gave James Cameron’s Terminator movies that extra edge is mostly absent here, but it’s probably better that McG didn’t try, we can’t forget that he’s responsible for the recent Charlie’s Angels movies. Surprisingly, however, the PG-13 rating didn’t really detract from the viewing experience, but I could always use a little more blood and guts!

All in all, Terminator Salvation is part four of a franchise that should have ended at two, and like Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), this feels ultimately unnecessary. However, as its own action movie it succeeds, providing the summer worthy entertainment that will help us through these tough times. In the end, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) will always be the definitive film, and things feel weird without Aaanaaald in paaaowwaaa; but once again, it’s enjoyable, and Batman gives us quite the ride!

3/5

McS