Since not much is going on in my life as of late, i decided to go old school with my blog here. Years ago, when i updated this blog regularly, i used to put up "reviews" of various moves, books, music, etc that i was into at the time. By review, i mostly mean list of things i like, but every now and then i would put in a little info on what i liked about it, or didnt like it if that was the case. Been a while, so i decided to do it again.
Will probably be long and boring, so i'll spoiler it.
MUSIC
Will probably be long and boring, so i'll spoiler it.
MUSIC
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
I mostly listen to punk and pop-punk, and some emo (yeah yeah), but lately, i've been getting into different types of indie rock. Here's a quick rundown of some groups i like lately:
The Shins
I learned of them like most people who discovered them in the last couple years. From the movie 'Garden State'. They've got it all, melody, good lyrics, and a surreal feeling to them. Some of my stand out tracks are 'Kissing the Lipless', 'New Slang', 'Girl on the Wing', and 'Sleeping Lessons'
Meg and Dia
These are two sisters, Meg and Dia (duh) Frampton. They had asong on the TMNT movie, but i knew of them before that. Standout tracks to me are 'Joey Had a Smoke', 'Monster', 'Setting Up Sunday', 'Indiana', and especially 'Cardigan Weather'.
An Angle
At first, he sounds like a Bright Eyes ripoff... and i guess he sorta is. at least on his first 2 albums. But it doesnt mean it isnt good. Stand out tracks are 'Today I Saw Your Face', 'Oh! Oh! Oh! Trouble', 'Clean and Gold', 'Green Water', 'White Horse', 'True Love', and 'A Way With Words'
Socratic
Awesome piano driven music. Stand out tracks 'Alexandria as Our Lens', 'I Am the Doctor', 'Lunch for the Sky', and 'B to E'
Steel Train
These guys started out just playing in a NY subway for fun, until they realized people were starting to gather and watch them. So they decided to make a band. They were originally a jam band mostly, but theyve since became more structured. Stand out tracks: anything. Check out their ep 'For You My Dear', their cover song ep '1969', and their albums "Twilight Tales From the Praries of the Sun' and 'Trampoline'
And the song i'm currently obsessed with isnt even from a band persay. It's the song 'Anyone Else But You' performed by the actors Michael Cera and Ellen Page, fromt he soundtrack for the movie 'Juno'
In non-indie music land, check out the new No Use For a Name album, 'The Feel Good Record of the Year'. Good punk rock
I mostly listen to punk and pop-punk, and some emo (yeah yeah), but lately, i've been getting into different types of indie rock. Here's a quick rundown of some groups i like lately:
The Shins
I learned of them like most people who discovered them in the last couple years. From the movie 'Garden State'. They've got it all, melody, good lyrics, and a surreal feeling to them. Some of my stand out tracks are 'Kissing the Lipless', 'New Slang', 'Girl on the Wing', and 'Sleeping Lessons'
Meg and Dia
These are two sisters, Meg and Dia (duh) Frampton. They had asong on the TMNT movie, but i knew of them before that. Standout tracks to me are 'Joey Had a Smoke', 'Monster', 'Setting Up Sunday', 'Indiana', and especially 'Cardigan Weather'.
An Angle
At first, he sounds like a Bright Eyes ripoff... and i guess he sorta is. at least on his first 2 albums. But it doesnt mean it isnt good. Stand out tracks are 'Today I Saw Your Face', 'Oh! Oh! Oh! Trouble', 'Clean and Gold', 'Green Water', 'White Horse', 'True Love', and 'A Way With Words'
Socratic
Awesome piano driven music. Stand out tracks 'Alexandria as Our Lens', 'I Am the Doctor', 'Lunch for the Sky', and 'B to E'
Steel Train
These guys started out just playing in a NY subway for fun, until they realized people were starting to gather and watch them. So they decided to make a band. They were originally a jam band mostly, but theyve since became more structured. Stand out tracks: anything. Check out their ep 'For You My Dear', their cover song ep '1969', and their albums "Twilight Tales From the Praries of the Sun' and 'Trampoline'
And the song i'm currently obsessed with isnt even from a band persay. It's the song 'Anyone Else But You' performed by the actors Michael Cera and Ellen Page, fromt he soundtrack for the movie 'Juno'
In non-indie music land, check out the new No Use For a Name album, 'The Feel Good Record of the Year'. Good punk rock
BOOKS
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
I've been reading a series of novels from an author named Jim Butcher. The books are called The Dresden Files. It's a series about a "normal" guy in Chicago, who makes his living as a private eye. He also happens to be a wizard. So you can imagine his cases arent the run of the mill missing persons cases. Very good stuff. The book i'm on right now is book 4: Summer Knight.
After i finish that series, I'm gonna tackle 'The Dark Tower' series by Stephen King. Not completely sure what it's about yet, but i've heard good things. Seems to be about a cowboy or something wandering around the desert looking for some guy and a tower. I dunno, but sounds cool.
And for my interesting taste in nonfiction books, i picked this one up:
It's part of a series called 'Weird USA'. I already have Weird USA and Weird California. These books pretty much give u a rundown on weird people, places and occurances in the united states. Some of the chapters have things like ghosts and haunted houses, strange local celebrities, monster legends like bigfoot, and just plain strange natural occurances like the rocks in the Nevada deserts that seem to move by themselves (albeit centuries slow).
I've been reading a series of novels from an author named Jim Butcher. The books are called The Dresden Files. It's a series about a "normal" guy in Chicago, who makes his living as a private eye. He also happens to be a wizard. So you can imagine his cases arent the run of the mill missing persons cases. Very good stuff. The book i'm on right now is book 4: Summer Knight.
After i finish that series, I'm gonna tackle 'The Dark Tower' series by Stephen King. Not completely sure what it's about yet, but i've heard good things. Seems to be about a cowboy or something wandering around the desert looking for some guy and a tower. I dunno, but sounds cool.
And for my interesting taste in nonfiction books, i picked this one up:
It's part of a series called 'Weird USA'. I already have Weird USA and Weird California. These books pretty much give u a rundown on weird people, places and occurances in the united states. Some of the chapters have things like ghosts and haunted houses, strange local celebrities, monster legends like bigfoot, and just plain strange natural occurances like the rocks in the Nevada deserts that seem to move by themselves (albeit centuries slow).
MOVIES
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
Juno - This movie is incredible. It's one of those rare indie films that are just SO good that they get a lot of attention.
30 Days of Night - I finally got around to seeing this one, and I liked it. Very gory, and the vampires look cool as hell. The only dissappointment for me was that it was very scary. "Thrilling" yes, scary no. I only jumped once in the whole movie. That aside, it was good.
Cars - the Pixar Movie about talking cars. It was the only pixar movie i havent seen yet, because, quite frankly, im not interested inc ars, so this movie had little appeal to me. But I'm glad i saw it, it's got a great story, and as always, amazing visuals. The landscapes featured in the movie is incredible (aside from the dumb ass "natural" mountains shaped like car parts). Check it out if u havent seen it, for the scenery alone
Art School Confidential - Aside from the fact that i got VERY attracted to the actress in this movie, Sophia Myles, i did not like this movie. For some reason it depressed the hell out of me. More depressed than i have been in a loooong time. I dont know why, but i wont see the movie again because of it. Also, the story is just fucking weird, and not in a good way.
Be Kind, Rewind - another amazing "indie" movie. There could have been more moves "sweded" (watch the movie to get the term), but other than that, the story, the acting, everything was just great
Bourne Ultimatum - I loved the first one, and i enjoyed the second one. I dont know why it took me so long to see the 3rd one, but it definitly was as much fun as the first one.
12 Angry Men - this one is a classic. Released in 1957. I've seen it several times, and it never gets old. It's about a group of jurors on a murder trial. They all vote guilty, except one guy, Henry Fonda, who tried to convince the rest to vote not guilty. I finally picked up the DVD, mainly cause it was cheap, but also cause i just love this movie.
Juno - This movie is incredible. It's one of those rare indie films that are just SO good that they get a lot of attention.
30 Days of Night - I finally got around to seeing this one, and I liked it. Very gory, and the vampires look cool as hell. The only dissappointment for me was that it was very scary. "Thrilling" yes, scary no. I only jumped once in the whole movie. That aside, it was good.
Cars - the Pixar Movie about talking cars. It was the only pixar movie i havent seen yet, because, quite frankly, im not interested inc ars, so this movie had little appeal to me. But I'm glad i saw it, it's got a great story, and as always, amazing visuals. The landscapes featured in the movie is incredible (aside from the dumb ass "natural" mountains shaped like car parts). Check it out if u havent seen it, for the scenery alone
Art School Confidential - Aside from the fact that i got VERY attracted to the actress in this movie, Sophia Myles, i did not like this movie. For some reason it depressed the hell out of me. More depressed than i have been in a loooong time. I dont know why, but i wont see the movie again because of it. Also, the story is just fucking weird, and not in a good way.
Be Kind, Rewind - another amazing "indie" movie. There could have been more moves "sweded" (watch the movie to get the term), but other than that, the story, the acting, everything was just great
Bourne Ultimatum - I loved the first one, and i enjoyed the second one. I dont know why it took me so long to see the 3rd one, but it definitly was as much fun as the first one.
12 Angry Men - this one is a classic. Released in 1957. I've seen it several times, and it never gets old. It's about a group of jurors on a murder trial. They all vote guilty, except one guy, Henry Fonda, who tried to convince the rest to vote not guilty. I finally picked up the DVD, mainly cause it was cheap, but also cause i just love this movie.
TV SHOWS
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
Reaper - oh my fucking god this show is awesome. It's about a guy who's parents sold his soul to the devil, so now he has to work for the devil as a bounty hunter tracking down escaped souls from hell. Kevin Smith directed the pilot episode, which was the original draw for me, but the show has definitly taken on a life of its own without him. It's funny as hell, and the overall story arc is just cool.
Lost - I dont need to even say anything about this show. Go watch it if you havent. rent the dvds at least. Confusing at first, but amazing show. Ok, it's still confusing in its 4th season, but it isnt any less amazing.
Smallville - about the teenaged Clark Kent (superman). I've missed most of this current season, so i , again!, have to wait for the dvd's to catch up. But a great show
and some shows that i have on my DVR that i'm obsessed with: Late Night with Conan O'Brien (of course!), Whose Line is it Anyways, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, and reruns of In Living Color
Reaper - oh my fucking god this show is awesome. It's about a guy who's parents sold his soul to the devil, so now he has to work for the devil as a bounty hunter tracking down escaped souls from hell. Kevin Smith directed the pilot episode, which was the original draw for me, but the show has definitly taken on a life of its own without him. It's funny as hell, and the overall story arc is just cool.
Lost - I dont need to even say anything about this show. Go watch it if you havent. rent the dvds at least. Confusing at first, but amazing show. Ok, it's still confusing in its 4th season, but it isnt any less amazing.
Smallville - about the teenaged Clark Kent (superman). I've missed most of this current season, so i , again!, have to wait for the dvd's to catch up. But a great show
and some shows that i have on my DVR that i'm obsessed with: Late Night with Conan O'Brien (of course!), Whose Line is it Anyways, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, and reruns of In Living Color
VIDEO GAMES
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
Dreamfall - the Longest Journey - a sci-fi/fantasy game about a girl who travels from the world of science and the world of magic, tryign to save both worlds. Awesome game, but lots of long cut scenes.
God of War: Chains of Olympus - amazingly, very close to as awesome as the PS2 GOW games
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core - I was worried about this one, cause i LOVED the original final fantasy 7, but all the sequels they made since have been pretty terrible, and even though the animation was sick and incredible in the Advent Children movie, it wasnt very good. But this game is actually pretty good. Still doesnt live up to the first one, but It's fun, and fairly fast paced.
Uno - on X-Box live. Yeah thats right. Fucking Uno, classic fun!
Rock Band - enough said.
Dreamfall - the Longest Journey - a sci-fi/fantasy game about a girl who travels from the world of science and the world of magic, tryign to save both worlds. Awesome game, but lots of long cut scenes.
God of War: Chains of Olympus - amazingly, very close to as awesome as the PS2 GOW games
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core - I was worried about this one, cause i LOVED the original final fantasy 7, but all the sequels they made since have been pretty terrible, and even though the animation was sick and incredible in the Advent Children movie, it wasnt very good. But this game is actually pretty good. Still doesnt live up to the first one, but It's fun, and fairly fast paced.
Uno - on X-Box live. Yeah thats right. Fucking Uno, classic fun!
Rock Band - enough said.
So that's enough of my rambling. Have a nice day anyone who actually reads thru all that shit
