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"Man on the Moon" Review

Okay here is my impressions of Kid CuDi's new album "Man on the Moon: The End of Day".

I'll start off by saying it's good. Very good. His beats are fantastic, he has great lyrics (so witty), and his guest artists are great (ranging from Ratatat to Kanye to MGMT to Common). Of course he has hip-hop and R&B songs but the album is not limited to just these two genres. He goes into a more pop/rock tune with "Up Up and Away", which heavily relies on the acoustic guitars to keep beat and a great electric riff in the background. And "Pursuit of Happiness", which features MGMT and Ratatat, has a strange mix of electronica and hip-hop with a rocking chorus sung by the guys of MGMT.

Of course his obvious first single is the ever popular "Day n' Nite" which has been out since early this year (that is unless you have had his demo cd, which i recommend finding. There are some great unreleased tracks that may never surface again.) I'm not at all claiming this is a bad song, but it's nothing new and it could easily overshadow some of the better deep cuts off the album. Take for example "Soundtrack 2 My Life". One of the first songs, great loop going through the song and it feels real. The lyrics really feel as if it coming from his soul; heartfelt, yet very ironic, playing against the stereotypical rap star.

He does have some good music (that i feel would be prime remix material) that are really good for dancing to. Prime example: "Heart of a Lion (Kid CuDi Theme Music)". It's quick beats and great base-line make for a good song, but it does have some very passionate lyrics behind it.

Overall the album has a strong flow to it. Changing from a slower song to a quicker paced one can sometimes throw you off a bit, but the songs flow together well. And one of the really interesting things is at the end of some of the songs he has a story, metaphor, whatever you want to call it that continues as the album progresses.

I'm really not a big hip-hop or R&B listener, but CuDi was one who really caught my interest a while before this album came out and he is definitely one to be looking out for as a rising star making his way up to the ranks of the people he worked with on the album.

"The First Days of Spring" Review

It didn't take much for Noah and the Whale to quickly become of my favorite artists of last year. If you haven't already, go out now and get "Peaceful the World Lays Me Down" and find out why. Their unique sound, molded perfectly with their witty, quick lyrics, and singer Charles Fink's voice. But one of the greatest aspects of their music was the way their songs flowed. It was what really caught my attention. The various movements in their songs add for an added affect to their anti-romantic lyrics. So naturally the one thing i thought that would be perfect was to incorporate this flow throughout their whole album... Which is exactly what they did in their new album "The First Days of Spring".

The new album is good. Real good. It is a masterfully crafted piece of work. The CD flows together like one really long song, giving it a symphonic feeling. String instruments were used in their first album, but they play a larger role in this album to give it that needed epic feeling. The songs have a much more serious overtone to them, with most songs having less whimsy to them, but this isn't saying there aren't a few exceptions.

Starting at "Instrumental, PT 1" and moving though "Love of an Orchestra", they have an uptempo, powerfully charged change of pace, that quickly changes back to a slower, lighter movement in "Instrumental, PT 2".

Their first single off the CD, "Blue Skies", is a song for those in rough times to come and know that good ones are on there way; a song about moving on. A slower paced song in comparison to their first hit "5 Years Time", but a song with much more depth and drive behind it. Other notable songs off the album include "Slow Glass" and "I Have Nothing".

One of the other defining things about this album is the film that they made to accompany the CD. Now I have not seen the film, or am even sure it is packaged in with the CD but they will announce screenings of the movie when they announce their US Tour Dates so be on the lookout. A trailer of the Film can be viewed here: http://natwofficialblog.blogspot.com/

The CD is not available in the US yet but you can find it in the UK iTunes store or on the UK Amazon. The US release date is scheduled for Oct. 6th so check it out when it comes out and see what you are missing by not listening to this amazing band.

The Draw to Film

There are two genres of movies that are always in a healthy supply: Buddy Comedies and Chick Flicks. But one thing I've noticed is that Buddy Comedies, more often than not, will not only have a better turnout at the box office, but also a better critical response.

Now from what i can tell (I haven't done extensive research on this) is this. Women seem to love guy movies more than Men love girl movies. Maybe it is because girls enjoy the same sense of humor as we do, leading them to go see movies like Wedding Crashers, The Hangover, Etc..

But if you look on the flip-side, it is harder for a guy to relate to a romantic comedy because they are aimed more towards women. This means the humor is aimed at women, which causes males to not find the humor as funny as a woman who could possibly relate to the situations and characters on screen. In no way am i promoting testosterone over estrogen here, but this is one explanation.

Another is that guys may more easily convince a girl to attend a guy movie than a girl movie, especially if he is paying. It is hard to pass up free. Just ask any college student in America.

This is just food for thought really. I noticed this in my extensive movie watching and found it a bit humorous. Comments welcome.

Decisions

One question I've wondered about lately is "How would my life be different had I made this decision differently?"

I know this is vague and strange but just listen. What if, instead of going to the high school i went to, i had gone to a different one. Would i be the same person? Would I party every night? Would I still be going to A&M? Would I still be a faithful christian? These are the things that make me wonder.

Even something as simple as choosing to get a chocolate donut over a glazed donut, i think about what would have happened if I had chosen the other. Would everything still played out the same, or could this have drastically changed the course of my life?

I have no answers to these questions but it is still interesting to ponder the idea of it.

How Do We Glorify?

What truly glorifies God?

I've always wondered this question, pondered the answer, and i still don't know for sure. We are told that by NOT doing things, live a pure life is the way we do this. Or by singing praise songs, and worshiping him. But to me i've always found this a bit ridiculous. There are very few so-called "Christian Artists" i will listen to because most of them are as hypocritical, or more so than the general population and it sickens me. But why must one be a Christian artist to glorify the lord?

My own opinions were first backed as I was reading "Velvet Elvis", in which Rob Bell makes the statement that just by using the gifts that God has bestowed upon us, whether it be writing, or playing an instrument or fixing a car, that we are glorifying God. I honestly believe that just by making a record (maybe with a bit of pure intentions) and selflessly taking credit, one will glorify God. Or the actor who plays an Oscar-Worthy performance who takes no credit for his win can glorify the Lord, because even God knows Christians cannot make a good film to save their lives.

But everything theological is only opinion and this is only my own commentary. I don't claim to be right, but nobody has come to correct me. Comments are welcome, since theology is nothing more than discussion.

Modern Filmmaking

Modern films seem to be taking a completely new direction from where we were in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Modern films are normally overproduced, terribly acted, pieces of crap, more concerned with how to make the most money than actually entertaining people. And most filmmakers will trade character depth for plot development or a few extra special effects or vice versa. Now this is not to say i don't enjoy my eye-candy, but it seems that this is what our multi-plex's have become filled with.

Now while movies such as "Transformers" destroys box-office records, films that pay homage to the forerunners of modern cinema go overlooked, such as "(500) Days of Summer". Here is a film that does not sacrifice character for plot or humor. Here is a film that is able to evoke such emotion that you want to cry, hate, and love all at once. While "Transformers" on the other hand, overplays the story accompanied by terrible acting, racist humor (you know what i am talking about), and overblown effects that look a bit dated. Yet these films continue to break records year after year. Why is this?

Could the answer lie because people in the golden age were more educated, or well knowing into the culture? Or could it be because people would rather sit mindlessly and not have to think about the social or moral commentary that most indie flicks tend to impose? It might be a combination. But nevertheless, quality is just going to keep dropping for quantity as studios continue to crank out sequels until no more money can be made. And it is a damn shame in my opinion.

Please show support of lower budget and indie films and keep the spirit of film in its prime. Maybe with enough support these films with sport a wider release.

Public Enemies Review

Last night i went to see Public Enemies. So i will give a brief rundown of the plot followed by my personal opinions of the movie.

The movie follows 1930s bank robber John Dillinger, played by Johnny Depp, and his fellow criminals as they struggle to get money, flee the FBI, and make romance in the midst of the Great Depression. Dillinger falls in love with a woman named Billie one night at a party after a nice score, and begins to pursue her with all his might. The FBI decides that they are going to come down hard in an effort to catch, or kill Dillinger and his gang. The task force is led by a man named Melvin Purvis, played by Christian Bale. As the feds continue to do everything in their power o catch these criminals, John begins to relize that his robbery days are coming to an end and finds the more important things in his life.

The film is slow. I'm going to start there. So if you hate slow films, don't bother. Most of the movie focuses on the personal development of Dillinger, seeing the shift in his character. But it is interesting nevertheless, to see his true character. And Christian Bale doesn't have a large a role as one would expect, but the game of cat and mouse he plays with the criminals provides for great conflict and tension within the film and leaves you on the edge of your seat at times. Both leading men and the rest of the supporting cast play their roles very well, it is just lacking in some of the plot areas.

But it is overall a solid film and I would recommend it to anyone who likes Bale, Depp, or Michael Mann. But a large attention span is always a help. So i would rate it 8/10.

More interesting things to come! Thanks for reading!

Climbing the Wall

I just got back from being in Durango, CO and Moab, Utah for 3 weeks and it is quite the different experience than being in Texas. Now Other than the differences in the weather, (cool and dry v. hot and humid) the cultures are so much different. When one travels to another part of the world, or even their own country, it provides some serious culture shock.

But this isn't really what i wanted to discuss. More of what i wanted to talk about was the climbing that we did in Moab, and the faith we put into the tools that we use to keep us safe and alive. All that one even uses is a harness, and some ropes that you tie onto the harness. So why do people risk their lives for the passions they love? The answer is faith.

Faith is what we have that a rope will not snap or a knot will come undone, or a bolt will be yanked from the rocks. Just like in anything we do, we must have faith that the decisions we are making are safe and we will come out fairly unscathed on the otherside. But one cannot scale the side of a cliff on his own. It takes teamwork. Someone down below looking out for you. But they rely on you to pull yourself up as they hold you and keep you from falling. It is a two way street for sure.

This is just like our relationship with God. We may feel like we are alone, but he is on the ground below belaying us, holding the ropes, and we must have faith that he is there watching over us and that our ties to him cannot be broken. We are firmly secured with him, but that doesn't mean that we rely on him to do the work. Instead he calls us to go out and show his love for others through us. We are his surrogates. But we are not alone in the fight to the top.

Comedy Double-Feature Blowout!!!

As the title implies I went to see 2 movies tonight, both new releases. The first being Will Ferrell's new one Land of the Lost. The other is the soon-to-be-classic The Hangover. Let's get the low-down on both

Land of the Lost is based on the 70s TV show bearing the same name. Ferrell plays the very eccentric Dr. Rick Marshall, who is shunned by the scientific community for his ludicrous theories about time warps and a land lost in time in space, where past, present and future collide. He gets transported into this world with his spunky female partner, and a fireworks sales-man, played by Danny McBride (Pineapple Express). The movie feels much more scripted than any other movie Ferrell has ever done, which is a shame since the improve usually provided for some of the best moments in his previous films. The special effects are worse than, or the same as Wolverine's, but this could be in attempt to keep true to the show. Filled with memorable characters such as Chaka, The Sleezstak, and Grumpy the Dinosaur, and some very immature humor (it is still Ferrell and McBride), and still some witty dialogue and situational humor, It makes for an intertaining ride through time and space. So i would give it a 6/10.

Now The Hangover is where the laughs started and kept on coming. This movie made me laugh harder and more than any movie i've seen in a very long time. Not since Pineapple Express at least. The film, which given a larger budget, could've sported some big names and carried the film, but it is cast perfect and I am convinced that no others could've played the roles so well. Bradley Cooper plays Phil, a schoolteacher who is looking for a way to escape. Ed Helms is Stu, a dentist trapped in a dysfuntional relationship but is too nice to get out of it. Justin Bartha (National Treasure) plays Doug, who's best friends Stu and Phil are throwing him a Bachelor party before his wedding. And finally, Zach Galifianakis is Alan, Doug's childlike soon-to-be brother-in-law.

Now the movie is almost like an old mystery flick, as the guys try to find out how the $4200 suite got trashed, a tiger got in their bathroom, a baby was left in the closet and what happened to Doug. I don't want to go into any more details for fear i might ruin something. But it is vulgar, disgusting, and downright hilarious! I promise you will not stop laughing. This is director Todd Phillips best film to date and hopefully we can see more from him in the future, along with the whole cast. The Hangover gets a 10/10!!!!

So far i've been pleased with the movies that have come out for the summer season. Wolverine was a HUGE letdown but redeemed by Star Trek. Year One comes out next week and i have very high hopes for it, mainly because it has many of the Arrested Development cast members in it. But lots of indie films that are coming out look really good too and everyone should check them out. One in particular is Away We Go staring John Krasinski, known for his role as Jim in The Office. Directed by Acadamy Award winning Sam Mendes, who directed one of my favorite movies American Beauty, this looks like it could be another Juno type movie, but very well done.

More reviews will come out soon!!! KTHXBYE!!

This is why Lost is good

Jeebuz!! Can J.J. Abrams make a show or what?! I just watch the season finale of Lost, and for those of you who make fun of the show because after 5 seasons they are still lost on the island obviously do NOT know what good writing is. Most people i know were saying Heroes was supposed to be the next big thing, but into the 3rd season, most have stopped watching, whereas all the Lost followers i know are still tuning in every week to almost a religious basis. My recommendation is for anyone who has never seen the show, to go and check it out. You have about 8 months to catch up, and once you start you cannot stop!

Bad Planning...

There is absolutely way too much happening today. Other than taking care or animals and our house, i have to send out graduation invites, go to church, watch lost, see a movie with a friend, study for 2 AP tests, among other things.

Does there ever reach a point where we cannot commit to anything else? Of course there is. But in our nature we continue to add more things to do. our lives move at such a fast pace sometimes we forget to just stop and enjoy the beauty God has created around us. That is unless you live in the suburbs and are a contributer to Urban sprawl, but that is another issue. 

My point i guess is that myself, and others like me, feel that we must accomplish the most we can within a limited amount of time. But things can wait. Now take a moment to go outside and enjoy life!

Apathy and its side effects

It is less than 3 weeks to graduation, i still have 2 AP tests to study for, and i have been struck by the thing that plagues most seniors. Some call it senioritis, others call it laziness, however i believe its proper name is Apathy.

Apathy is one of the biggest problems in our generation. In no way am i trying to imply that i am not one of the millions of people throughout the world who do absolutely nothing. I am one of the worst at it in all actuality. But is there really a way to stop this? Even now as i am typing this i am wasting precious time that could be spent doing something productive, i.e. studying for my economics exam. The only way i see to beating this is through the sheer will to stop, the will to get off our asses and be productive to society, our community, and ourselves. 

I may not have much life experience, being only 18 years old, and i may not be a scholar of philosophy or of demography or anything like that, but these are my own personal inferences. People in our modern society expect everything to be handed to us, to be accomplished by someone else as we take credit. There are probably a few million in the US who don't have a job, or care to, because they live off welfare. Their apathy is what drags our country down to the low state it is in, and is teaching a generation that you do not have to help yourself. But i am not placing blame on any one person. 

(Sorry if i'm rambling, i get bored) and obesity is another big problem, but no surprise. And people are always looking for a scapegoat because of it, which has led them to aim at the fast food industry. Now in no way am i trying to say that fast food is healthy. It isn't. But it sure tastes good. But one big problem is the compulsive eaters of fast food tend to not work out, or do anything physical, so the fat and calories they intake have nowhere to go and just store in their bodies. So is fast food really the cause of obesity? Or is apathy?

This is my first blog so i'm sorry if i sound like an idiot who is constantly rambling. This is just what happened to be on my mind at the time! i'm sure somewhere down the road other more interesting things will come up.