Music and Movie Reviews
x-posted to welistalot
CDs
Rodrigo y Gabriela: Rodrigo y Gabriela--If you're ever in the mood to groove to acoustic guitars, check out this Mexican duo. Totally instrumental but definitely not boring. RodGab (as they're fondly called in online forums and whatnot) have chemistry and are just so in time with one another. Gab often plays the rhythmic section so well that you think there's a drummer there. Rating: 4
Neko Case: Fox Confessor Brings The Flood--With a first listen, your first instinct is to ask, "Who is this soulful, wise person?" There's just something about Neko's voice that's so timeless. I feel so embraced hearing her voice. It doesn't hurt that she knows how to write a song either. Rating: 4
A Perfect Circle: Mer de Noms--I don't understand how I'm able to wrap myself around A Perfect Circle and not Tool. Nevertheless, I've recently rediscovered this and have fallen in love with the angst. Rating: 4
Ellen Cherry: years--Ellen gives a voice to these could-be historical women throughout various years from 1864 to 1976. A nice acoustic and literary EP. Rating: 5
The Decemberists: Picaresque and The Crane Wife--Normally a male voice like this would annoy me, but because the music and lyrics are so rich in literary artistry... I'm sucked in. Both albums are strong in their own way, and I love that they play well next to each other. "Of Angels and Angles" flows so well into "The Crane Wife 3" that it makes me wonder how much one's work can inspire the next. Rating: 5
Leigh Nash: Blue on Blue--I've never heard a bad song that Leigh's sung. Her voice just touches the soul. It so sucks that I had to miss that show where I won free tix. I wish I could properly enunciate what power her music has over me. It just is so calming, and the music and lyrics are just as amazing as her voice.
mechanicalbirds: The Possibility of Flight--This purchase is actually from them finding me on Myspace. One of the ones that actually didn't suck. Imagine a candy-rich female voice singing over electronic beats. Infectious and enjoyable, but watch it... it does have the potential to be too sugary, so keep it playing among your others in your playlist. Rating: 3
Kirsty Hawkshaw: Meta-Message--The first song of hers to grab my attention was from something on Grey's Anatomy. Of course, I then searched her out on emusic and found this. Two of these songs I've heard already through her various connections on the Nettwerk label. Just as much as a spiritual voice as Leigh Nash's, but unfortunately the music is a little too ambient/electronic for me to fall in love with. Worthy songs are "Reach for Me" and "Nature's Kingdom." Rating: 3
DVDs
The Undertaker's Wedding: Oh god, why? I rented this only for Adrien Brody, and the truth is... this movie is SO bad that it's actually pretty laughable and entertaining. I can't even begin to tell what's so bad about it, but what's great is that it knows it's a bad movie! I'd only rec this for those who are really bored and/or are Adrien Brody fans. Rating: 3
Panic Room: I enjoyed this, and it definitely had me more tense than Flightplan. But there was just something... missing about it. I don't know how to explain it. But whatever that missing thing is, it keeps this from being a 5. Rating: 4
Super Size Me: Okay, you'd have to be a complete moron to know that fast food isn't good for you. You will gain weight; your health will deteriorate. Duh. But what I found interesting about this was HOW MUCH these unhealthy corporations were just as bad as the tobacco industry in trying to get the youth to buy into it... almost to the point where some of these schools had NO alternative but this. Rating: 5
Shortbus: Well... this movie is certainly revealing about sexuality. But at times, I felt the sex and nudity to be a tad gratuitous. We get to peer into two main characters and their sexual problems, but I dunno... kinda leaves me short. Yet, I can't deny that this a well-shot movie, gratuitous or not. Rating: 3
Cars: Oh, I loved this. Perhaps it's because I can appreciate where Paul Newman has been in real life, but his voice here is just so appropriate here. This movie gave me warm fuzzies... and also makes me wonder why Owen Wilson doesn't do more voice parts. Rating: 4
The Usual Suspects: Oooh, this was fun. I knew already who "keyser soze" was, but it was so entertaining to see how... And, dude, Benecio! He was so young here! After watching this, I can definitely see how this movie became as cultish as it is. Rating: 4
Ten Benny: After watching this and Adrien Brody, I wonder exactly which movie role it was that Adrien decided he want to start acting in better movies. I mean, Adrien did a good job with what he had to work with... but come on, there are sooo many better movies about this that you're just left to wonder, "what was the point of this?" Rating: 2
Sherrybaby: I gotta admit. The first half of this, I thought Maggie Gyllenhaal's character was so pathetic and slutty. I suppose that's the point, but... yeah, halfway in... I started to get it all... and realized how screwed-all-around Sherry is. I started feel sympathetic toward her and pined for her to just have one thing to cling to. What I adore about this is the ending is perfect. I can't imagine how hard it must be to play someone who's got a drug problem, on top of dysfunctionality in his/her family. Rating: 4
CDs
Rodrigo y Gabriela: Rodrigo y Gabriela--If you're ever in the mood to groove to acoustic guitars, check out this Mexican duo. Totally instrumental but definitely not boring. RodGab (as they're fondly called in online forums and whatnot) have chemistry and are just so in time with one another. Gab often plays the rhythmic section so well that you think there's a drummer there. Rating: 4
Neko Case: Fox Confessor Brings The Flood--With a first listen, your first instinct is to ask, "Who is this soulful, wise person?" There's just something about Neko's voice that's so timeless. I feel so embraced hearing her voice. It doesn't hurt that she knows how to write a song either. Rating: 4
A Perfect Circle: Mer de Noms--I don't understand how I'm able to wrap myself around A Perfect Circle and not Tool. Nevertheless, I've recently rediscovered this and have fallen in love with the angst. Rating: 4
Ellen Cherry: years--Ellen gives a voice to these could-be historical women throughout various years from 1864 to 1976. A nice acoustic and literary EP. Rating: 5
The Decemberists: Picaresque and The Crane Wife--Normally a male voice like this would annoy me, but because the music and lyrics are so rich in literary artistry... I'm sucked in. Both albums are strong in their own way, and I love that they play well next to each other. "Of Angels and Angles" flows so well into "The Crane Wife 3" that it makes me wonder how much one's work can inspire the next. Rating: 5
Leigh Nash: Blue on Blue--I've never heard a bad song that Leigh's sung. Her voice just touches the soul. It so sucks that I had to miss that show where I won free tix. I wish I could properly enunciate what power her music has over me. It just is so calming, and the music and lyrics are just as amazing as her voice.
mechanicalbirds: The Possibility of Flight--This purchase is actually from them finding me on Myspace. One of the ones that actually didn't suck. Imagine a candy-rich female voice singing over electronic beats. Infectious and enjoyable, but watch it... it does have the potential to be too sugary, so keep it playing among your others in your playlist. Rating: 3
Kirsty Hawkshaw: Meta-Message--The first song of hers to grab my attention was from something on Grey's Anatomy. Of course, I then searched her out on emusic and found this. Two of these songs I've heard already through her various connections on the Nettwerk label. Just as much as a spiritual voice as Leigh Nash's, but unfortunately the music is a little too ambient/electronic for me to fall in love with. Worthy songs are "Reach for Me" and "Nature's Kingdom." Rating: 3
DVDs
The Undertaker's Wedding: Oh god, why? I rented this only for Adrien Brody, and the truth is... this movie is SO bad that it's actually pretty laughable and entertaining. I can't even begin to tell what's so bad about it, but what's great is that it knows it's a bad movie! I'd only rec this for those who are really bored and/or are Adrien Brody fans. Rating: 3
Panic Room: I enjoyed this, and it definitely had me more tense than Flightplan. But there was just something... missing about it. I don't know how to explain it. But whatever that missing thing is, it keeps this from being a 5. Rating: 4
Super Size Me: Okay, you'd have to be a complete moron to know that fast food isn't good for you. You will gain weight; your health will deteriorate. Duh. But what I found interesting about this was HOW MUCH these unhealthy corporations were just as bad as the tobacco industry in trying to get the youth to buy into it... almost to the point where some of these schools had NO alternative but this. Rating: 5
Shortbus: Well... this movie is certainly revealing about sexuality. But at times, I felt the sex and nudity to be a tad gratuitous. We get to peer into two main characters and their sexual problems, but I dunno... kinda leaves me short. Yet, I can't deny that this a well-shot movie, gratuitous or not. Rating: 3
Cars: Oh, I loved this. Perhaps it's because I can appreciate where Paul Newman has been in real life, but his voice here is just so appropriate here. This movie gave me warm fuzzies... and also makes me wonder why Owen Wilson doesn't do more voice parts. Rating: 4
The Usual Suspects: Oooh, this was fun. I knew already who "keyser soze" was, but it was so entertaining to see how... And, dude, Benecio! He was so young here! After watching this, I can definitely see how this movie became as cultish as it is. Rating: 4
Ten Benny: After watching this and Adrien Brody, I wonder exactly which movie role it was that Adrien decided he want to start acting in better movies. I mean, Adrien did a good job with what he had to work with... but come on, there are sooo many better movies about this that you're just left to wonder, "what was the point of this?" Rating: 2
Sherrybaby: I gotta admit. The first half of this, I thought Maggie Gyllenhaal's character was so pathetic and slutty. I suppose that's the point, but... yeah, halfway in... I started to get it all... and realized how screwed-all-around Sherry is. I started feel sympathetic toward her and pined for her to just have one thing to cling to. What I adore about this is the ending is perfect. I can't imagine how hard it must be to play someone who's got a drug problem, on top of dysfunctionality in his/her family. Rating: 4