Poltergeist (2015) (REVIEW)

I really wanted this to be good, because so far I've only seen Sam Rockwell in some pretty darned respectable movies. The cast of Rockwell (Moon, Seven Psychopaths), Rosemarie DeWitt (Mad Men) and Jared Harris (Fringe, Mad Men) gave me hope. But alas, this was the biggest pile of shit (pardon my French) I've ever seen, at least in recent years. 

It was ridiculous from start to finish, with dreadful child acting to boot. I'm not sure how close to the original movie this remake is, but if this was the plot of the original then that must have been horrendous too. Or perhaps the concept has just aged really badly and film makers should leave the past where it belongs? 

I realise that this was a Sam Raimi film, and Sam Raimi traditionally makes pretty ridiculous films such as The Evil Dead. Maybe I'm looking at this all wrong, maybe I was supposed to be laughing all the way through... But then again, he did allow/help Fede Alvarez to murder his Evil Dead franchise in 2013 with a terrible "remake", so maybe this was a mistake in the same vein. 

Possibly its only saving grace was that Sam Rockwell was bloody funny! He's an excellent actor who found himself horribly out of place in this train wreck. Seriously, don't bother. 

Wild (REVIEW)

Based on the true story of one woman's work towards emotional well-being, Wild was a beautiful journey. It was both funny and moving with a genuinely interesting plot.

Having suffered traumas in her life, Reese Witherspoon's character, Cheryl, decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail which runs 2663 miles from California to Canada. The scenic imagery in the movie is outstanding. The natural beauty was enough to make me want to quit my job and go hike the trail myself.

The people that Cheryl meets on her journey and the events that take place entwine masterfully with the flashbacks to her troubled life. The whole thing just works. Witherspoon's performance is believable and heartfelt - definitely deserving of her Oscar nod.

If you want to laugh and cry, go see Wild.

Foxcatcher (REVIEW)

It was a rare treat to see Channing Tatum, Steve Carell and Mark Ruffalo in such serious roles, and they pulled it off magnificently. Probably the best part of this film is the fantastic acting. It tells the tale of Olympic wrestler, Mark Schultz, who despite winning a gold medal in the ’84 Olympics, felt like he was living in the shadow of his older brother.

The story can seem pretty slow at times, but maybe that’s just because it’s based around something I have no interest in. However, the wrestling isn’t the main draw; it’s the interaction between the characters that keeps you holding your breath. The tension throughout the film is palpable. I couldn’t help but worry about what was building up.

I would say it was a bit too long, but then maybe it needed to be slow paced. It’s hard to judge. If you’re interested in the true story the film is based on then this adaptation should be right up your street. If like me, you just love a good piece of psychological drama, then you won’t be wasting your time. Just be prepared to feel a little confused at the end as you try to figure out if you enjoyed it or not! 

Lady Gaga - Born This Way (REVIEW)

Lady Gaga – Born This Way

4.5/5

In true Lady Gaga fashion this album is way out there. On first listen, you can't be blamed for thinking “WTF?”. But on second listen, it suddenly dawns on you, “Yeah. This is awesome”. Unlike her last offering, The Fame Monster, there is no skimping on quantity for quality. Born This Way  is packed full of both. It consists of 14 new songs that are incredibly addictive, definitely no filler material in sight. There are more than a few religious references in this album, forming a semantic field running beneath the songs and tying them together conceptually - either she's returning to her Catholic roots or trying to piss some people off!

The first single from the album, also called Born This Way, is an anthem for all Gaga's ridiculously loyal fans. It's so unbelievably catchy that after one listen I knew most of the words, which happen to send an inspiring message: to love who you are and never try to change. Unsurprisingly, the fabulous pop song is the fastest-selling single in iTunes history, selling a staggering one million copies in just five days.

The second controversial single, Judas, is also a hit in my opinion. Once you get past how crazy it all sounds, you realise you can't stop singing it. And I'm fairly sure that Judas is a metaphor for some sleaze-bag guy that she keeps getting back with despite him betraying her constantly, not another name for Jesus, as some confused American Christians have decided. Regardless, it is one heck of a tune.

Other stand out tracks on the album include: Scheiße, which mixes German, English and irresistible dance beats; Hair, a heartfelt song in the style of an 80's rock power ballad, about hair (of course); Bloody Mary, which kind of scares me, in the best way possible; and The Edge of Glory, another perfect anthemic pop song.

But who am I kidding, there pretty much isn't a track that doesn't stand out. They are all different and brilliantly unique. The album takes influence from so many sources, cultures and eras. The first track Marry The Night  sounds like a 90's dance tune, and is surely just as timeless, whilst other songs are obviously influenced by 80's pop and rock. In songs like Hair, Lady Gaga really shows off what she can do with her voice, proving she's not just a one trick pony by sounding like a member of Heart. Despite the likenesses you can draw to other music, it all sounds so new and exciting.

As an artist, Lady Gaga drips with talent and likability. The respect she has for her fans, and the respect she gains in return is admirable. Lady Gaga is all about the in your face excellence. There's no room for quiet brilliance here. I honestly can't wait to hear what she does next. I thought that she would struggle to top amazingly successful hits like Bad Romance  and Paparazzi  but i clearly underestimated her. There is nothing this woman can't do.

Reactions to Tucson – The Inevitable Political Aftermath

The tragedy in Tucson, Arizona this January led to some interesting reactions and the usual cascade of news coverage. What I find interesting is how different these reactions were. Fellow Blogger Conform, Consume, Obey first got me thinking of this issue when he blogged two very contrasting videos from Obama and Palin.

Gabrielle Giffords

I had a look at the Guardian’s website and saw lots of articles covering the event. However, I immediately noticed a huge difference when I deigned to look at the Daily Mail. There are 2 articles on the fact that Gabrielle Giffords was Gwyneth Paltrow’s second cousin... (a point that the Guardian wisely didn’t consider relevant enough to write an article about) I mean seriously, overlooking the main issue just a bit! Just glancing at the headlines you can see the drama the Mail writers thrive on:

Police find photos of Arizona gunman, bizarrely posing with his firearm while wearing a red G-string, which were developed the morning of massacre
Gunman linked to white extremists: Loner charged after shooting top politician in the head and killing six

Compared with the more sober and respectful headlines of the Guardian:

Jared Loughner pleads not guilty to Arizona shootings
Gabrielle Giffords speaks one month after Arizona shooting.

Jared Loughner

With a story like this, the media always attempt to explain the horrific act by stereotyping the killer – deciding that he was obviously disturbed because he listens to rock music etc. The Pursuit of HappYness considers politics to be the most important factor in this tragedy, saying:

“It cannot really be disputed that [Loughner] was influenced in some way by Palin's ridiculous and hate inducing political campaign against the Democrats” 

and I too can see that the constant propaganda and hate is likely to affect people who aren’t all there to begin with, whereas Muncie Politics thinks that people have no right to blame the Republicans or politics in general,

“To place the blame on strong political debate is not only wrong, implying the possibility your words will somehow be connected to a mentally ill murderer is absurd. If you are conservative, Republican or in some way connected to the Tea Party you are to blame”. 

A certain degree of this speculation is to be expected, but surely it’s not the most important part of this story? Surely the miracle of Gabrielle Giffords clinging to life after being shot in the head is what the press should be focused on?

As usual though, it seems that political issues took centre stage, as people hit out at Palin over insensitive comments and her inappropriate use of the anti-semetic phrase ‘blood libel’, to quote her speech:

"Within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn”,

Sarah Palin

Damian Thompson says in the Telegraph (another respectable news paper) that Sarah Palin's use of the term "blood libel" raises two possibilities:

"1. She's so ignorant that she doesn't know that 'blood libel' refers to the myth that Jews drink the blood of sacrificed children.
2. She does know what it means, and blurted it out anyway."

On the other hand, some people weren’t upset by Palin’s use of the term, and supported her in saying that ‘blood libel’ has far wider usage these days.

"There is nothing improper and certainly nothing anti-Semitic in Sarah Palin using the term to characterize what she reasonably believes are false accusations that her words or images may have caused a mentally disturbed individual to kill and maim. The fact that two of the victims are Jewish is utterly irrelevant to the propriety of using this widely used term”, 

Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz said in her defence.

Barack Obama

Meanwhile, Obama focused on offering comfort to the victims families and praying for the recovery of Giffords.

"Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy and to remind ourselves of all the ways our hopes and dreams are bond together."

The BBC described his inspiring speech as ‘a call to moral arms’, and a speech ‘shot through with compassion and introspection’. His strength and humility brought tears to many in the audience. The difference in these reactions was quite apparent, even prompting an article from the Guardian: Arizona shooting: Obama speech and Palin's statement compared, and became a subject of an earlier blog of mine: Reactions to Tucson - Democrat Vs. Republican.
Jim Geraghty asks for some perspective in National Review:

"In the grand scheme of things, the idea that Palin used a phrase associated with one particular, egregious and historically recurring false accusation to rebut a modern false accusation seems like little reason for outrage. For perspective on what really is worth outrage, the services for 9-year-old victim Christina Taylor Green are tomorrow."

This being the point I really agree with.

What’s worse than Palin displaying her stupidity with a fairly offensive choice of phrase, in my opinion, is that this has become more important than the victims loss of lives. The disgusting thing about her speech is how quickly she brings it round to ‘me me me’ and POLITICS! I think Obama has the complete right attitude and reaction in this awful situation. As tempting as it is to stay on the fence with an issue like this, I think I have to side with The Pursuit of HappYness and most of the mass media in assigning some blame to Palin and her party. It seems that American politics has a way of driving people to the extreme, and it’s unsurprising when you consider the sheer amount of hate mongering that goes on.

My Chemical Romance + The Blackout @ Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle. 22/2/11 (REVIEW)

My Chemical Romance + The Blackout @ Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle. 22/2/11

It’s been 3 years since the last time My Chemical Romance graced our shores on tour, and unfortunately I’ve grown up a lot since then. Compare: queuing from 7am in the middle of November (cold!) with blankets, food and sing-a-longs galore, to waltzing in at 7.45pm having already missed the first support band... It was so much more fun the first way!

The arena was surprisingly empty when I arrived. They were only using half the seating anyway, but the standing area was eerily quiet. I think this might have been better as two O2 Academy dates. In fact there’s no ‘think’ about it, it definitely would have been.

Anyhow, The Blackout burst onto stage after little ado to the cheesy as hell song ‘Lets Get Ready to Rhumble’ which they probably thought was hilarious seeing as Ant & Dec are Geordies... Despite this small set back they thoroughly impressed me with their first song. Their pure, energetic post-hardcore, is thoroughly addictive. The two frontmen work together exceptionally to own the stage and entertain the audience – from swinging their mics in the air to having to be pulled back out of the crowd by the same mic cables, it was certainly entertaining. The Welsh rockers are definitely a good live act. The music itself may be slightly generic, but the singers’ amazing stage presence helps you to overlook that. Someone commented to me that she loved them until they spoke... Well it’s not their fault they’re Welsh!

I found their set a little bit too gimmicky if I’m honest. First with the entrance music, then some sort of strange arm stretching aerobic session in which one of the singers proved he doesn’t know left from right, then making the audience sing ‘I whip my hair back and forth’ in an attempt to wake them up, and worst: trying and failing to get everyone in the standing section down on their knees, in order to jump up and mosh when they gave the signal (I felt it was my duty to inform them that they ARE NOT SLIPKNOT!).

 Aside from all this though, their songs were really very good. So catchy that I knew most of the words by the end of their performance. ‘Spread Legs, Not Lies’ was dedicated to all us girls because we’re all ‘fucking liars’, Old classic ‘I’m a Riot? You’re a Fucking Riot’ was met by excited screams at the front of the crowd (the people who’d actually heard of The Blackout), and they also played a song off their new, unreleased album ‘Hope’ called ‘Higher &Higher’ which seemed to go down well. They did a fine job of warming up the crowd for the headliners that we were all desperate to see.


Images on the screens from the new album concept heralded the arrival of the New Jersey rock gods, and as I correctly predicted, they kicked off with the intro track from Danger Days, leading straight into super catchy single ‘Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)’. Without a doubt, My Chemical Romance just keep getting better every time I see them. Their performance was outstanding, musically flawless, and Gerard’s vocals have improved a thousand fold since early live performances (of course other factors have had an impact on the quality of their performance in the past). Their performance was technically so tight that we could easily have been listening to a CD.

I had some concerns that they would play entirely new songs, but I was worried for no reason; they alternated smoothly between new and old all night keeping all the fans happy. They even played some entirely unexpected old favourites such as ‘Our Lady of Sorrows’ and ‘Hang ‘Em High’, which made me very, very happy! As the first note of ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’ echoed around the arena the whole crowd broke into an immensely loud cheer – it was an amazing moment.

Gerard Way dedicated one of my favourite songs from Danger Days, ‘The Kids From Yesterday’ to the parents of all the teenies at the front. He said he was very grateful to them for bringing their kids to his shows etc etc. He also commented on their own age, and it was quite a touching moment to realise how far they have come as a band. They’re all grown up and married now. Living the dream. Yet they still care so much about the music, their roots, and their fans. I have so much love for Gerard Way, he’s a genuinely nice human being. As usual he asked the audience to look out for each other, and showed his appreciation to the security guys and everyone else behind the scenes. He also took time to thank everyone who follows My Chemical Romance around when they’re on tour and camp out outside venues. One of the things that make My Chemical Romance special is their connection with their fans and the amount of love and respect they command. One of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen at a gig was everyone making the shape of a heart out of their fingers in salute to My Chem. It’s obvious they deserve the adoration given by their fans.

The diversity of My Chemical Romance’s music really showed at this gig. One minute we all had lighters in the air during the hauntingly beautiful ‘The Ghost of You’, and the next we were all dancing our asses off to ‘Planetary (Go!)”. There was also a huge amount of immense guitar work from the legendary Ray Toro. He actually owned the solos, and he looked cool as fuck doing it. The solo to anthemic single 'I'm Not Okay (I Promise)' never ceases to send fans into a headbanging frenzy. The man’s such a genius, he should really be knighted or something. Ray is such an integral part of the band, his soaring riffs and heavy solos make the songs so brilliant, and as a live performer he’s nothing short of excellent.

They announced the end of their set on a solemn note with a wonderful performance of 'Cancer'. Just Gerard Way’s voice and a piano. It was so heart-wrenchingly beautiful I may have actually cried... I noticed that Gerard chose to not sing the words ‘never marry’ in the line ‘know that I will never marry’, because he’s married now - so damn cute.

It’s safe to say that My Chemical Romance are a great live band. They have proved themselves countless times. This gig was better than perfect, it was incredible. Their touring drummer was talented and very impressive; hopefully he will become a permanent fixture. I’m fairly certain My Chemical Romance have lots of albums left in them, and many more world tours to come. So next time they come to back to Newcastle, go see them! They’ll put on a performance that you’ll remember forever.

http://www.mychemicalromance.com
http://www.myspace.com/mychemicalromance
http://youtube.com/mychemicalromance
http://twitter.com/MCRofficial

The Green Hornet (REVIEW)

3/5

Last night, I went to see The Green Hornet at Empire Cinema, in The Gate, Newcastle. I went into it thinking that it would be along the lines of other films i have enjoyed such as Kick-Ass and Scott Pilgrim, I certainly wasn't disappointed.

The plot entails an immature millionaire's son, Britt Reid, inheriting his father's empire, and striking up a friendship with the guy who makes his coffee (who also happens to be his father's mechanic). Britt Reid, brilliantly played by Seth Rogan, decides to do something crazy, and with Kato (Jay Chou) goes out to decapitate his father's memorial. After coming across a couple being attacked and saving them from the attackers, the pair decide to make a proper go of being vigilantes. This leads to the making of a very pimped out vehicle, some awesome costumes, and many over the top (in a good way) action scenes.

The 3D effects were particularly good in the action parts of the film. Brilliantly done actually. The movie also comes with the effortless comic genius we have come to expect from Seth Rogan, and eye candy is provided in the form of the beautiful Cameron Diaz, who plays Britt's very sexy but intelligent secretary, Lenore.

The crimes portrayed in the movie are very serious, and represent an issue that's very relevant today - yet it's still hilarious. I found my self laughing out loud very frequently.

The viewing experience was only affected for me by Empire Cinema's incompetence when the bulb burned out 3/4 of the way into the movie and the screen went black for about 5 minutes, (the staff then stopped the movie and rewound it - very inconvenient).

Overall, I feel that The Green Hornet is well worth a watch for fans of action and comedy flicks alike. It combines the genres perfectly and to great success!

My Chemical Romance - Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (REVIEW)

My Chemical Romance 

– Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys  

4/5

The first question that sprung to mind when listening to Danger Days was “who are you, and what have you done with My Chemical Romance?”

If you had to pick an album that represents My Chemical Romance, it would surely be Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love was a brilliant first album, yet you could tell that they hadn’t reached their full potential. That potential was reached and succeeded by Three Cheers, a true masterpiece, combining concept with massive songs that easily hold their own as individual entities. Newer fans may consider The Black Parade to be the New Jersey rock heroes' crowning achievement, as it shot them to mainstream stardom. It was certainly a different direction, and not in a bad way. The only thing that let it down in my opinion was the concept becoming a bit of a gimmick, (which is unfortunate seeing as the concept was about a cancer patient). It seems that My Chemical Romance’s sound has constantly evolved from album to album, so maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised by Danger Days.

The first single to be release from the album, ‘Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)’ seems a bit juvenile, but having listened to it more than once, it definitely grows on you, and lodges itself firmly in your head.  It’s undeniable; this song makes you want to dance. I can hear it reverberating around arenas already.

‘The Only Hope for Me is You’, the second single, is definitely a stand out track on the album. Gerard Way’s voice is at its finest, the song is melodic, it’s sentimental - all of my favourite things about My Chem songs. Another ridiculously catchy tune, with a memorable chorus that packs a powerful punch.

The third single released from the album is ‘SING’. It starts quietly, almost calmly, with a cool beat and Way’s clear, piercing vocals, then kicks in for a chorus of anthemic proportions. This song has to be one of my favourites. Its message is genuine and inspiring.

Other stand out tracks on the album include: ‘Vampire Money’ which is an upbeat rant about not selling out and writing a song for Twilight Saga: New Moon... It even gives Edward’s Volvo a little mention (genius)! This is pure punk!  ‘Planetary [GO!]’ is a dance song through and through, with such the beat! So addictive. And also, ‘Bulletproof Heart’ with a brilliant riff that seems slightly stolen (Andrew W.K. – Party Hard anybody?)  But only slightly. Another massive song that could easily be their next single.

As a whole, it works. The tracks are ordered well, and split up with My Chem’s usual scattering of interludes that we have come to expect. The boys have lost their drummer, and struggled with being a man down, but it is clear they have grown and come a long way since the unadulterated emo that blasted from I Brought You My Bullets. This album is feel-good, not a razorblade in sight. It’s unsurprising that as of January 2011 Danger Days has sold 1 million copies.  As a band, My Chemical Romance have a much wider appeal than they used to, and if they keep churning out original, exciting music like this album, their appeal will only grow wider.

So, in answer to my first (mostly rhetorical) question; My Chemical Romance are all over this music. Toro’s uplifting riffs and Way’s entrancing vocals, and the whole bands general mass of energy – they may be constantly changing, but they certainly haven’t gone anywhere.

Reactions to Tucson - Democrat vs. Republican

This is me re-blogging something i found in a brilliantly entertaining blog called Conform, Consume, Obey (pointed out to me by http://lukeblogs.tumblr.com/), found here at http://conformconsumeobey.blogspot.com/
Honestly worth a read, very satirical and entertaining - i aspire to write like this. 

I realise that the storm surrounding this tragedy has passed, but i too urge you to compare and contrast these two videos - because quite frankly the difference is shocking! I was almost moved to tears by Obama's fitting and touching memorial to the victims, and praise and appreciation of the heroism showed that day. Whereas Palin's propaganda and political rhetoric is just insensitive.

Funny how the same intended message can come across so differently...

Barack Obama:



Sarah Palin:



I think you'll agree that the Republicans need to get their priorities in order...