My dedicated readers, I have been pondering this for the last couple of weeks. Which is better, The Sopranos or Lost? So, I'm thinking, I'll break it down, point by point. (At this point, I am 4 episodes into season 2 of Lost, and have seen all of the Sopranos, except for the last 2 episodes, so maybe this isn't fair. I say it is, and my word is bond.)
1)Characters - Not a contest here. Sopranos wins in a runaway. And while I was just thinking, well, that's because there are less characters, that's just not true. The show is more focused around 5 or so characters, with about 30 more minor characters, which I think Lost could benefit from. The Depth of Tony Soprano and crew, even over only one season, just puts Lost to shame. A suggestion of 5 characters to focus on (even though I haven't met them all yet) would be, Jack, Kate, Locke, Sawyer, and Sun Kwon. Just a suggestion fellows over at ABC.
2)Plot - I'd generally say that the Sopranos has earned the world's second "show about nothing" tag. I mean, it is about family, loyalty, human psychology, etc, but kind of just runs in circles. I haven't seen Lost go too far into the soap opera hell, and it seems to have more of a traditional plot. Lost wins this one by a healthy margin.
3)Eye Candy (camera work, not beautiful bikini-clad bodies!) - I think because Sopranos doesn't have to pitch to quite as large of a TV audience, they can afford to get a bit more artistic. This isn't to say Lost doesn't get artistic, and I'd say, as far as basic TV goes, I'm impressed with how far they have gone. The Sopranos occaisional dream episodes help to edge out Lost.
4)Acting - I'd say this one is dead even. James Gandolfini and Michael Imperioli's strong performances are occaisionally dragged down by weaker performances by Robert Iler, Lorraine Bracco, and Tony Sirico, with Sirico being the worst actor on Sopranos and Lost combined. Lost, I would say, does not have the insanely good acting that a couple of the cast of the Sopranos have, but they also don't have quite the weak performances either. I give the edge to the Sopranos on this one, just for their ability to be able to curse, and be naked.
So in a close call, 3-1, I choose the Sopranos, but for Lost being on regular TV, and even being able to be included in this discussion, is quite a feat.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Le Grindhouse
I don't believe that I've had as much fun for three hours in a movie theatre than I had watching Rodriguez and Tarentino's opus to B-movie double-features, at least since LotR: Fellowship of the Ring came out in 2001 (which had me giggling like a little fan-boy for about 3 hours).
What was interesting to me was that Rodriguez seemed to completely buy into the genre with "Planet Terror," and made, from beginning to end, one of the most hilarious and best "B-grade" zombie movies that I've seen. (Freddy Rodriguez, by the way, was fantastic as Wrey, and makes me think he's a fairly underrated character actor, as he was similarly hilarious and believable as "Reggie," the self-proclaimed science experiment with only one half of his body bulked up from working out, in M. Night's tragically misunderstood "Lady in the Water.")
But Tarentino also seems very interested, in "Death Proof," in paying homage to the films of the grindhouse era, but then also turning them on their head, subverting them, and then making a kick-ass Tarentino ending to the film. And in that way, it probably moves beyond the rest of the material here, and is thus a good way to end the over 3 hour opus.
Trailer notes: The opening trailer for "Machete" was campy and hilarious - and word is that Rodriguez will work with Danny Trejo to make an actual full lenght feature! Unfortunately, it may have worked as best as it could as a fake trailer.
Don't Scream - also funny, and in a very direct "this is a JOKE" way. In that way, Eli Roth's was probably the most effective AND funny trailer with "Thanksgiving." It WAS so much of the genre, but was just on that edge that so many of them either stay on and succeed with or cross and fail that it both WAS the genre, and was one of the best spoofs on the genre at the same time.
And Rob Zombie just doesn't get it - oooh, nudity, check - oooh, violence, check - oooh, Nazis, check - ooooh, monsters, check - it was like a paint by numbers exploitation film trailer that I think anyone could do with some actors, a budget, and the above list. He really doesn't get it - he may have enjoyed such films, and always wanted to make one - but I've yet to see his work really shine in this venue. Hopefully this doesn't bode ill for his Halloween remake (although a Halloween without the score is, in my opinion, no Halloween movie).
So, much fun to be had, and one of the most brazenly self-ingulgent projects in a long time - and one that, in my opinion, works so well in so many ways.
What was interesting to me was that Rodriguez seemed to completely buy into the genre with "Planet Terror," and made, from beginning to end, one of the most hilarious and best "B-grade" zombie movies that I've seen. (Freddy Rodriguez, by the way, was fantastic as Wrey, and makes me think he's a fairly underrated character actor, as he was similarly hilarious and believable as "Reggie," the self-proclaimed science experiment with only one half of his body bulked up from working out, in M. Night's tragically misunderstood "Lady in the Water.")
But Tarentino also seems very interested, in "Death Proof," in paying homage to the films of the grindhouse era, but then also turning them on their head, subverting them, and then making a kick-ass Tarentino ending to the film. And in that way, it probably moves beyond the rest of the material here, and is thus a good way to end the over 3 hour opus.
Trailer notes: The opening trailer for "Machete" was campy and hilarious - and word is that Rodriguez will work with Danny Trejo to make an actual full lenght feature! Unfortunately, it may have worked as best as it could as a fake trailer.
Don't Scream - also funny, and in a very direct "this is a JOKE" way. In that way, Eli Roth's was probably the most effective AND funny trailer with "Thanksgiving." It WAS so much of the genre, but was just on that edge that so many of them either stay on and succeed with or cross and fail that it both WAS the genre, and was one of the best spoofs on the genre at the same time.
And Rob Zombie just doesn't get it - oooh, nudity, check - oooh, violence, check - oooh, Nazis, check - ooooh, monsters, check - it was like a paint by numbers exploitation film trailer that I think anyone could do with some actors, a budget, and the above list. He really doesn't get it - he may have enjoyed such films, and always wanted to make one - but I've yet to see his work really shine in this venue. Hopefully this doesn't bode ill for his Halloween remake (although a Halloween without the score is, in my opinion, no Halloween movie).
So, much fun to be had, and one of the most brazenly self-ingulgent projects in a long time - and one that, in my opinion, works so well in so many ways.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Hee Seop Choi and the Korean 3
I recently recieved my DVD copy of Oldboy in the mail, rounding out my collection of Chan-wook Park's Oh-so-brilliant revenge trilogy (Yes, I know it's the second of the three, with the other two being Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance(the first) and Lady Vengeance). If you haven't seen these movies, run out today, right now, and buy them all. Forget renting them. You'll want to gouge your eyes out, jump in front of a train, and then drown yourself as quickly as possible, but in the best possible sense. For the basic rundown of these movies, imagine the worst thing possible happening to you, multiply by 10, and then imagine the revenge you would seek out. Yes. I know it's an awesome idea. I only wish I came up with it myself.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
We're Still Alive
I know, you were worried. We're still alive. I was kinda waiting for ole KubriKhan to post, but as I see he hasn't, I just wanted to let you all know that that blog is still alive. I promise at least two postings next week. In the meantime, I wholeheartedly recommend seeing Zodiac. It's brilliant. And I wholeheartedly unrecommend 300.
Monday, February 26, 2007
The Heavy Golden Man
A little rundown of the Oscar winners, nothing special.
Best Picture - The Departed. Wicked happy about this. I woulda been fine with Little Miss Sunshine too.
Director - Marty Scorsese. Even more wicked happy about that one. Nothing else would have made me happy, and I probably would have commited Hari Kari if there were any other outcome.
Actor - Forrest Whitaker. Surprise surprise. Actually I thought this one might go to O'Toole.
Actress - Helen Mirren. Surprise fucking surprise.
Actor supporting - Alan Arkin. Yay for Little Miss Sunshine. He really did steal a lot of the scenes he was in.
Actress supporting - Jennifer Hudson. Didn't see that flick, no comment. Girl can sing though, and has super baby making hips.
Cinematography - Pan's Labyrinth. As much as I love this movie, NO! Everyone who leaves Children of Men talks about the cinematography. Everyone who left Pan's Labyrinth talked about the great story, makeup, acting, whatever, but not cinematography. The one award that made me truly upset.
Honorary Oscar - Ennio Morricone. Made me want to cry.
Best Picture - The Departed. Wicked happy about this. I woulda been fine with Little Miss Sunshine too.
Director - Marty Scorsese. Even more wicked happy about that one. Nothing else would have made me happy, and I probably would have commited Hari Kari if there were any other outcome.
Actor - Forrest Whitaker. Surprise surprise. Actually I thought this one might go to O'Toole.
Actress - Helen Mirren. Surprise fucking surprise.
Actor supporting - Alan Arkin. Yay for Little Miss Sunshine. He really did steal a lot of the scenes he was in.
Actress supporting - Jennifer Hudson. Didn't see that flick, no comment. Girl can sing though, and has super baby making hips.
Cinematography - Pan's Labyrinth. As much as I love this movie, NO! Everyone who leaves Children of Men talks about the cinematography. Everyone who left Pan's Labyrinth talked about the great story, makeup, acting, whatever, but not cinematography. The one award that made me truly upset.
Honorary Oscar - Ennio Morricone. Made me want to cry.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Like, I'm soooooooo Scared
Another list for the kiddies. This time, a Horror film list. MMMMmmmm gore.
1)The Exorcist (1973) - Ok, so at this stage in my life, I chuckle through most of the movie. However, when I was around 15 or so, nothing freaked me out more than a viewing of the Exorcist. My dad passed out during a 1973 viewing (see a behavior pattern here?), and I was known to run around the house saying "Let Jesus fuck you!" Good times. Nothing owns more than a 14 year old Linda Blair covered in vomit and slime.
2)The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) - To this day, redneck horror freaks me out, and this movie is the pinnacle of redneck horror. Forever imitated (House of 1000 Corpses, Wolf Creek, High Tension, etc etc etc), TCM proved that low budget horror was a viable moneymaker. Its low quality look adds realism and genuine horror.
3)Cabin Fever (2002) - Eli Roth's kitschy flesh eating masterpiece makes me laugh and cringe through every viewing. Cabin Fever pays homage to the 70's and 80's slasher flicks (even a tune from Wes Craven's "Last House on the Left") but manages to stay fresh. Rider Strong and Joey Kern give great performances, and the music adds an oh so eerie touch.
4)Halloween (1978) - Of course this movie came out the year I was born. Of course it's set in Illinois. No horror movie has more repeat value than Halloween does. John Carpenter's directing, writing, and music score are all first rate, and the world was introduced to the queen of all scream queens, Jaime Lee Curtis.
5)A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - The first, and only scary, of the Nightmare series, this film gives good character development, great backstory, and one heck of a horror icon. With the possible exception of Jason Voorhees, no one has been more idolized in the genre. To top it all off, this is the film debut of Johnny Depp.
Late honorable mentions that probably should have made the list - 28 Days Later, Alien.
1)The Exorcist (1973) - Ok, so at this stage in my life, I chuckle through most of the movie. However, when I was around 15 or so, nothing freaked me out more than a viewing of the Exorcist. My dad passed out during a 1973 viewing (see a behavior pattern here?), and I was known to run around the house saying "Let Jesus fuck you!" Good times. Nothing owns more than a 14 year old Linda Blair covered in vomit and slime.
2)The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) - To this day, redneck horror freaks me out, and this movie is the pinnacle of redneck horror. Forever imitated (House of 1000 Corpses, Wolf Creek, High Tension, etc etc etc), TCM proved that low budget horror was a viable moneymaker. Its low quality look adds realism and genuine horror.
3)Cabin Fever (2002) - Eli Roth's kitschy flesh eating masterpiece makes me laugh and cringe through every viewing. Cabin Fever pays homage to the 70's and 80's slasher flicks (even a tune from Wes Craven's "Last House on the Left") but manages to stay fresh. Rider Strong and Joey Kern give great performances, and the music adds an oh so eerie touch.
4)Halloween (1978) - Of course this movie came out the year I was born. Of course it's set in Illinois. No horror movie has more repeat value than Halloween does. John Carpenter's directing, writing, and music score are all first rate, and the world was introduced to the queen of all scream queens, Jaime Lee Curtis.
5)A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - The first, and only scary, of the Nightmare series, this film gives good character development, great backstory, and one heck of a horror icon. With the possible exception of Jason Voorhees, no one has been more idolized in the genre. To top it all off, this is the film debut of Johnny Depp.
Late honorable mentions that probably should have made the list - 28 Days Later, Alien.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Live and Let Live
Yay! A List! This, my darlings, is my top 5 Live Records list. In some sort of particular order, though, who knows, maybe it's in random order. I can't figure that out myself.
5)Pink Floyd - Ummagumma (Disc 1) - This record is a great representation of early Floyd, but with a lineup sans Syd Barrett. Though the second disc is studio material, I'm choosing to take Disc 1 and count it as a seperate entity. A Saucerful of Secrets is an especially great track to wrap it all up.
4)The Doors - In Concert - This record is actually a compilation of other live records, (such as Absolutely Live and Live at the Hollywood Bowl) but I'm doing the opposite of the Ummagumma thing, and including more than I should. See how that works. I spit in the face of rules. Songs like Celebration of the Lizard and Gloria, which are not included in any studio album, really enhance the experience overall. Not to be skipped over is Jim Morrison's incessant banter with the crowds and house announcers.
3)Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds - Live at Luther College - This is a 2 disc collection of Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds songs pre-Before These Crowded Streets. Acoustic versions of Two Step, Halloween, Stream, and Seek Up are especially good. More witty banter with the crowd, which I think should be something some live albums should have. Otherwise, how do we know it's really live? Conspiracy? Have you been watching the Pink Panther lately?
2)Blues Traveler - Live From the Fall - Maybe my favorite, maybe not. It's really a toss up between this, and the other #1. Closing Down the Park and Alone are two of my favorite live performances of all time. Some more great banter (seeing a trend here?), and absolutely great live jam band shenaniganry. The echoing harmonica on Closing Down the Park is a John Popper tradition, and I gotta say, there's really no other sound quite like it.
1)Rush - Exit...Stage Left - All right everyone, you know I had to have a Rush record on here, and why not put it at #1? This tour was in support of their Moving Pictures record, which was a kind of climax of that stage of their music. YYZ is impeccable, and if you're lucky enough to have it on vinyl, or have the remastered 1997 version, you'll get to hear a wonderful rendering of Passage to Bangkok. Wicked awesome version of La Villa Strangiato as well.
5)Pink Floyd - Ummagumma (Disc 1) - This record is a great representation of early Floyd, but with a lineup sans Syd Barrett. Though the second disc is studio material, I'm choosing to take Disc 1 and count it as a seperate entity. A Saucerful of Secrets is an especially great track to wrap it all up.
4)The Doors - In Concert - This record is actually a compilation of other live records, (such as Absolutely Live and Live at the Hollywood Bowl) but I'm doing the opposite of the Ummagumma thing, and including more than I should. See how that works. I spit in the face of rules. Songs like Celebration of the Lizard and Gloria, which are not included in any studio album, really enhance the experience overall. Not to be skipped over is Jim Morrison's incessant banter with the crowds and house announcers.
3)Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds - Live at Luther College - This is a 2 disc collection of Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds songs pre-Before These Crowded Streets. Acoustic versions of Two Step, Halloween, Stream, and Seek Up are especially good. More witty banter with the crowd, which I think should be something some live albums should have. Otherwise, how do we know it's really live? Conspiracy? Have you been watching the Pink Panther lately?
2)Blues Traveler - Live From the Fall - Maybe my favorite, maybe not. It's really a toss up between this, and the other #1. Closing Down the Park and Alone are two of my favorite live performances of all time. Some more great banter (seeing a trend here?), and absolutely great live jam band shenaniganry. The echoing harmonica on Closing Down the Park is a John Popper tradition, and I gotta say, there's really no other sound quite like it.
1)Rush - Exit...Stage Left - All right everyone, you know I had to have a Rush record on here, and why not put it at #1? This tour was in support of their Moving Pictures record, which was a kind of climax of that stage of their music. YYZ is impeccable, and if you're lucky enough to have it on vinyl, or have the remastered 1997 version, you'll get to hear a wonderful rendering of Passage to Bangkok. Wicked awesome version of La Villa Strangiato as well.
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