...will not be compiled by me this year. Instead here are the three best films I saw in 2010. This list is not comprehensive but it is definitive.
1. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
2. Inception
3. Exit Through the Gift Shop
Thursday, December 30, 2010
The Top Ten Films of the Year...
Monday, October 11, 2010
A Legendary Meeting (My "Mick and Keith")
Anyone who knows me well enough knows just how much Talking Heads meant, and continue to mean, to me. Growing up geek, the music of Byrne, Harrison, Frantz and Weymouth proved to me that you could be nerdy and cool; hip in fact. Their music gave me a cocksure swagger the most punishing punk, the most brutal metal could never achieve. This was music that made me feel proud to be on the on the outs, never quite in step with what's going on, what's happening (even if, for a brief moment in the 1980's, Talking Heads was in fact what was happening). It's for this that this little band from New York forever has my gratitude and admiration. I know some people would kill to meet Paul McCartney or Eric Clapton but as far as I'm concerned, on the night of October 10th, 2010, I just met my Mick and Keith.
As the group in front of me wrapped up its conversation with Weymouth and Frantz and I slid into place, I locked eyes with the demure Tina... and almost immediately began to fumble over my words.
"I can't tell you how big of an influence you've had on me over the years."
"Oh, are you a musician?"
"No, no, (not a very good one anyway). It was just an honor to see you perform."
"Who should I make it out to?"
"Uh... oh.. just Joe. Just Joe's fine. Please come back again soon!"
"We will!"
And like that, it was over.
As I drove back home, I put on "Naked," perhaps my least favorite Talking Heads album but one that I began to appreciate ever more so the closer I got to my apartment. I've always felt it was the band's most self conscious work and there was something about it that prevented me from embracing it the same way I embraced "Fear of Music" or "True Stories" on first listen. However, for some reason, none of that mattered anymore. Maybe it's because I just met two of the people who helped commit this music to disc but one thing's for sure: I'll never be able to listen to this album the same way again.
So here's to you Mr. and Mrs. Frantz, where ever you are, for showing a nervous kid from Orange County a certain modicum of kindness as he met two of his heroes and allowing him the chance to be all nerdy and stuff.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
You've done a man's job, Mr. Nolan: Dreaming of "Inception"
Like most of you, I've been reading a lot about Inception all weekend long. Some, like Roger Ebert's latest journal entry, have discussed the film's critical reception and fan reaction to said reception. Others have gone into great depth discussing not just its meaning but whether it all makes sense. The most heated discussions have revolved, surprisingly, around the reception while the most loathsome have been generated by the questions seemingly raised by the film's final shot and its few "logical" conclusions. Going into the film, I had little doubt Nolan would wind up making a film that would polarize but I had no idea how severe the rift would be and all because of that damn, infernal top.
For those still puzzled by the film and its resolution, let me ask: If the top was origami, would it have all made more sense?
Christopher Nolan has acknowledged in the past that "Blade Runner" is among his favorite films and the final shot in his "Inception" is every bit an homage to the end of Ridley Scott's sci-fi neo-noir. The significance on the origami unicorn which Gaff leaves behind for Deckard to purposely discover has been the subject of many debates over whether or not Harrison Ford's detective was a replicant or human, much like Dom Cobb's spinning top purposely plants a seed of doubt in the viewer during "Inception's" final moments. Was it all a dream? Is Cobb still stuck in limbo? These are questions many will find themselves asking to be sure but I think the most important thing the audience should be questioning is the nature of our own reality itself.
When the movie ended I felt played to be sure like only a master filmmaker can play an audience but I also felt a certain sense of comfort, the kind of comfort you get after hearing someone you respect express an opinion you agree with. Even though he trades in the big budget world of blockbuster filmmaking, Nolan is very much a provocateur. "The Dark Knight" was a herald for his sensibilities and "Inception" proves the point-this is a filmmaker interested in challenging our viewpoints at all times, be it in a comic book movie or a suspense thriller.
I don't think it's fair to throw around phrases like "dream logic" when describing the film's structure. On closer inspection, the film's plotting is air tight, with numerous call backs and tiny moments that, if missed, may lead people in the wrong direction when trying to decipher it. To call into question Nolan's intentions or Cobb's true state and the nature of what we have just seen veers on the banal and inane. The characters are always very much in jeopardy even when under deep layers of subconscious. Nolan sets up the rules of the game early on when describing what happens to a mind under heavy sedation-lost in limbo until the brain turns to mush. I very much feel that "Inception" is less a puzzle to be figured out and more a labyrinth, much like the one Ariadne draws for Cobb in order to win his confidence (and secure a job on his team). From Wikipedia:
In colloquial English labyrinth is generally synonymous with maze, but many contemporary scholars observe a distinction between the two: maze refers to a complex branching (multicursal) puzzle with choices of path and direction; while a single-path (unicursal) labyrinth has only a single, non-branching path, which leads to the center. A labyrinth in this sense has an unambiguous route to the center and back and is not designed to be difficult to navigate.[2]
Think back to the film's first scene-we're at a beach, waves crashing onto sand. Cobb lays face down and is taken to a stately palace where he is greeted by a very old Asian man, asking whether or not he has come to kill him. We are then thrust into the film proper with little fanfare or proclamation. Now, recall how the film ends, how we trace Cobb's steps back home. Having finally let go of his wife Cobb begins the search for the man who will grant him freedom. We arrive at him awash on a beach, forced by gun point to a stately palace where he is greeted by a very old Asian man, asking whether or not he has come to kill him. The end is the beginning is the end is the beginning...
The final scene does not betray the integrity of the film as Nolan sets up his exit right from the get go. Rather, the film's conclusion reinforces the labyrinthine structure that we have been walking for the past two and a half hours. That Cobb seemed stumped by Ariadnne's labyrinth is all the more significant by movie's end.
Ultimately, "Inception" is not about dreams but about reality and not taking anything for granted. Nolan has made an exquisite film that pleases as much as it confounds, all told with impeccable craft and skill. Love it or hate it, one thing is for sure-"Inception" is the work of a very special filmmaker and we are lucky to be awake and watch as he dreams.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
The next best thing to a Talking Heads reunion-Tom Tom Club is back!
From the official press release. Note the two (two!) L.A. dates in October.
TOM TOM CLUB ANNOUNCE FALL TOUR
‘Genius Of Live’ Will Be Released September 28th; It Will Feature Select Tracks From Tom Tom Club’s Album ‘Live At The Club House’ As Well As A Latin Alternative Remix Tribute To The Timeless Smash Hit “Genius Of Love”
‘Live At The Club House’ Found The Iconic Group Performing At Peak Energy For A Collection Of Friends In Their Home Studio And Traveling Their Catalog From “Genius Of Love” And “Wordy Rappinghood” To Their Signature Covers Of Al Green’s “Take Me To The River” And Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing”
“Genius Of Love” Has Been Prominently Sampled Since The Early Days Of Hip Hop, From Grandmaster Flash To Mariah Carey And Tupac Shakur To T.I.; On The New Tom Tom Club Release, ‘Genius Of Live,’ Artists Like Ozomatli, Nortec Collective, Money Mark And The Pinker Tones Tackle The Track
While Tom Tom Club Has Performed From Connecticut To Spain And Japan In The Past Year, They Will Embark On Their First Lengthy U.S. Tour In 10 Years This Fall
UPCOMING ‘GENIUS OF LIVE’ ALBUM RELEASE TOUR
9/21 – StageOne – Fairfield, CT
9/22 - – StageOne – Fairfield, CT
9/23 – Rock and Roll Hotel – Washington, DC
9/24 – Grog Shop – Cleveland, OH
9/25 – Midpoint Music Festival – Cincinnati, OH
9/26 – Exit In – Nashville, TN
9/27 – The Old Rock House – St. Louis, MO
9/28 – Metro – Chicago, IL
9/29 – Mickey Finn’s Pub – Toledo, OH
9/30 – Phoenix Theatre – Toronto, ON
10/1 – Cabaret Mile End – Montreal, QC
10/2 – Higher Ground Showcase Lounge – Burlington, VT
10/3 – Paradise Rock Club – Boston, MA
10/8 – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
10/9 – The Getty – Los Angeles, CA
10/10 – Echoplex – Los Angeles, CA
10/12 – Casbah – San Diego, CA
Nacional Records is proud to announce the September 28th release of Tom Tom Club’s ‘Genius Of Live.’ The iconic group’s new album will feature select tracks from classic album ‘Live At The Club House’ as well as a remix tribute to the smash hit, “Genius Of Love.” Tom Tom Club will embark on their first lengthy U.S. tour in 10 years this fall.
“It will be a real pleasure for us to see so much of the USA again this fall,” says Tom Tom Club drummer/founder Chris Frantz. “We are all very excited about this tour, to go out and make new friends and reconnect with old friends. The band consists of seven players, is smoking hot and completely live. We don't use any sequencers or backing tapes at all!”
‘Live At The Club House’ was recorded with the group performing at peak energy for a collection of friends in their Connecticut home studio. It features Tom Tom Club’s effervescent, energetic, and upbeat live show while proving their original fusion of hip hop, reggae, Afrobeat and funk is truly timeless. The album travels the group’s catalog from “Genius Of Love” and “Wordy Rappinghood” to their renowned covers of Al Green’s “Take Me To The River” and Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing.” It was recorded shortly after the September 11 tragedy, converting the stress and paranoia of the times into positive energy.
“We have a really exciting band and wanted to record the band for posterity while we were all together,” Chris says. “Who knew if we would still be all together in the future? This was in October immediately following the harrowing events of September 11 and we wanted to do something positive and fun to counteract the sad and confused feeling people were experiencing at the time.”
“Genius Of Love” has been prominently sampled since the early days of hip hop, from Grandmaster Flash to Mariah Carey and Tupac Shakur to T.I. On ‘Genius Of Live,’ Latin alternative artists like Ozomatli, Nortec Collective, Money Mark (Beastie Boys) and The Pinker Tones tackle the track for their own remixes.
“‘Genius Of Love’ is a song that really has taken on a life of its own,” Chris explains. “It is not just about dancing or getting down. It's about musical salvation; that a life can be saved by funky music. When we were first introduced to Grandmaster Flash, he said, ‘You’re going to hear a lot of people using this track.’ Of course, we had no idea how right he would turn out to be.”
Chris and Tina originally connected with Nacional founder/president Tomas Cookman in a conversation about Cookman’s longtime management client Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. They were approached to produce the legendary Argentine band’s album ‘Rey Azucar.’
“I took one look at the video for ‘Matador’ and before I knew it, I was on a plane to Puerto Rico to meet the Cadillacs,” Chris recalls. “I soon found out that Tomas had been a habitué of CBGB’s and we shared a lot of common. My first thoughts were, ‘How will I communicate with the band if I cannot speak Spanish?’ But, when I met them for the first time and saw what amazing musicians they were, I knew that we would be able to understand each other on a musical level. Producing ‘Rey Azucar’ in the Bahamas was a completely satisfying and successful experience and one that we will always remember with great affection.”
The Tom Tom Club was formed by Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth in 1981. Graduates from the Rhode Island School of Design, they moved to New York City where they founded the Talking Heads as a trio with David Byrne in 1975. Chris played drums, Tina played bass and David sang and played guitar. In early 1981, the Talking Heads took a hiatus after five years of touring internationally and four studio albums. Chris and Tina began the Tom Tom Club and signed with Chris Blackwell and Island Records.
When legendary reggae producer Lee “Scratch” Perry failed to show up for the scheduled recording sessions in the Bahamas, Blackwell allowed Chris and Tina to produce the album themselves with Jamaican engineer Steven Stanley. The Tom Tom Club's first single was “Wordy Rappinghood,” an unusually original mix of schoolyard rap over a funky groove that went into the top of the charts in 17 countries. “Wordy Rappinghood” turned out to be seminal in bringing mainstream attention to the new spirit of hip-hop.
The group’s second single was the remarkable “Genius of Love.” Released in the UK before North America, the track was bubbling up in the underground with dozens of unsolicited remixes and versions--most notably, Grandmaster Flash’s "It's Nasty/Genius of Love" in 1982—a massive hit in the clubs and on the R&B and dance charts, soon earning the Tom Tom Club debut a Gold sales award. In 1995, Mariah Carey hit #1 with “Fantasy,” her version of “Genius of Love” featuring Ol’ Dirty Bastard rapping over the original instrumental track. “Genius of Love” continues to be frequently sampled by various artists, from Tupac Shakur to most recently, T.I. feat. Fergie and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.
Beginning their artistic careers as painters, Chris and Tina often tell stories about originally planning to pursue music for a couple years. But it’s become a lifelong pursuit. “Painting is a beautiful medium, it’s something that you can do until the day you die,” Chris says. “Still, once you've rocked the house with Tom Tom Club, there really is nothing quite as satisfying. Without exaggeration we can say that we truly love this band.”
Friday, June 18, 2010
Yeah, this is basically filler
Not following me on Twitter? Here's what you've missed...
- Toy Story 3 trivia: That cane Lotso relies on so heavily in the movie? It's made of nostalgia.
- The best spoiler-free compliment I can give to Toy Story 3? It has the best looking completely CG garbage bags I've ever seen in a movie.
- Can someone who drives a semi-new Daewoo really be a PUNK LVR?
- I really hope the new Zelda game helps put to bed the theory that there's some logic behind the Zelda timeline because clearly there is none
Saturday, June 5, 2010
This is not a review: "Sainthood" by Tegan and Sara
I've been asked by a few people why I haven't written a review of Tegan and Sara's new album or recent shows even though I had reviewed their last album and am an admittedly very big fan of the Canadian twosome. However, it's because I've become such a huge fan that I've been hesitant to write anything about T&S lately.
As a critic (if I may call myself one) I think you have to allow yourself to be honest with your feelings in regard to a specific work be it a film, album, book or what have you. And, in all honesty, I think whatever those two girls do, will do or have done is (for the most part) pure unadulterated genius. It's the kind of genius that affects me so deeply, so profoundly that every brilliant move is illuminated tenfold and every misstep only serves to help appreciate said greatness all the more. That's right folks-Tegan and Sara have entered George Lucas territory.
If I were to tell you that "Sainthood" is one of only two albums of 2009 (the other being Bat for Lashes' "Two Suns") that absolutely deserve to be on your current rotation at all times, would you take me at my word or write me off as a mere fanboy? Whatever your opinion, my feelings on the matter are absolute: Tegan and Sara have entered the pantheon of only the most elite groups whose output grows by leaps and bounds with each new album and whose career seems to have been earmarked for greatness since its very earliest stages. Their previous, "The Con," deserves every ounce of praise it has garnered and then some. It is one of the definitive works of the past decade, an album that will stand the test of time and find greater resonance with each passing year.
So if "The Con" is their "Rumors" then it only seems fitting that the follow up, "Sainthood," is every bit the band's "Tusk." The sharp divide between the songwriting styles and thematic obsessions between the two has never been more clearly defined than it is here. Synth-heavy dance tracks co-mingle with loud and edgy power-punk anthems but beneath it all lies a very real, very raw heart.
The album begins with one of Sara Quin's tracks, "Arrow." We then move to the more familiar (and I don't mean that as a pejorative) sound of Tegan's "Don't Rush" & "Hell." Both are much more direct in their lyrics and meaning than Sara's "Arrow" which is layered in metaphor and nuance. It's the contrast between these first tracks that will come to define the rest of the album's sound.
While on first listen "Sainthood" might seem like a less cohesive work than "The Con," in its own way it reveals itself as just as conceptual a piece as its predecessor. The album's last track, "Someday" by Tegan, seems more like a payoff than just a conclusion. You could surmise that all of the songs on the album are very much about relationships but Tegan's songs seem to be more specific, building a kind of narrative through movements spaced out by Sara's more eccentric offerings. "Someday" then is the logical point of arrival with it's declamatory verse, "Mark my words I might be something someday."
But if Tegan is the storyteller then Sara is clearly the analyst, working out her shit through song-melody and structure, form and shape. It only makes sense that Sara's songs would be more experimental in nature. Here she is pushing her own sonic boundaries, asking questions of herself by crafting tracks that are distinctly different than anything she has done before on a Tegan and Sara album leaving us with a far greater impression of her imagination and creativity than ever before.
It has its detractors, some of whom are fans. I know this and yet I still embrace "Sainthood" with all the feverish passion I can muster. It's the kind of album I cherish and Tegan and Sara is the kind of band I always hoped I would get to experience in my lifetime rather than just hear stories of how great they were way back when.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
"It's not a prop, it's my lightsaber."
You know, I've always thought Rachel Maddow was the smartest and funniest pundit on TV. Now I know...
Monday, May 24, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
All right, whose bright idea was this?
WWE owner Vince McMahon has done some pretty awful things (screwing Bret Hart *what up Canadian readers?!?!*) but putting American hero Buzz Aldrin through this has to take the cake:
He's been made a shill! A shill for his own wares!
A clip featuring Aldrin addressing the crowd has also made the rounds but it has mercifully been pulled from You Tube. It's not that I think pro-wrestling is beneath the man, heck I used to be a pretty big fan myself when I was a kid, but Aldrin was just not the right guy for this job. And given his status as the second man to walk the surface of the moon (the friggin' moon people) the last thing we need to do is make him a laughing stock.
*And, for fans, yes I know that what I just said could very well be applied to Bret Hart's current run in the organization but seeing as how I'm a (in the parlance) mark for the guy let's just skirt the issue, shall we?
Fun with Google Analytics
Here's what I've learned in the past week about the viewership for both my personal blog and Celluloid Annoyed:
- People who visit Celluloid Annoyed through this site spend WAAAAAAAYYYY more time on it than those who visit it via Twitter.
- As much as you guys hate plugs on social media sites, they work: Celluloid Annoyed gained a 750% surge in views since I began promoting it on the networks I use. And I'm not nearly as aggressive as I could be.
- Most people reading my personal blog don't know me personally as most visits are from Blogger referrals.
- The T&S board I'm on is the largest generator of unique hits to Celluloid Annoyed.
- The video I posted below has nothing to do with anything I've discussed here, I just haven't seen it in awhile and though it was funny.
All around, interesting stuff. I'm amazed this site gets any hits at all since I only broadcast new post alerts via my personal Twitter account which has only 19 followers.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
I hate Julie Bowen
So Julie Bowen, star of the show "Modern Family" (which I have never seen and, thanks to her, will never see) has been making the rounds lately for airing a photo of her breastfeeding on the George Lopez show. Because I'm not socially inept like Bowen, I'm not going to post the photo here but you can view it over at the Huffington Post. That's not why I hate her.
The real reason I hate her is because of her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel a few weeks back where she hates on "Star Wars" fans, despite the fact that the series is a world wide phenomenon and George Lucas will be revered and remembered a hundred years from now while she, being in an actress in her early forties, has nothing more than a career in Lifetime TV movies and plastic surgery to look forward to (best case scenario). If you've got the stomach for her cloying personality you can view the Kimmel clip here:
Monday, May 17, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Review: "The Complete Metropolis"
"The mediator between head and hands must be the heart!"
It's been about 11 years since I last saw Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" in a film history class I took during my sophomore year of high school. I've changed quite a bit since then and, perhaps fittingly, so has the film. After a near miraculous discovery of a 16mm print featuring scenes once thought lost, Kino International has afforded the film a complete reconstruction and restoration to create what has become known as "The Complete Metropolis." Finally modern audiences will have a chance to see what patrons first experienced way back in 1927 (fyi-the year my grandfather was born) and sitting in that theater tonight I couldn't help but think back to how those audiences must have reacted when they first caught a glimpse of this, one of the most fully realized worlds ever committed to film.
For those not up to speed on "Metropolis" lore, the film follows Freder, the son of Metropolis founder Joh (or John depending on which version of the film you're watching) Fredersen, and his awakening to the plight of the hands that built his father's city. He is led on his journey by the maternal Maria, a leader of the under-dwellers who gives them hope and strength as they toil away and make the city run. An uprising soon occurs and the fate not only of the city but its very people, rich and poor, hangs in the balance.
Although it's universally praised, I couldn't help but feel a disconnect while watching the movie then and now. The film is more about storytelling than the actual story. The characters are very broadly sketched and it was difficult for me to truly become engaged in any ones' struggle. But that's neither here nor there. The city itself is the film's most prominent character and what supplies us with our most vivid memories. It doesn't just exist but comes to life and fills our imagination with a kind of wonder that has yet to be equaled despite (and perhaps because of) today's technology.
Basically, and at the risk of dispelling any goodwill I may have built up with you to this point, I think I admire and respect the film more than I love it. That said, it's impossible not feel your spine tingle when the robotic Maria awakens or the goose bumps on your arm rise as the music crescendos over vistas of towering skyscrapers. These are moments to be cherished and this is what the movies do better than any other medium.
No matter what your opinion is, it's difficult to view this film as just a another movie. "Metropolis" carries with it the weight of nearly a centuries' worth of science fiction imagery. There is not a genre picture that doesn't owe at least something to Lang's vision of the future and that is its greatest legacy. Let there be no doubt: this film absolutely must be seen (on the big screen if possible) by anyone who loves the movies.
The Complete Metropolis official trailer
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Just so we're clear
My @joe1138 is my private, personal feed meant to keep people who know me up to speed on my goings on. I'm going to keep it private from here on out permanently however, you may send a request to follow my Twitter feed. @celluloidannoid will be my public stream and will focus on Celluloid Annoyed updates, news items of interest and anything else that I feel like making public.
Pope to gays looking to marry and mothers pregnant with unwanted children: "No."
But just so we're clear-touching little kids and doing nothing to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted disease in third world countries? A-okay.
Pope Benedict XVI: Gay marriage 'insidious and dangerous'
theotherjc.net Book Club Selection: Too Fat To Fish
I finally picked up Artie Lange's book, Too Fat To Fish, today and boy is it a page turner. I'm up to chapter 3 right now, wherein he recounts the details of the infamous bank hold-up story. It's much more honest and revealing than I expected and, as much as I appreciate Lange's backstory, I really hope he makes with the funny soon.
Get well soon, sir. The Stern show just ain't the same without you.
Artie Lange: Too Fat To Fish
Armstrong to Obama: You Astro-nut!
Via Yahoo! "Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, blasted NASA's new plans for future space exploration Wednesday, adding that President Barack Obama was poorly advised when he canceled the space agency's previous course for U.S. human spaceflight earlier this year."
Neil Armstrong: Obama's New Space Plan 'Poorly Advised'
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
theotherjc.net is now Joebook: the Joecial network
I am so fed up with Facebook. Seriously. I was reluctant to jump in and now that I have it seems like it just one headache after another. Seeing as how I own this domain in addition to celluloidannoyed.com *plug* I am basically turning this into the hub for all things Joe. If you want to keep up with me and my exploits/thoughts, this is the place to do it from here on out.
I'll remain active on Twitter, You Tube and (to a lesser extent) Vimeo but Facebook is a closed chapter. I probably don't have to fill you in on the details as to why I'm leaving but here's a quick story over at PC World which cites just a few reasons.
Facebook keeps telling lies
While it's not my place to tell you how to connect with others, I strongly recommend you consider looking at other options to maintain all of your contacts. I mean seriously, how many of those people do you talk to on a regular basis anyway?
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