Jefferson à Paris

A period piece about Thomas Jefferson's relationships when he served as ambassador to France, in Paris during the French revolution. America was a new country, fresh from the American revolution, still indebted to France from an alliance created against the British

He witnessed the plight of the french people, the unreasonable excess of the nobles, the chasm between rich (noble) and poor (commoner), the purging of french society. And at the same time, still internalizing the kind of America he, and his compatriots, envision their country to be.

"all (white) men are created equal."
There were questions revolving around racism, slavery, and mestizos. Europe was by far ahead in abolishing slavery. And it seemed to suggest Jefferson might have picked up the cause from them.

And even today we see a progressive Europe in terms of civil liberties. Its unfortunate that the super power we have had to follow is the one most lagging behind.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars ***
Rather shallow but contains politics

New Wave Diary

I remember that time back in 1997, it was the middle of the week, myself and a bunch of officemates were at The Brewery in Glorietta. The air was cool, atmosphere was relaxed, and sound system was of high quality. The music surrounded you without overpowering your conversation. The guys who operated the place know how to set the volume at just the right level.

I forget why we were there in the first place. But I do remember the music. They played mostly 80's synthesized songs made popular by forgotten bands of that time. The playlist featured Modern English, Wang Chung, Soft Cell, The Cure, Spandau Ballet, among many others.

My table companion, Mon, interrupted our discussion and made a comment about the music that I will never forget. He said, "It doesn't get any better than this, man. What you're hearing now are sounds from the best musical era ever, 80's new wave. That was the best time."

At first I found his comment amusing because it was something my mother frequently mentioned me... except she always referred to 60's music being the best rather than the 80's. And she always wondered out loud why today's music had degraded so much since her time.

I told her my theory that there probably were a lot of lousy songs released in the 60's, we just never hear of them. Only the good stuff such as Beatles songs and a few others survive the years. It got me thinking though, if that were so, why are the 70's not as fondly remembered? Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good 70's songs (The Eagles, Bread, and The Bee Gees were some examples of phenomenal bands during that era). It could be a fact that the decade of the 60's were a golden era, while the following decade was one of transition. Look at it this way: 60's = good, 70's = transition, 80's = good, 90's = transition, 00's = ???.

What's interesting is that although my father does appreciate the decade of the 60's, he's also into other stuff from the big band and swing era, Glenn Miller, Tony Bennet, etc. He's slightly older than my mother but not by much. And I have inherited some of his interest in big bands. I suggest you try listening to them by the way, you might like it. I guess that's one reason why we don't hear of the "glorious 1920's era of music", because most of the enthusiasts have either passed away, or stopped caring altogether.

Once in a while I'd hear a song I like, and discover it sounds very much like those 80's new wave tunes. For instance, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the song 'Selfish' by The Other Two in late '94. Then I discovered the group was a spinoff of the 80's band New Order, who themselves released one of this year's best songs, 'Krafty'. Last year, I was enthralled with Tears for Fears latest single 'Call Me Mellow', got the CD and had one of the most enjoyable listens I've had in many years (check out the track 'Everybody Loves a Happy Ending', great!!) Even my favorite band CAKE went the synthesized instrument route with their latest album, 'Pressure Chief', a fitting tribute to the 80's era.

Many of my friends are also big-time retro fans. I remember riding in Jeth's car and being bombarded with the full range of new wave. It was like entering a time machine. Another guy, Jan is one of the most hardcore Tears for Fears fan you will ever meet. I also won't forget that smile on Jimbo's face when he was telling us about Duran Duran's dramatic comeback in the mid-90's.

To fully appreciate the time, try imagining what it was like 20+ years ago. During that time, there was no internet, no blogs, no giant-sized super malls (unless you count Virra Mall, Shoemart, and Edsa Central). There were no compact discs or DVDs, you had to listen to cassette tapes on cassette players/recorders, and watch movies on Betamax. I remember installing King's Quest IV on my IBM PC XT Compatible. The game was a whopping nine 5 1/4" floppy disks, and had to played on 4-color CGA graphics. Oh, I wish I had 16-color EGA. There were no flyovers either, airconditioned buses were nonexistent unless you rode the SM Love Bus. The Edsa-Ortigas intersection was the busiest street corner in Metro Manila. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird ruled the NBA while Crispa and Toyota had their famous PBA rivalry. MacGyver was the number one show at the time, and everyone I knew acknowledged that he was a genius.

What I find disconcerting is that many of the younger people I talked to who did not grow up with the 80's new wave bands do not seem to appreciate the music of that era at all. Some aren't even aware it exists. The music they play on the radio nowadays sound more like noise. Maybe I'm becoming my parents.

The good news is that there are signs of a mini retro revolution in the works. There is always hope for an 80's retro comeback. Once in a while I'll hear some new song from Keane, ColdPlay, CAKE, Kaiser Chiefs, Fountains of Wayne, Puddle of Mudd, The Offspring, Hoobastank, Nickelback, as well returning oldies by New Order, Tears for Fears, and Duran Duran, and be reminded that the greatest era of music continues up to the present. Happy listening.

Suzanne Vega - Nine Objects of Desire

This is her fourth album. Her then husband, Mitchell Froom collaborated with her on some of the music. She also has a newborn daughter. Written on the CD booklet's inside cover are the words: "For Ruby, MF, Lolita, the figure of Death, 3 men, 1 woman and a plum." These are the nine objects of desire. See if you can identify them in each of the songs.

We start with the strangely titled 'Birth-day (love made real)'. Slightly different, kinda slow, abrupt change in tempo. The effect is startling. This is not your typical Suzanne Vega set list, a radical departure. By the way, this song will grow on you slowly and unexpectedly.

Next is 'Headshots' which for me is when the real album starts. Absolutely fantastic track. You can picture images of a woman wandering around city streets, seeing posters of a man she once knew. Sad and haunting. You get new instruments too, old fashioned drums, cymbals, a whistle, jazz guitar, deep throaty voice. We are transported to the 1930's big band and swing era with Ms. Vega on stage.

The sign says 'Headshots'
It's all I see
A boy becomes a picture
Of guilt and sympathy
And so I think of you
In memory
Of the days we were together
And I knew that you loved me
That was the difference
In what we see

By now you're fully immersed. And what comes next is my most favorite Suzanne Vega song of them all, 'Caramel'. It's her best singing to date. Great verses of pure passion and lust.

It won't do
to stir a deep desire
to fan a hidden fire
that can never burn true

I know your name
I know your skin
I know the way
These things begin
But I don't know
how I would live with myself
what I'd forgive of myself
if you don't go

I must have worn out track 3 from playing Caramel over and over. Now let me introduce to you the next song, 'Stockings'. Another fun track on this CD. By now you're caught up in this hypnotic trance of a different world where desires rule and there is no escape. This one I guess is about some sexual attraction a woman would have on a certain female acquaintance.

I don't care for tights, she says
and does not tell me why
She hikes her skirt above her knee
revealing one brown thigh
I see, I say, and wonder at
her slender little fingers
How cleverly they pull upon
the threads of recent slumbers

Do you know where friendship ends
and passion does begin
When she does not show you
the way out on the way in
It's between the binding
of her stockings and her skin

'Thin Man' is another one of my favorites. Somehow I picture casinos, gangsters, wealthy bigshots, and a Thin Man that controls them all. Quality of the singing and instruments is top notch, as with all the music.

He is not my friend, but he is with me
And he promises a peace I never knew
I cannot give in, no I must refuse him
But could I really be the one to resist that kiss so true

He's the thin man
With a date for me
To arrive at some point
I don't know when it will be

Now we slow the pace a bit with 'World Before Columbus', a love song Suzanne wrote for her daughter. I consider this one of her most inspired lyrics. This is a beautiful song and a classic. I like playing this when the sky is gray and all the leaves are dead, and I try to picture what a world before Columbus might have been like.

If your love were taken from me
Every color would be black and white
It would be as flat as the world before Columbus
That's the day that I lose half my sight

If your life were taken from me
All the trees would freeze in this cold ground
It would be as cruel as the world before Columbus
Sail to the edge and I'd be there looking down

Those men who lust for land
And for riches strange and new
Who love those trinkets of desire
Oh they never will have you
And they'll never know the gold
Or the copper in your hair
How could they weight the worth
Of you so rare

I sometimes think of this as her 'Greatest Hits' collection, an astounding collection of songs that you will never get tired of listening to. In my opinion, this is Suzanne Vega's best work yet and gets our highest possible recommendation.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars * * * * *
A treasure chest of songs.

Open Water

This was based on actual events that happened to a couple who were inadvertedly left behind in the middle of the ocean by their diving boat while they were on vacation. The story telling style was very realistic, it's like watching it as it was actually happening. This made it difficult for me to watch as I genuinely felt the fear and terror the couple were going through. It times I would forget this was a movie, and that these were actual footage being shown.

Very well made film. The fact that it was made on a low budget was impressive. The sharks were not glorified, unlike other movies such as Jaws where they are overly aggressive. What I liked the most is that the movie doesn't resort to cheap tricks such as startling the viewer or surprising them with loud sounds or sudden attacks. In the DVD the director shows some techniques on how he got the sharks to 'cooperate', just throw out chunks of meat at them, then join them in the water with a camera to shoot the footage. The guy obviously has a lot of guts.

There were times when I got annoyed with the couple. The woman engaged in a lot of passive-aggressive behavior, while the man was kind of a wuss. But I guess this just adds to the realism of the story, these are real people after all, not superheroes. It also reminded me of why I hate vacations where you have to go somewhere and end up getting more stressed and tired. The main characters talked about this several times while they were lost in the open water, and it just brought back unpleasant memories of going to resorts or beaches and going back home exhausted.

The result is I'm left with mixed feelings. This is a good, unique flick which accomplishes its goal of capturing feelings of terror and suspense. But it left me with a bad feeling because the characters were mildly irritating, and I was upset with their decision-making, plus the fact that I don't like shark movies in general (yes, I didn't like Jaws too).

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars * * *
Very realistic, well-made, and irritating at times.

Memorable Songs from the 80's

The rules were simple, I went through the list of 80's Top 40 Music from this site and wrote down each song that in my opinion was either good or significantly memorable. But I was disappointed at the list of choices. Very few of the songs that I felt defined the 80's appeared in the hit list. So it appears that my memory of the 80's era was very different from how mainstream music was defined at the time. To tell you the truth, after perusing the past charts, it wasn't that great of an era as I originally. I would say it was even comparable or worse than what we hear on the radio nowadays.

There is a catch, the 'memorable' songs for me were the new wave synth type typified by bands like New Order, Modern English, Soft Cell, The Cure, and many others. From the mainstream hits of that era, we see a few good bands such as Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, Tears For Fears, but that's it. I guess it's true that we only remember mostly the good stuff, and that paints a prettier picture of the past.

So without further ado, here are my list of memorable 80's songs taken from the Top 40 hits at the time:

1980
Billy Joel - It's Still Rock and Roll to Me
Olivia Newton John - Magic
Captain and Tennille - Do That To Me One More Time
The Vapors - Turning Japanese
Olivia Newton John - Xanadu

1981
Christopher Cross - Best That You Can Do (Arthur's Theme)
Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes
Joey Scarbury - Believe It Or Not (Theme from 'The Greatest American Hero')
Kool and the Gang - Celebration
Sheena Easton - For Your Eyes Only
Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl
Hall and Oates - Kiss On My List
Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed
Stars On 45 - Stars On 45
Rick James - Super Freak
Mike Post - Hills Street Blues Theme
Blondie - The Tide Is High

1982
The J. Geils Band - Centerfold
Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
Joan Jett - I Love Rock 'n' Roll
Leslie Pearl - If the Love Fits Wear It
Hall and Oates - Maneater
Toni Basil - Mickey
Billy Joel - Pressure
Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out
Soft Cell - Tainted Love
Queen - Under Pressure
Go-Go's - Vacation
Go-Go's - We Got the Beat

1983
Nena - 99 Luftballoons
Rita Coolidge - All Time High
Joe Jackson - Breaking Us In Two
Dexys Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen
The Police - Every Breath You Take
Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Spandau Ballet - Gold
Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf
Stephen Bishop - It Might Be You
JoBoxers - Just Got Lucky
Peter Schilling - Major Tom
Styx - Mr. Roboto
Madness - Our House
Taco - Puttin' On The Ritz
Hall and Oates - Say It Isn't So
Naked Eyes - Always Something To Remind Me
Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart
Spandau Ballet - True
Billy Joel - Uptown Girl

1984
Billy Joel - An Innocent Man
Robin Gibb - Boys Do Fall In Love
New Edition - Cool It Now
Romeo Void - A Girl In Trouble
Go-Go's - Head Over Heels
Culture Club - Karma Chameleon
Billy Joel - The Longest Time
Paul Mcartney - No More Lonely Nights
Hall and Oates - Out Of Touch
Duran Duran - The Reflex
Glenn Frey - Sexy Girl
Cyndi Lauper - She Bop
Rod Stewart - Some Guys Have All the Luck
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
Wham - Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
Culture Club - The War Song
Twisted Sister - We're Not Gonna Take It
Duran Duran - Wild Boys

1985
Wham - Careless Whispher
Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me)
Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule The World
Tears For Fears - Head Over Heels
Madonna - Material Girl
Stevie Wonder - Part Time Lover
Eddie Murphy - Party All the Time
Huey Lewis and the News - Power of Love
Starship - Sara
Duran Duran - Save A Prayer
Tears For Fears - Shout
Bryan Adams - Summer of '69
A-Ha - Take On Me
Duran Duran - View To A Kill
Starship - We Built This City

1986
Double - The Captain Of Her Heart
Wang Chung - Everybody Have Fun Tonight
Timbuk 3 - Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades
OMD - If You Leave
Bangles - Manic Monday
Billy Joel - A Matter Of Trust
Pet Shop Boys - Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)
Falco - Rock Me Amadeus
Timex Social Club - Rumors
Bangles - Walk Like an Egyptian

1987
The Communards - Don't Leave Me This Way
George Michael - Faith
Beastie Boys - Fight For Your Right
Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is A Place on Earth
George Michael - I Want Your Sex
Wang Chung - Let's Go
Suzanne Vega - Luka
Duran Duran - Notorious
Men Without Hats - Pop Goes The World
Debbie Gibson - Shake Your Love
Pet Shop Boys - What Have I Done To Deserve This?
ABC - When Smokey Sings

1988
Will Toi Power - Baby I Love Your Way
George Harrison - Got My Mind Set On You
Kylie Minogue - I Should Be So Lucky
George Michael - Kissing A Fool
The Beach Boys - Kokomo
J.J. Fad - Supersonic
Basia - Time and Tide
Tone Loc - Wild Thing

1989
Milli Vanilli - Blame It On The Rain
Sybil - Don't Make Me Over
Bangles - Eternal Flame
Tone Loc - Funky Cold Medina
Enya - Orinoco Flow

Next: The upcoming retro renaissance and New Wave Diary.

Motorcycle Diaries

this is an art film. films that arent hollywood. no special effects, nothing overtly scandalous. just a good story. this film might bore most people.

its almost characteristic for latin american stories, though my exposure to the culture is very limited, to evolve from a beginning with no apparent direction until it ends where you are delighted with a universal understanding (and acceptance) of the big picture. this is true for the motorcycle diaries.

filipinoes might be the perfect audience for this film, outside of south america. because the social and political situation parellels our own. to sight a few: regionalism. north vs south. religion and church. a tense political situation. landless in our own land. poverty. social ills. nostaligia over the past. hope. a vision and true heroes who find themselves trapped (transformed) in a life dedicated for a cause, because they sincerely and passionately desire change. this film, based on a true story, is about such a hero. his journey from being an ordinary juan to one of the more influential personalities in south america. my favorite character is the mother superior who has something up her ass. when she stuck to her "rules" rather than feed our hungry heroes, because rules are rules.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars **** (inspite of numerous awards, i think you have to be in the mood to appreciate this film).

Ocean's Twelve

This was the sequel to Ocean's Eleven, which was moderately enjoyable so ok, what the heck, might as well watch it.

It has Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Julia Roberts, Bernie Mac, Don Cheadle, and many other stars. Can't go wrong with that.

OK, it seems that George Clooney & co. are planning to con/rob a museum or something. Man, these criminals are sure sophisticated. Rich too. Why is Brad Pitt chewing on something in every scene though?

Ah, Bernie Mac seems to have disappeared. Oh I see, he was detained by the police or something, so we never get to see him until the end.

Matt Damon's mother I guess saves the gang. Alright.

Ah I see, Julie Roberts pretends to be the famous actress Julia Roberts. Hahahahaha, so funny.

Well, Clooney & co. sure did a number on that french guy. He had me fooled, aw shucks. Are these guys brilliant or what.

What, the movie's over? Oh.

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars *
A waste of time.

Mulholland Dr.

I watched this on DVD two years ago, and viewed it again two separate instances later on. The first time I saw it, it messed up my mind many weeks after. It haunted me. My mind was working overtime trying to make sense of what I saw. Definitely one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. This is not your typical horror or suspense thriller. In fact almost everyone I've spoken to about it were either indifferent to the movie or hated it.

This is the key to understanding the film (without giving away any spoilers): Nothing is what it seems. There is one critical part where the words "It is an illusion" or words to that effect are spoken. And this is where dream merges with reality. My pulse and imagination was racing during the final part of the movie and the final scene is mind-blowing.

There are also two very scary parts in this film. You may know what I mean after watching it. To this day, I wouldn't want to view those scenes alone. One of them involves a garbage dump, and the other involves a bed with a corpse. 'Nuff said.

And to think the reason I watched this was because of Naomi Watts. I thought it was your typical Hollywood fare featuring a talented and beautiful actress. It does deliver a hot lesbian scene, as well as a bare-chested Watts which many men will like. But that's besides the point as this is a great inventive film that will leave you more questions than answers at the end. You're free to draw up your own conclusions as to what actually happened. I have my own interpretation of the events which I feel is more or less similar to what Director David Lynch intended. My favorite DVD of 2003.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars * * * *
Mind-blowing. Watch if you have an active imagination.

Memorable Songs from the 90's

I've often marveled in how listening to old songs instantly bring back old memories of people, and events. Music has a way of becoming ingrained in the mind, permanently associating itself with past memories. They bring back thoughts of high school, old friends, even old feelings. Very powerful stuff.

Problem is, I don't listen to the radio much nowadays. When I do, I usually tune in to the oldies station or Howard Stern. Which is far more entertaining than much of the "music" played in the airwaves. I've always found the older songs to be superior to the present-day selection of so-called modern mainstream music. But maybe it's just me. Perhaps we only remember the good stuff from the past and block out the bad.

So to check that theory, I went through a list of Top 40 music from the previous decade and listed each song that either (a) I liked, or (b) Had a strong memory attached to it. And then I tried to look for a pattern over the years. Here's what I got:

Legend:
* - Particularly strong memory or attachment

1990
Basia - Cruising for Bruising
Roxette - Dangerous
Billy Joel - I Go To Extremes
* Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby
Go West - King of Wishful Thinking
* Suzanne Vega - Tom's Diner

1991
R.E.M. - Losing My Religion
P.M. Dawn - Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
* Cathy Dennis - Too Many Walls
* EMF - Unbelievable

1992
* M.C. Hammer - 2 Legit 2 Quit
Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy Breaky Heart
Color Me Badd - All 4 Love
Sophie B. Hawkins - Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover
P.M. Dawn - I'd Die Without You
Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy
Kriss Kross - Jump
Tom Cochrane - Life is a Highway
* Spin Doctors - Little Miss Can't Be Wrong
* U2 - Mysterious Ways
* INXS - Not Enough Time
Wreckx-N-Effect - Rump Shaker
* Color Me Badd - Slow Motion
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Weird Al Yankovic - Smells Like Nirvana
Mr. Big - To Be With You
The Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge
* Kris Kross - Warm It Up
* Cathy Dennis - You Lied to Me

1993
Ace of Base - All That She Wants
* Tears For Fears - Break It Down Again
Ugly Kid Joe - Cat's in the Cradle
Radiohead - Creep
* Paperboy - Ditty
The Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
* Snow - Informer
* S.O.U.L. S.Y.S.T.E.M. - It's Gonna be a Lovely Day
* P.M. Dawn - Looking Through Patient Eyes
* R.E.M. - Man on the Moon
Arrested Development - Mr. Wendal
Soul Asylum - Runaway Train
* The Spin Doctors - Two Princes
* 4 Non Blondes - What's Up

1994
Ace of Base - Don't Turn Around
* Ini Kamoze - Here Comes the Hotstepper
* Cranberries - Linger
Beck - Loser
Crash Test Dummies - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
* Ace of Base - The Sign
Eternal - Stay

1995
Sophie B. Hawkins - As I Lay Me Down
Take That - Back for Good
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise
Deadeye Dick - New Age Girl
Hootie & the Blowfish - Only Wanna be with You
4 P.M. - Sukiyaki
Madonna - Take a Bow

1996
Deep Blue Something - Breakfast at Tiffany's
The Beatles - Free as a Bird
Los Del Rio - Macarena
Merril Bainbridge - Mouth
Clayton & Mullen - Theme From Mission Impossible

1997
Meredith Brooks - Bitch
Third Eye Blind - Semi-Charmed Life
* Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
Spice Girls - Wannabe
Paula Cole - Where Have All the Cowboys Gone

1998
* Jennifer Paige - Crush
Sheryl Crow - My Favorite Mistake
* Barenaked Ladies - One Week
Inoj - Time After Time
Savage Garden - Truly Madly Deeply
Shania Twain - You're Still the One

1999
Sugar Ray - Every Morning
* New Radicals - You Get What You Give

2000
Santana/Rob Thomas - Smooth
M2M - Don't Say You Love Me
Tom Jones - Sexbomb
Corrs - Breathless
* Morcheeba - Rome Wasn't Built in a Day
Eminem - The Way I Am

Don't get me wrong, I actually hated some of the songs that were listed above, mainly because they were overplayed on the radio ('Wannabe', 'Macarena', 'New Age Girl', and What's Up come to mind), but I look back on them with fond memories. Also note that I only chose from the limited selection of mainstream Top 40 songs at the time. There were lots other songs with stronger memories that weren't big enough hits to be considered. Obscure bands such as Lizard's Convention, The Other Two, Frente, etc. had to be left out.

Based on the list, it looks like 1992 and 1993 were very good music years. But perhaps it was because I had a lot of fun during those years, feeling good about myself both physically and mentally, and enjoying college with a weird but cool group of individuals who I still consider as my pals to this day. During that era, Ace of Base, The Spin Doctors, and M.C. Hammer ruled the world! And this unlikely band named 4 Non Blondes had their song played over and over and over and over again on the radio until you memorized the lyrics. But if you ask me, I'll take "What's Up" over any of the mindless hip-hop and rap that dominate the present.

For '97, '98, and '99, I remember to be real busy during that time, working long hours in the office, but I still remember those times with love and devotion. I consider the songs 'You Get What You Give', 'Tubthumping', 'One Week', and 'Crush' to be remarkable songs but I'm biased because what they really do for me is bring me back to what I consider to be another peak period of my life. And I remember a lot of the people I were with at the time, hanging out with some guys every Friday night after work, being too afraid to go home by myself after watching The Blair Witch Project in Glorietta 4. Ahhh those were good times.

What worries me is that a decade or so from now, due to the poor quality of music we commonly hear today, there will be no emotional attachments to any of the songs. That memories will grow stale and be forgotten without any melodies to attach to. What we need is a musical renaissance. We need to bring back the time when songs were actually written rather than manufactured. The good news is there are a few bright spots which I will discuss in a future post.

Audition

There are several rules you need to follow when watching Japanese horror movies in order to get the full cinematic effect: 1.) Don't watch the trailer, they may spoil the most crucial scenes. 2.) Don't read the reviews, they may reveal plot spoilers. I like to experience that child-like fascination on viewing something for the first time without any preconceived expectations.

I had to wait several weeks to get the unrated DVD version in the original japanese with english subtitles. Then waited until past midnight before watching it alone, with the lights closed.

My first thought was, is this a horror movie or a love story? A japanese widower decides he needs to find a new wife, seven years after his first wife died. His son even urges him to get a woman, telling him it's about time. Fortunately, our hero is in the movie business, so together with his close business associate, he decides to stage an 'audition'. They make up a casting call for a new movie that will never be made. They interview young aspiring actresses, but it's all a show for our widower to find a woman that suits him. He gains interest in one of the applicants, a shy girl named Asami. They go out on several dates, everything goes well until...

There are subtle hints in the middle of the film as to what will occur. One of the scenes with the bag and Asami waiting by the phone gave me the creeps. OK, this ain't no love story. It has probably the most disturbing, violent, cringe-inducing scene you will ever see. Don't watch this with your kids.

"Kiri, kiri, kiri, kiri"

Holy shit.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars * * * *
Very disturbing movie. May not be for everyone.

Merril Bainbridge - The Garden

OK this is a very difficult review to write.

It's because I actually like this album. Bainbridge has a good singing voice. Each song is well-written and meticulously prepared. They are all smooth, easy listening ballads.

I remember hearing the single 'Mouth' years ago when I was younger, and enjoyed the song a lot. 'Under the Water' and 'Miss You' are the other standout tracks. I'm sure you will like them too.

I just have one problem, and I'm almost embarassed to admit it...

There's something creepy about this CD. For some reason... well... it just scares the shit out of me, there I said it!

Ms. Bainbridge has an odd voice, your textbook high soprano. Don't get me wrong, it sounds good when listened to, but it just sounds.. different. And the lyrics and tone of the music are simply weird sounding. My inability to understand it is what causes me to fear it. Why do I get the feeling that the song 'Mouth' is about some sort of sex or lesbian act. While 'Under the Water' sounds like some new age type thing. The album cover and booklet which shows the singer in an odd garden surrounded by what looks like insects certainly don't help. Could Bainbridge be a witch or something? Not that I have anything against witches, or sex for that matter. The songs just sound overly sugar-coated to disguise their real meaning. It gives me the creeps.

Hopefully one day I'll be proven all wrong. And perhaps this turns out to be just another pop album and I just happen to be imagining stuff. In the meantime, this CD stays buried in my office drawer.

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars *
No offense. It's quality music, it just scares me.

28 Days Later

I heard good things about this movie, it was supposed to be frightening, had several alternate endings, and was the british take on your traditional zombie flick. So yes, I was excited to buy the DVD and watch it.

This could have been good. It started interestingly enough, with your lead character waking up to discover himself in downtown London overtaken by flesh-eating zombies. Lots of violence, running around, and occasional glimpses of news reports that suggest the total collapse of society. You gain sympathy for the father and daughter characters and desperately want them to escape. The events and people seem genuine. So far so good.

Unfortunately it goes downhill fast. Without spoiling the plot, there is a senseless death in the middle that felt very soap opera-ish and insulted my intelligence. The part with the soldiers starts alright and for a second I thought we would be able to salvage this film. But it was at this part where the story takes an incredibly unrealistic turn which blew it for me. Don't get me wrong, the battle and action scenes are fine, but they ruined the movie with this so-called plot turn. The actions of the soldiers along with Jim's (the hero) actions near the end are just totally unbelievable. The alternate script and endings available in the DVD are just as bad. I guess they ran out of ideas.

Shucks, this could have been a winner.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars * *
Zombies 1, Humans 0