"We're not joking. There's more hate in our heart than Creed and Nickelback combined. I hear a lot of music and it sounds like monsters. I don't believe it. It's mass-produced, registered-trademark anger.
CAKE is really a reactionary gesture against the sort of big, dumb, fake, angst-ridden rock of the early '90s that I hated, so we just tried to sound as small as possible as kind of a big (screw) you, and then we got criticized by rock critics for having dinky beats. They just didn't get we did it on purpose."
- John McCrea, CAKE
CAKE's 'Pressure Chief' finally arrived last year. And this is one of their best works. An excellent album from start to finish. All tracks are good. I've been listening to this for over a year and still never get tired of it.
We start with a song that will grow on you the more you listen to it, 'Wheels'. Here our hero narrates in the first person: seeing jets flying overhead, a sun going down, and a waiter setting a table just for one. Then he describes how he got there. Taking a plane to a place far away so 'we could be completely free'. Then some more descriptions about muscular cyborg German dudes, sexy French-Canadians and overweight Americans. Until we get to the gut-wrenching clincher, almost a twist ending where he shouts at the top of his lungs "Why you say you... are not in love with me". (gulp)
Then we get to the most addictive song on the CD, the most hated and the most loved at the same time, 'No Phone', a song about cellphones and how the singer feels about them.
I've been on fire
Yet I still say frozen
So deep in the night
My smooth contemplations will always be broken
My deepest concerns will stay buried and unspoken
No phone, no phone
I just wanna be alone today
There's lots other good stuff, as I said every track is good. 'Take It All Away' is a humorous, yet rage-filled breakup song:
Take your economy car and your suitcase
Take your psycho little dogs
Take it all away
'Dime' is a cute song about a dime left on the floor which no one wants to pick up. "I'm a president you don't remember, getting kicked around, not to be dented by a car, by a plane, or anything. Not yet invented." Is this just a song about inflation?
'Carbon Monoxide' has one of my favorite choruses ever, and it was a blast hearing everyone sing "After this my lungs will be so fucked up" out loud at the live concert. John McCrea is said to have wrote this song while waiting for a bus.
'Guitar Man' is a remake of Bread's classic song. How strange for CAKE to cover Bread. But I'm glad they did, and they should release this to radio. I'm convinced it will be a sure-fire hit. You've got to listen to this one.
Skip ahead to "She'll Hang the Baskets" and 'End of the Movie'. Now these are strange songs. I haven't yet figured out what they mean. I like how 'End of the Movie' talks about the people who sit through the credits at the end of the movie.
The last track ends it on a positive note, 'Tougher Than it is'. People always exaggerate things and make things sound tougher than it is. Keep things simple and basic.
Well, there is no such thing as you
It doesn't matter what you do
The more you try to qualify
The more it all will pass you by
The group utilizes more synthesized instruments and less guitar. I read elsewhere that this was intentionally done by the band although they have been criticized for using this popping and beeping sounds as opposed to their more guitar and bass-oriented music of their previous releases. Personally I don't see what the big deal is. It still has the CAKE sound, great lyrics, catchy tunes, occasional trumpet, and monotone-like voice, although there is more real singing and less chanting/monotone here. Recent news is that the band is leaving its label to go independent. Is this the end of CAKE?
If you enjoyed the group's previous work, you will love this one. In fact, even if you hated their previous releases, there may be something here you will like. A must-buy and best album of 2004.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars * * * * *
Take it all away.
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Blue Velvet
Blue Velvet was directed by David Lynch, who was also the director of one of my all-time favorite movies, Mulholland Drive.
Unfortunately I was bored and disappointed with this one. It's about a college student investigating a detached ear found in an empty lawn. It's set in the quiet suburb of Lumbertown, where the people are friendly, and nothing ever happens. But looks can be deceiving. As we go through the story you find that beneath the surface there lurks evil, perversion, and depravity. We get a nude and simulated sex scene with the attractive Isabella Rosellini, and some tense moments with the main bad guy, Dennis Hopper.
As is the trademark of Lynch, we get hidden meanings and funny colors suggesting dream sequences. Unlike Mulholland Drive, I wasn't that interested in any of them. I just never got into this film. It was unimaginative and dull. Not worth the time to watch.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars * *
Boring.
Unfortunately I was bored and disappointed with this one. It's about a college student investigating a detached ear found in an empty lawn. It's set in the quiet suburb of Lumbertown, where the people are friendly, and nothing ever happens. But looks can be deceiving. As we go through the story you find that beneath the surface there lurks evil, perversion, and depravity. We get a nude and simulated sex scene with the attractive Isabella Rosellini, and some tense moments with the main bad guy, Dennis Hopper.
As is the trademark of Lynch, we get hidden meanings and funny colors suggesting dream sequences. Unlike Mulholland Drive, I wasn't that interested in any of them. I just never got into this film. It was unimaginative and dull. Not worth the time to watch.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars * *
Boring.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Suicide Club (Jisatsu Saakuru)
Also known as Suicide Circle or by it's original japanese title Jisatsu Saakuru. This was unlike any other movie I have ever seen. Very impressive.
The movie starts in the Tokyo Shinjuku train station, where 54 schoolgirls hold hands, chant '1,2,3' and simultaneously jump in front of the arriving train, resulting in their deaths. What makes this scene disturbing is that it is portrayed realistically, like it is really happening.
There is also a montage of different kinds of suicides acted out it in the film. And you get this creepy sensation all throughout. The feeling that something is not entirely right. This movie had the reputation of being sick and gory, I guess partly due to some of the blood and death scenes. But to be honest, my impression was it was more of psychological fear rather than gore fear. So I think most people who don't usually like watching horror would be ok to watch this. Either that or the DVD I got was the cut version.
Also, the guy in Audition is here! He's the lead cop, Detective Kuroda. This actor, Ryo Ishibashi, is so likable, you want him to succeed and get to the source of the bizarre suicides. There's a scene where the detectives stake out the train station to prevent any potential suicides. It doesn't seem like anyone cares though. The schoolkids even make jokes about the suicides and laugh at the face of one of the junior detectives, the very man who is trying to protect them. You sense there is a disconnect between the young and the old, with the young seeming detached from society.
There's also this J-Pop kiddie group named 'Dessert' or 'Desart', or 'Desrat', their name keeps changing. Teenagers and kids love them, they're the new craze, the new fad. The band has several catchy songs, it's most popular song is the aptly titled 'Mail Me'. Even Kuroda's kids are addicted to them.
One thing, this film is weird, but its weirdness has a purpose. I was engrossed the entire time watching it. Not a single bad scene. A warning, I did not understand it on first viewing and I still don't understand all aspects to the story as I write this. It's the type of movie which you have to think about to figure out the meaning. It's classified under 'horror', but this ain't no horror flick. It's a movie with a powerful message which will eventually dawn on you. Listen closely to what Misuko says in the end as I believe this is the closest message the director wanted to convey to the viewer.
The overall theme hits the right spot. The Dessert J-Pop group oddly resemble a lot of the musical fad groups you see in Japan and the US. It reminded me of how much my brother and younger cousins are obsessed with all aspects of j-pop/anime culture. They buy the CDs, read their comics, watch their anime. It's a reflection of today's society where our lives are connected and influenced by pop consumer culture. Where does it eventually lead us?
I'm interested to hear your interpretation if you watch this.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars * * * * *
A must-watch.
Update: The more I think about this movie, the better it gets. I would even say it is one of the most important movies I have ever seen. It is more social discourse than scares and gore. But that doesn't detract from the pure horror when you realize the true nature and sources of the suicide events.
The movie starts in the Tokyo Shinjuku train station, where 54 schoolgirls hold hands, chant '1,2,3' and simultaneously jump in front of the arriving train, resulting in their deaths. What makes this scene disturbing is that it is portrayed realistically, like it is really happening.
There is also a montage of different kinds of suicides acted out it in the film. And you get this creepy sensation all throughout. The feeling that something is not entirely right. This movie had the reputation of being sick and gory, I guess partly due to some of the blood and death scenes. But to be honest, my impression was it was more of psychological fear rather than gore fear. So I think most people who don't usually like watching horror would be ok to watch this. Either that or the DVD I got was the cut version.
Also, the guy in Audition is here! He's the lead cop, Detective Kuroda. This actor, Ryo Ishibashi, is so likable, you want him to succeed and get to the source of the bizarre suicides. There's a scene where the detectives stake out the train station to prevent any potential suicides. It doesn't seem like anyone cares though. The schoolkids even make jokes about the suicides and laugh at the face of one of the junior detectives, the very man who is trying to protect them. You sense there is a disconnect between the young and the old, with the young seeming detached from society.
There's also this J-Pop kiddie group named 'Dessert' or 'Desart', or 'Desrat', their name keeps changing. Teenagers and kids love them, they're the new craze, the new fad. The band has several catchy songs, it's most popular song is the aptly titled 'Mail Me'. Even Kuroda's kids are addicted to them.
One thing, this film is weird, but its weirdness has a purpose. I was engrossed the entire time watching it. Not a single bad scene. A warning, I did not understand it on first viewing and I still don't understand all aspects to the story as I write this. It's the type of movie which you have to think about to figure out the meaning. It's classified under 'horror', but this ain't no horror flick. It's a movie with a powerful message which will eventually dawn on you. Listen closely to what Misuko says in the end as I believe this is the closest message the director wanted to convey to the viewer.
The overall theme hits the right spot. The Dessert J-Pop group oddly resemble a lot of the musical fad groups you see in Japan and the US. It reminded me of how much my brother and younger cousins are obsessed with all aspects of j-pop/anime culture. They buy the CDs, read their comics, watch their anime. It's a reflection of today's society where our lives are connected and influenced by pop consumer culture. Where does it eventually lead us?
I'm interested to hear your interpretation if you watch this.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars * * * * *
A must-watch.
Update: The more I think about this movie, the better it gets. I would even say it is one of the most important movies I have ever seen. It is more social discourse than scares and gore. But that doesn't detract from the pure horror when you realize the true nature and sources of the suicide events.
Sixpence None The Richer - The Fatherless and the Window
I found this first Sixpence album very enjoyable. This has some of Leigh Nash's best singing that I've heard. I love her voice and the wholesome quality of her songs in this one.
The lyrics are straightforward, cute, and very christian in tone. The instruments blend well together. There are no jarring elements, it's smooth listening all throughout.
My personal favorites in this CD are the songs Spotlight - about fame and humility, Musings - great voice especially on the 'you have redeemed it' part, Trust - which is the closest to a Church song, but trust me it's good, even atheists and agnostics will like this one. And of course there's the track 'Meaningless', which has some pretty damn good lyrics:
Meaningless
It's all meaningless
All my life and labor is foolish
And now I don't have a reason
A reason to live anymore
Awww... she's so cute.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars * * * *
Great voice, wholesome songs.
The lyrics are straightforward, cute, and very christian in tone. The instruments blend well together. There are no jarring elements, it's smooth listening all throughout.
My personal favorites in this CD are the songs Spotlight - about fame and humility, Musings - great voice especially on the 'you have redeemed it' part, Trust - which is the closest to a Church song, but trust me it's good, even atheists and agnostics will like this one. And of course there's the track 'Meaningless', which has some pretty damn good lyrics:
Meaningless
It's all meaningless
All my life and labor is foolish
And now I don't have a reason
A reason to live anymore
Awww... she's so cute.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars * * * *
Great voice, wholesome songs.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Parfois En Avril
parfois en avril is a historical non-fiction (im unsure really) about rwanda. a country in africa. this movie ranks high, along with other great tragedy films such as schindlers list. its a must watch. its happened, its happening, and its bound to happen in the future. in all cultures. rich or poor. white or black. unless we are all aware of its consequences. esp since its beyond imagination. genocide.facts. rwanda has three kinds of peoples. the tutsis. the hutus. and the twas. the hutus make the majority. they lived side by side in relative peace until the westerners arrived. the germans/belgians created a strict social structure, the tutsis having a higher station than the others, which created deep resentment between the peoples.
this was critical. it divided the country which made it easier to conquer and exploit. this might easily have been north america and the indians or the native tribes of pre-colonial philippines.
much later when the belgians left. they left control to the hutus. the hutus perpetuated the resentment. the hatred. the divisiveness. which culminated into the genocide of all tutsis and moderate hutus. the rest of the world, mostly unaware and busy with their own problems, including the UN stood back and watched. particularly the US, which i would have thought should be the first to be there. but since there is no oil. no clear benefit to its economy or politics. everyone stood back and watched.
the mob is mindless. tell it to jump and they will jump. the question now is. if i had been there would i prostest? would i pretend to be on the side of those in power? would i willingly participate? will i join the mob? its easy to say yes or no. but in retrospect im not really so sure what i would do.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ****
Humanity at its worst.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Henry and June
henry and june is a biographical film about writers and their affairs in paris, 1931. mainly of anais nin's encounter with henry miller and his wife named june. [researched on anais nin. shes pretty hot for a writer. click on the link]the main hero is anais. a writer in private. she has a zest for life, love, and poetry. curious about everything that has and can add to meaning or purpose. she is alive. feeling deeply about things, as anyone who is alive is meant to feel. shes married to hugo who is also an artist but has decided to join the mundane workforce (in a bank) to support his wifes writing. this also leads to a rift between them.
henry (henry miller) is just what anais needed at that time. he was basic. also a writer and a realist. he takes things as they are without being poetic. he sees drama in realism. for henry, sex is not just about pleasure, but is as natural and necessary like breathing.
hugo is the straight character in the group. he allows himself room, not to pretend he owns anais. a mistake many husbands feel about their wives. people thinking they own other people just because they share a bed and the like. he supports anais in everything she decides to do. including affairs with other men and women. there were no judgements. he freely loves anais. not the selfish kind where people are held in cages.
and finally the narcissist. june is played by uma thurman. she is henry's lover, wife, muse. she seduces anais when she notices her. exploring. she teaches her that kind of love that exists between free women. she is exquisite. she demands constant worhip. the rest of us are prey. helpless and willing victims.
the set is french. paris of 1931. there was homosexual behaviour (lesbian). orgies. pornography. narcissism. liberation. my favorite scene was at the brothel. where naked european women were showcased by the madame.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars * * *
A bit artsy and anais is hot.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Juliana Hatfield - Only Everything
I waited ten years to get this CD.
Juliana Hatfield has a uniquely addictive sound. Kind of hard to describe, you just need to hear it for yourself. Imagine a sugary pop voice with an edge. Then add an electric guitar, but not too much metal, electric that's sort of acoustic-like. Songs that are sweet, yet angry and smooth at the same time.
You get lyrics like this (from 'Live on Tomorrow'):
A heartbeat says you haven't died.
You gotta try to stay alive
Leave me to the vultures
Throw me to the wolves
I'll live on tomorrow
And purity of soul
Dump me in the ocean
Tied to a piano
But you forgot to rip my heart out
Before you let me go.
Or how about a song with one of the most creative titles of all time, called 'OK OK'.
Why you asking?
That's the last thing
Untrusted, not busted
What what what what what what what what
What a cheap shot. I did not.
Just believe it. Just leave it.
Shut up, shut up, shut up,
Shut up, shut up
OK, ok, whatever you say.
OK, ok, I did it but I didn't.
OK, ok, don't make me get crazy.
OK ok, ok, ok, ok.
Well, you get the idea.
Lots of good stuff. 'What a Life' sings about a feeling of angry pathetic desperation. 'Fleur de Lys' is sung entirely in french, and you get the sense that Hatfield doesn't know the meaning of the words she wrote. Good instruments too. I don't usually like electric guitar but this one is cool.
'Dumb Fun' sounds like some deranged verse with the words 'dumb' and 'fun' repeated over and over. I haven't figured out exactly what it means. I suspect it doesn't really mean anything, it's just dumb fun.
'Bottles and Flowers' is another good one. It slows down the pace, then does the technique of extending the syllables to match the melody. For example, the line "She's so alone" becomes "She's so alo-hone", only in a cute way.
One of my favorite songs of all time is here, 'Universal Heart-Beat'. I first heard it in 1995, and it still kicks ass today as it did then.
Beauty can be sad. You're proof of that.
When the damage is done, you're damaged goods.
That's not to say it's not okay.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
This song is almost perfect. Great intro, music and words. It marks a period of my personal music reawakening in the mid 90's. I'll definitely listen to more of Juliana Hatfield's work in the future.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars * * * *
Great music, very innovative sound.
Juliana Hatfield has a uniquely addictive sound. Kind of hard to describe, you just need to hear it for yourself. Imagine a sugary pop voice with an edge. Then add an electric guitar, but not too much metal, electric that's sort of acoustic-like. Songs that are sweet, yet angry and smooth at the same time.
You get lyrics like this (from 'Live on Tomorrow'):
A heartbeat says you haven't died.
You gotta try to stay alive
Leave me to the vultures
Throw me to the wolves
I'll live on tomorrow
And purity of soul
Dump me in the ocean
Tied to a piano
But you forgot to rip my heart out
Before you let me go.
Or how about a song with one of the most creative titles of all time, called 'OK OK'.
Why you asking?
That's the last thing
Untrusted, not busted
What what what what what what what what
What a cheap shot. I did not.
Just believe it. Just leave it.
Shut up, shut up, shut up,
Shut up, shut up
OK, ok, whatever you say.
OK, ok, I did it but I didn't.
OK, ok, don't make me get crazy.
OK ok, ok, ok, ok.
Well, you get the idea.
Lots of good stuff. 'What a Life' sings about a feeling of angry pathetic desperation. 'Fleur de Lys' is sung entirely in french, and you get the sense that Hatfield doesn't know the meaning of the words she wrote. Good instruments too. I don't usually like electric guitar but this one is cool.
'Dumb Fun' sounds like some deranged verse with the words 'dumb' and 'fun' repeated over and over. I haven't figured out exactly what it means. I suspect it doesn't really mean anything, it's just dumb fun.
'Bottles and Flowers' is another good one. It slows down the pace, then does the technique of extending the syllables to match the melody. For example, the line "She's so alone" becomes "She's so alo-hone", only in a cute way.
One of my favorite songs of all time is here, 'Universal Heart-Beat'. I first heard it in 1995, and it still kicks ass today as it did then.
Beauty can be sad. You're proof of that.
When the damage is done, you're damaged goods.
That's not to say it's not okay.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
This song is almost perfect. Great intro, music and words. It marks a period of my personal music reawakening in the mid 90's. I'll definitely listen to more of Juliana Hatfield's work in the future.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars * * * *
Great music, very innovative sound.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
The Best Family Computer Games of All Time
Ahhh... Family Computer. Also known as NES or Famicom to some. I grew up playing games on it. At the time I thought the graphics were out of this world. And it was! Well at least compared to Atari and my PC with CGA 4-color graphics.
So now without further ado I present you with a list of the Best Family Computer Games of All Time. (Note: I reserve the right to be biased, it makes life more interesting.)
10. Battle City
Control your tanks, get additional ammo, protect your base while at the same time trying to take over the enemy's base. Lots of fun! Too bad I sucked at this game. I let my brother do all the work while I play 'defense'.
9. Tag Team Wrestling
Never have I seen such limited gameplay garner so much fun. You control either the 'Ricky Fighters' (good guys) or 'Strong & Bad' (bad guys). And you have only two moves. One is to punch your opponent to stun him, and the second is to select one of the wrestling moves to execute while the opposing wrestler is incapacitated. "Fear my sassori move. Ricky Fighters rule!!"
8. Double Dribble
I drooled the first time I saw this in Computer Haven, Virra Mall. Such realistic graphics for a basketball game. You can dunk, shoot three pointers, play 5-on-5 whole court. Well not really since only three men, all of them who look alike, go up and down the floor at any one time. But still this was the most awesome basketball game I've ever seen at the time.
7. Mike Tyson's Punch Out
I remember the sheer ecstacy I felt after finally beating Mike Tyson. Actually the toughest opponent here was Super Macho Man because of his twisting tornado punch. I had to utilize the 'vibrating finger' technique to get up before the count of ten. Go Little Mac!
6. Super Mario Bros.
The first game we owned and a classic. Mario can jump over little guys. Eat the mushroom, grow big. Jump over platforms, swim and avoid fish, rescue the princess, my hero, hurraah!! Sorry Mario, the Princess is in another castle.
5. Contra
Once you learn the up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-select-start move to get the thirty lives, you're all set! Well not really since I end up losing all my thirty lives and I have to steal some of my brother's lives in co-op mode to get to the ending. Get the power! Try the spread weapon, the lazer, the machine gun. Do that amazing tumbling jump. Fun.
4. Rygar (aka Brave Soldier)
Ah, this was the most pleasurable game to finish. It's essentially a mini hack and slash RPG where you build up your strength. You also need to use the grappling hooks to get to the other worlds. This game was in japanese so it took lots of experimentation with the controls to discover how to use the grappling hook. And it has the cute ending with the bird flying and the land saved.
3. Kinnikuman Wrestling
Oh man, this is one of my favorite games! You control little cartoon wrestling characters. We even had names for each one. My brother got the high-flyers while I got the cowboy and his friend Popo (aka Kid Muscle, but I call him Popo). You can get the power and beat up the opponent with your special move! My favorite part is when I'm strong enough to push my brother's wrestlers to the electric ropes to finish them off, hehehe.
2. Tecmo Wrestling
This-is-a-classic-game. Probably one of the best wrestling games of all time. It has a wide variety of wrestling moves, ranging from simple to the finishing maneuvres. I gave each of my stable of wrestlers' nicknames such as Mr. Perfect, Pancho El Rancho, and Mr. Spin. My brother had his own stable of guys, and this was one of the few games where I can actually beat him. Of course later on my skills and thumb speed slowed down and I became... worthless.
And finally, the best Family Computer game of all time is...
1. Excitebike
Cue the music. Ohh yeah! Control your little biker. Race around the track. Avoid the obstacles. Try to outrace your opponents. This game was so realistic. The physics modelling was ahead of its time. And you can even design your own track! Ahhhhh... it doesn't get any better than this.
So now without further ado I present you with a list of the Best Family Computer Games of All Time. (Note: I reserve the right to be biased, it makes life more interesting.)
10. Battle City
Control your tanks, get additional ammo, protect your base while at the same time trying to take over the enemy's base. Lots of fun! Too bad I sucked at this game. I let my brother do all the work while I play 'defense'.
9. Tag Team Wrestling
Never have I seen such limited gameplay garner so much fun. You control either the 'Ricky Fighters' (good guys) or 'Strong & Bad' (bad guys). And you have only two moves. One is to punch your opponent to stun him, and the second is to select one of the wrestling moves to execute while the opposing wrestler is incapacitated. "Fear my sassori move. Ricky Fighters rule!!"
8. Double Dribble
I drooled the first time I saw this in Computer Haven, Virra Mall. Such realistic graphics for a basketball game. You can dunk, shoot three pointers, play 5-on-5 whole court. Well not really since only three men, all of them who look alike, go up and down the floor at any one time. But still this was the most awesome basketball game I've ever seen at the time.
7. Mike Tyson's Punch Out
I remember the sheer ecstacy I felt after finally beating Mike Tyson. Actually the toughest opponent here was Super Macho Man because of his twisting tornado punch. I had to utilize the 'vibrating finger' technique to get up before the count of ten. Go Little Mac!
6. Super Mario Bros.
The first game we owned and a classic. Mario can jump over little guys. Eat the mushroom, grow big. Jump over platforms, swim and avoid fish, rescue the princess, my hero, hurraah!! Sorry Mario, the Princess is in another castle.
5. Contra
Once you learn the up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-select-start move to get the thirty lives, you're all set! Well not really since I end up losing all my thirty lives and I have to steal some of my brother's lives in co-op mode to get to the ending. Get the power! Try the spread weapon, the lazer, the machine gun. Do that amazing tumbling jump. Fun.
4. Rygar (aka Brave Soldier)
Ah, this was the most pleasurable game to finish. It's essentially a mini hack and slash RPG where you build up your strength. You also need to use the grappling hooks to get to the other worlds. This game was in japanese so it took lots of experimentation with the controls to discover how to use the grappling hook. And it has the cute ending with the bird flying and the land saved.
3. Kinnikuman Wrestling
Oh man, this is one of my favorite games! You control little cartoon wrestling characters. We even had names for each one. My brother got the high-flyers while I got the cowboy and his friend Popo (aka Kid Muscle, but I call him Popo). You can get the power and beat up the opponent with your special move! My favorite part is when I'm strong enough to push my brother's wrestlers to the electric ropes to finish them off, hehehe.
2. Tecmo Wrestling
This-is-a-classic-game. Probably one of the best wrestling games of all time. It has a wide variety of wrestling moves, ranging from simple to the finishing maneuvres. I gave each of my stable of wrestlers' nicknames such as Mr. Perfect, Pancho El Rancho, and Mr. Spin. My brother had his own stable of guys, and this was one of the few games where I can actually beat him. Of course later on my skills and thumb speed slowed down and I became... worthless.
And finally, the best Family Computer game of all time is...
1. Excitebike
Cue the music. Ohh yeah! Control your little biker. Race around the track. Avoid the obstacles. Try to outrace your opponents. This game was so realistic. The physics modelling was ahead of its time. And you can even design your own track! Ahhhhh... it doesn't get any better than this.
New Radicals - Maybe you've been brainwashed too
To call them by the name New Radicals is misleading since the real genius behind the band is their producer/composer/singer Gregg Alexander. The story is that Alexander disbanded the band right after this album was produced because he got tired of a lifestyle of mindless touring and concert gigs, thus forever elevating the Radicals to James Dean-like status.
Their song 'You Get What You Give' is one of my all-time faves. When I first heard it, I thought it had to be a re-released 80's song. But wait, no, it's new! This song is simple, fun, uplifting, and revolutionary at the same time. Listening to this again brings back great memories.
Wake up kids
We've got the dreamers disease
Age fourteen
They got you down on your knees
So polite
You're busy still saying please
Frienemies
Who when you're down ain't your friend
Every night
We smash their mercedes-benz
First we run
And then we laugh till we cry
But when the night is falling
And you cannot find the light
If you feel your dream is dying
Hold tight
You've got the music in you
OK now let's check out the middle track 'Jehovah Made This Whole Joint For You'. This song cracks me up. So cute and funny, yet serious at the same time. I love several of the lines in this one:
So original in her black lipstick
Listening to some obscure band
But isn't she pissed that all the other non-conformists
Listen to that same obscure band
That's OK she's helping the environment
By sipping pure water and such
Then she screams we better start thinking about
The ozone layer
While tossing out a styrofoam cup
And this is my favorite part:
(Carolina speaking)
"The first step
to a successful revolution
is destroying all competing revolutionaries."
(Song)
Real deep shit on her mind
"Let's kill the world
take over everything"
She says "we don't need politicians
they breed mistrust"
It's true! The first step to a successful revolution is indeed to eliminate all competing revolutionaries. And I smile everytime I get to the 'real deep shit on her mind' part. Ahh... nice song.
What follows is some of the best songwriting you will ever hear. It's too bad Gregg Alexander never got proper credit for his masterpiece 'Someday We'll Know'.
Whatever happened to Amelia Earhart
Who holds the stars up in the sky
Is true love once in a lifetime
Did the captain of the titanic cry
Does anybody know the way to Atlantis
Or what the wind says when she cries
I'm speeding by the place that I met you
For the 97th time tonight
Absolutely brilliant love song. It winds you up, then slams you down.
Last of all, my favorite track on the CD is the unreleased 'Technicolor Lover'. Very simple lyrics, with a good beat. It came during a time when I was both depressed and happy at the same time which is why it is so memorable.
Fast forward to the present, more than five years after this CD was released. New Radicals has developed a small cult following on the web. Its ex-frontman is reportedly still busy writing and producing songs for other artists, making it less likely that we will get another Radicals' album anytime in the future. But we can still hope can't we?
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars * * * * *
Revolutionary. A collector's item.
Their song 'You Get What You Give' is one of my all-time faves. When I first heard it, I thought it had to be a re-released 80's song. But wait, no, it's new! This song is simple, fun, uplifting, and revolutionary at the same time. Listening to this again brings back great memories.
Wake up kids
We've got the dreamers disease
Age fourteen
They got you down on your knees
So polite
You're busy still saying please
Frienemies
Who when you're down ain't your friend
Every night
We smash their mercedes-benz
First we run
And then we laugh till we cry
But when the night is falling
And you cannot find the light
If you feel your dream is dying
Hold tight
You've got the music in you
OK now let's check out the middle track 'Jehovah Made This Whole Joint For You'. This song cracks me up. So cute and funny, yet serious at the same time. I love several of the lines in this one:
So original in her black lipstick
Listening to some obscure band
But isn't she pissed that all the other non-conformists
Listen to that same obscure band
That's OK she's helping the environment
By sipping pure water and such
Then she screams we better start thinking about
The ozone layer
While tossing out a styrofoam cup
And this is my favorite part:
(Carolina speaking)
"The first step
to a successful revolution
is destroying all competing revolutionaries."
(Song)
Real deep shit on her mind
"Let's kill the world
take over everything"
She says "we don't need politicians
they breed mistrust"
It's true! The first step to a successful revolution is indeed to eliminate all competing revolutionaries. And I smile everytime I get to the 'real deep shit on her mind' part. Ahh... nice song.
What follows is some of the best songwriting you will ever hear. It's too bad Gregg Alexander never got proper credit for his masterpiece 'Someday We'll Know'.
Whatever happened to Amelia Earhart
Who holds the stars up in the sky
Is true love once in a lifetime
Did the captain of the titanic cry
Does anybody know the way to Atlantis
Or what the wind says when she cries
I'm speeding by the place that I met you
For the 97th time tonight
Absolutely brilliant love song. It winds you up, then slams you down.
Last of all, my favorite track on the CD is the unreleased 'Technicolor Lover'. Very simple lyrics, with a good beat. It came during a time when I was both depressed and happy at the same time which is why it is so memorable.
Fast forward to the present, more than five years after this CD was released. New Radicals has developed a small cult following on the web. Its ex-frontman is reportedly still busy writing and producing songs for other artists, making it less likely that we will get another Radicals' album anytime in the future. But we can still hope can't we?
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars * * * * *
Revolutionary. A collector's item.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Needles and Pins
its not true that a generation only appreciates its own music. i see nothing special about new wave. nor rap except when its a foreign language. (spanish or french). i have loved motown, bubblegum music from the 1960s ever since i was born. beginning with the beatles. there is something about music that was created before i was born. that includes classic jazz, the 20s, 30s, 40s, etc. bubblegum music is easy listening, simple and catchy. innocent and nostalgic. no explanations.
Téléchargez la ici
Needles and Pins is by Jack Nitzsche & Sonny Bono
first recorded by Jackie DeShannon
I saw her today,
I saw her face
It was a face I love
And I knew I had to run away
And get down on my knees and pray that they go away
Still it begins
Needles and pins
Because of all my pride
The tears I gotta hide
Oh! I thought I was smart
I stole her heart
Didn't think I do
But now I see
She's worse to him than me
Let her go ahead
Take his love instead
And one day she will see just how to save me
And get down on her knees
That's how it begins
She'll feel those needles and pins - oh, no - oh, no
Why can't I stop and tell myself I'm wrong,
I'm wrong, so wrong
Why can't I stand up and tell myself I'm strong
Because I saw her today
I saw her face
It was a face I love
And I knew I had to run away
And get down on my knees and pray that they go away
Still it begins
Needles and pins
Because of all my pride
The tears I gotta hide Hey! Needles and pins
Needles and pins
Needles and pins
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
What the Bleep Do We Know
What the Bleep Do We Know is the title of this bizarre documentary/feature movie. It plays out like a documentary, yet to treat it as one would be an insult to other documentaries.
Marlee Matlin plays the main character: an anxiety-filled photographer. We follow her as she goes through the motions of her life and job. Each scene illustrates a radical new idea on how the world works, and how we interact with it.
For instance, one scene shows Matlin seeing her two other selves simultaneously, only in other situations. In another scene a kid in the playground shows her that "things" are solid, yet are mostly made out of nothingness. Then we digress to some animation illustrating some principles of "quantum physics" that supposedly supports the ideas of this movie. For example, we see a bouncing basketball, then go to a closeup to see that it is actually not touching the ground. Instead it is the magnetic forces between the ball and the ground that keeps it from coming in full contact.
Another scene shows several Native American Indians looking out to the ocean, but not seeing Columbus' ships sailing in. The reason is they have never seen a ship before and have no concept of what it is, hence they do not see it. Then the film relates it to how our brain processes so many kinds of input, but only 'sees' what we recognize. Sounds good? Well for me, this is where this movie loses all credibility. It seems so silly, even I couldn't recognize what a ship looks like, I still should be able to see the object on the horizon as it is sailing in.
We are also treated to several interviews by "experts" in the field. A few were knowledgable and I appreciated what they were saying. But, and I hate to say this, some of those interviewed I felt didn't know what they were talking about. In particular there was this woman who kept harping about how we can create stuff in our minds and eventually be 'Gods'. No offense, but she sounded crazy. What scared me was the thought that some people would actually take to heart and follow what they said, with disastrous results.
I hate the fact that this movie professes to be based on science yet there are hardly any hard facts presented. It is mostly pseudoscience and the opinions of a few confused individuals. It is supposed to be about science and not religion, yet in the second half of the movie it tries to be a new religion in itself. What makes me shudder is the thought that a lot of the viewers will be convinced by it's flimsy concepts and become instant followers.
But what really pisses me off is that this film takes some pretty good fundamental ideas, and twists it into something stupid. I've always been an avid fan of Napoleon Hill, James Allen, and Benjamin Franklin's writings. Now those are truly great ideas. The fact that you can use your thoughts to control your destiny. That you can harness the positive power of your mind to achieve truly great things for the common good. This movie bastardizes all of them into some second-rate pseudoscience new age psychobabble about nonsense and stupidity. It makes me angry thinking about it. Do yourself a favor and instead read a real science book such as The Elegant Universe, and avoid this trash.
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars *
Pseudoscience and new age crap.
Marlee Matlin plays the main character: an anxiety-filled photographer. We follow her as she goes through the motions of her life and job. Each scene illustrates a radical new idea on how the world works, and how we interact with it.
For instance, one scene shows Matlin seeing her two other selves simultaneously, only in other situations. In another scene a kid in the playground shows her that "things" are solid, yet are mostly made out of nothingness. Then we digress to some animation illustrating some principles of "quantum physics" that supposedly supports the ideas of this movie. For example, we see a bouncing basketball, then go to a closeup to see that it is actually not touching the ground. Instead it is the magnetic forces between the ball and the ground that keeps it from coming in full contact.
Another scene shows several Native American Indians looking out to the ocean, but not seeing Columbus' ships sailing in. The reason is they have never seen a ship before and have no concept of what it is, hence they do not see it. Then the film relates it to how our brain processes so many kinds of input, but only 'sees' what we recognize. Sounds good? Well for me, this is where this movie loses all credibility. It seems so silly, even I couldn't recognize what a ship looks like, I still should be able to see the object on the horizon as it is sailing in.
We are also treated to several interviews by "experts" in the field. A few were knowledgable and I appreciated what they were saying. But, and I hate to say this, some of those interviewed I felt didn't know what they were talking about. In particular there was this woman who kept harping about how we can create stuff in our minds and eventually be 'Gods'. No offense, but she sounded crazy. What scared me was the thought that some people would actually take to heart and follow what they said, with disastrous results.
I hate the fact that this movie professes to be based on science yet there are hardly any hard facts presented. It is mostly pseudoscience and the opinions of a few confused individuals. It is supposed to be about science and not religion, yet in the second half of the movie it tries to be a new religion in itself. What makes me shudder is the thought that a lot of the viewers will be convinced by it's flimsy concepts and become instant followers.
But what really pisses me off is that this film takes some pretty good fundamental ideas, and twists it into something stupid. I've always been an avid fan of Napoleon Hill, James Allen, and Benjamin Franklin's writings. Now those are truly great ideas. The fact that you can use your thoughts to control your destiny. That you can harness the positive power of your mind to achieve truly great things for the common good. This movie bastardizes all of them into some second-rate pseudoscience new age psychobabble about nonsense and stupidity. It makes me angry thinking about it. Do yourself a favor and instead read a real science book such as The Elegant Universe, and avoid this trash.
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars *
Pseudoscience and new age crap.
Monday, July 11, 2005
ricordati di me
this is a subtle drama/comedy about a family. about a father who is still in love with his first girlfriend and decides to have an affair with her when the oppurtunity arose. about a mother who after years of sacrifice as the housewife and mother to her kids turns around and fulfills her ultimate dream to become an actress. about a daughter who was willing to stake everything to get what she wants. and finally about a son who is preoocupied with making something of himself. some self esteem issues too which i can relate to (only too well).i thought this film was very insightful on many levels. it depicts virtues that are regarded as unacceptable in filipino society. quite the opposite, filipinoes would prefer for the father to ignore his true feelings, for the mother to continue to sacrifice her dreams, the daughter to be sedated and obedient, and the son to be more "macho" because in filipino society "machismo" remains to be the sole ingredient of what it means to be a man.
there is raw honesty between characters, which to me is the ultimate display of respect. again, seldom found in filipino cultures. filipinoes would rather hide their true feelings afraid that others might take offense. that distorted kind of arrangement with their parents, where children are inferior (sometimes regarded as property) and are restricted of speech and other liberties.
very european and progressive. vive l'italie!!
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ****
Insight on family dynamics and personal happiness
indochine
indochine is a period piece starring catherine deneuve. it is situated in vietnam at a time when there is overflowing sentiment to liberate itself from france. the story opens with a haciendera, rich and beautiful, adopting a baby daughter of murdered mandarins. mandarins are regarded as the native ruling class to the french authorities and like feudal lords to the communists; as such are subject to assasinations.the haciendera falls passionately in love with a marine officer but later separates. the adopted baby grows up and becomes a lovely vietnamese girl who later also falls for the same marine officer.
its an intertwined love story having the political situation as backdrop. and there are a number of interesting parallels to the filipino revolutionary movement against spain. for example the practice of senaculo.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars ***
Average drama but its in french ^_^
Sunday, July 03, 2005
Close Your Eyes
This was advertised as a 'suspence thriller', 'a cross between Silence of the Lambs and Scanners' but frankly, I was let down. I had expected more from this british film.
It starts out interestingly enough, a hypnotist is hired by a lady cop to help them catch a serial killer who had abducted a little girl, then let her go for no reason. The traumatized girl has become a mute and has not spoken a word since the incident. So our hero applies hypnosis to get information from her.
I found the hypnotist's wife mildly irritating everytime she blamed him for getting them involved in the case. As if the guy doesn't have enough problems already. The character of the serial killer was alright, but for some reason, didn't scare me (I think by this time, every suspense/horror film I've seen after Audition seem tame by comparison.) Also, they could have explained the ending better for slow folks such as myself who don't understand the complicated stuff.
This is ok, not great. Not scary either.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars * *
Just wait for this to be shown on TV.
It starts out interestingly enough, a hypnotist is hired by a lady cop to help them catch a serial killer who had abducted a little girl, then let her go for no reason. The traumatized girl has become a mute and has not spoken a word since the incident. So our hero applies hypnosis to get information from her.
I found the hypnotist's wife mildly irritating everytime she blamed him for getting them involved in the case. As if the guy doesn't have enough problems already. The character of the serial killer was alright, but for some reason, didn't scare me (I think by this time, every suspense/horror film I've seen after Audition seem tame by comparison.) Also, they could have explained the ending better for slow folks such as myself who don't understand the complicated stuff.
This is ok, not great. Not scary either.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars * *
Just wait for this to be shown on TV.
Barbershop
Barbershop is a story about... well, a barbershop owned and managed by Ice Cube. The place has a good cast of characters, the most interesting one is the wise old barber played by Cedric the Entertainer, who gets all the best lines. The other barbers are shocked to hear Cedric's thoughts on Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, O.J. Simpson, and Jesse Jackson.
The characters seem real and you get the feeling the place has its own magical charm. There is a subplot about a stolen ATM machine alongside the main story of Cube selling out to a loanshark after giving up on the business. The two parts come together in the end, which is a nice touch.
I wanted more of the barbershop conversation, and less of the other elements which I felt detracted from the movie. Also, the film tries to be slapstick funny in some scenes which I found unnecessary.
I had high hopes for this one, expecting good writing and dialogue. There were some good scenes, but not as much as I wanted. This was just about average. Nothing really special.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars * * *
A few good scenes but that's it.
The characters seem real and you get the feeling the place has its own magical charm. There is a subplot about a stolen ATM machine alongside the main story of Cube selling out to a loanshark after giving up on the business. The two parts come together in the end, which is a nice touch.
I wanted more of the barbershop conversation, and less of the other elements which I felt detracted from the movie. Also, the film tries to be slapstick funny in some scenes which I found unnecessary.
I had high hopes for this one, expecting good writing and dialogue. There were some good scenes, but not as much as I wanted. This was just about average. Nothing really special.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars * * *
A few good scenes but that's it.
War of the Worlds
la guerre des mondes is a hollywood film inspired by a novel written by Herbert George Wells of the same name. in this interpretation however, the politics of the invasion (which had made the original story) takes a backseat, and focuses more on the fathers relationship with his son and daughter.ray ferrier (tom cruise) has joint custody of his children, rachel (dakota fanning) and robbie (justin chatwin). he lives like a bachelor which inferences how his relationship with the mary ann the mother (miranda otto) ended. the movie starts with an ordinary weekend when mary ann drops off the kids.
why cant the film just settle for plain organisms and planet toxicity. why introduce god? to blaspheme no less than the author himself HG Wells who is a reknowned atheist. better yet. buy the book and read the real story.
there have been numerous works inspired by this story and it would be great to speculate how filipinoes would react to the invasion.
the special effects (sounds and graphics) were superb and expected from a hollywood film.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars **
for special effects
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Saw
Two strangers wake up in a dark dirty bathroom to find themselves chained on opposite ends. They hear prerecorded messages from their captor, a serial killer named 'Jigsaw' who tells one of them he should kill the other person in order to live.
Interesting premise. The tortures are gruesome. But this film tries too hard to shock. It's like a poor man's 'Seven'. A few parts are ok, it has the makings of a good horror movie. It may even fool some people into thinking it's good.
This had some of the worst acting I've ever seen. Cary Elwes and his victim partner remind me of some computer games characters. Only their acting was much worse than their computer counterparts. They had Danny Glover and Monica Potter, and I used to think you can't go wrong with having her in your movie. But their roles were so nominal, insignificant, I felt misled into believing they had major parts.
This also had one of the worst dialog and writing I've ever watched. Grade schoolers can probably write better screenplays than this.
And the ending, ohhh the ending, it gets wackier and wackier, and loses all sense. I guess they just ran out of ideas or tried to be too cute. Do you like Scooby Doo? Well, this movie has a Scooby Doo ending.
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars *
Bad acting and senseless plot.
Interesting premise. The tortures are gruesome. But this film tries too hard to shock. It's like a poor man's 'Seven'. A few parts are ok, it has the makings of a good horror movie. It may even fool some people into thinking it's good.
This had some of the worst acting I've ever seen. Cary Elwes and his victim partner remind me of some computer games characters. Only their acting was much worse than their computer counterparts. They had Danny Glover and Monica Potter, and I used to think you can't go wrong with having her in your movie. But their roles were so nominal, insignificant, I felt misled into believing they had major parts.
This also had one of the worst dialog and writing I've ever watched. Grade schoolers can probably write better screenplays than this.
And the ending, ohhh the ending, it gets wackier and wackier, and loses all sense. I guess they just ran out of ideas or tried to be too cute. Do you like Scooby Doo? Well, this movie has a Scooby Doo ending.
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars *
Bad acting and senseless plot.
Friday, July 01, 2005
Collateral
This movie had a lot of promise. What I found most interesting was Jamie Foxx's character, which was very realistic and believable. My favorite part was the initial scene where Foxx has the conversation with the lady lawyer over the best route. Good way to start the movie and makes you sympathetic for the cab driver right away.
However, it all goes downhill from there. My main problem is I didn't find the whole story believable. Foxx could have escaped several times, yet went along willingly too many times. He did try to get away but was foiled by circumstances I felt were too contrived. The ongoing dialogue between Cruise and Foxx were reputed to be the best parts of the film (and why I wanted to watch it in the first place), but it let me down. I only found it remotely interesting.
The whole plot for me falls apart and I couldn't get past thinking how unbelievable the whole situation was. For example, why doesn't the hitman just kill the driver, or why doesn't the driver get help while in the hospital. After the scene with the cops in the club, I just stopped believing the movie altogether. I didn't find Cruise's character convincing too, it seemed very one dimensional.
One saving grace is the conversation in the jazz bar. They should have made that scene longer.
All in all, a very ordinary movie which let me down.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars * *
Needs a better script.
However, it all goes downhill from there. My main problem is I didn't find the whole story believable. Foxx could have escaped several times, yet went along willingly too many times. He did try to get away but was foiled by circumstances I felt were too contrived. The ongoing dialogue between Cruise and Foxx were reputed to be the best parts of the film (and why I wanted to watch it in the first place), but it let me down. I only found it remotely interesting.
The whole plot for me falls apart and I couldn't get past thinking how unbelievable the whole situation was. For example, why doesn't the hitman just kill the driver, or why doesn't the driver get help while in the hospital. After the scene with the cops in the club, I just stopped believing the movie altogether. I didn't find Cruise's character convincing too, it seemed very one dimensional.
One saving grace is the conversation in the jazz bar. They should have made that scene longer.
All in all, a very ordinary movie which let me down.
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars * *
Needs a better script.
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