CD Review: Sevendust - Next

Sevendust's latest effort is a fine one indeed. Filled with melody, great riffs, and sheer heaviness. Sevendust is a band of which I consider myself a fan, yet not one that I own all of their albums, not that I have followed all that closely. I plan on rectifying the album part, especially after listening to Next.

If there is one word that I would choose to describe Sevendust, it would be: Consistent. Each of the three albums I own, and whatever else assorted songs I have heard, they always have a certain level of consistency. There is always that distinct Sevendust sound, but never does it get boring. This album is no different, it represents an ever maturing and developing sound.

The album opens with "Hero." It sets the stage nicely for what is to come. It demonstrates a slightly heavier edge than what I am used to hearing from them. It has a great groove which is easy to get into and induce involuntary head banging. The second track is where it truly grabbed me, the first single "Ugly" has some of the best heavy riffs I have heard in awhile. The opening uneven galloping is fantastic, I can't think of another way to describe it, each time it comes back is great throughout the song. It is generally accompanied by a faster gallop to offset it prior to switching to open chords.

Other highlights include "Silence" which some great use of effects on the guitar sound, while the singing just soars above it. "This Life" has some great soulful singing and a slowed down heaviness. I can't forget "See and Believe" or "Shadows in Red." With an album that has such a consistently high level of quality, it is tough to really pick an favorites. There it is again, that darned consistency. Don't you just hate it when a band refuses to make bad music to make their good songs seem better? That they would rather just create very good songs from the get go? Bad songs be damned.

Lajon Witherspoon is as good as ever. He has a great voice that is powerful, soulful, and perfectly fitting to a metal band. He transitions from pained, smooth singing, into a rage filled scream with such ease. I have seen him live, and his voice is no studio trick, he really does sound that good. The band has also seen it's first lineup change, guitarist Clint Lowery has left the band and been replaced by Sonny Mayo. Sonny has previously been with Snot, (hed)pe, and Amen, and I believe he is responsible for this new heavier sound. His playing is very good, and his chemistry is too, almost like he had always been with the band. His sound melds very well with the other guitarist, John Connolly. Morgan Rose also proves to be one the steadiest drummers in the game, holding down the beat and giving it his own flourishes throughout. Not to be forgotten is bassist Vinnie Hornsby, filling in the heavy groove's low end.

Bottomline. This is a solid heavy rock and roll album. Sevendust continues it's string of excellent albums. Anyone who is a fan, of the band or the genre, deserves to go out and get this album if you haven't already. Great songs, heavy riffs, it's all here.

Recommended.

CD Review: Taste of Chaos

As a companion to the recently released Taste of Chaos DVD, comes this 15 track CD covering the bands on the tour. This disk covers more ground in less time than the DVD does, and the recording quality is pretty good too. Musical clarity is high, while the crowd noise is still evident, so that you do not forget that it was, indeed, recorded live. It seems to be a collection of recordings over the course of the tour, as opposed to the one stop shop of the DVD, which was recorded at Asbury Park, NJ. The performances differ from those of the DVD, including the song selection, some bands perform the same song(s), others get a different selection.

I must mention, that much of this music is not to my tastes. I am more of a metal guy, where this tour seemed more towards hardcore and punk. Still, there is a lot to like, especially for those who are open to experiencing other musical styles. I am not going to say that everyone is going to like this, or even that I like all of it, but it has it's moments. One of the things I like about the CD over the DVD is the inclusion of complete songs from the acoustic stage, I found the inclusion of this on the tour to be a stroke of genius. It brings a different style to the table and makes the band reevaluate their songs.

The disk opens with "Take it Away" by The Used, the same song which ended the DVD. The recording here is stronger. I cannot claim to be a fan, but this is a good song, and a good way to start the disk off. The second track is my favorite off of the album, and the most "metal" of the bunch, "Fixation on the Darkness" by Killswitch Engage. There are also excellent performances from Unearth and Atreyu.

I mentioned, earlier, about the acoustic stage being a good thing, and it is. Some highlights from that stage represented here include Bleed the Dream's "Broken Wings" and My American Heart's "White Lines." I particularly like the Bleed the Dream cut, and the meaning behind it, it was written for their drummer who was in the hospital with leukemia.

Overall, this is better, musically, than the DVD. The presentation is very good, considering the live setting. The music, while not entirely to my liking is more often better than it is not. The CD also has the advantage of allowing us to sample more acts, and for those who were there, to relive more of the bands they had gotten to see.

Recommended.

Track Listing:

1. The Used - “Take It Away”
2. Killswitch Engage - “Fixation On The Darkness”
3. Unearth - “Black Hearts Now Reign”
4. Opiate For The Masses - “Heaven”
5. Atreyu - “Lip Gloss and Black”
6. Bleed The Dream - “Broken Wings”
7. A Static Lullaby - “Lip Gloss and Letdown”
8. Senses Fail - “Bite To Break Skin”
9. My American Heart - “White Lines”
10. Atreyu - “Right Side Of The Bed”
11. Underoath - “The Impact Of Reason”
12. BEDlight For BlueEYES - “Hind Sight”
13. A Static Lullaby - “The Shooting Star That Destroyed Us”
14. Nicky P - “Before You Go”
15. Unearth - “This Lying World”

Daniel Craig is James Bond

It was announced earlier today that Daniel Craig will be donning the tux of super spy James Bond for his continuing adventures. The first one is set to be Casino Royale, which is set to start shooting this January. The story had previously been made as a spoof in 1967, with a variety of Bonds including Peter Sellers and Woody Allen.

Daniel Craig, 37, is the first blonde haired Bond. This makes me wonder if they will have him color his hair? In any case, it is an interesting choice. He is not a very high profile name, at least in the US. He has a growing resume of good films, including Enduring Love and Layer Cake, he is also in Spielberg's upcoming Munich.

There was a lot of competition and a lot of names thrown around for the role, with Pierce Brosnan bandied about as returning. Some of the names that were up for the role include Colin Farrell, Hugh Jackman, Henry Cavill, and Goran Visnjic. Even before the producers announcement today, Craig's mother was saying that her son had gotten the role.

Casino Royale is set to be directed by Martin Campbell, who also directed the Bond film GoldenEye with Pierce Brosnan. I am looking forward to it. I have enjoyed all of the Brosnan outings, and I enjoyed Campbell's direction in the initial Brosnan go around.

The more I think about it, it seems as if Layer Cake was a practice run for Bond. It was a gangster, not a spy, film and he didn't have all the gadgets. Still, the way the character carried himself was upright and proper, and has some mannerisms that could be carried over into a Bond like role.

Anyway, time will tell if he has a long run like Sean Connery or Pierce Brosnan, or if it is one and out like George Lazenby.

Movie Thoughts: Serenity (Take 2)

I had already seen and reviewed Joss Whedon's Firefly inspired feature. I liked it enough to see it a second time. Now, what follows is a list of some random thoughts and reactions after my second viewing, nothing is terribly well formed, but they are what they are. Be warned, this contains spoilers. If you wish to see my spoiler free review, click here.

• The opening was done very well. I had been curious how they would catch the non-fan up with the story while not alienating those who were in the know. The opening builds nicely into the start of the story. Plus, that last jab to the forehead, wow!
• The lack of engine noise in space is a very nice touch, carried over from the show.
• Nathan Fillion does a great job portraying the conflicted character of Malcolm Reynolds.
• I wish there had been a little more with Book, but it was explained to a satisfactory extent.
• The music was great. Western touches blended with more traditional orchestra music.
• The dialog was very good, witty, dramatic, and filled with odd, Western styled words and phrases which never feel out of place.
• I like all of the Empire Strikes Back nods, primarily during the Reaver chase scene after the vault heist.
• The fight in the bar where River takes out everyone was spectacular. Her ballet background has really given her an incredibly graceful movements.
• If Mal is Han Solo, is Jayne Chewbacca?
• I know some of the characters got the shaft in terms of their development. In a film the focus has to be somewhere, the leisurely pace of a series is not afforded here, I thought Joss did a fine job of giving each of them some sort of character moment, no matter how small.
• Wash's death scene still got me choked up, even when I knew it was coming.
• Speaking of that, what a shock it was! Then when everyone started getting tagged, I started to wonder who was going to be left!
• Another moment that got me was when River said "My turn." and dove through the blast doors, what a scene!
• Gina Torres displayed some great shock after Wash died, and her reactions and actions while holding the Reavers off were very good.
• Chiwetel Ejiofor was excellent as The Operative. Cool, calculating, but ultimately fallible.
• Summer Glau has a bright future, I hope to see her in more films down the line. Her expressions are priceless, and she has such an exotic look and graceful presence.
• Adam Baldwin, as Jayne, is a great character. He brings the muscle and a dry humor paired with the Old West style accent.
• When Serenity came out of the cloud with the Reaver fleet right behind them, what a cheer moment. As The Operative scrambles, realizing he got cocky.
• "I am a leaf on the wind."
• Rarely does a movie exceed my expectations, especially when they are high to start.
• I cannot wait for the DVD.
• I am sure there are more, we will just have to see if another column comes of this.

SEE THIS MOVIE!

New Movie Releases: 10/14 featuring: The Fog

Welcome to your one stop shop for what's hot this weekend at the cinema. Well, maybe not, but perhaps my meager listing will help you decide which film to waste your money on.

Domino. Based on the life and experiences of real life model turned bounty hunter Domino Harvey. Her father was actor Laurence Harvey (The Manchurian Candidate). Tony Scott directed this stylish looking actioner featuring Keira Knightley, Mickey Rourke, and Christopher Walken. I'm not sure about the content, but it certainly looks good.

Elizabethtown. Cameron Crowe returns to the director's chair for the first time since 2001's Vanilla Sky. It looks to be a romantic comedy, it looks like it could be pretty good too, but the jury is still out until I get to see it. It stars Orlando Bloom (still unconvinced of his acting ability, will this be the one?) and Kirsten Dunst as the star crossed couple.

The Fog. This may have the biggest question mark, it also has the biggest shot at taking the number one slot atop the box office list. It is a remake of John Carpenter's eerie film from the early 80's. It was directed by Rupert Wainwright, who made a name for himself in music videos with the likes of MC Hammer and NWA. He last directed 1999's Stigmata. It stars Tom Welling (Smallville), this is his shot at top lining a movie, I hope he does well. Co-starring with Tom is Maggie Grace (Lost). The commercials make it look pretty creepy, but that is what trailers are supposed to do.

The Squid and the Whale. Playing at the local arthouse is this new drama. It stars Jeff Daniels as a writer whose wife, played by Laura Linney, who discovers her own writing talent. This drives a wedge between them, forcing them into affairs, with their kids caught in the middle.

Winter Soldier. This is playing for three days at the local arthouse. It is a documentary from 1972 that was never screened theatrically due to it's stance on the Vietnam War. This film asks the hard questions of veterans who have just returned from the war. They talk about their own crimes of war and the atrocities that they have been witness to.

Also opening this week, but not near me:

• Innocent Voices
• Loggerheads
• Nine Lives
• The President's Last Bang
• Where the Truth Lies

Until next week...

DVD Review: Taste of Chaos

The Taste of Chaos festival was put together by the same guys that do the Van's Warped Tour. This was a new package that brings punk, hardcore, and metal together under one roof. The big question is "did it work?" My answer: sort of. I admit, a lot of this new hardcore punk stiff is not me, I'm the metal guy. I was supposed to have seen this tour when it passed through Poughkeepsie, NY, but due to circumstances beyond my control I could not make it. This DVD puts me in the action and shows me what I missed. The band I was really looking forward to seeing was Killswitch Engage, whose End of Heartache album is fantastic. Anyway, on to the disk.

The concert footage was filmed early in the tour at Asbury Park, NJ. The disk mixes in interview clips with the bands in between each of the performances. The interviews allow the bands to give some of their thoughts on the tour and the crowds. The bands come across as genuinely excited about being on this big package tour, playing different venues with friends, new and old, and playing front of huge sold out crowds.

The performances are kicked off with a pair from the lone metal act on the bill, Killswitch Engage. I loved the pair of songs from them, High energy and heavy riffs are the order of the day, and the delivery is noticeably different than the bands that are yet to come. Their interviews talk about how different it is playing this type of crowd than their usual metal shows. They are followed by Underoath. Their energy on stage was commendable, but the music just didn't do it for me. Sadly, it didn't bode well for me and the the bands that lay ahead.

The third band was My Chemical Romance. I had never heard these guys, but have heard a lot about these guys about how good they are. I liked the dramatic presence they had on stage, they made me think of The Cure, if they had gotten into distorted dissonance. Not bad. They were followed by Unearth. They have this hardcore sound that was pretty good, guitar work was heavy, reminiscent of Slayer. Not my favorite of the night, but better than a lot.

I saw Atreyu once before, when they opened up for CKY a couple of years back. I wasn't terribly impressed by them then, and my opinion holds. I will say their stage presence has improved, I just don't think much of their music. However, they are a good fit on this tour, the energy was apparent, and the kids in attendance ate it up. After them was Senses Fail. Not too bad, closer to what I normally associate with punk. Although they didn't really standout, it was nice to hear a bit more actual signing on the stage.

After Sense Fail was a segment on the second, acoustic stage that featured My American Heart, Bleed the Dream, Opiate for the Masses, Nicky P, and Bedlight for Blueeyes. This was a cool idea, it adds a little depth to the show, an alternative to the main electric stage. We don't get any complete performances, but some clips and interviews with bands and what they gained by translating their songs to the acoustic side of music.

Back to the main stage we get A Static Lullaby. These guys didn't impress me all that much. But again, the energy was still high, and the crowd was still alive for it. Last but not least, The Used comes in to close out the disk. I was never much interested in checking them out, but I admit, the performance here was good, a mix of rock, punk, and hardcore. The crowd was crazy, and loving every minute of it. Good way to close out the show.

Don't forget that in addition to the music, all of the bands get to speak on their experiences, and that is almost as much fun as the performances themselves. These bands obviously have a love for what they are doing, and are not afraid to let the fans know it.

Video. This is presented in anamorphic widescreen in a ratio of 1.78:1. It looks pretty good, the lighting shows up well, all of the colors separate with deep blacks. It isn't the best quality I have seen, but it does the subject well.

Audio. Three flavors, Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0, and DTS 5.1. I listened to the DD 5.1 track and it sounds very good. I am able to pick out the separate instruments and that is important for a concert disk.

Extras. There is a decent selection of extras.
-Extended interviews. This is over a half hour of interviews with the bands from which the snips used in the main program were taken from. They are all pretty interesting, most notably Killswitch Engage. They discuss the difference between this and metal shows, where the metal shows have the drunk men driving home, this has the kids getting picked up by their parents. Good stuff.
-Backstage with The Used. This is a brief clip of the band messing around backstage.
-Bleed the Dream Van Tour. This has one of the band members showing us around the van. The best part was the story about the van breakdown that caused them to miss the Poughkeepsie show (where I was supposed to have been).
-Photo Gallery. A collection of tour photos set to music from, I believe, The Used.
-Trailer. A trailer for this DVD release.

Bottomline. While a lot of the music on this disk is not for me, it is a well done collection for the tour. Fans will love it, to relive the bands live moments and to get a glimpse into them offstage.

Recommended.

Performance listing:

1. Killswitch Engage - “A Bid Farewell”
2. Killswitch Engage - “The End Of Heartache (featuring Ken Sussi from Unearth)”
3. Underoath - “It’s a Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door”
4. Underoath - “Reinventing Your Exit”
5. My Chemical Romance - “Give ‘Em Hell, Kid”
6. Unearth - “Black Hearts Now Reign”
7. Unearth - “This Lying World”
8. Atreyu - “Right Side Of The Bed”
9. Atreyu - “Lip Gloss and Black”
10. Senses Fail - “Bite To Break Skin”
11. A Static Lullaby - “The Shooting Star that Destroyed Us”
12. A Static Lullaby - “Lip Gloss and Letdown”
13. The Used - “Take It Away”

CD Review: Disturbed - Ten Thousand Fists

Disturbed is back, releasing their third album of brutality. It is notably heavier than their last album, Believe, but not at the same level of their 2000 debut, Sickness. The new album, Ten Thousand Fists, brings a little more of that heaviness that was the trademark of that first album.

Disturbed is one of those faces of this new wave of metal, that takes cues from the old school of Metallica and mixes it with modern edge and has created a sound that isn't pure metal nor is it truly a member of the nu metal crowd. They have developed a unique sound that has matured over the course of their three albums, each one representing a different stage in the evolution of the band and their ever maturing sound. The first stage was straight up heavy, the second stage was the introduction of the more melodic and introspective side, now we are upon the third stage which is a blending of the first two into this melodically heavy wall of modified metal.

The album opens with the anthemic title track, "Ten Thousand Fists." Demonstrating their heaviness and percussive nature. Open chords surrounded by incessant drumming, while the vocals soar above clear words with rough edges. This moves into the more immediately clipped rhythms of "Just Stop." Other highlights include "Deify" and "I'm Alive". Not to mention the first single "Stricken."

Then there is the odd inclusion of the cover of Genesis' "Land of Confusion." They do a pretty good job of it, but just like Tears for Fears "Shout" on The Sickness it just seems a little odd. I like the idea of bands including cover tracks on their albums, especially when they have a unique spin placed on the song, just like Disturbed has done here with Genesis. It is a bit jarring, but before long you will be caught up in the groove.

Disturbed is a drum based band, at least that is what I get from their music. There is a heavy groove which always seems to be led by Mike Wengren on the drums. Strong rhythm sense is what carries the band. Well, that and David Draiman's amazing voice, he can shift gears from a rough edged growl to smooth and melodic, often within the same song, seemingly at will. He is one of the most unique voices on the scene. Let us not forget Dan Donegan and his guitars, this time around we get some more solos than we have been accustomed to, allowing Dan to show off his chops and skills a bit more, and being more than up to the task.

Bottomline. Disturbed has one of the more unique sounds going right now, and this album shows the maturity and growth they have been undergoing. They deliver the goods in heaviness and good songwriting. This is a band that is hear for the long haul. Plus they put on a great live show. This album, while not at the same level as their debut, is headed in the right direction, the convergence of song and weight.

Recommended.

The Trailer Park: Dragons - Metal Ages

Lion's Gate Family Entertainment will be releasing Dragons: Metal Ages at the end of the month. It is a computer animated film for kids based on the Dragons toy line from Mega Bloks, and a sequel to a release last year entitled Dragons: Fire and Ice.

I haven't seen either one of these programs, and it has been a long time since I played with anything even remotely like Mega Bloks (unless my Star Wars Legos count!). Pretty much the only thing I have seen related to Dragons is the trailer for this sequel film.

The trailer looks pretty good. The computer animation is crude, but serviceable for what is most likely a low budget affair. It gives us a glimpse intop the medieval world inhabited by armies of good and evil and hordes of dragons that rule the skies. I bet this would enthrall many youngsters filling their heads with ideas of these long ago fantasy settings, sparking their young creativity.

Not to say that this is going to be the best of things to watch, but I get the kids will get a kick out of it and enjoy it for the 70+ minute runtime. Just beware, they may want some Mega Bloks after seeing it!

You can see the trailer HERE.

Concert Review: Judas Priest w/ Anthrax 10/11

What a night, it is going to take a little time to recover from the metal assault. Two bands with a combined 50+ years of making metal music. That is quite a feat. Together they put on a great show of pure metal.

I got to the venue around 6:30, a small crowd was starting to form. The doors opened at 7:00, and the crowd had grown. We all moved through the security check and into the site. First stop was to take a look at the merchandise, the usual array of t-shirts were available. Next walk into the main hall and find my seat. That's right, my seat. For some reason, the powers that be thought that this show, featuring loud metal acts, would be best to have all the fans in seats. I think it was a ploy to make more money by having different price level seats. Anyway, I had a pretty good seat, I was in the 6th row, center section, I was just a little left of center.

8:00 rolls around, the lights go out, we knew what time it was. The opening of "Among the Living" starts and the crowd went nuts. This was my main reason for going. I am a long time Anthrax fan, but never got to see them in their 80's prime, now with the reunion of the classic lineup, I have that opportunity. Let me start by saying that they were absolutely incredible. Every song was there, the energy and intensity was as high as ever. It didn't take long before the rows of chairs got dismantled, the first 4 rows of chairs just disappeared. You could see chairs being handed out of the center area as a mosh pit formed. Where there is a will, there's a way, the fans want to mosh, they are going to mosh. Security did what the could to make sure the chairs weren't turned into weapons, but they were good, this was a crowd that seemed to know what moshing was.

Back to the stage. To see these guys back onstage playing again after 13 years is great. Getting to hear all of their classics again is a sight to be seen. Frank Bello was a madman running back and forth on the stage,getting the crowd riled up, Scott and Danny shredding together, after ten years apart, Charlie proving why he is one of the best drummers in the game, and Joey Belladonna leading the charge. They owned the crowd for their entire 60 minute set. They proved that they can still tear up the stage and play tight thrash metal. I was like a little kid in the audience, seeing these legends, singing along with all my heart. I only wish that they could have played longer.

Here is the set list, the order may be wrong, and I may have missed one:
1. Among the Living
2. Time
3. Caught in a Mosh
4. Madhouse
5. Antisocial
6. Efilnikufesin (NFL)
7. Medusa
8. Indians
9. I Am the Law

Between 9:00 and 9:30 the stage was rearranged for Judas Priest. The drum kit was uncovered, the risers revealed, the backdrop came down. While that was going on, security was working on reconstructing the front rows that had gotten dismantled during Anthrax' set. Chants of "Priest" kicked up a few times while we all grew restless waiting for the main event to take the stage.

At 9:30 the lights went down again. A red light came on at the rear of the stage, moving, as if peering out into the packed house, looking for something. The stage lights came on and KK Downing, Glenn Tipton, Ian Hill, and Scott Travis took the stage. There was one person missing, our master of ceremonies, Rob Halford. Arising at the rear of the stage in the middle of the electric eye backdrop rose Rob Halford, complete in full leather regalia, singing Electric Eye." The crowd went nuts, me included. The song concluded and Halford descend back from whence he came. The next song came up and Rob appeared in a cloud of smoke on the left of the stage at the top of the risers. Throughout the night Rob would occasionally appear and disappear through the hidden riser lift throughout the night.

This was my first experience seeing Judas Priest live, and not being the most familiar with their music or their live show, I didn't know what to expect. The music was great. The interplay between Tipton and Downing was unbelievable. These guys have been at it for over 30 years, they have there stage presence honed to a fine science. It seemed to take Halford a little to get up to steam, but once he did he had the crowd in the palm of his hand. There are rumors that Rob is using a teleprompter to keep from forgetting lyrics, I am not sure how true this is, but there were numerous moments that I saw during the show that would lend credence to the possibility. In any case, he sounded great, perhaps not as strong as he once was, but still impressive by any standard.

Seeing Priest live was a great experience, to be amidst so many like minded metal souls is truly inspiring. A great performance by these legends is a sight to behold. The stage, built with Priest crosses, elevated walkways and hydraulics is one of the bigger ones that I have seen on this stage.

The set ended with the classic "Painkiller," but the show was far from over. Rob returned to the stage atop his trademark motorcycle. They came out for two more songs, "Desert Plains" and "Living After Midnight." They came back one more time for the second encore, ending the show with "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."

Set list, believed to be correct:
1. Electric Eye
2. Solar Angels
3. Riding On The Wind
4. A Touch Of Evil
5. Judas Rising
6. Revolution
7. I'm A Rocker
8. Breaking The Law
9. Diamonds And Rust
10. Worth Fighting For
11. Beyond The Realms Of Death
12. Turbo Lover
13. Hellrider
14. Victim Of Changes
15. Painkiller
Encore 1:
16. Desert Plains
17. Living After Midnight
Encore 2:
18. You've Got Another Thing Comin'

Bottomline. Seeing two bands reunited on one tour, who would have thought it? Seeing Anthrax like this was like being in a time warp, the 1980's are still alive and well kept alive in the still relevant music of Anthrax. Judas Priest continuing to back up the legends of metal tag. Both of these bands are great live. Anyone with the opportunity to see them, do it!

DVD Review: The Last Horror Movie

I remember reading some good things about this movie, and after a lot of wavering I picked it up about a month ago. But it was not until now that I sat down and watched it. I read the back of the case, and it sounded suspiciously like the very good film from Belgium, Man Bites Dog. It does have the backing of Fangoria magazine, so at the very least I was looking forward to some decent blood. Sadly, I must report that this film does not pay off in the least.

The beginning of the film is the best part about it, and really plays up the direct to video aspect of the production. It opens with stylized images that seem to indicate headlights and highway, while radio announcements play in the background indicating the escape of a murderer. We then shift to a diner, the waitress is cleaning up, then she hears a noise, she looks to see who or what it is when the escaped killer appears behind her. The gleam of a blade, a flash of crazed eyes, a screen filled with video noise and the scene suddenly shifts to something completely unrelated.

Therein lies the gimmick. You are meant to believe that the movie you just rented is not the movie that you are about to see. After the flash of noise we are confronted with Max. Max is pleasant, well groomed, and about to take you on the journey of his murderous life. You see, Max is a serial killer who enjoys what he does, and decides to document his path by bringing along a cameraman to record his exploits. He records, not just murders, but every day things, visits to his sister and her family, and also his day job as wedding videographer.

There are plenty of moments with Max turning to the camera to explain why he does this and what he hopes to accomplish with it. His escapades continue to escalate, to the point where he is involving his wary cameraman who is beginning to have second thoughts about taking the job.

The movie seems to want to make a statement regarding people's fascination with horror movies, and rubbernecking actual violence glimpsed in the real world. The problem is that Kevin Howarth's depiction of Max is not very good. The attempt seems to present him as a character to identify with, a nice guy who happens to do atrocious deeds, but he comes across as a pretentious moron who tries to justify his actions while offering no potential reasons for committing these acts, other than wanting to make this movie.

The low budget roots show, but it doesn't really work against the film since it is supposed to be a film made by the main character. I am sure he wouldn't be spending millions to concoct these murders, so the fact that it looks to have been shot by an amateur and not on the best film stock actually helps the authenticity of the proceeding. The problem lies with the sub par acting, the pretentiousness displayed by Max, and the fact that this is not treading any new ground, but rather rehashing that of the past. Not to mention the disturbing lack of gore. something I would have expected more of considering the backing of Fangoria.

Video. Like I mentioned above, this is a low budget film, and it shows. It is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphically enhanced widescreen. It has a washed out appearance, but overall it looks pretty good for a low budget affair.

Audio. The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0. It sounds good, much like it was shot with one mic on set. Again, the filmmakers work within the constraints of the budget. The film is made to take advantage and hide the shortcomings of low budget film.

Extras. We are given a few extras in the package.
-Commentary. The commentary features director Julian Richards and actor Kevin Howarth. I sampled some of the track, and it is pretty good. They keep the conversation going with anecdotes about the making of the movie.
-Deleted Scenes. A selection of scenes that didn't make the final cut. They wouldn't have added much to the final product.
-Cast Auditions. Some footage from the casting of Max and the Assistant.
-Featurette. This was a behind the scenes making of. It is OK, the best part dealing with the effect of burning someone alive, which actually looked pretty good.
-Short Film "The Shoe Collector." A short 2 minute film about a murderer who collects shoes. This was an entertaining piece, looked very good.

Bottomline. Not something I can recommend. The concept has been done better before. There wasn't enough blood and the lead was just a little too smarmy for my taste. I did like the idea of recording over another movie, but how well does that play in this age of DVD? Perhaps the DVD label should have been made to look as if it were burned on a home PC to replace the movie that was supposed to be there? Anyway, skip this.

Not Recommended.

Box Office Update: 10/7-10/9 - Wallace & Gromit

After 2 weeks we have a new film atop the charts, Wallace & Gromit in Curse of the Were-Rabbit. The wonderful claymation film, which took 5 years to make has found a home on the big screen. I knew it was going to do well when I the theater I saw it in was full of excited families. Fortunately, the film paid off. It was a lot of fun for all.

Serenity, on the other hand, seems to be struggling to keep it's audience. Fortunately it came in higher than the estimates, but still, this film should be doing better. It's not because I'm a fan, but because it is actually an entertaining movie. It is fun from start to finish. So, all of you, go and see this, then tell your friends and they tell their friends. Help give this movie some life!

This week features the biggest influx of new titles into the top ten for some time. Including the sophomoric, gross out comedy, Waiting... Which I actually enjoyed, it's not good, but it fills that hole in the comedy genre that has been missing. I do think it was trying to hard to be a Clerks or Office Space. Plus, I am sure there will be an "unrated" DVD version.

Into the Blue isn't showing much strength at the box office, it's take dropping pretty quick. I saw this too, it isn't a great film, but it isn't that bad either. Roll Bounce is also sinking fast, dropping 7 places down to 15th.

Here is a non top ten note that I found to be rather humorous. Climbing from 132 to 126 was Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (which I wish would come to my area) with a whopping total of $96. Hate to see what it jumped over with that money!

This Week	Last Week	Title	Wknd Gross	Overall	Week in release
1	N	Wallace & Gromit in Curse of the Were-Rabbit	$16,025,987	$16,047,174	1
2	1	Flightplan	$10,764,440	$60,916,649	3
3	N	In Her Shoes	$10,017,575	$10,017,575	1
4	N	Two for the Money	$8,703,240	$8,703,240	1
5	N	The Gospel	$7,523,571	$7,523,571	1
6	3	Tim Burton's Corpse Bride	$6,511,336	$42,116,028	4
7	N	Waiting...	$6,021,106	$6,021,106	1
8	2	Serenity	$5,352,090	$18,020,875	2
9	4	History of Violence	$5,067,000	$16,638,684	3
10	5	Into the Blue	$4,830,342	$13,903,087	2

DVD Pick of the Week: Veronica Mars - Season One

There are a number of good choices this week that could have taken this choice spot. I decided to go with Veronica Mars: Season One. One of the best new shows that some of you are watching, and many of you aren't. Those who aren't, should. It is a wonderful show and a bright spot on the television dial, on UPN no less. There are also those who discovered it during the summer rerun of season one, and now it stands at number 2 on his TV Top Ten.

The show has been described as Buffy sans the vampires or a new Nancy Drew. It also won Salon.com's Buffy award for the most underappreciated show on television. All of us faithful were glad to see it get renewed for a second season, which recently started.

The show is about teenage sleuth Veronica Mars of the title, played wonderfully by Kristen Bell. She helps students with their problems, as well as the season long arc involving the murder of her best friend. It doesn't hurt that he father, Keith (Enrico Colantoni), is a private detective, and the disgraced former chief of police. The show has a great multilayered story, colorful characters, good performances, and deserves to be seen.

Also out this week:

• Arrested Development: Season Two. Another wonderful, yet underrated show. The exploits of the Bluth family are those of legends.
• Dark Universe. This is only here to warn you. Stay away from this cheese infested steaming pile.
• Gantz Vol. 8: Deathwatch. Looking forward to another edition of this post life video game.
• Hammerhead. Here lies another piece of cheese, but it features Jeffrey Combs, so it isn't all bad.
• High Tension. Starts out as gritty throwback horror, ends in an impossible way. Still, this was a near pick.
• Izo. Another slice of film from the prolific Takashi Miike. Don't know much about it, but I am sure it is worth seeing at least once.
• Kicking & Screaming. Will Ferrell makes this a pretty funny film, although it seems like a lot of others.
• Kingdom of Heaven. Ridley Scott returns to the medieval epic in glorious fashion. Very good film, better than the other recent epic attempts.
• Machine Head: Elegies. Machine Head's first concert DVD. I have seen them live, and they are good.
• Undead. Horror from down under, with a dash of comedy and aliens. Not to mention the triple shotgun!
• Unleashed. One of Jet Li's finest acting jobs. This was a very good film, good fights, and even better drama.

That's it for this week.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Greatest Horror Film of All Time?

Well, that's what what British film magazine Total Film says. I'm not sure how they came to this decision, or the rest of the Top Ten results. The BBC reported on the list, but did not state what type of poll this was, or how the results were quantified.

I guess it doesn't matter much, rating films is such a subjective undertaking. There are many different types of horror, and many people gravitate towards different types of horror. You have slashers, psychological, ghosts, haunted houses, the list goes on and on.

Let's take a look at the full list:

1. Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). There is no denying the place the film holds in horror history, but not sure I would rank it number one. Director Tobe Hooper took some elements of the real world and crafted this gritty low budget classic. Not as gory as I had been led to believe when I first saw it and it does seem a bit dated, but it still has a great creepy atmosphere of unease.

2. Halloween (1978). John Carpenter's tale of that night that he returned comes in at number 2.. Eerie, spooky, downright scary, they all apply to this film. This was one of the films that spawned the slasher era. No, It's not the first, but it did spawn numerous copies. The first film is a little slower paced than most, not as many kills, but it builds so much into it's atmosphere. It's too bad that the series went so far downhill.

3. Suspiria (1977). Dario Argento's classic giallo. This film has one of the best deaths I have seen committed to film. The story of a dance school which was founded by a coven of witches is definitely one to be seen. This film is all about atmosphere. It was also the last Technicolor film.

4. Dawn of the Dead (1978). Arguably the best zombie film. Not necessarily scary in terms of shock value, but society implications is rather frightening. Nobody does zombies like George Romero. This is one of my favorites.

5. The Shining (1980). Stanley Kubrick's modified version of the Stephen King novel. Definitely one of the creepiest films made, Jack Nicholson's portrayal of Jack's (the character) descent into madness is one horror's finest moments.

6. Psycho (1960). What best of list would be incomplete without Hitchcock? This is one of the master's best films. Anthony Perkins really brings Norman Bates to chilling life.

7. The Wicker Man (1973). I have had this sitting on the shelf for some time now, but have not yet watched it. I do know that Christopher Lee stars, and it is said to be on the strange side.

8. Rosemary's Baby (1968). Would you believe I haven't seen this yet either? It too is waiting on my shelf.

9. Don't Look Now (1973). This one I am completely unfamiliar with. If you couldn't guess, I haven't seen it.

10. Cannibal Holocaust (1980). This one I have read about, but have not yet seen. There is a new DVD edition slated for later this month, so I will be seeing it soon. This is one of the most infamous of all horror films, graphic violence, actual violence to animals, allegations of violence to people. It has been banned in many places the world round. This could be interesting.

It is interesting to note that the newest film on the list is from 1980. None of these films are all that recent, most being more than 25 years old. Is this a comment on the state of current horror films? Perhaps. The horror scene, at least in the US has not been all that good, we are given a sea of remakes, and imitations, amidst a sea of bloodless films that rely on the occasional jump scare as opposed to genuine dread and genuine shock.

It is also interesting to see some of the usual suspects missing from the list. Most notably The Exorcist. That film tops many of these types of lists, and would definitely be on my list. Or Spielberg's Jaws. Or Craven's Nightmare on Elm Street. Or maybe even Ridley Scott's Alien?

If we were to compare this list to, say IMDB.com's list, a different story is told. There are only 2 films that appear on these two lists. Of course, that list is a lot more fluid and subject to change, it still represents a could collection of films. For the record, their number 1 at the moment is Psycho.

I will close by saying that it is tough being a fan of horror films. There are so many bad ones, so many. Perhaps I will put together list of my favorite horror films.

What's your favorite?

CD Review: King's X - Ogre Tones

I had a brief love affair with King's X back in the early 1990's. Specifically, the Faith, Hope, Love and King's X pair of albums. I was still early in my musical discovery, and I just loved that thick melodic sound that they were able to achieve, plus Doug Pinnick's soulful vocals. It's a sound that is unlike anything I had heard at that point. I have seen them live a couple of times of the past few years, which has been great, but I haven't gotten any of their new music until now. The Ogre Tones are upon us.

After my first pass through, I found another great collection of songs. The melody was there, the grooves were still solid, Doug's voice still had that soul, and it still had a sound that I haven't heard from any other band. The songs start strong with "Alone" and build on through to "Bebop" where Doug's vocals take center stage and peak in soulful groove. That is followed up with "Honesty," a quiet introspective acoustic piece sung by guitarist Ty Tabor. The groove picks back up for the second half of the album with tracks like "Get Away" and "Mudd."

I listened a few more times, and something became apparent, while the melody and tight musicianship was there, the sound was different. It didn't have that same thickness that those older albums had. Comparing this to Faith, Hope, Love, they both have some great song writing and performances, but the overall sound is vastly different. The new album loses a good portion of the tone that was achieved on those early albums, this one sounds a bit hollow by comparison.

I don't want to speak ill of the album, because outside of that general hollowness it is actually a good album. Just don't take it as the best example of what they can sound like. Ogre Tones does feature some fine playing. Jerry Gaskill is a solid drummer, not flashy but very steady with some nice flourishes. Ty Tabor's playing is also strong, if only his sound came across bigger like on past albums. Lastly there is Doug Pinnick who plays a decent base and has a soulful voice which is almost as much the band's signature as the tone they usually have.

Bottomline. This is not a bad album by any stretch, but it doesn't reach the heights of albums past. Ogre Tones is definitely worth listening to, there is some fine songwriting and they still have a sound unlike most of the other rock bands out there.

Recommended.

A Television Viewer's Diary: 10/2-10/8

WARNING: The free form ramblings continue, be prepared for run-ons, incomplete thoughts, and atrocious punctuations. This is what happens to a mind on TV, it's not pretty, but kind of fun. Also, beware of potential spoilers for these episodes.

Best Show of the Week: Lost
Worst Show of the Week: Desperate Housewives

Sunday 10/2.

• American Dad (FOX 9:30). Stan's dad shows up. He is some sort of top secret super spy, but is actually a jewel thief looking to indoctrinate his son into the business. Steve becomes involved with a woman from a retirement community. Goofy fun. ***
• Crossing Jordan (NBC 10pm). Part one of a crossover with Las Vegas. A Vegas showgirl shows up and torches a body in the morgue. This leads to what looks like a conspiracy tied to a gangster in Vegas. Danny shows up to help. Dr. Macy has some trouble with the body of a biker who used to be a lawyer, his biker pals have plans for the body. ***
• Desperate Housewives (ABC 9pm). While watching, I realized that the show didn't captivate me as it did last year. This episode has Teri Hatcher dealing with her ex dating Edie. And Felicity Huffman has problems with her husband doing housework. Plus Marcia Cross does not appear to be grieving much for her dead husband. **.5
• Grey's Anatomy (ABC 10pm). I missed the premiere, but this was pretty good. The characters deal with whatever happened in the premiere, and deal with a guy who has swallowed 11 doll heads. Nice blend of comedy and drama. ***

Monday 10/3.

• WWE: Monday Night Raw (USA 7:55). This was an experiment, I free formed this while watching the show live. Sorry for the length. It opened at 7:55 with a brief recap of the early years of Raw on USA. Mick Foley came out to thunderous applause, he then introduced his host, Rowdy Roddy Piper. They gave each other lots of respect, only to be interrupted by Randy Orton with his father. Randy started some trouble with Piper, this led to a brawl between the two. The Ortons got the upper hand leaving Foley and Piper lying in the ring. The first match was the 30 minute Iron Man Match between Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels. It starts with some great action, suplexes, elbows from the ropes, thrown to the outside. The first fall goes to Angle after an Angle Slam from the top rope.The action continues. Michaels gets the second fall countering the Angle-Lock into a roll up pin.A short while later Michaels is forced to tap to the Angle-Lock.Angle's advantage did not last long as Michaels gets the upper hand and lands the Sweet Chin Music to get the pin. At the 1.5 minute mark, Angle once again locked in the Angle-Lock, after rolling through a moonsault, and held it for over a minute. Once he got out he hit the Sweet Chin Music, but the pin came as time ran out. The match is a draw. Michaels asked to go to sudden death, but Angle walked out. What a match, great way to start! Michaels was then seen celebrating with some past superstars in the front row, including Nikolai Volkoff, Jimmy Hart, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and Koko B Ware. After a commercial Kevin Von Erich is announced at ring side. This is followed by a confrontation between Vince and Bischoff, just before Vince comes out to the ring. Vince is glad to be back on the uncensored USA, and then reminisces to beating up Austin way back in 1998. This prompts Austin to make his presence known, who then ran a collection of some of his favorite moments. Finishing it off with a stunner. Then Shane came down and got hit with a stunner. Then Stephanie came down, sporting some new blonde hair, followed by verbal sparring, and yet another stunner. Last but not least, Linda came down to the ring.This led to a nice little exchange and beer sharing, followed by one last stunner to finish off the McMahon clan. Second match is a Loser Leaves Raw, Money in the Bank Ladder Match. First interesting spot has Edge wedged in an inverted ladder with Matt Hardy above him, squeezing the two sides together. Lots of ladder spots, falling off them, jumping into the crowd off them, then Matt gets put through a table. Matt hits a Twist of Fate off a pair of ladder. Lita gets involved taking out the ladder from under Matt while he is swinging above the ring. Lita then holds Matt in the ropes while Edge retrieves the briefcase, meaning Matt has to leave Raw. We get some backstage stuff with Trish and Ashleigh, and Ric Flair. Next match Carlito and Chris Masters against Ric Flair and the returning Triple H.Not much of a match with Flair/Hunter controlling and eventually winning, once the sledgehammer appears. That is followed by Triple H turning on Flair and beating him to a bloody pulp. The beat down continued to the back, allowing Triple H to keep his street cred as a bad ass. Next up was a segment with a ring full of legends, who beat down an interrupting Rob Conway, ending with a splash from Jimmy Superfly Snuka. Now for the guys is a Bra and Panties match won by Trish and Ashleigh over Torrie Wilson, Victoria, and Candace Michelle. Next was a special Smackdown 6 man tag with Batista, Benoit and Mysterio against Guerrero, JBL, and Christian. But Bischoff turned the lights out quick, canceling the match. That was followed with the return of Hogan, who teased a challenge to Stone Cold. Final match was Cena against Bischoff, with Cena winning despite Angle's interference. The show ended with s Raw vs Smackdown brawl. ***.5
• WWE: Raw's Greatest Moments (USA 11:05). A collection of moments from the first era of WWE on USA. It was pretty good, but nothing special. ***
• TNA: Wrestling Impact (Spike 12am). The premiere episode of a a new televised competitor for the WWE. It usually airs Saturday at 11, but I missed it and had to catch the rerun. It was good to see some of this talent working, and some of the insane moves they pull off. We get matches with the likes of AJ Styles, Chris Sabin, Petey Williams, Alex Shelley, Jeff Hardy and Rhino. We see Raven get kicked out of the building, and the debut of Team 3D (Formerly the Dudley Boyz). ****
• Arrested Development (FOX 8pm). Scott Baio is the new lawyer for the Bluth family, Bob Bloblaw. Michael is avoiding Rita, who also happens to be a spy. Also, George Sr tries to escape house arrest. This series is genius. ****
• Kitchen Confidential (FOX 8:30). Jack's former mentor opens a standing reservation at the restaurant with the intent to have Jack's be the food that kills him. This leads to feelings of honor and guilt. Meanwhile, the youngest chef gets owned by one of the dishwashers. ***
• Prison Break (FOX 9pm). Continuing to be rather exciting television. This was the second part of what started last week. Michael continues his mission to save the doctor, trapped by the riots. Lincoln is on a mission to find Michael, and Teddy wants to take out a guard who has seen the operation, after horning himself into the works. Outside, the guards attempt to regain control. ***.5
• Surface (ABC 8pm). Kicking off the Monday night ABC block. This episode has the boys dealing with keeping their creature a secret, that is, until the playhouse blows up. The show starts with a rather spectacular sequence where a whirlpool opens up in a lake and swallows up a boat and a parasailor it had in tow. This show has been getting better each week. ***
• Las Vegas (ABC 9pm). The second part of the two parter which has Sam and Woody becoming embroiled in some personal matters. Meanwhile, Jordan shows up to surprise Danny. All that while they deal with a possible kidnapping. Not much of a two part episode, more of an excuse to get the characters back together since the crossover last season. ***
• Medium (ABC 10pm). Still on the slow side, the concept of this episode was good. Is Allison's life for real? She is having dreams of another woman, who says she is Allison, but isn't, plus the year is 1959. What could it mean? Perhaps Allison was always a dream and this other person is real. ***

Tuesday 10/4.

• Supernatural (WB 9pm). Possibly the biggest surprise this season, thus far. I really like this show, the brotherly interplay, the metal music references and such. This episode features Dr. James Hetfield (Hetfield is the vocalist/guitarist for Metallica). The episode focuses on a demon that is possessing airplane pilots and causing them to crash. The demon seems to know about the brother's dead girlfriend from the beginning of their episode. It is also revealed that their father knew he was leaving for awhile, redirecting the work to his son. ***.5
• Close to Home (CBS 10pm). Not sure if this was the first episode or not, but it was pretty good. It is about a new mother who is also a prosecutor looking into a fire that was set by a woman. A first it was thought she was trying to kill her children, but she was using it to escape the long time abuse of her husband. ***
• My Name is Earl (NBC 9pm). Already showing that it can break formula. This episode was more than just selecting a thing to fix and doing it. It brings the conflict between Earl and his ex-wife to the forefront, and introducing the possibility of him losing his enabling money. ***.5
• The Office (NBC 9:30). Michael is about to close on a condo, and brings Schrute with him. While the boss is away, the rest of the office mates have the office Olympics, a series of wacky games around the office. I really like this series. ***.5
• Law & Order: SVU (NBC 10pm). Let me first say that I didn't like the ads for this episode saying things about Emmy nominations and such, it's not necessary, one episode won't win you an award for the season. That said, the episode is good. A call comes through 911 from a girl who needs help, but can't offer much information. Benson and crew doing all they can to find out where she is. Very good. ***.5

Wednesday 10/5.

• Lost (ABC 9pm). Another good episode. We learn more about what is going on on the island. Sawyer, Mike, and Jin make friends with the woman they are captive with, but soon enough it is revealed that she is with the others. Back at the underground hatch, we learn that Desmond was there for three years and he was just inputting the code every 108 minutes. Now it is up to Locke and Jack to continue entering the code. Hurley discovers the food, which will become an issue next week. ****
• Invasion (ABC 10pm). This series is starting to drag, the ideas are good but it seems like nothing is happening. The main character's son is caught in the water and possibly attacked by an invading creature. Meanwhile, one of the other guys investigates the ring that was found after the skeleton disappeared from his trunk. **
• Veronica Mars (UPN 8pm). This week features the investigation regarding the bus crash from the premiere. It had been ruled a suicide, but the driver's daughter doesn't think so and enlists Veronica's help. Meanwhile, Wallace helps a new girl whose car was hit int he parking lot. ***.5
• Law & Order (NBC 10pm). A man on his death bed admits to a 10 year old murder that had gone unsolved. So the case gets some more attention and more facts are uncovered, but possible improprieties in the way things are handled threaten the integrity of the case. ***
• Over There (F/X 10pm). The team has been charged with evicting the occupants of an orphanage run by a stubborn French woman. It was interesting to watch the conflict that Scream goes through making his decision to delay his future for the kids. Meanwhile Bo and his wife try to figure out where his money is going. ***.5

Thursday 10/6.

• Smallville (WB 8pm). Clark is now dealing with his lack of powers, and his new relationship with Lana. While doing this, a super powered baddie and his wonder twin cohorts have his parents and Lana hostage. Clark and Chloe have to steal a serum from one of Lex's labs. The end is a confrontation between Clark and Lex over who could have helped who and when. ***.5
• Alias (ABC 8pm). Picks up 4 months after Vaughn's death. Sydney is intent on finding those responsible. She ends up teaming with a member of the most wanted list. They gain information which lads them to Curtis, the guy who pulled the trigger. This season has gotten off to a good start. ***.5
• Night Stalker (ABC 9pm). I liked this better than the premiere, but it still has a way to go to be good. A serial killer serving life has continued his murderous ways from behind bars. Focusing his mind to make his former followers have visions of deceased loved ones giving them orders. **.5
• CSI (CBS 9pm). The main thread this week has a woman found dead at the foot of her stairs. Did she just slip, or was foul play involved? The evidence supports two possible outcomes. ***
• ER (NBC 10pm). The biggest story of this episode has Kristen Johnston joining the cast as the new nurse manager. It doesn't take long before she is making friends with the rest of the staff. The Luka/Sam relationship continues it's downhill slide. Plus there are some patients who need help. May not be the powerhouse it was in the 90's, but still good. ***

Friday 10/7.

• WWE: Friday Night Smackdown (UPN 8pm). Teddy Long announces that the 6 man tag that was canceled on Raw would indeed happen tonight. We then move to a mediocre match between Orlando Jordan and Booker T. Nothing terribly memorable. We do get to see the out of shape Roddy Piper in a handicap match with the Ortons. The show closed with a decent tag match which saw Christian get pinned by Batista. ***
• Ghost Whisperer (CBS 8pm). I guess we all need to have that feel good show each year, this is the one for this year. This week has Melinda helping a psych hospital inmate and her deceased twin sister. Maybe it's Jennifer Love Hewitt, but I feel drawn to the show I fully expected to dislike. ***
• Threshold (CBS 9pm). The best of the new invasion series. This week the signal is spreading. A police detective becomes embroiled in the chase as she learns the truth of the Big Horn crew. One of the crew is found trying to build a transmitter that is tied to the subway. ***

Saturday 10/8.

• TNA: Impact Zone (Spike 11pm). This is fast becoming the wrestling show to watch. While there are some recognizable faces, and some that we don't really need, there are also some fantastic young talent pulling off crazy moves in the 6 sided ring. Match of the night was Matt Bentley, Christopher Daniels, and Austin Aries in a triple threat X Division match. ***

On the Bubble:

• Night Stalker
• Invasion
• Medium
• Desperate Housewives

That's all for this week,

DVD Review: Jason X

I remember seeing the trailer for the first time and thinking that it looked absolutely ridiculous, I also knew that there was nothing that would stop me from seeing it in the theater. I did, of course, see it on the big screen and loved every goofy minute if it and walked out surprised at how well the concept really held together.

Typically when you send a killer into space, that usually signals the death knell for that series. For example see Hellraiser: Bloodline, which I sort of liked, Leprechaun 4: In Space, and Critters in Space. But after watching this, I walked out thinking that while silly, it held together pretty well as a stand alone film. There are issues when you try to tie it in to the rest of the series, but I can let that slide.

The film opens with a tour through a lab behind the opening credits, next we move to a bare holding cell with Jason chained up awaiting cryogenic freezing. Apparently he had been caught years before, tried and sentenced to death, with the problem being, they couldn't find a way to kill him, so they decided to freeze him. Of course, nothing goes as smoothly as it should, and we end up with dead soldiers, a dead doctor, and a frozen Jason, and a frozen future victim, Rowan. We flash forward a few hundred years to find the Earth is a wasteland where students go on field trips. On one such expedition, Jason and Rowan are discovered and brought back to their ship in orbit. We know can safely assume that Jason will thaw and go on a killing spree throughout the ship. We get a series of new kills not previously seen in a Jason slasher. I don't really want to give away any of them, but I thought that they were some of the best in the series.

During this slaughter, something happens to Jason, which you can infer from the cover if you haven't seen the film. Jason gets messed up pretty bad during a big battle, after which he gets "fixed" by nanites, which were used for medical reasons in the future, we end up with uber-Jason, who looks like some sort of android. A pretty cool looking design. Anyway, a lot of people get killed and we are left with our heroine, pretty much the same as the other films go.

There are some story and design things that I didn't really care for. The biggest thing I didn't like early on was the design for Jason. This Jason has hair and we can get a good look at his eyes, which just did not work for me, nothing will compare to the look of Jason from Part VII. I liked the subplot of the teacher wanting to sell Jason and keep him alive. The thing to remember is that this is just a low brow horror film with a decent high concept.

The acting, in terms of slasher films, is actually pretty good, some of the actors have experience with science fiction type films, which helped a lot here. Lexa Doig, who plays Rowan, and Lisa Ryder, who plays the android Kay-Em, are both from TV's Andromeda, may not have a lot of bearing here, but I was familiar with their acting and they did a pretty good job here. Kane Hodder is a great Jason, as always, character design issues aside. We also get a cameo from writer/director David Cronenberg with a fun opening scene which leads to the initial slaughter.

The writer/director duo of Todd Farmer and James Isaac do a great job of updating the character and bringing Jason in a new direction which is more sci-fi/action than horror, but still has those old school horror roots showing. I like the script, I like the set design, which is bright and colorful and completely different from what we have seen before.

Something else about Jason X, is that it has a lot of CG work, more than any of the other films. Plus, it was the first film to have been completely digitized and manipulated in a computer, which is a big thing in the history of film, and it happened here first! Have mercy on us.

Video. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, which is it's original aspect ratio. This transfer looks great, blacks are deep, colors leap off the screen. This is a colorful movie and the separation is great, easily the best transfer of a Jason film.

Audio. Dolby Digital 5.1, 3.0, and DTS 3.0 tracks. I watched it with the 5.1 track, and it sounds great. A very good track with good separation.

Extras. This is part of the New Line Platinum Series, and has a couple of good extras.
-Trailer. We get the original theatrical trailer, which looks good. We also get trailers for Blade II, Final Destination, and A Nightmare on Elm Street.
-Jump to a Kill. More of another type of scene selection which takes you to each of the kills.
-By Any Means Necessary: The Making of Jason X. A pretty good featurette featuring interviews with the writer and director. Runs over 17 minutes.
-The Many Lives of Jason Voorhees. A good documentary tracing the roots of the Friday the 13th series since it's inception in 1980. Runs about 30 minutes.
-Audio Commentary. This track features Director James Isaac, writer Todd Farmer, and producer Noel Cunningham. This is a fun track which is dominated by Isaac and Farmer. They tell us tales of rewrites, acting problems, what went into the effects, set tales. A good track.

Bottomline. I just flat out enjoyed the heck out of this movie. I must make a special mention of a great scene at the end where they get Jason back to Crystal Lake and bring back the sleeping bag kill from Part VII. In the end we get a big dumb action/sci-fi/horror movie with Jason. This movie is a blast and the DVD is a nice package.

Recommended.

CD Review: G3 - Live in Tokyo

The G3 tours are probably the nearest thing to a religious experience that a rock guitar fan can have. Or, so I believe. I have never been able to witness it live, perhaps one day. Until then, I will just have to settle for the live releases that have been released. First there was G3: Live in Concert from back in 1996, then G3: Live in Denver from 2003, and no G3: Live in Tokyo. Each one has it's own flavor, and slightly altered lineups. There have been a variety of lineups since the first tour in 1996. That first year was Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson, the 2003 trio for the Live in Denver show was Satriani, Vai, and Yngwie Malmsteen. The lineup for Live in Tokyo has John Petrucci (Dream Theater) joining mainstays Satriani and Vai. Other participants over the years have included Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Michael Schenker, Uli Roth, Adrian Legg, and Robert Fripp. Maybe one day we will get to see some of their work. Enough of that, I am sure you are all wondering if this disk is worth it.

This two disk set is phenomenal. All three of these guitar gods put it all on display for the crowd. These guys now how to put on a show.

The show opens with John Petrucci playing a pair of instrumental pieces entitled "Glasgow Kiss" and "Damage Control." Both of these put his speed and technical proficiency on display. I only wish we could have gotten more from him. I have been a fan of his work ever since I first heard Dream Theater. This was the first time I had heard him play without his Dream Theater band mates. He has a great sound and the songs are fantastic. Both of them are from his new solo album called Suspended Animation.

Next up, Steve Vai. Vai led off with the first song I had ever heard of his, or any of this trio for that matter, "The Audience is Listening." That is a hell of a way to kick off a set, a loud song with a bit of funk and a whole lot of rock! That is followed up with "Building a Church," a wonderful instrumental work. His last selection is "K'm Pee Du We." Never heard of this one before, but it is fun. Vai has always been one of my favorite players, technically sound, and unafraid to experiment with a wide variety of effects. The experimental side wasn't really on display as much as the technical, and just a lot of fun.

Bringing up the rear of the trio is the founder of the tour, and the only member to be on every one, Joe Satriani. An inspiration to countless numbers of guitarists, and teaching the likes of Kirk Hammett and Steve Vai. He gives us the trio of "Up in Flames," "Searching," and "War." Each song giving us a glimpse into the smooth style that Satch possesses. Firing off licks and leads with equal ease.

The moment I look forward to on all of these G3 sets, the jam. The time of night when all three of these artists take to the stage and together jam out their versions of some classic songs. Before getting into the first song, they announce a guest drummer, John Petrucci's Dream Theater band mate Mike Portnoy. They then get into Jimi Hendrix' "Foxey Lady." They take this classic track and make it their own, each getting into their own lead breaks. They follow that up with ZZ Top's "La Grange." Adapting their styles in the Texas stylings. Closing out the evening is Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water," featuring another guest, Billy Sheehan on bass and vocals. These last three songs are such an absolute blast, you can really sense the fun they are having with those classic rock radio staples. Taking these songs, paying them their due honor, and turning them into their own.

Bottomline. This is a great set of music, all three of these players are virtuoso's. Like I said at the start G3 in an form is a near religious experience for guitar lovers. You just can't go wrong, getting the individual sets, and then the all-star classic rock jam.

Recommended.