Back in 2005, Dave Mustaine set out to put together a package tour for the true metalhead. A tour that catered to fans of guitar driven heavy music, much like what Megadeth has been delivering since the early 1980's. The end result was a tour that included bands like Dream Theater, Fear Factory, Nevermore, Symphony X, and The Dillinger Escape Plan. It was a phenomenal tour that I was able to witness live and in person. In 2006, Mustaine put together a second edition, however, the line-up did not seem quite as potent and I Did not get the chance to witness the live show. All is not lost as a DVD highlighting all of the included bands is coming to store shelves everywhere, and will surely be the ideal way to catch up with what you missed or relive what you saw live nearly two years ago.Now, when I said the line-up did not seem as potent, please do not interpret that as meaning I did not think it was a good one. There just happened to be a lot of bands on that initial go around that I love, whereas the 2006 version was not as enticing. Still, there were plenty of good bands here. This DVD features all of the bands on the US version of the tour (2006 also featured an Australian version of the package).
The DVD kicks off with The Smashup. I have to say that they seemed like an unlikely inclusion for a metal tour. Their sound would seem to be more at home on Warped Tour or Taste of Chaos. Be that as it may, they were here, and are represented by one of their better cuts, "Effigy." I remember listening to their debut album (Being & Becoming) and quite liking it. The energy on the disk translates well to the live show; however, while their musical performance here is quite strong, their stage presence seemed a little lacking. I am sure that had I been there my reaction would be different with a full set. They are definitely an odd fit, but the music is good, and the exposure to a different crowd cannot hurt.
Next up is Sanctity with "Beneath the Machine." I cannot say that I have ever heard of them before, but after their one song here, I am interested in hearing more. This is first rate American metal. It is heavy, driving, catchy, and just makes you want to bang your head (one of the goals of Gigantour). These guys don't have a lot of movement on the stage, but there is an undeniable intensity to their presence. Hopefully the exposure gained on this tour will get them some momentum. I am just sad that two years following the tour I am just now hearing of them.
Into Eternity comes in third with "Severe Emotional Distress." This Canadian metalcore act is making waves in the States, recently releasing their second full length album with Killswitch Engage's Adam D at the helm. This is an intense band that really put it all out there, and the performance here captures the musical intensity that they possess. It is fast, melodic, in your face, and just flat out rocks. There is no denying their ability as it is put on display here.
Now comes the second stage headliner, bringing some credibility to all of the youngsters that have come before. Thrash legends Overkill were on hand to show what it was like from back in the early days. These guys are not kids anymore, but don't hold that against them, they still know how to throw down and not back down. I may not be their biggest fan, but they are as heavy and relevant as ever. They are represented by two songs here, "Necroshine" and "Rotten to the Core." You really can't pick two better songs than that, both are rocking songs that are sure to get the pit churning with metal-driven fury.
Moving to the main stage, we start with Arch Enemy. This is a band that I have only recently been introduced to, but am quite impressed by the little bitI have heard. This brief two song sample is also quite enticing, their live presence is dynamic, their performance is strong, and impressive overall. Their sampling here begins with "We Will Rise" from Anthems of Rebellion, and is one of many songs that I have never heard before, I like it. We close out with "Nemesis" from the album I was introduced to them with, Doomsday Machine (I know it is not the most liked, but I like it). It kicks off after an awkward transition from the prior cut, not the band's fault. I think I like this song better, if for nothing else than I was already familiar with it.
Next is Opeth, a band that is more and more impressive the more and more I hear from them (which at this point is precious little). They have one song on the DVD but it is a good one. It comes from the classic Blackwater Park and is called "The Leper Affinity." Opeth is not a thrash band, but fit in with Mustaine's desire to bring a variety of metal to the masses. If there is one word to describe Opeth's music, it would have to be epic. They cover so much ground and never become repetitious. It is heavy, atmospheric, technical, and all in between. Their style sticks out like a sore thumb in between the more metal style of the other main stage acts, but that is not a bad thing, it just allows their uniqueness to stand out.
The final opening act is Lamb of God, one of the more prominent members of the New Wave of American Metal (or whatever you want to call it). These guys are heavy, raw, and talented. Their two songs here exude intensity. Their is nothing subtle about them as they rip through "Vile" and "Now You've Got Something to Die For." This is another band, much like Arch Enemy, that I like but have not listened to a lot of. When Lamb of God takes the stage, it would be best if you stepped back before getting hurt, as they are sure to stir up a little bit of the violence. One thing I noticed on the DVD during their set, they are being censored. Randy Blythe's banter is laced with F-bombs which are curiously silent. Considering the audience for this DVD, that is very lame.
Now, the legendary Megadeth takes their place on the stage and closes out this DVD compilation with three songs of pure Megadeth goodness. First up is one of their best cuts from deep in their catalog, "Take No Prisoners." That song is pure 'deth and the performance is enough to get the adrenaline flowing in your veins. The nect song moves into more recent memory, The System Has Failed's "The Scorpion." I have to admit that I was not expecting this song, it does not seem to be an obvious choice for a compilation. Never mind, it is a strong song and one that is a little different from the majority of the Megadeth library. The DVD comes to an end with a cut from their most recent album, an album that proves their continued relevance and abilities. The song is "Washington is Next" from United Abominations. This cut gets right to the point, featuring a focused and angry Mustaine who is pulling no punches. It is a powerful way to end the disk. As for their performance? It is excellent, although I would have liked a couple of more songs. Mustaine has a unique stage presence and charisma that does not involve much motion, an interesting experience.
Audio/Video. The disk I received is a promo copy and may not be indicative of the final production disk, but the tech specs are quite good. The video is anamorphic widescreen, and the quality is quite good. The video is clear and free of any digital issues, it may not be up to par with a Hollywood blockbuster release, but for a concert disk, it is just fine. The audio mix is a strong 2.0 and does a fine job of delivering the live music experience, with a mix that allows all of the bands to shine through.
Bottomline. If you like metal, are curious about the tour, or attended one of the shows, this disk is for you. It is well shot and well recorded and proved the lineup to be considerably stronger than I initially expected. Still, the release is not perfect. I would have loved some more concert footage, or bonus interviews/behind the scenes material. All that is here are the performances.
Recommended.
Track Listing:
01. THE SMASHUP - Effigy
02. SANCTITY - Beneath the Machine
03. INTO ETERNITY - Severe Emotional Distress
04. OVERKILL - Necroshine
05. OVERKILL - Rotten to the Core
06. ARCH ENEMY - We Will Rise
07. ARCH ENEMY - Nemesis
08. OPETH - The Leper Affinity
09. LAMB OF GOD - Vigil
10. LAMB OF GOD - Now You've Got Something to Die For
11. MEGADETH - Take No Prisoners
12. MEGADETH - The Scorpion
13. MEGADETH - Washington is Next
Across Five Aprils hails from Chattanooga, Tennessee, an unlikely home for a post-hardcore band. Well, at least I think so. They formed in September of 2001 and have been forging their own direction ever since. The band released a pair of albums on Indianola Records (A Tragedy in Progress in 2003, and Collapse in 2006). They have since signed a deal with Victory Records with Life Underwater being their debut on the larger stage. Based on their sound and successful tours with the likes of Underoath, Norma Jean, and Atreyu, they seem poised to make a splash on the national stage. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen. If I had my way they would likely head back home for some overhauling before returning as, perhaps, Across Six (or Seven) Aprils. Get it? Man, I can be funny.
The main source of my problems can be boiled down to two words, Brandon Mullins. Now, it is nothing personal, I am quite sure he is cool dude who would be more than happy to sit down and talk about the band's music, their direction, and the scene in general. My problem is that I do not like his voice. Simple as that. I think his voice is terribly whiny and flat out annoying. I feel that his style does not fit the music that it accompanies. I hear his voice and every fiber in my being just wants to turn the music off. The sound grates on my nerves and goes a long way to overshadowing the rest of what they have to offer.
Low budget horror movies are a dime a dozen. Seriously. Every time you turn around another one is popping out of the woodwork, each claiming to be the next big thing. However, more often than not, they just turn out to be another low budget exercise destined for budget bins around the world and quickly forgotten. In recent weeks I have reviewed a pair of low budget horror films, each one brought something of worth to the table and are well worth spending some time with. That being the case, it was bound to happen, a low budget horror film that does not have a lot to offer, and was actually a little hard to watch. For those playing at home, the two recent ones worth watching are Die and Let Live and The Blood Shed, and the one that offers little is the subject of this review, Automaton Transfusion.
This film is being brought to American audiences courtesy of Dimension Extreme, the horror specialty label arm of The Weinstein Company and distributed the Genuis Products. Is it me, or does it seem like each film (DVD or theatrical) has more and more studio tags added to them? Anyway, with regards to the copany tag, I have been burned by films being labeled "extreme" and other such terms that have been appropriated by marketing committees all around Hollywood. So, I had little reason to believe that Inside would be truly "extreme" enough to genuinely deserve the label emblazoned above the logo. As a test, I gave the film to my father for a preview run; see how he reacted. Now, he is a horror fan, not quite to the level that I am, but he enjoys a good gore fest and was left unfazed by Cannibal Holocaust (a film that haunted me for weeks). This could prove to be an interesting test.
Wow. If you want to see a bad movie, this will fit the bill. No, I am not talking about a so bad it's good" movie, I mean straight up claw out your eyes bad, that is if you can retain consciousness long enough to make it to the end. I swear it took me three attempts to get through this thing to the end. This is a movie that is beyond bad. If this was an independent movie with an amateur cast, I think I'd be willing to be a little easier on it, but this cast has enough recognizable names to counter that potentiality. Last Hour almost seems to have been made stream of consciousness style, with the "director" calling action and then letting the actors take the scene wherever they want, there's no need for a script. Perhaps this was meant to be the movie version of Whose Line is it, Anyway?
I wasn't sure what to expect when I sat down to watch Smart People. Based on the trailers I was hoping for a smartly written tale of characters who are intelligent, but still have a lot to learn. Yes, that sounds good, but is not entirely accurate, I think I was more interested in seeing Ellen Page in her first outing since her Oscar-nominated turn in Juno. Considering my hopes for the film, I am sad to report that I am quite disappointed in the film's aftermath. It is an indie character study that never really takes off, seemingly more content to move in fits and spurts. I am reminded of Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale), however this is more of an attempt at style mimicry than taking inspiration.
Dennis Quaid stars as Lawrence Wetherhold, an English professor at Carnegie Mellon University. The character is seriously flawed in that while he is definitely book smart, but he is also self-centered, elitist, and not terribly good at interacting with others (his self-centered pomposity keeps getting in the way). He is a widower who shares his home with his over-achieving, Alex P. Keaton by way of Juno MacGuff daughter Vanessa (Ellen Page). His son, James (Ashton Holmes), is attending Carnegie Mellon and stops in occasionally. Then there is Lawrence's adopted brother, Chuck (Thomas Haden Church), a guy who makes a living on a variety of scams and always shows up when he is low on cash, and this is one of those times.
His legal inability to drive, combined with the unreliable Chuck, Lawrence accepts a ride home from Janet Hartigan (Sarah Jessica Parker), the ER doctor who treated his head injury. This ride leads to an awkward date, and then an on/off relationship between the two.
I cannot say that I liked this film. It just dragged on and the character development, of a character drama no less, just did not seem to be going anywhere fast. Anytime a character showed the signs of going anywhere, the scene ended and we went somewhere else. In this fact, I was reminded of that awful film White Noise, anytime Michael Keaton had a moment to expand on his character there was an edit.
The name James Ellroy has, over the years, become synonymous with the crime film. From LA Confidential to Dark Blue, even to true crime such as The Black Dahlia, for better or worse, James Ellroy is there. What does that have to do with Street Kings? Well, Ellroy wrote the story the film is based on and even has screenwriting credit. Street Kings is a journey into the dark and corrupt world of Vice Detective Tom Ludlow, a man who is not averse to breaking the rules in order to uphold the law, described as the tip of the spear for the squad of which he is a member. This movie takes us into their world, a world that is on the brink of crumbling around them. It is an entertaining, if predictable romp that does not rank among the best of the genre, nor Ellroy's best work. Despite that fact, Street Kings remains an engrossing ride that you will watch through to the end without being bored (and all some of us need is some entertainment).
Detective Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) wakes up, fully dressed, looks at himself long and hard in the bathroom mirror, throws up, and heads out to work. Work for him includes stopping by the liquor store to pick up a few of those little airplane size bottles of vodka, you know, just so he can get through the day. The opening sequence does not have much bearing on the overall plot, but it does go a long way to revealing just what Ludlow is all about. He will do whatever it takes to get the job done, including baiting the bad guys with racial epithets, shooting first, and planting guns on the suspects. While he does this, knowing that he has to do what needs to be done, his commanding officer, Captain Jack Wander (Forest Whitaker), is there to cover his back, protecting him from Internal Affairs.
Ludlow goes about investigating the hit on his own time, despite not having approval from Wander to do it, but he feels very strongly about this, even if it could cost him his badge. His investigation teams him up with a young homicide detective named Diskant (Chris Evans). Together, the dup go around to random thugs trying to find the killers. The more people they ask, the deeper they go, the closer to the truth Ludlow gets. The problem is that he may not like the truth once it is uncovered. It points to corruption within the squad that goes deeper than stopping the bad guys. At this point, Ludlow's eyes begin to open to the truth behind the facade, and his single-minded, tip of the spear thoughts begin to dissipate.
That issue points towards a problem in the scripting phase, and this is definitely a case of over-plotting and under-writing. The screenplay is credited to the aforementioned James Ellroy, as well as Kurt Wimmer and Jamie Moss. How much of a hand Ellroy had, I am not sure with this being his first screenwriting credit, the same goes for Moss, with this being his first credit period. Something tells me that a good portion of the script is the work of Kurt Wimmer who has worked within this genre before with The Recruit, but he is coming off of what may be his worst work (Ultraviolet). Anyway, far be it for me to even attempt to assess blame, but watching the film I cannot help but believe that way too much time was spent on plotting the corruption that the thought of characterization was left on the back burner where it ultimately boiled away to nothing.
David Ayer, in his second directorial effort, does a nice of job of translating the gritty story to the screen and doing it with some visual flair. However, I have to wonder what may have happened if he had taken a pass at the script. His first film, the underrated Harsh Times, was directed from his own script, and while it was not quite as testosterone filled and flashy, it is a better film. Still, he does have a knack for this type of story and it is never dull.