Music Review: Amon Amarth - Surtur Rising

What can I say about Amon Amarth that hasn't already been said? Probably nothing considering the depth, or lack thereof, of my experience with their music. I suspect I discovered them alongside many other metal fans with 2006's With Oden on Our Side. Yes, I realize that many out there have been with them since their 1996 debut or even earlier, but that 2006 album was rather explosive and thrust them onto a larger stage, or at least that is what it seemed like to me.

Netflix'ns: The Sinful Dwarf

Netflix'ns is a series of review shorts of films, new and old, seen on Netflix, be it DVD or streaming. For better or worse, I sat through these films and have lived to tell the tale. These are not so much reviews as just comments on the film watched. Some will be first time views, others will be revisits. This is a work in progress.

Music Review: Bain Drill - Quantum Catastrophe

There are some bands that in order to be a fan, you have to be slightly masochistic. Some bands push the boundaries of extreme, or brutality, and in some cares sheer listenability. It is a fact that some bands take a lot of work to like and before embarking on such a quest you must think long and hard on whether or not the return on the investment of your time is something you really want to undertake.

Movie Review: Crazy, Stupid, Love

The writing and directing team of Glenn Ficara and John Requa, who were behind the solid I Love You, Phillip Morris, are back with another love based comedy. The difference this time is the edginess of the Jim Carrey/ Ewan McGregor film has been abandoned and the movies schizophrenic tone seems to play everything towards the middle. It may also have to do with the fact that he screenwriting duties were handled by Dan Fogelman, whose work has primary been with Disney with the likes of Cars 2, Tangled, and Bolt. Here the team work on a story that holds the concept of the soul mate in high regard.

Movie Review: The Smurfs (2011)

This is a movie I had strong reservations about seeing. It is true that I see a lot of movies in the theater, but there are limits Eden to my thirst for film. One of those areas of contention is when pieces of my childhood are involved. As much as I like to see homage paid to nostalgic elements of my past, I am often left discouraged by the arbitrary decisions that are made and this self-destructive need to drag them kicking and screaming into a modern age. I understand a need to somewhat modernize the properties, but you do not need to take it too far, the use of current techniques is often enough (just look at the successful Winnie the Pooh).