As I type this, Judge D is out on the road tearing up the stage. It's hard to get the time to stop and answer email, while performing shows, meeting fans, and any other of a variety of obligations that keep him away from the computer. I am glad to say that amidst his busy schedule he was able to sit down and answer a few more questions that I had sent.
For those of you who don't know who Judge D is, he is an up and coming artist coming out of LA on Suburban Noize Records. Earlier this year he released his sophomore album and his debut on this label, No Compromize. It is a great album, mixed with great beats, rhymes, and with a message that falls solidly on the positive side of the spectrum, never compromising his integrity or street cred.
You can read my review of No Compromize, or read Part I of the interview, otherwise, on with Part II.
Chris: I read that you have a son. Do you find it hard to balance life on the road and being a father? And has fatherhood changed your outlook on your life or music?
Judge D: Yes and this is a good question. They say to reach your dreams you must sacrifice, and right now I feel like he's my sacrifice. I've always said when your not raising your child some one else is and in today’s day and age that's a scary thing. The birth of my son completely changed my life. If it wasn't for him I would be dead or in jail. Its also made me wanna do something positive with my music for the future of the kids.
Chris: Speaking of being on the road, I can only imagine the wild things you have seen. Do you have any stories that you'd be willing to share?
Judge D: Singing on stage with one of the greatest bands of all time Pennywise, thanksgiving dinner @ Bizzares from D-12, Wicked Wonka and Ricter fucking a midget on the back of the bus.
Chris: What got you into the music business?
Judge D: My soul.
Chris: The hip hop/rock hybrid is a great sound for your music, were there any reasons for this direction, as opposed to a more traditional hip hop or rock style?Judge D: Honestly all I can do is be myself. I just hope in the long run people will listen past the music and hear the message.
Chris: Outside of your work with the Kottonmouth Kings, what artist(s) did you enjoy sharing a stage with most? And is there anyone that you would like to get out there with?Judge D: I'm just thankful I've got to not only share the stage , but kick it and get high with some of my favorite artists. As far as a dream collaboration I'd say Damien Marley or Michael Frante.
Chris: Could you ever see yourself branching out into movies or television, like Eminem or 50 Cent? There could we see a movie about the life of Judge D?
Judge D: I think I could do movies if I had to play some one close to my life. I definitely think before I'm done there needs to be a movie about the life and the message of Judge D.
Chris: Are there any stories behind your tattoos?
Judge D: All of my tattoos tell stories of my life. I just use art on my body to express my past experience. I love it.
Chris: Favorite Movie?
Judge D: Dances with wolves
Chris: Favorite Actor?
Judge D: Eddie Murphy
Chris: Favorite Actress?
Judge D: Angelina Jolie
Chris: Thank you so much for your time.
Be on the lookout for Judge D when he comes to your town!
November 26, 2005
November 25, 2005
New Movie Releases for 11/25/05: Featuring The Ice Harvest
No new releases today, but there were a few this past Wednesday. All of the new movies were released before Thanksgiving to try and ring a few more bucks out of the movie going public. By the way, I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving!
The Ice Harvest. I saw this movie this past Wednesday, and it is a pretty good black comedy from director Harold Ramis. A mob lawyer and the owner of a few strip clubs conspire and steal money from the mob boss. The movie follows them as they try to get away with it. John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Nielson, and Oliver Platt star.
In the Mix. This looks bad. It stars Usher as a top DJ who saves a mafia boss' daughter. He then gets pressed into service protecting her. What an awful setup. I think I will pass.
Just Friends. This looks pretty bad, but for some reason I want to see this. It stars the goofy Ryan Reynolds, who returns home for the holidays with the pop star he manages, played by Anna Faris. He has an ulterior motive, wanting to win back his high school crush.
Rent. Ten years after it debuted on Broadway comes the theatrical version of the popular musical. All I have heard about this makes it out to be rather mediocre. We shall see.
Yours, Mine, and Ours. This looks pretty bad too, although I am sure it will do well. It appears to be a new take on The Brady Bunch. Rene Russo, with her 10 kids, marries Dennis Quaid, and his 8 kids, much comedy ensues.
Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic. Silverman takes her blunt comedy to the screen. This is a combination of her one woman show mixed with skits and songs. I have no idea what to expect, other potentially offensive social commentary. I may have to check this out.
Also opening, but not near me:
The Ice Harvest. I saw this movie this past Wednesday, and it is a pretty good black comedy from director Harold Ramis. A mob lawyer and the owner of a few strip clubs conspire and steal money from the mob boss. The movie follows them as they try to get away with it. John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Nielson, and Oliver Platt star.
In the Mix. This looks bad. It stars Usher as a top DJ who saves a mafia boss' daughter. He then gets pressed into service protecting her. What an awful setup. I think I will pass.
Just Friends. This looks pretty bad, but for some reason I want to see this. It stars the goofy Ryan Reynolds, who returns home for the holidays with the pop star he manages, played by Anna Faris. He has an ulterior motive, wanting to win back his high school crush.
Rent. Ten years after it debuted on Broadway comes the theatrical version of the popular musical. All I have heard about this makes it out to be rather mediocre. We shall see.
Yours, Mine, and Ours. This looks pretty bad too, although I am sure it will do well. It appears to be a new take on The Brady Bunch. Rene Russo, with her 10 kids, marries Dennis Quaid, and his 8 kids, much comedy ensues.
Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic. Silverman takes her blunt comedy to the screen. This is a combination of her one woman show mixed with skits and songs. I have no idea what to expect, other potentially offensive social commentary. I may have to check this out.
Also opening, but not near me:
- The Libertine
- Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont
- Streets of Legend
- Syriana
That is all until next week!
November 24, 2005
Happy Thanksgiving!
I will not be posting anything new today, but I wanted to wish all who visit a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you are all enjoying the company of your loved ones on this day of Thanks.
November 23, 2005
Mets Notes: Delgado, Wagner, and Nady, Oh My!
I don't typically write about sports, but being a Mets fan it has been hard to ignore the recent changes going on with my baseball team of choice. I have decided to pass some of them along to you. Hopefully I won't bore you to tears, or expose my lack of knowledge in this arena too badly. Onward my faithful readers, you have been warned.
In a story that began it's life prior to the 2005 season, the Mets want Carlos Delgado. The only difference is that this time they got him. Instead of signing him as a free agent, as would have happened last year, they traded for him, taking advantage of the latest sale being offered by the Florida Marlins. The deal sends first baseman Mike Jacobs and minor league pitching prospect Yusmerio Petit to the Marlins in exchange for Delgado and $7 million.
There are two sides to this deal, and I feel a little conflicted. I am a Mets fan, but not so hardcore that I track every deal made, but this one is big and caught my attention. On one hand, Delgado offers a strong offense and decent defense to the lineup. He is a proven offensive threat, last year he hit over 30 home runs, had over 100 RBIs, and had an average over .300. Those are good numbers by any stretch, add him to a lineup with Cliff Floyd, Carlos Beltran, and David Wright and you are going to be an offensive threat. On the other hand the Mets have given up a bright young player in Jacobs, who quickly became a Shea favorite when he exploded upon his call-up this past August. They also give up what I am told is (was) the Mets top minor league pitching prospect, and we all know how valuable young pitching can be. I must also admit that I had never heard of Petit prior to today's deal. In the end, I fall to the side of liking the trade, and hope that it pays off. I also wish Jacobs the best, perhaps he will bear the blue and orange again.
In an attempt to fill the closer hole left by the departing Braden Looper, the Mets are pursuing Phillie free agent Billy Wagner. In my opinion this is definitely a step up. Sad to say, but I did not find Looper to be any better than the man he replaced, Armando Benitez. Assuming Wagner can perform in New York, and some players can't, he would help shore up the Mets bullpen. Last year he had a 4-3 record, an ERA of 1.51, and 38 saves in 41 opportunities. He has been offered over $30 million for 3 years and an option for a 4th. He has not yet decided and is still taking offers, presumably from the Phillies, and rumored from the Red Sox and Braves. This potential deal is probably a few weeks off. On a last note, Wagner has been quoted as saying that his wife will be a big deciding factor on whether she wishes to move or not. Seems like a class act to me, I hope he makes the right (wink) decision.
One last deal to make mention of. Last week the Mets finalized a trade which sent outfielder Mike Cameron to San Diego in exchange for first baseman/outfielder Xavier Nady. This news saddened me. Ever since Cameron joined the Mets, I have been a fan. He played a great center field and delivered at the plate, then, when Carlos Beltran was acquired, he moved to right and did a good job there as well. Now he is gone. In his place they have acquired a younger talent with room to grow. Nady has exhibited some power potential, hitting 13 home runs last year, and given time could increase his offensive output. The has been rumors that the Mets may turn around and deal Nady again before spring training, but there is nothing concrete to those rumors.
The Mets have been a team in a constant state of flux. Ever since going to the World Series in 2000, which was won by the cross town rival Yankees, they have been heading in the wrong direction. Each year the team looks great on paper, has a decent start and collapses after the All Star break. Hopefully, this year will be different. They have a strong mix of young and veteran players with which to make a go. The Mets have David Wright and Jose Reyes emerging as major stars on the rise, Ramon Castro looks good behind the plate, and the outfield has Cliff Floyd and Carlos Beltran, combine them with the addition of Delgado and the team on paper keeps getting better. Only time will tell what the future holds.
Read more on these and more at Mets.com.
In a story that began it's life prior to the 2005 season, the Mets want Carlos Delgado. The only difference is that this time they got him. Instead of signing him as a free agent, as would have happened last year, they traded for him, taking advantage of the latest sale being offered by the Florida Marlins. The deal sends first baseman Mike Jacobs and minor league pitching prospect Yusmerio Petit to the Marlins in exchange for Delgado and $7 million.
There are two sides to this deal, and I feel a little conflicted. I am a Mets fan, but not so hardcore that I track every deal made, but this one is big and caught my attention. On one hand, Delgado offers a strong offense and decent defense to the lineup. He is a proven offensive threat, last year he hit over 30 home runs, had over 100 RBIs, and had an average over .300. Those are good numbers by any stretch, add him to a lineup with Cliff Floyd, Carlos Beltran, and David Wright and you are going to be an offensive threat. On the other hand the Mets have given up a bright young player in Jacobs, who quickly became a Shea favorite when he exploded upon his call-up this past August. They also give up what I am told is (was) the Mets top minor league pitching prospect, and we all know how valuable young pitching can be. I must also admit that I had never heard of Petit prior to today's deal. In the end, I fall to the side of liking the trade, and hope that it pays off. I also wish Jacobs the best, perhaps he will bear the blue and orange again.In an attempt to fill the closer hole left by the departing Braden Looper, the Mets are pursuing Phillie free agent Billy Wagner. In my opinion this is definitely a step up. Sad to say, but I did not find Looper to be any better than the man he replaced, Armando Benitez. Assuming Wagner can perform in New York, and some players can't, he would help shore up the Mets bullpen. Last year he had a 4-3 record, an ERA of 1.51, and 38 saves in 41 opportunities. He has been offered over $30 million for 3 years and an option for a 4th. He has not yet decided and is still taking offers, presumably from the Phillies, and rumored from the Red Sox and Braves. This potential deal is probably a few weeks off. On a last note, Wagner has been quoted as saying that his wife will be a big deciding factor on whether she wishes to move or not. Seems like a class act to me, I hope he makes the right (wink) decision. One last deal to make mention of. Last week the Mets finalized a trade which sent outfielder Mike Cameron to San Diego in exchange for first baseman/outfielder Xavier Nady. This news saddened me. Ever since Cameron joined the Mets, I have been a fan. He played a great center field and delivered at the plate, then, when Carlos Beltran was acquired, he moved to right and did a good job there as well. Now he is gone. In his place they have acquired a younger talent with room to grow. Nady has exhibited some power potential, hitting 13 home runs last year, and given time could increase his offensive output. The has been rumors that the Mets may turn around and deal Nady again before spring training, but there is nothing concrete to those rumors.The Mets have been a team in a constant state of flux. Ever since going to the World Series in 2000, which was won by the cross town rival Yankees, they have been heading in the wrong direction. Each year the team looks great on paper, has a decent start and collapses after the All Star break. Hopefully, this year will be different. They have a strong mix of young and veteran players with which to make a go. The Mets have David Wright and Jose Reyes emerging as major stars on the rise, Ramon Castro looks good behind the plate, and the outfield has Cliff Floyd and Carlos Beltran, combine them with the addition of Delgado and the team on paper keeps getting better. Only time will tell what the future holds.
Read more on these and more at Mets.com.
A Television Viewer's Diary: 10/13-10/19: South Park
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.
Best show I watched this week: South Park
Worst show I watched this week: The War at Home
Best show I watched this week: South Park
Worst show I watched this week: The War at Home
Sunday 10/13.
- The Simpsons (Fox 8pm). Marge buys a tandem bike, but cannot entice Homer away from his one dumbbell. Instead, Bart joins up on her adventures and becomes a mama's boy. Mediocre episode of a slipping series. **
- The War at Home (Fox 8:30). Only taped and watched out of convenience. I cannot believe this is still on and Arrested Development gets the shaft. This episode has the daughter wanting breast implants, much comedy ensues. *
- Family Guy (Fox 9pm). Brian gets a job with the New Yorker, but to keep it he has to go back to college. On a funnier side, Peter and the gang form their own version of the A-Team, with disastrous results. ***.5
- American Dad (Fox 9:30). The Smiths are still in Saudi Arabia. Stan is loving it while the rest of the family has their own issues, including his wife's musical strip show. Funny stuff. ***
- Desperate Housewives (ABC 9pm). The guy locked in the basement gets out, Edie has a break up, the Scavo's find some new playmates, and Gaby has trouble fitting into a dress. **.5
- Grey's Anatomy (ABC 10pm). Derek and Addison take sides regarding a friends proposed surgery. But the best is Cristina and Burke's date which turns into a surgical opportunity. ***
Monday 10/14.
- WWE: Monday Night Raw (USA 9pm). A wonderful tribute to the late Eddie Guerrero. ****
- Surface (NBC 8pm). Miles is distraught after giving up Nimrod, while his parents mull over punishments. Laura, Rich, with Jackson build a sub to try to get a glimpse of the creatures and get more than they bargained for. I like it, but I don't at the same time. **.5
- Las Vegas (NBC 9pm). Guilty pleasure of the week. This show is so fluffy non-serious, that it is just fun to watch. This week has a sapphire stolen from high security and the prime suspect is Monica. It is up to Danny to find and return it before the viewing. Meanwhile Monica tries to get Ed back at the Monticito. ***
- Prison Break (Fox 9pm). This show is becoming gloriously over the top. The plot to escape is becoming more and more complex. Surprising none of the guards have stumbled across the plot yet. Outside the doors, the cover up is growing into the high reaches of government. ***.5
Tuesday 10/15.
- Bones (Fox 8pm). A mummy is found in the wall at a club, along with a good deal of meth. Who killed him? Was there another victim? Who cares? I like this show, but it is not about the mysteries, it is about the characters and their interactions and quips, and small moments. On that level this show is a success. ***
- House (Fox 9pm). A champion cyclist falls ill and admits to straight blood doping to give him an edge. House uses his natural charm to drill down to the truth, while also fending off the anger from his ex. The formula is still working. ***.5
- My Name is Earl (NBC 9pm). Earl's next project is helping with Joy's wedding to the Crab Man. Hilarity ensues as nothing quite works out as it should. Including a little role in the hay prior to the wedding. Meanwhile, Randy just wants to see Catalina dance. ***.5
- The Office (NBC 9:30). Michael's non-existent romance is the focus during performance reviews. I will repeat, anyone who has worked in an office must see this. ***.5
- Supernatural (WB 9pm). Sam and Dean return to their childhood home, only to find that there are still problems going on there. The current inhabitants are experiencing strange things. The boys get help from an old psychic friend to stave off the haunting. They also see their mother again, but leave before the reveal of their father. ***
- Law & Order: SVU (NBC 10pm). Dean Cain guest stars as a rapist that Benson goes undercover to catch. The catch is a loyal girlfriend who he manipulates almost too easily. Still may favorite of the L&O series. ***
Wednesday 10/16.
- That 70's Show (Fox 8pm). Surprised this show is still going. So far this year has been better than last. Kelso proposes to Jackie, in the dumbest thing he's ever done. It also marks Kutcher's last episode and Bruce Willis as a guest star. ***
- Stacked (Fox 8:30). How can a show like this survive and Arrested Development gets canceled? It's a sad state. Still, I find this show to be somewhat addicting. Jenny McCarthy guest stars as an old friend marrying an elderly man. Funny, yet insubstantial fluff. **.5
- Lost (ABC 9pm). This week saw how the other half lives. Analucia and the rest of the tail-enders tale is told. Survivors dragged into the jungle, the debate of whether to stay on the beach, Echo's silence after almost being taken, the discovery of a spy. All of it leads to the arrival of Sawyer, Michael, and Jin. We end up at the shooting. ***.5
- Invasion (ABC 10pm). I really want to like this, but it is taking too many cues from Lost, taking too long to get anywhere. It is still oddly compelling. ***
- Veronica Mars (UPN 9pm). The mystery continues. Logan continues his relationship with Kendall. Keith sets out to take on Sheriff Lamb. Dick and Cassidy learn that they have some big trust fund money coming. Veronica takes a job as a babysitter to find the identity of an abused child. This is one of the best shows going. ***.5
- South Park (Comedy Central 10pm). "Tom, come out of the closet." "Mr.Cruise, please, come out of the closet." Very funny send up of Scientology and Cruise. Reminds me of their take on the Mormons. ***.5
Thursday 10/17.
- Smallville (WB 8pm). Martha falls ill to what appears to be a Kryptonian disease. Chloe is put on the trail of Fine by Lionel, and Brainiac is revealed as he uses Clark to try and free Zod. Can't wait until Zod finally makes an appearance! ***
- Alias (ABC 8pm). Sloane continues his good guy/bad guy flipping, this time double crossing Dean to help out the good guys. Syd sets up a date with her Dad to put a crib together, and they try to setup Dean at a race track. Good stuff. ***
- Reunion (Fox 9pm). Strangely, I still find myself intrigued by this show. The drama with Carla continues, while they try to narrow down who the killer may be. We also see Aaron get bought by the up and coming America Online.
- CSI (CBS 9pm). Part 2 of the big shootout that began last week. A cop was killed, an unarmed man may have been shot, and a boy was shot for his bike. Lots of bullets, a huge crime scene and the involvement of Brass. Very good episode. ***.5
- ER (NBC 10pm). Everyone is going about their day when an explosion causes a plane crash and a whirlwind of problems in the ER, plus there is the renewed relationship between Abby and Kovac. Then there is the issue of Neela in the field with John Stamos. ***
Friday 10/18.
- Ghost Whisperer (CBS 8pm). Straight outta the movie theater comes EVP. A static spirit is calling out to Melinda and her son, but it is causing a lot of harm on the way. Not one of the better episodes. **
- WWE: Friday Night Smackdown (UPN 8pm). Tribute to the late Eddie Guerrero.
Saturday 10/19.
- TNA: Wrestling Impact (Spike 11pm). Fun wrestling show, features the debut of Christian Cage.
To be dropped from the "To Watch" list:
Shows on the bubble:
That is all for this week.
November 22, 2005
TV Recap: WWE: Smackdown - "Remembering Eddie Guerrero"
The show opens with Eddie Guerrero's entrance music and Batista driving a lowrider to the ring, much like Eddie would have done. Batista got out of the car and entered the ring wearing an Eddie Guerrero T-shirt, and doing a little of his trademark shimmy.He spoke of how much he misses Eddie and how he may not be the right person to be speaking of him. He told how much Eddie loved his family and how much he loved the wrestling business.It closed with Eddie's music playing again.He left his belt on the hood of the lowrider as he left.
Next was a video package of Eddie moments, including winning the title and driving Vince to the ring in the lowrider. It also had some film clips of him as a child and photos with his family. It was accompanied by a mellow acoustic song which I did not recognize.
Commercial break.
Eddie video clip: Eddie speaking of how happy he was as a child, his mother spoke of how she came to name him Eduardo Gory Guerrero. Eddie is also heard talking about his large family and their involvement in the wrestling business from a very early age.
The first match features Matt Hardy taking on Carlito. The two lockup with Carlito getting the early edge. Matt gets on top after a hair pull. Carlito, back in charge, goes for the first pin, only a 2 count. Lots of back and forth action. Matt hits a Side Effect, followed by his leg drop, but misses the Twist of Fate. Carlito pushes Matt to the ropes, but gets caught in another Twist of Fate. Your winner is Matt Hardy. This was a pretty good match.
Vince McMahon speaks of how great a performer Eddie was. He was a fine craftsman, happy in the ring performing for the crowds. Speaking again of how much Eddie cared and loved his family, his blood family and his wrestling family.
Commercial break.
Eddie speaking of losing his family and how he was able to regain his family. How much he cared for his wife and thankful for being able to reunite with them.
Match two was a tag match pitting Animal and Heidenreich against Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch. Cade and Heidenreich start the match with Heidenreich dominating early. Heidenreich gets tossed outside where Murdoch beats up on him before throwing him back in. Murdoch tags in and keeps Heidenreich from tagging Animal. Animal gets tagged in and takes control. LOD hits the Doomsday Device on Cade for the win. Not a terribly interesting match.
Booker T with Sharmell spoke about his times with Eddie, dating back to the WCW days. He extends their wishes and thoughts to Eddie's family.
Commercial Break.
Clips: Eddie and Chavo in the "Lying, Cheating, and Stealing" clips. That is followed by them doing their cheating thing in the ring. Lots of comedy ensues. Some great stuff here.
Big Show speaks of Eddie, how much he will be missed, he has trouble retaining his composure. Seeking peace in the Eddie being with God now.
Commercial break.
Eddie talks about how he played other sports, football, baseball, but once high school came, it was all about wrestling. They had a ring in their backyard which acted as their playground, it was also their punishment, setting it up, when they were punished. Growing up in El Paso going to the wrestling shows and perform during the intermissions.
The Third match was Chavo Guerrero (no more Kerwin White) taking on JBL. Chavo had early control over his much larger opponent. Chavo performing in a style very similar to his Uncle Eddie.JBL gains control and just dominates Chavo. JBL locks in a sleeper for awhile until Chavo fights out of it. Chavo counters the Last Call into a DDT. Chavo then pulls an Eddie move making the ref think he got hit with a chair. After that, Chavo hits the Three Amigos (vertical suplexes), followed with a Frog Splash for the win! Chavo wins the match dedicating his performance to his Uncle.
Eddie's mother talking about Eddie as a young boy, always wanting to be held by his parents. Sweet moment.
Commercial break.
Michael Cole and Tazz remember Eddie and the calling of his matches. Tazz spoke of being a friend of Eddie's for 10 years. They spoke of his dream to main event Wrestlemania, which he did in 2004 against Kurt Angle. We get a segment of Eddie talking about his experience there. It closes with the footage of his win to retain the championship.
JBL speaks of Eddie and the times he had wrestling him. He has known Eddie and his family for a long time and they have been friends for a long time. Eddie stepped up for JBL and helped make him a main eventer.
Commercial Break.
Vintage clip: Eddie taking on Brock Lesnar at No Way Out 2004 when he won the championship. What a moment, watching him win and embrace his mother.
Match 3 is cruiserweight battle royale with Brian Kendrick (Spanky), Paul London, Tajiri, Scotty 2 Hotty, Nunzio, Funaki, Juventud, Super Crazy, Psycosis, Gregory Helms, and Kid Kash. It starts off with everyone against the Raw entrants, Tajiri and Helms. Lots of fast paced action. Juvy eliminates Kendrick. Nunzio eliminates Super Crazy. Funaki eliminated Tajiri. Funaki eliminated by Helms. Scotty does an Eddie Shimmy and hits the worm on Nunzio and Helms. Scotty eliminates Kid Kash. London eliminates Helms. Scotty and Psycosis eliminated by Nunzio. London and Juvy eliminate Nunzio. Two are left. Juvy whips London over the top for the win. Fun match.
Vintage clip: Eddie and Chyna in their mamacita phase. Funny stuff.
Commercial break.
Next up are clips of Eddie in his last match where he took on Mr. Kennedy. He won by cheating, making the ref think that he was hit with a chair.
Shane McMahon makes a rare television appearance. He spoke of the Guerrero family legacy and how much he stood out. He loved to perform, loved the business, and was a consummate professional. He also reiterated how much Eddie loved his family and how much he will be missed.
Commercial break.
Vintage clip: Eddie celebrating with Chris Benoit after Benoit's win at Wrestlemania XX.
Match 4 is Triple H taking on Chris Benoit. Triple H paused on his way to the ring to look at the ever present lowrider in the entrance way. Benoit made his way slowly to the ring, the camera paying notice to the still present championship belt on the lowrider's hood. Benoit goes for the Crossface early, but Triple H slips out of the ring before it can get locked in. A few more punches land and Benoit tries it again, Triple H again slips out of the ring. "Eddie!" chants kick up. Back in the ring Benoit goes for the Sharpshooter, but can't lock it in. The fight goes to the outside, Benoit laying some vicious chops and throws him into the steps. Back in the ring Benoit lands the Ten Punch in the corner, followed by Triple H's version of the Flair flop. Benoit charges, but Triple H gets out of the way and Benoit is thrown to the outside.
Commercial break.
Back to the match, Benoit is lying on the mat as Triple H starts to take control. Triple H goes for the pin, but Chris kicks out. Benoit comes off the ropes and lands a punch, both men go down. Once back up, Benoit lands more chops, but Triple H hits the spinebuster. Tazz spoke about when he broke his neck in a match where he tagged with Eddie against Dean Malenko and 2 Cold Scorpio, and how Eddie stepped up, checking on Tazz and keeping the match going. Triple H locks in an abdominal stretch, Benoit fights his way out of it. Benoit lands more chops, but Triple H throws him to the ropes and gets a sleeper hold. Benoit gets out and slaps on a sleeper of his own. Triple H gets out and tries to a pedigree, but Benoit counters with a slingshot to the turnbuckle followed by a series of 3 German Suplexes. Benoit gives trademark throat slash and climbs the ropes, hitting his flying headbutt. Triple H regains control after throwing Benoit to the ropes, he goes for the Pedigree, but Benoit counters into the Crippler Crossface. Triple H tries to role out of the hold, but Chris holds on, he then roles Triple H over for the pin. The winner of this match is Chris Benoit. Good match! Benoit near tears points his finger to the heavens. "Eddie!" chants begin. Triple H and Chris Benoit embrace in the center of the ring, both of them with tears in their eyes. Both point to the heavens, leading further chants.
Dean Malenko enters the ring hugs Chris and raise their arms to the heavens in tribute to their fallen friend. The show ends with a closeup on the belt still laying on the lowrider.
RIP Eddie Guerrero.
Next was a video package of Eddie moments, including winning the title and driving Vince to the ring in the lowrider. It also had some film clips of him as a child and photos with his family. It was accompanied by a mellow acoustic song which I did not recognize.
Commercial break.
Eddie video clip: Eddie speaking of how happy he was as a child, his mother spoke of how she came to name him Eduardo Gory Guerrero. Eddie is also heard talking about his large family and their involvement in the wrestling business from a very early age.
The first match features Matt Hardy taking on Carlito. The two lockup with Carlito getting the early edge. Matt gets on top after a hair pull. Carlito, back in charge, goes for the first pin, only a 2 count. Lots of back and forth action. Matt hits a Side Effect, followed by his leg drop, but misses the Twist of Fate. Carlito pushes Matt to the ropes, but gets caught in another Twist of Fate. Your winner is Matt Hardy. This was a pretty good match.
Vince McMahon speaks of how great a performer Eddie was. He was a fine craftsman, happy in the ring performing for the crowds. Speaking again of how much Eddie cared and loved his family, his blood family and his wrestling family.
Commercial break.
Eddie speaking of losing his family and how he was able to regain his family. How much he cared for his wife and thankful for being able to reunite with them.
Match two was a tag match pitting Animal and Heidenreich against Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch. Cade and Heidenreich start the match with Heidenreich dominating early. Heidenreich gets tossed outside where Murdoch beats up on him before throwing him back in. Murdoch tags in and keeps Heidenreich from tagging Animal. Animal gets tagged in and takes control. LOD hits the Doomsday Device on Cade for the win. Not a terribly interesting match.
Booker T with Sharmell spoke about his times with Eddie, dating back to the WCW days. He extends their wishes and thoughts to Eddie's family.
Commercial Break.
Clips: Eddie and Chavo in the "Lying, Cheating, and Stealing" clips. That is followed by them doing their cheating thing in the ring. Lots of comedy ensues. Some great stuff here.
Big Show speaks of Eddie, how much he will be missed, he has trouble retaining his composure. Seeking peace in the Eddie being with God now.
Commercial break.
Eddie talks about how he played other sports, football, baseball, but once high school came, it was all about wrestling. They had a ring in their backyard which acted as their playground, it was also their punishment, setting it up, when they were punished. Growing up in El Paso going to the wrestling shows and perform during the intermissions.
The Third match was Chavo Guerrero (no more Kerwin White) taking on JBL. Chavo had early control over his much larger opponent. Chavo performing in a style very similar to his Uncle Eddie.JBL gains control and just dominates Chavo. JBL locks in a sleeper for awhile until Chavo fights out of it. Chavo counters the Last Call into a DDT. Chavo then pulls an Eddie move making the ref think he got hit with a chair. After that, Chavo hits the Three Amigos (vertical suplexes), followed with a Frog Splash for the win! Chavo wins the match dedicating his performance to his Uncle.
Eddie's mother talking about Eddie as a young boy, always wanting to be held by his parents. Sweet moment.
Commercial break.
Michael Cole and Tazz remember Eddie and the calling of his matches. Tazz spoke of being a friend of Eddie's for 10 years. They spoke of his dream to main event Wrestlemania, which he did in 2004 against Kurt Angle. We get a segment of Eddie talking about his experience there. It closes with the footage of his win to retain the championship.
JBL speaks of Eddie and the times he had wrestling him. He has known Eddie and his family for a long time and they have been friends for a long time. Eddie stepped up for JBL and helped make him a main eventer.
Commercial Break.
Vintage clip: Eddie taking on Brock Lesnar at No Way Out 2004 when he won the championship. What a moment, watching him win and embrace his mother.
Match 3 is cruiserweight battle royale with Brian Kendrick (Spanky), Paul London, Tajiri, Scotty 2 Hotty, Nunzio, Funaki, Juventud, Super Crazy, Psycosis, Gregory Helms, and Kid Kash. It starts off with everyone against the Raw entrants, Tajiri and Helms. Lots of fast paced action. Juvy eliminates Kendrick. Nunzio eliminates Super Crazy. Funaki eliminated Tajiri. Funaki eliminated by Helms. Scotty does an Eddie Shimmy and hits the worm on Nunzio and Helms. Scotty eliminates Kid Kash. London eliminates Helms. Scotty and Psycosis eliminated by Nunzio. London and Juvy eliminate Nunzio. Two are left. Juvy whips London over the top for the win. Fun match.
Vintage clip: Eddie and Chyna in their mamacita phase. Funny stuff.
Commercial break.
Next up are clips of Eddie in his last match where he took on Mr. Kennedy. He won by cheating, making the ref think that he was hit with a chair.
Shane McMahon makes a rare television appearance. He spoke of the Guerrero family legacy and how much he stood out. He loved to perform, loved the business, and was a consummate professional. He also reiterated how much Eddie loved his family and how much he will be missed.
Commercial break.
Vintage clip: Eddie celebrating with Chris Benoit after Benoit's win at Wrestlemania XX.
Match 4 is Triple H taking on Chris Benoit. Triple H paused on his way to the ring to look at the ever present lowrider in the entrance way. Benoit made his way slowly to the ring, the camera paying notice to the still present championship belt on the lowrider's hood. Benoit goes for the Crossface early, but Triple H slips out of the ring before it can get locked in. A few more punches land and Benoit tries it again, Triple H again slips out of the ring. "Eddie!" chants kick up. Back in the ring Benoit goes for the Sharpshooter, but can't lock it in. The fight goes to the outside, Benoit laying some vicious chops and throws him into the steps. Back in the ring Benoit lands the Ten Punch in the corner, followed by Triple H's version of the Flair flop. Benoit charges, but Triple H gets out of the way and Benoit is thrown to the outside.
Commercial break.
Back to the match, Benoit is lying on the mat as Triple H starts to take control. Triple H goes for the pin, but Chris kicks out. Benoit comes off the ropes and lands a punch, both men go down. Once back up, Benoit lands more chops, but Triple H hits the spinebuster. Tazz spoke about when he broke his neck in a match where he tagged with Eddie against Dean Malenko and 2 Cold Scorpio, and how Eddie stepped up, checking on Tazz and keeping the match going. Triple H locks in an abdominal stretch, Benoit fights his way out of it. Benoit lands more chops, but Triple H throws him to the ropes and gets a sleeper hold. Benoit gets out and slaps on a sleeper of his own. Triple H gets out and tries to a pedigree, but Benoit counters with a slingshot to the turnbuckle followed by a series of 3 German Suplexes. Benoit gives trademark throat slash and climbs the ropes, hitting his flying headbutt. Triple H regains control after throwing Benoit to the ropes, he goes for the Pedigree, but Benoit counters into the Crippler Crossface. Triple H tries to role out of the hold, but Chris holds on, he then roles Triple H over for the pin. The winner of this match is Chris Benoit. Good match! Benoit near tears points his finger to the heavens. "Eddie!" chants begin. Triple H and Chris Benoit embrace in the center of the ring, both of them with tears in their eyes. Both point to the heavens, leading further chants.
Dean Malenko enters the ring hugs Chris and raise their arms to the heavens in tribute to their fallen friend. The show ends with a closeup on the belt still laying on the lowrider.
RIP Eddie Guerrero.
Box Office Update for 11/18-11/20: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Potter-mania! Put a wand in my hand, a cloak around my shoulders and call me goofy! I cannot believe how well Goblet of Fire performed this weekend. After the lackluster attendance at my screening on Friday, and some others that I had heard about, I would never have pegged this at crossing the $100 million mark. I was thinking more like $80-85 million, I knew it would do well, but this is phenomenal.
The cult of Harry is clearly going strong, and it is doubtful that any of the upcoming releases will unseat it anytime soon. It's a shame that I didn't like it as much as many others seem to have. Not to say it is a bad movie, but I was left a little unfulfilled. Anyway, it now ranks among the biggest opening weekends ever, let's see how far it goes. Oh yeah, with this mark it makes 2005 the first year to have 2 $100 million openings (along with Star Wars Episode III).
Coming in second with a strong showing, yet paling next to the Potter behemoth, is the Johnny Cash biopic, Walk the Line. I also had the opportunity to see this over the weekend, and it is a very good movie, brought to near greatness by the fantastic performances from both Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. They also show that they aren't half bad singers, not as good as those they imitate, but impressive nonetheless.
Chicken Little draws ever closer to the century mark. It may be a sub par film, in my eyes, but it is still drawing good sized crowds. It is slipping a bit, however. Time to stand aside while the big boys play.
Zathura took a big hit in its second week of release. I kind of figured that would happen, many people see it as Jumanji in Space. In a way they are right, the story is very similar, the only real difference is the setting. I did, however, like it better. Of course, it has been awhile since I saw the Robin Williams starrer. This latest incarnation of the board game film features good acting from the kids and no Williams to chew up the scenery.
Perhaps the movie going audience was looking for a big "event" film to latch on to. The box office as a whole has been very soft over the past few months. It has been awhile since any movie exploded out of the gates. Most of the films have been taking sizable hits from week to week, and this week is no exception. The film that did the best at retaining its audience was Pride & Prejudice, which dropped only 25% while retaining it's 10th place spot.
In some non-Top Ten notices, Good Night and Good Luck clings to 11th place. It still lost money despite increasing it's theater count. I must take a moment to urge all of you who are able, go and see it, it is an absolutely wonderful film. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang continues its slow roll out, I really hope that this will eventually come to my area. Lastly, I decided to take a scan down the list and see what major film ranked lowest on the list. The theater count gradually drops the longer a film is in release. Currently the lowest charted release is Hustle & Flow coming in at 135 with a box office gross of $150.
Not much else to really talk about. It will be interesting to see how Potter will fare over Thanksgiving. I have a feeling that it will pull in at least another $60-70 million.
The cult of Harry is clearly going strong, and it is doubtful that any of the upcoming releases will unseat it anytime soon. It's a shame that I didn't like it as much as many others seem to have. Not to say it is a bad movie, but I was left a little unfulfilled. Anyway, it now ranks among the biggest opening weekends ever, let's see how far it goes. Oh yeah, with this mark it makes 2005 the first year to have 2 $100 million openings (along with Star Wars Episode III).
Coming in second with a strong showing, yet paling next to the Potter behemoth, is the Johnny Cash biopic, Walk the Line. I also had the opportunity to see this over the weekend, and it is a very good movie, brought to near greatness by the fantastic performances from both Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. They also show that they aren't half bad singers, not as good as those they imitate, but impressive nonetheless.
Chicken Little draws ever closer to the century mark. It may be a sub par film, in my eyes, but it is still drawing good sized crowds. It is slipping a bit, however. Time to stand aside while the big boys play.
Zathura took a big hit in its second week of release. I kind of figured that would happen, many people see it as Jumanji in Space. In a way they are right, the story is very similar, the only real difference is the setting. I did, however, like it better. Of course, it has been awhile since I saw the Robin Williams starrer. This latest incarnation of the board game film features good acting from the kids and no Williams to chew up the scenery.
Perhaps the movie going audience was looking for a big "event" film to latch on to. The box office as a whole has been very soft over the past few months. It has been awhile since any movie exploded out of the gates. Most of the films have been taking sizable hits from week to week, and this week is no exception. The film that did the best at retaining its audience was Pride & Prejudice, which dropped only 25% while retaining it's 10th place spot.
In some non-Top Ten notices, Good Night and Good Luck clings to 11th place. It still lost money despite increasing it's theater count. I must take a moment to urge all of you who are able, go and see it, it is an absolutely wonderful film. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang continues its slow roll out, I really hope that this will eventually come to my area. Lastly, I decided to take a scan down the list and see what major film ranked lowest on the list. The theater count gradually drops the longer a film is in release. Currently the lowest charted release is Hustle & Flow coming in at 135 with a box office gross of $150.
Not much else to really talk about. It will be interesting to see how Potter will fare over Thanksgiving. I have a feeling that it will pull in at least another $60-70 million.
| This Week | Last Week | Title | Wknd Gross | Overall | Week in release |
| 1 | N | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | $102,335,066 | $102,335,066 | 1 |
| 2 | N | Walk the Line | $22,347,341 | $22,347,341 | 1 |
| 3 | 1 | Chicken Little | $14,711,378 | $99,093,096 | 3 |
| 4 | 3 | Derailed | $6,506,669 | $21,817,607 | 2 |
| 5 | 2 | Zathura | $5,133,592 | $20,316,508 | 2 |
| 6 | 5 | Jarhead | $4,753,335 | $54,280,420 | 3 |
| 7 | 4 | Get Rich or Die Tryin' | $4,420,706 | $24,547,483 | 2 |
| 8 | 6 | Saw II | $3,961,863 | $79,918,817 | 4 |
| 9 | 7 | The Legend of Zorro | $2,355,095 | $42,840,410 | 4 |
| 10 | 1o | Pride and Prejudice | $2,141,554 | $6,000,723 | 2 |
DVD Pick of the Week for 11/22: King Kong
How could I choose anything else? I have been looking forward to this for a long time. It has been a long time since I've seen the movie, and this seems to be the perfect opportunity. Today marks the release of a completely restored version of the original film, the legendary King Kong.
It's true that the effects and the acting are not up to modern standards, but this film holds a special place in the hearts of film lovers the world round. Who doesn't want to see the giant ape carrying Fay Wray, battling dinosaurs, wrecking trains and climbing tall buildings? I do, for one.
Anyway, there are a couple of different ways you can get the film. All of them include a commentary featuring interviews with Ray Harryhausen and Fay Wray, and feature length documentaries on the the film. One way is a straight-up 2 disk special edition. The second way is in a limited edition tin that also contains a reproduction of the movie program and a collection of poster cards. The final way is the 2 disk edition boxed with Mighty Joe Young and Son of Kong. Whichever way you choose, you will have some great viewing ahead of you!
Also out this week:
It's true that the effects and the acting are not up to modern standards, but this film holds a special place in the hearts of film lovers the world round. Who doesn't want to see the giant ape carrying Fay Wray, battling dinosaurs, wrecking trains and climbing tall buildings? I do, for one.
Anyway, there are a couple of different ways you can get the film. All of them include a commentary featuring interviews with Ray Harryhausen and Fay Wray, and feature length documentaries on the the film. One way is a straight-up 2 disk special edition. The second way is in a limited edition tin that also contains a reproduction of the movie program and a collection of poster cards. The final way is the 2 disk edition boxed with Mighty Joe Young and Son of Kong. Whichever way you choose, you will have some great viewing ahead of you!
Also out this week:
- Aeon Flux: The Complete Animated Collection. The complete original series that originally aired on MTV. Just in time for the live action movie coming 12/2.
- Alien vs. Predator: Unrated Director's Cut. Something tells me that this will not make it a better movie.
- Four Dead Batteries. Interesting indie comedy. Low production values, but it is still pretty entertaining.
- Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2nd Gig Vol. 2. The second season marches on!
- The Honeymooners. This is here to warn you off of it. I cannot speak on the quality of the film, although it doesn't look that good, but it is only available in full-screen and has been edited from its original PG-13 to a PG.
- Killswitch Engage: Set This World Ablaze. One of the best new metal acts with their first DVD. Has a live concert as well as their videos.
- The Polar Express. Christmas classic in the making. This is a delightful film for the whole family.
- Radiohead: Astoria London Live. Previously available on VHS, this is the first DVD offering of live Radiohead.
- Samurai Champloo Vol. 6. This is a great series from the creater of Cowboy Bebop.
- Seinfeld Seasons 5 & 6 Gift Set. 2 more seasons of the classic show about nothing. The gift set comes with a mini puffy shirt. Seasons also available seperately.
- Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance. Korean masterpiece of revenge. Great movie.
- War of the Worlds. Big budget blockbuster Spielberg at his finest. This is a great new interpretation of the classic invasion novel.
Hopefully there is something out there for you this week.
November 21, 2005
The Trailer Park: Something New
The first trailer for Something New arrived in my in-box this evening. I read the description, and thought to myself how it didn't really fit my typical tastes. But then, I am willing to give anything a shot, so I watched it. I'm not going to say it looks good, but I have seen worse. It could be good, but it could also fall into the many clichés of he romantic comedy.
The movie centers on a successful young businesswoman, played by Sanaa Lathan. She puts so much time into her work that she does not have the time to play the dating field. As luck(?) would have it, she is put into contact with one of her bosses landscapers, played by Simon Baker. She ends up hiring him, but in doing so finds herself becoming attracted to him, the last man she would ever think she would care about.
The comedy, and dramatic thrust, of the film deals with her dating a white man and the interactions that it brings. This could be good, but I have a real fear that it will play off of the stereotypes of both partied involved. I hope that there is some substance to the movie, the potential is there. Time will tell, I guess.
The cast looks pretty good. Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker, look good for their roles. In addition to them, the cast features Blair Underwood, Donald Faison (of Scrubs fame), Mike Epps, and Alfre Woodard. It was directed by Sanaa Hamri, and written by Kriss Turner.
This is set for release in early February, just in time for Valentine's Day. Be on the lookout for the trailer in theaters, probably mid-January, or you can check out the links below.
QuickTime High
QuickTime Low
Windows Media High
Windows Media Low
The movie centers on a successful young businesswoman, played by Sanaa Lathan. She puts so much time into her work that she does not have the time to play the dating field. As luck(?) would have it, she is put into contact with one of her bosses landscapers, played by Simon Baker. She ends up hiring him, but in doing so finds herself becoming attracted to him, the last man she would ever think she would care about.
The comedy, and dramatic thrust, of the film deals with her dating a white man and the interactions that it brings. This could be good, but I have a real fear that it will play off of the stereotypes of both partied involved. I hope that there is some substance to the movie, the potential is there. Time will tell, I guess.
The cast looks pretty good. Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker, look good for their roles. In addition to them, the cast features Blair Underwood, Donald Faison (of Scrubs fame), Mike Epps, and Alfre Woodard. It was directed by Sanaa Hamri, and written by Kriss Turner.
This is set for release in early February, just in time for Valentine's Day. Be on the lookout for the trailer in theaters, probably mid-January, or you can check out the links below.
QuickTime High
QuickTime Low
Windows Media High
Windows Media Low
DVD Review: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Following the success that Korean director Chan Wook Park had with his tense military drama JSA: Joint Security Area, his backing studio gave him free reign on his next film. Park then went and made a film that was decidedly different from his previous outing. The resulting film was a gritty, touching revenge flick that is populated with people who all act out of love.
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance follows Ryu, a deaf mute who loves his sister, who happens to be dying. She will die, unless she receives a much needed kidney transplant. Ryu cannot stand by any longer waiting for a donor and takes things into his own hands, sadly that leads him to black market organ traffikers. He is left without a kidney and stripped of his life savings. His girlfriend convinces him to kidnap the daughter of the wealthy busniessman who had fired him earlier.
The plan is to hold her captive and extort the money needed for his sister's operation and return the girl. They have no intention of hurting her, or even telling her that she has been kidnapped. Of course, nothing goes as it should. The characters spiral out of control as they all act on the love they have for someone else. The chain reaction starts as soon as Ryu makes that fateful decision to trade his kidney for a matching one to his sister.
I cannot say any more so as not to give it away. The payoff is well worth the trip. The film is so heartbreakingly tragic that I gurantee that you will be moved by what the characters go through. One of the most moving aspects is that, save for the organ traffikers, there are no "bad guys" in the traditional sense. It is true that some of the decisions made are not exactly the wisest, but they are acting on emotion, they are not thinking terribly rationally, but the love they have is the driving factor in their actions.
The acting is superb. Ha-kyun Shin's portrayal of Ryu is great, he exhibits such an incredible range of emotion, never speaking a word. Kang-ho Song is Park Dong-jin , the busniessman whose daughter Ryu kidnaps. There is a scene where he will bring you to tears. These two are the center of the film, their decisions drive the plot along its collision course of destruction.
Chan Wook Park is fast becoming one of the top names of international cinema. JSA proved that he could make a compelling film within a standard formula, that didn't feel like a formula. Sympathy shows that he has a unique and original voice, the ability to craft a film free of the trappings that sink many attempts at originality. He displays restraint, allowing the tension to build to a point where it boils over in an explosion of violence. Everything is there for a reason, building character, plot movement, a maestro at work.
Video. The image is presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and is anamorphically enhanced. The image appears to be slightly to the washed out side, but it works for the movie. I am unsure if that was the original intent or not. There is plenty of detail and overall it looks good.
Audio. Three flavors are provided, DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, 2.0, all in the original Korean. I listened using the Dolby Digital 5.1. I sounds good, the film is heavily dialogue driven and it is represented fine. No complaints.
Extras. There are a couple of extras here.
-Commentary. This track features the director. I did not listen to the track, as it is in Korean and you would have to choose which subtitles to watch, the film or the commentary.
-Original trailer. Exactly as it says.
-Behind the scenes. This is listed on the case, but I could not locate it on the disk.
-Preview of Lady Vengenace. A brief look at Park's third revenge film.
-Tartan previews. Trailers for other Asia Extreme releases.
Bottomline. This is a fantastic film. Moving performances, intense story, it is a wonderful package that is wrapped up in a nice evenly paced film. Hard to believe he would outdo this with Oldboy. Park's films keep getting better. See this movie!
Highly Recommended.
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance follows Ryu, a deaf mute who loves his sister, who happens to be dying. She will die, unless she receives a much needed kidney transplant. Ryu cannot stand by any longer waiting for a donor and takes things into his own hands, sadly that leads him to black market organ traffikers. He is left without a kidney and stripped of his life savings. His girlfriend convinces him to kidnap the daughter of the wealthy busniessman who had fired him earlier.
The plan is to hold her captive and extort the money needed for his sister's operation and return the girl. They have no intention of hurting her, or even telling her that she has been kidnapped. Of course, nothing goes as it should. The characters spiral out of control as they all act on the love they have for someone else. The chain reaction starts as soon as Ryu makes that fateful decision to trade his kidney for a matching one to his sister.
I cannot say any more so as not to give it away. The payoff is well worth the trip. The film is so heartbreakingly tragic that I gurantee that you will be moved by what the characters go through. One of the most moving aspects is that, save for the organ traffikers, there are no "bad guys" in the traditional sense. It is true that some of the decisions made are not exactly the wisest, but they are acting on emotion, they are not thinking terribly rationally, but the love they have is the driving factor in their actions.
The acting is superb. Ha-kyun Shin's portrayal of Ryu is great, he exhibits such an incredible range of emotion, never speaking a word. Kang-ho Song is Park Dong-jin , the busniessman whose daughter Ryu kidnaps. There is a scene where he will bring you to tears. These two are the center of the film, their decisions drive the plot along its collision course of destruction.
Chan Wook Park is fast becoming one of the top names of international cinema. JSA proved that he could make a compelling film within a standard formula, that didn't feel like a formula. Sympathy shows that he has a unique and original voice, the ability to craft a film free of the trappings that sink many attempts at originality. He displays restraint, allowing the tension to build to a point where it boils over in an explosion of violence. Everything is there for a reason, building character, plot movement, a maestro at work.
Video. The image is presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and is anamorphically enhanced. The image appears to be slightly to the washed out side, but it works for the movie. I am unsure if that was the original intent or not. There is plenty of detail and overall it looks good.
Audio. Three flavors are provided, DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, 2.0, all in the original Korean. I listened using the Dolby Digital 5.1. I sounds good, the film is heavily dialogue driven and it is represented fine. No complaints.
Extras. There are a couple of extras here.
-Commentary. This track features the director. I did not listen to the track, as it is in Korean and you would have to choose which subtitles to watch, the film or the commentary.
-Original trailer. Exactly as it says.
-Behind the scenes. This is listed on the case, but I could not locate it on the disk.
-Preview of Lady Vengenace. A brief look at Park's third revenge film.
-Tartan previews. Trailers for other Asia Extreme releases.
Bottomline. This is a fantastic film. Moving performances, intense story, it is a wonderful package that is wrapped up in a nice evenly paced film. Hard to believe he would outdo this with Oldboy. Park's films keep getting better. See this movie!
Highly Recommended.
CD Review: Dragonlord - Black Wings of Destiny
The Dragon has landed bringing with it the destiny wrought by black wings. I admit, that makes no sense, but it felt like the right way to start talking about this new thrash/black metal album, and sophomore effort from Dragonlord. I have not heard their debut, but this is interesting enough that I may check it out.
Dragonlord is a supergroup of sorts. It is a project put together by Testament's founding guitarist, Eric Petersen, who also handles the vocal duties. Along with him is a former Testament bandmate, Derek Ramirez, on bass. Joining Eric on guitar duties is Steve Smyth, also formerly of Testament and currently with Nevermore. On drums is Jon Allen, of Sadus and Testament and finally, on keyboards is Lyle Livingston. Looks like Eric mined Testament's past for just the right musicians to surround himself with.
Upon my first spin through Black Wings of Destiny, I can't say that I was terribly impressed. On one hand there was an feeling of old school thrash metal, but it was infused with black metal sensibilities. However, it didn't really stand out to me. My reaction was rather ho-hum.
A few more spins and I started liking the album a bit more. Not for the singing, mind you, that still felt rather generic, but rather for the layers of instrumentation and the intricate orchestrations. The riffs are fast and heavy, really bringing back those great years of 80's thrash, but obtaining a modern relevance. Petersen and Smyth work well together, creating this wall of rhythm, backed solidly by Ramirez' bass work. Jon Allen is solid, delivering the double bass destruction needed for the music. Filling everything out and adding another layer to the mix is Livingston's keys, I have always liked the additions keyboard can make to the metal sound.
The music is epic in scope, but fierce and primal in its execution. It is not the best of the genre, and probably not the best that this group will do. The singing is still the weakest part of the mix, I just found it to be too standard. On the good side, some of the riffs are sure to induce some old school head banging.
As for the songs, the best is the final track, "Emerald". It combines shredding and chugging guitars, solid rhythm section, and Eric stepping out of the black metal scream in favor of a more 80's metal style voice. It is a fantastic track and an album saving entry. Other high points are "The Curse of Woe", and "Black Funeral".
Bottomline. I don't think this will find its way into my player too often, but it is still a fine entry in the thrash/black metal genre. I did find it intriguing to hear Petersen away from the Testament sound, moving into something that is, perhaps, a bit more extreme. The album proves that long standing metallers can still learn new tricks.
Mildly Recommended.
Dragonlord is a supergroup of sorts. It is a project put together by Testament's founding guitarist, Eric Petersen, who also handles the vocal duties. Along with him is a former Testament bandmate, Derek Ramirez, on bass. Joining Eric on guitar duties is Steve Smyth, also formerly of Testament and currently with Nevermore. On drums is Jon Allen, of Sadus and Testament and finally, on keyboards is Lyle Livingston. Looks like Eric mined Testament's past for just the right musicians to surround himself with.
Upon my first spin through Black Wings of Destiny, I can't say that I was terribly impressed. On one hand there was an feeling of old school thrash metal, but it was infused with black metal sensibilities. However, it didn't really stand out to me. My reaction was rather ho-hum.
A few more spins and I started liking the album a bit more. Not for the singing, mind you, that still felt rather generic, but rather for the layers of instrumentation and the intricate orchestrations. The riffs are fast and heavy, really bringing back those great years of 80's thrash, but obtaining a modern relevance. Petersen and Smyth work well together, creating this wall of rhythm, backed solidly by Ramirez' bass work. Jon Allen is solid, delivering the double bass destruction needed for the music. Filling everything out and adding another layer to the mix is Livingston's keys, I have always liked the additions keyboard can make to the metal sound.
The music is epic in scope, but fierce and primal in its execution. It is not the best of the genre, and probably not the best that this group will do. The singing is still the weakest part of the mix, I just found it to be too standard. On the good side, some of the riffs are sure to induce some old school head banging.
As for the songs, the best is the final track, "Emerald". It combines shredding and chugging guitars, solid rhythm section, and Eric stepping out of the black metal scream in favor of a more 80's metal style voice. It is a fantastic track and an album saving entry. Other high points are "The Curse of Woe", and "Black Funeral".
Bottomline. I don't think this will find its way into my player too often, but it is still a fine entry in the thrash/black metal genre. I did find it intriguing to hear Petersen away from the Testament sound, moving into something that is, perhaps, a bit more extreme. The album proves that long standing metallers can still learn new tricks.
Mildly Recommended.
November 20, 2005
CD Review: Creozoth - Creozoth
Creozoth? What kind of name is Creozoth? My, admittedly quick, Google search on the word only brought up reviews of this album and retail sites selling the album. I may not have found any meaning behind the name, but some good did come of those searches. I found out a bit of where some of the band members came from, I'll get to that later.
As I slipped the disk into the CD player, I had no idea what was in store. Would I be faced with some crappy nu-metal? Perhaps some generic black metal? That's it, I was thinking it was going to be some other soundalike black metal act. I was wrong. This album crushes some serious concrete.
The album opens with the heavy riffs of "With the Flow", giving us a taste of the power/thrash metal combination that was yet to come. That leads into another dose of metallic mayhem, "Stares Back." Other highlights include "Intoxicatedead," "Bad Day," and "You Don't Know."
There was another band that kept going through my head as Creozoth's debut played through my speakers, Testament. I don't know why, but the sound seemed to remind me of that powerhouse of the 80's. The speed and technical prowess is there, the raspy lead singer is there too. It is that combination of power metal and thrash metal which hearkens back to the heyday of thrash in the US that makes this disk go down so easy.
The band has a pretty good pedigree to build from. Members include guitarist Lars Johansson and drummer Jan Lindh from Candlemass and also former Yngwie Malmsteen vocalist Michael Storck. All I can say is that they sound great together, in particular Johansson and Storck. Rounding out the lineup is bassist Tobbe Moen, who fills out the sound with his low end addition.
Lars Johansson's riffs really carry this album. Heavy, fast, chunky, if only more metal could be along these lines. Something that has always attracted me to the metal music is the sheer heaviness that some bands were able to create, Creozoth delivers. On the vocal side, Michael Storck has a good balance between rasp and range to deliver a vocal style that is reminiscent of the classic 80's acts yet still fits in today with no loss of relevance.
Bottomline. This album was a complete surprise to me. Not quite a classic, but a powerful new entry in the metal scene. This one is definitely worth seeking out and adding to your metal rotation.
Recommended.
As I slipped the disk into the CD player, I had no idea what was in store. Would I be faced with some crappy nu-metal? Perhaps some generic black metal? That's it, I was thinking it was going to be some other soundalike black metal act. I was wrong. This album crushes some serious concrete.
The album opens with the heavy riffs of "With the Flow", giving us a taste of the power/thrash metal combination that was yet to come. That leads into another dose of metallic mayhem, "Stares Back." Other highlights include "Intoxicatedead," "Bad Day," and "You Don't Know."
There was another band that kept going through my head as Creozoth's debut played through my speakers, Testament. I don't know why, but the sound seemed to remind me of that powerhouse of the 80's. The speed and technical prowess is there, the raspy lead singer is there too. It is that combination of power metal and thrash metal which hearkens back to the heyday of thrash in the US that makes this disk go down so easy.
The band has a pretty good pedigree to build from. Members include guitarist Lars Johansson and drummer Jan Lindh from Candlemass and also former Yngwie Malmsteen vocalist Michael Storck. All I can say is that they sound great together, in particular Johansson and Storck. Rounding out the lineup is bassist Tobbe Moen, who fills out the sound with his low end addition.
Lars Johansson's riffs really carry this album. Heavy, fast, chunky, if only more metal could be along these lines. Something that has always attracted me to the metal music is the sheer heaviness that some bands were able to create, Creozoth delivers. On the vocal side, Michael Storck has a good balance between rasp and range to deliver a vocal style that is reminiscent of the classic 80's acts yet still fits in today with no loss of relevance.
Bottomline. This album was a complete surprise to me. Not quite a classic, but a powerful new entry in the metal scene. This one is definitely worth seeking out and adding to your metal rotation.
Recommended.
November 19, 2005
The Trailer Park: Happy Feet
I saw the trailer for this while waiting for the latest Harry Potter movie to start. As I sat amongst the Potter-heads in the darkened theater, and this was playing, I had no idea just what I was looking at.
After seeing it, and then again online after returning home, I can't help but think that this is due, at least in part, to the smash success of March of the Penguins. I could be wrong, but I would be surprised if I was completely off.
Anyway, the trailer is more like a music video with animated penguins moving to Jamaican styled music. Penguins line dancing, tap dancing, ballroom dancing, and other styles of dancing. It was kind of bizarre.
Words are escaping me, this was so utterly weird to me. At the same time, I have watched the trailer a number of times now, and each time I am mesmerized. Like a small child in front of whatever costumed animal is popular.
I wonder if the movie will be any good? Don't really want to wait until next November!
Check out the trailer for yourself at the official Warner Brothers site.
After seeing it, and then again online after returning home, I can't help but think that this is due, at least in part, to the smash success of March of the Penguins. I could be wrong, but I would be surprised if I was completely off.
Anyway, the trailer is more like a music video with animated penguins moving to Jamaican styled music. Penguins line dancing, tap dancing, ballroom dancing, and other styles of dancing. It was kind of bizarre.
Words are escaping me, this was so utterly weird to me. At the same time, I have watched the trailer a number of times now, and each time I am mesmerized. Like a small child in front of whatever costumed animal is popular.
I wonder if the movie will be any good? Don't really want to wait until next November!
Check out the trailer for yourself at the official Warner Brothers site.
Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Well, I just got back from the latest entry in the adventures of the boy wizard. I liked it, but I did not find it to be the best one of the series, perhaps that will come with multiple viewings, but not yet. That isn't to say it is bad, it is a solid film, but, like with any movie, it has its flaws.
I have not read any of the Potter books, probably never will. That isn't for any lack of desire. My desire to watch films and television and other visual arts, plus the writing, does not allow me much time to read a book. Perhaps one day the bottom of this hobby will fall out from under me and I will get the opportunity to pick up a book, but until then, who knows. I say this because I cannot compare the content of the film with that of the book, which I am sure many of you would like. Anyway, on to the movie.
My biggest issue with the film is the flow of the story. It feels more segmented than I would have liked, sort of like chapters in a book. That setup can work, but it didn't for me here. The flow is too chopped up, it is like they go through one segment, for example, the Quidditch World Cup sequence at the beginning. The scene opens does its thing and ends, and that's it, we're onto the next scene with not much transition. The cycle then repeats itself. Also, the story doesn't seem to be all that strong, the whole thing plays out as all effect and no cause. Kind of as if they get to the last 20-30 minutes and realize that everything leading up to this is effect and they have to quickly get in the cause. In other words, there's a lot of hurry up and go nowhere. Not enough forward motion as I would have liked.
Now its time to move on to the good stuff. There are a number of interesting scenes that show our characters entering adolescence. The guys obsess with getting a date for a big dance, the relationships become more complicated, their maturity level increases. This leads to our heroic trio having darker adventures, and this one does up the ante in terms of peril, so much so as to rate a PG-13.
The acting is decent, the adults all fill their roles ably, although their performances are more one note through character necessity. The kids, on the other hand, have moments of nuance and moments of annoyance. Some scenes show the kids and the conflict they feel, the emotions play across their faces, other scenes have them just doing the opposite of what they should.
Oh yeah, one other thing that bothered me, and the series in general, is the timing of all the problems. Why do things only seem to happen when he's at school? Do the bad guys just decide to leave him alone for summer vacation? It would seem logical to think that he would be more vulnerable during the summer months when his wizard crew isn't hanging around?
Mike Newell sat in the director's chair this time around, the third director following Chris Columbus and Alfonso Cuaron. He brings a more vibrant color palette to the table than Cuaron did in The Prisoner of Azkaban. He does a good job at bringing some of the set pieces to life and directing some excellent quiet character moments. I still don't care for the choppy, chapter like staging.
There is something else that struck me while I sat in the theater. I was hit with the thought of the cult-like legions of Potter-heads, those hardcore fans eager to snap up anything with his name on it. How can these people dedicate themselves so ferociously to a single franchise? I am sure they like other things to, but the rabid abandon some fans go after these things is hard for me to fathom, and this goes for other franchises too, it isn't limited to this one. There are way too many films that I want to see to limit my mindset to just one. But this is really a talk for another time.
One final note before closing, a comment which will be of no consequence in a couple of days. Is the box office draw dropping? Usually big film openings like this one draw packed houses, things like Star Wars, Spider-Man, and Lord of the Rings. This theater was nowhere near being sold out, is interest dropping? I don't think it will reach the $90 million opening weekend predictions. Although, I am sure it will still do fantastic.
Bottomline. I know, I know, I did not delve too deeply into the story at hand, but despite wanting to write about the film, I was not inspired to tell the story. I plan on seeing this in IMAX as well, perhaps then I will report more on the story? Anyway, the main thing you should take away from my views is that it is a very entertaining film, but not the best Potter. It will entertain you and it moves briskly, despite it's 150 minute runtime. This is well worth your time.
Recommended.
I have not read any of the Potter books, probably never will. That isn't for any lack of desire. My desire to watch films and television and other visual arts, plus the writing, does not allow me much time to read a book. Perhaps one day the bottom of this hobby will fall out from under me and I will get the opportunity to pick up a book, but until then, who knows. I say this because I cannot compare the content of the film with that of the book, which I am sure many of you would like. Anyway, on to the movie.
My biggest issue with the film is the flow of the story. It feels more segmented than I would have liked, sort of like chapters in a book. That setup can work, but it didn't for me here. The flow is too chopped up, it is like they go through one segment, for example, the Quidditch World Cup sequence at the beginning. The scene opens does its thing and ends, and that's it, we're onto the next scene with not much transition. The cycle then repeats itself. Also, the story doesn't seem to be all that strong, the whole thing plays out as all effect and no cause. Kind of as if they get to the last 20-30 minutes and realize that everything leading up to this is effect and they have to quickly get in the cause. In other words, there's a lot of hurry up and go nowhere. Not enough forward motion as I would have liked.
Now its time to move on to the good stuff. There are a number of interesting scenes that show our characters entering adolescence. The guys obsess with getting a date for a big dance, the relationships become more complicated, their maturity level increases. This leads to our heroic trio having darker adventures, and this one does up the ante in terms of peril, so much so as to rate a PG-13.
The acting is decent, the adults all fill their roles ably, although their performances are more one note through character necessity. The kids, on the other hand, have moments of nuance and moments of annoyance. Some scenes show the kids and the conflict they feel, the emotions play across their faces, other scenes have them just doing the opposite of what they should.
Oh yeah, one other thing that bothered me, and the series in general, is the timing of all the problems. Why do things only seem to happen when he's at school? Do the bad guys just decide to leave him alone for summer vacation? It would seem logical to think that he would be more vulnerable during the summer months when his wizard crew isn't hanging around?
Mike Newell sat in the director's chair this time around, the third director following Chris Columbus and Alfonso Cuaron. He brings a more vibrant color palette to the table than Cuaron did in The Prisoner of Azkaban. He does a good job at bringing some of the set pieces to life and directing some excellent quiet character moments. I still don't care for the choppy, chapter like staging.
There is something else that struck me while I sat in the theater. I was hit with the thought of the cult-like legions of Potter-heads, those hardcore fans eager to snap up anything with his name on it. How can these people dedicate themselves so ferociously to a single franchise? I am sure they like other things to, but the rabid abandon some fans go after these things is hard for me to fathom, and this goes for other franchises too, it isn't limited to this one. There are way too many films that I want to see to limit my mindset to just one. But this is really a talk for another time.
One final note before closing, a comment which will be of no consequence in a couple of days. Is the box office draw dropping? Usually big film openings like this one draw packed houses, things like Star Wars, Spider-Man, and Lord of the Rings. This theater was nowhere near being sold out, is interest dropping? I don't think it will reach the $90 million opening weekend predictions. Although, I am sure it will still do fantastic.
Bottomline. I know, I know, I did not delve too deeply into the story at hand, but despite wanting to write about the film, I was not inspired to tell the story. I plan on seeing this in IMAX as well, perhaps then I will report more on the story? Anyway, the main thing you should take away from my views is that it is a very entertaining film, but not the best Potter. It will entertain you and it moves briskly, despite it's 150 minute runtime. This is well worth your time.
Recommended.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)