Short Reviews

Film

Today I watched three movies I'd never seen before, which is more than I ever have before in one day. Understandably this sounds pathetic, but I also played basketball, finished reading a book, and worked on my bike.

Pan's Labrynth - I woke up knowing I had to see some facists get murked, probably because I had just watched 1984 the night before, so this seemed like a good choice. I didn't trust that damn faun the whole time though. Understandably an award winner.

1984 - While this film is by no means a visual masterpiece, it complements the book well by presenting visuals that uncreative people might not be able to conjure upon reading the book. Interestingly enough, the film was shot in 1984 and the director insisted on shooting certain dates as they appear in the book for that year (imdb). I also learned that 2+2=5.

Slaughterhouse-Five - Another literary adaptation that pales in comparison to the book but offers interesting visual interpretations. The strongest point, I would say, are the transitions between the time travel of Billy Pilgrim. At least If you're a KV fan, check it out so we can talk about it.

Boyz N Da Hood - a very strong social message: pro-safe sex, pro-OE, anti-gangbangin', anti-gentrification - all messages I can support. The climax was too similar to Cooley High, but with revenge.

Music

Animal Collective show - as mentioned previously on this blog, I went to Philly a week ago to see AC at the Electric Factory. The crowd was pretty obnoxious, serving only to permit me to generalize about Philly crowds in general. Similar to the Why? show at the First Unitarian Church, the annoying component of my peers in the crowd were the high-school kids that simply didn't know how to appreciate what they were listening to. I watched a gangly loser practically get his nut while enthusiastically grinding on a girl to "My Girls." Fortunately, this served to split my attention span and annoyance with the ugly fat girls dancing in front of/on me and complaining about the 90% of AC songs they didn't know.

The Streets - Good looks to Alex K. for turning me on to this one man hip-hop act from the UK. It's refreshing to hear new slang, a different accent, and ideas that most of my favorite rappers don't touch on. Do yourself a favour and check'em out yourself.

Rap from the Dirty South - 99% of it fucking sucks. Outkast is the only act I'd consider profoundly great, and I can appreciate what Curren$y has to say. UGK may have a good song for every 50 they put out, but in listening to those 50, there will be so many repeated lines that you'll forget which one you thought was good. I wouldn't be heartbroken if Texas rappers got involved with the Mexican drug violence and were subsequently wiped off the artistic landscape. Or if they OD'd on sizzurp (idiot).

Literature

The Sun Also Rises - Damn, Hemingway always gets me thinking about personal growth; if I were to strive to emulate him (more than I subconsciously do), I definitely wouldn't be a vegetarian. I'd be too busy drinking, big game hunting, following the bull fights, and partying to care about that kind of thing. I decided I'm opposed in principle to bull fights, but I'd still like to see just one for the hell of it. I hope my study abroad experience in Madrid resonates with the Spain setting of this book.

Naked Lunch - I knew William S. Burroughs shot his common law wife before I tried to tackle this book (but after I bought it), so the content of it should have come as no surprise. Not for the lighthearted, unless the lighthearted feel compelled to learn about the psyche of a heroin addict and homosexuality in the most crazy fucking vein (no pun intended).