Movies/Music/Movies/Music

I was just peepin' my friend Eric's blog, We Defy Augury, where he posted this amazing Quentin Tarantino mixtape that I thought was too good not to share. Watching that got me to thinking, I wanted to share my top three favourite movie scores and ask what other recommendations people had.

I wouldn't be able to tier these without watching all three movies back-to-back-back, so in no order:

1) Wes Anderson's 'The Royal Tenenbaums'
2) Jim Jarmusch's 'Ghost Dog' by the RZA
3) Quentin Tarantino's 'Jackie Brown'

Of course, a score is wholly meant to complement a movie, but all three of these are great films I recommend checking out.

More posts to come now that it's summer!

Assorted Guy Ritchie vids

I've always struggled to re-assimilate to reality after watching a great movie - most recently, City of God, Being John Malkovich, and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. Furthermore, I usually tend to want to do something beyond my means, like learn Portuguese in order to relive my youth on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, or get in touch with the London crime scene. Anyway, Lock, Stock...sent me into one of these flurries, and I looked into other shit of Ritchie's . If you haven't checked Revolver, I highly recommend it, although I seem speak contrary to the assholes who make a living by criticising film (Rotten Tomatoes - 16%). It suffered from a limited release in the States, but now you can cop it on DVD.

Anyway, I present to you a music video in which Madonna shoots cops, and a football commercial, both directed by Guy Ritchie.





Also, do yourself a favour and get your hands on Merriweather Post Pavilion, the new Animal Collective album.

Quantum of Solace

Peeped the new Bond joint last night. I could write a review, or even a basic opinion on the movie, but I'd rather leave you with this:

Bill Murray is King!

Actually, Dr. Hunter S. Thompson was a king, but Murray's depiction of him in Where the Buffalo Roam is damn good! It was only today after an incident of divine intervention that I picked up the movie at Blockbuster with a free rental coup I had, and I highly recommend it. Old boys, and particularly college kids, love to rave about Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas for many reasons, among them the uninhibited promotion of drugs and drinking. It's good, but it's not the first of its kind to document how wild Thompson's life really was. Where the Buffalo Roam may have very well been lost in the archives save for this blog post, but I intend to make sure all do see this post and thus are at least aware of the film. While both movies do a good job affirming the endearing qualities of Dr. Gonzo-- his awkward body language, notorious chain-smoking, pill-popping, and drinking, and distinct voice--it is with the utmost conviction I assert that Where the Buffalo Roam is a much better movie.

On a site note, there's an actor who works under the name Richard M. Dixon that plays 1972 Presidential Candidate Richard M. Nixon in the film. Born as "James LaRoe," his IMDb profile says that he was an "Actor/comedian whose close resemblance to then-President Richard M. Nixon guaranteed him some measure of celebrity during the 1970s." This is pretty ridiculous in itself, and all the more reason to check out the film.

I'm on point like acupuncture

This is what I was up to yesterday:


That's right...livin' it up at prom vicariously through my sister. Per usual, my little brother failed to smile in a normal fashion.
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My cousin Marissa came to see my sister and mother for their respective big days. We went to the Midtown Cinema last night and saw, "The Counterfeiters," which won the 2008 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. Legitimately good, sad but ending on a strong note.

I'm out for Former Acting Presidents to represent me!

Yesterday Martin Sheen spoke on campus, sharing a number of anecdotes regarding his travels due to the nature of his work and so on. Dreamy, intelligent, handsome, rich--what more could I ask of a man? Unfortunately I was never presented with the opportunity to pose my question...

Struck Out

Saturday was spent with a visit downtown from my beloved Cousin Michael. We went to see 1981 French film "Diva," which was playing at the E Street Cinema for a reason I still do not understand. It was well done, and my cousin, the former Parisian expatriate, thoroughly enjoyed it, which counts for something.

After that, some friends and I ventured to a Sammy-affiliated house for a rush party. This is not to say that we intended to pledge, but rather we just sought out free dranks. Overall it was a good time, but one particular incident transpired that cannot be easily overlooked. In hindsight, no one can remember how it became conversation, but political ideology was inquired about by two sorority pledges. When it was disclosed that Rafik, Drew, and I had socialist ideals, they immediately terminated a dialogue between us. Cold-blooded, close-minded, and dressed in tacky maternity-style blouses, we didn't feel like we were losing too much in these two young ladies.

To Avoid What Should Be Addressed

In light of what has transpired lately, namely my Global Exchange Reality Tour to Ecuador, I have gained insight into my long-term aspirations and immediate goals. Break has been going very well and it is relaxing to the utmost degree to be able to awake and know nothing is due that morning nor the next. I do not intend to address the profound impact that the vacation made upon for a couple reasons, the first being that I do not have the pictures to complement my words. I intend to make such an entry over the course of the next few days, complete with sets of both serious and humorous pictures, before things get too hot and heavy with my new coursework on Monday the 14. Until then . . .

I remember quite clearly when Rafik told me that the feature film, "In the Land of Women," featuring Adam Brody, was awful. I immediately told my sister his esteemed opinion when she opened the movie as a gift on Christmas morning. She insisted that she enjoyed the movie, and especially the soundtrack (which she proceeded to open only minutes later), but one needs to take into consideration that she is a heterosexual female*, and popular culture tells us that Adam Brody is a demi-god among teenage girls oriented heterosexually. Anyway, I decided that I should probably give the movie a chance, seeing that my sister insisted upon it, and I wanted to be able to discuss it with the OC-cult followers of American University. My opinion, which is quite critical of Brody and other set members, will undoubtedly shock them. The movie proved to be self-serving in the highest fashion, striving to come across as artistic and consequently imploding with superficiality and self-mockery. In fact, I couldn't even finish the movie before I decided that I needed blog about how awful it was. The highlight--the Mates of State song played during one of Brody's amorous highlights. Conclusively, I don't think this blog is the place to assign letter grades or numeric values to movies, but I highlight recommend you don't waste 97 minutes of your time solely in just to be able to gossip about something with some cute girls. Besides, you won't match up to Adam Brody in their eyes, anyway.

* This is where I take into consideration that among the faithful 5 or so blog readers I have, one of them might be a female and she may very well be bi- or homo-sexual. I applaud myself for this consideration.