I just watched the movie Food Inc. Now, if that’s not a disturbing film, I don’t know what is.
I’ve always said that ideally you should eat organic food. Well, after watching this movie, it’s hard not to. What really sucks is that poor folk and people in certain areas have no access to organic food.
Anyways, the film is basically about the food industry, and it might be the most disgusting thing you’ve ever watched. I’ve seen some pretty disgusting stuff in my lifetime when it comes to film as after all, I am a film critic, but this one hits home because it’s real. I’ve always hated Monsanto corporation but now have even more reason to hate them. They’re the ones who put bovine growth hormone in milk producing cows and successfully sued to have that stupid lie that there’s no proven difference between cow milk from cows with or without the hormone.
That’s bull. There is, and yes, it has been proven. It’s just that, well, see the damn movie.
But another point I wanted to make was it goes to show that people who eat meat who are anti-hunting are idiots. Once again I bring it up. I wrote back in 2005 that they’re hypocrites but now this movie shows they’re idiots as well. Hunted meat and free range/organic is all I’ll eat from now on. I had my last burger ever about a week before seeing it.
9 dead zombies for Food Inc. 
. This is one of those must see documentaries. It’s one that certain corporations don’t want you to see.
Ξ October 25th, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Film |
So, the Mrs. and I finally got around to seeing “Where the Wild Things Are” last night. Two hours later, I was completely emotionally drained.
I’m assuming you already read the book. It was seven lines long. So Spike Jones made a feature length movie out of it.
A kid’s movie it is not. Don’t take your kids. If you even bother seeing it at all, see it without them. It seems to me that Jones made a movie trying to see a kid’s world from his own eyes, but exaggerated childhood to the point that it was obviously written by an adult trying to emulate a kid. Fail.
The monsters were emo and had the emotional ranges of toddlers. Wrong age group, pal. Max in this movie is closer to eight. Fail.
The monsters themselves were done by Jim Hansen’s company with some added CGI. They looked wonderful. Props.
Storyline - too damn long. Like I said, too emo to the point that by the time it ended, I was emotionally drained. I don’t think I can do that again.
Sets? OK. I personally didn’t like the fort. It just looked, well, dumb. Maybe Max’s imagination was dumb. I know mine wasn’t that lame when I was his age. I won’t give a Fail to the sets though because the water scenes looked cool. Not a spectacular use of color though. Sendak’s color scheme was much more cool than Jones’.
Overall, still a watchable movie but don’t rush out to the theater to see it. Save your money and rent it. It’s simply not good looking enough to pay a premium to see in a theater, and it’s not good enough that you absolutely can’t wait to see it.
The trailer was awesome. It has me excited. This is one of those examples of when the trailer is better than the movie itself. And what’s with missing out on Arcade Fire’s awesome song that was included in the trailer? No, it wasn’t in the movie. Instead, we got some weird chick who makes lots of noises.
I really wanted to like this movie. I did somewhat so I’m not bitter. I’m just disappointed. Wait for the rental, don’t get your hopes up, and you may think it’s ok. 4 out of 10. Maybe making a movie out of it was a bad idea after all. 
OK. Whose stupid idea was it for David Yates to come back and direct Harry Potter 6? He bombed 5, easily the worst movie of the six made so far.
I really wanted to like this film. I really did. But let’s get to the movie.
Voldemort is officially back. Harry Potter’s name has been redeemed and everything is back to normal. Well, if you call having an evil wizard trying to take over the world normal.
Harry Potter, Ron, and Hermoine go back to Hogwarts. Enter a new Potions professor called Horace Slughorn. We get to see a lot more of Dumbledore too.
Thumbs up to Yates for adding a lot of humor here and there. Another thumbs up love in the air. You finally get to see Hermoine’s true feelings for Ron and Harry and Ginny both trying to suppress their feelings for each other. Yates does this well.
Well, where does he screw up? I’ll tell you, without giving the movie away. Yates can’t do a climax to save his life. He completely screwed up the climax in Harry Potter 5 and he bombs this one as well.
The elements leading up to the climax fell short as well, and this is without a doubt the most important climax of the seven books. Yes, even more important than the finale in Harry Potter 7.
I can’t say more than that for anyone who hasn’t read the books. I will say however that the movie is pretty to look at. Goths would love the sets and the scenery.
Too many others had such bit parts that you’d wish the producers would make two movies with this one, and definitely with someone other than David Yates directing.
I’m not going to give this a horrible rating because as I mentioned above, the movie did have redeeming qualities. Plus it was a big improvement over that disaster of a previous movie. Not saying much though.
5 out of 10 dead zombies. For the love of Hogwarts, fire David Yates. 
Ξ March 19th, 2009 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Film |
My word. This had to be hands down the WORST James Bond movie I’ve ever seen. For one, this director, Marc Foster, must have thought we all have attention spans of 1.5 seconds. Have your stupid camera people keep their cameras still, Foster, you moron! Jesus, not everyone who watches this movie is a boy who just reached puberty who does nothing but drink Pepsi and watch video games.
Main Problem #2. You ever watch the old James Bond movies? Sean Connery and Roger Moore were suave. Daniel Craig is not. When Bond fucks the first girl, he says NOTHING. Yes, NOTHING. Afterwards, she gets killed and M gives him a guilt trip for fucking a chick and getting her killed. What the heck was that about?
Then with the main Bond girl, the character Olga Kurylenko plays, he once again says nothing. She simply says “get in.” That’s not sexy. In fact, the whole movie’s not sexy. Olga never smiles. Which is a shame, because she is an attractive woman. Just not in this movie. Apparently, Marc Foster doesn’t know what sexy is.
Main problem 3. Settings. James Bond is generally known for exotic, beautiful locales. Not this one. Instead, they pick the ugliest part of the Caribbean (Haiti, but not the cool parts) and the Bolivian desert to do most of the filming. When they do pick other parts of the world, they choose ugly interiors instead of something cool. Maybe beauty scares Marc Foster. Whatever the case, Quantum of Solace is an ugly movie.
I watched it with one other blogger and a few friends and none of us liked it. But then again, we’re not boys who barely reached puberty that do nothing but drink Pepsi and play video games. It’s a shame, because as you know, I’m a huge James Bond fan. Not this time around.
Marc Foster can’t do sexy. Therefore, he shouldn’t be anywhere near a James Bond movie. 2 dead zombies, for hands down the worst James Bond movie ever made. 
Ξ November 11th, 2008 | → 2 Comments | ∇ Film |
Recently, I watched both of these movies and decided to review them both together, because both are based on Celtic myths. The former is based on a Selkie, a person who can turn into a seal. The latter corresponds to its title, but in this case, Nessie is really a waterhorse.
The Secret of Roan Inish stars a little girl named Fiona who absolutely refuses to believe her missing little brother has been consumed by the sea. Fiona lives in a fishing village with her grandparents and must convince them that her sightings of her little brother are indeed real.
Shot in Ireland, this indie film looks great. The actors do a good job of making the movie believable. The one serious drawback though is that it drags. If I had the job of editing the film, I could have taken fifteen to twenty minutes out of the movie without losing too much and it would have made it a much better movie.
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep took liberty with the old Celtic legend of the waterhorse. According to legend, a waterhorse is not something you want to see. It tricks a kid into riding it then goes straight into the water, drowning the kid, then eating him or her.
Of course in this movie, the waterhorse is playful and good. Set during WW II in Scotland (outside of the Loch Ness, yes, you see where this is going), the movie tries to make some points about war and our dark sides.
The Water Horse also looks great. You’d enjoy the cinematography. However, the secondary characters were entirely one dimensional and predictable. The dialog just wasn’t that good.
In fairness, both were kid movies but I expect writers of kids movies to throw some bones to adults. Take Aladdin for instance. Half the dialog would have gone right over a kid’s head whereas an adult film buff got a lot of laughs out of it.
Both movies did have some elements of magic to them, especially Water Horse. I liked Water Horse more because it was easier to watch. I almost fell asleep in parts of Roan Inish. 4 dead zombies for Roan Inish.
6 dz for Water Horse. 
Ξ October 17th, 2008 | → 8 Comments | ∇ Music |
Badman, and I hopped on BART and met up with Kathleen to see The Crüxshadows plus special guests I:Scintilla and Ayria at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco.
I:Scintilla opened, led by the sultry singer and lyricist Brittany Bindrim. From Chicago, they put on a pretty impressive set. Ms. Bindrim had a likeable charisma, waving her arms and dancing Goth style. Musicially, they were dark, yet still somewhat poppy.
Aryia came next with a more dance theme, complete with fans with pom poms and pink, lots of pink. The singer danced around a lot and smiled, and pretty much put up an enjoyable show.
Finally, The Crüxshadows came on. Led by singer/violinist Rogue, they belted out some enjoyable tunes. Rogue was flanked by two tall, thin blonde backup singers and also shared the stage with a cute Goth girl guitarist who played very basic power chords and not much else. Behind the stage were the drummer, the keyboardist, and a violinist who I’m assuming took Rogue’s role so he could interact more closely with the crowd.
Interact he did, having several times actually jumping into the audience and singing. He also slapped a lot of hands and his eye contact was excellent.
I enjoyed all three acts, but I:Scintilla stood out the most for me. They stuck more to playing the music than putting on an act, although they did manage to put on quite a show. After their set, thanks to Kathleen pointing out one of their members, I got to meet the band and got their autographs on the newly bought CD I picked up from downstairs.
Aryia was good, but almost out of place, reminding me more of Madonna than true Goth. Their music is nothing I’d rush out and buy though unless I needed some obscure dance music for the anti-zombie compound when we throw a Masquerade Ball.
Unfortunately, I can’t fairly judge The Crüxshadows as we only saw the opening four songs before having to run. God damn BART. It makes no sense at all that one of the world’s most beautiful cities doesn’t have a train that runs until 2:20 in the morning. That’s just stupid. Bitch all you want about drunk drivers, there wouldn’t be so many if they had public transportation when shows end.
I liked Rogue, as he seemed a man dedicated to his act, and also one who knew how to work a crowd. The mix was good, even though they had a lot going on. You could clearly hear his voice and catch every word.
All in all, good show, and was a pleasure finally meeting Kathleen in person. Great eye candy at the show, but that’s to be expected at the DNA Lounge at a Goth show. Wonderful for people watching as well as catching a show without breaking the bank.
Ξ October 15th, 2008 | → 1 Comments | ∇ Film |
Terrorists, slimy politicians, rich assholes, revolutionary socialists, and a soundtrack from Motorhead. This movie has it all.
Alex, a disgrunted partially cross dressing waiter, worked in a restaurant for inhumanly snobby rich folk. After getting literally thrown out the door and becoming homeless, he has a chance encounter with some “people with political ideals who happen to use violence as a means.” One of them drops a gun, and that gun changes his life.
Befriending a homeless guy after sharing a newspaper for a blanket, the two start a people’s revolution, teaming up with a man living in a crude cottage, and a woman who was used for sex and impregnanted by the story’s protagonist - Nosh, the dirty politician.
With over the top English satire, the movie entertains for 90 minutes. Don’t expect much production because there is none. This is b-movie all the way, folks.
I actually found some of the humor worthwhile. It’s English so you know it’s subtle. No, it’s no Monty Python, but still worth seeing if you can stomach b-movies.
I had no idea Motorhead’s lyrics were actually political, and their songs fit the movie perfectly.
Not for the squeamish though, because the title says it all. Yes, literally. Alex and his cohorts do manage a revenge, but how far will they go and will they get away with it? You’ll have to watch the movie to find out.
5 dead zombies out of 10. Pretty good for a b-movie designed to be over the top cheese.
Alice is a 1988 Czech film, done with a combination of a single girl actress and stop motion animation. Although loved by artsy fartsy folks, I have to stand against my people for this one. I hated it.
I’ve always loved the Alice in Wonderland theme, but this one falls short. It’s more like Alice in the ghetto. The whole movie is grimy. The place needs a bath, the sets look like they’re straight from a concentration camp, and there was nothing magical about the movie.
Credit does to to Kristyna Kohoutova though, for she did a fine performance as Alice. She was the only live person in the movie surrounded by stop motion animation and filthy sets. She carried herself believably, but the rest was like a really cheap imitation dream.
Ok, I know the Czechs were poor in ‘88. I’m aware of that, and should I guess cut them some slack. But not everything had to be covered in a layer of grime. We got the point.
I didn’t even mind the close up of the mouth that constantly said “and Alice thought,” “and Alice said,” “and the white rabbit exclaimed.” You got used to it. It was annoying at first.
Another plus, when the queen said “off with their heads,” they really got decapitated. And lovely twist at the end.
Besides being dirty, the movie never left the house. Surely in the beautiful Czechoslovakia (in case you don’t know your history, in ‘88, they were still together as one nation) they could have found somewhere to film Alice. It’s a big country, with beautiful parts and a medieval backdrop. Perfect for an Alice in Wonderland film. Instead, the film will leave you feeling claustrophobic. Get out of the house and explore, Svankmajer.
If you’re a wannabe pretentious critic, see it just to see it. You can one up your wannabe competition. Just, don’t get your hopes up. I won’t be seeing it again. It took me 3 days to suffer through it the first (and last) time. 3 dead zombies. 
I’ve had almost two weeks now to test the Epiphone Tony Iommi Signature G-400 electric guitar and I have mixed results.
Positives: The neck is wonderful. It’s a little thick for my taste, for after a few hours one’s hands tend to go numb, especially when doing a lot of rhythm playing. However, it’s very smooth for leads and I find myself doing less mistakes at 20+ notes per second than I was doing on my Ibanez.
The fretboard looks cool, with crosses at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 12th frets. I would have preferred ones at the 15th, 17th, 19th, 21st, and 24th as well, but I’d take the crosses regardless. They just look cool.
The sustain is a dream come true. Nothing like being able to hold a bend for what seems like forever without having to resort to a sustain pedal.
Negatives: Why in the world is the treble/rhythm switch down there where the volume knobs should be? It should be more like a Gibson Les Paul, making it easier to switch from rhythm to lead and back. The other thing is, because of the placement of the volume knobs, volume swells are out of the question. If you don’t do volume swells, well, then you won’t mind. But if you do, you’re S.O.L.
I don’t like the bridge humbucker’s rhythm sound. It’s too muddy. Grunge is dead and it needs to stay dead. Plus, there is no whammy bar. Gotta have a whammy bar. That’s the one thing that keeps me from investing in a Gibson Les Paul.
Overall: For the price, it’s a pretty fine guitar. With a graphic equalizer or something else to adjust the tone, you can compensate for the bridge pickup’s muddiness. If it only had a whammy bar, I’d consider it. But for me, it’s simply not the guitar I want to record with. Would make a good guitar for a punk rocker though. If I wanted to seriously consider this guitar, I’d have to swap out the bridge pickups.
6 dead zombies
Ξ February 23rd, 2008 | → 1 Comments | ∇ Pedals |
I just picked up the Dunlop Cry Baby. Let me just tell you it’s an excellent pedal.
I’ve had a Morley Fuzz Wah/Volume before which unfortunately, they don’t make any more. I’d actually take the Morley Fuzz Wah Volume over the Dunlop Cry Baby. With the Morley, the Wah is more pronounced. The Dunlop is slightly more subdued.
The other thing with the Dunlop is there’s no way to turn it off. If you’re playing live, you’ll hear the noise it produces when you’re not playing. The only way around it is to route around the pedal with a switch, which is something you probably don’t want to do if you have a limited budget.
Strengths - it is a well-made pedal. Even though I’ve only had it for a week, I know my pedals and know that this will last me for years. It’s built of metal, and when the zombie plague comes, if you run out of bullets, you can smash a zombie’s brains out with your Dunlop Cry Baby.
Even though I mention the sound is more subdued than the Morley’s, it’s a rich sound. You really can get your guitar to cry with this pedal.
Overall - I thought the price was a misprint. It’s considerably cheaper than most other Wah pedals out there, yet the construction and sound are quite good. If you don’t mind buying used pedals, I’d suggest looking for a Morley Fuzz Wah, but if you absolutely have to have a new pedal, go ahead and grab the Dunlop. 7 dead zombies out of 10 
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