A post-apocalyptic tale beginning in a new dark age sounds like a bleak read. Thankfully Walter M. Miller Jr. quickly makes it clear that humor is still a viable asset in a sci-fi novel that's heavy... more
A post-apocalyptic tale beginning in a new dark age sounds like a bleak read. Thankfully Walter M. Miller Jr. quickly makes it clear that humor is still a viable asset in a sci-fi novel that's heavy with meaning. A Canticle for Leibowitz is by no means a comedy, but when used moderately, Miller's humorous injections add an extra layer that separates this classic from sci-fi works with similar themes.
Though The Call of the Wild is a more well known work, White Fang is too brilliant to be ignored. Jack London doesn't just describe a wolf cub's first steps into the Wild, he puts readers in the... more
Though The Call of the Wild is a more well known work, White Fang is too brilliant to be ignored. Jack London doesn't just describe a wolf cub's first steps into the Wild, he puts readers in the wolf's place by building a psychological profile for the animal. In this way London shows us what it really means to live in a world where only the strong survive.
Now here's a band that lives up to its name. Fun is nothing too complex, and the power pop ditties of Aim and Ignite are full of those warm and fuzzy feelings. "All the Pretty Girls" and "Walking... more
Now here's a band that lives up to its name. Fun is nothing too complex, and the power pop ditties of Aim and Ignite are full of those warm and fuzzy feelings. "All the Pretty Girls" and "Walking the Dog" are two of the upbeat numbers punctuated by springy guitar work, and "The Gambler" is a love letter that sits nicely near the close of the album. When it's time to let the good times roll, Fun delivers the goods.
The Incredible Hulk: The End collects two of Peter David's Hulk stories, both of which take place after the fall of Marvel's heroes. The first story, which finds Hulk facing off against a cruel... more
The Incredible Hulk: The End collects two of Peter David's Hulk stories, both of which take place after the fall of Marvel's heroes. The first story, which finds Hulk facing off against a cruel dictator named The Maestro, is the weaker of the two stories. It has aged since its release about twenty years ago, but it is interesting to see Hulk unable to beat an enemy using brute force. The second story, "Hulk: The End", is far better. It finds Bruce Banner and Hulk as the last sentient beings left on the wasteland of Earth. Its psychological examination of Banner, a man who is aged but unable to die, is fantastic. It's just as appealing to see the animosity between man and his super-powered alter ego. Comic fans, whether they have a great interest in Hulk or not, need to read this very human examination.
Condensing a beloved work of literature into a feature film must be one of the most daunting tasks an artist can face. Characters are cut, plot lines trimmed, and something is inevitably lost in... more
Condensing a beloved work of literature into a feature film must be one of the most daunting tasks an artist can face. Characters are cut, plot lines trimmed, and something is inevitably lost in translation. But rarely, perhaps once a decade if we're lucky, a novel's characters and story are truly brought to life before our eyes. Such is the case with To Kill a Mockingbird.
Gregory Peck lives and breathes as Atticus Finch, a devoted father and lawyer who is steadfast in his pursuit of justice when asked to defend a black man in the racially segregated South. This was the role of a lifetime for Peck, and he carries the film to the same renowned status occupied by the novel it's based on. It has been a few years since I first read To Kill a Mockingbird, but after watching this 1962 classic, I feel I've read it again.
Conor Oberst makes songs about war and depression sound much too appealing. Sure, there's a sappy love song on the album ("First Day of My Life"), but I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning keeps the mood... more
Conor Oberst makes songs about war and depression sound much too appealing. Sure, there's a sappy love song on the album ("First Day of My Life"), but I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning keeps the mood mostly somber. This is Americana through the eyes of a sharp young man with a big voice and a cynical streak. Oberst's lyrics may be too downtrodden for some - "We might die from medication but we sure killed all the pain" - but urban-set folk music doesn't get better than this.
"You can't make use of the dirt if you don't make use of the plow." This is sound advice you would expect from Poor Richard, but it comes courtesy of David Shultz and the Skyline. Combining simple... more
"You can't make use of the dirt if you don't make use of the plow." This is sound advice you would expect from Poor Richard, but it comes courtesy of David Shultz and the Skyline. Combining simple but thoughtful lyrics with a sweet Southern sound, Sinner's Gold is a real beauty. It brings to mind slow days floating down a river, contemplative car rides, and adolescent journeys of self-discovery. This is an album I can revisit for years, as if I'm keeping in touch with an old friend.
When I place a mewithoutYou CD in my disc drive, the "religious" genre automatically pops up. That's fitting, but the band is miles away from the simple praise music you'd find advertised on a late... more
When I place a mewithoutYou CD in my disc drive, the "religious" genre automatically pops up. That's fitting, but the band is miles away from the simple praise music you'd find advertised on a late night infomercial.
mewithoutYou do praise God (and Allah), but the band's songs are chock-full of parable, allegory, and imaginative (sometimes amusing) wordplay. They are folkish storytellers who know their bible stories, relate to the Brothers Grimm, and are probably intrigued by Native American creation myths. Songs that feature anthropomorphic plant life making witty remarks will always make me grin: "The strawberry said to the tangerine, 'My face is red but our hats are green.'" I don't listen to much music I'd describe as "spiritual," but I don't need much when I have mewithoutYou.
When it comes down to it, Beast Wars: Transformers is probably my favorite childhood cartoon. This will sound silly when talking about a cartoon, but I love how mature the series is. Maybe it's... more
When it comes down to it, Beast Wars: Transformers is probably my favorite childhood cartoon. This will sound silly when talking about a cartoon, but I love how mature the series is. Maybe it's because it focuses on mechanical beings rather than organic ones, but the action can be pretty heavy. Characters are ripped apart by gunfire, heroes and villains die, and at one point the Maximals' entire existence is threatened. To compare, on the great '90s Spider-Man cartoon, Spidey wasn't allowed to throw a punch; and Mary Jane couldn't die (too traumatic for kids?), so she fell into another dimension.
But even if the battles can be brutally entertaining, the character relationships deliver a much needed comedic element. Watching a rat with a Brooklyn accent mouthing off to a velociraptor twice his size just doesn't get old.
Death, comedy, and an awesome new set of Transformers mythos - what more could you ask for?
The Third Man is a timeless work of art. The music serves as its own character, the lighting effects create revolutionary shots, and the acting is top notch. But this is the finest honor I can... more
The Third Man is a timeless work of art. The music serves as its own character, the lighting effects create revolutionary shots, and the acting is top notch. But this is the finest honor I can bestow on the film: it features the best ending I've ever seen. After attending her lover's second funeral, Anna silently walks by Holly and continues down the road. It's black and white, it's simple, it's cinematic perfection.
If I ever set up a game room, a special space will be reserved for The Simpsons: The Arcade Game. Seriously, who ever thought the Simpson family could kick this much butt? Bashing sinister looking... more
If I ever set up a game room, a special space will be reserved for The Simpsons: The Arcade Game. Seriously, who ever thought the Simpson family could kick this much butt? Bashing sinister looking yuppies in the face with a vacuum cleaner (this is for you Marge fans) just doesn't get old. It's especially fun to perform the team-up maneuvers, like when Bart jumps on Homer's shoulders and the father-son duo unleashes pixel fury on henchmen in white collar suits. Sure, the game is a simple beat 'um up, but boy is it fun. Plus, it features voice actors from the show. Now that's some star power for an arcade game.
After breaking free from the Lifetime influence worn on their sleeves, Saves the Day created a scene classic with Stay What You Are. Melodic hardcore is replaced by emo pop goodness that pours forth... more
After breaking free from the Lifetime influence worn on their sleeves, Saves the Day created a scene classic with Stay What You Are. Melodic hardcore is replaced by emo pop goodness that pours forth from first track to last. Chris Conley's voice is in full, effeminate force here, and the band's rhythm is so tight it leaves no room for filler tracks. Granted, not everyone is keen on hearing a love sick young man sing about his awkward silences, but when you're heartbroken yourself, your heart bleeds with his.
Before the "emo" tag became a part of popular culture, The Get Up Kids were making the Midwest proud with their unique rock 'n' roll sound. Whether they got crowds jumping along to the pop rock... more
Before the "emo" tag became a part of popular culture, The Get Up Kids were making the Midwest proud with their unique rock 'n' roll sound. Whether they got crowds jumping along to the pop rock favorite "Ten Minutes" or kept them entranced with the piano driven "I'll Catch You", The Get Up Kids proved themselves as a band comfortable in creating pop hits, unabashed ballads, or anything in between. To this day Something to Write Home About remains one of the best track-by-track albums a fan of the emo scene can own. A 10th anniversary edition of the album was released in 2009, so if you don't know The Get Up Kids yet, it's a good time to fall in love.
Thomas Dutton deserves a great big gold star for bringing some much appreciated originality to his music scene. Razia's Shadow is, as advertised, a musical, but you don't need to be a theater geek... more
Thomas Dutton deserves a great big gold star for bringing some much appreciated originality to his music scene. Razia's Shadow is, as advertised, a musical, but you don't need to be a theater geek to appreciate its fairy tale plot and admirable use of guest vocalists. Contributors like Chris Conely (Saves the Day) and Nic Newsham (Gatsbys American Dream) help tell a Tolkien-like story with themes of ambition, romance, and redemption. Dutton shot for the stars with this one, and we reap the rewards with a delightful performance that invites our singing along.
Manchester Orchestra is the kind of band that's just better than their peers. They can bring a crowd to life with an alt-rock hit that belongs on the radio ("Wolves at Night"), and the haunting tone... more
Manchester Orchestra is the kind of band that's just better than their peers. They can bring a crowd to life with an alt-rock hit that belongs on the radio ("Wolves at Night"), and the haunting tone of a more somber track can move a person to tears ("Sleeper 1972"). I'm Like a Virgin Losing a Child is a testament to the versatility and obvious talent of a band that belongs on the playlists of music fans everywhere. If they sounded this good in 2006, imagine where they could be in 2016.
Coneheads is absurd. Its plot follows an extraterrestrial family that crash lands on Earth and is forced to assimilate human culture until they can return home. And they have cones for heads. ... more
Coneheads is absurd. Its plot follows an extraterrestrial family that crash lands on Earth and is forced to assimilate human culture until they can return home. And they have cones for heads. Coneheads may not be a well rated SNL comedy, but if you can accept its premise, it's a lot of fun. The Conehead family's jargon, mannerisms, and curious biology leads to some of the movie's most humorous moments, and the supporting cast reads as a Who's Who of '90s comedy stars: Jason Alexander, Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, Michael McKean, Adam Sandler, Sinbad, David Spade, and the list goes on.
If the city of Boston doesn't feature a spaceship shaped statue honoring the band Boston, that needs to change right now. The band's self-titled debut is classic rock royalty, and it comes barreling... more
If the city of Boston doesn't feature a spaceship shaped statue honoring the band Boston, that needs to change right now. The band's self-titled debut is classic rock royalty, and it comes barreling out of the gate with a song destined for radio replay, "More Than a Feeling". Of course, that's just the start; still to come are the guitar sizzlin' "Foreplay/Long Time" and "Smokin'". We may not be able to hit the same high notes as Brad Delp, but that shouldn't stop us from singing along when we're cranking up the Boston while crusin' down the street. Actually, maybe it should - we sound ridiculous.
Jimi Hendrix may not have invented the electric guitar, but he sure matured her into a woman. Very likely the greatest debut album in rock history, Are You Experienced? is propelled by the... more
Jimi Hendrix may not have invented the electric guitar, but he sure matured her into a woman. Very likely the greatest debut album in rock history, Are You Experienced? is propelled by the innovative, jazz infused fingers of Hendrix tearing up the fretboard. Whether you're a Woodstock flower child or a 2010 rock aficionado, these are the kind of riffs that make you move like there's a fire smoking inside your body. Put on this record, crank up your speakers, and let Jimi take over.
Back in the 1980s, before hip-hop topped the mainstream, the genre was considered by some to be a fad. Then came Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell made people take a long, hard look at hip-hop and recognize... more
Back in the 1980s, before hip-hop topped the mainstream, the genre was considered by some to be a fad. Then came Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell made people take a long, hard look at hip-hop and recognize it as an art form. The beats and scratches provided by Jam-Master Jay are the arena for hip-hop classics such as "It's Tricky", "My Adidas", and the title track "Raising Hell". Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels and Joe "Run" Simmons are the kings of trading rhymes, and every rapper who tops the charts today is living under their reign.
Ah, lemmings. They're goofy, they're cute, they're expendable. For whatever reason, these creatures need to migrate from point A to point B, and it's your job as overlord to get as many lemmings to... more
Ah, lemmings. They're goofy, they're cute, they're expendable. For whatever reason, these creatures need to migrate from point A to point B, and it's your job as overlord to get as many lemmings to the level exit as possible. To accomplish this, you can assign the lemmings various duties, from bridge building to parachuting. On more difficult levels it can be a real puzzler figuring out how to get the little buggers to the exit. But there is a dark reward for the overlord who falls short; seeing lemming after lemming splatter onto the ground is not unamusing.
