UNSUNG HEROES OF 2006
MOGWAI!
As we’re approaching the end of this marvelous year, and as I’m busy listening and watching to compose my best of the year awards (which I promise no later than the second week of January, cross my heart), I’m stuck thinking about what I’ll certainly forget. A year’s time is absolutely packed full of things that are easy to forget, (did that Fall Out Boy album come out this year???) and often albums and movies will end up left off of a list. It’s a goal to compile the most comprehensive list based on all that I’ve consumed, and while it’s not hard to remember which shows I’ve loved the most and what movies exactly came out this year, it’s the albums that I’ve had the most trouble with. There’s also the matter in terms of film as to who was actually memorably good in what films. Kate Beckinsale wasn’t too awful in Click, y’know? And what’s-her-face...uh...the Aussie from Lost...she was alright in The Hills Have Eyes. You know, people I’d forget.
So I’ve decided to list some of the people and things I will inevitably leave off of my best of the year lists, in advance. The unsung heroes, if you will. The forgotten soldiers. The things my alcohol soaked mind can’t retain so easily, mostly. Hell, think of it mostly as early honorable mentions that I will likely forget to mention in my honorable mentions.
GONG LI
So, so lovely, Gong. It’s a boy’s name in my mind, and it wasn’t until the last few years while attempting to make an American breakthrough that I was actually able to pick her out of a crowd. True, many Asians look similar to me – and this is from someone who’s infatuated with Asian cinema! – but Gong Li looks different now, and I’ve finally realized she’s a woman! A beautiful, beautiful woman. I recently checked out Michael Mann’s director’s cut of Miami Vice, which has a few snips and a much clearer narrative that turns it into a much better film overall (the inclusion of Nonpoint’s cover of "In The Air Tonight" into the actual film instead of the credits even worked for me). It gave me a chance to discover what I hadn’t in the theater. Gong doesn’t speak English. She doesn’t speak Spanish either. She had to learn everything phonetically, and it’s a bit jarring the first time you view it. I knew that, though. She sounds rough and rocky. But maybe it’s my inclination towards foreign film appreciation, Asian film above all, that allowed me to see that her performance was perfectly expressive and graceful, her reactivity was beautiful. It's the only way for me to decide if foreign actors are good or not. Her delivery withstanding, this is one of my favorite flawed performances of the year.
MCFLY’S COVER OF "DON’T STOP ME NOW"
Thanks, Stephanie. Leave it to a band who made their debut in a Lindsay Lohan movie to totally surprise me. Their album Motion In The Ocean is surprisingly decent for a pop band debut. In fact, it's almost mature enough for me to not want them to fall into the pop category! It’s full of pianos and a rock n roll vibe that’s hard to shake off as being too boring as pop music generally is. Yet nothing on it the album is nearly as "WOW" worthy as their pitch-perfect rendition of Queen’s classic tune. It is unfortunately followed by a hidden track, so the file is large, but give it a go...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/3ea293/
SNAKES ON A PLANE
This is one of the pictures that's found by doing a search result for "snakes on a plane" on Google image search. Seriously. Okay, now a real one.
And which is better? Beautiful man-ass in calming water, or Sam Jackson apparently about to tazer a man's lower region? Your call. But you're a homo if you pick the first one. Even if you're a girl.
There’s simply no way there’s room for this flick on my best or worst of the year lists. It was underwhelming considering the sheer amount of hype that was surrounding the name of this one. The NAME, not the actual movie. THE QUOTE, mostly.
"I’m tired of these MUTHA-FUCKIN’ SNAKES on this MUTHA-FUCKIN’ PLANE!"
Sure, everyone knows it. They didn’t even need to see the movie! That was the problem, really. The title was maybe a bit too overt for crowds to really wonder if they needed to see it. Besides, how many people are actually going to embrace seeing a full-fledged B-movie that wears everything on its sleeve in the THEATERS? As it’s out on January 2nd, perhaps 90% of the people who talked about the movie will actually see it the way it was intended – INTOXICATED, and surrounded by friends. It’s a blast, really. Everything you want from it, no more and no less. It nearly takes itself too seriously, but promptly manages to throw in something to remind you of what exactly you’re paying to see. Snakes. Plane. Death. Laughs! Don’t forget to watch it.
MOGWAI
Mr. Beast is superb instrumental, ambient experimentation from start to finish. Mogwai could best be described as Explosions In The Sky’s angrier cousin, Sigur Ros on a bender, or maybe Massive Attack with more guitar, but you'd probably be wrong about all three at some point or another. Aggressive, yet heavily melodic and progressive music is the best way to describe. Their music heightens Miami Vice and The Fountain, as well as the soundtrack to Zidan, and other features from years past. I wasn’t particularly a fan of the band before this album, but something about the experience really gets into my grooves. Enjoy a favorite from Mr. Beast...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/f44a8d/
ACCEPTED
Guilty pleasures are part of life’s greatest treasures. They’re the movies that you might leave off of the shelf for fear that someone would discover them and inquire as to "why do you OWN this?" Well once this goes previously-viewed, I’m owning it. Know what? I’m going to PROUDLY display this puppy on my shelf. It might have just spoken to me in a special way because of my thoughts about college, not to mention my frustrations. It may have just been dumb enough to distract me (twice now) into thinking it was good. It’s mostly worth it to see the impeccable comic timing of Jonah Hill. After a memorable but brief cameo in The 40-Year-Old Virgin and a minor role in Grandma’s Boy, this plump kid is headed toward superstar territory, and has a whopping six films coming out next year thus far. Who does he think he is, Jude Law circa 2005? Well, no. He’s certainly funnier than Alfie, though. Turn your brain off and remember how much you hate/hated college, and Accepted may tickle your fancy. Lord knows I’d love to tickle your fancy. By that, I mean your vaginas and penises.
INDIA.ARIE
Do you know who she is? Does anyone remember her brief brush with fame a few years ago? No, not Blue Cantrell. No, not Eryka B’du. Yeah, that song where she says her name! Yeah, India.Arie! What you probably don’t realize, and outside of critics circles nobody seems to, is that this is a brilliant female artist who has put out marvelous albums for years. Testimony Vol. 1 - Life and Relationships is no exception, and is absolutely one of the best albums this year. For christ's sake, it's got the audacity to label itself as a volume ONE, indicating further planned volumes! What more do you need? Soulful, jazzy, bouncy, and not even broken by the appearance of a Don Henley cover, Akon, or Rascal Flats(!?!). She’s like Lauryn Hill without all the hostility! Even plays instruments and has a sultry voice. Do enjoy...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/66e9f2/
GRANDMA’S BOY
I tell you what...BOY...this is a funny fucking movie. I say that in the same way that I would have said about Adam Sandler when I was in middle school (who produced this, no less), or how I think something like Harold & Kumar is amusing. It’s the mystical pot movie that you don’t have to be high to enjoy! Granted, I was never a big fan of Sandler, but Happy Gilmore rocked my world. This fits into some sort of juvenile, moronic ass-fest category the Gilmore helped mold. I have one of these a year that I fall in love with. The writing is really bland, but the casting is magic! Allen Covert has been a highlight of many Sandler shit-a-thons in recent years, and it's nice to see him attempt to carry this, even if he doesn't succede. Joel Moore’s robotic loser cracks my shit up, as does Kevin Nealon’s free-spirited boss, and the old ladies (especially Shirley Jones) do too. The inclusion of Linda Cardellini didn’t hurt my eyes either, as I’ve been in love since Freaks And Geeks. But it’s beloved comedian Nick Swardson who steals the show with his delivery. On a night when looking for the raunchy and mind-numbing, look no further.
ROBERT RANDOLPH
Okay, so his new album leaves a lot to be desired. It’s heavily produced and more compacted than his studio debut, and it’s very radio and pop friendly. It’s like a polished and modern incarnation of Sly and the Family Stone or Kool & The Gang. That probably doesn’t sound appealing...however, all it will take is an appreciation for the blues and rock n roll, and ONE TIME seeing this man and his family live to convert you completely. He plays the slide guitar as if you’ve never heard the instrument before, so much so that on the record it sounds a lot like a regular guitar put through a filter. Just when you think he’s blown his load and shown you enough, he’ll manage to pull out some sort of insane repetitious melody or a blazingly fast solo. Meet the torch carrier to the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughn, and he can do it all sittin’ down and shit. If you haven’t heard him yet, listen to the best cut on the new album, and expect it to sound entirely different and much better if you get the opportunity to catch a live revue...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/2f99e5/
VINCE VAUGHN
There are moments in The Break-Up, believe it or not, that one could almost consider as nuance. Ridiculous, you cry! Surprisingly, The Break-Up makes most "romantic comedies" look like a walk through the park in Candyland by comparison. It ALMOST has content! It’s marred and tangled with moments of absurdity like all of them, but it’s also got elements of independence and gentle heart tugging. I think it all comes back to Vince Vaughn, personally. While I guess we all noticed that he probably can’t handle an entire film’s dramatic core resting on his broad shoulders – ahem, Psycho – he can certainly compete with Jennifer Anniston’s pout. Maybe it’s just that he looks so good while reflecting off of her, but I felt the guy all the way through every bit of this movie, and it was the only reason I gave it a shot in the first place. He felt REAL for a change. Vaughn always comes off as some sort of hyper-realistic asshole, but not as much in this case. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the movie as optimal date material (it DOES deal entirely with a bitter, angry break-up), but it’s almost worth checking out if you’re in the mood for some lighter fare with dramatic tones. It’s got enough comedy to please, but it doesn’t do so without a little bit of heft, and maybe a little charm. God forbid every "romantic comedy" attempted to do the same. In a sea of dead bodies, this one still has a pulse. And Vaughn is my man.
THE ROOTS
I am of course referring to the hip-hop group, but I'll take any opportunity to present the host of Reading Rainbow in chains. He was even my Myspace picture for a while.
But, uh, these guys will never, ever get their due. Another rock-solid album full of inventive, technical and unique hip-hop matched with some of the best production to see any disc all year. In a perfect world, they’d be leading the pack of the urban music community and there wouldn’t be any kind of G-unit or Texas-style rap to fuck things up for people who enjoy stuff like, y'know, talent. Enjoy...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/0595b3/
THE CAST OF UNITED 93
Sure, Greengrass gets all the coverage and praise in the world (all well deserved), but his masterwork would have been shambles were it not for this faceless and nameless cast that pulls everything off in this neo-realism piece as realistically as one could ever hope. Their performances ground what could have easily been just another lousy made-for-TV and "based on true events" tale were it not for Greengrass. You couldn’t have had one without the other, and none of these people will ever get the credit or the awards they’re absolutely due for giving this thing the emotional heft it deserved.
SUFJAN STEVENS
FIVE DISCS of Christmas songs, people! This guy is second only to Ryan Adams as far as sheer volume of recordings that are completed each year. In the future, there will be mash-up albums with Biggie and Pac and THESE guys! Ryan didn’t impress nearly as much this year as Sufjan did, especially with the b-sides/alternate takes and extra tracks compilation The Avalanche. A selection from each to warm your fuzzy soul...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/d35512/
http://www.filefactory.com/file/1e669e/
HOSTEL
I nearly forgot that this is an official 2006 release, and that’s a crime. Eli Roth’s unique entry into the "torture-horror" genre is the one that actually honed the genre beyond it’s Saw-like conventions. This blows Saw to pieces, much like anything else you’d come across. Why are the Saw films so popular, especially considering that most people you talk to didn’t like ANY of them?! This is much better: part Eurotrip and part nightmare, and somehow it magically works together to create something inspired and unique. It’s hard to recommend it to people, especially those who didn’t enjoy Cabin Fever, but it’s also hard to ignore passing along the suggestion because you'd like to know what others think. It’s not quite what people were expecting from it, nor is it as ultra-violent as people have touted it. It’s simply a divine mash-up of Japanese-extreme horror and 70s grindhouse material with healthy doses of dark and light comedic fare. Those expecting scares will be let down severely as the excess that the film goes to is where the focus lies. It even made me an official Jay Hernandez fan! I can’t wait for Hostel Part II, nor anything else that Eli touches in the future. Man is a visionary.
JACKASS NUMBER TWO
My theater experience for this was quite memorable. It was an early morning show with a crowd of about twenty people. It was at Des Peres, which is the closest to me yet the one I try to avoid at all costs. After this, I remembered why. About a half-hour into the screening, I noticed the track lights on the steps next to me had flickered as if someone had passed. Nobody had passed though, nobody continued down the stairs or sat behind me. It was unsettling, but I was laughing at the time. Moments later it happened again, and this time I was able to see that something was definitely moving around. Something touched my leg. Freaked, now. FREAKED. Ghost? No way. Rodent? YES! RODENT!...FUCK! There’s a RODENT in the THEATER! I spent the next hour with my legs awkwardly and painfully planted over the armrest next to me (stadium seating yet no liftable armrests???). I later talked to my friend Andy who noted that once upon a time years ago they had rat problems. I filed a complaint, and I’ll never be back there. Fuck Wherenberg.
While this still has a shot at making my favorites of the year, it still deserves a mention here considering it’s fresh in my mind. I was curled into a ball on the couch trying to make my stomach stop aching last night, and MAYBE it wasn’t the best idea to throw this into the DVD player. I think I hurt more afterwards, to tell the truth. No less funny the second time through, and perhaps slightly more enjoyable because of that rediscovery of favorite moments, and the anticipation of more to come. This is totally better paced and cut together than the first movie, and the "stunts" are drastically better and up the ante quite a bit. Knoxville is notably much more involved and willing to jump into the more dangerous bits (including one that was literally inches away from taking his life), but it’s "Danger" Ehrehn Megehey’s "punk’d" moment that is the best of the bunch. To say anything more about it is to ruin hilarity, and it’s only truly brilliant in afterthought. It’s out on DVD this Tuesday, go grab it if you think you can handle all the homoeroticism and bodily fluids/waste. The extras, including an extended montage set to Peaches’ "Fuck The Pain Away," are more than just icing on the cake...they’re, like, part of the cake. The eggs, maybe.
Merry Christmas, everyone! Especially if you’re Jewish!
-M
MOGWAI!
As we’re approaching the end of this marvelous year, and as I’m busy listening and watching to compose my best of the year awards (which I promise no later than the second week of January, cross my heart), I’m stuck thinking about what I’ll certainly forget. A year’s time is absolutely packed full of things that are easy to forget, (did that Fall Out Boy album come out this year???) and often albums and movies will end up left off of a list. It’s a goal to compile the most comprehensive list based on all that I’ve consumed, and while it’s not hard to remember which shows I’ve loved the most and what movies exactly came out this year, it’s the albums that I’ve had the most trouble with. There’s also the matter in terms of film as to who was actually memorably good in what films. Kate Beckinsale wasn’t too awful in Click, y’know? And what’s-her-face...uh...the Aussie from Lost...she was alright in The Hills Have Eyes. You know, people I’d forget.
So I’ve decided to list some of the people and things I will inevitably leave off of my best of the year lists, in advance. The unsung heroes, if you will. The forgotten soldiers. The things my alcohol soaked mind can’t retain so easily, mostly. Hell, think of it mostly as early honorable mentions that I will likely forget to mention in my honorable mentions.
GONG LI
So, so lovely, Gong. It’s a boy’s name in my mind, and it wasn’t until the last few years while attempting to make an American breakthrough that I was actually able to pick her out of a crowd. True, many Asians look similar to me – and this is from someone who’s infatuated with Asian cinema! – but Gong Li looks different now, and I’ve finally realized she’s a woman! A beautiful, beautiful woman. I recently checked out Michael Mann’s director’s cut of Miami Vice, which has a few snips and a much clearer narrative that turns it into a much better film overall (the inclusion of Nonpoint’s cover of "In The Air Tonight" into the actual film instead of the credits even worked for me). It gave me a chance to discover what I hadn’t in the theater. Gong doesn’t speak English. She doesn’t speak Spanish either. She had to learn everything phonetically, and it’s a bit jarring the first time you view it. I knew that, though. She sounds rough and rocky. But maybe it’s my inclination towards foreign film appreciation, Asian film above all, that allowed me to see that her performance was perfectly expressive and graceful, her reactivity was beautiful. It's the only way for me to decide if foreign actors are good or not. Her delivery withstanding, this is one of my favorite flawed performances of the year.
MCFLY’S COVER OF "DON’T STOP ME NOW"
Thanks, Stephanie. Leave it to a band who made their debut in a Lindsay Lohan movie to totally surprise me. Their album Motion In The Ocean is surprisingly decent for a pop band debut. In fact, it's almost mature enough for me to not want them to fall into the pop category! It’s full of pianos and a rock n roll vibe that’s hard to shake off as being too boring as pop music generally is. Yet nothing on it the album is nearly as "WOW" worthy as their pitch-perfect rendition of Queen’s classic tune. It is unfortunately followed by a hidden track, so the file is large, but give it a go...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/3ea293/
SNAKES ON A PLANE
This is one of the pictures that's found by doing a search result for "snakes on a plane" on Google image search. Seriously. Okay, now a real one.
And which is better? Beautiful man-ass in calming water, or Sam Jackson apparently about to tazer a man's lower region? Your call. But you're a homo if you pick the first one. Even if you're a girl.
There’s simply no way there’s room for this flick on my best or worst of the year lists. It was underwhelming considering the sheer amount of hype that was surrounding the name of this one. The NAME, not the actual movie. THE QUOTE, mostly.
"I’m tired of these MUTHA-FUCKIN’ SNAKES on this MUTHA-FUCKIN’ PLANE!"
Sure, everyone knows it. They didn’t even need to see the movie! That was the problem, really. The title was maybe a bit too overt for crowds to really wonder if they needed to see it. Besides, how many people are actually going to embrace seeing a full-fledged B-movie that wears everything on its sleeve in the THEATERS? As it’s out on January 2nd, perhaps 90% of the people who talked about the movie will actually see it the way it was intended – INTOXICATED, and surrounded by friends. It’s a blast, really. Everything you want from it, no more and no less. It nearly takes itself too seriously, but promptly manages to throw in something to remind you of what exactly you’re paying to see. Snakes. Plane. Death. Laughs! Don’t forget to watch it.
MOGWAI
Mr. Beast is superb instrumental, ambient experimentation from start to finish. Mogwai could best be described as Explosions In The Sky’s angrier cousin, Sigur Ros on a bender, or maybe Massive Attack with more guitar, but you'd probably be wrong about all three at some point or another. Aggressive, yet heavily melodic and progressive music is the best way to describe. Their music heightens Miami Vice and The Fountain, as well as the soundtrack to Zidan, and other features from years past. I wasn’t particularly a fan of the band before this album, but something about the experience really gets into my grooves. Enjoy a favorite from Mr. Beast...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/f44a8d/
ACCEPTED
Guilty pleasures are part of life’s greatest treasures. They’re the movies that you might leave off of the shelf for fear that someone would discover them and inquire as to "why do you OWN this?" Well once this goes previously-viewed, I’m owning it. Know what? I’m going to PROUDLY display this puppy on my shelf. It might have just spoken to me in a special way because of my thoughts about college, not to mention my frustrations. It may have just been dumb enough to distract me (twice now) into thinking it was good. It’s mostly worth it to see the impeccable comic timing of Jonah Hill. After a memorable but brief cameo in The 40-Year-Old Virgin and a minor role in Grandma’s Boy, this plump kid is headed toward superstar territory, and has a whopping six films coming out next year thus far. Who does he think he is, Jude Law circa 2005? Well, no. He’s certainly funnier than Alfie, though. Turn your brain off and remember how much you hate/hated college, and Accepted may tickle your fancy. Lord knows I’d love to tickle your fancy. By that, I mean your vaginas and penises.
INDIA.ARIE
Do you know who she is? Does anyone remember her brief brush with fame a few years ago? No, not Blue Cantrell. No, not Eryka B’du. Yeah, that song where she says her name! Yeah, India.Arie! What you probably don’t realize, and outside of critics circles nobody seems to, is that this is a brilliant female artist who has put out marvelous albums for years. Testimony Vol. 1 - Life and Relationships is no exception, and is absolutely one of the best albums this year. For christ's sake, it's got the audacity to label itself as a volume ONE, indicating further planned volumes! What more do you need? Soulful, jazzy, bouncy, and not even broken by the appearance of a Don Henley cover, Akon, or Rascal Flats(!?!). She’s like Lauryn Hill without all the hostility! Even plays instruments and has a sultry voice. Do enjoy...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/66e9f2/
GRANDMA’S BOY
I tell you what...BOY...this is a funny fucking movie. I say that in the same way that I would have said about Adam Sandler when I was in middle school (who produced this, no less), or how I think something like Harold & Kumar is amusing. It’s the mystical pot movie that you don’t have to be high to enjoy! Granted, I was never a big fan of Sandler, but Happy Gilmore rocked my world. This fits into some sort of juvenile, moronic ass-fest category the Gilmore helped mold. I have one of these a year that I fall in love with. The writing is really bland, but the casting is magic! Allen Covert has been a highlight of many Sandler shit-a-thons in recent years, and it's nice to see him attempt to carry this, even if he doesn't succede. Joel Moore’s robotic loser cracks my shit up, as does Kevin Nealon’s free-spirited boss, and the old ladies (especially Shirley Jones) do too. The inclusion of Linda Cardellini didn’t hurt my eyes either, as I’ve been in love since Freaks And Geeks. But it’s beloved comedian Nick Swardson who steals the show with his delivery. On a night when looking for the raunchy and mind-numbing, look no further.
ROBERT RANDOLPH
Okay, so his new album leaves a lot to be desired. It’s heavily produced and more compacted than his studio debut, and it’s very radio and pop friendly. It’s like a polished and modern incarnation of Sly and the Family Stone or Kool & The Gang. That probably doesn’t sound appealing...however, all it will take is an appreciation for the blues and rock n roll, and ONE TIME seeing this man and his family live to convert you completely. He plays the slide guitar as if you’ve never heard the instrument before, so much so that on the record it sounds a lot like a regular guitar put through a filter. Just when you think he’s blown his load and shown you enough, he’ll manage to pull out some sort of insane repetitious melody or a blazingly fast solo. Meet the torch carrier to the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughn, and he can do it all sittin’ down and shit. If you haven’t heard him yet, listen to the best cut on the new album, and expect it to sound entirely different and much better if you get the opportunity to catch a live revue...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/2f99e5/
VINCE VAUGHN
There are moments in The Break-Up, believe it or not, that one could almost consider as nuance. Ridiculous, you cry! Surprisingly, The Break-Up makes most "romantic comedies" look like a walk through the park in Candyland by comparison. It ALMOST has content! It’s marred and tangled with moments of absurdity like all of them, but it’s also got elements of independence and gentle heart tugging. I think it all comes back to Vince Vaughn, personally. While I guess we all noticed that he probably can’t handle an entire film’s dramatic core resting on his broad shoulders – ahem, Psycho – he can certainly compete with Jennifer Anniston’s pout. Maybe it’s just that he looks so good while reflecting off of her, but I felt the guy all the way through every bit of this movie, and it was the only reason I gave it a shot in the first place. He felt REAL for a change. Vaughn always comes off as some sort of hyper-realistic asshole, but not as much in this case. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the movie as optimal date material (it DOES deal entirely with a bitter, angry break-up), but it’s almost worth checking out if you’re in the mood for some lighter fare with dramatic tones. It’s got enough comedy to please, but it doesn’t do so without a little bit of heft, and maybe a little charm. God forbid every "romantic comedy" attempted to do the same. In a sea of dead bodies, this one still has a pulse. And Vaughn is my man.
THE ROOTS
I am of course referring to the hip-hop group, but I'll take any opportunity to present the host of Reading Rainbow in chains. He was even my Myspace picture for a while.
But, uh, these guys will never, ever get their due. Another rock-solid album full of inventive, technical and unique hip-hop matched with some of the best production to see any disc all year. In a perfect world, they’d be leading the pack of the urban music community and there wouldn’t be any kind of G-unit or Texas-style rap to fuck things up for people who enjoy stuff like, y'know, talent. Enjoy...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/0595b3/
THE CAST OF UNITED 93
Sure, Greengrass gets all the coverage and praise in the world (all well deserved), but his masterwork would have been shambles were it not for this faceless and nameless cast that pulls everything off in this neo-realism piece as realistically as one could ever hope. Their performances ground what could have easily been just another lousy made-for-TV and "based on true events" tale were it not for Greengrass. You couldn’t have had one without the other, and none of these people will ever get the credit or the awards they’re absolutely due for giving this thing the emotional heft it deserved.
SUFJAN STEVENS
FIVE DISCS of Christmas songs, people! This guy is second only to Ryan Adams as far as sheer volume of recordings that are completed each year. In the future, there will be mash-up albums with Biggie and Pac and THESE guys! Ryan didn’t impress nearly as much this year as Sufjan did, especially with the b-sides/alternate takes and extra tracks compilation The Avalanche. A selection from each to warm your fuzzy soul...
http://www.filefactory.com/file/d35512/
http://www.filefactory.com/file/1e669e/
HOSTEL
I nearly forgot that this is an official 2006 release, and that’s a crime. Eli Roth’s unique entry into the "torture-horror" genre is the one that actually honed the genre beyond it’s Saw-like conventions. This blows Saw to pieces, much like anything else you’d come across. Why are the Saw films so popular, especially considering that most people you talk to didn’t like ANY of them?! This is much better: part Eurotrip and part nightmare, and somehow it magically works together to create something inspired and unique. It’s hard to recommend it to people, especially those who didn’t enjoy Cabin Fever, but it’s also hard to ignore passing along the suggestion because you'd like to know what others think. It’s not quite what people were expecting from it, nor is it as ultra-violent as people have touted it. It’s simply a divine mash-up of Japanese-extreme horror and 70s grindhouse material with healthy doses of dark and light comedic fare. Those expecting scares will be let down severely as the excess that the film goes to is where the focus lies. It even made me an official Jay Hernandez fan! I can’t wait for Hostel Part II, nor anything else that Eli touches in the future. Man is a visionary.
JACKASS NUMBER TWO
My theater experience for this was quite memorable. It was an early morning show with a crowd of about twenty people. It was at Des Peres, which is the closest to me yet the one I try to avoid at all costs. After this, I remembered why. About a half-hour into the screening, I noticed the track lights on the steps next to me had flickered as if someone had passed. Nobody had passed though, nobody continued down the stairs or sat behind me. It was unsettling, but I was laughing at the time. Moments later it happened again, and this time I was able to see that something was definitely moving around. Something touched my leg. Freaked, now. FREAKED. Ghost? No way. Rodent? YES! RODENT!...FUCK! There’s a RODENT in the THEATER! I spent the next hour with my legs awkwardly and painfully planted over the armrest next to me (stadium seating yet no liftable armrests???). I later talked to my friend Andy who noted that once upon a time years ago they had rat problems. I filed a complaint, and I’ll never be back there. Fuck Wherenberg.
While this still has a shot at making my favorites of the year, it still deserves a mention here considering it’s fresh in my mind. I was curled into a ball on the couch trying to make my stomach stop aching last night, and MAYBE it wasn’t the best idea to throw this into the DVD player. I think I hurt more afterwards, to tell the truth. No less funny the second time through, and perhaps slightly more enjoyable because of that rediscovery of favorite moments, and the anticipation of more to come. This is totally better paced and cut together than the first movie, and the "stunts" are drastically better and up the ante quite a bit. Knoxville is notably much more involved and willing to jump into the more dangerous bits (including one that was literally inches away from taking his life), but it’s "Danger" Ehrehn Megehey’s "punk’d" moment that is the best of the bunch. To say anything more about it is to ruin hilarity, and it’s only truly brilliant in afterthought. It’s out on DVD this Tuesday, go grab it if you think you can handle all the homoeroticism and bodily fluids/waste. The extras, including an extended montage set to Peaches’ "Fuck The Pain Away," are more than just icing on the cake...they’re, like, part of the cake. The eggs, maybe.
Merry Christmas, everyone! Especially if you’re Jewish!
-M
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PS: You're totally ghey for liking McFly, not for liking Jackass.