Review-a-palooza

You want reviews? YOU WANT REVIWS? You can't handle reviews.

I do a great Jack Nicholson, no?

So, as promised, I've got several things to talk about, and first up, is a movie recently viewed!

Sideways

Okay, I'm now convinced that the Hollywood Hype Machine only spits out one of a handful of phrases when it wants to promote a movie. Comedy, Drama, Action-packed!!, For the Whole Family. There may be a few more, but these are probably the most common. As if the people in this country wouldn't go see a film unless one of these were attached. And now it apparently can't tell the difference between those words. Psh.

So, Sideways is NOT a comedy. Yes, there are some funny moments, but this is not comedy folks. This is DRAMA. D-R-A-M-A. So, if you rent this movie expecting to smile and laugh your ass off, man will you ever be disappointed.

BUT! It's a great movie. Giamatti has been consistently robbed of any Academy accolades for some stupid reason, dating at least back to his supporting role in Man on the Moon, maybe even further. The man is absolutely brilliant, and if you loved him in American Splendor, then you must see this movie. It doesn't have the lasting power of a movie like American Splendor (the character seems like a higher class Harvey too, just without the weird charm), but it's worth at least one viewing. Church shows off some chops too, which is nice, he's mostly languished in acting hell for the last few years, and he seems to have finally kicked "Loyle" out of his system, either that or the new directors and producers aren't old enough to remember that character.

It makes for a bittersweet view, I know a few folks who had problems with the ending, but it worked for me. I'd like to get a chance to check out the special features with another rent, or possibly buy if it's cheap enough. Sometimes it's a little too smart and most of the wine stuff is so far over my head it's not funny, but all in all I enjoyed it, but I'm not in a hurry to see it again anytime soon.


Hey, looks like it's Mixed Bag Review time!!

Today's listen was Papa's Got a Brand New Mixed Bag or Captain Eclectic Strikes Back! mixed by Johnny B. himself. I had high, high hopes for this disc, and, as usual, Johnny B. does not disappoint.

He starts off with a Zappa tune, and while I'm no fan of the late Frank, I'm no snob either. It made for an interesting intro track. The first tune to really catch my ear was track 3, T.Rex-King of the Mountain Cometh. I've heard the occasional T.Rex tune, never thought it was anything special, but it just goes to show you what having an open mind will do. After hearing this I might be tracking some stuff down.

The Robyn Hitchcock song (I Saw Nick Drake) was a bit too melancholly for me. In the right mood I'm likely to love it though. But, the next track, The Waterboys-Glastonbury Song, took me for a nice ride. It reminds me eerily of Billy Joel's River of Dreams (was that the name of it?), only, you know, good. Great tune from a band I know nothing of, hopefully that will change. Track 8 was a Beatles tune. I wouldn't have expected a mix CD from J.B. without one (though, no Brian Wilson or Beach Boys songs struck me as odd, where's the love Johnny!!) Baby in Black has never been a fave Fab 4 song of mine, but even a bad Beatles song is twice as good as any old good song. The fact that the Monkees are on here as well, that just rocks my world. I like the Beatles, but dammit, I LIKE the Monkees. I'd say love, but, I doubt I even could name half their albums. I'm getting ahead of myself...

There's a Dylan tune on here, Catfish, which makes for an excellent lead in for the Neil Young song, Revolution Blues. Young is one of those people who I always like when I hear, but I've never bought a single one of his albums. I'm sure I've heard this song before, mostly because I knew who the hell it was as soon as the intro started. "I won't attack you but I won't back you" may be the most relevant lyric the man ever wrote. This would easily been my most favorite song on the disc, except....

I don't know who Maria McKee is, but dammit that is one catchy little song (Everybody). Who is this woman and where can I find more of here please! It works wonderfully as a followup to Revolution Blues. "We've all been lucky, we all wake up, we all do something to fill our cup" "Everybody gets to be somebody sometime" it's like pop music with a soul!

Track 15, Nilsson-Subterranean Homesick Blues, is just the kind of thing I'd expect to hear on a mix CD from J.B. I really can't put it any better than that. Oh, I liked it, catchy little beat.

The Monkees- St. Matthew follows it. It's the Monkees. They kick ass. I so dig that bluegrass intro.

Angel by Peter Holsapple & Chris Starney reminds me of some Son Volt tunes. I dig it. J.B., if you like this you should definitely check out Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo or just Jay Farrar's solo stuff.

The last song on the CD is a Yoko Ono tune, I Have a Woman Inside My Soul. I liked it. Really. I never thought I'd say that, but it works. Really well.

To see the tracks I didn't list (there were a few, I enjoyed them, but mostly they worked as filler stuff for me), go here.

I will say, for some reason, There For Her by Lloyd Cole sounded to me like Weird Al wrote a love song, a serious love song. Quirky, and growing on me.


Comics

Well, just one really. Due to my busy work schedule I haven't been able to read much, but I did get through The Intimates #7. You all know my bitch about Joe Casey, I'm sure, so it's pointeless too keep bringing it up (yet I just did...), but damn if he doesn't write one swell superhero book. This issue added some much needed mystery to the goings on of the school, just in time for summer break! A good, solid read, but mostly just a filler issue. I see big things coming for the cast, I hope the book is around long enough for Casey to see them through.

Got Street Angel #1-5 in the mail. I'm dying to dive into them, but haven't yet. I read issue #1 awhile back and finall tracked the rest down, so now I have two #1's. Someone will be getting lucky in the near future I think!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go jam out to some mix tunes.

-L