Category Archives: Entertainment

Art, Entertainment, Film, Lists

My Top Films of the Double Ohhs

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1) Garden State (Zach Braff, 2004)

2) Juno (Jason Reitman, 2007)

3) (500) Days of Summer (Marc Webb, 2009)

4) Almost Famous (Cameron Crowe, 2000)

5) Bowling For Columbine (Michael Moore, 2002)

6) Kill Bill (Volume 1 and 2) (Quentin Tarantino, 2003 and 2004)

7) Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009)

8) Donnie Darko (Richard Kelley, 2001)

9) The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008)

10) Requiem For a Dream (Darren Aronofsky, 2000)

11) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)

12) Clerks II (Kevin Smith, 2006)

13) Walk the Line (James Mangold, 2005)

14) American Psycho (Mary Harron, 2000)

15) Sin City (Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez, 2005)

16) Thank You For Smoking (Jason Reitman, 2005)

17) Milk (Gus Van Sant, 2008)

18) Mystic River (Clint Eastwood, 2003)

19) High Fidelity (Stephen Frears, 2000)

20) The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky, 2008)

21) Big Fish (Tim Burton, 2003)

22) The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson, 2001)

23) One Hour Photo (Mark Romanek, 2002)

24) Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000)

25) Ocean’s Eleven (Steven Soderburgh, 2001)

Chris

Entertainment, Health/Science, News

A Warm Decade

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WERS News
The head of the World Meteorological Organization, a United Nations weather agency, said Tuesday that the past ten years will “very likely” turn out to be the warmest decade on record going back to 1850.

Michel Jarraud, the WMO’s secretary general, added that 2009 will likely be about the fifth-warmest year on record.

The WMO released its findings on the second day of the Copenhagen climate conference.

Delegates at the 192-nation conference, which opened Monday, are trying to reach a new agreement on controlling greenhouse gas emissions.

Oh no, not the word “warm” !

Art, Entertainment, Film

Film Review: Pirate Radio

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Title: Pirate Radio (US); The Boat That Rocked (UK)
Production Company: Working Title Films
Release: 2009

Pro’s: Great music, generally good acting, the women who arrive on board, famous females appearing from famous songs (So Long Marianne and Eleanor Rigby).

Con’s: The whole plot about the government trying to abolish pirate radio

Overall: Pretty great movie from music and sub-plot standpoints. Unfortunately, the main plot and the ending kind of blew. This is probably one of the best I’ve seen in 2009…keep in mind I haven’t seen that many.

Entertainment, Music, News, religion

Tupac, Fleet Foxes On Vatican Playlist

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(CNN) — Music from late rapper Tupac Shakur has been included as part of the Vatican’s official MySpace Music playlist.

The seat of the Catholic Church released a list of 12 songs onto the social networking Web site’s streaming music service this week when the site launched in the United Kingdom…

Other contemporary tracks on the mix include Muse’s “Uprising” from their new album “The Resistance” and “He Doesn’t Know Why” by the folk group Fleet Foxes.

The Vatican knows what’s up.

Entertainment, Music

Updated Concert Calendar!

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For all you lazy bastards (who could, in essence, just click on the link on the right side navigational bar), here is what is highly recommended by the likes of the KLYAM:

2009
December 13 – Arctic Monkeys – House of Blues
December 17- Faces On Film- Middle East
December 18 – Stellastar* – Paradise

2010
March 14- Alice In Chains- Orpheum
March 6- Blue Oyster Cult- Showcase Live
March 1 – Rogue Wave – Paradise
February 21 –  Trevor Hall – Harpers Ferry
February 20 – Fucked Up – Middle East Downstairs
February 18 – Editors – House of Blues
February 18 – Jonathan Richman – Middle East Downstairs
February 17 –  Jonathan Richman – Middle East Downstairs
Februray 16 – Jonathan Richman – Middle East Downstairs
February 4 – Those Darlins – TT The Bears
January 21 – People Under the Stairs – Middle East Downstairs
January 15- Mission of Burma- Paradise
January 10 – The Dutchess and the Duke – TT The Bears

CD Review, Entertainment, Music

CD Review: Horehound

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Band: Dead Weather
Label: Third Man Records
Release: 2009

1. “60 Feet Tall” – 8.5
2. “Hang You From The Heavens” – 8.7
3. “I Cut Like A Buffalo” – 7.5
4. “So Far From Your Weapon” – 7.7
5. “Treat Me Like Your Mother” – 8.3
6. “Rocking Horse” – 7.5
7. “New Pony” – 8.3
8. “Bone House” – 9.2
9. “3 Birds” – 7.4
10. “No Hassle Night” – 8.5
11. “Will There Be Enough Water” – 7.6

Comments: Sweet licks — bass, guitar, etc. I do like the direction of many of the instrumentals, but often times these sounds are too processed for my liking. Their blues-rock style borders garage crossover, but is seemingly heavier than that. I get a weird Rage Against the Machine vibe; apparently others do too. PJ Harvey meets RATM meets Cold War Kids meets Downbeat 5. The good news is that this album possesses a ton of positive energy and is generally fun no matter which way you spin it. Most fun? Probably “Bone House.” The amount of noise (pop) is reminiscent of Sonic Youth. Filler alert for “3 Birds.” Overall, I’m not going to be coming back to this album for my fix of blues-rock, but for a one time deal it’s a solid listen.

Final Grade: 8.1

CD Review, Entertainment, Music

Classic CD Review: The VU & Nico

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Title: The Velvet Underground & Nico
Band: Velvet Underground
Release: 1967
Label: Verve

1. “Sunday Morning” – A+
2. “I’m Waiting For The Man” – A-
3. “Femme Fatale” – A+
4. “Venus In Furs” – A+
5. “Run Run Run” – A
6. “All Tomorrow’s Parties” – A
7. “Heroin” – A+
8. “There She Goes Again” – A+
9. “I’ll Be Your Mirror” – A-
10. “The Black Angel’s Death Song” – A-
11. “European Son” – B

Comments: What can I say about this album that hasn’t already been said? Well, “I’m Waiting For The Man” is kind of lackluster compared to the crackly, but excellent 1969 Live version. A change-up comes with the noise classic “Run Run Run,” which has to have had a tremendous influence on many bands. I liken 3:37-on to Black Lips’ “Juvenile” with in terms of vocal structure and quick guitar progressions. “ATP” is an experimental-pop follow-up. It’s an awesome tune, no doubt, but not amongst the greatest on here. I like the noisy doo-wop of “There She Goes Again.” It’s fun. I’m not so impressed by the last three songs, but that’s okay.

Grade: A