My Favourite Films of All Time! #16The Fifth Element [1997]

Starring: Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich

Directed by: Luc Besson

"Me fifth element - supreme being. Me protect you"

The Fifth Element takes place 250 years in the future. Cars can fly, New York is now a hovering city, and planet Earth is having intergalactic relations with other species. An ancient evil "force" known as the DARK PLANET is on it's way to our Universe to destroy us all. The only way to stop this "evil" from wiping out everything, is to call on the powers of the Fifth Element, a supreme being sent to Earth to destroy all evil.

The supreme being is resurrected inside a science facility, and takes the form of Leeloo [Milla Jovovich], an orange haired, half naked woman, who can only speak in the Divine language [funny], and has a habit of removing her clothes at any given time. She escapes the facility, and lands directly in the hands of angry cab driver, Korben Dallas[Bruce Willis]. By directly, i mean, she jumps off a building and slams through his cab roof. Bitch is crazy, seriously.

Leeloo is one hot thang, so obviously Korben is willing to help her out on her mission. They both go in search of Vito Corniellious, a High Priest who will help Leeloo find the 4 stones of the elements [fire, water, wind, earth] to stop the evil force from destroying life as we know it.

The evil force isn't alone in it's mission however. It enlists the help of Zorg [Gary Oldman], who gathers an army of warriors to find the 4 stones before Leeloo and her crew get their hands on them.

Along the way, Leeloo adjusts to her new "human body", and tries to understand why evil and war exist in the first place. She was created to do nothing but destroy evil, she's a weapon, but as she starts to fall in love with Korben, she's faced with wanting to find a reason to save a race of people, who can barely stop killing each other. Leeloo must find her own love to have the will power to save the world from destruction, can she do it? [cue violins].

The first thing you'll notice about TFE is the look of the film. Gone are the grimey rusted backdrops of the future that were so used to seeing in films, instead, we get a very colourful and cartoon looking planet Earth. Luc Besson decided to take a much quirkier approach to TFE universe, and it really works in his favour. Luc also hired fashion designer Jean Paul Gautier to create all of the costumes in the movie. Combining the two gave the movie a very original look, it stands out a lot when you watch it.

One scene in particular is one of my all time favourite moments from a movie, ever!. It's Leeloo's creation scene. I love seeing her come to life, and the escape from the science lab. That bandage outfit she wore is infamous!. Stick on an orange wig on and cover your titties with white material and you'll be instantly recognizable!.

Another memorable scene, and one the movie is most famous for, features a super tall blue alien woman who sings Opera, right before a huge gun brawl takes place inside of a concert hall. Cool stuff.

What TFE offers aside from a pretty looking movie, is a very memorable cast. Bruce Willis does what he does best in this, act cocky and blow shit up, Chris Tucker is HILARIOUS as Ruby is hilarious [some people thought he was annoying, which i assume was the idea, i loved him] and Gary Oldman plays a weird mix of funny, yet evil, with a Texas accent and half a head of hair. The stand out from the movie however is Milla, as Leeloo. Not only is she beautiful in the movie, but she's funny, and she also brings a good mix of strength and vulnerability to a character, which is hard considering she doesn't speak a lot of English. You grow to love Leeloo and you don't want anything bad to happen to her, the chemistry between her and Bruce's character is good too, so it's believable. She's also very quotable. Say "chicken good" to a TFM fan, and they'll know exactly what you're talking about, ha!.

TFE is one of those movies i've seen 500 times, and i never tire of it. It's the type of film, that pops up on TV and i gotta sit and watch it, even if it's only for 5 minutes. I tear up and get so excited if i stumble upon it randomly, or strike up a conversation about it to someone. I even went as far as buying the video game back in the day, which for the most part was a bit shit, but i was so desperate for more, i played it over and over regardless.

I'm on a rocket!Goldfrapp

Head First [2010]

3.5/5

What Head First does for me, more than any other Goldfrapp album, is that it's given me the first INSTANT Goldfrapp experience i've had. Pretty much from start to finish, i really liked what i heard on first listen. That could be due to the fact that the album is only 9 tracks long, so it leaves little room for filler, but also because they've finally been able to mesh all their styles together into one project that reflects their style perfectly.

They've always had a heavy 80's influence on their music, this time though, they've REALLY developed a throw back vibe, and instead of sounding like a modern band doing old skool electronica, they actually sound like they are FROM the 80's/late 70's.

'Alive' and 'Hunt' sound the most like they've stepped out of the 70's disco era, with the rest of the album sounding like an early 80's synthy wet dream [Rocket, I Wanna Life] . They even deliver one of the best tracks of their entire career with, 'Dreaming'. Great song.

The only time the album gets a bit crap, is with the last track, 'Voicething'. It's an ugly mix of Alison's vocals repeated over and over, while an irritating beat loops in the background. Thankfully, it's the last track on the album, so it's easily skipped. Most definitely one of their worst songs.

Overall, it's a very small album that passes by quickly with one listen. It does feel a little short, but that also adds to it's charm a little i think. I guess it just gives you more reason to repeat each song 5 times. There's some nice production on a few of the songs, and it's consistent and put together in a neat little package. Maybe not their BEST album, but certainly their most accessible.

DVD Roundup: MARCH, 2010
What i spent a pretty penny on this month [you're curious, don't deny it].....

Batman Returns [Blu-ray]

Oh my beloved Batman Returns, i finally have you in glorious HD. And of all the special ways it came into my life, it came at a discount bargain price, PERFECT. Halle Berry as Catwoman? if you want to laugh, then go right ahead......all you REALLY need is Michelle Phieffer as Catwoman. OH. There's good features on this too, and Burton gives a commentary. I still love this movie after all these years. Better than the Dark Knight, that's right, fuck you.

Being John Malkovich

One of those movies i've been meaning to see for 10 years. People finding a doorway to another persons mind, and then living out that persons life for a period of time?, i'll take ONE please. It was a mind fuck, that's for sure, lol. The special features were equally as strange as the movie itself.

Thirst

It's..............odd. Slow, weird, and full of sex. A pair of spread legs on the cover certainly gets your attention. No special features.

Jennifer's Body [Blu-ray]

This isn't out in Australia till May, so i ordered the UK version of it. Plus, the Aussie cover is shit, and the UK and U.S ones are pretty hot. Oh, and the UK edition has a slip case that has Megan Fox POPPING out of it with nice embedding on the cardboard. Oh, and the movie is kick ass.

An American Werewolf In Paris

Yeah, it's a shit as i remembered, in fact, it was so shit, it had me laughing. Priced at $10 though, i can't complain too much. It even had special features!!!!

Skins: Season 4

Them partying/sexing British kiddies are BACK. While the rest of the world watches teen shit like Gossip Girl, the remaining lot of us watch something with a bit of balls to it. I love this show. INNIT.

Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl

You didn't read wrong, it is indeed, Vampire Girl vs mother fucking Frankenstein Girl. What MORE do you need to know? it's fucked, almost to the point of overbearingly unwatchable. No features.

Madonna: Sticky & Sweet Tour [Blu-ray]

Well praise the heavens, it's FINALLY hit dvd! or more importantly, Blu ray!!!!! This is the first Blu ray release by Madonna. There's even a cute 30 minute behind the scenes doco attached to this, as well a s alive cd!!!!. Mouth......waters......lots.......[wipes chin].

So happy i could die...Lady Gaga

The Monster Ball Tour 2010

Sydney Entertainment Centre

4/5

The crowd: A good mix of all ages and different people. The gays were plentiful, but so were families and kids. They were also very enthusiastic. I saw Gaga for the first time live 2 years ago in a tiny club on Oxford St in Sydney. The entire place was packed out, but she had JUST launched with her debut single 'Just Dance', so i wasn't expecting a major crowd filler, i was wrong. There were people pouring out of the doors, fans already dressed up in costumes, and people going nuts to see her on stage. At her new Arena show, it was the exact same atmosphere, except this time, there were THOUSANDS of fans, instead of hundreds. It was great to see how big she's gotten in such a short period of time, and the rabid loyalty and appreciation the fans showed her was really great to see.

The only downside to my "crowd" experience, was having a bunch of loud mouthed toothless red necks sitting behind us the entire show. They kept quiet while Gaga was on stage, but during the opening act [which was very....overtly gay and sexual, lol] they kept yelling and screaming at how vile the whole thing was. Honestly, what ARE rednecks DOING at a Gaga show? did they not expect to see poofery????? go the fuck home.

Opening act: Semi Precious Weapons opened the show. I've only heard of these guys by name, and Gaga used to open for them YEARS ago when she was a teenager performing in clubs for the first time. The band itself was full of flamboyant members, with the main singer wearing no pants, stocking and heels, which at one point he REMOVED on stage to change into some new clothes. They were pretty entertaining to watch, and the music itself actually wasn't too bad. They sang thrashy style rock, i'll definitely check out their album.

The show: The lights dimmed and the crowd went absolutely mental as a screen was lowered over the stage and black and white footage of Gaga jumping in slow motion was shown. A heavy dance beat played over the footage, and it was obvious this was going to be a pretty loud opener. As the synths to Dance In The Dark kicked in, everyone lost their minds. Gaga appeared on top of a stair case behind the screen [which was semi transparent] and all you could see was her silhoutte as she sang the song, it was an AMAZING opener which set the mood for the rest of the night.

As soon as the first song was finished, we got kicked into the first few bunch of performances. She sang a brand new song called Glitter and Grease, which i loved [can't wait to hear a studio version], when Just Dance came on the crowd lost their minds as they danced around, everyone was standing. Beautiful Dirty Rich followed, then The Fame and to finish it up, she sang a random internet leaked song from 2 years ago called, Vanity. Don't know why it was included, but i liked the performance.

Another video interlude was played before the next segment, Gaga posing for a photoshoot while a woman vomited green spew on her. It ended with Gaga eating a bloody raw heart. The interludes in general were pretty cool throughout the show. LoveGame was the opener for the second act, another track everyone really got into. Boys Boys Boys was dedicated to "her gay boys", Money Honey followed, and then Telephone was blasted into the crowd. The choreography for Telephone was GREAT, i still wish it was show cased better in the music video.

The atmosphere was taken down a notch when Gaga sat at her piano and sang Brown Eyes and Speechless. Although the songs were slow, i was surprised to see how much everyone got into them. Although it's hard not to when Gaga is singing the shit out of the tracks while thrashing at her piano. Her voice is FANTASTIC live, so strong. The highlight from that section was when she stopped singing the chorus to Speechless, and let the crowd sing it to her while she played the piano, the entire Arena sang it perfectly in sync, it was a great moment to let fans really connect with her. She loved it.

As a tornado descended onto the stage, Gaga returned wearing her wacky 'Living Dress', which looked like some sort of angelic fairy robotronic outfit. It moved, opening and closing as she was lifted into the air and sang So Happy I Could Die. One of my favourite performances from the night. She looked amazing on stage wearing that.

As the show entered it's last act, Gaga churned out Monster [another highlight], Teeth [hot dancing], Alejandro [nicely set up, but a bit of a let down], and Poker Face [crowd went mental over it, obviously].

Before Gaga left the stage, she came out for 2 more song. Paparazzi, which was the most memorable performance of the night, with a GIANT monster puppet appearing on stage as she sang the song. I've only seen one picture of the monster, so i wasn't sure how it would look in motion. It looked REALLY cool. I loved it. The final song of the night, Bad Romance, was a bit of a let down, mostly because Gaga wore a metallic dress which seemed to really limit her movement, so she wasn't able to really give it her all for the finale. Still, the crowd loved it and the song itself is great. For me though, Paparazzi seemed to be the proper goodbye.

Overall: A really fun concert with a lot of love in the room. The first half of the show was a little stronger than the second half, but as a whole product it was nicely put together and very ambitious.

Gaga is a strong live act, her voice is great, her outfits are hilarious and the amount of buzz and excitement she was able to bring to the audience was impressive. She's described as a phenomenon, and last night, i finally saw her booming career in action. After only 2 years, to pull off the concert she put on last night and to have such adoring fans after such a small period of time, is really mind boggling to see. Behind all the costumes and wigs is an incredibly talented girl, who seems to live and breathe everything she does on stage. I'm proud to be a fan, she's the real deal. She's just a baby in the industry, but after seeing her last night, it's obvious she can stand her own ground with her established peers who've been around for 10-20 years.

I look forward to seeing her again.

PS: Can't remember which song it was for, but at one point she opened a track while playing on her GIANT guitar keyboard. It was fucking badass.

Alice In Wonderland [2010]
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter
Directed by: Tim Burton
3.5/5

19-year-old Alice returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny.

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this, i've been hearing mixed reviews all week since it came out. People seem to either love it or think it's average. I suppose that's a good thing, because i didn't have any over the top expectations. I was pleasantly surprised by the final result, but the movie was a little uneven in parts.

The story itself was serviceable enough, i'm not sure how DEEP people expected this thing to be, the story was written while someone was on drugs, it's hardly going to be anything other than a paper thin wacked out kooky fantasy adventure. No other adaptations of the book have been all that brilliant either, imo, in fact, i've often found the Alice story kind of boring since all she does is walk, talk to someone, float, walk, talk to someone, walk, ect. Expecting the story to be some sort of layered masterpiece is just strange. The story was perfectly fine, and did the job.
I do think once Alice gets over the initial shock of returning to Wonderland, the movie gets a little slow. But i've always felt Burton has a few pacing issues with his films, so that's more if a personal gripe. Once she finds herself in the Red Queen's garden, it all picks up nicely though.

Where the movie needed to get a bit of it's balls from was the cast. Thankfully, i enjoyed the performances by everyone involved. I agree that Johnny Depp continuously playing "wacky" is getting a tad overdone, but, it's his thing, and he's good at it, so i'm not going to bother ripping him a new one. As for the Mad Hatter character, the first meeting of him wasn't all that spectacular really, and at times i had trouble trying to understand what the hell he was saying. Still, i liked the friendship between him and Alice and as the film went along he grew on me more and more.
The voice work for all the CGI characters was all done nicely, Chesire Cat was probably the best out of the bunch and the only one that REALLY stood out. Michael Sheen as the White Rabbit seemed fairly wasted, and that tiny mouse character with the sword seemed pointless and rather annoying to listen to. My favourite from the side characters though was the overly anxious Hair Rabbit that was friends with the Mad Hatter, he was funny.
The girl playing Alice was good enough, but the role itself didn't require much, so i can't say she blew me away or anything, she was fine though.
Out of everyone involved, the one person who really stood out the most for me was Helena as the Red Queen. Say what you will about how many times she's played "wacky", but she's SO good at it, and i thought her character was done really well. She had some great lines and some funny scenes. Really enjoyed watching her in this, the giant head obsession was a great joke starter for many scenes in the movie.

The look of the movie is beautiful, that's expected though, visuals have always been Tim's strongest asset. Alice's fall through the rabbit hole looked good, and the "eat me, drink me" scene that followed was also fun to watch. There were some nice costume and set design, the Red Queen's castle looked pretty cool, and i loved that Alice had to step on floating heads to reach the Queen's garden. A lot of nice minor touches were added to some of the scenes, which helped bring the whole world to life. Tim's style may be recycled a lot of the time, but i've always found his way of putting visuals together very "magical", so i had no issues with how the movie looked.

As great as some of the cast were, and as pretty as it all was to look at, i still felt i wanted more out of the story. There was a sense of "adventure" that would come in and out of the movie as it went along, it didn't feel even. At points the story builds up to a nice climax, and then other times it just plodded along and felt enjoyable, but not spectacular.

Other than that, the only other issue i had was with the final battle. I liked it, but it all felt a bit anti climatic to me. There was a lot of scope missing from that section of the movie. They build up the battle between Alice and the dragon SO much throughout the story, and when you actually SEE the dragon, it isn't all that big or scary. There wasn't a strong enough sense of danger when it came to the final battle, it all felt a little wishy washy and you knew Alice would come out of it perfectly fine. I would have liked to have seen them go a little more nuts with that scene, and really given Alice something scary and monstrous to fight. Instead we got a very easily killed, baby dragon. Meh.

There's A LOT to like about this movie, and i enjoyed it. There seems to be a bit of a Burton backlash with this film, everyone has their pitchforks out ready to stab him over and over, same with his fellow regular cast mates, Depp and Helena. All 3 of them may be getting a tad "over done", but as i said earlier, they all do what they do well, even if they do it repeatedly. I have no interest in joining the bashing brigade and some of the DRAMATIC criticism of this movie have been a little ridiculous.

Does the movie live up to the hype? in places, yes, there are some really great moments in the movie, and as an overall package it was nicely put together. It wasn't perfect though, and it certainly didn't blow my mind. As a final product, it may not live up to the hype as MUCH as i wanted, but i still found it to be an entertaining watch.
If the ending had been put together better, i would have easily given the movie a 4/5, but with a fun, yet weak finale, and a God awful dance by The Mad Hatter, i'll drop it down to a 3.5.

Definitely see it, you're bound to get something out of it. Just don't expect the next Edward Scissohands.

Gaga In Wonderland
I thought this would be a cool extra post to go along with my Alice review. I love it, it's so creative. If only it was real....sigh....

Precious [Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire]
Starring: Mo'nique, Gabourey Sidibe, Mariah Carey
Directed by: Lee Daniels
4/5

Poor brave Precious and her fucked up life. Honestly, just about everything went wrong for this girl except blowing up into a million pieces.

From what i've noticed, most people are loving this movie, but every now and again you get someone who found it to be a little over done. In a way, i can see what those people mean. Although the setting is realistic, and there's no doubt in my mind people live with these sorts of fucked up circumstances daily [i'm no stranger myself to life fuckery], there was a point where i felt a little, "enough is enough". Sexual abuse from her father, mental abuse from her mother, poverty, obesity, loneliness, teen pregnancy, we definitely got a mixed bag. Once she was diagnosed with HIV however, i just felt it started to get a bit too 'daytime TV' in regards to "drama". As i said before, everything that could happen to this girl, happened. I didn't know if she was going to get hit by a car next, or get shot in the head.

There were glimmers of hope for Precious throughout the story though, and i guess that was what kept me engrossed in everything without getting too lost in all the negative hysterics. The sad thing is, even though it does become one tragic affair after another, life for the most part can be quite ugly for people, so maybe Precious really did just get the rawest end of the stick.

As "eventful" as the story was, what really keep this movie floating was the acting. If you are an actor who wants to really dig your fingers into something raw, this is the type of role you'd LOVE to get your hand on. Everyone involved was fantastic, with the stand out being Monique [who played Precious's evil Mother]. With other great supporting roles like Precious's teacher, her fellow classmates, and her Welfare Counselor [Played surprisingly well by Mariah Carey], there's A LOT to get out of this acting wise. The final scene involving Precious, her Mother and her counselor in a room together was the high point of the film for me. Hard hitting stuff, and Monique was CRAZY good in it.

If you've seen a "ghetto life" themed movie before, this may not shock you as much as someone who wasn't very familiar with this kind of material. However, Precious's story is rather heart breaking at times, and whether you're used to seeing this stuff before or not, it will still leave you with some sort of emotional impact.

Shutter Island [2009]
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
3/5

Set in 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island.

I went into this with fairly minimal expectations. Other than 'Casino', i've never been much of a Scorsese fan, 'Shutter Island' though seemed like it could be a decent thriller judging by the trailers, so i gave it a go.

Although i knew the film wasn't going to be "scary" per se, the trailer did make me think i was going to be in for a film that could make my spine tingle a little. Unfortunately, i quickly realized i had misjudged the film. There was nothing "eerie" or "scary" about the film or the island the characters inhabited, so i was a little disappointed with that. The film does have a strong sense of "danger" in it though, so there was good use of tension in some of the moments throughout the movie. Sometimes though, they did get bogged down by clunky pacing which rears it's head a little too much throughout the story. Atmospherically, i would have liked something a little stronger as well.

There was an obvious Kubrick inspiration in the films look and sound. The music was strong and foreboding [similar to The Shining], and fit the setting well. The movie also had a strong visual style that i enjoyed, though i do think it fell a little flat during the dream sequences. I wasn't feeling very "transported" during those parts, especially the scene involving Dicaprio's character and his wife in their apartment. I felt as if i was supposed to be getting a strong emotional impact during that scene, and it didn't do much for me. The flashbacks worked better i think. As much as i enjoyed the overall score and cinematography, it did feel a little ripped off. The Shining just kept popping up in my head over and over.

What stood out the most for me was the acting by the ENTIRE cast. Everyone from the main cast members to the minor roles by mental patients really kept me interested in what was going on. A lot of familiar lesser known actors show up throughout the story, all of them being very memorable. Mark Ruffalo, who i don't mind as an actor, did well, but seemed slightly bored when compared to everyone else. Ben Kingsly and Dicaprio were great as usual, especially Dicaprio who completely embodies his character.

As the film drew closer to it's end, i thought i would rate it 2.5, but as the "twist" unfolded and as the story came full circle, i decided to jump it up to a 3. The final section of the film, especially the disturbing flashback sequence and Dicaprio's character finding the "truth" really showcased each of the main cast members abilities as actors. Ben Kingsly especially had me completely hypnotized during the final scenes, trying to convince Dicaprio's character of what was really going on. The very last scene where Dicaprio makes his "choice" was also a great way to end the movie.

It was an enjoyable enough paranoid thriller, that was elevated by a fantastic cast and strong final act. The story did get a little convoluted in parts though, and i did feel the movie could have packed a bit more of a punch both in story and tone. Overall though, i can't help but feel like it all fell slightly flat as a complete package. Certainly watchable, but give me something like The Shining [which it wanted to be] over this any day.

Wait for DVD.

The Best Albums of The 00's
I did my top 10 of the 90's last year, now i'm going to give you my top 10 of the last decade [2000-2009]!!!!!!!

Honourable Mentions:
A few of these could be swapped around on my final top 10 list. As it stands though, they just missed out. I did enjoy these albums a lot though. There are a few other albums i enjoyed, but don't LOVE TO DEATH that i'd still recommend like...

Auf Der Maur Auf Der Maur
iiO Poetica
Yeah Yeah Yeahs It's Blitz
Bjork Vespertine
Kanye West 808's & Heartbreak
Jessica Mauboy Been Waiting
Brandy Afrodisiac
MGMT Oracular Spectacular

Daft Punk Discovery

Now, THE TOP 10!!!!!...........

10. Madonna American Life [2003]
This album got a bit of a mixed reception. Lyrically it can be a bit silly in places [the title song], and some would say she goes a little overboard with the electronica. Personally, any "silly" lyrics were made up for in other songs featuring very personal and well written lyrics [Xstatic Process], and i LOVE electronic music, so when used heavily in certain parts of the album, i think it sounds pretty cool.
All her albums throughout the last decade have been great, and although something like 'Confessions On A Dancefloor' is a more obvious choice for this list, i'm going to go for something a little more low key. I love it.

09. Aaliyah Aaliyah [2001]

One of the best mellow r&b albums i've heard. It's a shame she died soon after releasing this, it would have been cool to see what else her and Timbaland could have come up with. There's some nice darker production on a few of the tracks [We Need A Resolution] and other songs that showcase her warm and smooth voice [I Care 4 U]. The album also features one of my all time favourite songs ever, 'Try Again'.

08. M.I.A. Kala [2007]

This type of music is either murder to your ears, or something you LOVE playing full blast. Either way, you can't deny how original M.I.A. is, and if you can understand her through her accent, she's very political too. Would love to see her live one day.

07. Boomkat A Million Trillion Stars [2008]

The album that never was!.....released only via iTunes, this underrated sophomore album by Boomkat completely went under the radar, and is only known amongst the small handful of fans the group has online. These guys have always been my special little secret. I pray they release more music in the future.

06. Silverchair Diorama [2002]

I got into this album only recently, though i was aware of the singles for sometime. Great rock album, it's rare i come across a rock album that i like from start to finish. Their most consistent record. 'After All These Years' is amazing.

05. Peaches I Feel Cream [2009]

I could have put one of a couple of her albums here, but with 'I Feel Cream' she really hit her creative peak. It's the first time she collaborated so heavily with other acts, and it really worked in her favour. Not one song on this i don't like.

04. Lady GaGa The Fame Monster [2009]

An album that has been my life for a year and a half. It all started with 'The Fame', and then branched out even further with 'The Fame Monster'. This double album has got me SO excited for what GaGa will give us in the future, she's incredible.

03. Gossip Music For Men [2009]

I went on and on about this album throughout 2009. I almost feel as if there's not much else i can say. Gossip finally reached their deserving level of success with this record. An amazing mix of indie rock that you can dance to. Beth Ditto is fucking bad ass.

02. Nelly Furtado Folklore [2003]

A truly talented artist who doesn't get enough credit imo. It's a beautiful album filled with hooks and catchy melodies. Every song is unique and perfect in it's own way. If you like folk music, you'll LOVE this. The last track on the album, 'Childhood Dreams', is gorgeous.

01. Fever Ray Fever Ray [2009]

It's amazing how long it took for this album to finally click with me. It's also amazing how fast it completely consumed my brain when it finally hit me in the right spot!!!! It's a haunting and moody electronic album with some amazing production sprinkled throughout some of the songs. I can't get enough of it, i absolutely love it to death.

fin.

Daybreakers [2009]

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Sam Niel

Directed by: The Spierig Brothers

3/5

Daybreakers has had a strange run at the cinemas. It has received some decent reviews over in the U.S., yet American audiences seem to really hate the movie. Because of such a bi polar response to the film, i wasn't sure what to expect when i sat down to watch it.

As a vampire fan, i was excited to see what kind of spin they would put on the films storyline. I was pleasantly surprised at what they came up with. The premise was original and the vampire world they created was interesting. What the film was missing however was SCOPE. The entire world is over run by vampires, and it was a shame to see the movie only show glimpses of one city and the vampires who lived in it. Most of the scenes in the vampire world take place in a high rise city building, so the vastness of how huge the "vampire epidemic" was felt a little lost on me. It would have been interesting to focus a little more on the day to day lives of what it was like to live in a vampire world, because what we did see was definitely cool.

The characters in the movie were also a little underdeveloped. Like the storyline though, they were serviceable enough, but could have been fleshed out more. Ethan Hawke seemed a little.....bored. The only characters who offered any sort of meat to the scenes were Willem Dafoe and the scenes involving Ethan's character and his brother. Everyone else was just on auto pilot. The acting itself was fine though, so it didn't take away from the over all enjoyment of the movie.

There's some good direction in Daybreakers, some nice ideas and an interesting story. It never seems to reach any major heights though due to the constant way the film holds back. If the storyline and characters had been fleshed out more, it could have been a more entertaining experience. The odd abrupt ending also felt a bit rushed as well. The whole thing felt as if it was done in a very limited time frame.

The movie was decent enough though, and if you like vampire action there's bound to be something you'll like here. No need to rush to the cinemas to see it though, save it for DVD.

My Favourite Films Of All Time! #15Return To Oz [1985]
Directed by: Walter Murch
Starring: Fairuza Balk, Jean Marsh

"Your Majesty! SHE has returned to Oz!"

Fuck The Wizard of Oz!..............there, i said it, words that people gasp and raise their arms in horror over.............fuck The Wizard of Oz!. "How could you?", some of you may be saying?, i'll tell you how i could!. Wizard of Oz is a bore fest, a very nicely acted, very nicely filmed bore fest, but a bore fest nonetheless. As a kid, i tried to watch it, i could never get through it all. As an adult, same problem. The movie just DOESN'T click with me at all. I've tried and tried, and it just ain't gonna happen. What did click with me though was the 1985 sequel, Return To Oz, i'll tell you why.......

In Return To Oz, Dorothy [Fairuza Balk] comes back from Oz and can't stop talking about the other world she visited. Her family think she's nuts, so they admit her to a mental ward, hoping that electro shock therapy will cure her of her "crazy ways". Dorothy's stay at the hospital is short lived, when she is suddenly pulled back into Oz, as she tries to escape from her new zap happy home. As Dorothy ventures into Oz once again, she soon realized, Oz ain't what it used to be. In fact, Oz is completely fucked up. No more singing midgets, no more sweet skipping around townsfolk, and no more shiny yellow brick road. Oz is scary, Oz has new evil inhabitants, and soon Dorothy finds out that she's gonna need some balls to live past a day in this "new" place. Bitch doesn't need a little dog, bitch needs a gun!.
As well as trying to stay alive, Dorothy makes some new friends in Oz. A pumpkin head man, a moose mounted on a wooden trunk [don't ask, it's confusing i know], a new fatter tin man, and a talking chicken. As you can see, Oz has become a bit freaky.

Ok, forget everything you knew about the old Oz movie. That was a film that gave children rainbow dreams and gumdrop smiles. 'Return' however gave most kids NIGHTMARES. I was one of those kids!. Seeing Dorothy get chased down by hunchback men with elongated legs and arms, wheels where their hands and feet should be, and hideously creepy voices, caused all sorts of ghastly imagery in my mind. These scary fucks were called 'Wheelers'. Ask ANYONE who's seen this movie about what stood out the most, and they'll most definitely say "the fucking wheelers!". The creep factor doesn't stop there. There's also an evil Queen who lives in Oz named Mombi [Jean Marsh]. At first she's all lovely and sweet, but soon Dorothy realizes that Mombi actually likes to COLLECT PEOPLES HEADS and store them in glass cabinets in her castle. Not only does she store them, but she REMOVES HER OWN HEAD and wears the others depending on how she feels that day. This bitch is seriously messed up!. There's one scene where Dorothy tries to escape Mombi's castle, and finds herself IN the "Head Room". There's womens heads lined up all along the walls, when they hear Dorothy IN the room, they all OPEN their eyes and glare down at her!. Honestly, what kind of sick fuck makes shit like this for kids?
Upon it's release, it didn't do too well. It flopped at the box office, and parents found it to be "too disturbing" for children. Funnily enough, 'Return' is much closer in tone with the actual Oz book series the films were based on. The books themselves [which i haven't read] do have a more darker streak to them, which was completely thrown out the window for the 1940's original.
I make the movie sound like it's a horror fest, it really isn't, it won't creep you out as an adult, it's just got a few eerily wacky qualities about it that play on a child's imagination a lot more. I don't know how many times i've heard grown adults say, "my God that movie freaked me out as a kid". It really was trippy.

Oddly enough, it's these twisted and freaky additions to the sequel, that made it so much more memorable than the dull original. All i remember from movie 1 was a whole bunch of singing. In 'Return', i had the Oz scared into me, and it had a much more profound effect on my mind. As an adult, obviously i don't find it scary anymore. It's still got that "wacky creepy" factor though. Aside from a much darker storyline, the rest of the movie still stands strong as a good childrens fantasy film. I can watch it today and still get a kick out of it, not only because it's well made, but also for nostalgic reasons.

You don't need to see the original Oz to understand this movie. Most people have a fair understanding of what Oz and Dorothy's previous adventure was all about anyway. This is the type of kids movie that would appeal to someone who likes their fairy tales a little more on the "interesting" side. Should you show it to kids? it won't cause any serious damage, but i wouldn't be surprised if a kid does get a little uncomfortable about some of the characters. Lord knows me and many others did.

My Favourite Albums Of ALL TIME! #2Fever Ray Fever Ray [2009]
The debut album from Fever Ray is the solo project from one half of the Swedish electronic duo, 'The Knife'. The half i'm talking about is the singer, Karin Dreijer Anderson [that's a mouthful]. If you don't know her, or her previous music with her brother in The Knife, chances are you may recognize her voice if you listen to Royksopp, who she collaborates with on two of their albums. She's most well known on one of their more popular songs, 'What Else Is There?' [a personal favourite of mine].
If you're hearing her voice for the first time, you will remember it forever. Much like Bjork, she has a very distinctive way of singing. In fact, she sounds like a strangled baby. Trust me though, it works better than it sounds, especially with the style of music she makes.

It's a little hard to describe exactly what Fever Ray sounds like. Those who've heard her previous music with The Knife have an idea of what to expect, but if you're a Knife virgin, it may take a few listens before you completely get into the Fever Ray album.
It's a haunting and dark collection of music, that has an odd innocence to it. It's almost child like in places, like a kids nightmare, but not in a scary way. The album is eerily beautiful in places [Concrete Walls], a little more electronic in others [Triangle Walks], and it even has a slight David Lynch vibe at one point [Stranger Than Kindness]. There's even a track that has distorted baby sounds running through it, all while singing lyrics that sound oddly like they're about birth and re-incarnation [Here Before]. It can be very experimental at times.

The first time i heard this album, i was instantly drawn to it. It was interesting, but it didn't completely click with me until months later when i finally understood the album. It's a unique piece of work, very layered, and also very mellow, so you need to be in the right mind frame to let it works it's magic on you properly. Think of it as a darker version of Bjork's 'Vespertine' album. They both share a similar child like feel to them, in fact, listening to both albums one after the other is a really great experience.

I included this album in my list of favourites from 2009, but it only appeared in my 'Honorable Mentions' list, instead of my top 10. I only wish the album struck with me sooner, because it would have come in at #2 on my list. It still got a mention though, so oh well. It's now one of my top 10 favourite albums of the last 10 years.

If you want something interesting, and you like ambient electronic music, chances are you'll absolutely love this album. Even if it's not really your thing, it's still a good album to have a listen to, just so you can experience something that you may not be used to hearing. The album really takes you to another place. It completely transports you to another world, it's very beautiful.

It appeared on countless critics favourite lists throughout 2009, i can see why, it's amazing.

1. If I Had A Heart 4/5

2. When I Grow Up 4/5
3. Dry And Dusty 5/5
4. Seven 4/5
5. Triangle Walks 3/5
6. Concrete Walls 5/5
7. Now's The Only Time I Know 4/5
8. I'm Not Done 4/5
9. Keep The Streets Empty For Me 5/5
10. Coconut 5/5
11. Stranger Than Kindness 5/5
12. Here Before 4/5

My Favourite Films Of All Time! #14
Martyrs [2008]
Starring: Morjana Alaoui, Mylene Jampanoi
Directed by: Pascal Laugier

"They did not finish to be alive..."

You want to see some fucked up shit?.....My oh, my! some of you may have heard of Martyrs, it caused quite the stir when it was shown throughout Europe during film festival season in 2009/2008. Why was it so controversial? well, because it's violent as shit and disturbing as fuck!.

Martyrs follows the story of Anna and Lucie. They became friends many years ago at an orphanage where Lucie was sent after she had escaped from an abandoned industrial building where she was tortured by the people holding her captive. Over the years Lucie has struggled with flashbacks and inner demons, she can't cope, she can't get on with her life, and she sets out to find the people WHO did those awful things to her as a child.
Soon enough, the people are discovered. Lucie sets out for bloody revenge while Anna goes along for the ride to give Lucie support. However, Anna is unaware of just how far Lucie is willing to go, and soon enough they both find themselves surrounded by dead bodies and bloody murder on their hands.

That's pretty much the BASIC plot of the film. If i go any further i'll give too much away, and i don't want to do that because the movie takes some VERY big twists and turns, and you'll soon find yourself watching more than just a gory revenge story.
This movie isn't for everyone, for every person who loved it, i know just as many who hated it. There isn't any real message behind the film, but that wasn't the point of the movie anyway. The Director has said that he wanted to take the viewer on a journey, he wanted to give them an experience. Whether you end up liking the movie or not, there's no denying you'll have an "eye opening" experience watching it. I sure as fuck did.As i said before, there's no message behind the film, but that doesn't mean there isn't a POINT to all the violence we see on screen, there is. It just takes a whole lot of torture to get to the secret behind what's happening. If this sounds like something you're willing to give a shot, you'll get a lot out of it.
The movie left me feeling a whole mix of emotions. I thought it was confronting and disturbing, but i also thought it was really sad at times, especially during the middle portion of the story. I felt so much for one character in particular, it really threw me back. If you strip away all the violence, are you left with anything worthwhile? yes, most definitely. It's a story about survival, and how much one person can take mentally and physically. What does reaching the point of no return feel like if you completely detach your mind from your body?. It's like watching an exercise in human experience. It's gets you thinking.
When you actually find out WHY certain things in the story are happening, the movie takes an even more interesting turn. There's a slight "supernatural" vibe to the final section of the movie. There's strong links between questions about the afterlife. The makers of the film certainly took the word MARTYRS literally when they made this movie.

Credit needs to be given to the 2 lead actresses in this. Both roles required quite a lot of emotion with Lucie losing her mind and Anna being tortured for endless amounts of time. I can't imagine how you get to a place like that mentally and act out something so vicious. It's hard to watch at times, because the abuse is so relentless.
Even though the movie is very gory, the style of direction, the cinematography and the overall look of the movie are beautifully done. It's very slick in presentation. You can't take your eyes off the screen.

Martyrs has become one of my favourite horror films of all time. It still makes me think no matter how many times i see it. Every time i watch it i feel like i've just been dragged by my hair through some dirty bushes. It grabs you by the balls and rips them out. I love that people are so torn by it as well, it means it's doing what it's meant to.
I think it's a masterpiece! one of the best horror films of the last 10 decade.

My Favourite Films of All Time! #13The Craft [1996]
Directed by: Andrew Fleming
Starring: Neve Campbell, Fairuza Balk, Robin Tunney

"Relax... it's only magic"

In 1996, when The Craft came out, something happened. Girls all over the world started wearing black, buying crystals, and reading about witchcraft. The Craft had a MASSIVE effect on teenage popular culture for a good few years. Why? because for the first time ever on film, witches were taken out of horror movies and fantasy epics, and were actually depicted as modern and cool. Being a witch was sexy, it meant you could dress like a whore and be a badass without being a hook nosed green skinned troll with a pointy hat, It also meant you had "pussy power", because magic seriously connects girls with their inner sex god.

The Craft follows the story of Sarah [Robin Tunney], the new girl in school who has no friends, and feels like an outsider. She ends up befriending the "freaks" of her grade, Nancy [Fairuza], Bonnie [Neve] and Rochelle [Rachel True]. What Sarah doesn't realize is that these girls are witches. Sarah herself is also a witch. So when these 4 girls join forces, they start casting spells and making their mundane teenage worlds a better place. Sarah's one wish is to make the popular guy in school fall in love with her, Bonnie's wish is to make the scars on the skin of her back disappear, Rochelle wishes she would stop being bullied by a racist rich white tramp, and Nancy.........well......Nancy is a little power hungry, so she wishes to triple her power and become the strongest witch of them all.
They all get their wishes. Unfortunately, with power comes responsibility, and when you abuse that responsibility, you get some serious consequence. Things start going wrong. Sarah's spellbound new boyfriend becomes a stalker, Bonnie's become an attractive scarless bitch, Rochelle's powers are making her bullies life a living hell [bitch loses her hair] and Nancy is running high on magic and losing her mind to "the dark side".

Sarah see's the mess the girls have made, and tries to put a stop to it. Sadly for her, the other 3 girls are now off with Satan [not really], and all they wanna do is wreak as much magic vagina powered havoc as they can!
Sarah is left to fight against the girls and try to make things right. This ain't no silly little cat fight though. This is some serious flying witches cuntery, and Sarah is gonna have to get her magic mojo into gear because Nancy and her 2 minions want to whoop her ass with as much magic as they can throw at her.
Let's get one thing straight, this isn't any Bewitched for a 90's generation bullshit. There's no cutesy pie spell casting and sweetie pie girly special effects. This is serious!. These girls find some uber power, and they use the shit out of it.
The great thing about The Craft is that they've set the entire movie in a realistic world. There are many "witchy" moments, but it's all still grounded enough to not make it hokey. A lot of the "magic law" discussed in the movie is in fact based on real Wiccan texts. They had some witch from the biggest coven in America giving the film makers the information they needed to make the movie a little more authentic. In fact, the big group spell casting done during the beach scene IS an actual real life spell. Cool stuff.

The story also has some hidden themes about female power and the types of urges and changes girls go through during their tender teenage years. It's about control, it's about being something you want to be, about having those things during that time in your life to help you be happier and stronger. That doesn't mean guys can't get into this movie though. There's plenty here for boys to like. The story is entertaining, and of course, the girls themselves get shorter skirts everytime they're powers get stronger. You know how boys are, heh....

Another great thing about the movie is the cast. The girls themselves are very like able, even when they turn bad. Robin Tunny who plays Sarah, actually had a shaved head while filming this movie. She wore a wig the entire time. Sometimes, it's a little obvious with the sprouting like way her hair grows from her forehead. Neve Campbell sighs and buck tooths her way through her role as Bonnie. She also really needs a bra at one point, but we love her anyway. Rachel true as Rochelle is the one you root for the most, mainly because the racist shit she deals with gets on my last nerve. And Fairuza, oh Fairuza, she certainly has a face only a mother could love. Not that she's UGLY per se, but that girl has a mouth on her that could swallow a whole basketball. The gothed out, grunge trash make up doesn't help either, BUT.............she is pretty cool, and she plays the role like a fucking mental patient.

There's a handful of 90's teen films that have really stood the test of time for me. The Craft is one of them. If you were in high school in the late 90's, chances are, you've seen the movie 10 times. Maybe even more. And you most likely love it. I honestly haven't met anyone who hasn't enjoyed it. It's just too fucking kick ass!
If you haven't seen it, get your fat ass on a broom stick and fly somewhere to find it. You won't regret it. And if you watch it and hate it, i'll seriously hex your sorry ass!

[Kisses a tree]My first podcast adventure of 2010. This one is shared with a few other people, i'm in the last section of the recording, "Round 3" to be exact. We talk about all things AVATAR, so if you've seen it, give it a listen!.....

>>>>PODCAST: 12.1.10<<<<