The Critic
“It stinks!” This seems to possibly be a critics two favorite words that come up all the time. John Lovitz plays a failing, strung-out 36 year-old movie critic by the name of Jay Sherman. Lovitz made his start in then great SNL show with crazy obnoxious characters. This show first came out in 1994 on ABC and ended its’ short lived series career on Fox in 1995. The show only aired 23 episodes and 10 episodes on the web in 2000. The show was created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss who also wrote for the well known The Simpsons show. The show revolves around Jay’s life and his TV-cable show “Coming Attractions,” which pokes fun at poor and crazy possible movie sequels and spinoffs.
Sherman a barley known critic, even in his own town of New York, knows that it’s only a matter of time till he gets canned for someone more attractive and smarter than him, so he must change up his show and soon. His boss, Duke Phillips (voice by Charles Napier), which seems to be a crazed workout junkie, lets him know that he has already started interviewing others for his job. His ratings are hitting bottom and Jay knows he must do something to spice up his show and bring a new feel to it. On his way to figuring-out this dilemma, he meets a young mother, Alice Tompkins (voice by Park Overall), of one that moved from the country in search of any type of career. In helping Alice, he gets her a job as his assistant and she helps add excitement to his show. In the end he wins her feelings and helps her reject her former husband, who cheated on her, and she falls for Jay.
The show is quick-witted and makes fun of other hit shows and movies around it’s time like, “A Few More Good Men,” or Al Pacino in, “Scent of A Wolfman”. Minute after minute “The Critic” jokes about other movies, which can be dawdling and point-less. Someone could almost say “The Critic” was ahead of its time which caused it to not succeed. It was unique and brilliant, especially when it had its movie parodies that made me laugh every time. Sherman seems to be a group of critics rolled into one like Roger and Ebert that also played themselves in a different episode. You won’t be left down and will root for Jay in every scene that kicks him to the curb.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Review Dave Matthews
Dave Matthews “Some Devil” (RCA Records Label, 2003)
It would seem quite strange for the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist of the Dave Matthews Band, Dave Matthews, to come out with a solo album, but he does it while still changing his style up a bit. He not only writes the songs for the band, but has it named after him. In “Some Devil,” Dave Matthews captures a sense of tranquil sadness throughout the entire album. He talks about love, heartache, and death. The first song “Dodo,” sets the mood and tempo for the rest of the album. “Once upon a time, When the world was just a pancake, Fears would arise, That if you went too far, You'd fall, But with the, Passage of time, It all became more of a ball, We're as sure of that, As we all once were when the world was flat.” This song sheds light on how we all can be naive at times and allow ourselves to accept what this world has to give us. Dave Matthews brings you into a world that is a darker one than the one from the Dave Matthews Band. His first solo album, though not as up-beat and jam blasting as it is with the band, still puts on a show of poetic genius through his lyrics. This album let’s you focus on his own experimental writing style.
The album carries 13 great singles that each one seems to have a great distinct sound to it, and doesn’t feel repetitive at all. There’s an extra added bonus at the end, which is an acoustic version of the “Gravedigger” song. You can almost feel the sorrow and sadness in the song “Gravedigger,” which gives the idea of how short life can be and how death is no stranger to any of us. With “Save Me,” he makes a religious reference to Jesus, “He'd been walking there for 20 days, He was going to walk on, For 20 more, Said "How about a drink or a bite to eat?", He said "No, my faith is all I need," which shows us we can all save ourselves with hope and determination, even in a confused and troubled world. Though this is no “Crash Into Me,” or “Grey Street,” Matthews still has that soothing relaxing voice that helps tell his story. He seems to pull out all the stops with instruments that compliment his guitar like the saxophone on “Dodo,” or the violin on “Baby,” that adds that romantic vibe to the song. He holds a mellow sensation, and then spins you out of control with the beat of the drums, or the strumming of his electric or acoustic guitar that electrifies the sound in the songs. Whether you listen to DMB or just Dave Matthews, you won’t be disappointed with the sound.
It would seem quite strange for the lead singer/songwriter/guitarist of the Dave Matthews Band, Dave Matthews, to come out with a solo album, but he does it while still changing his style up a bit. He not only writes the songs for the band, but has it named after him. In “Some Devil,” Dave Matthews captures a sense of tranquil sadness throughout the entire album. He talks about love, heartache, and death. The first song “Dodo,” sets the mood and tempo for the rest of the album. “Once upon a time, When the world was just a pancake, Fears would arise, That if you went too far, You'd fall, But with the, Passage of time, It all became more of a ball, We're as sure of that, As we all once were when the world was flat.” This song sheds light on how we all can be naive at times and allow ourselves to accept what this world has to give us. Dave Matthews brings you into a world that is a darker one than the one from the Dave Matthews Band. His first solo album, though not as up-beat and jam blasting as it is with the band, still puts on a show of poetic genius through his lyrics. This album let’s you focus on his own experimental writing style.
The album carries 13 great singles that each one seems to have a great distinct sound to it, and doesn’t feel repetitive at all. There’s an extra added bonus at the end, which is an acoustic version of the “Gravedigger” song. You can almost feel the sorrow and sadness in the song “Gravedigger,” which gives the idea of how short life can be and how death is no stranger to any of us. With “Save Me,” he makes a religious reference to Jesus, “He'd been walking there for 20 days, He was going to walk on, For 20 more, Said "How about a drink or a bite to eat?", He said "No, my faith is all I need," which shows us we can all save ourselves with hope and determination, even in a confused and troubled world. Though this is no “Crash Into Me,” or “Grey Street,” Matthews still has that soothing relaxing voice that helps tell his story. He seems to pull out all the stops with instruments that compliment his guitar like the saxophone on “Dodo,” or the violin on “Baby,” that adds that romantic vibe to the song. He holds a mellow sensation, and then spins you out of control with the beat of the drums, or the strumming of his electric or acoustic guitar that electrifies the sound in the songs. Whether you listen to DMB or just Dave Matthews, you won’t be disappointed with the sound.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Review "Almost Famous"
“Almost Famous” (Directed by Cameron Crowe, 2000)
Who knew the so called “enemy” to a rock band would end-up befriending them. In “Almost Famous” a young teenage journalist/critic Patrick Fugit as William Miller, go’s on a life experience trip with a rock band that would either make or break the band and his writing career. By perusing his goal in life, William opens the door and walks into the life he only read about and listened to. He experiences the up’s and downs of a young and still at times childish rock band at a time when rock was coming to an end. With guidance from “America’s greatest rock critic” Lester Bangs played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, William goes to a concert to review Black Sabbath and stumbles into getting a writing project from Rolling Stone and that’s only the beginning. His job now is to go on tour with Stillwater and write a review about the band and tour, but runs into plenty of bumps along the way and at times you think he won’t complete the one thing he has his heart set on.
The bands front man Jeff Bebe played by Jason Lee, plays the typical whinny lead singer that can’t come to reality that the band is made up of not just him, and has trouble with guitarist Russell Hammond, Billy Crudup, who seems to take the spotlight away from him without even trying. The bickery between the band members takes a toll on the entire group which creates resentment among the band members.
Russell’s own lack of leadership and his disappointment with the way things are going with the band aren’t the only things that delay the ultimate one-on-one interview William seems to try and get from him throughout the movie. The love affair he gets into with Penny Lane, Kate Hudson, adds to his obstacles. Penny Lane leads a group of girls called the “band-aids”, who are in other words groupies, but yet seem to have more than just sex on their mind, which is love for the music and the band.
William struggles with the harsh reality of how all these people have so many dreams and feelings for each other, but yet are too scared to express them, and end up making decisions that ultimately hurt one another. During the whole turmoil William ends-up falling for Penny and has a hard time keeping the relationship with Russell at bay.
Cameron Crowe brings the feel and music of the 70’s back in a very humorous and at times serious way throughout the movie which keeps you entertained from beginning to end. He pokes at how spiritual and full of “it” musicians could be during this time. Russell, at one point feels he wants something “real”, but it makes you wonder what the hell he is talking about when he’s all of a sudden in a teenager’s house tripped on acid. Reality must be an illusion to some of these musicians. Crowe’s autobiography about his first assignment that made him who he is, captures a sense of nostalgia you could only feel in the 70’s without a care in the world.
The short scenes of Lester Bangs, Hoffman, give you a sense of how critics were typically in the 70’s, sometimes strung out and having their house a mess. His guidance helps out William during and after the tour. He opens his eyes and warns him to how it is to be hanging out with rock bands and how they could deceive him. Hoffman hits the nail on the head with his impersonation and doesn’t go overboard.
Though the movie is 2hrs long, it doesn’t bore you at all, but keeps you wondering what crazy goofy things are to come.
Who knew the so called “enemy” to a rock band would end-up befriending them. In “Almost Famous” a young teenage journalist/critic Patrick Fugit as William Miller, go’s on a life experience trip with a rock band that would either make or break the band and his writing career. By perusing his goal in life, William opens the door and walks into the life he only read about and listened to. He experiences the up’s and downs of a young and still at times childish rock band at a time when rock was coming to an end. With guidance from “America’s greatest rock critic” Lester Bangs played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, William goes to a concert to review Black Sabbath and stumbles into getting a writing project from Rolling Stone and that’s only the beginning. His job now is to go on tour with Stillwater and write a review about the band and tour, but runs into plenty of bumps along the way and at times you think he won’t complete the one thing he has his heart set on.
The bands front man Jeff Bebe played by Jason Lee, plays the typical whinny lead singer that can’t come to reality that the band is made up of not just him, and has trouble with guitarist Russell Hammond, Billy Crudup, who seems to take the spotlight away from him without even trying. The bickery between the band members takes a toll on the entire group which creates resentment among the band members.
Russell’s own lack of leadership and his disappointment with the way things are going with the band aren’t the only things that delay the ultimate one-on-one interview William seems to try and get from him throughout the movie. The love affair he gets into with Penny Lane, Kate Hudson, adds to his obstacles. Penny Lane leads a group of girls called the “band-aids”, who are in other words groupies, but yet seem to have more than just sex on their mind, which is love for the music and the band.
William struggles with the harsh reality of how all these people have so many dreams and feelings for each other, but yet are too scared to express them, and end up making decisions that ultimately hurt one another. During the whole turmoil William ends-up falling for Penny and has a hard time keeping the relationship with Russell at bay.
Cameron Crowe brings the feel and music of the 70’s back in a very humorous and at times serious way throughout the movie which keeps you entertained from beginning to end. He pokes at how spiritual and full of “it” musicians could be during this time. Russell, at one point feels he wants something “real”, but it makes you wonder what the hell he is talking about when he’s all of a sudden in a teenager’s house tripped on acid. Reality must be an illusion to some of these musicians. Crowe’s autobiography about his first assignment that made him who he is, captures a sense of nostalgia you could only feel in the 70’s without a care in the world.
The short scenes of Lester Bangs, Hoffman, give you a sense of how critics were typically in the 70’s, sometimes strung out and having their house a mess. His guidance helps out William during and after the tour. He opens his eyes and warns him to how it is to be hanging out with rock bands and how they could deceive him. Hoffman hits the nail on the head with his impersonation and doesn’t go overboard.
Though the movie is 2hrs long, it doesn’t bore you at all, but keeps you wondering what crazy goofy things are to come.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Album Review
David Vazquez
Coldplay “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends” (Capitol/EMI Records, 2008)
Coldplay’s 4th album “Viva La Vida” tests the bands own limits with politics and religion and losses their so-called sadness from previous albums. The album is quite balanced with rhythm and sound from slow and mellow, to some intertwined up beat echoes. This album shows the minds of the band members branching out from their usually love lost lyrics, with representations of soldiers and death around the world. They have lost a few goodies like Chris Martins piano in some songs and incredible guitar sound and replaced them with orchestra riffs that are enormously soothing and buoyant. Clearly 2 songs stand out among the rest of being top chart singles, “Viva La Vida” and Violet Hill.” They seem to have still held on to the sound and technique that made them a big Brit-pop-rock band and just tweaked it up a bit. Some bands get a bit too predictable after so many albums, but Coldplay has allowed them-selves to experiment early on in their career as a group, and it pays off in “Viva La Vida”. Their previous albums contain much heartache to loneliness to new life and finding friends and living life to now. “Viva La Vida” feels like a true piece of art that took time and effort and doesn’t feel rushed. The tempo keeps you coming back for more in each song. Chris Martin still makes you hold on with his poetic and comforting voice and doesn’t over shadow the wonderful sound and beat of the songs. You can truly sit down and feel the band playing right in front of you in your living room, a symphony of sounds ricochet from wall to wall at times. Though the album only has 10 songs, it does have about 2 hidden tracks mixed in to 2 songs, which makes you a bit happy paying as much as you did think this might have been a rip-off for only 10 measly songs. With Coldplay experimenting early on, it makes you wonder what other limits they might try to reach with their future albums.
Coldplay “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends” (Capitol/EMI Records, 2008)
Coldplay’s 4th album “Viva La Vida” tests the bands own limits with politics and religion and losses their so-called sadness from previous albums. The album is quite balanced with rhythm and sound from slow and mellow, to some intertwined up beat echoes. This album shows the minds of the band members branching out from their usually love lost lyrics, with representations of soldiers and death around the world. They have lost a few goodies like Chris Martins piano in some songs and incredible guitar sound and replaced them with orchestra riffs that are enormously soothing and buoyant. Clearly 2 songs stand out among the rest of being top chart singles, “Viva La Vida” and Violet Hill.” They seem to have still held on to the sound and technique that made them a big Brit-pop-rock band and just tweaked it up a bit. Some bands get a bit too predictable after so many albums, but Coldplay has allowed them-selves to experiment early on in their career as a group, and it pays off in “Viva La Vida”. Their previous albums contain much heartache to loneliness to new life and finding friends and living life to now. “Viva La Vida” feels like a true piece of art that took time and effort and doesn’t feel rushed. The tempo keeps you coming back for more in each song. Chris Martin still makes you hold on with his poetic and comforting voice and doesn’t over shadow the wonderful sound and beat of the songs. You can truly sit down and feel the band playing right in front of you in your living room, a symphony of sounds ricochet from wall to wall at times. Though the album only has 10 songs, it does have about 2 hidden tracks mixed in to 2 songs, which makes you a bit happy paying as much as you did think this might have been a rip-off for only 10 measly songs. With Coldplay experimenting early on, it makes you wonder what other limits they might try to reach with their future albums.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Pick Something to Review
“What Dreams May Come” (Directed by Vincent Ward, 1998)
A visual master piece for its time, heaven and hell never appeared so good. Robin Williams (Chris Nielsen), brings the heavens and depths of hell to the big screen, with such amazing visual effects. A painting, come to real life in only a way one could imagine what their afterlife would be. Though the story lacks a bit of interest to the viewer, what brings you in and captivates you, is the journey from heaven to hell, that shows you the beauty’s and repulsiveness of what life after death could be. This original movie also features the magnetism of Cuba Gooding Jr. (Albert) and the sensitivity of Annabella Sciorra (Annie Nielsen).
Throughout the movie, Robin Williams travels from heaven to hell to save his soul mate (Sciorra), from eternal damnation. During the journey, the movie flashes back before Williams died, and tells the story of how first his kids past away and then himself. Sciorra’s character has trouble dealing with the passing of both her kids and then ultimately her husband. She loses the life she once loved in the whole ordeal and then struggles to get a grip on reality. With the help of a tracker (Max Von Sydow), Williams begins his adventure which only he could hope would bring his love back to heaven. Vincent Ward creates a brilliant and vibrant movie with shots of gorgeous scenery and landscapes. It contains an everlasting love that propels the human heart to search hell for its missing piece.
A visual master piece for its time, heaven and hell never appeared so good. Robin Williams (Chris Nielsen), brings the heavens and depths of hell to the big screen, with such amazing visual effects. A painting, come to real life in only a way one could imagine what their afterlife would be. Though the story lacks a bit of interest to the viewer, what brings you in and captivates you, is the journey from heaven to hell, that shows you the beauty’s and repulsiveness of what life after death could be. This original movie also features the magnetism of Cuba Gooding Jr. (Albert) and the sensitivity of Annabella Sciorra (Annie Nielsen).
Throughout the movie, Robin Williams travels from heaven to hell to save his soul mate (Sciorra), from eternal damnation. During the journey, the movie flashes back before Williams died, and tells the story of how first his kids past away and then himself. Sciorra’s character has trouble dealing with the passing of both her kids and then ultimately her husband. She loses the life she once loved in the whole ordeal and then struggles to get a grip on reality. With the help of a tracker (Max Von Sydow), Williams begins his adventure which only he could hope would bring his love back to heaven. Vincent Ward creates a brilliant and vibrant movie with shots of gorgeous scenery and landscapes. It contains an everlasting love that propels the human heart to search hell for its missing piece.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Pick a Critic
It doesn't take a computer screen or a newspaper to be a critic but a simple discussion and a thought. Anne Hulub shows how much she cares for and is passionate of being a critic and wanting her thoughts heard. Throughout the online chat she voices her opinion or questions the other critics answers. She understands that criticing a play, a movie, or music or art, can be challenging, but one should roll with the punches and look at every angle and aspectic. Reviewing a piece of art is but a discussion amongst friends or foes, and each piece of thought deserves it's time in the spotlight. She believes that maybe you should be able to relate to the critic to maybe better understand what they mean at times or better understand your own thoughts and feelings. Maybe that seperates someones own opinions on whether this or that person is a good critic or not. She is very passionate about being a critic and maybe more then the other critics, especially sionce she doesn't even get paid for what she does, not saying the others don't wish to be critics. reminds me of the old saying, "Love what you do, do what you love".
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Good Review, Bad Review
Bad Review: http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/reviews/9
Good Review: http://blogs.amctv.com/scifi-scanner/2009/09/9-review.php
Both of these reviews are on the new released movie "9" directed by Shane Acker. The bad review in my opinion seemed to by quite picky and tedious in his approach. He gives you a bit of info about the movie(story) and the characters but doesn't give a sense of appeal to wanting the viewer to see it for themselves. He doesn't help you imagine what the movie might be like. The bad review pretty much tells you it's bad and doesn't back it up, giving you a bit of a peak as to what the movie is about but lacks imagination. Seems this critic was poking this film with a stick to wait for it to be appealing to him so he could utter something pleasing about it. Maybe to close minded and wasn’t satisfying personally for him since it’s more of an opinion from him then the opinion of how bad visually or story like it is.The good review gives you a bit of info on the film and lets help you imagine what it looks like. She gives you details and comparisons to other great films that seem to be like this one. She tells you briefly about the characters but yet doesn’t spoil the movie. She keeps you wondering what might be the outcome of it all and regardless of the faults the movie might have, she is still welcoming you in to see it for yourself. Her words help you imagine what type of catastrophe this new world could look like even if you had never seen the trailer. She backs up her opinions by comparing the film with other films that are great in visual work so you can only imagine how this film will entwine the character with this rubble of a world.
Good Review: http://blogs.amctv.com/scifi-scanner/2009/09/9-review.php
Both of these reviews are on the new released movie "9" directed by Shane Acker. The bad review in my opinion seemed to by quite picky and tedious in his approach. He gives you a bit of info about the movie(story) and the characters but doesn't give a sense of appeal to wanting the viewer to see it for themselves. He doesn't help you imagine what the movie might be like. The bad review pretty much tells you it's bad and doesn't back it up, giving you a bit of a peak as to what the movie is about but lacks imagination. Seems this critic was poking this film with a stick to wait for it to be appealing to him so he could utter something pleasing about it. Maybe to close minded and wasn’t satisfying personally for him since it’s more of an opinion from him then the opinion of how bad visually or story like it is.The good review gives you a bit of info on the film and lets help you imagine what it looks like. She gives you details and comparisons to other great films that seem to be like this one. She tells you briefly about the characters but yet doesn’t spoil the movie. She keeps you wondering what might be the outcome of it all and regardless of the faults the movie might have, she is still welcoming you in to see it for yourself. Her words help you imagine what type of catastrophe this new world could look like even if you had never seen the trailer. She backs up her opinions by comparing the film with other films that are great in visual work so you can only imagine how this film will entwine the character with this rubble of a world.
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