Avatar

I recently went to see the new movie Avatar.  First of all, as has been talked about, the special effects were phenomenal. The clarity and detail was spectacular. Also, it had a strong storyline for the most part. There were a few break points where I found the movie lagging a bit. Considering the movie is the better part of three hours, I wasn’t expecting to be on the edge of my seat the entire time, for I did expect a few parts to be, well, quite frankly, boring.

So, I went to see the movie in 3-D, as I wanted as full of an experience as possible. Towards the beginning of the movie I could tell that the 3-D was in mind when making the movie. But, as it went on I felt the 3-D glasses start to get uncomfortable and really not adding to the movie in any way. So, I’d have to say the 3-D is not necessary for viewing the movie. It would be just as good if you viewed it in normal 2-D.

The Beatles Rock Band

Although Beatles Rock Band has been out for almost 2 months I just got the game a few weeks ago and haven’t posted on it yet only because I’ve been too busy playing it. The game starts out with a great intro. It takes you through an abbreviated version of The Beatles career, which you are soon to make your way through, but much slower. Although the price for the full set of microphone, drums, guitar, and game is a bit steep set at $250, I would say it is worth it. You can also just buy the game by itself if you already own the instruments from a previous Rock Band game for around $50. You can also unlock over 100 exclusive photos that really show you the maturing and changing of The Beatles throughout their 10 year run with huge fame. The songs include dozens and dozens of classics, although there are a good few missing from the game, but it will also help many fans familiarize themselves with less known Beatles songs.

Overall, this game completely blew my mind. The graphics, songs, and the total game experience was just phenomenal. I would buy this game ten times over just to try it new again each time. The Beatles Rock Band is the perfect product for any Beatles fan and anyone who likes Rock Band games in general to just introduce themselves to The Beatles.

Wilco (the album)

I picked up a copy of Wilco (the album). The first track, “Wilco (the song)” is very catchy and really got my attention. They then follow up with, “Deeper Down.” It’s a very emotional and deep song, which is something I love in a song. The rest of the CD is just as great. Although, my favorite track on the album was, “You Never Know.” It has a great jazzy feel to it. Also, not just the music is great, but the album cover is hysterical and quite random. It is a picture of a camel with a birthday hat on standing behind an empty table and chairs. On the back of the album, Wilco counters it with them sitting at the table. Anther thing I found a bit amusing was the whole idea of; Wilco (the album), Wilco (the song), and Wilco (the tour). It’s such a simple idea for everything, but yet it’s such an ingenious idea. All around great everything. Wilco has definitely not disappointed this time around.

President Obama Healthcare Speech

Last night President Obama gave his speech concerning healthcare and his plan to form a new healthcare system. The speech itself was phenomenal. I’ve always been amazingly impressed with his ability for public speaking.

 In my opinion, the content of the speech was also very good. I agree with basically everything in his plan. 

Throughout the speech, you could really see the separation between the Democrats and Republicans. The Democrats were standing and clapping more than they were sitting in their seats while the Republicans sat in their seats, arms crossed for mostly the entire speech. One point where I was surprised was when I heard The President booed by both Democrats and Republicans. He was going over his point in which he said who his new bill would cover. When he stated that it would not cover illegal immigrants and undocumented immigrants, the whole audience shot him down. At that point, Republican Senator Joe Wilson from South Carolina blurted out, “You lie!” Although, facts about this event have proven that that statement itself is a lie. People these days…

Basically, it’s being said that the speech didn’t really change the Republicans view of things, kept Democrats right where they are (supporting the reform), and deemed well to pull independents over to our side. Anyway, i found it a great speech and desperately hope that this reform will get passed.

Political Legend Dies

Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy died yesterday in his home in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. He died of brain cancer at the age of 77. Coincidentally, he died just 2 weeks after the death of his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver.Most recently, Senator Kennedy had been fighting for universal healthcare alongside Obama. Throughout his political career, he achieved many major accomplishments and suffered many reputable downfalls. Some of his major accomplishments were lowering the voting age to 18, co-sponsored the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (which is a program that provides children with healthcare), raised minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 by the year 2009, among others. Probably his best known downfall was on July 18, 1969 when, driving home from a party he drove his car off a bridge. He managed to escape, but his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne perished in the accident. Ted Kennedy then went home and waited several hours before reporting the incident. This accident left a permanent mark on his reputation. Many say (myself included) that he always felt grief and remorse around the accident. But, nonetheless, we’ve lost another great.

Legendary Performer, Inventor, and Inspiration Dies

Les Paul died last night (August 12th, 2009). His manager confirmed the reports that Paul died of respiratory failure. Apparently, Paul had been suffering with pneumonia and died at a hospital in White Plains, New York.

Les Paul was born on June 9th, 1915 with the name Lester Polfus. He was born in Waukesha, WI. In 1941 Les Paul designed and built one of the first solid body electric guitars in history. In 1947 he released a recording with Capitol Records that featured Paul playing 8 different guitar parts. This was the first multi-tracking ever used in a recording. In the early ’50s Paul made a number of recordings with his wife Colleen.

He used countless overdubs, which were really impossible had he not invented it. In the late 1960s Les Paul went into “semi-retirement,” although he would go back to the studio on occasion to record with artists such as Chet Atkins. In 1978 he and his wife Colleen Summers (by then known as Mary Ford) were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and in 1988 just Paul was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In recent years he would regularly do performances.

Les Paul is really a legend and has inspired many artists. Recording and guitars themselves would not be the same had it not been for Les Paul’s innovating of them. He will be missed.

Julie & Julia

I’m just going to go ahead and say it: what a spectacular movie. Meryl Streep as boisterous Julia Child was a hoot and Amy Adams fit the roll of Julie Powell great. The movie worked so well. Everything flowed and throughout the whole movie there was not one dull moment. 

Also, the movie was very historically accurate around Julia Child’s life except for one miniscule flaw involving a large yellow bubble mailer…but you’d really have to be looking for flaws to notice it.

Julie and Julia is based on Julie Powell’s book Julie and Julia and Julia Child’s book My Life in France. The movie tells dual stories of Julia Child’s life in France and her falling in love of French cuisine and the story of Julie Powell attempting to cook all 524 in Julia Childs cookbook in exactly a year. It’s a wonderful of story of life, love, and food. I think that just about anyone could go to this movie and at least get a laugh out of the whole ordeal.

The Decemberists

Last Wednesday I went to see a jam packed show at the Overture Center in Madison, WI. It was a Decemberists concert. I’d recently started listening to the band that’s currently pretty famous on college campuses. The tour is to promote their new rock opera The Hazards of Love. 

The album is amazing. It blew my brain right out of my head and onto the floor. It took my breath and concealed it somewhere where I’ll never find it. I cannot stop listening to this album. And the concert…oh God help me. It surpassed what I thought was unsurpassable. Really, it was amazing. The harmonizing voices on “The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid” is beautiful. And “The Rake’s Song” is very amusing and quite disturbing, if I do say so myself. But, fun nonetheless. The show was originally going to be at The Orpheum, but it got moved to the Overture because of ticket demand. Amazing, right? Just amazing. If they ever come back to Madison I will be first in line for tickets and seats.

The songs on The Hazards of Love flow so well. I cannot lie, there are a couple songs that I found to be written just 

to bridge the story together. But I do really love the album. Their other albums are also great. My favorite of which is The Crane Wife, which also has a rock opera within it. It’s a small 2 or 3 song opera. I believe that The Decemberists decided to experiment with the “rock opera” idea and see how it went before they did a whole rock opera album.

Now, about the show. First, they played the whole Hazards of Love album. But that was just the first set. They came back and did a whole second set with songs from prior albums. Then they brought the house down with a cover of Heart’s “Crazy on You.” And they came back for about a half-hour of encores! Also, on top of all that, the opening band was also pretty good. The band was The Heartless Bastards. They were a kind of raw rock group with a female lead singer that in a way reminded me of Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders. So, it was just a great show. Best show of my life (even better than Elton John and Billy Joel, sad to say).

The Hurt Locker

A few days ago I went to see The Hurt Locker. The movie’s about a bomb squad stationed in Baghdad. When the new tech leader Will James arrives on the scene, his company only has 39 days left in Iraq. James is really a rebel who doesn’t play by the rules and the other two members of his company are. So, the movie is really about two things: the war and the relationships within the unit. The Hurt Locker is one of the first Iraq war movies that getting attention because it’s a known fact the Iraq war movies are generally a depressing reminder of what is happening in Iraq, so naturally they don’t do well. Critics have been giving The Hurt Locker exceptional reviews. Although, in my humble opinion, I did not find The Hurt Locker as phenomenal as many have. I really saw it as just another Iraq war movie, which isn’t a category I’ve ever found very interesting. It’s just I didn’t find it especially interesting. I’d suggest going to see it because everyone else seems to be finding it interesting and a good movie and I am obviously in the minority with not liking it. So, I’d say go see it and form an opinion of your own.

Cheap Trick

On the 27th I went to see a Cheap Trick benefit concert for their head roadie who has cancer and couldn’t pay his medical bills. The show blew my mind. These guys are 60 years old and are so full of energy and vigor. Rick Nielson really stood out as he had an amazing stage presence and could play a guitar as easy and as well as he can breathe.

 

I think that they played a really good mix between old and new music. They played old hits such as “I Want You to Want Me” and ”Surrender.” And they played songs from their new album, The Latest. The show was just amazing. If Cheap Trick comes to a place near you, I would highly recommend getting tickets.