Saturday, May 05, 2012

R.I.P. MCA

Still hard to collect my thoughts and write a worthy tribute. Here are some remembrances from around the web.

Beastie Boys

?uestlove

Eminem, Nas, Chuck D, LL Cool J, Common, will.i.am, Justin Timberlake, Q-Tip, and others

Santigold, B Real, Major Lazer, Ice T, Duran Duran, Biz Markie, and others

Sasha Frere-Jones

Pitchfork

Labels: hip-hop

posted by DJMonsterMo at 1:28 PM

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Sunday, September 11, 2011

Samuel Barber - Adagio for Strings, op.11
Albert Hall, London, Sept. 15, 2001.

posted by DJMonsterMo at 1:17 PM

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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher 2011) Trailer (video)

the girl with the dragon tattoo trailer video

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher 2011) Trailer (video)
*link updated*

Perhaps that is crow I am eating since I implied that David Fincher's adaptation of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" might not live up to the Swedish version. Yes, it is clearly too early to conclude anything based on the snippets above. However, the leaked trailer sure looks promising.

It also features an excellent cover of Led Zepellin's "Immigrant Song" by Karen O and Trent Reznor.

Labels: movie

posted by DJMonsterMo at 9:52 PM

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Monday, February 14, 2011

New Radiohead Album Due This Saturday!

New Radiohead Album, 'The King of Limbs,' Will Hit Web on Saturday

The best Valentine's Day news!

Labels: indie rock

posted by DJMonsterMo at 1:25 PM

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Thursday, January 20, 2011

Blue Valentine Movie Review

Blue Valentine 8/10
'Blue Valentine' is about more than just marital fatigue and burnout. It is about the capriciousness and emotional insecurities that lead to quick marriages but later also slowly eat away at love over time. Michelle Williams gives a remarkable performance as Cindy, the dedicated mother and nurse who is trying her best to cope with living with Dean (Ryan Gosling), a somewhat unmotivated but clearly devoted father and house painter who does not seem to understand the emotional distance and exhaustion that she feels. Cianfrance's directing style is reminiscent of Cassavetes in its realism. The blending of the past (shot on film using handheld super 16mm) and present (shot in HD using the Red One) in the film is also highly effective. Oh, and the soundtrack is by Grizzly Bear, but the great ukulele tune was actually written and performed by Ryan Gosling. Overall, the film is a heartbreaking portrayal of a relationship that is held together by ever more fragile threads but at the same time is pulled apart by the habits and idiosyncrasies that each of them used to find charming in one another. It would have been my #4 film of 2010 had I seen it in time for my list.

Labels: movie

posted by DJMonsterMo at 9:00 AM

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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The King's Speech Movie Review

The King's Speech 8/10
'The King's Speech' is bloody good. If I had had time to see it before making my 2010 favorite films list, it would have been #10. Colin Firth is the clear front-runner for the Best Actor Oscar. His transformation from the stammering, insecure Prince Albert, Duke of York to the determined, more self-assured King George VI is believable and inspiring. Helena Bonham Carter is terrific as his supportive wife as is Geoffrey Rush as the patient speech therapist who eventually gains the King's trust. The intriguing drama of the King Edward VIII constitutional crisis over Wallis Simpson and the tension from the rise of Nazi Germany in pre-World War II Europe provide important historical context for the film and are woven in nicely to the plot.

Labels: movie

posted by DJMonsterMo at 9:00 AM

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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Green Hornet Movie Review

Green Hornet 6/10
Ever wonder what Michel Gondry would do with a big budget superhero film? 'The Green Hornet' appears to be a victim of critical groupthink. It is actually not bad. It pretty much met my expectations as a campy, uneven action/buddy superhero flick with amazing, over-the-top action, good chemistry between Jay Chou and Seth Rogen (the former's language problems notwithstanding), and a ridiculous plot. Seth Rogen co-wrote the script, and he must have been high while writing it. The middle drags a bit, Christoph Waltz plays a mere caricature of a villain as Chudnofsky, and Tim Wilkinson's work goes to waste. Cameron Diaz and David Harbour are OK in their roles while Edward James Olmos is solid but underused in his role. To overcome the aforementioned negative aspects of the film, one must really enjoy the action (which I did) and the lowbrow humor (which works in some areas but falls flat in others). Also, be sure to suspend disbelief before entering the theater.

Labels: movie

posted by DJMonsterMo at 7:06 PM

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