Mayer Hawthorne - A Strange Arrangement

With popular music these days being cranked out at speeds that would make Wile E. Coyote cringe, quality has reached an all-time low. Industry execs are beating a dead horse looking for the "new thing", but it all comes out the same - stale.

Well, as luck would have it, Stones Throw has their shit together. Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce a breath of fresh air - Mayer Hawthorne.

The Ann Arbor native's debut is obviously heavily influenced by the music of his home state - the classic, Detroit sound...but there's something new in the mix. Think Smokey Robinson and J Dilla had a whiteboy lovechild.

Mayer plays all of the instruments heard on his album. Yeah, I'll say it again. He plays ALL of the instruments, AND sings. Originality just seeps from this dude's pores. While there is a backbone of throwback soul to his records, listening to it, it's not so much paying homage to the greats as it is a progression of sorts.

Infectious hooks and upbeat breaks remind you of a time when things were a little more pleasant in the USA. I usually have to throw on some old Smokey, Curtis, or Cooke to get that nostalgic feeling, but now there's a modern artist who manages to squeeze that emotion out of me. Feel how you may, but I think it's amazing.

A few favorites:

1. Just Ain't Gonna Work Out - Heavy, dirty breaks that sound like they could have fit easily into a Tribe jam support Hawthorne's tightrope vocals over a bobbing bassline on this apologetic breakup song that still manages to score high on my nod factor.

2. The Ills - A great example of Curtis Mayfield's impression on Mayer. Uptempo drums (sounding a bit like Pusher Man) over a busy bee bassline and big brass/sax stabs really grab your attention and keep it (an amazing feat to maintain MY attention).

3. I Wish It Would Rain - The saddest "miss you, girl" slow jam ever, but he pulls it off. This dude really makes you feel the pain in his lyrics. Give it a listen.

Bottom line, this album is listenable the whole way through, which is becoming a rarity these days. A Strange Arrangement is available on iTunes now, and you can snag it HERE.

do-Buy meter: 8/10 dB

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

As I write my next installment I want to try to take you to where I am. Its very dark, with lots of loud noises, accompanied by bright strobes of lights and guttural bass coursing through my body. It seems as if everything is awry and nothing is going to according to plan, chaos is afoot. I will give you three guesses on where I am.

No, not in the guy's bathroom of a Chi-Chi's restaurant on All-you-can eat Taco Tuesdays.

False, not starting the REVOLUTION!

Wrong, not watching Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen.

Well, good try everyone. Actually I am sitting through one hell of a thunderstorm. Which unlike your third guess, is actually pretty wicked. Also might I mention that this thunderstorm is free and I get to watch it from my LoveSac. So with that out of the way...
Ok so yeah, I saw Trans 2 awhile ago. I know, I know. But just like an evil villain can't get away in the end of most action films (which my life is) neither can Michael Bay. It's time to pay the piper Mr. Bay, and here I come.



Yes, a thunderstorm is taking place outside of my apartment.

Yes, the thunderstorm is free.

Yes, I would have rather paid 21 dolla dolla bills for the thunderstorm and gotten more excitement, loud noises, and explosions than Transformers 2 in IMAX.

This post is actually quite old so I am going to wrap it up quickly here, get it in the bag. Things you should know about Transformers 2. This film does have a reason for existing, I will defend it in one sense. The CGI and Digital Effects in this film alone have helped to push the industry along to amazing heights. Yes although the story is awful (Egypt and the pyramids and primitive cromagnon-man overthrowing powerful robots) and horrible acting (No Megan Fox's bust size does not save the words that come out of her mouth), ahem, the Special Effects and digital FX that go into this film still give me goosebumps. So thank you Michael for making yet another money pit of a film, but in all seriousness, thanks for helping the next good film in need of amazing digital FX to have the access to them thanks to your raucous budget.

Banana-meter: 3.2/10 Bananas

35mm to 1080p

In the next few months something incredible is going to happen. No not the end of the recession and definitely not the Bucs winning the World Series. What Chaps could it possibly be? Well, simple, the film world is going to explode. And it is all thanks to this, the Red Scarlet. With the release of this camera the digital phase will finally catch up to film, and for the price half that of current HD cameras. So with this concept of change at the doorstep, it was time for me to look at myself and the changes I needed to make. I realized after some helpful insight from a good friend of mine that sometimes you need to keep on going no matter what hits you take or changes are taking place, and thanks to this advice, I am fine today. I also looked at my blog, myself, other blogs, and my lack of motivation. Sure I have been seeing some excellent films and some horrific ones, but one this the same no matter what I watch, I give the same reviews. Well Not exactly the same reviews, but they are all the same layout/form/fashion/dudes.
So after this moment of zen I decided that its time to switch, make the move into something a little more free form, not reinvent the idea of film, but just change the format, so here it is, blog 2.0, or maybe 3K.
But whatever you all do, don't call it a comeback.

Moon

One of the benefits of living in NYC besides, well, everything that makes New York, New York, is the fact that limited release films are now much more accessible. As someone who strongly dislikes watching amazing cinema through the second camera it was filmed on (the one in the theater camming the film) and streaming perfectly good shots, there can finally be a sigh of relief on this end. *sigh*
Moon is a film I watched the trailer for so many months ago and was instantly hooked. Think 2001 a Space Odyssey but for the here and now. The film revolves around an employee on a lunar mining base who is about to finish up his 3 year contract when he discovers that he is not alone on the surface by finding himself in a wrecked lunar buggy.
Duncan Jones must have been watching Kubrick since popped out of his Mom many years ago. The guy does clean Sci-Fi so clean it will have you saying "oh my science!" Not only does he does he make the film look beautiful with his use of shots and framing and well, its all freaking stellar. Seriously though on to his actual directing of our good friend Sam Bell (Rockwell). This is a true actors film, meaning that the film has to be carried by just one person for the most part. Sam Rockwell as Bell has to entertain us throughout. He is our weather vane, our guide, our eyes into this strange and complex story. Guess what, he kills it too.
Rockwell gives an outstanding performance in this film. He has to confront himself and take himself way inside to tiny places I am sure he never wanted to go, and then come back out again. It isn't supposed to be scary, but it is. It's scary how much he makes us believe this is happening, he pulls you out of your seat and into his shoes in the film.
As for the other actors, well Kevin Spacey plays our 2009 version of Hal as GERTIE. Even though his voice is semi-digi and he is a robot, its really hard to believe that the little microchips and gears don't care about Bell throughout the film. So if they nominate Mr. Spacey for the best supporting role as a robot, I'll let him have it, he made it work.
How do you film a movie about a place only a handful of people have ever visited, well I don't know, but Gary Shaw did as cinematographer. I hope this movie makes a billion dollars so he can get some of that money and fly to the moon, because he needs to see it for real and then tell us all "i told you so." He does a great job of showing the loneliness and desolate traits of such a large and mystical place. Whether drama he adds through the lighting inside the base or the coldness he brings to the barren landscapes, Shaw nails it. Thumbs up.
I want to kick it out to the Special FX guys here. THIS WAS ALL IN CAMERA! Yes models, yes like star wars, yes like little plastic stop animation. This stuff has been around forever and forgotten, but not here and not today. It looks so good that it is better than CGI, you know the little vehicle is a model sometimes, but that makes it real. Hats and hair off to Cinesite for delivering excellent special FX.
The soundtrack was good but not very expansive for this film. I wasn't sure if the composer Clint Mansell did this on purpose or if he just didn't know where else to go with this. I mean we never leave the same character or location, so why switch up the soundtrack. In my honest opinion I would have liked to heard more variety from the soundtrack but for what is played it is beautiful and fits great.
Overall this is a wonderful film. The acting, directing, look, and feel of this film are all enchanting or as the french would say enchante. Should everyone rush out to see it, no. This is a limited release film and I am blessed to be in a city that carries such films, but for those of my dear readers that are not blessed with the convenience of this, don't rush hundreds of miles to see it, BUT PLEASE RENT IT! This a great film to watch at home so please do whatever you can to get your hands on it when it is released. On that note I am going to hit up some Sinatra, can you guess the song?

Banana-meter: 9.3/10 Bananas

Strange Wilderness

I am only posting this because I want to say how awesome this movie is, and by awesome I mean dumb. I rented this because I thought that the trailer looked funny. Well guess what, that was it, just watch that clip for 90 minutes and it will be better than this piece of rubbish. I write this as a warning for all of you out there, this film should be played in Guantanamo Bay in place of water-boarding it is that bad. Hell I can't even write the review because I think that if I did the actors/directors/crew might actually go to hell because of the rapture I would bring down on them. So on that note:

Banana-meter: 1.2/10 Bananas

PS. I just watched Space Camp, and it was a whole hell of a lot better than this. Even this is better than Strange Wilderness.

The Hangover

I can only rate 90 minutes of 100 minutes of this little nugget of fun thanks to some poor planning by a hooch named Terry. But for 90 minutes, wow. I need to see the other 10 minutes because I feel like my life may be made a little more funnier if I do. Judd Apatow and his little pose better look out, cause there is a new crew in town, and they have bastard babies, ruffalin pills and bearded men that will light you up.
From the get go this film is packed with funny, in fact I don't know if this film has a line in it that isn't qouteable, seriously. Director Todd Philips takes a very cliche premise and moves it to such zany extents that he is able to make the old "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" credo and bump it up to "what happens in Vegas is fudging awesome, like Jesus is awesome awesome, YEAH!" The plot revolves around 4 guys going to the sinnest of cities to get weird for their friends bachelor party, upon blacking out they must find where their friend, the groom has gone missing, and make it back in time for the wedding.
The film has so many plot twists and turns that your in the same boat that these guys are the entire time. I normally like to think I can see through to the end of a movie within the first 10 minutes, but no, not the Hangover, I really didn't know where Dougy was. Philips keeps all of these players in check throughout the movie and does not let one out play the other, they are all one big ball of hilarity.
If you have a bladder condition wear a diaper, cause the acting will make you want to relieve yourself right there on those oh so absorbent theater seats, goo. Justin Bartha (Doug) has the smallest of roles but his time on the screen is great, I for one am very happy to see him be making this instead of National Treasure 4: the Search for Curly's Gold in Abraham Lincolns Porn Drawer. Bradley Cooper (Phil) does a great job at playing the underlying ringleader of the crew and keeps it fresh with a serious yet "holy-shit we did that?" kind of attitude. I feel like if this film did happen, this guy would have to actually exist in real life. I am a huge fan of the Office and was worried when I saw Ed Helms (Stu) following in Rainn Wilson's footsteps to turd-city of acting roles (except 5 minutes of JUNO, that was off the chain). Helm's has so much to deal with in the film that he easily could try to express too many emotions and lose his central character role as the guy who plays it safe, but he doesn't, he sticks to his character like Harry does to the Hendersons, and the guy is funny.
Zach Galifianakis needs his own space in this. First because you probably never remember the guy from any other movie/TV show since he is always overshadowed and given crap roles. Secondly because he is a bona-fide funny dude. He plays such an interesting character in this film and does it so well, that to even look away from the screen for a second to sneeze is a big mistake. He plays such a solid role in this film that it would be just another typical zany Vegas experience without this guy...and by this guy, I mean this GUY.
As for the gangle of people that support this mischieve bunch of rascals, Mike Eps was able to make it out of Compton for the other 6 days of the week and was able to give a hilarious performance as Black Doug. Ken Jeong as Mr. Chow gives yet a more over the top delivery, this guy is coming up so look out, I am excited to see him as a main role here in the next several films. Mike Tyson gives a knock out performance as himself, yeah pun intended. Actually I take that back, I just said it for the pun but whatever, he was good enough for the role.
The cinematography was pretty typical Vegas-esque stuff, delivered by Lawrence Sher. I mean the thing is, if you have seen most Vegas movies, you have seen mostly everything shot from every angle there is out there, so it can be hard to top it, but he does a solid job as DP to stay on the same level as his predecessors.
The soundtrack for this film was pretty much the perfect homemade mix tape of Vegas music for our ages (that is people who listen to pop music of today). All the right songs were jammed together and everything went together like a good P.B & J sandwich. Literally if you were going to Vegas this is probably the same exact soundtrack you would listen too, at least that is if your not Danny Ocean, he would probably be more into this.
So yes goes see this movie in the theaters. The ability to be able to quote it with you friends at the bar alone makes it awesome. Not many comedies are worth watching in the theaters these days, but this one definitely is. But make sure you don't make your plans with any hoochs and definitely go for the medium soda, not the collosa-gulp, cause getting up to take bathroom breaks would be a shame.

Banana-meter: 9.0/10 Bananas

McBirthday

A very happy birthday goes out to the founder and better half of this blog...you may know him by many names: McFelon, McSmellin, McSummaryOffense, MacGruber (?), or Chaps McColon. Either way, if you're fortunate enough to see this clown today, buy him a drink, give him a few birthday punches, and tell him he has entirely way too many bracelets on his arm. Happy Birthday jmac, you old dirty bastard, you.