to move up and down
Devils Haircut
Times New Viking’s Dancer Equired
Once Dancer Equired gets going—which is pretty quickly—it’s not difficult to take note of the slight but fairly transparent tweaks that Times New Viking have implemented in their sonic play book, as it were.
Material Girl
Lady Gaga’s Born This Way
You’d think Lady Gaga was a lot more prolific than she actually is.
Though she is undeniably the most ubiquitous pop star of the day with a seemingly endless list of hit singles; up until this week, the methodical madness of the 25 year old had only been on display throughout two LPs (though, technically, The Fame Monster was an EP). And even then, one must take into account the stark contrasts between her debut album The Fame, and her flourishing caricature on The Fame Monster.
Smile Like You Mean It
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart’s Belong
It seems natural that on their second LP Belong, noise-pop upstarts The Pains of Being Pure at Heart would go for such a large incarnation of themselves. After an auspicious debut that garnered scants of praise, as well as endless but apt My Bloody Valentine and Jesus & Mary Chain comparisons (also Belle and Sebastian and also—well you get the point), filling larger shoes seemed inevitable. Also, they still appear to be daring you to like their name.
King of Limbs?
Kind of seems weird to judge a Radiohead album after one listen on your phone or whatever the fuck while riding on the train or something. People are funny.
This one probably needs a little time to sink in—as much as anything else, at least.
I’m really finding it pretty intriguing. It seems a little disconnected, but I don’t really mean that in a bad way. More that it has a kind of insular vibe going on, that is pushed forward by all of the abstract theatrics and the general lack of traditional melodies.
I suppose there is more of a Kid A feel than anything else, but also maybe a more perfectly realized Hail to the Thief? Not too sure, but I know that this is a really smart, and surpringly dense piece of work, that I wasn’t actually expecting.
Top 15 Films of 2010: Part 3 (5-1)
05. True Grit (Coen Brothers)
This is far more of a straight-forward sort of story telling for the Coens than usual, which really does the source material justice. It allows the brilliantly crafted characters and the scarily perfect performances that bring them to life to be showcased in a decidedly natural way. Sort of comes off as an homage, but a damn powerful one that plays to its strengths, and knows how to tell an uncommonly strong story in expert fashion.
04. A Prophet (Jacques Audiard)
A Prophet, I think, continues to get mentioned in the same sentence with films like The Godfather and Goodfellas not just because of its intense, vivid storytelling; but, more significantly, its refusal to devolve into some sort of parable on morality. It is content being a social examination of the punished as well as the punisher, that is unflinching in the way that those films were, and honest in a way that few films are.
03. The Social Network (David Fincher)
A lot has been said about this film. I wouldn’t presume to have some fresh take that sheds new light on its many successes. The simple truth about The Social Network is that it is classic movie making that transcends both subject matter and whatever sensibility of the zeitgeist. It is both timeless and current, and it contains a central performance that may be one of the most eerily focused bouts of quiet rage and seething egomania put to film in recent years.
02. Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky)
On the heels of The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky has unleashed yet another tale of woe upon us. Except with Black Swan, it is of a far more cerebral nature. Paranoid, delusional, and thoroughly haunted (not to mention haunting), this expectedly works as both a cringing character study, as well as a “stripped down” interpretation of Swan Lake. Dancing around with themes of intense passion and its links with sexuality as well as obsession, this is a surprisingly layered fable that feels feverishly relevant despite its slight predictability, making up for that with its deep intensity and ghostly grace.
01. Winter’s Bone (Debra Granik)
The stripped down, naturalism that permeates the whole of Winter’s Bone is a large part of its success. The desolate nature, and empty iciness of the Ozarks kind of act like a silent catalyst for the desperate clinging to life and established social structure that always seems just as ready to produce extreme violence as it could perceived threats and stoic gazes. It’s a quiet film with this measured gaze, that does everything slowly and methodically, but nothing ever frivolously. Jenifer Lawrence is a god damned unforgettable wonder in a role that is completely heartbreaking, stirring, and tough as nails all at the same time. There is nothing that doesn’t work in this film, and it is maybe one of the most quietly powerful pieces of cinema that I have seen in years.
Top 15 Films of 2010: Part 2 (10-6)
10. Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese)
The mind is a prison and all of that. Strong, strong control shown with both focus and flare for the pulpy aspects mixed with all of the psycho drama goings-on. Improbable, but no less effective. Probably one of Dicaprio’s most dizzying and intense performances.
Top 15 Films of 2010: Part 1 (15-11)
So, I finally got around to seeing enough films to make a list of what I feel were my favorite films of the year. Here’goes:
15. Hatchet II (Adam Green)
It would be easy to hate this movie if it weren’t so actively trying to berate you with such gore and inescapable violence. It’s got moxie in that way. Very Old School, DIY feel that translates well even through the storyline dreck. Sometimes it tries TOO hard, but if you are a slasher fan, I would suggest seeking it out.
Top Ten Favorite Albums Evah!
This is the kind of list that changes all of the time, but I felt like posting one more useless list before the end of the year. So, listed below are what I consider to be my ten favorite albums of ALL TIMEZZZ…at the moment.
