Channel: HBO
Executive Producers: Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman
Release Dates: March 14, 2010 - May 16, 2010 (USA)
Every Sunday night beginning March 14th it was imperative for me to turn off my phone, turn on the TV, and tune into HBO. The reason for this obsession was the World War II action-drama The Pacific, a ten-part miniseries executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Gary Goetzman. Unlike their 2001 project Band of Brothers, The Pacific turns the attention away from the European battles and focuses on the Pacific theater of war. It tells the stories of young American Marines sent to small specks of land they can’t pronounce the names of. Upon landing, the Marines discover that the only thing more unforgiving than dense jungle and excruciating heat is the Japanese soldier, a fearless warrior who welcomes death if it means he can take an American life along with him. Over the course of the series, the Marines learn the shocking realities of war through banzai attacks, sleepless nights, and dehumanizing brutality. It’s a bitter lesson, and the audience is constantly reminded that even if one is lucky enough to survive life in hell, innocence is always a casualty.
Eugene “Sledgehammer” Sledge
For anyone wondering, this isn’t Band of Brothers II. Rather than stick to one company, The Pacific follows three real-life 1st Division Marines who have minimal contact with each other: Eugene “Sledgehammer” Sledge, Robert “Lucky” Leckie, and John Basilone. Sledge and Leckie would later write memoirs describing their time at war, and Basilone would be honored with monuments, a “Distinguished Marine” postal stamp, and the Navy destroyer USS Basilone. Episodes regularly focus on only one of the main characters, and if another character is shown, it’s only for a brief moment. As such, the story is not perfectly woven together to create a straightforward narrative. This method of storytelling is acceptable because it helps build the characters as individuals, and it also adds a dose of unpredictability to the action. Its only real downfall is the supporting characters sometimes seem expendable. When they are out of sight of the main characters, the audience loses them as well. This is understandable given the limited points of view used in the series, but when we have to wait until the epilogue to find out whether a Marine lived or died, it just doesn’t sit right.
Robert “Lucky” Leckie
As expected, The Pacific rises and falls based on the strength of its cast. Sledge, played by Joseph Mazzello, is introduced as a wide eyed teenager eager for the adventure of war. Though Sledge is too complex to be deemed an everyman, his deep and impressive character arc shows exactly why World War II veterans are haunted by their experiences. Leckie is a quick-witted intellect who develops a sort of cheerful cynicism in the face of death. James Badge Dale brings an abundance of charisma to the role, and Leckie provides valuable insight on the effects war has on a person’s psyche and religious beliefs. After his first firefight, Leckie gazes upon heaps of Japanese bodies and sees an injured Japanese soldier use a grenade to kill himself and the two American medics attempting to treat him. He later writes, “There are things men can do to one another that are sobering to the soul. It is one thing to reconcile these things with God, but another to square it with yourself.” Jon Seda does an adequate job playing the heroic figure Basilone, but the character is simply not as engaging as Sledge or Leckie. He’s an amazing sight to behold on the battlefield, but the audience is not given as many opportunities to sympathize with his hardships or learn his beliefs. Perhaps if Basilone had written down his thoughts on the war, his character would have been better fleshed out. Regardless, each of these characters provides a unique point of view on the various environments and dangers Marines encountered in the Pacific. And when Sledge and Leckie both happen to take part in the invasion of a heavily fortified island, the cinematic payoff is extraordinary.
John Basilone
This review is already running too long to really delve into the cast of supporting characters, but one name deserves special mention: Merriell “Snafu” Shelton. It’s possible that Shelton would have been an interesting character no matter who played him, but it’s hard to imagine that anyone could have done a better job with the role than Rami Malek. Malek successful steals just about every scene he appears in. With his Big Easy accent and weasel-like appearance, Snafu is a disturbing warrior who uses death to his advantage by ripping the gold off of Japanese soldiers’ teeth. War has warped his humanity, and he knows it. That is why he’s quick to keep a fellow Marine from walking down the same path and throwing away whatever innocence he has left. Snafu is all these things: repulsive, hilarious, caring, and absolutely captivating. Malek displays the kind of acting that wins awards, and he makes The Pacific an even more rewarding series.
Merriell “Snafu” Shelton
The Pacific is about more than its massive budget or heart-pounding battle scenes. I can only speak for myself, but when I used to think about World War II, my attention immediately turned to Nazi Germany. I was terribly ignorant of the sacrifices Marines like Sledge made fighting the Japanese, but The Pacific has provided enlightenment. The series is a personalized story of the men on the ground. They don’t know where they’re being sent, military intelligence sometimes fails them with devastating results, and they’re just trying their damndest to stay alive. The occasional glimpses of joy or romance punctuate the great ordeal Marines in the Pacific suffered through. Mazzello has said that playing Sledge is the most important acting role he’ll ever take on. It sounds like a naïve thing for a twenty-six-year-old actor to say, but after experiencing The Pacific, I’m inclined to believe him.
I'll accept a late pass for this one, but this month I finally read The Future of Music: Manifesto for the Digital Music Revolution by Dave Kusek and Gerd Leonhard. Every serious music fan needs to read this book. It's all about how people who love music can - and will - take music back from big business and turn it into a service (like a utility payment) rather than a static product (see: overpriced CDs).
Record sales may be plummeting, but people are listening to more music now than ever before. As Kusek and Leonhard explain, the time is ripe for entrepreneurs to give music consumers exactly what they want - all the digital music they can listen to, anytime they want, for as little money as possible. Convert the millions of file-sharers into paying customers with a low service fee and incredible soft/hardware that makes music easy to find and share. Even if the flat fee is as low as $1 a month, the result will be an immense pool of money that reflects just how important music is to us.
Kusek and Leonhard cover a lot of ground with The Future of Music, and it's inspiring to imagine the possibility of "music like water." That is, music that surrounds us as a readily available resource that we hardly think twice about consuming. If I was part of the antiquated and uncompromising record industry, the ideas presented in The Future of Music would haunt my dreams. They'd also motivate me to sign any flavor of the week that just might turn a quick buck. But that's part of a rapidly dissolving present; it's time to look to the future.
Director: Jon Favreau
Writer: Justin Theroux
Release Date: May 7, 2010 (USA)
Iron Man 2 should have been great. Robert Downey Jr. has proven he's the perfect actor to play charismatic billionaire Tony Stark, and with the predictable origin story out of the way, the sequel was free to move forward in any number of directions. So what went wrong? Iron Man 2 does present a number of new changes and challenges for Stark, but they are jumbled together to create the kind of story you can find in an average (not extraordinary) comic book. The lull that sets in during the middle of the movie could be explained as a dark period for Stark, but this is a Marvel movie; any kind of seriousness is undercut by inherent corniness. Humor does have a place in the Iron Man franchise, with the best comedic moments coming from RDJ's dialogue as the always witty Stark. It's unfortunate that Sam Rockwell's character, Justin Hammer, shoulders much of the comedic weight in Iron Man 2. One-liners just don't have the same impact coming from a Tony Stark-lite.
There are more shortcomings that can be singled out (including the Black Widow), but lets just sum it up. Iron Man's adventures aren't as fun the second time around, and the sequel's complexities don't amount to depth. Since the first Iron Man has been the most promising Marvel movie to date, the mediocrity of Iron Man 2 makes me at least a little less excited for the Avengers movie that Marvel loves to tease us with. At least there is one thing that Iron Man 2 gets very right - War Machine looks like a complete bad ass.
I just finished watching Conan O'Brien's first interview since the colossal Tonight Show clusterfuck that ended with Conan losing the show, and Jay Leno taking back the reigns. I followed that fiasco closely, and it's still very disappointing to me that Conan lost a job that he cared for dearly. Conan is one of my favorite people in the entertainment industry (put him on a stage with Tom Hanks and I'm giddy), so of course, I only want the best for him. Even though Conan is a class-act, and he urged fans like me not to feel cynical after the Tonight Show outcome, I'm definitely still upset with NBC and Leno. Especially after I hear Mrs. O'Brien's comments on Conan losing the show:
"This was just really really hard for him. It was watching someone's heart get broken."
But the past is done, and this interview, along with "The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour," is a funny, honest, self-deprecating bit of closure before Conan returns to TV. Conebone, we're ready to welcome you and your ridiculously awesome pompadour back into our homes at night so you can keep us entertained. Wait - that just sounds weird. You know what I mean.
As for NBC and Leno, well, they made their decisions and I hope they're okay with them. "It's just business" is not a phrase I put a lot of stock in. Money rules the world, but good men shape it in the best of ways.
Story: Various | Art: Various
Publisher: Poseur Ink
Publication Date: June 3, 2008
Back in April 2007 I was introduced to Poseur Ink and a graphic novel titled Side A: The Music Lover's Graphic Novel. To quote myself, "[Side A] chronicles the experiences of over thirty music lovers as they come to musical consciousness and ponder past events set to specific soundtracks. These short stories are presented panel to panel in comic book form and range in style from goofy and cartoonish to vividly realistic."
Well, Poseur Ink decided that releasing a Side A without a Side B is just wrong. So a year later, Poseur Ink once again gelled together music, doodles, nostalgia, and humorous anecdotes for Side B: The Music Lover's Comic Anthology. If you've read and enjoyed Side A, Side B will be a welcome return to form. Once again creative thinkers with various artistic styles tell short stories, revolving around music, through comic panels. The story topics range from the discovery of a beloved artist to a prehistoric love story that concludes with two dinosaurs humping (like this). When reading this collection, it's not easy to guess what might be coming next. In this way, the book's cover art - a hip looking female standing before a mountain of assorted musical instruments - is indicative of the reading experience. Digging through the comic panels, there are stories that will hit close to home, while others may be tossed aside without a second glance - it all depends on the reader.
At this rate, I can imagine Poseur Ink churning out Side C, D, and on and on as the years go by. But I think a change-up would be nice. How about a graphic novel focusing on awkward high school years and the music that helped the comic writers through it all? Or one devoted entirely to the punk rock show experience, in chronological order, from the Dead Kennedys to Blink-182? Rather than sticking with the hodgepodge approach, an overarching theme like this could bind the stories together in a stronger way. But no matter what Poseur Ink decides to publish next, you can bet they're doing it for the love of music.
A black and white film focusing on twelve men in a room, simply talking. There's a bit of shoving, and some physical demonstrations, but as far as production value is concerned, 12 Angry Men is as bareboned as dramas come. I have to admit the set-up for this 1957 film doesn't sound too enticing, but it's almost unbelievable how well 12 Angry Men has aged. The dialogue, the blocking, the wit of the insults (I laughed out loud and "ooooh'd" on multiple occasions), the production minimalism - it's all film gold. It's a real shame that this film didn't win Best Picture; I'd pick it over The Bridge on the River Kwai. I wonder if this tale of twelve jurors debating the fate of a young man will still be this captivating for someone fifty years from now. I'm betting on yes.
"Green Day sucks, they should've stopped making music before they started."
"Rock Band sucks, why don't people play real guitars?"
Complain about Green Day's three-chord songs all you want, and while you're at it, don't forget to trash on the Ramones' simple guitar riffs and lack of solos. The way I see it, Green Day has been making quality mainstream rock music for sixteen years. They deserve their success, and if they want to release their own video game, more power to them. Besides, you don't have to listen to the band or play their video game. But still, people whine whine whine.
And here's a newsflash: Rock Band is a video game. It's not an art form (at least, playing it isn't). Playing video games is usually an easy kind of enjoyment you can share with friends, family, or even strangers. Video games let you pretend you're fighting a war, racing a car at 200MPH or rocking the world with bandmates at your sides. Some people don't want to devote time and effort to playing real guitar. They don't want to become the next Hendrix or Slash. They want to have fun. What's wrong with that? I've never heard anyone say, "Why are you wasting your time with Modern Warfare? Why don't you go fight in a real war?" Sounds pretty moronic, doesn't it?
On a related note, I found this quote amusing and a nice change of pace:
"not a green day fan... but more people should play these games instead of playing real instruments and starting really shitty bands."
Moonshine Matinee - Two Nineteen
Record Label: None (free download)
Release Date: March 30, 2010
Gather ‘round the campfire, children, because John Rowland is back with some new tunes, and he’d like you to take a listen. You might know Rowland as the frontman of the folk band Dorsey; if you don’t, you’d best get acquainted with them if you want to be my friend. But this is not a Dorsey release we’re talking about here. It’s an EP courtesy of Rowland’s new act, Moonshine Matinee. Nifty name, I know. So, how does this EP, Two Nineteen, stack up? Unsurprisingly, these six songs are certainly worth a listen.
Things start off familiar enough with “The Mysterious Disappearance (Jesse James),” a full band folk song with a nice outlaw analogy: “But if you’re going to rob trains than you rob ‘em like Jesse James. / ‘Cause thieves with grace are men with nothing to shame.” Next up is “Wrong Most of the Time,” and it signals a change by solidifying the piano’s place on the EP. Unlike Rowland’s previous work, these songs are led by piano keys, not acoustic strumming. The piano’s prominence, combined with other artistic choices, create an old-time feeling that your grandparents could appreciate. But if you’re looking for an excuse to boogie, the pace picks up considerably with “Dr. I’m Alright,” a jazzy number inspired by New Orleans flavor. It gives the EP a well-timed kick in the pants, but a production misstep makes the horns sound somewhat grating to the ear, something dancers won’t appreciate.
Closing out Two Nineteen are the bluesy “Mississippi Angel,” which features fantastic, deep toned guitar, and “Annie Come Back Home.” The light touch of a fiddle and soothing female backing vocals (“bah bah oooh”) make “Annie Come Back Home” sound like something you’d hear coming over AM radio waves during Depression-era America.
My fear is that you may be spooked away by some phrases used in this writing, namely “old-time feeling” and “Depression-era America.” Don’t go running away, just square this with yourself: this isn’t trendy new music. It was made by those with a fondness for music history, and it’s refreshing to hear a band trying on the hats of musicians from different genres, regions, and timeframes to create something new. This is Americana, this is country, this is the blues: “There’s no silver screen, and this ain’t Hollywood.”
I spent time at the newish social networking site GetGlue.com this month, liking things left and right. I also wrote comments/blurbs on some of my favorite books, movies, and music, and I thought some of you may be interested in reading them. I've pasted a few examples below.
I wonder if any author cherishes his imaginative world more than J.R.R. Tolkien loved Middle Earth. The Silmarillion is more plodding than Tolkien's more popular works, but it is for good reason - it entails the creation of a world and the destruction of its greatest evil. To chronicle all of this, The Silmarillion sometimes reads more like a history book than a work a fiction. But after taking in the key events that shaped early Middle Earth -- such as witnessing Fingolfin's desperate battle against the colossal Morgoth -- it's easy to say The Silmarillion is worth the price of immersion.
The Fly is an exception to the rule that Hollywood remakes are shallow cash grabs. Jeff Goldblum's transformation from man to grotesque insect is truly a disturbing sight to behold. Like the novel Frankenstein, The Fly examines the effects of man testing the limits of science and nature, with the result being inevitable human tragedy. Science fiction, in print and film, does not get much better than this.
Pinkerton is the voice of that geeky, bespectacled kid from your high school who spent his time after school (and after chess practice) playing D&D in his parents' basement. He never spoke up in class, but it turns out his favorite hobby was shredding guitar. Fast forward a couple of years and that same kid is a rock star on stage, wailing his laments of a life full of hedonistic but loveless sex. Apparently he also has quite an infatuation with Japanese girls. This kid is weird, he's loud, but his music is oddly appealing. No, scratch that: his music kicks ass. He's opened up a Pandora's box of rock and you're ready to party with his inner demons.
I'm surprised I haven't done this before, but I thought it would be cool to take note of the books I read in one year. I kept track of everything I read in 2009 (reserving a special space on one of my bookshelves) so I could compile the titles in 2010. Since I graduated at the end of 2008, I was somewhat burned out on reading, so this list isn't too grand. Some of these works are old favorites of mine that I decided to revisit (including Animal Farm and Lord of the Flies).
Novels
Margaret Atwood - The Handmaid's Tale
Ray Bradbury - Fahrenheit 451
William Golding - Lord of the Flies
Lois Lowry - The Giver
George Lucas - Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Richard Matheson - I Am Legend
Cormac McCarthy - The Road
Walter M. Miller, Jr. - A Canticle for Leibowitz
George Orwell - Animal Farm
Georges Simenon - The Blue Room
Graphic Novels
Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming - Powers Vol. 1: Who Killed Retro Girl?
John Byrne - Superman & Batman: Generations, An Imaginary Tale
Peter David, Dale Keown, and George Perez - Hulk: The End
Robert Kirkman and Phil Hester - The Irredeemable Ant-Man
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons - Watchmen
Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely - JLA: Earth 2
Kevin Smith and Joe Quesada - Daredevil Visionaries Vol. 1: Guardian Devil
Various Artists - Star Wars Omnibus: Tales of the Jedi, Vol. 1
Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra - Y: The Last Man, Vols. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
Short Story Collections / ETC
Rosario Ferre - The Youngest Doll
Harvard Student Agencies Inc. - The Official Harvard Student Agencies Bartending Course
Ana Menendez - In Cuba I Was a German Shepherd
Maurice Sendak - Where the Wild Things Are
Jerry Seinfeld - Seinlanguage
Luisa Valenzuela - Symmetries
Jeanette Winterson - Art Objects: Essays on Ecstasy and Effrontery
I finally got around to watching the two newest James Bond movies, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. I'm a fan of quality action movies - the Jason Bourne series comes to mind - so I had high expectations for this new Bond series. I remember when I first heard Daniel Craig was cast as the title character, I thought he didn't visually suit the part. He won me over about two minutes into the first film. After finishing up Casino Royale, I was hesitant to jump into Quantum of Solace. I know it wasn't received as well as the first film, but I was not let down at all. Actually, I think it benefits from better pacing than its predecessor. Either way, these new Bond films are fantastic, and I'm ready for a third one right now.
Put aside that Star Trek Blu-ray, it's time to reflect on the great music that was released in 2009. I think my list of top albums this year is pretty varied, so maybe it'll help you discover some new music that tickles your fancy. Next year I hope to listen to more hip-hop (new and old) and tons of Beatles songs (want!). If you think of an album from 2009 that is sorely missing from my list, let me know.
15. As Tall As Lions - "Is This Tomorrow?"
14. The Swellers - "Do You Feel Better Yet"
13. Paramore - "Where the Lines Overlap"
12. Portugal. The Man - "Do You"
11. Nightmare of You - "Hey Sweetheart"
10. Jay-Z - "Run This Town"
09. fun. - "Be Calm"
08. Brand New - "Bought a Bride"
07. Audrye Sessions - "Dust and Bones"
06. Manchester Orchestra - "Pride"
05. Third Eye Blind - "About to Break"
04. Wale - "Shades"
03. Kevin Devine - "All of Everything, Erased" (this spot could be taken by any of the first five tracks off Brother's Blood)
02. P.O.S. - "Low Light Low Life"
01. mewithoutYou - "A Stick, a Carrot & String"
Artist of the Year
P.O.S.
Best New Band
fun.
Most Disappointing Album
Say Anything - Say Anything
I Don't Get It
The Dangerous Summer - Reach For the Sun
Releases I Rocked in 2009 That Weren't Released in 2009
AFI - Sing the Sorrow
Alkaline Trio - Crimson
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
The Beautiful Mistake - This Is Who You Are
The Benjamins - The Art of Disappointment
Bush - The Science of Things
Butch Walker - Sycamore Meadows
Cartel - Chroma
Cary Brothers - Who You Are
Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head
The Early November - The Acoustic EP
Eve 6 - Eve 6
Frank Sinatra - Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
The Format - Dog Problems
The Format - Snails
Green Day - Nimrod
Gym Class Heroes - As Cruel As School Children
Incubus - Make Yourself
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?
Jimmy Eat World - Static Prevails
John Anderson - Seminole Wind
Jonathan Vassar - The Hours and the Days
Lifetime - Jersey's Best Dancers
Midtown - Save the World, Lose the Girl
Muse - Absolution
MxPx - Teenage Politics
The Narrative - Just Say Yes
Ramones - Greatest Hits
Ramones - Ramones
Saves the Day - Can't Slow Down
Various Artists - La Bamba Original Soundtrack
Weezer - The Lion and the Witch
Heartsounds are proof that the punk rock spirit is alive and in good hands. They're a fairly new band, so now is the perfect time to hop on the bandwagon. If you're looking for up-and-comers who are more concerned with substance than style (yes, they aren't that easy to find these days), look no further than Heartsounds' debut album Until We Surrender. Along with singing about the seeming futility of mortality on title track "Until We Surrender" and symbiotic love on "Walking Dead," the band calls out all the "artists" who create music for the wrong reasons:
"So count the numbers and on to the next city. / Preach to the choir of unknowing children / Who will scream back to you with sterile expressions of passion. / Oh how I pity you who think you've struck gold / But you're mining for shit in a sea of coal."
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