Local Natives Concert Tonight

Tonight the Local Natives are playing in Spokane at the Empyrean.  I'm pretty excited for this concert.  I absolutely love their album "Gorilla Manor".  If you haven't heard it yet, it is one of the year's best so far.  I would have to say my favorite songs off the album are Sun Hands and Airplanes.  Their harmonies are incredible.

I haven't read anything about how they are in concert but I'm hoping they are amazing.  Since the concert is at the Empyrean it will be a small intimate show.  I have been to a concert at the Empyrean before back when it was The Big Dipper.  I saw the Hold Steady there and found the venue to be pretty sweet for a concert.  It's not like a big arena show where you can barely see the band.  You are right in the bands face and the energy can be incredible.

Opening for the Local Natives are the Suckers and a local band called Sassmatrons.  I have spent a majority of the day listening to the Suckers EP to try and get a feel for them.  From what I've heard I think they should put on a pretty good show.  They only have a 4 track EP out with a full length album coming out in June, so I have a feeling a lot of the songs played will be from that full length album.  I have no idea what the Sassmatrons sound like so it will interesting to see how they are.

Given the small intimate setting of the Empyrean and my enjoyment of the Local Natives, I have a feeling tonights concert will be one to remember.

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion

Animal Collective is a band that I don't know much about.  Their album "Strawberry Jam" was a huge critical hit back in 2007.  Pitchfork Media said it was their sixth best album of '07.  Animal Collective is made up of four guys: Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Deakin, and Geologist.  Just by looking at their names you can tell they might just be a little different.  I have listened to Panda Bear's solo album, also released in '07 called "Person Pitch".  That was a strange album, so if Animal Collective sounds anything like Panda Bear, "Merriweather Post Pavilion" will be an interesting album to listen to.

Unlike the Bon Iver EP, I'm gonna listen to "Merriweather Post Pavilion" all the way through and then post comments about it.

Alright so I've finally listened to "Merriweather Post Pavilion", the latest album from the band Animal Collective.  After one listen it sounds a lot like Panda Bear's "Person Pitch" which sorta makes sense since Panda Bear is one of the lead singers of Animal Collective.  "Merriweather Post Pavilion" is not going to be for everyone.  In fact, I don't know if many people I know will enjoy it at all.  For me I feel that this is an album that is going to take multiple listens to fully appreciate.

The songs on "Merriweather Post Pavilion" all tend to blend together with there infectious beats.  It's hard to tell when a song ends and another one begins.  For some albums I feel that could be a bad thing, but for this one it works.  Lyrically I can honestly say I have no idea what is going on.  If you are one that tends to prefer relating to lyrics this album may not be for you.  Personally for me I can go either way.  Given the type of music Animal Collective creates, I'm okay with lyrics that don't really relate to me after one listen.

My favorite song so far on the album is Summertime Clothes.  First time I heard it I found it to be a fun song to listen to.  It's a fairly simple song about a hot summer night where you can't sleep and just going out and walking around the city with a loved one.  The beats within the song do a great job making you feel the joy of that experience.  It's just simple, upbeat fun.

Animal Collective's new album won't be for everyone.  I feel that if you enjoy experimenting with the music you listen to, you should give "Merriweather Post Pavilion" a listen.  There isn't really anything else out there like it.  Animal Collective is on the of the few bands out that are doing there own thing and have fun with it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Bon Iver - Blood Bank EP

Bon Iver aka Justin Vernon, released one of, if not, the best albums of 2008 with "For Emma, Forever Ago".  For me, the album took sometime for me to fall in love with.  At first I thought all the songs sounded the same and were just kind of bland.  But throughout the year I kept hearing about this Bon Iver and how is album is supposed to be amazing.  So I kept listening to it.  After about the fifth listen I really started to like the album.  "For Emma, Forever Ago" did end up being one of my favorite albums of 2008, but that was 2008.

It is now 2009 and Bon Iver starts out the new year with an EP called "Blood Bank".  From what I've read about this EP is that it contains songs that were written during the same time as "For Emma, Forever Ago", but just didn't fit with the album.

Here are my thoughts as I listen to each track:

1) Blood Bank:  One thing about Bon Iver is that vocally he is just beautiful.  Then you throw in lyrics like "Then the snow started falling.  We were stuck out in your car.  You were rubbing both of my hands, chewing on a candy bar" and "That we don't know how to tell, I'm in love with your honor, I'm in love with your cheeks."  Something about those lines just pull at you emotionally.

2) Beach Baby:  Lyrically I have no idea what this song is about.  The instrumental at the end though is stunning.  I don't know if there is anything Bon Iver does wrong.

3) Babys:  Great intro that just builds up the anticipation for the song, very simple but gets you excited.  This song just seems very simple, but Bon Iver makes it so beautiful.  Lyrically this song is simple, it's just about making babies in the summer.

4) Woods:  Lyrically very easy, it's the same verse repeated multiple times.  Musically very different than anything Bon Iver has done before.  Imogean Heap is definitely the sound that comes to mind when you hear it.  It's hard to not be amazed when listening to this song because of how beautiful it is.

After an initial listen, "Blood Bank" is a great companion to "For Emma, Forever Ago".  It makes you just want more Bon Iver and shows that he isn't going to be a one hit wonder.  There is potential for great records for years to come.  I can't say anything but you must listen to Bon Iver.  You won't find anything more beautiful.

Rating: 4 out 5

The Visitor Review

Hype:  The Visitor is about a professor who discovers an immigrant couple in his house.  That is all I know about the plot of this film.  One thing I also know about this film is that it has gotten amazing reviews.  It is Certified Fresh on RottenTomatoes.com with a 93% positive review rating.  Given the high number of positive reviews, this film should be a joy to watch.

Review:  The Visitor is a film about a college professor named Walter, played by Richard Jenkins, who goes to New York for a work conference.  When he arrives at his New York apartment he realizes he is not alone.  Inside his apartment is a couple, Tarek and Zainab, that happen to be illegal immigrants.  Tarek starts to teach Walter to play the drums which helps Walter coup with his depression.  One day while out in New York, Tarek is arrested and sent to a detention center where illegal immigrants are detained.  Walter then starts to visit Tarek and hires a lawyer to help get him out.

You really feel bad for Walter throughout this film.  His wife had passed away and you could tell he doesn't really enjoy his job.  Once Walter meets Tarek and starts the drum lessons, you really seem him start to loosen up.  One of my favorite scenes with Walter and Tarek was when they play drums in the middle of Central Park.  It isn't just Tarek and Walter playing the drums, its a huge group of guys and there are people dancing around.  At first you can see Walter isn't too comfortable with it, but as he sees Tarek playing he loosens up.  It was fun to watch Walter let his guard down and have fun.

The Visitor isn't a fast pace, on the edge of your seat movie, but yet it does a good job of keeping the viewer interested.  I never really thought there was a dull moment.  This is one of those films where you easily get emotionally attached to the characters.  You can really feel their pain.  I really enjoyed this film.  The story is interesting and the characters are a joy.  I highly recommend this film.  It is definitely one of the best films released in 2008.

The Lookout Review

Hype:  The Lookout stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt whom you may remember from the television show Third Rock From The Sun.  Other than that I have no idea what this movie is about.  I don't know what the plot is and I don't know who else is in the movie.  One thing I do know is that the reviews for this movie are pretty amazing.  This film has been on my radar for a while.  Watching this movie is going to be a complete surprise.

Initial Review:  The Lookout is about a young man named Chris Pratt, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  Chris and three of his friends were in a horrific car accident in which two of the people were killed.  Chris was thrown from the car and was put into a coma.  Four years later Chris is just trying to survive each day.  The accident left him slightly brain damaged and has trouble remembering things.  Since he can't remember things he writes them down in a little notebook.  Every day Chris goes to rehab and at night he works at a small town bank as a janitor.

While working at the bank, this group of guys start to follow Chris.  The reason why they follow Chris is because they want to use him to rob the bank.  They treat Chris as a friend and actually use the tragedy Chris to convince him that robbing the bank is the right thing to do.

I immediately enjoyed this movie from the start when a song by My Morning Jacket started playing.  From that moment I was sucked in and enjoyed every minute of it.  The story was a blast to sit through and watch.  There was never a boring moment throughout this film, the tension was extremely high.

I was not surprised with how great Joseph Gordon-Levitt was.  I have really enjoyed him in everything he has been in, whether it be 3rd Rock from the Sun or 10 Things I Hate About You or Mysterious Skin.  You really felt bad for his character.  You could really tell that the car accident has destroyed his life and he will forever be affected by it.  The pain and hurt can really be felt in his eyes.  It was great.

The supporting cast was also amazing.  Jeff Daniels plays Chris' roommate Lewis who is blind.  I thought Jeff did an amazing job.  His character really cares about Chris and wants him to be successful in life.  Isla Fisher plays a girl named Luvlee.  Luvlee is a girl that the group of guys that want to rob the bank use to help persuade Chris into robbing the bank.  I felt that this role for Isla was much better than the roles she has played before like the one in Wedding Crashers.  With her character in The Lookout you can tell she has a heart and knows that what she is doing to Chris is wrong.

Overall I thought The Lookout was great.  Emotionally this film pulls at your heart.  You really feel bad for what Chris has been through and hate the way people treat him.  You are thrown into Chris' world and you really don't want to leave it.  The story is original and fun.  It's really hard to say something negative about The Lookout, and feel you don't find many movies like that around these days.  I highly recommend this film.  If you have not seen The Lookout then you are missing out on one of the best films of the past year.  I say see it immediately, don't wait, you won't be disappointed, trust me.

M Review

Hype: M is one of those movies I hadn't heard of until recently.  I found out about it while looking at IMDB's Top 250 and saw M sitting at #45.  I figured this movie must be good if it's ranked higher than some of my favorite movies like Saving Private Ryan and Pan's Labyrinth.  After seeing it ranked so high I read a synopsis about it and found it to be interesting.  It was made in 1931 and has one of films first serial killers and was the director's first film using sound.  Hearing that I figured M is a movie that has some history behind it and is worth viewing.

Initial Review:  M is a German film about a serial killer that murders children and the reaction to those in the community.  The police have failed in their investigation for this killer and the citizens are starting to get upset.  The police decide they must start searching everyone and anyone that looks suspicious while talking to little kids is a suspect.  With the heighten police presence around down the criminals start to panic because they are losing money.  The criminals decide they must find out who the killer is and stop him themselves.

I found this film to be very interesting.  It's not like serial killer films today where there is tons of violence and action.  All the suspense is in the way the scenes are shot and acted.  When you watch the killer, Hans Beckert, played by Peter Lorre, it's hard not to compare him to some of today's classic killers like Hannibal Lecter.  You can tell he is truly psychotic and deranged.  There is one scene where Beckert sees his next victim and as he is following the young girl, her mom appears and takes her home.  This causes Beckert to completely lose it.  When this happens you see how he can't control what he does.  You see how obsessed he is with killing.  I also like how it wasn't the good citizens that took charge, it was the criminals.  

M is truly a classic movie that most modern crime dramas can't compete against.  With this film you get to see how everyone in the community is affected by a killer.  You see the frustration from the cops with all their failed attempts at catching him.  You see the parents fear that their child could be next.  And you see how the criminals are losing money because of the cops upping their presence.  I feel like some people wouldn't give M a chance since it's a 1931 German film, but if you look at from the angle of crime dramas, it is one of the better ones out there.  Give M a shot and witness one of the more influential films out there.

Dark City Review

Hype:  Dark City is once again another movie I have no idea what the plot is about.  It's a movie I've heard the name of, but don't know what it is about.  I recently went out and picked up the director's cut of the film.  A lot of the websites I visit on a daily basis gave rave reviews about this film and from what I can tell has a huge cult following.  Dark City is one of those movies that didn't do amazingly well at the box office, but once was released on DVD, blew up and started gaining lots of attention.

Initial Review:  Dark City is a science fiction movie about a man named John Murdoch, played by Rufus Sewell, who is accused of a series of murders that he has no recollection of committing.  The police inspector Frank Bumstead, played by William Hurt, is looking to arrest John.  At the same time this group of men called The Strangers are also looking for John.  The Strangers live below the city and have the ability to cause all the citizens to fall asleep at midnight.  It turns out the John is "immune" to The Strangers powers which is why they must find him.

There is a lot going on in this movie.  At first you aren't really sure what the deal is with The Strangers.  They are just a group of pale bald guys that for some reason have this machine that causes people to sleep at a certain time.  For most of the film you aren't really sure why The Strangers want to put everyone to sleep.  And then you have John that apparently has this power called tuning which allows him use his mind to control things, like knocking people over and creating doors.  Dark City is one of those movies where a bunch of stuff happens and doesn't really make sense until the end.

After one viewing I would have to say Dark City is an okay film.  I thought the story was completely original and the set design was amazing.  The acting wasn't bad.  The more movies I see William Hurt in the more I like him.  Kiefer Sutherland, who plays Dr. Daniel Schreber, was alright, but I prefer him as Jack Bauer on 24.  I feel like this movie is one that requires multiple viewings and it's one that I feel like I could watch multiple times.  Dark City is not for everyone.  If you aren't a fan of sci-fi films it would probably be best if you stayed away.  But if you enjoy sci-fi films that are different and enjoyable to watch then Dark City is well worth seeing.

Sexy Beast Review

Hype:  I vaguely remember seeing Sexy Beast while walking around a local video rental store.  It didn't really peak my interest so I passed on it.  Over the years I haven't really heard anything about this film, until recently.  Last week I came upon the Top 10 Movie Psychos list on CNN.com.  It was a pretty interesting list.  Many of the characters on the list I have heard of, but the number one pick surprised me.  Number one was Ben Kingsley's character from Sexy Beast.  Since this movie contained the number one movie psycho I instantly had to see it.  Let's see if Kingsley's character truly is psychotic.

Initial Review:  I had no idea what to expect going into Sexy Beast and I think that helped make it better.  Sexy Beast stars Ben Kingsley and Ray Winstone.  Ray Winstone plays Gal, an ex-con, that lives happily with his lovely wife.  His life is going great until Don, Ben Kingsley, arrives and asks if he will do another job.  Since Gal has retired, he tells Don no.  Don does not take no for an answer and this causes him to go crazy.

Having seen Ben Kingsley in House of Sand and Fog, Gandhi, and Suspect Zero, I know that he can do an outstanding job, and in Sexy Beast he does not disappoint.  There is one scene in Sexy Beast where Ben is alone in the bathroom shaving his face.  Normally this wouldn't be that exciting but Ben is having a conversation with himself.  But this ain't a normal conversation, he is actually arguing with himself.  Watching Ben during this scene you can't help but be amazed with his acting talents.

While watching Sexy Beast it was tempting to compare it to Snatch or a Tarantino film, but once everything is all said and done, Sexy Beast stands out.  It was really fun to watch and didn't feel like your typical heist movie.  The last heist movie I saw was The Bank Job and I have to say that Sexy Beast is way better than The Bank Job.  The acting in Sexy Beast is great and you can't help but be blown away by Ben Kingsley.  I also found that the heist was better than most movies, probably because it wasn't the focal point.

If you like British films and are a fan of heist movies than you will really love Sexy Beast.  It was fun to watch and kept you on your toes.  Ben Kingsley steals every scene and he alone makes this movie worth watching.  If you are struggling to find a good movie to watch, go check out Sexy Beast.  You will enjoy it.

The Band's Visit Review

Hype:  The Band's Visit is a movie I just recently heard about.  From what I understand it is a foreign film about a band.  Other than that I don't know anything about this film.  I have heard it is one of the better films of this year.  I do enjoy foreign films so let's see how The Band's Visit is.

Initial Review:  I must say The Band's Visit was a pleasant surprise.  The Band's Visit is about the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra that travels from Egypt to Israel.  On the way to their gig, they end up arriving in the wrong town.  Since there won't be another bus until the next day, the band must find a place to stay.  The band ends up getting split into three groups and the rest of the film follows the awkward cultural differences the band and members of the town experience.

What I really enjoyed about The Band's Visit is the awkward moments that the band experienced on their night out on the town.  One of the band members, Haled, got to tag along with a double date and they went to a roller skate place.  One of the guys is uncomfortable with the girl he is on the date with, so Haled helps him out by showing him some moves.  You could really feel how uncomfortable the guy was and that just made it hilarious.

Another awkward scenario was with the band's leader Tawfiq and his night with Dina.  Dina is the owner of the diner that the band stops at to eat and she offers for Tawfiq and Haled to stay at her place.  While watching Tawfiq and Dina interact you could tell Dina is interested in Tawfiq, but Tawfiq isn't that interested.  As time progress you can start to feel Tawfiq warming up to Dina, but something happens that kinda destroys the mood.

The Band's Visit is a pleasure to watch and really interesting to see apart of the Israeli culture.  I was surprised with how funny this movie was.  I was expecting more of a serious drama, but instead it was more of an awkwardly funny drama.  I would totally recommend this film.  If you are interested in a quality movie that was recently released on DVD, then The Band's Visit is for you.

Maria Full of Grace Review

Hype:  For the movie Maria Full of Grace I have no idea what to expect.  All I know about it is that it is a foreign film and has a ton of critical acclaim.  I've heard about this movie a couple of times throughout the past couple of years, but never really decided to watch it.  A couple weeks ago I was looking at RottenTomatoes.com and saw their list of the top movies over the past 10 years.  It just so happened that Maria Full of Grace appeared on that list.  Because of that I decided I would check it out.

Initial Review:  Maria Full of Grace is a movie about a seventeen year old girl named Maria.  Maria lives in Columbia and works at a flower plantation.  The money that Maria makes ends up supporting her mother, grandmother, sister and her sister's baby.  Maria hates the conditions in which she works so she quits her job.  After quiting her job, Maria finds out she is pregnant and must find another job.  She meets this guy named Franklin who sets her up with this guy who needs drug mules.  Maria hesitates at first but goes through with it.  While in America, one of the other drug mules gets sick and is taken away.  This causes Maria and her friend, Blanca, to run off.  Maria and Blanca have no place to go and have no idea what to do.

I found Maria Full of Grace to be emotionally intense.  It's one of those movies that grabs your heart and soul and takes you on an intense journey.  When Maria had to swallow the pellets filled with drugs, I didn't know what to think.  It was almost too hard to watch.  I think what made it so hard to watch was knowing that people are doing that on a daily basis.  Maria Full of Grace is a movie that feels incredibly real.  You really feel like you are going through this hardship with Maria.

I want to be able to say more about this film, but I feel that it is one that should be watched instead.  Any words that I come up with can't compare to how intense and truly amazing this movie is.  The actress who played Maria, Catalina Sandino Moreno, was actually nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and she totally deserved that nomination.  Please go and watch Maria Full of Grace.  This is a movie that is incredible and will take you on an emotionally intense ride.  I highly recommend Maria Full of Grace.