Feeling up?

Man, I am a horrible film/music/book reviewer.

I will start again.

It will be better.

Music: Paramore - Brand New Eyes

Ok, here’s my Kingsmill confession. Well…sort of. Anyway, I had previously dismissed Paramore as another teen punk rock band. What’s worse, they were a teen punk rock band fronted by a girl. Oh heavens, a girl trying to scream a point in a male dominated genre. Yes, I wrote them off.

Please forgive me, Paramore. I may actually be addicted to this album.

This is the third full length album from them, and it’s fantastic. 'Brand New Eyes' chronicles the band’s difficult year as they struggled to stick together, lost band members and ultimately decided to give it another shot. I’m glad they did.

Let’s start with 'Ignorance', the first single from the new album. It’s a cocky, angry dig at members of the band’s team who doubted their longevity. It’s a smart choice for a first single because it sounds a lot like their previous material. Catchy, aggressive and powerful, it’s going to do well in the charts.

As for the rest of the album, Hayley Williams’ powerhouse vocals have blown me away from the first to the last audio second. This girl has a set of pipes to be proud of! And she showcases the more tender and controlled aspects of her voice on a handful of surprising and refreshing down-tempo acoustic tracks, 'The Only Exception' and 'Misguided Ghosts.'

The album is full of catchy hooks that make you want to jump, punch the air and join in. I still find myself singing the odd line with gusto hours after listening. The point is, it would be easy to pigeonhole Paramore (i’m blushing sheepishly as I say this) as punky emo kids with rage. This album is hopeful. The band has overcome a potential break-up and yet William’s triumphant cry is, “I can’t believe we almost hung it up. We’re just getting started!”

Another stand-out track is 'All I Wanted', a sublime ballad which begins soft and then launches into a great, anthemic epic. Again, Williams unbelievable vocals manage to melt my bones as she pours out her heart into the line ‘All I wanted was you…’

Tucked away at the end of the record is 'Decode' which featured on the soundtrack for Twilight (2008). Admittedly it was this song (and this film) that flicked the Paramore lightbulb on for me and this track is addictive as Edward Cullen himself. It was written with the story specifically in mind and fits the film perfectly. If you get a chance, check out the acoustic version of the song on the Twilight soundtrack.

All in all, I want to give hundreds of bonus points for a surprising variety in styles on this album and for providing the listener with a gold mine of brilliant chorus lines to belt out when you think no one is listening.

My rating: ***** 5 star record!!
Recommendation: Play it loud and dance like a crazed rockstar.

Spectacular Summer!

Hello internet!

Well, it's been a summer. I'm glad to say that I have managed to throw off the shackles of the primary classroom and read a hell of a lot of books, watch tons of film and tv and listen to beautiful, new music! In an attempt to not get over excited with posting (and also because my laptop has indeed kicked the proverbial bucket), I won't add all my new finds straight away. Why break the habit of a blog time?

Here's a sneaky peek of what's to come...

Book reviews:
The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear - Walter Moers
The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
Tersius - G. P. Taylor
The Book Thief - Marcus Zusak
and more...

Film and TV reviews:
The Wind in the Willows
Duplicity
The International
Blood Diamond
Wuthering Heights (ITV)

Music:
Scott Matthews
Jonny Lang
Michael Jackson
Wallis Bird
Jon Allen

Phew! Like I said, It's been a summer.
Later days x

Film: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Film: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Dir: David Yates
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter

The penultimate Potter book is now a film, and, at 2 hours and 35 mins it is quite a ride. It's a slow starter but those who have read the book would expect this as it largely centres around relationships and conversations. Basic plot; Voldemort is now stronger than ever, terrorising both wizards and muggles with the help of his sadistic Death Eater army. His latest recruit is Draco Malfoy, who has been given an incredibly difficult task to carry out. Potter, dealing with hormones and relationship troubles, must also accompany Dumbledore on a trip to discover vital information which may help to defeat the Dark Lord.

The Potter trio are now of course old dab hands at this movie-making business, and their friendship comes across well on screen. Ron and Harry, particularly, have lost their teenage awkwardness and have finally begun to act! Ron, in fact (Grint), steals some of his scenes with his naturally witty sarcasm. And he gets the film's first big kiss - of which there are many! Hormones are raging which the film makers have decided to make a huge element of the storyline. Watson has grown into her role very well and still seems the most natural of the three on screen. Radcliffe's best scene involves a small sip of 'Liquid Luck' and results in comedy gold!

Gambon turns in another brilliant performance as Dumbledore, now slightly frail and world-weary, with some truly heart-wrenching scenes between himself and Harry. Alan Rickman is again faultless in his interpretation of the sly and mysteriously evil Snape. My 'man-of'the-movie' however goes to Tom Felton who plays Draco Malfoy. Stepping into his father's Death Eater shoes is a punishment brought on him by Voldemort, and his task is even more teriible. He cries, trash talks, shouts, runs, and fights, and you still can't help feeling a little sympathy for him.

This film is not as action packed as the others, understandably as I have said. However, CGI effects and the sound are both brilliant. Make up and set design once again are hugely important in creating a magical world terrorised by evil. My only criticism is, having read the book again fairly recently, there is so much that must be cut out. Rowling's brilliantly subtle story threads are occasionally lost in favour of the simpler, manageable story. For this reason, the film gets away with being an adaptation of an incredibly detailed and intricate story, but loses some of its storytelling flair. A fair compromise, however, for a very enjoyable (until the unding *sob sob*!!) film.

My rating: **** 4/5 stars
Recommendation: If you have not read or watched any of the books or films before, go back and do your homework first. If not, enjoy!!

Music: Mocean Worker

So, here's my salute *salutes* to Mocean Worker aka MoWo aka Adam Dorn.

Yes. This man is a one-stop jazz-funk-swing-electronica-triphop-dance madman and I love him!

To date, MoWo has released 4 full albums, of which his best are Cinco de MoWo! and Enter the MoWo! It is impossible to hear this music and not be carried by a massive impulse straight to the nearest dance floor/empty room/field/car park for a good old dance. And it's also bloody good driving music, too. Although, watch your speedo!

Let's start with probably MoWo's most well known track, Tres Tres Chic. The single appeared on the hit film The Devil Wears Prada which featured Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep. With a cast lke that, it needed a stellar soundtrack to match, and with MoWo, that is what you get. The track encorporates a little funk, jazz and still retains a very contemporary electronic style. It's an easy song to listen to and doesn't invade your ear drums and yet, with neat little piano and electric organ samples dotted throughout the mock-French lyrics, you cannot help but listen to it.

Cinco de MoWo! moves away from the very relaxed to the uptempo electronic dance sampling of Chicka Boom Boom, Shake ya Boogie and Right Now. These tracks are all stand out dancey tunes that you have to move your feet to. They each take samples from bossa nova beats, crackly jazz records and sensational saxohphone and trumpet licks. And each track also lays down a heavy beat that bumps in your car or on your stereo. I honestly just have to get up and move.

Recent work has been more on the modern dance side of the fence, but still holds on to those crackly 50s jazz recording samples. It seems that MoWo is reaching out to a more continental audience with his latest stuff, but don't abandon the old for the new. This guy is seriously talented. He makes solid gold, likeable, danceable tunes. You should definately head on over to his website right now and watch the video for Shake Ya Boogie. You won't be disappointed. Enter the MoWo!

Website: www.moceanworker.com
Myspace: www.myspace.com/mowomoceanworker
LastFm: http://www.last.fm/music/Mocean+Worker

Films: Knowing

Film: Knowing (2009)
Dir. Alex Proyas
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Chandler Canterbury, Rose Byrne, Lara Robinson

The trailer for this film made me think 'big Hollywood end-of-the-world disaster movie only to be solved by an American hero.' How wrong could I be?

The basic premise of the story is that, in a time capsule buried in the 1950s, a young girl cursed by whispered voices in her head has left behind a double page of seemingly unrelated numbers. John Koestler (Nick Cage) is a widowed scientist who happens upon the numbers, and begins to find strange patterns within them. The code tells of 5 decades of human suffering and death, including the date in which his own wife died in a hotel fire. There are three dates remaining so John takes it upon himself to prove the code right, and save some lives in the process. His young son gets dragged in to the nightmare, along with the little girl's now grown up daughter (Rose Byrne) and her own child (Robinson). The film follows John as he begins to find reason and order in a world which he previously thought was random and coincidental.

Knowing is full of bone chilling moments of suspense, particularly with the recurring presence of a group of whispering, shadow-faced men in trench coats. The visual effects are stunning, and will ultimately be lost on the small screen once this film makes it to dvd. It is a barrage of sounds and images which come at you from every angle, and when you are least expecting it. Cage gives a heartbreakingly convincing performance as the unlucky and tortured soul dealing with his wife's death, his son's apparent connection with another world, and the impending end of his own.

This film is a cinema must-see. Stay with it. I almost lost heart at certain points, one of which was the prelude to the ending. But I stuck with it, and left the cinema reeling with excitement and questions. The film's message is a baffling one and perhaps not always completely clear unless you have some knowledge of Old Testament bible imagery, of which there is plenty. However, it is a great talking point, well acted and spectacularly shot.

My rating: **** 4/5 stars
Reccommendation: Try and catch this before it leaves the cinema. Otherwise watch it with the surround sound fully turned up! Be patient and give it a chance. You'll be hooked.

Films (Classics): Never Been Kissed

Never Been Kissed (1999)
Dir. Raja Gosnell
Cast: Drew Barrymore, Michael Vartan, David Arquette, Molly Shannon, Jon C. Reilly

This an old film which I could probably quote line for line in places. For some unknown reason it was shown on Film4 yesterday evening so I decided it was time for an ICEHISE review. (I know, that didn't work. I won't do it again.)

So, here's the deal. Josie is a newspaper copy editor who falls into her her first ever undercover report. However, the location is a high school and this turfs up all sorts of uncomfortable memories for 'geek to the core' Josie 'Grosie'. She tries and fails miserably to fit in with the cool kids until her brother (also posing as a high school student) enrols and helps her to transition from geek to chic. Well, the school dream boy asks her to the prom - what more could a girl want. Along the way, Josie becomes a little more than friendly with her gorgeous English teacher, Sam Coulson.

This is a chick-flick through and through. Therefore, it is corny, unintimidating and fairly easy to watch while doing something else. However, it does have some corking one liners and a delicious fairytale ending. Barrymore is very endearing as a super geek (I can't help but think that she brings a hint of personal experience to the role) as is Arquette as her well meaning brother. Vartan is a complete hearthrob and totally convinces me as a down to earth and passionate teacher. He delivers his cheddar-laden lines with style and I love him for it!

I feel like a fraud talking about cinematography in a film like this so I'll just say that it has a well chose soundtrack, some great costume and a great final scene shot at a baseball game. It's harmless fun that you must, MUST take with a pinch of salt.

My rating *** 3/5 stars
Recommendation: Watch, laugh, maybe shed a tiny tear. Don't think too hard!