The Glow

"Now the sun rises as brightly
as if no misfortune had happened
in the night”
~Gustav Mahler

One day, I'll see a movie I dislike, and I shall promptly write a review for it. Maybe I'll go see 'We are Marshall' just so people don't think I like every movie I've ever seen.

All alone at home, with it raining all day, I decided to go see a movie. Since 'The Fountain' is no longer in theatres and 'Pan's Labyrinth' is not playing in Georgia, I opted for seeing 'Children of Men.' This is the latest film from Alfonso Cuarón, the director of 'Great Expectations' and 'Y Tu Mamá También;' or as he is more commonly known, “The guy who fucked up the fourth Harry Potter movie. Seriously guys, that was my favorite book! And he moved Hogwarts!!”

The film takes place 20 years in the future, in a society where women are no longer able to become pregnant. Britain, the only safe-haven left in the world, has begun deporting all the immigrants within it's borders in hopes that they can stop the violence that is still present. Any more details about the movie would ruin it; so just go see it for yourself.

The acting in the film is beautiful. Clive Owen gives the best performance of his life. He's nothing like Larry from 'Closer.' His character is broken; going through life alone, set on merely living out his time on earth until he dies. As the story progresses, you see the pain in his eyes as his past starts to come back. Makes you forget about that time he was yelling about cum to Julia Roberts.

The cinematography in the film is flawless. The director makes use of several long tracking shots during the film. Unlike most directors, Alfonso chose to use the tracking shots as a means to having the audience feel as though they are watching a news reel. While normally a technical nightmare, tracking shots become ever more so when you are shooting a 10 minute-long shot set during a battle scene. This film is one the of greatest technical masterpieces I've ever seen.

While the film excels in every area, it is neither easy nor fun to watch. The violence is brutal, with characters dying throughout the film. And it's not the usual blood-shed you see in film. The backdrop of the entire story is set during a civil war in England. As such, most of the characters meet their demise from gun shots to the head or body. Most of the violence reminded me of a more-intense 'Saving Private Ryan.' It's hard to watch a woman walk out a building, carrying in her right hand whats left of her other arm.

The subject matter isn't light either. In a world with no children, no new life, people resort to violence and self-destruction. Since the beginning of time, everyone has has had to deal with their death; but in a world with no future, no hope, people seek death as a welcome relief. This isn't the movie to watch if you want to enjoy your weekend.

I can think of no better film to start the year with. The message of the movie is challenging; which is better than most film's central theme: “I <3>

This will soon be updated with my musical thoughts.
Hopefully, this will be the first of many updates.
~Tommy

I really wanted to keep this thing updated. I've done an amazing job. I shall do my best this time around.

Now, my favorite CD picks from January until now. The 'First Listen' is my choice for the song you should check out first. Find it yourself - I'm not a mp3 blog. Sign-up for Rhapsody or something.

Neko Case
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood

Currently battling for my favorite CD of the year.
Neko's voice is stunning. It has an impressive resonance that could fill a stadium. The production on the CD is flawless; some of the best I've heard since 'Strange Little Girls' (Tori Amos, 2001). Though the CD feels like it is split into two, both halves hold strong with their unique aspects. The first half is the more 'radio-friendly' part with some strong melodies and amazing musical performances. The second half is beautiful; filled with simple, understated lines that will break your heart. I highly recommend this CD to all.

First Listen: Star Witness
Similar Artists: Cat Power, Tori Amos

Final Fantasy
He Poos Clouds

Though I've listened to the entire record through, I just got around to buying this CD. It's sheer brilliance. Final Fantasy (note: absolutely no connection to the games) is a violinist from Canada named Owen Pallet. He is known for being the "unofficial" member of Arcade Fire. He has toured and recorded with them, and Win regards Owen as one of the greatest song-writer. Not bad.
His sophomore CD is stunning. Taking after Rufus Wainwright, he stays in the realm of Baroque Pop; though the effects of 20th C. Russian composers aren't hard to notice. His lyrics and instrumentation often remind me of Tori Amos (but then again, who doesn't). This should not be surprising, considering that the CD is based off the eight schools of magic in Dungeons & Dragons. While not what you'd expect from a gay artist with a string quartet at hand, this CD is beautiful.

First Listen: This Lamb Sells Condos
Similar Artists: Rufus Wainwright, Arcade Fire, Shostakovich

Danielson
Ships

What can I say? This record is exactly what I expected from Mr. - Sorry, Br. Danielson and crew/family. While the record it definitely toned down from earlier Danielson Familie stuff, it's still eccentric and full of Danielson flair. Personally, I feel Ships has some of the best lyrics of Danielson's career. Very insightful and ingenious.
I'd keep writing to tell you everything Pitchfork and your friends have been saying, but I'll let you decide. It may take a while to grow on you; but over time, it is very easy to see why Pitchfork gave this a 9.1/10.0

First Listen: Did I Step on Your Trumpet?
Similar Artists: Sufjan Stevens, The Brunettes

Anathallo
Floating World

I love this record. Pitchfork - not so much.
Now, to explain the hatred. It's very obvious that Anathallo had Illinois on heavy-rotation while writing this record. After a few brass/woodwind flares, and you can tell they borrowed some of Sufjan's instrumentation ideas. But as far as content and structure are concerned, it still sounds like Anathallo.
You can read the previous post to know all about my Anathallo love. If you happen to join the indie-elite and hate Floating World, check out the Holiday at the Sea ep. It'll change your life.

First Listen: Hoodwink
Similar Artists: Sufjan Stevens, Danielson

Other notable releases:
Sufjan Stevens - The Avalanche
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium
Taking Back Sunday - Louder Now
Dashboard Confessional - Dusk and Summer
Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister
Tilly and the Wall - Bottoms of Barrels
Early November - The Mother, The Mechanic, The Path

One of my favorite live shows of all time is Anathallo. I first saw them back in 2004 at a random church near Snellville. I was completely blown away. The energy from everyone in the band is amazing. Structurally, their music is very unique and brilliant. Musically, they definitely have been influenced by Sufjan Stevens and some other Sounds Familyre bands, though they still have a unique flair to them.
They are on tour, headlining, right now; and will be opening for The Format this Summer again. If they come to a city near you, definitely take the time to see them. Their latest CD, Floating World, is out now and available on iTunes.

I'm gonna try and do this feature at least once a week. I'll try and be indie-pretentious, but everybody knows every band out there, so we'll see what happens.

What can I say? I'm a trend whore.
This will house my thoughts on:

• Faith
• Politics
• Music
• People

Hope you enjoi.