Lack Of Posts

Been busy. Look forward to 2 reviews this week. Sorry for the lack of posts.

New Nightmares

Oh Freddy, look how much you've... ew. This re-make, re-imaginig, re-whatever tries very hard to incur fear into you. Let's start with a brief summary of the first half of the movie.

The movie starts in Springwood Diner, where at the end of the first scene, Dean(Kellan Lutz) falls asleep at a table and meets Freddy(Jackie Earle Haley). Our good buddy Dean does not make it out of the dream, cutting his own throat while his girlfriend Kris (Katie Cassidy) and waitress, Nancy (Rooney Mara) gets to watch. At Dean's funeral Kris sees a photo of her and Dean as children, but doesn't remember meeting him before high school. Kris begins to dream about Freddy, and tries not to sleep for fear that she'll suffer the same fate as Dean. Jesse (Thomas Dekker), Kris' ex-boyfriend, shows up to her house to calm her down, so she can sleep easy. Fortunes turn as Freddy has his way with Kris. Covered in obscene amounts of blood, Jesse run's to Nancy's house to explain what happened, and he learns that Nancy has been having the same kind of dreams.

All I can say is genius! Probably not though, as we've seen this before. The inherit issue with this movie, and probably the reason it is rated so low is because you don't care about any character that Freddy kills. I mean, we get like 3 minutes of screentime and then they get the chop. I understand that's how horror movies work nowadays, but emotional attachment to a character is why we were so sad that Depp died at the end of the first movie.To be honest, that acting was not terrible for a slasher flick. Haley really brought out the sinister of a character we started to mock, and was the saving grace of this film. The tie up at the end is near perfect and really makes you feel good for watching this just okay movie. To quote Roger Ebert "I stared at A Nightmare on Elm Street with weary resignation. The movie consists of a series of teenagers who are introduced, haunted by nightmares and then slashed to death by Freddy. So what? Are we supposed to be scared? Is the sudden clanging chord supposed to evoke a fearful Palovian response?"

2 Nails on a Chalkboard out of 5.

Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards

On his latest release, Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards, Joe Satriani sets a really comfortable mood and gives an hour of outstanding music. Give this one attention guy's it deserves it.

Premonition - Perfect name for the opener, and it really sets the mood. It's a great track.

Dream Song - Such a great song, with many Hendrix-like influences. Satriani says this came to him in his dreams, It'll be in mine soon.

Pyrrhic Victoria - The album is hitting it's stride, Satch is getting dirty on the fretboard and getting you all emotional.

Light Year's Away - This song is very 80's arena rock-y. Satriani just sounds so good here.

Solitude - When you thought you knew where this album was headed, Satch takes us down...

Littleworth Lane - This song is so, for lack of a better word, pretty. This guy plays for the world.

The Golden Room - Very swingy, makes you want to get up and boogie down.

Two Sides To Every Story - The only song on the album that isn't immediately likable. It grows on you though, and is very good.

Wormhole Wizards - So memorable. So beautiful. Worth so many listens. I don't have words to describe.

Wind In The Trees - This song felt like it just came from the soul, longest song on the album, longest road to beauty.

God Is Crying - Satch wants to trick you into thinking this a power ballad, oh no, this ain't now power ballad. A fantastic end to the amazing album.

4 boogies out of 5.

Dead Rising 2, or Rising Dead...more?

Let's hop right into this review. Dead Rising 2 is a fantastic game, but given the attention that the original Dead Rising had, that shouldn't surprise you. This game is more than just a sequel, it's a game that makes you care about Chuck Greene(the Protagonist and former Motocross Champion).

The story starts with Chuck participating in an event called, Terror is Reality, an American Gladiators-like show where contestants splatter zombies all over the place for cold hard cash! The show's current version is being held in Fortune City, their version of Las Vegas. Tyrone King hosts the show, along with his twin assistants, Amber and Crystal Bailey. Chuck joins the show to raise funds for Zombrex, medication for those bitten by Zombies. This is where you learn his daughter, Katey, was bit by her mother during the previous zombie outbreak

Now to get to the juicy stuff! The multi-player in this game is friggin' sweet. Duct tape is glorious. The amount of gore and (re)dead zombies is just amazing. This is more than just a sequel, it's a se-kill.

Look at that, I made a word.

4 chainsaw on a stick's out of 5.

"Invented"

Today's piece of the pie is a tasty little album titled, "Invented" by Jimmy Eat World.

"Heart Is Hard to Find" is the first song on the album, and while being a little light, is totally a great opener to this album.

"Evidence" and "Higher Devotion" are almost typical Jimmy Eat World songs. Both of them, tell a wonderful story and are pieces of this album that are needed.

"Coffee and Cigarettes" is probably my favorite song on the album, and I'm sure most people will knock it, but musically the arrangements are fan-freaking-tastic.

"Littlething" is just amazing. The orchestra-80's-pop-epic tune that makes Jim Adkin's voice just stand out emotionally and get's you right in the heart.

"Action Needs An Audience" is a great return to grace like piece with former lead vocals, Tom Linton on this quick and fiery song.

"Invented" this song can grown on you and maybe could have been split into two parts. This title track is a slow building ballad that can lose your attention early, but when you get to the big finish, it's just like a "Pow-Right-In-The-Kisser" ending. Probably the most memorable out of any song on this album.

Now, to review the album as a whole. While not as honest-to-goodness great as Clarity it's still fantastic. At times it's very gritty, and has a lot of substance. Yet it still reminds me of older Jimmy Eat World albums, with all their Alt Rock galore.

So "Invented" is really good. Like really good. Probably my favorite Jimmy Eat World album. Go buy it.

5 Mixtapes, out of 5.