Music Spotlight: 30 Seconds to Mars

With soaring vocals and progressive-driving guitar sounds, this band has a lot to show for themselves. You may be thinking to yoursleves:

Do they sound equally as good live in comparison to their records?

Eh, yes and no. Don't expect to hear (in their live performances) a near perfect or exact version that you would normally hear on their records. Still, all in all, they still hold up to be pretty decent in comparison to the other up and coming rising bands that don't even sound close or even near to what they record on their albums.

You may also be squinting your eyes a little tighter trying to figure out who the lead singer is. He may look familiar, because its actor, Jared Leto. Aside with his notoriety as an acclaimed actor, Jared does not milk or use his fame to promote the bands name. I honestly respect the fact that Jared is able to showcase his multiple talents. Just think of other bands that feature a celebrity: Dogstar (Keanu Reeves), 30 Odd Foot of Grunts (Russel Crow), The Bacon Brothers (Kevin Bacon).

The bands rising recognition was in thanks mostly in part due to their devoted fans. The band developed a cult-like status from the beginning in 1998 when the group came into existence. They currently have two albums to their name: 30 Seconds to Mars (2002) and Beautiful Lie (2005).

Why are they a good band?
Well, I really like Jared's vocals. I think his voice is absolutely gorgeous, especially on the song "Beautiful Lie." I also like the band's sound as well. I really like to listen to the song "Attack". It's my anthem when I'm in a slump. 30 Seconds to Mars is really great band. I wouldn't recommend them to everyone, but their definatley a band worth listening to.

Recommended Songs to listen to:
"Attack"
"Beautiful Lie"
"The Kill"
"From Yesterday"
"The Fantasy"

A Guy I’d like to be Friends with: Actor - Roberto Benigni

“Is there a quiet side to Roberto Benigni?” – Conan O’Brien

Many of you out there may ask yourselves:
Why would I want to be friends with Roberto Benigni?







He seems like an easy going guy who is enjoying and living his life day by day. I wonder what it’d be like to play hide and seek with him at Wal-Mart. He seems like a very positive and upbeat guy. I swear I have yet to see a picture of him frowning. Well, except this one:

Roberto Benigni is a very eccentric, hyper Italian man! Standing at an amazing stature of 5’5, this man has a ‘larger than life’ kind of presence. Many people may remember him, as the guy who jumped and walked through the audience to claim his Oscar for his exceptional performance in the movie, Life is Beautiful.

Wow, this has to be one of my top 15 favorite movies of all time!? It’s a very nice sentimental story about a Jewish father who is willing to take any precautions necessary to sugarcoat (from his young son) the harsh and brutal reality of the Jewish concentration camps. His sincerity and genuine attitude draws you right into the movie from the first second he’s shown in the screen. I became so attached to him in this movie, I even found myself hoping that he and his family would escape the concentration camps! Roberto wrote, directed, and starred in this light-hearted view of WWII. Even though his film delt with a very sensitive subject, he did not receive any negative reviews. After a while, seeing numerous interpretations from the same outlook about WWII may become too depressing for moviegoers to watch. His take of of the Jewish Concentration camps had a very refreshing and different viewpoint. Life is Beautiful garnered him a lot of acclaim from critics and fans alike.

He’s a celebrity in his own right in his own native country of Italy. He’s basically seen as a hero down there! He definitely has a talented acting resume that many would be jealous of. He has been featured in television, movies, and even worked in stage theatre. He’s even an improve comedian as well. He also worked with the late, great Italian director Federico Fellini. Even Fellini called Roberto a “genius!” A lot of his work features him as the clumsy and fumbling man with a big heart. Many critics sense a Charlie Chaplin influence in his style of acting. His acting seems so real, that you might actually think he’s that way in real life.

There is a quality in Roberto Benigni that is not seen in a lot of other actors. There is much more to him besides his quirky and dorkie persona. I saw him on an episode of Conan O’Brien in 2002 promoting his movie, Pinocchio. Even Conan acknowledged his hyperactive behavior. At one point in the interview, they exchanged each other’s cloths to wear which included their jackets and even their pants! I never laughed so hard; I was crying, it was that funny!

Usually I go through this phase in which I become very intrigued and obsessed by a certain actor/director. Then I’ll have to see all of their work. So far I’ve only seen him in two films, but they were both good. I know watching more of his movies will be enjoyable as well and I’m sure I will not be disappointed.

2006 MTV Video Music Awards: A Downward Tragectory of Mediocrity

This year's MTV Music Video Awards was yet another disappointment. In the past, the VMA's provided great and surprising performances, the 2006 show lacked both of theses qualities. This year lacked in luster compared to the past years. At least the VMA writers were not as lame as the EMMY's. The nominees were just as boring as well. There's not a whole lot to say about this year's award show - in a positive sense. Jack Black's hosting duties was very dull - I expected better from him after he did a great job in hosting the 2002 MTV Movie Awards.

There were a couple of notable events of the evening:

• The return of Lil' Kim after just being released from a year's sentence in prison.
• Jack Black's monologue was extremely dumb! Hello, random 3-second Montell Williams appearance.
• The Video Vanguard Award went to longtime director Hype Williams. Did a lot of hip hop and rap videos.
• When Lou Reed presented the Best Rock Video Award with Pink he pleaded to the audience to "play more Rock n Roll music" on MTV.
• Random appearance by Al Gore about global warming: he used pictures during his presentation - very effective. This award show was not a total waste because of this.
• A random Sore Loser named 6 (I think) came up on stage during the Best Video Award. He was instantly dragged off-stage by a swarm of security guards. "I think 6 is the new Soy Bomb. Not Cool."-Jack Black

This is my review on all of the performances of the night:

• JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE & TIMBALAND: “SEXY BACK” (Rating: 1 ½)
  Very boring performance, a horrible way to start off the show!
  The crowd was not into the song or performance…they were very unresponsive to Justin or Timbaland… There was a beat box feature, but that couldn’t save the performanceGood luck, Justin, you’re song sucks!
• SHAKIRA FT. WYCLEF JEAN: “HIPS DON’T LIE” (Rating: 3)
• Dance Sequence: featured belly dancers
  I respected the fact that Wyclef Jean tried to get the audience into the performance. Attempt failed.
• Overall, the vocals were not that great.
• PHARREL F/ LUDACRIS (Rating: 3)
• The occasional Pyro and scantily clad dancers in gold 'hot pants'.
  Ludacris supporting a new hair cut. Shaved off the corn roses.
  The Pussycat Dolls made a surprise cameo in this performance. They just danced around and lip-synced the background vocal tracks…very boring performance!
• OK GO! (6 1/2)
  They didn’t sing their song, instead they renacted their now-famous video that featured a cleverly, thought-out, dance sequence on treadmills.
  It was great to watch. Best performance of the night so far…
  ALL AMERICAN REJECTS (Rating: 4 1/2)
  Okay Performance.
  Simple. Not too overdone.
  No elaborate set designs or scantily clad dancers
  It focused more on the band and their performance
  BEYONCE (Rating: 5)
  She had a Carmen Sandiego kind of entrance. She came down from the ceiling with a cable wire. She and the other backup dancers even dressed like Carmen Sandiego.
  She brought a lot of energy into her performance.
  At one point in the performance, the room went black and all you could see was red flashing sirens.
  The performance ended with Beyonce on a rising platform that elevated her up probably over 100 feet over the stage.
  T.I. F/ NELLY (Rating: 3)
  Used big screens into the performance.
  Random entourages of people were in the background.
  PANIC AT THE DISCO (Rating: 5)
  Good vocals
  Audience got into the performance
  Dancers in a bunch of ‘can-can’ dresses
  Confetti at the end of the performance.
  BUSTA RHYMES – “PARTY WIT ME” & MISSY ELLIOT – “I CAN'T STAND THE RAIN” (Rating: 5)
  Kind of a Hype Williams melody.
  Each performance featured highlights from each video that Hype directed. Example – Busta’s video featured Native dancers. Missy Elliot was dressed in that 1-piece black outfit that looked like a trash bag filled with a lot of air in it.
  CHRISTINA AGULERIA (Rating: 6)
  Dressed in a beautiful red dress.
  It was a nice, subdued performance. It gave the audience a chance to really focus more on the song.
  An orchestra backed her up.
  Fog machines were incorporated into the performance.Got a good reaction from the audience.
• THE KILLERS (Rating: 6)
• Lead vocalist of the band, Brandon, started on piano.
  Then the band gradually joined in.Good closing performance
• THE RACONTEURS (Rating 7 1/2)
  Best performers of the evening. They would entertain the audience during the commercial breaks. The first song of the evening featured a duet with…. LOU REED! They performed the song “White Lightning.” There was also a surprise duet with Billy Gibbons as well. They were the best band of the evening. They also did a take on the Bugles classic “Video Killed the Radio Star” but, instead they did a modern take by signing “Internet Killed the Radio Star.” All of the other performances combined did not even hold up to the Raconteurs.

WINNERS:

BEST MALE VIDEO
James Blunt – “You’re Beautiful
BEST HIP HOP VIDEO
Black Eyed Peas – “My Humps”
BEST FEMALE VIDEO
Kelly Clarkson – “Because of You”
BEST DANCE VIDEO
Pussycat Dolls f/ Snoop Dog – “Buttons”
BEST DIRECTION IN A VIDEO
Gnarls Barkley – “Crazy”
BEST GROUP VIDEO
All American Rejects – “Move Along”
BEST NEW ARTIST
Avenged Sevenfold – “Bat Country”
BEST RnB VIDEO
Beyonce – Check on It
VIDEO VANGUARD AWARD
Hype Williams
BEST ROCK VIDEO
AFI – “miss murder"
VIEWERS CHOICE AWARD
Fall out Boy – “Dance, Dance

VIDEO OF THE YEAR : Panic at the Disco – “I Write Sins Not Tragedies”

TV Show Review: Ed

This probably has to be one of my favorite TV shows ever! Many people will disagree with me on this one - *cough* *cough*: that includes you, Mr. Caggiano! It only lasted for four seasons – the first season was the best. I would have to say it was a very refreshing show to come out at a time when there was a lot of crappy TV shows. This unique show stood out from all the reality TV shows that were out at the time.

So, what is this show about? Yes, you guessed correctly, the show is about a guy named Ed Stevens. The story picks up to show Ed getting fired from his lavish New York lawyer job as a result of a misplaced comma in some important documents that costs his firm a lot of money. After his termination of his job, Ed comes home to find his wife cheating on a mailman!

His perfect little world crumbled into pieces in just one day. What is this man to do?

Ed decides to pack up all his things and retreat to his hometown of Stuckeyville for a short period of time. He comes back home and finds everything to still be in its place – including his old infatuation, Carol Vessy. During this time, Carol Vessey catches up with Ed and they both share a moment, which included a kiss that would later be talked about for the next two seasons. This little incident inspires Ed to buy the local Stuckeyville Bowling Alley called Stuckeybowl. So, many of you who are reading this might assume this is a show that revolves on the possible courtship between Ed and Carol. Yeah, it kind of does – but there are other subplots and characters as well to keep the show going besides the cat and mouse game of Ed and Carol.

Another great thing about this show is that the story does not revolve just around Ed. There are other great minor characters in this show that help add depth to Ed. One character in particular includes a teenage boy named, Warren Cheswick, trying to make his way through high school in one piece. Ed finds sympathy in Warren because he reminds him so much of himself when he was in high school.

The character of Ed is just absolutely fantastic! He’s a character that many people could easily relate to and identify with. He has a Jimmy Stewart quality about him; in fact, he actually has a little stammer just like Jimmy. Ed is a dreamer and looks out for his fellow neighbors in a time of need. Besides taking care of the Stuckeybowl alley, Ed also has a lawyer practice as well. Through the rough times that Ed endures, he still finds the positive aspect of every situation. He seems like a guy who takes in every moment and opportunity, and learns from it. The actor, Tom Cavanagh is outstanding as Ed, and I’ve been a fan of his ever since.

There are little things about this show that makes it so good! One of the reasons that Ed has yet to be released on DVD is the music copyright. They use the best songs for this show. They don’t use the same genre of music, nor do they play anything from the same time era. They use a variation of songs that help suit the mood and tone for each scene. I love the fact that the theme song was “Next Year” by the Foo Fighters. The theme song itself got me hooked into the show!

Another great thing about this show is the writing. The dialogue between the characters is realistic. It kind of has that Quentin Tarantino kind of influence. They characters in the show would always make some kind of pop culture reference to some particular topic In every single episode, Ed and his friend, Mike Burton, always have a ten dollar bet to do a certain dare.

Nancy Burton: I've always wondered where that phrase came from - speak of the devil.
Ed Stevens: Well, according to ancient legend, if you said the devil's name three times... he would appear.
Mike Burton: According to ancient legend? Dude, you got that from "Beetlejuice".

Mike Burton: Ten bucks if you go over to that guy and ask him where the lettuce is... only, you don't say lettuce.
Ed Stevens: What do I say?
Mike Burton: Letoos.

What more could I say about this show? This is the best show ever! I just hope that it comes out on DVD pretty soon so more people can realize how awesome this show was.

Actor Spotlight: Jude Law

“I’m a snob, I guess. I can only be in films that I know I’d go see. I’m not a fan of action movies. I want to see something that has some heart, or at least brains.”
"I don't want to do anything that I'm not passionate about." ---Jude Law

A part from his sparkling eyes and million-dollar smile, this British actor has a lot more to offer besides his dazzling good looks. He had a lot of misses and only a few hits – movie wise. Through the thick and thin, his incredible acting resonates and shines through in every role he does. His mannerisms seem very similar to that of the great British actor Peter O’Toole.

Early in his movie career, Jude took on some really edgy and creative roles, which included a regretful paraplegic in the movie, Gattaca and David Cronenberg’s - Existenz. A lot of critics labeled Jude as an actor with all looks and no talent. He would later prove them wrong in the 2002 movie, Road to Perdition, playing a hit man with a perverted hobby of taking pictures of dead people.

He was nominated for for an Oscar for his work in the movie, The Talented Mr Ripley and in 2004, Jude was nominated again for an Oscar in the Civil War epic, Cold Mountain. His acting was very good in both movies, they were both extremely boring to watch. Both of these movies were made by the same director.

So, what’s so great about his acting? I really don’t know myself. It’s hard to put my finger on exactly why Jude Law is so good as an actor. I think it’s the fact that Jude has a wide-eyed, boyish, sensitive quality about him that easily transcends onto the big screen.

Movie Recommendations:
I Heart Huckabees
Road to Perdition
Love, Honor, and Obey
Enemy at the Gates
Gattaca
AI: Artificial Intelligence

Movie Reviews: The Monkees - Head

It’s very difficult to write about this movie especially when it has a very suggestive title. I’ll try to be as careful as possible without sounding like a pervert.

In the sixties, the entertainment industry was looking for an extra buck to cash in on Beatle mania. They decided to form a U.S version of this British band, and this is how The Monkees came into existence. They originally originated as a fictitious band, and they were kind of like the Partridge Family – but a lot cooler (The Monkees actually did their own singing). Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork, Mike Nesmith, and Davy Jones made up the band that would later become one of the hugest sensations of the sixties. The Monkees became a phenomenon, and at the time, they had a popular TV show and they were selling records off the shelves like hot cakes. At the height of their success, they were outselling the Beatles and Rollingstones combined!

At the beginning of their career, the Monkees were muppets to their managers and bosses. They controlled all their decisions, and this was at a time when the Monkees were accused of not playing their own instruments. Although it was true, this was a direct result in their bosses’ choice – they had to lay down the vocals for their songs, but were not allowed to play any instruments on any of the tracks. The Monkees were unable to hold in their repression any longer. At the height of their success, the band decided they wanted full control of their musical destinies. The musicians of the band, Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork, led the movement to have full creativity of their music. The Monkees wanted to be taken seriously, and they knew this was their chance to prove their critics and audience wrong. They realized that making a movie should be the next step.

The Monkees, Bob Rafelson, and weirdly enough Jack Nicholson wrote the screenplay for Head. It’s quite evident that they were under the influence while writing the script for this movie. This movie features several different kinds of genres including: Western, War, Action, Drama, Romance, Musical, Mystery, Adventure, Comedy, and Documentary. There is no real plotline to this movie, and there are several random scenes in this movie that have no strong connection to each other whatsoever. One of the musical selections can help describe this movie:



Hey, hey, we are the Monkees
You know we love to please
A manufactured image
With no philosophies

We hope you like our story
Although there isn't one
That is to say, there's many
That way there is more fun

You've told us you like action
And games of many kinds
You like to dance, we like to sing
So let's all lose our minds

We know it doesn't matter'
Cause what you came to see
Is what we'd love to give you
And give it 1-2-3

But is may come 3-2-1-2
Or jump from 9 to 5
And when you see an end in sight
The beginning may arrive

For those who look for meaning
In form as they do fact
We might tell you one thing
But we'd only take it back

Not back like in a box back
Not back like in a race
Not back so we can keep it
But back in time and space

You say we're manufactured
To that, we all agree
So make your choice and we'll rejoice
In never being free

Hey, hey, we are the Monkees
We've said it all before
The money's in, we're made of tin
We're here to give you more

The money's in, we're made of tin
We're here to give you-
(DITTY DIEGO CHANT)

The music featured in Head was the first time that the Monkees did everything themselves – in a creative sense. There were some great songs featured in this movie, which included: “The Porpoise Song”, “Daddy’s Song”, “Can You Dig It”, “Do I Have To Do This All Over Again,” and my personal favorite “Circle Sky.” They also played their own instruments for this soundtrack as well. Each member of The Monkees had their own-featured musical selection. The musical numbers showed how diverse the members of the Monkees were – personality wise.

This movie featured several excellent cinematic techniques. The first technique would include smooth transitions from one random story line to the next. An example from the movie would include the war scene connecting with The Monkees’ concert performance of “Circle Sky.” The war scene featured flames that covered the whole frame and when the flames died down, it showed the Monkees running on stage for their performance to a rabid teenage audience. Another great cinematic technique would include the excellent use of wardrobe and editing in the musical number, “Daddy’s Song.” This melodic song featured Davy Jones in a choreographed dance sequence. This sequence was shot in two different takes. The first take had him wearing a white suit with a black blouse against a black background. The second take had him wearing a black suit with a white blouse against an off-white background. He did the same exact dance in the two takes, and both takes of this musical sequence was creatively cut and intertwined together with rapid edits.


It’s hard to fully appreciate this movie and its full impact that it had at the time. Head is a very 60’s psychedelic movie. It featured a lot of special effects that many would see in many movies from that era. It was a box-office disaster upon initial release, and now this movie has a cult following – it was even featured on the late night TV show, Offbeat Cinema.

Being a huge Monkees fan since the third grade, I thought this movie was a bold move on the bands part. This movie was funny for its randomness and dry sarcastic dialogue. I thought this was a really great movie, because it’s so different from any other movie that I have seen before. I wouldn’t recommend this movie for everyone, but if you love 60’s nostalgia – this is the movie for you.

Movie Review: X-Men 3

I actually liked the first two, and the third installment of X-Men made me angry just watching it! Damn you, Brett Ratner for casting a black cloud over the X-Men series! The story could have had the potential to be something extraordinary. Even the cartoon series of X-Men had a better plotline than this movie! I realize that most literary interpretations have to condense and compress the story into a two-hour movie - point taken, but this movie just didn’t work for me. This was a very half-ass made movie!

It was nice to see more of Hale Berry’s character and her story in this movie, but they could have written a better story for Phoenix/Jean’s character. One of the biggest grudges I have against X-Men 3 was the random mutant characters that would be featured for only 2 minutes! I can just imagine the production meeting for this movie: ‘Oh, lets be pointless and have as many mutants as possible in this movie, and not give them any importance to the plot whatsoever!’

I only have one positive comment on this movie and that was Hugh Jackman’s role as Wolverine. That’s it!
My $5.50 for my movie ticket could have been better spent. I thought of a few things I could have bought with that money while I was watching X-Men 3:

• A Diatonic Harmonica (in the key of C) at Fritz’s Music Store.
• 550 pieces of penny candy (preferably the sour watermelon and Swedish fish) at the J&L Market.
• 10 Apple Pies from McDonalds
• Five taxable items at the Dollar Tree

There was no buildup to the end of X-Men 3. Basically, for two hours, the excitement in this movie was like a pulse line for a dead person! I was not satisfied when I came out of the movie theatre – actually, I was more agitated to be more specific. ARGH!!!

Review of Current TV Shows

Recently, throughout the course of this summer, I’ve been trying to ease my American Idol withdrawal by trying to look for another TV show to watch. Honestly, there’s not a whole lot to choose from. These are just some of the shows that I’ve been watching:

Glenn Beck – Showtime: Weekdays 7 & 9 PM and 12 AM (CNN)
If you’re getting tired of watching the Daily Show with Jon Stewart, then this is the show for you. This is a man who can give you the news with a humorous twist. His interactions with his guests are sidesplitting and most viewers might be appalled by his abrasive approach on the current issues. Along with his sarcastic side, he can also show a serious side to himself as well. I love the fact that he makes time out each week to read his hate mail on the air. Glenn’s fresh and quirky approach towards the news keeps me loyally tuned the show.

House – Showtime: Tuesdays 8 & 9 PM (FOX)
I was kind of annoyed by the first season of this show, but my viewpoint completely changed after watching the second. Hugh Laurie as House is absolutely amazing. I was shocked to find out he was snubbed by the Emmys. One thing that most people might not know about him is that he’s actually British – he does a great job in dropping his native dialect.

America’s Got Talent
I will only watch the episodes that will feature the Miller Brothers. Sorry, I’ve already made my pick and I’m sticking to it! Anyone else on that show is not really worth watching, nor are they worthy enough to win the million dollars. LD Miller - Wow! This must be a great year for all Harmonica players. I'm sure sales for Harmonicas have gone up even more thanks in part to Taylor Hicks and LD Miller.

Come on judges! Why did you pick the Rapping Granny! GEEZ! You guys only like her because of the whole age factor. Who cares about age – it’s about talent!

Are we in the finals yet? The picking of these contestants is absolutely absurd. If they’re rejected one week, they’ll have a chance to redeem themselves again next week or even the week after – WHAT THE HELL!!! What’s the point?

Hustle – Showtime: Wednesday (AMC)
Okay, so I have a weakness for British crime capers. I love this show! Each episode has a good plot and it’s great to see these con artists go to work. Just the way the show is put together is what makes Hustle so enjoyable to watch. Hustle is very underrated and more people should take the time to watch this awesome series.