6/03/2004
Who knew Joey Ramone was all about the GOP?
Got Passion? Get Saved.
Saved! review by Rolling Stone
First of all, great tag line.
Second, run, don't walk, to see this movie. I don't think I've laughed as hard or squirmed as much at a movie theatre in quite some time. It is able to capture the ridiculous nature of religious fanaticism (the use of God to justify everything). But this is where the movie pulled me in and surprised me: I expected it to also skewer faith, Christianity, and Christians. It doesn't. It makes fun of fanatics and empowers and encourages believers.
Please go watch this movie. Mandy Moore, Patrick Fugit and Macaulay Culkin are all fantastic. But the real heart of the movie is the hands of Jena Malone and Eva Amurri, who delicately act their way around complex characters and storylines, adding heart to the satirical tone of the film.
Please, please, please watch this movie. I beg of you.
First of all, great tag line.
Second, run, don't walk, to see this movie. I don't think I've laughed as hard or squirmed as much at a movie theatre in quite some time. It is able to capture the ridiculous nature of religious fanaticism (the use of God to justify everything). But this is where the movie pulled me in and surprised me: I expected it to also skewer faith, Christianity, and Christians. It doesn't. It makes fun of fanatics and empowers and encourages believers.
Please go watch this movie. Mandy Moore, Patrick Fugit and Macaulay Culkin are all fantastic. But the real heart of the movie is the hands of Jena Malone and Eva Amurri, who delicately act their way around complex characters and storylines, adding heart to the satirical tone of the film.
Please, please, please watch this movie. I beg of you.
6/02/2004
The Age of "New" Alternative Music
MSNBC - Rock's Big Bounce
In my pop culture lifetime, there have been two distinct eras in alternative music: the grunge of the early 90's (Nivana, STP, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden) and the rap/rock/emo of the late 90's (Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and Papa Roach). One was credible (the former) the other was not (the latter). But while I was generally a fan of both I never truly identified with either. Neither form grabbed me or moved me. To be honest, I listened to it because it was catchy and it was on. Once it disappeared, I made no effort to search out replacements. Put simply, it just didn't mean much to me.
But I honestly believe that we're in a new era. The era of the White Stripes, The Strokes, The Hives, The Shins, and Death Cab For Cutie. And this era I love. Part of it that a lot of these bands (not all) just don't take themselves seriously. That always turned me off about Nirvana, their "Oh woe is me I'm so tortured you don't know what it's like stop listening to my music" aura. I was a pretty happy kid. That just didn't strike a chord with me. Ditto to the Limp Bizkit "I'm so angry that all I want to do is break stuff and bang chicks". Again, a pretty happy kid, so the anger didn't work for me. But bands like The Postal Service, The Shins, Franz Ferdinand and the Hives don't take themselves seriously. They just make great music that sounds familiar but completely new. It's great music that you can just rock out to without feeling burdened with the artist's angst, and in that way, it's freeing.
In my pop culture lifetime, there have been two distinct eras in alternative music: the grunge of the early 90's (Nivana, STP, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden) and the rap/rock/emo of the late 90's (Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and Papa Roach). One was credible (the former) the other was not (the latter). But while I was generally a fan of both I never truly identified with either. Neither form grabbed me or moved me. To be honest, I listened to it because it was catchy and it was on. Once it disappeared, I made no effort to search out replacements. Put simply, it just didn't mean much to me.
But I honestly believe that we're in a new era. The era of the White Stripes, The Strokes, The Hives, The Shins, and Death Cab For Cutie. And this era I love. Part of it that a lot of these bands (not all) just don't take themselves seriously. That always turned me off about Nirvana, their "Oh woe is me I'm so tortured you don't know what it's like stop listening to my music" aura. I was a pretty happy kid. That just didn't strike a chord with me. Ditto to the Limp Bizkit "I'm so angry that all I want to do is break stuff and bang chicks". Again, a pretty happy kid, so the anger didn't work for me. But bands like The Postal Service, The Shins, Franz Ferdinand and the Hives don't take themselves seriously. They just make great music that sounds familiar but completely new. It's great music that you can just rock out to without feeling burdened with the artist's angst, and in that way, it's freeing.
