Top 10 Albums Of The Year - First 5

So here is my obligatory top 10 list. Here are the first 5 and I will put up the top 5 tomorrow. My top 10 movies will be on it's way soon.










#10. The Night Marchers: See You In Magic - A burst of good old high octane rock and roll. A few members of the best band of the last 10 years, the Hot Snakes, make up this San Diego rock outfit. Night Marchers sound like a less harsh version of Rocket From The Crypt, which makes sense since Speedo from Rocket From The Crypt is the singer\guitar player for this band. If you are familiar with either the Hot Snakes or RFTC then you have an idea of what this will sound like. If you don't know those bands then think greasy, gritty rock and roll with campy lyrics. What's not to like?








#9. Saviours: Into Abbadon - Thrash metal! Fuck yes. If you like galloping metal, mixed with a stoner rock groove, and don't mind a singer who sings in the same bark, drone type of yell, then you will love the Saviours latest opus Into Abbadon. The subject matter is your standard metal fair, destruction of the earth, evil beasts, drugs and whatnot, but when you are metal, what else is there to sing about? There is something about this record that really takes me back to the early, early Metallica days when they were awesome, but it isn't straight forward Metallica; it's as if Metallica also listened to a shitload of Black Sabbath. To top it off, these dudes slay live and are happen to be super nice gents to boot. I love this record, and if you like metal, then you should too. Bang your head!










#8. Earth: The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull - Earth's latest is definitely not something I can listen to on a constant basis, but when you are in the mood for super, super slow, western tinged drone, then it really doesn't get better than Earth. This latest offering gives the listener a huge soundscape to take in, with lots of interesting textures, set to a few repeating, reverb laden riffs. If you were ever to do lots of drugs and you just wanted to space out and stare at the wall while you sink into the carpet, then there is no other record to listen to during your trip. If you are looking for the huge, fuzzed out sounds of Earth's past records, then skip this. Everything on this record is shimmering clean, with a real Americana, gospel, old west feel. Guitars shimmer, organs blare, and the drums march slowly on. It is a really interesting record from a band that continues to redefine themselves in new, but slow ways.







#7. Everest: Ghost Notes - I had not heard about this band until recently, and since downloading Everest's first album, I can't stop listening. Made up of former members of Sebadoah and John Vanderslice, Everest play a classic rock\indie rock hybrid along the lines of Wilco mixed with some Neil Young; since Wilco and Neil Young are among my favorite artists, you can see why I would love Everest. The first half of the album is a nice mix of mellow rock songs, while the second half is a little more upbeat and reminds me of Crazy Horse. If you are a fan of good, mellow rock, then throw this one on and you will not be disappointed. I could really see my dad being into this, which is a good thing because my dad has awesome taste. In my mind I can see this being played on a good summer road trip. I can't wait to hear more from Everest.









#6. Spiritualized: Songs In A & E - Jason Pierce has done it once again folks; here is yet another epic rock record, using the wall of sound to full effect, all the while retaining a haunting beauty. The description is a bit trite, but I feel it is pretty accurate. This is Spiritualized's first record in five years, and it yet again builds upon a solid back catalog. I would be so bold as to say this is their best record yet in a career filled with awesome records. Here you have gospel infused rock epics, with full orchestra backing, and tons of spaced out fuzz and reverb, yet there are some really subdued and beautiful tunes here. If you have never heard Spiritualized before, this is the perfect place to start. If you love rock, then you need to check this one out now.

A few items of business

So, there are a few things I want to address quickly. First off, a few people have asked me about getting a link to the review of Water Power, an exploitation film reviewed over at chud.com, one of my favorite movie news sites. Here is a direct link to that article http://chud.com/articles/16097/1/CHUDSPLOITATION-WATER-POWER/Page1.html. Read that and enjoy.

Also, don't know if everyone knows yet, and this is completely non-film related, but...I AM GONNA BE A DAD! That's right! Apparently my junk is not broken. The little shit machine is due around June 20, 2009. Hooray for me! Kendyl, my wife, has been sick for the better part of two months, and I am now a slave to her every whim. I figure it is the least I can do for her. I am glad I am not a women. Pregnancy does not look fun. 

Anyhow, there are some really cool films coming out near the end of the month, such as the new Fincher film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Ron Howard's, Frost\Nixon; Aronofsky's, The Wrestler and more. I will perform my due diligence and review these films for you, because hey, I don't have a job, what else am I gonna do?

Slumdog Millionaire Is A Triumph!!

You heard it here folks, Slumdog Millionaire is Danny Boyle's best movie since Trainspotting. Boyle's latest film in lesser hands could have come off as trite and cheesy, but Boyle has really pulled off a major feat by taking what seems at first like a silly premise and turning it into a tale about hope, struggle and enduring love that is truly touching and special. 

Now I don't want to get into spoiler territory with this review, because it is a film I think people should go into not knowing all the twist and turns. Slumdog Millionaire is the tale of a young Indian boy named Jamal who is a contestant on the Indian version of the television show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.  He has earned more money than any other contestant in the history of the show and has become a national icon and inspiration in the process.  The beginning of the movie starts with Jamal being accused of cheating his way to success on the gameshow. No one believes that this poor orphan, that grew up in the slums and the streets of Mumbai, can know all of the answers to these questions that well educated Doctors and Professors can't even answer correctly. Subsequently he is arrested and accused of cheating. What we are shown as Jamal is being questioned by the police are a series of flashbacks telling the tale of his life, from a small child to the present day. Each questions that he answers actually ties back to a significant moment in his life, and we soon learn that all of the questions he knows the answers to, he knows because of his unique life experience.  

The real power of Slumdog Millionaire lies in the telling of Jamal and his brother Salim's tragic childhood. The brothers become orphans in the slums at a young age. Left to fend for themselves they befriend other orphans, suffer at the hands of people trying to exploit them, lie, cheat, steal and do whatever they have to do to survive. The night the boys are orphaned Jamal even finds the love of his life when the two brothers befriend another young orphan named Latika; Latika is the key to the heart of Slumdog Millionaire. Jamal instantly falls in love with her, and when the two brothers and Latika become separated after escaping from the bonds of child slavery, he spends all of his time trying to find her and find out what happened to her.

What is really special about this movie is that Boyle had the stones to actually shoot the entire film in India, with unknown (at least to American audiences) actors, and to show audiences a side of life in another country that they may not want to see or that may be hard to watch at times. Jamal, Salim and Latika do not have an easy life. It is a life where you would expect them all to turn out as criminals, which Salim does. In one particularly brutal scene of child abuse, I could hear a middle aged women behind me in the theatre mutter three or four times, "oh this is just awful, this is just terrible." I have to agree with her about the scene being hard to watch, but just because something is terrible or hard to watch, does that then mean we shouldn't be shown it? I think it is a good thing to show audiences, especially American audiences who in many cases, lead such a privileged life, may not be confronted with conditions like the ones depicted in this film. Maybe it will move people to actually try to do something for once and break out of the little, sheltered world they live in and acknowlege and identify with the struggles of other human beings. Sorry, I went off on a little mini rant there.

Anyhow, we are shown the life of Jamal, Salim and Latika from the time they are small children, all the way up to their late teen or early twenties. We also see where Jamal is getting all his answers from and we learn, and the police questioning him learn, that he is indeed not cheating. At one point in the film Jamal does find his old friend and lost love Latika, only to be tragically separated from her again. He is crushed, but ever the optimist, he comes up with a new way to find out where she is. He gets on the television show Who Wants To Be a Millionaire because he knows Latika loves the show and he hopes that she will see him on TV and seek him out. What transpires to bring them together in the end is truly inspirational. Slumdog Millionaire not only turns out to be a love story, but a story of the underdog who triumphs against all odds, and not bullshit odds like in some lame sports movies, but real odds, with a real life and death struggle to survive. 

What I have failed to mention up to this point is that the film really feels alive with energy and a sense of place. You come to know India and the people of India during the course of the movie and you also identify with them. Slumdog also happens to be really funny, with one scene in particular where Jamal does everything in his power to meet his hero who is an Indian action star; the scenes is both disgusting, yet extremely hilarious at the same time.

Boyle has crafted a universal movie that really will melt the heart of the most jaded cynic and is in my opinion, his greatest movie to date. There have been some truly inspirational movies this year and Slumdog Millionaire along with Man On Wire are really life affirming pieces of art that I highly recommend to anyone and everyone. Yes there are some scenes that are hard to stomach, but the journey the viewer takes along the way with Jamal, Salim and Latika is well worth the ride in the end. 

Reviews in short: Let The Right One In & Role Models

So recently I have seen several movies that have been out for a while. They have been reviewed to death already, so I am going to do what I call reviews in short. Basically each review will be short and sweet, tell you a little about the movie, and I will tell you whether I recommend it or not. With that being said, lets get right to this shit punks.

Let The Right One In

My first review in short will be the Swedish coming of age\vampire flick Let The Right One In. If you've read anything at all about this film it has been getting rave reviews. The problem anytime a film has such amazing word of mouth is it is almost always sure to disappoint on some level or another. I went in with such high expectations for this movie that they of course failed to be met. With that out of the way I will say that Let The Right One In is a new spin on the vampire tale, has some very haunting and beautiful imagery and most importantly, the performances by the child actors are incredible.

Let The Right One in is about a grade school boy who is bullied and has no friends. A small girl moves in next door who happens to be a vampire.  The main problem people will have with this film is the pacing, which is very deliberate and a bit slow. Toward the end of the movie I found myself thinking about its running time rather than being wrapped on up in what was happening on screen. I sound like I am bagging on it, but it was a really good flick. There are a few mind blowing scenes that will stick with you long after you have left the theatre and I was happy to see some brutal vampire action rather than namby pamby Twilight, pretty boy bullshit.

If you are interested in seeing a really interesting movie, with an original spin on the vampire tale, then Let The Right One in is definitely up your alley. It is almost more of a coming of age story, that just happens to be framed within the confines of a vampire tale. 

If you don't like foreign films and don't like movies that are a little on the slow side then I would sit this one out. Also, if you are one of those people that discount foreign films, then you probably aren't reading my blog, but if you are then all I have to say is piss off and broaden your horizons already you heathen.

Let The Right One In is definitely recommended. I have never given ratings before on The Upper Crust and I am not going to start here, but I will say that I would definitely see this one again.

Role Models

Role Models truly surprised me. I went in expecting to have a few laughs, but I had no idea that I was going to like it as much as I did. Basically whether you like Role Models or not will boil down to a few things. First off, do you like the Apatow brand of humor? If the answer is no then you suck at life, but if you don't like the whole Apatow-verse, then you wont like Role Models. It is vulgar, awesomely offensive and has tits. Now, do you like Paul Rudd? If you do, then see Role Models because he co-wrote the movie and stars in it. Next, do you enjoy little kids swearing a lot and people poking fun of Live Action Role Playing? Next on the checklist is David Wain who directed the film, who also starred in The State, plus wrote and directed Wet Hot American Summer; ask yourself, do you like him? Did you like wet hot American Summer? If you like any of these things to a certain degree, then you definitely should check Role Models. 

The supporting cast of Role Models are hilarious, with the standouts being the children and the always amazing Jayne Lynch (Best In Show, 40 Year Old Virgin). Again, as with Let The Right One In, we have a great set of child actors. For me child actors can truly ruin a movie and both of the main child actors in Role Models were funny as shit. 

So, to wrap this all up, I was really surprised I liked Role Models as much as I did. As I once said to some friends and have been endlessly mocked about it ever since, I will purchase this movie and watch this it frequently. If you like laughing and good times, then check it out. If you are a heartless bastard who just wants to sit around watching Irreversible and Requiem For a Dream all day, then skip this one  and do us all a favor by taking a leap off a tall building.

Chud.com

So I visit chud.com on almost a daily basis for movie news, reviews and more. It is my favorite movie based website and has some amazing writers and reviewers, and I generally almost always trust their opinions on films. Right now they have a pretty incredible review for a disgusting sounding exploitation movie called Water Power that is about some lunatic that rapes and gives enemas to women. It was made by some porn director in the 70's and was funded by the mob. It sounds like an absolutely disgusting piece of cinema and apparently it is super hard to find. I mention it only because it was an intriguing read and to get the word out about one of my favorite sites. Like I said, they always have interesting things to say and great recommendations. So go check out the review of Water Power and peruse their site for a lot of great content. Here is the link www.chud.com.

Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

So I have told you all about Adamn Podcast before right? I have even guest hosted the Salt Lake City podcast and we discussed one of my all time favorite movies,  John Carpenter's, The Thing. Well, for Halloween they asked me to submit a review of a horror film and I selected the awesome indie movie Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon. I submitted my 10 minute audio review to them this week and it will air on their show next week. My first run through the audio review I went over my allotted time by about 10 minutes. I didn't want it to go to waste so you can hear my longer, extended review here: http://www.switchpod.com/f93602.html?puser=none. If you want to check out the episode of A Damn Podcast that I appear on then check here www.adamnpodcast.com next next week. In the meantime, enjoy my extended, audio review of Behind The Mask! 

updates

So I haven't reviewed anything in a bit but I have some more reviews on the way. I just completed and audio review of Behind The Mask: The Rise Of Leslie Vernon for my friends podcast (A Damn Podcast) and it will be airing soon. After it airs I will post the audio review here for download and your listening pleasure. I will also shortly be reviewing Son Of Rambow and a few others, so stay tuned.

Death Race

Here is my two word review of the remake of cult classic Death Race 2000, by film auteur Paul WS Anderson:

 SHIT SANDWICH!

-the end

Under The Radar Pick Of The Month - 13 Tzameti

So each month I have a plan; and that plan is to try and review an underrated or under-seen movie. The first installment of my Under The Radar Pick was a stunner - 13 Tzameti. 13 Tzameti has one central conceit that is the backbone of the movie, and I don't know why someone hasn't thought of it before, because HOLY SHIT it is awesome. Rather than just tell you outright what it is, lets get into the details.

First off, this is a foreign film mainly in French. It is a film noir, shot entirely in black and white. If black and white, low budget, foreign films turn you off, then you are an ass in my book;but if that kind of shit doesn't make your bull run, then just skip this one all together. With that out of the way, although this is low budget, it is one of the most tense, heart- thumping pieces of cinema I have seen in a while. 

13 Tzameti starts off with our main character Sebastien, a Georgian immigrant living in France with his destitute family. He is trying to make ends meet and he takes a job repairing a roof for a man named Godon, who also happens to be a morphine addict. While Sebatien is repairing the roof he keeps hearing the addict and his girlfriend argue about money and talk about some mysterious job that is apparently dangerous, but pays extremely well. There is a shadowy figure who is watching Godon's house, taking pictures and is keeping a close watch on the mail that is arriving each day. One day a striped envelope appears in the mail. Whatever the information is in the envelope, it is obviously important to many people. Shortly after the arrival of the envelope, Godon overdoses on morphine and is found dead in his bathtub. Godon's girlfriend leaves a window open and the striped envelope blows out the window. Sebastien finds it outside as he is working and takes the envelope. Since Godon died, the impoverished Sebastien will not get paid for his work and his family can barely afford food. Sebastien looks in the envelope and finds a train ticket to Paris and a reservation in a hotel room. He needs money for his family, and since he overheard Godon and his grilfriend talking about the envelope and the potential money involved, he decides that he will take the envelope, head to Paris with the train ticket and see what this job is all about.

This is where 13 Tzameti really starts to pick up steam. It is almost impossible to talk about this movie without some spoilers, but knowing what I am about to impart will not ruin the movie for anyone, but be forewarned, some mild SPOLIERS LAY AHEAD. If you are interested in this movie and want to go in without knowing about any of the mystery, then stop reading here. You can just take me at my word that 13 Tzameti is a tense, thrilling, film noir, that was obviously made outside of hollywood and is completely and epicly awesome in its badassitude. OK, still with me? Lets press on....

So, our protagonist Sebastien hops on a train to Paris and heads to the hotel room. He is also being followed, by people we learn are police officers. He arrives in a dingy hotel room and gets a call; the man on the phone tells him to head to a locker in a train station and gives him a combination. Once at the locker he opens it up to find an envelope with more instructions. The instructions tell him to get on a train, but to get off the stop before the marked stop on the ticket. Sebastien follows the instructions, which is a good thing, because it helps him to avoid johnny law. He then takes a taxi to the middle of nowhere, gets out, and another car arrives for him to take him to another destination. He finally arrives at an abandoned house in the forrest where is is then searched thoroughly, then transported to his final stop. 

The really great thing about this whole exchange is that we have no idea what is going on, the only thing that we know and that Sebastien knows is he is doing something potentially dangerous and potentially lucrative. The suspense builds, but it is nothing compared to what is ahead. 

We finally arrive at a secluded house in the woods. Rather than get bogged down in more details, lets just get to it. We know something shady is about to go down, but don't know what. This is where the tension is really ratcheted up as we learn that he is there to participate is an illegal russian roulette game. Obviously Sebastien wasn't supposed to show up, but the wealthy men basically tell him he can participate and possibly live, or they will just kill him; he really has no choice but to take part. 

This isn't your normal russian roulette game either. 

There are 13 men that participate in the game. Each man is handed a revolver and one bullet. They then stand behind each other, with the gun pointed at the back of the other participants head. They spin their cylinders and are all told to watch a light-bulb in the middle of the room, once it lights up, they have to shoot. The tension that builds up to this first round of roulette is stunning. My heart was pounding, and the actor playing Sebastien really exudes a sense of dread and despair at the situation that is laid out before him. I don't want to give much more away, but obviously a few of the men die, and some don't. With each subsequent round of roulette they are given one more bullet, increasing the odds that they will kill someone or be killed themselves. Also, with each round there are bets placed on each participant. Millions of Euros are being bet on each round, and the winner, or surviver in this case, stands to win an assload of cash. You feel terrible for Sebastien because he has no choice but to participate, but you are also disgusted at the men betting on this demented game, but at the same time you also wonder why any of these other men playing roulette willingly participated.

After each round, we are left to wait with the participants of the game  and watch their dread and tension build. Some take morphine to cope with the stress, others seem to relish in it. With each ensuing round, waiting for that light bulb to turn on is a nail biting experience. 

The conclusion of the film is a real punch to the gut, and it doesn't really end like you expect.  It was a very satisfying ending, one that you definitely wouldn't see in a conventional film. It is an ending which really focuses on the film noir stylings and I couldn't have been happier about how it play out. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if a major director like David Fincher or Scorsese remade this one, because it seems like something that would be right up their alley. My only real criticism of the movie is that its low budget roots show through in certain scenes. If they had a better cinematographer on this movie, it would have made a big difference. Still, the story, the acting and the idea behind 13 Tzameti more than make up for the low budget nature of the film. There is a reason that this movie won the World Cinema Jury Prize at Sundance in 2006; 13 Tzmeti truly is a film that builds a palpable tension and keeps you guessing throughout the entire running time.

For any fan of film noir, thrillers or even crime genre movies, 13 Tzamati is a must see. Skip the usual fare next time you are reorganizing your netflix queue and take a chance on a small film, with an awesome premise.

Burn After Reading

There has been a lot of hyperbole being thrown around about the Coen's new movie Burn After Reading. Let me get this out of the way: this movie is not The Big Lebowski. It is not as funny as The Big Lebowski and you will not, as some reviews have stated, be quoting this movie for the next decade. Burn After Reading is a good, solid Coen film; which means that it is a lot better than most of the crap that passes as a movie these days. It definitely puts the missteps of Ladykillers and Intolerable Cruelty far behind them. 

Burn After Reading is a spy thriller of sorts, but instead of a film populated with smart and sophisticated double agents, it is populated with complete morons. Starting out as a series of unrelated events we are introduced to a group of characters whose lives become intertwined after a CD ROM of ex CIA Agent, Osbourn Cox (John Malcovitch) memoirs are found in a Hardbody's Gym locker room. The disc is mistaken by trainer Chad (Brad Pitt) and Linda Litzke (Francis Mcdormand) as highly confidential "shit". The two trainers try to blackmail Cox very poorly, often with ridiculous results. Meanwhile George Clooney's character, Harry Pfrarrer is a narcissistic, sex addicted, paranoid Treasury Department Agent who ends up sleeping with several of the characters in the movie through an internet dating services. Rounding out the cast is Tilda Swinten as Osbourn Cox's cold hearted, bitch of a wife. These are our main players, who through pure stupidity, lying and philandering end up being involved in a series of events that proves tragic for almost all involved. 

The less said about the specifics of the plot the better. I had some of the movies best moments spoiled for me in advance, and this is one of the few movies where I wish that it hadn't been spoiled.

Everyone in the cast is outstanding in their roles,  but the real standouts here for me were Brad Pitt as the clueless trainer Chad, Francis McDormand whose perpetual happiness actually shows a layer of desperate sadness underneath and JK Simmons as the head of some unspecified division at the CIA. Simmon's character gets pulled into the fray because Jon Malcovich's, Osbourn Cox is ex CIA and JK Simmons is left bewildered at the events that transpire and ends up cleaning up the mess when all is said and done. I felt Simmon's actually got the biggest laughs in the movie and he steals every scene he is in. But, before we get any further, we have to talk about Brad Pitt as the hilarious Chad. Chad's crappy hair and outfit alone was enough to make me laugh out loud several times. Pitt is truly hilarious in this role. He really is Chad and all that matters to Chad is working out, rocking out to his ipod, chewing gum all the time, his co worker Linda Litzke and his bike. He has no idea what he is doing and is pretty much along for the ride and will do whatever Linda asks him to do. That being said, he is so stupid, that he is completely without malice and what happens to his character in the end pretty much made the film for me. Which leads me to the ending of the movie...

WHAT A FUCKING ENDING!!! I wont spoil it, but be prepared for some extreme scenes of violence in the last 20 minutes. I would say the violence is is on par with Fargo or No Country For Old Men in terms of graphic depictions of violence. Really, the ending of the movie is what saved the film for me. The rest of the film wasn't bad by any means, and it is better than most other Hollywood fare, but this is the Coens and I expected a little more from them.  The ending for me ties the entire film together and is both shocking and hilarious at the same time. The fact that I really loved the ending so much may say more about me and my demented personality, because many of the negative reviews I read beforehand seemed to focus on the abrupt ending and the violence as being negative aspects of the film, but I couldn't disagree more. Just be prepared for the violence, because it is truly shocking and I could hear half the theatre gasp out loud, while I on the other hand was laughing. 

For any fan of the Coen Bros, this is a must see film. Everyone in the cast is spot on, and the trademark Coen humor and wit is on full display. Their social commentary is on full display and skewers everything from America's obsession with beauty, to divorce and even addresses the ineptness of our government agencies. Burn After Reading is nowhere near as funny as Lebowski or Raising Arizona, and it is not as dark as No Country or Fargo; I would say that if you crossed Lebowski with No Country For Old Men, then you would have a good idea of what you are in for with Burn After Reading. Another solid effort from Coens. 

A Damn Podcast

So, go check out this awesome podcast. My friends Adam Palcher and Adam Sherlock host it weekly and it is full of awesomeness. They usually do a movie review, top 5 lists and more. I even guest hosted an episode and we discussed The Thing. Go check it out, it rules.

www.podfeed.net/podcast/A+Damn+Podcast/14112

Torche - Meanderthal Review

So Torche's new album Meanderthal has been out for a while, but I felt compelled, nay I felt crushed by awesome metal pop riffage to review this record here and now. I can't stop listening to this juggernaut of a record. I thought that Torche's last album was pretty decent, but nothing prepared me for the leap forward they took here. Metal purists may disagree with me, but metal purist can go huff glue in the corner and keep lamenting the death of Cliff Burton while sewing their latest Slayer patch to their denim jackets. Me on the other hand, I will move on while listening to incredibly awesome riffage, melded with a pop sensibility that Torche has created on my favorite record in a long time -- the MIGHTY MEANDERTHAL! Torche was know previously for their infamous "bomb note" and sludgy riffs; the bomb note being an ultra down tuned top string, that when struck produced an epic sonic sludge, that was more of an earthquake than a note (I previously thought it was produced through a whammy pedal, but my pal Morgan gave me the real scoop). They still use the bomb note here,  so don't get your panties in a bunch. 

Torche blazes through 13 incredible tracks on Meanderthal. Barely pausing, this album's first six tracks fly by at a breakneck speed, with not one of the first six tracks topping three minutes. Each song is balanced nicely with vocal melodies, huge riffs,  and even some pop hooks, which is why some metal purist may dismiss the album. It's strange, because the album still has plenty to offer the headbanger, but in the mix is a real pop sensibility. The first six songs are more in the sludge or metal vein, but on the sixth track titled Healer, something you don't see much in metal happens: there are  "woah oh's" thrown in.  Yup. Woah oh, woah oh. It works though. The "woah oh" vocals really signal a shift in the album; they come at the end of the song, but going forward the record has a distinctly different feel and sound. The seventh track, Across the Shield, is where a real shift in the album takes place, and this is the point where I expect the metal purist to really scratch their long-haired, greasy heads. Is this a metal band? It is still metal, but the rest of the album seems a little more straightforward rock, in the vein of the Smashing Pumpkins,  Helmet or even Foo Fighters. This is a good thing in my opinion.  Torche is still able to retain their huge sound and heaviness, while adding real hooks and well thought out melodies to each song. 

I would recommend this record to just about anyone who enjoys hard rock, which is not something I would do with a lot of other "metal" bands. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love metal; but most metal bands don't have these kind of tricks in their bags so to speak. I will listen to Gaza, Slayer or Mastodon till the cows come home because they are so brutally heavy, but that type of music isn't for everyone; maybe Torche isn't for everyone either, but I could see them have a much broader appeal than many other metal bands.

 Torche is truly a dynamic band, and if you are still pissing and moaning about their new direction, then you need to see them live. Although they have moved in a poppy direction, these songs will still punish you right to the core in a live setting and rattle around in  your skull, like any good metal band should. All I can say is this album rules my fucking face and if you don't like it then you have terrible taste in music and you should be ashamed to voice your opinions in public.

Man On Wire

 

Here is my inaugural review on The Upper Crust and I couldn't be more excited that Man On Wire was the first movie that I have chosen to review. Let me get a bunch of superlatives out of the way right up front... if you see this movie and you don't absolutely fall in love with it, then I don't even want to know you. If you don't absolutely love this movie then you are a miser, with no heart and no soul and may want to go to the doctor and have some x-rays done to see if you are really a cyborg sent from the future to destroy humanity. Rarely have I seen a film that I thought was truly perfect from beginning to end, nor have I seen a film that has been so life affirming and filled with such wonder and beauty. 

James Marsh's documentary tells the tale of a French artist, juggler and wire walker named Philippe Pettit and his obsession with affixing a wire between the World Trade Center towers and walking across it in 1974. Now just saying this out loud seems pretty cool right? But the way that this story is told is unique and stunning. Much of the documentary plays out like a bank heist or thriller and will literally have your pulse pounding. It is essentially a movie of interviews with the people involved in pulling off this monumental feat, cut together with vintage footage and recreated footage. Let me say that the recreated footage never seems hokey or silly, but blends seamlessly to create an incredibly tense, taut and beautiful story. Everything is note perfect, including the score. The true star here is the subject of the film, Philippe Pettit. 

(Now I do want to kind of get this out of the way here, I will do a brief synopsis, but the real beauty of this film is experiencing it for the first time. I truly can't remember the last time I left a film and felt invigorated, and had my head spinning with the possibility of life; but that is the beauty of Man On Wire.)

Philippe Pettit from a young age loved to climb. In his youth he became a street performer in Paris; juggling, performing magic, riding a unicycle all over town dressed in black, wearing a top hat -- all the stupid shit that I would normally hate. But the true beauty of Phillipe is that he loves to be subversive and basically give the finger to the establishment, but in a non-threatening way. He first dreams up his big wire walking feat when he sees an article in the newspaper talking about how the World Trade Towers are being built. He sees an artists rendering of how the towers will look and draws a line from tower to tower, deciding then and there that he will one day, somehow, wire walk between the two towers. The rest of the film is Philippe and his singular obsession with accomplishing his new goal. This man has a vision, and will do anything he can to accomplish it. The way that he does accomplish it is by inspiring his friends with his enthusiasm for life, art and adventure. 

 He does a few wire walking feats that lead up to the tower walks; the first big act being wire walking between two towers at Notre Dame. He is of course arrested, but who can really be mad at someone for doing something so amazing and harmless? Philippe defies death and inspires people, even if for a brief moment. Phillipe's goal is to prove to himself that he can achieve the impossible, and inspire people to try and do the same, which is truly what this film is about - inspiration. 

After his wire walking at Notre Dame, years of planning go into Phillipe's dream of walking between the towers and  he and his band of friends approach the task much like a bank robbery; they case the joint, procure fake id's, have complete diagrams, take tons of surveillance photos on their many illegal and ingenious trips to the top of the unfinished towers, enlist the help of people who work at the towers, recreate the length of the wire from tower to tower in a field and even simulate the weather by trying to knock Phillipe of the wire as he practices walking the wire. Really, the amount of planning that went into his stunt is staggering. Obviously he achieves his goal, which isn't much of a spoiler since that is what the documentary is about,  but what is truly amazing, is that he manages to inspire and amaze everyone who sees his wire walking act, and everyone who reads about his stunt; for one brief moment he is able to spark the imagination of all who he encounters. After completing his walk, there is an interview with a NYC police officer who was trying to arrest him while he was walking back and forth between the two towers, and the look on his face is priceless. You can tell just by looking at him that he is completely amazed and baffled, and that he knew he saw something special. This jaded, 1970's New York Police officer has probably seen shit that you and I could only imagine, and when he is being interviewed he basically says that he knew he would never see anything this amazing ever again in his life.  Sure Phillipe broke the law, and when the police demanded he come down, he just taunted them and continued to walk the wire an astonishing 7 more times, but you could tell that there was no malice in his actions. He had achieved his dream and he was reveling in this singular moment that had never been accomplished by anyone in the world and would never be repeated by anyone again. Yes, he broke the law, but it was art and it was inspiring, just as Man On Wire is a work of art and is truly inspiring.

My review really doesn't do justice to Man On Wire. It was an uplifting and life affirming documentary. I walked out completely invigorated and on fire with the possibility that life has to offer. It is easily the best movie of the year and I think it is one of the best cinematic experiences I can remember having in a theatre. Everyone should run, not walk, to see this if it is playing near them. My piss poor review is not even coming close to doing it justice, but all I can say is that it has easily shot into my top ten films of all time. If this doesn't win the Oscar for best documentary, then the Oscars can forever, in perpetuity, suck my balls.

The Upper Crust

So, those of you that know me know I am obsessed with music and movies, which is the main reason for me starting the site. I decided, and with the gentle ribbing of one Kendyl Leasure and a few other supportive friends,  to share my opinions about movies and music and such here. I will be reviewing everything from new releases, to old favorites on the movie tip and I will most likely just be reviewing newer music, but I am not beholden to the rules of "the man" so if I am feeling fancy free, I will write about other records as well.  I also write short stories and have general rants, so from time to time those will be here as well. 

So, about the title, The Upper Crust. Recently I traveled to Belize and Guatemala with my old friend Thayne and Kendyl (my wife). We were generally bitching about our jobs and how they provide us with little to no satisfaction and started talking about what I we would really enjoy doing. I said, playing music for a living or writing about movies or music. Now, Kendyl has been bugging me to do this for a while. I made a joke that literally writing about shit would be better than what I am doing now. I kind of took the idea of writing about shit a little further and said, I could cater to the scat connoisseur. Thayne suggested it could be called The Upper Crust, hence the title of this blog. So, welcome to The Upper Crust, where I write about all sorts of shit. Stay tuned as I will have some movie reviews and a few music reviews up shortly.