"The Dark Knight Rises" REVIEW

Hey Everyone,
     Today I am reviewing the final segment of Christopher Nolan’s epic “Dark Knight” trilogy. As always feel free to comment and or leave suggestions from future reviews.

OVERVIEW

GENRE: ACTION, AVENTURE, FANTASY

STARRING: Christian Bale(The Prestige, Terminator Salvation), Tom Hardy(Inception, Warrior), Anne Hathaway(Devil Wears Prada, Alice in Wonderland)

WRITTEN BY: Christopher Nolan(Inception, Memento), Johnathan Nolan(The Prestige)

DIRECTED BY: Chritopher Nolan(Insomnia, Following)

RATED: PG-13

SUMMARY:

     Eight years after “The Joker” terrorized Gotham, a new super villain calling himself “Bane”(Hardy) seizes control of the city. A long absent Batman(Bale) resurfaces to end Bane’s reign of terror before it’s too late.

STORYLINE

     The storyline of this film follows the same style and general feel of the two previous films in the trilogy. You find yourself wrapped in several of the characters plights simultaneously. The film achieves this by giving you part of their story, and then quickly cutting to another characters story that is happening at the same time. Inevitably those small doses of individual stories all come together at the end resulting in a dramatic climax. This style in particular requires some attention to detail and a little memorization, but in my opinion adds to the viewing experience. I did however, have a slight problem with the story. Without giving things away for those of you who haven’t seen the movie, my problem lies here. With all of the care given to detail and all of the explanations given on how things came to be in the previous films, there were too many moments in the film that left me saying; “WAIT WHAT…..?” or “YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOUR JUST FIGURING THAT OUT??” with that aside the story is a good one but did not live up to the two previous films. Which might I add is NOT an easy task.
RATING: 3.5(of 5)-GOOD

SOUNDTRACK/VISUALS

      The score of the film follows the same musical themes of the previous movies in the trilogy. This is not a bad thing as the music is absolutely perfect for the film. If it’s a thrilling scene the music keeps you on the edge of your seat. If it is an emotional scene the music perfectly coveys the emotion intended. It is, in my opinion “perfect”. The movie is definitely visually striking. For the high octane action sequences all the way down to the dark interpersonal interactions of the characters. The visuals perfectly convey the dark tone of the movie.
RATING: 5(of 5)-AMAZING

ACTING/DIRECTING

     The performances given by the main characters I felt was right on par with my expectations. However, the performances by the supporting cast especially those with smaller roles were VERY mixed. The actors with larger supporting roles such as Gary Oldman(Dracula, True Romance), Morgan Freeman(Shawshank Redemption, Seven), Michael Caine(The Prestige, Children of Men), Matthew Modine (Vision Quest, Full Metal Jacket), and Joseph Gordon-Levitt(Inception, 50/50) all give solid performances, as to be expected for actors of their caliber. The rest however, were at times not just bad , they were downright AWFUL. I’ve seen better acting in ultra low budget B-movies. This lowered my overall opinion of the acting and directing of the film. How on earth did some of those takes make the final cut? I dunno, maybe Nolan owed someone a favor.
RATING: 2.5(of 5)-DECENT

HYPE FACTOR

     There was literally a mountain of hype surrounding this film, as there should be following the immense success of the previous two films in the trilogy. One could only expect that this film live up to it’s predecessor regardless of Heath Ledger’s unfortunate absence. I don’t feel this film did that. It was by all means a good movie but with the stage set this extravagantly it has to be more than good.
RATING: 2.5(of 5)-DECENT

OVERALL

3.4( of 5)-GOOD

    Thanks for reading! I hope you found this review helpful. Please don’t forget to comment and or leave suggestions for future reviews. -Gary-

If you are interested in checking out this film for yourself please click the links below.

“The Dark Knight Rises” on DVD or Blu-Ray

John Frusciante's "PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone" REVIEW

Hey Everyone,
     Today I’m reviewing John Frusciante’s latest venture “PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone”. Please feel free to comment and or leave suggestions for further reviews. OK, let’s get started.

OVERVIEW

     PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone is Frusciante’s 11^th studio album. It was released by Record Collection Music and features 9 tracks (the Japanese release features 11 tracks)for a run time of around 38mins. The album was written, mixed, and produced by Frusciante himself. Frusciante does all of the instrumentation on the record with the exception of one track which features Laena Geronimo on violin. He also does all vocals and backing vocals throughout the album with exception on one track featuring a rap from Kinetic 9. The genre of this album is described as “progressive syth pop”, but in actuality covers a VERY wide range of genres. If you are looking for a mainstream pop album or anything that closely resembles Frusciante’s work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, I would not recommend this album for you, for it is a far cry from that. There isn’t much profanity on the album, I believe the only profanity comes via Kinetic 9’s rap. However due to the complexity of the album I would recommend for ages 16+.

LYRICS

     Frusciante definitely has a main lyrical theme throughout the album. It is one of understanding and acceptance. His lyrics really push you to accept who are, for that it is the only way to make sense of your life. He shares a lot personal experience through his music, both positive and negative, and sheds light on his struggles with stardom and living up to expectations. In a nutshell his lyrics push you to see past your own set personal expectations set by others. Free yourself from their bondage, be yourself and set yourself free. The lyrics are deep, poetic and not always very easy to understand. Like most of the album it’s very complex.
RATING: 3.5(of 5)-GOOD

SOUND

     As with the lyrics Frusciante is definitely expressing himself freely, at times too freely. The songs are constantly changing musically which can make it somewhat hard to follow. However, I personally enjoy this, it is a nice break from the “cookie cutter” formula of mainstream pop. The tracks “Ratiug” and “Mistakes” are the most mainstream, but are still a long shot away from most music hear on the radio these days. The best way I can describe the sound of this album is a kind of avant-garde electronica sound. It’s kind of as if Captain Beefheart came back to life and used modern recording techniques to make a new album. Needless to say it’s not for everyone, but I would highly recommend this album for the more “adventurous” listener.
RATING: 3.3(of 5)-GOOD

PRODUCTION VALUE

     Overall I felt the album was well produced, especially for the amount of instrumentation going on throughout. However, at times throughout the album I felt the vocals were pushed too far back making them hard to understand. Also at times throughout the album there are abrupt stops in the music as it changes, which in my opinion hinders the flow of the song. Being that this album was produced with a very small production team (Frusciante), I have to say it was done pretty well and in my opinion should be enjoyed as LOUD as you like it.
RATING: 3.3(of 5)-GOOD

CUTTING EDGE FACTOR

     Now we get to this albums strong suit. With the amount of genres that this album crosses it is very “unique“. With that being said it’s audience is going to be very eclectic. As I mentioned before it’s not for everyone. If you are someone who enjoys music that you won’t hear on the radio, or someone who enjoys the chaos of free jazz arrangements I would highly recommend this album for you.
RATING: 4.8(of 5)-AMAZING

OVERALL

3.7(of 5)-GOOD

     As always thanks for reading and please comment and or leave suggestions for future reviews. I hope you found this review helpful. -Gary- 

If your are interested in checking this album out for yourself please click the link below.

John Frusciante’s “PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone”

"The Campaign" REVIEW

Hey Everyone,
      Today I will be reviewing the 2012 comedy “The Campaign”. A poignant satire on the absurdity of electoral campaigns. Given that we just ended the media circus surrounding this years presidential election I figured this would be a good title to review.
　

OVERVIEW

GENRE: COMEDY, SATIRE

RATED: R

STARRING: Will Ferrell (Stepbrothers, Anchorman), Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover, Due Date)

WRITTEN BY: Chris Henchy (The Other Guys, Bachelorette) , Shawn Harwell (Eastbound and Down)

DIRECTED BY: Jay Roach (Austin Powers, Meet the Parents)

SUMMARY:

To gain control of their North Carolina district, Two industrial tycoons plan to oust the current unopposed congressmen Cam Brady (Ferrell) by funding Marty Huggins (Galifianakis) a dim-witted tourism director to run against him.

STORYLINE

    The storyline for this film is pretty basic. It starts by giving the current situations of each of the main characters and leading you into the fiasco that follows. It follows a pretty straight forward story line, which is appropriate for the film and leads you into some pretty hilarious mishaps and events along the way. While I wouldn’t particularly call this a film that your going to laugh from beginning to end, I would definitely say there are parts that will make you laugh hysterically. All in all I would say the story for this film did not meet it’s comedic potential but was funny nonetheless.
RATING: 2.5(of 5)-DECENT

SOUNDTRACK/VISUALS

    The soundtrack for this film is mostly comprised of rock music both old and new. The music I felt was used appropriately with the scenes it represented. The film made good use of several visual techniques to maximize the comedic effect of the scene. That along with its moderate pacing made the film easy to watch, follow and most importantly laugh at!
RATING: 2.5(of 5)-DECENT

ACTING/DIRECTING

       The acting in this movie I would say is just what you’d expect for those involved. Ferrell plays his part as over the top as possible, which makes for some hilarity but also can get a little annoying in my opinion. Galifianakis basically plays a version of his character “Seth” his twin brother. Those who are fans of Galifianakis will know what I’m talking about. If you don’t, he plays a kind of effeminate, naïve “southern boy” who has low self confidence and is very unsure of himself. The character is hilarious and was the highlight of the film in my opinion.
RATING:2.5(of 5)-DECENT

HYPE FACTOR

      There was a considerable amount of hype surrounding this film given that it came out around the elections and featured some of comedies biggest stars. Although I thought the film was funny I did feel it could have been better. All in all I would have to say this film did not quite live up to the hype surrounding it. For this film, I would say it was a case of the hype hurting the film, not the film hurting the hype.
RATING: 2.5(of 5)-DECENT

OVERALL

2.5(of 5)-DECENT

        If your in the mood for a raunchy, over the top comedy then this is the movie for you. Its context and style aren’t dissimilar from films such as Talledega Nights or Anchorman. I hope this review was helpful as always feel free to comment and or suggest new titles to review. -Thanks-

If you would like to check this movie out for yourself please click on the links below

“The Campaign” on DVD or Blu-Ray

Taylor Swift "Red" Album REVIEW

Hey Everyone,
Today I’ll be reviewing Taylor Swift’s newest mega album “Red”. PLEASE feel free to comment and or give suggestions on future reviews. OK, let’s dig in shall we.

OVERVIEW

     “Red” is Taylor Swift’s 4^th studio album, and is a follow up to the highly successful album “Speak Now”. The album was released through Big Machine Records. It features 16 tracks for a total length of 65:11. I know Swift is considered a country artist but this album is much more mainstream pop than country. There are a couple tracks with some notable featuring artists, namely Gordon Lightbody (Snow Patrol) and Ed Sheeran. This album has been an immense success for Swift and sees her breaking into new musical genres. This album is friendly for listeners of all ages.

LYRICS

     Swift’s lyrical themes throughout the album are pretty typical standby’s for mainstream artists. The subject matter consists of either A. falling in love or B. breaking up. Don’t get me wrong there are a few exceptions, but for the most part that’s what you get. The lyrics are easily digestible for the listener and are effective at getting a quick emotional response. The downside to this is that at times her lyrics can get a bit immature and melodramatic. Overall the lyrical content I would have to say is exactly what I expected. Perfect for teenagers finding love or losing love for the first time or for a man or woman who wants to go for a drive and re-live those teenage feelings of love and loss. To wrap it up in a nutshell, in my opinion they're not good and they're not bad.
RATING: 2.1(OF 5)-DECENT

SOUND

     Swift is definitely going for a genre crossing sound in this album. Combining elements of country, pop, dance, and even post punk styles in her songs. Her songs range from the more raw acoustic sound to very busy upbeat dance type music. The track I was most impressed with was State of Grace, which nearly sounds like an 80’s U2 song with Swift at the helm. However, tracks such a 22 with its extremely immature lyrical content and way overdone musical style really hampered the overall album for me. There are some musical gems throughout the record and Swift’s vocals are as always…. AMAZING! If you are a Swift fan you definitely will not be disappointed in the sound of the record. As for me, like the lyrics I find it not good but not bad. My reason for this is for every song that was good I found that there was one that was equally unimpressive.
RATING: 2.4(OF 5)-DECENT

PRODUCTION VALUE

     The production value as with most mainstream releases is nothing short of phenomenal. The sound mixing was perfect and each track was produced very well. It definitely maximizes the potential of Swift’s vocals and each song in general. The list of all the producers, musicians, and sound engineers that went into the production of this album is a mile long. With that amount of resources going into the album it should be nothing less than stellar.
RATING: 5(OF 5)-AMAZING

CUTTING EDGE FACTOR

     Although Swift was making an attempt at crossing into new genres this album it is hardly cutting edge. Even if it is new to her and her fans this album does not break any new ground. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying it’s a bad thing necessarily. The millions upon millions of records and tickets sold don’t lie. As the old adage goes “if it ain’t broke…..don’t fix it!”
RATING: 1.5(OF 5)-BAD

OVERALL

2.75(OF 5)-DECENT

    In summary I would say this is a decent album. Perfect for the fans of country/pop crossover or just mainstream pop. I hope you found this review helpful, and as always feel free to comment and or give some suggestions for future reviews.

If you would like to check this album out for yourself click the link below.

TAYLOR SWIFT “RED”

"Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" REVIEW

Hey Everyone,
       Today I’m reviewing the 2012 Dramedy “Seeking a Friend for the End of the World”. I figured this would be an appropriate title to review as we near the dreaded end of the Mayan calendar OOOooooo! LOL!

OVERVIEW

GENRE: Comedy, Drama, Sci-fi

RATED: R

STARRING: Steve Carell (The Office, Crazy Stupid Love) and Keira Knightly (Pirates of the Caribbean, The Jacket)

WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Lorene Scafaria (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist)

SUMMARY:

      As the inevitable end of mankind on Earth approaches via an asteroid, a man (Carell) is left alone after his wife leaves him upon hearing the news of Earths destruction. He then decides to search for his first true love before it’s to late, but his plan runs awry after he befriends a neighbor (Knightly) who has plans of her own.

STORYLINE

       Given that I am not the worlds biggest fan of romantic comedies I wasn’t particularly excited about this film. However, the story for this film is fantastic! Its rich with examples of human nature, be that positive or negative, that tie in perfectly to the story being that everyone is about to die. The plot isn’t overly complicated, and as in most romantic comedies somewhat predictable, but in this movie's case I’ll emphasize SOMEWHAT! The story does a great job at bringing to light some of our innermost fears and also our deepest desires.
Rating: 4 (of 5)-GOOD

SOUNDTRACK AND VISUALS

        The soundtrack is relatively somber which is appropriate for the nature of the film. There is a mixture of musical genres ranging from alternative rock to classic jazz. Overall, I thought the music was well suited for the film. The visual style of the film I very much enjoyed. It was done with a very intimate style of shooting and pacing. Even amidst riots and chaos you never stray far from the main characters which keeps you very connected to them. Focusing more on the chaos of “doomsday” would have made the movie much less enjoyable, but this film shies away from that and keeps you focused on the characters.
Rating: 3.5 (of 5)-GOOD

ACTING/DIRECTING

          I really enjoyed the actors and actresses portrayals of their characters and not just the stars either. The supporting cast did a great job as well. There are a lot of great cameos by other well known actors and actresses throughout the film. Steve Carell’s role is a far cry from many of the roles he plays such as the loud, obnoxious, dim-witted Michael Scott on NBC’s The Office. He is much more quite and shy in this film and he pulls it off very convincingly. Keira Knightly plays a somewhat confused and somewhat stressed girl in her twenty-somethings who is relatively home sick. The role was well suited for her and she does a fantastic job. As I mentioned in the previous section the shots and pacing of the movie I felt were done very well. Kudos to Lorene Scafaria for a job well done!
Rating: 4.5 (of 5)-AMAZING

THE HYPE FACTOR

      There wasn’t much hype surrounding this movie but I will definitely say it far exceeded my expectations!
Rating:4 (of 5)-GOOD

OVERALL

4 (0F 5)-GOOD

       I hope you found this review helpful. Please feel free to comment and or offer suggestions for future reviews. If you are interested in seeing this film for yourself on DVD or Blu-Ray click on the links below.

“Seeking a Friend for the End of the World” on DVD or Blu-Ray

REVIEW SCORING

Hey Everyone,
     I just wanted to do a quick overview of how I am going to rate things on my blog. Each of the things(Movies, Music, Videogames ect.) I review will be broken into 5 categories. 4 of the categories will be scored and 1 (the overview) will not be scored. Each of the categories will be reviewed and then given a score of 0-5. At the end of the review all of the category scores will be averaged together for an OVERALL score.

MOVIE CATEGORIES

OVERVIEW-

The overview will first off list the starring cast and crew. Then it will go into a brief summary of the movie. My goal throughout my review is to not spoil the movie if you have not already seen it , so this will not be overly specific. This category will be un-scored.

THE STORYLINE-

In this section I will go through and give my opinion on how good the plot was and how good it flowed. Once again I plan on doing this without spoiling the movie for you. This category with receive a score of 0-5 and factor into the overall score.

THE SOUNDTRACK/VISUALS-

In this section I will discuss the ever important part of a movie…..the sight and sound LOL! I will elaborate on how I feel about the soundtrack and also how good I thought the movie was visually presented. Another thing that will weigh in on my score here are how well the visuals and the soundtrack go together. This will be scored 0-5 and factor into the overall score.

ACTING/DIRECTING-

Pretty self explanatory LOL! I put these two things under one category because a feel good acting is pushed further by good directing and vice-versa. This category with receive a score of 0-5 and factor into the overall score.

THE HYPE FACTOR-

In this section I will discuss if I feel this movie lives up to the hype surrounding it. If however the movie I am reviewing wasn't released in the glitz and glamour of major Hollywood films (such as indie films.) I will simply let you know if the movie exceeded my own personal expectations. This category with receive a score of 0-5 and factor into the overall score.

MUSIC CATEGORIES

OVERVIEW-

non-scored

LYRICS-

This will be scored 0-5 and factor into the overall score.

SOUND-

This will be scored 0-5 and factor into the overall score.

PRODUCTION VALUE-

In this category I will discuss how well I feel the album was mixed and produced. This will be scored 0-5 and factor into the overall score.

CUTTING EDGE FACTOR-

In this category I will discuss how innovative and creative I felt the artist was with their writing of the album. This category with receive a score of 0-5 and factor into the overall score.

VIDEO GAME CATAGORIES

OVERVIEW-

non-scored

STORYLINE-

This will be scored 0-5 and factor into the overall score.

GRAPHICS-

This will be scored 0-5 and factor into the overall score.

ONLINE PLAY-

This will be scored 0-5 and factor into the overall score.

                HYPE FACTOR-            

Not unlike movies, video games are getting more and more publicity as the industry continues to grow. Just as I will with movies here I will give you my opinion on if I feel the game lives up to the hype. This category with receive a score of 0-5 and factor in to the overall score.

My Mission

Hey Everyone,

       I figured I'd make my first post one to get you a little aquanted with myself and tell you a little about why I'm doing this. My name is Gary Turner and I'm a cinephile (geez that sounds so bad LOL!) and music buff. I'm very opinonated on movies and music and I figured I'd use this as platform to express my opions on movies, music, video games and more and hopefully provide some useful insites to you so you don't waste your time on crap(which seems to be being produced in massive quantities)! I realize that I'm hardly the first to do this but hey, the more opinions the better. I plan on doing some reviews on my own accord but I would ideally like this to be as interactive as possible so please comment and give me suggestions suggestions and more suggestions!