POLARITHY 163
this entry brought to you by radiohead, "paranoid android"
Prozac Nation I went into this movie not positive what I was going to think of it. Yes, it has the hottest woman in the world in it (complete with a nude scene within the first minute past the credits), but movies based on lives of people with mental illnesses, especially if the source material is an autobiography, tend to be self indulgent centerpieces on how brilliant the lead actor is, and often meander into long periods of time of hero-worship with the main character (see the last act of A Beautiful Mind). This movie smartly eschews that by having a strong supporting cast (including the stunning Jessica Lange as Liz's mentally fraught mother, who you initially suspect will neatly fall into the "bad mother" category but becomes a well- rounded, deep character in her own right-- Lange deserved an Academy nomination for this) to avoid being a Ricci showcase, and a keeping-everything-to-the-point run time of 99 minutes to avoid unneccesary self-indulgence. Ricci herself at first plays the same character she always plays, but over time shows off some unexpected range as Liz falls apart and becomes a fragile girlfriend from hell. The movie itself may appear to not have a point because Elizabeth Wurtzell does not come off as a likeable character at all and evokes little sympathy from the audience-- what makes it work is how the audience sympathizes with those around her. I can see how a person could come away annoyed with Prozac Nation, but I ended up really liking it because it was the most accurate portrayal of bipolar disorder without going into extreme psychosis that I'd ever seen. To me, the point of the movie was to try and explain to those who can't relate but have known someone like Wurtzel what exactly is going on, and to those who do directly relate with Wurtzel to be a sort of therapy in seeing what they were going through isn't so unusual.
Velvet Revolver, Contraband See, when I was young, I detested Guns N Roses and the hair metal ilk. I initially avoided Nirvana, in fact, because I thought they were just another cockrock band-- of course, this was back when I was like, 12. Part of my later embracement of them as people, in fact, was their rejection of that kind of music. This mindset had been engrained in my very being, and although Scott Weiland is the lead singer and I have fond memories of STP, I really, really wanted to dislike Velvet Revolver, because it is the kind of cock-rock that evokes images of an entire band performing shirtless, and the guitar player shredding through a solo one handed, the other hand pointed in the air. The problem is that Velvet Revolver rock. Really, really rock. The former Guns N Roses crew have aged very well, and have brought a very early 90's pure rock-n-roll attitude, but, according to modern sensibilities, have shaved away all the show-offy bullshit until there is nothing but sleek, ready-to-be-consumed arena rock. It may sound a little prepackaged and, therefore, just a tad insincere, but if the music is this well made it can't be faulted. I have no clue what Axl Rose is doing and whatever it is he'll release as Guns N Roses will sound like, but I'll bet money it won't sound anything as good as this. Just as a warning, though: the people who listen to Velvet Revolver are the same people who beat you up in high school.
Nirvana, Sliver - The Best of the Box Alright. Some of the tracks are simply retreads of songs off of With The Lights Out, the boxed set that came out last November. And I initially didn't think I'd care. But yeah, you know me. I do care. It's Nirvana!! And there are unreleased songs! Booyaka!
This trailer to a classic feel-good comedy Click this link. No, I'm serious. Click this link. Would you click the link if I promise you'll laugh? You will? Okay, I promise you'll laugh. Now click the link. Click it!!
The indictment of Tom Delay Pleeeaaasse don't let him weasel his way out of this one! Pleeeeaase!
THE BAD
Whirlwind Heat: Do Rabbits Wonder I was poring through the used CDs section at a book store, because 90% of it is utter dreck, but every now and again you find buried treasure. So you've got to look. And I came across Whirlwind Heat which had really cool album artwork and, upon closer inspection, was produced by Jack White, who is like my favorite human being on the planet right now. Yoink. After listening to it, I'm not sure what Mr. White saw in them to produce them. They have two bass players-- maybe Jack was trying to prove he has no problem with bass, and overcompensated a little by producing a band with two of them. Or maybe he was determined to have a splotch on his excellent record to prove that he's capable of making a mistakes, because good Christ, this band sucks. The tracks (all named after colors rather than actual titles, proving the band is actively trying to piss you off) are barely even "songs". They're more what a terrible noise rock band would sound like if their amps were covered in human excrement. I mean, this is just bad.
John Roberts, newest, most handsomest Supreme Court Justice 78 to 22? Why do I think the Senate was so overcome by how Roberts' good looks that they didn't even pay any attention to anything else?
Any commerical with Snoop Dogg I've never been a fan, and yet, even I am saddened seeing the OG Pimp whoring himself out to seemingly whomever will pay money to film him. What's with that commerical with Snoop and Lee Iacocca golfing?
Pink Floyd Did I ever mentioned that I really, really don't like Pink Floyd? I've heard all of The Wall and it drove me fucking nuts. I mean, like, having to hold myself back from punching myself in the face until I was out cold fucking nuts. This kind of music, back then, when the whole world was on coke, well, I understand why your parents listened to it. But I never understood why anyone below the age of 35 could tolerate it. I mean, they have a song called "Shine On You Crazy Diamon"!! That's so lame!
The X-Box 360 "Core" System for only 299.99 X-Box 360? More like X-Box 3-Shitty!! Ha ha! Wait, you've heard that one?
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with love from CRS @ 8:35 PM
Monday, October 03, 2005
Prozac Nation I went into this movie not positive what I was going to think of it. Yes, it has the hottest woman in the world in it (complete with a nude scene within the first minute past the credits), but movies based on lives of people with mental illnesses, especially if the source material is an autobiography, tend to be self indulgent centerpieces on how brilliant the lead actor is, and often meander into long periods of time of hero-worship with the main character (see the last act of A Beautiful Mind). This movie smartly eschews that by having a strong supporting cast (including the stunning Jessica Lange as Liz's mentally fraught mother, who you initially suspect will neatly fall into the "bad mother" category but becomes a well- rounded, deep character in her own right-- Lange deserved an Academy nomination for this) to avoid being a Ricci showcase, and a keeping-everything-to-the-point run time of 99 minutes to avoid unneccesary self-indulgence. Ricci herself at first plays the same character she always plays, but over time shows off some unexpected range as Liz falls apart and becomes a fragile girlfriend from hell. The movie itself may appear to not have a point because Elizabeth Wurtzell does not come off as a likeable character at all and evokes little sympathy from the audience-- what makes it work is how the audience sympathizes with those around her. I can see how a person could come away annoyed with Prozac Nation, but I ended up really liking it because it was the most accurate portrayal of bipolar disorder without going into extreme psychosis that I'd ever seen. To me, the point of the movie was to try and explain to those who can't relate but have known someone like Wurtzel what exactly is going on, and to those who do directly relate with Wurtzel to be a sort of therapy in seeing what they were going through isn't so unusual.
Velvet Revolver, Contraband See, when I was young, I detested Guns N Roses and the hair metal ilk. I initially avoided Nirvana, in fact, because I thought they were just another cockrock band-- of course, this was back when I was like, 12. Part of my later embracement of them as people, in fact, was their rejection of that kind of music. This mindset had been engrained in my very being, and although Scott Weiland is the lead singer and I have fond memories of STP, I really, really wanted to dislike Velvet Revolver, because it is the kind of cock-rock that evokes images of an entire band performing shirtless, and the guitar player shredding through a solo one handed, the other hand pointed in the air. The problem is that Velvet Revolver rock. Really, really rock. The former Guns N Roses crew have aged very well, and have brought a very early 90's pure rock-n-roll attitude, but, according to modern sensibilities, have shaved away all the show-offy bullshit until there is nothing but sleek, ready-to-be-consumed arena rock. It may sound a little prepackaged and, therefore, just a tad insincere, but if the music is this well made it can't be faulted. I have no clue what Axl Rose is doing and whatever it is he'll release as Guns N Roses will sound like, but I'll bet money it won't sound anything as good as this. Just as a warning, though: the people who listen to Velvet Revolver are the same people who beat you up in high school.
Nirvana, Sliver - The Best of the Box Alright. Some of the tracks are simply retreads of songs off of With The Lights Out, the boxed set that came out last November. And I initially didn't think I'd care. But yeah, you know me. I do care. It's Nirvana!! And there are unreleased songs! Booyaka!
This trailer to a classic feel-good comedy Click this link. No, I'm serious. Click this link. Would you click the link if I promise you'll laugh? You will? Okay, I promise you'll laugh. Now click the link. Click it!!
The indictment of Tom Delay Pleeeaaasse don't let him weasel his way out of this one! Pleeeeaase!
THE BAD
Whirlwind Heat: Do Rabbits Wonder I was poring through the used CDs section at a book store, because 90% of it is utter dreck, but every now and again you find buried treasure. So you've got to look. And I came across Whirlwind Heat which had really cool album artwork and, upon closer inspection, was produced by Jack White, who is like my favorite human being on the planet right now. Yoink. After listening to it, I'm not sure what Mr. White saw in them to produce them. They have two bass players-- maybe Jack was trying to prove he has no problem with bass, and overcompensated a little by producing a band with two of them. Or maybe he was determined to have a splotch on his excellent record to prove that he's capable of making a mistakes, because good Christ, this band sucks. The tracks (all named after colors rather than actual titles, proving the band is actively trying to piss you off) are barely even "songs". They're more what a terrible noise rock band would sound like if their amps were covered in human excrement. I mean, this is just bad.
John Roberts, newest, most handsomest Supreme Court Justice 78 to 22? Why do I think the Senate was so overcome by how Roberts' good looks that they didn't even pay any attention to anything else?
Any commerical with Snoop Dogg I've never been a fan, and yet, even I am saddened seeing the OG Pimp whoring himself out to seemingly whomever will pay money to film him. What's with that commerical with Snoop and Lee Iacocca golfing?
Pink Floyd Did I ever mentioned that I really, really don't like Pink Floyd? I've heard all of The Wall and it drove me fucking nuts. I mean, like, having to hold myself back from punching myself in the face until I was out cold fucking nuts. This kind of music, back then, when the whole world was on coke, well, I understand why your parents listened to it. But I never understood why anyone below the age of 35 could tolerate it. I mean, they have a song called "Shine On You Crazy Diamon"!! That's so lame!
The X-Box 360 "Core" System for only 299.99 X-Box 360? More like X-Box 3-Shitty!! Ha ha! Wait, you've heard that one?
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