Movie Review: Tron: Legacy

3 things bugged me about this film. 1) Jeff Bridges CGI-ed himself, and was so for more then half the movie. 2) The female lead in this was not exploited to her full potential i.e Megan Fox style. 3) Jeff Bridges acts like the Dude in this. Actually, Jeff Bridges was one of the few things I didn't mind about this film. He's still a great actor, even if he lapses in the Dude mentality some of the time. It must also be noted that this was: 1) The best movie I've seen in 3D in a long time. 2) The only time I'll ever see Michael Sheen as David Bowie. I'm not joking, his character is by far the most interesting new one in the film. Speaking of which, Tron himself is barely in the film, for a little more the 5 minutes, but that's not my biggest gripe. The story is one of the most complicated I've ever heard, not on how complex it was, but how loose it was. You really have to have seen the original to even get a clue about this film, and even though I had, it still confused me. Whether or not this will lead to another sequel...I'm not sure. To give credit, it takes balls to revive a seemingly dead movie franchise 28 years later, but I this will have the same impact on people that Transformers did to some. Overall, this movie did please me in some categories, but left me with a big, large, pulsating question mark in others. For geeks/80s enthusiasts, it may satisfy you, for other, highly doubtful.

Rating: 2.5/5

This is my last movie review of the year, for all those wondering. I hope you enjoyed them, and if you have any special requests, please send them, and I'll try to answer as soon as possible.

Top 5 Best and Worst Films of 2010

Originally, this was to be a top 10 best and worst, but due to my lack of funds, and inability to go see movies(not to mention a car crash on the way to see one!), this list was shortened down. Please keep in mind that this is not a critics circle of the best and worst. This is just what I was able to see and what I thought was the best and worst.

5. Best: Iron Man 2

There was proabley no movie that was as hyped this year as Iron Man 2. After the sucess of the first, and with the backing of AC/DC, this movie was everything everyone wanted it to be...or so we thought. This movie suffers from second act syndrome, not being able to live up to the hype that was set up. While not a bad movie, it's not one of the greatest. People wanted this to be Spiderman 2, or The Dark Knight, but the movie fell short of those expectations. The first movie is still the best one, no doubt, but this is still a good movie. If you didn't see it, I recommend that you see it, Robert Downey Jr is still great as Tony Stark, and the action is well done. Looking back, I like it more now then I did then, which is more I can say for...

Worst: Wall Street 2

Again, this was another movie with a lot of hype, and a surprising amount, considering its to an 80s film made over 20 years ago. I don't know why people keep making these 80s rehashes, but it must stop(fingers crossed for Tron:Legacy). The movie was slow, the actors did nothing but talk and cry, talk and cry, and Michale Douglas was barely in his own frickin movie!! Come on, if you're gonna do a sequel, and you have the main guy, use him to the fullest, don't make him play second fiddle to Shia Labouef!! It's inexcusable! This movie could've been good, it could've been an interesting look at the finance world, but all we get is a two hour slide show. Boring.

4. Best: Dinner For Schmucks

I'm not a big Office fan, and as far as Steve Carrell, I'm not a huge fan of his work. I thought his other big film of the year, Date Night, was just okay. This film however, is friggin hilarious. The jokes are great, Steve Carrell is funny as hell in it, and I've never laughed at a movie so much since Hot Fuzz. The story is simple enough, and if you've read a lot of my reviews, this wouldn't be my kind of film. But, despite all this, this lands a spot as my 4th favourite film.

Worst: Legion

A late night film, seen at the last minute, I have to say the ride to this movie was far more interesting then this movie. Sure there were a few scary parts in it, but it felt more like a sequel to a film that wasn't made. It was just a stupid film. To think that the only person I knew in this was Dennis Quaid(?!) says something(what, I'm not sure, you figure it out) about all that this film and what it isn't. I sort of guessed this would be a letdown going into this, but still, I never like going to see bad films.

3. Best: The Kids Are All Right

This movie will fufill the prophercy that Annette Benning will win an Oscar. Before this film, I had given up on her ever winning one, which made me sad, as she's in my favourite film of all time. But this film, which is one of the best reviewed of the year, still managed to do a dent in me. Jullianne Moore and Annette Benning give their best performances of the decade, and do wonders with the material that is so well written, you have to wonder where the writting ends and they begin. It's proabley the single best acting that I've seen this year, and I'm glad to have seen it. Please Oscars, don't fuck this up, and give her the Oscar she deserves.

Worst: The Tourist

Of course I recently saw this, so not much more for me to comment on that I hacven't said before. All I can add to this is that there is only one movie that has ever had so much hype towards me that has failed so miserably. Poor Johnny Depp. How the might have fallen.

2. Best: Toy Story 3

I never really got to comment on this, as it just sort of appeared and dissappeared in my life. It plays mostly for people who grew up with these movies, and really knows how to pull your heartstrings in that sense. This was the first Pixar film that I'd seen since Cars and I'm glad that I got to see this one in theaters. Bravo Pixar, for making a sequel that really works.

Worst: Salt

How this got a 4 star rating from Rogar Ebert baffles me. It's more predictable then The Tourist, but with only Angelina Jolie, it fails for me. The plot is a decent one, but maybe if they had someone other then Mrs. Jolie, it could've been better. Of course, the lines aren't the greatest, but that's to be expected if it makes this list. A sad disappointment and if not for the final movie, this would've surely been #1. And speaking of Number One...

1. Best: Inception

You knew this was coming. The greatest writting, acting, and filmmaking that has been made this year. The story is the best I've heard in a long, long time. Many of you know this is one of my favourite films, and I cannot praise this enough. I had all my expectations met and fufilled by this film, and I really hope it wins all the awards that it deserves in the Oscars this coming year. If it isn't even acknowledged, then Oscars should not be taken seriously anymore, but luckily, Mr. Nolan he gains this blogs award for Best Movie of 2010. Congraulations! And speaking of Number One...

Worst: Alice in Wonderland

Even if this been like what Tim Burton had done with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, it would've been better then this load of shit. Never has a movie been so far from the title and the expectations of myself. With the Depp/Carter/Burton team, I was so sure this would be one of the best films of the year. Alas, it was nothing more then a sequel/remake that had more special effects then story. I mean, I love Tim Burtons films, two of them are in my top 20 favourite films, and the ones that aren't are still good. Sadley, this isn't even close to his best film, but luckily for Mr. Burton he gains this blogs award for Worst Movie of 2010. Congraulations!

And those are my top 5, I hope you enjoyed it, and sorry for the crappy layout, computers mesing around. Maybe one more movie review for this year, but I'll be gone from Dec. 22nd till the 29th as I'm away in Cuba. Until I return...hope you get what makes you happy :)

Toni Clement- Rest in Peace

Yesterday, one of my favourite music teachers, Mrs. Toni Clement, passed away. She was one of my favourite teachers that I had in high school, working with her on Footloose. She recommended me for the play The Wizard of Oz, and even though I haven't gone far in life, she certainly had an influence on me in terms of acting and singing. She was the finest music teacher that I ever knew, having such intelligence passion and love for music. I'm glad that she is finally at peace from her illness, and doesn't have to fight anymore. The world lost one of the greatest music artists today. May you lie beneath starry skies watching over all that you care about. You are loved and missed by the many people who knew you.

Beatles Christmas Songs

Well, for those of us who celebrate Christmas/have a radio, this is the time of the year where we enjoy those Christmas songs. I however, am always listening for 4 songs in particular...well 3 really. These are the Beatles Christmas songs, one that the Beatles wrote for the Christmas time. Today, I'm gonna look at all 4 songs that the Beatles that were holiday related.

1. Christmas Time is Here Again
This was recorded in 1967 for the members of the Beatles fan club, but is also available on the Free as a Bird single released in 1995. The song is simple, repeating the line "Christmastime is here again' over and over and over and over and over and over...with a little input from Ringo (O-U-T spells out). As a Beatles, its shit, but as a simple Christmas song, it's not so bad, although it gets very little airplay. It's worth a listen to from any Beatles fan. Not bad, just good. 2.5/5
2. Happy Xmas(War is Over)
You probably here this more often. John Lennons single, released in 1972 continues to be re released every year in England. This is a much better song then the above mentioned Christmas Time, but it holds up well on it's own, despite the radio play over the years. The choir, Yoko, John all sound perfect just the way they are, and the production by Mr. Phil Spector is good quality. There is nothing really wrong with this song, and if you hate this then maybe you really are a humbug. 5/5
3. Ding Dong Ding Dong
You may call this more of a New Year song, but I prefer this as a Christmas song. This is off George Harrisons album Dark Horse, released in 1974, shortly after he stopped touring altogether. It's a simple song about forgetting the bad of last year, an bringing in the new year with open arms. It's not as sweet sounding as Happy Xmas, but sends the same message across, somewhat. I, for one enjoy it, but I know some people don't, so listen for yourself if you haven't. 3.5/5
4. Wonderful Christmastime
Certainly the most annoying song on the list, and the one that most people are able to hate simply because of the writer, Paul McCartney. I can understand why, the man who wrote such classics as Maybe I'm Amazed, Yesterday and Hey Jude wrote this?? Well, with tat aside, I love this song, I think it's more lighthearted then Ding Dong and Happy Xmas, and reminds everyone of the happiness of Christmas. It's not his best effort, but is it terrible? No, that would be the B-Side to this, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reggae. Wonderful Christmastime is, well wonderful. 4.5/5

And so ends this short but sweet list of songs, i hope you enjoyed it, and hopefully you'll listen to them. Hopefully more stuff will be up for the New Year, and the blog can keep on rolling. Until then Merry Holidays to everyone, hoping you get what makes you happy!!

Movie Review: The Tourist

...sigh. The first movie in over a month that I have time to see and it has to be this stinker. I was ready to end the year by saying that Salt and Alice in Wonderland were the worst movies of 2010. It would seem I spoke too soon, and isn't it a coincidence that both stars from those films are together on this? I dunno. Anyway, it's not so much the acting that's the problem, as both Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp do fine acting. It has to do with the story. It's not much of a drama, comedy, action or thriller, but tries to be all of the above and stopping short in all fields. This movie just went on and on, and it was less then 90 minutes long! Inception may be longer, but it keeps you interested all the way through. This just wasn't all that interesting. It feels like a ripoff of an old 50s movie(movies made in the 1950s), and our actors are suppose to be dashing, beautiful and intelligent, much like Cary Grant, James Stewart or Grace Kelly perhaps. But even so, with all the talent in this film, and considering how interesting the film itself looked, it feels worse that it was a letdown. Bad films feeling bad aren't as bad as good looking films that turn out bad, and that's what this film is. Well, with the year almost over, there's only one film left with any interest in me seeing. I'll give you a couple of hints on what it is. 1) Jeff Bridges is in it. 2) It's not Crazy Heart 2.
Rating: 1/5

Firework: Song Review

You knew this was coming. Rather then rant on what I thought of Rihanna, or Far East Movement, Id rather go for the gold. Ive heard this song so many time, and now going to Number One, Ive got my chance. Katy Perry now has had 3 Number One songs this year. One is good, the rest, not. This song goes into the not so good category. While not as bad as California Gurls, its just as annoying. She tries to talk about how her bf/lover/guy that he is the greatest. I could make the point of saying that there are far better songs on the same subject, but I postpone. There are better songs out there that are better then this, but none are sung by people like Katy Perry. She is this decades Britney Spears, an attractive girl who cant really sing, but has LOTS of sex appeal. I'm so tired of hearing about her, and this song just leaves me with the though that she will be around for a long time now. This song is crap, granted. So please Mrs. Perry/Brand, please stop singing about the same things. Sing about marriage, the troubles you've been through, don't try to sell yourself as a joke. You know how to sell your records and songs now, you have enough money, now try and sell something that nobody would ever believe someone like you could sell.
My Rating: 1.5/5

(More Then an)Album Review: In Through The Out Door

3/5

The last album released by one of the best bands of all time. A band that inspired a whole new genre of music, and changed the way people though about music. Concerts were no longer a way of revenue, they offered a way to get away from life, though the magic of their music in a way that The Beatles never could do live, or Jimi Hendrix never fully reached this height due to the limitations of the industries at the time. However, this one band was able to come around and take fans and turn them into...well, cult members. Led Zeppelin fans are by far the craziest fans that Ive ever had the encounter of meeting. Not like metal, not like the Beatles, there are few bands that have this dedicated a fan base. Maybe this is why, despite I own most of the album and have seen both Jason Bonham and John Paul Jones live, I'm reluctant to call myself a fan.

But that's beside the point. Led Zeppelin albums are very well done, and have many, many memorable rock anthems-epics(I wont name them all as I'm bound to miss a few). For me, my favourite album is the first, Led Zeppelin. The rest are all good, but none really hit me as awesome or amazing, not like the band that is suppose to be all this.


So I was reluctant to buy(on vinyl no less) the last studio album by Led Zeppelin, titled In Through The Out Door. And while it was a far better album then Id read about, and also, in my opinion better then some other Zeppelin albums(mostly Led Zeppelin IV), I still am not convinced of the Led Zeppelin fame. The songs are good, better then anything that has been released by anyone nowadays, but I somehow cant help but feel like Led Zeppelin is no more a cult band, one that is liked by fans as some worship bands like The Beatles or Rush, both very good bands in their own right. I think the problem is that fans of these bands will hype them beyond measure, and then casual fans will feel left out once listening to them. So as a message to fans of Led Zeppelin, I ask you, PLEASE STOP HYPING THESE BANDS!!! How can anyone have a opinion when you thrust your opinion down their throats like a Jehovah's Witness thrusting their beliefs at you at the door. Readers, decide for yourself.

Album Review: The Wall

4.5/5

This album has loomed over me for many years, ever since I heard the word Pink Floyd. This album was always the peak of music in my mind, the last album I would ever listen to, the peak of rock. The craziest rock group with their greatest album. Thats the way it was. Well, finally after 2 years, I pulled out my double LP and decided to give it a listen. And I have to say, it was pretty damn good. The music was as far out as I thought it would be, the story of the album was good, and I quite enjoyed it. Maybe the length was a bit too long, or maybe some of the songs were over the top, but overall it was a good album. For those of us who havent had the experinece of listening to this album, I recommend you listen to the whole thing first before you ripéburn it onto your Ipod and listen to individual songs. The singles that were released off the album are the best songs, but taken out of context, they really dont make sense(Another Brick in the Wall, Comfortably Numb). As said before, its a story, and one of the best that Ive heard from a rock opera(unlike Tommy...grr). Before this, Id listened to one other Pink Floyd album, Dark Side of the Moon, which is a briliant fuckin album. The Wall doubles that experience. Ive never been a huge Pink Floyd fan, and Im still not entirely convinced by them, but luckly, for my next album review on a Pink Floyd this may all change. Which one will it be....

Album Review: The Pretty Reckless

4/5
This really isn't an album review, as it only had 3 songs on it. But, before you doubt the music of an actress of a show I never watch and her band, let me say that this wasn't all that bad an EP. The songs are pretty good, she sings well, and the band is tight. This is probably the best of the best of the albums that are released by pretty white girls(Lindsey Lohan, Hilary Duff, Selena Gomez, et al). I've never watched Gossip Girl, and I don't really plan on for the next 5 years, but I have seen Ms. Momsen in such movies as: Spy Kids 2 and How The Grinch Stole Christmas(she also sings in that movie). Now back to the band itself. Like I said, the songs are good and one of them, Make Me Wanna Die, went to Number One in The U.K, which is an accomplishment in itself(I think). There isn't much to say about this, as the LP isn't out in Canada, but when it comes, let it be known, that I will review it. The Pretty Reckless seems like a harmless rock band, but if they really wanna stay around, instead of making me wanna die, then they better turn that hyperbole on itself

We R Who We R: Song Review

Well, what more can be said about an already ridiculed girl. She's doesn't have sex appeal like Katy Perry, and is too common to be Lady Gaga, so she sort of fall in between the cracks. I am talking about none other then that annoying fad, the yang to Justin Biebers yin, Ke$ha. After almost a year since her first "album"(I use that term loosely) and her first Number One single, Tik Tok. Now, it seems that before the year is out, in a carbon copy of Lady Gaga, she releases an EP that goes along with the same themes as her album(Fame/Fame Monster; Animal/Cannibal).
So before I forget, lets take a look(or listen I suppose) to her latest single, We R Who We R. Well to put it simply, this is certainly a step up from the last 3 singles. It seems that this "deserves"(again, loosely used), to get to Number One. It's not nearly as stupid as Blah, Blah Blah or Your Love is my Drug, and actually reminds me of Tik Tok. Despite her rhyming 'us' with 'us', it seems to be the prequel to Tik Tok, talking about taking the night for herself, dancing like they're young, because they are superstars and that's who they r. Still think she's original? The beat is good though, and it certainly would be good to dance to in the club(or house party/room alone). Once again, she does use Auto Tune, but it's not as bad as some of her earlier singles, though she continues to do that rap/speak thing that she's well-known for. Keep this up, and it'll become her trademark, just like Britney Spears and that annoying...thing she does.
In conclusion, with all the songs on the radio, it seemed Katy Perry was going to reign supreme on this front. There are few Lady Gaga songs being played, and her main competition is stuff like Usher, Flo Rida and Justin Bieber. So while this song is probably going to be overplayed(like everything on the radio isn't), at least it's a break from overplayed Perry.
My rating: 3/5

Life(The Book)/Song Reviews

Okay, so I was walking around in WalMart tonight, thinking i wasn't gonna buy anything, with my limited 25$. I looked at some music, some movies, and couldn't decide on what to buy, so I was about to leave when....AN IDEA!!
I remembered reading a review in Rolling Stone about the book, so i though I'd at least look at the book, get an idea, and then leave. Of course it wasn't meant to be.
I finally found the book, and it turned out it was only 35$, but with 40% off. I did some calculations in my head(and went to a price check) and it turned out I had barely enough(21.40).
So I've left WalMart, now with Keith Richards book, and 21.40 less. So this means...actually I don't know what this means. Oh well, that's life I guess.

Also, a new addition to the site will be me reviewing(yes, more reviews) the Hot 100 song of the week, so for this week, should I get around to it, will be "We R Who We R" by Ke$ha....lets see how this goes(shudder).
(Btw, that life pun at the end of my life paragraph, I seriously didn't mean to do it)

Shout Out To Everyone!

Well, for those of you who can see this, this map shows the view stats of where people read this very blog. The stats themselves mention that I have over 100 views in Dennmark, twice as many as my own country(Canada). Also to mention(to the surprise of myself) is the few and far between views from people in Russia, China, France, Pakistan and South Korea. I'm sure they may have clicked it by mistake, but you never know. Also, as a British-Canadian(or English, I'm not too sure, correct me if I'm wrong), I'm very happy with all the views from the U.K.(all 17 of you!!). South Africa, and United States deserve their credit when given, so thank you as well.
As a final note, here are the stats to my most viewed posts: 1. Katy Perry vs Lady Gaga-63 views 2. Top 10 Lady Gaga Songs-38 views 3.(surprised!) Albums I'm Looking Forward To in The Months To Come-36 views.
Thank you all so much for everyting. I know it may not seem like much, but this really means a lot to me, knowing someone is reading this shit. I hope to continue blogging in the months to cum ;). Thank you very much again :)

R.A.M.O.N.E.S! A Ramones Tribute

In the short, exciting history of music, no band has made so little and received so much acclaim as the Ramones. They were the first real punk group, who were able to inspire millions, and lay the building blocks for a cultural revolution, and today, I pay tribute to one of my favourite groups and one of the best groups ever, the Ramones.

1. Beginnings: The first member of the Ramones, John Cummings(Johnny Ramone), was born in 1948, followed shortly by Jeff Hyman(Joey Ramone), who initially didn't share a friendship, much less a partnership or any interest in music. In fact the only way they knew each other was that Johnny was friends with Joeys' brother, who had an interest in music. While Johnny was always a guitar player, Joey initially started out as a drummer, and according to his drummer, he was a decent one at that. The two later met Dee Dee Ramone, who was suppose to be the singer/bass guitarist, but realized that he couldn't play and sing at the same time. This lead to Joey becoming the singer, and Tommy Ramone being his replacement on drums. They began to play at such iconic clubs like CBGBs, where they developed a reputation for their quick, intense song, essentially putting the "Rock" back in rock n' roll. They soon recorded their first album, titled Ramones, which became the benchmark in punk music. Many bands such as the Clash learned to play by playing along to the album. The second album Leave Home, was nothing special, and by the time of their "crowning" achievement Rocket to Russia, Tommy had had enough, and left the band in 1978.

2. Progress: The Ramones continued on, hiring Marky Ramone as their new drummer. The band has yet to have a breakthrough hit, and the next album Road to Ruin, was nothing special either(although it's my favourite album), and they continued touring. They didn't have much to show, and were desperate for a hit, and the following album ensued a collaboration with legendary producer Phil Spector for the album End of the Century. While the album may have been a mixed opinion by many fans, it proved to have their biggest hit, peaking at 44 on the Billboard charts. At the same time, they filmed the B-movie Rock N' Roll High School, something which I cannot comment on as I've yet to watch it(I can't find a copy to be honest).Pleasant Dreams continued the trend of End of the Century of sounding more pop, but was not as successful. They were no closer to their big hit and returned to a rawer sound with Subterranean Jungle, but at a price. Marky had a major drinking problem, and was replaced by Richie Ramone in 1983.

3. Decline: As the 1980s continued, the Ramones plowed on, even though their existed a riff between Johnny and Joey, after Joeys girlfriend left him for Johnny. Neither apologized, and never talked to each other, despite being in a band together. The Ramones released several forgettable album in the 80s(although on Animal Boy, it includes my favourite Ramones song, My Brain is Hanging Upside Down[Bonzo goes to Bitsburg]). Dee and Joey were doing much of the writing, but this ceased once Dee Dee Ramone quit in 1992(although Marky had returned to the band in 1987), and was replaced by C.J. Ramone. By the time the 90s rolled around, the Ramones were still together, but being one upped by every other punk band of the day, and with the rise of grunge, they were once again put into the shadows. In 1996, they did their final tour, ending in Los Angles. Johnny and Joey had become sort-of celebrities, hanging around people like Eddie Vedder and such. The final concert was filmed(once again, cannot comment on it), and that was the end of the Ramones, after 20 odd years together.

4. Today: In 2002, the Ramones were inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the first band to be done so, but not without tragedy. Joey Ramone passed away from cancer in 2001 at the age of 49, and did not live to see the band inducted. 4 months after they were inducted, Dee Dee Ramone, who had a history of heroin and many other drug problems, overdosed at the age of 50. A little more then 2 years, Johnny Ramone died of cancer as well, at the age of 54.
The Ramones never had a hit record. In fact their biggest selling album is Ramonesmania, their first compilation album, barely went Gold(500,000 sold). The band was able to survive despite the many problems in the band. In addition to Marky drinking, Dee Dee's drug addiction and Joey and Johnny's riff, Joey had OCD which sometimes prevented him from doing his Ramones duties, and Johnny held a iron grip over what the band said and did, and was one of the few conservative people in music. It is clear that this was one of the most dysfunctional bands in history, and yet...somehow...they managed to not only revive interest in rock, but become pioneers in it as well.
By the new millennium, the Ramones started recieving the honors they deserved, placing 2ND on Spin magazine greatest bands of all time and 26Th on Rolling Stones list. Additionally, when Rolling Stone did its 100 greatest guitarists, it placed Johnny Ramone at 16. Despite all that they received, I was a little sad that on the 100 greatest singers, they failed to include Joey Ramone. But hey who am I to say what should or shouldn't be? ;)

Well, that's about all I can write for this Ramones tribute, I hope it is able to live up to that name. Today, most of the early Ramones albums are still around, and you can find nearly all of them in most record stores. they are so many songs on all these records that there are sure to be a few per record that you can enjoy so that's why I wouldn't recommend buying a greatest hits package though, because if you're like me, the hits you want you won't find on 1 single record.

Sex Pistols vs The Clash

In modern history, no music has ever been rejected(or accepted) by so many people as punk music. While the exact timeline of when punk music began, or who was the first punk band, with many saying New York Dolls, MC5 or The Stooges, many agree that the Punk Movement began in 1975, with the Ramones being the first "true'' punk band. However, as the years went on, Punk travelled the world, reviving and burning itself out many times over, giving birth to such greats as Blondie, Nirvana, and Green Day, to name but a few. But if you ask people who the greatest punk band is, you'd be hard pressed to get only one answer. However(I've already killed this word, I'll have to think of another in a few minutes), the top results are usually either the Sex Pistols of The Clash. So today, I'm going to go through each of these bands, finding their strenghts and weaknesses, and crown one band, the "Kings of Punk". (If any of you are offended by my exclusion of the Ramones, I'm working on a special tribute to the band that will be up shortly to satisfy you. Rest assured the Ramones will not be forgotten). So let's begin this under covering of English punk.

1. Attitude

This one seems like a breeze. Most people remember that the Sex Pistols were vulgar, rude and raunchy, doing it everywhere from TV to in concert. They never let their guard down, and always lived up to their reputation. However, lets not forget that The Clash had the "prestige" of being the first group labeled in British papers as "giving the Sex Pistols a scare". But as far as actually doing anything truly revolutionary, whatever they may have done, the Sex Pistols did it first. It's like being scared in a movie, you rarely get scared at the same part twice, and in this instance it proves true.

Winner: Sex Pistols

2. Public Image

Now both bands are strictly punk bands, both with lyrics meant to hurt, and an image to live up to. But when does the point come where you become more well known for your image then for your actual music. In the case of the Sex Pistols this proves to be true. They is only really one studio album(Never Mind The Bollocks) and only lasted 26 months. The first members weren't even the trademark members of Johnny Rotten or Sid Vicious(it was Paul Cook and Steve Jones), who didn't even join until the peak of the Sex Pistols fame. Now The Clash had the same group for most of their career, up till the last album(which many say isn't even a Clash album) and they worked together making tight albums and touring constantly. Both bands made movies which have strong cult followings, and both have managers that are as famous as the bands themselves with Malcolm McClaren and Bernie Rhodes respectively. To top all this off, both Johnny Rotten and Kevin Levine(early guitar player for The Clash) later formed a group called Public Image Ltd. or PIL, with a song called (guess what) "Public Image". But the real reason that the Sex Pistols win is the fact that they live up to the rock and roll standard of burning out before fading away, living fast and dying young(well, Sid Vicious did anyway, most of the original members are still alive). But in spite of this, the Sex Pistols did re-unite, though strictly for the money, proving that some bands will never stay dead. To this day, while the Sex Pistols have continued to do reunion concerts, since the breakup and death of Joe Stummer in 1984 and 2002 respectively, there has never been a Clash reunion, something that has stood for over 25 years, even though they had a career of over 7 years. This category is too close to call, and I'm not willing to side with either, for the other has good evidence as well, so I call a draw on this due to both bands showing some standards of punk ethos.

Winner: Draw

3. Music/Lyrics

Both bands wrote some of the greatest songs of all time: "God Save The Queen", "London Calling", "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?", "Anarchy in the U.K." are all among the greatest songs of all time, and punk anthems for many and far between. Now it's sort of unfair to compare this, because of The Sex Pistols brief career, and the long(not to mention HUGE!) albums of the Clash. The Sex Pistols had 1 real album, and a number of random compilation albums, while The Clash have 3(or 4) albums, 1 double album, and a rarity in the music industry, 1 triple album. So you see that there is far more material to look off. But while the writing of both bands started off as bands who were angry individuals at the established order, The Clash were the band who were responsible for challenging the order at every chance they got, be it the angry confrontational, or quiet pot shots. Many people got more informed about world affairs by listening to The Clash, whereas the Sex Pistols were more of a in-the-moment sorta thing. The Clash were genuine in their writing, and not doing it just to get a giggle, or a scare out of it.

Winner: The Clash

4. The Band

Musically, members have to get along with each other, be able to play off each other, and work together both in and out of the studio. That's how a band work, otherwise, it's not a true band. In this department, the choice is quite clear. Joe Stummer and Mick Jones of The Clash/Johnny Rotten and Glen Matlock were the groups songwriters. All were somewhat skilled musically(I leave it up for debate whether Johnny Rotten could sing). But once Matlock was booted, and replaced with a boy who couldn't play to save his life, the group ceased to function or write. To contrast, Stummer and Jones were skilled writers, being able to write more then 100 songs, with help from bass player Paul Simonon and drummer Topper Headon. The Clash practiced frequently, putting their all into the band, and once Topper was booted in 1984 along with Mick Jones, the band was finished. The Clash put more effort into their music then the Sex Pistols, and were a little bit better, in my opinion. The Sex Pistols could barely function with Sid Vicious, and this caused Johnny Rotten to leave and form his own group, and stop being friends with all the members of the Sex Pistols. Bottom line, the Sex Pistols were a group, but The Clash were a band.

Winner: The Clash

5. Endurance

Obviously both bands have had an impact on popular culture, and many people will continue to debate on which was better(online, no doubt). Both bands went on many tours, released many singles, and never really made much money out of it all. Both were inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, and there were rumors that The Clash would reunite at the Hall of Fame in 2002, but Joe Stummers death put an end to those rumors. The Sex Pistols refused to attend their ceremony, but have re-united for many concerts starting in 1996 and continue to do so to this day. But if you are to ask people which was better, there is really only one answer. The band that commented on every major political event, toured constantly, wrote some of the best songs ever, gaining the respect of most people on both sides of the Atlantic, living, breathing the punk ethos, a band that may take a while to accept, to grow on you, and eventually win your mind and heart, let it be known that the greatest punk band, the true successor of the Ramones and a worthy counterpart to them, "The Only Band That Really Matters", The Clash.

Winner: The Clash

Match: The Clash

And so ends my review on the Sex Pistols and The Clash, I hope you enjoyed it, and please don't spam me with anti-Clash mail, because I love both these bands, I just found The Clash to be better, that's all. My Ramones tribute should appear sometime in the near future, but until then, thanks for reading, have a good day, hope you get what makes you happy.

Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin Experience

Well last night I went to see the Jason Bonham Led Zeppelin Experience at Hamilton Place. Well to start off, for a Led Zeppelin sorta thing, the venue wasn't even full, at least from what I could see(I was in the front row on the 2nd Balcony). That being said, the people who were there were(I assume) bigger Zeppelin fans then I was. I mean, the only album I've really listened to is the debut, and I though that it was brilliant. Other then that, I've only had a passing interest in them despite having nearly all the albums(Physical Graffiti still eludes me).

But anyway back to the concert. Even if it was a tribute band, I was impressed by the band. The guitar player was incredible, playing just like Jimmy Page himself. He had the guitars, the moves, he even had the hair(I think he did anyway). The lead singer took a while to warm up to me, but by the end, I thought he was also up to par with the group. He had the voice, the screech, the howl, and the vocals of Robert Plant, despite not having the hair. Jason Bonham, of course, was what I could expect for the reputation that he lead. He plays the drums as good as his father ever could, and he plays them with power. He did all of the big Zeppelin songs(Stairway, Kashmir, Lotta Love, Moby Dick, Black Dog, Rock N' Roll) and some lesser known songs (Dazed and Confused, Your Time, Good Times).

As far as a concert goes it was great, and I felt like I really was at a Led Zeppelin concert(like I would really know anyway). Jason Bonham is the second person that I've seen of the Zeppelin lineup from 2007(the first being John Paul Jones in Them Crooked Vultures back in May). Because of this, I think I'll try and see the remaining two members when and if they go on tour. I don't know about Page, but Robert Plant has a new album out, so maybe I'll get the chance to see him.

In conclusion, if you are a fan of Zeppelin, or classic rock in general, then I would recommend going to see this while you can. It was one of the coolest events I've ever seen and I'm very glad to have seen it in my life.

Movie Review: Hereafter

3.5/5

I should've known that Clint Eastwood films were this long in length. This movie clocked up 2 1/4 hours(or 135 minutes), and I believe that this was a bit two long(although according to my father, Invictus is even longer!). But for a Saturday Night movie, it was pretty good. It had a terrific opening(rare in his movies I'd say), but started to lag as the movie went on. I think this is because of the 3 story lines going on, with one(French women/girl/person/newswomen/whoever) being a bit too focused upon, while the other two (Matt Damon/English kid) being underplayed. I was far more interested in these stories as opposed to the former story. It still was a good movie, with a good sense of humor, drama, and the question of afterlife. Most of us don't go around thinking about what happens when we die(emo/goth/loser), and this question is brought up just enough times in the movie. The main flaws in this film was the ending. It suffers from the fact that it can't decide when to end, much like Wall Street 2. I didn't even know who the director was(which is a big factor for some people, me included) and I found this film to be enjoyable, although not up to par with some of his other films, mainly Gran Torino and Unforgiven(I known there are many films that he has made that are also considered classics, but I haven't viewed all that many. The man has over 31 directing credits and even more acting credits!). I will say this was far better then the above mentioned Wall Street, but that's not a hard task to accomplish.

Album Review: My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky

Unknown

I have never heard anything quite like this before. This is the most unique piece of music that I've ever heard. In fact the only group I can think to compare them to, is Sonic Youth, and even that is a stretch. The reason for that is because Sonic Youth, and only because of the usage of noise. I don't know what else I can say about this album. This is either a work of genius(such as Daydream Nation), or a joke(similar to Metal Machine Music). I have no rating for this album. All I can say is listen to this yourself, if you can find it. It was released this month, I bought mine on vinyl. It should be available on iTunes, otherwise search around(if you really want to). This has left me speechless, and I don't know what else to write.

Movie Review: Match Point

4/5

You know those movies that you can watch, leave and come back and immediately pick up on where you left off. Match Point was that movie for me. I watched it December last year, got halfway through it, rented it again last week, picked up where I left off, and my emotional state didn't change toward it. It still is a good movie. I've not seen many Woody Allen films(exception being Vicky Christina Barcelona), but I can tell that he's a man with style, who wants to tell a story the way he wants it told, and doesn't care what you think about it. He's had many misses and hits, but strangely the one film that he said was the best he ever did, is Match Point. I can certainly see his appeal. The character of Chris is a psycho, by the very definition of one, very similar to Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. He lets lust get the better of him, and instead of let it destroy his life, he destroys the lust in his life, but it leaves him empty in the end. Scarlett Johannson is excellent in this, after coming right off Lost in Translation, she plays the same sort of character, just wanting love in her life, and not being able to obtain it. She's a tragic hero, who suffers because of her involvement with Chris. The rest of the characters are unnecessary, as are some spots in the movie. The movie may seem long, and drag on, but if you are in the right mindset you could find some appeal in this. I will say though that it is written with intelligence, shot with art form, and presented as a film for many, but not everyone.

Album Review: Tubular Bells

4/5

What a strange album this is. There is little dialogue, many instruments, 2 tracks, both at great lengths, and yet it doesn't sound dated to me, and still sounds as good as ever. This album was created in 1973 by Mike Oldfield, who was only in his 20s at the time. He plays nearly every instrument that you hear(at one point you hear him announce which ones, on Track One), and he does so with great skill. Reminds me of Sting, being so multi-talented and versatile on all the instruments. This album got famous as the opening bars were used in the 1973 film The Exorcist(maybe I'll actually watch this movie this Halloween, as it's one of the few "scariest movies ever made" that I've yet to see, along with the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre and A Nightmare on Elm Street). There isn't much to say about to say about this album, it's very relaxing, good for studying/reading good literature, with all the key changes, it's a good album for studying...umm......I don't know actually. I'm not a good enough musician, but I'm sure somewhere, if there are still classes trying to interpret what John Lennon was really talking about in I Am The Walrus, then there probably is a class studying and learning all the notes of Tubular Bells.

Movie: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

2/5

For me to give this any higher then a two is not doing the film justice. This film was just too boring, too complicated and too over-the-top(but not in a cool Inception kind of way). The only reason I can even give this film a 2 is the names they got. Michael Douglas, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Frank Langella, all great actors, all having some sort of award/nomination by the Academy. Oh, Shia Lebouef is in this as well, but he's not important, he's only the lead actor. Ok, to be fair, he does a half decent job with this, and I wasn't bored by him, some of the time. My favourite actor in this film is Frank Langella, whom I've been a fan of since the amazing Frost/Nixon(and if you're a Deep Space Nine fan, he's in the 3 part episode arc at the beginning of Season 2 as Minister Jaro). His part in this film is brief, but by far my favourite, more then Gekko, who is just going through the motions of the last time. I dunno why people keep wanting to see villians in a second movie, it doesn't work, not for Hannibiel Lector(Red Dragon; Hannibiel) and it didn't work for Gordon Gekko. Also, I was VERY irritated by Carey Mulligans character. Why should I "char" about this character who just cries, and cries and CRIES!! It's so fuckin annoying to watch(but it shows that she can show emotion I suppose) and it turns a semi- interesting character into a typical female character. It's been done to death. also, may i note at how many times I thought this movie would end, but ended up going on for another half hour. True, it wasn't that bad, but what preceeded it was. I had high hopes for this film, but I don't think this was as good as it could've been. Overall, if you like stocks, finance and the first Wall Street, then you may enjoy this, otherwise, you'll be bored to tears and just wanting to run out of that theater(P.S. please note the Charlie Sheen cameo halfway through the film. Was that really nessecary? )

Albums I'm Looking Forward To(In The Months To Come)

Okay I'm running out of stuff to write about, so here's a haphazard attempt at what albums I'm gonna buy in the next 4 months or so: Lady Gagas' Born This Way, Kings of Leons' Come Around Sundown, Untitled No Doubt Album, Elliot Smiths' An Introduction to..., John Lennons' Double Fantasy(Stripped), Untitled Avril Lavigne Album, Untitled Strokes Album, The Whos' Floss and of course, Untitled R.E.M. Album.
These albums will most likely get reviews for, and will be taken seriously, and carefully. I hope that whoever reads this blog waits around that long for those to happen.

:)
P.S Happy Birthday Randy Quaid

Album Review: The Suburbs

5/5

Arcade Fire, I bow down humbly towards you. This is the one of the best new albums I've heard since Metrics Fantasies. This is an album by the true meaning of the word. None of these songs sound like they should be similar. This is the Album of the Year for me. Much like The Beatles Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, this album has a theme, which is life, and living it how you do, in the sense of how you were brought up. It is an hour long, and that hour is one of the highlights that I've ever had from listening to albums. This is a landmark album, right up there with such albums like Nirvanas' Nevermind or R.E.M.s' Automatic for the People. These are the albums that make music fun to listen to, the reason to listen to, not just some release to find your feelings, this album gives you good feeling, instead of you feeling how the album feels(if you understand what that means). I have never been a huge fan of Arcade Fire, but I respected them, and though I never bought their second album(Neon Bible) I did quite enjoy their first album, which I bough brand new this year (Funeral) . I'm happy that this album got to Number One(abet 1 WEEK!?), and hope that more people understand what this band is, and what they're trying to do. What are they trying to do you may ask? With albums like this, they're not trying to return to they way things were, but to better the future, and to rid the world of people like Katy Perry and Justin Bieber(the last part is just my personal opinion of course). If you have not listened to this, you are really missing out on something truly great. Don't miss it(although please don't buy 8 different copies of the album to try and get the different covers. Just wait and buy them used if you must, cause your gonna blow your money doing that). (Also, may I note that the vinyl changes track 9 to track 15. I dunno why)

Movie Review: Meet Joe Black

3/5

This movie was a bit of a surprise to me. It was a surprise enough that i actually found myself liking this movie, and this normally wouldn't be my kind of movie. It's a bit dated, but no more so then what say A Clockwork Orange is. The story is about Anthony Hopkins' character dying, and Brad Pitt being Death, coming to take him away. Along the way he falls in love with the soon-to-be-deceaseds' daughter, although he's not really sure what is love(cue instant music refernece here!). The movie may or may not be too long (3 hours), but i found it enjoyable. Now, when i say this, I don't mean I enjoy the long(and I mean LONG!) pauses in between dialouge with Brad Pitt. I mean the scenes with Anthony Hopkins, one of my favourite actors of all time, doing a fantastic job with the material, and turning this shitty movie into a watchable movie. You want to watch him, as when you look at him, no matter how he smiles, how he talks, how he looks, he's still Dr. Lecter, which is the reason some people(including me, admitingly) watch his movies. The movie does get a fair bit over-dramatic, mostly with scenes involving Brad Pitt(in his Pretty Boy era look), but don't worry, they only last 10 minutes too long each time. I mean, my God, do we have to see EVERYTHING that this man is thinking. he's about as charming as a poster, which ironically, is what he was around the time. The only time he's somewhat watchable is when he's not Death(spoiler), but I won't ruin that for you. If you have some time to kill, and you enjoy overly long 90s dramas(see The English Patient/Forrest Gump/Dances With Wolves) then you may yet enjoy this mixed bag of a film, but other then that, I'd put it in the catagory of The Reader, for a movie of overly long/but good acting/drama

U2: What a TERRIBLE Idea!

Okay, for those of you who are unaware, U2 has previously stated that there is a follow-up to their 2009 album(one of my least favourite albums of '09, might I add)No Line On The Horizon. They stated that it would be released by the end of last year, or sometime early this year, or around the summertime, when U2 were schedualed to resume touring, before Bono injured himself doing things he should've been doing when he was...umm NEVER!! But in any case, they didn't tour this summer, and with it the album wasn't released. NOW, U2 manager Paul McGuinness has stated it's slated for release but only if "its quality surpassed that of No Line on the Horizon".
Well, if that's all it took, then it shouldn't be too hard to impress me. Now, I must state right here that I'm not a totally huge fan of U2, but I don't hate them with a dying passion. I liked some of their songs, and I enjoyed parts of their best album Actung Baby. What I don't like is when they act like the big rock superstars that they arn't, and rub it our faces by charging obscene prices towards ticket prices. I also really don't care THAT much about the charity work, even though the cram it down people's throats, but they just got A BIT too far, in my opinion.
That being said, when they mentioned that their new album Songs of Ascent, was not what I thought, some sort of Gospel/religious themed album(which I could see them doing maybe...NEVER!!), but actually a Pop/Dance based album. REALLY?!?! Didn't they already go down this road with Zooropa(the similar sequel to Actung Baby that won way too many awards away from Nirvana's In Utero and R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People ) and with the sequel to that, Pop, which is the least favourable album ever made by anyone??? Didn't everyone dislike "this" U2?? Why are they doing this again?? Are they trying to get people mad?? I don't know, but the day that album comes out, I will post an angry review for it(if I can remember, and if it really, REALLY sucks), and end by saying that, U2, this is a TERRIBLE Idea!!

Post Top 20: A Special Mention Towards Toy Story 3

After doing the Top 20, a movie flashed into my mind, a movie that I had seen earlier this year in fact. That movie was Toy Story 3. For those of us who grow up with the Toy Story series, this movie is bittersweet. This marks the end of one of the greatest franchises ever created. This movie has the same cast, a similar plot to the privious movie, and a good amount of action. So what sets this apart from the others? The ending. This movie has one of THE saddest endings I have ever seen in any recent film to date. It leaves you thinking about the memories of your childhood, memories that you must leave behind as so that we can grow up, but when we remember them, all the emotions run back. This ending is one such of a reaction. I'm almost 18 now, which means I was 4 and 8 when the other Toy Story movies came out, so they very much are a part of my childhood. I still love these movies, and this makes a rare second sequel extremely good. For those of you who have seen this movie, and you are around my age(18-23), you may get the same reaction, or maybe you won't. These movies will be around forever, along with the Star Wars films, and the Lord of the Rings films. Also, to the makers of Pixar, who are now thinking of making a Toy Story 4(???), I have just one piece of adive for you: Don't. the third times the charm. Or, less we forget Indiana Jones 4??

Holy Shit Batman, Look What I Found

This may be a new part to the website, but for now, it's just a headline on what i found. As many of you know, and have heard of by now, Katy Perry is huge, I mean HUGE!!(shes also a singer, and a pop singer, sorta). But anyway, while I was in Goderich for 2 days, I went into a Goodwill store, called NewAgain. As I sorted through all the shitty Cds, with such acts like Hilary Duff and Ashlee Simpson, I found.....THIS!! ---------------->

Don't recognize the name?? Its Katy Hudson the birth name of(guess who) Katy Perry. After looking online, I found out that not only was this her debut album, but it's also out of print, and a pure Christian album. I knew that she was Christian but I never knew she put out a whole album on it.

Any whom, this album on Amazon.ca sells for 67.38 USED(and 81.90 new). I bought this for 2 bucks, I am dead serious! Whether it's worth that much, or if it's just that price cause she's popular, I don't know. I've yet to listen to the album, but let me tell you, that will be the next thing I review, because the battle between me and Perry is far from over.

Oh one more thing to note:

Lady Gaga's album The Remix, is at Number 6, giving her the distinction of having 3 albums in the top 40.

Just saying...

My Top 20 Movies: Part 4

Here we go, the top 5. Before I begin, I must make personal mention to all these films. While everything on the list are my favourite movies, these 5 movies stand in a catagory by themselves. These are my favourite movies, movies that I will never grow tired of watching, movies that I will watch whenever, wherever I am. These are the last movies, and the greatest movies I've ever seen. That doesn't mean I don't hate the other movies on the list, just these movies have more rewatchablity for me. But enough said, let's finish this list.

5. The Godfather Rotten Tomatoes Rating 100% (1972)

Seems a little cliched to have such a well loved classic with a perfect rating on the list, but I just love this movie. The story is good, the pacing is good and the characters are great. Everybody can quote the line "I'm gonna make him a offer he can't refuse", but does anyone know that not only does the father say this, but the son, Michael also says this, near the end of the film. The actors are all top notch, Al Pacino, in one of his first movies where he gets an Oscar nomination that he doesn't win; actually, three actors, James Caan(Sonny), Robert Duvall (Tom Hagen) and Al Pacino (Michael) wereall nominated in the same catagory, and wouldn't you know, not one of them won. But at least they got it right by giving, literally, one of the greatest actors ever, Marlon Brando the Best Actor Oscar. Even with a lenght of just over 3 hours, I never get bored, or tired of waching this. This is the quintessential mob movie, the one that restarted the genre. Most people compare this to the sequel, The Godfather Part II and which is better. I like parts of Part II, but I think that they should've taken the two storylines out, and made them each their own movie. This is why I put The Godfather above the sequel, cause there are no real parts that you can take out, and no jumping back and forth between storylines.The Godfather is the transition between the old and the new films of Hollywood, and really is a true marvel of cinema. This movie I can't recommend to everyone though, as it really isn't a universal piece, though the rating would seem to suggest otherwise. As i mentioned above, the length is quite long, and it almost has two different stories in it, which is one of the few movies like this that I like. It's not The Godfather Part II, where they're two different stories, as I mentioned. This is a movie that walks that fine line, and that's the way I like it. While this did start the gangster movie series, it's not the last one that will appear on the list, guaranteed.

4. The Dark Knight Rotten Tomatoes Rating 94% (2008)

When I think back to the summer of '08, this is the movie that I think of. And if you are like me(and I seriously doubt that), then you remember this as well. I was probably one of the few Batman fans who didn't care for Batman Begins. I thought the story was dumb, I didn't like the villains, and it was too long and too complicated. Well, as you know, I loved Inception, which is just as long, and just as complicated, so this might've had to do with my age at the time (12). The Dark Knight on the other hand, is a masterpiece. I thought Iron Man was the best superhero movie of 2008, and it was, for about 3 months, and then this mammoth movie made mincemeat out of it(slightly). This is my favourite superhero movie of all time, because it's more then a superhero movie, its a epic movie. This movie has the the right amount of drama/action. I know I've said it alot in these reviews, but they are all true. Most movies don't know how to have a balance, and that is why they aren't classics, like all these movies on the list. The Joker is amazing, I won't say more then that, cause so much has already been said about him. The Academy was right to give him an Oscar for the role, but they were wrong for giving it nothing else(of worth). But this movie really doesn't need that. This is the last real summer blockbuster that I've seen that I enjoyed(unless you count Inception, but that's not really a BLOCKBUSTER) and admit I saw this not once, not twice but 4 TIMES in theatres! If you know how long the movie is that's alot of time sitting on my ass, and I've watched it even more times since then. The reason for that is cause I never feel a drag, as opposed to say Avatar. This is a movie that I was able to get into, and I'm glad it was made, and it ranks as not only as one of the best sequels of all time, but one of the greatest films of all time, and it's my favourite action movie(which if you've read the rest of this list, they're few and far between).

3. The Departed Rotten Tomatoes Rating 93% (2006)

Hands down the greatest remake I've ever seen. Okay, maybe that's a little unfair, since I've never seen the original film Internal Affairs, released in Hong Kong. But this is North America, and we want the audience to be able to understand what the people are saying and such. So we bring in the best actors we can find, with Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio(who seems to keep popping up on my list). The result is the best mob movie I've ever seen, and probably you've ever seen. It's only 4 years old, and a short 151 minutes, about a half hour less then the Godfather. In this movie, there are no token characters, everyone is crucial to the plot, from Alec Baldwin, to Mark Walberg, who shocked me with how good an actor he really is(see The Shooter/Max Payne to understand what I mean). The only actor who seems to be too perfect, ironically is Matt Damon, who plays that same sort of character in this. You won't believe how many people forget about him, and he's on the front cover of the frigging DVD!! In contrast people really remember Alec Baldwin. Must be the character acting...I dunno. But the actor that stands out for me in this is Leonardo. What started in Catch Me If You Can, worked up towards The Aviator, culminated with this movie. This was the movie that people finally looked up and didn't see him as Jack Dawson anymore. His performance is one that amazes me still to this day. He really outshines all the other actors. A small side note is the lack of women, save Vera Fermiga, as the therapist, who is linked to both Matt and Leo. She may be forgotten in this movie, but she still does a good job. So if there is any one mob movie you MUST watch, I highly recommend watching the most recent, and my favourite of them all, The Departed.

2. Almost Famous Rotten Tomatoes Rating 88% (2000)

If you remember for about 2 years I mentioned this movie as being one of the best. 2 years later this statement is true. I'll go into a little more detail then I went into last time. Put simply, this film was a coming of age film, which fits well as that is one of the themes of the film. Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, this film is semi-autobiographical. When e was younger, he was a writer for Rolling Stone, and interviewed bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Allman Brothers Band and The Eagles. Most of what happened really did happen. This is a time that has long been lost in the music business. I'm not gonna say that music today is shit, just back then, it was an art form, and perfection was to be expected. The 2- Disc version has the uncut version of this, and while parts are good, it just makes the movie too long. A two hour film is enough, and the original cut is one that I prefer by far. There are a lot of good actors in this, like Jason(My Name is Earl) Lee and Anna(True Blood) Paquin, before their big breaks(okay, so Paquin won an Oscar, but this was he re-launch). The music is quite good, with such tunes as the above mentioned Led Zeppelin, The Who, Simon & Garfunkel, Elton John, and Stillwater, the band portrayed in the movie. This movie is a very happy, nice, movie, which has it's ups and downs similar to life, when you fall in love, want to do what you want to do, and rebel against your parents, which are all shown within the movie. This movie also has some of the funniest lines that I've ever heard("I am a Golden God!"), and some of the best characters created for a film. A gem, which is starting to shine as many people are starting to discover this movie. What more can I say that I haven't said before about this?

...And now for the Number One film on my list:

1. American Beauty Rotten Tomatoes Rating 89% (1999)

You knew it was coming. Well maybe you didn't. If you think the ratings on the side have anything to do with it being my favourite, well our wrong(cause if it was so, the The Godfather would be 1st.). Is it unfair for this to be above Almost Famous? I don't think so. For while the above mentioned is the coming of age, this is the movie that gets you through that door all the way. It tells you what will happen in the real world, and what you can do to make your world better for yourself. Why should you work a job you don't like? What can stop you from liking someone, even if it's crazy to do? Why should you live by a standard. Lester Bunharm answers all these questions. He's one of my favourite onscreen characters of all time, played by one of my favourite actors, Kevin Spacey. He's so convincing as a man trapped, and just wanting to get free and be himself again, no matter what people think of him. Actually, most of the people don't care what anyone thinks of them, but most of them try and maintain the standard that they do, such as Lester's wife. Written by Alan(again True Blood) Ball and directed by Sam Mendes, this was THE film of the year. Sure it seems to be in the same category as Forrest Gump now, the cute drama/comedy, but I think that this film is far better, and hold up way more then Forrest Gump. I just never get tired of watching this film. There's always something new that I find when I watch that I never noticed before. It also has one of the strangest endings for me, leaving me feel positive in a negative situation, with a feel-good attitude. To revel the ending would be a disservice those who haven't seen it, so I won't revel it. All I can say is that it is amazing, and a fitting end to this movie, my Number One favourite movie.

And that's my list, I hope you got a kick outta it. I'm gonna do a couple follow-ups to it, but they aren't meant to be taken seriously, like this list. Thanks for reading, and have a good day. Hope you get what makes you happy.

My Top 20 Movies: Part 3

Now we're getting to the good stuff.

10. Edward Scissorhands Rotten Tomatoes Rating 91% (1990)
Even though both movies make my list, this movie beats Sweeney Todd by a mile. For most people, this is the first movie people saw Johnny Depp in, and if you were like me, the first Tim Burton movie you saw(that and Batman[1989]). What is this movie, is it a romance, a comedy, a drama, a Christmas, a fairy tale?? Well, its all of these things, and for the most part, it holds up very well. All the actors in this movie are crucial to the plot, not one being a token character. Of course, as said above, Johnny Depp is in this, and this was the first movie he got a starring role in. He was able to carry a love story while having scissors on his hands. That's a good actor! Of course, over the last 20 years, Burton and Depp collaberated many more times, but they never made a better movie in my opinion. The music is amazing, if you have the soundtrack, pull it out and take a listen, it's Danny Elfman doing his work. Actually speaking of Elfman, both him and Burton have said that this was the most personal movie they worked on. And look how it turned out. They both created one of the greatest fairy tales to grace the screen in many years. Bravo.

9. Lost In Translation Rotten Tomatoes Rating 94% (2003)
For the longest time, I was switching this back and forth with Edward, but finally came to the conclusion which deserved to go where. While I will never stop watching either of these movies, there's just something, something that keeps drawing me back to this movie, no matter how many times I view this. It's a strange movie, taking the premise of romance and putting in that of a stranger, one whom you've just met. Okay, while maybe that part isn't so unoriginal, Lost In Translation takes this idea, and turns it into something new. Using only 2 actors, Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, the movie takes on a life of its own, keeping you interested just enough to want to see the end. Bill Murray was nominated for a Best Actor for this, the only time he ever has been. Do I think he was robbed? Not really, considering the competition that year (Johnny Depp, Ben Kingsley, Sean Penn), it really would've been anyones guess. But any whom, this movie came and went, and I believe has stood the test of time. It is one of the films I only most recently watched, so to put it on my list, and at a place so high, I either must be right, that this movie is a masterpiece, and a classic, or I'm crazy for putting it above Burton. You make the call.

8. Hot Fuzz Rotten Tomatoes Rating 91% (2007)
This is the movie that I laughed at all the jokes(I could find)! My greatest regret is not seeing this in theaters when it was released in 2007. I do remember it only being in theaters for a bout 2 weeks, fairly short of a movie. But any whom, this is probably the funniest movie I have ever seen. I mean that. I can't think of any other movie, which this much comedy, and the exact amount of violence/gore to boot. Yes, this is an extremely violent movie, but in a comedic sense as well, so don't get too worried about it. I don't know how this got a "14A" rating over here(in Canada), cause this seems like it would pass for an "18A". But that doesn't matter. The actors are good with Simon Pegg(Scotty in the Star Trek reboot) as a no-nonsense cop, with other actors such as Timothy Dalton(James Bond) showing up and just being flat out hilarious. This is an epic comedy, and one of the finest that I've seen. If you haven't seen this, I highly recommend that you watch Shaun of the Dead first, as it has much of the same humor, and it's a good movie to warm you up and prepare you for Hot Fuzz. It also, if you didn't guess/know has the same director/stars in it, with much of the same humor. The only reason to watch this first, is that Hot Fuzz is way, way funnier, especially if you have a good sense of humor.

7. Inception Rotten Tomatoes Rating 87% (2010)
The most recent movie released on the list(beating Toy Story 3), and the best film I've seen of 2010. The plot is too complicated to get into, and I've already explained this briefly in my other review for this. Christopher Nolan is one of the greatest writers, not just in the last decade, but ever. He knows how to both direct and write, so maybe it's good that he doesn't try and act in all his movies, like some director/actors. But any whom, this movie has done much for me. It made me realize why I enjoy going to see these movies, not just as a way to spend an afternoon, but to get something out of it, to make it make you think, and i like that in a movie. The plot is complicated, but only when you try and explain it to someone, as I tried to do(and failed). If you have a good eye for things, then this movie shouldn't be too hard to comprehend. There's only one thing that i can say about this, and that is that this film deserves some Oscars. Not just for writ ting, but for acting, directing, just heap the awards onto this film. Everyone did a good job with it, and it's obviously one of my favourite films(though it did slip from 4 to 7, you'll see why). Please, Academy, don't fuck up Inception, the greatest science fiction movie period(that's right, this movie now has the title 'Greatest Sci-Fi Movie' bestowed upon it, by me). If you haven't seen this, then do go see it while it's still in theaters, cause I can bet it won't be the same on Blu-Ray. In fact, forget all the other movies below it, see this one first before you watch the others.

6. Sid & Nancy Rotten Tomatoes Rating 90% (1986)
Let's jump back to the 80s with one of the best dramas released about punk. That may be a hyperbole, but it makes sense with this film. It tells the story of the bass player of the Sex Pistols, Sid Vicious and his romance with his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen. Along the way, the band breaks up, and both of them end up becoming heroin addicts, trying hard to kick the addiction, but still falling back into the same black pit. It is one of the most moving movies I've ever seen, and it took me a while to find a copy of it, costing around $35.(!!) for it. But I still say it was worth it. i didn't go into the movie thinking it was going to be the way it was. I though it would be typical bio-pic material. It turned out it was, but there was just something more that the actors put into the movie, a little more depth in their characters, which is what true actors do. This was the first movie that Gary Oldman was ever in, and if you've seen the film, he did an amazing job with the acting. It's ironic that one of the women who auditioned for Nancy went on to big things(Courtney Love), but the actress who won kinda disappeared. It's too bad, cause I really liked her, and though she did a good job. Oh well. But Sid & Nancy is a great movie, and it came along at the right time in my life, when I was discovering "punk rock" and the Sex Pistols and such. This movie basically sums up who I was in the Summer of '09...at least in style.

Only 1 more part to go, and this is when the stuff gets long