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(07/13/06 4:00am)
India.Arie is one of a handful of recent artists who are keeping R&B music alive and well. Similarly to counterparts such as Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu, to name a few, Arie blends her beautifully tuned voice with modern day hip-hop rhythms and instrumentation to create a unique style that is still reminiscent of Motown and R&B artists of the past such as Minnie Riperton or Tammi Terrell. Arie's first two albums, Acoustic Soul and Voyage to India, were both very enjoyable records that toyed with an array of different styles and sounds, while also featuring very intimate lyrics by Arie. Although her new album, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, is similar to its predecessors, it falls below average due to a lack of musical diversity (even with a number of musical guests including electric bass maestro Vic Wooten and folk rockers Rascal Flatts) and a reliance on overly heavy, often uninteresting lyrics.\nAccording to the liner notes' opening letter to listeners, Arie had been working on Testimony for a tedious three years and saw the album as a way to share her emotions about a failed relationship, her path from "female" to "woman" and a her testimony about how her heartbreak rejuvenated her life. Real deep and sappy movie of the week kind of material.\nTestimony opens with a beautiful stripped down ballad, "Intro: Loving," with a darker sounding Arie on the piano and vocals. The piece seems to promise an album that will in fact be more intimate and sorrowful than her previous records, however, as the album progresses this notion is muddled by a slew of mediocre filler tracks that just can't keep the listener interested. \nThere are a couple highlights that make the album worthy of purchase for fans of Arie's previous projects. "The Heart of the Matter," an interesting take on a Don Henley song, features a simple, yet beautiful string arrangement and Arie in her vocal prime.\n"Better People" is one of the more upbeat pop tracks on the disc and is reminiscent of prime '70s era Steve Wonder who, if you remember from Acoustic Soul's "Wonderful," is one of Arie's biggest influences.\nTestimony is no doubt India.Arie's most personal project to date (the liner notes feature six full pages of thank you notes, ramblings about the recording process and countless shout-outs to those who inspired her) and from the Vol. 1 title it's completely feasible that this is part of a series of albums channeling the young artist's newfound enlightenment. Like her previous records, Testimony is enjoyable simply as background music, however, despite the album's intimate overall message, very few tracks stand out as stellar songwriting that warrant repeated listens.
(07/12/06 3:41pm)
India.Arie is one of a handful of recent artists who are keeping R&B music alive and well. Similarly to counterparts such as Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu, to name a few, Arie blends her beautifully tuned voice with modern day hip-hop rhythms and instrumentation to create a unique style that is still reminiscent of Motown and R&B artists of the past such as Minnie Riperton or Tammi Terrell. Arie's first two albums, Acoustic Soul and Voyage to India, were both very enjoyable records that toyed with an array of different styles and sounds, while also featuring very intimate lyrics by Arie. Although her new album, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, is similar to its predecessors, it falls below average due to a lack of musical diversity (even with a number of musical guests including electric bass maestro Vic Wooten and folk rockers Rascal Flatts) and a reliance on overly heavy, often uninteresting lyrics.\nAccording to the liner notes' opening letter to listeners, Arie had been working on Testimony for a tedious three years and saw the album as a way to share her emotions about a failed relationship, her path from "female" to "woman" and a her testimony about how her heartbreak rejuvenated her life. Real deep and sappy movie of the week kind of material.\nTestimony opens with a beautiful stripped down ballad, "Intro: Loving," with a darker sounding Arie on the piano and vocals. The piece seems to promise an album that will in fact be more intimate and sorrowful than her previous records, however, as the album progresses this notion is muddled by a slew of mediocre filler tracks that just can't keep the listener interested. \nThere are a couple highlights that make the album worthy of purchase for fans of Arie's previous projects. "The Heart of the Matter," an interesting take on a Don Henley song, features a simple, yet beautiful string arrangement and Arie in her vocal prime.\n"Better People" is one of the more upbeat pop tracks on the disc and is reminiscent of prime '70s era Steve Wonder who, if you remember from Acoustic Soul's "Wonderful," is one of Arie's biggest influences.\nTestimony is no doubt India.Arie's most personal project to date (the liner notes feature six full pages of thank you notes, ramblings about the recording process and countless shout-outs to those who inspired her) and from the Vol. 1 title it's completely feasible that this is part of a series of albums channeling the young artist's newfound enlightenment. Like her previous records, Testimony is enjoyable simply as background music, however, despite the album's intimate overall message, very few tracks stand out as stellar songwriting that warrant repeated listens.
(07/12/06 3:08pm)
Science fiction author Philip K. Dick once said that, "Drug misuse is not a disease, it is a decision, like the decision to step out in front of a moving car. You would call that not a disease but an error of judgment." \nThe author, best known for his sci-fi short stories of the 60s and 70s, wrote his novel, "A Scanner Darkly," as an allegory for the troubling epidemic of drug abuse that was plaguing not only those around him, but also himself (he was a speed junkie) during the early '70s. The story is science fiction, relying heavily on futuristic technological advancements, but only on its surface. Richard Linklater's "A Scanner Darkly" marks the eighth film adaptation of a Dick story and is on par with previous successful films such as "Blade Runner" and "Minority Report."\n"A Scanner Darkly" is set seven years in the future in Southern California. Keanu Reeves (playing, well, the best Keanu Reeves he can) stars as Bob Arctor, a police officer who goes deep undercover to infiltrate a growing underground drug cartel of a new radically powerful hallucinatory drug called Substance D. The trouble is Arctor is so far involved that his mind starts to play tricks on him and he begins to question his true identity. On the one hand he is Arctor, the normal guy who spends his days getting high with his friends and constructing mind puzzles that tread the waters of paranoia. On the other hand he is a police officer who goes by the code name Fred. As the plot thickens Arctor begins to unfold the intricate inner workings of the cartel while also coming to grips with his shattered mental state. \n"A Scanner Darkly" is complicated and plays tricks on the audience much like the mind-bending drugs play tricks on the main characters. Reeves is decent as Arctor, however, the true shining performances come from Robert Downey Jr. ("Chaplin"), Woody Harrelson ("Natural Born Killers") and the horribly underappreciated Rory Cochrane ("Dazed and Confused's" Slater) who all play Arctor's Substance D fiend friends. Some of the best scenes of the film occur around Arctor's run-down Cali bungalow where the friends get high, ponder meaningless notions about the current state of the world they live in and create elaborate, paranoia fueled puzzles and conspiracy theories. \nDirector/screenwriter Richard Linklater delivers a wonderfully written script and the film's unique style of rotoscoping visual animation (a technique that Linklater helped create with his film "Waking Life") never distracts the viewer and is a perfect counterpart to the Dick's often-surreal story.\n"A Scanner Darkly" deals with drug abuse and addiction in the same vein as David Cronenberg's film adaptation of William S. Burroughs' "Naked Lunch," using bits of comedy and surrealism to show the chaotic nature of mind altering drugs. The film is often very funny and visually the equivalent of eye candy, however, there is an underlying level of depressing realization that Substance D or any drug for that matter can truly have devastating effects on the human psyche.
(07/06/06 4:00am)
Guster is the kind of band that is hard not to like. Its songs are catchy, the band members are down to earth--always welcoming and supportive of fans, despite their rising fame--and most importantly, Guster makes simple yet great music. The Boston trio started as a college garage band, mainly playing the frat gig circuit at Tufts University, but since then have recorded several extremely \nsuccessful albums and garnered a nice little following ranging from wide eyed teenage girls to twenty something males who see the band as an alternative to more mainstream counterparts like Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Jason Mraz etc. Ganging up on the Sun marks the band's fifth album to date and while it holds its own as a solid Guster album, it lacks the energy and near flawlessness of the band's last two albums, Lost and Gone Forever and Keep it Together.\nSun is an interesting departure from the traditional Guster that fans are familiar with. Absent are the ultra poppy, catchy instant singles of Lost and Gone and instead the band seems to be toying with new sounds (partially thanks to a slew of guest musicians) and politically charged lyrics (take "Manifest Destiny's" ever so subtle "friends and lovers the world is coming / down / down down"). While at times this departure and new sound is welcome, there are a number of tracks on Sun that just don't quite work, leaving this album decent Guster, but not great Guster.\nThe disc opens quite nicely with the ever so mellow "Lightning Rod," a song that utilizes Guster's more Enoesque ambient sounds and tests lead singer/bass player Ryan Miller's pitch scale. This is followed by the slightly more poppy, but still mellow, "Satellite," which features some piano hooks and an interesting moody harmonica part.\n"The Captain," which is one of the high points on the album, features a great backbeat, catchy country fueled guitar and banjo riffs and an overall pleasant feel to it that is reminiscent of past Guster songs like "Jesus on the Radio" or "What You Wish For," a simple sound that Guster is a Viking at.\nLike previous albums Sun features one epic track, "Ruby Falls," which is one of their best songs ever written and does a nice job experimenting with the band's new range of musical instrumentation (the song features Radiohead style guitar work thanks to the fourth Guster, Joe Pisapia, a nice female backup vocal track by Nashville vocalist Melissa Mathes and a beautiful muted trumpet outro by Neil Rosengarden).\nIt's difficult to put a finger on what makes Guster so easy to listen to. With the exception of the multi-talented friend of the band, Pisapia, the players are only so talented when it comes to their instruments. Brian Rosenworcel, best known for playing the drums with his hands, doesn't get to shine much on this album. Guitarist/sometime lead vocalist Adam Gardner tends to stick to guitar and background vocals and even Sun's lyrics are often forced or meaningless. All things considered, Guster somehow continues to sound good despite flaws, which is a feat that should be applauded. \nFor Guster fans this album will be a must have and is still better than the band's early releases. For you Guster virgins out there try your hand at the brilliant Lost and Gone Forever before testing out Sun and remember to take Guster for what they are, a group of guys who just like making good sounding music.
(07/05/06 6:46pm)
Guster is the kind of band that is hard not to like. Its songs are catchy, the band members are down to earth--always welcoming and supportive of fans, despite their rising fame--and most importantly, Guster makes simple yet great music. The Boston trio started as a college garage band, mainly playing the frat gig circuit at Tufts University, but since then have recorded several extremely \nsuccessful albums and garnered a nice little following ranging from wide eyed teenage girls to twenty something males who see the band as an alternative to more mainstream counterparts like Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Jason Mraz etc. Ganging up on the Sun marks the band's fifth album to date and while it holds its own as a solid Guster album, it lacks the energy and near flawlessness of the band's last two albums, Lost and Gone Forever and Keep it Together.\nSun is an interesting departure from the traditional Guster that fans are familiar with. Absent are the ultra poppy, catchy instant singles of Lost and Gone and instead the band seems to be toying with new sounds (partially thanks to a slew of guest musicians) and politically charged lyrics (take "Manifest Destiny's" ever so subtle "friends and lovers the world is coming / down / down down"). While at times this departure and new sound is welcome, there are a number of tracks on Sun that just don't quite work, leaving this album decent Guster, but not great Guster.\nThe disc opens quite nicely with the ever so mellow "Lightning Rod," a song that utilizes Guster's more Enoesque ambient sounds and tests lead singer/bass player Ryan Miller's pitch scale. This is followed by the slightly more poppy, but still mellow, "Satellite," which features some piano hooks and an interesting moody harmonica part.\n"The Captain," which is one of the high points on the album, features a great backbeat, catchy country fueled guitar and banjo riffs and an overall pleasant feel to it that is reminiscent of past Guster songs like "Jesus on the Radio" or "What You Wish For," a simple sound that Guster is a Viking at.\nLike previous albums Sun features one epic track, "Ruby Falls," which is one of their best songs ever written and does a nice job experimenting with the band's new range of musical instrumentation (the song features Radiohead style guitar work thanks to the fourth Guster, Joe Pisapia, a nice female backup vocal track by Nashville vocalist Melissa Mathes and a beautiful muted trumpet outro by Neil Rosengarden).\nIt's difficult to put a finger on what makes Guster so easy to listen to. With the exception of the multi-talented friend of the band, Pisapia, the players are only so talented when it comes to their instruments. Brian Rosenworcel, best known for playing the drums with his hands, doesn't get to shine much on this album. Guitarist/sometime lead vocalist Adam Gardner tends to stick to guitar and background vocals and even Sun's lyrics are often forced or meaningless. All things considered, Guster somehow continues to sound good despite flaws, which is a feat that should be applauded. \nFor Guster fans this album will be a must have and is still better than the band's early releases. For you Guster virgins out there try your hand at the brilliant Lost and Gone Forever before testing out Sun and remember to take Guster for what they are, a group of guys who just like making good sounding music.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
Much time has passed since the days of old Adam Sandler movies, dominated by slapstick comedy and inventive plots. After a pseudo-sabbatical in which Sandler appeared in more serious mainstream movies like "Punch-Drunk Love," "Anger Management" and "Spanglish," Sandler finally returns to a movie where he is the star -- "Click."\nWhile the slapstick may be gone, the inventive plot still remains. Sandler, who usually seems to play roles that more or less reflect the stage of life he is in, plays a married man with two kids. His life is good, yet redundant. His boss (David Hasselhoff -- great casting) is a jerk who overworks him and underpays him, and things are pretty routine at home with his wife (Kate Beckinsale). \nThen, upon another boring trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond to buy a universal remote, Sandler wanders into an area of the store he's never been, "Way Beyond." Here he encounters Christopher Walken (of course), where he is given the remote he is seeking, except with the added power to control the world around him.\nWith new remote in hand, Sandler's life takes off. Much of the laughs in the movie occur during his experimental stage with it, where he encounters audio commentary (James Earl Jones), the 'making of' (his parents having sex), color hue (doing Incredible Hulk and Barney impressions), pause (to hit his boss in the face) and his button of choice -- fast forward (major foreshadowing).\nToo often using the fast forward, the remote breaks and starts fast forwarding when Sandler doesn't want to. This leads to the inevitable lesson about relishing every moment of your life blah blah.\nNow for those of you reading this who think I just ruined the movie for you, think again. I haven't seen the movie yet. That entire plot summary was written solely on what I've seen from commercials.\nAnyone living outside of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country has encountered an absurd amount of commercials, trailers and advertisements for "Click." Once you and I see the movie, we'll see how accurate I was. Any Adam Sandler movie is going to make big money at the box office, so why they dished out what I would assume to be a ridiculous amount of money on this advertising campaign baffles me. They pretty much gave away 60% of the movie.\n(The rest of this review was written after seeing "Click").\nIn fear of being a spoiler, I won't tell you how accurate my plot summary was, but obviously all those scenes were in the movie since I'd seen them in previews. While they all got the inevitable laughs, it was the few moments that were new that I found most amusing.\n"Click" is a solid movie. It harkens back to comedy of "Happy Gilmore" and "Billy Madison," but with a matured spin. Walken and Hasselhoff were expectedly the standout characters, and Sandler does a good job of letting people act around him, while putting in the extra effort when needed. As Sandler gets older and wiser, his movies seem to follow suit -- and it's a good thing.\nIf only I didn't get the feeling like I'd seen it already, it would have been even better.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
A movie of Al Gore giving a 90-minute PowerPoint presentation doesn't exactly sound like the most exciting thing to do on a Friday night, but "An Inconvenient Truth," Gore's global warming awareness doc, is probably the most important and worthwhile film you can see this summer.\nUnlike Michael Moore's films, which rely heavily on visuals and clever editing, "Truth" sticks to the cold hard facts as well as the man who passionately delivers them. This film basically puts you into the room with Gore as he delivers his multimedia lecture on the dangers of global warming, a subject to which he has devoted a great deal of his life.\nWhile Gore is ultimately the star, the most persuasive element of "Truth" is the data itself. The core of the movie has the ex-next president presenting chart after chart of years of scientific research that pretty much all come to the same conclusion: that bad things are going to happen. In fact these bad things are already happening; the rise in natural disasters, floods, draughts and exotic diseases such as SARS and West Nile Virus, as well the destruction of ecosystems and numerous species can all be attributed to global warming. Worse yet, if the ice caps continue to melt at the current rate, many areas throughout the globe with populations in the hundreds of millions will be under water. \nSadly, the most sobering truth of this whole fiasco is that us humans are to blame, and inexplicably, our leaders continue to do nothing about it. The U.S. (big surprise!) is dead last in regulating the Carbon Dioxide emissions that cause global warming, and somehow many Hummer-driving politicians continue to deny that the problem exists even in the face of massive and irrefutable scientific data. In one humorous scene, Gore likens our denial of the global warming problem to the tobacco industry's denial that cigarettes could damage your health. \nWhile most of the film centers on the argument at hand, director David Guggenheim does insert several segments that deal with the personal side of Gore's environmental fight, and while I don't really care that Gore had a pony growing up, these bits do break up the monotony of the presentation scenes and give us some insight on why Gore is so passionate about the topic. In fact, I couldn't help but think that if the public were a little more aware of Gore's passion back in 2000, things would be a lot different today.\nOverall, "An Inconvenient Truth" does exactly what it sets out to do: be persuasive. I actually felt kind of bad driving home in my GM-made car. Gore, although still a little stiff and dorky, is genuine and engaging, even sneaking in a couple of one-liners about the current administration. So, instead of seeing another disposable summer blockbuster, do yourself a favor and go hear what Al has to say, it most likely will be beneficial to all of our futures.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
"Waist Deep" is a piece of crap. It's the kind of piece of crap that unfortunately could only come out of America. The film was directed by Vondie-Curtis Hall who, if you don't remember, directed a little Mariah Carey vehicle a couple years back called "Glitter." If this isn't reason enough to steer clear of this film, I don't know what else is. \nFormer model turned actor/musician Tyrese Gibson stars as Otis or O2 on the streets (you see, when Otis was younger "hood rats" used to call him O2 because he would float around the streets like oxygen. This film is chock full of important back-story tidbits like this). One day while driving his son "Little Man" or Otis Jr. home from school his car is jacked by some tough, inked-up gangstas who then drive off with his son in the back seat. From then on it is a race against the clock set up by a creepy drug runner/former partner named Meat (played exquisitely by the rapper known simply as The Game) who wants 100 grand for Little Man's life. O2 seeks aid from a pseudo hooker/men's suit dealer named Coco (Meagan Good) and his weed fiend cousin Lucky (Larenz Tate). In order to raise the money O2 and Coco start successfully robbing upscale banks all around L.A. Never mind the role of the po-po in this film. The L.A.P.D. can't handle the power of Oxygen.\nThis is the plot in a nutshell. The story is lame but does have some high points that should be noted. The character of Meat is a pretty wicked villain. In one scene while in his drug catacomb/warehouse where drug minions work in small metal cages and there are lots of plasma screens around, Meat cuts a gangsta's hand off with a machete for being late with a payment. This was the best scene in the film and helps set the stage for an over-the-top shootout at the end where Meat eats it in a cool firefight under a bridge. Wicked? Yes. Enough to keep an audience interested? No.\nThe real problem with "Waist Deep" is it can't decide whether to just be straight action or try its hand at drama. Tyrese is about as good an actor as my dog trying to pretend he didn't just scrounge around in the trash. And with the ridiculously overly dramatic tagline "His son. His life. His freedom. He's taking them all back," it's hard to tell whether or not Mr. Curtis Hall wasn't lost somewhere between gangsta action flicks and Lifetime original movies. \n"Waist Deep" does however have everything you might expect from a typical modern gangsta film. Rapper turned actor. Check. Lots of cool-ass steel plated hand gats. Check. Bags of Benjamins. Check. Fleets of Hummers and Impalas. Check. Cameo by Russell Simmons' wife Kimora Lee. Check. This said, unless you absolutely yearn to see Tyrese take on a drug kingpin and get his freak on with a hot chick with boisterous lips, I would seek out another film to wet your appetite. I hear the Al Gore environmental PowerPoint presentation film is quite good.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
With each successive album that Frank Black puts out, his music sounds less and less like the band that made him famous, and that's actually a good thing. The Pixies were a once in a lifetime band that shouldn't (and couldn't) be repeated. These days Black seems content on writing well-crafted songs and making tasteful records with top studio musicians. \nBlack's new double-disc effort, Fast Man Raider Man, is essentially a continuation of his last offering Honeycomb, both solid "adult-alternative" rock albums with touches of jazz, blues, country and soul. \nOne of the most interesting facets of the expansive Fast Man is seeing where Black's record collection will take him next. The opener, "If Your Poison Gets You," with its scatter-step jazz beat and half-spoken/half-sung vocal line is reminiscent of Van Morrison's better work. "In the Time of My Ruin," a jittery mix of pop and R&B, recalls Elvis Costello's Get Happy album with the Attractions. Elsewhere, Frank channels Randy Newman on the bouncy "Dog Sleep," and does his best Aaron Neville impression of the falsetto-tinged "Fast Man."\nBlack also does his best to keep some variation within the 27 songs on the album, attempting as many genres and different feels as he can. The rollicking barroom stomp of "Johnny Barleycorn" is night and day from the world-weary soul of "Sad Old World," but both work remarkably well. Other standouts include "Wanderlust," which is highlighted by some wonderfully melancholy saloon-style piano, and the shouter "Elijah," really the only time Black allows his voice to approach anything remotely resembling his Pixies vocal stylings. \nWhile Fast Man has plenty of good to offer, it does suffer from being overly bloated. Expansive double albums rarely sustain themselves from start to finish and this set is no exception. There is far too much filler with too many songs that are just plain unremarkable. Some songs, like the annoying "It's Just Not Your Moment," should've never made it past the demo stage. "I'm Not Dead (I'm in Pittsburgh)" is some kind of sick joke, like you've stumbled across some lame lounge act at a seedy motel, and the Kumbaya-ish "Golden Shore" sounds best fit for a campfire, and for Frank, that's certainly not a good thing. \nThe backing band for Fast Man, comprised of numerous studio legends like Steve Cropper and David Hood among others, works as both a blessing and a curse. The band is unquestionably skilled and tight, but many times the music comes out far too slick and professional for its own good. You sometimes wish that Joey Santiago would sneak into a song and unleash an ear-shattering lead, but it never happens. \nWhichever musical avenues he chooses to explore, Frank Black remains an interesting and essential artist, a man of many tastes with a seemingly endless amount of ideas always running through his mind. And even with Fast Man Raider Man's mixed results, there is still a good 12-13 song album located somewhere within its overloaded track listing, it's just up to you to find it.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
I don't like to label bands or tack a genre to them, it all feels too cliché. So I tend to cringe when I say that I listen to a band that popular culture labels as "screamo." Screamo…see, I like screaming, but the other half, the "emo" part of it, I can definitely do without. But a band like Underoath seems to execute rather well what comes out of a genre where every band is a blatant cookie-cutter of the last one, and fashion and popularity replace originality and talent. Underoath is not one of those bands…\nUnderoath have been around for a good seven years, but have just recently found critical success since the departure of their first singer Dallas Taylor (now with Maylene And The Sons Of Disaster) . Define The Great Line is their fifth album, their third on Christian hardcore label Solid State Records. This record is a culmination of everything Underoath has put out in their solid career, and let me tell you, it sounds rather amazing.\nWhen you hear the first track on the album, "In Regards To Self," you know that this record is definitely going to rock. There's blistering guitars and bold and brutal screaming; the elements that made old Underoath great. As the album progresses, their new sound is present as well. "You're So Inviting" is heavy and melodic. "Salmarnir" is a haunting instrumental accompanied by cryptic Icelandic musings and chanting, followed by three beautifully stirring, yet epically heavy tracks ("Returning Empty Handed," "Casting Such A Thin Shadow" and "Moving For The Sake Of Motion"). The remainder of the album speeds up the pace a bit, with some more catchy and thrashing tracks.\nDefine is so much more than I have come to expect out of this band. With 2004's They're Only Chasing Safety (which was still pretty damn good), I thought Underoath had become one of those generic MTV screamo bands that had sold out. Well, I was wrong…they are much more talented than that and they have taken that risk by adding to their successful formula and making things heavier and less accessible at the same time. The variety of the tracks isn't terribly widespread and chaotic, but there is enough emotion on both ends of the spectrum to keep things interesting and distinguish this album from others of the same genre.\nUnderoath have grown a lot as a band since their last outing, and they have put out their best material in their career with Define The Great Line. If you like metal whatsoever, you will enjoy this. They get a bad rap for being a Christian hardcore band, but if you can see past this, you will be blown away by a heartfelt, brutal, honest album. They could have screwed it up and disappointed, but they have pulled through and put out something a hundred times better than I could have imagined. Brace yourself…
(06/29/06 4:00am)
Kool Keith's favorite rhyme is doodoo and voodoo. \nDr. Octagon, Kool Keith's most famous alter ego, is the hip hop embodiment of his scatological, occult obsessions. While his contemporaries were glorifying gang violence and misogyny, Kool Keith was exploring his own brand of interstellar, mutant gore and bizarre sexual fetish. At times, it's hard to tell which is more obscene.\nDr. Octagonecologyst, released 10 years ago, opened up the world of underground hip hop to an otherwise oblivious audience. The album's critical acclaim has been a mixed blessing for Kool Keith. He is by no means an unskilled rapper, but he has struggled to prove that he is more than aliens, monsters and porn. This year's The Return of Dr. Octagon and Nogatco Rd, which continue the saga of the vulgar doctor, do not speak in his favor. Controversies aside, Dr. Octagonecologyst is an important album to the history of rap.\nThe album begins with an ominous groove layered with a sample from a doctor/nurse porn scene. This track sets the mood for the rest of the album, an even mixture of b-horror movie and x-rated movie. "Halfsharkalligatorhalfman" and "Girl Let Me Touch You" perfectly embody this dynamic. \nNo track on the album comes close to what you would expect from a rap album, especially not one from 1996. Tracks like "3000," "Earth People" and "Blue Flowers" most closely resemble traditional hip hop. Even those tracks are a stretch. The hook for "Earth People" is "Earth People, New York and California. Earth People, I was born on Jupiter," and "3000" contains the diss "Your whole crew is ice cream." Hardly the words of a ruthless gangster.\nWhile undoubtedly great, this album is still plagued with filler. Skits are par for the course in rap, but Dr. Octagonecologyst is bursting at the seams with skits, whose uncompromising anatomical and sexual specificity could make Dr. Ruth blush.\nThe album's disjointed flow almost seems an appropriate companion to Kool Keith's angular, stream of consciousness raps. His lyrical skills are on par with better known, yet comparable, MCs like MF Doom and Ghostface Killah, but his pacing leaves something to be desired.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
"Syriana" is a tough nut to crack. After three viewings I'm still not sure who the good guys are, who the bad guys are, and how all the pieces fit together. That is exactly the point, and writer/director Stephen Gaghan pulls it all off with the deliberate assurance of a spreading terminal cancer; a cancer of oil addiction, terrorism and governmental corruption which everyone involved is powerless to cure.\nGaghan is no stranger to penning sprawling character mosaics mired in politics and ulterior motives. His screenplay for "Traffic" (one of the best films of the last 10 years) won him an Oscar in 2001, and Syriana's screenplay won him a nomination earlier this year. As with "Traffic," which dealt deftly with the war on drugs, "Syriana" pulls no punches in its exploration of another war in progress; that of oil companies vs. the American people and Middle East in tandem.\nThe ensemble cast, including George Clooney (who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), Jeffrey Wright, Matt Damon, Chris Cooper, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson, Amanda Peet, Christopher Plummer and Alexander Siddig, is uniformly spot-on. Robert Elswit's cinematography is poignant in its shaky ambivalence and use of light and shadow, and editor Tim Squyres works magic with myriad plotlines and subtle character arcs. From a purely technical standpoint, "Syriana" is nearly flawless.\nMany conservatives will denounce "Syriana" because it portrays homegrown terrorists in a less than despicable light. An equal number of liberals and progressives will denounce it because it treats oil barons, government spies and the military infrastructure with the same leniency. As the cast and crew explain throughout the special features, one's political affiliation is hardly relevant when it comes to the dependence we as Americans have on oil. Striving to ween ourselves off the substance will, in time, become as inherently American as ranch dressing and jazz-rock.\nThere are only about 20 minutes of special features included on this disc and, despite the fact the film is so dense that it hardly speaks for itself upon an initial viewing, that's alright. Alongside three deleted scenes that become lost in the opaque layers of the rest of the film, there are two mini-docs included. The first is a brief but lively discussion with producer/star George Clooney concerning his weight gain, Arabic language lessons, world travel and feelings that Gaghan's screenplay is the true star of the film. The second is a slightly meatier rumination on how the movie palpably and alarmingly highlights real world issues that need fixing regardless of one's political affiliation.\n"Syriana" functions not only as a cautionary tale, but as a engaging piece of dense dramatic cinema. While never overtly explained in the film itself, the title "Syriana" is apparently a term coined by the U.S. government and the oil industry to denote an ideal Middle Eastern state. How our government and the oil companies in it's pocket define such a state is debatable, while the only fact that is absolute is that we must curb our dependence on oil usage and carbon dioxide emissions before we gloriously self-implode.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
In "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" Director Lasse Hallstrom (Chocolat) brings to life the remarkable novel by Peter Hedges (About a Boy). Although there are many little plotlines to this movie, it shows the life of a young man and the struggles of his everyday life in a rundown town as he cares for his family and tries to find himself.\nGilbert Grape lives in small town of Endora, which, as he puts it, "describing Endora is like dancing to no music. It's a town where nothing much ever happens, nothing much ever will." Gilbert, the man of the house since his father passed away, takes care of his obese mother (Darlene Cates), older sister and younger brother and sister, though he spends most of his time caring for his autistic brother, Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio). When he's not caring for his brother, Gilbert works at the local Grocery store, where he is often seen making deliveries to Mrs. Betty Carver (Mary Steenburgen) with whom he is having an affair. \nJust when Gilbert thinks his life will never get any better, he notices a new face in town. Gilbert meets Becky (Natural Born Killers' Juliette Lewis), who was just passing through town with her grandmother until their trailer breaks down. Gilbert finds peace in the time he spends with Becky. She makes Gilbert feel special and makes him think about what he wants in life, since he is always busy thinking about his family.\nThe movie, which is a little slow paced, will keep your attention and capture your heart. The thing I like best is that all the while Gilbert is trying to care and please everybody else, he is not portrayed as a hero. He is a character who has his own flaws and problems that he is also dealing with. \nThe performances in this movie were unbelievable, especially Depp, delivering a signature performance as Gilbert. I cannot even begin to describe DiCaprio's performance. The way he plays Arnie is absolutely remarkable, as you begin to think he really is autistic. I personally think Leo should have gotten an Academy Award for this performance. The supporting cast of Lewis, Cates, Steenburgen, as well as John C. Reilly and Crispin Glover is fantastic. The movie could not have been cast any better. \nThis special collector's edition DVD comes with special features such as commentaries with the director and writer, an inside look at the characters, and interesting interviews with the cast. \nIf you have yet to see this movie, I strongly urge you to see it. A drama that has a bit of romance and comedy, this movie is filmed in a way that makes you look at life in a different way. It will leave you feeling grateful for everything you have ever taken for granted and will leave you overwhelmed with emotion that will touch your heart.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
Horror movies featuring creepy children are not exactly uncommon, we have "The Bad Seed," "Children of The Damned," "The Exorcist," "Children of the Corn" and Dakota Fanning Playing "Hide and Seek" with Robert DeNiro, to name a few. And since 1976 we have had "The Omen," a well made film targeted at a wide audience, which features the arguably definitive creepy child, the devil's own steely eyed five-year-old son. Gregory Peck (who won an Academy Award for his role in "To Kill a Mocking Bird") came out of a six-year retirement to star as the boy's father. \nRather predictably, following this month's opening of the new version of "The Omen," the new, two-disc "collector's edition" DVD of the 1976 original has become, at least somewhat available. I say somewhat because this edition seems not to have been picked up by most of the sources I turn to in search of DVDs. This is not that shocking when considering first that the remake, despite being thoroughly enjoyed by myself and several others I know, has been coldly received overall. Secondly, it seems that just about every DVD is some sort of "special collectors edition" (as opposed to say, all the DVDs aimed at those non-collectors who hesitate to accumulate to many titles or perhaps buy, watch and then routinely dispose of their viewing material). Anyway, many of these special editions are not all that special and certainly aren't worth buying if one already possesses an earlier DVD release of the same film. However, "The Omen, Collector's Edition," deserves more attention.\nIf you are interested in quality classic horror, this edition of "The Omen" will in fact fill an essential spot in your collection. In addition to the film, itself remastered and in widescreen format, the set includes quite a few special features, the most worthwhile being an "Appreciation," by Wes Craven, a piece in which Craven thoughtfully praises the film from his point of view as a filmmaker and horror aficionado, and the "Screenwriter's Notebook" in which writer David Seltzer, who claims "The Bible" and "Jaws" to have been his primary influences, details his experience working on the film. Other special features include discussion of the film's score by composer Jerry Goldsmith and the typical DVD commentary tracks, featurettes and while it sadly includes only one deleted scene, I still find this edition of "The Omen" to be quite worthwhile and would certainly recommend it to anyone with an interest in the genre.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
"Married… with Children," arguably the flagship show of the Fox network until its cancellation in 1997, has just released its fifth season on DVD. And that, friends, is a lot of television to sit through.\nAs a show, it's great. The Bundys didn't just cater to the lowest common denominator, they were the lowest common denominator, and their decade-long run celebrated the worst the American family has to offer: the broken, pessimistic and sexist father, the lazy, do-nothing wife, the whorish blonde daughter and the sex-starved nerd of a son. It was trashy, lewd, and its working title was "Not the Cosbys." It was so detested by its critics that it was the subject of boycotts. It would make shows like "Yes, Dear" and "Everybody love Raymond" cry before it took their lunch money.\nAs a DVD, "Married … with Children" sucks. Or the fifth season does, anyway. There's nothing on the discs besides the episodes themselves, and to the kind of jerk who would spend 30 dollars on a boxed set of TV episodes, that's a spectacular failure. No interviews, no behind-the-scenes, no making-of documentary. Nothing. \nTry and imagine the surprise of the unemployed, thirty-something bachelor sitting on a couch in his mom's basement when he finds out there isn't even a Christina Applegate filmography section. \n"Rage" is probably the right word.\nHe would have a point. For the price they're asking, they could have included something with the set, but beyond the packaging there isn't anything to be had. Even the opening theme song, the instantly-recognized "Love and Marriage" sung by the Chairman has been changed, assumedly because of copyright issues; the credits roll to a studio band playing a markedly dissimilar piece.\nSo there really isn't much to talk about for the DVD. If you're thinking of buying this you'll have to purchase it on the episodes alone, and that can be a tall order for anyone who isn't a big fan of the series. That's a shame. Nine years after it went off the air, "Married… with Children" is still recognizable and is shown in syndication on cable. It's defined the careers of those who acted on it. The show had a diehard fan base that would probably have loved a couple of crew commentaries, and I find it hard to believe that the production couldn't come up with anything. Since they didn't, it's hard to recommend this to anyone. Skip it.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
In March critics and audiences were shocked and unhappy when the Oscar unwisely went to "Crash." Sure the Academy deserved some criticism, but we should focus our anger on the Emmys, who for far too long have been making the wrong TV decisions. Hopefully July 6th Emmy nominations announcements bring good news. \nThis year the Emmys instituted a new voting system. Voters will now send in their top choices and then a separate panel will narrow down the most popular. This new approach gives rating challenged shows and cable series a better chance. Unfortunately it's too little, too late. Over the years the Emmys have snubbed too many worthy candidates and continued to honor the same few shows, long after most of them had run out of creative steam. Last year "Will and Grace," which hasn't been funny for years, was the top nominated show. Frequent winner "Everybody Loves Raymond" was consistently hilarious, but how many freaking awards did Doris Roberts need? So now even if five never-nominated, deserving nominees fill out the spots, there will still be a great number of snubs. Solution? Allow ties and more than five nominees in each category. This way past grievances are forgiven and present achievements are recognized. \nMany believe the new system exists to finally give Lauren Graham an award for "Gilmore Girls." And it's about damn time. In the show's six years it's only been nominated for Best Makeup (how generous) so hopefully it finally gets Emmy love. However instead of giving Graham the Best Lead Actress-Comedy award, why not speed up the process and give her a lifetime achievement award? That way more slots will be open in her category and "Gilmore" costars Kelly Bishop and Alexis Bledel have a shot too. \nAnd speaking of lifetime achievement awards a special award, due to its premature cancellation, should go to "Arrested Development" for Best Comedy Series of All Time*. The asterisk will denote "tied with 'I Love Lucy,' 'All in the Family' and 'Seinfeld,'" that way people don't get too pissed. The show took home Best Comedy Series, Best Directing and Best Writing back in 2004, however cast members Tony Hale, David Cross, Portia DiRossi, Will Arnett, Alia Shawkat and Michael Cera all have yet to be nominated.\nAccompanying "Arrested" for Best Comedy Series should be "The Office" (with acting nominations for Steve Carrell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer), "Entourage" (a Jeremy Piven nomination needs no explanation) and "Scrubs." "Scrubs" was finally nominated last year along with Zach Braff, but the rest of their ensemble cast (mainly John C. McGinley) are all members of the snub club. That leaves one spot left. I'd be content with any of four freshman comedies: "My Name is Earl" (Jason Lee and Jaime Pressly are shoo-ins), "Everybody Hates Chris," the cruelly canceled "The Comeback" and "Extras" (though with only six episodes in its season voters may think it too little). However Showtime's "Weeds," "Desperate Housewives" (even though most will think its quality has dropped), or "Will and Grace" (for parting reasons) will probably take it.\n"Desperate" causes a big problem. The show should be submitted in the drama categories, but instead it's entered as a comedy. All its actresses are submitted in the lead category instead of splitting them up into lead and supporting. Last year Felicity Huffman deservedly took home the award, but she and Eva Longoria should have been put in the supporting category, that way Huffman could take home the supporting and Marcia Cross could win the leading. But because they were grouped together Longoria was ignored. Longoria was the best thing about this season so she deserves a win. Teri Hatcher should be left out just for her continuous complaining of her Ryan Seacrest break-up (do you think he said "Seacrest out?") \nOld favorite "Curb Your Enthusiasm" will likely have to sit this award season out. The show is amazing, but this season was real weak. I've never been fazed by Larry David's outrageous behavior, but even I was a little disgusted when he accused a woman of hiding a baseball in her vagina. \nAs far as the dramas go, "Lost" amazes me and I'll have no problem if it takes home Best Drama Series again. But with Emmy favorites "The West Wing" and "Six Feet Under" finishing their runs, expect them to sweep many major categories. Obviously "The Sopranos" (thanks to the dorms not having HBO I've yet to see the sixth season) will get acknowledgment, along with past nominee "24" and HBO newcomer "Big Love." Critics are pulling for "Battlestar Galactica" but due to it being on the Sci-Fi Channel it doesn't stand much of a chance. Expect "Grey's Anatomy" to pull in nominees for its strong female supporting cast along with directing, writing and Best Series.\nHopefully the new system works and I'll shed a tear of joy as Lauren Graham accepts her award, but something tells me I'll be watching Debra Messing and crew at the podium all night. Oh well, at least they tried.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
The pizza vendor was still overwhelmed with customers three hours after lunch. Children, teenagers and married men tapped their feet as they waited for a quick meal since the Pop-Tarts and Coca-Cola couldn't hold them off as planned. A few glimpsed at their wristwatch, paused and then counted the people ahead of them judging the wait. Others departed and gave up on a late lunch. They would rather starve than miss the next tournament.\nIt seemed to be the darkest event Louisville, Kentucky's Exposition Center would see this year. It was dreary and somber with minimal \nlighting inside the cerise colored doors, giving a cavernous feel to the event. There was a sea of computers littered with perspiring faces and High-Definition televisions. Visitors squatted by televisions and closely watched Unreal Tournament finalists duke it out as announcers explained the technique of each competitor. Other guests indulged in a quick round of Halo 2, Quake 4, and racing and sports games. A variety of other events were available to jaded gamers, such as Duct Tape Wars, tug-of-war, Computer Jeopardy, jousting and an Ubi Soft sponsored Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament. The winner of each event was awarded free gaming hardware provided by ATI, the official sponsor of the first-ever World Series of Video Games Tour.\nBrian Dougherty, 21, of North Huntington, PA made the trip to Kentucky in hopes of becoming a Quake 4 or Counter Strike finalist, but never a Rock, Paper, Scissors champion. "I came for the [Bring Your Own Computer] but when I was waiting in line for the sign-in," Dougherty explained, "my friend and I were playing Rock, Paper, Scissors and he told me they were having [a Rock, Paper, Scissors] event so I decided to join." \nFormerly known as the Million Man Land, and consisting only of Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC), the World Series of Video Games got its new name from the vast sponsorship presence. For returning gamers it is a surprise to see so many corporate vendors and such a large media presence. ATI, Intel, Fatal1ty and other sponsors brought the resources gamers needed, and consequentially grabbed the public's attention.\nDougherty is one of those gamers that noticed a change: "The entry fee was more expensive this year, but the network is as fast as it could be. I haven't had any problems."\nOnly the finest in video gaming technology was available to visitors and competitors at the first stop of the World Series of Video Games. Insomnia365 provided the ultra-fast internet Dougherty spoke of, and ATI supplied all the necessary graphic cards for non-BYOC tournament play. Microsoft also threw in a helping hand by providing enough Xbox 360s to have their own small niche called the Xbox 360 arcade area. Throughout the five-day event this small arcade area hosted several competitions, open to any and all who attended. Every hour the announcement would come: "A Dance Dance Revolution competition is about to start in the Xbox 360 arcade area. If you think you're the best dancer here then come on over to the Xbox 360 arcade area and show us what you got." \nChildren ran across the dancing pad, acting as if they knew how to play. A middle-aged couple got on stage and laughed at themselves attempt to understand the passing arrows, the flashing lights. One individual embarrassed them all, showing the crowd the degree of finesse and precision required for Dance Dance Revolution. He had it down to an art, but the crowd's attention was quickly diverted to a small three-wheeled companion that used to only exist on the big screen.\n"Touch this, right here. That is the case of an old Gateway 2000 desktop. All three of the wheel coverings are casings from old Gateways," Bruce Maley, 29, explained to any ear showing the least bit of interest. "The dome piece was salvaged and welded from scrap metal. It has all the same dimensions as the original in Star Wars."\nMaley has been working on his own personal R2-D2 for more then two years. He has brought case-mods to past events, but was never pleased with them. It would take three or four of his friends to unload his original version from a truck bed. So he decided to make a lighter, more durable replication. To get the dimensions of the real R2, he went to Google groups and sure enough he came across R2 groupies. Since then he has put 200-400 hours into the little guy, which doubles as a 200 gigabyte computer on wheels, accessible to the internet through a wireless connection. When it's all said and done he hopes to have the flashing lights, the revolving dome and the bleeps of R2 speak. He also has aspirations of walking downtown as he plays online with friends.\n'Crazy Billy Bob' as his friends refer to Maley, came from Lansing, MI to attend his 3rd event in this venue. He came for the Battlefield 2 tournament and has nothing to complain about this year around. He is more than satisfied with the growing popularity, as well as the event's name change. "It has gained the attention of big corporations and the media, which is great because it brings more," Maley said. "The E3 presence is new and Blizzard has brought faster internet for the LAN portion."\nLANWAR was the designated name of the Louisville event hosted by the World Series of Video Games. It is a global tour that has planned stops in Texas, Brazil, China and England, each having a specific category of games. However, each venue's top two contenders of Halo 2, Counter Strike, Quake 4 and Project Gotham Racing 3 advance to the finals, which will be held at the tour's final stop, yet to be scheduled.\nAs the day slowly winds down, vendors begin to dismantle by closing their small tents. Yet one vendor remains up, and will stay until a majority of the gamers have left or succumbed to fatigue. With all the stress accumulating from the constant hassle of a gaming life, it's understandable that the masseuse will stay for 12-hour shifts. "This will be my third year here," Amy Guyton, 33, said. A student at the University of Louisville, Guyton originally got word of this event from a friend who builds hard drives. "He said this could be a good opportunity for you to make money, and sure enough, it was." Amy Guyton continues. "This is our biggest money making weekend of the year." She only wishes they could travel with the tour. \nIt is now past 8 p.m. A DJ sets up on stage in front of empty chairs and bleachers. A few worn-out parents and over-caffeinated gamers scatter themselves in the seats, warily watching the DJ warm-up. The once populated sea of Intel computers is now empty, yet announcers continue to comment on the day's events, as well as tomorrow's upcoming excitement. A few people halt and listen in on their analysis. Others scurry back to the BYOC area where hundreds of empty energy drinks rest atop monitors and hard drives. In the furthest, darkest, coldest corner of the exposition center there are bodies strewn across the floor in sleeping bags and blankets, dreaming of the pecuniary winnings that could be theirs. The loud speaker interrupts their tranquil sleep for just a moment: "Jerry Glassik you need to please call your mom. Jerry Glassik, please call your mom"
(06/29/06 4:00am)
In a world where cultures clash and politicians plunder, one band has made a message through their music of unity and harmony. Setting aside political borders and coming up with their own contrived plot: how to make you dance.\nBlending Mediterranean and Eastern European folk music with hard-core electronic beats, Balkan Beat Box is truly a band that has to be seen or heard to be understood. In a strange orgy of colors and sounds fused with strong horns, belly dancers, an MC, and seven to eight talented musicians feeding off their audience and each other, their live show is an eclectic circus full of passion and life.\nAnother stage. Another town. Always a different show. While traveling on a bus to Chicago's Summer Dance Festival, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon, Tamir Muskat, BBB's co-founder, had a chance to reflect on the group's past, present, and inspired evolution. And what a long strange trip it's been.\nBalkan Beat Box was born out of the bond of friendship and musicianship between its co-founders Muskat and Ori Kaplan. Muskat and Kaplan played together in several premiere NYC bands like the critically acclaimed Firewater. They gathered their favorite musicians, began traveling, and what started as an interesting project soon became a functioning band in 2003, releasing their first album in September, 2005 on J Dub records. \n"We're lucky," Muskat said, as group members echoed his sentiments over the line. "I mean, we're very good, (he said jokingly) but we're very lucky. It's been an amazing opportunity to come together. I've got no complaints."\nIf there is one major opportunity BBB has had, it's the chance to inspire and unite people all over the world with their intense, high-energy live shows. \n"99 percent of the time our shows turn into a dance party," Muskat said. "Our shows take a lot of leaps because things are constantly moving. We're changing every show."\nAnd changing is a huge part of BBB's philosophy. Muskat thinks back to only a year ago and sees the progression their music has taken saying it's "more extreme" than when they first started due to stronger beats from their new MC and new experiences the group has encountered from their travels. \n"We're obsessed with change," Muskat said. "Like a bacteria. Alive and changing all the time. That's BBB's number one rule." \nBalkan Beat Box has taken their insane stage show all over the world, from Muskat's native Israel to right here in Bloomington's backyard at the annual Lotus World Music Festival, claiming that Lotus Fest was one of their best shows due to the welcoming atmosphere. Recent graduate Chris Sommerfeld saw BBB at Lotus Fest and found he was not only impressed by the performance, but also the show theatrics.\n"They have a really all encompassing sound," Sommerfeld said. "When I saw them at Lotus Fest the lead singer was hanging upside down from the tent. It was pretty amazing and I hope to see them again." \nMuskat is proud to say that BBB's music represents cultural fusion and harmony, no matter their GPS. The band will continue their travels with upcoming shows in NYC, France and Switzerland this summer. \n"It's amazing to cross borders. It feels so natural," Muskat said. "Cultures not coming together is a huge problem in our world, especially where we come from growing up in Israel. We're proud to represent cultures living in peace."\nPlaying in front of audiences from intimate to massive keeps BBB always thriving off the diversity of the crowd. \n"We give 100 percent regardless of who is there and who is not," Muskat said. \nAfter recently playing at the three day music festival Bonnaroo, the band was able to not only explode their funky style all over the Southern Tennessee stage but also catch some of their favorites like Beck, Damian Marley, and Radiohead to name a few. Their Bonnaroo set was well attended with audiences dancing wildly even with the highly anticipated Super Jam going on a few tents over. \nThey've been called everything from "gypsy punk" to an "Eastern block party," but titles mean little to the members of Balkan Beat Box. The music means everything.\n"We've been making music all our lives," Muskat said. "As an artist you find yourself realizing you're so fucking self-centered and it's time to give back."\nAnd they give everything they've got. Every town. Every show. \nIt's almost time for the band to take the stage at their Chicago show and a night filled with dancing and musical mayhem is on the agenda. Skeptics will be converted. Fans will be entertained. Few will be standing still. Many will be inspired.
(06/29/06 4:00am)
Grease will drip and sizzle in barbecue grills as hamburgers and hotdogs are prepared outdoors. Flies will be shoed away from plates during outdoor meals. Little kids will run through sprinklers in their underwear to cool off. Adults will spill mustard and other condiments on their red, white, and blue outfits. Roads will be inconveniently closed to allow for parades to commence. As the sun sinks over the horizon and aloe vera is applied to sunburned skin, crowds will gather and turn their attention to the skies. Fireworks will explode and illuminate skies all around the country as America celebrates its 230th birthday this 4th of July. \nThe 4th can be a family affair in the backyard, grilling and setting off personal fireworks, or a shared community experience with professional firework displays.\nThose in the Bloomington area for this holiday will have plenty of recreational opportunities to celebrate American independence. A new law allows private citizens to set off fireworks on their own property as early as nine in the morning until 11 at night (midnight on holidays). Those interested in taking advantage of this new law must be at least 18 years old to purchase fireworks, and anyone age 16 or younger can set them off while under adult supervision.\nOne of the many places that fireworks can be purchased locally is Patriotic Fireworks located near Panera Bread on Bloomington's east side. Patriotic Fireworks will be open eight a.m. to midnight on the fourth. The store carries popular items such as four pack sparklers, Texas pop packets, artillery shells, and an item known as "The King". The store also offers a 10% discount to students, and has a buy one get three free offer on many fireworks.\nIndiana resident Rita Flynn recently visited the store with her children to stock up on fireworks. \n"It's easier for us to do our own," Flynn said. She purchased an assortment of fireworks for her 4th of July celebration. "Bottle rockets, red devils, a little bit of everything" Flynn said. Flynn said she would be back to the store again before the upcoming holiday and was excited about the new law which allows citizens to set off fireworks in their own backyards without a permit. Previously they were restricted to designated areas and a professional was supposed to set off personal fireworks.\nThe Bloomington Independence day parade will begin at three p.m. on the July 4th starting at 11th and College, go to the courthouse lawn downtown, and return to 11th street at four-fifteen p.m. The parade will feature local businesses, organizations, and politicians, among other things. Bloomington resident Jake Hyde has fond memories of the local parade. His grandfather used to show his antique cars in the parade. Hyde used to ride with his grandfather in the parade as a child. Some of the cars shown in the parade were a 1935 Chrysler Roadster, a 1930 Ford Crown Victoria, and a 1978 Chevrolet Corvette. Hyde wants to go to Lake Monroe for this 4th of July. \n"I want to go out on the lake. Go out on my uncle's boat or rent a boat," Hyde said. There will also be a concert featuring local bands on the courthouse lawn prior to the parade. Admission is free.\nFireworks will be set off next to the Indiana University football stadium (Memorial Stadium) this 4th of July. As always, the show will be free, and visitors can park in the stadium parking lot. Bloomington resident and Indiana University junior Tim Nock has been to the stadium to watch the fireworks show before, but prefers to buy his own. Nock feels it is more fun to buy his own because he gets to light them and do the work. \n"It's fun to watch them but it's more fun to actually do it," Nock said. "Once I've had a bottle rocket fight with friends. Never had an incident, they're actually quite safe. I usually take my fireworks apart and make them into one big firework. You have to tape like eight bottle rockets together and stick them in something to make it blow up."\nThis Friday (July 30th), the Bloomington Speedway will have its 21st annual Gigantic Ariel Fireworks Display along with its regularly scheduled races. General admission is ten dollars. Bloomington Resident and Indiana University junior, Nate Clark used to watch the fireworks display at the Bloomington Speedway from his front porch. Clark's parents live on Henderson St. across the road from the Bloomington Speedway. This year Clark's plans are different. \n"I'll probably go out on the lake, have a barbecue, hang out with my family and friends, watch some fireworks, and drink some beverages," Clark said. \nFirework enthusiasts can get their fill of fireworks the night before the holiday as well. On Monday July 3rd there will be a fireworks show at Lake Monroe. Visitors can go to the Fairfax State Recreation Area located at the south end of Fairfax rd. The Department of Natural Resources charges a four dollar admission to the park for in-state visitors, and five dollars for out-of-state visitors. Four Winds Resort and Marina is nearby and has a bar and restaurant that will reimburse visitors for their admissions fee with the purchase of either food or drink. Four Winds Resort and Marina also offer pontoon and double-decker boats for rent. The show will begin at dusk and last approximately 30 minutes. The event has drawn large crowds in previous years. Director of Sales and Marketing for Four Winds Resort and Marina, Michelle Smith suggests that those who plan on attending the event arrive a few hours early and have dinner there so that they can get a good spot.
(06/29/06 1:13am)
"Married… with Children," arguably the flagship show of the Fox network until its cancellation in 1997, has just released its fifth season on DVD. And that, friends, is a lot of television to sit through.\nAs a show, it's great. The Bundys didn't just cater to the lowest common denominator, they were the lowest common denominator, and their decade-long run celebrated the worst the American family has to offer: the broken, pessimistic and sexist father, the lazy, do-nothing wife, the whorish blonde daughter and the sex-starved nerd of a son. It was trashy, lewd, and its working title was "Not the Cosbys." It was so detested by its critics that it was the subject of boycotts. It would make shows like "Yes, Dear" and "Everybody love Raymond" cry before it took their lunch money.\nAs a DVD, "Married … with Children" sucks. Or the fifth season does, anyway. There's nothing on the discs besides the episodes themselves, and to the kind of jerk who would spend 30 dollars on a boxed set of TV episodes, that's a spectacular failure. No interviews, no behind-the-scenes, no making-of documentary. Nothing. \nTry and imagine the surprise of the unemployed, thirty-something bachelor sitting on a couch in his mom's basement when he finds out there isn't even a Christina Applegate filmography section. \n"Rage" is probably the right word.\nHe would have a point. For the price they're asking, they could have included something with the set, but beyond the packaging there isn't anything to be had. Even the opening theme song, the instantly-recognized "Love and Marriage" sung by the Chairman has been changed, assumedly because of copyright issues; the credits roll to a studio band playing a markedly dissimilar piece.\nSo there really isn't much to talk about for the DVD. If you're thinking of buying this you'll have to purchase it on the episodes alone, and that can be a tall order for anyone who isn't a big fan of the series. That's a shame. Nine years after it went off the air, "Married… with Children" is still recognizable and is shown in syndication on cable. It's defined the careers of those who acted on it. The show had a diehard fan base that would probably have loved a couple of crew commentaries, and I find it hard to believe that the production couldn't come up with anything. Since they didn't, it's hard to recommend this to anyone. Skip it.
