Hot Chick O' The Week #2 Vol. 2

I'm a sucker for teen melodrama, and I actually like the show One Tree Hill a lot. It's a well-written show and it's got a good cast of characters. It's nearing it's end, probably, but that doesn't mean that Sophia Bush isn't smoking hot. She is HCOTW #2 of the second volume.

Sophia Bush.

Top 8 movies of 2010.

Eight you say!

I suppose it’s time for the movies of the year.

Granted I have not seen them all, but the ones I have seen I can clearly base my decisions off of that.

I do, however, want to see The Fighter pretty badly.

The Social Network – A flick directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin based on a book by Ben Mezrich. Ka-fucking-ching. Aaron Sorkin has penned three of my all time favorite television shows: “Sports Night” “The West Wing” and “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.” David Fincher on the other hand is the director of Se7en, Fight Club, Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and he’s already in the midst of directing the US Remake of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Granted, I’ve got off topic, The Social Network is like the movie Network for our generation. It’s got the dialogue, it’s got the betrayal, and it’s got the assholes. It’s a movie centered around, of all things, Facebook. Which, every-fucking-body knows about. You haven’t met a person who doesn’t use Facebook, and the person who doesn’t, just doesn’t know how. Not only is this flick the best of the year, but the soundtrack was made by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. The flick will most likely win Best Oscar, if it doesn’t, it’s because The Fighter did. (And I haven’t seen that – yet).

The Town – Ben Affleck is maybe a better director than he is an actor. Maybe. I mean, Gone Baby Gone, if I remember was my number one flick back in 2007 (It was! http://marcandjdaregreat.blogspot.com/2008/01/jds-top-flicks-of-2007.html) and for good reason. The Town is based on the book by Chuck Hogan called Prince of Thieves and all but the ending and the ‘showdown’ are the same. I think I liked the ending in the book more, but the flick was fantastic. So much so, that I went out the day it came out and bought it. As it stands I’m waiting for Ben Affleck to fail as a director and he hasn’t yet. The Town is acted so well, halfway through; you forget you’re watching a movie. Jeremy Renner deserves some accolades for his performance as a guy who is just trying to hang on to everything he’s ever known, while Affleck’s character is trying to escape the life that has turned him – eternally – into a scumbag. The flick was exceptional and you should go buy it right now.

To Save a Life – I’m going to catch flack for this one. This flick is so beyond the realm of anything I would ever watch. Life is a pretty heartwarming – and often times emotionally heart-wrenching- tale about a guy who loses a former best friend to suicide. Jake Taylor’s (Randy Wayne) life turns upside down when his former best friend – who he lost touch with some years ago – eats a bullet. Up is down, Black is white. He doesn’t know where to turn, as his girlfriend doesn’t understand, his parents are in the midst of a divorce, and he turns to Christianity. He loses friends, loses girlfriends, gains friends, and ultimately comes to terms with what happened. This flick was definitely one of my favorites of the year, and I think it might have come out in 2009, however, the DVD was released in 2010. Therefore, I don’t care.

Kick-Ass – Kick-Ass is based on the exceptionally well-written comic book by Mark Millar. The flick was directed by Matthew Vaughn who most of you probably don’t remember directed the awesome Layer Cake which sky-rocketed Daniel Craig to stardom (ie: playing James Bond). Kick-Ass, like last year’s Watchmen was so much like the funny book it was unfathomable. Aaron Johnson who plays Kick-Ass/Dave Lizewski was the character I remember from the book almost identically. Vaughn stayed so true to the book that he probably caught some flak from non-comic book readers, but who cares. Fanboys love their comic book flicks, and thankfully we’ve been given two of the best in the last two years (in Watchmen and Kick-Ass).

Inception – I don’t know where to begin with Inception, because it was viciously awe-inspiring and confusing all at the same time. This was the first flick I’ve ever seen in IMAX (other than those weird Under the Sea things for school) and it won’t be the last, it was insanely awesome to watch it on a screen as big as my house. It stands to reason that a movie doesn’t necessarily have to make sense (quite yet) for it to be on your Top 10 list, it just has to make you want to watch it again. I never watch movies I don’t like twice, I never have, I never will. I watched the shitty UHF one time in my entire life – and that was one time too many. Inception, however, I got for Christmas on glorious Bluray and plan on watching it many, many times.

Shutter Island – I’ve actually grown quite fond of Leonardo DiCaprio in the last couple of years. Since I saw him in Gangs of New York I think I stopped hating him for making Titanic and then The Departed happened and it was like the greatest flick with the word ‘fuck’ in it since Clerks. For some insane reason, movies in Boston, Massachusetts seem to be awesome. Maybe it’s the accents or the fact that they’re all Micks fighting and shooting each other, because they’re drunk and stupid, but I’m not sure. Shutter Island is a mystery/thriller with the biggest twist of all time at the end and it’s written by my new favorite author Dennis Lehane. Like The Town I read Shutter Island before I saw the movie and was happy that the flick didn’t change anything. The ending of the book is so mystifying and so obvious you’ll be slapping yourself, because you didn’t realize it. Shutter Island is an amazing watch (and read).

Four Lions – Four Lions is a movie about a bunch of bumbling terrorists. It’s so outlandish you’ll openly laugh at the entire atrocity of it. Lions kind of saves comedy for me, there’s not much comedy out there anymore that’s so openly funny and knows it’s limits. It’s either you’re watching Will Ferrel or John C. Reilly or Steve Carrell. Lions takes this real thing (terrorism) and puts a sort-of humility into it that isn’t often looked at. I remember one part where they’re dressed in costumes and one is dressed like a Ninja Turtle and I openly laughed at a movie for the first time in a decade.

Greenberg – Ben Stiller isn’t a great actor when it comes to comedy. I don’t particularly like the Focker flicks or The Heartbreak Kid or Along Came Polly or any of his other slapstick comedy. My favorite Stiller flicks are in no discernable order: Permanent Midnight, Zero Effect, Royal Tenenbaums, Reality Bites, and now Greenberg. I think the word awkward sums up the basis of what Greenberg is. Greta Gerwig is exceptional in the flick and so is Rhys Ifans. Ben Stiller is playing a neurotic mess, and that’s not necessarily the best part about the movie, the best part about the movie is that he doesn’t stop. He continues to be this mess of a person up until the very end. Greenberg is by no means a perfect flick (Number 8, obviously), but it’s definitely one of those movies that get an emotion out of you (ie: cringe worthy). My favorite part of the movie is Stiller with the dog. It’s so weird and great and it shows that Stiller is a much better actor than any of those shitty comedy flicks show.

Okay, considering that I haven’t seen all of the flicks of 2010, I can’t discern which ones are left. I want to see Black Swan, The Fighter, True Grit, Tron, Never Let Me Go etc. Unfortunately I haven’t gotten around to seeing these and at some point I’ll have to review them separately and amend this list.

Pete Postlewaite dies.

Pete Postlewaite died today at the age of 64.

Postlewaite will probably best be remembered for his role in The Usual Suspects, but was actually in two of the best movies of the year this year.

The Town and Inception. He was also in The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Romeo + Juliet.

Green Lantern action figures.

Man, I think since I saw the episode of Big Bang Theory where Leonard holds up that huge green lantern, I decided that I needed to own one. Unfortunately, I don't. Maybe someday, but not today. All that aside, Mattel has released picks of their upcoming Green Lantern toys. They look pretty detailed oriented, hopefully the flick doesn't suck.

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2010/12/31/mattels-new-movie-style-hal-jordan-and-tomar-re-action-figures/hal-jordan/

Hot Chick O' The Week #1 Volume 2

Wow. I still can't believe I did 33 weeks of Hot Chick O' The Week back then. That's insanity.

This weeks Hot Chick O' The Week comes to us from Long Island, NY by way of Israel. She played Padme in those Star Wars flicks, I don't think anyone ever watched them or anything, and she's got a new flick coming out called The Other Woman. She's also got a flick called No Strings Attached and of course Black Swan where she gets pleasured by Mila Kunis.

Natalie Portman

PS.

JD's Top 10 Albums of 2010

After careful consideration, I've decided to pick my top ten albums of the year 2010. I don't think I did this last year, for whatever reason, but this year, I see no reason why I shouldn't. I'm not working, so I have nothing but time on my hands.

1. Neon Trees - Neon Trees

The Neon Trees apparently had an album similar to the one they put out in 2010, but I didn't hear that album; I heard this one. And what I heard on this album I loved to death. I listened to it approximately a thousand times and every single time I find something I like about it more and more. The song “1983” (see: year of JD’s birth) is so exceptionally written that it reminds me of shitty/great moments in my own life. The song they’re best known for is “Animal” which is a catchy tune, but not even remotely their best song. The best song on the album, for me at least, is “Your Surrender.”

Key tracks: ‘1983’, ‘Your Surrender’, ‘Animal’

2. Motion City Soundtrack – My Dinosaur Life

Motion City Soundtrack might be my favorite band. This is a true statement, but it might also be false, but the 3^rd album on this list might belong to my favorite band. A favorite band is a band whose album you can listen to on repeat if you just can’t listen to new music, because you need that familiarity. Dinosaur Life has the makings of that kind of album, because it’s so similar, and yet so different, from every Motion City Soundtrack album. The albums that I personally love, are albums that I know all the words too (ie: Boston ­– Boston) and this is one of those albums. I can’t pick out a single track or a few tracks to pick, but I will say that “@!#?@!” is an anthem for doing your own thing, for being your own person, and for loving the New York Jets. Well, at least for me.

3. We Are Scientists – Barbara.

I can say for a fact that We Are Scientists are one of my favorite bands (oddly enough that list includes: Blink 182, Metallica, Motion City Soundtrack, and We Are Scientists …Say Anything is a distant 5^th). The only thing wrong with Barbara is that it’s too short. It makes me yearn for more We Are Scientists music. My favorite track on the album is “Jack and Ginger” – so much so that I, stupidly, drank the title and it’s not a drink I am a fan of. WAS are not a band for everyone. I personally don’t know one other person that likes them, but I do. I’ve listened to every album and know every word to every song and consider myself a fan of theirs. If you want to put your ear to something refreshing and listen to some amazing lyrics, pick up this album.

Key tracks: ‘Jack and Ginger’, ‘Rules don’t stop’, ‘Ambition’

4. Eminem – Recover.

Like I have to say it; Eminem is back. He’s shucked off the stink of his Relapse album and come full force with Recovery. This isn’t the best Eminem album to date, but it’s probably number two. He’s not rapping in little kid voices anymore, Marshall Mathers is a man, man. And far be it for me to wax intellectual about it, because I’ve been a fan since day one, but Relapse was a giant piece of shit as far as Eminem goes, and he knows it. There’s times when a band you love comes out with an album that you just despise (ie: Metallica’s St. Anger) and you just try and try and try to love it, but you just can’t. That was me with Relapse, it was a horrible album.

Key tracks: ‘Won’t back down’, ‘Love the way you lie’, ‘Cinderella Man’

5. Against Me! – White Crosses

I’ve listened to this album probably a hundred times while I worked out over the summer and sometimes, not even working out, just listening to the harsh vocals and receptive lyrics. ‘I was a Teenage Anarchist/Looking for a revolution’ was the first album and basically they’re talking about all the thoughts you had of a teenager and all the options you had. It’s a damn good song, and so is the rest of the album.

Key tracks: ‘I was a Teenage Anarchist’, ‘Rapid Decompression’

6. Gaslight Anthem – American Slang

I remember when this album dropped and by dropped I mean it was obtainable…illegally…not by me of course, but by someone else, right? I remember this, because of how excited I was. Their second album The ’59 Sound was amazing, I loved every song on the album and can still recite the lyrics from memory. American Slang is the third album of gruff, almost mean sounding Gaslight Anthem, and it’s not as good as 59 Sound, but it’s still good enough to be on here. The lead singer, Brian Fallon, has a little Springsteen going on. Not to mention he’s from fucking Red Bank. Nooch.

Key tracks: ‘Old Haunts’ ‘American Slang’

7. Brandon Flowers – Flamingo

Brandon Flowers is the lead singer of the rock band The Killers, and this is his first solo album. All I have to say is that if is his first shot at putting out a solo album…I can’t wait for the second album. Flamingo is a mix of pop, rock, and melody enriched music that takes you from one extreme to the other. He croons about Las Vegas in Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, where the Killers originated, and he sings with Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley and Jenny and Johnny) in ‘Hard Enough’ – which is a pretty amazing duet. The album didn’t receive the most critical praise, but that’s expected, it’s a weird album with a very vague message (if any). It’s very catchy though and it’s an easy listen. It’s an album that you can just sit down and enjoy.

Key tracks: ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’, ‘Hard Enough’, ‘Magdalena’

8. Pete Yorn – Pete Yorn

I don’t know what it is with Pete Yorn, but every album he puts out is different. He had that awful album with Scarlett Johannson that was practically unlistenable and his prior solo effort was just way to soft and mellow to listen to. This album, however, returned Yorn to his Musicforthemorningafter days.

Key tracks: ‘Rock Crowd’, ‘Precious Stone’, ‘Velcro shoes’

9. Vampire Weekend – Contra.

I think I’m alone in liking Vampire Weekend, at least when it comes to my friends, but they’re awesome. They’re music is severely different compared to anything else out there and they sing about weird shit. I love that about them. At this point who hasn’t heard Holiday on those car commercials? I think my favorite song off the album is “Cousins” though, it’s quick, fun, and I’m not sure if it means anything, but whatever.

Key Tracks: ‘Cousins’ ‘Holiday’ ‘Giving up the Gun’

10. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

First of all, I could give a shit if Kanye West stole the microphone from Taylor Swift, there I said it. Kanye West is a lunatic, and he’s completely out of touch with reality, but that’s what makes him who he is. Everyone out there hates Kanye West, because of what he did to Taylor Swift, but I don’t care. Maybe West was drunk, maybe he was high, and who gives a crap. He made Taylor Swift famous and he made himself infamous in the process. Fantasy sold almost 500,000 copies in its first week and hit number one. Not to mention after everything that happened at the MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West was awarded MTV’s Man of the Year award. You can pretend to hate him, but you know you like him.

Key Tracks: ‘Dark Fantasy’, ‘Runaway’, ‘Power’

Honorable Mentions:

Drake – Thank Me Later

Wavves – King of the Beach

Bruno Mars – Doo Wops and Hooligans

T.I. – No Mercy

Trapt – No Apologies

Max Bemis and the Painful Splits.

I found my old blog and it's AWESOME.

Oh man. I found my old blog, the last post was 2006 in June or somewhere there abouts. I don't know why I lost touch with the blog exactly, but after reading it a lot tonight I decided I'll post it on here. 

http://republicademonkeys.blogspot.com/