[Guest Review - Dentist]
Long 
before Mr. MacPhisto donned his horns, before a mirrorball lemon graced the stage and before Paul Hewson took his now famous moniker, there were just four lads who wanted to form a band, make some music and perhaps put out a record. Nearly thirty years after the release of their first proper album, U2 have managed to write some timeless songs and create a pretty decent following of fans in the process.
With the release of the remastered editions of Boy, October and War U2 follow up their massively successful release of the remastered Joshua Tree in 2007. Click below for thoughtful reviews of each:
These three records were all great when originally released and with all due respect to the directorial efforts of The Edge, the remastered editions don’t bring much new to the table, at least to my unrefined ears. However, there are a few noticeable improvements (if nothing else in overall clarity) and it provided an opportunity to spin some discs that have not graced my CD player in quite awhile.
U2’s self-proclaimed post-punk musical stylings are readily apparent on Boy, as are the angst/coming of age lyrics that were heavily influenced by the then recent death of Bono’s mother, Iris (‘ A boy tries hard to be a man/His mother takes him by the hand/If he stops to think, he starts to cry/ Oh why?’—I Will Follow). “Out of Control”, which was the band’s first single and in this reviewer’s opinion still one of their best songs to date, and “The Electric Co.” are album standouts. But it’s the rare and unreleased tracks available in the deluxe edition that make this one worth having. “11 O’Clock Tick Tock” has long been a live set standard and it’s a travesty it was never included on a proper album. In addition, tracks like “Saturday Night”, a dark, brooding Cure-ish cut (which would later morph into “Fire”) and the three songs (Out of Control, Boy-Girl and Stories for Boys) that comprised the band’s first release in the form of an EP in September 1979 called “U2 3” all make the bonus CD a must have.
If Boy was U2 finding themselves, then October was U2 finding their way. A record full of religious imagery and introspection, it features the fist-pumping opening track “Gloria”, a song that is interestingly juxtaposed against “October”, a haunting track that would be nicely placed on a doomsday playlist. “Rejoice” is a 
nice track, as is “Fire”, which was recorded while the band was on hiatus in the Bahamas after recording Boy. The remainder of the record, unfortunately, suffers from little more than what sounds like unfinished thoughts and puffery. However, just like the bonus disc included with the deluxe edition of Boy, this one delivers in spades. To begin with, the five song offering recorded at the Hammersmith Palais in London is a fabulous recording and has been bootlegged from the original FM broadcast too many times to count. It’s nice to have the quality sourced from the original BBC transmit here. Also, the set from the Paradise Theatre in Boston (still one U2’s most legendary concerts and their first legitimate show in the US), although included in iTunes’ “The Complete U2” released in 2004, is a nice inclusion here (witness the infectious enthusiasm of the band as Bono shouts “Up off your feet, up on your feet!!” before launching into a blistering version of “I Will Follow”). The best gems by far, however, are “A Celebration”, a great song in which we first hear hints of the guitar style that The Edge would further develop and display on War, and “Trash, Trampoline and The Party Girl”, a song with an interesting Spanish /Moroccan feel that has long been one of U2’s favorite live numbers.
War is, by far, the best of these three albums. Aside from featuring U2’s best album cover, it is probably their most purely “rock-n-roll” record to date and it is here that The Edge had begun to master the echo effect that was to make him recognizable to any discerning ear. From the opening notes of “Sunday Bloody Sunday” you know that this is a special record. “Seconds”, a song that speaks of the threat of nuclear Armageddon, is all the more relevant given current geopolitics and “New Year’s Day” has stayed fresh as well. Probably the most underrated songs on the album are the brilliant “Like a Song” and poignant “Drowning Man”, both of which help anchor a record that holds up unbelievably well twenty five years later. Album closer “40”, the perfect dénouement for an uncompromising, politically charged record, is still, as far as I’m concerned, how every U2 concert should be concluded. However, as good as the album is, the bonus disc is an absolute waste. How many remixes can you put on one CD (six, to be exact)? There is absolutely nothing here that I can’t live without and it’s a shame that they couldn’t find anything more redeeming to include.
The liner notes on all deluxe versions of the remastered discs are very good with interesting commentary from The Edge and there are also some really nice photos, some of which I don’t ever remember seeing before. I highly recommend purchasing these together as a box set here. The packaging is pretty cool, it’s cheaper than buying the discs individually and there is room for a fourth disc to be released in the future, presumably Under a Blood Red Sky. All in all, an impressive release; just do yourself a favor and get the deluxe editions with all the extras.
Boy:
Album—B
Bonus disc—B+
October:
Album—C+
Bonus disc—A-
War:
Album—A-
Bonus disc--C
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
U2 - Box Set and Remastered Boy, War and October
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
WTC Twin Towers Under Construction
The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were built between 1968 and 1973. These images were taken from the PBS documentary New York. Episode 8 is a 3 hour history of the World Trade Center, from its conception to its destruction. A fascinating, moving, and stimulating 3 hours. Click below for more pictures. 
Click on the photos to enlarge them.
My unhealthy obsession with these buildings feels like it's drawing to a close.
DVD and CD Releases - September 9th
Recent DVD Releases: 
Baby Mama
The Fall
The Forbidden Kingdom
Sarah Landon and the Paranormal Hour
Click below for more DVD and CD releases.
DVD Special Editions/Other Releases:
TV Box Sets:
Grey's Anatomy: Season Four
In Treatment: Complete Series
Legion of Super Heroes: Volume Three
Medium: Season Four
Smallville: Season Seven
Ugly Betty: Season Two
Wings: Season Seven
Special Editions/Other Releases:
14 Women
The Big Lebowski: 10th Anniversary Edition
Child's Play: Anniversary Edition
Cool Hand Luke: Deluxe Edition
House of the Dead
How the West Was Won: Ultimate Collector's Edition
Pumpkinhead: Collector's Edition
Son of Sam
Taking 5
New CD Releases:
Joan Baez - Day After Tomorrow
Eric Benet - Love & Life
Calexico - Carried to Dust
Catie Curtis - Sweet Life
Colourmusic - f, monday, orange, february, venus, lunatic, 1 or 13
The Dark Romantics - Heartbreaker
Michael Franti - All Rebel Rockers
Fujiya & Miyagi - Lightbulbs
Gym Class Heroes - The Quilt
Iced Earth - The Crucible Of Man (Something Wicked Part II)
I'm Not Jim - You Are All My People
Hal Ketchum - Father Time
LL Cool J - Exit 13
Patty Loveless - Sleepless Nights
Magic Slim & the Teardrops - Midnight Blues
Meiko - Meiko
Metallica - Death Magnetic
Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
Joan Osborne - Little Wild One
Jessica Simpson - Do You Know
The Sound of Animals - Fighting The Ocean and the Sun
Unspoken - Jim Brickman
Brian "Head" Welch - Save Me From Myself former Korn guitarist
Dar Williams - Promised Land
Punch-Drunk Videos
(Videos contain R-rated language)
Part of the inspiration for Philip Seymour Hoffman's character in Punch-Drunk Love.
Click below for PSH and PTA's recreation of this commercial and more.
Punch-Drunk Love is my favorite romantic comedy of this decade. Here is one of my favorite scenes in the film:
Another great scene. Adam Sandler and Emily Watson are perfect in their roles. Hilarious writing here.
Paul Thomas Anderson has always had unusual sources of inspiration for his films. He is a particularly devoted admirer of Robert Altman. He found Philip Baker Hall in an obscure (and pretty good) 1984 Altman film, Secret Honor, a one-man movie where Richard Nixon talks about the events of his presidency. Another Altman film, was the source of Punch-Drunk Love's song "He Needs Me". By nearly all accounts (including mine), Popeye (1980) is a disaster, but PTA was able to take this scene where Shelley Duvall sings and use it beautifully.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Election Coverage - MSNBC
I
posted earlier this year about my love for MSNBC's coverage of the 2008 election. Over the past couple of weeks, that channel has moved from commenting on the news to making news. Anchored by Chris Matthews and (barf) Keith Olbermann, the convention coverage has been marred by on-air spats and off air speculation about the feuds. So, now the subpar David Gregory will host as Matthews and Olbermann are tossed aside. Click below for more of my thoughts on the coverage:
At first, I didn't mind Olbermann because I knew what I was getting and he was juvenile in his attacks. Now, though, he holds himself up as both the protector of the American Left and the direct descendant of Edward R. Murrow, which he clealry is not. After each of the Democratic speeches, he did his best to help define their spin/interpretation by immediately jabbering 'that was a home run' for Hillary, and gave similar ecstatic exhortations to all of their speakers before Matthews or anyone else could get a word in edgewise. During the RNC convention, he demanded to stay in NY ostensibly to cover the overhyped Gustav, but in reality because he didn't feel 'secure' enough at the convention. Talk about taking yourself too seriously. Anyway, his self-important B.S. absolutely took a toll and has unfairly poisoned the whole channel and more specifically and unfairly, Chris Matthews.
Matthews is my favorite political commentator. He is smart, has political skins on the wall, and tells it like it is. He is basically 'in the middle' and keeps his bias in check, as far as I can tell. He was criticized as being in the tank for Obama during the Spring, but I watched all of those nights, and he was just reacting like everyone else to an electrifying speaker tapping the zeitgeist of the country (don't worry, I still have my NOBAMA shirts, I wasn't electrified by The One). He should come back and isn't a self-important bloviator like Olbermann.
As for the new host, David Gregory, he is off-putting and overachieving, and, of course, seems a little too pleased with himself. I would MUCH prefer the great, brilliant, Brian Williams. He has no known political affiliation, is self-deprecating and has the journalistic chops to handle the momentous occasions.
Bottom line: I am now in search of a new election 'headquarters'.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Entourage - Season 5 Premier - B-
On HBO, 9:00pm Central.
Tonight's premier episode of the ubiquitous Entourage reminded me why I liked it, but failed to live up to its heritage. We rejoin the gang (Eric, Vince, Turtle, Drama, and Ari) after Medellin, Vince's supposed breakthrough film, fails miserably at Cannes and his star has stopped ascending. Click below for more:
Vince is hiding in Mexico (nice x-rated season entry, Vince) with Turtle to avoid dealing with Medellin, while Eric tries to expand his fledgling management company. Ari is Ari, barking and cussing and hitting with gusto. The main conflict is Eric trying to get Vince back to LA for a meeting for a potential offer with a producer. Sound familiar? The writers have a real challenge trying to keep the show interesting, and rehashing the Vince/Eric dynamic isn't going to do it. They all just felt like they were trying too hard. The group together is the best, especially as they interact with other characters, like Billy Walsh or Eric's girlfriends. The show itself was boring except for a few minor laughs and some cool visuals on location.
Here's a great article about Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson, the creators (with Doug Ellin) of the show. It talks a lot about their myriad forthcoming projects with HBO, many of which sound promising.
Chicago 10 - B-
In 1969, 8 men who called themselves “yippies” – militant hippies (no, really) – stood trial for organizing demonstrations at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Led by Abbie Hoffman, the men were angry about the Vietnam War and Lyndon B. Johnson. They felt the problem was American and capitalism itself and wanted to create a society where something like the Vietnam War wasn’t even possible. With that kind of isolationism and naiveté, who needs enemies? Click below for the rest.
Writer-director Brett Morgen is clearly on the side of the yippies, frequently giving them a laughing audience for their comments. He also makes those that oppose them (the judge, the cops, Mayor Daley) absurd caricatures. The film is considered a documentary and provides excellent footage of the 1968 events. The crowd getting gassed while retreating across a bridge is particularly startling. The courtroom scenes are interspersed throughout the film and are animated since only court transcripts are available. Hank Azaria, Nick Nolte, and Mark Ruffalo provide voices for the animated characters, but are not really recognizable given all the events and politics occurring on screen. 
By the way, the 2 lawyers were added to the 8 to get the title. Here’s a representative scene:
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Traitor - B
In theaters. Rated R, 114 minutes. Trailer.
Traitor, starring Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce and Jeff Daniels, is the latest addition to the USA vs terrorism genre. This film follows the Obama-type backgrounder Samir (Cheadle) as he works with a group of Islamic Fundamentalist terrorists targeting US interests. Not a lot of ground is broken, but this is a decent movie with a thoughtful premise and a solid, anchoring performance from Cheadle. Click below for more TRAITOR:
Samir was raised partially in Yemen and in Chicago and is a devout muslim with US 
Special Forces training. He orchestrates bombings as he rises within the terrorist network, but his true allegiance is a mystery throughout much of the film. His FBI foil is Roy Clayton (Guy Pearce), the son of a preacher seeking to keep America safe. As Samir grows with the terrorists and interacts with the USA, the filmmakers try and make the basic point that the war against terrorism is not that simple and that true Islam is not violent. Not sure about that, but what I do know is that the film doesn't shy away from the reality of the motivations of the bombers, although the multi-culti group assembled for the climactic bombing is comedic it is so PC.
This film is hard to write about because it wasn't really remarkable in any way, it was just 'there'. There were some suspenseful moments and decent moral dilemmas, but too many of the characters felt slapped together and pointless. Pearce does his best in a poorly written role, and Jeff Daniels does the same. The FBI interaction was strictly by the numbers, and without Cheadle this would have suffered greatly. Kind of a Syriana meets Bourne Identity minus a full letter grade.
Favorite Scenes - Se7en
Detective William Somerset: You know this isn’t going to have a happy ending.
Detective David Mills: Hey, man, if we catch him, I’ll be happy enough.
WS: If we catch John Doe and he turns out to be the devil, I mean, if he’s Satan himself, that might live up to our expectations, but he’s not the devil. He’s just a man. 
DM: You know, see, you bitch, and you complain, and you tell me these things. If you think you’re preparing me for hard times, thank you, but . . .
WS: But, you’ve got to be a hero. You want to be a champion. Well, let me tell you something, people don’t want a champion. They want to eat cheeseburgers, play the lotto, and watch television.
DM: Hey, how’d you get like this? I want to know.
WS: (sighs) It wasn’t one thing, I can tell you that.
DM: Go on.
WS: I just don’t think I can continue to live in a place that embraces and nurtures apathy as if it was a virtue.
DM: You’re no different. You’re no better.
WS: I didn’t say I was different or better. I’m not. Hell, I sympathize. I sympathize completely. Apathy is a solution. I mean, it’s easier to lose yourself in drugs than it is to cope with life. It’s easier to steal what you want than it is to earn it. It’s easier to beat a child than it is to raise it. Hell, love costs. It takes effort and work.
DM: We are talking about people who are mentally ill. We are talking about people who are f@cking crazies.
WS: No, we’re talking about every day life here. You can’t afford to be this naïve.
DM: F@ck off. See, you should listen to yourself. You say that the problem with people is that they don’t care. So, I don’t care about people. That makes no sense. You know why?
WS: You care.
DM: Damn right.
WS: And you’re going to make a difference.
DM: Whatever. The point is, is I don’t think you’re quitting because you believe these things you say. I don’t. I think you want to believe them - because you’re quitting. You want me to agree with you and say, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you’re right. It’s all f@cked up. It’s a f@ckin’ mess. We should all go live in a f@ckin’ log cabin.” But I won’t. I won’t say that. I don’t agree with you. I do not. (pause) I can’t. (takes drink) I’m gonna go home. Thank you, though.
Last 5 iTunes Downloads
1. Konichiwa B*tches - Robyn. Great, weird pop song. Hat tip, Appraiser.
2. Believe - The Bravery. Great song, perfect chorus. (the current song for the HBO montage).
3. Never Wanted Nothing More - Kenny Chesney. The Wet Rat strikes again. This is a perfect country song and the WR's voice is the best of his generation of country singers.
4. Long Gone - Chris Cornell has a new album coming out, produced by....Timbaland? Anyway, it will either be great or terrible, hard to tell from this song.
5. The Shock of the Lightning - Oasis. Sounds pretty good after a couple of listens.
Bonus - Kids track - Toad looks funny in a bathing suit - From the Dallas Theater Center Production.
Friday, September 5, 2008
New Trailers
1. 
Milk Trailer. Gus Van Sant directing Sean Penn (as Harvey Milk), Josh Brolin, James Franco and Diego Luna in the story of the rise and assassination of the first gay major elected official. Looks great, except for the heavy handed agenda - Lawyer is a social conservative and smart, a combination often ignored by liberals.
2. Clip from Slumdog Millionaire, new film from Trainspotting director Danny Boyle. Very good 'buzz' from early screenings. Intriguing story, could be great.
3. Trailer for Yes Man - new comedy starring Jim Carrey, John Michael Higgins, Terrence Stamp, and Rhys Darby (Murray from Flight of the Conchords).
4. Clip from Management - comedy starring Jennifer Aniston, Steve Zahn, and Woody Harrelson. Love Steve Zahn, looks funny.
5. New Clip from W.
6. R-Rated trailer for Surfer, Dude, a new comedy starring Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, and Willie Nelson. Directed by SR Bindler, director of Hands on a Hardbody, set in Longview, hometown of McConaughey.
7. Trailer for Frost/Nixon, directed by Ron Howard, written by The Queen's Peter Morgan. Major Oscar Bait. Nice use of The Fountain soundtrack at the end of the trailer (Also used in the Grace is Gone trailer).
Rushmore - 10 years later
The Houston Chronicle has a retrospective article and an interesting series of pictures locating some of the scenes from the film (filmed in Houston in and around St. John's Academy) here.
Click below for the story of my encounter with Wes Anderson during the Rushmore publicity tour in the Fall of 1998:
The first time I met Wes Anderson was in a parking lot about 2 blocks off of the Drag in Austin. He and Jason Schwartzman were on a nationwide bus tour to promote Anderson's second film, Rushmore (Anderson only flies when absolutely necessary), so I hustled over there after class. Since Bottle Rocket wasn't well known at the time, I got to spend quite a bit of time talking to him about Bottle Rocket (mostly about locations - he told me he made several changes to the 'hideout' hotel in Hillsboro, such as the numbers on the doors and the sign by the road) and Rushmore. I met Schwartzman also, but was much less impressed with him than he was with himself. Later that night I attended a screening of the film at the Regal Cinemas 16 at the Arboretum in Austin. I talked with Wes more and picked up several handouts, including a cassette with songs from the movie. I also got Doctor a Wes autograph as well as one for myself on my VHS copy of Bottle Rocket.
The weirdest part about the evening was getting popcorn and noticing Talia Shire, Schwartzman's mom (sister of Francis Ford Coppolla, Adrienne from Rocky and Connie from the Godfather). No one noticed her and she was just standing to the side, so I went up and talked for awhile, she was very excited to be attending her son's first film. After the well received screening I brushed past Governor Ann Richards heading into a movie with a buddy with no fanfare. All in all a (apparently) memorable night in Austin. Not many of those during law school.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Naomi Watts
Video interview here...Talking about Mulholland Drive, including an impersonation of David Lynch.
Continue reading this postTuesday, September 2, 2008
DVD and CD Releases - September 2nd
Recent DVD Releases: 
Married Life
The Promotion
Then She Found Me
Click below for more DVD and CD releases.
DVD Special Editions/Other Releases:
TV Box Sets:
Cheers: Season Ten
Desperate Housewives: Season Four
Eli Stone: Season One
Ghost Whisperer: Season Three
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Season Three
Life: Season One
The Office: Season Four
Special Editions/Other Releases:
Around the World in 80 Treasures
Bright Lights, Big City: 20th Anniversary Edition
Cirque Du Soleil: Corteo
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: Deluxe Edition
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Storybook Surprises
My Friends Tigger & Pooh: Hundred Acre Wood Haunt
New CD Releases:
Apollo Sunshine - Shall Noise Upon
Rodney Crowell - Sex and Gasoline
Giant Sand - proVISIONS
Deitrick Haddon - Revealed
Terrence Howard - Shine Through It
Jefferson Starship - Jefferson's Tree of Liberty
Sonya Kitchell - This Storm
New Kids on the Block - The Block
Olivia Newton-John & Friends - Celebration in Song
Tha Pumpsta - Bass Black Treble White
Chris Tomlin - Hello Love
Underoath - Lost in the Sound of Separation
Brian Wilson - That Lucky Old Sun
Young Jeezy - The Recession
