Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Top 50 Albums of the 00s - #40: Eels - Daisies of the Galaxy

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.


I have an odd confession to make. Well, it's not really a confession. I was briefly singing in a rock and roll project that, well, we rehearsed about four times. Our greatest accomplishment was that a guitar amp was left in someone's basement for a few years. But I did write about seven songs worth of lyrics. Some of them were pretty good. We never got to play a gig and find out whether I can actually sing or not. Anyway, the lyrics I happened to be most proud of were written to the tune of the first track on this album, "Grace Kelly Blues." We never got around to creating a tune to fit them. My point is that anyone can sing along to this song whether they know the words or not. It's a bit silly complete with a brass quintet interlude between some simple acoustic guitar strumming. It would be impossible for E's vocals to be more simple (which is perhaps why I accidentally wrote my own version in the same basic style). It sounds like he's singing all alone, and the only reason you got to hear him is because he was your roommate and didn't realize you had come home early from work that day. What a great way to introduce a record!

But my feeble attempts at rockstar fame have little to do with why I enjoy this album so much. Eels have a lot of fun and silliness on most of their records. This one is more direct. More honest in a way. By the third track, they're setting up other angles to the songs, and don't stop until it's over. However, that intimacy set up with Grace Kelly never departs. I really wish there were moments when they rocked out here, but it just wouldn't fit. In fact, it hardly ever does on their albums, even if they play more pleasantly aggressive live.

In all, it's 15 songs packed in to 44 minutes. There is not one standout single that I can point to as the album's fulcrum, but that's kind of the point. It lazily carries you from track to track and is incredibly relistenable. The record could simply end after the 14th track, but instead we get one of the ultimate feel-good songs in human history in "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues (Untitled)". When the chorus goes, "Uh-huh. God damn right it's a beautiful day," and not only means it, but convinces you of it, well, you gotta be some kind of a-hole not to want to hear that song. In fact, I'm gonna go spin it on repeat for a while. See you next time for #39!



Click here for the excellent video for "Flyswatter" which is not embedable.

Not the real video:


Previous Entries:
#41 - Gogol Bordello - Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike
#42 - Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy
#43 - Ladyhawk - Ladyhawk
#44 - José González - In Our Nature
#45 - Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
#46 - Caribou - Andorra
#47 - Mastodon - Crack the Skye
#48 - Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
#49 - At the Drive-In: Relationship of Command
#50 - Rival Schools: United by Fate


Monday, November 23, 2009

Friday, November 20, 2009

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

A to B Back and Forth Review: Inglorious Basterds, Part II

Yesterday, Kozy and I started with our analysis of Inglorious Basterds, posting Part I of our back and forth conversation. So yeah, read that first. Today we conclude with Part II.

BRAD

Yola Reed!

You have an amazing family history -- your dad kicks ass!!

I totally agree the use of the German and French languages and dialect added a sense of realism to an otherwise ridiculous story. It also made it tougher for me to realize that Inglorious Basterds is in fact an absurdist fable and a not a film to be taken seriously. I suppose there are some drawbacks to knowing nothing going into a movie. Perhaps if I had known this fact I would have approached the film differently.

From what I have read, Tarantino gives many other blunt hints to the audience that the whole thing is wink-wink. Apparently there are several obvious translation gaffes and of course the film’s title is misspelled, a joke that was totally lost on me as I did not even blink an eye at seeing these words spelled incorrectly. You should see the emails I read every day at work by non-native English speakers and you will realize that overseas, anything goes (especially when it comes to spelling).

I am sure these details, which Tarantino relishes, were lost in many European countries. Last night I was out to dinner with a table full of Italians for Tapas. I asked if anyone had seen Basterds yet, and my co-worker Silvano said that he had caught it when he was home visiting family in southern Italy. I tried to set him up for a laugh by asking what he thought of the Basterds' Italian in the climactic movie house scene, leading him with a Pitt-esque “Bo-germ-o”. But Silvano didn’t hit it out of the park. Rather he said, “yes, Brad Pitt and the other Basterds had a few lines in Italian. It was very nice.”

Very nice? What the hell was he talking about?

He then went on to explain that he had seen the dubbed Italian version, the only one available in Italy. So I guess Italian voiceover actors are indeed not that talented at doing a hackneyed Italian accent. And the American boorishness you referred to was lost as well. This same dubbing is done for nearly all American films released in France and Germany.
Types in stereo

Of course from my viewpoint, the movie house finale was yet another great scene for Waltz as the "Jew Hunter" who will garner Oscar talk, and could very likely win. I totally agree with you and your co-worker that his performance is masterful. Again I also agree that Waltz plays an incredibly sophisticated Nazi. You said, “He had more elegance in his fingernail than all the Basterds combined. And maybe that's OK.” My response to your question is no, it’s not OK.

In Salon.com's review, I found a quote that rung true for me. In his Basterds review, Hollywood Elsewhere blogger Jeffrey Wells wrote about a scene earlier in the film, where this same Nazi elegance is portrayed, this time by Richard Sammel as Sgt. Werner Rachtman. “The German soldier, despite cursing out his tormentors as 'Jew dogs,' behaves like a man of honor, accepting a brutal and painful death rather than ratting out his comrades. In Sammel's brief performance, he depicts the German as a man of intelligence and perception with a certain regular-Joe decency, while Raine and Donowitz come off as butt-ugly sadists.”

After reading that commentary I couldn’t help but think back to other sadist characters created by Tarantino. Immediately my mind turned to Pulp Fiction and the sadistic interchanges between Zed and Maynard that serve to only temporarily interrupt the rape and torture of Marsellus Wallace. For me to so quickly draw a comparison between Zed commanding Maynard to ‘bring out the gimp’ and Raine beckoning the “Bear Jew” is very unflattering. But sadly, the comparison is easy to make.

Over the past few days I have given a great deal of thought to Inglorious Basterds. When we do these reviews, I always like to think about what my exact reaction was when I walked out of the cinema. This time, I remember walking out after the tension filled final act with a smile on my face but doubts in my mind as to what I had just watched and just how exactly I felt about it. In the end, we all bring our own experiences (and baggage) into everything we do. In this particular case, I perhaps have too much baggage to take this premise as lightly as Tarantino. I remember thinking that I would definitely re-watch Basterds when I have a version with English subtitles. Now, after further thought, I am not so sure I am going to do that.

While I do not think that this movie tarnishes Tarantino’s well-respected (and well deserved) reputation, it does make me wonder what exactly he was thinking this film's reception would be. He is a man that clearly lives without any sacred cows, which is admirable in many ways. But this time around his history has the potential to cause real damage. And to that I cannot support.

- Kozy

ANDREW

Bernjango, Brad!

I am concerned that you find yourself laughing at the e-mails you receive at work that are written in poor English. The reason I am concerned because it likely means that nearly every Spanish e-mail I write is drawing snickers or worse. There was one such moment when I wrote to one of my company's VPs. I showed the note to my girlfriend and she said, "Well, you probably shouldn't have used that word. He's going to think you're hitting on him." Live and learn...

What a shame that anyone allowed this film to be overdubbed! I understand that some films benefit from overdubbing. Nobody is going to say that a Disney cartoon needs to be seen in its original language. But the language was the most earnest thing about this picture. (By the way, my favorite of the "Italians" was easily DeCocco, though he didn't utter a word.) But the silly humor brought in during that scene was what really gave the film its final push. The horrific violence didn't do much for me, I guess. Then again, since the violence was being inflicted upon the Nazi leadership, horrific is probably not the right word.

So what to finally declare about this film? As it did for you, this movie tumbled around in my head for days after I left the theater. It's been a month and, really it still hasn't found a place to land. There are a few things of which I'm pretty sure. First of all, the movie was about 40 minutes too long. I realize QT wanted to take his time building tension whenever possible. But since we've established that none of this is real, how tension-filled can it be, really? Hitchcock's most fraught scenes were unnerving because there was something at stake. You really thought a person was in jeopardy. If these aren't real people, it takes the air out of the balloon a bit.
The most real character, but still a long way from Memorex

My end result is that this is more a series of vignettes than a film that is supposed to mean anything. It's a proof of concept. What's the concept? That QT can get away with anything. He obviously thinks he can do whatever he wants. The thing is, he's absolutely right. Inglorious Basterds his is second-highest grossing film to date. The IMDb says it's the 47th best movie in history. Roger Ebert gave it 4 stars, and Rotten Tomatoes has it at 88%. It is a smashing success by any measure. He took a huge gamble making a movie like this, and it has paid off for him. I must give him some credit. In the history of film, there's never been another director who could have pulled this off.

I have come to the conclusion that any opinion about this film is valid. A teenage boy who finds the violence exhilarating is not wrong. Someone drawn to the poetic tale of the Jewish girl's plight and vengeance is not wrong. Someone who finds the ridiculousness of the movie hilarious is not wrong. Someone who revels in seeing the Nazi's get their comeuppance is not wrong. Your condemnation of this movie is not wrong. It's the opposite of a blank slate, but at the same time leaves the whole range of interpretation and feeling to the viewer.
There sure are a lot of smokers in this picture

This is my least favorite Tarantino movie. But I love everything else he's made. In many ways, I thought it was a fantastic picture, and there's no questioning that it has sparked a more lofty conversation between us than anything else we've AtoB'd. I may have to see it again just to give myself the peace of mind of really knowing my complete reaction. For now, I can say that I think it's vastly overrated, but QT deserves a helluva lot of credit for pushing the limit.

Un abrazo!
Andrew

One Word Review: The Big Easy




53: Transparent

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

A to B Back and Forth Review: Inglorious Basterds, Part I

I'm teaming up with longtime friend, Kozy of April 31st to review films. We're calling the segment "A to B" because I'm Andrew and he's Brad. And he lives in Amsterdam, and I live in Buenos Aires. We generally won't get the new releases when the States do, but hopefully we can either help you reminisce or offer advice before you head out to the video store. So let's get to our sixth review - Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds.

BRAD

Hey Andrew!
I am glad to see that the H1N1 virus hasn’t completely shut down the foreign movie business down in Argentina and that you were able to catch Inglourious Basterds in the cinema.

As you know, I had been reluctant to see the movie here because many of my friends told me that unless you speak German and French, or read Dutch you wouldn’t be able to follow the movie. So, in a last ditch effort I asked my Dutch friend Gideon if he would join me and translate. Luckily he agreed and did a great job, quietly reciting lines to me in a packed movie house.

On its face, Inglourious Basterds is a WWII movie about a group of US-Jewish guerrilla soldiers inserted behind enemy territory to strike fear into the hearts of Nazi’s. Told in chapters, Inglourious Basterds is 153 minutes of pure Quentin Tarantino, integrating fast talking dialogue scenes, with gross-out action.

Above the fray of gruesome Nazi killing lays three transcendent characters: the Hero, the Bad Guy and the Girl. In the way that only Tarantino’s mind could imagine, he takes these three archetypal personas and creates larger than life characters (played by Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz and Melanie Laurent.) I think QT’s secret is creating character back stories. He creates such rich and elaborate lives for his characters and that really translate onto the screen.
Some other Brad

Not wanting any spoilers revealed I avoided reading any articles about the Basterds; until today. In August, Salon.com asked the question “Is Tarantino good for the Jews?” Roger Ebert opened his review proclaiming, “he provides World War II with a much-needed alternative ending. For once the basterds get what’s coming to them.” Horror flick director Eli Roth, who plays Sgt. Donny Donowitz referred to IB as "kosher porn." Some have similarly used the term “torture porn” to describe the new Willem Dafoe flick Antichrist. I have heard it applied to Inglorious Basterds.

After reading the screenplay, the film's producer, Lawrence Bender, told Tarantino: "As your producing partner, I thank you, and as a member of the Jewish tribe, I thank you, motherfucker, because this movie is a fucking Jewish wet dream." But is it really? I guess that question can really only be answered by the viewer.

Inglourious Basterds is far removed from the reality of World War II. Very very very far removed. In fact, I am thinking that the Jews, Nazis and the Girl are more of a backdrop for another Tarantino revenge flick, not unlike Kill Bill. My best guess is that if you ask Tarantino on his thoughts regarding WW II and the Holocaust he won’t have many. His history lessons were likely learned in the back of a video store, where he developed his fetish-ized obsessions for 70’s B-movie sex and violence. And that sex and violence are the two themes that make this Jewish ass-kicking story appealing to him.
Just another money shot

One of the benefits of living abroad is that I can catch a flick without being pre-conditioned on what to expect and how to react. This is without a doubt one of the times I am happiest for this. I knew absolutely nothing about this movie walking in and have walked out wanting to turn every stone, in search of uncovering some meaning from everything I had just seen.

Sorry about going on for so long. I just kept writing and writing and writing. But I know we're just getting started. I am dying to know what your thoughts are on all of this. Tell me tell me tell me!

Cheers,
Brad

ANDREW

My Man!

It's high time we got another one of these reviews on the intertubes, and this was a film screaming for our attention.

Let me start by saying that the questions you raised were front of mind for me as I watched the wholly unique take on the Holocaust and WWII unfold on the screen in front of me. I can remember when I first saw the trailer for Kill Bill and thought to myself, "What the hell is Tarantino doing?" A kung fu movie was in no way what we expected or even wanted from the man who was the creative force behind Reservoir Dogs, True Romance, Pulp Fiction, and Jackie Brown. Yet that bold, risk-taking move resulted in two fantastic films that significantly elevated his reputation. Inglorious Basterds represents Tarantino taking things up a notch or three. I honestly can't fathom where he goes from here. That said, I feel like he went too far. But we'll get to that a bit later.

You make a great point about the backstories provided for each character. In many ways, these were caricatures, but Tarantino has a clear handle on each one anyway. My initial reaction was completely centered around Waltz as the "Jew Hunter." In response to his performance, one of my Argentine co-workers simply exclaimed, "OSCAR!" He's really the centerpiece of the film, alternating between serious drama, irony, cheeky comedy, all the while bringing a certain flair to the role. In sum, he was amazing, in no less than four languages.
Hitting the pipe like it's packed with honey

Regarding living abroad, I think our differing expat experiences give us a certain perspective here. Gideon must have been awfully busy as indeed little of the film is in English. It was a real test of my Spanish speed-reading abilities to keep up. The interesting thing is, when the dialogue was in French, a language somewhat similar to Spanish, I was AOK. But as soon as it switched to German I struggled. The using of the actual languages and dialect added a sense of realism to an otherwise ridiculous story. Even the detail of how Germans indicate "3" got to the idea of cultural differences. To me, that was the most fascinating aspect of this film. Living in Buenos Aires for over a year now, I am definitely more in touch with the cultural differences between this corner of the world and the one where we're from. I couldn't help but think about what the others in the theater were thinking about all the stereotypes and characters we got to know in this movie.

There was one angle on this theme that I found especially intriguing. The American characters willfully embraced American stereotypes. They were vengeful, boorish, obnoxious, loud, and believed they could speak foreign languages when they really had no ability at all. Put more simply, they were arrogant as can be. One could read this as a critique of America or as a show of our boldness. Tarantino is a bold, brash American, but he's been around the world enough to see how other people see us. Perhaps putting a comic face on it was his best attempt to offer a weak apology. Or perhaps he knew that foreigners would think the joke's on us, while American moviegoers would embrace the revenge theme that we seem so enthralled with over the last ten years (and really, our entire history if you think about it). Compare that to Waltz's incredibly sophisticated Nazi, who at his core was a terrible, selfish, disgusting person. He had more elegance in his fingernail than all the Basterds combined. And maybe that's OK.

But let me finally come to the elephant in the room. The questions you raised about what this film should mean for Jews. Quentin Tarantino is not Jewish. I don't think a Jewish filmmaker would ever make a movie like this. Despite the tears in the film's opening scene, the real plight of the Jews here is only used for effect and plot convenience. I realize that this is not a movie to be taken seriously. But Tarantino is the one who chose to utilize the most serious of subjects.

As you know, Brad, my dad was a German Jewish refugee who later joined the US Army. I couldn't help thinking what on earth he would think about this film. I haven't asked him, but I have to imagine he'd be appalled for all kinds of reasons. As you so aptly said, QT probably has little idea of real history. The idea that the Jews were out for vengeance at that time seems beyond far-fetched. Their goal was simply survival. For the ones that embraced ideas of revenge, that came later. I saw an interview here with Tarantino, and he claims that Army interrogators scared Nazi prisoners by saying that they would bring in a Jew who was going to exact physical vengeance upon them, and that they used this to get them talking. Well, my dad was a Jewish-American interrogator for the Army. In his knowledge and experience, this kind of thing simply didn't happen. Maybe someone glorified their own memory and that was enough to send QT off into this fantasy. But I guess I feel that this does a disservice to the real history of the Holocaust. I realize that's not QT's intent, but the average uneducated movie fan may end up thinking this is a lot more real than it is. Or at least end up thinking that it actually means something.

Well, you thought you rambled on for a long time. In truth, I have a lot more to add. But first, let's keep this discussion rolling. What do you think of these outlandish thoughts of mine? I feel like we have a long way to go with this one.

Saludos!
Andrew

Tune in tomorrow for the Part II
where Brad and Andrew will answer the tougher questions.


Previous A to Bs:
Public Enemies
Slumdog Millionaire
The Wrestler
Watchmen
Star Trek
Terminator 4: Salvation

Monday, November 16, 2009

Top 50 Albums of the 00s - #41: Gogol Bordello - Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.


I'm pretty sure this is all a joke. The group, the album the clothes. Everything. But don't tell that to anyone in the band. Well, maybe they're just drunk. I'm not telling them that, either. The goal is apparently one part punk rock, one part Eastern Bloc rebellion, and HBO's Carnivàle. Technically, frontman Eugene Hütz is from the Ukraine, so that lends some authenticity to the zaniness employed on Gypsy Punks, Gogol Bordello's breakthrough album.

This album starts out so wildly aggressive, you know there's no way it's going to hold together. It actually starts simply enough. It's fast and weird with bizarre instrumentation for punk rock. Strings and accordions and lord knows what else. We finally arrive at Track 3, "Not a Crime" and find some purpose. The rustic old-world routine stays in place, but we're not simply flailing as fast as we can. It suddenly has gotten interesting. Almost a bit serious.

The album continues in an amusing fashion until we get to the real keepers. "Start Wearing Purple" is one of the greatest anthems I've ever heard. It is exuberant but not without intent, even if I can't find any real meaning in the lyrics. Even Yahoo! coopting the tune in their commercials has done nothing to ruin it. It may be the most fun song you will ever hear.

Soon after, we arrive at the title track: "Underdog World Strike." Whoever was in charge made a huge mistake because this would have made for a fantastic opener. You want to listen to this song with friends - all of your friends - and bounce off the walls together. Instead of leading off, it is basically the last great salvo before we devolve into more disarray with the final few tracks. Sometimes a band makes a song that basically sums up their entire purpose. For Gogol Bordello, this is definitely their song.

When it comes down to it, the band a one trick pony, but one that at least knows variations on the theme. And that's plenty for one record. Like I said, I'm pretty sure it's all a joke. In a way I can't believe I have it this high on the list. But what can I say? I'm the kind of guy that likes to hear the same jokes over and over again. And this one always gives me a wide grin.







Previous Entries:
#42 - Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy
#43 - Ladyhawk - Ladyhawk
#44 - José González - In Our Nature
#45 - Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
#46 - Caribou - Andorra
#47 - Mastodon - Crack the Skye
#48 - Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
#49 - At the Drive-In: Relationship of Command
#50 - Rival Schools: United by Fate


One Word Review: Event Horizon



34: Derivative

Friday, November 13, 2009

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Top 50 Albums of the 00s - #42: Okkervil River - Black Sheep Boy

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.


Let me come right out and say it. I have little to no interest in Bruce Springsteen. He may be good at what he does, but what he does is the most basic version of Rock and Roll I can think of. One could easily argue that Okkervil River is doing the same thing. But I sure as hell wouldn't.

Sure, there's nothing overly groundbreaking in Okkervil River's approach, and this album is not so different from the rest of their catalogue. But you don't need to be innovative when you've got soul. And this is a soul record, pure and simple. The whole point is Will Robison Sheff's vocals. He's not singing directly to you, but he's definitely singing to somebody.

The opening title track is more of an amuse bouche, simply setting the table. When the guitars come crashing in on a syncopated backbeat 40 seconds into "For Real", Sheff immediately starts tugging at his own heartstrings with a full on shout that makes it clear he's putting all of his emotion into this record. It seems that there's nowhere to go after this abrupt punch. Yet somehow by the end of the song, he and the band find another gear.

What follows is a series of nakedness, alternating between quiet moments and emotional crescendos. One can't help wondering when Sheff is going to actually start crying, but he never quite completely indulges himself in his misery. It's the feeling that each song is teetering on the brink of emotional collapse that keeps me coming back to this record. I have the version with the extra bonus songs, which means there's that much more angry or morose passion to enjoy.

It's not a record I often talk about - or one that I even spend much time thinking about. But the songs pop up in my head all the time. I always figured they would get old. But I have come to realize that that's not going to happen. This may not be something wholly new that's going to change the musical world, but it's real as can be. And that gives it some serious legs.



Not the real video - made by a fan in tribute to Sin City.


Not the real video - done by a fan.



Previous Entries:
#43 - Ladyhawk - Ladyhawk
#44 - José González - In Our Nature
#45 - Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
#46 - Caribou - Andorra
#47 - Mastodon - Crack the Skye
#48 - Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
#49 - At the Drive-In: Relationship of Command
#50 - Rival Schools: United by Fate


Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Monday, November 9, 2009

Friday, November 6, 2009

Top 50 albums of the 00s - #43, Ladyhawk: Ladyhawk

Yep, we're counting down the top 50. Click here for overview and criteria.


It is only by sheer luck that I stumbled across Ladyhawk. They don't get much press or credit, but lucky for me they were opening for Tapes 'n Tapes at the Abbey Pub. I really dug both openers, but didn't bring enough cash to buy the releases from both. I nearly flipped a coin, but instead went with my gut, chose Ladyhawk and have been reaping the benefits since that day. This is a small record from a small band, but it fits right in there at #43. It has just enough of everything - strident vocals that may or may not mean anything, ambiance, a decent groove, and a heaping spoonful of thick guitar fuzz.

There's something sleepy about this album - to the point that the first track never even really gets going. But before long, "The Dugout" riffs on in and gets your head bobbing in that way that makes you feel good all over. "Tell me the truth of your heart, please tell me" along with the title of the song, hearkens back to high school yearning - at least the movie version, anyway. From this point on, you should be won over as there's nothing inherently bad about any guitar riff that makes your head move. But we're just getting started.

"Long 'til the Morning" really means it, whatever it's saying. Frankly I don't care about the lyrics one bit as the track builds to an intense finish that lasts nearly the second half of the song. This shows off the band's chops for making noise, but more importantly it perfectly sets up the album's high point. "Came in Brave" is perfectly titled. It's the kind of tune that demands your attention from the first beat and doesn't let go because it's just so sure of itself. It stomps, it grooves, and Duffy Dreidiger's vocals (fed through a feedback microphone) are the icing on top of the cake made of pure fuzz. At every potential break, the guitars pour on the distortion. It's 3 superb minutes of 1970s rock with an 00s polish. In the "quiet" moments, we are barely allowed to make out the lamenting mumbles: "I know that this song is about you, and I'd say it to your face, but I got no guts." When it's had enough, it fuzzes back a bit more before the drums signal its end. From that point, we don't really have anywhere left to go, leaving the second half of the record as basically an encore. But it's one we feel comfortable taking us the rest of the way home.

After seeing their fine performance, I didn't expect this album to wind up on heavy rotation, especially this much later. But I keep going back to it again and again. Bottom line, this record feels better than it actually is. And there's not a damn thing wrong with that. I honestly don't think I'll ever stop playing it.




Previous Entries:
#44 - José González - In Our Nature
#45 - Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
#46 - Caribou - Andorra
#47 - Mastodon - Crack the Skye
#48 - Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff
#49 - At the Drive-In: Relationship of Command
#50 - Rival Schools: United by Fate