May 22nd, 2008
Last night, I got to see the premiere of the latest Indiana Jones flick. I as very much excited seeing as how I enjoyed the other films greatly. Well, I saw it and can easily say, "It was alright."
What?!Yeah, I know, I was a little disappointed but just a little. It still was a decent movie, just didn't really have that Indiana Jones type feel to it. It wasn't because Harrison Ford is about be 80 or something, it just was the writing.
The plot was interesting, but was executed poorly. Also, it had too much George Lucas all up in this. I felt as if, oh wait, that might just spoil the whole thing or something or another. I mean the whole Cold War scare was worked in pleasantly, Soviet soldiers, Amazon rainforest, Mayan speak, love interests, greed, FBI, airplanes, it was all nifty. I didn't quite get the fascination with the groundhogs.
I really don't know what was up with the mentions of Mayans and stuff because it was in the Amazon. I thought the Mayans were a Southern Mexico Central America type thing; not Amazon river stuff. Maybe I just made up my own history or something.
The actors all looked pretty good. Harrison Ford looked old in many shots, but he still had his Indiana Jones look. Throughout the movie I kept wanting to tell Shia Leblabla to shut up, mainly because his character was annoying in boring. Kate Blanchett was pretty good, played a crazy psychic Soviet mind reader psychic commander who liked to shout orders to her men. Karen Allen looked alright too, she hasn't aged horribly or something.
What I wished was in the movie:- MORE ONE LINERS!!! I didn't even hear,
"Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?"- More puzzles
- Booby Traps
- More Action
- More Awesome
- More Nazis...err Soviets
What I really didn't care for in this movie:- Shia Leblabla
- Shia Leblabla
- Shia Leblabla
- Plot
- Ending
Well, I really don't know what to say about it other than it was alright. It wasn't bad and it wasn't amazing.
Personally, wait for the DVD, the movie experience wasn't that great. There were people dressed like Indiana Jones and some just had the hats, but it was still pretty dull.
May 5th, 2008
Anti-Flag is probably one of my favorite bands of all time. They make pretty good punk music and have a pretty fun live set that I always look forward to. Well, The Bright Lights of America delivers probably the lamest experience that the band has ever delivered. I just can't help but think, "Oh come on, there has to be something in this album I like." Nope, nothing really stands out and makes me think, "Well, this is alright."
Sounds!Usually when I don't like the vocals I listen to the music without the vocals, just listening to every single instrument playing every single note. At that point I can usually find something I like, if not, it's just bad and not worth my time. After listening to this CD for a couple of listens through, I really can't say there is a lot to write home about. It's not entirely bad, but it's just not exciting. I might be saying this because the vocals just ruin a lot of the songs.
The guitars and drums sound pretty good. Clean and such, that's what happens when you are signed to a major label and have the money to go to a nice studio.
Vocals! I believe the vocals just sound like shit; they sound compressed, flat, empty, gay, and heavily effected. It sounds like there is some kind of phaser or something running, like Justin is singing through one of tubes that you make when you are bored. You know, the ones where you roll the paper and talk through it like you are on a megaphone type thing. Justin's vocals just really disappointed. It's really lame that it happened this way. I should still be able to hear his voice unaffected, but no, it's overproduced.
Lyrics! They're bleh. They do have some catchy chorus parts and the verses are the same. "We all voices, we should be heard." You know, the politically charged lyrics. That's all there really is. Not much different from their previous CDs, but what can you expect in such times with a punk band?
I respect they still have their messages, but I really miss their fun punks songs about just being punk and having fun. "Drink, Drank, Punk" anyone? That is hands down the best song they have. They have many other golden songs, but I guess that was lost at about Mobilize.
Overall Sound!I guess you could say that this was predictable in sound. They added some new sounds but not heavily. They didn't stick to just guitars, bass, and drums; they did add some bells, piano, and such. Not that really matters.
It sounds like For Blood and Empire, but more lame. At least For Blood and Empire had tracks I actually enjoyed.
The Verdict!I am disappointed, but I guess I felt that this would happen. I mean a lot of bands I loved ended up doing this and it just happens...like The Aquabats for example. Their last CD was pretty cool and all, but it lost that special sound they always had.
I wouldn't recommend buying this CD; it just wasn't that awesome for me. I guess that's because I really didn't care for For Blood and Empire. It happens. It's hard that I can't really dig this CD, I really want to like it, but I can't. *sigh*
I just hope Anti-Flag makes a CD that just makes me fall for them again, until then I will listen to the classics.
May 2nd, 2008
Part 2: Down on the WaterfrontAs the group tired out they felt a sense of being okay with stopping. The group set their flashlights down and looked around at each other. Each could see the terror on the others faces, there was no way to hide the fact that something was out to get them and that they were miles from anyone. Unarmed and alone in the darkness fear steals the show defeating happiness.
"What the hell was that?" asked the boss.
"I, I don't know," said Charles with pure confusion spread across his face.
"Charles! What the hell! Look at your leg!" exclaimed Susan.
"What the..." said Charles.
"We need an ambulance," said the boss calmly.
"Now how are we..." Bill said.
"Don't worry," interrupted Charles, "there's no blood. I'm not bleeding."
Everyone looked at Charles with their lights, focused mainly on his leg. The flesh had been ripped away exposing only a few veins miraculously connected and the bleach white bones. No blood was flowing down his leg and Charles still had feeling in his foot. It was ass if all the nerves and veins were still connected.
"Seriously?" said Mitch, "this is just stupid. How could this happen?"
Out of the darkness in one swift movement an arrow flew and pierced Mitch's chest.
Everyone scream and the boss ordered everyone down.
Mitch stood their in utter shock as he was looking at this arrow piercing through his chest. Stunned he tried to walk forward while attempting to remove the arrow. To no avail, Mitch stopped and fell forward smashing his head on a giant rock. A loud crack was heard from the impact.
Susan bit her hand in pure disgust and terror. She had never seen anything like this in her previous line of work as a park ranger.
"What the hell?" shouted Bill "Are we just gonna lay here and let them get us?"
"What do you want us to do?" said the boss in a hefty tone, "Do you want us to MacGyver a machine gun with some tree branches and rocks? I don't think so, we need to stay down."
With a moments notice more arrows began to fly over their heads. The sound of the arrows ripping through bushes and smacking against the surrounding trees kept the group down and terrified.
"We need to crawl into the darkness, leave your lights behind." said Charles as he began to crawl into darkness.
Everyone followed shortly, keeping their heads down with fear that they would end up like Mitch.
As the group started to get out of the light they could hear a bunch of high pitched laughter coming from behind them.
"Weee!"
"Haha!"
"Hehe!"
Splashes, leading into the silence was heard. Nothing more than a soft breeze pushing through trees.
"Whatever is following us isn't walking by land. It's swimming through the river," whispered Charles to the boss. "It attacked me when I was standing on the river bank, it came from the water."
