Apocalypse Now REVIEW

"The horror... the horror". These are the last lines uttered in the 1979 classic epic Apocalypse Now by The Godfather director, Francis Ford Coppola. Set in Vietnam, the film takes us through the psychological and physical battles that our main character, Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) endures throughout the course of his top-secret mission to kill the gone rogue, Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando). Set in Vietnam during the height of the war, the film is not necessarily a Vietnam film, but a film set in Vietnam, as the war itself is not the main focus besides showing the horrors of war.

Starting off with a now classic intro of Willard lying in his bedroom while the song, "The End" by the Doors plays interlaced with scenes of destruction in the jungle, the film sets the tone  as we see Willard is a damaged good, who claims that his new mission was going to be his last.

The cinematography in this film was truly breathtaking, with beautiful shots of jungles and rivers. And then there's the fantastic scene in which helicopters attack a beach with Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKaYOW9zMoY

The acting in this film was brilliant, from Martin Sheen's psychological portrayal of Willard, to Marlon Brando's incredible performance as Kurtz, to Robert Duvall's performance of the wisecracking Kilgore. There were superb performances from all around, including a young 14 year old (at the time of the beginning of filming; he was 17 when it finished filming), Laurence Fishburne, now known for his roles in the TV series Hannibal, and the film, The Matrix.

Overall, this was a film that justified its troubled and problematic production, with fantastic cinematography, acting performances, and just a fantastic script and plot [based on Heart of Darkness (1902) by Joseph Conrad], the film was everything that it was made out to be, and even better than that. Apocalypse Now is definitely one movie that you must see before you die.

Rating:5/5

The Last Airbender REVIEW

I'm not going to lie to you guys, I hated this film. The Last Airbender by M. Night. Shyamalan is absolutely an atrocious movie with horrible acting, jumbled up dialogue, terrible plot choice. Now for those of you who didn't know, the film is based on the universally acclaimed cartoon, Avatar: The Last Airbender. The cartoon itself was one of the best cartoons in history. The movie however, ruined many elements that made the cartoon so appealing, and for fans seemed like a slap in the face.

First off, lets talk about casting for the characters. Aang (or Uhng in the film) is supposed to be a joyful, playful kid who also has a serious and wise side to him. In the film, the actor Noah Ringer portrays Aang as a serious, depressing person who I'm pretty sure didn't even smile once in the film. Here's some pictures to explain:

It gets even worse from here, Sokka (or Soak-uh in the film) is a sarcastic and humorous warrior in the cartoon. He was "portrayed" in the film by Jackson Rathbone who does the absolute worst acting job I have ever seen. Sokka is the most depressing monotone person in the Four Nations.

Third, I get that Shyamalan is Indian and all, but seriously? Pretty much the entire Fire Nation is Indian, and characters like Ozai and Zhao who are supposed to invoke fear really just seem miscasted. I get trying to make the film racially diverse and all, but you cast the best fit for the character, not try to force in a terrible choice just because you want to.

Next, I'll talk to you about the terrible delivery of dialogue, and just the absurdity of the dialogue itself. Many of the actors in the film seem to be off in their timing and delivery is just terrible as no one shows emotion besides Dev Patel (who just yells pretty much the entire movie).

Finally, lets look into the plot of the movie. The film is based on the first season of the cartoon which is bascially 20 episodes. The film left out many key plot points and overemphasized others, such as the exclusion of the Kyoshi Warriors and King Bumi who are integral parts of the cartoon. Even just doing a montage of the travels of Team Avatar would have done the left out characters more justice than having a quarter of the film about the Blue Spirit and the Avatar in prison.

 

Overall, this is a horrible film that I would definitely not recommend you see if you are a fan of the cartoon or if you aren't. I recommend watching the cartoon instead as that is a very good TV show. 

Watch this instead!

Link for Show (Netflix Instant Stream): 

Watch Avatar: The Last Airbender Online | Netflix

Rating: 0.5/5

The Dark Knight Rises REVIEW

Over the years, Christopher Nolan has given us films over the years that changed our lives and bent our minds. But he has outdone himself with the immense spectacle that is The Dark Knight Rises. The caped crusader truly rises in this film to immortal glory not seen before in The Dark Knight and Batman Begins.  From Michael Caine's heart wrenching performance as the trusty butler, Alfred to the sheer awesome power Tom Hardy invests in his character Bane, the film truly is breathtaking. Not to be forgotten is the amazing score from Hans Zimmer who recycles themes from the previous films and adds new ones, including my personal favorite track, "Gotham's Reckoning", with bone chilling chants of, "Deshi Deshi Basara Basara". This film goes down in my books as not only one of the greatest comic book and superhero films of all time, but arguably one of the greatest films of all time. The Dark Knight Rises truly rises above the competition and gives you a film that you wish would never end.

Rating: 5/5

channel ORANGE by Frank Ocean REVIEW

Finally, after a botched album release with Def Jam Records, Frank Ocean releases his "début" album, or in my opinion his sophomore, after the release of nostalgia, ULTRA. Channel Orange is a masterpiece in every way. From the track, "Lost" to the ballad "Forrest Gump". From the bored attitudes of Frank and Earl in, "Super Rich Kids", to the perfect collaboration on "Pink Matter". Having had a chance to hear the album before its release was a good opportunity to reflect on how far Frank has come in his four years since leaving New Orleans to pursue a career in the industry he is currently revolutionizing.

On this album, I would have to say my favourite song was "Lost". It starts off with a catchy tune that transcends into the song itself. The song is brilliantly balanced between the instrumental and Frank's vocals while telling the story of a girl who is lost with her life.

I only went in depth on one song, but the whole album is something that is worth listening to and taking a good hard thought about it. Frank and the rest of his crew have really made a piece of art that transcends all tastes in music. There is something for you on this album no matter who you are.

Rating: 8.5/10

Mylo Xyloto by Coldplay REVIEW

Coldplay and their newest album, Mylo Xyloto may seem like a drastic change from their previous material, but I personally thought that it was a change for the better.

The album starts off with a warm instrumental, in the title track, "Mylo Xyloto". The song immediately transitions into the upbeat but depressing song, "Hurts Like Heaven". However, my favourites on this album were "Paradise", "Major Minus", and "Charlie Brown".

"Major Minus" tells the tale of a couple escaping the grasps of an Orwellian like society reminiscent of the novel, 1984. It starts off with a guitar riff and ends with Chris Martin exclaiming, "Got one eye on the road and one on you!".

"Charlie Brown" is the only song off the album that I took the time to learn how to play on the guitar, and that made me appreciate it even more. This song is fantastic, and has all the elements to make it a hit.

"Paradise" is quite possibly the most famous song off the album, and the one that Coldplay has received the most recognition for. The song tells the story of a young girl who followed her dreams, but lost them in the process. The opening of the song is my favourite part and the song doesn't let down till the end.

The album is a step away from Coldplay's previous work, and this was a big risk to take. However, in the end, I feel that the risk paid off and produced a well put together album in Mylo Xyloto.



Rating: 8/10

My Clothing Brand

Hey guys,

Yes I know this isn't a post about music or anything like that.

I just wanted you guys to know that I have started a clothing company and will be selling t shirts. Right now I only have 2, but I hope to increase that as time goes on. If you like what you see go ahead and order a shirt! I will be getting them printed and will ship at the end of each month, so order early!

Link to website: lYon clothing — Home

Facebook page: Lyon

Goblin by Tyler the Creator REVIEW

3 words, Tyler the Creator... The frontman of OFWGKTA is back at it with his sophomore album... yes I know i'm a couple months late, but better late then never right? Well, anyways, Tyler gets right to it in this album with tracks like the internationally known song, "Yonkers" and songs like "Analog". Tyler seems to go for the shock value rather than typical rapping. Many of his songs include dark lyrical content and this album is not recommended for children. Well anyways, lets get to the review!

I'm only going to highlight a few songs, and one includes "Nightmare". This is a track that talks about Tyler's life. He really goes for a deep truth in this song, but also includes that shock value we all know Tyler for. The song starts with a sick beat that i'm guessing Left Brain made. This is a typical song that is featured on this album for it's dark content.

Another song that I liked on this album was, "Analog". This song features fellow Odd Future member, Hodgy Beats. The song however, is a sharp contrast from the rest of his songs on this album. This is one of those songs that remind you of summer. 

One other song that I liked, was "She". The song describes a psycho stalker going after a girl that he seems to love. With some smooth vocals from Frank Ocean, Tyler really delivers on this track.

And, finally the last track that is to be looked at, is "Yonkers". "Yonkers" like the song "Nightmare" starts off with a beat that in both songs are similar. Tyler goes into his very, very dark lyrics immediately and never lets up.

If you like OFWGKTA or just rap in general, this is a good album to go for. There is funny stuff and then there is extremely serious stuff. I liked this album from Tyler, and can't wait for Wolf which should be released this summer. However, Tyler has said that he will go away from rapping on some of the songs, so expect a major difference between this album and his next.

Overall, this was a good album that I enjoyed listening to. It's dark content gives a good contrast to the music of today.

Rating: 8.5/10