Aural Sensitivity Training: June 27, 2011

Back for more are you? Let's not waste time this week with idle chatter. Get your training on!

Rachel Platten, "1000 Ships"

Among the countless pretty piano-playing popstresses, it's hard to judge what's worth listening to and what's to be put in your "over it" pile. Platten's single is easy on the ears and is ridiculously fun. Unless you're a douche, of course.

Shiny Toy Guns, "Ghost Town"

For those of you that need something a little... harder, this track of the electric indie group's Season of Poison disc will more than fill your appetite. Their high-powered electric riffs mix with strong performances from their singing duo to get your blood pumping.

Florence and the Machine, "I'm Not Calling You a Liar"

While the version found on their album is stellar, the remix found on the Dragon Age II sounds track is sheer brilliance. Welch's mind-melting vocals are backed up with richer instrumentals (mostly stringed), creating a sound that is befitting of the ending credits for a 35-hour adventure. Jack up the volume and lose yourself in awesome.

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, "Hot Summer Night"

So how sexy is this band? If you haven't heard anything their self-titled disc, do yourself a favor and buy this one. With guitar stylings straight out of the 70's and Potter's grooving belts, you will not be disappointed. 

Darling Parade, What You Want

This three-track EP from the still relatively-unknown power-pop foursome leaves you wanting. With so few tracks there's no room for error, but Darling Parade doesn't miss on any track.  They'll get you singing along in no time.

Be back next week for more training!

Movie Night: Green Lantern

That'll Do Hal, That'll Do.

Anyone that knows me personally is well aware of how long I've been waiting for a Green Lantern film. Behind Spider-man, GL is a close second for my favorite superhero ever. The ever-changing settings, the space drama, the bad-ass ring, and the propelling theme of controlling your emotions and harnessing your willpower hooked me from the moment I started reading. Ever since I have become so entrenched in the Green Lantern universe that it and Green Lantern Corps are the titles I look forward to reading the most. So believe when I say I was more than anxious as I waited for a midnight showing to commence featuring the emerald ring-slinger.

Back when I started reading the comic series in the 90's, I knew the technology to bring the lantern story to the screen simply didn't exist. In 2011, not only does the technology exist, but the financial backing for superhero movies has never been more forthcoming. So enter Green Lantern, a movie with a more than solid cast and a whopping $200 million budget.

Let's start with the hopefully bankable star of this production: Ryan Reynolds. As Hal Jordan, he's wittier than I'd like him to be. No offense to Hal, but the guy just isn't that funny. He doesn't have a lot of one-liners. Unfortunately, Reynolds is too effing funny/sarcastic/annoying to not have a few zingers in the flick. That being said, I certainly expected more of them. He's got the looks and he's got the chops, so who am I to complain about a studio wanting someone entertaining in the role? He may not have been my first choice for Hal, but he's certainly not at the bottom.

As far as the Green Lantern Corps goes, I have no complaints whatsoever. Mark Strong is absolutely spot-on as the legendary and ferocious Lantern Sinestro. The intensity behind Strong's eyes bring life to the character and set the stage for one of the most significant aspects of the Green Lantern mythos. Tomar-Re and Kilowog are voiced by the talented Geoffrey Rush and Michael Clarke Duncan, respectively, perfectly capturing the essence of two storied members of the Corps. As for their leaders the Guardians, I thought they were aloof and arrogant enough in the time they're on screen and were exactly how I would have imagined them. I desperately wanted to see more of the lantern forces, but this was definitely more of a Hal Jordan story than a tale of the Corps. Maybe next time...

For the story's main villain, enter Parallax. A deep history in the comics, the Parallax of the film has been tweaked a bit. He's still a representation of fear, but instead of a cosmic entity that IS fear, he's a former Guardian infected and consumed with the yellow energy that is fueled by fear. It worked for me. I never expected them to create glowing alien life forms in the color of the spectrum, so this was a way to work a Parallax into the film.

On the terrestrial side of the movie, I was surprised by how not annoyed I was by Blake Lively. I knew she would be easy on the eyes, but she never once felt like a throwaway character to me, even proving useful in a fight scene. (Didn't see that coming. Good for her.) She may not have been as ballsy as her comic counterpart, but she proved a equal opposite to Reynolds. Peter Sarsgaard gets downright creepy as Hector Hammond, the evil, large-craniumed telepath. Angela Bassett even shows up as government powerhouse Amanda Waller, a nice surprise for fans of of the DCU. Still, she's not as... forceful as you would expect her to be. Some of the surrounding characters aren't that memorable, but it's a comic book blockbuster. Not every character gets to develop.

As the advertising clearly shows, Green Lantern is a 3-D summer superhero blockbuster. And I do mean, blockbuster, so you will have the occasional moment of near-cringe-worthy dialogue and the over-the-top special effects. However, there is a grand central theme of the will to overcome fear that serves as an anchor which with the film grounds itself. There's no particularly weak performances and the CGI does a fantastic job of putting form to the ring's abilities. Even the costume looked great to me after seeing on screen for two hours, instead of the glimpses in pictures and commercial snippets.

Maybe I'm softie for one of my favorite superheroes, but I was more than entertained by Green Lantern. I've seen and heard from plenty that found it horrid or boring, but not I. Could it have been better? Abso-freaking-lutely. It felt dumbed down a bit from the direction the comic book has taken over the past few years, but I think that's a necessity for GL so that the story is a bit more accessible to those new to the hero. (Though what's not easy to understand about space cops? It's AWESOME!) Unfortunately you'll almost have to see it in 3-D, which still underwhelms me every time I'm forced to endure it. Weak, yo.

If you're looking for a few fun hours at the movies, Green Lantern will do the job. It may not be the "Epic Space Opera" that the fanboys were looking for, but that's what sequels are for, fellow nerds. Try to enjoy the ride.

Aural Sensitivity Training: June 20, 2011

Are you scouring the internet looking for new music? Do you need validation for some of your guiltier audio pleasures? Haven't found the right podcast yet? Fear not friend. Each week at The Random Ramblings I'm going to offer up five personal audio selections (ranging from albums, songs, podcasts and whatever else one can listen to) for your perusal. Let's get to your training!

Ellie Goulding, Lights

This album is going keep your ears buzzing with superb hooks and well-plotted lyrics. She feels like a mix of Kylie Minogue and Sarah Bareilles, which is more than alright in my book. I love every song, but "Your Biggest Mistake" and "Starry Eyed" are some of my favorites off this disc.

ESPN, The Michelle Beadle Podcast 

Maybe you can't gawk at Michelle like you do when she hosts ESPN's Sportsnation, but the Beadle is in full force for each installment of this fledgling podcast. She's hilariously awkward, astoundingly blunt and knows more about sports than you do, even if she doesn't talk about it as much as you'd like. Definitely worth a listen for the casual sports fan.

Silversun Pickups, Pikul

If you never picked up the 2005 debut EP from this killer indie group, then you're missing out. The band's mellower side is on display for these seven tracks, but their trademark gritty sound is omnipresent. Snag it if you haven't yet.

Taryn Southern, "Keep It In Your Pants"
Not only is she stunning and funny as hell, she's also pretty talented. Still, don't take my word for it. Just watch.


You're welcome.

A Perfect Circle, "Weak and Powerless"
After the brilliance that was Mer De Noms, Thirteenth Step was awfully disappointing. Still, this track stands out for the awesome-sauce that it is. Makes me reminisce of old-school Tool. (Which would be weird if their lead singer wasn't the same guy. That makes it okay.)

Hope you enjoyed your training! See you next week!

The (music) Video Store: Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night"

Sheer Cotton Candy

Hey guess what? Katy Perry just released a new music video... and I found myself at least somewhat amused by it. After the disappointment that came with "E.T." (when paired with Kanye, coincidence perhaps?), Perry has chosen "Last Friday Night" to be her newest visual aide from Teenage Dream. Taking the setting of an 80's teen comedy, "Last Friday Night" features Perry as a dorky, unattractive and poorly put-together teen who has a crazy night when her neighbor throws a wicked party. But why am I explaining a music video's plot? Just watch. I've got all eight minutes of the video below.



While there are plenty that will (and often do) complain about Perry, her music or her style, I can't help but be entertained by her. While Lady Gaga videos are that mouthwatering foreign delicacy that you wound up ordering, Perry's entries are pure cotton candy. Sure they're airy and won't fill you up, but they come in bright colors and taste of pure sugar. Sometimes you don't want to be adventurous, sometimes you just want fun and "Last Friday Night" definitely fills that void.

Watch it, if only for the somehow fugged-up Perry and the cameos from Kenny G. (you read that right), Corey Feldman, Debbie Gibson and Hanson.

Please get hot.

Movie Night: X-Men: First Class

A Prequel Worthy of the X-Franchise

It had been five years since the last X-Men movie came out to mixed (at best) reviews. Nerds (not including myself) had almost universally panned the film, referencing its unnecessarily of killing integral characters and claiming director Brett Ratner had ruined the series. Sitting in the theater Thursday night before a midnight showing of X-Men: First Class, I was fighting feelings of apprehension and X-citement. Would this prequel justify the long wait? Could it compete in a summer of no less than four superhero blockbusters?

Readers, I have no trouble saying to you the answers to both questions are a resounding yes.

James McAvoy (Charles Xavier) Michael Fassbender (Magneto) are not just competent, they're absolutely X-emplary. McAvoy's outstanding realization of the brilliant yet flawed future leader of the X-Men grounds the film, allowing viewers to see emotional center of the team as he aids and inspires his fellow mutants.

However, as much as McAvoy shines, the luster of this movie comes from Michal Fassbender's interpretation of a young Erik Lehnsherr. On a hunt for the Nazi scientist that killed his mother, the eventual leader of the Brotherhood spends the first half of the movie as a super-powered James Bond, traveling the world, garbed in the best menswear the 60's had to offer. (Yes, I commented on his fashion. Eff off.) Despite the awesomeness of these early scenes, it is when Lehnsherr meets Xavier that Fassbender's best moments are carried to the screen. Watching a young Magneto learns to control and focus the anger that has fueled his search for so long leads to emotional breakthroughs that Fassbender brings to life so X-pertly. Plainly put, the dude can act.

Fassbender...is...GOD! (My new catchphrase. You like?)

Sure, there are a few holes that can be pointed out. Isn't Alex Summers supposed to by Cyclops's brother? What's he doing in 1963? It never seemed that Professor X or Beast had that strong of an emotional connection to Mystique in the first three films, but wouldn't you think Xavier would be torn apart every time he saw her? How does Moira MacTaggert transition from a super-sexy sixties CIA operative to the Doctor we see for a brief time in X-Men: The Last Stand? Unless you're heavily entrenched in mutant lore, these deviations shouldn't affect you in the slightest. In the universe these films have created and are forced to cover, there's not enough room to satisfy the comic book history of every popular mutant or X-Men-involved character. Get used to it. You're lucky Banshee ever made it into an X-film.

As far as the rest of the cast goes, I honestly couldn't find an obvious weak link. The younger actors (aside from Jennifer Lawrence, who succeeds as a young and insecure Mystique), don't get enough screen time to themselves to wreak any real havoc. They're almost always on screen with Fassbender or McAvoy, or they're splitting up dialogue within their own group, which keeps them on point. Nicholas Hoult X-cels as a young Hank McCoy, a genius determined to reverse the outwardly conspicuous aspects of his mutation. Myself, I fancied Rose Byrne (MacTaggert), who is absolutely stunning and keeps her end of the acting bargain, though the character is too often forced to be a human stand-by in a film of mutant confrontations. (Seriously though? Stunning.)

On the villainous side of life, Kevin Bacon adequately performs as a somewhat subdued Sebastian Shaw. Shaw serves as a physical foe for certain, but in this film his role is as a diabolically evil political strategist who  stages the Cuban Missile Crisis. If nothing else, January Jones is drop-dead sexy as the ice-hearted telepath Emma Frost. Her outfits alone should keep the men's attention. The other two members of the Hellfire Club, Riptide and Azazel are seemingly throwaways, despite their comic history. Still, the teleporting Azazel manages to impress in the action sequences as a demented version of Nightcrawler (whom he fathered in the comic series). Riptide is well... a dude who can create tornadoes. While it looks cool, he tends to get beat up when involved a battle with other mutants. As he should.

I'm sorry... was I writing something?

Speaking of mutant fisticuffs, there's enough solid action scenes to go-around, though perhaps they're not as frequent as you would like. The personal relationships drive this plot more than anything else, which means you're going to be invested in these characters and their lives, which in turn makes it worth seeing. It might have oodles of dialogue, but it's certainly a superhero movie.

What keeps the X-Men story popular are its central themes. There's almost nothing more relate-able than teens just wanting to be socially accepted. Being attacked for your genetic characteristics is a battle that seemingly has no end and appears in our daily lives whether we clearly see it or not. If you can't find someone in these mutant-laden movies with whom to relate, you're simply not human.

So go see it, yes?