Halloween

yeah that's right...I posted the AFI version instead of the Misfits' original. Happy Halloween everyone.

Movie Review: Let Me In

how about we don't...

Oh boy...here we go. Let Me In isn't a bad film. Say for example, I lived in a cave and knew nothing about the book or original Swedish film, both titled Let The Right One In, and saw Let Me In on a whim. I might exit the theater thinking, "what an interesting little film I just saw." Part thriller, part tragedy, part love story, filled with great performances by two wonderful child actors, by all accounts Let Me In is a good movie. Unfortunately, I lack the blissful ignorance needed to formulate such an opinion. I saw the original film Let The Right One In last summer and my mind was officially blown by it's sheer awesomeness. So while Matt Reeves' American remake is a competent/ok film it's literally blown out of the water by Tomas Alfredson's original.

Alfredson's film revolved around Oskar, a 12 year old social misfit who could only find happiness &  understanding by befriending a 12 (going on 200+) year old vampire "thing" named Eli. 


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Reeves' movie centers around Owen, a 12 year old twink who falls for a 12 (going on 200+) year old vampire girl named Abby.



After leaving the theater, with Let Me In still fresh on the brain, I began discussing the differences between the two films while eating King Taco with my girlfriend. I literally played both films side by side in my head as I ate and slowly but surely my mild disappointment with Reeves' film turned into an all out rage. My girlfriend thought I was nuts because she saw both movies and claimed to enjoy them almost equally, with some elements of Let Me In eclipsing the original she claimed. Turns out I'm not insane and this article illustrates nearly all the points I laid out at King Taco. The reviewer, Brit Mandelo says:

The word I would use to describe Let the Right One In is “quiet,” or perhaps “poignant.” The word I would use to describe Let Me In is “clumsy,” maybe even (and this is cheating) “trying too hard.”

Never truer words spoken (or typed).  Alfredson's film is slower, giving bits of dialogue when needed. The camera doesn't move too much either but with Let The Right One In's amazing cinematography you won't even notice.  It's literally a beautiful film to watch. You could pause any shot in the movie and frame the image on your wall and I'm not even joking. Reeves' movie is faster paced, almost to the point of feeling rushed, filled with more dialogue, camera tricks/CGI and pop culture references (80's music). The best thing about Let Me In in my opinion (aside from the gratuitous tit shot in the beginning) is Reeves' filming of the car wreck sequence. That's some dazzling directing going on right there. And that's what pisses me off the MOST about this movie. The best thing Reeves' adds to his version is a still a big cop-out compared to Alfredson's work. In Let The Right One In, Eli's henchmen gets stuck in a pretty hairy situation and decides there's only one way out of it, resulting in a gruesome yet extremely touching scene. Reeves' take on this results in a cool to watch car wreck sequence that lacks the emotional power of Alfredson's version.

There are so many other things that bother me about Let Me In, like the total glossing over of the original's implicit sexual undertones and replacement of Alfredson's social commentary about the horrors of modern society with Reeves' bland battle between "Good & Evil," dribble. I'm starting to get all worked up again. Once more, be sure to visit Mandelo's article for a complete breakdown of why Alfredson's film > Reeves'. In conclusion, Let Me In is not a horrible movie...it will just be forever overshadowed by it's far superior Swedish cousin, Let The Right One In. Reeves' did make the genius decision casting Elias Koteas in his movie though. So if you have to, go see Let Me In and show CASEY JONES FROM NINJA TURTLES (excited?!) some love.

let HIM in

CELEBRATE: Back To The Future

RESPECT

Twenty-five years ago, possibly one of the greatest events in all of human history occurred. No, I'm not referring to my birth for once, this is even MORE important than that. See, when I'm dead and gone in 100 years time and nobody gives a shit about my festering bones people will still be praising the genius of Robert Zemeckis' Back to The Future. This film rules on so many levels it's absurd. I watched the film on the big screen last night as part of the 25th anniversary celebration and fell in love all over again. I was so psyched I've decided to break my little self imposed blogging vacation to gush over the movie like a little school girl!
So get off your asses and break out your Back to the Future DVDs or Netflix the sucker right now, because as far as I'm concerned this films anniversary should be a federal holiday.

It's Raining..

Its raining here in Southern California. For those of you in other parts of the country/world that actually experience other forms of weather, you should know that any disturbance to our consistently arid climate causes the shinny happy people of Los Angeles to collectively freak the fuck out. Not me however. I despise the sun. The first good rain of the year is cause for celebration in my book!

I don't know about you, but I enjoying blast two types of music while driving around in the rain....grim and frost bitten Black Metal, and uber depressing "post metal/stoner/gaze" type shit.

Exhibit A:


Exhibit B:


so heres to all the traffic jams, car accidents, tardiness and awesome music associated with the rainy season!

"Ladies is pimps too..."

Cosmo Lee @ Invisible Oranges first brought "SmooneGrri" to my attention earlier this year. She's an 18 year old Dutch girl who's down with the sick sad guttural world of Wigger Slam. For those of you unfamiliar with the tenets of Wigger Slam, please see Sergeant D's in depth analysis from his now defunct blog, Metal Inquistion, aptly titled: "Everything You Need To Know About Wigger Slam Metal." 

So now it appears that SmooneGrri has found herself a band via the power of the internetz.


Now her new band Cerebral Bore aren't totally about the Slamz. Kinda technical, with far more thrashy elements than most straight up slam bands would care for (and something about their sound reminds me of None So Vile era Cryptopsy...the bass slaps perhaps?) but the breakdown @ the 2:42 mark is classic Wigger Slam. If I was wearing a hat I'd totally turn that shit sideways right about then. Enjoy.