Album Review: Straight Outta Lynwood

Showing my stripes here, and they be geeky. I knew Weird Al was coming out with a new album (the titularly stated 'Straight Outta Lynwood'), and picked it up almost immediately. So now, I've had it for a full day, and I'm ready to share my feelings on the matter.

Let me start with a bit of background. A couple of years ago, after Al's last album (Poodle Hat), it was made known that his parents had died of carbon monoxide poisoning in their home in Lynwood. This album, beneath the surface, features many thoughts on Al's more formative years in music throughout the liner art and background images.

That done, let's get to the features. Al's album is released in Dual Disc, meaning a complete audio side for the album, and the second side containing additional DVD-style content. Let's take turns with each side, shall we?

Side 1 contains 13 original songs, including 5 parodies, 6 originals, and 1 polka. This album better balances the influences of hip hop, which seemed to almost dominate Poodle Hat. Up for conversion include Chamillionaire's "Ridin" as "White and Nerdy", RATM's "Burn" as "I'll Sue Ya!", Usher's "Confession Pt 2" as "Confessions Pt 3", some country song ballad (take THAT, bias!), and Green Day's "American Idiot" as "Canadian Idiot". The mix is a little off on Canadian Idiot, but otherwise the songs stand extremely close to their music stylings of origin. The Polka (featuring Gorillaz, Velvet Revolver, and more!) runs happily enough. The original songs continue Al's trend of 'style parody', and he broadly hits Beach-Boys style music, as well as "We Are the World" style recordings.

On the DVD side, we find the album AGAIN... this time with your choice of stereo sound and 5.1! As WELL as a voiceless with just the music, allowing for karaoke exploits if you so choose. Also featured is a video of Al and friends in the studio (which is some what of a mixed bag), and 6 (!) animated music videos. The videos are each completely differently animated, ranging from the scratchings of Bill Plympton to the action figure madness of Robot Chicken. The only thing missing is Al's live music video currently in release, "White and Nerdy".

So how does Al's current material stand up? I'm clearly biased... I've always liked Al, and will probably always like Al. This album is well representative of what is going on in pop right now. The thing being, of course, you have to realize that the title track says it all. This album is strictly for the Nerdy, but it stands proudly alongside some of my other favorite Al albums, "Bad Hair Day" and "Running With Scissors". I'd rank it above "Poodle Hat"...

One last bit. Pop by Al's web site and download "You're Pitiful", a recording that did not make the album.

Movie Review: Accepted

Sometimes, Martin goes to the movies. And you know what? He tells you what he thinks about them. That's awesome! It's...

RANT AT THE SCREEN!

Today's film is Accepted. This flick just about slipped out of theaters without me seeing it, but has amazingly hung on into late September while having started in July, so I knew something was up. And I was not disappointed.

Accepted stars Justin Long, who leads a mostly young adult/teen cast, notably added to by Lewis Black. What follows is a film that contains elements of Revenge of the Nerds, Back to School and Animal House in premise, yet the execution slides sideways into its own movie. Justin has been denied from every college he's applied to, garnering infinite scorn from his parents and younger sister. In an effort to stem the tide of parental disapproval, Long and his friends create a cover identity - The South Harmon Institute of Technology. The cover is working wonderfully until an actual student body shows up, and the BS job turns into something legitimate.

Arguably, the movie is a paint-by-numbers film. Like all college films of note, the major turns are hit... 1. Conflict with Evil Dean / Fraternity, 2. Hazing is Bad/Stupid, 3. I love the girl that frat guy has, and should have her before the end of the film, 4. Big Party Sequence, 5. Prove ourselves before the court.
In this regard, the film echoes films greater than itself, but to great effect. Many cliches for college films are turned at least slightly askew by the nature of the plot.

The film really does quite a lot with very little. A couple montages really move the plot forward, especially establishing the South Harmon Institute of Technology as a 'Real' school, and many of the minor characters. And honestly, Long's charisma keeps the film going where it would fall down, and allows for absolute hilarity in concert with many of the minor characters (including the old army guy who wants to rock, the ex-stripper, and the guy who wants to blow things up with his mind). Particularly delightful are Lewis Black's interjections into the film, which are thankfully numerous and well-written.

I'd get Accepted into four out of five colleges.

Preview Review: School for Scoundrels

Sometimes, Martin goes to the movies. Sometimes, he goes before the movie is EVEN OUT! It's times like this he must...

RANT AT THE SCREEN: BEFORE IT'S RELEASED!

Today's film is School for Scoundrels. Can Jon Heder + Billy Bob Thornton = funny? Yes, Yes it can. But don't be fooled!

Let's start off with the summary. Roger's (Heder) life sucks. He has a crappy job as a meter maid in Manhattan, and is prone to panic attacks. Despite living on his own, he is frequently sorry and callow in his relations with others. It's gotten so bad that despite being part of the Big Brother program, children want other big brothers than him. He wants nothing more than to date a girl in his building.

He becomes aware of Dr. P's (Thornton) program, which turns the spineless into lions, allowing them to take the shots in life which they previously did not. He excels at P's methods, and proceeds to come into conflict with his teacher over methods and objectives, and finally Dr P's gaul of trying to date the girl he cares about.

This movie is PG-13, and maybe that's the biggest problem here. Everyone is waiting for Thornton to go "Bad Santa", or some shock factor for Heder to curse, and it never happens. They aimed for the teen crowd, but this is a movie for the older viewing audience. Unfortunately, it misses the mark it's aiming for, and gets almost completely lost in the third act before finishing on a decent note.

Which is not to say the movie isn't funny. It is! There are several bits that give all they can, and more than one character really hits stride. Cameos by should-be comedy heroes and heroines are abundant, and really do help the movie. Some, like Ben Stiller, are completely misused.

So where does "School for Scoundrels" stand? This isn't a great comedy movie, but it is pretty good. If it just let itself go a little more, it could've hit the high notes rather than come off heavy-handed and a few jokes short. Or maybe they should've shot for the R rating. In a world where movies are coming out on DVD extended and unrated, it'll be interesting to see what was left on the cutting room floor to be added back in later. Bad Santa and Dodgeball both got better with more added back, and maybe this will do the same. But maybe this film is all it's ever going to be, like Benchwarmers.

In the end, I give it three manilla envelopes out of five.

Heroes

Alright folks, it's time to indulge me again. Let's have a little mental pow-wow (and possbily, biff, or zok).

I like few things as much as mixed mythology, and nowhere is mixed mythology better demonstrated than super hero comic books. Your average superhero's world accomadates magic, science-fiction technology, space travel, pantheistic religion, superstition and urban legend. But whether a super hero draws his powers from the thunder, a radioactive bite, or mastery of martial arts, there's a few things that set them apart from every day people. The average super hero of the Silver Age (a phrase that won't mean a lot to many of you) had a few common concepts. Universal ideals shared beyond race, creed or gender (and many of the Silver Age villains possessed some or all of these traits, albeit twisted on occasion).

1. Action must be taken to defend the defenseless.
2. A good deed is its own reward.
3. We are equal with our fellows.
4. Apathy in the face of evil is itself an evil act.
5. A hero must be an example for others to follow.

Heroes don't catch on because of superficial qualities such as fancy powers or amazing adventures. They have to have a certain something at the core which is relatable and genuinely heroic. When you see the Fantastic Four, think of them as a family first, and super heroes second. When you see Spider-Man, recognize a man struggling with his responsability. Superman is just a simple farm boy who has the power to prevent tyrrany. Batman wants to prevent personal tragedies. The X-Men want to remove racism and fear.

These are noble causes, but how can they really apply to our lives? It's hard to see how you might make a difference when bullets don't bounce off you. But it's all a frame of mindset. I'm sure you all have someone out there who you can think of as a hero. Maybe I can clarify that a bit.

There's a theory on the nature of good versus evil, which bears discussing a little here. They may be human precepts, ones that don't exist in the natural world, but they also serve as philosophies, and they work as such.

Good acts benefit the person who commits them and the people around him. A good act makes things better for everyone. Obvious good acts include charity, care, and compassion. Less obvious good acts include basic consideration and civility.
Evil acts benefit the person who commits them at the cost of people around him. Obvious evil acts include theft, callousness, and harm. Less obvious acts include selfishness and forgetfulness.

Touching!

There are characters in our lives that are more than characters. They are clearly fictional, but their personalities are so real and existence so ingrained that we simply accept them as real.

At age 23, I can put my finger on a few characters that I implicitly accept as real despite evidence to the contrary: Kermit the Frog, Pooh Bear, and Big Bird. This is about the last of the three.

In 1983, there was a death in the cast of Sesame Street, and they chose to address it on the show. The human characters have to explain to Big Bird why Mr. Hooper won't be around any more. See the video here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaXiWgDU4i0

I had never seen this until today. It's remarkable. I never knew Mr. Hooper on the show (and besides, I watched Mr. Rogers). But I know who Big Bird is, and the relationship is clearly defined within the few minutes we see. And the reaction is understandable, and real. Enjoy.

Yearly!

I say this just about the same time every year. I know I do it, because I can see where I did it last year. Getting stuck in a loop is sort of scary, and it makes me really question the routine. So, let's just skip the preamble and get to it.

I'm gonna change my situation, and soon. The work's good. Score there, you know. Keep that. Friends ain't bad, but that scene is changing rapidly, too. Home situation will probably change in a major way. Gonna be heading out into the land of 'doing it on my own' part deux, on account of I've never seen a roomie who didn't make me look like the most stable man in the world by comparison (Job! Car! Social Life!). So rather than split rent with the unreliability of existence, I might end up doing it my own self.

The second you think about the fact that even if you lost everything, you could still start over, well, it doesn't seem so bad.

Here's the preamble in case any of you folks missed it above.

We just took in a fella who just got out of prison (statuatory!). He was nice enough before he went in, and he's nice enough now. Unfortunately, he wants a year to get back on his feet with me and my roomie. My roomie thinks that means I should just sidle on out in my own time.

I haven't said as such, but that pisses me right off. I been around a couple years, been supportive, and not asked for just about anything in return. An old friend turned convict gets on the couch, and I who have a track record of responsibility is asked to walk.

I can read the writing on the wall on this one. Once I move out, roomie and I will have 0 need to ever talk to each other again, and that's probably how it's going to go. Except for the point at which she'll want me to watch her little girl, which I will avoid like "Bats 2: Lou Diamond Phillips Boogaloo". I was nice and did it to help out while I lived there. Heck with that.

It seems like a pretty cliche lesson, but being a nice guy and getting walked blahblahblah. Nice guys finish last, eh?

Maybe that's the problem, at heart. I'm being too nice. Maybe it's time to be a damn jerk about something or other. Pick my battles on this one though.

So, here's where I'm going to encourage participation from the audience. What should I be a jerk about?

1) Wait a couple months and be a jerk about moving out
2) Be a jerk to somebody who checks in with me for nostalgia's sake

I eagerly await your votes!

Movie Reviews: Crank, and The Wicker Man

Sometimes, Martin goes to the movies. And lots of times, he'll see movies there. Stunning, eh? It's all part of a section we call...

RANT AT THE SCREEN!

Today's review is two-fold. Let's talk some about them. Starting with...

CRANK!

Los Angeles based hitman Chev Chelios wakes up to discover he has been injected with some Chinese poison while he slept by a local rival who wishes to take his position. If his andrenaline level drops too far, his heart will stop, and he will die. The only way to slow this process down is to keep the adrenaline pumping. So Chev does the only logical thing: Go on an over-the-top rampage in an effort to settle his affairs before the Chinese cocktail does him in.

We understand the plot within the first five minutes as we begin Chev's day with him. We follow him as his day speeds up, and never slows down. The movie grabs at the modern conventions of film-making, and screams in their face. It makes its own manic energy and style, from people who speak english but are sub-titled to racial disputes and rampant drug use. Statham's antics highly amusing, often slightly insane, and savage. He is the most like-able amoral killer I've seen portrayed lately. The stunts contain no wire-fu, martial arts, or bullet time. Every hit is murderous, and bone-crunching. The hits stay with you, and my friends and I were forced to convene shortly after the movie to discuss some of our favorite parts of our hero's last day.

I give Crank five out of five epinephrine shots.

The second movie this week is Wicker Man, which does not know what it wants to be. In this film, Nic Cage turns in a role as a wussy detective who eats salads and is rather sensitive, and gets looped into looking for a missing girl on a secretive island an island off Washington. He's genial enough, and things are suitably bizarre on the island to make you go 'huh?' However, the film's ending is telegraphed from a mile away, and the things a 'reasonable person' would do are far away from the actions of our hero detective.

My real problem with this movie are its themes. If you pay attention to the movie long enough, you begin to realize that there are a few things going on here. 1. Nic Cage's cop character is a pussy, and this is bad. 2. The only thing worse than him are women. The movie is misoginistic, in the same way this joke is. What do you tell a woman with two black eyes? Nothin', I already told her twice. This movie hates feminism, wicca, and sensitive men. Not that these groups don't exactly deserve the occasional skewer, but the movie lays it on thick, to the point that Nic eventually starts punching out girls early in the last reel.

I would like to point out that I don't condone undeserved physical violence, but Nic's punching on women is one of the few moments of utter joy I experience in the movie, and is downright hilarious when it happens. If I was compiling some of my favorite moments of physical violence from movies, this would make the cut on shock-factor alone (just like the Lone Biker of the Apocalypse fight in Raising Arizona).

I give it two out of five obvious plot devices (one derived from lady-punching).