Is it that time of year again? When Lady GaGa is allowed to be crazy?!?!?!?? I'll be front and center watching with rapt attention. My favorite picks this year are Florence and the Machine and Gungor, this funky Christian group. And there's a few others like Paramore and Sara Barilles that are up for some smazller awards that I'm rooting for. Best of luck to everyone except Justin Bieber!
-Randi
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
The King's Speech, Five stars, Two Thumbs Up, Hands In The Air
Where did I get all these hands?
I must've picked them up at the movie because I think everyone in the theater had the same reaction in the end, judging my the standing ovation of a movie that came out a month ago.
So here's the deal: King George the V (Colin Firth) has a speech issue. He stammers due to childhood issues, and his dad (Dumbledore, Michael Gambon), and teasing and other such matters. So they call in this unortohodox speech therapist Lionel Louge (Forgive any spelling errors). And when World War II breaks out, he has to give his war time speech via radio, which is the climax of the movie.
Anyway, bit by bit shall we?
Actors- The obvious two best preformances were Colin Firth and Geoffery Rush, King George and Lionel respectively. Helena Bonham Carter was showing off her diversity in a normal-ish role (I'm so used to seeing her as Bellatrix or the Red Queen or something crazy that when I finally see her out of character I have to tell myself several times, "THIS IS ACTUALLY HELENA!"). And whoever the two kids playing Elizabeth and Maragaret Rose were incredibly adorable!
Story- How anyone can make speech therapy so energizing is beyond me. I'm a lost cause ADD child and this movie was, like, two and a half hours and I was enraptured the whole time. And ITS ABOUT SPEECH THERAPY! It was hugely amazing and I'm running out of adjectives, so lets move on, shall we?
Cinematography (sp?)- I loved the whole look and feel of the Speech Therapy office. It was a gritty kind of beautiful. Lower class London at it's finest. The couch is losing it's stuffing, the wall is a commotion of scuffed up colors. The royal settings had a very regal, stuffy, confined feel to them. Lots of reds and rich dark colors.
Rating- Alright, as weird as it sounds, I give this to those who have concerned parents. The movie is reated R..but
If you're kids can handle the F-word, we're good. There were incidents of smoking, some alcohol, and the only time they really cursed was in speech therapy as a way of getting out stress and not stuttering. I talked to my mom about why they put that bit in (she works with much more orthodox speech therapists) and she said that that's actually pretty normal in treatment. Anyway, it was a very light R-rated movie. If you want to take a thirteen year old, it wouldn't disturb them.
(By the way, if you don't trust me, and I don't blame you if you don't, IMDB has a good parental guide on the movie, as they do with most films).
Overall: Refer to the title
I must've picked them up at the movie because I think everyone in the theater had the same reaction in the end, judging my the standing ovation of a movie that came out a month ago.
So here's the deal: King George the V (Colin Firth) has a speech issue. He stammers due to childhood issues, and his dad (Dumbledore, Michael Gambon), and teasing and other such matters. So they call in this unortohodox speech therapist Lionel Louge (Forgive any spelling errors). And when World War II breaks out, he has to give his war time speech via radio, which is the climax of the movie.
Anyway, bit by bit shall we?
Actors- The obvious two best preformances were Colin Firth and Geoffery Rush, King George and Lionel respectively. Helena Bonham Carter was showing off her diversity in a normal-ish role (I'm so used to seeing her as Bellatrix or the Red Queen or something crazy that when I finally see her out of character I have to tell myself several times, "THIS IS ACTUALLY HELENA!"). And whoever the two kids playing Elizabeth and Maragaret Rose were incredibly adorable!
Story- How anyone can make speech therapy so energizing is beyond me. I'm a lost cause ADD child and this movie was, like, two and a half hours and I was enraptured the whole time. And ITS ABOUT SPEECH THERAPY! It was hugely amazing and I'm running out of adjectives, so lets move on, shall we?
Cinematography (sp?)- I loved the whole look and feel of the Speech Therapy office. It was a gritty kind of beautiful. Lower class London at it's finest. The couch is losing it's stuffing, the wall is a commotion of scuffed up colors. The royal settings had a very regal, stuffy, confined feel to them. Lots of reds and rich dark colors.
Rating- Alright, as weird as it sounds, I give this to those who have concerned parents. The movie is reated R..but
If you're kids can handle the F-word, we're good. There were incidents of smoking, some alcohol, and the only time they really cursed was in speech therapy as a way of getting out stress and not stuttering. I talked to my mom about why they put that bit in (she works with much more orthodox speech therapists) and she said that that's actually pretty normal in treatment. Anyway, it was a very light R-rated movie. If you want to take a thirteen year old, it wouldn't disturb them.
(By the way, if you don't trust me, and I don't blame you if you don't, IMDB has a good parental guide on the movie, as they do with most films).
Overall: Refer to the title
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Wizards unite!
As you know, I'm a pretty big nerd, and it goes without saying that Harry Potter is a huge part of my life. So I started a completely seperate blog for it.
wizardcritic.blogspot.com
I focus a lot on wizard rock. It's pretty awesome.
I'm tired and I wanna go to bed. You should too
-Randi
wizardcritic.blogspot.com
I focus a lot on wizard rock. It's pretty awesome.
I'm tired and I wanna go to bed. You should too
-Randi
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Robert Plant's latest: Band of Joy
One day, cruising through the suburban streets, our radio was announcing they would be playing new music from Robert Plant. Now, I'm one of those people that doesn't usually believe in the whole "It's going to be just as good as the good 'ole days!" type people. There have only been a few good albums put out by old artists in the last decade. Rober Plant is one of the good ones.
So back to the radio. My hands on the dial to change stations when the booming intro to "Angel Dance comes blasting thourgh our little mini van. My mom even started jamming to the glorious chaos that ensued.
"Angel Dance" was all over the place. African beat, mandolin, distorted guitar, and this danceable song that I absoloutly adored.
So my mom lamely enough finds the album at STARBUCKS of all places, but I didn't really care when Istarted listening to this.
This album, much like "Angel Dance" is pretty out there, but in a good way, and it goes along witht the trippy liner notes/album art. But it's some good stuff.
I can't describe it. So your just going to have to trust me.
Peace,
Randi
So back to the radio. My hands on the dial to change stations when the booming intro to "Angel Dance comes blasting thourgh our little mini van. My mom even started jamming to the glorious chaos that ensued.
"Angel Dance" was all over the place. African beat, mandolin, distorted guitar, and this danceable song that I absoloutly adored.
So my mom lamely enough finds the album at STARBUCKS of all places, but I didn't really care when Istarted listening to this.
This album, much like "Angel Dance" is pretty out there, but in a good way, and it goes along witht the trippy liner notes/album art. But it's some good stuff.
I can't describe it. So your just going to have to trust me.
Peace,
Randi
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Patti Rothberg Returns
If you don't know who Patti Rothberg is, I don't blame you, but you need to find out. Her new album "Overnite Sensation" comes out on Valentines day, and it's one of my most anticipated this year.
First, lets do a lot of history.
If you've been around long enough, you've probably heard the name Patti Rothberg before. She had a hit song in the 90's called "Inside" from her debut album "Between the 1 and the 9". Then her record label branch closed off and we didn't see anymore from Patti until 2001's "Candelabra Cadabra".
Then in 2008, "Double Standards" came out, and that was when I was introduced to the sardonic, sarcastic, beautiful, lively, genius that is Patti Rothberg.
And now she's back for a fourth round.
What I really liked about the album was that every song sounded different in it's own way, yet you could still tell you were listening to the same album. Lots of rock, blues, acoustical, a little bit country, punk, singer-songwriter.
So if you like any of those genres,you'll like Patti.
I reccomened buying all of Patti's discography, "Candleabra Cadabra" and "Double Standards" (as well as a short EP called "Snow is my Downfall) are on iTunes. You might have to do a little searching for "1 and the 9" but there are some good copies on eBay (that's where I got mine).
You can also find her on Facebook and Myspace.
So do the world and yourself a favor and check this very talented lady out.
First, lets do a lot of history.
If you've been around long enough, you've probably heard the name Patti Rothberg before. She had a hit song in the 90's called "Inside" from her debut album "Between the 1 and the 9". Then her record label branch closed off and we didn't see anymore from Patti until 2001's "Candelabra Cadabra".
Then in 2008, "Double Standards" came out, and that was when I was introduced to the sardonic, sarcastic, beautiful, lively, genius that is Patti Rothberg.
And now she's back for a fourth round.
What I really liked about the album was that every song sounded different in it's own way, yet you could still tell you were listening to the same album. Lots of rock, blues, acoustical, a little bit country, punk, singer-songwriter.
So if you like any of those genres,you'll like Patti.
I reccomened buying all of Patti's discography, "Candleabra Cadabra" and "Double Standards" (as well as a short EP called "Snow is my Downfall) are on iTunes. You might have to do a little searching for "1 and the 9" but there are some good copies on eBay (that's where I got mine).
You can also find her on Facebook and Myspace.
So do the world and yourself a favor and check this very talented lady out.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Waking Sleeping Beauty
So, as I've stated before, I'm somewhat of a Tim Burton fantic. And a Pixar fanatic (Chicken Little is my homeboy)
So I was looking for another movie to rent and I found what looked to be an awesome documentary called Waking Sleeping Beauty.
I almost died when it credited John Lasseter and Tim Burton right next to each other.
So I rent the movie, watch it all the way through, and give a huge sigh.
I have one question to the people who credited the movie.
So, if you get approximatly four scenes with two of the people mentioned (two for each visionary), can they really be credited as actors in the movie!?!?!?!
I swear, I got ten second facefuls of two of my favorite directors pretty much twice during the movie.
Don't get me wrong, WSB was a good documentary, I just wish they would've spread it out more equally. It spent way too much time on the fighting big wigs at the time. I felt it set this huge goal that the directors were MILES short of.
It was kind of like when I bought Patti Smith's biography JUST KIDS. I was expecting a tale of life on the road with a rock and roll band and on what being a punk rocker poet chick would be like.
Instead I got a beautiful story of two artists in the Chelsea Hotel, surrounded by the likes of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jefferson Airplane.
In both cases, I like the story, it just wasn't what I was expecting.
So yes, if you're looking to see it, just remember you're going to get something different than described.
So I was looking for another movie to rent and I found what looked to be an awesome documentary called Waking Sleeping Beauty.
I almost died when it credited John Lasseter and Tim Burton right next to each other.
So I rent the movie, watch it all the way through, and give a huge sigh.
I have one question to the people who credited the movie.
So, if you get approximatly four scenes with two of the people mentioned (two for each visionary), can they really be credited as actors in the movie!?!?!?!
I swear, I got ten second facefuls of two of my favorite directors pretty much twice during the movie.
Don't get me wrong, WSB was a good documentary, I just wish they would've spread it out more equally. It spent way too much time on the fighting big wigs at the time. I felt it set this huge goal that the directors were MILES short of.
It was kind of like when I bought Patti Smith's biography JUST KIDS. I was expecting a tale of life on the road with a rock and roll band and on what being a punk rocker poet chick would be like.
Instead I got a beautiful story of two artists in the Chelsea Hotel, surrounded by the likes of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jefferson Airplane.
In both cases, I like the story, it just wasn't what I was expecting.
So yes, if you're looking to see it, just remember you're going to get something different than described.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Love Letters From Hogwarts
Dear you,
I'm in a wizard rock band, Love Wrocks (we're on Myspace and Facebook) and we submitted two songs to an awesome charity compilation Love Letters From hogwarts. All the proceeds go to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It'll be on Bandcamp and maybe iTunes Feburary 8. Or you can buy a physical copy, but more on that later.
Sorry to spam you all, I just want to spread the word. And hope someone buys it besides me.
And if you don't know what wizard rock is, here is the answer to that.
Wizard rock is an incredibly silly genre of music devoted to songs involving Harry Potter in one way or another. It's incredibly stupidly fun.
It also is a fun way to promote literacy. If you wanna start a band, grab a kazoo/guitar/flute/lute/tuba/bass/drumkit/your vocal chords/mandolin and get at it!
Randi Redvines
I'm in a wizard rock band, Love Wrocks (we're on Myspace and Facebook) and we submitted two songs to an awesome charity compilation Love Letters From hogwarts. All the proceeds go to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It'll be on Bandcamp and maybe iTunes Feburary 8. Or you can buy a physical copy, but more on that later.
Sorry to spam you all, I just want to spread the word. And hope someone buys it besides me.
And if you don't know what wizard rock is, here is the answer to that.
Wizard rock is an incredibly silly genre of music devoted to songs involving Harry Potter in one way or another. It's incredibly stupidly fun.
It also is a fun way to promote literacy. If you wanna start a band, grab a kazoo/guitar/flute/lute/tuba/bass/drumkit/your vocal chords/mandolin and get at it!
Randi Redvines
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