Track of the Week: This One's for the Girls

This One's for the Girls by Martina McBride, from the album Martina (2003).

This is song is one of the reasons why country music is so darn good: it's a real life, relatable, uplifting, inspirational song. Martina's songs always have very positive messages, and this is no exception. The opening verse is about teens holding on to innocence when every one's giving in, which really touches the listener. The next one is about twentysomethings who are starting life fueled by "dreams and spaghetti-os" which is a very country/Reba "strong woman" line. The next one is about forty year old woman who are beautiful because their laugh lines show their experience, which is very Oprah audience.

Comments on YouTube range from "no thanks, id rather smoke, drink, have premarital sex and do any damn thing i'd like" to "Its so cheesy how good this song makes me feel haha." The sentiments of the latter sum up my thoughts on the song. It's so positive and sweet that you can't help but feel good and mushy.

The video displays some pretty horrific fashion, but Martina's so radiant that she's angelic. Go Martina! Overall, the song is inspirational but very country/Oprah/Reba, which could be cringe-worthy, laughable, or wonderful, depending on the listener.

Fun fact: Faith "Stepford Wives" Hill sings backing vocals.

Shine All Night Tour: Diverse Songs, Impressive Staging

Last night at the Convocation Center in DeKalb, IL, a suburb of Chicago, country rocked the arena, which was about 80% filled. I had paid $10 for a ticket, but there were a few rows open in the lower bowl, so I sneaked down and took a $60 seat. The view was incomparable. The Shine All Night Tour, a co-headlining tour of Martina McBride and Trace Adkins, opened with newcomer Sarah Buxton. Her set was short and unmemorable.

Then Trace Adkins, a country superstar, sung a set that varied between his mournful ballads and his redneck playful songs. Trace's set opened with a funny video that segued into I Got my Game On. Trace commanded the stage, swaggering about, singing in his signature baritone voice. He had moving set pieces and a lot of light and video screens. It surprised me because this was a big budget affair for a country concert. He gave the audience their money's worth by singing his hits, including Songs About Me, Chrome and Hot Mama. Many of his songs celebrate/objectify women and being redneck, and the video screens matched, displaying images of scantily clad redneck women. He showed his depth by thanking his fans for making You're Gonna Miss This the song of the year last year, and sung it with simple grace. One of his favorite songs of mine, Ladies Love Country Boys, switched the objectification from women to men, but switched back at the end of his set with his megahit Honky Tonk Badonkadonk, which made the audience go wild. He finished with an encore of Muddy Water and Higher Ground, displaying the gospel prowess of his voice. Trace was an accomplished preformer, singing superficial songs with bravado, and didn't let the thumping music overpower his voice and stage presence.

The arena filled up more before Martina's set. They completely changed the stage, which had two ramps added to it and larger screens. I was pleasantly surprised when a thundering dance beat started and she preformed a remix of the inspirational Ride. Much of her set consisted of her inspiration songs, which cross over into the adult contemporary, christian, country, pop, and dance genres. While Trace only had a few sections on their feet, the audience was enthusiastic for Martina, who stole the show. She had a cold, but bravely hit all the high and long notes of her songs, including the powerful Anyways. Each time she struggled but hit the notes, she got a standing ovation. Upbeat songs began her set, with hits Wild Angels and My Baby Loves Me, which celebrates the everyday wife and mother. The only awkward moment was a misplaced cover of Lean On Me that was preceded by such a joyous set of songs that it was as jarring as the shrill piano that accompanied it. She left the stage and came back out on a glowing crescent moon that sailed above the audience, preforming ballads like Concrete Angel, I Have Been Blessed and I'm Trying on the B-Stage. These songs were inspirational but sad at the same time, covering themes of abuse and heartache but also spiritual empowerment. She walked back to the main stage through the audience, belting out This One's for the Girls, a female empowerment anthem that celebrates girls of all ages and their inner beauty. The set ended with songs of escaping abuse, such as A Broken Wing, and then her best song, Independence Day, a soaring anthem of (again) escaping abuse as streamers jettisoned from the ceiling. She covered Summer of 69 for her encore.
This concert was a lot of fun, a blend of upbeat, rollicking songs, and moving ballads. Martina, despite her cold, belted her heart out. My only complaint was that the audience was a little less responsive than I would've liked. But I've heard country shows aren't known for standing and singing along. Poor Trace put on a great show, but only Martina could move people to stand up. I liked how the country hits were inspirational and traditional, but also the artists could step out of the box and be edgier (Trace's videos) or stage a pop concert with visuals, lights, and choreography (Martina) instead of pandering to the sometimes effected morals of the target audience. It was an interesting partnership that worked because of the diversity of their material. The icing on the cake was free Sunny D from the sponsor after the show!

Trace Adkins

1. "I Got My Game On"
2. "Swing"
3. "Songs About Me
4. "I Wanna Feel Something"
5. "All I Ask For Anymore"
6. "Marry for Money"
7. "Chrome"
8. "Rough & Ready"
9. "You're Gonna Miss This"
10. "Hot Mama"
11. "Ladies Love Country Boys"
12. "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk"

Encore

13. "Muddy Water"
14. "Higher Ground"

Martina McBride

1. "Ride"
2. "When God-Fearin' Women Get the Blues"
3. "Happy Girl"
4. "Walk Away"
5. "Wild Angels"
6. "My Baby Loves Me"
7. "Wrong Baby Wrong Baby Wrong"
8. "I Just Call You Mine"
9. "Lean On Me"
10. "Help Me Make It Through the Night"
11. "Anyway"
12. "Concrete Angel"
13. "I'm Trying"
14. "Love's The Only House"/"Blessed"
15. "This One's For The Girls"
16. "Two More Bottles of Wine"
17. "You're Not Leaving Me"
18. "Where Would You Be"
19. "A Broken Wing"
20. "Independence Day"

Encore

21. "Summer of '69"

True Blue: Madonna's Apex

(L to R: True Blue album-#1US, Live to Tell-#1, Papa Don't Preach-#1, True Blue-#3, Open Your Heart-#1, La Isla Bonita-#4).

In 1986 Madonna was the most famous person in the world. With two albums, and a score of hits behind her, she already had a solid base to build upon. Madonna was married to Sean Penn and wanted to explore her joy through her music. She reinvented her image, chosing a chic image that evoked classic Hollywood. Thus she enlisted Stephen Bray, her longtime collaborator, and Patrick Leonard, who would come to define her sound. True Blue was pop through and through, an expression of joy and love, but with a message. This was the 80s, when messages were everywhere. Madonna wrote or co-wrote every song on the album, and shared co-production credits on every song as well.

Papa Don't Preach opens the album with a defiant pro-life message, and uses classical instrumentation coupled with dance beats. Open Your Heart is an emotional power house, with a heavy dance beat and guitar chords. White Heat, Madonna's tribute to classic Hollywood, is a rollicking song that sample movie dialogue. Live To Tell, an aching, mysterious ballad, features raw vocals and profound lyrics, Madonna's best writing. Where's the Party, an anthem of Madonna's carefree persona, is another dance-rock song, but features a chorus of party voices near the end. True Blue, an homage to 50s pop, has a soaring chorus and is a love song for Sean Penn. La Isla Bonita, offered but declined by Michael Jackson, is an ode to Latin America and introduced a character of latin instrumentation and imagery that Madonna would revisit. Jimmy Jimmy, Madonna's tribute to James Dean, is a poppy, upbeat song. Love Makes the World Go Round is a very 80s song because its message of love and empowerment; Madonna wrote and preformed it for Live Aid a year earlier to raise money for Africa and AIDS.

True Blue is a cohesive record in sound and style. Madonna's singing retained the girlish exuberance, but her vocals were less thin. The Guinness Book of World Records called True Blue unprecedented, as it topped the charts in 28 countries, and became one of the best selling albums by a female artist in the world. Madonna couldn't have known Sean Penn would abuse her with a baseball bat when dedicating the album, but the lyrics in Jimmy Jimmy are telling: "why oh why do fools fall in love with fools like you." True Blue is really a triumph for music and Madonna, a true masterpiece, an album of epic proportions.

The videos for True Blue are some of Madonna's best remembered. Live to Tell is a simple video, but Madonna is at her most beautiful and most vulnerable as the camera hovers around her, like a person pressing for the secret of the song. Madonna plays a teenage mother in Papa Don't Preach. In Open Your Heart she explores themes of pedophilia and voyeurism, and celebrates her Italian heritage. True Blue was a simple video that paid tribute to girl groups of the 50s and 60s. La Isla Bonita cast Madonna as a forlorn Latina, praying for her lover and finding an escape in the music of the streets.

If anyone should listen to a Madonna album, True Blue is it. It's her most successful and the apex of her career. She launched her Who's That Girl Tour on the heels of True Blue and the Who's that Girl soundtrack (whose songs Who's that Girl?, Causin a Commotion, and The Look of Love are sonically identical to True Blue). Madonna toured in stadiums and parks, playing to sold out crowds in the 10s and 100s of thousands. She visited Europe, North America and Japan. In Japan, heavy rain caused the cancellation of a show, which prompted heavy rioting as the fandom reached a fervent pandemonium. At the time, this was the highest grossing tour and Madonna commanded the highest playing fee in the industry.

A Sam and J-Lo Moment

One of the highlights (one of the only highlights) of the Oscars this year was Sam Worthington and Jennifer Lopez presenting together. It didn't last long, but their moment on stage was third behind Mo'Nique's incredible speech and Oprah's effusive praise of Gabby. J-Lo is one of those rare people who would look good wearing a dirty garbage bag, and she's earned my respect for her transition from pop to romcoms. She's critcized as being boring, but under that diva exterior she's a really normal person, who enjoys spending time with her kids. She's still Jenny from the Block. On her twitter, she posted:

Sang What Is Love at San Remo! New song from my new movie The Back-up Plan. Saw it last week during a press junket. Ugh, junkets are tough!

On one hand, it's so ridiculous to think press junkets are tough compared to what the Precious girls everywhere go through, but for me, this was endearing. I understand J-Lo's stress is positive. She's getting out there and feeling good about working hard. It's heartwarming that she takes pride in her artistry.

Sam, on the other hand, is for me the modern day Tom Cruise. Even though I hate "modern day" comparison, like saying Gaga is the new Madonna, I think it fits in his case. He's a good looking action star. Yes, like Tom he's cocky and conceited, but I like that Sam doesn't take shit about Avatar. It's not a crappy movie, and he sticks up for it. He's quite boring beyond that, but the films I've seen him in so have been some of my favorites (Terminator and Avatar).

But when they presented together, it was a magical moment. Their chemistry was so intense. There were lots of smiles, and even some laughter. You could tell they really got along. They probably had so much fun presenting together! Sam recently said to the press that he felt starstruck being on the same stage as J-Lo. That's really awesome. He knows a star when he sees one. (Is anyone else thinking what I'm thinking: real life shipping pair?)

This is quite the fangirl post!

TRON: Legacy

Alice in Wonderland is the movie of 2010, but TRON: Legacy is being released in December. Time will tell if this is a good movie, but judging by the trailer, it will be amazing (though no trailer will beat how epic the Blindness trailer was). Hedorah and I were in giddy fan mode when the trailer started, coupled with the fact that it was in Xtreme Digital 3D and attached to Alice.

The part that sent chills down my spine was when Jeff Bridge's son dusts off the Tron game. Then he enters into the Tron game and the trailer really takes off. The scene where he rides slowly up on that circular platform is another chilling scene, as the staticy electronic music plays during a montage of clips of the characters. The game with the glowing hollow disks looks great, and I love the David Bowie-esque guy rocking with the glowstick. And of course we're teased with just a snippet of a light cycle chase.

I calculate this will be a worthy tribute to the first movie, which I have a lot of fond memories of. I'm not sure if Garrett Hedlund can carry the film, but that's my bias against his raspy voice. The female supporting cast looks like a good balance between a femme fatale vibe and the sexy sci fi girl, and it's fantastic that Jeff Bridges was humble enough to come back. It also seems that the CGI recalls the effects of the first film, which hold up today.

And what can beat Tron set to a Daft Punk soundtrack? Kudos to Disney!

Breaking News: Dixie Chicks Reunite

I am jubilant that I can post this. The Dixie Chicks have reunited and will hit the road this summer on a stadium tour with The Eagles and Keith Urban. The Chicks were all but broken up after the 2007 Grammys, where they swept the awards. Natalie cut her hair off and retreated to LA, and the sisters Martie and Emily just announced their solo project The Court Yard Hounds. Seems to me Nat got jealous the sisters were making music again and reasserted control of the band from them just as it seemed they didn't need her anymore.

The Dixie Chicks are the best selling female group of all time, even more than The Supremes and Destiny's Child. Their hit albums have sold millions of copies, and they are well known for hit singles "Wide Open Spaces," "Goodbye Earl," and the defiant "Not Ready to Make Nice." After their infamous comments about George Bush, they were hailed as heroes and derided as "Dixie Twits." But the Chicks were resolute, and country's girl power group released their masterpiece "The Long Way Round" a testament to what they endured.

8-Jun *Toronto, ON Rogers Centre
10-Jun East Rutherford, NJ New Meadowlands Stadium
12-Jun Boston, MA Gillette Stadium
14-Jun Philadelphia, PA Citizens Bank Ball Park
15-Jun Washington, DC Nationals Park
19-Jun Chicago, IL Soldier Field
22-Jun *Winnipeg, MB Canada Inns Stadium
24-Jun*St. Louis, MO Busch Stadium

*Keith Urban not appearing.

Non Traditional Kawaii Parte Dos

60th post! Just want to say if anyone's casually reading or drops by, feel free to comment or subscribe. Consider this Part Two of my Feburary Post "Non Traditional Kawaii."

The Zombie from Zombi 2. This is an iconic image in the zombie world. The poor bugger is decomposing, but that's part of why it's so kawaii. The worms pouring out of his orbital cavity, the empty expanse of the other eye socket, and the mouth that could be considered a snarly grin.

I've always considered Gragra cute. According to EU lore, she breeds her foodstuffs in the sewers of Mos Espa. Jar Jar tries to eat one and becomes entangled, raising her ire. Her mouth looks like a smile, and the big dark eyes draw you in. She looks like a female, portly Ryuk.

If ever you find yourself in an abandoned warehouse set with traps, you wouldn't want to meet this guy. But Billy the Puppet is adorable. The little suit and the way he rides the tricycle are normally considered cute on children, but in our world, the evil puppet is cuter. He's the messenger of despair, but if you play Jigsaw's game by the rules, he's an arbiter of hope.

Michael Jackson. We can consider ourselves fans before he sadly passed away, and defended him against his detractors. The plastic surgery was gruesome, but in an odd way it worked. I'm not saying he's cute in the traditional sense, but in a tug-at-the-heart strings way. He was vulnerable, but his childlike sense of flying, magic, and wonderment was awe inspiring. He was Peter Pan, in his heart. His bizarre sense of style, his ranch of weirdness, and even the moments in the 2003 documentary were adorable. We miss you, and love you always, Michael. His message was Love, and we'll never forget. He had so much love in his heart.

A Local's Guide to Chicago

Chicagoland is a sprawling urban flatland of 9 million souls. Like Rome of yesteryear, every road (plus train and plane) leads to the metropolis. Chicago is a massive city, and to the visitor this can induce anxiety. For every tourist trap, there are some undiscovered, or perhaps under appreciated tourist spots, restaurants, and places to see.

Architecture enthusiasts should avoid those pricey architecture tours. They're a rip-off, and for the amount you pay, you don't see a lot. I suggest watching Geoffrey Baer's river tour of Chicago on DVD and taking a Chicago River Taxi. Wendella Boats, I've been told by their competition, is unreliable, but for the price you pay ($6 round trip), you can enjoy a leisurely glide down the Chicago River. It departs from Trump Tower, near the Michigan Avenue bridge, and stops at Madison (between the Lyric Opera and Ogilvie Train Station) and at Chinatown (at the pagoda). They pass stations up sometimes, but that's part of the experience. At Chinatown, peruse the stores for prices that are a steal, and enjoy lunch with massive servings at the Moon Palace Restaurant. At Navy Pier, walk around and look, but spending money will exhaust your budget. Instead, purchase a trip on one of many boats on the pier, and see the skyline from the Lake. It will cool you down and affords beautifully views; on a clear day you can see as a far as Indiana. Enjoy Massa Cafe's stand on the pier for delicious gelato.

Chicago is a dining mecca. There are so many restaurants it can be a little overwhelming to make a decision. Pasta Palazzo (at Halsted & Armitage) is a Lincoln Park Italian restaurant that serves delicious, generously portioned pastas. They used to only take cash and served drinks in plastic cups, but through the years, they've moved up to credit and glassware. It's atmosphere, replete with low lighting and colored walls, coupled with a din of conversation, is warm and inviting. Get a window seat, it's worth it. Chain restaurants are equally delicious. Though Giodano's Pizza is the king of Chicago style, I also recommend California Pizza Kitchen. They have a plethora of wonderful pizza "flavors" and prompt service. Tip: request a bread basket, it's free but if you don't ask, you won't receive. I like the CPK on North Avenue, but the best is in Water Tower Place Mall on Michigan.

Chicago's green lung are its park systems. The parks are an attraction in themselves, and if you don't have money, they are a cheap way to entertain. Grant Park, in the lower Loop, is vast but sitting on the berm on Lake Michigan on a sunny spring day is a transcendental experience. Lincoln Park is good for a walk along tree-lined paths on a slightly rainy day, and the zoo is free. The Lincoln Park Zoo is an antiquated "zoological garden," so flora and fauna fans will be equally amused. It's a real charmer. Garfield Park is on the South Side, but don't let that deter you from strolling in the massive humid conservatory. The flowers are pretty and the koi ponds are cute. The best park is Washington Square, near the Gold Coast. It's across the street from the Newberry Library, and is boarded by a wrought iron fence. Park goers sit around a massive fountain, as children play in the groves of flower beds and trees.

Chicago's museums are world renowned. The Art Institute of Chicago is on Michigan, just off Adams. I suggest eating at Au Bon Pain across the street, then going in on Thursday night for free admission. You'll find everything from impressionism to Dali. The Field Museum is a natural history museum. Check the calendar for free admission days, and go see the Man Eating Lions of Tsavo and Sue the T-Rex. For kids, the Science and Industry Museum is a playground of exploration. There's everything from a submarine to fetuses in glass jars (my personal favorite).

The United Center, on the Near West Side, is located in an iffy area of town, but it offers reasonably priced concert tickets in the upper 300s tier. The UIC Pavilion showcases college-rock shows, but sometimes people like Kylie Minogue play there. Most concerts stop at the Allstate Arena and the Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont, adjacent to O'Hare. Take the Blue Line from the city; it's under an hour and fares are super cheap. Allstate is big enough to bring Britney Spears, but it's feeling is intimate. The Rosemont Theatre is smaller, but a great place to see up-and-coming artists. Call the box office for better seats than what's offered on ticketmaster. Find a cheap ticket broker if seeing a broadway play at the Cadillac Palace, it will save you money (prices are usually about $18-$30 for decent views this way).

Avoid Chicago during the Taste during the summer, and on sports-game days. For a city that's already a zoo, it's a mess then. Trains from the suburbs run into Union and Ogilvie Station at reasonable fares. The L, Chicago's subway/overhead train system, can be accessed using the same cards you use for the buses. They can be purchased nearly everywhere, and are the best bang-for-your buck. Midway Aiport is in the South Side, a bad area of the city, but take the red line north to the Loop. It's far cheaper than a cab. Don't even think about cabbing from O'Hare, it's nearly $50. Instead, take the blue line. Trains and buses run about every 8 minutes, a vast majority of them offer "night owl" service. When asking for directions, ask for the intersection, that's how everyone gets from point a to b. Many times, distance but time of travel is referred to, as traffic is dependant not on how far, but how long.

Bon Voyage,

Oprah

Like a Virgin: The Triumph of New Wave and the 80s

(L to R: Like a Virgin-#1 US, #1 UK, Like a Virgin single-#1, Material Girl-#2, Angel-#5, Dress You Up-#5, Into the Groove-#1 UK)

Today marks the second installment of Something's Wrong with Esther's Madonna album reviews.

Like a Virgin was released in 1984, and is rightly considered one of the most influential albums and a landmark in music and pop culture. Madonna had recorded a few tracks that were left off of her first album, and the release of a second proper album was delayed by the success of her first. This caused Warner/Sire to release more singles than anticipated from the Madonna album. Warner employed Niles Rodgers, a member of disco group Chic, to produce Like a Virgin. Madonna's image was largely the same as her first album, though more chic and frilly. Rather than continue with the disco sounds of the first album, Like a Virgin uses synthesizers, the guitar, and prominent drums, all the signature instruments of New Wave. Warner allowed Madonna to use some of her own songs, but half of the album was written by songwriters. The album was a massive success, eventually selling 10 million copies in the US alone, but the critics reviled her as a one hit wonder, and (perhaps a just description of her vocal chirps) "Minnie Mouse on Helium." The theme of the album was the many facets of love--sex, flirtation, romance, abandonment, etc--presented with glossy production and simple, though memorable lyrics, and dance beats.

Material Girl starts the album as an ode to the commercial materialism of the 80s. Angel, a softly sung ballad backed with plucky dance beats, is followed by Like a Virgin, a synthesizer heavy track with a signature groove, and very high pitched vocals. Over and Over, an urgent, upbeat track features drums and plucking electronic chirps. Love Don't Live Hear Anymore, a cover of an older song, is a lament of lost love that is song so magnificently Madonna is literally breathless at the end. Dress You Up, a sparkling, drum and dance track, is a perfect expression of Madonna's themes of sex and fashion. Shoo-Bee-Doo, somewhat of a dud, is a simple piano ballad sung in an emotional tone. Pretender has upbeat chiming and mournful lyrics about a deceptive lover. Stay closes the album as an epic, stomping ballad with fierceness not found in such songs normally.

Like a Virgin's songs are largely ballads, but their melodies and backing tracks are soaring, epic, and upbeat. The drums, synthesizers, and guitars blend seamlessly, accompanied in many instances by claps, chimes, and plucky beats. The tone of the album is bubblegum pop, almost like fifties malt-shop pop, but updated to the 80s. The album was a massive success because of its youth, exuberance, and appeal to the young MTV demographic, who could instantly relate to the girlishness of the album, but also the maturity of the lyrical content. Like a Virgin is sleek and solid, and took Madonna from a successful debut artist to an international superstar.

It's videos were heavily featured on MTV. Like a Virgin, drawing from her controversial VMA performance (she gyrated on stage in a wedding dress, it shocked the world), features Madonna dancing around in Venetian canals. Material Girl, an homage to Marilyn Monroe, was expertly choreographed. Angel didn't get a video, but single Dress You Up was released as a live clip from her Virgin Tour. The Virgin Tour was a massive success. Madonna was originally scheduled for theatres in major American and Canadian cities, but the sheer demand for tickets bumped her up to pavilions and arenas. T-shirts sold by the hundreds in minutes. Madonnabes (Madonna Wannabes) dressed up as the star, as she danced energetically and sang her hits. The Virgin Tour was a triumph for Madonna, selling out everywhere she played. Stops in England and Japan were scrapped as Madonna prepped for her next album and preformed at Live Aid.

Into the Groove, Madonna's best dance song, was from the Desperately Seeking Susan soundtrack, but released as the B-Side to Angel in the US, and charted as it's own single everywhere else, becoming Madonna's first UK number one.

Madonna: The First Album

(L to R: Album-#8 US, #6 UK, Everybody-#3 dance, Burning Up-#3 dance, Holiday-#16 pop, Lucky Star-#4 pop, Borderline-#10 pop)

As it's between albums and I can't think of anything else to write about, I'm going to be starting a new series reviewing Madonna's studio albums.

Madonna (The First Album- UK Title) 1983

The album was recorded in New York under the direction of DJ Mark Kamins, who discovered Madonna in the club Danceteria (where she would sit in the corner reading a book instead of mingling). Her rough demos were hits in his club, and she was signed to Warner/Sire and began recording with Reggie Lucas, who was booted off the project after Madonna was dissatisfied with his productions. She then brought in her boyfriend Jellybean Benitez to remix the tracks, and it was during these last sessions that she recorded her hit Holiday. Madonna wrote every song on the album, except for Holiday and Borderline. Curiously, she is credited as the original writer of Physical Attraction, but Reggie Lucas was later given sole credit.

The sound of the album, disco and dance, was a risky move for its time. Disco was declared dead a few years earlier, yet as always Esther had the foresight to be the first in an era defined by synthpop. Bridging the gap between disco and dance was a departure for Madonna, who had spent her first few years in New York as the guitar player (she didn't play well) and lead singer of the New Wave bands Emmy and the Breakfast Club. Madonna's image--thrift store clothing, crucifixes, and loads of jewelry--was influenced by her friendships with artist Andy Warhol and Keith Harring, as well as her Catholic childhood and personal love of freedom.

Sparkling, cascading synths start out opening track Lucky Star, which contained lyrics based on the classic children's poem Starlight Starbright. It's dance beats were instantaneous and unrelenting. Borderline showcases the urgency of Madonna's vocals and has synthesized xylophone chimes. Burning Up, Madonna's foray into New Wave, has prominent guitars backed by a dance track. I Know It is a buoyant dance track with oscillating synthesized piano chords. Holiday, Madonna's signature song, starts out softly then lifts off into a celebratory, carefree dance track with repetitive, though festive lyrics. Think of Me is more disco than dance, but with electronic pulsating beats. Physical Attraction shares the same synthesized harpsichord-like chiming with Borderline, but has a memorable clapping beat. Everybody closes the album with pulsating electronic noises and spoken word sections that call everybody to the dance floor.

Madonna is successful because of its structure: fireworks of synths and simple, repetitive, and memorable lyrics. Madonna's eponymous first album is one of her best, unparalleled in its effervescence. Madonna's voice is high pitched, almost squeaky. There is a sense of urgency and exuberance, a carefree joie de vivre. She sounds simultaneously in control yet pining at the same time. For me, this is a special album because it's innocent. She's at the beginning of her career, and wasn't pushing a message beyond having fun. Naive but inviting, it's a celebration of fun.

Madonna's first music videos were made during this period. Everybody is a simple video of Madonna dancing in a lighted dance studio. Burning Up was another budget affair, but contained cutting edge effects of the day (Madonna's mouth magically multiplies on a door), and features Madonna on a road begging for her lover. Holiday was deemed too cheap to be released, and thus the embarrassment never surfaced. Lucky Star is one of her best loved videos. Madonna dances in a white room in black clothing. Borderline was the first widely aired Madonna video, and was a hit especially with the teen demographic. Madonna dances around in New York City waiting for her lover to respond.

Life: Oprah and Animals

LIFE, narrated by Oprah Winfrey, aired last night on the Discovery Channel. This was the first of five installments, showing every Sunday night. There was no Masterpiece on, so I was able to watch something else. LIFE follows the same premise as 2007's epic television event Planet Earth, but instead of focusing broadly on Earth's ecosystems, LIFE focuses on the basic principles of life on earth: mating, defending, etc.Oprah's narration was criticized by many for replacing Richard Attenborough's BBC narration, but Oprah was actually good in my opinion. Her intonation is familiar and her narration reminded me of someone reading a children's book: warm and inviting. The filming, like Planet Earth, was stunning, but I feel like this is something of a rehash of that former series. Oprah at least spruced it up with her lucid narration.

In other Oprah news, it's been widely reported that ex-View and talk show host herself, Rosie O'Donnell is going to replace the Queen of Daytime TV. This is really sad. I remember watching Rosie's show as a kid and even then I knew it wasn't as good as Oprah's. Rosie is a slob, abrasive and obnoxious. She calls for tolerance when she herself is intolerant. Perhaps because I sided with The Donald during the Rosie/Trump feud a few years back, but I would venture to say that Rosie's show will tank. But people are sick little puppets and they'll probably tune in to watch her opinionated banter. I would have put Ellen in Oprah's time slot. Ellen is famous already and has proven her skills as a talk show host.

Who said Zombies Can't be Cute!

Hedorah showed me an excellent campy/b-movie zombie flick by Peter Jackson called Dead Alive, released as Braindead everywhere else. How could Pete go from making such a masterpiece in over the top gore to the LOTR trilogy? I've seen this film derided on the internet, and that's sad. This movie will satisfy gore and humor fans. Anyways, I consider this post Part 2 of an earlier post about Non Traditional Kawaii. Dead Alice contained many adorable zombies.

One such zombie is the zombie baby. The spawn of the priest and a zombie woman, the zombie baby provides some of the best moments in the film (besides the mother's gasp, the glowing zombie, and "this calls for some divine intervention"). The zombie baby reminds of Kuato's evil twin. When he goes for a day in the park, he can escape even barbed wire, and goes careening down a hill in a tram. The attempts to stop him from attacking the park goers are hilarious. I don't like normal babies, but I do love zombie babies!

I couldn't find a picture of the organs, but they are really kawaii. The zombie organs are the remains of another zombie that take on a life (or unlife) or their own. They attack people by using intestines like rope. The cutest scene is sadly its demise, when it puts together what looks like lungs as "hands" begging for mercy. The heart as the face is adorable. I did find a picture of the half-head zombie in the ensnares of the organ zombie's intestines.
Lastly, the rat monkey found in New Zealand's outback is really cute. Hedorah said it's reminiscent of Salacious Crumb, and that's right. The rat monkey bites the mother at the zoo, which leads to the whole mess of zombies in the little town. Its demise, though sad in that it's cuteness is extinguished, is funny because the mother stomps it to death. At least it enjoyed a meal of a primate arm before it died.

So I ask again, who said zombies can't be cute? These ones sure are!

Un baiser s’il vous plaît: A Romcom with Brains

While on this French kick, I will review a French film. Un baiser s’il vous plaît was released in France in 2007 but is technically a new film here in the States as it was just released on DVD. I’m not sure what the French title means, but here it was released as Shall We Kiss? The trailer and DVD cover don’t do it justice, making it seem more like an average romcom than the thoughtful film it actually is.

Intellectual, ironic, and charming…

This film is a fatalist work that explores the consequences of human behavior and how people react to it. The theme is that people will do what they want, and it is one’s choice to react emotionally or to wait for time to take its toll or work its magic. The film begins with two people, Gabriel and Émile, who fall in love at first sight. However, the story of Judith and Nicola, les amis d’Émile, who are involved with other people but fall in love (despite, or because of, their deep friendship). Judith kind of just goes along with what Nicola wants, until she realizes that she has hurt her husband Claudio. Their story ends with Nicola quite happy they are together (he really seemed to want it more, while Judith’s emotions were more conflicted) and Judith telling him it will take time for her to be happy (again, highlighting the fatalist theme of the movie).

Gabriel and Émile give in and share a very passionate kiss, but it turns out Émile is Claudio’s new wife, and she decides that Gabriel should go. The fatalism of their ending is that they shared this wonderful night together, talking and one kiss, but rather than let Claudio suffer again, they chose to suffer for a missed opportunity. This ties directly into Judith’s feelings, because she attempted to lessen the blow to Claudio by contriving a date with Nicola’s ex-girlfriend, Câline, that ultimately exposed her deception, which hurt him more.

Fatalism, this film posits, is to suffer but not complain, because (to paraphrase Câline) whining doesn’t take the suffering away, only time.

The cast was superb, and their acting was subtle but pronounced enough to impress the viewer. With the exception of Nicola (and his unibrow), they were all beautiful in a way only the French can be. The music, by Shubert (this ties into the plot), was pretty too. The cinematography, art design, and costume design of this film was all minimalist, relying on a chic use of shades of white. The direction of the film highlighted the cerebral aspects of the plot, by placing characters in front of art pieces, and creating shots that looked like oil paintings themselves. The script tackled intellectual conversations with deftness and humor that The Single Man tried for, but lacked.

The grace of the characters, the grace of the plot, and the grace of the filming was light enough that it made the implications of the film all the more surprising. Roger Ebert criticized the prettiness of the cast, the conversations, and the camerawork, but I think it had to be light enough for such thought provoking fatalist subject matters. This film was, if anything, very, very, very French (quite!).

I think a remake by Hollywood would be expertly handled by Natalie Portman as Judith, Michael Vartan as Gabriel, Cate Blanchett as Émile, Amanda Seyfried as Câline, and Jason Schwartzman as Nicola. If you see this movie, you will see what I mean. Come to think of it, this seemed like a Wes Anderson or Sophia Coppola film that didn’t take itself seriously.

If you’re in for a good foreign film, watch this movie!

Brigitte Bardot

While working on my Dakota Fanning post, I realized how many stars were inspired by Brigitte Bardot. Bardot was the sex symbol of the sixties, and came to symbolize the aesthetics of the decade, with her soft blonde hair and heavy eye makeup. Her work with Serge Gainsbourg is best remembered by their hit single Bonnie et Clyde, a spoken word track that epitomizes the intersection of French fashion and experimental music. Several decades, drugs, husbands, and run ins with the law later she looks like an overfed bird.

Country star Faith Hill, pictured on her favorite magazine to cover for, was inspired by Bardot for a photoshoot that preceded the infamous photoshopping one (also on Redbook). It's very Stepford Wives of her.

Aussie superstar Kylie Minogue's entire Body Language project, from the videos, to the album photoshoot, to the concerts, were inspired directly by Bardot. Kylie's song Sensitized uses the backing track of Bonnie et Clyde. Kylie even preformed a medley of Serge Gainsburg's over sexualized song "Je t'aime...moi non plus" to highlight her erotic approach.

And for the inevitable Madonna connection, she was first inspired by Bardot for her iconic black and white Cherish video. Madonna called it one of her more "retarded" songs, but the connection is undeniable.

Later, the inspiration of Bardot was more appropriately used for Madonna's "Sex" multimedia project, from the album art of Erotica, to her makeup in hair in the book Sex and film Body of Evidence (with Julianne Moore).
This isn't your typical "they stole/copied a given person" post, I was merely interested by how much influence this one time French model turned political activist has had.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Black Christmas (1974)

Christmas is associated with many things both positive and negative- religion, consumerism, toys, snow, family, stress, and Santa Claus. One thing not, however, traditionally associated with Christmas is murder. In Black Christmas (1974), though, Christmas and death sit side by side, like the red and white stripes of a candy cane.

The story begins in a sorority house, filled with students on the eve of their winter break. As the party approaches its end, the house receives an obscene phone call from an unknown man. While most of the girls brush the caller off as a harmless prankster, one of the students (the cliche "good girl"), warns the others to be more careful before storming to her room to pack for the upcoming vacation. Ironically, this character is the first to die, as the killer is waiting for her when she enters the room. Strangled to death, her dead body is kept in the attic in a dusty rocking chair for the rest of the movie. This image, accompanied by the maniacal laughter of the killer, is the most striking, memorable, and iconic image in Black Christmas.

As you could probably guess from the description of the body in the attic, the tone of Black Christmas is...black. While the slasher movies of the '80's would grow more and more outlandish and tongue in cheek, Black Christmas is grounded in realism and grittiness. The murders in Black Christmas are memorable not for their outrageous gore, or humorous extravagance, but rather for their subtlety and believability. Nitpickers may find fault with the body in the attic, and how it remains remarkably well-preserved over the course of the film. Things like this didn't bother me, though. To me, the world of Black Christmas, while realistic, is still a stylized fantasy realm. Thus, while a murder later in the film, in which a girl is stabbed repeatedly with a miniature glass figure, is haunting in its subtlety, it is also visually interesting.

To lighten the mood, Black Christmas is packed with humorous dialogue, mainly from the drunken, disgruntled house mother, and a drunken, sex-obsessed sorority member. While the humor sometimes falls flat, there are some entertaining moments. The house mother, in particular was funny, and likable, despite being very over-the-top in her sloppy drunkenness. Interactions between the liberal sorority girls and the uptight father of a murdered student, added to the humor.

Black Christmas unfolds at a slow pace, which is a perfect fit for the movie's previously mentioned subtlety and realism. The story here works well when viewed alone, on a cold night in December, when you've grown tired of the glitter and joy of Christmas and want to experience something a little more "black".

An Exception to the Rule

It's always a surprise to see the route that child and teen stars take. Many a time they wind up doing drugs, dead, or working at a pool concrete business like Christopher Atkins from the Blue Lagoon (no, I'm not making that up). But for every rule, there's always an exception. Dakota Fanning and Miley Cyrus are good examples of this. I could mention Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Stacy Ferguson (Fergie), Jennifer Love, and the bevy of stars now that were once stars in kids shows, like Kids Incorporated! or the Mickey Mouse Club, but they obviously had good management then and now. (What happened to Martika?)

Dakota Fanning has remained consistently good, and was even praiseworthy as an actress when she started out. As she matures into adulthood, she's made some wise choices. Her small stint in New Moon ensures her continued success with her target demographic, while her latest venture in The Runaways seems to be aimed at a mature audience. Dakota's ability to succeed is her genuineness. She isn't a fake studio creation, but a real teen girl. I read online she attends high school even, which it's nice to see a starlet acting normal. I can see her winning an Oscar as an adult.

Whether Miley's 15 minutes run out or she can grow up with her demographic remains to be seen, but a recent interview with Parade Magazine showed the starlet saying some mature things. She said she didn't want to be a studio puppet anymore, like how she was when she was started out, but is comfortable being herself and making her own decisions. She also said how she realized her much publicized romances weren't the be all, end all of her life. She sounded, well, mature. She explained she closed her twitter after receiving hate mail and adopted a different perspective about her religious beliefs.

You never hear about the Harry Potter cast in jail, rehab, or a sex-crazed drunken bender, because despite growing up being the highest paid children actors ever, they remained true to themselves. Here's to you Harry and the Hogwarts gang!

But then again, does anyone else think it's creepy that a 15 year was done up with a Bridget Bardot look?

Star Wars References: A Rant

Object of humor, I should not be, hmm!

Star Wars references are rife in today's media. Many movies, television shows, and even music videos, have at least a minor reference to the Star Wars saga. What we say is hands off the Saga!

I think the biggest culprit of this is Kevin Smith, the director of the Jay and Silent Bob series. Sure, it was a novelty at first to see an overweight superfan share his love of Star Wars through his own works, but now it's just irritating. I've sadly seen Live Free Die Hard, and the Boba Fett joke was just plain bad. It was flatter than a zombie run through a pasta maker. And in case it comes off that I'm hating on Kevin Smith, I liked him in Catch and Release. He could make a decent career for himself playing the secondary, or tertiary, male character in romcoms.

Movies enjoyed by the "sick little puppets" referred to in the movie Seven, that feature Star Wars references show how little the creators actually now about the Saga. Often times there are bad Yoda jokes to show that a character is smart, or a teacher. Even people (shocker!) who haven't seen Star Wars know who Yoda is.

And lay off the Jabba jokes. We get it, he's fat. But unlike the obese, Jabba's biology is built to be large. And while we're on this subject, stop using whale jokes. Whales are an endangered species. You wouldn't like it if your cousins were dying and people used you as a joke.

Another thing that really bothers me is the proliferation of the Slave Leia costume. When stupid movies try to stupidly show that nerdy guys have a sex drive, they have "the hot chick" wear a Slave Leia costume, or something along those lines.

On the other hand, such references illustrate the universality of this most sublime of movie series. So do we have a right to complain? In this light, no. But we'll keep ranting...it's fun.

Track of the Month: Alice

As Alice in Wonderland is our favorite movie of the year, today is a special selection in the track of the week series. This month's track of the month is:

"Alice" by Avril Lavigne, from the album "Almost Alice"

Haunting, powerful, emotive, resonant....

Featured during the end credits sequence (with the growing 3D mushroom), "Alice" is a haunting piano ballad. Sung from Alice's perspective, the lyrics relate how Alice is "trippin out" when she ventures down the rabbit hole. The song relies on Avril's soaring vocal work, and the powerful heavy notes of the piano. "When the world's crashing down...don't you try and stop me," is a really uplifting message of empowerment and triumph over obstacles.

It's most poignant moment is when Avril softly, almost wistfully, sings "I found myself in Wonderland."

The video is like any other movie theme song music video, in that it has Avril playing Alice, and she falls down a rabbit hole and attends the tea party. There are, of course, scenes of the film interspersed, and a mad hatter impersonator spliced together with Johnny Depp's portrayal. There's a particularly scary sequence where Avril's mouth seems to unhinge and get impossibly wide. Avril said she wanted a lot of scenes to feature her playing the piano, to prove that she can.

Sadly, youtubekeep is down, so watch the video from this link.

A Reading of Through the Looking Glass

After finishing Alice in Wonderland, I've just read the sequel, Through the Looking Glass, or What Alice Found There. Though written a few years after the first book, the writing style was consistent.

Again though, there was a pronounced irritated tone throughout the book. I really don't know why: perhaps this was seen as humorous or this was how people behaved. Alice is bratty in this book, which makes sense considering she's only seven, but she's rather rude. She has a sense of entitlement and looks down on the creatures that reside through the looking glass. I understand they are silly at moments, but she doesn't alter her human sense of logic and just relish in the whimsy of Wonderland. The connotation of the book is best demonstrated by how many times Carroll uses the word "contempt" or its variants thereof.

The narrative wasn't as disjointed or disconnected as in the first book, and the story always returned to the the life-size chess match Alice was a part of. A cast of characters as unique as the first set showed up, and the Hatter returns as a page for the White Queen's court. My favorite part was with Humpty Dumpty, as he was wonderfully conceited. Characters were again altered or combined for the movie, and some memorable lines assigned to Alice and other characters.

The book's theme was about dreaming, to convey the transience of childhood. After Alice is unable to reach the scented rushes that constantly move out of reach (as illusive as recovering one's youth), Carroll writes "Even real scented rushes, you know, last only a very little white--and these, being dream-rushes, melted away almost like snow," on page 212. The book ends asking "which one do you think it was?" after discussing the dreams of Alice and the Red King.

Maybe I love the movie too much, or the disjointed narrative and contemptuous/irritated tone of the book is disconcerting, but the film was so much more magical and warm than the books.

Favorite Concerts

Concerts are an amazing experience, connecting for two hours with fans of the same artist and sharing the music.
Britney Spears brought her Circus Tour to Chicago in 2009, thrice. Playing to a sold out audience at the Allstate Arena, the opening act of the Pussycat Dolls was more artistic than Ms. Spears, and that's saying a lot. They belted out live vocals while dancing around on stage, or moving on electronic risers. They connected with the audience, giving shout outs to Chicago, and to "the fellow pussycat dolls" in the crowd. I'm not embarrassed to admit it, but I was smiling during their short set of their hits, ranging from Don't Cha and Buttons, to recent songs When I Grow Up and Hate this Part. Britney was aptly preceded by a freak show, replete with a circus troupe and a midget, who I later found out was once a porn star. Nothing could better introduce the audience to the world of the craziest pop star alive.

After a baby murdering intro of Perez Hilton, Britney came down from the big top, playing a ring leader to her dancers while lip syncing Circus. For Piece of Me, she was trapped in a golden cage and wheeled about on stage. The only other highlight was the Touch of My Hand/Breathe on Me medley, which saw Britney flying around in a picture frame and simulating sensual poses while elevated from the ceiling. There were no live vocals, Britney's dancing wasn't captivating, and there were so many distractions (lights, moving set pieces, dancers, etc) that Britney's own robotic hold on her life was more than apparent. There were parts when she wasn't even visible on stage but a voice pumping from the speakers carried through the arena. Really, she couldn't have been there and the show would've been the same soulless spectacle.

Madonna's Sticky and Sweet Tour visited a sold out United Center in 2008. Madonna is a commanding presence, at times chilling, but she mustered a few smiles during this show. It wasn't dark as previous tours, but a warm explosion of color and 80s dance beats. Songs from Hard Candy that fell flat came alive on tour, and a clap and sing along rendition of Miles Away was moving, considering her recent divorce. The concert was impeccably timed and danced. Classics like Into the Groove and Like a Prayer became thunderous, transcendental house songs that got everyone out of the their seats. House songs in their own right such as Vogue, were reinvented as hip hip numbers, while upbeat songs like Borderline, Hung Up and Ray of Light became rock tracks.

Madonna's most real moment was singing You Must Love Me, a tearful paean to her fans. A highlight was the request song of Dress You Up, preformed just for Chicago for the first time in over a decade. Whether riding a Rolls Royce on stage during Beat Goes On, gyrating on a stripper pole behind Keith Harring graphics, strumming the guitar during La Isla Bonita, or leading the audience in a jump-up-and-down rendition of Give it 2 Me, replete with old school video game screens, Madonna's show was energetic, impeccable, and superior. And what could beat 15,500 people staying in the arena, singing along with Holiday playing after the show ended? Madonna was a star enough that she needed no opener, as was Kylie.
Kylie Minogue's US 2009 Tour stopped at the UIC Pavilion for one night and brought her brand of unabashedly cheesy pop Stateside. Preforming to a sold out crowd of nearly 5000 people, Minogue entered astride a massive silver skull, then strutted around in robotic attire reminiscent of retro scifi films, speeding through electro songs Come into my World and Speakerphone. She preformed a fast paced, energetic, and fun show that was chock full of her hits. Dressed as a sultry bell hop for her New Wave section of Like a Drug and Can't Get You out of My Head, she commanded the stage with her warmth and appeal. Kylie wore an awards night gown for the ballad section, showcasing her soaring vocals in an homage to old Hollywood.

When the sound system failed, Kylie sang an acapella rendition of your Disco Needs You that earned effusive love from the fans, as many of the moments during the concert (which sometimes left the starlet speechless). A parade of confetti fell for the encore, where she got the audience moving to her 80s hit Better the Devil and club favorite Love at First Sight, while colorful shapes flashed across the screens. If Madonna's show was the most impeccable, then Kylie's was assuredly the most fun. It was also a once in a lifetime opportunity to see a megastar in such an intimate venue.

Lady Gaga's Monster Ball stopped at the Rosemont Theatre in early 2010. The show was plagued with problems from the start, from a changing venue, to ticket problems, and really ought to have been moved from a three night residency to a single night at the Allstate Arena. The show opened with pulsating beats that were repeated through each transition between the acts. The ominous Dance in the Dark started the show, with Gaga enveloped by fog, dancing in a glow in the dark suit. The stage was designed like a retro video game grid, and Gaga preformed a string of dance numbers that blended seamlessly into one another.

If fans weren't familiar with the material, then the songs would have been indistinguishable. Her video interludes were so bizarre that they were pointless, and her commands for adoration between songs was as much of a turn off as the product placement for a cellphone company that stalled the show halfway through. Her singing was good, the music was great, but Lady Gaga's show needed some tweaking. There was a self conscious break before the last two songs and hedonistic behavior that was sometimes cringe worthy, other times understandable. Gaga was opened by Jason Derulo and Semi Precious Weapons, both of which I skipped because I was unfamiliar with them.

Coldplay played two shows at the United Center in mid 2008. The look matched the Viva La Vida album, and the stage was simple enough to showcase the band, but contained some laser and light effects that spruced up the show. The setlist was heavy on the new album, but old favorites like Yellow, Fix You, and Clocks popped up, though I attended an early show, before more beloved songs from X&Y were added to the setlist. Coldplay's instrumental skills weren't overwhelmed by the arena, and their songs were big enough that they were every bit arena anthems. Chris Martin's warm stage presence carried the band, and we got to hear Lost! preformed twice for the music video filming.

An impromptu encore of Green Eyes closed the show, after a wistful rendition of Strawberry Swing and the confetti heavy of Lovers in Japan. The setlist could've included more X&Y, but the eagerness of the band and the massiveness of the music made up for it. A solid, though short, show. Opening act Santagold was fun, and I actually downloaded one of their song (Les Artistes) afterwards. There was another opener that I missed, because it didn't matter and I don't remember who they were (Clearwater, or something like that?).

The Secret of Kells: A 2D Avatar

This is a little late in posting, but I had the pleasure of attending an advance screening of The Secret of Kells at an indie theatre in Pittsburgh.

A world of magic and mysticism...

The film is an animated story about the creation of the Book of Kells, a breathtaking Irish illuminated book created by mediaeval monks. The story is about a young boy, Brendan, who defies his uncle (the Abbot, played by Brendan Gleeson) and works with another monk on making another page in the Book of Kells. He ventures into the forbidden forest, and encounters the pagan world of fairies and stonehenges that differs from his Catholic doctrine. The Norsemen threaten to destroy the town while Brendan's mission to illuminate a page is threatened. Will he succeed and will the town survive?

The movie didn't really make an explicit point, nor did it explain the significance of the Book of Kells (people raised in the Irish culture like myself will know but others should brush up on it before seeing the movie). However, the animation was arresting. It was a wonderful return to 2D, like The Princess and the Frog, and the style was artistic, fluid, and a narrative unto itself. The music was a powerful Irish score, and the closing song sung by Aisling (pronounced Ashleen) was haunting.

The themes were like Avatar, that it seemed to inspire the viewer to accept a mystical bond with nature that is as guiding as religion. It wasn't as incriminating or political as Avatar, but it was as spiritual and uplifting. It deserved its nomination for Best Animated Feature.

A Reading of Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland, written in 1865 by Lewis Carroll, is the book that has inspired countless adaptations, animated or otherwise. I love Victorian era Brit Lit. The vocabulary is far too advanced for today's youth in some instances, but that is indicative of the higher educational standards of Victorian Britain (but this isn't a history lesson). The antique illustrations are a treat.

The book itself is rather short, and a breezy read. It's not perfect, and I prefer the movie. I'm not saying it's awful. The book is more of a series of vaguely connected vignettes of Alice's adventures down the rabbit hole. Alice herself makes a lot of social gaffes, by saying things that are easily misinterpreted, or speaking without tact. But that's like how children are. The animals are argumentative and more animal like than their motion picture versions. I liked the playing card soldiers in the Red Queen's court better in the movie, it would have been interesting to see actual playing cards (like in the book) doing the parts in the movie. The tone was surprisingly irritated, because Alice is easily bothered by the animal's bizarreness and stupidity, and the animals are annoyed of what Alice says and her misunderstanding.

I'm going to read Through the Looking Glass next. I recommend that people see the movie first, then read the book, because it's a treat seeing memorable lines on the page. I can tell Tim Burton interpolated parts from both books into his film, and adapted some characters, and developed others further. The Mock Turtle is hilarious, but somewhat pointless to the overall narrative, but his inclusion in the movie would have been a humorous part.

The ending shows that Alice was actually dreaming (it was a languid summer day) but sweetly relates the theme of the movie: that the magic of childhood is lost on many people, but interacting with Wonderland and children can inspire it once again.

Track of the Week: Papa Don't Preach

It's a dry spell in music, same artists on the charts, nothing new released. I'm bored with the industry at the moment so let's go back in time to 1986.

"Papa Don't Preach" by Madonna, from the album "True Blue"

"Papa Don't Preach" is one of the greatest Madonna songs, songs of the 80s, and pop songs ever. It caused a stir when it was released because of its pro-life message, it's anti-authority lyrical content, and the controversial video where Madonna plays a teen mother. By today's standards the song and video aren't provocative or controversial, but this was the 80s.

The song follows the standard production values of Madonna's 80s material, a dance track with some pop-rock instrumentation, and high pitched vocals. A departure for Madonna, the song features some string instruments, evoking classical music. It reached number one around the world. The video is really as memorable as the song; it is one of Madonna's more iconic music videos. It also introduced a new incarnation for Madonna, with short blonde hair and more of a department store, rather than thrift store, look.

The song was dedicated to the Pope on her Who's That Girl World Tour in 1987. A highlight of Madonna's career was preforming this song to a crowd of nearly 150,000 in Paris. In 1986, Madonna was the most famous woman in the world, and at the top of her game...

The Crazies: Good Thrills, Weak Plot

The Crazies is a remake of a George Romero movie. The film is about a sheriff of a small town in Iowa who has to tackle a major problem: the water supply in the town is polluted by a government biological weapon which turns the townsfolk into, well, zombies! The government quarantines the town and seeks to destroy all of its citizens, infected and uninfected, undead or alive. The sheriff, with his wife and deputy, escape the town and the government's quarantine tactics, only to find themselves turning on each other. A nuclear bomb destroys the town, and the film ends with the sheriff and his wife walking to Mason City, only the audience knows that Mason City is set for "quarantine" as well. Sucks for them...

The film itself is high on scares. There were many moments that I jumped in my seat, and the suspense and terror was too much to handle. However, the editing of the film was conscious, as in some scenes you could tell that they removed a gorier shot. I'm interested in seeing the inevitable unrated edition, to see what I suspect was removed. Other thrills included a saw careening toward the sheriff, and a man whose eyes and mouth were sewn shut. The parts at the rest stop are just about the scariest in the whole film. The best scene in the movie is when an old woman repeatedly asks "Did Peter call?"

Yet the film suffered from plot holes and other confusing points. The man that was sewn was able to tell the sheriff a zombie was behind him, despite the fact that his eyes were sewn shut. They never explained how the deputy got infected, and how his transformation took the longest. Why would the government enlist townsfolk to help with the quarantine when they had an annihilate all people order? Also, the nuclear bomb blast scene was quite reminiscent of the "fridge scene" in Indiana Jones IV, as the couple were able to escape it unscathed. The ending was sad, as the couple were the arbiters of Mason City's destruction, just by walking into it.

For me, the thrills and the solid acting, coupled with the fact that zombies are just awesome, made up for the questionable plot. This is a three star film.

A Reading of Push by Sapphire

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire was a startling movie that was as emotional as it was bleak. The acting was better than the story itself, which was so real and raw that it ended on a note of doom (Precious has AIDS, what else can happen to her besides dying, thereby leaving her children without a caregiver). I just read Push by Sapphire to see how it differed from the movie itself.

Push is, surprisingly, more dark and depressing than the movie itself. Mary, the mother, was understandable in the movie, but in the book she herself rapes her daughter. Precious' first memory is of her mother fingering her. The movie subtly alluded to sexual interactions between Precious and her mother, but the book was explicit. Some of Mary's best lines in the movie were expansions on more brief lines from the book. The other students at Each One Teach One were slightly more developed than in the movie, but I think they transition well to the screen. Blue Rain was more one dimensional in the book, and I was glad they added a scene of her home life in the movie to juxtapose her normalcy with Precious' abnormality. Ms Weiss is less well intentioned in the book than in the movie, and her scenes are only in the last third of the book. Precious herself is about the same, though her life is more tortured (can you believe it?) in the book, as her mother rapes her. She never does get her daughter Mongo back, as opposed to the film.

I prefer the film: even though Precious' life was unbearable in the film, it was worse in the book. It was too much to take at moments, such as when she smears her own shit on her face after being raped by her father. Her inner acceptance of being black, however, was better developed in the book, but the montage of Precious in the classroom surrounded by famous African Americans conveyed this in the film. The part that really struck me was on page 133 when she realizes that God is everywhere, including in her son Abdul, which reminded me of The Road. The writing style of Sapphire was meant to show how Precious thought and wrote, and at times it was difficult to decipher what she was saying, but at other times the vocabulary was too advanced to be believable for Precious.

Overall, the book was a brief look at the horrors of urban poverty, abuse, and teenage motherhood in Harlem. I'd recommend both the film and the book, but watch the movie first. The movie and the book end with the same uncertainty but also a sense of despair, as the AIDS virus looms over the future.