Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Tribute

When someone on the level of Heath Ledger passes away at a young age it always take me a while to fully grasp the loss. There really isn't much I can say about this tragedy that hasn't been said more eloquently by those in the media. All I can say is that he was a tremendous talent. His body of work, though small, was quite impressive.

It has been said often recently, and I agree, that Heath was one of the best actors of his generation. In that vain, I thought the best way to honor him would be to celebrate his peers who I also consider among the best of their generation. Those who are in his age range who represent the acting craft in the highest manner. They should be actors and actresses who don't just choose the safe choices but go after roles that continue to challenge them.

I envision this as a series, with a different person who raises the bar for acting greatness in each post. I encourage my fellow Pop-Pop writers to present their own tributes to quality acting amongst the younger generation, those say 25 to 40.

I could think of no one better for my first choice than the ridiculously talented Christian Bale. To me he is easily the best actor in the business under the age of 40 working today. The Academy should be appalled that he has yet to be nominated for an Oscar. He chooses roles that push him to his absolute physical and mental limits. He has brought depth and resonance to every part and, at least to me, has set the standard by which all young actors should follow. He gives himself over completely to a role like the great Daniel Day-Lewis is famous for doing. He is one of the few actors, that no matter what the overall film looks like, i know his part will be played to perfection and will raise the level of the whole enterprise.

Agreed? Agreed.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Classic Music Video of the Week

Good morning! And happy day off to teachers, bankers, and other government workers. To the rest of you, I'm sorry.

20 years ago today, the number one song on the Billboard Charts was...



Yes, that's right... "I've Got My Mind Set On You" by George Harrison. I vaguely remember two seperate versions of this video playing on VH1 back in the day, but this one is the most "popular." Those moving animals and sitting room objects get me everytime (especially the squirrel playing the "pipe"). But the dancing George stunt double is so, so cheesy.

So that's your CMVotW! Enjoy, and Happy MLK Jr. Day!

Monday, January 14, 2008

To Watch or Not To Watch?

This is a painful time for those of us who are lovers of quality television. As an ardent supporter of the WGA, I am OK with my current suffering if it means the writers will benefit in the long run. However, that misery grows with every new reality show added to the bunch.

Yes I am that one in the group that hates reality television. I'll admit that I didn't always feel that way. I had watched probably every episode of the Real World for it's first 10 years. As a pre-teen and teenager it matched well with my sensibilities. Once I was old enough to realize most of the antics on the show were pathetic I moved on from reality television. I think reality TV showcases everything that is negative about current society. If that were its purpose and it highlighted those issues in an intelligent light, that would be one thing. But these shows instead revel in the idiocy and debauchery of its own participants and paints it as a way of life that average people should follow.


I admit that occasionally a reality program will catch my eye and I will enjoy it. Scott Baio Is 45... And Single definitely intrigued me because of his idol status that I grew up with. And Confessions of a Matchmaker is endlessly fascinating, in part because Buffalo is about as local as television gets. For the most part though i do resist the urge.


American Idol presents a problem, however. I only watched the first season of the show. Because the music produced is for the most part unoriginal tripe I felt no need to continue watching it. But now there is very little to watch on television and, unfortunately, the majority of people I know and converse with on a regular basis watch AI. So the question I pose is, should I follow my instincts and continue to resist this so-called "cultural phenomenon"? Or should I get off my high porch and watch it so I can participate in the discussions of how stupid Paula is, what a jerk Simon is and how Randy keeps saying, "Yo, dawg"? So I put it to you, the pop-pop audience to give me your opinion.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Classic Music Video of the Week

Oy vey.

What a week this past week has been. I know for several of us, being back to work for a full five (or more) days was painful. Some of us had other things that brought the week down. Personally, I'm glad the week is over, and I know a few other contributors to this blog are too. In order to get the last little bit of frustration of this week out, so we can optimistically move in to the next, please let me present this week's Classic Music Video of the Week (sorry the quality is subpar, as it gets harder and harder to find good vidoes out there):


Everything About You
by Ugly Kid Joe



Here's to a great upcoming week!

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

2007 Movies: A Response

I was going to make a reply to Jill's post but it turned out to be just too long for the comment section and I also am very passionate about the discussion of best films of the year. I have made a concerted effort to view as many as I could this year, especially within the past month. That being said, there are some glaring omissions from this list which I still have yet to see but have a good idea they would have a shot at the "best of" list. There Will Be Blood looks so good it makes my teeth hurt. It has one of my favorite directors, one of the finest actors in modern history and a brilliant score composed by Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead. Unfortunately the film has yet to grace us in Rochester with its presence. I'm Not There, No End in Sight, Persepolis, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead, Michael Clayton, The Kite Runner, Gone Baby Gone, and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly all are must sees as well.

Here are my top 10 films of the year. It was a very tough choice as this was probably one of the better years for films in recent memory. Given that I have a predilection towards romantic comedies, it is no surprise that I have 3 in a row on this list. Other fun facts about my list: It has 3 foreign films, 3 films dealing with pregnancy, 5 films where I feel the soundtrack is essential to the quality of the film and 3 where death plays a major role.

10. & 9. A Mighty Heart & La Vie En Rose - I couldn't really choose between these two so they will have to share their spots with one another. They both were driven by what I consider brilliant female lead performances. Despite a lot of competition this year I feel Angelina Jolie and Marion Cotillard both deserve leading actress Oscar nominations and I would be happy if either of them won.



8. Knocked Up - This seemed to be a favorite of so many people this year and I was no different. Although I did really enjoy Superbad as well, it just didn't hit on all pistons as this comedy did. The romantic and sensitive nature of Knocked Up made it much more well rounded of a film. The fact that I've had a mini-obsession with Katherine Heigl ever since Bride of Chucky certainly helped this film's cause.

7. Dan In Real Life - I am disappointed that I have not seen this on any critics top 10 lists this year. To me it was one of the bigger surprises of the year and one of the most down to earth and realistic romantic comedies I have seen in a long time.



6. Waitress - While Waitress isn't a traditional romantic comedy it is a flawless piece of entertaining cinema. It was highly enjoyable from start to finish.



5. Once - I hope that this is the direction in which musicals are headed. There seems to be a lot of talk about the comeback of the musical, but this movie has not gotten the recognition it deserves. It should be the head of the discussion. The story itself is very simple and only a minor part of the film as a whole. The music between real-life musicians Glen Hansard of The Frames and Markéta Irglová is transcendent. Their chemistry is undeniable, as they even became a couple in real life, and it is reflected in all of the music. If you aren't completely sucked in by this music then I really can't help you with much of anything.



4. No Country For Old Men - This film is so hauntingly beautiful in its own way. It is a brilliant mix of dark comedy and murderous suspense. The performances by Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Tommy Lee Jones are ridiculously good.



3. Into The Wild - I am blown away that this is not on more critics' lists. The scenery is absolutely mesmerizing and the performances are top level. It is one of the most compelling stories of the year as it is based on truth. This should be Emile Hirsch's breakthrough performance to the next level. And yes, in living up to the hype, Hal Holbrook's performance, though short, was absolutely brilliant. If watching him in this doesn't fill you with emotions then you just aren't human.



2. The Lives of Others - This is one of the most suspenseful and dramatic films of recent years. It is set in East Berlin and focuses on an investigator in the East German secret police. Only so much can be said about it without actually seeing it. It is flawless.



1. Juno - It is hard to even describe how much I love this film. It is fantastic from every viewpoint I can think of. The writing is phenomenal, the roles are perfectly cast and the direction gives it the perfect style. It is the perfect comedy with just enough doses of sweetness and drama to make it heartfelt and genuine.



High Honorable Mentions: Paris Je T'aime, Sicko, Black Book, Atonement, Eastern Promises, Charlie Wilson's War, American Gangster

The
Worst of 2007:

5. The Heartbreak Kid - This film had the expectations that Ben Stiller usually provides and was a complete letdown. It had very few redeeming qualities.

4. Because I Said So - Despite any crush I may have on Mandy Moore or Lauren Graham this was a disaster of a film. As has been stated by many critics, Diane Keaton was absolutely brutal and unbearable in this film. She barely represented a human.

3. Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer - Bad acting + lame plot = bad movie. The first one wasn't bad so this was a letdown.

2. Spiderman 3 - Spidey hit a high with the dark and introspective #2. Then the series was effectively tanked with this overdrawn mess. Instead of picking one story line and perfecting it, the film was a hodge podge of mediocre scenes.

The absolute worst movie of the year by a very wide margin is:
1. Wild Hogs - This is best summed up by my Netflix review:
Only one word is really needed to describe this movie. Brutal. It was brutal to watch and I can imagine it was brutal just to read the script. For Travolta, Allen and Lawrence this is just another in a long line of stains on their careers. Macy should have known better. The fact that this became a commercial hit in the United States is an embarrassment to the film industry and to the American public. I completely understand that not all films will be works of art. However, even as popcorn movies go, this was pathetic. I think the only time I laughed during the entire movie was when KG from Tenacious D was singing in Madrid. Perhaps this is not a movie for those younger than 40. But I would hope the older generations would have a better sense of humor than this drivel.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

2007 Movies

Okay, so it took a little longer than I expected to do a blog about Pop Culture in 2007. But better 6 days late than never, right?

The year past was mostly inundated with celebrity gossip as opposed to media achievements. Any more coverage of Paris, Britney or Linsday and I think I would’ve snapped, more so than usual.

You know you’re getting older too when you recognize more of the celebrities that leave us each year, and 2007 saw some greats. Two of my all-time favorite authors, Norman Mailer and Kurt Vonnegut Jr., passed away. Also lost were Deborah Kerr, Dan Fogelberg, Brett Somers, Charles Nelson Reilly, Robert Goulet, Denny Doherty, Bobby Pickett, Brad Delp, Evel Knievel and several more.

The end of the year also calls for “Best of” and “Worst of” lists. I already referenced an Indie Music list in a previous post, but now it’s time for movies.

Entertainment Weekly critics, for one, have listed their Best and Worst movies of 2007. I have trouble critiquing these lists because even with the amount of time I devote to movie viewing, I have not seen a lot of the “top” movies yet, such as I’m Not There, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, Michael Clayton, There Will Be Blood, or No Country for Old Men. Therefore, all I can do is have my own list of Best and Worst Movies of 2007 out of the movies that I have seen.

My Favorite Movies of 2007:

10. Hairspray

I wasn’t sure if I’d actually like this one, considering it’s based-on a musical which is based-on an original movie that I actually enjoyed. But after a recent viewing I understand why it did so well this past year.

9. Fracture

Okay, I’m not going to lie…it probably has something to do with Ryan Gosling.

8. Zodiac

…and this with Jake Gyllenhaal…

7. The Simpsons Movie

Another one I was also apprehensive of, but I actually had some outloud laughing moments at it. I especially enjoyed Ralphie’s exclamation of “I like men now!” after seeing a naked Bart on a skateboard.


6. Blades of Glory

I always will enjoy things that star Will Arnett. And even with this comedy doing well commercially and being enjoyed by the mainstream, there were some good moments in the theatre for this one where Eileen and I were the only ones laughing.

5. Evening

This one made one of the Worst lists in EW, and I’m not sure why, since I really enjoyed it. Maybe it’s because I’m a girl.

4. Transformers

This one surprised me the most. I was very adamant about being upset that 80s cartoons were being turned into modernized movies. But the beginning scenes with Bumblebee playing awesome music (I was caught with The Cars, but sold by Player) and Mojo the Chihuahua had me hooked.

3. Enchanted

Very sweet movie, with some good laughs. I was pleasantly surprised.

2. Knocked Up

People have debated over this, even if it was very popular. Personally I liked this much better than Superbad. While some may argue the relationship between the main characters unrealistic, I felt it was one of more realistic relationship comedies. I especially enjoy Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann. There were many great lines out of this one.


1. Broken English

What can I say, I love Parker Posey. This one is not highly rated or critically acclaimed at all. But for one reason or another, I’m going to pick it as my favorite movie of last year.


My Least-Liked Movies of 2007:

5. License to Wed

What can I say? It just wasn’t funny.

4. Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer

…and this one just was not good…

3. Evan Almighty

…and this one was not funny at all. And excruciatingly long…

2. High School Musical 2

I’m sorry, I know the kids love it. But I didn’t think that it could be more cheesy and horrible than the first one. But it was.

1. Lucky You

I wondered why it took so long for this one to be released. And now I know why. Unlucky me.


So lovely readers, what are your favs and hates?

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Star Wars...Lego?

I still am working on my master thesis of a 2007 year in review...okay, I'm still daydreaming about the master thesis. But in the mean time, to buy me an extra day, I'd like to present this gem!

Discovered by my brother-in-law, this video is mesmerizing for fans. Apparently my nephew is just getting into the "scene" if you will, and received some legos for Christmas.

The accuracy, plus time and detail it must've taken, astounds me. Right down to Luke's black hand and Leia's bikini top, this YouTube work of art gets an A+ from me.

So here it is. Enjoy!



Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Happy New Year, from your Pop-Pop

It's now 2008. I know several of us at Pop-Pop (Culture) in the Attic have resolved to post more this year. Of course, life gets hectic for everyone and we do what we can. That said, I predict good things for the blog this year. We are all quite opinionated when it comes to pop culture, and I'm sure that will shine through in the coming twelve months. We are also hoping to have a stronger visibility by our readers, if you're willing. We know you're out there (as people talk to us about the blog a lot), and we remind you that comments can be anonymous. But no pressure. We love you, even if you're comment-shy. We just ask that you think about it.

Moving on, this week's Classic Music Video of the Week comes to us from that legendary group ABBA. I'll be honest, I had never heard of this song until I stumbled upon it on YouTube. However, a lot of people had it up, so it must be pretty popular somewhere in the world. I find the title fitting for this, the first day of 2008. So, everyone out there,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!