Video Store Blues

H2O is one of my favorite bands of all time. They came out with this record on Bridge 9 Records and they put out these two amazing videos, and it features anyone who’s anyone in pop punk, hardcore, and wrestling (CM PUNK). Nothing to Prove and What Happened have deep rooted messages that I for one am 100% behind. I have nothing to prove and what did happen to the music and the message that I loved?

Johnny Depp? Christian Bale?

Twenty minutes in and we hear the “Batman” voice…..

Forty minutes in and I’m bored to death.

How can two of the top box office draws in modern cinema suck the life out of a film? I’m not sure.

Johnny Depp as Dillinger made me want to pull my hair out. Bale as the guy trying to capture him and talking in the “Batman” voice just makes me cringe.

These two normally good actors might have put together a decent picture, if only it actually was interesting to watch unfold. Instead, we get a lot of clumsy scenes strewn together for the sake of trying to cash in on the names here.

Face it, Public Enemies sucks.

I grew up in an era, or maybe it was a location, where you couldn’t admit to liking pop-punk. I had to hide my fondness for bands like mxpx, new found glory, and even blink 182. However, I’m far removed from that place and time and here I am talking about another pop-punk band. Well, these guys are more pop-core as is the latest trend in mixing sensible singing, screaming, a few hints of break down, and a melodic chorus of appreciation.

Four Year Strong comes out swinging big time with Enemy of the World, their major label album that has some amazing artwork and the classic, “few good songs, few bad songs” dilemma that comes with the pressure. I’m sure the band is proud of their work on the record, but I found only half the record worth mentioning…as with most major record debuts.

Four Year Strong Enemy of The World is out now, gets around 3 to 4 stars depending on what magazine you read and leaves me wishing for better days.

Around the holiday’s a little film called Everybody’s Fine came out. It was marketed as a feel good film, and it featured many mainstream celebrities. I purposely avoided watching the film, simply because it was marketed as some “feel good” movie about the holidays in general. I’m not a sap, at least not usually, but this film forces a lot of messages through great symbolism.

Robert De Niro plays a father that is waiting for all of his kids to come and visit him, but when they cancel on him, he decides to visit them.

Much like Bruce Lee went through different chambers in “Game of Death”, De Niro goes through different stages of his family. All his children are grown up, and they all have a different view of what their father expects and how to break the news to him that his “troubled” son is in trouble with drugs, and in jail.

This movie has some amazing scenes, artistically, and video wise. There are many nuances and subtle touches that I really wasn’t expecting at all. Scenes where De Niro is staring into the camera, trying to channel the depression of Bill Murray, yet the marketing did not supply such a warning.

The poster, marketing, and commercials (trailers included) all pointed to a very different kind of film, than what is captured on this amazing piece of intellectual cinema. There are a lot of layers involved in this movie, and it’s really not a topical thing, you have to understand relationships and well…it helps if your father is older. I kind of see my father in De Niro’s character, and I understand the complexity of the characters.

Maybe I’m just getting old, or maybe this film should’ve gotten a better marketing campaign.

I suggest checking out “Everybody’s Fine” on dvd, it’s worth it, although a little slow for some tastes.

In regards to movies that make my “best of” lists, I don’t usually think much of independent films. Sure, Clerks changed my life in a lot of ways, but it doesn’t fit in my “best of”. It’s just not as compelling through the years.

Recently, I saw this amazing independent film called Amexicano. This film is a great story that hits home to me personally.

The plot revolves around a day laborer and his new found friend. The setup takes a little while to build but then goes full throttle into one of the most emotional climaxes I’ve ever seen.

Being a Mexican Immigrant, really made me tear up while watching this film, and the end was amazing to me. It made me feel for the characters. I haven’t seen a lot of movies that impact me so much at the core of who I am, but this one most certainly did.

Amexicano won several awards and was written by Carmine Familietti and directed by Matthew Bonifacio. It’s this type of story telling that makes me love film on such a deeper level. I recommend this film to anyone that likes independent film, and anyone that has a sense of compassion for others.

Click here to purchase Amexicano on dvd.

Missed Alkaline Trio on the Late Show with David Letterman? Don’t panic, here it is live and in your face suckas!

Alkaline Trio’s latest record is available by clicking here or looking below:

Every Time I Die threw up one of the best records of their career with their Epitaph release, New Junk Aesthetic, and are now on the road through August playing every single U.S. city (except Moscow Idaho, where I live) and promise to blow you away.

Here’s the latest video that they released, followed by extended tourdates to get you hyped!

Every Time I Die - “After One Quarter of a Revolution”

EVERY TIME I DIE | MySpace Music Videos

Every Time I Die Extended 2010 Tour Dates:

March 10 - Syracuse, NY - Lost Horizon (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 11 - Poughkeepsie, NY - The Chance (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 12 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 13 - Kinston, ON - Time To Laugh (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 14 - London, ON - Cowboys (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 15 - Kitchener, ON - Elements (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 16 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 17 - Iowa City, IA - Blue Moose (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 19 - Winnipeg, MB - The Garrick (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 20 - Regina, SK - Distrikt (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 21 - Calgary, AB - The Republik (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 22 - Edmonton, AB - The Starlite Room (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 24 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 25 - Spokane, WA - The BLVD (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 26 - Boise, ID - The Venue (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 27 - Eugene, OR - WOW Hall (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 28 - Sacramento, CA - The Boardwalk (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 29 - Sparks, NV - New Oasis (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 30 - Las Vegas, NV - Area 702 Skatepark (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
March 31 - Tucson, AZ - The Rock (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
April 1 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theatre (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
April 2 - Lubbock, TX -Tequila Jungle (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
April 3 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
April 5 - Louisville, KY - Headliners (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
April 6 - Erie, PA - The Hangout (w/Four Year Strong, Polar Bear Club, Trapped Under Ice)
July 2 - Houston, TX - The Showgrounds (Warped Tour)
July 3 - Dallas, TX - Superpages.com Center (Warped Tour)
July 5 - St. Louis, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (Warped Tour)
July 6 - Indianapolis, IN - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre (Warped Tour)
July 7 - Burgettstown, PA - Post Gazette Pavillion (Warped Tour)
July 8 - Cleveland, OH - Time Warner Cable Amphitheatre (Warped Tour)
July 9 - Toronto, ON - Arrow Hall (Warped Tour)
July 10 - Montreal, QC - Parc Jean Drapeau (Warped Tour)
July 11 - Hartford, CT - Comcast Theater (Warped Tour)
July 13 - Mansfield, MA - Comcast Center (Warped Tour)
July 14 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake P.A.C. (Warped Tour)
July 15 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion (Warped Tour)
July 16 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center (Warped Tour)
July 17 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Warped Tour)
July 18 - Oceanport, NJ - Monmouth Park Racetrack (Warped Tour)
July 20 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion (Warped Tour)
July 21 - Virginia Beach, VA - Virginia Beach Amphitheatre (Warped Tour)
July 22 - Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Charlotte (Warped Tour)
July 23 - St. Petersburg, FL - Vinoy Park (Warped Tour)
July 24 - West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheater (Warped Tour)
July 25 - Orlando, FL - Central Florida Fairgrounds (Warped Tour)
July 26 - Atlanta, GA - Lakewood Amphitheater (Warped Tour)
July 28 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center (Warped Tour)
July 29 - Milwaukee, WI - Marcus Amphitheater (Warped Tour)
July 30 - Detroit, MI - Comerica Park (Warped Tour)
July 31 - Tinley Park, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre (Warped Tour)
Aug 1 - Shakopee, MI - Canterbury Park (Warped Tour)
Aug 2 - Bonner Springs, KS - Sandstone Amphitheatre (Warped Tour)
Aug 5 - Calgary, AB - Race City Speedway (Warped Tour)
Aug 7 - Salt Lake City, UT - Utah State Fairgrounds (Warped Tour)
Aug 8 - Denver, CO - Invesco Field (Warped Tour)
Aug 11 - Pomona, CA - Pomona Fairplex (Warped Tour)
Aug 12 - Marysville, CA - Sleep Train Amphitheatre (Warped Tour)
Aug 13 - Nampa, ID - Idaho Center Amphitheatre (Warped Tour)
Aug 14 - George, WA - Gorge Amphitheater (Warped Tour)
Aug 15 - Hillsboro, OR - Washington County Fairgrounds (Warped Tour)

Ed Templeton and Transworld teamed up for this video featuring his latest art venture. He did a show in Culver City, California, my home town, and I don’t even live there any more. It saddens me a little.

Anyways, here is Ed Templeton and his artwork…don’t know Ed? He’s the guy behind Toy Machine skateboards.

Seth Grahame-Smith creates a lush landscape of fictional…or truthful writing. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter is an amazing upcoming book, and to prove it, here’s a trailer! Man…this looks rad…

From the New York Times bestselling author of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES comes the true history of our sixteenth president - Seth Grahame-Smith’s ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER.

Purchase Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by clicking here.