Something I don’t discuss enough here is music. I mention a song here and there, but it’s definitely lacking, which is odd for me because there is always something playing in the background. Silence and I are not friends, hell I’m not even sure what silence is.

Lately I’ve been focusing on two bands that are such opposites from one another that some wouldn’t even consider adding them into the same play lists. One of them I’ve briefly discussed in the past, which would be Blue October. The other is TOOL; which is decisively harder and even a bit more violent in the lyrics and music.

Sloane introduced me to TOOL when I moved down here with a pair of songs. Prison Sex and Ænema, neither of which I can really get into lyrically. Something about vulgarity and language that readers might find offense, but never the less it’s good music. Ænema became a quick favorite because it’s all about the flooding of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas and the destruction of people who are more worried about their coffee, hair and law suits and advises the populace to “Learn to swim.”

The best way to describe Prison Sex, however, is to yank a cleaner line from the song. “Do unto you now what has been done to me.” Lyrically the song isn’t that bad, but it does call up some interesting mental images.

You can find the videos on You Tube, though I suggest you don’t try it while you’re at work.

They remind me of Pink Floyd in their heyday. The music comprises of sweeping intricate melodies and rhythm, they have a god by the name of Danny on the drums after all, perhaps one of the best drummers I’ve heard honestly. Lyrics are comprised of vivid imagery and given forth in the impassioned voice of James Maynard Keenan, and to my knowledge he writes all the songs as well.

It’s a dance of lyric and music that has no problem taking on some of the issues in society. The recently released Vicarious from the album 10,000 days tackles the issues of media violence and watching death from afar like the addiction it is.

TOOL can’t be shuffled into another box of words talking about how wonderful they are. Like all good music and like any great band they have to be experienced as simple description fails to embody what the music is like.

At least it fails me to come up with the words to truly discuss the band as I’m still caught up in the experience of the music. Give them a try; check out the audio samples found on their site. If you don’t like them, all you’ve lost is a few minutes of time. If you do like them, let it open a whole new world of music for you.

Directed by Neil Jordan
Starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst, Stephen Rea, Antonio Banderas and Christian Slater
Released in 1994

I don’t know what amazes me more, the fact that this movie is thirteen years old or that it was my introduction to Pitt and Banderas, both of whom need to be handed an encyclopedia for my enjoyment.

Aside from the fact that it’s an almost perfect adaptation of Anne Rice’s original novel, as well it should be since she wrote the screenplay as well; I think the best thing about Interview is the score. Elliot Goldenthal was able to turn a richly directed film into an absolutely engrossing treasure with the score, enhancing the scenes with subtle undertones that build to a crescendo when the timing is appropriate.

There’s no doubting the way Goldenthal’s score works with the cinematography of Philippe Rousselot. I’m of the opinion that between the two of them they took what could easily have been a disaster of a movie and made it something worth watching.

I was in the height of my “Tom Cruise is a Hollywood god!” at this point and it took watching it now that he’s lost that shiny glow of adoration to realize he really, really stunk as Lestat. He’s too short and his voice is grating. If it weren’t for Pitt’s narration of the film it would lose more of its charm. Admittedly, Cruise does have the capability to wield Lestat’s seduction but his French accent needs serious work. Let’s hope he never does a piece needing an accent again, he fails miserably there.

Along with seeing Pitt and Banderas for the first time, there is Dunst. Kirsten was the perfect embodiment of Claudia. The looks and delicacy of an angel that hid the heart of evil itself in its grasp. To this day I still can’t think of any younger actresses who could have pulled the roll off to such perfection.

Obviously there are flaws from the book to the film, nothing is ever perfect. Louis’ loss of a wife and child instead of his brother was jarring, still the most obvious error was that of Antonio Banderas being cast into the role of Armand. Armand is a youth in the novel, a red haired cherubic youth around the age of fourteen. Still, I can see why they did it, and I can’t say I minded too much, Antonio is very easy on the eyes.

For those who haven’t seen the film or read the book the plot summary is quick:

In modern day San Francisco Louis de Pointe du Lac (Pitt) tells the story of his immortal life to reporter Daniel Malloy (Slater). He speaks of shedding the mortal coil under the guidance of Lestat de Lioncourt (Cruise), of finding hope in the angelic vigor of Claudia (Dunst) and having it stripped from him by unknown laws enforced by Santiago (Rea) and the Parisian Vampires. He speaks of the rapture known in a whirlwind friendship with Armand (Banderas), both his savior and his damnation. A story encompassing near two hundred years of suffering but to the melancholy vampire it all seems like just yesterday.

The movie is good, the book is much better. I almost wish it could be remade with Stuart Townsend in the role of Lestat, but I’m afraid we’d end up with another disaster like Queen of the Damned.

Rating:

As enthusiastic as I am to share Hell’s Kitchen with you, I should have started this last week when it premiered, but I was warring with my own ideals of current media. Therefore, we’re kind of skipping episode one, simply because it’s been two weeks now.

A quick recap however will let you know that Ramsay didn’t seem real impressed with his contestants this time around. Their signature dishes lacked quality and cooking skill, one even dared to present him with a dish that had a pre-made aspect to it, I thought he was going to roast the man with his eyes at that point.

He dubbed the red team, which is all female, Hell’s Bitches as all they did was bicker in the kitchen and got nothing accomplished. The men kicked off their kitchen with a crying contestant which actually gives you a small glimmer of Ramsay as a caring person.

Leave it to be said the right person was removed from the contest and that the ladies need to get over their snobbery with one of their own working in a waffle house.

You can get the names and bios from the official Hell’s Kitchen website.

In the meantime on to week two…

The show opened this time with the teams being awoken to play catch, with fish larger than some contestants. The women appeared to have an easier time catching the scaly icy edibles then the men, but that simply could have been the magic of editing. Aaron, our weeping chef from last week, is already displaying he’s not having an easy time of this lifestyle and has difficulty helping his partner Eddie, the smallest contestant on the show, haul back fish.

The first challenge between the teams was skinning and de-roeing Dover Sole, which Ramsay emphasized was a very expensive fish. After throwing a swaying and sweaty Aaron out of the kitchen to get some rest, Ramsay proceeded to show both teams how to handle the fish. Half an hour, and a lot of ruined fish, later the men have eight quality fish and the women were able to squeak passed them by one. The victors are directed to go get dressed for the day as they get to spend it fishing and dining with Ramsay. Josh is not pleased and does some whining about not getting to fish. While the women are out with Ramsay they get to clean and prep the fish for the next service.

Aaron rejoins them midway through the day and is talking about leaving since he feels like he is unable to participate to the full measure. The other men talk him out of this and he assists in the punishment for losing the challenge. Once the ladies rejoin them in the suite of rooms they share, the men take advantage of some of the lesser dressed women, like Bonnie, asking her to help them find or reach for things while she’s wearing a tiny t-shirt and what looks like panties.

Service brings both teams back into competition. In addition to having to have to skin and de-roe the Dover Sole one of the men must now do table service and Ramsay selects Aaron for the work. After giving last minute instruction to both teams, he goes to discuss what table service is, with Jean-Philippe’s assistance, to Aaron who is unconscious on his feet. Ramsay gets him focused again and working before returning to the kitchen to call and ready orders.

While Jen has taken charge of the red team kitchen, Aaron is wandering around the dining area like a V.I.P and introducing himself to the customers. Ramsay calls him back and gets him straightened out while the men begin to fumble around in the kitchen. The ladies are dishing out appetizers like clockwork and the men are steadily digging themselves into a deeper hole. Eddie’s appetizers aren’t leaving the kitchen and he seems incapable of keeping the other men off his station which he says confuses him which has him relieved of the station. Vinnie’s incapability of cooking fish then hiding the mistakes and Josh’s failure at cooking meat keeps the camera focused on them, leaving the other men barely even spotlighted in the kitchen until one of Brad’s appetizers is returned.

Out on the dining floor Aaron is going tableside to debone the fish and serve the fillets. His skill is lacking as it takes him fifteen minutes or more to do this task, leaving the customers with cool or cold food. Worse, he’s leaving large pieces of bone in the fish for the customers to find and Jean-Philippe has to report back to Ramsay that every table has had a complaint about the bones.

The women, however, have not only served all their tables both appetizer and entrée, but when they have three tickets left Ramsay throws the men completely out of the kitchen. Second service into the season and the woman have done something no other team in Hell’s Kitchen history could; they complete not only their own tickets but are forced to take over the men’s kitchen and finish the service by themselves. A feat in and of itself that leaves Ramsay a little impressed.

Service completed and the teams are gathered back into the kitchen for judging. Ramsay makes it obvious which team has lost the night, not that anyone didn’t know this already. He chooses Rock from the losing team as being the least incompetent and leaves it in his hands as to who is leaving the kitchen.
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I don’t cover enough of the television aspect of wasting time enough, but it’s not an easy cycle to cover when you’re trying to avoid discussing anything current. I think, for a while at least, I’ll be breaking that trend. Or perhaps television will be the only thing that I discuss that’s current.

Well, at least we’ll be discussing current until Hell’s Kitchen is over. And as per my usual rule, I won’t spoil it in plain sight; any spoilers will be taken passed a break.

Hell’s Kitchen started three years ago on Fox, it is another reality show, but this time it takes twelve aspiring chefs and drops them into a restaurant with Chef Gordon Ramsay where they will either sink or swim in the kitchen. The winner of the competition will become the executive chef of their own restaurant.

Something that anyone knows about Ramsay though, especially the ones who want to learn from him, is the man is a beast, especially in the kitchen. Don’t let the handsome exterior fool you, he takes no mediocrity in the kitchen. The man is a renowned chef in England and quickly becoming just as famous in the States.

He has a mouth on him that would put a sailor to shame. One of his contestants this season has made it known he scares her. Ramsay is not someone I would want to cross in the kitchen though I’d love to take lessons from him.

Working with him in Hell’s Kitchen is Scott Leibfried, who can also be found doing hosting duties for Food Network’s Challenges series and working as the executive chef at Soleil in San Diego; MaryAnn Salcedo an executive chef at Citizen Smith in Hollywood and Jean-Philipp a top class maitre ’d.

The four of them certainly put the contestants through their paces all to understand which of the twelve men and women could handle the duties of being an executive chef.

The show has more going for it than most reality TV shows on today. It’s enjoyable to watch and they carefully bleep Ramsay’s rampaging. Doubtful the show could remain the sensation it is without Ramsay’s presence, for while the contestants and the prize are the reason for the show, there’s no doubting who rules the kitchen.

Rating:

As usual there’s a new recipe over at Your Cre8tivity.  This time I covered Cinnamon Banana Waffles.

What can I say, I may enjoy movies and the like but my favroite way to waste time is in the kitchen.

For every outstanding leading actor in the world there are at least two who need to regulate themselves to background roles. Hardly overshadowed by the leading role, they tend to lend more to the movie if they remain in support, allowing them to shine brighter there than they can in the primary spotlight.

Can these people work in the leading spot? Many of them often do, but they don’t seem to fit there. It’s like trying to watch someone escape the confines of a bad script only to have the audience realize that the role would have been much better done in the hands of someone else.

I offer six shining examples of this for your reading pleasure and opinion.

1. Jack Nicholson
This is an actor you either love or hate and if you hate him you want him in small doses. Sure he can carry films on his own, like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Shining, but he performs better in smaller roles, which help him confine the overwhelming personality he possesses that sometimes gets in the way of his acting. No one in this world could have given the “You can’t handle the truth” line from A Few Good Men better than Nicholson, and who else could have so easily seduced The Witches of Eastwick. But give him a starring spot, like in As Good as it Gets and its too much, so much that it made me never want to see the film again.

2. Tim Curry
I’m afraid to see this man in a lead role when he does so very well in support. He makes evil and darkness feel like less of a sin as he tramps around in massive costuming for Legend and he’ll scare the hell out of you as Pennywise in IT. Clue’s role of Wadsworth is probably the closest I’ve seen him in a leading role and while it may have been the script itself it was almost too much for even his skillful hands. Even Frank’N’Furter was over the top but give him a supporting role and he can even outshine the leading actors.

3. Geena Davis
As a leading actress she often leaves something wanting, the cast around her seems to carry her more than they should need to. A prime example of this is A League of Their Own, where the supporting cast enabled her to appear like she could be a leading lady, but if you cast her in a purely support role, such as in BeetleJuice, she’s a talented actor because she can work off the skills of the cast around her instead of letting them support her.

4. Steve Buscemi
One of my favorites in the supporting role, and no one can play psychotic support like him. When you have a record for cinematic deaths, it’s hard to even picture him in a leading role. He pops up in a lot of Sandler films and has a habit of stealing the scene when he’s on screen. A marvelous go to guy when you need someone who plays sleazy and his unmistakable voice is perfect for the background role. Anything else and he’d simply steal the whole move instead of a scene here and there.

5. Bill Paxton
When Paxton does a leading role he does it well, as shown by his character in Twister. He is, however, much better in the background, as evidenced by his roles in Aliens, Weird Science and Streets of Fire. Paxton is an excellent character actor in that he can play the sleazebag almost better than Buscemi, but often displays good intentions and a heart of gold as he does it. He has immortalized the line “Game over man” and while he can show a penchant for cowardly characters you can’t miss seeing the strength as well.

6. Jeffrey Jones
Has this man ever held a leading role? I know he’s come close with roles like Ed Rooney (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) and Charles (Beatlejuice), but he appears to pop up in the most unexpected places, especially for random cameos. Jones has played the vast array of coward to hero and any mix in between and there is no doubting that when he’s on screen he steals it.

I still can’t get over the fact that he’s only a year older than I am. Orlando has made such an impact on acting it feels like he’s been around a lot longer than he has. While I haven’t seen some of his earlier work, I was suckered into knowing who he was when Lord of the Rings came out. After all, who wasn’t drooling over the hottie elf boy?

Since that role it’s hard to find movies with him where he’s contemporary and relaxed. Bloom excels in period work though I could certainly understand if he ever decided to avoid it for the rest of his career. While he wasn’t well known when he was wearing fatigues in Black Hawk Down; he has since been seen wearing anything from tights to frocked coats and everything else in-between.

Bloom continues to walk the fine line stardom. As a younger actor the people he’s worked with is astonishing. Working beside Ian McKellen and Viggo Mortensen in Lord of the Rings is incredible. Then to move on and work with Johnny Depp for Pirates of the Caribbean only speaks highly of his abilities. He appears to have learned something from everyone he’s worked with.

Stepping away from the actor as a whole, I have to admit my favorite role is not one of his biggest trilogies but the work he did with Ridley Scott in Kingdom of Heaven. The film itself is epic, and I’m not talking about the type here. The character of Balian is one the viewer can relate to. I’m not sure there’s another actor who could have pulled off the character like Bloom did, walking the emotional scope of angst and loss to the final hope that finds him.

With the work done in PotC: At World’s End, however, I have to say I am fully amazed with the real depth of the character Will Turner. He’s definitely more than just a pretty face competing with Depp’s Sparrow for the sighs and coos of the ladies in the audience. I need to see it again so I can break my rules and review it.

In the meantime Bloom is taking a bit of time off from the silver screen to act on the London stage. IMDB has his next film release down as rumored for the film Pompeii, and I’m certainly not going to complain about seeing the man in period dress again if the rumors are true.

Think I’ll go get PotC: Dead Man’s Chest watched so I can get the review up.

Directed by John Lasseter
Starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger and Annie Potts
Released 1995

For being twelve years old and the first of its kind, Toy Story certainly set the bar high for future computer animated movies. With its stellar voice cast headed by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, the behind the scenes story of toys without their humans around is one for the ages. Not only is this a classic movie for kiddos, but there’s enough innuendo and age old jokes to let the adults enjoy the story as well.

Who would have ever thought a toy felt threatened of being replaced with a cooler toy? Or even that they would walk, talk and live without us there to make them do so? Poor Woody is in his glory as Andy’s favorite toy and this new mechanized action figure from the uncharted regions of outer space usurps his position. I would have been ticked too, but at the same time I feel bad for Buzz because Woody has such an attitude complex about him. I’m certain it didn’t help make things better for Woody when all the other toys latched onto Buzz as quickly as they did, but he was being considerably friendlier than Woody too.

What makes Toy Story fun is that I still notice new things. For instance, try watching the eyes of the toys next time you sit down and enjoy the movie, they don’t blink at the same time, but one eye blinks before the other. You can see this clearly with the little aliens in the claw machine at Pizza Planet.

On top of the inter-rivalry between Woody and Buzz you have moving day coming up, which is dangerous enough, but you also have the little sociopath in the making next door. Sid is not just a danger to toys, but to himself as well and that just makes the lesson lead by Woody have a deeper impact on the kid. Who knows what he would have become had this not been a Disney project.

I remember the rush on toy stores for Mr. Potato Head and the little green army men when this came out. What made it more entertaining was that people weren’t buying them for their kids, but to embrace the nostalgia brought on by the movie.

Rumor has it that there might be a third Toy Story. While I’m looking forward to it, I’m a little leery, after all Jim Varney isn’t around anymore to continue his roll as Slinky Dog. Do they find a replacement or retire the character? Given he’s my favorite character I almost want to see him retired instead of bringing someone new to give him a voice. Whatever they do here’s hoping it’s as good as the first two.

Rating:

Today I want to introduce you all, those who haven’t stumbled upon it, to the webcomic of Something*Positive.

I found this webcomic through Mur Lafferty’s Geek Fu Action Grip as I was listening to her podcast archives last year. Mur’s podcast is a whole different excuse for an entry and one we’ll explore later, the woman’s crushes on Wil Wheaton and Alton Brown are wonderful tales into themselves.

Back to Something*Positive.

Randy Milholland began the comic in December of 2001 and has either had daily updates, guest strips or filler running ever since. His comics are an interesting look at life through the various eyes of the cast though it primarily focuses upon Davan and his direct sphere of influence of friends and family.

Despite the title, not everything is uplifting and positive. There are comics that deal with the suicide of one of Davan’s best friends, as well as the death of his mother. But even in the shadow of all that darkness there are brighter notes, with the marriages of friends and the antics of Choo Choo Bear.

Choo Choo Bear deserves his own post, but will have to settle for a paragraph. He is my favorite of the comic cast and I’m sure I’m not alone in this. I was iffy on the comic itself until he was introduced and then I was like an addict, looking for more and more Choo Choo. Choo Choo Bear is a melting, furless pink cat who swallows anything from keys, to his collar to underwear within the confines of his boneless body and ensures the hilarity of the comic. One of these days I’m going to find a print of this cat and hang it on my office wall.

Something*Positive is in my daily regime of webcomic checks, and usually the first one I’ll open. It’s one I recommend for any of my readers, especially if you’ve stuck with me on this blog and learned of my sick sense of humor.

Long live Something*Positive and a huge heap of thanks to Randy for such a wonderful comic.

Rating:

On a side note: Weekly Recipe is up on Your Cre8tivity. This week I covered a fried rice recipe I learned from my mother.

**Edit** Hopefully corrected all instances of Davan’s name, this is what I get for RPing with a friend who plays a Davin online.