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Music, Film, and Gaming

Rich

The Machine Girl Review

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Watching The Machine Girl I found the film bring out two separate sides of me; part of me was impressed with the gore, the other part of me however wanted more.

Growing up as a teenager I probably would have watched this film concentrating solely on the over the top gore that Noboru Iguchi offers here, now in my 20s though I can’t help wanting to see more of a storyline. Gore is all well and good, but padding out the gore with a plodding and often severely lacking plot? It’s just a little disappointing.

Gore hounds across the world will no doubt lap The Machine Girl up and admire it for its many grim and gory moments, and the film will surely have its fair share of high school admirers who will pass the film around amongst their peers; get past the gore though and what are you really left with? An award winning plot line was obviously not the aim here, all too often however the film leaves you waiting for the next offering of gore without supplying anything in between. In its opening the film offers so much as it’s not just gory but actually quite funny also, filling you with hope for what’s to come; as the film progresses though it loses that comedy effect as the supply dries up and Noboru Iguchi seems to fall short of ideas to keep the film interesting.

Noboru Iguchi knew what he was aiming for with this film and successfully wrote and directed something that is completely over the top gory, whilst that may have been his aim though it still doesn’t make the poor plot progression any less tedious to watch, and aside from gore this is a film that has really very little to offer.

If you love your gore then give The Machine Girl a watch, if you’re looking for more though then it’s best just to look elsewhere.

Rating:

Golden Globes 2010 Winners

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On January 17th 2010 the winners were named for the 67th annual Golden Globe Awards. James Cameron picked up the Best Director of a Motion Picture Award for Avatar, beating off Quentin Tarantino with Inglourious Basterds, and also emerged victorious in the Best Motion Picture category as Avatar again proved to be most popular. The Hangover meanwhile picked up the Award for being the Best Motion Picture in the Comedy/Musical category.

The following is a full list of the 2010 Golden Globe Award Winners:

Best Actor Television, Drama- Michael C. Hall, Dexter

Best Supporting Actor Television, Drama- John Lithgow, Dexter

Best Supporting Actress Motion Picture- Mo’nique, Precious

Best Animated Feature Film- Up

Best Original Song, Motion Picture- Crazy Heart, “The Weary Kind”

Best Original Score, Motion Picture- Up, Michael Giacchino

Best Actress Television, Drama- Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife

Best Actress Television Series, Comedy- Toni Collette- United States of Tara

Best Actress Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical- Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

Best Actor Mini-series, Drama- Kevin Bacon, Taking Chance

Best Actress Mini-series- Drew Barrymore, Grey Gardens

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture- Up in the Air, Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Best Actor Television, Comedy- Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television- Grey Gardens

Best Foreign Language Film- The White Ribbon

Best Television Series Drama- Mad Men

Best Supporting Actress Mini-series- Chloe Sevigny, Big Love

Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture- Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Bastards

Best Director Motion Picture- James Cameron, Avatar

Best Television Series, Comedy or Musical- Glee

Best Actor Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical- Robert Downey Jr., Sherlock Holmes

Best Actor Motion Picture, Drama- Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

Best Actress Motion Picture, Drama- Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side

Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical- The Hangover

Best Motion Picture, Drama- Avatar

Brad Pitt and Matt Damon to Voice Characters in Happy Feet 2

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According to Movieline, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon are to provide voices for as yet unknown characters in Happy Feet 2.

Pitt and Damon last worked together on Ocean’s Thirteen, they’re now to link up again however as they lend their voices to the George Miller directed animated film Happy Feet 2 which is due for release on November 28th 2011.

Robin Williams and Elijah Wood will once again be onboard; Miller is seemingly keen to freshen things up a little however and so has added Brad Pitt and Matt Damon to achieve this.

The original Happy Feet film has grossed in excess of $380 million worldwide since its release, and won an Oscar for the Best Animated Feature Film of the Year back in 2007; George Miller will no doubt be hoping that this sequel will be similarly successful.

New Kids In Glass Houses track Features The Saturdays’ Frankie Sandford

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New Kids In Glass Houses track ‘Undercover Lover’ which is to be included on the band’s second studio album ‘Dirt’ will feature The Saturdays’ Frankie Sandford providing guest vocals. The album will consist of a total of sixteen tracks, and as well as featuring guest vocals from Frankie Sandford will also include the track ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ where the Welsh band has had the privilege of working with New Found Glory.

‘Dirt’ is due for release on March 29th through Roadrunner Records, and the following is a full tracklist for the release:

1. Artbreaker I
2. The Best Is Yet To Come
3. Sunshine
4. Matters at All
5. Youngblood
6. Lilli Rose
7. Giving up
8. For Better Or Hearse
9. Undercover Lover (featuring Frankie Sandford)
10. Maybe Tomorrow (featuring New Found Glory)
11. The Morning Afterlife
12. Hunt The Haunted
13. Artbreaker II
14. Believer (Bonus Track)
15. Reputation (Bonus Track)
16. When The World Comes Down (Bonus Track)

The Fox Family Review

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The Fox Family is an extremely out there South Korean film that is superbly satisfying to watch. The film has you on the edge of your seat at all times as you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get from it, and director Lee Hyung-gon has done an absolutely brilliant job in putting together such an incredibly quirky film.

Only once every thousand years do foxes have a chance to become truly human, and to do so they must consume a human liver at the point of eclipse. With 30 days left until the eclipse, a family of foxes in temporary human form set up a circus in the hope of luring people in as they look to secure the livers that will grant them a human life. The circus idea doesn’t get off to a great start as the only humans they’re able to attract are children, with the children not taking long before they run away from the gruesome circus acts that the foxes have to offer. The foxes gain an easy human as an unaware Gi-dong (Park Joon-gyu) wanders in to the circus one night, he’s able to make sure his life is spared however as he convinces the foxes that he can help them get their hands on the livers that they require.

Unafraid of breaking down the genre barriers, The Fox Family is magnificently able to combine dark comedy with fantasy, with the characters often breaking down into song to provide a great musical feel. There are also slight elements of horror and an unusual love story thrown into the mix and with so much going on the film always has much to offer. The actors perform their parts well, the brilliance of The Fox Family lies in the magnificent direction of Lee Hyung-gon however and in the incredible writing talent of Jeon Hyeon-jin and Park Eun-ah. All involved in this film have every reason to be proud, and cinematographer Choi Jin-woong is someone definitely deserving of a mention here as the way that the film is presented on screen is just absolutely stunning.

The Fox Family has some incredible moments to offer, with one of the film’s most memorable moments a scene in which members of the general public have a break dancing dance-off with riot police whilst the fox family is out looking to recruit people for the circus. Not only is the film visually beauteous, but in terms of the storyline offered here the film also pleases. My one and only criticism of the film would be that it could have a stronger climax, whilst the ending may not be the best though I do feel that the film has a lot to offer in its journey there, and watching The Fox Family most certainly provides for a very satisfying viewing experience.

If you’re bored with formulaic run of the mill films then it’s definitely worth taking a look at The Fox Family; The Fox Family is definitely not a film that can be accused of playing it safe, and the approach to film taken here really does come across well on screen. The cinematography is stunning, the direction excellent, and the quality of acting does much to impress also. The Fox Family is a film that impresses on many levels, and watching this film at least once is something that I would most definitely 100% recommend doing.

Rating:

The Standards – Out Of The Fire EP

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Whilst a definite 1960s influence is apparent here, The Standards is certainly not a band that is looking to rip off its idols, but instead the influence is taken and fused with a modern spin to provide for a musical treat that is truly delicious.

There’s a lot of fun that comes through in The Standards’ sound, and all three tracks on the ‘Out Of The Fire’ EP have been strongly crafted to provide for a highly satisfying and entertaining listening experience. Title track ‘Out Of The Fire’ kicks things off well, with a highly vibrant feel right from the off, and once the band hooks you in it certainly never lets go. After a couple of listens the band is able to have you singing along, and not a single track on this EP disappoints. From ‘Out Of The Fire’ the band fires onto ’11 Dimensions’, another track with a huge amount to offer, and with closing track ‘Already There’ the band continues to impress with its style.

The Standards is a band with a clear love for its 1960s music, what’s so brilliant about this band though is the way that it’s able to use its influences so well here and put together three truly special tracks. The vocals definitely do a lot to please, instrumentally also The Standards is a band with much to offer however, and in all areas supreme strength is shown here.

The ‘Out Of The Fire’ EP is most definitely one that you should look to add to your collection, and The Standards is without doubt a band to watch out for in the future.

Label: Schnapps House
Release Date: February 8th 2010

Rating:
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Machine Head Adds Japanese and Australian Dates to ‘The Black Procession’ Tour

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Having already toured heavily with the likes of Slipknot and Metallica, Machine Head is now ready to headline its own tour, and the band will hit the road on January 23rd, starting out in Stuttgart, Germany.

The band already had a whole host of European shows planned, Japanese and Australian dates have now been added however, meaning that the band will now be playing a further eight shows.

The following is a full list of dates for Machine Head’s ‘The Black Procession’ 2010 tour:

January 23 – Germany, Stuttgart – Schleyerhalle
January 25 -Germany, Offenbach – Stadhalle
January 26 -Germany, Hamburg – Grosse Freiheit
January 29 -Norway, Oslo – Rockefeller
January 30 -Sweden, Stockholm – Arenan
February 3 – Denmark, Copenhagen – Tap 1
February 4 – Holland, Amsterdam – Heineken Music Hall
February 5 – Belgium, Brussels – Forest National
February 6 – France, Paris – Zenith
February 8 – Switzerland, Zurich – Volkshaus / Sportznetrum
February 9 – Italy, Milan – Alcatraz
February 10 – Austria, Vienna – Gasometer
February 12 – Germany, Munich – Zenith
February 13 – Germany, Leipzig – Haus Avensee
February 14 – Germany, Koln – Palladium
February 16 – UK, Plymouth – Pavilion
February 17 – UK, Newport – Newport Centre
February 18 – UK, London – Academy Brixton
February 21 – UK, Birmingham – Academy Birmingham
February 22 – UK, Leeds – Leeds Academy
February 23 – UK, Glasgow – Academy Glasgow
February 25 – UK, Newcastle – Newcastle Academy
February 26 – UK, Manchester – Manchester Apollo
February 28 – Ireland, Dublin – Olympia
March 1 – Ireland, Belfast – Georges Market
March 16 – Japan, Tokyo – O East
March 17 – Japan, Tokyo – O East
March 18 – Japan, Osaka – Quattro
March 22 – Australia, Perth – Metropolis
March 24 – Australia, Adelaide – The Barton
March 26 – Australia, Melbourne – Festival Hall
March 27 – Australia, Sydney – Luna Park
March 28 – Australia, Brisbane – River Stage

Far – The Making Of Pony Video

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A video of Far in the studio recording a cover of Ginuwine’s ‘Pony’. ‘Pony’ is all set for release as a 7″ and download single on February 21st 2010 through Bright Antenna Records. The 7″ is a limited picture disc release, with only 500 copies of the vinyl available.