Things seem to be moving in fast-forward for Jars of Clay. Ever since they released Good Monsters, it was clear that their music was heading in a different direction. Not that there was anything wrong with them before. Their debut album was great. It just seemed like after their second album, their music became a little dull. With their new EP titled Closer being released under their own Gray Matters label, they take another step in “shedding their old skin”. Here, they continue what they started with the Good Monsters album. Since there’s no big label watching over them anymore, they are free to creatively roam however they desire. That creative freedom is evident on this EP. With tracks like Closer, and the remixes of their older songs Flood and Love Song For a Savior, there’s a lot of experimentation going on in the background. I thought that the two remixes worked well as they brought these classic songs back to life. Although it only contains 5 tracks, the Closer EP is enough to hold off fans until another full album gets released.
Here is some hilarious comedy done in 8-bit video game style. Seems like karma has come back to bite us in the ass for making fun of those video games a lot of us grew up on. You know the ones from the 80's on systems like the Atari 2600? Yeah that's exactly what I'm talking about. Now, there's a hilarious comedy series out called Code Monkeys, and it is done in the same style as those wonderful games from the original Atari and Nintendo systems. Season 1 of Code Monkeys has just been released by Shout! Factory on a 2-disc DVD set. All the crass humor of this show that parodies everyone from Stephen Spielberg to Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, as well as older games like Spy Hunter and Mega Man is captured on this set. It’s a pretty unique concept to do the show this way. And for someone like me who grew up playing the old 8-bit games and who appreciates some humor that pushes its limits, I wound up really enjoying Code Monkeys.
For more info on the DVD, click here.
Get your freak on!
Now this is one cartoon that should still be on TV. I'm not sure why cartoons like this don't last too long, but they should. For whatever reason, we are missing out on some insanely good comedy, courtesy of a superhero named Freakazoid! He actually reminds me of a superhero version of Jim Carrey's role in Dumb and Dumber, except Freakazoid can kick some enemy booty. Some people may find him really annoying, but I love his manic personality. WB has released Season 1 on DVD and it is a “freaking” good collection, especially if you’re fond of eccentric cartoon characters that make Richard Simmons look normal. The set contains 2-discs of 14 episodes starring one of the most bizarre heroes ever. If you like your comedy heavy on the “weird” side, then this is just what you need.
Freakazoid!: The Complete First Season is out now on DVD.
Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
You don't need brains to enjoy a movie like this. But you do need a sense of humor, and a strong stomach. This is a story of two dumbasses that get mistaken as terrorists after Kumar lights up a bong on a flight to Amsterdam. It's crass and offensive, but it is sooooo funny. Here's a tip when watching a film like this: Don't take anything seriously. If you do take a film like this seriously, then we need to talk. My stomach hurt from laughing so hard watching these two idiots from New Jersey escape Guantanamo Bay and bumble their way across the US. On their journey to Texas, where they try and prove their innocence, they encounter a one-eyed inbred, the KKK, and a stoned Neil Patrick Harris (high on 'shrooms). These two are so idiotic that sometimes they make Cheech and Chong look smart. And that's the point. They act like such complete asses in exchange for making the audience laugh. At some points the comedy is forced, but other times it works. While watching it, I felt like I lost a few brain cells, but definitely laughed a lot harder than I expected.
Lost Boys: The Tribe
“One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach... all the damn vampires."
It was that very line that ended the immortal vampire movie The Lost Boys. For over 20 years that was the closure we got, and no one dared to make a sequel, until now. For me, nothing could compare to the original film. It was cool, scary and funny all wrapped together. It was definitely one of the most influential films of my childhood. I always wondered, “What if they made a sequel?” I’m sure many others echoed that same question too. After all, we never did get to see what happened to Sam, Michael, and the Frog brothers. Now in 2008, we finally have a sequel. When I first heard about it I was excited and skeptical at the same time. As excited as I was, I had to lower my expectations so I wouldn’t get let down. Then when I heard it was going to be a direct to DVD release, I lowered my expectations even more. Not that there's anything wrong with direct to DVD films. Some of the best indie films I've seen were DVD releases only. But seeing how sequels (especially horror) have ruined movie franchises in the past taught me to not expect much from them. So, Lost Boys: The Tribe is the long awaited sequel that fans have been waiting for. Corey Feldman returns in this one as a much older Edgar Frog. If you remember the first, you’d remember that Edgar had a brother. His brother is nowhere to be found here, until you watch the alternate endings. The same goes for Sam (Corey Haim). If you’re looking for these two, pay close attention to a hidden scene during the end credits, as well as the alternate endings on the DVD. Although the alternate endings added a nice twist, I wish they would have included more scenes with these characters in the actual film. Lost Boys: The Tribe is not a very original vampire story. It’s heavy on the sex and gore, but lacks the depth in the story that made the first one so damn good. However, if you watch it remembering that it’s a low budget direct to DVD release, its ok for a few laughs and thrills.
What happens when you take the genius behind 300 and Sin City and get him to retell how The Dark Knight teamed up with the Boy Wonder? You get one hell of a story. Frank Miller contributes his talent in ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER VOL. 1, showing a much darker side to the Dynamic Duo than ever before. In this edition, Miller takes you through the underbelly of Gotham City as you watch Batman take young Dick Grayson under his wing after his parents were murdered. After reading this, your perception of Batman and Robin will change, that’s for sure. As if the Dark Knight couldn’t get any darker, Miller creates a story that digs deeper into Batman’s dark soul, and now he seems to have found his sidekick. As we see how Robin became an orphan just like Bruce Wayne, it shows that these two share the same dark roots that drives them to fight crime. As good as Miller’s storytelling is, it really got brought to life by some amazing illustration by Jim Lee. It was so good that at certain points, I forgot I was reading a story. As much as I like Batman, I always saw the character Robin as a waste of time. Frank Miller and Jim Lee quickly changed that perception of mine, especially after Robin gave Green Lantern a real ass whoopin’. I can’t wait for the sequel to this episode. Until then, I’ll read it a few more times to really soak up the story.
If you're looking to find a ghost, The Black Angels will gladly give you directions. Their recent CD titled Directions To See A Ghost is a dark album that incorporates elements of psychadelia and 60’s rock to create a sound that is pleasing to the ears. Each song is filled with enough chaotic noise to give off the feeling that one is hallucinating, yet there’s a consistency to it that is hard to ignore. To sum it up, The Black Angels are like mad scientists who just had an experiment go right.
