Armor For Sleep

Smile For Them
Armor For Sleep

So there is emo that's enjoyable! Now I hate to admit this, but I am NOT a fan of emo music, at all. A lot of it sounds the same and lacks real substance. Well I found a band that proved my stereotypes wrong (I still don't like emo though!). The first time I heard them was on the Transformers soundtrack. Didn't know much about them at all. Their name is Armor For Sleep. I guess they would be thrown in the emo category, but they're music is different than most of the other whiny emo bands that appeal to pre-teens. They also get extra cool points for being from my home state NJ. On their new album Smile For Them, they create an album using witty lyricism and catchy instrumentals all throughout. One example is on Williamsburg, where they sing tongue-in-cheek about the hipster mecca known as Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I got a real kick out of it when they sang:

Passed out, sleeping at your party
Dream of leaving in the morning
You will all die in Williamsburg
Too hip to even clean your nose out
Your grave is pulling at your pants now
You will all die in Williamsburg


Hold The Door is another standout track which takes a more serious note compared to Williamsburg. Overall, a nice album by these boys from NJ.

Christmas Songs

Christmas Songs
Jars Of Clay

Jars Of Clay seems intent on redefining themselves. They recently split from their previous record label, and now venture forth with their own label called "Gray Matters". Their latest release (and first put out by Gray Matters) is Christmas Songs. Now before you roll your eyes and think this is another mediocre album by a band looking to cash in during the holidays, think again. This one actually caught me by surprise with the different sounds they experimented with. On Christmas Songs, they put a twist on some traditional tunes as well as adding new material. One thing that really stood out to me was the darker vibe on O, Little Town Of Bethlehem, which worked really well. There's covers of other songs where they reconstruct the sound like on "Christmastime Is Here" from A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime". A great album to break in the holiday season.

The Devil Came on Horseback

I'm pleased to introduce a guest reviewer here on Society's Elite, my longtime friend Bernard Johnson. Among other things, Bernard makes some mean mojitos, and due to his stature, gets offers to be security for certain Canadian rock bands. Now, he contributes his critique for The Devil Came on Horseback.


The Devil Came on Horseback

I've been a movie buff for most of my life now, big budget movies, small priced films, anime, and even some occasional indie films. But after reviewing this film, I can add documentary to the list. Most documentaries open the backstage for events or people that we never really knew much about. However, "The Devil Came on Horseback" opened the world's eyes to events and actions that most of the world knew nothing about. The images and the events that were witnessed by the narrator and photographer, U.S. Marine Captain Brian Steidle, were that of pure horror and dismay. I would say that if the Marines keep producing men and women like this, those who can do this job and keep it together, then they're doing their jobs accordingly. He truly captures crimes against humanity in Darfur that would make one wonder what other dark parts of this planet do we not pay attention to, and to whom are they being done against. I would warn, that if you are of the faint of heart or produce waterworks by passing road kill on the highway, then stray away from this one. At the end of the film, Cpt. Steidle tries to get global attention for the cause, which was the saddest part of the film, because attention was needed to begin with. He accomplishes his goal, but not without opposition from all angles, including those from the third world hell who don't believe his stories or graphic pictures to go with them. As I turned my DVD player off, I couldn't help but wonder who were the real victims in this film, the poor people of Darfur or the people like me who get to even have a DVD player and go to bed with the promise to arise tomorrow.

-Bernard Johnson

The Painter (and his junk)

They cheered for the teacher
They cheered for the student
They cheered for the habitual sinners dressed in cheap denim
They cheered for the dancer, bouncer, and waitress too
And threw fake dollar bills on the table in the back

They opened their mouths to get a taste of fine liquor
And got the backwash of a mystery guest instead

And all they wanted was "The Dream"...

We chase cars to drive slower, and the toll booths are backed up...

Meanwhile we wait for... a story

The story of a painter
Who's a legend of old
Where he sells bits of wisdom, and junk...

Because in the wisdom lies junk, and in his junk lies wisdom...

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

I guess one good thing about not being a comic book fanatic, is that you can enjoy the movie version without nitpicking every little detail that was overlooked, inconsistencies in the story, blah blah blah. Usually, I’m the black sheep among other movie buffs I know when it comes to comic based films. While they can't seem to enjoy a film because of the frustration of it not living up to the comics, I can enjoy it without constantly comparing it to the stories.

With the Fantastic Four, I’ve always been familiar with the characters growing up, but didn’t know much about them other than what they looked like. So when I saw the original F4 when it came out in ’05, I actually (gasp!) enjoyed it! I know some people that would accuse me of lunacy for saying that. But yeah, I thought I got my money’s worth. The only issue I had was how fast the F4 finished off Dr. Doom. It seemed that just as the climax was reached in the film, they finished it too quickly. But hey, it was pretty good for an intro to the F4 characters on the big screen.

If you saw part one, you know that Dr. Doom wasn’t technically dead, so a sequel was inevitable. What threw me for a surprise was that another comic legend Silver Surfer would be included in the sequel. Personally, I thought they couldn’t have chosen a better character to fit in here. Rather than have a formulaic approach when making this film, where they could have had another round of F4 vs. Dr. Doom, they bring in Silver Surfer, which adds a twist to the plot. What makes this a little more intense than the original is that there’s a global threat with the character Galactus, who eats planets for meals. And he's on his way to Earth. The only thing that can stop him is Silver Surfer, who just happens work for him. So the F4 find themselves in a predicament, because not only do they have to worry about the return of Dr. Doom, they now have to prevent Galactus from eating our planet. And to do that, they have to convince Silver Surfer to stop him, which will take a lot more than begging.

So, who’s the real star in this movie? Silver Surfer or F4? I guess you’d have to say they’re equally important. Because while Silver Surfer is much more stronger than the F4, without them, there would be no hope as Earth would get devoured by Galactus. This sequel is definitely an improvement on the original, and a great introduction to the Silver Surfer.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

This was an extremely important review I've been meaning to post, considering it's one of the best literary works of all time. I know, the book came out in July, and I was going to post on it in September. But, I'm just getting to it now. Actually, I can't take credit for this review, since my wife Mica is the one who so graciously provided it, along with her indepth knowledge about the world of Harry Potter. If you haven't read the book yet, I have to let you know there are spoilers ahead. Otherwise, read on...



Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

I had intentionally delayed reading The Deathly Hollows to avoid getting distracted by all the commotion during the book’s release. The final tome was going to reveal the end for Harry Potter and, thus, my long journey alongside him and his world. This was a big deal for me. Naturally, I wanted a clear head. But of course, the media coverage was nothing short of fierce. However, nothing was going to spoil it for me. I simply turned on the “see-no-potter, hear-no-potter” approach even if it temporarily turned me into a virtual zombie. Absolutely nothing spoiled it for me, well, except me of course, well, almost. I was already halfway through the book when I just couldn’t find the willpower to resist the gnawing temptation of knowing the end any longer that, with feigned reluctance and forced inattentiveness, I quickly turned to the last chapter and skimmed through. The forced reluctance worked. It was a marvelous thing, especially for someone (as in me) who has a horrible habit of jumping to the conclusion of any story I read. Blame it on ADD, which I’ve willingly diagnosed myself with. I just can’t handle the awful anticipation of discovering the end once the book’s in my hands. Anyway, all was safe, because I was “able to not remember” any significant context from zipping through the last pages that, while simultaneously guilt-ridden and relieved, I was able to return where I had left off and ride all the way through the chapters. The read was as exhilarating and intense as what a ride on a nimbus broomstick might be, because The Deathly Hollows is brimming with a bit more surprising twists, abrupt turns, and sudden dips and ascents, not to say that the previous six books didn’t have their own intensity.

I devoured the book slowly for about a couple of weeks. Now, taking that much time to cover any book that I’m fascinated with is rather unusual for my nature. In fact, it had only taken me a day or so to finish each of the previous six books since I was completely captivated by the Potter story right from the start. This time though, I don’t know if I just wanted to avoid the end because that would mean, well, the end, or if I just wanted to savor the grand finale, or, still, if that was all the time I could spare every night before I fell asleep. Nonetheless, my time to face the end came and I finally got my closure, like the multitude of others who had followed Harry’s journey since his birth.

One thing I was right about was Snape’s character not being the vile man he played prior the revelation in this book. This inkling started to simmer in my head after reading Order of the Phoenix, when Snape truly, however harshly, showed his desire for Harry to learn occlumency. My suspicion brewed further because Dumbledore’s support for it was so blatant, when he should have been wary of the severe danger he would be dropping Harry in by delivering him straight into Snape’s clutches. This hunch that Dumbledore and Snape were actually allies only intensified in The Half-blood Prince. The story began with Snape’s pledging his allegiance to Narcissa for her son’s sake. Again, that act was so blatant that it revealed something else that normally wouldn’t be obvious right away. (I suppose that real evil would be extremely cunning, careful, and subtle in carrying out its schemes.) Snape also clearly hesitated right before pointing his wand at Dumbledore and only actually called out the killing curse after Dumbledore had pleaded. At this point, I believed that Dumbledore and Snape had a bond that was going to be revealed in the final book. And it was. And I was so glad for it, despite the tragic way it was revealed, which was through Snape’s death. That bond and Harry’s realization that the only way to beat Voldemort at his own game is by facing death, which incidentally was the only thing Voldemort feared, were the main highlights of the story for me.

J.K. Rowling is nothing short of brilliant in conveying an enormous fantasy story on a very human level that people could actually relate to. The stories are timeless in quality with its fundamental themes of loyalty, friendship, courage, nature of good and evil, life and death, and ultimately love; and truly magical in its writing style which would make you laugh, cry, and ponder. And perhaps, The Deathly Hollows will only make you want to relive the journey all over again.

Winter Bed

Her mind left room for thoughts that impress
I left room for thoughts that undress
Star-crossed lovers doing a tango in Paris
My heart, her heart, together we were tightly knit
I dare to say, "Not me!"
And stare at my breath in the cold winter night, alone...
Shaken by the sudden chill of defeat...
Or is it victory?
I can't tell

The only clue left was the empty bed I slept in...