Lanny's Blog

Archive for the month “July, 2012”

Music Video of the Week- Good Old War

I’ve been trying to find some new bands to listen to lately because I’ve discovered I keep listening to the same songs over and over. However, thanks to the wonderful invention/app that is Spotify, I’ve been able to stumble upon some new tunes that I really dig.

The band, Good Old War.

The band, Good Old War.

This week’s music video comes from a nifty band called Good Old War. These guys are from Philadelphia and have been making tunes since 2008, so I’m a little late to the party.

Here is there video for their song called, “Coney Island.” I’m really into acoustics and these guys have a pretty cool sound. Also, the song is quite catchy, so enjoy it!

Can you recommend any other good bands that are similar to these guys? If so, tell me about them.

Who’s Ready for a Batman Reboot?

To the surprise of no one, The Dark Knight Rises has become one of the biggest movies in the world. The highly-anticipated final chapter to the Nolan trilogy lets the fans see how the legend ends.

Let’s face fact here; The Dark Knight trilogy is the best batch of superhero movies that have been made so far. They are the standard, that movies in the genre, strive to be like. I can’t think of another movie that even comes close to the success and impact of these films except maybe The Avengers.

Daredevil poster

And of course, Daredevil. But that goes without saying.

So what comes next for the caped crusader? Will Warner Brothers be satisfied with the millions of dollars they made and let the Batman rest in peace after a brilliant interpretation by Christopher Nolan? Of course not!

In fact, rumors of the reboot are already running rampant on the internet. I’m guessing they are going to reboot it in order to keep the rights and eventually bring the DC universe together to make a Justice League movie. And, if they go the same route as Marvel, that means we have to endure a bunch of backstory films that introduces all of the characters.

Aquaman

Which means we get to watch Aquaman be completely useless for at least an hour and a half.

So how will they reboot Batman? They can’t really make the stories darker, because Nolan pretty much took care of that. Will they resort back to the days of George Clooney running around in a rubber suit with nipples? Let’s pray we never have to see that again.

Now I don’t have any thoughts on what storyline the new movie should portray, but I have started thinking about what actors they should get.

Please don’t judge me for these selections because it’s just a thought process. If you have better suggestions, let me know about them so I can completely ignore them and bask in the superiority of my choices over yours.

That being said, here is my list of actors I would like to see in the next Batman film.

For Bruce Wayne/Batman, I would choose:

Jon Hamm

I think this guy really resembles the character of Bruce Wayne especially from the Animated Series and the more recent video games, Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. Anyone who watches Mad Men, also knows that this guy can act. So would he be worthy of donning the cape and cowl of the Batman? My vote is yes!

Alfred Pennyworth would be played by:

Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins

I would pick Mr. Hopkins not only because he is a great actor, but because everyone knows him for Silence of the Lambs. He deserves a chance to be known as a good guy for once.

The role for Alfred will be a difficult one to fill because I felt Michael Caine fit the part perfectly. Whoever takes over this role will really have some big shoes to fill.

For the bad guy, I decided to go with The Penguin and he would be played by:

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Philip Seymour Hoffman

If you were like me and checked out the casting rumors for The Dark Knight Rises before it started shooting, you probably heard Mr. Hoffman’s named dropped a few times. I was very excited when I heard the rumor that he was being considered for the Penguin role. This guy is a phenomenal actor. He’s been in some great films as long as you don’t count, Along Came Polly. To me, he really proved he could portray a villain in the movie, Mission Impossible:3.

Comissionar Jim Gordon would be played by:

Bryan Cranston

Bryan Cranston

If you watch the show Breaking Bad, which I highly recommend you do, then you know the amazing abilities of Cranston. From mild-mannered to merciless and bad-ass, this guy can do it all. As much as I would love to see him play a villain, I think he’d be really good for the Jim Gordon role.

These would be my first choices for the major roles in the Batman reboot. Sure, they may not be perfect and I may change my mind as time goes on, but for now I’m pretty satisfied with my picks.

Who would you like to see portray these characters? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section.

Music Video of the Week- Paramore

I was going through all my music video posts trying to think of what band would be next, and something occurred to me. Through out this entire process, I’ve really been lacking in female artists. So to make up for the error of my ways, this week I decided to go with a great band with an amazing female vocalist.

paramore

Paramore.

This week’s video comes from the band, Paramore. I’ve been a fan of theirs for a while and I have to say that their record, Brand New Eyes, contained a song that was both insightful and memorable. To this day, this one particular song remains my favorite. I’m talking about the song, Playing God.

I really respect artists who can mold their fears, doubts, and struggles into a beautiful song that is both relatable and inspirational. In fact the whole album really dealt with some heavy stuff like doubt and fear. One of my favorite lyrics from Brand New Eyes came from the song Careful. “The truth never set me free, so I did it myself.”

Here’s the video for Playing God. Enjoy!

Music Video of the Week- Motion City Soundtrack

Lately, I’ve really been into some Motion City Soundtrack. I think it’s because I’ve been going through a slump of really depressing music and I needed something to pull me out of that funk.

Motion City Soundtrack

The band, Motion City Soundtrack.

Anyways, this week, I chose the video for Her Words Destroyed My Planet off the album, My Dinosaur Life. This song presents the hardship of breaking up but also has a light-hearted message that makes things not seem so bad.

Earlier this week, I downloaded My Dinosaur Life and I have to say that I really love this album. Every song is catchy, fun and puts you in a good mood.

My favorite tracks off this record are Delrium, Pulp Fiction and Stand Too Close. Even though these guys just released a new album, I highly recommend you check out their older stuff.

Check out this video and let me know what you think in the comments section.

4 Underrated Comedies You Should Check Out

Sometimes it’s weird to see which comedies become really successful and which become box office flops. But rest assured, if it’s got Adam Sandler or Eddie Murphy in it, you can pretty much expect it to flop. And if they ever do a movie together, you can expect the horsemen of the apocalypse to follow soon after.

Today, I want to talk about some comedies that I thought were pretty hilarious but didn’t do too well when it came to making money. If you get the chance to see any of these gems, I highly recommend you do so. So here are my top 4 underrated comedies.

4. Zoolander- I’ll admit, the first time I saw Zoolander, I didn’t get it. I thought it was so stupid. But this movie aged like a fine wine. Now, every time I watch it, I find more hilarious quotes that I use at inappropriate times during every day situations.

In my opinion, this is one of Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson’s best comedies. The premise of the movie and the plot is so ridiculous that you can’t help but fall in love with the stupidity.

Basically, this movie shows the true mature of the male modeling world. We finally get to see how hard it is to be “really really ridiculously good-looking.” And with the help of Will Ferrell, Billy Zane and David Bowie, you have some pretty incredible laughs along the way.

Here’s one of my favorite scenes where Zoolander is challenged to a walk-off:

3. Pootie Tang– I chose this movie because it was written and directed by Louis C.K. who has been named one of the top comedians of today. Unfortunately, this movie was not a big moment in his career, even though I enjoyed it.

In the movie, the main character, Pootie Tang, talks in his own language, has a magical belt, and is famous for his singing, his public service announcements and defeating crime.

I’m sure that probably makes no sense, but it does have some great moments, like when Pootie records his new single that blows everyone’s mind:

2. Night at the Roxbury- Most SNL movies based off of skits usually aren’t very good. However, this movie is the exception to the rule. The brilliant combination of Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan brings more laughs than I can count. This movie has a ton of hilarious quotes and is all around amazing.

The story follows two brothers, Doug and Steve Butabi, as they go around to clubs with big dreams and no common sense. Their entire lives revolve around picking up women and hitting up every club they can all while dancing to Haddaway’s hit song, “What Is Love?”

From their absolute stupidity, ridiculous pick-up lines and their crazy story about meeting Emilio Estevez, this movie provides a ton of laughs.

1. The Sasquatch Gang- I’ve saved the best for last. This movie truly changed my life, but it takes a certain kind of sense of humor to truly enjoy it. Some people get it, and others simply won’t.

This movie was made by the same people who brought you Napoleon Dynamite. And even though most fans won’t admit it, this movie is better.

It stars Justin Long, Carl Weathers, the guy who played Uncle Rico, and a bunch of other actors who I don’t care to learn their names.

This movie is about a group of friends who find Sasquatch foot prints and a Sasquatch turd in the woods.They report it to the police and everyone is excited to capture the Bigfoot. Little do they know that they are actually the victims of a prank started by two morons trying to make some money. This is a film that you just have to experience for yourself.

Here is one of the best scenes. If you don’t like it, then this movie and the subtle humor may not be your cup of tea:

What are some underrated comedies that you enjoy? Tell me about them in the comments section!

Music Video of the Week- The All-American Rejects

The All-American Rejects is a band that I loved their first album, was indifferent to their second album, and then I pretty much just stopped listening to their music. However, all of that has changed with their latest album, Kids in the Street.

The All-American Rejects

The All-American Rejects

The song that made me start listening to these guys again was the first single called, The Beekeeper’s Daughter which is extremely catchy and will most likely stay in your head for a few weeks.

I was also pretty psyched to learn that Matt Rubano, the ex-bassist from Taking Back Sunday, is slapping some bass guitar on tour with these guys.

They recently released a new music video for their song, Walk Over Me, which is my pick for this week. It’s one of the most creative videos I’ve seen in a while and the song is also pretty amazing.

What’s your favorite song from The All-American Rejects?

If you’re into their music, you might also enjoy The Darkness.

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