The Wizardry of WInston

Stan Winston
April 7, 1946-June 15, 2008

I was in complete shock today when I heard the news of Special effects guru Stan Winston’s death. Passing away at 62 years old this Father’s Day, Stan suffered from Multiple myeloma, an incurable cancer that attacks the immune system. Stan had suffered with the disease for seven years, but that didn’t stop him from keeping busy. Stan as a matter of fact, had at least five films in the works before his death including films such as; Terminator 4, Jurassic Park IV and James Cameron’s anticipated Avatar. With at least a few films out every couple of years since 1980, Stan showed us that no matter how CGI obsessed we get in Hollywood, there will always be room for a practical effects wizard.

As one of the greatest pioneers in special effects of the 80s, 90s, and 00s, Stan wowed us with his phenomenal work on such pictures as; Jurassic Park, Predator, Aliens, Terminator, Edward Scissorhands, A.I., and most recently Iron Man. With 4 oscars and a legacy of expertise in makeup effects, animotronics and puppetry, Stan Winston (along with maybe Rick Baker) was probably the greatest living practical effects artist of our era.

He’ll certainly be missed here at Cat Fancy may i suggest Pumpkinhead marathon? Just kidding, aside from that film (Which had a good monster) Stan’s always found ways to impress us and hopefully impress and inspire future generations as well.

Retrospecticus: Coldplay

Here we go again. Unlike Weezer and My Morning Jacket, Coldplay only has three albums to their name, with the fourth release due out tomorrow. So I guess I’ll try to spend a little more time with each album that John and Colin did, even though that will probably be really boring. Enough set-up, let’s take a look back at the career of these pioneers of wuss rock:

Parachutes (2000)

When asked about Parachutes, Coldplay front man Chris Martin said, “We know that’s terrible music.” While it seems that both the band and many of its fans dismiss this album, I maintain that it is a very solid and enjoyable release, probably the one I listen to the most from these English rockers.

Coldplay’s debut album was as laid back as it comes. Certainly inspired by similar alt-rock bands like Radiohead, the greatest weakness of Parachutes is that it doesn’t really have that distinct Coldplay charm that is so prevalent in later releases. However, this does not take away from the simple pleasure that these songs invoke.

The album spawned four successful singles: “Shiver,” “Trouble,” “Yellow,” and my favorite, “Don’t Panic.” The rest of the tracks are equally mellow and enjoyable. You still hear the songs occasionally on T.V. and in movies. At least in Zach Braff movies. Maybe that’s the key; maybe this music is for the people that have, at some point, seen something with Zach Braff.

But don’t let that discourage you. If you like Coldplay’s later stuff, or even an album like The Bends, this is worth a shot. If you remember my CAT on this, you may have noticed that the score is lower (if only I did it after we stopped scoring those). This is because I realize a lot of people won’t be able to get into this album. If you’re one of the lucky few who can, well, good on ya.

Favorite Tracks: “Don’t Panic,” “Sparks,” “Everything’s Not Lost”

A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)

In just two short years, Coldplay went from semi-derivative alt-rock to something very much their own.

A Rush of Blood to the Head birthed the most popular Coldplay song to date, a little piano-driven number called “Clocks.” While it certainly has been over-played, it’s easy to see just why it was so popular.

This album delivers a juicy variety of music, from the poppy “In My Place” to the epic “Politik,” which opens the album. Utilizing more instrument, especially the piano, the band clearly used this album to show their wide musical range.

The only criticism of this album I’ve ever heard is that same that I hear of Parachutes, that it is too mellow. Maybe you have to be in a mood for this kind of music, but I must be in that mood a hell of a lot of the time. Almost every track here is really fantastic, I don’t know how else to put it.

A Rush of Blood to the Head birthed four successful singles (the music video for “The Scientist” is especially memorable). It made both Rolling Stones’ 500 Greatest Albums list and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “Definitive 200 Albums of All Time.”

A truly spectacular album that is a worthy addition to any collection.

Favorite Tracks: “In My Place,” “Clocks,” “The Scientist,” “Warning Sign”

X&Y (2005)

After the gargantuan success of their first two albums, Coldplay was one of the biggest bands in the world. Their third album, X&Y, was released three years after A Rush of Blood to the Head, and was a smashing success.

X&Y was apparently influenced both by electronic music and the “ups and downs of everyday life.” What that basically means is that this time around, synthesizers were the name of the game.

The lead single was “Speed of Sound,” a track that definitely evokes a lot of the hit “Clocks.” But, you know, more electronic. Despite what the jerks at Rolling Stone say, it’s still awesome. Sure, the band doesn’t really break as much new ground with this album, but it has a fantastic sound and a ton of catchy tunes.

X&Y was a smash success worldwide, debuting at number one in 22 countries; including, for the first time, the United States. It spawned six successful singles, such as the popular “Fix You” and “The Hardest Part.” There is a lot to love here.

Now for some trivia. The cover? It’s supposed to be “X&Y” written in Baudot code, which is something used in telegraphs. But they messed it up and it actually says either “X9Y” or “X96.” Also, the hidden track, “Til Kingdom Come,” was originally going to be song by Johnny Cash, but unfortunately he passed away before getting to record it. Finally, the “BWP” the album is dedicated to is Gwyneth Paltrow’s dad, who also passed away before the album was finished.

This album clearly draws a lot from Coldplay’s influences, such as U2 and David Bowie, while introducing their own flair. The result was another great album from the British quartet.

Favorite Tracks: “White Shadows,” “Fix You,” “A Message”

I have left out their EPs and their live album, which is unfortunate but realistically you probably already stopped reading a while ago. This brings us to Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, which is coming out in just a few hours. It’s already out in many places around the world, and the reception has been pretty good. But more on that later this week…

Doing the Monster Smash

The Incredible Hulk

Everyone’s favorite green, mean, smashing machine is back and he’s putting the “bust” back in the Summer blockbuster. I mean that in the physical sense not in the “they blew it” way. It’s been five years since Ang Lee’s underwhelming adaptation of this classic comic book icon, but now we finally have a film that represents what that jolly green giant is all about. With adrenaline junkie Louis Letterier (The Transporter) behind the camera and the contributions of the multi-talented Edward Norton, this latest Marvel Studios production is a competently acted, quick paced, superhero flick filled with effects, humor, cameos, and plenty of sequel potential.

Following a kind of “on the run” theme, this latest Hulk film pays tribute to the 1970s TV show more than anything else. Bruce Banner (Norton) looks for the cure to his gamma-induced condition with help from a mysterious source. Facing a troubled relationship, the US government and a never ending struggle from within, The Incredible Hulk has layers (like an onion) and really moves.

The story here is simple, as the numerous CGI rampages are the centerpiece of the film. Highlights include performances from Edward Norton and the too-often underrated Tim Roth as “Abomination” A.K.A. “Emil Blonsky”. Liv Tyler does here cute helpless heroine bit (which is fine for this film) and William Hurt doesn’t have to stretch too far to play the ruthless General “Thunderbolt” Ross (Though Sam Elliot was perfectly cast for the part in the previous installment.) Tim Blake Nelson also pops in for some quick comedic relief and leaves the film open for a potential sequel (aside from this Avengers film in the works)

This kind of flick is truly what I look forward to with the summer season. You couldn’t ask for a more fun theater-going experience. It may not be the most intelligent or thought provoking piece of cinema, but it delivers on entertainment and when it comes to the Hulk, that’s key.

The Crappening

The Happening

“There appears to be an event happening.” Right when I heard this line in the trailer, I should have know to stay away from this film. But my respect for Shyamalan kept hope alive. What a disappointment. The Happening is, by a significant margin, the worst movie I have seen all year.

M. Night first came to fame with his third film, the classic The Sixth Sense. In that film, he displayed a mastery of suspenseful filmmaking and his trademark twist ending. He followed that up with two enjoyable films, Unbreakable and Signs. Despite being diminishing returns, I still enjoyed The Village and Lady in the Water. But this latest film is impossible to defend.

The film starts with a bunch of New Yorkers deciding to off themselves. Mark E Mark is a high school science teacher in Pennsylvania. His wife may have had a meal with an unidentified man, the ultimate form of infidelity. When news of the event in New York reaches the school, they decide to evacuate. There are some disappointing suicide scenes, some running, and then the movie ends.

Nothing works in this movie. There is almost no sense of terror. The dialogue is horrible. The most interesting characters are quickly removed from the film. The performances are not very strong at all. The event is not clearly explained and hard to believe. Blah, blah, blah. Just thinking about this movie makes me mad.

As I already said, I liked every Shyamalan movie up until this point. But there is nothing redeeming about this film. You’ve read the reviews, and for once, they’re telling the truth. The few unintentionally funny scenes do not make this worth seeing. Stay away from this movie. It deserves a full star merely because the cinematography was interesting and the plot, while as simplistic as possible, at least pretty much makes sense. Do not waste your money here.

MMJ Indulges Their "Evil Urges"

My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges

With My Morning Jacket’s last album Z, they showed that they were a band willing take their music in many different directions. On Evil Urges they follow up on that notion by offering an even more eclectic array of songs, and solidify themselves as one of the most interesting bands around right now.

The album’s title track starts off with My Morning Jacket mixing a variey of genres before bursting into a Southern Rock-style breakdown that shows the band’s ability to experiment while still rocking out. The strangest track on the album (in a good way) is definitely “Highly Suspicious” which combines hard rock with funk, while Jim James takes his signature falsetto to new heights. My Morning Jacket still also prove that they can create more pop oriented material with “I’m Amazed” and the 60’s pop-sounding “Two Halves”.

Evil Urges also has it’s share of more downbeat country oriented tunes with “Sec Walkin” and “Look at You”, both of which are complemented by guitarist Carl Broemel’s delicate pedal steel guitar playing. The album then ends with “Smokin from Shootin” and “Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 2”, the first of which builds from a pulsating bass line to a triumphant climax of guitars and thunderous drums before fading into a into the electronic-sounding “Touch Me Pt. 2”, which goes from a driving keyboard part before exploding into a wave of vocal harmonies.

My Morning Jacket really throws out as many different ideas as they can on Evil Urges, and all of it works quite well. It’s pretty amazing to see a band as fearless as My Morning Jacket in this day and age that can still make rock and roll seem so fresh and exciting.

Favorite Tracks: “Highly Suspicous”, “Aluminum Park”, “Smokin From Shootin'”

T3: Action Jackson

No this isn’t about that 80s movie with Carl Weathers, but a tribute to some of the greatest stars of the action genre. The tough as nails heroes that make us flock to theaters every summer to see fists flying, tongue and cheek dialogue, and plenty of explosions. So I’ll list the greats in order of their actiony goodness, along with a few of their notable action roles and of course one of their sweet one liners. The only real qualification I’m going to hold for this top ten is that these men of action had to of had a prominent role in at least one good movie. So sorry Seagal, Van Damme, and Norris, you may be well known in this genre but I’ll let Hell freeze over before I have to see the rest of Timecop. So without further a do let’s jump in!

10. Keanu Reeves
Action Roles: The Matrix, Speed, Point Break
Sweet One Liner: “Whoa” – The Matrix
: Keanu Reeves has come a long way, from playing a spaced out air head in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure to playing a spaced out martial arts master in The Matrix. Though he may not have the strongest acting abilities, his low key personality seems to fit into the action genre quite well. With roles in high adrenaline blockbusters like Speed and Point Break Keanu made his mark and with the success of The Matrix Trilogy, has managed to shoot into superstar status. Whether he’ll be able to remain successful as an action star is unclear these days, as probably his best years are behind him, but who knows… Perhaps he could do another Speed, but on a train cause there just ain’t enough movies about trains.

9. Jason Statham
Notable Action Roles: Crank, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch
Sweet One-Liners: “Don’t pop a blood vessel, you little penis.” – Crank
: A recent update to this list after I saw the Crank films. Yeah they’re over-the-top dumb fun but isn’t that what action movies are all about? Excessive violence, harsh language and smart ass one liners are just oozing out of these films and Statham is perfect in this role. The rough around the edges Statham has also made his mark in British crime films, notably Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch for director Guy Ritchie. He’s charismatic and often does his own stunts, that’s bad ass

8. Mel Gibson
Notable Action Roles: Braveheart, Lethal Weapon, Road Warrior
Sweet One-Liner: “This is a real badge, I’m a real cop, and this is a real fucking gun! ” – Lethal Weapon
: Before he was the controversial celebrity he’s become today, Mel ruled the silver screen as suicidal cop Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon movies and as Aussie loner Mad Max in the cult favorite Mad Max trilogy. Bringing a substantial amount of energy and intensity into his roles, Mel quickly rose to the top of the Hollywood A-list by the time the 90s rolled around. Soon forging a career as a strong dramatic performer, Mel brought his dramatic skills together (with his action sensibilities) to direct and star in the Oscar winning classic Braveheart. Continuing on to such exciting roles in films like The Patriot and Payback Mel soon enough turned to directing a few more films before virtually disappearing from the media due to controversies, but even if he maybe insane, I still look forward to the next time I get to see him raising his fists to uphold justice.

7. Jackie Chan
Notable Action Roles: Rush Hour, Drunken Master, Rumble in the Bronx
Sweet One-Liner: “I will bitch-slap you back to Africa.” – Rush Hour 2
: Next is everyone’s favorite Chinese import, the innovative and skilled martial artist that is Jackie Chan. With his long and successful career in both Hong Kong and U.S. cinema, Jackie Chan has over the years won our hearts with his comedic timing, humble attitude and brilliant stunt work. Easily the most physically skilled performer on this list, Jackie Chan should probably be dead a hundred times by now, but he still gets out there and risks his life with mind boggling stunts all the time. Probably known to American audiences for the Rush Hour films, Jackie Chan has also established a notable career in China with such films as The Police Story series and the two Drunken Master pictures. Now in his 50s, Jackie Chan has hardly slowed up at all and still entertains the masses.

6. Steve McQueen
Notable Action Roles: Bullitt, The Great Escape, The Getaway
Sweet One Liner: “We deal in lead friend” – The Magnificent Seven
: The legendary “King of Cool” Steve McQueen practically set the standard for what an action star should be with a cool dry wit and die hard attitude. Steve McQueen (Which is his real name) was one of the biggest action movie icons of the 60s and 70s. Rising to popularity in a similar fashion as Charles Bronson, Steve quickly established himself as the ultimate macho man, enjoying plenty of fast cars (He did many of his own driving stunts) hard living and quick women. Probably known best as the street smart cop known simply as Bullitt, Steve established a notable career in hip crime dramas and epic adventure films. Something interesting about Steve is how similar Steve was to the characters he played on screen, as his hard living soon caught up with him leading to his death in 1980. I suppose he was just too cool for this earth.

5. Clint Eastwood
Notable Action Roles: Dirty Harry, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, Unforgiven
Sweet One Liner: “Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?” – Dirty Harry
: I always thought it was neat that an anagram for Clint Eastwood is “Old West Action” and if you ask me it’s quite appropriate, as Clint here is probably one of the most memorable personas in the Western genre. Though let us not forget his infamous role as the most recognizable tough guy cop in all of cinema in the Dirty Harry series. Clint today is an American icon, establishing himself as a talented leading man in the 60s and 70s, Clint always knew how to entertain and send shivers down our spines. The ultimate loner, Clint could go from calm to “mad as hell” in a second if anything crossed his path. Though he’s pretty much retired from action these days,settling into a successful directorial career, I’ll always know him as “The Man With No Name.”

4. Harrison Ford
Notable Action Roles: Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Fugitive, Air Force One
Sweet One Liner: “Get off my plane!” – Air Force One
: At first thought you may not immediately associate Harry as an action star, but looking at his body of work, he’s certainly thrown enough punches to land himself a high spot on this list. With his legendary performances as Indiana Jones, Han Solo, Rick Deckard or President James Marshall, Harrison Ford has more memorable performances than you can shake a stick at. Though you could possibly argue that a handful of his films belong in another genre, they at heart still have their ties to the action genre. Plus you got to respect the fact that at in his 60s, he’s still out there roughing it in films like Firewall looking for his family or Kingdom of the Crystal Skull looking for that Kingdom.

3. Bruce Willis
Notable Action Roles: Die Hard, Armageddon, Sin City
Sweet One Liner: “Yippie-ki-yay Mother fucker.” – Die Hard
: Why old Brucie could of earned this spot simply just for Die Hard, as that is just about the greatest action flick of all time. Yeah I said it, Die Hard practically wrote the book on what action movies should be from then on, and you certainly can’t deny Bruce’s contribution to the genre. With the iconic character of John McClane, Bruce set a perfect example of what an action movie hero should be; relentlessly tough, cool and collected while spouting out hilarious one liners all along the way. Though the Die Hard films may be Bruce’s crowning achievement he’s aided plenty of other flicks in the past just in need of that little extra ounce of Badass!.. And I’ve always appreciated his contributions to cinema.

2. Sylvester Stallone
Notable Action Roles: First Blood, Rocky, Cliffhanger
Sweet One Liner: “It ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit” – Rocky Balboa
: Coming in at number two is everyones favorite Boxing Champ/Military Vet Sly Stallone. With his slurred drawl and laid back attitude, this “King of the Comeback” has made his mark as the star of two of the most successful action franchises of the 80s. (Yes the three R’s of action movies; Rocky, Rambo and uh… Rhinestone.) From his rise to the top with the Oscar winning story of an underdog boxer to his one man gore-fests in the Rambo quadrilogy, Sly has proven to be one tough hombre. The results of his long film career haven’t always been top-of-the-line “Cough, cough Judge Dredd” but every once in awhile this macho Hollywood icon can still crank out the entertainment. Just be careful about renting Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.

1. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Notable Action Roles: Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Predator, True Lies
Sweet One Liner: “I’ll Be Back” – The Terminator (and about a million more)
: You don’t have to like his politics, but you can’t deny his status as an action superstar. With his thick Austrian accent, bulging biceps and charismatic one liners, Arnold ruled the 80s and 90s when it came to action. Arnold could always manage to entertain regardless of the subject matter or quality of the film. Building up a strong resume of memorable action flicks I’m not sure there will ever be another Arnold again, as the 90s kind of ended an era of action stars. So whether he’s throwing punches with Predator, shooting up a liquid Robert Patrick, or duking it out with Sinbad, “Ahnuld” has forever burned his persona into the minds of moviegoers and action movie fanatics and thus will be remembered for years to come. Hmm the top three on this list all own a “Planet Hollywood” together interesting…

Honorable Mentions
This can kind of be a tough category to wind down for there are so many different kinds of action films. So mainly I’d like to include Bruce Lee as an honorable mention for his brief yet influential career. Though martial arts is more of it’s own genre I still think he deserves mention as a man of action. Jet Li is also worth some note, as he fits more into this list of his mainstream action, but frankly I don’t find him quite good enough to make it on here. Well now I’ve said to much, have a good time at the movies this summer and let’s all hope for some quality action.. Uhh like Hancock I guess.

CAT: If You’re Feeling Sinister

Belle And Sebastian- If You’re Feeling Sinister (1996)

One of the 90’s original indie sensations, Belle and Sebastian have a great influence on many of todays indie pop bands. This album from the Scottish septet is considered one of their best and is my personal favorite.

Starting off with “The Stars of Track and Field”, the album has terrific melodies that continue through out. Great instrumentation is used, including a great trumpet solo. The tone of the trumpet is so appropriate for the sound as is almost everything else on the record. The textures and sounds the drummer gets still blow me away and I just cannot seem to figure out what he is doing.

Stuart Murdoch’s vocals are very light and bouncy. Sometimes it is hard to understand what he’s saying as he tends not to annunciate his words with his Scottish accent. But his tone and pitch are bar none and even with the lack of understanding it fits the mood perfectly.

One of my other favorite musicians on this record is Chris Geddes. His piano work is sensationally fitting and just creates the perfect atmosphere instead of just muddying up the mix with unnecessary chords.

Basically I feel like I am beating a dead horse when I say that this album is so great with what its trying to accomplish. Whenever I take a listen it just puts me in the perfect little content mood. You can definitely hear how it has influenced such bands as The Shins, Death Cab, The Decemberists, and many more. If you do not own it, I recommend it 1000%.