The film of the week this time is DEFENDING YOUR LIFE.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101698/

I have always thought it is much tougher to write a comedy than a drama. Especially a comedy like this where you have to balance tragedy and comedy. There are tons of funny films out there. Some of them like Airplane are simply silly, while others like Man bites dog are dark, and cynical. This one is a fantastic mix of hilarity, and some very touching moments. it is about a yuppie named Daniel who gets in a bad car accident and wakes up in Judgement city, which is a sort of waiting room for the afterlife. By day he must prove that he has overcame his fears and is a good person, while at night he can indulge in anything without consequence. He can eat and never get fat for example.

One night he meets a girl named Julia and falls in love with her. Some people I know have avoided watching this because they think it is a Christian film. I can understand that, but I also don't consider this a Christian film. I'm sure many Christians will like it, but to me it is more about the fear of death, and what we think we could risk if we live a life without cosequence where we treat everybody like crap and indulge ourselves. Albert brooks, and Meryl streep are great in this. For once Streep isn't playing a character which is good because I sometimes feel she can be a bit of a caricature. Here she is natural and charming. You really feel a connection between her and Daniel. I highly recommend this to fans of dark comedy. It is a bit like the book What dreams may come, but a lot more comic.

The album of the week this time is...

MAUDLIN OF THE WELL- PART THE SECOND

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkWmmF5c_Zs&feature=related

This is easily one of the best albums of the decade. I thought of this album for this week because of the large amount of metal fans here, and while I know metal doesn't appeal to everyone I think this album could introduce people to the more experimental metal tha shows that the genre is capable of amazing music. This isn't really metal though. It has metal influences, but most would call it avant garde, or post metal. Whatever the hell post metal means. What makes this album stand out to me is it's fantastic mix of instrumentals. It has everything from piano, to guitar, to some wonderful violin.

I know most albums i have chosen recently are not very well known, but that is because sometimes the best music is lesser known. For more traditional metal fans, Maudlin of the well's older albums are a lot more metal influenced, and they have the growling vocals that people seem to like. Me personally though I like this album more than the band's previous work because it doesn't have those growling vocals and it mixes in different sounds rather than just being metal.

The film of the week this time is LITTLE MURDERS.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067350/

As some of you may know, I love dark comedy. There are few films that can take a serious subject and make it funny. This is one of the best. Alan Arkin directed this in 1971, and he has a small role in it. Elliot Gould plays a man who is a total cynic. He thinks everything in life is terrible and doesn't seek happiness. Marica Rodd plays a girl who meets Gould's character when he is getting mugged. She helps him and he walks away as she gets beaten up and mugged by the same group of men. She is the exact opposite of him. She loves life and tries to find happiness in all situations.

She takes him home to meet her parents, and various crazy situations occur that I will not spoil. All this happens when there is a series of random shootings in New York city that are terrifying people. The only film that compares to this is After Hours in that both Little Murders, and After Hours depict NYC as being a dark, and surreal place. If you want to see one of the best dark comedies ever, I highly recommend this.

The album of the week this time is....

MAZZY STAR- SO TONIGHT THAT I MIGHT SEE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF0lRYhhiwI&feature=search

Mazzy star are one of my favorite bands of the 90's. Their lead singer Hope Sandoval has a beautiful voice. She is one of my favorite female vocalists. Her soft voice adds a layer of beauty to the songs that most bands can't do. Recently I realized that the 90's was one of the best decades for rock music. I didnt appreciate it at the time, but looking back it was a damn good decade. I highly recommend all of Mazzy Star's albums, and Hope Sandoval's solo albums too. Most of their songs are very mellow, and melancholy, but if you are into that kind of sound this band do it better than anyone.

The film of the week this time is SHOTGUN STORIES.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0952682/

Shotgun stories is a film that should have gotten more recognition. It is a melancholy tale set in Arkansas where a feud erupts between two sets of half brothers after their father dies. It is all about how far some people will go to protect their family. This is a plot that has been done before, but this film stands out by having a lot more depth than most. It is very minimalist in how it handles drama, and character development.

Characters communicate a lot by not saying much, which could have been dull but it actually made the film feel a lot more emotional. The characters feel more real. It also stars one of the most underrated actors around, Michael Shannon. He is fantastic, and I hope he gets the recognition he deserves. The film looks a bit similar to a Terrence Malick film. The setting is very flat and we get a good amount of shots that show off the landscape. If you want to see a great family drama that has hints of Shakespeare then I highly recommend this.

The album of the week this time is...

LUPINE HOWL- THE BAR AT THE END OF THE WORLD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfFjBtaA0P0

I was going to do a whole month of 80's post rock, but then I changed my mind. Lupine Howl were formed by members of Spiritualized that has been kicked out of the band. With the help of the band Massive Attack they created this group and made 2 brilliant albums. This one is a lot easier to get into than their first album The Carniviorous lunar activities of Lupine Howl. Sadly this group broke up a while ago. Shame some bands don't last. What makes them stand out is their almost apocalyptic sound.

Not in a doom metal way, but the music tends to sound like there is something terrible about to happen. It's hard to describe. They sound like a mix of Spiritualized, Primal Scream, Joy Division, and Radiohead. The lyrics are pretty dark most of the time, and the sounds are an odd mix of psychedelic drone rock, and a bit of Prog rock. They were one of the best bands of the decade. I just wished they lasted longer.

Funny how some actors never get tons of big roles yet they give great performances consistantly. Oh and I am throwing in some actresses too.

1. Stacy Keach

Stacy Keach was in a brilliant film called The Ninth Configuration where he really had a chance to show how good he was. He is always good in other films, but sadly he has never been much of a leading man.

2. David Thewlis

You may recognize him as Lupin from the Harry Potter films, but his best performance was in the great film Naked.

3. Val Kilmer

There was a time in the 80s and 90's where Val Kilmer used to be one of the most popular actors around thanks to his looks and ability. Unfortunately the looks are fading, which means people ignore his ability. I always thought he was a great Batman. These days he mostly does direct to dvd, and tv films.

4. Sam Rockwell

This guy has been around for a while and he is impressive in every role I see him in, even the small ones.

5. Timothy Dalton

I am the only guy I know who thinks he was a great James Bond. I don't know what he is doing these days, but his career seemed to decline soon after his Bond films. I don't understand how people praise Daniel Craig for doing something Dalton already did in the 80's.

6. Kristin Scott Thomas

She is one of the best actresses around. See her in I've loved you so long, Keeping Mum, Bitter Moon, and The English Patient to see why.

7. Ryan Gosling

This guy was great in Lars and the real girl, and Half Nelson. Hopefully he keeps getting interesting roles like those.

8. Paddy Considine

The only big film he has been in that I know of is The Bourne Ultimatum, and his role was pretty small. He really shines in films like Dead Man's shoes, and A Room for Romeo Brass.

9. Michelle Williams

Most people I talk to just know her as Heath Ledger's ex. Shame because she is one of the best actresses around. Wendy and Lucy proves it.

10. Laura Linney

I am glad to see her in that new TV show, but she has been consistantly great in films like The Savages, and You Can Count on me.

11. Kevin Kline

He can be a bit overly theatrical, but A Fish called Wanda showed that he is also a brillant comic actor, and Sophie's Choice showed his skills as a drama actor.

12. Brad Dourif

This guy is one of the best character actors around. You have probably seen him in a few films without knowing it.

13. Cillian Murphy

His Hollywood roles tend to be a bit bland, but films like Breakfast on pluto, Intermission, Peacock, and Disco Pigs show his real talent.

14. Terence Stamp

You may know him as Zod from Superman 2, but he has been in some brilliant films like The Limey, and The Collector.

15. Miranda Richardson

This woman is brilliant. She can play anything from a mad giggly Queen, to Rita Skeeter in the Harry Potter films, to two characters in the dark film Spider.

16. Sam Neil

Okay being in Jurassic Park was a huge role, but not a very substantial one. He can play pretty much anyone. Plus his screaming in films like Event Horizon, and In the mouth of madness is fantastic.

17. Chiwetel Ejiofor

His name may be tough to say, but he was great in Dirty Pretty Things, and Kinky Boots. I hope Hollywood notices him soon.

18. Bruno Ganz

His portrayal of Hitler in Downfall was amazing, and he has been that impressive for years.

19. Rpbin Wright

You probably know her from Princess Bride, but she has been in tons of other films.

20. Juliette Lewis

She had some great roles in the 90s that made her popular, but she tends to do smaller films these days. That and she is in a Punk band I think.

21. Tim Curry

He is one of the best character actors ever. You may know him from The Rocky Horror Picture show, and Muppet Treasure island.

22. Toni Collette

I havent seen her show United States of Tara, but it is about damn time she got her own show.

23. Anne Marie duff

Best known for her role in the film The Magdalene sisters. I hope she gets some big roles soon.

24. Laura Dern

Her work with David Lynch is fantastic despite how I don't like some of Lynch's films.

25. Danny Huston

He has been everything from a feared outlaw in the Aussie outback, to a vampire that didn't sparkle in 30 days of night. He has been around for ages.

The film of the week this time is THE BUTCHER BOY.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118804/

The Butcher boy is one of the most underrated films of the 90's. It was directed by of Europe's best directors Neil Jordan. This is a dark comedy about a boy named Francie who feels betrayed by the world he lives in. His dad is a drunk, his Mom is suicidal, and his best friend lets him down. The town he lives in don't support him like he thinks they should. Francie also has visions of the Virgin mary. The whole film is about his gradual descent into paranoia, and possible insanity. He blames his neighbor Mrs. Nugent for all the problems in his life.

Did I mention he is only 15, and the actor who plays him is 12? It is a hell of a role for a kid to play, and Eomonn Owens plays it perfectly. Probably one of the best examples of child acting I can think of. Think of this as similar to American Psycho, but set in rural Ireland, and with a kid as the main character instead of an adult. This is a very dark, and surreal film about a boy who is forced to grow up very young and confront life rather than live in a childhood fantasy land.

The album of the week this time is....

YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS- COLOSSAL YOUTH

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8dl12lsaW8&feature=related

Young Marble Giants were one of the best bands of the 80's. A lot of people hate the 80's because of all the cheesy pop music that was around at the time, but if you dig deeper you will find a whole world of great Post Punk bands. Sadly this group only made one album, but it also happens to be one of my personal favorites. Many Post punk bands tended to be a bit loud, and well Punk sounding. This group were the exact opposite.

Their songs were very bass focused, and melancholy. They tended to be pretty short, but they lasted just as long as they needed to make an impact. The only group these days that compares to them sound wise are The XX, who have a similar minimalist sound. However they have a bit more of a pop sound while Young Marble giants can be a bit dull for some people. Their songs have hooks, and are fun to listen to but more in a quiet and introspective way.

The album of the week this time is....

BILL CALLAHAN- SOMETIMES I WISH WE WERE AN EAGLE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv7nJXQoqFo&feature=related

Bill Callahan is one of the best and most underrated songwriters around. He started the group Smog in the 90's, and since then he has been releasing consistantly great music. His music is very melancholy, and emotional most of the time. What makes him stand out though are his fantastic poetic lyrics that are only rivaled by John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats. Unlike Darnielle though, Callahan's lyrics don't tend to have humor in them. There are some exceptions of course.

One of Smog's best songs is called "Dress sexy at my funeral" so he isn't totally humorless. It seems that melancholy folk music is getting more and more popular in the indie scene. This music doesn't need a label though. All you need to know is that this album is one of the best of the decade. Few other albums have managed to convey this level of emotion without sounding cheesy. His songs are mournfull, poetic, and well damn good. You can actually understand him when he sings too, which is something most singers can't do very well.