Movie Review

Limitless just came out in theatres, an I must say, was entertaining and captivating throughout. Bradley Cooper plays a charismatic Eddie Morra, a disillusioned writer whose life is on the fringes, until he meets an old connection and is introduced to a drug. Known as NZT, it is said to unlock all the potential of the brain. Needless to say, this changes Eddies life, for the better and worse.

The idea of such a drug, one that would enhance our brains, is a large and fascinating topic. It is very open to possibilities, and in a sense, Limitless does not cover it all. But then again, it'd be impossible to. There's also the complaint that such a drug wouldn't make sense, but of course not. This is a work of fiction, and if one nitpicks at unrealistic ideas, then this is not the movie for them. But there are other flaws, including little fleshed out supporting characters, and a couple plot points that just seem to vanish.

The things that made this movie so captivating were the cinematography, charismatic performance and narration by Bradley Cooper. The constant action makes it a good thriller. Everyone wants to be able to unlock their hidden potential, and Limitless makes a pretty good movie out of it.

ART REVIEW

American Gothic. Everyone knows the piece. Everyone can visualize the ubiquitous old man and woman standing next to each other, one holding the pitchfork, his eyes boring into our very soul, while the other simply glances to the side. A symbol of rural America people say. And it's true.

But people don't know the whole story. There's a lot more. Grant Wood was an American Regionalist from Iowa, and the man in the piece was based upon his dentist, while the woman was based upon his own sister. It won 3rd place in a contest at the Art Institute of Chicago, and was bought for $300. The piece, while many thing to be a man and his wife, it is thought to be of a man and his spinster daughter by art researchers or some people like that. I guess the overexaggerated wrinkles and lighting of the face, and the entire setting capture the feeling of a rural farmer more than a naturalistic painting would. This captures the essence. There is also a lot of artistry in it. Have you seen the repetition of the pitchfork shape in the window, and more bluntly in the man's overalls? The woman's face matches her brooch, while her apron is identical to the fabric in the curtains.

This piece has shown me that there's so much more in an art piece that we miss. We glaze over the details. These little details add up and is able to change our entire view on a piece.

There's a lot more to this piece, and all other pieces of art.
We just need to look deeper.

My fellow countrymen

We are standing here today, gathered as a mass, for no reason but for ourselves. The media will deem us selfish, revolutionary, or even terrorists, but that is only because they are scared. They are scared of us.
They are scared of the power we have. Every day we get our message out, every day we breathe and think, we grow in power. We are a rock, and the rest of the people are Sisyphus. They will try, oh yes they will try! They will try to stop us, by rolling us up the hill, hoping to keep us at the to[. But no! Everytime, we will simply tumble down, stronger gaining momentum! There is nothing that can stop us. Anytime they try to stop us, realize this: we are an unstoppable! We are Batman and Robin, inseparable and unbeatable as long as we stay together!
Ladies and gentleman, that is what we must do! We must stick together like putty and glue! Like wood and wood glue! Like tape and itself when it accidentally folds!
This way, we can be the rolling rock, the large mack truck, a river of never ceasing water.
We need the right, you see. They are trying to suppress our right to have assemblies! Suppress our right to make bad comparisons! Absolute nonsense! We must fight! They also want to stop our right to ask rhetorical questions. Who are they to stop what we do? Who are they to make decisions for ourselves?
Men and women, children and the elderly, hear my call- hear our call. We need the right to misuse cliches in speeches, because without that right, who knows what else we could lose? We would be lost like fish in a barrel. And no one wants to be that last man standing.

Thank you.

DEAR MR. MCCARTHY

THIS BLOG POST SEEMS AWFULLY SILLY.

I HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT BIRTHDAY, FILLED WITH PHILOSOPHICAL DELIGHT AND TURKISH DELIGHT. I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THAT IS.

I HOPE YOUR BIRTHDAY WAS AS DELICIOUS AS TURKISH DELIGHT.

I'VE NEVER HAD TURKISH DELIGHT.

X is Known

CLIENT: [ITEM EXPUNGED: WILL BE NOTED AS X]
INTERVIEW #016
TIME: 7:05 PM
INTERVIEWEE: [ITEM EXPUNGED]

Q: Did you know X?
A: X? Yeah, I knew him, if by knowing him you mean I wanted to beat the shit out of his head. He was a cocky bastard that one. He would come into my business, well knowing I hated his guts, and proceed to waste my time.

Q: And did other people see X as such?
A: Yeah, most of us did, I'm sure. X was known, he didn't hide anything about himself. And as soon as people got to know him, they were either used by X, or saw through him and hated his sly ass. Although there was one person that was close with him, they're very similar. What's his name again? Oh right, it was [ITEM EXPUNGED].

Q: How were X and [ITEM EXPUNGED]?
A: Worked too well. Everyone hated them both. Good riddance X died. I kneeled down and kissed the ground knowing there was one less scumbag on the land.

Q: And yet you had nothing to do with it?
A: I don't like the accusation you're making there. You think I had a part in this? Let me tell you, I wish I did, I wish I did. But no, 'pparently he died of his own accord? I heard it was [ITEM EXPUNGED], and let me tell you, I got no pity. I will dance, laugh and spit on his grave.

Q: And you know of no one who was part of it?
A: Look, I said, I wish I was part of it. I don't know no one who been a part of this. Now I'm going to kindly ask for you to get your ass out of here before I'm forced to be a part of something I didn't wish I was a part of.

[INTERVIEW ENDED AT 7:12 PM]

X Marks the Spot

The large vessel tipped and turned as each wave pounded incessantly at its underbelly. The dark skies rumbled in tune with the seas, giving no indication of being night or day as jagged bolts danced to this macabre tune in the distance. Onboard the ship were men; men at war with the ropes and water, screaming and fighting for every last inch. As they struggled, a jaded old man grabbed tightly to the main mast in one hand and raised his cutlass with the other. His single glass eye glistened with the dark color of the sea with every crack of lightning.

"These are the nights that summon fear and swallow the frail!", screamed the man above the roar of the tempest. "Stand your ground as brethren and Davy Jones himself will tremble in panic!" The crew clamored in agreement, as the ship shoved against each wave, fighting. The men knew that the crash each time the ocean heaved upon the sides of the ship, the crack following each lightning whip in the black skies, were all equal to the clash of swords and the burst of gunfire. It was a battle. A battle between the deep and mankind. The men knew that there would never be peace, only an uneasy tension. They were at the mercy of the spirits of the sea.

The din of the rushing water grew louder and louder, and sailors struggling near the bow looked ahead to see Davy Jones' eyes staring back. The sailors struggled no more, only fixated in horror at the whirling cyclone that lay ahead. Some broke free and ran back, in hopes the Captain would have the necessary actions. The old sea dog stood silent, lips pursed. From his experience, he knew what he was facing. He was facing the fickle waters of the sea. The waters that would gamble upon the lives of men. And the sea had not rolled in their favor this time.

The weathered wood of the vessel cracked and flooding began as it began to sink. The men that had accepted their fates dove right in, their date with the abyssal plain had come. Others fought tooth and nail to the bloody end, breathing air for only seconds more than their weaker brethren. Chaos described the landscape, a typhoon of lumber, cloth and lives, masked by a storm of screams that echoed in the air.

And then.
Nothing.
--------------------------
Bodies would wash up days later upon the shores that marked the map. The map that was now lost, torn into mulch by the arms of the ocean. Carried by the currents, the empty carcasses would rest, only footsteps away from the faint X in the ground. The X that marked the spot. The spot that would always and forever, be out of reach.

SO MANY ALBUMS

There's so many good albums, so I'll just review a couple of my recent favorites.

Girl Talk makes some of the greatest pump up music. Starting with Night Ripper, his latest three albums have all been an eclectic mix of samples, taken from a variety of genres and mixing them to make something that sounds simply amazing. Each time you listen to it, you’ll discover something new. Who knew Black Sabbath and Ludacris would work so well together? Feed the Animals was his fourth album, the second latest album, and, what I think to be his best. The beginning and ending encapsulate the entire album so well. While his latest All Day seems to just end at a stop, Feed the Animals goes out with a bang. [Play Your Part Pt. 2 | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ek9CchVpWE]

Matthew Thomas Dillon is a genius. I remember when I first discovered Windmill, and like many others, I could not get past the voice. But after a couple listens, I realized how beautiful it was, and how the voice is the only voice that would fit. Almost ethereal and child-like, it captures the lyrics, style and idea behind his albums, especially his latest, Epcot Starfields. Based off the Disneyworld attraction and his childhood memories and feelings from that visit, the album is haunting and beautiful. [Ellen Save Our Energy | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIYXu-GLdt8]

Misteur Valaire is a Quebecer band that is hard to describe. They have some jazz influences, but their sound is electronic with twee pop and hip-hop mixed in. They have so much variety; at times it reminds me of the Gorillaz, but also so much more. On their latest album, Golden Bombay, it’s hard to pick a song because they are quite different, yet cohesive. November Number 3 is one of my favorite tracks [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTJrPonsFfc]. But all of the other tracks on Golden Bombay deserve a listen to.

Honorable mentions to Albums and artists I wanted to talk about but couldn't:
Bromst by Dan Deacon,
Devil's Music by Teddybears,
Lust, Lust, Lust by The Raveonettes,
Treats by Sleigh Bells