I have not tried my hand at any poetry for a while, so I thought I would try again. Like most of my poems I will not vouch that this one is actually good. I at least hope that it is not wholly bad. If nothing else, blame it on a combination of listening to The Beatles' Rubber Soul, The Killers' Hot Fuss, and going through a bit of melancholy.
There was magic in your bright eyes
and poetry in your smile.
All resistance in me died,
I fell for you after a while.
Whenever I was by your side
Paradise seemed born anew.
Happiness I could not hide.
I was wholly charmed by you.
But small things wore down our affair.
With time Paradise was lost.
My joy was replaced by despair.
I mistepped and paid the cost.
And now you are with another.
He has the joy I had known,
But for me there can be no other.
For now I will stay alone.
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Hot Fuss by The Killers
Last week I picked up a copy of The Killers' debut album, Hot Fuss.To say I was not disappointed is an understatement. The Killers are a conglomeration of influences--British Invasion guitars blended with New Wave sysnthesizers, with a heavy dose of Glam Rock thrown in for good measure. They simultaneously call to mind The Kinks, T. Rex, The Cars, The Cult, and Depeche Mode. Yet, at the same time, they seem very fresh and original.
What sets The Killers apart is their ability to tell stories with their songs. And most of those stories are very dark. "Mr. Brightside" is a song which depicts that apparent point in a relationship when doubts and creep in and the jealousy that goes with that doubt (it's a song I assume most people could identify with at one point or another in their life). "Somebody Told Me" tells a tale of sexual confusion (it's a song I would hope most guys wouldn't be able to identify with...). "All These Things I've Done" seems to the ruminations of a man at the end of his ropes. By far the darkest songs on the album are "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine," the requiem for a murdered friend, and "Midnight Show," which could almost be the plot for an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
What all of this amounts to are catchy songs with lyrics that are somewhat darker than one might find on the average Coldplay or Blink 182 album. For anyone who is a fan of power pop, the New Wave groups of the Eighties, the glam rock groups of the Seventies, or just plain good music, Hot Fuss is worth a listen.
What sets The Killers apart is their ability to tell stories with their songs. And most of those stories are very dark. "Mr. Brightside" is a song which depicts that apparent point in a relationship when doubts and creep in and the jealousy that goes with that doubt (it's a song I assume most people could identify with at one point or another in their life). "Somebody Told Me" tells a tale of sexual confusion (it's a song I would hope most guys wouldn't be able to identify with...). "All These Things I've Done" seems to the ruminations of a man at the end of his ropes. By far the darkest songs on the album are "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine," the requiem for a murdered friend, and "Midnight Show," which could almost be the plot for an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
What all of this amounts to are catchy songs with lyrics that are somewhat darker than one might find on the average Coldplay or Blink 182 album. For anyone who is a fan of power pop, the New Wave groups of the Eighties, the glam rock groups of the Seventies, or just plain good music, Hot Fuss is worth a listen.
Sunday, October 9, 2005
Samurai Ressurection (Makai tensho)
Last night I watched Makai tensho, better known in the United States by its English title Samurai Resurrection. For those of you who have never heard of it, it is a 2003 film directed by Hideyuki Hirayama. It is set in the early days of the Tokugawa shogunate, not long after the Shimbura uprising, in which Christians rebelled against the Tokugawa governmnt's ban of the religion. Samurai Resurrection convincingly blends history and folk tales together. Indeed, the movie plays as a cross between costume drama, samurai movie, fantasy, and horror.
At the heart of the movie are two historical figures, both of which we known very little. One is Yagyu Jubei, a master swordsman of whom many folk tales are told (many of which involve his battles with demons). What we do know about Jubei is that he was an attendant to the 2nd Tokugawa shogun, Hidetada, that he followed the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, that he later served the government in some sort of capacity as an inspector, and that he took over his father's domains before retiring to the village in which he grew up. The very fact that not much is known of Jubei has made him ripe fodder for novels and movies, in which he is traditionally portrayed as a one eyed swordsman dressed in black. The other historical figure pivotal to Samurai Resurrection is Amakusa Shiro, the supposed leader of the Shimbura uprising. What we know of Shiro is that he was Christian, that he was only 15 when he purportedly led the uprising., and that he died during the uprising. There are many tales of Shiro's miracles, including walking on water, healing the sick, and so on. In parts of Japan he is regarded by many as a saint.
In Samurai Resurrection, however, Shiro is anything but a saint. Many years after the Shimbura uprsing, Shiro returns from the dead with a thirst for revenge. He begins raising samurai from the dead to accomplish his goals, many being important historical figures (including Inshun Hozoin, reknowned for his use of the spear, and Miyamoto Musashi, the greatest swordsman in the history of Japan). It is up to Jubei as a master swordsman to stop Shiro and his demon horde of resurrected samurai.
Samurai Resurrection is simply an amazing film. The script combines actual Japanese history, Japanese folk tales, and modern fantasy in such a way that it is hard to tell where the truth begins and fiction ends. The characters are all well developed, with their own motivations and their own hopes and dreams. This is particularly aided by the performances of the cast. In particular, Koichi Sato convincingly plays Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi (although he does seem more than a tad reminiscent of the great Toshiro Mifune...). Yosuke Kubozuka also does well as Amakusa Shiro Tokisada, quite ably playing a young man who has gone far away from his original beliefs and values.
The movie also has an incredible look. Director Hideyuki Hirayama and cinematographer Katsumi Yanagishima fashioned a realistic recreation of early Tokugawa Japan. Not only does the film look historically accurate, but it also looks beautiful. There are a variety of impressive shots in the film, from horses galloping across the Japanese country side to sword fights in the pouring rain. The incredible look of the film is helped a good deal by the movie's music, which lends the movie even more of an epic quality as befits its subject. Of course, in any samurai movie, great fight scenes are a must. Samurai Resurrection has more than its great share of sword fights, including an impresive battle between Jubei and legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi).
I cannot recommend Samurai Resurrection more highly. Anyone who loves samurai movies, high fantasy, or horror movies will probably love this film. Indeed, I would recommend the movie even to those who are not particularly fond of those genres. Samuari Resurrection is simply one great piece of film making.
At the heart of the movie are two historical figures, both of which we known very little. One is Yagyu Jubei, a master swordsman of whom many folk tales are told (many of which involve his battles with demons). What we do know about Jubei is that he was an attendant to the 2nd Tokugawa shogun, Hidetada, that he followed the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu, that he later served the government in some sort of capacity as an inspector, and that he took over his father's domains before retiring to the village in which he grew up. The very fact that not much is known of Jubei has made him ripe fodder for novels and movies, in which he is traditionally portrayed as a one eyed swordsman dressed in black. The other historical figure pivotal to Samurai Resurrection is Amakusa Shiro, the supposed leader of the Shimbura uprising. What we know of Shiro is that he was Christian, that he was only 15 when he purportedly led the uprising., and that he died during the uprising. There are many tales of Shiro's miracles, including walking on water, healing the sick, and so on. In parts of Japan he is regarded by many as a saint.
In Samurai Resurrection, however, Shiro is anything but a saint. Many years after the Shimbura uprsing, Shiro returns from the dead with a thirst for revenge. He begins raising samurai from the dead to accomplish his goals, many being important historical figures (including Inshun Hozoin, reknowned for his use of the spear, and Miyamoto Musashi, the greatest swordsman in the history of Japan). It is up to Jubei as a master swordsman to stop Shiro and his demon horde of resurrected samurai.
Samurai Resurrection is simply an amazing film. The script combines actual Japanese history, Japanese folk tales, and modern fantasy in such a way that it is hard to tell where the truth begins and fiction ends. The characters are all well developed, with their own motivations and their own hopes and dreams. This is particularly aided by the performances of the cast. In particular, Koichi Sato convincingly plays Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi (although he does seem more than a tad reminiscent of the great Toshiro Mifune...). Yosuke Kubozuka also does well as Amakusa Shiro Tokisada, quite ably playing a young man who has gone far away from his original beliefs and values.
The movie also has an incredible look. Director Hideyuki Hirayama and cinematographer Katsumi Yanagishima fashioned a realistic recreation of early Tokugawa Japan. Not only does the film look historically accurate, but it also looks beautiful. There are a variety of impressive shots in the film, from horses galloping across the Japanese country side to sword fights in the pouring rain. The incredible look of the film is helped a good deal by the movie's music, which lends the movie even more of an epic quality as befits its subject. Of course, in any samurai movie, great fight scenes are a must. Samurai Resurrection has more than its great share of sword fights, including an impresive battle between Jubei and legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi).
I cannot recommend Samurai Resurrection more highly. Anyone who loves samurai movies, high fantasy, or horror movies will probably love this film. Indeed, I would recommend the movie even to those who are not particularly fond of those genres. Samuari Resurrection is simply one great piece of film making.
Thursday, October 6, 2005
Operation: Mindcrime
Well, today still finds my mood to be a poor one. I suppose I should not complain. I stlll have a roof over my head and food to eat, as opposed to so many devastated by the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. I am also making more money than I have in a long time, even if I have to work two jobs to do it. And for the past three years I must say that I have been happy for the most part. It is simply that earlier this year I felt that my hope and dreams had all been dashed. More recently it seemed possible that I might recover those hopes and dreams. Now that possibility seems more remote than ever.
I am then still very much in the mood for depressing music. Indeed, my mind has turned back to my days as a metalhead and one of my favourite albums of all time. And perhaps one of the most depressing. The Queensryche album Operation: Mindcrime was released in May 1988. Operation: Mindcrime told the story of Nikki, a poor soul who falls into the clutches of Dr. X, a rather unscrupulous psychiatrist who advocates violent political change. Dr. X brainwashes Nikki for his own nefarious ends; namely, to perform the assassination of various political and religious leaders. To make things worse, along the way Nikki falls in love and loses the woman he loves in the worst way possible. In many respects the plot of the album resembles both the novel and the movie The Manchurian Canidate. In th arena of heavy metal music, it is perhaps one of the greatest achievements of any band.
The album's biggest hit and, in my opinion, the best song that Queensryche ever wrote, was "I Don't Believe in Love." The song occurs after Nikki's beloved Mary has been murdered (some think it was Nikki himself who commited the crime, his mind controlled by Dr. X--I've always thought Dr. X himself committed the crime) and expresses Nikki's feelings of loss and hopelessness. It is also one of the saddest songs ever written.
Anyhow, here it is, a sample of Operation: Mindcrime by Queensryhce:
"I Don't Believe in Love" by Queensryche
I am then still very much in the mood for depressing music. Indeed, my mind has turned back to my days as a metalhead and one of my favourite albums of all time. And perhaps one of the most depressing. The Queensryche album Operation: Mindcrime was released in May 1988. Operation: Mindcrime told the story of Nikki, a poor soul who falls into the clutches of Dr. X, a rather unscrupulous psychiatrist who advocates violent political change. Dr. X brainwashes Nikki for his own nefarious ends; namely, to perform the assassination of various political and religious leaders. To make things worse, along the way Nikki falls in love and loses the woman he loves in the worst way possible. In many respects the plot of the album resembles both the novel and the movie The Manchurian Canidate. In th arena of heavy metal music, it is perhaps one of the greatest achievements of any band.
The album's biggest hit and, in my opinion, the best song that Queensryche ever wrote, was "I Don't Believe in Love." The song occurs after Nikki's beloved Mary has been murdered (some think it was Nikki himself who commited the crime, his mind controlled by Dr. X--I've always thought Dr. X himself committed the crime) and expresses Nikki's feelings of loss and hopelessness. It is also one of the saddest songs ever written.
Anyhow, here it is, a sample of Operation: Mindcrime by Queensryhce:
"I Don't Believe in Love" by Queensryche
Wednesday, October 5, 2005
"One"
Well, my week has only gotten a little better. I am still not in a good mood and it is still a mood for depressing songs. Today's song is "One." The song was written by the late, great Harry Nilsson, considered one of the best composers of the rock era. He first came to fame with "Cuddly Toy," which became a minor hit for The Monkees. "One" first appeared on his 1968 album Aerial Ballet. His version of the song was rather soft, almost a ballad. The song was remade by Three Dog Night and became one of that group's biggest hits. It's the Three Dog Night version I feature here. I prefer it and I don't think the Nilsson version is available on the Net. At any rate, it fits my mood today.
"One", performed by Three Dog Night
I promise I'll write a real entry sometime this week...
"One", performed by Three Dog Night
I promise I'll write a real entry sometime this week...
Tuesday, October 4, 2005
Bad Day
Well, just when my life seems to be getting better, it gets worse than it has been. To say I am not happy would be an understatement. I won't say why I am not happy, but let's just say it has been a bad day all around. Anyhow, I am in the mood for some depressing music, so here it is:
"All By Myself" by Eric Carmen
"All By Myself" by Eric Carmen
Saturday, October 1, 2005
Firefly
The new movie Serenity just came out. A lot of people may not be aware that the movie is based on a TV series that ran all too briefly on Fox. That series was Firefly, a science fiction show created by Joss Whedon (the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. The series was set in 2517. Earth had long ago been depleted of its resources and as a result humanity colonised space. It is also set not long after the Unification War, a conflict which resulted when the Alliance sought to unite all of the colonised worlds under one government. The Alliance succeeded, although the results of unification were not particularly beneficial. Many of the various colonies are still very much a frontier, with little to no law. While this allows inhabitants of those planets a bit more freedom than they would have in the worlds where the Alliance exercises its power, they also lack many of the modern day amenities. As a result, many of Earth's colonies are in the same situation as that of the Wild West of the United States.
Among the many "Browncoats" who fought against the Alliance in the Unification War were Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his first mate Zoe Warren (Gina Torres). The two command the spaceship Serenity (hence the movie's name), a Firefly class transport vessel. Like Reynolds and Warren, the rest of the crew of Serenity are also outcasts and nonconformitsts. Shepherd Book (Ron Glass) was a preacher not quite like any other. And Inara Serra (Morena Baccarin) was a Companion (think of a very high class call girl). Episodes of the series centred on the various jobs accepted by the crew of Serenity and their efforts to avoid the forces of the Alliance.
On the surface, Firefly might not sound that different from such space operas as Star Trek and Farscape, but the series does show some marked differences from other sci-fi shows. First, the show featured no unusual aliens. If there were any other intelligent species in space, humanity had yet to encounter them. Second, the show felt very much like a Western--in some ways more like a Western than a sci-fi show. It treated the far reaches of space like the Old West, where lawlessness often prevailed. Third, character interaction is more central to Firefly than technology, science, or even action. It was largely a character driven series. Fourth, its visual style was decidely different. It often used scenes done in CGI which duplicated the movement of handheld cameras. Some scenes were actually shot using handheld cameras. Most markedly, the space scenes had no sound whatsoever. While this is scientificaly correct (there is no sound in space), it is quite different than the average sci-fi show in which every single explosion can be heard.
While Firefly received good notices and developed a loyal following, it was given very little support from Fox. The series was scheduled on Friday night where very few genre shows survive. Rather than move the series to a better time slot, Fox simply cancelled the show after a few episodes. Fortunately, Joss Whedon realised that his creation still had a hope of success and set to work on the feature film known as Serenity. It is difficult to say whether Serenity will be a hit or whether it will result in a revival of the series. Regardless, Firefly won't soon be forgotten.
Among the many "Browncoats" who fought against the Alliance in the Unification War were Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion) and his first mate Zoe Warren (Gina Torres). The two command the spaceship Serenity (hence the movie's name), a Firefly class transport vessel. Like Reynolds and Warren, the rest of the crew of Serenity are also outcasts and nonconformitsts. Shepherd Book (Ron Glass) was a preacher not quite like any other. And Inara Serra (Morena Baccarin) was a Companion (think of a very high class call girl). Episodes of the series centred on the various jobs accepted by the crew of Serenity and their efforts to avoid the forces of the Alliance.
On the surface, Firefly might not sound that different from such space operas as Star Trek and Farscape, but the series does show some marked differences from other sci-fi shows. First, the show featured no unusual aliens. If there were any other intelligent species in space, humanity had yet to encounter them. Second, the show felt very much like a Western--in some ways more like a Western than a sci-fi show. It treated the far reaches of space like the Old West, where lawlessness often prevailed. Third, character interaction is more central to Firefly than technology, science, or even action. It was largely a character driven series. Fourth, its visual style was decidely different. It often used scenes done in CGI which duplicated the movement of handheld cameras. Some scenes were actually shot using handheld cameras. Most markedly, the space scenes had no sound whatsoever. While this is scientificaly correct (there is no sound in space), it is quite different than the average sci-fi show in which every single explosion can be heard.
While Firefly received good notices and developed a loyal following, it was given very little support from Fox. The series was scheduled on Friday night where very few genre shows survive. Rather than move the series to a better time slot, Fox simply cancelled the show after a few episodes. Fortunately, Joss Whedon realised that his creation still had a hope of success and set to work on the feature film known as Serenity. It is difficult to say whether Serenity will be a hit or whether it will result in a revival of the series. Regardless, Firefly won't soon be forgotten.
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