Music and Movie of 2018

Movie and Music of 2018

1-Boygenuis

I'll admit that I have all the albums by these amazing singers, so when i heard they were forming a supergroup i never doubted their talent(s) to figure out how to mesh and create songs that would stay in my brain.  But i never expected this...memorable, thought provoking and frankly, stunning in simplicity, beauty and true female power.  Long live these ladies.  Shout out to cover art...for true music lovers.

2-Deafhaven "Ordinary Corrupt Human Love"

I had heard about this band for years, but had never jumped into them or even streamed them.  They seemed out there, confusing and "fake angry" from what i had read about them.  Like, who wants to scream in anger at the world, yet still find time to put a piano solo into a song?  It just seem right, or even "metal."   But then, "Ordinary Love" came out and blew my eardrums off...literally.  I ended up ordering a shirt, vinyl and cd of this album.  The best way to experience this is simple:  Keep it on repeat, with great headphones, letting each song, note and scream flow into the next, with no stopping.  This is what I did when i was on a bus traveling for 20 hours through Africa...and i still feel this album and its extravagant beauty over the constant bumps of the road.

3--Rolo Tomasi "Time will die and love will bury it"

So, i am a bit of a film buff and my 5th favorite film of all time is LA Confidential.  So, somehow, i heard this phrase was a band.  I had to check them out due to curiosity alone.  I had not even heard a song when i came across their bandcamp page and read a comment that said simply, "This album is love."  I never thought someone could ever say that about music, which is sound over actual sacrifice.  However, that comment, person, future world problem solver is absolutely correct.  The sounds are murky, hard, edgy and soft.  All of these elements and more are indeed found in love.  But taken as a whole, this ablum simply leaves me in awe every time i hear it.  Come to find out, they have released 4 other albums and constant singles and eps...this is what love does...it keeps on giving to others, because "love never fails."

4-Windhand "Eternal Return"

Another band that i had never heard of, but came across my Pandora station one day because i adore the grunge of the Melvins and Dinosaur Jr.  Windhand and their Eternal Return album have been on play for the past 3 weeks, along with all their other albums.  Turns out, this was made right after the singer had a baby.  Babies are a lot of work, but when you realize they are special gifts, we truly have been given an "eternal return" with them.   Let this one, and its massive riffs fill your soul on those long, wintery days.

5-Spiritualized "And nothing hurt" 

I am a bit of skeptic when it comes to the Brits, Europe and and bands from "across the pond."  I mean, who hasn't heard of Oasis.  But when i found out that this band started back in the 80's, with huge influence and a "techy, space vibe" i thought why not see where they are now.  Turns out, for the most part, this is now just one man--Jason Pierce.  He learned how to use Garageband and other computer programs to make his work seem bigger than it is in order to have a "fill up the stadium" vibe, which he used to have with his former albums.  Due to streaming, lack of album purchases, it is obvious that artists must adapt, as due music labels, if they are to make money and find a niche.  So, Jason Pierce took 2.5 years to work on this, honing many elements into this album, and it works in amazing ways.  This has my song or lyric of the year:  "I'm your man."   I could be faithful, honest and true, holding my heart for you.  But if you want wasted, loaded, permanently folded, doing the best that he can, i'm your man."   So many times in marriage, i feel like a hack that somehow got lucky marrying the person that I did, yet, still "doing the best he can...then i'm her man."  There is a subtle desperation to this song, one that perfectly encaptures one man (or many) struggling with his relationship, something all of us grasp at a deep level.

Movie of the year:  Annihilation   

Runner up: Avengers: Infinity War 

I'm stunned to say this, but Obama and I do agree on some things:  our movies align quite frequently.  While I had a ton of fun watching and enjoying Avengers this year, as Marvel just knows how to put out a fun, entertaining hero flick (take notes DC, please...), for them to build up to this film and then pull it off with a genuine cliff-hanger, in this day and age, is stunning, and another reason film, when  done right, has the power to transcend and be a quality talking point for society.  Avengers did that and more...shout out to the Chriss' talking to each other in the Avengers film...so much fun.  But, as for quality of film, stunning visuals and exciting, thought-provoking premise, there can be no other:  Annihilation wins hands down.

I had not heard of this film until late November when i saw it on Itunes for .99 to rent.  So, why not?  Besides, Alex Garland is a great film director (Ex Machina) and writer (did screenplay for Never Let Me Go). I simply had nothing to lose going this route. To say i was blown away is an understatement.  The movie revolves around 4-6 lady scientists going into an alien being known simply as "The Shimmer" because it landed by a lighthouse, but continues to grow, slowly taking over southern Florida.  Many teams have gone in, but only 1 person has returned--and is on life support--Natalie Portman's (playing the Biologist) husband Oscar Isaac (one of our most under-rated actors, but Star Wars may put him over the top).  How did he survive?  Can Portman save him by going into the Shimmer looking for answers?  These are normal film questions that we would understandably have...but what makes Sci-Fi great is the big questions that it asks of us.  In this case, is there a difference in our DNA and that of others?  Are we truly all in "self destruct" mode, even though we are living the life we want?  These are just some of the big questions this film asks, and like his previous film, this does end with a bit of a shock, and dare i say, trepidation.

I was very impressed with the female cast.  At first, I was stunned to see so few men in this film.  During our whole metoo movement, it seems that films force their views on us, instead of finding a decent cast that fits the story so we can care about the characters and their struggles.  This film does not do that.  The ladies are all experts in their field and because teams led by men have not returned, ladies wanted to step up and help, hoping their DNA would be the key to unlocking the mystery of the "Shimmer."  The violence is not typical of your R-rated film.  Most violent films use excessive gore, and guts in order to give the feeling that this scene is intense... "like you had to be there."   In this film, the violence is felt, but not shown, and it is shockingly felt.  And because it is not frequent, the encounters hold more weight, mean more, and truly shock viewers, giving credence to the fact that we are inside an alien "shimmer" and don't know what to do.  What makes this absolutely stunning, is that every lady is carrying a secret, one that can annihilate her, but not the team.  The title says it all.  "Annihilation."

Avengers Infinity War:  Worth the wait?

The Avengers Infinity War movie finally came out.  After 98 precursor set up films, (it's like 31 films), and countless hidden easter eggs throughout said films, alternative endings, and great one-liners, everything boils down to one question:  will Infinity War deliver on its investment?  Let's face it:  this film could bomb simply because it has too many great characters to show on screen, all with powerful personalities, portrayed by people we have tended to like for the past 30 films.  We are invested and we want that investment to pay off handsomely.  So, to answer the question, the film can be summed up in two words:  WOW and What?

To keep things simple, the movie revolves around Josh Brolin and his mighty chin, errr, character named Thanos.  Thanos has one job:  save the world from killing itself due to limited natural resources, and so, he believes, it is in the universes best interest if someone eliminates humanity before the cruel world does it.  Thus, Thanos needs the Infinity stones (Time, Soul, Space, etc.), which are powerful items that when placed on a cool glove, form the Infinity Gauntlet.  Again, this stuff has been "hidden" throughout the other films and is now here for us to gaze at...along with shattering the all time opening weekend box office numbers.  And the film does deliver!   The film is huge, but it all revolves around Brolin's baddy and he does an admirable job.  There are times that i found myself admiring his ideas (in a weird, Charles Dickinson way) and the way in which he interacts with the other Avengers.  Unlike Loki or a Bond villain that wants to take over the world for greedy ways, Thanos doesn't really find pleasure in killing people or the Avengers (spoiler alert).  He truly feels if he doesn't, there will be more suffering because he has not taken action.  There is no pleasure in fighting people that hold opposing views, like the Avengers, and he goes out of his way to say that he admires what they stand for.  I found it refreshing simply because i'm tired of all the Vin Disel, macho, alpha male, ego driven vengeance flicks these past several years.  There seems to be a true dignity by both sides in how they tackle their problems with each other.
The cast is large, but everyone will love the jokes, especially Chris Pratt challenging the other Chris's in the film.  Frankly, the movie could have died upon arrival because there are so many characters, but each one gets ample time to show off their powers, and personalities, which is great.  The film, while long, never feels bogged down, but that is also a problem.  The film just ends.  I verbally said, "What?" when the film ended.  Herein lies the true problem with Marvel films:  money.

There are characters that die, in fact, half the world population gets wiped out.  Yet, there is no sadness or sorrow because we know Disney is raking in so much cash, they literally can't allow any of these great folks to die.  There are several glaring, "wink, wink" moments by Doctor Strange that set up the potential "resurrections" because of various "timelines," with hints of Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) coming soon to save everyone.  Heck, even knowing Avengers 4 will come this time in 2019 takes away the genuine suspense from a truly great movie.  We know, somehow, everyone will make it back.  And with that, go enjoy this fun, great movie with friends and family, but get ready to leave the theatre shaking your head, wondering once again (or 31 times), "Well, gotta wait for the next one."