Portland Rock Under Neon: "What's Wrong With You" by Sequel (2007)

Scottish Funk Under Neon: "Funky Funky Beat" by Al Kent & The Million Dollar Orchestra (2007)

NYC Bossa Nova Under Neon: "Melodious Wayfarer" by The Quantic Soul Orchestra (2007)

Akhu's Documentary Reviews: 'Helvetica' (2007)

Movie: Helvetica
Year: 2007
My Rating: 8.7/10 Stars ********

An interesting documentary about the font you see everywhere and probably don't even notice. Helvetica font is the most-used font in the world, and this doco is all about it, sounds boring, but is actually quite interesting and informative. Especially interesting if you are into typography and graphic design at all.

Sneaks' Movie Reviews: 'Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)

Movie: Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)
Director: Susanne Bier
Rating: 7.2/10 Stars *******'

Another interesting film by Danish Director Susanne Bier, and this time with quite a star-studded cast! A wife and mother (Berry) loses her husband when he attempts to save a woman from domestic violence. Berry's character tracks down her deceased husband's (Duchovny) best friend, who also happens to be a struggling heroin addict who is in and out of rehab (Del Toro). This movie shows something about times of transition and change in families and how relationship dynamics change and are affected when a family member dies. Check this one out, but be prepared for heavy.

Sneaks' Movie Reviews: 'Elvis and Annabelle' (2007)

Movie: Elvis and Annabelle (2007)
Director:Will Geiger
Rating: 5.2/10 Stars *****'

An unusual love story about a Southern beauty queen who dies and comes back to life on the mortician's table, when he kisses her dead body. A romance and drama ensues as the lives of everyone involved change dramatically. This one was different and keeps you interested, but not one I would watch again. Definitely more of a chick-flick/love story kind of movie, but also a bit quirky.

Sneaks' Movie Reviews: 'Owl and the Sparrow' (2007)

Movie: Owl and the Sparrow (2007)

Director: Stephane Gauger

Rating: 4.4/5 Stars ****'

A very good indie film out of Vietnam! I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a non-formulaic/refreshing type of film to watch. Story focuses on a little girl named Thuy, who is about 10 years old and works in a blinds factory for her hard-core uncle who has custody of her after her parents both died. She runs away to the city and meets two young people who are also feeling alone in the world, and a friendship between these 3 previously unconnected strangers ensues. Check it out it, its worth it. 

Brief Movie Review: 'Mojave Phonebooth' (2007)

Movie: Mojave Phonebooth (2007)

Director: John Putch

Rating: 3/5 Stars ***

This was an interesting movie about 4 different people living in Las Vegas who all go to a mysterious phone-booth to receive therapeutic talks and advice from a British-sounding stranger. Was a laugh to see Steve Guttenberg in this one, haven't seen him in anything since the 80's (ie Police Academy and Short Circuit) :) This one is a little odd, and not too optimistic, but human beings seem to be odd and full of drama/tragedy so it all fits together right?

Your Daily Song Post: 'Don't You Evah' by Spoon (2007)

Your daily song post is another one from 2007, so not too new or anything like that, and it is Don't You Evah, by American rock band Spoon. Spoon have been active on the scene circa 1994, they are based out of Austin, Texas, and band members are Britt Daniel (vocals and guitar), Jim Eno (drummer), Rob Pope (bass guitar, guitar, keyboards and backing vocals) and Eric Harvey (keyboards, guitar, percussion and backing vocals). Don't You Evah was actually an EP release by Spoon in April of 2008, but the song first appeared on their July 2007 release album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. The song is a cover of the original Don't You Ever by The Natural History. So there is the daily song, if you like what you've heard you can head over to the band's website HERE for more.

Your Daily Feature: 'West Coast' by Coconut Records (2007)

Your daily feature song for today is.... and I know they haven't been to daily lately, but its Summer folks ;-) ...West Coast by American indie rock-pop solo-act Coconut Records. Now this is an older song (5 years old already!) but its still a good one and I am always happy to post the great ones on this blog. Coconut Records started out in Los Angeles in 2006 as a solo-project of artist  Jason Schwartzman. 
West Coast comes off of the 2007 debut album Nighttiming. If you dig the song go to the artist's website HERE. 

A Brief Movie Review for 'Adrift In Manhattan' (2007)

Movie = Adrift In Manhattan (2007)

Director = Alfredo De Villa

Rating = 2.5/5 Stars **

This is a film worth watching about a group of New Yorkers whose lives unknowingly become intertwined. The individual stories of each of the characters makes the movie a slow one, but it is interesting and a little weird too, but I suppose that is more like real life in a way. It is not the most entertaining movie to watch, so just be prepared for a slow and awkwardone if you sit down with it. I wouldn't watch it a second time.

A Brief Book Review for 'The Art of Learning' by Josh Waitzkin (2007)

Book = The Art of Learning (2007)

Author = Josh Waitzkin

Rating = 5/5 Stars ****

I recommend that everyone read this book! Its a auto-biographical work about the author's life, and his approach to learning new skills and achieving excellence in his 2 primary fields of Chess and Tai Chi Chuan. Author Josh Waitzkin is not your average bear, he was a child-prodigy at chess (many time world champion and in various tournaments), as well as a world champion in the martial art of Tai Chi Chuan, and all of this before the age of 30! Whilst being a high-achiever is not for everyone, it is still inspiring to read this book because the author details his own personal experiences and how he worked through his various challenges, which is probably the most helpful way that a person can share an experience with others. I find this very approach to be important as it is the true-experience and method of a real person, and not just the common beliefs that society holds about how true learning and achievement of the highest order is actually attained. Thanks to the author we get a window into that world, which is no doubt a wonderful contribution. If you are striving for excellence or trying to learn new things (most of us are I would hope) then this book holds something for you, so check it out. For more info on the book the author has a website you can visit HERE.

Brief Book Review for 'The Dark River' by John Twelve Hawks (2007)

The Dark River (2007
  by Author John Twelve Hawks
My Rating:  4/5 Stars ****

I just finished the second book in this Fourth Realm Trilogy, titled The Dark River (published in 2007) by mysterious author John Twelve Hawks. This book is a continuation of the first (titled The Traveler (2005)), and now I have just started to read the third. I highly recommend these books to anybody, though you may come out of reading them just a bit paranoid and worried about loss of privacy in the modern world we are ever-creating and expanding with all of the new technologies that allow one's every move and decision to be monitored, evaluated, and judged by artificial intelligence programs (great, just great!). This book, like the first, and I presume the 3rd as well, is an action-thriller and you will have trouble putting it down once you get into the story a bit, as you will constantly want to know what is going to happen next. There is a bit of a sci-fi touch to this book as well and the style is reminiscent of Dan Brown, although I am not sure author's like to be compared like that but that is my take after reading the first two books. Nonetheless, like Dan Brown's books, I can easily see this series being made into a movie trilogy. For more info on this book check out the wikipedia page HERE, and remember, its just a story....really......!

Brief Movie Review for "Outsourced" (2007)

Outsourced (2007)

 5/5 Stars *****

Quite a good movie if I might say so myself.  I know that this sounds like the title of a documentary, but I promise you it is not. Basic plot is that the entire job and department of an Seattle based sales-manager gets outsourced to a call-center in India, but he is asked to train the new team in India, which leads him there. The most interesting part of the movie in my opinion is his experience (realistic or not) of being immersed into East-Indian culture as well as the social commentary about "outsourcing" and some of the interesting situations that come up as well. This is one of those movies that left me feeling like I learned a little bit of something about Indian-culture that I didn't know before, and though nothing can beat first-hand experience, its still a fun movie to watch. There just aren't that many movies that I have watched that I would say I feel I got something out of, but this is one of them. I would watch this one again, be sure to check it out.

Song for October 22nd, 2010: "Balloons" by Foals (2007)

And the song for today is...Balloons by English indie-rock group Foals. Foals are a 5-piece indie rock band from Oxford, England, which has been active since 2005 and consists of members Yannis Philippakis (Vocals, Guitar, Percussion), Jack Bevan (Drums), Jimmy Smith (Guitar), Edwin Congreave (Keyboard, Backing Vocals), and Walter Gervers (Bass Guitar and Backing Vocals). Balloons is not a new song, as it appeared in their 2007 release debut studio album titled Antitodes. I mostly try to post newish stuff on this vlog/blog, that is stuff usually from within a year or two of release, but if I stumble across something I've missed I figure that its my party and I'll cry if I want to. The Foals have a newer album titled Total Life Forever which was released this year, so I will perhaps try posting a single or two on here at some point. Enjoy!

Brief Movie Review for "Secret of the Grain" (2007)

4/5 Stars ****

A great french-language movie! This movie portrays family interactions very well, and in a very realistic light, so beware, it may remind you of your own family. Its about an Arab family living in France where a recently laid-off senior dock worker decides to buy an abandoned fishing boat and turn it into a seafood cous-cous restaurant, is a bit nerve-wracking though, especially at the end.