Sneaks' Movie Reviews: 'Lights in the Dusk (Laitakaupungin valot)' (2006)

Movie: Lights in the Dusk (Laitakaupungin valot) (2006)

Director: Aki Kaurismäki

Rating: 2.9/5 Stars **'

A bit of a strange movie, about a Finnish security guard who works primarily night shifts for the mall and metro in Helsinki. A mobster sets him up with a blonde who is to use him to get the security codes to rob a jewelry store, and then frames him for the theft. I found that this was a statement about the frustration of a powerless working class citizen versus the wealthy class of mobsters and corporates who use and abuse him for their own ends. Check this one out.

Your Oldies Rewind: 'Instant Karma!" by John Lennon (1970)

Your Oldies Rewind is back for this week's post. With the Occupy Wall Street, and various other Occupy movements going on around the globe, and with all of the collapse/pportunity for our western society and culture's to start thinking about trying something new and different I came across this John Lennon song in a movie I was watching and thought it was a good theme song for this whole social global movement thats happening right now....and so here's one for Mr. Lennon :) The song of course is Instant Karma! by legendary English singer/songwriter/cultural icon John Lennon. Like most all of Lennon's songs it extremely powerful in its message, tone, and lyrics, as it invites humanity to make a quantum leap by simple tolerance, open mindedness, and most importantly open-heartedness. Lennon was always considered himself to be a social activist for peace and justice, and so I find this song to be inspirational. Instant Karma! was released as a single by Lennon in 1970, the song hit #3 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 charts, while hitting #2 on Canada's Singles Chart and #5 on the UK Singles Chart. If you want to hear about John Lennon's bio then go to his Wikipedia page HERE. Now go out there and Get Your Shine On People! You can change the world!

Sneaks' Movie Reviews: 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' (2011)

Movie: Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
Director:Dan Fogelman
Rating: 3.1/5 Stars ***
Thaaaats right, I actually am reviewing a movie that's relatively new for once, go figure...This was actually a funny movie, and its got quite a cast with Steve Carell, Marisa Tomei, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, and more. Cal (Carell) and his wife (Moore) are struggling with a recent decision to get divorced, and their kids as well. It seems that everyone is in love with someone else in this movie, but not with each other, kind of like real life aye? Well, just watch this, especially if you like Steve Carell, and if you don't you might want to try something else as the movie mostly focuses on his character. 

Your Weekly Song Post: 'I Feel Better' by Gotye (2011)

The daily song post has been turing into the weekly or bi-weekly post as of late due to my being busy, so this week's first feature song is I Feel Better by Australian musician Gotye. Gotye (Wouter De Backer) is multi-instrumental musician originally from Belgium but who now identifies himself as Australian and has been active in the music scene circa 2001. He is also one of the primary members of Melbourne-based pop-band The Basics. I Feel Better is a single off of his latest album Making Mirrors, which was released on August 19th, 2011. I really like the 50's-60's sound he has captured as well as the Catalan-sounding horns at the beginning of the song. If you like what you've heard, than be sure to head to Gotye's official website HERE for more music and artist info. 

Sneaks' Movie Reviews: 'Another Year' (2010)

Movie: Another Year (2010)

Director: Mike Leigh

Rating: 4/5 Stars ****

Wow, this was quite a good movie, and also very in that the characters are believable. This film does a great job at demonstrating ordinary people, who are over the hill so to speak, and their everyday struggles with simply trying to get people to spend time together and relate to one another and how that seems becomes more...lets say 'complicated'... with age. There are for sure many many people, many more than most would think, over the age of 40 and 50 for whom a great marriage and family life just never really came together. These people end up single, living alone for many years, and feeling socially isolated even from their close friends, most of whom are in relationships and have to find special time to fit in their own busy and committed lives for these loners. I am only 30 now, and I can relate to some of these characters. It is hard to be single in a world of couples and families. And not to presume that most those couples and families are as happily together and financially together as the one this film focuses upon. Great movie to make you think about how we have structured our society and culture, and how many people end up on the sidelines, and how anyone, even the happy-off ones, can potentially end up that way when a loved one passes away unexpectedly. Check this one out. 

Your Daily Song Post: 'Still Life' by The Horrors (2011)

Today's song post goes to English punk-rock/shoe-gaze band The Horrors and their song Still Life. The Horrors originate out of Southend on Sea, England and consist of members Faris Badwan, Joshua Hayward, Tom Cowan, Rhys Webb,  and Joe Spurgeon who have been active as a group circa 2005. Still Life is a single off of their latest/third studio album titled Skying, which was released on July 11th, 2011. If you like what you've heard here, you can go check out their official website HERE. 

Sneaks' Book Reviews: 'Kryon: The End Times (New Information for Personal Peace) (Kryon Book 1) (1993)

Book: Kryon:The End Times: New Information for Personal Peace (Kryon Book 1)
Author: Lee Carroll 
Year: 1993

It has been a long damn while since I last posted a book review, so here is one I recently read. I have been re-reading lots of books I already read many times in the past and just haven't been keeping up on the reviews for them. The Kryon books, are a series of channeled writings by author Lee Carroll, which I personally have found to be quite enlightening and positive in terms of the visions for humanity's future here on Planet Earth. I am writing specifically for book one of that series, as there are many Kryon books and this first one was originally published back in 1993, yet it is highly and most relevant for our current times of rapid change and global transformation. For those who are open-minded and looking to hear some positive visions and information for humanity, check out this book. Also, these are available in audiobook format too. 

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. 

Your Oldies Rewind: 'Sugartown' by Nancy Sinatra (1966)

Your Oldies Rewind returns this week with the Nancy Sinatra classic hit from 1966, Sugartown. Nancy Sinatra is an American singer/actress (daughter of singer/musician/legend Frank Sinatra) from Jersey City, New Jersey, USA and who got her start in the music biz circa 1961. Sugartown was written by songwriter/producer Lee Hazlewood, and was released as a single by Nancy Sinatra in 1966 where it would peak at #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was officially released under Nancy's 1967 Sugar LP. So there is this week's Oldies Rewind, enjoy!

Sneaks' Movie Reviews: 'Howard the Duck' (1986)

Movie: Howard the Duck (1986)

Director: Willard Huyck

Rating: 2.4/5 stars **'

Watched this one again, due to being on Netflix Streaming of course, and it had been about 12 years since I last had seen it. I forgot how un-serious the movie actually is, and still think of it as a kids movie, even though it might be scary for some kids. Watch this if you haven't seen it, its an 80s classic, but don't expect much in any way as there isn't really much there, but it is still a unique 80s flick I suppose.

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The Daily Song Post: 'Polish Girl' by Neon Indian (2011)

Today's song post is the recent single Polish Girl by American indie-synthpop/electro band Neon Indian. Neon Indian originate out of Denton, Texas, USA and consists of members Alan Palomo (main songwriter), Leanne Macomber, Jason Faries, and Lars Larsen who have been active on the music scene circa 2008. Rolling Stone Magazine called Neon Indian one of the hottest new bands of 2010 and were dubbed under the Best New Music and 14th best album of 2009 by Pitchfork Media. Polish Girl is a single off of the group's 2nd and latest album Era Extraña which was just recently released on September 13th, 2011, so be sure to go check out the rest for yourself. 

Sneaks' Movie Reviews: The Running Man (1987)

Movie: The Running Man (1987)

Director: Paul Michael Glaser

Rating: 2.4/5 Stars **'

I finally watched this one! I had been searching at movie stores overseas for ages and never came across it. Finally I moved back to the USA and it was Netflix to the rescue. In a futuristic world of shortages and conflict exists military states. In this one there is a gladiator-esque gameshow in which prisoner-contestants fight for their lives against super-gladiators who try to kill them, and often do, on live television. All to act as a distraction for people who would otherwise be rioting and over-running the power structure that served only the elite few. Shades of the Roman empire, and when empires collapse I suppose. Check this one out, although don't expect much other than the typical Schwarzenegger action-adventure formula, and sort of a rushed conclusion.