Film Trailer: Man of Steel

Slightly creepy start to the first Man of Steel trailer. Due to land in the summer of 2013 at some time. I think it could be a reboot that the Superman franchise needs that the 2006 'Superman Returns' film didn't deliver (although it had Kevin Spacey in it and he's good in everything he does). With the hugely successful 'Dark Knight' trilogy having finished and the massive box office flop that was Green Lantern, I think DC Comics need to find a new score of characters to adapt to films to stay in the game and keep up the juggernaut that is Marvel. Directed by Zach Snyder, who I like but sometimes don't (I liked 300, I hated Sucker Punch and I loved Watchmen), it ill be interesting to see what he can come out with under the watchful eye of Christopher Nolan as head producer.

Fan Made Film: Dirty Laundry

Always been a slight fan of fan made film genre when done well. But this fan made film is done so well it might just be sparking a reboot for Frank Castle and his alter-ego Punisher. Coming straight out of SDCC this year, a 10 minute short made by and staring Thomas Jane who originally started in the 2004 'The Punisher' as protagonists Frank Castle (which in my opinion was under rated), which didn't get a proper sequel but instead got a reboot follow up staring Ray Stevenson (that film was god dam awful). But eight years on and it seems that people might just be interested in a 18 certificate comic book film adaptation. We shall see.

According to Jane, the reason he made the film was out of pure love for the character.

"I wanted to make a fan film for a character I've always loved and believed in - a love letter to Frank Castle & his fans. It was an incredible experience with everyone on the project throwing in their time just for the fun of it. It's been a blast to be a part of from start to finish -- we hope the friends of Frank enjoy watching it as much as we did making it."

Be warned the film short contains blood, gore, bad language and Ron Perlman!

Video Check: Is Tropical - The Greeks

Homemade video for the song "The Greeks" by a cool band Is Tropical, who I once saw live and are actually quite good and worth checking out. The video ont he other hand is just nuts.

Track Check: P Money - Dubsteppin'

Always been a fan of P Money and the things he done for grime/dubstep. Deffo worth a listen!

Track Check: Ali Fraser - High Hopse

Just an chilled track from an old university acquaintance. Enjoy.

Jack Beats: Evolution Mixtape

Previewing some of there fourth coming releases, Jack Beats have put out a 30 minute mix tape to get you a little excited. Apparently they are due to release 2 mini albums instead of one big album as they have written far too many tunes. The mix tape shows of some of there collaborations with Dillon Francis, Takura, Diplo and various others. Enjoy.


1. Jack Beats: Intro 
2. Jack Beats: Careless ft. Takura 
3. Beyonce: Countdown (Jack Beats Rework)
4. Duke Dumont: Street Walker
5. Jack Beats: War ft. Example & Diplo
6. Jack Beats: End Of Love (Re-edit)
7. Jack Beats: Fast Girls ft. MNEK (Instrumental)
8. Flux Pavillion: Daydreamer (Jack Beats Remix)
9. Jack Beats: Just a beat (Demo mix)
10. Justin Martin: Ruff Stuff
11. Jack Beats: Hooligans
12. Jack Beats: Make the People 
13. Jack Beats: Epidemic ft. Dillon Francis

Film Trailer: The Man With The Iron Fists

So I'm not a massive fan of kung-fu films. But when RZA (of the Wu-Tang Clan) Eli Roth and Quentin Tarantino come together and make a kung fu film that is something I would watch! With actors Lucy Liu (who is also part of hip-hop group The Bullits), Russel Crowe and RZA, this film is set to kick the stereo-type of normal kung fu film and inject it some hip-hop adrenaline. 

Video: Toddla T & Shola Ama - Alive

Sick new tune from Sheffields finest manabadman Toddla T! Check it.

Video View: OFWGKA - Rella

So Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All have been around for some time now and all I really know about them is that one of them is called Tyler The Creator and he has the deepest voice known to man. Then a mate showed me this video for a track of theirs called 'Rella.' The beat is stoooopid good, but it's the video that makes it for me. If you answer YES to any of the following questions then i suggest you watch the video.

Have you ever wanted to see a man slap a black chick, then turn into an Asian chick?

Have you ever wanted to see a guy shoot laser beams from his crotch using a thrusting action?

Have you ever wanted to see what Tyler The Creator would look like as a centaur?

Film Trailer: Monsters University

On the same day as I discover the Wreck It Ralph trailer, the teaser trailer arrives for the prequel to the ever so popular 2001 comedy from Pixar Monsters INC. Monster University! In my opinion this will be one of Pixars highly awaited films.

Film Trailer: Wreck It Ralph

Finally someone has decided to base a film on a arcade villain who starts to hate his job. This I can see as being quite a fun little film. I also like the idea of John C. Reilly voicing.

KID FURY X MR RENEGADE: Sneak Peak Vid!

Haven't posted in a while, due to the fact that I haven't really had anything to talk about. That is until I got an email with a mysterious video attached with the deep tones of Darth Vader over the top of it. I am pretty sure it's meant to keep people guessing.

Here's what I know about the video so far:
From conception to execution ‘Night Fall’ is a 8935 joint. Producer Mr Renegade & rapper Kid Fury became acquainted through KB “Mr 8935” Bishara with no prior knowledge of one another’s musical ability. Once a dialogue between the two had begun, though they shared some musical common ground no plan work together were set, that is until the beat that would become ‘Night Fall’ was posted online.  Adamant he was the man for the track Fury penned the vision that came to mind and pitched the idea to Renegade as what will be the benchmark level if they are to work as a duo. Both from the city of Oxford and representative of a sound that typifies Hip Hop in it’s most pure and creative lights as well as embodying the unique spirit of the best music from their city.
Filmed by KB "Mr 8935" Bishara through his very own 8935 Project, his is going to be a very interesting project and definitely one to follow.   




KID FURY x MR RENEGADE - NIGHTFALL [ SINGLE TRAILER] from Kb Bishara on Vimeo.

Props to Andrew Murray "Night Fall' Studio Sessions photography. More shots of the shoot can be found here. | http://bit.ly/LsI3Cn

Follw this lot on Twitter:
Kid Fury: @MrFury
Mr Renegade: @Rajansanhotra
KB aka 'Mr 8935': @Mr8935

For more info on KB Bishara check out his Vimeo | www.vimeo.com/project8935

Film Trailer: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

This film looks badass! Straight up.

Film Trailer: Anchorman - The Legend Continues

We have all been waiting for this and it arrived yesterday. Just a ting snippet of four huge legends and that release date couldn't come sooner.

Stay classy people.

Album Review: Actress - R.I.P.

An album from an ex-West Brom player who started out as a DJ then decided to produce using a Roland Groovebox and a dictaphone. How religious could this album possibly get? There's no choral singing but it's a biblical narrative that takes in death, accession, blessing and a well earned journey across a purgatorial landscape at which you have to avoid temptation all before being thrown back down to Earth.

Every now and then everyone listens to an album that has a real effect on them (this will happen to you if it hasn't already). It's one of those albums that really stands out for you. For me this was Actress recent album  'R.I.P.' Also known as Darren Cunningham this South London based producer started out by releasing music on his own Werk Discs before signing up to Blur frontman Damon Albarn's imprint Honest Jon's.

This album has all sorts thrown into it and I wouldn't know where to place it. With technoid thudding tracks like 'Marble Plexus' and 'Shadow From Tartarus' to the disco sounding 'Iwaad'. On 'Uriel's Black Harp' plucked notes play over the top of what sound like crickets chirping at night, but it sounds epic.

Strangely enough these tracks do not invoke any euphoria in me, I don't want to go and throw some shapes to these tunes. But maybe this is the beauty of the album. It all seems a little alien to me, yet I feel that this is the source of it's power.


My favourite track from the album:

Follow Werk Discs on Twitter: Werk Discs Records

Follow Honest Jon's on Twitter: Honest Jon's Records

Track Check: Rack N Ruin ft. P Money & Koast - Signal

Yeah this one is from a while back but it's still a belter. Rack N Ruin on the buttons and P Money on the verses with Koast as well (but I ain't entirely sure what he does).

Track Check: Flight Facilities ft. Grovesnor - With You

Don't know much about these guys but I really like the video. Anemie is cool, Grovesnors' voice is relaxing and Flight Facilities kind of sound like a more chilled out version of Daft Punk. Yaaaay!

Track Check: Rudimental - Feel The Love

Been listening to this pretty much all weekend. The guy singing on this track has, in my opinion, got vibes. Plus the video is what I would presume to be Gypsies. Although these ones are infinitely cooler than the ones we get in England, purely on the facts that they are:

                   A: American.
                   B: Roll around on horses.
                   C: Look awesome on said horses.
                   D: They are the only people who I have seen pull off bling and horses at the same time.

Bugerac Blog

I love burgers. You love burgers. Everyone loves a burger at some point during their life. Now where would you go in London to find the best one? Do not worry because Burgerac is here to help.

My friend Sly loves his food (he's Asian) and is always looking for the next best thing in food. But basically loves a good bit of meat shoved between two buns........ So I was glad when he sent me a link to this blog. From what I can tell it is one guy hot on the trail for the best burger in town (they do London/NYC mainly, but every now and then go further a field). The blog it's self is cool, featuring mouth watering pictures of some amazing/unbelievable burgers. It also gives reviews of just simply burgers, not bothering with talking about the restaurants 'aesthetics,' but getting down to the heart of what they love best. As this blog has gathered steam with interviews in Zeitgeist Magazine and featured in The Guardian's weekly pullout section Guide Internet Picks of the Week, they have developed an app with Blue Crow Media so it makes it that much easier for you to "locate' the nearest decent burger to you. Very helpful on a Saturday if you've got that stinking hangover and want to chow down on something succulent. So I hope I have lead you to what could be the taste discovery of your life or if you don't eat meat reading this post was a pure waste of time. Sorry.

Follow the links:

Burgerac Blog: www.burgerac.com

Burgerac App: www.burgerac.com/p/burgerapp.html

Film Trailer: Snow White and The Huntsman

So this is coming out soon and for a film about Snow White, this looks pretty badass. I would quite like to see what Kristen Stewart acting skills can do apart from teenage angst and moody bitch. It will also be interesting to see what Chris Hemsworth can do as The Huntsman, after the success of Thor and The Avengers.

Track Check: Disclosure - What's In Your Head

My friends over at Eton Messy found this gem of a track the other day and sent it to me. The track is by Disclosure and is called 'What's In Your Head' (the video is 'fan' made but I bet it's a really old guy who rubbed his knees so hard whilst making the video he got 1st degree burns, you'll see what I mean....).

P.S. There's a point in this video where it has a lot of flashing images. They did not warn me about this and I blacked out and woke up in a tent. So you have been warned!

Track Check: We Are Augustines - Juarez

Caught this track on the radio a few times over the last week or so. Looked them up and there actually quite good. Had a new album out back in March called "Rise Ye Sunken Ships." I haven't listened to it yet but tried out a few of there tracks on Youtube and the other that really stood out for me was a song called "Chapel Song." Give it ago, you might like it.

Podcast Post: Rankin Radio

So the poshest man in Dubstep, High Rankin has started making a weekly radio show/podcast. You can find it on Speaker.com and it's normally broadcast from about 9PM (GMT). It's a combination of music, dubstep/drum & bass with occasional other genres thrown in. But what got me listening to it in the first place was the man's style of comedy. He has parts of the show in which he get his Mum aka 'Mumma Ranks' to review new tracks, we get a poem from Batman LDN (hilarious Twitter account from a crime fighting badass from East London) we also get Filthy Ken dubplates and the dubstep complaint line. With High Rankin setting himself weekly chalenges we get a real insight into warped dickensian mind of a middle class white guy from Brighton. Enjoy.

Film Trailer: The Campaign

So I have decided to start posting trailers of up and coming films I like the look of. So to start off with I thought we would go with a comedy. In the future I'm not going to bother talking about them because then there wouldn't be any point in film trailers. Let's see how it goes.

Film Review: American Reunion

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Film Review: The Hunger Games

Warning: Many contain slight spoilers. (And the grammer and punctuation could possibly be a tad shit)


So if you haven't already heard by now a film has come out and it has taken the world by storm. In it's opening weekend in America it took $155 million, that became the biggest tally for a film that isn't a sequel and comes in as the 3rd best opening weekend for a film ever. (Behind the final Harry Potter film and The Dark Knight.)

Quick summary: In a not-too-distant future, North America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcast throughout Panem. The 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss' young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives.


It's been said that writer of The Hunger Games trilogy Suzanne Collins was once mindlessly flicking between TV programes. One channel was showing people competing in a reality TV show and on the other there was footage of the invasion of the Iraq war, the shows began to blur into one and the basis of the book was formed. So this sparked her to write a book. Seems weird. 


Any who, the film does the book justice. It submerges the audience in the world of Panem right from the get go. We see District 12 is clearly pretty shit and it looks like every one has a hard time of getting by in life (boo hoo). The Capitol is clearly not having any sort of economic crisis that the other districts are having and all is good for them.


But this film isn't really about the economics of the world of Panem (although that would make a rather interesting BBC 4 documentary, because there isn't much else worth showing on BBC 4). It's all about the GAMES! Our heroin Katniss is prepared for the games in that she is taught fighting techniques, camouflage skills and for some reason she is given a leg wax?!?!?! (Didn't see the point in that when she was expected to die.... Could have at least used those leg waxing strips on some girl who might have gone to a cluuuuuurb and benefited from them.) So then she plods her way around some forrest and does some serious killing. THAT GIRL GOT SOME SERIOUS BOW HUNTING SKILLS! I'M TALKING LEGOLAS SHIT! 


We see on the other Districts and their horrified reactions to what is going on in the games and on the flip-side we see The Capitol and the people watching there and how entertained they are by the whole event. It made made me feel quite sick, but if I was in there shoes I would probably be getting drunk and watching, thanking the lord Jesus Christ that it wasn't fucking me in there. This is a nice twist because in the book we only get what's going from Katniss point of view. Given an outsiders view gives the film a bit more depth. There are other parts of the film that have been added to make it more than just a point of view story, but you will have to go watch it or read the book to find out what they are.


When the film was released there was some big huuu-haaa about releasing a film about kids killing kids, especially in America what with the Columbine massacre and various other high school tragedies in the recent years. Now this is where I have a problem. I watched various interviews and read articles from American psychologists saying that this was a film which parents shouldn't go let there kids see. Why you might ask? Well these so called psychologists were saying that some children might become inflicted and would carry out 'copy-Kat' (see what I did there!) scenarios. SERIOUSLY? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!? If you think your child might copy what happens on screen of a big budget blockbuster then you should just lock you kid in a dark room or take it to a councillor and get him/her checked over. It all boils down to the same old argument "Is popular-culture killing our children?" But that is one hell of a question I am not going to answer now because I don't have the answer and even if I did wouldn't tell you. Apparently to get the film rating down to a 12-A in the United Kingdom, the film had to edit out some of the blood and things like that. But from what I saw they didn't really bother. There was quite a lot of blood splattering about the place. I if you watch the scene where this kid gets his neck snapped and you don't squirm at it, your are made of steel and probably don't have a soul.


In the end I really liked this film, Jennifer Lawrence did a good job (but she did a better job in Winter's Bone) and cameos from Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley and Woody Harrelson make up a great cast. But hats off to Donald Sutherland for a creepily good performance of President Snow, he sent chills up my spine.

Track Check: Jack Beats ft. Donaeo - You Should Know

Another banger from Jack Beats. Vocal nod goes to Donaeo. Do check out the remix by Shogun Audio head honcho Friction. Still waiting on album realease date but expect it around the summer. (Yeah it's well vague guess, that's so don't get it wrong and I can tell some of you are saying "But we don't have a summer" well that was part of the plan to. Muhahahahahahaha)

Jack Beats ft. Donaeo - You Should Know (Friction Remix)

Track Check: S.O.W. (Sons of War) - Kid Fury & Sonorous

Another one from Kid Fury & Sonorous! This time the production nod goes to Sam Zircon. This ones heavier than the last. But this is one sick track. Enjoy.

Track Check: Round The Twists Vs Krywolf - 3001 (Kissy Klub Version)

On Thursday night one of my favourte Dj's gracefully bowed out of Radio 1. Kissy Sell Out had been maning the decks at Radio 1 for 3 years (to the day) on the Thursday 12-2 slot. He parted company on a high with the most popular INDJWT (In New Dj's We Trust) show. Kissy was the first ever DJ I took note of. His remix for a Bolt Action Five (Anyone remember them?) did the rounds in most north/east London bar (I was 16 so it was any bar that would fucking serve me) and got me realising that I had a passion/obsession for dance music. I think he will be missed from Radio 1, cause his show got away with anything. It was jump up, rock and rave and it sounded like he was always having the best time when DJ'ing.

It will always be toe tag time in teen ville for me!

Film Trailer: Prometheus

This is going to be a huge contender for my personal film of the year. (Along with The Hunger Games, The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises and The Hobbit) Having Ridley Scott say that 'Prometheus' was originally called "Untitled Alien Prequel' and at Comic-Con of last year stated that 'Prometheus and Alien shared similar DNA,' this gets me hoping that Scott has made a film which can live up to it's DNA sharing 'sequel.' Alien is still considered as one of the greats when people are talking Science fiction. I just hope that this will live up to it's reputation. (Unlike certain men from Mars named John Carter!) 

Track Check: Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs- Tapes & Money (Casino Times Remix)

First remix from Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs up and coming EP "Tapes & Money," with Casino Times going in on the remix duties. Casino Times are duo Nick Church and Joe Spencer. Thrown together at University in Oxford and bound by their love for electronic music and old disco records, these guys are going places!

EP out 2nd April on Polydor. Remix package to be announced soon.

Track Check: TAI - 'At The Disco' (Kissy Sellout's Skippin School Remix)

A bit of a banging remix from everyone's favourite Essex DJ, Kissy Sell Out. (Also head-honcho of San City High). Also if you ain't heard of TAI go check him out. Soon to be released on DIM MAK Records.

Album Review: Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again

Having won the BBC Sound of 2012 award at the start of the year, could we really expect such an amazing album from Michael Kiwanuka? Previous winners of the award have been the likes of Adele, Ellie Goulding and Jessie J. I am not saying that these guys made amazing albums, in fact far from it in my opinion, but they did take the nation by storm.

Michael Kiwanuka is a confessional singer-songwriter in an age dominated by the likes of Adele: in the absence of a collapsed relationship to feel anguished about, Kiwanuka's songs concern themselves with matters of a more spiritual nature. Dig a little deeper into he lyrics of the album and you start to realise that the album is a tad God-bothering but this isn't a bad thing. There was a time that an album so God-bothering would have turned the UK main stream buyers off. But with the likes of Mumford & Sons sneaking religious lyrics into there happy brand of 'British folk rock', you can't say that their album sales got a knocking.


Track one of the album is jazzy and starts with a Jazz Flute. Title track Home Again has a soft mellow rock feel that Jack Johnson would be happy to release. And there are airs of 60s and 70s hippie feel about the album. It doesn't feel like it's just a black guy with a guitar, in some songs theres a drum beat which has a Bon Iver territory and it starts to get a bit hazy and magical.


So to sum up my thoughts, basically I really like this album. It's has a feel of Bill Withers, Otis Reading and John Martyn all rolled into one. I would file this under 'easy-listening Sunday music.' And that is not a bad thing. No sir not one bit.


M favourite track from the album:

Game of Thrones: The return is imminent and 'War is Comming.'

Game of Thrones is to make a return to our screens in a matter of weeks and boy am I excited. Having watched the last series and loved every episode of it I am very much looking forward to see how they pull off season two with the same intensity as season one.

I saw adverts on TV for the first season and didn't know anything about the series apart from that it had been adapted from a book called 'A Game of Thrones.' (And that is had Sean Bean in it and he is DON) This is the first book in a series of books called 'A Song of Fire and Ice' written by George R.R. Martin. So I decided to do a bit of digging and it turned out that 'A Song of Fire and Ice' series was HUGE in the fantasy book world. The first book had been released in 1991 ans since then there have been a total of seven books released all at eight hundred plus pages.

I decided to read the first and second books to see what all the fuss was about. To put it simply these books had me hooked. I couldn't put the bloody thing down. (I know that it is what books are supposed to do but if you have ever read tried to read Captain Corelli's Mandolin you will see what I mean, I didn't fucking care about any of the characters so I threw it in the bin! Fuck you Louis de Bernieres)


So even though I know what is going to happen in the up coming series, it's still going to be interesting to see how HBO film such an epic book with such a restrained budget. The first season was transferred really well from book to screen. Where there were supposed to be epic battle scenes the directors simply glanced over them. If you had read the book then you would have known that there's blood/gore/death and other variants of what you would expect to find in war. But the show makers managed to find cleaver ways round having to film massive scenes like this and getting round there lack of budget.


So roll on April for what I think could be one of the best TV series we get this year. Oh and by the way WAR IS COMING! (As if you haven't already been told enough times by the adds)

MIxtape: Herve - 'Ghetto Bass Volume 1'

Kony 2012

Thanks to Lucy over at Subtle Tea blog for bringing this to my attention. KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony (a reble leader who has been committing crimes against the people of Uganda for 20 years and has gone unchallenged) famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice. 

I was shocked at some of the footage in the video, but it needs to be shown for people to understand the severity of what is going on in Uganda and what Joseph Kony is doing to that country. So be warned.

Definitely half an hour well spent.

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.


To show your support go to the Invisible Children website: www.InvisibleChildren.com


Follow what Invisible Children are up to on Twitter: @Invisible

Mixtape: Da Chip - 'Da Chip Volumes 1 & 2'

Ever wondered what a mixtape containing Daft Punks records would sound like? It would sound pretty awesome. Now how you ever wondered what a mixtape containing Daft Punks records would sound like if they were all reworked in 8bit versions. No me neither, but some French guys did and it's like listening to Daft Punk if they released their tracks on nothing but Game Boy cartridges.




Below is Da Chip's second volume of Daft Punk 8bit versions. Enjoy. (If you listened to the first mixtape in full the I suggest you take a well deserved break incase you start seeing 8bit, which will eventually lead to seeing in binary code followed closely by death)



Their website: dachip.com/download.html

Hit up Da Chip's Soundclound page here: soundcloud.com/dachip

I hope you were as confused as me when listening to these bizarre 8bit tracks.

Track Check: Sway - 'Level Up' (Fake Blood Remix)

Bbbaaannngggeeerrrr!

Coming straight off the 'Level Up' EP from Sway. Fake Blood is consistently killing every remix he throws out. This one os up there with some of his best.




Follow Fake Blood on twitter: @IamFakeBlood

Follow Sway on twitter: @SwayUK

Mixtape: Skream - '130bpm Set'

Straight banging set from Skream. Only tunes round about the 130bpm mark. Not a dubstep track in sight. (Whoop Whoop!)


With tracks from Boddika, Para One, Braodinski and Drums of Death, it's worth a listen.

Mixtape: Redlight - 'Redlight Music'

A mix tape full of Redlight tracks and some sneaky exclusive in there to.




For more information on what Redlight is up to check out his website:

www.redlightmusic.co.uk

Redlight on Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/redlight-uk

Follow Redlight on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/UKREDLIGHT

Track(s) Check: Jack Beats: 'Dubs For Clubs'

Jack Beats have started to finish up there first album. No date as of yet when it's getting released, but they were kind enough to give you the chance to get your hands on some of the tracks that they've been dropping in their sets since 2009. Some are festival exclusives others you may recognise as unreleased remixes/reworks.

You can download the 'Dubs For Clubs' tracks on their SoundCloud page. Some many have hit their download limit already, but all are worth listening to anyway. Plus there's some other tracks on there you won't have heard.

Jack Beats - 'Make The People' (Dubs For Clubs: Part 1)

Jack Beats- 'Deeper' (Dubs For Clubs: Part 2)

Film Review: Chronicle

So today is a leap-year, everyone was saying that everyone else should do something 'cool' and 'fun' with that extra day they have been given. Some people actually get to celebrate their Birthday for the first time in four years (Happy Birthday to you if you are one of those people) and dudes get to be proposed to. My birthday is a January and I don't have a girlfriend to propose to me (PHEW!). But I did however go to see 'Chronicle' and it was insanely good.

2012 is set to be one of the biggest years for blockbuster movies, with films such as The Dark Knight Rises ($150 million), The Amazing Spider-Man ($130 Million), The Avengers ($80 Million) and Men In Black 3 ($200 Million) it's hard to see how a low budget ($12 Million) science fiction film, with a virgin feature length film director could even get noticed amongst all the comic book commotion. Easy, make it an intelligently written drama first, and an explosive spectacle second.

The film is based around three high school friends with the protagonist called Andrew, played brilliantly by Dane DeHaan, Andrews' philosophical babbling cousin Matt and soon to be class President Steve (Steve is that guy at school who is good at everything and every time you see him you hope he falls over).

Andrew gets hold of a video camera and decides to start filming everything! The camera creeps everyone out but they become the three best friends anyone could have when they come across an underground energy source and develop next level awesome telekinesis powers.

The three high school friends use these powers to pull of a string of laugh out loud pranks on unknowing members of the public. Scaring kids with floating teddy bears, throwing balls at each other with mad accuracy. But not everyone can be happy forever and a film with a tag line "It's all fun and games until EVERYONE get's hurt," you just know something bad is going to happen.

But like I said this is a film with a budget and that budget has been put to good use. It's Andrews han held camera that gives us the way the film is shot, I think it's known as 'found footage.' (Blair Witch Project/Cloverfield style) This is where Trank stands out, he plays with the genre and comes up with inventive ways of shooting the film. The super powers enable the trio of friends to levitate the camera over their shoulder or Trank would use black and white security footage to show what was going on. 

At roughly 90 minutes long 'Chronicle' comes up trumps in that it isn't a three hour, crass, over sexualisation of a childhood toy with borderline racist punchlines for jokes (see the last three Michael Bay films which involve a company called Hasbro and you will know what I mean!!!!!!!) 'Chronicle's' pace has to be quick to fit everything in. Setting up the story takes time but it makes you feel like you have an invested interest in what happens to these characters. But nothing is missed out and every action taken by the three protagonists makes sense because the film makers have taken time in setting up the backstories and personalities. 

'Chronicle's' sequence which best describes the film is when Andrew takes to the stage and uses his powers to show off a series of magic tricks. Start small and ending big. But just as a true showman works, he starts off and seems to be failing which provokes the audience to heckle until he finds his feet and at the end has the audience whooping and a hollering, as one of the biggest looser in school becomes it's biggest legend!

So arriving at the start of the year in what some of the well established film magazines are calling the 'biggest year for blockbusters EVER,' which are going to be sequels, prequels, comic book adaptations, special effects heavy, 'this film cost so much we could have bailed out Greece and Spain' monstrosities, it's 'Chronicle' they are going to have to beat.

See the full trailer:

Track Check: 'Dem Onez' by Tiamat ft. Sonorous & Kid Fury

Another quick one as I haven't posted in a while, mainly because I ain't had anything to talk about. But I got dropped a link the other day from one of Oxfords finnest Hip-Hop DJ's Kid Fury.

It's by Tiamat ft. Sonorous & Kid Fury called 'Dem Onez'


Enjoy.

       

Follow Kid Fury on Twitter @MrFury


Follow Sonorous on Twitter @SonorousHIPHOP

Mixtape: Mumdance - 'Different Circles Level 2'

Just a quick one. I got hold of this through the Mad Decent website and it's straight banging mixtape. With exclusives from Mumdance, Luckybeard and Roy Apron,  it's definitely worth a listen.

Enjoy.

Film Review: The Muppets

             So a week before The Muppets was released nationwide I was privy to a private screening at a secret location. It was an event a nerdy website called Den of Geek ran. (It's worth checking out because they get the scoops on a lot of British cinema stuff). I have been to one of these 'private' screenings before for a film called 'Sucker Punch,' thank god those tickets were free because that was the worst film I have ever seen at the cinema.

But I went to this screening of The Muppets and I fucking loved it and here's why. Firstly we haven't had a Muppet outing since the dreadful 'Muppets From Space,' I don't know why I hate that movie, I just do. But before that we had two amazing films, 'Muppet Treasure Island' and Muppet Christmas Carol.' The Muppets is effectively a reboot, a wiping of the slate clean if you will, if comic book heroes can do it why can't lovable felt puppets do it?

At the start of the film we meet Walter clearly a Muppet from his felt texture and his inability to grow during a short montage about his early childhood years with brother Gary (Jason Segal). It's not explained how these two are brothers, just accepted. As plot lines go it's  basic "bad guy wants to destroy the studio for money, gang must reform and save it,"  but this is just a mask for the reunion. As the band start reforming with Kermit the first to return I started to realize just how many of the muppets I knew by name and face. There was Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Sam Eagle, Rizzo the Rat, Gonzo, Animal, Beaker and Pepe The King Prawn are just a few to name. This sets the film of to a great pace and gives it a direction which was what was lacking in Muppets From Space due to the back drop of 'space' they were given. Give the Muppets a small set and you leave them nothing else to do but just be weird at each other like blowing themselves up or inventing 'fart shoes.'

Credit where credit is due, Jason Segal and co-writer Nicholas Stoller have hit the nail on the head with this film. They could have made unlimited jokes about Gary and Walters questionable relationship as brothers, but they don't, instead focusing on the bigger picture like with cast members bursting into song every 10 minutes. (most of the songs were written by Bret McKenzie who did Flight of the Concords) The musical numbers in the film are worth a mention. With the big numbers which involve the entirety of "Smalltown" called 'Life's A Happy Song' which includes everyone from the postman to the butcher to the local tramp dancing in synchronization on the only set of crossroads in Smalltown, to the small numbers like 'Party of One' which is Amy Adam's ballad of how she is slowly loosing her boyfriend. The other notable musical number is The Muppets Barbershop quartet's rendition of Nirvanas' 'Smells Like Teen-spirit' with Breaker mee-mooing his way through a classic.

So with Segal, Stoller and James Bobin (he also did Flight of the Concords) The Muppets are back to what they do best and that is putting on a show and being useless. Fozzie Bear isn't funny, Gonzo can't get any of his stunts right and Kermit seems to be singing with a ping-pong ball stuck half way down his throat. The Muppets don't know there acts are rubbish, but it's the naivety and belief in themselves we salute them for.

There are plenty of celebrity cameos to go with this film just like The Muppet Show of old. But The Muppet Show used to grab big name stars such as Bob Hope. But the film couldn't grab many A-listers and 'settled' for a lot of recognisable faces (some celebrity kids in there apparently I had know idea who they were). Emily Blunt is probably the best cameo doing a secretary throw back to when she was in The Devil Wears Prada, she would be the funniest. The film builds this ever growing expectation that someone huge is going to turn up.......................................They never do. But the Muppets doesn't rest on big name Hollywood stars to save the film, they do this completely by themselves. Jason Segal, Amy Adams and Chris Cooper do really well acting next to puppets but they are background in this film and it's The Muppets that really stand out.

So parts of the film loose there way and others parts don't hit credible punch lines. But as kids films go this is one based for adults. The jokes are subtle and in your face at the same time. It seems to me that this film really has recaptured the heart and imagineation of what The Muppets set out to bring all those years ago and that is to create "laughter, which is the third best thing in the world, after children and ice cream," Kermit The Frog, 2011.

Album Review: The 2 Bears - Be Strong

So after a very successful 2011, we finally get the release of The 2 Bears album 'Be Strong'.

From their first release way back in 2010 the Curious Nature EP, I was expecting big things. I was not disappointed when they dropped the Bear Hug EP back last June. But it was the Work EP that really grabbed my attention early 2012 and got me hyped for an album release.

The album is a walk into what I think could be the happiest paired brains on the plannet (apart from one track but keep reading). It has light hearted harmonies twinned with easy to listen vocals for two of the burliest men in South London. It combines country, dancehall, 2-step, house with a smidgen of dare I say 'world music.' (I fucking hate the term world music, I believe it was invented in East London by hipsters who listen to a Gypsy Kings greatest hits album once and decided that they would tell people they listen to only world music!!!!!)

Title track 'Be Strong' is a massive shout out to influences, collaborators and friends. Starts 'GIVE THE MUSIC ALL YOU LOVIN' and is a gentle reminder that music is what you want it to be and that don't listen to what is deemed cool, but what you like.

'Bear Hug' is of course last summers club banger. (If you didn't hear it then you need to question your musical taste in the summer of 2011........) It's house/2-step combined with cheery vocal section about shagging under the moon with a bear (may have paraphrased a bit.) Also if you haven't checked out the video then it's worth a watch. It's like GMTV crossed with a work out routine video.

'Time In Mind' is Raf Rundells' country influenced, dancehall beat story telling of a "shameful and torrid passage of his life." But sung to an infectious tune that you will be whistling after your first listen, it almost feels wrong to dance to such a track that seems so sad. They did a session video for The Guardian with this track watch it HERE.

I really enjoyed this album and it will be in my CD player for along time (yeah I still buy CDs). It's got 13 tracks on it that you can just sit back and listen to with having to 'skip.' I am in no way saying it's simply back ground music. If you have heard 'Bear Hug' or 'Work'  in a club then you will understand that it is dance music, but a light hearted form. I dare you to try and resist the temptation of dancing when hearing the more upbeat tracks of the album.

Safe.

P.S. My favourite remixed track from the album, only on the 'Curious Nature' (Remixes) - EP.

To buy the album click HERE.

Follow The 2 Bear on Twitter : @followthebears

Follow me on Twitter: @Teddov

The Chemical Brothers: Don't Think

So on the 3rd of February The Chemical Brothers will be releasing their very own 'concert movie/documentary.'

Long time visuals collaborator Adam Smith (who can also take credit for a lot of other things like episodes of Dr Who, Skins (1st series), numerous music videos for The Chemical Brothers, The Streets, Jamie T and Wiley) filmed The Chemical Brothers set at Japan's Fuji Rock festival.

But it's not your standard concert film/documentary. Smith follows members of the audience around the festival and takes his mind blowing visuals to the masses.

It is set to be a concert movie of epic proportions. Not the first concert movie to boast something like Dolby 7:1 surround sound, but it is the first Dolby 7:1 surround sound film to be mixed down by The Chemical Brothers. So bring you ear plugs because I think they may just turn it up to 11!


Talking in a press conference Tom Rowlands (One half of The Chemical Brothers) states: 


"In the recording of a single show – a single night on a Japanese mountainside – Adam Smith, our long time collaborator, has managed to capture the atmosphere of a very special festival appearance.  Come see how it feels to feel, be overwhelmed, intoxicated, swoonerated…Surrender to the void”


"Don't Think" film trailer.

And if your interested in what Adam Smith previous work consists of than have a look here. It's pretty interesting stuff and a lot of it you will recognise. Plus he works on episodes of Dr Who, therefore this guys quite the hero in my books.

Safe.

First order of service!

So I am a huge fan of LCD SoundSystem. I wept a little when I saw LCD play at Bestival back in 2010. It was a small but perfectly formed crowd, stupid people had gone to see The Prodigy instead, which was just stupid. After that summer they did a final set of "goodbye" dates in there favourite cities they loved to play, rounding off there tour with three sold out nights at Madison Square Gardens.

I also love Hot Chip. Seen them a fare few times and they never cease to amaze me at how talented they are.

Both bands have now has several different side projects running weather it be in film or music.

Musically there are the following:

The 2 Bears: are London based producers Joe Goddard (the big hairy one of Hot Chip fame) and DJ Raf Rundell.
These guys have an album up and coming and you can stream it here from The Guardian.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2012/jan/17/2-bears-be-strong-album-stream

This is my favourite track by them:

I say it could just be the sound of Spring, but don't hold me to that.

Alexis Taylor (the guy with the specs and who sings the high notes on all Hot Chip records) released an album called "Start and Complete" with his side project About Group. I haven't listened to it. And apparently Alexis scored a film. I haven't seen that either. END OF!

And finally we come to a really exciting group called 'NEW BUILD.' These guys were formally known as Lanark (glad the decided to change). They released one track back in August 2011 called 'Finding Reasons.'

When I hear more info I will let you know. Safe.