Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows

With the popularity of detective shows such as CSI and Law & Order, it's not surprising that there would be movies based on the most legendary mystery series ever. His name is literally synonymous with 'detective.' But the timelessness of the books does not necessarily insure the success of the films.

Do you remember that boxing scene in the first Sherlock Holmes movie? Where he plans out his moves in his head and the camera speed goes from really fast to really slow a couple times? If you're familiar with that clip, you've already seen half of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. The repeated use of this effect becomes a gimmick within the first thirty minutes of the movie. Every other scene is filled with dark, fast, and confusing clips.  I have to admit, the boxing scene in the first movie was pretty cool. I hadn't really seen anything like it before. But now it seems like they're only using it as an excuse to show every fight scene twice.

Trailers are very important and I'm not talking about those motor homes. A movie trailer has to make someone want to pay to see it without giving away all of the exciting parts. It's a very delicate thing that can make or break a movie. With this one, I felt like I already knew the secrets about every situation they were in. 'There's a guy in the rafters. It's Sherlock cross-dressing. Watson has to make the shot count. They're going to run through the woods.' The trailer gave away all of the little mysteries in a mystery movie.

Being based on a book series, the story was well-done. I must admit that I have not read all of the Sherlock stories by Arthur Conan Doyle so I cannot attest to the movie's faithfulness. But if the story was modified (which I'm sure it was) they did a fairly good job of making it compelling and interesting to the audience.

This storyline takes place in 1891. Why do they all have perfect teeth? White as a pearl and straight as a ruler. They're English for godsakes! He's not supposed to have Robert Downey Jr.'s celebrity teeth! It was very distracting.

In some cases, people say 'read the book before you see the movie.' In this situation, just read the book. Don't bother with the movie.

The Black Keys - El Camino

Before I talk about the new Black Keys album, El Camino, I need to talk about The Ramones. When The Ramones were around, the music world was filled with disco. There was a lot of popular electronic music. The world needed something that was catchy but also raw and powerful. The Ramones fit the bill. They only knew how to play one kind of song. Listen to their greatest hits and you'll see what I mean. In retrospect, they weren't great songwriters at all but they were able to provide human, catchy rock that saved the world from disco.

Fast-forward to today. Eight of the top-ten songs on iTunes are based on synthesizers and computers. Kids are listening to dubstep. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of great things in music that can be done with computers and electronics. But nothing can replace the humanity and roughness of rock. The Black Keys are what we need. They are The Ramones of today, saving us from the endless drone of robotic-tronica.

The comparison does not stop there. The Black Keys do sound a little repetitive at times. Blues-rock can only take you so far before you need to make some serious innovations and it wouldn't be a stretch to say that many of their songs sound the same. But that doesn't stop them from writing some seriously fantastic songs like "Little Black Submarines" which transitions from a slow acoustic ballad to a rolling jam. Definitely my favorite song from this album. The lead single, "Lonely Boy," is a fun pop song with an excellent guitar riff towards the end. It also has one of my favorite music videos of the year.

Producer Danger Mouse has done a great job once again. He also produced The Black Keys' last album, the very successful Brothers. The sound is tight, smooth and it plays great loud. This is the kind of album that you just leave in your car's stereo for two weeks because it makes you feel like a total badass when you listen to it while driving. It's a versatile kind of music that can fit any mood you're in. It matches your sorrow when you're upset and it makes you dance when you're happy. It can be a soundtrack to your rage and it can also improve your general level of cool when you're trying to impress someone. It's like a thermos. Hot stays hot, cool stays cool.

If you've been listening to them for years, it might be a just a tad boring. But if you're a new fan, this is the album to get. That and Rubber Factory.

The Ladykillers

 Recently I've been trying to watch all of the Joel & Ethan Coen movies. I find them to be extremely creative and excellently directed. I'm also a big fan of dark comedies and the Coen's are pretty much the definition of dark comedy.

The Ladykillers is a 2004 remake of a 1955 british comedy. It's about a very smart professor (played by the legendary Tom Hanks) who has come up with a perfect crime in a small southern town. With his team of relative strangers, he intends to dig a tunnel through a basement to get to a casino vault. It's a flawless plan except for the fact that the owner is a church-going southern manners kind of woman who doesn't allow cursing or smoking in her house let alone felonies.

The cinematography is beautiful and uses many creative and innovative shots my favorite of which is a first-person view of a football player. Just like their 2000 hit O, Brother Where Art Thou?, the Coen's provide a very fitting soundtrack. This one combines gospel and a little hip-hop in a way that always makes sense with the events on screen.

The acting is very believable. The main character is played by Tom Hanks so there's obviously no problem there. Surprisingly, Marlon Wayans (Don't Be A Menace) is very tolerable in this film. I like to think that Hanks was giving him a few pointers on the set. His character is pretty classic Wayans but toned down to fit a darker film.

If you're in the mood for a dark comedy or a heist, I recommend this film. It made me laugh but also made me question whether or not a professor can outsmart a senior woman who follows God.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

I didn't have very high expectations when I walked into the theatre to see Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. It's been a while since I've seen a good blockbuster spy movie and this one seemed pretty blockbuster. I also wasn't sure that Tom Cruise still had it in him. I was delightfully surprised to find that I was wrong.

Starting with the opening titles, it was apparent that this Mission Impossible movie was not aiming to be incredibly modern but nostalgic. "Light the fuse," says  Cruise. The opening titles follow a lit fuse and play the classic theme song, just like the TV show. While there are quite a lot of computers in this movie, it's not all about hacking like other newer action films such as Live Free or Die Hard. It still had the elements of a classic spy movie. Letter drops, disguises, gadgets, and Russians. Speaking of gadgets, did you know you can make a hologram wall using an iPad? It's amazing what you can do with product placements these days.

The plot revolves around the Russian nuclear launch codes being stolen by a crazed man who believes that the world will be stronger after a nuclear war (similar to Ozymandias in Watchmen.) There are several great action scenes including a car chase, the world's tallest building, and a parking garage with an automatic valet system. There were at least two gasp-worthy "oh shit" moments and countless instances of bone cracking.

Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead) plays the humorous geek character very well. I hope that we get to see that Brit make more appearances in the next few years. I can't help but attribute this movie's awesomeness to director Brad Bird (The Incredibles) and producer J.J. Abrams (Lost, Star Trek.) There was also a subtle reference to Lost with the line "whatever happened, happened." Abrams doesn't appear to forget about his fans.

Cruise has still got it, Abrams has still got it, Pegg has definitely still got it and I'd say the franchise has at least one more strong film in store for the future.

Bob Log III @ Off Broadway

      Opener Mr. Free and the Satellite Freakout was really something else. I've never witnessed a lead singer take his mic with him upstairs, into the bathroom, and out the front door all while singing. The craziest part? It wasn't a wireless microphone. He was dragging this thing on a cable throughout the whole venue, frequently serenading the audience one person at a time. Despite the strangeness, the band sounded cool too, spanning several genres including circus music. I might describe it as weird hardcore (weirdcore? Is that a thing?)
     Bob Log III is a blues musician. That's the simple way of putting it. He's a one man band. Also, he always wears the helmet and jumpsuit. Seeing him in concert is definitely an experience. At first I was really intrigued by the absurdity of the whole thing. He can barely see out of the helmet and his songs are mostly about sex and "doing whatever the hell you want." But then, as the show continued, I became incredibly impressed with the music and the skill it takes to perform that music. It's pretty hard to concentrate on singing, guitar, kick drum, high-hat, two drum-machines, and a clap pedal at the same time. My eyes couldn't even follow his left hand.
    Audience participation? At every show he invites two girls to sit on his knees while he plays his hit song, "I Want Your Shit On My Leg."
     "This one is for the ladies. And when I say ladies, I mean ladies named Shirley. Any Shirley's out there? No? No Shirley's? Well shit, this song ain't gonna fuckin work."
     I'm serious when I say that the last true bluesman is not Jack White or The Black Keys. It's Bob Log III. Isn't that what the blues was all about? Being the only person in your band, drinking, and acting crazy? 
   Here's a music video to help you understand what it's all about.

    Before the show, I was able to get a brief interview with Mr. Log himself. He laid on a couch while I sat down. I was like a therapist, trying to understand his insanity.


Anti-Formula: How old were you when you learned to play guitar and how did you learn?
Bob Log III: Well, I first started to play guitar when I was eleven. Umm, I didn't necessarily LEARN to play guitar when I was eleven but I started. And how did I learn? I just picked it up, put on a record and started just making noise  like the record was making, or tried to anyway. Just start hitting it. "Beat that thing every fuckin day," that was the plan.


AF: Where are you from and where do you live now?
BL: I'm from Tuscon, Arizona but I live in Melbourne, Australia.


AF: Is it true that the toilets flow backwards in Australia?
BL: I've never seen that happen because we don't have a swirley toilet, we've just got a whoooosh! toilet. It just all goes straight.


AF: Besides Evel Knievel, what are some of your influences?
BL: Well, Angus from AC/DC. I kinda liked Superman when I was a kid. And, uh, I like pole-vaulters. I think that they do a good job getting over that pole.


AF: They do. They are some of the most underrated athletes, I think.
BL: Right, right. And it's kind of a sport you kinda have to do alone. There's no real "team" pole-vaulting. And I'm not saying that there shouldn't be team sports, that's great. I play like pole-vaulting of music. It's kinda like you kinda gotta be alone to do it the way it's done right. This thing, anyway.


AF: If you weren't a musician or a pole-vaulter, what would you be?
BL: Yeah, I have no idea. I've never even thought about that. Hmm... nope, no idea. [laughs] Never occurred to me.

AF: Alright, that's all I got. Thank you very much.
BL: Alright, Dakota. That was very easy! Thank you very much, man.

     I'd like to end this one with a quote from the show last night. I want it to be the epitaph on my tombstone.

"I ain't done yet, goddamit." - Bob Log III

Mildred and The Mice - I Like My Mice (Dead)

There is a shroud of mystery that surrounds the musical act Mildred and The Mice. Jack White, the album's producer, has given us one story about a hardware store, a Winnebago, and a lack of artist info but I have some doubts. It's a wonderful story and I hope it's true but I just can't be sure. However, I know that they created a 45 single and that's what I'm going to talk about.

I picked this up at Vintage Vinyl knowing nothing about Mildred or her mice. I just knew that Jack White is one of my favorite producers and the girl on the front looks crazy. Awesome.

"I Like My Mice (Dead)" is a very simple song containing only two or three chords. It begins with Mildred singing in "meows" with some instruments behind it. Everything stops and the guitar comes back with a different riff. The ultimate stomp beat, Mildred shouts about killing mice. The guitars sound naturally distorted, a common theme with Jack White. After a few great screams, the tempo really picks up. If you listen, you can tell that Mildred barely has any breathe. She makes this kind of face-melting noise towards the end.

The B-Side, "Spider Bite," also starts with some excellent meowing. The song is very slow and scary as Mildred sings lyrics that are similar to "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" except the spider sneaks into houses and bites children. Then she sings about a cat that comes along and kills some more mice, a common theme in Mildred's small discography. Very quickly the song changes back into the fast tempo of "I Like My Mice (Dead)" and the entire song changes. That's right, the B-Side turns into the A-Side.

"I Like My Mice (Dead)" is out now on Third Man Records. The mystery of this record only makes it more exciting. I think it's pretty interesting, funny, bold, and a great way to make your friends very concerned. I only pray that Mildred hasn't already murdered the rest of her band...

Foo Fighters @ Scottrade Center

Photo courtesy of Danny Hommes

     A band as big as Foo Fighters typically has two openers so let's get that out of the way first.
     Mariachi El Bronx, the alter-ego of hardcore band The Bronx (it's a little confusing; they're not even from the Bronx, they're from LA), took the stage in their matching black and red mariachi outfits. While at first a little confused, I was pleased to hear their unique sound. They combined mariachi and punk music in a really cool way. Their drummer, a Buddy Holly look-alike, played a cocktail kit that sounded awesome. It was clear that the whole band was having a blast.
     What can I say about Rise Against? The bass player was solid. The singer had a lot of enthusiasm. That's the positive stuff. The drummer was weak. The songs sounded the same. The guitarist can kick his foot above his head and does so at EVERY POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY. But, they made the Foos sound better. Gotta give them that.
     The band finally took stage and opened with "Bridges Burning," the first track of their new album. Playing a great mix of old and new songs, the set lasted three hours just as Dave promised. Many of the songs had extended endings and "Stacked Actors" featured a guitar battle between Chris Shiflett and Dave Grohl.
     Emphasizing on the epicness of their rock music, the stage had a platform that extended all the way across the floor of the arena. Have you ever been to Scottrade? It's pretty big. There was also a riser at the opposite end. It doesn't get any bigger than singing lead vocals for a band all the way across a stadium. They also had an awesome light show.
     "Young Man Blues" was covered by Foo Fighters for VH1 Rock Honors The Who in 2008. Since then, they've been playing it at most of their live shows including the one last night. They also led us in Tom Petty and The Heartbreaker's "Breakdown."
     At the beginning of the encore, Dave played a few songs on acoustic before being joined by the rest of the band. Finally, the best possible song to end the night, "Everlong." This is my favorite Foo Fighters song as well as that of many other fans. It has the amazing quality of meaning something great to everyone who hears it even though everyone hears a different meaning. If you enjoy any form of rock, go see Foo Fighters in concert. They're the most accessible great rock band on tour.