2006 » January » The Daily Blitz

Re: Crash

Posted on January 31st, 2006 by Poet

I really, really like this film.

I also really liked the Cronenberg version of it - the original. And if you don’t think the two are related you didn’t look hard enough, or hear the first dialogue of the film, spoken by one of my favorite actors, Don Cheadle.

The 2005 iteration hits up another angle, about racial cultural segregation from the perspectives people on all sides of the problem, which is noble and something that I think people need to see. Most people think that one side or another has everything to blame for this sort of thing, scapegoating for convenient conscience, and they would be wrong.

As far as the acting and directing it’s good too. There are high profile actors, a lot of them. Yeah Tony Danza is in it. I love that guy. The cinematography is fantastic: its minimalistic, real, not high contrast, not heavily filtered, but clever and effective.

My criticisms of the movie: Why the hell is everyone making these “message” movies? its like wire-fu went out of style or something. Traffic, Crash, Syriana… I’m all for showing the truth from a supposedly unbiased perspective, but what prompts people suddenly to actually want to pay attention to the problems of the world? Blame incompetant governmental systems, blame global turmoil, but what I want to know is how many people actually listen to the messages, instead of venting compassion for two and a half hours so they can ignore it for a while.

2 comments : D to 'Re: Crash'

on January 31st, 2006 at 1:20 pm #

Anonymous said,

This film had too many producers. How many people does it take to executively, associately, and co-produce a movie fer god sakes? FOURTEEN.

Message? Hell, the medium IS the message! So sayeth St. MacLuhan.
on March 6th, 2006 at 2:15 am #

weasel said,

And it just won best picture! Thought I’d drag this out of the two month old cabinet and dust it off for the occasion. :D

Put those fingers to the keys!

Crash of the Titans

Posted on January 31st, 2006 by Fozzie

Badass movie. See it now!

That out of the way, Crash (not to be confused with the psuedo porn movie about people getting off on crashing) is a movie that deals with racism in a glaring, if not over the top, manner. The various vignettes I’m sure happen in any given day in one way or the other. The only issue is the convenience of the meetings and sometimes seemingly forced coincidences in the interactions between the characters. That said, it doesn’t detract from the ramming home of the point of the movie.

It doesn’t get talked about alot in proper settings, but racism or classism if you want to use that term is a fact of life in most people’s day. I think it’s human nature to want people who look like you or live near you or whatever do well. I’ll admit that in 1994 or so when Brent Barry won the NBA slam dunk contest, I cheered a bit. It was nice seeing a goofy gangly white guy winning the contest usually reserved for wannabe rap stars. I also enjoy watching people from my neighborhood/city/country do well over people from other neighborhoods/cities/countries.

Of course the racism on displayed in Crash is much more extreme than that. Matt Dillon’s character is the type of white supremacist clan type character you picture when you think of racism. He literally hates black people, especially ones who have a better life than his. Sandra Bullock is more worried about her personal safety. She’s worried about the young hispanic locksmith possibly making copies of her housekeys after she was carjacked by two black men. So you get to see at least a little bit of what leads to the people’s viewpoints on race.

I don’t know that it altered anything in my own viewpoint. I wouldn’t consider myself racist in the classical sense. I’ve never thought less of anybody for their skin color. I do think less of homeboys with their pants hanging down and the cornrows and such like that, but I think the same no matter what the skin color of the person is. I also hate people wearing spandex, those puffy bubble coats, guys with ponytails, and clam digger shorts.

So ya, the movie isn’t going to change the world, and it sure as hell won’t change my opinion of spandex. It is a good few hours though with great writing and even better acting (even Sandra Bullock).

Comments are closed.

Crash

Posted on January 31st, 2006 by Maristar

This was a good movie - but I feel it was overhyped. Everyone kept telling me what a phenomenal movie “Crash” was. Wrong - it was just good. Not top 10 worthy or anything, just good. The movie addressed racism from a multitude of perspectives, which I enjoyed. The acting was good. It flowed very nicely, with all the interconnected stories and whatnot - but many movies that are “good” do that, and frankly I think many movies do it better, so it’s not getting too many points for originality. Still, I’m not going to deduct points just because too many people told me this movie was well done, since that’s positive.

It’s just good.

Comments are closed.

Crash: Movie Review

Posted on January 31st, 2006 by weasel

A few weeks ago I watched the movie “Crash” - no, not David Cronenberg’s abomination, but the Paul Haggis version. You know, the one that stars Brendon Frasier, Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Ryan Phillippe, and… Ludacris?

I’ll say right off the bat, the movie was very good. I’d put it in my top-10, probably. IMDB ranks it as #66 in it’s top movies of all time. That’s a pretty good sign of greatness.

The story behind crash is a hodge-podge of mini-stories all inter-connecting, Pulp Fiction style. Several people living out a few days of their lives and each crossing paths at some point. I really like this movie layout actually, makes for some interesting combinations… It seems every film done this way is usually a hit (Magnolia!).

I was pretty emotionally involved in the movie - I was frustrated to the point of shouting at the characters (frustrated in their actions, as the director designed - not frustrated in the movie itself) and feeling really bad for some people… Happy for others. And the cute little girl tugs your heartstrings! Crash also had it’s share of suprise moments and coalescent scenes reminiscent of a M. Night Shamalyan flick.

As is evident right from the opening scene, this movie is all about racism. Racism to a degree that I thought only existed in movies about Mississippi that I was forced to watch in high school. Every single conversation in the movie is racism induced or itself contains racism. They really pile it on thick. The racism is so thick that despite the obvious theme, it still suprises you how racist some people can be.

There’s very little blood and guts, gunplay, and car chases - but there is a bit of action and a bunch of suspense. But this isn’t a movie to rent, have a few beers, and laugh at. It’s one of those “I think my life has just improved” flicks.

Recommended viewing for all!

Comments are closed.

Re: Shakira

Posted on January 30th, 2006 by Poet

That has to be one of the longest rant sentences I’ve read all week.

I love Shakira. Why? because in high school spanish class we were forced to listen to spanish music, and it was mariachi music until someone brought in shakira and rescued us. Of course I then countered with a Santana cd (i love that guy) but Shakira in spanish (her early stuff) wasn’t bad for poppy kind of Spanish hip hop.

And yeah, she’s hot. But quite honestly all that is going to instigate from me is downloading a desktop wallpaper or screensaver of her crawling around in the mud. Her voice is not incredibly sexy. and i’m not sure what was up with the blonde roots thing, i think she looked better with black hair.

Shakira w/ black hair

As for the invasion of your crappy radio, I was honest to God not aware that they actually played Shakira outside of the American southwest, Mexico, and parts of Europe on the radio. But I don’t listen to the radio. I was, however, aware that she showed up on mtv and much music from time to time (word of mouth, I don’t watch television either), but that is understandable. In the immortal words of South Park’s Jimmy, “I mean, come on.”

So I’m all for shakira. She and i have warm, fond memories. Whether or not theyre actually warm fond memories of the cute girls in my spanish class is inconsequential. Me gusto. Shakira consigue 3 pulgares para arriba.

28 comments : D to 'Re: Shakira'

on January 30th, 2006 at 12:52 am #

weasel said,

Wow, P- P- P- Poet, you really have a point there. “Come on.” It’s so simple!
on January 30th, 2006 at 2:17 pm #

BRu said,

ahhh the good old side boob - nothing else like it other then then full boob that is.

I think she is meh - I am pretty indifferent here I mean she is pretty but her music doesn’t speak to me - so if I had her in my bed I wouldn’t kick her out but if I had her in my speakers I would be freaked out how a full grown human got into my speakers.
on January 30th, 2006 at 6:59 pm #

deek said,

Side boob = Good
Shakira = who gives a rats ass.
on January 31st, 2006 at 11:13 am #

Basilisk said,

This is so funny, Maristar’s comments, especially.

Way back in 2001, when Laundry Service was released (which apparently is the source of most of the music/imagery Maristar is criticizing. Shakira has released three new albums since then) my spouse was very critical and would hurl all manner of insults at the television everytime “Whenever, Wherever” came on. A lot of the same criticisms that Maristar has now. But, after seeing one of her Spanish language videos, her opinion changed, as Shakira’s Spanish material is much better than the stuff in English (and to be fair, Shakira had only just learned English - the lyrical translations at this point were done by Gloria Estefan. The “confuse them with the mountains” bit is her bad.).
It so happens that Shakira has releases going all the way back to the mid ’90s. I know this because my girfriend has gone from being Shakira’s detractor to being Her Biggest Canadian Fan - we now own all her albums. But it goes deeper than that. Shakira has quite the vast repertoire of material, which the great mass of North Americans will likely never know about as what they know of her is a bunch of five year old photos, and a song about humble breasts in broken english. Old prejudices are hard to penetrate. Rose (my sweetie) found Shakira’s spanish language music so compelling, she was actually inspired to begin learning Spanish on her own. Not many artists have that effect on people. I respect Shakira immensely as she writes her own material, and she can actually play guitar, always a plus when getting filmed/photographed holding one (right Avril?). As well, Shakira can play/sing/write many different styles, from Beatles styled pop, to harder rock, to ’60s jazzy stuff, to disco-y funky dance stuff. She does a kick-ass live cover of “Back in Black”! And yes, coming from Lebanese/Columbian lineage, she has a genuine claim of authenticity over the middle eastern sounds/dancing (I hate the term “belly dancing”) she features in her performances. Interestingly enough, she doesn’t really do the ass-shaking for American audiences anymore. Too sexual for them, even as they try to make her look sluttier in her newest videos, a la Jewel.

Maybe you’ll like her better now, as her producers slowly try to turn her into Britney/Christina, but in the final analysis,…

You jus’ jealous.
on January 31st, 2006 at 9:48 pm #

Maristar said,

I think it’s interesting that I complained about her MUSIC and all the men turned this into “hot or not”, which kind of proves my point that this is why I have to listen to her.

True her old music could be better. I’m not going to make it my mission to find out. As I mentioned, my radio doesn’t pick up most local stations, nevermind old music from other continents. Plus I hate her voice.

And yes. I’m very jealous of not getting piles and piles of money to make crappy overplayed llama music. It would be nice to be talentless and rich at the same time.
on February 2nd, 2006 at 1:28 pm #

Basilisk said,

“The only thing I think I hate more than Shakira, are all you men who drool over her which is the only reason she’s famous, because she’s some long-haired blonde who crawls around through the mud singing songs about “underneath your clothes”, which I’m sure is why *I* have to listen to her llama whining, half-english garbelled songs about trivial nonsense on my way into work because only 2 stations work in my car with my broken radio thanks to that jackass from highschool who rear-ended me when I had a coffee in the drink holder that then splashed all over my radio and fucked it all up. HATE YOU ALL! Can’t you just get a stripper or something instead of making the rest of the world listen to this crap!?! GRAR!”

Yep, that was totally about her music. Holy fuck, you’re like a total Lester Bangs. Have you applied to Rolling Stone for a music critic job? Your totally objective comments really give you an invincible aura of integrity.
on February 2nd, 2006 at 1:35 pm #

Basilisk said,

“It would be nice to be talentless and rich at the same time.”

I can see how you would covet a lack of talent.
on February 2nd, 2006 at 3:01 pm #

Maristar said,

That specific paragraph may have not been ALL about her music (though the “llama whining part” was certainly), but I don’t see how you deduced it was about jealousy either. It’s simply frustration that I have to listen to crap because people are seduced by image. Trust me, it’s frustrating with the little selection (again, 2 stations) I have available. I’m sorry if you misinterpreted this.

And yes. I’m trying to write for Rolling Stone. I believe THIS is going to be my big start. I was desperatly trying to be objective and professional. In case you missed my FIRST paragraph, I don’t even spellcheck. Obviously professionalism is my main concern.

Not than any of this really matters. It is just SHAKIRA we’re talking about. It seems you just covet arguments ;)
on February 2nd, 2006 at 3:02 pm #

Maristar said,

Oh and thankyou for helping me move up on the # of posts list!
on February 2nd, 2006 at 4:19 pm #

Gwyd said,

I enjoy her music, but I enjoy alot of stuff, so its not really a indication of talent or special instance.

I think she’s quite attractive and sexy, thought that has nothing to do with her performing ability.

Her having been spread accross american pop culture like butter on warm morning toast also is no indication of talent, merely of popularity, or marketing funding provided by her labels.

They’re all different areas to be criticized :)

I dont know her personally, so that 4th area, I’ll leave open for ignorant people to guess/stab at.

Aayyyyiiiee!
on February 2nd, 2006 at 4:38 pm #

Basilisk said,

Oh I see. Post your opinion, and we all should agree. So, if no one was supposed to contravene your Hispanic music bashing agenda, why even pretend that you folks are posting “opinions”? You could have weasel modify this site so your hate screeds sit unmolested, without anyone putting in embarrassing contradictory comments. If you just want everyone to jump onto your bandwagon and kiss your ass and tell you you’re right - you don’t have your blog set up properly to achieve this.

But, hold on! Now all of a sudden - none of this really matters! Ha ha! What a burn! Oh, the pain! Golly, you’ve really made a fool out of me.

But perhaps you’re right. Maybe I am making too much over a tiny little post, on a tiny little blog, by a person who admitted they had nothing more intelligent to say at the time, a person who had only listened to two radio stations since high school. A person with ambition equal to the tasks they have applied themselves to.

You’re right.

This is SO beneath me. :)

Feel free to reply, if only to get your numbers up. The other 3 people who read this blog will stand up for you, I’m sure.
on February 2nd, 2006 at 5:12 pm #

Gwyd said,

Wow, hehe.

What’s all this ka ka?

Can we get opinions of the subject, and not of the people debating the subject, or are we just a buncha nancys?

I met my ex-wife, a girlfriend of a year, and my current live-in girlfriend, and a number of freinds, on the internet. It all matters. The “just a post” or “just a chatter” or “just a internet gamer” argument never hold up, because the very person saying it is the one typing it to a buncha people and a public medium, the internet. So it must matter, unless the person also sits with their thumb up their butt frequently, another pointless endeavor.

:)

And, to include an on topic statement:

Music videos are not a measure of ones musical ability, nor they necessarily an adequate representation of the song writers initial intentions. I’ve only seen one Shakira video, and it was in black and white, and looked like she was having sex with herself, with some (few) clothes on, while singing. I cant say I minded the visual; and, I dont think that makes me any kind of pervert, or sex-crazed loon.

If its put out there to see, it will be seen. With all women and girls show off these days, its only going to get worse. Though I cant say I understand what the equality-driven women (usually fat or ugly) want us to do, volunteer for blindness?

Ah well. Have fun with you bantering to one and other about who’s piss smells more like roses.
on February 2nd, 2006 at 5:21 pm #

weasel said,

Jesus Christ, why all the hate?! I have a mind to delete half of these comments right off the board, but I think a permanent testament to you guys’ dick-titude is punishment enough.

Any future individual-bashing will be restricted to The Forum. It’s been set up for exactly this kind of debate. Let’s not poison the water we all drink from.

That said,

“Your totally objective comments really give you an invincible aura of integrity.”

One of the great things about this website is that you aren’t allowed to be objective. One person posts their slanted opinion, and the other three posts of the day balance it out… If all four people have the same biased point of view, then huzzah! We have a consensus across a broad spectrum. If you check our history (and verily, even today’s article), you’ll see that we often disagree on things.

Don’t take each post as a fair and balanced view of the subject. Take all four posts as a whole.
on February 2nd, 2006 at 5:22 pm #

Fozzie said,

You should all just agree with me. It’s really the easiest and most accurate way to form an opinion.

Come on, shake your body baby do that Conga….
on February 2nd, 2006 at 5:28 pm #

weasel said,

LET’s HOLD HANDS AND LOVE!

MORE COWBELL!

MORE LINDSAY LOHAN!
on February 2nd, 2006 at 5:32 pm #

Fozzie said,

Those Lindsay Lohan pics aren’t accurate. None of them show the new and improved Crackwhore Lindsay.
on February 2nd, 2006 at 5:51 pm #

Maristar said,

Basilisk, it seems like you’ve lept to a lot a of conclusions.

I do think other opinions matter. Perhaps you should read my post on Opinions Matter. I never expected everyone to agree with me. In fact, you may have noticed that 2 of the other writers disagreed with me. I was plenty cool with that - it would probably have been fairly boring otherwise.

I also only expressed dislike for Shakira, not for all Hispanic artists.

As for my “burn” - it wasn’t meant as a “burn” which is probably why it sizzled. I just think this is ridiculous. I’m not going to try to make a fool out of you, you can do that yourself.

I also didn’t say I’ve only listened to 2 radio stations since highschool. I said my radio in my car is broken. I’m pretty sure that this was just another personal attack for no good reason rather than illiteracy.

As for people sticking up for me, I think that’s mostly due to the unnecessary personal slander. The postings are no longer about Shakira really, as much as they are about you, which is really sad. That’s not what this website is supposed to be about. This is not basilisk.com.

I can only gather from the number of assumptions were intentional. That or you have some serious boner for Shakira and don’t want anyone dissing her.

If you want to post something relevant that will really change my mind about Shakira I will reply, but I’m not going to continue wasting my time over your PMS.
on February 2nd, 2006 at 6:04 pm #

Gwyd said,

After receiving further insight, I’ve decided Basilisk doesnt like women.
on March 20th, 2006 at 7:56 am #

Gwyd said,

More review.

I came accross another Shakira album. This time its one I dont have “distributed multimedia files” of, so I listend having not heard any of them before.

I was greatly pleased, again. While, granted, studios can do alot, I’ve had the opportunity of watching a few live shows, and its not too far off. She can do with her voice, nearly anything she wants, and bravo to her on this new album. Though, to be honest, it being in the car prevents me from telling you which album it is, or if its really a new one or not.

Did I mention, she’s hot, like fire?
on April 22nd, 2007 at 3:28 pm #

Anonymous said,

hello ….
i want better pictures…..
kisses**
on April 22nd, 2007 at 3:28 pm #

Anonymous said,

sorry
more pictures**
kisses**
on May 27th, 2007 at 7:24 am #

Sophie said,

I am actually a massive fan of Shakira so everyone can shut up. If you actually gave her a chance and listened to her good music you may begin to like her, I have made a website about Shakira and I trust if you went on it you would like her but I won’t tell you it. Please don’t spread nasty gossip around about her!!
on May 29th, 2007 at 8:41 am #

jesica said,

hey i am jesica
i thinke she can dance better than anyone else in the world but………….she cant dance like me
on May 29th, 2007 at 5:19 pm #

Foley said,

I can dance better than Shakira. That’s not gossip. FACT.
on May 30th, 2007 at 4:37 pm #

weasel said,

I COULD dance better than Shakira, but… well…
on May 31st, 2007 at 4:11 pm #

Foley said,

You routinely wear more makeup than Shakira though.
on May 31st, 2007 at 5:07 pm #

weasel said,

That’s rich coming from someone who lives in The Tiffany.
on June 1st, 2007 at 1:42 pm #

Foley said,

Yeah so? My house is pretty! Barbie and Ken would be jealous!

Put those fingers to the keys!

Shakira Plain and Tall

Posted on January 30th, 2006 by Fozzie

Shakira eh? I got nothin. I don’t listen to radio that plays her and I don’t watch MTV so that’s out. That’s not to say that I don’t know who she is/what she looks like/ what her music sounds like, it’s just that I have no real opinion on it since I don’t run into it.

Looking through google image search, she appears to have been morphed into her current look by some fashion analyst. There was a time when she actually looked like somebody from South America. Sadly, I can’t even find a good fake nude shot of her, let alone a real one, so I’ll definitely mark her down for that. And of course the music sucks, so there’s another mark. I hate plastic/manufactured people so she gets marks down for that as well. Finally, latinos aren’t really my thing so again one more mark down for that.

Final grade: I’d hit it, but don’t ask me to talk to her/listen to her music.

Comments are closed.

Shakira is Fugly

Posted on January 30th, 2006 by weasel

I read Maristar’s article and I was at a loss for words because, really, I can’t think of who this Shakira lady is. Sure, I’ve heard the name, but I couldn’t put my finger on a face. Oh, and she sings? Huh. OK.

So I search around on the web and I ask Maristar, and it turns out she sings that “confuse them with mountains” song. I kinda like that song, as poppy and boppy as it is. But I quickly listend through a few of the songs on her website, and they were like… In spanish or something.

Anyway. I did a google image search and found these:

Wow, those are some creepy offset eyes. I really don’t care for her eyeball placement. And her giant dreads? What the hell is going on there? Is she rastafarian or is she Australian?! I can’t tell. Pick a color!

And good god, what’s this? Is she the wizard master or something? She reminds me of those guys from DragonBall Z - with all that jewelry on. You know, they weigh themselves down with a bunch of wristbands and such so that when they go into combat their attack ratings are higher? Yeah. That thing. AND AGAIN WITH THE EYES! Freak!

But, I have to say, despite all of her failings, I did find one redeeming photo of Shakira.

That’s right, the Side Boob. And partial see-through nipple to boot! Booja!

Comments are closed.

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Re: Crash

2 comments : D to 'Re: Crash'

Put those fingers to the keys!

Crash of the Titans

Crash

Crash: Movie Review

Re: Shakira

28 comments : D to 'Re: Shakira'

Put those fingers to the keys!

Shakira Plain and Tall

Shakira is Fugly