Monthly Archives: May 2012

Florence + The Machine “Spectrum”

Say My Name

Here we are again. You know I just can’t help myself when it comes to our favorite redheaded songbird. This time, Florence is back with another visual adventure – defining the next hit-single off of Ceremonials. We’ve come to expect the usual imaginative, out of the box musical spectacular when it comes to Florence’s styled music videos, and I can assure you, this time is no different. Spectrum begins with ease; Florence’s stunning look intensified by sharp cuts to her electric auburn hair. Fiery color. Sharp reflections of light. As the song gains momentum, our songstress is encircled by an assembly of ballet dancers swaying to the song’s fierce sounds. Florence’s moves are grandiose, larger than life. She is a disco queen. She rises from the cool blue water like a sea goddess. She even has her own Mini Me! The visual accompaniment to the signature dance-track is complete with a rainbow of bright tones, theatrical choreography, and the slightest bit of the risqué. The final scene brings Florence to her knees, crawling toward us, closing the sensational power-anthem. I always seem to find myself wondering what it is I exactly watched after each of these unique performances from Flo, but by the end, I can’t help but be wonderstruck by the originality of the piece. You will love Spectrum for the song, obviously, but will be enchanted by the video’s fun, quirky nature. Take a look, my friends; observe the Flo in her natural habitat. Tell me what you think.

If you liked this, you also might like:

“No Light, No Light” | “Shake It Out” | “What the Water Gave Me” | “Heavy In Your Arms”

What did you think of the music video for Spectrum? Favorite scene? Love the song? What is your favorite track on Ceremonials? Tell me in the comments!

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Press Play Friday: The House of Mouse

 M-I-C-K-E-Y  M-O-U-S-E

Source: Google Images

Welcome one and all to this week’s Press Play Friday! I’ve got something super special for you today – something a little different. Tell me, what comes to mind when I say the word Disney? Do you dream of exciting vacation destinations? Or remember the multitude of hours watching those definitive animated movie-musicals? Whichever you think of, there comes a certain feeling – a certain memory – when we hear the word Disney. Some might think of the thrill; the sights of a magical kingdom overwhelming and jaw-dropping. You might remember a sound. A laugh. A song. If you think about it, music plays an intricate part of the Disney experience. It could be a theme from your favorite movie or just a small part of an adventurous departure into a vision fantastic. Music encompasses every part of our Disney memories. This week and the next, we’re going delve into this world of enchantment, of sound. We’ll start by taking a trip south, to the ever-expanding land of make-believe. We’ll visit the home of Mickey Mouse, searching high and low for those unforgettable music moments. After that, we’ll look through the Disney film showcase; picking our favorite melodies. Squee! It’s going to be so much fun! Sorry. I got a little excited there. To kick off this expansive expedition, let’s take a look at a few (or 10) of the most sensational songs from the Disney parks. Warning: We’re about to go into true FanGirl territory here.

{Tip for Today} To complete your musical journey through the Wonderful World of Disney, simply click on your fellow traveler, “Mickey” the Music Note, and he will guide you to your new destination; where you will be able to listen and enjoy each merry melody. Have fun!

More After the Cut!

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Dim the Lights. The Show’s About to Begin. (Action/Adventure Edition)

I want to see that!

Do you know what I love? Of course, you do. I say it often enough. Movie trailers. I love movie trailers. Recently, there have been a lot – seriously, a lot – of trailers all pertaining to or revolving around the quintessential adventure theme. These fast-paced, action-packed films are intoxicating to all moviegoers. The fight sequences. The explosions. The two-hour journey into the vast unknown. Tell me, what’s not to like? For your viewing enjoyment, I’ve rounded up some of the most popular and intriguing Action/Adventure trailers out there today. It’s a plethora of plot lines and settings; from futuristic cities to distant planets. There is something for everyone: Aliens (Scary, no matter what your age). Vampires (Gotta love them). More aliens, plus some mind-erasing and secret identities thrown in for good measure. One flexible superhero in spandex to top it all off, and you’ve got four amazing films to look forward to. Go on, take a look and tell me what you think.

Prometheus. Arrival: June 8th, 2012

Michael Fassbender. What more do you need?

Okay. How about, Michael Fassbender as a robot? Yes! I knew that would get you.

More After the Cut!

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Press Play Friday: Blind Pilot

It’s that time, again. It’s time for another Press Play Friday artist!

Source: Google Images

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to highlight this group as one of our featured Press Play artists. I’ve been listening to them since early 2009; their mix of Alternative-Folk making them one of my go-to artists for those unexpected midnight writing sessions. Blind Pilot has brought a distinctive style to the music world; creating melodies centered around whole-hearted descriptive lyrics and inventive twists on reality, preciously entwining them with tireless metaphors. The band’s first introduction came to us with 3 Rounds and a Sound. Dedicated to rich harmonies and mellow refrains, the record was an Indie lover’s dream. In 2011, the band debuted their sophomore album, We Are the Tide. The record was a solid fusion of old and new, reintroducing us to the group’s unique vision. Its sound was more developed, exuding fresh energy, quickly earning a secure place in our hearts.

Go On, Say it had been the first song released from the band’s premiere album. As the story usually goes, I first heard the track when it was just another one of those lovely free songs on iTunes, which I frequently talk about. Unrequited love. The promise of more. The song’s theme speaks of need and want; knowing you are not perfect, dreaming of the day when you’ll be enough. The guitar strain is simple. The relentless drum beat: the main attraction of the piece. All the while, unwavering stings accompany the chorus as the rugged, layered vocals sing out. “Come on, say it right.”

More Music After the Cut!

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Movie Review: Bel Ami

“Does your husband tell you you’re beautiful?”

Source: ROBsessed Blog Almost two years after production completed on Bel Ami, the indie film has finally arrived to eager moviegoers. Well, sort of. The official theatrical release for the film isn’t until June 8th, but that didn’t stop the powers at be from giving us a sneak peek. It’s times like these that I’m grateful for iTunes. Based on Guy de Maupassant’s 1885 novel, Bel Ami is a seductive drama, lined with deceptive characters with ill-intentions. A social climber using his looks and charm to get what he desires most. Power. Respect. Wealth. Here we find an intriguing plot, rich with gritty realism and soul.

The Story: Paris, 1890. It’s easy to see the motivation behind the actions of Georges Duroy (Robert Pattinson). Penniless and out-of-work, Georges longs for something more; money, power, women – everything he doesn’t have. Georges finds his opportunity when he is welcomed into the inner circle of Charles Forestier: a newspaper man. His wife, Madeleine (Uma Thurman), takes Georges under her wing, helping him write a series of articles about his time as a soldier. Their friends are captivated by the young man, willing to help the charming stranger. Instantly, Georges finds himself attracted to Clotilde (Christina Ricci). The feeling is mutual, both seeking each other out for a specific purpose. However, when Clotilde is no longer useful, Georges moves on. He soon finds Madeleine to be just what he needs. She is his ticket to success, the driving force behind his rise to power. Yet, he is still unable to gain the respect he wants, craves. It’s a story of sex; power. Using one to gain the other. There is no momentous revelation or great change for these characters. Their reality is their obsession.

More After the Cut!

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TV Rewind: The Vampire Diaries – “The Departed”

Game Change

Source: The Vampire Diaries Blood Falls

Uh, did that really just happen? I’m sorry. I’m still trying to process everything. But, did that seriously just happen? I can see you’re all shaking your heads, yes, and jumping up and down. Okay. Easy, there. It’s hard to believe we have to wait another four whole months before we get another glimpse of TVD, after that amazing, mind-bending cliffhanger. Sigh. That’s what this episode was: amazing. Well, let’s be honest. That last half-hour was pretty darn spectacular, and the rest was kinda boring. We had so many unanswered questions after last week, from the life-status of one of our favorite characters, to Evil Alaric’s and Elena’s bloodline connection. So much pressure was put upon the finale, as we were teased with a definite decision from Elena regarding our two favorite boys. I would like to say, all our questions were answered, but that just isn’t the way. Is it? Truthfully, we were left with even more questions, possible – because who can be sure – character deaths, and one EPIC moment that is sure to go down as one of the most surprising twists in all of Vampire Diaries history. Doesn’t it seem like we were in this exact place last season, but with a totally different outcome? Yeah. That’s because we were. It was a season finale to trump all season finales. A night to end all nights, filled with emotional highs and lows. It was a night of shocks and surprises. Hey! Should we see how it all happened? Let’s do it. Warning: This is a massive, huge, colossal SPOILER ALERT!

Flashback: It was a simpler time. No vampires. No werewolves. No glitzy love triangles or bad-boy Original’s around. Elena was simply, Elena. She was carefree, without pain or strife. She was happy, with loving parents and a loving aunt (Aunt Jenna!). A boyfriend. A best friend. Things were good. Things were right. Things were about to change.

When we last left our ill-fated heroine, her body lay unconscious, her blood dripping onto the floor. Elena opens her tired eyes, finding herself at Mystic General, healing after her fall. Jeremy is worried sick over Elena’s condition, but Dr. Fell is there to ease his distraught mind. Telling Damon and Stefan the news of Elena’s recent accident is another story. Damon, well, he’s a little bit on the bitchy side – warning Jeremy that Elena’s life is at risk, what with the Originals on the lookout to kill Evil Alaric and all. The brothers decide that it’s best if one of them stays to complete their task of hiding Klaus (Klllaaauuusss!), while the other goes back to Elena. So which one will it be?

More After the Cut!

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TV Worth Watching: Lost Girl

It’s a Fae, Fae World

If there is one thing I know we all love, it’s a supernatural drama. Mystery. Romance. Weird creatures with complicated revenge plots. It’s all relative to a world of fantasy; science-fiction at its best. We connect with these places of make-believe to escape our everyday routines, to travel into the mystical unknown for the occasional forty to fifty minutes – depending on how many monotonous commercials we have to endure. We visit these places to extract our daily dose of entertainment; to nerd-out over dialogue and to spend some time with our favorite characters. The supernatural drama is a predominant part of contemporary literary fiction, but also plays a substantial role in the diverse world of modern television. Almost every channel has one – a cast of characters living and surviving in a world where monsters are literally hiding under the bed. We all have our favorites; shows that drive your imagination, maybe eliciting a few superhuman daydreams in the process. Yet every season, there is another new batch of exciting shows ready to be programmed into our DVR’s. With so many out there, how is it possible to know exactly which ones to watch? Well, that’s where I come in. I am proud to introduce you to a new series all about shows you should be watching, but hopefully, some of you all ready love. While this is the time most shows are wrapping up their seasons, I think this is the perfect opportunity to give you the inside 411 on a few that are definitely worth watching. For those interested: No, not all shows will be about the supernatural. I will try to bring as many various genres to the table as I can, but if one or three slip in there, just go with it. By the time we’re through, I genuinely expect your Netflix queue to be full, overflowing with soon-to-be favorites.

Let us begin our journey, here. Lost GirlCombine a sexy succubus, a heated love-triangle (I love those), add a best friend (the human variety, of course); throw in a bitter clash between two magical races, one handsome leading man, a few mythical creatures; top it all off with a dash of comedy, and you have the makings of a sure-fire hit. Seriously, what’s not to like? Though, admit it, I had you at succubus.

Source: Google Images

More After the Cut!

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TV Rewind: The Vampire Diaries – “Before Sunset”

This Means War

Source: Vampire-Diaries.Net

Wow. Um . . . holy crap! What? Wow. I’m still a little speechless, as you can tell. As I’ve said previously, what the hell just happened? I don’t really know. One thing I do know? The night belonged to the über talented and quite sexy, Joseph Morgan. He’s delightful, isn’t he? Give that man an Emmy, asap!

Yes. It was a night of twists and turns; surprises that knocked us right off our seats. Gah! It was fantastic. It was truly one of the best episodes of the season, maybe, even the series. It did require us to make use of our throwing chairs, pillows, etc, but we’ll get to that later. After last week’s cliffhanger, we knew little of what was to become of the residents of Mystic Falls. We transitioned into uncharted territory, finding ourselves face to face with a new enemy (somewhat). This week, we picked up right where we left off, only hours after Crazy Alaric’s transition into a vampire – a vampire-hating vampire. There was action left and right. Character death. Epic revelations. It was a damn good episode. How about we recap it, shall we? Take your time, you’re in for a fun ride. For the two of you who didn’t see last night’s all new episode, sit tight. This is a SPOILER ALERT!

An Ode to Alaric Saltzman: Hunter. Hunt. Take. Give. Care. Teach us your history on the days we actually come to class. Die. Live. Die. Drink until you blackout. Come back to life, again. Crazy. Psycho. Killer. Turn into another. Vampire. Original. Kill. Complete your mission. We wish you the best of luck. In fanfiction, you and Damon like to fu . . . Okay. That’s enough for now. What? I was going to say – Stop. Just, stop.

It’s true the initial moments of the episode play-out as a quasi-salute to the Alaric from days of old, but if we look closer we see something more; a declaration. A promise of war. Evil Alaric – that’s what I’m calling him now – will leave chaos and destruction in his wake. He will rid Mystic Falls of each and every supernatural creature – cleansing the world of vampires.

Yeah. He’s insane, but don’t hold that against him. Forced to die, again and again, that’s bound to change a man; especially, when you have a schizophrenic witch whispering in your ear. We should give him a break. Right, Caroline? Um . . . Caroline?

More After the Cut!

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