The Best Movie This Year

     I picked the right summer to get back to watching movies.  Iron Man really got things going for me as I viewed that multiple times & thought that was the best pic I'd seen this season.  Even with movies like Wanted, Sex and the City & Indiana Jones & Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (a craptastic experience I won't even get into), Iron Man held its ground.  That was until a random Wednesday night in July, where I attended a screening with one of my friends, his fiancee & her best friend & watched the movie this year - The Dark Knight.  The fact that this movie could have a chance at being the highest grossing movie of all-time & could very well garner multiple award nods & wins makes this one of my all-timers.  When they re-launched this wiltering series, I thought to myself, "How much more could they possibly fuck this up?"  You would have had a right to say that considering once Michael Keaton was gone, it was ass out!  Val Kilmer was a joke & George Clooney has seen better days.  Enter Christian Bale, who I thought was an interesting choice at the time (kind of like Daniel Craig for James Bond) has more than proven his worth, especially in this movie. Now mind you we're a long way away from award time, but if I do not see Heath Ledger's name up for something, there is no justice in the world.  There are no words to describe his turn as the Joker.  I sat there in awe wanting more after the credits rolled.  I wanted the projectionist to re-thread the movie & run it again.  Alas, I had to settle for 2nd helpings on its 1st Friday & had to deal with the same feelings...again!  It is going to take something absolutely incredible to knock The Dark Knight off of the top of my list for this year, because I cannot imagine anything being as one of the the greatest movie experiences I've had in a long time.  This is not a movie based on a comic book, but a movie that stands far beyond its comic book roots.

     Just out of curiosity, I started watching Mad Men from the beginning & I can understand why this is such a great show.  Like any great show, you are sucked in from the beginning, given bits & pieces to roll around in your head to figure out what will happen along the way & right now I'm at those beginning phases.  I am curious to find out how this ride rolls, because I'm already sold on this show.

     By the way, is it me, or did anyone else find the last 15 minutes of No Country For Old Men just completely unecessary?  I have to question how it was the Best Picture Oscar winner with that ending, when you had a perfectly terrific movie like Michael Clayton, which I actually thought should have won & now, even more so after watching this.  I've got no beef with Javier Bardem as Best Actor, just because he freaked me the fuck out, but I am not sold on its Best Pic win.  It's not the worst ending I've seen for a movie recognized by the Academy, winner or nominee.  That distinction belongs to Gangs of New York, in which Martin Scorsese did not deserve to win for that ass-mazing ending!

     As for "Black Man Music of the Blog", after all this raving of one movie, do you really have to guess where I'm going with this?  It's obviously form the soundtrack of the best movie this year, The Dark Knight soundtrack, Aggressive Exspansion is the track I'm layin' on ya.  I'm out!

The Seven Song Meme

First of all, it's good to be back & second, I would like to thank one Crymes & one Rodio for the idea.

Amsterdam by Coldplay

When I originally listened to A Rush of Blood To the Head, this was the one that just blew me away.  Despite other songs like Clocks, In My Place & Warning Sign, this is Coldplay at their absolute best.  This is their "best of the best".

Sparks by Coldplay

This is my 1A to Amsterdam from Parachutes.  The acoustic arrangement with the lyrics are simple, but brilliant.

Yes by Coldplay

This is my favorite from their new material, with Violet Hill, Lost In Japan & Strawberry Swing not far behind.

Something About You by Level 42

These guys were already big in the U.K. prior to this song.  Not only did achieve superstardom in the U.K. with this, they got on the map here in the U.S.  This is my favorite out of others (Lessons In Love, Heaven In My Hands, It's Over) & after being apart for awhile, they got back together & released Retroglide in 2006.

Stop This Train by John Mayer

In my opinion, John Mayer & John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting are two of the best songwriters out there today.  This song struck a nerve & it made me think about myself & my elders.  When you listen to it, you will understand.

Dying by Five For Fighting

Speaking of John Ondrasik, this song is sad, yet poetic.  It is one of those songs that is painful, yet reflective.  Don't mind the video as it is all I could find.

To Be Forgiven by George Michael

For all he's done to be viewed other than a brilliant singer/songwriter, my thoughts about him have never changed.  It's obvious he has always been good at what he does & has been good for a long time.  I chose this song from Older because it shows his diversity.

Something new I'm doing is "Black Man Song for this Blog" & this will happen for each blog I write.  For this blog, here is XTC with King For A Day.  Enjoy 'cause I'm out!

I guess I'm back...