Best Films I've Seen This Year

Ok, so I just completed my blog regarding the songs that drove me up the wall this year, let's try something new. This blog will present my five top films of 2011. Enjoy!

1. Captain America: The First Avenger

When I went to see this film I have to admit that I didn't expect to be blown away. But you know what? This film turned out to be pretty good. The special effects were pretty cool, had riveting action sequences and the fact that the man himself was a scrawny, sickly little kid transformed into a buffed, Nazi-slaying badass resonated for the geek within me. Hayley Atwell's cute-but-tough Peggy Carter and Tommy Lee Jones' prickly Colonel Chester Phillips are also stand-outs. Totally ejoyable.
My grade: B

2. Johnny English Reborn

This film received mixed reviews from critics, with some saying that Rowan Atkinson 'still had it' while others thought he is losing his touch. But in my opinion, this was one of the funniest films I've ever seen.
I'm a big Rowan Atkinson fan and I have to say, he still has it. The dialogue ranged from witty to straight-up ridiculous and the action was over-the-top and, at times, predictable but I still laughed myself silly. The opening sequence alone had me red in the face and by the end of the film I felt as though I had just completed 1,000 sit-ups. Absolutely hilarious!
My grade: B+

3. X-Men: First Class

I used to watch the X-Men cartoons as a kid but haven't seen a single one of the films. When this one came out I thought that I might as well see it since it's the prequel to the series and looked at the history between Charles Xavier and Magneto in that they started out as friends and eventually became enemies.
Well, what can I say? The special effects and the action had me on the edge of my seat and there were enough friendly and brotherly exchanges between Xavier and Magneto that made you wish they hadn't eventually turned against each other. And the scenes in which Xavier teaches his young mutants to learn to control their abilities are pure gold - as is a cameo appearance from Hugh Jackman.
My Grade: A

4. The Fighter

As a boxing fan, I was disappointed when I heard that this film based on former boxing champion Micky Ward's career excluded his three legendary fights with the late Arturo Gatti. Still, I thought it was a great movie. While Wahlberg does not look at all like the real Ward (who makes a cameo in the film), his acting was top-notch and the Academy Award wins for Christian Bale and Melissa Leo (Who played Ward's brother/trainer Dicky Eklund and Ward's Mother/manager Alice Ward, respectively and both of whom won best supporting actor/actress in this year's awards) were well-earned. The fight scenes were realistic compared to some other boxing films (where inhuman beatings, wild-exaggerated punches and unhealthy amounts of blood and aggression seem to be the norm) and the squabbles and banter within Micky's dysfunctional clan are hard-hitting yet strangely amusing at the same time. And if Amy Adams' intent in signing on to this film was to distance herself away from her character in 'Enchanted', all I have to say is mission accomplished.
At the risk of sounding clichéd I have to say that this film delivered a knockout blow.
My Grade: A+

5. Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes

When I saw the preview for this film I thought to myself, 'I've got to see this one!' I walked out of the cinema thinking that it was the best film of the year. James Franco and Freida Pinto played their roles well but were completely overshadowed by Andy Serkis' compelling and touching performance as Caesar the Chimp. Also memorable was Tom Felton's portrayal of the sadistic animal caretaker at a primate shelter Caesar finds himself in.
There were some scenes that can bring a tear to the eye, and the film's climax not only leave you on the edge of your seat but will also have you, as a human being, cheering for the apes to win their battle against humans. There were also scenes that will make you laugh, particularly those with Caesar and his band of apes and I quite liked the way scenes in which Caesar was forming his army was shot with shades of 'Ocean's Eleven' and 'Prison Break' thrown into it. A powerful film with a strong message. Absolutely loved it.
My Grade: A+

Well, there you have it. These were the films that stood out for me in 2011. Let's see what the year 2012 will bring.

Songs that drove me crazy this year

Last year, I compiled a list of songs that, in my opinion, were either so bad or so overplayed that they became totally unbearable. I thought to myself that perhaps I should make this a yearly tradition. No disrespect to any hard-working musician out there but there are times when I switch on the radio and hear something that is much too galling for my palette. I might as well give you the reasons why I feel this way since not everyone has the same taste in music.

1. 'Firework' by Katy Perry

Katy Perry's songs are usually fun and catchy but this one, to me, is so irksome that whenever I hear it I want to jam my fingers into my ears and into my brain and just poke at it because I'm pretty sure it won't be as painful as listening to this tune. I know it came out late last year (October 2010) but it still got plenty of airplay this year so I might as well count it as a 2011 song. Plus, it missed the cut in last year's blog. And the guys at the NRL were considering on turning this into the theme song of the 2011 NRL Season? Oh, please! The only thing worse than corny sports highlights would be corny sports highlights with this turkey blaring in the background.

2. 'Party Rock Anthem' by LMFAO

No disrespect to these guys but what the hell were they thinking when they came up with their band name? Never mind, that's for another discussion. But I have to say, I've yet to hear a song of theirs that I could actually listen to in full without switching stations. Ok, maybe because I'm not a fan of dance music and therefore I cannot appreciate these guys, but all their songs sound the same to me - loud, voices that are probably autotuned and singing about the same thing over and over again. But then again, could I expect anything diffrerent from guys who call themselves 'LMFAO'? I chose 'Party Rock Anthem' to add to this list because it's really the only song of theirs that gets a lot of airplay and therefore one that I have to hear every time I switch on the radio.

3. 'Beautiful people' by Chris Brown and Benny Benassi

Look at the lyrics to this song and what do you see? The words 'beautiful', 'don't you know' and 'know' repeated over and over with several other words thrown in and accompanied by dreadful sounds and music in the background. While this song has a positive message, it's execution is nothing short of excruciating. Lame beats, annoying music and those REPETITIVE lyrics. Seriously, it makes singer Chris Brown sound as though he had only learned a certain number of words in his lifetime.

4. 'Price tag' by Jessie J

I don't actually hate this song. It's catchy, upbeat and has a powerful message. Unfortunately, it was sorely overplayed at its peak and so went from being a good song into an annoying one. It wouldn't have been strange to have it play on the radio twice in one hour and while I understand that it's what tends to happen to songs when they become hits, it also makes them mundane and unbearable. Sorry, Jessie.

5. 'Friday' by Rebecca Black

Does anyone remember that 'Crazy Frog Song' in 2005? It was exasperating and meaningless yet somehow it shot to number one in most music charts. At the same time, it was widely voted the worst song of 2005. 'Friday' by Becca Black is the same. It didn't exactly top the charts, but voting it as the worst song of the year was a no-brainer.
Where do you start in describing just how bad this song is? The beats and the music are lame, the lyrics are cheesy ('Partyin partyin, yeah! Partyin partyin, yeah! fun, fun, fun, fun', OUCH!!!!)and Black's auto-tuned voice makes you want to shove broken glass into your ears. Let's just say that when I sat down and listened to this song I switched it off at the first chorus.

Well, there you have it. Of course, I know some of you might read this and completely disagree but like I said, this is my opinion. Let's see what 2012 has to offer.....

Time To Harden Up, People!

This weekend I read an editorial piece in The Sunday Telegraph that sparked my interest. Written by Miranda Devine, it is titled 'A Generation Of Dopes'. It looks at the growing use of marijuana among young teenagers and the fact that children are growing up in a society that is starting to take this issue lightly. Her article stems from a news story in which three boys were expelled from a prestigious school for attempting to sell marijuana to their fellow classmates, as well as the recent story in which a 14-year old boy was arrested in Bali for marijuana possession.
Devine starts by noting that some counsellors and other figures of authority are too lenient on these boys, in that it is perfectly normal and harmless to experiment. What a joke. Such sentiments are irresponsible and blatantly permit young people to use drugs. Devine notes that while there will always be some people who experiment with drugs more work should be made towards minimising numbers rather than taking a lackadaisical approach. People can blame TV, music and movies all they want for the glamorisation of this culture but at the end of the day it is up to parents and the appropriate authorities to teach their kids what is right and wrong.

Devine then moves onto the teenager arrested in Bali and how Indonesian authorities have done more to punish this kid for his stupidity than the Australian media and political leaders have. In fact, when news of his arrest came out the dominant response from the Australian media was that of outrage TOWARDS THE INDONESIAN AUTHORITIES WHO ARRESTED HIM RATHER THAN TOWARDS THE KID FOR HIS MISTAKE. Devine notes that according to the NSW Central Coast police (where the boy comes from), had they been the ones who caught him for the crime he would be let off with a slap on the wrist and nothing more since the court would not take the matter seriously.
To make it worse, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd appeared to race against each other to bring the boy home and NOT ONCE did they express disappointment or disgust over his stupid behaviour (for anyone reading this who thinks I'm being too hard on the boy, it is because what he did was absolutely dumb and does NOT deserve any sympathy). Instead, they only seemed to care about the accolades that awaited them once they've unashamedly flouted and disrespected another country's laws and brought the kid home where there's a chance he could be treated as a celebrity. I think it is an absolute shame that another country has to discipline some punk kid on their own just because his own countrymen and women weren't more willing to do so. Sure, the kid has been facing criticism from all sides for what he did but those who weren't more willing to punish him for what he did are just as bad, if not worse than he is.

Time to get tougher on these kids, people. What ever did happen to disciplining kids when they do something wrong? At the risk of sounding like a cranky old fart, but back in my day, when you screwed up you either heard it loud and clear from your parents or got a slap in the backside or a clip on the ear. There is nothing wrong with disciplining your kid when they do something wrong just as long as it's not too brutal and will resort in you going to jail for child abuse. Once you start getting soft on these kids, they not only stray but they start to believe that they can do anything they want without considering the consequences.

I've heard that before!

When I first heard X-Factor Australia winner Reece Mastin's debut single 'Good night', the first thought that came to mind was how it sounded so similar to Pink's song 'Raise Your Glass'. While it has a slightly different tune, Mastin's song has the same guitar riff and drum beat as Pink's hit. Don't get me wrong. Mastin was a deserved winner but I wonder if he's even remotely aware of this.
That said, this blog is not intended to attack him or whoever wrote the song. There's really only so many tunes one can come up with and, sooner or later, one song will eventually end up sounding similar to another. What follows are a list of 'similar songs' that I can recall and who I think came up with the better offering.

1. 'Stronger' (Britney Spears) VS 'Don't Come Back' (Human Nature)

Both songs came out in 2000. Both are somewhat forgotten in the airwaves. Both are 'I'm-strong-enough-to-survive-without-you type of songs. While the composition of both songs are markedly different from one another, the verses sure sound alike!

In my opinion, while the Human Nature track is comes off as smoother and more relaxed, Spears' track makes you want to get up and dance. And as far as the common theme behind both songs is concerned, 'Stronger' conveys it better since the upbeat tempo suggests she really is moving on, having fun and not thinking about the man who wronged her. 'Don't come back' just sounds like a guy trying to act 'cool' with the situation when in fact he sounds like a heart-broken whinger. Spears wins it for me here.

2. 'Unfaithful' (Rhianna) VS 'Lonely No More' (Rob Thomas)

Thomas' song came out first in in 2003, Rhianna's in 2006. Thomas' song is about a guy telling a girl how much she means to him and that he'd seemingly be lonely without her. Rhianna's song is about a woman who is having an affair behind her boyfriend's back. The two songs are from completely different genres (one is pop/rock, the other is R&B) but anyone who listens to them will note that the chorus of both songs sound similar.

To be honest with you, whenever I hear these songs on the radio I always feel the need to switch stations. I'm not too crazy about either of them and the fact that they were both overplayed during their heyday makes it worse. But if I had to choose the better song, I'd go with Rhianna. Sure, it has a darker theme and is not as upbeat as Thomas' offering, but it proves that Rhianna is no slouch in the ballad department - even if her voice sounds auto-tuned.

3. 'Born this way' (Lady Gaga) VS 'Express Yourself' (Madonna)

Madonna's song came out way back in 1989, Gaga's in 2010. Madonna's song has a typical 80's dance record sound whereas Lady Gaga's sounds like the type of song you'd hear blaring out at most trendy nightclubs. Both songs promote self-esteem and empowerment, and both songs sound eerily alike, particularly the chorus.

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of either artist or the disco music genre but I quite enjoyed these songs. They're both catchy, upbeat, have a positive message and make you want to get up and dance and sing along to the lyrics (mind you, for me to be able to do that it would need to involve a big room without any witnesses and an abundant supply of alcohol).
As far as making a pick is concerned, it's pretty tough because they sound so alike and convey the same message, so I'll go with Madonna, simply because she came out first. But still a good job by Lady Gaga.

4. 'A Public Affair' (Jessica Simpson) VS 'Holiday' (Madonna)

Simpson's song came out in 2006, Madonna's in 1983. Both are dance tunes, one talking about the overall feeling of being on holiday and the other going on about a girls night out. As is the case with Reece Mastin and Pink, these two songs don't necessarily have the same tune but the similarities in song composition is uncanny.

While Jessica sounds much better in this song than she does in most of her other ones (ie: she doesn't try to hit high notes that shatter mirrors and eardrums), she and this song do not hold a prayer to Madonna's classic. Let's put it this way; 'A Public Affair' barely gets any airtime anymore, 'Holiday' still does. It's a no-brainer, Madonna wins this battle. Sorry, Jess.

5. 'Sarah' (Eskimo Joe) VS 'Never Ending Story' (Limahl)

'Sarah' came out in 2006, 'Never Ending story in 1984. Once again we have two different genres here, with one being a rock song and the other an 80's pop song. But does anyone notice how the chorus for 'Sara' and the tail-end of the chorus for 'Never Ending Story' sounds the same?

On one hand you got a pretty catchy rock tune that you'd expect to hear at a pub and on the other you have an 80's tune that could serve as a guilty pleasure (admit it! Some of you out there would probably start jumping up and down to this one!). For me personally, I'm going to have to go with Eskimo Joe. All due respect to Limahl but everytime I hear that tune I cringe - although it is infectious and guaranteed to stay in your head for days after listening to it.

6. 'Your Love Is A Lie' (Simple Plan) VS 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' (Green Day)

Simple Plan's tune came out in 2008, Green Day's in 2004. Both are in the punk pop genre and have a pretty negative tone about love and loss (the former) and just what appears to be loneliness and depression (the latter). While their respective choruses sound different, the tune to their verses sound quite the same.

I haven't heard either of these songs for a while now but I liked them then and I still like them now. It's hard for me to pick a definite winner, but if I had to choose one I'd probably lean more towards Green Day. The Simple Plan song is definitely scathing and angry enough to make for a good break-up song, but Billie Joe Armstrong has a better voice than Pierre Bouvier.

7. 'Welcome To The World' (Kevin Rudolf) VS 'Supersonic' (Oasis)

Rudolf's offering came out in 2009, Oasis' in 1994. Both are rock songs that are, in my opinion, good to listen to while jogging or working out. Despite the differences in song composition and tempo, with one being louder and flashier and the other smoother and more relaxed, the chorus of both songs sound similar.

I've pretty much made it clear that I like these songs so my pick would come down to which song I could listen to for longer periods of time. On that note, I'm going to go with 'Supersonic'. It's hard to go against old school tunes and Oasis are a band that, to me, are hard to pick against.

8. 'We Are Golden (Mika) VS 'Living On A Prayer' (Bon Jovi) VS 'Heaven Is A Place On Earth' (Belinda Carlisle)

To round off the list, we have a three-way rivalry. Three songs, three different genres, three choruses that sound the same.
'Living on a prayer' came out first in 1986, followed by 'Heaven is a place on earth' the next year while Mika's offering came out in 2009. One is an 80's pop love song, another is an old-school rock tune that looks at a working-class couple struggling to make ends meet, and the other is something of a youth anthem. So we have three different genres and themes here, but which song was the best?

There can really be only one winner for me and it's 'Living On A Prayer'. It's one of those songs that you can sing along to, not to mention air-guitar to. Carlisle's offering is a good song to dance to but just as it was with 'Never Ending Story' it's a tad too cheesy and corny for my palate while Mika's offering is too loud, garish, and quite frankly, irritating.

Well, there you have it. To all you songwriters out there who are dismayed that parts of, if not your entire song sounds like someone else's work don't worry about it. There's really only so many tunes you can come up with and at the end of the day, your song is not their song and would have a completely different story to tell.