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Cries of a Railbird - issue 16 - May Article

                                Where Will Media Go From Here?

Over the years, technology has changed drastically. Many things that were not possible in the past, have become a regularity in today’s media. As technology advances further, even more will become possible. It may be hard to predict the next big thing, but it is not impossible. As you look into what we have done already you might just find which way media is going. Here is my attempt at taking what we have done already, and  using that knowledge to predict what comes next.

We find ourselves now between inspirations. People are complaining about the stale movies and re-re-remakes or re-releases that are plaguing our media. People have become accustomed to the CGI and blockbuster effects of directors like Michael Bay, and because of this they forget how incredible they are. Editing has become significantly less tedious since the upgrade from film to digital. Video games have adapted from being just a toy for children to an integrated and widely accepted form of media, spanning a billion dollar franchise. Computers can run thousands of codes in an incredible amount of time, spawning new mathematical equations and theories. Technology has advanced significantly over the last hundred years, and it is only going to move forward.

But as technology changes, so to does our use and need for it. We learn from technology and grow with it, expanding our knowledge and using this knowledge to further advance our technology. This relationship applies to all forms of technology, but especially video games. Video games once allowed the audience to become part of the action, taking on an interactive role as the main character and live the story through their actions. But because video games have advanced significantly since they were first released in the mid 1970’s, the interactive qualities has also advanced. What was once simple enough to have a main goal and minor challenges and one ending, if there was one, has now developed into having multiple stories going on at once with multiple endings available that depend on your actions.

It is this, interactive qualities, that I believe will become a bigger part of media in the future. With small steps being taken already, all we need to do is have one person come up with a solid idea about how to actually accomplish it. We need one person to think outside of the limits that have been placed around media and break the mold that we have followed. Slowly, but surely, the gears are turning and these ideas are moving along. Here are some examples about how things are now, and how they might change to be more interactive.

As stated before video games have already become more interactive. With the introduction of multiple storylines and endings, having your actions affect how the NPCs (non-player characters) view your character status in the game (good or evil), whether it be stealing their stuff or choosing different dialog options to swoon said NPCs, video games are already incredibly interactive. The only further interactive qualities I can see is creating your own personal storyline in the game and offering other players to run your story. Essentially allowing players the ability to create their own related story similar to how the fan-fiction works, however, hopefully more connected to the original content. There are already games that use this concept, such as an MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) called Neverwinter, where you can write your own stories for other players to play, as well as set the difficulty of the dungeon.

“Unplayable entertainment” such as movies and television, have slowly been becoming more interactive as well. With shows such as American Idol, where the viewers would text or call their vote to see who moves on, the viewers had somewhat control over who they wanted to see on the show. Since then other shows have used this technique to try to get viewers involved. But recently on a website called “Twitch” which is an entertainment streaming site, viewers have had a new type of interactive quality which is changing things for the better. In February 2014, an anonymous programmer launched a social experiment where the viewers would input the moves they wanted to be done into a chat system, so they essentially controlled every move made, and the community would play Pokemon Red together. This was called “Twitch Plays Pokemon,” or “TPP” for short. and expanded the scope of what is available. More recently, Old Spice has picked up on the craze, but this time in “Twitch Plays Old Spice,” the viewers commanded an actual person in what to say and do in a game show-like forest environment. This man would take their commands and do what he is told to create an experience vastly different from any other.

Media is slowly becoming increasingly more interactive. With the invention of video games and then furthering advancing those games to allow the player the ability to control the setting, environment, and even the story, is one strong piece of evidence for this. But with the Twitch phenomenon taking hold of how we view media and interact with it, things are only going to become more interactive as time goes on. Maybe one day there will be movie theaters incorporating how the audience reacts to the scenes in a film and how loud they get could affect how the movie plays out. Think of all the “Turn off your cellphone” ads they play before a feature film, where the phone ringing causes the killer to find the person. Or the person on the bomb squad charged with defusing the bomb at the last second who gives up and walks away out of frustration. What will be next? No one really knows. All I can say is be patient. it will happen in due time

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 15 - April Issue

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu - Yume no Hajima Ring Ring (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwWm3om-gSw)

We are going to be having an online short film/short movie premiere this month. My addition into this festival is not from America or any English speaking country, but rather from Japan. Japan is notorious for their “weird” videos that have gone viral a number of times, and my artist is normally no exception. However, I chose a video that was on the lighter side of “weird” and had a really strong meaning for the author. Without further ado, Here is “Yume no Hajima Ring Ring” by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu.

     Kiriko Takemura, or better known as Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, is a very well known model and singer that started her career in 2009. She is mostly famous in Japan, but recently she has been getting acknowledgement around the globe for having “weird” or very different art styles in her music videos. In actuality, she is part of the “kawaisa” (cutsie) and “decora” (clashing strengths of colors in clothing, such as black with pastel pink) cultures in Japan, . She often uses full CGI backgrounds and a lot of interesting, cute outfits with bright pastel colors - most notably the “bags of chips” dress from the music video for the song “tsukema Tsukeru” - to grab her audience.

     This particular video focuses on Kyary’s 20th birthday. In Japan turning 20, or the age where you are considered an adult, is highly recognised as a turning point in one’s life. There are often ceremonies held at schools and local venues to celebrate every person who turned, or is going to turn, 20 that year that commemorate them on achieving this goal. They bring the locals, and the community as a whole, closer together. It also gives those turning 20 a chance to thank those around them for their love and support, as well as ask any questions about being an adult that they might want to know. I.E. Fines included for apartments/houses, taxes, etc.

One thing to note is that apologizing and thanking, sometimes obsessively, is a strong part of the japanese culture. They apologize over nearly every mistake, which is iconically symbolised by bowing Japanese business men. They will write thank you cards for their friends and loved ones for little to no reason. Sometimes because of a gift, sometimes just because they want to. And since turning 20 is such an important event, it is no wonder that people will repeatedly give thanks.

    This song, as stated above, is Kyary’s song to celebrate her 20th birthday. Throughout the video, she repeatedly gives thanks to her family, teachers, and friends for what they have taught her and their continued support. She then follows a path for a while but then comes to the point to where she can no longer follow it. So she thanks her new friends and teachers, as well as the ones before and steps further into the unknown. The song ends with her thanking them all again and again, showing to them that they meant a lot to her.

    The first things we see in the video is a white bear holding Kyary’s hand. The bear repeatedly shows up as the video goes on, from watching at a distance to being a part of her band. The bear seems to symbolize the adult figures in her life. Her parents and the teachers - while not trying to push her one way or another, and instead being a neutral party that supported her -  that at first guided her, but later watched her grow into who she was destined to be. Never once stepping over the boundary to become controlling.

    Another part that continually repeats, is Kyary literally meeting herself. Starting from walking on her knees, to when she is going through the phases of fame, to her wearing a traditional Kimono symbolizing graduating from childhood. Each time she confronts herself, she is consulting her past and understanding where she comes from, and where she wants to go.

Each time she leaves herself behind, she sheds a single tear from her right eye.  It is a common rumor that when you cry, if the first tear falls from the right eye, it is a sign of happiness. So, each time she cries, she is happy and thankful for all of those who have been good to her and for the experiences she has had the opportunity of taking. She is happy about where she has come from and excited about where she will be going.

As she moves forward on her own she falls into a spot where she grows, but does not change. The treadmill symbolizes this time. She walks on it, while graphics of her past singles that reached top 10 scroll across the screen next to her, showing her who she is. Eventually, as anyone growing up does, she wants to move forward and must leave this new security that she has found so she steps forward into the unknown.

    Looking at the video with a better understanding of the cultural meaning behind the song can further our understanding of those who are different. In this video, Kyary repeatedly thanks those who have had an impact on her life and allowed her to move forward. From an American standpoint, this isn’t much different from graduating high school or college. The community gets together to honor those who have completed that part of their life, while those who are graduating get a chance to thank them for their love and support. In this regard at least, even Americanized cultures can relate to the celebrating of a milestone, and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s video only helps emphasize that there are cross cultural aspects that transcend even the boundaries of language.

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 14 - One of my Personal Favorites: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Recently, there have been many films where the director also takes on the role of the star. Most often when this happens the film doesn't turn out so great, and no matter how much a cult following it gets – I'm looking at you “The Room”(2003) - doesn't change that. “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” however, is easily one of Ben Stiller's best movies, and is going to become a classic. The movie is not perfect, it does have its pros and cons, but this does not deter from how great the movie is.

Before we move on the the pros and cons, however, let me talk about the premise. The movie itself has an easy premise to understand. Walter Mitty is a guy – who is arguably the biggest day dreamer out there turning his everyday life into extraordinary with his imagination, all while easily zoning out mid conversation with someone – working at Life Magazine as a Negative Asset processing manager. While working on the cover of the last issue of the magazine, he cannot find the photo to be used for the cover and goes to great lengths to find the photographer, who may or may not have a copy of the negatives. An easy concept with a lot of room for interpretation and ideas.

Now that you have an idea of what the movie is about, lets take a look at the pros. “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” is very pretty, visually. Ben Stiller is a very talented visual director, and the movie shows. There are a few, very unique, shots that really make it stand out above the rest. Even though Ben Stiller does tend to direct comedies, this was his first attempt at making a movie with a more serious tone. Yes, there is some pg comedy between Walter and his lady friend, but it is never overbearing or awkward. Another thing the film does well is capture the identity of a photographer. Sean Penn, who plays the photographer, does a great job of capturing the essence of the laid back photographer who sits for hours, waiting for the perfect shot. Sean Penn just brings something cool to the movie that I don't think another actor could have done.

On to the negatives. There are some extremely, cookie cutter, corny character. For example, his sister is over the top to the point of being excessive. There is not a person alive who is like her. But the worst contender of this is Adam Scott's Character. He is so fake and unrealistically mean and it feels like his character was more of a waste than anything else. On top of that, there are some extremely cliche points in the movie. The one that comes to mind fastest is when Walter is going to meet with his lady friend and he goes to her house and her ex husband answers the door. You could see is coming a mile away. Its not really too much of a negative, it just brings the movie down a little.

Overall, the movie is great. Is it perfect, no, it does have its pros and cons. But I feel the execution of the story about someone who goes from living in their head to living their life is timeless. As a kid we almost always do this, we even see examples of this in “Rugrats” where the kids go on adventures in their heads. But this story reaches out to those who are still stuck in boring jobs with nothing to show for it except a little imagination. And how taking a step into the unknown and taking risks can change your life drastically, for better or for worse. Probably not every cup of tea, but if you suffer from chronic daydream, I definitely recommend it.

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 13 - The Birds (1963)

Summary: Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) meets Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) in a San Francisco pet store and decides to follow him home. She brings with her the gift of two love birds and they strike up a romance. One day birds start attacking children at Mitch's sisters party. A huge assault starts on the town by attacking birds.

Review: Alfred Hitchcock was a master of horror movies. He could take the concept of birds, and how we are surrounded by them daily, and turn it into something to be feared. He understood how we take in what we see and hear to become encapsulated in the movie. And once we are in, he would give us ques to how we should feel. For example, when it comes to how we perceive fear, an easy measurement would be a scream. As children, we learn fear and responses from how the adults around us react to things. Hearing a scream on screen has the same effect. It can be used to move you to feel one way or another in a particular scene. In the movie, the teacher and Melanie try to get the kids to safety and have to take them through the streets where the get attacked by the birds. The children scream as they try to swat away the birds, but are barely effective as they are running down the street to their homes. Hitchcock often used the Kuleshov Effect to give his movies a more realistic feel. He described the “Kuleshov Effect” as switching from close up of a person, to the view of something (gruesome or not), and back to the close up of the same person to get their reaction. In other words, he uses the actors reactions to drive our own. A good example of this in “The Birds” is when Melanie runs to the phone booth when the town is getting attacked by birds. It turns from close-up, to a thing, and back to a close up multiple times, each time showing her reaction as the new dangers around her happen.

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 12 - Rebel Without a Cause

Summary:After moving to a new town, trouble-making teen Jim Stark (James Dean) is supposed to have a clean slate, although being the new kid in town brings its own problems. While searching for some stability, Stark forms a bond with a disturbed classmate, Plato (Sal Mineo), and falls for local girl Judy (Natalie Wood). However, Judy is the girlfriend of neighborhood tough, Buzz (Corey Allen). When Buzz violently confronts Jim and challenges him to a drag race, the new kid's real troubles begin.

Review:

James Dean was relatively unknown throughout his carrier. His acting carrier started in (roughly) 1951, which was only 4 years before “Rebel Without a Cause” premiered in theaters. He was probably chosen because of his young, bad-boy appearance and the producers thought he might have some ability to be the next hot article.This being said, James dean does a wonderful job of portraying Jim Stark. He plays both the bad boy, and the child who wants to do the right thing. I think the biggest factor that seemed apparent was the challenge of starting “hard” (rough, tough, and not caring) and changing into someone who eventually cries out in anguish because he hates his family but cannot do anything about it. James dean does this extremely well and it is by far one of the best character portrayals I’ve ever seen. 

If i was to remake this movie, and modernize it, of the actors I know, I would probably use Dave Franco to take the reigns of the lead role, Jim Stark. He did well in portraying the modern bad boy in both 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street. Dave might have to live in his brother’s shadow at the moment, but he has the talent and looks to surpass his brother in due time.

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 11 - Buster Keaton Classic: Seven Chances

Synopsis: Jimmy Shannon (Buster Keaton) is close to financial turmoil when he is informed by his lawyer (Snitz Edwards) that his grandfather left him seven million dollars in his will. The catch is that he has to get married by seven p.m. on his 27th birthday (which happens to be the very same day). He proceeds to ask his girlfriend Mary (Ruth Dwyer) if she will marry him and she breaks up with him once she finds out that they would have to be married that day. Disheartened, Jimmy begins asking random women if they will marry him with the help of his partner (T. Roy Barnes) and lawyer. As time begins to wind down desperation sets in as Mary’s mother tries to convince her to reconsider and Jimmy’s partner puts an advertisement in the paper for available brides to meet at the church. Jimmy, asleep on a pew, is attacked by the women who begin to fight over him. Mary writes a note stating that she wants to marry him. Jimmy receives the note during the chaos and leaves the church, batting off women as he goes rushing to get to Mary’s house. He finally gets there only to discover that he is too late. Mary reassures him that she wants to marry him regardless of his situation, but Jimmy refuses to let her trap herself with a penniless man. As he leaves he notices that his partner’s watch was fast because by the church clock he still had time. He weds Mary in just the nick of time. Review: Looking at the shots and filming devices used in this film first, there are a lot of shots well placed camera shots and angles. Starting with the opening scene - a clear shot of Mary’s house with the size of the dog and the weather changing to depict the passage of time – it is clever and something that isn’t really done anymore. There are shots that have great emotion and feeling behind them, such as when Jimmy nervous is sitting on a bench outside Mary’s house trying to word his proposal, or when he is asking multiple women to marry him and his discomfort in doing so. But the real masterpiece is the 15 to 20 minute chase scene for the ending of the 56 minute film. The shots are crisp and staggering make you feel like you are not just watching the action, you are part of it.

The acting for the movie is well done as well. The music helps a bit, but being able to feel what the characters are feeling, frustrations and uncomfortableness and/or adoration, all without a lick of sound and without “real” dialog is beyond impressive. But my favorite part, by far, is the last 20 minutes. It is the chase scene that lasts for about a quarter of the movie. And I have to say, boy can Buster book it! I swear, he was basically running a triathlon across, what feels like, an enormous distance. Battling off ambitious and angry bride-to-be’s across traffic, mining and railroad equipment, and even rocks and a hill. You end up laughing out loud while rooting for Jimmy to make it to Mary’s on time!  This movie is by far one of my top 10 favorites of all time. And I implore you to watch it

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 10 - Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate

With an incredibly large number of sequels and re-release, becoming the norm, it is no surprise that 2015 is going to be packed with sequels from end to end. One series that is steadily getting bigger is the Monster Hunter series. The series has almost always been big in Japan, with an astounding 20 games since the first was released in 2004. The series internationally just launched its ninth title, Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate, mid-February of this year. This title is exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS and is by far the most fluid entry in the series in terms of story and gameplay.  

Monster Hunter is a game where you hunt large monsters. You go out to different areas and exotic locations where your goal is to hunt down and slay your target. You then collect pieces of the monster you just hunted and using these monster parts, you can then craft different weapons and armor and go battle even tougher monsters. It is essentially like fighting a series of boss fights, with each new monster posing a serious threat. And unlike other hunting games, in Monster Hunter the hunter is tiny compared to these, well, monsters. Most of the time, your character barely stands at the knee of most of your prey, and I use prey loosely. There is even one monster so huge that the entire fight takes place on a boat that you have to protect so it isn't eaten whole.    

In Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate, the combat and gameplay is more vertical than the other installments. Movement is more parkour - the activity of moving rapidly through an area, negotiating obstacles by running, jumping, and climbing - influenced and the stages accurately mimic the mountainous backdrops with high scaling walls and steep ledges. This new terrain added a revamped climbing system which doesn’t hinder the hunter, but rather adds to his ability to hunt. There are now new aerial attacks to every weapon that make the combat smoother. If you hit the monster from the air, it allows you to mount it and, after a successful rodeo mini-game, drive it into the ground. All of this is significantly better than the awful water combat they added in Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate. Thankfully water combat has removed from this game entirely.

The story in Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate isn't anything award winning, mind you, but this is the first time in the history of the series to contain a proper, progressing story that exists and helps shape and develop the world. The story follows you, a fledgling hunter, who is hired to protect a caravan from the dangers of the outside world. In your adventures you come across a looming threat that only you have the mettle to handle when all else fails. The Traditional hero story, but it works.

The real seller of the Monster Hunter series is its multiplayer feature. On top of the story, there is the Guild hall, a hub for harder quests and multiplayer. The difficulty of the Guild hall quests is to encourage playing with friends. You can invite three other friends to battle these challenges or go online and find an entire world of fellow hunters to connect with. Or you can put your sword to the test if you prefer to play alone.

For those who are not familiar to the Monster Hunter franchise, Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate is the most beginner friendly of the series, but this doesn’t mean it cannot be improved upon. There are missions that help new players learn the basic of crafting and gathering, as well as the basics for each weapon’s combat style. But it is done through extensive amounts of dialog which can drag on in the beginning of the game when all you want to do is stick your sword through something’s mouth. It is a good thing that the difficulty curve isn't as strong as it was in past games. It's still going to be overwhelming, but if you stick to the story, you'll have no problems whatsoever. This doesn’t mean that the combat will be boring for the entire game, in fact, it is quite the opposite. The player has fourteen unique weapon types to fit their fancy, from massive swords and long lances to deadly blades and powerful bows and everything in between. This installment introduces two new weapons, the charge blade, a sword and shield combo that transforms into a damage spewing axe, and the insect glaive, a pole-arm that attacks with fancy flips and tricks and a pet bug that buffs the player.

Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate is the biggest Monster Hunter game by far. It has ninety-eight unique monsters to fight, the largest number in any installment yet, and in turn, the most craftable items. There is almost no end to the amount of armor sets you can make and weapons you can create and also upgrade with the spoils of different monsters. But this creates an entirely new problem that found exhausting with the previous games: the grind. Yes the amount of monsters keeps things fresh and the armor and weapons look super sweet, but in order to get there, you have to hunt monsters in order to craft better weapons and armor only to hunt harder monsters only to craft even better weapons and armor etc. etc.. It's a long grind. Don’t get me wrong, I'm ok with having to grind; but the entire game shouldn’t be one big grind fest.

To me, the concept of Monster Hunter has always been cool. Fighting enormous monsters is sweet, and adding in enormous weapons only makes it that much more fantastic. The combat and gameplay is much smoother in Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate. The updated climbing system and adding in aerial attacks were a giant step in the right direction; however, there is still room for improvement. With each enemy essentially being a boss, it takes a long time to get equipment; and the story, which is mediocre at best, does not excuse the grind. If the story was stronger and made me care for the well-being of my caravan, as well as the towns I visited, the grind probably would not be  as big of an issue. This game may not be for everyone, but for fans of the Monster Hunter franchise, the game is a big improvement for the series. If you are looking for a game that lets you strategically hunt and fight large monsters, I recommend checking it out.

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 9 - Pot of Gold

My girlfriend is a huge fan of Bastille. So when I heard they were going to be in Arizona, and since she has never been to a concert, and especially as a person who enjoys concerts, I had to buy tickets. Bastille was playing on the first day of a 5-day music festival down in phoenix called the Pot of Gold festival on March 13-17.

The festival had two different stages that the bands would play off of, that way they could prepare the unused stage for the next band. The Line-up for that day consisted of 7 bands, ranging from “I know this band because it is my girlfriend’s favorite band and the whole reason we came to the festival” to “I have no idea who that is.” But before I get a head of myself, and get into the thick of the music that was played, let me talk about the vendors.

The vendors that were there were kind sad. There was nothing even remotely interesting. There were a couple “punk” clothing vendors, a longboard creator/painter, and a legal marijuana vendor. Even the bands merchandise section was small and unoccupied. The food was alright, kind of what you’d expect from this sort of event. But nothing besides the music to keep people occupied for the length of time people would be staying there, especially if you got to the grounds around when the gates opened. The gates opened at 3pm, but the lineup didn’t start until about an hour and a half later. Luckily I arrived around 4pm.

The lineup started with a band called “Joywave” at 4:30pm, and they weren’t all that bad. They were kind of how I expected the bands to sound: not grungy, but not pop, really a mix of generic “alternative” and “new-age.” Best songs they played, by far, were the opening and closing songs. They did a good job of reaching out to the crowd and trying to get people pumped for their band and the rest of the day. Overall, a good first band.

The second band was called “Future Island” and they were a bit different. Well, that is putting it lightly. I ended up nicknaming them “growl.” By this I mean, they sounded more like “pop” than the first band but every now and then he would start a verse with a growl then go back to his pop-sounding singing. The singer was in his 40’s, noticeable because of the balding patch on his head, and normally I wouldn’t have a problem with that. Except that he decided to explain each of his songs before he sang them, and everyone was about something in a midlife crisis. And that is not the worst part; he also was super sweaty and kept humping the mic stand and grabbing his “junk.” Overall they were an interesting sounding band with a rather annoying singer. Pretty much what I expected for a filler band.

The third band goes by the name “Bleachers.” This band blew me away. Them being third in line, with two not-so-hot bands behind them, I was expecting the same kind of sound and talent. Boy how I was wrong. The band is one of the most versatile I’ve seen to date. They have two drummers, two keyboards, and the singer who is also the guitarist, both rhythm and solo. But one drummer could also play the keyboard, one keyboard could play bass, and one keyboard could play saxophone. On top of that, all five of the band members sang. Not as in sang pieces here and there, no. They sang with the lead singer for most of the song in every song. They sounded like a mix between pop and funk. It was weird and it worked. They also did a fantastic job of getting the crowd going. They changed some song lyrics to say “phoenix” and addressed the crowd after every song; getting them, and me, pumped about the upcoming bands.

The fourth band, well I should say DJ, goes by the name of “Girltalk.” Now, this was a complete turn from what had been played earlier in the lineup and I was not expecting it. Basically, he mixed songs together for his hour ranging from the Beatles to Beyoncé. He also didn’t really address the crowd too much, either. But, I guess it didn’t matter if he did, as he had a group of 20-30 people on stage with him just dancing and jumping to all of his music. It felt like a fraternity and sorority had decided to hire a DJ for one of their shitty philanthropy events that always end up with someone going to the hospital. All and all, Girltalk was not bad. It was a great way to shake things up and keep things fresh, I just wasn’t that much of a fan.

Fifth on the lineup, and probably the most well-known band at the concert, was “Awolnation;” Otherwise known as “the band that made that ‘Sail!’ song.” Honestly, this was probably the worst show at the festival, if you could even call it a show. The band just played songs. That’s it. The singer didn’t address the crowd other than to say “thanks” or “thank you.” It felt like they were just doing a job and didn’t care how they sounded or whether we had a good time or not. And that is not acceptable when it comes to being performers. It’s not about you, it’s about the audience. Your job is to make them have fun and enjoy your performance. Honestly, I was peeved before they did “Sail” and it only got worse after that. The singer left the stage halfway through the song. He just left; which is rude, and unprofessional. Not to mention they ended 15 minutes early. I don’t know, maybe he was having a bad day, or he was sick, or had something happen to him. But, at least, he could have addressed the crowd saying “look guys, I’m not feeling well, but I’m here for you so I will play as long as I can, and if we end a little early, I apologize.” or something to that degree. But they didn’t, so we had no idea what was going on and if this was how they are or if something that was going on behind the scene was causing issues. They were definitely a downer for the festival.

Sixth in the lineup was a duo called “Chromeo.” I like to call Chromeo the “poor man’s daft punk.” But I don’t think that gives them enough credit. Chromeo is a two-man band that has kind of a techno-funk vibe. One guy does more “real” instruments like guitars, bass, and singing; while the other guy did uses a synthesizer to make the same instruments and change his voice to sound robotic. I like funk, so I am probably biased, but I liked these guys.

The headliner, and the reason for us attending the Pot of Gold, was Bastille. They are a UK band that thrive off of the singers vocal talents. This is not to dock the band at all, they are really good. It is just it’s the singer who really drives their music home. That being said, they were fantastic performers (no Bleachers, but I am biased). The singer did a great job of addressing the crowd and playing what he felt fit the situation. But the best part of the entire show was when the singer decided he would like to get into the crowd. I thought he was just going to hang out in the front (we were off to the side because we both get claustrophobic in crowds), but was I wrong. He moved from the front, to the right side of the stage, around the crowd through the backside, and back to the stage.  He actually took the risk of the crowd to give those in the back a chance to see him up close – which I applaud him for because some of those people were grabbing him and what not – and that included us. It was a cool experience for me and a surreal experience for my girlfriend, one that she will never forget.

With only a couple of the performers being “ok” or worse, the great performers definitely made up for it. On top of that, meeting new bands and being in a place where people can enjoy music and the like, is always a place I will feel comfortable. Overall, the show was good. I will try to go for more days next year, if I can, or maybe find a new festival to give a try. Pot of Gold Day 1 was worth every penny spent.

[criesofarailbird]

Cries of a Railbird - issue 8 - Top 7 Linear Video Games

I wrote a top 7 list, for what i consider to be the top 7 best linear video games to date. http://warningspoilers330w.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_3.html

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 7 - Oldies can be Goodies: Double Indemnity (1944)

Overall, not a bad movie, but it took it a little bit to ramp up, and once it did, oh boy. The story itself is one that is interesting and the plot twists that happen really are out of the blue. I mean, they are somewhat noticeable by today’s standards of taking everything remotely interesting and running it into the ground and beating it dead; but, at the time, these were definitely strong twists. The story focus’ on Walter Ness, a successful salesman, who becomes fascinated by, and soon falls I love with, Phyllis Dietrichson who is the wife of one of his client. She says she wants her husband dead and not long after that, Walter starts planning, and eventually killing, her husband. All of this is told through Walters perspective as he records the tale on a voice recorder. The acting of the movie, while over dramatic at times, wasn’t all that bad. There were scenes where it was hard to watch, or that you didn’t know what the characters were feeling, or that the feelings felt forced, but overall not a bad film.

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 6 - Have you seen Tucker and Dale Vs Evil

     When I think about my favorite genre of movie, I do like horror and comedy movies, but I often see myself falling back to parody movies. I absolutely love them. They take what Americans and people of the world see, or believe about one subject, and turn it on his head for a few laughs. Such greats as Robin Hood Men in Tights, Scary Movie, and Sean of the Dead are all well-known parodies of other movies that have taken a footing of their own. But one of my favorite parodies, and one that I believe deserves more credit, is: Tucker and Dale Vs Evil.      I absolutely love this movie, but I will do my best to be objective. And as bad and hypocritical as this will sound, I am going to give it an A. Since the “Scary Movie” epidemic, parody movies have relied on the same gimmicks and cheap laughs to real in their audiences and people were starting to lose faith in the potential. This particular parody makes fun of how our culture has become so paranoid because of the movies we watch, takes super precautions, or extreme measures, in almost any situation; and blow things way out of proportion.       The story focuses on two hillbillies that purchased a log cabin at the same time some college students take a vacation to go camping. An accident happens and there is a misunderstanding where the students think they are being attacked by two “psycho hillbillies.” And that is only where the shenanigans begin.       The acting between the two hillbillies is great. Their reactions seem genuine for their situation, while at the extreme opposite, the college students definitely overreact. It is a great explanation of how silly we can get when we are scared. Definitely a great movie for a few laughs among friends.

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 5 - One of the Greats: Citizen Kane

This week, I decided to look at a movie that is considered by many to be the greatest film ever made, Citizen Kane. It is easily noticeably why when you look at the depth and mastery that is shown throughout the film’s cinematography, sound editing, and special effects.

The amount of single-shot dialog scenes in the film is astounding enough, but the feeling that you get from just watching them is intense. Take for example the scene towards the beginning of the film when Kane has lost about a million in the newspaper industry and Mr. Thatcher is trying to get him to stop acting like a child. The camera never breaks once, and as the scene moves from Kane being silly to serious, the camera moves closer to intensify the feeling. Even today, this isn’t done very well, if at all. Today’s directors seem to be in the groove of doing strong or harsh cuts to intensify feeling, but I feel it can take it away more than help sometimes

. When it comes to the sound editing, the way the dialog sounds like natural speaking isn’t something that is special now, but at the time, things felt exaggerated. But in, for example, the scene right after the news reel is shown to a group of men, they start talking about trying to find out what “rosebud” meant. There is an echo in the room, but again it didn’t feel scripted, it is as though the actors were given the idea of what to talk about and let them go at it. It really brings the audience into the feeling that they are watching something unfold.

Now, most of the special effects that are shown in the movie are easily noticeable, as it was made in the 1940’s, but, there are times that it is shown just how much a little visual trickery can go a long way in setting up a scene. Take, for example, the scene when Kane is being given to Mr. Thatcher. As soon as it starts, it shows Kane playing in the snow, and it is nearly impossible to tell where the fake snow stops, and the set starts. Today, something like that would be done digitally and 70 percent of the time, you could tell that it wasn’t real. The fact that this movie has been around 60 plus years and can still trick people, just shows how innovative they had to be to give the setting real meaning and feeling.

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 4 - A Blast from the Past with "Holiday" and "42nd Street"

This week, I took a step into the 1930-1940 to watch “Holiday” and “42nd Street.”

Holiday:

The story’s focus of politics, at times, became a bit too heavy, and with little to no comic relief it became hard to focus. Not to mention there was hardly a sound track to give the scenes a sense of emotion, so often I was wondering whether or not the scene would be happy, or sad, or silly. The acting of Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, however, became the saving grace. Their over-the-top acting style, which is something we consider normal acting now-a-days – be it with the flips Johnny did or Linda’s snarky remarks while leaning in close to her sister, etc. – really made the film more enjoyable to watch.

42nd Street:

The story is focused on a well-known director, who had a knack for being an asshole and finding talent, trying to have people appreciate the story than the actors and/or actresses in it. The acting does a fantastic job of portraying the emotions of the characters, especially towards the end when Peggy, Ruby Keeler, has to take over the lead role and is nervous and frustrated. Other than that, I can say some of the technicals were really well done, and others not so much. The panning and hand-held style of shooting caused the camera to shake and broke my concentration a few times. But, some of the shots they had during the showing of the play – the actors and actresses becoming the night sky and the stairs becoming a building, or the top down of the actresses’ legs moving back and forth – were absolutely gorgeous. 

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 3 - Cleaver Superbowl Commercial

This past weekend was Superbowl weekend, and for those of us who aren’t interested by the event, we tend to take enjoyment in the reactions of those who are invested in it, and the comercials that play inbetween. Now, this year, Chevy had a briliant idea for a comercial where they would trick everyone that the television or cable was going out at the very beginning of the game. I think this is brilliant. Not only is it funny to watch a whole bar of people at Buffalo Wild Wings freak out because they think they aren’t going to be able to watch the game, but also it sticks in our brain. Its something we will talk about and spead advertisement for free, and a great marketing strategy. It was a great start to a pretty good set of comercials.

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 2 - Inside look at Oscar Nomination Boyhood.

Since the announcement of the nominations for best picture from the Oscars, Ive been trying to watch one of the movies a week. This past week I watched “Boyhood.” This is the movie that was filmed over 12 years and is of a boy’s life as he grows up from age six to eighteen. This movie is definitely worth the nomination, not just because of length it took to make, but the way it tells us a story. It doesn’t follow the typical 3 act structure, but how can it? A life isn’t put into that kind of structure. The movie is full of small actions and conflicts to show the boy evolve over time. My only problem is I wish it would have went a little further on his teenage years, as that is where the “me” for a person is developed and sharpened. Nevertheless, it is definitely worth watching at least once.

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Cries of a Railbird - issue 1 - Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia S10 Pilot

The newest episode of “It’s always Sunny in Philadelphia,” the episode marking the premier of season 10, was aired on Wednesday, January 14th 2015. This time, in “The Gang Beats Boggs,” the gang takes to the air to beat record holder Wade Boggs’s record of 50, or 60, or 70 (they aren’t sure how many) beers on a flight from Philly to LA, with Mac as the “commissioner” who is sober to keep track of who drinks how much. But as the episode progresses, the drunken stupor takes a hold and the madness begins with Dee trying too hard to win and passing out extremely early to Dennis and Frank making bets about who was going to sleep with someone first. It ends on a high note as Charlie is the winner drinking 71 beers and hitting a home-run on his first try. All in all, I have to say it was not a bad episode, but not one of their best. Hopefully the season picks up and gets better from here. They always have a few gems that make it worthwhile.