A Movie Review: Obivion

Oblivion. Jack and Victoria are doing some final resource collection from earth. The planet was destroyed when a war between alien invaders and humans broke out.  Humanity won, but needed to leave the planet. 

This was an okay movie, but I left with many questions (spoilers):

1.  We find out towards the end that the aliens actually won the war.  Planet earth was pretty much wiped out with very few humans left alive.. Why did the aliens feel the need to continue to rely on human clones?

2.  Jack seemed to quickly make up his mind that the human rebels were being honest with him.  I don't know, it would take me little longer to trust them.  I mean, my whole existence and reason for leaving was being questioned.

3.  Why would the aliens want Jack to come up to their station in the first place?

Young Creatures at El Cid

Young Creatures had their release party at El Cid.  The crowd was pumped for their friends on stage.  Stage lighting.  Smoke.  The stage show.  It all worked perfectly with the band's passion.

Eastern Conference Champions at El Cid

Eastern Conference Champions hit the stage first.  There was a nice crowd waiting for them; however, nearly everyone was in the back.  Only three of us stood near the stage.  After a trio of songs, a handful of folks ventured closer to the stage and then it was an avalanche as everyone came up close. 

They put on their usual great stage show along with stunning songs.  Mercy, I love this band.

Bloody Death Skull at Pehrspace

The New Folk LA Festival held a night at Pehrspace. Bloody Death Skull came on second. The band name seems like a rather violent band name for a band that appears to be full of folks with pleasant personalities.  I ended up being part of the set when their lead singer took a quick rest on my lap.

The mystery:  The lead singer took off into the audience and somehow her microphone wire got tangled up in the ceiling fabric.  How did that exactly happen?

Comment of the set:  How's your shaker?  Is it in tune?

Guy Blakeslee at Pehrspace

Guy Blakeslee has a fan base. A good crowd showed up early at Pehrspace to cheer on their musician. The night was associated with The New LA Folk Fest. What was so intriguing about the night is how much care was put into decorating Pehrspace.  Mats on the floor that indicated that folks should sit for the set.  Bird cages, birds (fake), dolls, and skulls decorated the front of the stage.  Fabric draped the ceiling.  It made for an enjoyable experience.

Dante vs Zombies at The Smell

I'm rather sure that the last time I saw Dante vs. Zombies was way back at a Silver Lake Jubilee.  That was just way too long ago.  With band mates from Raw Geronimo and Jail Weddings -- and perhaps others -- there are wonderful mixes of energy in this band.

Persona at The Smell

Persona rocked the stage at The Smell.  Charisma.  On stage antics.  A rocking sound and an adoring audience.  That's Persona.

A Neutra house on Silver Lake

I got a chance to head over to the Neutra VDL house.

Since I'm no architect, I'll let the website explain the house:

Looking across Silver Lake reservoir to the opposite eastern shore one could see, by the end of 1933, a recently completed radically “modern” two-story house: a markedly horizontal composition with a repetition of identical casement windows running from edge to edge of its box-like form; a simple volume defined by a skin like enclosure and capped by a thin flat roof plane; a façade without the distractions of color or ornament. This house was the embodiment of then current European avant-garde design scarcely known to the people of Los Angeles.

Some of my thoughts:  I loved the two kitchens (one on each level).  I loved the rooftop.  I didn't exactly like the size of the bedrooms.  In one bedroom, there were a long row of buttons -- I couldn't help but wonder what they controlled.

Stripper Pussy at The Smell

Stripper Pussy is the type of band I'm used to seeing at The Smell.  Playing off the stage.  Slamming into the crowd.  Playing with the lights down.  Screeching.

 

Pure Shit at The Smell

Pure Shit is a guy with a bass who does some political poetry followed by some rifts. 

Suzi Star at The Smell

If you only occasionally go to The Smell (me), you never know what you'll find. The night started with Suzi Star.  The Smell's link to her site is a long forgotten myspace page.  She ha an esoteric sound that sends one into an electronic trace.  She sat on the floor with two keyboards at her disposal.  On at least one occasion she played one with her hands while using her feet on another.     

Winter/Spring 2013 Movie rankings

I didn't got to the movies as often as I usually do these past few months.  I got hit with a bit of unfortunate news on the employment front that had me pre-occupied with other issues.  I did go out to catch a handful of movies.  Below are my rankings.

Fun

Side Effects
Oz The Great and Powerful

OK

Warm Bodies

Lost

Stoker
Spring Breakers

A Movie Review: Spring Breakers

Spring Breakers. Hmm. Hot young starlets. Some wannabe gangsters going at it. Hey, doesn't that sound like an interesting movie.  Well, add in some over-the-top film directing and you're actually left with eye candy junk.