I Hurt You

Rammstein has released their second video from the new album, Liebe ist für Alle Da. They chose the track Ich Tu Dir Weh, a powerful, driving song about, well, various sado-masochistic acts. It's one of may favorite of many songs on the album, and while it's not my first choice for a video from this album, it's a welcome addition to the visual library.

The Video!!!

At first view, it makes me swell with pride. My first concert was seeing Rammstein, on their Mutter World Tour from 2001 to 2002. The excitement, the smoke, the fear of being hurt, and the love of going deaf. When they took the stage, they were dressed in a full motif from their album, and of the flames went into their set. They were more pyrotechnics than Independence Day, more people sharing a unified love than there were in college, and I had more fun, in my sweaty singed t-shirt then than I have had in a long while.

This video woke up distinct memories of that very show. This video is a fantastic image of Rammstein. Spiky, flame-broiled, active, and in love the the heaviness of their art. Of course, this is the idea of industrial. Note the massive machinery, churning with the metal of the guitars. The electronic sparks as the synths plays. The activity of the band members as the play. Lastly the lighting effects out of Till's mouth was an especially nice touch. Enlightening us with hurtful words.

This is all a very impressive display, as it only took them 3 months to kick this video out, and they're all (still) pushing 50 years old. This is what I love about this group, and what I imagine and envision think out every time I hear good industrial music.

God I hope they come back to America, just one last time.

-The0

The Blood Farmer's Dilemma

So, I recently saw Daybreakers with the good doctor. It was pretty enjoyable. I'm always happy to see Sam Neill get more work (a long-time respect for Dr. Grant is to blame for that) and anything with Willem Dafoe is going to be a hit. I couldn't tell what was rougher, the skin on his face or the grain of the film.

While I'm disappointed to see yet another vampire flick hitting the screens, I'm glad that it stuck to some sort of canon. These vampires can't be seen in mirrors, a stake through the heart kills instantly, and nothing but human blood fills their hunger. The mirror thing hasn't been explored in a very long time, and while there probably won't be a sequel, it was very interesting to see it presented.

The premise of the movie was unique as well. The vampire-human wars were long over. They won, and since they have to feed on human blood, we literally became a cash crop. Humans were snatched up from the streets they used to own, to live out the rest of their lives as blood machines. The victorious vampire vanguard continued to get their supplied and rationed blood from various avenues (think: StarBlood's, St Louis Blood Co, Panera Blood, Drippin' Donuts, Hemo's Pizza, Plasma Hut [stop me!]) as they took on our old streets, jobs, and undead lives.

This, of course, can't go on forever, setting up the conflict we need in order to have a story. Blood runs low, they start running out of humans, and they start searching for alternative fuels. Foods. Sorry. They can't get an artificial blood created, and reserves are drying up. People in advanced stages of blood deprivation are like crazed humanoid bats, devoid of all thought but to get more blood. They needed more humans in a bad way, or an alternative, or a way to wean their hunger. Enter Willem Dafoe as the world's first cured vampire. Without giving too much away, the cure is something that kills them, and then the cure is something that sustains them. Deus ex Machina, right out of nowhere.

A weird thing to see was how human these vampires turned out to be. Shuffling in line, waiting for coffee, watching the news, and struggling at jobs. It's like being a vampire doesn't have that undertone of sexual lust, power and control, and the fascination with the immortality of the undead was profoundly understated. Like the rat race never has a finish line. A healthy embrace of classic vampire lore, with a good reality check. I liked this movie, if nothing else as a thought exercise. 80%, will probably buy the DVD. See this film if you like lots of syrup-y blood, gore, Sam Neill, Willem Dafoe, fire, and classic cars. Don't see this film if you like sparkles. You'll cry.

-The0

Nein, Es ist Gut!!!

So I saw 9 with the Dr. Girlfriend, and I have to say, it was worth the cash in my opinion. There was a lot of hype, and while it pays off on most of it, I suppose I was looking for a little bit more out of it.

The movie was a quick show, at about 75 minutes. Nearly the whole thing is action, and well played at that. There was just enough exposition to keep you quiet during the film, and the colors kept my 2-year-old attention span spellbound the entire time.

I really enjoyed the environment they created for this movie as well. It had an air of World War II America, with '40's styled cars and white picket fences. Granted, everyone's dead, but I very much felt like it was Nightmare on Tranquility Lane.

Something I was looking for was a bit more of a character from Crispin Glover. Granted, he usually plays an odd character, but it was hard to build when few of his lines consisted of more than 20 words. I liked him in BTTF, of course, and he was astounding in Willard. I just wish we could've gotten more than just 6-is-our-resident-freakshow.

Lastly, a cool theme was the implied Science versus Spirituality battle. Although, I am beginning to get sick of the idea that the instant humanity finally develops AI, we're fucked. And to the other end of that argument, I know for a fact I don't want to run around as a sock puppet after the Armageddon.

Go see 9. In the theaters. It's worth the price of your ticket, I promise.

-The0