When I set out to find my next favorite musician, there are three places I look: Spotify, the opening acts for my favorite bands, and recommendations from friends. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of seeing a social media post about an indie musician out of Boston. Always up for hearing new talent, and yes, I am partial to the male voice, I began listening to and fell quickly in love with Troy's voice. His upcoming EP When The Lights Came has a raw sound of inspirational emotion. From the pop sound of the title track "When the Lights Came"to the slower piano arrangement of "The Lucky Ones," there's a wide arrangement on the EP. "Song Man"has to be my absolute favorite; it begins with a slow beat, but before you know it, it quickly moves into a catchy trance that has you not only singing along but also trying to decipher the meaning of the lyrics.
Troy was kind enough to answer a few questions for Fanboys Anonymous and give me a sneak peek of his EP, which I know you guys will absolutely love!
FA: Your newest single, "Coward," is written in conjunction with Restless Waters by Jessica Park. Can you tell me how that process worked?
Troy: Yes! Very exciting to be a part of Jessica's new book. She is a brilliant author and a wonderful person to work with. Jess and I had been talking for a couple of years about working on a project together, and when she decided to write Restless Waters she knew that it was the right project. The process for writing "Coward" was really great in many ways. It challenged me in a way that no other song that I've written has. All my songs are very personal and pulled out of life experiences. So attempting to write a song about a fictional character was a bit frightening. But Jess really gave me a great understanding of who Sabin was and what he was dealing with. It turned out that I felt a strong connection to his character, and that gave me a good idea as to how the song should go. Working with Jess was a pleasure; she really gave me complete freedom to dive in and attempt to portray Sabin through this song. So with her guidance I tried to vaguely encompass all of the things he is dealing with in the book so people that know the character could relate to it and it would be authentic to him, but also so that people that aren't familiar might be able to connect as well.
FA: It looks like you have an EP coming out soon. Can you tell me more about when to expect it? From what I've heard it's been "coming" since early this year, yet I only see a single from it. Unless it is out and can't find it?
Troy: You're right, my EP When The Lights Came has been on standby for quite a while now. I've really been waiting for the right time to release it. It looks like that time might be very soon! I released the single "Rosary" last summer along with a gorgeous music video, and it has been doing quite well, but I really wanted to release the EP in a unique way. The collaboration of "Coward" with Jessica led to her using many of my songs on the EP in the book as well, so as it turns out, I'm happy that we waited to release it. It feels a bit more special now that it will begin its life within the book.
FA: What types of music should we expect from the EP? Is it similar to your other singles or a new sound?
Troy: My goal for the EP and all of my music has been to maintain simplicity but still achieve a big and impactful sound. So the EP is definitely in line with "Coward" and "Rosary." I've been working with Dante Lattanzi of Caelum Music Production on all of the tunes, and he has completely captured everything I was looking for. The songs are very personal and emotional, so I wanted to allow them to convey that with little distraction.
FA: Do you feel any special connection to any of your songs, more so than the others? I know this is like picking a favorite child, you can hate me. Ha, ha.
Troy: I do feel a special connection to all of my songs actually, I don't know if I could pick a favorite. If I had to I might say "Rosary" and "Restless Lady" are my two favorites because they came out of very painful memories of losing my father. "Rosary" was inspired by a conversation that I never got to finish with my dad, and "Restless Lady" is kind of a tribute to my mom for being so strong after my dad passed away. I also feel a special connection to "Restless Lady" because I named the song after a song that he wrote many years ago. I opened his old Gibson Acoustic guitar case and I found a musty handwritten lyric sheet of his song "Restless Lady," and about 30 minutes later I had completed the song. I've never written a song that fast before or after, so this one is a special one for sure.
FA: Do you prefer working in a band or as a solo act? Do you like having more creative control over the work without the risk of disagreement from band members?
Troy: There are definitely pros and cons to both. At the moment, I am loving what I am doing as a solo act. I do enjoy the freedom to do whatever I think is right and to explore whatever type of direction a song leads. That being said I think it is really important for me to have other opinions, so I have other people that I respect and trust that I'll share ideas with and make sure I'm not crazy most of the time. Having Dante as a partner also makes life easy for me as a solo act. As an incredible multi-instrumentalist, he can really bring anything to life and makes it easy to explore so many different avenues.
FA: Where did your interest in music begin? Were there any people in your life who encouraged and helped your creative talents along the way?
Troy: My father was a musician. He met my mom while he was playing gigs. Music was always in my house growing up, so I loved music at a young age. Although I didn't start pursuing it until I was in college, I always loved to sing. My family has encouraged me ever since I began to write songs; it feels great knowing that they love what I'm doing. Every musician that I've played with over the years has also helped me in some way. I like to learn from everyone, and just having the fortune to know and have played with some incredible people has really helped me grow as a musician.
FA: For people out there who haven't yet had the pleasure of listening to your music, how would you classify your sound?
Troy: This is a tough one. And I should probably have this answer ready because people ask me all the time, but I've had a hard time putting my own label on it. I guess I can just quote from a blog called Jamsphere that summed it up pretty good in my opinion: "It's like Eddie Vedder meets Otis Redding over at Daryl Hall's house on a Sunday afternoon."
FA: Are there any comparisons out there that you absolutely hate? Or for that matter love?
Troy: I don't think I've ever been put off by a comparison. I guess I look at any comparison as a compliment. I do love when I hear an Amos Lee or Kings of Leon comparison though. Two of my all-time favorites.
FA: What (or Who) are you a fanboy of?
Troy: I was/am obsessed with the movie Avatar! I thought it was the most incredibly moving piece of art I've ever seen. I've gotten a lot of shit from my friends for this, but I don't care. I saw it in the theater about 10 times and probably watched it at home about 20 times more. I still feel moved every single time.
FA: Light saber or magic wand?
Troy: Well when I was a young boy I was a very amateur magician, so I'd have to say magic wand.
FA: Favorite book?
Troy: Restless Waters by Jessica Park
FA: Favorite band?
Troy: Kings of Leon
FA: Favorite TV show?
Troy: Friends
Listen to "Coward"below and let me know your thoughts in a comment!
On this edition of Channel Surfing, we join Chris "The Dace Man" Dace as he reviewsthe second episode of the second season of Fox's Gotham
He'll give you the scope on this week's episode as to what went down with a hint of Dacetacularness. So put down that remote control, sit back, and enjoy this brand new edition of Channel Surfing. I'm calling for the few, for the proud, and for The Dacetacular: Let's start channel surfing!
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a TV remote—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
Welcome to the latest edition of Making the Grade – a review format segment here on Fanboys Anonymous where we break down the five major components of something and give it a score based on the standard report card lineup: A, B, C, D, and F for a total failure.
The next report card is for Eli Roth's most buzzed about gore fest, entitled The Green Inferno.
The Green Inferno – directed by Eli Roth; written by Guillermo Amoedo and Eli Roth; starring Lorenza Izzo (Justine), Ariel Levy (Alejandro), Aaron Burns (Jonah), Kirby Bliss Blanton (Amy), Magda Apanowicz (Samantha), Ignacia Allamand (Kara), Daryl Sabara (Lars), Nicolás MartÃnez (Daniel), Sky Ferreira (Kaycee), Ramón Llao (Bald Headhunter), Antonieta Pari (The Elder).
WARNING - SPOILERS BELOW
CHARACTERS: C–
The characters in the movie are not very fresh. Justine (Izzo) is the naïve virgin freshman whose wits are incredibly questionable. Who in their right mind would go to the jungle to try to get close to a guy who treats you like crap? Really. The only time I was able to truly connect with her was when the Peruvian militia had a gun pointed at her head.
Jonah (Burns) is falling for Justine. He is one of the activists, the only black character, and—surprise!—dies as soon as they get to the village. In my opinion he was the most likable character.
Kara, Lars, Daniel, Amy, and Samantha are other activists, with almost zero character development. They are just there to fill in space and add more victims to the headhunters' list.
ACTING: D–
Oh boy, where do we begin? The acting in this movie is bad. Really bad. The only reasons I did not give it a F were the natives' performances and the scene where the students are captured by the headhunters. It is important to note that the headhunters and tribesmen were actual locals who decided to participate in the movie. In fact, Eli Roth has said in many interviews that villagers approached to be extras in the film had "never even seen a movie and had no concept of what one was." So Roth hosted a screening of 1980's Cannibal Holocaust, which the villagers thought was a comedy.
Let that sink in. People with no concept of what a film is did better job than the actors.
The real actors in this movie got on my nerves. They were laughable, and not in a good way. There were moments where I just wanted the cannibals to eat them already and move on. They only did a good job when they were screaming and panicking, other than that they were unrelatable and stiff. With that said, the movie is basically gore porn, so I was not expecting any tour de force when it came to acting.
VISUALS (FX, MAKEUP, COSTUMES, SETS): C+
Since the movie was shot in the middle of the Amazon forest, the sets were beautiful and textured. The headhunters' village was particularly very interesting and seemed to borrow many aspects of real tribal living (minus the cannibal part).
The special effects makeup in this film was reminiscent of Hostel. Lots of blood, bodies getting torn apart, eyes getting popped out of their skulls, etc. However, since all the action happened in broad daylight, some of the gags felt a bit gimmicky.
The makeup done on most of the natives was interesting, but the choices made for The Elder were not that great. I felt I was looking at Jack Sparrow's senile grandma, who happened to buy one white contact lens at a local Halloween store.
On the other hand, the CGI (computer generated image) is bad. From the ants used in a torture scene to lounging jaguars, the effects felt amateur at best. They actually reminded me of those Syfy movies about giant crocodiles fighting off anacondas. I am still debating if the CGI was worse than the acting.
MUSIC & SOUND: B+
As any horror fan can tell you, sound can make or break a movie. The Green Inferno makes use of great sounds to complement its carnage, upping the effectiveness of grossing out the viewers. In no moment did I feel it was overdone or overwhelming.
ACTION: Plenty of scenes of escape attempts and people running. The scene where the airplane crashes was probably the best of the film.
COMEDY: The acting was so bad at times, I laughed hard. If you have a deranged sense of humor you might also laugh at the extreme gore and antics of the headhunters. I know I did. However, be warned: you will most likely not get good belly laughs out of this one. Some chuckles, maybe.
FINAL GRADE: C–
If you like gore porn, you might enjoy this film. Yes, I said might. It is definitely not the best Eli Roth movie, and I do have to say I was disappointed. The Green Inferno has a slow start and tones of expository dialogue that make scenes drag much longer than they should.
The main characters only arrive in the Amazon at the 45-minute mark, and the movie failed to get my heart thumping any faster after that. Yes, the gore was entertaining, but that was it.
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Saturday, September 26, 2015
Episode 20 of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast reviews the season premiere of Heroes Reborn with a recap of our episode 1 "Brave New World" and episode 2 "Odessa" first impressions.
Hosted by Tony Mango joined by Calen Ferris and Angela Williams
You can check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe!
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Friday, September 25, 2015
The theme song for the latest film in the James Bond franchise, Spectre, has been released. The following are the lyrics:
SPECTRE theme song "Writing's on the Wall" Performed by Sam Smith Written by Sam Smith and Thomas Newman
I've been here before
But always hit the floor
I've spent a lifetime running
and I always get away
But with you I'm feeling something
That makes me want to stay.
I'm prepared for this
I never shoot to miss
But I feel a storm is coming
If I'm gonna make it through the day
Then there's no more use in running
This is something I gotta face.
If I risk it all
Could you break my fall?
How do I live? How do I breathe?
When you're not here, I'm suffocating
I want to feel love run through my blood
Tell me, is this where I give it all up?
For you, I have to risk it all
Cause the writing's on the wall
A million shards of glass
That haunt me from my past
As the stars begin to gather
And the light begins to fade
When all hope begins to shatter
Know that I won't be afraid
If I risk it all
Could you break my fall?
How do I live? How do I breathe?
When you're not here, I'm suffocating
I want to feel love run through my blood
Tell me, is this where I give it all up?
For you, I have to risk it all
Cause the writing's on the wall
The writing's on the wall
How do I live? How do I breathe?
When you're not here, I'm suffocating
I want to feel love run through my blood
Tell me, is this where I give it all up?
How do I live? How do I breathe?
When you're not here, I'm suffocating
I want to feel love run through my blood
Tell me, is this where I give it all up?
For you, I have to risk it all
Cause the writing's on the wall
For you, I have to risk it all
Cause the writing's on the wall
What do you think of the theme?
How does it compare to the classics from the past?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
SPECTRE will be released in theaters November 6, 2015.
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Written by: John Logan (screenplay), Neal Purvis (rewrite), Robert Wade (rewrite), and Ian Fleming (characters)
A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out episode 118 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Frank Ward, Gibby and Patty McTitties!!
::SPORTS NEWS::
The NHL, MLB, NFL, and our favorite: curling!
::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::
Gibby brings the class to the show with weird things going on in the world!
::FRANK'S CORNER::
Frank-tastic facts for your everyday life
::CELEB NEWS::
Dace is back, and he's packing a punch since he's on some diet pills and Red Bull. Get ready Hollywood!
Plus the occasional game ofWho Said It, the crowning of The Doucebag of The Week,and much, much more, only on The Dace Man Show.
As
always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is
looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers
here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your
feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course,
the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of
your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See
ya next time!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Tuesday, September 22, 2015
On this edition of Channel Surfing, we join Chris "The Dace Man" Dace as he reviewsthe episode of the second season of FOX's Gotham!
He'll give you the scope on this week's episode as to what went down with a hint of Dacetacularness. So put down that remote control, sit back, and enjoy this brand new edition of Channel Surfing. I'm calling for the few, for the proud, and for The Dacetacular: Let's start channel surfing!
As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a TV remote—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
Most human beings enjoy feeling scared. According to Dr. David H. Zald, a psychiatry professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, "for many people, everyday life can feel overly routinized and even boring. By contrast, when scared we are fully aware, conscious, and in the moment. We are not preoccupied thinking about what happened yesterday or what we have to do tomorrow."
Screenshot of The House 2.
Dr. Margee Kerr, a sociologist from Pittsburgh and self-proclaimed "scare expert," adds that "psychologically when we make it through a safe yet scary activity, it results in feelings of confidence, competence, accomplishment, and success—it’s a real self-esteem boost."
Conclusion: "safe" fear is actually good for you!
Since we care about the physical and mental well-being of our readers, I have compiled a short list of the best free horror games online. Enjoy them with the lights off and your headphones on.
Five Nights At Freddy's
Designed by Scott Cawthon, this game is quite possibly one of the scariest games one can play online. In it, the player controls a character who just got a job as a night security guard at a pizza restaurant à la Chuck E. Cheese called Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.
Seems harmless enough, right?
Freddy's animatronics.
That would be the case if you didn't get a call from your boss at the beginning of the game letting you know that Freddy Fazbear and his other animatronic friends come alive at night and might kill you.
To play Five Nights at Freddy's is to get in touch with crushing paranoia. The player is not able to move or fight back. The only way to protect yourself is to track the robots' movements through several security cameras and, if they get too close, shut the doors at the office to deter them from getting to you.
Freddy Fazbear.
The problem is that you only have very limited electricity you are allowed to use per night, and it gets drained whenever you use the doors. If you run out of power before the night is over, Freddy and his pals will get to you, and since they don't understand human anatomy, they will try to stuff your lifeless body into a furry suit.
The success of this game has been so overwhelming that Hollywood will adapt it into a movie.
Warner Bros is heading up the project and Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment (The Ring, The Grudge), Seth Grahame-Smith, and David Katzenberg of KatzSmith Productions (both from the Beetlejuice sequel) will be producing it.
View of one of the security cameras.
Want to try your fate at Freddy's? You can find the original game (right now it has three sequels) at Desura.
Slender Series
First released on June 2012, Slender: The Eight Pages is a first-person minimalistic game where the player needs to collect eight pages of creepy scribbles and drawings while avoiding an encounter with the dreaded Slender man, a faceless creature with extremely long limbs.
The eight pages.
Every time Slender gets closer, static fills the game camera, and it is up to player to run as fast as he or she can to escape!
A follow-up to the not-so-scary Slenderman, it was deemed by IGN as "pure horror" and that only a "few horror games thrust you directly into the heart of fear (...). Slender is the kind of game that unearths that long-lost sensation inside of you whereby you'd play a game for the addictive novelty value it possessed and not the budget that was thrown at it."
Slender found you.
Slender man himself already had a solid fan base before Eight Pages. In fact, you can find out more about this character and some other disturbing facts by clicking here.
The game was a huge hit among horror players and has spawned numerous games, most of which still follow the same gameplay as the original but are set in different places. Here is a list of all Slender man games, even though some are only available for download:
No matter what Slender game you decide to play, you will definitely enjoy jump scares and a lot of tension.
Screenshot from Slender: The Arrival.
The House 2
If you are simply looking to quench your thirst for jump scares, look no further. This sequel to Sinthai's point and click flash game The House is filled with them, and since it is short enough for you to complete it in less than an hour, you will get instant gratification.
The House 2.
This is also a good game to start out with if you are new to the horror game genre. The story, however, is not the most original.
(...) Legend has it that there is a house in a small town that has been closed and left empty for decades. The house belonged to a wealthy family. But then one day, all family members; father, mother, daughter, and the maid were found dead in the house from what appeared to be suicide. From that time, the neighbors have closed the house for good as they believe that the house where the whole family committed suicide is cursed. Some said that they heard a woman's screaming voice from that house. Yet no one dare to enter the house.....[will] you?
It is up to the player to enter this forsaken home and investigate each of its rooms, gathering clues along the way to find out what really happened to the deceased family.
Enter with caution.
Unfortunately, the playability of The House 2 is not top notch, and the point-and-click controls can get a bit wonky. In order to advance in the story, for instance, you have to click on the same items several times before you can get any result.
Prepare to flush the toilet over and over again, click on the light switch again and again, check out the same piece of paper several times...before a creepy ghost jumps out in the screen and makes your heart skip a few beats.
So maybe there is a method to Sinthai's madness? You can check out the game at Sinthaistudio.com
One of the clues you will find.
Dungeons Nightmares
Dungeons Nightmares is a very intense indie horror game. It is not only randomly generated (i.e., every time you play, the game will be different) but also filled with jump scares, paranoia-inducing darkness, and sound effects guaranteed to make your heart beat faster.
"Keep moving. They know where you are."
The premise of the game is quite simple. You wake you in a dungeon every night for seven nights straight, and you have to figure out a way to survive in almost complete darkness while strange creatures and skeletons chase you. You are armed only with a flimsy candle that keeps going out and a map. On your way through various rooms, you can unlock chests and doors, but be aware, they do not open quickly.
Dungeons Nightmares plays with one of the most basic human fears: fear of the unknown. It is not made clear where you are or what is going on, and every corner you turn seems darker than the last.
A ghoulish woman will come after you.
The sound design in the game is highly successful. Just like with all the other games presented in this article, play it with your headphones.
Are you ready to try your hand at these beauties? These games are not for the faint of heart and Fanboys Anonymous does not hold any responsibility for ruined underpants. So play responsibly.
What do you think of these games? Any other games we should had included in this list? Let us know by leaving your comments below!
Welcome to the latest edition of Making the Grade—a review format segment here on Fanboys Anonymous where we break down the five major components of something and give it a score based on the standard report card lineup: A, B, C, D, and F for a total failure.
The next report card is for a film based on the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, entitled Everest.
Everest—directed by Baltasar Kormákur; written by William Nicholson and Simon Beaufoy; starring Jason Clarke (Rob Hall), Josh Brolin (Beck Weathers), John Hawkes (Doug Hansen), Robin Wright (Peach Weathers), Michael Kelly (Jon Krakauer), Sam Worthington (Guy Cotter), Keira Knightley (Jan Arnold), Emily Watson (Helen Wilton), and Jake Gyllenhaal (Scott Fischer).
WARNING - SPOILERS BELOW
CHARACTERS: B+
Let's get one thing out of the way first. Everest is based on John Krakauer's Into Thin Air. The book is Krakauer's account of the events that transpired when he joined Rob Hall's Adventure Consultants group to summit the mountain. The movie is pretty faithful to the book—the biggest difference being that it focuses more on Hall than on Krakauer.
Rob Hall, chief guide and owner of Adventure Consultants, is leading a summit attempt and the stakes are high: not only does he have a magazine writer on his team detailing the endeavor, the mountain is experiencing an extremely crowded season, and the previous year he failed to take his clients to the top. He needs to make this work. At home, his wife is carrying their first child, and he knows he needs to be back for her birth as well. With all his responsibilities, Hall is a kindhearted leader, which in many other instances would be an absolute strength, but when it comes to climbing the highest mountain in the world, it will be a death sentence.
Beck Weathers, family man from Texas, feels he needs to climb the Everest. He is tough and sometimes obnoxious but is likable just the same. His good physical condition is his savior, and before you start complaining he could not have survived in real life, shut up. He did, and he suffered everything that was shown in the movie.
Doug Hansen, a mailman who has tried to conquer the mountain before, wants to get to the top to inspire kids. He wants them to see that even a "normal guy" can achieve the impossible. Doug stole my heart in the book and in the movie. He is a good guy you want to see succeeding, but he is not in great shape and the audience is left knowing something bad will happen to him.
John Krakaeur, a writer for The Outsider magazine, seems to be the only one to follow his instincts. His friendship with Doug is downplayed in the movie (probably because they ran out of time) and Michael Kelly does a fine job portraying him.
Scott Fischer, Mountain Madness guide, competes with Hall, but soon decides to team up to avoid more problems while attempting the summit. He is a party dude who has a serious problem with knowing his limits. His intense need to keep pushing it is his downfall.
ACTING: B
With a cast filled with well-respected actors, it is hard to imagine the acting would be bad in this movie. It is not. In fact, I truly believed I was watching the real-life characters I had read about in Into Thin Air. Clarke and Hawkes truly shined in particular. They were vulnerable and very faithful in their portrayal of Rob Hall and Doug Hansen, at least based on the book.
Robin Wright (Peaches Weathers), though only a supporting character, brings warmth and relatability as the wife of true Texan Weathers (an entertaining Josh Brolin). If anything, I wished she had more screen time, but that could easily just be my House of Cards–thirsty self.
VISUALS (FX, MAKEUP, COSTUMES, SETS): B–
The visuals in this movie are breathtaking to say the least. Although I'm not particularly fond of the whole IMAX 3D experience (sue me) I am glad I watched this movie under these conditions. The CGI and digital sets were so seamlessly integrated to the movie's physical aspects, I had a hard time trying to figure out what was real and what was not. Yes, the incoming storm was a bit heavy, but I have never—and will never—climb a mountain like that to know how storms behave in really high altitudes. Overall, they did a really amazing job.
The makeup was also well done. The frostbite and the various degrees of wind burn were delicious. They looked real and gnarly without venturing into gory movie territory. The work done on Beck was faithful to all the injuries the real Beck suffered.
I believe costuming this movie was somewhat of a challenge to the production. How can you have characters covered from head to toe in extreme weather gear and still allow the audience to tell them apart? Though I have to confess I caught myself trying to guess who was who at certain points, especially when most of the characters had their faces covered with oxygen masks, my questions were easily answered by the acting.
In my mind, the costumes were still a success because they did not fall into the trap of designating one specific color to every single character, which would have made them look like mountain-climbing Power Rangers.
MUSIC & SOUND: A–
By no means I am an expert in sound design, but I truly feel the sound mixing and music in this movie were special. The ice cracking, the wind, and the storm made me feel I was there climbing the mountain and that made me anxious, just like the characters were feeling. I tend to be somewhat sensitive to sounds, which made me a bit nervous about watching this movie in IMAX, but I was not overwhelmed (in a negative way) in any moment. Yes, I got startled a couple of times and felt my heart beating a bit faster, but that was probably the filmmakers' objective.
TONE (ACTION, ROMANCE, COMEDY): A–
Suspense and tension shroud this movie just like the mountain's shadow hang around Beck's mind for years. This is not for the faint of heart, and it almost feels like a documentary reenactment at times, especially if you read the book, which I highly recommend as well. That aspect, however, is not a negative in any way. Movies based on real-life tragedies should be treated with some respect and authenticity. Everest does it.
ACTION: Attempted rescues, ice breaking, ladders sliding...this movie is filled with suspenseful action. The characters are not action heroes, however, and they make mistakes along the way just as their real counterparts did.
COMEDY: There are some lighter moments where one might crack a laugh, but this is not a funny movie.
ROMANCE: Nothing overwhelming (thank the gods). We get a glimpse of Hall's and Beck's family lives and their relationships with their wives. The love they share is established and feels real. No complains.
FINAL GRADE: B+
Everest is a solid man-versus-nature movie. The fact that it is based on real events just makes it more intense and allows the audience to connect with characters on a more personal level. We care for these characters, and it hurts us when they fall prey to the mountain.
With that said, if you like movies with a happy ending, this is not for you. Most characters die in horrible ways, and sometimes you don't even get a chance to say your goodbyes. However, anyone who watches the trailer and has seen movies like The Perfect Storm will be able to tell that men who challenge nature hardly ever leave as the winner.
Watch this movie in IMAX if you can and bring a jacket. You will get cold.
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Saturday, September 19, 2015
Welcome to the latest edition of Making the Grade—a review format segment here on Fanboys Anonymous where we break down the five major components of something and give it a score based on the standard report card lineup: A, B, C, D, and F for a total failure.
The next report card is for the story of Irish mobster James "Whitey" Bulger and FBI agent John Connolly, entitled Black Mass.
Black Mass—directed by Scott Cooper; written by Mark Mallouk (screenplay), Jez Butterworth (screenplay), Dick Lehr (book) and Gerard O'Neill (book); starring Johnny Depp (James 'Whitey' Bulger), Joel Edgerton (John Connolly), Benedict Cumberbatch (Billy Bulger), Dakota Johnson (Lindsey Cyr), Peter Sarsgaard (Brian Halloran), Jesse Plemons (Kevin Weeks), Adam Scott (Robert Fitzpatrick) and Kevin Bacon (Charles McGuire).
WARNING - SPOILERS BELOW
CHARACTERS: A–
This is a little weird, as it's an ensemble cast which really ends up being a one man show. Obviously, James Bulger is the main driving force of the film and is given the bulk of the characterization, but John Connolly's life is followed in the narrative as well, allowing both the mafia side of things and the FBI's perspective to all get a chance to play. There's also this weird dynamic where nobody seems like a good guy, but you also kind of root for everyone, too. Some characters obviously were more fleshed out than others, and I would have liked some more information on what happened with Dakota Johnson's Lindsey Cyr, a little more elaboration on Juno Temple's Deborah Hussey and some others, but I feel there was a good balance overall.
ACTING: A
Despite how there were big names that popped up and I recognized here and there, only for a split second did I think to myself "oh hey, that's Benedict Cumberbatch" as opposed to thinking of these characters on screen as the actors themselves. Everyone pulled their weight and I can't really point out a single bad performance whatsoever.
Needless to say, the true star of the movie is Johnny Depp, and this is my favorite performance he's put on in years. He went into a rut where it seemed like all he was interested in portraying was effeminate and usually gothic Tim Burton characters and once you've seen Edward Scissorhands and Pirates of the Caribbean, you've already exhausted all avenues of that well, I feel. This was a change of pace where I felt like he was back to his roots of being a legitimate great actor, sinking his teeth in a role that was a little different and required a lot of effort. I would not be surprised whatsoever if he's nominated for an Academy Award.
VISUALS (FX, MAKEUP, COSTUMES, SETS): C–
Obviously, a movie like this doesn't have extensive special effects for action sequences or anything too elaborate as far as costumes and sets go, but that's not why I'm docking it some points. Honestly, I felt like the makeup used for Depp was distracting at points and seemed a little over the top and fake. Also, I couldn't tell much of a difference between the time periods. Over ten years goes by and I recall thinking to myself "wait, why does everything and everybody look exactly the same as they did in 1975?"
MUSIC & SOUND: C–
As I've stated in pretty much every edition of Making the Grade, I'm not the guy to be calling out sound design flaws and as such, I essentially think that something is a pass if I don't notice anything weird. For an example of a fail, check out Interstellar. However, I do feel underwhelmed with the overall audio. This movie struck me as the 2015 edition of GoodFellas or The Departed and both of those films have recognizable songs or a distinctive score. This doesn't. Nothing was offensive, but I can't tell you anything about the audio in any capacity outside of one of the songs used in the trailer, which of course doesn't have anything to do with the finished product of the film as a whole.
TONE: A–
If you're into mobster movies and things like the two films I just mentioned above, you'll feel at home with Black Mass as it is just as heavy as those. There were scenes that were played for laughs and got some genuine chuckles out of me. There were deeply dramatic scenes that hooked me into the moment. Everything was treated in earnest and I got exactly the type of movie that I was expecting to get when I saw the trailers.
FINAL GRADE: B+
This was one of the better films that I've seen this year, overall. It's not absolutely perfect, but it delivered in every way I was expecting it to, and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Strong performances and an intriguing story make this something that I endorse, even though I don't see myself ever necessarily watching it again as the running time felt a too little long to want to sit through again, even though I'm glad that nothing more was cut as that could have hurt the film.
Newcomers on the indie music scene, Betsy, have an eclectic sound that reminds me of the early '90s era. From the slow ballad of "It Breaks My Heart" to the 311 type arrangements of "Rocky Road," the band has definitely shown its vast talent in its debut four-track EP.
In a music industry that constantly changes, a new band needs to show something spectacular in order to stand out. Betsy has done all this and more. Members of this band include Joe Rattanavong, Spencer Armada, Billiejoe Jones, Zack Field. In an exclusive interview with lead singer and guitar player Joe Rattanavong, I learned about the inspiration behind the music and how this band came together.
Fanboys Anonymous: First off, tell me about the members of your band.
Joe: I guess I'll start with our bass player, Spencer Armada. He's a big nerd with a sweet heart,
a grad student, and killer bass player. He's been with Betsy since the beginning. One of my best friends, Billie Jo Jones, is our guitar player. I like to think of him as a man of steel who plays guitar exceptionally well! No, but things changed a lot once he joined the band. Our sound became much fuller. There was a point when we first started the band where I was trying to do a lot of rhythm and lead stuff on my own. I got the job done, but it was just a much different sound. It was a little too raw for our liking. Zack Field is our drummer. He's been the most recent addition to the band; perhaps the most important. Not just because he's an amazing drummer but because we were stranded without one for a small while. He was a blessing. These guys are all amazing, and I'm super stoked to be playing with them.
FA: Your debut self-titled EP, Betsy, just released this month. What's your favorite song off the album and why?
Joe: I don't really have a favorite. I guess if I had to choose, it would be "Rocky Road," just because it's come such a long way from when I wrote it. Also, I feel like we all contributed something crucial to the song. Everyone wrote great parts. The drum and bass at the beginning really start the groove, and once Billie and I come in, it really comes full circle. There's also a trumpet section that Spencer and I wrote. It really added a lot of color to the song.
FA: What influences your music?
Joe: I guess the obvious answer is other people's music. I try and see a show at least once a month and really hone in the experience. You can always walk away being inspired after a great performance. Also, living in San Francisco has been a huge influence in my writing. Traveling and seeing people is always a great way for me to write music. Even traveling a short distance. I take the train every day and can write for an hour in my notebook just by sitting and thinking.
FA: Do you find that the San Francisco area responds well to indie artists? Are there any local venues or festivals you hope to play in?
Joe: Well, San Francisco is a really accepting town so, yes. However, the music scene here is sort of dragging right now. Bands and musicians are starting to relocate to other parts of the bay or California. Venues are shutting down. A lot of bands are moving to Oakland because it's just cheaper. San Francisco is so expensive, musicians can't afford to live here. I've noticed bigger names are moving to L.A. I don't know. I think most people just want new scenery. Yeah, now that this EP is out, we're going to start playing everywhere in town. We're a fresh band, so we'll have to start from the bottom. We're ready and excited.
FA: Tell me about the recording and mixing process.
Joe: We recorded at Hyde street studios here in San Francisco. It's a legendary studio. A lot of great bands have recorded here—Janis Joplin; Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young; Green day recorded Insomniac there! Sun Kill Moon did Benji there! So, we felt really fortunate to be able to work in such a nice studio. We recorded all the tracks in one day with the help of our good friend and engineer Dan Shalev, who also produced and mixed the record at his house. It took us about 2 months, but that's because Dan's work is so tedious. We really took our time on it though, listening to different versions of the song every day until we knew which one was right. He did such a great job on this project. Without him, these songs wouldn't sound as good as they do.
FA: In your opinion, what sets you apart from other artists? What makes your music unique?
Joe: I don't know. I try not to think about that. Once I start thinking about it, I start questioning myself and my music. I've had this problem in the past. so I just do what I do. Luckily, the band is able to come up with good ideas that keep things interesting.
FA: What's your band's story? How did you come together and decide "Hey, let's start a band?"
Joe: It kind of just happened. I lived in a house full of musicians. My old roommate/best friend Nate White, who I played music with in Tennessee, started playing drums a lot, so I would find myself playing guitar with him all the time. Spencer is a close friend of ours, and he would come over and jam. I guess one thing led to another, and we started Betsy. Nate eventually started playing in a band called The Persons but was a big part of Betsy in the beginning.
FA: What's next for this year? Anything special?
Joe: Just playing shows and finishing our full length. We'll probably do a small tour soon but mainly just continue to write and play out.
FA: My favorite bands include Lydia and Copeland, which have been around for at least a decade. In ten years, do you hope to be together still or expanding into other projects to keep things fresh?
Joe: Keeping a band together for ten years would be a dream come true. I'll definitely be doing other projects though. Starting new things are always fun.
FA: My favorite song (that I've heard so far) is "Summer's Over," which seems to fit well with the fact that summer is ending. Can you tell me about how that song came about?
Joe: I actually wrote it at the end of last summer just noodling around on guitar in my room. I just had words flowing through my head, but the words are quite literal in reference to what I was doing at the moment, ha, I was just drinking by myself and thinking about everything. We had partied a lot that summer. It was ending. My friends were in the next room being loud and annoying. I don't know. It's a cheesy, simple song that I didn't think we would actually use, but it's a lot of fun.
FA: Lightsaber or a magic wand?
Joe: Ha, light saber. No question.
FA: DC or Marvel?
Joe: DC wins.
FA: Favorite movie?
Joe: I'm a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino. I love all the Kill Bills. I can't wait for the next one.
FA: Favorite TV show?
Joe: I'm watching Alpha House right now with John Goodman. I like a lot of older stuff though. Seinfeld is a go-to classic.
If you are a fan of musicians such as Green Day, 311, or Sublime, check out the songs below and leave a comment and let me know what you think.
Every few months, League of Legends releases a new champion. Last time it was a Cajun-style humanoid fish, Tahm Kench, who specializes as a defensive support type. This time around, the new champion is both the wolf and the sheep, with an art style that looks like it leapt out of Ori and the Blind Forest.
The new champion, Kindred, is a ranged jungler that comes with a unique passive, Mark of the Kindred. This ability has global range and marks an enemy for death. If Kindred kills or assists in the kill of an enemy it gets a permanent damage buff.
The rest of Kindred's abilities are a remix of what we've seen from other champions, with a slight twist. For example, Mounting Dread slows an enemy, and if you hit them three times, they lose a percentage of their max health.
Kindred's ultimate is also oddly familiar to Bard's. While Bard's ultimate freezes (effectively stopping allies and enemies from dying for a time) from anyone in the target area, Kindred's stops enemies and allies alike from receiving fatal damage for a time while in the area of effect. In addition, when Kindred's ultimate ends, it will heal for a small amount.
Between Kindred's art style and mix of abilities, League of Legends will be adding an interesting new jungler. Will you be hunting in the jungle as the kindred spirits?
Just as screenwriters can easily look to historical events for inspiration, the same can be said for video game developers. It's easy enough to make another Madden game as it is to throw the Assassin's Creed universe into a different era, right? Of course it is—well, one is probably more complicated than the other, but you get the point. That being said, there's one historical character who definitely hasn't gotten his just due: Spartacus.
Before diving into how he's been wronged in gaming, let's take a look at how he's been treated well in popular culture. The Starz network's aptly titled Spartacus series was short-lived, sure, but it did some marvelous things in its three seasons. Also, one reason it didn't necessarily last as long as it should have was that the first actor to play Spartacus, Andy Whitfield, tragically passed away and the production was delayed. Sure, the ensuing seasons were solid, but Whitfield was fantastic in the role, no doubt reflect in the IMDb rating of the series.
Speaking of ratings, how about this Metacritic score for Spartacus Legends? Yes, this is the game alluded to earlier and, yes, it is a complete and utter disappointment. The only upside here is that it's free to play (for Xbox 360 and PS3 owners), which means you at least your wallet won't feel any pain in this scenario. Your brain will, though, as soon as you fire up what amounts to a mind-numbingly painful experience. The gameplay is dull, at best, and if you want to get past the constant grinding to upgrade your character, you actually have to spend some dough.
Spartacus Legends
The only Spartacus games to exist in recent memory are on gambling casino sites. This area of the online platform exists as a means of giving users something to do between rounds of bingo or as a mini-respite from that particular game. And among the most popular titles, most of which bring to mind your typical animated and cartoon-y casino options, is one starring Spartacus. It's action is described as throwing the player into "an arena of possibility," which makes the desire for a proper Spartacus game that much stronger.
Can you imagine a properly executed title featuring this Thracian gladiator whose history is rich and tale is fantastic? He's the ideal candidate for his own game, especially when you consider the fact that a fictional character by the name of Kratos has one of the best action franchises in God of War. So why not Spartacus, a guy who actually existed and led a freakin' slave rebellion against the Romans?! Come on, developers—get your act together and give this guy the game he so deserves. Maybe it's time to give the HD remakes a break for a year or two and create something truly original. Who knows, if it's done right, we could have a brand-new franchise on our hands that's actually worth playing. It's a long shot, but here's hoping Nolan North's new project is somehow in the same realm.
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out episode 117 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Frank Ward, Gibby and Patty McTitties!!
::SPORTS NEWS::
The NHL, MLB, NFL, and our favorite: curling!
::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::
Gibby brings the class to the show with weird things going on in the world!
::FRANK'S CORNER::
Frank-tastic facts for your everyday life
::CELEB NEWS::
Dace is back, and he's packing a punch since he's on some diet pills and Red Bull. Get ready Hollywood!
Plus the occasional game ofWho Said It, the crowning of The Doucebag of The Week,and much, much more, only on The Dace Man Show.
As
always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is
looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers
here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your
feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course,
the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of
your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See
ya next time!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Monday, September 14, 2015
On episode 18 of the FA Movie Club podcast, Fanboys Anonymous members go back to school and give their thoughts on four films set in the most emotional time of someone's life, high school.
Host: Tony Mango
Panelists: Chris Dace, Briana Gaitan, and Eddie Siqueira.
THIS MONTH'S SET OF MOVIES:
Dangerous Minds
10 Things I Hate About You
Mean Girls
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
You can watch the podcast below. Make sure to subscribe!
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out episode 116 of The Dace Man Show with hosts The Dace Man, Frank Ward, Gibby Aaron and Patty McTitties!!
::SPORTS NEWS::
The NHL, MLB, NFL, and our favorite: curling!
::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::
Gibby brings the class to the show with weird things going on in the world!
::FRANK'S CORNER::
Frank-tastic facts for your everyday life
::CELEB NEWS::
Dace is back, and he's packing a punch since he's on some diet pills and Red Bull. Get ready Hollywood!
Plus the occasional game ofWho Said It, the crowning of The Doucebag of The Week,and much, much more, only on The Dace Man Show.
As
always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is
looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers
here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your
feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course,
the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of
your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See
ya next time!
Listen live to The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8 p.m. EST on Mega Powers Radio.
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Saturday, September 5, 2015
On episode 23 of the Fanboys Anonymous Group Meeting podcast, the panel has a roundtable discussion about the upcoming 2015-2016 television show lineup scheduled for the major stations and other networks.
Hosted by Tony Mango, the panel includes Will Casto, Briana Gaitan, Caroline Oliveira and Josephh Stahlman.
Some topics we address:
Part 1 - ABC
Part 2 - CBS
Part 3 - CW
Part 4 - FOX
Part 5 - NBC
Part 6 - Cable Networks and Streaming Media Platforms
You can watch the podcast below. Make sure to subscribe!
Troy: Yes! Very exciting to be a part of Jessica's new book. She is a brilliant author and a wonderful person to work with. Jess and I had been talking for a couple of years about working on a project together, and when she decided to write Restless Waters she knew that it was the right project. The process for writing "Coward" was really great in many ways. It challenged me in a way that no other song that I've written has. All my songs are very personal and pulled out of life experiences. So attempting to write a song about a fictional character was a bit frightening. But Jess really gave me a great understanding of who Sabin was and what he was dealing with. It turned out that I felt a strong connection to his character, and that gave me a good idea as to how the song should go. Working with Jess was a pleasure; she really gave me complete freedom to dive in and attempt to portray Sabin through this song. So with her guidance I tried to vaguely encompass all of the things he is dealing with in the book so people that know the character could relate to it and it would be authentic to him, but also so that people that aren't familiar might be able to connect as well.
