Sarah McLachlan's Birthday!

Sarah McLachlan is without a doubt my favourite singer of all time, male or female. Her voice is something special and every time I listen to one of her songs, I lose myself in the words and get transported to wherever her wonderful voice is singing about. It's her birthday today and what better way to celebrate than listing my ten favourite songs of hers. No easy task for sure. I first really started listening to her in 2004 when the song "Fallen" came out from her album Afterglow. I had obviously heard songs such as "Angel," "Adia," "Sweet Surrender," and "I Will Remember You" beforehand because they were all extremely 

popular. They are still extremely popular today, with "Angel" and "I Will Remember You" firmly etched into the memories of people all around the world. One of my friends in middle school even did a project on her for music class. Only in 2004 was when I really started appreciating her songs and listening to as many as I could. Now I am a huge fan and have seen her in concert three times. I plan to go to as many shows as I can in the future and hopefully meet her one day as well. 

Happy Birthday Sarah! You are truly one amazing singer and performer. I can't wait to see what the future holds for you and all the amazing music you plan to release. 

Here are my ten favourite songs (with accompanying YouTube videos to boot):

Runners Up: Don't Give Up on Us [Laws of Illusion], Forgiveness [Laws of Illusion], Ice Cream [Fumbling Towards Ecstasy], Love Come (Piano Version) [Laws of Illusion] & Mercy [Solace].

10. Fallen, from the album Afterglow

9. Full of Grace, from the album Surfacing

8. Adia, from the album Surfacing

7. Good Enough, from the album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

6. Bring on the Wonder, from the album Laws of Illusion

5. Witness, from the album Surfacing

4. Elsewhere, from the album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

3. Sweet Surrender (Ballad Version) from the album Surfacing

2. Do What You Have to Do, from the album Surfacing

1. Possession, from the album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

Film Review: The Phantom of the Opera

Title: The Phantom of the Opera
Directed by: Rupert Julian
Written by: Elliot J. Clawson, Tom Reed & Raymond L. Schrock, based upon the novel by Gaston Leroux
Year Released: 1925
Grade: B

"Erik: [title card] If I am the Phantom, it is because man's hatred has made me so... If I shall be saved, it will be because your love redeems me."

Another black and white film to add to my viewed list, The Phantom of the Opera is a good movie. Having a film about an operatic stage production might not lend itself to being a silent film so well, but it comes off surprisingly beautiful on screen.

The story revolves around the "Phantom" lurking under the Paris Opera House, causing murderous mayhem in order for understudy "Christine Daae" to become a star. He also wants her to fall deeply in love with him and be committed to him forever in return. 

Lon Cheney does a great job playing the "Phantom" and the unveiling of his grotesque face is quite scary. The fact that he did his own make up as well, is also quite astonishing. He did a great job at evoking the horror, along with the sorrow and love he feels for "Christine." Mary Philbin is quite good as "Christine," successfully portraying the fear at being captured, but also the internal heartbreak she feels for the lonely "Phantom."

The visuals in the film are also quite astounding. One thing I have loved in each of the black and white films I have watched is the gorgeous cinematography. Using light and shadows really pay off here and gives the viewers a sense of dread and fear at every corner. The production design is also excellent, with the grand layout of the opera house superbly realized and the foreboding layers of tunnels underneath it mysteriously horrifying. 

I have to say I did enjoy Joel Schumacher's version more overall, but the unveiling of the "Phantom" is way scarier here and this tale is more terrifying to watch. If you're looking for a slightly scary black and white film to watch, I recommend picking up The Phantom of the Opera.

Film Review: 21 Grams

Title: 21 Grams
Directed by: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Written by: Guillermo Arriaga
Year Released: 2003
Grade: A

Paul Rivers: How many lives do we live? How many times do we die? They say we all lose 21 grams... at the exact moment of our death. Everyone. And how much fits into 21 grams? How much is lost? When do we lose 21 grams? How much goes with them? How much is gained? How much is gained? Twenty-one grams. The weight of a stack of five nickels. The weight of a hummingbird. A chocolate bar. How much did 21 grams weigh?

Alejandro González Iñárritu's films always feel like huge, sprawling pieces of work even when he is trying to do something more intimate. I thought his first film Amores Perros, was good, but not great and I absolutely loved his follow up to 21 Grams, Babel. I still have to check out both Biutiful and Birdman, which both look stunning. Whatever the case, I am sure he will always be counted on in my books to make nothing less than a good movie. 21 Grams belongs in the same group as Babel quality wise, offering us a look at several different characters and showing us how the paths they take in life and their stories are inevitably all connected in the grand scheme of things.

21 Grams follows three main characters: "Paul Rivers," a critically ill man in need of a heart transplant, "Jack Jordan," a born again Christian ex-convict, and "Cristina Peck," a grieving mother who loses her two daughters and husband in a freak accident. Bits and pieces are shown of each of their stories throughout the film and by the time the movie comes to a close, the puzzle comes together revealing the full spectrum of their devastating tale.

I don't want to give away too much information because the power that lies within the developments is something people need to experience themselves. I will say that each story is powerful enough to stand on it's own and when they do all click together, the result is nothing short of staggering.

The trio of actors at the forefront are all spectacular, each doing magnificent work. At the top of the pile is definitely Naomi Watts, digging into some dark, gritty places as Cristina. If Charlize Theron hadn't won that year for her extraordinary work in Monster, I believe Naomi Watts would have won the Oscar. I didn't understand all the hype over her work in Mulholland Drive (extremely overrated and SO confusing), but her performance here is excellent. Sean Penn, so good in Mystic River in the same year, is also great here showing us that "Paul" has always wanted something more than the life he was given. The heart transplant he so desperately needs could be the key to unlocking that path. Benicio Del Toro is also amazing as the Christian ex-convict who seeks redemption for all the bad choices he's made, but begins to question if his faith has been guiding him in the right direction all along, as well. Of the supporting cast, Melissa Leo and Charlotte Gainsbourg stand out from the rest as "Jack's" wife, and "Paul's" wife, respectively.

People accuse AGI of being too dour and depressing with his films, however I think he is an amazing film maker with a very strong voice. Life isn't always peaches and cream and Alejandro dives into the darkness of it all without fear and his results are brilliant to watch on screen. Redemption comes at a price and is an unfortunate, but fortunate part of life as well, and how ultimately it can connect us all whether we plan it to or not is fascinating to see.

Book Review: Dark Places

Title: Dark Places
Author: Gillian Flynn
Year Released: 2009
Grade: A+

When a book can dig it's hooks into you and not let go, then you know what you're reading is something special. This is how I feel about Gillian Flynn's Dark Places, a propulsive, deeply unsettling and layered mystery. It kept me up until three in the morning because I could just not put it down. It's disturbing prose, multifaceted characters, and it's many twists and turns made my eyes stay glued to the pages.

The story centers around a woman named "Libby Day," the lone survivor of a massacre that claimed the lives of her two older sisters, "Michelle" and "Debby," and her mother, "Patty," when she was only seven years old. The culprit behind the murders: her brother "Ben", whom she had a big hand in sending to jail. Her coerced testimony is what put him away and she has always been steadfast in her belief that her brother killed their family. However, a group called the "Kill Club," which examines and investigates famous murders, believes that "Ben" is innocent. The leader of the club, a boy named "Lyle," offers to pay "Libby" for souvenirs she kept of her family, but also to go digging for more information on that terrifying night and find out what really happened.

The novel weaves back and forth through time between "Libby" in the present, as well as her mother "Patty" and her "Ben" on the day leading up to the murders. It's this amazing way of telling the story that really entranced and sucked me right into the plot. All three of these characters are fleshed out extremely well and the way their story lines all come together is thrilling. I don't want to give too much of the story away because this is a book where the developments are just too exciting to divulge and really should be left for people to discover on their own.

This is a scary, disturbing, twisty mystery-thriller with some gallows humor to boot. I LOVED Gone Girl and I can't wait to see how they turn this story into a film as well. Flynn's other novel, Sharp Objects is also high on my "to be read" list. I highly recommend Dark Places, it's one of the best novels I have read in a while and if you're looking for a great book to read, this is it. 

Film Review: The Grapes of Wrath

Movie: The Grapes of Wrath
Year Released: 1940
Directed by: John Ford
Written by: Nunnally Johnson
Grade: B+

"Tom Joad: Then it don't matter. I'll be all around in the dark - I'll be everywhere. Wherever you can look - wherever there's a fight, so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there. I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad. I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry and they know supper's ready, and when the people are eatin' the stuff they raise and livin' in the houses they build - I'll be there, too."

John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath is a literary classic. We all know this, but even I had a hard time getting into it. While I admired the story and characters, and how it spoke to many people, it just didn't entrance me. However, the movie is very good and is able to condense the sturdy novel into a shorter, succinct slice of life that many of us might be stunned to see.

The film centers on "Tom Joad" (Peter Fonda) who has just been released from prison, and his family. He arrives at home only to discover it abandoned, his family gone. Their farm has been foreclosed on them by the bank. All farmers in the area were forced from their farms by the deed holders of their land. "Tom" meets up with his family again at his uncle's house where he is informed that they will be trekking to California in search of employment.

The journey to California is filled with tragedy, doubt, and an unshakable fear of not being able to secure work or a place to settle. However, through it all the "Joad" family manages to stick together and support each other even through some dire circumstances. The spotlight placed on the extreme poverty during the time is devastating to watch, with many poor and starving workers with their families populating the camps the "Joad" family stay at along the way, as well as the migrant workers protesting and striking. The film also demonstrates that sticking together and having the solid love and support of your family is enough to get through the darkest times.

The whole cast is great with the exceptional Peter Fonda and Jane Darwell, as "Ma Joad," standing out the most. The script by Nunnally Johnson is also great, capturing the long novel nicely without sacrificing too much prose. In the end, The Grapes of Wrath is a valuable film that everyone should have the chance to view. There is still so much poverty in the world, and this film only illuminates that it's a problem people have struggled with time and time again.  

Book Review: The Demonologist

Title: The Demonologist
Author: Andrew Pyper
Year Released: 2014
Grade: C

What first starts out as a terrifying journey of one man trying to save his daughter from the clutches of unspeakable evil, quickly dissolves into a boring ride filled with too many religious references.

The novel follows a college professor who specializes in the "Revelations" section of the Bible and certain passages within. He gets invited to Italy to witness something phenomenal by a tall, creepy thin woman who may or may not be a harbinger of impending doom. He reluctantly brings along his daughter and after witnessing said phenomenon, his daughter is taken away and possessed by some demonic force. Maybe the devil himself. The professor then goes on a journey to find her, aided in part by one of his colleagues. 

Reading the cover and backside of this book at first, made me think that I was going to be in for a terrifying ride. Boy, leave it to me to screw up and judge a book by its cover. While starting off on a pretty scary note, I quickly became bored. There are a couple of jolts of horror along the way, but not much else. I didn't quite get the ending as well and am confused to what actually happened to the characters at the end. 

There is another of Andrew Pyper's books that I want to read (Lost Girls) and that novel has the distinction of being one of the scariest stories ever written. I am hoping that one lives up to its moniker, because The Demonologist certainly didn't

Movie Reviews: The General & 1408

Movie: The General
Year Released: 1926
Directed by: Clyde Bruckman & Buster Keaton
Written by: Al Boasberg, Clyde Bruckman & Buster Keaton
Grade: B

"Johnnie Grey - [To the recruiter who rejects him:] If you lose this war don't blame me."  

I had the pleasure of watching another good silent film the other night, The General. It's a rather humorous take on "The Great Locomotive Chase," and very charming. I love that I am catching up on older black and white movies, especially silent ones that are as entertaining as this one. It's a very simple story following a railroad engineer being rejected from joining the army who has to don the uniform anyways to rescue his fiancee who has been captured by Union spies, while aboard his locomotive, "The General." There are some great action set pieces within the film and Buster Keaton is perfect at getting the right amount of laughs across. Overall, The General is a solid film that will charm the pants right off of you.

Movie: 1408
Year Released: 2007
Directed by: Mikael Håfström
Written by: Scott Alexander, Matt Greenberg & Larry Karaszewski
Grade: A-

"Gerald Olin: It's an evil fucking room."

Horror movies are where it's at. If I am looking for a good movie to watch with my friends, the scarier ones are the ones I tend to gravitate towards. They're the ones that make you huddle together and give you and your group of friends that close feeling of being terrified right out of your seats. You also can't help but compare what you would do in the situation to that of the film's protagonist.

I watched 1408 the other night, for the fourth time and it's still just as great as I remember. John Cusack plays writer "Mike Enslin," who has slunk to the level of amateur ghost hunter, spending his time debunking many "haunted" hotels and writing about them in his books. After a tragedy in his past, and a willingness to not write a second real novel after his first, this is the situation he has placed himself in. After receiving a post card in the mail inviting him to stay in the feared room 1408 of The Dolphin Hotel, New York, "Mike" takes up the offer. Even after trying to be dissuaded by the head of the hotel "Gerald Olin" (Samuel L. Jackson) to not spend the night in the room, "Mike" does anyways. What he encounters is beyond anything he could have imagined, and memories from his past are about to be dredged up in an ugly way.

Stephen King has had many of his stories turned into films and even though I haven't seen many, I've got to think that this is one of the best. It is pretty damn scary at times, and incredibly sad and touching at others. The production design within the hotel room is also quite amazing, surprising us as the story moves along.

John Cusack has always been a solid, reliable actor, but here he is amazing. I dare not reveal his whole back story, but his work here is great, peeling back the layers of his jaded exterior to reveal a scared and heartbroken man underneath. Samuel L. Jackson also does nice work in a more subdued role than normal, conveying authentic worry and a bit of menace when the role calls for it. Mary McCormack is excellent as well in her few scenes as "Mike's" estranged wife, "Lily." Mikael Håfström ratchets up the tension to scary heights, while expertly toning down the horror at times for quieter moments. The writers too, have done a great job at adapting King's short story.

1408 is a nerve jangling thriller and one I highly recommend checking out. It might make you think twice before checking into a hotel room again.