Black Swan (Credit Where It's Due)

This Friday marks the release of Darren Aronofsky’s new film Black Swan. I was fortunate enough to see this movie at the Toronto International Film Festival, and it did not disappoint. Writing a review of this movie before its official release would be fitting, but another Hutchins writer has already accomplished that. And it’s really good.

Ayalah Hutchins has both written articles and drawn for The Style Notebook over the past year. Her website can be seen here (ayalahhutchins.com) and I implore you to read her wonderful review of Black Swan. And then I suggest you go watch the movie.

Black Swan Review - Ayalah Hutchins

Song of the Week - World Order

World Order - Mind Shift

It is only fitting that the Song of the Week belongs to a man I only 2 days earlier in this blog claimed is the World's Greatest Entertainer. Lead singer/choreographer Genki Sudo is most well-known for his fighting past in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and across other mixed martial arts organizations, but Since his retirement, The Neo Samurai has expanded his scope.
World Order is a Japanese Pop group founded by Genki Sudo, who both writes and choreographs all the songs and videos. According to their website, the name World Order is inspired from the hidden laws, order, and principles which control the world we live in.

And if you don't understand Japanese, just enjoy the video.

The Neo Samurai - The World’s Greatest Entertainer

He's been a geisha, an African tribal leader, and a futuristic sci-fi warrior. He's entered the ring with a smoking KFC bucket on his head. He's even dressed up as Charlie Sheen's "Wild Thing" from the movie Major League. The entertainment value of sport typically comes from within the playing surface. Very rarely does an athlete come along where his goal is not only to win, but also to entertain. This is especially rare with the confines of mixed martial arts. Whenever Genki Sudo fought, be it in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, or the Japanese equivalents Pride and K-1, Sudo has become renowned not only for his incredibly unorthodox fighting style, but also his elaborate ring entrances. Most fans of fighting want only the action within the ring, finding long drawn out walks to ringside a waste of time from the eventual fight. For Genki Sudo, it was different; here he could really express himself. And entertain.

click here to watch his entrance
December 31, 2006

Song of the Week (from the Archives)

As a child, I thought my father had the worst taste in music. Long road trips were unbearable with my dad at the wheel and his mere presence being enough to control the entire music selection. I was often stuck alone in the back of those old station wagons with the seats that face the opposite direction surrounded by mountains of luggage. My cries for a change from the constant repeat of adult contemporary songs could only be viewed by the cars tailgating us, and selfishly those neighbouring drivers would do nothing to save me from the onslaught.

The cross-country road trips are now long over, but the memories of those great vacations still come back sometimes when I hear my dad's old favorites in the grocery or running errands. Fifteen years later, songs that I once hated are now reminders for me to come home again and see my loving father.

This one's for you dad: don't hit 'repeat' too many times.
I love you.

aa.

Jann Arden - Insensitive

The Hair vs. The Shampoo

A recent article in the New Yorker, entitled "The Hair" by Kyle Leighton, spoke of the significance of Tom Brady's hair in his rise to supremacy in Boston and the sporting world. To give the star quarterback of the New England Patriots' hair even more news time, teen pop sensation Justin Bieber also made time to take a shot at Brady's hair in a recent rap video. Despite sporting fans love/hate relationship for Tom Brady (love if they live in New England, hate if they live in any of the remaining 46 states), Brady's hair is not the big story in the NFL as Leighton claims it is. The real story in the NFL this year is of Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and his hair. Even non-sporting fans know of his memorable, though less than creative, commercials (#1,# 2, #3) for Head & Shoulders, and the current insurance policy taken out on his hair. Truth be told, the fact that the shampoo giant has invested $1 Million into the security of his hair is perhaps more well-known than the commercials themselves. Perhaps this insurance policy is in case NFL regulations are changed so that Polamalu is forced to cut his hair, or maybe Head & Shoulders fears his hair might get ripped clean out during an intense game. In other words, Troy Polamalu is Samson as far as the shampoo giant is concerned: with his hair, he's unstoppable, but if any Delilah comes along to get cut his locks, our football star will become worthless. At least this way Head and Shoulders can get some money back.

Hair has not been without it's controversy in the NFL over the past years.

What Ever Happened to Good Martial Arts Movies?

There is a problem with martial arts movies today: they suck. The solution is simpler than one might think. Sometimes it’s tough to find out exactly what makes a Kung Fu movie great, especially when one is subject to so many poor ones over the past, but the key to success is to avoid what makes them bad. Too many of these movies are filled with long drawn out plots that are far from gripping. The stars are not trained actors, making their characters less convincing. So what could be the solution to all of this? Simple. Don’t try to make a storyline designed to draw audiences in. Instead, make the plot so basic, so simple, that it takes minimal time away from the actual meat and potatoes of the movie: the fighting, the stunts, and the action. Get rid of the story.

Song of the Week - DeVotchKa

DeVotchKa - Till the End of Time

Album: Little Miss Sunshine (soundtrack)

Sometimes when one watches a movie for a second or third time, they pick up on some of the little things that make a movie great. The 2006 Academy Award Nominee for Best Film, Little Miss Sunshine, is one of the most heartfelt and funny movies ever made. Thanks to DeVotchKa and their contribution to the large majority of the soundtrack, there is a sweet comforting feeling that comes from every scene. In return, this movie made the music of DeVotchka available to an international audience.

This album was nominated at the 2007 Grammy's for 'Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.'

Since their contribution to Little Miss Sunshine, DeVotchKa has also released their fifth album, "A Mad and Faithful Telling."

Some Teams Don't Deserve Their Fans... and Should Be Punished

I am just going to come out and say it and deal with the backfire of diehard fans afterwards.

The following teams should not be in the National Football League (NFL): Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills.

The following teams should not be in the National Basketball Association (NBA): New Jersey Nets, Minnesota Timberwolves.

The following teams should not be in the National Hockey League (NHL): Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Islanders.

The following teams should not be in Major League Baseball (MLB): Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles.

Now let me explain why.

Waiting for BKV

It's amazing how a simple premise and brilliant storytelling can create a mass fan following. This is exactly what happened when Brian K. Vaughan (known simply as BKV on most fanboards) released his multiple award-winning series Y: The Last Man. The idea was simple enough: what would happen if all the men on earth suddenly ceased to exist? What fans were treated to was the story of Yorick Brown, the only man to survive a sudden inexplicable "gendercide," causing all the men on earth to die all at once. The story takes us across the globe in search of what was caused the death of all men but not women, and why Yorick was the only man not affected. It also is a wonderful take on a world with only women and how politics, crime, business, relationships, and day-to-day living would be without an opposite gender to work with, or procreate. Y: The Last Man won two Eisner Awards (the Oscars of graphic novels), one for best writer in 2005, and again for best series in 2008.

Fans have since been treated to a multitude of amazing series from the young writer, but Vaughan now has nothing new in the works and fans are eagerly awaiting for what's next from BKV.

Song of the Week - Rufus, Moby, and Sean

Rufus Wainwright, Moby, and Sean Lennon - Across the Universe (Live)

(Written by John Lennon. Originally performed by The Beatles)

Sometimes I like to give a little background to the musicians and songs from this section. This time, I invite you all to just sit back and listen... and be amazed.

aa.

Credit Where It's Due: Ayalah

Can We Really Live Without the Ticket Scalper?

    It will forever be a part of sport. Whether you are a baseball, football, soccer, or basketball fan, there is one thing they all have in common. As you are slowly making your walk up to the majestic stadium, feeling the energy of the throngs of people around you, getting lost in the crowd of excitement, there is always one common sound echoed outside every stadium or arena:

"Tickets! Who needs tickets? I got two. How 'bout you? I got good ones. Who needs tickets?"

Scalpers: whether you like them or not, they are and likely will forever be part of the sporting experience.  Sure, you hate them for how they buy up all the good seats and typically charge you well above the regular price, especially if it's for an important game. But how many of us sports fans have never bought tickets from a scalper? Isn't it nice knowing that although the game might officially be sold out, we can always show up and get tickets? It's just a matter of paying their price. You get the excitement of haggling a good deal that you can later brag about to others (who honestly don't really care much to hear about it) or the disappointment of getting ripped off for what turns out to be an eventful game. Winning or losing before the real game you went down to see has even begun: that's the thrill with scalpers.

Move Over Innovation

Controllers for the new Playstation Move, 2010 (left) and Nintendo Wii, 2006 (right)

Five years ago, I wrote an essay referring to the lack of innovation in the videogame industry. Publishers cared little about making new games with untested ideas, but instead focused on what made the highest profit. Of course businesses need profit to sustain themselves, but I argued that companies opted to sustain themselves by using the same formulas from past successful franchises and styles instead of creating new characters or series. I did not claim that innovation within the industry was entirely dead, but rather innovation was either hidden behind brand name characters that could be sold to customers or progressing slowly in a barrage of never-ending sequels. This may be comforting to the casual gamer, with titles and franchises he or she may recognize, but the future of gaming would fail to truly progress if publishers were afraid to take a chance to try some bold new ideas. A few years after I wrote this paper, Nintendo needed to take that chance.

A Risky Business

 "A Risky Business" is an essay I wrote in 2006. It is here to complement the blog post above, "Move Over Innovation." Click 'read more' to access it.