Five For Friday VI

Ah yes another Friday another five tracks, as we are near All Hallows Eve some of the tracks on today are somewhat linked with Halloween.

5. Lordi- Devil is a Loser

Finland's monster metal group, look like they're permanently dressed in their Halloween costumes (which look remarkably well made and are infact made by Mr. Lordi and his wife) this track highlights Lordi's as a non-satanic band (refering to the devil as Lordi's 'bitch')

4. X-Japan- I.V.

This track was featured in the film Saw IV and features some guitar tracks from their lead guitarist Hide who died in 1998, this song marked the first time the band had released a song since their disbandment in 1997. The video even features Hide's guitar on stage with the band and footage of Hide performing as he had a cult status amongst his fans.

3. SpeakLOW- Thriller

All this week on KCC Live we have been doing a competition which involved listeners phoning in whenever they heard Michael Jackson's Thriller. This version of the classic track is completely instrumental and sounds like a cross between Thriller, the theme tune of Shaft and Billie Jean. SpeakLOW are from Spain.

2. Gackt- Journey Through The Decade

The opening theme tune to Kamen Rider: Decade (Masked Rider Decade) both Gackt and the Kamen Rider Heisei era were celebrating their 10th annivarsaries though Kamen Rider Decade is actually the tenth series of the Kamen Rider Heisei series which began in 2000 and Gackt was in the group Malice Mizer from 1995 before becoming a solo performer in 1999. The song has some of the plot elements of Kamen Rider Decade including how the main character has to take a journey through 9 worlds and that he is a photographer.

1. Muse- Knights of Cydonia [Live]

Muse's Spaghetti Western space song in its full glory, live. The song has a more anthemic feel to it played live and the galloping drums and bass and to hear Wembley sing the lyrics gives a great atmosphere to the song.

Five For Friday Five

Another five tracks that I just can't seem to stop listening to, also if you're after more recommended music then check out Gobshite's Miscellany and their Featured Friday blog.

But as for me here's my 5 tracks.

5. Lostprophets- It's Not The End Of The World: Still trying to get into this track it doesn't have that Lostprophets feel to it but hey its progression.

4. MC Sniper- Better Than Yesterday: Korean hip hop at its finest from MC Sniper and his pals MR.Room9, DJ Road, MooWoong, TakTak36, DJ.R2, MC.BK and Outsider it's quite an epic sounding track.

3. t.A.T.u- How Soon Is Now: Fantastic cover of The Smiths classic, has a bit more spunk and energy than the original.

2. Nerina Pallot- Real Late Starter: Ever had one of those tracks that you listen to and it just seems to fit that precise moment in your life, this song kinda does at least for me.

1. T.M. Revolution- Burnin' X'Mas: OK I realise how ridiculously absurd it is to be listening to a christmas song in the middle of October but it is quite possibly the best Xmas song I have listened to that has a hint of cheese without being so cheesey you want to kill yourself.

Spoiler Alert

The Doctor: These books are from your future. You wanna read all ahead, spoil the surprises, not peeking at the end.
Donna: Isn't travelling with you one big spoiler?
The Doctor: I try to keep you away from major plot developments.
From the Doctor Who episode Silence in the Library

The Doctor: River, you know my name. You whispered my name in my ear. There's only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name. There's only one time I could…
Professor River Song: Hush now. Spoilers.
From the Doctor Who episode Forest of the Dead

Spoilers have probably been around as long as modern forms of entertainment have, perhaps even longer whether its sneaking a peak at the end of a whodunnit to see who actually did it or giving away plot details of a recent film. When Psycho was being released in the sixties Alfred Hitchcock came up with different measures for stopping audiences from knowing anything about the film going as far as buying as many copies of the book the film was based on and sending messages to theater bosses instructing them not to allow anyone in to be admitted into the film once it had begun. There were even advertisements in newspapers that told people to not give away the ending as it is the only one they had.

With the internet containing pretty much everything on it these days spoilers are easily accessible especially when you consider that Hollywood films, TV shows and comics are generally released in the US before they are released in the UK which means that blogs and forums (or even Wikipedia) which are frequented by American's will contain some spoilers. Often the spoiler tag is there and so users have the choice as to whether or not they click onto the link. Of course with adaptations there is the case of having experienced the original and knowing what happens in it but there is also the case of experiencing it in a new form.

Having the choice whether or not to click for spoilers can be a double edged sword, on the one hand it may entice you enough to check something out, but then its a case of seeing if something lives up to the expectations that have been built up by the spolier.

I used to enjoy being spoilt by spoilers, it often helped me decide whether or not to grab a comic, or to go see a film/TV show based on the spoilers posted by users on the internet. However while it has gotten me into things I may or may not have tried myself, it has also ruined what I was once enjoying because there isn't a surprise anymore, now its more 'lets get to the part of the story that everyones talking about' so I've gone cold turkey from spoilers. While watching all five series of The Wire I was able to resist the urge to read about what happens to characters and so when something did happen it was unexpected and made the experience of watching the show much more enjoyable. In comparison I was reading the spoilers for DC Comic's latest event Blackest Night the day the comics where being released in the US (Wednesday) before going to check it out in stores the day after, often leaving it behind.

But how about you? Do you like being spoiled? Or do you hate it when someone talks about something your interested in?

Five for friday 4

5. The Whitest Boy Alive- 1517

4. Nami Tamaki- Reason

3. Auletta- Meine Stadt

2. Polyiscs- I My Me Mine (Live)

1. HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR- Rosier

Taking the trip to Zombieland

Before I begin this review I have to say I'm not a fan of the zombie genre, its something that doesn't really appeal to me so other than the Resident Evil films and Shaun of the Dead its that whole 'the majority of the population is a zombie except for a few lucky souls' thing they never explain how everyone in the world is a zombie except for that small group of normals.

That being said Zombieland is a really good film because it focuses more on the comedy than the actual running from the undead and the survivors (including Cheers and Natural Born Killers star Woody Harrelson, Superbad's Emma Stone and Little Miss Sunshine's Abigail Breslin) are more proactive when it comes to fighting off zombies and for the most part are one step ahead of the zombies thanks to narrator and nerd Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) and his 32 rules for avoiding becoming a zombie, including the 'double tap' (Rule #2) which involves making sure a zombie isn't going to get back up.

The film has a bit of a dodgy beginning it tends to jump to and from past, present and things which don't really have that much relevance to the overall plot, because of this there feels like the story has continued while the audience is watching the flashback and we rejoin the present and getting a recap of sorts. It also begins to falter towards the end before two of the characters fall into their old traits leading to the climax.

All the human characters are looking for something, while Columbus, Wichita (Stone) and Little Rock (Breslin) are looking for either family or a safe haven, Tallahassee (Harrelson) is after something much more sweeter than that akin to Shaun's quest in Shaun of the Dead.

While this is more of a comedy than a Zombie Horror flick, Zombieland still throws a few unexpected scares guaranteed to make you jump. Some of the jokes and events are a tad predictable but there are a few pleasant surprises (including a cameo from Bill Murray who plays himself) and the captions used to remind you the rules that Columbus has come up with often breaks the tension as the sort of become part of the scene.

Ultimately Zombieland is a good film it has just enough zombies in it to make any zombie fan happy and if your like me you'll enjoy the comedic value of these four survivors living and kicking zombie ass.