It's beginning to seem like I won't really blog ten times in my favorite month. That's okay. Of greater concern is that I haven't seen a horror movie in over a week. What's going on? I've been bombarded with papers and reading. And for once, extracurricular activities are figuring into my daily life as a university student. Be on the lookout for my inspired music reviews and column in the IDS. Anyhow, the real reason I'm blogging today is simple:
OVOXO
It's Drizzy Drake's 25th birthday. This artist is perhaps more in touch with my current self than any other. "Marvins Room" is obviously the song of the year. I'll be sorely disappointed if Take Care doesn't masterfully reveal the intricacies of Drake's particular brand of despairing celebrity. Music for hangovers. Music for regret. Music for celebration. I don't even mind that he subscribes to compulsory matrimony more than any other artist of his generation. I just need more music that sounds like "Headlines." Shout out to the Indiana Rock that turned me on to this genius.
And now, for the work of another genius...
TWIN PEAKS
I finished it this weekend. Hold me.
Conclusions
This has been a brief and inconsequential blog post from a coffeehouse. Earlier today I visited a house that might just be perfect for me and mine. Moments ago, I was interviewed for a grad student's thesis on Animal Collective and online music culture (my responses were as manic and bumbling as you'd expect). The point is: I'm feeling great. Take it easy, fam.
Could a better day be had? Sure, I was up all last night writing a paper - but I also participated in all my classes, got my schoolwork done, carved pumpkins, and rewatched my current obsession. Forgive me for taking it easy once again. I promise it's important for me to chill out this regularly.
If you can't tell from the above image, I'm freaking out about Twin Peaks lately. I finished the first season yesterday. Tonight I plan on marathoning as many episodes as reasonably possible before bed. So: all of them? I do hope to get some sleep, but the weekend is near enough.
Bad News
Yes, Take Care has been delayed until November 15. Though the wait is now even more excruciating, I appreciate Drizzy's honesty and commitment to the finished product. I must also say that the album is being released conspicuously near the anniversary of MBDTF's landing. Does Drake know that November is the month to unveil magnum opuses? I hope so. Until we find out together just how much of a perfect record this is, take care.
DRIVE
As many of you have noticed on Twitter, I'm currently in the throws of obsession with this movie. There's something inside it that's hard to explain.
Drive [2011]
I've now seen this film twice. On both occasions it was exhilarating, mesmerizing, and exhausting. Rarely does a movie affect such an effortlessly cool.
Its characters are expertly portrayed, if they amount to little more than types. The strong and silent loner. The innocent and helpless dame. The father figure. The untrustworthy mobster. All is forgiven, because rarely are the types embodied so perfectly. Each actor convincingly breaths a visceral presence into the stylishly sparse script. The driver could easily come off as one-dimensional or absurd. Instead, Gosling's nuanced and understated performance hints at a brokenness beneath the driver's laconic cool that feels real and endears him to us.
But this isn't just a sleek indie character study. If you haven't yet seen the movie - or watched the trailer (DON'T WATCH THE TRAILER) and spoiled the movie for yourself - you might want to stop reading now. Okay.
What makes Drive especially exciting is the unexpected and totally grindhouse/camp/pulp turn it takes in its second half. Because things get ridiculous for a couple reels: cocaine swirls on strip club mirrors, exploding heads, and old-school car chases. Seriously. Few films have so successfully pulled off a tonal switch of this magnitude while retaining their thematic weight and emotional effectiveness. The beginning third of the film works economically and masterfully to establish the visual motifs and overarching emotional concerns of the characters, such that the rest of the film's stylized adrenaline rush feels earned. We never lose our emotional stake in the characters or the film, making its frantic action all the more powerful.
Before I wrap up this review, two things: 1) Drive is that unseen example of a drama/action/romance that effectively incorporates elements of horror to heighten tension, make claims about the characters, and nail some beautiful visual moments, and 2) the lighting and soundtrack are pitch-perfect. The original score and selected pop songs complement the visuals in ways I didn't know I wanted them to. And the lighting is so dramatic and shamelessly theatrical and stylized and did you see how good it looked?
Alright, alright. I'm clearly head over heels for this pop masterpiece. Go see it!
Ps - I'm totally going as the driver for Halloween.
Conclusions
Think I'mma call Ferris up. Did you know Lil B released another mixtape today? I think that makes eight releases for the year. Gotta love it. Let the day off continue with David Lynch and Mark Frost's soap opera spectacle. Take it easy, y'all.
