U.F.O.'s at the Zoo

Back when I was playing only cover songs in New York my good pal Dwight suggested to me that I should check out the song 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots' by the Flaming Lips, and that I would enjoy it. Of course I had heard about the Flaming Lips from their brief success with the song 'She Don't Use Jelly', but I never knew what I was getting into when I picked up my copy of 'Yoshimi...' the album.

I was working the day I bought it and brought the album into the lab with me where there was a CD boombox I could play it on. I was blown away not only by the suggested title track, but the album as a whole. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots has easily become the one song I have probably played the most in my life since that moment.

This album in itself was genius, and on top of that, the Lips incorporated a 5.1 surround sound DVD audio disc which just added to the experience. And I asked myself...who are these Lips that are Flaming?

Only weeks later (if that) I found myself perusing a record store and found a copy of the Lips' album 'Zaireeka'. I have only listened to this album fully about twice in my entire career of owning it, because it requires four CD players to do so. Each CD contains certain instrumentation and when all played together, it forms one hell of a listening experience. Not only that but it really provides the opportunity to make each time you listen to it completely different. And this was released ten years ago.

Since then the more I hear and learn about the Flaming Lips, the more I realize how innovative and incredible they are, as they are constantly trying to make each musical experience better then the last. Even my friend George (who is an avid attendee of concerts) has claimed to me that the Flaming Lips are one of (if not the) best live act to see today.

Which is what this DVD intends to prove to me. I haven't even watched it yet, but here is what it has to offer.

I am listening to the mp3 files that you can download from the DVD as I type this for one. On top of that, I can download the booklet digitally, create ringtones of about ten Flaming Lips tracks, RE-MIX my own version of 'The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song' using existing arrangements, and even download buddy icons and desktop wallpaper. All this contained on an MVI (Music Video Interactive) DVD, and I haven't even checked out some of the other miscellaneous features.

Needless to say, the Flaming Lips have done it again.

The Bourne Ultimatum

What I expected from this movie - At least one really cool fist fight scene, a lot of action (specifically defined by the question 'Where the hell is Bourne?!'), and very little to no story that was any different then the Bourne Supremacy.

What I got from this movie...exactly that.

Dont get me wrong, I was entertained, but for some reason I just didnt care about what happened to Jason Bourne anymore. Maybe it was me, or maybe it was the movie, its hard to say.

I let out a sigh of relief when they managed to avoid the love story between him and Nicky Parsons for at least one more movie, but I winced in pain at the rooftop confrontation scene between Bourne and the Asset (but I can't wait for the spin-off movies starring Edgar Ramirez as he searches for his past - note sarcasm).

Does what Bourne finds out about his past make the movie any more exciting? No. Do we even find out everything? Of course not.

Im sure the fourth movie will tell us all about how Bourne volunteered for this project because of one reason - Nicky Parsons...

The Simpsons

So what is there to say about a movie that I have been waiting for for 10 years or more, that not only met my expectations, but exceeded them? Where can I go from there?

I guess my biggest fear was the movie being a 'longer episode', but this was certainly not the case. This movie had all the charm and pizzazz of the Simpsons I have come to love, but with a big screen summer blockbuster attitude. The animation, the music, the story, it was all pure movie material. I should have known Matt Groening would not have let me down.

This movie had everything whether you have been watching the Simpsons for the last 18 years or not. On top of that it contained things like a Stampy cameo, Nelson's inability to resist laughing at someone's misfortune, and - most noteably - the final jumping of Springfield Gorge to give us Simpson's fanatics our little inside humor (despite most of it being from within the first 5-10 seasons).

The Simpsons is going as strong as ever and its great to see the Movie is right there in the front of the pack. I may be biased, but I dare you to go to this movie and not have a great time.

It may not be the best movie ever, but it's certainly one of the best this year, and one of the most consistent comedies I have seen in a long time. It is definitely the best Simpson's Movie...

The best Simpson's Movie so far...