Friday Comics - Siege #1

Bendis always is able to surprise me some way. In his recent event comics, House of M and Secret Invasion, I loved the start, but the decompressed way of the story throughout so many issues and the questionable endings kind of disapointed me. Siege, though, appears to be a fresh change. The action is fast and right to the point. The issue doesn't waste any panels or pages stopping the sotry and there are no unnecessary double page splashes, all the splashes are relevant here. The story is compelling and interesting, while once in a while questionable. For instances, it's hard to believe that Osborn buys Loki's argument that Asgard is a danger to human lives and then will kill thousands of people just to have a chance to attack it. But the subject of Osborn's growing insanity works for me to justify that kind of detail. Most important characters get a way to shine here and the reunion of the original avengers is teased here. Characterization is mostly good here, something Bendis doesn't always get right, specially when writing Thor, but his dialogue works wonders. A good first issue that promisses a nice short blockbuster.

9/10

Thursday's Shows - Colbert Report

Stephen Colbert really puts up an hilarious show every time. This time by mocking Glenn Bleck and the American conservative news comentators that want people to "diversify their portfolio with gold", Stephen is able to not only make us cry with laugher but also show the hipocrisy of those he mocks. Interviewing later in the show Alice Keys about her new album and making a musical duet with her in the end to the sound of an alternative and hilairous version of 'Empire State of Mind' this is one of those episodes any fan of comedy cannot dare to miss.

9/10

Wednesday Sounds - The Element of Freedom

I'm not a particularly big enthusiast of R&B and soul, but Alicia's music always has been a pleasure for me, specially her first album ' Songs in A Minor'. Although, her two following albums haven't been as good in my opinion. This album marks Key's return to the greats songs that really mark her style as an artist and musician. Songs like 'This Bed' and 'Like the Sea' are great hymns that makes us enjoy them once and again and again, replaying them many times and still enjoying them a lot. But is Empire State of Mind that brings this album to a whole new level, an amazing piece that really shows the kind of depth Keys is able to bring to a song through lyrics and sonority alike. A undeniable pleasure for any fan of her style.

8/10

We Care A Lot - Soundgarden Comeback

The 90s appear to be back with a bang. After Faith No More, my favorite band (We Care A Lot is not We Care A Lot for no reason), making their 'Second Coming' comeback tour and Alice in Chains returning with a new lead singer, Chris Cornell and his band are retuniting. Which is just great news, specially after Cornel's last album, that brough his music to a mainstream pop and hip-hop feel this century is more than tired of already. While I was a big fan of Audioslave, I miss the great songs of Soundgarden like Black Hole Sun and Rusty Cage, their sonority is more than welcome in a time where most things sound the same. Great news.

Monday Matinee - The Lovely Bones

Damn you, Peter Jackson, I hadn't cried while watching a movie for the longest time and you had to break my stride. This is without a shadow of a doubt of the best movies of the year in so many levels and a brilliant adaptation of the best selling book. All the actors brings their best performances, even Mark Whalberg, of who I'm not the biggest fan, specially the kid actors. Not only does this movie contain a powerful and emotionally deep story as it also delivers a visual spectacle like not many others. The movie tells us the story of Susie Salmon, a kid dead after being raped by her neighbor that watches her family deal with her death from heaven, while dealing with her own feelings of hate and sadness to her so fastly ended life. In the end the movie makes the its brilliant point that no matter how much harm someone can cause to you and those you love, in the end the love between loved ones is always stronger than the rage and hate by us felt. Damn Peter Jackson, making me feel things...

10/10

Friday Comics - Blackest Night #6

Well, here is one of those comics one reads and ends up not sure if what we just read was awesome or just stupid. In the end I've chosen the awesome resolution, but I can see where some fans might have problems with this issue of Blackest Night. The issue starts exactly where the last one ended with Hal Jordan and the Flash attempting to dodge the black rings that want to bring them back to death. While they succeed, Nekron takes his advance further into the DCU while a Black Lantern Xanshi aproaches Earth with Stewart attempting to evade it from an army of Black Lanterns. But the problem with this issue comes with the duplication of the all the corps leaders rings to issue new lanterns that end up connection with some of the more familiar faces of the DC Universe like the Flash and Wonder Woman. And there is where this issue might seem strange, while Blue Lantern Flash and Orange Agent Lex Luthor might seem genius to some readers others might consider it extremely dumb. As I've said, in the end I consider it a good decision and can't possibly wait to see where Geoff takes this series next. Solid and entertaining issue.

8/10

Wednesday Sounds - Dethalbum II

Dethklok are back. With a album that doesn't pack quite the same punch that their debut album did. There are no 'Thunderhorse's here nor there are 'Go Forth and Die's or even something like 'Dethharmonic', so the epic level of this disc isn't even close to the one of the first one. Still, songs like 'Cyborg Slayers' and 'Comet Song' brings us the intense metal all the Dethklok fans craved for. Still, it's a shame the aren't more voice changes like there was in 'Hatredcopter' here. A little disapointing but still hugely brutal.

6/10