DVDs out December 8th

The Cove: A documentary look at former dolphin trainer Ric O'Barry, and his ongoing fight to end the slaughter and mistreatment of dolphins. He and other activists in the film are particularly vocal in their opposition to the annual whale hunts held in Taiji, Wakayama, Japan. The Cove is expected to be a nominee in the Best Documentary category at the 2010 Oscars.
Find it in the catalog!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: The sixth film in the series, and the second directed by David Yates. The Half-Blood Prince is generally considered to be the darkest chapter in the series thus far.
Find it in the catalog!

Julie and Julia: Adapted from Julia Child's autobiography My Life In France and Julie Powell's bestseller Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen. Julie and Julia presents the contrasting stories of blogger Julie Powell in present-day New York and pre-success Julia Child in 1950s Paris. These parallel narratives work well enough, but the film is anchored by Meryl Streep's outstanding performance and the wonderfully realized love affair of Julia Child and her husband Paul (played by a delightful Stanley Tucci). This is one of those rare films that you, your mom, and your boyfriend can all agree on. So maybe keep this one in mind when you're scrambling for a crowd-pleaser over the Holidays.
Find it in the catalog!

Public Enemies: Adapted from Bryan Burrough's book Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-1934. Public Enemies is essentially a John Dillinger biopic; one that happens to be scrupulously researched, brilliantly acted, and visually stunning. Expect a full review later this week, here at the Media Corner Blog.
Find it in the catalog!

Arctic Monkeys at the Riviera Theatre, 12/6/09

Last night the Arctic Monkeys performed an all ages show at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago. Opening with "Dance Little Liar" off their most recent album Humbug, the Arctic Monkeys (Alex Turner, Jamie Cook, Nick O'Malley, and Matt Helders) attacked their songs with a ferocity much appreciated by the crowd. Not surprisingly, "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor," riled up the crowd and got one of the biggest responses of the night. "Brainstorm," "This House is a Circus," and "Fluorescent Adolescent" also ignited the crowd's energy. A cover of the Nick Cave song "Red Right Hand" was even thrown into the mix. While the Arctic Monkeys played songs from all three of their albums, a good chunk of the set-list came from Humbug, including the single "Crying Lightning" and my personal favorites "Cornerstone," "My Propeller," and "The Jeweller's Hands." For the encore they performed "If You Were There, Beware" and "505," which started out mellow and then built to an aggressive finish. This was my first time seeing the band perform live and I had an awesome night (my ears are still ringing).

Photos by Danielle Pacini

December movie highlights

Note: Unfortunately, movies that open in limited release may not come to Chicago or nearby theaters until later in December (or maybe even January). I wrote about Me and Orson Welles as a November release, and it's just now being released in the Chicago-area on December 11!

Up in the Air (now playing in limited release): Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) makes his living by traveling across the country firing people. Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), a new hire traveling with him, has developed a video conferencing system that eliminates the need for employees like Bingham. Also starring Vera Farmiga, Jason Bateman, and Danny McBride. Directed by Jason Reitman, this film has already received much critical praise; the National Board of Review named it the best movie of the year (Kendrick was named best supporting actress).

The Lovely Bones (December 11 in limited release): Peter Jackson directed this adaptation of the 2002 Alice Sebold novel. After her murder, 14-year-old Susie (Saoirse Ronan) watches her family and friends (and the man who killed her) from her heaven. Also starring Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weiz, Stanley Tucci, and Michael Imperioli.

Broken Embraces (December 11 in limited release): The relationship between Lena (Penelope Cruz), an actress, and Mateo (Lluis Homar), a filmmaker and screenwriter, is the center of this movie. Director Pedro Almodvar re-teams with Penelope Cruz for a movie about making movies.

Avatar (December 18): Written and directed by James Cameron, who last directed 1997's Titanic, this film uses never-before-seen special effects. Using an avatar, Jake (Sam Worthington) goes on a mission to infiltrate the Na'vi of the planet Pandora, which is rich in a particular mineral needed on Earth. Avatars (a hybrid life-form made from human and Na'vi DNA) are used by humans because the air of Pandora is toxic. Jake is taken in by Neytiri's (Zoe Saldana) family, and his mission on Pandora changes after he spends time with and learns about the Na'vi.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (December 25 in limited release): Doctor Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) travels around with a theater troupe and a magical mirror that allows people to experience whatever is in their imaginations. This is Heath Ledger's final film. His character, Tony, goes through several transformations when he enters the mirror; these transformations are played by Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Ferrell.

Sherlock Holmes (December 25): Guy Ritchie directs this new look to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's popular character. Robert Downey Jr. is Holmes and Jude Law plays Watson. From the trailer it appears that Holmes participates in some sort of street-fighting club! Also starring Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, and Kelly Reilly.

I could have written about more December releases because there are so many that look good. Are there any movies coming out this month that you definitely have to see?

The countdown to the final season of Lost

The sixth and final season of Lost begins on Tuesday, February 2 on ABC. The "premiere event" is scheduled to start at 7 PM. No new footage from season six has been released to be used in promotional TV spots, which means ABC's commercials have been pretty boring. If you are a Lost fan, check out this awesome TV promo from Spanish station Cuatro. The editing (Kate, Ben, Jack, and Locke are pieces on a chessboard!), music ("Everything in its Right Place" by Radiohead), and poem excerpt (Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam) combine together brilliantly:

Share the PSH (Philip Seymour Hoffman) love!

A selection of movies featuring actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, available through the library:

Doubt (2008)
DVD FICTION DOUBT
Hoffman received an Oscar nomination for his role as Father Flynn, a Boston priest who is accused by Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) of an inappropriate relationship with a student. Is he guilty or innocent? Long after you watch this movie you'll still go back and forth over what really happened.
Find it in the catalog!

Synecdoche, New York (2008)
DVD COMEDY SYNECDOCHE
Hoffman plays theater director Caden Cotard, who has his actors re-enact their lives on a set that replicates Manhattan inside a warehouse.
Find it in the catalog!

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (2007)
NEW DVD FICTION BEFORE
Brothers Andy (Hoffman) and Hank (Ethan Hawke) Hanson are in debt and plan to rob their parents' jewelry store without hurting anyone, but something goes wrong.
Find it in the catalog!

Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
DVD FICTION CHARLIE
Hoffman received another Oscar nomination for his role as Gust Avrakotos, a CIA agent helping Texas congressman Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks) work to supply weapons to the rebels of the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan during the 1980s.
Find it in the catalog!

The Savages (2007)
DVD COMEDY SAVAGES
Jon (Hoffman) and Wendy (Laura Linney) Savage are left to care for their estranged father, who has dementia, after his girlfriend dies. Even though they haven't spoken to him in twenty years, they must rearrange their lives in order to be there for a father that was, and still is, abusive to them.
Find it in the catalog!

Mission: Impossible III (2006)
DVD FICTION MISSION
As Owen Davian, Hoffman plays the villian to Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt.
Find it in the catalog!

Capote (2005)

DVD FICTION CAPOTE

Hoffman won an Academy Award for his performance of Truman Capote. The movie follows Capote as he researches what will become the nonfiction work In Cold Blood.

Find it in the catalog!

Along Came Polly (2004)
DVD COMEDY ALONG
The funniest thing about this movie is Hoffman's performance as Sandy Lyle, best friend to Reuben Feffer (played by Ben Stiller). The rest of the plot involves Stiller and Jennifer Aniston falling in love, or something. "White chocolate!"
Find it in the catalog!

Almost Famous (2000)
DVD FICTION ALMOST
As music journalist Lester Bangs, Hoffman is a mentor to fifteen-year-old William Miller (Patrick Fugit), who is writing about the band Stillwater for Rolling Stone.
Find it in the catalog!

Magnolia (1999)

DVD FICTION MAGNOLIA
One of the nine characters followed in this movie is Phil Parma (Hoffman), a nurse who cares for a dying Earl Patridge (Jason Robards).

Find it in the catalog!

Movie Roundup: My Top 10 DVDs of 2009

This is a short-list of DVDs released (or in some cases re-released) in 2009 that I have particularly enjoyed. I've included a parenthetical year beside each title, representing the original production year of each film/TV show. I hope you enjoy these DVDs as much as I have! Oh, and feel free to list some of your own favorites in the comments section.

Ashes of Time - Redux (2008)

Find it in the catalog!

Eastbound & Down - The Complete First Season (2009)

Find it in the catalog!

The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)

Find it in the catalog!

Homicide (1991)

Find it in the catalog!

The Jack Lemmon Film Collection (1964, 1954, 1962, 1957, 1963)

Find it in the catalog!

Last Year at Marienbad (1961)

Find it in the catalog!

Mad Men - Season Two (2008)

Find it in the catalog!

North by Northwest - 50th Anniversary Edition (1959)

Find it in the catalog!

Pineapple Express (2008)

Find it in the catalog!

The Venture Bros. - Season Three (2008)

Find it in the catalog!

Masterpiece Classic on PBS

In my book, Sunday nights used to be dismal. There was very little on TV to escape the fact that you had to return to work (or school) the next morning. Now, I actually look forward to Sunday nights and I have PBS to thank: the new season of Masterpiece Classic begins in January. These BBC productions are enjoyable because they are the definition of escapist-- beautiful people in beautiful costumes cavorting in beautiful settings. (It doesn't hurt that the themes are pretty timeless too.)

December 20, 2009-January 3, 2010
Cranford
PBS is airing an encore presentation of Elizabeth Gaskell's Cranford. With it's large ensemble cast, Judi Dench included, this popular mini-series portrays the ins-and-outs of life in a small English town.

If you'd rather not wait until December 20 Find it in the catalog!

January 10-17, 2010
Return to Cranford
The success of Cranford has garnered a sequel, not coincidently titled, Return to Cranford. This installment officially kicks off the new season of Masterpiece Classic. Once again starring Judi Dench, it will pick up where Cranford left off: the building of a new railroad that may have undesirable consequences.

January 24-February 7, 2010
Emma
Two seasons ago, the works of Jane Austen were presented. Well, most of them. Mansfield Park (Find it in the catalog!), Northanger Abbey, Persuassion, and Sense & Sensibility (Find it in the catalog!) all got the treatment. I found all adaptions to be as good as, if not better, than previous versions released in the theaters with high-profile stars and bigger budgets.

Lacking from this lineup was Emma (and Pride & Prejudice, which they are apparently not going near-- maybe because there have already been two well-liked, if not loved, versions produced?). But, Emma is getting the redux this upcoming season with Romola Garai in the title role and Johnny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightley.

February 14, 2010
Northanger Abbey (encore presentation)
Not my favorite Austen work, but actress Felicity Jones does an excellent job as the protagonist character Catherine Moreland.
Find it in the catalog!

February 21, 2010
Persuassion (encore presentation)
Of all the PBS presentations of Austen, this was my favorite adaption. The simple, but timeless story follows Anne Elliot as she discovers that she still cares for the suitor she was persuaded to turn down a decade earlier. Of course, he's now a very rich man. Starring Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones, I even prefer this version to the one starring Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds (gasp . . .).
Find it in the catalog!

February 28, 2010
The 39 Steps
Stars Rupert Penry-Jones (from Persuassion) in the adaptation of the novel by John Buchan.

March 28, 2010
Sharpe's Challenge
Actor Sean Bean returns as Richard Sharpe.

April 4, 2010
Sharpe's Peril

April 11, 2010
The Diary of Anne Frank

April 18-25, 2010
Small Island
Stars Naomie Harries and Ruth Wilson.

What we're listening to: Humbug by the Arctic Monkeys

Following up their 2007 release of Favourite Worst Nightmare, England's Arctic Monkeys have put out another great album in Humbug. They start off with "My Propeller," a song seductive in both the delivery of Alex Turner's vocals and its guitar refrain, not to mention the lyrics themselves. The Arctic Monkeys have a distinctive lead singer in the voice of Turner, due to his point of view shared in the lyrics and the fact that his Yorkshire accent is very prominent. Turner, who wrote the lyrics for all the songs on the album, has an amazing ability to tell vivid stories during short three to five minute songs.

"Cornerstone" is a fine example of Turner's storytelling skills and is also my favorite song from Humbug. In this song a guy describes how he keeps thinking he sees a particular woman around town (at The Battleship, Rusty Hook, Parrot's Beak, and finally The Cornerstone), but when he realizes it's not her he still asks the lookalike, "Please can I call you her name?" I just love the way this song builds as he goes place to place without having any success finding her: "I've asked everyone / I'm beginning to think I imagined you all along."

I won't heap all the praise on Turner; another reason I love the Arctic Monkeys is because their style of music moves between being aggressive and restrained. This album includes songs that are very aggressive and loud ("Potion Approaching," "Pretty Visitors"), contemplative and restrained ("Cornerstone," "Jeweller's Hands"), and a combination of both sides ("Crying Lightning," "Fire and the Thud," "Dance Little Liar"). I have enjoyed their previous albums of Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006) and Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007), and believe that Humbug further reinforces their talent as a band, as it is their strongest showing yet.

Check out a copy of Humbug from Dundee Township Public Library District--
Find it in the catalog!

On Sunday the Arctic Monkeys perform at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago!

DVDs out December 1st

A Christmas Tale: An insightful study of one family's legacy of grief, by French director Arnaud Desplechin. Catherine Deneuve gives a devastating performance. Released as part of the Criterion Collection.
Find it in the catalog!

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian: A sequel to the popular 2006 family film. Ben Stiller returns, as does Ricky Gervais, Robin Williams, and Owen Wilson. New to the cast is Amy Adams, in the role of Amelia Earhart.
Find it in the catalog!

Paper Heart: The jury is still out on this little-seen independent film, but fellow-blogger Danielle raved about it after seeing it this past October. For those of us who will be seeing Paper Heart for the first time on DVD, we can expect Michael Cera to be "awkward" and "uncomfortable" in all sorts of adorable ways.
Find it in the catalog!

Terminator Salvation: The fourth installment in this sci-fi franchise; with a budget of $200 million, an intense leading man, and an army of CGI Terminators. Christian Bale and Sam Worthington attempt to out-grimace each other. The results: unintentionally hilarious.
Find it in the catalog!

Free movies showing at the library in December

Come to the Dundee Township Public Library District to watch movies on the big screen for FREE! During December we are screening four movies-- two recent releases on DVD and two classics! Tickets for these movies are available at the Information Desk starting Tuesday, December 1. The audience is limited to 80 people, so don't wait to pick up tickets!

Star Trek
Thursday, December 17 at 6 PM
Doors open at 5:30 PM

Up
Saturday, December 19 at 2 PM
Doors open at 1:30 PM

White Christmas
Tuesday, December 22 at 6 PM
Doors open at 5:30 PM

The Shop Around the Corner 
Tuesday, December 29 at 6 PM
Doors open at 5:30 PM

Movies are shown on the lower level in the Meeting Room. Free popcorn and refreshments!

Da da doo doot-n dance DVDs

A wise woman by the name of Lady Gaga once sang, "Just dance! / Gonna be okay / Da da doo doot-n." She sings the truth. You will feel better if you get up and move. Dance instruction DVDs, musicals, and movies with plot lines centered on dancers-- I dare anyone to stay seated while watching the selections from this dance-filled list.

DANCE INSTRUCTION

Ballroom Basics. Volume 1, Foxtrot
DVD 793.33 BAL
Find it in the catalog!

Ballroom Basics. Volume 2, Waltz
DVD 793.33 BAL
Find it in the catalog!

Ballroom Basics. Volume 3, Tango
DVD 793.33 BAL
Find it in the catalog!

Latin Dances
DVD 793.33 LEA
Rumba, cha-cha, samba, mambo, and the tango.
Find it in the catalog!

MUSICALS

Chicago (2002)
DVD MUSICAL CHICAGO
Based on the Broadway musical of the same name; starring Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta Jones (who won an Oscar for her performance), Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, and John C. Reilly. 2003 Best Picture winner.
Find it in the catalog!

Easter Parade (1948)
DVD MUSICAL EASTER
Don (Fred Astaire) gets a new dance partner Hannah (Judy Garland) after his old partner Nadine (Ann Miller) goes off on her own. Also starring Peter Lawford.
Find it in the catalog!

Hairspray
DVD MUSICAL HAIRSPRAY
Based on the movie that became a Broadway musical. Set in 1960s Baltimore, teenager Tracy Turnblad is excited to make it onto "The Corney Collins Show." Starring Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah, Zac Efron, and Christopher Walken.
Find it in the catalog!

High School Musical series
DVD MUSICAL HIGH
High School Musical (1): Popular Disney made-for-TV movie that finds high school basketball player Troy (Zac Efron) and new brainy student Gabriella (Vanessa Hudgens) breaking the molds of their respective cliques as they audition for the school's musical. Find it in the catalog!
High School Musical 2: The students from East High School are working at a country club for the summer, where the annual talent show is approaching. Find it in the catalog!
High School Musical 3: Senior Year The students share their mixed feelings about leaving high school and friends and going to college in a spring musical. Find it in the catalog!

The Other Side of the Bed (El otro lado de la cama)
DVD FOREIGN OTHER
A romantic-comedy-musical about two couples who switch between different lovers. Starring Ernesto Alterio, Paz Vega, Guillermo Toledo.
Find it in the catalog!

Singin' in the Rain
DVD MUSICAL SINGIN'
The careers of matinee and silent film stars are affected during the transition from silent films to talking movies or "talkies." Starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell, Cyd Charisse, Douglas Fowley, and Rita Moreno.
Find it in the catalog!

West Side Story
DVD MUSICAL WEST
A version of Romeo and Juliet set in New York during the 1950s. Winner of 10 Oscars in 1962, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. Starring Natalie Wood, Russ Tamblyn, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, and George Chikiris.
Find it in the catalog!

DANCE AND DANCERS

El Cantante
DVD FICTION CANTANTE
In 1970s New York City salsa singer Hector Lavoe rises to fame. Starring Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, and Christopher Becerra.
Find it in the catalog!

The Cheetah Girls
DVD FAMILY CHEETAH
A singing group made up of four high school friends, dreaming of a record contract. Based on the Cheetah Girls books by Deborah Gregory. Starring Raven-Symone, Adrienne Bailon, Kiely Williams, and Sabrina Bryan.
Find it in the catalog!

The Cheetah Girls 2
DVD FAMILY CHEETAH
The group travels to Barcelona, Spain, to perform at a music festival. Starring Raven-Symone, Adrienne Bailon, Kiely Williams, and Sabrina Bryan.
Find it in the catalog!

The Company
DVD FICTION COMPANY
Behind the scenes of a dance company. Directed by Robert Altman and starring Neve Campbell, Malcolm McDowell, James Franco, and the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago.
Find it in the catalog!

Dirty Dancing
DVD FICTION DIRTY
The teenage Baby (Jennifer Grey) vacations at a resort in the Catskills during the summer of 1963 with her parents and learns about dance and herself. Also starring Patrick Swayze and Jerry Orbach.
Find it in the catalog!

Every Little Step
NEW DVD 792.6 EVE
A documentary that reveals the audition process for the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line.
Find it in the catalog!

Flashdance
DVD FICTION FLASHDANCE
Alex (Jennifer Beals) holds down two jobs: she works as a welder during the day and exotic dancer at night, all the while practicing her dance skills, hoping to get into a local dance company.
Find it in the catalog!

The Full Monty
DVD COMEDY FULL
Yorkshire steelworkers lose their jobs and decide to form a male stripper group. They practice for their one-night performance, hoping to earn some money and respect. What makes their upcoming performance different from other strip shows is the fact that they will strip down to "the full monty." Starring Robert Carlyle, Tom Wilkinson, and Mark Addy.
Find it in the catalog!

Honey
DVD FICTION HONEY
Honey (Jessica Alba) teaches dance classes at a community center and hopes to one day open a dance studio for the local kids. One night her moves are noticed at a dance club and she is hired by a hip hop video director to be a dancer (and later choreographer). But does the director want her for reasons other than her talent?
Find it in the catalog!

How She Move
DVD FICTION HOW
Raya (Rutina Wesley) leaves private school and returns to her old high school after the death of her sister and gets back into competitive step dancing.
Find it in the catalog!

Limelight
DVD COMEDY LIMELIGHT
Set in London during 1914, a ballet dancer Terry (Claire Bloom) is saved from suicide by music hall clown Calvero (Charlie Chaplin), who is also depressed. Calvero then helps Terry to return to dancing on the stage. Also starring Buster Keaton, Sidney Chaplin, and Nigel Bruce.
Find it in the catalog!

Saturday Night Fever
DVD FICTION SATURDAY
Brooklyn teenager Tony (John Travolta) looks forward to dancing at the disco each week. When he meets Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney) they decide to enter into a competition together.
Find it in the catalog!

Save the Last Dance
DVD FICTION SAVE
After her mother's death, Sara (Julia Stiles) quits ballet and moves in with her father on Chicago's south side. She meets Derek (Sean Patrick Thomas), who teaches her hip hop, and a romance develops.
Find it in the catalog!

Save the Last Dance 2
DVD FICTION SAVE
A sequel to the original, with different actors. Sara is attending Julliard but conflicted about dance styles (ballet or hip hop?). Starring Izabella Miko, Columbus Short, Aubrey Dollar, Ne-Yo, and Jacqueline Bisset.
Find it in the catalog!

Shall We Dance? (1996; in Japanese with English subtitles)
DVD FOREIGN SHALL
Entranced by a dance instructor he sees from the subway, Japanese salaryman Sugiyama signs up for ballroom dance lessons. He keeps the lessons a secret from his wife, even though he enjoys dancing so much he begins to discreetly practice everywhere. Sugiyama discovers that his co-worker Aoki also loves ballroom dancing because of how it allows him to feel the music and become a different person.
Find it in the catalog!

Shall We Dance? (2004)
DVD COMEDY SHALL
Remake of the 1996 Japanese film of the same name; a Chicago lawyer starts to take dance lessons, hiding it from his wife, who thinks he is cheating on her. Starring Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, and Susan Sarandon.
Find it in the catalog!

Step Up
DVD FICTION STEP
Tyler vandalizes Maryland School of the Arts with some friends; he is the only one caught and is sentenced to community service at the school. He meets ballet dancer Nora and shows off his street dancing moves. They pair their dance styles for a routine Nora hopes to perform for her senior showcase. Starring Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan.
Find it in the catalog!

Stomp the Yard
DVD FICTION STOMP
At Truth University in Atlanta, D.J. (Columbus Short) and his dance moves are coveted by two rival African American fraternities who hope to win the national step show competition. Also starring Meagan Good, Ne-Yo, and Darrin Henson.
Find it in the catalog!

Take the Lead
DVD FICTION TAKE
Former professional ballroom dancer Pierre (Antonio Banderas) helps teach dance in a public school in New York. After initially rejecting the ballroom dance steps the students come around to the new moves; the result is a fusion of the styles of ballroom and hip hop. Also starring Rob Brown and Alfre Woodard.
Find it in the catalog!

DOOM, Pt. 1

Underground hip-hop has an evil genius, and his name is DOOM, a/k/a King Geedorah, a/k/a MF DOOM, a/k/a Metal Face DOOM, a/k/a Metal Fingers DOOM, a/k/a Viktor Vaughn, a/k/a Zevlove X, real name Daniel Dumile (pronounced /duːməleɪ/). Part comic book villain, part doomsayer.

Dumile debuted as a guest emcee on the 3rd Bass track "The Gas Face," on their 1989 LP The Cactus Album. At that time, performing under his Zevlove X alias, he was forming a small crew of his own, known as K.M.D. (which included his brother Dingilizwe). K.M.D. released the Mr. Hood album in 1991, but the DOOM story nearly ended before it began. In 1993, Dingilizwe Dumile was killed in a traffic accident, and Elektra refused to release K.M.D.'s sophomore album, due to concerns over its cover art (depicting a "sambo" character) and militant political stance. Faced with these personal and professional crises, Dumile essentially threw in the towel, finding a legit day-job and devoting himself to raising his son.

If the story had ended there, Daniel Dumile would be little more than a footnote, a bit of trivia for hip-hop aficionados. But, in 1999, Dumile released the album Operation: Doomsday, under the newly assumed nom de guerre MF DOOM. Dumile borrowed his DOOM persona from the Marvel Comics character Dr. Doom, a Stan Lee/Jack Kirby super-villain, best remembered for his masked visage and ongoing feud with the Fantastic Four. Dumile used this startlingly off-center back-story as a point of digression; upending the late-90s fly-guy rap image by utilizing arcane pop-culture references, bizarre slang, and wicked humor. Oh, and he started wearing a mask.



Dumile's myriad DOOM-related releases, and his ever-growing list of guest appearances, can be overwhelming. For neophytes, the ideal starting point would be Madvillainy (2004), Dumile's acclaimed collaboration with hip-hop producer Madlib. The Madvillain project was DOOM at his most accessible; an oddly endearing collaboration that was widely considered one of the best albums of 2004. (Adult Swim fans may recognize the track "Money Folder" as a bumper between commercials on the Cartoon Network's late-night lineup.) And, in true Dumile fashion, even the album's cover art is a playful pop-culture homage:



That same year, the ever-more-prolific Dumile released another solo album, MM..Food? (2004). This interrogatively-titled record expanded on the DOOM mythology, while simultaneously providing enough food-obsessed couplets to satiate Alton Brown. My personal favorite food-related non-sequitur: "Ignore Cordon Bleu, stand up, get up!"

Dumile's most high-profile collaboration was The Mouse and the Mask, his 2005 record with Danger Mouse (the super-producer best known as half of the duo Gnarls Barkley). Tellingly, this record heavily samples various Adult Swim cartoons: Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Harvery Birdman, Sealab 2021, and Space Ghost. It's difficult to imagine a musical artist more perfectly suited to the Adult Swim crowd than Daniele Dumile.

Stay tuned for more DOOM arcana!

What we're listening to: Strict Joy by The Swell Season

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, the members of The Swell Season, previously appeared together in the movie Once and collaborated on its accompanying soundtrack, for which they won Oscars for the song "Falling Slowly." Since the movie wrapped they became romantically involved, toured, and broke up. They are still making music together and singing about the pain that goes with relationships.

On most songs Hansard takes the lead while Irglova adds background vocals. Their voices blend so well together and really complement each other. Singing about heartbreak and loss of love, many of the songs have a lovely haunting feeling to them. A good example is the chorus of "In These Arms." This haunting quality is also present in Irglova's vocals on "Fantasy Man:" "Let's put it down to life / The story of two lovers / Who danced both edges of the knife." Another Irglova-fronted song, "I Have Loved You Wrong," is told from the point of view of a lover who messed up a relationship but still can't get her ex out of her thoughts: "...this estranged organ in my chest / Still beats for you." On "Back Broke" Hansard sings about a broken-up couple, reunited: "I came on your command / Don't give me false hope." The ominous quality to Hansard's vocals and music suggest to the listener that while he's happy to be spending time with his ex-lover, he's just going to get hurt all over again once they part. Other highlights include "Love That Conquers," and the uptempo "High Horses."

Listen to The Swell Season for yourself by placing a hold on Strict Joy:
Find it in the catalog!

The Swell Season perform at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago on December 3!

Monsters vs. Aliens: What did you think of the movie?

Huge thanks to everyone who came to the library to watch Monsters vs. Aliens yesterday. 63 people showed up! After the movie there was a drawing to win a Night at the Museum 2 poster.

I think my favorite part of the movie was when B.O.B. (voiced by Seth Rogen) tried to be smooth and used pick-up lines on a green jello mold. Too funny. Later in the movie B.O.B. copies Susan's break-up with her boyfriend Derek and adds his own spin on it: "Derek, you're a stupid jerk, and guess what? I've met someone else. She's lime-green, she has 14 little chunks of pineapple inside of her, and she is everything I deserve in life! I'm happy now, Derek, without you. It's over!" Monsters vs. Aliens got a ton of laughs and I'm glad everyone had a good time! I missed most of the beginning of the movie because I was making popcorn, so I think I'll have to check it out from the library in the near future!

Have you seen Monsters vs. Aliens? What did you think? If you haven't seen it yet or would like to watch it again, put a copy from the library on hold for yourself:
Find it in the catalog!

I hope we'll see everyone at one (or all) of the four movies Dundee Township Public Library District is showing in December! More on those later!