I filmed some of it with my new Camera.

The show started off a little quiet before breaking out into some grand rock sounds. They setlist had a lot of range and some cool new songs were played too. Of course they finished with One Big Holiday which is always special.

The whole event is pretty social and fun. I enjoyed seeing the movie for the first time with a huge crowd who laughed at all the right moments and simply enjoyed the movie. Kait and I made a pitstop at Whole Foods before getting there and had a great picnic. She did most of the slicing and dicing while I watched the movie. It probably should have gone the other way around since I've seen it dozens of times and she never had. That said, we were situated way towards the back and didn't have the clearest view of the screen. But we could hear and mostly see everything going on.

For anyone thinking about embarking on a screening, you seriously need to show up 3 to 4 hours before the movie starts. The line was literally wrapping around the block of Sunset and Gower. We got there at 7:00, a mere two hours before the movie started and we almost didn't get in. About 5000 people were ahead of us, two hours before the movie. Airplane! is a fairly popular and beloved movie, so I don't expect the crowds to always be so massive. If you go, have someone wait in line at 6:00 while you go and get food and drink. I definitely recommend it though. The line isn't so bad because you're surrounded by sociable like minded people.

I had never seen Metropolis, but I did know it was the grandaddy of sci-fi. It was the first major film to look at the future of Earth and what the human race might become. I was amazed at how relevant some of the subject matter from the 1920's is still relevant today.

The film takes place in a dystopian future where one brilliant man creates a utopia for the few intellects, and a dystopia for workers who run his giant self-sustaining city. The workers grind out 10 hour shifts in underground factories so that when they're done they can retire to their even further underground homes. The genius that creates the city has a son who sees for himself that life is harsh for the workers and he tries to convince his father to make conditions better. At least that's what I think was happening. The movie was silent (there was orchestra) and some dialog was conveyed with placards shown during the film. Of course a love interest is included in the story as well as a fine looking man-machine who dances wearing nothing but pasties.

There was a lot of biblical imagery which I'm sure was completely understood back in the 1920's, but today it doesn't cross over so well. Back then, the public went to church more often and children even learned religion in school. There was also a great deal of struggle between the workers and owners which were direct comments on capitalism. In the end, after some great action, the good son unsurprisingly gets everyone to work together.

Seeing an old film like this in a big theater was pretty neat and I did enjoy the story. If you're in LA, Metropolis is showing at a few theaters for one more week.  It wouldn't hurt to check it out.

I'm not really into comic book's, tv about comic books, or movies about comic books. I've never seen any of the Spiderman movies, only a couple of the Batman movies, and X-Men only by accident.  I don't even care enough to name any more comic book movies besides those, even though it seems like a new one comes out every 6 weeks. Apparently Kick-Ass is based on a graphic novel, which is a fancy way to say nicely bound comic book. I don't really care.

The trailer for Kick-Ass actually turned me off of the movie. It looked really cheesey, but a positive review from Ebert, and the craving for a comedy had me putting on the flip flops for a walk down to the Laemmle. I had no expectations I'd see anything good, which might be a reason I've ended up liking Kick-Ass so much.

There is a dark and seedy humor to the film. The bad guys are likable but gruesome. The hero is dorky slacker who is in way over his head. There is a sense that you never know the complete story, and you want to know more because the characters are great. That's what comics are all about anyway right? The intriguing characters keep everyone intrigued.

There's a lot of crudeness, but most of it is warranted. The violence is over the top, and very creative. Who knew an 11 year old girl could shout so many swear words while causing a gangster to shoot himself with a piece of fishing line (or whatever she used.)

Definitely ignore the cheesey trailer and commercials for Kick-Ass and go see it. It's got comedy, nerdiness, violence, a little romance, a great cast (Nicholas Cage is really good), and a sweet story of revenge mixed with a story of stepping out of your shell.

Pictureplane opened up the show. He's just one guy, using his electronic tools and singing into a mic. I was really impressed with the sounds and energy just one guy can make. Goth Star was the highlight of the set.

The music was pretty tight and the crowd enjoyed it, despire their stillness. A lot of people, including myself, were telling him to stay and play more when his set was up.

There were 2 bands in between Pictureplane and Washed Out. I didn't care for them. However, the second band, Small Black, later joined Washed Out.

I had legit fears that Washed Out would sound too electric, and too much like an album. That much electronic music is difficult to reproduce live. I was relieved when they sounded Organic and really good. Feel it All Around, You'll See It, and Belong were my favorite tracks of the night. The crowd was definitely moving and actually a bit cramped up near the stage. I think more people were there to see Washed Out, than the headliner, Yacht (who I skipped.)

footage courtesey of Chris!

The story is mostly simple, but gets a little bit cloudy as you follow Malik's acceptance into the Corsican, Muslim, and Sicilian crime rings. He enters prison as an uneducated, young, French man born from Algerian parents. He learns to use his diversity to mingle with the Corsicans, the Muslims, and the Sicilians. His inspiration comes in the form of visions of a fellow prisoner he had to brutally murder within the prison during the early years of his sentence.

The story captures Malik's six year sentence and highlights his highs and lows while in the joint. Each scene is gripping and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Often times I was worried and hopeful for Malik as he looked to be in the most dire situations.  The film also casts a dark, dirty, vibe that keeps things interesting.

Un Prophete is contructed really well and I highly recommend it to everyone. There are some brutal moments, but they're necessary to tell the story.  I'm shocked that this film didn't win best foreign picture (it was nominated) but I have yet to see the film that actually won. Go see Un Prophete as soon as possible.

P.S: I have to say if life in French prison is depicted accurately in the film, it's not such a bad place. The prisoners seem to eat better bread and food that I get in my unshackled life. Of all the prisons to get sent to, definitely try to make it Corsican.