Kicking Against The Pricks

So, there isn't a lot going on right now in the land of The Nothing Files.  Both Thom and I are pretty much consumed by Star Wars The Force Unleashed, and haven't dedicated much time to anything else.  I've gotten a bunch of new comics and the Star Wars Order 66 novel, but I haven't even started any of them.  So, I figured that since we don't have much to talk about, I'd blog about one of my favorite albums ever, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Murder Ballads.

     As you probably already know, I'm a huge Nick Cave fan.  I like the old Birthday Party albums, the side projects like Grinderman.  I have some books, And The Ass Saw The Angel, even the super obscure graphic novel As-fix-e-8.  But through all of this, one of my favorites by Cave is the album Murder Ballads.  The ninth studio album by the Bad Seeds, and released in '96 I think this is the strongest album cover to cover.  While I have yet to hear a Nick Cave album that lacks at least a few standout tracks, none have the total album strength of Murder Ballads.  With guests like PJ Harvey, Shane MacGowen, and Kylie Minogue, it's hard to go too far wrong.

     With the fall quickly approaching, this is the consumate album to accompany the cold long nights and windy grey days the season ushers in.  Begining with "Song Of Joy", with lyrics co-contributed to John Milton, through the Bob Dylan cover of "Death is Not The End" the atmosphere that this album creates is at times bleak, at times aggressive, but always fully immersive.  This is one of those few albums that can take you to a place, albeit a very dark place.  It also marks a high point in commercial success for Cave with the Kylie Minogue duet "Where The Wild Roses Grow", a song told from both the killer and victims perspectives.  The video even garnered Cave a Best Male Artist nomination from MTV that was later recended by Cave's request. 

     If you're a longtime Cave fan, or just happened to hear "Red Right Hand" in one of a dozen movies, or on the X-Files and want to check out more, this is one of the best introductory albums that you can get.  So go out and buy the fucker, then turn the lights out, get drunk as hell, and go a little crazy.  The world will still be here tomorrow.

The Black Sabbatical is Over

So first things first. Let me answer a few questions you might have.  Has the second podcast been recorded? Yes. Can I get it? No. Although the second podcast has been recorded, it has not been edited. Hopefully that will take place over the next couple of days and we'll throw it up on iTunes on the weekend. What's taking so long? I've gotten sucked into a little game called The Force Unleashed. I am now finished. Was it game of the year as Nick so boldly stated after he played the demo? Not even close (of course Nick might have a different opinion). I will write a brief review of it soon. We did talk about it at length for the second podcast, but as neither of us had finished it at the point we recorded, and we know we're going to talk about it at length in the third, the whole Force Unleashed part is being edited out for the sake of podcast length. What do you mean? I thought you guys were going to were going to be more concise and succinct after the lessons you've learned from the first podcast? Yeah, well we still don't know when to shut the fuck up. We're really trying. We are going to be focused like the laser beam on the Death Star for the third podcast. Just you wait and see. Well hurry up already! I want to hear the second! It will be worth the wait, True Believer. Very soon now. Do you think it's strange that you're really just talking to yourself? Umm...no. Should I? Well, yeah. It's a little weird. You're a little weird. And by saying you're a little weird, you do realize that you're really saying I'm a little weird. Right? Silence, voice in my head! You're confusing me!

...

...

...

Ahhh. Sweet silence.

Get to work!

Argh! Damn you!

Weekend Update

All's been quiet on The Nothing Files front as it's been a slow couple days in geek news. Nothing too exciting or note-worthy. So I thought, "Why not post about it? This is The Nothing Files after all!" So why not, indeed? This weekend I'm still playing "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed." After loving it, then hating it with a deep passion I usually reserve for hippies and Persians (that's a True Romance reference... I personally don't know any Persians, but I'm sure if I did, we'd all be fast friends and go out for tacos and beers and such shit), I am now loving it again. All my hatred was centered around one specific level and one specific jump. Not everyone has had trouble with it. For instance Nick has had no trouble with it, as he likes to go on and on and on about. I'm sure we'll talk about it at length in the next podcast, which is going to be recorded tonight, by the way. 

As far as movies, "Lakeview Terrace" starring Samuel L. Jackson came out this weekend. The trailer for this actually looked kind of good until the end, when it said it was rated PG-13. If I'm going to a Samuel L. Jackson movie, I need him to say "fuck" at least four times and "motherfucker" at least twice. And since the chance of this happening is zero, I'll most likely wait for the DVD. I still need to see "Burn After Reading" which is getting decidedly mediocre reviews, but then again so did "The Big Lewboski." Sometimes I think that critics don't know what to do with the Cohen Brothers.

Sunday night the third episode of "Tru Blood" airs. I've watched the first two episodes and have liked what I've seen so far. The show makes the most of it's made for HBO-ness with lots gore, violence, and sex. "Tru Blood" has already been picked up for a second season, so it's still not too late to catch up before the show's mythology really takes off.

So that's, that. The weekend update. I purposely did not post anything on the new James Bond movie (as there was really no new news, even though the new game for "Quantum of Solace" looks spe-fucking-tacular. I'll throw up a post about that next week sometime). So everyone have fun, drive safe, and don't forget to tip your bartender. 

PS I just threw that picture of the Lemmy action figure at the top because I thought it was cool. I'm glad I live in a time when Lemmy has his own toy. 

The Nothing Files Is On iTunes

That's right, we're live! Now it's even easier for you to get The Nothing Files on your music player of choice. Simply launch iTunes, go to the iTunes store, and search for the keyword The Nothing Files. That's it. The show is there. And of course, I strongly urge you to hit subscribe so you won't ever miss a single episode of the best pop and alternative culture podcast out there. We have great things planned, minions. Our quest for world domination is just beginning. Stay tuned.

New Bond Theme Song

Guess what? That's right. More Bond news! So if the last trailer for "Quantum of Solace" didn't leave you shaken (not stirred), this new theme song will put the Q in your Q Branch (and no, I have no idea what I'm talking about... but I'm fairly certain that last thing was a dick joke... sorry). Anyway, the new theme song is by Jack White and Alicia Keyes and named "Another Way to Die." And while the world probably wasn't clamoring for a collaboration between these two, it's truly two great tastes that taste great together. Not only is it a great Bond theme song, it's just a great song. It just seems the producers of this franchise are making good decisions after good decisions. No venom suits and dance numbers here. So put on your tuxedos, double-oh-dorks, and prepare to get happy. The song might take a second to load but it's worth it.

Once More Into The Breach Dear Friends

So, The Nothing Files has yet to go live on iTunes. But that's not going to stop us from going forward and recording the next one. This Saturday, Thom and I, will be sitting down to record more blissful audio to rock your cortex and change the way you view the world around you.

Sounds like the movie we'll be over-analyzing  is going to be "Rogue"' a killer crocodile movie that makes "Lake Placid" look flaccid. And how the hell are we not going to spend uncomfortable amounts of time talking about the greatest video game of the year, "Star Wars The Force Unleashed"? Also more witty banter from your favorite midwestern fanboys.

If you have anything you want to hear us blog about, comment on this blog or send an email to nothingfiles@gmail.com. We're just getting started. There's still a lot of shit to talk...

Man Love and The Dow

The Dow lost 500 points yesterday, Lehman Brothers filed Chapter 11, AIG and Merrill Lynch quite possibly next, so why am I laughing my ass off? Just watch the clip already!!

And in a completely unrelated aside, our podcast has yet to be approved by iTunes yet. Could be a few more days. But don't worry. You'll know. And we'll most likely be recording Episode 2 this weekend, so they'll be loads more of insightful musings in the Nothing Files pipeline very soon. Things are looking up!

The Nothing Files Episode 1

Okay. The first podcast is in the can and has been submitted to iTunes. Apparently it could take up to a week for them to publish the first one. Reviews and whatnot. The turnaround on subsequent podcasts will be much quicker I'm told.  So if you absolutely, positively cannot wait, I've provided a link as to where you can listen to it at the end of this post. But if you listen to it via the link, don't forget to keep on checking iTunes and download it when it comes out!!  And if you like it leave feedback. If you don't like it email me at idon'tgiveashit@yomammma.com. Now do yourself a favor, draw a nice warm bath, light a few candles, pour a glass of Night Train, and enjoy while you listen to the insightful musings of Thom and Nick.

http://nothingfiles.podbean.com

New Quantum of Solace Trailer

I deferred my judgement on Bond Badass-ness until Daniel Craig made another Bond movie. I'm not yet prepared to say Sean Connery isn't my favorite Bond. But from this trailer, it seems that I might have to come to grips with doing just that. "I'm sorry, Sean. It's not you. It's me. Sometimes people just grow apart. We had a good run. I know. I know. Hush now... and watch the trailer."

Rock Me Sexy Jesus; Hamlet 2 Review

This is Nick. So, while I'm not the most die-hard comedy movie fan, I felt compelled to check out "Hamlet 2" over the weekend. Now I'm a huge fan of "Team America World Police" and figured with all the hype around Pam Brady, co-writer of South Park & Team America, on board, this had a be a pretty good film. Irreverent, and gross out humor with some funny political and social commentaries. Well, kind of...

Don't get me wrong, there are some funny and very memorable parts to this film. The main musical number "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" alone is enough to get me into a theater. But the movie seems to suffer an identity crisis. Half of the film is laughing at this lovable loser character, our protagonist, Dana Marschz, played by Steve Coogan, with the other half spent actually feeling sorry for him. It's a strange turn of events when in one instance the audience is supposed to laugh at what an oddball this character is then in the next scene, to turn around and feel for him as his world falls down around him. I either wanted a comic lead, or a buffoon.

A good example would be a re-imagination of "The 40 Year Old Virgin". Imagine that movie with Will Ferrell as the lead, not Steve Carell. Where Steve played Andy Stitzer as a comedic, but still realistic and sympathetic charicter, more likely than not Will Ferrell would have given us one of his over the top, self absorbed lead men. Actually it would be even better to sum it up as if Steve Carell played Andy as closer to how he plays Michael Scott in "The Office". Now, I do like the over the top, jackass lead characters, but pick one type of lead and stick to it.

Also, "Hamlet 2" seemed to me like it would deal a lot more with the play "Hamlet 2". The story arch of the film is this failed actor who has taken up pro bono drama teaching, and upon learning that his drama department is going to be shut down, decides to write and produce what will be the greatest play ever, "Hamlet 2". So, ok, you're waiting to see this play. It sounds funny as shit. The Devil french kissing the President of the United States! That's gold. Guess what? You never fucking see it. So many hilariously funny sounding scenes are alluded to during the creation of the play. You hear so often about the violence, nudity and hand jobs that you really can't wait to see at least some part of this play. And you guessed it, you never see any of that stuff. All you really end up getting to enjoy of the play that is the movies namesake is basically just the "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" dance number that comprises most of the trailer.

So, all in all, I give this movie a miss. It's got some laugh out loud funny parts, but so few and far between it's hard to really get into this film. I'd recommend waiting until it releases on DVD, rent the thing, then have some friends over and get hammered and watch it. I'm sure even some decent drinking game could be derived from it.

One quick side bar, while I was at the movie I saw a poster for "American Teen". I'm not overly familiar with this film, so I pulled out my phone and went to the website at the bottom of the poster www.americanteenmovie.com. Much to my surprise that website pulled up a main page that is all links to "Free Nasty Porn Pictures" & "Watch Free Porn". Evidently the actual address for that movie is www.americanteenthemovie.com, so I have no idea how the other address got on the theatrical poster. I just thought it was funny as shit...

My Name Is Bruce

Now if this doesn't give you a semi-chub, then you're reading the wrong blog, brother. Because this is the trailer for "My Name Is Bruce" starring Bruce fucking Campbell. This blog will be about many things. We'll cover comics, movies, music, politics, television, video games...whatever. But for a first post, you really need a tone setter. So Nick and I thought long and hard. We wanted a post that really told our readers who we are. A post that encapsulates who we are as individuals. What post would say Nick? What post would say Thom? It really only came down to two options. Should the first post be the trailer for the new Bruce Campbell movie? Or should the first post be the Bruce Campbell "Hungry Like The Wolf" Old Spice commercial? And then Thom said, "Why not both?" Why not indeed! This is America after all (or maybe somewhere else in the world depending on where you're reading this but you get the drift). Not all our posts will be video posts, but why not start The Nothing Files off with a bang. So enjoy you geeky bastards. Enjoy your drink from the Bruce Campbell fountain. And you're welcome.