Interesting, to say the least. Combining James Brown’s The Payback with 2Pac’s Untouchable, Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming Django Unchained is benefitting from a mash-up between two of music’s genuine icons.
Mash-ups are ten to a penny, but this one is certainly unique, mainly because it’s not strictly a mash-up. Whilst the production and vocals for the verses are mostly borrowed from the James Brown track, the offering in the hook is an original, wild west-style piece with a jazzy, upbeat edge. Horns aplenty and distinctive western guitar strums combine to provide a frenetic soundscape, one which supplements 2Pac’s catchy and high intensity vocal work, whilst giving the track context in terms of the film. It also complements the more laidback production style of the verses, and hence provides a nice distinction between the two, whilst giving the track an easy-to-follow structure, something often missing from this type of remix. Likeable and worth a listen.
In Marvel’s “Iron Man 3″, brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man is pitted against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?
As predicted from yesterday’s teaser trailer, things look to be a little less celebratory and much darker in the first Marvel film since The Avengers. Of course, there’s no shortage of visual splendour and big action cuts, of which we get several tastes throughout this clip, whilst appearances by The Mandarin and The Patriot offers insight into the script’s direction. That late-April 2013 release can’t come soon enough.
As is now the norm for big releases in either music or film, this isn’t the trailer but is actually a trailer for the trailer. Confused?
The official full-length trailer is due to be released tomorrow, but I’m sure there’s enough here to whet the appetite for Iron Man fans. It’s very early to deduce anything, but the trailer seems to be a little less ‘positive’ than the two previous films, suggesting this may go a little darker than its predecessors, whilst I’m sure the dedicates will enjoy seeing a glimpse of the new Iron Man suit.
Marvel are wasting little time capitalising on the buzz generated by The Avengers, and the second part of their story arc is now being put into motion, set to culminate with Avengers 2 in 2015. Before that though, we’ve got this, Thor 2 and plenty more besides on the way. Look out for that full trailer tomorrow.
Quentin Tarantino presents The Man With The Iron Fists, an action-adventure inspired by kung-fu classics as interpreted by his longtime collaborators RZA and Eli Roth. Making his debut as a big-screen director, co-writer and leading man, RZA—alongside an exciting international cast led by Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu—tells the epic story of warriors, assassins and a lone outsider hero who all descend on one fabled village in China for a winner-takes-all battle for a fortune in gold. The film arrives on November 2, 2012.
I saw the trailer for this a little while back and frankly, it looks epic. Normally projects like this can be pretty shoddy, but RZA’s clearly surrounded himself with the right people and properly committed to this, and the sheer scale of the names involved in both the film and the soundtrack suggests he’ll pull this off with considerable success. The tracklist features a fantastic roster, including Kanye West, Pusha T and of course the Wu-Tang Clan; click below for the full list, where you can also grab a free download from the OST. → Continue Reading RZA’s The Man With The Iron Fists Soundtrack Tracklist
Probably the best début drama of 2011, Homeland returns to our screens in September.
This trailer shows a fair bit of action from season 2 (dubbed over with the haunting cover of Police’s song Every Breath You Take by Scala & Kolacny Brothers) without really giving anything away, bizarrely. After the way season 2 ended I don’t really know where this show is going to take us, but I do know that it’ll once again be brilliant television.
If you haven’t seen season 1 of Homeland yet, I suggest you do so.
Here’s the honest truth: I’m more excited for this than I have been for any Batman film ever. This graphic novel is by far my favourite comic of all-time (and if I’m allowed the extension, also my favourite book), and has been cited by Christopher Nolan as one of his (many) inspirations for the general thematic of his acclaimed 3-part Batman movie series. The sheer brutality and coarseness of the piece is one of the most realistic representations of Batman to date, whilst having Bruce Wayne be much older than in any other story makes for a refreshing change to the usual methodology.
With a critically-beloved piece like this, there’s always danger of not representing the source material properly, but based on the trailer it doesn’t look like that’s going to be a worry here. It’s not only good news for us fans of the original material, but I appreciate many aren’t into reading graphic novels, and hence those of you unfamiliar with the piece will surely find this movie conversion an excellent watch if it remains as true to the material as it seems to. It’s set up to be a 2-parter, and I’ll say this: if you think this looks epic, wait until you see how part 2 ends up.
After a fantastic season and a gripping finale that left many questioning where this show will go, we’re now starting to be teased with some trailers for season 3.
Straight off the bat this trailer shows no signs of Boardwalk Empire slowing back down to season 1 standards, and hints at things escalating even further than they did in season 2!
I won’t mention any specific details that take place in this trailer or in the last season as I know some of you are very slow when it comes to catching up with excellent television.
“MANIAC is a short film inspired by the song. It is not a music video and it has no reference to the song content. It will be scored by Dot and I as a film with all new music. Directed By Shia LaBeouf for Grassy Slope and Ragin4Dayz Productions.”
As someone who shies away from senseless acts of violence, murder and gore, this short film is one of the most disturbing videos I’ve seen in a while. Cudi and his friend go about committing random murders whilst having a camera crew document their ‘adventures’. There’s no reasoning for each or any murder, just many squeamishly aggressive and unapologetic killings.
I’m not sure what the point of all this is, but as a massive fan of How To Make It in America, I’m really digging Cudi on his acting tip.
Presented by the illustrious Mick Boogie and the ultra-talented Broke Mogul, we’re treated to an hour long mix with tracks set to feature in the upcoming season of the superb How To Make It In America.
Season 1 brought the upbeat Shooting Stars into my library, a really enjoyable track that I would have otherwise never have come across, and similarly, the previews for season 2 have delivered Theophilus London’s enjoyable I Stand Alone. Much more to be unearthed on this mix, and you can grab it for free below.
Almost as cinematic as the show itself, the trailer for the fantastic Boardwalk Empire’s upcoming season certainly expands on the suggestions from the previously-released teaser, as well as the situations that concluded the first season. To avoid spoiling the previous season (as I’m aware many haven’t seen it yet), I would recommend to stop reading from this point onwards.
There’s a clear theme running through the video, in particular the relative isolation and fear now imparted on the series’ lead character, Nucky Thompson, as a result of the aforementioned situations arising in season 1′s finale. One particularly poignant detail is the red rose Nucky wears, which naturally catches the eye and is quite a prominent feature throughout the trailer. There’s plenty of symbolism surrounded red roses, and one in particular comes to mind: the Garden of Eden ‘story’ suggests a white rose turned red as it blushed at Adam and Eve’s fall from grace, with a downward spiral seeming the obvious path for Nucky in season 2. Notice how one or two others seem to be also sporting the roses too, possibly suggesting similar fates for them. Worth a watch for sure, and I’m very excited for the premiere on September 25th.
Lost creators Lindelof and Cuse once and for all prove that they weren’t making Lost up as they went along by releasing this never seen before deleted scene from season one.
Ok, I lied, this is just a jape scene, but it is actually hilarious. Lost fans (and haters) will find this very funny and it does actually address how ridiculous the last season or two of Lost really was. Added to the fact that we see some great new screentime between Jacob and the evil man in black (who was never named), this makes this a much watch.
The very anticipated final season of Entourage will soon be upon us, fans of great TV all over the world rejoice! Whilst many Entourage fanatics felt season 7 was a bit of a let down, I personally thought the changing character arcs was a necessary evil in order to piece everything together for this final hurrah (as is often the case with penultimate seasons of long-running TV shows).
Don’t want to write any comments on what we see in this trailer in case any of you fools haven’t caught up yet, so hit play and enjoy. Oh, and them choosing Eminem and Royce’s Fast Lane track to promote this trailer was a great call.
HBO are seriously putting the work in, and having recently released the season 2 teaser for Boardwalk Empire, they’ve also let the teaser loose for this superb series. My TV viewing will increase exponentially when these two shows return!
HTMIIA is undoubtedly one of the most feelgood, easy-to-watch TV shows in recent memory, drawing rightful comparisons with Entourage but with somewhat more relatable characters and realistic storylines. There isn’t too much given away here but I did catch a couple of stills involving Rachel, suggesting her role in the series isn’t quite finished yet, whilst a couple of newer characters appear to be given some focus alongside those we already know and love. It was also previously announced that Kid Cudi’s Domingo character will have a more prominent role in the next season, which will undoubtedly be interesting viewing.
Before you ask, the song in the trailer is Theophilus London-I Stand Alone, taken from his upcoming debut album Timez Are Weird These Days (July 19th).
Hugely excited for the next season of this superb drama. The period charm combined with some genuinely superb acting from the likes of Steve Buscemi made for enthralling and captivating viewing in the first season, and it looks as though the second season is going to ramp things up somewhat.
I won’t spoil it for those of you that haven’t finished season 1, but it’s fair to say the season ended in exciting style with the story arcs for the forthcoming season being started, and here there are strong hints of the direction in which those arcs will be going. Watch and enjoy.
A very surreal, yet incredibly thought-provoking video. It’s almost like a very short film, as you’re almost fixated on some great acting from Lykke, as she manages to pull you into a few different direction when trying to glean the message and motives.
It’s not easy to figure out at all, but here’s what I’ve taken from it: it seems to be her burying her past, trying to crush the items of reminder, and doing so in a risky manner that removes concern about personal, physical consequences. Glamorous but broken, and taking chances (hence the deck of cards?). To me, the video is untitled as it’s an unimaginable/undescribable cause for the consequential Wounded Rhymes, the title of her forthcoming album.
She looks great in this video too, and at times you can’t help but wonder why you haven’t noticed her striking features before (Google doesn’t do her justice). It emphasises just what an all-round talent she is: captivating vocalist, heavily committed to her artistic visions, talented songwriter, and good appearance. Can’t wait for the album.
They’ve been talking about doing a film since back in 2006, and it finally seems to be happening. Normally, you’d expect a band to put together some shoddy, low-budget film that probably just contains a few fart jokes: not here. Angels and Airwaves have always come across as an ‘all or nothing’ group, and this is firmly in the ‘all’ category as they release a stunning trailer for Love.
The effects and quality of the film are clear for all to see here, and the story seems to be driven by the parallel mindsets of being in a 19th century war and partaking in prolonged space exploration. Initially, they seem like two very different scenarios, but the deterioration of a person’s mental state can be found in both situation, and seemingly the premise of love will be the other common factor between the two, opposing the effects of isolation and bringing hope to the subjects.
The thematic tie-in with their music is clear, and hopefully the epic soundscapes they’ve delivered over the years will be put to good use here: they fit both scenarios, and could make for a fantastic soundtrack.
After the success of 8 Mile back in 2002, Eminem is hitting the big screen once again with the lead role in Southpaw. The film is about a once-successful boxer whose personal life goes awry, with the boxer trying to recover and recapture glory once more.
The parallels with Eminem’s own post-fame career are clear, and this is said to be ‘semi auto-biographical’ in that respect, replacing the direct representation of rap battles found in 8 Mile with a boxing analogy. Really looking forward to more info on this, there’s lots of potential here.
Debuted last night, 30STM put together a 13-minute clip for the huge song from their 2009 This Is War album, successfully amalgamating Jared Leto’s acting credentials with his musical side.
The video has a very isolated, apocalyptic feel running throughout that mirrors the nature of the track superbly. There are also strong sexual and violent themes that seems to work in an incongruent way to the audio, which certainly surprises you somewhat.
Storyline-wise, there’s an awful lot going on that I can’t really fit into this small space. I’ll work on a longer review, as this is a really captivating piece and I’m growing to love these extended music video/film blends. Definitely worth a watch.
Taken from a recent podcast interview out in the US, Tron: Legacy music supervisor Jason Bentley and director Joseph Kosinski discuss the film, as preview 5 of the tracks from the soundtrack.
The official soundtrack is released on December 7th, and from what I’ve heard it’s expectedly brilliant! Click here to check out the releases, remixes and videos thus far.
‘A major heart break and a post tour depression drove a very delusional Lykke Li out to the desert with some friends and a super 8 camera’.
One that my fellow eccentric, artsy types will really enjoy. The cinematography is superb in this one, with some very simple effects (accompanied by the tribal soundtrack) creating a vintage, occult feel that gets you into Lykke’s dark, unstable mindset.
It also serves as a pretty good piece of promotion for her upcoming album, the direction of which is still unclear when you consider the diversity of the material we’ve heard thus far.
Only a short clip of the interview sadly, but Cudi was the latest guest on the Blink-182 star’s ‘chat’ show.
Does anyone over here in the UK know how we can watch A Different Spin (the name of Mark Hoppus’ show)? By all accounts, it’s been pretty decent and Mark is undoubtedly hilarious, which should make for a good TV show!
Jimmy Fallon unquestionably has the best musical skits in the TV business. In character as Neil Young, he joins forces with the legendary Bruce Springsteen to cover 9-year old Willow Smith’s Whip My Hair.
The brilliant thing is, they actually make this into a really good cover. You’ll laugh at first, but when Bruce gets involved it seriously becomes decent!
Originally, a section of this track was premiered as part of a Tron trailer and the slightly longer (and final) version can be listened to below. As I said with the previous incarnation of the track, it’s packed with that unmistakeable and irreplicable Daft Punk flavour, and certainly leaves me wanting more. On the subject of more, you can actually pre-order the full Daft Punk-helmed soundtrack right now!
When this feature-length video was released a couple of weeks ago, it was met by some with a disorienting mixture of shock, confusion and appreciation, and by others with the unwavering clarity of ridicule.
Is Kanye West just an egocentric maniac, hell-bent on imposing his ‘creativity’ on everyone who’ll listen? Is he screaming so loud that even those not listening have no choice but to pay attention?
Or is it something more noble? Is he attempting a renaissance of the crumbling music industry with an injection of artistic integrity?
To fully make a judgement in either direction, you must first fully understand his biggest artistic project to date from a personal and creative perspective.
Whilst we’re on the subject of film soundtracks, here goes Royce’s contribution to Skyline. Bit of an unusual mix this, as this is a particularly bouncy and upbeat track from Royce, which doesn’t seem to fit with the apocalyptic, extra-terrestrial feel of the film itself.
Regardless, the film is going to be a big blockbuster so it’s awesome to see Royce getting this kind of exposure. He comes through with those typically brash, honest lyrics along with his straight-laced flow, characteristically interspersed with burst of energy and emotion. Probably not the type of production I like to hear Royce on as it feels a bit too ‘jazzy’, but it’s new Royce: no-one in hip-hop is as consistent with the rhymes.
Another trailer/clip from Tron is released, and with it another great piece of the Daft Punk score. It’s unbelievable just how good this will sound in a film, and a testament to their ability that their sound is so adaptable.
This particular track sounds like Aerodynamic on a steroid-only diet, and is only let down by being so short. I fear the nature of a film soundtrack may mean each track is rather short (or overly long), which could wreck the chances of getting exceptional standalone tracks. However, it’s a small price to pay if all 23 tracks are this good!
Great. You have to respect the business acumen of whoever is managing this kid: bringing out a film is the perfect move to capitalise on his audience before they grow up and turn emo.
As terrible as this will be, at least it will keep everyone under 16 off the streets for at least 2 hours. It may however result in the rest of us rioting, smashing windows, and tipping cows as we get stuck with insufferable fans getting giddy about it on Facebook, Twitter and so on.
Proof positive that they can make epic sounding film scores.
Feels like something straight out of Hans Zimmer’s playbook, which is an enormous compliment, and you’d be hard pressed to really identify it as a Daft Punk creation. Sounds good though, looking forward to more!
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