Review: Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Bon Iver's first album 'For Emma, Forever Ago' was released to wide critical aclaim, it was just a man in a cabin pouring his heart and soul into an accoustic guitar.  Lead singer/songwriter Justin Vernon could have easily went down that path again, but in a strange move, he didn't.  His follow up self titled album is full of eary layered vocals and haunting soundscapes and a lot of it gels. Take the opening track 'Perth' it builds up beautfully to a thundering drum beat and a great horn section.  Some   Nearly every song on this album is evidence of the great songwriting talent this man possesses.  'Holocene' and 'Calgary' are two of the best songs of last year, and even songs like 'Minnesota, WI' that seem like filler at first serve their purpose as you gain a better understanding of them after every listen. One thing a lot of people will notice is how hard the layered vocals are to understand and if people really want to get to the root of what Vernon is singing about they will have to resort to lyric finders on the internet, though that is just a small gripe to have seeing as you will just get absorbed in this album, forgetting about everything except the wonderfull msic at hand.  On this album Bon Iver really have reinvented themselves and grown out of the indie folk shell they blossomed in, it was a daring move but if you put time into this album and give it a few listens it will pay off.

9/10

Tomm

Review: Iron Man

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr.) is a genius. He is the head of Stark Industries, a military weaponry company inherited by his father. While taking a trip to Afghanistan to witness the demonstration of a new weapon, Stark is wounded and captured during an attack. A fellow captive builds an electromagnet, powered by an electric generator called the Arc Reactor, to keep the shrapnel in his chest away from his heart. They capture Stark in order for him to build the terrorists a Jericho missile, which by doing so he will apparently earn his freedom. He escapes using a suit of armour he and the other captive secretly built. Upon his return, Stark announces that Stark Industries will no longer manufacture weapons. In his workshop he begins construction on an improved version of the suit he escaped in, and a more powerful Arc Reactor. He discovers that his father's old business partner and second in command, Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), has been selling the terrorist group weapons. He returns to Afghanistan to take down the terrorists and stop Obadiah Stane from taking over Stark Industries.

Iron Man really is a good movie. Robert Downey Jnr. plays a really good rich playboy turned superhero and, as usual, everything Jeff Bridges touches turns to gold. There are also some really good supporting roles from Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard as Starks two good friends. The special effects are also spectacular. Of course, there are little niggly flaws, but that's the case in most movies. Iron Man introduced a whole new audience to the superhero and probably helped overtake Spiderman as Marvel's most liked superhero.

8/10

The Awesominator

Superhero Movies of 2012

2012 is set to be a big year for superhero movies, with the releases of three of the biggest superhero movies yet, The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spiderman. These three movies all have preceding movies, whether they be in the same series or not. Critical Euphoria are going to do some superhero specials, reviewing all of the movies setting the scene for these three*. The first of these three movies to be released is The Avengers (25 April), therefore we will review the five movies leading up to The Avengers in order of release, but don't worry we will still keep up our music reviews.

*In the case of The Amazing Spiderman, we will review the Sam Raimi series.

Review: Various Artists - ReWiggled: Tribute to The Wiggles

I have always had a special respect for the Wiggles. To think that an '80s rock band that never really made it as much as some could turn into children's entertainment band is just awesome. So when I heard that there was going to be a Wiggles tribute album, I just couldn't wait. With Aussie bands like Bluejuice, Architecture in Helsinki, Frenzal Rhomb, Spiderbait and The Living End, excitement was an inevitability. Bands like Architecture in Helsinki are more suited for the record, with their former experience with whistles and other fun sounding instruments, but others like Frenzal Rhomb put a real spin on the classic songs we all know and love. The stand-out songs on here are The Living End's Rockabilly "Hot Potato", "Wiggly Party" done in true Architecture in Helsinki style and a welcome change to a harder "Captain's Magic Buttons" from Frenzal Rhomb. But a real standout to me on this compilation was "Getting Strong!" done by Jebediah. I'm not really a Jebediah fan but they really did well with this song. Steve Lane and the Autocrats made an awesome distorted guitar riff out of "Fruit Salad". But the album is full of covers that just don't work: when I heard Bluejuice were doing a song, I was expecting an fun party song but I got a slow, acoustic Latin-esque waste of time. Spiderbait had a female singer and some of the others just weren't on the spot. And I was very disappointed to see that my favourite Wiggles song, "Rolling Down the Sandhill" didn't get covered. Anyway, this is quite an enjoyable compilation of some great bands covering some great songs.

7.5/10

The Awesominator

Review: Napoleon Dynamite

Depending on who you ask, Jared Hess' 2004 comedy 'Napoleon Dynamite' was either hilarious or agonizing and I tend to agree with the former. The movies's story follow high schooler Napoleon (played hilariously by John Heder) throughout part of one of his school years. The movie starts with Napoleon finding out his grandmother has been put in hospital due to an accident while dune buggying and he has to be looked after by his weird uncle of which he very much so dislikes.  What follows is a very funny series of events that start with Napoleon meeting Pedro, a foreign student and deciding he should run for school president.  The plot pretty well based around Pedro's run for presidency, but most of the laughs come from Napoleon's terrible social skills and his off beat brother.  Not everyone will enjoy this movie, but if you do love the humor you'll find this movie a delight.

8/10

Tomm

Review: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

The Holocaust. A horific moment is the history of humanity. A time of death, despair and fear. Plus, it's a great topic for a movie.

Bruno (played by one of the greatest child actors of our time, Asa Butterfield) is the son of a Shutzstaffel officer whose family move from Berlin where his father, Ralf, is promoted to Commandant of a Nazi concentration camp. Bruno is told to keep away from the camp, from which he lives only a couple of miles, a rule that he disobeys. He befriends a young Jew named Shmuel through the barbed wire fence of the concentration camp. They meet there every day where Bruno brings his friend food and games to play through the fence. After building a strong friendship, Shmuel asks for Bruno's help in a plan to find his lost father inside the camp.

 Mark Herman has done a beautiful job bringing this book to the big screens. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is one of the best Holocaust films you could choose to see and the friendship between Bruno and Shmuel just shows you that nothing can stop friendship. An great movie.

9/10

The Awesominator

Review: Bluejuice - Company

I wasn't particularly excited anout Bluejuice's third record.  Don't get me wrong Jake and Stav from the band are hilarious and seem like nice people, but their songs are quite samey and struggle to have any real lasting impact.  Although 'Act Yr Age' is a good party starter and fun song but it just seems Bluejuice's whole aim was just to recreate those fun pop vibes.  Some of the better songs on 'Company' are 'The Recession' , 'Shock' and 'On My own', less memorable songs are 'You Haven't Changed', 'Aspen, New York' and 'Kindaevil' sounds like it came right out of a crappy nightclub. Bluejuice are like an iPhone game, fun to pick up and play occasionally but if you binge on them for too long you will cringe at the sight of them for the next few months.  Nothing is wrong with an upbeat pop song and these guys have nearly got it mastered.  If you aren't looking for much mental stimulation and just a bit of fun 'Company' will do you well.

7/10

Tomm