ZOMBIELAND REVIEW... ***** (rating)

You can keep your wimpy glittering vampires and bitchy wolf-boys; give me big guns, dead bodies, a banjo bashing and a Woody any day of the week. With impeccable direction by Ruben Fleischer (Fantasy Factory), the zombie romp follows former geek shut-in Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) on his travels to find safety, Ma and Pa Columbus and the ever elusive hot girl through the treacherous United States of Zombieland. In this delicious post-apocalyptic fun ride the infestation of un-dead is caused by none other than our favourite insane bovine infection. Armed with his double-barrel and endless list of survival rules Columbus makes his way cross-country from one public toilet to another until he crosses paths with the mysterious Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a seriously dangerous man with a disturbing fixation for Twinkies. Together they travel and find themselves hustled by a pair of cutesy kick-ass girls Wichita (Emma Stone, The House Bunny) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin, My Sister’s Keeper) with brains that surpass the size and prowess of both men. The four join forces to make their way west to Pacific Playland which is apparently the only place left that isn’t overrun with the un-dead. As expected chaos ensues.

Eisenberg, known for his role in Adventureland opposite Kristen Stewart, is dork-tastic as the bumbling, neurotic and cloistered Columbus. Eisenberg's instinctive feel for the edge-dwelling characters has served him well in this one. As a viewer you pity him for all his phobias and irksome quirks, but in the end you just can’t help but root for the poor bastard. Harrelson was untouchable as the borderline psychotic tough-guy Tallahassee and one can’t help but watch in awe as he creatively dispatches some seriously ravenous zombies.

Overall this is a rollercoaster of a film, you’ll laugh, you’ll scoff and you’ll cry (from more laughter). Seamlessly folded together and backed with a knock-

out soundtrack featuring some classics like the Blue Oyster Cult‘s Don‘t Fear the Reaper and Metallica’s For Whom the Bell Tolls you can’t go wrong with this one. A good ride all the way from start to finish. You just can’t beat that.

NOTICE ME!

alright kids this isn't about stories anymore, this all about what's real. from now on reviews and blogs on music and all that is good in real life. comment all you want i thoroughly enjoy criticism. much love always.

Les Claypool @ the Tivoli Theatre Dec 1st 2009

The night was movie time picturesque, the moon was full and the clouds rode on chilled breezes across the sky above Brisbane city. Meanwhile, pocketed away in the valley an anxious line formed outside the Tivoli theatre and waited in anticipation for none other than Les Claypool promoting his latest work " Of Fungi and Foe".

Before the crowd of 600 or so patrons Claypool, who is arguably the best bass player in the music game, gave the audience far more than they bargained for. With his distinctive layering of jazzy, funkadelic grooves and punky riffs topped off with his creepy hoe-down country vocals the entire act was bestial and unyielding from beginning to end. His oddball playful humour played through in tracks like "Red State Girl" where even Sarah Palin gets a tongue-in-cheek shout out and in "Rumble of the Diesel", Claypool was untouchable. The "Duchess and the Proverbial Mind Spread"  brought out his gritty styling and eerily surreal riffs that bled into the ground reached up and shook the crowd till they roared for more.

Backed by suited mystery men disguised with masks of dead presidents, the percussion, drums and the spectral whines of the cello set the air on fire. The entire evening felt like a demonic game of follow-the-leader. The devilish Claypool sporting a bowler hat cavorted around like a droog straight out of A Clockwork Orange. In "Booneville Stomp" the drums and percussion battled feverishly playing with a synchronicity that had audience members shaking their heads in disbelief. While in the beginning there were some very minor technical issues with the sound levels, nothing held back the undeniable presence of each of the men on stage. This left of center act, if you have the pleasure of seeing it, will blow your mind. Even those not usually interested in the genre will leave with nothing but the utmost respect for the devil and his posse.