No More Heroes 2

No More Heroes is at least in the top 5 of the funnest games available for the Wii, and one of the first to fill the void of mature games for the system. Like many Wii games it doesn't require you to play on your feet, but it's way more fun if you do. It had crazy, over-the-top violence, and a wickedly funny story that was equally crazy. I am so very thrilled that they're making a sequel. From the looks of the new E3 trailer it promises to be as gleefully sick as the original.

New music downloads from May:

1. various artists - Ben Folds Presents: University a Cappella!
2. Patrick Watson - Wooden Arms
3. Vienna Teng - Inland Territory
4. Art Brut - Art Brut vs. Satan
5. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
6. Metric - Fantasies
7. How I Became The Bomb - Let's Go!
8. Amadou & Mariam - Welcome To Mali
9. O+S - O+S
10. Frightened Rabbit - Sing The Greys

Drag Me To Hell

Drag Me To Hell is the Sam Raimi movie old school Sam Raimi fans have been waiting for for years. Well, maybe not the movie. But it's a close substitute until that glorious day finally comes.

First of all, the trailer for this movie does not do it justice. The trailer makes this look like any of the generic PG-13 horror movies the studios have been pumping out for the last decade. It doesn't reveal any of the gleeful Raimi humor that makes his horror so entertaining. The good news is, none of the good parts are spoiled before you watch the film.

This movie has all of the elements that made the Evil Dead movies the cult favorites they have become. Gruesome hags, demonic possession, unexpected jolts, and plenty of spraying bodily fluids. Most importantly, it has a protagonist worthy of standing next to Ash. You won't believe some of the crazy things Alison Lohman does in this movie. But if a demon was going to drag you to hell in three days you'd probably go a little crazy too. She gives what is perhaps the best performance by a woman in any horror movie I've ever seen. While many horror films have female protagonists, they are rarely given more to do than flee in terror. Lohman is given much more to do, and it's great.

There are plenty of gross out moments, and most of the scares are in the form of sudden jolts and loud noises. But Sam Raimi gives us plenty of silliness too. He's bringing the fun back to horror. And it's a much needed return, when the dour Saw franchise is the biggest thing in the genre these days.

Up

Up is a fantastic movie. Pixar is once again at the top of their game. I loved the characters, the humor, the emotion, and the animation. I've been dying to see Pixar use the new digital 3D technology, and it does not disappoint!

Parts of this movie had me in tears. They really get you to care deeply for the old man right from the beginning. And every character that is introduced is great in their own way. The boy is fantastic, and the villain is wonderfully twisted. But the dogs steal the show. They get so many great moments.

I don't have much to say except this is a great film, and I recommend it to everyone.

Knowing

Knowing wasn't as bad as you expect a Nicolas Cage movie to be these days. It's pretty stupid, but watchable. I appreciate an apocalyptic movie that actually has the balls to let the world end.

So, Cage finds a mysterious document and within a matter of hours has pieced together a troubling pattern. Troubling because it is so unlikely that he would have pieced it together so quickly, especially while downing scotch like there's no tomorrow.

The document apparently predicts every major disaster on Earth for the past fifty years, with several yet to come. This sends Cage on a wild hunt to see where the trail leads. Meanwhile, his son is hearing strange voices and being visited by spooky Eurotrash gentlemen in black, and having visions of the world burning.

The final reveal is a bit odd, but not Shyamalan bad. Ultimately Cage's successful (however unlikely) uncovering of the truth doesn't amount to anything. He's merely a witness. All his efforts are pretty much for nothing except to take the audience along for the ride.

It's not a terrible movie, just kind of dumb. The characters are all pretty much annoying, and there is some Signs-esque spirituality thrown in for no reason, but lots of things explode! Throw in some unintentional humor and you've got yourself a fairly entertaining afternoon popcorn movie.