Author: Antonio Díaz

Categories
Interviews Music

Masterstroke takes a good sleep

{mosimage}Masterstroke is one of the new Finnish metal bands deserved to be highlighted. These guys from Tampere bring good melodies and a classy style with their new album: Sleep. Jussi, the keyboard player, tells us more about them.

Tell us a bit about the origins and foundation of the band.

Masterstroke was formed in 2002 when Janne Juutinen and Niko Rauhala wanted to do something of their own, after having been in different bands for few years. The band started out as more "traditional" power metal band (same line that Gamma Ray or Stratovarius) but our style has been moving towards more aggressive styles. We've gone through some line-up changes over the years, but now we have a band that just works.

You are from Tampere, aren’t you?

Yes, we're from Tampere! We've done shows in Hellä and Rusty Angel is a sort of regular haunt for us (and especially Marko…).

What are your main musical influences?

My background is in electronic music, Vangelis, Kraftwerk, Jarre, Tangerine Dream, etc., but now I've been listening to Evergrey, Katatonia, Symphony X, Ayreon, In Flames… I like metal that has a lot of feeling to it and strong melodies, harmonies etc.

What was the reason for Niko leaving the vocals, and coming back later again in substitution of Jani Tiura?

Niko never left the band, he just concentrated on playing the guitar while Jari was singing. When Jari left, it was obvious pretty soon that Niko should start singing again. We did try a few other singers, but they just didn't seem to feel right for us.

Tell us a bit more about that experience of having your debut album only published in places like Russia and Japan. Was it frustrating?

It was really frustrating, because we had no way of knowing what was going on. It was doubly frustrating for me, since I had planned to use it as a sort of calling card for more recording and mixing work… We've been talking about releasing the album again at some point, but so far it's just been talk, nothing concrete. It's pretty hard for any band from Finland to go and play in, say, Japan, much more so for a relatively new and unknown band like us. So we didn't get the chance to play there… yet.

Is it too hard the competence in the Finnish metal market? It seems that nowadays 1 out of 2 Finnish young guys plays in a metal band. Do you have other activities apart from music?

I think it is since there are a lot of bands. But I feel that since competition is hard, only the best and those who are willing and able to work for what they believe in will succeed. I've pretty much dedicated my life to music, but I try to find time for books, movies and friends.

Any favourite tracks in the new album.

At the moment I like Final Journey, for the feeling it gives while playing it. That might change tomorrow however…

I see that you into the voting process to be selected for playing at the Sweden Rock Festival. Are you excited about it? It must be the best metal festival in Europe (if not in the world) and an excellent promotion for you.

I have to admit being totally oblivious to the whole European festival "scene" so, sure, I'm excited if that comes true, but only because it would be great to get out and play in festivals.-How has been the popular response to Sleep?

Are you happy with the results so far since November?

It's still too early to tell any numbers and all that and I haven't even asked. So far the response and reviews have been positive, a bit reserved. That's natural for a beginning band such as us.

What can the people expect in your incoming live shows?

Good music and a kick-ass show!

Any plans in the long run?

Gigging, making new songs and a new album somewhere in the horizon. Oh, and world domination in 2014, of course!  So Support your local metal-scene! Come to the shows and buy the records! Check out our website and write to our guestbook!

Categories
Cinema DVD

No Reservations

{mosimage}Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart are a sensual couple of chefs sharing the same kitchen… and a couple of tips about the flavours of good food and good love.

Love in the kitchen is trendy in Hollywood. You can check it out in an animated film like Ratatouille or here, in No Reservations (in Finnish the title is Rakkauden resepti) by director Scott Hicks, featuring the always sensual welsh Catherine Zeta-Jones as a dedicated chef totally concentrated and even obsessed on his work in the kitchen, with no other private life. But some happenings are going to transform radically her life. The sudden death of her sister in a car accident that makes her being in custody of her nephew Zoe (Abigail Breslin, the girl in Little Miss Sunshine) and the entrance in the kitchen of a new chef with a particular style and charm “made in Italy”: Aaron Eckhart. Chemistry works pretty well between the couple, but nevertheless the plot is too obvious and there is hardly any time for surprises: Fights, falling in love, reconciliations… all is too predictable. The best parts maybe come when little Abigail Breslin is into scene and both characters try to gain her sympathy. The relation with the little girl has even more punch that the love relation between the main characters, and brings a bit of rhythm to the film.

A good story for the lovers of good cuisine and romantic stories cooked inside the kitchen, but do not expect any big surprise here.

Rating 3/5

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Antonio's blog Blogs

Back to old Tampere

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For several reasons, it happens that
the editorial team of FREE! Magazine has moved to Tampere for some time. Tampere was the first Finnish city where I have
lived; I came back for first time here in Autumn 2001, so it will always have a
special place in my heart. I get impressed about how fast the city has changed.
Now there are many more foreign students here and more pubs and discos,
although the essence of the city centre remains almost the same. Tampere does not have the advantage of sea
access like Helsinki or Turku, and its architecture is honestly
quite ugly: just brick buildings that shows clearly the working class origins
of the city. But those same origins make Tampere people quite open and
friendly, maybe not so nose-up as in some of the other biggest Finnish cities.
Although also being located in the geographical south, Tampere is a kind of Finnish heart that
puts in contact most of the important regions in Finland. And it even has space for a decent
industry. Although obviously far from the big Helsinki area, Tampere is still more attractive than Turku for industries, specially IT
companies, that have opened headquarters in Hervanta area surrounding the giant
of the giants: Nokia. Hervanta is the zone of Tampere that has grown more
brutally in just 6-7 years. Before there were just some buildings around the Technical University, and nowadays the visitor cannot
almost recognize it. And expansion goes on…

Maybe, if you are looking for a
beautiful city with amazing architecture, Tampere is not for you, but if you are
student and you are deciding a good destiny, this city has a lot to offer. Tampere is buzzing with student activities,
parties, courses, etc. It is big enough not to be boring but also small to have
easy access to everything, and student life is organized, but relaxed. If you
can visit here, do not miss the chance to visit Telakka, a peculiar place in
the whole Finland: a wooden house with two floors,
having been founded and ruled by actors. In the first floor you can enjoy a
nice coffee or a delicious meal, while in the second there are often theatre
plays. One of my favourite places to kill time, with a great atmosphere.

Categories
Cinema DVD

Hostel 2

{mosimage}Hostel was one of the nicest surprises in the horror and gore movies genre during last year. Now director Eli Roth tries to repeat the formula again.

It seems that Tarantino appears lately in every film project bathed with blood. This time is not about crazy drivers terrorizing young ladies on the wheel, but with an active collaboration in the script of the second part of Hostel, a film that revitalized the horror movies genre, applauded by millions of cinema fans and not so beloved in Slovakia whose reputation does not exactly “shine” when you end up watching these films (remember other close examples like Borat and Kazakhstan…).

But the surprise element is missed this time, and the movie turns to be boring and predictable. One of the most significant changes is that this time the main characters are girls instead of the boys of the first movie. The cast is decent, with the three American girls perfectly counter partnered by the two male sadistic businessmen, but the trick of swinging the personalities of the bad guys when the blood is spilled is nothing new and not surprising at all anymore. A couple of visually shocking moments save the action, like the unforgettable scene with the naked woman receiving her bath of blood, or the cannibal Italian police officer tasting carefully one human leg while his poor owner screams in horrible pain, but apart from that, do not expect anything extraordinary. Even the sensuality (and sexuality) of the first part has decreased here, except for the always splendid view of the sensual Vera Jordanova.

The only issue that can keep on ringing inside your mind is “Can a place like this really exists in real life?” We hope not, but in any case, watch out if you meet a guy with an Elite Hunting tattoo in a train towards Central Europe…

Director: Eli Roth

Cast: Lauren German, Heather Matarazzo, Bijou Phillips, Vera Jordanova, Roger Bart, Richard Burgi

Rating 2/5 

Categories
Albums Music

22-Pistepirkko – (Well You Know) Stuff Is Like We Yeah!

{mosimage}Espe, Pk and Asko are back with a new studio album, still kicking ass after more than 25 years in the music industry!

22 Pistepirkko is one of the best-known groups outside Finnish
borders. Considered a cult band in many European countries like
Germany, they never get tired of going one step farther and pushing the
limits of their non-stopping creativity (that leads them to play in
side projects or to concentrate on other aspects of art such as
painting).

(Well You Know) Stuff Is Like We Yeah! has been produced teaming up with American Mark Kramer and turns into an excellent sample of all the different registers and genres that the band is able to offer. From the kicking first single and starting song Suburban Ladyland to the moody Lizard, 22 Pistepirkko exhales that special kind of confidence of a veteran band not worried neither ashamed to do just what they want.

When we visited the Keränen brothers 1 year ago at their studio in the centre of Helsinki, it was impossible not to notice their passion about music and their mastering in the use and mix of different techniques combining the old with the new. And their new release is just about it: catchy guitars and lyrics in Zombie, experimenting sounds close to the psychedelic era of The Beatles in Garbage Land or flirting with the latest British pop sounds in Summer Triangle, all their musical skills are poured into their new album, and the result is superb.

One of the best works in the entire band’s career. A must get if you want to understand one of the most fundamental band in Finnish pop-rock scene.

Rating 5/5

Categories
Albums Music

Mokoma – Luihin ja ytimiin

{mosimage}Mokoma, one of the most popular thrash and death metal Finnish bands has recently published their new album with a very catchy orange cover: Luihin ja ytimiin.

The five guys from Lappeenranta release their sixth studio album: Luihin ja ytimiin, and once more stitched to their powerful lyrics in Finnish language (another excellent work from Markko Annala, the lyrics writer, who by the way, does not like to include cursing words in the songs, quite an unexpected achievement in the genre…). But do not expect a classic and straight typical trash metal album here. Mokoma has quite a big cross-over style, and likes experimenting in the new album, mixing the rough with the smooth. The result can sound strange at the beginning, but after a couple of times listening the record you can realize how enriching the registers of the band are. For example, you can find in the four track Entistä Ehompi a style that resembles pretty much to Apulanta's latest soft punk rock, but the next track Kolmannen Asteen Kuulustelu is again pure thrash metal in your ears!

Nevertheless my favourite song of the album is Marras, with excellent guitar riffs and great vocals by Annala, closer to classic rock than to trash.

Maybe for the fanatic thrash music fans, the album can be a bit of a disappointment, but for those of you who like heterogeneous works with different styles and registers to explore, Mokoma has been able to reinvent themselves efficiently one more time. A must to hear if you like Finnish metal music!

Rating 4/5

Categories
Albums Music

UltraMayhem – Jeremiad

{mosimage}Another debut album from another metal band from Riihimaki, Ultramayhem, featuring Jeremiad.

It seems that Rihimaki's metal scene is boiling lately. Added to the shocking debut album of Widescreen Mode, reviewed also in FREE! Magazine, here comes Ultramayhem and their first studio album Jeremiad. The band was formed in 2004 and had released previously some Eps.  but previously some members already had experience with a band called theReedGreenBlue. And similarly to Widescreen Mode, MySpace has been again a great source of promotion, with 15.000 visitors.

The music style can be placed closer to other Finnish bands like Suburban Tribe, United Underworld or Mokoma, and international ones like Faith no More or Pantera. Vlad Tepez on vocals starts strong and convincing in the opening track Cactae and they will be perfectly accompanied by excellent background vocals all over the album. Violent guitar riffs and non-political correct lyrics not aimed at fans of Nana Mouskouri.

But nevertheless the "amateur touch" is still tangible in the album starting from the CD box design, and continuing with the production and the sound of the band. Not a bad effort though for being the starting point of a more serious career, but the band still needs to find their own path and think bigger, far from easy imitations, otherwise they will be swallowed by the ferocious competence.

Rating 3/5

Categories
Albums Music

Leverage – Blind Fire

{mosimage}Leverage introduce us their second studio album: Blind Fire, turning to be one of the most interesting Finnish melodic metal bands nowadays.

After the success of their debut album Tides in 2006, it was about time for Leverage to come back thinking big with another studio album, released by not others than Frontiers Records, one of the most important metal record companies in the world. Pekka Heino, Marko Niskala and the rest of the band offer excellent lyrics and melodic songs, without an excessive orchestration, just simple good metal, but very catchy.

The opening track Shadow in the Rain or King of the Night sounds classy, reminding the good metal melodies of the 80s. Heino has really great vocal skills and the keyboard does not overwhelm the rest of the instruments, with some good and hooky guitar solos here and there like in Stormchild or Heart of Darkness, and just creates the perfect atmosphere to enjoy Pekka’s exquisite voice.When having an excellent first album, it is difficult task for many bands to continue with the same high level of creation.

But Leverage has been able to make the transition to a mainstream company and release just less than 2 years later a very recommendable follow-up. Do not expect great surprises, but just enjoy some good melodic heavy metal.

Rating 4/5

Categories
Albums Music

Avantasia – The Scarecrow

{mosimage}Third Avantasia album by Tobias Sammet, the leader of the German metal band Edguy. Once more, with an amazing list of collaborators to create another great metal opera.

The fans had to wait a lot to see a new Avantasia album on the stores, since 2002, when the second album of Avantasia, The Metal Opera Part II, was released, so no wonder that The Scarecrow has become one of the most commented releases of the recent times in the metal industry. After the success of the previous two parts, but also after the efforts of congregating the right musicians, Tobias Sammet took a long break before planning everything carefully and come back stronger than ever with the third Avantasia's album.

It was worthy to wait, and impressive to take a look at the list of collaborators: Alice Cooper, Eric Singer, Kai Hansen, Amanda Somerville, Bob Catley or “le enfant terrible” and metal renegade Michael Kiske are some of the names that have helped Sammet to create this new metal odyssey. The album is a bit more eclectic and softer than previous ones, with Sammet flirting with a wide range of metal styles: from the classic songs that will be more than welcome by the old-school fans Shelter From The Rain or Another Angel Down to the catchy ballads of Carry Me Over, What Kind of Love or Cry Just a Little or extravaganzas like The Toy Master (vocals courtesy of the always dangerous and exciting Alice Cooper) and also space for a more commercial sound in Lost in Space.

All in all, The Scarecrow is a great album, well produced and orchestrated, that will satisfy to all the open-minded metal fans. Just the chance to listen to Kiske singing heavy metal songs once more deserves to get it!

Rating: 4/5

Categories
Albums Music

Exodus – The Atrocity Exhibition

{mosimage}The veteran thrashers from San Francisco Bay are back. Brutal sound for blowing your brains!


Formed in 1982 (Being Metallica´s Kirk Hammet one of its founders), Exodus has been able to remain for more than two decades and a half on top of the metal scene. The Atrocity Exhibition (Exhibit A) has been recorded in Oakland with famous producer Andy Sneap, who has collaborated with some others well known bands like Megadeth or Machine Head. And what you can find here is huge doses of straight trash/speed metal with not much farther space for ornaments or experiments. Rod Dukes works pretty decently in the vocals, from the old trash metal school, sounding like he has to sound: raw and angry; a good substitute for the former singer Paul Baloff, who died in 2002.

But the best part comes from the tight riffs spread all over the tracks, courtesy of Gary Holt and Lee Altus. Just pay attention to the solos in Funeral Hymn or in Children of a Worthless World, suiting perfectly with the drums of Tom Hunting. 

Definitely delivers a  product with balls that you cannot miss if you want to be tuned with the American trash scene nowadays. Probably the album will have soon a continuation with an "Exhibit B" part, as Holt, the guitar player, recently commented. Reminding for some moments the best and younger Metallica, Exodus has been able to make a great come back.

Rating 4/5

Categories
Albums Music

Saxon – To Hell and Back Again

{mosimage}British legendary metal band Saxon features a double DVD with a lot of extra features that surely will leave the fans more than satisfied.

Saxon release a double DVD called To Hell and Back Again with a lot of material. The first disc includes an interesting documentary about the process of creation and touring of their album Lionheart, but in my opinion it turns to be too long, one hour and a half where images and sometimes stupid footage is mixed with some other interesting opinions. Everything could have been looked better and more compact in just half of that time, with a better edition.

There is also a live part with different songs during the tour, but one does not know in what place they are playing every one of them, so it is a bit misleading. The second disc is much better, with all the recent video clips and a very cool tribute to Judas Priest: Doro sits in with the band on the classic song You Got Another Thing Coming, and also 2 excellent clips of their appearance in Rock for Asia 2005.

To all this you add a complete live show in Rocksound festival in Switzerland during 2006 with a good audio and a great feeling with the audience (with some glorious moments like when singer Biff Byford explains to the audience that he is not wearing his shorts, but some others he had to borrow since his pairs are still left in Finland). All in all, not a bad release at all,  with good and bad moments, but with a very big amount of curious and unreleased material if you want to know more about one of the fiercest metal band of the history.

Categories
Books Features

Riding with the devil’s girl – Exclusive with Juho Juntunen

Like and Juho Juntunen join forces in Paholaisen Morsian, a crazy story full of humour, pretty girls, motorbikes, leather, alcohol and blood.

From the twisted mind of the famous Finnish rock journalist Juho Juntunen comes a new and original book: Paholaisen Morsian (The Devil’s girlfriend), a non political correct work that suits very well with Like’s policy of taking higher risks than the other mainstream Finnish publishing houses. An exhilarating story that can get read like a comic and could remind you a visual script of a failed Tarantino´s film.

Sharp dialogues (the book is only available in Finnish for the moment), pretty girls, hard guys dressed in leather riding motorbikes, gore action and tones of fun with a very typical sense of Finnish humour indeed, where drinking is always mixed with the fun.

Paholaisen morsian

"I got this idea a couple of years ago. I’ve been doing comics and cartoons for a long time and it’s really lonely – it’s only you, some background music, a pencil and a paper. So I thought that maybe I could use my friends. Do some work and party with them at the same time. I’m a big fan of B movies and I really respect movie directors like Russ Meyers, John Waters and yes… Tarantino. So it was clear to have some sex, bad behaviour, lots of booze and Satan himself in this comic book movie", Juho explains to FREE! Magazine.

Although at the beginning you can get shocked with the feeling of reading a bad script for a B-movie, the book catches the attention soon, it is easy to read and very entertaining. Juntunen counts with the collaboration of many well-known friends: Tuomari Nurmio as God, Jussi Lampi as the devil, Jouni Hynynen as Jesus, the singers Katri Ylander, Agnes Pihlava and Hanna Pakarinen as ex-girlfriends of the main character or our dear friends of Hanoi Rocks, Michael Monroe and Andy McCoy, as aliens coming from a bad dream, among others.

Everybody wanted to be part of the fun (I personally miss Jone Nikula being part of the action, since the guy seems to have to be everywhere when there is an event or happening related to metal music, Idols singers, magazines or books…), and alas that you cannot avoid laughing at the twisted and stupid situations that appear in the book once after another.

“Those people were pretty anxious when I asked them to do their roles. In fact, nobody said no. The timing was the only problem. Some rock stars like Ville Valo of HIM, PMMP girls and Jyrki 69 had so tight schedules that we couldn’t arrange the photo shootings” tells the author.

Juho Juntunen

Reetta Weidlich as the “innocent” virgin stripper appears deliciously sexy in every sequence, but some photographs are not recommended for sensitive stomachs, due to the appearance of great amount of blood and viscera when the zombies enter into scene.

Included with the book there is a cool CD that acts as a soundtrack, a nice detail for the buyers. I knew that if I’m doing a comic book "movie", a soundtrack album is a must. Most of those songs were recorded especially for this project and the bands were really into it. I’m really proud of the main theme written and recorded by Honey B and the T Bones. It has just the right Tarantino feeling! Listen to that guitar twang! affirms a proud Juntunen.

And the experience really seems to have brought tones of fun for the author and his crew, since they are even thinking about the possibility of repeating the experience and creating a sequel for next year: It was fun to notice that it was unnecessary to do any makeup for the actors. Bikers, zombies, strip tease dancers, Satan worshippers – they all looked just like that in their own. Even the leading lady used her own costumes. The only problem was that one booze factory was supporting us and sometimes the actors were pretty drunk. But anything for ART – even alcohol! Juho jokes.

Categories
Interviews Music

Tarja strikes back

{mosimage}Tarja Turunen happens to be one of most important female singers in Europe, apart from a super famous public figure in Finland. FREE! Magazine had access to an exclusive interview with the owner of such a divine voice!

Singing for the children

The venue is in Jäähalli and the gathering of artists is aimed at a very good purpose: to help ill children to receive better treatments at hospitals. A Christmas concert organized by Kummit that will be broadcast in the national Finnish TV, with very special guests such as Anna Abreu, Jenni Vartiainen, Katri Ylander or Antti Tuisku. But our main goal is to get Tarja Turunen to comment how her situation and plans are after the recent release of her new CD: My Winter Storm. Just a couple of months ago Nightwish released their new album featuring the Swedish Annete Olzon as their new vocalist, so comparisons are up to you… If you purchase the new Tarja´s CD, do not expect to find the same kind of songs that in her period with Nightwish. Amazingly, a great balance between opera and metal has been achieved all along the album, but the style is more personal and far from the classical Nightwish´s compositions.

With not big effort, we get some minutes alone with the ex-singer of Nightwish, who looks extremely smart and beautiful in a black Marimekko dress. A few words in Spanish help to break the ice (she is married with the Argentinean Marcelo Cabuli, and spends long periods of time in her husband’s native country) and Tarja answers friendly the questions that FREE! Magazine has for her, just some minutes before leaving the backstage to perform on stage. You can notice that she feels happy and satisfied taking control of her solo career, and the good vibes are transmitted all over the chat.

Enjoy the chance that our publication offers, since it is not easy task to find English interviews with Tarja Turunen online!

New album, total control

Tarja, please tell us a bit more about your new album. How was the recording process?
It was a long process. It took me 1 year to have everything ready. We started in June and we ended at the beginning of September

And you worked among others with famous producer Daniel Presley.
Yeah, with Daniel Presley and with many new people for me. I was choosing musicians to play with me, one by one because of their background or their personality, and the whole orchestra, everything… the whole production! I had a very clear picture of what I wanted and how I wanted the album to sound like.

Is there any special track that you like from My Winter Storm?
They are all my babies. It depends on. If I am tired, maybe I like listening to The Reign or Our Great Divide but then when I need some energy I like My little Phoenix or Lost Northern Star.

Are you spending now most of your time in Argentina?
Well, as much time as in Finland. I have been always on the road for the last couple of years. It changes that when I am in Finland I am never at home. That is the point… I feel like just being “somewhere”. But when I am in Argentina, it feels like being at home, and it is a nice feeling indeed. I like people there, because they are nice and open, but also very calm, far from the stereotype that Finnish could have about them.

I saw you recently singing a cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit during the presentation of new Marimekko´s collection in the centre of Helsinki. How did the idea of covering that particular song come up?
Actually I had the pleasure to sing this song before in a church, in Lahti, Finland, with an electric organ. And I really liked it. The song brings me very good memories from my teenage years. Of course it was a big surprise for the audience to hear Smells Like Teen Spirit from Nirvana sang by me!

Everybody pays attention to what you are wearing on stage. Do you work actively in the design of your clothes?
I have a tailor in Helsinki that is working with me. I only wear what is designed for my performances. The tailor is a very good friend of mine. I have a lot of freedom to use my head, my imagination and give him advice. The design that I use in the cover of My Winter Storm is from him. I am also working closer with Marimekko, as you can see with this dress that I am wearing now.

Not looking back in anger

And you also work very close with your family. For example, you collaborated in the album of your brother Timo. How is the experience of working with your relatives?
Yes, he is coming with a new album at the beginning of New Year. It is very exciting. He is playing kind of traditional Finnish folk pop, singing in Finnish. The whole family is in music business in one way or another. My other brother is playing with me on tour. Actually he is playing with me tonight in the drums (on other tour dates Tarja counts with Mike Terrana, who is considered to be one of the best metal drummers in the world)

I suppose that you must feel bored of everybody asking you about Nightwish, but well, since they released their new album just so recently, I wanted to ask your opinion about it, in case you have heard it.
Of course I have heard it! I have not heard the complete album, but some songs from the radio so far, and I like it. It is Nightwish and the spirit is there in their music.

Do you ever feel like you would like to sing those compositions with them?
I don’t really have that kind of thoughts in my mind. I have many other things going on in my head. I am full with my own career, honestly.

And what plans does Tarja Turunen have for the future?
There will be a world tour starting in April 2008. The plan is to relax, try first in small places and see how it goes. I am not in a hurry!

Categories
Albums Music

Jean Michel Jarre – Oxygene in Moscow

{mosimage}Re-edition of the concert that the French musician celebrated in Moscow in 1997.

For those of you who have had the opportunity of visiting the Russian capital and taking a look at the façade of Moscow Stage University, you know how impressive the landscape can be. The huge building dominates the Russian capital from one hill, giving the impression that giants must be studying there. For those others who did not have the chance, they can at least have an approximated idea after watching this magnificent DVD that features the concert that Jean Michel Jarre offered to nearly 4 million inhabitants to celebrate the 850th anniversary of the city. The keyboardist and composer hosts an excellent electronic opera where there is space for a bit of everything: projections, laser harp, mind-blowing fireworks and the intervention of the Bolshoi Kids and the Red Army Choirs.

There is also some emotive moments like the moments of silence that Jarre asks from the Russian audience (in English counting with the help of a Russian translator) to dedicate to his friend Lady Diana, or the connection far beyond the sky with the cosmonauts of the MIR. As a great bonus, you can find an interesting documentary: The Making of Oxygene in Moscow that turns to be a perfect complement to a great show. If something can be criticised about the concert is the short length resulting after being edited: hardly 1 hour. But it is worth every minute of it!

Rating 4/5

Categories
Cinema DVD

Planet Terror

{mosimage}Rodriguez and Tarantino join forces once more in Planet Terror, the second of the movies composing Grindhouse, together with Death Proof; an odyssey full of blood, sexy chicks and enraged zombies.

{sidebar id=45} Filmed paying homage to the grindhouse films of the 70s and 80s, there are a lot of deliberated mistakes (starting for the poor quality of the image) all around the movie  that try to reproduce with fidelity the atmosphere at that time.

In Planet Terror you will be faced with tensed action all along the footage and a plot where you don’t need to have deep thoughts or take too seriously what is going on the screen, but just to enjoy the good acting skills of the superb cast. Bruce Willis (who does not appear in the film credits) plays perfectly his part as the tough soldier of fortune coming from Afghanistan infected by the bio-weapon;  Josh Brolin, who is finding a new peak in his career starring also in American Gangster (do you remember him as the oldest brother in The Goonies?), is superb as the evil cheated doctor. Rose McGowan shows a perfect balance between being strong and sexy, and undoubtedly her right leg spitting fire will be one of the best moments remembered by the fans in the future. Freddy Rodriguez shines powerfully as a new promising star while Marley Shelton repeats again with Rodriguez after the successful collaboration in Sin City. Sharp dialogues, thousands of bullets flying and the search for the best barbecue sauce in Texas will definitely not make feel bored during the 1 hour and 41 minutes of action. Added to all this, you will  find that even more dangerous than the zombies themselves are the own human beings wandering around Texas, leading the ranking Tarantino himself who has a short but explosive and exhilarating  role as a crazy rapist soldier.

Well, obviously, if your taste is oriented more towards philosophical films where the action goes slowly, Planet Terror is not the product for you. But if you enjoyed previous Rodriguez’s movies like Desperado or From Dusk till Dawn, you won’t get disappointed with this DVD.