The New 'Ryan Recommends'

So I've decided to change things up a little bit.

After a little while of reviewing different books, movies, and music albums, I realized one pretty major setback: I watch too many movies, I get into too many books, and I listen to too much music.

I know what you're thinking: "No! There's no such thing as too much of those!"

Yeah, about that... My list for movies I SHOULD have reviewed by now is about five times longer than the list of reviews I have posted on here.

From here on out, I will periodically post a good-sized list of music, movies, and books y'all should be checking out. I'll provide a short (probably witty) review of each one, and I'll provide more links to trailers, websites, etc. to make the "checking out" process easier. I'll keep my previous reviews up because... I don't feel like removing them. So... Yeah. We keep it professional here.

I know, I know- no need to thank me, I do this all out of love.

So expect more periodic posts from this blog! See ya soon.

I'll leave you with what I'm listening to right now:

"Broken Wings," by Alter Bridge, from their debut album, "One Day Remains"

Sorry for the awkward thumbnail... Myles Kennedy is the best.

Music: The Neighbourhood- I Love You.

Greetings once again. It's been a while, I know, I know.

Don't worry, I've been compiling a list of things I should review!

And I basically shat on that list because this album is new and I just recently got it.

But the thing is, it's different for my tastes and I've been in love with it, so I need to share said love with all y'all, ya know? No? Too bad.

I feel like this is what all my readers look like after my random hiatuses. 

Ha. Why are you wearing a hat inside? And that computer looks ancient.

And don't worry, I don't feel totally in love with all the albums I've heard.

Here' s my review of The Neighbourhood's I Love You. 

I Love You. was released on April 23, 2013.

This California-based band formed in August 2011. Following the release of their two EPs, I'm Sorry... and Thank You in 2012 and early 2013, this quintet finally released their full-length debut album, I Love You. in April. Rolling Stone raved over the album, calling it "moody" and "atmospheric." 

The Neighbourhood is: (not in any specific order) vocalist Jesse Rutherford, guitarists Zach Abels and Jeremy Freedman, drummer Bryan Sammis, and bassist Mikey Margott.

The Neighbourhood has been known, from the start, for their overall tones and themes of their music and videos. They have shot all of them in black-and-white, giving their visuals an older, more vintage sort of feel. Singer Jesse Rutherford's voice is soft and smooth, yet at the same time gives off an edge that reels the listener in. 

What's funny is almost every picture of them online is in black-and-white, too...

All-in-all, I've related this band to the 50's, with Rutherford's slicked-back hair and cool-cat demeanor along with the band's overall sound feeling like a refreshing blast from the past.

Hits like "Female Robbery," and their first hit single "Sweater Weather" rocketed the band into popularity, sending their 'dark pop' sound into the masses. 

I have a feeling The Neighbourhood will be around for a while, and I Love You. is just the beginning.

Movies: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The year 2012 has been at an end for about 2.5 months now, and I have yet to hear more gratifying reviews of Stephen Chbosky's movie adaptation of his own successful novel. 

While David O'Russell's Silver Linings Playbook was nominated for multiple Oscars, that movie and Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower have to be my favorites of 2012...

But where were the nominations for Perks? WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE-

Oh look at that suddenly I feel a whole lot better. 

But seriously, this book-to-movie adaptation has to be one of my all-time favorites, and most of it has to do with the fact that it's made by the author of its book counterpart. 

Perks earned over $17 million at the box office, only about $4 million more than its original budget. A lot of it might have to do with the fact that it wasn't a wide release.

BUT STILL- COME ON.

The story centers Charlie, who never fit in until he met the eccentric step-siblings, Pat and Sam. They let him in and show him what it is to truly live. 

And by live, I mean take him to parties at which he will take acid and black out.

Oh, high school...

This was me in high school:

Anyway... Perks is a heartwarming tale of friendship, being a teenager, and finding oneself. The performances are excellent- Chbosky couldn't have picked himself a better cast. Ezra Miller KILLS IT as Patrick, being as ridiculously hilarious as he was in the book; Logan Lerman makes up for the train-wreck that was Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief with his portrayal of the introverted Charlie, and Emma Watson is the right amount of enchanting and flawed as Sam was in the book. 

Although it was kind of funny hearing her try to pull off an American accent. She is just fine, but she's no Hugh Laurie...

Okay, I forgive you, Hermione.

This film not only offers comedy and heartfelt family/teenage drama, it also delivers a twist that throws everything off-kilter, but in a good way. 

I hope everyone gets the chance to see this film and/or read the book, because it's surely one that is genuine. 

Also, this: 

You're welcome.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital copy now.

Movies: The Evil Dead (1981)

One of the lowest-budgeted, super-cheesy classic horror films ever filmed in what looks like a large outhouse, this film may or may not be familiar to you. The director's newest effort, Oz: The Great and Powerful, jumps onto the big screen in March 2013. 

That's right, folks, I'm talking about Sam Raimi. The movie:

Emo Spider-Man.

HA JUST KIDDING. (Even though he did direct the Tobey McGuire Spider-Man trilogy.)

The movie I'm talking about is The Evil Dead.

The girl represents audiences in 2007, and the demon hand is Spider-Man 3.

Sorry, Raimi... Not sorry.

The Evil Dead is about a group of 5 ridiculously ignorant teenagers going to stay at the main character's family member's cabin in the woods in the middle of absolute nowhere.

Seriously- it's to the point where the woods literally attacks them because it's so bored.

This was the only picture I could find that didn't include the oh-so-subtle tree-rape scene.

The movie proceeds with the woods possessing one of the girls with an allegedly smelly-ass demon, who torments the group and later possesses more of them.

No, but as awful as this movie was, it was excellent. This is the perfect example of "it's so bad it's good." The filmmakers had to use creamed corn dyed green for demon guts, and it's disgusting...

Lindsay Lohan?

I kid, I kid....

For what Sam Raimi had at the time, with a limited budget and unfortunate weather conditions, he still made a pretty damn entertaining movie. Those demons are hideously perfect, and the concept was pretty original for the time. 

TIME TO PICK APART THE MOVIE <3333

Not like I haven't already started, but now that I've established you should go watch it, I'll proceed to rip this movie apart limb from limb.

Or lock it in the basement because a wooden door will keep Satan's minions at bay, for sure.

OKAY FIRST OFF. They're traveling to this cabin when Bruce Campbell, the actor playing the main character, announces that no one's ever been to this damned place. At least, no one in the car has ever been there before...

This must be it! I know it!

Yep, leave it up to a bunch of stereotypical teenagers to go on a vacation and get brutally raped, murdered, dismembered, etc. Also, if you're given a keychain for the cabin that consists of ten keys from Hogwarts that ALL look the same, it's time to re-think your vacation plans. If I can't enter the house in a timely manner, I've already lost interest and want to go home. 

Especially when you can just push your hands through the door.

And Bruce, this is an older movie, but it's not the OLDEST scary movie ever filmed. Hiding in front of doors or windows is a big no-no, especially after all your friends have either been killed or possessed by trash-talking, bath-skipping, song-singing demons.

Also, leave it up to a bunch of teenagers to be dumb enough to be outsmarted by some trees.

What I'D like to know is: what do these demons plan on doing after they kill/possess every open vessel? 

Yeah, didn't think THAT far ahead, did you?

"Erm..."

Mmm... Didn't think so.

In short, go find this movie and watch it. It's terrifically awful, and awfully entertaining. I've never seen the sequels, but I do plan on seeing the remake in the spring. It looks even MORE gory and it looks like they're making this one a lot grittier, less campy. 

P.S.: If you're on vacation with your friends and you cross a bridge whose plans break off upon driving over it, it's best to back up and dive home before you get stuck on the other side before A. you end up with one pretty badass survivor, or B. you end up with this image before everyone's imminent death:

Ew.

(If you get the movie reference, I both love you and feel sorry for you for also having to endure it.)

Music: Halestorm- The Strange Case Of...

They're one of the best female-led rock bands, and following the release of their second album, The Strange Case Of..., they've earned themselves a Grammy.

They're Halestorm, and they really know how to rock out.

The Strange Case Of... (Released 2012)

At this year's Grammy Awards, the rockers won for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for their song Love Bites (And So Do I). Check the video out below:

You tell 'em, Lzzy.

The Pennsylvania-born band has toured with some of the biggest names in rock, including the likes of Sevendust, Chevelle, Evanescence, Seether, Avenged Sevenfold, and Disturbed. Their latest album landed the 12th spot on 2012's US Hard Rock Albums chart.

Halestorm (at this year's Grammy Awards) consists of: (left to right) Joe Hottinger (lead guitar, backing vocals), Lzzy Hale (lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, keyboard), Arejay Hale (drums, backing vocals), and Josh Smith (bass guitar, backing vocals).

This band has always stayed true to their sound; after two singles from their first album hit the top 10 charts, their careers have only skyrocketed with time. Their newest album contains a lot more emotion and meaning, not only to the listener but to the band. Give any of their songs a listen, and you're bound to get hooked.

You can listen to Lzzy Hale lend her voice to other artists' albums as well, including Shinedown, Black Stone Cherry, Adrenaline Mob, and the upcoming David Draiman (of Disturbed fame) project, Device.

Movies: House at the End of the Street

You are the well-known lead singer in a band in your hometown.

Everyone loves you.

To top it all off, you just happen to look like Jennifer Lawrence.

And what happens? You and your mom move to God-Knows-Where, a place consisting entirely of residential homes, a school, and a hospital, and forests filling in all the gaps.

Where are you?

A horror movie, of course!!!!!

"Wait what?"

Yes. You heard me.

Starting with indie films such as Winter's Bone then blasting onto the scene with The Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence puts her stamp onto the horror genre with House at the End of the Street.

The tag-line (and hash-tag, because this is 2013, damnit!) for the movie was #HATES.

Apparently someone forgot how initials work, because now I guess you can include the A and T of "at the" but totally ignore the O and T of "of the." 

Anyway, HATES tells the beautiful, heartwarming story of the new girl becoming friends with the outcast of this town in the middle of absolute nowhere. He just happens to live right next door, a good jog through the woods. In an "abandoned" house. In which his parents were brutally murdered by his sister. Who was never found after the murders.

LET'S GO BE BEST FRIENDS WITH HIM AND HANG IN THAT HOUSE ALL THE TIME

I guess you could nit-pick any horror movie, but when all of Katniss' - I MEAN JENNIFER'S other friends basically ignore her when this other dude is around, this "tortured soul," I think one would get the hint.

Not that kind of tortured soul.

Also- those kids are real assholes. They know there's something wrong with this guy, and they let this hot new girl hang around with him?

Oh yeah that's totally fine. What great friends.

OK now onto my review. I honestly thought this movie was decent. It didn't stand out to me, though- it was no 80's slasher film, but at the same time it wasn't any of said slasher film's remakes. HATES was better after the opening sequences that consisted of a flashback scene that looked like this:

Seriously though.

Jennifer's acting was top-notch as always, or at least as well as she could have done in a movie like this. It's not really anything like what she's done before. I guess it was more interesting of a watch than anything... Let's stick to Oscar-nominated films, alright Katniss?

"But Ryan what about giving the other actors credit?"

How about you listen to Jenna Marbles and-

Thanks, Jenna.

All-in-all, I'd recommend this movie for rentals... Or go to someone's house and watch it... It was good, but not THAT good. 

That is all.

Movies: Silver Linings Playbook

"I have a problem? You say more inappropriate things than appropriate things."

Yes, Silver Linings Playbook has finally hit theaters, and the sharp tongue of Tiffany, played by Jennifer Lawrence, is just one of the crazy characters brought to the big screen by David O'Russell, director of 2010's The Fighter.

From left to right: Bradley Cooper, director David O'Russell, Jennifer Lawrence

The movie adaptation of author Matthew Quick's bestselling novel of the same name has won the Audience Award at the Toronto Film Festival, and has grabbed nominations for the 2013 Writers Guild Awards alongside Ben Affleck's Argo and Ang Lee's Life of Pi.

While straying a bit from the book, the movie adaptation of Silver Linings Playbook still holds onto the lightheartedness that captured such a large audience. The relationships between the main character, Pat Peoples, and both his father and his equally-as-zany friend, Tiffany, are highlighted on-screen. Each actor, including Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Tucker, and Robert DeNiro shines and gives memorable, gripping performances. They honor their characters while coloring outside the box, which was perfect for the film. 

Mrs. and Mr. Peoples, played by Jacki Weaver and Robert DeNiro.

"I’ve always been able to separate the art from the business," says author Matthew Quick on the transition between the book and the film, "I think one of the things that’s given me an edge over other people... When you’re writing alone in a room, you’re an artist. But when you send it to New York or L.A. you have to be professional because you’re selling." (on Forbes.com)

I highly recommend both the book and the movie. Silver Linings Playbook is a story that mixes the familiar and the foreign in terms of mental health and different perceptions on life. Definitely go check it out, in theaters now. 

"Calm down, crazy!"