Review Day

There are no major spoilers in these reviews.

Inception:
I was initially biased against this movie, based on the ridiculous trailers featuring Leo proclaiming, "I can get inside your mind!" while obligatory CGI was obligatory. The fact that the trailer premiered during the awful LOST finale didn't help its case. The movie adheres to the Moulin Rouge school of cinematography, where the first fifteen minutes are full of quick cuts and nonsensical actions before they calm the eff down and start explaining at a slower pace.

At the end of the movie, I was pleasantly surprised with how coherent and followable everything was. This is no Memento -- although the subject matter requires some brain power, I don't feel the need to go back and rewatch it again just to pick up on missed threads, and I was satisfied with the story told and the ending. Definitely worth a viewing.

Final Grade: A-

24, Season Eight:
24 was always the go-to show for mindless entertainment back when Anna lived here, but we were never able to get through the illogical sixth season together. I finally picked it back up last year, greatly enjoyed the seventh season, and finished the final season just last weekend. There are no new plot devices here, and it's mainly a retread of "ideas that worked" from older seasons, but it's all well-done enough to keep you involved. I'd rank this as good as the 4th and 5th seasons, but not as good as the 7th. In addition, the finale ends "as it should" without any hints of metaverses, purgatory, or dead wives.

Final Grade: B+

Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age:
I got this CD for Christmas after liking the single, No One Knows, but unfortunately, that single is the most relatable song on the album. The rest veers heavily towards death metal, featuring heavily distorted guitars mirroring bass lines over repetitive chromatic step lines. They sound like Muse, with more shouting and testosterone and less harmony, and this isn't a good thing. There's also an overuse of useless interludes between songs, as if the album is being played by a radio DJ. I want music, not segues!

Final Grade: D+