Over the past few days, out of boredom and procrastination, I have decided to compile a list highlighting my top 20 albums of year. I want to first apologize if you fail to recognize any of the artists in this list, but that's just the way my music tastes are. Second, I want to point how abysmal the hip-hop scene was this past year, so that will explain the general lack of the genre on my list. I have included a favorite song of mine off of each album as well!

20. Big K.R.I.T. - Return of 4Eva

The first time I heard K.R.I.T., I was sure it was an OutKast album I must have missed. Return of 4Eva took that slick 90's sound and gave it the 2011 treatment. With beats composed entirely by himself, K.R.I.T. has the soul of a southern gentleman while spitting lines reminiscent of 3-Stacks' glory days.

"Time Machine"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqvvWl6tYBw

19. Radiohead - The King of Limbs

Fuck the haters. Thom Yorke and company still got it 20 years later, albeit on a smaller and more detailed scale. Sweeping rock anthems have been replaced with precise, almost tedious beats. TKOL is short and sweet, and not to be overlooked.

"Give Up the Ghost"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIupuBQ8W_c

18. Explosions in the Sky - Take Care, Take Care, Take Care

What is left to say about this band? They have revolutionized the sound of instrumental rock time and time again, and this album is no exception. My suggestion: take your car in the middle of the night, turn on this album, and just drive. Thank me later.

"Be Comfortable Creature"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4IIHvTu8_Q

17. Blood Orange - Coastal Grooves

There is something about a falsetto voice and easygoing melodies that gets me immediately hooked. The good times start the minute you press play on this gem. While Take Care, Take Care, Take Care may have been for a dark winter night, Coastal Grooves is all about hanging out at the beach with some friends and drinking a cold one.

"Sutphin Boulevard"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTKgC1XSwgY&ob=av2e

16. Lykke Li - Wounded Rhymes

This Swedish goddess can flat out sing. A mixture of funk, electronic, and classic soul-singing is what makes this album irresistible. Ignore the lyrics and you'll find yourself dancing along with the entrancing beats, but pay attention to her message and you find a hurt woman looking for an outlet.

"Jerome"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNxv1muGLpI

15. Kanye West & Jay-Z - Watch the Throne

Ye' and Hov really dodged a bullet on this one. A year ago, they released the Lex Luger-produced "H.A.M." and I was certain this album was headed for the dumpster. Following some delays, the two rap giants decided to rethink the album and make a more cohesive, timeless piece all the while boosting Frank Ocean into the spotlight. Kanye and Jay have made a rap-collab album for the ages.

"Niggas in Paris"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXMJ-V6MCzw

14. Toro y Moi - Underneath the Pine

Only with a name like Chazwick Bundick could you pull off music like this. Off-kilter, chillwave beats are perfect company for Chaz's ambient voice. Since releasing the album in February, Toro y Moi has been morphing its sounds into something less chillwave and more rock, but this album is still a delicious musical treat regardless of the directions the band is headed.

"Go with You"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1QKoqB5ZO4

13. Gil Scott-Heron/Jamie xx - We're New Here

Mix together the stripped-down, smoky voice of Gil Scott-Heron and the beautiful post-dubstep production of Jamie xx and you find yourself immersed in one of the coolest collaborations in music. I'm New Here was Scott-Heron's solo album from 2010, but after Jamie xx remixed a couple tracks, his label pushed for a full reworking of the album. What was born is a eloquent encomium to the talented Scott-Heron who passed away just months after the release.

"NY is Killing Me"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7c3wRzUUjs&ob=av3e

12. tUnE-yArDs - w h o k i l l

Merrill Garbus, the heart and soul of tUnE-yArDs, uses her voice as a force to entrance the listener while creating catchy, schizophrenic, uncontrollable, melodies and rhythms. The single "Bizness," quite possibly one of the most exciting songs of the year, has an accompanying music video equally as artistic and visceral.

"Bizness"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ1LI-NTa2s&ob=av3e

11. Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

California band, through and through.The more mature incarnation of newcomers Best Coast, Girls take on relationships and life while switching between chill, slow-moving rock, and all out jam-fests at the snap of a finger. Channeling their inner-70s, retro rock didn't sound better or more complete in 2011 with this album.

"Vomit"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze6rg4ixjOI&ob=av2e

10. Balam Acab - Wander/Wonder

Dark, brooding beats create an atmosphere that engulfs the listener like a dismal cave. Call it witch house if you desire, but Wander/Wonder creates a sense of comfort while simultaneously leaving you perplexed and somber.

"Welcome"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJkXkf3GNxg

9. Future Islands - On the Water

Formed at ECU, these synth-poppers were taken under the helm by Dan Deacon, moved to Baltimore, and created a wonderfully mature sound. The deep-throated singing mixed with crashing beats create a highly accessible sound that leaves you begging for more.

"Balance"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vI_kx4J8Vc

8. Washed Out - Within and Without

Washed Out are the perfect words to describe Washed Out. Ernest Greene, the mastermind behind the band, has perfected the sound of chillwave. His slow-moving voice calms the body, slowing down time, as the beats keep your heart-rate in check.

"Eyes Be Closed"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj2HcdiOmt8&ob=av2e

7. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

Yeah, yeah. We all know. His first album was written and recorded entirely in a remote cabin.Impressive stuff, really. But Justin Vernon was far from finished. Vernon scrapped the classic folk sound and revamped his music into something cleaner and stylized. While the music has changed, his voice still carries a heavy weight that grasps the listener by the hand.

"Holocene"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWcyIpul8OE

6. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

I have been a huge fan of Anthony Gonzalez's music for years, watching it morph into a grandiose and cinematic experience. History shows that when the musician begins to take this road, the music takes a irreversible nosedive. Instead, M83 creates a sound for the ages without abandoning the intricacies of a true album.

"Midnight City"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX3k_QDnzHE

5. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

They say beggars can't be choosers, but I can't be the only one disappointing by Fleet Foxes getting a Grammy nod...for best folk album? Sure, a quick listen of the album agrees with the label, but give it a few more tries and you begin to understand the larger implications of such an album. Don't get me wrong, I am all for Fleet Foxes winning a Grammy, but with an album like this, should be competing against the big boys.

"Montezuma"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdN2bfov9JQ

4. Wild Beasts - Smother

The mother of all falsettos, Hayden Thorpe takes his voice through impossible hurdles with the assistance of slick keyboards and subtle guitars and drums. What Wild Beasts create is an intimate affair, a black tie event for music that makes the listener feel entertained while twirling his imaginary mustache.

"Albatross"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUJYqhKZrwA&ob=av2e

3. The War on Drugs - Slave Ambient

Their name sucks. I agree. Moving on. Their music is incredible. Slave Ambient is quite simply American rock – reserved and elusive of a simple personality. Drawing heavily from rock greats like Springsteen and Bob Dylan, this record goes above and beyond the call. Listen to their 2008 album, Wagonwheel Blues, and you begin to wonder if this is even the same band. Carefully crafted guitar riffs and the groaning voice of Adam Granduciel make this album unforgettable.

"Black Water Falls"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUNSaSkDNKQ

2. Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation

Patience is key for The Year of Hibernation. You may be two minutes into a song and there is still only the faint sound of a keyboard being played alongside the lonely voice of Trevor Powers. But the buildup is key. Synths begin to pound and the personal becomes passionate. Powers' lyrics are lonely, searching for adventure, and encompass the freedom of his home town, Idaho.

"17"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4_x063rhX4

1. Wu Lyf - Go Tell Fire to the Mountain

These boys are destined for greatness. In an age of overexposure and market saturation, Wu Lyf (hailing from Manchester, England) managed to avoid interviews, marketing, and promotions all the while garnering enormous attention from the biggest critics. Keeping quiet paid off. Big time. Despite the leader singer, Ellery James Roberts, sounding like the leader of drunken pep rally, Wu Lyf takes the sweeping guitar anthems of Explosions in the Sky, combines them with the vast sound of recording in a church, and adds the simple beauty of an organ to tie it all together. If you couldn't get into this album on your first try, try again. If you still don't like it, go fuck yourself.

"L Y F"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QWxviSD79c

"Concrete Gold"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJSisOConxw

Honorable Mentions:

Adele - 21

Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto

Com Truise - Galactic Melt

Yuck - Yuck

Real Estate - Days

Neon Indian - Era Extrana

Cut Copy - Zonoscope

Kendrick Lamar - Section.80

Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest

What does it mean to be a pioneer of an art-form? How does one cope with and endure being a pioneer? A Tribe Called Quest (ATCQ), the dichotomous and so-called original "intelligent hip-hop" group hailing from Queens, New York, and stars of "Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest" try to answer these questions.

With as many classic albums under their belt as there were original members, ATCQ is an endless source of debate and fascination for fans and critics alike.

I rode the 7 train on my way from Queens to Times Square to see "Travels"; the same train-ride that ATCQ members, Phife Dawg, Q-Tip, Ali, and Jarobi took on their way to the studio while recording their groundbreaking albums in the 90s.

It's a funny feeling seeing "Travels" in New York City. There I was, sitting in a subway car, looking through the window, and watching the same graffiti on the same buildings pass by as I had seen in the movie just minutes ago. It helps you understand why a hip-hop super-group such as ATCQ could fall apart while enjoying the greatest possible success. We are merely human.

Actor-turned-director Michael Rapaport focuses "Travels" on the two most vocal and influential members of ATCQ - Q-Tip and Phife Dawg - and the perpetual fluctuation of their relationship. For over a decade, fans have never been quite sure why ATCQ broke up; rumors of label pressures and fractures of friendship surfaced but nothing was certain.

A self-proclaimed ATCQ fanatic, Rapaport dutifully shies from taking sides on what turns out to be a petty and trivial feud between two geniuses of their art. And although he devotes a large amount of attention to the beef, Rapaport understands his calling to remind us what music was and can be - a striking mixture of self-enlightenment and bold ingenuity.

Unfortunately, Rapaport's focus on the pettiness detracts from such an eclectic and avant-garde period of music. But when classic ATCQ anthems like "Bonita Applebum" broke out on-screen, the theater was sure to shriek with excitement and rap along.

Although we are left with a slightly ambiguous but apropos ending, the making of "Travels" was certainly no cake-walk. Angry tweets by Q-Tip and reports of Phife breaking down and crying at the Sundance premier only added to the allure, but once the credits roll, we can all agree on one thing.

When's the next Tribe album coming out?

B

Water for Elephants

The challenge of adapting a novel into a screenplay is two-fold. One must please the audience with a story that resonates well on screen while gratifying fans of the book.

Richard LaGravenese, the writer who adapted Sara Gruen’s New York Times bestseller, “Water for Elephants,” into a feasible screenplay, succeeded. But LaGravenese is just one ingredient to the success of “Water for Elephants.” Led by veteran actress Reese Witherspoon and “Twilight” heartthrob Robert Pattinson, “Elephants” is a visual and emotional triumph.

Set in the Great Depression, “Water for Elephants” begins with Jacob Jankowski (Pattinson), one test away from graduating from Cornell University’s veterinary school, until he becomes devastated by the death of his parents in a car accident. Jacob quits school and jumps on the first train he sees, which turns out to be the famed Benzini Brothers Circus check name. After becoming the circus vet, he quickly falls in love with the gorgeous performer Marlena (Witherspoon).

Little seems to be lost in the translation to the big screen. The magic and wonder of a bygone era so carefully crafted by Gruen is remarkably depicted by director Francis Lawrence. But the same charm and emotional pull as the book is lacking.
Unfortunately, corners must be cut with a movie adaptation, and minor details and information were left out, leaving a fan of the book craving just a little more. For instance, Jacob in his older age is not given enough screen time compared to a regular presence in the book.

Another major concern for many moviegoers, “Twilight” fans and naysayers alike, was Pattinson taking the screen for a completely different kind of literary adaptation than the one he is most known for. Pattinson plays Jacob with the same wide-eyed nervousness and excitement on screen that defined his character on the pages of the book.

Certainly the most concrete performance was by Cristoph Waltz, who played August, the schizophrenic owner of the Benzini Brothers and husband of Marlena. Waltz stormed into Hollywood after his Oscar-winning role in “Inglourious Basterds,” and he hasn’t slowed down. Waltz had possibly the hardest acting task of the movie, portraying someone who can be inviting and loving one minute, then conniving and livid the next.

Acting aside, the most vital part of the movie was making sure the viewer got the feel of actually being in a 1930s circus. A large portion of the scenes were set in the railcars, and the sense of confined and overcrowded railcars was well-depicted.

The authenticity was not restrained to just the train. Sweeping landscapes, faded canvas tents and a medley of rare animals such as elephants and lions, and performers held the screen with tenacity.

Undoubtedly, “Water for Elephants” is Witherspoon’s best performance since “Walk the Line,” continues to prove Waltz is one of the best actors alive, and is a turning point for Pattinson, demonstrating he has acting chops fit for more than just a vampire.
Fans of the book will be left desiring just a little more, but solid acting and wonderful cinematography make “Water for Elephants” stand out in a wave of summer blockbusters.

B

Your Highness

From my article in The Breeze..
http://www.breezejmu.org/life/article_d44bda42-63d2-11e0-a951-001a4bcf6878.html

With the star-studded cast that is packed into Your Highness, one would expect some sort of worthwhile entertainment.

Instead, what results is a culmination of half-assed stoner jokes and tired clichés.

Funnyman Danny McBride, known for hilarious role in the HBO series, "Eastbound and Down," returns to the big screen but falls very short.

Set in a fantasy world where knights, princes and evil dragons reign supreme; "Your Highness" tells the story of two prince brothers, Thadeous (McBride) and Fabious (James Franco), on an epic mission to save Fabious' fiancée (Zooey Deschanel) from the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux).

On the trip, they face perils and befriend a beautiful warrior (Natalie Portman), who is also on a quest to seek revenge against Leezar.

Directed by David Gordon Green "Your Highness" lacks compared with the director's work on "Pineapple Express." It has a story that a teenager could have easily written. While I appreciate comedies that make fun of stupidity, such as the very similar but successfully done, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, I can't respect a movie that falls back on jokes that require zero brain activity.

The dialogue lacks any original jokes, which leads to the actors throwing the F-bomb at the end of a sentence just to get a courtesy chuckle out of anyone actually still paying attention.

Instead of utilizing a distinctive and talented cast, including Oscar-nominated Franco, "Your Highness" takes no risks and seems fine with being a muddled let-down. Surprisingly, I expected Franco to be in a movie like this, his casting worked wonderfully in "Pineapple Express." But I wonder what he was thinking when he read the script.

In fact, I wonder what all the actors were thinking when they read the script. Maybe Franco felt obliged to work with McBride and Green again after "Express," but I can't fathom why the lustrous Natalie Portman or the extremely underrated Theroux would take part.

One thing everyone can take away from the movie is a glaring example of precisely what not to do in a movie. With the R-rating, "Your Highness" could have taken a much more adult-oriented route with the jokes, but instead decided to revert to high-school locker room jokes.

D-

Black Swan

Darren Aronofsky is no stranger to the Academy Awards. Last year, his gritty adaptation of a man past his prime as a wrestler attracted Oscar nods for Mickey Rourke as well as Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler. Rourke was given a role that was seemingly created just for him, and he nailed it. The Wrestler was a triumph of redemption and self-recognition. But Black Swan seems to tell the story before it all fell apart. It shows the downfall, not the climb back to the top.

Aronofsky begins the film with Nina, played by Natalie Portman, an extremely talented, but aging ballerina facing her last chance to prove her full potential. Nina's ballet company is headed by the handsome and extremely knowledgeable Thomas, played by Vincent Cassel. As the company is warming up, Thomas walks in, explaining that the first show of the season will be the overdone Swan Lake, but with a whole new twist, and he is looking for the girl to play both the white and black swan. At the same time, Lily (Mila Kunis) enters, and Thomas introduces her, explaining she is in from San Francisco and will be a replacement.

Immediately, a tension can be felt between Nina and Lily. Lily is carefree, she has black wings tattooed on her back and seems to get along with everyone, while Nina sits in the back and keeps to herself. The relationship that buds between Nina and Lily forms quickly and implodes with disdain, sexual impulses, and the joint desire to play the swan queen.

As I try to think of memorable quotes and dialogues, I realize there never was more than the occasional conversation and quick banter between ballerinas. Aronofsky had the intent to make Black Swan heavy on the visuals, and he succeeded. Every turn of the head, every fouetté, and every creak in the wood is closely watched by the camera. We can see the vigor in Nina's eyes as she pushes herself to make every spin perfect, yearning for Thomas' approval. We feel her pain when her big toe's nail breaks and she sits on the floor nursing it. This is what I expected from Aronofsky.

My favorite film of his, and quite possibly one of my favorite films of all time, is Requiem for a Dream. It tells the intertwining stories of four people all affected by drugs in different ways. Every time heroin was sent into their system, the camera would change to their eyeballs, scrutinizing the dilation of their pupils, and the sound of their breathing would shorten and deepen. The viewer felt almost as though he were also taking the heroin too. Aronofsky certainly has found his niche.

Black Swan is a story of not only beautiful decay, but what dedication and obsession can do to a person when they are forced to "let go" and let their primal instincts take control. Nina is meek and and a pushover at the beginning, but as the film progresses, we see the beast that lies inside her, pushing her to become the best dancer. Was it her overbearing mom, played by Barbara Hershey, that pushed her over the edge? Or possibly it was Thomas, her perfectionist teacher; or maybe it was Lily, with her natural grace and talent causing jealousy.

When we think of the world of ballet, we picture perfect girls, effortlessly gracing the stage with beautiful music. But Aronofsky takes cameras behind the scenes, where backstabbing and trash-talking are just another thing to put up with. We see the sweat, the constant desire to keep a perfect shape, and the even more constant fear of making one wrong move, ultimately ending one's career.

Black Swan could be categorized under Thriller or Mystery, and either way it would satisfy people looking for either movie. Portman's performance screams Oscars and so does the cinematography; and there is a possibility Kunis could get a supporting actress nod. Darren Aronofosky is a perfectionist and his films speak for themselves. I don't expect him or this movie to leave the Academy Awards empty-handed this year.

In the words on Nina, "I was perfect."

A+

Inception

As far as the quality of movies released during the summer go, most fall short of our high expectations, while, oddly, at the same time meeting their own. We read of producers, directors, and movie studios collectively throwing hundreds of millions of dollars into a movie ultimately doomed with the same summer-cursed fate: raking in ungodly sums of money while simultaneously making every person walking out of the theater, "Why the hell did I just pay twelve bucks to see that abomination?" But year after year, without avail, those same wonderful folks in Hollyweird churn out painful excuses for film.

This summer has been called the "summer of sequels", with studios riding the coattails of already mediocre films and debauching them into such mangled wrecks that they abandon ship and start over altogether (a la the Spider-Man trilogy). We had movies like Iron Man 2, Sex & the City 2, and Shrek 4 and quite frankly, it gets old.

I realize this seems incredibly off-topic and an unnecessary rant, but I want to bring focus to how substantial the movie event, Inception is. Amidst a summer riddled with sequels and 80s reboots, we have the brainchild of writer/director Christopher Nolan, the genius behind the likes of Memento, The Prestige, and The Dark Knight. After being given the green light 8 years ago, Nolan began to experiment with an entirely novel idea for a movie. He wanted to place the viewer in the dreams of another person, and see how vast the possibilities could be.

With that, we begin our journey into Inception. The movie beings with Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) face down on a beach, waves crashing upon him. He turns and sees two children playing in the sand but suddenly a gun is put to his head. Beaten, frazzled, and confused, Cobb is brought into a mansion and sat down across a long table from an old and wrinkled Saito (Ken Watanabe). A few lines are exchanged between the two men before the scene cuts to a younger Saito and Cobb now in tuxedos. Following an intricate, James Bond-esque gunfight, Arthur (Joseph-Gordon Levitt), who is Cobb's partner, is killed and wakes up in a house with his team, including Cobb, still asleep and hooked up to a machine. It becomes clear this was just a dream.

Inception has set a new bar for summer flicks, regardless of genre. It was a chair-gripping experience from beginning to end as well as managing to funnel the two very different types of moviegoers into a single creation that will be looked at as the blueprint for summer flicks here on out. There are the casual fans, just looking for an escape for a couple hours, and then the people who seek out quality films that are stimulating and well acted, and Inception effortlessly bridges that gap.

The quality of the acting from the ensemble is top-notch. Inception is supplied with numerous Academy Award winners as well as nominees. Ariadne (Ellen Paige) is an incredibly matured woman craving an outlet for her creative genius, as well a compassionate sidekick to Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio). Marion Cotillard, who plays "Mal", Cobb's wife, is in my opinion the stand-out acting job of the movie. She is able to evoke a mixture of pain, fright, and empathy from every viewer.

It's hard for me to review this film without revealing spoilers or other mysteries about the film. As much as I adore Inception, it is certainly not without its faults. For me, the sore thumb is the ending. I felt it was almost a cop out by Christopher Nolan. The movie raises enough questions as it is. My second problem was that as a mysterious, sci-fi, action-thriller that makes us question our very lives, Inception is immediately placed on the same level as The Matrix. I have read numerous articles on how people believe Inception to actually be better. In all fairness, The Matrix is the original scientific mind thriller. It not only questioned our lives, but it had incredible philosophical undertones, and that is where Inception lacks.

Quite frankly this movie is a mindf*ck, but don't dare let that stop you. Bottom line, if you want an incredibly action-packed journey then go see Inception. It is not one to be missed and will be remembered for years to come.

B+

Get Him to the Greek

First, let me say that as a discerning film votary, this shatters no preconceived notions of the Judd Apatow comedy paradigm or rises above and beyond to contend in the 2011 Oscars. "Get Him to the Greek", directed by Nicholas Stoller, stays steady on the road we've come to know from the Apatow crowd and it does so with the utmost excellence.

This movie is not here to win awards, it's here to make every single person in the crowd laugh their asses off, and it did just that. Maybe it was the fact that the tickets were free, or it was an advanced screening, or possibly because Aziz Ansari (who makes a minuscule appearance) is in it and is a local hero after his stand up last semester, but it seemed more like a show than a movie. Hell, the kid in front of us was so excited for the movie he showed up drunk and started ranting that a castle should be built on campus. College...

Anywho, Jonah Hill plays the same nerdy, indie, giddy to be touching a female character that is as commonplace as Will Ferrel stripping for no apparent reason in well, every movie of his. Regardless, Hill's character, Aaron Green, fits in with perfection. He must wrangle the super rock star, Aldous Snow, played by Russell Brand, from his home in London all the way to the Greek Theatre in LA for a reunion concert after splitting from the love of his life as well as falling off the wagon. And guess what? There's a deadline! 72 hours. *gasp*

Cliché story arc's aside, Greek is chock-full of wonderful cameos. Sergio, played by P-Diddy, Diddy, Puff Daddy, whatever, was the surprise hit on the movie. He is Aaron's (Hill) boss and is a walking quote machine. I found his lines forced and rigid at the start, but with time he easily becomes the best part of Greek, screaming obscenities and orders that were perfect. The entire Vegas scene (you'll see) would have been mediocre at best without Sergio (Diddy) doing his thing. There's a cameo by the kid who plays Draco in Harry Potter and my friend with me, a die-hard Potter fan was hyperventilating so loud I was sure she was going to need CPR.

Bottom line, if you can handle a barrage of profanities, a plethora of nudity, and some aching ribs from laughing, then I say go for it. The expected heartwarming ending is a tacky cherry on top of an above-average comedy sundae - almost as tacky as that analogy.

So here goes my first official grade of a film on my brand new blog! Drum roll please...

B-

The first of many to come

Tomorrow I will be attending the advanced screening of "Get Him to the Greek" at the JMU campus movie theater. While I know the idea of my first official film review consisting of a comedy led by Jonah Hill is a....questionable choice, you gotta start somewhere!

This is also an advanced screening, so I'll have a little edge over the rest of the blogosphere and intrawebs commentators giving their two cents.

Most importantly though, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" was one of the best comedies I have seen in a very long time, and the same director and writer are reprising their roles for Greek.
So prepare for my review to come some time tomorrow!