By Jaren Jolley

Scoring for The Hunger Games features pieces by Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, Taylor Swift, and The Civil Wars. 

Arcade Fire singer Win Butler talks about the music for the film:

"Our whole approach was to get into the world and try to create something that serves the story and the film. There's something in the story of Abraham and Isaac that I think resonates with the themes in the film, like sacrificing children. So we made a weird, alternate-universe version of that, where it's as if Abraham had a daughter — kind of a metaphor for [Hunger Games character] Katniss."

The song Abraham's Daughter by Arcade Fire is featured below.

By Jaren Jolley

  My faith in the movie industry waivers so frequently that it becomes hard for me to consider all films “art”. As this struggle for pure filmography continues, I do have a steady assuredness from one specific director and every project he has created: Wes Anderson. 

The man behind such films as Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou; his style and themes are so unique, engaging, and important you can’t help but fall in love and become attached to every one of his movies.  He is considered an auteur in film, which means a truly unique and stylistic director throughout the entire process of making his films, no matter how much Hollywood tries to dilute his product, his personal creative vision still shines through. 

Anderson’s iconic style is wrought by his usage of dry and natural humor, human nature, reuse of actors throughout all of his films (Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman), and specific aesthetics/methodical cinematography, especially working deeply within and taking advantage of the niche his films are set in.

A Wes Anderson film is something that needs to be experienced to be defined and appreciated; films I think our generation would genuinely enjoy and be captivated by.  Look for his new film Moonrise Kingdom coming out May 2012.  

Wes Anderson Filmography:
 
-Bottle Rocket (1996)

-Rushmore (1998)

-The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

-The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

-Darjeeling Limited (2007)

-Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

-Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

 By Jaren Jolley                            
         
Oscar Nominations 2012

Film in 2011 was a remarkable experience, and accomplished many new and breathtaking things.  And now that 2012 has rolled around it is time to reward all the inspiring and important movies from 2011.  So here they are, the 2012 Oscar nominations.

Best Picture:

"War Horse"

"The Artist"

"Moneyball"

"The Descendants"

"The Tree of Life"

"Midnight in Paris"

"The Help"

"Hugo"

"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Best Actress:

Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"

Viola Davis, "The Help"

Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"

Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"

Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"

Best Actor:

Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"

George Clooney, "The Descendants"

Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"

Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"

Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

Best Supporting Actress:

Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"

Jessica Chastain, "The Help"

Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"

Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"

Best Supporting Actor:

Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"

Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"

Nick Nolte, "Warrior"

Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"

Max Von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Best Director:

Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"

Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"

Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"

Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"

Best Animated Feature:

"A Cat in Paris"

"Chico & Rita"

"Kung Fu Panda 2"

"Puss in Boots"

"Rango"

 By Jaren Jolley

  It was a satisfying surprise when bassist and producer, Chris Taylor, from the band "Grizzly Bear" announced his solo album release.  Now some months later, it has hit the music scene and is gaining some positive momentum.  Chris Taylor released his album Dreams Come True under the moniker CANT, proving for some difficult and tiresome Google searches, i.e. “cant dreams come true”.  Nonetheless, when you find his music and start from track one to ten, you are instantly hit with a great sense of depth and originality, yet you feel a wonderful swell of nostalgia fall over you as his timeless melodies and unique orchestration wrap around one another. 

Taylor’s solo effort are certainly that, stand alone from him, but you can see where Grizzly Bear gets their immense and dramatic “sound-scape” from.  From thundering bass lines, smooth guitars, “poppy” drums, and dreamy effects, you feel as if Taylor has grabbed an audible piece from each decade, covering jazz to electronic, never borrowing too much from one area, and always putting his unique spin on it.  Although the album waivers once or twice, Dreams Come True certainly fulfills its intentions as a solo debut piece.  It’s a unique, new, fresh, and smooth listening, and I highly recommend Dreams Come True by CANT.

by Jaren Jolley

Singer/Song-writer Justin Vernon, better known as Bon Iver, has released his much anticipated self-titled 2nd album: Bon Iver.  His debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, has definitely turned some heads in the music world and gained Vernon a large following.  Now with the release of this new album, Vernon is gaining more allegiance than he knows what to do with.  Nonetheless, this sophomore release promises to bring new fans and secures old ones.  This album definitely is original on most fronts.  First of all, every track title is named after a city or location. 

The album artwork is a very beautiful watercolor landscape.  Aesthetically it’s pleasing, but how about the music?  Listeners might be surprised to hear the contrast from this new album, to his first effort.  Where For Emma, Forever Ago was very simple, bare, and acoustic, Bon Iver /dives into new musical waters head first; with very thick and muddy electric guitars, thumping sonic bass lines, and, uniform minimalistic drums.    Vernon also brings his classic, powerful, and somber falsetto voice.

Each track brings something new to the table, while still staying within the bounds of the album’s overall sound.  There is no doubt that almost all sounds on his new effort are different than his first album; these being far more diverse in instrument choice, orchestration, and vocal progressions.  He definitely steps into a new musical area.  Enhancing were his last album failed to do so, Bon Iver forges new ground, and crystalizes his reputation. 
   
This album may take time to grow on you, but when it does, it won’t be forgotten.  I strongly recommend listen to Bon Iver’s newest album: Bon Iver.