Batman v Superman

We are inching closer to the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The hype machine is in full throttle, and smack talking has begun. At work, I've a quite a number of people inform me that Batman is by far the superior superhero, and would defeat Superman in a fight.

I respectful disagree, and I think it is time for me to put my thoughts onto paper. Be prepared for a posting.

Mozart in the Jungle

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

For the past few months I've been looking for a new show to binge watch. Since I got Netflix about 5 years ago, I've discovered some of my favorite shows (Fringe, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Chuck, Downton Abbey, and Grantchester just to name a few) through this activity of binge watching. But lately I haven't found anything that has really grabbed my attention. I was starting to worry that I had run out of great TV shows to binge on. That is until I found a show on Amazon Prime called: "Mozart in the Jungle".

The show follows aspiring oboist Hailey as she tries to join the New York City symphony, which is now under the direction of the genius conductor Rodrigo. Here's a more in-depth description of the program from IMDB.com. I really like this show. It does a terrific job of exploring individuals chasing their dream, whether it is becoming an oboist in the New York symphony, or just enjoying the smaller moments in life that music can enhance. But what I think I enjoy most about the show is the fact that Mozart in the Jungle isn't a dark depressing show.

I would say that's my biggest problem with most new television shows. They are incredibly depressing. (Breaking Bad and Walking Dead I'm looking at you.) While Mozart in the Jungle does have its depressing moments, as any drama would, it is however a breathe of fresh-air in how it is a hopeful, artful show. The actors are terrific, but what really steals the show for me is the music. As someone who isn't too familiar with the genre of classical music, the way the program showcases the music in a way that gets me excited to hear it. It's really introducing the genius of classical music to a younger audience which may not have a complete appreciation of it.

Not too many people have Amazon Prime, but I highly recommend you go and check it out. It's a quick watch too. There is only 10 episodes a season, and each episode is about 30 minutes. I've included the trailer to season 1 below.

New Suicide Squad Trailer

The new trailer for the Suicide Squad was released yesterday (1.19.16). Its wonderful!!! I cannot be more excited for this movie. I love how it uses Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody in the background. I love how colorful the film looks. It just looks like a fun movie. Cannot wait to see it.

David Bowie R.I.P.

I awoke this morning to the news that the one and only David Bowie had passed away over the weekend. Bowie was 69 years old, and had been battling cancer for about 18 months. Now I can't claim that I am the biggest David Bowie fan of all time, however I still appreciated his music. Bowie is one of those rare music figures that transcends genre, music style, and time. He belongs in the same breathe of John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Bach, Mozart, and Kurt Cobain.

Hearing the news of his death hit me particularly hard. Its like subconsciously I knew that music would never be the same, and this would be a moment I would remember for a long time. So throughout the day today, I've been listening to a TON of his music. And boy, was I missing out. It is brilliant. His new record Blackstar is this incredible fusion of jazz and hip-hop. He has all of these different styles that he incorporated through different stages of his career, that a music fan can be introduced to some many different styles of music by simply listening to David Bowie.

If you really haven't checked out his catalog, please do so.