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Brian Kerin A & E Editor Almost a year ago, when I got the job as A & E Editor for the paper you're reading, I made it my first duty to do a little run-down of the current state of pop culture entertainment the way I saw it. Being that this will be the last paper that I work on as an actual staff member, I find it only fitting that I attempt to put together a final installment of the series. I would like to preface this article as I did the last one, by stating that while thinking about the current state of pop culture, the phrase, "You are what you eat," comes to mind. I feel this cliché also applies to music, movies and television. In a sense, whatever form of media we take in dictates how we act, how we talk and how we dress. As independent people we would like to think that we're in total control of the persona that we have created for ourselves, and in a sense we are. Our power over mass media is that we are in total control over the filter that decides what music we listen to, what movies we see and what brand of television we watch. Music in general has received a makeover, and this time it is for the better. As I predicted a year ago all the "boy bands" and "the blondes" have disappeared; to fill the space they left, we can find such pop-punk purveyors as Sum 41, the Used, and The Donnas. The re-emergence of Lollapalooza, with Perry Ferrell at the wheel, might also be a sign that alternative rock music is on the comeback and a possible force to be reckoned with. Also, fans of hip-hop have recently been treated to a string of great albums by such artists as Jurassic 5, the Roots and Talib Kweli. Strangely enough, Eminem has managed to break the curse of the white rapper. He not only managed to somehow follow up every one of his albums with greater sales, but he did the impossible for a musician by starring in a movie that didn't bomb. Throughout all this, his popularity has continued to grow! Go figure. Furthermore, music seems to be less national and more localized. Especially in Seattle, local acts are receiving radio play on mainstream stations. Bands like The Divorce and Vendetta Red can both be heard on even Seattle's most corporate radio stations, showing that listeners are not only requesting, but also appreciating local music. It might also be predicted that Seattle might once again be the center for yet another music explosion, as major labels are courting several local bands. It also seems that the "hipster" music scene has reached its peak of popularity as even the large-scale summer concert series, "The Sasquatch Festival," will feature such bands as Pedro the Lion and Death Cab For Cutie. Movies, on the other hand, haven't seemed to change a whole lot. Two categories seem to sum up the current state: sequels and movies based on comics. In the last year we've seen American comic icons such as Spiderman and Daredevil come to life. Also, we've seen sequels from "The Lord of the Rings," "Star Wars" and "Harry Potter." Additionally, Martin Scorsese finally got to make his film about the Irish and English "Gangs of New York." And, we finally got to see Tom Hanks play something other than a nice guy in "Road to Perdition." Seattleites were treated to "The Ring," a horror movie set in their blue-cast city, with a handful of recognizable Seattle scenes (even if it was shot mostly in Vancouver, British Columbia). Fans of independent films have never had it so good, with a streak of great indies gracing both the big screen and the video store rack. Movies such as "Donnie Darko," "The Good Girl" and "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys" have proven to us that it doesn't have to be a "deep pockets" Hollywood film to be worth our time. George Clooney proved to be more than just an actor with a wonderful directorial debut, "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind." Fans of pain and pranks laughed themselves silly when Johnny Knoxville and his "Jackass" crew finally got their chance to make a feature-length ad for safety gear. Oh yeah, and who can forget Eminem in his portrayal of Rocky Balboa as a white rapper from Detroit who lives in a trailer park and has Kim Bassinger for a mom. The television section of this piece will be, by far, the hardest portion to write, as not long after I wrote the first installment of this series I consciously stopped watching TV altogether. One look at what is popular on TV today shows that the decision to "kill my television" was altogether good. The ratings winners of today's television lineup include such shows as "The Bachelor" and "Joe Millionaire;" these shows not only are addictive for their viewers, but they also purvey wrong-headed ideas about relationships, marriage and female roles in society. If humanity ever wants to get rid of the old-fashioned aspects of relationships and dating, these shows are sure to counteract every ounce of progress we have achieved in the last hundred or so years. Of course, the above-mentioned shows aren't the only programs to be found throughout the television landscape. Some of the old standbys can still be found. Shows like "The Simpsons," "Malcolm in the Middle" and "South Park" have proved to not only have staying power but also to get better with time. My own guilty pleasure, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," seems to never go away, as the show has survived two networks, seven seasons and an ever-rotating cast. It may even survive well past its May series finale, as rumors of another spinoff are circulating. Moreover, network execs seem to have found a winner with "24," a show that is set in real time with a whole season of shows equaling, you guessed it, 24 hours. Away from shows, some networks offer such quality programming that I can fully vouch for almost any show they run: The Discovery Channel has always offered programming that will take away the guilt of watching television by giving you a chance to actually learn something; also, the Animal Planet gives you your cute, furry animal fix; and lastly, Comedy Central offers quality programming that forces you to laugh no-matter what time of the day you tune in. Whether your fix is music, movies or television, there's probably something out there to accommodate you in each category. Today's musical climate is full of an ever-eclectic array of great bands that will accommodate any musical tastes. If you love movies, now is the time to get out there and call yourself a movie buff. From major studios to independents, the new cinema landscape has movies that are not only creative but fresh as well. Television is by far the lesser of the three (and the only one I won't call art), but if you look hard enough for good, creative television, it's out there. © 2003 Shoreline Community College™ |
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