I The Behrend Beacon
Peter, Bjorn and John find cure for Writer's Block
By Matt Schwabenbauer
staff writer
mjss3K7 psu.cdu
When you think of Sweden, nothing in particular
comes to mind. Besides a weird language, it does-
n't seem like they have much else besides cold
weather, a bunch of castles, and Vikings. Well,
Sweden now has something it can be very proud
of, a band called Peter, Bjorn and John.
Writer's Block is the third album from indie
pop trio Peter Bjorn and John. The group hails
from Stockholm, and has been pleasing crowds
all over the globe with their calming mix of indie,
1960's pop, and new-wave since 1999. With
haunting vocals, twangy guitars, and bouncy
drums, Peter, Bjorn and John keep Writer's Block
compelling from start to finish.
The album's opener, "Objects Of My
Affection" offers up broodingly optimistic lyrics.
"The question is, was I more alive then than I am
now/I happily have to disagree/I laugh more
often now, I cry more often now/I am more me,"
laments guitarist/vocalist Peter Moren.
This is the most folk-sounding track on the CD,
with biting acoustics and rolls on the drums. All
of these elements combined, complimented with
vocals reminiscent of Morrissey, make this a live
ly tune fitting to set the stage for the rest of the
CD.
The first single, titled, "Young Folks," is one of
"Top Five Funniest Actors"
By Ryan P. Gallagher
Vince Vaughn
Norm McDonald
3. Zach Brad
2.. Paul Rudd
1. Will Ferrell
"Top Five 90's Movies"
By Andy McLachlan
Office Space
Mallrats
That Thing You Do
Dazed and Confused
Swingers
A Quick Look:
inside new films..
Ryan P. Gallagher
r'ir
PULEI irri [
those songs that immediately gets stuck in your
head and doesn't seem to ever leave. The song
starts out with a sloppily-whistled melody that you
are guaranteed to be repeating all day.
Complementing the already poppy sound of the
song is the way Moren and ex-Concretes singer
Peter, Bjorn and John jam in high spirits following the release of their 3rd album
Into the Wild
Director and screenwriter: Sean Penn
Sean Penn's latest film is expected to wow critics and audiences of all
types when it hits theaters today. This emotional film is powered by a
strong storyline about a young kid leaving everything behind to explore
bigger things, and is made complete with Emile Hirsch, William Hurt,
Vince Vaughn, and veteran Penn all playing major roles to the film's bril
liance.
This film is based off of the bestselling book by Jon Krakauer and will
face the challenge that every film based off of a novel faces. No matter
what type of movie it is, this comparison always pops up. If you have read
the book or not, make your way to the theaters this weekend and check out
Penn's latest potential masterpiece.
Release date: Sept. 21, 2007
Victoria Bergman use their voices to function
together perfectly. They trade flirtatious lines back
and forth that tell a charming story about people
getting together for the first time.
The album takes a turn halfway through, with the
bleak "Up Against the Wall." It details an interac
3:10 to Yuma is ri,ht on time
Christian Bale and crew please audiences with a new non-stereotypical western
By Sam Levine
staff writer
siis I 22(a'psu edu
Westerns tend not to be the most intellectual of movies.
Many think of the Western genre to be simplistic stories
about a lone, central character that is able to handle every
situation that is thrown his/her way, usually by force
and/or uncanny gun slinging. Many Westerns suffer this
formula; fortunately that is not the case in 3:10 to Yuma.
Yuma manages to capture a feel of older movies from the
genre and at the same time incorporates themes of psy
chology and perceptions of what's right and what's
wrong. In other words: expect to see a great deal of story
telling in addition to the action.
Director James Mangold does an excellent job captur
ing the feel of the old American West, depicted perfectly
as an authentic time when outlaws are numerous and men
of the law, not so much.
Adapted from its 1957 predecessor of the same name
(which in turn was based off a short story written by
Elmore Leonard) Yuma tells the story of two central char
acters. Dan Evans (Christian Bale) is a struggling rancher
who leads a typical life working as hard as he can to pro
vide for his wife and two sons. And then, there is Ben
Wade, (Russell Crowe) a character who is more in touch
with Western genre. Wade is a sweet-talking outlaw
leader who considers anyone expendable. The two char
acters suddenly become connected when Evans agrees to
help transport the recently captured Wade to Yuma prison.
Unfortunately, the path to Yuma is blocked by various
obstacles, such as Wade's own gang under the command
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of the Scandinavia-Indie scene. This album
marks the bands first release on Wichita
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO records and is one you should get a hold 01
immediately if you haven't already.
We Own the Night
Writer and director: James Gray
Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg star as brothers in this brand new film
by James Gray. Plenty of positive talk has made this film very comparable to
films such as "Goodfellas" and "The Godfather," however, the public will
have to wait until Oct. 12 to see the newest and most talked about mob movie
in ages. An older rock underscore accompanies the rough, classic cinematog
raphy and wonderful acting crew to make this a sure contender for Best
Picture this year.
What sets this apart from the typical mob movie, is the fact that each broth
er is on a different side of the law. While Pheonix plays a New York night
club manager, Wahlberg takes on the role of a city cop, and the two come
together in a meeting with the Russian mob. Here's an idea- go see this film.
Release date: Oct. 12, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
tion between former lovers, which is in contrast
with the optimistic tone of the rest of Writer's
Block. "But now you start to leave before it's get
ting worse/I don't know what you came here
for/It's almost that I wish we hadn't met at all.-
The song has an early Death Cab for Cutie feel
to it, with a hint of ambience. It is a good
compliment to the rest of the album, and
fits perfectly right in the middle.
Chances are you've heard a song or two
off Writer:s Block already. even if you
don't know it. Songs from the album have
been featured on everything from TV
shows, to commercials, to the playlists in
most clothing stores.
You've probably caught yourself hum
ming songs from the album, without even
knowing who made it. Even if you haven't
heard of Peter, Bjorn and John yet, it does
n't take much time until you immediately
fall in love with them. Fans of The Shins.
Architecture In Helsinki or Belle and
Sebastian are all right at home with Peter.
Bjorn and John.
Writer's Block is an album that can he
enjoyed by anyone, even if they aren't fans
of the obsessive Charlie Prince(Ben Foster). Much of the
story's material comes in the form of conversations
between Wade and Evans; the fact that does not slow
down the movie's pace really says something about the
acting capabilities of Crowe and Bale.
Acting is exceptional in this film especially for the two
main characters. Crowe shows no difficulty portraying
the egotistical Wade and Bale is able to take on the role of
Dan Evans with a precise modesty that fits into the film
perfectly. The conversations between Wade and Evans
(which are a large and important part of the film) are
always believable and they are always spot on. It's exact
ly why a movie like 3:10 to Yuma works: both characters
are tough, but they aren't super-heroes. They both show
faults, be it Evans problems as a family man or Wade's
sadistic nature. Peter Fonda, Logan Lerman, and Foster
also stand out in this finely tuned cast.
The biggest fault the movie suffers from is its overly
stale storyline. Don't misinterpret, each character is mem
orable, has rich back-stories and interesting personalities.
however the story itself is nothing special. It is a slightly
above average adventure story. Luckily the banter
between Wade and Evans is well worth the price.
3:10 to Yuma is a film well worth seeing. A stylish,
exciting and thought provoking Western in this day and
age, (refreshing for a genre that American cinema sees
less and less of as time passes on) that is too good to pass
up. Nothing in the film feels out of place. It's an excellent
popcorn movie that doesn't care if it gets too philosophi
cal for the tastes of action moviegoers, its body count will
please anyone looking for non-stop excitement. Be sure to
be on time for this movie.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO