An 8/21/2020 Release and what I liked last week

 

Last week had a good dose of releases with Miley Cyrus’ single “Midnight Sky” continuing her three-year quality music streak and a surprise EP by hard rockers Halestorm called “Reimagined,” where they covered themselves, reinterpreting their music as more acoustic, more grungy and also featuring Evanescence’s Amy Lee as a duet partner to Lzzy Hale on “Break In.”  It also featured a cover of “I Will Always Love You,” which mostly consisted of just Lzzy and a piano, and is one of my favorite covers this year, up there with the release of Chris Cornell’s version of “Patience.”  Actor/Singer Anthony Ramos, famous for playing John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in the Broadway Musical “Hamilton” and G-Team Soldier Martinez in “Godzilla; King of the Monsters,” also released a song called “Stop,” which is a fun song that sounds like it should be on the radio.  My brother was pleasantly surprised when I showed him the movie I wanted to see during our weekend had an actor from the movie he wanted Mom and I to see (and we did the following night).

 

Speaking of Hamilton, I recommend watching it on Disney+.  A lot of the issues of seeking freedom from tyranny resonate to today and encourage me to do what I can for the Biden-Harris campaign.  Remember that History has its eyes on you, so don’t throw away your chance to help end this pandemic, work for the lower and middle classes and make history for African-American and South Asian women in the United States.  If not, chances are the pandemic will continue indefinitely, the military and police will be used in organized genocide against the LGBTQ+, African American, Native American, Latin American, Muslim and Reconciling Congregation Communities in this country and the United States will die, bankrupt, by being carpet-bombed by the combined forces of the European Union, China, Canada and Japan.  This is not me merely suggesting a “worse case scenario,” this is a very real possibility with that genocidal glutton for wars we cannot afford to keep fighting in power.  And how much do you want to bet he will “executive order” away term limits if given the chance?

 

On a brighter note, here’s the top release of this week:

 

The Aquabats-Kooky, Spooky, In Stereo!  I don’t blame you if you don’t know who they are.  I didn’t know until ten years ago, when the Puppet Strong Bad (from homestarrunner.com) showed up at their Atlanta concert to sing “Pink Pants” off their then-latest album.  This sparked a working relationship between Matt Chapman (the voice one at homestarrunner.com) and the band, and when “The Aquabats Super Show” began airing on The Hub (the Channel that aired My Little Pony; Friendship is Magic and Transformers; Prime), Matt would occasionally play characters while cheap, Power Rangers-esque monsters caused havoc.  Matt’s most fondly remembered character was Carl, a wizard in a wrestling mask with a familiar voice (Strong Bad’s).  The Aquabats mostly make comedy-styled rock and roll, but it’s all original music and lyrics.

 

This is also Demi Lovato’s birthday, and she was the first artist I saw live way back in 2009 at the WaMu Theater in Seattle.  I since have seen her at the KeyArena (now renamed the Climate Pledge Arena) in Seattle and hope to have opportunities in the future to see her, her song “I Love Me” from earlier this year was great.  Happy 28^th Birthday, Demi Lovato!

Thoughts from the Japanese Earthquake

As a fan of Japanese giant monsters and video games with their origins in Japan, this Earthquake and ensuing tsunami saddens me.  It was devastating to hear one of my favorite nations was in such a sad state.  Sometimes, I wonder if we're living in the end times, after all, let's look at the world;
-Massive Political upheaval in the Middle East
-A powerful Earthquake
-A nationwide despising of Christianity
It seems quite possible that the devil could rise up at this time, take advantage of America, blame us all by labeling us as Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin (two idiots who ruin our national reputation), outlaw us to jail, death and slave labor, get praised by China, who dubs him the Secretary General of the UN, which, in turn, would cause a worldwide persecution that lasts for seven years before Christ comes again.  Don't think it can't happen, it happened to China, Germany, Tibet and the Soviet Union.  Sorry if this seems exceedingly paranoid, but I've got anxiety, as you would know, so all this keeps running through my mind, especially as I hear about the possible meltdown.  Anxiety also says if the meltdown happens, the nation of Japan will be uninhabitable for decades and their entire population will have to move to Nevada, just like in the 1973 Toho film, Submersion of Japan.  Of course, that's just a movie, and I don't know how serious a meltdown would be, the only experience I have with such is in Godzilla vs. Destroyah, in which Godzilla melts down at the end.  Fears in the film ran that the Earth would be destroyed by the meltdown, when Godzilla instead transferred his radiation to his son, turning him into the new Godzilla.
Also, Japan is not atheist, Japan is Buddhist, Shinto and Christian, combining elements from all three philosophies in daily life.  Shinto is a folk religion that details ways to protect oneself and one's family from evil spirits.

Fun Film Fact/Finding Faith in the movies 3

I've read that according to August Ragone, one of the premiere experts on Japanese Monster Films, that Eiji Tsuburaya, special effects director for the Godzilla series and the creator of Ultraman, converted to Roman Catholicism during his later days.  I think this happened sometime in 1960 to 1961, as Mothra, which was made in 1961, is calmed by Christian imagery during her big rampage.  Another interesting thing is that the giant monster movies he worked on tended to become more lighthearted (with the exception of Frankenstein Conquers the World and War of the Gargantuas) after Mothra.  Also, after his passing in 1970, his company would often crucify their heroes in 1972's Ultraman Ace, probably to honor his Faith by making their heroes Christ-figures.  Something interesting to think about when you watch some 1960s Giant Monster Films.

Toho Kingdom and I

Well, Toho Kingdom today put up information I emailed them about the Ponyo single.  I've also added sightings in Full House of Godzilla and put up a review of the original Godzilla under the name "gvsgdude89."  So, next time you go to the best Godzilla website ever, remember to check out the stuff I helped put up!