5 Horror Movies to Watch This October

The arrival of October means a few things; midterms are next week, decorative gourd season is fast approaching, and watching horror films becomes a priority. Since I don’t have any more mental energy to expend on the subject of midterms, and I’ll probably end up writing about decorative gourds come November, I’ve picked out five horror films I recommend you watch this month. If you get started this week, you’ll have about 5 days in between each movie to regain composure and get comfortable sleeping with the lights on. So, let’s start with number five.

5. “The Descent” (2005)

What starts off as six women out to do some serious spelunking becomes something even more terrifying than the mere idea of descending deep into the Appalachian Mountains. What made this movie memorable (read as: terrifying) is how many of the scenes looked in terms of the only light source coming from the characters’ head lamps and flashlights. It’s during these scenes that the rapid camera movement creates such a sense of disorientation and suspense, that you feel like you’re right there in the caves, faced with the possibility that you may not be alone down there…

4. “High Tension” (2003)

It’s been several years since my last viewing of “High Tension”, yet there are a handful of disconcerting scenes that I vividly remember. “High Tension” successfully blends two common practices in horror movies, the first is the fast-paced, machine gun-style sequences of terror that have you trying to get your hands over your eyes, yet they’re pinned to your side by fear. The second is the use of long scenes of cat and mouse between characters, effectively delivered with only the sounding of characters breathing and their footsteps. “High Tension” throws the viewer for a twist at the end, but provides some quality horror throughout.

3. “Paranormal Activity” (2007)

I can’t recall a film I remember watching for the first time quite like I remember watching “Paranormal Activity”. This is an abridged version of how that night went down… Some friends and I first had to make a 45 minute drive out to see it because it was such a limited release. We didn’t know what we were in for. We waited another 45 minutes outside the theater before the movie. There’s nothing like waiting in line with dozens of other people who are equally excited and anxious about the movie to build suspense. And… I remember we came out of the theater, got in the car, and didn’t say a word on the way home. It was like, “let’s leave everything that just happened back at the theater. We don’t need to relive it.” Filled with some top-notch “Oh my god, that’s messed up, man…” and “Holy S***!!” moments, “Paranormal Activity” is definitely a must for Halloween-time.

2. “The Exorcist” (1973)

Few horror films receive such critical acclaim as the wildly graphic and disturbing spectacle that is “The Exorcist”. A staple of horror film lists from critics across the globe, “The Exorcist” leaves you drained of emotion after watching. “The Exorcist” isn’t a film that has some scenes that simply force you to turn the light on at night… No, “The Exorcist” is the kind of film that stays with you, the day after you watch, then the day after that, and on and on until decorative gourd season is in full swing and “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” airs on TV to calm your nerves.

1. “The Blair With Project” (1999)

I was late to the party when it came to “The Blair Witch Project”… And for the sake of the happy childhood that I had, I am so glad I was late to the party. Perhaps the “Paranormal Activity” before “Paranormal Activity”, “The Blair Witch Project” sets the bar near the upper stratosphere when it comes to independent horror filmmaking. Shot and produced for like, $13.47 ($60,000 Estimated), “The Blair Witch Project” remains one of the scariest movies ever made (in my book), considering its financial limitations. Now I’ll admit, I had to leave the room for a brief 15 minutes during the movie because it was too much. Literally, stepped out of the room, walked down the hall, got a drink of water, and tried to control the urge to jump every time I turned a corner. “The Blair Witch Project” instills this paralyzing fear in you as you’re watching, not because of what you’re seeing, but what you don’t ever see, and how the film’s characters experience that same fear. “The Blair Witch Project” is one you watch with someone else, and maybe with a light on in another room. And a flashlight within arm’s reach.

Honorable Mentions (That I thought of while writing the first 5):

“Misery” (1990)

“Don’t Look Now” (1973)

“Let The Right One In” (2008)

“Se7en” (1995)

The Marble Hornets “Slenderman” YouTube series – The second most terrifying thing I’ve ever watched after “Blair Witch”.

A New Addition to the Online Social Experience

A few weeks ago, I was introduced to an idea about our online interactions that is relevant to each one of us, but is something that is so “everyday”, and such a common occurrence in our day-to-day digital experiences, that we don’t consciously acknowledge it. That idea, or theory, is that when we write an e-mail, “like” a photo on Facebook, reply to a Tweet, share a YouTube video, or Re-Blog a writing from WordPress, we’re contributing to a living, growing media ecosystem. We’ve all used the aforementioned media creation tools or at least something similar, but are we ready for another one on our hands? Don’t swear anything off just yet, because Evan Williams and Biz Stone (the guys behind Twitter) announced their new site will open to the public in early 2013.

Medium’s Homepage – Still under construction

Their new site is called Medium, and upon initially reading the description, it comes off very similar to that of WordPress. But Medium is more than that. Williams describes Medium as a “collaborative publishing platform”, and despite its singular title, will feature multimedia content from blogs and texts to photos and videos. Williams believes the future of digital media consumption will come through social networks and platforms, as opposed to individual websites.

What separates Medium from its various social media sharing counterparts such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and the like is that Medium’s homepage will yield the top content across the site at the top of the page, and the less popular content at the bottom of the page. Think of Google’s search result list – Most popular sites at the top, with the less popular sites at the bottom of the site.

Medium still has a few months to finalize the site, but in the meantime, it will be exciting to see if Medium releases a tablet and mobile application to accompany the release of the site. With more and more people contributing to the media ecosystem from mobile and tablet devices, Medium may have a better chance at initially capturing a larger audience.

More Maps: Developer hacks Google maps onto iOS 6 as Apple rumored to be poaching Google Maps folks

Personally, I haven’t had any issues so far with iOS 6 Maps.

The Tracklist Vol. 2

It’s been quite a while since my last post about some good tunes! Days have been busy the past few weeks, and I have been trying to mentally compile the three songs I’d like to write about as I go through the weeks. So, let’s begin.

1. “Intro (Feat. Zola Jesus)” – M83

The first track off M83’s critically acclaimed album of 2011, “Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming” sets the bar high for the remaining 21 tracks of the musically massive (under 80 minutes in length) album. “Intro” features these ambient electronics reminiscent of cuts from Radiohead’s “Kid A”, a haunting voice-over that belongs in the trailer for a documentary about space, and sweeping vocals which rival those of Sigur Ros’ frontman Jonsi Birgisson. I find myself repeatedly beginning the day with “Intro”, for it conjures this mental imagery of the sun rising (or binary sunsets) over some magnificent landscape (Preferably not the Muncie Liquors down the street).

 

2. “Pour Your Love (Feat. Marlene)” – Benga

U.K. Dubstep artist, Benga (born Adegbenga Adejumo) has accomplished so much at the tender age of 25. Known for his minimalistic approach to electronic music, he made a name for himself in the U.K.’s underground dubstep scene before teaming up with fellow U.K. producers, Skream and Artwork to form Magnetic Man. Released earlier this year, “Pour Your Love” combines smooth vocals and subtle   bass for a very laid back tune. “Pour Your Love” is a breath of fresh air for the dubstep scene, which often gets criticism for being overtly aggressive and abrasive to the senses… That doesn’t have to be a bad thing, though…

Side-note: Pretty cool video too.

 

3. “Internet Killed the Video Star” – The Limousines

I couldn’t tell you where I first heard this song. All I know is that I’ve had the chorus stuck in my head for the past year, and have never pursued looking it up online until I heard it again earlier this month. To me, The Limousines will only be known for this song. They’re just one of those bands (Again, to me) that could put out six more albums, and I would never know. “Internet Killed the Video Star” is a successful blend of feel-good pop and nostalgia that I think I could use a little bit more of in my music library. Go ahead and give the song a listen, and I dare you to go about your day without this chorus playing repetitively in the back of your head.

Video Blog #1 – Chapters 3&4 of “Mediactive”

Information Overflow: Still Relevant!

A short reflection on the first few chapters of Dan Gillmor’s “Mediactive”, originally written for ICOM 210: Introduction to Social Media.

The Tracklist Vol.1

My music library has been growing stale and I’ve been forced to search deeper and deeper for tunes to listen to on these 20 minute walks to school (17 minutes, if I’m really moving). I want to  get in the habit of writing about music, and sharing my musical discoveries and current favorites seems like appropriate practice. I think three tunes is a good number as any to start with in this piece.

1. “Get On The Road” – Tired Pony

I first heard this song in the closing credits of the penultimate episode of season 2 of HBO’s “Shameless”. “Get On The Road” is one of those songs you make an instant connection with. You remember exactly where and when you first heard it. The haunting lyrics coupled with such  a mournful delivery makes it a track that’s tough to forget after you hear it. Consisting of members from Snow Patrol, Belle & Sebastian, and R.E.M., Tired Pony’s “Get On The Road” comes from their debut album, “The Place We Ran From” (2010). While I normally don’t get to deep in the country genre, this song has a well-blended combination of folk/rock that make it worth adding to the personal music library.

2. “SW4” – Eric Prydz

Swedish DJ, Eric Prydz, released his debut full-length, “Eric Prydz Presents Pryda”, earlier in May 2012, after complications with former record label, Ministry of Sound. I was able to catch Prydz at this year’s inaugural Wavefront Festival on Montrose Beach, and while he certainly did not disappoint, that’s a story for another time. “SW4” has the right amount of build-up before really laying it on you, with hard-hitting 808s backing fuzzy electronics. “Pryda” was easily one of my favorite dance recordings of 2012, and definitely merits further attention in a separate post.

3. “Any Which Way” – Scissor Sisters

The electronica/funk/dance genre is a genre of music that I could get behind any time of the day, any day of the week. Personally, I’m shocked that it’s taken me this long to discover Scissor Sisters, seeing that they’ve been making music since 2004. Off their 2010 album “Night Work”, “Any Which Way” features a kicking bass line, synth-laden verses, all culminating into one of the catchiest choruses I’ve heard in a long time. Seriously, this chorus will be in your head the rest of the day. It’s far from being a bad thing, though.

That’s all for this installment of “The Tracklist”… Which, may not be the final name of this series. Until next time, though, share what you’ve been listening to so I can add to my collection!

Smartphones and Advertisements

Apple’s massive victory over Samsung early last weekend has drawn national attention back to Apple, who have been fairly quiet since their release of the updated Mac Pro and MacBook series in early June 2012, and are expected to announce a new iPad model following a new iPhone model this fall. This news turns consumers’ attention to the foremost event on Apple’s horizon, a new smartphone, tentatively titled the “iPhone 5”.

A leaked photo of a possible iPhone 5 design.

With a new smartphone on the market, and smartphone sales continuing to rise, advertisers have began to sharpen new tools to reach consumers via the mobile/tablet platform. “A new report from IHS says that smartphones will account for half of the market in 2013, two years earlier than the firm had expected.”, reports AllThingsD. YouTube has introduced skippable video advertisements on both smartphone and tablet platforms in attempts to duplicate the success the skippable ads have experienced on personal computers.

More and more consumers will have the option to skip advertisements on mobile/tablet platforms.

More smartphones and tablets on the market, means more content consumption. YouTube, which brings in over 150 million unique visitors each month since the start of 2012 alone, will experience a greater reach with advertisements. An amplified reach like this, coupled with giving the consumers the ability to skip advertisements, will have advertisers looking to create more creative, and possibly even interactive ads in order to reach a consumer before he/she skips the remainder of the ad. Consumers will begin to see advertisements becoming more direct with only 5-10 seconds to leave an impression before the ad may be skipped.

Will advertisers have a greater chance of reaching consumers through more direct YouTube advertising, or focusing on another content medium to reach consumers? Share your thoughts below!

The First Week Back

After nearly four and a half months spent at home upon returning from London, and a summer filled with bumpin’ tunes, great times with great people, and incredible memories, I’m back in Muncie for the advent of my junior year at Ball State University. It’s been really great to see my friends and roommates that I haven’t seen since last December, but it’s also been a busy first week back at school. I’m fortunate enough to be able to return to Indiana Public Radio, where I’m looking forward to being as active as I can. I was only able to spend my fall semester at IPR last fall before I left for London, and I’m glad to be back in a familiar workplace.

I turn 21 five days after “All Beers Considered”. I think it would be fun to write about this.

There was some last minute running around during the first week, though, as I hurried to rectify a schedule error in order to avoid adjusting my entire schedule. However, thanks to the accommodating Telecommunications department here at school, I was able to enroll in my required class and return with a full class schedule.

Admittedly, I was slightly overwhelmed (Understatement: I was overwhelmed) at first with my daily schedule after settling into a comfortable groove over the long summer, staying on top of my work will prove to be a healthy challenge. I’ll be firing this blog back up again, for mostly academic-related posts, but I do want to continue to post recreationally, in addition to becoming confident and comfortable with my own writing. By recreational posts, I mean writing that don’t necessarily pertain to school assignments, for example, I’m beginning to train for a half marathon tomorrow morning with a good friend I met through WCRD, and I’d like to share my training progress.

Upon realizing that this semester was going to be a busy one.

Plus, there’s some great movies coming out this fall, which I can’t wait to see, and along with my roommates (three film enthusiasts), contribute some opinions regarding the films we do get around to seeing. I’ve got all these things I’d love to do this semester, but I’ve got to follow-through. It’s all about the follow-through.

Final Thoughts on London

I’ve been home from London for a week already, so I think it’s time to share my final thoughts on the past semester. ‘Cept, I don’t know where to start. This past semester was something else… I can’t thank everyone who helped make the semester in London the best it could possibly be; My mother and father, the family and contacts I met while in London, the Ball State and City of Westminster College course directors, and the friends I gained over the past twelve weeks. I look forward to the day we can get together back at school.

My flatmates at the final send off last Monday.

Our group of friends after soccer one evening in Paddington park, just down the block from our flat.

Living and being with these friends for the past twelve weeks has me really looking forward to living with Jordan, Ben, and Zeyne in a house next school year.

Other than that, things have been pretty tame since being home. Easter was great. I was able to start working at LT on Monday on the second shift (3:30 PM – 11:30 PM), so I’m staying busy between that and the gym earlier on in the day.

OH! The Lollapalooza lineup was released on Tuesday night, much to my delight and apparently many people’s dismay. My Facebook feed was a mixture of emotions as friends made ecstatic posts about the (bumpin’) lineup and others who seemed ready to be put on suicide watch. This is how I see it. Lollapalooza is a festival which showcases emerging and relevant artists that have made waves over the past twelve months or small-time groups that merit exposure. That’s what Lolla is though. It’s a festival that introduces to audiences to bands they may have never heard of before. Sure, you want to see some familiar artists on every lineup, but what happened to reading a lineup and saying, “Who is ____? They sound interesting.” We have the Internet at our disposal, good people. The ability to discover music is literally a click away. On Facebook you’ve friends post music all the time, and now with Spotify/Facebook integration, you can see what everyone’s listening to. We’ve got Twitter, where SO many artists attract a following nowadays. For those without Twitter, Facebook, or Spotify, we’ve got iTunes and Wikipedia, where we can see an artist’s entire discography, listen to it in seconds, and determine what we do and don’t like.

So when I read that people are upset with the lack of well-known artists at festivals like Lollapalooza, I’m disheartened. As I mentioned earlier, I feel Lollapalooza strives to bring RELEVANT artists to Chicago. Obviously, I’m not going to go through the lineup one by one and dissect exactly how they were selected to be at Lollapalooza…

I’ll make it quick. The headliners? Okay. Each headliner has earned that closing time slot. They each bring something new to the table.

While we all may not go see Black Sabbath, it’s the original lineup, and it’s Sabbath… When’s the last time they played a show? Let alone a festival?

Avicii? The dude has been EVERYWHERE over the past twelve months. It would have been a crime for him not to be there. If there was a festival which featured any variety of artists, you can safely bet Avicii was there, and played to a massive crowd.

Justice? A good call on Perry’s part. Let’s bring a huge name, relevant in both the electronic scene as well as the popular music scene.

Jack White? Jack White’s a badass. The man does whatever he wants and people always dig it. He recently put out some solo material, and had an album with Insane Clown Posse earlier this year.

The Black Keys? Another great play by Perry. A band that was everywhere this year. The band’s follow up to “Brothers”, “El Camino” was such a massive success. They manage to capture an audience through mainstream radio play as well as through fans who’re into the genre of “independent music”, whatever you choose to call it.

But then you’ve got such a rich mix of artists (per usual), from Bassnectar to the Tune-Yards (Pitchfork’s favorite of 2010), Wale to M83 (Pitchfork’s favorite of 2011), and Sigur Ros to Knife Party… There were a lot of people who were upset with the increase of electronic/dance artists on the lineup this year… RELEVANT MUSIC, good people, is what Lollapalooza is all about. There’s still such a diversity in the lineup in addition to the electronic/dance artists. You’ve only got a select few well-known hip-hop artists, Wale, J.Cole, Santigold, Frank Ocean (Perry couldn’t bring all of OFWGKTA. He didn’t want people to die), and Childish Gambino. Plenty of well-known rock/indie sounding groups such as The Temper Trap, Big Pink, Passion Pit, The Shins… The list goes on and on. There’s so much more than that, though, and it’s easier to just peruse the lineup to take in the healthy variety. While I am NO critic, in my opinion, if you’re not seeing anything that’s catching your eye, I feel it’s better to look at the lineup, and go into the festival with an open mind. Listen to some of the tunes from artists you’re not familiar with before the first weekend in August! I promise you, there is such a variety of great music on this lineup!

Friends, don’t be upset with this lineup! Perry just wants you to have a good time.