Sensory Overload #4

FILMS

Invictus

Nelson Mandela, in his first term as the South African President, initiates a unique venture to unite the apartheid-torn land: enlist the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.



Considering the material, this is one of Eastwood's least personal and unengaging films of late. Good performance by Matt Damon but Morgan Freeman's Mandela was underwhelming and rather one dimensional. If you haven't seen Gran Torino, rent that instead.

Never Back Down

At his new high school, a rebellious teen is lured into an underground fight club, where he finds a mentor in a mixed martial arts veteran.



The Karate Kid meets Fight Club. Strangely watchable despite the abundance of clichés, montages and poor dialogue.

Carriers

Four friends fleeing a viral pandemic soon learn they are more dangerous than any virus.



Enjoyable slow paced action movie, getting back to basics with an enjoyable plot with character development over guns and explosions.

MUSIC

Field Music - Measure

Latest album from the Brewis brothers, following up on 2007's Tones of Town with complex and interesting arrangements.

Listen to Field Music here.

Video for Them That Do Nothing.








Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History

Great debut from local lads from Bangor. Hopefully they'll hit the big time this year.

Listen to Two Door Cinema Club here.

Video for Undercover Martyn.









A Farewell to Def Jux

Definitive Jux was an independent record label based in New York co-founded by El-P who announced last month that he was stepping down as artistic director and not be releasing any more products in the immediate future.

If you're a fan of Cannibal Ox, Aesop Rock, El-P or RJD2, then you'll love this compilation, A Farewell to Def Jux 1999-2010.