'Born This Way' Music Video by Lady GaGa

 

So, the highly anticipated video for GaGa's newest single was released today.  My verdict: so-so.  It definitely had its moments where you're like "I love you Mother Monster," but there are others where you are absolutely sickened.  GaGa's definitely a creative woman and I love her for that, but sometimes she just goes overboard (remember the 'Alejandro' video?).  The video is of course another mini-movie, clocking in at about seven and a half minutes.  In terms of 'Bad Romance' and 'Telephone,' this approach was absolutely amazing, but now it's getting a little redundant.  GaGa, why can't you just make a normal length video?  The first three minutes of the video is a monologue to her fans, but there is still no reason why it needs to be so long.  Of course the little GaGa stans absolutely adore the video, but the general public is saying "Me no likey."  What do you think?

 

The video begins with what I think is the only good part of the video (ironically, this is the part that won't be shown on television for length purposes).  As I already mentioned, the video opens up with a monologue from GaGa that is most definitely for her fans.  She explains that Mother Monster started a world that was free of hate and had no bounds.  Then of course came along Evil to infiltrate the world.  During the monologue, GaGa is shown (sort of) giving birth to the new race, as well as Evil, and it is somewhat disturbing.  Even though you don't see a full-on view, the visuals are definitely enough tp make queasy stomachs hurl.  Skip this part if you can't handle it.  I love the monologue because it really shows who GaGa is and what she stands for.  She wants a world in which there is no hate and discrimination, but it just can't happen.  Evil is always present, but luckily for us, Mother Monster sent GaGa to Earth to defeat evil.  This is where the actual video begins.

 

One of the biggest qualms I have with the video is that GaGa seems to contradict herself.   This whole video is about celebrating who you are and that you were "born this way."  The problem in the video is that GaGa isn't dressed down and normal in the video.  As pictured above, her face is entirely covered in paint, and in the dance scenes she has horns sticking out of her head.  How is that celebrating what you were born with?  For most of the video though, she is wearing only a bra and panties, so I guess I can give her credit for that. 

The homage at the end of the video to Michael Jackson and Madonna is very clever, but I think it could also be very detrimental.  She has already received so much flack from the world for the song sounding like Madonna's 'Express Yourself,' and then she goes and imitates Madonna.  She also dances like Michael and uses some of the visual effects similar to his 'Billie Jean' video.  It's nice that she is respecting the true creators of the pop music industry. The public though will be very upset with that because not many people respect her as an artist, and by doing this they might think that she is saying that she is just like those two.  Hmmm...

What I love the most about GaGa as an artist is her creativity and her message.  Every single one of her videos is a masterpiece; there's no denying it.  This woman is like the reincarnation of Picasso, Dali, Monet and Warhol all rolled into one.  Everything she creates is visually stunning, and this video just proves that point.  The very first picture I have posted justifies that.  Her sense of fashion is impeccable, and she truly is a walking museum.  She puts so much love into everything that she does.  This video just proves that she is not here to impress the general public; she is here to share her art and love with her fans, and in the end that's all that really matters.  While I think 'Born This Way' was just an average song and a direct copy of Madonna's 'Express Yourself,' GaGa has definitely proven through this video that I love her art, and she will not be leaving Earth anytime soon.  Britney will always be my Queen, but Lady GaGa has definitely taken second.

Watch it here...



Please leave your comments; I really want to hear your opinions on the video :)

'S&M' Music Video by Rihanna

So, I decided to blog about this video in particular because of its "content."  I have loved Rihanna ever since she released 'Umbrella,' and even though she doesn't always deliver the best live performances, she always creates great, catchy, fun pop music.  'S&M' is quickly becoming my favorite Rihanna song EVER.  It is so catchy, and I think that the risqué lyrics are what make it even more fun.  But of course, what I'm focusing on here is the video.

If anything, I think this video is an improvement upon the song.  To begin with, the video is a bright and colorful collage of images that adds to the spontaneity and tongue-in-cheek style of the song.  One of the very first scenes that we see is Rihanna wrapped in plastic wrap answering the paparazzi's questions.  I love this part of the video because it really shows how the press distorts the truth and produces false images of celebrities.  This is sort of Rihanna exacting her revenge on the paps, and I absolutely love it!

Next comes the risqué-ness of the video.  Throughout the rest of the video Rihanna is seen as a dominatrix: in one scene she is walking celebrity blogger Perez Hilton on a leash like a dog, she is in a leather outfit (pictured above) tying up and "sexually torturing" the police, and in another she is just having some rambunctious fun with some other friends.  I personally love all this because it exposes the American public to something they need to be more comfortable with.  After living in Europe for the past 5 1/2 years, I have come to know a culture where sexuality is very brazen and isn't hidden.  Everything is just out there and nobody really thinks twice.  The Europeans are a very open people, and I really admire that.  I hate the I live back here in the U.S. because everything is so hush-hush.  Songs like this one can't even be played on the radio during the daytime, and the video is banned throughout the country.  Why is this?  Americans are just so sheltered and they feel like they have to protect their children.  The American people blow everything out of proportion, and it is such a shame.   Society definitely needs a change.  Why do we have to live in a place where everything is looked down on and hidden from the view of kids?

Enough on that rant, but I truly think that Rihanna brought her game in this video.  She is doing exactly what I feel needs to be done: she is bringing this to the attention of people and letting them know that they just need to loosen up and live.  Life can be fun and colorful even with "sex and masturbation" (which the title means, for those of you who don't know).  People just need to live life and explore what the world has to offer.  This whole hush-hush societal thing that's going on needs to leave.  Now.

'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' by Stieg Larsson

 

 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has been on the New York Times' Bestseller list for over a year now, and it seems that this is the Harry Potter-esque  series of our time.  Stieg Larsson was a Swedish journalist who wrote this novel back in 2005, and he sadly passed away 2004.  Before I go on with my review, here is a synopsis of the novel:

"Cases rarely come much colder than the decades-old disappearance of teen heiress Harriet Vanger from her family's remote island retreat north of Stockholm, nor do fiction debuts hotter than this European bestseller by muckraking Swedish journalist Larsson. At once a strikingly original thriller and a vivisection of Sweden's dirty not-so-little secrets (as suggested by its original title, Men Who Hate Women), this first of a trilogy introduces a provocatively odd couple: disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist, freshly sentenced to jail for libeling a shady businessman, and the multipierced and tattooed Lisbeth Salander, a feral but vulnerable superhacker. Hired by octogenarian industrialist Henrik Vanger, who wants to find out what happened to his beloved great-niece before he dies, the duo gradually uncover a festering morass of familial corruption—at the same time, Larsson skillfully bares some of the similar horrors that have left Salander such a marked woman." ~ Publishers Weekly

At first glance, this just seems like your average crime novel, but it is so much more than that.  It touches on topics such as libel, rape, retribution, serial murders and closure.  It's one of those hard-to-put-down novels that keep you on the edge of your seat the entire ride, and is not predictable in the least.  As an aspiring writer/journalist, this novel was right down my alley, and it really piued my interest.

I think the reason why I liked this book so much was that it was much more than just a crime novel.  It burrowed further into society's inner-workings and explored the psyche of an array of characters.  Lisbeth Salander used to be an orphan, and now she is a freelance researcher who uses her skills as a hacker to get information that not many people are privy to.  The catch, though, is that she is still in a conservatorship and her new conservator takes advantage of her.  She takes control of the situation though, and in a very graphic scene, she gets her revenge.  This topic of rape comes in to play later in the novel as well.  Lisbeth was a very awkward character in the beginning, but as the novel progressed I really came to like her and felt a connection with her.  What she struggles through is really intense, and the reader can truly feel what she is feeling.

The other main character, Mikael Blomkvist, is a journalist who is accused of libel and sentenced to a year in prison.  Before he is sent to prison though, he is contracted to investigate the murder of Harriet Vanger, and this case is the most perplexing that he has ever encountered.  The case of Harriet is what truly made the novel so riveting.  The case has been ongoing for about forty years and no one has ever discovered any new information.  That changes though, after Mikael, in just over a year, solves what is truly a bizarre case.  This plot line was very well constructed and I did not know what was going to happen.  The relationship between the Vanger family is explored, and really gives the novel its touch of everyday life.  It's amazing how deep, dark secrets of one member is kept hidden from an entire family for their whole lives.  The culmination of Mikael's investigation is breathtaking, very graphic, and totally unexpected.  

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and I really do recommend it to everyone.  The beginning of the novel was a little sluggish, but once you take the plunge, you will not want to come back until you have solved the case.  Check it out!

(If you have already read it, or once you finish reading it, please leave comments and let me know what you thought of the novel.  I'm really interested in your thoughts, so don't hesitate.  Happy reading!)

'Born This Way' by Lady GaGa

Oh, GaGa.  Why did you have to change?  

The infamous Lady GaGa released the title track off her upcoming album on Friday and has broken all kinds of records.  She now holds the record for fastest number 1 song on iTunes after 'Born This Way' reached the position after just three hours.  She went to Number 1 in 23 countries and she broke the record for number of spins on radio with over 1,000 (beating the record previously set by Britney Spears and her new single 'Hold It Against Me').  What does all this mean though?  Does it mean that the song is any good?

After listening to it for the first time before I went to school on Friday I was very underwhelmed.  I had the entire day to reflect on it before I got home and began reading fans' reactions and reviews.  This song had been hyped up so much that I thought it was going to be incredible.  Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton stated that the song would change pop culture and the future of music.  Elton John even said that it was the song of our generation.  After those kind of expectations, how is one supposed to feel after hearing the blandest, most boring song GaGa has ever produced?  I guess that's what happens when you take only ten minutes to write the song.

The song promotes equality in all matters like race, sexual orientation, and religion; but what GaGa failed to achieve was the progression of pop music like she has done through 'Bad Romance' and 'Dance in the Dark'.  GaGa is a musical genius that changes not only music, but fashion, music videos and pop culture as well.  On all these levels GaGa fails to deliver.  There are obvious similarities between Madonna's 'Express Yourself' and 'Vogue' which is never a bad thing, but it seems like the song could have been an 80's classic.  This is the problem: GaGa did not progress; it seems as though she went backwards in terms of her music.  Why GaGa, why?  I sincerely hope her album is 1,000,000x better because 'Born This Way' failed to impress.

I am a huge GaGa fan and I wish her all the best, but in terms of music and greatness the Queen of Pop, Miss Britney Spears, is slaying all the competition.

Take a listen and leave your comments!

Born This Way- Lady GaGa by FernandoGaribay

'Hold It Against Me' Music Video by Britney Spears

A masterpiece.  What else can I say?  Britney Spears' highly anticipated video for her new single 'Hold It Against Me' just made its world premiere on MTV and I could not be more pleased.  Britney has had her ups and downs over the past five years, with her mental breakdown, losing visiting rights with her kids and even being placed under a conservatorship.  Since all that she has released her successful, albeit safe, album 'Circus' and embarked on a world tour.  She is like a phoenix rising from the ashes, but she hadn't cemented her status in the mainstream world of pop music, until now.

The video was directed by Jonas Akerlund (the director of Lady GaGa's 'Telephone' and 'Paparazzi'), who is known as a creative genius.  His repetoire speaks for itself, and he no doubt added another success to his resume.  He took a very creative and interesting route for the video.  Britney is surrounded by microphones in one room and flashing cameras in another (can this be a reference to the paprazzi who dominate her life?).  In another scene she is in a beautiful white dress and she is surrounded by TVs playing her old videos.  What seems to be the common theme in this video is that Britney is letting go of her old self, and is now embracing her "new" self.  This point can clearly be seen during the sick dubstep dance break where the "good" Britney is fighting the "bad" Britney.  She is conquering herself and showing the world how strong of a woman she truly is.

Another artistic piece was the white princess Britney shooting paint out of her fingers all over her white dress and the surrounding TV screens.  Does this again show that she is rebelling and leaving her mark on the world?  I don't think we will truly ever know what all this signifies, but one thing is for certain: Britney is back.  The video really showcased the growth of Miss Britney Spears as an artist, and shows that she is the Queen.  I have never been more happy to be a true Britney Spears fan.  Although she has garnered criticism in the past for lip syncing and not being in the public eye like GaGa and Katy Perry, she never fails to deliver when it comes to her music.  Since the age of eight I have been addicted to this woman and that will never change.  If anything, I gained more respect from her as an artist because of this video.  The Queen of Pop is back in the game. 

Click HERE to watch the stunning video.

EDIT:   After watching the video countless times over the past few days, I have fallen in love with it even more.  Critics seem to absolutely love it, which is always a plus since they are always the first ones to dog Britney.  This is one of those videos that you must watch repeatedly in order to notice much of the symbolism.  This video is truly the "Evolution of Britney Spears."  It clearly depicts her arrival onto the music scene and that she was just thrown into the public eye without any hesitations.  The viewer gets to experience Britney's mental breakdown (a la the paint scene), what many people saw as the defamation of her own career (as the paint covers her music videos in the background) and Britney's struggle with her inner demons (the fight scene).  Then at the end the "good" Britney has won, and she is performing like she has never done before.  Being with Britney throughout her tumultuous journey I feel that this video is really something special for her fans, and it just makes me fall in love with her even more.  Please support her and buy her single and video on iTunes.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog.  It's kind of weird to actually be blogging.  I really didn't think I would start this at least until I got to college because, being the student I am and being a Senior in High School,  I honestly do not have the time.  But of course, who needs time to accomplish anything?  Who cares if I have three AP classes, extracurricular activities and piles of homework?  Lately I've just been drawn to blogging and I thought I should finally do this.

To begin, I thought I'd give you all a little background on me for those who don't already know me.  I have a passion for writing that cannot be quenched.  I read voraciously and cannot wait to get to college and finally pursue that dream.  I also absolutely love music, and could not live without it.  My favorite genres of books are fantasy and mystery, but I truly do read everything.  My favorite authors are J.K. Rowling and Stephen King.  I began reading the Harry Potter series in the second grade, and ever since then I have wanted to become a writer.  Without J.K. Rowling I would not be where I am today.  In terms of music, again, I truly do listen to everything (except hard rock and death metal/screamo), but my favorite is Pop.  Britney Spears is my all-time favorite and my other favorites include Lady GaGa, The Black Eyed Peas, Adam Lambert, Katy Perry and the list goes on and on.

These two passions are what are going to be the focus of this blog.  Every time a new album or song or a book comes out I'll give you my opinion on it and then you guys can leave comments and let me know what you think!  I want this to be a place where music lovers and those who love the written word can come together and voice their opinions on their favorite stuff.

So, without further ado, I give you The Magic Critique!