Wow, just holy jeez wow. The Dark Knight has exceeded any and all expectations that I had, which actually weren't that high because I avoided as much hype and spoilers as possible. My intrigue was only piqued by the trailers and some of the ingenious, if not overdone viral marketing. The best Batman film, if not the best comic book movie of all time. Scratch that, I'm sticking to my guns, The Dark Knight IS the best comic book movie ever, and this is coming from a guy with comic book character tattoo's and a closet filled with longboxes.

How can I convince you of that? Sadly, I don't think I can. This is one that you will just have to trust me on and see for yourself. The story has plenty of twists and turns that spin a web of a story that weaves tightly together and comes to a seat gripping climax. Everything builds up nicely, but not slowly. We start with a bang of a bank robbery that introduces us to the Joker and shows just how ruthless he is. And it only gets better. Even things from the trailer that didn't work for me redeem themselves. Take the Bat-Pod for instance. Stupid name, and with those huge tires it looks almost unbelievable, but when this thing bursts onto the screen and you really get to see it in action, it's pretty slick. We also get to see more of the evolution of the Batsuit itself. I won't say anything as I don't want to spoil anything, but it is an interesting thing to see that Batman doesn't know everything about everything even after doing this for a year or so.

Yes, it was a shame that Heath Ledger passed on shortly after completing filming, but we have heard all about that that we really need, or care to. I am only going to judge his performance based on his performance and he really does become the Joker. Not one single speck of Heath Ledger comes through here. He really is a psychotic mad dog that has been taken off his leash to wreak havoc. I can understand why he had issues sleeping during and after filming. Hell, I'm gonna have trouble sleeping after watching it! Christian Bale proves his worth once again both as Bruce Wayne and Batman. Both have grown in ways. We see Batman come to the realization and acceptance of just what his role as Gotham's “Dark Knight” truly needs to be. Watching Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent is just as awesome. His character's rise and fall really hits you because he truly is a hero in the true sense of the word, even Batman admits this at one point. And to see his fall from grace is just heartbreaking. Maggie Gyllenhaal is 100% stronger as Rachel Dawes than Katie Holmes was and that's all that really needs to be said about her, right? Gary Oldman gets a more interesting chunk of the story to work with this time as we see how he comes to be the Police Commissioner, team him with Harvey Dent and Gotham wouldn't need a Batman. Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman round out the cast but are little more than supporting characters this time around. It was also nice to see Scarecrow again, albeit only briefly, to help tie up one loose end from Batman Begins.

In a nutshell? The Dark Knight is the end all Batman movie, plain and simple. No real flaws to speak of. Great story, great pace, great acting, great action, just plain great.

The festival is starting to enter its second generation, with new bands of the punk/alt-rock colliding with some of the classics that helped make Warped Tour a cultural event for today’s youth. Criss-crossing the country once again this year at an alarming pace, Warped continues to be the most economical package out there, as other packages have become bloated and out of touch with the youth.

Year 14 brings another impressive lineup to Comerica Park, as punk, emo, metal and even a pop artist will show up on this year’s lineup. Boasting over 60 bands over 7 stages, Warped ’08 is so massive that you can't cover all the bands on the lineup. But we can give you a heads up on some of the good, and puzzling bands hitting Warped ’08, here they are:

-Punk fans: First off, if you miss Against Me’s set, I have nothing to say to you... at all. Go see it at all costs. The band put out one of their best albums with New Wave and will give you a half hour’s worth of stellar material. Also, old schoolers Pennywise just put out their new Reason To Believe album that seems very topical today. Plus, their old stuff is killer live as well. Also, don't miss The Briggs (check for the MCB interview with the band here ) and The Street Dogs. Even though it's more ska, Reel Big Fish was a late addition to the tour and will be playing their upbeat fan favorites as well.

-Emo/Alt-Rock Fans: This is a big year for you all; hometown band Chiodos plays their only Warped Tour date here in Detroit; sure to be a full house for them as they continue touring behind their strong Bone Palace Ballet album. The Academy Is makes an appearance as well, still supporting their Santi record. Also, emo faves Jack’s Mannequin and Just Surrender will also be on the bill. Oh yeah, Angels and Airwaves will be there, but quite frankly, Tom DeLonge’s grand visions for the band are a bit stale and overblown. Lower the ego down, Tom. Even Kanye West thinks you're an egomaniac.

-Metal: Surprisingly, metal is well represented this year at Warped. Every Time I Die brings their groove metal to the bill, as well as The Bronx and metalcore titans As I Lay Dying play their final Warped date for the year in Detroit as well. Canadian prog-metal band Protest The Hero hits Warped, cranking out tunes from their awesome Fortress album. Dayton’s The Devil Wears Prada and the southern fried metal of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster complete the bands who will be scaring the emo kids this year at Warped.

-Pop-ish Type Stuff: After a massive record with As Cruel as School Children, Gym Class Heroes are prepping their next album, The Quilt on tour at Warped. I will be curious to see what they can put together this time. But most puzzling is the addition of Katy Perry on the bill. Yeah, the girl who signs “I Kissed A Girl” will be at Warped Tour. It makes as much sense as Crazy Town on Ozzfest, but perhaps she will draw some fans. Or get massively booed- that might be even better.

As you can tell, there is something for everybody this year at Warped ’08. As always, bring sunscreen, money and some Kleenex for the emo kids to wipe away their tears. See you down there at Comerica on July 18^th.

Warped Tour 2008 will be at Comerica Park on Friday, July 18^th. Tickets are $32 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional dates can be found at www.warpedtour.com.

As this year’s Warped Tour gets close to descending on Detroit on tomorrow (July 18^th), we got a chance to talk to the punk group The Briggs. From Southern California, the band recently put out their new album Come All You Madmen back on June 17^th. The band is playing their fourth Warped Tour this year, making them seasoned pros on the circuit. We had a chance to talk with guitarist Jason LaRocca about the album, and Warped over the years:

On the thought process behind the new record: “On this one, we tried not to get too carried away, and throwing in all sorts of instruments and going over the top. We just wanted to make a punk record, and in some parts, it's actually stripped down with some acoustic guitars. With that approach, most of the parts on the record were done live to keep a spontaneous feel to it.”

On new topics for this record: “This album reflects the life of being on the road and the hardships that go with it. It also deals with a lot of family and personal turmoil about being gone and away from people, as well as a good friend of ours going to war. Songs like “Ship Of Fools” and “Bloody Minds” talk about the complete destruction of the music industry and how this current system that has been in place for so long has just collapsed for obvious reasons.”

On unusual influences for the record: “I listened to a bunch of Arcade Fire when making the record. I think the orchestral arrangements are amazing with what they did on this last record (Neon Bible). At some point, I would love to be backed by a 90 piece orchestra for the Briggs.”

On the makeup of Warped Tour bands over the years: “It is definitely different this year, there aren’t that many punk bands on the bill. In the past, it was way different- so we feel we have to stick together with those groups. It’s something we’ve taken for granted in the past, but we’re having a great time as always. The cool camaraderie between bands is still there. You can't predict what Kevin Lyman (Warped Tour creator) is gonna put on the Warped Tour lineup from year to year. He can put unknown bands on the lineup and has such an ear for bands, that these bands can still manage to become huge.”

On his favorite Warped Tour: “Definitely last year, the energy of the show was great. We got to meet groups like Bad Religion and Tiger Army and just check out of a lot of the classic punk bands. We got to go on tour with Bad Religion after Warped Tour, and that was a great experience as well.”

Discussing the Warped Tour survival tips: “Definitely wear sunscreen. I learned the hard way in the past. If you leave one part of your body, the tip of your nose or whatever, it will show and it will hurt. Once you’re on the road, you’ll realize how important it really is. Also, sunglasses and plenty of sleep are things that we are necessities on the road as well.”

The Briggs are one of the bands at the Vans Warped Tour, hitting Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, July 18^th. Tickets are $32 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. The Briggs’ new record “Come All You Madmen” is now available. Additional dates can be found at www.thebriggs.com or www.warpedtour.com.

Since that 2007 Warped Tour appearance, the band has released their debut album, So, Wrong, It’s Right last September, and the album reached the upper regions of the Billboard Top 200 albums chart and has consistently sold records since its release. The band is lead by hit alt-rock radio singles “Dear Maria, Count Me In,” and “Six Feet Under The Stars.”

The band recently played the Jimmy Kimmel show and is a fixture on the college-leaning mtvU channel, which we are told actually plays videos instead of that Tila Tequila show. The band’s video for “Dear Maria” has been viewed over 2 million times on mtvU and on their MySpace page.

The band has a very busy schedule coming up. The band recently finished a UK tour with Cobra Starship, and are doing some headlining dates before hooking back up with the Warped Tour on July 23^rd, where they will play through the end of the festival. The band will also play on the mtvU’s Video Music Awards Tour, with Katy Perry and Boys Like Girls. But in the meantime, the band will hit the road with Valencia and Hit The Lights in what will be a night for their brand of emo-leaning alt-rock when it hits St. Andrew’s Hall this Wednesday (July 16^th). So, go and check out one of 2008’s sleeper success stories as All Time Low hits an appearance before they get back out on the massive stages of the Warped Tour.

All Time Low will be at St. Andrews Hall on Wednesday, July 16^th. Tickets are $15 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional dates can be found at www.alltimelow.com.

When a young girl is taken prisoner by a sadistic killer, she uses her wits to escape. But her freedom is just the beginning of the gruesome, and oddly hilarious, downward spiral her family takes when they decide to get even with her abductor. -Yahoo Movies

Otis is a welcome addition to the horror-comedy genre without tipping over into the land of parody such as films like Black Sheep and Shaun of the Dead. Otis is at first, instilled with just enough humor to take the edge off while letting us inside the head of two types of people: The psychopath Otis (Bostin Christopher) himself, who just wants to have his perfect Prom night (at least 25 years too late) and the Lawsons, his latest victims family played wonderfully by Daniel Stern, Illeana Douglas, and Jared Kusnits. Kevin Pollak turns in a different performance as Otis's older, meaner brother whose life Otis is trying to emulate, something that isn't directly addressed but you pick up along the way. What makes this film different than other psychopath/serial killer flicks is that the Lawsons get their revenge, which is where the fun really begins. Taking a few unexpected turns is always a good thing in these types of movies, and Otis pulls darkness, humor, tension and a great soundtrack into a tight and different type of film.

The film may be called Otis but the real star of the show is Illeana Douglas, who, although I haven't seen in much, have always admired. She has a quirkiness that lends well to the slightly off Kate Lawson. Complimenting her and helping the strange family dynamic is Daniel Stern, who may be famous for his bumbling crook in Home Alone, but is no stranger to dark comedy. Anybody remember Very Bad Things? He is the consciousness of the family and is pretty much coerced into action by Kate. Jared Kusnits fits the bill as the messed up teen, (who wouldn't be with Daniel and Illeana as parents?) but also shows that he cares for his sister, or does he just want to get medieval with a baseball bat? Actually he has issues, he videotapes his sister dancing in her undies to post on the internet, but I feel he redeems himself in the end.

Speaking of the sister, you have no idea how surprised I was upon checking the IMDB page for Riley (Ashley Johnson). Lo and behold, she was little Chrissy Seaver in the later seasons of Growing Pains! She has turned out to be a beautiful woman with an acting skill born from acting since she was six years old. Unfortunately it seems that she is only a means to an end and not given a whole lot of room to let her talent show. Otis himself is Christopher Bostin in his first leading role. In the behind the scenes he says that people may sympathize with Otis, and I can see how some may relate, but he just came across as creepy to me. I know I never went to my prom, but I turned out ok, for the most part. Kevin Pollack is here as mentioned earlier and has what is basically an extended cameo. Jere Burns is great at what he does but I think director Tony Krantz may have given him too much leeway as he is a bumbling inconsiderate idiot and kind of pulls you out of the moment. However, he does redeem himself in the end like Jared Kusnits' character. I really didn't intend to dwell so long on the cast but when you have a superb cast like this it's hard not to.

Extras include a commentary that I have yet to listen to but plan to in the near future, a semi generic behind the scenes, an alternate ending that would have changed the whole tone of the film, and a quirky little montage of Otis's past victims edited together from his home movies so they say exactly what he wants to hear. Also included are a few trailers for other Raw Feed films.

8/10

Mitch Emerson

mitchemerson@hotmail.com

The band will be on the road on this tour through July 27^th before some random European dates before the shows in September. So, if you want to see if the band can live up to some of those “Behind The Music” stories on tour, check out Edison Glass at the Stick.

Edison Glass will open for The Working Title at the Magic Stick on Tuesday, July 15^th. Tickets are $10 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional dates can be found at www.myspace.com/edisonglass.

So Speed Racer didn't get much love upon release and I don't get it. I'm no Speed Racer fan, having never seen a single complete episode in any incarnation so I can't compare them. I enjoyed all of the Matrix films (of course they went downhill after the first one, but I still dig all the action). V for Vendetta was a great movie. So you see, I don't hate the Wachowski Bros. NO, I'm not gonna spew gushing amounts of love for Speed Racer all over you readers, but I really don't see why it has been slammed by so many critics and reviewers. Sure, the story is a little thin, but it IS based on a Japanese cartoon. And anything that has a chimpanzee as a main character is not going to require a whole lot of brainpower to enjoy. In fact, I think the Wachowski's only real flaw was to try and add too much seriousness to a film that should have been just a wild romp through a cartoon world.

Speed Racer succeeds in blending cartoon with live action. Blending may be the wrong term. The world of Speed Racer is brought to life in all of it's garishly bright, psychedelic hyper reality cheesiness. But it works, seriously. The races are phenomenal. The tracks are otherworldly with twists and turns and jumps and weapons and helicopters and spikes and etc, etc. Not only do these cars race along the tracks, they use “Car-Fu,” as it has been dubbed, utilizing the aforementioned weapons and acrobatics to try and knock each other out of the race. The cars themselves are just bad ass. Imagine some of the more “interesting” designs of Hot Wheels that you have seen on steroids. Spiked balls, oil slicks, tire blades are just a few of the modifications these cars have.

What can you say about a cast that includes Susan Sarandon, John Goodman, Emile Hirsch, Matthew Fox, and Christina Ricci? All I can say is that all of them were upstaged by Paulie Litt as Spritle, Speed's younger brother. This kid hams it up in every scene and while he's being goofy as hell, he seems older than his thirteen years. I swear, he makes the price of admission worth it alone, especially if you see it at the “dollar show” as I did.

At times the story seems a little simplistic and yet, at others over complicated. Let me explain. For the most part Speed Racer is the story of one kid who just wants to race. It's all he knows how to do. It's all his entire family does. So he races and races and (Spoiler alert?) wins the big race (No surprise there, right?). Where Speed Racer tries to be mature is the idea that all the races are fixed and that it's all about Big Business. I understand what the Wachowski's were trying to do, I just think that Speed Racer isn't the film to do it in. Speed should just be pure fun through and through, nothing else. Especially with the style they chose for the film.

I tell you, at the very least, Speed Racer will be worth the price of the DVD or Blu-Ray if you were only to use it as a test for any home theater system. With bright colors, a booming soundtrack and hardcore CG, it will put your system to the test.

The band’s summer tour is their biggest to date, as the band heads to summer sheds for the first time as a headliner. The tour starts today (July 7^th) in Chicago and comes to Freedom Hill in Sterling Heights tomorrow (July 8th). Expect the band to unleash material from “The Meanest Of Times” and as well as aptly titled fan favorites as “The Spicy McHaggis Jig” and “Kiss Me, I’m S—faced.” The tour runs through July 26^th before the band heads to Europe for the end of summer festival circuit.

The band is bringing along a name from the punk past, as they bring 90s punk superstars the Mighty Mighty Bosstones along with them, who are back after their 2004 break. The band has prepped a few new songs for the tour, as well as some of the songs that put them on the map as well. If you’re in a mood for s---kicking music and green beer (yes, you heard me right; Freedom Hill is plugging the fact that they are selling green beer that night), check out the Dropkick Murphys heading our way.

The Dropkick Murphys play Freedom Hill on Tuesday, July 8^th. Tickets range from $20 to $36 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com. Additional dates can be found at www.dropkickmurphys.com.