scene

Talking with Tyler

By The Observer · Monday, Jan. 18, 2010

Saturday night at Legends singer Tyler Hilton rocked out to a big crowd of girls. Hilton, who has just finished writing and recording for his new album, played a mixture of old favorites and new songs. In an interview prior to the show, Hilton talked about his new album. It has been six years since his last, and Hilton is grateful that fans stuck by him over the years. His first new single will be released in a few weeks on his Web site and hopefully it will hit the radio airwaves in April. When asked to characterize his new album he described it as "rock/pop music." However, it will be different than his 2004 work "The Tracks of Tyler Hilton" in that it will have more rock guitars, keyboards and overall a bigger sound. "A lot of my [new] songs are songs I've been playing for two or three years but they haven't been recorded." Hilton said. "So many people can get the [acoustic] versions online and have that and I don't want to give them the same version again clean. There's got to be something cool to make that song even better." While Hilton has over 20 songs written and recorded, those that will make it to the album have yet to be chosen. However, his personal favorite is one entitled "Say it Like a Lie". Hilton, who is also an actor, is also known for his recurring role on the CW drama "One Tree Hill" as the arrogant musician Chris Keller. When asked about his experience on the show, Hilton described it as "killer." Even though he was "the new kid in school," he was welcomed with open arms by the then small tight-knit cast. This was the main reason he kept coming back to the show. Many of the cast members went on the road with Hilton over the years, and he still remains close with them. What is the one possession Hilton must have on the road? A good book. Hilton loves to read, which is part of the reason for his charity, "T.H. Books for Kids." He came up with the idea for the organization about four years ago when talking to his high school English teacher. "I really like reading [and] I wish[ed] there was a charity that could empower people to help them with the first step they need to figure out problems on their own." Hilton said. "If we could really help child literacy, or give kids books, I feel like books are such a tool into critical thinking and gives you ideas and expands your world." His teacher's daughter now runs the organization, and Hilton gives all the credit to her and the board of directors. Each year, he holds at least one charity concert, and the organization works to provide books where there is a great need. During Hurricane Katrina, they were able to completely replenish an elementary school library that was flooded. Hilton has already begun throwing ideas around with the board about Haiti, since he knows the need there will be significant after more immediate matters are dealt with. With no truly new publicized songs in years, Hilton appreciates his fans' dedication. He is amazed that they keep coming back to his website to watch his videos and read his blog. "The reason it wasn't a phase […] was because everyone loved it," Hilton said. He initially began with videos on the road and blogging for fun, but the fans responded so positively that he could not stop. Hilton has even had a cooking show on YouTube which he calls "Cooking with Tyler." He exclusively revealed that he is bringing the show back and plans to start cooking fan recipes, and will hopefully put together a cookbook. "I watch it and I can't believe that people like this because I'm in my kitchen cooking, but somebody from my label said I should do that again and I'm like, really? Okay!" Hilton said of the show. Hilton played about 15 songs on Saturday. The concertgoers really seemed to enjoy singing along to Hilton's older songs, and were not too shy to shout out requests. But every now and then Hilton would interject with a new song. When the audience asked Hilton to sing "When the Stars Go Blue" a duet he performed on "One Tree Hill" with Bethany Joy Galeotti, he obliged — but only if someone would come up on stage and help him out. One willing fan did, and she did an excellent job. The show was a total success, and the openers were also fantastic. Look for Hilton's new album this year. In the meantime, check out his recent EP "Better on Beachwood" on iTunes now.

The Top 50 Films of the Decade: Part One

By The Observer · Monday, Jan. 18, 2010

Over the five day week, "The Observer" will count down all of the movies that made us laugh, cry, reflect and sit on the edge of our seats — all of the best films of the decade. These 50 films all share an essence of filmmaking genius that were exceptional amongst the thousands of films released in the last 10 years, and some of them will one day be viewed as "classics" in film history. So here they are, the best films of the decade. 50. The Aviator (2004) — One of the few biopics to crack this list, "The Aviator" does so because it is just that, a biopic — one that plays by the rules, but goes one step further into the man that was aviation tycoon Harold Hughes than most biopics dare to go. The mind behind the man is on full display here, and there are few better able than Leonardo DiCaprio, in a brilliant turn yet again, at handling the task of playing the troubled, eccentric, womanizing, power-hungry genius that Hughes was. 49. Maria Full of Grace (2004) — Lead actress Catalina Sandino Moreno is mesmerizing as a poor Colombian woman caught in a web of murder as a drug mule sent to New York City with bags of heroin inside her stomach. Caught within the frames here are the sense of being lost and utter fear felt by someone with no human connection and no way of understanding what is going on in her surroundings. And the way in which that feeling is caught is the true triumph here. Her feeling is dually felt by the audience, which makes this eye-opening film all the more powerful. 48. Monsters Inc. (2001) — Pixar struck gold with this hilarious, wildly imaginative and altogether unforgettable little charmer about monsters whose job is to scare sleeping children in order to generate energy for their own world. It's all about the energy at the company, Monster Inc., and with the film "Monsters Inc.", it's also all about the energy — the boundless creative energy that results in a film audiences of all ages can love. 47. Almost Famous (2000) — Tasked with the dream job of interviewing a new hot rock band during their cross-country tour, a high schooler (Patrick Fugit) discovers love, the true essence of rock music and even himself along the way. The real showstopper here is Kate Hudson, the band's groupie, who steals the show as a free-loving drug-addict caught between innocence and that point in life where we all just have to grow up. Simply put, it'll have you air-guitaring ‘til your fingers just can't strum anymore. 46. The Hurt Locker (2009) — Director Kathryn Bigelow's muscle-flexing, full-throttle portrayal of a special unit of bomb disarming soldiers in Iraq, "The Hurt Locker" stands as a king among men in the small but growing group of Iraq War films. What's different here is that the movie is neither action-driven nor overly story driven, and it avoids what has thus far been a pitfall in trying to pass itself off as a psychological analysis of soldiers in the heat of the current war. Instead, "The Hurt Locker" is a beautiful marriage of a bare bones portrayal of human nature when the line between life and death is so thin and momentary and a classic tension-ridden portrayal of the heat of combat. 45. Elephant (2003) — In the wake of the tragic Columbine shootings, director Gus Van Sant creates an affecting, stunningly shot and somehow blissfully paced account of a school shooting that takes the lives of dozens of unsuspecting students. It plays like a still-image cast against the backdrop of a clear sky, which makes it bearable, yet all the more powerful nonetheless. 44. Little Miss Sunshine (2006) — 2006's little engine that could is like a cute and cuddly stuffed animal. Yet it has a way of making you cry. And then laugh. And then cry again. Then stand up and cheer, wide-eyed with an ear-to-ear grin across the face. Made with starry-eyed beauty and injected with a sense of enjoyment shared by the audience, "Little Miss Sunshine" is a true crowd pleaser. 43. Letter From Iwo Jima (2006) — Director Clint Eastwood packs a visceral punch in the form of a beautifully shot, ferocious yet delicate letter from the doomed Japanese abandoned on Iwo Jima. Upon its release, this was the best American war film since "Saving Private Ryan". 42. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) — The first film in the trilogy was groundbreaking and made the success of the next two installments inevitable. Perhaps the most faithful adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy, Peter Jackson's first foray into Middle Earth is the most Shire-like of the three films, and what a refreshing two and a half hours at the Shire it is. 41. Donnie Darko (2001) — I cannot for the life of me explain why I'm drawn to this film, but there's just something about it, some inexplicable quality that grabs and never lets go. A "cult classic" if there ever was one, "Donnie Darko" is like a roller coaster ride of confusion, Smurf sexology, and most central of all, let's just throw in the theory behind time travel. It just gets in your mind and stays there, for better or for worse.

Determined Dad Defies Odds in "Extraordinary Measures"

By The Observer · Friday, Jan. 15, 2010

Art imitated real life last night at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center where the film "Extraordinary Measures" premiered a week early to audiences. The film centers on the story of John Crowley and his fight against a rare illness known as Pompe Disease. Crowley, who graduated from Notre Dame Law School in 1992, worked together with Dr. Robert Stonehill to discover a cure and save his two youngest children.

Tyler Hilton Takes Legends

By The Observer · Friday, Jan. 15, 2010

Saturday night at 10 p.m. at Legends, singer/songwriter Tyler Hilton will perform an hour-long acoustic set. You may recognize Hilton from his recurring role on "One Tree Hill," the small part of Elvis in "Walk the Line," or even as Taylor Swift's love interest Drew in the music video "Teardrops on my Guitar." But Hilton ought to best be known for his husky voice and memorable lyrics. His musical style is difficult to label, but has sometimes been called indie pop/rock with folk influences.

Tyler Hilton Takes Legends

By The Observer · Friday, Jan. 15, 2010

Saturday night at 10 p.m. at Legends, singer/songwriter Tyler Hilton will perform an hour-long acoustic set. You may recognize Hilton from his recurring role on "One Tree Hill," the small part of Elvis in "Walk the Line," or even as Taylor Swift's love interest Drew in the music video "Teardrops on my Guitar." But Hilton ought to best be known for his husky voice and memorable lyrics. His musical style is difficult to label, but has sometimes been called indie pop/rock with folk influences.

Determined Dad Defies Odds in "Extraordinary Measures"

By The Observer · Friday, Jan. 15, 2010

Art imitated real life last night at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center where the film "Extraordinary Measures" premiered a week early to audiences. The film centers on the story of John Crowley and his fight against a rare illness known as Pompe Disease. Crowley, who graduated from Notre Dame Law School in 1992, worked together with Dr. Robert Stonehill to discover a cure and save his two youngest children.