By Jack Silbert on April 23, 2024
EPISODE #587: LET GO
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
The Polyphonic Spree — “What Would You Let Go”
Dentist — “Let Me Let Go”
Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers — “Let Go”
Colleen Green — “Let Go”
Pounding Serfs — “Let Go”
The Tuts — “Let Go of the Past”
Grant Lee Buffalo — “Let Go of my Hand”
The Left Banke — “Let Go of You Girl”
To Kill God With a Grass Blade — ”Let Go of the Moon”
Blockhouses — “Don’t Let Go”
Jeff Lynne — “Don’t Let Go”
Fascinations Grand Chorus — “Can’t Let Go”
Lucinda Williams — “Can’t Let Go”
Continental Drifters — “I Can’t Let Go”
Matthew Sweet — “When Love Lets Go I’m Falling”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Blockhouses, Colleen Green, Continental Drifters, Dentist, Fascinations Grand Chorus, Grant Lee Buffalo, Jeff Lynne, Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers, Left Banke, Lucinda Williams, Matthew Sweet, Polyphonic Spree, Pounding Serfs, The Tuts, To Kill God With a Grass Blade
By Jack Silbert on April 21, 2024
4 stars out of 5
The Exorcist came out when I was 4 years old, followed by The Omen when I was 7. These movies seemed to be mentioned quite a lot during my childhood. Sure, I had my little ghost stories and such, but there seemed to be some truly scary stuff out there somewhere, the stuff of bad dreams. I was an adult when I finally saw The Exorcist (terrifying!) followed much later by The Omen in the winter of 2015–16. I got really caught up in the tale of lil’ Damien the antichrist, so in rapid succession watched Omens II and III and even two episodes of the not-so-good A&E series Damien.
All this is to say, I would’ve seen The First Omen in the theater regardless. But the fact that it’s not just good but very good is a real bonus.
It’s 1971 and bright-eyed Margaret (actress Nell Tiger Free) shows up in Rome from America to begin her new life as a nun. She’s a “novitiate” — a word I just learned this year, hooray for me! Never stop learning, kids — it’s basically like Clarence before earning his wings except for nuns not angels. She is greeted by the local Cardinal, Bill Nighy (not) the Science Guy, who back in the states had raised her at an orphanage. Margaret moves into an apartment with Luz, a sexy bad-girl novitiate (Maria Caballero in what appears to be her first English-speaking role). I guess they were out of bunks at the convent?
Margaret is tasked with hanging out with the kids at the convent/maternity ward/orphanage. She meets young Carlita who does not play well with others. She’d rather sit on the floor in a dark room and draw troubling pictures. Margaret is going to My Fair Lady Miss Carlita if it’s the last thing she does!
Except we learn that the nuns, led by Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman), are trying to breed the ANTICHRIST (spoiler alert: it may involve kissing a spider woman) which will frighten the 1971 anti-authoritarian hippies back into the loving arms of THE CHURCH. Also, sexy Luz is a bad, bad influence on goody-two-shoes Margaret, who begins questioning her faith and all that.
Does the movie sound a bit ridiculous and kind of scary-nun clichéd? Well, it is, but I’m telling you: It all works! And the film is genuinely well-made. The tone fits with the 1970s Omen installments; there are refreshingly slow, non-action segments and, at least early on, no “jump scares.” Instead, director/co-writer Arkasha Stevenson is confident enough to slowly build a real sense of dread. Nell Tiger Free, beyond having an awesome name, is terrific as Margaret. She begins so innocent, over time conveying her worry about the potential evil within. When things get truly scary later on, Free takes her performance to a whole other level.
If you like this sort of thing, get thee to a multiplex. I’d be very surprised if there’s a scarier movie this year.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, 70s movies, Arkasha Stevenson, horror films, Nell Tiger Free
By Jack Silbert on April 16, 2024
EPISODE #586: THE FIX IS IN
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Hollywood Edge Sound Effects Library — “Repairing Robot in Could-Be Machine Shop With Air Guns”
Pylon Reenactment Society feat. Kate Pierson — “Fix It”
Robyn Hitchcock — “Fix You”
Mudhoney — “Fix Me”
Beatles — “Fixing a Hole” [mono]
Tears for Fears — “Break It Down Again”
Laura Cantrell — “Broken Again”
George Usher — “Broken Windows”
Beams — ”Break Glass”
The Clean — “Simple Fix”
Aimee Mann — “Simple Fix”
Eddie Floyd — “Mister Fix It” [demo]
Parts & Labor — “Vision of Repair”
Home & Garden — “(please) FIX MY HORN (my brakes don’t work)”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Aimee Mann, Beams, Beatles, Eddie Floyd, George Usher, HHome & Garden, Laura Cantrell, Mudhoney, Parts & Labor, Pylon Reenactment Society, Robyn Hitchcock, Tears for Fears
By Jack Silbert on April 9, 2024
EPISODE #585: EARTHQUAKE
inspired by the northeast earthquake of 4/5/24, registering a 4.8 with an epicenter in Lebanon, NJ
Jerry Lee Lewis — “Whole Lot of Shakin’ Going On” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Steve Wynn — “Manhattan Fault Line”
Human League — “The Lebanon”
The Temptations — “Shakey Ground”
Carole King — “I Feel the Earth Move”
Blondshell — “Cartoon Earthquake”
Deerhunter — “Earthquake”
Girl Friday — “Earthquake”
Green Bailey — “The Santa Barbara Earthquake”
Lush — ”500 (Shake Baby Shake)”
Los Lobos — “Shakin’ Shakin’ Shakes”
Sam Cooke — “Shake”
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers — “Fault Lines”
Eels — “After the Earthquake”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Blondshell, Carole King, Deerhunter, earthquakes, Eels, Girl Friday, Green Bailey, Human League, Jerry Lee Lewis, Los Lobos, Lush, Sam Cooke, Steve Wynn, The Temptations, Tom Petty
By Jack Silbert on April 2, 2024
EPISODE #584: IT
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Ron & Bill — “It”
The Dracu-Las — “It”
TV Girl — “It Evaporates”
Brian Jonestown Massacre — “It Girl”
Desmond Dekker — “It Pays”
John Wesley Harding — “It Stays”
The Greenhornes — “It Returns”
Elk City — “Keep It”
The Great Divides — ”See It”
Television — “Prove It”
Flat Duo Jets — “Rock It” [live] belated r.i.p. Dex Romweber
Liquorice — “Blew It”
Racecar — “Blew It”
Prince — “It”
George Jones & Tammy Wynette — “It”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Brian Jonestown Massacre, Desmond Dekker, Dracu-Las, Elk City, Flat Duo Jets, George Jones, Greenhornes, John Wesley Harding, Liquorice, Nice Try, Prince, Racecar, Ron & Bill, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Tammy Wynette, television, The Great Divides, TV Girl
By Jack Silbert on April 2, 2024
4.5 stars out of 5
I first heard of Julio Torres as an SNL writer, but it was with the series Los Espookys that I truly appreciated his unique, surreal, gentle brand of comic ingenuity. MAX’s penny-pinching new ownership canceled The Spookies after two seasons, but the very bright side is this motion picture written and directed by — and starring — Julio Torres.
As Los Espookys had Fred Armisen to garner more attention, Problemista co-stars the quirkily wonderful Tilda Swinton who will hopefully draw in a few more ticket buyers. The pretty straightforward plot is loosely based on Torres’s own life: Alejandro (Torres) emigrates from El Salvador to New York with dreams of being a toy designer. First, though, he needs a work visa. Alejandro interns for art-world dame Elizabeth (Swinton) who, if pleased with his efforts, will sign off as his visa sponsor.
Throughout the story, Torres points out injustices and catch-22s in the system. For example, an immigrant needs to pay to apply for a work visa — but you’re not allowed to be paid for work until you have the visa. He also shines a spotlight on forgotten corners of modern life, such as FileMaker Pro and a hilarious personification of craigslist.
Interestingly, in a feature-length debut from an SNL vet, Torres doesn’t load up the movie with comedy cameos. Instead we get RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan doing a very nice job as Elizabeth’s late ex, a would-be art star. And linking Torres’s film to Lynch, Letterman, and cinematic history, there’s the sublime choice of Isabella Rossellini as the narrator.
Though we get touches of Torres’s offbeat magical realism, this is ultimately a fairly by-the-book, follow-your-dreams tale on a small scale. I rounded up my rating to 4 stars based on a certain sweetness permeating the film, and Torres’s brilliant potential to sit among Michel Gondry/Spike Jonze/Charlie Kaufman/etc. when he allows his imagination to explode all over the screen. And then, Problemista’s final chapter fell together so perfectly that I awarded another half star, and I was left with happy tears in my eyes.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Isabella Rossellini, Julio Torres, Los Espookys, Saturday Night Live, Tilda Swinton
By Jack Silbert on March 26, 2024
EPISODE #583: 55
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Sensational Happy Travelers — “March Theme”
Freezing Hands — between-song banter, Live at the Tap ’n Bottle, Tucson, AZ, 2/22/24
Sammy Hagar — “I Can’t Drive 55”
The Ladybug Transistor — “95 Miles Per Hour”
The Sadies — “120 Miles Per Hour”
Stef Chura — “Speeding Ticket”
Devo — “Speed Racer”
Liz Phair — “Speed Racer”
Vic Chesnutt — ”Speed Racer”
theme from Speed Racer
Jug & the Bugs — “Pick My Speed”
Straitjacket Fits — “She Speeds”
The Go-Go’s — “Speeding”
Darren Hayman & the Secondary Modern — “Drive Too Fast”
Tom Waits — “Ol’ 55”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Darren Hayman, Devo, Freezing Hands, Go-Go's, Jug & the Bugs, Ladybug Transistor, Liz Phair, Sammy Hagar, Sensational Happy Travelers, Stef Chura, Straitjacket Fits, The Sadies, Tom Waits, Vic Chesnutt
By Jack Silbert on March 24, 2024
4 stars out of 5
As stated in my previous review on here, I had skipped a chance to see Dune: Part Two because it seemed like too much work. Though I mostly liked the first installment, it was long, dusty, and complicated. Was I ready to sign up for more? Well, this past Thursday, I had a very efficient day into which a screening of the also quite long Dune sequel fit perfectly. (If only I had ever completed my AMC Stubs membership registration and thus received a free birthday large popcorn at the concession stand, it would’ve been the perfect day.)
Well, I liked Dune: Part Two, even more than part one! Timothée Chalamet steps up his game as his character Paul’s life gets more complex. Should he lean into the Fremen people’s belief that he is a messiah? Should he believe it himself? Javier Bardem is again terrific as a Fremen leader who takes Paul under his wing. Rebecca Ferguson is Paul’s mom, torn between good and not-good (literally growling when she’s a baddie.) And Zendaya imbues Fremen warrior Chani with a strong, independent, “I’ll love you but do not f with me” streak. New addition Austin “Elvis, thank you very much” Butler is very good as a somewhat psychotic rising star on the Dark Side.
As it did with an environmental message in part one, Dune betrays it’s mid-1960s origins in this installment with hippie-dippie drug culture (“Inhale the spice, man, and drink the blue fluid. You’ll expand your mind!”) and — pretty ridiculously — nuclear warheads.
Also on the negative side of my scoresheet: Christopher Walken seems out of his depth as the baddie Emperor. Maybe he could’ve played this part 10 or 15 years ago, but now seems sadly out of place. Josh Brolin is quite likable as always but here is basically a too-old Han Solo. I love Léa Seydoux and Florence Pugh, but casting-wise, they look too much like each other and like Rebecca Ferguson (who is only 12 years older than “son” Timothée in the first place) and it was hard for me to keep straight who was who.
Was a bit confused as to why, while the Fremen had not yet accepted outsider Paul, his hot-white-girl-summer mom was immediately made their Den Mother. (Thankfully, the new Post Malone face tattoos she receives help distinguish her a bit from Pugh and Seydoux.) Also, Seydoux sey-duces Austin Butler, they doux it, and make a baby who is a back-up messiah. Sexy time! Yet I had no idea who Seydoux’s character was and then the whole baby thing isn’t mentioned again. Harrumph! While I could generally follow the plot, there were a few points where it threatened to again become overcomplicated.
Director/co-writer Denis Villeneuve does a solid job holding together the many moving parts here. I did feel a little cheated during Paul’s Jedi training; we’re promised many dangerous desert creatures but only get to see sandworms and a baby mouse. And for a celebratory gladiator match involving Austin Butler, Villeneuve makes the odd choice to film it in stark black-and-white as if it were an Arakis by Calvin Klein commercial.
Also, I had to down a shot when the screenplay finally used the word “Dune.”
As the story doesn’t quite wrap up, my thought was, “Damn, I forgot there were going to be THREE parts!” In 2026, somebody remind me that I’m pretty invested in the story at this point and will want to see how it ends.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Austin Butler, Denis Villeneuve, Florence Pugh, Javier Bardem, Léa Seydoux, Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya
By Jack Silbert on March 19, 2024
EPISODE #582: WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH 2024
Frances Gall — “Bloody Jack” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Stone Poneys — “Different Drum”
Pizzicato Five — “I”
Keeley — “The Glitter and the Glue”
Deanie Parker — “I’ve Got No Time To Lose”
Sally Timms — “Sweetheart Waltz”
The Gentle Waves — “Solace for Pain”
Eszter Balint — “Motherbear”
Finishing School — “Destination Girl”
Donna Summer — ”I Feel Love”
Snail Mail — “Ben Franklin”
Kitty Craft — “Find Out”
Mirah — “Murphy Bed”
Bachelor — “Stay in the Car”
Who Is She? — “Top 8”
Big Lake — “I Never Left”
Bully — “Ms. America”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Bachelor, Big Lake, Bully, Deanie Parker, Donna Summer, Eszter Balint, Finishing School, Frances Gall, Isobel Campbell, Keeley, Linda Ronstadt, Mirah, Pizzicato Five, Sasha Bell, Snail Mail, Stone Poneys, The Gentle Waves, Who Is She?, Women's History Month
By Jack Silbert on March 19, 2024
1 star out of 5
I wanted to see a movie to clear my head, and I probably should’ve chosen the Dune sequel, as I’d been waiting for it, and it had been well reviewed, but… it just seemed like too much work. So I rolled the dice with Imaginary. And I crapped out.
The trailer hadn’t looked good. It is from the producers of M3GAN but is totally different because it’s about a stuffed bear instead of a talking doll. Also we learn in the trailer that the little kid has an imaginary friend except they keep showing the stuffed bear and aren’t imaginary friends, like, imaginary?
DeWanda Wise is the star; she was the pilot in Jurassic World: Dominion which I liked a lot yet didn’t mention her in my review. Still, she’s the main attraction here, showing some spunk, trying to liven up a movie that has precious little else going for it. DeWanda plays Jessica, stepmom to an eye-rolling teen and an extremely annoying young sister, the type that exists in bad movies but not real life. Jessica is having bad dreams so they do the most logical thing: They move into her childhood home. There, younger daughter finds a stuffed bear and I wish it was Ted because I’d been seeing commercials for the Ted TV series and though I haven’t seen either Ted movie and had no interest in the TV show, that bear seemed a lot more interesting than this one.
Bad things start happening but not the sort of scary bad things that would make the movie compelling/watchable. Poor Betty Buckley shows up and she’s absolutely slumming, must’ve needed to pay off an in-ground pool or make a parking-lot fender bender “go away” — anyway, here she’s an old-lady neighbor who used to babysit Jessica and she’s an expert in imaginary friends I think. I don’t know, I saw this a couple of weeks ago and it’s all a blur.
The movie is rated PG-13; I wish I’d noticed that before deciding to see Imaginary because there’s no real horror here. In fact, the film seems to aim even younger, with a whole stupid “world of imagination, but a child’s imagination is the most powerful gift of all” extended scene.
I gave the movie a half star more than it really deserved (a full star on IMDb!) because there’s a decent little bit very late in the film.
Is Dune 2 still playing?
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies
Jack Silbert, curator