By Jack Silbert on June 18, 2024
EPISODE #595: SUMMER 2024
The Flashing Lights — “Summertime Climb” [ALTERNATE THEME]
The Proper Ornaments — “Waiting for the Summer”
So Cow — “Summer Is Icumen in Again”
Sweater Girls — “Summer Girls”
Wolfmanhattan Project — “Summer Forever”
The 5th Dimension — “On the Beach (in the Summertime)”
The Pastels — “Summer Rain”
The Smittens — “Summer Sunshine”
The Fiendz — “Down the Shore”
Gumball — ”Summer Days”
Partridge Family — “Summer Days”
Steve Cropper and Eddie Floyd — “Looks Like Another Hot Summer”
XTC — “Summer’s Cauldron”
Superchunk — “Cruel Summer”
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart — “Summer of Dreams”
The Hypos — “All Summer”
The Gentle Waves — “There Was Magic, Then…”
World Famous Blue Jays — “Mud Flap Boogie” r.i.p. Jeremy Tepper
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged 5th Dimension, Eddie Floyd, Gumball, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Partridge Family, Proper Ornaments, Smittens, So Cow, Steve Cropper, Superchunk, Sweater Girls, The Fiendz, The Flashing Lights, The Gentle Waves, The Hypos, The Pastels, Wolfmanhattan Project, World Famous Blue Jays, XTC
By Jack Silbert on June 11, 2024
EPISODE #594: POP
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Prince — “Pop Life”
Blueboy — “Popkiss”
The Consultants — “Pop Pop”
Noise Addict — “Pop Queen”
The Chills — “Heavenly Pop Hit”
Art Brut — “We Make Pop Music”
France Gall — “Baby Pop”
Heavy Lag — “Dirt Pop”
Colin Clary — ”Boogiepop (Don’t Stop)”
XTC — “This Is Pop?”
Tullycraft — “Pop Songs Your New Boyfriend’s Too Stupid To Know About”
All Ashore! — “Perfect Pop Song” [7″ version]
R.E.M. — “Pop Song 89”
Material Issue — “International Pop Overthrow”
Men Without Hats — “Pop Goes the World”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged All Ashore!, Art Brut, Blueboy, Colin Clary, France Gall, Heavy Lag, Material Issue, Men Without Hats, Noise Addict, Prince, R.E.M., The Chills, The Consultants, Tullycraft, XTC
By Jack Silbert on June 11, 2024
4 stars out of 5
In the past 2.5 years, I’ve quietly become a fan of writer/director Ryûke Hamaguchi. His previous effort, Drive My Car (based on a Haruki Murakami short story), was my favorite film of 2021. And his anthology film Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy was pretty compelling as well. Now this would be my first time seeing a feature-length tale that had sprung wholly from Hamaguchi’s own mind.
Did he take to heart my warning in the Fortune and Fantasy review “against making movies that are too talky”? Regardless, silence plays a major role in this film. (It begins with several wordless minutes as the camera looks up at trees.) This is a contemplation of nature in which the drama slowly unfolds, thanks to us pesky humans of course.
We meet Takumi (Hitoshi Omika), a odd-job man in a rural Japanese village. He cuts wood, transports water, you name it. Young daughter Hana (Ryo Nishikawa) is learning — with dad’s help — to appreciate the natural world. Life is simple, life is good.
The badness lurks in the background. The village was only formed after WWII for people to flee Tokyo. Also, what happened to Hana’s mom?
And now an Evil Company wants to build a glamping (glamorous camping) site in the village. Takahashi and Mayuzumi are p.r. hacks from the evil company explaining all the wonderful aspects of the site to the villagers. The people are suspicious. Is the septic tank big enough? Will their water source be ruined? Will tourists start fires, destroying the forest?
In many ways, it’s a classic Man vs. Nature scenario. The p.r. hacks don’t have an answer. And neither does Ryûke Hamaguchi. But he wants you to think about our relationship with nature, and our often feeble attempts to tame it. The ending has sparked discussion, and indeed, I found myself in the lobby afterward chatting with fellow moviegoers. Not too shabby when art can accomplish that.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Japan, Ryûke Hamaguchi
By Jack Silbert on June 4, 2024
4 stars out of 5
“Mad Max” was a nickname, which described his behavior, which was — you know — mad. But saddling a kid with the name Furiosa — are you sealing their fate right then and there? And don’t even get me started on her arch rival, Dementus.
As with recent sequels involving ghosts and apes and sandworms, I initially resisted Furiosa. I liked Fury Road a whole lot; it was my 7th favorite film of 2015. But this just looked like more of the same: vehicles and dust. Still, positive early word got me to shake off my own dust, and though not quite as great as Fury Road, I’m glad I caught this one in the theater.
This is a prequel, with Anya Taylor-Joy taking the reverse baton from Charlize Theron as heroine of the wasteland, Furiosa. This is her origin story.
As such, we spend a lot of time with Lil’ Furiosa (very nice work by young Alyla Browne). She’s raised in a utopian (though still post-apocalyptic) female-centric society, kinda like like Wonder Woman. Alas, as curious children do, she wanders from the herd and is snatched by goofy bad guy Dementus. Chris Hemworth has a blast playing this role; sometimes with a cape and steampunk club, he even looks like a student-film version of Thor.
But the really evil bad guy, just like in Fury Road, is Immortan Joe. (Dementus is bad, but at least has a sense of humor.) Joe’s two dumb sons are played by the same actors from the last movie (Don Jr. and Eric). And it’s Joe and his thugs vs. Dementus and his thugs for control of the gasoline and the bullets. Oh boys and their toys, war what is it good for, absolutely nuthin’, meanwhile Furiosa grows into Taylor-Joy who is just trying to get back to the ga-ar-den.
Taylor-Joy is terrific here, delivering a truly feral performance. And though she was a wild child, by sitting back and learning she now subtly shows problem-solving acumen in addition to the kick-ass-itude we knew was within. Taylor-Joy plays Furiosa’s emotions very close to the vest, yet allows a touch of humanity to drip out as fellow road warrior Praetorian Jack slowly earns her trust.
Plus you get all the giant trucks and old cars and guns and spears and explosions and hang gliders you could ever want. Opening-credits sound bites give us a few hints of how the modern world collapsed — wouldn’t ya know it, war and pandemics were involved!
At age 79, director/co-writer George Miller shows no signs of slowing or mellowing, and I’ll happily follow him into the dust once more if such is his bidding. An epic spanning Taylor-Joy to Charlize? Just putting a bug in your ear and silver spray paint around your mouth.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, George Miller
By Jack Silbert on June 4, 2024
EPISODE #593: LULLABIES
The Pogues — “Lullaby of London” [ALTERNATE THEME]
Lightheaded — “Dawn Hush Lullaby”
Thigh Master (now Dippers) — “Porto’s Lullaby”
UV-TV — “Distant Lullaby”
Jonny Couch — “Lullaby”
Long Neck — “Lullaby”
Health & Happiness Show — “Sinner’s Lullaby”
Neko Case — “Furnace Room Lullaby”
M. Ward — “Lullaby + Exile”
Built to Spill — ”Nowhere Lullaby”
T-Bone Burnett — “Sweet Lullaby”
The Cure — “Lullaby”
The Czars — “Lullaby 6000”
Amor de Días — “Hampshire Lullaby”
Liam Finn — “Lullaby”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Amor de Días, Built to Spill, Dippers, Health & Happiness Show, Jonny Couch, Liam Finn, Lightheaded, Long Neck, M. Ward, Neko Case, Pogues, T-Bone Burnett, The Cure, The Czars, Thigh Master, UV-TV
By Jack Silbert on May 28, 2024
EPISODE #592: OF SLICES AND PIZZA
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Pylon — “Italian Movie Theme”
John Cozz & the Wellers — “Slice of Life”
The Resonars — “A Slice of Today”
Jesus and Mary Chain — “Deviant Slice”
Amnesia — “Slice”
Bouncing Souls — “The Pizza Song”
Jonathan & Tommy — “Cold Pizza”
The Pizza Underground — “Pizza Underground”
Worriers — ”Chicago-Style Pizza Is Terrible”
Louis Prima — “Angelina” [live, 1945]
Dean Martin — “That’s Amore”
Ween — “Where’d the Cheese Go” [part 1]
Personal & the Pizzas — “Pepperoni Eyes”
George Harrison — “Thanks for the Pepperoni”
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Amnesia, Bouncing Souls, Dean Martin, George Harrison, John Cozz, Jonathan Richman, Louis Prima, Personal & the Pizzas, Pylon, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Pizza Underground, The Resonars, Ween, Worriers
By Jack Silbert on May 24, 2024
3 stars out of 5
In the mid 90s I had an East Village girlfriend, so we spent a decent amount of time at Kim’s Video on St. Mark’s Place looking for something to rent. (It could be a frustrating search, as the movies were snobbily filed by director instead of title.) Post-relationship, Kim’s reamined in my “sad guy haunts record stores” rotation. So, Kim’s holds a memorable spot in my life and I was very interested to learn more about the store and what happened to its massive video collection.
So it’s a shame this isn’t a very good documentary.
It is an OK documentary for basic information, like so many of the unnecessary docs providing content for streaming networks. We meet the mysterious Mr. Kim and learn about his background. We see footage of the wild old downtown NYC of the 1980s. And we take a deep dive into the legitimately compelling story of how Kim’s complete video collection ended up in the small town of Salemi, Italy.
The flaws fall squarely with the directors. (For most of the movie we think there’s one director but we accidentally find out there are two. And they’re married. Awwww!!) The narrator/director really, really wants us to impress us with how much he knows about movies. So there’s a whole lot of, “When I bought that pack of gum, it reminded me of when the wounded infantryman bought a back of gum in Truffaut’s masterwork…”
Also, the situation in Salemi, spanning over a decade, is very complicated and frustrating. In a better director’s hands, with a more dynamic personality — oh let’s say, Michael Moore — this complicated frustration could’ve been greatly simplified and even delivered in a humorous way. These directors are unable to do that.
In general these days, too many journalists and documentarians are becoming characters in their own work. But there has to be a very compelling reason to do that. Here, the narrator/director actually becomes an integral part of the story — no spoilers, but his actions affect the fate of Kim’s video collection. But by becoming involved, he sacrifices his objectively as a documentarian, and for me became an unreliable narrator. (Also, how does he afford to keep flying back and forth from New York to Salemi, and also to Korea??)
The climax — again, no spoilers — is presented in such a way to make the director(s) and their colleagues seem really cool and fun. But by then I was basically rooting for the bad guys.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, documentaries, Kim’s Video, New York
By Jack Silbert on May 22, 2024
2.5 stars out of 5
Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt are delightful in this. I want Gosling to leave Eva Mendes and Blunt to leave John Krasinski and I want Gosling and Blunt to get married. As a wedding gift, I want them to be cast in a much, much better movie than this piece of crap.
Nostalgia bait-and-switch warning: The movie borrows the title of the old Fall Guy series, and its stuntman–battles-baddies conceit, and the names “Colt Seavers” and “Jody,” but that’s it. No other connection. They even significantly alter the theme-song lyrics to eliminate dated references. Aw come on!!
Still, I was enjoying the movie in the early going, I really was. It was fun, funny, light, and Blusling (huh? maybe??) are a rom-com pairing sent from heaven. So what happened? Maybe the producers couldn’t afford any other decent actors. You get an inkling of this in the beginning — why is Gosling the stunt double for someone he’s much more handsome and charismatic than? And Hannah Waddingham, you are a TV actress, not a movie star, sorry. No one else remotely stands out.
As the plot piles on (star of Blunt’s directorial debut disappears, Ted Lasso lady sends stuntman Gosling to find him, mayhem ensues and he still loves Blunt), the movie gets worse and worse. Just generic stunts and chases and fights and explosions etc. etc. etc. when all we want is Gosling and Blunt, who are stupidly very often not in the same scene.
Another warning: If you do see this (your flight is stuck on the tarmac or some other nothing-to-do situation), and are in my general age range, I strongly recommend not staying for the extra scene in the credits. It will only depress you further.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, 80s TV shows, Emily Blunt, Ryan Gosling
By Jack Silbert on May 22, 2024
3.5 stars out of 5
I have gone on record more than once declaring that bustin’ makes me feel good. Aided by a generous dose of nostalgia, Ghostbusters: Afterlife even snuck onto my top-10 films of 2022.
And yet, I did not rush to the theater to see this follow-up. Why not? Was some mysterious paranormal force keeping me away? Or was it simply sequel fatigue? Regardless, when I noticed that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes clocked in at an unreasonable 2 hours, 25 minutes, I opted for the comparatively short 1 hour, 55 minute Frozen Empire.
This bustin’ did indeed make me feel good, just not quite as good. Yes, nearly all the elements from Afterlife are back. Though perhaps most notably, Jason “Son of Ivan” Reitman did not return to the director’s chair. He did once again co-write with Gil Kenan, who takes over as director.
Also, cast-wise, there’s a pretty significant bait-and-switch at play. Advertising led me to believe that, unlike Afterlife, this was a true team-up of the old and new Ghostbusters. Mmm, yes and no. Executive producer Dan Aykroyd is in this a whole lot. Second place, Ernie Hudson. In a distant third, Annie Potts. And bringing up the rear and barely present, Bill Murray. We love you and miss you, Peter Venkman! (The movie does frequently honor the 1984 original, bringing back the EPA inspector who had no dick — he’s now the mayor! — and even the library administrator. And Slimer, and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man….)
From our current Ghostbusting family, Paul Rudd and especially McKenna Grace fare well; she has genuine star potential. Finn Wolfhard and the usually excellent Carrie Coon don’t get too much to do. For younger viewers, the filmmakers desperately try to explain why Oklahoma teens Lucky and Podcast from Afterlife are coincidentally now in New York.
Of new additions, Kumail Nanjiani does some very funny work as an initially unwilling participant in this otherworldly rigamarole. Patton Oswalt is only in one scene, and it’s… ok. Emily Alyn Wood plays a tenement-era ghost who seems way too thoroughly modern.
Plot? Yes, there is one. An evil cold spirit escapes, freezes New York, releases captured ghosts, and Ghostbusters have to save the day. New and old Ghostbusters, working together. Which is not quite “human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria,” but eh, it’s pretty good, it’s funny enough, and you can watch with the family, which sometimes is good enough.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 20s movies, 80s movies, Bill Murray, Carrie Coon, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Finn Wolfhard, Jason Reitman, McKenna Grace
By Jack Silbert on May 21, 2024
EPISODE #591: TRACES
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Benny Spellman — “Lipstick Traces (on a Cigarette)”
Karyn Kuhl — “No Traces”
The Bats — “No Trace”
Leonard Cohen — “True Love Leaves No Traces”
Weak Signal — “Barely a Trace”
Sloan — “Traces”
Hugo Montenegro — “Traces”
The Mystery Lights — “Traces”
Dusty Springfield — ”Natchez Trace”
Jon Langford and Skull Orchard — “Gone Without Trace”
Scrawl — “Disappear Without a Trace”
Soul Asylum — “Without a Trace”
Sonos — “The Untraceable Past”
Au Revoir Simone — “Trace a Line”
Shannon Wright — “Ribbons of You”
David Sanborn — “The Dream” r.i.p.
Jack Silbert proudly records the Aquarium podcast in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Au Revoir Simone, Benny Spellman, Dusty Springfield, Hugo Montenegro, Jon Langford, Karyn Kuhl Band, Leonard Cohen, Mystery Lights, Scrawl, Sloan, Somos, Soul Asylum, The Bats, Weak Signal
Jack Silbert, curator