By Jack Silbert on November 23, 2018
4 stars out of 5
I generally only review movies that can be seen in a theater, but the Coen Brothers are maybe my all-time favorite filmmakers, and this was kind of in theaters for a few days, so… I’m reviewing it! My blog, my rules.
I’ll end the suspense: I liked it a whole lot! The Coens make a western! Why not! Now, this was originally being made as a limited series for Netflix, and then they glued ’em together. So it’s six separate stories and there’s not a crummy one in the bunch. Their old friend Tim Blake Nelson is a freaking hoot as the titular singing (and shooting) cowboy, Buster Scruggs, in the opening segment. Next up, you want James Franco as a bankrobber and Stephen Root as a teller? You got ’em!
Those first two are fast and furious and laugh-out-loud funny, but then the Coens slow things down and soften the mood. Now it’s night and winter and Liam Neeson is a traveling impresario with a compelling stage performer. Then it’s man alone — Tom Waits as a prospector. In The Old Man & the Gun, Tom Waits sort of got to be Tom Waits, but in this he really gets to be Tom Waits and it’s great.
Wagon train! Zoe Kazan should be in more stuff; she’s quite pleasing. I could say more about her segment but just enjoy it, OK? Finally, as the sun sets on this movie, we’re inside a cramped stagecoach with Tyne Daly (next time you see me, ask me to do my impression of a guy on the TKTS line who had hoped to see Tyne Daly on Broadway), Brendan Gleeson, a trapper, an Englishman, a Frenchman, and — oh yes, one more passenger — the specter of death. A philosophical conversation ensues as we ride into the encroaching darkness.
The Coens pack this movie with so much entertainment — music and action and hilarity and gorgeous scenery and some food for thought if you’re into that sort of thing. All these years later, they continue to impress and surprise me with their ingenuity. Now, call me greedy, but it’s been a pretty long time since Hail, Caesar! — so how about a written-and-directed for the screen by the Coen Brothers movie, just one main story, I’ll leave it up to you guys if you want cast Clooney but that would be OK by me. Hail, Coens!
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 10s movies, Coen Bros., Netflix
By Jack Silbert on November 21, 2018
4 stars out of 5
I first noticed Joel Edgerton in the 2013 Leo version of The Great Gatsby, in which the Aussie struggled with an American accent. By 2015, he impressed me in Black Mass. But to be honest, I still confused him with Joel Kinnaman from The Killing. From now on, I promise to keep them straight, pun not intended regarding Edgerton’s gay-conversion film Boy Erased.
The true-life tale must’ve been a passion project for Edgerton, as he is the writer, director, a producer, and a lead actor here. He’s very good as the leader of the conversion camp (with the perfect bad haircut/glasses combo), but his is just one of the fine performances on display. Russell Crowe seems to have put on Raging Bull-style weight for his role as an Arkansas preacher. We believe his devotion to the church and the struggle he faces (and doesn’t face) with a gay son. Nicole Kidman is terrific as his wife, all dolled-up southern mom, and she handles much of the emotional heavy-lifting later in the film. Flea — yes, that Flea — shows up as a tough-as-nails staffer at the camp, and he’s a revelation. Cherry Jones is in this for a hot minute, but her calming presence is just what’s needed at a tense point in the story.
As the main character, Lucas Hedges delivers another excellent performance, and I wouldn’t be surprised by a second Oscar nomination. He wants to be a good son yet he can’t deny the feelings inside. (If you remember his character in Lady Bird, it’s fun to pretend this is a sequel.) At camp, should he play along to shorten his stay, or speak the truth?
Hedges’ fellow campers ring true — kudos to Edgerton and the young actors for toeing the line between realism and stereotype. There’s a simple pat on a shoulder between “foxhole buddies” that is a huge moment.
A time jump occurs late in the proceedings, and the film loses a bit of steam after that, almost like it’s maybe a little too proud of itself. Regardless, this is a really good movie — a bubbling stew of family, religion, and sexual identity — and if your kid suggests seeing it as a family over the Thanksgiving weekend, be cool and get those tickets.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 10s movies, Joel Edgerton, Lucas Hedges
By Jack Silbert on November 20, 2018
I’ve been a regular customer at the Tunes record store in Hoboken since they opened back in 1995, and have made so many friends there over the years. (Also been to a ton of gigs featuring at least one staff member.) So it was a real pleasure to write this feature article about Tunes for hMAG.
Posted in shameless self-promotion | Tagged hMAG, Hoboken, Record Store Day, record stores, Tunes
By Jack Silbert on November 20, 2018
EPISODE #307: THANKSGIVING 2018
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Ray Davies — “Thanksgiving Day”
Trying — “Thank You, Mr. Yucker”
The Flaming Lips — “Thank You Jack White”
Mogwai — “Thank You Space Expert”
Kevin Devine — “I Love You, I’m Sorry, Please Help Me, Thanks” [demo]
The Mountain Goats w/ Kaki King — “Thank You Mario But Our Princess Is in Another Castle”
Paul McCartney — “Appreciate”
Led Zeppelin — “Thank You”
Brian Wilson — “Thank You”
The Library — “So Long and Thanks for the Memories”
Mary Gauthier — “Thanksgiving”
Jack’s Aquarium podcast is proudly recorded in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Brian Wilson, Flaming Lips, Kaki King, Kevin Devine, Led Zeppelin, Mary Gauthier, Mogwai, Mountain Goats, Paul McCartney, Ray Davies, Thanksgiving, The Library, Trying
By Jack Silbert on November 16, 2018
I started writing this review just for Salt in Wound, but began to realize, “Huh, there is a lot of Hoboken in it, maybe I should pitch this to hMAG.” And that is in fact what I did.
Posted in shameless self-promotion, unsolicited criticism | Tagged hMAG, Hoboken, Royal Arctic Institute
By Jack Silbert on November 15, 2018
3 stars out of 5
As Meatloaf once said, Claire Foy: Don’t be sad, ’cause two out of three ain’t bad. Foy has had a real nice 2018, with Unsane and First Man, but her luck finally ran out. Not that The Girl in the Spider’s Web is bad — it’s certainly watchable — just nothing particularly special.
Don’t blame Foy. She reveals yet another side of her talents, believable as an action hero. (Even if, with short hair, she looks too much like Kate McKinnon.) And in case you didn’t know which fictional world we’re in, early on we see Foy showering, revealing a big ol’ dragon tattoo on her back. The 2011 American Tattoo tale was much more of a prestige project: David Fincher, Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Robin Wright. This time we get Foy, Stephen Merchant (who doesn’t seem sure what he’s doing here), and the hypnotized dude from the garden party in Get Out.
And while that previous film for the most part avoided being a genre exercise, this one is primarily standard-issue chases, fights, shooting, and explosions. (A bridge escape that they want us to find really clever left me thinking “so what?”) From the get-go, this is highly stylized — cold Swedish tech world — but as a result never feels real. A kid central to the plot doesn’t seem the least bit genuine. And I laughed aloud when a character smashes a frame to look inside a magazine — I guess the online article was behind a paywall?
Still, despite the flaws and the made-on-the-cheap vibe, or perhaps because of those things, this is pretty enjoyable. It’s kind of like a cheesy 70s European movie, so corny that it’s almost good. Almost.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 10s movies, Claire Foy
By Jack Silbert on November 13, 2018
EPISODE #306: STOP
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Queen — “Don’t Stop Me Now”
The Kinks — “Stop Your Sobbing”
The English Beat — “Ranking Full Stop”
Pylon — “Stop It”
Belle & Sebastian — “I Want the World To Stop”
Against Me! — “Stop!”
Spring Fever — “Stop”
The Black Keys — “Stop Stop”
The Hollies — “Stop, Stop, Stop”
The Smiths — “Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before”
Seething Grey — “Stop to Start” [demo]
The Minders — “Don’t You Stop”
The Cars — “Don’t Cha Stop”
The Supremes — “Stop! In the Name of Love”
Lindi Ortega — “Every Mile of the Ride” [in memory of Matt Friedman]
Jack’s Aquarium podcast is proudly recorded in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Against Me!, Belle & Sebastian, English Beat, Kinks, Lindi Ortega, Pylon, Queen, Seething Grey, Spring Fever, The Black Keys, the Cars, The Hollies, The Minders, The Smiths, The Supremes
By Jack Silbert on November 6, 2018
4 stars out of 5
It was late 1977. My family went to a record store, and my sister and I were each allowed to buy one album. She selected the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, and I chose News of the World by Queen. I listened to it over and over and over again, poring over the lyrics sheet and marveling at that scary beast on the gatefold sleeve. The song “Sheer Heart Attack” taught me the word “inarticulate.” I went on to collect their 7″ singles, double-A-sides for the “oldies.” Until I discovered the Police and then R.E.M. (and Beat Happening and Yo La Tengo, etc. etc. etc.), Queen remained my favorite band.
I love Queen, is what I’m saying. And the first time I saw the trailer for this movie, it really gave me the chills. So could the film possibly live up to my expectations?
The answer is yes!! And also no.
You see, it’s a big dumb movie, and there is a lot wrong with it. There are many “fun facts” the writers wanted to work in, so they regularly violate the Show, Don’t Tell directive. (Freddy: “I have four extra incisors; more space in my mouth means more range.” Freddy’s dad: “I sent you to boarding school to learn to be a good Parsi boy.” And so on.) A Mike Myers cameo has him practically winking at the camera with a self-referential line; I wanted to throw my pretzel bites at the screen. Worst of all, the story reaches 1980, but then suddenly it’s 1977 for “We Will Rock You.” Come on, don’t screw with history. Three stars out of 5, I was ready to declare.
And yet… the music. And the story. And Rami Malek. This stuff is so very good, it overwhelms the movie’s failings. Malek is superb as Freddie Mercury, emanating two extremes: supreme confidence and crushing vulnerability. (No one else in the cast really stands out, though Gwilym Lee is a believable Brian May. I couldn’t place the band’s very familiar looking agent; turns out he was Tommy Carcetti on The Wire!) I had read an excellent MOJO magazine article about Mercury’s early days, so I already knew his family’s compelling immigrant tale, but there was still a lot to learn (which I suppose I should fact-check). And every time those beloved old songs kick in… well, I guess I understand why those “jukebox musicals” are so popular.
If you’re of a certain age, you know where the story is heading, which adds a real lump-in-the-throat element. Early in the film, I was transported back to my elementary school days, and toward the end, I was back in high school. That’s a lot of emotional ground to cover, and a lot of buttons to press. But suffice to say, I had tears in my eyes for the final 20 minutes or so (including one exquisite, subtle moment in a medical hallway). Family, friendship, overcoming adversity… it all builds to a Capra-esque conclusion. And of course the music, always the music.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 10s movies, Mike Myers, Queen, Rami Malek
By Jack Silbert on November 6, 2018
EPISODE #305: 2018 MIDTERMS
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
The Replacements — “Election Day”
Leonard Cohen — “Democracy”
The Human Hearts — “Flag Pin”
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks — “Senator”
Trøn & DVD — “The New Wave”
Sleater-Kinney — “A New Wave”
Against Me! — “New Wave”
Papercuts — “White Are the Waves”
Howard Ivans — “Trump Is a Punk (And I Want To Go Fight Him)”
Basic Bitches — “Mass Shootings and Donald Trump”
Jackson Browne — “I Am a Patriot”
Jack’s Aquarium podcast is proudly recorded in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Against Me!, Basic Bitches, Donald Trump, Franklin Bruno, Howard Ivans, Jackson Browne, Leonard Cohen, Papercuts, Sleater-Kinney, Stephen Malkmus, The Human Hearts, The Replacements, Trøn & DVD
By Jack Silbert on October 31, 2018
3.5 stars out of 5
After the real-life horror in Pittsburgh last weekend, I thought some old-school fictional horror might do me some good. It was only a few years ago when I sat down and really watched the original 1978 Halloween as an adult. So with that and a quick Wikipedia refresher, I was all ready for this 40-years-later sequel.
I didn’t know what to expect from co-writer Danny McBride in the horror genre. But from recently watching the fine 2003 film All the Pretty Girls (thanks for the heads-up, Iron & Wine liner notes!), written and directed by McBride’s frequent partner David Gordon Green, I felt confident they could avoid silliness. And they have.
The movie starts perfectly, in the most believable fashion: A true-crime podcast is revisiting the case of Michael Myers. And then we get a very-70s-looking title sequence, accompanied by John Carpenter’s iconic theme.
I was 14 when Trading Places came out, so that was my Jamie Lee Curtis moment. (Va-va-voom.) And how awesome that she’s still married to Christopher Guest. But it’s been a long while since Anything But Love, and all I knew was that she’s been shilling poop yogurt. Nevertheless, Curtis easily slips back into the role of Laurie Strode, damaged but unbroken. And tough as nails.
Judy Greer continues her hot streak as Laurie’s estranged daughter (for how you Americans say, eet ees eh strange situation). Toby Huss is Judy’s husband; he’s OK but I prefer him as the voices of Kahn and Cotton on King of the Hill than as a real-life dude. There’s a breakout performance by Andi Matichak as Laurie’s granddaughter (!), Allyson.
All the teen sequences feel pretty real, and the requisite babysitting scene (it’s Halloween, natch) has some hilarious dialogue smartly delivered by young Jibrail Nantambu. I’m guessing McBride was primarily responsible for that writing, as well as two officers in a police car discussing lunch. But this wisely never becomes a comedy, and McBride limits himself to only a few marijuana references. Good boy.
There’s a pleasing rawness to the proceedings, well-built tension and quality slasher release, and a real feeling of empowerment watching Curtis kick ass. The door is left open for a sequel — well duh — and I’d love to see Matichak return in part II. It would be a… treat.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 10s movies, David Gordon Green, Halloween, His name is Danny McBride, Jamie Lee Curtis
Jack Silbert, curator