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
By Jack Silbert on October 30, 2018
EPISODE #304: HALLOWEEN 2018
The Fall — “Fiery Jack” [ALTERNATE THEME]
anti-fascism intro, in memory of those lost in the Tree of Life synagogue gun massacre in Pittsburgh:
Billy Bragg & Wilco — “All You Fascists”
Marxman — “Fascist Boom” [John Peel session]
The Dead Kennedys — “Nazi Punks Fuck Off”
Elf Power — “Halloween Out Walking”
Neutral Milk Hotel — “Ghost”
Jack White — “Alone in My Home”
Noel Coward’s Ghost — “A Ghost in Wexford Terrace”
Big Dipper — “Meet the Witch”
Luna — “Season of the Witch”
Fancey — “Witches Night”
Guided by Voices — “Cut-Out Witch”
Jack Silbert — “Xylophony”
Titus Andronicus — “Home Alone (on Halloween)”
Lou Reed — “Halloween Parade”
Jack’s Aquarium podcast is proudly recorded in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged anti-fascism, Big Dipper, Billy Bragg, Dead Kennedys, Elf Power, Fancey, Guided by Voices, Halloween, Jack White, Lou Reed, Luna, Marxman, Neutral Milk Hotel, Noel Coward's Ghost, Titus Andronicus, Wilco
By Jack Silbert on October 29, 2018
I am so proud of Lily Mastrodimos of the band Long Neck, who was pissed off by the Trump administration memo wanted to narrowly define gender. So she quickly planned a benefit concert for the National Center for Transgender Equality. I was honored to write an article for hMAG previewing the event.
Posted in shameless self-promotion | Tagged Adult Mom, Gobbin Jr., Guitar Bar Jr., Hit Like a Girl, hMAG, Hoboken, Human People, James Mastro, Lily Mastrodimos, Long Neck, National Center for Transgender Equality, transgender rights
By Jack Silbert on October 25, 2018
3 stars out of 5
The truth is, I haven’t given much thought to Robert Redford in my lifetime. When I was tiny, The Sting was a big deal, and people were still talking about Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. (I guess less media = longer attention spans.) But I don’t think I actually saw Redford in a film until The Natural (great), then Out of Africa (boring to teen me), and… maybe Sneakers? I appreciate him starting the Sundance Film Festival; I do not appreciate whatever he did or didn’t do that allowed the once excellent Sundance Channel to become the garbage it is today.
Still, this movie was smartly marketed with a well-timed news item that this might be Redford’s last onscreen role. To pay my respects, and because the trailer looked pretty good, I plunked down a tenner for a matinee screening. (Did I mention I canceled MoviePass?) And I liked it right off the bat. Redford and Sissy Spacek meet cute and are utterly charming together. The it’s-1981 cinematography is soft and so is the writing, lending this a “literary” vibe rather than the brash, targeted-at-seniors, Older Actors on One Last Heist comedies that pop up about every year.
The casting is strong. Redford’s frequent bankrobbing crew includes Danny Glover — the original “I’m getting too old for this shit” guy — and Tom Waits, enjoying himself growling quirky dialogue. A mustachioed Casey Affleck is the cop who wants to catch Redford, but by god he grudgingly respects him too. The “sheeeeeeeeeeit” guy from The Wire is in this for a hot second, as is Peggy Olson.
And… nothing really happens. They rob banks. Affleck says, “Ooh I’m gonna get those guys, even though I grudgingly respect him.” Redford politely courts Spacek. Rinse and repeat. There are laughs. It’s certainly watchable, if not much more. But all is not lost, because I was reminded of the existence of All Is Lost, which I had wanted to see, and learned that it’s on Amazon Prime. As for Mr. Redford, who I hear is reconsidering his retirement, do that, get the gang back together for one last movie better than this one.
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 10s movies, Robert Redford
By Jack Silbert on October 23, 2018
EPISODE #303: COLORS II
The Who — “Happy Jack” [THEME]
Donovan — “Colours”
Love — “She Comes In Colors”
Frank Sinatra — “Over the Rainbow”
Catholic Easter Colors — “Grey and Green”
Elvis Costello & the Attractions — “Brown to Blue”
Yo La Tengo — “Shades of Blue”
Chris Stamey — “14 Shades of Green”
The Natvral — “The Violet Hour”
The Bee Gees — “Red Chair, Fade Away”
Leadbelly — “Yellow Gal”
R.E.M. — “Orange Crush”
La Luz — “Pink Slime”
Oscar — “Caramel Brown”
Kermit the Frog — “Rainbow Connection”
The Jayhawks — “Hide Your Colors”
Jack’s Aquarium podcast is proudly recorded in Hoboken, NJ.
Posted in internet radio playlists | Tagged Bee Gees, Catholic Easter Colors, Chris Stamey, Donovan, Elvis Costello, Frank Sinatra, Jayhawks, Kermit the Frog, La Luz, Leadbelly, Love, Oscar, Pains of Being Pure at Heart, R.E.M., The Natvral, Yo La Tengo
By Jack Silbert on October 19, 2018
3.5 stars out of 5
Reviews by their very nature are not objective, and this one is extra tricky for me, as not only was I friends with Lee Israel for some 17 years, but I also did a little consulting on an earlier iteration of this movie. So you could say that I attended the screening with quite a bit of Samsonite. And that I was still able to find the movie enjoyable and true to Lee’s overall essence is a testament to the filmmakers and cast.
The film is set in early-1990s New York City, and just as the First Man astronauts were isolated from the upheaval of the 1960s, so too is this crowd far removed from the crime, racial strife, and burgeoning youth culture elsewhere in town. Instead, it’s a Woody-Allen-esque love letter to the Upper West Side and a block or two downtown (including her actual favorite bar, Julius’), at a time when bookstores still ruled the earth. The city is shot beautifully, with grey autumn days and snow-coated winter streets.
When lead casting switched from Julianne Moore to Melissa McCarthy, I was concerned that the movie might be moving in a more “madcap” direction, and I’m pleased to report that isn’t the case. The tone here is fairly somber and McCarthy does a solid job conveying Lee’s pride, loneliness, and desperation. The script and direction definitely set out to soften Lee; she is significantly more sympathetic onscreen than she was in real life. Yes, she’s presented as sharp and prickly, but to truly get a feel for Lee Israel in all her ragged glory, look no further than the memoir which served as the source material.
The real standout performance here, in my estimation, is Richard E. Grant as Lee’s friend and partner in actual crime, Jack (not me). Grant is a delight; you immediately want to clink glasses and scamper through the city with him.
Dolly Wells, as a bookstore owner and new pal of Lee’s, is also quite likable. That her storyline isn’t quite resolved is one of the failings of this film, perhaps during the editing process. (There’s also a Lee-and-Jack prank in which the set-up and payoff are spread entirely too far apart.)
Lee delivers a speech late in the film that does not ring true, as spontaneous movie speeches rarely do. Time is compressed — 16 years into a few months — but that’s Hollywood for you. Literary-minded people who are unaware of this story will enjoy this film the most. My former coworkers will really appreciate seeing another side of this cranky woman who they saw in the halls. And those of us who knew her a bit deeper can only smile, comforted to know that Lee Israel has had the last laugh after all.
Posted in Lee Israel, movie reviews | Tagged 10s movies, Lee Israel, Melissa McCarthy
By Jack Silbert on October 18, 2018
4 stars out of 5
You were expecting me to review a different movie? Patience, dear friends.
I’ve been fairly interested in space exploration my entire life, yet I was surprised how little I knew about the Apollo moon mission and the lengthy lead-up to it. Weird. Was there never another movie about it? Were they waiting for Neil Armstrong to die before making one? I’d read how Armstrong famously eschewed publicity and attention. Can you imagine him trying to pull that off today? “Uh, Neil, we’re gonna need you to post this to Facebook Live, and after that, some Instagram comments need liking ASAP.”
The differences between now and then is actually one of the most compelling aspects of this movie. In the Hulu series The First, we’re preparing for a trip to Mars, and the technology is believable — just a notch or two ahead of what’s currently available. So to journey back to the 1960s, when the space program was very much knobs, levers, dials, nuts, and bolts, it’s pretty shocking. We made it to the moon in that junker?
Ryan Gosling is terrific as Armstrong, a serious fellow of few words, dogged by some recent sadness. Claire Foy (having a great year with this, Unsane, and the upcoming Girl in the Spider’s Web) does what she can with the traditional worried “astronaut’s wife” role. We get a strong sense of the strain the space program can place on a family, even if there’s no scene as memorable as the Apollo 13 ring down the drain.
Casting is strong all around: Reliable Jason Clarke is here as astronaut Ed, Coach Taylor is a NASA official and so is Nucky’s brother, rocking another buzzcut. Ciarán Hands wears a suit too, Corey Stoll, who had fun as a baddie in Ant Man, portrays Buzz Aldrin as a bit of a jerk (the impression I also got when he did an interview for our kiddie magazines and turned out to be a climate-change denier). And cruelly appropriate to have Lukas Haas play forgotten astronaut Michael Collins.
Preparing for the mission took the better part of a decade, and the astronauts and their families live “on campus” the whole time. The film does a good job showing how they’re generally isolated from both the turmoil and the joy of the 1960s, though the real world does manage to seep in a little. To that effect, the movie makes great use of Gil Scott-Heron’s “Whitey on the Moon.”
First Man looks and feels like the 1960s, rather than actors playing dress-up, so credit must go to director Damien Chazelle and his cinematographer and production crew. I learned a lot (including how those NASA guys pronounced “Gemini”) and the movie kept things tense, even though I knew how it was going to work out in the end. Spoiler alert: One small step for man….
Posted in movie reviews | Tagged 10s movies, NASA, Neil Armstrong, Ryan Gosling
Jack Silbert, curator