Tuesday, February 7 2012
‘Unfinished Spaces’ Revisits Cuba’s Schools of Art
The journey in Unfinished Spaces begins with reconsidering the hopes and confusions of Cuba just after the Revolution, the politics and the struggles that go on to this day.
‘Doomsday Preppers’: Planning for the End of Times
If you’re a statistically average person, what are your chances of following these people’s lead and successfully preparing for social collapse? Well, pretty long, unless you have quite a few acres of land lying fallow in the country and a couple hundred thousand extra dollars.
‘The River’: Secrets and Allusions
Hopefully, the found footage gimmick will give way after the first episode, since it would be a shame to shoot all of the Amazon from one camera on some guy’s shoulder.
Becky Cloonan’s Smile: Dark Horse’s Reboot of “Conan”
I'm sure the smile used by Becky Cloonan to signal her enjoyment is a perfectly good smile. But the smile she draws on Conan is sublime. It opens the character in a way very few writers have been capable of.
Paul McCartney: Kisses on the Bottom
As musical interpretations of romance go, Kisses on the Bottom may only get you about halfway there, flowers in hand wondering whether a second date is on the cards, unsure if that’s even what you want at all.
Trailer Trash Tracys: Ester
The band name is silly. The album cover art is atrocious. The opening song is merely a wall of noise. But once you get past all of that, Ester is a rewarding slice of shoegazey dream pop that’s evocative of ‘50s R&B and surreal movie and TV soundtracks.
Rodrigo Y gabriela and C.U.B.A: Area 52
The preeminent Mexican guitar duo rattles Havana with a Cuban orchestra.
Wither the Monarchy: ‘Elizabeth the Queen’
The thread Sally Bedell Smith follows is how the monarchy has had to embrace its own Darwinian version of flexibility; never ahead of the times but also trying not to be fatally far behind them.
Twin Sister: 29 January 2012 - Austin, TX
Twin Sister is a talented and smart collective of musicians, but their set at the Mohawk showed that they still have a long way to go before they can enter the realm of "captivating live act".
D.W. Griffith’s Morality Tale, ‘Way Down East’, has One of the Greatest Movie Finalés, Ever
Lillian Gish shines as the martyred heroine of D.W. Griffith's most popular melodrama.
The Unguided: Hell Frost
Driven to be better than what his former band was forced to become, ex-Sonic Syndicate vocalist Richard Sjunnesson has finally created what he had envisioned all along.
Vincent Gallo Is a Taliban Insurgent on the Run in ‘Essential Killing’
Following a insurgent on the run in the mountains of Poland, this art house thriller has less to it than meets the eye.
The Magician Inside Us All: Sleights of Mind’
Two neuroscientists show how magicians exploit our brains' cognitive process to fool us.
Matt Haimowitz / Christopher O’Riley: Shuffle.Play.Listen
For any intent or purpose, you are encouraged to spend as much time as possible with this recording. It is as edifying as it is enjoyable.
Monday, February 6 2012
‘Our School’ Shows Effects of Poverty and Prejudice
Our School doesn't press its case -- that racism and inequality pervade the lives of Roma ("Gypsy") children in a small Romanian town -- as much as it lets it unfold.
‘Smash’ Is a Drama for Adults
All of the central characters are people working at jobs. They're creative, highly skilled jobs for which few people are qualified, but they are jobs nonetheless.
Five Years Gone: The Folded Time of “Action #6”
Action #6's "When Superman Learned to Fly" reminds us poignantly that the superhero's struggle is never against their inner demons, but a never-ending battle to overcome the siren's call of mediocrity.
Of Montreal: Paralytic Stalks
Kevin Barnes takes Of Montreal out of its sexy funk phase and into its...20th century atonal minimalism phase? Yikes.
Pretty Good Dance Moves: LIMO
Pretty Good Dance Moves are pretty, pretty, pretty... well, fair to middling, actually.
