It’s honestly difficult to have high expectations when putting down money to see a movie called “I, Frankenstein.” Connotations of 2004’s futuristic flop-fest “I, Robot” aside, the title suggests nothing more than another movie that mistakes the name of Dr. Frankenstein’s monster, calling him Frankenstein even though the good doctor never gave his creation a proper title. So, full...
“They’re in there being magical and shit,” said lead singer Zahira Gutierrez of Wild Moccasins, referring to legendary indie band of Montreal waiting in the wings during their performance. It was indeed a magical night at the Barn as a sold-out crowd welcomed Wild Moccasins and of Montreal with raucous dancing and cheering throughout the night. The two bands...
If you played Hot Lava as a kid, where you stood on various pieces of furniture to keep from touching the now lava-covered floor, then you’ll understand what “Geothermal Escapism” is all about. On the day Troy (Donald Glover) is set to leave Greendale, Abed (Danny Pudi) initiates a school-wide game of Hot Lava for Troy’s going-away present.
If there’s...
This week’s episode of “True Detective” is titled “Seeing Things,” and the whole episode is about exactly that: what’s revealed before your very eyes. Whether it is Rust Cohle’s (Matthew McConaughey) visions, how Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) self-medicates from working the Lange murder or the unexpected take on religion, “True Detective” does a phenomenal job of introducing us to the...
Over the past 10 years or so, baroque-pop-influenced music has made a steady comeback. The likes of Arcade Fire, the National, St. Vincent, Regina Spektor and more have helped popularize the format characterized by emotional guitar builds, "wo-oh" choruses and strong, melodic piano and string sections. Continuing in this vein, Lanterns on the Lake attempt to establish their own stake in...
January has always been the month for the entertainment industry to dump movies that they have very little faith in. Their hope is to make a profit through bored teenagers who are not interested in the Oscar buzz. In “Devil’s Due,” directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett tried to remake Roman Polanski’s horror classic, “Rosemary’s Baby.” However, even with...
The transition from successful comedian to movie star is a difficult feat. What used to be a shoo-in for superstardom is now something that makes or breaks your career, as many comedians have tried to make the giant step to film, but ultimately failed. Coming off the success of his groundbreaking stand-up shows “Let Me Explain” (2013) and “Laugh...
With Wu-Tang backing as part of the Killa Bees, mentoring from the one and only RZA and production duties handled by the great guitarist John Frusciante (yes, from Red Hot Chili Peppers, and yes, this is still a hip-hop album), great music is expected from the Black Knights. Sure, the inclusion of Frusciante may seem a bit odd, but...
CIA analysis agent Jack Ryan is no new character to the world of film. In fact, “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” is the fifth in the action-packed series to be produced. Based on a series of novels by Tom Clancy, the newest rendition takes an inventive form as the first film that is not based on one of Clancy’s stories...
Highlighting the ups and downs of working-class life has always been the shtick for Bruce Springsteen’s career. Unfortunately for The Boss, the Vietnam-era listeners that gave him mainstream success are rapidly aging, and he seems thoughtfully aware of this in his newest album “High Hopes,” where he tries to add some youthful edginess to his trademark storytelling. The result...