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Poldark: Season One

This dark, Colonial period drama from the BBC stars Aidan Turner (The Hobbit) as Ross Poldark.  The shows 8 episodes chronicle his return to his small Cornish town after years away fighting in the American War for Independence.  If you're disappointed that there aren't more episodes, fret not! Season two is on its way.







Ted 2

Seth MacFarlane's sequel to his hysterical live action debut starring a crude stuffed bear magically brought to life by the love of his owner sees much of the same humor and jokes.  That being said, it's certainly got it's laugh out loud moments.  Mark Wahlberg is so unbelievable in comedic roles his time on screen is almost funny in and of itself.  If you're a Family Guy fan than odds are you enjoyed the first Ted and odds are you will enjoy the second.




Diary of a Teenage Girl

This fabulous coming of age drama is one part funny, two parts creepy, and three parts brilliantly emotional.  Based on the graphic novel memoir of the same name by Phoebe Gloeckner, the film stars Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood), Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids), and introduces Bel Powley as protagonist Minnie Goetze.  Minnie's middle teen years and her sexual awakening at the hands of her mothers boyfriend (Skarsgard) paint an interesting portrait of mid-70's San Francisco in the wake of the hippie movement.

Hoopla Highlights - Music

Hoopla is only 5 days away from launching here at the DFL and I’m already planning my first checkouts.  Last week I highlighted some of the great films Hoopla has in their ever expanding catalog and today, I’ll pick out five albums currently available in their massive music library.  While the albums I’ve chosen today are all new, one of the best aspects of Hoopla is their back catalog.  There are some truly unique, bizarre, and hard to find albums available on the streaming service and while the albums below are fantastic, definitely take advantage of the long list of older albums as they would be hard to find anywhere else.

Honeymoon – Lana Del Rey (2015)

The latest from moody, ethereal alterna-pop star Lana Del Rey, Honeymoon is a tad more uplifting than here previous efforts drawing influences from an eclectic range of genres including jazz and hip hop.  While coming under fire for some controversial comments about suicide earlier this year, the singer is no doubt a talented force in the diluted pop landscape of the 2010’s.

Dodge and Burn – The Dead Weather (2015)

Everyone has heard of Jack White, and the majority are familiar with his most successful foray into the world of rock music as half of the powerful duo The White Stipes in the early aughts.  Fewer people are familiar with some of his side projects, including the roots rock fueled Dead Weather whose third album Dodge and Burn was finally released this year.  White takes a back seat to the other three members and takes on multiple duties playing both guitar and drums as well as providing vocals on some tracks.  If you’ve ever questioned White’s musical flexibility and prowess, look no further than The Dead Weather.

23 Live Sex Acts – Against Me! (2015)

Against Me! is no doubt one of my favorite “modern” punk bands.  They’ve never sacrificed their genuine love and appreciation for the genre while still taking classic sounds and transforming them for a new generation of punks.  This album which compiles live tracks that span the bands career and were recorded at a variety of venues is a MUST LISTEN for fans of the band, or punk music in general.    After coming out as transgender, singer Laura Jane Grace (formerly Tom Gable) defied the musical landscape of which she was a part and became a beacon of hope for women and LGBTQ supporters in a scene which has been largely unaccepting in the past.  In that way, she reminded us all of what the genre is really about.

1989 – Ryan Adams (2015)

Ryan Adams is certainly an anomaly.  Having performed songs which span a wide array of genres, the singer songwriter decided to descend into the world of pop music for his latest release.  The album is a track by track cover of Taylor Swifts critically acclaimed album “1989”, albeit with a much harsher tone.  The country fueled alternative rock interpretations of Swifts songs highlight almost every genre Adam’s has been associated with in the past and in that sense, covering Swifts songs seems almost too easy for the 40 year old rocker.  Released to widely positive reviews, this is an album for fans of so many kinds of music and may be just what Swift haters need to acknowledge the young songwriters talents.

Beyond the Pale – Jim Gaffigan (2006)

While not a music album, I felt it important to highlight Hoopla’s variety of comedy albums which are interfiled with their music selection.  Nearly a decade old, Jim Gaffigan’s Beyond the Pale was the comedians sixth to date and certainly one of his funniest.  In the dry, soft, often sarcastic tone which has come to define the comedian’s sets, Gaffigan offers insights into a wide array of topics including hot pockets, vegetarians, and heaven.  If you’re not familiar with him, this is a fantastic intro to his catalog.

Kingsman: The Secret Service Was Surprisingly Great

When I first saw the preview for Kingsman: The Secret Service I had 0 desire to see it.  First off, it appeared to be a kid’s movie.  Secondly, it seemed like it would be full of awkward, cringe inducing one liners, something I absolutely despise.  However, after a friend recommended it to me I figured I’d give it a go and I was pleasantly surprised.  The movie was fantastic.  First off, it was rated R so any aspect of “kid movie” went out the window after copious amounts of the F word and the superfluously violent fight scenes.  Add that to that Samuel L. Jackson as the flamboyant billionaire super villain with a lisp, alongside the always suave James Bond-esque Colin Firth as head agent Galahad and you’ve got the formula for a great movie. 

Beginning with a failed mission in the Middle East in which an agent in training sacrifices himself for his compatriots including Firth, we find the man had a young son at home.  Galahad returns and offers the boy a Kingsman medal with a number and tells him if he ever needs anything to call the number and give the code word.  Years later, the young man nicknamed Eggsy finds himself in some trouble and calls the number.  Gallahad reaches out and informs him of the Kingsman, a private secret agency tasked with saving the world from its threats free of the influence of world governments.  Eggsy begins his training alongside other candidates to replace the recently deceased Lancelot who was killed on a recent mission investigating billionaire Richmond Valentine (Jackson).  As Valentine’s plot becomes clear, a conspiracy begins to unravel as Eggsy must use his training to help the Kingsman take down Valentine.

The film was beyond entertaining and surprisingly thought out.  We get enough background on the history of the Kingsman to appreciate the organization and answer our questions (i.e. who are they, where did they come from, what’s their deal?)  The action sequences are wonderfully choreographed and when combined with a veritable smorgasbord of weapons and gadgets make for some intensely awesome fight scenes.  The training of the new agents is also fantastic as the young men and women are put into death defying situations in which they must react in real time adding an adrenaline inducing excitement to each task.  The humor is perfect as well.  Subtle enough to not be too in your face and cliché but over the top at just the right times; Samuel L. Jackson is superb.  Overall, the film was immensely entertaining and something I would most certainly watch again.  It felt like a mash up of James Bond, Harry Potter, and Kill Bill with sup

er cool spy gadgets and copious amounts of obscenities.  What could be better than that?

Frank is a Quirky and Revealing Film About Music

Austin’s South by Southwest Music and Art Festival has long been a place where local, regional, and relatively unknown bands are given the chance to reach a wider audience.  Many see playing the event as a turning point in their careers.  With this year’s incarnation having recently come to a close, I figured it was an appropriate time to discuss a recent indie film I watched which deals with exactly this, among other things.  Frank directed by Lenny Abrahamson and starring Domhnall Gleeson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Michael Fassbender is the story of a charismatic yet strange band called The Soronprfbs (the name is intentionally confusing).  After their keyboardist has a mental breakdown, the bands manager Don bumps into a young man named Jon who is in aspiring songwriter and performer.  Jon is invited to play with The Soronprfbs that night in town and jumps at the chance to play in a real band.  Lead by Frank, a mysterious yet determined man who always wears a large papermache mask, Jon has the time of his life and is thrilled when Frank invites him to join the band full time and come to Ireland to spend the next year recording their debut album.  Jon wants nothing more than to be famous and he can tell that Frank also wants to pursue fame despite the rest of the bands desire to remain anonymous and play the music that inspires them and only them.  Throughout the course of the year spent recording their album, Jon continually butts heads with band member Clara over the direction the band is taking.  After posting some of the songs online, The Soronprfbs are invited to play SXSW and Jon convinces Frank that this is exactly what they need to break into the mainstream and play music that everyone loves.  Despite Clara and the rest of the band insisting that Frank is not mentally stable enough to perform under such pressures.  Chaos ensues after many loud arguments, several mental breakdowns, and a stabbing which leads to disaster.  The film was an interesting take on the experience of independent bands.  The struggle between Jon’s aspirations of fame and Clara’s need to express herself free of outside influence is representative of the struggle many young bands face, particularly unsigned indie bands.  Frank encapsulates the pressures of pursuing that fame while maintaining your artistic integrity and you come to realize that the whole point of being in a band is to have fun and enjoy yourself.  If that isn’t the most important part, then you’re never going to last.  In this way, Frank ends up less of a character and more of a symbol of the freedom of doing and playing what you want.  Don tells Jon in the beginning that he shouldn’t try and be Frank.  Frank he explains, exists on a creative level that no one could ever hope to match and to try would be folly.  Jon comes to learn this lesson after many mistakes and both he and the viewer realize that self-expression is exactly that: SELF-expression.  It can’t be mimicked or faked.  It has to come from the heart, and Jon realizes in the end that that is exactly what made The Soronprfbs so inspiring in the first place. 

Second Podcast Talks How We Buy Music

Our second podcast is up and there's a link below to our Soundcloud!  We tackle everything from the vinyl resurgence, to the state of the music industry, to streaming, and how we buy our music.  Touching on illegal downloading and what constitutes a music snob, we hit so much in 16 minutes you'll be asking for more.  But don't fret!  Number three is on it's way next week where we'll switch it up and talk about movie award shows and our 5 favorite comedies of all time.  Look for it!!

Podcast #2: How Should We Buy Our Music?

Cult Classics - Meatballs is a Feel Good Summer Film for All

Considering today is the last day of school, it seems like a good opportunity for another Cult Classic, a timeless summer camp film which is a perfect way to get excited for the school vacation ahead.  Released in 1979, Meatballs was the first starring role for comedian Bill Murray.  Focusing on the quiet, introverted Rudy Gerner, away from home at sleep away camp for the first time, the film is part coming of age tale, part raunchy teen comedy, and part feel good family blockbuster.  Murray plays head counselor Tripper Harrison, in charge of the camps CIT’s (counselors in training) a group of elder teens which help lead activities and run the assorted bunk houses.  Tripper takes an interest in young Rudy and takes him under his wing for the duration of the summer.  The two go on long runs together and discuss life over games of poker.  The summer is filled with first loves, competition with neighboring camp Mohawk, and many pranks on camp director Morty Melnick.  There are WAY too many jokes and one-liners to list but suffice it to say that the entire movie is quotable.  From the CIT theme song to Murray’s constant sarcastic remarks both directly to campers and counselors and also over the camp loud speaker, the film is laugh out loud funny from start to finish.  In the end, the message is simple: be yourself, laugh often, and always remember to have a good time because when you take a step back and look at whatever problems you have, in the grand scheme of things….it just doesn’t matter. 

The Monuments Men - Good Film, Not Quite Serious Enough

The Monuments Men was an exciting and comical adventure which was only loosely based on the popular novel of the same name.  Written and directed by George Clooney, the film has an all-star cast including Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Hugh Bonneville, and Cate Blanchett.  The story begins with Frank Stokes (Clooney) convincing the Allied generals that saving Europe’s classic works of art is vital.  He believes that an Allied victory will be meaningless if the great works of the Renaissance masters are lost forever, either damaged, destroyed, or stolen.  Stokes is allowed to assemble a team of experts, historians, and artists to try and infiltrate enemy territory and recover the missing masterpieces.  Working with a Parisian curator named Claire Simone (Blanchett), James Granger (played by Matt Damon) attempts to get information about the missing pieces which are hastily being brought to Germany under the leadership of Nazi officer Viktor Stahl ahead of the advancing Allied armies.  The information is relayed to Stokes and the other members of his team who have split up and are scattered all across Europe attempting to retrieve priceless works such as Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child.  With no military support, the story is uplifting as this hodgepodge group of underdog’s singlehandedly save the history of Western art from the destruction of World War II.   However, I felt that the tone set by the director was very reminiscent of Ocean’s 11, another Clooney/Damon collaboration.  The seriousness of the story was overshadowed by the comedic elements which I feel took away from the gravity of what the team was trying to accomplish.  While comedic relief was necessary, it seemed to go a little far making the movie feel more like a art heist comedy when I was expecting a war drama.  Still, the movie was entertaining and enjoyable to watch, especially when you consider that the events depicted actually took place.  In the end it was an interesting and untold chapter in the history of the Second World War which makes viewing the great works on display at museums like the Louvre all the more special.   

Spike Jonze's "Her" Raises Many Ethical and Philosophical Questions

      From a sociological perspective, Her was very intriguing and raised a lot of ethical questions which were fun and interesting to ponder while watching.  That being said, the movie was not the romantic comedy the previews billed it to be.  

      Theodore Twombly is an introverted and quiet middle aged man going through a devastating divorce.  Ironically working at a company which writes personal love letters for people, Theodore goes through the motions of his average life wondering if this is it.  If he will ever feel the happiness he felt with his now ex-wife or if he is destined to only feel lesser versions of all the times he spent with her.  He has supportive friends and a comfortable life but what Theodore desperately wants is to love and to be loved once again.  

      No year is specified, but the “near future” the film takes place in shows a society not too far from our own.  Every single person has a small earpiece which they speak to constantly.  It reads them their email, gives them messages, and searches the web, anything you desire.  As such, humans have becoming increasingly disconnected from each other, similar to how many people in our society today claim that the smartphone and social media have destroyed personal human interaction.  This only compounds Theodore’s problems as he finds it increasingly difficult to meet someone meaningful.  That all changes with the invention of OS1, a personalized, artificially intelligent operating system available for purchase which promises to be anything you want it to be.  

      Theodore decides to give it a try and after booting it up and answering a few basic questions, Samantha is born.  Voiced by Scarlett Johansson, Samantha instantly makes a connection with Theodore.  The two become fast friends as Theodore and Samantha have conversation after conversation with each other.  Constantly connected via his earpiece, Samantha is only a click away whenever Theodore wishes to talk to her and after a while, the viewer begins to feel as though she is a physical person that he’s speaking to on the phone.  She can even see and comment on the world around him via his “smartphone”, a tiny tablet which connects to his earpiece that Theodore carries around in his breast pocket.  

      Here’s where the movie starts to delve into some deep philosophical and ethical questions.  Samantha is, for all intents and purposes, a person.  She can think, learn, feel, make decisions, be angry, sad, happy, frustrated, depressed, you name it.  The two have many conversations about what she is.  Is she just a computer program or something more?  As the two fall in love, become intimate, and begin to pursue a more meaningful relationship these questions become all the more imperative and you quickly begin to realize that there is no direct answer.  Not only a commentary on love, Her is a commentary on life itself and what it truly means to BE alive.  

      Director Spike Jonze does a fabulous job at subtly dealing with these questions alongside some superb acting, particularly by Johansson.  At the end of the day however, the movie is an overall depressing story and one that leaves you with more questions than answers.  But in a way, that’s the point.  Does anyone really have a definitive answer to life or love?  No, just like Theodore, we simply have to dive in feet first and hope everything works out.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is Straight Out of the Imagination

Ben Stiller is almost always hit or miss for me.  Sometimes he knocks it out of the park and other times his roles feel forced or too artificial.  That is not the case in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.  The film was spectacular and was laugh out loud funny with imaginative explosions that keep the viewer questioning reality.  Walter is someone all of us can relate to.  Literally everyone who has ever worked a boring 9-5 and yearned for more can relate to Walter’s bouts of severe daydreaming and his constant desire to live a more exciting and fulfilling life.  Ironically employed by LIFE magazine, Walter works in the dark basement photo department meticulously cutting, trimming, and organizing the magazines photos as their negative assets manager; a very important job which goes completely unnoticed by the corporate big wigs upstairs.  Walter constantly imagines himself in distant lands on crazy adventures or wooing the girl of his dreams (played by Kristin Wigg) by scaling frozen mountain peaks or saving the day from certain destruction.  And yet he is always brought back to reality by whoever notices Walter “zoning out” and staring off into space (which happens often).  His life takes an unexpected turn however when he receives a packet of photos from famed photojournalist Sean O’Connell who informs him that negative #25 captures the “quintessence” of life and should be used for the cover of the magazines upcoming final print issue.  The only problem is that #25 is missing and Walter knows that it will mean his job if he can’t locate it.  Walter assumes the only way to find the negative is to find Sean, his adventurous hero who he’s gotten to know purely through his letters and photos.  Walter uses clues from the other negatives and embarks on a journey to find Sean.  Along the way he ends up doing what he has always dreamed of, living life to its absolute fullest.  Breaking out of his comfort zone and taking risks for the first time ever Walter realizes that his dreams are not so out of reach and that life can truly be as magical and awe inspiring as he’s always imagined.  Everyone who watches this film will no doubt see some of themselves in Walter Mitty.  We can all relate to wanting more out of life and wishing we could take off to far corners of the world on crazy adventures.  What makes the movie so special is that Walter decides to just do it.  He pulls the proverbial trigger and makes us all believe that we can make our dreams come true.

The Grand Budapest Hotel Was Exquisite

Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel was just as whimsical, hysterical, and beautiful as I expected.  Anderson’s film making is unlike anyone else in Hollywood, past or present.  His movies are tiny snapshots into intensely imaginative worlds which transport the viewer directly into the scenes and make you feel as though you are not merely an observer, but a participant.  His characters are both relatable and outrageous to the point of being almost caricature-like.  In this, his latest film, Anderson takes us to the Republic of Zubrowka, a fictional land in the European Alps where a once regal and well respected hotel known as The Grand Budapest has fallen into sad disrepair and is inhabited only by the occasional estranged guest.  It is there that we meet the hotels owner, an elderly and seemingly well off man named Zero Moustafa who agrees to tell his story, and how he came to be in possession of the finest hotel that ever was.  Flashing back to the eve of World War II, we find Zero as a young lobby boy, recently hired at the Grand Budapest under the supervision of the greatest concierge to ever grace the profession, Monsieur Gustave H. (expertly portrayed by Ralph Fiennes).  Monsieur Gustave treats every guest as if they were a member of his family and his attention to detail is equaled only by his commitment to perfection.  Taking Zero under his wing, Gustave sets about showing him the ropes in a dry, satirical manner which is both hysterical and admirable.  One guest in particular strikes a chord with Gustave, the elderly and wealthy Madame D.  The two form a romantic relationship and after her unexpected death, she bequeaths her invaluable painting “Boy With Apple” to Gustave, enraging her evil son Dmitri Desgoffe-und-Taxis who vows to destroy Gustave and take back “Boy With Apple”.  Hilarity ensues as Gustave and Zero set about hiding the priceless painting as they make a pact to never reveal its location and Gustave agrees to make Zero his sole heir.  I won’t go any further into the story as things spiral out of control, Zero falls in love with a local bakery girl, and the hotel is occupied by a military force.  To find out more you will have to watch the film.  Overall, I couldn’t have been happier with the movie.  All of Anderson’s usual crew make appearances including Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Ed Norton, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum, Owen Wilson, Harvey Keitel and others, including newcomers Saoirse Ronan and Jude Law.  Anderson continues to show an incredible eye for cinema with sets and camera shots that defy modern conventions.  A remarkably unique story is the result and one that will not disappoint.

Pirate Radio: Peace, Love, and Rock n' Roll

      After watching Pirate Radio I wanted to jump in the car and either drive off the pier, radio ablaze in an attempt to start my own rebellious rock station, or head to Best Buy to purchase the film.  After an intense internal struggle I went with option B.  The film…was…SPECTACULAR!  With an ensemble cast including Bill Nighy, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Nick Frost, and many others, the film is a veritable cornucopia of talent.  With a dry, witty, sarcastic tone throughout, the film gives you the same feeling as Monty Python or Shaun of the Dead (another great Nick Frost film).  The premise centers around a group of misfits operating a pirate radio station on a boat off the coast of Great Britain in 1966.  Much to the dismay of the British authorities, the ship continuously broadcasts whatever music it likes, safe in international waters.  The film is to a small extent a classic coming of age tale focusing on the experiences of Carl, the seventeen year old godson of Quentin (Bill Nighy) who runs the station.  Following around his favorite disc jockey, The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Carl comes to realize that there are much more important things in life than growing up.  A phenomenal soundtrack only helps to further catapult this film into my top five favorite movies of all time.  Songs by The Kinks, The Who, The Beach Boys, Jeff Beck, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and many others coupled with classic 60’s fashion help to give the film a real sense of nostalgia and transport the viewer right back to the flower power decade.  Peace, love and rock n’ roll…what else is there?