Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on October 3rd, 2013
For a variety of reasons, fewer people seem to be retiring when they turn 65. That’s long been the case for legendary musicians like Bryan Ferry, who was at that milestone age when he filmed this concert in Lyon, France during the summer of 2011. Ferry has always combined his own "old soul" sensibility with a forward-thinking approach to creating music. So this show, with Ferry now an actual senior citizen, turned out to be an ideal time to check in on the former Roxy Music frontman.
Live in Lyon was part of a tour supporting Ferry’s 2010 “Olympia” album, and features music from the singer’s staggering 40-year career. As a result, the show highlights Roxy Music hits from the ‘70s and early ‘80s, as well as a generous helping of cuts from Ferry’s accomplished solo career, which also includes his haunting covers of other artists. (The album that preceded “Olympia” was a 2007 collection of Bob Dylan covers called “Dylanesque.”)
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on October 2nd, 2013
Family Guy has reached a level of impact upon the American pop culture where I believe the characters need little to no introduction. Is there anyone, really, that doesn’t recognize Stewie; after all he’s reached the status of icon and has even become a fixture of the Thanksgiving parade as one of the many floats. Where The Flintstones, then later The Simpsons were at one time the dominating animated family on the television tackling day to day struggles of the modern American (each in their own and unique way), Family Guy (love it or hate it) now seems to be the go-to animated family.
In this collection of 23 episodes, the creative force, Seth Macfarlane, and his team continue to deliver the laughs along with their twisted moral messages. Instead of jumping right into it and discussing the season’s lows and highs, I want to mention the oddball of the group Screams of Silence: The Story of Brenda Q. In what starts out as an amusing tale about Quagmire barely escaping death while experimenting with some kinky sex, quickly the story shifts instead to the abusive relationship his sister is in. For television, with the added bleeps it may not have seemed so harsh, but with the uncensored set the viewer stands by and watches the verbal, physical and emotional abuse Brenda goes through, and it is intense. The gang feels there is little to do knowing Brenda will never leave the boyfriend, so they decide to schedule a camping trip where they plan to kill him and have it look like an accident. Before any feminist groups get upset feeling the show is making a joke out of abuse towards women, surprisingly it’s the opposite; the episode is dark and at times uncomfortable and shocking as the story unfolds. For a twenty-two minute episode they cram a lot in to deliver a message as subtle as it may be, but I applaud the creative team behind it for using their creative forum to get their message out.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 2nd, 2013
We all remember Ed O'Neill as Al Bundy from Married With Children. It's an iconic role that he'll never be able to shake no matter what he does for the rest of his life. After that series ended its 11-year run, he even attempted to get out of comedy and take more dramatic roles. I'm sure there was a deliberate intent to try to distance himself from Al. It's not that he likely didn't love playing the role. He just wanted to avoid getting forever typecast in the mold. Those efforts weren't all that successful. But now he's back where he belongs again in a pretty solid sit-com. He's not playing Al Bundy any more, although you won't have to look very hard to find some of Bundy in Jay from Modern Family.
I have become somewhat frustrated over the television comedy genre for a lot of years. It seems that they all take the same path no matter what the show's actual concept might be. It's usually the same jokes, just in a different environment. I don't have children, but I expect that it must be near impossible to sit down and watch a comedy with your family any more. If I were a stranger visiting this planet for the first time, I would quickly come to the conclusion that sex is about the only thing that's funny here. Thank God that once in a while something fresh comes along and swims against the current tide of innuendo and toilet humor. Modern Family is the kind of show you can enjoy with the entire family. And guess what? It's pretty darn funny on top of it all.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 1st, 2013
"I met him fifteen years ago; I was told there was nothing left; no reason, no conscience, no understanding; and even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, of good or evil, right or wrong. I met this six-year-old child, with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and the blackest eyes... the devil's eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up because I realized that what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply... evil."
In 1968 Marvin Gaye / Tammi Terrell hit the American pop charts with the song Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing. They didn't know it at the time, of course, but they were talking about John Carpenter's original 1978 Halloween. The sad fact is that this original classic sometimes gets lost, or worse, considered along with the various sequels and remakes. It's a crime, to be sure. The first film is nothing like anything that followed and should be considered more as a standalone film than it is now. That was always Carpenter's intention, and that's how I'd like you to consider the 35th Anniversary Blu-ray of Halloween.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 1st, 2013
"Toilet time is the last bastion of American freedom."
In this case it's toilet humor. I often have trouble believing that South Park has been around for as long as it has. It’s not just the passing of 16 years, but the sheer brilliance in the face of an increasingly politically correct society. It’s like watching old episodes of All In The Family. Who believes that Archie Bunker would have any chance of survival in the 21st century? It’s no wonder that Norman Lear has become involved in the series. It’s the last remaining vestige of a once great freedom to be ridiculous and offend. Eric Cartman’s a lot worse than Archie ever was. We always knew that, in his heart, Archie had a soul. Cartman’s a psychopath without a conscience, and in a civilized society we would be terrified of the existence of such a demon spawn…except he’s just so dang funny. Trey Parker and Matt Stone have been walking a tightrope for over 16 years now, and it just doesn’t get old. One of the reasons the show doesn’t grow stale is their ability to make such a quick turnaround on current events. Because the show takes literally days to write and produce, they are quite often always the first to address an issue. They had an election-night episode on literally the next day in last season. That means the ideas stay as fresh as the headlines.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on September 30th, 2013
Suburbia has always been presented as an otherworldly place to city folk. In The Neighbors — ABC’s underrated gem of a sci-fi sitcom — a New Jersey family moves from the city to the suburbs and discovers their new community is comprised entirely of placid, color-coordinated aliens. Each episode delivers fish-out-of-water planet laughs and a lesson in what it means to be human, in all our imperfect glory.
Debbie Weaver (Jami Gertz) always wanted her husband Marty (Lenny Venito) to take some initiative. Unfortunately, Marty overcompensates by hastily moving his entire family — which also includes surly teen Amber (Clara Mamet), and rambunctious younger children Max (Max Charles) and Abby (Isabella Cramp) — into an exclusive suburban community. What Marty doesn’t know is that the new neighbors in matching golf attire are friendly extraterrestrials disguised as humans.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on September 26th, 2013
"My name is Oliver Queen. For five years I was stranded on an island with only one goal: survive. Now, I will fulfill my father's dying wish to use the list of names he left me and bring down those who are poisoning my city. To do this I must become someone else. I must become something else."
That someone...that something else is the DC Comics character Green Arrow. Not to be confused by the same-colored Hornet or Lantern.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on September 25th, 2013
I am not a huge fan of documentaries, but I am coming around. Something about their format always reminded me of the educational films I would have to watch in school, and considering I spent most of my time trying to escape school, I suppose I was never willing to give proper documentaries the attention that they deserve. However I am much older (and mildly wiser) now, and I was able to give Dark Girls my full and undivided attention, and it proved to be worth every second of it.
Colorism: Prejudice or discrimination based on the relative lightness or darkness of the skin; generally a phenomenon occurring within one’s own ethnic group.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Brent Lorentson on September 25th, 2013
Football season is well on its way, and that can mean one thing; fantasy football players are at their computers making trades and setting up their lineups. For some fantasy football is nothing more than Dungeons and Dragons for adults who like football, but those that have their own league, well, you know how cutthroat things can get once your star receiver is injured and that perfect replacement just hit the waiver wire. The F/X (now I think FXX) show The League may take more than a few jabs at those who take fantasy football a little too seriously, but for myself this is one of my comedies on the air right now.
Considering this is an ensemble show where the laughs and plot lines are well spread throughout the core six, perhaps it would be better to run down the cast. Pete (Mark Duplass) who is the league’s three time champion, Ruxin (Nick Kroll), Kevin (Stephen Rannazzisi) Pete’s best friend, Jenny (Kate Aselton) Kevin’s wife, Andre (Paul Scheer), the socially awkward one of the bunch, and then there is Taco (Jon Lajoie) Kevin’s brother. Even though this band of friends seem to care a great deal for each other, feelings are easily put aside when it comes to the league or making a joke at the other’s expense.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on September 25th, 2013
Everyone on TV has nicer clothes and a bigger house than you do. And I’m not just talking about fictional doctors or lawyers. Even small-screen characters with relatively modest incomes manage to live in palatial apartments. Need proof? The 2 Allegedly Broke Girls in CBS’s hit sitcom live in an apartment that is literally big enough to fit a horse. (Hi, Chestnut.) Of course, the show isn’t exactly going for gritty realism. The most important thing here is the terrific comedic chemistry between stars Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs, which continues to carry this uneven show.
Max Black (Dennings) and Caroline Channing (Behrs) are best friends, despite the fact that they appear to be polar opposites. Caroline is blonde, skinny and sweet, while Max is dark haired, busty and sour. (Or, as one character put it during the second season, “That’s your brand…the Double D’s and the Ditz.”) Last season, Caroline (the disgraced daughter of a Ponzi schemer) convinced Max (a talented baker) to start a cupcake business together.
