Quote of the Day

Pornography is great!

-Arianna Sanders

Quote of the Day

And where are the clowns? There ought to be clowns. Well, maybe next year... GIVE ME A BEER!

-Mama Smith, rewriting the ending to "Send in the Clowns"

Film Review: Love and Other Drugs

Smart, realistic romantic comedies are hard to find, especially ones that convey an adult relationship; one recent release that came remarkably close was (500) Days of Summer. Love and Other Drugs is almost classic romantic comedy material, elevated greatly by the giant megawatt performances of Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway. However, the film's script needs another few rounds of edits before truly honing this movie into a true gem; a director sharper than Edward Zwick would also have benefitted the picture, giving the romantic comedy structure and occasional cliches a more singular edge.

Gyllenhaal plays Jamie Randall, a true charmer and lothario who finds his calling in the world of pharmaceutical sales during the late 1990s; Hathaway plays Maggie Murdock, a wild woman afflicted by Parkinson's. As Jamie's career becomes more intense, and Maggie begins to grapple with the reality of her disease, the two begin to fall into a surprising relationship. The film's central love story works on all levels, showing a rather realistic side to love and lust; Love and Other Drugs loves its sex scenes, while Gyllenhaal and Hathaway give it their all. There are copious amounts of nudity from the two stars (both of whom have never looked more beautiful on screen), but in a way that feels organic and fun. It's never overly gratuitous, but rather an appropriate look at two people with a wonderful appetite for sex; Jamie and Maggie don't have post-coital chats with the sheets up to their chins, hiding. It's sexy and steamy, but it also informs their relationship.

The film fails in its numerous subplots that weave in and out of the central narrative, subplots that could have used serious revision. Beyond the two leads, the rest of the cast is rather throwaway, especially an unimaginative spot by the occasionally funny Josh Gad as Jamie's brother Josh; Josh's subplot is derivative and boring, more cloying than comedic. Also, the pharmaceutical elements are not developed enough to compete with the high satire found in last year's Up in the Air. Zwick, who also cowrote the screenplay, should have realized that the film works best when Gyllenhaal and Hathaway are together, and stripped away much of the extraneous goop. Thankfully, Zwick carefully shies away from hopeless melodrama, instead focusing on well-used moments of sentimentality.

The undebatable highlight of this film is the overwhelming chemistry between Gyllenhaal and Hathaway; here's hoping these two star in another film together, soon. After playing a couple in Brokeback Mountain, the two are reunited and sparks fly. Gyllenhaal is perfectly cast as the cocky and egregiously charming Jamie, still able to mine the necessary emotions behind the pretty facade; Gyllenhaal is outstanding during the film's romantic climax, further cementing his status as one of Hollywood's true young and irresistible talents. However, Hathaway is the main attraction, giving a performance both effortlessly likable and searingly passionate. Hathaway mines everything Maggie has, especially during the meatier scenes about Maggie's illness (for example, an emotionally complex moment late in the film featuring a bottle of vodka). Hathaway's giant brown eyes light up the screen, it's impossible not to follow her every move. Depending on the film's fate as a whole, this could be another Oscar nomination for Miss Hathaway. She's gorgeously depressing and fiercely irresistible.

Zwick's direction is uninspired, undermining the script's subtleties. The cinematography feels flat and boring, and many of the shots are predictable. With a different director, Love and Other Drugs would have been a much better film, maintaining the romantic energy while giving a more solid aesthetic base. Love and Other Drugs still offers some big laugh, buff bodies, and heartbreakingly beautiful moments, a giddy story of falling in love that will have you tearing up; it's entertaining, touching, obscenely sexy, and always engaging, even at its messiest moments. The final scene is perfection, slight melancholy and bright joy laced together in equal measure. It's worth the price of admission alone to see Gyllenhaal and Hathaway, soaking up every second of the other's presence; what was disheartening for me was seeing a much better, solid-A film at the core of this movie, the type of solid-A romance Gyllenhaal and Hathaway deserve. B

Film Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part I

Harry Potter was introduced to the Muggle world a decade ago by the one and only Jo Rowling, and a phenomenon began as a generation grewn up with The Boy Who Lived. As Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is released in theaters, with Part II coming out July 15, 2011, that chapter has finally come to a close; yes, I'm already sobbing at the prospect of finishing this long journey with characters I've had around since I was in third grade. It only seems appropriate that the film series has truly stepped up its game with the final entry in the penultimate film. The first half of Deathly Hallows is my favorite film of the cinematic adaptations (we'll see how Part II ranks this summer; I have outrageously high hopes after this installment), narrowly beating out Alfonso Cuarón wickedly dark Prisoner of Azkaban for the top spot. David Yates, who will live on as the master director of the series after overseeing the final four films, has finally struck a perfect balance of arthouse aesthetics, mature tone, magical wonderment, and blockbuster bombast.

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint return as Harry, Hermione, and Ron; instead of returning to Hogwarts, the trio are on the run to destroy the four remaining Horcruxes before taking on Lord Voldermort. The film ultimately rests on the shoulders of these three actors, an they give their best performances to date; Grint is especially surprising in his more emotive scenes, while Watson truly understands what's going on inside Hermione's head. Given the story's departure from confines of the wizarding school, Yates is able to craft more of his own vision. Beyond all else, this is undoubtedly the most gorgeously shot film of the series; cinematographer Eduardo Serra, new to the series and deserving of an Oscar nomination for his work here, captures breathtaking British landscapes, stunning sets pieces, and a deeply foreboding, dark tension. Alexandre Desplat, my favorite film composer, uplifts these moments by taking classic motifs from the previous films and creating a simple, sonically engaging soundtrack.

The decision to split Deathly Hallows into two films may have sounded like a transparent ploy by Warner Brothers to make as much money as possible, but Yates proves that the split was an artistic necessity. With more breathing room, Deathly Hallows follows the plot of the novel closer than any other entry. Yates also adds small moments that add beautiful to the tone of J.K. Rowling's work; specifically, a scene where Harry and Hermione dance during a particularly tense moment sums up the long, winding relationship of two best friends. It's a warm and nostalgic moment, one that reminded me how long these character have been in my life, and how much I will truly miss them come July. While the movie clocks in at two and a half hours, I never wanted Deathly Hallows to end.

Deathly Hallows is sprawling, epic, taut, full of surprises, biting funny, and endlessly rewarding as a cinematic event. Packed with sequences that are utterly terrifying sequences (the chilling opening scene; Godric's Hollow; a cold torture scene that once again demonstrates the flawless casting of Helena Bonham Carter), thrilling (the trio's infiltration of the Ministry of Magic with its new totalitarian imagery; a chase through the woods), and emotional resonant (Emma Watson is wonderful in a heartbreaking scene at the film's beginning; Toby Jones is exceptional as the voice of house-elf Dobby), the film always entertains; if you don't cry during the final ten minutes, you may need to double check that you have a pulse.

One of the film's best moments is a particularly imaginative depiction of the myth behind the Deathly Hallows. It shows that Yates has become completely comfortable with his handle on the series, and is finally willing to take big risks for a big payoff. With Hogwarts absent, Yates is able to truly focus in on the human relationships at play; the awe-struck sentiment that coursed through the first few films is long gone, replaced with a view of magic that is brutal and unflinching, a view that zooms in on the connective thread between those in search of hope. The dark Part I certainly feels like a prologue piece, with a slightly abrupt ending, to the giant finale to come, but it's a prologue that's firing on all cylinders. A-

Quote of the Day

Are there beaches in Australia...?

-Mama Smith

Quote of the Day

Celebrity is a mask that eats into the face... One can either see or be seen.
-John Updike

Quote of the Day

It doesn't matter what people call you unless they call you pigeon pie and eat you up.
-Charles Ryder, Brideshead Revisited

Album Review: Rihanna's 'Loud'

I'm trying out something different here? Bear with me...

After releasing commercial failure Rated R almost exactly a year ago, Rihanna has returned to her brand of danceable pop on Loud. While the album is packed with undeniable smash hits, the entire set feels a little hollow. Rihanna is back in high spirits, paired with that flaming red mane, but the twelve tracks on Loud fail to meld together into a cohesive album. It's a tighter, more controlled edition of what she delivered on Good Girl Gone Bad. Rihanna has become much more sonically mature, and Loud is an effortless, well-crafted pop gem; unfortunately, she's also not departing too far from her regular shtick.

The album kick off with its hottest track, and allegedly the album's third single, "S&M." Unabashedly sexualized, with shocking schoolyard recess wordplay and an extremely hooky chorus, the track is soaked in lurid sex appeal; it's a near-perfect pop jam, a modern twist on the best stuff from the 80s. Rihanna also wows with "Cheers (Drink To That)," using an obscure Avril Lavigne sample to craft a sing-a-long anthem. Rihanna in known for taking the best elements of modern radio and crafting flawless earworms, and Loud is far and above the strongest her usually thin voice has ever sounded. However, unlike fellow radio diva Lady Gaga, Rihanna is never a step ahead of current trends; "Cheers" shows that maybe there is a smarter and more imaginative album in Rihanna's future.

The rest of the album strives to reach the pop splendor of those two standout tracks, as well as the album's fun and flirty first two singles, "Only Girl (In The World)" and "What's My Name?" featuring Drake. "Complicated" shows that Rihanna has been working on her belt, and is certainly the album's strongest mid-tempo track; the rest of the quasi-ballads are forgettable and uninspired. "Raining Men" wastes the skills of guest rapper Nicki Minaj with clunky production, and the island flavor of "Man Down" is a searingly hot but awkwardly squeezed in amongst the rest of the tracks. Regardless, it is wonderful to hear a rock-tinge smattered throughout Loud, including the boiling guitar riffs found throughout Rated R.

Ultimately, Loud doesn't completely work because Rihanna was at the height of her artistic talents on Rated R. Many dismissed the album for being too dark and depressing, too much of a departure of the singer. However, while many moments of Loud feel empty, Rated R blazed with raw aggression and passion. Each of the thirteen songs on Rated R showed a new facet of a woman dealing with unbearable tragedy; it was a true album, sonically electrifying and visceral, endlessly interesting and entertaining. Rihanna might be pleasing a much larger audience with Loud, but turning up the volume doesn't necessarily mean she has more to say. The album's final track, a beautiful acoustic cut of "Love The Way You Lie (Part II)," just Rihanna and a piano, shows the songstress at her most vulnerable, stripped and broken but still standing. It's the sort of emotion Loud could have used more of. B

Quote of the Day

RAH RAH like a dungeon dragon

-Nicki Minaj, "Roman's Revenge"

Concert Review: Robyn's Body Talk Tour, Terminal 5

Robyn's biggest moment crossover moment in the United States was her ubiquitous 1997 radio hit, "Show Me Love." Thirteen years later, and with three "albums" released in 2010 (Body Talk Pt. 1, Body Talk Pt. 2, and the full Body Talk), Robyn is on top of her game. After reaching superstar status in Europe with her 2005 release Robyn, Robyn has yet to make the huge impact in the States she so desperately deserves. Robyn certainly proved that she was worth the attention at her sold-out Terminal 5 show on Wednesday night, a Swedish pop genius that should be a name on everyone's lips.

Robyn's pop music is infused with an electro-80s flair, while still sounding irresistibly modern and insanely catchy. With a penchant for writing sad love songs over dance-happy synths, Robyn creates some of the most deeply engaging strictly pop tunes out there. Her vocal range might not be the widest in the business, but she packs every word with honest emotion and lyrical grace; her voice has a distinct quality and strong presence that draws you in. Live, her voice sounded flawless, and Robyn hit every single note on the mark. Robyn's dance moves are straight out of the 80s, rife with glitchy arm movements and dramatic hip gyrations. Matched with her short clip of bleach-blonde hair, Robyn pulls of an androgynous look that toes the line between sexy and adorable. She's always effortlessly cool.

Opening with "Fembot", which segued directly into "Cry When You Get Older" and her cover of the Teddybears' "Cobrastyle," Robyn had the packed, dancing crowd at a near riot from the very moment she stepped on stage. I was expecting the energy level to die down at some point, but Robyn kept giving each tune her everything, and the crowd responded with equal verve. Every song was a sing-a-long, and Terminal 5's general admission floor looked like an overwhelmed nightclub; Body Talk singles "Dancing On My Own," "Hang With Me," and "Indestructible" became scream-a-longs, transforming misery-tinged lyrics of lost love into empowering anthems. While I would have enjoyed some Robyn's beautiful acoustic reworkings in the middle of the set, Robyn's show glided along at a blazing clip, sexy and vibrant.

This by far was the loudest and most relentlessly enthusiastic crowd I have ever been a part of, and the sheer joy on Robyn's face between numbers showed that she was soaking up every moment. Packing her set with a double encore, Robyn gave her audience everything she had. With a killer band, live arrangements that added extra edge to her appeal, and boundless energy and passion, Robyn commanded the stage like a fearless icon. When started her second encore with "Dancehall Queen," which slowed down to a minimalist beat for a brief cover of ABBA's "Dancing Queen" before shifting into "Show Me Love," the accompanying screams cemented Robyn's status as pop superstar. Or rather, the United States' biggest undiscovered pop superstar.

Body Talk Tour Set List, 11/10/10
Fembot, Cry When You Get Older, Cobrastyle, Dancing On My Own, We Dance to the Beat/Don't Fucking Tell Me What to Do, Love Kills, The Girl and the Robot, Indestructible, Dream On, With Every Heartbeat; [encore #1] U Should Know Better, Konichiwa Bitches, Hang With Me, Be Mine; [encore #2] Dancehall Queen, Dancing Queen/Show Me Love

Quote of the Day

Just keep swimming...

-Dory, Finding Nemo

Quote of the Day

She's so Sixties French New Wave - like a Godard starlet - but totally modern.
-Ederm Moralioglu, on Carey Mulligan

Quote of the Day

I charmed the shit out of them.
-Ross Ramone

Concert Review: Florence + the Machine's Cosmic Love Tour, Terminal 5

Florence + the Machine has been making giant waves in the music world in the past year, slowly getting the giant recognition that is more than rightly deserved. The band (Florence Welch as the fiery redhead chanteuse, with the Machine as her backing band) released their debut album Lungs stateside in the summer of 2009; the album's singular sound and etherial faerie goddess have been gaining momentum ever since. Recently, Florence + the Machine performed "Dog Days Are Over" at the VMAs (arguably the best performance of the evening), while the single's video was nominated for Video of the Year.

I was blown away by Florence's previous appearance in New York in last April, so I just had to see her again when I found out she was playing two nights (November 1st and 2nd) at New York's Terminal 5. Florence returned with equal abandon, turning her gorgeous music into a rollicking live show. One of the greatest attributes of Florence's show is the translation of tunes, giving her studio arrangements more room to breathe when performed on stage, letting her untouchable voice command the melody. One of the best examples of this is "Drumming Song", which explodes on stage with equal parts energetic abandon and soft romanticism. It's just one of the bright instances where Florence turns her perfectly balanced slice of indie-folk-forest-Renaissance-magic album (a single label would do her flawless work a disservice) into something resembling a rock show.

One noticeable different found in last night's performance was Florence's confident and overwhelming stage presence. While Florence had a few quick moments of obvious nerves during her show last April, Florence has truly transformed into a mystical queen; she floated across the stage with uninhibited grace, bellowed with deep passion, and flirted with sensuous dance moves. When speaking to the audience, Florence was sweet and soft-spoken; when belting out her songs, she morphed into a different woman.

Florence's voice is unbelievable, and it is almost impossible to comprehend when heard live. Florence reaches her highest notes with ease, gorgeously whistling airy tones. However, just as quickly, her voice shifts into a hard, emotional belt, imbuing her notes with power and majesty. Florence perfectly executed this play between the two registers of her voice on the brand new song "Strangeness and Charm", a gorgeous and epically structured track that shows promising signs for the upcoming second album. Further, "I'm Not Calling You A Liar" showcased the soaring quality of Florence's voice, while "Kiss With A Fist," which become an energetic call-and-response with the audience, showed her brute force. Beautiful doesn't even begin.

When Florence finally played her biggest hit, "Dog Days Are Over", the crowd absolutely exploded. Florence's giant smile was infections, as were her demands to have the entire space jump and clap to the final chorus. Surrounded by her band, including her own free-standing drum and a giant harp, wearing a detailed leotard with flowing cape, Florence was on top of the world. If you ever have the opportunity to see this woman live, do not miss the chance. She is above and beyond the best vocalist I have ever heard in concert. Lungs is one of the deepest and most instantaneously engaging albums recently released, and Florence + the Machine's live show intensifies that feeling. This woman and her band will bring tears to your eyes, a pounding in your heart, and an indescribable joy to your heart.

Cosmic Love Tour Set List, 11/2/10
Cosmic Love; My Boy Builds Coffins; Hurricane Drunk; Drumming Song; Blinding; I'm Not Calling You A Liar; Between Two Lungs; Howl; Strangeness and Charm; Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up); [encore] Heavy In Your Arms, Kiss With A Fist, Dog Days Are Over