A Movie Review: 50/50

50/50. A young man who lives a healthy lifestyle, Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), finds out that he has a rare form of cancer and that his chances of survival are 50-50. We follow him through his cancer treatment and how his relationships are impacts. We see him growing closer to his best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen), falling apart from his girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard), and dealing with parent-child complications with his mother (Anjelica Huston). And, of course, one has to mention his psychologist Katherine (Anna Kendrick).

This is a movie that deals with the struggles of unexpected hardship (meaning I think folks can relate to this movie even if they haven’t dealt with cancer). This movie has a comedic bent to it and walks the delicate dramady combination well.

And note on Bryce Dallas Howard who has this gift recently of playing heartless characters.

A Movie Review: Moneyball

Moneyball. If you read my blog regularly, you'll notice I write occasionally about basketball and football, but never baseball.  The reason is that I'm not really into baseball.  But this movie had some pedigree.  The movie was based on a Michael Lewis book.  I've actually never read a Michael Lewis book, but he did write books that I am aware of:  The Big Short, Blindside, Liar's Poker.  And this movie stars Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill.  It was also well reviewed.  And I got the impression the movie was about more than baseball; a movie about the implementation of a change in philosophy.

I'm not sure this movie deserves a best picture nod as some seem to be saying, but I definitely enjoyed it.  It is a movie about a General Manager of the Oakland A's deciding that he had to switch things up in order to keep up with money teams such as New York and Boston.  Sometimes you just have to think differently and sometimes thinking differently is actually the right way to go.

A Movie Review: Martha Marcy May Marlene

Martha Marcy May Marlene. So maybe I should have paid more attention while watching this movie, because I obviously missed out on something. We have Martha (Elizabeth Olsen) who is given a nickname Marcy May by cult leader Patrick (John Hawkes), but where did the Marlene come into play?

The movie starts with Martha at cult's compound. She soon escapes to her family: her sister, Lucy (Sarah Paulson), and brother-in-law, Ted (Hugh Dancy).  Her time with the cult causes a type of post traumatic stress disorder.  She fears that Patrick will go searching for her and she finds it hard to re-integrate into normal society.  Through flash-backs we find that her time at the cult initially started with sexual brainwashing but quickly spiraled into criminal behavior.

I am up in the air with this movie.  I loved the pacing of the movie, but some things just got me irritated.  For example, though her sister and brother-in-law in my mind want to help Martha (yes, they get frustrated, but wouldn't anyone get frustrated with the erratic behavior of a loved one), they for some reason seem hesitant to ask her deeper questions about her two year disappearance.  I don't even think they realize that she was in a cult for two years.  They seem to just accept the fact that she was in a bad relationship.  Of course, maybe when you haven't seen someone for two years, you're hesitant to ask the deeper questions.

Also, I didn't pay close enough attention to when the name Marlene came into play.  Maybe if I did the movie would make more sense.  Somehow I suspect the last few scenes would have played out better.  I'll have to catch this movie on the Sundance channel some day and re-review this movie.

 

Pu$$y Cow and French Exit playing Redwood Bar

Pu$$y Cow. Lead singer, Joe, pushed his way through the crowd a couple times. A comment was made that the men in the audience should show their bro-tatoes -- you needed to be there.

French Exit. This was my second time seeing them. I'm happy I saw them a second time. After their first song, I was thrilled that I'd stuck around to see them.

Pu$$y Cow



French Exit

Raw Geronimo at Origami Vinyl

Okay, first off not the best Raw Geronimo photo, but I didn't bring my top end camera as I was coming directly from work. Anyways, lead singer, Laena Geronimo, gave one energetic performance. And the music is fun and raw.

Little Hurricane and The Janks at The Bootleg Bar

The Janks. What wonderful sounding music.

Little Hurricane. I caught them at the Levitt Pavilion Pasadena. I decided to catch them again. Great set. Pounding beat.

The Janks



Little Hurricane

Underwater City People, The King Cheetah, Ol' Bessy and Drag News at Los Globos Nightclub

It was off to Los Globas Nightclub to celebrate Underwater City People's album release party. I got to catch The King Cheetah, Ol' Bessy, Drag News and closing out the night for me was Underwater City People. It was a good time to catch up with friends and celebrate a new album.

The King Cheetah



Ol' Bessy



Drag News



Underwater City People

Twilight Sleep and Empires at The Satellie

It was off to The Satellite to catch Empires and Twilight Sleep. Empires hail from Chicago. They had one major fan up front who actually got a number of people to get real close to the stage for their final song.  Maybe the guy was from Chicago.  I have to say I love the way their lead singer is staring out into the audience in the below photo.  Twilight Sleep hit the stage next.  I hadn't seen them since Silverlake Jubilee.  I say compare the facial expressions of the two lead singers in the below photos.

Empires



Twilight Sleep

The World Record and Hi Ho Silver Oh @ Silverlake Lounge

The Monday Residency rotation took me to the Silverlake Lounge for a couple bands. The World Record hit the stage soon after I arrived. My first thought, love the music. My second thought, what a close knit group of friends. The residency band for this month is Hi Ho Silver Oh.  Every so often, I get these e-mails that mention Hi Ho Silver Oh.  I'm happy I finally got to catch them. 

The World Record




Hi Ho Silver Oh

The Shakers, Willa Ford, AutoMatique and Badwater at The Viper Room

The Shakers, I love The Shakers. Anyways, before The Shakers hit the stage, I had to drive out to the Sunset Strip and The Viper Room. It isn't that I don't like the Sunset Strip. It is the fact that it is so far from Glendale. I'm getting old. If I lived in West Hollywood, I'd probably find my way to the Sunset Strip more often. Whenever I'm on the Sunset Strip, I always get this buzz from it.

I got to the Viper Room and found that I wasn't on the guest list. I had to get some help getting my camera inside. Once I got inside the Viper Room, I got to catch about half of Willa Ford's set. She was once a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. I wished I'd caught her whole set. She has a wonderful voice as well as a pleasant personality.

Next up was AutoMatique. They're a former Kiss or Kill band. They just blew me away with their thirty minute set.

The main act, The Shakers, hit the stage at 11-ish.  First two songs were all about Jodie.  It was like, "Wow, where did that come from."  Cameras were out.  Photos were being taken.  Amazing.  And it was one crowded, packed night.  I was basically stuck in one location, taking photos.  And when their set ended, I still couldn't move for awhile.  I swear I was stuck for about five minutes as fans filed out the door. If the Fire Marshall dropped by, I wonder if there would have been capacity problems.

Final band of the night was Badwater.  See photo below.  Hair was in.  A nice end to the night.

My comparison between women of the Sunset Strip versus women from the Silverlake scene.

Sunset Strip conversation

Woman:  I'm mad at you.  You didn't take photos that I would have taken.

Silverlake conversation

Woman:  So do you take photos for a website or the band?

I got to say, I'm a bit bias towards the Silverlake-type conversations.

Willa Ford



AutoMatique



The Shakers



Badwater

Black Flamingo: The Smell

I noticed that Black Flamingo was going to play The Smell. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to catch their set as my friend and his band The Mo-odds were supposed to hit the stage at the same time, 10 p.m. Anyways, it so happened that The Mo-odds set got pushed until 11 p.m. and the two venues (The Down and Out being the other) were within a block of each other. So I walked up the street to The Smell.  Why do I love the Black Flamingo?  Love the vocals and the background of sorrowful wails.

LA Drugz, The Horror Squad, Pu$$y Cow and Attila & the Hunks at the Blue Star

It is a tradition by Pu$$y Cow to throw a Halloween show. This time around LA Drugz, The Horror Squad, (of course) Pu$$y Cow and Attila and the Hunks hit the stage.  Folks dressed up for the night, which perhaps out shined the music.  There were various custom contests:  scariest, funniest, sexist and best.  I would post some photos, but hate to post photos of folks who might not want to have their images posted on the Internet.

Witches, pirates, ketchup bottles, cats, Thor and many many more were represented at the Blue Star.  

LA Drugz




The Horror Squad




Pu$$y Cow



Attila and the Hunks