A Movie Review: Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris. I really loved this movie. Gil (Owen Wilson) and Inez (Rachel McAdams) are in Paris.  In a few months, they'll be married.  You can immediately tell that their relationship isn't the best.  Gil is a successful Hollywood screenwriter who wants to become an author.  Inez loves living the life that comes from being the significant other of a successful Hollywood-type.  Dreams vs. Money.  And dreams do come into the picture as Gil finds himself swept into a time machine car that at midnight takes him to the past. 

Some classic scenes from the movie.  Gil runs into Zelda Fitzgerald (Alison Pill) and F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston) at a party.  He hasn't yet realized that he's taken a time machine car back into the 1920s.  Gil is surprised to learn that his new friends have the same names as the famous Fitzgerald couple.  Owen Wilson's facial expression and tone of voice are classic.  Another classic scene is when Gil is back in real time Paris.  He is looking around an open air shop and runs into a store clerk, Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux).  As he leaves, there is a split second shot of Gabrielle.  It might seem insignificant, but to me that split second shot of Gabrielle as she looks down is filled with meaning and foretelling.

A Movie Review: The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life.  Bored to death.

The film revolves around Jack (Sean Penn) as he looks back on his life.  The day we meet him is the anniversary of a younger brother's death.  His brother died at the age of 19 from unknown causes.  As he struggles through this specific day, we see him reflect on his younger years:  his relationship with his brothers (the assumption on my part is that it is his more artistic-leaning brother who dies way too young) and parents.

Nature vs. Grace is a theme of this movie.  To me, it looked like both are failures.  Mr O'Brien (Brad Pitt) is not well liked by his children because he is a very harsh father -- though I wouldn't call him abusive (nature).  Mrs O'Brien (Jessica Chastain) is loved by her children when they are young, but specifically Jack (played by Hunter McCracken as the youth) runs over her as he grows older (grace).  The movie also decides to spend ten minutes or so going through the history of evolution.  What is up with that?  Is that to show us that no matter what nature wins over grace or is it to show that we hardly matter in the grand scheme of life.

And as for Jack.  If anyone is the biggest jerk in the family, it is this kid.  Can one blame this on his father or mother?  Doubtful.  Nature has decided to make this kid the bad seed.

Yes, I am writing a lot about this movie, which sometimes indicates that it is a movie that makes one think.  In this case; however, I'm writing a lot because I felt like it was a movie that addressed significant issues in the most boring of manners.  Seriously, I didn't care one bit about the family.

Queen Kwong and LA Font @ Silverlake Lounge

Queen Kwong delivered us a crazy night.  All one has to do is spend ten minutes watching this video and you'll understand what I'm saying. The video shows Queen Kwong's last song. About halfway through the video, Carré (lead singer) walks off stage, waving. I took this as a sign that their set was finished. Not so. They continued on, providing us with a five minute jam session that including pacing, yelling . . . and then the full on destruction of a bass guitar. SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!  Okay, so the question is:  was that planned or inspired?  Whatever the answer via Queen Kwong, the question for many of you is:  why weren't you at Silverlake Lounge?    

Update 7/15:  So a friend sent me an e-mail asking why I didn't invite her to see a band called Godzilla or some band with a zilla in it.  What, I asked?  I went through a list of bands I'd seen over the last month or so, maybe she's thinking about Zola Jesus?  Zola, zilla, maybe?  No, she was talking about Queen Kwong.  I don't know how you get Godzilla from Queen Kwong, but I figure it is a funny little side story.   

My Mondays in Los Angeles are spent trying to circulate among the various Silverlake/Echo Park venues to catch the residency bands. LA Font is the July residency band at Silverlake.  I say this was particularly a night for the various bass players to shine.  The bass player for LA Font did not destroy his musical instrument at the end of their set, but he did shine in his own way.  On this night, he roamed the stage, enjoying some friendly riffs with the drummer, moving to the center of the stage to jam with the other band mates and swinging his bass guitar in all manner of directions. 

Queen Kwong






LA Font

A Movie Review: Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids. Perhaps the best movie that came out in the early part of the summer movie season. When I first saw a trailer of the movie, I thought it was going to be about Annie (Kristen Wiig) and her jealousy that her best friend Lillian (May Rudolph) was getting married. I guess I misinterpreted the trailer. It has nothing to do with that. It is a movie about the misadventures (caused by Annie) as Lillain prepares for her wedding. Yes, this is a female-centric movie, but I have to admit that as a non-female I loved it.

Best thing about this movie: in the end, no one is really portrayed as an evil person. They could have easily made Helen (Rose Byrne) into an evil witch, but they didn’t. Yes, she does play mean once with Annie, but even in that situation it isn’t something that one would consider horrible – almost like someone who is essentially a good person pushing things a touch too far.

The Shakers, 8MM and Kidney Thieves at The Troubadour

It was off to The Troubadour to catch The Shakers, 8MM and Kidney Thieves.  What a truly great night of music.  The Shakers started it off.  Similar to like how Club Moscow is sometimes, no one was allowed inside the venue until the very last minute.  By the time I got in, The Shakers had already started their set.  This is one band that is in constant motion.  8MM came up next.  They slowed it down a tad and gave us some sexy red.  The final band of the night for me was Kidney Thieves.  Energizing rock that had The Troubadour rocking.  The band had 4 or 5 camera guys filming the whole set.  This had the band giving it their best.  One fan was so energized she jumped on stage and stole the set list in the middle of the set.

The Shakers



8MM





Kidney Thieves

Andre Williams and Jail Weddings at The Satellite

It was off to see Andre Williams and Jail Weddings at The Satellite.  What a fun night.  Jail Weddings started the night off for us and closing out the night was Andre Williams (being backed up by many of the Jail Wedding band members).  Andre Williams gave us one solid show.  I did have concern midway through the set that he might need to slow down, but after getting a drink of water he finished off the set in wonderful style.  Noticed:  The young lady I mentioned who showed up to see Races, also showed up to catch Andre Williams.  Once again, she had the biggest smile on her face.

Jail Weddings





Andre Willaims

A Movie Review: The Dilemma

The Dilemma. Another movie I saw while on an airplane. The caveat associated with this review is that I was watching on a small screen and probably missed 20% of the dialogue.

Ronny Valentine (Vince Vaughn) catches his best friend’s wife, Geneva (Winona Ryder), in the act of cheating. His dilemma is rather or not to tell his best friend Nick Brannen (Kevin James) about his wife.

I have to say that this movie wasn’t that bad. I wouldn’t put it up there as a great movie, but I would say it is a movie to watch. One has to come to this movie with the understanding that it has a dark side to it. The honest truth is that I think the dilemma has two sides to it. There is a dilemma for Ronny, but there is also a dilemma regarding who really is to blame when marriages/relationships fall apart.

Races, Californian and Black Flamingo at The Satellite

It was off to The Satellite to catch Races, Californian and Black Flamingo.

So I got there just in time to catch Races. I saw them a few weeks back at Silver Lake Jubilee. What was memorable this time around was seeing one of their friends show up about midway through their set. She had the biggest smile throughout. It just added a wonderful touch and actually got me more into their music.

Californian was up next.  They're the residency band for June.  (Next week, I'm hoping to head over to Bootleg to catch another residency band.)  At this point in time, my friend showed up from catching a Dodgers game.  This was her favorite band of the night (she caught just a bit of Races and Black Flamingo.)

Comment of the night (Californian):  I didn't want you to have it anyways, you're an asshole.  (Playful banter.)

To end the night, I stayed for a trio of Black Flamingo songs.  This is also a band that I saw at Silver Lake Jubilee.  I would have stayed for the full set if it wasn't for the fact that midnight was behind me and work was in front of me.  My friend called them ethereal angels.  That sounds good to me.

Races









Californian







Black Flamingo

Sarine Djabrayan and Goharik Grigoryan: recital

It was off to see my friend Sarine Djabrayan along with Goharik Grigoryan in concert/recital. This was the first recital I've been to in years. It was an evening of arias from Italian, French and Armenian operas. I know my friend has spent significant amount of time improving her vocal skills. A fun night.

A Movie Review: The Tourist

The Tourist A movie I saw while on an airplane. The caveat associated with this review is that I was watching on a small screen and probably missed 20% of the dialogue.

We have agents watching Elise Clifton-Ward (Angelina Jolie). We learn soon enough that these agents are tracking her in hopes that she leads them to her lover – an individual who stole billions from mobsters. She is tipped off by her lover to meet him in Venice and to attach herself to a random male who has similar characteristics as him. This happens to be Frank Tupelo (Johnny Depp).

This isn’t some action packed movie and you have to know that going in. It is a movie that takes its time with the story. Did it deserve a Golden Globe nomination? No. The twist at the end is totally crazy. Angelina and Johnny seem not to be totally into the movie – of course, it could just be how they decided to act it out as they keep this laissez-faire attitude throughout the movie. Is it worth watching? If you’re on a plane, yes. Not great, not horrid.

Wet & Reckless and Duniven at Silverlake Lounge

It was off to Silverlake Lounge to catch Wet and Reckless and Duniven. This was my first time out at a Los Angeles music venue in perhaps three weeks.  Yes, I went to Silver Lake Jubilee, but that is a street festival.  In between, I was on vacation.  So this being the first time in awhile, it was cool to catch a band I enjoy seeing, Wet and Reckless, as well as catching a band that I'm not familiar with, Duniven.  In regards to Duniven:  They had an extra band member along for the night.  She's in one of the below photos, person on the left.  This is the third band I've seen her in.  I feel like an unintentional stalker.        


Wet and Reckless












Duniven

Robert Kelly and Peachy Keene at Hotel Cafe

It was off to Hotel Cafe to see Peachy Keene and Robert Kelly.  A friend recommended checking out Robert Kelly.  I decided to show up a little early so that I could catch a couple sets.  Peachy Keene was up, a country-inspired rock band (per their website).  When first seeing the lead singer/guitarist, this description might catch you off guard as she does have the look that would fit in with a punk band.  But country-rock, it is.  (Noticed:  lead singer/guitarist dealing with some technical difficulties.  It didn't subtract from their set, but instead made it memorable.)  Robert Kelly closed out the night as my friends arrived right on time.  He hails from Nashville, TN.  He gave us an energized set filled with smiles and laughter.

Peachy Keene









Robert Kelly

Ranking the Winter/Spring 2011 Films (that I saw)

This winter/spring, I was a bit more selective with my movies versus last year. Last year I saw 16 movies. This year I saw eleven. How do I see this year ranking with last year? Last year we had Alice in Wonderland, Ghost Writer, Kiss-Ass and The Runaways to mention a few.  I loved those movies.  This year I found a handful of movies that I liked, but I don't think Limitless, The Adjustment Bureau and The Company Men rank with the 2010 movies mentioned.  I did; however, have high regard for Lincoln Lawyer and wish it had done better at the box office.

Cream of the Crop

Lincoln Lawyer


Good


Limitless
The Adjustment Bureau
The Company Men

Okay

Fast Five
Hanna
Battle: Los Angeles
Sucker Punch
Paul
The Green Hornet

Skip

Just Go With It