How I Met Your Mother Review: "The Rebound Girl" (Episode 7.11)
If you haven’t heard about what happened on this week’s How I Met Your Mother do not read any further. Normally I like to recap and make observations about what worked and what didn’t work but still manage to keep the jokes and plot twists somewhat hidden, but this week has left me no choice but to discuss the spoiler ending. The writers have done a great job with balancing the comedy (which all sitcoms must have, right?) and the drama. You’re wrong if you say drama shouldn't be in a comedic series. All great series have some sort of dramatic elements. This season promised there would be a shift in the characters lives, and boy is there. read more
Found in: TV, ReviewsTyrannosaur
Despite its title, Tyrannosaur has nothing to do with dinosaurs. Still, it has plenty of bite. The socio-realistic drama from British actor-turned-director Paddy Considine puts its characters and viewers through the wringer, spinning a difficult and gritty story of human violence with, alas, only glimmers of hope.... read more
Found in: Movies, ReviewsWeekend
Movie Review: Weekend - Tom Cullen and Chris New shine in tale of budding romance read more
Found in: Movies, ReviewsArthur Christmas
It’s the dawn of a new pre-Christmas movie season and guess what—the same as every year, there is a new holiday-themed film trying to elbow its way into the fold of timeless classics. Unlike many of its predecessors, however, Arthur Christmas soars into the fray with style.... read more
Found in: Movies, ReviewsThe Antlers: (together) EP
The Antlers are definitely an album kind of band. While their songs can grab attention and provoke emotions from someone that’s only halfway listening, it doesn’t take much to suck you out of the dreary, melodramatic mindset they tend to bring up in people. It’s not like we’ve had to even consider it that much. Their two previous studio efforts — 2009’s moody and borderline depressing Hospice and a somewhat (but not much) more uplifting release this year with Burst Apart— have all been concise, focused efforts that feel like they’re establishing and holding a certain mood. But the Antlers’... read more
Found in: Music, ReviewsImmortals
At first glance, Tarsem Singh’s Immortals seems to fall firmly within the recently born “Zack Snyderian” school of filmmaking. Actually, stare at the film for as long as you wish and that assumption is borne out, particularly in comparison to Snyder’s 300. There are the slo-mo/fast-mo fight sequences involving copious sprays of blood. (Immortals is a veritable spray-tacular of spray-plosions.) There are the gorgeous red-and-gold-infused vistas mostly populated by beautiful people. (Sorry, Mickey.) And there’s plenty of sculpted man flesh—not as much as found in 300, but that … was … SPARTA!!!, after all.... read more
Found in: Movies, ReviewsLove Goes to Buildings on Fire by Will Hermes
In America, we love electric guitars, and the dominant music for more than a half century has been guitar-driven rock ’n’ roll. A pastiche of African American blues, jazz, country, and gospel music, rock ’n’ roll distilled the rebellious energy beneath the conformist veneer of the post-WWII industrial age. As the nation changed, so did the music, fragmenting into a dozen genres, and eventually hundreds. Rock ’n’ roll touches every aspect of American culture. Worldwide, it’s an ambassador of what it means to be an American. It’s no surprise that as this new artform emerged so did a parallel world... read more
Found in: Books, ReviewsBoardwalk Empire Review: "Battle of the Century" (2.9)
I’ve mentioned before in these reviews that one of my favorite things about Boardwalk Empire is the show’s incredible scope, and that was truer than ever with “Battle of the Century.” By taking on historical characters as larger-than-life as Al Capone, we’ve long known the show would be attempting to dive into kingmaking across the nation, but this is the first time we’ve seen the way Atlantic City’s bootlegging wars affect international problems. When the show first began we were dealing with Atlantic City, which soon expanded to New York, Chicago and Philadelphia. The gradual expansion, now to Belfast, has... read more
Found in: TV, ReviewsVideo Premiere: Maria Taylor - "Matador"
Maria Taylor, who is half of the Saddle Creek duo Azure Ray, showcases the complex, layered track that becomes more interesting when you can see all of the elements of its composition. Watch her new video for the song "Matador" here. read more
Found in: Featured VideosCaveman: CoCo Beware
"Listenable" is the best way to describe Caveman’s debut album, CoCo Beware. The album, with all of its clacking drums, gently strummed rail-thin guitars and careful, pleasant melodies, is instantly catchy and likable on a first listen. read more
Found in: Music, Reviews
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