Singles [Future Island]

Despite its misleading title, Future Island’s Singles is not a collection of the indie synthpop band’s greatest hits. On the contrary, it is a holistically unique and totally refreshing ten-track album that bursts with both aged wisdom and bubbling youth. The synthetic sounds are executed with suavity and pensiveness, creating an atmosphere visually (and viscerally) akin to diving into a colorful, luminescent pool. Herring’s lyrics and voice are both wistful and grateful as his texture ranges from harmonic whispers to guttural cries. Starting with the unconventionally spectacular single “Seasons (Waiting On You),” the band takes you on a short but powerful forty-minute journey, leaving you stunned and reluctant to believe that’s all there is to it. Being in equal parts uplifting and emotionally exhaustive, the album relies significantly on the listener’s input. It’s a fine piece of music to be played in the car on the ride home; however, it’s ultimate potential isn’t discovered until you listen to it in your room with undivided attention and allow it to engulf you. Simply put, Singles is the most stellar record of the year thus far.

FINAL SCORE: 5 out of 5 stars  (raw score: 95, between “almost perfect” and “perfect”)

Singles was released March 25, 2014

Supermodel [Foster the People]

With their second studio album Supermodel, Foster the People make incredible efforts, but the ultimate result just marginally meets expectations. The lyrics aren’t always as clever and pungent as the band thinks they are, and the tracks tend to wander off, sometimes into nothingness, before snapping themselves back into reality. This could be due in great part to the somewhat homogenous sound that arises in most of the album. However, tracks like “Pseudologia Fantastica” and “Best Friend” occasionally exhibit clear signs of musical genius and cognitive brilliance. Thus, Foster the People reminds us that their departure from the Torches sound was indeed for the better (and had the potential to be absolutely fantastic). Despite the growing electronic biosphere that is engulfing indie pop/rock music, the band still manages to handle synthetic sounds with a grain of salt – allowing the widely eclectic instrumental arrangements to shine. Slowly but surely, Mark Foster’s creative image will become clear as his works progressively mature. Consider this a transition album, and you’ll be more than happy.

FINAL SCORE: 3½ out of 5 stars  (raw score: 72.5, between “pretty good” and “great”)

Supermodel was released March 18, 2014

Mr. Peabody & Sherman [Dir. by Rob Minkoff]

Mr. Peabody & Sherman Fails to Succeed as Either an Educative Experience, an Enjoyable Comedy, or an Impressive Story with a Thoughtful Premise

I’m sorry, but did I just pay $14 to watch a crappy rip-off of 2007’s Meet The Robinsons? Rob Minkoff’s latest family-friendly 3-D animated film, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, provides ample entertainment, but never feels creative or original. Minkoff simply proves he can effectively stitch together elements of past successful animated films to create a somewhat coherent product. The younger members of the audience won’t mind in the least, but those with an always-active mind will spend the entire hour and a half searching for a glimpse of freshness in a mundane field of the same-old.

Mr. Peabody driving Sherman to school

First off, Mr. Peabody broke one of the cardinal rules of modern filmmaking: if you are going to play with time, you better know what you are doing. Evidently, Minkoff uses time travel only to exploit the entertaining and over-caricaturized eras of popular history, and neither to properly educate nor create a functional storyline. If you’re a stickler for factual accuracy, please don’t go to this film. Writer Craig Wright collects random tidbits from fifth grade history textbooks and blows then so far out of proportion, actual history has become unrecognizable. An example of this is where Marie Antoinette is depicted singularly as a radical aristocrat with an eating disorder, simply because of the famous expression, “Let them eat cake” (which we all know by now she never uttered). Basically, if you’re taking a child to this film with the hopes that he’ll learn more about history, you’ll be greatly disappointed.

Sherman showing Penny the “Wabac”

In addition to a basic knowledge of history, subtlety is not one of Minkoff’s strong suits either. I can’t blame him for following a formula for an animated film – I mean, it is Dreamworks after all. However, he doesn’t simply follow the formula; he beats you over the head with it. From the ridiculously persistent antagonist, to the preposterously fast character transformations, to the multiple fake-deaths and the contrived sentimentalities that ensue, Mr. Peabody’s commonplace recipe shines strongly through the superfluous fluff that layers the film.

Mr. Peabody fooling around in Da Vinci’s studio

If you were planning to see Mr. Peabody to laugh with your child for an hour and a half, I’d ask you to reconsider. The jokes are cheap, old, and flatter than then characters that articulate them. I must’ve laughed four times during the film. If you were planning to see Mr. Peabody to educate your child, like I mentioned before, strongly reconsider. If you were planning to see Mr. Peabody with high expectations to be entertained with an enjoyable and thoughtful story, I’d ask you to either lower your standards or reconsider. Basically, if you wanted to go see Mr. Peabody for any reason this weekend, I implore you to reconsider.

FINAL SCORE: 1½ out of 5 stars (raw score: 32.5, between “somewhat disappointing” and “pretty bad”)

Mr. Peabody & Sherman was released by Dreamworks Animation SKG on March 7, 2014

The Grand Budapest Hotel [Dir. by Wes Anderson]

Wes Anderson’s Hilarious Comedy-Drama Dazzles with a Brilliant Screenplay, Commanding Performances by Ralph Fiennes and a Solid Supporting Cast, and Signature ‘Wes Anderson’ Mise-en-Scène

If at any point you ever doubted director/writer Wes Anderson’s visual poetic skill, The Grand Budapest Hotel should slap some sense right back into you. Anderson’s newest film is as absurdist as it is serious, as artistic as it is comical, and as real as it is unreal. Instead of using the illusion of film to emulate realistic circumstances, Anderson uses reality to write poetry and turn it into something of a fantasy, a stylish nursery rhyme for adults. His efforts are beyond respectable – even beyond laudable – and although it’s early to say, I doubt any comedy this year will usurp Anderson’s throne.

 

M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) questioning the new lobby boy, Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori)

Some may argue that Anderson’s cinematographic style – ridiculously symmetric frames, angular pans, and a severely limited color palate, for starters – has become more of a shtick by now, a self-mockery of sorts. However, The Grand Budapest retorts that Anderson is not banking on these techniques to carry his film. Rather, they have become the backdrop to his stage, his hour-and-thirty-minute signature all over the film. Looking beyond that, the viewer discovers how much Anderson has truly matured in his narrative, writing, and directing skills. Behind the Anderson façade is a truly significant and beautifully crafted film, rife with guiltless humor, dramatic progression, and plenty of gasp-inducing moments (some from sheer admiration, and some from severed fingers).

Assassin Jopling (Willem Dafoe) holding back Dmitri (Adrien Brody) as he yells at M. Gustave while Serge X. (Mathieu Amalric) observes

With The Grand Budapest, Anderson is not looking to write a film; he wants to tell a story. Principally evident in the multilayered frame narrative, he wants the audience to feel like they’re being told a story passed down along generations, re-imagined in fanciful colors and whimsical set pieces. The structure and timing of the storyline is absolutely flawless – the film never skips a beat. Neither over-edited nor under-edited, the story expresses capricious originality while maintaining gravity and poise. Like many of Anderson’s films, the writing is laced with subtle sociopolitical themes – however, with the turmoil of war and aristocratic corruption running concurrently with the plot, these themes tend to remain in the foreground of the narrative. Which isn’t a problem, because instead of detracting from the film’s hilarity, they instead add to its reputation.

M. Gustave and Zero sneaking back into the Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest is gifted with a strong cast, lead by an impeccable performance from Ralph Fiennes. You would not have instantly pictured Fiennes as the ideal actor to play M. Gustave, the charming, fruity, and unashamedly frank concierge of the legendary Grand Budapest Hotel. However, once you see him in his prime, you can’t imagine anyone else better suited for the role. Just about everyone in the Anderson ensemble makes an appearance, Tony Revolori makes a stellar big-screen debut as the wide-eyed lobby boy/companion to M. Gustave, and Willem Dafoe plays an uproariously threatening and stylishly scary assassin, just to name some standouts. Anderson proves, for the umpteenth time, he is just as great a director as he is a writer, orchestrating many of the action/chase scenes with skillful awareness and a definite vision. Barney Pilling and Anderson work together to produce arguably the most appropriate editing I’ve ever seen in an Anderson film. The quick, sharp, and angular cuts sustain the storytelling vibe while preventing the boisterous colors and set pieces from becoming a strain on the eyes. In summary, The Grand Budapest Hotel is a powerfully designed, painstakingly acute, drop-dead fashionable, and laudably jocular comedy-drama that represents Wes Anderson’s skill set in his prime. We can only hope that he continues to create films that shine with such ingenuity and technical finesse.

FINAL SCORE: 5 out of 5 stars  (raw score: 95, between “almost perfect” and “perfect”)

The Grand Budapest Hotel was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures on March 7, 2014

Glow [Tensnake]

Tensnake’s debut album Glow is a diamond in the rough of electronic dance music. Although his technique and thought process mature and transforms as the album progresses, Glow consistently delivers; it’s music both your body and spirit can shake to. Some of the sounds and beats have a hard time sticking their landings, and some tracks may have unclear directions, but the ultimate result is quietly exhilarating. The album feels greater than its individual tracks, an exceptionally difficult feat to achieve in the electronic dance genre. By the time you hit “Last Song,” you feel like a changed man, as if the album imparted some ancient dance floor wisdom on you. Like a home cooked meal, Glow doesn’t add flourishes or pretend to be high art; it simply provides with its entertainment factor set on high and its heart on its sleeve. Simply put, Glow is a humble beauty. Tracks like “See Right Through,” “58Bpm,” and “Pressure” are worth a listen even if you aren’t an EDM aficionado.

FINAL SCORE: 3½ out of 5 stars (raw score: 77.5, between “pretty good” and “great”)

Glow was released March 3, 2014

G I R L [Pharrell Williams]

Sadly, the highly anticipated “G I R L” isn’t all I would have hoped for. Last-season beats and shallow lyrics underwhelm what should have been a strong solo album following Pharrell William’s unprecedented success in 2013. He acknowledges the essentials of funk, but neither captures its energy nor attaches any significance to it, making it difficult for “G I R L” to withstand the test of time in such a rapidly evolving art form. However, it’s still funk worth grooving to. Williams does excel in using high-profile cameos to his advantage. Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, and (most surprisingly) Miley Cyrus do not try to upstage, or even share the stage with, Pharrell. Rather, they all act as herbs and spices that enhance the overall flavor of the tracks they are featured on. Another high point in the album is his use of sweetheart lyrics – he isn’t afraid to expose his g i r l side, something the album cover best captures. In the end, while “G I R L” isn’t a miss, it arguably isn’t a hit either – a down-the-middle album for an artist who should be landing somewhere a little higher, especially now.

FINAL SCORE: 3 out of 5 stars (raw score: 70, “pretty good”)

G I R L was released March 3, 2014

Non-Stop [Dir. by Jaume Collet-Serra]

Liam Neeson and a Strong Supporting Cast Provide Entertaining Performances to the Rhythm of a Sloppily Written Screenplay in Jaume Collet-Serra’s Latest Action-Mystery

It’s the off-season action flick we have all been waiting for. It has Liam Neeson, a strong supporting cast, a dangerous and suspenseful premise, and is set 40,000 feet in the air. So what went wrong? It was not entirely the fault of director Jaume Collet-Serra, who also handled the 2011 Liam Neeson/Diane Kruger blockbuster Unknown. Rather, the blame for Non-Stop’s shortcomings goes to its inexperienced and blundering writers. By barely stringing together what may be the most convoluted action plot in recent years, the greater tension in Non-Stop comes from whether or not the writers can express an idea in its entirety or send it crashing to the ground in a ball of fire and smoke.

Air Marshal Bill Marks (Liam Neeson) communicating with the film’s mystery antagonist

The concept itself isn’t horrible to begin with. A less cerebral, fast paced, sky high Murder on the Orient Express where the protagonist has to fight both external and internal problems to save the remaining passengers on board – not an awful start. And the film gets off on the right footing, establishing the more deep and personal side of Neeson’s character before jumping into the plot. Metallic and lugubrious blues comprise most of the color palate, while symmetry and organization dominates the cinematography, establishing a somewhat unique mise en scène for a Hollywood action film. There is nothing truly intricate or memorable about the film’s editing. Safe to say, the invisible edits went by without a second glance. However, I would have liked it if Collet-Serra had thrown in some more creativity with the shots; for example, a long, continuous shot could have broken the monotony that some of the action scenes faced.

Bill Marks warning flight attendant Nancy (Michelle Dockery) of the dangerous circumstances

The acting in Non-Stop was surprisingly decent (save for some awkwardly casted antagonists). Sure, Liam Neeson delivered basically the same performance he does in all of his films. But he was able to meet our expectations with conviction and ease. Julianne Moore’s character, although introduced a little awkwardly, came across as natural and comfortably likeable (someone well needed in an ensemble of alcoholic mopeys and manic passengers). A strong supporting cast, including “Downton Abbey” sweetheart Michelle Dockery, helps carry this film. Unfortunately, like the plane in the film, not even their efforts can stop the film from going down near the end of its journey.

Bill Marks shooting while the plane tosses him backwards

Go ahead and watch Non-Stop. But in order to make the experience enjoyable, try not to think about it as its progresses. That doesn’t necessarily mean, “Shut your brain off.” In order to enjoy the mystery and cleverness of the first half, you’ll have to keep your brain on just enough to not be tripped up by Non-Stop’s technical flaws. But beware: the film’s attempts to be gripping and suspenseful will seriously backfire once it fails to maintain its cleverness in the second half.

FINAL SCORE: 3 out of 5 stars (raw score: 57.5, between “OK” and “a decent watch”)

Non-Stop was released by Universal Pictures on February 28, 2014