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Daniel Craig Says Goodbye to Bond in ‘No Time to Die’ (Review)

14Jan

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Features, Film, Reviews

Daniel Craig Says Goodbye to Bond in ‘No Time to Die’ (Review)

Daniel Craig's final screen appearance as James Bond was delayed over and over again. Pre-production on the film began back in 2018 with Danny Boyle ('Slumdog Millionaire') hired for the director's chair. He left the project that fall over "creative differences" with the producers and MGM ended up going in a new direction with Cary Joji Fukunaga ('True Detective') taking over. Shooting ended up taking place in mid-2019 with a theatrical release scheduled for fall 2020. Then, of course, COVID-19 derailed things even further and caused an extra bit of havoc with this production wherein the incredible theme song from Billie Eilish actually got released and won a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media six months before the film ended up even coming out. After several shuf...

Sundance Hit ‘Mass’ is a Tragic Tale of Loss (Review)

11Jan

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Features, Film, Reviews

Sundance Hit ‘Mass’ is a Tragic Tale of Loss (Review)

For most of us, it's hard to imagine the pain that would come from the loss of a child. I don't know how many people ever would also stop to think about the pain for those whose children take the lives of other kids. That's at the heart of the directorial debut feature film from actor Fran Kranz. In 'Mass,' two sets of parents entangled in a lawsuit meet up for a private conversation in a neutral zone. In a utility room at a church where none of them attend, the four adults finally sit down face to face with each other. Martha Plimpton and Jason Isaacs star as Gail and Jay. They lost their teenage son in a school shooting. Ann Dowd and Reed Birney star as Richard and Linda. Their son, who was also a student at the same school, pulled the trigger. As they all sit do...

Clooney Fails to Connect With ‘The Tender Bar’ (Review)

4Jan

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Features, Film, Reviews

Clooney Fails to Connect With ‘The Tender Bar’ (Review)

With his eighth feature film as a director, George Clooney has taken on J.R. Moehringer's acclaimed memoir of the same name. Unfortunately, as with his last several films in the director's chair, 'The Tender Bar' is inherently quite watchable, but failed to connect with me on almost any genuine level. For the film, J.R. is played by talented newcomer Daniel Ranieri as a young boy raised by his single mother (Lily Rabe) who really never gets to know his father, a disc jockey who exists in his life almost exclusively as a voice on the radio dial. They end up moving in with his grandparents (Sondra James, who gets almost no dialogue, and Christopher Lloyd, who does little else except for grunt and fart) on Long Island. J.R. falls under the spell of his uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck), a ...

Americana Duo The HawtThorns to Release Tarot Cards & Shooting Stars February 25th

3Jan

By SimonNo Comments

Music, Reviews

Americana Duo The HawtThorns to Release Tarot Cards & Shooting Stars February 25th

The new year is shaping up nicely for new music releases and on February 25th we can expect a new album from husband/wife Americana duo The HawThorns. The album, Tarot Cards & Shooting Stars is set to drop on Mule Kick Records. When you combine the lush vocal harmonies, sun-kissed songwriting, and versatile guitar work of K.P. and Johnny Hawthorn, the result is something special. Spending time in both Nashville and Los Angeles to record the album, it also serves as a nod to both sides of the group's geographic and musical roots. K.P and Johnny came together to form The HawThornes with accomplished careers of their own already under their belt. K.P., a nationally tour artist with CALICO and her own solo work, and Hawthorn, a multi-instrumentalist who'd shared the stage with the ...

28Dec

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Features, Film, Reviews

The 10 Best Films of 2021

For as long as I have been breathing, there have been people complaining that it was not a good year for film. In the wake of a global pandemic and with the methods that most people use to consume movies changing all the time, there feels like there has been more of that than usual. There is an awful lot of Chicken-littleing across the internet, especially on 'Film Twitter.' One thing is certain: COVID accelerated the ever-shortening theatrical window. Not only do we see a lot more 'day and date' releases available to rent on video on demand or streaming providers, but even moderately successful titles have foregone a staggered theatrical release in favor of premium VOD rental access after 17 days of release. It will be hard to put that genie back in the bottle and, one might argue...

‘The Novice’ is a Tightly Wound Tale of Obsession (Review)

21Dec

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Reviews

‘The Novice’ is a Tightly Wound Tale of Obsession (Review)

Sometimes you watch a directorial debut and you find it hard to believe it was created by a first time filmmaker. Lauren Hadaway's thrilling debut feature is a shining example of this. It probably helps to craft a story that is inspired by your own life. Hadaway was a competitive collegiate rower and "The Novice" tells the story of Alex ("Orphan" star Isabelle Fuhrman), a college freshman who joins the rowing team and becomes obsessed with rising up the ranks. It's highly unusual for a freshman to be anywhere near the varsity team, but Alex's determination and laser-sharp focus finds her sidelining friends, classes, and romantic relationships in order to succeed against upperclassman competition. Fuhrman's performance is striking and borderline terrifying. We've all known someb...

Tarah Who? Drop Buzzworthy New Single “Push Me”

19Dec

By SimonNo Comments

Features, Music, Reviews

Tarah Who? Drop Buzzworthy New Single “Push Me”

Tarah Who? has teamed up with the talented London-based Brazilian group YUR MUM and the new single is available everywhere now. "Push Me" is the latest effort from Tarah Who? who are known for their unorthodox and non-conformist tone. The track is a direct response to the 2020 Grammy Awards. Tarah couldn't help but notice that the entire Rock category wasn't even aired on the broadcast. The winners' names just scrolled along the bottom of the screen with little fanfare. The moment inspired Tarah to compose a song that sheds a light on the lack of representation of rock bands in the music industry at the moment. Especially female-fronted groups. Using the power of sound and raw lyrics, Tarah Who? aims to shine a light on the situation and be a force for change. Follow the b...

‘The Lost Daughter’ is a Harrowing Debut from Maggie Gyllenhaal (Review)

17Dec

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Reviews

‘The Lost Daughter’ is a Harrowing Debut from Maggie Gyllenhaal (Review)

There are countless films about happy families and the joys of motherhood. The debut feature from award-winning actress Maggie Gyllenhaal is not one of them. Adapted from the novel by Elena Ferrante, it tells the story of Leda (Olivia Colman), a college professor who has gone off to Greece on holiday by herself. Italian literature is her forte and she has decided to hit the beach for some relaxation while working on some translations. The island choice appears idyllic, at least momentarily, but is soon invaded by a large vacationing family who take away all of her peace and quiet. Leda becomes drawn to a young mother named Nina (Dakota Johnson) and her daughter, who suddenly disappears one afternoon and sends every person in the vicinity off into the outskirts of the beach to searc...

Visitor Releases Dynamic New Single “Feeding The Dark”

8Dec

By SimonNo Comments

Music, Reviews

Visitor Releases Dynamic New Single “Feeding The Dark”

Fresh off the release of their new EP Greetings From Titan, Visitor returns with the gritty yet melodic single, "Feeding The Dark". The Detroit, Michigan-based quartet combine elements of rock, metal, and grunge with a hint of Motown to form a vibe all their own. According to a recent press release, when asked about the meaning behind the song, guitarist Steve Dombroski described how "Feeding The Dark" is "basically about how depression, self-doubt, and self-sabotaging sometimes plagues our minds and paralyzes our ability to move forward." He continues, “we can sometimes find ourselves in these patterns or circles of decision, or even indecision, that forces us into feeling trapped, regardless of what we do. But, it is also about the mindset of letting go as the chorus goes, "when...

‘Don’t Look Up’ is a Star-studded Apocalyptic Satire (Review)

7Dec

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Reviews

‘Don’t Look Up’ is a Star-studded Apocalyptic Satire (Review)

Movies that take place during the end of the world are nothing new, but the COVID-19 pandemic feels like it accelerated their frequency. Over the last two years, we've seen "Greenland," "How It Ends," "The Mitchells vs. The Machines," "Songbird," and many more tread this territory in different ways With his latest effort, director Adam McKay ("The Big Short") teams up with journalist David Sirota to craft a stupidly hysterical screenplay about what might happen if the planet was facing an extinction level event. On the surface, it doesn't seem like that would bring about a lot of laughter, but for me, it definitely did. Jennifer Lawrence stars as Kate Dibiasky. She is an astronomy grad student who, while on a standard observation of the night sky, discovers a massive comet that app...