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Almodovar’s English-language “The Human Voice” Streaming Now on HBO Max (Review)

21May

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Art, Film, Reviews

Almodovar’s English-language “The Human Voice” Streaming Now on HBO Max (Review)

I've been a huge fan of Pedro Almodovar's work since I saw his Academy Award-nominated 1988 film "Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown" as a teenager. Prolific and always provocative, the Spanish director has never made a feature film in English, but now he has delivered a rather experimental 30-minute film that is. During the COVID lockdown he teamed up with the brilliant Tilda Swinton to create the short based on a play by Jean Cocteau. Swinton is credited simply as "Woman." Her lover has left and she is in their shared apartment with his packed suitcases and dog, who has slowly begun to realize that his master isn't coming back. Distraught and unsure of how to manage an animal who wants nothing to do with her, we observe her grief, anger, sadness, and ultimately a phone c...

Apple TV+ Premieres “1971” Series on Friday (Review)

18May

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Music, Reviews

Apple TV+ Premieres “1971” Series on Friday (Review)

A phenomenal new docuseries entitled "1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything" is premiering on AppleTV+ this Friday, May 21. Using David Hepworth's book "Never A Dull Moment: 1971 The Year That Rock Exploded" as inspiration, an award-winning team of filmmakers has crafted a highly bingeable eight-part series that intertwines the music and politics of this volatile and highly creative moment in history. I've been able to preview the first five episodes of the series, which was executive produced by Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees ("Amy," "Senna") and really wanted to put this on people's radar because even as a music lover since childhood, this was absolutely packed with footage and stories I had never seen before. Each episode hovers between 45 and 50 minutes, but manages t...

Amy Adams Goes For Broke in “The Woman In The Window” (Review)

14May

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Reviews

Amy Adams Goes For Broke in “The Woman In The Window” (Review)

Based on the 2018 novel of the same name, "The Woman In The Window" has had a long and troubled road to release. It was originally scheduled to hit theaters in the fall of 2019, but hit two major snags along the way. Test audiences rated the film poorly enough that portions were reshot and re-edited. Originally a 20th Century Fox release, it also had the misfortune of being one of the last Fox projects sitting unreleased when Disney took over. The new regime kicked it to the curb and it ended up in the hands of Netflix. Now, I've not read the book and have absolutely no idea what the reshoots did to the change the final product, but what I can tell you is that if you have an affinity for throwback 90s thrillers like "Pacific Heights," "Unlawful Entry," "The Hand That Rocks The Cradl...

Sundance Gem “Together Together” Hits VOD (Review)

11May

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Reviews

Sundance Gem “Together Together” Hits VOD (Review)

"Together Together" was acquired for release by Bleecker Street who bought it before its Sundance Film Festival world premiere earlier this year, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in the Dramatic category. After a decent start at the box office a few weeks back that has already seen it sell over $1.2 million worth of tickets, Nikole Beckwith's second feature film is now available for home viewing. It stars Ed Helms ("The Office") as Matt, a single man in his 40s who has been unlucky in love and finds himself desperate to be a father. Patti Harrison, who is an absolute riot on Hulu's "Shrill," stars as Anna, a young woman who Matt hires to be his surrogate. We rarely get to see a movie about a platonic relationship between a man and a w...

Greg Amici Drops New Single and Video for “Remedy”

7May

By Cammy KNo Comments

Features, Music, Reviews

Greg Amici Drops New Single and Video for “Remedy”

Greg Amici, the multi-talented musician, writer and actor from New Jersey, is back with a new single and video "Remedy", which is out now. It's the follow-up to his well-received single, "In Like a Lion" from his forthcoming LP Tragicomic.Amici says, ‘“Remedy” is about a guy with fairly impersonal needs and a partner whose sensual desires may have morphed into something stronger. Or else it’s about COVID… Musically, it’s sort of a sing-along shanty. And, in times like these, I suppose 'we all need a remedy.' "Right? Right.""Remedy" was produced by James Mastro (The Bongos, Mott the Hoople, Patti Smith, The Jayhawks) at Magic Door Recording (Montclair, NJ). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCklxXprJtA

Cat Calabrese releases her dynamic breakup anthem “Scared of Me”

5May

By Kat SpinaNo Comments

Reviews

Cat Calabrese releases her dynamic breakup anthem “Scared of Me”

On the heels of her March debut comes Cat's second single, Scared of Me. The song was written by Cat and produced by DJ London Bridges, L8niteSasuke, and 15x platinum and Emmy award-winning, Jim Wirt (Incubus, No Doubt, Fiona Apple, Jack's Mannequin). Released on April 30, 2021, Cat comes at you with some truth. The track opens with eerie sounds of a prison-like rattle and escalates with a fierce crescendo as the story is told. This man is on trial for the crimes he committed against her heart. Cat's lyrics are her testimony. You have a choice when your world is turned upside down. You can exist forever in that sorrow, be drowned by your tears, and feel rejected, or you can fight back. She lit a match and he has no case. The story twists and turns as she untangles from the ...

“The Mitchells vs. The Machines” Offers Family Fun and Then Some (Review)

27Apr

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Reviews

“The Mitchells vs. The Machines” Offers Family Fun and Then Some (Review)

I grew up on a steady diet of Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera shows, and Disney classics, and I'm not ashamed as a grown-ass man to still enjoy my fair share of animated films. Sure, there's plenty of family films every year that I have no interest in, but I have a soft spot for the ones that balance humor, heart, and creativity with gags that can delight a younger audience but are still genuinely funny for grown-ups. In recent years that has mostly been the stomping ground of Pixar, but they have plenty of competition now. The creative team behind "The Mitchells vs. The Machines" is worth its weight in gold. You start with Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe (both of whom wrote for Disney's "Gravity Falls") for direction and writing duties and then add in Phil Lord and Christopher Miller ("The ...

Highly Anticipated ‘Typhoons’ Album From Royal Blood Drops Friday

25Apr

By SimonNo Comments

Reviews

Highly Anticipated ‘Typhoons’ Album From Royal Blood Drops Friday

U.K.-based duo Royal Blood is set to deliver their first album of new material in nearly four years on Friday. Typhoons is a clear step forward for the band and are set to build on the success of already released singles 'Trouble's Coming' and the title track 'Typhoons'. When Royal Blood's Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher sat down to discuss the new album initially, they consciously decided on a return to their roots. Influenced by the likes of Daft Punk, Justice, and others, the dynamic results find the band really hitting their stride on tracks like 'Million and One' and 'Limbo'. “It is without a doubt the most ambitious and wildest we have allowed ourselves to be and we can’t wait to invite you this far down the rabbit hole with us.”-Royal Blood There's still a little time to pre-or...

Bob Odenkirk Delivers A Bit Of The Old Ultra-Violence in “Nobody” (Review)

23Apr

By Matt ShiverdeckerNo Comments

Film, Reviews

Bob Odenkirk Delivers A Bit Of The Old Ultra-Violence in “Nobody” (Review)

If you're anything like me, the name Bob Odenkirk immediately serves up thoughts of laughter. Originally a comedy writer for Conan O'Brien, "Saturday Night Live," and, of course, the co-star of HBO's cult classic "Mr. Show with Bob and David," he transitions into full-blown action star in this new thriller from director Ilya Naishuller ("Hardcore Henry"). Odenkirk plays Hutch Mansell, quite literally a morality play "everyman." He works in a boring office for his father-in-law and lives a very quiet life with his family. There isn't much spark left with his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen) and his son Brady (Gage Munroe) bears obvious disdain towards him. It's not until their house is broken into and a confrontation is had with the robbers that it becomes clear that things may not be ex...

22Apr

By SimonNo Comments

Reviews

Junket Release Follow-up Single ‘Embers To Ashes’

New York-based alt-rockers Junket has just launched a smoldering follow-up single in the form of 'Embers To Ashes' from their new Make Waves EP. The track comes on the heels of the successful 'Red Handed' release, a song inspired by the popular SHOWTIME show 'Dexter'. Junket is made up of vocalist Chris Wicher, guitarist Michael Miller, bassist Kyle Hallenbeck, and drummer Chad Babcock. All hailing from Orange County, New York the band is a tight-knit group. According to a recent press release, Wicher states the song is '...about a relationship between two people who have an irrational fear of being alone but stay together despite all the reasons why they shouldn’t. The relationship may have started out strong like a roaring fire, but the honeymoon phase fizzled. Junket was abl...