Saturday, December 29, 2018

2018 In Review: Music

**** Essex Green, The - Hardly Electronic
*** Albert Hammond Jr. - Francis Trouble
*** Amy Rigby - The Old Guys
*** Beths, The - Future Me Hates Me
*** Bird Streets - Bird Streets
*** Brian Jonestown Massacre, The - Something Else
*** Charlatans, The - Totally Eclipsing
*** Chills, The - Snow Bound
*** Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel
*** Elvis Costello - Look Now
*** Gretchen's Wheel - Black Box Theory
*** KT Tunstall - Wax
*** Laura Veirs - The Lookout
*** Lemon Twigs, The - Go To School
*** Liminanas, The - Shadow People
*** Metric - Art Of Doubt
*** Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Apart
*** Richard Thompson - 13 Rivers
*** Tres Oui - Poised To Flourish
*** We Are Scientists - Megaplex
*** Wild Nothing - Indigo
*** Decemberists, The - Traveling On EP
*** Django Django - Winter's Beach EP
** Alex Chilton and Peter Holsapple -The Death Of Rock
** Antarctigo Vespucci - Love In The Time Of Email
** Beach House - 7
** Belle & Sebastian - How To Solve Our Human Problems
** Breeders, The - All Nerve
** Charlotte Gainsbourg - Take 2
** Frontperson - Frontrunner
** Great Lakes - Dreaming Too Close To The Edge
** Hinds - I Don't Run
** Inara George - Dearest Everybody
** Johnny Marr - Call The Comet
** Kate Nash - Yesterday Was Forever
** Kooks, The - Let's Go Sunshine
** Pavlov's Dog - Prodigal Dreamer
** Pinkshinyultrablast - Miserable Miracles
** Sam Phillips - World on Sticks
** Shins, The - The Worms Heart
** Superchunk - What a Time to Be Alive
** Eleanor Friedberger - Rebound
** Jeff Tweedy - Warm
** Neko Case - Hell-On
** Rays - You Can Get There From Here

2018 In Review: Movies

**** The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs
**** Roma
*** A Quiet Place
*** Annihilation
*** The Favourite
*** First Reformed
*** Isle Of Dogs
*** Mamma Mia! Her We Go Again
*** The Other Side Of The Wind
*** Unsane
*** Widows
** Crazy Rich Asians
** I Feel Pretty
** Incredibles 2
** Mowgli: Legend Of The Jungle
** The Spy Who Dumped Me
** You Were Never Really Here
* Bohemian Rhapsody
* Ready Player One
* The Nutcracker And The Four Realms
* The Old Man And The Gun

The Favourite (2018) ***

Not as twisted (or direct) as his previous films, but entertaining and well made.

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Roma (2018) ****

Directorial tour-de-force about an upper class family coming apart in early '70's Mexico City. Lots of long one take sequences which boggle the mind as to how they were accomplished.

The Other Side of the Wind (2018) ***

Can be interpreted in many ways, but this final Orson Welles picture is as ambitious as any previous. Lots to admire, lots to think about.

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018) **

Well made but succumbs to the tired Hollywood script "beats" and ends up quite like another film.

First Reformed (2017) ***

Nicely directed character study that takes a turn. Beautiful, minimalist production design and a very good performance by Mr. Hawke.

Performance (1970) **

I paid attention but couldn't figure out the point. Enjoyed the actors and the cinematography though.

Monday, December 10, 2018

Brief Encounter (TV Movie 1974) **

Superbly shot drama with Ms. Loren never lovelier.

Sunday, December 09, 2018

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) ****

Superbly crafted anthology film featuring the trademark Coens' humor, irony and detail. Well played by a great cast.

You Were Never Really Here (2017) **

Gritty and violent neo-noir has some interesting moments and admirable narrative restraint. Joaquin Phoenix holds it together.