Return of the Gentlemen - Concert Review

The Afghan Whigs @ the Ogden Theatre
10/30/2012 B+

I don't have much to say, except that I am glad I got to see Greg Dulli and company on this reunion tour tonight (Thanks DiddleFinger for the ticket).  The show was blistering, raw, and above all else, rockin! They played plenty from their seminal album, Gentleman, along with a little Prince (Purple Rain), The Beatles (She Loves You), Frank Ocean (Love Crimes) and tracks from their other albums.  My favorite, without of doubt, was "Fountain and Fairfax," perhaps my favorite Afghan Whigs song of all time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=337Sn_rc7PE    <-----For your viewing pleasure.

Cloud Atlas - Movie Review

Cloud Atlas (R) 172 minutes B+ 
Faces of Breadth

Starring Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Hugh Grant, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, James D’Arcy, Susan Sarandon.

Cloud Atlas is probably the biggest surprise I've had at the movies this year.  The trailer looked less than appealing, the running time of nearly three hours was a turn-off, and frankly, some of the get-ups I initially saw Tom Hanks and Halle Berry in looked cheesy and cheap.  But, I should know better than to judge a film by its' cover (I also thought Braveheart and A Beautiful Mind looked less than spectacular at first).

Based on the novel by David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas explores the notion that all of our actions as human beings have interconnected consequences- from the beginning of time until now, and from now until forever.  The film is "deep," for lack of a better term, and I couldn't help but shed a tear at the end.

Lovely, in a weird way. 

Liberal Arts - Movie Review

Liberal Arts (NR) 97 minutes A-
Because we all feel younger than we are

Starring Josh Radnor, Elizabeth Olsen, Richard Jenkins, Allison Janney, Zac Efron

Chances are, most of you reading this review will not or did not love this film as much as I did... and that's okay.  I think this film appealed to me because it's timely (considering where I am in my life), and because it's smart.  Liberal Arts is all about books, love, college and getting older.  Ironically, all of which I have romanticized, and all of which are bittersweet. 

Highly recommended for people like me.