Moneyball - Movie Review

Moneyball (PG-13) 133 minutes B
Swinging for the fences

Starring Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright and Royce Clayton

Moneyball is a solid baseball film based on Michael Lewis' 2003 bestseller, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game.  It follows General Manager Billy Beane (Pitt) as he tries to redefine baseball by adopting a statistical/computer-based approach to obtaining overlooked and underestimated talent.  The players not only fit into a statical scheme, they are also affordable.  This allows a small market team to compete with the big market cash cows (i.e. Yankees & Red Sox) at a fraction of the price. 

Brad Pitt does a nice job in the film, as does Jonah Hill.  But much like their performances, the film is good not great.  Moneyball has succeeded critically, and seems likely to receive at least a sniff from Oscar.  Yet, this outing is more of a triple than a home-run.
 

Interesting Concept, Disappointing Result (Book Review)

The Homeless Channel - Matt Silady C
Publication Date: June 2007

The Homeless Channel is an interesting concept, and the illustrations are great. But ultimately, my interest waned as the story progressed. The characters fell flat, and it all felt a little contrived.

"B" List of New Releases (Music Reviews)

Take Care - Drake B

Release Date: November 2011

Thank Me Later was the most addictive hip hop album I'd heard in years.  I was afraid that Take Care would be over the top, over produced and crowded with too many guest stars.  Fortunately, my fears were mostly unwarranted.  The more I listen to Take Care, the more I like the songs I was initially less than impressed with ("Shot For Me" & "Make Me Proud") and still love the songs that stood out from the first listen ("Crew Love" & "Marvins Room").  However, I still hate the title track featuring Rihanna, and I can't help but feel like some of these songs are close to perfection, yet too overworked and glossy for my liking.  Nevertheless, Drake is still my boy and I dig his style.  File under Emo Rap. Favorite Tracks: Crew Love & Marvins Room

Crazy Clown Time - David Lynch B

Release Date: November 2011

 Much like his films, Crazy Clown Time is spooky, intriguing and weird.  The perfect album for cruising down a dark highway in the middle of the night- just you, your thoughts, and the twisted soundscapes of a Crazy Clown Time.  Favorite Tracks: Good Day Today & Noah's Ark.

Modern Art - Matthew Sweet B

Release Date: September 2011

I remember when Matthew Sweet was poised to become the next big thing.  Modern Art is a reminder that he's still relevant as a solo artist and still on point.  This is not an easy listen, but ultimately I think it's refreshing and rewarding.  Sweet sounds like an man with nothing to lose, and Modern Art feels authentic and loose.  His best album (that I have heard) since 1995's 100% Fun. Favorite tracks: Late Nights With the Power Pop & Baltimore    

Ashes & Fire - Ryan Adams B

Release Date 2011: October 2011   

When I heard that Ashes & Fire was a quiet album I had mixed feelings.  I was still high from the surprising 2010 album, III/IV, and frankly I was hoping for more of the same.  Besides, Adams can crank out quiet albums in his sleep,  and at the very least they will be half way decent.  However, this one is more than half way decent.  Ashes & Fire is achingly beautiful, accessible and earnest.  It might be better than his last seminal low-key effort, 2007's Easy Tiger.  Favorite Tracks: Come Home and Lucky Now.

  

The Decendents - Movie Review

The Descendants (R) 115 minutes B-
Single dad faces reality

Starring George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Nick Krause, Amara Miller, Judy Greer, Beau Bridges, Robert Forster, Matthew Lillard, Mary Birdsong and Rob Huebel.

Considering all the hype surrounding this film, and considering that it is directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways)... this movie was not as good as I expected.  I am not comparing it to Sideways (one of my all-time favorite films), or any other film for that matter.  But this story of a man who is forced to re-evaluate his life after he learns that his wife is dying, and she was previously having an affair, falls flat emotionally despite being a well-rounded film otherwise. 

It has and will receive a lot of attention come award season.  It is worth seeing, but don't have a lot of inflated expectations like I did.

The Rum Diary - Movie Review

The Rum Diary (R) 120 minutes C+
The price of everything, the value of nothing

Starring Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Amber Heard, Michael Rispoli, Giovanni Ribisi, Richard Jenkins, Bill Smitrovich, Julian Holloway

The Rum Diary is fun, and a bit over the top.  Then again, it's based on the novel by Hunter S. Thompson so what do you expect... I expected a script that would be less campy and more edgy.  The Richard Jenkins and Giovanni Ribisi characters were wasted, while Amber Heard's primary role is eye candy and nothing more.  Aaron Eckhart and Johnny Depp makes this worthwhile.  Depp is charming, his character grew on me as the film progressed.  Eckhart simply manges not to over act, which seems to be no small feat in this adventure dramedy.

Thompson wrote this novel in his twenties, it wasn't published until 40 years later.  Allegedly, it also took almost a decade for the film adaptation to get off the ground, plus a couple more years to land in theatres. This might be a fun trip for Hunter S. Thompson fans, everyone else should proceed with caution.

Flying My Wild Flag (Music Review)

First Impression Music Review          
Wild Flag - Wild Flag B+
Release Date: September 2011

If you're a fan boy of 90's indie rock, and the whole rebel/riot grrrl thing, this female super group is like a wet dream- Helium's Mary Timony, Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein & Janet Weiss, and the Minders' Rebecca Cole.  These ladies will rock and rebel you through 40 minutes of blazing bliss.  I've listened to this album six or seven times, and my favorite song changes each time.  Currently my favorite tracks are: Future Crimes, Boom and Racehorse.  Turn it up loud and enjoy!  
  

Only the Lonely (Book Review)

Publication Date: May 2011

Life with Mr. Dangerous - Paul Hornschemeier B-

Amy Breis is going nowhere fast.  She just broke up with yet another loser boyfriend, and is feeling disconnected from all humanity.  Between her passive-aggressive mother and dead end retail job, Amy seeks solace in reruns of her favorite cartoon (Mr. Dangerous) and phone conversation with her friend Michael.

I was drawn to this graphic novel because of the beautiful illustrations, and the sad-but-true theme of loneliness and singledom.  Yet, the story feels a little flat and the best moments are few and far between.  Hornschemeier seems über-talented, but I wanted to like this one more than I actually did.

Book trailer for Life with Mr. Dangerous--> http://vimeo.com/22702086

The Big Year - Movie Review

The Big Year (PG-13) 111 minutes B+
For the Birds

Starring Steve Martin, Jack Black, Owen Wilson, Rosamund Pike, Brian Dennehy, Anjelica Huston, Rashida Jones, Dianne Wiest, JoBeth Williams, Kevin Pollak, Joel McHale and Tim Blake Nelson

The Big Year is billed as a comedy about competitive bird-watching (or "birding" if you will); however, it's really a film about sacrificing everything to follow one's dream.  In this case, that dream is birding all over the world for one year.  I really enjoyed this film, and found it somewhat inspiring.  But it isn't very funny, especially considering it stars three of Hollywood's most popular funny men.  Nonetheless, if you're seeking a smart adult dramedy with heart, go see The Big Year.  

Pretty Girls With Guitars (Concert Review)

Katie Herzig @ Larimer Lounge 10/28/2011  B+

with Butterfly Boucher       

Photo courtesy of Beth Wooley

There are few things in life that give me a natural high like a good rock show. I can't say I'm a big Katie Herzig fan, but I will say she puts on one helluva live show. This is my second time seeing her perform. Each time has been a small venue, and each time she sounds like an angel. Somehow she manages to sound crisp and clean without sacrificing honest emotion. Plus, she played "Hologram," the song that blew me away the first time I saw her in the summer of 2010.

Opening for Herzig was Butterly Boucher. I'd never heard of her before; however, she might be one of the sexiest creatures I've even seen on stage. She's got the whole skinny rock grrrl thing down pat, and her sound is full of seductive hooks. When she ramped of the volume and the beats I was thoroughly impressed, but when she slowed things down I got a little bored. Nevertheless, she's one to watch.

Biracial in the USA & the Dubstepper (Music Review)

First Impression Reviews

Lenny Kravitz- Black and White America C+

Release Date: August 2011

Black and White America is an ambitious and admirable musical statement.  But unfortunately this retro hodge-podge of funk, soul and rock feels a tad overdone.  For every great song (Come On Get It), there's an equally disappointing one (Dream), and lots of songs that I will either like or loathe after more listens.  This one is catchy enough to be a commercial success, but ranks somewhere in the middle of his catalog of music. Favorite Tracks: Come On Get It, Black and White America (Acoustic Version), Superlove       

James Blake - James Blake B

Release Date: February 2011

It has taken a while to digest this one.  Initially, it struck me as more interesting than good.  But this much-ballyhooed, blue-eyed soul dubstep album is beginning to grow roots and plant its self inside my head.  Trippy, yet sensitive...  Favorite tracks: I Never Learnt To Share, Lindisfarne I, Unluck