Hi amigos! How y’all doing?? Here we are, friends, an event we’ve waited for since we first heard those notes of Tank! more than 20 years ago. For all you fans looking forward to a long-hyped live-action Bebop event, Netflix has released a version of the beloved show that, on paper, looked like a home run: Shinichirō Watanabe as a consultant, Yoko Kanno providing new and expanded music, a great looking cast, etc. So before we go any further, we have to acknowledge how we got here. In 1998, Sunrise released the jazz-infused anime that would forever change animation for the better. From Wikipedia, here’s the short run down. “Twenty-six…
-
-
G-S-T Review: ‘Last Night In Soho’
Edgar Wright is one of our favorite directors. His style, skill, and sense of humor are just a few reasons why we’re so endeared to his work. While he’s made a name for himself as a powerful and highly competent genre filmmaker, he’s still growing as an artist. His latest – a throwback ghost story – finds him committing to a kind of period piece as he tries his hand at a murder mystery. Yes, we know, Hot Fuzz is a murder mystery, but it was filtered through the lens of a buddy cop comedy. Last Night In Soho is entirely different. How, you ask? Let me expand. As mentioned…
-
G-S-T Review…’Nobody’
Do this experiment: Remove Bob Odenkirk from Nobody. And try to see the film again without his presence. Is it actually a good film without its most prominent element? I believe it is, and this is how the film goes past its well-planned advertising campaign in which we simply saw a comedy actor in a role that wasn’t supposed to be his. Nobody is a surprise and not because it delivered an irreverent role. It’s a good film because its narrative works, the story is interesting enough, and it never stops to ask too much questions. It’s exactly what we look for in an action film. Nevertheless, of course Odenkirk…
-
G-S-T Review…’The Water Man’
When it comes to films dealing with tragedy and loss, it’s not very hard to identify some blueprints that every piece of the plot follows. It seems Hollywood is set on showing a final moment, a grief stricken character that can’t let go, and the burning sensation of “it was all for nothing”. I’m sure not every film has to meet these rules, but it’s part of a general, manipulative trend. Death appears to sell. In The Water Man, we feel like we’re part of a known scheme. This is something that can clearly be identified in its first act. However, as the plot is unraveled we come to understand…
-
G-S-T Review…’Minari’
It took me a while to begin writing Minari’s review. As entrapped as I was in its fine and safe depiction of a social setting, at first I wasn’t able to understand the force of its simplicity, the strength in its silent but provoking statement. Sometimes praising comes in strange ways. Forget about the awards and the social imperatives that continue to arise. This is a straightforward portrayal of a basic fact. However, the definite tone of the film is commendably welcoming. Even though we are dealing with drama, and typically, tragedy sets in in the genre, I remained with a smile from start to finish. And this is something…
-
G-S-T Review…’Rage’
Call it fear, or an unsettling feeling, but this is precisely what I generally get with genre films made in Australia. They hit a nerve with their ability to show violence in a brutal and realistic way, and it’s like filmmakers have no sense of limits when trying to portray a horrific situation. I don’t stay away from those films, but I’m not the same guy when credits roll. With Rage this was a surprise because I definitely did not expect the movie to go that way. It certainly doesn’t show it from the beginning when we feel like in an indie universe of performers trying to do their best.…
-
Music Review…’Spider-Man: Miles Morales’ Swings and Soars on Vinyl
Erich Wolfgang Korngold once said that “music is music whether it’s for the movie theater or the concert hall or a video game.” We might have paraphrased a little at the end, but he’s right. Moreover, it’s long been understood that a good video game score can help make any game memorable. It can also have a wondrous life outside the pixelated adventure as well. Today’s music review focuses on Mondo and Hollywood Records’ vinyl release of the soundtrack to Spider-Man: Miles Morales. However, before we dig in, here’s a sliver of transparency: this review was done as a stand-alone listening experience. I’ve not played a Spider-Man game since the…
-
Music Review…’Avengers: Infinity War + Endgame’ Behemoth Box Set
Alan Silvestri is one of our very favorite composers, and his contributions to film are nearly unparalleled. When it was announced that Mondo and Hollywood Records would be releasing the complete scores to Infinity War and Endgame on vinyl, the only thing better than that would be to have the Time Stone so we could actually get it sooner – good news is that it was well worth the wait. We are thrilled to review this box set as Silvestri’s music spins on our turntable, and, trust me, these albums are not to be missed! One of the reasons we love Silvestri’s work is that he has an absolute knack…
-
Music Review…’Dolemite Is My Name’ is Positively Groovy
Mondo is the premiere vinyl soundtrack record label and destination for all sorts of palette-expanding music. Pretty sure that no matter what your appetite is, they’ve got something to whet (and satisfy) it. Case in point. How many times have you asked yourself, “why aren’t there more blaxploitation revival albums out there?” The short answer is that there are. And thanks to these purveyors of acoustic awesomeness, you can easily get your hands on it. Luckily, they didn’t have to dig through obscure catalogs to unearth this glorious title; you can thank Eddie Murphy and Netflix for giving the gift of Dolemite Is My Name to the world just last year. A pet project…
-
G-S-T Review…Uncut Gems
We’ve all seen plenty of after school specials and PSAs telling us that crime doesn’t pay, and tons of films where playing to and with criminals doesn’t end well…even in Guy Ritchie flicks. But why not throw a log another log on that fire? A few years ago, The Safdie Brothers (Josh and Benny) cast Robert Pattinson as the lead in Good Time. What. A. Ride. It’s been a decade since Daddy Lonlegs and The Black Balloon, and since then, they seem to enjoy and have found their niche taking everybody – from their lead actor, the uncomfortably put-upon supporting cast, and even the audience – through the ringer. Uncut Gems is very much in…
-
[Fantastic Fest Review]…The Death of Dick Long
After Swiss Army Man, there was only one way director Daniel Scheinert could go, and The Death of Dick Long film is the next logical step. Ok, ok, get it out of your system. Actually, that title lets you know what you’re walking into – word play from guys who probably can’t spell – and trust me, we’re just getting warmed up. This is an absurdly funny and honest character film. When three friends’ late night outing goes horribly wrong, one of them ends up dead, and we the audience are left grasping for details. Similarly, the put upon Alabama sheriff’s department – who are not exactly the southern state’s…
-
[Fantastic Fest Review]…The Antenna
Turkish dystopian horror film, The Antenna, really has a lot to offer up front. It’s a dark spin on the idea of big brother, and drapes a hyper-realism blanket over themes about privacy, and paranoid ideas about technology being our downfall. Really, though, it’s not paranoia. It is actually happening. And technology is tearing us apart when it’s soul purpose was to bring us together. This takes a turn without explanation or a road map. If that sounds good to you, then hop on in. The film is beautifully shot even though it comes across incredibly bleak. Each scene and setting are expertly crafted and staged, and the entire shoot…
