Films are works of art. As such they are not all equal and, more importantly, can’t please all the people all the time. Sometimes, for an indeterminate number of reasons, they just don’t connect with the audience. In other cases, a film might just be ahead of its time or looking for that niche fan base who will, one day, take to the rooftops and proclaim it a triumph. Critics are valued and trusted voices in the entertainment world. They serve as sign posts directing us toward the good and away from the bad…but they are not always on point. In fact, there are numerous instances where these gatekeepers of…
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Interview…Jess Royal On the Tangible Nostalgia of ‘Stranger Things’ and Saying Goodbye to Hawkins
All good things must come to an end and, sometimes, saying goodbye is the hardest part of the journey. It’s been a long time coming and the final season of Stranger Things was truly the end of an era. It was a monster hit, a high watermark for entertainment, and something that captured the heart of the world. It launched multiple stars into the limelight and made names for nearly everyone involved. We might just be done with 80s properties as the “cool” throwback time period where you could only remember cassette tapes, first crushes and battling trans-dimensional demons by looking in a photo album. Well, the world certainly embraced…
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Interview…Richard Kaufman Conducts ‘Pops Through Time’ for the Dallas Symphony
They say you can never go back, and most times that’s true. Buuut not when it comes to music. This year, the world-renowned Dallas Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 125th anniversary. This season, they are really pulling out the stops and having some fun. As we approach the holidays, what better way to put a little pep in your step than revisiting the most popular music that the DSO’s Pops fans have enjoyed over the years. We are thrilled to welcome back former Principal Pops Conductor Richard Kaufman, who served the DSO in that role for 14 years. He’ll dig into the vast treasure trove of beloved pops hits —…
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Interview…Troy Duffy on Themes, Theology and The MacManus Brothers in ‘The Boondock Saints, Volume 1: Blood Origin’
You could say that we are huge fans of The Boondock Saints, but our love and reverence for Troy Duffy’s amazing cinematic and narrative achievement goes only so far. Sure, we have a Peacoat, and own the films on DVD, but that’s about where it ends. We never got matching tattoos, bought tons of shirts, or named our animals after the MacManus Brothers. That would be the actions of super fans, and to that, we salute you. Over the years, we’ve been fortunate enough to meet actors Sean Patrick Flannery, Norman Reedus, David Della Rocco, even Jeff Danna, who composed the amazing score to the film. Today, we were beyond…
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Interview…Composer Ilan Eshkeri on 20 Years of ‘Layer Cake’ and Personal Music Pursuits
To those in the know, Layer Cake is the landmark British crime drama of the 21st century. Since 2004, it has continued to impress audiences, and for two solid decades it is still going strong, gaining new fans as it finds its lane along with other captivating and gritty stories of narrative quicksand like The Game. It’s clever, complex, serious as cancer, but also one entertaining ride book-ended with one of the best opening sequences and closing shots of all time. To the fans out there, you’ve helped make it resonate. To those yet to be initiated, welcome, you are in for a treat. The film had a proper release…
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‘Hans Zimmer Live’ In Texas Is Big Beyond Words
World-renowned composer Hans Zimmer recently came to Texas with Hans Zimmer Live (or, simpler, HZL) and their stop in Ft. Worth rocked the house. Zimmer’s music is magical, soul touching and earthshaking. As one of the most powerful and influential figures in music, his band’s talent is eclipsed only by their diversity. It’s safe to say that their live show is like nothing else, and you can never truly capture the sound of the experience through headphones or a turntable. It bears repeating, but HZL is a one-of-a-kind concert, and one which runs the gamut of crowd-pleasing favorites, notable pop culture hits, and themes/tunes which truly mean a lot to…
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[Exclusive] Interview…Kip Winger – Rock Legend & Classical Compositional Master
Once in a great while we get the chance to speak with someone we’ve truly admired for years. In this case it is decades, plural, and Winger has been deep in our acoustic DNA since 1991. On today’s show we reached for an out of this world guest and are so excited to share this interview with you. It was a true thrill speaking to Kip Winger about the impressive and dizzying number of projects and albums from the rock world to the classical music landscape. Those of you who are fans of hits like “Down Incognito“, “Easy Come Easy Go” or “Headed For A Heartbreak” (just to name a…
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Interview…Randy Edelman on Songs, Scores, Musical Instincts and the Fiftieth Anniversary of ‘Prime Cuts’
Fifty years ago, Randy Edelman released his third record. Leading off this special album is the song Bluebird. “Prime Cuts” has many standout tracks – a mix of joyous, playful, down tempo and lovelorn tunes – but that one in particular exemplifies how he can pen something that seems simple yet comes across as wildly creative, poignant and timeless. He’s got the tools, he’s got the talent, and a very lovely voice; that’s what you call a triple threat. Randy has seen almost every aspect of the music business and while song writing and composing for films are two completely different animals, he can float back and forth between the…
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Interview…Production Designer Paul Cripps on Visual Depth, Creativity and Stories From the Set of ‘Ted Lasso’
I’ve often said that I think movie magic is actually music magic. Many times it is the film score that is the heart of the film. But a very close second would be production design. While film and TV are essentially a two-dimensional exhibition of a three-dimensional world, plenty of skilled craftsmen, artisans and stage hands weave their own magic to create a sense of place. Grand cinematic adventures from The Wizard of Oz to The Matrix to Oppenheimer doesn’t physically come through the screen, but visually you still feel the weight, density, and the depth that make those worlds believable. Some of the greatest production designers in history aren’t household…
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Interview…Alden Ehrenreich and Natalie Metzger on ‘Shadow Brother Sunday’
One of the most enjoyable perks in film journalism is getting to talk to creative individuals about their work. On this site we’ve been fortunate enough to meet with numerous storytellers; we love taking deep dives with the talent at hand to find what inspires them. Some of the best interviews are ones that yield behind-the-scenes stories, triumphs and lessons learned. All in all, the road to bring any production to the public is a long one – but it can certainly be fun. And that’s why people in film consider the work an all-or-nothing pursuit. Last week, we had a kitchen sink discussion with Alden Ehrenreich. He’s been working…
