Remembering Roger Ebert

Everyone has a favorite memory of beloved film critic Roger Ebert; whether it's a clever remark he made on his long-running television show, a favored sentence from one of his thousands of movie reviews for the Chicago Sun-Times, a passage from one of his many books, or a cherished personal encounter with a man who was, by all accounts, friendly and approachable and happy to discuss the movies with anyone who was interested.

My own favorite memory of Roger Ebert comes from an old episode of Siskel and Ebert and The Movies that aired sometime in the late '80s. The format of the show was simplicity itself; Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel would alternately introduce a film that was currently playing in theaters, some clips would be shown, the two critics would share their impressions of the film, maybe some banter, and then a verdict would be rendered: thumbs up or thumbs down. That was it. And you always kind of hoped that they'd disagree on the film in question. When the two disagreed, you got a fuller sense of what they really thought of the film, good or bad. There was something charming about the way they wanted each other to appreciate what was unique about a given film, or what made it uniquely awful.

I would've been about ten years old when this particular episode aired. In addition to reviewing whatever Hollywood films were current that week, none of which I remember, there was a review of Alejandro Jodorowsky's film Santa Sangre. And these were, unquestionably, the strangest, most unsettling images I had seen in my life to that point. I remember Ebert, in voice-over, explicating a scene where an armless woman was playing the piano with the aid of her son, who had slipped his arms through the sleeves of his mother's dress. There was something off-kilter in the acting, and the candle-lit set appeared baroque, almost operatic. The succeeding images were dreamlike and menacing, evocative of dark mysteries that I couldn't possibly understand. Needless to say, Ebert gave it a thumbs up.

That peculiar memory resurfaced at the news of Roger's passing, those four or five minutes of a decades-old episode. I've been thinking about that, how appropriate it is that Roger Ebert used his popular weekly TV show to highlight a little-known art-film about magic, vengeance, and religious fanaticism, directed by a Chilean-French filmmaker whose name almost certainly meant nothing to the vast majority of viewers. Roger Ebert loved the movies. Big movies and small ones, great movies and otherwise. Roger Ebert loved the movies. It was an enduring, lifelong love-affair, and we were fortunate to share it with him.

Join the realm!

If you are a fan of Game of Thrones, like I am, you most definitely are looking forward to the third season, which starts on Sunday, March 31. I've grown more and more excited each week and am currently in the middle of re-watching Season 1 and Season 2 to get ready. While seasons 1 and 2 covered the story lines from the first books in author George R.R. Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice series, A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings, season 3 will cover roughly the first half of the 973-page third book, A Storm of Swords.

No spoilers here: A Storm of Swords. Is. Awesome. And heartbreaking. And captivating. And full of surprises. I can't wait to see how the actors, writers, and directors bring this book to life. 

It is known that Game of Thrones includes a long list of characters and settings to keep straight. Do you know the sigil of each house?

House Baratheon: Ours in the Fury
House Bolton: Our Blades are Sharp
House Lannister: Hear Me Roar (unofficial: A Lannister Always Pays His Debts)
House Martell: Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken
House Mormont: Here we Stand
House Stark: Winter is Coming
House Tully: Family, Duty, Honor
House Targaryen: Fire and Blood

At jointherealm.com you can create your own house sigil by customizing the banner background, text, and icons. Here is the sigil I created. There was no squirrel icon available, so I settled on a food theme:

Have fun designing your house sigils!

Jason Molina: 1973-2013

News outlets report that singer-songwriter Jason Molina passed away March 16, 2013, at the age of 39. He had been in poor health in recent years and a campaign was underway to help raise funds for his mounting medical bills. Molina is best known for the music he recorded under the names Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co. His music was noticeably influenced by American folk and country, and his unique voice was instantly recognizable. Molina's highly poetic lyrics often centered on the lives and concerns of working people, particularly in his home state of Ohio and the city of Chicago, which had become something of an adopted home for the musician. His protagonists were tired, anxious, uncertain about what their lives meant and where they might end up. But Molina expressed these pervasive anxieties with such tenderness that many of his songs have the comforting qualities of lullabies. I am reminded of a lyric from his song "Blue Factory Flame":

when i die put my bones in an empty street
to remind me of how it used to be
don’t write my name on a stone
bring a Coleman lantern and a radio
a Cleveland game and two fishing poles
and watch with me from the shore
ghostly steel and iron ore ships coming home
where i am paralyzed by the emptiness

Return of the Mars

Calling all Veronica Mars fans! By the time you read this the goal may have been reached, but creator Rob Thomas (with support from star Kristen Bell) has started a Kickstarter campaign to raise money in order to make a VM movie. Yes, you read right: A Veronica Mars Movie! And, it's looking good because the $2 million goal has almost been reached in one day.

Shooting is set to begin in the summer, with a release sometime in early 2014. Now, we just have to see if LoVe becomes a reality again ...

The Tallest Man On Earth: Love Is All

The Tallest Man On Earth is the enigmatic stage name of Swedish singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson. He has been recording original music and performing live for several years, but recently received a significant profile boost when he toured with critically-acclaimed artist Bon Iver. All of Matsson's work is guitar-based and heavily folk influenced, and his distinctively raspy voice is a wonderful instrument for his evocative song lyrics. While I would recommend the entirety of his 2010 album The Wild Hunt, it's the song "Love Is All" that has really stolen my heart. The video director Johan Stolpe has collected and edited vintage home movies - seemingly shot on Super 8 - into an unexpectedly moving complement to the song itself.

Nicholas Sparks: Who Dies? Safe Haven edition.

 Disclaimer: It goes without saying, you shouldn't read this post if you haven't seen the movie and knowing the deceased party will ruin it for you.  Also, you probably shouldn't read it if you think The Notebook is one the most romantic books/ movies ever.    

There's a new Nicholas Sparks movie out just in time in Valentine's Day!.  So those of you in happy coupledom get to endure two hours of beaches, kissing in the rain, shirtless Josh Duhamel, and emotional manipulation! But lest you decide to break up with your significant other so you don't have see Safe Haven, this Nicholas Sparks movie has a twist!*  It's a thriller-- well a Sparksian-take on a thriller anyway.  It's like The Notebook as written by M. Night Shamymalan.

Premise:  Katie (Julianne Hough) flees Boston to a sunny, coastal town in North Carolina (of course) after she maybe killed a guy (or at least hurt him).  But hey, she totally had her reasons, okay?  However, a meanie Boston police detective (David Lyons) just won't let sleeping dogs lie and is trying to track down Katie.  Once in North Carolina, Katie immediately finds work as a waitress and rents a shabby chic cabin in the woods.  Even though she's trying her best to avoid all human connection (smart girl), she quickly becomes friends with her neighbor Jo (Cobie Smothers aka. Robin from How I Met Your Mother), whom no one else in the town talks to or knows about.  Katie soon finds herself falling for a handsome store owner Alex (Josh Duhamel), who lost his wife to cancer and has two cute kids.  However, because of Katie's dark past, she's not sure if entering into a relationship with Alex is a good idea.

Who dies?:  Alex does.  Katie kills him because she's really a crazy murderess. No, just kidding.  The truth is wayyyyy weirder.  So, it turns out the detective isn't interested in finding Katie just because she's a (possible) murderer on the lam.  It's really because he's her abusive ex-husband, whom she stabbed but didn't kill. Predictably, he catches up with her in NC and a messy fight ensues.  Alex's store starts ablaze and the evil ex dies in the scuffle.  Everybody else makes it out okay, though most of Alex's store is destroyed.

But that's not even the craziest twist!  Cue the theremin, because Jo is really Alex's dead wife. SHE'S REALLY DEAD! I know that sounds like I'm making that up.  But that actually happens!  She just wanted to make sure Alex chose the right replacement.  Now that he's happily ever after with Katie, Jo can cross over.

For more Nicholas Sparks spoilers, check out my earlier posts.   Or if I haven't totally ruined it, you can check out the book!


*Seriously though, you definitely should break up with them.  Unless you want to have to see every Nicholas Sparks adaptation for the rest of your life.  Doesn't dying alone sound more pleasant?

What we're listening to: Master of My Make-Believe by Santigold

I'm still catching up on music from last year, so I'm just now listening to Santigold's album Master of My Make-Believe, which was released last spring.

Drawing obvious comparisons to M.I.A., Santigold is less aggressive in her style and delivery, but still has something to say. Her influences are abundant and eclectic. Karen O. and Nick Zinner of the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, were quite involved in this record, from Karen O.'s vocal and writing contributions to Nick's handling of guitar work on several tracks. Diplo, Switch, Q-Tip, and Dave Sitek from TV on the Radio, among others, all produced at least one track. She also mentioned in an interview that she gains visual inspiration for her live shows from artists such as David Byrne and Bjork, but I would go as far to say that she is influenced by them musically because those two artists come to mind when I hear Santigold's record-- it has that worldly and genre-bending vibe to it.

Two tracks in particular stand out to me: "Disparate Youth" and "This Isn't Our Parade." They're nothing alike. The former is more straightforward and perhaps her more representative sound, the latter is laid-back and as close to a ballad as she gets. Track 9, "The Keepers," has a bouncy beat, but damning lyrics. It's all about the contrast. A great record for repeated listens because different elements come forward each time. This disc would be perfect for parties.

Side note: "Disparate Youth" is featured in the current Honda commercial.

The 2013 Dundees: Our Alternative Oscars

Below are our winners for our alternative Oscars, the Dundees, where I pick out my favorite performances in film and TV of the last year.  Since Ryan Gosling and Michael Fassbender were pretty much absent this year in film, I don't have a whole lot of complaints about this year's Oscar snubs.  That being said, I was disappointed to see that the Academy somehow had more love for Les Misérables than P.T. Anderson's fabulous The Master.   Personally,  I'd rather watch grass grow than Les Miz, at least that wouldn't involve Russell Crowe trying to sing!

This has been a big year for comebacks, with everyone from Matthew McConaughey to Bradley Cooper turning in refreshingly good performances.  In this vein, I was thrilled to see Joaquin Phoenix nominated for his fantastic performance in The Master.  Sure, he'll probably lose out to Daniel Day-Lewis, but it's nice to see him back!

Without further ado, here are the winners:

Best Comedy:  Moonrise Kingdom.
This movie has a tinge of bittersweet, as all Wes Anderson movies do, but it is also one of the funniest movies of the year.  For a more in-depth look at the movie, check out this great post by fellow Media Corner blogger Danielle. 

Runner Up:  Damsels in Distress. It took me about a half hour or so to adjust to the offbeat-ness of this movie, but its over the top strangeness eventually won me over.  It's sort of like an upside down 80s college comedy.

Best (Anti-) Romantic Comedy:  Celeste and Jesse Forever.  This movie doesn't really count as a rom-com in the traditional sense, since it's about two people getting divorced. It does manage to be the right mix of funny and moody, and has an incredible cast including Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg and Chris Messina.  It's a great sleeper movie.

Most Enviable Wardrobe, Female Performance:  Megan Draper (Jessica Paré) on Mad Men.  I was so disappointed when she quit her job at Sterling Cooper Draper Price, because we'd no longer get to see her incredible 60s office chic outfits!

Music Roundup: My Top 10 Albums of 2012

Top Ten

The Seer - Swans
The music on The Seer is far more sophisticated than the Swans recordings of the early-'80s, when the band was about brutal noise and confrontation at the expense of all else. Michael Gira has refined his songwriting and expanded his thematic concerns throughout his long career, most notably with his Angels of Light project. But the dark drama and punishing intensity are still integral to the band's vision. The Seer is a sinister, droning masterpiece.

'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! - Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Certain artists inspire devotion, and GY!BE have had a devout following since their 1997 debut. 'Allelujah! is their first new record since 2002 (Yanqui U.X.O.);  a record comprised of two relatively long compositions and two shorter works that have been part of the collective's live repertoire. (The Guardian published a statement from the group coincident with the release of 'Allelujah!, providing some genuinely moving sentiments about the group's ambitions.) If you're unfamiliar with GY!BE, the ideal introduction is "The Dead Flag Blues," the legendary first track from the group's debut record. There's simply no better encapsulation of the what Godspeed You! Black Emperor is about. Follow that with the 'Allelujah! track "Their Helicopters' Sing" for further evidence of the visceral beauty of this group's music.

The Sun - Cat Power
Chan Marshall's career has had distinct musical phases that aren't always appreciated by the same audience; her stark, guitar-based recordings from the '90s often go unappreciated by those who favor her Southern soul influenced work. As a fan of her entire catalog, I'd like to think that The Sun represents yet another break/innovation. The soulful horn section has been replaced with warm synthesizers and electronic beats. There isn't much precedent for this type of production in Marshall's work, though it may have some superficial similarities with her guest spot on Handsome Boy Modelling School's 2004 record. The appeal of any Cat Power album is Marshall's voice, and it's invigorating to hear her sing with such directness on The Sun.

Four - Bloc Party
Bloc Party have always excelled at combining the best elements of  late-90s Blur and Radiohead with intense post-punk angularity. Those expected strengths are very much on display on the band's fourth record, but, really, nothing could have prepared me for the monster riffs of "Coliseum."

Cancer4Cure - El-P
The music of El-P is so idiosyncratic and distinctly his own that it's almost instantly identifiable. Forever at the margins of whatever can be considered "mainstream" hip-hop, El-P has consistently crafted innovative and intriguing music that reveals a profound appreciation for classic sampling. C4C is unquestionably one of El-P's finest records; a wild melange of samples and sounds that is, strangely, the most focused he has ever sounded.

Key to the Kuffs - JJ DOOM
You can pair MF DOOM with just about anyone and the results will, at the very least, be interesting. But his recent collaboration with MC/producer Jneiro Jarel is considerably more than a curio. Key to the Kuffs isn't a perfect record; and it suffers by comparison to Madvillainy, DOOM's beloved 2004 collaboration with Madlib. (To be fair, every recording suffers by comparison with Madvillainy.) Taken on a track-by-track basis, this is some of the best work DOOM has done in years. "Guv'nor" is almost certainly the standout, with its woozy production and lyrics that range far wider than DOOM's typical concerns.

awE naturalE - THEESatisfaction
I first heard TheeSatisfaction as guest artists on one my favorite records of 2011, Black Up by Shabazz Palaces. awE naturalE is the Seattle duo's debut full-length, and it easily exceeds all expectations in its seductive beauty and the seemingly effortless interplay between the singer (Cat) and the emcee (Stas).

Don't Be a Stranger - Mark Eitzel
My appreciation for this record may, to some extent, be tinged with nostalgia for the magisterial dolorousness of classic American Music Club. (Along with Red House Painters, A.M.C. were the demigods of slow-core.) But, taken on its own terms, Don't Be a Stranger is a beautifully crafted record that makes the most of Eitzel's unique voice and songcraft.

Between the Times and the Tides - Lee Ranaldo
As guitarist and co-founder of the band Sonic Youth, Lee Ranaldo's legacy as a rock innovator is secure. But, like his band-mates Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, he has pursued various solo projects throughout has career. While the numerous side projects by Gordon and Moore are still pretty recognizable as Sonic Youth recordings (to the extent that Sonic Youth can be said to have a recognizable template), Ranaldo is pursuing musical ideas far afield of his full-time gig. From the darkly pulsing opening track, "Waiting on a Dream," to the gentle lyricism of "Stranded,"Between the Times and the Tides is a beautiful record that displays Ranaldo's maturation as a songwriter.

Mature Themes - Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
Mature Themes is as strange as Ariel Pink himself. You just need to accept that Pink is working on another level, and the more time you spend with his songs, the more resonant they become. (Though I'm not sure there's any way to make sense of the almost unbelievably odd "Schnitzel Boogie.") Mature Themes isn't all experimentation and obfuscation; "Only in My Dreams" is as direct and charming a pop song as you could ask for, and the album's closer, "Baby," is a surprisingly soulful cover that just may be my favorite track of the year.

Other Highlights

2012 featured new music from some of my longtime favorites: Deerhoof (Breakup Song), Sun Kil Moon (Among the Leaves), Spiritualized (Sweet Heart, Sweet Light), Nas (Life Is Good), Mount Eerie (Clear Moon), and a late-entry from Big Boi (Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors). There were also a handful of newcomers who made an indelible impression: Frank Ocean (Channel Orange), Death Grips (The Money Store), and the surprisingly divisive pop singer Lana Del Rey (Born to Die). Say what you will about Del Rey's debut album, her single "Video Games" is an evocative song that feels emblematic of its moment in time, an impression that is only enhanced by its accompanying video.