Art All Night 20 - 2017

I have had to take a few days away from the computer, as there have been a ton of different things going on this weekend. Between the NFL Draft and writing, I have finally started watching my first movie of the weekend about five minutes ago. That has not been all that bad, as last night I got to go to Art All Night 20 in Lawrenceville and saw dome awesome art and some awesome bands. If you are in the Pittsburgh area and have never been to Art All Night, you are missing out on a great experience. Here are a few of the pictures from last night. 

Discopath (2013)

After taking a strange nap yesterday, I was searching for something different to watch. After searching Shudder, I decided to roll the dice with the 2013 entry Discopath (Discopathe).

Plot/ The mid-70's: a timid young New Yorker leads an uneventful life until he is fatefully exposed to the pulsating rhythms of a brand-new genre of music: disco. Unable to control his murderous impulses that stem from a traumatic childhood experience, Duane Lewis transforms into a dangerous serial killer exiled to Montreal.

When I started this one, I had no idea what to expect. Although, from the description on Shudder, I hoped it would at least be entertaining. Guess what? It was much more than that and better than I could have ever imagined. While the storyline is ludicrous, and much of it is over the top, there is a lot to like and it is rather entertaining. Sure, this is move of an exploitation schlockfest with a ton of comedic element sprinkled in, but that is what makes it so fun, as it never takes itself too serious and it allows the film to develop in a lighthearted manner. The performances are uneven, the dialog and language varies scene to scene, and it is littered with disco music (which may turn some people off), but there is enough going on to make this a mindless trip into another time. In the end, this movie is much better than one would expect and it is a movie that really flues under the RADAR being from Canada. If you love schlock and classic mindless exploitation, give it a shot; you will enjoy it.

Green Room (2015)

After sitting through my share of low budget anthologies recently, I figured it was time to change some things up. Last night, following a trip to Family Video, I decided to give 2015s Green Room a chance.

Plot/ A band straying into a secluded part of the Pacific Northwest stumbles onto a horrific act of violence. Because they are the only witnesses, they become the targets of a terrifying gang of skinheads who want to make sure all the evidence is eliminated.

After a couple of uneven entries, this one changed all of my frustrations. An intense thriller, this one definitely falls closer to horror than the thriller genre. The acting is solid throughout, the scripting does a masterful job at creating atmosphere and tension while keeping the movie realistic, and the tone/pace of the film and violence is perfect. While I enjoyed the entire package, some viewers may not like all of the violence and the realism created in this world. To me, that is the only potential downfall of the film. In the end, if you enjoy violent and tension filled movies, this one is definitely for you; check it out!

Soaked in Bleach (2015)

This week has been a bit of a challenge, between a parade and softball batting practice, it has been a busy one. Plus, I had to finish off my journey into American Horror Story Coven (another amazing entry). Now that I have some time to relax as I prepare to work on one of my final assignments for class, I decided to find some type of thought provoking movie. After some searching, I found an interesting documentary, the 2015 docudrama Soaked in Bleach.

Plot/ Tom Grant, a private investigator once hired by Courtney Love, reveals his take on the death of Kurt Cobain.

I can still remember hearing the news about Kurt Cobain’s suicide and I could not believe it. Even after all these years, there is something that just doesn’t make sense about the death and I honestly do not believe that he committed suicide. This documentary was an amazing journey into that case, and again shows enough evidence to prompt a new investigation into the tragic death of a rock icon. There was so much to like about this documentary, as everything seemed to flow in a logical manner. A combination of reenactments and playbacks of the actual audio recordings taken by private investigator Tom Grant during the investigation, the information presented was powerful and definitely presents the suicide in a different light. In the end, there is no doubt that this case muse be reopened, as there are too many flaws in the reported storyline. If, like me, you were a fan of Nirvana and can remember where you were when this tragedy was reported, you have to watch this documentary. It is a must see, and one of the best documentaries I have seen in some time.

Seven Below (2012)

With Halloween just two days away, I decided to kick back and relax and see what I could find on Netflix. There are some flicks that I have passed over in the past, but could slide in this week. Before I get to my review for 7 Below, I would be remiss if I did not mention the passing of former Velvet Underground front man, and punk poet Lou Reed. Reed was an inspiration for me, and his CD, The Raven, is a perfect soundtrack for Halloween. Here is a sample.

Plot/ a group of strangers are trapped in a time warp house where a terrible event transpired exactly 100 years prior.

Now I know why I had bypassed this flick for so long. This one was not really worth the time I invested in watching it. A thriller, this one suffers from some head scratching flaws. From poor scripting and dialogue, to terrible sound quality, to uneven performances, this one scuttles the small creativeness allowed for in the storyline before it can get started. More importantly, as a ghost story, it truly falls flat and produces nothing more than a slowly paced and boring thriller. If you are reading this stay away… Stay far away.

Kurt & Courtney (1998)

One of the interesting tidbits I discovered when researching some material for the week was that this is the actual week that the Paul is Dead conspiracy started during the 1960s. Honestly, that is an interesting musical conspiracy theory that is rather hard to debunk. While I am an outsider on that investigation, the information and evidence, pointing toward this cover-up is compelling and tremendous. With that in mind, I decided to take a look at a modern music conspiracy that took the life of a musical icon. My selection was Kurt &Courtney, the documentary focused on the life and tragic death of grunge rocker Kurt Cobain.   

Plot/ After rocker Kurt Cobain's death, ruled a suicide, a film crew arrives in Seattle to make a documentary. Director Nick Broomfield talks to lots of people: Cobain's aunt who provides home movies and recordings, the estranged father of Cobain's widow Courtney Love, an L.A. private investigator who worked for Love, a nanny for Kurt and Courtney's child, friends and lovers of both, and others. Although Love won't talk to him and his inquiries lose him financial backing, he comes to believe the coroner's verdict.

Conspiracy theories are always perfect for documentaries, and fortunately, there are a ton of them out there. In this one, which is one I have heard about since the day of his murder, it is hard to tell what is true and what is false. In this documentary by Nick Broomfield, it is hard to wrap your head around any one idea, which is the perfect backdrop for a conspiracy.  There are interviews and witnesses that claim that Love was behind Cobain’s death, going as far as to say she offered money for his death. However, none of these witnesses are worth their weight in gold, as they are drug addicts or degenerates and a picture of a potentially suicidal, drug addicted star emerges. The film quality is solid, and the investigation does show both sides of the debate, even if the feel is quite skewed toward murder. In the end, this is a very entertaining and interesting documentary about a troubled musical genius and the woman he married. Could she have killed him or played a role in his death? Absolutely, but no clear evidence is found in the documentary. Check it out, and let me know what you think?

Lonesome Wyatt and the Holy Spooks - Heartsick

With my 40th birthday coming up in a few days, the family has started to pass some of my gifts my way. While I am excited to see the cake creation, the few small things I have already received have been awesome. First there was tickets to see Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band in Morgantown, and now a Those Poor Bastard’s T-Shirt and the latest Lonesome Wyatt and Holy Spooks CD… Honestly, what more can a man ask for? On Heartsick, the latest CD from Lonesome Wyatt and the Holy Spooks takes a grim musical detour from the raw meanness of Those Poor Bastards to construct 12 mournful songs of loneliness, sorrow and decay.  

As a huge fan of Lonesome Wyatt and Those Poor Bastards, I have always been drawn to the dark and dreary atmosphere and complex lyrics that lie at the heart of their songs. To me, this music is a perfect soundtrack to the decay of real America and everything that made this country great.  This latest trip into darkness and macabre is tremendous.  For those that have not experienced Lonesome Wyatt (or Those Poor Bastards), you are missing something special. Heartsick is a layered journey into the abyss of darkness, depression and sadness, and may be one of the best CDs to come out in some time!  Not only does it feature the dreariness and melancholy of albums past, it has a pure, dark and refined sound that takes it to another level. Honestly, not only does this have the trademark haunting melodies, the instrumentation choices create something that is subtly beautiful and a pleasure to hear.

Manson - Demongod (2001)

One of the movies that I watched prior to Monday’s ceremony was the second film I picked up from the Amplo Films table at the Undead Festival. This one was quite a different endeavor than the first flick I watched from them The Hollows as this was a true low-budget documentary. Entitled Manson – Demongod, this was a compilation of many of the famed Manson interviews, a ton of investigation pieces and numerous crime scene photos I have honestly never seen before. Best of all, this material was put together on top of a soundtrack of material written and performed by Charles Manson himself (of course with some help from his family in parts).

Yes, some of the editing and the sound quality was far from perfect, and  yes, there were the normal issues that plague these no-budget independent flicks,  but this was definitely one of the most entertaining and comprehensive documentaries on this tragic event that are out there. In many ways, you see the devastation, and you see exactly how far reaching these events touched (would Roman Polanski still be in exile?) and how in many ways they are still influencing people today. 

As a conspiracy theory junkie, and a person that has always been interested in the darker side of society, I do enjoy watching my fair share of documentaries on most any of the macabre subjects and this was one that was well worth the $5.00 I spent on it. While, I am sure that it is not for everyone (as this is one of the most vicious crimes in modern United States history), it is assuredly one of the most detailed documentaries on Manson and his family out there and one that is worth watching if you get the chance (and are interested).

In A Kingdom By The Sea...

As I sit here counting days until I can get back to Uniontown and Brenda and the girls, I was doing some light reading from my favorite writer Edgar Allan Poe. As a writer, I get so much inspiration from his words, his stories and the deep love he shares in a majority of his works. While reading, I was reminded of a great and haunting song that was inspired by his classic Annabel Lee, the song is simply, Annabelle Lee by Sarah Jarosz. If you have not heard it, check it out! It is one of the best songs I have heard in a long time.

 

Annabel Lee

By Edgar Allan Poe

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love-
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me-
Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we-
Of many far wiser than we-
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea. 

Blink 182 - My Chemical Romance - Manchester Orchestra (August 13, 2011 -Hershey PA)

Last Night, I was lucky enough to take my daughter Genesis to see her favorite band My Chemical Romance at the Honda Civic Tour in Hershey, PA. Honestly, I was more excited to see the other two acts Manchester Orchestra and Blink 182. After some pre-show rain, the weather calmed and the show too off, it was AWESOME!

I was blown away by the music, the crowd, really everything. Both Manchester Orchestra and My Chemical Romance were good, and their sounds got the crowd revved up for Blink 182. Amazingly, as good as those two bands were, Blink blew them away with a great mixture of old and new.

More importantly, it was an awesome night with Genesis, who I am looking forward to sharing many more events now that retirement is on the horizon.

 

 

Random Shots From Blobfest 2011

It has been a fun two days hanging out in Phoenixville, PA with other fans of the Sci-Fi Classic The Blob at Blobfest 2011. Today was no exception. Honestly, there is nothing better than watching the classic flick on the big screen. Couple that with some great entertainment and it was Awesome! Here are some more pictures from the weekend.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008)

This morning my wife put on a short film for all of us to watch over breakfast. Not knowing much about it, I had mixed emotions (especially when she said it was a musical). Soon, I discovered that Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog was not your normal musical.

Plot/ Dr. Horrible, an aspiring supervillain with his own video blog, is attempting to join the prestigious Evil League of Evil, but his plans are usually foiled by the egotistical superhero Captain Hammer.

When I sat down to watch this short flick this morning, I had no idea what to expect. But, after laughing and humming along with the songs, I was blown away and left wanting more. This little movie has it all, laughs, drama, action; everything you could want wrapped up in one package. The music, songs, script, and acting are amazing (especially the stars Nathon Fillion, Felicia Day, and Neil Patrick Harris who work perfect together). In the end, this is a great flick that must be seen, if you have not watched it, you are missing 45 minutes of awesomeness.

Some of My Music for the Rapture Playlist

Here are some random videos of  my favorite artists and the music that is preparing me for the upcoming Rapture. If Judgement Day is really on Saturday, I am going to go out in style.

Rachel Brooke: Down in the Barnyard

I first heard of Rachel Brooke when she joined one of my favorites Lonesome Wyatt for A Bitter Harvest. This amazing CD featured the duo in a perfect mixture of true country glory. If you have not heard it, pick it up today!

Enter Down in the Barnyard, Rachel’s latest release. This album took my appreciation for her even further. Her storytelling, brilliant songwriting, and that natural voice are all showcased perfectly. Yes, this album is not typical country and may take some time to get used to if you are not already a fan. While dark in places, it is truly an uplifting listen featuring some of the most original lyrics I have heard in some time. Are there some bumps, sure! But, it is still one of the best I have heard come out this year.