Film Review: Inherent Vice

Weird. Beautiful. Funny. Convoluted. Meandering. Forget it Jake, it’s Pynchon.

 

Joaquin Phoenix and Katherine Waterston in P.T. Anderson's Inherent Vice
Joaquin Phoenix and Katherine Waterston in P.T. Anderson’s Inherent Vice

 

Paul Thomas Anderson has made his name with movies that feel very important, and are chock full of big ideas about life. If you come looking for that in Inherent Vice, you’re going to leave disappointed. This movie is essentially a comedy, full of visual gags and walk-o- length comedic performances by a series of excellent actors. The story isn’t much to hang  your hat on, but the cast, the dialog and gorgeous images should keep you entertained, as long as you keep your expectations in check.

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From Beck to The Boss, here are 70+ albums to look forward to in 2014

If there was one thing the contributing writers, and staff, of Spinning Platters agreed on during our annual gathering to determine the best albums of the year, it was that 2013 was a bit underwhelming for music. The silver lining in what was mostly a mundane, forgettable time for music was that a lot of women broke through and achieved some well-deserved recognition. Daft Punk and Deltron 3030 returned after a near-decade hiatus and did not disappoint. Still, the fact that Miley’s antics garnered any attention, whatsoever, and were even considered “interesting” didn’t exactly bode well for collective musical output.

It’s time to move forward and hope for a better turnout these next 350-plus days (some of us are still recovering/getting acclimated, thank you). If you’ve noticed a pattern in titles such as “50 must-hear albums coming your way in 2014,” with an emphasis on the staggering figure, from other publications, it’s because, well, there are already that many hotly-anticipated releases to look forward to in the coming year. Of course, there are more to be found here because we’re delightfully (right?) exhaustive (in case you haven’t noticed our other, alternative best-of-2013 round-ups).

This list offers an alternate variation on what has already been published by the likes of SPIN and Consequence of Sound; but if there’s one thing we can all agree on, we’re stoked for the return of Beck. Not included: soundtracks, EPs, reissues, and live recordings. Special thanks goes out to Pause & Play, a wonderful, consistently updated resource for new album releases on the horizon. Without further ado, here are the anticipated links – some with videos, links to singles, and even full album streams. Enjoy.

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 6/21/12 – 6/27/12

While you’ll find this item on my wedding registry, you can see the contents this Sunday at the Alameda County Fair.

It’s summer time! Officially. Finally. And that means it’s time to see some outdoor shows, some bands from your youth, and maybe even see one of the worst concept tours I can possibly imagine.  Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 6/21/12 — 6/27/12”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 7/29/10-8/4/10

Look how much your girlfriend is enjoying herself at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga. So many concerts! So much wine!

As July transitions into August, The Mountain Winery continues to generally kick the ass of every other Bay Area concert venue this week—and it’s actually kind of an off-week for them. Nobody likes a showoff, Mountain Winery! Other highlights this week include Joanna Newsom, a free concert by Rickie Lee Jones, and the final performance by local favorites Make Me before they take an indefinite hiatus. All that and more, after the jump…

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