A witty, efficient, and quirky little tale of an oddball in an odd situation.
Steve Coogan as the odd radio DJ, Alan Partridge
Alan Partridge is a new film centered around a beloved fictional radio host/DJ character created by Steve Coogan and friends for the BBC series, On The Hour. An unknown to most American audiences, Partridge is precisely the type of neurotic, awkward, and narcissistic underdog that we love to watch and cheer for (like Ron Burgandy). The film is a bizarre tale involving an absurd but charming chain of events. There are moments when the story comes very close to crossing into unfunny territory, but instead it rides the line without sacrificing its tempo. There’s something quite wonderful about a comedy that knows how to get in and get out whilst fulfilling all the requirements of the genre, and Steve Coogan seems to be the mastermind behind it all.
Empire of the Sun are simply a band that somehow defies explanation and supersedes any real definition, and their live show at The Fox in Oakland on Thursday certainly follows suit. With an intro that rivals most Las Vegas shows, a light package that is worthy of any pure EDM set, and a lead singer that truly embodies the enigmatic rock star persona, their show definitely rearranged every brain cell I have into what feels like pure energy.
And that’s even without getting into the music itself.
Good comedy is hard to find. I mean, it’s easy to find , but with thousands of voices permeating the ether, it’s hard to see the stars within the galaxies. How does anybody, especially comedy nerds, expect to stay up to date when there’s so many choices and unanswered questions: Do I want to have a good time? Do I want to be challenged? Who will champion the comedy I want to hear, excuse me, need to hear? Well, Aparna Nancherla and Eliza Skinner, of course.
One is acerbically imaginative, the other keenly effervescent, both are delightfully different with incredible style and substance. The duo worked on the gone-too-soon “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell” (aka the “OMG, Kamau has a show! OMG, they canceled it! Whyyyyyyyy!?” Show), together they’ve toured with the regal Janine Brito, and both are performing THIS SATURDAY—two shows—at our favorite indie comedy haunt, Lost Weekend Video(aka the Cynic Cave). It’s a highly-recommended happening of extremely special circumstance!
Spinning Platters highlights some films from the 57th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF), which opens this Thursday, April 24th, and runs through May 8th at various theaters in San Francisco and Berkeley. Program notes and tickets available here.
There aren’t a whole lot of bands that nearly everyone can agree on as “good.” Queens Of The Stone Age have managed to find that perfect balance where everyone seems to like. They are embraced by indie kids, mainstream rock fans, metal heads, and pretty much all rock fans in between. Never underestimate the power of a solid riff.
When you type Motörhead in on your iPhone, it automatically adds in the umlaut. That’s how important this band is- so important that your phone knows to give them the respect they deserve.
Municipal Waste, Negative Approach, Fucked Up, Impaled, The Shrine, Kicker, Conquest For Death at Oakland Metro Operahouse
For the low price of $26 a piece, we’ve got one of the best heavy music line ups you could ever create. This is an epic show, and you should go. Not going would be a bad move.
It’s been far too long since Merrill Garbus has graced our eardrums with new music. Happily, she’s pulled out two amazing new singles, as well as a show at The Chapel. This is going to be a great homecoming from one of the best ever.
The Men, CCR Headcleaner, Gun Outfit at Rickshaw Stop
Portland psych rock heroes The Dandy Warhols have kept a rather low profile for the last few years… However, they keep stretching out their 13th anniversary of 13 Tales Of Urban Bohemia well into it’s 14th anniversary with the release of a live recording of that record, as well as another leg of a tour spotlighting that classic record.
The Dillinger Escape Plan, Trash Talk, Retox at DNA Lounge
On Saturday night, the San Francisco Symphony continued their fantastic film series with City Lights (1931), Charlie Chaplin’s timeless romantic comedy. Conducted by Richard Kaufman, the orchestra performed the entire film score in perfect sync with the film playing overhead. The music, written by Chaplin, is a wonderful mix of joyous and romantic motifs that fit well with the variety of urban locales on screen. The score can at times recall Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” written just eight years before City Lights was first released. The audience at Davies Symphony Hall ate the whole evening up, cheering as often for the orchestra as they did for The Tramp himself.
This movie will dance its way into your heart … or something like that.
Nick Frost stars in the Nick Frost vehicle, Cuban Fury
There’s a type of comedy movie called the star vehicle. It’s an old fashioned concept, but basically, it’s when you take a funny person and write a movie around him that plays to his strengths as a comic actor. That’s what Cuban Fury is. It’s a chance for Nick Frost to do Nick Frost things with a strong supporting cast, and as this sort of film, it absolutely works.
At this time last year, I had no idea who Haim were. They barely a blip on my radar, as they were simply an LA band, and there are dozens of those. It wasn’t until Summer when I finally “Falling,” and was blown away. And, like the rest of the world, when I heard Days Are Gone for the first time, I thought to myself, “Wow. This is amazing!” I never thought a record of soft rock could be so impressive. Of course, they weren’t going to be kept secret. They managed to sell out two nights at The Fillmore in less time than it took me to learn the proper pronunciation of their name. (Rhymes with time)
Warning: This film may offend filmmakers, women, and football fans.
Kevin Costner mulls over his decision to be in this film.
What’s wrong with the above image? That’s correct, those black and white photos on the wall behind Kevin Costner are photographs of football, not baseball. Kevin Costner has starred in some of the greatest baseball movies of all time. He’s well known for his love of our national pastime. So why take a crack at a football movie? It’s hard to blame the filmmakers for attempting to bring some entertainment value to the behind-the-scenes world of football, specifically the strategizing and efforts put into the bizarre tradition that is the NFL draft day. Such a behind-the-scenes attempt worked for Moneyball (2011). But Draft Day falls flat because the storyline is carried on the shoulders of contrived characters, a pathetic depiction of a female executive in the sports world, and very poor editing choices.
