Spinning Platters – Page 220 – Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds

Film Review: Don Jon

A modern day romance with expectations to dash expectations.

Do Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Scarlett Johansson see eye to eye in 'Don Jon'? — Do Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Scarlett Johansson see eye to eye in ‘Don Jon’?

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been acting for over twenty-five years. It should come as no surprise that he’s finally decided to write and direct, and with his debut, Don Jon, it’s a shame he didn’t start sooner. Hopefully this is just the first of many. In our roundtable interview, Gordon-Levitt stated that his hopes were to capture a relationship that involved two people that “have these unrealistic expectations and keep missing each other.” With his experience, Gordon-Levitt was no stranger to the expectations and unrealistic images that pop culture (specifically movies, television, and commercials) thrust upon young minds. Using a very tight and clever script, and with pitch perfect performances from all involved, his goal is accomplished. Don Jon is a brave and unique modern day romance.

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Film Review: Enough Said

Gandolfini, Louis-Dreyfus shine in smart, warm comedy

James Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus share a laugh in Enough Said.

Fans of HBO’s Sex and the City may remember an episode in which the four protagonists attend a singles party to which they are each supposed to bring someone they dated, but ultimately rejected, the theory being that one woman’s trash, if you will, can just as easily be another’s treasure. Writer/director Nicole Holofcener, who coincidentally penned a few episodes of SATC (as well as the indies Friends with Money and Lovely and Amazing), has taken that idea and, in her new film Enough Said, expanded it to a full length feature, with a twist: what if you are dating your friend’s ex, but your friend actually has absolutely nothing kind to say about him? Holofcener’s take on this premise is by turns exceptionally funny, wryly intelligent, emotionally honest, and genuinely moving. Continue reading “Film Review: Enough Said“

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 9/26/13-10/2/13

I remember the video was all austere and stuff. — It’s going to be like 1990 all over again at The Shoreline tonight, y’all.

October is nearly here. Match pre-Halloween candy sales with some concert-going and that’s a recipe for general happiness.

Here’s what’s coming up this week.

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Let’s Not Make This Awkward: A Survey of Dave Chappelle and Bill Cosby

I laid there comfortably. I was coming off of some great painkillers thanks to a little minor surgery and moving had become a bother. It was beautiful outside but I had settled into a 6-hour marathon of ‘The Cosby Show’. It was one of my favorite episodes where Claire Huxtable tries to lose weight to fit into a dress as Debbie Allen played her no-nonsense trainer. The episodes fluctuated between seasons: from Rudy young to Rudy pre-teen from Lisa Bonet’s short ‘do to her long, flowing, dread-full (see what I did there) locks. I even experienced a little ‘jump-the-shark’ Olivia. I was enthralled. The episodes were funny, heart-warming, and insightful. They were timeless.

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The Leaky Faucet: Matt & Kim Lightning Remixes

What’s this? This is the latest release from Matt & Kim. And you, our lucky reader, gets to listen to it before you are able to purchase it! Lightning Remixes features remixes of tracks from last year’s excellent Lightning by Anamanaguchi, DJ Venom, Bonde do Role and many more.

The album is available in all the usual places on October 1st!

Pre-Order on iTunes: itun.es/i6xw7Z2
Pre-Order Vinyl on Insound: bit.ly/16JnNUD
Pre-Order Vinyl on Amazon: amzn.com/B00EC6VKY8

Just a warning, the cover art might be a bit NSFW…

Show Review: Fall Out Boy with Panic! at the Disco and Twenty-One Pilots at America’s Cup Pavilion, 9/21/2013

Frontman Andrew's vocals are unbelievable live - better than on record. — Frontman Andrew’s vocals are unbelievable live – better than on record.

After a three-and-a-half-year hiatus, Fall Out Boy is back. More importantly, they’re on a mission: they’ve come to Save Rock and Roll, and I for one am grateful. While I’m admittedly not intimately familiar with this band’s discography, singles like “Dance, Dance,” “Sugar, We’re Going Down,” and especially this year’s smash “My Songs Know What You Did in The Dark (Light ‘Em Up)” are too fantastic to resist. As soon as I got word that they had scheduled a show at San Francisco’s temporary America’s Cup Pavilion, I requested to cover them. How could I not? I knew it promised to be an amazing Saturday night on the waterfront! Better yet, it wasn’t even until the night of the show that I found out that Panic! at the Disco were set to open, alongside a band I’d not heard of, Twenty One Pilots. Continue reading “Show Review: Fall Out Boy with Panic! at the Disco and Twenty-One Pilots at America’s Cup Pavilion, 9/21/2013”

Spinning Platters Interview: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt directing for the first time.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has exactly the air about him that you’d expect — polite, well-dressed, and charming as heck. His latest film, Don Jon, which marks his debut as a writer and director, also stars Gordon-Levitt as a womanizing, body building, porn addict who begins a romantic relationship with a romantic, traditional, sexy young woman played by Scarlett Johansson. It’s a romantic comedy about unhealthy expectations, but Gordon-Levitt expects that it’ll resonate well with audiences. Along with a few other journalists, I sat down with the actor/writer/director (or “Joe” as he introduced himself) and asked about his experience making Don Jon…

What inspired you to choose this particular story for your directorial and writing debut?

Well, I’ve been working as an actor since I was young. Probably because of that, I’ve always paid a lot of attention to the way that TV and movies and all kinds of media affect how we see the world. I think, sometimes, the things we see in the media give us certain unrealistic expectations for life, and especially for love and sex and relationships. I wanted to tell a story about that. I thought a good way to do it would be to have a comedy about a boyfriend and a girlfriend where the guy watches too much pornography and the girl watches too many romantic Hollywood movies. They both have these unrealistic expectations and keep missing each other.

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Show Review: Color Me Badd at Yoshi’s Oakland, 9/20/2013

Color Me Badd "2.0" - Corey Cross, Kevin Thornton & Mark Calderon — Color Me Badd “2.0” (L to R: Corey Cross, Kevin Thornton & Mark Calderon)

Remember Color Me Badd? They were on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 (helping the cast teach viewers Stalker 101, as I recall), and had a handful of hits like “I Adore Mi Amor,” “All 4 Love,” and the delicious earworm that was “I Wanna Sex You Up.” Who could resist a chance to see them back together again, right here in our glorious Bay Area? Not me! I’m not usually one to pass up such opportunities for fun nights out. (Truth: I’ve never gotten over my jealousy of editor Gordon’s experience at Bel Biv Devoe several years ago. I knew this might be my turn for such a show.) So when Friday rolled around, I roped in a girlfriend & made plans to head to Yoshi’s Oakland for a night of good times with tunes I haven’t heard in ages, but couldn’t wait to hear live!

Before I could leave the house, however, a strange turn of events quickly dashed my high hopes for the evening… Continue reading “Show Review: Color Me Badd at Yoshi’s Oakland, 9/20/2013”

Local Spin: Interview with Eli Conley

Eli Conley suggests I order the breakfast burrito. With a wide grin, he tells me that it’s a great vegan dish. The Virginia native, now an East Bay resident, has a lot to smile about. He’s finished his first full-length album, At the Seams, to be released on September 28th. He’s setting west coast tour dates for the fall and lovin’ life at the moment. At our small table at Herbivore, I could easily tell that Eli, the queer folk singer-songwriter with a powerful passion for music and an equally powerful voice, was anxious to unleash his music unto the world…

Your album, At the Seams, is done and about to be released. How do you feel?

I’m super excited. I actually got the physical CDs two months ago. I know many musicians who had to rush at the end, not having time to master it or not having them in time for a CD release show. So I’m like, ok, I’m recording in April and I should have them in hand by June so I have time to send them out to press. Then I was thinking when to release it in September, and just figured ‘why not just do it on my birthday!?’

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Show Review: Williams and Spielberg: Maestros of the Movies, 9/16

'Maestros of the Movies' at Davies Symphony Hall — ‘Maestros of the Movies’ at Davies Symphony Hall

The first four notes of the Star Wars main title blast to life in the beautiful Davies Symphony Hall, and members of the audience cheer loudly, whistle, applaud, and some even rise to their feet. Only John Williams, the movie score composer who’s been writing music to accompany the silver screen since the late 1950’s, and who’s responsible for countless universally recognized themes, can induce such a response at a “classical concert.” Such was the general atmosphere at the San Francisco Symphony’s Monday night event, Williams and Spielberg: Maestros of the Movies, a night dedicated to the impact of the award-winning composer (5 Academy Awards, 48 Oscar Nominations, 21 Grammy Awards…etc. etc.).

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