Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
starring: Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman, Matthew Lillard, Robert Patrick
written by: Randy Brown
directed by: Robert Lorenz
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for language, sexual references, some thematic material and smoking
starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Jesse Plemons, Ambyr Childers, Rami Malek, Laura Dern, Patty McCormack
written and directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
MPAA: Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity and language
Officially, this is the last weekend of Summer. Which means, of course, a lot of weird festivals. Including a 90’s rock festival, a leather fest, and an amazing multiband gig full of wonderful jangle pop!
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 9/20/12-9/26/12”
The biggest rock band in Japan played in San Francisco last night, and you may have missed it. While the band is a household name in the Japanese community, the jingoistic American music fans are likely to be at a loss about them. And that’s too bad, because you missed a killer show by a tight live band, with a surprise in store that made it even more special.
Continue reading “Show Review: The B’z at The Warfield, 9/17/2012”
Tuesday, September 18th. The last record release date of the Summer. This is a special one, too! Two women from the Pacific Northwest have released two highly anticipated sophomore albums. Carly Rae Jepsen is the voice behind the ubiquitous hit “Call Me Maybe.” Corin Tucker is 1/3 of the legendary riot grrl super group Sleater-Kinney. Tonight, I will be listening to both of these records, beginning to end, for the first time. Both records are 12 tracks, so I will be giving my thoughts about 24 different songs as I listen to them. I will alternate between Carly and Corin. For those that wish to follow along at home, I have made a playlist in rdio.com! Keep refreshing, because I will update as I go…
Now, without further adieu, here is “Live Blogging With The Devil: Carly Rae Jepsen vs Corin Tucker”:
starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Bill Paxton, Gloria Stuart, Frances Fisher, Kathy Bates
written and directed by: James Cameron
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for disaster related peril and violence, nudity, sensuality and brief language
Ira Sachs’ Keep the Lights On is the luminously wrenching chronicle of a ten-year relationship between two men, Erik (Danish actor Thure Lindhardt) and Paul (Zachary Booth, best known as Glenn Close’s antagonistic son Michael on Damages). Erik is a sensitive and open-hearted documentary filmmaker, while the more reserved Paul has a successful job as a lawyer at a major publishing house. After meeting at random through a gay party line (remember those?), the two form an instant connection that long outlasts what could easily have ended as a one-night stand. There is, however, a problem: Paul is a drug addict. And not just any drug. Despite his lucrative white-collar Manhattan life, Paul is a crack addict. Another problem: Erik is in love with Paul, and doesn’t know how to respond to his addiction except by continuing to invest in their relationship. And so the stage is set for one of the most assured independent films of 2012, and arguably the most powerful American gay relationship drama since Brokeback Mountain.
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Zachary Booth and Ira Sachs on “Keep the Lights On””
Another SpinningPlatters Contest this week! One lucky reader and a guest will get to see The B’z at The Warfield on Monday, September 17th! All you need to do is fill out this form to enter! Deadline for entry is Friday, September 14th at noon, and the winner will be notified via email. That being said, here are several shows that you need to go to:
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 9/13/12-9/19/12”
The legendary “Rocktober” seems to be starting early this year… September’s show schedule is already full of conflicts and killer shows. Please, read on!
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 9/6/12 – 9/12/12”
In For A Good Time, Call…, Ari Graynor and Lauren Anne Miller star as Katie and Lauren, sworn enemies forced to become roommates out of financial necessity. Fun-time Katie has been occupying her grandmother’s gorgeous rent-controlled Gramercy Park apartment since she semi-recently passed away, but the rent control is about to expire and her handful of odd jobs (including working for a phone sex line) won’t cover the new rent. Meanwhile, conservative Lauren finds herself unexpectedly homeless and in desperate need of housing. Their mutual gay best friend, Jesse (Justin Long), suggests they get over their long-standing feud and move into Katie’s apartment together, and the two begrudgingly agree. But when Lauren discovers that Katie has been doing freelance phone sex work, she has a business-minded brainstorm: wouldn’t it be much more profitable if they just started their own phone sex company?