Tag: jack antonoff

Film Review: “Mother Mary”

Lowery’s pop-star exploration gets bogged down by metaphors and self-importance

Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) is dressed up for the shot in ‘Mother Mary.’

Writer/director David Lowery (Pete’s Dragon, A Ghost Story, The Green Knight) is one the finest visual directors working today. Lowery’s deliberately paced stories pack surprisingly emotional gut punches, and he doesn’t let his distinct style get in the way of the story. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for his latest film, Mother Mary, a musical surrealist drama. Inviting audiences to interpret the events of a film’s ending, or major moments, or striking visuals, is one thing, but requiring audiences to fill in the narrative gaps while interpreting the events of a story is a tall task, and a distracting one. Mother Mary has visual panache and vibing music, but lacks a complete story, instead relying on pretentious dialogue and dreamlike imagery to gloss over its shortcomings.  Continue reading “Film Review: “Mother Mary””

Show Review: fun., Andrew McMahon at The Fox Theater – Oakland, 2/7/13

Nate Reuss of fun.
Nate Reuss of fun.

This would be my fourth time seeing fun. within the last twelve months. The first time was in the parking lot of a record store in Austin, TX. That show only featured the core of the band: vocalist Nate Reuss, keyboardist Andrew Dost and guitar player Jack Antonoff. It was 2 o clock in the afternoon in the baking hot sun, and the crowd was simply mad for them. I knew from that moment that this band had the right balance of sincerity and showmanship to make it big. It was a rare moment when I wanted to get to see a band play the big rooms. Shortly after this show, “We Are Young” became a monsterous hit, and their full band, electric club tour that was booked at tiny clubs turned into the hottest ticket in town. Tonight, a short 11 months after that first time in the record store parking lot, I got to see this band do the “full big room” show. And, by golly, the succeeded at it.

Continue reading “Show Review: fun., Andrew McMahon at The Fox Theater — Oakland, 2/7/13”