Forget, Twin Shadow

BEST OF 2010

I will always be a child of the '80s. Born in the '80s, music wise I am probably more a child of the '90s. But, who would want to admit to such a thing?

Twin Shadow is very much a New Wave inspired artist. Forget is the quintessential survey of New Wave pop sounds. From the start of the album I am reminded of my many nights of dancing to 80s music. This is a time I will always look back on very happily. And, having lost this period of time (because people just don't get 80s music anymore), it is nice to experience the sounds of Twin Shadow.

I hesitated to list this album as a Best of 2010 because it isn't quite new. But, it isn't quite recycled either. While many bands have made use of New Wave sounds over the past few years, Twin Shadow seems to be improving upon the sound. Also, Twin Shadow seems to admire instead of trying to follow a gimmick.

"I Can't Wait" is the perfect summer song. In being the perfect summer song, it may be my winter song. The song I listen to for the next five months while I wait for the heat to return. For the snow to melt. And for the free for all dance nights to restart. Until then, I have "I Can't Wait."

There are moments on this album when I am reminded of The Smiths. The lyrics aren't quite as poetic. The music isn't quite as authentic. But, the voice. The way the singer captures the era. I can think of no better comparison for a current album than The Smiths.

B+

The Magician

Woody Allen lists Bergman's The Magician as one of Bergman's top five best features. Interestingly enough, I would complete my viewing of The Magician only a day after watching the newest Woody Allen film. I was struck by a side story of both films: the loss of a young son and the effects of such a loss on a marriage. I may be pushing it to suggest Allen is playing reference to The Magician. But, I find the timing of my viewing for both films to be pleasing.

The Magician is considered a Bergman comedy. This is to suggest the usual Bergman themes are at play: death, religion, love. But, in a comedy, Bergman is more playful. The acting is a bit more melodramatic. And, as in Shakespeare, there is always the happy ending. In the case of The Magician, the happy ending very much lies in wait until the very last possible moment before the films end. In this way, The Magician feels more sinister, suspenseful, and dark than the Bergman comedy I would most compare with this film (Smiles of a Summer Night).

Bergman regulars are present: Max von Syndow (The Seventh Seal) is strong as the title character, Gunnar Bjornstrand (Winter Light) is appealing as the town doctor, Ingrid Thulin (The Silence) is sensual as the cross dressing Magician's wife, and Bibi Andersson (Wild Strawberries) is part comic relief. This is the success of a Bergman film. The use of actors throughout his filmography. The cast becomes a comfortable experience with each film. Also, in the case of The Magician, the film is about the relationship of actor to audience. It works well to have these familiar faces as part of the relationship we, the audience, have with them in the past and the present.

The Swedish title for the film is Ansikret (Faces). For some reason the film has always been called The Magician in the States. The title change tends to take away from the specific theme of identity throughout the film. Using The Magician as title leads one to expect a dark horror film, instead of a meditation on our identity and the way art is a form of trickery in itself. Speaking of identity, von Syndow is incredible as the slowly revealed Magician. At the films start, we see von Syndow dressed in wig, beard, hat, and he does not speak a work. By films end he has been stripped of all disguises.

Bergman does a great job of including the drama, the suspense, the brief 'horror,' and the comedy. All aspects of these film types are at play throughout the entirety of the film. Would I list The Magician as one of Bergman's top five films? No. But, I certainly add it to the always growing list of Bergman's great films. As I have yet to view a film of his that I did not enjoy.

B

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

About two-thirds of the way through the film, the much older Alfie (Anthony Hopkins) starts to run after the far too young Charmaine (Lucy Punch). In this brief moment, I was reminded of the final scene in Manhattan when Woody Allen's character runs to find Mariel Hemingway. The image is so brief in You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger that it is almost silly for me to suggest the parallel. But, when dealing with an Allen film the past is always very much a factor.

Many complain that a Woody Allen film is just a slightly changed version of an earlier Allen film. For many directors this is true. For many artists this is true. Many people work in the same style, period, method, etc during their entire career. So, to fault Woody Allen for "repeating" himself is not a point of interest. Many artist will revisit, revise, and recast their final pieces. You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is very much a reworking of some of what Allen has presented in earlier films.

The plot is fairly dark. The darkness falls close to, but not as dark as, Cassandra's Dream. The need for sexual exploration and the significance of art were earlier toyed with in Vicky Cristina Barcelona. And, at the heart of the film, the poor choices we make and their end results on our day to day life is similar to Crimes & Misdemeanors. In fact, many reviews have argued this film is very much a Crimes & Misdemeanors remake. The bitter, nasty characters and the existential view of You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger does come close to the darkness of Crimes & Misdemeanors.

It is possible Woody Allen is no longer writing films for the intellectual audience. Allen is writing for the everyday moviegoer. In doing so, Allen is a lot more upfront with his storytelling. In place of characters furthering along their plots, Allen has made use of a narrator (Zak Orth). The narrator is used (and just as unnecessary) in this film as the narrator in Vicky Cristina Barcelona was. This is probably my only true complaint of the film. The dumbing down of the Woody Allen plot.

The cast could hardly be improved. Gemma Jones, as the mother, is the perfect mix of lost soul, tired mother, and silly busy body. Throughout the whole film, Jones plays on the verge of complete breakdown. The redness of her eyes revealing how fragile she is in every scene. Naomi Watts is lovely and alive as a women trapped in the wrong career and marriage. Watts plays her character smart, wicked, and troubled. Hopkins is spot on in every scene. And, Lucy Punch may be playing a cliched role (think Mira Sorvino in Mighty Aphrodite), but she is the humor needed throughout this dark morality play. The one character in need of a new actor- Dia, played by Slumdog Millionaire's Frida Pinto. Each time she is on the screen she is there only to be beautiful. Her reactions, her lines, her story are flat. While Allen may not have given her the most incredible role, she could have made better use of herself. Antonio Banderas certainly did.

When all is said and done, Allen is just giving us a glimpse at our lack of purpose. No matter how far we go to find meaning. No matter how much noise we make to get noticed. No matter how hard we love in order to be loved back. In the end, we're just getting through a life that will end. This is tragedy era Woody Allen. The humor is only found along the edges.

B

Suspiria

I have seen this film a couple of times. I have enjoyed every viewing. My most recent interest in the film came for two reasons: 1) I am excited for the new Aronofsky film Black Swan and 2) I enjoy watching scary films as Halloween nears. Add to these the reasons, the rumor of a Suspiria remake with Natalie Portman attached. I had to nerd out and have another viewing last night.

Part of the fun of Suspiria is the beauty. The film is lost in a very 1970s film style. The colors are bright, gaudy. But, they work. They glow in such an eerie way as to create a sense of fear or dread throughout the film. Also, there are moments of such beauty- still shots almost- that I was reminded of Dutch paintings. How does all this fall together to create a scary film?

Suspiria might not be "horror" in the way we think of horror. The film builds slowly. There is violence throughout, but we are never shown everything. We are never overwhelmed with gore. Also, the soundtrack (by the Goblins) is one of the craziest music experiences. I have always found the soundtrack to the original Halloween to be the scariest film score. But, Suspiria's soundtrack probably comes in as the scariest. The music is a mix of music box and cult chanting. Fantastic use of the music during really outstanding scenes.

Suspiria is a horror film that relies on your expectations. Argento knows what is supposed to happen next. But,he doesn't always play fair. Many times he uses your expectation as a way to set you up for disappoint. In doing so, the fear builds even more. The playfullness of Argento is used throughout much of Suspiria (and other Argento films).

There are scenes I'd love to talk about, but I would fear ruining the experience of a film many place at the top of their scariest films list. Part of the pleasure in last night's viewing was watching it with someone who had never experienced Argento. Watching the film through fresh eyes. What a treat to see this film for the first time.

If Disney animators took acid and created a horror film, you'd have Suspiria.

B

The Age of Adz, Sufjan Stevens

I am surprised by this album. I was starting to believe Sufjan Stevens to be a thing of the past. A brief stop in the indie-rock scene. I enjoy most of Stevens albums. I consider Seven Swans to be one of the most beautiful albums of the '00s. Stevens' last album, Illinois, is equally heartbreaking. But, lacks the simplicity and attention of Seven Swans.

On The Age of Adz, Stevens seems to fall somewhere in the middle of both albums. There are a handful of sparse tracks. The opening track, 'Futile Devices,' is gorgeous. It easily could have been left over from the Seven Swans days. Other tracks on the album involve the messy, playful instrumentation of some of the Illinois tracks, most specifically the closing track 'Impossible Soul.' Not only is 'Impossible Soul' filled with a plethora of styles and moods, it falls a little under 26 minutes long.

The tracks in between are all lovely. Stevens is a little more rough around the edges. Perhaps, irritated? Depressed? There is something a little more mature and bitter throughout his lyrics. I like this aspect of his writing. The innocence and cheeriness of his earlier albums worked well for those albums, but it is nice to see some growth.

Overall, the album feels a little unfinished. The electronic sound falling underneath most of the songs doesn't always work. At times, it makes certain songs seem slightly closer to demos. This isn't to say these tracks take away from the album. In fact, they add a bit of reality. The album isn't glossy perfection. There is a storm at work within Stevens. He is sharing.

B

Room, Emma Donoghue

After completing Emma Donoghue's newest novel, Room, I had to think back to the last time I completed a book in one sitting. I can only think of one book I have ever read from start to finish in a single day, Ian McEwan's Saturday. I loved Saturday. I love Ian McEwan. This is my first experience reading the literature of Donoghue. Her past novels are historical novels. I find their topics unappealing. But, her novels are always praised. I was happy to finally be able to experience a Donoghue novel without the historical pieces.

Room is a novel of disturbing subject matter. The content is loosely based on the real life events of the Fritzl case (a woman imprisoned, raped, and impregnated by her father over the course of 24 years). As I said, disturbing subject matter. But, Donoghue realizes no one wants to read a re-telling. No one is interested in sitting through an imagined play by play of the events. Instead, Donoghue gets creative. The story of the imprisoned woman is told by her (and her captor's) 5 year old son, Jack. The language is simple. The ideas are simple. The story is told from the perspective of someone who has never been outside of a single room. Someone of such a young age the reality of the situation can't possibly be understood. This is how Donoghue keeps her novel from becoming grim.

As I said, I read this novel in one sitting. This is not to say this is a masterpiece. This speaks more to the writing. The simplistic voice of a 5 year old allows for the novel to just keep moving. The pages fall away so quickly. In a matter of hours you are at the heart of the novel and there is no reason to stop. I was afraid that once I stopped, I would struggle to find my place within the novel's world. Room requires a lot of imagination. One has to allow Donoghue a lot of mistakes to really believe all the events taking place. This is to say, the novel is fairly weak.

I would suggest this novel to fans of pop-lit. The subject matter may be dark, but everyone enjoys these disturbing stories when they're on the news. They speak to everyone because they make us question how the world can be so cruel. The playfulness and humor of the narrator are a unique twist for the story. Donoghue takes what could be a very simple narration and gives herself the chore of writing as a child. For most of the novel, this works.

C

By Nightfall, Michael Cunningham

BEST OF 2010

It is possible, had Zadie Smith not named her 2005 novel On Beauty, then Michael Cunningham's newest novel would have been better suited to use the title. By Nightfall suggests something a little more sinister, a little darker, a little bit vampire. None of these is the case. The novel, By Nightfall, refers to Peter's insomnia. The use of this time as a way to ruminate on regrets of the past and unhappiness with the present. This is not a novel in celebration of life as Cunningham celebrated life in The Hours. By Nightfall is the darker sibling.

Much of the novel is obsessed with beauty. Peter is an art dealer. A second tier art dealer wanting to make it to the top. He thinks. Peter isn't quite sure what he wants. Does he want his wife? Does he want his assistant? Does he want his daughter to love him? What does he want from his wife's brother? Peter is at a loss. The sleepless nights haunt him in the same way he haunts his apartment after the rest of the household has fallen asleep.

Cunningham fills his novel with a plethora of references. One will find James Joyce, Thomas Mann, Pieter Bruegel, F. Scott Fitzgerald, etc. This is a literature of the high brow fashion. Cunningham isn't the snotty one. Peter is the one surrounding himself with these literary and art masterpieces. Peter's search for perfection. Peter's need for beauty.

Cunningham has written a novel on beauty. The obsessive power and control of something beautiful. Peter's entire career is in search of beauty. The one masterpiece for which he will become famous and world renowned. He seeks to discover beauty. What Peter hasn't fully understood is that beauty is fleeting. Once one grabs hold of beauty, something more beautiful is suddenly in sight. This is a slow realization for Peter. And, Cunningham never fully realizes this for Peter. Or, if Cunningham does, he doesn't reveal this to the reader.

I find most of this novel to be perfection. Sentences of pure delight. Descriptions of New York City placing me on the streets. Entire chapters so spot on in their dissection of humanity that I wanted to cry. This is Cunningham's second masterpiece (after The Hours). At play within this novel, many of the themes from Cunningham's past- the gay character, the literary themes, the beach house, etc. I will always wonder what took place in Cunningham's past. So many of his novels contain a scene of one gay male, one sexual female, and one sexually ambiguous male. There is something so significant in this set up for Cunningham.

There is a quote (which I don't remember too well) that says a great book will you make you want to stop reading it and start writing. This is one of those novels. After the flawed and disappointing Specimen Days, Cunningham has returned with a powerful and revealing novel of a man dissecting his life.

A-