Now You’re Free would make a fitting soundtrack to a sappy teeny bopper romance flick. The two would be perfectly paired in their sentimentality, their conventionality and their predictability. While not a bad showing by any means, it’s definitely nothing to write home about.
It’s getting late in May, and that’s obvious without the use of a thermometer. Some of us have cars, some of us have bikes – either way, it’s best to get some air and enjoy a breeze however we can get it. This week is filled with plenty of action that should keep you cool until next week.
Johnny Depp reprises his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s fourth installation of the Pirates franchise with “Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides.” This time around, Sparrow is in search of the fountain of youth, drumming up old memories of “Indiana Jones”-like adventure.
It’s been too long of a hiatus, but we’re back and ready to pick up where we left off without missing a beat. Missing beats is no fun, but beets are an entirely different story. Either way, we’re here to help you get into your summer groove. We, at dive, approve of grooves – especially if they’re good grooves. After peering into the vault, take a gander at these events to see if any tickle your fancy. Dive Recommendations will be posted on Sundays from now on
In most weddings, the bride garners the undivided attention of the audience. For this particular occasion, however, Kristen Wiig steals the bouquet and runs with it.
Who Are These Weird Old Kids 2.5 Stars The Hit Back is a Chicago duo that makes music you can snap your fingers to. Echoing electronica lulls you into a syrupy slumber, but whether it does so in a good way or not remains unclear. Keyboards and synthesizers mingle in an outcome that is pleasant and pleasurable enough. But at times, consuming The Hit Back’s melodies is like consuming a cupcake with too much frosting. If you can handle the sugar, you’ll probably like it, but if not, you may be left with a toothache and a queasy stomach.
1 Star Oft when thou knowest a thespian to possess the gift of comedy, ye be of great faith that his craft will ne’er perish. Tis most grievous news I herald, then, as both scribe and spectator of the filmic arts dear to our hearts: Danny McBride’s new movie totally blows. Why? Imagine reading the above paragraph over and over again for 102 minutes. Such is the equivalent of watching this one-joke spectacle of modern crudity in medieval times. Even with a top-notch cast rehashing the same languished punchline, the film never manages to rescue its poorly written self from comedic peril.
1 Star His first film, “Sin Nombre,” was so captivating and resonant that it landed a spot on Dive’s Top Ten Movies of 2009. Compared to that kind of start, director Cary Fukunaga’s second stab at the big screen, an adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s “Jane Eyre,” is a massive disappointment.
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3 Stars Seattle group Seapony has a solid foundation and uses simple arrangements to create Go With Me, an album stuffed with concise, conventional surf pop. In late 2010 Seapony posted a handful of demos online and instantly began to attract fans and acclaim. UK label Double Denim heard “Dreaming” and released it as a 7-inch; since then, the band has signed a record deal with Hardly Art Records and opened shows for burgeoning bands including local hotshots The Love Language. But for the most part, the hype that preceded the album isn’t necessarily warranted by what it actually delivers.
1.5 Stars You’ve heard of torture porn, poverty porn and librarian porn. But here’s the most unlikely porn of them all: union porn. In most ways, “Made in Dagenham” is a crying shame. Women have fought a long, hard time for equality and they don’t need anyone making movies recounting that history as a laughing stock “vintage girl power” tale. That’s how the Chelsea describes this flick, and by “vintage” they seem to mean stereotype-laden, derivative and lacking in genuine moral conflict. And based on a true story, of course.
3 Stars “Art is not an easy subject to write about,” says the author (William Shimell) featured in “Certified Copy.” Writing about the film itself is not easy either, if only because we don’t know what is real and what is fiction. The British author meets the French owner of an antique store (Juliette Binoche) as though they were perfect strangers.
Head on over to our Multimedia section to catch Hammer No More the Fingers playing “Steam” off of its new album, Black Shark. The Durham band will play its CD release show with Lila and Midtown Dickens this Friday at Motorco Music Hall. Doors open at 9 p.m. and tickets are $9. More information here.
“Made in Dagenham” 1.5 stars You’ve heard of torture porn, poverty porn and librarian porn. But here’s the most unlikely porn of them all: union porn. In most ways, “Made in Dagenham” is a crying shame. Women have fought a long, hard time for equality and they don’t need anyone making movies recounting that history as a laughing stock “vintage girl power” tale. That’s how the Chelsea describes this flick, and by “vintage” they seem to mean stereotype-laden, derivative and lacking in genuine moral conflict. And based on a true story, of course.
The Fleshtones Brooklyn Sound Solutions 2.5 Stars Rock The Fleshtones have been producing blues-infused garage rock that’s made them a reputable rock band since the late ‘70s. Added to the mix is Lenny Kaye, known for his time spent as Patti Smith’s guitarist. It sounds like a winning combination — and it is impressive, if underwhelming. The record is split between covers and new releases, mostly instrumentals. Mixing the styles they know best, the album could be the soundtrack to a decades-old crime thriller starring Steve McQueen.
