Sunday Morning Concerts have returned!

Before I moved into my second apartment, I used to feel amazing when I woke up Sunday mornings. The sun so bright in my eye, I had to shift from one cozy position to another. If the sky was gray, spending time looking up at the patterns in the clouds. If it was raining just staring at wet leaves, wet city. I would jump up after a while so full of energy I just wanted to dance around and listen to great music. When I was still living with either of my parents it was opera morning and I played and sang along with opera favorites. Things later shifted to other music and then finding recorded live concerts on TV or the NPR program, All Music Considered. 

But, oh, the second apartment. There wasn't much access to sky, blue, gray or rainy. There was less inspiration to have those amazing Sundays, but they did happened every once in a while. Anyway, I've moved, and I've got windows that look out onto trees and skies. Sundays have been great again. I wake up too early, I open the blinds and then dig back under the covers. Every once in a while I open my eyes and see how the sun is progressing, then all of a sudden it is so bright through the trees and I'm just excited and I jump up and say "Let's play some music!" So far, and this is how this whole rhapsody relates to The Screen, my Sunday mornings at new home are live concert mornings. I've been able to stream the new season of Austin City Limits from my Fire Stick, turn the TV up loud, and jump, dance and carry on around new home. It's been great. 

It has only been a month, but these are my favorites so far:

I downloaded and requested every Tedesci-Trucks related album after listening to this song:

Anjelique Kidjo is amazing. I dare you to sit still and watch this:

I watched the whole Paul Simon episode this morning and it was pretty fantastic. He ended it with a moving solo version of Sound of Silence. 

Catch the full concerts on PBS Video ACL (this is a link!) while they're available. If not there are plenty of song clips. Press play. Enjoy. 

The Addiction: PILSD Surviving

I recently suffered a loss of Internet. After a minor struggle, it has been turned back on, but I'm still recovering from the emotional effects. 

Mainly, for a little while, I was tied to watching shows at the time that they were aired. So, last night, while hanging out with friends and being a part of stimulating conversations, I instinctively knew it was 7:00 PM on a Sunday and that I was going to miss this week's episode of Doctor Blake Mysteries. I couldn't remember what would air at 8:00 PM (Later I learned it was Dancing on the Edge, which I've already seen, so no worries.), but I voiced out loud that I wasn't going to miss the 9:00 PM showing of the latest Endeavor episode. Na ah. No way. 

I burst through my apartment door at 8:57 and turned on the TV (I still turn on the TV so that it can warm up for those of you folks who remember those old tubes!). Then, I saw my laptop and remembered that I can watch Endeavor online and I'm sure I can find Doctor Blake, too. 

Post-Internet-Loss Stress Disorder is real, and I'm sure, with the amount of TV shows and movies I'm bookmarking, that I'll recover soon. Thanks. 

Taking it

Movie: True Story (2015)**

What happened: It was about a journalist who lost his credibility by fudging on an article in the NYT Magazine. Then becomes literarily and emotionally entangled with this guy who was accused of murdering his wife and children. 

True Story was truly disappointing.Starring Jonah Hill and James Franco, produced by Plan B, Masanobu Takayanagi handled the camera, based on actual events. All those potentially good elements didn't add up to a good film. It was okay. I thought both lead actors only brought their characters half way. There was no doubt about Christian Longo's (played by Franco) guilt. If I was supposed to be suspended and surprised, I wasn't. James Franco played a guilty person as soon as he was flashed across the screen. 

Jonah Hill's character, Michael Finkel, was portrayed like he was always in disbelief. He kept up the "Oh my goodness! Why couldn't I see that from the beginning" face for most of the movie.

I watched the entire film, although I fell asleep midway and had to pick it up later. I'm giving this two stars ** because I was able to watch it through and it wasn't terrible, but I don't ever have to see it, again, and I really didn't like the acting of the two leads.

I watched this movie on a DVD I checked out from the library. 

TV: Home Fires (2015)***

This is a series about a group of women in a small English town leading up to, then dealing with the beginning of World War II and how their lives are affected at every stage. The characters are interesting, the acting is good and I love the costumes. I think the 40s is my true fashion era!

I'm giving this three stars*** because it isn't a favorite, or really notable for anything, it was just engaging TV and I'm looking forward to series two.

I watched this via broadcast TV on a PBS channel, but I rewatched it on DVD checked out from the library.  

TV: The Great Fire (2014)**

Now I know about the Great Fire of London in 1666. This show was okay. It could have easily been cut to feature-length instead of a 4-hour miniseries. I don't see any reason to watch it again. Watch Restoration (1995) starring Robert Downey, Jr. and then The Great Fire and you'll have an interesting King Charles II themed day.  

I'm giving this two stars** because I had to watched it while doing other things and I don't want to see it, again.

I started watching this on broadcast TV, PBS channel, but I finished it on the DVD checked out from the library. 

TV First Impressions: Underground (2016)

I wasn't expecting much because this show is on WGN, but I heard an overview of the show with actor interviews on Morning Edition (click here) and that kind of piqued my interest. It wasn't until I talked to my aunt, who told me Chris Meloni is on the show, that I decided to give it a try. It's like the entertainment industry knows to tuck Meloni in it's giant pocket and not let me know until the last minute (or when I see him on screen) that he'll make an appearance. I'm not ashamed to say, the fact that a certain white man is cast on this show about rebellious slaves is what actually got me to watch the first episode!

I thought it was good and I'm going to watch episode 2, as well. It is beautifully shot and I had much respect for the acting, although I thought the slave-owning family characters were extreme stereotypes of what you'd expect of the "massa" and the "massa's wife." Also, some of the music seemed out of place and jarred me back to reality. Although I get what they're trying to do with the music, I hope they don't let juxtaposing new with the old overtake the good storyline they've started. Hopefully the storyline can hold up past the first episode, which had some good twists in it. Looking forward to more!

I watched this online at the WGN America site.

TV: Guilty Pleasures (2011)***

I don't think I've posted about my TV sleeping before, but here's a brief: I sleep with my TV on. I know it is not healthy, but it helps my mind stay off of the things I don't want to think about and focus on interesting and sometimes mindless content.

If you sleep with your TV on, you often wake up with your TV on and find yourself watching whatever is on the screen because who wants to reach out and find the remote when you're all snuggly and warm. So, this week, I woke up and PBS's World channel was showing some good documentaries. The one I can remember was Guilty Pleasures, a vignette-style documentary featuring different people who are all related somehow to Harlequin romance novels, from reader to writer to cover model.  

It was quite interesting and ironic since, only the night before, a neighbor put a pile of paperbacks on the curb and I found a rare Susan Elizabeth Phillips amongst them. SEP books are a rare find as her readers hardly ever give their copies away. I never see them thrift stores, library book sales or curb piles... and I look. 

Anyway, Guilty Pleasures gets three stars*** because I liked it, could definitely watch it again, and I recommend it people who like anthropological documentaries.

I watched this doc on broadcast TV.

Enjoy this trailer and link if you want to read about it. 

POV Guilty Pleasures

Movie: Tangerine (2015)*****

I copied this from my other blog, Sort of a Life, originally posted 08/08/15:

I slept all day today. After week of bullshit sleep and neighbors waking me up at 3:00 am, I think I deserved it. But I wanted to fit in a double-feature in at the Sundance, so I got my butt up at 4:30 pm, got ready and made it just in time to catch the 5:30 showing of Tangerine. I wasn't expecting much. I heard it was shot completely on an iPhone 5 and in a part of Los Angeles that I'm familiar with and that was the draw for me. The film was a fantastic surprise. Tangerine opens up with Alexandra, a transgender prostitute and aspiring performer sitting down to breakfast with her just-released-from-prison bestie Cindy, also a transgender prostitute. Alexandra reveals that Cindy's boyfriend has not been faithful while she was away, and from there the movie takes off on a hilarious, yet seriously emotional adventure. It was perfect from beginning to end. I appreciated the acting. I loved that section of L.A. (Santa Monica & Highland) as a character. Nothing felt unnecessary and it felt complete at the end. To boot, I found myself at a Q&A showing, so at the end the director, Sean Baker and one of the leads, Kiki Rodriguez, showed up and everything I learned, like why they chose the name Tangerine (Baker said it was just the visual tone of the movie or something like that, but Kiki said "looks like an orange, tastes like an orange, but it's not an orange!") made me love the movie even more. Anyway support this movie any way you can. It's a true indie, set in L.A. And it's good.

Addendum 02/28/16: You thought Boyhood was innovative?! Tangerine was shot entirely on an iPhone (With a special app and apparatus), without lighting, with real people on the real streets of the not-oft-talked-of side of West Hollywood streets and L.A. surrounds: Santa Monica & Highland.
I'm giving this movie five stars***** because it is now one of my favorites, I even went out and bought it so I can watch it over and over.

I saw this movie August 8, 2015 at The Sundance Cinemas West Hollywood.

TV: Fortitude (2015)****(*)

I'm trying really hard not to include any details or spoilers in this ode to Fortitude. I think everyone deserves a chance to stumble upon it with little to no knowledge about the show and enjoy it all the better. This trail doesn't give anything away either:

If the X-Files and Fargo met at a bar, got drunk and had sex, then their one-night-stand child would be named Fortitude!

This show amazingly takes you on a roller coaster ride of plot lines and vectors, twists and turns, from mystery, to small town drama, to National Geographic, to science fiction. All of that and this show managed to keep me on the edge of my seat wanting more.

Fortitude is the craziest show I've ever seen and I loved it! I don't think they can make a second season, but considering the ending there is a possibility they will try.

I'm sure I could watch it again and still enjoy it, therefore I'm giving Fortitude four stars with one in reserve ****(*) for being utterly engaging and entertaining. The last star is on hold until I can enjoy this a second time, hopefully with an unsuspecting viewing partner or group.
I CAN'T WAIT TO TALK WITH SOMEONE ABOUT THIS SHOW!

Just read online that there will be a Season 2!

I watched the entire season on Amazon Video.

Movie: Black Mass (2015)***

Remember: The Departed (2006) and Mystic River (2003)

What happens: The story of the later years of Whitey Bulger's criminal career and his involvement with the FBI.

Johnny Depp carries this movie with an intense performance as the Boston crime lord, Whitey Bulger. There's a great cast behind him, too, but they just aren't notable, except in his shadow.

I'm giving Black Mass three stars*** because without Johnny Depp's great performance, this would've been a run-of-the-mill gangster flick. I did like the movie, though.

Depp should have been nominated for Best Actor.

I watched a screener of this movie.

Movie: Steve Jobs (2015)****

Felt like: Closer (20014) and Birdman (2014)

Steve Jobs was filmed like a play done in three acts, showing the eponym and the most important people in his life as they prepare for three of his product launches. I enjoyed the camerawork as it felt like a single-shot as they followed Fassbender and the rest of the cast. The segues between acts were smooth and managed to make the audience aware of the change in time without being jarred.

I think the relationships that I paid the most attention to were the ones between Jobs and his colleagues: Wozniak (Seth Rogan) and Hertzfeld (Michael Stuhlbarg). If what was on-screen was true, they stuck by his side, although at arm's length, through a lot of his bullshit.

A-ha! It's a Sorkin work. No wonder I like the dialogue.

Best scene: When Joanna finally has her fill of Jobs, and starts yelling and throwing around papers, threatening to quit. Not too long after, it finally clicks in Jobs head what is important.

I gave this movie four stars**** because I want to see it, again, and I thought it was a really well-done film.

Golden Globes:
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture

I watched a screener of this movie.

Movie: Straight Outta Compton (2015)****

Remember: The Five Heartbeats (1991), That Thing You Do (1996)

What happens: Straight Outta Compton is about how the Los Angeles-based, rap group, NWA, got together and how they parted ways.

SOC is a beautifully shot film with some notable acting. I thought it captured Compton and what it must've been like for NWA to get straight out of it and how that affected them in a way that is easy for everyone to understand. I really enjoyed the soundtrack, too.

Favorite scene: The first time we see them in the studio is when they're trying to record that group HBO. It doesn't work out and they try to step to pre-NWA Dre and the crew, but are intimidated out. Then, Eazy gets in the booth (click here to watch). Signed. Sealed. Delivered.

It should have been nominated for Best Picture at least Jason Mitchell (Eazy-E) should have been nominated for his acting, although I thought O'Shea Jackson (Ice Cube and Corey Hawkins (Dr. Dre) were notable, too.

I grew up in L.A., too, but I had no idea about NWA or most of the happenings depicted in the film. I was a kid and all of this was really far from my sphere. I think that is part of why I like SOC: This movie gave me some info about things that happened in the past, but during my lifetime and certainly some insight about an area that I'm familiar with in the present day.

I want to watch this movie multiple times, so I'm giving it four stars****.

Link to the trailer that shows the awesomeness

I watched a screener of this movie.

Movie: The Big Short (2015)**

The Big Short is an interestingly-styled glance back at recent history.

What happens: The telling of how three different groups/individuals discovered the housing bubble, predicted it would burst, and then find a way to make gains instead of suffer losses. This was based on actual people and events.

There's a lot of fourth-wall-breaking and celebrity-cameo-sidebars to explain technical terminology.

I think some people are still surprised when they see Steve Carell playing a non-comedic role. He obviously knows what he's doing with serious characters, so there shouldn't be any special attention paid just because he's not trying to make you laugh.

Felt like Wolf of Wall Street (2013).

I thought it was interesting, but I don't think I ever have to see it, again. Therefore I give The Big Short**

Oscars:
Best Writing - Adapted Screenplay

Movie: Spotlight (2015)**

Remember... Doubt (2008) or Sleepers (1996)? Well, Spotlight is a different angle from the same story, this one strictly from the press' point of view.

Spotlight told the story of a special investigative team in Boston exposing the scandal of the Catholic Church's (and the system that supports it) knowledge of abusive priests. This story was told well. The production and soundtrack set a somber mood. The script and actors portraying these real people  didn't create caricatures; They're performances had a sense of truth and reality, and the dialogue was moving.  

Best scene: The team finds evidence against the Cardinal and Mike (Mark Ruffalo) gets angry they aren't going to press with it. Mark Ruffalo does a great job in this movie.

Special mention: Librarian montage!

That being said, I don't see this as a Best Picture and I don't really have to ever see it again.  I gave it two stars **, but the doggone movie won the Oscar for Best Picture!

Oscars:
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Best Writing, Original Screenplay

Golden Globes:
Best Motion Picture - Drama
Best Director - Motion Picture
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture

I watched a screener of this movie.

Filler: The Month of January 2016

Happy new year! I'm a little sad to say I haven't  been watching tv as much as it has been watching me. I've been spending a lot of at home time on the internet researching stuff, listening to music and podcasts. If the TV is on, it's just background noise most of the time.
I have, however been keeping up with the Granthams on Downton Abbey and partaking in the new series Mercy Street, which airs right after Downton. Thanks to my Kindle, I've been able to use my lunch breaks to revisit my favorite teen show, Swan's Crossing on Hulu. I was re-watching Deadwood for a bit there. And I'll probably keep doing that when the spirit moves me, because that show is really good. I have a new perspective watching it years after it aired. I've squeezed in a few movies, too, about which I will soon post.
Chicken.

Movie: Joy (2015)**

I watched this because it was nominated for two Golden Globes in the Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical and Best Performance By an Actress In a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical categories.  

I like David O. Russell's work. I don't always agree that it is award-worthy, but it is almost always entertaining and worth the time it takes to watch. Joy is not award-worthy, in my opinion, and I would list it on the bottom of a best to worsts list of David O. Russell work.

The character, Joy, is a divorced mother of two, struggling to take care of her life, her family and extended family's lives, when suddenly, she decided to pursue her childhood dream of creating something. She comes up with an idea, then into the business world she goes and finds a different struggle to overcome.

The film Joy just didn't flow. It felt at times to be speeding up, so much is happening and progress is being made. Then...BAM! All of a sudden we're trudging through mud. And I use mud to illustrate another point: This movie didn't clearly get across what it was. Is it supposed to be motivational to women with ideas who feel weighed down by life? Is is supposed to be funny? Am I supposed to relate to Joy?

Another question that wasn't clarified by the film is why all of a sudden did Joy decide to go after her childhood dreams? It can't just be because she “had it up to here” with the family and living situation. That was clearly going on for quite some time. What, along with “having it up to here, ” makes Joy grow some cajones, take control, then suddenly castrate herself?

The David O. Russell-style flashbacks shine light on a few things. For example, we learn when she started being creative as a young girl, and for how long she knew her close friends, but those flashbacks also generate more questions. For example, I wondered what happened to the relationship between Joy and her half-sister? How did her mother managed to stay in bed and watch soap operas all the time? What went wrong in her marriage?

You know, it's funny. My best friend was just recounting a conversation he was having with someone else about how without a good backstory you would miss the point. His example was The Royal Tenenbaums. If you didn't see it from the beginning where the dad was doing a great job at being a bad father, then you would just think the adult versions of the Tenenbaum children were simply being ungrateful assholes. I think David O. Russell failed to give Joy a good enough backstory.

Also, the movie ran too long. There was to much time spent on scenes and characters that just didn't matter in the end. This is the only mention of Jennifer Lawrence. There.

I'm giving Joy two stars **. I kind of want to watch it again to see if there's something I missed, but I don't really want to go through that, again. If this popped up while flipping channels and I couldn't find anything else or if I just wanted something on while I cleaned, then I'd probably watch it, again.

Golden Globes
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical