Jeff "Jmunney" Malone's Self-Styled "Expert" Thoughts on Movies, TV, Music, and the Rest of Pop Culture
July 23, 2019
Music, Music Videos, Watch And/Or Listen to This Armor, Sara Bareilles Leave a comment
CREDIT: Sara Bareilles/YouTube
Occasionally I see screenings at the Sony Building in New York. Typically, there are music videos playing on the screens in the hallways by artists on Sony labels. So that’s how I recently discovered Sara Bareilles’ “Armor,” a timely and timeless number about female empowerment with some irresistible jazzy piano.
July 22, 2019
Cinema, Movie Reviews Danny Boyle, Ed Sheeran, Himesh Patel, Kate McKinnon, Lily James, Richard Curtis, The Beatles, Yesterday 1 Comment
CREDIT: Jonathan Prine/Universal
Yesterday raises a lot of questions, most of which has no interest in answering. First off:
-Why does the global blackout erase the Beatles from existence, and why is Jack Malik (Hamish Patel) apparently the only one who remembers them?
I am perfectly fine that this goes unaddressed, because the “why” is less important than the “where do we go from here?” Which brings me to:
-Shouldn’t the Beatles’ absence make the world profoundly different?
To which Yesterday answers by implication: no, not that much. There is one band that was heavily influenced by the Fab Four that is also now no more, but the rest of music history appears to be intact. The blackout has also removed some other things from existence, but that doesn’t really have anything to do with the main premise. Those reveals are played for (decent) laughs, but they also raise their own existential questions (which remain unaddressed). But back to how the Beatles changed the world. Their cultural influence was so wide-reaching that it is just silly not to examine what an alternative history would have been like without them. Moving on…
-If the Beatles never came to be, does that mean the band members don’t exist either?
It is heavily implied that Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are still somewhere, and Jack is in constant fear that he might somehow meet them and thus have to answer for passing off their music as his own. As for the two deceased lads … they are not entirely ignored either. Of course, this all raises the subquestion (which is barely touched upon): if they weren’t making the music that defined a decade, then what were they up to? But getting back to Jack’s fear:
-How much of the Beatles’ success was due not just to the songwriting, but to the people who performed it?
The lyrics of “Yesterday” and “Let It Be” are beautiful no matter who’s singing them, but Jack obviously doesn’t have the personal connection to them that the lads from Liverpool did, a fact that is introduced as quite a hitch … and then promptly ignored thereafter.
All these quandaries are given short shrift because ultimately Yesterday is really about the love story between Jack and his manager/childhood friend Ellie (Lily James). And it turns out that the main conflict is about Jack choosing between becoming a global superstar or getting things started with Ellie. I don’t understand why he can’t have both. I do understand his guilt over pretending he wrote the greatest songs ever written. But he and Ellie have such hilariously few non-obstacles to ending up together.
So look, I’ve been harping on Yesterday‘s shortcomings but I don’t really hate it. It’s got oodles of Beatles music, of course, but also I like having this conversation of drilling down on these questions. I just wish the movie itself had contributed more to the conversation.
I give Yesterday 2.5 Hands for Jude to Hold.
July 20, 2019
Cinema, Movie Reviews Alexandre Aja, Barry Pepper, Crawl, Kaya Scodelario Leave a comment
CREDIT: Sergej Radović/Paramount Pictures
I don’t particularly enjoy close-up shots of cinematic animals being killed or injured, even if those beasts are the predatory antagonists. And even, apparently, if they are as merciless as the alligators in Crawl. We already know from Piranha 3D that Alexandre Aja knows how to effectively craft a creature feature, but that experience is not sufficient preparation for his latest. Fish faces do not generate empathy in the way that gators do, and a mass of stereotypical beachgoers getting chomped apart in ridiculous fashion is more comical than visceral. Crawl, on the other hand, is a much more intimate affair, maintaining a singular focus on a father-daughter duo stuck at the bottom of a house in the middle of a hurricane. You might find yourself laughing from the consistently clutch timing of the kills, if you can remind yourself that this is just a movie. But man, considering that this doesn’t look all that different from the future, or really the present, of the southeastern United States, it’s hard to sit still.
I give Crawl 7.5 Ripped Limbs out of 10 Chomps.
July 19, 2019
Entertainment To-Do List, Music ANIMA, Thom Yorke Leave a comment
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
(Slim pickings this week! I’m lukewarm on the one major film release, and there’s no major TV premieres!)
Music
-Thom Yorke, ANIMA (CD/Vinyl release)
July 17, 2019
Cinema, Movie Reviews Alfre Woodard, Beyoncé, Billy Eichner, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Disney remakes, Donald Glover, Eric Andre, Florence Kasumba, James Earl Jones, JD McCrary, John Kani, John Oliver, Jon Favreau, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Shahadi Wright Joseph, The Lion King, The Lion King 2019 1 Comment
CREDIT: Disney Enterprises
Starring: Donald Glover, JD McCrary, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, James Earl Jones, John Kani, John Oliver, Beyoncé, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Florence Kasumba, Eric Andre, Keegan-Michael Key
Director: Jon Favreau
Running Time: 118 Minutes
Rating: PG for Leonine Fratricide
Release Date: July 19, 2019
I’ve expressed before that Disney’s recent spate of remakes of its animated catalog is not an inherently bad idea. Plenty of stories have been told and then subsequently retold in fresh ways. For a classic example, William Shakespeare’s plays have remained relevant as many different versions have had their say over hundreds of years. But the major difference, and this is especially clear in the case of The Lion King, is the source document. A feature film that has been recorded on and uploaded onto a variety of durable formats sets a more indelible imprint than an initial theatrical performance that was presented before such recording technology existed. If you want to revisit the journey of Simba’s ascendance to the throne, you can always pop in the DVD or find the right streaming channel. Thus, a fresh feature length retelling demands that there be something new on offer.
The Jon Favreau-directed photoreal Lion King remake does in fact offer something new, at least (or if only) on a technical level. Every speck of dirt and strand of fur is rendered in painstaking fashion. But to what end? I’m reminded of Steven Soderbergh’s mashup of Hitchcock’s original Psycho and Gus van Sant’s remake, which is the sort of thing that you do just because you feel like it. And so, as far as I can tell, the team at Disney recreated the “Circle of Life” opening sequence with an updated animation style just because they felt like it. I have a bit of a Pavlovian reaction to that wonder of a kickoff, but this time it was just a secondhand Pavlov to a secondhand routine.
On a positive note, I will admit that I found this viewing experience valuable for making me feel more amenable to the adult perspective of believing that Simba just needs to get around to taking care of his responsibility. But I don’t know if that is a unique feature of this version or just a function of me happening to see this particular version instead of the original on this particular day.
In conclusion, while I have mostly focused on the disappointments, I do ultimately recommend nü-Lion King thanks to the Timon and Pumbaa of it all. As Simba’s meerkat and warthog companions, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen are given more free rein than anyone else in the cast to find the characterization that suits them. Their performances avoid any inadvisable postmodern Shrek-style smart-aleckry, while also suggesting that they are at least self-aware of the all-franchise-fare-all-the-time pop culture landscape they are operating within. If you’re going to go back to the well, you can’t be too precious about what came before, and thankfully, enough of Timon and Pumbaa’s non-preciousness is on display here for us to get by.
The Lion King is Recommended If You Like: The wonders of animation technology, Perfectly suited yin/yang comedy duos
Grade: 3 out of 5 Circles of Life
July 12, 2019
Cinema, Entertainment To-Do List, Music, Television Angel's Pulse, Blood Orange, Crawl, Spongebob Squarepants, SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout, The Farewell Leave a comment
CREDIT: Nickelodeon/YouTube
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Crawl (Theatrically Nationwide) – Creature feature.
–The Farewell (Limited Theatrically)
TV
–SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout (July 12 on Nickelodeon) – I’m ready!
Music
-Blood Orange, Angel’s Pulse
July 12, 2019
Awards Shows, Emmys, Television 2019 Emmys, Conan, Documentary Now!, Drunk History, Emmy Wish List, Emmys, Last Week Tonight, Norm MacDonald Has a Show, The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale Leave a comment
CREDIT: Rhys Thomas/IFC
The 2019 Emmy nominations will be announced on July 16, and as that annual occasion approaches, I typically put together my own list of which shows and performers I would like to see recognized. But I’ve had some mixed feelings about putting that together this year, as I’ve grappled with the fact that in the era of Peak TV, it becomes more and more impossible to capture all my favorites in one place. Ultimately I decided I wouldn’t be too formal or too precious about it. If there are ten shows I really want to see nominated, then I’ll list ten on my wish list. But if there are just two I really like in another category, then I’ll just list two.
I’ve already run through Comedy, Drama, and Limited Series, and you know what? I’ve also got some thoughts on Variety shows, as they are a steady part of my TV diet. For Variety Talk, I am delighted to say that my top choice is the revitalized CONAN, as Mr. O’Brien has rediscovered plenty of his mojo by slimming down a half-hour. And let’s not forget Norm MacDonald Has a Show, a brilliant bit of comedic chaos. As for Variety Sketch, Documentary Now! may just be my very favorite show of 2019
Nominees are listed in alphabetical order. My top choices are in bold.
CREDIT: TBS/YouTube
Variety Talk Series
CONAN
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Norm MacDonald Has a Show
CREDIT: Allyson Riggs/IFC
Variety Sketch Series
Documentary Now!
Drunk History
The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale
July 11, 2019
Cinema, Movie Reviews Aoi Mizuhara, Awkwafina, Chen Han, Diana Lin, Jiang Yongbo, Lu Hong, Lulu Wang, The Farewell, Tzi Ma, Zhao Shuzhen 2 Comments
CREDIT: A24/YouTube
Starring: Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong, Jiang Yongbo, Chen Han, Aoi Mizuhara
Director: Lulu Wang
Running Time: 98 Minutes
Rating: PG for General Family Reunion Awkwardness
Release Date: July 12, 2019 (Limited)
If my grandmother had cancer and my parents and aunts and uncles decided to hide the diagnosis from her and instead organize a wedding so that all her loved ones could visit her one last time, I imagine my reaction would be a lot like that of The Farewell‘s supremely frustrated Billi (Awkwafina). But of course, I cannot imagine that anyone in my family would actually do that, so it’s a little hard for me to even wrap my head around this scenario as a real thing. But it is a real thing, as writer/director Lulu Wang based it on her own experience. And I suspect she wanted to have quite an impact on people like me who are not part of a culture that would engage in this type of subterfuge. That impact valuably exploits the empathetic power of cinema: by the end of The Farewell, I still do not come anywhere close to agreeing with Billi’s family’s decision, but I understand why they believe it is the right thing. Wang’s film will have you laughing, crying, and hopefully thinking about what works best for your family in sickness and in health.
The Farewell is Recommended If You Like: Weddings and Family Reunions in All Their Messiness
Grade: 3.5 out of 5 Little Round Butts
July 11, 2019
Cinema, Movie Reviews Betty Gilpin, Dave Bautista, Iko Uwais, Jimmy Tatro, Karen Gillan, Kumail Nanjiani, Michael Dowse, Mira Sorvino, Natalie Morales, Stuber Leave a comment
CREDIT: Karen Ballard/Twentieth Century Fox
Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Dave Bautista, Natalie Morales, Betty Gilpin, Mira Sorvino, Iko Uwais, Jimmy Tatro, Karen Gillan
Director: Michael Dowse
Running Time: 105 Minutes
Rating: R for Explosive Police Detective Work and a Visit to a Strip Club
Release Date: July 12, 2019
Humor hits different people in different ways, so while it’s theoretically possible that some viewers may find Stuber hilarious, I must be honest and admit that I found it tiresome almost immediately. It all starts, or fails to get into gear rather, with that title. Stuber looks completely meaningless, and it essentially is, as so many nicknames are. The “Stuber” in question is Stu (Kumail Nanjiani), a big box employee who also works on the side for a ride sharing company that offers the perfect opportunity for an unremarkably simple portmanteau. Is this one big 90-minute long product placement vehicle for Uber? Eh, who cares, we’ve got bigger problems to deal with.
Anyway, Stu finds himself picking up a passenger who keeps him on retainer over the course of one very long day. That would be Dave Bautista as Vic, an LAPD detective who’s supposed to be taking some time to relax because his boss told him that a big drug case is being taken over by the feds and also because he’s temporarily blind from laser eye surgery. So of course Stu and Vic don’t see eye-to-eye, as that is how unlikely buddy comedies work. Alas, everything’s too loud and predictable to be endearing. Although at one point some guy does get his face blown up by a propane tank, a moment that kind of shocked me back to life. So overall, that’s about a minute worth of fresh material.
Stuber is Recommended If You Like: Action Comedies That Don’t Know When to Quit
Grade: 2 out of 5 Uber Stars
July 11, 2019
Awards Shows, Emmys, Television 2019 Emmys, Emmy Wish List, Emmys, Fosse/Verdon, Maniac, Sharp Objects, The Little Drummer Girl 1 Comment
CREDIT: HBO/YouTube
The 2019 Emmy nominations will be announced on July 16, and as that annual occasion approaches, I typically put together my own list of which shows and performers I would like to see recognized. But I’ve had some mixed feelings about putting that together this year, as I’ve grappled with the fact that in the era of Peak TV, it becomes more and more impossible to capture all my favorites in one place. Ultimately I decided I wouldn’t be too formal or too precious about it. If there are ten shows I really want to see nominated, then I’ll list ten on my wish list. But if there are just two I really like in another category, then I’ll just list two.
Now that I’ve gone through the regularly scheduled Comedy and Drama, I’m moving onto the categories that really have to make their case to fit themselves into my viewing schedules. Limited Series come and go, and that transience is clear in my relative lack wishes. But boy do I love those who I’m wishing for! Florence Pugh is my favorite up-and-coming actress, and I thought I would totally be pulling for her little spy routine in The Little Drummer Girl, but then Michelle Williams came along and was totally undeniable as Gwen Verdon. And it is in this field that we find my most off-the-wall wishes, as Justin Theroux was rewardingly unmoored in Maniac and Wanda Sykes got to kill it with her take as Weezy Jefferson in one of the most “who’d-a thunk it” moments of 2019.
Nominees are listed in alphabetical order. My top choices are in bold.
Limited Series
Fosse/Verdon
The Little Drummer Girl
Sharp Objects
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