Jeff’s friend Yasmeen provides the Girl Power-ful lineup for Karaoke Korner 35. (Make sure you listen to the Intro!)
That’s Auntertainment! Karaoke Korner 35
April 23, 2023
Podcasts, That's Auntertainment Britney Spears, J Lo, Jennifer Lopez, karaoke, Karaoke Korner, Podcasts, Spice Girls, That's Auntertainment Leave a comment
Entertainment To-Do List: Week of 4/21/23
April 21, 2023
Cinema, Entertainment To-Do List, Music, Television Atum, Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts, Chevalier, Dead Ringers, Evil Dead Rise, Guy Ritchie's The Covenant, In Between Thoughts…A New World, Judy Blume Forever, Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazón, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Smashing Pumpkins, The Late Late Show with James Corden, The Mars Volta 1 Comment
Ring Ring! Ring Ring! (CREDIT: Prime Video/Screenshot)
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Chevalier (Theaters)
–Evil Dead Rise (Theaters)
–Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant (Theaters)
–Judy Blume Forever (April 21 on Amazon Prime)
TV
–Dead Ringers Miniseries Premiere (April 21 on Amazon Prime) – Based on a movie, based on real doctors.
–The Late Late Show with James Corden Series Finale (April 27 on CBS) – Technically it will be early Friday morning when the finale starts airing. A primetime special will also air a few hours earlier.
Music
-The Mars Volta, Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazón
-Rodrigo y Gabriela, In Between Thoughts…A New World
-The Smashing Pumpkins, Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts
‘Evil Dead Rise’: The Dead Reign and Rain
April 20, 2023
Cinema, Movie Reviews Alyssa Sutherland, Evil Dead, Evil Dead Rise, Gabrielle Echols, Lee Cronin, Lily Sullivan, Morgan Davies, Nell Fisher 1 Comment
They’re so dead. (CREDIT: Warner Bros. Pictures/Screenshot)
Starring: Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, Nell Fisher
Director: Lee Cronin
Running Time: 97 Minutes
Rating: R for Creative Body Horror and Overflowing Blood
Release Date: April 21, 2023 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: You can’t keep a good Book of the Dead down. It’s been over 40 years since those Deadites first popped out and wreaked havoc in the first Evil Dead, and they’re not showing signs of retiring anytime soon. This time, they’re breaking out of their usual cabin in the woods stomping ground and going a little more domestic. After newly single mom Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) welcomes her unexpectedly visiting sister Beth (Lily Sullivan), she sends her kids Danny (Morgan Davies), Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), and Kassie (Nell Fisher) out for some pizza. On their way back, an earthquake rips open a hole in their apartment building’s parking garage, revealing a certain tome with a set of very sharp teeth. The kids are a little too curious, and soon enough, Mommy isn’t feeling very much like Mommy anymore. And that feeling might be contagious.
What Made an Impression?: One of the main reasons the Evil Dead franchise has endured as long as it has is the preternaturally charismatic screen presence of its original leading man, Bruce Campbell. He steps away from the main cast for Evil Dead Rise (much as he did with the 2013 reboot), though he still manages to be involved with the best part of the movie, as he voices a priest who can be heard on a vinyl record documenting a previous group’s encounter with the Book of the Dead. That’s not meant as a knock on the new actors, who are all mostly solid. Instead, it’s meant as praise for writer-director Lee Cronin continuing the tradition of capturing an atmosphere of eternally persistent inescapable dread.
Other than that, though, Evil Dead Rise doesn’t manage to be quite as singular as the original Sam Raimi-directed entries. That would be quite a tall order, to be fair. The slapstick brand of horror that reached its apotheosis in 1987’s Evil Dead II was unlike anything else of the era, and really unlike anything else in horror history. Evil Dead Rise aims for a more straightforwardly frightening experience, with some laugh lines here and there, but not in any way that’s terribly unusual for the genre. It certainly impresses with its buckets of blood and general relentlessness, though it doesn’t shift any paradigms. You’ll be slapped around by fear, instead of fully possessed by it.
Evil Dead Rise is Recommended If You Like: Old-timey radio plays, Voice modulation, Karo syrup
Grade: 3 out of 5 Deadites
‘Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant’ Spotlights the Plight of an Afghani Ally Targeted by the Taliban
April 19, 2023
Cinema, Movie Reviews Alexander Ludwig, Anthony Starr, Dar Salim, Emily Beecham, Guy Ritchie, Guy Ritchie's The Covenant, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jonny Lee Miller, The Covenant, The Covenant 2023 1 Comment
A key member of The Covenant (CREDIT: Christopher Raphael/Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures
© 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dar Salim, Alexander Ludwig, Anthony Starr, Emily Beecham, Jonny Lee Miller
Director: Guy Ritchie
Running Time: 123 Minutes
Rating: R for Modern Warfare and Drunken Vitriol
Release Date: April 21, 2023 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant at first looks like a pretty typical 21st century war film, with lots of sweating and tumbling through mountainous desert terrain. It’s April 2018, and Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) finds himself squarely in the crosshairs of a resurgent Taliban, with nobody to protect him except his Afghani interpreter Ahmed (Dar Salim). Then about halfway through, the film pivots to the tangled odyssey of John repaying the favor by attempting to secure American visas for Ahmed and his family. It’s a high-stakes rescue mission with no promises of safety or success, as the only way to track down an Afghan citizen on the run from the Taliban is by jumping right back into the cauldron.
What Made an Impression?: The Covenant kicked off by having the gall to give me terrible flashbacks to Guy Ritchie’s last release, Operation Fortune: Rose de Guerre, as I struggled to keep track of everybody’s names and motivations. I thought I was paying attention well enough, but combat is obviously high-pressure, and soldiers can frequently find themselves in situations where it’s too dangerous to say their names to each other, let alone anything at all. But then that midpoint reinvention came along, and it was absolutely critical, and profoundly welcome. Suddenly it became clear that this wouldn’t be just a straightforward depiction of modern warfare, but an opportunity to call attention to an urgently timely issue. Furthermore, Sgt. Kinley would now have plenty of chances to say his own name and Ahmed’s over and over again.
Where The Covenant delivers its central point most saliently is a montage of John driving himself into a Kafkaesque rage over the futility of America’s visa process. It maybe fast-tracks a bit too much the development of him being driven to ruin by booze, but it works to convey just how destructively frustrating this bureaucracy is. The extraction scenes are pulse-pounding and cleanly edited, but the effect is stronger when the focus is on the conversations and negotiations. Thousands of real-life Afghans who worked alongside Americans are desperately waiting for their fortunes to turn as Ahmed’s did. If The Covenant can manage to throw a light on their plight, even just a little bit, then it will have been worth it.
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant is Recommended If You Like: Going beyond the headlines of the nightly news
Grade: 3.5 out of 5 Visas
‘Somewhere in Queens,’ You’ll Find Ray Romano’s Directorial Debut
April 18, 2023
Cinema, Movie Reviews Dierdre Friel, Jacob Ward, Jennifer Esposito, Jon Manfrellotti, Laurie Metcalf, Ray Romano, Sadie Stanley, Sebastian Maniscalco, Somewhere in Queens, Tony Lo Bianco Leave a comment
The Kings, and Queens, and Princes of Queens (CREDIT: Roadside Attractions)
Starring: Ray Romano, Laurie Metcalf, Jacob Ward, Sadie Stanley, Tony Lo Bianco, Sebastian Maniscalco, Jennifer Esposito, Dierdre Friel, Jon Manfrellotti
Director: Ray Romano
Running Time: 107 Minutes
Rating: R for Family Members Yelling at Each Other and Horny Teenagers
Release Date: April 21, 2023 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: Leo Russo (Ray Romano) is just a regular guy living in Queens, New York. Almost every single one of his waking hours is spent with his boisterous Italian-American family, whether it’s their regular Sunday dinner, the latest wedding or christening, or the construction jobs alongside his dad (Tony Lo Bianco), brother (Sebastian Maniscalco), and nephews. The only time he really perks up nowadays is when he watches his son Matthew, nicknamed “Sticks” (Jacob Ward), leading the charge for his high school basketball team. Things are looking pretty promising for Sticks, what with a new girlfriend (Sadie Stanley) and college recruiters sniffing around. But when that road becomes a little rocky, Leo goes a bit too far to ensure that everything works out for his boy. What will his wife Angela (Laurie Metcalf) think? And will he overstep so far that he ends up alienating his entire family?
What Made an Impression?: Somewhere in Queens is basically what it would be like if there were an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond where all the adults were suffering from midlife crises and all the kids were having quarter-life crises. It’s Romano’s feature directorial debut, so maybe it’s something he’s wanted to do for a while and just felt like he couldn’t within network sitcom confines. It’s not a massive departure, as he certainly brought plenty of sadsack energy to his portrayal of Ray Barone and plenty of other performances, but the dark clouds are more persistent here. Even the sillier moments are filled with inescapable melancholy. So, you know, if you’re a Ray Romano superfan, just know what you’re getting yourself into.
Bitterer-than-average turns is the name of the game for just about everybody, especially Laurie Metcalf as frustrated mom Angela, who is not at all excited about her pending empty nest era. Plenty of us know her and love her for the zingers she’s delivered with aplomb as Aunt Jackie on Roseanne and The Conners. As Angela, she’s much nastier and more resentful, but the variety that’s fueled by a mother’s love. (Regular viewers of ABC’s current Wednesday night lineup will also recognize Sadie Stanley from her time on The Goldbergs.)
At the center of it all is Jacob Ward as Sticks, who’s giving a performance that can fairly be described as “the opposite of charismatic.” That’s not a criticism; rather, it’s what the script calls for. Crafting a story around the most diffident teenager in the universe doesn’t make for the most enjoyable viewing experience from my vantage point. But there are probably plenty of viewers who will find something to relate to. And that pretty much sums up Somewhere in Queens altogether: far from a hoot and a half, but recognizably human.
Somewhere in Queens is Recommended If You Like: Weekends filled with weddings, christenings, and anniversaries
Grade: 3 out of 5 Construction Gigs
‘The Pope’s Exorcist’ is a Vespa Ride Full of Breezy Adventures
April 17, 2023
Cinema, Movie Reviews Alex Essoe, Cornell S. John, Daniel Zovatto, Franco Nero, Julius Avery, Laurel Marsden, Peter DeSouza-Feighoney, Ralph Ineson, Russell Crowe, The Pope's Exorcist 2 Comments
Exorcists Gonna Exorcise (CREDIT: Jonathan Hession/Screen Gems/Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Starring: Russell Crowe, Daniel Zovatto, Alex Essoe, Laurel Marsden, Peter DeSouza-Feighoney, Ralph Ineson, Franco Nero, Cornell S. John
Director: Julius Avery
Running Time: 103 Minutes
Rating: R
Release Date: April 14, 2023 (Theaters)
Well now, how about an entire series of Pope’s Exorcist movies?! My favorite part of this movie was discovering that Russell Crowe was playing the very real Father Gabriele Amorth. I’m guessing that this telling embellished the details, but I’m also sure that the actual padre lived quite a life. And even if he didn’t, his decades of encounters with the devil makes for a durable enough premise to pretend that he did for plenty of cinematic hours. So let’s get to it!
Grade: Good Enough Start, Now Let’s Give This Exorcist Some More Exorcisms
Revisión de SNL loco de Jeff: Ana de Armas/Karol G
April 16, 2023
Saturday Night Live, SNL Weekly Recaps, Television Ana de Armas, Karol G, Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Season 48, SNL 1 Comment
Captura de pantalla de la promoción de SNL (CREDIT: NBC/Screenshot)
I am writing to you in the midst of an unusually hot April stretch for New York City. It started out dry, but at the moment the humidity’s been trending up. And I just cannot abide that. Spring weather is famously pleasant for its lack of humidity! Ay-yi-yi!
Nonetheless, I shall plow ahead and review the April 15, 2023 episode of Saturday Night Live. Since the host was Cuban-born Ana de Armas and the musical guest was Colombian-born Karol G, I shall translate the names of each sketch and musical performance into Spanish. (Although in some cases, translation won’t be necessary!)
That’s Auntertaiment Mini-Episode: What’s Jeff Watching? #7
April 16, 2023
Podcasts, That's Auntertainment Air, Beau Is Afraid, How to Blow Up a Pipeline, Mafia Mamma, Paint, Rugrats, Rugrats Passover, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, What's Jeff Watching? Leave a comment
Spring has sprung! (CREDIT: Screenshot/Nickelodeon)
Springtime for Holiday TV Specials, and Multiplexes!
‘Beau Is Afraid,’ But Maybe He’ll Be Less Afraid If You Go See His Movie
April 14, 2023
Cinema, Movie Reviews Amy Ryan, Ari Aster, Armen Nahapetian, Beau Is Afraid, Denis Ménochet, Hayley Squires, Joaquin Phoenix, Kylie Rogers, Nathan Lane, Parker Posey, Patti LuPone, Richard Kind, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zoe Lister-Jones 3 Comments
Beau Afraid, Beau Very Afraid (CREDIT: Takashi Seida/A24)
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Zoe Lister-Jones, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Patti LuPone, Richard Kind, Parker Posey, Kylie Rogers, Denis Ménochet, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Hayley Squires, Armen Nahapetian
Director: Ari Aster
Running Time: 179 Minutes
Rating: R for Sex, Naked Stabbings, Giant Testicles, Peer Pressure, and Just an All-Around Disturbing Odyssey
Release Date: April 14, 2023(New York and L.A. Theaters)/Expands April 21
What’s It About?: Beau Wasserman (Joaquin Phoenix) is just trying to get home to visit his mom Mona (Zoe Lister-Jones in flashbacks, Patti LuPone in the present day). He’s really, really trying to! But you wouldn’t believe the obstacles in his way! She’s skeptical that he’s making the most honest effort, but we get to see what he has to deal with. He lives in the most outrageously dangerous part of town, which leads to his apartment being broken into and then epically destroyed. Then a series of comically violent misunderstandings concludes with him being plowed down in traffic. Luckily, the people who hit him are a seemingly lovely couple (Amy Ryan, Nathan Lane) who take him into their home while he’s healing. Not so luckily, their teenage daughter (Kylie Rogers) is an absolute nightmare, and their late son’s Army buddy (Denis Ménochet) is seriously disturbed. Beau eventually breaks free enough to go on a spiritual journey of sorts and eventually arrive at his childhood home. But will it be too late for him to get his mother to confess what really happened between them when he was growing up?
What Made an Impression?: When dealing with a 3-hour movie like Beau Is Afraid, we all of course want to know: is it possible to make it through the whole thing without nodding off or losing patience? I can confidently say that writer-director Ari Aster and his totally game cast held my attention the whole time, though your results may vary. There are gonzo left turns around every corner, which some might find profoundly exhausting. But if you can get on the right wavelength, it’ll be quite fulfilling and invigorating.
The whole film dances on the precipice between real and surreal. Just when I think I can come up with a logical explanation for how this could all possibly happen, suddenly a giant phallic monster shows up. It’s biblical, I must say. This might as well have been called Ari Aster’s Old Testament.
I think the skeleton key might lie in the opening scene, as Beau meets with his therapist (Stephen McKinley Henderson) and gets a new, somewhat dangerous prescription. Everything that follows might be a trip through Beau’s subconscious, and not exactly of the most ethical variety. The doc may very well be in cahoots with Mona, and they may have cooked up a fantastical scheme to test Beau’s love. I hope that this isn’t a metaphor for Aster’s relationship with his own mother, but if it is, I pray that it can serve as an opening for them to heal their own wounds. (And that same sentiment holds true for anyone who’s had a rough relationship with a parent!)
Beau Is Afraid is Recommended If You Like: The Game, The Book of Job
Grade: 4 out of 5 Guilt Trips
Entertainment To-Do List: Week of 4/14/23
April 14, 2023
Cinema, Entertainment To-Do List, Music, Sports, Television 72 Seasons, Ann-Margret, Barry, Beau Is Afraid, Beavis and Butt-Head, Born to Be Wild, Boston Marathon, Feist, Metallica, Multitudes, Renfield, Rugrats, The Pope's Exorcist Leave a comment
This looks cool. (CREDIT: Paramount Plus/Screenshot)
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Beau Is Afraid (Limited Theaters, Expands April 21)
–The Pope’s Exorcist (Theaters) – Horror Completism
–Renfield (Theaters) – Cage & Hoult
TV
–Rugrats Reboot Season 2 (April 14 on Paramount+)
–Barry Season 4 Premiere (April 16 on HBO) – Final Season Alert!
–Beavis and Butt-Head Season 10 (or Reboot Season 2) Premiere (April 20 on Paramount+) – This DOESN’T suck!
Music
-Ann-Margret, Born to Be Wild
-Feist, Multitudes
-Metallica, 72 Seasons
Sports
-Boston Marathon (April 17 on ESPN)
