A Crash Course in Maddinalia
Published on May 30th, 2012 in: Canadian Content, Issues, Movies, True Patriot Love |By Chelsea Spear
Guy Maddin carries on the tradition of deeply idiosyncratic experimental Canadian film from such forebears as David Cronenberg, Ryan Larkin, and Patricia Rozema. His work blends a voluptuous silent film aesthetic with fractured memories, mild body horror, and autobiographical details. His films contain gorgeous images, and the deliberate pacing draws in and engages viewers.
Maddin’s prolific filmmaking schedule serves as both a sop to his diehard fans, and an intimidation to those potentially interested in his work. When contemplating an IMDB profile that features over forty films, where do you start? A crash course in Maddin’s bizarre and wonderful oeuvre is in order.
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Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life (Vie héroïque), Directed by Joann Sfar
Published on May 29th, 2012 in: Movie Reviews, Movies, Music, Reviews |By Ann Clarke
Being a diehard Serge Gainsbourg fan, I have wanted to see this film since I heard it was being made like three to four years ago. It was just so long overdue!
Eric Elmosnino as Serge Gainsbourg
Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life, 2010
Many biopics suck, but that’s usually because they are about people who aren’t even that interesting or they are poorly cast and scripted. Sometimes they suck because the person in question was not only an asshole in the limelight, but even worse in private. Serge Gainsbourg embodies those traits to a degree, but that depends on your definition of an asshole. In many ways he was, but at least he was an interesting asshole! What I will give him credit for over many other dead asshole celebrities: he lived out loud. His antics were never candy-coated. He did what he did, and didn’t really give a fuck about how it was received—but, he actually DID care (he just didn’t let the world know that he did).
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Assemblog: May 25, 2012
Published on May 25th, 2012 in: Assemblog, Canadian Content, Horror, Movies, Trailers, TV |
The Great Gatsby, 2012
Photo credit: Warner Bros.
New this week on Popshifter: The Monks; reviews of The Quintet: Jazz At Massey Hall, Max Payne 3, Ernie Kovacs: Percy Dovetonsils . . . thpeaks, and The Lowbrow Reader Reader; plus When Community Is A Commodity
Assemblog: May 18, 2012
Published on May 18th, 2012 in: Assemblog, Comics, Feminism, Horror, Movies, Music, Trailers, TV |
Donna Summer, 1948 – 2012
New on Popshifter this week: Reviews of the remastered reissues of The Bill Evans Trio’s Moon Beams and Thelonious Monk’s Misterioso
Assemblog: May 11, 2012
Published on May 11th, 2012 in: Assemblog, Copyright/Piracy, DVD, Horror, Movies, Music, The Internets, Trailers, TV, Video |
Livide
New on Popshifter this week: Reviews of Turing Machine’s latest release What is the Meaning of What, the remastered reissue of Hey Little Richard, and You and I in Heaven, the new EP from Tyburn Saints.
Assemblog: May 4, 2012
Published on May 4th, 2012 in: Assemblog, Comics, Movies, Science and Technology, Streaming, Trailers |
“I’m not wearing hockey pads.”
New on Popshifter this week: Part Four of the ongoing hilarity of “so bad they’re good” YouTube videos from around the world; reviews of new releases by Chelle Rose and Portland Cello Project; The Lake Effect’s Expect Delays EP; Dave Martin’s Natural Selection; and whether or not The Avengers is a “chick flick.”
Taking Aim: Is The Avengers A Chick Flick?
Published on May 3rd, 2012 in: Action Movies, Comics, Feminism, Movies, Over the Gadfly's Nest |By Lisa Anderson
Jeremy Renner in The Avengers
As fan of comic book movies and of Joss Whedon, this is a great summer for me. I’m thoroughly enjoying all the buzz over The Avengers, which opens in the US at midnight tonight. Every once in a while though, I’ll come across something that I can’t get on board with, even though it’s essentially positive. A recent piece by Bill Gibron at Pop Matters is a good example.
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Assemblog: April 27, 2012
Published on April 27th, 2012 in: Assemblog, Blu-Ray, Copyright/Piracy, Current Faves, DVD, Film Festivals, Horror, Less Lee Moore, Media, Movies, Music, Reviews, Streaming, The Internets, TV |
Velvet Goldmine, 1998
New on Popshifter this week: reviews of the recently reissued Beginnings, Rick Springfield’s 1972 US debut album; Theresa Andersson’s latest album Street Parade; Beatles documentary Strange Fruit; The Apples in stereo’s Chris McDuffie’s solo release as Whitejacket, titled Hollows and Rounds; and The Ian Hunter Band’s Rockaplast concert on DVD.
An Apple A Day Keeps The Maharishi Away: Strange Fruit DVD
Published on April 24th, 2012 in: Current Faves, Documentaries, DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews, Movies, Music, Reviews |By John Lane
The Beatles’ mythology has become so ingrained in our culture that even I, a self-confessed Beatle nut, rarely have the energy anymore to restate or reexamine their history. If my kids have questions about the Fabs, I’m almost half-tempted to sigh and say, “Yes, they were four guys who all lived in a funhouse together. If they ventured outside for groceries, they’d hop in their Yellow Submarine while being chased by screaming fans. Yes, Paul was the cute one, John was the smart one, George was the quiet one, and Ringo was the minotaur at the end of the maze—so, who wants to listen to some Motorhead?”
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Assemblog: April 20, 2012
Published on April 20th, 2012 in: Assemblog, Blu-Ray, Books, Copyright/Piracy, Movies, Music, Trailers, Video |
Dick Clark: 1929 – 2012
Today I’m introducing a new feature on Popshifter, the Assemblog: a collection of what has captured my attention this week, pop-culturally speaking.
New on Popshifter this week: a spoiler-free review of Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon’s remarkable The Cabin in the Woods and praise for Who Cooks For You?, the latest release from Johnny Headband.