Nick Cave: That name is all you have to say in order to get someone’s attention rather quickly. Nick Cave is The Man among men and a God among musicians.
One person that knows this is Nick Cave.
Ever since I was a kid I’ve been fascinated by Jimi Hendrix. Everything about the guy, from his skills to his backstory, intrigued and inspired me and still does to this day. A few years ago I remember OutKast’s André 3000 being announced for a Hendrix film, Jimi: All Is By My Side. Ever since then it has been on my radar and I knew I needed to see it.
I’m sad to say it’s by far one of the worst biopics I’ve ever encountered.
Leigh Whannell, along with his partner in crime, James Wan, erupted onto the scene with Saw back into 2004. Together they wrote some of the sequels, plus Dead Silence, and Insidious 1 & 2 (and soon to be part 3) Now Whannell has brought us a non-horror flick, The Mule.
As a kid I grew up on a variety of different films. My mother loved horror, dad loved westerns and action flicks, my grandma was obsessed with dramas, and I loved everything. I’m thankful for the upbringing I had because it made me who I am today. Even though I was a cinephile by the time I was seven or so, I still missed a lot of films. Now I’m 30 and I’m still making epic discoveries on my own. Recently I discovered one of the best westerns I’ve ever seen, Compañeros.
By Tyler Hodg
After a successful crowdfunding campaign, People on Vacation have returned with their sophomore album The Chronicles of Tim Powers. The duo—consisting of Ryan Hamilton (Smile Smile) and Jaret Reddick (Bowling for Soup)—have written fun, upbeat songs that include musical aspects of their previous bands, but thankfully are not rehashed music from their past. Although People on Vacation has been dubbed a “supergroup,” there really isn’t anything super about them; their music is down to earth and far from extravagant, significantly adding to the relatable feel that The Chronicles of Tim Powers possesses.
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So much of the success of Starry Eyes rests on lead actress Alex Essoe’s able shoulders. She beautifully embodies the role of Sarah, a budding actress who pines for the role that will catapult her into the pantheon of the Old School Hollywood ladies whose photos adorn her bedroom walls. Surrounded by struggling fellow thespians, one of whom (Erin) wants to cut her down at every opportunity, Alex’s insecurity and fragility is palpable and painful to witness. Forced to pay the bills working at a Hooters-type restaurant, she is thrilled when she gets an audition from the esteemed Astraeus Pictures.
By Less Lee Moore
From the lurid Frank Frazetta-style cover art to its evocative title, The Witch Who Came From The Sea seems like it might be a female-fronted version of The Beastmaster. As intriguing as that possibility sounds, the film is something altogether different and much more profound. Directed by Matt Cimber (Butterfly, Hundra) in 1971, The Witch Who Came From The Sea wasn’t released until 1976, and even then, ran afoul of the MPAA for what they considered gratuitous violence, nudity, and rather dark subject matter.
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Progressive rock keyboardist Keith Emerson has never been known for subtlety. Concerts from the band that bore his name, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, regularly featured Emerson destroying Hammond organs on stage. Their brand of symphonic rock was so popular in the early 1970s that they almost tied Led Zeppelin in concert revenue, which is hard to imagine with the way the music business is now. You can’t release a 12-minute long single based on a classical work and expect to get airplay.
When ELP went on hiatus, Emerson turned his attention to film soundtracks. This three-disc set from Esoteric Recordings, At the Movies, well. . . that’s pretty self-explanatory, I suppose. Each disc highlights Emerson’s work for films from different countries.
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One of the fascinating things about Christianity is you can do anything and call it a ministry. Hand puppets. Being a clown. Fixing cars. Shaving. Do it in the name of Jesus Christ, and it is a fully sanctioned activity done for the benefit of the Church Universal.
It makes sense, therefore, that there could be a professional wrestling ministry. The documentary Wrestling with Satan spotlights a six-year period in the history of the Christian Wrestling Federation (CWF). Led by the charismatic Rob Vaughn, who performs under the name “Jesus Freak,” the CWF is an actual independent wrestling company. His stable of wrestlers is highly trained and works well in the ring. Wrestling fans will appreciate the fact that the only special feature on the disc is comprised of seven bonus matches.
By Tyler Hodg
Here’s something that might make you feel old: Bowling for Soup has been making music since 1994. With the release of their first official greatest hits album Songs That People Actually Liked – Volume 1 – The First Ten Years (1994-2004), the band reminds us all that music doesn’t need to be taken seriously to be enjoyable.
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