Armchair Commentary

Pistol Camera - "X The Unheard Music" and Other Great Punk Documentaries

On March 13, MVD will release a new edition of the 1986 documentary The Unheard Music, which profiled the seminal Los Angeles punk band X. The new "Silver Anniversary Edition" disc, which commemorates the quarter-century since the film's original release, offers a new transfer and 5.1 surround sound mix, as well as new interviews with founding members Exene Cervenka and John Doe along with outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage. 

More than just a snapshot of the L.A. underground music scene in the 1980s, The Unheard Music is just one of a handful of documentary features that attempted to chronicle the development of punk - both music and lifestyle - during its seminal years in the 1970s and 1980s outside of the frequently uninformed coverage of the mainstream media. Following are 10 great punk docs that preserve the sound and passion of the period. 

Sadly, such exceptional efforts as Lech Kowalski's D.O.A.: A Rite of Passage (1980) and Penelope Spheeris' The Decline of Western Civilization (1981) and The Decline of Western Civilization III (1998) are excluded from this list, as all are, as of this post, unavailable in legal DVD releases.

Urgh! A Music War (1982) The music does the talking in this who's who of punk and New Wave in concert. Performances by major players like the Police, Dead Kennedys, X, DEVO, Go-Gos, Cramps, XTC, Pere Ubu and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are paired with footnote figures like Magazine, Surf Punks and Skafish, which (intentionally or not) underscores the democratic intent of the scene. The film's showstopper/curio piece is performance artist Klaus Nomi, whose soaring falsetto and alien presence were later detailed in the 2004 doc The Nomi Song.

Another State of Mind (1984) This harrowing account of Social Distortion and Youth Brigade's tour through Canada and the U.S. in 1982, should be required viewing for all aspiring punk musicians. Not only does it detail the highs and lows of live performances, from dedicated fans to dilapidated vans and unscrupulous club owners (Youth Brigade drummer Mark Stern displays a fistful of penny rolls offered in payment for a San Francisco show), but also the hazards inherent to playing music outside the mainstream, from disdain to threats of arrest and outright violence. While aspects of punk has gained some respect in 21st century society, the hardships faced by the bands here, which are joined by Ian MacKaye and Minor Threat near the end of the film, are still a reality in corners of the world, making this cautionary tale still relevant after nearly three decades. 

The Clash - Westway to the World (2000) / Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten (2007) The UK's mighty Clash and its singer and chief lyricist, Joe Strummer, are paid proper respect in these two retrospective features. Director Don (The Punk Rock Movie, Punk: Attitude) Letts' Grammy-winning Westway to the World is a capable introduction to the band's history via footage from their heyday (1977-1982) and interviews with its members post-breakup, while Julien Temple's The Future is Unwritten digs deeper to present a warts-and-all bio on Strummer, with detailed focus on his life pre- and post-Clash.

The Filth and the Fury: A Sex Pistols Film (2000) Julien Temple attempts to place the Sex Pistols into a context far removed from the hysteria and shock that erupted during their emergence in late '70s Britain. The result, which combines period footage with new interviews with the surviving members and a dizzying array of visual non sequiters, is neither a canonization nor a dismissal of the Pistols, but rather an effort to preserve the righteous indignation of their music in the face of a country and culture in mid-collapse, which draws uncomfortable parallels to the present-day global economic situation.

Instrument: Ten Years with the Band Fugazi (2001) An exhaustive overview of Ian Mackaye's highly influential, post-Minor Threat outfit Fugazi, this two-hour-plus effort by Jem Cohen is a collection of live performances from the band's lengthy history along with interviews that detail the development of their fan-oriented ethics (low ticket prices, all-ages shows, label allegiance). Those looking for a historical document may be thwarted by the film's loose construction, but fans will be rapturous over the wealth of live material spanning Fugazi's 16-year history.

End of the Century - The Story of the Ramones (2003) The history of the Ramones, from their status as rock and roll's saviors in the early '70s to their fractious, messy end in 1996, has been detailed in countless books, magazine articles and films, but this long-gestating project, launched in 1994 and completed nearly a decade later, details both the joyful and ugly aspects of their myth in the words of the band members themselves. What results is a honest depiction of the Ramones as history makers who ignited the conflagration of punk rock for the generations that followed, but ultimately were themselves unable to keep warm by it.

New York Doll (2005) A bittersweet story of downfall and redemption, this award-winning feature details the life of Arthur "Killer" Kane, bassist for the glam-punk pioneers the New York Dolls, who endured decades of substance abuse and emotional turmoil before finding solace in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. When a opportunity to play with his former bandmates arises in 2004, the fragile Kane must weigh his own self-preservation against a chance to reclaim his legacy. Alternately enthraling and heartbreaking, New York Doll is a moving testimony to the perils of rock and roll, as well as its power to reinvent and revive.

We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen (2006) San Pedro's beloved and fiercely independent Minutemen, who railed against political injustice in their tightly wound blend of punk, jazz and roots rock, receive a loving tribute in this recollection about their under-the-radar but potent influence on alternative music. The fraternal relationship between singer D. Boon and bassist Mike Watt - now an elder statesman of the indie scene - and their attempt to make intelligent, passionate music in the grisly pop/rock scene of the early '80s are detailed in interviews with Watt, drummer George Hurley, and an all-star list of punk admirers, from Henry Rollins and Flea to critic Richard Meltzer and future Watt cohorts Joe Baiza, Nels Cline and Ed Crawford (fIREHOSE).

American Hardcore - The History of Punk Rock 1980-1986 (2006) Summing up punk rock in a single film is a daunting prospect that invariably leaves one or more factions of fans feeling slighted, and both this documentary, inspired by Steven Blush's book of the same name, and the following pictures, have earned brickbats for their omissions (here, it's the Dead Kennedys and Husker Du, undoubtedly for legal reasons). But for its wealth of interviews and vintage clips, American Hardcore is a worthwhile addition to any punk aficionado's collection. 

Punk's Not Dead (2008) and Punk: Attitude (2005) Both features have their merits, with Don Letts' Punk: Attitude offering a historical perspective via interviews with veteran performers, and Punk's Not Dead taking the genre's pulse in the 21st century. Again, neither presents the Compleat Punk Picture, but serve as competent and often invigorating elements of a vast, unruly and still-vibrant punk portrait.

Also worth seeing: Hated: GG Allin and the Murder Junkies (1994), Todd Phillips' profile of the doomed, nihilist rocker, who took punk's transgressive qualities to self-destructive lengths; Afro-Punk (2005), which examines issues of race within the punk community, with performances by and interviews with black and interracial acts like Fishbone, TV on the Radio and 24-7 Spyz; The Gits (2008), a moving look at the life of the Seattle band and their frontwoman, Mia Zapata, whose 1993 murder cut short a promising career; and Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam (2009), which examines the rise of punk culture among Islamic youth in both the U.S. and abroad. -- Paul Gaita

Q&A with "happythankyoumore" featured artist Jaymay

In anticipation of Josh Radnor's (How I Met Your Mother) sharp comedy centered on a group of 20-something New Yorkers struggling to find themselves, we sat down with the movie soundtrack's featured artist, Jaymay, to get her take on happythankyoumore, music, movies, and more.

A. How did you like working with the cast and crew of Happythankyoumoreplease?
J: It was inspiring to see josh behind the camera. The cafe scene starring Tony Hale and Malin Akerman was definitely a highlight (huge fan of Arrested Development). I loved meeting Todd Diciurcio, the artist responsible for Rasheen's drawings (my apartment wall is now adorned with the "dashing russian aristocrat" that is Sam Wexler). Above all, I am grateful to have worked with the score's producer, Michael Brake, whose cleverness and timing are impeccable. It's truly magical the way he synced song lyrics with pivotal moments and every time I watch the movie i notice something new.

A. How did you get involved with the film and what does it mean for you to be the featured artist of the soundtrack?
J: Josh sent me the screenplay and I sent him a couple of songs that I thought would be fitting. He chose New York City as his setting which is perfect because that's basically all I write about. I was originally only gonna have two or three songs in the film, but then I think it felt natural to use more as my music truly narrates relationships in the city. Seeing my name on "the big screen" at Sundance is something I'll never forget. I've always, always wanted to be part of a movie soundtrack so it's definitely a dream come true.

A. Do you relate at all with any of the characters in the film?
J. I totally identify with Mary Catherine: New York City is home.

A. How did you get into the music industry? When did you start playing/performing?
J. One monday in august 2003, I attended the sidewalk cafe open mic in the East Village and I just knew.

A. Who are you inspirations in music?
J. Lately I've been all about authors. "Never Be Daunted" is a Hemmingway line and Kurt Vonnegut has this awesome short story called "Long Walk to Forever" (it's featured in a book called "Welcome to the Monkey House"). His story is a happy one -- I think it's the only happy one in the whole collection -- so I turned it into a song with a sad twist. I call the song "Long Walk to Never" and it's all about a couple who fails to be like Vonnegut's Catharine and Newt. I have another song called "Lamb to the Slaughter" which is adapted from Roald Dahl's short story bearing the same title.

A. Name a musician you’d love to work with in the future.
J. It would be so cool to work with the band Blonde Redhead. The album "Misery is a Butterfly" kills me. I also wanna do a duet with Mason Jennings.

A. What’s a great movie you’ve seen lately?
J. Copie Conforme. I think I need to see it again (and then maybe once more) to fully understand it, but Juliette Binoche is just too stunning and talented for words.

A. Your music has also been featured in How I Met Your Mother. Any future plans for TV or Movies?
J. I recently had a song in The Switch ("Sea green, See blue") and Barney's Version ("All Souls"). I certainly hope there's more tv/movie opportunities in the future.

A. What is your favorite movie soundtrack?
J. 1) Jurassic Park 2) E.T. 3) Jon Brion's "theme" from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 4)"He Needs Me" from Punch-Drunk Love 4) Aimee Mann's "Wise Up" from Magnolia

A. Will you be touring soon?
J. Yup! a US tour this fall perhaps?

 

 

To see and hear more from Jaymay, check out her Artist page here. happythankyoumoreplease is available on DVD and Blu-ray June 21.

 

 

The Greatest Stories Ever Filmed

Easter is a great time to reconnect with the great Christian and Biblical stories, many of which have been captured in splendid and moving cinematic versions. Stirring films of the life of Christ and the saints can inspire the whole family. Here are a few of our favorites:

1. The Greatest Story Ever Told: Max von Sydow gives the performance of a lifetime as Jesus, equal parts godly and human, showing nuance, grief and deep love for his fellow (flawed) men. The Greatest Story Ever Told takes its sweet time in unfolding the life of Jesus, and some parts seem slow--but all of it is deeply felt and deeply moving.

2. Song of Bernadette: There was a time in the '40s and '50s when most of Hollywood was eager to star in or direct religious features. Song of Bernadette (1943) features one of the era's biggest stars, Jennifer Jones, as Bernadette, the simple French peasant girl who claimed to see visions of a "beautiful lady" near the town of Lourdes. Jones won an Oscar for Best Actress for her subtle yet fervent performance, and the cinematography is gorgeous as well.

3. Lilies of the Field: Sidney Poitier won an Oscar for his role in Lilies of the Field, playing a handyman passing through a small town in New Mexico. He ends up staying and helping a convent of nuns build their chapel, and faith takes form among the small group of new friends.

4. Jesus Christ Superstar: Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice were in top form when they composed this rock opera, and the score alone created pop-culture history. But the story of Jesus, told through a more earthy lens, is also very moving, and the conflict of some of the villains in the traditional telling--like Pontius Pilate--is portrayed with nuance. (Honorable musical mention to Godspell and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat)

 5. Jesus of Nazareth: This masterpiece by Franco Zeffirelli was originally made as a TV miniseries, detailling every known minute of the life of Jesus. Its all-star cast, including James Mason, Robert Powell, Olivia Hussey and Stacy Keach, is so glittery it's almost distracting, but the attention to period detail and the sense of solemnity give Jesus of Nazareth gravitas as well as accessibility. Watch this over the course of Easter Week.

6. The Last Temptation of Christ: Martin Scorsese's controversial film (not suitable for little ones) is actually quite moving in its way. Whether or not Jesus had a wishful dream that he could have been a regular man, and be spared his ultimate sacrifice, it doesn't diminish the choice he made to fulfill his destiny. If you haven't seen this film based on the protests that greeted its release in theaters, you owe it to yourself to watch it. Clearly Scorsese is a man of deep faith.

7. The Ten Commandments: Even now, Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 epic telling of the Old Testament saga of Moses and the Israelites is impressive. Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner have never been more magisterial, and the sheer size of DeMille's vision is moving and thought-provoking.

--A.T. Hurley

 

 

The Best Movie Music of 2010

Film scores generally fall into two categories: the bad ones you don’t remember and the great ones that are impeccably crafted to heighten your overall experience, becoming as crucial as script, direction, and performances. A third class is music that stands out from a lesser film and draws attention to itself, good or bad. Film music in 2010 gave us an unusually rich sampling of the kind that you may not have noticed because it was so perfectly tuned to the movie. There were also a few notable scores that distinguished themselves from some otherwise undistinguished material.

The Oscar nominated scores are pretty squarely in the so-good-you-don’t-notice category, but they deserve plenty of notice as standalone pieces of contemporary composition by artists in full. My winning pick is Hans Zimmer for his eerily affecting and innovative contribution to Christopher Nolan’s Inception. Zimmer is a longtime pro whose collaboration with Nolan and composer colleague James Newton Howard were also integral to the outstanding dramatic impact of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Zimmer's moody, alternately subdued and dominant themes in Inception are thrilling echoes of the film's emotional intensity and ingeniously executed action. (Do some Internet snooping for the fascinating link between one of Zimmer's recurring cues and Edith Piaf's recording of "Non, je ne Regrette Rien," which is a key plot device.)

The rest of the nominees are all strong runners-up, especially the dark, techno-flavored partnership Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross provided for The Social Network. The score impacts what could have been a thoroughly mundane story in the hands of talents lesser than director David Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. It is unexpected and often jarring as a compliment to the film's striking visual style. A.R. Rahchman's score for 127 Hours takes a similarly daring approach to the anachronistic way Danny Boyle presents his story of courage, boredom, terror, and triumph. "Liberation," the piece which accompanies the film's gruesome money sequence is an excellent example of how expertly music can heighten mood with its extension of dramatic sensitivity. Rahman and Boyle are as in sync as they were two years ago when they both won Oscars for their respective roles in Slumdog Millionaire.

John Powell's score for the animated feature How to Train Your Dragon is much better than it needs to be by maintaining integrity to tradition in its soaring, sweeping themes. It sometimes lilts with Celtic influence and sometimes drifts into the whimsy that captured the movie's delightfully entertaining reach to such a wide, enthusiastic audience. And Alexadre Desplat, one of the most prolific and adept film composers working today gave The King's Speech a big part of its audience appeal, adding to the poingnance of the story without pandering to its sentimentality.

Desplat is also in contention for the Film Composer of the Year award from the International Film Music Critics Association based on his work in The King's Speech and in Roman Polanski's deliciously quirky thriller, The Ghost Writer. Though Polanski's film was shockingly shut out of Oscar contention in any category, Desplat's score could easily have had a real shot at winning and is arguably more interesting and more essential to an artistic whole than his work in The King's Speech. Using signature tinkles of piano and a light touch in orchestration motifs, Desplat's music in The Ghost Writer has a playful mystery that archly reflects the mischievous tone of Polanski's matchless technique. (Desplat's busy year of composing also produced scores for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Stephen Frears' little-seen comic romance, Tamara Drewe.)

More of the year's best movie music includes some other glaring Oscar omissions for Academy rule violations. Carter Burwell, who has risen among the greatest and most productive American film composers was deemed ineligible to compete for two of the three scores he wrote in 2010. Burwell has scored all but one of the Coen brothers' films, and his exclusion for the beautiful, evocative work that made True Grit so great has outraged many. His lovely, sorrowful compositions that run counter to the themes traditionally heard in westerns are based on 19th century Protestant hymns, and therefore "diluted by the use of tracked themes or other preexisting music," according to a story in Variety. Burwell's music is original as can be, and gives True Grit a large part of its affecting splendor. The Academy's second slap came when it excluded his score for The Kids Are All Right, which was "diminished in impact by the predominant use of songs," according to its rule book. Hogwash.

Michael Brook's haunting, ethereal score for The Fighter was subject to the same spurious decree for the inclusion of too many period pop songs. A third composer who ran afoul of the Academy's statutes was Clint Mansell, whose classically tinged and spooky accompaniment to Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan echoed aspects of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake," but was hardly an adaptation and was easily among the top scores of the year based on the merits of its own dramatic resonance.

A final few of the best of 2010 include the taut, edgy compositions from old timers Howard Shore for Edge of Darkness, James Newton Howard for Salt and The Tourist, and Elliot Goldenthal for Julie Taymor's eccentrically handsome interpretation of The Tempest. In the category of scores that rise well above the movie's that gave them life, the French techno-dance duo Daft Punk was a good enough reason to make Tron: Legacy an experiment that was not an utter failure. And to follow the rule of if you you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all, I'll also make mention of The Wolfman. Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt, and the audiences who wasted their time with the loony remake may wish to forget, but the talented composer Danny Elfman can still honorably keep the memory alive with music that was biting and brutal, even though the movie should have been euthanized.--Ted Fry

Separated At Birth?

Just watched the Grammy Awards. Guess the actors are taking over, what with Gwyneth Paltrow singing with Cee-Lo and Johnny Depp performing with Keith Urban and Norah Jones.... no wait, that's not Johnny Depp.

 

 

 

 

Pssst, it's John Mayer! --Ellen

"Green Hornet" and the Other Unlikely Superheroes

The release of The Green Hornet, Michel Gondry's revisionist take on the venerable radio and TV crimefighter, with Seth Rogen as a loutish trustfunder forced to take up arms against Christoph Waltz's villany, reminds us that for every traditional superhero - arms of steel, unwavering sense of duty, snazzy outfit - there are a few who don't quite fit the bill. Following are 10 of the more offbeat torch-bearers for truth, justice and liberty from films and television.

Kick-Ass (2010) Based on the graphic novel by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr., this decidedly grown-up superhero pic follows Aaron Johnson's ordinary teen, whose complete lack of super abilities proves no deterrent in pursuing a career in smashing evil. Though Kick-Ass' blind bravado (and eventual tolerance for pain, developed through multiple severe injuries) make for a fascinatingly cracked character, it's Chloe Grace-Moretz's foul-mouthed, high-kicking Hit Girl who walks away with the film. 

Defendor (2010) Mental illness is the spark that sends Woody Harrelson's loner onto the streets of Toronto to fight corrupt cop Elias Koteas, whom he believes is an agent of his nemesis, the imaginary Captain Industry. 2006's Special, with Michael Rapaport as a a man who comes to believe he's a superhero after ingesting an experimental anti-depressant, follows a similar path.

The Specials (2000) A broad poke at the inherent brotherhood of superteams like The X-Men and The Avengers, The Specials are a second-string collection of misfits whose powers are only mildly impressive (or useful): Rob Lowe's Weevil has the strength and agility of that lowly insect, while Thomas Haden Church's Strobe is undone by his colossal ego and Jim Zulevic's Mr. Smart is preoccupied with making inventions with no practical applications.

Pootie Tang (2001) A deliriously childish parody of the superhuman heroes of '70s black action films, Pootie Tang stars Lance Crouther as the title character, an incomprehensible but impossibly accomplished entertainer-cum-badass who defeats evil via his daddy's belt. Producer and star Chris Rock and writer/director Louis C.K. spent years apologizing for the film, but it has its supporters.

Mystery Men (1999) Based loosely on Bob Burden's Flaming Carrot Comics, this all-star comedy failed to find an audience, but in recent years, its gaggle of underdog heroes, including Ben Stiller's slow-boiling Mr. Furious, William H. Macy's Shoveler, and Paul Reubens' flatulent Spleen, have developed a cult following. In its best moments, it shows genuine wit as well as affection for its misfits, especially Hank Azaria's hapless Blue Raja, who can accurately hurl silverware (except knives). 

Big Man Japan (2007) Hallucinatory parody of Japanese tokusatsu with director Hitoshi Matsumoto as the latest in a line of guardians who can grow to giant size when Japan comes under attack by giant monsters. The problem: he hates his job, which is complicated by an aggressive agent, a dismissive population and truly ridiculous foes. If Ultraman was played by Paul Giamatti, he might be something like Big Man Japan.

The Greatest American Hero (1981) William Katt starred in this cult action-comedy series from Stephen J. Cannell as a schoolteacher who, after being given a suit with extraordinary powers by aliens, learns through trial and error (mostly the latter) how to be a superhero. The show's tongue-in-cheek tone, supplied mostly by the late Robert Culp as Katt's gonzo advisor, did much to elevate it beyond slapstick.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008) The good guys don't have the monopoly on questionable candidates, as evidenced by Joss Whedon's winning comedy-musical about an aspiring villain (Neil Patrick Harris) whose attempts to join a evil coalition of heels are thwarted by his feelings for the kindly Penny (Felicia Day). Funded entirely by Whedon, the trio of Internet shorts has achieved cult status.

Zebraman (2004) Director Takashi Miike puts his unique stamp on the cape-and-tights genre with this bittersweet fantasy about a failed teacher (Show Aikawa) who finds solace from his miserable life by dressing like his TV hero, Zebraman. When an alien invasion erupts near his school, Aikawa discovers that he can summon Zebraman's powers to fight the menace and give some meaning to his existence. A typically action-packed effort from the prolific Miike (Audition, Ichi The Killer), Zebraman also addresses the power of belief in surprisingly thoughtful terms.

Super (2011) James Gunn, who wrote and co-starred in The Specials (in addition to penning the 2004 Dawn of the Dead, Scooby-Doo and Slither), directed this violent dark comedy about a frustrated husband (Rainn Wilson) who becomes The Crimson Bolt, a pipewrench-wielding vigilante, when his wife (Liv Tyler) takes up with his drug-dealing boss (Kevin Bacon). Gunn's wry script takes the air out of the costumed avenger genre by depicting the reality of solving problems by bashing them with a massive wrench in hilariously gruesome detail; Wilson's sharp comic turn is well matched by Ellen Page as his psychotic sidekick, Boltie. -- Paul Gaita

They're Gonna Put Me in the Movies: Country Lives on Film

Like great country songs, the lives of the people who sing them are frequently filled with high drama: heartbreak, tragedy  and spiritual longing, among a host of other physical and emotional maladies. In short, it's the stuff of a great movie. And over the years, a handful of terrific pictures have been made from the real and fictionalized histories of some of country music's most iconic figures. With the December release of Country Strong (expanding wide today) which follows a Nashville singer (Gwyneth Paltrow) as she climbs back up the charts, we thought it was high time to take a look at some previous country biopics. Here's our chronological list:

Your Cheatin' Heart (1964) George Hamilton is probably last on most people's lists to play the legendary Hank Williams, but the Tanned One turns in a credible performance as the influential and ill-fated singer-songwriter, who died at the age of 29 after a momentous string of hits. The movie plays fast and loose with the facts of Williams' life, and TV vet Gene Nelson's direction is best described as pedestrian, but the music is unquestionably top-notch, and Hamilton sells Williams' blend of naivete and world-weariness.

Payday (1973) Rip Torn gives a ferocious performance as Maury Dann, a malevolent honky tonk crooner who bulldozes every person within spitting range with his tremendous ego and appetite for base pleasures. Making such an unpleasant character watchable for an hour-plus is a challenge, but Torn disarms the audience and his fellow characters with his boundless charisma before sucker-punching them with his id. Torn also handles the vocals on all of Dann's tunes, and while he's no George Jones, he's a convincing barroom belter.

New Year's Resolutions You Can Keep: Watch This!

Sure, getting fit and eating better are great New Year's resolutions. But this year, why not focus on resolutions that will be easy to keep? That's right: this year, let's resolve to get caught up--or catch up our good friends--on the top buzzed-about films and TV series. You don't have premium cable? Overlooked some of the little gems on screens large and small? 2011 will be the year to set all that right:

1. Dexter -- Michael C. Hall is spellbinding as the serial killer with a conscience in Showtime's series, one of the best-written dramas in recent memory. If you don't have premium cable, don't sweat it--Dexter is great to catch up on via disc, when you can watch several episodes in a row. Each season has topped the previous, and it's best to start at the beginning of Season One. Watch for great (and dastardly) guest appearances by the likes of Jimmy Smits and John Lithgow. It's the most fun you'll have being super-creeped out.

2. The Kids Are All Right -- Lisa Cholodenko's little gem got great critical reviews but only so-so box office. But now that awards season is in full swing, more people are taking notice, and rightly so. Annette Bening, who hasn't graced movie screens in a long while, and Julianne Moore are terrific in this portrait of a family that's different, but full of love, and fully functional. (Follow it with The Who's The Kids Are Alright just for the name symmetry--and for another definition of  "all right.")

3. Breaking Bad -- Don Draper and Mad Men's  retro hipness have been in AMC's spotlight--rightly--this year. But AMC has been cranking out some other seriously great series, including Breaking Bad and the zombie-fest The Walking Dead. In Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston is outstanding as a desperate middle-aged dad whose life is crumbling around him, so he takes up dealing meth to earn money. It's a harsher, more real and human version of Showtime's Weeds, and Cranston is a knockout.

4. The Stieg Larsson Trilogy Films -- Everyone spent most of 2010 reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. And Hollywood has naturally gotten its mitts on rights to remake the original Swedish films. But don't wait to see if the U.S. versions can possibly measure up; take your time with the moody, eloquent originals and immerse yourself in the spooky calm of the Swedish countryside--and deep mysteries solvable only by the fiercest heroine in recent memory.

5. Big Love--The HBO series about modern-day polygamists has been compuslively watchable--but now its producers have announced this coming season will be its last. So get caught up on the goings-on in Sandy, Utah, with Bill Hendrickson (the excellent Bill Paxton) and his many merry mates.

6. Friday Night Lights--A critical favorite, Friday Night Lights still struggles in its viewership, and every season in the last few has threatened to be its last. Don't let this little gem about Texas high school football--and the lives that surround it--get away from you this year.

7. Biggest Loser: Power Walk--OK, so you would like to get in shape in 2011? You can do that, too, with some help from your favorite TV pals. The new Biggest Loser workout, Power Walk, is approachable and doable for every fitness level. No expensive equipment to buy, just that great feeling that if the motivated folks on the TV series can do it, so can you.

Happy New Year!

--A.T. Hurley

 

 

 

"Glee" will have a Season 1, Vol. 2 after all

Great news for Glee fans (or "Gleeks," as we're called): There will be a Season One, Vol. 2: Road to Regionals on DVD after all! You may remember that Fox recently announced that the complete first season would be released on DVD and Blu-ray.  That meant if you had bought Season 1, Vol. 1: Road to Sectionals, you were going to have to rebuy those first 13 episodes, though you could also get 10 bucks back.  You'd also get a bunch of new bonus features, including behind-the-scenes looks at the "Power of Madonna" episode and the season finale, cast makeovers, a music juke box, new "Sue's Corners" ("And that's how Sue... C's it"), and more. But even so, the fans who wanted to support the show by buying vol. 1 were left wondering why there wasn't a vol. 2 following it.  They spoke up, and now there is!  The nine episodes won't have bonus features [EDIT: Now it looks like vol. 2 will have some bonus features: the juke box, the Madonna and season-finale featurettes, and more], but they will have all those great musical numbers, complicated relationships, and Sue Sylvester one-liners we've been enjoying since the show returned to the air in April.  That includes the Madonna- and Lady Gaga-centric episodes, the emotional showdown at Regionals, and guest appearances by Neil Patrick Harris and Idina Menzel (who could forget their duets with Matthew Morrison and Lea Michele, respectively, in what might have been the show's best episode, directed by Joss Whedon), as well as Menzel's Wicked co-star Kristin Chenoweth and Olivia Newton-John.  I myself am going to get season 1 on Blu-ray, but you can choose for yourself how to buy the rest of Glee.  Sounds like no one's a loser and everyone's a winner!  --David

Air-Guitar Picks and Pans: Movies About Rock Bands

I was a teenage Runaway wannabe. Growing up, I copied Cherie Currie's shaggy feathered hair and dreamed of having a band like The Runaways. But, as usual, reality spoils the fantasy and if I’d sneered “Hello daddy, hello, mom!” my parents would have told me to quit being a goofball and go clean my room. So, as The Runaways --the biopic on the long-overlooked ‘70s teen rocker chicks--opens in selected theaters this week, I’m hoping Hollywood won’t break my still-adolescent heart. Can Dakota Fanning hold a torch to the real Cherie? Is Kristen Stewart too one-dimensional as Twilight’s Bella to be a decent Joan Jett? We’ll soon see. Until then, here’s a look at a few faux rockers who didn’t disappoint – and some that barely struck a chord.

• The Doors:  In this 1991 film by director Oliver Stone, a svelte Val Kilmer plays the late Jim Morrison  and bears an eerie resemblance to the singer, who died in 1971. Say what you will about Stone's heavy-handed treatment of the '60s in some of his films, this one holds a few surprises, such as Crispin Glover as the best Andy Warhol ever.

• Sid and Nancy:  Gary Oldman is the goofily, drugged-out Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious in this 1986 film directed by Alex Cox. Chloe Webb gives a memorable performance as Sid’s screeching girlfriend Nancy Spungeon (best quote: “I look like @$#*$) Stevie Nicks!”). The tragic tale of the ill-fated lovers is marked by ethereal cinematography – and it’s also worth watching for a glimpse of a pre-plastic surgery Courtney Love as one of Nancy’s punker pals.

• Buddy Holly Story:  Long before Gary Busey’s stint on Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew, he received a Best Actor nomination for this 1978 tale of rocker Buddy Holly.  Holly’s blooming career was cut short in a tragic plane crash that also took the lives of fellow stars Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson in 1959. Valens was later memorialized by Lou Diamond Phillips in 1987’s La Bamba.

• Hysteria: The Def Leppard Story: My friend Jim owns a DVD of this made-for-VH1 movie. “It’s pretty bad,” he said, popping it into the DVD player. So I braced myself for the worst. No, this tale of the UK's metal rockers is GREAT-bad in the same way that Showgirls is GREAT-bad. Why it hasn't become a cult classic is beyond me.

• Control:  As a major Joy Division fan, I thought Sam Riley did a brilliant job as Ian Curtis, lead singer of the influential British band who took his own life in 1980. I was cynical at first, but director Anton Corbjin won me over quickly by staying remarkably true to his subject. 

• Ray: Jamie Foxx took home an Oscar for his electrifying performance as Ray Charles in this 2004 biopic which chronicles the life and struggles of the blind singer/pianist. I'd always thought of Foxx as just this funny guy from TV, but he's earned his stripes as an actor – even going so far as to wear prosthetic eyelids in order to relate to his blind character.

   

  Here are a few more biopics worth noting that overlap the country, R&B and rock boundaries. For a music lover, that's a great thing.

  • Jacksons: An American Dream: After the death of Michael Jackson, this 1992 TV miniseries can now be considered a time capsule of sorts. It's interesting to watch family patriarch Joe (played Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs AKA Freddy “Boom Boom’ Washington to us Welcome Back, Kotter kids) in light of his actions since his son's death. With Angela Bassett as mom  Katherine and Billy Dee Williams as Berry Gordy.
  •  Walk the Line: Reese Witherspoon won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of June Carter Cash in this 2005 film about the life of singer Johnny Cash (played by Joaquin Phoenix – before he got weird).
  • Coal Miner’s Daughter: Michael Apted directed Sissy Spacek in her Oscar-winning role in this 1980 tearjerker bio of country singer Loretta Lynn.
  •  What We Do Is Secret – As a longtime Germs fan, I couldn’t wait to see this movie. I was sorry when I finally watched the DVD. Shane West (E.R.’s Dr. Ray Barnett) growls and thrashes his way through this otherwise boring mess as late singer Darby Crash. It's difficult  to  tell what's on Bijou Phillip’s head (maltese? bichon frise?) as she mangles her role as bassist Lorna Doom.

  --Francine Ruley