"Eyes wide open, naked as we came. One will spread our ashes round the yard." ~iron & wine


Just a quick movie review and another random comment today, as well as some quality Iron & Wine above (I've been listening to them since their concert last week). Scroll down for yesterday's Broadway/TV post.

Martha Marcy May Marlene
This is my kind of movie. It's quiet, authentic, thrilling, ambiguous, complex, and captivating. It reminds me of Winter's Bone (and not just because John Hawkes is in it), and I hope it receives the attention that Winter's Bone received come awards season (you know how I loved Winter's Bone). Elizabeth Olsen at least deserves an Oscar nomination (and based on the other female performances I've seen so far this year, I'd love to see her win). While her older sisters spent their childhoods building an empire, Elizabeth was apparently laying low and just waiting to unleash that talent. She's absolutely fantastic in this movie. She masters her character's transformation from naive and vulnerable to terrified and broken. Sean Durkin (writer/director) does a great job of transitioning seamlessly from the past to the present. This movie will grab you and won't let you go, even after you've left the theater.



Finally, I just have to comment on this piece of TV news. Apparently HBO is adapting the novel Swamplandia! into a half-hour comedy TV show. I discovered this piece of information from a link on the AOL homepage, which read, "Children's Book Gets Its Own TV Show." Really?! Really?! Obviously the person writing the article (or the person writing the title of the link, because I don't know if they're the same person) didn't read the book, because it is most definitely NOT a children's book. It's actually quite disturbing (at least it was to me). The idea of it being turned into a half-hour comedy irks me. I could see it as a movie, but I don't like this comedy TV show idea. I get very protective of books that I love being adapted to the screen, so maybe I'm just being close-minded, but I'm very wary of this idea. I guess we'll see what happens.

"I'm just a little bit caught in the middle, life is a maze and love is a riddle. I don't know where to go, can't do it alone, I've tried and I don't know why." ~lenka


Today I've got some entertainment updates; first Broadway, then TV.

I've seen a few plays recently, but I'm just going to mention one for now. Broadway fans have been going crazy arguing over the new revival of Godspell, and I had to see what all the fuss was about. Going into it, I was familiar with some of the music but I had never seen a production of the show before (and I've never seen the movie). I wish I had some previous version to which I can compare this production, because I'm not sure what to think.

First of all, the show is being performed at Circle in the Square, which is theatre in the round. They do a good job of using the space (theatre in the round is not easy; I've seen other shows at that theatre that were not nearly as successful at adapting to the space). I won a lotto seat, which meant I was sitting on a cushion right next to the stage. The lotto winners work for their seats; we were part of the show. We had to hold up our cushions to help create background scenery at one point. Hunter Parrish gave us high fives (I'm a fan of Weeds and I adore him, so that was exciting). Cast members whispered to us. It was fun to be a part of the action.

As for the show, there are some interesting choices being made. "Day By Day" is sung as they're dancing the Electric Slide, and the chicken dance and the macarena both pop up, as well as jokes about facebook, Steve Jobs, Charlie Sheen, and Occupy Wall Street. I think they're still working out the improv bits and the contemporary references. There are mini-trampolines and a pool of water. It does get a bit ridiculous (veering into "so bad it's good" territory), but I also thought some parts were well done. I think it helped that my lotto section was full of some very enthusiastic people, which I think can really make a difference. I actually enjoyed myself very much. I love Hunter Parrish, and although I think he's still feeling out the role of Jesus, I was impressed with his performance (that may be partly because I'm a huge fan of his). Anyway, I don't think this show is nearly as bad as some people are saying.

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We're about a month into the new TV season, so I thought I'd post an update on what I'm watching. These are the new shows I'm sticking with:

Homeland
If there was ever any doubt in anyone's mind that Claire Danes is a brilliant actress (maybe you haven't seen My So-Called Life or Temple Grandin), Homeland should clear up those doubts. Claire Danes is amazing. She basically won every award she was eligible for last year (the Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG Award) for Temple Grandin (go see it now if you haven't already), and I hope she wins a bunch more for Homeland. Her character (Carrie) is obsessive and not exactly likeable, but Danes throws herself into the role so completely (both physically and emotionally) that I feel like I've known Carrie forever, and I sympathize with her. Damian Lewis is also giving a wonderful performance. Even though the two main characters, Carrie and Brody, have interacted only once in a very short meeting, I feel the connections between the two, and I think that's because of the performances. They're both very physical performances (a lot is conveyed in silence), and both Danes and Lewis manage to make the audience connect to their characters, even though they're both mysterious and untrustworthy and flawed. The writing in this show is very strong so far. The main storyline is slowly building as the audience is kept guessing, and subplots (that may be related) are deftly being weaved into the story. I'm not entirely sure what the truth is, and I want to know more. So, three episodes in, I'm loving this show.

Revenge
Yes, it's dramatic and soapy and juicy and I love it. Emily VanCamp and Madeleine Stowe are giving great performances, making me love their characters despite their awful actions. I actually really like both Daniel (Joshua Bowman) and Jack (Nick Wechsler), so I'm torn as to whom I want to see Emily in a relationship with (although the first five minutes of the pilot pretty much made my preference moot). I like that triangle. I'm interested to see what happens when the action catches up to the flashback that opened the show. Ooh, and I love Gabriel Mann (Nolan)! He's a perfect (nuisance) sidekick for Emily.

Pan Am
I think this show has really been improving since the pilot. We've learned more about the girls; getting a glimpse at Colette's tragic past (and how it's still haunting her), seeing Maggie's passion for politics, and learning more about Kate and Laura's family history has made it easier to connect to the characters. I've liked seeing Kate's spy career develop, and I'm curious to see where her relationship with Laura goes next (the last scene of this week's episode was heartbreaking). I hope the ratings for this show pick up, because I do want to see it continue.

Okay, that's all for now.

"I was walking far from home, where the names were not burned along the wall. Saw a building high as heaven, but the door was so small, door was so small. I saw rainclouds, little babies, and a bridge that had tumbled to the ground. I saw sinners making music, I've dreamt of that sound, dreamt of that sound." ~iron & wine

Oh, Sam Beam. I love you and your awesome beard. Time for a concert review. Iron & Wine were full of surprises last night, and overall I had a lot of fun. We got a spot in the front row, which was perfect (as you can see from my photo above). Sam is hilarious; he's very good at stage banter and interacting with the crowd. Iron & Wine vary their setlists like crazy, so there's no way to predict what you'll hear when you go to one of their concerts. I was hoping for a few songs but I didn't get my hopes up. Sam played my two favorite songs from Kiss Each Other Clean, his newest album, but he didn't play any of my older favorites. I was okay with that because I got to hear "Walking Far From Home," and that was enough for me.

Iron & Wine is another band whose sound has changed with their newest album (just like The Felice Brothers, whom I wrote about recently). I'm honestly not sure I like the new direction (in fact, I think I don't). There were twelve people onstage at the concert, and if you know Iron & Wine from it's earliest state, you know that's a big change. A few new songs, though, like "Walking Far From Home," remind me of the simplicity and beauty of Sam's earlier music.

I was thrilled to see one of those extra people onstage; Marketa Irglova lent her voice! Marketa is in the band The Swell Season, and she's also the star of one of my absolute favorite movies, Once. She won an Oscar for the song "Falling Slowly" from that film (I loved when Jon Stewart brought her back onstage to give her acceptance speech after she was cut off). Even cooler than hearing Marketa sing last night was the fact that she gave me a setlist after the show! Being handed a setlist by an artist you greatly admire is pretty freakin' awesome. So that definitely made my night.

Here are two videos I took, of my two favorite songs from Kiss Each Other Clean. Watch them. Seriously, you'll enjoy them. Marketa is on the right side of the screen. I recorded audio of the whole show and video of a good portion of it, so I might share more later.

Walking Far From Home:


Half Moon:

There are times that walk from you, like some passing afternoon. Summer warmed the open window of her honeymoon. And she chose a yard to burn, but the ground remembers her. Wooden spoons, her children stir her Bougainvillea blooms. There are things that drift away, like our endless numbered days. Autumn blew the quilt right off the perfect bed she made. And she's chosen to believe in the hymns her mother sings. Sunday pulls its children from their piles of fallen leaves." ~iron & wine

He kills me. Seriously, I think Sam Beam is one of the best lyricists alive. And I'm seeing him tomorrow! I'm going to an Iron & Wine concert at Terminal 5, and I'm really excited about it, even though it means I'll be exhausted at work on Thursday. I'm sure I'll have goodies from the show to post by this weekend.

By the way, listen for Iron & Wine on tonight's Parenthood; "Such Great Heights" plays during the birth scene.

I wanted to write an update about recent movies and plays I've seen, but I don't have much time, so I'll make it short and I'll just focus on a few movies for now.

Moneyball - go see this movie. I'm not a Brad Pitt fan, but I still loved it. This is not just a really good sports movie, it's a really, really good movie. See it even if you're not a huge baseball fan. I do happen to love the game of baseball, which made it even more interesting for me. The film is funny, touching, and beautiful. I love the score; it adds a lovely layer to the film. And it was fun to see Kerris Dorsey (Paige on Brothers & Sisters) as Brad Pitt's daughter. Her version of Lenka's "The Show?" It made me cry. Seriously. It's worth buying the soundtrack just for that.


The Ides of March - this movie is based on a play called Farragut North, which I saw off-Broadway three years ago. I enjoyed the play, which starred John Gallagher, Jr. and Chris Noth in the roles played by Ryan Gosling and George Clooney in the movie version. The movie is a solid adaptation of the play. Because I was already familiar with the plot, I could focus on the stylistic choices, and I think Mr. Clooney is a talented director. I'm a Ryan Gosling fan and I liked his performance very much; he really made this movie for me.


Drive - like I just said, I love Ryan Gosling. He does not disappoint in this movie. It's a stylish, beautifully made thriller. I realize it may sound weird that I'm using the word 'beautiful' to describe a film in which heads are stomped in and blown off, eyes are gouged with forks, and blood flows freely, but really, the cinematography is very impressive. You'll be on the edge of your seat the entire film, and it's a wonderful ride.


50/50 - My favorite actors are in so many movies this fall! In 50/50 it's Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen whom I get to enjoy. The two lead actors have great chemistry, and the film successfully balances comedy and drama to create a moving, realistic look at a difficult subject. I wanted Anna Kendrick to win the Oscar for Up in the Air, and in her supporting role in 50/50 she further demonstrates her talent.

"Take this bread, if you need it friend, 'cause I'm alright if you're alright. I ain't got a lot, but all I got, you're welcome to it. 'Cause I'm alright if you're alright." ~the felice brothers

The Felice Brothers. What do I say about The Felice Brothers? First of all, I love them, and I'm so glad I got to see them live at Webster Hall. Nic and I got a spot dead center in the front row (I got there pretty early), so we had a perfect view. I'm a huge fan of the band, and I was excited to see what they would play. Their sound has changed a lot recently; their newest album, Celebration, Florida, sounds very different from their previous albums to me. I do like Celebration Florida (it grew on me), and I was happy with the songs from that album that they chose to play. Those songs definitely work well in concert; they're louder and faster and harder than most of the band's previous material ("Fire at the Pageant" was a particular highlight). I was happy that they still played a lot of earlier songs; they did a lot from their self-titled album. I wasn't thrilled with how a few of those earlier songs sounded, though. "The Big Surprise" has been reworked, and I much prefer the album version; that's one of my favorite songs, and the live version disappointed me. I wish they played more from Yonder is the Clock, my favorite album of theirs, but I wasn't expecting them to. Although it did disappoint me to know that they played "Boy From Lawrence County" earlier on this tour but not at the show I went to (I LOVE that song). Oh, well. They were definitely focusing on riling up the crowd and letting loose; in fact, the boys seemed pretty crazy. At one point Christmas actually walked off the stage and returned a couple of minutes later, they crashed into each other multiple times, and I think there were a few forgotten lyrics. But I didn't mind; it just added to the energy in the room.
I did film the show, so here are my favorite moments, and the entire playlist is posted at the bottom.

This was my favorite moment of the show. "Frankie's Gun" is one of my favorite songs. I know it like the back of my hand; I could sing it in my sleep (and who knows, maybe I even do). Being able to see them play it live and to sing along was amazing. The live version is a little more upbeat than the album version, and it works for this song. Yelling along with lines like, "Turn the goddamn radio down!" and "I hurt him so damn bad I had to hide in Jersey!" was cathartic. You can hear me in the video, and I don't care; I was having too much fun to restrain myself.


"Take This Bread" was another great singalong. This is the song that I haven't been able to get out of my head since the concert.


They gave Jersey a shout-out and covered Bruce Springsteen's "Darkness on the Edge of Town" in the encore and it was beautiful.


"Saint Stephen's End" is a gorgeous song, and seeing Ian and Christmas play it alone onstage together was a wonderful respite from the high-energy chaos that pervaded the show. I'm so glad I got to hear it live.


From "Saint Stephen's End," they launched right into "River Jordan," my favorite track from Celebration Florida. It was a surprisingly smooth transition, and "River Jordan" was a perfect closer to the main set.


Overall it was a fun, rollicking show and I had a blast. Here's the entire playlist (you can watch all the songs in a row, scroll through to find what you want by clicking on that rectangle to the left of the 360p, or open it in youtube where you can play it in HD):