Overrated / Underrated 2012: The ups and downs
This Australian band led by the alarmingly young Kevin Parker continued to mine a rich vein of classic
It’s almost 2013 -- everyone OK? The Earth didn’t split open and fold buildings in on themselves like a
A buzzed-about documentary from this year, this story of the Chinese artist-activist exposed the passion that’s made
While it’s possible that Apatow may have delivered his “Citizen Kane” with “This Is 40,” its 134-minute running time points to his Achilles’ heel as a filmmaker -- not knowing when to say “cut.” “40-Year-Old Virgin” was a comparatively brisk 116 minutes, but all his films since have steadily cruised passed two hours. Do we need to get him back on “Freaks and Geeks” to remember the power of compression? (Suzanne Hanover / Universal Studios)
Can you take a band seriously with a mythology that references voodoo and a decades-long history as a collective from a village in northern Sweden? Frankly, when the music is this addictive, yes. An mix of ‘60s-era
Though you still can hear the Emmy drumbeat continuing, the honeymoon is over for this Showtime series after a frustrating second season.
The city has hosted “Rocky,”
Like a visual Twitter for shutterbugs, the photo app has earned a big enough profile to be referenced on
: As we head into next year, keep an eye on cable companies as the call for a la carte television steadily grows louder. Internet options such as
If there’s a theme to the social media era, it’s how addicted we’ve become to sharing thoughts on the Lakers, our favorite show or any unexpected concert moment. As fascinating as we all are to everyone at every waking moment, let 2013 also spell some time for thoughts and conversation -- with people right next to us! -- that may not require a global footprint. (EPA)
Prepare yourselves: The cloud is here. And while it’s intoxicating to consider the shelf space that can be liberated with all our favorite music floating in some nebulous hard drive over our heads, is there any substitute for buying something and savoring it? As convenient as media has become to find and consume, it’s worth remembering to appreciate these things as well. (Troy Maben / AP)
Entertainment must evolve, which is part of why filmmakers and studios are clamoring for the “next big thing” that draws a line between the high-definition home theater experience and a (potentially lucrative) trip to the movie theater. But for all the talk of 3-D and higher frame rates, ultimately we buy a ticket for a good story more than a good show. (James Fisher, AP)
Part of FX’s improv-fueled ensemble series “The League,” the acerbic Kroll is a bright spot on a show that at times skews too broad and frat-humored. It’s no surprise that Kroll is a standout, however, given his character-rich stand-up, which includes outrageous, rapid-fire alter egos Fabrice Fabrice and Latin radio host El
Maybe the most hummable train wreck on TV, this heir to the
Possibly the least “event"-oriented
Remember when the finale of
The world of TV comedy is a land of low expectations, but this newcomer from the producer of “The New Girl” has enough promise to encourage optimism. Its premise of mismatched siblings raising a kid may not be the freshest, but it makes up for it in execution, starting with an agreeably goofy cast rounded out by the charmingly goofy
: An ambitious import that seems to exist only to find out if
Given the scene-skipping poetry of this movie’s unprintably titled source material (a beautifully tragic memoir by writer Nick Flynn), there was reason to be skeptical of its journey to the big screen. And despite an underwhelming turn at the box office, director
A somewhat baffling approach to TV viewing, this idea has surfaced in a number of publications showing people are actively watching shows they do not like. “The Newsroom,” “Smash” and the recent
The field of jazz banjo is fairly narrow, and even though Fleck has long flirted with fusion in his recordings, this pairing with a band that includes pianist Marcus Roberts and drummer Jason Marsalis finally brings his seemingly unconventional leanings into focus. The aptly named album “Across the Imaginary Divide” is intricate and joyfully swung, and the group’s stop at Catalina this week should be equally sharp. (Brian Tietz / AP)
This series from
A jingoistic example of Cold War-damaged ‘80s action cinema, the original “Red Dawn” enjoyed a cult following thanks to an over-the-top script and unintentionally comic casting with
With “Twilight” mercifully drawing to a close, fang-ophiles looking for cheap bloodsucking thrills should tread carefully while considering this film, streaming on Netflix. Though the movie earned praise for flipping the premise on its head by imagining a society dominated by vampires, ultimately it grows progressively sillier as it struggles to live up to its ideas, wasting Ethan Hawke and an oddly wooden Willem Dafoe. (Ben Rothstein / Lionsgate)
The latest Bond installment is raking in the cash with its mature themes and another impeccably tailored turn from the granite-faced Daniel Craig. But connoisseurs know that any action movie is only as good as its villain, and that’s what makes Bardem’s turn as the twisted Silva all the more vital. Giggling and flirting through every scene, Bardem unveils a new, fun wrinkle to his bad-guy arsenal, first honed in “No Country for Old Men.” (Francois Duhamel / AP)
This gorgeous singer is a tabloid force of nature (particularly through the lens of the ongoing saga with her controversy-courting ex-boyfriend/assailant, Chris Brown), and her constant media presence would be a lot easier to take if there were interesting music left in its wake. But all we have is icily overproduced, mostly generic pop that’s indistinguishable from much of the pop charts, and no amount of significance read into its depressing backstory adds any depth. (Charles Sykes / Invision / AP)
As many landmark ‘90s albums pass their 20th anniversary, the debut from this Bristol, U.K., group is justly celebrated this month with a deluxe reissue. Though Massive Attack is too-quickly summarized as founder of the trip-hop sound of its day, “Blue Lines” captures something far more timeless, particularly in the chugging menace of “Safe From Harm” and the nocturnal funk of “Be Thankful for What You’ve Got.” ()
Just look at this band’s name. Isn’t it adorable in its preference for lower-case letters and a matter-of-fact period at the end? But despite impressive sales for the album “Some Nights,” the typographically humble group is just being honest there’s just not much reason for excitement in the band’s melodramatic melodies and yelping, electro-tweaked vocals from Nate Ruess (formerly of the Format). May we suggest a new grammatical flourish, such as “Fun?” (Stuart Wilson / Getty Images)
Star of his own ‘90s sitcom and regular on “Real Time With Bill Maher,” Hughley hasn’t been a large pop cultural presence of late except occasionally guest-hosting “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” But his comic eye remains sharp, particularly on his new quasi-documentary “The Endangered List” on Comedy Central, which posits that black males deserve protected status. It’s biting satire, particularly given that the numbers behind his claim are no joke. (David Hathcox / Comedy Central)
Now that some time has passed since the
This indie comedy was supposed to be the next step in Greta Gerwig’s rise to stardom, but negative reviews unfortunately derailed its rise. Though the movie is far from perfect, there’s something refreshingly, even sweetly real in Gerwig’s selfish title character as she fights through an array of bad decisions after a breakup. Lola has all the raw awkwardness of someone from Lena Dunham’s universe but with less of a self-immolating edge. (Myles Aronowitz / Fox Searchlight)
Though the comics can offer sharp takes on current events, superheroes are an awkward fit with the real world. The latest is a new issue of Superman that finds Clark Kent departing the Daily Planet because of declining journalistic standards. Never mind how easy that was for Kent (he’s got a pretty good night job), but considering that only a pair of glasses kept Superman’s coworkers from cracking his secret identity, maybe journalism wasn’t that paper’s strength. ( AP)
Other than its Portland, Ore., setting, there¿s not much to differentiate this NBC show from the raft of supernatural-leaning shows that hit the airwaves in the post-"Harry Potter” era. But Weir Mitchell stands head and shoulders above his costars and his show’s middling special effects as the dryly sensitive Monroe, a reluctant werewolf who whiles away his time among adventures as a foodie, cellist and cozy sweater enthusiast. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
As Usher and even Justin Bieber have proved, the world needs young singers to step into Michael Jackson’s shoes as princes of pop. And despite a promotional push that included a puzzling (and not very funny) double-dip into hosting and performing as musical guest on “Saturday Night Live,” there just doesn¿t seem to be much new to be heard from Mars. Is it a good sign when an “American Idol” cover of his “Runaway Baby” outshines the original? (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Though occasionally compared with Beck early in her career for her dalliances with electronics, Orton’s latest album is a purely organic affair. Backed by a crack yet understated band that includes drummer Brian Blade and guitarist Marc Ribot, the breathy-voiced Orton turns to elements of vintage British folk for a sunlit, woodsy collection buoyed by gentle guitar and strings that sound richly bittersweet any time of year. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
There are few filmmakers who pair comedy with self-aware adventure quite like Wright, who gave us the terrific “Shaun of the Dead” and the underrated “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” But in taking on a superhero obscurity in “Ant Man,” Wright is showing a troubling tendency to take on projects that seem tough to make and tougher to sell. All we want is more movies from you, Edgar ¿ why are you making it so hard on yourself? (Piper Ferguson)
Despite glowing reviews and a killer cast, “Seven Psychopaths” still underperformed at the box office, and maybe writer-director McDonagh is partly to blame for being just too difficult to sum up in a trailer. A twisted, self-aware blast led by a witty Colin Farrell, “Seven Psychopaths” is sharp enough to earn McDonagh another screenwriting Oscar nod, but he keeps being presented as something akin to an Irish Tarantino. He’s so much more. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
It’s been proven with the success of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” that there’s money to be made with this former horror fringe-dweller, but we’ve reached a saturation point. This Halloween has seen a number of local zombie-themed events, and a counter-terrorism event in San Diego even hosted a zombie drill, which makes almost as much sense as an Easter Bunny hunt. Can Hollywood get back to run-of-the-mill maniacs with axes soon, please? (Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images)
Few bands are as steeped with the sound of its geography as this project led by guitarist Joey Burns and drummer John Convertino. Based in Tucson, the long-running band has built a career out of mining the sounds of the Southwest for a lush and at times noirish take on borderless rock. The band’s rich new album, “Algiers,” was recorded in New Orleans, but you can feel the world warmly tilt to the dustier climates with every listen. (Jairo Zavala)
Now that smartphones have made great strides in capturing the freakishly famous on video, footage is readily available anytime someone gets a little green in public. First Justin Bieber learned the dangers of dairy last month, and now Lady Gaga had a digestive incident of her own onstage in Spain. We just need a third incident and it’s a trend: Getting sick will officially replace the sex tape as the new low-budget career boost. (Ian Gavan / Getty Images)
There’s not a whole lot to say about this soapy “Dallas"-meets-CMT TV drama (other than it’s a pleasure to see Connie Britton back in her element after the campy “American Horror Story”), but Boothe is at his villainous best as the show’s J.R.-like patriarch and power broker, Lamar Wyatt. Growling and gleefully chewing scenery, Boothe flexes the same sinister air as his steely turns in “Tombstone” and “Deadwood.” ( ABC)
The Garden State’s been the butt of jokes for years, but now the pop culture pendulum has swung the other way. It’s not that shows like the mercifully cancelled “Made in Jersey” and its predecessors “Jersey Shore” and “Real Housewives of New Jersey” give the state an inflated sense of self (New Yorkers will surely ensure that doesn’t happen), it’s that an overabundance of Jersey unfairly prevents so many other states from branding themselves with annoying stereotypes too. (Matt Sayles / AP)
It’s a gorgeously filmed meditation on the mentor and protege dynamic and the rise of a cult, and features an acting tour-de-force from
Days before the release of the band’s 20th album, “Monster,” a few questions hang in the air. First, how odd must it be to slap on white face paint and platform boots at the age when many have shifted into golf and grandparenting? Second, how does a band that seemed like a lab invention tailor-made for ‘70s teenagers still resonate in 2012? Does the demand for big, dumb rock songs about the act of rocking never run dry? (MIGUEL SIERRA, EPA)
After a 2011 that found him releasing three eclectic albums, trumpeter Douglas looked inward with his latest, a recording dedicated to his late mother. A lush collection of hymnals and elegies reworked into widescreen jazz, “Be Still” is highlighted by the crystalline,
An overblown story of a man who begins the film as a violent drunk and — more than two hours later — stays that way. The latest from Paul Thomas Anderson is long on auteur ambition and Oscar-baiting performances but ultimately short on story or characters that inspire any sympathy. (But as much as Anderson’s well-shot ride feels hellbent on not working for everyone, finding out whether it does is worthwhile after a lazy Hollywood summer.) ()
A fixture in the underground music scene since the ‘80s with performances that reveled in a nihilistic, nearly unbearable intensity, this band’s masterful new album is like hearing the Book of Revelations set to music. Joined by indie rock fixtures Karen O, Low and Akron/Family, Swans frontman Michael Gira (pictured) sounds like Nick Cave crossed with a fallen preacher on a cathartic double-album that carries the power and nuance of a spiritual journey. ()
With rustic harmonies and rousing melodies, all the ingredients are in place for this nouveau-folk band to win over the hardest musical heart. So why do so many of this U.K. band’s pleasant songs fade into the background? Maybe it’s the overabundance of breezily sincere emoting from leader Marcus Mumford or the inescapable feeling that all the earnestness in the world can’t overcome the sense this music isn’t saying anything new. (Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images for Guinness)
After being all but crowned the next “Sopranos” after multiple wins on Emmy night, this show is dangerously close to veering into the other side of this category, particularly given a few nagging plot holes in an otherwise standout season. Still, winner
As easy as it is to root for Kaling after her witty run on “The Office,” her new show isn’t yet the immediate winner that the avalanche of hype would indicate. There’s no arguing Kaling’s comic chops, charm or taste in guest stars, but aren’t there fresher issues for her smart, professional character than just finding a man? Sure, sitcoms have rules to follow, but Kaling seems more capable of subverting them than this. (Greg Gayne / FOX)
One of the bright spots in the comedy podcast explosion, this show led by “The State’s” Kevin Allison adds an element of the storytelling hit “The Moth” by inviting comics to share stories never intended for the public. Sometimes, the results are as simple as raw material from comics whose style already tilts toward storytelling, while others, such as Michael Hirstreet’s account of a first love strong enough to cause a brain hemorrhage, are irresistibly poignant. ()
Not many fall shows sound genuinely new on paper, which may be why the first episode of this intriguing newcomer fell so flat. After an opening that dramatically set up a global power outage with shades of Cormac McCarthy, a couple of teen catalog models take center stage and the cliches pile up fast, along with ham-handed attempts to echo “The Hunger Games.” Shouldn’t a show called “Revolution” be less conventional? (NBC)
Once an atmospheric and yelpy guitar rock band, this Oregon duo made the leap to pop craftsmen with a new album. Occasionally recalling the dramatic sweep of British bands such as James and early
In the Internet era, pop culture topics seemingly exist on two settings: invisible or inescapable. The latest beneficiary is Psy, the amusingly self-effacing Korean rapper behind “Gangnam Style,” a techno-pop trifle/dance craze that went from
Those names may not make any sense, which is fine, because there’s no way to describe a comedy show hosted by a pair of sock puppets in a way that will make sense. Cult favorites from
This week brings the full-length album from the voice of summer’s earworm “Call Me Maybe,” and one question springs to mind: Why? Her single become so inescapable that you’ve probably heard six cover versions on top of the original, and it’s not like that kind of lightning strikes twice. More to the point, unless this is a concept album (fingers crossed!), how does anything she sings need to be longer than three minutes? (Charles Sykes/Invasion/AP)
With filmmaker Andrew Dominik teaming with
What does the 2008 movie “Definitely, Maybe” have in common with recent indie films
It’s easy to rack up genres in attempting to describe this Berkeley-based ensemble. Chamber-gypsy-jazz-folk? Sure, let’s start there, but the group’s latest album, “The Rain Is a Handsome Animal,” adds poetry to the mix with lyrics taken from the works of
Life’s apparently gotten so good for traveling celebrity chef and taskmaster Gordon Ramsay that he has branched into berating hotel management for not doing things properly in this unnecessary and overblown spin-off. You have to wonder whether Ramsay will eventually get a show allowing him to bark at people from every profession. Think of it — baristas, bankers, congressmen, network executives — the possibilities are surely (and sadly) endless. (Brian Bowen Smith/FOX, xx)
A serious case of Zooey fatigue resulted in not giving this show a fair shot in its first season, but once you get past the “adorkable” shtick (which, to Deschanel’s credit, is mocked pretty regularly), there’s a solid comic ensemble at work. Though there are some tired sitcom trappings that could still be scrapped, there’s fine timing on display here, particularly with Jack M. Johnson’s manic Nick and the Emmy-nominated Max Greenfield. (Patrick McElhenney / FOX)
By the time you read this sentence, it’s possible that this film brought to you by the “marketing visionary” behind the Teletubbies will already have disappeared from theaters. Here’s a tip for future visionaries: Don’t bring up the fact that your movie was made in the spirit of selling consumers something. Even though that tends to be true most of the time, at least have the courtesy to pretend it’s not on billboards. (Matthew Mitchell / Associated Press)
Some might best remember this song as the soundtrack for a twitchy Ray Liotta near the end of “Goodfellas,” but it made a welcome recent cameo in the excellent LCD Soundsystem documentary
With a new album due this week, this Baltimore-born group satisfies a key requirement for being an indie rock heir to the Grateful Dead by being utterly baffling to those who aren’t onboard. With the group’s signature mix of swirling
With its 70-millimeter sequel “Samsara” trickling into theaters (pictured), it’s a splendid time to revisit Ron Fricke’s remarkable previous outing, which stands the test of time (particularly in high definition). Full of jaw-dropping visuals, “Baraka” is maybe the richest, most transformative tour of the world you can take without leaving your house, with vivid depictions of nature, spirituality and industrial decay. No dialogue is spoken, and none is needed. (Ocilloscope)
You can’t blame
Given the overabundance of travel shows mutating and reproducing on TV, maybe it’s fitting that the most unique of the bunch exists only online. Levitch will sound familiar if you caught his starry-eyed turn in
Has anyone noticed that there are a lot more “legends” being declared these days? Admittedly, this promotional crutch may be a side effect of a generation of rock stars advancing into their AARP-eligible years, but let’s consult Webster’s before we start branding too many more singers. Sorry, “Sparkle,”
You might remember Cherry as creator of the nearly inescapable “Buffalo Stance” back in the ‘80s, but a better reference point for her latest work is fiery jazz trumpeter Don Cherry (her stepfather). A ferocious mix of Neneh Cherry’s soulful vocals and powerful European free-jazz combo the Thing, this project mixes original music and songs by the Stooges,
Is it fair to knock a film if it seems already aware of its own inessentialness? Even this movie’s name admits to its own disposability, but for all the fleeting thrills that came from seeing Hollywood invent an action hero retirement plan on the fly with this movie’s first, it’s hard to imagine there’s more fertile ground to be tilled asking these vintage actors to return in all their alarmingly fit glory. On the bright side, it seems to keep everybody involved from running for office. (Frank Masi / Associated Press)
Let’s be clear, “Goon” is not a very good movie. Particularly when compared to the wickedly funny “Slap Shot,” which remains the pinnacle of the sports comedy genre (plus, check out
Shrouded in secrecy during its production, writer-director
A top-tier “that guy” character actor who started flexing his comedy chops in twisted “Jimmy the Cab Driver” promo spots for
Beloved by a generation for extolling the virtues of “Girl Power” (as long as that power included small outfits and five distinct personality types), Sporty, Scary, Ginger, Daffy and Sneezy (or however they’re known) were back in the spotlight during the scattershot closing ceremony of the London Olympics. Now before things get out of hand, please leave us to today’s pop stars who seem only preoccupied with making boys call them — wait, is this progress? (Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images)
The leader of indie rock band Grandaddy, the Modesto-born Lytle earned raves in the early ‘00s for albums such as “Sumday” and the recently reissued “The Sophtware Slump,” a lushly atmospheric record that questioned the technology age with vintage synthesizers and sweetly sad melodies. After a breakup, Grandaddy is on tour with a stop at the Fonda on Aug. 13; hopefully, these shows and a new solo album will bring Lytle back to prominence. ()
The story of a shy novelist whose written ideal of a woman comes to life, this lightly twisted
Like the last refuge of a scoundrel, just about every rock star past his or her prime feels a sudden urge to plunder the vintage pop songbook for one last run at the limelight. Most recently tackled by the Eagles’
Remember in the ‘90s when just about every indie film featured this actress? Armed with a sharp wit and a lethal widow’s peak, Posey grew harder to find as she succumbed to that debilitating Hollywood disorder known as “adulthood.” But not only is Posey reveling in the advancing of time with beauty and grace but she also still had skills to burn in an incredible, possibly crazy but achingly vulnerable recent turn on “Louie.” Let the Emmy buzz start here. (FX)
The cineplex is full of examples of Hollywood attempting to squeeze as many dollars as it can from every movie, but a recently announced plan to extend
A jigsaw puzzle of a film masquerading as a
Broadcasting these games should be easy from a storytelling standpoint: Just point cameras and get out of the way. Yet despite the modern age’s gift for making entertainment more real-time than ever,
Often overshadowed by its cruder cousins on Fox, this series’ mix of twisted
Given that this movie explores the possibility of another planet smashing into the Earth, you can’t accuse filmmaker
Bob Mould’s most popular ensemble after post-punk pioneers Hüsker Dü imploded, Sugar might be too easily lumped in with ‘90s nostalgia bands such as the Gin Blossoms and Candlebox, but don’t let your memory play those kind of tricks. With both of Sugar’s albums returning this week in lush, remastered reissues, songs such as “Helpless,” “Changes” and the utterly flawless “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” still sound like nobody else 20 years later. (Steven Dewall / Redferns)
Unscripted television has long shown a billboard-sized mean streak given its ravenous appetite for swallowing people into its ever-rotating freak show. But as if this show allowing viewers to sit in judgment of pageant moms weren’t bad enough, its offspring “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” premiering on TLC this month takes the genre to new, unpleasant depths by holding a child up to the same acidic scrutiny. If we don’t look, will it just go away? (TLC)
Resembling an as-yet-unfilmed conspiracy thriller, this raw and weirdly chilling documentary explores cryptic messages that have been mysteriously appearing on the streets of the East Coast since the ‘80s. Referencing the planet Jupiter,
A critical darling since frontman Dave Longstreth reworked the songs of Black Flag into complex pop miniatures on 2007’s “Rise Above,” this band’s ambition is exceeded only by its incomprehensibility. Built out of acrobatic vocals, arrhythmic structures and melodies that treat hummability as some kind of character flaw, Dirty Projectors’ latest overpraised album, “Swing Lo Magellan,” is easy to admire but nearly impossible to enjoy. (Shawn Brackbill)
Like a cinematic adaptation of “Stomp” with a Scandinavian soundtrack, this film about rogue percussionists terrorizing a Swedish city is the kind of movie that deserves a cult following among any musicians in your life. Hell-bent on completing a found-sound suite called “Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers,” a goofily gifted band of drummer-anarchists keeps an addictive beat with a music-hating cop in hot pursuit. (Magnolia Pictures)
With a cast that looks like a continuation of the hit “Bridesmaids,” this parent-focused tweak on the
Written and directed by “
Because you have not adequately pledged fealty to your local cineplex in recent years, efforts are underway to take films to the next dimension (mathematical considerations of such a move aside). From a moviegoing standpoint, this means getting poked in the back, sprayed with water or otherwise physically assaulted while eating popcorn, which almost makes sense considering how little these pictures offer to move you on any other level. ()
The unflappably genial former host of
An actor’s post-Oscar arc is never disappointing enough to inspire a retraction from the film academy, but Portman seems determined to try. The painful trifecta of
If you saw
Again pulling
Though an incongruously rumpled (and cockney)
It’s a testament to the diminished expectations of spring that this teen-angst superhero movie received such positive reviews on its release. Maybe it looks better on the big screen, but watching this film at home, the special effects are underwhelming, the other two young leads fade in comparison to criminally underused costar Michael B. Jordan (“Friday Night Lights”) and the film’s gimmicky found-footage conceit just feels unnecessary (20th Century Fox)
What were the odds that this frontman for Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker would become such an advocate for the modern musician? In two well-considered posts that went viral online, Lowery first broke down the harsh realities of the new music industry, then took a young NPR intern to task for bragging about not paying for music. Whether you agree with Lowery or not, he’s doing important work in furthering the conversation. (Erik S. Lesser/Getty Images)
< Every summer brings one song that requires a frozen poker to the eardrum to escape, and 2012’s is this brain-infesting confection from Carly Rae Jepsen (pictured), which for some reason inspired a whole raft of musicians and celebrities to make a cover video in response. Although one involving the Roots and
Though the reviews for
Dismissed by its own company as a “hobby,” this little square hockey puck is a surprisingly enticing option for those ready to cut out their cable. Bringing the computer into the living room in an intuitive, simple way, it’s intriguing to access your music and streaming video using Apple’s typically elegant interface. Now all it needs is to be open to more of the Internet’s riches (with, say, a browser or
If there’s any potential fallout from the musical costume drama curiosity that is “
Is there a more aptly titled album in 2012 than this Canadian duo’s “Celebration Rock”? It’s full of fuzzed-out guitars, fist-pumping energy and sharp lyrics that demand to be screamed across a tiny club (or an even tinier car). Guitarist
Samberg showed a gift for absurd laughs in his
As much as the first season of this biting political satire was all about the twisted ensemble work around an imaginary vice president, Chlumsky was a standout as
Although there’s nothing wrong with loving where you live — and we do — the first track on this band’s summer-bright sophomore album is so puffed with Southern California pride that it veers into self-congratulation. Despite Bethany Cosentino’s vocals sounding like an irresistible mix of sun and sugar, a jangly pop song boasting “Why would you live anywhere else?” probably won’t help our rankings in the next “most hated state” survey. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
If you hear more shouting than usual from the neighbors this month it’s thanks to this event, which every four years rounds up the top soccer nations in Europe in pursuit of continental bragging rights. Though many countries have made the news while staving off further financial meltdowns, it’s inspiring to watch world-class athletes and face-painted fans (with their national tics) show their true colors, even if you’re ambivalent toward what everyone else calls “football.” (Oliver Weiken / EPA)
You can’t blame the DVD rental company for trying to up its profits, but some of its selections seem angled toward camouflaging themselves as bigger (and better) films.
You wouldn’t expect an indie rock drummer who appears to be engaged in a naked fight with Devendra Banhart on a recent album cover to release a record this contemplative. A collection of inviting and often melancholy pieces for solo piano, Rogove touches on pop and
Sure, it was fun for a while to watch the bearded Alexander Ebert bounce on stages with his expanding band like the Manson Family covering
Nothing says “summer” quite like the story of a suicidal junkie searching for meaning. True, this feature from Norwegian director Joachim Trier doesn’t pair as well with popcorn as the season’s more amusement-park-adjacent fare, but there’s something about Danielsen Lie’s intense portrayal of an ex-
Now that
If you’ve ever cursed the unscripted psychodramas that rule television, thank this enduring
The ongoing performance piece that is
An unconventional hip-hop artist who rose out of the Minneapolis poetry slam scene into the city’s underground rap community, the artist born Margaret Wander came into her own with this 2011 album. With a novelist’s ear for lyrical detail, Dessa’s mix of spoken and sung rhymes casts a riveting spell backed by a full band. When she sings, she sounds a little like
Dare anyone speak ill of this heir to the classic rock throne? While it’s great to hear White playing with a drummer capable of more than the caveman beats of the White Stripes, it’s difficult to figure why such an avalanche of praise follows his every move. Yes, he’s got an ear for history, a sharp eye for visuals, and plays a killer guitar, but before we induct him into the
Perhaps best known for his off-kilter melodies in the knotty, instrumental indie rock excursions of
We admit a small measure of glee in watching the
Freeman is part of an underrated show thats a bit like Sherlock Holmes for “Doctor Who” fans, but he’s best known for dryly comedic turns with the
Last week,
Like a real-life “Mad Men” with far less interesting furnishings, this reality show captures the drama behind today’s ad game and transcends the cliches while doing it. Sure, it’s a little unsettling to consider the economics behind a show about creating commercials — one of which you actually watch by choice once the “winner” for the week’s campaign is picked — but it’s strangely worth it after seeing the creativity at work. (AMC)
Now that NBC’s pop shop has wrapped after making serious progress supplanting “American Idol” as America’s top singing competition, it should be noted that Aguilera walked a steady, thin line between “quirky” and “massively annoying” all season. Though her coaching and comments still outpaced the inanity of “Idol’s” chatter, someone must stop her from rushing the stage every week. And really, put some pants on. (NBC)
Though this film by the director of “The Scent of Green Papaya” takes on greater depth if you’ve read
Every generation spends most of its time looking at the next with a rueful shake of the head, but the flashes of ignorance during this
The name sounds like a chaplain serving not far from the 4077th, but in reality it’s the musical nom de plume of ex-
With the campy “Dark Shadows’ in theaters, we have to wonder if
Ordinarily it’s best not to get invested with Fox’s overblown but declining musical juggernaut, but once in a while a line must be drawn. With luck, by this time clearer heads will have prevailed and extracted this dorm room
As we careen into election season, there was something so soothing about seeing some of President Josiah Bartlet’s Cabinet reconvene for a wittily self-aware PSA about walking (and, if possible, talking, in keeping with series creator Aaron Sorkin’s signature style). Though there are laughs in the pointless political jockeying of “Veep” and its predecessor “In the Loop,” we could use more of the Bartlet administration’s ambition and good intentions. (NBC)
Just when you thought a stake had been driven through the “five boys and a melody” pop formula that begot
Maybe better known by one of the names on his Twitter bio (“The Black Guy From ’40 Yr. Old Virgin’”), Malco should finally make a name for himself as a top-tier comic talent in
She’s the twentysomething auteur of the moment (every decade needs one), and her new HBO series could rack up tidy profits if the network had a dollar for every time the words “revolutionary” or
Regardless of whether the
Each year brings one song thats inescapable, and 2012’s early winner is the daintily melancholy “Somebody That I Used to Know” from this Australian singer-songwriter. But its not enough that the song itself seems everywhere, it’s the many covers reproducing at an alarming rate on “Glee,” “The Voice” and
Though we could live without the footage of struggling baby penguins and the inevitable heart-rending “nature is harsh” lessons, there is no greater use of your large-screen television and HD video signal than this documentary series. Created by the people behind “The Blue Planet” and “Planet Earth,” this series digs into the perilous lives of polar bears, penguins and beluga whales and finds life worth savoring -- and saving. (Chadden Hunter / Associated Press)
A year-end critical darling and one of the most talked-about movies from last fall, this stylish movie ultimately underwhelms on the small screen. Though its cooler-than-cool look is entertaining in flashes, the random ‘80s touches feel almost campy, and
A companion piece of sorts to Marc Maron’s interview podcast “WTF,” this
Considering that superheroes, remakes and sequels have become the safest bets in Hollywood, maybe it makes perfect sense to simply re-release a 15-year-old blockbuster with fancier special effects (see “Star Wars”). And as fun as it may be to watch the big boat sink into your lap, the real question is how James Cameron will have again earned your money for an overlong, over-the-top story you already saw. “King of the world,” indeed. (Paramount Pictures)
Like a futuristic European version of Crosby, Stills and Nash, this Swedish band’s 2010 album is one of the addictive indie-rock pleasures of the decade. Led by the crushed velvet vocals of singer-songwriter Jose Gonzalez and a spacey mix of churning guitars, burbling keyboards and driving African percussion, “Fields” grows more enchanting with every listen. Spring gets only sunnier with the one-two punch of “Always” and “Rope & Summit.” ()
Maybe it’s a hangover from the stylish show’s layoff, like a power hitter in
Fans of this remake of the Danish series “Forbrydelsen”: It’s time to come off the ledge after this show supposedly reneged on its promise by not solving its mystery last season. First, the original series was 20 episodes as compared with 13 for
A few thoughts now that “
Acclaimed but unfairly forgotten, this film by writer-director Sean Durkin will hopefully gain a new life on DVD. As unsettled as it is unsettling, the film parachutes you into the life of a young girl as she escapes a chillingly charismatic cult leader portrayed by
The grand dame of dance-pop has an unparalleled track record of reinvention and a steady dedication to the cutting edge of music and fashion. Now, with her dated new album, “MDNA,” it’s time to accept that the 53-year-old singer rests alongside the
Longtime purveyors of raucous, New Orleans-bred jazz-funk whose members have made frequent cameos on HBO’s “Treme,” the group has gone to another place with the recently released album “Carnivale Electricos.” A taut but rowdy mix of middle-of-the-night
There’s no denying the pure entertainment in the
Written and directed by
A quick reminder for those anticipating the upcoming “American Reunion”: These things work better when a franchise has disappeared long enough to inspire nostalgia. Overlooking that the 1999 film’s legacy is forging new ground in substituting outrageousness for genuine humor, the brand has been replicating itself in drab, straight-to-video sequels since 2005. Honest, we might miss you a lot more if you really go away for awhile. (Universal Pictures)
With a gently scuffed, quavering voice, this singer-songwriter reached new heights with her new album, which is titled in reference to her period of semi-homelessness. Produced by the National’s Aaron Dessner, the record is a quietly addictive listen with Van Etten’s lyrics on heartache and uncertainty landing with such disarming rawness that you sometimes wonder if she’s sharing too much -- yet you can’t help wanting more. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Television is full of reasons to feel pessimistic about our long-term prospects as a species, and the latest example is this show exploring the unsettling habits of those arming themselves for the end times. Although a bit of the Boy Scout motto goes a long way in a disaster, you get the feeling that those obsessed with being ready for the worst in humanity are in their own way also revealing the worst in humanity. (Sharp Entertainment / NatGeoTV)
Frequently referenced in relation to the
: Now that the stage version of this lauded 2004 album has come to town, the truth can be told: The source material isn’t all that good. At one point inexplicably hailed as “album of the decade” by Rolling Stone (did they know “Kid A” and “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” had been released?), Green Day’s rock opera is bloated, bombastic and, years removed from its mid-aughts angst, packs as much nuance as, well, some Broadway musicals. (Los Angeles Times)
Viewers drawn into AMC’s
On the surface it’s a forward-thinking move for the network to allow subscribers to watch past seasons of its original shows online, but ultimately
An inventive vocalist often filed under “jazz” simply for want of a suitable genre to contain his otherworldly sound, Bleckmann’s latest album is a gentle yet consistently rewarding take on the
It’s hard to complain about one of
Though spring isn’t the best time for cinematic scares, it’s worth tracking down this recent chiller starring the former
Maybe there’s a similar level of commitment among some fans of “The Simpsons” and Snoopy, but there’s something about the Mouse that leads true believers to princess-themed weddings and stays “on property” that remain unique to Disney-philes. This home makeover show takes the immersion to a new level in offering a fully branded backyard, but doesn’t that just amount to in-home corporate sponsorship? (HGTV)
The singer-songwriter’s mid-'00s solo albums “Tell It to the Dust” and “The Wounded Astronaut” were hidden gems with a mix of dusty Americana and jagged, Crazy Horse guitars. Hopefully, Parker’s work on “New Multitudes,” a diverse and dusty new collection of unrecorded
Every generation has its era-defining band, and these sunny sons of Hawthorne certainly would qualify as one of them. And while after 50 years and an impossibly influential body of work they deserve the curtain call, it’s tough getting any more excited about this than the next, inevitable reconvening of the
In an age where anyone with a phone can live their own
All due respect to
Though most nominees in the foreign language category tend to be less than household names in the U.S., American audiences are better acquainted with this director of the moving Nazi occupation drama “In Darkness.” Previously nominated for “Europa, Europa” (1990) and “Angry Harvest” (1985), the Polish-born Holland has also brought her deft, sympathetic touch to episodes of
This host is too young, that host is too old, this category is too big while the other is too small. The right films never win, there’s too much red carpet coverage and, of course, it’s all about campaigns and commerce, not the art. If these are common refrains for you, the
It’s a little puzzling in a best picture category big enough to nominate “War Horse” and “Midnight in Paris” that there was no room for this taut, almost startlingly grown-up thriller. A contender for adapted screenplay, for original score and for
In a baffling, over-the-top Grammy appearance last week, this former next-big-thing followed a well-worn route in looking for publicity: Start offending religious groups. And while all that seemed missing in Minaj’s exorcism-evoking performance of new single “Roman Holiday” was an outraged soft-drink sponsor à la
Though many graduates of what was then called “alternative comedy” went on to greater fame (such as Patton Oswalt, Janeane Garafalo and Marc Maron), this lightning-quick star of the scene’s ‘90s heyday deserves more notice. Gould, a former writer for “The Simpsons” as well as the video game Gex, has launched “The Dana Gould Hour,” a biweekly comedy and chat podcast that hopefully will introduce his twisted voice to a new generation. (Claudia Kunin)
At its peak,
Ostensibly a bluegrass band if you consider only the all-acoustic instrumentation, this project co-led by Largo favorite (and former Nickel Creek mandolinist) Chris Thile offers a new, giddily supercharged take on folk-pop. The group just released its second album, “Whos Feeling Young Now,” which features a head-spinning mix of sticky melodies, instrumental fireworks and, for good measure, a twisted, rustic take on
M.I.A. performs during the Super Bowl halftime show last year. (Christopher Polk / Getty Images)
Part of a remarkable recent run of French thrillers that includes
A fixture in the march to the
Sketch comedy isn’t a common thing on TV, so credit must be given not only for the network airing this show from the comic duo of Keegan Michael Key and Jordan Peele but for it being so solidly funny. Here’s hoping this newcomer, vaguely similar to “The Chappelle Show” both in format and a sharp facility for tweaking racial issues, gets as much time to find an audience as the middling “Workaholics.” (Comedy Central)
A fixture on the
With all due respect to “Star Wars” fanatics, is anyone truly excited about the prospect of a third-dimension return of Jar Jar Binks, a wee Anakin Skywalker and a cast of co-stars so wooden that the film could’ve been sponsored by a lumber yard? Barring another round of post-production effects that includes an entirely new screenplay, eye-popping visuals can compensate for only so much. (Though this technique did wonders for “Avatar.”) (Keith Hamshere)
An in-demand producer who collects Grammy nods the way some collect stamps, Henry may be best known for the warm glow he’s cast on award-winning records by
For all the hype about the past-its-prime return of this L.A. band, there’s something very “Voodoo Lounge"-feeling about the news that
Flip to
Whether the result of the Internet’s thirst for chatter or the ease with which shows can be consumed in obsessive binges, it’s no longer enough for a series to be good, it must become a cause. Consider
The film was initially promoted as a
If a sports championship is near, it must be time for a celebrity to bungle a pregame take on the singer-slaying “Star-Spangled Banner.” Last week, it was
Though much of
Welcome to 2012, where an artist can be the Next Big Thing, have the social import of her music debated among critics and be tapped for a too-soon set on “SNL,” only to have her sound just bad enough to conceivably kill her career after only two songs and a still-unreleased album. This is the ballad of Lana Del Rey, a possibly interesting artist with a decent voice who just might already be finished before she started. Who dares to be next? (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
With a ‘90s revival in full swing, there may be no more vivid time capsule of the decade than these blue-and-gold relics, if you can still find one near you. With most rentals a Red Box-fighting 99 cents, it’s a surprisingly workable option when all else fails. The odd reality is that despite all the talk of streaming video and technological advances, renting the movie you want can still be simplest and most efficient with a decades-old business model. (Paul Sakuma / Associated Press)
Coming soon to a
Seeing Pegg on board for
Days removed from a birth that reportedly took a whole hospital wing to accommodate, the Internet was abuzz over Blue Ivy Carter and her first vocal credit on
With luck, this will be the record that brings this rustic singer-songwriter — unfairly under the radar since her remarkable 2003 debut, “Failer” — the wider audience she deserves. Edwards’ fourth album was co-produced by
The second season for this IFC sketch comedy series with “Saturday Night Live’s” Fred Armisen and Wild Flag’s Carrie Brownstein has enjoyed more advance praise than ever, but it needs to deliver more consistency. Most gags merit more knowing nods than laughs, and as tasty as the meat can be skewering the sacred cows of urban hipsterdom, many sketches go on just too long. (Danielle Mathias / Associated Press)
First noticed for perfecting an eyebrow-shaded glare as Sylar on NBC’s “Heroes,” Quinto has risen from being Vulcan-ized as Spock in the
Piracy is no joke, and it’s wrong when people download films without paying for them. Still, there was something satisfying in December’s revelation of the most-stolen movies of the year and, not so surprisingly, they don’t resemble anyone’s Oscar ballot.
A welcome sighting on some year-end best-of lists, this category-busting songwriter deserves a wider audience, particularly among those waiting for
As popular as the gaming blockbuster “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3" has become, there’s something about its depiction of war as exhilarating sport in expensive-looking ads starring
There are few late-career runs more unlikely yet as deserving as the 2011 enjoyed by this 82-year-old character actor. Plummer offered rich, memorable 2011 turns as
A flip of the calendar always inspires reflection on the previous year, and one moment from 2011 that leaves a mark is knowing
A U.K. singer-songwriter whose latest album made a splash among only select circles, Marling’s twisting and addictive “A Creature I Don’t Know” deserved a more fixed presence on the year-end lists of the last month. Though only a brain-scrambling 21, Marling is armed with a sharp, roomy voice and a wicked way with words that can recall a brilliant cross between
On any given night on basic cable you can go “Hillbilly Handfishing,” tromp among the gators with “Swamp People” and even indulge “white lightning"-running fantasies with “Moonshiners” (pictured). Though it would be consistent with the holiday spirit to believe these shows aim for greater cultural understanding, much of it feels more like freak-show tourism that only reinforces broad stereotypes in the name of ratings. (Discovery Channel)