Killing Them Softly - A Review

                                        


Killing Them Softly is a new release from acclaimed yet unprolific director Andrew Dominik, the man behind gritty 2000 biopic ''Chopper'' and the critically lauded ''The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford'' in 2007. The huge gap between both previous films is unexplained, which is curious considering the wide praise both received. So upon Dominik's return to filmmaking 5 years later with Killing Them Softly, a gangland thriller which sees him reuniting with Brad Pitt, it would be natural to have high expectations.

The large void which the gangster film genre is currently experiencing this century is easily understood- an exceptional list of films came from it, and since the likes of ''The Godfather'' I & II, ''Goodfellas'', ''Pulp Fiction'', ''Scarface'' and groundbreaking HBO drama ''The Sopranos'', most would feel it is territory that has been covered, sealed and shut. And so 12 years since the millenium, it would seem that with the exception of Martin Scorcese's ''The Departed'' in 2006, we haven't experienced a 21st century gangster classic, leaving the market wide open and perhaps meaning that the timing of Killing Them Softly has been quite shrewd. So, how does it hold up in comparison to what has come before? Well, mostly it doesn't, and mainly because Killing Them Softly takes a very different approach to the crime genre, with mixed results.

Set in New Orleans, the story follows a heist gone wrong, as hopeless criminal junkies Frankie and Russell (played by Scoot McNairy and the wonderful Ben Mendelsohn) stick up a big time card game with disasterous concequences. Wrongly suspected of involvement with the robbery is Markie Trattman, potrayed by Ray Liotta, while professional hitman Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) is drafted in to get answers and deal with those responsible for the missing money.
Pitt is his usual self and puts in an assured central performance which holds the film together from start to finish, while Mendelsohn's turn as the despicable Russell is tragic yet hilarious. Another impressive performance comes in the shape of James Gandalfini, who successfully shakes himself of the shadow of Tony Soprano while potraying a heartbroken, alcoholic hitman who seems more interested in drinking himself into a coma instead of the job at hand. Liotta, however, feels under used and Richard Jenkins' screen time is also brief and underwhelming.

While the film is successful in it's stylish, refreshing attitude and contains an undeniably brilliant cast, the pacing of Killing Them Softly is it's main problem, as it fails to ever really lift off the ground and hit full power. Fans expecting action will be disappointed; Killing Them Softly is as laid back as the gangster genre gets, and it's best features are in it's witty, clever dialogue and the underlying political message which is carried throughout in the form of Barack Obama and George Bush's constant radio and televsion presence, which ties in skillfully with the money obsessed criminals in the failing economic climate of New Orleans.

In stark contrast to Dominik and Pitt's last collaboration (which many found to be overlong and impossibly slow), Killing Them Softly is short and sweet at just 97 minutes and doesn't outstay it's welcome, but while some would complain of it's limited running time, there was no need for it to be any longer.

Overall, while Killing Them Softly will never compete with modern crime classics such as ''The Departed'', the unusual style it encorporates makes it memorable in its own right and it deserves to be seen.


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''Shields'' Grizzly Bear - A Review

Three years have passed since Veckatimest made Grizzly Bear one of the biggest alternative rock bands in America, and so it was natural that this year’s long awaited follow up would arrive in a wave of frenzy and hype that only confirmed the Brooklyn quartet's increased status.

The progress of Grizzly Bear has been charted through their back catalogue as they continually developed their unique sound over the course of three albums, each one stepping up its game from the last. 2004's Horn of Plenty was essentially an Edward Droste solo effort, recorded with a quirky bedroom lo-fi sound that originally caught the attention of critics and fans alike, leading to a record deal and the formation of a group that included the now familiar Daniel Rossen, Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear. 2006's Yellow House showcased the raw talent of each member as they began to explore each other's styles and laid the groundwork for Veckatimest, the realisation of Grizzly Bear's potential and a record that marked the true arrival of Grizzly Bear as a fully realised indie rock outfit.

So now that everyone seems to have been convinced that the hype is indeed to be believed, it would make sense right about now for a post-success slump, right? Certainly not. Shields kicks off right where Veckatimest left and continues Grizzly Bear's unstoppable form as Droste and co. unleash a variety of tunes over the course of 48 minutes and ten tracks. Opener Sleeping Ute begins with a rocking intro as Daniel Rossen sings over the clanging electric guitars in his Southern drawl, while Ed Droste is introduced on Speak in Rounds, a building acoustic track that recalls Yellow House's Central and Remote. Adelma is an instrumental track most unlike the band; a one minute synth sample that works as an intro to irresistible lead single Yet Again, led by Droste's characteristic aching vocal. From there highlights include Gun-Shy, another Droste track that sounds like a natural single through it's warm, catchy style and the bouncy A Simple Answer. The album closes with Sun In Your Eyes, an always building track that pays off with a sensational climax to conclude Shields in a glorious and definitive manner.

So yes, Shields is a perfectly good album, but what does it really say about Grizzly Bear after 4 albums and 8 years? Well, first of all, the album firmly establishes the bureaucratic setup the band has always employed and takes it to the next level; make no mistake, Grizzly Bear may have begun as a solo project but this is a band as far away as possible from relying on one man. Ed Droste has always fronted the group but the only real indication of his leadership at this point is the fact that he stands centre and front on stage during live performances. Grizzly Bear was never a dictatorship, but it's never been more of a democracy.

All of this is progressive and vital to the band's success; the vocal style of Rossen is now key to the band’s sound and the often overlooked Christopher Bear serves as the rhythmic driving force behind the music; his steady drumbeat pulsates each track in a way that ensures his presence shouldn't be underestimated. The obvious individual talent of each band member means that Grizzly Bear have a group of musicians easily capable of leading their own projects, but on Shields the band has never sounded more together, as the contribution of Droste, Rossen, Taylor and Bear combine to form an exceptional and unique sound that fans will be hoping they can provide for years to come. The consistency of Shields is evidence that there is a very real reason to expect it.


8

Electric Picnic 2012 - A Review

What a weekend. The hangover has only just begun so with a sore head, bruised body and a severe case of post festival blues, the only thing I can do is look back on one of the best weekends of my life and without a doubt the greatest festival I've ever been to by reviewing my top acts and moments of Electric Picnic 2012.


Grandaddy
Friday 5.00 Electric Arena
The Californian five piece have only played together a handful of times since the announcement of their reunion in March of this year, but you could never tell as they stomped through a series of pyschedelic indie rock tunes that warmed the crowd up perfectly for the night ahead. Frontman Jason Lyttle's brief interaction's with the crowd kept the set flowing smoothly and listening the band's finely tuned, positive performance was absolute confirmation that this was a band reunited for all the right reasons. Rumours of a new album have surfaced of late and anyone who was witness to this will be hoping they prove to be true.

Grizzly Bear
Friday 6.30 Electric Arena
Another act who were currently in the process of a return to live performance but while Grandaddy sounded like they'd never been away, it was plain to see Grizzly Bear were currently fine tuning their return to stage. It wasn't a problem for the most part; the band debuted a number of new singles from upcoming album Shields that sounded excellent, and classics such as Knife and Two Weeks kept the crowd pleased, but the rust was showing in certain areas for a band that hadn't played live since 2010 up until a couple of  weeks ago. Ed Droste's charming persona came across well however and he addressed the issue himself, thanking fans for being witness to their warming up and suggesting a future concert in Dublin where the band could ''get more intimate'' with the audience. Sounds great to me.

The xx
Friday 9.00 Main Stage
One of the main reasons I bought a ticket was to see Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim and Jamie Smith, but I must admit to being one of many concerned with the idea of xx on the Main Stage out in the open to a huge audience such as this; the ultra mellow sound of the band could have been wasted on a crowd so large, but the set up of the stage and an excellent light show ensured that their inclusion among the headline acts was justified.
Ultimately, the result was somewhat inbetween predictions good and bad as the band played a mix of crowd pleasers from debut album xx such as VCR and Islands, while also introducing tunes from the upcoming Coexist which half the audience seemed to know already. Remixes of Crystalised and Shelter were bold yet refreshing and for the most part, the setlist had been chosen well. However, lack of interaction with the audience gave off a cold sense of detatchment, and while there wasn't a note missed throughout the entire perfromance, something felt off as the audience failed to really connect with the band. While it would be unfair to call this a disappointment, there was definite potential for greatness that went unrealised and the next time the band come to Ireland, I'll be hoping it's within the confines of a club or arena where we can truly experience the intimate nature of The xx.

Sigur Ros
Friday 10.30 Main Stage
You could feel the crowd beginning to grow restless as Sigur Ros delayed their entrance onstage for roughly 15 minutes, but as soon as they walked out everything was forgotten as the epic ambient sound of the Icelandic group overtook the audience in a way no band I've seen has before or since. Frontman Jonsi's voice is somehow even more incredible live than on record and his otherwordly falsetto silenced a stunned crowd from first word till last. Highlights of the set included the soaring Hoppipolla and dreamy Sven-g-Englar, but there was never a dull moment as a transfixed audience hung on to every moment the band were onstage. A truly unique and memorable live performance that will stay with me personally for a long time.

Crystal Castles
Saturday 6.00 Main Stage
Alice Glass is a character. She stumbles onstage, a smoke in one hand and a bottle of Jack Daniels in the other, to a crowd of worshipping fans. Her reputation for on stage antics is justified; as soon as Baptism kicks in she leaps offstage and onto the crowd barrier as a number of security guards (who were terrorized by her actions throughout) follow after her in an attempt to stop her adoring fans from swallowing her right into the crowd. Glass is a controverisal figure no doubt and for many she is either to be loved or hated (a particularly scathing review in the Irish Times on Sunday confirms this) but it cannot be denied that she gets the crowd moving to Ethan Kath's electronic beats like no one else. After 40 minutes of ecstatic dancing to the likes of Crimewave, Celestica and Not In Love, the band storm off stage 20 mins early. There'd have been cause for complaint if it hadn't been such a pleasure.

Explosions In The Sky
Saturday 7.30 Main Stage
The instrumental Texan quartet blasted through a 5 song set with more emotion in their guitars than the words of most acts over the weekend. A humble bunch of lads (they described themselves as 'merely a warm up to The Cure'), they didn't speak two words to the crowd until it was all over, but they didn't need to either. Much like their music, they couldn't have said anything to add to the epic beauty we were witnessing first hand. A particular highlight of the set and festival overall was the aching, emotive sound of signature song Your Hand In Mine.

The Cure
Saturday 9.00 Main Stage
Three hours sounded way too long to many of the festival goers discussing the Cure's upcoming concert on Saturday night, but if you were there to hear Robert Smith and co's performance you surely would have conceded that it was just the right amount of time for a legendary act to create something Irish fans will still be talking about in 10 years time.
Everything you could think of was played as the band's 39 song set consisted of classics such as Inbetween Days, Just Like Heaven and Friday I'm In Love. And just when we thought it was all over, there was still time for an encore consisting of Lovecats, Close To Me and Boys Don't Cry. Smith's voice hasn't changed one bit since the 80's and his passion and energy for the music to this day is astounding. The standout performance of the weekend, and that is really saying something for a festival packed with exceptional performances day and night.

Bombay Bicycle Club
Sunday 6.15 Main Stage
The sounds of BBC were perfectly set to the Sunday evening sun and kicked off a final night packed with singalong performances led by Jack Steadman as tracks such as Always Like This, How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep and Shuffle got fans moving fast. The normally socially awkward group were lapping it up and the feel good atomsphere of the night resulted in easily one of the most enjoyable performances of the weekend. A real crowd pleaser.

Elbow
Sunday 8.00 Main Stage
Guy Garvey's usual showmanship and enigmatic stage persona came across wonderfully and had fans singing to their hearts content as Elbow belted out a set of favourites including Grounds for Divorce which Garvey introduced with a Freddie Mercury like audience response singalong,
and Lippy Kids which included a backing performance from the Irish Youth Gospel Choir.
However the highlight of the set, and the standout track of the entire festival was yet to come. Everyone who had been waiting on One Day Like This couldn't have prepared for the setting that complimented it so very well; as the sun began to set, strings began to rise and the band produced something so special and emotive that it would have been impossible not to feel the incredible power travelling through the audience at that moment in time as the audience drowned out even Garvey, singing together in unison ''Throw those curtains wide/ One day like this a year will see me right''.
We all knew Elbow were good live, but this exceeded even the highest expectations and served as a fitting closer to an amazing weekend in the sun. I saw audience members with tears in their eyes following it's conclusion, and it was easy to understand why; we had all experienced something truly special.

Top Five Acts

1. The Cure

2. Sigur Ros

3. Elbow

4. Crystal Castles

5. The xx


Top Ten Songs

1. One Day Like This - Elbow

2. Sven-g-Englar - Sigur Ros

3. Your Hand In Mine - Explosions In The Sky

4. Infinity - The xx

5. Baptism - Crystal Castles

6. Just Like Heaven - The Cure

7. Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear

8. Evening/Morning - Bombay Bicycle Club

9. Witness (1 Hope) - Roots Manuva

10. Heart - MMOTHS



So, that was my festival. You all probably have different ideas about what was best but from the acts I saw, there's my own personal feelings and highlights about it all. The one thing I'm sure no one will disagree about is the fact that we all had a great weekend and would love to be back. Bring on next year.

''Coexist'' The xx - A Review

It's been 3 whole years since we first heard the sensual sounds of The xx and it's not hard to see why their self titled debut became both a critical and commercial sensation; in an age of increasingly complex arrangements and layered soundscapes, the simplistic, yet evocative sound of ''xx'' was a refreshing, yet genuinely intruiging change of pace. Their back-to-basics ethic consisted of a traditional guitar and bass set up backed by the synths and beats of Jamie xx, as Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim crooned their way through a series of sexually charged, romantic tunes.

So the long awaited return of the London trio was inevitably going to spark a wave of hype that would prove near impossible to live up to. The main concern of fans from what I've heard so far through forums and such is that Coexist is not better than its predecessor. The frequency of this complaint seems to be missing the point of actually listening to the record itself as a single entity and forgetting the incredible standard The xx had originally set for themselves. As many bands that came before now know, a brilliant first record is as much a burden as it is a blessing; the likes of Interpol, The Strokes, and Bloc Party all had early 2000's debuts which still shadow them with every release to this day, so to expect an improvement on an album that many claimed as best of the year in 2009 is as unreasonable as it is unrealistic.

Instead what we have is another perfectly assembled collection of xx tunes that deal with pretty much the same subjects as before; love, sex and relationships are once again the main topic of discussion as Sim and Croft play off one another vocally throughout and while some will complain of no change, there was never any real need for it in the first place. The main difference in lyrical respects seems to be the attitude of both singers towards the relationships they so often sing about; if ''xx'' was the sound of two people falling in love, then ''Coexist'' seems to be the dissolution of a partnership and an attempt to deal with the fallout.

Madley Croft opens the album with ''Angels'', a typically intimate xx number as she laments ''Being in love with you/ Being in love, love, love...''. It's fairly obvious stuff but from here things get more interesting as we begin to witness a quiet evolution in the bands signature sound as the emergence of Jamie xx results in pulsating club-like beats and electronic experimentation which come to surface in ''Chained'', ''Reunion'', and ''Missing'', all of which are notable highlights of ''Coexist''. The hint of electronic beauty that underlines the record is what carries ''Coexist'' through it's 11 tracks and gives hope for the bands future outside of their first release. The expansion of sound on ''Coexist'', while relatively low key, reflects a significant step forward for the band by the indication that The xx want to learn and develop, and this is the most important thing we can take from ''Coexist''.

Ultimately, while ''Coexist'' cannot replicate the flawless beauty of the bands debut, this sophomore release see's The xx beginning a process of moving on to new territory while retaining their original principals, and successfully navigating second album syndrome by producing 11 songs and 40 mins of the delicate indie rock that made us love them in the first place- and really, this is all we could have asked for.


7

The Dark Knight Rises - A Review

Within the last decade and perhaps even longer, there hasn't been a build up quite as massive as the one surrounding Christopher Nolan's final entry in the Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises. Nolan and Christian Bale's vow not to return to the series marked the end of an already remarkable set of films and so the ensuing fan speculation, conversation and ultimately expectation that followed was hardly to be unexpected.

So how exactly do you begin to follow what has justifiably been proclaimed the greatest superhero film of them all? In 2008 Nolan's The Dark Knight surpassed anything the genre had to offer before or since, breaking more boundries than thought possible on the way to crafting a film which ensured Batman not only destroyed competing comic book franchises such as Superman, Spiderman, The Avengers and more but also bettered almost any film released this century. I struggle to think of another film seen in the past 12 years that created such an effect upon critics, fans and the film world in general, possibly with the exception of another Nolan creation, 2010's Inception.

And so it looked an impossible task for the third installment of this franchise to be delivered successfully, let alone to dream of being worthy of comparison to an already established movie classic. After all, who can name a trilogy of three truly great films?
Well for a start if the job were to be entrusted into the hands of any director in modern day cinema, it needed to be the man who set the barrier himself, armed with the exceptional cast of established acting talent that been there before; enter Bale, Freeman, Caine, Oldman, alongside new additions Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon Levitt and Anne Hathaway. With a familiar set up such as this in place maybe, just maybe it was possible to produce a film which justified the incredible atomsphere surrounding it for the past 4 years, so I am delighted to announce that The Dark Knight Rises delivers on every conceivable level possible.

Rises begins by taking us 8 years on from the death of Harvey Dent and the disappearance of Batman and Bruce Wayne, who has become a recluse, hiding from society in Wayne Manor and refusing to fight crime in Gotham. This isn't a problem for the notoriously chaotic city however, as it seems Gotham is a quiet place these days; organised crime has all but been defeated and the city jail is full of to the brim of the criminals who once terrorized its streets. Dent has been hailed as a hero and Batman held up as the escaped villianous murderer presumed gone forever.
Gotham's newfound peace doesn't last very long however as the arrival of super-strength mastermind Bane threatens to destroy Gotham forever. Through his use of a doomsday device retrieved within the city, Bane plans to blow Gotham into the ground and forces the return of Batman, who doesn't seem to possess his invincible nature of past times.

There are several reasons why The Dark Knight Rises is everything we could possibly have expected from it and one of the most obvious is the excellent individual performances we see in faces new and old; Bale, in my opinion the greatest Batman we've seen on screen, is reliably brilliant as Wayne who is struggling not only in mind but also with body this time around in order to defeat evil and save Gotham once again. Hardy perfectly embodies the most menacing and fearsome villian we've seen Batman face throughout the trilogy, and through his aggressive performance viewers will truly believe that anything and everything is possible regarding the fate of Gotham and its protectors. Adding to the already impressive cast, newcomers Joseph Gordon Levitt and Anne Hathaway more than keep up with their roles as upcoming police detective turned rogue hero John Blake and the dangerously sexy Selina Kyle a.k.a Catwoman, respectivley.

But while the lead performances of Dark Knight Rises are to be highly praised, the real brilliance in this film is Nolan's masterful direction. By building and building the audience for the first 2 hours of the film, viewers may be tricked into believing that the explosive energy which pulsated throughout the first two films are missing; however this is proven to be Nolan's very deliberate plan as the payoff we recieve in the final act ranks alongside the most satisfying action and emotive climaxes you will have seen in modern film. The pace at which which Dark Knight Rises leads the viewer is the most exceptional technique Nolan employs, perfectly executing an attack on the senses that will leave any fan stunned come the end of the 164 mins running time. An incredible experience that is even greater than it had any right to be, The Dark Knight Rises is a film which must be seen to believed.

Ultimately, the meaning of Nolan's Batman trilogy goes far in cinematic terms as a result of its stunning conclusion. Nolan has acheived something unprecedented and extraordinary in his adaption of Batman that will only come to light in time, but the fact remains that no one could have predicted a cinematic acheivment quite so great as this when we first encountered Bale in a Batsuit 7 years ago. So while undoubtedly the series will be seen for quite some time as the greatest superhero film franchise, how about the in terms of cinema as a whole?

I mean after all, who can name a trilogy of truly great films?


8

Project X - A Review

Project X is director Nima Nourizadeh’s debut effort and was brought to screens by producer Todd Philips, best known as director of The Hangover. The comedy follows three high school students as they attempt to gain popularity among their peers through hosting the ‘’party you’ve only dreamed about’’ in central character Thomas’ house while his parents are away. However, this plan soon falls through as the house descends into chaos and things grow more out of control throughout the night.

First of all, Project X is an enjoyable film; there are several genuinely funny moments and it boasts an excellent soundtrack of carefully selected electro house party music designed to make you feel as though you are experiencing the party itself, which combined with the shaky handheld camera succeeds in this method. There are clearly appealing factors and on the surface Project X is a perfectly good comedy film, worthy of anything we’ve seen so far this year, yet it suffers from an inherently distracting and vital flaw; Project X is a carbon cut copy of Judd Apatow’s 2007 classic high school comedy Superbad.

Let’s examine the plotlines of both films for a moment to test the accuracy of this statement; Superbad follows three high school students who attempt to gain popularity among their peers by going to a huge party and getting drunk girls to sleep with them. Check.
How about the characters? Well there's Thomas, our main character, an all round average guy with a sensible attitude and sensitive touch who's only looking to party in order to finally get the girl of his dreams. Then best friend Costa, the loud jackass friend who abuses and bullies Thomas into hosting the party and attempts to charm every woman in site, oblivious to his outrageous behaviour. And finally JB, the stereotypical nerd who provides cheap laughs for the audience through his combination of unwittingly amusing outbursts and terrible dancing. Sound familiar? Well that's because I've just described Evan, Seth and the beloved Fogell (a.k.a McLovin).
There are even replacements for the idiot cop duo of Seth Rogen and Bill Hader in the form of two underage and underweight bouncers who attempt to control the increasingly crazy shenanigans of the party folk to no avail.

Ultimately, the main strength of Project X is the sheer realism the cinema goer will experience of the party, and there are also solid performances from the male leads, in particular Oliver Cooper's portrayal of loudmouth Costa which makes for some hilarious encounters, but it remains a mystery that nobody turned to Nourizadeh or Philips in the production stage to let them know they were creating a blatant rip off of a film not even 5 years old.


4

''Less Than Zero'' Bret Easton Ellis - A Review

Less Than Zero is the controversial debut novel published by Bret Easton Ellis, a story of sex, drugs and violence among a 1980's generation of  upper class youth in suburban LA.

The narrative follows Clay, an 18 year old college student returning home for the Christmas period in which he reunites with old friends and resumes a lifestyle of heavy partying, heavy drug use and casual sexual encounters. Clay and his friends' wealthy backgrounds enable them to live comfortably and fund their expensive daily activties; however, what on the surface seems to be a desirable and exotic living situation is far different in reality.

Clay struggles from the offset of his return to connect emotionally with anyone he surrounds himself with; his relationship with his family is non-existent, he appears to have completely lost faith in old friends such as model Trent, drug dealer Rip, and former best friend turned gigolo Julian, while his relationship with girlfriend Blair has deteriorated to the point of both openly partaking in random sexual encounters with other friends and aquintances on a regular basis.
His obvious resentment of family and friends is made painfully clear through the stream of conciousness narrative which the author employs, and Clay's disaffected and utterly indifferent nature is relfected in his fellow youths, all of whom showcase an indefinable alien nature, drifting through a monotonous life of disconnected, lethargic social gatherings.

Clay has adapted to the nature of his teenage society out of necessity to survive within it; while there are hints of feeling and concern in his tone toward sometimes girlfriend Blair, he is hesitant to commit to her or discuss his feelings, seemingly out of fear of the emotional harm it may bring. By avoiding these issues and becoming another clone within his circle of friends, he is immune to the brutal reality and obscene behaviour which surrounds him. Throughout the novel Clay battles to conceal his disturbance (even to the reader) in an effort to avoid confronting the destruction and downfall of those around him.

Ellis' writing style is the true brilliance of the novel, perfectly capturing Clay's bewilderment at the apathetic, nihilistic society which he finds himself living in. Clay's almost aggressive apathy and disconnect burns through the pages at the reader, forcing an emotional reaction which the characters are incapable of. As the novel draws to a close and events spiral out of control, Ellis' uncompromising and brutal delivery makes for shocking reading as the reader is immersed within the disturbingly real world of Clay and his friends.

Ultimately, Less Than Zero is an astonishingly accomplished debut novel that both shocks and disturbs; Ellis at age 21 had called into the question the moral and ethical downfall of American youth like no author before or since. The innovative writing style and unique delivery which Ellis applies dominates the book, resulting in a significant literary acheivement and the beginning of a career which would continue to astound the literary world.


10