Kacey Musgraves in Concert! and Some Decent Indie Films to Savor
I've been waiting a few years, well, ever since I discovered her and listened, repetitively, to Kacey Musgraves' debut album "Same Trailer, Different Park" and fell in love with her genuine sound. This girl has something special and the fact that she doesn't compromise with her honest lyrics and "true" country twangy sound makes her even better.
She just released a new album "Pageant Material," which follows up her debut album almost perfectly. And to celebrate the release, she's been touring, playing seemingly small venues. Well, she played the Maine State Pier right here in Portland and I bought a ticket as soon as they went on sale, which allowed me a 5th row seat to the show and it was awesome! She played a couple of covers (re: No Scrubs and These Boots Are Made for Walkin') as well as a great mix of both albums. I'm really surprised this girl hasn't taken the music world by storm just yet, but her momentum is certainly gathering speed.
"Something, Anything"
starring: Ashley Shelton, Bryce Johnson, Linds Edwards, Amy Hubbard, Lauren Lazarus
written and directed by: Paul Harrill
Here's an indie film that takes a delicate look at a young woman in a character study, once faced with a tragedy I suppose women understand. It is about the clock ticking and society's as well as family's expectations of the woman, when it comes to relationships. The film starts by sweeping through the motions of a marriage proposal, the wedding, and expected bliss after the fact, and then we get to the couple deciding they are ready to have their first child, and so they prepare for that. It seems like it is all rather obligatory, perhaps because we are seeing it through the woman's eyes. The lady in question is Peggy (played very well in a shy, understated performance by Ashley Shelton); her boyfriend-turned-husband is played by Bryce Johnson (whom I'd previously seen in the WB television show "Popular"- you know, the one I mentioned previously which starred Leslie Bibb). The story is about the need to want to "settle down," but you can tell that Peggy is simply going through the motions, to appease everyone around her, and that it is not really what she truly wants, deep down in her heart. So, the film becomes about her struggle with this and her decisions, as well as the decisions she makes afterwards, but what really propels her to think is the tragedy of a miscarriage. This tragedy opens her eyes to many things including, who the man she married really is. Instead of getting all "Eat, Pray, Love" though, writer/director Harrill goes more indie. Peggy leaves her husband for awhile, in a need to figure things out. She moves in with her parents. Quits her rather successful career as a real estate agent and takes up a part-time job in a library.
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"Sex Ed"
starring: Haley Joel Osment, Lorenzo Izzo, Abby Elliott, Laura Harring, Glen Powell, Matt Walsh, George Eads, Kevin Hernandez, Retta, Ray Santiago, Parker Young, Castille Johnson, Isaac White, Chris Williams, Lamorne Morris
directed by: Isaac Feder
written by: Bill Kennedy
Thanks to "American Pie" we can openly discuss sex, in a raunchy yet funny manner, especially when it comes to someone (usually a guy) attempting to lose his virginity- such a delicate subject that is often treated humorously. "Sex Ed" is no different, except to say that the main character is a decent human being trying to make a difference. A grown-up Haley Joel Osment (from "The Sixth Sense" fame) plays Ed Cole, a 23 year old math teacher hard-up for a teaching job in a recession-fueled Tampa, Florida economy, where the jobs are scarce. Ed Cole is also a virgin, as we find out a bit later in the film. He ends up getting a job as an instructor of a middle school "after-school activities program" which is glorified detention.
Ed has some definite issues with women, when it comes to picking up women, so it's a bit unbelievable that he becomes the beacon of wisdom and hope for these pre-pubescent kids, but alas the whole film seems set in a fantasy land. Ed Cole sees that these kids are in clear need of guidance as they seem to know very little about the facts of life and their bodies and sex. In fact, one girl thinks she has cancer when in fact she's only just started her first period. There's also a young boy, played by Isaac White, who is the giver of raunchy sexual information, pushing Mr. Cole's buttons at very turn. Ed Cole takes it upon himself to become their self-appointed sex education teacher.
Of course, there has to be a roadblock and complications, which mostly come in the form of a local reverend (played by Chris Williams), who thinks this sex education has absolutely no place in the school, especially since these young kids are quite impressionable and seem to be treating the class as a way to say anything they want, no matter how raunchy it is. But, Ed Cole's caring, forthright approach and demeanor breaks down the walls (with adults and the kids). His confidence is building at the same time, which allows him to grow in his personal life as well. The object of his affection is Pilar (Lorenza Izzo), who is the older sister to one of his students. She challenges Ed in what exactly it means to be a man- because he wants her so badly, but not just to have her, not just to get the monkey off his back of his virginity. The film's climax is an interesting twist, but stays true to the character and his beliefs.
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"Faults"
starring: Leland Orser, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Ellis, Jon Gries, Lance Reddick, Beth Grant, Cruz Flores
written and directed by: Riley Stearns
This film belongs almost solely in the hands of Leland Orser. The character Ansel Roth lives and dies with his performance, and thankfully, Orser knocks it out of the park. Every little thing about him, from how he speaks (nervously at times), how he stands, walks, presents himself as put together while he's losing it all (mostly mentally). His command. His demand. You see, Roth is a broke and homeless, once upon a time, expert on mind control, but he has hit rock bottom when we first meet him, in a hotel conference room giving a talk centered around his recently released book to a nearly empty room (and honestly the audience is probably there only to see this poor man have a nervous breakdown). He is confronted by his former manager, who claims Ansel Roth owes him money from a large debt accrued in the past. This seems to be the last straw to break the poor man's back and he attempts suicide by sucking the exhaust out of the muffler of his car, in an open parking lot to the hotel. Pathetic, much?
Right there, we are hooked in to whatever journey this man goes on. We are hooked in. And that's when he is confronted by an older married couple who are concerned for the health and safety of their 28 year old daughter, Claire (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead (whom I am convinced is one of the most underrated young actresses in films these days, never really given much of a chance to break out). Claire has apparently taken up with a cult of brainwashers that go by the name Faults. The couple want their daughter back and so they hire Roth given his expertise on mind control and how to get people back from it. Roth takes the job, reluctantly, because of the large debt he needs to pay back. And so, he goes to the motel room where Claire has holed herself up in, and attempts to deprogram her.
Winstead does such a fantastic job playing a girl who is seemingly crazy and it's really fun to watch and listen to her recite the organization's beliefs, which really make her sound like a raving lunatic. But there's a subtle manipulative quality about the manner with which she is speaking to Roth that makes you wonder what exactly is going on, that there's something else hidden within the walls of this motel room. And then, you start to wonder who is actually deprogramming whom- and that's what makes this film fun.
As the down-on-his-luck Roth, Orser gives the darkly comic performance of a man barely able to keep his head above water. Laughing at Roth’s sad predicament seems so wrong but yet so right. And yet, Orser never loses the humanity of this man paying the price of an unforgivable sin. It’s a delicate balance, one he manages adeptly. In the hands of a lesser performer, the film’s twist at the end (a neatly achieved plot turn) would play less believably, but it makes all the sense in the world with him in the leading role. Blame it on Orser. Faults lies entirely with this underrated character actor.
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"Out of the Dark"
starring: Julia Stiles, Scott Speedman, Pixie Davies, Alejandro Furth, Stephen Rea
What happened to Julia Stiles? She had quite a career trajectory with the teenage-based romantic/comedies that she became known for (re: Ten Things I Hate About You!) She even had a small, yet recognizable role in the Bourne trilogy that starred Matt Damon. She had a 10 episode run on "Dexter," as well. She's also got the internet-based show "Blue" on her resume, which I haven't seen, but have heard good things about. But, it seems like her filmography is filled with a lot of disappointments, like this weird, supposedly scary thriller with co-star Scott Speedman as her husband.
The film falls victim to itself, being quite a generic ghost story sort of film. Paul (Speedman) and Sarah (Stiles) travel to Colombia with their daughter (Davies) for work. The family's new home is haunted, though, as we come to see why right from the beginning of the film. Everything is deliberate to push the story forward, and the pace is even, except for the middle section of the film that follows the married couple as they investigate exactly what happened in their house, in order to discover where their daughter is.
It's a very formulaic film that grows rather boring.
She just released a new album "Pageant Material," which follows up her debut album almost perfectly. And to celebrate the release, she's been touring, playing seemingly small venues. Well, she played the Maine State Pier right here in Portland and I bought a ticket as soon as they went on sale, which allowed me a 5th row seat to the show and it was awesome! She played a couple of covers (re: No Scrubs and These Boots Are Made for Walkin') as well as a great mix of both albums. I'm really surprised this girl hasn't taken the music world by storm just yet, but her momentum is certainly gathering speed.
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(Miranda Lambert cover)
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(TLC cover)
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(Bob Marley & The Wailers cover)
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- Encore:
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(Lee Hazlewood cover)
"Something, Anything"
starring: Ashley Shelton, Bryce Johnson, Linds Edwards, Amy Hubbard, Lauren Lazarus
written and directed by: Paul Harrill
Here's an indie film that takes a delicate look at a young woman in a character study, once faced with a tragedy I suppose women understand. It is about the clock ticking and society's as well as family's expectations of the woman, when it comes to relationships. The film starts by sweeping through the motions of a marriage proposal, the wedding, and expected bliss after the fact, and then we get to the couple deciding they are ready to have their first child, and so they prepare for that. It seems like it is all rather obligatory, perhaps because we are seeing it through the woman's eyes. The lady in question is Peggy (played very well in a shy, understated performance by Ashley Shelton); her boyfriend-turned-husband is played by Bryce Johnson (whom I'd previously seen in the WB television show "Popular"- you know, the one I mentioned previously which starred Leslie Bibb). The story is about the need to want to "settle down," but you can tell that Peggy is simply going through the motions, to appease everyone around her, and that it is not really what she truly wants, deep down in her heart. So, the film becomes about her struggle with this and her decisions, as well as the decisions she makes afterwards, but what really propels her to think is the tragedy of a miscarriage. This tragedy opens her eyes to many things including, who the man she married really is. Instead of getting all "Eat, Pray, Love" though, writer/director Harrill goes more indie. Peggy leaves her husband for awhile, in a need to figure things out. She moves in with her parents. Quits her rather successful career as a real estate agent and takes up a part-time job in a library.
Harrill’s tautly structured film unfolds over the course of a year, divided into four seasons. During this time, every decision Peggy makes, big or small, is met with befuddlement: Her girlfriends express polite disapproval at the turn her life has taken, while Mark keeps pushing for a reconciliation. But it’s another man’s gesture that speaks to her most profoundly, in the form of a sympathy card she receives from an old classmate, Tom (Linds Edwards) — who, she’s later intrigued to learn, has become a Trappist monk. It’s a twist that underlines the film’s dichotomy between materialism and spirituality, between the pleasures of a comfortably middle-class existence and the rewards of an introspective, examined one.
If that central thematic tension feels a bit pat, “Something, Anything” at least has the wisdom not to offer Peggy (or the audience) any easy paths to self-realization, even as it gently nudges her in a hopeful new direction. Shelton’s graceful, reserved performance is the picture’s strongest and subtlest asset, never completely spelling out exactly what Peggy (or Margaret, as she begins calling herself) is feeling, but gently suggesting the silent courage it takes to defy the expectations of those around her.
This is a great film with an interesting story to tell and a great performance by Ashley Shelton. Definitely worth checking out.................................................................................
"Sex Ed"
starring: Haley Joel Osment, Lorenzo Izzo, Abby Elliott, Laura Harring, Glen Powell, Matt Walsh, George Eads, Kevin Hernandez, Retta, Ray Santiago, Parker Young, Castille Johnson, Isaac White, Chris Williams, Lamorne Morris
directed by: Isaac Feder
written by: Bill Kennedy
Thanks to "American Pie" we can openly discuss sex, in a raunchy yet funny manner, especially when it comes to someone (usually a guy) attempting to lose his virginity- such a delicate subject that is often treated humorously. "Sex Ed" is no different, except to say that the main character is a decent human being trying to make a difference. A grown-up Haley Joel Osment (from "The Sixth Sense" fame) plays Ed Cole, a 23 year old math teacher hard-up for a teaching job in a recession-fueled Tampa, Florida economy, where the jobs are scarce. Ed Cole is also a virgin, as we find out a bit later in the film. He ends up getting a job as an instructor of a middle school "after-school activities program" which is glorified detention.
Ed has some definite issues with women, when it comes to picking up women, so it's a bit unbelievable that he becomes the beacon of wisdom and hope for these pre-pubescent kids, but alas the whole film seems set in a fantasy land. Ed Cole sees that these kids are in clear need of guidance as they seem to know very little about the facts of life and their bodies and sex. In fact, one girl thinks she has cancer when in fact she's only just started her first period. There's also a young boy, played by Isaac White, who is the giver of raunchy sexual information, pushing Mr. Cole's buttons at very turn. Ed Cole takes it upon himself to become their self-appointed sex education teacher.
Of course, there has to be a roadblock and complications, which mostly come in the form of a local reverend (played by Chris Williams), who thinks this sex education has absolutely no place in the school, especially since these young kids are quite impressionable and seem to be treating the class as a way to say anything they want, no matter how raunchy it is. But, Ed Cole's caring, forthright approach and demeanor breaks down the walls (with adults and the kids). His confidence is building at the same time, which allows him to grow in his personal life as well. The object of his affection is Pilar (Lorenza Izzo), who is the older sister to one of his students. She challenges Ed in what exactly it means to be a man- because he wants her so badly, but not just to have her, not just to get the monkey off his back of his virginity. The film's climax is an interesting twist, but stays true to the character and his beliefs.
.....................................................................................
"Faults"
starring: Leland Orser, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Ellis, Jon Gries, Lance Reddick, Beth Grant, Cruz Flores
written and directed by: Riley Stearns
This film belongs almost solely in the hands of Leland Orser. The character Ansel Roth lives and dies with his performance, and thankfully, Orser knocks it out of the park. Every little thing about him, from how he speaks (nervously at times), how he stands, walks, presents himself as put together while he's losing it all (mostly mentally). His command. His demand. You see, Roth is a broke and homeless, once upon a time, expert on mind control, but he has hit rock bottom when we first meet him, in a hotel conference room giving a talk centered around his recently released book to a nearly empty room (and honestly the audience is probably there only to see this poor man have a nervous breakdown). He is confronted by his former manager, who claims Ansel Roth owes him money from a large debt accrued in the past. This seems to be the last straw to break the poor man's back and he attempts suicide by sucking the exhaust out of the muffler of his car, in an open parking lot to the hotel. Pathetic, much?
Right there, we are hooked in to whatever journey this man goes on. We are hooked in. And that's when he is confronted by an older married couple who are concerned for the health and safety of their 28 year old daughter, Claire (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead (whom I am convinced is one of the most underrated young actresses in films these days, never really given much of a chance to break out). Claire has apparently taken up with a cult of brainwashers that go by the name Faults. The couple want their daughter back and so they hire Roth given his expertise on mind control and how to get people back from it. Roth takes the job, reluctantly, because of the large debt he needs to pay back. And so, he goes to the motel room where Claire has holed herself up in, and attempts to deprogram her.
Winstead does such a fantastic job playing a girl who is seemingly crazy and it's really fun to watch and listen to her recite the organization's beliefs, which really make her sound like a raving lunatic. But there's a subtle manipulative quality about the manner with which she is speaking to Roth that makes you wonder what exactly is going on, that there's something else hidden within the walls of this motel room. And then, you start to wonder who is actually deprogramming whom- and that's what makes this film fun.
As the down-on-his-luck Roth, Orser gives the darkly comic performance of a man barely able to keep his head above water. Laughing at Roth’s sad predicament seems so wrong but yet so right. And yet, Orser never loses the humanity of this man paying the price of an unforgivable sin. It’s a delicate balance, one he manages adeptly. In the hands of a lesser performer, the film’s twist at the end (a neatly achieved plot turn) would play less believably, but it makes all the sense in the world with him in the leading role. Blame it on Orser. Faults lies entirely with this underrated character actor.
..........................................................................................
"Out of the Dark"
starring: Julia Stiles, Scott Speedman, Pixie Davies, Alejandro Furth, Stephen Rea
What happened to Julia Stiles? She had quite a career trajectory with the teenage-based romantic/comedies that she became known for (re: Ten Things I Hate About You!) She even had a small, yet recognizable role in the Bourne trilogy that starred Matt Damon. She had a 10 episode run on "Dexter," as well. She's also got the internet-based show "Blue" on her resume, which I haven't seen, but have heard good things about. But, it seems like her filmography is filled with a lot of disappointments, like this weird, supposedly scary thriller with co-star Scott Speedman as her husband.
The film falls victim to itself, being quite a generic ghost story sort of film. Paul (Speedman) and Sarah (Stiles) travel to Colombia with their daughter (Davies) for work. The family's new home is haunted, though, as we come to see why right from the beginning of the film. Everything is deliberate to push the story forward, and the pace is even, except for the middle section of the film that follows the married couple as they investigate exactly what happened in their house, in order to discover where their daughter is.
It's a very formulaic film that grows rather boring.
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