Notes from a Genius

I have to catch up on a couple of concerts to kick off my new year, 2017, which will hopefully again be another year of amazing concerts. I had discovered the band Big Thief only recently, thanks to finding them on so many "Top Albums" lists for the year of 2016. Their album Masterpiece is a great work of what seems to be personal narratives. And seeing them live, I could tell just how personal the singer/songwriter/guitarist Adrianne Lenker gets with her craft. Watching her play guitar and sing these songs almost felt invasive yet emotionally moving at the same time. One song in particular, about halfway through the set definitely induced goosebumps. Those Girls Play Video GWS Play Video Vegas Play Video Shark Smile Play Video Parallels Play Video Real Love Play Video Watering Play Video Coma Play Video Myth Play Video Velvet Ring Play Video Humans Play Video (Unknown) ( "my best friend"; Buck so...

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" starring: Asa Butterfield, Zac Mattoon O'Brien, Domonkos Nemeth, Henry Kingsmill, Vera Farmiga, Cara Horgan, Zsuzsa Holl, Amber Beattie, David Thewlis, Richard Johnson, Sheila Hancock written and directed by: Mark Herman Here is quite an interesting concept: The tragedies of the Holocaust, BUT through the eyes of an 8-year-old boy, because of the brightness and naivety with which children see the world, completely unaware of the horrific things happening to the Jews he is surrounded by, because he does not necessarily know or understand why they are around, in his house, outside in the yard, on the other side of a fence, etc. but he knows something is going on. Only at the end of the film does the point of view change to the adults, specifically the boy's parents, for an obvious reason, which is a shocker nonetheless, and a spoiler I will not provide because the film packs an emotion punch, much like "Schindler's List...