Dashboard Confessional Concert and Some Films
A couple of weeks ago, I went to see Dashboard Confessional for the, I believe, 5th time. They've been kind of in hibernation for a few years, with Chris Carrabba delving into a few other projects here and there (re: check out Twin Forks, and the reunited Further Seems Forever reunion tours, as well as him touring solo for the 10th anniversary of "Swiss Army Romance"). He has been working hard, clearly, and just started recorded some new Dashboard Confessional stuff. I saw them this summer on the pier in Portland. They sounded good, tried out a new song. And for this tour, they are playing a mixed bag of old tunes (my favorite), middle, and newer stuff (including a few covers they've recorded, and new tunes for a potential new album). This was a great start to their tour, having decided to start their winter tour in Boston (I love when bands do that). Hell, he even pulled out a 16-year-old cover of Weezer's b-side song "Jamie" as well as a Julien Baker cover of "Sprained Ankle." The energy was fantastic and there were lots of opportunities to sing-along.
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"The Rezort"
starring: Dougray Scott, Jessica De Gouw, Martin McCann, Claire Goose, Elen Rhys, Jessa Alhuwalia, Lawrence Walker, Kevin Shen, Sean Power, Jamie Ward
written by: Paul Gerstenberger
directed by: Steve Barker
I guess you really only need one sentence to sum up this "funny and entertaining" film: Jurassic Park with zombies. And I guess you had to know it was coming, eventually, because we have been on a wild ride of zombies and post-apocalyptic films over the past decade. So, as long as you know exactly what you are getting yourself into when you sit down to watch this, you'll be entertained. It's another take on the classic debate of the world's top 1% taking leisure activities to the extreme, as they pay to play at this fancy resort that houses zombies, for the payer to shoot and kill in a game of cat-and-mouse, but where the people are the cats and the zombies are the mice (yet they are restrained in chains, etc.). Until, all hell breaks loose!
Dougray Scott takes top billing as enigmatic American loner Archer. However, the real lead is Jessica De Gouw as Melanie, a fragile soul who visits the Rezort under a therapist’s advice in the hopes that it will give her some closure over losing her father in the zombie war. She’s joined by Martin McCann as her ex-army boyfriend there for emotional support, and Elen Rhys as another enigmatic loner. Of course, not everyone comes to the Rezort to address deep-seated issues; many just want to shoot zombies for cheap thrills. To this end, the core ensemble is completed by two young London chavs, Jassa Ahluwalia and Lawrence Walker, who are there primarily to call each other ‘bro’ and crack wise.
So, we’ve got our tough guy alpha male, wounded emotional lead, annoying comic relief, and a spot of ambiguity as to who will remain true to the group and who will turn against them; all present and correct for a long walk to survival when, in a manner so borderline-identical to Jurassic Park it barely needs to be pointed out, a cyber-attack breaks down the Rezort’s safety parameters and the zombies are free to attack the guests. And just to add to that race against time aspect, they only have X amount of time before fighter jet are dispatched to nuke the place.
Are you not entertained?
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"About Scout"
starring: India Ennega, James Frenchville, Onata Aprile, Jane Seymour, Nikki Reed, Tim Guinee, Danny Glover, Ellen Burstyn, Shelley Hennig, Vanessa Bell Calloway
written by: India Ennega and Laurie Weltz
directed by: Laurie Weltz
Here we have another case of a teenage girl cast in the role of caretaker/mother to her younger sister, due to familial circumstances that neither child has asked for but have been put upon them anyway. The 15 year-old girl in this story is named Scout, and although the film is called "About Scout" we do not necessarily learn about this girl anymore than what is presented to us on the surface, and through specific situations. She is closed off, and perhaps for good reasons, but those reasons also make it hard to root for her to succeed in her mission. Scout and her little sister and definitely from a poverty-stricken and dysfunctional family, very middle-America type of family, that kind that reminds me of why we find ourselves being governed now by President Trump (oh, it makes me throw up in my mouth just typing that). These are the "forgotten" folks of our country. The folks that are scraping by on the skin of their teeth. These are the kids that we worry about when they step into our classrooms (all right, I'm a teacher, so I'm making that connection).
Scout takes on the role of a mother for her poverty-stricken and dysfunctional family. She watches over her little sister Lulu (Onata Aprile) and takes care of her sickly great-grandmother, Gram (played by the always amazing Ellen Burstyn) in their little shanty of a house. Scout’s world goes into disarray when her deadbeat father, Ray (Tim Guinee) and his trashy pregnant girlfriend, Georgie (Nikki Reed) show up to take Lulu away. Scout’s prospects are grim as she probably will end up in foster care.
After two chance encounters with a suicidal wealthy young man, Sam (James Frecheville); Scout and Sam decide to hit the road and go after Lulu. What follows is a lot of stealing and evading law enforcement.
The problem with this film is that the characters and the friendships they develop have to be believable and I just wasn't buying into it. You cannot feel a real connection between Scout and Sam, and they almost play themselves off as "manic pixie dream catches" for each other, like they ran into each other at points in their lives when they needed a companion. Sure, it's a film that explores the themes of hope and finding true family among friends, but I don't really think these two would've stayed friends after the credits rolled.
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"The Guest"
starring: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Brendan Meyer, Sheila Kelley, Leland Orser, Lance Reddick, Tabatha Shaun, Chase Williamson, Joel David Moore, Steve Brown, Ethan Embry
written by: Simon Barrett
directed by: Adam Wingard
Right from the beginning of the film, you get the sense that things are not what they seem. You can sense there are lies. The first shot is of a guy dressed in military gear running (away?).
After the title sequence, David (Dan Stevens) shows up unexpectedly on the Peterson's doorstep. Mother and father, along with a teenage daughter (played by Maika Monroe, whom I just saw give an awesome performance in "It Follows") and a younger son, Luke (Brendan Meyer).
David announces himself at the door, quietly and politely, with his gentle Kentucky accent, as a friend of their eldest son who had been killed in combat. The Petersons, still reeling from grief, let the stranger in. He is intense, but submissive, speaking quietly to each family member, providing them with positive memories of their fallen son, and within 24 hours he has been invited to move into the dead son's old room.
On the surface, David presents himself as an old-fashioned guy, with good manners, eager to make himself useful to the grieving family. It is the least he can do for his dead friend. He becomes a protector to young Luke against the bullies at the boy's school, and Anna, fighting with her own suspicions about this new "guest," can't help but take notice of the guy's blazing baby-blues and phenomenal body, glimpsed wrapped in a towel in the hallway after his shower.
As a smart audience, you know there is something more to David than just the simple "lost lamb" and "quiet protector" that he is presenting to the family of his dead soldier friend. The great thing about this film is that it takes its time revealing itself. And it kind of plays itself out like the "Manchurian Candidate" which it seems to be paying homage to, in its own way. This is the same filmmaking team that brought us "You're Next" which is a great horror-comedy film. And they play with multiple genres here as well.
The second half of the film careens headlong into glorious paranoia and conspiracy-theory, reminiscent of 1970s political thrillers, involving gleaming board-rooms populated by stone-faced military brass, top-secret briefcases, and world-class weaponry that even the military wouldn't admit to developing. David's strangeness is apparent from the get-go, but it's just the tip of the iceberg.
This isn't the type of "political" movie that takes itself seriously, in anyway, shape or form. It is clearly for entertainment purposes only. And it's a great thrill ride!
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"Teenage Cocktail"
starring: Nichole Bloom, Fabianne Therese, Pat Healy, Michelle Borth, Joshua Leonard, AJ Bowen, Zak Henri, Lou Wegner, River Alexander, Laura Covelli, Morgan Peter Brown
written and directed by: John Carchietta
I have to admit this was not the film I was expecting it to be when I started watching it. I thought it would be a simple story about a lesbian teenage outcast who is trapped in some unrequited love story with her best friend. Instead it twists itself into several different genres, which doesn't allow itself to get boring or the viewer to become bored. Sure, it is a surprisingly sweet indie love story between two teenage girls (whom you might suggest are just figuring each other out), Annie and Jules, who are two very different girls.
While "Teenage Cocktail" starts out as a sweet spin on the ol’ high school sweethearts trope, it soon pushes into some very wild territory. High on their newfound love, Annie and Jules hatch a plan to get the hell out of their oppressive small town, all aided by the ill-gotten funds of Jules’ steamy webcam business. When the girls’ side gig is discovered by their classmates and a genuinely creepy fan (played by Pat Healy, who adds an emotional twist to what could be a one-note role), things crazily spiral out of control.
This film surprised me in how well it was made, for an indie film, and the story. It's actually a great hidden gem find on Netflix. Check it out!
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(Weezer cover)
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(Julien Baker cover)
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- Encore:
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"The Rezort"
starring: Dougray Scott, Jessica De Gouw, Martin McCann, Claire Goose, Elen Rhys, Jessa Alhuwalia, Lawrence Walker, Kevin Shen, Sean Power, Jamie Ward
written by: Paul Gerstenberger
directed by: Steve Barker
I guess you really only need one sentence to sum up this "funny and entertaining" film: Jurassic Park with zombies. And I guess you had to know it was coming, eventually, because we have been on a wild ride of zombies and post-apocalyptic films over the past decade. So, as long as you know exactly what you are getting yourself into when you sit down to watch this, you'll be entertained. It's another take on the classic debate of the world's top 1% taking leisure activities to the extreme, as they pay to play at this fancy resort that houses zombies, for the payer to shoot and kill in a game of cat-and-mouse, but where the people are the cats and the zombies are the mice (yet they are restrained in chains, etc.). Until, all hell breaks loose!
Dougray Scott takes top billing as enigmatic American loner Archer. However, the real lead is Jessica De Gouw as Melanie, a fragile soul who visits the Rezort under a therapist’s advice in the hopes that it will give her some closure over losing her father in the zombie war. She’s joined by Martin McCann as her ex-army boyfriend there for emotional support, and Elen Rhys as another enigmatic loner. Of course, not everyone comes to the Rezort to address deep-seated issues; many just want to shoot zombies for cheap thrills. To this end, the core ensemble is completed by two young London chavs, Jassa Ahluwalia and Lawrence Walker, who are there primarily to call each other ‘bro’ and crack wise.
So, we’ve got our tough guy alpha male, wounded emotional lead, annoying comic relief, and a spot of ambiguity as to who will remain true to the group and who will turn against them; all present and correct for a long walk to survival when, in a manner so borderline-identical to Jurassic Park it barely needs to be pointed out, a cyber-attack breaks down the Rezort’s safety parameters and the zombies are free to attack the guests. And just to add to that race against time aspect, they only have X amount of time before fighter jet are dispatched to nuke the place.
Are you not entertained?
..........................................................................................
"About Scout"
starring: India Ennega, James Frenchville, Onata Aprile, Jane Seymour, Nikki Reed, Tim Guinee, Danny Glover, Ellen Burstyn, Shelley Hennig, Vanessa Bell Calloway
written by: India Ennega and Laurie Weltz
directed by: Laurie Weltz
Here we have another case of a teenage girl cast in the role of caretaker/mother to her younger sister, due to familial circumstances that neither child has asked for but have been put upon them anyway. The 15 year-old girl in this story is named Scout, and although the film is called "About Scout" we do not necessarily learn about this girl anymore than what is presented to us on the surface, and through specific situations. She is closed off, and perhaps for good reasons, but those reasons also make it hard to root for her to succeed in her mission. Scout and her little sister and definitely from a poverty-stricken and dysfunctional family, very middle-America type of family, that kind that reminds me of why we find ourselves being governed now by President Trump (oh, it makes me throw up in my mouth just typing that). These are the "forgotten" folks of our country. The folks that are scraping by on the skin of their teeth. These are the kids that we worry about when they step into our classrooms (all right, I'm a teacher, so I'm making that connection).
Scout takes on the role of a mother for her poverty-stricken and dysfunctional family. She watches over her little sister Lulu (Onata Aprile) and takes care of her sickly great-grandmother, Gram (played by the always amazing Ellen Burstyn) in their little shanty of a house. Scout’s world goes into disarray when her deadbeat father, Ray (Tim Guinee) and his trashy pregnant girlfriend, Georgie (Nikki Reed) show up to take Lulu away. Scout’s prospects are grim as she probably will end up in foster care.
After two chance encounters with a suicidal wealthy young man, Sam (James Frecheville); Scout and Sam decide to hit the road and go after Lulu. What follows is a lot of stealing and evading law enforcement.
The problem with this film is that the characters and the friendships they develop have to be believable and I just wasn't buying into it. You cannot feel a real connection between Scout and Sam, and they almost play themselves off as "manic pixie dream catches" for each other, like they ran into each other at points in their lives when they needed a companion. Sure, it's a film that explores the themes of hope and finding true family among friends, but I don't really think these two would've stayed friends after the credits rolled.
............................................................................................
"The Guest"
starring: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Brendan Meyer, Sheila Kelley, Leland Orser, Lance Reddick, Tabatha Shaun, Chase Williamson, Joel David Moore, Steve Brown, Ethan Embry
written by: Simon Barrett
directed by: Adam Wingard
Right from the beginning of the film, you get the sense that things are not what they seem. You can sense there are lies. The first shot is of a guy dressed in military gear running (away?).
After the title sequence, David (Dan Stevens) shows up unexpectedly on the Peterson's doorstep. Mother and father, along with a teenage daughter (played by Maika Monroe, whom I just saw give an awesome performance in "It Follows") and a younger son, Luke (Brendan Meyer).
David announces himself at the door, quietly and politely, with his gentle Kentucky accent, as a friend of their eldest son who had been killed in combat. The Petersons, still reeling from grief, let the stranger in. He is intense, but submissive, speaking quietly to each family member, providing them with positive memories of their fallen son, and within 24 hours he has been invited to move into the dead son's old room.
On the surface, David presents himself as an old-fashioned guy, with good manners, eager to make himself useful to the grieving family. It is the least he can do for his dead friend. He becomes a protector to young Luke against the bullies at the boy's school, and Anna, fighting with her own suspicions about this new "guest," can't help but take notice of the guy's blazing baby-blues and phenomenal body, glimpsed wrapped in a towel in the hallway after his shower.
As a smart audience, you know there is something more to David than just the simple "lost lamb" and "quiet protector" that he is presenting to the family of his dead soldier friend. The great thing about this film is that it takes its time revealing itself. And it kind of plays itself out like the "Manchurian Candidate" which it seems to be paying homage to, in its own way. This is the same filmmaking team that brought us "You're Next" which is a great horror-comedy film. And they play with multiple genres here as well.
The second half of the film careens headlong into glorious paranoia and conspiracy-theory, reminiscent of 1970s political thrillers, involving gleaming board-rooms populated by stone-faced military brass, top-secret briefcases, and world-class weaponry that even the military wouldn't admit to developing. David's strangeness is apparent from the get-go, but it's just the tip of the iceberg.
This isn't the type of "political" movie that takes itself seriously, in anyway, shape or form. It is clearly for entertainment purposes only. And it's a great thrill ride!
.............................................................................................
"Teenage Cocktail"
starring: Nichole Bloom, Fabianne Therese, Pat Healy, Michelle Borth, Joshua Leonard, AJ Bowen, Zak Henri, Lou Wegner, River Alexander, Laura Covelli, Morgan Peter Brown
written and directed by: John Carchietta
I have to admit this was not the film I was expecting it to be when I started watching it. I thought it would be a simple story about a lesbian teenage outcast who is trapped in some unrequited love story with her best friend. Instead it twists itself into several different genres, which doesn't allow itself to get boring or the viewer to become bored. Sure, it is a surprisingly sweet indie love story between two teenage girls (whom you might suggest are just figuring each other out), Annie and Jules, who are two very different girls.
The first day of school finds her as an instant target for mean girls, but her life is forever changed when she runs into a small auditorium to hide from them. There, she watches in the dark as Jules (Fabianne Therese), a beautiful young dancer, is rehearsing on stage. For the charmingly awkward Annie, it’s love at first sight and it doesn’t take long for them to become best friends.
It seems pretty clear that, up until this point, Annie has never been a troublemaker. A quiet 17-year-old, she’s been the kind of kid who still plays card games with the family and has always been around to recap the day’s events at dinner. But, after meeting Jules, everything changes. She just wants to be near her as often as possible, mesmerized by the intoxicating nature of a genuine crush. The intoxication goes further than just feelings, as Annie lies to her parents about where she’s going and ends up at a party where an alcohol- and drug-fueled evening leads to a sexual encounter with Jules, her boyfriend and his best friend.
In the hazy light of the next morning, Jules reveals her biggest secret yet — she’s a webcam model on an adult site, raising money to move to New York. She proposes that if the two of them go on camera together, they stand to make a lot more money and can leave together. For Annie, it’s a terrifying and exciting prospect, and she’s really too smitten to say no.
At this point, the film begins its fascinating turn into a provocative thriller. Without giving away too much of where the story twists and turns, the phenomenally creepy work of Pat Healy has to be acknowledged. He plays an unhappily married man who discovers the girls on the cam site and will do anything to turn fantasy into reality.
While "Teenage Cocktail" starts out as a sweet spin on the ol’ high school sweethearts trope, it soon pushes into some very wild territory. High on their newfound love, Annie and Jules hatch a plan to get the hell out of their oppressive small town, all aided by the ill-gotten funds of Jules’ steamy webcam business. When the girls’ side gig is discovered by their classmates and a genuinely creepy fan (played by Pat Healy, who adds an emotional twist to what could be a one-note role), things crazily spiral out of control.
This film surprised me in how well it was made, for an indie film, and the story. It's actually a great hidden gem find on Netflix. Check it out!
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