Wednesday, June 27, 2007

ghosts of cite soleil

This documentary about power, poverty, and gangs in the Haitian slums opens today in New York. It's not a pretty picture, but it's one worth seeking out.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

the hidden gems of elvis costello

Elvis Costello is on the road this summer to promote his new reissues, The Best of Elvis Costello: The First 10 Years and Rock and Roll Music. Over at VH1, I take a look into his lesser-known but still worthy album cuts and outtakes. It was hard cutting my list down to just 10 tracks.

Monday, June 25, 2007

white stripes

Icky Thump is easily the band's loudest record. It's also one of their best. Elsewhere in Consumables, I take on Wilco, Bruce Springsteen and R.E.M.'s cover of a John Lennon song.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

los angeles film festival

While we can lament that 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days was a last-minute scratch, the Los Angeles Film Festival starts tonight and there are plenty of worthy films to see. Here's but a sampling.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

you kill me

Ben Kingsley and Tea Leoni make for a fun (if unlikely) romantic pairing in You Kill Me, an offbeat hit-man comedy from director John Dahl.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Thursday, June 14, 2007

casting about

Actors' audition tapes for a fiction film instead become the raw material for Casting About, a documentary about the auditioning process itself. I thought it was thought-provoking, but I wonder what actors will think of it.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

eagle vs. shark

This Sundance romantic comedy doesn't know if it loves or hates its nerdy characters. I feel the same way about it.

Monday, June 11, 2007

brand upon the brain!

The Guy Maddin silent-film spectacular hits Los Angeles. I cover the event in Consumables, and also tackle Arcade Fire, Knocked Up, Once and a litany of other delights.

Friday, June 08, 2007

hostel: part ii

Give writer-director Eli Roth credit for adding some new wrinkles to his Hostel sequel. But not too much credit.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

chris cornell

The onetime frontman of Soundgarden is back with his second solo album. I don't dislike Cornell in his introspective guise, but Carry On could have used a little more muscle. And fewer Michael Jackson covers.