I think everyone in the category for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series breathed a sigh of relief when Orange is the New Black was deemed a drama series and, in turn, Uzo Aduba was pulled out of contention.
With her out of the way, it’s going to be a tight race with several women having phenomenal episode submissions. Last year’s winner Allison Janney (Mom) still has a shot due to one thing: her name. The six-time winner is consistently funny in Mom, playing the wild character to Anna Faris’ straight one. However, whether or not her name can pull her through over nominees with stronger submissions is going to be the question. Julie Bowen (Modern Family) could win her third Emmy if she submits the phenomenal “Connection Lost” episode. What’s going to be the biggest factor for her is the Modern Family fatigue. After all, they’re going for their sixth win in the Best Comedy category and have dropped yet again in total nominations.
I think the clear winner here based on tape is Anna Chulmpsky (Veep) who delivers an incredible speech in the episode “Convention” that is pure Emmy bait and fantastically performed. I mean, just see for yourself:
Plus, with Veep making a play for Comedy Series, she could be swept up. So I’m giving her the edge.
There are two wild cards in play. The first is Gaby Hoffman (Transparent), who nabbed a surprise nominations. The reason she is a wild card is because the voters picked the deserving supporting character from that show. Originally, we expected Judith Light to be the show’s supporting nomination. The reason this is relevant is because that means the voters are watching (and loving) the show. She could definitely pull this off depending on her submission.
The second wild card is Jane Krakowski (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). Although she was never able to take the trophy home for 30 Rock, voters love her enough to nominate her year after year. She’s overdue for a win, and sometimes that’s enough.
1. Anna Chlumpsky, Veep (Suggested Episode Submission: “Convention”)
2. Julie Bowen, Modern Family (Suggested Episode Submission: “Connection Lost”)
3. Allison Janney, Mom
4. Gaby Hoffman, Transparent
5. Jane Krakowski, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Suggested Episode Submission: “Kimmy Goes to a Party”)
6. Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live 7. Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
8. Niecy Nash, Getting On
The stunningly gorgeous Lulu James graced the stage at Gov Ball with Gorgon City earlier in June. Apart from being an absolutely incredible and lively performer, James has a truly beautiful voice that permeated every inch of the venue. Her ability to dance and jump around stage in 6 inch heels and her impressive high kicks were almost as spectacular as her amazing vocals. With her vivacious dancing and ability to get the crowd excited, I can say that, hands down, Gorgon City and Lulu James were in my top three favorite performances from the three day festival.
With her effervescent single “Sweetest Thing,” Lulu James proves that she is an immensely talented artist to watch for. Infectious pop tracks like “Closer” and “Step By Step” paired with her artistic style and music videos solidify Lulu James as a fierce femme fatale on the rise. “Step By Step” is one of my favorite tracks of hers, and it resonated with me long after the song ended. Plus, she looks pretty amazing with red hair. Check it out below! (Although, lets not jump to Illuminati conclusions by the presence of triangles and the hue of red.)
On top of her own music, Lulu james has been featured on the track “Loving You” with Lane 8; this track is on Lane 8’s new album Rise. The track has an incredibly fun, lively melody layered with Lulu James’ phenomenal vocals. She has also been featured on tracks like “We Disappear” with Jon Hopkins in 2014 and “Why Didn’t You Call?” with Gang Colours in 2013.
In addition to being an endearing performer, Lulu James seems to be an artist that sticks to her own music, ideas, and visions. I have great respect for an artist who does not buckle under the pressure of the music industry or influence of others. The Tanzanian vocalist describes her style as “21st century soul” and remarks that her music has no set genre. Personally, I think her voice is magnificent whether I hear it leisurely singing a slow song or belting out a dance hit alongside with Gorgon City. I find her voice to be befitting for a variety of songs. You can feel the soul that resonates throughout her booming vocals, but, on the other hand, you can move your body to the infectious pop rhythms that her immense voice is capable of producing.
If you ever have the chance to see Lulu James perform with Gorgon City, take it. James puts on an energetic, stunning, amusing performance, and her voice is simply astounding. With a charmingly genuine personality and powerhouse voice, Lulu James has earned my vote for this weeks’ Femme Fatale!
HANNIBAL — “The Great Red Dragon” Episode 308 — Pictured: Caroline Dhavernas as Alana Bloom — (Photo by: Brooke Palmer/NBC)
There’s really no getting around the fact that with “The Great Red Dragon,” Hannibal has become an entirely different animal. While it’s always had elements of adaptation to it, especially in the beginning of this season, which drew largely from the novel Hannibal, the series has mostly told original stories with the occasional twist on or wink at the source material. The spirit, rather than the letter, of Thomas Harris’s published work, has been followed to this point.
No longer: “The Great Red Dragon” is a near word-for-word adaptation of the first several chapters of the novel Red Dragon, and it is great. It likely goes without saying that it’s far better than Brett Ratner’s film of the same name, but what’s truly excellent here is the way that the episode enriches the source material, expanding upon it in new ways owing to the larger context that the preceding episodes have built up.
HANNIBAL — “The Great Red Dragon” Episode 308 — Pictured: Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal Lecter — (Photo by: Brooke Palmer/NBC)
For instance, we open immediately on a close up of Richard Armitage as Francis Dolarhyde, discovering his namesake on the cover of Time magazine. It is such a thrill seeing this moment recast with the show’s visual aesthetic and Brian Reitzell’s phenomenal score. We’ve been introduced to countless killers-of-the-week by now, and Dolarhyde is efficiently, thoroughly, and wordlessly established. On the one hand, the show takes advantage of shorthand, as we know the character already. On the other, the images and sounds tell us all we need to know anyway.
In fact, the episode is largely an exercise in returning us to the original format of the show. Jack Crawford recruits a reluctant Will Graham to investigate a case that only he can crack, despite the protests of those close to Will. Alana Bloom and Frederick Chilton trade barbs. Agents Zeller and Price return (FINALLY) and are sassy. And at the end, Will must go to Hannibal for assistance, just as Hannibal always knew he would. They’re all familiar beats, but the characters have been through so much. Three long years have passed since Hannibal was locked away; the context is all different. Whether or not Will should help Jack is a central conflict of Red Dragon, and it has been in Hannibal as well. But it’s remarkable how much more weight their reunion carries, now that the backstory has been dramatized.
HANNIBAL — “The Great Red Dragon” Episode 308 — Pictured: Caroline Dhavernas as Alana Bloom — (Photo by: Brooke Palmer/NBC)
It’s a recognizable adaptation of a familiar story, but it is chock full of the inventive flourishes we’ve come to expect from Hannibal. Following Dolarhyde’s introduction, a stunning, wordless sequence plays out of Hannibal’s capture and imprisonment. His reminiscences, like Will’s so often do, take place in his mind palace, and he pictures himself in the church in Florence, listening to a cherubic choir boy singing some version of “Hallelujah,” when really he is stuck in his sterile cell. Alana’s conversation with Hannibal is a nice example of the show enhancing the source material, playing off Alana’s expanded role and her history with Hannibal. She knows he’s not insane, and so does he—but that’s the plea he scored anyway.
Very little actually happens in “The Great Red Dragon” beyond what we’ve already summarized. It’s very prefatory, setting up the final arc of the show. We’re deftly introduced to Dolarhyde and to Molly, Will’s wife of an indeterminate amount of time, who feels like a fully realized character more or less immediately. That’ll be important down the road, of course, but it’s appreciated here as well.
More than anything, “The Great Red Dragon” serves to recalibrate the series following the carnage not just of “Digestivo,” but basically of everything since “Masumono.” It does so spectacularly. One of the episode’s final sequences is a good, old-fashioned crime scene investigation, just like in the early, more procedural days of the show. The swinging pendulum returns at last as Will re-enacts Dolarhyde’s crime, and he finally says that line that has, perhaps unexpectedly, become a catchphrase among fandom: This is my design. It’s awesome. A moment equivalent to Batman suiting up, and yet the feeling of awesomeness makes the audience inherently complicit in what Jack is doing to Will. We know the damage this work is doing to him; we shouldn’t be so jazzed to see it in process. But then there’s that killer shot of him standing over Mrs. Leeds, with the bright red strings of “blood” spray fanning out behind him, becoming illuminated, and it looks too beautifully composed to be concerned for very long.
Stray Observations:
Next to Molly, Will doesn’t have to sleep on a towel. How’s that for “show, don’t tell”?
Will’s reunion with Hannibal echoes for a moment that hallucinatory encounter in Italy.
Hannibal and Chilton discuss the former’s cooking: “And when you last made it for me?” “The blood was from a cow, only in a derogatory sense.” Hannibal is still the stealth-funniest show on TV.
Chilton promised himself he would never use colons in his book titles because, of course, he did.
“A snaggle-toothed son of a bitch.” I don’t know why Laurence Fishburne’s delivery cracked me up here, but it sure did.
NBC isn’t even bothering with previews for upcoming episodes anymore, if you needed any further writing on the wall.
When the lights go down at the Nederlander Theatre, Thomas (Chuck Cooper) takes the stage. Thomas, a former slave, tells the audience that they may be familiar with the song “Amazing Grace,” but they probably don’t know the story behind it’s creation. Not to worry: Thomas was there and he is going to tell us all about how John Newton came to write the lyrics to the famous anthem.
I was quite intrigued at this point. How interesting to get a black slave’s perspective on a story often only told from a white man’s point of view! Unfortunately, Amazing Grace doesn’t live up to this potential. After the opening narration, the musical promptly switches back to the white perspective and is more concerned with telling a love story between the leads. John Newton (Josh Young, perpetually shirtless) works for his father (Tom Hewitt, giving his all to a mostly thankless role), auctioning slaves as soon as they arrive in Chatham, England. His would be love Mary Catlett (Erin Mackey) witnesses the horrors of the slave auction for herself. She takes up with abolitionists, putting herself in direct conflict with her well to do family, John Newton, and aggressive suitor Major Gray (Chris Hoch). In order to have Mary to himself, Major Gray sends John Newton and his servant Thomas into the Navy, on a ship bound for Africa.
This continent and decade spanning story should be compelling, and some of the history is indeed revelatory. But composer Christopher Smith has broken a cardinal rule of musical theatre: the songs rarely ever move the plot forward or further character development. In any place where a song should be, there is instead a long (usually boring) book scene. Laiona Michelle’s Nana speaks at length to Mary on her horrifying capture at the hands of slavers and resulting loss of her daughter. It’s a powerful story, and one that should have been set to music as emotions reach their fever pitch (thankfully, the actress gets to show off her robust, passionate vocals later in the show). Much of the score consists of nondescript love ballads where the characters ruminate on the action that just took place. So not only does the show fail Musical Theatre 101, but putting the personal love lives of it’s white protagonists ahead of the plight facing its black characters is downright insulting. There’s a whole lot of “white savior” complex going on here.
To further complicate matters, director Gabriel Barre appears to have coaxed his actors into embodying stereotypical archetypes. For much of the show John Newton is too broadly drawn to really care about, and even Mr. Young’s sterling tenor can’t save the character. Erin Mackey is able to utilize the full range of her impressive singing voice. She has a deep well of emotion to draw from, but most of the ballads she is saddled with have no dramatic oomph. Chuck Cooper provides the performance highlight of the evening with a stirring song “Nowhere Left to Run,” demanding a change of conscience from his master. Cooper’s rich baritone booms through the theatre and demands attention. If only the rest of the songs had this weight.
On the design front, Toni-Leslie James has created vibrant period gowns and coats that pop off the stage. There are also some striking uses of lighting and silhouette throughout, though I’m unclear as to why so many scenes take place before an ugly, brown plank wall. Given how much of the musical takes place aboard a ship, I give the team credit for many of their stylistic choices (though the “action” scenes with ship battles and fights don’t fare well). There is also a crowd-pleasing underwater effect that closes act one quite impressively…even if we saw the exact same effect in The Little Mermaid.
The musical does have one ace up it’s sleeve: the title song. The eponymous anthem closes the show and the choral arrangement is so astoundingly beautiful that it almost made me forget how bland the rest of the show was. Amazing Grace desperately wants to join the ranks of previous hit historical epics. But it has neither the sweeping grandness of Les Miserables or the musical complexity of 1776.
John Newton’s journey from England to Africa and back, and the resulting change of heart towards slavery could make for a compelling tale (though I could really do without this musical’s preachy atheist: bad and Christian: good” conclusion). And there is certainly potential here to explore a complicated part of history from more than a typical white perspective. Unfortunately, this stage incarnation misses the mark as to why the story is compelling and ignores the basics of musical composition itself.
Amazing Grace Nederlander Theatre 208 West 41st St., Manhattan Music and Lyrics: Christopher Smith, Book: Christoper Smith and Arthur Giron Directed by: Gabriel Barre Choreographer: Christopher Gattelli Starring: Josh Young, Erin Mackey, and Chuck Cooper Run Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (w/ 1 intermission)
The queen of flower crowns and sultry perfection is at it again, enticing fans with her upcoming fourth album Honeymoon. Earlier today, Lana released her track “Honeymoon” from the impending album, and what can I say? She simply has one of the most enchanting voices capable of uttering the most soothingly enigmatic songs I’ve heard in my lifetime. Her album Honeymoon is set to drop this September, but we have this dazzlingly gorgeous track to hold us over until then.
With her usual grace and style, Lana takes to this track with her mysterious voice singing of tainted love, a violent man, and their glorious honeymoon. When I first heard the snippet of this song released on Lana’s Facebook and Instagram, I was immediately in a state of blissful rapture. I was hoping her fourth album would continue in the beguilingly enchanting direction that her previous three fantastic albums have gone.
This track is quintessential of the queen of disaster, and I find that it embodies the very essence of the sensational Lana Del Rey. With the song revolving around a dangerous, flawed man, Lana creates a calming melody with a soft voice that is utterly sublime. If the tracks from her upcoming album are close to the lavish vocals and pacifying melody of “Honeymoon,” then the album is already in the running for the best of the year. It is very seldom that an artist continually makes such superb albums, but Lana, seemingly, has done so.
With her first three albums Paradise, Born To Die, and Ultraviolence behind her, Lana continues her legacy of dying young and tainted love. Lana takes to the track with her steamy and ethereal voice that sets the bar high (which I know she will reach) for the rest of her album. I could not help but remark that “Honeymoon” was slightly reminiscent of her earlier work. Each song(s) has its own beauty and originality, but I enjoyed the pleasant and warm chorus and overall feeling of each track quite immensely. The transcendental track from my beloved Lana continues her legacy of glamorous music, and I simply cannot wait to get my hands on her newest album.
Her third album Ultraviolence went in a different direction than her previous two albums, but I loved what she did with it. Despite the love I have for her third album, I will say that I was a bigger fan of her first two albums. “Honeymoon” seems to harken back to the days of Paradise and Born To Die, which is what excites me most about this track. If this album is anything like the plush perfection of her first two albums, I can say that I am the most excited fan out there.
Despite the high-stakes title of LA singer/songwriter Vince Grant’s debut EP, it doesn’t seem like his depression is always trying to kill him. Sometimes it appears to him as a lover, one with whom he dances and holds onto like an addiction that he describes as a venom in his veins. But Grant’s depression is a cruel lover, and while she may not always be there when he wakes up in the morning, she is always waiting, ready to appear at a moment’s notice to bruise and batter Grant into submission.
Such is the scene set by My Depression is Always Trying to Kill Me’s first single and opening track “Melancholia”, an acoustically driven power ballad in which Grant explains his complicated relationship with his own mental health. But while Grant surrounds himself with lovers and enemies of his art’s own creation, there is a certain sense of isolation to his music. At his most intimate, Grant plays alone with an acoustic guitar, but even when he strikes up the band and turns up the volume it still sounds as if he’s playing to an empty amphitheater, abandoned with no one to sing these songs to. Struggling with depression through music is nothing new, and throughout the course of his EP’s five tracks, Grant channels the tenderness and frailty of such classically bummed out alt-rock songwriters as Kevin Devine, Gary Jules and especially some Ryan Adams circa Love is Hell. The resulting sound is as comfortable as it is familiar, soft acoustic chords and warm guitar tones like a blanket to crawl under when everything seems impossible.
The majority of Grant’s music may be tender, but he knows how to rock out, too. “Melancholia” features a muscular chorus that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Third Eye Blind track, while highlight “How Many Times You” channels the kaleidoscopic wonder of U2 at their most starry-eyed into four minutes of driving post-punk, before Grant allows the song’s more ethereal elements to bring things to a satisfyingly pretty conclusion. The album’s extended closer “Sweet Addiction” takes that beauty and runs with it for an impressive ten minutes, featuring some beautiful instrumental work by collaborating guitarist Doug Grean and an exhausted Grant who sounds as if he could collapse beneath the weight of his depression at any moment.
The ambition of “Sweet Addiction” is matched by the record’s apologetic centerpiece, “Edge of the World”, which effectively captures the feelings of isolation and loneliness that come from having your support system driven away by the erratic behavior and failure to communicate that is often the result of the kind of depression that Grant knows is after his health, happiness and ultimately his life. This sense of feeling alone is something to which anyone with a history of depression can surely relate, but then again, there will always be times when a shoulder to cry on isn’t what you’re looking for. Sometimes you just need a good record that you know will speak to how you’re feeling. For times like that, Vince Grant’s got your back.
I saw Waxahatchee perform in a bowling alley this past fall. Used to the punk shows and crowd-sweat that had been there before, the small-ish turnout made the place look way more cavernous than I remembered. I’d forgotten that the small tour she was on was going to provide more low-key affairs, more solo-act than full band. Sister Allison and friend Sam Cook-Parrot opened the show with graceful sets and ever-endearing songs. They were great, but Katie Crutchfield shined. Her set was a workshop; in how to embrace that type of spotlight with such focus and clarity; in how to wring the very most emotion out of sparse arrangements; in how to keep the audience entranced, holding them in your hand, gripping so fucking tightly until the end of the song, with the release, the applause, and the collective, inaudible “wow.” She played some songs off her then un-released latest effort Ivy Tripp there, and that spellbinding essence is almost as present on record as it is live.
I say “almost” only because Crutchfield is such an excellent live performer. Ivy Tripp is not an album that seeks to “capture that live feel, man.” It was crafted, lovingly, in her new home on Long Island. Producer Kyle Gilbride has the knack for letting songs embrace the room in which they were recorded, giving a natural quality to records he works on (prime example: “You’re Damaged” from previous Waxahatchee record, Cerulean Salt). This means that her crushing amounts of talent come through with an earnestness that a studio setting couldn’t possibly foster. I’m not rhapsodizing about any of the real or imagined mystique of lo-fi; indeed, this is not a “lo-fi” album. But instead, it has the hallmarks of home and care, of handcrafted, perfect imperfection, and the record is better for it.
Make no mistake, Crutchfield is lyrically and melodically one of the finest songwriters this generation will ever hear, and her songs would be superb regardless of where they were recorded. Her emotional honesty, attention to detail, and subtle manipulation of structure make her a singular talent. She’s been quoted as saying the record is about people who wander through life, trying to figure out what to do—but let it be about whatever you think it is. That’s part of the wonder of Waxahatchee songs; even when they’re telling a story, when painful details are out in the open, Crutchfield allows you to fill in the blanks or interpret to the extent that maybe you understand what she’s getting at; at the same time, maybe you delude yourself into thinking that she really gets you. That’s a magical thing, and it happens all over this album.
The arrangements on the previous two Waxahatchee albums—first American Weekend and then especially Cerulean Salt—were stark and spacious, with clearly defined parameters between where one instrument began and the other ended. Ivy Tripp maintains the same musical frugality (never too many instruments or parts, subtle use of effects) that guided those records while also expanding the sonic palette into more ethereal territories. “Breathless” is set on a foundation of basic keyboard figures while atmospheric slide guitar whirrs after Crutchfield’s assured, open voice. “Under A Rock,”“Poison,” and “The Dirt” all have great rhythm guitar tones, helping to propel the song while maintaining openness to the overall sound, thus allowing the drums to land expressively. They sound like close cousins to Cerulean Salt’s “Coast to Coast.” Quieter moments like “Summer of Love” or “Half Moon” work wonderfully in what might be the quintessential Waxahatchee setup: one instrument (ok, two on “Summer of Love”) and one voice. Weirder moments on the album come off entirely naturally because they sound like fully-fleshed ideas and adhere to the aforementioned ethos. “<” (“less than”) unravels with a woozy guitar riff and collaged drums that sound like fireworks. The fuller-sounding “La Loose” sounds like she stole her twin’s drum machine to be the paperclip that holds a shimmering art project of a pop song together. Album centerpiece “Air” and closer “Bonfire” are the most ornate, but every part of those songs is necessary. Co-collaborators Keith Spencer and Gilbride deserve credit for helping to build out the sound of Ivy Tripp all while serving its core— Crutchfield’s wonderful songs.
Waxahatchee’s previous records had a blooming quality to them: with each repeat listen, something new comes to the fore. Maybe it’s a nuance in the melody. Maybe the lyrics hit you differently. Ivy Tripp is going to offer that even more generously. Even after some serious quality time with it, I’m already looking forward to having this in heavy rotation in the coming months.
The 2015 Emmy Nominations are being announced live this morning (Thursday, July 16th) at 11:30 AM by Uzo Aduba (Orange Is the New Black) and Cat Dealy (So You Think You Can Dance). The nominations honor the best of this year in television from both comedy, drama, miniseries, and TV movie.
Check out our live reactions here while the nominations are announced. Then stay tuned to Smash Cut to see our full reactions and predictions.
Out of all the albums that were coming out this year, there were really none that I was excited for. The slippery slope of bad music and mediocre comebacks seemed to be riding all the way from 2014 to now, and my ecstasy waned for the most part… Until I heard that Tame Impala was coming out with a new album. From the time Currents was announced, I had the greatest expectations from one of the highest-quality bands that produce the lushest, warmest, and absolutely breathtaking albums since 2010. Kevin Parker and his psychedelic confidants continued to let loose hit after hit after hit, and I wanted to know if there was a direction even farther than up.
Currents provides the transition from pure psychedelic rock that we all know and love to the realm of disco-rock, R&B, and pop that keeps the elements of production from the previous albums. The journey throughout these three albums has given us the smoothest ride through progressive sound that I have heard maybe since The Horrors. Tame Impala writes poetic love songs, tricky funk that’s less Mark Ronson and more Ariel Pink, and stories about weak men showing their mistakes out in full force. The music itself is as warm as ever, with more synthesizers, bells, and whistles than there has been before on a Tame Impala album. There isn’t a huge lack of actual instruments, but the focus here is the bass, which is what I loved from “Lonerism.” It’s fuzzy, funky, and so fun.
Tracks on this release don’t expand pass 8 minutes, and the length of every song is just long enough with variety to keep you satisfied with what you’ve just heard. For your prog-rock heads, yes, the longer songs have just enough change to keep you invested. “Eventually” has this thriving beginning and evolving into something of a ballad with the boom engrossing the whole track. “The Less I Know The Better” opens with this bass riff that moves you throughout the song with it’s downright funk dirtiness. Parker’s signature falsetto calms it a bit during the chorus, but it breaks it with his wail as soon as he needs to interrupt the sappiness. “Past Life” is interesting with the narrative being told through this distorted, disembodied voice leading us through and using the band for backup. “Disciples,” even for its length, is an outstanding track that inserts everything it needs to within it’s <2 minute runtime. Sounds like Parker took some hints from Mac DeMarco and added his own 70’s flair to it.
“Cause I’m A Man” is the pinnacle of this album, and they couldn’t have picked a better single release. The ballad of this man who proves his weaknesses is something that I really haven’t heard; I don’t think anyone else has heard, either. The bass and synth combo that rides the chorus is an experiment with a positive result, like coming up with new chemical compounds of sonic energy in a sound lab. “Reality in Motion,” for some reason, reminds me of the last day of school in A Goofy Movie. Don’t ask why, but it would be Max riding his skateboard above us in slow motion. The final track, “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” sounds like “Cause I’m A Man” and its scheming, evil, scientist brother. It’s slow. It is anything but bombastic, with a subtlety to it including acoustic guitars that flutter like a “Think Tank”-era Blur.
In any case, Kevin Parker and Tame Impala have done it again with a sound just different enough to suck you in and enough of the same to keep fans of the older material. To say that this album got me hyped enough to look for more music to review would be the absolute truth.
In the age of movie reboots such as Poltergeist, Jurassic World, and Robocop, Terminator Genisys has relaunched the Terminator series. Terminator, directed by James Cameron and released in 1984, was an instant hit. Arnold Schwarzenegger went from a professional bodybuilder to a cyborg assassin who famously said, “I’ll be back.”
The last two chapters in the Terminator series were very disappointing and were not nearly as popular or as profitable as the first two installments. Sensibly, Terminator Genisys disregards the previous two movies and, instead, brings in bits of plot from the beloved Terminator and Terminator 2 classics.
With a low rating from Rotten Tomatoes at 27% and a rating of 7.1 out of 10 on IMBD.com, Terminator Genisys is either very entertaining or boring with plot holes, depending on whom you ask. My vote is for very enjoyable. John Connor (Jason Clarke), the director of the human resistance, leads a battle against Skynet to bring it down once and for all, but things do not go as planned. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) is sent by John to 1984 to protect John’s mother, Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke). Kyle expects to find a scared waitress, but because of an altered timeline, Sarah is protected by the less technologically advanced T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger), which is ffectionately called “Pops” by Sarah. Together they travel to the future to terminate Skynet before it is launched.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character says throughout the movie “I’m old, but not obsolete,” and it’s true. As Sarah explains, Schwarzenegger’s skin is made from humans so he ages just as everyone else does. He is at a disadvantage when fighting the newer and more efficient cyborgs, but he still manages to eradicate his adversaries with the help of Kyle and Sarah. The T-800 cyborg is a welcome return for the many fans of the original Terminator series.
Technically, Sarah and Kyle are supposed to fall in love during the movie, but do not expect any big romantic scenes. There is barely any chemistry between Emilia and Jai’s characters, and every time they talk about love, it seems forced, contrived, and awkward. Jai Courtney is a very bland and unemotional actor in this installment. Also, Emilia Clarke did not have the most convincing American accent, at points. But overall she does a fantastic job portraying Sarah Connor in this latest adaptation.
Terminator Genisys does not quite recapture the cherished charm of the original series like Jurassic World did, but it is still an entertaining science fiction film with an abundance of action and superb fight scenes. It is perfect for fans of Terminator, Terminator 2, and for newcomers to the sci-fi series.
HANNIBAL — “Contorno” Episode 305 — Pictured: (l-r) Fortunato Cerlino as Inspector Pazzi, Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal Lecter — (Photo by: Sophie Giraud/NBC)
“Contorno” presents an interesting question with regard to episodic television writing. To wit: how much does an absolutely killer final act compensate for an episode that otherwise doesn’t quite move the needle from the previous installment and only inches us forward, plot-wise, into the next? In beginning, to answer this question, let’s return as usual to Italian dining, in which the contorno is a side of vegetables or salad served alongside the main course. So is Bryan Fuller simply making us eat our vegetables here? That interpretation would fit the previous episode, too.
But if that is the case, then the closing scenes of this episode are one sweet gelato, a reward for the giant exposition salad we’ve been wolfing down for the past two weeks. It’s a little weird to start at the end here, but there is no denying the momentous nature of that reprise between Jack and Hannibal, one that perfectly mirrors and inverts their previous, much bloodier confrontation.
Hannibal doesn’t go to this particular well very often, but it makes a very worthwhile trip here: Laurence Fishburne is a towering hulk of a man. Really, he is. Jack is so physically imposing in these scenes. Just look at the first shot of his arrival, as he glowers up at Hannibal in the window, having witnessed his murder of Inspector Pazzi. (The shot is reversed at the end of the sequence, with Jack looking out the window at Hannibal as he flees.) The fight that proceeds is beautiful, one-sided, scored by one of the series’ most inspired musical cues to date, and is just generally a tremendous achievement. Certainly it is the high water mark of the season.
HANNIBAL — “Contorno” Episode 305 — Pictured: Tao Okamoto as Chiyoh — (Photo by: Sophie Giraud/NBC)
And yet it is not quite the end of this little European arc. The preamble to Red Dragon, which will (it is now all but certain) serve as the finale to this iteration of the Hannibal Lecter saga. Hannibal is bruised, beaten, and bloody, but he escapes, if only temporarily. Jack may have found him first, but Will and Alana are converging as well, despite their separate setbacks this episode.
In fact, I think the great strength of this episode is that, despite the absence of plot, it offers a few key images and conversations that bolster the series’ themes. There’s this recurring idea of reciprocity, which, of course, is the one word that may best describe the relationship between Hannibal and Will—really, between Hannibal and everyone else on the show. It’s all about how much he can do to them, how badly he can hurt them, and how much they’re capable of doing in return. Alana is the best example of this. I’m still not sold on her heel-turn into calculated villainy, but her single-minded attempt at vengeance, though foiled again by Hannibal, at least provides a clear explication of the theme. Also interesting is the way the show links her and Bedelia, through Alana’s careful explanation of how she discovered Bedelia and Hannibal through her weekly wine-and-gnocchi routine. There’s methodology to both women’s apparent madness.
Will is still the more interesting situation though, not least because Will is still the better-realized character. He and Chiyoh spend the episode on a train, engulfed in darkness, as they further contemplate Hannibal’s impact on each of their lives. Chiyoh’s purpose becomes clearer, as she seems to have gotten Will figured out: “If you don’t kill him, you’re afraid you’re going to become him.” There’s a strange symbiosis to their dynamic that, rightly, frightens Chiyoh. Enough so that she pushes him off the back of a moving train in the episode’s most jaw-dropping moment.
Not that Will is in any real danger. We have Red Dragon to get to, after all. And, more importantly, Will and Hannibal are inextricably, almost supernaturally linked. It should come as no surprise when our good friend, the murder stag, comes to Will’s side and nudges him awake (slash maybe back to life?).
But the thing I like best about this episode and the season so far is this recurring motif of the snail. “Contorno” delivers a new piece of knowledge (or, at least, new if you, like me, don’t know all that much about snails). They survive digestion. If you’re not convinced yet that our heroes are the snails in this story, you should be now. They’ve all been killed and “eaten” by Hannibal Lecter, without their knowledge; now they’ve survived the digestion, and each of them have become something else, something new, something different. That’s how they’ll catch him, at long last.
Stray Observations:
There’s a beautiful early shot of Jack releasing Bella’s ashes. It seems odd to me that he decides to throw the ring away, too, though. Is that something people do? I suppose it fits the theme of rebirth/metamorphosis that we’re developing here.
I love how they’ve repurposed the Hannibal source material with Inspector Pazzi, in a way that doesn’t suck so much and that serves the new version of the story they’re fashioning. I also really, really love how they retain the utterly silly depiction of Pazzi’s crack detective skills from the film, as he Googles a picture of Hannibal Lecter to determine that yes, indeed, that strange professor is Hannibal Lecter.
I’m increasingly skeptical that there will be any real payoff to this business with Mason Verger and Alana, unless Verger will have some sort of role to play in the Red Dragon arc.
Hannibal Renewal Watch: Amazon has passed, Netflix has passed, and the actors’ contracts have expired. This appears to be the end, my friends. Fortunately, The Silence of the Lambs is the Hannibal Lecter story least in need of rehabilitation.
The precursor awards of the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Critics’ Choice Awards tend not to affect the outcome of the Emmys. However, this year the race for Lead Actor in a Drama Series is looking to go to the winner of at least two of those awards. Kevin Spacey (House of Cards) has been the bridesmaid for two Emmy cycles now, losing to Jeff Daniels and Bryan Cranston. It looks like he’s finally going to take it this time.
Perennial Emmy loser Jon Hamm (Mad Men) is assured to come back and could finally pull off a win for the show (it has lost every acting award it’s been nominated for) with a submission of the series finale “Person to Person.”
In addition to the two perennial nominees above, there are three new faces looking to join the race. Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) has turned the comic relief of Breaking Bad into one of the most intriguing characters of the television season. Depending on how the show fares at the Emmys, we could see a win for him, especially with his arsenal of phenomenal episodes. Dominic West (The Affair) can’t seem to break into the Emmy race. From The Wire to The Hour, he’s been egregiously snubbed, however the third time could be the charm. Again, it depends on how well the show is received. One nominee that can’t depend on his show is Cilve Owen (The Knick). While the Cinemax drama was well received, it has one thing against it. It’s on Cinemax. Owen can probably get in on buzz and name alone, but there are others in the mix like Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom), Terrence Howard (Empire), and Kyle Chandler (Bloodline) who could just as well take his place.
1. Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
2. Jon Hamm, Mad Men
3. Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
4. Clive Owen, The Knick
5. Kyle Chandler, Bloodline
6. Dominic West, The Affair
Sometimes it’s hard to go anywhere with a review other than the most blunt statement, and in the case of the Oklahoma-based band Ripple Green’s new single “Time Piece,” all I can say is that it’s damn good rock. They’re not necessarily reinventing the genre here, but they’re taking the best of what’s been made and adding a personal flair that makes it an entertaining listen.
The band believed that “creativity and expression through music could provide an escape from the mundane life they faced in the plains.” That’s what time piece is. It’s escapism music. Much of jam rock is. It’s hard not to draw comparisons to Phish or Portugal the Man—two completely different bands that have both mastered the genre. Ripple Green has taken the formula and infused it with personal lyrics that as they say:
“turned into an account of how people’s lives revolve around other individuals over time.”
From the chorus to the hook, the song is pretty much an earworm in itself. It all stems from such a seemingly unsuspecting chord progression, however it sticks with you to the point that you’ll be humming the tune all week. Plus, Joel Parks’ vocals just enhance the bluegrass infused sound that the band has and makes it all the more catchy.
The band has described their new EP “Timepiece” as:
A step out of adolescence for Ripple Green that came from spending half of last year in Europe. It signifies moments filled with adventure and a grateful shift in approach to their songwriting.
As for the video, it’s just an expression of joy, youth, and creativity that was all filmed during the 2014 summer solstice. It just reinforces the band’s sound and origins: escape. Definitely look out for these guys in the future.
“The three members of RippleGreen met during Kindergarten in small town Oklahoma. Their formative years were spent being mischievous friends who built slingshots, climbed trees, and made short films. Soon, however, upon leaving Elementary school, the idea to form a band was spawned before any of the members owned or played their instruments. To them, creativity and expression through music could provide an escape from the mundane life they faced in the plains.”
Isn’t it refreshing to have a year where an actress category is actually competitive? Lead Actress in a Drama Series was won by the same two women for the past 4 years, but with Homeland on the downswing and last year’s winner Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife) having to rely on submissions tapes, this year is especially open for a new winner.
That new winner is looking to be SAG winner Viola Davis (How to Get Away with Murder). Her performance pretty much speaks for itself (Plus, she has the fake cry face down. Take notes Kerry Washington and ugly crying champion Claire Danes), but on top of that, she has the buzz, the episodes, and the respect of the industry. She is the solid frontrunner.
Taraji P. Henson (Empire) has the monster hit of Empire behind her, plus the same buzz, episodes, and respect of the industry as Davis. The only difference here is that Davis had the luxury of competing in the precursors of the Globes and SAG. Henson is still a strong frontrunner, I think her biggest hurdle might be getting nominated depending on how the voters respond to the show.
After the three frontrunners, we have two strong returners in the mix. Robin Wright (House of Cards) was a frontrunner last year before the messed up her episode submission, however she should still safely return. Kerry Washington (Scandal) is losing a lot of buzz, so I’m thinking she drops out this year, however with a solid episode submission in “Run” if she is nominated I can say her making a run (pun intended) for the crown.
The last spot is going to be tough call. Three-time Emmy winner Claire Danes (Homeland) is losing a lot of steam with Homeland dropping out of the conversation like a rock. This year’s Globe winner Ruth Wilson (The Affair) should be able to slip in, however her globe win isn’t going to help her much here.
I’m playing it very conservatively here. A lot of contenders like Elizabeth Moss (Mad Men), Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel), and Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) can still slip in.
I think the most notable part of this category would be to see three women of color be nominated. Not only would it be a first, it would be a wonderful note to the changing landscape of television. Take note Oscars.
1. Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder
2. Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
3. Taraji P. Henson, Empire
4. Robin Wright, House of Cards
5. Claire Danes, Homeland
6. Ruth Wilson, The Affair
For Best Drama Series, we’re definitely going to see the perennial nominees like Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Downton Abbey, and House of Cards. However, the rest of the category is going to look pretty different from the past.
One of the major effects of the new rule changes is going to be the introduction of Orange is the New Black to the category. At this point, they are a virtual lock and are taking up the newly added seventh slot.
With Breaking Bad out of the way and True Detective being moved to Limited, we have room for at least two different nominees. Empire was the biggest hit of the season and garnered strong critical acclaim as well as commercial. It also has the fact that it’s a broadcast series (the majority of the Academy work in broadcast) and it’s likely to nab additional major nominations. Better Call Saul has garnered extremely positive reviews and strong ratings and looks to make a strong showing like its parent series.
The last spot is really going to be a mystery in the series races, since we’ve never had a year with this many nominees.The winner of the Globe often makes an appearance here, so The Affair has a chance to make an. Another new show may be the direct successor to Bad at the Emmys. Based on nominations last year, I’d say The Good Wife has a chance. However, many pundits predicted the series to make a return last year and it failed to do so.
Depending how the Emmys react to Bloodline and Homeland, we could see one of these shows make an appearance.
AS FOR THE WINNER, I think it’s going to be between three returning nominees since Breaking Bad is gone and there’s really no new show that feels like a first season winner. Game of Thrones has been a strong performer so far at the Emmys and the a strong second half of the season coupled with strong buzz can propel it to a win. If you asked me in March which show would win best drama series I’d say House of Cards with no hesitation. However, there’s really no buzz for it anymore and the season was the worst received so far. The last possibility is 4-time winner Mad Men. I know it hasn’t won a single award in the past two years, but there’s no denying the huge buzz around the show in Hollywood following the finale. It could follow The Sopranos, Everybody Loves Raymond, Sex and the City, and Breaking Bad as some of the shows in past years that have won for their final season.
Check out our complete list of 2015 Emmy Predictions HERE!
1. Game of Thrones
2. Mad Men
3. House of Cards
4. Orange is the New Black
5. Downton Abbey
6. Empire
7. The Affair
The final track, “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” sounds like “Cause I’m A Man” and its scheming, evil, scientist brother. It’s slow. It is anything but bombastic, with a subtlety to it including acoustic guitars that flutter like a “Think Tank”-era Blur.
