He’s a Coda Breaker. He’s the…
Vidiot
Week of September 25, 2015
It’s impossible to tell who the spy school
graduating class is. First up…
Spy
The greatest disguise a spy could utilize
to go unnoticed by the enemy is that of a morbidly obese person.
Unfortunately, for the novice agent in this
action-comedy, her weight is not some elaborate get-up.
When her field agent crush (Jude Law) is
murdered by Rayna (Rose Byrne), a nuclear arms dealer who knows the identity of
the CIA’s top agents, desk jockey Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) volunteers to
go on assignment.
Sent to Paris to tail the buyer (Bobby
Cannavale), Susan is closely followed by a cocksure agent (Jason Statham) who
is skeptical the bumbling amateur has what it takes.
Despite most of the jokes pertaining to the
leads appearance, the overall tone of the film’s humor is old-fashioned vulgarity,
with Jason Statham playing against type to deliver the best comedic performance
of the bunch.
Furthermore, stout spies are best suited
for undercover work at hot dog eating contests.
Green Light
Pitch Perfect 2
The trouble with an ensemble consisting
solely of singers is that they all want to leave the group to work on their
solo material.
Surprisingly, only one member of the a
cappella group in this musical wants out.
After a disastrous performance at the White
House involving Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson), the Barden Bellas are banned from
singing at all tournaments, unless they can win the upcoming Worlds.
However, the team-leader (Anna Kendrick)
has accepted an internship at a recording studio where she is hawking her
mash-ups to the producer.
What’s more, the German team is
intimidating the Bellas with their superior renditions so much they lose their
harmony.
The superfluous sequel to the middling
original, part 2 panders to its less discerning fan base with mediocre covers
and crude guy-humor that seems directed at some non-existent male audience.
Besides, every time an a cappella group
forms somewhere a roadie dies. Red Light
love & mercy
The hardest part of writing hit records
nowadays is fitting all the co-songwriters’ names on the album sleeve.
But as this biography expounds, in the
1960s, committees didn’t write hits.
Anxious about performing live, The Beach
Boys songwriter Brian Wilson (Paul Dano) forgoes touring so he can write their
seminal album: Pet Sounds.
In the 1980s, a distraught Brian Wilson
(John Cusack) forms a relationship with Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks),
who feels that Brian’s confidante Dr. Eugene Landy (Paul Giamatti) is a
Svengali that is over-medicating him.
Back in the sixties, Brian struggles to
convince his band mates their new sound is superior to their surf ditties.
A candid depiction of the enigmatic artist
that seamlessly transitions from past to future tense, Love & Mercy
unravels Wilson’s psyche with precision and haunting performances from both
Wilsons.
Mind you, The Beach Boys never experienced
true musical genius until John Stamos joined.
Green Light
***Backup Singing Off-key***
20 Feet from Stardom
The worst part of being a backup singer is
you’re in the path of the lead singer’s farts.
Mind you, Mick Jagger would be the one
emitting gas in this documentary.
In the shadow of the spotlight, women,
like, Darlene Love, Merry Clayton and Sheryl Crow, have been overlooked in the
annals of music history for their supporting role – until now.
From their inception due to breakouts
within existing girl groups - The Supremes – to Caucasian rockers - Bruce
Springsteen, Sting - who utilize African American singers to add credibility to
their ditties, 20 Feet from Stardom explores every angle of this misunderstood
contributor.
Through interviews with the backups themselves
as well as the artists and producers they work with, viewers are treated to a
fascinating account of the recording industry’s true underdog.
And contrary to popular belief, backup
singers weren’t invented because Phil Spector might shoot the lead singer.
He’s a Girl Groupie. He’s the…
Vidiot
