Music Review: 5 Seconds of Summer's Michael Clifford goes solo on ambitious, pop-punk ‘SIDEQUEST'
But he doesn't just rehash the past. Rather, the colorful-haired musician adds his own twist on 'SIDEQUEST.'
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Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Movie Review: Real couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco lead ‘Together,' a codependency horror film
The perils of the dating scene are vast, but there are horrors in long-term relationships too. With intimacy and commitment, there can also come codependency and even convergence. Once individuals, some couples start to dress alike, act alike and even, terrifyingly, look alike. On the comedic end, there's the smug marrieds table of 'Bridget Jones.' And then there's the scary end in 'Together,' in which convergence is rendered more literally and where the Spice Girls anthem '2 Become 1' takes on a whole new, horrifying meaning. 'Together,' written and directed by Australian filmmaker Michael Shanks in his feature debut, stars Alison Brie and Dave Franco as the converging couple Millie and Tim. Brie and Franco bring some authenticity to the roles — in real life, they've been together for nearly 15 years and married for eight. When they're calling one another 'babe' on-screen or reacting to the other's light flirting with someone else, the lived-in comfort and easy rapport is evident. That's not to say this film doesn't require them to stretch or act, but the base credibility established by that off-screen fact goes a long way in selling the wild things that transpire down the line. When we meet them, at a farewell party with friends in New York, they don't seem particularly happy together as they prepare to embark on a big life step: moving to the country for Millie's teaching job. Tim is embarrassed when he's made aware of the fact that they're dressed similarly and immediately changes. The mood overall is a little less than joyous — both seem hesitant and their friends aren't exactly supportive either. We learn early that their physical relationship has been lacking for some time. But it's already set in motion and Tim and Millie seem destined, or perhaps doomed, to stay together whether they like it or not. There are a lot of strange things happening in the country before the body horror enters the picture. Tim is haunted by the memory of discovering his parents dead — a frightening image that we're faced with several times. And he's having a visceral reaction to some of the smells in the old home. A warning: Food does not pair well with 'Together.' But things start to go really downhill when the city couple goes for a little hike in the woods and ends up spending the night in a cavernous hole they've fallen into. In the morning, they discover their legs are stuck together by a gooey film. It's immensely painful for them to separate. This is among the most minor of the disturbing images to come, so brace yourself. It might not be Cronenberg, but it's effective. We moviegoers can take the art of body horror for granted, but the makeup, prosthetics and effects teams deserve a lot of credit for making this work. Shanks has a command of the tone and pacing, which isn't without moments of humor and lightness along with the trauma and gore. Tim, in this transformation, is suddenly very hot for Millie, which results in one particularly intense encounter that is at turns awkward, comedic, heartbreaking and utterly disgusting. It's an impressive combination. I'll respectfully stay out of the debate about whether 'Together' is the best or worst date-night movie ever (depends on the relationship, I'd say), but it could make for a fun double feature with its Sundance companion 'Oh, Hi!' There are times when 'Together' does start to feel a bit redundant in the wait for the crescendo and conclusion. And like many horror movies, there might be a little too much explanation given for why these things are occurring. Perhaps the alternative would be equally frustrating. Still, it's an impressive work of independent cinema that stays shockingly grounded thanks to its two leads and their fearless performances. If Shanks can do 'Together' with a limited budget, it's exciting to think what he might dream up with a bigger canvas. 'Together,' a Neon release in theaters Wednesday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for 'language, graphic nudity, brief drug content, sexual content, violent and disturbing content.' Running time: 102 minutes. Three stars out of four.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
A small Serbian town is home to Robin Hood – in a new TV series
SIMANOVCI, Serbia (AP) — Villages and castles from 12th-century England came to life in a small town in Serbia for the filming of a new series about Robin Hood that has just wrapped in the landlocked country in southeast Europe. The 10-episode take on England's beloved medieval outlaw who, in lore, stole from the rich to give to the poor, comes from Lionsgate Television, and is expected to premiere on MGM+ in the U.S. and parts of Europe later this year. The Associated Press recently visited the set in Simanovci, the village which is home to a film studio and not far from the capital of Belgrade. Thorough research for the series was visible in the scenography and costumes, taking the cast — and the studio — back in time to the stony interiors of a candlelit castle, complete with stained-glass lancet windows. The 'sweeping, romantic adventure' offers a historically grounded look into how Robin Hood grew up to become an outlaw-turned-hero in the wake of the Norman conquest of England, the producers say. 'We actually show the beginning of Robin Hood,' producer, director and writer Jonathan English, who was a main driving force behind the project, said in an interview. 'We start the story with him as a child.' Self-described as a 'huge fan of all things medieval,' English marveled at Robin Hood's persistent global appeal. 'You can stop a pensioner on the streets of Belgrade and he knows who Robin Hood is. You can stop a teenager on the streets of Beijing, and they know who Robin Hood is,' he said. Asked whether the story is still relevant, following countless cinematic and small-screen adaptations, English insisted that 'it is incredibly relevant, probably more today than … 50 years ago or 100 years ago, even.' 'It's a story about class and the absolute tyranny of class, people who believe that they can have everything and control everything and can own everything and everybody else could just, you know, get lost,' he said. 'There's always been wealthy people, but now you have uber-rich people. And the divide between the uber-rich and the rest of the world is extraordinary now.' The show's plot centers strongly on the romance between Robin and Marian. He is a Saxon forester's son and Marian is the daughter of a Norman lord but they overcome the divide to jointly fight for freedom and against injustice. Australian actor Jack Patten plays Robin, joined by Lauren McQueen as Marian. The two appear alongside Sean Bean as the notorious Sheriff of Nottingham, and Connie Nielsen, who plays Eleanor of Aquitaine, the queen of England and wife of Henry II. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Patten admitted he was nervous ahead of his 'third gig since getting out of drama school.' His Robin is 'any young 24-year-old … trying to find his place in the world' and who 'gets dealt some pretty tricky cards.' McQueen said Marian's character will be 'quite empowering' for young women watching the series. Filmed in multiple locations in Serbia and with hundreds of staff and crew, the series is 'huge' even by Hollywood standards, showrunner and writer John Glenn said. He described the new show as 'much more Peaky Blinders in tone' than previous incarnations, referring to the hit U.K. TV series about gangsters in 1920s Birmingham. Both Glenn and English said they chose Serbia because of high-standard facilities and crews but also because of the natural scenery that could mimic a medieval English landscape. 'It's hard to find ancient forests now in England,' English said. 'There's not a lot of undeveloped wilderness.'
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
New music: Michael Clifford, Alex G, GoGo Penguin, Visiting Rachmaninoff
Michael Clifford Sidequest (Hopeless) More than a decade ago, the Australian pop-punk boy band 5 Seconds of Summer emerged as charming genre-revivalists. The 2014 career-making single She Looks So Perfect was all palm-muted power chords and gang vocals, a familiar sound for fans of the Warped Tour scene. In the years since, the quartet evolved into a full-on arena pop-rock act, taking turns at releasing solo material. Next up is lead guitarist Michael Clifford, the edgiest of the bunch, with a spirited solo debut album that feels truer to the band's earliest material than their most recent. Ten energetic, introspective tracks form a tight album that explores self-doubt, fame and romance. The songs are pop-punk in spirit but deviate from the formula with a stadium-sized production: experimental electronics, big synths and versatile vocals. And it is an emotional journey. The lovesick opener Kill Me for Always, featuring Porter Robinson, sets the stage, with its scintillating mix of electronica and bass. The sound of Cool acts as the strongest evidence of Clifford's former boy band roots. It's self-deprecating and self-aware. In an album stuffed with energetic songs juxtaposed with existential lyrics, the best track arrives at a midpoint high in Enough. 'At 3 a.m. awake again / I can see all of the damage you've done,' Clifford sings through an evocative rasp. 'With friends like you who needs a loaded gun.' Sidequest sets out to prove it's both a culmination of the last decade of Clifford's life and a deviation from it, as he steps into his own sound. Thankfully, for fans, it succeeds. The debut album reflects Clifford's maturation and self-agency, despite the insecurities and doubts that creep in throughout. ★★★½ out of five Stream: Enough; Cool — Rachel S. Hunt, The Associated Press Alex G Headlights (RCA) Fame is a double-edge sword. Though it comes with obvious perks — money, opportunity and praise — it can also prompt a kind of existential reckoning. Now what? Is this all there is? Am I changed because of it and, if so, for better or for worse? This is the kind of wrestling Alex Giannascoli, better known as the influential indie rocker Alex G, performs on Headlights, his 10th album and first on a major label. Although Giannascoli achieved success early in his career — collaborating with Frank Ocean on his critically acclaimed 2016 album Blonde and joining the R&B superstar on tour — he has, until recently, been more frequently labelled a cult indie figure than a household name. But the 32-year-old has risen to prominence in recent years, particularly after his 2022 album, God Save the Animals, which marked a distinct shift from his austere, lo-fi sound to more robust production and instrumentation. He has since collaborated with the pop star Halsey on her latest record and scored filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun's horror hit, I Saw the TV Glow. That trajectory informs Giannascoli's contemplative poignancy on Headlights. 'Some things I do for love / Some things I do for money / It ain't like I don't want it / It ain't like I'm above it,' he admits on the Beam Me Up, his whirring guitars strumming mesmerizingly against airy background vocals. Many of his lyrics are poetically inscrutable, but there are also moments of explicit frankness about ambition, self-doubt, transition and success. With Headlights, Giannascoli continues further down his God Save the Animals sonic pivot to higher fidelity, recording in studios in lieu of his home for a more ornate sound. ★★★★ out of five Stream: Beam Me Up; Bounce Boy — Krysta Fauria, The Associated Press GoGo Penguin Necessary Fictions (XXIM) GoGo Penguin is a trio from Manchester, England, helping with the ongoing development of the possibilities of a jazz trio. (The name came about as a need to find a name for the group quickly at the start of its career. The members decided on GoGo Penguin based on an apparently ugly stuffed penguin bought by one of the band members.) The band stopped performing for several years recently, owing to personal losses and health issues. The jazz world celebrates their 'rebirth.' The trio is Chris Illingworth on piano, Nick Blacka on bass and Jon Scott on drums. Its sound is distinctive, incorporating influences from various rock and classical elements as well as the solid jazz foundation. Common features include what is described as a minimalist piano style, but even more dramatic is a pattern of a repeated foundational riff that becomes a relentless continuo. It drives the rhythm forward in fascinating patterns as the melody and harmonies swirl around it. The opening track, Umbra, is an example of the trio's style that sets the album up beautifully. What We Are and What We Are Meant To Be also takes the gentle melody and delivers it in a driving rhythmic underpinning. Unlike earlier releases, for the first time there is a guest vocalist, Daudi Matsiko, on Forgive the Damages, and an eight-piece string group called the Manchester Collective on several tracks. Luminous Giants and State of Flux put all the pieces together while maintaining the trio's signature sound. This album is a wonderful example of a trio developing an intent and experimentation while maintaining the sound and style for which they have been known. An ugly stuffed penguin might have led to its name, but GoGo Penguin is beautiful. ★★★★½ Stream: Naga Ghost, The Turn Within — Keith Black Visiting Rachmaninoff Alexander Melnikov, Julia Lezhneva (Harmonia Mundi) In this thoughtful new release, pianist Alexander Melnikov performs Rachmaninoff's Variations on a Theme by Chopin, Op. 22, a set of 22 short variations penned in 1902-03 and based on its namesake composer's Prelude in C minor (Op. 28, No. 20). What is particularly noteworthy is that Melnikov paid a visit to Rachmaninoff's last summer home. located at Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, recording the work on the 20th century composer's personal Steinway piano, thus inviting listeners into his unique soundworld. Melnikov's artistry allows him to craft each variation as its own distinct entity; each proving no match for his virtuosic technique. Following his dramatically rendered opening theme, the pianist then launches into the work with gusto. Particular highlights include such quicker-paced variations as the third and eighth, as well as the slower, more expressive offerings as Variation XVI, Lento, which flows into Variation 17, Grave, the latter highly introspective. Also featured is a selection of Rachmaninoff's 15 Romances, Opp. 21, 26 and 34 with Melnikov joined by renowned soprano Julia Lezhneva. This provides satisfying musical contrast as well as the opportunity to hear the luminous artist plumb the depths of each piece. Her deeply felt interpretations of No. 9, Again, I am alone, and No. 10, Before my window, both excerpted from Op. 26, are additional album highlights, further showcasing the singer's innate expressiveness and steeped-in-Russian soul. ★★★★ out of five Stream: Variations on a Theme by Chopin, Op. 22; 15 Romances, Op. 26, Before my window — Holly Harris
