NOT SO WASTED YOUTH: "Short Term 12" review, one of the best dramas of the 2010s so far?...

"Short Term 12" is just one of those movies. From the first frame and the story told as an introduction to its characters, you can tell its gonna be something special. It shows a perspective not often seen in any form of media, nevertheless a film. A story based on the experiences that the director faced whilst working in a group home himself, revolving around a personal connection our lead creates with one of the new arrivals while facing her own personal crises.

It's a touching movie, subdued in nature, the spotlight entirely focused on Brie Larson who would later go on to win big with "Room" in 2015. Her performance is damn near flawless and solidifies her as a force to be reckoned with, as if "Room" didn't already do that to most eyes watching. Brie Larson is not the only with an established connection however, a whole wealth of characters with their own traits and quirks do give it a great sense of believability. In particular, the child actors. They all embody their roles and although most are first-time actors, they all spin it perfectly. It allows the plot line with Jayden to flourish as her situation clicks with our lead and takes her back to her own troubled childhood, desperately attempting to create a better future for her perhaps to the detriment of her own.

In that, its seamless how the leaders' private lives intertwine with their work life, their work life eventually becoming their life as the lead [Grace] damages her relationship with her long-time boyfriend who has also had a troubled past. They're both there because of their own childhoods suffering and want it so others don't have to go through the same tribulations. The focus starts on life at the detainment center before their personal issues begin to trickle in as they both impact upon one another. The authenticity in the performances and specifics really does hit this dramatic element home where it otherwise wouldn't have. An example of its specifics would be a situation in regards to 'escapees', they're not forced to be there. Once they leave the property, they can't be touched. But they can be followed and potentially convinced to come back. Mileage may vary.

It's great to look at as well, a tall order given the setting in place, but each shot is a pretty one to witness. Even more impressive also given that a majority of them are handheld in order ease the first-timers into the production, which may be a negative for some, but in this scenario it does showcase a fluidity. To the point of which I didn't actually notice it until the more intense scenes arrived. The ending slow-motion shot is a joy to watch, and it will leave you tearing up as it pans away and the days carry on. The consequences are in place and it's believed to be all back to normal.

It's not the first feature from director [Destin Daniel] Cretton, with his first "I Am Not A Hipster" being how this film reached its funding. You can tell this is truly based from his experiences and it is a passion project for him, the same story being shown once before a short that's now grown its legs. It's a subject that's never been tackled in this manner before and that's what intrigues, but it keeps you sticking around for its rock solid characters and a straight-up heartbreaking tale.

ALL SHE NEEDED WAS SOME: Childish Gambino's "because the internet", the internet-centric concept album...

[Childish] Gambino's sophomore effort past his 2011 is by no means perfect, but its production and all-round charm make it an easily likeable project that most should be able to sink their teeth into. It cements Gambino as a one to look out for due to his ambition alone, this album being a show of things to come with his release later this year, "PHAROS".

"because the internet" spares no time getting into the swing of things, beginning the first of a five act structure with "(I.) crawl". But before you can do that, the ambition needs to sink in: a 76-page screenplay accompanies this album and is expected to be read before you can truly understand the concept that this album has to offer. But before you can read the screenplay you need to experience the prelude to it with his short film "Clapping for the Wrong Reasons". A cumbersome process but one that is necessary as the album's message doesn't stand on its own. This is where the ambition either sinks or swims with you as a listener as the amount of attention required to fully understand what is going on will be off-putting to some.

By all means you can still listen without watching or reading, but don't be surprised if the meaning is a tad lost on you at first, the general jist can still be acquired however. That being an attempt to comment on the social awkwardness surrounding the modern age of the internet. That is where it sadly misses, but its not with highlights to back it up and keep it on both feet. Purely as a piece to enjoy and listen to for its catchy beats, hooks and overall pop sensibility, it's more than adequate. This is seen with the lead single "(V.) 3005" with its sugary hook right off the bat that is sure to stick in your ear for many days to come.

Falling back on the aforementioned "crawl" after much diversion, it shows that while tracks like "3005" are still strong, its when Gambino is at his most aggressive when the best comes out. The sting of the vocal sample throughout and the charged, abrasive delivery of his verses mix together to make a truly memorable track with a real punch. It's more of the same with "(II.) WORLDSTAR", its comments turned onto the (rather depraved) world of WorldStar HipHop, showing the nature of its users, laughing at others misfortune and pain with its interlude towards the end.

What brings the album together in its overall sound are the interlude tracks between each of its acts, particularly "dial up" before the second starts, creating this almost introspective feel as it ties into the main beat of "(I.) the worst guys". This falls back on the more relaxed tone and possibly has one of the most pointless yet great features of a song I've heard in awhile. The instant Chance [The Rapper]'s hook comes in, a smirk is painted onto my face for the rest of the track and it doesn't leave until it's over. "All she needed was some," never clarifying what she needs and that they never gave her what she needed, being the titular "worst guys". Or as some speculation implies, all she needed was some dick, being the worst guys through their arrogance. Both are equally plausible and both are equally ridiculous.

The album's humour shines through on "(IV.) sweatpants" with its main hook as equally hilarious as "the worst guys", a tongue-in-cheek tease to his peers, yeah they've got the pretty aesthetic but are they really delivering, "are you eating though?" It's delivery is played for great comedic effect whilst simultaneously getting shots off. It's an admirable display of confidence, which is what he is at his best as mentioned prior, but with some of the lesser choice cuts on this album, it backfires. In particular with either "flight of the navigator" or "zealots of stockholm", both meandering tracks that may serve purpose with its screenplay, but really ruin the pace built up by the tracks preceding like "3005" and "no exit". "no exit" opens with an urgent, punchy and ever-so-slightly stilted hook that immediately grabs your attention with its eye-opening question: "I'm a murderer, what can I say? ... What does that change?" An exaggerated statement in regards to those he pushes away, "would you still love me if I was a murderer?" He poses. It's a dirty track, showing Gambino's character desperate as there's no escape from his own mind.

It's curious as there is a strong album in here with some filler pulling it down here and there which could easily be pulled for the sake of listening. For the sake of the screenplay, they make sense, and returning to that elephant in the room, is it worth the 'investment' if it were to fully appreciate whats on offer? That's on you to decide. Even though it's tale somewhat falls flat, leaving you with a "so what?" mentality as a result of its inconsequential nature, its ambition has to be lauded as Gambino still attempts to find his niche and hone his craft in both writing and recording. It sets the scene for things to come and with great promise, perhaps some "PHAROS" is all she needed.

BACK TO BASICS: Metronomy's debut, "Pip Paine (Pay The £5,000 You Owe)", one of the most overlooked debut albums?...

This is a rather peculiar one, the first release of the electronic outfit Metronomy. Peculiar in the sense that much like their most recent release "Summer '08", the sole member on either is frontman Joseph Mount. The man himself describes this first project as "the sound of someone living in a musically redundant place trying to make exciting music." Vastly different from anything to come after it, the Metronomy name purely used as a moniker, this may stand as one of the best, if not the best album to date from said moniker.

To many a Metronomy fan, they'll be sure to disagree and that is perfectly understandable. I've enjoyed all of what they've had to offer past this, including the return back to solitude in "Summer '08". But what is so striking about "Pip Paine" in particular is that its influences shine through greatly, all of the tracks purely instrumental and experimental in nature, hitting many of the same notes as Aphex Twin or Kraftwerk.

It's chock full of wonderful tracks with introspective and catchy beats such as the self-assured "This Could Be Beautiful (It Is)", featuring a robotic tune that you can't help but bob your head to. It's peaceful in its own unique way, clearing your head of thoughts as you let it sweep you away. Tracks of this calibre are aplenty here, sure-fire given the place that Mount found himself over the spare years he put this together. Getting an old computer and experimenting with your own projects, taking what you've loved and listened to countless times and paying homage.

It works on multiple levels, either listening to it intently for the first time or as a background supplement whilst being productive (or trying to be). With it being given a few listens now, I can easily start this going in comfort and still find new and interesting aspects to each track that I never noticed prior. What Mount must consider is him just messing around on his dad's old hardware speaks high volumes, creating a set of often overlooked and wonderful electronic tracks that never fail to catch my ear.

There are some songs that stand out more than others such as the aforementioned "Beautiful" or the powerful riff-track "You Could Easily Have Me", but as a whole, it's an experience that's akin to that of an upbeat Boards of Canada. There's not much that can be said other than that this is criminally underrated, even amongst Metronomy fans. Now that Mr. Mount is all alone again on his most recent continuation of his musical baby, it's time to look back and see how it all started. Pay the respects you owe to one of the best debuts out there.

JUMPING ON THE BANDWAGON: "Suicide Squad", as bad as everyone says?...

(Because they lovingly don't allow you to embed the trailer on Blogspot.)

With "Suicide Squad", there's no denying it ain't good. But what the real question is: is it deserving of all of the negative attention that it is currently getting? Is it really on par with the equally infamous, albeit ridiculously titled "Fant4stic" reboot?

God no, as it stands it will never extend beyond mediocre, at least in its current theatrical cut. It's by-the-numbers, confused as to what it actually wants to be, mixing some bizarre and irrelevant sequences which serve the sole purpose of being 'edgy' with the Marvel-esque banter between characters. It's disjointed, but as its happens, there's still some entertaining aspects to enjoy. Will Smith as Deadshot was somewhat surprising, standing as one of the few likeable characters of the squad. The material he's handed isn't exactly gold, especially the obligatory eye-rolling line of reference to the film's title, but his own charm shines through what would have been utterly forgettable if it were handled by another actor, rather than just simply bland.

Referring back in the mean time to the awkward structure, the rumours of the theatrical cut being handled by the house responsible for the film's trailers is very much believable. At times it felt as if I paid to see a feature-length music video, the montages and use of licensed tracks got that out of hand. The whole film is stuffed with licensed tracks, ranging from The Animals' "House of the Rising Sun" to Kanye West's "Black Skinhead". Now, there's no issue with licensing tracks to create a specific tone or believability within a film, but this is ridiculous, perfectly showcasing how this film perceives its audience. Any moment of silence is sure to bore, there has to be music playing at a constant to keep their attention grasped! The use of silence or lack of sound can have a powerful effect, be it either a chance to grab a breather or ratchet up the tension, it would ultimately cause these outbursts of music to be much more impactful and not become just another montage. An exercise of restraint places faith into the audience to have even the slightest amount of intelligence, but instead it opts for stupidity and excess.

The holes to be found in the plot are certainly plentiful as the first act scrambles to get the characters formed before it throws them against the next giant blue beam in the sky. This time in the form of an enchantress attempting to take over the planet. I've never heard of that one before. It's wackiness in the beginning seems entertaining enough initially before it eventually just goes in one ear and out the other. By the time it changes gears, the damage has already been made. It falls into place with so many other superhero movies, the squad team up and face a climactic fight against the evil force responsible for the film's conflict. It gets the job done, but utterly forgettable. Passable, that is, if you play devil's advocate and choose not to pick it apart. (But why should you really?)

The cast is the main reason there was any semblance of fun to be had with this film, in addition to Will Smith's charm there is Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. She does a pretty great job embodying the character, fitting the role pretty perfectly. (A reason to look forward to a Harley Quinn spin-off in the hopefully near future.) Joel Kinnaman is your generic army man and Jai Courtney, bless him, has been swept off to the side, simply there to provide some completely unnecessary and often ham-fisted comic relief. That's because an Australian handy with a boomerang is good enough to take down an ungodly supernatural force capable of destroying human-kind. Maybe one day he can finally happen. They really should have stopped after "Terminator: Genisys", to be perfectly honest.

Now, there are plenty of issues to be found in "Suicide Squad" to continue to babble on about and it is most certainly a product of excessive studio meddling, contrary to what director David Ayer has been saying. Pulling a Josh Trank can only cause your career to go downhill and frankly, who can blame him? All we can hope is for the inevitable 'extended cut' to come along and hopefully restore some clarity. Or to prove that this film may have and forever will be a bit of a turkey. It's mediocre. Yes. On par with "Pixels"? I'll let you be the judge.

ALL THE CLOCKS GIVE IN: Elbow's "Cast of Thousands", lost in the back catalogue...

Elbow has a pretty esteemed career spanning many albums and many years alike, granted mainstream success with their direction change in "The Seldom Seen Kid" on the back of their lead single "One Day Like This". With a band such as this, its worth to take a look back through their older releases as that is where their best material may lie, as proven by the wonderful compilation "dead in the boot", showing that even their b-sides have more than enough merit.

"Cast of Thousands" is one such album, building upon the promise of their debut, its a worthy successor with the benefit of hindsight and time to further refine their sound. This culminates in some of their most heartfelt tracks to date, such as the wonderfully sombre "Switching Off", discussing the idea of what your last memory would be on the brink of death. Comparatively to a device, being switched off. "I choose my final scene today," [Guy] Garvey poses as one of the tracks final lines. It's a premise that may have been approached in music preceding, but it has never seen such execution. Garvey's voice perfectly complements the angelic backing, standing as one of the album's peak moments.

Rewinding back a few tracks, the opener "Ribcage" has a similar tone but with a bit more of a bite to it. How it feels to finally let any shame built up to be finally exposed. It sets the stage for the kind of themes to expect, its climax purely epic as the choir pipes up on the central lyric: "Let the sun inside." This continues with the equally theatrical "Fallen Angel" and "Fugitive Motel", bringing sweeping instruments to the forefront as Garvey's unique presence takes hold.

It comes to a bizarre halt as "Snooks (Progress Report)" comes in with its thumping drumbeat looming ever over you throughout the tracks runtime and an urgent scream runs amuck. As the title suggests its a track of progress, catching up with friends and all is fine, but they've all moved on and the drunkard is alone under the "absurd" moon. It doesn't hurt. Merely an issue of stilted progress. It's message may be on the straight and narrow but it's unique instrumentation pulls it back, standing as one of the more memorable tracks alongside "Switching Off".

The delightfully titled "Crawling With Idiot", chronicles the everyday life of being surrounded by what the titular idiots, locking eyes with a complete stranger who seems just that little bit different. A murky track, matching its subject matter in its backing of a sleazy one night stand. It isn't serious, "I just need arms tonight." It slows further as it all blends together, almost mirroring what could be the narrator's drunken state.

This is before it builds into the glimmer of hope that is "Grace Under Pressure", a 5-minute crescendo that doesn't hold back. There's still an optimistic outlook: "We still believe in love, so fuck you." Nothing can bring you down when love is on your side. It's a delightful track, heavenly in nature as its lyrics are. It snaps your attention back into place before it even has a chance to even lose it.

"Cast of Thousands" stands as a unique flicker in Elbow's discography, lost in their back catalogue due to its fortuitous nature, but once it's cracked and you finally get into it, it becomes one of their most rewarding releases to date. Just stick with it, it may seem insignificant or directionless at first, but the rewards will be reaped. 

PLEASE SET YOUR MONITOR TO 16x9: "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (thoughts & review blahblahblah), Wes Anderson's best?

Wes Anderson is a director that continues to perfect his unique style and approach to film with each succeeding release, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" being no different.

The first and most potent aspect of the film is its visual appeal. This is frankly a gorgeous movie with lots of meticulous care and attention poured into each shot, proven with precise camera movements and consistent adherence to the rule of thirds as symmetrical shots are plastered all throughout. The use of aspect ratio to give an instant recognition as to which time period is currently present is great, an eventually subtle tool once the initially jarring swaps between said ratios becomes the norm. It's not some gimmick or change in camera equipment, (such as the swap between IMAX and regular film stock in "The Dark Knight Rises") it is key to the film's flow and overall aesthetic, not having to reiterate which period is which on a constant basis. You can just tell by looking at the size of the frame. A meticulous director showing his creative prowess once more, with the OCD nature of each of the individual shots giving it an almost fantasy feel, a whimsical emotion only ever felt in a Wes Anderson movie. Huge credit must go to frequent Anderson collaborator Robert Yeoman, the cinematography on display here is damn near perfection, a shame given that it was up against "Birdman" in the same year of release.

The cast is an ensemble of well-known and respected faces in addition the familiar Anderson regulars who may also fall in the previous category. Ranging from Jude Law and F. Murray Abraham to Jeff Goldblum and Bill Murray, it definitely has the right to call itself an all-star billing. The most notable character of Monsieur Gustave H. is played by the esteemed Ralph Fiennes, perfect for the role, I couldn't imagine the character any other way. The same goes for any of the cast, they compliment their roles and the star power afforded by this movie is a major strength whilst also going to show how much respect Anderson has generated over the course of his filmography.

It's plot is seemingly convoluted, intentionally so, taking place as a story within a story within a story within a story. The rabbit hole keeps going deeper as a different perspective comes into play, an author recounting his visitation of the great Gustave H. which in turn includes his own account with several minor subplots that branch off from it. It adds to its whimsy due to it being passed through multiple narrators, creating doubt as it continues, there always being the possibility of the story being distorted by unreliable narrators and their memories falter. A 'Chinese whisper' effect of sorts. It takes a darker turn than what is initially expected as the framing of murder sets a backdrop for many more to come, tackling some pretty sensitive subjects throughout whilst still maintaining a lighter tone. It's unique in that it can still maintain this said whimsical style and tone whilst plunging into some thought-provoking subjects.

The soundtrack compliments the surrounding film in a way that feels organic to its technique, using some plucky strings and even a Russian balalaika in addition to other bizarre instruments to create its own original feel that only this film could achieve. Alexandre Desplat continues his already strong line of work, some previously with Anderson, proving that he is one of the most influential film composers currently working, his scores featured on countless films.

As it stands, Wes Anderson is a filmmaker with a very distinct vision, he knows what he wants with each of his projects as he continues to hone his craft. This film is the best he has to offer, until the next time he delivers, hopefully. This may not be your favourite in his esteemed library, (*cough* "Life Aquatic" *cough*) but regardless, I would classify this as a must-watch if you have even a passing interest in movies or are more interested to see a filmmaker at work.

THE NIGHT JOSH (NIXON) CAME TO OUR APT.: "I Love You, Honeybear" and his new single, "Real Love Baby"...

Upon first glance, "I Love You, Honeybear" seems nothing more than a fleeting folk rock act, to which is instantly relieved as the title track kicks in and sweeps you off your feet. Instead, it's a concept album. About who? Himself [Josh Tillman], dealing with his personal life and as he put it: "engaging in all manner of regrettable behaviour."

Contradictory is one of the words that springs to mind when I think of this album, a beautiful, almost whimsical backing with lyrics that showcase Tillman's cynical nature and dry humour, a notable exchange coming from my favourite cut of the album "The Night Josh Tillman Came To Our Apt." The track opens with a poke at those certain people who throws 'literally' into way more sentences it than it should, (certain people we all know) the only response being a sarcastic retort: "Well, it's literally not that." The same goes back at the beginning with the title track, ranging from part-autobiography about his wife or 'honeybear' to straight up satire, the use of 'honeybear' being a joke in and of itself. That is what is so wonderful about this album, the humour being there for only those who want it. "I Love You, Honeybear" could serve as yet another feel-bad tale of unrequited love if you want it to, but pay attention and a whole new layer opens up for repeat listens to take advantage of.

That aside for the time being, the sound that this album adopts is quite unlike any other folk rocker in recent memory. Strings, trumpets and all-kinds of arrangements are used throughout as Tillman's voice calls for your attention. This sprawling style takes an electronic turn on the early "True Affection", oddly one of the most straightforward tracks on the album, commenting on society's turn towards technology (matching the change in tone) and how it leads to emotional frustration. "When can we talk? With the face? Instead of using all these strange devices?", Tillman pleas.

Next in the track listing is the aforementioned 'notable exchange', opening with a sweet guitar riff, maintaining a similar tone throughout its run time as he, Josh Tillman, referring to himself in the third-person, tears a past lover, who is certainly not his 'honeybear' to shreds. "The malaprops make [him] wanna fucking scream," he says, and is frankly well-put. It could serve as a parody of himself as it further unravels, third-person and all, as almost all of his thoughts reflect back onto him, showing his true colours. He is only as bad as what he is saying. That or, it is really as bad as it seems. Begs for choking could only be obliged.

"When You're Smiling and Astride Me" is the closest you're ever gonna get to a sentimental narrative on not just only this album, but with Tillman's entire line of work, serving as another ode to his wife. The opening vocal gets you humming along, truly sugary in its nature and one of the truly touching moments of the album. This almost-sentimental theme is continued on the final track, "I Went To The Store One Day", also written about his wife and how they originally met in a store naturally.

One things for certain amongst all tracks: such a high standard is set amongst them that it is near impossible to fault for what they strive to achieve. Conceptually, it's pretty damn near flawless in critiquing his very own flaws. Be it harshly insulting a past lover to wildly praising his current, it is what it is. Josh Tillman, take it or leave it. "I can hardly believe I've found you and I'm terrified by that," as Tillman thinks about his 'honeybear'.

Alongside this comes "Real Love Baby", a wonderful little single that continues much of the same style that is found on "Honeybear", reverb fully intact. Satire takes a backseat however as an air of humbleness is found, as he's learned to surrender his love to his significant other. He's the flower and his wife is the bee. It's a matter of compromise and that's perfectly okay. It's honesty is bolstered by a soothing tune, especially in its outro as the chorus is burned into your ears, straightforward and heartfelt in a manner that you never thought he could show without cracking a joke.