Headphones: Mandatory Fun with Pharrell and Bon Iver {MotH Magazine}

{Originally appeared in Man of the Hour Magazine on July 30th, 2014}

2014 hasn’t really been the best summer for mainstream music. Let’s face it, most radio stations are still stuffing the airways with “Royals” and “Get Lucky” (or, if you’re NPR, St. Vincent, which is perfectly fine by us). But while bleach blonde Iggy Azalea tries to claim she’s “the realest” whilst co-opting other cultures, some hits are to be had and history has been made. So tune out the pop playlists and plug in to headphones.

Album: Mandatory Fun by “Weird Al” Yankovic

Yes, admittedly, it seems odd to highlight a parody artist as the Album of the Week here at Man of the Hour. Yet, there are far too many people who want to rope of styles or genres as what a “real man” should or shouldn’t listen to, forgetting the key to what makes a “real man”: a real man is a man of refined taste, yes, but the taste is still his own. He is one who seeks our what is significant, and who enjoys that which is good, regardless of the stigma. Mandatory Fun made history in its debut week by being the first comedy album in over 50 years to reach the top of the Billboard charts (the previous chart-topper was another parody album, Allan Sherman’s My Son, The Nut), so it’s clearly got the “important” element going for it. Now the question remains, is it good?

Mandatory Fun, Yankovic’s final album under his record contract and possibly his final album altogether, uses its title and artwork to skewer the current hot-button issues of North Korea and Russia’s oppressive regimes, continuing a trend of topical album titles (1992’s Off The Deep End tackled the grunge era in replicating the infamous Nevermind album cover, while 2003’s Poodle Hat reflected the early 2000’s trend of animal headgear). Admittedly, certain tracks on Fun don’t feel quite as timely, with a riff on Imagine Dragons falling flat mostly due to the song’s popularity having waned long ago. Hell, some tracks on “Now That’s What I Call Polka” (Yankovic’s traditional polka medley of popular songs) date back 4 years. But despite a few stumbles, “Weird Al” has put together a generally solid album which, combined with a genius marketing strategy, has given him the biggest success of his career.

The album opens with “Handy”, a home-repair themed riff on hip-hop plague Iggy Azalea’s hit “Fancy”, which in pairing with the grammar based lyrics of “Word Crimes” (originally “Blurred Lines” affords the listener the unique opportunity to enjoy terrific musical compositions no longer marred by lyrics that were either predatory or painfully tacky. Tackiness itself is even tackled on the album with a parody of the inescapable “Happy” by Pharrell Williams (who has a total of three compositional credits on Mandatory Fun), as is a conspiratorial riff on “Royals” which makes much better us of the lyrics about “cracking the code”.

Amongst the parodies are some original compositions in pastiche tributes to other artists whose humor varies from the brilliant nerd-forced-to-watch-football anthem “Sports Song” to the “Alright, I see what you wanted to do there, but it didn’t really land” Cat Stevens homage “Jackson Park Express”. Other tributes include a Crosby, Stills & Nash-style ode to the buzz word, a Pixies spoof called “First World Problems”, a fun shout out to the obscure Southern Culture on the Skids with “Lame Claim to Fame”, and an admittedly forgettable and bland riff on The Foo Fighters whose faults only exists because the Foo Fighters themselves are precisely that bland and forgettable (sure, they’re the best rock band today, but that’s like being the best quarterback at a performing arts school: it’s not hard, and it doesn’t mean much).

Overall, Mandatory Fun is sonically entertaining and humorous enough to warrant Al’s chart-topping success, and will get you through more than a few car trips during this radio dry spell, so pick up a copy and maybe keep Jason Mraz out of the top spot for another week.

Single: "Heavenly Father" by Bon Iver

Zach Braff is back with another film, ten years after the game-changing Garden State redefined indie films (admittedly, redefined them as feature length ads for compilation albums, but hey, Garden State itself still holds up), and that means another stellar soundtrack. The most memorable of all the songs that went intoWish I Was Here comes from a contemporary musician who truly deserves the title of “artist”, Bon Iver. Indie without the pretention, electronic without the pounding beat, “Heavenly Father” is hard to categorize but easy to get lost in. Admittedly, Bon Iver’s signature lilting falsetto doesn’t get much air-time on the track, which robs it of some of the emotional power possessed by his other material (his Bonnie Raitt cover remains the definitive take on the track), but this mellow, introspective vibe sells the story that Braff Kickstarted to life.

Music Videos:

Electronica: “Do It Again” by Royksopp & Robyn

Admittedly, after a few viewings, we’re still not sure what the story is in the new Royskopp & Robyn video, but with its striking visuals and gorgeous monochrome cinematography, we don’t mind giving it a few more viewings to find out.

Hip-Hop: “Shell Shocked” by Juicy J, Wiz Khalifa, Ty Dolla $ign ft. Kill The Noice, Madsonik

Ok, normally here at Headphones like to find the finer things the music video world has to offer, highlighting only the best music videos out there. But sometimes, there’s the rare occasion that something isn’t meant to be enjoyed, but simply meant to be seen. To be witnessed. When something comes along that may easily be the worst thing to happen to hip-hop since, well, Vanilla Ice’s “Ninja Rap”, its something that has to be covered. Honestly, if the lyric “All this green in my pocket, you can call it turtle power” doesn’t prove to be the dumbest thing associated with this film, then one can only assume the entire endeavor is a performance art PSA about the dangers of over-indulging nostalgia.

Pop: “The Golden Age” by Woodkid ft. Max Richter

In truth, we didn’t quite know where to put this, and pop simply seemed the best option, but when something so epic and remarkable hits the internet, it simply has to be remarked upon. Stunning and ambitious, the images within this 10 minute music video are hauntingly beautiful, and resonate well after the track fades away. If there’s one must view video this week, or even this month, this is it.

R&B: “Come Get It Bae” by Pharrell Williams

You’re not alone if it took watching this video to find out Miley Cyrus was one of the “Hey”s in Pharrell Williams’ infectiously catchy new single. The video, which features attractive women dancing, shaking and lip-synching to the track, is simplistic but serves the song well (and kinda makes up for the fact that “Happy” is now forever burned into our brains).

Rock: “Royal Blue” by The American Scene

With their new album Haze dropping in a little over a month, The American Scene released a video for “Royal Blue” which harkens back to the classic low-budget videos of the 90’s, reminding us of a time where indie rock still, well, rocked.

The Buzz: Snit, Purge, and Archer {MotH Original}

{Originally appeared in Man of the Hour Magazine on July 26th, 2014}

Another week into summer, and things are heating up. Blockbusters vie for the “top Earner” title, the Emmy race is kicking into high gear, and Comic Con is on the horizon bearing all kinds of revelations and teasers (like an Ant-Man poster). But before the Galaxy gets guarded or we meet any Dames To Kill For, lets take a look at some smaller flicks, take another trip into TV’s finest, and review a classic cartoon in this week’s Buzz.

Movies: With some films, you expect something, and get something completely different. Sometimes a good different, other times a bad different. Other times, a film simply meets your expectations, however high or low they were. Yet, there’s that rare, special case wherein you expect absolutely nothing, and get very pleasantly surprised. For those unfamiliar with that feel in, I suggest closing your laptop right now and feeling the sensation for yourself by buying a ticket for The Purge: Anarchy.

The original Purge presented a premise so intriguing that the eventual letdown that was the actual Ethan Hawke anchored flick hurt. It was like of Dorothy landed in Oz, but we spent the whole time in the crashed cabin, only to spy a stray munchkin in the window. For those unaware, The Purge straddled the line between 80’s pulp and horror premise by setting its story in a future pseudo-utopian America, wherein the New Founding Fathers have reduced crime and poverty by the introduction of a “purge”; one day where all crime is legal. What could have been a thrilling adventure/survival story set in a city ripped apart by legalized chaos quickly became a low-budget home invasion horror flick. Disappointed and frustrated at a wasted premise, no one had high hopes for the surprisingly green lit sequel.

Then the trailer hit. And it hit hard. This wasn’t another one-setting spook-fest. This hardly seemed horror at all. The trailers played like an eerie action film, opening the world in a manner so thrilling it calls to mind when Rocksteady took Batman out of the Asylum and into the City. Some critics were already proclaiming the film was going to “make good on the promise of the first. Some even felt this film, with its brooding, gun-toting protagonist played by Frank Grillo (Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier), was going to be “the Punisher movie we deserved”. Yet, while not to suggest the film didn’t make good on those expectations, it did something far more impressive to make it worthy of even the most cynical cinephile.

It become clear early on, as an overhead shot gazes down on the ruined car of our then unnamed hero, who bangs on the hood in anger, that this is the film James DeMonaco really wanted to make even when he was filming the first Purge. Unlike its predecessor, this film is ambitious. It’s smart as a whip, and defies expectations at every turn, playing up cues and cliches only to pull the rug from beneath you. Yet, it also becomes clear that The Purge: Anarchy also isn’t a film James DeMonaco wanted to make at all, insofar as he’s clearly making the film he wished he’d had to watch as a kid, on a worn out VHS tape, with a faded box depicting an anophthalmic Kurt Russell under the banner “A John Carpenter Film”.

From the shot choices, to the lighting, to even the score, The Purge: Anarchy is the third Escape From New York film we never got. It’s pure 80’s pulp cinema, infused with a modern sensibility, knowing its roots without ever playing on style or nostalgia (something which cannot be said for the critically fellated, painfully overrated Drive). Frank Grillo’s hero has the silent swagger of Snake Plissken, and in his moments of fury or frustration, one can almost here the lines Russell would have barked out in place of Grillo’s stoicism.

The world is built to brilliant heights, unlocking all of the potential of the previous Purge while still leaving so much to do. Elements are introduced which ca form the foundation for a formidable franchise, and with such an adeptly handled re-introduction to the world, viewers are bound to want to come back for more. So go ahead. Buy your ticket. Take the ride. Set the bar high, even. You still won’t be disappointed.

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Looking for something a little less murder-y? The girlfriend getting fed up with blockbuster action and sadistic slashers? Well, its that magical time of year again, when the unceasing movie machine that is Woody Allen churns out his annual entry to his filmography. Little throwaway scripts, essentially excuses for Woody to keep busy and travel, that any other filmmaker couldn’t replicate on his best day. Allen is a natural writer/director, and the films seem to roll of his tongue and onto the screen as little blips of sheer perfection, and the delightful Magic in the Moonlight is no exception. Colin Firth and Emma Stone are brilliantly plucky, and Allen’s typical aura of old school Hollywood joy is on display again. Likely a lock for a screenplay nomination this year, we highly recommend calling up your best gal, putting on a nice tie, and soaking in a little Magic in the Moonlight.

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Emmy Catch-Up

Every week, we here at Man of the Hour will catch you up on one show in each of the major Emmy categories: Drama, Comedy, Miniseries, Movie, Variety and Animation (find our first part here). We’ll tell you what it’s about, what it’s up for, where to catch up and even pick a highlight from the season (which is of course fairly spoilerific, so perhaps avoid clicking play if you haven’t seen the show).

Drama: Mad Men

What is it: The long-running drama (now in its seventh and final season) has followed one ad man (and the people around him) from the election of JFK to the moon landing, careful to not once feed into the baby boomer’s idealized 60’s memories, instead crafting a character study unlike any other, which utilizes the history of America as a metaphor for one man’s life, and vice-versa, weaving an intricate web of angst and imagery that cuts to the core of the viewer and tackles the complexity of man himself. This season saw Don Draper at his worst, having (SPOILERS) been let go from the firm he started (technically on paid leave), slowly climbing his way back to the top. It was a season rife with memorable moments, cinematic homages, and powerful dialogue, proving once more why the show is widely considered the greatest of all time (and a winner of four previous trophies in the Best Drama category).

What Else is it up for: Mad Men is up for a total of 8 Emmys this year, including Best Actor (Jon Hamm), Best Supporting Actress (Christina Hendricks) and Best Guest Actor (Robert Morse).

Where to catch up: The first six seasons are available for streaming on Netflix and on DVD, the most recent can be purchase on Amazon or iTunes

Best Scene: While the season premiere had two brilliant musical moments (Don’s arrival in L.A. and his breakdown at the end), the most touching scene, perhaps in Mad Men’s history, was when a half-drunk Don hears the voice of his spiritual brother Frank Sinatra on the radio, declaring that he isn’t down for the count like his peers expected, and Don’s outstretched hand invites Peggy to dance. Sweet, sincere, and a reminder that a show doesn’t need some big mystery, just characters you grow to care for.

Comedy: Silicon Valley

What is it: The most surprising nominee in a very weak category, Silicon Valley comes from the mind of Mike Judge (Office Space, King of the Hill), and follows five young techies as they navigate the complex world of Silicon Valley in an attempt to monetize a program Richard Hendriks (the overwhelmingly uninteresting protagonist played by Thomas Middleditch), while living under the roof (or as its dubbed, “incubator” of TJ Miller’s Erlich Bachman, who provides the comic relief in this supposed comedy.

What else is it up for: Silicon Valley is up for 5 Emmys in this, its first year, including Best Writing, Best Directing and of course Best Comedy Series.

Where to catch up: HBO GO has the entire first season available for streaming.

Best scene: This rocky first season yielded two highlights, one of which consisted entirely of TJ Miller shouting at a child (admittedly, it was hilarious). The other was an example of what The Big Bang Theorywould be if the boys were on the Home Box Office. Click play and see why (Warning: strong language)

Miniseries: Bonnie & Clyde

What is it: The infamous outlaws saw interest revived in them in the 60’s with Arthur Penn’s Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway starring biopic, which took huge liberties with the legendary outlaws’ story. A&E endeavored to set things right with this two part miniseries depicting the famed duo from first meeting to their final bloody stop on the wild ride of their lives.

What else is it up for: Bonnie and Clyde is up for 4 Emmys, including Hairstyling, Makeup and Sound Editing.

Where to catch up: The two part miniseries has been combined into a three hour film available for streaming on Netflix

Best moment: The beautifully shot, and finally historically accurate, final moments of Bonnie and Clyde, exchanging a knowing look before being riddled with bullets.

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Movie: Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight

What is it: This HBO film dramatizes the Supreme Court hearing on Muhammad Ali, who famously refused to be drafted on the grounds that he was a Muslim, and his religion forbid fighting in any wars unless ordained by God. The film cuts between historical footage of Ali at the time and reenactments of the moments in the justice chambers, with the primary figures being played by Frank Langella and Christopher Plummer.

What else is it up for: Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight is up for two Emmys, one for Directing and one for Best Television Movie

Where to catch up: The film is available for streaming on HBO GO

Best Scene: The interplay between Christopher Plummer’s John Marshall Harlan and his protege light up the screen and demonstrate Plummer’s ability to own any scene he’s in.

Variety: The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

What is it: After a long while, The Tonight Show is back, and not just back in New York. During Jay Leno’s first and second reign, the show became an outdated shell of its former self, only watched by true loyalists and viewers still unaware anything existed beyond what was once Johnny Carson’s radiant throne. But the once-fidgety Fallon kicked off a New York-based debut season with an electrifying rooftop set from U2, a brilliantly funny dance-off with Will Smith, and a sincere introduction of he and his crew, instantly endearing himself to wary viewers. Since then, the Tonight Show reclaimed its title as the must see late night show, and one of the most exciting new programs on television (despite being one of TV’s oldest institutions). His sketches and jokes consistently land, and he’s become the most viral talk show in the game. He’s reclaimed a great legacy, and while he may not match the King, he’s certainly doing him proud.

What else is it up for: The Tonight Show is up for 4 Emmys (Writing, Directing, Lighting and Variety Program) and its Digital Experience is up for Best Interactive Program.

Where to catch up: Select episodes are available on Hulu, and the Tonight show airs Mondays through Fridays on NBC at 11:30pm e.t.

Best scene: The “Lip-Synch Battle” is a skit carried over from Fallon’s previous gig, Late Night, but Emma Stone’s brilliant performance made it an instant Tonight Show staple, and revived interest in the 90’s relic Blues Traveler (Warning: the song will get stuck in your head).

Animated: Archer

What is it: FX’s long running spy comedy from the creator of Sealab 2021 plays like The Man From U.N.C.L.E. meets The Office, where interpersonal disputes and obscene tirades take the place of any actual action. This season took a bold step in a different direction, stripping the crew of their spy organization, ISIS, and leaving them with nothing…except millions of dollars worth of cocaine. Thus the season was unofficially dubbed Archer Vice, and pulled an at-that-point unheard of 360, scrapping all its set pieces in favor of Nicaraguan landscapes and Hawaiian shirts. A guest appearance from Kenny Loggins (or as he asks to be called on the show, K-Logs) gave us one of the funniest episodes of television this year, and an extended tribute to American cult classic Smokey and the Bandit (complete with Cheryl’s country-singer alter-ego Cherlene performing “Eastbound and Down” endeared the show even further to fans of pop-culture worship and sefl-aware humor.

What else is it up for: This is the only nomination for Archer this year (in the words of Sterling Archer: Whomp whomp)

Where to catch up: All but the current season are available for streaming on Netflix

Best scene: To pick one moment from the brilliant “Southbound and Down” is impossible, but this teaser gives a perfect taste to Archer’s brilliant and unique humor, with the titular hero in full Burt Reynolds garb, lamenting his lack of firearm.

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News: It’s been fairly quiet in terms of ol’ Tinsletown, with all the major news being kept under wraps until this weekend’s San Diego Comic Con comes to a close. The biggest story? The Simpsons making history by putting theirs on display. After FXX (FX’s new comedy-only channel) concludes its gargantuan marathon, wherein they will run every episode of The Simpsons, in chronological order, 24 hours a day until completion, the entire series will be made available for streaming online via a new app called FXNow (similar to HBO Go or Showtime Anytime, requiring only a cable subscription to stream content for free). The marathon’s runtime and the sheer amount of episodes which will soon be made available is record breaking, as the show is entering its 26th season, and it shows no sign of stopping. Well, except in the case of the upcoming series premiere, entitled “Clown in the Dumps”, which showrunner Al Jean teased contains the death of a significant character.

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Short Film: This week’s short is one of the most esteemed in the world of underground animation, from beloved auteur Richard Condie. The film received awards from 17 different festivals, including a Grand Prize from the Montreal World Film Festival. It was also a nominee for Best Animated Short at the Academy Awards, and its not hard to see why.

There’s so much one can extrapolate from Condie’s unique view of humanity. His distorted take on (what we assume is) marital life leaves so much to be pulled apart and examined once the laughter subsides. The absurdity of the shaking eyes or “Sawing for Teens” have real life parallelsin every relationship, but are unique to each viewer. In the broader sense, of course, The Big Snit examines how insignificant little spats are in the face of an apocalypse, or indeed demonstrates how the very opposite is true. It’s final line, “Gee, it’s days like this that you don’t feel like doing anything“, stands as Condie’s definitive statement on humanity, but he leaves it up to the viewer to decipher what that statement is, and with every viewing, the answer changes. The Big Snit grows on you, weeks and months after first viewing, and it also grows with you every time you go back to it.

Literature for Life - The Classics: A Raisin in the Sun {MotH Original}

{Originally appeared in Man of the Hour Magazine on July 23rd, 2014}

“You tired, ain’t you? Tired of everything. Me, the boy, the way we live – this beat-up hole – everything. Ain’t you? So tired – moaning and groaning all the time, but you wouldn’t do nothing to help, would you? You couldn’t be on my side that long for nothing, could you?” -Walter, Act 1 Scene 1

“Lena, something is happening between Walter and me. I don’t know what it is – but he needs something – something I can’t give him anymore. He needs this chance.” -Ruth, Act 1 Scene 1

“…Big Walter used to say, he’d get right wet in the eyes sometimes, lean his head back with the water standing in his eyes and say, "Seem like God didn’t see fit to give the black man nothing but dreams – but He did give us children to make them dreams seem worth while.” -Mama, Act 1 Scene 1

What defines a man? Is it the things he owns, the money, the property to his name? Is it his heritage, the roots from which were forged his culture? The family that raised him, and that which he raised around himself? Is it the dreams he has, the goals and hopes he boasts in barrooms and buries in the pit of his soul? The pride which guides his choices? Or is it the suffering he endures, through circumstance and sacrifice, that shapes him?

It has been the goal of literary-minded men throughout history to answer this question, each positing one theory or another, be it the “man is his pride and grace under pressure” philosophy of Hemingway or the exploration of a man as defined by his property in F. Scott Fitzgerrald’s The Great Gatsby. Yet, it was a woman who, in 1956, proved that a man is a sum of all these qualities, that they are what define him, they are at times what destroy him, and they are what exalt him; and in doing so crafted an enduring classic of the stage which rings as relevant and true today as it did when the great Sidney Poitier and Ruby Dee first spoke their lines.

To several critics at the time, A Raisin in the Sun “worked” because “it was about family. It didn’t need to be about Negroes at all”. Others saw Walter Younger as the black equivalent to Tennessee Williams’ tragic Willy Loman. Still others saw it as a rallying cry for racial pride. Indeed, the play is all of these and still more. At its core, A Raisin in the Sun is a play that resonates with all men because it deals with heritage. It shows a man in that eternal struggle between what he feels he should be and should want and what he is and has already.

A Raisin in the Sun is essential reading for any man, was Walter Younger is every man, or almost that. What is essential to Walter Younger’s character is not that he is black (indeed, not once in the play does he define himself as a black man until Karl Lindner makes it clear he sees Walter as nothing but), it’s that he is an oppressed man. He is a character held back in his own time, and weighed down by a history, a lineage of suppression and oppression that his forefathers endured and finally rose above. It is this legacy that tortures him (Mama responds to Walter’s drunken frustration at his lot in life by saying “My husband always said being any kind of a servant wasn’t a fit thing for a man to have to be. He always said a man’s hands was made to make things, or to turn the earth with – not to drive nobody’s car for ‘em – or – carry they slop jars. And my boy is just like him – he wasn’t meant to wait on nobody.”;); it is this legacy that spurs him in his desire to achieve the “American Dream”, to provide for his family, leading him into foolhardy schemes with untrustworthy characters. It is this legacy that causes him first to swallow his pride and to accept the money Lindner offers to keep the Youngers out of the all-white neighborhood, and it is this legacy that allows him to finally turn down the money, bringing a tear to his mother’s eye and honoring his father (and in a way, all of his ancestors), by telling Lindner the story of his family, concluding it with “This is my son, and he makes the sixth generation of our family in this country. And we have all thought about your offer, and we have decided to move into our house because my father – my father – he earned it for us brick by brick.”

To open Lorraine Hansberry’s masterwork is a delight, not just for it’s near poetic stage directions (while most plays settle for “There is a chair, a carpet, and lights”, Hansberry lovingly sets the scene with descriptions like “Still, we can see that at some time, a time probably no longer remembered by the family (except perhaps for MAMA), the furnishings of this room were actually selected with care and love and even hope – and brought to this apartment and arranged with taste and pride.”;), but its timeless and topical subject matter. Within its 100 or so pages, the play touches on abortion, inter-generational conflicts, religion and atheism, familial disputes and assimilation v. racial pride. Mama, Ruth and Beneatha are all characters so equally complex to Walter that whole novels could be written about them and their inner-struggles (indeed, the play is so sub textually rich that an entirely new play entitled Clybourne Park was crafted which told the story of the unseen prior owners of the house the Youngers bought), yet for the modern man it is both Walter and his late father who are the most resonant.

Though he’s never seen in the play, as it is his death which brings about the fateful check that is the catalyst of all that would unfold, Big Walter is present throughout, both in Mama’s moment of grief (whose true cause is never spoken aloud) during the otherwise joyous moment of the check’s arrival; and through his son’s actions. Walter’s desperation to make a better life for his son in even the most minor way, as evidenced by his scrounging of another 50 cents so that his son can take a taxi cab to school, echoes his father’s sentiment of children making dreams seem worthwhile. And indeed it is the evocation of his father’s spirit which imbues Walter with the courage to shun Lindner’s money, and to lead his family headstrong and joyous into the fearful, hopeful unknown.

A Raisin in the Sun stands as a landmark of American theatre, of African American literature, and may very well be the greatest piece of American playwriting ever produced. Evocative and eternal, the struggle of Walter Younger will always have a place in the American spirit, and deserves a place on every man’s bookshelf.

The Buzz: Apes, Scanners, and Sins of the Father {MotH Original}

{Originally appeared in Man of the Hour Magazine on July 19th, 2014}

We’re officially halfway through the season, and it seems like every other day, a new film becomes “The Highest Grossing Film of the Summer”. It’s Captain America 2, no wait X-Men, no, Transformers, etc. But have we finally found the best movie of the summer? Scroll down for that, plus a new Blu-Ray to add to your collection, a new TV show from the mad genius Guillermo Del Toro, the latest news and a review of this week’s short. And seeing as how the Emmy’s are only 6 weeks away, we’re going to begin a bit of Emmys catch-up for those who want to be in the know, giving you the down-low on a nominee in each major category every week until the big night. So let’s delay no further, it’s time for this week’s Buzz.

Movies: In this modern world of web-based journalists and critic aggregation sites, film critics can be placed into one of two columns: film scholars or film fans. The scholars tend to relish in the art of filmmaking, its ability to provoke thought, to evoke catharsis and introspection. They raise the names of auteurs like Tarkovsky and Bergman, and bemoan the death of cinema at the hands of CGI, or superheroes, or whatever’s popular now before its critical reevaluation in 20 years makes it “brilliant”. The film fan, on the other hand, embraces the escapism in cinema, praises the blockbuster, and shuns anything with subtitles and without spurts of blood. The two are perpetually at odds, and to each there is a season: The summer yields the countless blockbusters that draw the scholar’s ire, and the prestige autumn releases have such a dearth of destruction as to put the film fan in a state of hibernation. Rarely can any film ever unite the two, and even more rarely when its a franchise blockbuster (cinematic cancer in most critics eyes). Yet, after a rocky reboot resulted in tepid expectations, it appears we may not have just seen the best film of the summer, but the dawn of science fiction’s return to form.

It’s been described as a blockbuster for people who don’t like blockbusters, but that’s selling the film short. It’s also a fantastic blockbuster for people who do. Instead, the key is that Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the first film in the franchise since 1969 to not try to have something to say. The film isn’t focused on being a part of the franchise (like the gradually more painful 70’s sequels), nor trying to cram countless references to the classic (like Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ painful “damn dirty ape” homage that nearly killed Andy Circus’ brilliant response of “No!”;), nor…well…whatever Tim Burton did that he thought was a good idea at the time. What made the original Planet of the Apes so good, so poignant, was its intention. It didn’t set out to thrill (though it did), it didn’t exist to set up a franchise (though clearly it did), it wanted to make a statement. It created a horrifying world where humans were hunted and ruled over by apes, a twisted madhouse from which Charlton Heston’s famous George Taylor is desperate to escape, finally fleeing horseback on the beach to discover what has become one of the most iconic images in cinema: the sunken Statue of Liberty in the sand. That was it. No post-credits sting, no teaser for the next film, no cameo appearance from Robert Gunner’s John Landon toting guns in a tank saying “Time to take back our planet” while AC/DC blasts and credits scroll. Nothing hopeful. Nothing looking forward. Just the cold dead eyes of Lady Liberty asking a Cold War ravaged world to look at themselves in the mirror and ask “Could it be? Could that really happen?”

Of course, the original Planet of the Apes benefitted from its culture, and not just the Cold War paranoia aspect. 1968 was a pre-blockbuster world, at least in the way we know it. This is not to suggest there weren’t moneymen at the top of the food chain focused solely on profits, there were. Just because the mad scientist and bikini beach party movies haven’t received blu-ray rereleases doesn’t mean they didn’t exist. However, it was a time less obsessed with special effects, less worried about action and more focused on story, particularly for the still-niche genre of science fiction. Going back to its earliest roots, films like Fritz Lang’sMetropolis and Robert Wise’s The Day The Earth Stood Still, science fiction endeavored to teach people about themselves, to function as allegories that reflected the destructive nature of man, with the emphasis on nature. It was not about the danger of science itself, but rather the danger of man himself, the beast inside of him and his war-mongering ways that would destroy us. Then somewhere around the time a boy on Tatooine met an old man named Ben, a once reflective genre moved outward, trading introspection for spectacle, awareness for elation and escapism. Planet of the Apes is one of the final remnants of socially conscious science fiction, and with the rare return to form like District 9 or John Carpenter’s The Thing, such a concept has remained in the past. Until now.

What makes Dawn of the Planet of the Apes so stellar is its daring (for a big-budget genre blockbuster) balance of action beats and pauses. Certainly, theres enough pulse punning action to keep you on the edge of your seats (and you haven’t seen true cinematic insanity until you’ve watched a sentient ape dual-wield machine guns while riding horseback through a fire), the film never relies on cliches, or stereotypes, or allows the audience a moment of confident assurance that someone is “the bad guy”. The reason for the ape’s initial rise was to break free from human bondage and its accompanying abuse, so when the segregated colonies of man and ape are reconnected in a moment of human desperation, the clash-starved, cocksure alpha males on both sides (Kirk Acevedo’s cautious Carver and Toby Kebbell’s award-worth Koba) demand bloody conflict in that eternal idea of “solving it once and for all”. While Andy Circus’ Ceasar and Jason Clarke’s Malcolm seek a peaceful resolution, and are clearly the heroic figures within the film, director Matt Reeves bravely allows his multi-million dollar film to actually demand something of its audience, drawing no clear lines and making every figure sympathetic. Perhaps the most striking image in the whole film (besides the aforementioned gun-toting primate) is Gary Oldman’s fearfully, fervently war-ready Dreyfus taking a moment to look at a newly charged iPad, staring at his family who were slain by a disease for which he was immune, a disease created by man but blamed on apes, and he weeps. Genuine, painful tears, the film unflinching in its portrayal of an emotionally wounded man who wants to do right for the world. Its the kind of scene any other film of its kind would have left on the cutting room floor, and ye its these scenes which elevate Apes to the glory of the original, if not perhaps even higher.

Its impossible not to hear echoes of real world struggles within the film, and even draw emotion from the viewer who, in their heart if not in their minds, draws parallels with the CGI figures on screen and stories somewhere far away in time or place, stories they may not even know. A son torn between a pacifist father and a power-mad crusader. A fool-hardy man who starts war with the intention of ending it. The climate of mutual distrust like a powder keg waiting to explode at the drop of a match. From the powerful, evocative writing to the absolutely Oscar-worthy performance of Andy Circus as Ceasar, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes more than makes good on the promise of the previous film, but inspires a sense of hope by being unafraid to be hopeless. It’s ending shot, replicating its opening look at Ceasar’s eyes, demand the audience look deep into not just what could be the future of humanity, but what should be the future of blockbuster cinema.

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The Criterion Collection is known for its high-end DVDs and Blu-Rays, bringing to the public classic and hard-to-find films in definitive additions, packed with countless commentaries, essays and documentaries. Their entries range from Wes Anderson comedies to Godard experiments to Kurosawa dramas, and now they’ve added another classic title, albeit with a more B-movie flair: David Cronenberg’s cult-classic Scanners. The third Criterion Blu-Ray for Cronenberg (after Videodrome and The Naked Lunch), Scanners comes packed with three interviews, a new documentary about the mind-blowing special effects, as well as a new 2K transfer of Cronenberg’s first feature film, Stereo.

As for the transfer of Scanners itself (also in 2K), it is, as always top notch. Supervised by David Cronenberg himself, it has an uncompressed monaural soundtrack that sounds clear as day, and still retains all of the film grain of the original film with the utmost color and clarity picture-wise. The cult-classic Canadian tale of psychics known as scanners has retained a great deal of esteem over the years, and its a comfort to know upon rematch that the film holds up brilliantly where many 80’s science fiction films falter. It’s iconic moments have never looked better, and this must-own entry in the expansive Criterion collection will get you even more excited for their upcoming Blu-Ray release from another auteur of the unsettling, David Lynch’sEraserhead. Check out below an excerpt from the documentary about the film’s most iconic scene, the exploding head, then run to your nearest brick and mortar movie store to buy this brilliant Blu-Ray.

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TV: This week the network that brought you American Horror Story decided they wanted something that actually resembled horror, and lucky for us, they brought in a master. Guillermo Del Toro is no stranger to the genre, with classics like Cronos and The Devil’s Backbone under his belt (to say nothing of the beautifully dark Pan’s Labyrinth), and the premiere of his new FX series, The Strain, has to be the most tantalizing piece of horror television since Mulder and Scully hung up their trench coats. Based on his own 2009 novel with Chuck Hogan, Del Toro’s is a vampire story unike any you’ve seen. Everyone from Corey Stoll’s NYC CDC agent to Jonathon Hyde’s villainous Eldritch Palmer work brilliantly to sell the show’s potentially goofy premise, but the stand-out,and what elevates The Strain to the most exciting show on television right now, is David Bradley’s (Harry Potter, Game of Thrones) Abraham Setrakian, a pawn shop owner with an ominous air who might have all the answers to the mysterious outbreak which kills a plane-load of passengers at JFK airport. The feature-length premiere episode packs so many twists and turns that any plot-description can be a spoiler, so we’ll do our best to avoid it save one, which is the show’s only flaw: the painfully cliche’d family. Yes, Stoll’s Ephriam Goodweather is in the typical cop show “My wife thinks I’m too absorbed in my job, won’t let me see my kid, is seeing another man” etc. situation, except not only has it been done countless times prior, but it barely applies here. It makes sense when the wife on a cop show is upset her husband is too absorbed in the job, out investigating murders, chasing cold trails, etc. But here’s a man whose job is very much time sensitive. He’s not answering the phone to avoid you. He’s answering it because if he doesn’t, another plague could start. With so many sympathetic women on TV getting ridiculed by sexist fanboys (Skylar White, Laurie Grimes), The Strain would do best not to exacerbate the issue with an actual irrational wife character. If it can avoid that minor pitfall, and it retains the visual brilliance of the pilot (directed by del Toro), The Strain could prove to be one of the best series of the year. Check it out Sundays on FX.

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Emmy Catch-Up

Every week, we here at Man of the Hour will catch you up on one show in each of the major Emmy categories: Drama, Comedy, Miniseries, Movie and Variety (Animation will star next week, as it only has five nominees). We’ll tell you what it’s about, what it’s up for, where to catch up and even pick a highlight from the season (which is of course fairly spoilerific, so perhaps avoid clicking play if you haven’t seen the show).

 

Drama: True Detective

What is it: This hauntingly philosophical crime drama came in with a bang in its debut season, taking the internet by storm with quandaries of who is the Yellow King, what is Carcossa, and who killed Dora Lang. The show stars Woody Harrelson and recent Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey as Marty Hart and Rustin Cohle, respectively, and jumps between present day and 1995 as two investigators interrogate the former detectives about a murder case, supposedly solved. The transfixing, near-Lovecraftian mystery is made all the more compelling by present day Cohle’s meta-physical musings (“Time is a flat circle” might be the most quoted line of the year), and its constantly cinematic visuals (every episode was directed by Cary Fukunaga) matched the spellbinding writing of Nick Pizzolatto, which packed enough suspense and story into 8 episodes to create a finale so anticipated it crashed HBO Go. Perhaps, to have watched it week by week, all the little unanswered questions made viewers unable to see the big picture in this first installment of the intended anthology series, but its well worth a binge-viewing (or re-viewing) to see the real reason Pizzolatto crafted this dark puzzle as he did.

What else is it up for: In addition to Best Drama Series, True Detective is up for 11 awards, including Best Writing, Best Directing, Best Cinematography and a Best Lead Actor nomination for both McConaughey and Harrelson.

Where to catch up: The entire first season is available on HBO Go, as well as DVD and Blu-Ray.

Best scene [Spoilers]: By far, the most memorable episode of the series was “Who Goes There”, the fourth episode which introduced us to Cohle’s biker alter-ego Crash, and ended with the single greatest tracking shots in television history, and one of the most exciting TV moments in years.

 

Comedy: Orange is the New Black

What is it: Ok, there’s nobody alive who hasn’t heard of Netflix’s beloved prison-set comedy, but let’s go through the motions, shall we? Nominated this year for its first season (despite its second having already been released. All the episodes at once streaming has messed up the Emmy rules), Weeds creator Jenji Kohan has brought the most diversity to TV since The Wire, and with far more gallows humor, though no one is being sent to the chair yet. Every crazy character in the seeming waking nightmare of WASP Piper Chapman’s prison stay becomes a fun and flashed-out fan favorite throughout the series’ 13 episode run, with flashbacks making (almost) every inmate a sympathetic figure, and stands as an example of our flawed justice system without ever seeming preachy. Funnier than any drama and more heart-wrenching than any comedy, this tale of an upper-class white suburbanite whose drug-mule past (and narcissistic ex) turn her life upside down and land her in the pound could have settled into either category, but Netflix made the right call here, running it in the particularly weak Comedy category and all but guaranteeing at least a little gold come the big night.

What else is it up for: In addition to Best Comedy Series, Orange is the New Black is nominated for 11 awards including Best Lead Actress for Taylor Schilling, Best Supporting Actress for Kate Mulgrew, and a whopping 3 nominations in the Best Guest Actress category for Natasha Lyonne, Uzo Aduba and Laverne Cox (the first time a transgender actress has been up for an Emmy)

Where to catch up: Naturally, the entire series is available on Netflix.

Best scene [Spoilers]: After the introduction of the vile Pennsatucky (Taryn Manning), fans knew no good could come of the self-righteous sociopath, and they were proven right when a mid-Christmas play showdown in the prison yard commenced, with Pennsatucky attacking Piper with a cruci-shiv, only to be knocked down by a suddenly resilient Piper. Fans were then treated to the most cathartic season finale ever as Chapman wailed on her assailant, blood splattering on the snow, as a Christmas hymn whisked us off into the credits, eagerly awaiting Season 2.

Miniseries: Luther

What is it: This is the third (and final) installment of the BBC’s pulp thriller starring Idris Elba (Pacific Rim) as DCI John Luther, a loose cannon cop who puts his work above everything. Series One devoted four episodes to the entrancing tango between Luther and Alice Morgan, a sweet young girl who Luther knows murdered her parents in cold blood played by Ruth Wilson (The Lone Ranger). Their Hannibal/Clarice relationship carried over into Series Two, which found DCI Luther taking on a masked murderer leaving cryptic messages, rescuing a girl lost in a haze of drugs and prostitution, and playing chicken with a pair of twin killers strapped with bombs. As though in an attempt to top it, Series Three begins with a massive police raid, and takes off from there with shoe-fetish stalkers, hands in blenders, vigilante justice and Luther under investigation from a shady DCU. Certainly, the pulp-y elements can wear on the viewer after a bit, and this wasn’t Luther’s strongest season (mostly due to a lack of Alice, the show’s biggest highlight), but while many are hesitant to dive into programing from across the pond, Downton Abbey this ain’t, and at only four episodes, its worth a watch for Idris Elba’s powerful presence alone.

What else is it up for: Luther is up for a total of 3 Emmys this year, including Best Miniseries, Best Writing and Best Lead Actor for Idris Elba.

Where to catch up: Every season of the show is available on Netflix.

Best scene [Spoilers]: As stated above, the series felt as though it were missing something. Something in the form of a calculating little redhead named Alice. Needless to say, by the time Episode Four rolled around, and yet another serial killer stand-off pushed us to the brink of our suspension of disbelief, our classy cutthroat returned to antagonize and assist the detective who engrosses her so.

Movie: Sherlock: His Last Vow

What is it[Spoilers]: Well, its a series, actually. The third three episode series of the beloved BBC relaunch of the Conan Doyle classic helmed by Doctor Who show runner Steven Moffatt, in fact. Why they chose to single out one episode and classify it as a movie is a bit of a puzzle. Why they chose the single worst episode from by far the worst season of the hit series is a mystery so confounding not even Cumberbatch’s Holmes could solve. After two seasons of modernized retellings of Arthur Conan Doyle’s mysteries, Series Three took a turn for the dreadfully sentimental and sensationalistic (throwing in a wedding with schmaltzy speech by Sherlock for good measure), culminating in His Last Vow, a showdown with an intriguing but ultimately underwhelming super genius Charles Augustus Magnussen, whom Sherlock outwits with the clever, intricate plan of shooting him point-blank in the head, you know, typical Sherlock Holmes style.

What else is it up for: Sherlock: His Last Vow is up for 12 Emmys this year, including Best Lead Actor for Benedict Cumberbatch, Best Supporting Actor for Martin Freeman, Best Writing for Steven Moffat and of course Best Made for TV Movie.

Where to catch up: The full series is available on Netflix, as well as DVD and Blu-Ray.

Best scene [Spoilers]: After the virtual character assassination committed by the writers in having Sherlock commit an actual assassination, the team attempted to win the viewers back with a tease about the return of the most famous villain in Holmes history (thought dead at the end of Season Two), Moriarty. And honestly? It worked.

Variety: Saturday Night Live

What is it: Now in its 39th season, this television sketch staple is still going strong, despite the annual critical lamenting of “SNL is dead”. The show’s success is mostly due to an influx of new talent last year, including current Emmy nominee and scene-stealer Kate McKinnon. This year’s unnecessary large batch of newcomers weren’t as memorable, and in fact caused a fair deal of controversy for being remarkably gentrified, but that didn’t stop the season from having its fair share of highlights, from Bruce Willis singing about a “Boy Dance Party” to Kerry Washington lampooning the show’s lack of diversity (weeks before the welcomed addition of Sasheer Zamata) and Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake reuniting for yet anotherBarry Gibb Talk Show. There were no crash and burn musical acts, and no completely abysmal whole episodes, and while that is an admittedly low bar, its the same one we’ve had for SNL since Chevy Chase first said it was “live from New York”, so in that regard, SNL is still as sharp as ever.

What else is it up for: SNL is up for total of 14 Emmys this year, including two Best Guest Actor (Jimmy Fallon, Louie C.K.), two Best Guest Actress (Tina Fey, Melissa McCarthy), a Best Supporting Actress for Kate McKinnon and of course Best Variety Series.

Where to catch up: Several episodes are available on Hulu, with the full season on Hulu Plus

Best scene: A nominee this year for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, the sketch “(Let’s Do It On My) Twin Bed” was undoubtedly the highlight of the season, and proof that the digital short didn’t die with The Lonely Island (who probably would never have been fearless enough to fill a sketch with actual seventh grade photos. Just sayin’

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News: Speaking of SNL, they did some cleaning house this week, which had to be a crushing blow to a few young hopefuls even if none of the cuts came as a surprise. The first to go was Brooks Wheelan, who is best remembered for the Jimmy Fallon episode’s Family Feud sketch, wherein he played…himself, talking about how he’s never done anything on the show. Yikes, writing was a tad on the wall there. Next to go was John Milhiser, who will be remembered for the same sketch, but for doing a passable John Cryer impression. Once again, not exactly a highlight of the season. Most surprising is Noel Wells, who at least made waves for a dead-on Lena Dunham impression in the season premiere, but failed to make a splash after that. Sadder than any of these cuts is the announcement that long-time cast member Nasim Pedrad, whose great talent was never fully showcased on the typically male-centric show, will be leaving to appear on the Fox sitcom Mulaney, starring former SNL writer (and Tom Jones enthusiast) John Mulaney. Footage has been released from the upcoming sitcom in the form of a trailer and…well…at least she’ll get more screen time now.

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Short Film: The last two weeks, we’ve brought you shorts that have appeared in countless festivals, and this week we bring you one that should have. This under-the-radar gem is from unknown director Jae Kim, and shows a great deal of promise from someone with so few titles under his belt. Sins of the Father is the story of a priest who loses faith (if he ever had it at all) and quits the priesthood to look after his father, recently released from prison. The priest, played by Lance Marshall, does brilliantly, but it's the father, David Woodrow, who steals the show. The man's as gritty and real as the atmosphere the film's brilliantly passive cinematography creates, and elevates what would have been an engaging, meditative film to brilliant heights. The film sets a bleak tone from its start, and never lets it go, depriving us of the cliche epiphanic ending to instead give us a man who starts and ends in the same place, drifting listlessly, searching for something to hold on to, quietly yearning for a glimmer of purpose on the horizon. Yes, the Catholic guilt aspect of the film is on the surface, but dig deeper, and the priest isn't necessarily wrestling with faith in God. He is us, all of us who have ever struggled for purpose. His service to a heavenly father is only to fill the void of his own, and both "father figures" stand simply to give him some sort of goal, since he has nothing to want for himself. The film brilliantly hints at details it thankfully never sours the tone by delving into, such as the priest's alcoholism, the alter boy's (and perhaps even the priest's) closeted homosexuality, and his horrific childhood. Sins of the Father is a brilliantly, deliberately paced movie, and truly a work of art that's as accessible as it is personal.