Eponymous - My Debut Album

This is a thing.

Seven tracks. One mediocre musician. And a leaky, phallic tap. Turns out that if you can somehow throw together enough pieces of music, you've got an album -- no matter how odd, dissonant or confusing those pieces are. So as with 90% of the things I do, what started out as a joke has flourished into a reality, as I bring you the audaciously titled 'Eponymous', available to download for FREE right now. That's likely a blessing, as when you hear a couple of these, I reckon "Let's give this guy money!" will be the last thing on your mind.

Take it seriously and you're wasting your time.  But allow yourself to laugh at the dodgy vocals, painful melodies and idiosyncratic lyrics, and maybe you'll have some fun. The official description reads:

"A collection of odd pieces I've managed to collate over the last few years, ranging from the bizarre to the eloquent, from the witty to the shitty, from the hippy to the hoppy. Enjoy and/or hate it."

Tracks include:

1. Nothing But The Sky (feat Tobias) -- A tour de force of electro sampling, greatly aided by the freestyle lyrics and screams of DJ Arnie and Tobias, aged 12. 
2. Through The Gentle Black -- A relaxed journey along the black keys of my USB keyboard. Such a sophisticated instrument...
3. Writer's Block -- My first foray into actual song writing, with this musical-inspired piece about the notorious process of writer's block (part of previous GCSE coursework). 
4. 8-Bits of You -- The other GCSE piece of work, commonly referred to as 'Digitised Nonsense'.
5. Mama Do'a What'a She Like Today -- This is what happens when you learn very basic mixing and have a very boring afternoon. 
6. Ode to The Credits -- Everyone's favourite ditty from the YouTube smash hit dramedy, 'Don't Shoot!'.
7. Super Secret Bonus Track! -- Only available by downloading (it's a tense one). 

Direct link to the BandCamp page for downloading, listening, ignoring, etc.

Now go ahead and dance away to my irritatingly limited vocal range while riding bum notes across the vast, vast ocean of generic chord sequences. For a split second amongst it all you may experience something good, and for me, that's enough. It is merely a joke album, after all.

Thanks to Nick Townsend for allowing me to use his brilliantly absurd photograph as the poignantly irrelevant cover art. PLUG!

ATR

Spoofageddon

I haven't done a post in a while (read: forever), so I thought I'd just pop back to feature my two most recent projects over on DudeMeisterFilms. Whilst I'm not the greatest fan of commercials, they do provide a great basis for parody, lampoon and satire that rightfully engages my high brow wit (read: dick jokes). So, naturally, both the fragrance and drug industries get the full force of my astonishingly intellectual mocking in this double threat of mick-taking homages. Whether it's half naked guys or pill popping nerds that take your fancy, I've got you covered in a couple of minutes like no other.

First up, Revisitall, an interesting foray into cheesy performances and painful choices of music:



And then for those of a saucier disposition, we have the blisteringly steamy Words: The Fragrance For Men, which benefits from having this particular Brad Pitt ad in mind before viewing.



Thanks go out to my stars Charlie Burton and Austen Salisbury, the latter of whom co-wrote and co-directed Words, and provided the excellent product manipulations. Unfortunately I cannot offer you either of these products in real life, but perhaps by re-watching, liking, sharing, favouriting and subscribing you'll increase your chances of becoming smarter/hotter/fragranter.

ATR

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RE:View: Risk - The Script

Through an unlikely set of circumstances, I seem to have found myself in possession of a 3 page comedy sketch entitled Risk, with no clue as to who wrote it or how it ended up in a partly torn, partly burnt mess on my front door. With the possibility of this being a leak of a first class comedy writer's highly confidential new project, I had no other journalistic option but to provide an honest and objective review of the mysterious text...

At its core, Risk is based around the classic board/strategy game of the same name, employing tedious sketch tropes into two characters, who very much exist within a one dimensional range of personality. Whilst 'Josh' takes the game way too seriously (cliché war movie dialogue galore), 'Charlie' undermines his silliness with a dry and generally puzzled disposition.

Although peppered with a heavy handed slab of nauseating post-modernism, the actual pacing of Risk isn't too bad, and manages to weave from mediocre joke to mediocre joke with a decent control over escalation: a common sketch convention, which in this case sees us go from Josh walkie-talking with his troops on the board to him spouting lines from Apocalypse Now while being tied to a chair, prisoner-of-war style. From a writer's point of view, it demonstrates at the very least a potential of sustained humour, but from a production perspective, it's hardly a surprise that this script has yet to have been made. Sudden costume changes? Alternating lighting patterns? Precise dice throws? Whatever comedic credit it had built up is squandered by this frankly amateur approach to practicality.

As for the characters, Risk's anonymous writer chose not to stray far from the norm. The 'Sane Guy/Insane Guy' setup is undoubtedly a favourite among troupe legends such as Monty Python and The Kids in the Hall, and is used here in a predictable but no less humorous manner. The problem comes in trying to picture actual actors to bring the schizophrenic dialogue (i.e. sometimes zippy, other times clunky) to life. It's no mean feat, with lines like " I've lost too many damn men to give up now!" and "Dude! You just SPAT on my carpet!" requiring a certain tongue-in-cheek seriousness that only the likes of BriTANick are capable of delivering convincingly. And based on the inexperienced vibe of the writer, it's likely the actual sketch would have relied on hokey performances from disinterested friends.

It's a shame, because when I first read the script I'd thought it to be a quite decent first attempt from a budding writer who was destined for greatness. But upon reflection, it's no wonder I'd found it in the state of tear-stained ruins that it was -- an over eagerness for production and characters had obviously meant that no self-respecting human being in their right mind would want to be immortalised in such a mess, therefore causing the unknown writer to cry themselves into a beautiful metaphor of first-world depression.

1.5/5 Stars

ATR

Trailer Tuesday: Liberal Arts

This week sees the trailer for Liberal Arts, a film written, directed and starring Josh Radnor (perhaps better known as Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother). This indie-drama-romance has a unique take on the difference in perception of life between a 35 year old and a university student, and how love brings them together.  Radnor's firm optimism and drive to make feel-good things is blatantly present, with a charming style and sense of humour to match, making this a front runner on the indie circuit. Here's what it's all about:

"When 30-something Jesse returns to his alma mater for a professor's retirement party, he falls for Zibby, a college student, and is faced with a powerful attraction that springs up between them." - IMDb

• Performances look great from the two leads, Radnor and Elizabeth Olsen, which is good considering that most of the screen time will likely be solely them. 
• Radnor seems to be tackling the issues/joys of Uni life and the scary world that comes after it, with a head on approach -- something which has earned it the right to be called "The best movie about college since I don't know when.".
• Although absent from this trailer, Zac Efron also stars, albeit in a small, student role (I presume). 
• Desperately holding back the How I Met Your Mother references here (Break-up beard, Classic Schmosby, etc)...
• Not quite sure of the specifics of the distribution, but here's hoping for a wide release range. I believe Radnor's a true up-and-coming talent that needs some more recognition to be put beside the likes of Zach Braff.

You can catch Liberal Arts out now in the US or October 5th in the UK. 

That's all for today's rather brief post, see ya next time.  

ATR

More Trailers

TV's Best of Prom Episodes

I can neither confirm nor deny my presence in this picture...
Having just come off of my own prom, and having an unexpected blast, I thought I'd take a look at some of TV's famous attempts to capture that most anticipated of teen events. So here's some of my favourite prom episodes from recent memory that stand out in the slow dance of televised pop-culture; full of drama, angst, laughs and of course, glamour:

(In no particular order)

Smallville
"Tempest"/"Spirit"
One was the pivotal, high stakes season 1 finale, the other marking the end of an era and featuring an axe-wielding, psycho-ghost murderer, but both have major parts to play in the Smallville lore. The draw here wasn't the big catastrophes looming (the tempest itself and the aforementioned psycho prom queen possessor) but instead the small, personal dramas of Clark and Chloe. In "Tempest", Clark finally asked Chloe for a slow dance (to the series theme tune, "Save Me" no less) which was romantic and all, but it was of course interrupted by the storm blowing into town and Clark's responsibility to stop it, especially as his real love interest, Lana, was at risk. He never did return to the dance with Chloe and we could all feel her pain at being so close to what she wanted, but then being harshly reminded that it was never going to happen.

Skip ahead to season 4 and it was time for the senior prom, where amongst all the supernatural peril, "Spirit" saw the gang's high school years drawing to a close. Again, Clark gets his slow dance on, but this time with Lana despite his fears of rejection. Chloe looks on, admitting how the events of the last prom (in "Tempest") still hurt, although reminded by the glowing Lois that Chloe's future may be even greater than Clark's himself. Neatly tied into each other, both looking fabulously Prom-like, a great music selection and the dramatic, emotion driven beats made these two super promisodes gleam brightly amongst the sci-fi and action elements surrounding the show's mythos. 



How I Met Your Mother
"Best Prom Ever"

Still in its first season, it was important for HIMYM to find its feet by taking classic trope episodes like the Prom in a different direction, as to drift away from the Friends clone that many would label it as. So instead of going flashback style (Lily's moments notwithstanding), we saw the gang, at their current adult ages, crash a senior prom. There was everything in this one; Lily's character is developed through the realisation of her failed dreams, Barney sneaks into the prom via Turtle outfit and Ted and Marshall fight a kid with Nunchucks. Seriously, what else would you need to prove that How I Met Your Mother was a fresh, original sitcom that stood on its own two hilarious legs? 


Glee
"Prom Queen"/"Prom-asaurus"
Say what you will about those folks down at McKinley High, but they sure can throw a prom. Multiple, it would seem, and manage to keep both different enough from one another to justify its inclusion in the series. Whilst neither of these were ground-breaking in their prom portrayals, both certainly had their highlights, whether it was the surprise performance of Rebecca Black's "Friday" and the turmoil Kurt went through in "Prom Queen" or the bizarre Brittany "Dinosaur" number, the cute Becky/Puck stuff and that ever-hilarious Jar-Jar binks line in "Prom-asaurus". Cheesy, yes, but there was also a lot of the emotional high notes being struck throughout reminding all us Gleeks why Glee still rules the teen-drama scene.

Friends
"The One with the Prom Video"

'Twas a simpler time

Often hailed as one of Friends' greatest episodes, "The One with the Prom Video" is one of those moments in a sitcom's run where you watch it and just think "I friggin' love this show". And how could you possibly say otherwise? Because it was at that point when the critics began to say that this could well be the comedy that defines a generation and will run for years and years (at the time it was only on season 2). We don't even see them at the prom, yet the heart and soul of the prom atmosphere is captured perfectly in the few parts of the prom-prep we do see. I don't think I really need to run down the events of this cultural masterpiece, because if you haven't witnessed frumpy Monica, bitchy Rachel and horrifically Geeky Ross (we're talking 80s geeky), then honestly, what are you doing here?

The Suite Life of Zach and Cody

Less than ideal...

"A Prom Story"
You can't beat some classic Disney Channel, especially when it was a pre-pubescent Zack and Cody. In all honesty, this was probably the closest the show got to resembling some kind of sincerity between Maddie (Ashley Tisdale) and Zach. In hindsight with that particular relationship, even though it was just a kids' show, there were some poignant themes of tragedy and inevitability of heartbreak involved. So when the two dance, you know that for the significantly younger Zach this is his only realistic shot with the crush of his life. Bet you never thought Zach and Cody could be rich in humanised subtext, eh? Plus the Cody-Mime subplot here was a genuine funny highlight of the series.

Community

Yep, that's Community for ya. 

"Pascal's Triangle Revisited"
While not strictly speaking a prom, out of all the dances Greendale holds (some for the most obscurest of reasons), the "Transfer Dance" in this episode was pretty much the show's homage to the classic Prom episode. In true Community (and Greendale) style, it's not prom queen they're running for, but "Tranny Queen", while a love triangle then becomes a line, back to a triangle, and then a quad, and there is some very impromptu and inappropriate rapping going on courtesy of Professor Duncan. Add to that with Dean Pelton's developing Dalmatian fetish and Abed toying with the TV tropes themselves to deliver some genuine heart-warming stuff that rounds off the terrific first season, and you've got a sort-of-prom episode that won't be forgotten in a hurry.


Buffy the Vampire Slayer
"The Prom"
As a show having always been a very close portrayal of teen life (despite the whole demons and vampires thing), Buffy's Prom episode was damn near perfect, encompassing everything you could want from it. The hype and build-up, the preparation, the fun, the raw emotion, the hell hounds of doom -- oh right, that too. Yet even with its trademark slayage of creatures from the nether, each part of this episode somehow sprung from the prom ideal. These dogs were being set upon people in tuxedos and dresses, which seems daft on face value, but is given meaning from the lonely, prom-hater kid who trained them. Xander and Cordelia's friendship is restored through his generosity of buying her dress in her struggling financial times, and even Buffy gets recognition from her peers as being "Class Protector", in a truly eye-watering moment that culminated the past 3 years.

"Soul" Mates

   However, with all the joys and highs, there also came the huge, crushing lows. Angel came to the heart-breaking conclusion that to be with Buffy wasn't fair on her because of all the things he just couldn't give. So there it was, laid bare, the end of the Buffy/Angel romance as it came to a sad but necessary and realistic end. For one final time, the two shared an intimate moment in what would become the slow dance of the century when Angel turned up unannounced to the prom. "Wild Horses" played them out as we witnessed  those touching moments of doomed love at its peak of both tragedy and beauty; possibly the most powerful of all prom scenes going.

                                                                                                                                               

By no means a comprehensive list, of course, so sorry if I missed one of your own favourites. However, one thing that does remain clear throughout all of these is the theme of endings and beginnings, all resting on one night of living in the moment; and if these beloved characters can do it, then you bet that the rest of us (past, present and future) can too.

ATR

RE:View: The Cabin in The Woods

*SPOILER FREE* (Which is essential for this!)

The funny thing about current horror movies - or torture porn, as they're often referred to - is the sheer emptiness of them. You pay, you sit down, you watch 90 minutes of kids getting murdered as gruesomely as possible and then you leave. There's no meaning or investment needed, and when truly thought about is a very nihilistic view of morals. Which is where The Cabin in The Woods comes in, to set the records straight and turn the horror flick on its head; but not in the ways you might think...

  Naturally, a bunch of teenagers visit a cabin and realise that all may not be what it seems, but in a sense far detached from your simple supernatural occurrences. Because in this Cabin in The Woods, lies something perhaps even darker than your average slasher tale, as these five are going to find out, at quite a cost.

The affectionate nods and references to
 the classics are a welcome sight.
 For us, anyway...

Why yes, even with that undertone, what I have just described may still sound generic, but believe me when I say this: IT IS NOT. There's this unique counter-perspective to the proceedings that remarkably puts the entire genre in a new light; a spin that melds sweetly and should certainly be kept secret until you've seen the film. Half the enjoyment of Cabin comes with the surprise of this one-of-a-kind story, which isn't even held over you up to the end: just straight up, first scene twist to get the ball rolling (albeit rolling upwards).

The deliberateness of this never feels forced, thanks to the handy work of Drew Goddard (Director/Co-Writer) and Joss Whedon (Writer), who instead throw the loop at a steady, well kept pace. Both sides of the narrative are balanced, allowing enough investment into each set of characters and worlds, despite one half of these being the morbidly optimistic villains and the other a group of familiar yet updated archetypes of teenagers.

And by updated, I mean believable. Because seriously, do you really think teenagers are that dumb to always split up? No, see these guys are smart, forward thinking kids who don't lack the common sense that apparently every other cabin-bound teen does (unless that becomes induced on them, of course...). Such maturity is then reflected with their relatively newbie cast, with Chris Hemsworth as probably the most recognisable due to his whole Thor gig. However, the true standout of these is Fran Kranz as the magnetically charming "Fool", Marty. From this side of the ride, Kranz steals the show with his stoner-yet-wisdom strewn persona, nailing all the damn-right delicious one-liners thrown his way (courtesy of Whedon, I've no doubt). This could well be his star-maker...

On the super-secret flip side, you've got an abundance of unexpected laughs. Again, the undeclared shape of The Cabin in The Woods still surprises with its multi-genre bending ingenuity. While the genuine scares remain ever scarce (sorry fear-fans, this isn't quite the scream fest you're looking for), you can expect plenty of humourous gags and set-ups that may as well have been in a straight-up comedy. Which in fact works better throughout to help detail the subtext lurking underneath the 95 minutes of pure entertainment.

The thing is with Cabin, you don't just walk out with a smile on your face; you're imparted with something overwhelming to ponder upon - How is watching people die fun? How did the genre get to the point where its main selling point was to watch human mutilation? So it takes these ideas and throws them back at the audience. Sure there are some gruesome deaths in here, but they've got weight to them: you've warmed to the character, you don't want to see them die, you feel their loss. In this sense, it isn't so much poking fun at those immoral conventions as it is ripping its stale heart out and presenting it for all to see, via a string of self-aware, mind-screwing metaness.

It may not be to everyone's taste, to be thrust upon with the truth that what you might have wanted from this film (torture porn) is ultimately not right. Though that's what makes it so good, the bluntness of this point, yet the subtlety of its delivery. Some may not even notice it, but still thoroughly love the film, whilst those who totally get it will totally get it AND thoroughly love the film.

So when The Cabin in The Woods reaches its converging third act of bizarre havoc and satisfying plot turn-arounds, and you've come to terms with the fact that this was not necessarily the film you paid for, I'd say you'll be pretty damn glad you were mislead into this soon-to-be classic genre-buster.

Change is good. But an entire overhaul of expectation? Now that's amazing.

5 Stars

ATR

         

Trailer Tuesday: Ted

From Family Guy creator and American comedian, Seth MacFarlane, comes his first feature film in the shape of Ted. Naturally, with Seth writing/directing/starring/producing, there will be a very FG-esque feel to it, which thankfully looks to be refreshing and funny in the shape of a cinematic production. Let's get to synopsisising:

Mark Wahlberg plays John, a perfectly normal Boston native whose childhood wish for his teddy bear to come to life comes true. The bear (Ted) — voiced by MacFarlane himself — remains his best friend well into his adult years. Conflict emerges when Ted's irresponsible and vulgar slacker lifestyle comes in the way of John's attempt to embrace his adulthood and the woman of his dreams, Lori (Mila Kunis). - Wikipedia.

And now for the trailer, which briefly boasts Universal's brand new logo update! Ah, it's the little things. Anyway, there be plenty o' cussin' in this trailer, just so y'know:

Fun Facts/Observations:

• Stars Mila Kunis, who also voices Meg in Family Guy: yep, kinda a different in real life, huh? 
• Total Seth set-up going on, with a random character who shouldn't be talking doing just that and no-one giving a hoot, a la Brian the dog, or Roger the alien. And of course, lots of inappropriate profanity, drug use and obnoxiousness. But this time, in live-action form!
• Sounds a lot like You, Me and Dupree crossed with Pegg 'n' Frost's Paul, which seems like a good combo on paper, and plays out fairly well here. 
• Community's Joel McHale will be making an appearance at some point in the movie as a guy called Rex. Here's hoping for some doucheness from his performance.
• First time directing on a feature for Seth, so it'll be interesting to see how his award-winning Family Guy formula will transition from animated 2D TV, to a fully realised live action movie. 
• Release date is 13th July in the States, with an apparent 3rd August launch in the UK.  

ATR

 

More F*$%£#g Trailers!? 

RE:View: Garfunkel and Oates - Slippery When Moist

The ukulele/guitar sporting comedy duo are back, with their third studio album, featuring all the wacky, crude and awesome things we've come to expect from the girls' music. This time releasing a full 13 tracks - some old, some new, some really new - Garfunkel and Oates aren't just talking about sex and relationships this time, bringing a whole slew of lyric bases and genre mick-takes.

1. Wow - In this exciting, fast paced ditty (lasting only 35 seconds), the two present a song that is oddly ambiguous in meaning. At first, it seems like a straightforward introduction to the new album and their upbeat, quirky style, sounding not far from a 90s cartoon theme tune. But listen properly to the lyrics and you'll notice it has a nice feel-good factor, telling you "You're really cool" in a sweet pick-you-up notion. In some ways, it seems just like a Thank-You from them for shelling out £7.99 for this digital-only download. All in all, a fresh, fun start.

2. Go Kart Racing - While this one may be based on true events, don't expect some deep, soulful Adele style song. No, because this is Garfunkel and Oates, so naturally the line after "Go kart racing" is "accidently masturbating", and the rest of the 2:04 song is spent describing this awkwardly pleasurable situation... Not one for the Grandma, but plenty of knee-slapping one-liners and an insanely catchy hook will have you repeating this at all the wrong moments. The key-change at the end is something to look forward to, and just the mere fact that this is classic chord strumming simplicity keeps it from getting too outrageous.

3. I Don't Know Who You Are -  Riki and Kate's ability to nail real world, day to day awkward situations in their lyrics really shines through in this one, because I'm sure we've all had someone come say "Hello" and not have an effing clue who they are. Again, simple chords rule the rhythm (with the addition of some chimes at times), and the pair's vocals sound really gentle, tidy and right on throughout. Ironic, considering the C-bomb gets dropped early on...

4. Handjob, Blandjob, I Don't Understand Job - The rudest, funniest and richest song on the album, as G'n'O tackle that tedious problem of how to jerk a guy off. It really is as explicit as it sounds, making no apologies for likening a penis end to a "Darth Vader Pez Despenser" and the 'nads for The Muppets' Statler and Waldorf. There's a ton of celebrity references, some of which are a little vague, while others are absolute genius ("More singled out than CHRIS HARDWICK!"). The synth-dance beats busting out in the back lend it another flavour too. A gem, but just be careful of repeating it out in public...

5. Save The Rich - Like "Sex With Ducks" from their previous album, "Save The Rich" takes a satirical poke at political issues, this time with the whole Economic Inequality deal that swept over America this last year. Based on keyboard, and with a patriotic vibe going on, the song really takes off with the blatant tongue-in-cheek lines like "Children to exploit" and "Without their 7th home, how will they make it through?". The proper recording is also a vast improvement on the ropey YouTube version they'd uploaded a while back, allowing full appreciation of the song's entirety.

6. Hey Girl in The Moonlight - A good ol' classic that first appeared on their debut album, Music Songs, this one is undeniably Garfunkel and Oates, with their awkward-moment lyrics, sweet chordal structure and in a delightfully quick fix of 1:21. Quite a defining song for the duo, which works really great if you're craving a lil' comedic motivation.

7. The Ex-Boyfriend Song - Sensational. Truly, this is just a complete comic masterpiece. 6 seconds long, but just so god damn funny. You have to hear it to believe it. Moments like this is what reminds us that Garfunkel and Oates are still entirely original.

8. Silver Lining - Another one from Music Songs, but one that definitely needs more exposure due to its brilliance. It's obvious the gals can do comedy, but with Silver Lining things sound a bit more serious and surprisingly it works rather wonderfully. Sure there are some humourous beats in there, but ultimately this is about picking yourself back up after a break-up or similar incident and feeling good about yourself. Actually quite touching, this song stands out as a cute, self-esteem boosting tune that plays beautifully on the ears.

9. I Would Never (Have Sex With You) - What I love about this track is its familiarity. Taking on a bouncy, joyful and classically 40s sound, I Would Never gives some of the cleanest (but nonetheless fun) lyrics and has an honestly jolly warmth to it.  If you were looking for an upbeat, bob-along song, then this is it.

10. Google - Kicking in to ballad mode now, with the contrast between daftly apt lyrics of Googling a potential date, and the strong flow of the very power-ballad chorus. Of course, there's a few iddy-widdy bridges that serve as nice breaks (and sound oddly like nursery rhymes) and the last line's a killer.

11.  I Would Never (Dissect a Ewe) - In a meta-esque throwback to No. 9, the girls prove their comedic ability, literally riffing off their own material in side-cracking, gut busting self-mockery. Yep, taking all the same parts from the previous tune we're now rewarded a piece about science class and dissection of animals (hell, you may even learn a thing or two). I presume this started out as a joke and then blossomed into a fully realised, awesomely laugh-tacular song, which is something no other artist could probably get away with. Enjoy, but just watch out for that "Sheep Ghost"...

12. My Apartment's Very Clean Without You - We go melodic with this piano/vocal track, which gives out the pretence of being some sort of meaningful sad song, and then makes it all ironic with the whole "I'm glad I dumped you, because you messed my place up" theme. More variation like this is always welcome, and does a decent job of rounding out the album before the final track, in a calm, sophisticated and truthfully funny way.

13. Go - Coming full circle with an identical set up to No. 1's Wow, Go does pretty much the same thing, except in an even more grander fashion. That Feel-Good factor is now amplified and set to a more Motivational pace, urging - daring - you to "Go Live Your Dreams" and is amazingly inspirational if you really listen to it. A very sugary high note to end the album, making anything that you didn't like (somehow) become forgettable in place of this diamond. Le fin.

A great album for any comedy loving fan, with a musical heart that you'll be hard pressed to find elsewhere. The only downside: could've done with a couple more songs, maybe a special "Featuring Guest Star..." one. But the comedy within its own self, even outside of the music, is a sure selling point that makes it clear that Garfunkel and Oates have a vivid staying power, and a bright, jolly future ahead.

4/5 Stars

Buy It Now On iTunes!   
              

Check Out My RE:Commendation of G'n'O

See What They Could Do On Husbands

ATR

RE:Commend: Garfunkel and Oates

When you look at the great, old-school rock'n'roll duos from the late 60s to early 80s, the groups "Simon and Garfunkel" and "Hall and Oates", come to mind. And when you look at these two closely, you'll realise that within the duo-dynamic, one of them is the all-singing, all-dancing front man, while the other often waddles around in the background, awkwardly strumming away at a six-string. This, of course, is a notion that comedians/actors/musicians, Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci have tongue-in-cheekily picked up on, naming their two-girl comedy folk band after these underplayed "second bananas", in the form of Garfunkel and Oates.

    But the sweetly ironic thing is that these guys are anything but "second bananas", with enough pure, undeniably raw humour in their off-beat songs to claim them as top banana; every time. Just have a listen of any one of their songs, and within moments you'll be giggling at the crude, cutesy and ultimately true lyrics that accompany the Ukele/Guitar combo they've got going on. There's an upbeat tune about getting your medical marijuana licence featuring comic, Doug Benson, in "Weed Card"; a melodical venture into the true thoughts of everyone with "Pregnant Women Are Smug"; and a no holds-barred, F-Bomb-athon in the aptly named "F**k You" (which surprisingly starts out as a pretty little love-song). Other highlights include "Handjob, Bland Job, I Don't Understand Job", "This Party Just Took a Turn For The Douche", and the Christmas-themed, guest-star packed "Present Face".

   While their humour is certainly that of an adult-level, it's hard to disagree with their explicit lyrics when they're used to such amusing comedic affect; gangsta rap, this is not. And so it doesn't come as much as a surprise that the pair have landed a pilot deal with HBO, with a show that's promised to be "Glee with dick jokes". Think of them as a female version of the hilarious Flight of The Conchords, and you'll get an inkling for how funny this show could be...

  With a mass internet fanbase that rises day by day, two albums already produced and a third to be released later this month, it's safe to say that these gals are sticking around the comedy-music scene for a while. So start getting used to them now, and be thankful for the uplifting laughs they'll bring you: line by line, lyric by lyric, chord by chord.

So check out this G'n'O classic, "You, Me and Steve":




And don't forget that Garfunkel and Oates also have a website, a Youtube Channel, a Facebook Page and Twitter! Plus all their albums are available via iTunes: what are you waiting for? Go buy!


ATR
@DMeisterTweets

RE:View: Community: Season 1

After 2 whole years of the US hogging hilarious comedy series, Community, the show's first season has finally been released in the UK. The saddest thing about it, however, is how little attention has been paid to the series, which takes place in fictional community college, Greendale. You see, across the pond here, the 25 episodes were only ever aired on VIVA, a channel located in the 'Music' section of most digital providers. Hence: no one has seen it.

The Show

  Boasting a large array of unique characters, which dynamic from one another drastically (from race to age), Community brings us Jeff Winger (Joel McHale), an ex-lawyer who now has to redo a degree in order to get his lawyering license back. He's brash, narcissistic and pretty much a douche-bag. Some of that changes, however, when he meets his new study group, who he's going to have to learn to love to get through the hell that is Greendale Community College. Thus, Community is born.

Enter Abed, Britta, Troy, Annie, Shirley and of course, the obnoxious Pierce (Chevy Chase). Together with Jeff, they form 7 very different characters and personalities, which cultivate into the ultimate clash of culture. The outcome: pure win. Every single one of them melds so well with each other, whether it be the dumb Jock, Troy, pop-cult messiah, Abed, religious Mom, Shirley, or even the cutesy "We Must Not Sexualise Her" Annie.

And it's through this group that we experience the eccentricities of Community, providing us with a completely unpredictable episode every time, whereby one time the gang could be holding a protest and the next could just be a parody of multiple movies. Quirky, quick and quippy comes the humour, in all manor of form. Donald Glover (who plays Troy) proves to be a great physical comedian, improvising lines and doing the goofiest of expressions, while the idiosyncratic Abed gives the show this meta-flair, full of self-referential jokes and pop-cult intricacies that stands it aside from other, more self contained shows, planting Community firmly in the post-modern world with these tongue-in-cheek sensibilities.

While we do occasionally fall into soap-like love tangles, they usually resolve themselves, aided by the fact that the script literally acknowledges its own misguidances in the aforementioned meta-humour way. Character development works much the same way, with a general unease about Jeff's likeability vs douchability, and the saga that is his love interest, Britta, and how her character goes through so many motions. But of course, this was just the first season, so the finding of feet is expected, even if it is a bit bumpy.

What's not bumpy though, is the supporting cast outside of the main group. The Hangover's Ken Jeong plays the zany (as you would expect) Spanish teacher for the study group, Senior Chang, and brings his trademark hilarity (through ad lib and physicality) in spades. And then there's the flamboyant Dean Pelton, ravishingly portrayed by Jim Rash, who has this obscene amount of campness which gives the show yet another layer of laugh-out-loud-ness. Heck, Jack Black even drops by for one episode, and makes one of the funniest TV scenes I've ever witnessed.

Racial sensitivity is forgotten and thrown away in favour of this metro-humouristic way of comedy - aka; no one cares about it. Which really stands to another point of Community's genius, by letting go of society's discrepancies and serving itself as a point of moral code. It's not like this to a point of offence, because the voices are of the light-hearted characters (mostly old-man Pierce), not the writers themselves, so the lee-way is given and allows the viewer to just enjoy the diverse cast and comedy on offer.

There are plenty of giggle-till-it-hurts moments, WTF moments (the greatest of which are usually the Troy and Abed shorts at the end of each episode), "Awhhh" moments, "Aha, I get the reference" moments and I guarantee that 90% of the time, you'll have a huge grin on your face while watching. It may take a few episodes to properly get in to it, but once you do, you'll love these characters and won't want to stop watching.

4.5/5 Stars

The Extras


As if the price of the box set wan't worth it for the episodes alone, there's also tons of add ons to compliment the ultimate Community experience. Not least of these is the fact that there is a commentary for each and every episode, providing those with the initiative to listen a charming little insight. While not particularly anything of substantial depth, they're fun enough to at least sit through a couple, with the majority featuring series creator Dan Harmon and at least a couple members of the lead cast.

  Then there is the gut-achingly funny out-takes on each disk (of 4) for their respective episodes, which often show the improv that goes on, especially with Donald, Joel, Chevy and Ken. Jammed in between all this is also some mini-episodes (3 ninety second shorts), a highlight reel (best bits), a rather dry "Cast Evaluations" segment, and the strangely humourous "Creative Compromises" featurette. All in all, it just adds longevity to an already great package.

4/5 Stars


So with all this awesome from Community, it really is a wonder why no major UK network has picked it up. The way I see it, it sits in the same slot as Scrubs did (quirky humour), and so surely E4 should have given it a look. Anyway, despite Television's neglect of it, you can still thoroughly enjoy this gem of a box set, and just hope that it gets the much deserved main stream British TV service soon.

Show: 4.5 Stars
Extras: 4 Stars

Stand-Out Episodes: "Spanish 101", "Introduction to Statistics", "Comparative Religion", "Investigative Journalism", "Contempary American Poultry" (literally a love letter to Goodfellas and The Godfather) and "Modern Warfare" (one of the best twenty-one minutes of television - EVER).

And this:

ATR

RE:View: The Big Bang Theory: Season 4

Even before coming into its fourth season, The Big Bang Theory had really hit its stride, pulling in massive ratings and marvellous reviews consistently each week. However, this obviously wasn't enough for series creator and sitcom tycoon Chuck Lorre, as Season 4 changes up the formula with an altered equation and varied results.

Should I be here?

   This change comes in the shape of Amy Farrah Fowler, the female counterpart to Sheldon's braniacal quirk of a character. At first, the flow felt broken, like she didn't really fit properly within the gang and broke up the dynamic that the guys had going on. Her lines fell flat, sounding like remade mismatches of Sheldon quotes with a boring execution, as is the fatal trap that Jim Parsons manages to never slip in to (his multiple Emmy's acting as a testament to that).

Yes I should!

My preconceptions, however, were misjudged, with Amy's character slowly beginning to grow on me episode by episode, as she broke more and more away from the "Sheldon with a Vagina" mould, carrying some more substantial plot lines on her own and mixing with the girls' crowd (Penny and Bernadette). And it is with this "Girls Crowd" that the second major change for the series comes in. As before the show has focused primarily on the boys and their misadventures in geeksville, this season we see the spotlight being shifted slightly to share the laughs with the female side of things.

Penny's Leonard issues are pondered upon, acting as the slow burner of the season arch, Bernadette deals with trying to get serious with Mummy's Boy Howard, while Raj's sister Priya turns up in the latter half of the season to mix things up with Leonard's love life. Luckily, Priya's character is meant to be disliked, at least that's the way I felt, as her stuck up approach to controlling our boy Leonard sends Penny and the newly formed Gals into a tension fuelled hate party against her - with some hilarious outcomes.

The Raj vs Howard battle surely is a season highlight

Of course, the four guys, Sheldon, Leonard, Howard and Raj, are still the central theme of the show, and still go all out in the comedy field. The gang's Justice League team-up is unmissable, with a little help from Penny-Ex Zach (who really deserves more eps!), and their quest to retrieve Sheldon's stolen World of Warcraft account from a sleezeball hacker reminds us all of what the show is really about; honest, nerdy, laugh-filled fun. Plus, the Indiana Jones homage featuring Sheldon, Wil Wheaton and a heck load of angry fan boys is just pure hilarity-ensued awesome.

Raj on the Rise

Raj is fleshed out substantially this time around, and is quickly becoming possibly my favourite character, as he tackles his girl issues with surprisingly unexpected results (especially with that series finale!). He just seems more unique from the other guys, with a USP of romance novel/movie addiction and a tendency to call out hilariously geek-cum-"home boy" phrases during card games. His character has really developed into a cute, rootable underdog of the guys, that's just crying out for some more Raj-centric episodes.

Overall, the series starts to feel more cohesive and connected, with relationships playing a more vital role than ever before, and episodes linking into each other with a more structured season story arch. For the majority of the time, the show retains its smart and sassy humour that keeps the wit intelligible and the laughs worthwhile, such as it has been loved for thus far. For any misstep in this regard, my faith is restored by a magnitude of Sheldon quotes or Howard puns, Penny put-downs or ingeniously planted pop-cult references (everyone's favourite Gorn makes an appearance).

It may have changed, but it's still going strong.

4/5 Stars.

ATR

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P.S. This:

RE:Commend: Husbands

Husbands is the brand new and hilarious web-series from acclaimed TV Writer, Jane Espenson (Torchwood, Firefly), focusing on the age old "Did we just accidentally get married in Vegas?"-RomCom setup with a notable difference; it's a same sex marriage. Camp TV star, Cheeks, and Basesball hero, Brady, find themselves hitched after a wild night in the city of sin, and now must deal with the oncoming media onslaught and whether or not to actually make the relationship work.

    It's great to see a series all about equality really take off, and although I'm sure the gay angle may turn a lot of people away, I urge you to open your minds and stay the course, because what you'll find is a refreshingly fun and hilarity strewn series. Espenson has taken a tired formula and revitalised it with a new-world energy, teeming with spirit and charm, plus a healthy dose of camp to keep the laughs fresh.

 The way I see it, this is future at work: a bold new series focusing on a community previously unspoken for exclusively in this kind of media. Embracing the risk of an untapped source material in gay newly-weds, and sticking it on the web, network-free, proves how television is evolving to meet the open-eyed way of thinking the world has come to.

  And what with guest stars already turning up (Nathan Fillion, anyone?), it looks like these 2 minute episodes might just be shaping up to be some of the internet's finest serial content. So roll on Husbands, because it looks like you're in it for the long haul.

Watch Husbands Now!




ATR


Read My Twitter Q&A With Jane Espenson!

RE:View: 30 Minutes or Less

Coming from the mind behind Zombieland, we all knew 30 Minutes or Less wasn't going to be a failure. We were, perhaps, a little cautious of it though, with the trailers not dealing out a load of laughs and the plot being somewhat daft and pointless. However, these worries are thrown out straight out of the window once the film itself gets going, and while not reaching quite the high that Zombieland achieved, it's still a solid comedy worthy of your money.

    The story is - on the surface - simple; Pizza Delivery Boy, Nick (The Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg) gets kidnapped by two dim-witted, melon shooting drop-outs (Danny McBride and Nick Swardson) who, in a "brilliant" get-rich-quick plan, strap a bomb to Nick and tell him to rob a bank. He can't remove the bomb, he can't go near a police station and he's got 10 hours. Nick's got no choice but to get the money with the aid of his buddy Chet (Aziz Ansari) and escape the cops.

Intimidating, eh?

    But things get complicated with the various twists and turns, involving a Hispanic hitman, flamethrowers and a few madcap car chases and shoot-outs. The robbery itself is actually a fairly short scene, but provides some of the biggest laughs of the movie, with Eisenberg and Ansari playing the apologetic "armed" thieves down to a tee. Their chemistry works well together, and some tightly scripted dialogue ("what's your hispanic criminal name?") between the two are sweetly executed.


   On the flip-side, there's Swardson and McBride lending their stoner-type comedy to the moronic Travis and Dwayne. Thankfully, McBride hasn't been as free with the ad-libbing he's become known for (something that in my opinion dragged Your Highness down), so the consistency of humour is more fluent around their scenes, but there's still plenty of dick jokes flying around (maybe a few too many). Through their "genius" escapades of tracking the innocent bank-robbing duo, their ideas to open a brothel-cum-tanning salon is revealed, and things just refuse to go according to plan.

See, a flamethrower!

Overall, the real comedy, as I found it, came more from Ansari and Swardson's characters; the sidekicks. Ansari fires out hilarious lines left, right and centre as the confused, reluctant and warming Chet, using his ethnicity as an Indian to great effect. While Swardson is the slow, innocent follower of Dwayne, who gets caught up in this without ever properly understanding it, conveyed through his off-comments and facial expressions at his bat-crap crazy friend.


For its short running time of merely 83 minutes, 30 Minutes or Less hardly lets up on the pace, thundering this sense of urgency all the way through, making the third act a triumphant culmination of craziness and comedy. The abruptness of the ending, though slightly unexpected, comes just at the right time and finishes with the same sort of tone that the past hour and a quarter has laid down.

Director Ruben Fleischer may not have matched his Zombie fuelled debut in terms of style or physical comedy, but makes up for it in way of a more propelled plot and neater dialogue funnies. His well assembled cast pull together with each of their respective characters to make them what they are, Eisenberg in particular excelling at turning an unlikable loser into an unlikely hero audiences can root for (as is his way...). The plot's silly and unbelievable (although shockingly partly true), and doesn't always realistically add up, but makes for good popcorn viewing and some unpredictable laughs.  The theme of making something of your life and not sitting round like a loser until you've get ten hours to live, isn't at the forefront of the movie's objectives, but can linger in your mind in retrospect, which is a clever touch to an otherwise refreshingly bouncy film with a pinch of a dark undertone.

4/5 Stars.
   
ATR

And keep your ears sharp for the possible Social Network reference!

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Trailer Tuesday: 30 Minutes or Less

Unfortunately I don't have the time for a fully fledged breakdown today, so it'll only be a trailer for now. But never fear because this is 30 Minutes or Less, the new action/comedy from the makers of Zombieland. Starring Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, Zombieland). Danny McBride (Your Highness, Pineapple Express) and "That awesome Indian intern from season 8 of Scrubs (Ed)": Aziz Ansari!

Here's the synopsis:

Two fledgling criminals kidnap a pizza delivery driver and force him to rob a bank within 30 minutes. 

- IMDb

Short and sweet there from IMDb. Now here's the trailer:

Well, what do you think? I'll agree this trailer isn't really as hilarious as you'd want it to be, but hopefully the real thing should come off a lot funnier. Plus Aziz Ansari and Jesse Eisenberg is a killer combo which'll be interesting one to watch, and if it's anything like Zombieland then it's sure to be a blast. Hitting theatres August 12th.

P.S. Hope you're digging the new layout. ; )

RE:View: Your Highness

     From the minds behind the likes of Pineapple Express and the show, Eastbound and Down, comes Your Highness. As a fantasy-comedy at heart, Your Highness tries to mix big name stars into it's crude humour formula, which doesn't always come off too well.


      But don't be fooled into thinking this is a parody movie in any way. The story is actually rather standard fantasy-fare, but with frequent bursts of the stoner kind of humour you would come to expect from leading man Danny McBride. McBride plays Thadeous, the slacker brother of hero Prince Fabious, portrayed by James Franco. When Fabious' bride to be (Zooey Deschanel) is captured by an evil warlock, Thadeous must help his brother on a quest to retrieve his stolen love. On the way there's horny Minotaurs, perverted wizards and a leather-clad Natalie Portman to provide a rather creepy love-interest situation.

This with Danny McBride is a little weird...

           I'm going to be frank; there is a lot of dick jokes. Crudeness and vulgarity reign over any humour throughout the movie, creating a hit and miss comedic scenario. To my understanding, the majority is ad-libbed which would explain why it doesn't always work well, especially among some of the cast who aren't too familiar with this kind of "scripting". That's not to say it's all bad, as there are some real gems among the gags, with a few stand-outs that had me laughing out loud (a certain minotaur "trophy" in particular) and the use of cussing in medieval speech was chuckle-some too (even if it does wear off after a while).
   
     Despite the often atrocious English accents, the acting is on par. Strangely enough, academy-award nominated James Franco was perhaps the weakest here, in my opinion. But McBride is perfectly suited to dopey-sleeze bag Thadeous and Portman does a fine job of the independent warrior woman role. While Justin Theroux plays the socially awkward, evil wizard, Leezar with just the right amount of cookiness. 

Hit and Miss

     Your Highness, with all it's ad-libbing and awkward improv is nowhere near the same standard of other films with the same style, such as Anchorman, but it is a half-decent comedy in its own right. The special effects may be crappy and the fight scenes badly shot, but that's not really what audiences are there for. Although it's about 60/40 with the joke success rate, it's still something that anyone who enjoys this crass and crude humour type should go see, despite the fact that it could've been so much more. If it's not your style, then I'd say to steer clear.


2.5/5 Stars - More "Your Jester" than Your Highness.


What HeSaidSHeSaid thought of Your Highness.