Stu’s Reviews – Page 66

Special Edition- TV Review- Trailer Park Boys

Genre: TV Series

Grade: A-
Notable People: Who knows- a bunch of Canadian B actors
Title: Trailer Park Boys

Review – So, I am truly embarrassed to admit I love this CBC show available on Netflix- apparently a cult phenomenon in the far recesses of Canada. This is low brow humor and it’s most low brow, slapstick schlock at its most endearing. There have been 12 seasons, it is so popular, and I imagine a required activity for stoners…but…it is hard not to laugh all the way through this one. A “mockumentary” that has camera crew following the astounding Julian and Ricky from their annual release form Nova Scotia prison and their return to their beloved trailer park life. The characters are beyond astounding and the acting…well these guys are either a bunch or world class morons or damn good actors….not sure which. “Bubbles” deserves an Emmy of some sort, or whatever you get for bad Canadian television. Watch three episodes and you will be hooked. Best watched in bed at night.

Novel Review- Dear American Airlines

Genre: Novel

Grade: B+
Notable People: Jonathan Miles
Title: Dear American Airlines

Review – Interesting first novel given to me as gift…with some personal connection…wonder what. Generally the book is one massive complaint letter to American from a guy stranded in Chicago trying to get to his estranged (since birth- never seen her) daughter’s wedding to walk her down the aisle. The complaint runs into a life story, mostly amusing, at times bit over the top…and fully blended in with a wacked out story from a lost Polish masterpiece novel. Well written- maybe a bit too cute, but worth the read.

Book Review: The Dinner

Author: Herman Koch

This book is intense! Koch is a Dutch write an the book is translated from the Dutch. The entire book (pretty short) takes place over the course of an exotic dinner in an upscale Amsterdam restaurant, between the protagonist and his brother who is about to be elected prime minister (with their wives). It starts out like an interesting treatise on family life and fraternal competition, but takes some wild twists via flashback. A totally unexpected story-and not all that pleasant a one; well written, not that easy to like. Lots of surprising violence.

Grade: B+

Genre: Novel

Title: The Dinner

Book Review: Days of Rage

This is an exhaustive account of the American violent underground movement of the 60s and 70s …which actually lasted well into the 80s. An extremely well researched and vivid portrait of the Weathermen, The Black Panthers, the Symbionese Liberation Army and more (see Patty run!)- it is a fascinating look at a truly unbelievable period in our history (45 bombs were set off in one month in the early 70s in New York city alone). It’s a really long book and you have to really want to know this stuff to get through it . Very detailed with good portraits of some of the famous players: Bernadine Dohrn, Jeff Jones, Mark Rudd) but pretty dry and probably too much for most casual readers. Fascinating though.

Notable People: Bryan Burrough

Grade: B+

Film Review: Trainwreck

Frankly, I am a little embarrassed to say I went to see this move…for God’s sake, I AM an avowed movie snob. But I was on a date night with my daughter Tess and trying to find something I thought she would like. So….I liked it. This is not an American film classic, but Schumer is a really funny person in a slutty, filthy, over the top sort of way. Hader is an excellent foil for her and Quinn, my god…the opining scene is worth five times the price of admission as he explains in a flashback to his very young daughters why he and his wife are getting divorced. The man is a gem. The movie has all the usual Apatow touches and Lebron James is actually quite good as Hader’s good friend and confidant. Schumer wrote the script…good for her. Ok- I did go see this movie AND I did like it-so shoot me.

Notable People: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Colin Quinn, Lebron James, Directed by Judd Apatow

Grade: B+

Book Review: Bridge of Sighs

Russo is a really good writer- he won the Pulitzer Prize for his 2001 novel Empire Falls-which was well deserved. His books all take place in fictional NY state Adirondack area towns and are sweeping chronicles of life in that area and culture. This one follow two generations and three families over a 50 year period in both upstate NY and Venice (the bridge of sighs is a Venice landmark). Russo writing is pretty heady with a lot of metaphor and symbolism. His story is sweeping and ambitious. This is a long read and not a very quick one- but worth it if you have the time and patience.

Genre: Novel
Author: Richar Russo
Grade: A-

Film Review: Love and Mercy

This is wonderful- film- go see it now. We drove over an hour to Dartmouth in the rain to make it happen (and to avoid the local offerings of Ted, Max and Entourage-call us film snobs) I’ve been waiting for years for someone to adequately tell the amazing story of the great Brian Wilson(Beach Boys) –and this does the job. Starting with the making of Pet Sounds and Smile into the eighties and going back to the beginnings of Brian’s struggles with mental illness –this story is beautifully told. Full disclosure- in spite of Lennon/McCartney, Dylan and Neil Young- I believe Brain Wilson to be the genius composer of our generation and of the last half of the 20^th century-bar none. It comes alive here as he composes Good Vibrations both from musical genius and the demon voices in his head. Dano and Cusack are amazing as the younger and older Wilson (watch Cusack nail his walk and posture and Dano sing for the heavens), Giamatti is the definition of evil as the control freak shrink- Eugene Landy and Elizabeth Banks is everyone’s wet dream as a true savior. And, the music is phenomenal. Must see film.

Genre: Film

Grade: A

Notable People: Paul Dano, John Cusack, Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth Banks, Directed by Bill Pohlad

Book Review: Hitman

Block is prolific-has written over 50 novels in about six different series (Matthew Scudder is the most famous )- mostly in the mystery genre. And he’s good at it. This one is out of the variety of series he does and is a standalone and mighty well done. Keller is a hit man with a conscience and a therapist. Leads a pretty normal life in NYC except when he goes off to do murder for hire. Everywhere he goes he has major fantasies about moving to. Quite witty and with a good sense of place- Block is really good at what he does. A quick and entertaining summer read.

Genre: Novel

Grade: A-

Notable People: Lawrence Block

Music Review: Boz Scaggs “A Fool To Care”

Boz Scaggs…Really!??! I have idea where he has been for most of last 20 years or so- but this may be the best work he has done since his time in the Paul Butterflied Blues Band. Less pop than his seventies smashes and with a real blues flavor. Bonnie Raitt and Lucinda Williams do major guest shots as well. Check out Boz on the Curtis Mayfield classic, “I’m so Proud”…white man soul here. Good for him, resurrected and better than ever. Definitely worth checking out.

Genre: Album

Grade: A-

Notable People: Boz Scaggs

Title: A Fool to Care

Music Review: Leonard Cohen “Can’t Forget”

Leonard, Leonard, Leonard….never too much Leonard. This is the 6th or 7th live album release for his endless world tour, which would seem a bit much- if everyone one of them was not a tour de force. Leonard sings in French here, he tells little funny stories, he sings the blues…what a mensch. Is he not the world’s favorite octogenarian? And the band has no parallel for touring bands, including the great, great Javier Mas, on all things stringed. The set here is actually all from sounds checks in pre-concert, but you’d never know it; almost all the songs are ones that have not before appeared on the recent live albums and some are new, but wait until you hear this blues- out version of the “Tower of Song” Just go get it- it’s Leonard Cohen!

Genre: Album

Grade: A

Notable People: Leonard Cohen and his wonderful traveling band

Title: Can’t Forget- A Souvenir of the Grand Tour