Writer's Block

I've waxed lyrical about Kevin Devine on this blog before, but this was the first time that I'd seen him perform with The Goddamn Band. As I suspected, he's equally at ease at being a rock frontman as he is as an acoustic troubadour. This was a set that grabbed the attention from the get go, as the punkish "Bubblegum" and pop infused "Little Bulldozer" showcased the band's versatility.  Ending with a superb, loud, emotive rendition of "Brother's Blood", this was the most impressive support set I've seen in a long time. I should have the vinyl release of last years St Pancras Church shows soon and I'm very much looking forward to it. The Front Bottoms were given a hero's welcome by a sold out Brighton crowd but couldn't quite reach the heights of their support. It was still a fun show from the indie/pop-punk/disco categorisation nightmares. Their latest record "Back On Top" is arguably their finest effort to d...

Ma* (Brie Larson) and her five year old son Jack (Jacob Tremblay) are held captive in a small shed by a man referred to as "Old Nick". Jack has spent his entire life in what he describes as "Room". After his fifth birthday, Ma tells him the truth about the situation and the existance of a world outside and mother and son plan their escape. I can't help but feel my perception of Room is a little bit skewed by the critical acclaim it has received. Larson and Tremblay's performances are both exceedingly good (in particular Larson captures her character's stoicism brilliantly) but I wasn't as gripped by proceedings as I expected to be. The confined nature of the action in the first half of the film provides more scope for character development and a focus on the mother/son relationship. I found this the more compelling section of the narrative. An implausible series of events sees Ma and Jack freed as the film enters its second hour and it loses its ...

Leonardi Di Caprio is Hugh Glass, part of a group of hunters navigating their way through the Louisiana Purchase in 1823. Glass is severely injured after being mauled by a bear. After assuring his captain that he would stay with him until his death, John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) leaves Glass for dead in a shallow grave and kills his son. Remarkably, Glass survives and he heads out into the wilderness in pursuit of revenge. I saw this film on Saturday and I really wish it had made a greater impact, as it hasn't really stayed with me. The Revenant's main asset is it's stunning cinematography, as it beautifully depicts its icey North American landscapes. The story leaves something to be desired. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with any of it. Hardy and Di Caprio put in fine performances and one does appreciate the extent to which the latter puts himself through the ringer. Kudos too must go to Will Poulter as Jim Bridger, the young man who struggles to cope with his ro...