Articles written by Daniel Johnson - Page 31

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About me - Daniel Johnson

I am an avid fire watcher, poet and comedian. Also critic, lowly benefit MC, and soap user.

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Entertainment > Album Reviews Album reviews: Head (Soundtrack), by The Monkees: 2 of 2
The Monkees - Head (Soundtrack - RHINO reissue 1968/1994)Taken as an individual document on it's own - removed from the movie HEAD this is an absorbing sound collage and stirring concept albums that holds its own next to works by Radiohead and They Might Be Giants. Whatever you think of the Monkees and their fabricated TV ima... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews DVD reviews: When The Levees Broke - A Requiem in Four Acts: 2 of 2
WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE A REQUIEM IN FOUR ACTS (Dir. Spike Lee - HBO with a limited theatrical release, 2006) More than halfway through watching this I half-assedely remarked to a friend over the instant messenger that it was "essentially a 4 hour version of Kanye West's famous quote". * After watching the deal in it's entireit... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Interview (2007): 2 of 2
INTERVIEW (Dir. Steve Buscemi, 2007)This remake of the 2003 Dutch film by Theo van Gogh (1957-2004) is an engrossing vehicle for the acting directing Buscemi. The sweet rub here is that his cynical political journalist (for the fictional Newsworld) character Pierre Peders is in danger of being seriously one-upped by his assig... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Sweet Land: 2 of 2
SWEET LAND (Dir. Ali Selim, 2005) This film has been around for a bit but only made its way to my local home town theater The Varsity this last week accompanied by the director who said this was his last stop on his publicity tour. Based on William Weaver's touching short story A Gravestone Made Of Wheat dealing with immigrat... More..
Entertainment > Musicians & Bands Book reviews: The Wilco Book: 2 of 2
THE WILCO BOOK (PICTUREBOX 2004)If we as a collective pop culture consuming public accept this 'artsy as Hell' scrapbook of gear-headed, production-anecdote-ridden, and intermittedely colorful collection of personal scraps and band philosophies then Wilco ascends to the art rock pantheon of such undisputed icons like Devo, Ta... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews DVD reviews: Bugsy (The Extended Cut): 2 of 2
BUGSY THE EXTENDED CUT (Dir. Barry Levinson, 1991)"Dialogue's cheap in Hollywood Ben, why don't you run outside and jerk yourself a soda?"- Virginia Hill (Annette Benning)Haven't seen this since it's original video release in '92 (didn't catch it in theaters - '91) so I don't remember it very closely and couldn't tell what wa... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: 21 Grams: 2 of 2
21 GRAMS Dir. Alexandro Gonzalez Inarritu. From the same team responsible for AMORES PERROS (2000). For a movie that got a few Oscar nominations and a round of good critical notices this flick seems to have been thrown onto DVD with the same loving care as GIGLI - no extras per say. Not even a trailer except for other films (... More..
Entertainment > Album Reviews Album reviews: Come Fly With Me, by Frank Sinatra: 2 of 2
Frank Sinatra - Come Fly With Me (Capitol 1958)(This review refers to the 1987 re-issue that has 3 bonus tracks)Before Sinatra founded Reprise Records he had a string of top notch career and persona defining albums including Only The Lonely and A Swingin' Affair but this disc really stands out. From it's cover art featuring a... More..
Entertainment > Entertainment (Other) DVD reviews: The RUTLES 2 - Can't Buy Me Lunch: 2 of 2
THE RUTLES 2 : CAN'T BUY ME LUNCH"Did you ever get the feeling that the truth is less revealing than an outright lie?"- Ron Nasty (Neil Innes)An utterly unneccessary and painfully unfunny sequel to the classic '77 NBC TV special parody of the Beatles (ALL YOU NEED IS CASH). Apparently former Python and also formerly funny Eri... More..
Entertainment > Movie Reviews Movie reviews: Capturing The Friedmans: 2 of 2
CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS - Dir. Andrew Jarecki (2003) At first this comes across like a modern reality-TV influenced update of Kurasawa's RASHOMON but then it unfolds into something completely different to quote a beloved British comedy troop who themselves are quoted in this fasinating film. A Long Island family is torn apart... More..