Posts Marked Music
The Runaways Review by Tim Hayes
July 1st, 2010Mr. Hayes is not only the ALMT publicist and lead editor,
but also contributes film journalism and reviews to Critic’s Notebook and Cinemattraction.Tim Hayes on Theatrical Thursdays
The Runaways (2010) dir. Floria Sigismondi
Studio: Apparition
Screenwriter: Floria Sigismondi
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon, Danielle Riley Keough, Scout Taylor-Compton, Stella Maeve, Tatum O’Neal
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
MPAA Rating: R (for language, drug use and sexual content – all involving teens)
Official Website: Runawaysmovie.comAs if the dripping cherry on the poster wasn’t a big enough pointer, the first shot in “The Runaways” is of menstrual flow. Don’t be fooled. Yes, the hormone levels start off high and rise higher as the film charges through the formation of the famous band by young women going through all sorts of self-discovery. But it’s also a terrifically well-made fable of what happens when the right people meet in just the right places, a film that knows the difference between passion and sleaze.
Visually the film is a knock-out. Director Floria Sigismondi has a track record of borderline-disturbing music videos for people like Marilyn Manson and Bjork, but in “The Runaways” she uses color as a weapon. Every shot is a riot of bold colorful textures and electric hues, but the style never comes close to pop-art or an ice-cream headache. Instead it energizes the film right off the screen, a visual echo of the sparks that start flying when The Runaways form.
On top of that the acting is uniformly awesome. Kim Fowley, the moderately unhinged producer who put the band together, is played by the always brilliant Michael Shannon as a hyper-camp madman, fully able to deal with a musical crisis while banging a passing secretary or hanging upside-down from the ceiling. The fun Shannon is having can only be guessed at.
Kristen Stewart gets top billing as Joan Jett and she’s a good physical match with the guitarist, especially when copying Jett’s head-down loping stride. But the film is based on singer Cherie Currie’s book, so it’s Dakota Fanning who gets to plot a character arc and unleash her wild-child.
The results could burn the paint off a door frame. In perfect sync with her (female) director, Fanning cavorts in her underwear, revels in the character’s jail-bait sex appeal and flies straight off the rails, without once being demeaned by the camera or turned into a cliche. Fanning was 15 years old when this was filmed – bear that in mind when she climbs into fishnets. Bear it in mind again when the character’s mournful, fierce eyes are still with you the following day.
July 1st,2010 Blogging, Film Reviews by Tim Hayes, Theatrical Thursdays, Video | Sections: Apparition, Biography, Björk, Cherie Currie, Dakota Fanning, Danielle Riley Keough, Drama, Floria Sigismondi, Joan Jett, Kristen Stewart, Marilyn Manson, Michael Shannon, Music, Scout Taylor-Compton, Stella Maeve, Tatum O'Neal, The Runaways, Tim Hayes, Tim Hayes on Theatrical Thursdays | 2 CommentsALMT-Music Monday: GITRD in Under The Radar Digital Sampler
January 11th, 2010I’m very excited to announce that “Disguise” from GITRD is featured in the “Under The Radar” digital sampler, Best of the Decade edition.
“Disguise” is number 12 on the list, alongside such artists as Death Cub For Cutie and Devendra Banhart.
You can access the digital sampler by buying a copy of “Under The Radar” – the code is inside. You can pick up the magazine from book stores or order online.
Other highlights from the magazine include:
The Best of the Decade Issue features Under the Radar‘s Top 200 Albums of the Decade and all five of the cover artists have at least one album somewhere on the list.
The Best of the Decade Issue also includes interviews with other great artists on our Top 200 Albums of the Decade list, including Animal Collective’s Avey Tare, The Dears’ Murray Lightburn, The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy, Elbow’s Guy Garvey, Feist, Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste, Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock, Spiritualized’s Jason Pierce, Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys, and Tegan & Sara.
As well as the Top 200 of the decade, the issue also includes Under the Radar‘s Top 50 Albums of 2009 list.
January 11th,2010 Blogging, Girl In The Red Dress, Music, Music Mondays | Sections: Animal Collective, Avey Tare, Best of the Decade, Colin Meloy, Death Cab For Cutie, Devendra Banhart, Ed Droste, Elbow, Feist, Girl In The Red Dress, GITRD, Grizzly Bear, Gruff Rhys, Guy Garvey, Isaac Brock, Jason Pierce, Modest Mouse, Murray Lightburn, Music, Spiritualized, Super Furry Animals, Tegan & Sara, The Dears, The Decemberists, Under The Radar | 3 CommentsiPod, You Turkey Giveaway
November 23rd, 2009- Win a new 16GB exclusive red iPod nano – this is the one that shoots video – all you have to do is subscribe to the ALM Talkies newsletter! We’ll contact the winning email address one week after Thanksgiving day, so check your inbox on December 3 (make sure you subscribe by Dec 2).
- Already subscribe to the ALM Talkies newsletter? No worries, you’ll automatically be entered!
Watch the video below to learn more about our Sponsors The Reds, who appear on the Dirty Step Upstage soundtrack. The nano will be loaded with songs and videos from them and us including:
- *The Reds: 3 singles & music video
- *Girl In The Red Dress: EP, single “Who’s That Girl”, & artwork
- *Dirty Step Upstage: Trailer, featurettes, unseen stills, & exclusive music video preview
- *We’ll shoot a personalized video to the winner using the iPod nano video recorder!
- *We’re also throwing in some promotional pins & a DSU movie poster!
Why not subscribe now?
If the winning email doesn’t respond within 48 hours of notification, we will select another winner.
November 23rd,2009 Contests, Dirty Step Upstage, Events, Girl In The Red Dress, Promotion, Songs, Sponsors, Uncategorized, Video | Sections: Dirty Step Upstage, Girl In The Red Dress, GITRD, ipod nano, Latex, Music, Newsletter, Promotion, The Reds, Video | 2 CommentsGirl In The Red Dress debuts in New York
November 6th, 2009On October 21, the live debut of GITRD took place at the Chashama Film Festival Opening, prior to the World Premiere of Dirty Step Upstage.
The songs performed for a full house:
For more photos visit Soundclick.
(photography by Edward Wheeler)
November 6th,2009 Dirty Step Upstage, Events, Festivals, Girl In The Red Dress, Performances | Sections: Chashama Film Festival, Dirty Step Upstage, Festival, Girl In The Red Dress, GITRD, Music, Performance | 2 CommentsDance Celebrities sing Happy Birthday to Gendance
November 5th, 2009Girl In The Red Dress gives birthday wishes, as does SYTYCD choreographer and ABCD judge Shane Sparks, dance group Jabbawokeez, tap legend Gregg Russell, dance photographer Lois Greenfield, and many more (R.Evolution Latina, Mark Stuart Eckstein, Gina Starbuck, Dario Natarelli…)
November 5th,2009 Girl In The Red Dress, Video | Sections: gendance, Girl In The Red Dress, GITRD, Music | No Comments
