DAMIEN RILEY, world musician and performer

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  • Avengers: Age of Ultron

    “Stop using curse words!” This is a recurrent statement in the Avengers. I wonder who this theme of struggling with four letter words is appealing to? Perhaps the fountain of youth is in cursing? Are the youth who this movie is written for the most happy? I have to say, I appreciate a more seasoned focus in a movie that can be enjoyed by 46 year olds as well as those around 8. They still exist do they not? I hardly ever curse and when I do, I don’t feel I have to join a 12 step program. The Avengers is fun and it has amazing effects but you might to a four letter word review in the way its focus is scattered and plot long,

    If a movie is going to be long, let it have killer special effects I say. This film dragged on at times, over developing things that were obvious. Beyond that, the side dramas meant to show the humanity of the Avengers were predictable and out of place. For example, why do Nat and Banner have to get into romantic jabber? If I had to take a pee it would have been during those scenes. Those items aside, there are some amazing effects and it’s cool to watch the Avengers once again bring down the hammer.

    It seems these days that these Marvel movies are wont to pour millions into movies that lack the simple ingredients of good movies. They make money on 3D goers primarily who have low expectations for a story. I’m afraid there was a bit of this here. The movie had several settings and several plots. I would have given a higher score if it had chosen one. Tony Stark had way too much screen time. I don’t know if kids these days know Robert Downey Jr. is 5’5″ and has spent time in jail. He’s a B rate actor that gets too much screen time on the Avengers. The suit is cooler than him yet you’ll get lots of him in Ultron. It was too long but I did have fun with my family. I don’t think I’ll see the next one but many others will, I respect that. I won’t call you a four letter word. There is indeed a fountain of youth and I like to think I live in it. It’s the place where you have your own mind on things and t’s never too far away. I guess in a weird way, this product-placement/formulaic film made me remember that. It comes streaming on Netflix next month.

    This post is partly in response to Stream of Consciousness Sunday.

    In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Forever Young.”

  • Across the Universe (Audio Review)

    Across the Universe is an outstanding musical that re-interprets a set of Beatles songs in a super fun way. In this episode of my podcast, I talk about this exciting and visionary film.

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    Across the Universe (2007)PG-13 | 2h 13min | Drama, Fantasy, Musical | 12 October 2007 (USA)The music of the Beatles and the Vietnam War form the backdrop for the romance between an upper-class American girl and a poor Liverpudlian artist.Director: Julie TaymorWriters: Dick Clement (screenplay), Ian La Frenais (screenplay) | 3 more credits »Stars: Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson

    This is a film telling of many Beatles songs woven into an entrancing film that will leave you breathless yet singing. (Is that possible? Maybe)
    Julie Taymor, director, does an outstanding job here and it’s no wonder since her accolades include directing “The Lion King” on Broadway. It was wise of the film financiers to pick a person so versed in dance and music because this is a flm that includes all of it. The charater Lucy is played by Evan Rachel Wood. She moves from the midwest of America to New York. Jude is played by Jim Sturgess. He’s a welder that can’t seem to get a break. As an actor, he can really sing and I bought his scenes hook line and sinker.
    Visuals and live-stage timing make this film a beautiful colorful musical trip. I enjoyed every minute of it. One neat aspect was the way some songs are interpreted in new ways for us. An upbeat song on the album might be presented as slow, somber, and thoughtful. The Vietnam war figures into it masterfully, even when the images and subject matter are definitely “not for kids.”
    Bono of U2 fame plays the walrus and I have to say, being a staunch defender of Walruses in cinema, I approved heartily. If anyone can make that song work in a film, it’s Bono.
    Recently I saw a professional cover band of the Beatles and I was entranced. You really can’t miss when their music is involved. If you like Beatles songs, or are interested in the music of the Beatles and they are new to you, this love story/drama is a great way to enjoy “the lads.” And remember the message, “All You Need is Love!” I recommend Across the Universe in the musical film genre as:
    10/10

  • Blade Runner 2049 (2017) Audio Review

    Ok so I saw this film. It was a visual feast as everyone is saying but it wasn’t the Blade Runner sequel I was looking for in that it was far too complicated. Still, it was a good ride. Some beautiful women in it too. Here I talk about it on my podcast … with spoilers. What did you think of the film?

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  • Demon

    If you’re going to watch this, please know it’s one long wedding. I mean that literally, it’s a horror movie at a long wedding.

    R | 1h 34min | Comedy, Horror, Thriller | 9 September 2016 (USA)

    A bridegroom is possessed by an unquiet spirit in the midst of his own wedding celebration, in this clever take on the Jewish legend of the dybbuk.
    Director: Marcin Wrona
    Writers: Pawel Maslona, Marcin Wrona
    Stars: Itay Tiran, Agnieszka Zulewska, Andrzej Grabowski

    This director has done a cool, traditional thing here. He took a polish legend and made the story into a modern day telling. Some of the scariest stuff out there is in folklore and legend. Just like La Llorona in Mexico, this demon is ruthless and relentless. She’s not one to be trifled with.

    I like the director’s work here but I do think more “scary stuff” would have improved this horror film. There are some great minimal scares and they run deep. For example, at the point when the doctor needs a syringe to calm the patient, he calls for the syringe and the had of the demon reaches from under the bed. That was chilling. But I think the film was lacking very much in scares so that’s why I sort of tuned out.

    The actors are all foreign and the lead was pretty good but overall the acting was just average for me. Maybe because I despise weddings I don’t know, but I didn’t really like this film much. There isn’t much horror as advertised. It’s a great recycled folklore legend and the screenplay is written fairly well. I don’t see any reason for you to see it though, unless the legend excites you.

    5/10

  • They Look Like People

    Will he or won’t he use all those axes and the nail gun? Are his friends really monsters? Is Wyatt schizophrenic?


    They Look Like People (2015)
    Unrated | 1h 20min | Drama, Horror, Mystery | 26 February 2016 (USA)

    Suspecting that people around him are turning into evil creatures, a troubled man questions whether to protect his only friend from an impending war, or from himself.
    Director: Perry Blackshear
    Writer: Perry Blackshear
    Stars: MacLeod Andrews, Evan Dumouchel, Margaret Ying Drake

    It’s a film I tell you! Much more than a film school project, which it resembles most the way through. I’ve read this film referred to as “DIY horror.” I’m not sure what it is exactly but it definitely has something to say about psychology and the human mind.

    Watch this if you enjoy thinking about what is real sometimes and what is not. Go see if you’ve ever realized you were being paranoid only to find out later some of that paranoia was real. It’s some really heavy shot I tell you. Now be forewarned, I couldn’t find a budget for this thing online but I would wager to say it was made for only hundreds of dollars. For that reason, some may find it hard to sit through. Ok, I’ll say: it it was boring at slow a lot of times. Still, it was streaming on Amazon Prime Video so I didn’t have to fork out extra cash for it and I sat through it just fine. The who movie payoff is the ending, the last 15 minutes hit you like 13 foot wave.

    Simple story, ok acting. Christian wasn’t really believable for me the way he was always laughing. Wyatt makes a good psycho, or is he a psycho at all? You tell me. For what it is it works. Not for everyone by a long shot. It has to lose some from me because I like when directors attempt a bit broader appeal. And finally, to director Perry Blackshear I say: well done, we shall look for more psychotic minimalism from you.

    7/10

  • Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

    Bioengineered humans never looked so good in 35 years. 6/10

    R | 2h 43min | Sci-Fi, Thriller | 6 October 2017 (USA)

    A young blade runner’s discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former blade runner Rick Deckard, who’s been missing for thirty years.
    Director: Denis Villeneuve
    Writers: Hampton Fancher (screenplay by), Michael Green (screenplay by) | 2 more credits »
    Stars: Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas | See full cast & crew

    The director of Arrival made this film and I can’t help but ask myself why he was selected. For me, that pseudo space film was really just a memory and tme travel rehash mix if several other films. He definitely did a satisfactory job with the “Blade Runner” sequel but his convoluted plot became a bit of an uninteresting guessing game. The original film was much more simple and straight ahead action. Maybe I’m just nostalgic.

    This has a gang of actors that grace the screen. I think the casting was pretty good. When you consider Rutger Hauer’s powerful performance in the original, you know they had big shoes to fill. Harrison Ford is here. He’s not all that remarkabke and it take him near forever to show up in the plot. Ryan Gosling is “K” a cop/replicant who retires older models. Gosling is by far the best performance. There is one scene with LUV and Lieutenant Joshi (Robin Wright) where a glass is squeezed and shattered that I found especally good on both their parts.

    I could describe the plot in detail, I do on my podcast the DRP. Still, I find it veering hither and to. It’s way too complicated I think. I sort of wish they would have got a more straight ahead storyteller for a director and kept the story simpler. It involves a baby made through the relations of Sean Young’s character Rachel and Harrison Ford’s Deckard character. They call it a miracle. Factions want the baby so they fight to get to it her him. See waht I mean? A little out there.

    My favorite scenes were the naked women statues in the Las Vegas Ruins. It was like Rome trying to look like Rome and falling like Rome. After the shootings last week, it’s almost chilling to think about. How fragile we are.

    It was alright. I won’t be recommending it. Still, I know the fan base (like myself) will go so I don’t feel bad. I’ll be on Talking Stars next week discussing the fim on a panel. Not sure how much I may warm up to the film, though it has happened before. This is a long movie that only the very curious will be able to tolerate. Fortunately for the “franchise” (2 movies 35 years apart) Andriods do dream of electric sheep.

    6/10