Review: Hemlock Grove

From executive producer Eli Roth (Hostel) comes the Netflix original series Hemlock Grove. It is based off the debut novel by Brian McGreevy. The series begins with a slew of small town murders, and details the mysteries surrounding each of it's residents as much as the murders themselves. It follows the classic "who-dunnit" formula, injected with elements of the supernatural and classic film noir. While much of the basic formula is the same, there is enough nuance and re-imagination present to make for a unique viewing experience, familiar enough to engage without crossing over into re-hash territory.

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Review: 'Paramore' - Paramore

If there is one thing that has been on every Paramore fans' mind since news of the split went viral a few years ago, it's this: How would the departure of the Farro brothers affect the band as a whole? As this debate grew with each passing day (amid fans taking sides and fighting amongst themselves) talk of the band itself being no more circulated along every message board and social media platform. And while the initial firestorm eventually did die down, the question upon every fans lips (like the band members themselves) underwent a shift. The question was no longer whether or not Paramore would continue as a band, the question was: How would the Farro brother's departure ultimately affect the signature sound that we as fans had come to love and grow accustomed to?

After three years, that question is finally answered. With the release of their self-titled fourth studio effort, Paramore finally put that question to bed, and offer fans the long awaited opportunity to hear the answer for themselves.

Silver Lining for Jennifer Lawrence

It's official: Jennifer Lawrence is a bonafide Hollywood powerhouse. While on surface level it may appear as though I am simply stating the obvious, reiterating what many have known for quite some time to be true, one cannot simply overlook this statement. While it may be true that both Hollywood A-Lister's and common movie-goers alike are notorious for jumping on the proverbial bandwagon when it comes to the next big thing on the rise, one cannot merely underestimate the force that is Ms. Lawrence.

While it's true that she is indeed Hollywood's next big thing, and while it is also true that even as I write this there are countless hordes attempting to claw and scratch their way onto the already overcrowded bandwagon that is Jennifer Lawrence, there is an undeniable X-Factor that puts this young woman well above all of her competitors vying for the coveted crown which she now wears. She took her time ascending the A-list ladder, conquering the low-budget indie small screen well before landing the Hollywood Blockbuster.

Now, before you rile up the villagers with pitchforks in hand, this is by no means suggesting that the Kristen Stewart's of the world had anything handed to them on platters of silver. What I am suggesting, however, is that by taking the time to sharpen her skills, and hone her craft in a slew of films that I'm sure more than half the hordes clawing at the wagon have never even heard of, let alone seen, she set herself up to be on Hollywood's biggest stage, not merely as a spectator, but as the very object to which all spectating eyes were glued, putting in the hours when the world wasn't watching, because eventually they would be.

Review: Silver Linings Playbook (Or Lack Thereof)

I should probably preface this post by saying that I had about 5 cups of coffee earlier from a rather large mug, so on top of my already overactive brain function, I'm left with an overactive brain function on overdrive, which makes the fact that I am unable to sleep not surprising in the slightest. Thus, I find myself here, in the wee hours of a bleak sleepless morning, pondering the universe and it's many complexities.

First of all, I will get this pleasantry out of the way right from the start: This is not merely a film review, even though I will no doubt discuss aspects of the film (which, coupled with my caffeine intake account for my writing this in the first place) this is not simply a film review.

I will say that it is not very often that I come across a film so powerful as to propel me to devote an entire entry to it. It should be no surprise to anyone that most of what is recycled through Hollywood these days is just that: recycled and regurgitated shallow filth that has either already been adapted, already been made, or already been re-adapted with the sole purpose (it would seem) to outdo it's predecessor in sheer absurdity. An absurdity which knows no bounds, limits, or depths from which to sink, further drowning in the seas of insignificance and mediocrity.

Knowing this to be fact, one would no doubt conclude that the medium of cinema is nothing more than the over hyped, over stylized, over budgeted beast we have allowed it to grow into, the product of our own doing (or undoing, as it were). Even so, every once in a while a film comes along that forces us (by sheer strength of will and content) to use our minds...the thing we often seek to disengage when we set out on our cinematic journey in the first place. Such films force us to come to terms with the very things we are seeking to escape, aspects of our lives we hope to never revisit. Such films challenge the established realities which we have created for ourselves and force us into a level of introspection that borders on torturous. It is precisely this forced introspection that makes such films not only relevant, but necessary. In the de-sensitized, overly saturated culture in which we live, such films serve as a reminder of our humanity, and just how far we have strayed away from it.

Silver Linings Playbook is such a film.