Category Archives: Review

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere Film Review

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If you’re heading to the cinema expecting Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere to be your standard-issue musical biopic — complete with backstage meltdowns, redemption arcs, and roaring sing-alongs — think again. This isn’t a toe-tapping, stadium-shaking celebration of “The Boss.” It’s something far more intimate, raw, and quietly haunting.

It’s a quiet, character-driven story about the weight of fame, the echoes of childhood trauma, and the loneliness that can accompany the pursuit of perfection. At its core, it’s not about Bruce Springsteen, the rock icon but about Bruce the man, the son, and the artist wrestling with his own darkness.

Like Being the Ricardos (2021), the film focuses on a single pivotal chapter in Springsteen’s life, rather than attempting to tell his entire life story. It picks up after The River tour, when Springsteen was emotionally and creatively spent, and follows him into the making of Nebraska. It’s during this period that we see him stripped down — no band, no screaming fans, just him and the noise inside his head. The movie delves into the sometimes messy, yet beautiful process of creation and how unresolved pain can shape the art we hold closest.

I’ll be honest: I enjoyed Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere way more than A Complete Unknown. While the latter left me admiring Dylan’s mystique, this one left me feeling Springsteen’s humanity. I walked away understanding him better — and loving his music even more because of it.

In terms of the performances, Jeremy Allen White is, without question, an incredible actor. I’ve been a fan since his Shameless days, and he’s only gotten better since. His take on Springsteen is intense and heartfelt, but here’s the thing — it didn’t quite feel like a transformation. He nails the emotional depth, but it’s the same quiet, tortured energy we’ve seen from him in other roles. At times, I felt like I was watching Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen rather than Bruce himself. Still, it’s a powerful performance — just one that feels familiar.

Jeremy Strong shines as Jon Landau, Springsteen’s longtime manager and steadying presence. But the real standout for me is Stephen Graham as Bruce’s father. His portrayal — both in flashbacks and present-day moments — is subtle, devastating, and deeply human. There’s no melodrama, no forced sentiment. Just raw emotion that sneaks up on you and lingers. If there’s early Oscar buzz for Supporting Actor, I’d put my money on him.

In the end, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere isn’t a film about rock and roll glory — it’s about the silence behind the spotlight. It’s about what happens when the applause fades and the artist is left alone with his own thoughts.

Grade: B+

2024 Golden Globes Recap

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The 2024 Golden Globes are officially in the bag. We now have an idea of what direction this new voting body is going to take moving forward, and I’m not sure I love it (more on that below). There isn’t much to say about the ceremony, therefore, rather than a best and worst, I’ll just list a few key takeaways I had about the ceremony. 

  • Less Time for the Host’s Monologue – Don’t worry, I will not add to the pile-on of poor Jo Koy. That said, awful jokes aside, there was simply no reason the monologue should have been 15 minutes long in the first place. Award shows producers are always bleating about time, going as far as trying to remove categories during the telecast. But I find it odd that none of them have considered cutting down the host’s monologue. I get that the hosts are typically comedians, which means a pseudo stand-up routine is what works best for them. But the bottom line is people don’t watch these shows for the host – they watch to see if their favorite films or shows win and to see their favorite celebrities. I do believe cutting down these opening monologues to five minutes or less would be a game-changer.

  • No Shocking Upsets – The one thing the Globes were known for was doing the unexpected. You could always count on them making some of the most surprising and random choices in a few categories. That did not happen last night. Many wondered how this new voting body would proceed – would they stick with the old unpredictably or fall more in line with the critics and popular opinions? And now we know. As I mentioned in my TikTok video, I’m a bit torn. While I’m happy if this means that most of the corruption of the old HFPA is gone, I liked that the Globes were unexpected. They didn’t just fall in line with The Emmy Awards and other big shows. Because of this, we rarely saw any show or film sweep like we saw on Sunday night.

  • Oppenheimer Has All the Momentum – Of course, we know that Globes winners don’t always hold up come Oscar Sunday. However, for now, at least, I think it’s a safe bet to say Oppenheimer is looking very strong for an eventual Best Picture win. At the least, I’d say Best Director for Christopher Nolan, Best Original Score, and probably Best Supporting Actor are very likely.

  • Anatomy of a Fall Emerges, Past Lives Stumbles – Late last summer, if you had asked many to predict the films likely to dominate at this year’s Oscars, you probably would have heard Barbie and Oppenheimer, of course, Killers of the Flower Moon and Past Lives. Sunday night’s Golden Globes placed a huge question mark on the latter’s award chances. And today’s SAG Awards nominations announcement further solidified that question mark. More than Past Lives seemingly fading as a favorite, was the emergence of Anatomy of a Fall as a potential favorite to watch out for. At a minimum, I think they’re a lock for Best International Film (editing this because just remembered that Anatomy of a Fall is ineligible for Best International Film because for whatever reason France chose to submit The Taste of Things as their submission rather than Anatomy of a Fall).

  • Best Actress is a Two-Woman Race – Unsurprisingly, Globes solidified that this year’s Best Actress race is a two-way race between Lily Gladstone and Emma Stone. Similar to last year’s Globes, where Cate Blanchett won Actress – Drama and Michelle Yeoh won Actress – Comedy/Musical, Gladstone and Stone’s wins in the respective categories have solidified them as locks. It’s hard to tell right now which way this will end. However, subsequent ceremonies – Critics Choice, BAFTA, and SAG should make things a lot clearer by Oscar Sunday.

The Return of Adele – Breaking Down Chapter 30

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The queen of the charts is back. Six years after the release of her Grammy-winning 25, where she reflected on and in some cases longed for her pre-fame days; Adele is back with her fourth studio album, 30.

A lot has happened in the singer’s personal life, as many are aware, since the release of 25. Notably, the breakup of her marriage. There was also a weight loss journey that had some fans happy for her, while others felt betrayed.

Adele brilliantly addressed the latter in her CBS Special interview with Oprah Winfrey, noting that it’s not her job to validate people’s feelings about their bodies. I concur. However, her weight loss isn’t a topic on 30, which is all about the emotional journey she undertakes throughout the subsequent breakdown of her marriage.

It’s raw, guttural, painful, and honest. What it isn’t, especially sonically, is a newer version of 21 or 25. So if that’s what you expected when you started listening to the album, chances are, you may have felt a little disappointed.

However, while 30 may not boast the same sleek, ear-worm pop goodness of 21, or even 25, it still delivers the same achingly beautiful honesty, told with Adele’s ever impeccable vocals.

When I first began working on this review, I vacillated between writing a summary, versus a song by song breakdown. I decided to do a song-by-song review, but then the perfectionist in me immediately started obsessing about having the perfect words to express my feelings.

However, I realized that in the spirit of the album’s honesty, the best approach would be to not overthink and go with my first impressions. So read on for my stream of consciousness, slightly rambling, initial impressions of each song.

  • Strangers by Nature – It’s fitting that the first two lines of this track are, “I’ll be taking flowers to the cemetery of my heart/For all my lovers in the present and the dark”. There is a dirge-like quality to the song’s overall sound. It also brings to mind a bit of the 40s-50s classic sound.
  • Easy on Me – The album’s lead single and possibly, most radio-friendly. It’s a straightforward lament of someone seeking if not forgiveness, understanding, and empathy for making what may be considered a selfish choice.
  • My Little Love – Judging by social media chatter, this appears to be many fans’ favorite song on the album. Essentially a love letter and apology to her son Angelo for leaving his father and ultimately breaking up their family, what is particularly interesting about this song is that sonically it has a very chill vibe. Yet lyrically, it’s one of the saddest and darkest songs on the album.
  • Cry Your Heart Out – Haven’t we all been there? Who hasn’t needed a good cry or two or three (you get the point) once in a while? Like the above, I love that despite lyrically being emotionally heavy, sonically there is an easy, almost breezy vibe to the song.
  • Oh My God – Love everything about this number. The vibe, production, and of course, the adage that being bad is always so much more fun.
  • Can I Get It – Sonically, this gives me 90s pop/rock tees, especially the whistling interlude. The first word that comes to mind is simply fun.
  • I Drink Wine – Possibly my favorite track. I love the soulful sound, and while not a wine drinker myself (not much of a drinker at all), I connected so strongly with this number. Aren’t we all on a journey of complete self-acceptance and self-love?
  • All Night Parking (with Erroll Garner) – Love this one. It gives me early ‘00s Jill Scott and Erykah Badu vibes.
  • Woman Like Me – I like this number lyrically but not sonically. It drifts a little to the sleepy side with the one chord progression throughout.
  • Hold On – I call this one, “Adele lays her broken heart out raw and unfiltered for all the world to see.” You’re made of ice if the soaring refrain at the end to hold on, doesn’t get you right in the gut.
  • To Be Loved – And this is Adele laying out her vulnerable truth – for better or worse. There is a slightly old-school Whitney Houston-like sound to the production. That concluding breakdown, begging for understanding from her audience (theoretically her ex-husband and us, the listener), is everything.
  • Love Is a Game – Probably one of the most depressingly cynical views of love. But I guess a divorce will do that to you.

In conclusion, no, this album will not give you the radio-friendly pop sounds of 21 or 25. But it is, in many ways, Adele’s most heartbreakingly honest and mature album.

2021 Academy Awards Recap

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Another Awards Season is officially in the bag, with the conclusion of last Sunday’s Academy Awards. For better or worse, a ceremony took place and it was well…it was something. There were highs (score one for more diversity) and there were some major lows (we all know what I’m referring to).

When it was all said and done, voters spread the love to several movies though surprisingly, none for The Trial of the Chicago 7, which started the season a heavy award favorite.

Typically I do these recaps in a Best and Worst format but honestly, the struggle was very real trying to find five things I genuinely loved about this year’s ceremony. So I’ve decided to do things a little differently and try a highlights-slash-stream of consciousness approach.

I’m just going to list everything that stood out from the ceremony, good or bad, in no particular order.

  • The Upset Heard Round the World – Naturally the biggest and most discussed moment from this year’s ceremony was Anthony Hopkins’ surprising win for Best Actor over the late Chadwick Boseman. Everyone predicted and expected that this would be a bittersweet celebration of Boseman. So much so that for maybe the first time in Oscars history, the order was flipped in the presentations of Best Picture and Best Actor and Best Actress. The show’s producers obviously expected Chadwick’s winning moment to cap off the night. But alas, it was not to be. I understand many people’s outrage. However, by all accounts, Anthony Hopkins gave a stunning performance in The Father. And while Chadwick was more than deserving of the win, Hopkins wasn’t undeserving either, if that makes sense, which is why awards are so subjective. At the end of the day, more than anything, what I felt was sadness. Sadness that this brilliant actor’s life and career was cut way too short, sadness that we’ll never get another masterful performance from him, and sadness that he doesn’t have another chance to become an Academy Award-winning actor.
  • Applause for Diversity – While Chadwick’s loss was even more disappointing, as it meant that there are still only two black actors to have ever won the Oscar for Leading Actor, the night did have many moments of diversity worth celebrating. Chloe Zhao’s win for Best Director not only meant a second woman winning in the category, but it was also the first for a woman of color. Yuh-jung Youn’s win for Best Supporting Actress made her one of the oldest women to win, as well as the first Korean. And Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson’s win for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom made them the first black women to ever win in this category.
  • Where Were the Clips – Until the shock of the final award of the night, I feel fairly confident in saying this is what most viewers were screaming at their screens. I am genuinely fascinated to hear the producers’ reasoning for choosing to forego 90 percent of the clips from the nominees in favor of a lot of talking. Did I mention there was A LOT of talking? The Academy Awards are ostensibly a celebration of films and the art of filmmaking and yet we saw little to none of said films and filmmaking process throughout the night.
  • Red Carpet Fashion Was Back – For better (hello Carey Mulligan) or worse (looking at you Frances McDormand), the award show red carpet was back in full effect. There were some wonderful highlights, such as the aforementioned Mulligan, Regina King, and Margot Robbie, some who were okay but maybe not that great, like Zendaya, Maria Bakalova, and Amanda Seyfried, and some “no, really”, such as Laura Dern, Emerald Fennell and Andra Day.
  • Musical Performances – This counts as both good and bad. Good in that the performances were all stellar, despite none of the songs being a smash hit like Shallow was a few years ago. The bad comes from the fact that once again, for whatever inexplicable reason, the producers decided to air it as part of the pre-show, meaning many viewers likely didn’t even see them. Also, those performances would have been a great way to break up the monotony of all the talking. Again, did I mention there was a lot of talking?
  • Venue – Due to social distancing, this year’s festivities were mostly moved away from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood to Union Station in Los Angeles. There were some nominees present at the Dolby Theatre, but most of the night’s action took place at Union Station and I have to say, I quite liked it. Similar to this year’s Grammy Awards, the setup helped to create an atmosphere that felt both casual and intimate.
  • Where’s the Orchestra When You Need It – So I have a love/hate relationship with award shows playing the winners off. Sometimes, when the individual just seems to ramble nonstop, I get it. Other times, however, when it feels like someone has barely had a chance to thank anyone and the music’s already going, I find it annoying. This year’s Oscar ceremony though made me gain a newfound appreciation for the ‘ol playing off the winners. I assume owing to the different venue, there was no orchestra available or maybe the producers just decided to forego a time limit on speeches. Whatever the reason, my goodness, we needed that time limit. Because so many of these speeches just seemed like they would never end. And goodness knows there was already so much other talking going on.
  • In Memoriam – In keeping with the rather dull, clip-less, music-less feel of the whole show, the In Memoriam segment turned out to be a disappointing dud. With weirdly peppy music playing in the background, the segment was nothing more than a collection of quick glimpses at the celebrities who passed in the last year. Once again, there were no clips shown of these people’s storied careers and thus, no showcase of their contribution to film. This was particularly baffling when considering some of the legends who passed away, like Sean Connery for example. These actors and filmmakers deserved more.

While it certainly wasn’t the ceremony I hoped for, I am glad we were able to have an Award Season at all and that some amazing films were still able to be released and seen. Like many, I hope that come this time next year, normalcy or something close to it will have returned and we could have an Oscar ceremony again with all the bells and whistles that typically accompany Hollywood’s biggest night.

Grammy Awards 2021 – Best & Worst

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So the 2021 Grammy Awards happened. And as this is a pop culture blog, I guess I probably should write something about it. Truthfully, trying to come up with five things I enjoyed about this year’s show was all but impossible, and so I limited my best and worst to four each. I should add that I had no such issues picking the worst.

In the end, this year’s ceremony was mostly predictable (yeah who didn’t call Taylor Swift winning Album of the Year), with one or two surprises thrown into the mix (hello Billie Eilish winning Record of the Year) and a combination of bad, to decent and good performances. I can’t say there was any that wowed and made me sit up in awe.

I’m sure by this point you can tell that I wasn’t particularly impressed by this year’s ceremony. But as I said, it had its okay moments. And so without further ado, here’s my best and worst of this year’s Grammy Awards.

BEST

  • Pandemic Appropriate Ceremony – This year’s Grammy Awards was the first big awards show to try an in-person ceremony while sticking to the limitations of the pandemic. And I must say, it surprisingly worked very well. The small, outdoor venue created a nice intimate atmosphere and admittedly, it was nice to see winners accepting their awards in person again and being applauded by their peers. Word is the Academy Awards are considering using the show as a model and will attempt to have some type of in-person ceremony as well. I hope they do.
  • Trevor Noah Delivers – It wasn’t the greatest hosting performance of all time but it was by no means terrible. And these days, that’s good enough. The main thing Noah had going for him was enthusiasm. If you read my Golden Globes recap, you’d know this was the factor I felt most hurt Amy Poehler and Tina Fey’s performance. At one point in the night, they just seemed over it. But to his credit, Trevor Noah remained upbeat, warm, and inviting throughout the night, with a few awesome zingers to boot.
  • Harry Styles Cements Solo Career – Directioner no more. Harry Styles cemented his solo career legacy at Sunday night’s ceremony with a slinky and sexy Bowie/Jagger-esque opening performance of his hit single Watermelon Sugar, followed by his first Grammy Award win for Best Pop Solo Performance. And he did it all while wearing boas of varying colors throughout the night.
  • H.E.R.’s Deserving Song of the Year – It’s easy to be cynical and consider H.E.R’s I Can’t Breathe as award baity. And maybe on some level, it was. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a powerful and necessary message. All great artists channel their truth, whatever that may be, through their art. Their hurt, pain, fears, triumphs, etc. And that’s exactly what H.E.R. along with her co-writers, D’Mile and Tiara Thomas did through I Can’t Breathe, making it a more than worthy Song of the Year.

WORST

  • Taylor Swift’s Anemic Performance – Don’t worry, I’m not going to comment on her record-making third Album of the Year win.  I imagine many are tired of reading my rants about how Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly was robbed (it was). And frankly, based on this year’s list of Album of the Year nominees, Taylor’s win was a complete whatever to me – not undeserving but not exactly a triumphant win for me either. To quote Ms. Swift herself, “it’s not hate, it’s not dislike, it’s just indifference”. That said, what was that performance? This is the second time Taylor Swift has won Album of the Year while delivering a mediocre at best Grammy performance. If I had not listened to the album and only had that performance to go by, I’d be very confused as to why this woman won Album of the Year. It just never went anywhere. It started okay and just meandered for however long the performance lasted.
  • No Eddie Van Halen Tribute – Simply unacceptable. Eddie Van Halen deserved far more than a barely minute acknowledgment in the In Memoriam segment. Considering how under-represented rock was and has been in the last few years, amongst the major categories, the least the producers could have done was put together a small yet fitting tribute for one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time.
  • Dua Lipa’s Everything – I don’t get it. I have tried and I simply do not get the Dua Lipa hype. Her music to me is mediocre, her voice even more so (though I guess when your genre is pop/dance, strong singing ability is not really required) and last Sunday’s performance didn’t exactly sell me on her being a stellar performer either. At one point, it felt like I could see her counting steps in her head. It felt very high school talent show. When I think of Lady Gaga’s Fame debut or Robyn’s Body Talk, I just cannot buy into the Dua Lipa hype.
  • What Was With the Envelope? – Whose idea was it to design the envelopes as they did? I get that they were trying to go for something cool and interesting but these envelopes were just impractical. And watching multiple presenters try to figure out just how to open the damn thing was a little cringe.

And there you have it. My 2021 Grammy Awards recap. I sincerely hope next year’s nominees are just a teensy bit more exciting for me, so I can return to the days when I passionately cared about this ceremony.

10 Pop Culture Moments of 2020

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I think it’s safe to say that 2020 will be a year many of us will never forget – much as we wish we could. A year that started like any other, with big hopes and plans for exciting adventures, quickly turned into a nightmare for many. “Normal” no longer existed, as the world seemed to flip on its axis.

However, despite much of the entertainment industry screeching to a halt – late-night shows were relegated to Zoom, movie premieres and big red carpet events were no more, concerts were non-existent – the world of pop culture did not stop, for better, and in some heartbreaking instances, for worse.

The following are ten of the most significant pop culture moments of 2020.

  1. The Death of a Sports Legend – When we all look back at the year that was, I think many will agree that the month of January was in some ways, something of a predictor of what was to come. I remember, and I’m sure many do, feeling at one point like January would never end, as it was one shocking incident after another, barely 30 days into the New Year. And none was more shocking than the tragic death of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, along with his daughter Gianna, and seven other individuals, in a helicopter crash on January 26. The sports world and the world in general was stunned – shock, heartbreak and grief poured out across the world.
  1. Diversity Wins Big at the Oscars – Probably hard to believe and even remember at this point, but an Oscar ceremony did take place this year, complete with all the glitz and glamor that comes with Hollywood’s biggest night. And while there were many memorable moments – namely, Brad Pitt winning his first acting Oscar and Eminem’s surprise performance of his Oscar-winning song Lose Yourself – the big story of the night was the dominance of Parasite. The South Korean film made history, becoming the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture, with its Director, Bong Joon Ho, also picking up Best Director. Read my Best and Worst of the 2020 Oscar recap.
  1. Girl Power at the Super bowl – Once again, it’s probably hard to remember but a Super Bowl halftime show occurred this year. And it was a pretty damn awesome one. After a series of underwhelming male-driven halftime shows, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez teamed up for a fiery and energetic halftime show that showed others how it should be done. Whether or not you are a fan of these women or their music, you could not deny the exciting and just plain fun musical performance they put together.
  1. Jordan Reigns Supreme Once Again – As the inevitable shut down of all sporting activities came to fruition, sports fans everywhere searched for an alternative to satiate their sporting needs. Enter The Last Dance – the ESPN, in collaboration with Netflix-produced drama about the legendary final championship season of the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. Sports fans, old and young, clung to the documentary like a life-line. Those who were old enough to have been alive during the Jordan-era reminisced and those too young were introduced to the magic (and controversy) of the greatest basketball player of all time. No matter what side of the argument you fell on – some viewed the documentary as a Jordan-driven hagiography, while others viewed it as a deconstruction and dismantling of a legend, exposing some ugly sides previously not known – it was inarguably one of the most compelling sports documentaries. And it further cemented, whether you like the man or not, Michael Jordan’s supreme dominance and legacy in the sport.
  1. The Tik Tok Explosion – As anyone who has an understanding of and works with social media marketing knows, Tik Tok has steadily been on the rise in the last two to three years. However, hours and hours of lockdown and little to do, saw the social media platform explode in a way it hadn’t before. As the pandemic lockdowns made influencer life hard, many took to the emerging app to share their content and find an alternative source of income. Tik Tok memes and videos were suddenly all the rage, and much like YouTube years ago and later Instagram, a few Tik Tok personalities emerged as future stars. Leading the charge was Charli D’Amelio, a former dancer who is the most followed personality on the platform and is soon to become a reality star, with a show about her life on Hulu. On a personal note, I’m not exactly sold on the Tik Tok hype. Read more here, where I discuss whether or not the app is the future of social media marketing or merely a fad.
  1. Social Justice – As if dealing with a pandemic was not difficult enough, 2020 also saw the fight for social justice take center stage again, as the Black Lives Matter movement reemerged on a national scale in the wake of the horrific murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Various public figures came out in support by taking to the streets, donating money, lending their voices, and leading nationwide protests, such as the NBA lockdown. Things are not better, and there is still a lot of fight to be had. However, this time the voices were louder and many more were willing to listen. Check out my list of social media influencers telling the Black Lives Matter story the right way.
  1. Taylor Swift Returns to Her Roots – The inability to tour and promote their music the old-fashion way did not stop many artists from releasing new music this year. 2020 saw releases from Beyonce to Lady Gaga, The Weeknd, Megan Thee Stallion, and more. But unquestionably, none was as successful as Taylor Swift, who surprised her fans in July, with a midnight release of her eighth full-length studio album, Folklore. More surprising than the unexpected release was the album’s sound, which saw Swift return to her musical roots after her foray into the pop world, starting with 2014’s 1989 and up to her most recent release, Lover. Tender and poignant, Folklore was the dreamy and delicate sound many did not know they needed and wanted while dealing with this year. The album placed Swift back into the “one million albums sold in its first-week” category and saw her return to the Album of the Year category at the Grammys. On a personal and perhaps unpopular note, I thought Folklore was good though not great, only because I think three or four songs could have been left off. And we did not need Evermore, which sounds like nothing more than a collection of discarded, “not good enough to make the original album” songs.
  1. Zoom Becomes the New Entertainment Media – As the world shut down, including all studio-driven shows, such as late-night and morning daytime shows, many wondered how the entertainment industry was going to function. Enter Zoom. A popular tool in the business world for the last few years, Zoom had mostly been used by global companies with offices around the world, as a way to stay in touch with company members across various time zones. But as the pandemic raged on, it became the ultimate entertainment tool. Morning shows were functioning by interviewing guests via Zoom, late-night shows were delivering monologues, and interviewing guests via Zoom. It was so overwhelming that the software crashed a few times, unable to handle the sudden global and excessive use.
  1. The Unraveling of Ellen Degeneres – For a few months, during this past summer, 2020 seemed to be about two things – the pandemic we were living through and the fall of Ellen Degeneres. It began with a Twitter call-out by podcaster Kevin T. Porter, hashtagged #EllenIsMean, where Porter encouraged users to share their individual stories and experiences of Ellen being a mean person. What soon followed was a bombshell expose about intolerable working conditions at The Ellen Degeneres Show, including instances of racism and sexism. Through much of it, the comedian stayed mostly silent, angering many even more. When Degeneres finally addressed the scandal, during the September season opener of her show, many felt it was all too little too late. It’s hard to predict where things will go from here for Degeneres and The Ellen Degeneres Show. But suffice to say, irreparable damage has been done to her once seemingly shiny halo. Read more of my thoughts on the scandal and Degeneres’ handling of it, from a Public Relations standpoint.
  1. The Death of a Super Hero – Along with the many difficulties of the pandemic, 2020 also saw the passing of many famous figures (RIP Alex Trebek, Jerry Stiller, Kelly Preston, Naya Rivera, and many more). However, none was more shocking and devastating for many, than the passing of Chadwick Boseman. Boseman’s death at the age of 43 due to complications of colon cancer stunned many, as the public never knew he was sick. Like the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant, Boseman’s death was a stark reminder to us all of the fleeting nature of life. It was a brief life – but what a life it was. And in the bitterest of ironies, Boseman left us with one of his finest and most poignant performances in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Dancing with the Stars is Back with a New Look – In More Ways Than One

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Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) returned this past Monday, for its 29th season and things looked a little different, to say the least. Some of the changes were understandably unavoidable. As with everything else in the world right now, the show was naturally affected by the pandemic, which necessitated eliminating the live audience, having the three judges seated six feet from each other and the competing pairings kept apart.

Other changes however were more intentional and in my opinion, unnecessary. The news broke a few months ago that longtime host of the show, Tom Bergeron, along with co-host Erin Andrews were both let go and would be replaced by Tyra Banks as the solo host. To say the news did not go over well with fans of the show, would be an understatement. However, maturity says it’s always best to give something, or in this case someone, a chance, before rendering a final verdict.

So what’s my verdict, after having seen the first show – this was a significant misstep. And it’s not even about Tyra’s performance per se and whether or not she succeeded as host. It’s that this was simply not the right time to foist a new host onto the viewers of this show.

I think we can all agree that we’re living in very unprecedented times. And while I commend the producers and crew for making the show work under these very difficult circumstances, I think we can also agree that things felt a bit awkward and clunky. It was to be expected.

And that is why Tom Bergeron was needed even more. Because when things feel uncertain and awkward, our natural human instinct is to cling to and yearn for something familiar, something that is comforting. Tom Bergeron was that comfort to the show.

Yes, we had many of the same Pros and regular judges (albeit with Derek replacing Len. But Derek is as much a staple to this show as Len is). However, what made Tom’s role so exceptional is that he brought all the elements of this show together with an almost seamless delivery of charm, warmth, and quick wit.

That charm, warmth, and quick wit were sorely missing with Tyra, which was hardly a surprise, considering she has no previous relationship with any of the judges or the Pros. And this fact was painfully obvious in the many awkward and stilted exchanges between her and the judges and the competing pairings. There was no friendly and silly banter because that kind of connection builds over time. All that said, maybe she will get there. And maybe by mid-season, things will be a lot smoother. Not really holding my breath but we can all hope.

As for the cast and the dancing, I will concede that this is probably one of the strongest cast of celebrities the show has had for a while – tiger woman notwithstanding (and yes, I will be ignoring her existence on the show entirely) and the dancing was all fairly okay. There were no truly outright awful dances.

Early standouts are unsurprising, Skai Jackson, very surprisingly Nev Schulman (though turns out he may have been hiding a secret dance past), Justina Machado who brought sass and personality to spare, and Kaitlyn Bristowe, who is finally living out her DWTS dream. Slightly underwhelming because I think many expected more, was A.J. McLean and Johnny Weir. It’s early days though and things could very well change. So with all that said – welcome back, DWTS. I have missed you. Amidst all the heaviness and uncertainty of this year, it felt nice to have something simple and fun and so familiar, back again. It would have just been a lot better with our regular maestro navigating it all.

2020 Golden Globes Recap

Academy Awards, Award Shows, Celebrity, Commentary, Entertainment, Film, Golden Globes, Movies, Oscars, Pop Culture, Review, Television, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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One Awards Show, down as we inch ever closer to this year’s Academy Awards. As a precursor to the Academy Awards, this year’s Golden Globes ceremony was a mixture of surprises (oh hey, 1917) and predictability (can we just all agree that Best Foreign Language Film is a done deal). Not unlike last year to be honest. So it will be interesting to see if things pan out as they did last year, where HFPA voters turned out to be pretty on the money with most of their choices.

As for my predictions made before the show, well I’m happy to say that I correctly predicted 15 out of the 25 categories. Not too shabby. And I would also like to point out that once again, while I was wrong on the actual winner, I correctly predicted that the critics were all wrong with their pick for Best Motion Picture – Drama. And now with my gloating out of the way, here are my key takeaways from this year’s ceremony.  

  • Ricky Gervais’ Monologue – Yes he was rude, crude, possibly offensive and very likely tipsy. And once again, it was hilarious. Especially as the crowd of nominees grew increasingly uncomfortable and squirmy. That said, for as much as I enjoyed Ricky’s monologue, outside of that, he really didn’t add much to the show, in my opinion. As is often the case with most award show hosts, he seemingly vanished 1/3 of the way through the ceremony and at one point, I’d all but forgotten about him. So sure he provided 10-15 minutes of laughs at the start of the show but truthfully, we could have done without him. Then again, I’m all for host-less award shows.  

 

  • 1917 Shows Up Out of Nowhere – Come on, no one was really talking about 1917 as a serious contender for any of the major categories it was nominated in. My guess is a big part of this is due to the fact that it hasn’t even had a full-scale theatrical release, which means many critics probably haven’t seen it. Don’t get me wrong, we know the critics get screeners of films sent to them and the film did have a very limited release in the U.S. on Christmas Day, so as to ensure its eligibility for this year’s awards season. But my assumption is that much like If Beale Street Could Talk last year, which also only did a late December limited release, the film simply wasn’t on most critics’ radar in the way heavier campaigned films were. Apparently, it was certainly on the HFPA’s radar. The first surprise came when Sam Mendes upset predicted favorites Bong Joon Ho and Martin Scorsese for Best Director. And then came the biggie – the award for Best Motion Picture – Drama, which critics were certain was a lock for The Irishman. It will be interesting to see if this was the start of a major momentum shift in this year’s Awards Season or just one of those random Golden Globes moment.  

 

  • Hooray to “Hollywood” – HFPA voters clearly loved Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. We knew Brad Pitt’s win was a strong likelihood, but the film also walked away with a Best Screenplay win for Quentin Tarantino and the Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical win. If things go as they did last year, when Green Book, the winner in this category, was the ultimate Best Picture winner at The Oscars, then things may be looking very good for Tarantino’s dark comedic ode to a specific and troubling time in old Hollywood.  

 

  • Streaming Networks Not So Powerful After All – Despite the dominance of streaming services among the nominations (Netflix led the overall pack with 34), when it was all said and done, only four wins went to a streaming service – Netflix with two and Amazon Prime Video with two. HBO was the big winner of the night for television, with four wins, for its one-two punch of Succession and Chernobyl. But don’t cry for Netflix just yet. There’s still the SAG and Oscars to come. 

 

  • Oscar Glory Awaits Brad Pitt – Yes, I know it’s bad to count your chickens before they’re hatched. But like I said in my predictions post, I can’t shake the sense that this feels like it’s Brad Pitt’s time. And Sunday night’s win just solidified that to me. The man practically got a standing ovation. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The industry loves Brad and this year that love will be celebrated with an Oscar win.  

 

  • Two Very Deserving Honorees – Tom Hanks (Cecil B. Demille Award) and Ellen Degeneres (newly introduced last year, Carol Burnett Award) were both deservingly honored for their contribution to film and television, respectively and both honors were high points of the evening, with moving, excellently produced tribute packages and even better heartfelt speeches. I cannot say I am as big a fan of Ellen’s work as I am of Tom Hanks, but I do recognize the contribution she’s made to television and comedy. And what can you say about Tom Hanks – comedy, drama, writer, producer, etc., he’s done it all. And has done it all with immeasurable class, talent, and humility.  

And there you have it. Usually, I talk about the night’s fashion but frankly, this year left me mostly bewildered (looking at you J-Lo) and incredibly underwhelmed (it was a cool outfit Billy but a bit tame for you). So trying to pick a favorite out of these drecks was virtually impossible. As for the worse, well that would take up this whole post. So with regard to the fashion, I’ll just say maybe things will look better for the SAG Awards.

Are the VMA Awards Still Relevant?

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The 2019 MTV Video Music Awards are officially in the bag and you’d be forgiven for being completely unaware of this fact, considering the low ratings that came in on Tuesday morning, for this year’s telecast. Suffice to say, apparently not a lot of people cared. And this naturally led me to wonder if the VMA’s are even still relevant?

I know I’m not the first to ask this question, as the award show’s relevancy has been regularly called into the question in the last five years or so. And in the interest of fairness, one could argue that this year’s ceremony likely suffered from a serious lack of star power. Let’s face it, the only name that brought true star power to this year’s show, was Taylor Swift. And also many were thrilled, including myself, to see Missy Elliot finally get her LONG OVERDUE Video Vanguard Award.

However, other than these two exceptions, there were simply no artists with the kind of star power that the VMA’s traditionally would attract – no Beyonce, Rihanna, hell Drake, etc. And yes, I am aware Camilla Cabello and Shawn Mendes performed and my opinion still stands. As a result, the whole affair felt very lackluster and underwhelming. There was no heavy anticipation of what would come next, what wild performance we were about to witness, which superstar would take home the big award (seriously, was anyone surprised Taylor Swift won Video of the Year), etc.

I don’t think anyone would argue that at one point the VMA’s was one of the biggest award shows, music or otherwise. Understandable, as MTV was the network that helped propel the music video industry. And some of the greatest musical legends of the last thirty or so years, have left an indelible imprint on the show throughout the years. The VMA stage has seen career defining musical moments. But in recent years, little by little, that magic has slowly withered away.

In the interest of fairness, it may not even be the music or the artists themselves but that MTV as a network is simply no longer relevant. I mean let’s think about this – it’s a little difficult for an award to remain relevant when said award is so intertwined with what a network represents, when said network no longer represents that.

MTV at one point was the place where music videos came to life, where they thrived. It was the place where some artists made a name for themselves, just because of an amazing video that the network aired. But somewhere around the mid-2000’s specifically, MTV stopped being that place and instead became the network that brought us The Hills and unfortunately, unleashed Spiedi onto the world. It was no longer about the premiere of an amazing video with crazy visuals and dance routines but rather being 15 and Pregnant.

And once it lost that spirit of what the network once was, it’s become increasingly difficult to consider the VMA Awards as still relevant. And then the network compounded things by making the mistake of turning the show into a fan vote. Listen, I get it – i.e. if you give the fans the power, they might care a bit more and by that token, actually watch. Except it also succeeded in tragedies like Camilla Cabello’s pedestrian Havana music video winning Video of the Year over Childish Gambino’s career defining This is America. Thus making the award seem even more irrelevant in today’s cultural landscape.

So here we are. Another year, another VMA show gone and with the lowest ratings in years. Maybe I’m wrong and this year really only suffered because of a lack of star power. However, I sincerely doubt it. At this point, the VMA Awards have officially tipped into the nostalgic sphere. Something that’s talked about, celebrated and treated as somewhat still relevant because of what it once was and what it once represented.

 

Celebrating Pride Month – Film, Television & Book Recommendations

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HappyPrideMonth

It’s June and you know what that means, it’s Pride Month. A time to celebrate the LGBTQ community and to show support and promote awareness for the continued fight for equality and the end of discrimination and violence against its members. This year’s celebration is particularly meaningful, as it’s the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which was the catalyst that sparked the LGBTQ movement in the U.S.

Throughout history, art has always played an important role in the fight for social justice. And this certainly rings true for the LGBTQ struggle. While there is still so much that can and still needs to change, significant strides have been made within the last decades. So in honor of Pride Month and to celebrate art as part of the fight, here is a list of some of my favorite films, television shows and books that honor the community in one way or another.

And not that it needs to be said but of course this is in no way a definitive list but merely some of my favorite LGBTQ themed films, shows, and books. Also, be warned that there may be slight spoilers revealed.

Film

  1. Brokeback Mountain – One of the most beautifully tragic love stories in movie history in my opinion (gay or straight). The film explores the themes of internalized homophobia, toxic masculinity which contributes so often to internalized homophobia, love, loss, family, etc. Led by a powerhouse cast of performances, Brokeback Mountain is in my opinion, one of the greatest films of all time. And of course, that final shot is one of the most indelible moments in film history.

 

  1. Milk – More than simply watching Sean Penn give another masterful performance, Milk was very significant in introducing and celebrating Harvey Milk’s story to a broader and younger generation. The first openly gay elected official in the state of California, Harvey Milk left an enduring imprint on the LGBTQ community and movement in the U.S. And the film does a brilliant job of capturing this.

 

  1. Moonlight – Probably one of the most important LGBTQ themed movies of all time, in my opinion. Largely because it sheds light on an all too often ignored aspect of the LGBTQ world. And that is the story of the gay black man. And not just any gay black man, but the one that grows up surrounded by the world of toxic masculinity, misogyny, gang culture, and drug abuse. It’s a film that’s not an easy watch, at times making the audience very uncomfortable. But one that was necessary.

 

  1. Carol – Based on the 1950’s novel The Price of Salt, which was a groundbreaking work for its time, the power of this story lies in its setting and location. More than simply a lesbian romance, Carol explores the societal norms and expectations that were thrust upon women during this era. Women who were expected to follow the “June Cleaver model” – i.e. perfect wife and mother. They were not supposed to be sexual beings and certainly not be attracted to and in love with someone of the same sex. Cate Blanchett, as she always does in my opinion, and Rooney Mara both deliver stellar performances.

 

  1. My Own Private Idaho – Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix together onscreen. What else can you say? The two truly were magic together, likely owing to their real-life close friendship. This film, as all his others, also further highlights just what the film world lost when River passed away. A beautiful and simultaneously heartbreaking story on the world of teenage boy street hustlers, My Own Private Idaho is a film that’s become something of a cult classic, as newer generations discover it and understand its understated brilliance.

 

Television

  1. Pose – One of the most important and groundbreaking television shows currently on air. I certainly have my issues with Ryan Murphy as a writer, but his fearlessness in pushing boundaries has always been one of his greatest gifts to the television world. Pose is the first network show in history to feature an almost entire cast of transgender actors. The importance of this cannot be overstated, especially in a time where the Trans community is still so heavily under attack and misunderstood.

 

  1. American Crime Story-The Assassination of Gianni Versace – The second season of the critically acclaimed series examined the murder of fashion icon Gianni Versace by serial killer Andrew Cunanan. But more than just the murder of Versace, the season shed a light on the rampant homophobia that existed in the U.S. in the mid-90. It is unfortunate that the season didn’t receive the same buzz and attention that the first season did because it was as well-executed and as important as the first. Thankfully, The Hollywood Foreign Press, Screen Actors Guild and The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences recognized the show’s brilliance, awarding lead actor Darren Criss and the show’s producers with multiple awards.

 

  1. A Very English Scandal – Like most people, including myself, you probably initially thought this mini-series was simply a fictionalized story from the mind of a brilliant writer. Because the entire plot seems almost too wild and ludicrous to be true. Well, you know what they say, that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. And this is very much the case for A Very English Scandal, which is based on the very true story of 1970’s closeted member of British Parliament, Jeremy Thorpe, whose secret is exposed to all in the most dramatic and outlandish way possible. That is, after a failed murder plot wherein he was charged for putting out a hit on his former lover. Satirical, quirky, weirdly hilarious but still very poignant, A Very English Scandal was not simply one of the best LGBTQ themed shows of the last year but simply one of the best mini-series period.

 

  1. RuPaul’s Drag Race – As one of the very early adopters of RuPaul’s Drag Race, when it was just a little show on the Logo network, I feel like a proud mom when I see how far it has come. From a little known cult favorite, the show has grown into a national phenomenon, cementing its legitimacy this past year with an Emmy win for Best Competitive Reality Show. Filled with snark, lip sync battles “for your life”, enough feathers and big hair to put Vegas Showgirls to shame, RuPaul’s Drag Race is some of the most television fun you will have.

 

  1. Queer Eye – One of the ten thousand reboots that we actually needed. Filled with much of the zany fun and light-hearted humor that made the original Queer Eye a hit, the new version brings a different and more powerful aspect whereby this is no longer simply a fashion-focused makeover show. The makeover now includes bringing awareness and hopefully changing minds and hearts to some of the most important social issues facing the LGBTQ community and the world.

 

Books

  1. More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera – One of the most exquisitely heartbreaking books I have ever read. Seriously, do not read this one if you’re already sad or depressed. Silvera has this amazing ability to just tear your heart out and make you feel so heartbroken for the main character. The book tells the story of Aaron who, still reeling from his father’s suicide, meets and becomes close friends with Thomas, who awakens new feelings in him. There are some very surprising and unexpected twists and as Aaron’s full story unfolds it becomes that much more tragic and heartbreaking.

 

  1. Simon vs. The Homo-Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli – A bit lighter than More Happy Than Not but still powerful in its own way. Simon vs. The Homo-Sapiens Agenda tells the story of Simon, who is not yet ready to come out to family and friends and ends up getting blackmailed by a classmate, who accidentally discovers Simon’s secret email correspondence with someone simply known as Blue. What makes this book so amazing is, on one hand, you’re following Simon’s struggle to come to terms fully with his sexuality while also experiencing his first stirring of love and romance.

 

  1. Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman – Yes, this is the book version of the film by the same name. While the film is wonderful and screenwriter James Ivory did a phenomenal job adapting the story from the book to the screen, I would suggest still giving the book a read. Aciman’s ability to let the reader into Elio’s psyche as his feelings for Oliver burgeon from mild crush to intense longing and passion is phenomenal.

 

  1. The Price of Salt (aka Carol) by Patricia Highsmith – As with Call Me By Your Name, I would suggest still reading this book, even though you’ve already seen the film, Carol. If for nothing else because Highsmith was such a phenomenal writer (most have probably read of her other well-known novel, also adapted to an amazing film, i.e. The Talented Mr. Ripley). Her ability to capture the slow building sexual tension between the two characters without it ever veering into gratuity or shock is captivating. The book was especially celebrated not just for being bold for its time but that it eschewed the oft used trope of the unhappy ending for a same sex relationship.

 

  1. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides – The 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel tells the story of intersex Calliope Stephanides as he was known at birth before he eventually becomes Cal. The novel is a sweeping exploration of family, love and gender identity. It is told through the generational history of the Stephanides, starting with the journey of Cal’s grandparents from Greece to America and the family secret that ultimately shapes so much of their lives.