Short Reviews #1

By: James Southworth

Welcome to the first segment of Short Reviews! This is the time when I give brief analyses of movies, music, ect. that I feel do not really need a full review or just don't have a good amount of time to look at extensively. So here's a few movies and music that I have experienced and my thoughts on them.

Movies

The Conjuring 2
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

This is undoubtedly the best horror movie to have come out so far this year. I would, in fact, say that it rivals the first installment. In this movie, the Warrens are once again investigating demonic activity haunting a new family. James Wan is really at the top of his game here. The camera angles used by him are so incredibly creative and distinctive now, using odd angles and upside down shots in order to evoke a very unsettling feeling. Anytime I see them, I just think  "Yep that's James Wan's work", and I always smile in appreciation after thinking that. "The Conjuring 2" is also incredible visually. There are a lot of beautiful looking set-up shots of the house, as well as ones that sent chills up my spine. And, of course, the scares in this movie are great and just keep on coming. This movie doesn't rest on its scares for very long, but the scares are so creative it's hard to complain. It was refreshing to see that many of the scares were not jump scares, and those that were had actual purpose to them. Unlike other movies, when a jump scare occurs in a Wan movie that means that whatever is jumping out of you is something menacing to behold. The more creative scares were the truly delightful moments of this movie too; all of them were just frightening. I won't get into too much detail about the Crooked Man, but let me just say it's one of the best creatures I've ever seen in a horror movie, giving me a genuine feeling of terror. The way Wan used him was surprising and innovative. And not only are the scares awesome, but once again the acting is some of the best given out of any movie this year. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga both give compelling performances as the Warrens. They have great chemistry together; I was convinced they were an actual married couple. You could sympathize with them trying to navigate marriage and root for them in trying to defeat the demonic presences. Easily the best performance in this movie was Madison Wolfe as Janet. She is a child actor that gave a truly great performance. Her character is sweet, frightening, and saddening to watch at just the right times, making for a complex individual. I really can't recommend this movie enough. It's a visual beauty with some awesome scares and superb acting. Check it out if you're a horror buff. I honestly can't wait to see The Conjuring series continue to impress.


The Witch 
Rating: 3/5 Stars

I've learned over the years that trailers can be deceptive. This can easily be said for "The Witch", which is still my favorite trailer of the year. This trailer really knew how to sell a movie: it made the movie look dark, taut, fast-paced, highly suspenseful, and also interesting as a Puritan period piece. But when I watched this movie for the first time, I was a little surprised, which was both a good and bad thing. The movie was actually more of a mood piece than anything. There were a lot of long shots used to build tension. A lot of attention was made to giving this 1630 New England setting look as old and creepy as possible, and this worked for the most part. The lighting really helped give across a lot of the suspenseful vibes this movie was going for. And man, were the first and last moments of this movie awesome. The beginning did a great job of building the tension with the disappearance of baby Samuel. And the end was just balls-to-the-wall crazy. I won't reveal the end, but it was great in sending chills as well as making a great conclusion that had a climactic high note. The middle of this movie was a little hit-and-miss. Now I understand that director Robert Eggers was not necessarily going for a horror movie. It seemed he was more doing a study of how traumatic events could break a family apart. And a lot of times, this worked. There was a lot of great friction shown between different family members as all of them were trying to put the blame on the other as to who was "the witch". But there were also some other parts of the middle section that were problematic. Sometimes the movie meandered along on a certain plot point for way too long to the point where the characters were repeating the same thing over and over. But perhaps the biggest problem for me was this movie's overt criticism of religion to the point that it was propaganda-like and excessively overt. As a religious person myself, I understood some of the criticism Eggers gave, such as the hypocrisy of Christians, but he almost more seemed to think this family deserves every bit of misery they're going through, simply because he despises the religion they practice. The only characters we're supposed to like is Thomasin (SPOILERS), and that's because she gives in to Satan at the end. She is much happier not being a Christian; her misery ends. Eggers could've used a bit of subtlety in my opinion. I understand this is a folk tale, but it's a pretty uneven one with a questionable moral. Still, I think people should watch this movie as it is visually interesting and there is really great acting from new actors Anya Taylor-Joy and Harvey Scrimshaw (I hope to see more of  them in the future).  I think many will probably like "The Witch" for just how odd and off-the-wall it is compared to other horror flicks.


Finding Dory 
Rating 4/5 Stars

 Pixar has quite the impressive winning streak, with the exception of their sequels. "Monsters University" was fun, but it was not very intelligent compared to other Pixar outings and the plot was a bit cliched in terms to a movie about college. "Cars 2" is easily Pixar's worst movie to date and the only one I'd call a significant misstep. It is unfunny, disorganized, and suffers heavily from having the comedic side relief as the main character. It  made Mater, someone who was charming and funny in doses, quite unbearable to watch honestly. So, it's logical to say I was a little worried when I heard the sequel to the critically acclaimed and audience-loved "Finding Nemo" would be about Dory. She was yet another side character, and it seemed like she would only be more tolerable in the same way Mater was. But Pixar once again delivers, even if this movie isn't nearly as good as its predecessor. Ellen DeGeneres is the perfect voice actor for Dory; I honestly can't imagine anyone else playing this character. And Ellen once again gives so much charm and life to this character. Dory is made to be a very compelling character who gained a lot of sympathy from me (and many others I'm sure) as Pixar explored mental illness through her character in a very touching way. They did it in a way adults can appreciate and kids can understand. Another thing: just know, baby/kid Dory might be the cutest thing ever. Her look is just so cute and I couldn't resist grinning every time a flashback with her happened. In addition to this, a lot of fun side characters were added. Ed O'Neill was great as Hank, an absolutely hilarious cynical octopus. He had some really funny lines, but his character also warranted sympathy as you learned more about him, making him all the more likeable. Destiny and Bailey were also both fun characters. But the highlight were the seals. There were some gut-wrenchingly funny moments with them that had the whole audience (myself included) laughing hard in the theater I was in. I won't reveal them, but they are easily the most fun parts of this to watch. The main negatives of this movie were actually Marlin and Nemo. I found their roles in this movie unsubstantial. They weren't very interesting characters and never added too much to the story, which was a bit disappointing after showing them both as interesting characters in "Finding Nemo". But the kids are still gonna enjoy them, so I can't fault Pixar too hard on that point. "Finding Dory" still funny, fast-paced (sometimes a little too fast), and offers some intelligent commentary on mental illness. I'd recommend this movie to anyone, as it is simply a fun watch that is easily enjoyable!

Music 

"Dissonants" by Hands Like Houses
 Rating: 4/5 Stars

I would've given this one a full review, but at the time "Dissonants" was released, my review site wasn't established yet. This album came out near the beginning of the year, and I still can't get enough of it. It was pleasing to see HLH go in a much heavier direction on this album when so many other bands are doing the opposite. They continue to progress their sound in the right way. There are so many good things going on here. "I Am" was a superb choice for the lead single, as it defines everything about this album: powerful lyricism, heavy guitar work, excellent vocals from Woodley which verge on screaming at times, and some freaking catchy choruses. "Colourblind" is another great song on this album with a guitar riff that just sticks as well as compelling lyrics that discuss how people are never simply black and white in life: "So close your eyes, let the colours fly/And hide from the noise outside/We're colourblind from the black and white/But we've never burned so bright".  "New Romantics" is an undeniably catchy rock anthem with a powerful chorus. "Bloodlines" ends the album off on a high note with a fast paced rock powerhouse song with a chorus that will stick in your mind long after the album ends. Great ballads appear in both "Division Symbols" (with the interesting line "Let me count the ways you've killed me") and "Stillwater". The best song on this album for me though, is "Degrees of Separation", which talks about love and distance in a very compelling way: "A fire in my skin an ache in every burn/My soul is sinking the cold is creeping in/I feel the winter burying my bones /A core reminder that I'm so far from home". This song is so powerful lyrically. The guitar riff and drum patters used are excellent. The chorus is the best on the album and the repeated "whoa"s make it stick all the more. The only down points of this album for me were probably "Motion Sickness" and "Grey Havens", both of which simply didn't have a whole lot going on in them compared to the other songs on "Dissonants". I can't recommend this album enough; it's one of the best rock records to come out this year, rivaling both House of Heroes' and Thousand Foot Krutch's new records.

Favorite Songs: "Degrees of Separation", "Colourblind", "I Am", "Division Symbols", "Bloodlines"
Least Favorite Songs: "Gray Havens", "Motion Sickness"


"Ascend" by Nine Lashes
 Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

 I never expected I'd be giving Nine Lashes the same rating as the Meghan Trainor album I reviewed earlier this year. But unfortunately, that is the case. I really thought this band was making some very interesting and often quality stuff with their first two records, both of which adopt an experimental rock style to a certain degree. I think "World We View" is one of the best debuts from any rock band, as Nine Lashes really shows off the full spectrum of their talent, especially in awesome cuts like "Anthem of the Lonely" and "Our Darkest Day". And even though I didn't like "From Water to War" as much, I still respected Nine Lashes for extensively experimenting with styles from electronic to metal. It made for an uneven but dynamic and fun listen. The same sadly can't be said for their third release, "Ascend". I knew I was going to be disappointed when I saw the record label was BEC. This label has significantly watered down solid rock artists like Kutless and Jeremy Camp. Unfortunately Nine Lashes has joined those ranks with this boring, boring album. I will say that unlike some other BEC records (I'm talking to you, "Glory" by Kutless), this one isn't an entire loss, and maybe that's because the band's talent shines through at certain moments. "Stolen" is easily the best track on the album, probably because it's the only one where the band sounds like they're actually having fun. They sound natural and the electronic elements remind of another song by them, "Love Me Now" (which isn't a bad thing). I could see this one easily fitting on "From Water to War". "Brand New Life", "Eyes on You", and the title track (especially the title track) were good in what they were doing with some competent lyricism and interesting experimentation (to an extent). Even though I didn't like "Galaxy" at first, it has grown on me as a mindless fun electronic rock anthem. But this can't be said for the rest of the album. "Heartbeats" is a horrible opening track that has annoying electronic sounds that repeat over and over in the chorus. "The Chosen Ones" is easily the weakest track with some asinine, cheesy lyrics and is just a dull ballad overall. "Glorious" might be the most generic worship song I've heard this year. "Deeper", "Love Still Shines", and "Christ in Me" all add nothing to the album and seem to be there for just filler. When there's only a few tracks on here that are worth repeat listens, that doesn't make for a good album. This is the biggest disappointment of the year so far; a sadly mediocre release from a normally talented band.  I'm hoping this is just another experimental phase from them- or, even better, that they leave BEC entirely. Otherwise, Nine Lashes has lost my interest.

Favorite Songs: "Stolen", "Ascend", "Galaxy"
Least Favorite Songs: "The Chosen Ones", "Heartbeats", "Glorious", "Love Still Shines", "Christ in Me", "Deeper"


"Therapy Session" by NF
 Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

NF is easily my favorite rapper right now. Some may have called him an Eminem ripoff in "Mansion". I understood why to an extent, but I really think with "Therapy Session" he's come into his own. This album made me feel powerful emotions that I've gotten from maybe only one other rap album. "Intro 2" is pure hype fuel, with NF having some super impressive flows and making some killer lines. The title track is a powerful cut with NF letting off steam and expressing all his doubts. It's a vulnerable track where he explains how his music is therapy for him and helps him express what he can't in other ways. The deep emotions continue on"I Just Wanna Know", the perfect choice for a single with a great backing beat and highlight NF's ability to sing. But the undeniable highlight of this album is "How Could You Leave Us", which I still see as one of the best songs of this year. The first time I heard it, the song made me cry with NF powerfully expressing his feelings on his mother's death to drug overdose. The song is so affecting, with lines like "Welcome to the bottom of hell/They say pain is a prison, let me out of my cell/You say you proud of me, but you don't know me that well/Sit in my room, tears running down my face and I yell" showing NF's raw, unfiltered emotion.  The part of this song that really got me was in the end when he starts crying. It felt very real and almost uncomfortable, as if I was coming in on a personal moment that I shouldn't be a part of. But NF invites us to that uncomfortable place, and it's powerful. There are some more ]great songs on here, such as the hype tracks "I Can Feel It" and "Grindin'", and the beautiful, worshipful final track "Lost in the Moment" which has Jonathan Thulin's superb vocal talents.  There are few weak points in this album. One would be the song "Real" which, while still proving NF as a talented rapper,  shows him as a bit arrogant.The lyrics seem to verge on bragging and there's no honoring of God or the people that got him there. It feels a little contradictory to the rest of the album. Also, "Oh Lord", while not awful, just didn't interest me that much compared to other tracks.  But still, overall this album is superb musically with a lot of lyrical content to analyze. You should definitely listen no matter what type of music you like.

Favorite Songs: "How Could You Leave Us", "Lost in the Moment", "Intro 2", "I Just Wanna Know", "I Can Feel It"
Least Favorite Songs: "Real", "Oh Lord"


"Periphery III: Select Difficulty" by Periphery
 Rating: 4/5 Stars

This very talented band has returned with another amazing album. If there's any band that can say they are consistently good with every album they release while also improving on their sound, it's Periphery. Probably the best thing about this album is they really don't take themselves too seriously on this one and instead just decide to have a lot of fun in both the vocal and musical department. They have some of their most intense songs to date, such as "The Price is Wrong" and "Motormouth". Both of these songs have glorious guitar riffs, as well as Spencer making his vocals completely unbridled, which is a real treat to behold. "Marigold" has to be one of the best songs Periphery has made, having epic orchestration, a very catchy chorus, and an amazing instrumental outro. With lines like "Death is coming round like a hurricane", this song feels more like it could fit into a movie soundtrack than anything, and that isn't bad at all. Where Periphery really comes into their own on this album is the songs that go past the 5-minute mark. Songs like "Remain Indoors" and "Absolomb" show the guitarists and drummer for the musical masters they are. But out of all the longer tracks on here, the final track "Lune" really takes the cake, as it never loses momentum and instead increased my interest as I continued to listen to it. There were a few weak points on here,  such as "The Way the News Goes..." and "Catch Fire" which were not very interesting to listen to with repetitive guitar riffs and lyricism that was not quite as good for Periphery. Compared to the Juggernaut releases, this album is not as good, but it is still solid in showing Periphery for how talented they are. It's ultimately refreshing to see a band just having unabashed fun with their music and able to produce many gems in the process.

Favorite Songs: "Marigold", "The Price is Wrong", "Lune", "Motormouth", Absolomb", "Remain Indoors"
Least Favorite Songs: "The Way the News Goes...", "Catch Fire", "Prayer Position"


"Retrograde" by Crown the Empire
 Rating: 3/5 Stars

I would have to say that CTE is the second best band from Rise Records, with Hands Like Houses taking the number one spot for me. So, I was definitely pretty excited for their third release, especially after they hinted at going in a new, creative electronic-rock direction with two of their best songs to date, "Prisoners of War" and "Cross Our Bones". My excitement increased upon hearing "Zero", which even though being just a hype track, showcased David and Andy trading off their vocals in interesting ways. It also has great guitar riffs and a chorus that will quickly have you singing along- this is definitely still one of the best songs off the album. When the full release came out, though, I was a little surprised by how much softer and subdued it was, particularly in the ending half. This isn't an entirely bad thing though. SK-98 is a great establishing intro increasing the listener's anticipation, and "Are You Coming With Me?" starts out quiet brooding with tension and then goes into an explosive chorus. "Hologram" was a great choice for the lead single, as it has some powerful lyrics ("Do you know who I am? I'm so afraid you'll never understand/There's a part of me still lost out there, and I just want to know, yeah I just want to know/Am I a part of a hologram?/Now I think I'm worried that I'm in too deep, like a phantom that you'll never see") as well as great guitar and drum work. It is certainly the best track on the album. "Lucky Us" is easily the most intense track on the album as well as pure fun, as it brings to mind tracks like "MNSTR" and "Menace".  "Weight of the World" is a very catchy straight forward rock highlight, and the epic closer "Kaleidoscope" ends things on a positive note. But there are still several problematic tracks on this album. "Aftermath" is pretty cliched in both lyrical content and musical structure, putting a damper on the beginning of the album. "The Fear is Real" is a pointless three-minute interlude which adds nothing to the album. It doesn't generate a feeling of suspense like it's supposed to in leading up to "Lucky Us". "Signs of Life" and "Oxygen" both suffer from being way too slow and boring and take away all the intensity "Lucky Us" had established. "Signs of Life" in particular has some horrible vocals as Andy sounds like he's straining to hit those high notes a little too much. This album has a lot of solid tracks to warrant a purchase, but it still wasn't the rock album I was hoping for from this band. I know they can do rock, and I believe they can do it better than metal, but this was not the right album to give the proof. It's still a pretty fun summer release with a lot of solid tracks to keep you satisfied until their next album.

Favorite Songs: "Hologram", "Weight of the World", "Zero", "Kaleidoscope", "Are You Coming With Me?"
Least Favorite Songs: "The Fear is Real", "Signs of Life", "Oxygen", "Aftermath"