How does a long running comedy show stay fresh and successful? For "South Park", the formula has been to remain hyper-topical, using vulgarity and extremely raunchy material to rip on anything and anyone current in pop culture, politics, or anything else in the headlines. In a recent episode from its 14th season titled “It’s a Jersey Thing” the timely targets are characters from the fad of New Jersey themed reality TV shows. The Colorado town is put under siege as the entire country east of them is taken over by New Jersey. While Cartman tries to destroy Kyle when it is discovered he is actually from New Jersey, the town desperately seeks help from unwilling allies to join in their fight against the threat of becoming “west Jersey.” The tale comes to a happy end when Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda agree to help "South Park" and beat back New Jersey’s advance by smashing commercial airliners into them.
While the subject matter of this episode is current, making it intriguing at first to see just how the writers will mock it, it is hard to ignore the fact that the show is so old and has constantly and tirelessly attacked the topical. There are moments of disappointment in jokes that seem repetitive of things in episodes past, while examples of commitment to quality writing help the viewer stay engaged enough to get to the funny parts. The result of this is a successful but uneven ride through funny highlights and a few uninspired lows. Strong short format writing helps this episode remain memorable, rather than just a forgetful string of random jokes.
Given the sheer amount of times "South Park" has attacked popular figures making them appear extremely disgusting, offensive, and monstrous, the caricature of Snookie (from MTV’s “Jersey Shore”) here falls flat. The diminutive orange loud mouth is portrayed as a deformed shrew type, sexually assaulting anything it can catch. This idea is fairly rote for the series, which may hinder it from being humorous to regular viewers of the program. However, this creature is not simply revealed for a random laugh peripheral to the storyline. The Snookie monster serves as a main plot point when Kyle is able to redeem himself to Cartman (remember Cartman wanted to annihilate the New Jersey native) by using his instinctual trash talking and club brawling skills to defeat the monster as it was raping Cartman in his ass. Here the integration of a sub par joke into the overall theme and story is an asset and benefits the overall enjoyment of the show.
The funniest theme in this episode is the fact that the town is so overjoyed and appreciative of Al-Qaeda hijacking airplanes and decimating New Jersey. Jokes about September 11th and the resulting war on terror are common on South Park, and once again the show’s age can make them seem repetitive. Here however, the jokes are funny not only because of how over the top offensive they are, but because even after a decade of joking about it, it remains such a fertile topic to be offensive about. The current political climate is still extremely sensitive to these issues, and "South Park", particularly in this episode, has a knack for making that sensitivity seem completely ridiculous. Take for instance the climactic scene of the terrorists plowing the planes into the ground. The fleet of aircraft is hilariously massive, and the explosions so cartoonish, devotees will be hard pressed not to giggle at the spectacle.
This episode is sure to be appreciated by fans of the show familiar with the topic. The jokes, while sometimes tired, are as offensive and crude as the show’s reputation. There is little here to dissuade critics, whether those are people who are offended by its content or have grown weary of some of the reused concepts in this episode. However, it is evident that thought was put into story and structure, and enough of the jokes attempted succeed to make this a quality episode in the series’ extensive catalogue.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Girl Talk, "All Day" (Illegal Art, 2010)
Girl Talk has a new album and it’s sure to be as divisive as anything this artist (a label some would hesitate to use here) has released to date. Girl Talk is the alias for mash-up producer Greg Gillis, and his newest recording “All Day” was released free to the public as a digital download by the label Illegal Art. The album features over 70 continuous minutes of hits from several genres mixed (or mashed) together to create music that maintains a dance groove with frequent and frantic shifts between source materials. There are many camps that have been critical of Girl Talk’s prior work, and this new album will only make them more confident in their arguments. These disparagers will most likely be further disappointed by what is sure to be widespread positive reaction to this fantastic record.
This album continues a trend that Girl Talk has followed on his previous output of letting the sources play a little bit longer, allowing the mashed ideas to sit on the groove just a bit more. The result would not be as good if the ideas did not work so well. A fantastic example of this is the riff from Fugazi’s “Waiting Room” providing the rhythm behind a vocal sample transition from Black Rob’s “Whoa!” to Rihanna’s “Rude Boy.” Any of the ingredients here are examples of well-known songs by each artist. They might even be boring to the listener on their own because they’ve been overplayed. What Gillis has done is take the most pleasing hooks of each, and positioned them relative to each other so that the result is fun and exciting. This facet of Girl Talk’s music can certainly be hit or miss, and there are some points with questionable mixes. When Old Dirty Bastard is rapping how raw he likes it (from the classic track “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”) over “Creep” by Radiohead it actually sounds too raw, and is one of the few pockets where the music grates alongside the ever-present dance beat. On the whole the combinations are pleasing, and the constant stream of ear pleasing hits in interesting new contexts is entertaining.
The most obvious and seemingly valid argument against Girl Talk as a quality artist (or an artist period) is the simple fact he takes material that is already popular on its own, and just stacks it all up. The fact Gillis relies predominantly on super well-known hooks is inescapable, but no reason that this album shouldn’t be enjoyed. Many people are tired of the full versions of the songs used on this album because they’ve been played to death. To be sure, most people critical of this album would not enjoy listening to the full version of “Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus, but its sugary guitar part is a fascinating contrast to M.O.P.’s “Ante Up” playing over the top. Gillis takes only the most delightful parts of these songs and plays them all together so they can be briefly appreciated in unpredictable contexts, and the slightly smoother transitions on this album add to the delight.
This album is likely to generate significant buzz for several reasons. Much has and will be said about the price and distribution of the product (free and digital), the legality of the album since the samples are not licensed, and of Gillis’ merit as a creative or a thief. This buzz may boost exposure to “All Day” but have an unfortunate negative impact on the listener’s enjoyment if these preconceptions are set in cement. This can be a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience if the only thought before one dives in is, “let’s turn it up and dance!”
This album continues a trend that Girl Talk has followed on his previous output of letting the sources play a little bit longer, allowing the mashed ideas to sit on the groove just a bit more. The result would not be as good if the ideas did not work so well. A fantastic example of this is the riff from Fugazi’s “Waiting Room” providing the rhythm behind a vocal sample transition from Black Rob’s “Whoa!” to Rihanna’s “Rude Boy.” Any of the ingredients here are examples of well-known songs by each artist. They might even be boring to the listener on their own because they’ve been overplayed. What Gillis has done is take the most pleasing hooks of each, and positioned them relative to each other so that the result is fun and exciting. This facet of Girl Talk’s music can certainly be hit or miss, and there are some points with questionable mixes. When Old Dirty Bastard is rapping how raw he likes it (from the classic track “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”) over “Creep” by Radiohead it actually sounds too raw, and is one of the few pockets where the music grates alongside the ever-present dance beat. On the whole the combinations are pleasing, and the constant stream of ear pleasing hits in interesting new contexts is entertaining.
The most obvious and seemingly valid argument against Girl Talk as a quality artist (or an artist period) is the simple fact he takes material that is already popular on its own, and just stacks it all up. The fact Gillis relies predominantly on super well-known hooks is inescapable, but no reason that this album shouldn’t be enjoyed. Many people are tired of the full versions of the songs used on this album because they’ve been played to death. To be sure, most people critical of this album would not enjoy listening to the full version of “Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus, but its sugary guitar part is a fascinating contrast to M.O.P.’s “Ante Up” playing over the top. Gillis takes only the most delightful parts of these songs and plays them all together so they can be briefly appreciated in unpredictable contexts, and the slightly smoother transitions on this album add to the delight.
This album is likely to generate significant buzz for several reasons. Much has and will be said about the price and distribution of the product (free and digital), the legality of the album since the samples are not licensed, and of Gillis’ merit as a creative or a thief. This buzz may boost exposure to “All Day” but have an unfortunate negative impact on the listener’s enjoyment if these preconceptions are set in cement. This can be a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience if the only thought before one dives in is, “let’s turn it up and dance!”
Monday, November 15, 2010
Leon Golub at the Block Museum of Art, 40 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL
The current exhibits at the Block Museum of Art on Northwestern University’s Evanston campus include Leon Golub “Live and Die Like a Lion?” in the main gallery. Featured in the exhibit are over 40 drawings by the late painter, taken from the last years of his career. Alongside the drawings, the show presents the last painting that Golub was working on before he died in its incomplete form. Golub (1922-2004) was born and educated in Chicago, studying at the University of Chicago and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. During his lifetime he lived in Chicago, New York, and Europe and became well known for his paintings on large canvases. These paintings were often figurative political statements against inequalities and injustices.
In the exhibit “Live and Die Like a Lion?” the drawings presented come from late in the artist’s life and are slightly different in theme. Many of the drawings deal with death and sexuality. They reflect a painter in old age coming to grips with his mortality. The incomplete final painting can be seen at the rear of the exhibit as soon as one walks into the room, and sets the somewhat morbid tone for the show. This feeling is often cut with sarcasm and humor as the viewer takes in the drawings along the walls before getting to the large canvas of the final work. A fine example of this humor in mortality is the drawing immediately next to the history lesson and introduction to the exhibit which is simply a smudged up purple skull with the words “FUCK DEATH” scrawled in ink over the paper (the drawing is oil stick and ink on Bristol board like most of the drawings presented).
Another drawing titled “Exhumed” features a figure pulling a dead body out of the ground. Interestingly and perhaps indicative of the artist’s clear view of his approaching death, the face of the exhumed body is much more clear and detailed than that of the person digging up the body. Another drawing titled “No Escape Now” uses only different shades of gray to show a man shackled at the waist, hands, and feet to what looks like a post or a tree.
Even in the paintings that do not seem to deal directly with death, one can see or feel the theme still present. Many of the drawings incorporate dogs. Most of the dogs are not cute or friendly looking at all, with their teeth bared in aggression. They could be construed as hell hounds coming after the artist. Several paintings also incorporate sex and women in sexual positions. At first glance these don’t seem to incorporate any themes of death, but close examination can help reveal this overriding idea even in these drawings. “One Leg Up” is a great example of this. At first it just looks like a nude woman with her leg up in the air. Studying it a little further reveals a woman that at first looked young, but now looks quite old indeed. Her arms in particular are almost skeletal. The drawing is done all in red giving it an almost bloody appearance.
These drawings all seem to reflect Golub dealing with death in his old age, and while the mood of the exhibit is often gloomy there is much to enjoy. The sarcasm and humor present lightens the mood of what could have been a very dreary experience. The inclusion of the unfinished painting seems to only escalate this mood, and does not seem totally necessary. Also included alongside the exhibit are pieces from the Block Museum’s collection of some other work by Golub (mostly screen prints and lithographs) and examples of his source material (lots of magazine clippings) taken from his archives. These will serve nicely to cool down the observer after the emotionally stirring themes of the main exhibit.
In the exhibit “Live and Die Like a Lion?” the drawings presented come from late in the artist’s life and are slightly different in theme. Many of the drawings deal with death and sexuality. They reflect a painter in old age coming to grips with his mortality. The incomplete final painting can be seen at the rear of the exhibit as soon as one walks into the room, and sets the somewhat morbid tone for the show. This feeling is often cut with sarcasm and humor as the viewer takes in the drawings along the walls before getting to the large canvas of the final work. A fine example of this humor in mortality is the drawing immediately next to the history lesson and introduction to the exhibit which is simply a smudged up purple skull with the words “FUCK DEATH” scrawled in ink over the paper (the drawing is oil stick and ink on Bristol board like most of the drawings presented).
Another drawing titled “Exhumed” features a figure pulling a dead body out of the ground. Interestingly and perhaps indicative of the artist’s clear view of his approaching death, the face of the exhumed body is much more clear and detailed than that of the person digging up the body. Another drawing titled “No Escape Now” uses only different shades of gray to show a man shackled at the waist, hands, and feet to what looks like a post or a tree.
Even in the paintings that do not seem to deal directly with death, one can see or feel the theme still present. Many of the drawings incorporate dogs. Most of the dogs are not cute or friendly looking at all, with their teeth bared in aggression. They could be construed as hell hounds coming after the artist. Several paintings also incorporate sex and women in sexual positions. At first glance these don’t seem to incorporate any themes of death, but close examination can help reveal this overriding idea even in these drawings. “One Leg Up” is a great example of this. At first it just looks like a nude woman with her leg up in the air. Studying it a little further reveals a woman that at first looked young, but now looks quite old indeed. Her arms in particular are almost skeletal. The drawing is done all in red giving it an almost bloody appearance.
These drawings all seem to reflect Golub dealing with death in his old age, and while the mood of the exhibit is often gloomy there is much to enjoy. The sarcasm and humor present lightens the mood of what could have been a very dreary experience. The inclusion of the unfinished painting seems to only escalate this mood, and does not seem totally necessary. Also included alongside the exhibit are pieces from the Block Museum’s collection of some other work by Golub (mostly screen prints and lithographs) and examples of his source material (lots of magazine clippings) taken from his archives. These will serve nicely to cool down the observer after the emotionally stirring themes of the main exhibit.
Monday, November 1, 2010
"Almost Famous" (Cameron Crowe, 2000)
“Almost Famous” follows the teenaged William Miller (Patrick Fugit) as he joins the fictional band “Stillwater” on the road to cover them for the rock magazine “Rolling Stone.” Set in the early 1970's, he struggles to pin members of the band down for their interviews, mostly struggling to sit down with the elusive lead guitarist of “Stillwater” Russel Hammond (Billy Crudup). There is a lot to enjoy in this movie, and its main strength is the depiction of the relationships between Fugit's character and the rest of the cast in the movie.
The triangle of sorts that develops between Hammond, Miller and Kate Hudson's character Penny Lane is the centerpiece of this film. As the young writer tries to get backstage to interview Black Sabbath at the beginning of the film, he meets Penny Lane who corrects him when he calls her a groupie. He learns that she is actually leader of a group called the “band-aids” who give much needed support to rock bands, and members act more as muses than sex objects. She seems to take an instant liking to Miller, and helps him to gain entrance to the arena.
Later, Miller is sent out on the road with the up and coming rock group “Stillwater” and Penny and some other band-aids come along for the ride. A romantic connection between Hammond and Lane develops and Miller serves as unlikely support for both of them. Fugit deserves a lot of credit here for his acting, being able to come off as mature and understanding, while still remaining believable as a 15 year old high-school student. Seeing Miller try to figure out what Penny Lane is all about, and trying to work around Lane and Hammond's frequent rendezvouses to get an interview with the rock-star is the high point in this movie. Hudson and Crudup also deliver fine performances, and the scenes towards the end of the movie involving their relationship's meltdown and reconciliation are well written and particularly touching.
Miller's relationship with some of the more ancillary characters in the movie also provide some highlights. Phillip Seymour Hoffman portrays the wild and slovenly rock critic Lester Bangs who is Miller's hero and serves as his mentor and motivator. While a somewhat secondary character in the film, Hoffman's performance is so good he becomes one of the most memorable characters in the movie.
Frances McDormand plays Elaine Miller, the tightly wound and over protective mother of the young writer. She is perfectly cast in this role, and the back and forth that she has with both her son and her rebellious older daughter Anita (Zooey Deschanel) provide for some of the best dialogue in the film. Maybe the funniest moment in the entire movie comes when McDormand's character leaves the usually macho band leader Hammond stunned after a lecture on the phone.
There are times that the comedic and feel-good aspects of this film can become a little much and seem corny. The best example of this is a scene on the tour bus when a sing along to “Tiny Dancer” turns the group's mood from dour to cheerful. This and other cutesy moments in the movie are either going to leave the audience smiling, or looking for a place to puke. On the whole though, Crowe balances this corniness with seriousness, and the result is a finely acted and genuinely fun film.
The triangle of sorts that develops between Hammond, Miller and Kate Hudson's character Penny Lane is the centerpiece of this film. As the young writer tries to get backstage to interview Black Sabbath at the beginning of the film, he meets Penny Lane who corrects him when he calls her a groupie. He learns that she is actually leader of a group called the “band-aids” who give much needed support to rock bands, and members act more as muses than sex objects. She seems to take an instant liking to Miller, and helps him to gain entrance to the arena.
Later, Miller is sent out on the road with the up and coming rock group “Stillwater” and Penny and some other band-aids come along for the ride. A romantic connection between Hammond and Lane develops and Miller serves as unlikely support for both of them. Fugit deserves a lot of credit here for his acting, being able to come off as mature and understanding, while still remaining believable as a 15 year old high-school student. Seeing Miller try to figure out what Penny Lane is all about, and trying to work around Lane and Hammond's frequent rendezvouses to get an interview with the rock-star is the high point in this movie. Hudson and Crudup also deliver fine performances, and the scenes towards the end of the movie involving their relationship's meltdown and reconciliation are well written and particularly touching.
Miller's relationship with some of the more ancillary characters in the movie also provide some highlights. Phillip Seymour Hoffman portrays the wild and slovenly rock critic Lester Bangs who is Miller's hero and serves as his mentor and motivator. While a somewhat secondary character in the film, Hoffman's performance is so good he becomes one of the most memorable characters in the movie.
Frances McDormand plays Elaine Miller, the tightly wound and over protective mother of the young writer. She is perfectly cast in this role, and the back and forth that she has with both her son and her rebellious older daughter Anita (Zooey Deschanel) provide for some of the best dialogue in the film. Maybe the funniest moment in the entire movie comes when McDormand's character leaves the usually macho band leader Hammond stunned after a lecture on the phone.
There are times that the comedic and feel-good aspects of this film can become a little much and seem corny. The best example of this is a scene on the tour bus when a sing along to “Tiny Dancer” turns the group's mood from dour to cheerful. This and other cutesy moments in the movie are either going to leave the audience smiling, or looking for a place to puke. On the whole though, Crowe balances this corniness with seriousness, and the result is a finely acted and genuinely fun film.
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