We Need to Talk About Kevin will resonate differently with each individual. It is a story as much about childbirth and the bond or lack thereof between mother and child as it is about the concept of nature versus nurture and trying to understand what makes people bad. One thing that will be agreed upon by all viewers however is the troubling nature of the film, not only the destructive behavior of its titular character but also the prospect of parenthood in all its uncelebrated warts and all glory. We Need to Talk About Kevin might just be the most unsettling movie of 2011 and is so without any of the violence or gore we have come to identify the word with in film. As soon as the title screen fades to black director Lynne Ramsay’s film based on the Lionel Shriver novel of the same name begins an unrelenting and...
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The Marshalltown looks at the legacy of Greg Ginn- a pioneer of alternative music who paved the way for future musicians but who also became an outcast over the last twenty years.
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I have never played football. I never attended Penn State, nor am I a fan. I do not have children or young siblings. Yet from the moment I found out about former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky's alleged sexual abuse of multiple young boys, it has affected me more than I ever thought possible. Did head coach Joe Paterno cover the scandal up? How far does the corruption extend? Where does the blame lie? I just can't look away. I turn on ESPN to watch former players emotionally backing not only their coach, but their father of sorts, their mentor. I read articles from sports bloggers screaming for an indictment of Paterno and company. I see footage of students marching next to the increasingly frail Paterno, yelling into reporters' cameras, trying to defend their school, their program and their identity. Despite having to pause and gather myself a couple times, I have...
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Here’s a test: How many good British post-hardcore/emo bands can you think of? It’s okay we’ll wait... Still waiting.... Time. Yeah, there aren’t too many huh? If we bend the rules we could squeeze in More Than Life, but they’re more straight up hardcore. When it comes to jangly indie rock, Britain is king but British punk rock? Forget about it because there’s not much going on in that department. All of which makes the debut album from Basement, the latest addition to the ever growing roster of awesome bands on Run For Cover Records, all the more fascinating. Haling from Suffolk, UK, this five piece plays a decidedly un-British brand of rock. Think less Oi Oi Punk and more 90s post hardcore in the vein of Sunny Day Real Estate and Lifetime. However, although Basement’s influences are clear for all to see, they simply aren’t rehashing sounds from a past era; instead they’ve...
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Director Nicolas Winding Refn has described his film Drive as a ‘neon-noir’ fairytale. Within the opening scenes of pumping retro synth pop and hot pink credits against an awesome birds eyes view of the bright city lights of LA at night its hard to disagree. Drive is not your typical action film; in fact it is hard to describe it as an action film at all. Danish director Winding Refn’s ultra stylised attempt at American pulpy noir might not appeal to Fast and The Furious fans but it might just be the coolest film of 2011, even if it is trying really hard to be. Ryan Gosling stars as the nameless and mostly silent ‘Driver’, a Hollywood stunt man who moonlights as a getaway driver in the Los Angeles criminal underworld. His mantra for the crimes he is involved with is simple, he isn’t involved in the planning and he doesn’t...
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The announcement of the 2012 Soundwave line up has raised more than a few eyebrows with its apparent intent to go back to the dark days of 1999. Limp Bizkit, System of a Down, Slipknot, Coal Chamber- Seriously? Coal Chamber!- are all on the bill, so the Marshalltown looks back on this lamentable period of rock music by honouring the one band from this era that's actually worth a damn- Deftones.
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Before Tigers Jaw came along the only thing of note about Scranton, Pennsylvania was that it was the location of the U.S version of The Office. These days Scranton has something else it can hang its hat on: being the hometown of Tigers Jaw, one of the best indie rock bands going around at the moment. In their six years together the Pennsylvania five piece have built up a sizeable discography with three full lengths and a swag of splits, EPs, compilations and singles. Over that time it’s been fascinating to chart their development and growth as a band. The earlier work of Tigers Jaw shows a group filled with youthful enthusiasm still trying to find their feet, while their most recent releases, particularly Spirit Desire, showcases a band that has become comfortable in its own skin and seems set for further growth and development. As good as Spirit Desire and Two...
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The 2011 AFL Grand Final looms as a clash for the ages. Collingwood and Geelong have been the best two sides all year and will meet this Saturday to decide who will claim this year’s premiership. But there is more at stake than just premiership glory. Geelong and Collingwood will be fighting for historical dominance and legacy. If Geelong lifts the cup this weekend it will be its third flag in five years and will cement their place as one of the greatest sides of all time, while Collingwood are seeking back to back premierships and the right to be called the best side of the last five years. Regardless of the outcome, this match promises to be something special as two great sides square off in what should be an epic and bruising confrontation. The Marshalltown casts its eye over the big game and tells you what to expect.
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The 2011 AFL Season enters its penultimate week with four teams fighting to claim a berth in next week's Grand Final and a shot at the Premiership. The Marshalltown gives you the lowdown of the Preliminary Finals.
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Louis, Louis, Louis…politically incorrect in so many ways. Louis C.K. dares to go where he probably shouldn’t and yet he makes his point, induces an eruption of laughter and has his audience waiting with bated breath for the next dubious topic. Part of the thrill of his performance is anticipating what will blurt from his mouth next and once the subject is broached, watching in awe, as he somehow digs his way back toward the light. Drugs, sex, homosexuality, divorce, racism, fatherhood, anatomy, toilet humor – there is little that escapes his observation. C.K. revels in the grotesqueness of our bodies, our society, and life in general. Topics that in the hands of others would be unbearable come across with seeming ease and hold a worthy place on stage. He can go where others fail and come out clean on the other side. There is humility is his comedy; he does not...
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