teyhow Reviews

My Morning Jacket: Okonokos (2006 Video)

Best concert DVD I have seen

[10/10 · 13 November 2006]

I was lucky enough to see My Morning Jacket on the Z tour (during which Okonokos was recorded), and i have to applaud this film for how well it brings MMJ's stage show to the screen. One Big Holiday and Lay Low induce the same headbanging, Lowdown the same glee, and Dondante the same chills that they do live. The cinematography is impeccable--time is spent pretty evenly among the band, instead of just focusing on Jim James. There's also a sense that this is a concert--interspersed throughout are good crowd shots, both closeups and wide shots. Marc Brickman's lighting direction is amazing, i only wish he had run lights for the entire tour. Okonokos is lightning in a bottle. The band is at the top of their game, the sound mix is impeccable, and even the goofy (and brief) "storyline" is fun. Any lover of My Morning Jacket-- any lover of music, for that matter--should watch Okonokos.

Mystic River (2003)

Simply stunning

[9/10 · 27 May 2005]

This movie is a kick in the gut. Rarely is such a brilliant cast assembled, and even when it happens, rarely do they act like this. Tom Guiry (very impressive), Tim Robbins and Sean Penn show emotion that directors don't often stick in. And it comes off flawlessly. During a scene with Marcia Gay-Harden and Tim Robbins crying in their kitchen, there is an energy coming off of the screen that strikes you right in the chest. Which is really the way the whole movie works. It grabs you and shakes you, and makes you watch even when it can be painful to do so. The only reason that this film didn't win best picture is Return of the King. Any other year, and Mystic River has it. Eastwood's finest moment. Check it out--you won't be disappointed.

Specimens of Beauty (2004 Video)

Army of Four

[8/10 · 5 May 2005]

With the help of Tchad Blake, Phish finally finally figured out how to make a great studio album. Unfortunately, it would also be their last, but we didn't know that when this DVD was made. In it, we see a band still having fun and still making great music. We get interviews with the band members (including some ...interesting observations by Fishman), and some scenes of the band talking music before a take, but a lot of the time, Clinch lets the music speak for itself. Filmed in The Barn, Anastasio's beautiful country studio in Vermont, we get to see just four regular guys who happen to be able to make killer music. Although we didn't get to see this until after they announced the pending breakup (I actually watched it the night of their first concert on the final tour), it's refreshing to see them all together. I highly recommend it!!!

Ani DiFranco: Trust (2004 Video)

An excellent representation of Ani Live

[10/10 · 25 February 2005]

I saw Ani in Cincinnati two nights before she filmed these shows, and this DVD matches the intensity I saw that night. Great versions of "Phase," "Grand Canyon," "Coming Up," and "Gods Country" are illustrated by some great cinematography by Danny Clinch, also known for his awesome work with Phish (see the Specimens of Beauty DVD that came with their album "Undermind"). There are interesting insights from fans (replete with "This is what a Feminist Looks Like" t-shirts), Ani herself, former presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, and bassist Todd Sickafoose. This is an excellent DVD to get whether you're a hardcore fan, or someone wondering what the buzz is all about.