“I think that over the years, the gatekeepers—the studio gatekeepers—have now become fewer, because I think with a film festival like Slamdance, the way that it’s programmed has shown that you don’t have to then be anointed, as it were, by a studio member to say that you can come in and now you can do this. Slamdance has played its part in helping to break down that barrier.” … read more
Be Like Max set the energy levels to an all time high when they came on. Kicking off their set with the brand new “Bring on the Suits,” the crowd erupted into the biggest circle pit of the night and I found myself face to face with lead singer Charley Fine screaming into the mic “Hey! Bring on the suits!” Between all of the foul language, dirty humor, onstage insults and demands for circle pits, Fine started to debate about doing a stage dive during “Hand Me a Beer.” … read more
I’ve got to say, Bronson is seriously hitting his stride right now and his character just keeps getting better and better. Full-on freak-outs, shouting matches with pre-pubescents and the occasional self-inflicted slap on the noggin may seem like lowbrow entertainment to most, but in the eyes of this writer, it’s Shakespearean-level artistry. … read more
It’s hard to think of a local band with more potential for longevity than The North Valley. Their first full-length, the release of which was marked by tonight’s show, sparked a fire in my heart that I still haven’t put out, content to live with a charred, murmuring and hollow organ if it means I can spend one more goddamn moment here, letting my ears bleed, and my eyes roll back in my head, and the vibrations break my ribs in a million little pieces. … read more
With the Tumbleweeds Film Festival, now in its fourth year, already making waves with its age-appropriate programming with locals, the efforts of Patrick Hubley and his colleagues were noticed by an even larger organization, the Sundance Film Festival. … read more
Having just completed his European tour, Jack Name (Fictional Boys, White Fence) was taking time off to hang out and give SLUG the ins and outs before embarking on his United States tour with Dent May. … read more
Director Hong Khaou beautifully captures the unique story of Junn, a woman whose son—her only connection to the world around her—dies tragically, leaving her in discomfort and suspension in a rest home as her deceased son’s boyfriend, Richard, struggles to help her while coming to terms with his own loss and guilt. … read more
Reverand Horton Heat are one of those bands that every music fan knows, and with the way they tour, fans have probably seen them live a few times. They’ve charged through a 28-year career, always attempting new and challenging paths. A recent choice has been to include a guest appearance by another musical figure in their set. Guests, so far, have been Lemmy of Motörhead, Deke Dickerson, and Jello Biafra, who joined them on their Salt Lake date. … read more
In Kathmandu, Nepal, the children of convicted citizens are sent to prison with their parents until they are old enough to make it on their own or until their parents are released.
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Only Lovers Left Alive is Jarmusch’s take on the vampire genre, and the Jarmuschian way of underplaying the “mainstream” draw is the film’s strength. Any violence and seduction that usually defines the myth is all implied. … read more
Shot in the beautiful city of (you guessed it) Copenhagen, Denmark, the film follows 28-year-old William (Gethin Anthony) as he searches for his grandfather with nothing to guide him besides a letter.
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I can’t believe I watched 85 minutes of a man driving a car, at night, by himself, without getting bored. Ivan Locke, played by Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises)—the sole visible actor in the film—begins driving home from a construction site the night before the biggest job of his career as a successful construction foreman. If I had known this film was just a guy in a car, I wouldn’t have seen it. The writing, directing and acting were all spot-on. I could have ridden around with Hardy and listened to him talk for another half-hour, at least. … read more
