AltWeeklies Wire
The Extended Family of 'Mid-August Lunch'new

Mid-August Lunch offers up something rare for summer movie season: compelling characters.
Tucson Weekly |
Colin Boyd |
06-16-2010 |
Reviews
Sarah Jaffe: Suburban Naturenew

The music of Sarah Jaffe will remind some listeners of that of Cat Power or PJ Harvey, although at 24, the singer-songwriter is a generation younger.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
06-09-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Suburban Nature, Sarah Jaffe
Holy Rolling Empire: Noise Will Be Noisenew

The new EP by Tucson combo the Holy Rolling Empire, Noise Will Be Noise, is a strong effort in a growing body of work that consistently hits the sweet spot between hard-edged power pop and psychedelia.
Tucson Weekly |
Curtis McCrary |
06-09-2010 |
Reviews
What the Heart Wantsnew

Upon his retirement, Esposito (Ricardo Darín) is still haunted by a brutal murder he investigated 25 years ago An unspoken love for his old superior has lasted just as long—and haunts him even more To occupy his time, the former detective attempts to reconcile these two major events of his...
Tucson Weekly |
Colin Boyd |
06-09-2010 |
Reviews
Old-School Scaresnew

Splice has invaded this bland summer movie season like an insane, confused partygoer told she was attending a Halloween masquerade ball rather than a friendly barbecue. It's a crazy film likely to alienate those who prefer formulaic horror (I'm talking to you, Saw fans!) while pleasing those who like their scares a little more on the outlandish side. The last sustained blast of outlandish mainstream horror came in the '80s and early '90s, when Sam Raimi, Peter Jackson, Stuart Gordon and David Cronenberg were going strong. (Most of their offerings didn't set the box office on fire, but they had
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
06-09-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Splice, Vincenzo Natali
Emotionally Direct: Lou Barlow's New Albumnew

Lou Barlow consolidates the music from his past into his newest low-fi solo album.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
06-09-2010 |
Profiles & Interviews
The Fall: 'Your Future Our Clutter'new

The Fall's new album sounds as dynamic and engaging as anything they've done in the last 30-odd years.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
06-02-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Your Future Our Clutter, The Fall
Band of Horses: 'Infinite Arms'new

A label change and a long, labored recording process left Band of Horses just about where it started--with an instantly compelling indie Americana sound.
Tucson Weekly |
Eric Swedlund |
06-02-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Infinite Arms, Band of Horses
'Sex' Sucksnew

The filmmakers behind Sex and the City 2 want you to think the movie is about female empowerment, and how to wield it. It's actually about totally vacuous assholes wearing clothes that will look idiotic in 10 years. The first film adapted from the HBO series, a show I enjoyed, was a mixed bag. It had its charms, but was too damn long—and poor Charlotte (Kristin Davis) shitting her pants was a bit much. With this sequel, Sex and the City wears out its welcome with a movie that embarrasses each of its once-enjoyable characters. It feels like a thrown-together,
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
06-02-2010 |
Reviews
Animation With Stylenew

While reviewing a film, I like to point out that only a certain subset of the population will enjoy it. For example, if it's something like Saw or Hostel, then I assume that John Yoo and Jay Bybee will want to see it; if it's Sex and the City 2, then I urge paleontologists to give it a look. But with The Secret of Kells, it's hard to imagine who wouldn't want to see it. Maybe the Amish? But other than them, and those incapable of appreciating beauty, everyone will love The Secret of Kells. The film was nominated for
Tucson Weekly |
James DiGiovanna |
06-02-2010 |
Reviews
Big Bombnew

Will Forte is a talented, funny guy, and I would like to see him make a successful transition from Saturday Night Live to the big screen. Unfortunately for Forte, MacGruber, his first starring big-screen role, is far from a success. While Forte gives it his all, and fellow SNL writer Jorma Taccone makes a valiant effort in his feature-directing debut, the 90-second sketch ultimately doesn't prove itself worthy of big-screen treatment. The recurring sketch has been good for a laugh or two on SNL. Most recently, MacGruber—an homage to TV action-hero MacGyver—tried to diffuse a bomb while dealing with his
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
05-26-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Jorma Taccone, MacGruber
Ogre-rific!new

A return to form is rare in movie franchises. Usually, if the first film is good, the second is simply bigger and targeting more money. And if there's a third one, the odds are it'll be even worse. There are exceptions...
Tucson Weekly |
Colin Boyd |
05-26-2010 |
Reviews
The Mission Creeps: Dark Cellsnew

This always-intriguing Tucson act is polishing its sound--a combination of surf, psychobilly, Goth and horror-movie soundtrack influences--to a hard-lacquered sheen.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
05-25-2010 |
Reviews
The New Pornographers: 'Together'new

Bandleader Carl Newman writes idiosyncratic, impressionistic verses drawn from (one must assume) personal experiences and tumultuous emotions, but the results often are lyrically abstract.
Tucson Weekly |
Gene Armstrong |
05-25-2010 |
Reviews
Batucaxé: The Blessing of the Beatnew

The Blessing of the Beat, the first CD from local Afro-Brazilian collective Batucaxé, includes songs from Brazilian artists, as well as original songs written with South American and African music in mind.
Tucson Weekly |
Annie Holub |
05-25-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Batucaxé, The Blessing of the Beat