It’s Summer. It’s hot. School’s out. Vacations are on. Everybody is busy. I have to yell at my wife every now and again just to keep us from doing something.
Every. Single. Weekend.
It gets a bit ridiculous how busy we are. Everybody else is too it seems, if the state of traffic has anything to do with it. It’s so stinking hot outside and yet nobody is staying in doors where it’s cool. Where the AC runs. I don’t know what we’re all doing, but apparently its not sitting inside watching DVDs.
This week’s pickings are once again very slim. It probably doesn’t help that July 4 is in a few days. Who has time to purchase movies and watch them at home when there’s fireworks to buy, burgers to grill, and family reunions to have?
What we do have time for is some rocking. And who better than The Who to bring it? This week’s pick is a concert video of The Who that was taped in 1982 at Shea Stadium. This was the last tour with drummer Kenney Jones (who replaced Keith Moon after his death). They wouldn’t tour again until 1989.
The video comes straight from the in-house cameras set up to show the band on those giant screens one gets at ballparks so the fans in the cheap seats can see what’s going on. The footage has been restored as has the audio.
I’m not the world’s biggest Who fan, but I can dig me some big bad rock and roll concerts from time to time and what better way to show our patriotism than with some loud guitars being played by Englishmen in an American stadium? (Read Gordon S. Miller’s review)
Also out this week that looks interesting:
Five Easy Pieces (Criterion Blu-ray:) Jack Nicholson plays an upper-class master pianist who drops out of nice society to work the oil rigs. It’s famous for him playing piano on a truck and attempting to order toast in a diner. I found it overrated and boring. Previously available as part of Criterion’s America Lost and Found: The BBS Story, it’s now a standalone release with the same slew of extras.
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (Criterion Blu-ray:) A young teenager find sexual awakenings at a carnival parade full of magic earrings and vampires. Its Czech, surreal and sounds fascinating.
A John Williams Celebration: The Los Angeles Philharmonic pays tribute to one of the cinema’s greatest composers.
Get Hard: Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart in a prison comedy that looks terrible and got worse reviews. But it’s got the ever so lovely Alison Brie in it so its worth a mention.
