Twenty One Pilots is the most important band in my life alongside Linkin Park. I’ve been listening to them for way more than a decade. As a band, they’ve spent a lot of time building a world and an entire lore around their music. Their concerts have become extensions of that world. They are complete with recurring symbols, visual storytelling, audience
Read MoreSo what should one look for in over-the-ear headphones? For those who read my Haylou Flowbuds review, you know how because of my oddly shaped ears, I’ve always been a fan of headphones that fit securely around my ears instead of in them or on them. I need headphones that are comfortable for continuous wear and won’t burn a hole in
Read MoreAlright… It’s time I shared my truth. Hello, my name is Brian Kitson, and I have weirdly shaped ears. Whoa, what a relief to finally say that aloud. Now I know what some of you might be saying: “But Brian! We’ve seen you on podcasts, and your ears look fine!” to which I say, “Thank you so much; I keep them
Read MoreJohn Carney can’t necessarily be described as “one-trick pony,” even if he makes virtually the same film over and over again. The Irish filmmaker has carved a niche in music-driven dramedies ever since 2007’s Once. That niche became mainstream following his best film, Sing Street, which is widely regarded as one of 2016’s best. If you think he’s run out of
Read MoreThe Moment takes a satirical angle in a new mockumentary about Charli XCX’s success around the release of her album Brat. It’s a meta dissection of the process of becoming a pop icon overnight, with an interesting balance of humor and authenticity. None of us can fully understand the overwhelming insecurities of trying to maintain an image while making quick decisions with
Read MoreHave you ever thought to yourself, “Hey, I wonder if the director of Billy Madison has a bunch of concert footage of ’90s alternative bands lying around?” Who hasn’t thought about that, right? The Best Summer at Sundance Film Festival is a documentary that answers the question. And while nobody may have asked for these materials, one cannot deny that they
Read MoreHazbin Hotel season 2 is one of those shows that we needed to see this year. Compared to the previous season, we needed to see higher stakes in the war between heaven and hell, we needed more world-building, to be introduced to new characters, and a more concentrated narrative. We don’t have to see again whether Charlie’s (Erika Henningsen) dream of
Read MoreI’ll be honest. I never thought I’d be that person wearing earplugs to a concert. Part of me always assumed earplugs were for musicians, sound engineers, or maybe someone’s overly prepared uncle. But after leaving a few shows with my ears ringing well into the next day, I finally decided to try something better than crumpled-up foam plugs. That’s when I
Read MoreRob Reiner’s last good movie was over thirty years ago, with the incredible A Few Good Men. The rest of his oeuvre has taken quite the nosedive, and one may be inclined to think he never recovered from the blistering takedown of his disastrous North by Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert. This doesn’t mean he hasn’t had any success post-North, with
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