A Very "Merry" Batman Adventure

Batman has faced all kinds of threats throughout his long history, but this time the he's dealing with his greatest challenge yet; being the father of a rambunctious 8 year old! In the wonderful animated movie, Merry Little Batman, after cleaning up all of the crime in Gotham City, our hero has essentially retired to raise his son Damian. The young lad idolizes his father, and wants to be a superhero just like Batman when he grows up. When the Dark Knight gets a call for help from the Justice League on Christmas Eve, he races off to deal with the emergency, leaving Alfred to watch over Damian. 

When Wayne Manor is threatened by a group of thieves who are stealing Christmas presents in Gotham, Damian swings into action, squaring off against The Joker, and several other members of his father's Rogue's Gallery, including the Penguin and Poison Ivy. What Damian ultimately discovers is that the devious Joker's got a more insidious plan in mind than just Grinch-swiping some presents, and our young hero will have to step up his game to save the city. Will Damian be able to show his father he's worthy of the utility belt that he was given for Christmas?

Merry Little Batman is an engaging tale, which should appeal to Batman fans of all ages. It's a fast-paced, funny, and ultimately heart-warming holiday tale. The film is filled with in-jokes and references to the various incarnations TV and big-screen incarnations of Batman, which will delight long-time aficionados of the Dark Knight. Even if you're a casual fan, you should enjoy this Yuletide "little Batman" adventure. The animation is marvelous, and the film's old-fashioned look is influenced by the works of illustrator Ronald Searle. The voice cast is excellent, and the spirited performers include Luke Wilson as Batman, Yonas Kibreab as Damian, James Cromwell as Alfred, and David Hornsby as The Joker.

While the story loses a little bit of steam in its final act, Merry Little Batman is a terrific Christmas superhero adventure, made by a cast and crew who clearly have a lot of affection for the Dark Knight. The film's themes regarding family, growing up, and learning about the responsibilities of being a hero may bring to mind a couple of stories from that other major comics publisher, as well as several classic animated holiday tales, but Merry Little Batman is a a lot of fun on its own terms. It's a fabulous Christmas gift for Batman fans, and I think it's one of the best DC animated movies in a while. Here's a look at the trailer for the film, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GSMmXz0bHA.

Grey DeLisle is a Retro Country "Angel"

Is there anything the multi-talented Grey DeLisle can't do? She's a phenomenal singer, a gifted songwriter, a talented voice actor and a fantastic stand-up comedian. Her latest album, She's An Angel, is a valentine to old school country, and this record will warm your heart if you dig the sounds of artists like Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn. DeLisle immediately declares her intentions on the sensational "I'll Go Back To Denver (And You Can Go To Hell)" a tale about a gal who hitched her wagon to a no good guy with a "greasy spray on tan." When he does her wrong, she lets him know in no uncertain terms just where he can move on to, and it's not back into her arms. That raucous opening number is the first of several tunes on the disc featuring tough as nails female characters, including "Everybody's Baby" and "I Missed You," a tongue in cheek number which will have you smiling and admiring DeLisle's gift for clever lyrics.

She's An Angel is filled with rollicking, guitar twangin' songs like "Quit Pickin' On Me," and "Shake That Thing" which are guaranteed to get you up and moving, and turning the volume way up. There's also the delightful "I Like The Way You Think I Think,"  the brassy "Big Sister," and the darkly funny breakup duet, "The Dog" one of the standout tracks on an album filled with high points. The wistful "Wasted" wouldn't sound out of place on one of Linda Ronstadt's early records, and the terrific "Who Bought The Boots Beside Your Bed?" evokes classic country at its best. DeLisle's exquisite voice is showcased throughout the album, but it's particularly effective on the lovely title song, and her knockout cover of Billy Vera's "I Really Got The Feeling", which reminds us that she's a brilliant interpreter of the work of other songwriters, as she displayed on her wonderful covers album, Borrowed, released in 2022.

DeLisle's magnificent voice melds perfectly with the masterful work of the talented musicians featured on She's An Angel. This outstanding group of players includes guitarists Deke Dickerson and Eddie Clendening, who produced the album, as well as Jonny Bowler and Lelah Simon on bass, DJ Bonebrake and Bernie Dresel on drums, Carl Sunny Leland on piano and Tammy Rogers on strings. Everyone featured on She's An Angel is at the top of their game, and contributes to the old school atmosphere and pure country sound which is deeply embedded in the DNA of these excellent songs. The passion and joy that this talented group has for performing this music is evident in every note.

She's An Angel is terrific, and it's a splendid showcase for Grey DeLisle's exceptional talents as a singer and songwriter. I've been a fan of her work for a while now, and I think She's An Angel is superb. If you're an old school or retro country fan, cue up this disc on whatever platform or device you listen to, and get ready to be knocked out by the remarkable work of DeLisle and her fellow musicians. Need further convincing? Here are links to performances of "Shake That Thing," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3mCPmOEF-E, and "Quit Pickin' On Me" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW0zP9tpcsk.

Godzilla Minus One: A Powerful, Moving Tale

Godzilla has been a cinematic icon for almost 70 years now. From the somber, anti-nuclear message of 1954's original Gojira (released in the US two years later as Godzilla, King of the Monsters, featuring additional footage with Raymond Burr as a reporter who witnesses Godzilla's rampage) to the enjoyable, light-hearted silliness of later entries like Monster Zero (1965) and Son of Godzilla (1967), the Big G has remained a fan favorite through various sequels, reboots and re-imaginings. Both Toho Studios in Japan, who originated the series, and Legendary Pictures in the US have released Godzilla films in recent years, including Toho's Shin Godzilla (2016) and Legendary's Godzilla, King of the Monsters (2019), and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021).

Godzilla Minus One, the latest entry in the Toho series, returns to the somber tone of Ishiro Honda's Gojira, and it's a terrific movie, one of the best in the Godzilla canon. The story opens in the final days of World War II, and follows a kamikaze pilot named Koichi, who chooses to land at a repair base on Odo Island (a location familiar to long-time fans) rather than sacrifice himself in battle. When the base is attacked by a prehistoric monster the locals call Godzilla, all of the personnel are killed, except Koichi and the head mechanic, Tachibana, who blames Koichi for the deaths of the crew because the nervous pilot failed to fire his plane's guns at the creature. Due to his failure to act, Koichi suffers a spiritual crisis, and suffers nightmares about his experiences.

When Koichi returns to Japan, he finds the country has been devastated due to the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States. He ends up sheltering a young woman named Noriko, as well as an orphaned child whose parents were killed in the bombings. Still haunted by guilt due to his inaction at Odo Island, Koichi gets a job on a ship that locates and detonates discarded mines from the war. While working on the minesweeper, he once again crosses paths with Godzilla, who has been mutated by postwar atom bomb tests conducted by the Unites States, and is stronger than ever. Godzilla attacks Japan, causing further death and destruction to an already broken and shattered country. When the governments of Japan and the US fail to act for fear of panicking the public, Koichi and a group of former military personnel come up with a unique plan to destroy Godzilla.

Godzilla Minus One is an exciting, powerful and moving tale. Because we see the story through Koichi's eyes, we share in his journey, and empathize with his feelings of doubt, guilt, fear and ultimately, redemption. The movie is the most character based entry in the Godzilla series since Gojira, and the human story is never overtaken by the monster action. This creature is not the friendly, Earth-defending Big G of the 1960s or 1970s films in the series. In Godzilla Minus One, the monster is a menacing, unstoppable force of nature that's symbolic of mankind's own destructive tendencies. The Godzilla attack sequences are visually striking, dramatic and well-staged by director Takashi Yamazaki, who also wrote the screenplay, and helped design and create the excellent special effects for the film.

In addition to the terrific work behind the scenes by Yamazaki and his talented crew, the cast is excellent. Ryunosake Kamiki as Koichi, Hidetaka Yoshioka as Kenji (a member of the minesweeper crew who's the architect of the plan to defeat Godzilla) and Munetaka Aoki as Tachibana, the Odo Island mechanic with a grudge against Koichi, are particular standouts. There are some nice callbacks to Akira Ifukube's classic Godzilla themes in the score for the film. If you're a long-time Godzilla fan, I highly recommended Godzilla Minus One. It's a fantastic movie, and it brings the story of Godzilla back to its darker origins as a cautionary tale, and also tells a compelling human story with a lot of heart. Here's a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvSrHIX5a-0.

A Psyche-Pop Christmas with The Grip Weeds

I'm a big fan of New Jersey's psyche pop heroes The Grip Weeds. I've previously raved about their work both at this blog, and in my other writing gig over at CultureSonar, https://www.culturesonar.com/. If you haven't yet heard their music, which is a spectacular mix of psychedelia, power pop and garage rock, it's time to check out superb albums such as How I Won The War, Trip Around The Sun, and their wonderful covers record,  DiG. The band's supremely talented lineup features Kurt Reil on drums and vocals, Kristin Pinell Reil on lead guitar and vocals, Rick Reil on guitar and vocals and Dave DeSantis on bass. With the holidays coming soon, you should also experience their musical brilliance on the recently released re-issue of their fabulous album, Under The Influence of Christmas, which is now available on JEM Records.

There are a plethora of Christmas records out there, but how many of them offer you that perfect mix of rocking originals, inspired re-workings of traditional classics, and fantastic reinterpretations of some well-known rock and roll holiday tunes? The Grip Weeds' Christmas celebration kicks off with the guitar-driven original "Christmas Dream," a terrific selection that wouldn't sound out of place on 1960s pop/rock radio during the holiday season. That's followed  by another Grip Weeds composition, the hard-rocking "Santa Make Me Good," which includes guest appearances by Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders, as well as Myke Scavone and Dar Francis of The Doughboys. This high-energy tune will have you playing air guitar and dancing around the room while you put up your holiday decorations. 

One of the best tracks on the album is an ethereal cover of one of my personal Yuletide favorites, "2000 Miles." The heartfelt rendition of this modern rock classic (originally recorded by The Pretenders) includes guest appearances by Jim Babjak and the late Pat DiNizio of The Smithereens. Vince Grogan of Buzzed Meg and Third of Never is featured on an acoustic-tinged version of Jethro Tull's "A Christmas Song" and The Left Banke's George Cameron checks in on "For The Holidays," another marvelous Grip Weeds original. Of course, no ultra cool holiday party would be complete without a psyche pop guest star, so Peter Horvath of The Anderson Council is along for the ride on a sensational garage rock run-through of "Welcome Christmas," from How The Grinch Stole Christmas which could turn even the Grinch himself into a power pop fan.

Under The Influence of Christmas also features The Grip Weeds' psychedelic flavored renditions of the holiday perennials "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" which are infused with heavenly vocals and jangly Byrds-esque guitars, touched off with some brilliant production work by Kurt Reil. This must have holiday record also includes the band's cover of Greg Lake's "I Believe In Father Christmas," Vince Montana's "Merry Christmas All" and the magical, positive energy filled original "Christmas, Bring Us." Under The Influence of Christmas is an extraordinary album from a phenomenal band. If you don't enjoy this dazzling record, your rock and roll heart must be two sizes too small! Under The Influence of Christmas is out now on JEM Records. For more about The Grip Weeds, head over to https://www.jemrecordings.com/, or https://www.gripweeds.com/. Here's a link to the promo video for the album release: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrMz_o0KFo4.

Retro Movie: Occult Terror in "Equinox"

Edward Connell and Barbara Hewitt in Equinox

There are films that leave a lasting impression on you, especially if you first saw them as a young monster movie fan. Even if the film isn't considered a classic, like King Kong or The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, there are movies that remain in your memory, because there's something about them that captures your imagination. For me, one such movie is Equinox (1970), a frightening tale of the supernatural that began life as a short film directed by Dennis Muren, who later worked on the special effects for films like Star Wars, The Abyss and Jurassic Park. Along with his friends Jim Danforth and Dave Allen (both of whom also went on to produce effects work for a number of films and TV series), Muren created a film titled The Equinox: A Journey Into The Supernatural (1967), which featured some excellent stop-motion animation, inspired by the celebrated work of Ray Harryhausen. The script for the film was penned by another member of Muren's circle, Mark Thomas McGee.

After an independent film company showed interest in distributing the movie, producer Jack H. Harris (The Blob, The 4D Man) hired director Jack Woods to shoot additional footage to expand the short film to feature length. The cast includes Edward Connell, Barbara Hewitt, Robin Christopher, and Frank Boers, aka Frank Bonner, who later co-starred on WKRP in Cincinnati. Fantasy author Fritz Lieber and director Woods also appear in supporting roles. Released in 1970, and retitled simply Equinox, the film concerns two couples who have a frightening encounter with the supernatural. As the film opens, a reporter visits David Fielding, a patient at a psychiatric facility. The reporter wants to interview him about a series of events that took place a year earlier, which led to the deaths of David's three friends, and left him in a catatonic state.

David's doctor plays the reporter a tape of an interview he conducted with the young man. David, his friend Jim Hudson, and their girlfriends Susan and Vicki, ventured into the woods to see Dr. Waterman, David's college professor. Waterman had asked David to visit, so he could share a discovery with him. The quartet don't find Dr. Waterman at first, but they do discover that his cabin is in ruins, and they find a mysterious book which seems to be able to conjure up dark, supernatural forces. There's a creepy park ranger named Asmodeus, who keeps following them around, and several monstrous creatures appear to terrorize our heroes. As a result of these chilling encounters, only David survives, and Asmodeus promises that, in a year and a day, David will also succumb to the forces of evil. It just so happens that the reporter is visiting David to talk about these experiences exactly one year and a day later!

Equinox displays its low-budget origins, and the cast sometimes shows its inexperience, but the film is eerie and atmospheric, and the effects sequences by Muren, Danforth and Allen are excellent. I first saw the movie in my younger days when it was shown on a late-night horror film showcase in the New York area. The movie has gained a solid cult following in the ensuing years, and both George Lucas and the late Ray Harryhausen, among others, have declared themselves fans of the film. In 2006, the movie was released on a two-disc special edition DVD as part of the prestigious Criterion Collection. In addition to showcasing the early work of a group of modern masters of special effects, Equinox definitely feels like a precursor and spiritual forefather to the original The Evil Dead (1981), directed by Sam Raimi. Here's a look at a vintage trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tctHCMAi8jw.

"Hit The Main Drag" with The Gold Needles

If you're missing the warmer weather and the recently ended good times of summer, why not cheer yourself up with a dose of rock and roll sunshine by listening to "Hit The Main Drag," the new single from The Gold Needles, recently released by JEM Records. This sparkling tune is a fantastic blast of energetic rock/pop from the band who dazzled us with the wonderful album What's Tomorrow Ever Done For You? back in 2021. This high energy song is firmly entrenched in the sounds of 70s and 80s power pop, entwined with the cool vibes of a classic rock and roll road tune. "Hit The Main Drag" is absolutely worth adding to your "cruising in the car" playlist.

The Gold Needles are based in England, and boast a talented lineup featuring Dave Burbage on lead and rhythm guitars, Mark English on synthesizers, Simon Dowson, vocals and rhythm guitars, Carl Slaughter on bass, and Will Jones on drums. "Hit The Main Drag," was penned by Burbage, Dowson and English, who came up with the melody and the chorus for the infectious tune. Download this outstanding track to your favorite device, and turn it up. You'll find yourself in a much brighter mood in no time! Check out the song by following this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkAsoViAuws. You can also head over to https://www.jemrecordings.com/ to find out more about the band, and learn about some of the other marvelous artists on JEM Records.

Flanagan's Grand Guignol "House of Usher"

Bruce Greenwood in The Fall of the House of Usher

If you're a fan (as I am) of writer-director Mike Flanagan's previous work in the horror genre, which includes chilling series such as The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor and Midnight Mass, and eerie films like Oculus, Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep, then have I got a Halloween treat for you. After providing us with superb re-imaginings of the literary tales of authors like Shirley Jackson, Henry James and Stephen King, Flanagan's latest project, The Fall of the House of Usher, takes a deep dive into the Gothic fiction of Edgar Allan Poe. It's a fantastic miniseries that proves once again that Flanagan is a modern master of the horror genre.

The Fall of the House of Usher centers on the Usher family, headed by siblings Roderick and Madeline. Roderick has built a financial empire based on the success of his company, Fortunato Pharmaceuticals. However, both he and Madeline share several secrets that have begun to tear their family, and their world, apart. Roderick's six children are being systematically killed by a supernatural force that appears to be taking revenge on him for his past misdeeds. The story of his family's downfall is told in flashback by Roderick to District Attorney C. Auguste Dupin, who's dedicated his life to exposing the corruption within Roderick's company. Dupin's name, is of course, just one of a myriad of references to Poe stories and characters throughout the series. The show is filled with easter eggs, nods and visual representations of Poe's work, both overt and more subtle in nature.

As he tells the tale of each of his children's grisly demise to Dupin, Roderick also relates stories of his and Madeline's younger years, and the questionable things the siblings did to achieve success. All of these flashbacks are skillfully tied together into a tapestry which features elements of many of Poe's classic short stories and poems, including The Black Cat, The Raven, and The Masque of the Red Death. To give too much away would spoil the many pleasures and surprises of this magnificently produced, well-crafted series. Let's just say if you're a fan of Gothic horror, and frightening set-pieces which include some memorable jump scares, and over the top terror, then The Fall of the House of Usher is definitely in your wheelhouse.

The cast is excellent, with many of Mike Flanagan's repertory company from previous productions returning in various roles for the series, including Henry Thomas, Kate Siegel, T'Nia Miller, Rahul Koli and Bruce Greenwood, who gives a great performance as Roderick. Carl Lumbly provides strong work as Dupin, Mary McDonnell is terrific as Madeline, and Michael Trucco is solid as a smarmy Fortunato executive who tangles with Roderick and Madeline, much to his eventual regret. Everyone is marvelous, but top honors for scene-stealing have to go to Mark Hamill as Arthur Pym, the Usher family's coldly efficient lawyer/fixer (whose character name is yet another tip of the hat to Poe), and Carla Gugino (also a Flanagan veteran) as Verna, a mysterious woman with deep ties to Roderick and Madeline's past, who appears to be something other than human, and who knows all of the Usher secrets.

The writing on the series is superb, with great dialogue provided for the actors by Flanagan and his co-writers, including Emily Grinwis and Justina Ireland. The show is visually striking, and brilliantly directed by Flanagan and Michael Fimongari, who also provided the cinematography for the series. The Fall of the House of Usher is a bit more wild and over the top than some of Flanagan's previous efforts, like The Haunting of Hill House, which, while it had its share of jump scares, often utilized a slow and subtle build up to its more terrifying moments. This series is a bit more Grand Guignol (by design) but it's no less well-crafted, or less effective, than Flanagan's other work. If you've enjoyed his other shows, such as the recent series The Midnight Club, then I think you'll dig The Fall of the House of Usher, which is currently streaming on Netflix. Here's a look at the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvuAWVzP6wI.