Jack London: The Star Rover
Cartaceo I have it ★★★★★
A fundamental work not only for what it represents in literature and specifically for that period, but also for what it encompasses in the entirety of human history. For humanity. This is what Jack London, a brilliant writer and true time traveler like the protagonist of his story, seeks to convey in this book, which is ultimately nothing more than an alter ego of himself. Yet Jack London did travel to the past, and this work is a testament that he did the same in the future. Alongside Burroughs, we're talking about the most intelligent pages I have ever read in my life.

#jacklondon #starrover #thestarrover #vagabondodellestelle
Basically a successful parody of 'Walk the Line: When Love Burns the Soul' by James Mangold. The protagonist is the talented John Reilly, an eclectic actor capable of engaging in both dramatic roles and silly films (famous for his partnership with the usual Will Ferrell), playing Dewey Cox, an alter ego of Johnny Cash, whose story is told from childhood through the years of his career and into the present day. Countless guest appearances (including Jack White as Elvis Presley) and references to the world of rock and music create a gigantic melting pot that encompasses the magic of the blues, the protests of the sixties, the extreme experiments of psychedelia in the seventies, drugs, the kitsch of the eighties, and trash TV. A parody that works.
Jake Paltrow: The Good Night
File Video I lack ★★★
Jake Paltrow's first film features an impressive cast (starting with his sister Gwyneth, along with Martin Freeman, Penelope Cruz, Simon Pegg, and the ever-iconic Danny De Vito) to tell the story of a middle-aged man, once a successful pop star and now reduced to composing jingles for commercials, whose life is in crisis, particularly regarding his relationship with his wife. In order to escape all of this, Gary (Martin Freeman) retreats into dreams where he 'meets' a woman he falls in love with on a recurring basis. This obsession leads him to experiment with various forms of 'lucid dreaming' until he experiences a revelatory blend of dream and reality. The film features a guest appearance by Jarvis Cocker from Pulp.
Jake Paltrow: Young Ones
File Video I lack ★★
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Jake Schreier: Robot & Frank
File Video I lack ★★★
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Jakob Skøtt: All the Colours of the Dust
File Audio I have it ★★★★
Fourth solo album by Jakob Scott, drummer of Causa Sui, released via El Paraiso Records. A true and authentic terrorist of sound, in these five tracks, which serve as a kind of artistic manifesto, Scott undergoes a sort of panic therapy. The sound is completely wild and devoid of any constants. At times kaleidoscopic, certainly colorful and never heavy in any way, it reigns supreme (how could it be otherwise) between episodes of acid free-jazz and droning sonorities, with the thunderous sound of the drums dominating, while the synthesizers seem almost to catapult us forcefully out of our capsule and into the open space. Completely insane. It’s enough to blow the brains out of even the most balanced individual.
James C. Strouse: Grace Is Gone
File Video I lack ★★★
Dramatic film directed by James C. Strouse, featuring John Cusack in the lead role. The film tells the story of a man, father of two little girls, who loses his wife, killed in Iraq, where she was on a mission for the United States Army. The news seriously undermines the already fragile domestic tranquility of the protagonist, who, overwhelmed by panic and unsure of how to tell his daughters, decides to take them on a trip. It’s a beautiful film, well-directed, that effectively depicts the interactions between the father and the two girls, and also attempts, albeit without going too deep, to touch upon the theme of the war in Iraq and to criticize it for what it has truly been. Perhaps one could (or should?) have dared more in this regard.
James Gray: The Immigrant
File Video Not intrested ★★
A drama directed and produced by James Gray, set in the first half of the last century in New York, where the stories of a beautiful Polish immigrant (Marion Cotillard) as 'the little match girl' intertwine with those of the pimp Joaquin Phoenix. Very (perhaps too) romanticized and tear-jerking.
James Griffiths: Cuban Fury
File Video I lack ★★★★
A typically 'British' romantic comedy featuring the incredibly talented Nick Frost. At its core: the fantastic world of salsa. There are some similarities with other, even more 'serious' UK-made comedies, and in this sense, a tribute to the cinema of the great Ken Loach is unavoidable. Olivia Colman shines as always, and Rory Kinnear is excellent. Ian McShane's performance as the protagonist's old dance master is simply outstanding.
James Ponsoldt: The Spectacular Now
File Video Not intrested ★★
Americans call these films 'dramedy.' Awarded at the Sundance Film Festival in 2013, the film tells the love story between two seemingly very different kids, but who actually share a whole series of issues typical of their age. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a well-made film with meaningful content; primarily aimed at younger audiences, it probably doesn’t receive the attention it deserves.
The return of the king. After the release of the first volume, here comes 'Electronica vol. 2: the heart of noise', the new studio album by Jean-Michel Jarre. Eighteen tracks and excellent collaborations with Rone, Pet Shop Boys, Gary Numan, Primal Scream, Peaches, Sebastian Tellier, Cyndi Lauper... Given his extensive expertise in the field, the master skillfully navigates the different material presented, excellently adapting each time to the characteristics of the collaborating partner, alternating between more or less kitsch and more or less experimental pop episodes. Perhaps due to this, there might be a slight lack of heterogeneity in the content, but it remains a record of the highest quality regarding the sounds proposed and the caliber of the artists involved. The track I liked the most is 'Electrees', featuring a collaboration with Hans Zimmer.
Jenna Ricker: The American Side
File Video I lack ★★★★
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Album written by songwriter Jerry Joseph after a trip to Afghanistan where he volunteered as a music teacher, while also trying to connect in some way with the country's underground music scene. It's not a bad album, but it's too academic, repeating typical clichés of American folk music and lacking in particular inventiveness; it doesn't leave any notable impressions or feelings for the listener to remember.
Jim Mickle: Cold In July
File Video I lack ★★★★
Adapted from the eponymous novel by Joe R. Lansdale, a thriller directed by Jim Mickle featuring Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard, and Don Johnson. The plot is unpredictable and unfolds through a series of twists with an explosive ending, which, however, does not ultimately represent the true strength of this clever and well-told story.
Jim O'Rourke: Simple Songs
File Audio Not intrested ★
Despite the title, 'Simple Songs' actually contains eight tracks constructed with the calculated intelligence and technical skill that is typical of O'Rourke, who is undoubtedly a great musician and producer, as well as one of the most influential figures in American music over the past twenty years. Celebrated with great acclaim from both the public and critics, I personally find that the overall sound is too sophisticated and ultimately leads me to prefer his more experimental works.
Joe Bataan: Saint Latin's Day Massacre
File Audio I have it ★★★★
Call it salsa or latin-soul, whatever you prefer, but this album by Joe Bataan, born to a Filipino father and an African American mother, is a real blast. There are influences from various genres, from Latin sounds like boogaloo to more traditionally soul and African American vibes. 'Saint Latin's Day Massacre' is the soundtrack of the New York of Garland Jeffreys and that New York where Lou Reed has always sought to find himself throughout his life. The New York of Walter Hill's 'The Warriors' and the one sung by Ruben Blades in Sidney Lumet's 'Q&A'. The cover of Isaac Hayes' famous 'Shaft' theme is also charming, but it's not the only noteworthy moment in an album that really should be listened to in one breath from start to finish.
  • lector
    19 may 16
    I'm really glad you liked it.
  • sotomayor
    19 may 16
    Thank you for the tip, my friend, always ready to listen to your suggestions!
Joe Carnahan: Narc
File Video I lack ★★
Police thriller starring Jason Patric and Ray Liotta. Undercover for narcotics, the two are tasked with investigating the murder of another undercover agent. Some references to 'French Connection' regarding the theme of drug addiction in the realm of police stories, and to 'Q&A' by Sidney Lumet for the character played by Liotta. Music by Cliff Martinez.
John Carpenter: Lost Themes II
File Audio I have it ★★★
A must-have release via Sacred Bones Records for all fans of the great John Carpenter, who, it must be said, is my favorite filmmaker. With 'Lost Themes II,' the director and musician, a master in the horror and thriller genres, gifts us with another twelve compositions of progressive electronic instrumental music in his historically known style, given his long career as a producer and composer of soundtracks in addition to being a director. Unmissable for enthusiasts, as mentioned, but perhaps less enjoyable than the first chapter released last year, also for the same label.
John Doe: The Westerner
File Audio Not intrested ★
The concept of the album is intriguing: a tribute to the writer and activist for Native American rights, Michael Blake (the one from 'Dances with Wolves'), but the album by the former member of the LA punk band X ultimately turns out to be really boring. It wouldn't even please the most passionate fans of Arizona desert country and/or those who love Cat Power (who makes a guest appearance on the song 'A Little Help'). We are certainly not in the presence of Howe Gelb, after all.
John M. Chu: Now You See Me 2
File Video Not intrested ★
It's clearly the sequel to 'Now You See Me'. The director changes (here it's John Chu) and Lizzy Caplan practically replaces Isla Fisher, while Daniel Radcliffe joins the cast. Frankly, I found it terrible, ugly, and incredibly boring, and I couldn't even finish watching it. The plot of the movie, however, starts with a flashback showing the scene of the death of Dylan Rhodes aka Dylan Shrike, and picks up the story from where the first film left off, developing right away with what should be a chain of twists in a succession of action scenes. It seems they're now going to make a third installment, a sign that it must have somehow worked at the box office, and I don't know how, and perhaps that's the biggest magic of the film, the part I just can't explain.
John Michael McDonagh: Calvary
File Video I lack ★★★★★
A thriller and a drama with spiritual content masterfully directed by John Michael McDonagh and featuring the usual great performance by Donald Gleeson. In confession, a man tells Father Lavelle that he wants to kill him to avenge the abuses he suffered as a child at the hands of a now-deceased priest, effectively giving him only one week to live. A film on the same theme as 'Spotlight', but from a radically different perspective. A masterpiece.
John Michael McDonagh: The Guard
File Video I lack ★★★★
Record-breaking film in terms of box office for Irish cinema. Shot in the beautiful county of Galway, it’s a black comedy and a crime thriller featuring Brendan Gleeson as an Irish sergeant addicted to prostitutes and alcohol, and Don Cheadle as a meticulous and punctual FBI agent on the trail of an international cocaine trafficking gang. The characterization of the characters and the settings are well done.
Jon S. Baird: Filth
File Video I lack ★★★★★
Based on the eponymous novel by Irvine Welsh, the film stars James McAvoy as a corrupt detective who has long surpassed any ethical laws and moral rules. Bruce Robertson is an extreme character who operates in contexts that can certainly be defined as 'filthy', caught in a continuous spiral of violence and lies, while also haunted by memories of the past and what can be described as true visions. Told with Irvine Welsh's typical irony and well-directed by Jon S. Baird, the performances of Jamie Bell, Imogen Poots, Jim Broadbent, and of course the great Eddie Marsan deserve mention, but it's McAvoy who makes the difference: hallucinatory and depressed at the same time, completely unhinged. A performance that cements him as one of the best actors around.
Jonathan Sobol: A Beginner's Guide to Endings
File Video I lack ★★★★★
A dark comedy full of interesting insights directed by Jonathan Sobol. A father (Harvey Keitel) who throughout his life has stood out for being absent and spending much of his time embarking on impossible adventures, gambling and betting, commits suicide leaving his children a dramatic revelation: all three will die within a very short time due to complications stemming from an event that occurred in their lives long ago. The news will literally shake the lives of the three siblings and lead them to act and behave in ways they never would have in their lives before, culminating in a final reconciliation with themselves and with life. An explosive film where each character is characterized in a way that could be described as 'extreme.'
Jordan Rakei: Cloak
File Audio I have it ★★★★
The debut album of this young producer, singer, and songwriter from Brisbane, Australia, 'Cloak' is one of the best episodes of 2016 in rhythm and blues and soul music. Mixed with elements of acid jazz, 'Talk To Me' could actually sound like Marvin Gaye would sound if he were still alive, and dubstep, 'Lost Myself' is a song that could probably make Thom Yorke or James Blake look pale with envy. Surfing track by track, you could levitate because you're entering another state of gravity. Less of a kiss ass than Jamiroquai were in the nineties era, but no less catchy for his ability to write good melodies, this guy seems to be very talented as he combines pop tones with a kaleidoscopic, freaky, and meditative taste that makes this album a little jewel in your collection. Give it a listen and more, because one listen is not going to be enough.
Joseph Arthur: The Ballad of Boogie Christ
File Audio I have it ★★★★
The first chapter of what was supposed to be a trilogy, but that actually had only one sequel album, 'The Ballad of Boogie Christ' is a concept album, based on Arthur's life. He's 'Boogie Christ' and he places his character in the vast world of the Great American Novel. It's an album of Americana music made by a very talented musician and composer, a mix of soul records about redemption and/or religious and spiritual themes and pop tones ('Still Life Honey Rose', 'Famous Friends Along the Coast'). Arthur himself drew a parallel between his Boogie Christ and David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust. Apparently there are no connections, but listening closely, one could recognize similar soul influences ('Currency of Love'), a taste for pop ballads (the title track), and a certain psychedelic and visionary approach, something you inevitably need on your journey to redemption.
  • imasoulman
    17 jul 16
    Well done, so the old and waxy ears are still good for something...;))
  • sotomayor
    17 jul 16
    Hehe I'm practically listening to it non-stop since last night. :)
Joseph Arthur: The Family
File Audio Not intrested ★
I had first come across this American singer-songwriter with his previous work, 'Lou' (2014), in which he paid tribute in his own way to the great Lou Reed, who had recently passed away. An album that I found, all in all, still worthy of consideration, especially during a moment of particular emotion. I didn't know anything else about him. I read that he was discovered by Peter Gabriel and that he has been on the scene for nearly twenty years, enjoying a certain popularity in the USA. 'The Family' is, however, a pop music album that I consider absolutely forgettable and that certainly does not entice me to delve deeper into his work. The sound is a halfway point between Keane and Mumford & Sons, with some guitar work here and there that does nothing but worsen the situation. Rejected.
  • imasoulman
    16 jun 16
    I could elaborate here... But I'll be concise: you messed up, amigo.
  • imasoulman
    16 jun 16
    I could recommend at least three of his albums that are among the best of a forward-looking Americana of the 2000s... (in fact, his early ones are still from the last millennium).
  • sotomayor
    16 jun 16
    I can only appreciate your mention @[imasoulman]. Yes, I know he has a twenty-year career behind him, even though I admitted, as you can see, that I don't know him at all (except for this latest work, which I didn't like, and for the previous 'Lou'). Give me the name of one of the albums you suggest, and I will listen to it, ready to regret and change my mind about the artist in question if necessary. ;)

    However, this one here, I don't know if you've listened to it, I may have been harsh in my classification, but frankly, I found it truly negligible.
  • imasoulman
    16 jun 16
    I don't want to go too far... his 2012 album "The Ballad of Boogie Christ" (which, sorry, but just for rewarding such a fantastic title...) is what I would let you taste. Then, let's see if you don't change your mind ;)))
  • imasoulman
    16 jun 16
    "Lou" is nothing special. But, trust me, this guy has done and can do much better.
  • sotomayor
    16 jun 16
    I'll get it right away, great title, yes. ;) But have you listened to this latest one instead?
  • sotomayor
    16 jun 16
    Alright, I considered 'Lou' for what it was: a heartfelt tribute at a particular moment following the death of a giant in the history of rock’n’roll. Nice and nothing special for the rest, yes, but it should be taken for what it is. More than anything, it was this last album that I truly couldn’t help but find very pointless.
  • imasoulman
    16 jun 16
    Everything can be said about J. Arthur except that he is predictable. His albums are the closest thing to a seismograph, with peaks of genius contrasted against total and disorienting creative anticlimaxes. So much so that for years I thought he was harming himself with this constant chaos of styles and sounds. But when he hits the mark with inspiration, he is worth the best works (a very personal opinion, little shared, alas...) of two heroes of our times such as the late Vic Chesnutt and/or the ever-present Jeff Tweedy.
  • imasoulman
    16 jun 16
    Ah, I'm behind on "The Family" (listening to it, I’m now, at best, listening to no more than fifteen-twenty albums a year...)
  • sotomayor
    16 jun 16
    Only fifteen-twenty? Wow. Can I ask you the criteria you're using to select them at this point? :)

    Anyway, the comparisons you've made, particularly the one with Vic Chesnutt, are intriguing. I've got the album, and as soon as I can, I’ll listen to it and let you know what I think. :)
  • imasoulman
    16 jun 16
    I meant: fifteen-twenty NEW RELEASES... the criteria are given to me by: 1 - the time available 2 - the awareness that I have so many phenomenal things from the past to listen to that it almost seems sacrilegious to pick instead the usual, banal, heard a billion times next big thing of the junk 3 - in those fifteen-twenty, about 95% will be works by old geezers...
  • sotomayor
    16 jun 16
    Yes, yes, of course I understood you were referring to new releases. :) That's why I was curious to know what the 'criteria' were. Just simple curiosity, and I imagined there would be quite a few works by old fogeys. Not because I consider you biased in any way, but the second point you mentioned, well, that explains everything perfectly. ;)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Don Jon
File Video I lack ★★★★
A stunning directorial debut for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Jon, nicknamed 'Don Jon' by his friends for his ease in picking up women, actually has a much more complex and rigid personality than one might think. Unable to let go and bound by strict rules regarding his existence - among them is his porn addiction (he prefers porn to sex) - his life is somehow turned upside down by the encounter with a girl he believes he has fallen in love with. In reality, more than a girl and the love of a woman, Jon is actually searching for himself: Jon wants to love himself. 'If you love yourself, so will everyone else,' Anton Newcombe says in one of his famous songs. Nothing could be truer, but it's harder than it seems. Beautiful film.
Justin Hardy: Captain Webb
File Video I lack ★★★★
The story of the great and historic feat accomplished by Captain Matthew Webb, who in 1875 became the first person to swim across the English Channel. Ultimately recognized with the title of 'The Greatest Englishman', he lost his life years later while seeking a new challenge swimming through the Whirlpool Rapids of Niagara. The film is his story, that of a man who, for no particular reason — but perhaps, and I say perhaps, just because he is a man (in the sense of species) — seeks to go beyond his limits and ultimately achieves the feat. Very beautiful.