Reviews
My Policeman Review: Harry Styles and Cast Arrest in Essential Queer Story
This review is part of our coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. The Pitch: In 1950s Britain, same-sex relationships are illegal. Gay men are arrested and thrown in jail for “unlawful” acts, or beaten by a hateful public. Those who pursue relationships must do so in secret or risk everything — their careers, families and maybe even lives. Enter a handsome but simple policeman named Tom (Harry Styles), who falls in love with an educated museum curator named Patrick (David Dawson). The pair hide their affair until Tom meets a schoolteacher named Marion (Emma Corrin) and decides to marry her in pursuit of a “normal” life. Related Video Fast forward several decades and Marion (now played by Gina McKee) takes in Patrick (Rupert Everett) following a stroke, angering Tom (Linu...
Pearl Jam Take Over Apollo Theater for SiriusXM’s Small Stage Series: Recap, Photos and Setlist
Pearl Jam have stayed vital in their fourth decade. Their most recent albums, like 2020’s Gigaton and 2013’s Lightning Bolt, feel sturdy and reassuring — music for functional adults, performed by functional people. They’ve successfully dodged the demons that tragically felled their grunge-era peers. You get the sense that these industry linchpins have shiny trucks, adorable dogs, loving families and spectacular homes — all while enjoying the love and respect of their global music community. So it was appropriate that their first-ever performance at Harlem’s beyond-historic Apollo Theater, which took place on Saturday, September 10th, was thrown by SiriusXM, for subscribers, contest winners and other assorted VIPs. Prior to the show in the lobby, aproned waitstaff handed out IPAs and rosé w...
Pyro, Guitar-Smashing and Massive Pop Hits: Post Malone’s “Twelve Carat Tour” Is a Spectacle Worth Seeing
Since last year, Post Malone has performed at a smattering of festivals, but on Saturday (September 10th), the rapper played his first proper arena tour date in more than two years for the “Twelve Carat Tour” kickoff at Omaha’s CHI Health Center. (Grab tickets to upcoming dates here.) And he was grateful. Every few songs, he’d pause to hoist another red Solo cup filled with beer — dutifully handed to him after nearly every song by a barely seen stagehand — and toast the audience with an f-bomb-filled thank you speech. “Omaha, how the fuck are you feelin’ tonight? Holy fuck, man. Cheers to each and every single one of y’all motherfuckers,” he said. “I just want y’all to know how fucking grateful I am.” Advertisement In jean shorts, white sneakers and a black T-shirt depicting the flaming Ey...
House of the Dragon Episode 4: The Worst People in Westeros, Ranked
[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon, Season 1 Episode 4, “King of the Narrow Sea.”] Game of Thrones was a show that became famous for the shades of grey to be found in its heroes and villains alike, and so far the prequel series House of the Dragon has shown every indication of following in that proud tradition. Thus, Consequence is happy to introduce Who’s the Worst Person in Westeros, a weekly ranking of House of the Dragon‘s most important characters, and just how unsavory they ended up being each week. Everyone on screen, including dragons, is eligible for this list (though expect for the show’s series regulars to be heavily featured from week to week). Advertisement Episode 4, “King of the Narrow Sea,” is especially full of misdeeds, as a homecoming...
Reboot Review: An Uneven but Entertaining Hollywood Satire
The Pitch: A reboot is considered to be a death knell in the current entertainment landscape, a clear indicator of a risk-averse industry out of original ideas and desperate to recycle old ones to save themselves from major financial loss. Most reboots simply pander and rehash their concepts in order to satisfy their fanbases. Once in a blue moon, though, resurrecting a piece of intellectual property can actually lead to something subversive, a chance to fix poorly aged elements or find fresh, new stories to share with contemporary audiences. Enter young indie filmmaker Hannah Gilman (Rachel Bloom), who wants to reboot the (fictional) 2000s multicam sitcom Step Right Up for Hulu. Instead of repeating all the original’s broad, Full House-inflected humor, however, Hannah envisions the new se...
Natural Brown Prom Queen Is Sudan Archives’ Brilliant Homecoming
Brittney Parks might be the only artist who can use the phrases “step inside my cottage” and “only bad bitches” in the same verse. The multi-hyphenate alt-R&B musician — better known as Sudan Archives, our September Artist of the Month — uses both of them effortlessly in “Home Maker,” the opening track to her multifarious new album Natural Brown Prom Queen. At once, she paints herself as both the modern hot girl and a timeless Aphrodite. “Home Maker” is a fitting mission statement to Natural Brown Prom Queen, a record that luxuriates in introversion, creature comforts, and the freedom allotted by the places you feel most safe. “Don’t you feel at home when you’re with me?” she repeats in the bridge. There’s a bit of a come-hither wink to it, but also an edge. Rather than playing into th...
Barbarian Is Your New Bonkers Horror Favorite of 2022: Review
The Pitch: On a dark and stormy night in Detroit, Tess (Georgina Campbell) shows up at her AirBnB only to find someone already staying there: sensitive, looming, but slightly disarming Keith (Bill Skarsgård). Turns out they’ve both rented the place on the same night, and there’s nowhere else to stay, so Tess decides to take Keith up on his offer to crash together. After all, what’s the worst that could happen? Eat Your Heart Out, Gabriel: How do you write a review of a film that’s genuinely, truly, deeply best enjoyed blind? That’s the challenge ahead for us, dear reader, but let’s give it a shot. The solo feature directorial debut of Zach Cregger (one of the founding members of The Whitest Kids U’Know), Barbarian shares a surprising amount of DNA with Psycho, especiall...
Inside The Weeknd’s After Hours Nightmare Experience at Universal Studios
When you think of haunts (seasonal events held during the fall months based around scaring attendees), you often don’t think of musicians. In the rare cases where you do, perhaps you think of heavy metal or rock artists, as their music can often bring up images of horror in your mind. But horror has influenced all sorts of different genres, from pop with Michael Jackson’s iconic “Thriller” video to rap through the imagery described in songs by Flatbush Zombies and XXXTentacion. Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, has never kept his love for the genre a secret, but it has taken center stage with the rollout of his blockbuster 2020 album, After Hours. While the music itself might not sound particularly scary, it is his accompanying visuals that have showcased his love for horror; a cursory glance ...
With Its Season 4 Finale, What We Do in the Shadows Confirmed It’s a Legend In the Making
[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers through the Season 4 finale of What We Do in the Shadows, “Sunrise, Sunset.”] Some comedy series premiere in a blaze of glory before eventually losing some of their luster — the joke of the premise wasn’t enough to sustain more than five episodes, or the writing of Season 2 never lived up to the promise of Season 1. Which is why it’s so satisfying to watch the Season 4 finale of What We Do in the Shadows and know that this is a series that’s well on its way to becoming an iconic tentpole for FX. FX isn’t a network known for hasty cancellations, with many of its shows running for as long as the creators want to keep doing them (meaning four seasons for Atlanta, and infinity seasons for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). But it was still eye-o...
Showtime’s American Gigolo Is More Sad than Sexy: Review
The Pitch: Male prostitute Julian Kaye’s leisurely life of bedding wealthy older women and driving nice cars around southern California is suddenly disrupted when he’s framed for the murder of a client. It’s the role that made Richard Gere a household name in Paul Schrader’s 1980 film American Gigolo, but in Showtime’s new series of the same name, Julian is played by Jon Bernthal, the sensitive tough guy who’s become a burgeoning sex symbol in his own right with a string of memorable TV roles in The Walking Dead, The Punisher, and this year’s We Own This City. Julian, who has no memory of the night of the murder, confessed to the killing, and was sentenced to 15 years of prison. After Detective Sunday (Rosie O’Donnell) uncovers evidence that exonerates him, though, Julian is a free man who...
Cobra Kai Strikes Hard Through an Operatic, Over-the-Top Season 5: Review
The Pitch: As the Bard once wrote, things are rotten in the San Fernando Valley. Under the mentorship of obscenely wealthy karate villain Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith), Cobra Kai won last year’s All-Valley tournament — due in no small part to Silver’s illegal intervention. Plus, Silver’s money has given the dojo a facelift, and he plans to expand its no-mercy ethos to kids all over the country. Moreover, he’s framed former sensei Kreese (Martin Kove) for assault, leaving him unfettered control over the dojo while his mentor rots in prison. Our heroes aren’t exactly equipped to combat him, either: The loss at All-Valley months prior has broken Daniel LaRusso’s (Ralph Macchio) spirit, driving him further into paranoid obsession over Silver’s influence on his life. Johnny Lawrence (Willi...
House of the Dragon Episode 3: The Worst People in Westeros, Ranked
[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon, Season 1 Episode 3, “Second of His Name.”] Game of Thrones was a show that became famous for the shades of grey to be found in its heroes and villains alike, and so far the prequel series House of the Dragon has shown every indication of following in that proud tradition. Thus, Consequence is happy to introduce Who’s the Worst Person in Westeros, a weekly ranking of House of the Dragon‘s most important characters, and just how unsavory they ended up being each week. Everyone on screen, including dragons, is eligible for this list (though expect the show’s series regulars to be heavily featured as we progress). In “Second of His Name,” we go on arguably the worst family road trip since that Vacation remake where Chris ...
