By Frankie Lonergan II
We all have ungodly amounts of free time. Here are some TV, movies, and music that I’ve used to keep me busy these past few weeks.
What to watch on TV
Breaking Bad (2008-2013)
I came into “Breaking Bad” with a pretty skeptical attitude. In my mind, there was no way it could be as good as Mr. Bettendorf made it out to be. In reality, it was much, much better. Quite frankly, it’s the perfect television show. I seriously can’t stress enough how terrific it is. I know I’m just another guy giving you the whole “OMG you haven’t seen it you have to watch it it’s sooooo good haha I am the one who knocks bro” speech and that comes off as annoying. Don’t let that stop you from starting it. Trust me. The only downside to watching “Breaking Bad” is that once it’s over you’ll never watch a better show.
The Sopranos (1999-2007)
In all honesty, my siblings are way deeper into this than I am. I watch probably every other episode with them. If they’re halfway in, I guess I’m just a quarter of the way through the classic series. I can’t quite say it’s as good as “Breaking Bad,” but it’s obviously another example of excellent television. The characters are totally nuanced. “The Sopranos” does a great job of fleshing out even the less relevant characters. My opinion on Tony Soprano changes with every episode. Sometimes I can’t stand him, and other times I just want to give him a hug, and that’s a good thing. The show creates conflict not only on the screen, but in the mind of the viewer. I completely hate Janice but at the same time she’s hilarious. Excuse me, I mean Parvati.
Don’t miss out on these memorable Movies
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)
Just a two hour episode of “Breaking Bad,” and who would complain about that?
There Will Be Blood (2007)
The epic tale of an oil prospector-turned-mogul in the early 1900s is a case study in family, greed, and the Wild West. It earned Daniel Day-Lewis an Oscar for his portrayal of Daniel Plainview, and that was no mistake. He was tremendous in showing not only the ruthless alcoholic side of Plainview, but the tender, caring father as well. This movie is one you ought to let marinate for a little while. At first, I was less than amazed by the tale as a whole. There isn’t a whole lot to the plot of the movie. That’s not to say there isn’t a compelling series of events, but at times the plot takes a backseat to the characters and their interactions. It’s on the longer side, not unlike most Daniel Day-Lewis films, and can get somewhat tiring, but it’ll stick with you the more you think about it. The ending is totally satisfying. Overall, it’s definitely worth checking out for Day-Lewis’ prowess if nothing else.
The Hole in the Ground (2019)
This Irish horror movie from director Lee Cronin was particularly enjoyable. It involves a single mother named Sarah, played by Sarah Kerslake, whose young son, Christopher, played by James Quinn Markey, goes missing one night in the woods behind their idyllic Irish cottage. Upon his return, however, changes in his behavior lead Sarah to believe that the woods changed him, or that he may not be her son at all. The scenic Irish countryside provides this movie with a beauty that few can match, and the isolated nature of the house places much of the movie’s stress on the strained relationship between the young mother and her son. In this sense, it reminds me a lot of The Babadook (2014). While it doesn’t quite live up to that comparison, it holds its own against many of the cheap, lazy horror films of today by making the audience question Chris’s behavior right along with Sarah. The ending leaves a little to be desired, but overall, it’s a gratifying watch, especially if you admire minimalist movies.
New Music to satisfy every taste
Dark Lane Demo Tapes by Drake
Toronto rapper/songwriter dropped a surprise mixtape at midnight on May 1, and its duration as well as the quality of some of the songs leads me to believe that these were likely some songs he had in his back pocket, or that were potentially dropped off of an upcoming album. That being said, there’s not a whole ton to complain about here. It may not be the deepest, most sophisticated bunch of songs ever, but it’s pretty enjoyable. The first half of the mixtape is a huge throwback for Drake. It sounds like it could come right off “So Far Gone.” Drake is crooning over some pretty old-school R&B beats, at least by his standards, “Not You Too” feat. Chris Brown sounds pretty similar to the Drake of “Houstatlantavegas.” The second half gets into a little more rap, with a highlight being the high-paced “D4L” featuring Future and Young Thug. “Demons” featuring Fivio Foreign and Sosa Geek is a fun drill track. In the end, there isn’t much continuity between songs, the tape isn’t all that cohesive, but that doesn’t mean you won’t like some of the tracks off this thing.
The Scotts by Travis Scott and Kid Cudi
Travis Scott and Kid Cudi, aka Scott Mescudi (hence “The Scotts”) released what is potentially the first off of a collab album here with “The Scotts.” Travis Scott cites Kid Cudi as his main musical inspiration, so it’s pretty cool hearing them link up for the first time since “through the late night” in 2016 (Travis’ best song do not @ me). This beat is wavy as heck, and is really right in Travis’s wheelhouse. It’s pretty standard as far as Travis Scott tracks go. Enjoyable at a high volume with good use of autotune and vocal inflection, Travis’ verse is solid. Cudi, on the other hand, doesn’t really play to his own strengths here, but rather tries too hard to sound like Travis. His ad-libs are sort of clanky and his voice doesn’t really mesh the way Travis’s does. For whatever reason, he’s just not quite as fit for this kind of verse. It’s still a good couple of bars, but Travis’s verse is better in my opinion. The beat on “Through the Late Night” was a little more friendly to Cudi’s strengths, including his amazing humming (if any faculty don’t know Kid Cudi, seriously look up his humming it’s awesome). The track ends on some really fun synths that really only Travis can pull off these days. It’s a good song. I bet it would make for great background music for a dope highlight tape. Peep my Twitter.
