Wayne’s 4 X 2: Beau is Afraid, The New Pornographers and MORE!
Do you want something to watch but aren’t sure where to start? 2SER’s entertainment wizard, Wayne Massingham is back and he’s got you covered with his reviews of the latest and greatest in film and music.
It’s Wayne’s 4 by 2! 4 Reviews, 2 minutes each.
Here’s what he had for us this week:
Films: Beau is Afraid
The third feature film from director Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar) is a mind-bending nightmare odyssey that is equal parts disturbing and funny. Joaquin Phoenix plays Beau, a man undergoing therapy for his constant anxiety which complicates his difficult relationship with his mother. The world Beau inhabits is a frightful one; his entire neighbourhood is full of deranged people and everyone he meets seems incredibly hostile. After his apartment is broken into, Beau flees in a desperate attempt to reach his mother to prove he can take care of himself and salvage what remains of their fraught relationship. Leaping from one fantastical set piece to another with utterly unpredictable results, Beau Is Afraid experiments with the medium of cinema to deliver laughs, horror and genuine movie magic.
Beau Is Afraid is in cinemas now. Watch the trailer here.
Television: Under the Banner of Heaven
Based on the 2003 book by John Krakauer and directed by Dustin Lance Black (Milk), this miniseries follows Detective Jeb Pyre, played by Andrew Garfield, who investigates the murder of woman and her baby with signs pointing to the involvement of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Exploring the underbelly of Salk Lake Valley begins to challenge Pyre’s own Mormon faith and the lines between devotion and fanaticism start to blur.
Under the Banner of Heaven is out now on Disney+. Watch the trailer here.
Television: Dead to Me
This black comedy series stars Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini as Jen Harding and Judy Hale, two women who meet during group therapy after both their husbands suddenly die. Jen’s husband was killed by a hit and run while Judy claims her husband died from a heart attack. The twist is that Judy is actually the driver that killed Jen’s husband but they don’t know it. As they become better friends and manage their grief, suspicions are ignited as the mystery of Jen’s husband’s death become harder to comprehend.
Dead to Me is out now on Netflix. Watch the trailer here.
Album: Continue as a Guest, The New Pornographers
The 9th album from Canadian indie rock group The New Pornographers is a a power pop extraordinaire with tight, well structured songs and great lyrics. The album was made throughout the pandemic but still manages to capture the infectious chemistry the Pornographers have when playing live. Under the creative direction of A.C Newman, beautiful melodies and great harmonies abound even in the absence of notable member Dan Bejar, the frontman for another Canadian indie Rock band, Destroyer. Neko Case is still providing amazing vocals however, and if you are a New Pornographers fan you wont want to miss this album.
Continue as a Guest is out now on Spotify and Bandcamp.
