Film

We should all be thankful this chapter of 20th century America has made it to the big screen. I thought this film tells its story expertly, and I hope many more people make the time to see it.

Our guest for the hour is Stephen Armstrong. We discuss his new book, I Want You Around: The Ramones and the Making of Rock 'n' Roll High School.

The Burial is not a disaster, but it is a disappointment trying too hard to cover too many topics and clumsily mixing lighthearted humor and serious drama.

In other news: Students in Utah Tech University’s Pickleball Club are preparing to play for a national championship in the DUPR Collegiate league, which is the only collegiate pickleball league in the country.

Inside is not a psychological thriller but is more a psychological study on humanity and our constant needs to build or destroy, to read stories or write them, to consume or to explore. The pieces of contemporary art are shot beautifully in this film, but it could be more exciting and more interesting if it didn't spend so much time trying to be such an austere, psychological daydream.

A few artsy elements, with visual metaphors of dead birds and engulfing smoke, add some thoughtful style to this biopic. But I'm sad this one doesn't have enough fire to grab viewers' attention. Golda reminds me at least some creative license from the director is important, no matter what real-life story is being told.

Talk to Me follows in the footsteps of other horror films centered around haunted objects tormenting the lives of youngsters like Oculus (2013) and Ouija (2014). A few jump scares are peppered in this film, but it's the quiet, patient moments that succeed in scaring viewers, and those are themoments I'm still thinking about today.

I'm hoping Netflix, and all other streaming platforms out there, are ready to invest in films like this that have a pulpy grit and wonderfully three-dimensional performances.

This film does not tell a part of history everyone will like or even a part of history everyone will agree on. But it's not going to be a boring, thoughtless, or forgettable film this year.

Today we talk about music in the movies! We're joined by Frank Lehman, Associate Professor of Music at Tufts University. He is author of Hollywood Harmony: Musical Wonder and the Sound of Cinema and recent essay, How to Write Music for Rolling Boulders.