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lifestyle THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014 Music & Movies Review: ‘Only Lovers’ a moody vampire movie he Thin Man” with blood cocktails, an ode to hipsterism through the ages, a mainline “Tshot of cool and a playful tribute to artistic fetishism, Jim Jarmusch’s vampire romance “Only Lovers Left Alive” is an addictive mood and tone piece, a nocturnal reverie that incidentally celebrates a mar- riage that has lasted untold centuries. Almost nothing happens in this minor-key drift through a desolate, imperiled modern world, and yet it is the perennial downtown filmmaker’s best work in many years, probably since 1995’s “Dead Man,” with which it shares a sense of quiet, heady, perilous passage. Vampire stories come in all shapes and sizes and the blessed and afflicted couple here is well-dressed, madly sophisticated, has impeccable taste in music and literature (the couple’s closest friend is Christopher Marlowe) and is still in love like newly- weds. The woman’s younger sister considers them condescending snobs, but perhaps that’s just a nega- tive way of acknowledging that, given hundreds of years of years of exposure to art and culture, one would be a fool not to have developed a high level of discrimination in such matters. ‘The good stuff’ Adam (Tom Hiddleston) has become quite the recluse. Holed up in an old house in an abandoned part of Detroit, he plays vinyl classics and collects rare vintage guitars brought to him by roadie type Ian (Anton Yelchin). In the not quite as depopulated streets of Tangier, Eve (Tilda Swinton) seeks out Marlowe (John Hurt), whose Shakespeare connection is bandied about. More to the point, however, is his value as a source of “the good stuff” - purified blood their kind can reliably consume now that human - aka “zombie” - blood has become dangerously contami- nated. This represents an unambiguous drug addiction reference, to be sure, but it also casts these vampires as an endangered species and, increasingly, as poten- tial tragic figures, avatars of cultivation, sophistication and monogamous devotion that put average humans down upon by a photo gallery of artistic heroes from their tower of refinement and rejoin the hunt? musically, the film is lovely. “Only Lovers Left Alive,” a This image released by to shame but may be doomed now that their food (Buster Keaton, Mark Twain) and take a nighttime tour Swinton is quite wonderful and unusually accessi- Sony Pictures Classic release, is rated R by the Motion Sony Pictures Classics supply has been ruined. For his part, Adam some- in Adam’s old Jaguar coupe of decimated Detroit. ble here in a generous, emotional, tender perform- Picture Association of America for “language and brief shows Tilda Swinton in a times receives “good stuff” from a medical facility sup- ance. With a recessive partner mostly devoted to inte- nudity.” scene from ‘Only Lovers plier, Dr Watson (Jeffrey Wright). Ancient pair rior experiences, Eve must do most of the work to ani- Running time: 123 minutes. MPAA rating definition Left Alive.’—AP When, at the 40-minute point, Eve returns to Adam To Adam’s irritation, they are soon joined by Eve’s mate their relationship and Swinton, wearing long, for R: Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying in Detroit, there is instant rapture, a perpetuation of wild girl imp of a sister, Ava (Mia Wasikowska), whose nearly platinum-blond hair, gives herself to this enter- parent or adult guardian. — AP the presumed longest love affair in the world (a photo reckless vampiric ways so disrupt their domestic tran- prise without going over the top. Hiddleston, with the documents their third wedding, in 1868). With the quility that the couple decides to decamp back to longhaired look of a rock star, is required to be far spirited Eve the driving force in the relationship more Tangier, where Eve can count on a continued supply more withdrawn but is a credible bohemian for the than the laid-back Adam, the two British-accented of good stuff. When this is compromised, a thimble of ages. Wasikowska supplies antic, intentionally grating connoisseurs loll around the house, listen to great doubt and suspense enters the equation, as the abandon as the dangerous sister, Yelchin is sweet as music, drink great blood, speak about old acquain- ancient pair contemplate their fate. Will this be the Adam’s flunky and Hurt presents his 16th century tances (Lord Byron, Mary Wollstonecraft), are looked end, or might they actually have to deign to descend playwright as a crusty old wise man. Physically and ‘Game of Thrones’ renewed for two more seasons it HBO television show “Games of Thrones” was renewed The series has wowed critics with its densely-layered plot, lav- for two more seasons Tuesday, two days after its latest ish production values and a readiness to kill off, invariably in grue- Hseries opened with a bang that crashed the broadcaster’s some fashion, protagonists who had hither to seem integral to online app. Sunday’s fourth season debut drew 6.6 million view- the show. Four words-”No one is safe”-have become the unofficial ers, the most for the pay-channel since the finale of HBO cult hit catchphrase for devotees of the series. Guessing which character “The Sopranos” was watched by 11.9 million people in 2007, the may soon meet his or her maker is all part of the fun. broadcaster said. “‘Game of Thrones’ is a phenomenon like no oth- An infamously bloody episode in Season 3, involving a mas- er,” said HBO Programming boss Michael Lombardo, announcing sacre at a wedding party, was one of the most talked about and that HBO had renewed it for a fifth and sixth season. Its creators tweeted television events of 2013. YouTube videos capturing the David Benioff and D.B. Weiss “along with their talented collabora- shock of unsuspecting viewers watching as the on-screen slaugh- tors, continue to surpass themselves, and we look forward to ter unfolded rapidly went viral. All the signs are that fans of the more of their dazzling storytelling,” he said. HBO Go, an online app show will not be disappointed by the 10-episode Season 4, which that allows viewers to watch shows any time, crashed Sunday as debuted in the US on Sunday before being screened in different tens of thousands tried to log on to watch the show, which pro- markets worldwide over the following days and weeks. — AFP vides a jaw-dropping mix of sex, violence and vengeance. Since its debut in 2011, the HBO drama based on George R.R. Martin’s best-selling novels about a struggle for power between feuding clans in seven mythical kingdoms has won a devoted global fan base-President Barack Obama reportedly among them-to establish itself as the star of the US cable channel’s stable. Kiss not the first to tell Rock Hall to kiss off raciousness is not always high on the list of attributes you Frontman Axl Rose decided to skip the ceremony because it Clifford left the room while Fogerty played. The band split in together in 1999 without the band’s other three members find in successful rock ‘n’ roll stars. Because of this, the Rock didn’t “appear to be somewhere I’m actually wanted or 1972 and Fogerty was still holding grudges at the 1993 induc- and Infante and Harrison sued unsuccessfully to rejoin the Gand Roll Hall of Fame inductions have sometimes brought respected.” Guitarist Slash, bassist Duff McKagen and drum- tion, telling Cook and Clifford he wouldn’t play with them band. Infante continued to lobby Harry onstage at the cere- out the worst in its inductees, whether continuing once-private mer Steve Adler, however, did take the stage, performing ever again when they showed up for rehearsal earlier in the mony: “Debbie, are we allowed?” She declined and the band feuds in public or launching criticism at the hall itself. This year it’s together for the first time in nearly two decades. Myles day. Cook and Clifford returned when the lights came back went on to play its three biggest hits with stand-ins. “They Kiss that’s angry, its members upset over the organization’s deci- Kennedy served as the stand-in for Rose. up, with a forlorn Cook holding the bass he’d hoped to play. wrote themselves out of the band history, as far as I’m con- sion only to induct original members Paul Stanley, Gene 2. There was nary a Van Halen during the towering rock band’s 4. The Sex Pistols were among the first and most notorious punk cerned,” Stein said backstage. “They should have a little bit of Simmons, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley while excluding members induction. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen chose to enter rehab the rock bands and fittingly extended a metaphorical middle fin- honor. This is supposed to be rock ‘n’ roll. This is supposed to who joined later. week before the 2007 ceremony - a pretty rock-solid excuse. ger to the hall of fame when finally inducted in 2007 - six be friendly. This is like going through the trenches together.” As a result, the makeup-wearing rockers won’t be wearing But his drummer brother Alex also chose not to attend. And years after it was first eligible. The British band, which featured 6. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr recently reunited to celebrate makeup or rocking at Thursday’s ceremony at the Barclays Center original lead singer David Lee Roth pulled a very Roth-like lead singer Johnny Rotten and late bassist Sid Vicious, said in the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ first trip to the US.

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