The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/27737
‘Paul’ is fanmail of sci-fi films British actors Simon Pegg and Nick Frost Review Concert Review team up again for sci-fi film “Paul,” which they cowrote in addition to star in. After doing “Shaun of the Dead,” a tribute to zombie films, and kicking major arse in “Hot Fuzz,” a smart spoof on cop blockbusters, with director Edgar Wright, the two worked with Greg Mottola (“Superbad,” “Adventureland”) for “Paul,” a film about an unapologetically crude extra- terrestrial (voiced by Seth Rogan) who wants to get back to his home planet. The film also costars Kristin Wiig, Jason Bateman and Bill Hader. Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost) are two aspiring science- fiction writers from England who travel to San Diego for ComicCon, (a con- vention mecca for nerds) and follow it up by a road trip across the Southwest in an RV to see alien hotspots in America. While on their trek they run into Paul, an alien on the run from the government. Contributed Serena Fortier of New York Funk Exchange brings soul to performances. This funk exchange didn’t need flash _ it was solid through and through. The predicament of a band is straightforward: there are only 12 notes and centuries of music. How do you make those notes into more than just sounds — into more than the sort of thing we’ve all heard before, and yet not so far out there that no one understands what you’re doing? If you’re in a funk band, your situation might be even more difficult. You’ll be expected to play certain songs (“We Want the Funk,” anyone?), but you better make damn sure you do justice to those songs while also bringing your own particular groove to them. You’ll have to be both novel and traditional. With only 12 notes to work with, it’s easy to see why so many bands never get better than just OK. New York Funk Exchange is anything but just OK — they’re fantastic. One can see this in the gyrat- ing bodies that filled the space around them when the Brooklyn-based band recently played (for the second time) at the Autumn Cafe on Saturday night. One can see it in the energy the musicians bring to their music, and the skill with which they execute that music. Perhaps more than anything else, one can see just how good they are by noticing that you don’t have to like funk music to enjoy what they do. As a fellow patron said to me during the show, “I’m not much of a funk fan, but these guys are great!” NYFE put on a great show. They mixed originals with classic tunes, playing respectable yet rockin’ versions of everything from Stevie Wonder to Mi- chael Jackson to Peter Gabriel, and lots in between. Their original tunes not only met the obligatory groove of a funk expedition, but they also kept 22 O-Town Scene March 24, 2011 things musically interesting — walking from one key into another, for example, without loosing any of the momentum of their music. And they didn’t fall prey to something one often sees with bands, particularly with funk bands — they didn’t resort to flashy licks, trying to slap, pop, pick and blow their way into the collective memo- ries of the audience. This funk exchange didn’t need flash — it was solid through and through. The members of the band were all excellent musicians. They lied back when appropriate, and allowed the songs to carry themselves with the beautiful, throaty and soulful vocals of lead singer Serena Fortier adding extra dynamics to each piece they played. Each set was characterized by an organic unity, and they stayed far away from simply taking turns showing off their individual skills on their respective instruments. Being able to let the music speak for itself is the mark of a great band. But make no mistake, when it was time for any member to show his stuff, there was no disappointment. Each of the solos was impressive in its own right. Perhaps my affinity for the rhythm section of any band made the bass and drum solos stand out to me more, but that seems like hairsplitting when talking about a band of this caliber. New York Funk Exchange deserves our attention, and they’ve certainly got mine now. They know exactly how to make magic out of those 12 notes. _ Jeremy Wisnewski The two companions make an alliance with Paul to get him to his mother- ship so he can leave Earth — the film gets inspiration from “E.T.” and other Spielberg projects, as well as some George Lucas homages. As Paul, Rogan had the sarcasm and off-color humor we’ve come to expect and love, even though the voice was coming from a scrawny alien. The three heroes meet an uptight sheltered Christian, played by Kristin Wiig, who finds her faith going haywire after encountering Paul. She gets a new sense of freedom as she takes attempts to become a more risque person. The real gut-busting parts of the movie came for me when Wigg’s character was trying out different combinations of obscenities to express herself. Though the movie is centered on Paul, the real magic is the easy friendship between Pegg and Frost. It is an absolute pleasure to see these real-life bud- dies work so well off each other. Although “Paul” is a sci-fi flick, it shouldn’t alienate a general audience (pun intended). This movie is full of references to classic sci-fi movies, and is more of a love letter than a spoof. Watching the film, I was constantly making references to my friend — “That is a line from ‘Star Wars’ ... that is a take on ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind.’” There are enough comic book and sci-fi references to make any fan of “The Big Bang Theory” or “Fanboy” happy. And there are enough off-color insults for those who enjoy movies like “Superbad” and “Knocked Up.” _ Peter Eklund Grade: A- Film Contributed ‘Paul’ is playing at the Southside Mall Cinemas in Oneonta For times, see Page 25. Interested in writing CONCERT or FILM REVIEWS? E-mail Cassandra at editor@otownscene.com