Film Review: “Resistance”

  • RESISTANCE
  • Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Clémence Poésy
  • Directed by: Jonathan Jakubowicz
  • Rated: R
  • Running Time: 2 hrs
  • IFC Films 

The name Marcel Marceau (1923-2007) is synonymous with mime artistry as he was the godfather of the silent artform. While his name conjures white face paint and silent, comedic stagecraft influenced by Charlie Chaplin, there was a tremendous heroism behind the façade that had started to dim with time. However, the new war drama, “Resistance” seeks to remind us of the incredible actions Marceau undertook as a member of the French Resistance against Nazi occupation. 

An attempt to create a tone for “Resistance” is set during its opening scene, which takes place on the infamous night of November 9, 1938 in Munich, Nazi Germany. Known ever since as Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, German Jews were targeted by Nazi paramilitary forces throughout the country. Thousands of businesses and hundreds of synagogues were destroyed while thousands of Jewish men were arrested. Writer/director Jonathan Jakubowicz (“Hands of Stone”) gives us a harrowing depiction of this horrific event through the eyes of a young girl who watches helplessly as her parents are murdered in the street during the assault. It’s a powerful sequence meant to grab our attention, but that momentum is quickly dissipated. 

We are suddenly transported to 1945 in Nuremberg, Germany where Gen. George S. Patton (Ed Harris) addresses troops under his command at a former Nazi rallying point. Harris does not capture the emotional spirit of Patton as he stoically tells his men about a resistance fighter who made their sacrifice worth it. It is then that we are whiplashed back to Strasbourg, France shortly after Kristallnacht. Marcel (Jesse Eisenberg), whose real last name was Mangel, is a self-absorbed, wannabe thespian whose disapproving Jewish father would rather see him become a butcher. 

Marcel’s life is forever changed when he is brought in by his cousin, Georges Loinger (Géza Röhrig, “The Chaperone”) to entertain over 100 German Jewish children, who were left orphaned after Kristallnacht, when they are brought over to France. Marcel becomes emboldened to join the French Resistance and finds an inner strength in the process as he and his fellow resistance members try to save Jewish children by crossing the Alps into neutral Switzerland. 

Eisenberg is at his best when he is portraying Marcel doing mime, particularly when it is in front of American troops. Even so, his overall performance fails to get us too deeply invested on an emotional level with his real-life character. This is representative of the entire film as it does not leave a lasting impression as say other titles like “Schindler’s List,” “The Pianist,” or “Son of Saul.” For lack of a better word, “Resistance” is generic. There are moments of darkness and terror, punctuated by scenes involving Gestapo officer Klaus Barbie (Matthias Schweighöfer, “100 Things”) who is a little overplayed. 

Despite its subpar quality, “Resistance” is still an important film to be watched as it sheds light again on a true hero plus, it reminds us all again that we should never forget what happened to the Holocaust’s six million Jewish victims.

Hackers, Army of Darkness to Be Released on Vinyl & Mortal Kombat, the Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, to Be Released as Picture Discs on Record Store Day 2020 from Varèse Sarabande Records

(Los Angeles, CA, March 9, 2020) — As part of Record Store Day 2020, Varèse Sarabande Records will release five amazing soundtrack LPs: Hackers and Army of Darkness will be available as double LPs and Mortal Kombat and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance get the picture disc treatment, (Age of Resistance in two different variants), on April 18, 2020, at thousands of independent record stores. A list of participating stores can be found at recordstoreday.com and for more info about these special LPs visit VareseSarabande.com.

HACKERS – Various Artists (Double LP)
On vinyl for the first time, the definitive soundtrack to the film Hackers is being released in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the film. The double LP features never-before-released tracks including “Hackers Suite” performed by composer Simon Boswell, as well as two pieces by Guy Pratt, “One Combination” and “Grand Central Station” featuring David Gilmour.

“This was such a fun thing to do, had to quickly knock it up at home and then David swung by and did his inimitable thing in one take.” – Guy Pratt

Additionally, tracks that were not on the original soundtrack release in 1995, including “Protection” by Massive Attack, and “Open Up” by Leftfield, are part of this special album edition. The commemorative package includes two black vinyl LPs in a gatefold, new notes from director Iain Softley, and unreleased photos of the cast.

TRACK LISTINGS
Side A

  1. “Halcyon and On and On” Performed by Orbital
  2. “Hackers Suite” Performed by Simon Boswell
  3. “Open Up” Performed by Leftfield

Side B

  1. “Cowgirl” Performed by Underworld
  2. “Voodoo People” Performed by Prodigy
  3. “Connected” Performed by Stereo MC’s

Side C

  1. “Original Bedroom Rockers” Performed by Kruder & Dorfmeister
  2. “One Love” Performed by The Prodigy
  3. “Good Grief” Performed by Urban Dance Squad

Side D

  1. “Protection” Performed by Massive Attack
  2. “One Combination” Performed by Guy Pratt
  3. “Grand Central Station” Performed by Guy Pratt, featuring David Gilmour
  4. “Heaven Knows” Performed by Squeeze

ARMY OF DARKNESS – Joe LoDuca (Double LP)
This double LP soundtrack for Sam Raimi’s 1990’s classic Army of Darkness film (a continuation of Raimi’s Evil Dead series, which also starred Bruce Campbell as Ash) features the original cover graphics with new notes and images, and a newly remastered score by composer Joe LoDuca. Years later, LoDuca continued to score Evil Dead projects through the Starz series, Ash vs The Evil Dead. The latter series ran from 2015 – 2018. Army of Darkness is musically distinct, however, in having a secondary contributing composer: Danny Elfman’s (Batman, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, The Simpsons) killer theme “March of the Dead.”

TRACK LISTINGS
Side A

  1. “Prologue”
  2. “Building The Deathcoaster”
  3. “Give Me Some Sugar / Bone’Anza”
  4. “Time Traveller”
  5. “Ash Splits”

Side B

  1. “Little Ashes”
  2. “Ash In Chains”
  3. “Night Court”
  4. “The Forest Of The Dead / Graveyard”
  5. “The Pit”

Side C

  1. “God Save Us”
  2. “Foul Thing”
  3. “March Of The Dead” Theme Composed by Danny Elfman
  4. “Whites Of Their Skulls”
  5. “The Deathcoaster”
  6. “On Parapet”

Side D

  1. “Ash Bucklers”
  2. “Skeletor”
  3. “Soul Swallower”
  4. “Manly Men”
  5. “End Titles”

MORTAL KOMBAT – George S. Clinton (Picture Disc)
Originally released on CD only in 1995 and currently unavailable in any physical format, this score to the first film ever developed for the massive gaming franchise will get the LP treatment in conjunction with the film’s 25th anniversary. Side A of this two-sided picture disc features the iconic Mortal Kombat logo, while Side B features Goro, a fan favorite from the game and film who is generally considered by gamers to be one of the most memorable and difficult bosses in gaming culture. In fact, the four-armed fighter did not lose a battle for 500 years before a first-ever loss to Mortal Kombat hero, Johnny Cage. The music was composed by George S. Clinton with a heavy assist from the guitarist, Buckethead (Guns N’ Roses, Primus), who appears on 10 of the 26 tracks.

TRACK LISTINGS
Side A

  1. “Taste Of Things To Come”
  2. “Liu Vs. Sub-Zero”
  3. “It Has Begun”
  4. “The Garden” featuring Buckethead
  5. “Goro Vs. Art” featuring Buckethead
  6. “Banquet”
  7. “Liu Vs. Katana”
  8. “Liu’s Dream” featuring Buckethead
  9. “Liu Vs. Reptile” featuring Buckethead
  10. “Stairway”
  11. “Goro Goro”
  12. “Kidnapped”
  13. “Zooom”
  14. “Johnny Vs. Scorpion” featuring Buckethead

Side B

  1. “Hand And Shadow” featuring Buckethead
  2. “Scorpion And Sub-Zero” featuring Buckethead
  3. “Soul Snatchin’”
  4. “On The Beach”
  5. “Johnny Cage” featuring Buckethead
  6. “Goro Chase” featuring Buckethead
  7. “Evening Bells”
  8. “Monks”
  9. “Friends”
  10. “Flawless Victory” featuring Buckethead
  11. “Farewell”
  12. “Kids”

THE DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE, The Aureyal & The Crystal Chamber – Daniel Pemberton, Samuel Sim (Picture Discs)
Two truly special picture disc editions featuring imagery unavailable anywhere else! The Aureyal, a symbol representing the unity of the seven Gelfling Clans, presents itself in the visions of various important Gelfling characters and is formally identified as “the sigil of great power” by skekGra the Heretic. The Aureyal picture disc is complemented on the other side with the cover art from the Volume 1 CD and digital release. The Crystal Chamber disc depicts the floor of the Dark Crystal’s chamber; a circle of 18 arcane symbols, one for each of the urSkeks that came to Thra during the first Great Conjunction. The Crystal Chamber picture disc is complemented on the other side with the cover art from the Volume 2 CD and digital release. Consumers should note that the track selections on the two picture discs are completely different. Although available for individual purchase, they are thematically a set.

The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance is a 10-episode prequel to the groundbreaking 1982 fan-favorite The Dark Crystal, and stars Taron Egerton, Star Wars’ Mark Hamill, Harry Potter’s Helena Bonham-Carter, Tomb Raider star Alicia Vikander and Outlander’s Caitriona Balfe. The show’s composer Daniel Pemberton reveals, “I wanted the music to be as magical as Thra itself – organic, imperfect, strange, mystical, otherworldly and wonderful. I wanted to create new sounds that felt like they came from the world itself, as well as using thematic largescale orchestral elements to bring an emotion to the journey of the characters.”

The Aureyal Picture Disc

TRACK LISTINGS
Side A

  1. “Dzenpo!” – Daniel Pemberton
  2. “Remember Your Oath” – Samuel Sim
  3. “Puppet Show” – Samuel Sim, Daniel Pemberton
  4. “Song Of Thra” – Daniel Pemberton
  5. “The Skeksis Arrive” – Samuel Sim
  6. “Outcast” – Daniel Pemberton
  7. “Outside Podling Wayhouse” – Daniel Pemberton

Side B

  1. “An Old Story” – Daniel Pemberton
  2. “The Three Brothers Rise” – Daniel Pemberton
  3. “Attack Of The Arathim” – Samuel Sim, Daniel Pemberton
  4. “Our Sister Is Gone” – Samuel Sim
  5. “The Dark Crystal: End Credits” – Daniel Pemberton
  6. “The Dark Crystal: The Age Of Hope” – Daniel Pemberton

The Crystal Chamber Picture Disc

TRACK LISTINGS
Side A

  1. “The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance” – Daniel Pemberton
  2. “Another World, Another Time” – Daniel Pemberton
  3. “Story Of The Dark Crystal” – Daniel Pemberton
  4. “Rian + Mira Dreamfast” – Daniel Pemberton
  5. “Aughra Awakes” – Daniel Pemberton
  6. “The Crystal Chamber” – Daniel Pemberton
  7. “Essence Draining” – Daniel Pemberton

Side B

  1. “What Lies At The Dream’s End” – Daniel Pemberton
  2. “Together We Fight” – Daniel Pemberton
  3. “The Blue Flames Part 1” – Daniel Pemberton
  4. “Deet In The Woods” – Samuel Sim
  5. “Speak For The Dead” – Daniel Pemberton
  6. “Brea And The Library” – Samuel Sim
  7. “Her Light Faded” – Daniel Pemberton

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ABOUT VARÈSE SARABANDE RECORDS
Founded in 1978, Varèse Sarabande is the most prolific producer of film music in the world, releasing the highest quality soundtracks from the world’s greatest composers. From current box office hits and top television series to the classics of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Varèse Sarabande’s catalog includes albums from practically every composer in every era, covering all of film history; from Bernard Herrmann, Alex North and Jerry Goldsmith to Alexandre Desplat, Michael Giacchino and Brian Tyler. Varèse Sarabande is a part of Concord.

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CD Review: The Casualties “Resistance”

The Casualties
“Resistance”
Seasons of Mist
Tracks: 15

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“Resistance” is the latest release from NYC punk band The Casualties. The album is the bands 9th full length release and is the follow up to the bands popular 2009 release “We Are All We Have”. “Resistance” is being released via Seasons of Mist and features 15 brand new tracks.

Reagan Era angst meets 2012 as The Casualties continue the tradition of early eighties punk rock. Though the band didn’t form until 1990 their goal has always been to carry on with the punk sound they grew up with. “Resistance” picks up where the bands last album “We Are All We Have” left off and comes screaming right out of the gate. Vocalist Jorge Herrera’s rapid, raspy style of singing gives each of the tracks on the album just the right amount of intensity without going overboard. The album’s title track “Resistance” is a catchy sing along punk rock anthem while tracks like “It’s Coming Down on You” and “Voice of the Outcast” are packed full of thought provoking lyrics that poke and prod at a number of different topics.

“Resistance” had just about everything I look for in a good punk album. Though a lot of the songs have similar gang type choruses it wasn’t enough to make me dislike the album. Since 1990 the band has come a long way with their sound while still staying true to their original vision. “Resistance” is a fun, energetic album with a message that fits in perfectly during an election year.

Track Listing:
1.) My Blood. My Life. Always Forward.
2.) Behind Barbed Wire
3.) Resistance
4.) Modern Day Slaves
5.) Warriors on the Road
6.) South East Asian Rebels
7.) Morality Police
8.) Brick Wall Justice
9.) Always Walk Alone
10.) Constant Struggle
11.) It’s Coming Down On You
12.) Life on the Line
13.) No Hope
14.) Corazones Intoxicados
15.) Voice of the Outcast

 

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