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Movie Review: Foo Fighters go for blood in their new horror-comedy, Studio 666

The Foo Fighters have returned to the silver screen with a new comedy-horror * Spoilers ahead*

As one of America’s longest-standing rock performers, Foo Fighters has their fair share of different ventures on and off the stage. Their most recent project was the third movie in their film track. Compared to its predecessors, Studio 666 was written as a work of fiction, falling under the genres of comedy and horror. I got the chance to see the new film and here are my thoughts on this seemingly random release in the film world. 

The Highlights: Studio 666 does a good job of setting the tone of the film with its opener. The film starts off giving insight that something sinister happens in the home where our protagonists will be stationary during the film. Admittedly, the opening screen was a well-done attention grabber and one of the best parts of the film (both in terms of script and filming). Aside from the opener, I have to commend the CGI and effects in this film. Throughout the film, we’re given a few demon entities that haunt the home where the band is trying to record their 10th album. Their appearances are seamless and don’t give off the notion of poor-quality costume or design. 

The Lowlights: The Lowlights in this film are primarily centered around the acting. The acting wasn’t the greatest although I have to say that may have been the focus. Foo Fighters aren’t known for their acting skills. I genuinely think the film was a passion project for them to have fun. The band’s dynamic in the film wasn’t anything short of what you’d expect from grown men and male-centered humor. There were moments where the movie warranted laughter but overall, there were scenes and lines that could’ve been done better. A prime example of this would be the near ending scene where Dave has a face-off with the band’s manager which was just the two taking turns kicking each other in the groin for what felt like an extended amount of time. There were scenes in the film that seemed to drag on, especially nearing the end of the film. Between the awkward acting at times and the rambling scene runs, Studio 666 just wasn’t what I had expected it to be. 

Final Thoughts: Studio 666 wasn’t a terrible introduction to the Foo Fighters film-verse. With moments of good humor and a solid plot, the film is on the lighter side of the horror trope. Despite the fact that the movie began to become a bit longwinded at the end, the film itself isn’t unbearable to watch (even with the semi-intentional awkward acting). I think the overall execution of the film could’ve been better but it’s not the worse film out there. On that note, I give Studio 666 a rating of 3 stars out of 5.

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New Music Alert: Big Time Rush, Doja Cat, Tyga, alongside Kygo with DNCE released new music weekend

On Friday, February 25th, “Not Giving You Up”, “Freaky Deaky”, and “Dancing Feet” hit streaming platforms, and here’s my take on what may be your new favorite songs. 

Big Time Rush “Not Giving You Up”: At first glance, I wasn’t impressed with this song. However, after revisiting it, I was able to see the song for what it is. The song sports a vintage 80’s pop base beat that helps the song carry its weight as a dance tune. It’s simple, fun, and radio-friendly. “Not Giving You Up” is the group’s second single following “Call It Like I See It” in their reunion era. While I find “Not Giving You Up” to be easy on the ears, I can’t say it holds the same weight as its predecessor. That being said, I still have faith in the songs to come from Big Time Rush on their new album. 

Doja Cat & Tyga “Freaky Deaky”: “Freaky Deaky”  is the second collab between Tyga and Doja following their remix of Doja’s “Juicy” in 2019.  My first notice of the song came when Twitter began to flood with photos of Doja on set for the music video. After listening to the song itself, I found it to be more on the chill side of loving making music tracks. The lyrics flow over the softer beat. There’s a guitar helping to guide the beat that almost feels like it carries a beach or island vibe. Despite being named “Freaky Deaky” the song itself isn’t aggressively sexual or extremely graphic in its verbiage. “Freaky Deaky” does note acts of the sexual nature and attraction, but in a way that comes across flirty and is one for the kickback playlist. 

Kygo feat DNCE “Dancing Feet”: Kygo doesn’t disappoint when it comes to creating an electropop track and collaborating with DNCE for “Dancing Feet” may have been one of the best things to happen in the pop genre this year.  “Dancing Feet”  lives up to its name and would be one for your dance party playlist. Carefree and fun, the song is DNCE’s first song since coming off hiatus following Joe Jonas’ venture with the revival of his original band, The Jonas Brothers (with of course his brothers Kevin and Nick). The song garnered anticipation when it was revealed it would be the first single for DNCE in their rejoining. Kygo’s influence on the beat and composition is clear as they give “Dancing Feet” what it needs to keep a good tempo and flow between the song’s breakdowns. This song is my top pick for this week’s new releases with its uplifting vibe and enticing beat. 

“Not Giving You Up”, “Freaky Deaky”, and “Dancing Feet” are nice songs to vibe with over their release weekend. They may not get you amped up but they help keep the mood light and are playlist worthy. I recommend giving them a listen if you haven’t already.

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Concert Review: Marina stuns at The Chicago Theater

MARINA, formally known as Marina and the Diamonds, has recently started her journey for her latest tour. Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land is the star’s latest addition to her discography which is the namesake for her current tour. The album itself was a fine work of classic pop-rock with Marina’s signature “who gives a damn” flare. I got the chance to catch the feminist icon in living color on her stop in Chicago.  

The Highlights: First and foremost, I have to commend Ms.Diamandis on her consistent energy throughout the entire show. She held a level of warmth and engagement that showed her fans that she appreciated them being there and was glad to have fun with them. Marina even got a bit personal and shared why Chicago would always have a special place in her heart (her father worked here for a time to save up money for school where he met her mother). Her chic attire for the evening consisted of a leopard jumpsuit, black boots, and a black jacket. I found particular enjoyment in her setlist for the show. The tour’s setlist was an amazing mix between her latest work and a few of her classics. “Froot”, “Venus Fly Trap”, “Teen Idle”, and “Bubblegum Bitch” were my top picks for the show. 

The Lowlights: I don’t have too many bones to pick with this performance. The venue had no screens to help better view the stage (so the further up you are the less you’d see), so that’s a soft lowlight. The reason I say soft is that while the venue may have a limited view, it served as a perfect space for Marina and her fandom. It was an intimate and comfortable space that provided a perfect medium for fan interaction. Other than that, I think the only other lowlight I can mention was the merchandise line. The Chicago Theater is a smaller venue and only sported one merch area. This meant that the line went back, far. It moved fairly quickly (within about 25 minutes give or take you’d be at the front) but I felt it could’ve been handled a bit better or perhaps had another booth open somewhere else in the venue to help cut down on the line length. 

Final Thoughts: Marina’s Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land Tour was a comfortable lapse in the social event skepticism of 2022. The intimate venue may have had a few sight issues but in general, you could be in the space and enjoy the performance. Marina’s genuine charm and free nature made for a truly enjoyable performance. If you can catch a ticket to this tour or one in the future, I highly recommend seeing her. I give this tour 4.5 stars out of 5, and I can’t wait to see MARINA on stage again in the future.