'Birdman' To Open 23rd Philadelphia FIlm Festival, Full Line-up Announced

The Philadelphia Film Society announced today the line-up for the 23rd Philadelphia Film Festival, opening with Oscar-hopeful "Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance" by Alejandro González Iñárritu, and closing with another Oscar-hopeful in the Reese Witherspoon vehicle, "Wild".

The festival runs from Oct. 16 to Oct. 26 in six venues around Center City. Here is the complete festival program guide.

Over 100 feature length and short films will be presented in this year's set, ranging from the Cannes- heavy Masters of Cinema selection, to local fair in narrative and documentary features.

"Beginning with our Opening Night screening of the highly acclaimed Birdman through October 26th, our diverse collection of films, everything from prestigious world cinema hits to exciting new American indies will entertain, challenge and truly highlight some of the best cinema of the year," said society executive director J. Andrew Greenblatt in a press release.

Marple Composer Brings Film Score to Delco

Marple resident Jason Borbidge will be bringing his first commissioned score to the area at the end of the month with a special screening of the film it was featured in.

Borbidge will host a one-time showing at the AMC Marple 10 on Sept. 29 of “It’s All About Me”, a documentary that explores the self-entitled nature of the “me” generation that features Borbidge’s first-ever work as a film composer. An official selection of the 2013 Ottawa International Film Festival, this wil lbe the first time “It’s All About Me” will be shown in Delaware County.

“It’s very emotional to show that to people I’m closest with,” said Borbidge of the film’s first screening for friends and family. “The one thing I can say is that feeling when you’re sitting in the theater watching it is indescribable. It’s just one of those moments you don’t figure. I would expect that same feeling with my closest friends and my parents”

Track-by-Track Album Review: Maroon 5's Latest ,"V', Underwhelms.

 
Maroon 5's fifth album, appropriately named V, is a better album than their last effort, Overexposed, which played, awkwardly, with elements of SKA and reggae, but they're both still bad. The latest plays with more electronic beats but in a muted way, which is sometimes enjoyable and good. V is a regular Maroon 5 album as far as content, a set of love songs that verge on being bi-polar with how much singer Adam Levine wants someone then doesn't, and on songs that are forgettable as soon as their over.

Here's a track-by-track review of the standard edition release.

Maps- The album's lead single and opener is one of the best things on this album. The good lyrics are delivered beautifully by Levine's voice, yet this fun opener is a false start to another underwhelming album.

Animals- Levine howls on this stalkerish/creepy track about animal tendencies to (sexually) attack a girl. And that's enough of that...

It Was Always You- Slightly techno with scents of the electroc/pop funk of the '80s, "It Was Always You" isn't bad, but you forget why you like it.