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    Movie Review

    Green Room sacrifices suspense for gore — and that's a shame

    Alex Bentley
    May 1, 2016 | 10:00 am
    Green Room sacrifices suspense for gore — and that's a shame
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    The new movie Green Room has promise for several reasons, one of the biggest being its writer/director, Jeremy Saulnier, who made a big impact with his 2013 movie Blue Ruin. There’s also the chance to see Patrick Stewart, so noble as Captain Jean-Luc Picard or Professor X, play against type as the leader of a neo-Nazi group.

    But promise and results don't always match up, as is the case here. A hard rock group called the Ain’t Rights, led by Pat (Anton Yelchin) and Sam (Alia Shawkat), are trying to tour on a shoestring budget. Their lack of funds leads them into some sketchy situations, including a gig at the backwoods club populated by said neo-Nazis.

    In fact, there are so many possible bad things that can happen to the band that Saulnier has you on edge way before the really bad thing happens in the eponymous green room at the club. Once it does, the four members of the group, plus another girl (Imogen Poots) who gets caught up in the turmoil, must defend themselves at all costs against the bad intentions of the neo-Nazis.

    The setup is greatly intriguing, because of the way certain characters, who would be clichés in lesser movies, are played in a more even-keeled way here. The film as a whole mimics this quieter, less overtly menacing tone, a technique that works for a while.

    But what at first appears to be a slow-burning, suspenseful story turns into a more straightforward violent one where the only question is not if anybody will survive, but how our protagonists will win out in the end. It’s a subtle difference, but because Saulnier trades suspense for action, the film winds up being more grindhouse than thriller, a trade-off that does the story no favors.

    That’s not to say that there aren’t at least a couple of things to like about the film. Stewart’s performance is as good as advertised, although it would have been nice if he had gotten to chew the scenery at least once. One of the better performances comes courtesy of Macon Blair, playing a neo-Nazi lieutenant. Having appeared in all of Saulnier’s films, including his two short films, the actor and his director obviously have a rapport that allows for Blair to shine.

    And despite the grindhouse tendencies, the graphic violence actually serves a purpose, something that can’t be said of other recent gory movies. You may have your stomach turned by some of the bloody shots, but Saulnier knows the difference between being exploitative and not.

    However, the movie’s pluses are in a constant fight with its minuses. Green Room had potential to be a stellar outing for both Saulnier and his actors, but it falls short of that potential due to some questionable storytelling choices.

    Jake Kasch, Macon Blair, and Patrick Stewart in Green Room.

    Jake Kasch, Macon Blair, and Patrick Stewart in Green Room
      
    Photo by Scott Patrick Green, courtesy of A24
    Jake Kasch, Macon Blair, and Patrick Stewart in Green Room.
    reviewsmovies
    news/entertainment

    ACL News

    Sabrina Carpenter, The Strokes, and more revealed for 2025 ACL festival

    Brianna Caleri
    May 6, 2025 | 2:30 pm
    Sabrina Carpenter performing
    Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella
    Sabrina Carpenter is a headliner at ACL Music Festival in 2025.

    Austin City Limits Music Festival is back for another year of big names including Sabrina Carpenter, Hozier, Doja Cat, Luke Combs, The Strokes, John Summit, Doechii, and more. The event will take place at Austin's Zilker Park from October 3-5 and October 10-13.

    Ticket sales start with three-day wristbands at noon on May 6 at aclfestival.com.

    Just in terms of buzz alone, Sabrina Carpenter and Doechii are two big pulls that perhaps could have been expected, although there are never any guarantees. The pristine pop and artistic rap performers, respectively, are each on a meteoric rise. Their sets could echo Chappell Roan's last year, which stole headlines for sheer excitement and crowd size.

    Hozier, Doja Cat, Luke Combs, and The Strokes are all returning artists. That means nearly half of this year's headliners are making their ACL Fest debut right at the top. One of those newcomers is John Summit, who was speculated to show up in 2024 with Dom Dolla. Fans also expected to see Sabrina Carpenter in 2024 (in part thanks to a misleading advertisement on the "payphone" ACL Fest installed to tease its lineup), so thankfully they didn't have to wait long.

    After the actual headliners, the top line of performers include Colombian reggaeton star Feid, who has collaborated with Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Karol G, and more; alternative rock band Cage the Elephant, who are back from a tumultuous patch; R&B star T-Pain, in the middle of a personal renaissance to remind people he can sing without autotune; Australian electropop duo Empire of the Sun, with alien operatic stage sensibilities; nostalgic solo artist Djo, the nearly incognito solo project of actor Joe Keery from Stranger Things; and iconic post-hardcore band Pierce the Veil, who are back in the studio again.

    Attendees will have a second chance to see local favorite Passion Pit, the defining electropop group that recently dropped out of a 2025 South by Southwest showcase, leaving barely a trace. Japanese Breakfast also promises big crowds; a recent signing appearance at End of An Ear in South Austin created a line around the block for hours. Two more CultureMap favorites (if readers will indulge us) are Southern indie rock band Rainbow Kitten Surprise and British indie, post-punk band Wet Leg; respectively hyper sincere and deadpan, but both fun and high-energy.

    Among Austin artists, two stand out as recent festival favorites: Geto Gala and The Point. Geto Gala is a hip hop duo favoring smooth, nostalgic beats and a laid-back lyrical delivery. The Point, a rock group, spans many styles, but their live sets tend to show off high-energy, world-influenced, and mostly instrumental blues. Dylan Gossett, while not exactly a festival staple, is much higher up on the lineup and is becoming very well-respected as a country-folk songwriter.

    A press release pulls out some additional notable acts from the lineup:

    • Fujii Kaze (W2)
    • ROLE MODEL
    • Gigi Perez
    • CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso (W2)
    • Olivia Dean
    • Yoke Lore
    • flowerovlove
    • Royal & The Serpent
    • Amble
    • Good Neighbours
    • Celeste (W1)

    And some from Texas:

    • Maren Morris (W1)
    • Dylan Gossett
    • Tanner Usrey
    • Asleep at the Wheel (W1)
    • INOHA (W1)
    • Johnny Stimson (W2)
    • SL Houser (W1)
    • Geto Gala (W1)
    • Farmer’s Wife (W2)
    • Alex Amen (W2)
    • Shallowater (W2)
    • Aaron Page (W1)
    • Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Collective (W2)
    • Disciples of Christ (W1)
    A full lineup can be viewed here:

    Austin City Limits Music Festival lineup 2025ACL's full 2025 lineup.Graphic courtesy of Austin City Limits Music Festival

    Folks who can't make the festival can once again tune in on Hulu, returning as the festival's official streaming partner for performances, interviews, and more. Hulu will stream the first weekend, only.

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