ESSENTIAL VIEWING THIS MARCH:
In the midst of teenage film franchises about everything from vampires to dance competitions it is tremendously refreshing to take in a loose and intelligent indie flick about the normal troubles of adolescence and young love. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is only the second feature film – and first since since 1995 - from Stephen Chbosky, based on his own best-selling novel. Featuring three terrific performances from some of Hollywood’s most talented youngsters, this is a fun and moving take on something familiar to everyone, but seldom expressed in such endearing terms. This is somber and simple, yet tremendously brave filmmaking.
Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl reveals yet another talent with his debut as a documentary filmmaker. Sound City is the story about one of Los Angeles most legendary recording studios, responsible for several American masterpieces, including Grohl and Nirvana’s Nevermind. Telling tales of the glory days from the studios start in 1969 and also exploring their struggle to keep up with the digital revolution that happened over night. Obviously this is mainly for passionate music lovers and audiences with interest in the industry, but Grohl’s loose and informal interview style make this a personal and including experience for anyone who enjoys filmmaking surrounded by great stories, and really great rock music.
Documentaries about subject matter close to Hollywood are usually both self-indulgent and charmless. This is not the case with Side By Side, a thorough and entertaining look at the film industry’s transition from celluloid to digital filmmaking. Keanu Reeves (who also produces) is the host in Christopher Kenneally’s film and encounters major American filmmakers such as Lynch, Scorsese and Cameron and the finest cinematographer’s working today including Michael Ballhaus, Anthony Dod Mantle and Wally Pfister. By using plenty of examples and getting a vast number of opinions on every detail, this is a very interesting study that does not take itself too serious, even though its conclusion should encourage the opposite.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS MARCH:
David Bowie’s first album in ten years is probably the most anticipated release this year. It’s hard to define expectations for it though. With an artist of this scale they are bound to be high in many circles, but considering the rather anonymous reception his previous few albums got, it is still possible to control one’s enthusiasm. However, The Next Day should be greeted as an all-round success. Flawless it is certainly not, but there is enough quality on show from the now sixty-six year old veteran to declare this his strongest album since the early 90’s. The iconic singer comes off with a refreshing amount of energy and manages to be both sincere and adventurous in his return to the limelight.
It’s always a pleasure to introduce Norwegian bands to this column, and this month it is one from this writer’s own home town. Cazadores have only existed for a mere two years but already they have made a name for themselves through frequent radio rotation and impressive live shows. After releasing two EPs last year, this month we are delighted with the arrival of their debut album, Hyperion Days. The band are in possession of a strong portion of talent in every department, a great sense of addictive tunes and a massive sound that is far bigger than the small town from where they origin. The albums ten tracks make a great collection of songs that should establish them as a major name in the ones-to-watch category, and wet the audience’s appetite for more which should arrive with the ability to impress even further.
The London based trio Daughter has been mentioned on this site before, and their second EP The Wild Youth was named one of the top five releases of last year by this writer. This month they arrive with their first full-length album, If You Leave. If you’re familiar with their EPs there are not too many surprises on here. However the quality of this band lies in the atmospheric sounds and beautiful and meaningful lyrics. An emotional knockout from a band that use simple means to achieve great emotion, and manages to stand out as a breath of fresh air in a time where slick and heartless music dominate the charts. Their latest single Still comes with a rather beautiful video as well.
