ESSENTIAL VIEWING THIS JULY:
One of the most moving
and impressive animation film in years comes from France and directors Stèphane
Aubier, Vincent Patar and Benjamin Renner. Ernest et Célestine is an
incredibly well told story between the unlikely friendship between the bear
Ernest and the mouse Célestine. With its old fashion animations it is a
delicious and much needed breath of fresh air into the genre. With a simple
and clear message, mixed into a perfect blend of craft and entertainment, this
is an absolute gem and one of the best pictures of the year so far,
regardless of genre.
Norwegian cinema
distribution is not always easy to understand, and one of the most surprising
moves in years has to be that Trance, the latest feature from Danny Boyle will
not be receiving a release date. It is available on demand though, where the
reaction from this writer originates. The masterful director of classics such
as Shallow Grave (1994), Trainspotting (1996), and more recently Sunshine (2007) and the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire (2008), returns to his native England
this spring. An intricate and suspenseful treat, Trance
features a superb and surprisingly well functioning trio in James McAvoy, Vincent
Cassel and Rosario Dawson, all trying to solve the mystery of where McAvoy’s
Simon placed a valuable piece of art before losing his memory, and at the same
time playing each other for personal gain. It may be confusing at times, but
it’s never not engaging. It will not be for everyone, but will definitely
satisfy those who invest themselves in it. And it’s a welcome return to the
streets of London for Boyle.
The first season of
The Newsroom was an interesting experience. Hailed for its writing and
entertainment value, but also criticized for being too smart and slick. The
ladder was certainly to be expected considering this comes from the creator of
The West Wing, one of the all-time greats in the history of television drama,
and the Academy Award winning writer of The Social Network. With the second
season, Aaron Sorkin seems to have been taking notes. Three episodes in, it is
already clear that this will be a more concrete and to-the-point season, with
closer attention to detail. With a terrific Jeff Daniels, on his way to create
what could become the character to define his career, leading a wonderful
ensemble cast, this is guaranteed to be one of the standout shows on the small
screen this year.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS JULY:
The fourth album from
the highly emotional and grandiose sounding Editors arrives this month, and
after the slightly disappointing third outing In This Light and On This Evening
(2009), The Weight of Your Love is a welcome return to form. Their approach is
still recognizable and familiar, but there is enough fresh takes on their
well-worn genre to inspire and impress. The range of their spectrum is also
larger this time around, with a surprisingly various menu on upbeat pop, hard
hitting rock tracks and their trademark somber melancholy. It may not strike a
chord with first time encounters, but for fans of Tom Smith and company, it is
another great collection of music.
The hype surrounding
your first release is not always a blessing, something I am sure the 22 year
old British singer / songwriter Tom Odell has experienced. The young musician
has been praised both for his piano playing and vocal skills, but it is not
until this summer one has been able to feast ones ears upon his highly
anticipated album debut, Long Way Down. Perhaps the title itself is a nod to the
hype surrounding him for the past year. However, it is a pleasure to say that
in this case the saying ‘where there is smoke, there is fire’ rings true. It
is still a fairly modest album, consisting of ten tracks all centered around
the intimate presence of its maker. It is not flawless, by any means. Odell
occasionally struggles with his own ambitions it would seem, but there is still
no camouflaging the talent and passion behind each key he hits. The superlatives have
already been dropped, so suffice to say that an encounter with young Odell
could benefit you in the future.
Edward Sharpe and The
Magnetic Zeros third and self-titled album is one of the biggest surprises of
the summer so far. The mellow and recognizable indie rock sounds of their
previous outings have received a significant tune-up for their third record.
The band’s past still echoes in many of the tracks, but this has to be
considered a major shift in both gear and direction. It still pops with
confidence, but this time there are elements of gospel and psychedelic rock
throughout with a clear tipping of the hat to the crowd pleasing sounds of the
70’s and 80’s. It may throw their most easygoing fans off base for a second,
but there is too much to be enjoyed on this album to let it slip by as anything
less than another solid record. It may not last, so just make the most of it
for now. Enjoy Better Days, which
comes with a slightly bizarre video.
