Whether it was the commercial failure of Cowboys & Aliens (2011) or own artistic desire that persuaded Jon Favreau’s return to a smaller format is perhaps best left unsaid, but after a steady supply to Hollywood with blockbusters like Zathura (2005) and the first two Iron Man films (2008 & 2010) it is great to see the now almost fifty year old filmmaker tackle a smaller and more personal project. Chef is a charming, funny and modern comedy, made the old fashioned way. Favreau stars as the titular character who decides to take his skills out of the restaurant and into the food truck business. Backed by an impressive ensemble and accompanied by one of the best soundtracks of the year, this is enormously enjoyable entertainment that delivers heartfelt emotion and genuine laughs without the forced hand of a big production setting. A real treat indeed.
David Fincher has over the past two decades established himself as one of the most reliable directors when it comes to creating dark, moody and uncompromising thrillers. His latest film Gone Girl has some thrills indeed, but it passes through many genres in its slightly stretched two and a half hours. Most surprisingly, it is in fact very funny – depending if you find Fincher’s macabre and creepy sense of humor amusing that is. Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike star as the married couple who upon their fifth wedding anniversary both have decided enough is enough. The less you know going into this film, the better, so any wish for a meatier synopsis can be fulfilled elsewhere. Affleck is surprisingly strong and turns in one of the most convincing performances of his career, perhaps giving a shred of hope to the sceptics dreading his arrival in Gotham City next year, but this film truly belongs to Pike. Despite several strong roles under her belt she is nothing shy of a revelation in this. Eventually playing against type, she creates one of the most memorable characters ever featured in a Fincher film and completely steals every scene she’s in. If the Academy find their way around the dark subject matter, she should be an obvious contender come Oscar time in March. A minor gem and guaranteed highlight of the fall season.
It might be patriotism, but this writer hands the third spot this month to fellow Norwegian filmmaker Ole Giæver. His second feature film, after a bunch of shorts, is Out of Nature (original Norwegian title is Mot naturen), an original and unorthodox tale of a middle aged man coming to terms with his life during a weekend alone in the mountains. It’s a brave and honest effort from Giæver, who also wrote the script and plays the leading role. Mainly driven by his voiceover, it’s a risky and demonstrative approach to the story that will definitely be tough for some audiences to get involved in. The biggest problem is Giæver’s voice itself, which is not fitted or engaging enough to carry the narration for the entirety of a feature film. However, with its modest running time it is tolerable (a second viewing will probably be harder to get through though) and if you stick by it there are rewards to be found within. The film is beautifully shot by Øystein Mamen, and put together efficiently and economically by Giæver and his editor Frida Eggum Michaelsen, giving it a steady and atmospheric texture that serves the story well. It also features a memorable final scene, much thanks to Ola Fløttum’s haunting score that should leave audiences who’ve encountered Giæver for the first time with a healthy appetite for more.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS MONTH:
Ry Cooder has been mentioned on this site before, and despite this writer’s resistance to include compilations or box sets in these reviews an exception has to be made this month as Rhino and Warner Music have gone together to release seven of the guitarist’s best soundtracks together. Simply entitled Soundtracks, it features a large portion of the now nearly seventy year old Californian artists 80s and 90s catalogue. Starting with The Long Riders in 1980 up to 1993s Trespass, there is a vault of gold waiting to be discovered for anyone new to the musician’s discography of that period. There are many highlights included, but the pick of the bunch has to be 1986s Crossroads, the film by Walter Hill, which also featured Steve Vai alongside Cooder on guitars throughout the soundtrack. A great collection from a productive and still vigorous artist, who’ve grown synonymous with quality tunes.
Despite being just 35 years old, Karen Lee Orzolek – better known as Karen O – seems to have been around for twice that time. Having released four albums with indie darlings Yeah Yeah Yeahs, collaborated with numerous other artists on various releases and achieved great acclaim for her soundtrack works, most notably for Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are (2009) and Her (2013), this month finally sees the release of her first solo album. Wonderfully titled Crush Songs, it’s a generous collection of fifteen tracks, all carried by her melodic and unmistakably recognizable voice. It’s a carefully crafted and thoughtfully executed record that offers plenty for the dedicated listener.
After a four year hiatus from studio work Interpol return this month with their fifth album Elpintor (see what they did there?). Fans of the band will find plenty of delight within the record’s ten tracks, but this also serves as a great introduction to any audiences laying ears on the New York outfit for the first time. The band’s energetic arrangements still serve as their backbone, with frontman Paul Banks’ strong and emotional voice delivering their tunes with great conviction. Lyrically, it is perhaps less poetic then their previous albums, in particular their debut Turn On the Bright Lights (2002) and sophomore Antics (2004), but the over all impression doesn’t suffer from this. Instead it gives the band a fitting edge towards something even harder hitting and uncompromising within their alternative rock playpen.
The first single of the album, All the Rage Back Home, should give you an idea.
