One of the most deserving winners at the Academy Awards earlier this month was without a doubt Julianne Moore. The veteran actress took home the best actress award for her moving and impressive performance in Still Alice, where she shines as a gifted professor who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The script, which is based on the book by Lisa Genova, does not serve up a role ready for the picking, but Moore brings every inch of it to life in a ferocious and brave way. There is great support to be found in Alec Baldwin and Kristen Stewart, and although directors Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland tend to lean towards a few too many obvious choices, this is still a great piece of drama carried by one of the finest actresses working in Hollywood today.
Another of this year’s Oscar winners is Big Hero 6, which bagged the award for best animated feature. Disney obviously know better than most how to pull off audience favorites like this one, but the harsh competition over the past decade from major companies like Pixar makes sure they keep ambitious projects on their toes. In this case they have succeeded with a wonderful story, about the bond that develops between an inflatable robot and its young buddy Hiro. The result is a very entertaining and fresh take on children’s ability to understand the rapid progress of technology, told in an old fashioned and stylistic way. It reminds you of Toy Story in some ways; easy on the eye, tender in voice and caring about both its characters and audience.
Currently on its way to pass the half a billion dollar mark in grosses, American Sniper is now by far the biggest commercial success of Clint Eastwood’s career. The eighty-four year old director has proved that age certainly is no obstacle when it comes to remaining creative and active, while still telling stories that are capable of having a tremendous impact. Bradley Cooper stars in the true story about Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. Army history. He carries the film with great vulnerability and pride, an emotional giant that remains quiet and underplayed amid the chaos of masculinity and violence. It’s Cooper’s finest work to date, proving his capabilities far beyond easygoing action and light footed comedy. Jason Hall’s script does not offer much more than the real life drama that actually happened, but Eastwood keeps the game real and engaging, making this his best and most powerful picture since 2004’s Million Dollar Baby.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS MONTH:
The indie rock band The Airborne Toxic Event have been mentioned on this site before after quickly becoming one of this writer’s favorite groups after the release of their self-titled debut album in 2008. This month they return to the scene with their fourth studio album Dope Machines, their most risky and ambitious record so far. After a series of fairly straight pop and rock releases they are throwing their hat into a more electronic and modern soundscape pool with this one. It is not without flaws, and probably does not work as well as the band would initially imagine, but that still does not take away the quality and craftsmanship displayed on the record. This is a step in a different direction, which should be considered brave in today’s commercial music industry that judges by sales figures and that alone. A nice touch from the band is the accompanying record Songs of God and Whiskey which comes as a bonus companion piece (announced as a surprise the day before Dope Machines’ release date) and features more of their traditional pop and rock, wrapped in an acoustic and intimate package. A great treat for the fans, and also a terrific introduction for those yet to encounter the band's previous records.
Nothing beats fronting acts on this site from its writer’s own home town, and this month certainly calls for that. 1997 Forever is a 45 minute snowboarding documentary by filmmaker Carl Critical that so far can only be experienced with its soundtrack being performed live to accompany it. After the film’s first screening in November the official soundtrack now arrives, performed by the custom fitted band - fronted by the film's director - that simply goes by the name 1997. With nine tracks, one for each chapter of the film, it’s a short but solid and eventful collection of hard rocking tunes. The music obviously comes to its full right alongside the film, but the soundtrack can stand firmly on its own, making it an energizing and compelling record that needs to be played loud!
The twenty-five year old singer Elle King has also been mentioned here before, after the release of her first EP in 2012. This month her long awaited debut album arrives with the simple title Love Stuff proving that the initial buzz came from somewhere, as this is one of the most promising and satisfying American debuts in years. The singer from Los Angeles is a genuine lover of music, which is evident in the range and span of genres she touches upon on the album. Her roots lie in blues and rock tunes, but there are also inspired country songs and potential chart toppers, that could just as easily have originated from the likes of commercial stars such as Taylor Swift. The difference though – and it’s a big one – is the soul that comes with it. King’s raw and unpolished voice can shatter most of the more established acts out there. Every delivery comes with an edge and honesty (sometimes brutally so) which makes it more impactful and forces you to pay attention. Having said that, there are tremendous amounts of fun to be had here too. King is here mainly to entertain, and does so with flare and charm, always with her tongue placed firmly in cheek. A talent determined to impress, and hopefully be around for a long time to come.
Check out Ex’s & Oh’s, the first single from the album.
