One of the most original, absurd and thoroughly entertaining films of the year so far arrives from Argentina. Wild Tales is a collection of six short stories - seamlessly unrelated - featuring people in distress or at major crossroads in their lives. It comes in different shapes and sizes, carrying drama and comedy all the while remaining surprising and challenging to both its players and audience. It’s a tremendous piece of work from writer and director Damián Szifrón. He keeps his format quite simple, but adds volumes with his sharp script and dialogue, delivered by a close to pitch perfect ensemble of actors. A treat that deserves to be enjoyed by a large audience, in particular if you’re growing tired of standard Hollywood cinematic fare.
The arrival of a new film by Paul Thomas Anderson is always a landmark occasion in this writer’s calendar. Due to a very limited theatrical release his seventh feature is looking to slip below the radar of many, perhaps for different reasons. Inherent Vice is easily Anderson’s most far out trip (literally) so far, clocking in at two and a half hours without a single major dramatic set piece. It is driven by its dialogue and characters, both inspired by the cult novel by Thomas Pynchon (an inspired, but rare choice of source material for Hollywood). Carried by Joaquin Phoenix (who replaced an originally cast Robert Downey, jr. after inspiring Anderson during their work on The Master in 2012) who never stops to impress with his variety of nutty personas over the past decade. His ‘Doc’ Sportello is one of Anderson’s most challenging and mystified characters ever and he’s given endless life through Phoenix’ energetic, yet doped out performance. It really needs to be seen to be believed. Surrounded by a strong ensemble featuring Owen Wilson, Joanna Newsom and Josh Brolin as the standouts. It requires a fair share of patience, but if you stick with it the rewards are unbelievable.
One of the finest thrillers so far this year is Black Sea. Director Kevin MacDonald has made a hard hitting edgy drama that makes for great cinema while still being fuelled by gritty realism. Starring Jude Law as the desperate submarine captain who takes on a shady crew in search for a sunken sub loaded with gold. Dennis Kelly’s script sounds like something written for a pure action flick, but MacDonald makes this an intense and personal journey, carried by a rock solid performance from Law who turns in his best work in years. Indie greats Scoot McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn provide great supporting work, while Christopher Ross’ camera work makes this a sweaty, claustrophobic and vintage looking treat that keeps you submerged in the drama throughout.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS MONTH:
One of the finest female Norwegian voices belongs to Ida Jenshus. The twenty-seven year old singer/songwriter returns with her fourth album this month, entitled Starting Over Again. Containing just six songs, it’s a modest album despite a couple of the tracks being major eight to nine minute pieces. Where her previous album (2012s Someone to Love) was more country and Americana in genre, Jenshus this time returns to a more somber and laidback classic songwriters sound. It’s a seamless transition that she masters well, proving that her range can handle the faster country rhymes as well as this quiet and more intimate take on each tune. It is a record that grows with repeated visits and gives in layers, without asking too much in return. It’s easy to take in and should fit most occasions. Jenshus is one of the most impressive singers in the country, well established yet also still promising and likely to produce even stronger albums in the years to come.
Despite being around for over twenty years Modest Mouse has not been in the habit of releasing records in a steady tempo. Their debut This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About (still one of this writer’s favorite album titles!) arrived as late back as 1996, and this month’s Strangers to Ourselves is only the band’s sixth release in total, with a hiatus of eight years since their previous outing. With frequent replacements within the band it is perhaps to expect that things will take time with this lot, but thankfully singer Isaac Brock is still as present as ever. And it is the soon-to-be forty years old front man who carries the new album on many levels, with his strong and passionate voice giving ferocious life to a fairly simple set of tunes. It is an effective method though, and it makes an impact throughout – despite the record being of the lengthy kind with no less than fifteen songs in total. Still this is an alternative rock record, classic in its form and honest to its inspirations. Probably best served late at night, in a dark room without too much company.
After a bit of a mid-career dip in form, Death Cab for Cutie now seem set for a return to glory with a strong and convincing eight studio album. It’s been four years since their last outing so Kintsugi is certainly a welcome and long overdue release for their most loyal fans. Their previous two or three albums have been quite loud and hectic in sound, but this time around the Washington outfit seems more mellow and downbeat, which always suited them better in this writer’s eye. The result is eleven great tracks, some more memorable than others, but in sum this is a respectable effort and an apparent conscious choice to return to the formula that served the band so well in their earlier years.
Enjoy the video to the opening track on the album, No Room in Frame.
