Essential November '15

ESSENTIAL VIEWING THIS MONTH:

One of the finest cinematic pairings of the year has to be Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn. In MISSISSIPPI GRIND the two bring out the best in each other, resulting in a standout performance in both their careers. Worth seeing for either one, but together they’re simply too good to pass up. Helmed by directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck who have created some of the finest American Indies over the past decade, in particular Half Nelson (2006) and It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010), and once again they’ve crafted a terrific character piece that deals with addiction, friendship and affliction. The script is tight, with sharp and efficient dialogue. A treat from start to finish.

Viggo Mortensen has turned in some spectacular performances over the years. After the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, he opted for the road less travelled, with independent, risky and foreign pictures instead of what surely was an ocean of mainstream opportunities. This months’s FAR FROM MEN may be one of his best yet. An emotional war drama that takes a modest budget and simple setting and turns it into one of the most beautiful films of the season. As the school teacher forced to take part in a conflict he has no interest in, Mortensen is quiet and understated, without losing any of his natural intensity. It really is a performance to behold. Accompanied by stunning cinematography and a haunting score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, Far from Men is a minor masterpiece.

As far as directorial debuts go, BONE TOMAHAWK has to be one of the most fascinating and compelling in a long time. Writer and director S. Craig Zahler has gathered the unlikely ensemble of the year with Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Richard Jenkins and Matthew Fox starring in this original and outrageous western. While it starts calm and suiting, the wild of the west is turned on to full effect for the final act and the result is simply astonishing. Not only is Zahler’s screenplay filled with entertaining quips and set-ups, but his abilities from the director’s chair seem far too skilled for a debutant – making it even more impressive. It is a massive shame that this beauty arrived straight to DVD in most countries, so do yourself a favor and seek it out. You’ve never seen anything like it before.

ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS MONTH:

After composing score for Paul Logan’s short film Be Comfortable, Creature in 2011 and David Gordon Green’s feature Prince Avalance in 2013 suppose it was only natural that EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY would provide the soundtrack for this year’s MANGLEHORN, a film written by Logan and directed by Green. As on Prince Avalance the band is joined by guitarist DAVID WINGO, and their new score is another great record of mainly instrumental tunes. It serves the film well, but also has no problem standing on its own. As always with EITS there is an emotional core to each track, poetic and strong. At times the score almost haunts itself, and it is definitely best served as a whole album in one sitting. It is just the band’s fourth soundtrack (they’ve provided score for Green twice, as well as two for director Peter Berg), but if Hollywood ever needs a film to have an additional layer of perfectly composed emotion, they should look no further.

Montage of Heck, the documentary about KURT COBAIN that arrived earlier this year, has already been mentioned on this site. Now, several months later the soundtrack has been made available. MONTAGE OF HECK: THE HOME RECORDINGS is naturally not as accomplished or impressive as any Niravana release, but as a companion piece and musical document of the life and music of Cobain it is an absolute treasure. It’s an emotional listen. Cobain is often audibly under the influence or in emotional turmoil, so much at one point that one actually thinks that perhaps this is not something that should be heard by the general public. Mainly consisting of Cobain alone with his guitar, recording demos that would most often not result in anything, but there are traces of his genius and abilities throughout. It is mainly a record for the fans, but also anyone with an above average interest in an essential part of modern rock music’s history.

Martha Wainwright has always been the favorite from the vastly talented Wainwright family to this writer. This month, she joins forces with yet another talented family member, her half-sister Lucy Wainwright Roche. Together they are simply THE WAINWRIGHT SISTERS. Their first album together, SONGS IN THE DARK, is a rich compilation of sixteen tracks with everything from childhood lullabies to Woody Guthrie covers. It’s a simple album, but still comes across as incredibly tender and heartfelt. Their voices get equal opportunities to shine on their own, but it is when they join forces that the real magic happens. As a duet they are simply gorgeous, with soft and suiting harmonies that hit you straight in the gut.
Here is a video of them performing El Condor Pasa, the opening track of the album, in London this October, one of only a few live performances they’ve done.