ESSENTIAL VIEWING THIS MONTH:
After a strong spell of adaptations in the 90s, Shakespeare has not really featured as the inspiration for many films over the past decade or so. So it is quite refreshing to see director Justin Kurzel take on MACBETH, arguably Shakespeare’s grittiest and darkest play. Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard star as the Lord and Lady and what a tremendous bit of casting it is. Fassbender, coming of an incredible year with Steve Jobs, Slow West and now this, is a force to be reckoned with – absolutely fearless and frightening, but also composed and layered. Cotillard is emotionally strong as always, demanding an overwhelming presence in every scene. The two play brilliantly off each other and pull out a pair of terrific performances. Kurzel gets a bit indulgent, but never too much. The battle scenes are a spectacle to behold, driven by brutal realism while the chamber set pieces are engrossing and wonderfully constructed around the written word.THE LOBSTER didn’t get a theatrical Norwegian release but arrives On Demand this month. Yorgos Lanthimos, who achieved great critical acclaim for previous outings Dogtooth (2009) and Alps (2011), has created one of the most bizarre, yet mystifyingly moving pictures in years. Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz sboth shine, playing against type and delivering two beautifully crafted performances. There is also great support to be found in the likes of John C. Reilly, Ben Whishaw and in particular Olivia Colman. The film is a wonderful depiction of the surreal and often mindboggling lengths humans go to in order to feel connected, loved and seen. There are moments that hit you with resounding relevance while also transporting you into a delightfully absurd universe, where all the madness suddenly makes sense. The Lobster is a tiny miracle, destined to live on while hopefully finding even larger audiences.
Louis C.K. has been mentioned on this site before several times, both for this television series and stand-up comedy. This month he arrived – out of the blue – with a brand new series entitled HORACE AND PETE. Shot entirely on a theater stage, with no live audience it is a bit of a departure in every sense. Not just for the amount of drama, which plays a larger part than usual for C.K., but also in approach and presentation. The show is written, acted and shot as a play – making it feel incredibly intimate and alive on screen. It is by far the darkest thing C.K. has ever written, with deep and disturbing drama at times, but there is also warmth to it. Much thanks to a superb cast, featuring Steve Buscemi, Jessica Lange, Edie Falco and in particular Alan Alda who delivers an incredible performance that is sure to stand as milestone this late in his amazing career. It is also worth mentioning how refreshing Louis C.K.'s distribution of this show is. It arrives with no previous promotion or advertisement, it can only be purchased via his website for a small fee of $3 an episode and there is no set format to running time or genre, as well as knowledge for how long it shall run, which makes it even more important to cherish.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS MONTH:
Legendary R&B and gospel singer MAVIS STAPLES will turn seventy-seven this year, but is still active as an activist and musician. The ladder sees her release a brand new album this month. The optimistic and affirmatively titled LIVIN' ON A HIGH NOTE is her fourteenth album, arriving forty-seven years after her debut in 1969. It’s a rich and eventful record, featuring brand new music written specifically for Staples by such various great artists as Nick Cave, Neko Case, Justin Vernon and Jon Baptiste (who became a household name in America last year as the band leader for the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The album is produced by M. Ward (who also contributes as a songwriter) and goes by a fittingly old school production, with clear cut tracks and arrangements. It has a mellow tone and feel, perhaps forced by the age of Staples, but regardless it suits both her voice and the sound of the album. A great treat for fans and a wonderful introduction to her vast catalog for those unfamiliar.DEATH BY UNGA BUNGA is a Norwegian garage rock band that have been around for almost ten years now, slowly working their way into the mainstream’s attention and up the album charts. This month they arrive with their fourth studio album PINEAPPLE PIZZA. Their recipe (no pun intended) and approach hasn’t really changed much since their debut. It’s still about energetic and playful rock music, most often easy on the arrangements and heavy on the beat. Their new album does a familiar job of putting you in a good mood, but also displays the bands technical abilities more than ever. They’re sounding tighter than ever before, and even though all tracks remain light on their feet there is still a deep commitment to their music that comes across very well, probably making this their most accomplished album yet.
It’s always a bit scary to check out new bands made up by members of other bands that you already enjoy. Often referred to as “supergroups”, they have a tendency to just be an outlet for music that didn’t really fit in their already existing outfits – often for a good reason. LNZNDRF perhaps does not strike enough familiar chords to be called super-anything, but thankfully they are an exception to the rule. Featuring brothers Bryan and Scott Devendorf from The National and Ben Lanz from Beirut, they are a modest trio performing alternative and progressive rock music. Their self-titled debut album features eight tracks that become easier on the ear by each listen. It is a mix of genres indeed, but the root of the album is a delicious box of heavy instrumental music, almost orchestral, that manage to be both emotionally engaging as well as hard hitting. Difficult to describe - easy to enjoy.
Check out Beneath the Black Sea to give you an idea.
