ESSENTIAL VIEWING THIS MONTH:
One of the most beloved children’s books is Rudyard Kipling’s THE JUNGLE BOOK. Published more than a hundred years ago, it still stands as one of the most popular of its kind. That is guaranteed to continue with the film adaptation from Jon Favreau which arrives this month. After a few independent films the director cut his blockbuster teeth with the first two Iron Man films, and his newest adventure is a delightful treat that feels like a heartfelt combination of both his previous genres. Shot entirely on green screen – in many ways a gutsy choice based on the nostalgic source material – it asks its audience to suspend all disbelief early on, but that should not be a problem considering the amount of fun entertainment on display here. The animation and live action flow together quite seamlessly, with a pitch perfect cast voicing the impressive characters created from scratch. It’s a wonderful cinematic adventure, with spotless heart and commitment that is bound to stand out as the family’s hit of the season.The biggest surprise of the year so far is THE TRUST, a low budget film closer to a B-movie than an independent starring Nicolas Cage and Elijah Wood – perhaps the most odd on-screen partnership ever. The pair plays two cops who accidentally stumble across a mysterious vault where the temptation of riches becomes too big to ignore. The film starts out as a loose and quirky buddy-movie that later turns darker and more dramatic, but up until a slightly disappointing third act this is tremendously enjoyable stuff. Written by Benjamin Brewer (who also co-directs with his brother Alex) and Adam Hirsch, it is a terrific script filled with small gems, snappy one-liners and memorable characters. The atmospheric Las Vegas outskirts serve the story well, wonderfully shot by photographer Sean Porter. Don’t let the awful poster and its very limited release fool you, this is not just another Nicolas Cage dud that has flooded the market recently, but a thrilling and hilarious caper that deservers to find a proper audience.
The new series in FX’s acclaimed American Crime Story is THE PEOPLE V. O.J. SIMPSON. It premiered in February and wrapped up a 10 episode run this month, to rave reviews and terrific ratings stateside. And rightly so, as this is the standout television drama of the year so far. Starting on the night of the murders of Simpsons ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ronald Lyle Goodman it follows the chase, capture and trial of O.J. Simpson that spanned from June 1994 to October 1995. The show is refreshing in the sense that it is not afraid to mix its historical facts with wonderful elements of entertainment, making the most out both its now twenty year old setting in Los Angeles as well as the media-created frenzy surrounding all key players in the trial and case. Cuba Gooding Jr. is terrific as Simpson, but the finest moments are produced by Sarah Poulson as lead prosecutor Marcia Clark and Simpson’s table of attorneys featuring John Travolta, Nathan Lane, David Scwimmer and a career-high performance from Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran. Now that the show has finished, it offers you the possibility to binge in – which is good as this is television entertainment that is bound to get you hooked in from its very opening shot.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS MONTH:
M83 announced its new album JUNK on March 1st and just a month later it was out in stores. It is the outfits seventh studio album, and first without longtime vocalist Morgan Kibby. However, founder Anthony Gonzalez has managed to keep things tight, with a strong rhythmic authority and fresh takes on his almost custom-fitted genre. The album is rich, and might have benefitted from a cut or two out of its generous fifteen track listing. The single Do It, Try It start things off right and from then on Gonzalez never stops or looks back. Because of its vastness the album might be better served in selections, but that does not mean the quality of its full scope is not great. The orchestrations are massive and there are plenty of beats to please its listeners, in particular for its fitting springtime release.For her fifth solo release Norwegian singer / songwriter MARIT LARSEN decided to take all aspects of her music into her own hands, producing the record herself and releasing it on her very own label Håndbrygg Records. It is not a full album, but a five track EP that perhaps serves more of a taste of things to come than a complete addition to her discography. Entitled JONI WAS RIGHT – a heartfelt nod to one of her greatest inspirations Joni Mitchell – it is a lovely compilation of tunes dedicated to the firm pop beat and delicate sounding vocals of its leading lady. The songs play off each other well and the EP flies by in an instant, making it an obvious possibility that one will find more to enjoy the second or third time around it. Either way, this is another impressive and recommendable effort from a songwriter in her right element, who hopefully will treat us to a full album of equal quality the next time around.
The post-rock outfit EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY has been mentioned on this site before, and this month there is another reason to celebrate them as they release their seventh studio album THE WILDERNESS. It’s been five years since their previous outing Take Care, Take Care, Take Care and despite taking their time between each release one does not have to fear that they have taken it upon themselves to re-invent their genre or sound. This is still hard-hitting guitar rock with an emotional core. The tunes are performed with intensity and vigor, as they blast through 45 minutes’ worth in just nine tracks. The arrangements are rich with detail, in particular during their most aggressive and almost violent riffs. There is a lot of wealth buried in these sounds that makes the entire album endlessly rewarding upon its every visit. Check out Tangle Formations, the third track off the album.
