ESSENTIAL VIEWING THIS MONTH:
Iceland is not a place that comes up often in conversations about film, in particular when it comes to quirky comedies or heartfelt dramas. That should change this month with the arrival of festival favorite FÚSI. Written and directed by Dagur Kári, it is a heartbreaking and amusing tale about the good in people – a feat that perhaps is overlooked too often. Set in the brutal Icelandic wintertime it is a warm and engaging story, that is held together masterfully by its lead performance. Gunnar Jónsson is an absolute gem in the title role, delivering his few and simple lines with the weight of a mountain and the calm of a breeze. He communicates in volumes by a simple look or gesture, all the while never becoming a victim or the obvious «loser». It truly is a study in character acting. One of the season’s finest treats – do not miss it.
The story
of jazz music legend Miles Davis was for a long time deemed impossible to film by
Hollywood. It would take something – or someone – special to bring a modern
version of it to the big screen. That thing – or one – turned out to be Don
Cheadle. The acclaimed actor makes his directorial debut with MILES AHEAD,
where he also produces, co-wrote the script and stars as Davis himself. A
project Cheadle spent years getting off the ground – which is a satisfying thing
in itself to finally see – that wears its heart on its sleeve. Instead of going
the traditional biopic route, Cheadle opts to draw inspiration from the man
himself, and the music genre he helped define. Filled with jump cuts, playing
with its chronology, stopping for set pieces and the occasional out of place
action sequence it truly comes across as a piece of jazz itself – caught on
film. Cheadle is excellent in front of camera too, pulling out perhaps his finest
performance to date in a playful but deeply heartfelt portrayal of the iconic
musician. Ewan McGregor and Michael Stuhlbarg among others provide fine
support, but this is Cheadle’s show and it is one that deserves to find both a
large audience, and a major award or two.
One of the
finest horror films of the year has to be THE WITCH. The feature film debut by
writer and director Robert Eggers is a chilling and gut-wrenching experience from
start to finish, that will be haunting you for weeks. Set in 1630s New England
it tales the tale of a family torn apart by evil forces of the forest, in the
forms of witchcraft and possession. With a modest budget of just $ 3 ½ million
(it has currently made ten times that back at the box office, despite only having
a very limited release) it is simple and efficient in its spooks, playing on
the audiences own fears more than anything. Slowly building itself up to a
climactic finale that is more terrifying than anything Wes Craven or Eli Roth
could ever have imagined.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS MONTH:
Despite
never being an established fan of THE GRATEFUL DEAD I was curious to the news
of DAY OF THE DEAD, a 5-disc tribute release set, due to the involvement of
this writer’s favorite band The National. And what a tribute it is. Featuring
nothing short of 59 tracks, from such various contributors as Kurt Vile, The
War on Drugs, Bonnie Prince Billy, The Walkmen and Wilco – as well as several
tracks from The National themselves. It is a widespread and powerful homage to the
great California kings of psychedelic rock and eclectic country and folk music
that should bring tears to the eyes of their proper fans. Every act involved
bring their own energy and take to the table, making this a marathon release
that is playful and full of surprises.
Considering
that the one and only problem this writer had with legendary Norwegian rock band
Ricochets was a childish hang-up with its lead singer TROND ANDREASSEN’s
horrible English language, the news that he has now turned to his native tongue
for his new solo album is both exciting and a relief at the same time. Regardless
of all this, one thing that has never been an issue is Andreassen’s
unquestionable skills as a songwriter and performer. INGENTING HELE TIDEN could
easily have passed as an English language release still as its inspirations and
sound is still wildly American, based around gritty rock and blues tunes that
are belted out with passion and ambition. It moves up and down a little too
often, making it a little difficult to take in through one sitting, but that
may change over time as this is bound to receive plenty of playing time in both
this writer’s and the armada of old fans’ ears.
The release of a new RADIOHEAD album has always been a big deal, in the music press particularly as the English rock band often seem as interested in how to release as to what to release. Thankfully, the arrival of their new album A MOON SHAPED POOL happened without too much fuss (some online teasing and website play aside) and the focus could be had mainly on the tracks on the album. And their ninth studio record is a comprehensive package, featuring eleven new songs that span from hard-hitting rock tunes to the more poetic and whispering electric ballads front man Thom Yorke seems to be more interested in at the moment. However, it is a solid album that has already hit home with its loyal fans (the record is only available digitally for now, but will be out on traditional formats later in June), but is doubtful to collect any new supporters from anywhere. Which is probably not a major motive anyway.
Burn the Witch, the opening track, sets the tone of the album up nicely and also comes with a rather terrific video directed by Chris Hopewell.
