ESSENTIAL VIEWING THIS MONTH:
After David Letterman retired last year his long serving staff were forced to find work elsewhere. For longtime producer Rob Burnett, his next move would be THE FUNDAMENTALS OF CARING which arrived exclusively on Netflix this month. Based on the novel by Jonathan Evison (Burnett adapted it himself), it follows a caregiver played by Paul Rudd who after a tragic personal loss takes on the demanding duties of patient Trevor, played by Craig Roberts. Together they create a fine onscreen duo, funny and engaging and playing well off each other. The story is told with a lot of heart, but does not pull any punches and also has a delightfully surprising raunchy edge. One of the best feel good films of the summer.Since his debut Insomnia in 1997 director Erik Skjoldbjærg has gone on to prove himself as one of Norway’s most accomplished and exciting filmmakers in the thriller genre. His new film PYROMANEN is based on the award winning book Før jeg brenner ned by Gaute Heivoll, and it is another triumph for Skjoldbjærg. An atmospheric and almost claustrophobic tale of a pyromaniac terrorizing his own small native town. Gorgeously photographed by Gösta Reiland it is by far one of the most visually impressive films of the year, and it is played out wonderfully by a committed and talented cast. This is a film that is likely to keep on rewarding you upon several viewings, but its initial impact is still strong enough to call it the best Norwegian film of the year so far.
Another treat to come out of Scandinavia this month is the Danish film KOLLEKTIVET by director Thomas Vinterberg. Co-written by Tobias Lindholm (who was nominated for the Best Foreign Language film Oscar last year for A War) it is a story about a group of liberal souls who house up together in 1970s Copenhagen. It’s an entertaining piece, filled with humor and great characters, but it also deals with serious themes such as mental health and the consequences of a broken home life. Veteran actors Trine Dyrholm and Ulrich Thomsen are both sensational in the leads, in particular Dyrholm who steals most of it with her unbalanced and vulnerable Anna. It’s a tremendous performance that should earn her many accolades come award season. The film stumbles a bit in its final act, but is still an engaging journey not only to a fascinating century and way of life, but to a time when relationships where not so easily defined by the people around them.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING THIS MONTH:
Norwegian indie darlings HIGHASAKITE return this month with their third album. CAMP ECHO is another solid collection of pop songs, with a modern touch and high production value. The band’s sound is still vivid and emotional and the lyrics from leading lady Ingrid Helene Håvik are both poetic and personal. Having now firmly established themselves in their native country long ago one would hope that this terrific album will help them find a global audience that will ensure that they get all the positive attention that they deserve.California rock outfit RIVAL SONS have received honorable mention on this site before and it’s time for more praise this month as they release their fifth studio album HOLLOW BONES. After the breakthrough that was their second album Pressure & Time in 2011, and the continued success of the third Head Down the following year, it seemed things came to a bit of a halt with their previous album Great Western Valkyrie in 2014. Their new record is still not as strong as their best outings, but still a comforting step up from their most recent. Their landscape is still set in the hot deserts of rock and roll greats, with recognizable nods to heroes such as Led Zeppelin and even The Doors. The album has a modest nine tracks (including a peculiar choice cover of Ike Turner’s Black Coffee) and rolls along quite nicely. This should put their fans at ease, but from a neutral point of view one can’t help feeling that their next album needs to offer a little more than this to return to past glories.
Ten years after their impressive debut album Everything All The Time, American folkrockers BAND OF HORSES put out their fifth studio album this month. The wonderfully titled YRUOK contains twelve tracks, and despite the quality varies a little too much from tune to tune, as a compiled record it is another strong outing. Their sound and character is still in familiar territory of melodic rock and soft folk tracks, with the firm and comfortable vocals of founder and front man Ben Bridwell at center stage. After the band’s previous album, the disappointing and forgettable Mirage Rock (2012) this is a reassuring return to form that they hopefully are able to build on.
Enjoy one of the finer tracks on the album, Solemn Oath, which also comes with a delightful lyric video.
