The Filtered Excellence: December 18, 2014
Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Here are this weeks picks of the best things to watch, the most interesting things to do, great things to try, the best picks to read, our favorite things to listen to and more:
WATCH THIS:
Inside The Mind of Leonardo da Vinci 3-D. Based on the over 6,000 pages of journal entries and notes left behind by one of history’s greatest thinkers, “Inside The Mind of Leonard da Vinci 3-D, brings da Vinci’s genius to life. This documentary done in 3-D, makes da Vinci’s illustrations and blueprints jump from the screen while using his own words to narrate his remarkable life. The current “Dr. Who”, Peter Capaldi plays the man who was a scientist, inventor, philosopher and painter and one our great free thinkers. “Inside The Mind of Leonardo da Vinci 3-D” opens in New York and Los Angeles on Friday, December 19th and then rolls out across the country after that.
More more information about the film and screenings, go to insidethemindofleonardo.com
Watch the trailer for Inside The Mind of Leonardo da Vinci 3-D.
Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol. Before there was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and before there was A Charlie Brown Christmas, there was “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol”. Premiering in 1962, it was the first animated holiday program produced just for television. Have some razzleberry dressing and enjoy the voice of Jim Backus as Mr. Magoo who goes through is own version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” disguised a Broadway play featuring Magoo. The musical holiday animated classic airs Friday, December 19th at 8 pm et on CW.
For more information, go to cw.com
Scrooged. If you’re still up on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa to arrive, here’s the perfect way to bring in Christmas Day. ABC Family will be airing “Scrooged” starring Bill Murray at midnight et on Christmas Day. The hilarious telling of “A Christmas Carol” takes a modern twist written by Mitch Glazer and Michael O’Donoghue. Murray stars as Frank Cross, president of the IBC Network who gets visited by ghosts in the night trying to convince him to change his greedy ways. An amazing and hysterical cast joins Murrary in “Scrooged” including David Johansen, Bobcat Goldthwait, Karen Allen, Alfre Woodard, John Forsythe, Robert Mitchum, John Glover, Anne Ramsey, John Murray, Joel Murray and Michael Pollard. “Scrooged” airs on Thursday, December 25th at 12 am et on ABC Family.
For more information, go to abcfamily.com
Mr. Turner. He’s been called Britain’s greatest artist. “Mr. Turner” is the story of J.M.W. Turner, the British painter who is known as “the painter of light”. He is said to have taken landscape painting to an entirely new level. He made his place in art history working in both oils and watercolors. The film, “Mr. Turner”, starring Timothy Spall (the Harry Potter films) and written and directed by Mike Leigh (Life Is Sweet, Career Girls), tells the story of J.M.W. Turner in the later years of the artist’s life. It focuses on his miserable complaining character flaws as well as his amazing talent as he travels, paints, visits brothels, imbibes, takes advantage of people and begins a relationship with a seaside landlady that he moves in with. “Mr. Turner” opens in limited release in the United States, Friday, December 19th.
For more information, go to sonyclassics.com
Watch the trailer for “Mr. Turner”.
LISTEN TO THIS:
Black Messiah by D’Angelo & The Vanguard. In 2000, D’Angelo released his 2nd album, Voodoo, to universal acclaim. The subsequent tour – along with a sensual video for the single ‘Untitled (How Does It Feel)’ made an international star. What followed was a meltdown of epic proportions: Self-doubt, aborted recording sessions, brushes with the law; multiple rehab stints, and a near fatal car crash. Forget another album – people were wondering if he was going to live to see 40. Miraculously, he managed to conquer his various demons and began recording again in 2009. Those sessions – which reportedly including contributions from R&B’s other reclusive star Prince – never saw the light of day. In 2012, saw D’Angelo performing a series of sold out shows in Europe that featured new material. In 2013, friend and frequent collaborator Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson announced that a new album was ‘99% done’. But nearly two more years passed without news of a release date. Then, in the wake of the grand jury decision in the Darren Wilson case, an invitation-only listening party was quickly assembled and took place on December 14th. At midnight, December 15th, D’Angelo’s third album – Black Messiah – appeared on Itunes and Spotify with little or no online fanfare. Fan reaction was immediate and universal: #1 selling album on Itunes in over 20 countries and for good reason. It’s not only the best R&B album of the year, its the best R&B album to be released since….Voodoo. With support from his new band The Vanguard (featuring long time collaborators Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson, bassist Pino Palladino, Kendra Foster and legendary session great James Gadson ), D’Angelo has crafted a true ALBUM with songs that weave in and out like an extended musical suite. Songs range from the funky (‘1000 Deaths’), spiritual (‘Prayer’), jazzy (‘Sugah Daddy’, ‘Betray My Heart’) and straight up majestic (‘Another Life’), R&B prodigal son has returned but he’s not waiting for his servants to do the slaying. 14 years in the making, Black Messiah arrives right on time to take R&B – and music – to another level. One of, if not the best album of 2014, without question.
Black Messiah
DO THIS:
New York City: RUN-DMC. RUN DMC’s place in hip hop and rock history is without question. ‘Rockbox’ married hip hop’s swagger with volcanic guitar riffs and made the first significant dent in breaking the color barrier on MTV. By placing an emphasis on albums rather than singles, RUN DMC managed to find crossover success without dumbing down their sound. An appearance on Live Aid, a historic collaboration with Aerosmith on ‘Walk This Way’ and the album Raising Hell made them legends. RUN DMC effectively retired following the 2002 murder of DJ Jam Master Jay but have reunited in recent years at select festivals around the country. Their latest reunion show puts them back home in New York City where they will share the bill with fellow New York City rapper LL Cool J as part of the ‘Christmas In Brooklyn’ show. Come out and see two artists from hip hop’s first golden age. RUN DMC and LL Cool J will be at the Barclays Center on Friday, December 19th.
You can go to www.barclayscenter.com for tickets and more info.
New York City: Robert Altman Retrospective. Fearless, uncompromising, biting, satirical, funny and fiercely independent, the films of Robert Altman helped shape and define the ‘New Hollywood’ of the late 60s and early 70s. The fact that Altman managed to retain this until his death in 2006 is a sign of his artistic integrity. In celebration of his long storied career, MoMa is presenting the most comprehensive career retrospective to date. It includes all of his early television work, music videos, short films, documentary pieces, his work on the pioneering series Tanner ’88 and much more. Then there’s of course, seminal films such as Nashville, M*A*S*H, McCabe and Mrs. Miler, The Long Goodbye, The Player and Gosford Park. A must see retrospective for long time fans and those curious about his work. The Robert Altman Retrospective will run at MoMa in New York through January 17th.
You can go to www.moma.org for tickets, schedules and more information.
New York City: Let There Be Light: The Films Of John Huston. In a career that covered over five decades, John Huston’s mark on American cinema undeniable. So much so that The Film Society Of Lincoln Center is devoting a month of his work along with films that were either tributes, to, if not straight up homages to his work. His output is nothing short of staggering: The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure Of Sierra Madre (which won him the Best Director Oscar along with his father Walter, Best Supporting Oscar), Key Largo, The Asphalt Jungle, The Misfits, Moby Dick, and Night Of The Iguana and Prizzi’s Honor (which won his daughter Angelica a Best Supporting Actress Oscar) are just some of the films covered in this retrospective. Also included are underappreciated works such as his 1982 adaptation of the hit musical Annie, Reflections Of A Golden Eye, Under The Volcano and Beat The Devil. In addition, this series will include films that bear the Huston input directly (Chinatown, White Hunter, Black Heart) or indirectly (P.T. Anderson’s There Will Be Blood). Spend the holidays looking back at the work of a cinematic titan. Let There Be Light: The Films Of John Huston runs at The Film Society Of Lincoln Center December 19th through January 11th.
You can go to www.filmlinc.com for tickets, run times and additional information.
NEW YORK CITY: Holidays with the New York Philharmonic. The New York Philharmonic is in holiday form. The orchestra will be performing holiday classics at Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center under the direction Alan Gilbert. The Philharmonic will be doing Christmas favorites including “Winter Wonderland”, “O Tannenbaum,” and the holiday hits of Irving Berlin like “White Christmas” and “Happy Holiday”. The show will be both Friday, December 19th and Saturday, December 20th with a special guest doing a reading of “The Night Before Christmas” each performance. On Friday, it’s Whoopi Goldberg and on Saturday, the guest reader is Mo Rocca. Holidays with the New York Philharmonic comes to Avery Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center in New York City on December 19th at 8 pm and December 20th at 2 pm.
For more information and tickets, go to nyphil.org
NEW YORK CITY: A Darlene Love Christmas: “Love For The Holidays”. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Darlene Love is performing her live Christmas special in New York City once again this year. It’s an annual tradition from the incredible voice that has worked with great acts like the Righteous Brothers, Sam Cooke, Dionne Warwick, Marvin Gaye and Elvis Presley as well as her own amazing solo work. Darlene will be doing her greatest hits during her holiday show including He’s A Rebel, Da Doo Ron Ron, Wait `Til My Bobby Gets Home and her Christmas classic “Christmas Baby Please Come Home”, which she will be performing once again this year on the Late Show with David Letterman for the 27th time before Dave retires. A Darlene Love Christmas: “Love For The Holidays” is Friday, December 19th at 8 pm at B.B. King’s Blues Club in Times Square. The show is sold out, but you can look for tickets online.
For more information on the show, go to bbkingsblues.com
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The 19th Annual House of Toys Benefit Concert starring Stevie Wonder. This will be Stevie Wonder’s 19th holiday season working with the We Are You Foundation to raise money to get toys for needy children this Christmas. Stevie’s annual charity benefit and concert includes his Songs In The Key Of Life performance. Stevie will be performing his entire hit 1976 album from start to finish including the songs, “I Wish”, “Sir Duke”, “Another Star” and “Isn’t She Lovely” and all for a great cause. The 19th Annual House of Toys Benefit starring Stevie Wonder happens Saturday, December 20th at 8 pm at the Forum in Los Angeles.
For more information on how to give and for tickets, go to fabulousforum.com
Want more excellence? Read last week’s The Filtered Excellence and visit The Interrobang Recommmends
