The Filtered Excellence: January 29, 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:
Last Days In Vietnam. For those who missed Rory Kennedy’s Academy Award nominated documentary in theaters, PBS will be streaming it for free on their website February 5th through the 7th. Using interviews and archival footage, Kennedy puts together a tight, taunt real-life thriller about how the remaining U.S. personnel in Saigon frantically tried to get as many of their family, friends and colleagues out before South Vietnam was overtaken by North Vietnamese military forces. It’s a fascinating, often riveting look at the end of one of the most turbulent periods in American history.
Last Days In Vietnam will be available starting Feburary 5th by using this link.
Super Bowl XLIX. After all of the hype and the controversy, it comes down to this: The league’s two best teams playing for the championship. For the New England Patriots, it’s about a legacy: Tom Brady and Bill Belichick looking to get their 4th Super Bowl and stake their claim on all-time great status. For the Seattle Seahawks, they would be the first team since the 2004-2005 Pats to win back to back Super Bowls and make their argument as the next great sports dynasty. For Seattle QB, Russell Wilson, a win against another all-time great on the game’s biggest stage, would vault him to elite status. Epic or blowout? Tune into NBC at 6:30 Eastern to catch all of the action.
NFL Honors. This is the awards show that airs the night before the Super Bowl. This year’s ceremony is hosted by Late Night and former Espy Awards host Seth Meyers. The league gives its biggest awards on this night including the NFL MVP Award. This looks like it’s leaning toward Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the Most Valuable Player, but he could get edged out by Dallas QB Tony Romo or Tom Brady who’s taking New England to another Super Bowl. The Houston Texans’ JJ Watt could be a dark horse winner here, but he’s said to be the definite lock for Defensive Player of the Year. Other awards include Coach of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, Rookies of the Year (on either side of the ball) and the Comeback Player of the Year. This season, Rob Gronkowski of the Patriots looks to be the pick for biggest comeback. NFL Honors is airs Saturday, January 31th, 2015 at 9pm et on NBC with red carpet coverage beginning at 8pm et on the NFL Network.
For more information, go to nfl.com
Amira & Sam. Martin Starr (Freaks & Geeks, Party Down, Silicon Valley) turns out to be a completely convincing romantic lead in film about two star-crossed lovers. A returning war veteran adjusting to life as a civilian reconnects with his military friend, an Arab translator, caring for his refugee niece (Dina Shihabi). When Amira runs into trouble with immigration, Sam takes her in and the two becomes friends and eventually lovers. With immigration looking for the illegal Amira, the two are faced with the possibility of being separated for good. The two leads have winning chemistry, and the movie is surprisingly sweet, funny, and romantic with a very different take on the life of our current war veterans and relationship with the Arab community. As the mild-mannered veteran, Starr makes a big leap forward in his career, giving a performance which might remind you of a young Tom Hanks. Amira & Sam opens in select theater and On Demand, Friday, January 30th, 2015
For more information, go to amiraandsam.com
Watch the trailer for Amira & Sam
Mel Brooks Live at the Geffen. The creator of classic films like “Blazing Saddles”, “High Anxiety”, “The Producers” and “Young Frankenstein” is performing in a new comedy special on HBO. Comedy legend Mel Brooks will be telling stories from throughout his brilliant career and about his films. He’ll also be doing musical numbers which he created for his comedies. Part of the special will include a Q&A with the audience. Mel Brooks at age 88 is still a full service entertainer. The special was taped at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, Los Angeles. It’s your chance to watch a master showman as well as an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner in action. Mel Brooks Live at the Geffen premieres Saturday, January 31st at 9pm et on HBO.
For more information, go to hbo.com
Above And Beyond. Just three years after the end of World War II, a group of Jewish-American fighter pilots were hearing the call again. This was for Israel’s War of Independence also known as the 1948 War. They had already fought for their country, now they were fighting for the country of their heritage against Palestine and a military coalition of Arab state forces. One thing they had to do first was get planes out of America to take into battle in the Middle East. They trained for their missions in Eastern Europe and fought against invading forces moving in on Israel. The movie is as much about the personalities of these pilots as it is about their heroism. Above And Beyond opens Friday, January 30th in New York City and rolls out to L.A. the following week and across the country after that.
For more information, go katahdin.com
Watch the trailer for Above And Beyond.
READ THIS:
The Lost Treasures Of R&B by Nelson George. Acclaimed author and filmmaker Nelson George’s third book in his D Hunter mystery series finds the boyguard/music expert back in his hometown of Brooklyn after his security firm fails. Forced to bodyguard successful rapper Asya Roc, D quickly finds himself at the center of a police investigation involving the shooting at an underground fight club. Distractions for this comes in two forms: a call to bodyguard a legendary, but reclusive R&B singer attempting a comeback tour and $15,000 bounty from a mysterious British millionaire to find a rare record of a 1966 jam session featuring Diana Ross and Otis Redding. D must weave through cops, hangers-on, record executives and changing landscapes in Brooklyn and London to figure out who pulled the trigger, make it through the chaos of the tour and if this record truly exists. Nelson George paints a vibrant, vivid picture of a gentrified Brooklyn, how little, if anything has changed in the R&B/hip hop scene and how one old school New Yorker have to navigate his way through it all. It’s another winner from one of the best writers on the literary scene.
The Lost Treasures of R&B (A D Hunter Mystery)
LISTEN TO THIS:
Get To Know BY Charlie Belle. There’s a great buzz surrounding this three piece band based out of of Austin. Their brand of alt-pop recalls bands like The Smiths, Belly and Magnetic Fields, but the fact that the average age of each band member is 15 makes this EP even more astonishing (They’re all still rocking braces!). Lead vocalist/guitarist Jendayi Bonds shows depth and maturity well beyond her years vocally and lyrically. Bassist Zoe Czarnecki and Jendayi’s brother Gyasi rounds out the band on drums and unlike most trios, they don’t rely on volume to help fill out the sound. Instead, they keep it light and crisp enough to let the songs breath and highlight Bonds’ rich and warm vocals. Its an outstanding debut from one of the most promising bands to emerge from the Austin music scene in quite some time.
Get To Know by Charlie Belle is available now on Itunes.
You can also go to www.charliebellemusic.com for more info.
Sco-Mule by Gov’t Mule. In December 1999, the original incarnation of Gov’t Mule – Warren Haynes, Matt Abts and Allen Woody – did two shows with legendary jazz guitarist John Scofield and Dr. Dan Matrazzo on keyboards. It was always intended to have an official release, but the sudden death of Allen Woody, put the album on hold. Over 15 years, the band finally decided to give fans what a taste of that memorable two night stand in the South. Working off their own material – along with songs by John Coltrane, James Brown, Wayne Shorter – Gov’t Mule put on extraordinary display of musicianship that crossed the lines between rock, funk, jazz, blues and the avant garde. For long time fans – or any music fan – , the release of this album is the equivalent of finding The Jam Band Holy Grail – its a musical blow out of the highest order.
Sco-Mule
You can also go to www.mule.net for tour dates, and more information.
DO THIS:
NEW YORK CITY: Robert Cray Band. The Grammy Award winning guitarist will bring his brand of blues, R&B and soul to B.B. King’s this Friday. Cray came to prominence in the late 80s and 90s with such albums as Strong Persuader, Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark and Midnight Stroll. He’s always been considered one of the premier guitarists in music, so expect nothing less than a sublime performance.
Go to www.bbkingblues.com for tickets and more information.
NEW YORK CITY: Bettye LaVette at Cafe Carlyle. It took over 40 years for Bettye LaVette to become an overnight sensation. The Detroit native scored a couple of hits on the R&B charts in the early 60s, but after a series of bad record company decisions and what she called ‘buzzard’s luck’, she bounced around the R&B and Broadway circuit for decades while her contemporaries (mostly notably, Aretha Franklin, and the bulk of the Motown stable) became global superstars. It wasn’t until 2005 when LaVette’s album I’ve Got My Own Hell To Raise that the music world ‘discovered’ just how good she was. Her 2008 performance of The Who’s ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ at The Kennedy Center Honors moved honorees Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey to tears. LaVette also performed ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ with Jon Bon Jovi at The Obama Inaugural Celebration Concert at The Lincoln Memorial in 2009. Her jam dropping memoir, A Woman Like Me was a best-seller and is being developed in a movie. LaVette will be doing a run at Cafe Carlyle covering material from her 40 plus year career and preview songs from her upcoming album, Worthy. An elegant evening with one of the most distinctive voices of our time.
You can go to www.rosewoodhotels.com for more info.
NEW YORK CITY: The Smithereens.By combining the sound of British Invasion bands with Brill Building sensibilities, The Smithereens scored a string of hits in the 80s and 90s such as ‘A Girl Like You’, ‘Blood & Roses’ and ‘Behind The Wall Of Sleep’. Led by chief songwriter Pat DiNizio, the band sounds better live and in the studio as evidenced by such albums as ‘2011’. Guaranteed by a great evening of guitar driven power pop. The Smithereens will be at B.B. King’s on 1/31.
You can go to www.bbkingblues.com for tickets and more info.
NEW YORK CITY: Diana Ross. One of the most iconic singers in pop history, Diana Ross was the driving force behind The Supremes, scoring 12 #1 hits and making them the most successful vocal group of all-time. Her post-Supremes career has been just as a strong: 6 more #1 hits and an Academy Award nomination for Lady Sings The Blues Ross will return to New York to help open the recently restored Loew’s Kings Theater, which after over 35 years of neglect, has been restored to its original art house glory. It’s a great chance to see one of America’s greatest divas in an intimate theater setting. Diana Ross will be at Loew’s Kings Theater on February 3rd.
You can go to www.kingstheatre.com for tickets and more info.
NEW YORK CITY: Sesame Street: Come And Play. This is a 45th Anniversary exhibition celebrating the Public Broadcasting System’s series that changed children’s television forever. Saturday is your last chance to catch it before it closes. The exhibit takes you through the early inception of Sesame Street and its influence over the decades. There’s vintage footage from the show along with scripts and other pieces of memorabilia. The exhibit includes a special look at the guest stars and celebrity appearances from Sesame Street over the years. Plus of course, the muppets will be on display as well. “Come And Play: 45 Years of Sesame Street Helping Kids Grow Smarter, Stronger, and Kinder” is going on through Saturday at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
For more information, go to nypl.org
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Creature From The Black Lagoon in 3-D. This Saturday, you can take in an old-fashioned creature feature matinee in black & white and in 3-D. The Gene Siskel Film Center is doing an afternoon screening of the Creature From The Black Lagoon in 3-D. The 1954 horror film featuring the mysterious Gill Man (you probably didn’t know the creature had a name), was the last of the classic Universal movie monsters to be created. The film was directed Jack Arnold and is known for its pure terror and creepy eroticism in a scene between Gill Man and the beautiful Julie Adams. Creature From The Black Lagoon screens Saturday, January 31st at 3pm at the Gene Siskel Film Center.
For more information, go to siskelfilmcenter.org
WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS. Groundhog Days Honoring Harold Ramis. It’s Groundhog Day!! Woodstock, Illinois always celebrates Groundhog Day, but this year, the town is doing something even more special. The Woodstock Theatre will have a dedication ceremony renaming its largest auditorium, the Harold Ramis Auditorium. The ceremony takes place during Woodstock’s Groundhog Days which run from Thursday, January 29th through Groundhog Day, Monday, February 2nd. The tribute to the writer and director of “Groundhog Day” starring Bill Murray happens at 10am on Saturday, January 31st right before a theater screening of the film.
For more information, go to woodstockgroundhog.org
PHOENIX, ARIZONA: The Roots: Hyped For Halftime Stage. If you just happen to be in Phoenix this weekend, you’ve probably noticed a lot of things happening including a big football game. One of the better things going on this weekend, is a free show from the legendary Roots crew. The band is in town anyway for a taping of the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that’s airing later Sunday after the Super Bowl (and your local news). The Grammy award winning Roots will be performing on the Verizon Super Bowl Central stage in downtown Phoenix, the night before the big game. The show is scheduled to start at 8:45pm on Saturday, January 31st. The Roots’ performance will be followed by a downtown fireworks show.
For more information, go to azsuperbowl.com
LOS ANGELES: Jay Leno at The Comedy & Magic Club. There was a reason why Jay Leno was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show and Late Night With David Letterman: He was one of the best stand ups in the business. After a 20 year plus run as host of The Tonight Show, Leno returns to his comic roots with a Sunday night residency at The Comedy & Magic Club. You’ll be quickly reminded as to why he ruled the comedy kingdom for as long as he had.
Go to www.comedyandmagicclub.com for tickets and show times.
Want more excellence? Read last week’s The Filtered Excellence and visit The Interrobang Recommmends
