The Filtered Excellence: April 24, 2014

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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:

For No Good Reason. When British illustrator Ralph Steadman was assigned to cover The Kentucky Derby, he was paired with Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. Despite being polar opposites, they shared a common belief that art should take aim at the status quo. Together, they formed a professional partnership that changed the face of journalism. Director Charlie Paul reportedly took 15 years putting together this searing new documentary on Ralph Steadman, who used his pen and canvas to stab at the heart of the social/political movers and shakers for the over 40 years. Johnny Depp – who portrayed Thompson in the film adaptation of Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas – serves as the film’s center, interviewing Steadman from his home office. Famous friends, fans and collaborators such as Jann Wenner, Terry Gilliam, Brian DePalma, and Bill Murray, are also aboard sharing stories about hanging out with Steadman. But they all take a backseat to Steadman, who, using amazing archival footage and the extraordinary body of work, became one of the most celebrated illustrators of all-time. Watching him and Thompson at the peak of their creative and partying powers has to be seen to be believed. It’s not all a look back either. Steadman is still creating, challenging and making new dynamic works of art. It’s a fitting portrait of one of the last of the true art provacateurs.

For No Good Reason opens in New York tomorrow and in L.A on May 2nd.
You can go to www.fornogoodreasonmovie.com for more information.

Blue Ruin – Written & Directed by Jeremy Saulnier. What is the price for revenge and does it bring true closure? That is the question that runs throughout the breathtaking new thriller from writer-director Jeremy Saulnier. Macon Blair plays Dwight, a homeless man living out a battered Pontiac. When a local cop informs Dwight that Wade Cleland – the man responsible for his parents murders – is getting released, Dwight jump starts the car and begins the drive south to kill him. The bulk of the film deals with the journey to carry out the task, his attempts to carry it out and the effects that it has on him, his sister, Cleland and their respective families. Saulnier shot Blue Ruin with an unknown cast for only 38,000 but you wouldn’t know it. It has the look, feel and pacing of a big budget film. There’s not much dialogue – especially from Dwight, but the less is more approach only adds to the tension. The summer movie season is right around the corner, but Blue Ruin is a reminder that the art of film making – and storytelling – is what makes films great.

Blue Ruin opens tomorrow and is available on demand.
You can go to http://www.blueruinmovie.com for more info.

Last Week Tonight. John Oliver filling in for Jon Stewart on The Daily Show last Summer has paid off with his own HBO comedy news series. “It’s just like the nightly news, only weeklier”. John Oliver’s new show will feature his unique take on the previous week’s news, politics and current events. Just don’t expect any breaking news. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver premieres Sunday night, April 27th at 11pm Eastern.

NBA Playoffs Continue. There’s still plenty of NBA playoff action to go and it continues through the weekend. Friday features Eastern Conference playoff series with games between Toronto at Brooklyn at 7pm Eastern and Chicago at Washington at 8pm Eastern. In the West, Houston visits Portland at 10:30pm on Friday. Saturday has a full slate of games with Indiana at Atlanta (2pm Eastern), San Antonio at Dallas (4:30pm Eastern), Miami at Charlotte (7pm Eastern) and Oklahoma City at Memphis (10:30pm Eastern). This playoff round continues on Sunday through Wednesday if those games are necessary. Games air on ABC, TNT, ESPN, ESPN 2 and NBA TV.

READ THIS:

Handbook For An Unpredictable Life: How I Survived Sister Renata, And My Crazy Mother, And Still Came Out Smiling (With Great Hair). By Rosie Perez.  The roads that led Rosie Perez took to becoming a successful actress, dancer, choreographer, director, and activist were the ones seldom traveled. In this captivating new memoir, its a miracle that she made it at all. Told in her direct, straight to point style, Perez recalls dealing with a mentally ill mother, being shuttled between various foster and relatives homes and dealing with cruel nuns in a Catholic children’s home in upstate New York all before entering high school. Perez also details how she overcame a major speech impediment and how she turned it into a distinctive character trait. She also has great stories about her days dancing on Soul Train, In Living Colour and her experiences working on the films Do The Right Thing, White Man Can’t Jump, and her Academy Award nominated performance on the movie Fearless. Perez also discusses her political activism particularly in matters pertaining to HIV/AIDS awareness. Honest, outspoken and highly entertaining, Handbook For An Unpredictable Life puts an entirely new spin on the Hollywood success story.

It Ain’t Over…Till It’s Over Reinventing Your Life – and Realizing Your Dreams – Anytime, at Any Age, by Marlo Thomas. This is the latest book from America’s favorite “That Girl” of the 1960s. In “It Ain’t Over”, Marlo Thomas tells the stories of 60 women she’s met while traveling the country fundraising for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, who have been able to reinvent themselves. These are women who have found out that it’s never too late to live out a dream whether it’s to start a business, travel the world, get a PhD, indulge a creative passion, make a family recipe famous, find love, or fill a void in life with a challenging new experience.

Mad World: An Oral History of New Wave Artists and Songs That Defined the 1980s by Lori Majewski and Jonathan Bernstein. Majewski and Bernstein have put together a look at the artists and songs that helped establish the New Wave sound of the 1980s. The book is filled with interviews with some of the biggest acts of 80s including, Duran Duran, New Order, The Smiths, Tears for Fears, Adam Ant, Echo and the Bunnymen, Devo, ABC, Spandau Ballet, A Flock of Seagulls, Thompson Twins, and INXS.

LISTEN TO THIS:

Wrecking Ball (Deluxe Edition) by Emmylou Harris. Though she was easing into the role of an elder stateswoman of country music, the early 90s were not easy for Emmylou Harris. Country was moving into a slicker, more pop friendly direction and it looked as though her long run of hits in the genre was about to end. When she announced that noted rock producer Daniel Lanois (U2, Peter Gabriel, Bob Dylan) would be working on her 18th studio album, no one was quite sure what the results were going to be, including Harris. Released in the fall of 1995, Wrecking Ball was a commercial and critical triumph, introducing Harris to a new generation of fans and firmly establishing her as a country music icon. The album also gave birth to a new genre: Americana. To celebrate the impending 20th Anniversary, Nonesuch has released a deluxe edition of Wrecking Ball, which contains a digitally remastered version of the original album, a disc of previously unreleased outtakes and alternate takes and a DVD containing a documentary about the making of Wrecking Ball directed by Bob Lanois. A insightful and well rounded retrospective on a landmark moment for both Harris and Lanois. A must have album.

Wrecking Ball (2CD/1DVD) is available now through Amazon, Itunes and all major music retail outlets.

DO THIS:

LOS ANGELES. Lebowski Fest. You can celebrate the 16th anniversary of the Coen Brothers classic film “The Big Lebowski” at this year’s Lebowski Fest in L.A. The two day festival starts on Friday, April 25th with the Lebowski Fest LA Movie Party at The Wiltern. The movie party guests of honor will be the star of the film Jeff Bridges and the real life inspiration for the Dude, Jeff Dowd. The Friday night film screening will feature music from Kyle Gass Band of Tenacious D fame also Jeff Bridges performing with his band the Abiders. Saturday night, April 26th at 8pm is the Lebowski Fest LA Bowling Party which features costume and trivia contests. Bowling is likely but not guaranteed at Fountain Bowl. Tickets for the movie party are sold out, so look online for those, but tix for the bowling party are still available.

ASTORIA, QUEENS, NEW YORK: Sopranos, First and Last: An Evening With David Chase. The creator and showrunner for one of television’s most talked about and beloved series, “The Sopranos”, David Chase will be reflecting on the show’s legacy and talking about the hugely talented cast, directors and writers involved with the program. Chase will also have some special thoughts about the late star of “The Sopranos”, James Gandolfini. An Evening with David Chase also includes a special screening of the only 2 episodes of “The Sopranos” that David Chase directed, the pilot and the finale. This special presentation will be at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens, NY on Wednesday, April 30th at 7 pm.

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. 2014 Sakura Matsuri and Cherry Blossom Festival. Saturday, April 26th and Sunday, April 27th is the annual Brooklyn celebration of traditional Japanese Culture at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. The weekend includes traditional Japanese costumes, Taiko Drumming, Manga and Tea Ceremonies. Plus, with the added bonus of the weather turning warmer, this year’s world famous BBG Cherry Blossom Trees are now in full bloom. It’s a well deserved rite of Spring for anyone who survived this past Winter. The festival starts at 10am Saturday and Sunday.

BOSTON: Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival. Eugene Mirman is bringing his 2nd Annual Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival to Boston May 1-4. This is the 2nd year that Lexington-raised comedian Mirman is bringing his hit comedy festival from Brooklyn to Boston. Joining Eugene will be fellow Mass raised humorist John Hodgman, as well as “Bob’s Burgers” co-stars H Jon Benjamin and Kristen Schaal, legendary UK comedian Daniel Kitson, Chelsea Peretti, Wyatt Cenac, Nick Thune, Ken Reid, Mehran Khaghani, a very special Boston edition of the hit live show and podcast StarTalk Live! with guest host Bill Nye The Science Guy, plus music from Neko Case and Eric Bachmann.  May 1 – 4.


 

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