The Filtered Excellence: February 6, 2013

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:

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WATCH THIS:

The Pretty One.  The first five star movie of 2014. Zoe Kazan (Ruby Sparks) continues he career progression to becoming one of the most adorable leading ladies who both embodies and rejects the manic-pixie-dreamgirl stereotype. In Jenee LaMarque’s debut film as screenwriter/director, Kazan plays identical twins Laurel (a weird little wallflower) and Aubrey (the energetic pretty one). When an accident causes Aubrey’s death, Laurel tries to become her more beloved sister, only to find herself with the worst identity crisis since DePalma’s Sisters. Kazan gives one of the best female performances of her generation, Drinking Buddies’s Ron Livingston and Jake Johnson are perfect as her two love interests, and as the girl’s father John Carroll Lynch proves he’s one of the most entertaining characters in film today. LaMarque turns her romantic comedy into a deep and moving fairytale for adults about the nature of female identity, self-discovery, and the bond between sisters. In limited theaters Friday the 7th and on-demand.

The Monuments Men.  George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Bob Balaban and Jean Dujardin.  Based on the true story, Monuments Men looks back at the greatest treasure hunt in history:  As World War II winds down, seven museum directors, curators and art historians are recruited by President Roosevelt to go behind enemy lines to save priceless artistic masterpieces stolen by the Germans.  Two things work against them:  Lack of military experience and a mandate for the German army to destroy all of the art in the event the Third Reich fell.  Clooney and Damon are in star form as the group’s leaders, as is Blanchett, playing an icy French secretary.  But the movie’s heart centers around the supporting characters: Balaban and Murray – paired together for the bulk of the film – play off each other extraordinarily well with Murray playing the in the moment architect and Balaban as a grumpy art expert who wishes to be left to his own devices.  Goodman and Dujardin portray a sculptor and a French art expert trying to work through getting familiar with new territory and each other.  As a director, Clooney finds the right balance of humor and urgency as the clock winds down to save 1,000 years of world culture.  Monuments Men is a welcomed addition to a month that is usually cluttered with a lot of junk.  It opens this Friday nationwide.

XXII Winter Olympics – Open Ceremony. The Winter games are underway. The opening ceremony from Sochi, Russia starts Friday night, February 7th at 7:30pm Eastern. The 4 1/2 hour pageant will include the parade of each nation’s athletes and a look at their Winter fashion. Watch for the evening to become the Vladimir Putin show. There will be no President Obama there as well other world leaders like British Prime Minister David Cameron or Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel who are skipping the Winter games. Also, this weekend features a full range of events including Figure Skating, Slopestyle Snowboarding and Freestyle Skiing.

The Night That Changed America – A Grammys Salute To The Beatles. This special which was taped the day after the Grammy Awards, commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Beatles epic first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. The special will be a combination of new tribute performances along with archival footage. The concert will also focus on how that one performance by the Beatles had such an impact on America. Performers include John Mayer, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Keith Urban and a one night only reunion of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart, the Eurythmics. The Night That Changed America – A Grammys Salute To The Beatles airs Sunday, February 9th at 8pm Eastern on CBS.

Questioning Darwin. This new HBO documentary looks at the 150 year old debate between natural selection and creationism and how it has increased over the past years. The film shows the modern-day creationist movement and those who reject Darwin’s theory on evolution. It also examines how Darwin’s findings affected his own life and beliefs and changed his concept of God. Questioning Darwin premieres Monday, February 10th at 9pm Eastern on HBO.

READ THIS:

One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by B.J. Novak. Best known as Ryan the Temp from The Office, B.J. Novak has put out his first book of short stories. There’s 63 hysterical stories in all. They include titles like “Chris Hansen at the Justin Bieber Concert”, “The Rematch” (a follow up to the race between the tortoise and the hare) and “Sophia” about the first artificial intelligence that’s able to feel love. All the stories, whether told from Novak’s point of view or one of his literary personas all share his amazing humor.

LISTEN TO THIS:

Broken Bells – After The Disco. The latest collaboration between Shins’ frontman James Mercer and super producer Danger Mouse finds the duo going back to the future. As the title suggests, the album skillfully updates the slick grooves that burned up dance floors like Studio 54 but in a more laid back, futuristic kind of way. Several tracks recalls the pairings of Arif Mardin with The Bee Gees and Donna Summer with Giorgio Moroder but with Mercer’s aching, yet melodic vocals giving it an emotional punch. The album is all but certain to draw parallels to Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories its approach to harkening back to another era. But whereas RAM wanted to get you moving, After The Disco is what you put on once the lights come back on and you’re ready to go home. With this release, a new U2 album on the way and hints of new Gnarls Barkley music, 2014 is shaping up to be another monster year for Danger Mouse. After The Disco is available now through Itunes, Amazon and all major music retailers.

 

DO THIS

NEW YORK CITY: The 50th Anniversary Of The First U.S. Tour. The Morrison Hotel Gallery. The Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York & Los Angeles will present a series of photographs documenting the tour that changed everything for four young men from Liverpool – and the world. What makes this exhibition unique is that it was curated by Julian Lennon. All of the shots featured show The Fab Four at their most playful and the pensive during their first creative and cultural peak. The 50th Anniversary Of The First U.S. Tour will be at the New York and L.A. Morrison Hotel Galleries through the end of the month.

NEW YORK CITY: Save The Village: Fred W. McDarrah.  The Steven Kasher Gallery through March 8th. As a staff photographer for The Village Voice, the late Fred W. McDarrah captured some of the most crucial moments in New York City – and world history. He photographed The Beats, abstract expressionists like Jackson Pollack and Salvatore Dali and Jackson Pollack, Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan, and The Velvet Underground at the peak of their ascendency, and all of the political and social movers and shakers for five decades. Some of his most memorable work will be on display at The Steven Kasher Gallery through March 8th. A great opportunity to see the evolution of an ever changing city.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Nick Offerman Presents…Parks and Recreation’s Nick Offerman is hosting a comedy fundraiser at Largo at the Coronet featuring himself, Zach Galifianakis and the hysterical Megan Mullally. The proceeds go to help fund “Forty Panes”, which is a documentary about the farmer, activist, poet and writer William Berry, an Offerman favorite. Also at the show, Megan Mullally will be performing with her band, Nancy and Beth and expect some other guest stars. Nick Offerman Presents…is sold out, so look for tickets online. It happens Saturday, February 8th at 8:30pm. Doors open at 7:00pm.