The Filtered Excellence: September 10, 2015

2012 US Open;Stadium and Court Perspectives;Arthur Ashe;General Views

Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Once a week we take a break from comedy to bring you 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:

Time Out Of Mind. The dark and lonely plight of New York City’s homeless is at the center of this new film from Academy Award nominated writer/director Oren Moverman. Richard Gere stars as George, a homeless man who doesn’t see himself as such, but rather between opportunities. George shuttles between shelters and the bureaucracy involved with it, often in silence, living more moment to moment, rather than day to day. His outlook changes when he encounters an down and out former jazzman (Ben Vereen), who urges George to reconnect with the daughter he hasn’t seen in years (Jena Malone). With this, George finally comes to grips with his situation and it puts him on the slow path back into being reconnected with his family and with himself. Gere gives a complex, nuanced performance as a man looking to get his life back together one painful piece at a time. Moverman’s direction and script is stripped to the bone, offering straight forward dialogue, few speeches and remarkably non-judgmental. It’s more ‘this is what it is’ rather than ‘how did he get here’. Its a beautifully textured film that reminds us that the homeless are still made of individuals who need help, rather than being lumped into together as the dregs of society. Time Out Of Mind opens this Friday. You can go to www.ifcfilms.com for a complete rundown of cities, showtimes and more.

U.S. Open Tennis Championship. History can be made this weekend as the the final Grand Slam tennis event concludes this weekend out in Queens. Two players are looking to cement their status as the best ever: Serena Williams is only two victories away from being the first woman since Steffi Graff to win all four Grand Slam events in a calendar year. Roger Federer is looking to add a fifth Open title to his already Hall Of Fame credentials. Standing in Federer’s way is Novak Djokovic, who may not have the name recognition of Federer or Rafael Nadal, but has quietly – not to mention quickly – racked put together career that’s on par with Federer. Djokovic has only won one U.S. Open singles title and another win here can finally get him the props that he deserves. How will it all play out? Tune into ESPN this weekend to find out. Go to www.espn.com for a complete schedule and times.

READ THIS:

Reckless: My Life As A Pretender by Chrissie Hynde. Chrissie Hynde never pulled punches on stage and off and she doesn’t here in her new memoir. The book covers specific, but important points in her life: Growing up in the post war Ohio; falling in love with the explosion of sights and sounds that shaped the mid to late 60s; attending Kent State University and having a firsthand account of the shootings that happened in 1970; relocating to London and finding herself smack dab in the middle of the birth of the British punk scene and how she hooked up with Pete Farndon, Martin Chambers and James Honeyman-Scott to form The Pretenders. Hynde also goes into the making of the band’s extraordinary debut album, its sudden success and how the band’s excesses – which culminated in the drug related deaths of Farndon and Honeyman-Scott – left her shocked and saddened, yet determined to carry on. The decision to end the book on this may be surprising to her fans, but Hynde is such a skilled and informative storyteller that you completely understand why. The birth of the British punk scene has been told before, but with Hynde it’s given a much needed – and at times refreshing – new spin. It’s a story that is as rich and as vibrant as her best songs. Reckless: My Life As A Pretender is available now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all major book retailers.

LISTEN TO THIS:

Cheers To The Fall by Andra Day. Andra Day’s route to her major label debut are both traditional (honing her chops in church and as a singing major at The School Of Creative and Performing Arts in San Diego) and contemporary (after being discovered by Stevie Wonder, she become a YouTube sensation after she’s releasing a series of stunning reinterpretations of songs by Eminem, Jessie J, and Amy Winehouse). The album deals primarily with the ending with a long term relationship weaving between hurt and heartache to resolution and resolve. Day’s drawn comparisons to everyone from Billie Holliday and Eartha Kitt to Winehouse and Adele, but she has a sound and delivery that is all her own. ‘City Burns’ will reduce you to mist. Music’s next great voice has arrived. Cheers To The Fall is available now through Amazon, Itunes and all major music retailers. You can also to www.andraday.com for tour dates and more information.

DO THIS:

New York City: Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit. If you are looking for the next Pollack, Basquiat or Keith Haring, you might want to check out the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit. From University Place to West 3rd, you can see the latest art, oil, acrylics, jewelry, metal work, ceremics and graphics from the next wave of artists from all over the world. Take a fall stroll through the park and then make a smart investment into the arts. The Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit will run from September 12th through the 13th. Go to www.wsoae.org for more information.

New York City: The Warriors Festival. Alright, let’s get down to it boppers! The surviving members of The Warriors will converge once again on Coney Island to celebrate the 1979 cult classic. There will be autograph sessions, contest, live music and, of course, a screening of The Warriors. Whether you are seeing the film for the first time or know all of the dialogue by heart, this will be a great night to look back at a city and cinematic milestone. Can you dig it? The Warriors Festival happens this Sunday starting at 10am. You can go to http://www.brownpapertickets.com for tickets and more information.

New York City: Working with Richard Pryor: A conversation with Michael Schultz and Scott Saul. The resume of director Michael Schultz is as strong as anyone who came out of the ‘New Hollywood’ of the 1960s. He was Richard Pryor’s ‘go to’ director and worked with him more than any other director. Schultz directed the hit films Cooley High and Car Wash and behind the helm for feature film debuts of Denzel Washington, Blair Underwood, Bill Duke and Samuel L. Jackson. He’s also worked steadily on TV for over 40 years, directing episodes for shows ranging from The Rockford Files to Arrow. In 1991, Michael Schultz was inducted into The Black Filmmakers Hall Of Fame. Starting Sunday, September 20th and each Sunday through October 4th, The Museum Of The Moving Image, as part of its Changing The Picture series, will have a series of in-depth conversations with Michael Schultz, a Black Filmmaking pioneer who helped open the door for behind the camera and on screen. The session will kick off with Schultz and author Scott Saul (via video conference) discussing his work with the late Richard Pryor on such films as Greased Lighting, Car Wash, Which Way Is up and Bustin’ Loose. Subsequent sessions will focus on how Schultz’s use of music in his films and the methods that he employs when looking for new talent. These programs are all part of MoMi’s Changing The Picture series, which celebrates and explores the work of film and television artists of color who bring diverse voices to the screen. Tickets are on sale now through the Museum Of Moving Image’s website (movingimage.us and are free for Museum members at the Film Lover Level and above.

Chicago Riot Fest. Now in its 10th year, Riot Fest has emerged as the premier independent music festival devoted to punk, rock, alternative and metal. They’ve also added more hip hop and reggae into the mix bringing in a whole new legion of fans. No Doubt, System Of A Down and Modest Mouse will headline each night, but Riot Fest has something for fans of any genre. Performers range from Merle Haggard to Tenacious D, Anthrax to Jimmy Cliff, Ice Cube to Iggy Pop, L7 to Bootsy Collins. Between this and a wide assortment of food vendors, side show performers and rides, Douglas Park is going to be bouncing and booming all weekend long. Riot Fest will run from September 11th through the 13th. You can also go to www.riotfest.org for tickets, a full schedule of performances and more.

 

 


Want more excellence? Read last week’s The Filtered Excellence and visit The Interrobang Recommmends

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Earl Douglas is a writer/photographer based in New York City. A frequent contributor to The Interrobang, Earl is also Executive Director for the New York chapter of The Black Rock Coalition. Earl worked in radio for nearly two decades at WNEW-FM and XM Satellite Radio, which included being the on-air producer for Carol Miller, Scott Muni and Ron & Fez, and a contributor to Opie & Anthony. Earl has also independently published a number of books including Black Rock Volume 1, Urban Abyss, Mobile Uploads, and For Shimmy. His latest project is the photojournalism magazine PRAXIS, which is available exclusively through Blurb.com.
Earl Douglas
Earl Douglas
Earl Douglas is a writer/photographer based in New York City. A frequent contributor to The Interrobang, Earl is also Executive Director for the New York chapter of The Black Rock Coalition. Earl worked in radio for nearly two decades at WNEW-FM and XM Satellite Radio, which included being the on-air producer for Carol Miller, Scott Muni and Ron & Fez, and a contributor to Opie & Anthony. Earl has also independently published a number of books including Black Rock Volume 1, Urban Abyss, Mobile Uploads, and For Shimmy. His latest project is the photojournalism magazine PRAXIS, which is available exclusively through Blurb.com.