The Filtered Excellence: December 25, 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:

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Selma. In 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr spearheaded a series of non-violent marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama aimed at ending all restrictions for Blacks to vote. These marches were marred by police beatings, mass arrests and shootings, but it also put oni full view the brutal treatment Blacks had to endure just to exercise basic Constitutional rights. These marches played a crucial role in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In Selma, director Ava DuVernay and screenwriter Paul Webb recall this crucial period in the American Civil Rights Movement with remarkable and astonishing detail. You are just watching a film, you can in the planning sessions, in the marches and practically feel the weight of a patrolman’s baton. The cast is near perfect: David Oyelowo is terrific as Dr. King, balancing a man of extraordinary resolve and faith along with the doubts and flaws that come with being human. Carmen Ejogo adds strength and grace as Coretta Scott King and Tom Wilkinson excels as always as President Johnson. With excellent support from Tim Roth (Governor Wallace), Stephen James (John Lewis), and Oprah (in an extended cameo as voting rights activist Annie Lee Cooper), Selma manages to serve as a history lesson and a powerful docu-drama. One of the year’s best films. Selma opens in New York, L.A., Atlanta and D.C this weekend and nationwide January 9th.

You can also go to www.selmamovie.com for more info.

Big Eyes. The latest from acclaimed director Tim Burton tells the story of one of the biggest art frauds in history. In the 1960’s the paintings of Walter Keane – enigmatic drawings of waifs with big eyes – turned the commercial art world on its head and made Keane enormously wealthy. It would later to revealed that its actually Walter’s wife Margaret who did the paintings and the carefully crafted story and image Walter created was all a lie. Amy Adams portrays Margaret and once again, she’s terrific. She perfect conveys the complexity of the situation while channeling her pain from divorce and sexism into the art. Waltz is also in fine form as the oily and opportunistic Walter. For Burton, this is a return to his earlier work, using a seemingly happy couple to show both the whimsical optimism of the the early 60s alongside the darkness that bubbled under the surface. If you’re looking for a quirky, chance of pace film this holiday season, this is it. Big Eyes opens nationwide Christmas Day.

You can go to www.bigeyesfilm.com for more info.

The Interview. It’s a silly comedy that could very well be the most important movie of the year. Written and directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, “The Interview” has been at the very least, the most talked about film of the year. At this point, the reason to see it has very little to do with the plot. James Franco and Seth Rogen play an American talk show host and his producer who are given the journalistic opportunity of a lifetime. They have been invited to North Korea to interview Kim Jong Un and the CIA recruits the bumbling pair to carry out an assassination on the North Korean leader while he accessible. The movie made headlines when Sony Pictures cancelled its theatrical release after the studio’s email hacking attack and several threats were made against theater chains and movie goers where it was scheduled to be screened. In an unprecedented move, Sony has released the film on YouTube Movies, Google Play, Microsoft’s Xbox Video and a dedicated site created specifically for the film, SeeTheInterview.com. After being abandoned by theaters, Sony has partnered with these digital entertainment companies to make sure their work hasn’t been silenced by groups that have threatened something they don’t agree with. “The Interview” is available online now.

To watch “The Interview” and get more information, go to SeeTheInterview.com

The 37th Annual Kennedy Center Honors. It’s one of the most prestigious tributes an artist can receive and definitely an annual Washington DC highlight. The Kennedy Center Honors pays tributes to the lifetime of work of performers from every genre of the entertainment world. This year, the Kennedy Center honors iconic singer the Reverend Al Green, actor Tom Hanks, ballerina Patricia McBride, singer – songwriter Sting and comedy legend Lily Tomlin. The class of 2014 will be honored by their peers and well as video retrospectives of their long and nationally influential careers. The group will also be the guests of President Barack Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama for the evening. Originally taped on December 7th at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the gala performance will air Tuesday, December 30th at 9 pm et on CBS.

For more information, go to kennedy-center.org

The College Football Playoff. In one of the biggest changes to college football in its history, the sport is now entering the playoff era for the first time. The four best teams have been selected by committee and college football will crown its national champion in a tournament consisting of two semi-final games and one championship title game. In this history making first year, the number 2 ranked Oregon Ducks will face last year’s defending champion, the number 3 ranked Florida State Seminoles on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl at 5 pm et on ESPN. That game will be followed by the inaugural tournament’s next semi-final game at the Sugar Bowl where the number 1 ranked and SEC Champions University of Alabama Crimson Tide meet number 4 ranked Ohio State. The winners of these two games will meet in the CFP National Championship Game on Monday, January 12th at 8:30 pm et at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on ESPN.

For more information on the College Football Playoff and its schedule of games, go to espn.com

The Marx Brothers Marathon. On New Year’s Day, 2015 kicks off with some classic laughs from America’s first family of comedy and beloved comedy team, the Marx Brothers. Turner Classic Movies is turning over New Year’s Day programming to Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo. Starting in primetime on January 1st, TCM will air classic comedies from the Marx Brothers beginning with 1932’s “Horse Feathers” at 8 pm et, “Night at the Opera” co-starring Kitty Carlisle at 9:15 pm et, “Day at the Races” at 11 pm et, “Room Service” with a young Lucille Ball from 1938 at 1 am et, “At The Circus” at 2:30 am et and wrapping up with 1940’s “Go West” beginning at 4 am et.

For more information on the films and the marathon, go to tcm.com

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NEW YORK CITY: Kara Walker Afterword. This past summer, Kara Walker stunned the art world with her exhibition, ‘A Subtlety’, which featured as its showpiece, a 75 foot wide, 35 foot tall naked sphinx made to look like a mammy – whitewashed and coated with sugar. Over 130,000 attended, including Mayor de Blasion, Jay Z and Beyonce. As a post mortem on the event, Sikkema Jenkins & Co is hosting ‘Afterword’, which features watercolor sketches, prototypes and remaining pieces from the exhibition. There’s also a 27 minute film called ‘An Audience’, capturing some of the audiences’ reactions to the sphinx’s very large backside. It’s a fitting coda to one of the most memorable art shows in recent memory. Kara Walker: Afterword will be at Sikkema Jenkins & Co though January 17th.

You can go to www.sikkemajenkinsco.com for more information.

NEW YORK CITY: Vernon Reid. Living Colour guitarist Vernon Reid takes a break from recording the band’s new album to do a series of solo shows at New York’s Iridium. Expect to hear from material from his side projects Masque, choice covers and perhaps even a surprise guest or two. A great opportunity to see one of rock’s premier guitarists in an intimate setting. Vernon Reid will performing at the Iridium December 29th and 30th with two sets per night.

You can go to www.theiridium.com for tickets and more info.

NEW YORK CITY: Fishbone. One of the most daring, dynamic, yet underrated bands in rock history, Fishbone mixes rock, funk, punk, metal, jazz and soul into a musical stew that has been seen to be believed. They also influenced a slew of bands including Red Hot Chili Peppers, No Doubt, Primus, Mighty Mighty Bosstones and much more. Fishbone will be bringing their always explosive live show to New York’s Gramercy Theatre this weekend. Come out and be ready to slam, swim, dance and party.

Go http://venue.thegramercytheatre.com/ for tickets and more info.

NEW YORK CITY: Rakim. A hip hop legend of the highest order, Rakim – along with his creative partner Eric B – set the template by which all MCs follow with four classic albums: Paid In Full, Follow The Leader, Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em and Don’t Sweat The Technique. His solo career has been just as legendary inspiring everyone from Chuck D to Dr. Dre. The R will be coming to B.B. King’s this weekend to give a lyrically and MC lesson. Come out and see one of hip hop’s all time greats. Rakim will be at B.B. King’s on December 28th.

You can go to www.bbkingblues.com for tickets and more info.

NEW YORK CITY: The Temptations and The Four Tops on Broadway. Two of the greatest groups of the Mo-Town era will share the same stage at the Palace Theatre in New York City. Led by Otis Williams, the last surviving member of the Temps and Abdul “Duke” Fakir, the last living member of the Four Tops, these groups will go through their classic hits in an attempt of one-upmanship to see which group can steal the show. The Temptations and Four Tops will perform their amazing song catalog including numbers like “My Girl,” “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Bernadette,” “Get Ready,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I Got),” “Baby I Need Your Lovin’,” “It’s the Same Old Song (But With a Different Meaning Since You’ve Been Gone),” “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” and “I Can’t Help Myself. The Temptations and the Four Tops will begin an incredible 7 day run at the Palace Theatre on Broadway starting Monday, December 29th and running through Sunday, January 4th.

For more information, tickets and start times for each show, go to palacetheatreonbroadway.com

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. The amazing soul singer and her incredibly tight band are playing two dates at the legendary Fillmore – San Francisco. The Fillmore’s incredible history dates back to its beginning in 1910. Throughout its history, the Fillmore has seen acts play its stage like Ike and Tina Turner, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Otis Reding. The venue also launched the careers of bands like the Grateful Dead, the Jefferson Airplane and Santana. Recent Grammy Award nominees for Best R&B Album, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings join that impressive list of performers at the Fillmore. The band plays there with special guests, James Hunter of The James Hunter Six and Harry Duncan of KCSM as guest deejay between sets on Tuesday, December 30th and on New Year’s Eve, December 31st.

For more information and tickets to both shows, go to thefillmore.com

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: The Roots on New Year’s Eve. It’s a chance to ring in the new year with the world famous Roots band. During their break from the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, the Roots are putting together a New Year’s Eve spectacular in Vegas, baby. The New Year’s Eve show is the start of a 3 night run the band will be doing at the Brooklyn Bowl in Vegas. The hip-hop jazz band led by Questlove, will be performing their own original music along with covers of artists from Michael Jackson to Ed Sheeran. Tickets are available for The Roots New Year’s Eve show this Wednesday and flyaway and hotel packages are also available for the event. See The Roots at the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas, December 31st, and the on Friday, January 2nd and Saturday, January 3rd.

For more information and tickets, go to brooklynbowl.com

CHICAGO: Bowie Is… If you haven’t already gone to see the David Bowie exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago you have just a few precious dates left before the innovative exhibit leaves for Europe. This is the exhibition’s only planned stop in the United States (for now, we hope) and it’s well worth a little bit of travel. The multi room multimedia interactive tour includes an incredible collection of original costumes, rare footage, and memorabilia that includes handwritten lyrics, art, and more. The exhibit traces the artist’s career from his early days through to his latest album and is an unforgettable experience. Plan to spend several hours.

For more information go to mcachicago.org.

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

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