The Filtered Excellence: May 2, 2013

at
Share This Post

Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Here are this weeks picks of what to WATCH, what to DO what to TRY what to READ what to LISTEN TO and more:

*****************

WATCH THIS:

The Iceman. Starring Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder and Ray Liotta. Michael Shannon stars in the docudrama based on the life of Richard ‘The Iceman’ Kuklinski, who led a double life as a devoted husband and father living in the suburbs and as a mob hit man for nearly 30 years. Ryder plays his wife Deborah, who, until his arrest in 1986, was completely unaware of his mob activities. Liotta is in fine form as Roy DeMeo, a Gambino crime family associate who brings Kuklinski into the Mafia. Shannon is as good as he’s ever been, able to flip the switch from loving family man to a merciless killing machine in an instant. Between this film and the upcoming role as General Zod in Man Of Steel, Shannon’s stock is going to soar. Liotta is just as good as the equally ruthless DeMeo. The scenes that he shares with Shannon border on spooky. With the pacing of a film noir and the feel of a horror movie, The Iceman has all of the making of a summer sleeper. It opens tomorrow in New York and Los Angeles.

Free The Mind. Can you rewire the brain just by taking a breath? That’s the central question posed in Phie Ambo’s profile of Professor Richard Davidson. One of the world’s top neurosurgeons, Davidson is encouraged by The Dalai Lama to see if meditation techniques can be successful – in the battle against depression and anxiety. The film follows Davidson as he employs these methods to Iraqi vets battling post traumatic stress disorder and children with ADHD. The journey that he and the viewer takes will astounding, confrontational and, in the end, inspiring. Free The Mind opens in New York on Friday.

The 139th Kentucky Derby. It’s the most exciting 2 minutes in sports, and the time of year when everyone becomes a horse racing fan. It’s a day for Mint Juleps and really really big hats. The post positions have been announced and Derby favorite “Verrazano” will start from Gate 14. Other possible horses to win the Kentucky Derby include Goldencents at 5 to 1 odds and Orb at 7 to 2. Post time for the Run for the Roses is 6:24pm on Saturday, May 4th.

Dead Man’s Burden. In theaters Friday May 3rd, limited. Dead Man’s Burden is an independent classic-style Western filmed on location in the harsh and beautiful high desert of northern New Mexico. Jared Moshé’s directorial debut sets the story on the New Mexican frontier in 1870, in the time right after the end of the Civil War. It is the tale of Martha and her husband Heck, who live a hard life of rugged rural isolation, until an offer from a mining company seems to assure the promise of a better life. When Martha’s presumed-dead brother returns to the homestead from the war, however, this future becomes obscured and complicated. Striking scenes of the high desert panorama are combined with the promise that, “Blood will be spilled.”

Saturday Night Live with host Zach Galifianakis. The star of “Hangover III” is pulling off another hat trick with his third time hosting SNL. Zach’s musical guests will be Of Monsters and Men. There’s only 3 episodes left in Season 38, don’t miss the host of “Between Two Ferns” live from Studio 8H, Saturday, May 4, 11:30pm Eastern on NBC.

DOWNLOAD THIS:

Food Tripping.  Road trippers are used to hitting up the drive thru, chain joints and truck stops, because even with all the resources available now, sometimes you don’t have time to find better options. But now you can find fresh, healthy food on the road (if its out there).   The new app was created by a new company called Shft, founded by Peter Glatzer, and Adrien Grenier (yes that Adrien Grenier) and will be integrated into Ford’s digital command center this fall.  For now, you can download it onto your mobile device.  Available for iphones and Android.

 

DO THIS:

Around the United States: King’s X. This painfully underrated, but highly influential power trio are currently on tour here in the States. Bassist Doug Pinnick handles most of the lead vocals, but Ty Tabor (guitar) and drummer Jerry Gaskill are also exceptional singers, so the vocal harmonies alone are off the chain. The music ranges from progressive metal, to straight on power pop, funk, soul, hints of gospel, blues and a whole lot of rock n roll. See the show, then make it a point to pick up any of the killer albums they’ve been making since 1988.

Brooklyn, New York: MCA Day 2013: Celebrating The Life of Adam Yauch. Beastie Boys fans are gathering in Brooklyn at Littlefield Performance and Art Space to remember the life and music of Adam Yauch. Organizers say the celebration will include art, music, friends and a few surprises. The event happens Saturday, May 4th on the one year anniversary of Adam’s passing. It’s a free event, but there will be opportunities to donate to local charities.

 

New York City: Celebrate Brooklyn at Brooklyn Bridge Park.   This series of free Thursday night dance parties returns on May 9th with a New Orleans jam featuring Big Sam’s Funky Nation. The bond between New Orleans and New York has never been stronger – especially in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy – so plan on having your feet moving and the body shaking. The revamped Brooklyn Bridge Park has a breathtaking view of the New York City skyline, so it has all of the makings of a perfect spring night in the city. The Celebrate Brooklyn Dance Party Series runs through May 23rd.

Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter and Martha Quinn in conversation with Gavin Edwards at Barnes & Nobel Tribeca. At the height of their powers, MTV could make (Madonna, Britney Spears) or break (Billy Squire, Romeo Void) careers. But the path wasn’t always easy. Rolling Stone Contributing Editor Gavin Edwards will talk with the surviving original MTV VJ’s about the channel’s early days, struggles and ultimately, it’s success, as documented in the book they wrote together, VJ: The Unplugged Adventures Of MTV’s First Wave. It has all the makings of evening that will bridge a cultural generation gap. May 8th.

Austin, Texas: Rodriguez. The subject of the Oscar winning documentary, “Searching For Sugar Man” will be playing at the Frank Erwin Center at the University of Texas in Austin. Rodriguez and his band will be stopping in Austin for one night only on his worldwide tour. Tickets are still available.  The Frank Erwin Center is located at 1701 Red River,

Memphis, Tennessee:   Beale Street Music Festival.  The Black Keys, Alice in Chains, Hall and Oates, Flaming Lips, ZZ Top, Smashing Pumpkins, The Black Crowes, The Roots, Sheryl Crowe, Gary Clark Jr, Dwight Yoakem, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Public Enemy, Jerry Lee Lewis, Patti Smith, Mavis Staples, and on and on and on.  Just go.  May 3 – May 5 in Memphis.

 

Want More Excellence?  Click Here.

The Editor

The Editor