The Filtered Excellence: September 5, 2013
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:
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WATCH THIS:
Salinger Directed by Shane Salerno. J.D. Salinger is one of literature’s most celebrated – and mysterious- writers. His 1951 novel The Catcher In The Rye remains the definitive tale of alienation and disillusionment and has sold over 60 million copies worldwide. In 1961, he made the cover of Time Magazine. But after publishing a story in The New Yorker in 1965, Salinger completely withdrew from the public, living a reclusive life in New Hampshire until his death in 2010. Director Shane Salerno spent nearly a decade assembling this documentary about Salinger which profiles everything from upbringing, his World War II experiences, being thrust in the national spotlight and the levels reached to maintain his privacy. The film also features new interviews with his literary disciples (Tom Wolfe, Gore Vidal, E.L. Doctorow, A.Scott Berg, and Elizabeth Frank) and famous fans (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Edward Norton, John Cusack, Martin Sheen, Robert Towne) to give the most complete portrait of a complex, complicated artist. Salinger opens in NY and L.A. on Friday and nationwide on 9/13.
Good Ol Freda. The new documentary from director Ryan White, is about a name you normally don’t hear when the Beatles are mentioned, but was there for the entire ride. “Good Ol’ Freda” is about Freda Kelly, who as a young woman went to work for the Beatles in her native Liverpool, England when they were just starting out. Freda was more than just the band’s secretary, she became their friend, confidant and a witness to the rise of the phenomenon known as the Beatles. “Good Ol’ Freda” is available on iTunes and VOD on Friday.
Boardwalk Empire, Season 4. It’s the premiere of season 4 of “Boardwalk Empire”, this Sunday, September 8th at 9pm Eastern on HBO. The cast led by Steve Buscemi adds even more fire power to its ranks this season. Jeffrey Wright joins the cast as Valentin Narcisse, a doctor of divinity and booking agent for Chalky’s club in Harlem, at least that’s how it appears. Also joining the series, is Ron Livingston as Roy Phillips, a wealthy business man who begins a relationship with Gillian. This season, Nucky Thompson appears to have reclaimed power on the boardwalk, but he’s keeping his distance as new situations develop. The new season starts this Sunday on HBO.
American Masters: Billie Jean King. For the first time, PBS’ American Masters series will profile someone from the world of sports. And they chosen Billie Jean King. The special commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Battle of the Sexes match between King and Bobby Riggs. It’s a look at Billie Jean’s career and her battle for equality not just in sports, but in all areas in life. Billie Jean tells her story along with interviews with Venus and Serena Williams, Chris Evert, Hillary Clinton and Elton John, American Masters: Billie Jean King airs Tuesday, September 10th at 8pm on PBS.
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LISTEN TO THIS:
The Electric Lady by Janelle Monae. After touring in support of everyone from No Doubt to Prince, becoming the new face for CoverGirl, and having a memorable cameo on Fun’s #1 hit, ‘We Are Young’, Janelle Monae aims for superstardom on her second full length album. The double disc set continues the adventures of Cindi Mayweather, an android, who may or may not hold the key to universal acceptance of everyone. Monae is joined by Prince, Esperanza Spaulding, Erykah Badu, Miguel and Solange on an Afrofuturistic blend of funk, soul, hip hop, jazz, power punk, classical and gospel – all with a sci-fi flavor. With an amazing live show and the new album, expect Janelle Monae to graduate to the upper tier of the pop/rock hiearchy. The Electric Lady will be available on September 10th through Amazon, Itunes, and all major retailers. Target will also exclusively carry a special edition of the album featuring 4 additional tracks.
- You can go to www.janellemonae.com for more information.
- Order The Electric Lady
on Amazon.com.
In Deep Owl by HBS. While Soundgarden was in the midst of an extensive hiatus, bassist Ben Shepherd began work on a solo album. Originally a solo acoustic project, Shepherd would also include mandolin and electric guitars and recruited drummers Matt Cameron, Matt Chamberlain, Joseph Braley and Greg Gilmore to round out the overall sound. The results are a dark, jagged, atmospheric album with Shepherd supplying a haunting growl throughout. Whether you’re a Soundgarden fan or just looking for something off the beaten path, this is something you want to check out. In Deep Owl is available now through Itunes, Amazon and all major digital music outlets.
- Order In Deep Owl
on Amazon.com now.
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DO THIS:
NEW YORK CITY: Times Talks with Ricky Gervais at The Times Center. Ricky Gervais will sit down with New York Times culture reporter Dave Itzkoff to talk about the upcoming season of his latest series Derek. Expect to hear plenty of behind the scenes stories, discussions about the impact his previous series The Office and Extras had on pop culture and hilarious looks at fame, current events and of course, God. A great chance to get up close and personal with one of the great comedic minds. TimesTalks with Ricky Gervais will take place at The Times Center in NYC on September 9th.
- You can go to nytimes.websites.net/timestalks for tickets and additional info.
ARRINGTON, VIRGINIA: John Fogerty sitting in with Widespread Panic. The Interlocken Festival starts this weekend. The weekend bill includes special guest John Fogerty performing with Widespread Panic. There are no side stages or DJs at Interlocken. There are two main stages next to each other and as soon as one act finishes, the next one begins. The organizers hope this promotes some unique collaborations. The festival is held in Arrington, Virginia at Oak Ridge Farm near the Blue Ridge Mountains. Camp sites are available for fans that want to stay the whole weekend. The legendary John Fogerty joins Widespread Panic on stage, Saturday, September 7th at 8:30pm.
NEW YORK CITY: An Evening With Bob and David (and Posehn). Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, the creators and stars of “Mr. Show” bring their stage show to Town Hall in New York City. The guys will be performing their hilarious sketch comedy act with special guest Brian Posehn. There will two shows at Town Hall on Thursday, September 12th. Show times are at 7:30pm and 10:30pm. The early show is sold out, but there are still tickets available for the 10:30pm show.
NEW YORK CITY: “Nighthawks” in 3-D. Currently on display at the Flatiron Building Prow Artspace is a life-size 3D diorama of Edward Hopper’s famous painting, “Nighthawks”. The legendary diner scene has been recreated as part of the Whitney Museum’s current exhibition of Hopper’s work called “Hopper Drawing”. The exhibition is happening now through October 6th.
