The Filtered Excellence: July 29, 2016
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 week’s 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:
Can We Take A Joke? Comedy, in all of its forms, is at a commercial and critical peak. So is our ability to be outraged and mobilize that anger into action. A misinterpreted joke can turn a comic from industry darling to pariah within the click of a button. Director Ted Balaker talks to some of comedy’s edgiest comics – Jim Norton, Penn Jillette, Adam Carolla, Lisa Lampanelli, Heather McDonald, among others – to discuss how the outrage culture has affected their craft and, to a certain degree, what the audience chooses to laugh at. Has the general populace evolved to the point where it is no longer accepting certain kinds of comments? Or is a small segment who simply can not take a joke trying to dictate their beliefs on everyone else? Balaker looks at it from all angles, let’s the jokes fly left and right, yet also presents a cautionary tale about how this could ultimately infringe on our right to free speech. A thought provoking and important doc that extends itself beyond the realm of comedy. Can We Take A Joke? opens in theaters on Friday and will be available on iTunes on August 2nd.
Gleason. Steve Gleason’s courageous battle against ALS is the subject of this new doc from Clay Tweel. Gleason became the symbol of a revived and revitalized New Orleans when, during the Saints’ first game in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, he blocked a punt during a nationally televised game that led to a victory. The moment is the launch point that ultimately led the Saints to Super Bowl glory. In 2011, Gleason was diagnosed with ALS, and the film serves as a means for him to document as much as life as possible before the disease takes hold. Even as his condition worsens, his love of his family, community and of life, never wavers. It’s a powerful, life affirming story that is also inspiring. One of the year’s best. Gleason opens in select theaters on Friday. You can also go to http://www.gleasonmovie.com/ for more information.
Miss Sharon Jones! Through hard work, tenacity and perseverance, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings put funk and soul music back into the mainstream. The band was prepping for its biggest release and tour to date when Jones was diagnosed with cancer. Two time Academy Award winning director Barbara Kopple (Harlan County USA, American Dream, Shut Up And Sing) documents the year long battle of Jones with the disease as well as her fellow bandmates scrambling to find work after the tour was put on hold. Jones handles both the prognosis and the treatment with a warmth and dignity that is empowering and inspiring.
LISTEN TO THIS
Grown Folks Talking by California King. The latest EP from this Brooklyn based band is a bright, optimistic look at love in all of its forms. Whether its straight guitar driven pop (‘My Only One’), sensual reggae-flavored New Wave (‘A Second Time’, ‘Make Me Glow’), and DIY style synth pop/rock (‘Weight Of The World), California King once again delivers a solid collection of songs that begs to be heard by a larger audience. Grown Folks Talking is available now through the group’s Bandcamp page: http://www.californiaking.bandcamp.com/
DO THIS
New York City: The Bells. A Daylong Celebration Of Lou Reed. Laurie Anderson and Hal Willner curated this extensive look at the career and legacy of one of New York’s favorite sons. There will be tai-chi lessons, audio interpretations of his experiments with feedback; readings of his lyrics and poems by Steve Buscemi, Kim Cattrall, Willem Dafoe, and Julian Schnabel; live performances of Reed’s love songs by such notables as David Johansen, Lenny Kaye, Victoria Williams, Garland Jeffreys, among others; and screenings of Lou Reed: Rock n Roll Hearts and Schnabel’s concert film Lou Reed’s Berlin and much more. Whether you were a casual fan, die-hard fan or a newbie, this is an all-in-one experience that cannot be missed. The Bells: A Daylong Celebration Of Lou Reed will take place on Saturday, July 30th at Lincoln Center Out Of Doors. You can go to www.lcoutofdoors.org for a complete list of events, locations and more information.
New York City: See It Big! The 70mm Show. With the release of his western epic, The Hateful Eight, Quentin Tarantino put the 70mm, big screen format back on the cinematic map. The Museum Of The Moving Image has dedicated itself to celebrating and preserving it by making it an annual part of its ongoing See It Big series. Starting Friday and running through September, they will be showing such classic films as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Spartacus, and The Wild Bunch in all of its 70mm splendor. In addition, the series will also feature Hamlet, Star!, the 1982 Hal Ashby-directed concert film on The Rolling Stones, Let’s Spend The Night Together and The Hateful Eight. If you ever want to get a sense of what grand scale film making looks and sounds like, this is the retrospective to catch. See It Big! The 70mm Show runs at The Museum Of The Moving Image July 29th through September 4th. You can also go to http://www.movingimage.us/ for showtimes, dates and additional information.
Chicago: Lollapalooza 2016. When Perry Farrell launched Lollapalooza in 1991, few predicted that a traveling, day long music festival featuring an odd assortment of acts would have staying power. 25 years later, Lollapalooza is now considered the godfather of all music festivals and has had an impact that can be felt across the globe. The festival once again returns to Grant Park with Jane’s Addiction, Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lana Del Ray, Ellie Goulding, J. Cole and LCD Soundsystem, just some of the many bands who will performing over the weekend. In addition to all of the great music, there will be info about how to get involved with socially conscious organizations, events and activities for children, arts markets and much more. If you’re not in the Chicago area, don’t worry: You’ll be able to watch various bands online through Red Bull TV. One of, if not THE event of the festival season. Lollapalooza 2016 will be at Grant Park through July 31st. You can also go tohttp://www.lollapalooza.com/ for a complete rundown of events and additional information.
Want more excellence? Read last week’s The Filtered Excellence and visit The Interrobang Recommmends
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