The Filtered Excellence: July 11, 2013

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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:

Crystal Fairy. Directed by Sebastian Silva (The Maid). Michael Cera stars in this indie film about an American in Chile who takes a road trip to find a legendary San Pedro cactus so they can make mescaline and have an ‘experience’ on the beach. He and three brothers (played by actual brothers Juan Andres Silva, Jose Miguel Silva and Augustin Silva) plan the trip and meet up with the free spirited Crystal Fairy, played by Gaby Hoffman, who you might remember as the little girl in Field of Dreams and Uncle Buck. The film is largely improvised by the small but outstanding cast. In limited theaters, and available on demand, on itunes and Amazon.com.

This is the End. Starring Seth Rogan, James Franco, Danny McBride, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, and Craig Robinson, this is the perfect summer movie, and has been somewhat overlooked. Light, fun, and full of laughs, its well worth the ticket.

I Want My Name Back! In the summer of 1979, three young rappers – Michael ‘Wonder Mike’ Wright, Guy ‘Master Gee’ O’Brien and Henry ‘Big Bank Hank’ Jackson – cut ‘Rapper’s Delight’ at a studio in Englewood, New Jersey. Released in September, the song would become a global smash and put hip hop on the map. The group would release several successful singles and albums, but money disputes with the band’s label forced the group to break up in 1984. When a remix of ‘Rapper’s Delight’ hit the charts in the 90s, Wonder Mike and Master Gee looked to reform the group, only to find that Sugar Hill Records had trademarked the band name as well as their stage name. To make matters worse, the label put on the road a de-facto Sugar Hill Gang with Big Bank Hank as its only original member and a rapper going by the name ‘Master Gee’! I Want My Name Back shows how Wright and O’Brien formed the group, their respective highs and lows and the long road back to reclaim their names – and their rightful place in history. Gangsters, identity theft and, of course, a lot of great music, I Want My Name Back is a gutty cautionary tale but also about a great story of perseverance. It’s available now through Amazon, Itunes and all digital outlets.

The Hunt (In theaters July 12). In an intensely acted role which won him the Best Actor Award at Cannes Film Festival in 2012, Mads Mikkelsen (NBC’s Hannibal, Valhalla Rising, A Royal Affair) plays Lucas in this powerful and unsettling Danish drama. Lucas is a school teacher who is attempting a new start in life after going through a difficult divorce. Just as he is putting the pieces of his life back together, he becomes a victim of a false accusation. His is the story of an innocent man, wrongly accused. When a modern day witch hunt ensues, he alone is left to clear his name. It’s chilling because such a incident could easily happen to anyone, anywhere: One random little lie, an untruthful fabrication can stir up destructive gossip which can fuel a community’s misguided hysteria and vengeance. The Hunt is a beautifully shot yet disturbing film, co-written and directed by Thomas Vinterberg.

The Chevrolet Home Run Derby. The night before the All Star game, it’s MLB’s Home Run Derby. This year’s Derby captains, Robinson Cano representing the American League and David Wright representing the National League, have selected their home run teams. Baseball fans feel this is the highlight of All Star week. On Monday night, July 15th, see who racks up the most homers and who goes the longest. The Home Run Derby is Monday, 8pm Eastern on ESPN.

All Star Game 2013. It’s the 84th MLB All Star Game. The mid-summer classic features the best of the American League versus the best from the National. The teams are voted on by the fans, players, coaches and managers. The game decides which league’s representative will have home field advantage in the World Series. The MLB All Game is Tuesday, July 16th on FOX. Coverage starts at 7:30pm and game time is 8pm Eastern.

 

Wanda Sykes Presents Herlarious. The first of two comedy specials from the hysterical Wanda Sykes airs on OWN, Saturday, July 13th at 10pm Eastern. The special features a line up of rising female comedians doing stand up and sketches. Be sure to also see the second of the two specials on Saturday, July 20th at 10pm Eastern.

The Newsroom. The season 2 premiere of Aaron Sorkin’s “The Newsroom” airs on HBO, Sunday, July 14th at 10pm Eastern. This season “The Newsroom” deals with Occupy Wall Street, the 2012 Presidential election and Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) faces the fallout of taking on the Tea Party. Plus, the team is working on a big story. The kind of story “that makes careers and ends presidencies”.

 

LISTEN TO THIS:

That’s It! by Preservation Jazz Hall Band. The Preservation Jazz Hall Band has been thrilling audiences worldwide with their brand of traditional New Orleans-style jazz for 50 years. To coincide with the anniversary, the band has just released, That’s It!, their first album of all-original compositions. Co-producer Jim James of My Morning Jacket doesn’t tinker with the formula at all – it’s a healthy diet of New Orleans swing (the smoking title track), gospel (Dear Lord Give Me Strength), moody ballads (August Nights), bossa nova (‘Halfway Right, Halfway Wrong’) and of course, straight up New Orleans-based jazz. A slight change of direction for the band, but an all-around good move. Yet another triumph for one of America’s greatest musical treasures. That’s It is available now through Itunes, Amazon and all digital media outlets.

BROWSE THIS:

5 Second Films (www.5secondfilms.com) Based out of Los Angeles, 5 Second Films is a series of quirky, irreverant, and at times laugh out loud micro-short films that last, well, about 5 seconds. If you have a really short attention span and a wacked out sense of humor, this site is for you.

DO THIS:

New York City and Los Angeles: The Morrison Hotel Gallery. Named after the 1968 Doors classic album, The Morrison Hotel Gallery (with locations in NY & LA) features photographs from some of the world’s best photographers with an emphasis, of course, on music. Current exhibitions include this weekend’s opening of ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash & Suicide Blonde’ a collection of photos of Mick Jagger, Tom Petty, Bjork, Carla Bruni and much more shot by producer/musician/songwriter Dave Stewart; Norman Seeff’s ‘Passion & The Power To Create’, which features iconic shots of Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, The Band, Steve Martin, Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe, among others; and the work of Art Shay, who has photographed eight Presidents and just about every major pop culture icon of the last 60 years. Whether you are a collector or just want to view, The Morrison Hotel Gallery is THE place to go for the best in fine arts photography.

Hollywood, California. Oscars Outdoors. Risky Business: 30th Anniversary. The Academy Hollywood campus hosts the outdoor Summer movie festival. All summer long, enjoy movies outside while picnicking. Beer and wine are permitted. Wednesday, July 17th – “Risky Business” has been added to the schedule to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the film starring Tom Cruise. Seating is unreserved and gates open 6:30pm. The screening then starts at sunset.

New York City. All Star Sunday. The Celebrities and Legends Softball Game and the SiriusXM Futures Game. MLB All Star week kicks off with celebrities and legends playing in a softball game at Citi Field. The legends include Doc Gooden, Mike Piazza, Bernie Williams, Darryl Strawberry Andre Dawson, Rollie Fingers, Rickey Henderson, Ozzie Smith,and John Franco. The celebrities making up the teams include, Chris Rock, George Lopez, Kevin James and Ashanti. Before the softball game, it’s the SiriusXM Futures Game featuring MLB’s best young prospects from the U.S. and around the world. All Star Sunday begins at 2pm at Citi Field.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bastille Day Celebration at Eastern State Penitentiary. The former prison, now national historic landmark, hosts Bastille Day in Philly. The French Revolution will be re-enacted with the storming of the prison. Watch as Marie Antoinette is dragged to a real, functioning guillotine, built for the occasion. After the beheading, the block party starts in front of the prison.

Nationwide:  Coming of Age Films on the Big Screen.  Various Landmark theaters will be showing classic coming of age comedies on Tuesday nights in their theaters this summer.  Tuesday, July 16 — Dazed and Confused, Tuesday, July 23 — Almost Famous, and Tuesday, July 30 — Breakfast Club will be on the big screen in New York — Landmark Sunshine, Los Angeles — Los Feliz, Dallas — Angelika Dallas, Boston — Kendall Square Cinema, DC — E Street Cinema, Philadelphia — Ritz Five, Chicago — Century Centre Cinema, Minneapolis — Lagoon Cinema and  Seattle — Harvard Exit Theatre.  Check local listings for details.

Interrobang Staff

Interrobang Staff