The Filtered Excellence: November 24, 2011
Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” Its 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:
Another Happy Day. (Phase 4 Films) Ellen Barkin leads a killer cast – including Thomas Hayden Church, Ellen Burstyn, George Kennedy, Demi Moore, Kate Bosworth and newcomer Ezra Miller – in this dark comedy that centers around a dysfunctional family gathering together for the oldest son‘s wedding. First time writer/director Sam Levinson (son of Barry) isn’t intimidated by the largely veteran cast, which in turn, seems to be having a ball with the refreshingly adult material. A definite sleeper. Another Happy Day is screening in select theaters in New York and L.A.
Khodorkovsky. Today, he’s one of the world’s most famous political prisoners, but at one time, he was the richest man in Russia. German director, Cyril Tuschi tells the fascinating story of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former owner of Yukos Oil, who many believe was convicted and imprisoned for political motivations- for daring to challenge then Russian President Vladimir Putin. The documentary tells more than just his story; within his story, also is reflected that of a changing country, from its last gasp of a Communist past to a less-than-flattering portrait of Russian society now. Tuschi blends interviews with Khodorkovsky himself, (sometimes as he sits in a glass box in the courtroom), and others, with austere black and white animated sequences, to tell this story that is part biography, part drama, and part political thriller. The film has been pulled from most Moscow theaters (via thehollywoodreporter), but will be released here Nov. 30th.
A Dangerous Method. David Cronenberg directs A Dangerous Method, the adaptation of Christopher Hampton’s play “The Talking Cure” (based on John Kerr’s book “A Most Dangerous Method”). It is the story of the complicated, tumultuous relationship and friendship between young psychiatrist Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) and his mentor Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen)… and Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley), the woman at the root of the rift that is to come between them. The film showcases pre-war psychiatric discoveries, theories and methods- the birth of psychoanalysis, within the framework of this “the girl who came between them” story. Historical drama, tragic romance, spanking!? In theaters now.
Twelve Angry Men. Starring Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Jack Klugman and directed by Sidney Lumet is finally out on DVD and Blu-Ray. This is the original folks, and a re-watch proves that not only does it still stand up, but it might even feel more impactful today than the first time you watched it. Must have! Order it here!
LISTEN TO THIS:
Songbook by Chris Cornell. (Universal) It’s always a daunting task to take to the stage armed with just your voice and a guitar. Raw, naked and vulnerable. No margin for error. The songs have to matter. But when it’s in the hands of Chris Cornell, it looks easy, effortless, and flawless. Songbook captures 18 acoustic performances from his recent solo tour covering everything from his days in Soundgarden, Temple Of The Dog, Audioslave, solo albums and a few choice covers (including Led Zep’s ‘Thank You‘ and John Lennon’s ‘Imagine‘). To hear ‘Black Hole Sun‘, ‘Call Me A Dog‘, and ‘Fell On Black Days‘ stripped down, you really feel like your eavesdropping into his creative process. Songbook reaffirms Chris Cornell as one of the best vocalists of his generation. Order the CD 
50 Words For Snow by Kate Bush. (Anti) New music from Kate Bush – her first in 6 year – is always an event and this one is no different. With seven songs, according to Bush, ‘set against a backdrop of falling snow’, it’s largely sparse yet sweeping, accessible yet experimental, otherworldly and electronic yet earthy and organic. In other words, classic Kate Bush. Pick it up, put it on, close your eyes and take the journey. Another winner from one of the most enigmatic performers of the last 35 years. Order the CD 
Abdication…For Your Love by Reigning Sound. Garage Punk Goodness. The new Reigning Sound album is good…and it’s FREE! Greg Cartwright on guitar and lead vocals (known for such 90’s garage rock bands out of Memphis, such as The Oblivians, Compulsive Gamblers, The Tip Tops) along with Benny Trokan (bassist), Mike Catanese (guitar), Mikey Post (drums) and Dave Amels (keyboardist) make up the band Reigning Sound. Their latest release features some more of those raw, 60’s garage rock, proto-punk vibes. Standout songs are Lying Girl, and the slower, moodier Eve.
What Were You Hoping For by Van Hunt. Van Hunt was one of the promising new stars of the neo-soul movement as a writer and as a performer. A three-time Grammy nominee, Hunt finally won for Best Urban Alternative Performance in 2007. But after his label, Blue Note refused to released his 3rd album, he found himself without a deal, but with the freedom to follow his creative muse. With the independently released, What Were You Hoping For, we finally get to get to see this L.A.-based singer-songwriter let this freak flag fly. This is the sleeper album of the year. Don’t sleep on it! Order the CD now
READ THIS:
Then Again by Diane Keaton. Confession time, we haven’t had a chance to read this yet, but if you like biographies, this would have to be a must read, and early reviews are excellent. Amazon has it on their best books of the month list, and we’re inclined to trust them on this one. We love Diane Keaton. Not only is she a terrific actress but she’s unique, well spoken, and unbelievably interesting. We’ll definitely be grabbing this one over the weekend. Order the book here
TRY THIS:
Seville Orange Tortas de Aceite Delicious, authentic Spanish tortas! These sweet olive oil cookies, delicately flavored with Seville orange, are hand-made in Spain using a recipe that is over 100 years old from Ines Rosales. Described on the site: “These Orange Dessert Crisps are reminiscent of the pie crust cookies your Mom might have made for you when she was trimming her pie before putting it in the oven.” TOTALLY, but with sweet orange and a sprinkling of sugar. They’re really fantastic. By theee way… The site latienda.com is an outstanding mail order resource for all “The Best of Spain.” The finest authentic Spanish foods, products, hard-to-find ingredients. I love it, I tell you! Great for gifts, tapas lovers.
BROWSE THIS:
Coolworks.com. If you don’t know about coolworks yet, it’s about to become a favorite site. Coolworks lists available jobs, in cool places. Most of them don’t pay much, but many of them pay your expenses and give you an experience of a lifetime. Ever think about working on a ranch? A cruiseship? At a theme park? In a hotel in a tourist mecca? Coolworks lists all the jobs from dishwasher to management. If you’ve lost your job, if you’ve lost your girl, if you’re looking for a new start in life…you will love coolworks. It’s great to know that if everything else fails you can always pick up and go work in a National Park. Of course, this does you no good if you have responsibilities– kids, a dog, a wife, a husband. But hey, you can still fantasize right?
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