The Filtered Excellence: October 31, 2019

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

Dolomite Is My Name.  Eddie Murphy makes a triumphant return as comedian turned blaxploitation film star Rudy Ray Moore in this new Netflix film.  Directed by Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow), it tells the story of how Moore, a struggling comic who spend his days working at a record store, reinvents himself as Dolomite, a pimp who would recite raunchy, sexually explicit rhymes backed by jazz and R&B musicians.  The film shows Moore’s attempts to broaden his appeal by bringing the Dolomite character to the big screen – despite having no previous acting experience, a limited budget, and a film crew that’s made up primarily of his friends and students barley out of film school.  This has been Murphy’s passion project for nearly two decades, and his love and respect for Moore practically leaps off the screen.  This isn’t just a comeback for Murphy, it’s also one for Brewer, Wesley Snipes as character actor turned exasperated director D’Urville Martin.  There’s also strong support from Craig Robinson as singer Ben Taylor (who also does his own singing), Mike Epps, Keegan-Michael Kay (of Keegan and Peele fame) and a breakout role for Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Moore’s protege and co-star Lady Reed.  Raunchy, rowdy, yet highly inspiring, R-Rated Eddie is back and he’s never been better.  Dolomite Is My Name is available now on Netflix.

Mrs Fletcher.  HBO’s series adaptation of the Tom Perrotta’s best selling novel stars Kathryn Hahn as  Eve Fletcher, a single mother who finds herself with an empty nest now that her son has gone off to college.  With an opportunity to have a life of her own, Eve takes a creative writing class at community college and attempts to get back in the dating world.  But what ultimately leads to her new sexual re-awakening is her discovery of online porn and how it opens up her imagination, not to mention her libido. Meanwhile, her son Brendan (Jackson White), whose good looks and dude-bro sense of humor made him a hit in high school, is going through his own life transitions after getting hit with heavy does of the real world as a college freshman.  Perrotta, who also wrote the novels Little Children, Election and The Leftovers – all of which were adapted into films and a TV series – is the show’s sole writer, giving him free rein to mine the dark humor that has been his trademark to full effect.  After starring in a number of solid supporting roles, Hahn finally gets to shine in the title role, wonderfully capturing both the initial uneasiness and then acceptance of her new life.  It’s another wild ride of a story from Perrotta and another great new entry into the HBO canon.  Mrs Fletcher airs Sunday night at 10:30 East on HBO.  You can also go to www.hbo.com for more information

L.A. Noir on TCM.  As Edward Norton rolls his film Motherless Brooklyn, the actor-director will guest host on Turner Classic Movies featuring a pair of classic film noir that heavily inspired him.  It will include The Big Sleep, starring Humphrey Bogart as detective Phillip Marlowe; and Chinatown, Roman Polanski’s 1974 masterpiece starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway.  Featuring private eyes, femme fatales, mystery and intrigue, it’s a perfect way to spend a Sunday night.  L.A. Noir with Edward Norton airs Sunday, November 3rd at 8pm on Turner Classic Movies.  You can also go to www.tcm.com for more information.

LISTEN TO THIS

1979 by Motörhead.   1979 was a watershed year for Motörhead.  Teaming up with producer Jimmy Miller (Traffic, Rolling Stones, Blind Faith), they released two of their definitive – and heaviest – albums with Overkill and Bomber, with both albums reaching the Top 20 on the U.K. Album chart.  To coincide with the 40th Anniversary of its release, the band has released a massive box set that includes Overkill and Bomber, two full concerts from their respective tours, B-sides, outtakes, rare tracks and much more. If you like a big, loud, band singing songs about sex, drugs, and, well, rock n roll, this box set more than delivers.  1979 by Motörhead is available now through Amazon, Apple Music and all major streaming services.  You can also go to www.motorhead.com for more information.

READ THIS

 

Time Is Tight by Booker T. Jones.   As the leader of Booker T & The MGs, Booker T. Jones was a key component in bringing Stax Records – and Southern Soul as a whole to the masses.  As a producer, he introduced the world to the lyrical genius of Bill Withers, manned the boards for Willie Nelson’s most successful album to date, Stardust.   Jones has also added his distinctive Hammond B3 sound for artists ranging from Carlos Santana, Willie Nelson, and Neil Young.   Now, after more than 60 years in the business, Booker T Jones has finally publishing his first memoir.  Zig zagging in a non-linear fashion through various points in his extraordinary life, Jones tells about growing up as a musical prodigy in a racially divided Memphis; playing his first sessions with Stax when he was still in high school;  recording the now classic ‘Greens Onions’ when he was only 18; writing and performing with his group, The MGs, to backing some of the greatest names in soul, including Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas, just to name a few.  Jones also goes in detail about breaking away from the MGs at the height of their success to move in California to make his mark on his own terms.  You are sucked into his story from jump, and his stories about working with all time greats are done with candor, humor and above all, joy.  It’s an outstanding tome from one of the most seminal musicians in rock and soul.  Time Is Tight by Booker T. Jones is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all major book retailers.

Want more excellence? Read last week’s the filtered excellence.

The following two tabs change content below.
Earl Douglas is a writer/photographer based in New York City. A frequent contributor to The Interrobang, Earl is also Executive Director for the New York chapter of The Black Rock Coalition. Earl worked in radio for nearly two decades at WNEW-FM and XM Satellite Radio, which included being the on-air producer for Carol Miller, Scott Muni and Ron & Fez, and a contributor to Opie & Anthony. Earl has also independently published a number of books including Black Rock Volume 1, Urban Abyss, Mobile Uploads, and For Shimmy. His latest project is the photojournalism magazine PRAXIS, which is available exclusively through Blurb.com.
Earl Douglas
Earl Douglas
Earl Douglas is a writer/photographer based in New York City. A frequent contributor to The Interrobang, Earl is also Executive Director for the New York chapter of The Black Rock Coalition. Earl worked in radio for nearly two decades at WNEW-FM and XM Satellite Radio, which included being the on-air producer for Carol Miller, Scott Muni and Ron & Fez, and a contributor to Opie & Anthony. Earl has also independently published a number of books including Black Rock Volume 1, Urban Abyss, Mobile Uploads, and For Shimmy. His latest project is the photojournalism magazine PRAXIS, which is available exclusively through Blurb.com.