Hi everyone!
I've been a fan of Kylie Minogue since her "Loco-motion" days nearly thirty years ago. I've always kind of seen her as Madonna without the edge or the pretension. Kylie has evolved into an international pop star -- one of the top female recording artists in the world -- though she has never quite been able to make a successful go of it here in the U.S. With the exception of a darker edgier avant-garde phase in the early 90s, (her collaboration with Nick Cave comes to mind) Kylie's music is upbeat and sensuous without necessarily being all that sexy. She's kind of the ultimate tease. She excels at infectious danceable pop songs that get into your head ("Can't Get You Out of My Head") and stay there. Her voice is a bit breathy, a bit thin, but with undeniable range. Like Madonna, her live shows are spectacular but you never get the sense that Kylie is trying to do more than entertain. She's not afraid to have fun. And although I've been a lifelong fan of Madonna and think she's brilliant if not visionary at times, I've always thought that Madonna tries a bit too hard -- especially in sections of her recent MDNA tour -- to convince us that she's having fun.
And so we come to Kylie's latest studio album -- her 12th I believe: "Kiss Me Once". She's working with a new team and while many critics and fans have said this latest effort is a step in a new direction/new sound for Kylie, I don't discern much of a change. It's a fluffy pop confection that passes by in no time at all. There's no message or underlying theme, no dark hidden meaning. At first I wasn't overly enamored, but after repeat listenings, individual songs start to get into your head -- just like Kylie's songs tend to do -- and leave you feeling a little euphoric and a whole lot happy. I'll even venture to say that this is probably Kylie's best and most consistent album since 2000's "Light Years".
Track One: "Into the Blue". This is a barnstorming opener, probably the strongest track on the album, and one of my favorite Kylie singles. Unfortunately, because the song is so strong everything that comes after it leaves you a tad disappointed...at least initially. As I've said, this is an album that grows on you but "Into the Blue" is the album's stand-out track.
Track Two: "Million Miles". Catchy chorus and beat, will probably be a big hit in the clubs and should be the album's second single.
Track Three: "I Was Gonna Cancel". This Pharrell-produced track takes a bit of getting used to. It's kind of bouncy, kind of funky, about what you'd expect from Pharrell. Without being overtly disco, it brings to mind a little Donna Summer, Studio 54, disco balls, and roller-skates. I don't know why but that's what I think of when I listen to this song.
Track Four: "Sexy Love". After "Into the Blue", this is one of my favorite tracks. It's Kylie at her playful flirty best and I think the chorus samples from an 80s one-hit wonder because I'm sure I've hear it somewhere before. A lot of fun and will definitely stick in your head. More roller skates.
Track Five: "Sexercise". I wouldn't necessarily call this a misstep, but it's the only song on the album that I tend to skip when I listen to the album straight through. It's the most overtly sexual track on the album and it samples from a weird rhythm track she released last summer called "Skirt". Yeah, it's sinuous and mildly dirty but I feel it tries too hard to be sexy. It also doesn't really fit with what comes before or after it. And the name "Sexercise" just sounds a bit ridiculous especially when repeated over the course of three minutes.
Track Six: "Feels So Good". I love this track. It's a happy, breezy song with a synthesized bass that brings Giorgio Moroder to mind without being retro. The title accurately describes how you'll feel listening to it.
Track Seven: "If Only". This is another stand-out track: a ballad of sorts with a wistful synthesized edge that becomes epic about halfway through. I think Kylie's voice is at its best here: it soars above the percussion that gradually take front and center. It also features my favorite lyric of the entire album: "If I set you free and you actually came back to me." I'm a sentimentalist, but this song gives me goose bumps.
Track Eight: "Les Sex". Cheeky 1980s "Parisian" pop. This song is a lot of fun with some of the most ridiculous lyrics on the album: "Take two of these and meet me in the shadows/We'll be higher than stilettos". But it's undeniably catchy. Je t'aime.
Track Nine: "Kiss Me Once". The album's title track is another upbeat affair and (like this album) just gets better and better after repeated listenings.
Track Ten: "Beautiful". A duet with Enrique Iglesias. A rather subdued track with some nice harmonies between Kylie and Enrique and subtle usage of the vocoder. It's a pretty track, romantic, and less 'produced' than the rest of the album. But I feel that it never rises to the heights a duet between these two powerhouse pop artists should. It's a nice ballad but ultimately leaves you wanting more.
Track Eleven: "Fine". Kylie leaves us on an optimistic note: "You're gonna be fine...Turn your face into the sun" she sings over a dance floor whirl. It's not quite the barnstormer of the album's opener but it's a more than suitable ending to an album that is truly in love with love and doing nothing more than having fun.
Kylie deserves a bigger audience here in the U.S. and this album should bring her new converts. "Kiss Me Once" is the most consistently enjoyable new album of 2014 thus far.
Must-haves: "Into the Blue" "Feels So Good" "If Only" "Les Sex" and "Sexy Love"
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Film Review: Lars Von Trier's "Nymphomaniac, Volume One"
Hello everyone!
What can I say about Danish director Lars Von Trier's latest magnum opus that hasn't already been said? Probably nothing but I'll give you all my take on it anyway.
For those of you who aren't familiar with him, Lars Von Trier is one of those European filmmakers who seems to thrive on provocation. Every one of his films -- and there are a handful -- is hailed as "an event". Two years ago in this blog, I reviewed his film "Melancholia" and was justifiably, I believe, blown away by it. "Nymphomaniac, Volume One" (soon to be followed by Volume Two later this week) doesn't have the narrative or atmospheric power of "Melancholia", but it is nonetheless strangely effective in a rather blank sort of way, if that makes any sense at all.
In brief, a middle-aged woman named Joe (played by Charlotte Gainsbourg in later life and Stacy Martin as a young woman) is seen lying in an alley one rainy/snowy London night. She has apparently been beaten, though by whom -- at least by the end of Volume One -- we don't know. Joe is 'rescued' by a man named Seligman (played by Stellan Skarsgard) who invites her into his home and allows her to recuperate there in exchange, it would seem, for her relating her life's story to him.
Joe is the nymphomaniac of the title. The film is a flashback starting with Joe as a young girl doted on by her kindly scientist father (an understated Christian Slater) and a cold unfeeling mother (Connie Nielsen). When Joe is fifteen she determines to lose her virginity to an older guy in her town -- whom we later come to know as Jerome (a rather disarming Shia La Boeuf) -- which is then followed by a revolving door of more-or-less nameless lovers interspersed with rather windy and obscure reflections on everything from fly fishing to Bach to delirium tremens, all of which we are led to believe have correlations to Joe's nymphomania. Jerome returns and Joe realizes that she loves him even though this goes against her resolve never to mix sex with love. As she puts it, "love is nothing more than lust mixed with jealousy."
Volume One concludes with Joe -- having witnessed her father's painful death from an unnamed cancer and undergone one of the most awkward and flat-out hilarious confrontations with one of her lover's wives -- Mrs. H (a fantastic and fantastically campy Uma Thurman) -- reuniting with Jerome only to realize she can't "feel anything" down there. Frankly, I'm not surprised.
I didn't feel anything either. With the exception of Ms. Thurman, there's an element of catatonia in every performance -- especially from Stacy Martin as the young Joe who seems unable to register any facial expression whatsoever even in the throes of passion. And yet...and yet I couldn't help but be consistently intrigued. The film is actually really rather funny at times because everything is so deadly in earnest. And the sex? Yeah, there's a fair bit but--at least in Volume One--it's rather run-of-the-mill, nothing that anyone can't or hasn't already seen on the Internet.
No, this isn't a film for everyone and no, I can't say whether I'd really recommend it, but I kind of liked it and am looking forward to seeing Volume Two this weekend. The sex is the least interesting aspect of this story. What intrigues -- as always intrigues with a Von Trier film -- is the spirited audacity of the filmmaking. Mr. Von Trier may not have anything profound to say, but he keeps you looking for profundity.
What can I say about Danish director Lars Von Trier's latest magnum opus that hasn't already been said? Probably nothing but I'll give you all my take on it anyway.
For those of you who aren't familiar with him, Lars Von Trier is one of those European filmmakers who seems to thrive on provocation. Every one of his films -- and there are a handful -- is hailed as "an event". Two years ago in this blog, I reviewed his film "Melancholia" and was justifiably, I believe, blown away by it. "Nymphomaniac, Volume One" (soon to be followed by Volume Two later this week) doesn't have the narrative or atmospheric power of "Melancholia", but it is nonetheless strangely effective in a rather blank sort of way, if that makes any sense at all.
In brief, a middle-aged woman named Joe (played by Charlotte Gainsbourg in later life and Stacy Martin as a young woman) is seen lying in an alley one rainy/snowy London night. She has apparently been beaten, though by whom -- at least by the end of Volume One -- we don't know. Joe is 'rescued' by a man named Seligman (played by Stellan Skarsgard) who invites her into his home and allows her to recuperate there in exchange, it would seem, for her relating her life's story to him.
Joe is the nymphomaniac of the title. The film is a flashback starting with Joe as a young girl doted on by her kindly scientist father (an understated Christian Slater) and a cold unfeeling mother (Connie Nielsen). When Joe is fifteen she determines to lose her virginity to an older guy in her town -- whom we later come to know as Jerome (a rather disarming Shia La Boeuf) -- which is then followed by a revolving door of more-or-less nameless lovers interspersed with rather windy and obscure reflections on everything from fly fishing to Bach to delirium tremens, all of which we are led to believe have correlations to Joe's nymphomania. Jerome returns and Joe realizes that she loves him even though this goes against her resolve never to mix sex with love. As she puts it, "love is nothing more than lust mixed with jealousy."
Volume One concludes with Joe -- having witnessed her father's painful death from an unnamed cancer and undergone one of the most awkward and flat-out hilarious confrontations with one of her lover's wives -- Mrs. H (a fantastic and fantastically campy Uma Thurman) -- reuniting with Jerome only to realize she can't "feel anything" down there. Frankly, I'm not surprised.
I didn't feel anything either. With the exception of Ms. Thurman, there's an element of catatonia in every performance -- especially from Stacy Martin as the young Joe who seems unable to register any facial expression whatsoever even in the throes of passion. And yet...and yet I couldn't help but be consistently intrigued. The film is actually really rather funny at times because everything is so deadly in earnest. And the sex? Yeah, there's a fair bit but--at least in Volume One--it's rather run-of-the-mill, nothing that anyone can't or hasn't already seen on the Internet.
No, this isn't a film for everyone and no, I can't say whether I'd really recommend it, but I kind of liked it and am looking forward to seeing Volume Two this weekend. The sex is the least interesting aspect of this story. What intrigues -- as always intrigues with a Von Trier film -- is the spirited audacity of the filmmaking. Mr. Von Trier may not have anything profound to say, but he keeps you looking for profundity.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Made in Chelsea: An Anglophile of a Certain Age's Dream
Hello everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season.
I've been quite busy lately so -- obviously -- the blog has suffered. It's not been from a lack of interest on my part. There's just been a lot on in my life lately, not the least of which has been work. But frankly I've not felt particularly inspired to write. Those of you who have followed my blog for the better part of two years have seen it morph from a wannabe society column to hard news and current affairs and then, most recently, a forum for film reviews and general pop culture. That's a bit like me, I suppose: I'm all over the place in terms of my interests and what gets me going.
While I'm not calling this a relaunch per se, I do think going forward this blog is going to change somewhat again. I think I'd like it to be more of a fusion of everything I've been writing about for the past two years. I may decide to make it a little more personal...I may decide not. But in the meantime, as a kick-off of sorts, I want to tell you all about my latest obsession.
Made in Chelsea.
Those of you who read this in the UK are going to think me a little behind the times. But here in the U.S., this hopelessly addictive 'structured' reality show about the lives and loves of twentysomethings living in the posh London borough of Chelsea has never been aired with the exception of a brief stint on Style TV. I've only just discovered it thanks to a very good friend of mine who introduced me to it by lending me her international DVD player and a box DVD set of the first three seasons.
Made in Chelsea -- however fabricated it may be -- is a fusion of several of my favorite things: London, beautiful people wearing beautiful clothes while angsting in London's trendiest restaurants and clubs, all to the sounds of an eclectic, rather fast-fashion musical soundtrack.
I am now halfway through Season Two. I've been binge-watching all week. The show has definitely cast its spell. And how can it not? What sets this show apart from its American reality show counterparts is its exquisite production values and its ridiculously well-spoken privileged cast with names like Caggie, Binky, Ceska, Ollie, Francis, Hugo, Louise, Proudlocke, Millie, Rosie, Gabriella, Amber, Victoria, Mark-Francis, and of course Spencer. There's champagne, caviar, polo, cricket, and country houses galore -- every Anglophile of a certain age's dream. It's also surprisingly witty and it (to top it of) has also won the BAFTA.
Okay, yes, it is a bit snobby, but I think that's also part of the show's appeal. It just wrapped its sixth season in the UK so quite happily I have rather a long way to go.
As I said, the DVDs aren't available here in the U.S. so you'll need to purchase them from the U.K. and have the right DVD player upon which to watch them. You can occasionally find 'bootlegged' episodes on YouTube but they are taken down as quickly as they are posted.
Simply put, Made in Chelsea seems to have been made for me.
Ciao.
I've been quite busy lately so -- obviously -- the blog has suffered. It's not been from a lack of interest on my part. There's just been a lot on in my life lately, not the least of which has been work. But frankly I've not felt particularly inspired to write. Those of you who have followed my blog for the better part of two years have seen it morph from a wannabe society column to hard news and current affairs and then, most recently, a forum for film reviews and general pop culture. That's a bit like me, I suppose: I'm all over the place in terms of my interests and what gets me going.
While I'm not calling this a relaunch per se, I do think going forward this blog is going to change somewhat again. I think I'd like it to be more of a fusion of everything I've been writing about for the past two years. I may decide to make it a little more personal...I may decide not. But in the meantime, as a kick-off of sorts, I want to tell you all about my latest obsession.
Made in Chelsea.
Those of you who read this in the UK are going to think me a little behind the times. But here in the U.S., this hopelessly addictive 'structured' reality show about the lives and loves of twentysomethings living in the posh London borough of Chelsea has never been aired with the exception of a brief stint on Style TV. I've only just discovered it thanks to a very good friend of mine who introduced me to it by lending me her international DVD player and a box DVD set of the first three seasons.
Made in Chelsea -- however fabricated it may be -- is a fusion of several of my favorite things: London, beautiful people wearing beautiful clothes while angsting in London's trendiest restaurants and clubs, all to the sounds of an eclectic, rather fast-fashion musical soundtrack.
I am now halfway through Season Two. I've been binge-watching all week. The show has definitely cast its spell. And how can it not? What sets this show apart from its American reality show counterparts is its exquisite production values and its ridiculously well-spoken privileged cast with names like Caggie, Binky, Ceska, Ollie, Francis, Hugo, Louise, Proudlocke, Millie, Rosie, Gabriella, Amber, Victoria, Mark-Francis, and of course Spencer. There's champagne, caviar, polo, cricket, and country houses galore -- every Anglophile of a certain age's dream. It's also surprisingly witty and it (to top it of) has also won the BAFTA.
Okay, yes, it is a bit snobby, but I think that's also part of the show's appeal. It just wrapped its sixth season in the UK so quite happily I have rather a long way to go.
As I said, the DVDs aren't available here in the U.S. so you'll need to purchase them from the U.K. and have the right DVD player upon which to watch them. You can occasionally find 'bootlegged' episodes on YouTube but they are taken down as quickly as they are posted.
Simply put, Made in Chelsea seems to have been made for me.
Ciao.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Two New Books You Can't Afford Not to Read: The Marble and the Sculptor and Jiu Jitsu Jurisprudence
Hi everyone!
I just want to take a moment to tell you all about two books releasing on Tuesday, November 5th that you should know about: The Marble and the Sculptor by Keith Lee and Jiu Jitsu Jurisprudence by Ryan Danz. Both are published by ABA Publishing, the book publishing division of the American Bar Association.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am especially supportive of these books because, well, I'm responsible for bringing them both into print. I am the Executive Editor who acquired both of these books, worked with the authors through their respective writing, editing, and production processes and basically lived and breathed these books for the past year. Having said that, even if I had nothing to do with their publication, I'd be pitching these books anyway. And on top of that, both authors are terrific guys.
The Marble and the Sculptor: From Law School to Law Practice is written by Keith Lee, a Birmingham, Alabama-based lawyer and the power behind the influential and widely followed legal blog The Associates Mind www.associatesmind.com. It is a practical, no-bullshit guide for helping new lawyers manage the transition from law student to becoming an actual lawyer. It covers everything from what classes you should take in law school to succeeding in your first years practicing law. But it is so much more than this. Despite its obvious legal angle, The Marble and the Sculptor provides useful and sensible advice for anyone looking to get the most out of their professional and personal lives regardless of career path or industry. In my totally biased opinion, there is no other book currently on the market that dispenses this information in a way that 1) respects the reader and his/her intelligence and 2) is such a joy to read. Simply put, no aspiring lawyer or professional of any type can afford not to have this book in his/her library. The message is timeless. The Marble and the Sculptor is destined to become a classic of its genre.
Jiu Jitsu Jurisprudence: A Guide to Balancing Your Law Practice with Your Life Practice through the Art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is written by San Diego-based Ryan Danz, http://ryandanz.com, a recent contestant on The Amazing Race and The Apprentice: Martha Stewart as well as former in-house counsel for a New York-based hedge fund and currently an investment manager and entrepreneur. This book is unique in that it introduces the reader to the martial art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu while showing the reader how to use the physical and mental aspects of the sport to improve their life and law practices. Author Ryan Danz also shares with the reader his own personal journey and how BJJ transformed his life (both personally and professionally) and made him the successful and deeply fulfilled person he is today. Like The Marble and the Sculptor, Jiu Jitsu Jurisprudence has broad applicability to anyone looking for a path to help them become a successful and more balanced person regardless of their career or life trajectory. In this capacity, it is truly inspirational.
Both books publish next Tuesday, November 5th and are sure to be top sellers as we go into the holiday shopping season. They are currently available for pre-orders on Amazon and on the American Bar Association's retail site. The links are posted below. For a limited time only, special autographed hardcover editions of both books are available exclusively through the American Bar Association web site.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Marble-Sculptor-School-Practice/dp/1614388865/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383099468&sr=8-1&keywords=the+marble+and+the+sculptor
http://apps.americanbar.org/abastore/index.cfm?pid=1620542HRD§ion=main&fm=Product.AddToCart
http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-Jurisprudence-Balancing-Brazilian/dp/161438889X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383098875&sr=8-1&keywords=jiu+jitsu+jurisprudence
http://apps.americanbar.org/abastore/index.cfm?pid=1620541HRD§ion=main&fm=Product.AddToCart
Read and be inspired!
I just want to take a moment to tell you all about two books releasing on Tuesday, November 5th that you should know about: The Marble and the Sculptor by Keith Lee and Jiu Jitsu Jurisprudence by Ryan Danz. Both are published by ABA Publishing, the book publishing division of the American Bar Association.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am especially supportive of these books because, well, I'm responsible for bringing them both into print. I am the Executive Editor who acquired both of these books, worked with the authors through their respective writing, editing, and production processes and basically lived and breathed these books for the past year. Having said that, even if I had nothing to do with their publication, I'd be pitching these books anyway. And on top of that, both authors are terrific guys.
The Marble and the Sculptor: From Law School to Law Practice is written by Keith Lee, a Birmingham, Alabama-based lawyer and the power behind the influential and widely followed legal blog The Associates Mind www.associatesmind.com. It is a practical, no-bullshit guide for helping new lawyers manage the transition from law student to becoming an actual lawyer. It covers everything from what classes you should take in law school to succeeding in your first years practicing law. But it is so much more than this. Despite its obvious legal angle, The Marble and the Sculptor provides useful and sensible advice for anyone looking to get the most out of their professional and personal lives regardless of career path or industry. In my totally biased opinion, there is no other book currently on the market that dispenses this information in a way that 1) respects the reader and his/her intelligence and 2) is such a joy to read. Simply put, no aspiring lawyer or professional of any type can afford not to have this book in his/her library. The message is timeless. The Marble and the Sculptor is destined to become a classic of its genre.
Jiu Jitsu Jurisprudence: A Guide to Balancing Your Law Practice with Your Life Practice through the Art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is written by San Diego-based Ryan Danz, http://ryandanz.com, a recent contestant on The Amazing Race and The Apprentice: Martha Stewart as well as former in-house counsel for a New York-based hedge fund and currently an investment manager and entrepreneur. This book is unique in that it introduces the reader to the martial art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu while showing the reader how to use the physical and mental aspects of the sport to improve their life and law practices. Author Ryan Danz also shares with the reader his own personal journey and how BJJ transformed his life (both personally and professionally) and made him the successful and deeply fulfilled person he is today. Like The Marble and the Sculptor, Jiu Jitsu Jurisprudence has broad applicability to anyone looking for a path to help them become a successful and more balanced person regardless of their career or life trajectory. In this capacity, it is truly inspirational.
Both books publish next Tuesday, November 5th and are sure to be top sellers as we go into the holiday shopping season. They are currently available for pre-orders on Amazon and on the American Bar Association's retail site. The links are posted below. For a limited time only, special autographed hardcover editions of both books are available exclusively through the American Bar Association web site.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Marble-Sculptor-School-Practice/dp/1614388865/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383099468&sr=8-1&keywords=the+marble+and+the+sculptor
http://apps.americanbar.org/abastore/index.cfm?pid=1620542HRD§ion=main&fm=Product.AddToCart
http://www.amazon.com/Jiu-Jitsu-Jurisprudence-Balancing-Brazilian/dp/161438889X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1383098875&sr=8-1&keywords=jiu+jitsu+jurisprudence
http://apps.americanbar.org/abastore/index.cfm?pid=1620541HRD§ion=main&fm=Product.AddToCart
Read and be inspired!
Monday, October 7, 2013
Spiral Season 4
Hi everyone!
I've just finished watching Season 4 of "Spiral" (Engrenages) and am very pleased to say that it is the best season to date. All of the crew are back and spending 12 hours with them is like spending time with close friends.
SPOILER ALERT:
Season 4 picks up more-or-less right where Season 3 left off. Laure is under investigation for allegedly shooting a suspect (held over from Season 3). Judge Roban returns after the scandal involving the suicide of his intern and is determined on re-establishing his reputation despite it seems the entire French justice system being against him. Pierre and Josephine are working to establish their private practice. Gilou still cannot help being drawn to the 'dark side'. Tintin continues to be as honorable as ever while he and his wife expect a new baby.
Season 4's central plot is complicated and multi-faceted. On the surface, it seems to be about the plight of illegal immigrants in France and the harsh conditions they face in detention centers. But, of course, this being "Spiral", there's a lot more to it than that. Throw into the mix anarchists trying to overthrow the government through terrorism, a Kurdish family that is straight out of the Godfather, and a Russian emigre gangster with some serious family issues, police and political in-fighting, and you have a season with more twists and turns than ever.
But what makes this season most satisfying is the human element. Even the seemingly strongest characters show a surprising amount of vulnerability. We learn something of Josephine's background and why she's the ruthless, rather heartless, woman we've come to love to hate. Laure finds herself in the midst of a love triangle with all-too-tragic consequences. Pierre crosses the line into the corruption he has heretofore resolved to vanquish.
The other thing that strikes me -- and is the series' central theme -- is how even the most honorable among us is not always immune to the temptation of corruption and the immediate benefits it seduces us into believing it can give us.
The characters of "Spiral" are extremely flawed. Justice is their ultimate goal but the means by which they achieve this noble aim are often questionable, never more so than in Season 4. No one comes out of this season with their hands clean. (And without giving anything away, the final moments of the final episode are heartbreaking. I was wiping away tears as I watched.)
I recently read that Season 5 is currently in production. For those of us in North America this means we'll sadly have to wait another year to see it. In the meantime, relish Season 4 or binge-watch it if you must, or go back to Season 1 and watch all 40 episodes from the start.
In my opinion, "Spiral" Season 4 is one of the best television series ever made.
I've just finished watching Season 4 of "Spiral" (Engrenages) and am very pleased to say that it is the best season to date. All of the crew are back and spending 12 hours with them is like spending time with close friends.
SPOILER ALERT:
Season 4 picks up more-or-less right where Season 3 left off. Laure is under investigation for allegedly shooting a suspect (held over from Season 3). Judge Roban returns after the scandal involving the suicide of his intern and is determined on re-establishing his reputation despite it seems the entire French justice system being against him. Pierre and Josephine are working to establish their private practice. Gilou still cannot help being drawn to the 'dark side'. Tintin continues to be as honorable as ever while he and his wife expect a new baby.
Season 4's central plot is complicated and multi-faceted. On the surface, it seems to be about the plight of illegal immigrants in France and the harsh conditions they face in detention centers. But, of course, this being "Spiral", there's a lot more to it than that. Throw into the mix anarchists trying to overthrow the government through terrorism, a Kurdish family that is straight out of the Godfather, and a Russian emigre gangster with some serious family issues, police and political in-fighting, and you have a season with more twists and turns than ever.
But what makes this season most satisfying is the human element. Even the seemingly strongest characters show a surprising amount of vulnerability. We learn something of Josephine's background and why she's the ruthless, rather heartless, woman we've come to love to hate. Laure finds herself in the midst of a love triangle with all-too-tragic consequences. Pierre crosses the line into the corruption he has heretofore resolved to vanquish.
The other thing that strikes me -- and is the series' central theme -- is how even the most honorable among us is not always immune to the temptation of corruption and the immediate benefits it seduces us into believing it can give us.
The characters of "Spiral" are extremely flawed. Justice is their ultimate goal but the means by which they achieve this noble aim are often questionable, never more so than in Season 4. No one comes out of this season with their hands clean. (And without giving anything away, the final moments of the final episode are heartbreaking. I was wiping away tears as I watched.)
I recently read that Season 5 is currently in production. For those of us in North America this means we'll sadly have to wait another year to see it. In the meantime, relish Season 4 or binge-watch it if you must, or go back to Season 1 and watch all 40 episodes from the start.
In my opinion, "Spiral" Season 4 is one of the best television series ever made.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Syria's Lost Generation
Hi everyone!
This blog originally started out as a forum for me to share and expand upon my views of current affairs, particularly in regards to the rise of the Arab Spring in Egypt and Syria. But I eventually found keeping up on these events hard-going and, frankly, rather depressing. For every step forward it seemed, two rather large steps back were taken and I felt that the whole process -- despite what at the time seemed to be some very positive developments -- just became utterly moribund. So I turned away from the news and chose to devote this blog to entertainment -- music and movie reviews and the occasional riff on Big Brother, etc.
But I've felt compelled for some time of late to give Syria another look. I just didn't know where I wanted to start. And then I read New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristoff's extremely tragic piece in this morning's paper, "The Boy Who Stood Up to Syrian Injustice", and realized this was the launch I was looking for.
Mr. Kristoff writes about a Syrian middle school kid named Mohammed who is currently living with his family in one of the overpopulated refugee camps in Jordan. He writes that although Mohammed wasn't one of the original child activists that started the Syrian civil war -- I'd completely forgotten it began with schoolchildren -- Mohammed was arrested and tortured by the Syrian police. This is a twelve year-old boy. After his release, Mohammed continued his protest. The police arrested and tortured his father and burned their home. Now Mohammed and his family have left Syria, like thousands of others, and are living as refugees in neighboring Jordan. He is now a part of what Mr. Kristoff describes as "Syrian's lost generation".
It's shameful that the Western World continues to allow tragedies like this to happen. The situation in Syria is rapidly approaching three years with no end in sight. Assad greeted the shameful US-Russia alliance on chemical weapons as a victory and although he claims to be cooperating with chemical weapons inspectors, we all know he's using this as a means of strengthening his resolve and brutality against his own people. Yeah, the opposition is fractured and rife with Al-Qaeda affiliated extremists and the West has to be extremely judicious in how and where it offers its aid.
And yet, the issue here isn't chemical weapons. The issue is the fact that President Obama -- who is increasingly becoming a do-nothing president -- chose to take the easy way out. His pact with Russia (which I'll predict now was doomed from the start) is nothing short of collusion with the enemy -- not just with Assad, but Putin, Assad's greatest ally apart from Iran. And this is a tragedy of epic proportions. We are collectively failing Mohammed and millions of children like him who want nothing more than a decent education and the opportunity to advance in life.
How many more children like Mohammed have to suffer in the face of diplomatic intransigence? How many more millions will be added to Syria's Lost Generation?
For shame.
This blog originally started out as a forum for me to share and expand upon my views of current affairs, particularly in regards to the rise of the Arab Spring in Egypt and Syria. But I eventually found keeping up on these events hard-going and, frankly, rather depressing. For every step forward it seemed, two rather large steps back were taken and I felt that the whole process -- despite what at the time seemed to be some very positive developments -- just became utterly moribund. So I turned away from the news and chose to devote this blog to entertainment -- music and movie reviews and the occasional riff on Big Brother, etc.
But I've felt compelled for some time of late to give Syria another look. I just didn't know where I wanted to start. And then I read New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristoff's extremely tragic piece in this morning's paper, "The Boy Who Stood Up to Syrian Injustice", and realized this was the launch I was looking for.
Mr. Kristoff writes about a Syrian middle school kid named Mohammed who is currently living with his family in one of the overpopulated refugee camps in Jordan. He writes that although Mohammed wasn't one of the original child activists that started the Syrian civil war -- I'd completely forgotten it began with schoolchildren -- Mohammed was arrested and tortured by the Syrian police. This is a twelve year-old boy. After his release, Mohammed continued his protest. The police arrested and tortured his father and burned their home. Now Mohammed and his family have left Syria, like thousands of others, and are living as refugees in neighboring Jordan. He is now a part of what Mr. Kristoff describes as "Syrian's lost generation".
It's shameful that the Western World continues to allow tragedies like this to happen. The situation in Syria is rapidly approaching three years with no end in sight. Assad greeted the shameful US-Russia alliance on chemical weapons as a victory and although he claims to be cooperating with chemical weapons inspectors, we all know he's using this as a means of strengthening his resolve and brutality against his own people. Yeah, the opposition is fractured and rife with Al-Qaeda affiliated extremists and the West has to be extremely judicious in how and where it offers its aid.
And yet, the issue here isn't chemical weapons. The issue is the fact that President Obama -- who is increasingly becoming a do-nothing president -- chose to take the easy way out. His pact with Russia (which I'll predict now was doomed from the start) is nothing short of collusion with the enemy -- not just with Assad, but Putin, Assad's greatest ally apart from Iran. And this is a tragedy of epic proportions. We are collectively failing Mohammed and millions of children like him who want nothing more than a decent education and the opportunity to advance in life.
How many more children like Mohammed have to suffer in the face of diplomatic intransigence? How many more millions will be added to Syria's Lost Generation?
For shame.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Movie Review: Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby", or rather "Gatsby!!!"
Hi everyone! And happy Labor Day.
I finally saw Baz Luhrmann's film of "The Great Gatsby" the other night. I've always been less a fan and more an admirer of his work. Taken as a whole, his films ("Strictly Ballroom", "Romeo & Juliet", "Moulin Rouge", and "Australia") are an impressive body of work if for no other reason than the audacity of their vision. I think Luhrmann is one of the few filmmakers today who can inspire both groans of despair and sighs of irrepressible glee in the span of a single film. His films knock you over with their frenetic pace and awe with their stunning visual palate. He takes chances in ways few of his contemporaries ever do and while the results aren't always positive, one can never say a Luhrmann production lacks vision.
"The Great Gatsby" proves no exception. It worked for me in ways that I didn't expect it to. And it failed for me in much the same way. Having said that though, I think of any film I've seen thus far in 2013, Luhrmann's "Gatsby" is -- from a purely cinematic perspective -- one of the year's best.
It all comes down to his vision. This is a film that leaps off the screen in bold gleaming colors and artificial landscapes and cityscapes that have no bearing on any sort of reality. Everything is capped with an exclamation point. If this were a musical -- which it very nearly is -- it would undoubtedly be called "Gatsby!" Let me see your Jazz hands everyone...or at least your Charleston. Gatsby's estate looks like the fairy castle at Disneyland with fountains that shoot water into the sky amid a rainbow of technicolor light. The gas station which houses the ill-fated Myrtle and Wilson exists in a weird almost post-apocalyptic wasteland of dirt and industrial ash. There's no missing the contrast between the excessive wealth of Gatsby and his East Egg crowd and the desperately poor (and just desperate) milieu inhabited by the less fortunates.
And while at first blush it is all rather over-the-top and vulgar, the vision works. Some critics have wrongly, I believe, written of the film that it celebrates and revels in the excess that the novel berates. Yes, there is excess and yes there is an almost orgiastic revelry to the proceedings, but never does the viewer (or at least this viewer) feel that he wants to be a part of it. These people are irredeemably shallow and the beauty is merely skin deep. This is "The Great Gatsby" set in a certain kind of gilded hell. And added to that is the hip hop-tinged soundtrack that I fully expected to criticize but came away thinking it was an utterly appropriate (if not inspired) accompaniment to the events on screen. Who would have thought that Beyonce, Jay-Z, and will.i.am would translate as well as they do in a 1920s setting? Perhaps only in a Luhrmann film...
My biggest criticism of the film is its acting. I will say that Tobey Maguire as Nick and Australian actor Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan were really very good. At heart, this is Nick's story. The reader (and the viewer) see the story of Gatsby and Daisy through Nick's eyes. Maguire (while no Sam Waterston) manages to convey both Nick's awe and repulsion with a sense of humor and a plucky kind of aplomb that is a lot of fun to watch. Edgerton's Tom is blustery (a "brute" Daisy calls him in the climactic scene at the Plaza Hotel), macho, and one senses capable of real violence. His is a presence that manages to cut through the excess all around him, which is no small task for an actor in a Luhrmann film. While not entirely sympathetic, Tom Buchanan is probably the closest to real flesh and blood of any of the characters.
Carey Mulligan as Daisy and Leonardo diCaprio as, of course, Gatsby fare less well. I think Ms. Mulligan is an amazing actress (her heartbreaking performance as Michael Fassbender's lonely and tormented younger sister in 2011's "Shame" is masterful), yet there's surprisingly very little depth to her portrayal of Daisy. She pouts and giggles and poses on cue without really ever seeming fully inhabited in the role. And diCaprio's Gatsby is neither here nor there. I realize that part of the mystery of Gatsby is that he is ultimately unknowable. DiCaprio doesn't exude mystery here. His line readings are flat and he comes across as a little kid dressed up in big kid finery. And while I've liked him in other films ("J. Edgar" is, I believe, his finest moment) he is woefully miscast as Gatsby. I'd be intrigued to see what an actor like Michael Fassbender, for example, might do with the role. It would probably be a very different film.
So my final verdict on "The Great Gatsby" is that there is much to be admired in its visual audacity, its excessive cinematography and its pulsating soundtrack. I also admire the fact that it is quite faithful to Fitzgerald's original novel and I wasn't even bothered by the narrative device of having Nick relate the story from a mental institution. It made sense to me. If you're already a Luhrmann fan and have seen at least one or two of his earlier films (for sheer romanticism and epic sweep I highly recommend "Australia") you're probably in a better position to admire and even enjoy his version "Gatsby". But for the uninitiated or for those who expect more from a very talented cast, this is going to be a disappointment.
Bottom line: this is a Baz Luhrmann film. I happened to like it very much but I can also appreciate why others might not feel the same. But like it or hate it, you can't deny this film makes an impact. And I also doubt any other film this year will come close to matching its audacity.
I finally saw Baz Luhrmann's film of "The Great Gatsby" the other night. I've always been less a fan and more an admirer of his work. Taken as a whole, his films ("Strictly Ballroom", "Romeo & Juliet", "Moulin Rouge", and "Australia") are an impressive body of work if for no other reason than the audacity of their vision. I think Luhrmann is one of the few filmmakers today who can inspire both groans of despair and sighs of irrepressible glee in the span of a single film. His films knock you over with their frenetic pace and awe with their stunning visual palate. He takes chances in ways few of his contemporaries ever do and while the results aren't always positive, one can never say a Luhrmann production lacks vision.
"The Great Gatsby" proves no exception. It worked for me in ways that I didn't expect it to. And it failed for me in much the same way. Having said that though, I think of any film I've seen thus far in 2013, Luhrmann's "Gatsby" is -- from a purely cinematic perspective -- one of the year's best.
It all comes down to his vision. This is a film that leaps off the screen in bold gleaming colors and artificial landscapes and cityscapes that have no bearing on any sort of reality. Everything is capped with an exclamation point. If this were a musical -- which it very nearly is -- it would undoubtedly be called "Gatsby!" Let me see your Jazz hands everyone...or at least your Charleston. Gatsby's estate looks like the fairy castle at Disneyland with fountains that shoot water into the sky amid a rainbow of technicolor light. The gas station which houses the ill-fated Myrtle and Wilson exists in a weird almost post-apocalyptic wasteland of dirt and industrial ash. There's no missing the contrast between the excessive wealth of Gatsby and his East Egg crowd and the desperately poor (and just desperate) milieu inhabited by the less fortunates.
And while at first blush it is all rather over-the-top and vulgar, the vision works. Some critics have wrongly, I believe, written of the film that it celebrates and revels in the excess that the novel berates. Yes, there is excess and yes there is an almost orgiastic revelry to the proceedings, but never does the viewer (or at least this viewer) feel that he wants to be a part of it. These people are irredeemably shallow and the beauty is merely skin deep. This is "The Great Gatsby" set in a certain kind of gilded hell. And added to that is the hip hop-tinged soundtrack that I fully expected to criticize but came away thinking it was an utterly appropriate (if not inspired) accompaniment to the events on screen. Who would have thought that Beyonce, Jay-Z, and will.i.am would translate as well as they do in a 1920s setting? Perhaps only in a Luhrmann film...
My biggest criticism of the film is its acting. I will say that Tobey Maguire as Nick and Australian actor Joel Edgerton as Tom Buchanan were really very good. At heart, this is Nick's story. The reader (and the viewer) see the story of Gatsby and Daisy through Nick's eyes. Maguire (while no Sam Waterston) manages to convey both Nick's awe and repulsion with a sense of humor and a plucky kind of aplomb that is a lot of fun to watch. Edgerton's Tom is blustery (a "brute" Daisy calls him in the climactic scene at the Plaza Hotel), macho, and one senses capable of real violence. His is a presence that manages to cut through the excess all around him, which is no small task for an actor in a Luhrmann film. While not entirely sympathetic, Tom Buchanan is probably the closest to real flesh and blood of any of the characters.
Carey Mulligan as Daisy and Leonardo diCaprio as, of course, Gatsby fare less well. I think Ms. Mulligan is an amazing actress (her heartbreaking performance as Michael Fassbender's lonely and tormented younger sister in 2011's "Shame" is masterful), yet there's surprisingly very little depth to her portrayal of Daisy. She pouts and giggles and poses on cue without really ever seeming fully inhabited in the role. And diCaprio's Gatsby is neither here nor there. I realize that part of the mystery of Gatsby is that he is ultimately unknowable. DiCaprio doesn't exude mystery here. His line readings are flat and he comes across as a little kid dressed up in big kid finery. And while I've liked him in other films ("J. Edgar" is, I believe, his finest moment) he is woefully miscast as Gatsby. I'd be intrigued to see what an actor like Michael Fassbender, for example, might do with the role. It would probably be a very different film.
So my final verdict on "The Great Gatsby" is that there is much to be admired in its visual audacity, its excessive cinematography and its pulsating soundtrack. I also admire the fact that it is quite faithful to Fitzgerald's original novel and I wasn't even bothered by the narrative device of having Nick relate the story from a mental institution. It made sense to me. If you're already a Luhrmann fan and have seen at least one or two of his earlier films (for sheer romanticism and epic sweep I highly recommend "Australia") you're probably in a better position to admire and even enjoy his version "Gatsby". But for the uninitiated or for those who expect more from a very talented cast, this is going to be a disappointment.
Bottom line: this is a Baz Luhrmann film. I happened to like it very much but I can also appreciate why others might not feel the same. But like it or hate it, you can't deny this film makes an impact. And I also doubt any other film this year will come close to matching its audacity.
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