entertainment
Films
Movie of the Month
by tom b r ow n e
■■drama: son of saul This deserved
© Laokoon Fil mgroup / © adopt film s / © lionsgate
winner of the Best Foreign Language Film at the recent Academy Awards is told from the point of view of Saul (Géza Röhrig), a concentration-camp inmate who works as a Sonderkommando—a prisoner forced to dispose of gas-chamber victims. The story, which is best left to the viewer, Géza Röhrig unfolds in real time, largely shot right in Son of Saul up close to the lead actor’s face. As such, many events happen just off camera, in the background or out of focus, which only intensifies the horror. The sound design, which recalls Elem Klimov’s harrowing war drama Come and See, is also a masterpiece of sensory assault. This is painful viewing at the best of times, but its power is undeniable, and it comes as close as any other film to conveying the sheer nightmare of the Holocaust. ■■musical: sing street Anyone with fond memories of The Commitments will warm to this joyous Irish film, which centres on Cosmo (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), a schoolboy who forms a band to escape his strained family life and to win over girl-next-door Raphina (Lucy Boynton). As with director John Carney’s earlier film Once, there are a number of original songs alongside classic Eighties numbers, and the young cast have a lot of fun blasting them out.
■■thriller: Victoria This
German film has already won praise for its audacious technique—it was shot in one single take, which reportedly took just three attempts. The narrative follows the title character (Laia Costa) over a night in Berlin as she gradually—and rather implausibly—gets drawn into a world of crime. The self-conscious style obscures the movie’s flaws, but while it doesn’t leave a lasting impression, you can’t help but be impressed while watching it. 04•2016
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e n t e r ta i n m e n t
Music
■■drama: despite the falling snow In 1950s Moscow, a female spy
Unlikely heroes: Taron Egerton (left) and Hugh Jackman ■■biopic: eddie the eagle No one deserves the “plucky underdog” label more than Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards, a 24-year-old from Cheltenham who managed to qualify as a ski jumper for the 1988 Winter Olympics despite a total lack of experience, funding and, frankly, talent. Taron Egerton manages to convey Edwards’ goofy charm, and the film as a whole wins you over, despite director Dexter Fletcher’s broad-brush style.
(Rebecca Ferguson) begins stealing secrets from a rising KGB agent (Sam Reid), but ends up falling in love with him. Although sumptuously shot, this somewhat typical Cold-War drama suffers in comparison with last year’s Bridge of Spies, and sadly can’t compete with the various John le Carré adaptations once again back on our screens.
by ma n di goodi er
P J Harvey pushes herself into new territory with each release, and her ninth album—recorded during a residency at Somerset House—was written in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Washington DC. “[Getting] information from secondary sources felt too far removed,” says Harvey. “I wanted to smell the air, feel the soil and meet the people of the countries I was fascinated with.” Indeed, the lyrics contain stark references to patriotism, tradition and graffiti-stained walls—but combined with Harvey’s powerful voice and sparse but intricate arrangements, it delivers a fragile kind of hope.
DVD of the month
■■Sunset Song*
Key tracks: “Chain of Keys”, “The Ministry of Social Affairs”, “The Wheel” Like this? You may also like: Lou Reed, St Vincent, Anna Calvi
Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s novel is brought to the screen by director Terence Davies.
Overlooked Record from the Past Desertshore by Nico
Reading: The Establishment by Owen Jones Whether this is
written by a conspiracy theorist or someone with real insight into politics, it’s a fascinating read.
Listening: Epic inspirational music on YouTube This provides
an uplifting soundtrack to my day.
Fancy appearing in this section? Send your current cultural favourites, along with short descriptions, to readersletters@readersdigest.co.uk |
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* TO BUY DVDS FEATURED HERE, GO TO SHOP.READERSDIGEST.CO.UK
© MARIA MOCHNAC Z
didn’t want to like it—but one episode in, I was hooked.
Online: Zen Habits Like most people, I’m trying to make positive changes in life, and this website offers a huge amount of inspiration to make habits stick. © 20th century fox
Watching: The Apprentice (BBC1) I came late to this and
Album of the Month
The Hope Six Demolition Project by P J Harvey
On Your Radar Brenda Storey, freelance writer
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Reader’s Digest
Nico began her career with The Velvet Underground, on whom she was imposed by Andy Warhol. But she would continue to work with VU members Lou Reed and John Cale, with Cale in particular shaping her sound. While her first solo outing Chelsea Girls was the most accessible and The Marble Index influenced post-punk, her third album Desertshore remained more low key. But this fits with the album itself—a combination of neoclassical arrangement, droning harmonium and Nico’s strange-accented vocals, it creates a sparse and very beautiful ambiance. listen to these albums at READERSDIGEST.CO.UK/LISTEN
On Our Radar Grand National, Aintree, Apr 9, The
runners and riders gather at Merseyside. RHS Flower Show, Cardiff, Apr 15–17,
The city centre brims with fancy blooms. The Stratfordupon-Avon Literary Festival, Apr 24– May 1, Debates, ideas,
and author events.
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