ENTERTAINMENT
Films
BY TOM B R OW N E
Movie of the Month
■ DRAMA: BROOKLYN
This wonderful adaptation of Colm Tóibín’s acclaimed novel is by far the best film to tackle the Irish immigrant experience of the 1950s. Saoirse Ronan plays Eilis, a young girl lured by the promise of America and a more fulfilling life. She soon falls in love with Italian plumber Tony (Emory Cohen), but homesickness and an encounter with a childhood friend (Domhnall Gleeson) forces her to make a heartbreaking choice. The subject matter is deeply touching, and the film as a whole represents a huge breakthrough for Ronan, who absolutely dominates every scene she’s in. Watch out, also, for an hilarious cameo from Julie Walters, playing with gusto that most passionate of characters—the Irish matriarch.
© LION SGATE / © 20TH CEN TURY
■ DOCUMENTARY: HE NAMED ME MALALA On October 9, 2012, 15-year-
old Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by Taliban gunman for her work in promoting female education. Not only did she survive, but the attack catapulted the Pakistani teenager onto the world stage. This absorbing documentary reveals a modest, likeable and extremely brave young lady, who’s kept her feet on the ground in the face of threats and accolades.
■ BIG BUDGET: THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2 The fourth
film in this hugely successful series sees the climactic showdown between Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and President Snow (Donald Sutherland) as the nation of Panem slips into civil war. A recent survey suggested that this final instalment was more hotly anticipated than even the new Star Wars film, and it also features the last performance from the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. 11•2015
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E N T E R TA I N M E N T
■ BIOPIC: STEVE JOBS British director Danny Boyle turns his attention to the maverick co-founder of Apple Inc and his manic drive to revolutionise technology, ending with the launch of the iconic iMac in 1998. This is well worth seeing for another eye-catching turn from actor-of-the-moment Michael Fassbender and a slick screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, who won an Oscar for his work on The Social Network in 2010.
Music
■ ROMANCE: CAROL This moving drama stars Rooney Mara as Therese, an New York photographer in her 20s who falls for an older, married woman (Cate Blanchett). Patricia Highsmith originally published the source novel, The Price of Salt, under a pseudonym due to its taboo subject matter, and while this adaptation lacks the shock value of the novel, it’s still a well-acted piece of cinema.
BY MA N DI GOODI ER
S t a r g a z e are a neo-classical collective, while Greg Saunier is a composer and drummer in the experimental US band Deerhoof. Together, they have produced a series of new classical arrangements drawn from Deerhoof’s 13-album back catalogue. Although some may view this as a glorified remix project, Deerhoof lend themselves perfectly to this sort of thing, with their non-linear style jumping suddenly and joyously between movements. The result is a fantastic, otherworldly and slightly more palatable introduction to Deerhoof, and absolute treat for existing fans.
DVD of the month ■ AMY Harrowing but gripping documentary about the life of singer Amy Winehouse and her death at just 27.*
Key tracks: “Giga Dance”, “My Purple Past”, “Jagged Fruit” Like this? You may also like: Terry Riley, Phillip Glass, Harry Partch Overlooked Record from the Past Snaketime Series by Moondog
READING: Galveston by Nic Pizzolatto The story of a self-
LISTENING: Same Trailer Different Park by Kacey Musgraves Such a sweet voice
confessed bad man with no future. The writing is beautiful.
with laid-back country tunes. Like summer, even when it’s raining.
Fancy appearing in this section? Send your current cultural favourites, along with short descriptions, to readersletters@readersdigest.co.uk 18
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* TO BUY DVDS FEATURED HERE, GO TO SHOP.READERSDIGEST.CO.UK
© 20TH CENTURY FOX / © STUDI O CANAL
brutal and utterly compelling. It shouldn’t work, but it just does.
ONLINE: Cornish Gems We book a dog-friendly cottage in St Ives every year through this luxury holiday site.
Album of the Month
Deerhoof Chamber Variations by S t a r g a z e and Greg Saunier
On Your Radar Kay Hinde, property manager WATCHING: Hannibal (Sky Living) Bloody,
READER’S DIGEST
Moondog was an American composer and poet. From the late 1940s through to 1972, he could typically be found busking or selling his music on New York’s 6th avenue. Blinded from the age of 16, he took inspiration from the sounds of the streets, finding music everywhere and weaving it into his compositions. This, his second album, was self-released in 1956 and reissued soon after. Although it’s very much alive with modern streetwise bustle, one cannot ignore the native American influence and that Moondog twist of Norse mythology. LISTEN TO THESE ALBUMS AT READERSDIGEST.CO.UK/LISTEN
On Our Radar Winter Owl Evening, Newent, Nov 7, A guided
torchlit tour, food and drink included. Shetland Noir, Lerwick, Nov 13–15
An inaugural crimewriting festival. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Nov 29, The
Formula 1 season reaches its climax.
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