entertainment
Films
Movie of the Month
Sisters in arms: Anne-Marie Duff and Carey Mulligan (right) in Suffragette
by tom b r ow n e
© pathé / © element pi ctures / © sony p i ctures classi cs
■■historical: Suffragette
Although it’s surprising that a film of this period hasn’t been made before, this handsomely mounted production is well worth the wait. Carey Mulligan (see interview on p20) plays Maud, a working-class woman in London, 1912, who almost literally gets dragged into protests demanding equal voting rights for women, attracting suspicion from the authorities and disapproval from her husband (Ben Whishaw). Although Maud is fictional, many others in the drama are real, including Emmeline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep in a slightly distracting cameo) and Edith New (Helena Bonham Carter), the women who first advocated civil disobedience. Abi Morgan’s screenplay also nicely summaries the key events. ■■comedy: The Lobster Colin Farrell plays David, a man living in a dystopian world where finding a partner is a matter of life and death. Singletons are taken to a hotel and given 45 days to pair off— those who fail are turned into animals and released into the woods. Fans of the surreal will no doubt relish this set up, and there are many hilarious twists on the journey. Those with more straightforward tastes, however, should tread carefully.
■■documentary: Red Army Much
like 2011’s Bobby Fischer Against the World , this riveting documentary looks at the Soviet system through the lens of competitive sport —in this case, ice hockey, which the Russians dominated from the mid-1950s to the break-up of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. This isn’t the first film to explore the link between sport and politics, but it brilliantly depicts the ideological tensions of the Cold War, and the human beings who were caught in the middle. 10•2015
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e n t e r ta i n m e n t
■■biopic: The Program American
cyclist Lance Armstrong (played here by Ben Foster) won the Tour de France a record seven times between 1999 and 2005, until a doping scandal destroyed his reputation and career. This biopic reveals the extent of the deception, but it’s also a fascinating study of Armstrong himself, who went from global icon to global pariah in the blink of an eye. Chris O’Dowd and Dustin Hoffman also star.
Music
■■drama: Macbeth This latest take on Shakespeare’s tragedy—starring Michael Fassbender as the murderous Scottish noble and Marion Cotillard as his scheming wife—is one of the best film adaptations, benefiting hugely from its bleak and atmospheric Highland setting and a great supporting cast, including David Thewlis as King Duncan and Paddy Considine as Lord Banquo.
by ma n di goodi er
Fading Frontier by Deerhunter
DVD of the month ■■Jurassic World
Key tracks: “All the Same”, “Take Care”, “Snakeskin” Like this? You may also like: Animal Collective, My Bloody Valentine
More rampant dinosaurs and edgeof-the-seat thrills in this series reboot.*
Overlooked Record from the Past Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements by Stereolab
Online: Travelzoo
We recently found a five-star hotel in Vilamoura, Portugal on this site and had a fabulous holiday with friends.
Reading: The Beekeeper’s Daughter by Santa Montefiore
Listening: Romanza by Andrea Bocelli I never tire of Bocelli’s
I love all Santa Montefiore’s books, and this one was delightful.
beautiful voice. This is one of his old albums—my absolute favourite.
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
© studi o ca nal
drama with loads of action. So good that I hate waiting a whole week between episodes!
Album of the Month
The seventh long player from Deerhunter positions itself in a dreamy domain. It’s more accessible than the snarling ambience of previous albums, and tracks such as “Take Care” and “Ad Astra” glisten in the ears of the listener, leaving a brighter, mellower feel. Deerhunter’s ability to write catchy melodies against a subtle upheaval of instruments has made them monarchs of the art-rock genre. The songs are simple enough at face value, but a closer listen reveals a complicated soundscape: tape recordings, oscillating synth, grungy bass and even moments of Motown. It shouldn’t work, but it does.
On Your Radar Denise Oanes, retired executive PA Watching: The Interceptor (BBC One) A brilliant crime
Reader’s Digest
This 1993 album met with immediate misfortune: the first 1,500 copies had to be destroyed due to a bad pressing, so the band decided to rerecord “Park Yr Romantic Mind”, minus a George Harrison sample they’d previously used without permission. Caught somewhere between krautrock and the tunefulness of a yé-yé girl group, it’s swollen with fuzzy guitars, smart samples and euphonic vocals. And if you own a first pressing, you’ll be overjoyed to find the last groove of the vinyl repeats the final phase until you manually remove the stylus. listen to these albums at READERSDIGEST.CO.UK/LISTEN
On Our Radar The Cake & Bake Show, Oct 2–4, Excel London, The
UK’s biggest baking event. Get sampling! Bristol to Bath Marathon, Oct 25,
A 26-mile run through the scenic South West. Bewdley Festival, Worcestershire, Oct 9–18 An eclectic mix
of arts and crafts.
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