entertainment
Films
Movie of the Month
Reese Witherspoon gets in touch with nature in Wild
by tom b r ow n e a n d l au r a d e a n - osgo o d
© 20TH CENTURY FOX / © Icon F ilm Distribution / © EN TERTAI NMENT ONE
■■biopic: wild Reese Witherspoon
gives an Oscar-worthy performance in this Nick Hornby-penned adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s celebrated memoir. It details Strayed’s decision to hike more than 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in California, Oregon and Washington—despite no experience —as a way of tackling her demons following the death of her mother, her divorce and her subsequent decline into drug addiction and promiscuity. This “journey of discovery” narrative has been seen before in films such as Into the Wild, but director Jean-Marc Vallée keeps the action moving at a brisk pace (unlike the main protagonist), and there are plenty of fine supporting performances. ■■drama a most violent year
Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) is an aspiring businessman in 1980s New York, trying to expand his fuel business in the face of threats and corruption. This gripping film recalls the hard-boiled dramas of the Seventies—Isaac’s portrayal of Abel, a decent man drawn into a shady world, is very similar to Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone in the Godfather films. Jessica Chastain also stands out as Abel’s resourceful wife.
■■romance: suite Française
Jewish author Irène Némirovsky only finished two of her planned sequence of five novels about the Second World War before being sent to Auschwitz in 1942, where she died. This big-screen adaptation, starring Michelle Williams, Kristin Scott Thomas and Matthias Schoenaerts, inevitably fails to capture the power of the source material—lots has been lost in translation—but it’s still a visually striking and well-acted movie. 01•2015
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entertain m ent
Torn apart: Kit Harrison and Alicia Vikander ■■war: testament of youth There have been plenty of dramas marking the centenary of the First World War, but this adaptation of Vera Brittan’s memoir is the best so far. Swedish actress Alicia Vikander is mesmerizing as the girl who turns down a place in Oxford in order to serve as a nurse on the Western Front, an experience—along with her personal losses—that led her to become one of the 20th century’s most celebrated pacifists.
Music
■■comedy: birdman Michael Keaton plays a fading movie star determined to prove himself as a serious artist—by writing a Broadway show. The events leading up to the opening night prove surreal and darkly comic, and are bolstered by a cast of indie favourites (Emma Stone, Ed Norton) and a fantastic soundtrack. A festival favourite, it’s destined for award success.
by ma n di goodi er
Person Pitch, the fourth album released by Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear), was named by influential music blog Pitchfork as their album of the year in 2007. Two albums later, can he do it again? The answer is a resounding yes. PBVSGR is like being taken through the depths of space as depicted in a 1960s psychedelic cartoon, with only a folk choir for company. This might sound chaotic, but the album stays completely in control of itself, its occasional repetitiveness forgiven as one becomes absorbed in kitsch electronic noises held together by the beautiful harmony of the vocals. The overall effect is a soundscape of which Brian Eno and Wayne Coyne (The Flaming Lips) would be jealous. Key tracks: “Noah”, “Come to Your Senses”, “Tropic of Cancer” Like this? You may also like: Brian Eno, The Flaming Lips, Animal Collective
DVD of the month
■■A Walk among the tombstones
Liam Neeson’s back doing what he does best: seeking revenge.
Overlooked Record from the Past An Electric Storm by White Noise
of black humour, you sympathise with the main character even when you really shouldn’t.
be complicated and annoying, but when you finally solve the mystery it’s well worth it. Listening: The Graham Norton Show (Radio 2) This show makes
my Saturday morning. Graham is always a pleasure to listen to.
Fancy appearing in this section? Send your current cultural favourites, along with short descriptions, to readersletters@readersdigest.co.uk 20
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© REX/Ray Steven son
Reading: Murder Most Fab by Julian Clary Written with plenty
Online: mysterycasefiles. com These online games can © lionsgate / © 20th century fox
guilty pleasure—it’s compulsive viewing and I have to watch it!
Album of the Month
PANDA BEAR MEETS THE GRIM REAPER (PBVSGR)
On Your Radar Katherine Thomson, teacher Watching: Wentworth Prison (Channel 5) This is my
Reader’s Digest
In 1969, one year before Kraftwerk’s seminal debut, White Noise unleashed the more obscure An Electric Storm. Formed by members of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop (the sound effects department), the idea behind White Noise is immediately clear— electronic effects and samples used to melodic, dramatic and uncomfortable ends. The vocals, not unlike The Velvet Underground, are naive, but they direct the strange noises into accessible (if not sinister) pop songs. The result is astounding. listen to these albums at READERSDIGEST.CO.UK/LISTEN
On Our Radar RPS International Images for Science, Dec 20–Feb 7
Amazing photos at Barnsley Civic Centre. London Short Film Festival, Jan 9–18
Fleeting flicks shown across the city. Burns’ Night, Jan 25 Celebrate
the poet’s birthday.
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