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The arrival / |
Shaun Tan's stunning wordless graphic novel is instantly compelling, aimed at young teens but sure to impress older readers as well. The story is a familiar one: a man in a troubled land makes the painful decision to leave his family behind to start a new life for them in a strange land. Though it's an old story, Tan uses some clever devices to make sure his readers feel some of the same disorientation his hero feels. The stunning sepia-toned artwork is reminiscent of Chris Van Allsburg's work, and the animal companions may remind some of The Golden Compass, but this powerful book proves Tan has his own unique voice. |
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The big sleep / |
Considered a classic of crime fiction, Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep is one of the granddaddies of noir, and marked the birth of the quintessential tough-talking private eye, Philip Marlowe. Marlowe is called to the house of the dying General Sternwood, where he meets the general's two beautiful but dangerous daughters. The younger daughter, Carmen, is apparently being blackmailed, and Marlowe is hired to make it stop. When the blackmailer ends up dead, Marlowe becomes determined to find out the rest of this family's secrets. The period atmosphere, evocative descriptions and dialogue that influenced a whole generation of writers are all much more important than the resolution of a famously convoluted mystery plot. |
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Courtroom 302 : a year behind the scenes in an American criminal courthouse / |
An in-depth look at the life of the courthouse at 26th and California ("beloved" by jurors throughout Cook county), Courtroom 302 makes for a fascinating read and would surely inspire excellent book club discussions. Covering problems such as media indifference, systemic racism, out-of-whack drug laws, and the conveyor-belt approach necessitated by an overwhelmed docket, Bogira interviews everyone from the judge and courtroom deputies to the accused and their families. Although it's especially of interest to Chicagoans, the book is relevant to all Americans for what it reveals about our justice system. |
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Dress your family in corduroy and denim / |
Well-known humorist David Sedaris mines his childhood, his everyday life, and, to their constant annoyance, his family for material in another collection of off-beat essays. Stories that could be poignant become hilarious when seen through his eyes, even when concerning childhood disappointments, teenage humiliations, or adult neuroses. Highlights include a hilarious riff on the bizarre Christmas customs of the Dutch and a surprisingly sweet tale about his foul-mouthed brother's experience of fatherhood. Reminding us that you can reinvent yourself to everyone except your family, Sedaris seems more willing than ever to look inward, but luckily he is still quite willing to mock what he finds there. |
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Pictures at a revolution : five movies and the birth of the new Hollywood / |
Has there ever been a motlier Oscar race than 1967's? Bonnie and Clyde, Doctor Dolittle, The Graduate, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?, and In the Heat of the Night: strange bedfellows, indeed. In his story of the making of these five films, Mark Harris brilliantly captures the breakdown of the old Hollywood studio system. In the mid-60s, the imaginations of young people were captivated by the French New Wave and other daring European visions, the puritanical Production Code was stifling creativity, and the Civil Rights era made a top star of Sidney Poitier. Stodgy old Hollywood suddenly had a lot of catching up to do, and studio founders like Jack Warner were clearly not up to the task. Harris handles complex material with masterful dexterity. Make sure you have plenty of popcorn on hand. |
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The Spellman files / |
Growing up in a family that runs a private investigation firm might have warped Izzy Spellman a bit. Her parents run background checks on her boyfriends, her baby sister picks locks and tails people as a hobby, and at an early age she herself went on stake-outs. But while an irrepressible urge to know everything about everyone might be an advantage in a PI, it can be a bit off-putting to potential dates. When she decides she want to leave the firm, her parents agree providing she take on one final, seemingly unsolvable cold case. With a breezy style, funny dialogue and an appealing heroine, The Spellman Files manages to have a lot of heart and deal with real family issues, even if the family is more dysfunctional than most. This is a great debut novel, and the first of a series. |
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Zeroville / |
Vikar Jerome arrives in Los Angeles in 1969 with little more than the clothes on his back and a tattoo on his bald head of a scene from his favorite movie, A Place in the Sun starring Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor. The tattoo is just one symptom of Vikar's film obsession, and although it causes some stares, it also serves to open some doors for him into the movie business. Vikar becomes a film editor, and we get a glimpse of the dawn of the independent movie movement as he dreamily drifts around the edges of the "it" crowd of 70s filmmaking. Vikar is not an easy character to identify with (one character describes him as not just a cineaste, but as cine-autistic), but his single-mindedness is coupled with a certain innocence. The plot weaves in movies, punk music, and a strange quest to discover the origin of a single frame of film that Vikar has been dreaming of for years. It's a strange trip, but a compelling one, and the surreal is shored up by some of the human (rather than celluloid) relationships that Vikar develops, especially his quest to protect the daughter of a B-movie actress. Film lovers will thrill to some of the set pieces, including a scene where Vikar discusses movies with a man who has broken into his apartment. It will also send you racing for the DVD shelves to check out some of the classic movies the author describes with such passionate devotion. |
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Cineastes have become excited lately about a Romanian New Wave in film. Powerful and challenging movies like 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and The Death of Mr Lazarescu have received the lion's share of the attention in the U.S. so far, but this mild, deadpan comedy goes down the easiest. In a sleepy little town on the anniversary of the overthrow of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, a television station manager invites two guests to reminisce about the events of that historic occasion on a small-time talk show. Perhaps he shouldn't have chosen an alcoholic teacher and the local Santa Claus. First features are often described as "promising," but Corneliu Porumboiu's 12:08 East of Bucharest is a fully mature achievement. | |
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Hollywood often remakes foreign films, and France returned the favor with The Beat That My Heart Skipped, a remake of Fingers, an American cult classic from the 70s. A young man, played by rising star Romain Duris (L'Auberge Espagnole), is torn between loyalty to his father, a small time gangster, and the love of classical music instilled in him by his late mother. The film is a thrilling mix of violence and romance. | |
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Michael Clayton is the "fixer" for a large corporate law firm handling a multi-million dollar class-action lawsuit. When the lead attorney on the case has a mental breakdown during a deposition, Michael gets the call to handle the situation. The more he looks into his colleague's actions the more he begins to question the client's dealings. This carefully plotted legal thriller is elevated to an Oscar-worthy film thanks in large part to the stellar performances delivered by Wilkinson and Clooney. The writing and direction of this superb character study are also worthy of the many accolades the film has garnered. Reminiscent of Michael Mann's The Insider, this film is both compelling and completely satisfying. | |
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Shaun is a bit of an underachiever. He has a dead-end job, he lives with his loser friends Pete and Ed, and his girlfriend Liz is just about fed up with the fact that the only place he ever takes her is the local pub. Shaun is, in fact, so clueless that as he wanders through his humdrum day he fails to notice that London is crawling with the living dead. But the zombie crisis finally gives Shaun a chance to show everyone what he's made of as he leads a motley group including Ed, his daffy mother, estranged stepfather, and Liz's annoying friends David and Di in a search for safety from the hordes of shuffling flesh-eaters. This comedy horror mash-up pays homage to a whole slew of horror movies (especially George Romero's zombie movies) but with a decidedly British flair. Although there are lots of very funny scenes, such as when Shaun and Ed debate over which LP records to use to decapitate approaching zombies, the film succeeds because it is greater than the sum of its jokes. The story is fully fleshed-out (pun intended), but mostly it mostly succeeds because of the hilarious writing and talented British cast, including a great small turn by the talented Bill Nighy as Shawn�s emotionally distant stepfather. The chemistry between all the actors, especially Simon Pegg as Shaun and Nick Frost as Ed, means that these are some zombie-slaying slackers that you can root for. | |
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The latest film from Kasi Lemmons (Eve's Bayou) is a fascinating tale based on the true story of Petey Greene (played by the ever-brilliant Don Cheadle), who got out of prison and found almost instant success and influence as a morning dj at a Washington, D.C. radio station. The last reel suffers from some typical biopic problems, but the film's story is fresh and compelling. Greene has such forceful personality and undeniable charisma that the station's program manager Dewey Hughes (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, easily Cheadle's match scene-for-scene) might have seen him as a threat and tried to shut him down. Instead, the two men forge a friendship, the real heart of this movie. Also starring Martin Sheen, Vondie Curtis-Hall and Cedric the Entertainer. | |
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Armchair apocrypha |
So much pop rock music is principally driven by electric guitar that artists who shift focus to other instruments - for example, the piano of Tori Amos and Ben Folds, or the synths of Depeche Mode and Devo - often garner cult audiences based on the appeal of a fresh twist to an old formula. Chicago artist Andrew Bird was classically trained on violin as a child, and that instrument helps define the sound of all his work, including his lush seventh studio album Armchair Apocrypha. A warm mix of vocals, violin, an increasing use of electric instead of acoustic guitar, and the occasional use of Bird's trademark whistling lend the album an air of relaxed elegance. As if Bird weren't gifted enough as a composer of catchy melodies, he's also a strong lyricist known for his wordplay, and this set of songs satisfyingly captures a range of moods and concerns from the playful to the philosophical. Standout tracks include album opener "Fiery Crash," the driving "Plasticities" and the more reflective "Scythian Empires." |
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Graduation |
Kanye West walked away with four Grammy awards (including best rap album) for Graduation. Known mostly for his talent as a producer before his debut album College Dropout, Kanye has garnered much praise for his contributions to Hip-Hop as a rapper, and deservedly so. His latest record, only his third, offers an almost perfect collection of songs. West has a good ear for mixing styles and is smart and playful with the lyrics. He's not afraid to poke fun at himself and the industry despite appearing to be all ego in his public persona. He took home the statues for the synthesized 'Stronger' and the more melodic 'Good Life,' but with many other excellent tracks on this disc it is near impossible to walk away without one or two gems stuck in your head. Chicagoans are sure to appreciate the nostalgic "Homecoming." |
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Meat is murder |
Morrissey and Marr were a near perfect pairing; the mordant wit and the brilliant pop guitarist wrote some of the best independent music of the 1980's, and this is one of their best albums. The dramatic, desperate and morose track "How Soon is Now?," a wrenching song about alienation reflected in both the lyrics and Marr's infectious guitar riffs, was originally a B-side, but is possibly the most recognized Smiths' song and a pop masterpiece. The playful "Rusholme Ruffians" delights with it's overtones of rockabilly, and the overtly political title track "Meat is Murder," which lacks some of the acute pop sensibility of other songs, still stings with Morrissey lamenting, "a death for no reason is murder." Abundant in angst and keen sarcasm, the album is sinister, stirring, and a standard in any indie music collection. |
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Night falls over Kortedala |
In the last few years, Swedish pop has experienced a comeback in the States as witnessed in the success of groups such as the Hives and Peter Bjorn and John. Another darling Swedish crooner, Jens Lekman, should not be overlooked. Jens's latest, Night Falls Over Korteldala, is a melodious album of well-constructed songs, with an ample use of sampled music. Often compared to both Morrissey and Stephen Merritt, Lekman's songs are ironic, sweet, and wistful and display the same charming pop sensibility of the aforementioned artists' most tender songs. An older, world-weary brother's laments that "all his metaphors fall flat/ down on the rocks where we sat" while attempting to impart some wisdom to his sister in "The Opposite of Hallelujah." "A Postcard To Nina" humorously recounts an evening spent impersonating the boyfriend of a lesbian friend for the sake of her father. Although some may find the album to be a bit too adorable, Lekman's earnestness shines through on this lush pop gem. |
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Schubert Lieder |
Austrian composer Franz Schubert is probably most famous for his magnificent unfinished symphony, but the greatest achievement of his short life may be his lieder, the more than 600 songs that display his celebrated gift for lyric melody. The songs are simply beautiful to listen to, magically interweaving music and lyrics in a way that evokes the pastoral imagery of their Romantic texts (many by Goethe)--the trickling water, blowing breezes, the flowers and woods. "An den Mond" ("To the Moon"), for example, evokes Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata in its story of lost love. Singer Ian Bostridge is one of many artists to record these songs, but his light warm tenor suits them very well. He's especially good at shifting between characters in songs which require it, such as the darkly gothic "Erlkonig," the most popular of Schubert's songs in his time, in which a father races through the night on horseback, carrying his dying son who claims the mysterious Erlking is trying to spirit him away. |