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movies
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Lord of the Rings Kiwi director Peter Jackson has translated nearly every element of JRR Tolkien’s universe, from a vast, sprawling history implied in the language and the actions of its multi-specied characters, to a completely immersive fantasy realm with nary a seam to spoil the illusion. Moreover, he’s captured the sadness and moral weight of Tolkien’s fable. |
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Black Hawk Down What was intended to be a thirty-minute mission in Mogadishu, Somalia, turns out to be an extended visit to military hell. Ridley Scott very accurately tells the true story of a Delta Force mission that went very wrong. This is an action film that eventually is more wearying than exciting, but still worth the trip. |
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Monsters, Inc Much as they did with the similarly witty and entertaining Toy Story films, the imaginative folks at Pixar have taken a simple childhood notion – monsters in the closet, just like toys that are alive and lead their own lives – and turned it into a fun, funny, and completely engaging story. |
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Unforgiven While an action- and drama-packed Western, this film’s plot also questions the nature of mythology and legend – what is this place, this “old west”, where people like William Munny existed? At the same time, Unforgiven itself is mythical, and Eastwood is larger than life. A great achievement in American filmmaking. |
music
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Simian – Chemistry is What We Are Strange coves Simian. They’ve set up their own religion, much as they set about creating their own unique sound – an experimental mix of folk, dub and electronica; part Pink Floyd, part Kraftwerk, with odd noises and Beatles style harmonies, all endowed with an eerie, dreamy soundtrack feel. Bewitching stuff. |
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Jestofunk – Universal Mother A tribute to the jazz-funk of the ’70s, but also to modern technologies, underlined by the metronomic pulse of drum machines – like a heartbeat via a sequencer. Special guests include vocalist Jocelyn Brown, reggae legend Freddy McGregor, trombonist Fred Wesley and establishing band member Ce Ce Rogers. |
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Nina Nastasia – The Blackened Air New York-based Nastasia has brewed a batch of succulent, melodic portraits, accompanied by accordion, cello, viola and the cries of a singing saw. She alternately carries the voice of a little girl spooked by ghost stories and that of a sighing grandmother who’s heard it all before. The meat and potatoes of folk, without any fancy napkins. |
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Guided by voices – Universal Truths and Cycles One of the greatest rock bands of the decade, GBV has managed to maintain its child-like enthusiasm that sets it apart from the pack of whiny “alternative” groups. Indie-rock Peter Pan Robert Pollard presents another album of lo-fi anthems with a studio shine – strong vocal melodies and refreshingly atypical song structures. |
CDs and DVDs available at www.albumcity.cz (www.i90.com).
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