LeapBackBlog 2011 Music Awards – Part 2: Ten Essential Songs (Singles)

Music in 2011 saw the further domination of hip hop and indie rock as the principal forms of ‘good’ music. Forms of electronic music have also taken up a much more mainstream appeal in recent years, and there is certainly evidence of this in what was great in music in 2011. Here are ten of my favorite songs not of my Ten Essential Albums.

Part 1: Ten Essential Albums

Part 3: Ten More Essential Songs (Deep Cuts)

Artist: Dum Dum Girls Song: Coming Down Producer: Richard Gottehrer & Sune Rose Wagner Featuring: N/A Album: Only in Dreams Why It Made the List: Coming Down is just a fantastically moody ballad, packed with almost tentative emotion and sorrow. Available: Here

Artist: Ellie Goulding Song: Lights Producer: Richard Stannard & Ash Howes Featuring: N/A Album: Lights  Why It Made the List: Lights is my favorite pop dance track of 2011. Ellie Goulding, already a star in England, is one of the many great new artists this year. Available: Here

Artist: Eminem & Royce da 5’9” Song: Fast Lane Producer: Supa Dups Featuring: N/A Album: Hell: The Sequel Why It Made the List: Eminem and Royce da 5’9” flow back and forth effortlessly, creating one of the best rap tracks of 2011 with Fast Lane. They have great chemistry. Available: Here

Artist: Frank Ocean Song: Novocane Producer: Tricky Stewart Featuring: N/A Album: nostalgia, ULTRA. Why It Made the List: Along with The Weeknd, Frank Ocean (of Odd Future) has reinvented and taken over the pop modern R&B sound. Novocane is a brilliant example. Available: Here

Artist: Girls Song: Vomit Producer: Girls and Doug Boehm Featuring: N/A Album: Father, Son, Holy Ghost Why It Made the List: The San Francisco duo has brought sort of a grunge sound to indie rock, and it is wonderful. I also like the sort of grand progression of Vomit as well. Available: Here

Artist: Neon Indian Song: Polish Girl Producer: Alan Palomo Featuring: N/A Album: Era Extrana Why It Made the List: As chillwave becomes more and more popular, Neon Indian’s Polish Girl serves as both a song to relax to and also get down to. Available: Here

Artist: Peter Bjorn and John Song: Second Chance Producer: Per Sunding Featuring: N/A Album: Gimme Some Why It Made the List: Second Chance is an immediately likable and catchy driving pop rock song; I dare you not to like it. Available: Here

Artist: Reks Song: 25^th Hour Producer: DJ Premier Featuring: N/A Album: R.E.K.S. (Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme) Why It Made the List: Very nearly one of my ten essential albums, 25^th Hour is the best song off this great hip hop album. DJ Premier’s beat and Reks’s flow meddle together perfectly. Available: Here

Artist: Rihanna Song: We Found Love Producer: Calvin Harris Featuring: Calvin Harris Album: Talk That Talk Why It Made the List: We Found Love is a fun dance track that is catchy but also has a real emotional core. Available: Here

Artist: Tyler, The Creator Song: Yonkers Producer: Tyler, The Creator Featuring: N/A Album: Goblin Why It Made the List: Not only does it have a great (if not the best of 2011) music video, Yonkers firmly put Tyler, The Creator on the mainstream hip hop map. It is incredible. Available: Here

LeapBackBlog 2011 Music Awards – Part 1: Ten Essential Albums

Music in 2011 saw the further domination of hip hop and indie rock as the principal forms of ‘good’ music. Forms of electronic music have also taken up a much more mainstream appeal in recent years, and there is certainly evidence of this in what was great in music in 2011. Here are my ten favorite albums of the year.

Part 2: Ten Essential Songs (Singles)

Part 3: Ten More Essential Songs (Deep Cuts)

Albums:

Artist: Beyonce Album: 4 Essential Tracks: I Care, I Miss You, Party, Rather Die Young, and Countdown Why It Made the List: Beyonce has been on top of the pop R&B genre since she became a solo artist. 4 feels much more like a personal album, filled with meaningful tracks and not just poppy stuff for the top 40. While it may not have the singles to dominate the charts and radio, it is her most complete and enjoyable effort of her career to date. Plus, the video for Countdown very well might be my favorite of the year. Available: Here

Artist: Childish Gambino Album: Camp Essential Tracks: Outside, Bonfire, All the Shine, Heartbeat, and You See Me Why It Made the List: Childish Gambino announced himself to the world in 2011; both with his EP featuring Freaks and Geeks and his first commercial release Camp. I liked Donald Glover as a rapper coming into the album, but it completely blew me away – both with fantastic production and real lyrics, while still maintaining the humor. Camp is an album you can listen to all the way through and enjoy every track, no matter how many times you have listened to it, which is very rare these days. Available: Here

Artist: Drake Album: Take Care Essential Tracks: Headlines, Crew Love, Marvins Room, Under Ground Kings, and Lord Knows Why It Made the List: Drake has a very unique sound – a good thing in a genre that is filled with artists that sound the same. The album has a lot of features but they all work well with Drake and do not overshadow him. The production on the album by 40 and T-Minus is fantastic as well. Drake is not afraid to gets his emotions across in his music, and Take Care is moody and personal. It is his best release to date. Available: Here

Artist: Jay-Z & Kanye West Album: Watch the Throne Essential Tracks: Niggas in Paris, Otis, Gotta Have It, Murder to Excellence, and Illest Motherfucker Alive Why It Made the List: Coming in to 2011, this was the most anticipated album for a lot of people (me included). It did not disappoint. The production on the album, first off, is brilliant and probably the best of the year (though The Weeknd’s trilogy is right there too). Kanye and Jay-Z cover all their bases lyrically, touching on politics, personal issues, lifestyle, art, having fun, and pretty much everything else. This is the best hip hop album of the year. Plus, the music video of Otis is so much fun. Available: Here

Artist: J. Cole Album: Cole World: The Sideline Story Essential Tracks: Lights Please, In the Morning, Nobody’s Perfect, God’s Gift, and Work Out Why It Made the List: J. Cole has been called the future of hip hop by many fans and pundits. His first commercial release lived up to the hype. It is not as flashy an album as a lot coming out in the genre, but it is solid all the way through and has a great ‘true hip hop’ feel to it –not so much of the pop hip hop sound that we have come to expect from most artists like J. Cole. His production ability also shines on the album. Available: Here

Artist: Kendrick Lamar Album: Section.80 Essential Tracks: Fuck Your Ethnicity, A.D.H.D., Ronald Regan Era (His Evil), Rigamortis, and HiiiPoWer Why It Made the List: Part of the hip hop group Black Hippy (with Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul), Kendrick Lamar had a huge 2011 – killing verses on Tech N9ne, Drake and Game’s albums, making a name for his crew and dropping one of the best albums of the year in Section.80. His flow and lyrics make him very relatable and relevant to today’s youth, while his musical ability endears him to lovers of the genre. Plus, HiiiPoWer is the best hip hop track of 2011. Available: Here

Artist: Pusha T Album: Fear of God II: Let Us Pray Essential Tracks: Changing of the Guards, Amen, Trouble on My Mind, My God, and I Still Wanna Why It Made the List: Pusha T, as a part of the duo Clipse, is already a well-known entity to genre fans, but with his Fear of God Mixtape and Fear of God II: Let Us Pray EP he has put himself in the upper echelon of solo artists as well. Teaming up with Kanye West seems to be a perfect match. His likely solo album in 2012 is among my most anticipated. Plus, Trouble on My Mind with The Neptunes producing and featuring Tyler, The Creator is one of the best collaboration of the year and has a great video. Available: Here

Artist: St. Vincent Album: Strange Mercy Essential Tracks: Cruel, Cheerleader, Strange Mercy, Dilettante, and Year of the Tiger Why It Made the List: There was a lot of great indie rock in 2011, but St. Vincent’s Strange Mercy was a step above the rest. Annie Clark’s art rock has so much substance to it, both musically and lyrically. Her sound is also fantastic. She has found a great balance between experimentalism and accessibility making this her most approachable album for those new to the genre.   Available: Here

Artist: Wale Album: Ambition Essential Tracks: Double M Genius, Miami Nights, Chain Music, Focused, and Ambition Why It Made the List: Wale had somewhat of a comeback year in 2011 (commercially at least, musically he never left) with early releases like 600 Benz and Bad Girls Club. Many of his fans were nervous that he would compromise his sound when he signed to Rick Ross’s MMG, but with the release of Ambition it is clear that Wale still brings the same fire to the mic and has maintained his lyrical integrity, be to a somewhat different style of beat. This is a very fun album with a lot of energy, yet introspective and personal. Available: Here

Artist: The Weeknd Album: House of Balloons Essential Tracks: High for This, House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls, Wicked Games, The Party & The After Party, and The Knowing Why It Made the List: The Weeknd with his 2011 Trilogy (including this album, Thursday and Echoes of Silence) is 2011’s best new artist (and probably the artist of the year). All three albums would have made this list; House of Balloons is just my favorite and the best album of the year. It has some of the best production creating the perfect sound to accompany Abel Tesfaye’s dark lyrics. It is tragic and beautiful. Plus, it is free. I cannot wait for his first commercial release slated for 2012. Available: Here

TV Series of the Month – Freaks and Geeks

This month’s TV series is Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000).

The comedy is about the outcasts of high school society, taking place in the 1980s. The show focuses on the Weir family. Lindsay Weir, who has always been a stellar student, is disenfranchised and falls in with the burnout kids (freaks), while her younger brother Sam is a freshman and is having a tough time fitting in thanks primarily to his best friends being very nerdy (geeks). The show was created by Paul Feig (who has also worked as one of the main creative forces behind The Office and became a known name in 2011 directing Bridesmaids) and executively produced by Judd Apatow (who has since become the main producers in current cinematic comedy, and he also produced Bridesmaids). The cast is fantastic featuring many now famous comedians. Linda Cardellini and John Francis Daley star, and James Franco, Samm Levine, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Martin Starr, Becky Ann Baker, Joe Flaherty, and Busy Philipps round out the principal cast. The show also has a ton of great guest stars/cameos, including: Sarah Hagan, Dave Allen, Thomas F. Wilson, Ben Foster, Samaire Armstrong, Rashida Jones, Shia LaBeouf, David Koechner, Kevin Corrigan, Jason Schwartzman, David Krumholtz, Lizzy Caplan, Leslie Mann, Allen Covert, Mike White, and Ben Stiller. Like an alarmingly high number of fantastic shows, Freaks and Geeks was cancelled after its first season. But, it still is one of the best comedy and high school series and a must-see for fans of either genre. It really speaks to its viewers and even if you did not go to high school during the 1980s the stories are very relatable. Check out the trailer.

Available on DVD

Movie of the Week – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

This week’s movie is The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).

The adventure film is the last in the trilogy. It finds Frodo and Sam on the edge of Mordor, while Aragorn and Gandalf must unite their ranks, including Rohan to aid Gondor and save it from the armies of Mordor. Like the previous two films, this is directed, produced and co-written by Peter Jackson (and he won Oscars for each of those roles). Composer Howard Shore (who won an Oscar), cinematographer Andrew Lesnie and production designer Grant Major (who won an Oscar) all return as well. As do all the cast members (more or less). New to the cast is John Noble (though he is briefly in the extended edition of The Two Towers), brilliantly playing the Steward of Gondor. The film is four hours and twenty-three minutes long, and yet it is compelling throughout. Jackson does a great job managing the multiple character narratives, but maybe the highlight of the film is the battle for Gondor. Like the other two films, this is an absolute must-see for fans of adventure fantasies. It is one of the best. While the first two films were nominated for Oscars winning a few, The Return of the King was nominated for eleven and won eleven, including Best Picture, in 2004 (a record). Check out the trailer.

The Extended Edition is available on Blu-ray (the whole trilogy), DVD and Streaming

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) – Review

Review: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is structured in the manner of the classic spy dramas – short on action but long on tension, mystery and wonderful characters. The film centers on George Smiley, a spy recently forced to retire due to a change in power at MI6 (the Circus), who is tasked with finding the Russian mole placed at the top of British Intelligence. Director Tomas Alfredson is clearly not interested in making a James Bond or Mission: Impossible style spy drama with Tinker Tailor Solider Spy (not that the book(s) is anything like those action spy series) – in fact he is not interested in making a light spy drama either. This film requires its viewer to pay attention, as the narrative is a little convoluted – much in the same way trying to uncover a mystery is – with many characters, lots of important dialogue and small moments that all piece together a bigger picture. The audience is required to keep track of all these small pieces as the film is not dumbed down in the slightest. Alfredson and his actors live in the world of nuance and subtlety, and for this reason moviegoers looking for a light action oriented spy film are going to find this possibly very slow. The narrative is not in a hurry, as Alfredson takes his time letting the mystery unfold (something I appreciated, as it is not too common in film today), while building the tension until it suddenly boils over and the film becomes quite gripping in the second half. The story takes place in the 1970s during the Cold War, and aesthetically Alfredson has very much created both a look and tone to fit the setting. Not only does the film look gloomy and a little bleak (much like the world outlook at the time), but the film feels like it was made in the 1970s. There is almost a nostalgic feel to it (especially in the score). While the film works quite well as a spy drama, it also is a good character study of George Smiley – a man whose entire life is dedicated to keeping secrets. However, back to the spy drama aspect, Alfredson does something great with the film – he allows the tension to grow organically from the characters and performances (not explosions and big action set pieces, not that there is anything wrong with that this is just a nice change of pace for the genre). Each word of dialogue becomes as impactful as any action scene might be. The characters are also given a chance to interact in more of a cloak-and-dagger manner (than running around shooting at each other or fighting); again, each word or expression becoming more important, as the wrong one could give them away. At the same time, as the film is about spies, the characters are all very much bottled up, making it hard to connect with them superficially (which will again alienate some moviegoers) and there is not much of an emotional connection built up between character and viewer, which does impact the viewer’s stake in the outcome a bit. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is not going to work for everyone; it is much too restrained for that. But, for those willing to take it as it is, pay attention and invest in the characters (and thereby the stakes), the film is a fantastic mystery spy drama.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Swedish filmmaker Tomas Alfredson became a promenade filmmaker (at least for international audiences) with Let the Right One In. Tinker Tailor Solider Spy is his first English-language film, but aesthetically and to an extent tonally the films go together well, building quite a resume for Alfredson as one of the better dramatic filmmakers working right now. Alfredson takes his time with his narratives, but the payoffs are wonderful. He builds tension (that in a way seems to come out of nowhere, as he develops it over the whole course of the film) very well. And, he is very good at creating good character moments allowing his actors to do their best work. Alberto Iglesias’s score is beautiful (as a stand-alone piece), but also fits the film very well. He both gets the mood right, as the score very much feels like it fits in the 1970s in many places, and builds on the tension in the film (here is a sample and here is another). Hoyte Van Hoytema’s cinematography is quite interesting, as he and Alfredson have put the camera far away from the actors in many cases, using wide lens, creating a very voyeuristic feel to the photography. This again goes really well with the tone and style of the film. As good as the score and cinematography are (both are in my top 10 of the year in their categories), Maria Djurkovic’s production design is even better. Her work not only fits the film well it is aesthetically interesting in its own right. Her design work inside the Circus, particularly its executive floor, is phenomenal, as it captures the ambiance and mood of the era so entirely (while also being compelling from a pure design perspective as well). While Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is primarily George Smiley’s film, there are a number of good small character roles. Tom Hardy, Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch are very good and stand out. Among the top tier of the Circus, Colin Firth, Toby Jones and especially David Dencik give great performances too. Gary Oldman is brilliant as Smiley. His emotions are so boxed up, and he is such a cool customer – and yet he just gives the audience enough to allow us to feel the tension he is feeling – another great character from one of the great character actors.

Summary & score: In many ways Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is one of the best spy dramas to come out in a long time, but it is not going to connect with many moviegoers. 8/10

At the Movies – January 2012 – Part 3: This Month’s Best Films

Must-See of the Month:

Haywire (Steven Soderbergh) – Action – Jan 20

Summary: Set up and betrayed during a mission, a black ops super soldier seeks payback (though I suspect there is more to the story – twist wise). Filmmakers: Director Steven Soderbergh is coming off a good film in Contagion and has done well with action sequences in the past (Ocean’s Eleven and Traffic). He is working with past collaborators composer David Holmes (Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen) and production designer Howard Cummings (Contagion). Soderbergh is shooting the film himself. Cast: It stars MMA and Muay Thai fighter Gina Carano, and features a fantastic supporting group with Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Michael Angarano, Bill Paxton, and Mathieu Kassovitz. Expectations: Red flag off the bat is that this has been delayed three times (never a good thing), but based on what I have seen it looks quite good (especially for an action film released in January). Plus, it has a great cast and auteur director – and I am very interested to see how Soderbergh handles an action film. Gina Carano is a great choice for the heroine, as she is completely believable (now can she act?). This is the must-see of the month because it has the most to offer and potential to be great. Trailer: Here. Review.

Worth Checking Out:

Coriolanus (Ralph Fiennes) – Drama – Jan 20

Summary: A modernization of William Shakespeare’s play, the film is about a banished hero who allies himself with his sworn enemy to take revenge on those who betrayed him. Filmmakers: This is the directorial debut for excellent actor Ralph Fiennes. He is working with a fantastic group including composer Ilan Eshkeri (The Young Victoria), brilliant cinematographer Barry Ackroyd (Green Zone) and production designer Ricky Eyres (The Disappearance of Alice Creed). Cast: Fiennes also stars alongside Gerard Butler. Jessica Chastain, Brian Cox, James Nesbitt, and Vanessa Redgrave (who won the British Independent Film Award for best supporting actress) make up a great supporting group. Expectations: Fiennes seems like the perfect person to adapt Shakespeare (thinking along the same lines as Kenneth Branagh’s work). I also really like the visual style he has imposed on the writing, especially with having Ackroyd shooting the film. Plus, he has a seemingly perfect cast. It was a difficult decision between this and Haywire for the must-see of the month, as this looks really good too. Trailer: Here. Review.

At the Movies – January 2012 – Part 2: Hollywood Films

Romance and Rom-Coms:

One for the Money (Julie Anne Robinson) – Romantic Comedy – Jan 27

Summary: The film is about an unemployed and newly-divorced young woman who takes a job at her cousin’s bail-bond business. Her first assignment finds her on the trail of a wanted local cop, who also happens to be a former romantic interest of hers. Filmmakers: Director Julie Anne Robinson has worked extensively in TV (notably on Weeds and Grey’s Anatomy), but made her feature debut with 2010’s Miley Cyrus project The Last Song (which was not well-received). She is working with composer Deborah Lurie (Footloose – the new one), indie cinematographer Jim Whitaker (Thank You for Smoking) and production designer Franco-Giacomo Carbone (The Expendables). Cast: The film stars Katherine Heigl (who is also an executive producer) and Jason O’Mara, and features supporting work from John Leguizamo, Daniel Sunjata, Debbie Reynolds, Sherri Shepherd, and Patrick Fischler. Expectations: Romantic comedies starring Heigl have not been too good of late – since starring in Knocked Up, she has made four romantic comedies: 27 Dresses, The Ugly Truth, Killers, and Life as We Know It (not only are none of them particularly good, none of them are iconic fixtures in the genre, which is a big minus for Heigl as one of the genre’s main stars). Plus, this looks almost the same as the Jennifer Aniston/Gerald Butler rom-com The Bounty Hunter, only with the roles reversed. This is a genre that I really like, especially when done well, but sadly that has not been the case most of the time with recent releases and this looks no different. Trailer: Here.

Action/Adventure:

Contraband (Baltasar Kormakur) – Crime Thriller – Jan 13

Summary: The film is about a retired smuggler who gets pulled back in for one last big job (that does not sound familiar at all). However, things go wrong and he must do whatever it takes to protect his family and get his life back. Filmmakers: Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur is back for his second Hollywood film (but really this is his first to receive wide distribution). His first American feature was the thriller Inhale. He is working with a pretty good group, including: composer Clinton Shorter (District 9), cinematographer Barry Ackroyd (Green Zone) and production designer Tony Fanning (Brothers). Cast: The film stars Mark Wahlberg and is a good vehicle for him. It has a great supporting cast with Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster, Giovanni Ribisi, Diego Luna, J.K. Simmons, and Lukas Haas. Expectations: This surprisingly looks very entertaining; though take that with a grain of salt given that his is being released in January (where films go to die). The cast alone, for me, is a good enough reason to rent this, and I look forward to watching it. Will it be a great action film – probably not – but again it does look very entertaining. Trailer: Here.

Red Tails (Anthony Hemingway) – War – Jan 20

Summary: After being kept on the ground for most of WWII, a crew of African American pilots in the Tuskegee training program is called into action with a very dangerous job – protect the bombers – a vital part in helping to win the war. Filmmakers: Director Anthony Hemingway makes his feature debut, but has done good work as a TV director (on shows like Treme, Community, Fringe and True Blood). He is working with composer Terence Blanchard (Inside Man), TV cinematographer John B. Aronson (American Horror Story) and production designers Michael Carlin (In Bruges) and Nick Palmer. Cast: The ensemble cast features Bryan Cranston, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Michael B. Jordan, and Method Man (among others). Expectations: There are many WWII stories – many have been told already – but this is an interesting and heroic tale of many unsung heroes that where tasked with basically a suicide mission, but again a vital one. Based on what I have seen, this looks to be a good WWII film. Plus, it is being executively produced by George Lucas (a role in which he often does his best work). Trailer: Here.

The Grey (Joe Carnahan) – Action – Jan 27

Summary: A plane crashes in Alaska leaves an oil drilling crew stranded. Now, they must struggle to survive in the wild. Filmmakers: Writer-director Joe Carnahan is coming off a disappointing action film in The A-Team (though it was entertaining), but still has the goodwill of his acclaimed film Narc. He is working with producers Tony and Ridley Scott, composer Marc Streitenfeld (Body of Lies), cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi (Warrior), and production designer John Willett (The 6^th Day). Cast: The film stars Liam Neeson and features support from Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo, James Badge Dale, and Joe Anderson. Expectations: Based on the trailer, the film looks like Liam Neeson fighting a pack of wolves in a silly action film – but, it is much more. It has huge scares, gripping tension and a great enemy. It was a favorite at 2011’s BNAT (playing against many other well-received films). This is probably the sleeper hit of the month and maybe even the first quarter of 2012. Trailer: Here.

Man on a Ledge (Asger Leth) – Crime Thriller – Jan 27

Summary: A man threatens to jump off a ledge of a Manhattan hotel as a distraction for his team, who is pulling off the biggest diamond heist ever attempted. Filmmakers: Asger Leth makes his feature debut. He is working with good composer Henry Jackman (Kick-Ass), pioneer of shooting digitally cinematographer Paul Cameron (Collateral) and production designer Alec Hammond (Red). Cast: Sam Worthington stars, and it has a great supporting cast with Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Ed Harris, Kyra Sedgwick, Edward Burns, Anthony Mackie, and newcomer Genesis Rodriguez. Expectations: Man on a Ledge looks to be an entertaining thriller. The good cast makes it all the more interesting. The heist aspect of it seems a bit tired, as played in the trailer, but hopefully it will come off fresh in the full film. I look forward to renting it. Trailer: Here.

Horror:

Underworld Awakening (Mans Marlind & Bjorn Stein) – Action Horror – Jan 20

Summary: The fourth installment of the Underworld franchise sees Selene captured by humans, who have gained the upper hand and are hunting both Lycan and Vampire alike. She escapes to find the world she knew completely changed. Filmmakers: Swedish directors Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein also made the U.S. released Shelter (though, I think it was straight to video). They are working with a group that specializes on horror/action with producer Len Wiseman (who is also a writer and the originating director of the series), composer Paul Haslinger (scored the other films in the series), cinematographer Scott Kevan (The Losers), and production designer Claude Pare (Rise of the Planet of the Apes). Cast: Kate Beckinsale returns as Selene (and really the only reason for fans of the series to be excited about this new installment). There is also supporting work from Charles Dance, India Eisley, Michael Ealy, and Kris Holden-Ried among others. Expectations: As stated above, the only thing between this and a straight to video release is Kate Beckinsale, as none of the other original cast members are returning (though, I would not be surprised to see some of them pop up in small roles). While I enjoyed the original, both sequels have been weak (and I expect the same to be true for this) but maybe this will be more like the first – engaging action, character moments and stylish visuals. Trailer: Here.

At the Movies – January 2012 – Part 1: Independent Films

Art-House Dramas:

Rampart (Oren Moverman) – Crime Drama – Jan 27 [limited]

Summary: The film is about a veteran police officer in LA who is the last of the ‘renegade’ cops of old. He struggles to support his family and maintain his own survival (basically it is a lot like The Shield in concept). Filmmakers: Writer-director Oren Moverman is back for his second feature, coming off the critically acclaimed film The Messenger. He is working with cinematographer Bobby Bukowski again, as well as composer Dickon Hinchliffe (Winter’s Bone) and excellent production designer David Wasco (Inglourious Basterds). Cast: Moverman is also again working with stars Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster. Steve Buscemi, Robin Wright, Jon Bernthal, Sigourney Weaver, Anne Heche, Ice Cube, Brie Larson, Ned Beatty, Robert Wisdom, and Cynthia Nixon round out a fantastic group of actors. Expectations: The cast alone is a good reason to want to see this – plus, Moverman’s gritty style and ability to garner great performances seems perfect for this type of story (even though it is one that has been done many times, and very well – thinking again of The Shield or Training Day). All that said, the buzz has not been too great for the film. It has missed out on most of the awards from the 2011 season. But, if you like cop dramas this probably something worth seeing. Trailer: Here.

Albert Nobbs (Rodrigo Garcia) – Drama – Jan 27 [limited]

Summary: The film is about a woman in 19^th century Ireland who passes as a man in order to work and survive. After thirty years of wearing men’s clothing, she finds herself trapped wanting to move on with her life but living a lie. Filmmakers: Director Rodrigo Garcia is best known for the HBO series In Treatment, but also made the well-received drama Mother and Child in 2009. He is working with indie composer Brian Byrne and cinematographer Michael McDonough (Higher Ground), as well as very good production designer Patrizia von Brandenstein (Amadeus). Cast: Glenn Close stars as Albert Nobbs (and also worked on the screenplay), and the supporting players are great with Mia Wasikowska, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Aaron Johnson, Brendan Gleeson, Janet McTeer, Mark Williams, and Maria Doyle Kennedy. Expectations: Albert Nobbs is a must for those that like to see all the films that should garner major Oscar nominations, as this will likely see Close and McTeer nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress respectively. Aside from great performances, the film has been called a good but not great period drama. Personally, I look forward to renting it just for the excellent cast. Trailer: Here.

In Darkness (Agnieszka Holland) – Drama – Jan 27 [limited]

Summary: The film is about a man that helped Jewish refugees hide and escape using the sewers in the Nazi-occupied Polish city of Lvov. Filmmakers: Polish writer-director Agnieszka Holland, best known in the States for her films Copying Beethoven, Europa Europa and The Secret Garden (as well as directing episodes of The Killing, Treme and The Wire) returns to cinema after working extensively in TV since 2004. She is working with newcomer composer Antoni Komasa-Lazarkarkiewicz, cinematographer Jolanta Dylewska and production designer Erwin Prib (who was the art director on The Reader). Cast: It stars Robert Wieckiewicz, Benno Furmann, Agnieszka Grochowska, and Maria Schrader. Expectations: In Darkness is Poland’s selection for contention as Best Foreign film at the 2012 Oscars, and based on Europa Europa (a film I quite like) Holland has a mastery of the time period and drama involved with WWII and surviving. Trailer: Here.

Movie of the Week – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

This week’s movie is The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002).

The adventure film is the second in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It finds Sam and Frodo continuing on their journey to Mount Doom with an unlikely guide – Gollum. Meanwhile, Aragorn and friends are aiding the people of Rohan in preparation for the potentially decisive battle at their stronghold Helm’s Deep. Peter Jackson returns as director, co-writer and producer, as do composer Howard Shore, cinematographer Andrew Lesnie and production designer Grant Major. As for the cast, all the principal players return in the Extended Edition from The Fellowship of the Ring. However there are actors new to the series and those that have bigger roles that do fantastic work, including: Brad Dourif, Bernard Hill, Miranda Otto, Craig Parker, Karl Urban, David Wenham, and especially Andy Serkis as Gollum (who pretty much steals the whole movie, giving one of the iconic performances of the year). The film was nominated for six Oscars (including Best Picture) winning two, and is my favorite of the trilogy (and one of my favorite 25 films of the last decade). The Battle of Helm’s Deep and Serkis’s Gollum are two of the best things in the trilogy. Jackson also gives the opportunity for more characters to have moments, as there is not so much exposition and set up to get through. The Two Towers, as well as the Trilogy, is a must-see for fans of adventure films. Check out the trailer.

The Extended Edition is available on Blu-ray (the whole trilogy), DVD and Streaming