No. 21: Hal Ashby, "Labyrinth" love, recs from Alex Segura & more
Hey, now!
I'm writing this from my childhood bedroom in Virginia, where Cabbage Patch Kids whisper to my stuffed Couch Potato and classic board games mingle with Toad the Wet Sprocket T-shirts. It's a dusty, haunted place!
But let's move on, shall we? There is much to share ...
11 things I'm into this week ...
A few things crimping my hair at the moment:
1. UNTOGETHER marks the first film from screenwriter/director Emma Forrest, whose work I've dug since her book NAMEDROPPER dropped 20 years ago. It stars sisters Jemima Kirke and Lola Kirke as sisters who are trying to get their lives in better order (aren't we all?). The outstanding cast also includes Ben Mendelsohn, Jennifer Grey, Jamie Dornan and Billy Crystal as a cool rabbi. Emma's work is infused with pop-culture references and appreciation, and she might be the first person to use R.E.M.'s "Shiny Happy People" in a sexy way.
2. The next time you're in the mood for that Steely Dan/Boz Scaggs/laid back kinda rock moment, please put on "Fools" by L.A. band Drugdealer. It's so, so good! (And if you like that, the song "The End of Comedy" is also stunning and features vocals by Weyes Blood.) Drugdealer's new album, RAW HONEY, arrives April 19.
3. If you're gonna be in Brooklyn soon, consider visiting the MC Escher exhibit at Industry City. It does a good job of blending Escher's art with hands-on experiences, and it even made my daughter wanna see ...
4. ... LABYRINTH! Yep, at the end of the Escher exhibit, you see all sorts of album covers, films and such that are inspired by his work. My kid was mesmerized by a screen playing LABYRINTH, so we watched it when we got home. It definitely holds up, but if it were being made today, I have a feeling a) it would move at a faster pace; and b) David Bowie would wear different pants.
5. HAL, the charming doc about filmmaker Hal Ashby, is now on Amazon Prime. I remember the first time I saw HAROLD & MAUDE in college -- and then proceeded to watch it repeatedly for months and months.
6. I'm not sure how BRIGSBY BEAR escaped me last year, but it's weird and funny and full of heart. It stars SNL's Kyle Mooney as ... well, crap. Now I feel like it would be criminal to reveal any more, except that the cast also includes Mark Hamill, Claire Danes and other people you'll recognize. Just watch it and let me know what you think. (You can rent it or watch via a STARZ subscription.)
7. Speaking of Starz -- oddly enough, I subscribed so my kid could watch HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS -- I also caught up on VIDA, a fantastic series that's definitely not for kids. Set in Los Angeles, the story focuses on two very different Mexican-American sisters who are brought together after their mother dies. Season 2 arrives later this year, and the first season is a quick binge with just six short episodes.
8. The New Yorker interviewed Jane Curtin, who is smart and honest and doesn't really care what you think, thank you.
9. Brian Rea may be best known for illustrating the New York Times' "Modern Love" column, but his new book is also worth a look: DEATH WINS A GOLDFISH follows the Grim Reaper on a whirlwind adventure after he's informed that he needs to take a vacation. (He even tries to date, but it doesn't work out so well.)
10. I could watch trailers for A24 films 'til the end of time, but here are a couple notable ones: THE SOUVENIR looks mysterious and Tilda Swinton-y. HIGH LIFE is Claire Denis' creepy sci-fi movie with Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche (and Andre Benjamin!).
11. And finally, this week I was interviewed at FreakSugar.com about my career, hopes and dreams. (Most of them involve Pee-wee Herman and tight pants, though not necessarily at the same time.)
Some recs from ... ALEX SEGURA!
Alex Segura is a cool guy with two cool jobs: Not only is he Co-President of Archie Comics -- you're reading RIVERDALE, right? -- he's a successful author, best known for his Pete Fernandez mystery series that includes SILENT CITY, BLACKOUT and other titles.
Because Alex has A-plus taste, I asked him what he's into right now. Here's what he said:
1. The new CRIMINAL comic book series by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Sean Phillips has been absolutely stunning, and is a must-read for crime fiction and comic book fans. Dark, twisty and cinematic, CRIMINAL is two masters of graphic storytelling at their peak.
2. In the "books without pictures" category, I have to give a shout out to THE REAL LOLITA by Sarah Weinman, which explores the true case of Sally Horner, whose kidnapping inspired Nabokov's LOLITA. Part true-crime story, part literary history and part memoir, THE REAL LOLITA is a tour de force -- well-researched, emotionally charged and exceedingly relevant.
3. If you're a political junkie but don't really want to wallow in all things Trump, check out Steve Kornacki's THE RED AND THE BLUE, which walks readers through the tumultuous (and eerily familiar) decade of the 1990s, as we follow two of the most polarizing figures on political history: Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton. THE RED AND THE BLUE unfurls just how we went from having two parties that kinda played well with each other to the political tribalism of today. Eye-opening and smartly written.
4. I don't get a lot of screen time with a toddler (ha! the irony), but the one bit of appointment television we do have -- aside from episodes of Daniel Tiger -- is STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. Though I think the show is still trying to figure out what it wants to be early into its second season, it's getting there in style -- and the nods to the Original Series plus the spot-on casting of Captain Pike and Spock make for a fun ride that blends nostalgia with modern, super-speed drama. For fans who'd prefer to forget Enterprise and Into Darkness.
Thank you, Alex! Pick up his books and see what else he's up to at alexsegura.com.
... and YOU recommend:
BOOKS: Kevin is down with Lizzy Goodman's MEET ME IN THE BATHROOM, the oral history of the early 2000s New York music scene. "But I don't JUST read it." he says. "Each chapter more or less focuses on a different band, so I head to Spotify and shuffle a new band's music for each chapter. It's fun because I get to listen not only to bands I love like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Interpol, but gain a new appreciation for acts I never paid much attention to before, like LCD Soundsystem and The Rapture." ... Nicholas is into Jerome Charyn's new historical novel about Teddy Roosevelt called THE PERILOUS ADVENTURES OF THE COWBOY KING. "It's written from the perspective of TR himself," he says. "It's a spellbinding (and informative) read."
MUSIC: Dirk loves the song "It's All in Your Mind" by the band Sunshine & the Rain. "Maybe it's the handclaps, but songs don't get much catchier than this!" he says. I'm a total power pop geek, and this song is right in my wheelhouse." ... Maureen is "basking in Leon Bridges’ Grammy win for Traditional R&B Performance and nomination for R&B Album of the Year by listening to his albums COMING HOME and GOOD THING on an endless rotation." ... Herman has been tracking the new Pet Shop Boys songs, like the very of-the-moment "On Social Media" and "What Are We Going to Do About the Rich?" Their four-track EP is out now.
PODCASTS: Nick loves BINGE MODE: HARRY POTTER, saying, "If you are a Harry Potter obsessive like me, it is a must-listen. They go deep discussing the plot, characters, and world chapter by chapter and even cover the movies. It is hilarious, insightful, and also sad." ... Nathan loves THE WATCH, where "they talk a lot about newer TV and Movie stuff, but there's some nostalgia thrown in as well."
Et tu, dear reader? Email me your own recs (just hit reply) or leave a text/voicemail at 929-515-1988. I'll share your suggestions in a future newsletter.
(Please enjoy this Random Danza)
Before we part ...
Reach out with greetings, opportunities and plus-ones at whitmath (at) gmail. (Are you indecisive about emailing me? Consider this a sign that YOU SHOULD. Contact with real human people always improves my mood.)
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Makin' copies,
Jolene Hunnicutt
"I dress and eat like a fifth-grader, basically. I like sandwiches and cereal and hooded sweatshirts."
- Peter Dinklage
"Sandwiches are wonderful. You don't need a spoon or a plate!"
- Paul Lynde