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Music

Calvin Harris | Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 | Columbia

With the exception of the Florence Welch-featuring ‘Sweet Nothing’, everything else Calvin Harris had made was, almost literally, the exact same generic EDM song over and over again. But, in Funk Wav he has made an organic, unswerving record of sun-soaked summery vibes, readymade-hit hooks amped up by a stellar cast of collaborators (including Frank Ocean, Pharrell, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, et cetera) and two of the best singles of the year (’Slide’ and ‘Feels’). He still has a long way to achieve commercial-pop perfection, but this is certainly a step in the right direction for the Scottish producer.

7/10

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Youth | 2015 | Paolo Sorrentino

Even with its baroque musings on life and its meaning (or lack thereof), it has the exact kind of effect—intoxicating, uplifting, beautifully surreal—movies are supposed to have.

92/100

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Music

The War on Drugs | A Deeper Understanding | Atlantic

Clearly, this is an album masterminded by a musician overkeen on detail and atmosphere, with a centerpiece track (’Thinking of a Place’) so monumental and brilliant that bathes everything that comes after it, and colors in different hues everything that precedes it.

8.5/10

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Music

Run the Jewels | Run the Jewels 3 | Run the Jewels, Inc.

Not as brilliant as RTJ2, but angrier, more aggressive and, to a certain extent, timelier.

8/10

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Music

Real Estate | In Mind | Domino

Perhaps the band might continue to push into known territory, but the melancholy of their sound is still impossible to resist.

7.5/10

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Music

Lorde | Melodrama | Lava/Republic

It shows the New Zealander singer alchemizing a more artful shade of pop that is also personal and expansive, often both at the same time.

8/10

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Music

Kendrick Lamar | DAMN. | Aftermath/Interscope/Top Dawg

There are moments of genuine electrifying brilliance, both musical and narrative. However, its cumulative effect is not a regression to the Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City days, but the most ordinary record K. Dot has made—which makes it all the more disappointing, even if played front to back or viceversa.

6/10

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Essential Movie #67

Full Metal Jacket | 1987 | Stanley Kubrick

At first sight, Full Metal Jacket appears as an asymmetrical—and, therefore, uneven��film. The tonal shift between the first and the second part is jarring. But, as it happens with every Kubrick film, repeated viewings permit us to perceive the film differently, after which we discover the two parts complementing each other extremely well (part one, more character driven and with exquisite dialogue, being the better one). It is safe to say, then, that, of all his movies, this one has aged the best. (No, I’m not saying this is his finest work. That honor belongs to 2001, of course.)

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Music

Father John Misty | Pure Comedy | Sub Pop

Too much at times and its overall air of condescendence may be off-putting for many, but Josh Tillman’s third studio album—which, by the way, it’s deeply and equally indebted to Elton John, Van Morrison and Lou Reed—conquers its musical and lyrical ambitions, and gives its influences a unique spin like only FJM can do.

9/10

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Baby Driver | 2017 | Edgar Wright

A ridiculous and refreshing thrill ride that turns the romantic action comedy on its head, but more so than anything, it is pretty fucking cool.

85/100

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Essential Movie #66

Barry Lyndon | 1975 | Stanley Kubrick

Leisurely and challenging (which, I know, are two synonyms of tedious), it demands much patience from the viewer. But, oh, in all its perfectionist might, its aesthetic and literate grandeur, it is a singular picture of otherworldly, almost divine power. Every frame of which, I need not say, could be a wondrous work of art in and of itself.

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Room 237 | 2012 | Rodney Ascher

Most of these interpretations of The Shining (with the exception of the Native American genocide analysis) are crazy and somewhat improbable. They also happen to be absolutely fascinating.

82/100

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Black Mass | 2015 | Scott Cooper

It may not belong to the same league as Coppola’s or Scorsese’s crime epics, but it is an excellent example of ensemble-cast consonance. Also, I can’t stress this enough: Rory Cochrane is a supremely underrated actor.

84/100

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In Memoriam: Sam Shepard (1943-2017)

A maestro whose enormous talent—as thespian, playwright, filmmaker, you name it—and prolificacy was often intimidating. He also happened to be an epitome of cool. Here’s some proof:

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The Descendants | 2011 | Alexander Payne

Warm and intimate in ways contemporary movies rarely are.

100/100

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Essential Movie #65

Sideways | 2004 | Alexander Payne

Acting, writing, directing—everything about it is flawless. A true and deeply humane masterpiece.

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Argo | 2012 | Ben Affleck

There’s no doubt, Affleck has a gift for building up and sustaining tension.

90/100