Ray Donovan
To the uninitiated the title of Showtime's newest critically
acclaimed film noir drama may seem a bit effusive, so let’s put it this way; if
you were a fan of “The Sopranos”, you will love “Ray Donovan”.
Liev Schrieber stars in the title role—a brooding, edgy character
who is employed by a powerful Hollywood law firm who “takes care of problems”
for the rich and famous ranging from A-list movie celebrities to NBA and NFL
superstars. Imagine the Harvey Kietel
character “The Wolf” from “Pulp Fiction” employed as an enforcer by the CAA and
you get the idea.
Liev Schrieber is absolutely fierce as Ray Donovan. The
formidable actor owns this character and we see and feel every intricate layer
of imbedded turmoil and internal conflict barely kept in check by the
character’s code of discipline. If Ray showed up at your door and asked you to
do something—trust me—you would do it.
Elysium
2013 is turning out to be great year for science fiction
movie fans. We learned that Christopher Nolan is hard at work on a new
interstellar space epic and had super spectacular sophomore spectacles from the
two newest auteurs of the genre.
The first was “Oblivion” back in April by Joseph Kosinski,
the visual wizard behind “Tron: Legacy” (2010). The second hit theaters a few
weeks ago, “Elysium”, by Neill Blomkamp the formidable indie-flavored filmmaker
who shook us to the bone with 2009’s huge surprise debut film “District 9”.
“Elyium” is a full-throttle, thinking person’s science
fiction action film that grabs us from the first frame and never stops. It is one riveting scene after another, always
filled with tension and emotion, always framed and paced with a master’s sense
of story and timing. “District 9” was reminiscent of the socially charged, visceral
films of George Romero. “Elysium” captures the smashed-mouthed adrenaline and
political meatiness of vintage Paul Verhoeven, especially “Robocop” (1987).
“Summertime Sadness” – Lana Del Rey
Yet another haunting, hypnotic, musical masterwork from this
generation’s version of Nancy Sinatra by way of “Mad Men”. Every song that Lana
Del Rey creates brings to life the simmering angst and melancholy lurking in
the emotional shadows of the underbelly of Americana. The 50s, the 60s, the
70s, and indeed the entire past sixty years of American sociological and
popular history lives in the aching lyrics, captivating melodies, and
mesmerizing music videos of this creative genius.
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