TOP PICK
The Wrestler
(Twentieth Century Fox)
Mickey Rourke deservedly earned the best reviews of his long and
troubled career as Randy “The Ram” Robinson, an ’80s wrestling star now
grappling with his estranged daughter, stripper gal pal and aging body.
Darren Aronofsky’s excellent film actually works better on the small
screen, where guys like Randy became heroes back in the day.
VIDEO
American History X
(Warner)
Edward Norton simmers in this portrait of a reformed skinhead trying
to keep his younger brother away from the hate that consumed his own
youth. The new Blu-ray includes some deleted scenes, but the hi-def
images of violence, as both a learned and unlearned part of one man’s
life, truly shock. The movie still resonates 11 years later.
BOOK
101 Albums That Changed
Popular Music
(Oxford University)
Writer Chris Smith doesn’t uncover any hidden gems in his scholarly
tome about the CDs every music fan should have in his collection. But
he does offer some critical perspective on timeless albums like Kind
of Blue, Daydream Nation and The Chronic. There’s even a
handy appendix listing the records. It makes a perfect shopping
list.
CD
MSTRKRFT –
Fist of God
(Downtown)
These Toronto noisemakers shake up the dance floor on their frenetic
second album. The BPMs come at you hard — almost relentless in
their assault. It’s a helluva ride and a helluva party, fueled by
sloppy sex, cheap booze and cheaper drugs. Ghostface Killah and John
Legend even show up for quickies.
CD
The Best of AR Rahman: Music and Magic From the
Composer of Slumdog Millionaire
(Sony Legacy)
Rahman’s beat-heavy songs drove Slumdog Millionaire to a pair
of soundtrack Oscars. This 14-track collection gathers a decade’s worth
of his tunes, most of which blend pop, hip-hop, electronic and
traditional Indian music. It’s a great introduction to one of the most
versatile composers in the world.
This article appears in May 6-12, 2009.