August Favorites

Guardians of the Galaxy: I saw Guardians twice. The real reason for this is that I had a migraine coming on the first time I saw it, so I wasn't able to appreciate it as fully as I otherwise would have. However, the bits that did connect with me that first time were so darn good, that I probably would have seen it a second time even if I had been in fighting form the first go 'round. This is definitely the sort of movie you can watch over and over and enjoy it every time because some new little detail or facial expression, or line reading is going to jump out at you in a way it hasn't before. When a friend messaged me to ask if I had seen the movie and what did I think of it, I answered that it has very smart, witty writing, lots of small-but-great moments throughout, and good action that doesn't overwhelm every other element of the film (I'm looking at you, Avengers). When further questioned if Guardians is now my favorite Marvel movie, I came to the conclusion that it is tied with the first Captain America, and that those two are far above and beyond any of the other Marvel movies. One of my favorite aspects of Guardians is that the characters come first. All five of the main characters in Guardians are fully drawn -- with emotion and humor that run deep below the surface -- and each is given their own moments in which to shine. Groot and Rocket get a few more of those moments than others, but it will be a long time before I stop hearing Gamora asking "Who put the sticks up their butts?" as Peter Quill tells tales of Footloose, or Ronan's being utterly confounded as Quill dances to "O-o-h Child" at a highly climactic moment. For a SciFi adventure set in space, Guardians of the Galaxy sure does have a whole lot of humanity going on within it, even if those displaying it aren't necessarily human.

"Sunny and 75," Joe Nichols: Previously, I only really knew Joe Nichols for the early aughts classic "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off." Any time I listened to album cuts I really couldn't get into him, and that is still the case with his latest album. However, I wouldn't have even been looking into that latest album if it weren't for this fabulously transportive song that carries on the tradition of country beach pop in the vein of Kenny Chesney back in the Songs from an Old Blue Chair / "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems" era. I got this song because it was one of the few on offer I could get with a free mp3 credit from Amazon, and let's be honest, a song called "Sunny and 75" sounds like it's right up my alley. I didn't even realize quite how much I liked it until I noticed I got really excited and happy every time it came up on my shuffle. I'm sure I'm going to like it even more once the weather it describes is no longer the weather I'm experiencing on a daily basis.

What If: Several weeks after I saw this movie, I found out the guy who directed it also directed Goon and Take Me Home Tonight, and then so many things made sense. Or rather, why I liked this unheralded entry in the romantic-comedy genre so darn much made sense. It also didn't hurt that I like pretty much every one of the main players: Rafe Spall, Zoe Kazan, Adam Driver, Mackenzie Davis, Jemima Rooper (aka Thelma from Hex!) -- and even Daniel Radcliffe wasn't that bad. The story is super sweet and cute, and even though the ending is pretty conventional, the story itself seems unconventional in that it has substance and a certain level of maturity to it. It's one of those movies (like Goon and Take Me Home Tonight) that made me feel good the whole time I was watching it. The comedy seldom seemed forced, and it was the kind of movie that's funny because it magnifies the way that life and what it throws at us can be funny while also being complicated and confusing, and gray -- rather than being black and white.

Back to Blood, Tom Wolfe: I mainly wanted to read this book because the cover is fabulous. And because it skewers Miami high society and the art world. And because I've liked every other Tom Wolfe book I've read. The cover design did not let me down -- Back to Blood is pretty darn fabulous inside as well. I could feel all the sex, lust, and vice just oozing off the pages -- it was delicious. I could imagine the whole thing being read by the British novelist mother from Troop Beverly Hills. Wolfe paints the rich as both seductive and repellent. Oh the glamour! Oh the satire! The writing is perfectly balanced in tone, making for a delightful reading experience. Wolfe manages to make Miami's heat, humidity, and lurid landscapes rise palpably from the pages of the book and envelop the reader in this world of gold-plated grime. Even though this is a rather lengthy book, when it was over, I wanted more.

Calvary: Brendan Gleeson is reliably sturdy and soulful in this film, and he is definitely the main reason to check it out, though the supporting cast (Chris O'Dowd, Aidan Gillen, Dylan Moran, Kelly Reilly, M. Emmet Walsh) is quite impressive as well. The fact that all of these supporting characters are just a bit dark and twisted is a nice change of pace from the usual twee-Irish-village fare usually found in Irish films. Of course the most powerful thing about this film is the ending, so I can't really say too much without giving it all away, but I will say it's about as far from twee as one can get.

American Dream Machine, Matthew Specktor: Me and my non-committal love affair with LA: the sun and disaffected ennui are so attractive; the traffic is not. Which is why books about LA are perfect for me -- I can read them from the comfort of the subway, and then my sofa when I arrive home after a (usually) quick commute. Bret Easton Ellis had recommended this book on his twitter a while back, and I give his recommendations a little more weight than others, since several of them have played out nicely. Even if I hadn't found out about this book from Ellis, it would have reminded me of Less Than Zero. The writing is solid and evocative without being flashy or trying to come across as profound. All the action in the story seemes to be bathed in the hazy golden glow of a sunset reflecting off the ocean and suffused with the quiet white noise hum of constant air conditioning. While I was reading American Dream Machine, I could picture all the action and all the characters so clearly. Even though I don't know LA geography very well, I made it up in my head as I went along, influenced by what I have seen in movies and on TV, read in other books, and experienced during my few fleeting visits. To me, driving around LA is one of the most romantic things that can be written about -- capturing the sprawl of the city and detachment the characters feel from it and one another. This is one of those books that connected with me so deeply, I have a hard time pinning down the specifics of what registers with me and why. The melancholy, the imperfection, the drive of one generation, the aimlessness of another. It's as if the Easy Riders, Raging Bulls era came together with the Less Than Zero era to form one seamless continuity that starts as soon as one begins to look backwards.  As I said, I don't know LA too well, so books like this one make it seem like a magical place, but also a city of lost souls, unable to find their places in the constant shuffle of reinvention.

"Classic," The Knocks feat. Powers: The Knocks have done it again. This is another song that puts a little pep in my step when it comes on my shuffle. And the artwork for the single also goes really well with my two favorite books this month. Not too many more sunsets to soak up before summer and its afterglow are over.

"Birthday," Katy Perry: Thank goodness for getting to listen to Cape Cod radio when I'm up on the Vineyard or I would have no idea what is happening in the world of Top 40. I heard this song on the way to the boat one Sunday and figured that something so disco and so saccharine had to be Katy Perry, even though I had no clue that she had put a new single out. Naturally I love this song, and it's a great fit with my ever-evolving 2014 playlist.

Chase Rice Ignite the Night Album Release Show (and album): So. Chase Rice. Somebody mentioned him on twitter way back in spring 2012 (yes, I went back in my Moleskine planner and checked). I listened to a couple of his songs, and left it at that. Why I felt the need to buy a ticket to his show at Bowery Ballroom, I have no idea. Probably because I've been on a country kick this year and opportunities for live Country music in the city seem to be few and far between. Also, Luke Bryan at Bowery Ballroom back in 2009 (yikes!!) was an awesome show. It turned out that this particular Chase Rice show was the release party for his new album, and there was no opening act, which was so awesome becuase Chase and his band played for over an hour and a half. I also got his new album for free. Possibly the most concert bang I've ever gotten for twenty bucks (at least this year it is).

Like many country singers before him, Chase Rice is a tireless entertainer who knows how to work a crowd, so he put on a totally killer, wildly energetic show. He ran though most of his new album, some of his older stuff, and did covers as diverse as Garth Brooks' "The Dance," Lit's "My Own Worst Enemy," Lil Jon's "Get Low," and Nelly's "Country Grammar." Chase Rice is two and a half years younger than me, so our taste in nostalgic covers of songs that were inescapable during various periods of youth is closely aligned. He also did Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise,” (a song that it turns out I don't know the words to even though I've heard it way too many times on the radio -- mainly the Cape Cod stations for the past two summers!), because it turns out that he co-wrote it! Both Chase and the crowd were full of energy and definitely fed off one another all night. The night was one big party (he has a song called "I Like Drinking, Cause Its Fun," which incidentally should be the theme song of most people I know), with lots of call-and-response choruses to really get everybody going and make the crowd feel like an integral part of the show. I had so much more fun at this concert that I ever would have expected, and that makes for a great night.

The album itself is my new on-repeat-non-stop jam. So for those of you keeping score, I've gone from Chromeo to David Gray to Chase Rice this summer. I think it's a good mix. So far my favorite songs, in track list order are: "Ready Set Roll," "MMM Girl," "Carolina Can," "Gonna Wanna Tonight," "How She Rolls." As you can tell from some of these titles, this is Bro-Country territory, so I have a game in which I'm making a list of all the name-brand booze Chase name-checks. So far this includes Fireball (duh), Jack Honey, Jack Fire, Crown Royal, and regular Jack Daniels. Also Coors Light cold-activated cans. However, it is telling that Chase's claim to fame prior to this album and its singles was a writing credit: dude is a hell of a song writer! Pretty much every song on the album has a damn good hook. I've got nearly the whole shebang stuck in my head at this point (though I will admit that neither "50 Shades of Crazy" nor "Jack Daniels & Jesus" really does it for me).

One final note: this guy has had a crazy life! Star linebacker at UNC, NASCAR pit crew, 2nd place on a season of Survivor, co-writing credit on one of Country's biggest hits . . . and now he's putting his album out independently, only using a label to do radio promo. Oh, and he also has his own clothing/lifestyle brand, Head Down Eyes Up. Color me impressed!