September Favorites

"Let's Ride", Easton Corbin: Sometimes, corporate sponsorship can be a good thing. This particular song is sponsored by Ram trucks, and both it and Easton are featured in their TV ads -- which I get way too excited about seeing on those rare occasions that I actually watch television. I also get way too excited about this song when it comes on my shuffle. The chorus is super catchy, and aimlessly driving around is a country music theme I just can't get enough of, living in the city as I do.

The Lost City of Z, David Grann: It's been a while since I've read a really solid and inspiring piece of non-fiction, but Lost City of Z filled that void nicely, even though I could have done without the descriptions of maggots burrowing under people's skin, and other graphic, insect-involving passages. I've had this book sitting on my shelf for quite a while, but during my visit to the Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology exhibit at Nat Geo in Washington, DC it occurred to me that I should finally pick it up and read it (obviously, the section on Kingdom of the Crystal Skull provided this inspiration, which is possibly the only good outcome of that film's existence). The jungles of South America are not places I'd like to visit in real life, but I'm happy to be transported there by a book. And on some level, I've always been fascinated by the concept of El Dorado. While the whole book is captivating and engaging, taught me a lot I didn't know about Amazonian civilizations, and captures the adventurous spirit that could only belong to a time in which so much of the world was still unknown, the final chapter (set in the present day) was particularly illuminating and compelling. The Lost City of Z offers a rich, transportive experience that reminds me why I love books so very much.

Time Out Of Mind: This is such a moving film that highlights the problem of homelessness in New York. Several of my friends and I have been talking about how there seemed to be more homeless men and women out on the streets of this city this summer, so this film is coming out at a critical moment. I was lucky enough to go to a screening at which the director, Oren Moverman, happened to be on hand for a Q&A session after the film, and he shared that the whole time they were filming on the streets of New York City, no one recognized Richard Gere, who plays the protagonist of the film. I know that I certainly avert my gaze when I walk by the homeless, so I find this totally believable, but it is also heartbreaking. The film captures the complexity of the infrastructure that supports the homeless, and at the same time shows how difficult the system is to navigate or "free" oneself from. I urge everyone to see this film, especially if they live in a major city, because it provides a spark for a conversation that needs to be had, even if real change must come from the top (i.e. the government) down.

But Enough About You, Christopher Buckley: Christopher Buckley's writing is smart and witty and funny as hell. It's refreshing to read essays that are both hilarious and intelligent in equal measure. Plus, Buckley rubbed shoulders with -- and thus has interesting and insightful things to write about -- some worthy subjects (Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Joseph Heller, etc.). While my favorite essays in this collection are on the subject of travel, I now find myself wanting to read a biography of Reagan, and I find that the mark of a good book is that it inspires me to seek out other specific books.

Three Weeks with My Brother, Nicholas Sparks: To be honest, I wasn't expecting anything terribly deep out of a memoir by Nicholas Sparks, but this book totally surprised me and provided several punches to the gut. Sparks has faced quite a bit of hardship and tragedy in his life, and I can now totally understand why he writes the type of novels that he does. This book also helped me learn a little about myself, since I saw a lot of my own work ethic and habits in those of Sparks. Seeing these traits in someone else, and seeing how he struggled to make time to truly live and enjoy life, helped me to put my own busy life into perspective. As a bonus, I also got to read about remote and beautiful world wonders like Machu Picchu, Easter Island, Angkor Wat, and the Taj Mahal, among others. Even for those who aren't fans of Sparks's novels, Three Weeks still has plenty to offer, inspirational or otherwise.

Illinois, Brett Eldredge: I can honestly say that Illinois is hands down my favorite album of 2015 (so far). Out of twelve tracks on this album, there is only one that doesn't really do it for me, and that's not too shabby. Even though Brett Eldredge is categorized by the industry as "Country" since his debut album certainly leans that way, Illinois, his sophomore effort, could easily be indie pop. Many of the songs here remind me of Josh Kelly and Jon McLaughlin, but with a little something extra. There's sexy edge and a feel-good vibe that brings a smile to my face no matter what song on the album I'm listening to. As I said, there are eleven songs on this album that really do it for me, but the ones which I am particularly passionate about are "Time Well Spent" (a killer chorus and a celebratory theme, a island groove that I can't help but sway my hips to), "Fire" (sexy, with a driving beat), "You Can't Stop Me" (a party song that could just as easily be by a young Robin Thicke), "Drunk On Your Love" (solid, sexy grooves), and "Illinois" (sincere without being earnest). I wasn't even planning to get this album, but then People had a really favorable little blurb about it that referenced Soul and other non-Country influences, so since I was in the suburbs for the weekend and going to Target anyway, I thought I might as well pick it up when I was there. This isn't the first time I've ended up loving an album that I bought on a whim. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that Eldredge is 6'5" and has gorgeous blue eyes. I'm even considering skipping a Ben Taylor show to catch him live when his fall tour kicks off here in NYC, so you know I'm serious about this guy.

Emotion, Carly Rae Jepsen: This is a solid collection of pop perfection, drawing heavily on late-80s and early-90s influences. The album holds together extremely well as a whole, but a few songs have me hitting repeat, chiefly "Let's Get Lost", which combines late-80s synths and horns with early-90s beats to glorious effect. Other Highlights are "When I Needed You", "Boy Problems", and "All That". Jepsen's lyrics and vocals are top notch, but what really has me grooving on this album is the lush orchestration and skillful, seemingly effortless production.

The New Girlfriend: This is an extremely good film that examines gender and identity in a very honest way. It explores the human condition in the face of loss, and the various relationships depicted in this film are fascinating to observe. Also, this is a rare French film that didn't feel particularly European. The houses that the characters live in could be found in any tony American suburb. While I found this a bit odd at first, it does help to make the film seem more universal, and less "other".  Both Romain Duris and Anaïs Demoustier give fine performances. While it may seem at first that The New Girlfriend is about Duris's character, the film truly belongs to Demoustier who provides the character of Claire with believably conflicting, and constantly evolving, emotions.