BOOKS
HOW TO TELL IF YOUR CAT IS PLOTTING TO KILL YOU
The Oatmeal (Matthew Inman)
Anybody who owns a cat can tell you that they are ridiculously bewildering creatures, and that in their eyes you’re the pet. Now you, too, can be in the know of cats – without ever owning one. From a guide to petting, to the things cats love, The Oatmeal has done us all a favor by producing this hilarious guide to cats. Originally drawn and written by the hand of comic illustrator and web designer Matthew Inman for his web comic, the book is a compilation of fan favorites. You won’t be able to keep yourself from laughing.
LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE: AMERICA’S NEW DEATH PENALTY?
Edited by Charles J. Ogletree Jr., and Austin Sarat
Charles J. Ogletree Jr. and Austin Sarat have collaborated previously to examine the death penalty in America – its misuse, its relation to race, and its future. The death penalty has a long history of controversy and sharply divided opinions. But is life without parole a perfect solution? In Life without Parole, Ogletree Jr. and Sarat seek to answer that question, bringing together works from many prominent scholars on the topic. All raise concerns about the justice and the wisdom of America’s answer to the death penalty, focused brilliantly into a cohesive look at a new and dangerous punitive excess.
THE NEW BLACK POLITICIAN: CORY BOOKER, NEWARK, AND POST RACIAL AMERICA
Andra Gillespie
In 2002, Cory Booker made his bid in the Newark mayoral race against Sharpe James – one in a series of young black politicians challenging veterans of the Civil Rights Movement for power. Andra Gillespie presents the Newark race as a case study for the breakdown of racial unity in politics: Poor and affluent blacks alike tout continuing the goals of the Civil Rights Movement, but they have very different ideas of how to get there. But this is not just a case of a single mayor in New Jersey; it’s a study of the inner workings of urban politics, of the tensions between generations, classes, and between aspirations and reality to provide an understanding of contemporary black politics.
SUGAR SALT FAT
Michael Moss
In 1999, eleven CEOs of America’s largest food companies gathered for a secret meeting with one item to cover: obesity, and what to do about it. They faced increasing pressure on their $280 billion industry as their salt, sugar and fat-filled foods were being linked to the disease and none were willing to lose market share. Now, step into their world of company labs and food scientists who manipulate the chemical structure of fat to enhance its appeal. In Salt Sugar Fat, Michael Moss shows how we got to 26 million Americans with diabetes and $1 trillion processed food industry, and offers a truly chilling idea of what goes into a nutrition label.
THE FUTURE
Al Gore
Love him or hate him, Al Gore is not a man who allows biases to blind him to truth. The Future takes a meticulous, clear-eyed assessment of the six most important drivers of global change: economic globalization, worldwide communications, the balance of shifting power, the flaws of unsustainable consumption, advances in life sciences putting evolution in the hands of humans, and the disruption of the relationship between humans and the Earth’s ecosystems. All are meticulously picked apart then clearly re-assembled to give a sobering, uncertain, yet suprisingly hopeful forecast.
THE SECRETARY: A Journey with Hillary Clinton
from Beirut to the Heart of American Power
Kim Ghattas
Hillary Clinton is one of the most powerful political figures in the world today, and between 2008 and 2012 Kim Ghattas had unprecedented access to her. She followed Clinton on her task to repair America’s image and restore America’s leadership, and from these years of extensive interviews with Clinton, the players in Washington and overseas, comes a new look into politics in the twenty-first century. Ghattas offers fresh insight to Clinton’s brand of diplomacy and analysis of the Obama administration’s efforts to rebrand American power, and she does it in a way that is compelling and intelligent.
MUSIC
THE LONELY ISLAND – The Wack Album
From the geniuses behind “Dick in a Box” and “I’m on a Boat,” the SNL trio releases their third album of madness. Loaded with celebrity cameos and satiric humor, The Wack Album is an aptly named masterpiece. Check out youtube.com/thelonelyisland for weekly “Wack Wednesday” updates
BEN FOLDS FIVE – Ben Folds Five Live
Alt rock fans rejoiced when the Chapel Hill trio reunited last summer. Ben Folds Five Live is the band at their best: an energetic concert album that captures the joy and mania of two decades of song. Buy tickets to their “Last Summer on Earth Tour” through LiveNation.com
SIGUR ROS – Kveikur
Sigur Ros’s seventh album is their edgiest to date. Known for their ethereal sound, Kveikur strikes a darker chord, eliciting a gritty, grotesque vibe unexpected from the band. Hear “Brennisteinn” and “Isjaki” at youtube.com/sigurros
SHARON JONES and THE DAP KINGS – Give the People What They Want
Sharon Jones knows exactly what the people want: powerful, soulful vocals. With enough force to blow down doors, Sharon Jones croons and soars her way through this riveting new album. Listen to her newest single, “Retreat,” at npr.org
KELLY ROWLAND – Talk a Good Game
Destiny’s Child’s number two delivers one hot album. Ms. Rowland fills her R&B niche flawlessly, serving ‘90s sounding jams with contemporary edge.
Stream her single, “Kisses Down Low,”
at soundcloud.com/kellyrowlandofficial.
JILLETTE JOHNSON – Water in a Whale
With her soothing vocals and fresh melodies Jillette Johnson’s newest album, Water In A Whale, serves up the perfect treat for those balmy, summer nights. The 23-year-old New Yorker sat down with Moves to gives us her favorite picks for summer ‘13.
Describe your musical style in 3 words.
Raw. Dynamic. Honest.
MOVIES
“AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS ”
This indie hit tells the tale of a Bonnie and Clyde-esque couple in 1970s Texas, played deftly and tenderly by Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck. Directed by avant-garde director David Lowery, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints paints a sweepingly romantic and devastating view of rural Americana.
“BLUE JASMINE”
After stints in Paris, Rome, and Barcelona, Woody Allen comes home in this breezy summer comedy. Starring Cate Blanchett as a well-to-do housewife in the midst of a breakdown, the film brings together a strong supporting cast (Alec Baldwin, Peter Sarsgaard) who summon all the heart and neurosis you’d expect from the bespectacled director.
“THE WAY,WAY BACK”
Straight from Sundance, The Way, Way Back makes the cliched coming of age tale feel fresh and euphoric. Powerful performances by Steve Carrell and Toni Collette ground the film in reality, while Sam Rockwell as a mentoring water park owner steals the film with a comedic tour-de-force.
“GIRL MOST LIKELY”
Kristin Wiig can do not wrong. Coming off the heels of 2011’s w, this quiet comedy features the same mix of hilarity and pathos that made that movie a success. Playing a quasi-suicidal playwright who gets placed in the custody of her overbearing mother (Annette Benning), Girl Most Likely secures another hit for the talented Wiig.
“THIS IS THE END”
If this is the end, we sure as hell like it. Directed by Seth Rogan, This Is The End follows Hollywood’s leading comedians (James Franco, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson) as they face the impending Apocalypse. Brimming with celebrity cameos and self-deprecating humor, This Is The End offers a silver lining to the end of the world.
“MAN OF STEEL”
Our newest Moves man, the enigmatic Michael Shannon, plays General Zod in this summer’s hottest blockbuster, Man of Steel. Donning a menacing goatee and suit of armor, Shannon gives us behind-the-scenes fun:
“My daughter visited the set one day and she got to meet Superman. She was very excited about that. At the time, she was like, three, so she wasn’t entirely sure who Superman was. But he did make quite an impression.”
THEATER
Jenna Fischer
REASON TO BE HAPPY
The painfully acerbic Neil LaBute finds followup success with his cutting little sequel, playing at MCC this summer. This quick paced play picks up where reasons to be pretty left off, profiling the same volatile foursome as they maneuver the twists and turns of love and malice. Starring The Office’s Jenna Fisher in a game changing dramatic performance, reasons to be happy features all the backstabbing and infighting as the original, and cements LaBute as one of the most brazen writers of our generation.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Shakespeare in the Park
COMEDY OF ERRORS &
LOVE’S LABOURS LOST @ The Delacorte
You can always count on Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson for comic relief, and his performance in Comedy of Errors provides double the laughs. A Broadway veteran and Shakespeare in the Park alum, Ferguson pairs with Hamish Linklater (The New Adventures of Old Christine) to play two sets of twins in this madcap comedy. Also this summer is the musical adaptation of Love’s Labour’s Lost, crafted by the creators of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. With a rocking score and sexy cast, this musical finishes up summer with a sizzle.
Kelli O’Hara
FAR FROM HEAVEN
Fresh from its preview at Williamstown, Far From Heaven sweeps its way from the breezy mountains of the Berkshires to its New York City premiere. This lush musical adaptation of the 2006 movie stars Broadway legend Kelli O’Hara as the troubled ‘50s housewife, forced to balance her broken marriage with a forbidden interracial romance. Penned by Tony-winning playwright Richard Greenberg (Take Me Out), this vibrant musical captures all the heartache and tenderness of the original story, and gives Far From Heaven a timeless feel.
John Guare
3 KINDS OF EXILE
Nearly 50 years after his play The House of Blue Leaves exploded onto the scene, Tony-award winner John Guare once again attempts to rewrite history. 3 Kinds of Exile tells the tales of three real life émigrés, crafting a rich cultural landscape through language and song. Serving as both playwright and actor, Guare folds seamlessly into the cast which features standout performances by David Pittu and Jacquelyn Landgraf. Director Neil Pepe (Speed-the-Plow) keeps this daring play aloft, spanning the globe to find the meaning of home.
LIMITED
LINCOLN CENTER FESTIVAL 2013
Théâtre de l’Atelier’s Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
It’s been over twenty-five years since actor John Malkovich burst onto the scene with his palpable portrayal of Vicomte de Valmont in the Academy Award-winning Dangerous Liaisons. Turning his attention now to the director’s chair, Malkovich deftly crafts this sultry French classic, leading a troupe of skilled actors in a tantamount production that mixes old with new. Skinny jeans exist alongside corsets and bustles, and the spitfire dialogue flows like lava from the mouths of our players. Featuring an updated script by Christopher Hampton, the play sears in its original French, proving that revenge is a dish best served hot.