Tower’s Top 3 Books List
February 22, 2008 by S C
The Audacity of Hope
Barack Obama
The junior U.S. senator from Illinois speaks out to all Americans on how to transform U.S. politics, calling for a return to America’s original ideals and revealing how they can be adapted to such controversial issues as globalization, the function of religion in public life, and the struggle to bring people together in a nation torn by differences. Reprint. 400,000 first printing.
Three Cups of Tea
Greg Mortenson
“It is not often that a sense of beauty and humanity creep into chronicles about so-called war zones like Afghanistan. Perhaps this is the real beauty of THREE CUPS OF TEA: Mortenson’s mission is a relentlessly positive one, and his ability to reveal the beauty and refuse to accept the brutal reality around him is an inspiring, heroic, and at times even crazy pursuit for the positive to become the norm in places that have taken their fair share of neglect.”
Liberal Fascism
Jonah Goldberg
A syndicated columnist for the National Review draws parallels between the fascism of the 1930s and the liberalism of the present, arguing that liberal politicians, from Woodrow Wilson to FDR to Hillary Clinton, have espoused policies and principles similar to those of Hitler’s National Socialism.
This Week’s Featured Tower Reviews:
February 22, 2008 by Romy
Richard Hawley | Lady’s Bridge (Mute) (2007)
Richard Hawley music will appeal to those whose taste in pop music gravitates towards the rich vocal tones of Roy Orbison and instrumentation that could be easily mistaken for Elvis Presley in his Sun Records prime. Hawley’s fifth CD Lady’s bridge finds the former mercury prize nominee in fine form as his rich baritone voice rumbles below rich strings, twangy country guitar, and soft piano. Unlike other retro acts, the former Pulp guitarist’s keen understanding of early rock n’ roll and his nuanced guitar playing lift the music above the level of kitsch or mere imitation, and has earned him the admiration of such musical innovators such as Radiohead front man Thom Yorke and R.E.M’s Mike Mills. Lady’s Bridge is a perfect primer for those who are curious about Richard Hawley, or anyone looking to listen to a great roots rock n’ roll record.
Richard Hawley - Tonight The Streets Are Ours (Video)
The Miles Davis Quintet | Live At the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival (Concord) (2007)
This CD recorded on 09/20/63 by famous sound man Wally Heider provides a glimpse into the genesis of what, for many jazz enthusiasts, would turn out to be Miles Davis greatest working unit. With the foundation of his great 1964-1968 quintet already in place in the persons of Tony Williams, Ron Carter, and Herbie Hancock, there would be two saxophonists who would come and go in the short period of one year before the arrival of Wayne Shorter. They were George Coleman, heard here in a brilliant expressive performance, and Sam Rivers. The main body of the performances heard here consists of four extended takes on the Davis repertoire of the time. A blistering “Autumn Leaves” with spectacular solos by all members of the group except Williams. There is also a completely reinvented and much quicker paced version of “So What” off the classic Kind of Blue album. The ballad selection included here, “Stella by Starlight”, is beautifully played and leisurely paced with Davis taking an extended an extended solo that will give you the chills. The set closes with a rousing “Walkin’” played at a furious pace with cataclysmic soloing from Williams, Hancock, Carter (utilizing a bow), and the leader himself.
There are four other live Miles Davis CDs that I would highly recommend as companion pieces to this disc. They are Miles Davis in Europe (Columbia 93583), Four & More (Columbia 93595), these two discs feature George Coleman. Miles in Tokyo (Columbia 93596) with avant-garde saxophonist Sam Rivers in what I believe is his only recorded performance with Miles, and finally Miles in Berlin with Wayne Shorter making his debut recording with the band that would take him to jazz superstardom. It will be interesting to hear what else is archived and waiting to be released through the MJFR imprint.
Miles Davis: Walkin’
The Oscars, Part I: the Achievements
February 22, 2008 by Bob
Achievement in art direction
“American Gangster” (Universal): Art Direction: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Beth A. Rubino
“Atonement” (Focus Features): Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
“The Golden Compass” (New Line in association with Ingenious Film Partners): Art Direction: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
“Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount): Art Direction: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax): Art Direction: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson
“Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” – Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter, 2008
Achievement in cinematography
“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” (Warner Bros.): Roger Deakins
“Atonement” (Focus Features): Seamus McGarvey
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (Miramax/Pathé Renn): Janusz Kaminski
“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage): Roger Deakins
“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax): Robert Elswit
Achievement in costume design
“Across the Universe” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Albert Wolsky
“Atonement” (Focus Features) Jacqueline Durran
“Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (Universal) Alexandra Byrne
“La Vie en Rose” (Picturehouse) Marit Allen
“Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount) Colleen Atwood
Achievement in directing
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (Miramax/Pathé Renn), Julian Schnabel
“Juno” (A Mandate Pictures/Mr. Mudd Production), Jason Reitman
“Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.), Tony Gilroy
“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage), Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax), Paul Thomas Anderson
The Oscars, Part II: Performances
February 22, 2008 by Bob
Performance by an actor in a leading role
George Clooney in “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)
Daniel Day-Lewis in “There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)
Johnny Depp in “Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
Tommy Lee Jones in “In the Valley of Elah” (Warner Independent)
Viggo Mortensen in “Eastern Promises” (Focus Features)
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Casey Affleck in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” (Warner Bros.)
Javier Bardem in “No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Charlie Wilson’s War” (Universal)
Hal Holbrook in “Into the Wild” (Paramount Vantage and River Road Entertainment)
Tom Wilkinson in “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (Universal)
Julie Christie in “Away from Her” (Lionsgate)
Marion Cotillard in “La Vie en Rose” (Picturehouse)
Laura Linney in “The Savages” (Fox Searchlight)
Ellen Page in “Juno” (A Mandate Pictures/Mr. Mudd Production)
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett in “I’m Not There” (The Weinstein Company)
Ruby Dee in “American Gangster” (Universal)
Saoirse Ronan in “Atonement” (Focus Features)
Amy Ryan in “Gone Baby Gone” (Miramax)
Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.)
The Oscars, Part III: the Best
February 22, 2008 by Bob
“Away from Her” – Starring Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent, Olympia Dukakis and Michael Murphy, 2008
Adapted screenplay
“Atonement” (Focus Features), Screenplay by Christopher Hampton
“Away from Her” (Lionsgate), Written by Sarah Polley
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (Miramax/Pathé Renn), Screenplay by Ronald Harwood
“No Country for Old Men” (Miramax and Paramount Vantage), Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
“There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage and Miramax), Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson
“Michael Clayton” – Starring Clooney, Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton, 2008
Original screenplay
“Juno” (A Mandate Pictures/Mr. Mudd Production), Written by Diablo Cody
“Lars and the Real Girl” (MGM), Written by Nancy Oliver
“Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros.), Written by Tony Gilroy
“Ratatouille” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Brad Bird; Story by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Brad Bird
“The Savages” (Fox Searchlight), Written by Tamara Jenkins
