'13 Addictions, Shout Outs & One Offs : The Angel

31 Dec 2013 ’13 Addictions, Shout Outs & One Offs

Posted at 09:45h in Shout Outs by The Angel 0 Comments

Here’s this year’s eclectic, TV centric list (binge-watch alert)… whether discovered as new, rediscovered or simply appreciated in 2013. In no particular order…

Les Revenants – Thoroughly intriguing addiction. Each beautifully shot episode begs more questions than it answers, and I was hooked before Sundance had the good sense to air the original French series. If you haven’t already seen it, don’t read about it, just watch it! Shout outs to creator Fabrice Gobert, cinematographer Patrick Blossier and an excellent cast…

Vikings – Shout out to creator Michael Hirst. Phenomenal writing delivers poignancy and humanity underneath all the violence. Travis Fimmel and Katheryn Winnick lead a brilliant ensemble with a crew that delivers a sumptuous, visceral experience.

Braquo – Shout out to creator Olivier Marchal for a series that many refer to as France’s answer to “The Shield”. Season 1 weaves an escalating sequence of WTF moments that keep you rooting for Jean-Hugues Anglade’s, Eddy and his team. Talk about writing your characters into a corner…

Magic City – Addiction… Production designer, Carlos Barbosa, creates Miami Beach in the late 50’s and it’s visually stunning. It’s a shame that MC ended after this year’s second season. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is excellent and the finale is anything but disappointing! Shout out to creator Mitch Glazer…

Glow: Santa Monica – An epic one off – All night, interactive art installation on the beach. This year it was an immersive experience, since I contributed two tracks from my upcoming album, “Xtra Sensory Goodness” to the accompanying audio guide, produced by KCRW. You can hear and read more about “Afterglow” and “Breathing Underwater” by clicking on the associated links.

Rectify – Shout out to Gran Via and creator Ray McKinnon for this absorbing character study. Aden Young, Abigail Spencer and Johnny Ray Gill make me want to come back for Season 2…

Top of The Lake – Major shout outs to Elisabeth Moss and Peter Mullan, and to the creators Jane Campion and Gerard Lee. Evocative and raw…

Hannibal – Shout out to Bryan Fuller for thinking outside the box and for the trippy execution – stunning! This series shouldn’t be flying under the radar, despite its dark premise. Shout out to NBC for having the cojones to air this cable-worthy, provocative drama led by Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen.

House of Cards – Shout out to Beau Willimon and David Fincher. The original UK version was groundbreaking at the time and this a fresh take as a US adaptation… Kevin Spacey personifies the tagline “Bad, for a greater good.”

Joe Turner’s Come and Gone – As far as I know, this superb adaptation directed by Phylicia Rashad, was a one-off run at the intimate Mark Taper Forum. Loved being immersed in the powerful performances of Glynn Turman, Keith David and John Douglas Thompson. Shout outs to all…

12 Years A Slave – This is what I tweeted when I left the theater, “Sean Bobbitt’s lens – beauty made ugly only by brutality. Masterfully immersive, disturbing, raw. Still feeling the pain…” And I kept feeling it for days and days. It’s a testament to great filmmaking. So here’s a huge shout out to Steve McQueen and the crew, who lovingly crafted this heartbreaking true story into a timeless piece. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong’o draw us into and hold us in this world… one that should never be forgotten.

Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom – I watched the film three weeks before Nelson Mandela left us… and I wonder how raw it would feel to watch it now. There’s so much story to tell and cramming in too much, especially at the beginning, is the only thing that gets in its own way because overall the film is beautifully done. From the production design to the makeup department, everyone shines. In a conversation I had with Idris Elba almost three years ago, this is the calibre of role I fully expected to one day see him play and he absolutely owns it… as does Naomie Harris.