Film: Flora and Son dir. John Carney (out now on all streaming platforms)
Single mum Flora (Eve Hewson) is at a loss about what to do with her teenage son. Encouraged by the police to find him a hobby, Flora gets him a beat-up acoustic guitar. With the help of a washed-up musician (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Flora and her son discover the transforming power of music. From the musical mind of John Carney, "Flora and Son" explores the bond between a mother and son on a journey toward a new harmony.
Eve Hewson does an impeccable job as Flora and is the movie's heart and soul. Her character is a wild child with a kid of her own, full of resentment of having her adolescence cut short, but the determination not to let parenting responsibility slow down her ability to party and date after the end of her marriage.
A charming comedy with real heart and some superb musical scoring!
TV: The Fall of the House of Usher dir. Mike Flannagan (out now on streaming platforms)
A loose adaptation of several Edgar Allan Poe stories, House of Usher is centred on Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), the head of a billion-dollar medical empire who made his fortune on the back of the opioid epidemic. He also has six children from five different mothers, and as the show starts, he’s confessing something to a local prosecutor: all of his kids are dead, and it’s his fault.
Each episode has Roderick explaining how each of his children died in a short span of time and how it all relates to a deal he made with a mysterious woman (Carla Gugino) at a bar in 1980. Seemingly he became hugely successful thanks to the help of some kind of dark entity, and now, years later, he is paying the price in a very bloody fashion.
Super scary and often quite gory this is a great series for horror fans!
Music: Sufjan Stevens “Javelin”
Sufjan Stevens has never made the same record twice. Since 1999, he has authored 10 studio albums of alternative folk, lo-fi, electronica and indie pop. His voice is a comforting whisper: tender and vulnerable, and the perfect delivery for his unique lyrical ingenuity and dexterity. The production on Javelin is pristine, overflowing with lush soundscapes and complex arrangements.
Unfortunately, the release of Javelin is accompanied by news that Stevens has been diagnosed with a rare debilitating autoimmune disorder, Guillain-Barré syndrome. Combined with the passing of his long-term partner this year, this makes tender tracks about unconditional love like “Will Anybody Ever Love Me?” all the more emotionally potent.
Intelligent, euphoric and heartbreaking music from one of our greatest modern songwriters. Essential album!
Standout track: “Sh*t Talk”. Stevens laments arguing and fighting with his late partner in a song that builds to the most incredible crescendo.
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