Jay-Z and chauvinism a la mode
I Am Not An Easy Man To Please (2018) Available Friday
It feels only natural that the MeToo revolution and the general worldwide feeling that men are the problem would sooner or later filter its way down to movies.
Here, Vincent Elbaz plays the consummate chauvinist, a man who views women as pretty objects, cracks onto them at work and thinks the world is his.
Then one day, after concussing himself on the street, he wakes up to find that the roles in society have been reversed and he is the one being objectified, and evaluated based on his gender.
It works well enough in terms of humorously exploring some of the absurdities of sexism — especially the scenes where he has to get waxed — but some of the scenarios don’t ring true. Many men would welcome being propositioned, you feel, with the added bonus of climbing the career ladder. Also, how you feel about this film will depend on how you feel about dubbing: it’s translated from French but without the usual subtitles, and for some that will be a little jarring.
Lost In Space, series one Available Friday
With so many old television shows being ransacked for a modern reboot, it was only a matter of time before they came to Lost In Space, the 1960s sci-fi classic which has remained virginal of remakes, save for that awful 1998 movie with Matt LeBlanc.
Set just 30 years in the future, the Robinson family is among those selected to make a new life for themselves on a planet millions of miles away. But they are quickly torn off course en route to their new home and must build alliances and work together to survive in a dangerous alien environment, light years from their original destination.
There’s a lot of potential in this show, and Netflix has done an admirable job of updating a campy series for a modern audience. The Robinsons are no longer a typical 1950s family: Judy is a mixed-race teenager from her mother’s first marriage. The science fiction sometimes seems a little far-fetched and the characters make a few too many questionable decisions, but overall, this hits the mark.
And there are some great central performances, including House of Cards’s Molly Parker who plays the Robinson matriarch.
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman: Jay-Z Available now
On his long-running late night chat show David Letterman’s interviews seldom revealed anything interesting. They were like a collection of sound effects and starlet legs, moderated by an awkward uncle.
Now, free from the triteness of that format, and newly hirsute Letterman is finally sharpening his interview chops.
The big reveal from this interview made headlines around the world this week, as Jay-Z spoke for the first time about what it was like when his mother came out as gay.
The rapper said that he was so happy he cried. He also has warm words of praise for his two rivals, Snoop Dogg and Eminem, and tells Letterman what it takes to be a good rapper. There are so many other questions that could have been asked (Solange in the lift?) but there will always be an element of bubble bath to Letterman’s interviewing approach, and that might be part of his charm.
Dallas Buyers Club (2013) Available now
Set in 1985 in Texas, a bigoted rodeo bull rider, Ron Woodroof, is diagnosed with Aids. His refusal to accept his fate sends him on a journey to track down the antiviral drug AZT, the only known treatment.
On his journey he meets a transgender business partner, who agrees to help him distribute the drug amongst the gay community.
Based on a true story, this film is as harrowing as it is inspiring and Woodroof, played by the sometimes overly twitchy Matthew McConaughey, subverts the macho man, making him an unexpected hero to a generation of gay men.
McConaughey’s celebrated performance won him an Academy award and Golden Globe for Best Male Actor.