Bowie back with first album in decade
“You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows,” Bob Dylan sang, but these days, a guide through the seemingly endless flurry of pop culture offerings is just what we need. With that in mind, here is what’s on the radar screen in TV, music and film for the coming week.
MOVIES
Big release: The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (March 15)
The big picture: Burt Wonderstone is David Copperfield meets Michael Scott (The Office) meets Ricky Bobbi (Talladega Nights). Steve Carell plays the comically inept magician and Steve Buscemi plays his sidekick Anton Marvelton. From Fabio-esque wigs to their sparkling burgundy jackets (which look like Willy Wonka hand-me-downs), Carell and Buscemi’s appearances alone are enough to evoke laughter. Steve Grey (Jim Carrey) is a new magician on the Vegas strip — the flashy Criss Angel-type to Burt’s old-time carnival huckster.
Forecast: Canadian funnyman Jim Carrey could use a little magic these days and he seems poised to play scene-stealer in this film as Burt’s outlandish rival. Carrey’s funniest moment in recent years was his creepy Emma Stone YouTube tribute. For a man whose breakthrough literally involved talking out of his butt (Ace Ventura), this film could be the real deal. Carrey may need to add a few more ingredients to the comedy cauldron to regain his old mojo, but pairing up with Carell and Buscemi offers a good starting point.
TV
Big Event: Yukon Gold (History, March 13, 10 p.m. ET/PT)
Big picture: No, this reality show isn’t about potatoes. But give the networks time. In the age of the Kardashians, a reality show starring a potato would bring a lot of intellectual depth to the small screen. Meanwhile, this new History series follows four isolated mining crews tackling the elements — and the clock — during the Yukon’s short-lived mining season. Who says the gold rush is over? Yukon Gold features some tough customers. When they’re not digging for gold, these gents – living in remote, northern camps — only have a few hobbies at their disposal: casting steely eyed glares at one another over the fire, chasing away bears from their camps and trying to “out beard” one another. Given that many of the mines are family run, tempers can easily flare among this eccentric bunch. These miners could use Snow White’s calming influence.
Forecast: Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work we go. As one miner says of the elusive gold hunt, “You’ve just got to be careful it doesn’t consume you because it can.” Put a brim hat and suspenders on him and he could be a 19th-century prospector. The lust for Yukon gold is still alive and well in the 21st century.
MUSIC
Big release on March 12: David Bowie (The Next Day)
Big picture: Speaking of magicians this week, David Bowie is ready to cast a sonic spell. In terms of pop cultural wizardry, he makes Burt Wonderstone look like Harry Potter in diapers. Bowie seems to put on every musical hat from his venerable career — from New Wave master to pop prince, from glam rocker to electronic manipulator. Songs like Dancing out in Space also offer self-reference points to Bowie’s discography. Major Tom has still got the moves.
Forecast: Don’t wait for the next day. Any Bowie lover needs this album now. Bowie proves he still has something to say with an album that feels contemporary, yet self-aware of his own chameleon career. Bowie vanished for a while, but he never really left us.
Honourable Mention: Devendra Banhart (Mala). One of countless musicians influenced by Bowie, Devendra Banhart’s infectious psychedelic folk never disappoints. But if the music career fails, Devendra may have the best magician’s name in the music business (runners-up: Jay-Z and Feist).