Top Picks: Band of Horses' 'Why Are You OK,' 'Hail Caesar!' on DVD and Blu-ray, and more
Malcolm Gladwell turns to the podcast format with 'Revisionist History,' 'Hamilton' takes the spotlight at the Tony Awards, and more top picks.
PBS
America’s famous residence
Check out the history behind the most well-known house in the United States with PBS’s The White House: Inside Story. Interviews with presidents and first ladies as well as other inhabitants reveal the unique place the White House holds in popular culture and behind-the-scenes tales of what it’s really like to live there. The program airs on July 12 at 8 p.m.
A true album
Band of Horses’ fifth album, Why Are You OK, is the kind of record that should be played on a turntable between spins of the Byrds and Neil Young. ”Whatever, Wherever” and “Country Teen” will rotate you back to the amiable California country rock of the Eagles and “Wild Horses”-era Stones. “Why Are You OK” is an album in the best sense – unspooling stories, emotions, and sounds that are easy on the ears but impactful on the heart.
Coens on Hollywood
The Coen brothers turn to the long-ago days of Hollywood with Hail Caesar!, which depicts the life of a man who solves and conceals the problems of movie stars. The film, which features a star-studded cast that includes George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson, and Tilda Swinton, is sharp and amusing. It’s now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
Relearn history
Malcolm Gladwell’s books have always been a pleasure to read, and now he’s trying out the podcast with Revisionist History, which, according to Gladwell, looks at “something that I think has been overlooked or misunderstood” in history. The first episode tells of a painting that became a sensation, but the painting’s eventual success sheds light on how society sometimes treats women. Find the podcast at http://revisionisthistory.com.
Thrilling theater
The cultural phenomenon Hamilton is, in the words of President Obama, “a civics lesson our kids can’t get enough of,” and the public got a peek at the musical about Alexander Hamilton at the recent Tony Awards – no mean feat considering the price of tickets. Check out the cast in a stellar performance of the songs “History Has Its Eyes On You” and “Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)” at http://bit.ly/hamiltontonys.