What's New This Week

Books:
Collected Storiesby Raymond Carver [Library of America]
+ This may have actually come out last week, but I missed it then and it deserves mentioning. Generally a complete collection of a major author from the Library of America might not be something to note in this context, but this is a pretty special book for fans of Carver. The collection includes the book Beginners which is only available here. It's Carver's famous collection What We Talk About When We Talk About Love without the rather considerable edits by Gordon Lish. The debate about Carver sans Lish has been raging for years. Clearly Lish made Carver more of a minimalist and refined his style, but to what extent did he suppress a voice? To what extent did he give Carver the voice he was searching for? Your questions answered here.

Take a look at the story "Beginners" here. (And, yes, this is "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" before Lish's red pen entered the fray.)

The Skating Rinkby Roberto Bolaño [New Directions]
+ As Bolaño's oeuvre continues to be translated into English his legend only seems to grow. The Skating Rink captures Bolaño's style perfectly: flourishing language, crime, and romance all included. A corrupt civil servant has been misdirecting funds to build an ice rink for his lover. An illegal Mexican immigrant and writer, Gaspar Heredia (Bolaño anyone?), has discovered the corruption. The mystery unravels with murder and surprises in the three revolving stories set in the imaginary town of Z, just north of Barcelona.

Also out this week: Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon [Random House], Home Boy by H. M. Naqvi [Random House]

Music:
Asobi Seksu - Transparence[Polyvinyl]
+ The New York indie-pop duo is equal parts art rock band and pop crossover. Their light melodies and treble laced songs are heavily influenced by Japanese pop, and each of their albums seems to be a little better than the last. Their new EP, Transparence, won't be an exception to the rule. This follows on the heels of their lush February release Hush, which is worth checking out if you don't know who Asobi Seksu is.

Listen to some tracks from Asobi Seksu at Daytrotter.


Blitzen Trapper - The Black River Killer EP [Sub Pop]
+ New tracks from Blitzen Trapper is never a bad thing, and, thankfully, The Black River Killer EP seems to a bit of a misnomer as this thing is pretty long. Seven tracks that contain their signature bluegrass-rock foundations with huge hooks and dark overtones. The lead off track "Black River Killer" is pretty stellar. You can listen to it here.

Also out this week: Willie Nelson - The Nearness of You, Mariachi El Bronx - Self Titled [Swaml], Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon, David Bazan - Curse Your Branches, Arctic Monkeys - Humbug [Domino]

Theaters:
Still Walking (Hirokazu Kore-eda) [IFC]
+ Hirokazu Kore-eda is a rising star of Japanese cinema. His newest film, Still Walking, will definitely further that premise and attract many new film-lovers to his work. It rivals his fantastic 2004 film Nobody Knows, and seems to be a sign that he just keeps getting better. If you've got this film playing in your city this weekend go see it.

Check out the trailer here

Big Fan (Robert Siegel) [First Independent Pictures]
+ Big Fan is the first vehicle where Patton Oswalt is going to take the spotlight (outside of the great comedy-documentary The Comedians of Comedy). Oswalt plays a crazed New York Giants fan, and he struggles with the implications and depth of his obsession after being beat up by his favorite player. Oswalt may shine here, under the guidance of writer/director Robert Seigel, who is making this film as the follow-up to his first filmed script with The Wrestler.

Also out this week: Halloween II (Rob Zombie), Taking Woodstock (Ang Lee), We Live in Public (Ondi Timoner)

DVD:
Eclipse Series 17: Nikkatsu Noir(various directors) [Criterion]
+ I was going to write how I've never been disappointed with the Eclipse series, and how it's opened a world of cinema that I'd never have had the chance to experience without it, and that the Nikkatsu films are a crazy olio of some of the hippest cinema from Japan in the 50s and 60s. But then I read the description on the Criterion site and it made me want to watch it even more: "This bruised and bloody collection represents a standout cross section of the nimble nasties Nikkatsu had to offer, action potboilers modeled on the western, comedy, gangster, and teen-rebel genres." Translation: Bad ass.

Second Skin(Juan Carlos Pineiro-Escoriaza) [Pure West]
+ Second Skin is a documentary that explores the world of gamers and people interested in virtual worlds such as Second Life. It explores how these worlds enhance and destroy individuals, and have these alternate universes have changed the landscape of technology forever. It's got all of the charm of films about sub-cultures such as Darkon or King of Kong with the slight alteration that if you've never heard of the games and programs here, it's because the people in the film are far ahead of the curve.

Also out this week: The Last Days of Disco (Walt Stillman) [Criterion], Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (Chantal Akerman) [Criterion], Duplicity (Tony Gilroy), Adventureland, Sunshine Cleaning