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<\/h2>\n<\/h2>\nKen and Robin Consume Media is brought to you by the discriminating and good-looking backers of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff Patreon<\/a>. Each week we provide capsule reviews of the books, movies, TV seasons and more we cram into our hyper-analytical sensoriums. Join the Patreon to help pick the items we\u2019ll talk about in greater depth on our podcast segment, Tell Me More.<\/i><\/p>\n The Book of Spice: From Anise to Zedoary<\/a> (Nonfiction, John O’Connell, 2016) Alphabetical entries cook up the erudition on spices as history, fable, remedy and, oh yes, food. Covers everything from the deadly snakes reputed to swarm in pepper trees, to the murderous rapacity of the spice trade, to the flavorings preferred by The Canterbury Tales\u2019 cook. Did you know that when a mummy attacks, you should be able to tell it\u2019s on its way from the smell of cinnamon, pine resin and bitumen? OK well that one\u2019s an extrapolation on my part but you get the idea.\u2014RDL<\/p>\n Finders Keepers<\/a> (Film, US, Bryan Carbery and Clay Tweel, 2015) In North Carolina, a custody battle erupts over an amputated calf and foot, between the man who lost it in a small plane crash and the wannabe-Barnum who found it in a cooker bought at a storage container contents auction. Documentary finds pain and pathos behind the surface black humor of a weird news story.\u2014RDL<\/p>\n Hunt for the Wilderpeople<\/a> (Film, New Zealand, Taika Waititi, 2016) After the sudden death of his loving new foster mom, a precocious delinquent (Julian Dennison) winds up a backwoods fugitive, along with her cranky widower (Sam Neill.) Sweet and funny outlaw pursuit flick finds Waititi widening his visual scope.\u2014RDL<\/p>\n Maggie\u2019s Plan<\/a> (Film, US, Rebecca Miller, 2015) Sweetly controlling woman (Greta Gerwig), realizing that marrying a charming academic (Ethan Hawke) has allowed him to actualize into his full self-centeredness, contrives a scheme to return him to his high-strung ex-wife (Julianne Moore). Urbane NYC comedy of manners artfully bounces its stars\u2019 established personae off of one another. Moore portrays her twitchy cultural theorist as if Madeline Kahn had played Maude Lebowski, but with a sympathetic emotional core few actors would even shoot for.\u2014RDL<\/p>\n Other People<\/a> (Film, US, Chris Kelly, 2016) Comedy writer (Jesse Plemons) returns home to help care for his terminally ill mom (Molly Shannon), neglecting to tell his family that he\u2019s just broken up with his longtime boyfriend. Beautifully balanced between character comedy and drama, with skilled direction eliciting the best from a great cast. Shannon in particular gives a career-best performance.\u2014RDL<\/p>\n Whiskey Tango Foxtrot <\/a>(Film, US, Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, 2016) As homefront interest in the Afghan war wanes, an acerbic TV journalist (Tina Fey) tries to pry herself from a career rut with an assignment to Kabul. The decision to frame the proceedings as an observational comedy, abetted by winning turns from Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman and a calmly scene-stealing Billy Bob Thornton, brings a fresh spark to the usual structure of the war correspondent sub-genre.\u2014RDL<\/p>\n Elvis & Nixon<\/a> (Film, US, Liza Johnson, 2016) Although Michael Shannon\u2019s weirdly disconnected Elvis is actually capable of holding the spotlight with Kevin Spacey\u2019s manic Nixon, and a strong supporting cast backs them up, the movie doesn\u2019t really know what it wants to do when it gets to the iconic moment. It\u2019s not long enough for that to be a real problem, but it steps on its own mythology too much to be its own justification. –KH<\/p>\n La La Land (Film, US, Damien Chazelle, 2016) Actress Mia (Emma Stone) and jazz pianist Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) meet in Los Angeles while chasing impossible dreams in an old-school musical that also aims to be an old-school city symphony, an old-school romance, and an old-school showbiz picture. It almost squares the circle of \u201cfresh nostalgia,\u201d and looks great throughout regardless. –KH<\/p>\nRecommended<\/h2>\n
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Okay<\/h2>\n