ERR culture roundup reviews Bourdain film and new Estonian dance music

ERR culture journalist Kaspar Viilup has launched a new column, “Culture Crash Course,” reviewing recent developments across film, music and other parts of the cultural landscape. The column’s main focus is film and music, with the aim of bringing some order to a crowded cultural scene.

Anthony Bourdain biopic “Tony”

Most biopics are hopelessly dull because they begin where a Wikipedia entry begins and then follow a safe, predetermined path. Director Matt Johnson, who showed with “BlackBerry” that he could skilfully twist this formula, goes further with “Tony”, a film about Anthony Bourdain that ends where Wikipedia begins.

The film follows a group of losers trying to stay afloat in life. They cook from time to time, but mostly the audience follows the endless failures of exceptionally likeable characters. It is a rich, well-paced film whose modesty does not make it empty. There is plenty to take from it, including the fact that Antonio Banderas remains in top form.

One of the most interesting films of late

The start of the autumn cinema season has brought a flood of new releases. For several weeks in a row, six or seven films have arrived at cinemas at once, including plenty of forgettable material but not only that.

Among the new releases is French director Romain Gavras’s English-language debut, “Sacrifice”, released in Estonian as “Ohverdus parema maailma hüvanguks”. The film features a star-studded cast including Vincent Cassel, Salma Hayek, John Malkovich and Charli XCX.

“Sacrifice” is enjoyably wild and boldly careless. Its pace falters at times and some storylines lead nowhere, but the eco-satire is so shamelessly entertaining that it is easy to forgive a great deal. Arthur Russell’s “This Is How We Walk On The Moon”, which plays over the closing credits, captures the mood of the film particularly well.

More intelligent Estonian dance music

Estonian producers have learned many new tricks over the past year or two, but they mostly use them for senseless drinking tracks or simple jokes. There are occasional flashes of brilliance, but even with interesting production, listeners often have to ignore deliberately foolish lyrics. Calling it parody does not make the joke any fresher after the tenth repetition.

DJ Lumi is an exception. The producer has released several successful singles this year, including “Fall in Love”, which is competitive beyond Estonia, and a version of Miaufi’s viral breakthrough track “Sinu j2rgi hull”. Lumi has now released the short album “Emotsions Pt. I” with producer Tellemralf, offering 12 minutes of ambitious bass music.

The release contains flashes of Disclosure, Mall Grab and Kettama, moving between UK garage, breakbeat and piano house. The best sign is that when the four-track EP ends, the listener immediately wants to play it again.