Doubt centers around an acting tour de force that never becomes annoying the way a lot of movies that feature acting tour de forces usually do (read: Rachel Getting Married). I really didn't have a lot of interest in seeing this one and think it was too mildly presented to audiences and advertised as something much more boring than it is. True, it's comprised of speeches and monologues (as you probably know, it's adapted by John Patrick Shanley from his own renowned stage play), but I found it completely compelling.

Much of the credit goes to the ever wonderful Meryl Streep – a woman who knows how to act with an accent (in this case Bronx, 1960s) who's so good so often that one takes her for granted and forgets her talents, or at least only recalls recent performances in Mama Mia and Prime over her roles in Kramer vs Kramer and Angels in America. But the credit extends to Philip Seymour Hoffman too (man who, when he's good, he's exceptional), this is one of his best roles in years (I also personally loved him most in Boogie Nights) and the small supporting cast, including Amy Adams doing wide-eyed as only she can and Viola Davis, are great.

Some critics have complained about the film's 'staginess', but it never bothered me. I thought it was a thought provoking still life of a problem that we now know has been far reaching and horrible. It plays with your emotions and prejudices and you find yourself in doubt as the plot progresses. The amiable characters that you like and want to believe may in fact be monsters, and those that are less likable and even frightening could actually be the only voice of reason. This was a real surprise.

See more: Movies 1960s 2000s Drama Historical Mysteries

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Posted on May 18, 2009

Roberta Flack's first album, First Take is a quiet triumph of spare production. Often barely a guitar string interrupts her sonorous voice. Flack here, just like the cover image would indicate, with her natural afro and comfy hand-me-down dress is the antithesis of the divaesque image of contemporary songstresses.

You can imagine her sitting gorgeously on winter afternoons, penning her sorrows as she as she gazes out of an apartment window – though, to be accurate, she actually didn't write anything here; but she's imbued the songs with her own melodic, melancholy power.

The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face, which became a hit after its inclusion in Play Misty for Me, was and is my parents “song”, but really the whole album is a nice mellow listen that really grows on you the more you listen.

See more: Albums 1960s Soul

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Posted on May 11, 2009

Bobby Moore and the Rhythm Aces' Searching for My Love, which was released on Chicago's famous Chess Records label in '66 was the band's (who were part of the Alabama R&B club scene) only major hit – but it is a great one. Soulful and infectious, the song has features the gritty voice of Chico Jenkins.

Once a big hit, the song seems almost forgotten, with even allmusic left with little to say about the one hit wonder band. Huey Lewis agrees with me that it shouldn't be forgotten and covered the song in 1994, but sadly by then he was kind of forgotten too.

See more: Songs 1960s Soul

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Posted on April 13, 2009