Welcome to HNGN's weekly top picks, where we cull the best and brightest releases in music, fashion, beauty, tech and pop culture. Come back every other week for more of-the-moment goodness. - Editing by Michael Lello.
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MUSIC
By Michael Lello
The Arcs: Yours, Dreamily, (Nonesuch)
Dan Auerbach has probably made enough money with The Black Keys to take a break after the band's most recent sold-out arena tour, but instead he went to work on what started as a solo album and morphed into a new band called The Arcs. That's a good thing for us, because The Arcs' debut record, "Yours, Dreamily," is a welcomed blast of r&b-charged hard-hitting rock that boasts as much soul as it does muscle. And oh yeah, there's an all-female mariachi band, Mariachi Flor de Toloache, singing and playing on a few tracks.
Check out the appropriately psychedelic throwback video for "Outta My Mind" below.
Prince: HitNRun Phase One (NPG Records)
With "HitNRun Phase One," his third album since 2014, the prolific Prince continues to push the envelope both musically and business-wise, releasing the album initially on Jay Z's much-maligned Tidal service over the weekend (non-subscribers can stream it via a 30-day trial; traditional formats including CD will be out next week). We'd include a track for you to sample, but the notoriously anti-piracy Prince has kept the songs off YouTube and has abandoned Facebook and Twitter altogether, so you'll have to go the Tidal route for now to check it out.
Duran Duran: Paper Gods (Warner Bros.)
On the cover for Duran Duran's new album "Paper Gods," the band has included sly references to their classic releases "Rio," "Girls On Film" and "Seven and the Ragged Tiger." Is the band trying to tell us that its 14th album and its first in five years is a return to its 1980s New Wave heights? Sort of. Listen to album tracks like "What Are The Chances" (hear it below), and you'll find a band very conscious of its history but not simply rehashing its past successes.
Craig Finn: Faith In The Future (Partisan Records)
As the frontman of The Hold Steady, Craig Finn has established himself as one of the most consistently compelling and thoughtful lyricists in rock. Sometimes, however, Finn's literary depth can get a bit drowned out by the boozy, punkish swagger of the band's music. On his solo efforts, like his second album "Faith In The Future," his words get to breathe a bit more - which is a nice change in dynamics, taking nothing away from The Hold Steady's glorious raucousness.
Check out the lyric video for "Newmyer's Roof" below.
MOVIES
By Cal Setar
The Visit (Universal Pictures)
Director M. Night Shyamalan returns for yet another visit to the realm of the disturbing. This handheld camera-shot movie depicts a young brother and sister sent to a rural farm in Pennsylvania for a weeklong visit with their grandparents. The children quickly realize that something isn't quite right with grandma and grandpa and they suddenly find themselves in a battle with forces they don't fully understand.
The Perfect Guy (Sony Pictures)
She thinks she's met the one. He's smart, funny and professionally successful. Their relationship takes off, and she finds herself smitten almost overnight. But soon, things begin to unravel, and suddenly he's acting in a way she never dreamed imaginable. She tries to escape, but he decides he's not going to let that happen.
Sleeping With Other People (IFC Films)
Jake loves to date. Lainey can't stop cheating. The unlikely pair, who had met via a one-night stand some 12 years earlier, have a chance encounter that leads to an even more unlikely friendship. Before long, though, Jake and Lainey find themselves struggling to come to terms with the feelings they're developing for one another.
Coming Home (Sony Classics)
Lu Yanshi is arrested and forcibly separated from his devoted wife Feng Wanyu. As a political prisoner, Lu is sent to a labor camp. At home, Feng suffers a terrible accident that results in amnesia. Lu, released during the waning days of the Cultural Revolution, finds his way home to a wife who no longer knows his face. Bowed, but not broken, Lu is determined to rebuild his life and his marriage.
FASHION & BEAUTY
By Gina Masilotti
RiRi by Rihanna
One of the newest and most talked about fragrances out right now is Rihanna's latest – RiRi, a crisp floral and fruity light scent featuring passion fruit, jasmine and vanilla. Even the ad is sweet and girly as the singer takes a break from her usual edgy bad-girl look for a glam, almost doll-like appearance. RiRi is exclusively available at Macy's now, so get your hands on it while you can because it just came out this month. You can get a 1.7-oz bottle for $50 or a 3.4-oz bottle for $60.
OPI Venice Collection
With fall approaching, it's time for nail polish brands like Essie and Orly which have already released their 2015 fall collections. The one we're obsessing over the most is OPI's Venice Fall/Winter Collection. With 12 gorgeous shades to choose from, plus three limited-edition shades, this collection is everything your manicure needs. You can get these shades for $9.50 each at Ulta.
Moroccan Oil Intense Hydrating Mask
Too much time in the summer sun can wreak havoc on your hair, drying it out and making it feel as though you're rocking a head of straw. Thankfully, there are plenty of fixes that most people, especially those with dyed hair, can try. A Moroccan oil mask works wonders, and it's super easy to use. All you have to do to get back your soft, tangle-free, healthy hair is to apply the mask to wet, just-shampooed hair and let it sit for about 10 minutes before rinsing. For best results, use once or twice a week depending on your level of dryness. Get an 8.5-oz jar on Amazon for just $30.
NARS Blush in Luster
Tanning beds and spray tans are conventional options for natural but faiding summer tans, but sometimes all you really need to recapture that summer glow is the right bronzer. While liquid or powdered bronzers are fine but they can be a little heavy. Nars makes an amazingly light, sun-kissed blush that lasts forever, making it well worth the price. Luster is the perfect shade to extend the summer season into the still-warm fall days.
DVD/BLU-RAY/STREAMING RELEASES
By Emily Morgan
DVD/Blu-Ray
The Age of Adaline (Lionsgate)
Blake Lively gives a touching performance as the ageless Adaline Bowman in this romantic fantasy.
Adaline finds near eternal life when she flips her car into a frozen river and dies, but a strike of lightning brings her back to life. Unable to live in the same town for too long due to the fact that she never gets any older, Adaline must live the rest of her life on the run and leave her only daughter behind.
Her past life eventually catches up to her when she agrees to go on a date with a young man, whose father knew Adaline before the accident. The film also stars Harrison Ford, Michiel Huisman, Kathy Baker, Amanda Crew and Ellen Burstyn.
Special features on the Blu-ray/DVD include deleted scenes, audio commentary with director Lee Toland Krieger, behind-the-scenes footage and a profile on Anthony Ingruber who plays the younger version of Ford's character.
Boulevard (Starz/Anchor Bay)
Robin Williams possessed a comedic mind that it's safe to say no one will ever duplicate, but he surprised people most with his dramatic turns. He does so again in this film about finding your true identity.
Williams plays a man who is a devoted husband but in a marriage of simple convenience. It's only after one night driving down an unfamiliar street and meeting a young man that he begins to embrace his true self.
Kathy Baker, Bob Odenkirk and Roberto Aguire also star.
There are no special features on the Blu-ray DVD.
Madam Secretary: Season 1 (Paramount)
Téa Leoni takes on the world as the U.S. Secretary of State in this first-year drama from CBS.
Leoni plays Elizabeth McCord, a character much like her real-life counterparts Madeleine Albright, secretary of state under the Bill Clinton administration, and Hillary Clinton, who held the position under the Obama administration.
The show balances the real-world crises McCord must negotiate every day to keep the country safe and navigate her own home front, which includes her husband Henry, a theology scholar, and their three teenage children.
Special features on the DVD include a behind-the-scenes look.
Other Movies and TV Shows Available on Blu-Ray and DVD include:
- Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Home Video); I'll See You in My Dreams (Universal Studios); The D Train (Paramount); 7 Minutes (Starz/Anchor Bay); Face of an Angel (Screen Media); American Heist (Lionsgate); Castle: Season 7 (Walt Disney Studios); Chicago Fire: Season 3 (Universal Studios); Chicago P.D.: Season 2 (Universal Studios); Hawaii Five-O: Season 5 (Paramount); Nashville: Season 3 (Walt Disney Studios); New Girl: Season 4 (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment); Scorpion: Season 1 (Paramount); Texas Rising (A&E Home Video); The League Season 6 (21st Century Fox); The Originals: Season 2 (Warner Home Video); The Vampire Diaries: Season 6 (Warner Home Video); Blue Bloods: Season 5 (Paramount); Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2 (Universal Studios); Gotham: Season 1 (Warner Home Video); Haven: Complete Fifth Season - Vol. 1 (Entertainment One); Homeland: Season 4 (20th Century Fox); Supernatural: Season 10 (Warner Home Video); The Goldbergs: Season 2 (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment); Star Wars Rebels: Complete Season 1 (Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment)
Movies and TV Streaming Online
Longmire Season 4
Netflix plays savior again picking up this former A&E drama for a fourth season, a good thing, too, since the previous season ended on a cliffhanger.
The show stars Robert Taylor as the recently widowed Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire and "Battlestar Galactica" alum Katee Sackhoff as one of his deputies. At the end of season three, audiences were left wondering what happened when disgraced ex-deputy Branch Connally (Bailey Chase) confronted the killer of Walt's wife and a shotgun went off.
Netflix will have the fourth season available for streaming on Sept. 10. The first three seasons are also available.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
The Avengers assemble once again to save the world in the Marvel blockbuster. Tony Stark creates a massive headache for the team when his latest creation, Ultron, gets a mind of its own and believes he can solve all the world's problems by simply eliminating humans who cause most of the trouble.
Stark as Iron Man and his fellow Avengers - Captain America, the Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Iron Patriot - will need to stop the sentient being before his carries out his earth-destroying plan. Earth's Mightiest Heroes also pick up a couple new members, enemies-turned-friends Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.
iTunes has the film available for purchase.
The Blair Witch Project
The found-footage horror film ushered in a number of similar scary flicks including the popular "Paranormal Activity" and "Cloverfield."
Set in the Black Hills near Burkittsville, Md., three student filmmakers set out to make a documentary about the local legend, Blair Witch. They're never heard from again, but their equipment and footage survive for viewers to watch.
Amazon has the first season available for streaming.
Check out our complete list of movies available for streaming on Netflix this month and see below for more options on Amazon Prime and for purchase at iTunes.
iTunes
• Pitch Perfect 2
• Avengers: Age of Ultron
• American Heist
• The Overnight
• Paper Planes
• Exeter
• Boulevard
• The Harvest
• Inner Demons
• Chain of Command
• Reefer Madness (1936)
• Army of Frankensteins
• Gemma Bovary
• 009 Re:Cyborg
• The Surface
• Addicted to Fresno
• The Regular Show Movie
• Blood Punch
• Spy
• The Nightmare
• Poltergeist (2015)
• Dirty Weekend
• Gourmet Girl Graffiti
• Summer Forever
• Oceanus: Act One
• Ranma ½: Season 7
• Sabrina: Secrets of a Teenage Witch - The Troll Princess
• Checkmate
• The 11th Hour
• Listening (available Sept. 11)
Amazon
• Anywhere But Here
• The Blair Witch Project
• The Crucible
• Desperately Seeking Susan
• Hannah and Her Sisters
• Hannibal Rising
• Killer Klowns From Outer Space
• Little Giants
• Lords of Illusions
• Maya the Bee Movie
• Popeye
• Private Parts
• The Swan Princess
• Stuart Little
• Dear White People
• Hand of God: Season 1
• Deli Man
• Extreme Movie
• Gabriel
• I Am Big Bird
• Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
• Men, Women and Children (available Sept. 12)
TECH
By John Nassivera
Google OnHub
Google has developed its own Wi-Fi router that lets you smoothly and quickly stream and download content. The duel-band OnHub, which Google created with TP-Link, comes with an app designed for controlling different network functions, with additional features including 13 antennas for Wi-Fi coverage in your home and a light ring that indicates the device's status. The AC1900 router can provide up to 600Mps for the 2.4Ghz band and up to 1,300Mps on the 5Ghz band, and updates are automatic. You can get the OnHub at BestBuy for $199.99 or Amazon for $289.99
V-Moda Crossfade Wireless Headphones
V-Moda has released a wireless version of its popular Crossfade M-100 headphones for fans who have been waiting for a simpler, cordless model. The Crossfade Wireless functions unpowered, as plugging in a wire will automatically turn the headphone off. Features include a single microphone and a rechargeable battery that keeps the device going for 12 hours on a single charge. Bluetooth antennas let you connect the headphones with smartwatches and other gadgets.
The Crossfade Wireless is available now in chrome or silver for $300, and V-Moda will soon release black and red versions.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7
Samsung has come out with a new tablet aimed at presenting an improved user experience over those before it. The Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 comes with a 9.7-inch Super AMOLED screen, providing a 2,048 x 1,536 display, with additional features including a micro USB port, dual speakers and a microSD slot capable of supporting cards up to 128GB. Other features include 32GB of Flash Memory, 3GB of RAM Memory and a 5,870mAh battery that lasts for five hours and 11 minutes. You can get the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 now at Amazon and other online retailers for $497.99.
