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 each week for more of-the-moment goodness.
MUSIC
By Michael Lello
D'Angelo and the Vanguard: Black Messiah (RCA)
D'Angelo has released his first studio album in nearly 15 years in the form of "Black Messiah," the long-awaited follow-up to 2000's "Voodoo." Roots drummer Questlove, who played on the new album, has compared "Black Messiah" to classics like The Beach Boys' "Smile," Miles Davis' "On The Corner" and Marvin Gaye's "There's A Riot Goin' On." Hear for yourself below by listening to album track "Really Love":
Cracker: Berkley to Bakersfield (429 Records)
Cracker essentially recorded two new albums, a punk record ("Berkeley") and a country-flavored record ("Bakersfield"), but the '90s alt-rock stalwarts decided to release them both as a 2-CD set. Known for MTV staples like "Low" and "Get Off This," has maintained a loyal fanbase since its commercial heyday and continues to put out relevant and interesting music.
Nicki Minaj: The Pinkprint (Young Money/Cash Money/Republic Records)
On "The Pinkprint," Minaj's third studio album, will we meet a more mature, toned-down Minaj? Nope. She's still spitting profane rhymes and taking on her critics – and laughing all the way to the bank. Check out her performance of "Bed Of Lives" at the American Music Awards below:
Dave Matthews Band: Under The Table And Dreaming (Reissue) (Sony Legacy)
Dave Matthews Band burst onto the scene in 1994 with its major label debut, "Under The Table And Dreaming." The now-classic album has been given the deluxe reissue treatment by Sony Legacy, with a new limited edition, 2-LP vinyl version re-mastered from the original analog tapes. It includes a code to download a digital version of the re-mastered record as well as three previously unreleased bonus tracks: the original studio version of "Granny" and acoustic versions of "The Song That Jane Likes" and "Dancing Nancies." The deluxe reissues is also available on CD.
TECH
By John Nassivera
iHealth Wireless Activity and Sleep Tracker
iHealth joins the list of fitness bands designed to measure your level of activity while also keeping track of how much sleep you get. The device works for iPhone and Android, measuring factors like steps taken, distance traveled and calories burned. Users can also set fitness goals, keep track of their diet and share their results instantly with family and friends. The iHealth tracker is available now for $38.99 at Amazon as well as at other retailers.
Polaroid Socialmatic Camera
Polaroid is releasing a new camera that will let you post photos you take to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The 14-megapixel camera comes with a 4.5-inch screen and a 2-megapixel camera on the back for taking selfies, and it gives you the ability to download apps and go online. Other features include a GPS, Bluetooth connectivity, 4GB of memory and expandability to 32GB. You can get the camera in black or white for $300 at Photojojo or Amazon starting Jan. 1.
Epson Moverio BT-200 Smart Glasses (U.S. Edition)
This pair of binocular, transparent smart glasses is designed to give you a private way to look at your favorite content in public. Features include a "floating" 80-inch screen for watching content, a front-facing camera and a motion tracker, and each lens has its own display. The Epson Moverio BT-200 is available now for $700 at online stores throughout the U.S.
Polar M400 Fitness Watch
This GPS-enabled fitness watch provides a variety of data for athletes to stay in shape, such as route, distance traveled, speed and altitude. The device's battery will last for 14 hours on a single charge, and the watch will work with a H7 heart rate sensor to measure your heart rate while exercising. Syncing the device with the Polar Flow app and web service will let you plan your routines. You can get the Polar M400 watch, which comes with a bag, for $178 now at online retailers.
FASHION & BEAUTY
By Oulimata Ba
Mustard Soak from Fig+Yarrow
Not only is mustard one of my favorite condiments, but it's also a potent skin detoxifier. The organic mustard powder combined with hot bath water increases circulation, eliminating toxins from the body and easing sore muscles.
Fig+Yarrow apothecary, which hand-makes its products in Colorado, sells the Mustard Soak in a glass jar for $32 but there is also a smaller packet for $12. It's also made with epsom salt, essential oils of birch, rosemary and eucalyptus, and it contains sea salt – compliments of the Dead Sea.
Stich Fix Personal Styling Service
Shake off the post-holiday blues or purchase a belated Christmas gift with this personalized fashion retailer. Just fill out Stitch Fix's style profile and you'll receive five clothing items hand-picked by a professional stylist. Once the items are shipped, you pay for what you like and send the rest back at no cost.
Most of the clothing costs around $55 and the stylists pick items according to your budget, so you're getting a mini wardrobe at minimum cost!
Liza Fit-And-Flare Dress by Guess
There is something about cut-out shirts and dresses I cannot get enough of. So if you're looking for the ultimate New Year's party dress, this little blue number makes a show-stopping statement from all vantage points. It features three sultry cutouts in the back, one in the front and a pleated skirt.
And the best part is that it has pockets, so you can casually walk into that New Year's Eve party and know your crush's eyes are on your back.
The stretch knit Fit-And-Flare dress is on sale now for a limited time for $82.60.
Iluminage Skin Rejuvenating Pillowcase with Copper Oxide
There are an abundance of night creams, serums and oils out there to keep your skin healthy, but what about a convenient skin treatment built into your pillowcase?
The $60 iluminage pillowcase comes with copper oxide embedded into the pillow's fibers that's scientifically proven to help rejuvenate skin and smooth out wrinkles. Like many beauty treatments, it was first used as a medical remedy to help heal sores and burns faster. There's truly no other pillowcase like it.
Skinny Minimergency Kit from Pinch Provisions
This is the ultimate survival kit – less suited to the South American jungle than it is for the asphalt jungle. It comes with clear nail polish to fix that sudden rip in your stocking (apply the polish around the tear) and deodorant for that day you were in a rush and forgot to wear it on. You know those days, right? The ones where everyone suddenly wants to give you a hug.
Of course, deodorant and nail polish can fit in any average-sized purse. But what about emergency stain remover, hair spray, earring backs, a sewing kit and painkillers? The Skinny Minimergency kit has all that and more, all snugly packed into an adorable gold pouch with a built-in mirror. Available at Sephora for $24 and under.
DVD/BLU-RAY
By Emily Morgan
The Equalizer (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
Denzel Washington stars in Antoine Fuqua's big-screen adaptation of the '80s TV drama about a man trying to escape his violent past so he can settle into a quiet lifestyle. When he meets a young woman (Chloë Grace Moretz) under the control of the dangerous Russian mob, his sense of justice reawakens in him and he must help her escape.
Special features on the Blu-Ray/DVD include audio commentary with Washington and Fuqua, as well as individual featurettes on the star and his director. It also includes a behind-the-scenes featurette of the film, an inside look at the training for the fight scenes and a photo gallery.
The Good Lie (Warner Home Video)
Reese Witherspoon plays an employment agency counselor who helps four Sudanese refugees, known as the Lost Boys of Sudan, assimilate in America. Based on true events, the four boys will change her life as much as she changes theirs.
Special features on the Blu-Ray/DVD include deleted scenes and a featurette titled "The Good Lie Journey."
Shameless: Season Four (Warner Home Video)
The Showtime series entered its fourth season on an up beat. Fiona secured a job and Lip was on his way to college, but the Gallaghers don't get off that easy. Frank's liver fails and Ian returns from war psychologically battered.
Special features on the Blu-Ray/DVD include deleted scenes and two featurettes titled "Being Gallagher" and "'Shameless' Neighbor."
Other Movies and TV Shows Available on Blu-Ray and DVD include:
◘ The Trip to Italy (MPI Home Video)
◘ Pride (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
◘ Tusk (Lions Gate)
◘ Last Weekend (MPI Home Video)
◘ Kelly & Cal (MPI Home Video)
◘ Elsa & Fred (Millennium)
◘ Reach Me (Millennium)
◘ Stephen King's A Good Marriage (Screen Media)
◘ Banshee: Season Two (HBO Studios)
◘ Call Me Fitz: Complete Fourth Season (Entertainment One)
◘ Continuum: Season Three (Universal Studios)
◘ Dominion: Season One (Universal Studios)
Movies and TV Streaming Online
The Interview
The Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy has had a wild ride. The movie almost never saw the light of day when Sony Pictures decided to cancel the film a week before the premiere due to threats made by hackers. Great public pressure convinced the studio to put the film back in select theaters on Christmas Day, and to release a day earlier online through several video streaming services.
YouTube, Google Play, Xbox and the movie's own website (seetheinterview.com) offer the film for rent or purchase.
Mozart in the Jungle
The new Amazon Original Series takes a behind-the-scenes look at life in the symphony. The show combines sex, drugs and classical music as it follows maestro Rodrigo (Gael Garcia Bernal) and a young oboist Hailey looking for her big break.
Amazon has all 10 episodes of the first season available now.
The Drop
James Gandolfini shares the screen with Tom Hardy in his last performance before his untimely death in 2013. Hardy plays a man wrapped up in a robbery gone wrong and the ensuing investigation will involve everyone in his life, from close friends and family to neighborhood foes.
iTunes has the film available for purchase.
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. [https://bit.ly/1BcNCgQ ]
Amazon Prime:
◘ Labor Day (Dec. 27)
◘ Spy Kids (Dec. 27)
◘ The Americans: Season 2 (Dec. 29)
◘ Midnight Cowboy (Dec. 31)
iTunes:
◘ The Boxtrolls
◘ Left Behind
◘ Let's Kill Ward's Wife
MUST-HAVE GADGETS
By Amanda Bernocco
Portable Tow Truck ($35)
Amazon
The snowiest winter days always seem to come during the most important times – like when you have an important meeting you can't miss. That's why we think this portable tow truck is genius. It comes with a set of two traction aids that provide an alternative to snow chains and tires. The traction aids also work if you're stuck in sand or mud.
Rechargeable USB Razor ($39.99)
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You will never forget to shave again! The razor is smaller than a smartphone and plugs right into any USB computer jack for a quick charge. The razor works just like any other electric razor and lasts for about 30 minutes.
Electric S'mores Maker ($69.99)
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One of the things we miss most about the summertime is the warm, gooey taste of a freshly made S'mores. With this Electric S'mores Maker you can savor the amazing taste of graham crackers mixed with chocolate and marshmallows all year long. It comes with four stainless steel forks.
HD Camera Ski Goggles ($299.99)
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It's not easy to capture your memories on camera while skiing, which is why these HD Camera Ski Goggles are an essential take-along. The fog-proof goggles include an impact-resistant frame, and premium high-density lenses that offer 100-percent UV protection and near-universal helmet compatibility.
Tablift Hands-Free Tablet Holder ($59.95)
Sky Mall
This tablet holder offers unbelievable comfort for using your tablet in bed. Whether you are lying down or in a sitting position, the holder can adjust to the perfect viewing angle. You'll never want to leave your bed again.
MOVIES
By Jordan Webb
Unbroken (Universal Pictures)
An Olympian joins the armed forces during World War II, survives a plane crash and survives at sea on a raft for 47 days before being captured by the Japanese navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. This film is based on the real life of Louis Zamperini and marks Angelina Jolie's third directorial effort.
Watch the trailer HERE.
Into the Woods (Walt Disney)
This musical adaptation of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale tells the story of a baker and his wife who must retrieve items to overturn a curse put on their family line. Rob Marshall directs Anna Kendrick as Cinderella, Johnny Depp as the Wolf and Meryl Streep as the Witch.
Watch the trailer HERE.
The Gambler (Paramount Pictures)
Mark Wahlberg stars as Jim Bennett, an English professor and a high-stakes gambler who finds himself in debt to his mother and a loan shark. The stakes rise when Bennett offers his life as collateral to the loan shark, whom he pits against the leader of a gambling ring in one last effort to come out on top.
Watch the trailer HERE.
Selma (Paramount Pictures)
This film follows the true story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, a dangerous journey that ultimately led to President Lyndon Johnson passing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Watch the trailer HERE.
(Editing by Michael Lello. Want to be considered for Coveted? Send your product information, with photos, to m.bullerdick@hngn.com or send product samples to Michael Q. Bullerdick HNGN/33 Universal, 33 Whitehall Street - 7th Floor, New York, NY 10004.)
