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. —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.]
MUSIC
By Michael Lello
Dr. Dog: Live at a Flamingo Hotel (Anti-)
Philadelphia's Dr. Dog, one of the more consistently exciting concert attractions in rock, releases its first live album, "Live at a Flamingo Hotel," this week. Dr. Dog's psychedelic studio albums have rightly received critical acclaim, but the band's songs take on a more powerful character on the stage, with extended intros, sharp instrumentation and a high-energy approach to the concert performance.
Check out a video for "Shadow People" below:
Mark Ronson: Uptown Special (RCA Records)
Grammy-award winning producer Mark Ronson – he's taken trophies for his work on Amy Winehouse's song "Rehab" and album "Back To Black," as well as Bruno Mars' hit "Locked Out Of Heaven" – returns with his fourth album, which he says is inspired by his early days in New York City when he gravitated toward hip-hop, soul and r&b.
The album's first single, "Uptown Funk," features Mars; another key contributor to the release is Kevin Parker of Australia's Tame Impala, who lends lead vocals to three songs and contributes drums, guitars, synthesizers and backing vocals to other tracks.
Justin Townes Earle: Absent Fathers (Vagrant Records)
The follow-up to 2014's "Single Mothers," Justin Townes Earle's "Absent Fathers," like its predecessor, takes a page out of Earle's own life - his mother raised him alone after his father, Americana music standout Steve Earle, left them when Justin was only two. The younger Earle has an easy-rolling, pleasant voice that belies the heavy messages in his lyrics. Hear for yourself in the video for "Time Fools" below.
Panda Bear: Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper (Domino)
Noah Lennox – aka Panda Bear of trippy indie-electronica outfit Animal Collective – this week puts out his fifth solo album, "Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper." Death metaphors figure heavily in his newest work. "We're constantly forced through experiences that allow us to become something new – to create a new identity," he said in a Boiler Room interview.
HELPFUL GADGETS
By Amanda Bernocco
Double Umbrella ($60)
Amazon.com
Everyone has been caught in the situation at least once: sharing their umbrella with a friend who forgot theirs. With this double umbrella you can keep your friend dry without getting wet. Everyone wins!
Lockitron ($179)
This lock will make people who use keys to open their doors look like they live in the Stone Age. A smartphone application connected to the lock allows you to lock and unlock your door from anywhere in the world. Thank you Lockitron for making us never worry if we forgot to lock our front door on the way out!
SpreadTHAT! Butter Knife ($21.93)
That! Inventions
You will never need to worry about waiting for your butter to thaw again, thanks to the SpreadTHAT! butter knife. The knife handle transfers your body heat onto the knife edge to let you easily cut a piece of butter for your toast without shredding it to bits. Your wrists will thank you too.
iPhone Case w/ Built In Tools (($24.00-$29.99)
Sky Mall
This is the perfect travel case, cleverly keeping all the tools you could ever need handy. The iPhone/tool case comes with a No. 1 and No. 2 flathead screwdriver, No. 1 and No. 2 Phillips screwdriver, scissors, nail file, nail cleaner, cuticle tool, bottle opener and tweezers. All of the tools comply with TSA guidelines for airplane carry-on, although they could be subject to additional screening.
Nik Nak - Lotion Applicator / Back Scratcher / Exfoliator / Skincare Device ($29.99)
Sky Mall
You will never ask for help reaching your back again. This applicator comes with five unique snap-on attachments: moisturizer/cream pad, self-tanning lotion pad, exfoliator, mirror and back scratcher. It's 23 inches long, making it easy to get to all of those hard-to-reach places. It's also great for travel because it collapses to a mere seven inches and comes with a carry pouch.
MOVIES
By Jordan Webb
Paddington (TWC-Dimension)
A kind family in London finds a young, traveling bear in Paddington Station and offers him temporary refuge as he searches for a home.
Watch the trailer HERE.
The Wedding Ringer (Miramax)
Kevin Hart stars as the owner of a company that provides best men for grooms in need. A socially awkward groom (Josh Gad) hires Hart less than two weeks before his wedding, leading to a series of hilarious mishaps as they attempt to con everybody into believing they're best friends.
Watch the trailer HERE.
Black Hat (Universal Pictures)
A talented hacker is pulled out of a 15-year prison sentence when pieces of a malware code he wrote years ago are found in the aftermath of a terrorist cyber-attack on China. The hacker, played by Chris Hemsworth, must navigate the power game being played by the United States and China while setting out to discover the identity of the culprit behind the attacks.
Watch the trailer HERE.
Still Alice (Sony Pictures Classics)
Julianne Moore stars as Alice Howland, a respected linguistics professor who's happily married with three grown kids. Her life suddenly changes when she begins forgetting words, leading to a diagnosis that will test her strength and her family's bonds.
Watch the trailer HERE.
FASHION & BEAUTY
By Oulimata Ba
Joe's Jeans Fahrenheit Collection
Jean lovers like me know there's a crisis in the denim world – designers are creating thinner, more expandable denim to compete with a rise in preference for leggings, which leaves me wondering how a girl is supposed to stay warm during the bitter winter months.
Premium denim brand Joe's Jeans recently launched the answer to my frostbite nightmares. Its Fahrenheit denim line comes insulated with Thermolite fabric that traps in air for extra warmth. But don't worry about sweaty legs because the fabric blocks out moisture.
The line starts at $179, which is worth it if you want to stay warm and look fierce in a new pair of "freakum jeans" (thanks Beyonce).
Nubian Heritage Goats Milk & Chai Soap with Rose Extract
I could write an epic poem about this amazing soap. Inspired by a centuries-old Egyptian beauty tradition that includes milk and rose petal baths, the goats-milk soap creates a creamy lather that moisturizes your skin while the rose petal bits exfoliate. The ground-up Chai – which means tea in Swahili, among other languages – boosts your skin's ability to fight infection and illnesses.
Unfortunately, Nubian Heritage soap isn't typically sold at common pharmacies and is sometimes sold at inflated prices. For a $3 bargain, try SanaSana.com or Walmart.
Python-Printed Handbags
I rarely gush about handbags in Coveted, but I'm in the market for a new purse and I'm finding inspiration with python-print designs that's been trending pretty hard for a while.
I came across a stunning DKNY Printed Python Leather Shopper while searching (or hunting, as I like to put it) for a bag to replace the war-torn one I have.
Though the fashionista in me fell in love, I could not get past the price – so I moved on and found this black python print leather satchel from Brahmin Seville for $285. My hunt continued until I came across this Marc Fisher camel-toned satchel on sale for the right price of $67.99.
Lovelyskin.com
The website is a one-stop wonderland for women and men's skin and hair care products with more oomph than regular drugstore ones (not that there's anything wrong with those). The kicker is you can search for what you need by ingredient – like caffeine, oil-free or vitamin C. Or you can shop by skin type or conditions like eczema, leg veins and scars. Prices range from $10 to more than $200.
My Flat In London
This accessories label brings out my inner girly-girl with phrases like "I'm A Fox," "Go Ahead...Spend it all" and "The girl always did have good taste" elegantly stitched onto gem-studded bags and pouches. The label, from the brilliant mind of Jan Haedrich, also has handbags with pearl-lined handles, whimsical charm bracelets and tons of other ultra-feminine leather goods.
Items range in price from less than $5 to $190.
TECH
By John Nassivera
Basis Peak Fitness/Sleep Tracker
The Basis Peak watch is available now for fitness and sleep tracking fans. The water-resistant device (up to 5 ATM) can measure calories burned, sleep quality, heart rate and other factors 24/7, and its battery will last for several days. Owners will be able to use the watch with an iPhone iOS 7 or higher, iPhone 4s or higher, Android Galaxy S4 and S5, Nexus 5, Note III and HTC One. You can order the Basis Peak in black or white now at Amazon for $199.99, as the device will be in stock on Jan. 21.
V.ALRT VSN4000 Personal Emergency Response Device
The V.ALRT Personal Emergency Device will let you summon someone when you need help with just a click of a button. With the smartphone-enabled gadget, you can call and text your friends and family to let them know you need help. The device doesn't need to be charged, and you can store up to three contacts. The V.ALRT is available now on Amazon for $59.99.
Samsung Z1 Smartphone
Samsung just made its Z1 smartphone available in India as its first Tizen smartphone. Features include a 4-inch, 480x800 pixel screen, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 768MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage (expandable to 64GB). The phone runs Tizen 2.3, and its 1500mAh battery is said to play videos for seven hours or let you talk for eight hours. The Z1 is available now in India for 5,700 rupees ($92). Its release dates in other countries have yet to be announced.
DVD/BLU-RAY
By Emily Morgan
Gone Girl (20th Century Fox)
Director David Fincher, screenwriter Gillian Flynn and actress Rosamund Pike each received Golden Globe nominations for the film adapted from Flynn's 2012 novel.
The film stars Ben Affleck as a husband who becomes the center of a media storm when his wife (Pike) goes missing. The public soon turns on him when he comes under suspicion of possible involvement in her disappearance.
Special features on the Blu-Ray/DVD include only an audio commentary with Fincher.
Love Is Strange (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
John Lithgow and Alfred Molina star as an older gay couple that must live separately during the early days of their marriage.
Molina's character George is fired from his teaching position shortly after his wedding and loses his university housing. He and Lithgow's Ben must secure separate housing with friends while they search for a cheaper place to live together.
Special features on the Blu-Ray/DVD include audio commentary with director Ira Sachs and his two veteran actors, a making of the movie and the Q&A panel from the Los Angeles Film Festival that include Sachs, Lithgow, Molina and their co-star Cheyenne Jackson.
Dallas: Season 3 (Warner Home Video)
TNT brought this reboot series to an early close despite the show leaving several cliffhangers in the third season finale. The Ewing family lost a son (played by Jesse Metcalf) in the closing moments and John Ross (Josh Henderson) had just learned he had long-lost sister.
Overall, the series managed to introduce a new era of the Ewing family rivalry and revisit the two brothers who started it all J.R. (played by the late Larry Hagman) and Bobby (Patrick Duffy). Complete the reboot collection with the third and final season.
Special features on the Blu-Ray/DVD include only deleted scenes.
Other Movies and TV Shows Available on Blu-Ray and DVD include:
• A Walk Among the Tombstones (Universal Studios)
• The Identical (Cinedigm)
• The Two Faces of January (Magnolia Home Entertainment)
• Men, Women & Children (Paramount)
• Keep On Keepin' On (Anchor Bay)
• Wetlands (Strand Releasing)
• Bird People (MPI Home Video)
• Honeymoon (Magnolia Home Entertainment)
• The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power (Universal Studios)
• Bad Turn Worse (Starz/Anchor Bay)
• Alien Abduction (Freestyle Digital Media)
• Jessabelle (Lions Gate)
• Once Upon a Time in Shanghai (Well Go USA)
• Silent Youth (Ariztical Entertainment)
• Fugly! (Olive Films)
• Revenge of the Green Dragons (Lions Gate)
• Tyrant: Season 1 (20th Century Fox)
• The Bridge: Season 2 (Fox Home Entertainment)
• House of Lies: Season 3 (Showtime Ent.)
• Episodes: Season 3 (Showtime Ent.)
• Boardwalk Empire: Season Five (HBO Studios)
Movies and TV Streaming Online
The Adventures of Puss in Boots: Season 1
The Netflix original animated series stars fan favorite Puss in Boots from the "Shrek" movies. The show follows the "Zorro"-like cat before he met the giant, green ogre and his talking, donkey sidekick in "Shrek 2."
The action takes place in a hidden city called San Lorenzo that is protected by a spell, keeping its quirky residents safe from outside intruders. Puss unfortunately breaks the spell and must fight off invaders to keep the city safe.
Netflix will have all five episodes for the first season available for streaming on Jan. 16.
Patton Oswalt: Comedy Plus Tragedy Equals Time
The comedian stars in his fifth feature-length comedy special in a performance filmed at the Spreckels Theater in San Diego, California. The stand-up jokes about the problems with frozen food, a failing outing with a prostitute, fatherhood and more.
Amazon will have the special available for streaming on Jan. 18. YouTube also has the act in its entirety, uncut.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Cold War-era film from 2012 garnered three Oscar nominations including one for its leading man Gary Oldman. He stars as a espionage veteran forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent working within MI6.
In addition to Oldman, the film boasted a strong British cast including Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, John Hurt and Toby Jones.
Netflix will have the film available for streaming on Jan. 16.
Check out our complete list of movies for titles streaming on Netflix this month and see below for more options on Amazon Prime and for purchase at iTunes.
Amazon Prime:
- Hit by Lightning (available Jan. 15)
(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.)
