Doug Rickard’s fascination with America’s cellphone videos constitutes “N.A.”, a photo book composed entirely of YouTube stills. For three years, the acclaimed photographer steeped himself in YouTube, capturing images of an array of pranks from illegal, to sort of illegal, to comic, to insipid. According to Rickard, possible explanations for the title include: “National Anthem”, “Not Applicable” and “North America”. “N.A.” presents itself as a social upshot to Rickard’s critically acclaimed monograph “A New American Picture”, which depicted America’s urban groundwork with themes of race, politics, technology, surveillance, and the ever-present camera society holds to its face.

Published by Verlag Kettler

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Professional skateboarder and acclaimed photographer Ed Templeton compiled “Wayward Cognitions” from his past 20 years of travel. Forgoing his usual organization by theme or subject, “Wayward Cognitions” presents in-between photographs of “strangers on the streets, skaters, my wife, my friends.” Templeton printed the images for “Wayward Cognitions” in his darkroom and built its layout and design entirely from his home studio. The result is a refreshing contrast to his earlier, topical publications, including his seminal 2000 collection “Teenage Smokers” and his celebrated scrapbook “Deformer”.

Published by Um Yeah Press

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Three months in 1965 marked a turning point in the civil rights movement, and history itself. “Selma” chronicles this time – from the march between Selma and Montgomery to LBJ signing the Voting Rights act of 1965 – with a special focus on the movement’s leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The film stars up-and-comer David Oyelowo, who gives a more intimate portrayal of Dr. King than we know from stump speeches and news footage. Directed by Ana DuVernay, “Selma” also features Tessa Thompson of “Dear White People,” Tim Roth, Carmen Ejogo, and Oprah.

“Selma” is set to release in select theaters on December 25th.

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In this biographical drama directed by Tim Burton, artist Margaret Keane moves with her daughter to 1950’s San Francisco where she meets her second husband and ultimate nemesis. Amy Adams portrays Keane, creator of the “big eyes” paintings, opposite Christoph Waltz as the controlling husband who claimed credit for Keane’s work.

“Big Eyes” is set to release December 25.

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Set in the striking landscape of Anatolia, Turkey, “Winter Sleep” sweeps long, harsh and lovely through its three hours, offering up a story of morality and guilt with a literary richness informed by the stories of Anton Chekhov. Turkish writer-director Nuri Bilge Ceylan has a career of singularly beautiful and potent films to his name, including “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia” and “Distant.” He captivates again with the sanctimonious Aydin (Haluk Bilginer), a former actor and now proprietor of a mountaintop hotel where he flourishes his pen and acts as landlord to many below. But the real core of this story is in its expansive conversations between Aydin, his unhappy young wife, lonely sister and bitter tenants. Scathing and philosophical, they reveal the characters as cold and bare as the snow-coated mountains outdoors.

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“Mr. Turner” explores the late life of great and idiosyncratic artist J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851), who must face that his career is in decline. Following his father’s death, the biopic follows grouchy Turner (Timothy Spall) through painting, traveling, brothels, anarchy and aristocracy – even once strapping himself to the mast of a sailboat to paint a snowstorm.

The film is written and directed by Mike Leigh, who is known for his critically acclaimed “Secrets and Lies” (1996), “Vera Drake” (1994) and “Happy Go Lucky” (2008).

“Mr. Turner” is set to release December 19th.

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Black Messiah is the third studio album by R&B soul artist D’Angelo, and the first officially credited to D’Angelo and the Vanguard. It is D’Angelo first album since his 14 year hiatus following his critically acclaimed album Voodoo in 2000.

Black Messiah is out via RCA Records.

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From director Paul Thomas Anderson comes “Inherent Vice,” a psychedelic 1970’s noir adapted from the novel by Thomas Pynchon. In the film, private detective Larry “Doc” Sportello stumbles through drug-addled Los Angeles, and his own marijuana haze, as he investigates the disappearance of his former girlfriend and her new man, a real-estate tycoon.

The cast is teeming with talent, starring Joaquin Phoenix as Doc, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Benicio del Toro and more. And “Inherent Vice” will only add to Anderson’s critically-acclaimed resume, which includes “The Master” (2012), “There Will Be Blood” (2007), “Magnolia” (1999), and “Boogie Nights” (1997).

“Inherent Vice” in select theaters December 12.

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