■ Mona Lisa is Missing
Joe Medeiros had lots of fun making Mona Lisa is Missing—a snappy, bright investigation into the 1911 theft of the world’s most famous painting. The thief, Italian immigrant Vincenzo Peruggia, claimed patriotic motives. Looking deeper, Medeiros interviewed Peruggia’s descendants, poured over documents and found that the thief’s bout with judgment-impairing lead poisoning, plus resentment over ethnic prejudice, may have triggered his decision to liberate Mona from the Louvre and return her to Italy.
■ LFO
In this fascinating puzzle box story, Robert is a troubled Danish techno-geek who has learned how to manipulate people through sound frequencies. Is it wrong or is it science—or both? He’s obviously disturbed, but is he entirely delusional? And those chats with his dead wife? The humor turns dark and brightens again in this thoughtful reflection on humanity and free will. Patrik Karlson plays Robert with a daft, deft touch reminiscent of Peter Sellers.
■ Introducing Morrissey
With The Smiths, Morrissey became rock’s greatest poet of maudlin. He sounded like the guy who never gets called for a second interview and is always ditched on a date. Recorded in concert in 1995, Introducing Morrissey catches him at a post-Smiths peak. Backed by a straight-ahead, capably no-frills band, Morrissey proves to be no morose shoegazer on stage but a dynamic performer working the footlights with songs from his solo albums plus “Moon River.”
■ Eric Clapton, Planes, Trains and Eric
Although Eric Clapton will probably never break ground again, or reach the ecstatic terror he touched with “Layla,” he remains a sure hand on guitar. On this tour documentary, Clapton tears off short blues-drenched solos with masterful ease and lets his top-drawer band carry much of the load. The hits are here, including “Cocaine,” “Tears in Heaven” and “Layla.” Trim and looking professorial behind the mic stand, Clapton sets the heat to medium throughout the performances.
—David Luhrssen
