Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Once on Father's Day
(When Your Mind's Made Up)
Once, IMHO, the best R&R musical since A Hard Day's Night. Why? A story well told with music smoothly incorporated into the film without the movie being an elongated musical video. The movie was humorous, insightful, touching, and, most important of all, unforced. John Carney, ex-bass player of The Frames, directed this movie starring his ex-band mate, Glen Hansard. Anyone out there remember that other great Irish musical film, an adaptation of Roddy Doyle's "The Commitments"? Well, Mr. Hansard was the guitar player, Outspan Foster. Some critics complained that the female lead, 19 yr old Czech Markéta Irglová, is too direct, not "smooth" in her dealings with the male lead, Glen Hansard of The Frames (here's NPR's take on the band). My assumption is that those critics haven't been exposed to the day-to-day behaviour of Slavic women, who tend to treat "beating around the bush" as a capital crime. The whole fam loved her performance, especially the rawness of her singing voice. It is not your typical love story and so it doesn't end as your typical love story. The songs are gorgeous and scene-appropriate. The movie leaves a long-lingering impression. The soundtrack is solid and, I believe, enjoyable whether you see the movie or not.
But.
You should see the movie, especially if it's playing in a smaller theater (like the Ritz in Philly), where the sound system is superb, because the movie is about the music.
Reviews:
L.A. Times
NY Times
Washington Post
Philly Inq
Christian Science Monitor (CSM's Peter Rainer is just your typical heartbroken curmudgeon of a guy; throw some spare change into his bitter cup)
So, all in all a Great Father's Day for yours truly. Thanks to the Ever Loving Wife and the Child Still Left Behind (in the house). An enjoyable stopover before the movie at the Belgian Beer House Eulogy, with its artery-clogging double fried Fries and secret mayonnaise dip and the encyclopedic bottled beer and draught beer listings. A quaff to all!
Here's another version of When Your Mind's Made Up. Acoustic. Mr. Hansard can really get his EmoMojo cranking high and fast, quickly. Catch the commentary on the YouTube; seems ther's a romance brewing.
(An Aside,
Note to all CPA's, that means you, Gwynne! Here's a short piece on the owner of Eulogy, Michael G. Naessens.)
Once, IMHO, the best R&R musical since A Hard Day's Night. Why? A story well told with music smoothly incorporated into the film without the movie being an elongated musical video. The movie was humorous, insightful, touching, and, most important of all, unforced. John Carney, ex-bass player of The Frames, directed this movie starring his ex-band mate, Glen Hansard. Anyone out there remember that other great Irish musical film, an adaptation of Roddy Doyle's "The Commitments"? Well, Mr. Hansard was the guitar player, Outspan Foster. Some critics complained that the female lead, 19 yr old Czech Markéta Irglová, is too direct, not "smooth" in her dealings with the male lead, Glen Hansard of The Frames (here's NPR's take on the band). My assumption is that those critics haven't been exposed to the day-to-day behaviour of Slavic women, who tend to treat "beating around the bush" as a capital crime. The whole fam loved her performance, especially the rawness of her singing voice. It is not your typical love story and so it doesn't end as your typical love story. The songs are gorgeous and scene-appropriate. The movie leaves a long-lingering impression. The soundtrack is solid and, I believe, enjoyable whether you see the movie or not.
But.
You should see the movie, especially if it's playing in a smaller theater (like the Ritz in Philly), where the sound system is superb, because the movie is about the music.
Reviews:
L.A. Times
NY Times
Washington Post
Philly Inq
Christian Science Monitor (CSM's Peter Rainer is just your typical heartbroken curmudgeon of a guy; throw some spare change into his bitter cup)
So, all in all a Great Father's Day for yours truly. Thanks to the Ever Loving Wife and the Child Still Left Behind (in the house). An enjoyable stopover before the movie at the Belgian Beer House Eulogy, with its artery-clogging double fried Fries and secret mayonnaise dip and the encyclopedic bottled beer and draught beer listings. A quaff to all!
Here's another version of When Your Mind's Made Up. Acoustic. Mr. Hansard can really get his EmoMojo cranking high and fast, quickly. Catch the commentary on the YouTube; seems ther's a romance brewing.
(An Aside,
Note to all CPA's, that means you, Gwynne! Here's a short piece on the owner of Eulogy, Michael G. Naessens.)
Comments:
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Well, now, there's a CPA who has it all figured out. Or does he? I think I would have skipped all the testing and just applied for a liquor license instead.
Could you please explain the rationale for dipping double fried fried in mayonnaise? I've just never understood this. But I do know enough to avoid the "special" or "secret" mayonnaise dip. My mother used to work at a County Jail and more than once, inmates working in the kitchen were caught making "special mayonnaise sauce." 8-}
Could you please explain the rationale for dipping double fried fried in mayonnaise? I've just never understood this. But I do know enough to avoid the "special" or "secret" mayonnaise dip. My mother used to work at a County Jail and more than once, inmates working in the kitchen were caught making "special mayonnaise sauce." 8-}
I shall endeavour to see this as soon as I am physically able to step out my front door. "It's not your typical love story" - anyone who's had the slightest experience of performing music with someone they're attracted to will quickly confirm that the love stories that follow are anything but typical. The performing arts are a different world, and the people who populate them are different people.
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