Greetings,
As a person who is a self-published author, I know that I miss out on some of the perks that traditionally published authors have. I wish I had the publicity, the funding and the professional help that they are accustomed to. What do I mean by professional help? Well, in this case, I am referring to that which comes from an editor. Yes, I am forced to be my own editor, which is rather a difficult thing to do, especially when you go to either the extreme of being too easy on yourself or too hard. Also, having what you write seen by someone else, someone who can give insight and criticism from another perspective, is so very valuable. But I never truly realized what a good editor can do to a book, how what they do is an art, in and of itself. Then, I saw a movie called Genius, where I got a good idea of what they do. And that is what I'll be discussing today.
Genius is a film that was released earlier this year, and if you haven't heard of it, that's okay. I barely heard of it, outside of a trailer and a short clip, but it seemed to be about writing, thus, I was in. The main character of the movie is a man named Maxwell Perkins, played by Colin Firth. Many people in the literary world would call him the most famous editor in American Lit history. I can believe that, as he worked with some of the greatest writers ever, like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and, the other main-ish character, Thomas Wolfe, played by Jude Law. The story behind this film really does center around their working relationship, and eventual friendship, and the roller coaster ride that it was. To call it entertaining would be an understatement, especially if you've ever seen a writer react to having things cut from a book. Not a pretty sight, but occasionally, a downright hilarious one.
Now I don't know much about Thomas Wolfe, but if he was very eccentric and extremely passionate about his writing, almost to a disturbing degree, then I would say that Jude Law played him brilliantly, Southern accent and all. And that ended up being a nice contrast to the more low key, but still powerful performance by Colin Firth. They worked off of each other so well, and their chemistry was undeniable.
That aside, one of the most important issues that I felt is dealt with is sacrifice. The sacrifice that an artist must endure in order to make their creation everything that it needs to be, or that they want it to be. We see Perkins losing time with his family and Wolfe losing time with the woman he loves. There is an obsession that is brought out in the process that, I think, only an artist can understand. It's the need to make everything just right, or what you believe is just right. It can be so difficult and exhausting in every way, but it can be worth it.
I think I just love seeing the process being carried out. Perhaps, it is only because I'm a writer, but I am utterly fascinated by how people work. It's like one of those "How Crayons Are Made" type videos I used to see on Mr. Rogers. Sometimes, you don't realize how amazing a simple, little item is until you see the road it took to get to you. Crayons, books, it's all the same to me.
So, what else did I like about this movie? I know I already raved about Firth and Law, but they weren't alone. Nicole Kidman plays Aline Bernstein, Wolfe's significant other. Apparently, it was complicated. Also, Laura Linney played Perkins' wife, Louise. Both ladies were a absolute delight. We got Dominic West playing Ernest Hemingway, in a small, but fantastic role. And finally, Guy Pearce, as F. Scott Fitzgerald. He certainly gave the most heartbreaking performance, since his story line in the film had him dealing with his wife, Zelda's personal issues. He almost made me cry, even in a limited number of scenes, and he kind of blew anyone else who has played F. Scott Fitzgerald out of the water. I'm just saying. Point is, more brilliance.
Safe to say, I am recommending Genius. Now, I will admit, it may be an acquired taste for some viewers. But if you're someone who loves to enjoy the process of the arts, particularly that of storytellers, or if you are a writer yourself, I think this is best suited for you. Of course, if nothing else, you will certainly be entertained by the amazing performances. And you might just learn a thing or two about us writer people. For better or worse.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Friday, September 9, 2016
Saturday, September 3, 2016
High-Rise - Movie Review
Greetings,
Here's a question: What in the heck did I just watch? Okay, according to the title of this post, I apparently watched a movie called High-Rise, but I have no idea what that means, because I have no idea what happened in it. Don't get me wrong. Stuff happened in it. Some really, REALLY messed up stuff, but a string of bizarre occurrences does not a film make. At least, not to me. And I know that some other and actually legit reviewers really liked this thing. Perhaps, I just didn't get it. I felt like the film makers were just telling the audience that all bets are off and we need to just shut up and watch. And when I say "watch" I mean that quite literally. But more on that later. Let's get to talking about this thing called High-Rise. If I can.
High-Rise is about just that, a high-rise full of every kind of person one could imagine and with everything that one can hope to want under one roof, including a market, a gym, even a school. Basically, all the places where no one wants to go, but everyone has to go. And, as expected, there is a lot of class separation in the building. Of course, the super rich people live at the top, the middle class, mostly single people, live in the middle and all the less financially stable families with children live on the lowest level. Yeah, kids are like the worst thing ever in this movie, so, as I am not a kid person, I'll give it a point for that. Seriously, though, I think they're just seen as out of control and an intrusion of the structure. So, poor people on the bottom, rich people on the top. Does this sound familiar, cinematically speaking? Correct. It is pretty much a more visually polished version of Snowpiercer. It's shinier and cleaner, but does this make it better? No. No, it does not. Moving on. Though I might have to bring up Snowpiercer again. Prepare yourself.
Our protagonist is a guy named Dr. Robert Laing, played by Tom Hiddleston. Hang on a minute. The last time I reviewed one of his films I wasn't too fond of it either. What are you trying to do me, man, between film choices and...other choices? Do you want me not to like you anymore? Anywho, though he is considered the protagonist, he's not really centrally involved in what's happening. He seems to be just watching as an outsider, occasionally stepping in for...um...activities. And what is he watching? Well, he's watching the "society" of the high-rise go straight down the tubes in the most chaotic way possible. To call what happens, the bare bones of the...plot, predictable is an understatement. So, I may be giving a bit of a spoiler here, thus, warning. It seems that the lower floors get mad about the upper floors getting better stuff, therefore, they start rebelling and revolting, as you do, until the whole thing becomes a maelstrom of epic proportion. I'd go into detail, but there is so much detail, I wouldn't even know where to start. I think, in this case, the only thing that can explain it to you are your eyes. But even that I'm not to sure about.
So, what exactly did I dislike about the movie? Well, it is, ever so slightly, pretentious. Now the director, Ben Wheatley, is good at the stylized kind of film making, and here is no exception. However, the book, which I admittedly haven't read, that this was based on is heavily allegorical, and that works better in the literary form. Doing it visually can make all you symbolism and metaphors a bit too on the nose. Or a lot too on the nose. We also see many of the residents leaving to go to outside jobs, which, in my opinion, takes away from the trapped feeling that I think it should be conveying. The whole time I kept thinking, "Just leave", especially when things got really bad. Sorry to bring up Snowpiercer again, but in that case, they couldn't leave, thus adding to the feeling of being trapped in an inescapable situation, even when things were at their worst. Of course, maybe the high-rise residents were just trapped in their minds, with, what one reviewer referred to as, an addiction to convenience. Maybe. Anyway, my next problem. The switch from things being okay with a few issues in the high-rise to utter chaos happens in a matter of minutes. There's this part in the middle, where we kind of see Laing's mind beginning to slip, and the next thing...mayhem! I mean, even though this film was too long for me, they could have thrown in a bit of a middle ground where things change gradually, not so jarring. I don't know. I like an artistically driven film every now and then, but this seemed a bit indulgent. As though they were tossing in weird things just for the sake of doing so, whilst everyone involved is asking the audience what they think it means.
Okay, is there anything I liked about this film? Actually, yes. We get Jeremy Irons playing a guy named Royal who runs the whole place. And his name is Royal. And he runs the place. Really? But blowing everyone out of the water is Luke Evans playing a guy named Wilder, who goes very wild in the story. And his name is Wilder. And he goes- Oh, come on! You are taking symbolism WAY too far now! Okay, to be fair, those names were in the book, but still. My point is that Luke Evans was rather brilliant. He managed to portray this character in a way where you're not sure if you should be terrified of him or amused by him. Or both. He was the highlight, hands down. Although, another thing about this film that was actually quite exceptional was the production design. This takes place in the 70's, and it looks like it, hardcore. The clothes, the furniture, the way they did the actors' hair, everything was of the time. Not to mention the lighting and the colors, all the visuals were incredible. If nothing else, it excels in that.
In closing, would I recommend High-Rise? I mean, I personally wouldn't want to watch it again, but as it seems to be quite polarizing, I think it might be an acquired taste. Basically, you might like it, you might not, but if you want to see it, go for it. As I mentioned, it's not a total train wreck, and you'll enjoy Luke Evans. I think this might become a success as a cult film. What with haters hating...and lovers loving (what!), it will find and has already found its audience. I just don't happen to be in it.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Here's a question: What in the heck did I just watch? Okay, according to the title of this post, I apparently watched a movie called High-Rise, but I have no idea what that means, because I have no idea what happened in it. Don't get me wrong. Stuff happened in it. Some really, REALLY messed up stuff, but a string of bizarre occurrences does not a film make. At least, not to me. And I know that some other and actually legit reviewers really liked this thing. Perhaps, I just didn't get it. I felt like the film makers were just telling the audience that all bets are off and we need to just shut up and watch. And when I say "watch" I mean that quite literally. But more on that later. Let's get to talking about this thing called High-Rise. If I can.
High-Rise is about just that, a high-rise full of every kind of person one could imagine and with everything that one can hope to want under one roof, including a market, a gym, even a school. Basically, all the places where no one wants to go, but everyone has to go. And, as expected, there is a lot of class separation in the building. Of course, the super rich people live at the top, the middle class, mostly single people, live in the middle and all the less financially stable families with children live on the lowest level. Yeah, kids are like the worst thing ever in this movie, so, as I am not a kid person, I'll give it a point for that. Seriously, though, I think they're just seen as out of control and an intrusion of the structure. So, poor people on the bottom, rich people on the top. Does this sound familiar, cinematically speaking? Correct. It is pretty much a more visually polished version of Snowpiercer. It's shinier and cleaner, but does this make it better? No. No, it does not. Moving on. Though I might have to bring up Snowpiercer again. Prepare yourself.
Our protagonist is a guy named Dr. Robert Laing, played by Tom Hiddleston. Hang on a minute. The last time I reviewed one of his films I wasn't too fond of it either. What are you trying to do me, man, between film choices and...other choices? Do you want me not to like you anymore? Anywho, though he is considered the protagonist, he's not really centrally involved in what's happening. He seems to be just watching as an outsider, occasionally stepping in for...um...activities. And what is he watching? Well, he's watching the "society" of the high-rise go straight down the tubes in the most chaotic way possible. To call what happens, the bare bones of the...plot, predictable is an understatement. So, I may be giving a bit of a spoiler here, thus, warning. It seems that the lower floors get mad about the upper floors getting better stuff, therefore, they start rebelling and revolting, as you do, until the whole thing becomes a maelstrom of epic proportion. I'd go into detail, but there is so much detail, I wouldn't even know where to start. I think, in this case, the only thing that can explain it to you are your eyes. But even that I'm not to sure about.
So, what exactly did I dislike about the movie? Well, it is, ever so slightly, pretentious. Now the director, Ben Wheatley, is good at the stylized kind of film making, and here is no exception. However, the book, which I admittedly haven't read, that this was based on is heavily allegorical, and that works better in the literary form. Doing it visually can make all you symbolism and metaphors a bit too on the nose. Or a lot too on the nose. We also see many of the residents leaving to go to outside jobs, which, in my opinion, takes away from the trapped feeling that I think it should be conveying. The whole time I kept thinking, "Just leave", especially when things got really bad. Sorry to bring up Snowpiercer again, but in that case, they couldn't leave, thus adding to the feeling of being trapped in an inescapable situation, even when things were at their worst. Of course, maybe the high-rise residents were just trapped in their minds, with, what one reviewer referred to as, an addiction to convenience. Maybe. Anyway, my next problem. The switch from things being okay with a few issues in the high-rise to utter chaos happens in a matter of minutes. There's this part in the middle, where we kind of see Laing's mind beginning to slip, and the next thing...mayhem! I mean, even though this film was too long for me, they could have thrown in a bit of a middle ground where things change gradually, not so jarring. I don't know. I like an artistically driven film every now and then, but this seemed a bit indulgent. As though they were tossing in weird things just for the sake of doing so, whilst everyone involved is asking the audience what they think it means.
Okay, is there anything I liked about this film? Actually, yes. We get Jeremy Irons playing a guy named Royal who runs the whole place. And his name is Royal. And he runs the place. Really? But blowing everyone out of the water is Luke Evans playing a guy named Wilder, who goes very wild in the story. And his name is Wilder. And he goes- Oh, come on! You are taking symbolism WAY too far now! Okay, to be fair, those names were in the book, but still. My point is that Luke Evans was rather brilliant. He managed to portray this character in a way where you're not sure if you should be terrified of him or amused by him. Or both. He was the highlight, hands down. Although, another thing about this film that was actually quite exceptional was the production design. This takes place in the 70's, and it looks like it, hardcore. The clothes, the furniture, the way they did the actors' hair, everything was of the time. Not to mention the lighting and the colors, all the visuals were incredible. If nothing else, it excels in that.
In closing, would I recommend High-Rise? I mean, I personally wouldn't want to watch it again, but as it seems to be quite polarizing, I think it might be an acquired taste. Basically, you might like it, you might not, but if you want to see it, go for it. As I mentioned, it's not a total train wreck, and you'll enjoy Luke Evans. I think this might become a success as a cult film. What with haters hating...and lovers loving (what!), it will find and has already found its audience. I just don't happen to be in it.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Top Ten Oasis Songs
Greetings,
Even with things I've loved for a long time, I often forget just how much I do, in fact, love them. So, getting a reminder is a good thing, and that is exactly what happened a couple of weeks ago. It seems there is a new channel called MTV Classic, which takes the place of VH1 Classic. I guess the "classic" thing means that they might actually play some music. Surprise! They do. And I tell you, I would rather listen to the worst music from the 80's and 90's than anything you can find on MTV today. But let's not go too in depth on that. Point is, they actually played some good music for me a while back. Specifically, it was a concert. More specifically, it was Oasis: Unplugged.
This was a great concert. Although, it did cause some anxiety for me in the past. See, this was the concert where Liam Gallagher said he was sick and, therefore, would not be able to perform. Let's not get into the argument of whether or not he was actually sick or if he maybe just wanted to put his brother, Noel, into an awkward position where he had to sing lead, something he rarely did. I mean, all things considered, I think we know the answer. Or do we? Well, either way, it turns out that Noel did a fantastic job. It may have been the first of many moments in the past two decades that let us know who was running the show. Don't get me wrong. I think Liam was, and probably still is, talented, and he was certainly charismatic. He definitely managed to rope me in with his...um, let's say...charm? But it's Noel who is the musical genius in the family. Sorry, I digress. Point is, the fact that he didn't perform for that show made me think he wouldn't be there when I saw them back in '98...when I was...five. Yeah, that's it. He was there, though, and it was an amazing show. Moving on.
Okay, let's get to the actual topic of this blog post. Seeing / listening to that old concert reminded me just how great Oasis was as a band. Heck, if you believed everything they said, you'd think they were the greatest band in the world. Maybe, maybe not. But, perhaps, that confidence was enough to convince people to listen and discover that they were really good. So, enough back story and whatnot. I'm about to share with you my personal favorites, my Top Ten Oasis Songs. Off we go.
#10. "The Importance of Being Idle" - Hey, Bruno Mars! This is how you write a song inspired by laziness. And while we're on the subject...Hey, Miley Cyrus! This is how you properly make a lyrical reference to the cocaines...rumor has it. I do not approve of such things. But I do approve of this song. It's darn good. And, little bonus, the video features Rhys Ifans, portraying kind of a crazy dude, but fun crazy. So, he's playing himself. I kid...sort of. Good times and much respect, sir. I loved you on Elementary!
#9. "Whatever" - This song was a B-Side for a single off of the Definitely Maybe album. I don't how it didn't make it ON the album, but...whatever! Ha! See what I did there? Seriously, though, I get a kick out of this song. AND it came out in 1994, a year before Clueless. Ya know, in case someone tries to tell you that Cher Horowitz coined the phrase.
#8. "Fade Away" - Another B-Side...technically, but let me clarify. I am referring to the acoustic version of "Fade Away" that was featured on a charity CD. Now, whilst I do like the original, I just found this stripped down performance so much better, and it did more to show off just how good the song is.
#7. "All Around The World" - This flippin' thing is almost ten minutes long. Just wanted to throw that out there. Now this song comes from the Be Here Now album, which was not exactly praised. I happen to like quite a few of the songs on it. Was it as good as its predecessor? Yeah, no. But it did give us this little epic gem. Also, we got some Dayton and Faris action for the Yellow Submarine inspired video. If you don't know who they are, away with you. If you don't know why they chose to be inspired by The Beatles for an Oasis video? Away with you and never come back.
#6. "Champagne Supernova" - So, what's this song about? Nobody knows! Not even the band. Maybe Noel was on something when he wrote it. No, not him. But I don't need to know what it's about. All I know is that it's pretty cool. It also has a melodica on it. What more do you want?
#5. "The Masterplan" - Wow, I sure do like the songs that aren't considered good enough to make it to the album, don't I? Well, hang on now. Noel likes this one, too. In fact, he considers it one of his best, as do I. Apparently, he even said he regretted putting it out as a B-Side. At the time, the head of their label said it was "too good" for that, and apparently, his response was "Well, I don't write [crap] songs." OK, he didn't say "crap", but you get the picture. I guess he thought everything he wrote was too good for a B-Side. For most of what he writes, especially including this, I'll agree.
#4. "Little By Little" - I heard that this song was a bit controversial. Not due to lyrics, but the sound of the music. People seemed to be divided on whether this was just Oasis doing classic Oasis for a good reason or if they were just trying to sell records. My response to that is...who cares! The song is great, whatever the motivation might be. And I hate to bring up the video, once again, but this one featured Robert Carlyle as a tiny, little man. So, he was playing himself. I kid, once again. He might not be Hiddleston height, but he's a fine actor, a fine man and he always brings a smile to my face.
#3. "Don't Look Back in Anger" - No, I don't know who Sally is. Stop asking me that. Anywho, this is easily the best song from (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, which is also, by the way, one of my favorite albums of all time. As you may have noticed, I like when the guys slow down a bit, so I can truly appreciate the brilliance of what has been written. This song is no exception. The melody is one of their bests, and, don't tell anyone, I love to sing this. Like, belt it, for real. I'm sure the neighbors don't mind.
#2. "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" - I know, I know. When you think inspirational power ballads, you think Oasis. OK, maybe you didn't before, but you might when you hear this. Look, I think that songs like this thrive on how simple they are, and I mean "simple" in the best way. Sometimes you don't need to be big to get the point across, and if nothing else, this song makes me feel something. And that is exactly what I want from the music I listen to.
#1. "Live Forever" - What a shocker! Yeah, I hate being too conventional, but I think this might be a lot of people's favorite Oasis song. And why not? It's superb. And, concerning the content, I heard that Noel wrote this during the time of grunge, when everyone was embracing the lifestyle of depression and being unhappy with life, even if they were doing so as a trend. His response, through this song, seemed to be "Why?" Believe it or not, he wanted to give those kids listening to the music some positivity. I can't argue with that. And it's just about perfect that he wrote this amazing song in order to do that.
And there you have it. My favorites from Oasis. Okay, truth time. I know that sometimes the shenanigans of the band members, particularly the Gallagher brothers, could overshadow what they were doing musically. But when you put all that aside, all the stuff that doesn't really matter, and just listen to those songs, just listen to the music, you will find something amazing. It all boils down to the fact that there was some talent here, and it should continue to be recognized and appreciated. Which is exactly what I do!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Even with things I've loved for a long time, I often forget just how much I do, in fact, love them. So, getting a reminder is a good thing, and that is exactly what happened a couple of weeks ago. It seems there is a new channel called MTV Classic, which takes the place of VH1 Classic. I guess the "classic" thing means that they might actually play some music. Surprise! They do. And I tell you, I would rather listen to the worst music from the 80's and 90's than anything you can find on MTV today. But let's not go too in depth on that. Point is, they actually played some good music for me a while back. Specifically, it was a concert. More specifically, it was Oasis: Unplugged.
This was a great concert. Although, it did cause some anxiety for me in the past. See, this was the concert where Liam Gallagher said he was sick and, therefore, would not be able to perform. Let's not get into the argument of whether or not he was actually sick or if he maybe just wanted to put his brother, Noel, into an awkward position where he had to sing lead, something he rarely did. I mean, all things considered, I think we know the answer. Or do we? Well, either way, it turns out that Noel did a fantastic job. It may have been the first of many moments in the past two decades that let us know who was running the show. Don't get me wrong. I think Liam was, and probably still is, talented, and he was certainly charismatic. He definitely managed to rope me in with his...um, let's say...charm? But it's Noel who is the musical genius in the family. Sorry, I digress. Point is, the fact that he didn't perform for that show made me think he wouldn't be there when I saw them back in '98...when I was...five. Yeah, that's it. He was there, though, and it was an amazing show. Moving on.
Okay, let's get to the actual topic of this blog post. Seeing / listening to that old concert reminded me just how great Oasis was as a band. Heck, if you believed everything they said, you'd think they were the greatest band in the world. Maybe, maybe not. But, perhaps, that confidence was enough to convince people to listen and discover that they were really good. So, enough back story and whatnot. I'm about to share with you my personal favorites, my Top Ten Oasis Songs. Off we go.
#10. "The Importance of Being Idle" - Hey, Bruno Mars! This is how you write a song inspired by laziness. And while we're on the subject...Hey, Miley Cyrus! This is how you properly make a lyrical reference to the cocaines...rumor has it. I do not approve of such things. But I do approve of this song. It's darn good. And, little bonus, the video features Rhys Ifans, portraying kind of a crazy dude, but fun crazy. So, he's playing himself. I kid...sort of. Good times and much respect, sir. I loved you on Elementary!
#9. "Whatever" - This song was a B-Side for a single off of the Definitely Maybe album. I don't how it didn't make it ON the album, but...whatever! Ha! See what I did there? Seriously, though, I get a kick out of this song. AND it came out in 1994, a year before Clueless. Ya know, in case someone tries to tell you that Cher Horowitz coined the phrase.
#8. "Fade Away" - Another B-Side...technically, but let me clarify. I am referring to the acoustic version of "Fade Away" that was featured on a charity CD. Now, whilst I do like the original, I just found this stripped down performance so much better, and it did more to show off just how good the song is.
#7. "All Around The World" - This flippin' thing is almost ten minutes long. Just wanted to throw that out there. Now this song comes from the Be Here Now album, which was not exactly praised. I happen to like quite a few of the songs on it. Was it as good as its predecessor? Yeah, no. But it did give us this little epic gem. Also, we got some Dayton and Faris action for the Yellow Submarine inspired video. If you don't know who they are, away with you. If you don't know why they chose to be inspired by The Beatles for an Oasis video? Away with you and never come back.
#6. "Champagne Supernova" - So, what's this song about? Nobody knows! Not even the band. Maybe Noel was on something when he wrote it. No, not him. But I don't need to know what it's about. All I know is that it's pretty cool. It also has a melodica on it. What more do you want?
#5. "The Masterplan" - Wow, I sure do like the songs that aren't considered good enough to make it to the album, don't I? Well, hang on now. Noel likes this one, too. In fact, he considers it one of his best, as do I. Apparently, he even said he regretted putting it out as a B-Side. At the time, the head of their label said it was "too good" for that, and apparently, his response was "Well, I don't write [crap] songs." OK, he didn't say "crap", but you get the picture. I guess he thought everything he wrote was too good for a B-Side. For most of what he writes, especially including this, I'll agree.
#4. "Little By Little" - I heard that this song was a bit controversial. Not due to lyrics, but the sound of the music. People seemed to be divided on whether this was just Oasis doing classic Oasis for a good reason or if they were just trying to sell records. My response to that is...who cares! The song is great, whatever the motivation might be. And I hate to bring up the video, once again, but this one featured Robert Carlyle as a tiny, little man. So, he was playing himself. I kid, once again. He might not be Hiddleston height, but he's a fine actor, a fine man and he always brings a smile to my face.
#3. "Don't Look Back in Anger" - No, I don't know who Sally is. Stop asking me that. Anywho, this is easily the best song from (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, which is also, by the way, one of my favorite albums of all time. As you may have noticed, I like when the guys slow down a bit, so I can truly appreciate the brilliance of what has been written. This song is no exception. The melody is one of their bests, and, don't tell anyone, I love to sing this. Like, belt it, for real. I'm sure the neighbors don't mind.
#2. "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" - I know, I know. When you think inspirational power ballads, you think Oasis. OK, maybe you didn't before, but you might when you hear this. Look, I think that songs like this thrive on how simple they are, and I mean "simple" in the best way. Sometimes you don't need to be big to get the point across, and if nothing else, this song makes me feel something. And that is exactly what I want from the music I listen to.
#1. "Live Forever" - What a shocker! Yeah, I hate being too conventional, but I think this might be a lot of people's favorite Oasis song. And why not? It's superb. And, concerning the content, I heard that Noel wrote this during the time of grunge, when everyone was embracing the lifestyle of depression and being unhappy with life, even if they were doing so as a trend. His response, through this song, seemed to be "Why?" Believe it or not, he wanted to give those kids listening to the music some positivity. I can't argue with that. And it's just about perfect that he wrote this amazing song in order to do that.
And there you have it. My favorites from Oasis. Okay, truth time. I know that sometimes the shenanigans of the band members, particularly the Gallagher brothers, could overshadow what they were doing musically. But when you put all that aside, all the stuff that doesn't really matter, and just listen to those songs, just listen to the music, you will find something amazing. It all boils down to the fact that there was some talent here, and it should continue to be recognized and appreciated. Which is exactly what I do!
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Monday, August 15, 2016
The Best Party In Town
Greetings,
I am not what you would call a "party person", if that is even a thing that one can be called. See, I'm a bit of a loner, as we writers tend to be, and I don't do so well with the crowds and whatnot. And yet, I am so witty and delightful that I have no doubt I would be the life of any party that I happen to attend. Hashtag Humble. Seriously, though, I do enjoy making people laugh and being a bit clever if I can, but I'm still not a people person, ironically. At least, I'm not an "in person" people person. Yeah. However, I have a found a solution to this problem, thankfully.
As I may have mentioned, I do love a good classic movie very much. My favorite film of all time is, after all, The Ten Commandments. So, it should come as no surprise that I frequent a little channel known as Turner Classic Movies, or TCM, as it is well known. And also easier to type. Another thing I enjoy doing is live Tweeting / riffing as movies are being aired on television. Is there anything that can combine these two loves of mine? Oh, yes, indeed, there is.
A while back, I discovered a lovely Twitter account (so few of those left) known as TCM Party. It's a place where people can watch great old movies and Tweet about them together. Well, "together", but that's more than good enough for a lot of us. Now, they don't work for TCM, as their account description says. They are just a bunch of awesome people who enjoy classic movies. Clearly, I fit right in. Mostly, because I, too, am awesome, but also the other thing. So, every now and then, they choose a movie and lead us all on a live Tweeting session where we can share facts or make jokes or just share our love of wonderful films. It's actually become kind of a lovely community of sorts. But, alas, here's where things get crazy...ish.
It is true that the official TCM Party folks do this only for some movies. I mean, they can't be doing this 24/7, and that is certainly acceptable. However, many of us have taken to...um, I don't like to use the word "hijack"...but yeah, we straight up hijack the TCM Party hashtag for pretty much any movie that is being shown on TCM. No lie. Go to Twitter. Search #TCMParty. Someone will probably be talking about whatever movie is currently playing on the channel. Now, I'm going to be an optimist and assume that they don't mind our doing this. After all, if you search that hashtag, you will be shown their account, and then, you will hopefully follow them. Good times.
You know, I understand that many people, including myself, feel like social media has actually made us less social in terms of human interaction. Still, it is nice and even comforting to find some like-minded people on the interwebs, especially if the thing you are like-minded about is something as benign as classic movies. Because, let's be honest, there could be worse things. And I love reading what people post about a film that brings a smile to my face, even more, when I can hopefully bring a smile to someone else's face. Not to get too deep, but you never know what kind of day a person might be having, and a silly little joke could brighten it up. So, it's worth it to me. And none of this would be possible without those fantastic people who started this whole TCM Party thing. It is, in my humble opinion, the best party in town.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
I am not what you would call a "party person", if that is even a thing that one can be called. See, I'm a bit of a loner, as we writers tend to be, and I don't do so well with the crowds and whatnot. And yet, I am so witty and delightful that I have no doubt I would be the life of any party that I happen to attend. Hashtag Humble. Seriously, though, I do enjoy making people laugh and being a bit clever if I can, but I'm still not a people person, ironically. At least, I'm not an "in person" people person. Yeah. However, I have a found a solution to this problem, thankfully.
As I may have mentioned, I do love a good classic movie very much. My favorite film of all time is, after all, The Ten Commandments. So, it should come as no surprise that I frequent a little channel known as Turner Classic Movies, or TCM, as it is well known. And also easier to type. Another thing I enjoy doing is live Tweeting / riffing as movies are being aired on television. Is there anything that can combine these two loves of mine? Oh, yes, indeed, there is.
A while back, I discovered a lovely Twitter account (so few of those left) known as TCM Party. It's a place where people can watch great old movies and Tweet about them together. Well, "together", but that's more than good enough for a lot of us. Now, they don't work for TCM, as their account description says. They are just a bunch of awesome people who enjoy classic movies. Clearly, I fit right in. Mostly, because I, too, am awesome, but also the other thing. So, every now and then, they choose a movie and lead us all on a live Tweeting session where we can share facts or make jokes or just share our love of wonderful films. It's actually become kind of a lovely community of sorts. But, alas, here's where things get crazy...ish.
It is true that the official TCM Party folks do this only for some movies. I mean, they can't be doing this 24/7, and that is certainly acceptable. However, many of us have taken to...um, I don't like to use the word "hijack"...but yeah, we straight up hijack the TCM Party hashtag for pretty much any movie that is being shown on TCM. No lie. Go to Twitter. Search #TCMParty. Someone will probably be talking about whatever movie is currently playing on the channel. Now, I'm going to be an optimist and assume that they don't mind our doing this. After all, if you search that hashtag, you will be shown their account, and then, you will hopefully follow them. Good times.
You know, I understand that many people, including myself, feel like social media has actually made us less social in terms of human interaction. Still, it is nice and even comforting to find some like-minded people on the interwebs, especially if the thing you are like-minded about is something as benign as classic movies. Because, let's be honest, there could be worse things. And I love reading what people post about a film that brings a smile to my face, even more, when I can hopefully bring a smile to someone else's face. Not to get too deep, but you never know what kind of day a person might be having, and a silly little joke could brighten it up. So, it's worth it to me. And none of this would be possible without those fantastic people who started this whole TCM Party thing. It is, in my humble opinion, the best party in town.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Saturday, July 30, 2016
Sing Street - Music Movie Review
Greetings,
Anyone who knows my taste in movie endings knows that I am open to anything. Happy endings, sad endings, ambiguous ending, occasionally 'What in the heck was that?' endings, I've enjoyed them all. As long as they also feel real. And I've found a writer/director who seems to have mastered making real, true to life endings. His name is John Carney, and I will talk more about him specifically later. I have seen three of his films, and, if you count what I will be doing now, I have reviewed all three of them as well. First, Once, then Begin Again and now Sing Street. So, let's get started.
Sing Street is 2016 film which takes place in 1985 in Dublin, and it's the story of U2. Wait, no. That last part is not true, but I couldn't stop the obvious momentum of that sentence. In all seriousness, though, it is actually about music. No surprise if you've seen the aforementioned films from this writer/director. He may love music even more than I do. Now that is an accomplishment.
The story follows a young man named Conor, played by Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, and yes, that is a contender for greatest name ever. He's a teenager who decides to start a band. Why? Well, he meets a girl named, Raphina, played by Lucy Boynton, and asks her to be in the video for his band. So, he has to form one. Yes, he did it all for a girl, which is fine, as long as things don't get creepy. And they don't. In fact, Conor discovers that he has quite a talent for this songwriting thing, and his time with the new band takes his mind off his troubles at school and troubles at home. Still, he does find support from Raphina, his band members, and his older brother Brendan, played by Jack Reynor. In fact, I think what I like most about this film is the relationship that Conor has with all of these people. There's something very genuine about it, and it gives the story so much heart. Especially at the end, which I am NOT spoiling, so leave me alone!
Like with many good films I review, I prefer not to give away too much of the plot, and with films like Sing Street, which can be put in the "coming of age" genre, I certainly don't want to do that. It's a "follow along with the journey of our protagonist and see where it takes you" kind of movie. In other words, it is reminiscent of some of the greats.
So, as this is a Music Movie, let's talk about the music. As I said, this takes place in the mid-80's, so you can imagine. Look, I am not the biggest fan of this era of music, but I know it when I hear it. Now, a lot of people get writing credits for the songs, including Adam Levine, Glen Hansard and even Carney himself, but according to my info, a guy named Gary Clark, who was quite prolific in the chosen decade, is responsible for most of it. And I must say, while it is difficult to sound "inspired by" without sounding "carbon copy" of a certain artist, it was done quite brilliantly here. All the songs from the band are unique to it, but you can also tell very easily what their influences were, just by listening. So, they're more like Bruno Mars and company being influenced by late 70's and early 80's funk and dance music, rather than Taylor Swift straight up stealing riffs from Kesha. No, I'm kidding about that. Point being, they managed to capture the essence of the time, whilst giving this fictional band its own sound. Good times, indeed.
Okay, let's talk about that cast. I'd say that, for the most part, everyone in this is relatively unknown, at least in this country, but there is the occasional instance of "Oh, it's that guy from that movie". And I think someone from Game of Thrones got in there as well. I don't know. I don't watch it. But everyone is actually very good, particularly our young leading man. This kid has a lot of quiet charisma, and he is extremely likable, which is important when you've practically got an entire film on your shoulders. And, as I mentioned his relationships with other characters before, much of that relied on the chemistry he had with them. He and Lucy Boynton, who was also exceptionally good in this, worked so well together and were so believable in these roles they were playing and the relationship that they were purporting to have. And Jack Reynor and he did an amazing job at playing these brothers, where there were a few rough edges due to their family's current situation, but you could still see and feel such a sincere love between them. And let me finish by saying I hope Ferdia Walsh-Peelo (still a great name) continues on to do more great things, because I'm pretty sure this kid has it.
I would say that the best thing about Sing Street is the overall feel to it, and how it seems to bring John Carney back to what he does best. What I mean by that is, as much as I liked Begin Again, despite a few casting flaws, it did feel a bit big and Hollywood-ized, if you will. It was such a departure from Once, which people loved because it was just so simple and charming and good. Then, all of a sudden, we've got huge stars and a much bigger budget, but, and again I can't stress enough how much I liked it, it may have lost a bit of the heart. Just a bit. Well, Sing Street has brought that all back. Whilst there is nothing inherently wrong with big budgets and big stars, I think, perhaps, that John Carney thrives so much more when all of that is stripped away so we can just concentrate on an excellent story with wonderful characters played by great actors who are given superb direction. That is all one needs to have a successful film, and he certainly achieves that here.
Oh, and what I said before about this writer/director giving us good endings? Let me expand. Out of the three films I've seen from him, they all have endings that aren't exactly what you might want for these characters, or what they may have wanted for themselves, but there's always a glimmer of hope. And hope and possibilities often lie right in the middle of the unknown. It's okay to be walking ahead in life into something you may be totally unprepared for, because, at the very least, you're trying something that's not the same thing you've always done. At least, you won't be stuck. And those endings just make me smile and hope for the best, because 'the best' can be an extremely attainable goal. Even if you don't come by it exactly as you had planned.
So, in closing, I highly recommend Sing Street. It's charming and fun and poignant and even heartbreaking at times, but it takes you through those emotions with an amazing authenticity. The story is great, the characters are great and it is just plain good. I don't think you could possibly be disappointed in this one.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Anyone who knows my taste in movie endings knows that I am open to anything. Happy endings, sad endings, ambiguous ending, occasionally 'What in the heck was that?' endings, I've enjoyed them all. As long as they also feel real. And I've found a writer/director who seems to have mastered making real, true to life endings. His name is John Carney, and I will talk more about him specifically later. I have seen three of his films, and, if you count what I will be doing now, I have reviewed all three of them as well. First, Once, then Begin Again and now Sing Street. So, let's get started.
Sing Street is 2016 film which takes place in 1985 in Dublin, and it's the story of U2. Wait, no. That last part is not true, but I couldn't stop the obvious momentum of that sentence. In all seriousness, though, it is actually about music. No surprise if you've seen the aforementioned films from this writer/director. He may love music even more than I do. Now that is an accomplishment.
The story follows a young man named Conor, played by Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, and yes, that is a contender for greatest name ever. He's a teenager who decides to start a band. Why? Well, he meets a girl named, Raphina, played by Lucy Boynton, and asks her to be in the video for his band. So, he has to form one. Yes, he did it all for a girl, which is fine, as long as things don't get creepy. And they don't. In fact, Conor discovers that he has quite a talent for this songwriting thing, and his time with the new band takes his mind off his troubles at school and troubles at home. Still, he does find support from Raphina, his band members, and his older brother Brendan, played by Jack Reynor. In fact, I think what I like most about this film is the relationship that Conor has with all of these people. There's something very genuine about it, and it gives the story so much heart. Especially at the end, which I am NOT spoiling, so leave me alone!
Like with many good films I review, I prefer not to give away too much of the plot, and with films like Sing Street, which can be put in the "coming of age" genre, I certainly don't want to do that. It's a "follow along with the journey of our protagonist and see where it takes you" kind of movie. In other words, it is reminiscent of some of the greats.
So, as this is a Music Movie, let's talk about the music. As I said, this takes place in the mid-80's, so you can imagine. Look, I am not the biggest fan of this era of music, but I know it when I hear it. Now, a lot of people get writing credits for the songs, including Adam Levine, Glen Hansard and even Carney himself, but according to my info, a guy named Gary Clark, who was quite prolific in the chosen decade, is responsible for most of it. And I must say, while it is difficult to sound "inspired by" without sounding "carbon copy" of a certain artist, it was done quite brilliantly here. All the songs from the band are unique to it, but you can also tell very easily what their influences were, just by listening. So, they're more like Bruno Mars and company being influenced by late 70's and early 80's funk and dance music, rather than Taylor Swift straight up stealing riffs from Kesha. No, I'm kidding about that. Point being, they managed to capture the essence of the time, whilst giving this fictional band its own sound. Good times, indeed.
Okay, let's talk about that cast. I'd say that, for the most part, everyone in this is relatively unknown, at least in this country, but there is the occasional instance of "Oh, it's that guy from that movie". And I think someone from Game of Thrones got in there as well. I don't know. I don't watch it. But everyone is actually very good, particularly our young leading man. This kid has a lot of quiet charisma, and he is extremely likable, which is important when you've practically got an entire film on your shoulders. And, as I mentioned his relationships with other characters before, much of that relied on the chemistry he had with them. He and Lucy Boynton, who was also exceptionally good in this, worked so well together and were so believable in these roles they were playing and the relationship that they were purporting to have. And Jack Reynor and he did an amazing job at playing these brothers, where there were a few rough edges due to their family's current situation, but you could still see and feel such a sincere love between them. And let me finish by saying I hope Ferdia Walsh-Peelo (still a great name) continues on to do more great things, because I'm pretty sure this kid has it.
I would say that the best thing about Sing Street is the overall feel to it, and how it seems to bring John Carney back to what he does best. What I mean by that is, as much as I liked Begin Again, despite a few casting flaws, it did feel a bit big and Hollywood-ized, if you will. It was such a departure from Once, which people loved because it was just so simple and charming and good. Then, all of a sudden, we've got huge stars and a much bigger budget, but, and again I can't stress enough how much I liked it, it may have lost a bit of the heart. Just a bit. Well, Sing Street has brought that all back. Whilst there is nothing inherently wrong with big budgets and big stars, I think, perhaps, that John Carney thrives so much more when all of that is stripped away so we can just concentrate on an excellent story with wonderful characters played by great actors who are given superb direction. That is all one needs to have a successful film, and he certainly achieves that here.
Oh, and what I said before about this writer/director giving us good endings? Let me expand. Out of the three films I've seen from him, they all have endings that aren't exactly what you might want for these characters, or what they may have wanted for themselves, but there's always a glimmer of hope. And hope and possibilities often lie right in the middle of the unknown. It's okay to be walking ahead in life into something you may be totally unprepared for, because, at the very least, you're trying something that's not the same thing you've always done. At least, you won't be stuck. And those endings just make me smile and hope for the best, because 'the best' can be an extremely attainable goal. Even if you don't come by it exactly as you had planned.
So, in closing, I highly recommend Sing Street. It's charming and fun and poignant and even heartbreaking at times, but it takes you through those emotions with an amazing authenticity. The story is great, the characters are great and it is just plain good. I don't think you could possibly be disappointed in this one.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Monday, July 25, 2016
Straight From The Theater Review - Planet of the Apes
Greetings,
Well, after the heavy subject I discussed in my last post, it will be nice to talk about something a little more lighthearted. Sort of. I'm not sure I would describe this movie as such, but I still had a great time. Anyway, for the second time this year, I went to a Fathom Event done by TCM, the first being The Ten Commandments. And I continue my cinematic stalking of a young, hot Charlton Heston by seeing his other signature work, Planet of the Apes. What? You thought I was talking about the Marky Mark version in the post title. Oh, you!
So, I cannot imagine that there are many people who haven't seen the 1968 film, Planet of the Apes, but if you haven't, shame on you or your parents, first, and here is a quick synopsis. Four astronauts are heading home after being in space for six months. Well, six months their time, but 700 years have passed on Earth. As they sleep, some crazy shenanigans happen, which I don't think are ever explained, and they crash land on an unfamiliar planet. They lose one crew member through strange means, which leaves us with only Dodge, played by Jeff Burton, Landon, played by Robert Gunner and Taylor, played by the aforementioned Charlton Heston. They begin to explore and discover that this planet has what appear to be humans, though not as advance or civilized, and they all seem to be mute. Unfortunately, they also find out that the ones running this planet are not the humans, but - you'll never guess - apes! Riding on horses and shooting guns and everything.
Several humans are captured, as Taylor is separated from his crew members and introduced to Dr. Zira, played by Kim Hunter, a psychologist who believes that humans might be able to communicate with them somehow, though everyone thinks she's crazy to believe that. Yes, even in the future, women be crazy. What the crap? Anyway, she is the one who first shows some kind of kindness to Taylor, even donning him with the nickname "Bright Eyes". Aw! Just like Shirley Temple. Eventually, Taylor also meets her fiance, Cornelius, played by Roddy McDowall, who is skeptical but has some faith in what Zira believes, the sinister Dr. Zaius, played by Maurice Evans, who clearly is hiding some things and the fear of their discovery is what influences his decision making, and another human woman whom Taylor christens Nova, played by Linda Harrison. She has no words. She's just there to look pretty in her strategically ripped dress/bathing suit and do whatever Taylor tells her. Look, I'm not one to point out sexism everywhere, even in places it doesn't exist, but...yeah, this film may be just that. Just a skosh.
Soon, they all begin to realize that Taylor is very different from the other humans, which means he could be dangerous to them and their way of life. As they try to figure out more about him, he is struggling to figure out the story behind this strange world in which he has been placed. The inhabitants of the planet learn more than they ever thought possible from Taylor, and he learns more than he ever wanted about his new home. And all of that leads to one of the best endings in cinematic history. You probably already know what I'm talking about, but in case you don't, I will not spoil it. Just watch.
I must say, and I may have mentioned this when I spoke of The Ten Commandments, there is a certain magic to seeing these old films again on the big screen. It's like getting to see it through the eyes of those who saw it for the first time the same way. And, no surprise, you can see the things you never noticed when you have a TV viewing. At least, now I know that the idea I once had for opening a theater that only showed older movies may have worked, but let's not think about what might have been.
Speaking of which, if you think I have not done enough to make you want to spend money to see something you can watch on a DVD, there is a little something special with this screening. These ones that TCM release have an introduction by Ben Mankiewicz. Now, I am not exactly a fan of this man, due to...reasons, but this time around, what they have him do is very entertaining. Before the film begins, he sits down for an interview with Dr. Zaius. The real life Dr. Zaius...such as he is. It was actually really amusing, and well worth it to see. So, if you get a chance to see the other showing of this Fathom Event, I say go for it. Although, heed this warning. I think this thing is still technically rated G, but might not want to take the four-year-olds. This ain't Disney. Just sayin'.
Back to the actual movie, I have an affinity for films with great stories that really make you think about something. This film fulfills that for me. No surprise, since the original writer was Rod Serling, of Twilight Zone fame. Now eventually, Michael Wilson, who wrote The Bridge on the River Kwai, took over and made changes to the screenplay, leading to what the film became. But as far as I know, the heart and the message came from Serling. Yes, this film has many quotes that can be turned into memes or jokes, but if you really pay close attention to what is being said, to the story being told, it might just have a great effect on you. I know it certainly did for me. I also know that we throw the word "classic" around a lot, rather haphazardly these days, but no doubt, Planet of the Apes does, indeed, live up to that label.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Well, after the heavy subject I discussed in my last post, it will be nice to talk about something a little more lighthearted. Sort of. I'm not sure I would describe this movie as such, but I still had a great time. Anyway, for the second time this year, I went to a Fathom Event done by TCM, the first being The Ten Commandments. And I continue my cinematic stalking of a young, hot Charlton Heston by seeing his other signature work, Planet of the Apes. What? You thought I was talking about the Marky Mark version in the post title. Oh, you!
So, I cannot imagine that there are many people who haven't seen the 1968 film, Planet of the Apes, but if you haven't, shame on you or your parents, first, and here is a quick synopsis. Four astronauts are heading home after being in space for six months. Well, six months their time, but 700 years have passed on Earth. As they sleep, some crazy shenanigans happen, which I don't think are ever explained, and they crash land on an unfamiliar planet. They lose one crew member through strange means, which leaves us with only Dodge, played by Jeff Burton, Landon, played by Robert Gunner and Taylor, played by the aforementioned Charlton Heston. They begin to explore and discover that this planet has what appear to be humans, though not as advance or civilized, and they all seem to be mute. Unfortunately, they also find out that the ones running this planet are not the humans, but - you'll never guess - apes! Riding on horses and shooting guns and everything.
Several humans are captured, as Taylor is separated from his crew members and introduced to Dr. Zira, played by Kim Hunter, a psychologist who believes that humans might be able to communicate with them somehow, though everyone thinks she's crazy to believe that. Yes, even in the future, women be crazy. What the crap? Anyway, she is the one who first shows some kind of kindness to Taylor, even donning him with the nickname "Bright Eyes". Aw! Just like Shirley Temple. Eventually, Taylor also meets her fiance, Cornelius, played by Roddy McDowall, who is skeptical but has some faith in what Zira believes, the sinister Dr. Zaius, played by Maurice Evans, who clearly is hiding some things and the fear of their discovery is what influences his decision making, and another human woman whom Taylor christens Nova, played by Linda Harrison. She has no words. She's just there to look pretty in her strategically ripped dress/bathing suit and do whatever Taylor tells her. Look, I'm not one to point out sexism everywhere, even in places it doesn't exist, but...yeah, this film may be just that. Just a skosh.
Soon, they all begin to realize that Taylor is very different from the other humans, which means he could be dangerous to them and their way of life. As they try to figure out more about him, he is struggling to figure out the story behind this strange world in which he has been placed. The inhabitants of the planet learn more than they ever thought possible from Taylor, and he learns more than he ever wanted about his new home. And all of that leads to one of the best endings in cinematic history. You probably already know what I'm talking about, but in case you don't, I will not spoil it. Just watch.
I must say, and I may have mentioned this when I spoke of The Ten Commandments, there is a certain magic to seeing these old films again on the big screen. It's like getting to see it through the eyes of those who saw it for the first time the same way. And, no surprise, you can see the things you never noticed when you have a TV viewing. At least, now I know that the idea I once had for opening a theater that only showed older movies may have worked, but let's not think about what might have been.
Speaking of which, if you think I have not done enough to make you want to spend money to see something you can watch on a DVD, there is a little something special with this screening. These ones that TCM release have an introduction by Ben Mankiewicz. Now, I am not exactly a fan of this man, due to...reasons, but this time around, what they have him do is very entertaining. Before the film begins, he sits down for an interview with Dr. Zaius. The real life Dr. Zaius...such as he is. It was actually really amusing, and well worth it to see. So, if you get a chance to see the other showing of this Fathom Event, I say go for it. Although, heed this warning. I think this thing is still technically rated G, but might not want to take the four-year-olds. This ain't Disney. Just sayin'.
Back to the actual movie, I have an affinity for films with great stories that really make you think about something. This film fulfills that for me. No surprise, since the original writer was Rod Serling, of Twilight Zone fame. Now eventually, Michael Wilson, who wrote The Bridge on the River Kwai, took over and made changes to the screenplay, leading to what the film became. But as far as I know, the heart and the message came from Serling. Yes, this film has many quotes that can be turned into memes or jokes, but if you really pay close attention to what is being said, to the story being told, it might just have a great effect on you. I know it certainly did for me. I also know that we throw the word "classic" around a lot, rather haphazardly these days, but no doubt, Planet of the Apes does, indeed, live up to that label.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Sunday, July 17, 2016
I Saw The Light - Music Movie Review
Greetings,
Anyone who follows me on social media probably knows that I was very much anticipating the release of a movie called I Saw the Light, and also how disappointed I was when it did not come to a theater near me, as movies are wont to do. Well, now that the DVD has been released, I see now that I needn't have bothered hitting either one of those emotional extremes. And, speaking of which, the one reaction I did not anticipate was, in a word, meh. Because, honestly, that's kind of the best this movie gave me. But let's get into some deeper discussion of I Saw the Light.
I Saw the Light was released earlier this year and the hype on this thing was pretty big, probably because of its star. There were a lot of strong feelings coming from every angle about Tom Hiddleston, a British guy in his mid thirties, playing Hank Williams, a Southern, country music icon who died at the age of 29 (more on that later). Still, when all was said and done, he did look the part a bit and he certainly tried his little heart out to sound the part, but I'm not sure how convincing he was. Not to say he's a bad actor. I think I've made it clear that I don't feel that way at all. It's just that when you're playing a real person, you have to push through even harder to hide any trace of yourself. And this is not about looks. I mean, Vincent D'Onofrio was brilliant playing Abbie Hoffman, and he looks nothing like that guy, but he captured the essence. I can't honestly say that Hiddleston did the same. I have to be able to suspend my belief a little, and, back to the age thing, when he had to say his age at a certain point in the film, he had to answer..."23". I actually laughed out loud. Look, I know that ageism is a thing in Hollywood, usually more with women than men, but come on. He didn't look 23 when he was 23. No, he isn't exactly 43-year-old Kris Kristofferson trying to pass for a recent Harvard grad in Heaven's Gate, but he's also not exactly Reese Witherspoon who can be nearly 40 and pass for a 20-year-old college student in Wild. Forget Forever 21. She is Forever 16. Tom Hiddleston is not. Okay, I know I'm being harsh, and I think I've name dropped enough people who aren't even in this movie, so let's move on to something else.
I would say that this film is what I call a "List Biopic". By that, I mean it feels like someone made a list of everything that happened in Hank Williams' life, and then just crossed things off as they were added to the script. The flow of this movie was nonexistent. All the scenes were presented in this very disjointed way, almost with a staccato type rhythm. There were practically no moments that slowed things down to let us reflect on anything that was going on. It was just "This happened and then this happened and then this and this and this and then he died". What is even the heck? Calm down, mate, and give me a second to dwell on this. Oh, and about how they portrayed his death, they didn't. Of course, I didn't expect an actual death scene, and of course, they acknowledged it by making an announcement and singing the titular song, but it kind of came out of nowhere. I was hoping that they would have done something to build up the moment with some change in mood or tone or atmosphere. The only reason I knew he was going to die at the end was because I knew outside of the film. Not good. I should have gotten so lost in the film that I forgot about his dying so that I would have to be reminded by said film.
Anyway, is there anything I did like about this movie? Well, the supporting cast was pretty good. You had Bradley Whitford and Cherry Jones being their usual impressive selves, but I think Elizabeth Olsen actually did the best job of anyone. Yet again, she is showing that she is one of the stars of young Hollywood who has the most potential for a long career. Still, I don't think even she was enough to save the movie.
Look, I love a good biopic, and the best ones have heart to them. You should feel like you're getting to know the subject on a more personal level than ever before. Here, I just felt like I took a class on Hank Williams, presided over by a mediocre teacher. And while I enjoy any actor trying to spread his wings and step out of his comfort zone, I don't think this was the right way for Tom Hiddleston to do it. As I've stated, I am an admirer of his work as an actor, though I'm not at "Hiddlestoner" status. By that, I mean I have never and would never ambush him in a parking garage. That's a thing that happened. I'm sure you can still find video evidence on the YouTubes. However, if you want to watch something with him, check out The Night Manager miniseries or even Crimson Peak, two things that were much more in his wheelhouse. Heck, if you want to see Nice Guy Hiddleston go against that persona, check out some old episodes of Wallander on Netflix. He plays a guy who is a cop and kind of a jackass. There you go. Range.
So, back to I Saw the Light. No, I don't think I will be giving this a hearty recommendation. Again, if you're one of those aforementioned "Hiddlestoners" who only care about seeing the object of you adulation, go for it, if you haven't already. For everyone else, this won't be the worst movie you've ever seen if you choose to do so, but it will be far from the best.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Anyone who follows me on social media probably knows that I was very much anticipating the release of a movie called I Saw the Light, and also how disappointed I was when it did not come to a theater near me, as movies are wont to do. Well, now that the DVD has been released, I see now that I needn't have bothered hitting either one of those emotional extremes. And, speaking of which, the one reaction I did not anticipate was, in a word, meh. Because, honestly, that's kind of the best this movie gave me. But let's get into some deeper discussion of I Saw the Light.
I Saw the Light was released earlier this year and the hype on this thing was pretty big, probably because of its star. There were a lot of strong feelings coming from every angle about Tom Hiddleston, a British guy in his mid thirties, playing Hank Williams, a Southern, country music icon who died at the age of 29 (more on that later). Still, when all was said and done, he did look the part a bit and he certainly tried his little heart out to sound the part, but I'm not sure how convincing he was. Not to say he's a bad actor. I think I've made it clear that I don't feel that way at all. It's just that when you're playing a real person, you have to push through even harder to hide any trace of yourself. And this is not about looks. I mean, Vincent D'Onofrio was brilliant playing Abbie Hoffman, and he looks nothing like that guy, but he captured the essence. I can't honestly say that Hiddleston did the same. I have to be able to suspend my belief a little, and, back to the age thing, when he had to say his age at a certain point in the film, he had to answer..."23". I actually laughed out loud. Look, I know that ageism is a thing in Hollywood, usually more with women than men, but come on. He didn't look 23 when he was 23. No, he isn't exactly 43-year-old Kris Kristofferson trying to pass for a recent Harvard grad in Heaven's Gate, but he's also not exactly Reese Witherspoon who can be nearly 40 and pass for a 20-year-old college student in Wild. Forget Forever 21. She is Forever 16. Tom Hiddleston is not. Okay, I know I'm being harsh, and I think I've name dropped enough people who aren't even in this movie, so let's move on to something else.
I would say that this film is what I call a "List Biopic". By that, I mean it feels like someone made a list of everything that happened in Hank Williams' life, and then just crossed things off as they were added to the script. The flow of this movie was nonexistent. All the scenes were presented in this very disjointed way, almost with a staccato type rhythm. There were practically no moments that slowed things down to let us reflect on anything that was going on. It was just "This happened and then this happened and then this and this and this and then he died". What is even the heck? Calm down, mate, and give me a second to dwell on this. Oh, and about how they portrayed his death, they didn't. Of course, I didn't expect an actual death scene, and of course, they acknowledged it by making an announcement and singing the titular song, but it kind of came out of nowhere. I was hoping that they would have done something to build up the moment with some change in mood or tone or atmosphere. The only reason I knew he was going to die at the end was because I knew outside of the film. Not good. I should have gotten so lost in the film that I forgot about his dying so that I would have to be reminded by said film.
Anyway, is there anything I did like about this movie? Well, the supporting cast was pretty good. You had Bradley Whitford and Cherry Jones being their usual impressive selves, but I think Elizabeth Olsen actually did the best job of anyone. Yet again, she is showing that she is one of the stars of young Hollywood who has the most potential for a long career. Still, I don't think even she was enough to save the movie.
Look, I love a good biopic, and the best ones have heart to them. You should feel like you're getting to know the subject on a more personal level than ever before. Here, I just felt like I took a class on Hank Williams, presided over by a mediocre teacher. And while I enjoy any actor trying to spread his wings and step out of his comfort zone, I don't think this was the right way for Tom Hiddleston to do it. As I've stated, I am an admirer of his work as an actor, though I'm not at "Hiddlestoner" status. By that, I mean I have never and would never ambush him in a parking garage. That's a thing that happened. I'm sure you can still find video evidence on the YouTubes. However, if you want to watch something with him, check out The Night Manager miniseries or even Crimson Peak, two things that were much more in his wheelhouse. Heck, if you want to see Nice Guy Hiddleston go against that persona, check out some old episodes of Wallander on Netflix. He plays a guy who is a cop and kind of a jackass. There you go. Range.
So, back to I Saw the Light. No, I don't think I will be giving this a hearty recommendation. Again, if you're one of those aforementioned "Hiddlestoners" who only care about seeing the object of you adulation, go for it, if you haven't already. For everyone else, this won't be the worst movie you've ever seen if you choose to do so, but it will be far from the best.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
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