Greetings,
Hey, remember yesterday when I talked about a movie wherein a young woman had dreams of gaining stardom? Well, today, we're going to talk about the flip side, with a film wherein a...not so young woman has dreams of regaining stardom. But will those dreams become nightmares? WOW! That even sounds pretentious coming from a genius writer like myself. Anyway, let's get to talking about Sunset Boulevard.
Sunset Boulevard is a 1950 film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, the aforementioned, desperate to get her fame back actress, and William Holden as Joe Gillis, a screenwriter who is not exactly having a successful career. Gee, I wonder which one I'll be relating to. When Joe happens upon a huge, seemingly abandoned house, he discovers that it is occupied by Norma. She shares a script she wrote with him, because the whole "actors want to be things other than actors" is nothing new apparently. Anyway, Joe reads it, and he is not crazy about. Oh, like he's one to judge. I don't see Louis B. Mayer knocking down his door. Still, she hires him to help fix it up and make it worthy of the comeback she wants so badly. Plus, Norma believes that she is not the only one who wants her to be back in the spotlight, providing fan letters as evidence of that. She believes that this young writer could play an important part in her return, even insisting that he move in to her house. Because that's normal. Though, as a writer, I wait patiently for the day when Ralph Fiennes will need someone like me to help usher in a comeback for him. Name it and claim it, I say.
Soon, Norma begins to spend a crap ton of money on Joe and giving him every moment of her attention. Look, I don't want to call him the "G" word, but it might be somewhat accurate. Point is, this is where things start getting a bit odd between them. Norma becomes more obsessed with Joe and with getting her stardom back, and Joe begins to build a life away from her. They are heading in opposite directions, though only one of them truly wants that. What we wait to see is who will get what they desire out of their life and career, if anyone.
Throughout this film, we see Norma going to great and even disturbing lengths to get something back that she lost. And yet, somehow, I wonder if she was so consumed with this quest that she never bothered to contemplate on how important it really was. Or was there any value in what she once had at all? I've always thought that was the moral of the story here. Wanting something so badly can often distort our vision of it, making it impossible for us to see that, perhaps, it's not as grand a thing as we believe it to be.
Now that I have finished waxing poetic, let's talk about these actors. It's interesting how, when people talk about two actors having chemistry in a film, they often refer to more pleasant stories about love and friendship. Though this story is obviously darker than those, I still feel as though Swanson and Holden had tremendous chemistry. It's one of the most memorable things, and, like with most movies, if that had not been there, it would not have worked as well. Lucky for us, everything fell into place. Including the rest of the cast. We had Erich von Stroheim as Max, Norma's longtime butler, Nancy Olson as Betty Schaefer, a script reader and the "other woman" of sorts for Joe, and finally, Jack Webb as Artie Green, another friend of Joe's who is also close to some other people in his life. Again, a good cast is one of the foundation blocks, and we're solid here.
And much like a good Muppet movie, this thing has a decent amount of celebrity cameos. None of them, though, more important than the director of my all-time favorite movie, Cecil B. DeMille. I mean, hello! He is, after all, mentioned in this film's most famous quote. I will not repeat it. If you don't already know it, you may leave now. Come back after you've done some research.
Now, I must make a comment about the writing of this film. It's really good. No surprise there. But, of course, I especially like the way it begins. I love a cinematic starting line that makes me look forward to the finish line. Few films do it better than this one, and it's just one more thing that it has in common with yesterday's film, All About Eve.
In closing, I am recommending Sunset Boulevard. If you're someone who is currently fascinated with the goings on of Hollywood types, perhaps, by way of a tabloid or two, let me give you some advice. Put down the rags for a minute and pick up a copy of this movie. Trust me, you'll get a better thrill and, certainly, a much deeper one.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Monday, October 3, 2016
All About Eve - Movie Reveiw
Greetings,
If there's one thing we know about stardom and celebrity, it's that some people will do anything to have it. Even something as crazy as making an enemy out of Bette Davis. What! No, ma'am. That is not a wise thing to do, especially for something as pointless as a career in the entertainment industry. But, apparently, no one told that to Anne Baxter, because this is exactly what she did in the superb film, All About Eve. I may be giving some loose spoilers about the plot, but nothing too detailed.
All About Eve is a 1950 film by director Joseph Mankiewicz and based on the short story "The Wisdom of Eve" by Mary Orr, who did NOT get an onscreen credit. What's up with that? As a writer, I am personally offended by this, but let's move on. It stars, as I mentioned, Bette Davis, as Margo Channing, a Broadway star who is greatly respected but also not so young anymore. It happens. One evening, she meets Eve Harrington, played by Anne Baxter, who is a very big fan of Margo's. Almost...suspiciously big. Yes, she is also a wannabe starlet, but she keeps this under wraps as she strategically works her way into the lives of Margo and her friends.
And who are her friends? Well, we have Karen Richards, played by Celeste Holm. She's married to the writer of Margo's current play, Lloyd Richards. It is, in fact, Karen who sees poor, little Eve, who is constantly at the playhouse, and brings her in to meet everyone. I'm sure she won't regret that at all. Spoilers: she does. Among the others that we meet are Birdie, Margo's maid, played by Thelma Ritter, and Bill Sampson, played by Gary Merrill. Bill is Margo's boyfriend, who is - wait for it - EIGHT YEARS her junior! Oh, snap! I just heard a bunch of monocles pop out all over the world.
Anywho, they all meet Eve, who gives them a story about growing up poor and losing her husband in the war. Really? Yeah, that sounds super true. Well, okay, it's plausible, but knowing what I know about Eve, it's not so much. But they fall for it and embrace her. Soon, it becomes clear, firstly and mostly to Margo, that Eve is not there to help her but to replace her, both in her professional life and her personal life. Whilst Eve does have some success accomplishing the former, Margo's friends begin to realize that perhaps Eve is not what or who she claims to be, and she may be, to reference something Thelma Harper once said on Mama's Family, "not paddling with both oars in the water". For real, though, if you're gonna do the whole Eve thing, leave out the part where you try to steal someone's S.O. It makes what you're doing a bit obvious. The more you know and whatnot.
Still, the journey that the characters go on is a tumultuous one, indeed. Friendships and relationships are tested, so are some of the feelings that these people have about themselves. But this whole things has to have a bit of turbulence. Otherwise, the classic "bumpy night" line would be pointless. See, I'm always thinking.
Now I suppose we can call this film a cautionary tale about who you choose to let into your life, and that being a star may be fun, but it's not worth your soul. No, I'm being serious, Hollywood people. It's not. Sorry if you already made that mistake. Also, whatever you do to other people might just come back around to you. Not that I'm giving anything away about the ending. Or am I? Guess you'll have to watch the movie.
Okay, now I have to talk about something that some people may deem controversial. I guess. So, I've heard that there are people who have issues with this film, because, though it does have two female leads, which is something that many strive to have in cinema, it pits them against each other. Because that never happens in real life? Yeah, no. Look, if that's your complaint, it's clear that what you want are movies with 'Mary Sue's, not real, complex female characters with depth and complexity. If Margo and Eve were perfect, they would be boring. They're not. They are riveting. So, there.
In case it wasn't obvious, I am 100% recommending All About Eve. It is utterly brilliant and a must-see for anyone who loves great cinema. It's also a staple for those who are fascinated by the not-so-nice side of fame. It's a far more prominent side than many people are willing to admit. But at least, at some point in time, Hollywood was willing to show us its multitude of flaws. We need that back. A lot.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
If there's one thing we know about stardom and celebrity, it's that some people will do anything to have it. Even something as crazy as making an enemy out of Bette Davis. What! No, ma'am. That is not a wise thing to do, especially for something as pointless as a career in the entertainment industry. But, apparently, no one told that to Anne Baxter, because this is exactly what she did in the superb film, All About Eve. I may be giving some loose spoilers about the plot, but nothing too detailed.
All About Eve is a 1950 film by director Joseph Mankiewicz and based on the short story "The Wisdom of Eve" by Mary Orr, who did NOT get an onscreen credit. What's up with that? As a writer, I am personally offended by this, but let's move on. It stars, as I mentioned, Bette Davis, as Margo Channing, a Broadway star who is greatly respected but also not so young anymore. It happens. One evening, she meets Eve Harrington, played by Anne Baxter, who is a very big fan of Margo's. Almost...suspiciously big. Yes, she is also a wannabe starlet, but she keeps this under wraps as she strategically works her way into the lives of Margo and her friends.
And who are her friends? Well, we have Karen Richards, played by Celeste Holm. She's married to the writer of Margo's current play, Lloyd Richards. It is, in fact, Karen who sees poor, little Eve, who is constantly at the playhouse, and brings her in to meet everyone. I'm sure she won't regret that at all. Spoilers: she does. Among the others that we meet are Birdie, Margo's maid, played by Thelma Ritter, and Bill Sampson, played by Gary Merrill. Bill is Margo's boyfriend, who is - wait for it - EIGHT YEARS her junior! Oh, snap! I just heard a bunch of monocles pop out all over the world.
Anywho, they all meet Eve, who gives them a story about growing up poor and losing her husband in the war. Really? Yeah, that sounds super true. Well, okay, it's plausible, but knowing what I know about Eve, it's not so much. But they fall for it and embrace her. Soon, it becomes clear, firstly and mostly to Margo, that Eve is not there to help her but to replace her, both in her professional life and her personal life. Whilst Eve does have some success accomplishing the former, Margo's friends begin to realize that perhaps Eve is not what or who she claims to be, and she may be, to reference something Thelma Harper once said on Mama's Family, "not paddling with both oars in the water". For real, though, if you're gonna do the whole Eve thing, leave out the part where you try to steal someone's S.O. It makes what you're doing a bit obvious. The more you know and whatnot.
Still, the journey that the characters go on is a tumultuous one, indeed. Friendships and relationships are tested, so are some of the feelings that these people have about themselves. But this whole things has to have a bit of turbulence. Otherwise, the classic "bumpy night" line would be pointless. See, I'm always thinking.
Now I suppose we can call this film a cautionary tale about who you choose to let into your life, and that being a star may be fun, but it's not worth your soul. No, I'm being serious, Hollywood people. It's not. Sorry if you already made that mistake. Also, whatever you do to other people might just come back around to you. Not that I'm giving anything away about the ending. Or am I? Guess you'll have to watch the movie.
Okay, now I have to talk about something that some people may deem controversial. I guess. So, I've heard that there are people who have issues with this film, because, though it does have two female leads, which is something that many strive to have in cinema, it pits them against each other. Because that never happens in real life? Yeah, no. Look, if that's your complaint, it's clear that what you want are movies with 'Mary Sue's, not real, complex female characters with depth and complexity. If Margo and Eve were perfect, they would be boring. They're not. They are riveting. So, there.
In case it wasn't obvious, I am 100% recommending All About Eve. It is utterly brilliant and a must-see for anyone who loves great cinema. It's also a staple for those who are fascinated by the not-so-nice side of fame. It's a far more prominent side than many people are willing to admit. But at least, at some point in time, Hollywood was willing to show us its multitude of flaws. We need that back. A lot.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Monday, September 19, 2016
Top Ten Best Cover Songs
Greetings,
Well, Holy Smokes, it has been over three years since I did my Top Ten Worst Cover Songs list! That's quite a lot of time, especially since I meant to do a Best Of list shortly thereafter. Apologies. Clearly, I got distracted. It happens. But, thankfully, I am now ready to tell you what I consider the Top Ten BEST Cover Songs of all time. You'll agree; you'll disagree. Either way is fine. Just enjoy. Now let's get this thing going...finally!
#10. "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind)?" New Kids On The Block (Originally by The Delfonics) - I know what you're thinking. 'Isn't the song called "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)"? Yes, it is, on the original, but I'm talking about the cover here. Okay, you may also be thinking what the heck I'm thinking putting this on the list. To be fair, that first New Kids on the Block album wasn't exactly groundbreaking. However, if any song on it showed their potential, certainly vocally, it was this one. And I like it. So there.
#9. "I Don't Want To Know" Goo Goo Dolls (Originally by Fleetwood Mac) - Back in 1998, a bunch of musicians got together to make a tribute album to Rumours. Some tracks were good; others, not so much. But this one was my favorite. They really transformed the whole song, while keeping the spirit of it intact. Clearly, that is not an easy thing to do, but it was pulled off here.
#8. "Chances Are" Vonda Shepard and Robert Downey, Jr. (Originally by Bob Seger and Martina McBride) - I'll let this one sink in for a minute. You good? Alright, then. A while back there was a little show on called Ally McBeal, which had a very prominent musical element, hence, the constant presence of Ms. Vonda Shepard. Well, in the fourth season, Robert Downey, Jr shows up and decided to do some singing. This duet was one of the performances. From one soundtrack to another, the original was from the movie Hope Floats, and it is also very good. But, again, we're discussing the covers. Now, run along and write a fan letter to Marvel, asking them for a musical Iron Man movie.
#7. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" Vanilla Fudge (Originally by The Supremes) - What's that? You've never heard of Vanilla Fudge? Well, tsk, tsk. Okay, they're not the most well-known band of the sixties, but they were really good. This rock version of a Motown hit certainly shows it off. I can admit that it might not be to everyone's taste, probably more than anything on this list, but give it a chance. You never know.
#6. "Tonight Will Be Fine" Teddy Thompson (Originally by Leonard Cohen) - About a decade ago, there was a great tribute concert to Mr. Leonard Cohen, which became a documentary calledLeonard Cohen: I'm Your Man, which I reviewed a while back. If you read it, you'll know that I called Teddy Thompson's version of "Tonight Will Be Fine" the highlight. That hasn't changed at all, so naturally, it made the list.
#5. "Crying In the Rain" A-ha (Originally by The Everly Brothers) - See, sometimes "One Hit Wonders" are more than that one hit. Here, we have the "Take On Me" guys taking on a classic sixties tune and doing a fantastic job. As The Everly Brothers were known for some stunning harmonies, it would be difficult to replicate them. But A-ha managed to pull off some impressive ones of their own.
#4. "Free Fallin'" Stevie Nicks (Originally by Tom Petty) - Awww! Because they're friends! Anyway, this Tom Petty song is held in some pretty high regard, so who better to tackle it than one of his equally superb colleagues? I don't think a lot of people know this cover version from Stevie, as it first appeared on the Party Of Five soundtrack and later, on her Enchanted box set. But, what with my being what some may call a "super fan", I know it well, and it is a stellar performance.
#3. "Hurt" Johnny Cash (Originally by Nine Inch Nails) - So, this is the only thing on the list where I do not like the original at all, song or artist. But credit where it's due, Trent Reznor wrote a song that was turned into greatness when a legend got his hands and voice on it. It became poignant and a classic in that case, and when it can be ranked so high within an amazing and lengthy career, that says a lot.
#2. "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" Bee Gees (Originally by Carole King) - Yes, yes. I know that this song first performed professionally by The Shirelles, but Carole King wrote it AND this cover version comes from an album that is all covers of songs off of Tapestry. So, there you go. It's no secret that I love the Bee Gees, and they were and are some of the most brilliant songwriters ever. So, to hear them on a song written by another brilliant writer was something special. Especially the part where Robin gets a solo. But what do you expect?
#1. "Hallelujah" Jeff Buckley (Originally by Leonard Cohen) - Well, this is odd. Not to spoil anything from my Worst Of list, but this might be the first time a Number One from that kind of list is the same as the Number One on this kind of list. At least, where the song is concerned. Okay, this is probably not a shock to anyone. I love this version of "Hallelujah". Now I could be vindictive and blame all the sub par covers that followed in the past two decades on the success of this one, but how can I? Jeff Buckley was pure magic, and even all the copycats cannot ruin his legacy.
And there you have it. Like I said, you may agree or disagree with my choices. However, in my opinion, these artist managed to take songs that poured from the hearts of others to make them their own. It's not as easy as it sounds, and if you doubt me on that, check out my Worst Of list. Or just listen to these songs again and let yourself have a good day.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Well, Holy Smokes, it has been over three years since I did my Top Ten Worst Cover Songs list! That's quite a lot of time, especially since I meant to do a Best Of list shortly thereafter. Apologies. Clearly, I got distracted. It happens. But, thankfully, I am now ready to tell you what I consider the Top Ten BEST Cover Songs of all time. You'll agree; you'll disagree. Either way is fine. Just enjoy. Now let's get this thing going...finally!
#10. "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind)?" New Kids On The Block (Originally by The Delfonics) - I know what you're thinking. 'Isn't the song called "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)"? Yes, it is, on the original, but I'm talking about the cover here. Okay, you may also be thinking what the heck I'm thinking putting this on the list. To be fair, that first New Kids on the Block album wasn't exactly groundbreaking. However, if any song on it showed their potential, certainly vocally, it was this one. And I like it. So there.
#9. "I Don't Want To Know" Goo Goo Dolls (Originally by Fleetwood Mac) - Back in 1998, a bunch of musicians got together to make a tribute album to Rumours. Some tracks were good; others, not so much. But this one was my favorite. They really transformed the whole song, while keeping the spirit of it intact. Clearly, that is not an easy thing to do, but it was pulled off here.
#8. "Chances Are" Vonda Shepard and Robert Downey, Jr. (Originally by Bob Seger and Martina McBride) - I'll let this one sink in for a minute. You good? Alright, then. A while back there was a little show on called Ally McBeal, which had a very prominent musical element, hence, the constant presence of Ms. Vonda Shepard. Well, in the fourth season, Robert Downey, Jr shows up and decided to do some singing. This duet was one of the performances. From one soundtrack to another, the original was from the movie Hope Floats, and it is also very good. But, again, we're discussing the covers. Now, run along and write a fan letter to Marvel, asking them for a musical Iron Man movie.
#7. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" Vanilla Fudge (Originally by The Supremes) - What's that? You've never heard of Vanilla Fudge? Well, tsk, tsk. Okay, they're not the most well-known band of the sixties, but they were really good. This rock version of a Motown hit certainly shows it off. I can admit that it might not be to everyone's taste, probably more than anything on this list, but give it a chance. You never know.
#6. "Tonight Will Be Fine" Teddy Thompson (Originally by Leonard Cohen) - About a decade ago, there was a great tribute concert to Mr. Leonard Cohen, which became a documentary calledLeonard Cohen: I'm Your Man, which I reviewed a while back. If you read it, you'll know that I called Teddy Thompson's version of "Tonight Will Be Fine" the highlight. That hasn't changed at all, so naturally, it made the list.
#5. "Crying In the Rain" A-ha (Originally by The Everly Brothers) - See, sometimes "One Hit Wonders" are more than that one hit. Here, we have the "Take On Me" guys taking on a classic sixties tune and doing a fantastic job. As The Everly Brothers were known for some stunning harmonies, it would be difficult to replicate them. But A-ha managed to pull off some impressive ones of their own.
#4. "Free Fallin'" Stevie Nicks (Originally by Tom Petty) - Awww! Because they're friends! Anyway, this Tom Petty song is held in some pretty high regard, so who better to tackle it than one of his equally superb colleagues? I don't think a lot of people know this cover version from Stevie, as it first appeared on the Party Of Five soundtrack and later, on her Enchanted box set. But, what with my being what some may call a "super fan", I know it well, and it is a stellar performance.
#3. "Hurt" Johnny Cash (Originally by Nine Inch Nails) - So, this is the only thing on the list where I do not like the original at all, song or artist. But credit where it's due, Trent Reznor wrote a song that was turned into greatness when a legend got his hands and voice on it. It became poignant and a classic in that case, and when it can be ranked so high within an amazing and lengthy career, that says a lot.
#2. "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" Bee Gees (Originally by Carole King) - Yes, yes. I know that this song first performed professionally by The Shirelles, but Carole King wrote it AND this cover version comes from an album that is all covers of songs off of Tapestry. So, there you go. It's no secret that I love the Bee Gees, and they were and are some of the most brilliant songwriters ever. So, to hear them on a song written by another brilliant writer was something special. Especially the part where Robin gets a solo. But what do you expect?
#1. "Hallelujah" Jeff Buckley (Originally by Leonard Cohen) - Well, this is odd. Not to spoil anything from my Worst Of list, but this might be the first time a Number One from that kind of list is the same as the Number One on this kind of list. At least, where the song is concerned. Okay, this is probably not a shock to anyone. I love this version of "Hallelujah". Now I could be vindictive and blame all the sub par covers that followed in the past two decades on the success of this one, but how can I? Jeff Buckley was pure magic, and even all the copycats cannot ruin his legacy.
And there you have it. Like I said, you may agree or disagree with my choices. However, in my opinion, these artist managed to take songs that poured from the hearts of others to make them their own. It's not as easy as it sounds, and if you doubt me on that, check out my Worst Of list. Or just listen to these songs again and let yourself have a good day.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Straight From the Theater Review - Suicide Squad
Greetings,
Yes, I finally saw Suicide Squad. Sorry, I've been busy. YOU try finishing a book, publishing it and then, trying to sell it at a book event. That stuff is exhausting. But I digress. I've been wanting to see this movie for a while, and I've heard so many conflicting reactions to it. Out of the critics I trust, which aren't many, some of them loved it, some of them liked it, some of them hated it. Therefore, I decided to do something quite novel and just see it for myself. Quite a concept, I know. So, what did I think of Suicide Squad? Well, I thought it was absolutely...okay? Yeah, that's the best I can do as far as my feelings go, but let's talk more in depth, shall we? Oh, and there might be spoilers. Warning.
Suicide Squad is basically a live action version of the DCAU Straight-To-DVD film Assault On Arkham, where Amanda Waller wants to gather a bunch of bad guys together to maybe do something good...ish. So, it's that with a bunch of stuff added on to it, and funny enough, a lot of plot taken away. Also, in the real people version, she gets them from Belle Reve Prison...because of reasons. Anyway, at least, AOA had a beginning, middle and end, and was pretty coherent. Suicide Squad was a bit all over the place, and you know that whole "Show, Don't Tell" thing that's supposed to happen? Well, they struck it and reversed it, and we got a crap ton of exposition. Now, look, I do not like movies that I have to study for in advance, but you don't have to take up nearly half an hour to give me the entire history of the characters. Serious, it could have been done in three minutes. After that, I basically was waiting for the movie to start, but we kept getting sidetracked by one-liners and the "scenes" that were there merely to house them. The whole thing felt very choppy to me, structurally speaking. I suppose that's the editor's fault, but let's blame the director, too. If you asked me if I liked this thing as a whole, I would say, not really. However, there were some individual aspects that I did enjoy. Mostly, coming from a few select actors in the bunch, so let's talk about the actors.
Okay, so we had Viola Davis playing Amanda Waller. Good choice, although, I heard that Oprah was on the list as a potential to be cast. That would have been something. "You get a neck bomb! You get a neck bomb! Everybody gets a neck bomb!" If you know the story, you'll get that joke. Will Smith was Deadshot, being very Will Smith-y, though his character did get some fleshing out, which didn't happen often here. Probably because there were like a hundred of them. Our Harley Quinn was played by Margot Robbie. She looked the part, I suppose, but sounding the part is a different story. Her accent felt a bit forced. Still, 'A' for effort. She was just too annoying, or not annoying in the way that is supposed to make you love Harley. Ike Barinholtz played a guy named Griggs, who was pretty mean but in a fun way. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Karen Fukahara, Adam Beach and Scott Eastwood playing Killer Croc, Katanna, Slip Knot and some guy named Edwards, respectively, were just kind of there. And these aren't bad actors. They just weren't given anything to work with, which is a shame. And then, there's Jared Leto as The Joker...I guess. Look, he was barely in this thing, and when he was, it just didn't work for me. He was...They made him...Okay, I'm just gonna say it. He's a pimp. He's a PIMP! That is exactly how Leto is playing him, and that is not what anyone wanted. He wasn't funny, nor was he scary, and you need at least one, but preferably both of those traits to portray The Joker correctly. And I'm not blaming Jared Leto for this. We know he can act, but how good is anyone with this kind of writing and direction.
But, as expected, the worst of all was Cara Delevingne. Yes, let's give this person a dual role, when we know she can barely handle one. Sorry, I'm getting mean, but I have to be honest. She had to portray Dr. June Moone, first of all, and what is even the heck? She looks fourteen and you're gonna cast her as a doctor? No. But at least, she could somewhat pull off playing the simpering, weak character. I'll assume that the director just said to this former model, "You know all those skeezy photographers who told you to pout at the camera? Well, do that, plus squint your eyes and make weepy noises. Ta-da! Sad acting!" However, when she had to play the Enchantress, who was - again, spoilers - the main villain, it was a massive fail. I did not buy it in the least. She reminded me of a combo of a five year old dressing up in mommy's clothes, pretending to be a grown-up and someone who is cosplaying...badly. Just...NO!
Alright, time to say some nice things. I did enjoy Jay Hernandez as El Diablo, mostly because he was the only one with an actual story and character arc, and he gave a good performance. Shock of all shocks, and not only to me, I really got a kick out of Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang. He was pretty funny, and he definitely kept me entertained. But the one who really stood out was Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag. He gave an excellent performance in this. I've never even heard of him, but I might have to do some delving into his acting past. He had to go through a range of emotions and he pulled all of them off wonderfully. And not just by comparison standards. He was legit great.
Also, Affleck showed up as sub par Batman. Boo.
Now I have to talk about one more thing - the soundtrack. What was up with it in this movie? The songs they picked? They are so flippin' random, it's unbelievable. It's like someone set their iPod to shuffle and said, "Hey, this song exists. Let's put it in the movie!" I mean, they weren't terrible songs; they were just out of place and did not fit. And they were constant, in the worst way. But, technically, it's not bad...as a mix tape!
Okay, let's finish this. Do I recommend Suicide Squad? Not wholeheartedly, but if you want to rent it some time, you might be entertained by it. Certainly, by parts of it. But no need to see it in the theater, if you even have the chance, as I am late to the party with this review. Or you could rent Assault On Arkham. Maybe compare and contrast for yourself. In closing, I guess I just expected more. Thus, my main reaction to the film is that thing that so many parents have said to their children. I'm not mad; I'm just disappointed.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Yes, I finally saw Suicide Squad. Sorry, I've been busy. YOU try finishing a book, publishing it and then, trying to sell it at a book event. That stuff is exhausting. But I digress. I've been wanting to see this movie for a while, and I've heard so many conflicting reactions to it. Out of the critics I trust, which aren't many, some of them loved it, some of them liked it, some of them hated it. Therefore, I decided to do something quite novel and just see it for myself. Quite a concept, I know. So, what did I think of Suicide Squad? Well, I thought it was absolutely...okay? Yeah, that's the best I can do as far as my feelings go, but let's talk more in depth, shall we? Oh, and there might be spoilers. Warning.
Suicide Squad is basically a live action version of the DCAU Straight-To-DVD film Assault On Arkham, where Amanda Waller wants to gather a bunch of bad guys together to maybe do something good...ish. So, it's that with a bunch of stuff added on to it, and funny enough, a lot of plot taken away. Also, in the real people version, she gets them from Belle Reve Prison...because of reasons. Anyway, at least, AOA had a beginning, middle and end, and was pretty coherent. Suicide Squad was a bit all over the place, and you know that whole "Show, Don't Tell" thing that's supposed to happen? Well, they struck it and reversed it, and we got a crap ton of exposition. Now, look, I do not like movies that I have to study for in advance, but you don't have to take up nearly half an hour to give me the entire history of the characters. Serious, it could have been done in three minutes. After that, I basically was waiting for the movie to start, but we kept getting sidetracked by one-liners and the "scenes" that were there merely to house them. The whole thing felt very choppy to me, structurally speaking. I suppose that's the editor's fault, but let's blame the director, too. If you asked me if I liked this thing as a whole, I would say, not really. However, there were some individual aspects that I did enjoy. Mostly, coming from a few select actors in the bunch, so let's talk about the actors.
Okay, so we had Viola Davis playing Amanda Waller. Good choice, although, I heard that Oprah was on the list as a potential to be cast. That would have been something. "You get a neck bomb! You get a neck bomb! Everybody gets a neck bomb!" If you know the story, you'll get that joke. Will Smith was Deadshot, being very Will Smith-y, though his character did get some fleshing out, which didn't happen often here. Probably because there were like a hundred of them. Our Harley Quinn was played by Margot Robbie. She looked the part, I suppose, but sounding the part is a different story. Her accent felt a bit forced. Still, 'A' for effort. She was just too annoying, or not annoying in the way that is supposed to make you love Harley. Ike Barinholtz played a guy named Griggs, who was pretty mean but in a fun way. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Karen Fukahara, Adam Beach and Scott Eastwood playing Killer Croc, Katanna, Slip Knot and some guy named Edwards, respectively, were just kind of there. And these aren't bad actors. They just weren't given anything to work with, which is a shame. And then, there's Jared Leto as The Joker...I guess. Look, he was barely in this thing, and when he was, it just didn't work for me. He was...They made him...Okay, I'm just gonna say it. He's a pimp. He's a PIMP! That is exactly how Leto is playing him, and that is not what anyone wanted. He wasn't funny, nor was he scary, and you need at least one, but preferably both of those traits to portray The Joker correctly. And I'm not blaming Jared Leto for this. We know he can act, but how good is anyone with this kind of writing and direction.
But, as expected, the worst of all was Cara Delevingne. Yes, let's give this person a dual role, when we know she can barely handle one. Sorry, I'm getting mean, but I have to be honest. She had to portray Dr. June Moone, first of all, and what is even the heck? She looks fourteen and you're gonna cast her as a doctor? No. But at least, she could somewhat pull off playing the simpering, weak character. I'll assume that the director just said to this former model, "You know all those skeezy photographers who told you to pout at the camera? Well, do that, plus squint your eyes and make weepy noises. Ta-da! Sad acting!" However, when she had to play the Enchantress, who was - again, spoilers - the main villain, it was a massive fail. I did not buy it in the least. She reminded me of a combo of a five year old dressing up in mommy's clothes, pretending to be a grown-up and someone who is cosplaying...badly. Just...NO!
Alright, time to say some nice things. I did enjoy Jay Hernandez as El Diablo, mostly because he was the only one with an actual story and character arc, and he gave a good performance. Shock of all shocks, and not only to me, I really got a kick out of Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang. He was pretty funny, and he definitely kept me entertained. But the one who really stood out was Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag. He gave an excellent performance in this. I've never even heard of him, but I might have to do some delving into his acting past. He had to go through a range of emotions and he pulled all of them off wonderfully. And not just by comparison standards. He was legit great.
Also, Affleck showed up as sub par Batman. Boo.
Now I have to talk about one more thing - the soundtrack. What was up with it in this movie? The songs they picked? They are so flippin' random, it's unbelievable. It's like someone set their iPod to shuffle and said, "Hey, this song exists. Let's put it in the movie!" I mean, they weren't terrible songs; they were just out of place and did not fit. And they were constant, in the worst way. But, technically, it's not bad...as a mix tape!
Okay, let's finish this. Do I recommend Suicide Squad? Not wholeheartedly, but if you want to rent it some time, you might be entertained by it. Certainly, by parts of it. But no need to see it in the theater, if you even have the chance, as I am late to the party with this review. Or you could rent Assault On Arkham. Maybe compare and contrast for yourself. In closing, I guess I just expected more. Thus, my main reaction to the film is that thing that so many parents have said to their children. I'm not mad; I'm just disappointed.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
Friday, September 9, 2016
Genius - Movie Review
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
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
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
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