Once is a film that deserves more, so much more. A truly independent effort built around music and characters whose authenticity simply bursts off the screen and fills your heart, this movie was so real in its violation of all things Hollywood that it was almost hard to watch. I kept waiting for the goddamned formula to kick in, and it never did, and the absence of the fix made me jittery. Shame on me. Read more
Last week on SVR we looked at some of 2007’s top female artists, so this week it seemed appropriate to offer props to some of the guys responsible for outstanding CDs this year. We’ll start with CD of the Year candidate The Good, the Bad & the Queen, fronted by former Blur and Gorillaz auteur Damon Albarn, who’s shaping up as one of the true geniuses of our age.
Next, another CD of the Year frontrunner. Read more
We went to see Once yesterday, and I came to an annoying realization.
First off, let’s get this out of the way: go see this movie right now. I guess it’s a musical, in that a huge portion of the film is conducted in song and that the music is essentially integrated into the narrative. The story is at once deftly simple and richly complex, and if you were unable to understand a single word of the dialogue you’d still get it. Completely. Rarely have I seen a film with quite this much pure heart. A+. Five stars. Run, don’t walk.
Now, to the bigger issue. As I watched this magnificent film, I kept waiting for the “something bad happens.” Read more
lullaby pit 