Well, it took eight days longer than I anticipated but on Saturday, Molly and I ducked out of the rain and finally saw Where The Wild Things Are. Here are a few thoughts …
Spike Jonze confirmed that he is a great fucking film-maker. I have long been a fan of his videos and his films, but I always thought that he perhaps was riding Charlie Kauffman’s great scripts. Well, Kauffman is nowhere to be found this go around but Jonze crushed it with a beautifully-shot film that was both true to the book and yet also was something completely different. Artistically, it is hard to find fault with WTWTA. The wide-shots, the cinematography, the set design, the costumes, the CGI stuff, the music editing ….are all great. You can’t help but watch the movie and think this is what Maurice Sendek had in mind when he was illustrating the book. So on that count, the movie is a home run.
But what I loved about WTWTA is that Jonze was able to stay true to the “art” of the book, which was no easy feat, and also fashion a story that complements the book in a very valuable way. By making the movie about a boy’s emotions, as shown through the “wild things,” Jonze has done much more than just execute a literal translation of the book. Instead, he took a shot at explaining adolescence, and growing pains and divorce and loneliness, in a way that few have done before. I felt it all worked very well and I was surprised that the reaction I had in the theatre was far from what I expected. Rather than sitting there and thinking about how much I loved the book, my thoughts took me back thirty-two years and how I felt when I was growing up.
I know some detractors are arguing that the movie is not for kids and it’s sad and it’s dark and it’s heavy. My response: Yes it was sad and no, it’s not for children. But who cares? Not everything about eight year old boys is for eight year boys.
Molly: I'm a fan of small and quirky movies; I like mood and tone as much as I like plot (more, probably), and above all else, I want to feel a movie. I want to feel as if I'm in it. (Which is why I loved The Virgin Suicides so much, and In the Bedroom, and The Sweet Hereafter, and Wonder Boys, and...well, I'm getting sidetracked but my point is just that I'm much more moved by mood than by 'splosions and star power.)
Where the Wild Things Are is all mood. For me, it's a good thing. I liked looking at it and listening to it and marveling at the artistry of it. It's not Harry Potter or Chronicals of Narnia: this movie is not about plot. It's not about Max's adventure. It's about Max.
Max broke my heart. It goes without saying that WTWTA was stunning to look at (my favorite parts: the little clay figures carved by Carol as a nice nod to Maurice Sendek's illustrations, the frantic opening scene in which the camera tumbles down the stairs with Max) but beyond the imagery, Spike Jonze so acutely captured the angst and uncertainty of adolescense that at times, I ached watching the movie. I'm not going to lie: I liked the scenes with Max and his human family which bookended his Wild Thing adventure more than I liked his fantastic journey to the island. I loved his rumpled hair and his sadness at being left behind by his sister and hre friends, I loved him tugging at his mother, trying to get her attention. I loved his rage, his frustration, his wide eyes and his lonliness.
It's hard to be a kid. This movie made me want to be a better parent (and I'm not a parent).
The echoes of adult conversations - as heard and re-interpreted by his nine-year old mind and then personified by the Wild Things - were a sweet yet melancholy reminder of just how much children hear and remember, all without the benefit of being privvy to adult decisions and context. Without saying a word about single parenthood or divorce, Spike Jonze said everything.
I told Don that I wasn't sure if I wanted to write about the movie. I'm still not sure if I could write an actual review. But I sure liked spending time with Max.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Evolution Deniers and Litmi Tests
I saw chart on Little Green Footballs this morning that I found both amazing and unsettling. It was a survey of people in 34 countries and it asked how strongly they believed in the theory of evolution. Guess what? The only country whose population is dumber than the United States is Turkey. Yep, the U.S. finished 33rd out of 34 in terms of how strongly its population believed in Chuck Darwin’s crazy idea. The raw numbers are as follow …..just over 40 percent of Americans believe in evolution while another 20 percent aren’t so sure. That leaves forty fucking percent of this country believing that evolution is a crock of shit. For comparison sake, 90 percent of Icelanders think our great ancestors were swinging from trees. So I ask …..what is in the water that makes this country so fucking stupid? And when did “dipshit” become so fashionable?
I mention this study because I am fascinated by the evolution-denial industry. Moreover, I mention it because I use “evolution” as a litmus test to judge and guide my relations. If you believe in evolution ….you pass. If not, you get thrown in that bin with those who can’t be taken seriously on matters related to ……well, almost anything. Other litmi tests I have ……if you think SouthPark is funny, you don’t know funny. And if you like Wilco or Phish ……..well, I am not sure we have much to discuss when it comes to music. All this leads me to the following question ……Molly, what are those three or four (or five things) that you use as a litmus test to gauge someone’s thoughtfullness on a given subject.
Molly: Hey, I like Wilco!
True story: I was once emailing back and forth with a guy I had bumped into on the internet and before we met in person (he was a friend of a friend of a friend) we did the obligatory back-and-forth email thing and bantered a little and at some poing in our exchange the question of dealbreakers came up and I mentioned that I'd have a hard time taking anyone who listed Ayn Rand and/or John Grisham as their favorite authors. A week or so later I ended up at his apartment and there on display was his collection of John Grisham books, alongside his collection of Yankee memorabilia and digital photo frame (a friend of mine had a mantra: Never go home with a man who has a digital photo frame.) I like to think I've matured beyond using something as superficial as 'what books are on display' as a litmus test but the truth is, I am sort of judgy about that. And home decor. Which is not the same as a litmus test, and is irrelevent in the face of true chemistry and compatibility (whether as friends or romantic partners), but I can't help it. I judge books. (I've read all of John Grishams' books, by the way. And I own all the Harry Potter books. I never said I was being fair!)
That said, Ayn Rand devotees do not pass my litmus test.
Someone who DVRs Two and a Half Men might not share my sense of humor.
Prissiness is not something I do well around (although I can be prissy at certain times) so anyone who blanches at foul language will probably not pass the test. Or someone who wears Lilly Pulitzer.
I'm not sure if this is a litmus test item or just a peeve of mine, but as soon as someone I meet starts either denouncing outer boroughs or referring to Manhattan as if it is the only part of New York City, they are dead to me.
"My dream vacation would be to an all-inclusive resort."
Don: No digital frames for me but I liked Pelican Brief and don't you DVR "How I Met Your Mother?" I think you may have slightly enlarged the topic (at least in my eyes) to perhaps capture some pet peeves but I'll give you a a few more that qualify as "tests" for me:
If you don't believe in physician assisted suicide, you don't have my vote and you should get the hell out of my living room.
If the first thing you say to a bartender is ...."what are your specials?" ...... we should part ways.
There are plenty of celebs that I dislike wtih a passion but most -Colbert, Chevy, Dick Vitale, Brent Musberger, Brett Favre, Joba Chamberlin - are simply just objectionable. So if someone prays at their alter, it doesn't quite rise to a "failed test." However, the following quotes result in failing grades:
".....Oh, I love Michelle Malkin, she is so clever and does such a great job describing the big picture ..."
".......no funny women? Have you SEEN Amy Sederis ......"
" .......nobody does physical like Robin Williams ........."
Other tests ....how one comes down on dogs and the Wire/Soprano debate.
Molly: Yes, I DVR How I Met Your Mother. You call into regional sports' radio talk shows; no one is perfect! The evolution statistic surprises me as I'm not sure I know anyone who outright denies evolution, but I do know people who are quite religious (is that even possible? Can you be a little religious or is that like being a little pregnant?) and some who are very vocal in their devotion and it's been a bit of an eye-opener to me and while I'm not going to propose we have theological debates any time soon, I don't have a problem with other people's religious beliefs, so long as they are not the Shouty Bride of Jesus types. But if someone I met honestly told me they did not believe in evolution (science!), then I'd have a hard time talking about much else. Faith is not a dealbreaker; turning a blind eye to empirical data is.
Social intolerance is probably one of the biggest sins someone can commit, in my mind; bigotry, racism and homophobia are pretty hard for me to overlook. That might sound a little too much like a pageant answer but at the first signs of, 'homosexuality is wrong," I'm heading out the door.
I hate stand-up comedy and anyone who tells me he or she enjoys going to comedy clubs will never, ever, EVER be going with me.
If my above examples were either too picky or not clear enough, maybe these help:
"Dogs? Ick."
"Gays? Ick."
"Brooklyn? Ick."
"I love the Hamptons."
"I love Ayn Rand."
Don: My thought on evolution is in the same ballpark as you. If somebody wants to split the baby and go with the "evolution and faith in god are not necessarily exclusive," I will look the other way. I think its a pretty incredible argument to make but again, I will let it slide. However, if you reject carbon dating and think the world is 7000 years old, then I suggest you move to Turkey (or Kansas) where your fantasies will find an even more sympatheitc audience.
Molly: And take the Libertarians with you.
True story: I was once emailing back and forth with a guy I had bumped into on the internet and before we met in person (he was a friend of a friend of a friend) we did the obligatory back-and-forth email thing and bantered a little and at some poing in our exchange the question of dealbreakers came up and I mentioned that I'd have a hard time taking anyone who listed Ayn Rand and/or John Grisham as their favorite authors. A week or so later I ended up at his apartment and there on display was his collection of John Grisham books, alongside his collection of Yankee memorabilia and digital photo frame (a friend of mine had a mantra: Never go home with a man who has a digital photo frame.) I like to think I've matured beyond using something as superficial as 'what books are on display' as a litmus test but the truth is, I am sort of judgy about that. And home decor. Which is not the same as a litmus test, and is irrelevent in the face of true chemistry and compatibility (whether as friends or romantic partners), but I can't help it. I judge books. (I've read all of John Grishams' books, by the way. And I own all the Harry Potter books. I never said I was being fair!)
If you don't believe in physician assisted suicide, you don't have my vote and you should get the hell out of my living room.
If the first thing you say to a bartender is ...."what are your specials?" ...... we should part ways.
There are plenty of celebs that I dislike wtih a passion but most -Colbert, Chevy, Dick Vitale, Brent Musberger, Brett Favre, Joba Chamberlin - are simply just objectionable. So if someone prays at their alter, it doesn't quite rise to a "failed test." However, the following quotes result in failing grades:
".....Oh, I love Michelle Malkin, she is so clever and does such a great job describing the big picture ..."
".......no funny women? Have you SEEN Amy Sederis ......"
" .......nobody does physical like Robin Williams ........."
Other tests ....how one comes down on dogs and the Wire/Soprano debate.
"Dogs? Ick."
"Gays? Ick."
"Brooklyn? Ick."
"I love the Hamptons."
"I love Ayn Rand."
Don: My thought on evolution is in the same ballpark as you. If somebody wants to split the baby and go with the "evolution and faith in god are not necessarily exclusive," I will look the other way. I think its a pretty incredible argument to make but again, I will let it slide. However, if you reject carbon dating and think the world is 7000 years old, then I suggest you move to Turkey (or Kansas) where your fantasies will find an even more sympatheitc audience.
Molly: And take the Libertarians with you.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Invention of Lying: Gervais Is Now Dead to Me
Molly and I saw the movie The Invention of Lying last night and I felt compelled this morning to offer my thoughts (and warning) to anyone who might consider throwing down $12.50 to see this outrage. NC-17 disclaimer: I am going to be a bit crass here so I apoligve in advance.
For the past decade, I have used a litmus test to weed out those who have bad taste in comedy. It really is quite simple: if you think South Park is funny, you are either 17 or you suffer from a terrible sense of humor. There is just no middle ground. Well, I have a new litmus test: if you were a witness to The Invention of Lying and have anything good to say about it, then I don't think I can respect your opinion on anything related to film or television. It really is that simple because this movie was really that bad.
In a nutshell, this was a one-joke pony that fell apart seconds into the film and suffered under the weight of that one joke for the next 95 minutes. Here was the premise ...Ricky Gervais lives in a world where no one can tell a lie. So everything that comes out of one's mouth is the god's honest truth. Well, you can guess what ensues. Lots and lots and lots and lots of brutal honesty. And you know what ....when brutal honesty is blatantly telegraphed, it isn't funny in the least. And after 120 or 130 times? It becomes excrutiating.
I think what bugged me most about this film is that I suspect this was a case of Ricky Gervais sitting around one night and thinking ...."you know what would make for a funny movie? Let's do a 'what if' story where nobody has ever told a lie ......" He and his lads were probably crying while thinking of all the possibilities. Unfortunately, creating the premise was probably the last funny thing that happened on this project because certainly nothing funny or clever made it into the script. And what is shocking is that after Gervais and company puked out this script, somebody in charge of the project actually authorized its making. I just don't get it.
Final point for now ....this film was such an abortion that I have to throw it into my Asante Samuel Bin, a category named for the New England Patriot who did great things for my Pats but then ended up droping an easy interception that would have secured a Super Bowl and a perfect season for the Pats. By dropping that pass, Samuel lost every ounce of goodwill he had ever earned with me. Ricky Gervais ....meet Asante Samuel. You are back to zero in my book. Yep, 50 points for the BBC Office. Another 30 points for bringing The Office to NBC. Maybe another 50 points for HBO's Extras. But a 130 point deduction for Invention brings you right back to zero. That is how I am scoring this one ......Molly?
Molly: What's the saying in comedy? A joke should bend but not break? The joke broke. The joke broke in the first twenty minutes. The remainder of the movie left me 1) looking for holes in the premise (like, how does ANYONE function in the world created for this movie: if all anyone says is the most horrible brutal truth than how do any businesses function? How do relationships work? How do families manage to procreate? And, why does being unable to lie render the main characters into moderately retarded people? Were all the characters in the background having equally dumbed down conversations?) and 2) admiring Jennifer Garner's body. She's so pretty!
I gave up on most sketch comedy long ago, because a funny premise is not always enough for a funny sketch. It's often not enough for even a legitimate joke. In this case, it certainly was not enough for an entire movie. It smacked of insider-cliquey-smugness (Hey! Let's have cameos! And sight gags!) and was so thinly strung together that I am convinced it was made, shelved and then released on account of some unforseen Hollywood currency that those involved must have recently accrued.
It should have been a sketch. Maybe.
And the worst part was I didn't even get to finish my piece of pizza before we rushed into the theater. You owe me a crust, Ricky Gervais.
Don: Broke after twenty minutes? What movie were you watching? This thing snapped halfway into the opening scene where Gervais and Garner were on there first date. I was frustrated by the time the check came and that was at the six minute mark. That being said, I admit to having similar conversations in my head. But the one thing I was considering: how do we go from a premise where people can't lie to a premis where everyone has Tourette's and has to blurt out every unvarnished thoughht that they may be having?
Molly: Yep, that's the same breaking point; I guess it just felt like twenty minutes. And your last comment is exactly where the "premise" of the movie whiffed it for me. "Not lying" turned into Rainman turned into some sort of film school project which never should have made it past the laptop it was written on.
For the past decade, I have used a litmus test to weed out those who have bad taste in comedy. It really is quite simple: if you think South Park is funny, you are either 17 or you suffer from a terrible sense of humor. There is just no middle ground. Well, I have a new litmus test: if you were a witness to The Invention of Lying and have anything good to say about it, then I don't think I can respect your opinion on anything related to film or television. It really is that simple because this movie was really that bad.
In a nutshell, this was a one-joke pony that fell apart seconds into the film and suffered under the weight of that one joke for the next 95 minutes. Here was the premise ...Ricky Gervais lives in a world where no one can tell a lie. So everything that comes out of one's mouth is the god's honest truth. Well, you can guess what ensues. Lots and lots and lots and lots of brutal honesty. And you know what ....when brutal honesty is blatantly telegraphed, it isn't funny in the least. And after 120 or 130 times? It becomes excrutiating.
I think what bugged me most about this film is that I suspect this was a case of Ricky Gervais sitting around one night and thinking ...."you know what would make for a funny movie? Let's do a 'what if' story where nobody has ever told a lie ......" He and his lads were probably crying while thinking of all the possibilities. Unfortunately, creating the premise was probably the last funny thing that happened on this project because certainly nothing funny or clever made it into the script. And what is shocking is that after Gervais and company puked out this script, somebody in charge of the project actually authorized its making. I just don't get it.
Final point for now ....this film was such an abortion that I have to throw it into my Asante Samuel Bin, a category named for the New England Patriot who did great things for my Pats but then ended up droping an easy interception that would have secured a Super Bowl and a perfect season for the Pats. By dropping that pass, Samuel lost every ounce of goodwill he had ever earned with me. Ricky Gervais ....meet Asante Samuel. You are back to zero in my book. Yep, 50 points for the BBC Office. Another 30 points for bringing The Office to NBC. Maybe another 50 points for HBO's Extras. But a 130 point deduction for Invention brings you right back to zero. That is how I am scoring this one ......Molly?
Molly: What's the saying in comedy? A joke should bend but not break? The joke broke. The joke broke in the first twenty minutes. The remainder of the movie left me 1) looking for holes in the premise (like, how does ANYONE function in the world created for this movie: if all anyone says is the most horrible brutal truth than how do any businesses function? How do relationships work? How do families manage to procreate? And, why does being unable to lie render the main characters into moderately retarded people? Were all the characters in the background having equally dumbed down conversations?) and 2) admiring Jennifer Garner's body. She's so pretty!
I gave up on most sketch comedy long ago, because a funny premise is not always enough for a funny sketch. It's often not enough for even a legitimate joke. In this case, it certainly was not enough for an entire movie. It smacked of insider-cliquey-smugness (Hey! Let's have cameos! And sight gags!) and was so thinly strung together that I am convinced it was made, shelved and then released on account of some unforseen Hollywood currency that those involved must have recently accrued.
It should have been a sketch. Maybe.
And the worst part was I didn't even get to finish my piece of pizza before we rushed into the theater. You owe me a crust, Ricky Gervais.
Don: Broke after twenty minutes? What movie were you watching? This thing snapped halfway into the opening scene where Gervais and Garner were on there first date. I was frustrated by the time the check came and that was at the six minute mark. That being said, I admit to having similar conversations in my head. But the one thing I was considering: how do we go from a premise where people can't lie to a premis where everyone has Tourette's and has to blurt out every unvarnished thoughht that they may be having?
Molly: Yep, that's the same breaking point; I guess it just felt like twenty minutes. And your last comment is exactly where the "premise" of the movie whiffed it for me. "Not lying" turned into Rainman turned into some sort of film school project which never should have made it past the laptop it was written on.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Bring on the Wild Things
October 16 is double circled on my calendar. Yeah yeah yeah, it’s the first night of the American League Championship series, and if everything goes as scheduled over the next two weeks, that should be the opening salvo in the third Boston/New York world war of this decade. Anybody who knows me understands that is huge, but I would like to point out another event that will have my undivided attention earlier in the day. Of course, I am talking about the opening of Spike Jonze’ latest: Where the Wild Things Are. I will begin by laying all my cards out on the table: This was my favorite book as a child and it wasn’t even close. No bear books. No “Good Night Moon.” Nope. For me, it was Where the Fucking Wild Things Are. And just to ensure that my memory wasn’t failing me, I asked my mom this morning whether she could confirm my WTWTA devotion, and she claimed that she never bought it for me because I simply checked it out of the library every time we stopped at Brentwood Public.
So I was clearly jacked when I was told that Spike Jonze had been tasked with turning this childhood favorite into a film. Soon after, I checked out the trailer and was blown away. Quite simply, it looks like Jonez has crushed it. But should that come as any surprise? I can’t claim to know much about Jonze as a person, but I have loved two of his movies, and if someone had asked me who I thought would be a good custodian of WTWTA, I would have suggested Jonze. He just seems like a guy who would “get it” and could translate it without dumbing it down, or glitzing it up, or twisting it sideways, or darkening into some sick bullshit, as Tim Burton would have surely done. So first off, I would say that the film looks like a terrific translation. Molly, what are your expectations for the film and what do you think about Jonze ……..
Molly: First, let's just stipulate that I loved the book as well and that Maurice Sendak played a big role in my brothers' and my worlds of books and make-believe. I'm ridiculously attached to the books I read as a kid and the birth of my new baby nephew has stirred the collective memory of my entire family; we spent last Friday night throwing out old titles and taking turns exclaiming, OH I LOVED THAT ONE!
As for this incarnation of Where The Wild Things Are...I'm almost giddy with anticipation. I realize that it's possible for the movie to end up sucking itself into an indie-hipster vortex of nostalgia and window-dressing, but I have faith. I'm not a huge Dave Eggars fan but I can't deny that he is able to spin a yarn (although I passed on seeing Away We Go, so I have no frame of reference for his ability as a screenwriter). I am, however, a big Spike Jonze fan, and I think he has the quirky aesthetic and light touch that are gonna make this thing work big time (pleaseletitbegood).
I think Spike Jonze is an artist, and I hope he has made the movie as an artist. The trailer gives me great hope (Catherine Keener! Arcade Fire! The scrawly printing! I MEAN COME ON!) and while I've never lined up for any of the Harry Potter movies, this is what I think of when I imagine a movie with true age group crossover appeal. It hits me in my sweet spot (where nostalgia, books, and Catherine Keener overlap) and it makes me wish for a 10 year old kid to take with me when I see it. (Alone, apparently, since Don will have already seen it - maybe twice! - before I get home on October 16.)
And while this is neither here nor there with regards to the movie, I have to admit that I was bummed when Spike Jonze and Sofia Coppola broke up. I love her. I love him. But! He and Michelle Williams have been together for a while now, and there are not many actresses I love more that Michelle Williams, and Matilda Ledger is my all time favorite celebrity kid (sorry Violet Affleck). So in conclusion, if he can pull off a move like that in his personal life, in which everybody (well, from where I sit, with Us Weekly) wins, IMAGINE WHAT HE WILL DO WITH THIS MOVIE.
Don: Just a few more thoughts on WTWTA ….
First off, I got the movie mentioned today in a ESPN chat with ESPN baseball writer Rob Neyer …..it was a little off subject but Rob obviously thought it was ripe for discussion .......
Bruinsinruins (NYC): Rob ... You pumped to see "Where the Wild Things Are"?
Rob Neyer: It's a difficult thing for me to explain, but I've not been as excited about a new movie since ... Well, I can't remember what. I get excited about every new Pixar movie, but this one feels different. Bigger, somehow.
Two, Spike Jonze has collaborated with Charlie Kaufman on two of my favorite movies but I am glad Kaufman is not a part of this project. We’ll see how the screenplay plays out, but I think Kaufman would have been a bit too “heavy” for this film. After all, we don’t need to see Max have his memory erased or watch him travel through the head of John Lithgow to get to the land of wild things.
Molly: Don has a hard time talking about movies without mentioning Charlie Kaufman. We'll report back in a few weeks once we've had a chance to see the movie, but for now I'm going to nag my parents to send me a copy of the book (if they can find our old one) and go see the Maurice Sendak exhibit at the Animazing Gallery.
UPDATE: Apparently Michelle Williams and Spike Jonze recently broke up. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING. -- Molly
So I was clearly jacked when I was told that Spike Jonze had been tasked with turning this childhood favorite into a film. Soon after, I checked out the trailer and was blown away. Quite simply, it looks like Jonez has crushed it. But should that come as any surprise? I can’t claim to know much about Jonze as a person, but I have loved two of his movies, and if someone had asked me who I thought would be a good custodian of WTWTA, I would have suggested Jonze. He just seems like a guy who would “get it” and could translate it without dumbing it down, or glitzing it up, or twisting it sideways, or darkening into some sick bullshit, as Tim Burton would have surely done. So first off, I would say that the film looks like a terrific translation. Molly, what are your expectations for the film and what do you think about Jonze ……..
Molly: First, let's just stipulate that I loved the book as well and that Maurice Sendak played a big role in my brothers' and my worlds of books and make-believe. I'm ridiculously attached to the books I read as a kid and the birth of my new baby nephew has stirred the collective memory of my entire family; we spent last Friday night throwing out old titles and taking turns exclaiming, OH I LOVED THAT ONE!
As for this incarnation of Where The Wild Things Are...I'm almost giddy with anticipation. I realize that it's possible for the movie to end up sucking itself into an indie-hipster vortex of nostalgia and window-dressing, but I have faith. I'm not a huge Dave Eggars fan but I can't deny that he is able to spin a yarn (although I passed on seeing Away We Go, so I have no frame of reference for his ability as a screenwriter). I am, however, a big Spike Jonze fan, and I think he has the quirky aesthetic and light touch that are gonna make this thing work big time (pleaseletitbegood).
I think Spike Jonze is an artist, and I hope he has made the movie as an artist. The trailer gives me great hope (Catherine Keener! Arcade Fire! The scrawly printing! I MEAN COME ON!) and while I've never lined up for any of the Harry Potter movies, this is what I think of when I imagine a movie with true age group crossover appeal. It hits me in my sweet spot (where nostalgia, books, and Catherine Keener overlap) and it makes me wish for a 10 year old kid to take with me when I see it. (Alone, apparently, since Don will have already seen it - maybe twice! - before I get home on October 16.)
And while this is neither here nor there with regards to the movie, I have to admit that I was bummed when Spike Jonze and Sofia Coppola broke up. I love her. I love him. But! He and Michelle Williams have been together for a while now, and there are not many actresses I love more that Michelle Williams, and Matilda Ledger is my all time favorite celebrity kid (sorry Violet Affleck). So in conclusion, if he can pull off a move like that in his personal life, in which everybody (well, from where I sit, with Us Weekly) wins, IMAGINE WHAT HE WILL DO WITH THIS MOVIE.
Don: Just a few more thoughts on WTWTA ….
First off, I got the movie mentioned today in a ESPN chat with ESPN baseball writer Rob Neyer …..it was a little off subject but Rob obviously thought it was ripe for discussion .......
Bruinsinruins (NYC): Rob ... You pumped to see "Where the Wild Things Are"?
Rob Neyer: It's a difficult thing for me to explain, but I've not been as excited about a new movie since ... Well, I can't remember what. I get excited about every new Pixar movie, but this one feels different. Bigger, somehow.
Two, Spike Jonze has collaborated with Charlie Kaufman on two of my favorite movies but I am glad Kaufman is not a part of this project. We’ll see how the screenplay plays out, but I think Kaufman would have been a bit too “heavy” for this film. After all, we don’t need to see Max have his memory erased or watch him travel through the head of John Lithgow to get to the land of wild things.
Molly: Don has a hard time talking about movies without mentioning Charlie Kaufman. We'll report back in a few weeks once we've had a chance to see the movie, but for now I'm going to nag my parents to send me a copy of the book (if they can find our old one) and go see the Maurice Sendak exhibit at the Animazing Gallery.
UPDATE: Apparently Michelle Williams and Spike Jonze recently broke up. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING. -- Molly
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Snow Patrol @ The Beacon: Well, At Least It Was Close to Home
Five questions I asked myself last night while watching Snow Patrol play the Beacon:
Is this the Sound Check or the performance for paying customers?
Do these guys have any balls whatsoever?
Why didn’t I pick the Yeah Yeah Yeahs over this dreck?
Is anyone in this joint having any fun?
Is this pussy music or music for pussies?
Needless to say, I thought Snow Patrol put on a pretty dismal show last night. My core criticism: the band couldn’t generate any energy and, as a result, it felt like the band had almost NO connection with the crowd. There was simply no “juice” in the theater. Even in instances where the band played songs with dramatic tempo changes, Snow Patrol was unable to move the needle. Adding to the problem ….Gary Lightbody’s stage presence was, to put it kindly, awkward. No charisma. No presence. No testicles. Listen, I know everyone can’t be Dave Grohl, or Bono, or Wayne Coyne. And even rock stars sometimes come up short of being “ROCK STARS.” But let me tell you something about Gary Lightbody…..if that is the best he can muster, then perhaps he should consider giving up the touring and stick with studio work …..Molly?
Molly: Agreed. Nice songs, sure. Good show? Not so much. (And I'd like to gently remind you that I asked if you'd rather see YYY at Radio City and the answer was No, on account of their new album being "not so good.")
I tend to dred the stage banter at even the best of shows and when it's bad, it's cringeworthy. Last night I couldn't even look at the stage when Gary Lightbody (an unfortunately accurate name) was - for lack of a better term - doing material. BAD material. New York City cab driver material. Oy.
I had no problems with the songs themselves and the sound was great and their voices were great and I think they played their songs very very well, but that invisible Thing which makes live music worthwhile was sorely absent. I don't know if the venue was wrong for them (too big? too small? too formal? Sometimes I think seats ruin shows because people tend to watch the concert like a performance rather than allowing themselves to participate the way a standing, sweaty audience does.) or if they are just not a great live band (although they've been opening for U2! The biggest band in the world!) but I have felt more electricity from crappy little bar bands opening for other crappy bar bands in crappy venues on crappy nights.
A few years ago I saw Coldplay at MSG and came away similarly turned off. No balls. No charisma. No...nothing. Nice songs, but nothing made me want to stand up and holler, and that is what I like concerts to do for me. When I saw R.E.M. last year (as a casual but decidely non-hardcore fan) I had goosebumps and I teared up more than once, because Michael Stipe IS JUST THAT GOOD. Some people are rock stars. Some people are singers. I think we spent last night with the latter.
But, how sweet was it to walk two blocks to a concert?
Mediocrity is a lot more appealing when it's right around the corner.
Is this the Sound Check or the performance for paying customers?
Do these guys have any balls whatsoever?
Why didn’t I pick the Yeah Yeah Yeahs over this dreck?
Is anyone in this joint having any fun?
Is this pussy music or music for pussies?
Needless to say, I thought Snow Patrol put on a pretty dismal show last night. My core criticism: the band couldn’t generate any energy and, as a result, it felt like the band had almost NO connection with the crowd. There was simply no “juice” in the theater. Even in instances where the band played songs with dramatic tempo changes, Snow Patrol was unable to move the needle. Adding to the problem ….Gary Lightbody’s stage presence was, to put it kindly, awkward. No charisma. No presence. No testicles. Listen, I know everyone can’t be Dave Grohl, or Bono, or Wayne Coyne. And even rock stars sometimes come up short of being “ROCK STARS.” But let me tell you something about Gary Lightbody…..if that is the best he can muster, then perhaps he should consider giving up the touring and stick with studio work …..Molly?
Molly: Agreed. Nice songs, sure. Good show? Not so much. (And I'd like to gently remind you that I asked if you'd rather see YYY at Radio City and the answer was No, on account of their new album being "not so good.")
I tend to dred the stage banter at even the best of shows and when it's bad, it's cringeworthy. Last night I couldn't even look at the stage when Gary Lightbody (an unfortunately accurate name) was - for lack of a better term - doing material. BAD material. New York City cab driver material. Oy.
I had no problems with the songs themselves and the sound was great and their voices were great and I think they played their songs very very well, but that invisible Thing which makes live music worthwhile was sorely absent. I don't know if the venue was wrong for them (too big? too small? too formal? Sometimes I think seats ruin shows because people tend to watch the concert like a performance rather than allowing themselves to participate the way a standing, sweaty audience does.) or if they are just not a great live band (although they've been opening for U2! The biggest band in the world!) but I have felt more electricity from crappy little bar bands opening for other crappy bar bands in crappy venues on crappy nights.
A few years ago I saw Coldplay at MSG and came away similarly turned off. No balls. No charisma. No...nothing. Nice songs, but nothing made me want to stand up and holler, and that is what I like concerts to do for me. When I saw R.E.M. last year (as a casual but decidely non-hardcore fan) I had goosebumps and I teared up more than once, because Michael Stipe IS JUST THAT GOOD. Some people are rock stars. Some people are singers. I think we spent last night with the latter.
But, how sweet was it to walk two blocks to a concert?
Mediocrity is a lot more appealing when it's right around the corner.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
NOW HITTING ...........
Today's topic ......this comes straight out of the "first date" question database: What song would be played when your name was introduced as you come to bat? Or more broadly, what is your personal background music? Interestingly, this question was raised recently in a blog authored by one of the gals who fronted Sleater Kinney (one of Don's top-five bands, maybe top-3), so we thought we would publish our own answers ........
Don: Well, I can't possibly be limited to just one song as different occasions demand different tunes. Any fool could tell you that you can't play the same music when you stride to bat as you would use when you are coming in from the bullpen to close a game. So here are my songs and settings...
Coming in from the Pen to close out a tight game ...it's hard to top Mariano Rivera (Enter Sandman), Trevor Hoffman (Hells Bells), and Jonathan Paplebon (Shipping up to Boston) in this category but I am going with Bodies by Drowning Pool. "LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR! LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR!" This song doesn't scream for a strikeout, it screams for murder. And against NY, I would want that thing cranked to 11. Granted, it's a bit white trash but it would have the stadium shaking, perhaps melting. And it might be the first entry music that comes with a warning label.
Molly: Well, any fool could tell you that you can't play the same music when you come to bat as when you enter a game from the bullpen, but dude, I'm a girl and it's hard enough for me to find songs with the appropriate, um, balls to satisfy this question so bear with me...
I like Cowboy, by Eve for my at bat music although maybe it's better when I'm coming in from the bullpen to close a game although I'm guessing it's a little too...peppy. I might go with I Turn My Camera On, by Spoon, for at bat music but I'm told that alt-pop is not necessarily the way to go with these things. I might also go with Malibu by Hole but I realize that it's probably better suited to entering a cheerleading competition than a
baseball game. And as a final entry I'll add the intro to Paradise City by GnR because that's just a good song.
Don: My "coming to bat" music is a little more difficult as the song only plays for a few moments. Some guys go for songs with little plays on their names (Roger Clemens ..Rocket Man) and some go for songs that have some other meaning. I will head in a different direction and just go with something that has a powerful and familiar guitar riff. Something like: Bullet with Butterfly Wings, by the Smashing Pumpkins. Close second...Foo Fighters' Everlong because it's a favorite and there are a number of riffs in there that scream: ADRENALINE. It's a shame that you don't get to play a song before you hit on the road (at least as far as I know) because in that case, I would have a "road" song as well. This one is a bit more controversial and it is meant to shock the conservative sensibilities that exist in parks stretching from Anaheim, to Kansas City to Atlanta. Drum roll please ..Closer by Nine Inch Nails. I would love to sneak a peek at the Orange and Marietta County stepford moms when Trent sings .."I want to fuck you from the Inside, I want to fuck you like an animal ..." But that's just me.
Molly: I should first stipulate that the answer to pretty much any music-related question can be answered with: Everlong. Don has invoked it so I won't steal, but there are not many occasions on which it DOESN'T work. Weddings and funerals? Play the acoustic version. Coming up to bat? Blast the original recording. Dancing around your apartment after a few glasses of wine? Any and all versions work. Make out music? Ditto. IT ALWAYS WORKS. That said, I don't even have a team, per se, but it's hard for me not to think of myself as representing New York (even though we HATE THE YANKEES in our household) so if I were on the road I'm inclined to play some Beasties, maybe No Sleep Til Brooklyn or Slow & Low or Sabotage.
Don: For my Campaign song (think Don't Stop Believing ), I think it has to be either patriotic or a feel good song, no? If I was going to run as a challenger, I might go with Rockin in a Free World, by Neil Young. It might cost me in some of the "feel good" red states, but I am here to shake things up so who gives a shit about Tennessee? (Molly: Wasn't that issue debated ad naseum on the ESPN chat board during last week's UCLA game?) And in my re-election, I am going to run a "skies are blue" campaign, and that leads me to one place: Mr. Blue Sky by ELO. Finally, my victory night song? You know, the one they play as you come out to accept the win. Well, that has to be Zeppelin's Thank You And finally, to wrap things up ..my funeral and/or memorial song. Another layup for me. A favorite song from a favorite band ...Do You Realize by The Lips.
Molly: Campaign music? Oy. I'm surprised you didn't pick Fortunate Son (ed note: There is a back story, a bad one)...but I'll say Beautiful Day by U2, I suppose. These categories are all you, Ballgame. I'm terrible at campaign songs and only marginally better at at-bat music. But I want Liz Phair's Mesmerizing to play whenever I enter a room.
Don: I'm glad she picked that song and not "Fuck and Run".
Don: Well, I can't possibly be limited to just one song as different occasions demand different tunes. Any fool could tell you that you can't play the same music when you stride to bat as you would use when you are coming in from the bullpen to close a game. So here are my songs and settings...
Coming in from the Pen to close out a tight game ...it's hard to top Mariano Rivera (Enter Sandman), Trevor Hoffman (Hells Bells), and Jonathan Paplebon (Shipping up to Boston) in this category but I am going with Bodies by Drowning Pool. "LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR! LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR!" This song doesn't scream for a strikeout, it screams for murder. And against NY, I would want that thing cranked to 11. Granted, it's a bit white trash but it would have the stadium shaking, perhaps melting. And it might be the first entry music that comes with a warning label.
Molly: Well, any fool could tell you that you can't play the same music when you come to bat as when you enter a game from the bullpen, but dude, I'm a girl and it's hard enough for me to find songs with the appropriate, um, balls to satisfy this question so bear with me...
I like Cowboy, by Eve for my at bat music although maybe it's better when I'm coming in from the bullpen to close a game although I'm guessing it's a little too...peppy. I might go with I Turn My Camera On, by Spoon, for at bat music but I'm told that alt-pop is not necessarily the way to go with these things. I might also go with Malibu by Hole but I realize that it's probably better suited to entering a cheerleading competition than a
baseball game. And as a final entry I'll add the intro to Paradise City by GnR because that's just a good song.
Don: My "coming to bat" music is a little more difficult as the song only plays for a few moments. Some guys go for songs with little plays on their names (Roger Clemens ..Rocket Man) and some go for songs that have some other meaning. I will head in a different direction and just go with something that has a powerful and familiar guitar riff. Something like: Bullet with Butterfly Wings, by the Smashing Pumpkins. Close second...Foo Fighters' Everlong because it's a favorite and there are a number of riffs in there that scream: ADRENALINE. It's a shame that you don't get to play a song before you hit on the road (at least as far as I know) because in that case, I would have a "road" song as well. This one is a bit more controversial and it is meant to shock the conservative sensibilities that exist in parks stretching from Anaheim, to Kansas City to Atlanta. Drum roll please ..Closer by Nine Inch Nails. I would love to sneak a peek at the Orange and Marietta County stepford moms when Trent sings .."I want to fuck you from the Inside, I want to fuck you like an animal ..." But that's just me.
Molly: I should first stipulate that the answer to pretty much any music-related question can be answered with: Everlong. Don has invoked it so I won't steal, but there are not many occasions on which it DOESN'T work. Weddings and funerals? Play the acoustic version. Coming up to bat? Blast the original recording. Dancing around your apartment after a few glasses of wine? Any and all versions work. Make out music? Ditto. IT ALWAYS WORKS. That said, I don't even have a team, per se, but it's hard for me not to think of myself as representing New York (even though we HATE THE YANKEES in our household) so if I were on the road I'm inclined to play some Beasties, maybe No Sleep Til Brooklyn or Slow & Low or Sabotage.
Don: For my Campaign song (think Don't Stop Believing ), I think it has to be either patriotic or a feel good song, no? If I was going to run as a challenger, I might go with Rockin in a Free World, by Neil Young. It might cost me in some of the "feel good" red states, but I am here to shake things up so who gives a shit about Tennessee? (Molly: Wasn't that issue debated ad naseum on the ESPN chat board during last week's UCLA game?) And in my re-election, I am going to run a "skies are blue" campaign, and that leads me to one place: Mr. Blue Sky by ELO. Finally, my victory night song? You know, the one they play as you come out to accept the win. Well, that has to be Zeppelin's Thank You And finally, to wrap things up ..my funeral and/or memorial song. Another layup for me. A favorite song from a favorite band ...Do You Realize by The Lips.
Molly: Campaign music? Oy. I'm surprised you didn't pick Fortunate Son (ed note: There is a back story, a bad one)...but I'll say Beautiful Day by U2, I suppose. These categories are all you, Ballgame. I'm terrible at campaign songs and only marginally better at at-bat music. But I want Liz Phair's Mesmerizing to play whenever I enter a room.
Don: I'm glad she picked that song and not "Fuck and Run".
Monday, September 14, 2009
Motoring, Redux: Music and Movie Scenes
While it's not necessarily comprehensive and in no way complete, we worked long and hard (thatswhatshesaid) and came up with our top 10 movie scene/song combos. It's a highly subjective selection, because duh, what's the fun in anything that isn't? Enjoy!
DON SAYS:
(Because this is such a far-ranging question, I am going to impose some discipline and limit my list to only that music that existed before the film was made. As such, original background scores are out even though they sometimes are critical to a movie and are highly recognizable. So no Rocky and no Chariots of Fire. Also out………songs that were written specifically for a movie and achieved commercial success thereafter. So, there is no Saturday Night Fever, no Bodyguard, no Streets of Fire, no fucking Titanic. Lastly, my list will be determined by two factors: 1) what role did the song play in “making” the scene; and, 2) how strongly I associate the song with the film.)
I have to have at least one piece of classical music on my list and I have narrowed it down to two pieces …..Carmen from Bad News Bears and The Ride of Valkries from Apocalypse Now . This is a close call for me, especially as I am a huge BNB fan and I am one of the only 40 something males who thought AN was hugely overrated, but the helicopter attack scene from that movie is one of the greats in film history and that song absolutely made the scene. In a nutshell, you can’t think of that movie, let alone that scene, and not think of that song.
A Million Miles Away, the Plimsouls, Valley Girl: (song begins at 3:45) This movie is a big part of my childhood growing up in Santa Monica and I can’t think about this movie without thinking about the song. A funny thing about this inclusion though: in the film, Nick Cage is supposed to be a punk rocker and this song is supposed to represent his lifestyle. The movie was released in 1983 and I listened to a fair amount of punk rock that year. I don’t remember anyone ever linking the Plimsouls with the Dead Kennedy’s or the Circle Jerks.
Shadow on the Sun, Audioslave, from the movie Collateral: Michael Mann is just about the best in the business at doing “nighttime mood,” especially in Los Angeles and this song absolutely crushes it. Haunting and desperate. Chris Cornell’s vocals over-layed on a wolf running through the streets of downtown LA ……all worked perfectly for me.
You’ll be a Woman Soon, Urge Overkill, Pulp Fiction:One of the things that Tarrantino does so well is take obscure music and incorporate it into his films. There aren’t many people outside of hard-core Neil Diamond fans who could have identified this song before Pulp Fiction. After its release, is there anyone who couldn’t answer this question on Jeopardy?
Your Hand in Mine, Explosions in the Sky, Friday Night Lights: This instrumental is the background during the climactic scene where Permian comes up just short in the Texas State AAAAA Football Championship. There is no dialogue because this song captures the disappointment so perfectly. Kids dejected. Tim McGraw making amends with his kid. Coaches despondent. All backed by a couple of steel guitars that convey it all. (ed. note: Don and I saw EinS this summer and I am pretty sure that HE CRIED for the love of the music. -- m.)
Sister Christian, Night Ranger, Boogie Nights: This song backs one of my favorite film scenes, PERIOD! But it does more than just back the scene. It helps make the scene. The scene is edited so fucking well that all the tempo changes in the song perfectly heighten the tension that is critical to the scene. The funny thing is …….when Sister Christian ends, the tape flips over to Jessie’s Girl and that song works almost as perfectly. At the end of the day, who can ever hear Sister Christian and not think about this crazy scene?
Layla, Derek and the Dominoes, Goodfellas: Is it cliché for a 40 year-old male like myself to include something from GoodFellas on a list like this? Probably, but there is no denying Scorsese nailed this one. As that fat little kid wanders up to the pink caddy and Clapton’s piano kicks in, you had film history. Scorsese might have listened to 1000 songs before settling on Layla and his choice probably would have been the same had he listened to 10,000. When it works, it works.
Moving in Stereo, The Cars, Fast Times at Ridgemont High: To a 14 year-old boy, what is more memorable than Phoebe Cates’ TITS? This song and Ms. Cates will be forever linked in my mind and most males born between the years of 1966 and 1971.
Tessie, Dropkick Murphys, Fever Pitch: I watch 150 Red Sox games a year. You don’t think I am going to include a song that is linked to the greatest comeback in baseball history? In the film, the song kicks in after a 90 second montage that summarizes those eight beautiful nights in October of 2004. I argue that it is the greatest 90 seconds in film history!
Lunatic Fringe, Red Rider, VisionQuest: This one is near and dear to my heart. The song backs a scene where Matt Modine is firing himself up to wrestle an unbeatable state champ. I found the scene and song inspiring and as a result, I had the song on a mix that I‘d listen to when I was psyching myself up in HS. How can such a song not be on the list?
MOLLY SAYS:
Golden Years, First Knight. Shut up, I like it. It's a silly movie, sure, but I could watch Heath Ledger (sniff) dancing over and over again, happily.
I am scrapping my Pixies cover/karaoke choice from (500) Days of Summer and adding Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield, in Pulp Fiction. It’s hard to choose between this song and the Urge Overkill song, but as frantic and restless as Uma Thurman made Mia (which was totally underscored by that song), John Travolta made Vincent sooooo smooth, and SooPM completely captures that for me. And I don’t even LIKE John Travolta!
Mad World, The Church (do covers count?), Donnie Darko: It might not technically fit the criteria (is over a montage at the end) but it’s moody and weird and I remember trying to buy the single after seeing the movie and at that time, it wasn’t available and I don’t know if it’s ever been released but even when I hear the original Tears for Fears version, I think of this odd, odd movie.
Be For Real, Afghan Whigs, Beautiful Girls: Greg Dulli’s voice is gritty and familiar in the same way that the characters and hometown in this movie are gritty and familiar. It makes me want to drink cheap beer and waste lots of money on a jukebox.
More Than This (potentially not allowed on this list as it is karaoke), Bill Murray, Lost in Translation: It makes my heart hurt. This is my idea of a perfect movie and while the karaoke might not be technically eligible in this category, Bill Murray says everything while he is singing to Charlotte/Scarlett.
In Your Eyes, Peter Gabriel, Say Anything: It's too obvious, sure, but how can I *not* include the boombox? I was a thirteen year old girl when I saw this movie. It was my prom theme, for christ's sake. I mean, COME ON!
This Woman's Work, Kate Bush, She's Having a Baby: (Starts at 3:20ish)Tears. The first time I saw this movie I thought it was funny. I was a kid and things like ‘marriage’ and ‘fertility’ and ‘fatherhood’ were not really forefront in my mind, but I knew that when Kevin Bacon was in that waiting room, he was scared. When I watch that scene now, as an adult, it stings even more because I can appreciate how complicated relationships can be, but I also can appreciate those moments of clarity that come along every now and then.
American Girl, playing as Brooke Smith drives to her abduction in Silence of the Lambs: Classic. I can think of several singing-along-in-the-car scenes that stand out (Tom Cruise singing Free Fallin’ in Jerry Maguire, John Mahoney singing Ricky Don’t Lose that Number in Say Anything), but this one wins for me because the actress is so open and comfortable yet you still can feel something sordid and dark on the edge of the scene and them BOOM, she’s putting the lotion in the basket.
Tiny Dancer, Almost Famous: So sincere it is impossible not to love. This entire movie is sweet and sun-dappled and watching this scene is like leaning against your best friend’s shoulder and getting a soft hug in return. Or something like that.
Sister Christian by Night Ranger, in the scene with Alfred Molina and the coke, Boogie Nights: Duh. It’s uncomfortable to watch it’s so tense and vivid and everything about it is strung out and it’s pretty much perfect.
I have to give one honorable mention to the song Breathe Me by Sia which was played over the last scene of Six Feet Under and is therefore forever and always linked to my greatest emotional breakdown, ever. EVER! For months and months I could not hear that song without almost choking. No other song has ever had a lasting and visceral impact on me like that, no other scene has ever caused MASSIVE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA the way the end of Six Feet Under did, but as it's not in a movie I am leaving it off my list. Or at least, off *this* list. Layla/Goodfellas, Gimee Shelter/The Departed, If You Leave/Sixteen Candles, Stuck in the Middle With You/Resevoir Dogs, I’m Shipping Up to Boston/The Departed, Dry the Rain/High Fidelity are all on my short(well, shortish) list as well.
DON SAYS:
(Because this is such a far-ranging question, I am going to impose some discipline and limit my list to only that music that existed before the film was made. As such, original background scores are out even though they sometimes are critical to a movie and are highly recognizable. So no Rocky and no Chariots of Fire. Also out………songs that were written specifically for a movie and achieved commercial success thereafter. So, there is no Saturday Night Fever, no Bodyguard, no Streets of Fire, no fucking Titanic. Lastly, my list will be determined by two factors: 1) what role did the song play in “making” the scene; and, 2) how strongly I associate the song with the film.)
I have to have at least one piece of classical music on my list and I have narrowed it down to two pieces …..Carmen from Bad News Bears and The Ride of Valkries from Apocalypse Now . This is a close call for me, especially as I am a huge BNB fan and I am one of the only 40 something males who thought AN was hugely overrated, but the helicopter attack scene from that movie is one of the greats in film history and that song absolutely made the scene. In a nutshell, you can’t think of that movie, let alone that scene, and not think of that song.
A Million Miles Away, the Plimsouls, Valley Girl: (song begins at 3:45) This movie is a big part of my childhood growing up in Santa Monica and I can’t think about this movie without thinking about the song. A funny thing about this inclusion though: in the film, Nick Cage is supposed to be a punk rocker and this song is supposed to represent his lifestyle. The movie was released in 1983 and I listened to a fair amount of punk rock that year. I don’t remember anyone ever linking the Plimsouls with the Dead Kennedy’s or the Circle Jerks.
Shadow on the Sun, Audioslave, from the movie Collateral: Michael Mann is just about the best in the business at doing “nighttime mood,” especially in Los Angeles and this song absolutely crushes it. Haunting and desperate. Chris Cornell’s vocals over-layed on a wolf running through the streets of downtown LA ……all worked perfectly for me.
You’ll be a Woman Soon, Urge Overkill, Pulp Fiction:One of the things that Tarrantino does so well is take obscure music and incorporate it into his films. There aren’t many people outside of hard-core Neil Diamond fans who could have identified this song before Pulp Fiction. After its release, is there anyone who couldn’t answer this question on Jeopardy?
Your Hand in Mine, Explosions in the Sky, Friday Night Lights: This instrumental is the background during the climactic scene where Permian comes up just short in the Texas State AAAAA Football Championship. There is no dialogue because this song captures the disappointment so perfectly. Kids dejected. Tim McGraw making amends with his kid. Coaches despondent. All backed by a couple of steel guitars that convey it all. (ed. note: Don and I saw EinS this summer and I am pretty sure that HE CRIED for the love of the music. -- m.)
Sister Christian, Night Ranger, Boogie Nights: This song backs one of my favorite film scenes, PERIOD! But it does more than just back the scene. It helps make the scene. The scene is edited so fucking well that all the tempo changes in the song perfectly heighten the tension that is critical to the scene. The funny thing is …….when Sister Christian ends, the tape flips over to Jessie’s Girl and that song works almost as perfectly. At the end of the day, who can ever hear Sister Christian and not think about this crazy scene?
Layla, Derek and the Dominoes, Goodfellas: Is it cliché for a 40 year-old male like myself to include something from GoodFellas on a list like this? Probably, but there is no denying Scorsese nailed this one. As that fat little kid wanders up to the pink caddy and Clapton’s piano kicks in, you had film history. Scorsese might have listened to 1000 songs before settling on Layla and his choice probably would have been the same had he listened to 10,000. When it works, it works.
Moving in Stereo, The Cars, Fast Times at Ridgemont High: To a 14 year-old boy, what is more memorable than Phoebe Cates’ TITS? This song and Ms. Cates will be forever linked in my mind and most males born between the years of 1966 and 1971.
Tessie, Dropkick Murphys, Fever Pitch: I watch 150 Red Sox games a year. You don’t think I am going to include a song that is linked to the greatest comeback in baseball history? In the film, the song kicks in after a 90 second montage that summarizes those eight beautiful nights in October of 2004. I argue that it is the greatest 90 seconds in film history!
Lunatic Fringe, Red Rider, VisionQuest: This one is near and dear to my heart. The song backs a scene where Matt Modine is firing himself up to wrestle an unbeatable state champ. I found the scene and song inspiring and as a result, I had the song on a mix that I‘d listen to when I was psyching myself up in HS. How can such a song not be on the list?
MOLLY SAYS:
Golden Years, First Knight. Shut up, I like it. It's a silly movie, sure, but I could watch Heath Ledger (sniff) dancing over and over again, happily.
I am scrapping my Pixies cover/karaoke choice from (500) Days of Summer and adding Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield, in Pulp Fiction. It’s hard to choose between this song and the Urge Overkill song, but as frantic and restless as Uma Thurman made Mia (which was totally underscored by that song), John Travolta made Vincent sooooo smooth, and SooPM completely captures that for me. And I don’t even LIKE John Travolta!
Mad World, The Church (do covers count?), Donnie Darko: It might not technically fit the criteria (is over a montage at the end) but it’s moody and weird and I remember trying to buy the single after seeing the movie and at that time, it wasn’t available and I don’t know if it’s ever been released but even when I hear the original Tears for Fears version, I think of this odd, odd movie.
Be For Real, Afghan Whigs, Beautiful Girls: Greg Dulli’s voice is gritty and familiar in the same way that the characters and hometown in this movie are gritty and familiar. It makes me want to drink cheap beer and waste lots of money on a jukebox.
More Than This (potentially not allowed on this list as it is karaoke), Bill Murray, Lost in Translation: It makes my heart hurt. This is my idea of a perfect movie and while the karaoke might not be technically eligible in this category, Bill Murray says everything while he is singing to Charlotte/Scarlett.
In Your Eyes, Peter Gabriel, Say Anything: It's too obvious, sure, but how can I *not* include the boombox? I was a thirteen year old girl when I saw this movie. It was my prom theme, for christ's sake. I mean, COME ON!
This Woman's Work, Kate Bush, She's Having a Baby: (Starts at 3:20ish)Tears. The first time I saw this movie I thought it was funny. I was a kid and things like ‘marriage’ and ‘fertility’ and ‘fatherhood’ were not really forefront in my mind, but I knew that when Kevin Bacon was in that waiting room, he was scared. When I watch that scene now, as an adult, it stings even more because I can appreciate how complicated relationships can be, but I also can appreciate those moments of clarity that come along every now and then.
American Girl, playing as Brooke Smith drives to her abduction in Silence of the Lambs: Classic. I can think of several singing-along-in-the-car scenes that stand out (Tom Cruise singing Free Fallin’ in Jerry Maguire, John Mahoney singing Ricky Don’t Lose that Number in Say Anything), but this one wins for me because the actress is so open and comfortable yet you still can feel something sordid and dark on the edge of the scene and them BOOM, she’s putting the lotion in the basket.
Tiny Dancer, Almost Famous: So sincere it is impossible not to love. This entire movie is sweet and sun-dappled and watching this scene is like leaning against your best friend’s shoulder and getting a soft hug in return. Or something like that.
Sister Christian by Night Ranger, in the scene with Alfred Molina and the coke, Boogie Nights: Duh. It’s uncomfortable to watch it’s so tense and vivid and everything about it is strung out and it’s pretty much perfect.
I have to give one honorable mention to the song Breathe Me by Sia which was played over the last scene of Six Feet Under and is therefore forever and always linked to my greatest emotional breakdown, ever. EVER! For months and months I could not hear that song without almost choking. No other song has ever had a lasting and visceral impact on me like that, no other scene has ever caused MASSIVE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA the way the end of Six Feet Under did, but as it's not in a movie I am leaving it off my list. Or at least, off *this* list. Layla/Goodfellas, Gimee Shelter/The Departed, If You Leave/Sixteen Candles, Stuck in the Middle With You/Resevoir Dogs, I’m Shipping Up to Boston/The Departed, Dry the Rain/High Fidelity are all on my short(well, shortish) list as well.
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