I might have already said that I just love Pink Martini. But I can't stress it enough: Pink Martini is awesome. I can hardly wait until their new album "Splendor in the Grass" will be published in a few days. I've already fallen in love to this album by the three preview tracks on Pink Martini on MySpace. Not only that Thomas Lauderdale, the creative head of the ensemble, is also openly gay, and China Forbes is an awesome singer, they're also so inspired and amazing, and the "background story" of the band is very interesting, too.
I have a confession to make. Tonight I went to the movies again to see The Boat That Rocked again. I can't help, but I really like this flick. And the BF enjoyed it as well. I remember that I didn't want to go after I saw the Trailer before another movie. But I did. And I'm so glad I did, this movie is lovely and just great.
No, I don't get paid to promote it. However, if you're a representative of Universal and want to pay me for promoting one of your films on a blog that has no readers, get in touch. :)
Yesterday I've been to the movies to watch "The Boat That Rocked", or ("Rock Radio Revolution", how it's called in German). It was amazing and hilarious. It's a confession of love to pop and rock music of the sixties.
Being a radio host myself, I obviously enjoyed a flick about a pirate radio station on a boat near the coast of Great Britain. They were broadcasting their own 24/7 radio program, because the official public radio station refused to play rock and pop music in the early years. However, 25.000.000 people in the United Kingdom were listening to the pirate radio and loved it. The radio DJs became famous and stars themselfes. While the government tried to get rid of them, they became even more popular.
Go, watch it, it's very entertaining and some parts are hilarious. By the way, the Boat "Radio Rock" never really existed, but the plot is based on true stories. If you liked "Notting Hill", "Love Actually" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral", you'll definitely love this one, too. It's made by the same creatives.
I've extensively been bugging all my real life friends about this. They can't stand it any longer. So I thought that I give it a try here ... ;-)
A few weeks ago the BF and I went to see a movie. It was a sneak preview, so we didn't know what we had to expect. At the same evening, right after the movie, I said that I wasn't really sure whether the movie is a shiny gem, or rather strange. After a few hours of sleep and some reading about the movie, I finally realized that it's definitely among the best movies I've ever seen. Maybe it's even taking the lead. It's a precious jewel of cinematics. A real masterpiece. "Two thumbs way up", like the New York Times would say.
It's not yet regularly scheduled in the movie theaters in Germany, but it will have it's official premiere in March. I'm sure I will see it again a few times at the movie theater. And I will buy the DVD. Although it has to be seen on a laaaaarge screen. In the USA it might already have been in the cinemas a few years ago.
Anyway, time to spill the beans. The title of this extraordinary movie is The Fall. You have to, I repeat, h-a-v-e t-o visit the homepage and watch at least the trailer and the gallery after reading my post.
What makes this movie so special, you may ask. I will tell you:
1. The Visual Experience - The director Tarsem Singh shot this film in 18 countries around the world at the most beautiful locations he could find in many years of traveling. Most (or all?) of the locations haven't been used as scenery of a movie ever before. Be prepared to see a fantasy world, that actually really exists: mystic temples, bright deserts, and blooming landscapes. And also the handsome actors, the remarkable costumes, and the feast of colors and the composition of each picture and scene. It's just utterly beautiful. It's the purest form of beauty. I would sell my soul to shoot just one picture like any scene in this movie. I think I got some multiple orgasms in my eyes just by watching the beautiful visual compositions in each scene. And the excellent music adds up to it and made me shiver in pleasure for almost the entire movie.
2. The Story - Picture this, California, 1915. Alexandria (played by six year old Catinca Untaru) is in a hospital because she broke her arm. She meets Roy (Lee Pace), a stuntman whose latest stunt went wrong, who might never be walking again, and whose girlfriend left him for somebody else. He tells her an epic story, a story about love and revenge. His intentions aren't as altruistic as one might think...
3. The Two Levels - There are two stories in this film. The reality, and the story told by Roy. It's a pleasure to see how the two worlds interact, and how elements of the real world slip into the fictional story.
4. The Actors - I read that six year old Catinca Untaru was told that Lee Pace is really paralyzed. They didn't have written dialogs. They just knew what should happen, but the dialogs itself "just happened". Catinca couldn't speak English before they started with the movie. All this together adds up to the unique, natural and brilliant dialogs in the movie. Classy.
6. It IS Special - Simply said, it just IS a gem, and you should watch it. As soon as possible. If you can, watch it on a big screen at a movie theater. You won't regret it, I promise.
I know some of you are lazy (what other reason could there be that I have many returning readers (some stop by every day), but just little comments), so I've added the trailer to this post. But do yourself a favor. Visit the homepage www.thefallthemovie.com and also watch the gallery.
One of the best-known contemporary literary critic in German TV and radio has exactly the same name as I have (which is not a very common name like Matthew Smith or something like that). He grew up in my town as well. We get confused a lot. If you enter my our name, our city, and "radio" or "media", you'll find his entries pretty much mixed up with mine, since I do a radio show about culture (by the way, the next show is all about books) and publish many articles in our magazine.
It happens quite regularly that I get manuscripts from young authors by mail. "I know you're a very busy man, but could you please read my manuscript and tell me what you think" -- "Uhm, I'm not the one you think I am, we just have the same name." -- "Could you please read it anyway???"
"Are you the real XXX?"-- "I am a real XXX, but probably not the one you're thinking of."
"I stayed up all night because I saw that you'll be on [generic late night show], but it wasn't really you..."
To live up to expectations, I want to write about an excellent book by the Swiss author Friedrich Dürrenmatt: "Der Besuch der alten Dame" In English: The Visit. (see article in Wikipedia)
I had to read it in school when I was about 15 years old. I read the entire book in one evening, because I couldn't stop. It deals with the themes of punishment, greed, revenge, and moral strength in a very interesting and yet entertaining way.
I've almost forgotten how brilliant this book is. But currently I'm sick, I cought a flu, and by pure accident I saw it on TV today. I need to read it again, and you might want to read it as well. (hint)
... is the title of the new Belle & Sebastian album that was published last week. It had made its way into my CD player earlier, but it took some repeats until it showed its brilliance. After we've clicked I can't get enough of this marvelous piece of music. It will stay in my player for a while--this will help keep the paper-CD-case clean. :-) If you're a Belle & Sebastian fan, you should really get this cd. Well, if you're a fan, you might actually already have it...
Als "Kummerkastentante" bei einem Radiosender ist für Monika (Katja Riemann) kein Beziehungsproblem zu kompliziert - stets weiß sie Rat. Privat aber hat sie die Nase von den Männern voll. An ihrem 30. Geburtstag gibt sie doch dem Drängen ihrer Familie nach und gibt eine Kontaktanzeige auf. Doch was sie im Verlauf ihrer Rendezvous erlebt, bestärkt sie nur in einem: Finger weg von den Männern! Wie durch ein Wunder steht dann aber eines Tages der Traummann vor ihr: Blendend aussehend, charmant, gut situiert und unendlich romantisch.
Von ihrem Liebestaumel profitiert auch der Sender - nie gab es höhere Einschaltquoten. Die Sache hat jedoch auch Haken. Da ist dann noch ihr schwuler Bruder (Kai Wiesinger), der sich ebenfalls in den Traummann verliebt, dessen Ex-Freund (Moritz J. Bleibtreu), und Monikas neue beste Freundin (Martina Gedek), die bei ihr einzieht, weil sie glaubt, daß ihr Mann (August Zirner) fremd geht. Und die ganze Stadt hört zu, als Monika ihrer Wut Luft macht.
Eine lustige und spritzige Komödie um "Liebeslust" und "Liebesfrust". Bei seinem Erscheinen einer meiner Lieblingsfilme.
Eddy zieht in ein Studentenwohnheim in eine WG mit Stuard. Dazu kommt Alex, eine Frau, die aber aufgrund ihres Namens für einen Jungen gehalten wurde, und so mit den beiden zusammen zu wohnen hat. Eddy, der schüchterne Bücherwurm, ist noch Jungfrau, aber nicht mehr lange! Denn einerseits schwärmt Eddy für seinen Mitbewohner Stuard, den knallharten Aufreißer, andererseits ist Alex ganz wild auf Eddy. Nach anfänglichen Problemen freunden sich die Drei miteinander an und erleben eine schöne Zeit zusammen. Und laut Abmachung gibt es unter ihnen keinen Sex.
Doch es gibt eine Frau, zwei Männer und drei Möglichkeiten. Eine spritzig-flotte Komödie über ein Dreieck, in dem es rund geht... Sehr schöner Film!
Das Team des Filmhits "Ein Fisch namens Wanda" ist zurück: Der rücksichtslose Medien-Mogul Rod McCain (Kevin Kline) kauft einen Zoo in England. Der Zoo soll, wie jedes Unternehmen von McCain, mindestens 20% Gewinn abwerfen, was sich bei einem Zoo schlecht realisieren läßt. Deshalb hat Zoodirektor Rollo (John Cleese) seine eigenen Vorstellungen. Der Zoo soll nur noch "Wilde Kreaturen" zeigen, alle niedlichen Tiere sollen weg. Doch er hat nicht mit den urkomischen Tricks der Zoowärter gerechnet, die ihre Tiere natürlich schützen wollen.
Um das Unternehmensziel duchzusetzen, wird auch noch die bezaubernde Marketing-Managerin Willa (Jamie Lee Curtis) und der lüsterne Vince, Rods in Ungnade gefallener Sohn (ebenfalls Kevin Kline), in den den Zoo versetzt. Die beiden sollen einmal richtig aufräumen. Und dann ist da auch noch das "Bäähhh"...
Eine turbulente und spritzige Komödie. Sehr zu empfehlen.
Heinrich Lohse (Loriot) ist ein sehr sparsamer Einkaufsdirektor, der jeden Rabatt ausnutzt. Dabei kann es schon vorkommen, daß er Schreibmaschinenpapier für die nächsten 40 Jahre kauft, um an gute Rabatte zu kommen. Die Firma schickt ihn vorzeitig in Ruhestand, um weiteres Unheil zu verhindern. Dafür kauft er für die Familie 150 Gläser Senf. Und raubt auch sonst seinem Umfeld und vor allem seiner Frau (Evely Hamann) den letzten Nerv...
Der ganze Film ist gespickt mit Loriot's unnachahmlichem Humor, der es wie kein anderer versteht, die Tücken des normalen Alltags aufzuspühren und mit Liebe zum Detail zu portraitieren. Jede Einstellung beinhaltet unzählige Details, die immer wieder zum Anschauen und Lachen einladen. Es ist einer der wenigen Filme, die ich komplett auswenig mitsprechen kann.
Wer ihn noch nicht gesehen hat, der sollte das schnell nachholen!
I might have already said that I just love Pink Martini. But I can't stress it enough: Pink Martini is awesome.
To live up to expectations, I want to write about an excellent book by the Swiss author Friedrich Dürrenmatt: "Der Besuch der alten Dame" In English: The Visit. (