Magnolia and Aimee Mann- twofer tonight-You will LOVE this movie or ELSE!

Evening guys
Well, to top off my stellar week, I lost my temporary crown and thus, my mouth is sore. Thank god for Percocet is all I can say... haha.

So, did you watch the Oscars? I saw about half. I decided to go to the movies this afternoon. I went to see Taken. Good movie. As with many movies, you did have to suspend reality a bit in places but overall it had great pace and action without it getting boring.

While watching the lead in for a commercial during the Oscars, I heard a snip of a song by Aimee Man called Save Me. It is from a movie that is worth revisiting. It is called Magnolia.

I sure you have figured out by now that I like ensemble films. This wonderful film had so much to it that I cant possibly sum up everything in a couple of paragraphs. The director was PT Anderson. He takes his characters and weaves a story of interaction, connection and isolation and the walls we put up in our worlds to protect us from pain. Anderson spends small amounts of time with each set of characters but really develops them to the point that we are thoroughly invested in their lives and outcomes. The strength of the movie is the subtly. An expression. The tone the actors use when delivering a line and their appearance speak more to who they are as people than the words that they say.

Whether it be Frank TJ Mackey or Daniel Plainview, Anderson's characters are so disturbed by their own realizations of themselves and, in Mackey’s case, their past that they alienate those around them and themselves from the world. Mackey is so shut off from the world that he uses degrading women as a way of distancing himself from intimacy, which clearly pained him in his childhood. If we look at one of the more interesting, and astoundingly heartbreaking, relationships in the film (John C Reilly and Melora Walters) we see a couple that are so wounded by the world that they grasp at some form of happiness, even if that happiness would be more destructive than good.

The cast is rounded out by William H Macy, Julliane Moore, Tom Cruse, Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymor Hoffman, Jason Robards, Alfred Molina and many more. It comes together to make not only a movie but a deep heart wrenching statement about ourselves, the damage we do to those we love, the mental scars left and finding a way through the pain to start healing.

You know that along with my love of a really good ensemble, I love a good soundtrack. This one is no exception. It is a beautifully written collection of songs by Aimee Mann. They are beautiful, touching and tragic.

I thought about soundtracks today. I wondered if you can have a crappy movie with a good soundtrack. Answer would be yes, I think so. BUT, can you have an excellent movie with a shit soundtrack...? Would this movie have been as powerful if it had ________(insert generic manufactured teen craptactular singer here)? Who knows.
All I can say is the music is a beautiful compliment to the movie and helps move the movie forward. Which is the goal of a good soundtrack. Its a bonus when it is completely listenable on it's own.


Alas my friends, the medication is finally kicking in so I think Im off to bed. Wish me luck at the dentists tomorrow. Yeeha. :(

Movies you have to see - Elizabethtown

I have decided to start something on my blog about movies and music. Some you might have seen or heard, some not. Don't groan at me-my blog my rules :P

I saw a movie a few years ago called Elizabethtown. It stars Orlando Bloom and Kristen Dunst. I think it was in and out of the theaters in a blink. Sad thing too, it is so well done and a wonderful movie. It is very subtle, but the power of the message is in that subtly.

The guy screws up in a massive, billion dollar way, is fired from his job, goes home planning to kill himself. He is attempting to carry out the plan when he gets the call that his father died. He then has to go to his father's hometown in Elizabethtown, Kentucky to make final arrangements, planning to commit suicide when he gets home. On the plane to Kentucky, he meets a stewardess who talks to him the whole way there. She leaves him in Kentucky with directions to the town and her phone number.

As the movie goes along, he has to deal with his father's extended family. He doesn't know that the entire town knew and loved his father. He starts to get to know the family. As he learns about them, he learns about the father he didnt know. When he is leaving Kentucky with his father's ashes, the stewardess (now friend) gives him a large extensive map complete with music. He is to follow the map and listen to the music as he drives cross country. The journey helps him learn about the wonder of living and the journey of life. He figures out that there is more that defines him than a catastrophic failure. The trip is a symbolic begining of a new life, brought by the ending of another life.

I know, I know, I'm making a butchery of the synopsis, sorry 'bout that. I hope however sucky my writeup, you will take the time to see this movie.

This movie has an INCREDIBLE SOUNDTRACK!! I have said before, a movie soundtrack can be a terrific way to discover new music. This one is very very worth listening to and purchasing!

Im a big believer in the fact that music can strongly influence a life. I have heard this refered to as "the soundtrack of life". Music that touches you becomes part of your soul. You carry it with you. You know what I mean, that familar song comes on the radio, you smile and think about the past. What you were doing when you first heard the song. Me for example... "Careless Whisper" by Wham-Seventh grade, riding the bus home from a vollyball game versus Pearce, AZ. This song came on and the whole bus full sang along. The first time I heard Nirvana-Musicland in the Tucson Mall. "Come as you are" was playing as I walked in. I went straight to the counter and bought it. "I hate myself for loving you" by Joan Jett-wild high school party. Speaking of wild, the entire "Hysteria" album by Def Leppard. Well, I don't think I need to really speak about it. I was doing to this album what EVERYONE did to this album. Oh man, I was a bad bad girl that year LOL!

I guess the gist of the whole thing is this. Get your Netflix or Blockbuster or just go buy the darn thing but watch this movie. The soundtrack is fantastic, so get that too.

Im thinking next time to talk about Otto Titzling and the creation of the Bra. In any case, I am going to recommend a movie or music every week. I hope that you will let me know what you think, and if you have music or a movie to share with me and my 3 readers, bring it on!