Pirate Radio Floats

Question...

What do you get when you place Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Bill Nighy in a boat in the North Sea with the soul purpose of making sure rock and roll is heard across the airwaves in the 1960's?

The answer is this week's movie, Pirate Radio.

Pirate Radio. Ever since I saw the preview many, many months ago, I was looking forward to this film. What an interesting subject. England in the 1960's when they didn't allow radio stations to play rock and roll music, and what members of society do to make sure that it continues. This was a funny, creative and interesting film. The writing was smart and the acting was great. The whole movie looked like a lot of fun to make and I can tell you first hand it was a lot of fun to watch.

The film is filled with great british actors, Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branaugh, Nick Frost to name a few...and a special cameo with Emma Thompson. Funny lines, delivered by funny people. It was an exciting movie from start to finish. We were sitting in the movie theatre tonight and everyone enjoyed themselves...you know that feeling. When people are openly laughing and smiling and genuinely happy. I really liked this movie. It was filled with quirky characters, hippy dudes who were all there to listen to rock and roll and make sure that it was available to the masses and of course those groovy ladies who love them. The great Phillip Seymour Hoffman was wonderful as one of the disc jockeys. He fit right in as an American who is really just there for the music. That was the great thing about the movie, it really was all about the music. And there was music. The movie was filled with original, classic rock and roll, and I loved it.

I know that when my parents were young, rock and roll was not only frowned upon, it stirred up a fair amount of controversy. Now in 2009, the situation is completely opposite. If you took all the radio stations in the world and counted how many played rock instead of classical, rock would top them all. Now that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy a decent classical piece every now and then, and Pachelbel's Canon is one of my personal faves but people and society have changed. Look at how people adjusted when rap and hip hop first came on the scene.

I wonder what movie my children will watch about the trials and tribulations of hip hop music in the next 30-40 years...I wonder if it will be as well written and funny as Pirate Radio. Only time will tell.

Michael Jackson's This Is It

There comes a time in everyone's life where they realize that they are watching true greatness. An absolute genius...a talent beyond anything they have ever really known. Watching this film on the final rehearsal of what would have been his incredible return to the stage in over a decade, was an awe-inspiring experience. I sat and watched this musical documentary which included interviews with his musicians and back up dancers, as well as lots of MJ dancing and singing. This man was a musical talent that will never be replaced. I was a fan of Michael Jackson when I was in grade school. I remember going with my mother to see the Jackson 5/Michael Jackson concert that came to Vancouver when I was in grade 7 or 8. After all this hulabaloo came out about his personal life, I really left MJ behind. I discovered new artists and started experimenting with different musicians and bands. When I met my husband, I was quite surprised to see that he was a huge MJ fan. Unbelievable. He listened to the music and appreciated the enormity of this talent. I couldn`t get past the children in the same bed stuff...yucky, insane stories of what seemed to me a very sad man. Now decades later, this incredibly controversial talented man has died. It was a mixed day for me. I really didn`t know what to think. I found that it was sad that this man who was so young (not even 50) and was a father had died. I hadn`t figured out that it was as monumental as it was until yesterday.
Watching him, a 50 year old man, dance and sing on stage with 20 year old dancers and back up singers was incredible. He was in fantastic shape and moved like a cat. The respect that was given to him by all - the director, musical director, dancers, band members - everyone was quite something. It reminded me that Michael wasn`t a tabloid joke. He was a human being, a father who made mistakes like everyone else. The true difference is that when I make a mistake, it`s never on CNN. His entire life was out there for the public to see and thus criticize. This would make anyone crazy. While watching this film, I found a new appreciation for his huge number of hit songs and infamous dance sequences. Regardless of how this man lived is life, the contribution that he made to the music industry is undeniable. The film allowed me to appreciate what I had enjoyed as a child - before I got caught up with all the tabloid craziness. It was a great way to reconnect with a superstar. Go see this film.

Jewish film festival

We couldn't go watch "Coco" after all. My older daughter came down with the flu. Now everyone's vaccinated and healthy, let's come back to what's important - Movies!

Allie and her mother invited me to watch 2 movies as part of the Jewish Movie Festival here in Vancouver.

The first one "Being Jewish in France" was a documentary about Jews in France from the first immigrants to today. Very hard to watch. I don't really know what to say about it. Unless I want to get into a tirade of politics, emotions and anger.

The second one "Hey Hey it's Esther Blueburger". Now, that one I really really enjoyed! The story of a little Jewish girl trying to fit in in a non-Jewish private school. She finally makes friends with a girl from a public school next door and changes school without telling her parents.

Curious, confident and smart. We see her growing up where that shift happens - From where one day she's a kid and and then she's not. She looks the same but slowly without anyone knowing she's changing inside.

It made me realize that it's only a matter of time until my oldest makes that shift and if I'm busy making her what I want her to be. I'm going to miss out on what she really is. One morning I'll wake up and I'll be wondering where my little girl went.

The part where she finds the duck she befriended dead and cold ready to be dissected in her biology class was so sad and I cried when her best friend's cool mother died. Nobody was there to hold her when she found out.

I loved when they were all eating from the same jar of what looked like Caramel Spread.

I was happy when I got home and my oldest was still up. We got into our PJ's and cuddled while reading Harry Potter and chatting. She was so happy to be with me and me with her. It's only a matter of time until I won't be able to do that. I'll miss it.

Astro Boy...hmmm

So I took Matan and his friend Daniella to Astro Boy last night. It's a cute Japanese animated style film which has snappy lines and cute little story lines. I thought that the first half dragged a little bit and I found myself a little restless, but the second half was more exciting and I ended up enjoying the movie. Astro Boy is the story of a robot with special emotions and powers whom was created by his father - voiced by the incredibly blahh and heavy Nicolas Cage, ugh - when his son (whom Astro Boy is based on) dies. This to me was a little on the morbid side, I have to say. Yucky...a scientist who creates a "fake" child who is really a robot - seriously...lots of issues there. Astro ends up leaving his home and taking refuge in the land below and makes friends and realizes that life is good and he can make a difference in the world. My incredibly talented British sweetie, Freddie Highmore voices Astro Boy and does a great job keeping in character and keeping his accent controlled. A few times, I heard some of "real Freddie" come through - but really he's so adorable, I definately did not mind. The animation took some getting used to for me. I am not usually a fan of this type of animation - Disney/Pixar stuff is usually my favorite, but I thought that they did a really good job on this film. At the end of course, I teared up and cried a little - it's not a movie if I don't cry at least a little :-) - and was happy to see that Daniella's eyes were wet and red as well. It was just Matan who held it all together during the touching portions at the end. It's a sweet film. Be patient, but a nice rainy Sunday afternoon option for the kids.

I can't wait!!!

I've been waiting for this movie to come out.

That's for Tuesday.

Jon came home with Transformers 2... then 1

We started with the 2nd.

We watched 3/4 of it until I couldn't stay awake. It's REALLY a movie made for men... Maybe even teen boys. I mean Meagan is really hot, don't get me wrong but does the movie need to go into music video mode every time she comes into frame?

The day after, Jon thought we should watch the 1st one before? Sure...

This time I fell asleep within 10 minutes, Jon watched the rest on is own then returned it. I would have watched the end, I swear! (wink! wink!)

I watched the whole Zack and Miri.. finally!

I'm writing from my phone so it will be a quick post but I liked it after all. I kind of liked the fact that it was a romantic comedy from the guy's point of view and for once the guy was right, she's the one who kind of screwed up in the end. Jon pointed out that she wasn't the girly girl type of girl either."
Good point!
The ending was, again, predictable.