She loves the gays!

Funny:

The Golden Girl

No, not "The Golden Girls" (Glenn). Something even more ridiculous.

This is my friend Brody's musical that he recently finished. It's utterly ridiculous because he's totally insane, but I love it/him for that. It's worth a watch if you wanna see me sing and dance around with bleached hair and a beard in a scruffy military getup. Plus the music is catchy. Watch:



You know you wanna comment on it. How could you not?

I think the idea of Natalie Portman rapping all badass-like is really funny...

...and actually SEEING her do it?? Priceless.

I'm not even particularly big on her, but I could watch this all day.

Because I haven't posted anything lately, and because it's so damn funny:

Because it's been awhile since I've posted any Jennifer Holliday:

My OTHER favorite moment of the night: Oscar-winning (!!!) "Falling Slowly" live

Look how much applause the film gets in the intro. I'm so glad the film has lots of fans.

I think the acoustics gave Markéta a little too much volume (sorry Mar... I love you, but this particular song just works better when you're supporting Glen... though your piano was gorgeous). I also don't like how the song was shortened for the broadcast (it's longer in the film).

But look at Glen during his close-ups. He clearly knows millions of people are watching him, and its very endearing. Luv ya Glen (and other Glenn, too!). How wonderful for them to have gotten this opportunity.

But the best thing about this song (I think) is that it actually works better in an intimate setting, without all the pomp, and lights, and cameras. It's about the connection between the two musicians (note how they put all those guitars in the background, in some kind of weird attempt to evoke and/or imitate the music store scene).

Still, I loved this performance. In fact, one of my friends at my oscar party was converted on the spot. She'd never heard of Once, but after hearing this, she said, "that music is beautiful, they should win." And they did.

Guy meets Girl, and beautiful music ensues:why Once is more than enough

I'll just come right out and say it: Once was my favorite film of last year.

I'm saying this now cause I don't know when the hell I'll ever get around to making a top ten list. Hell, I still haven't made one for '06. But I wanted to get this out there while people still cared.

For the record, I didn't think Once was #1 material when I first saw it. I thought it'd be sitting somewhere in my top five, but with writing, directing and acting that I still can't justify as nomination-worthy, could I really justify calling it the year's best film?

The answer turned out to be a resounding "yes", for it has lingered in my heart like no other. Or at least, like no other film last year. I of course haven't seen all I plan to see, but I don't expect anything to overtake it. It's just got that special magic (yes, Glenn, IT REALLY DOES). Getting to know this film was like falling in love... the first time I saw it, something caught my eye... I wasn't quite expecting it, and didn't know what to do with it, but I saw enough there to get me interested... so I saw it again... and again... and though we've had our rough spots, I always go back to loving it, more and more all the time. Falling slowly, indeed.

Maybe it's because I'm a musician... or at least, I wanna be. My parents are musicians. My dad still plays and teaches for a living. My mom gave up piano for medicine. But they met in music school and are musicians through and through. I owe my very existence, quite literally, to music. But I stupidly quit piano when I was still young, because I hadn't yet grasped music's significance... and I never picked up any other instrument... so now all I have is my voice. Music is in my blood, but not in my hands.

Thankfully, my voice is almost enough. I've been blessed with an instrument I'm proud of. I have a lot of work to do on it, but I'm convinced it can take me somewhere. Unfortunately, a voice on its own can't take me far. I can't write, or even perform very much, with just my voice. I'm trying, but it's hard. I'm actually considering taking up guitar JUST so I can play and sing "Falling Slowly." There are, of course, other perks to knowing guitar, but this song is what might push me over the hump to actually picking up the instrument and learning it.

But anyway, enough about me; back to the film. Even beyond the music, which is reason enough to love it, it has a distinct magic about that's hard to describe. It boasts no impressive production values or technical virtuosity, but it's one of the most heartfelt films I've ever seen. And isn't "heart" the most important thing? Isn't that why we make films and tell stories in the first place? I'd like to think so.

The trendier, more universally "critically acclaimed" films this year pride themselves on their stark nihilism. No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood (probably my #2 and #3, respectively) are impressive indeed, and disturbing to the core, but Once offers more than that. It doesn't shy away from the unpleasantness in the world - it's touted as a "feel-good film" but it's a stretch to call it "happy" - but it offers a brief respite from said unpleasantness. In many ways, it's a cute little Irish Dancer in the Dark, without the bludgeoning.

When Glen and Marketa discover each other in the music store, something happens. I see in this scene a metaphor for creation, and indeed, for life itself. Out of the mess of madness and disorder and senselessness (notice the curious emptiness before guy meets girl), order is imposed, connections are made... between notes, moments, and hearts. The backsliding of the modern world is reversed for an instant. The sinking boat points back toward home. Life becomes worth living again. While these two make music, they feel alive, and so do we.

That they must eventually part is made all the more painful by the beauty they share so fleetingly. But thankfully, on film (or maybe video, this time), that beauty can last forever.

I can't stop watching this!

Meryl Streep singing like Cher and dancing around like a 20-year-old (to ABBA!)... I can't look away.

Beyonce being ridiculous

Seriously, SO funny. Watch it.

I heart Kelly.

Attentive readers may have noticed that I just added "Kelly" to my current obsessions on the sidebar. Liam Sullivan's YouTube videos are starting to consume my life. I don't even know why. I didn't even like them that must at first. But now I'm even getting possessed by Kelly, randomly breaking out into the Kelly voice without warning. It's kind of disturbing. But I've decided to just give myself over to it. So of course I had to post more of the videos. Enjoy:

Kelly's Hollywood Meeting


Text Message Breakup


Let Me Borrow That Top


And for more Kelly goodness, visit Liam Sullivan's website. It's a hoot.

My apologies for being lax with the Streepathon. It'll be back soon. I'm just so... busy.

Why doesn't Ewan do musicals anymore?

I miss it! And seriously, why has he not even made a good movie in like four years? Too much Star Wars and bad action films. What a waste. You should just sing & strip, Ewan. Sing & strip, always. It's your calling.

I am obsessed with the Carpenters.

Ever since I saw Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, I've been obsessing on the Carpenters. Lately, though, the obsession has moved away from Todd Haynes' film and toward the actual people and actual footage of them, Karen Carpenter especially. I recently watched the old E! True Hollywood Story on Karen Carpenter (on YouTube, in 8 parts), and now I know a lot more about them.

Unfortunately, Haynes got a lot wrong in his film, in terms of the Carpenters' actual personalities and personal histories. The facts and events he emphasized didn't seem to accurately reflect the Carpenters' lives, and neither Richard nor Karen really comes off the way Haynes portrays them. This doesn't necessarily detract from the film, per se (I still think it's brilliant), but I can understand a little better now why Richard filed that "cease and desist" order. Superstar is not, and should not be seen as, a factual depiction of Karen Carpenter's life. She was not the ditsy barbie doll the film made her out to be (though many anorectics are). She was a mysterious, fascinating, troubled, lost young woman, tomboyish as a child and an icon of femininity as an adult. I highly recommend her E! True Hollywood Story to everyone. It, too, is not an objective portrayal by any means, but it at least features actual footage of Karen, her family, and her friends, and features a variety of perspectives on her life and work (there's a BBC doc on YouTube, too).


















But even more highly do I recommend the Carpenters' music itself. Growing up, I knew them vaguely as a cheesy brother & sister act from the 70s, but had never actually sat and listened to their songs. Now that I have, I'm thoroughly smitten. These songs are GOLDEN. Richard's music and Karen's voice will live on forever in legend, as will Karen's legacy as a martyr to stardom in general, and anorexia nervosa in particular.

Here, for your enjoyment, are the original music videos of five of their best songs. First, the haunting gorgeousity of "Superstar." Next, the bittersweet ballad, "We've Only Just Begun." Then, the melancholy "Rainy Days and Mondays" and Karen's performance of "Ave Maria." And finally, the song that made them superstars, "Close to You."

I LOVE this music.

Rest in peace, Karen. You deserve it.

...because I like to sing along.

Jennifer Holliday at the oscars

Here is a clip of the best female singer in the world, Jennifer Holliday, singing "The Way He Makes Me Feel" from Yentl at the 1984 oscars. I was unaware of any direct JHoll/Oscars connection (other than JHud and Effie), but there is one, so YAY! My two favorite things in one!

Unfortunately, between the 200 odd pounds of extra weight and that ridiculous hat and dress she's wearing, she looks pretty heinous in this clip (this was not the best time for her), but the performance itself is amazing. Check it out.

Behold... the Goddess of Soul...

...in full diva "anthem" mode:


...in full diva smackdown mode:


...in full diva club gig mode:


...in subdued diva talk show mode:


Post-Dreamgirls movie hooplah, my love for JHoll (aka God) was beginning to wane. And then I found these new clips. The video quality is poor, but the content is sang-gasmic. Jennifer Holliday is so much more than Effie. She IS Effie, but she's also so much more. She comes off as intelligent, eloquent, mature, humble, gracious, and STILL divatastic. I love her so much.

Best. Female. Singer. EVER.

Meryl as Miranda. "That's all."

Our final best actress nominee cannot be done justice by a single clip... so I've gone back to an old favorite:



I love whoever made this video. I also love that his/her YouTube username is "vainqueen." Vainqueen has mad skills. So does Meryl.

I'd LOVE it if this performance could upset on oscar night. Or even SAG night (Meryl will apparently not be attending the SAG awards due to a prior commitment co-hosting an environmental stewardship benefit with Al Gore... she's so wonderful). I know there's no chance of a win, but... sigh... I love you, Meryl.

Did I ever mention that I have an autographed photo of Meryl? I got it for my birthday last summer. My mom apparently got it on eBay for a reasonable price. I should have it framed...

Volver will live on...

...even if the subtitles are in the wrong language.

Movie magic needs no translation.