Playlist: Songs in Films (Obviously)

I love when popular music and films meet to make great results. Sometimes these hybrids become so unforgettable that we become guilty of saying "oh yeah I love that song...it's from Juno isn't it!". So here's a playlist I made (yeah I'm one of those people) of movie soundtracks I really enjoy.

1) Somebody to Love - Jefferson Airplane (A Serious Man)
Heard during: During the opening credits and throughout the film mainly through Danny's Earphones.

2) Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime - Beck (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)
Heard during: When Joel is driving/having a breakdown during the start of the movie

3) I'm Shipping Up To Boston - Dropkick Murphys (The Departed)
Heard During: The opening credits (which in true Scorsese fashion occur about 20 minutes into the film) which is a montage scene also.

4) Perfect Day - Lou Reed (Trainspotting)
Heard During: Renton's drug trip where he sinks into the floor. Lovely.

5) Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon - Urge Overkill (Pulp Fiction)
Heard During: Vince Vega & Mia Wallace return to the Wallace residence post-dinner, post-dance contest, pre-overdose.

6) Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds (The Breakfast Club)
Heard During: At the start of the movie when the brat pack are all strangers to each other and then at the end when they become more than acquainted with each other.

7) Paper Planes - M.I.A (Slumdog Millionaire)
Heard During: A montage of the brothers traveling India via the country's notoriously busy trains.

8) Sea of Love - Cat Power (Juno)
Heard During: Juno giving birth in all it's slo-mo montage glory. Okay the scene probably isn't all that but this a beautiful rendition of the Phil Philips classic.

9) Just Like Honey - Jesus & the Mary Chain (Lost in Translation)
Heard During: Bob is on his way back to the airport when he spots Charlotte walking away in the distance. He catches up with her and murmurs those words that me and you will never know.


10) Across 110th Street - Bobby Womack (American Gangster)
Heard During: Montage of Lucas's Blue Magic taking over the streets of Harlem.

11) The End - The Doors (Apocalypse Now)
Heard During: The intro. Probably the greatest and most effective use of visual imagery and popular music ever.

Alternative Movie Posters: Psycho

I love alternative/homemade movie posters:

Don't watch this with your parents: 'Happiness' (1998) Dir. Todd Solondz

This is not a review. I'm not going to sit here and review 'Happiness'. Not that it's a bad movie by any means; it's just that I'm not featuring it for it's achievements in cinema. Instead highlighting the taboos it broke...or at least attempted to break. Just for the record, for those of you that have seen (or planning to see) Happiness, I am not approving of any of the "acts" that take place in the film (lol) but I do find it interesting the way Solondz has made a film here that shows these people and their way of life (if you will) from a neutral point of view. Obviously anybody who hasn't seen this movie will not know what I'm talking about but that's why I'm making a point here to watch it. I don't think I'm Mr. Anti-Mainstream but my heart lies in independent/world cinema because I'm interested in people and why people think or live a certain way; something "non-mainstream" cinema has always dealt with; often or not in extreme situations like in 'Happiness'.  So now, go watch it....but remember, only when nobody is home.

Chungking Express (1994) dir. Kar Wai Wong

Can I sell you this film with this still?

Mojo Reccomends: A Serious Man (2009) Dir. Joel & Ethan Coen

This is the best Coen Brothers movie; there you go I said it. After watching this for the 3rd time I came to the comfortable realisation that it really is their best work. I think I always knew it, I was just to afraid to say it. Kinda like fancying the girl with the glass eye.

The film is based in 1960's American suburbia where Larry Gopnik is a Jewish university lecturer who is about to face some life changing turning points in his life. A respected man at work; at home it's a different story. His wife isn't happy with their marriage, his daughter is stealing from him whilst having a pot-smoking son who is due his bar-mitz-vah and an oddball brother who actually might be a genius. The film shows Larry go through a series of life challenging tests in a very short period of time and his patience to deal with them.

Yes I'm aware that naming 'A Serious Man' as the Coens' best movie is saying that it's a better movie than 'Miller's Crossing (1990)', better than (my previous favourite) 'Fargo (1996)' and  mightier than academy award winner 'No Country for Old Men (2007)'. But I feel that ASM is a their most rounded work. It perfects their signature black comedy style as well their brilliantly quirky brand of storytelling.

Perfectly directed, great acting and ...well I'll let you decide about the ending. Just don't ask me what a dybuk (sp) is.

Msg Uno

So I've started to become a blogger; mainly because I feel like I should do something more practical with my passion for movies rather than constantly criticise (and sometimes praise) movies to loved ones (and strangers that follow me on twitter).

Also I was recommended to start a blog by my partner-in-crime, Christina. So do check out her blog;

http://christinaclarewalker.blogspot.com/

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