I'D LIKE TO THANK THE ACADEMY
A giant THANK YOU to everyone who emailed me with their thoughts on the MovieMikes web site. Response has been good and hopefully when I'm celebrating PCR's 20th Anniversary I'll be honoring MovieMikes 10th!
And don't forget, for up to date movie news and, when available, sweet giveaways, give MovieMikes a visit:
http://moviemikes.com/
O-NO, NOT AGAIN
You know, just when I begin to feel a little sympathy for Yoko Ono she kicks me in the teeth. Television viewers in France this week were treated to a commercial for the Citroen automobile. And who was talking up this fine machine? That's right, John Lennon. The clip contains images of Lennon talking about creative inventions, interspliced with images of the new Citroen DS3. When the outrage hit, it wasn't Yoko who spoke out but Lennon's son, Sean. Through his Twitter page, the youngest Lennon wrote, "She did not do it for money. Has to do w hoping to keep dad in public consciousness. No new LPs, so TV ad is exposure to young." So what you're saying is that all the money went to charity?
In a more positive Ono story, the Plastic Ono Band reformed recently for a tribute concert to Yoko. Original members Eric Clapton and Klaus Voormann were joined on stage by Sean Lennon, who performed his father's "Yer Blues."
AND THE WINNER IS
This years Independent Spirit Awards, which honors Independent films, were awarded this weekend, with "Precious" taking home five trophys. The film took home prizes for Best Picture, Actress (Gabourey Sidibe), Supporting Actress (Mo'Nique), Director (Lee Daniels) and Adapted Screenplay. "Precious" is also nominated in those same categories for the Academy Awards, with Mo'Nique the favorite to win her category.
The complete list of winners:
BEST PICTURE
"Precious"
BEST ACTOR
Jeff Bridges - "Crazy Heart"
BEST ACTRESS
Gabourey Sidibe - "Precious"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Woody Harrelson - "The Messenger"
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Mo'Nique - "Precious"
BEST DIRECTOR
Lee Daniels - "Precious"
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
(500) Days of Summer
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
"Precious"
BEST FOREIGN FILM
"An Education"
BEST DOCUMENTARY
"Anvil!: The Story of Anvil"
BEST DEBUT FEATURE
Scott Cooper - "Crazy Heart"
In accepting his Best Actor award, Bridges channeled "The Dude" from "The Big Lebowski" by telling his wife, "This will really tie the room together."
AND THE "WINNER?" IS
Just to show you that Hollywood also embraces it's worse achievements, the 30th Annual Golden Raspberry Awards were handed out this weekend, with "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" taking home three Razzies, including the prestigious Worse Film of the Year award. It also won for worse screenplay and worse director, for Michael Bay. Surprisingly, despite previous nominations in this category, this is Bay's first Razzie.
The "winners":
WORSE PICTURE
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"
WORSE ACTOR
Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas - "The Jonas Brothers 3-D Concert Experience"
WORSE ACTRESS
Sandra Bullock - "All About Steve"
WORSE SUPPORTING ACTOR
Billy Ray Cyrus - "The Hannah Montana Movie"
WORSE SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sienna Miller - "G.I. Joe"
WORSE SCREEN COUPLE
Sandra Bullock and Bradley Cooper - "All About Steve"
WORSE REMAKE, RIP-OFF OR SEQUEL
"Land of the Lost"
Because this was also the groups 30th Anniversary, they awarded a few momentous awards:
WORSE FILM OF THE DECADE
"Battlefield Earth"
WORSE ACTOR OF THE DECADE
Eddie Murphy
WORSE ACTRESS OF THE DECADE
Paris Hilton
True to her promise, Bullock showed up to accept her Razzie, pulling a wagon full of "All About Steve" DVDs behind her. She asked the voters to give the film a second viewing and if they changed their mind she would return the award next year. Bullock is also up for an Oscar for her work in "The Blind Side." Should she win she would become the only actor to win an Oscar and a Razzie in the same year.
AM I "HAPPY?" YOU BET I AM!
This summer Rolling Stones fans will be in musical heaven as a remastered version of "Exile on Main Street" will be released. Recorded in the basement of Keith Richards' French chatteau, the new version will also include 10 songs written during the session but never released. Among the new songs:
"Good Time Woman," a song that sounds nearly identical to "Tumbling Dice," but with completely different lyrics. There is a low quality bootleg version on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6Fx1vytXWc
"Pass the Wine," a legendary song in Stonedom, never heard but often referred to by it's original title "Sophia Loren."
"Aladdin's Story," which has been available as an instrumental on bootleg for many years. Now the completed song will be released.
"Soul Survivor," an alternate version of "Exile's" last song will feature Keith Richards on vocals and include completely different lyrics.
Though no one involved with the project will NOT confirm it, rumor is that Mick Taylor, who left the band in 1974, was asked back to work on the new selections.
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| Ironically, I purchased "Double Fantasy" during my lunch hour on December 8, 1980. 12 hours later, John Lennon was dead. |
Album:
"Double Fantasy" by John Lennon and Yoko OnoSoundtrack:
"Give My Regards to Broad Street" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - Music and Lyrics by Paul McCartney & John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Anyone notice a theme to these pieces yet? I've tried to tie both albums together whenever possible. Can't say it will happen every week, but when it happens I think it's pretty cool.
In February 1975 John Lennon released the album "Rock and Roll," which was mostly him covering the songs he grew up listening to. On October 9, 1975, Lennon's 35th birthday, Yoko Ono gave birth to their son, Sean. Lennon decided to stop recording and devote himself to helping raise his son. He regretted not being a "dad" for his older son, Julian," who came along during the Beatles hey day! Even though he stopped recording, Lennon never stopped writing. Whether it was during a morning alone with Sean in their New York City apartment or during a visit to the Florida shore, John Lennon never stopped writing. In the summer of 1980 Lennon fulfilled a lifelong dream by sailing his own boat, with a small crew, to Bermuda. While there he picked up his guitar in earnest and wrote about what mattered to him most...his family. In August 1980, he and Yoko entered the studio to record what would be his greatest achievement, "Double Fantasy."
"Double Fantasy" consists of songs by both Lennon and Ono, interspersed on the album. While Lennon's songs got the majority of airplay, especially after his murder, Ono's contributions are not to horrid. She actually tones down her manic "screech-song" singing to something listenable. Ono has always been a serviceable song writer, but her delivery certainly left much to be desired. On "Double Fantasy" Ono songs like "Every Man Has A Woman Who Loves Him" and "Kiss Kiss Kiss" hang in your memory. Lennon's contributions are stellar, with "(Just Like) Starting Over," "Watching the Wheels" and "Woman" hitting the charts.
As noted above, I purchased the album the day Lennon was murdered. I listened to side one after dinner, then settled down to watch "Monday Night Football." Later that night I was shocked to hear Howard Cosell announce John Lennon's death. I turned the television off and, in the seclusion of my barracks room, I listened again. The last song on side one is "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)," which Lennon had written for Sean. I played this song over and over, listening to the lyrics:
"Close your eyes. Have no fear.
The monster's gone, he's on the run.
And you're daddy's here."
It occured to me that though I (and millions around the world) had just lost a hero, the little boy in the song would never see his daddy again. And I wept.
"Double Fantasy" was honored with the Record of the Year Grammy Award in 1981.
What if you wrote a script that allowed you to make little mini-movies of some of your favorite Beatles and Paul McCartney songs? Well, if you're Paul McCartney, you convince 20th Century Fox to finance it. You cast your wife, Ringo Starr and his wife and call it "Give My Regards To Broad Street." The plot: even though their assistant is inept, Paul McCartney intrusts him to deliver the tapes of his new album to the record company. For some reason, there is a deadline, meaning if the tapes aren't there on time Linda McCartney will be killed. Not really, but I haven't seen the movie in 25 years and, though I own it on DVD I didn't really feel like watching it this morning. Anyway, this gives Paul and the gang time to daydream. And is there a better way to daydream then with popular tunes playing in the background. The film itself is hit and miss, with a script credited to Macca himself. There are some fun moments and give Paul come credit for poking fun at the whole "Paul is Dead" conspiracy with a funny exchange between two characters. But what makes the film enjoyable are the new versions of the old songs. "For No One," "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby" are presented in well crafted versions that honor the originals. McCartney may be guilty at times for silly love songs, but he certainly knows how to write them!
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| I want YOU to go see my movie! |
Well, that's all for now. Have a great week. See ya!
"Mike's Rant" is ©2010 by Michael A. Smith. Webpage design and all graphics herein are creations of Nolan B. Canova. All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2010 by Nolan B. Canova.
