Carney's own Bogart and Bacall

Title: Once
Director: John Carney
Producer: Martina Niland
Writer: John Carney
Starring: Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova
Music By: Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova, Interference
Distributer: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release Year: 2007



Once is a very simple story. Glen Hansard is "Guy" and Marketa Irglova is "Girl". Both of them are struggling musicians. The guy works at a "Hoover Fixer" shop (vacuums) that his father owns. When he isn't working there, he plays his guitar out in the street, leaving his case open for any caring donations. He plays covers in the daytime and saves his originals for the nighttime, since he feels that people don't care enough about hearing his songs to give him any money. One night, the girl stumbles upon the guy while he is playing his songs and starts up a conversation with him. What starts out as a guy helping out a girl with her broken vacuum begins to blossom into a great friendship and eventual romance. Together, with his guitar skills and songs and her piano skills, the two collaborate. Soon enough, they find the money that makes it possible to record the songs in a professional studio. They both have their own personal troubles, and end up finding consolation in each other.

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Ever since first hearing about Once at last years' Academy Awards, I've been waiting for the day when I would be able to see it. The film, budgeted at the small amount of $160,000, was the "dream-come-true" story at the ceremonies, taking home the Oscar for Best Original Song. Since then, I've seen the film in stores such as Barnes and Noble, but at too expensive a price. I was so excited when I found the film waiting for me on the shelf at the Broome County Public Library yesterday afternoon.

I really enjoyed this film. It's not very often that you come across one such as this. The story is very romantic and genuine, one that most likely will pull on anyone's heartstrings if they aren't too embarrassed to let it (obviously, I'm talking about the guys. Remember, the ones who are closet Notebook fans?). The film is a musical, but not in that typical musical fashion that you think of when you hear the word, with all the bright colors and crazy choreography. Not a musical that you would find Gene Kelly in, but one that he would most definitely approve of.

The film only cost $160,000 to make, and grossed in $14 million dollars (and that's only as of December 6th, 2007)! Hansard and Irglova are not professional actors, but professional musicians; this really helps in giving the film its genuine authenticity. All but one of the songs are written by the two musicians, with Hansard taking the cake for most of them. It's really great to watch the film and then get really excited about listening to the soundtrack. I once tried to listen to the soundtrack before seeing the film, but it didn't work for me. I recommend seeing before listening.

Director John Carney is the former bassist for Glen Hansard's band, The Frames. Originally, he intended to cast Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later, Red Eye, Batman Begins) for the guy role, but Murphy didn't like the idea of acting opposite non-actor Irglova and having to sing Hansard's octave-leaping songs, so he dropped out. I'm glad he did, because I cannot picture him fitting well with the role. Fortunately, Carney was then able to convince Hansard to take the job. It makes the film even greater, having the musician responsible for all the film's songs be the one to act in the role of the guy who writes them all!

Something I really love is the fact that Hansard and Irglova ended up getting together in real life, forming their romantic relationship while on a promotional tour across North America. The two had known each other for nearly six years at that point. Hansard was quoted in Entertainment Weekly, stating, "I had been falling in love with her for a long time, but I kept telling myself she's just a kid." At the time of shooting the film, Hansard was 37 and Irglova was 19. Carney did a good job at predicting their relationship while they were still filming.

Check this film out if you're in the mood for a film that will make you smile while you listen to some great singer-songwriter-type songs that go hand-in-hand with the memorable story of two ordinary people who end up falling into each other's lives; a story of something that only happens once (yup, I had to do it).

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Scenes from Once set to the film's original song, "Falling Slowly"


"Falling Slowly" winning Best Original Song at the 2007 Oscars

"It's the hunger - the hunger for an alternative and the refusal to accept a life of unhappiness. "

Title: Little Children
Director: Todd Field
Producer: Todd Field
Written By: Tom Perrotta (novel and screenplay), Todd Field (screenplay)
Starring: Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Connelly, Noah Emmerich, Jackie Earle Haley, Phyllis Somerville
Distributed By: New Line Cinema
Release Year: 2006


Based off of the 2004 novel of the same name by Tom Perrotta, the story revolves around the lives of a group of people who live in the same suburban town.

Sarah Pierce (Kate Winslet) is having trouble in her life, unable to feel comfortable and happy with the life that she lives. She can't help but feel that her daughter is a real nuisance for her, and her husband is too busy enjoying a sexual obsession with some strange woman online who posts up pictures of herself on a website, surrounded by nude men and getting off with kitchen items (very memorable scene involved here). Meanwhile, Brad Adamson (Patrick Wilson), a stay-at-home dad, feels as if there is something missing in his life, that special something that makes one feel alive. Most people would think he has it all: a beautiful wife (Jennifer Connelly) with whom he had a son that he is able to spend a lot of his time with, a "homey-home" in a nice suburban neighborhood, the ability to become a lawyer if he can just pass the bar exam... all this he has, but all of it does not add up to enough in his world. Sarah and Brad meet each other (an interesting first-time meeting, for sure) and begin to have daily meetings at the local public pool, where not only they begin to get well-acquainted, but also their children. A steamy love affair soon blossoms, and they both begin to embrace this fantasy world where their relationship can go on forever.

The subplot focuses in on the lives of Ronnie J. McGorvery (Jackie Earl Halley), May McGorvey (Phyllis Somerville), and Larry Hedges (Noah Emmerich). Ronnie has just been released paroled from prison, after serving a two-year sentence for indecent exposure to a minor. He moves back into the neighborhood to once again live with his mother, May. Ronnie has a very close relationship with his mother, feeling that she is the only person who truly loves him. May wants to try to put Ronnie back on track, convincing him to agree to an ad in the paper in order to find him a date with a woman. Even with May's efforts, it is nearly impossible for Ronnie to try and lead a normal life. The number one reason for that is Larry Hedges. Larry is an ex-cop who is in denial about being taken off the force over an incident that he was involved in. To feel as if he is still doing the job that he loved so much, he starts a committee made up of parents to create awareness about Ronnie. Although this sounds like a responsible thing for a father of twins to do, Larry does not go about the whole thing with any sense of maturity; instead, he harasses the McGorverys to an extreme extent (I'll leave it to you to find out examples of this harassment).

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I've watched this film three different times now, and each time I do, I feel as if I am being given a very important lesson on what it means to be human. The themes that are explored are so vital to what it means to live a life with proper decency, it would be hard for me to believe that anyone could watch this film and not feel refreshed afterwards. It just resonates with me so much. If I were to choose one aspect of the film that hits me the hardest, it would have to be everything that happens in Ronnie's story. Whenever I speak to anyone about Little Children, I always talk about the film's ability to bring forth sympathy for Ronnie. The first time I ever saw the public pool scene that he is involved in, I was left with my mouth dropped. You cannot help but feel bad for him, being outcasted like that. The thing is, it makes you think to yourself, "Alright, maybe he brought everything upon himself, but does that mean that he shouldn't be given a second chance? isn't it possible that he is trying to change his ways?" The audience is actually forced to think about this moral issue, and that is what makes this film so damn important for everybody to see. It has the ability to smack you across the face with something that you might rather leave untouched, but in the end you have no choice but to question yourself.

Then there's all the questions that arise from Sarah and Brad's situation. On the one hand, you have Sarah, who's marriage is obviously falling apart. I think it is safe to say that the majority of viewers will feel that she is justified in getting involved with Brad. On the other hand, there will definitely be a split between the audience in regards to whether Brad's decision to get involved with Sarah is justified. He has a family that he is responsible for, and a loving and caring family at that. A lot of the times, the things that his wife does gets to him, and he feels that they are not on the same level. He seems to having what would be called a "beginning-life-crisis", feeling as if his life is becoming too mundane. This is something that many people would debate. If Brad feels that he is not enjoying the way his life is going, shouldn't he have the freedom to leave that life and start a new one? Some might feel that way, but just as many people (and probably tons more) will feel that Brad has responsibilities that he committed himself to, and it is not right for him to abandon them, especially when they will hurt people who are so close to him.

Little Children puts the spotlight on these issues, as well as others that are just as important. All the actors portray Perrotta's characters amazingly. Most importantly, there are a lot of messages in the film. Personally, I feel it will be difficult for any one viewer to refuse to accept these messages, and that makes this one special.

Great choice of a wedding song !

Artist: Onelinedrawing (Jonah Matranga)

Song: Engage (Never Run) / Jul 00



"Katie" I said, "I think I'm gonna marry you."
And she said, "Are you asking me, or are you telling me?"
"I'm asking you".
"Well go ahead and ask me, then".
And so I did, and she accepted, and we went out into our days.

I won't break, I will wait, I won't hide, I will stay, I'll never run away
When I'm sick I will try, when you're scared I’ll just smile, I'll never run away
I'll never run away

Congratulations, you've blown us all away
Forget the waiting, no one needs those games
I'll celebrate it, so simple and so plain
Congratulations, now never run away.

I won't break, I will wait, I won't hide, I will stay, I'll never run away
When I'm sick I will try, when you're scared I will smile, I'll never run away
I'll never run away
I'll never run away
Never run away
Never run away
Never run away
Never run away
Never run away
Never run away




I used to listen to Jonah's onelinedrawing a lot during my high school years, and I've recently gotten back into him. He really is an awesome musician. I wish I could find a youtube video that had this song so that you could listen to it, but there doesn't seem to be one. At least you can read the lyrics. The song is really beautiful. Somewhere online, I read something written by this girl about this song, and she said that she and her fiancee decided to have this be the first song that they dance to at their wedding. I can imagine it being really perfect.



In the meantime, you should check out this video if you never heard of onelinedrawing before. This is one of Jonah's illest songs.

Jonah Matranga - "Yr Letter" / Irreplaceable (Beyonce) (LIVE)

Mr. Samuel Alexander Mendes

Just the other night, I watched Sam Mendes' Road To Perdition (2002). I bought myself a copy of it during my second year of college. I was inspired to buy it by an assignment I was given in my "Intro to Cinema" class where we had to write a response to the scene in the rain between Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. We had to talk about all the different cinematic techniques that were being used in the film and whatnot. From that one scene, I knew right away that I had to get my hands on the film and view it in it's entirety. When I watched it just recently, it was only the second time that I watched the film. It was a real treat to watch again, and it made me want to write up a little something about its director, Sam Mendes.

To sum it up, I am a big-time supporter of Sam Mendes. He is one of the newer directors on the scene, and he landed with a BANG, his first film being 1999's American Beauty. I'm pretty sure that the majority of film goers are familiar with this film. What a debut for Mendes! The film is fantastic, and went on to win five of its eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor (Kevin Spacey). I love it whenever I am able to catch this film on television. I'm always able to watch it, and a lot of it makes me laugh out loud, especially Kevin Spacey. I haven't seen everything that Spacey has done, but I would be really impressed if I found out that his role as Lester Burnham wasn't one of the best of his career.

Mendes' second film was the above-mentioned Road To Perdition, released in 2002. As well as his debut, the critics were very happy with the film, and it went on to be nominated for six Oscars, winning the award for Best Cinematography from Conrad L. Hall, the same man who was responsible for the cinematography of American Beauty. Hall's cinematography was inspired by and based off of the paintings of Edward Hopper. It's great to see Tom Hanks in this role, since he isn't usually the type to play a gangster from the 1930's. He does a really great job, and so does actor Paul Newman who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. For a sincere gangster flick (Irish Mob, specifically), check this one out.

Jarhead (2005) is the third film directed by Mendes, and one that I always consider when considering great contemporary films. I will always have a soft spot for this film. Why? I've never been a huge fan of war films, and Jarhead is one that I've watched on numerous occasions just because I wanted to! I think the story is a really good one, and the characters are great. Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, and Jamie Foxx all do an awesome job, and I absolutely love their characters. There's always been something about the film that really resonates with me...as if Jarhead is the war film of my generation, something along those lines. Either way, it isn;t just luck that I happen to love another film directed by Mendes. He sure knows how to pick a film that he wants to direct, and he does a great job at portraying a story. I'm really shocked that Jarhead didn't receive one single Oscar nomination. Either way, I think I feel confident in saying that this is my favorite of Mendes' films thus far.

What I'm really excited about is Mendes' upcoming film, Revolutionary Road (2008). There are two main reasons why I am so overly excited for this film: 1) It's directed by Mendes, and if you haven't yet been able to tell, I'm kinda a fan of his =]; 2) The film is brings back the magnificent pair...Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet! I couldn't be more excited about this. I've always been a big supporter of Titanic (1997), which I tend to get mocked about for reasons that I think are unjustified. I don't know, people love to hate on it, but I've always been a sucker for a great, romantic love story and I think that Titanic is exactly that. Also, I consider Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet two of my favorite actors that are currently around. I tend to enjoy everything that they are involved in, and I know that I am going to love it when I get to see them back on the big screen together in a film done by Mendes. The film will be released on December 26th, 2008. I've been looking forward to this film for a year now. In the meantime, I plan on reading the novel that the film is based off of, written by author Richard Yates ( Revolutionary Road, 1961)



Please, go watch some of these films. It'll make me happy.



P.S. - I didn't know this until now, but Winslet and Mendes are actually husband and wife! They've been married since May, 2003! That makes it more interesting, don't you think?

I gotta Hammett Hangover !

So a couple of days ago I went to the Broome County Public Library for the first time and picked myself up a brand-spankin'-new library card. It's actually the coolest looking library card I've seen. Isn't it always exciting to get a new library card?! I walked out of there feeling like Matilda.

The library had a nice selection of DVDs. They have some nice choices from the foreign film genre, as well as some Classical Hollywood titles. I picked up L.A Confidential (1997) and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962). I watched L.A. the other night, and I enjoyed it. A great neo-noir if anyone is interested. I'm looking forward to checking out Baby Jane. It's supposed to be a great film, and it's a real treat to see a film with both Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in it.

I also took out two Dashiell Hammett books. One contains all five of his novels, which is a really great thing to have around the bedroom. I've only read The Thin Man (1934), so I need to get around to checking out the others. The other book I took out his called Lost Stories (2005). It's really great because it contains 21 Hammett stories that have been long-unavailable to the public, only a few scholars and collectors having access to them beforehand. A great angle of the book is that before each story, an explanation is given in regards to "how the author's life shaped his story and how the story fit in his life." So you get to become acquainted with 21 Hammett stories as well as get a history lesson on the author's life.

What's important to try and discover while reading anything by Hammett is how his writing proves that he is one of the most important figures in literature. A lot of critics find this claim hard to run with since Hammett wrote mystery/crime fiction, a genre that has a lot of trouble gaining acclaim for its serious literary value. Other people couldn't agree more with this claim, ranking Hammett along the same lines as Faulkner and Hemingway. * Interesting fact: Hammett and Hemingway were big fans of one another, and there is a "chicken-or-egg" argument about who influenced who. Joe Gores discusses this in further depth in his introduction to Lost Stories.


Here are a few excerpts from Joe Gores' introduction that struck me as poignant:


"When he started, Hammett was not a writer learning about private detection. He was a private detective learning about writing. As he wrote, he retained the detective's subconscious attitudes toward life. It is this subconscious state of mind that separates his work from that of his followers Chandler and Macdonald." (21)


"Despite the genre demands, Hammett's novels have all the hallmarks of fine literature: economy of expression, creation of character with a few bold strokes, realistic depiction of milieu, sentiment without sentimentality. But the stories he told were about real private eyes in their world because real private eyes in their world were who he knew." (21)


"...spare, frugal, hard-boiled, but he did over and over again what only the best writers can ever do at all. He wrote scenes that seemed never to have been written before." - Raymond Chandler (18)

"I use a knife because guns are too quick. Otherwise, you can't savor all the emotions. You know who people are in their last moments. "

Title: The Dark Knight

Director: Christopher Nolan

Producer: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas

Written By: Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan (Screenplay), Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer (Story)

Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman

Distributed By: Warner Bros., DC Comics

Year: 2008



I'm not going to give you any sum-up of the storyline or anything here. I choose not to do that because there is so much other stuff I would rather dive right into in regards to this film. I saw it in the theater two days ago and went back to see it a second time today. It was even better the second time around. No joke, I'm already hoping I can get to see it a third time around. Nothing would please me more than once again sitting in that theater for two and a half hours of wonderful chaos.

Everyone knows the hype that was surrounded around this film for what seems like forever. I must inform you, the film surpasses the hype. Now this means something coming from me. Why so? I am not that big of a fan of Nolan's Batman Begins (2005). First off, the whole opening segment that focuses on Bruce Wayne and his martial arts skills? Not for me. I think it is way too long and doesn't stay on track with what is important. Also, Cillian Murphy's portrayal of The Scarecrow doesn't impress me in regards to the villain category. I would much rather see Jim Carrey come back as the Riddler again than deal with Murphy and his silly potato sack head. Overall, it is a great Batman film, but I knew that Nolan could do a hell of a lot better with the whole idea of digging into the darker side of Batman that has previously been left untouched.

With The Dark Knight, Nolan has really brought forth his A-game, creating a film that is ten times better than Batman Begins. I think anyone would agree with this statement.


Heath Ledger. Now this is some serious shit right here. I don't think I have ever seen an actor do what Ledger did with his role as The Joker. Honestly, I'm still in awe of his performance, and I know for a fact that everybody walking out of the theater with me was feeling the same way. Never before has any actor gotten so into character to portray an evil man and left such an impression on his audience. It's so intriguing to think about the talk surrounding his death back in January, about everything that he was going through in order to really get into his character. It's also really eerie, because you watch Ledger on screen and think, "Woah. This guy isn't playing any games here. This is some serious stuff, and his death might've come about because of what I am witnessing right now." Locking yourself up in a hotel room for a month, all alone, in order to learn your character and basically become him?! Yeah, it's that serious. The Joker's first major scene involves him showing up at the Mob meeting in order to give them his proposition. It's an awesome scene, and then by the end of the film, I realize that every scene that Ledger was in was as incredible as the last. Every time you know you are about to see The Joker again, you get all excited in your seat and cherish the minutes you are lucky enough to be a part of. I know that's how I felt. Acting that is able to create that intense an excitement inside of you is what the cinema is all about. If you are wanting to ask me, "Why so serious?", my answer is because Heath Ledger is that damn serious. Also, just for the record, Heath beat out Jack, by a loooooong shot. Hands down, one of the best acting performances I've ever seen.

Now that I've gotten out only some of my thoughts on Ledger, I'll bring up the fact that the cast is an all-round great one. Christian Bale was never someone that I considered some great, big actor, and I still feel that way, but he also isn't half bad. I was never a big fan of Michael Keaton, the only other actor who played Batman for more than one film. It's a definite fact that Bale will continue to be the man in the bat suit, and I think that's a good thing. He has developed a nice Bruce Wayne persona over the course of the last two films, and I feel confident that he will do a good job with expanding it. Michael Caine is always great, and he is even better in this film than the last, playing the role of Alfred. I think Gary Oldman fits like a glove with his character, Commissioner James Gordon. It seemed to me that Dark Knight focuses more on Gordon and his character, and I really liked that aspect. Besides Ledger, my favorite of the film goes to no other than Aaron Eckhart. I never did get around to watching Thank You For Smoking in it's entirety, only the second half of it. Even so, I knew right away that I really liked Eckhart. He has this persona that I can't seem to get enough of. Almost as if he knows how good he is. He does an amazing job playing Harvey Dent, and his portrayal of Two-Face is something that Tommy Lee Jones can only achieve in his sweetest dreams. I will most definitely be on the lookout for more Eckhart films to check out, because the man has talent.


I gotta say, I'm really impressed with Christopher Nolan right now. As a director, he did an incredible job working at this film. He took a film that is comic book based and turned it into something so much more. The Dark Knight isn't just a comic book movie, it's a dark and gritty crime drama that is actually a lot better than the others of that that genre that are being released these days. I can only imagine what the next installment in the Batman series will be like. All I know is that I am most definitely on board the Nolan Train.

So, Ironman or The Dark Knight, you ask? I gotta tell ya, you might as well ask me if I choose apples or oranges! Ironman is a fantastic comic book film on the lighter side, while The Dark Knight is an untouchable comic book film that delves into the much darker side of the spectrum. And it comes out on top, already establishing itself as one of the best comic book films to date, if not the best.

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Check it out:

The Joker Crashes The Party

"Is that all? Dark's nothing to me. I'm always in the dark. "

Title: A Patch of Blue
Director: Guy Green
Producer: Guy Green
Written By: Elizabeth Kata (novel), Guy Green
Starring: Sidney Poitier, Elizabeth Hartman, Shelley Winters, Wallace Ford
Distributed By: MGM
Year: 1965


I was so glad when I saw that TCM was airing this film once again. I caught this film once before, but missed the first half hour of it. You'd be surprised how important that first half hour can be! Trust me: it's always better to see any film at least twice, but that's a must if you weren't able to catch the film from start to finish the first time around.

The story of A Patch of Blue is a pretty simple one. Elizabeth Hartman plays Selina D'Arcy, a blind 18-year-old who lives with her no-good mother (Shelley Winters) and her drunkard grandfather (Wallace Ford) in a one room apartment that comes with a kitchen and a bathroom. Basically, life in the household isn't something that Selina really holds dear to her heart, rightfully so. Her mother and grandfather do their best to keep her all kept up inside the house. One day, she had her grandfather take her to the park. At the park, she meets the wonderful Gordon Ralfe, played by the even more wonderful Mr. Poitier, and they seem to have this connection to each other, one that neither one can yet describe. They repeatedly meet up with one another and a beautiful friendship blooms, and eventually even more than that. The main issue that is addressed in the film is that Gordon is an African American and Selina has no idea. What unfolds is really beautiful story of two people from different worlds who cannot help but love one another.

I really cherished every scene in this film the second time around, especially since it has been a bit since I last saw a film of Sidney's. As I watched each sequence play out, I was really in love with how genuine every little thing was. It is a fact that Sidney was an actual genuine human being, and his aura shined through every piece of work that he did, but the film had more to offer than just that. For one, the story. It is very nice and simple one, and I don't think that it would have worked so well, had it been done with different actors. It's splendid, the interaction between the characters is what really makes this film what it is. Yes, it is helped by the storyline, but the actors are held completely responsible for all its wonderfulness.

As you should already know, Sidney is always an A+ act, so I'll leave him be this time around. On the other hand, there's Elizabeth Hartman. Her performance is spectacular. I was blown away by how great she was in her role as the blind Selina D'Arcy. Everything about her has this gentle type of quality, and it really adds to her acting abilities. A Patch of Blue was her very first film! She just walked into MGM, and they were hooked enough to cast her right into a major role beside the man himself! She had a few other well-received films that followed this one, but she is best-known for her role as Selina. Even though she didn't go on to get much recognition after this film, I still think it is awesome that she did such a great job with her acting debut. I mean, this film is a film that will last. It has so far, and I have no doubt in my mind that it will continue to. She had a lot of talent. She was nominated for Best Actress for this role, but unfortunately, she didn't take home the golden man.

On the other hand, Shelley Winters did take home the golden man! Winter's role as the nasty mother was most definitely one that she did a good job at, but I would be lying if I didn't tell you that it took me by a real surprise that she got such recognition playing a supporting role to Hartman. Personally, Hartman stole the show. While watching the film and hearing that Shelley Winters won an Oscar, I was supposing that she was Elizabeth Hartman the whole time! Either way, she did do a good job and I like the fact that she won. It gives the film recognition, which helps in getting more and more people to view it every day.

As I told a friend while we were watching the film, just remember that any film starring Poitier is guaranteed to be a film worth watching. That way, you'll one day get around to this one. =]



Good day.



"A Patch of Blue": Elizabeth Hartman Promo