| Author | Message | ||
     Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 10559 Registered: 05-2005 |
This incredible live clip of That Petrol Emotion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzCj-BDs EDA | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 10562 Registered: 05-2005 |
What Fred Armisen did during the writers' strike. This is hilarious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvShtsnx q4U | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 2236 Registered: 10-2006 |
Italian X-factor Italian X-factor seemed destined for cancellation last year and was perhaps starting to run out of steam. But, lo and behold, it has sprung back to life, reenergised and with a strong cast of young talent. Unexpected masterstroke was to reintroduce to the judges Italy’s manic Dickensian gnome – he even dresses the part – Morgan, a loquacious, ranting irritant with an encyclopedic knowledge of music and its various obscure corners. Who else would have assigned to a group an old Russ Ballard song called Voices? Which (after weeping and wailing for several rehearsals) they carried off brilliantly. Morgan was kicked off the programme in disgrace a while back, having managed to impregnate one of the contestants while allowing his drug habit to interfere with his (often dazzling) tuition of the others. Also back on the jury is a guy who started out years ago as the runty, tattooed punk rap upstart, and is now married to Italy’s richest influencer and become a sort of mage-like overseer and producer for many of the country’s younger artists. Recovering from at least two life-threatening illnesses, he is back on form, good-humoured, patient and looking pleasingly robust. Complementing these two deft antagonists, there is an ex-showgirl and actress, partly to fulfil the eye-candy quota that is de rigueur for every Italian TV programme (even the football) but also, thankfully, passionately devoted to her team of musicians in a way that makes up for any lack of musical nous (though she does do her homework there, too). Last, a youngish musician with a fine line in surreal, articulate comedy whose music I’ve never heard anywhere but is apparently very popular with the kids. Combined with a cleverly chosen bunch of hopefuls, it all makes for a great evening’s entertainment. Likely winner is a skinny, affable, intense girl singer with one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard – innately perfect intonation and range, plus an edge of ragged hoarseness that makes it stand out from the crowd. Not clear yet if she’s also a songwriter, but if it turns out she can write as well as she sings, then really one to watch. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 10610 Registered: 05-2005 |
Arthur C Clarke predicts the future in 1964. I love his accent and I love the fact that he lived long enough to see some of those predictions come true, though some of them have only come true now in recent years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwELr8ir 9qM | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 2247 Registered: 10-2006 |
The Divine Comedy live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhZTOGKU hCM&t=2453s Arte seem to turn their cameras on the Divine C the second they set foot in the country. A nice low-key acoustic show with plenty of melodic room for the piano. Mr Hannon in droll recovering-from-sickness form. He has the least Northern Irish accent of anyone I know from Northern Ireland. What a fine songwriter. There’s also an earlier, longer show with a fuller band and more luxuriant hipster beard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTuTFXkJ xNI&t=5346s | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 10638 Registered: 05-2005 |
Dopesick. I’ve just watched the first episode and I’m hooked. Oh, probably bad choice of word given what it’s about. I know it came out in 2021, but it’s only just turned up on the SBS free streaming service. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 10649 Registered: 05-2005 |
I just watched American Fiction. It’s fantastic. Best film I’ve seen in years. | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 1549 Registered: 04-2005 |
Lots of great films at the cinema in the past few months… Alice Rohrwacher - « La chimera » Alexander Payne – « The Holdovers » Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren – « 20.000 especies de abejas » (“20,000 Species of Bees”) Yorgos Lanthimos – « Poor Things » Aki Kaurismäki – « Kuolleet lehdet » ("Fallen Leaves") Justine Triet – « Anatomie d’une chute » ("Anatomy of a Fall") Cédric Kahn – « Le Procčs Goldman » ("The Goldman Case") Colm Bairéad – « An Cailín Ciúin » ("The Quiet Girl") With that Irish film, it was the second time for me as it reappeared on the big screen as part of a "Télérama" promoted series (great films that you might have missed in 2023). What a simple but beautiful piece of work, absolute poetry on the screen. Edinburgh lost its art house cinema, Filmhouse (which shut its doors last year, but there is currently a crowd funding underway to bring it back) and it seems almost unbelievable that my former hometown has lost the access to see such great films. | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 2260 Registered: 10-2006 |
That's an enviable list, Andrew! Almost none of these will make their way to my local cinema, perhaps only Poor Things. I've just finished the Claire Keegan story that The Quiet Girl's based on, and it's a lovely piece of work too. Her gift for Irish dialogue and for conveying the great unsaid in everything is very fine. Hope to see the film one day! The Filmhouse, with its dole card discount matinees back in the day, was a refreshing oasis in the desert of my unemployment years. I remember it with strong affection and hope it is restored to its former glory. |