The Weekly Review: 17/06/2012

A weekly round-up of what I have been watching, listening to and discussing. Rather than just posts about film, this is a bit more all-encompassing as I think my interest in cinema and art crosses over and between a variety of sources...

Slowly getting used-to waking at 6am again. Always a tough get-up, but I did manage to watch lots of good films this week. Well, not 'good' maybe, but films ...

Highlight of the Week

Animal Kingdom: A close friend has just moved to London and as a filmmaker himself, I look forward to lots of film-watching, filmmaking and conversations about what Jurassic Park 4 could possibly be about. We had a film-night during the week, watching Animal Kingdom - a film he had not seen before, whilst I had not seen it for at least a year - despite buying it on Blu-Ray six-months ago. It is still fascinating, and a favourite film of 2011, but I can appreciate how if you didn't like the passive, detached lead character Joshua (James Frecheville), then it would be a tough watch. The kisses from 'Mum' (Jacki Weaver) is also so uncomfortable to watch.

DVD's/Blu-Rays/Cinema

Batman Returns - The best of the four-film anthology between 1989 and 1997. Tim Burton takes his gloves off and goes completely gothic with his interpretation.

Batman Forever - A little bit too nuts I'm afraid and Tommy Lee Jones seems uncomfortable whilst Jim Carrey goes OTT. Val Kilmer just seems bored whilst Nicole Kidman acts out a role that simply seems to be ... offensive.

Batman and Robin - It is alot of fun watching this. And I would take the ridiculous of Arnie's 'Mr Freeze' anyday over Two-Face in Batman Forever. Ume Thurman's role is simply tragic - she seems to be giving it her all, but it just doesn't work. George Clooney is just out-of-place in this role whilst I can recall why I fancied Alicia Silverstone when I was younger.

Animal Kingdom - See Above

Music/Podcasts

Now Playing Podcast - I have really got into this podcast ever since Ol' Shep Burman recommended it to me after my Rocky-writing on Man I Love Films. At least all the pain of watching Batman and Robin was worth it when I could laugh along with Arnie, Stu and Jakob discussing the film. I do not condone the recommendation of Batman Forever, but I completely agree with the single-recommendation of Batman and Robin. So bad, it is funny.

Slash Film - Adam Quigley didn't like Prometheus, Why am I not suprised.

The Matineecast - Only just started this podcast-listen, so I haven't heard the discussion on Prometheus (Blame the drilling near London Bridge on my commute) but to think that Ryan is now at a stage whereby 'Know Your Enemy' has three rounds of questions simply shows how well he has done. I think what I love about these questions is that you inevitably ask yourself the same questions when you listen - and its a tough one to answer. I also like how Ryan holds the guest accountable for not-watching the film 'classic' they hadn't seen in their first round of questions. It could easily go: "Have you watched Conan the Barbarian yet?"/ "No"/"Well then how can you call yourself a film fan?" [guest feels suitably embarressed and shamed]

TV/Theatre/Art Galleries/Books/Misc

The Simpsons - I have completely stalled on my watching. but it seems I may be able to finished Season 7 within the hour. Its a tough thing to consider - am I getting behind because the series is getting weaker or is it because, since Christmas, I have watched every episode since Season One?

Disney War by James B. Stewart - I started reading this when we visited Zagreb and put it down on return. About the political struggles within the company under the leadership of Michael Eisner. I've only just got into it so... expect it to reappear next week...

Tate Modern - I revisited (kerrching on the membership!) the Damien Hirst exhibition with Sarah. Interesting fact is how an art-piece named A Thousand Years (1991) shows a decapitated cows-head amongst desperate flies, dying in an electrocutor. We were told that the cows-head is replaced by a different head each week. But without maggots emerging (something which was famously criticised about the original piece), there is question hanging over whether it is an actual cows-head at all. I would assume it is not - but clearly, the ambiguity of this set-up means that we are supposed to believe it is a real head.

Top 5 'U2' in Cinema/Television

With all this music-talk continuing in the blogosphere thank to Castor at Anomalous Materials, I have been thinking more about music myself - hence this list. First off, before this Top 5, I shall lay dow some ground rules. Obviously 'Live' DVD's or films don't count - so no U2:3D, ZOOTV or PopMart. Additionally to that, the tour-film Rattle and Hum directed by Phil Joanou doesn't count because, though released theatrically, it's a live DVD deep down. Finally, having only recently discussed The Million Dollar Hotel, its fair to state that as U2 and Bono actually wrote the whole soundtrack, thats discounted. Also, Goldeneye, is only written by Bono and The Edge, but alas is not performed by U2, so that doesn't count either.
Blog Cabins always mentions the 'notable' films he hasn't seen when analysing years in reflection. In the same way, it appears that a bunch of film I have not seen use U2 songs. Namely, The Heartbreak Kid ('One'), Elizabethtown ('In The Name Of Love'), Brothers ('Winter') and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly ('Ultraviolet'). Sorry Ben Stiller, your Heartbroken Kid, I'll bet, slaughters the song.

Before I rank the Top 5 Best use of U2 tracks in songs, lets note the horrendous uses of some songs: 'Bad' in Taking Lives ('Bad' is possibly one of U2's best tracks and it was used in sex-drama with Ethan Hunt and Angelina Jolie. Tragic), 'Beautiful Day' in anything - it is always used and, though I have only seen its use on sports programmes in England, I have additionally seen it used in the film Bandits (Though IMDB notes the use of the same song in Smallville, CSI:NY and Nim's Island). Obviously, we cannot forget the atrocious 'remix' of 'Elevation' in Lara Croft:Tomb Raider. In fairness, I reckon thats more to do with fact that 'Elevation' is a crap song anyway - its just U2 trying to recreate Blur's 'Song 2'...

Lets Countdown ...

5. Gangs of New York ('The Hands That Built America') - I have specifically hunted down the version with an orchestral beginning - opposed to the slightly less-epic version featuring on 2002 'Best Of 1990-2000'. I persoanlly like Gangs of New York at any rate (though I was in absolute shock that Andy and John from The Hollywood Saloon only recently spoke about films that should never-have-been and specified Gangs of New York as the worst Scorsese film! No sir.)



4. About A Boy (Zoo Station) - I like About A Boy for a number of reasons. Its virtually a rom-com for boys. Hugh Grant lives the perfect life and, having said that, you know he has the sweetest sound-system known to man... meaning Zoo Station would sound incredible in his flat. I couldn't find the scene itself, but it is used in the scene as the young lad is ringing Hugh Grant's doorbell...



3. Three Kings (In Gods Country) - I have been desperate to rewatch Three Kings for a long time but have yet to do so. But rarely does a film use a song so effectively that it finishes the film with such a positive buzz. In keeping with highlighting the songs being use in the sequence itself I have a section from the film which shows the final 10-minutes. Skip to 04.15 to see the use of the song...



2. Friends (With or Without You) - I know its a little bit cliche, but forgive me for having a heart. I think it is one of my favourite U2 songs, if not the favourite song. Unfortunately I couldn't find the scene itself but I found one of those silly 'dedication' videos that uses the song itself... the closest I could get considering...



1. Batman Forever (Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me) - I think this song is Number One for a bunch of reasons. First off, the video is incredible. Apparently Bono was actually considered for Batman, but I think its safe to say that he should stick to what he knows and leave the animators to create the only version of Batman Bono will ever play. Secondly, you could only get this track either on the soundtrack or on a single (remember them) before 2002 ... so it remained one of those incredible songs that was difficult to get hold of - alongside Oasis' 'Whatever' and multiple others...