In all likelihood, this absolutely fantastic track from Nicola Roberts (TEAM GINGE!!!) will end up being the coolest single of 2011. It has been on a loop inside my head for over a week now. In my opinion, Nicola has always been the most beautiful member of Girls Aloud. She is quite easily the best dancer of the quintet. She is far and away the most impressive fashionista of the bunch. Coupled with her enormously successful make-up range (Dainty Doll), this ridiculously awesome solo effort is about to make her the most impressive human being to ever walk the face of the earth. Move over Gaga… it’s time for GINGE to take over the pop world!
The first single is “Beat of My Drum”. The album, entitled “Cinderella’s Eyes”, is out very soon.
Consider the most memorable scene of the year, when Gosling sings “You Always Hurt the One You Love” and Williams tap dances in her biker boots. It is such a simple cinematic moment, but it recreates one of “those” moments. We all have one or two in our lives. They are the moments that first come to our mind when we think back on the happiest times.
It also happens to be the best film of 2010.
Directed by Derek Cianfrance and starring Gosling and Williams, I urge everyone to seek this Weinstein Company film out as soon as they can.
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Dorky one… check. Black one… check. Fat one… check. Asian one… check. Handicapped one… check. Gay one… check. Condescending show tune about inclusiveness… check. Accomplishes the exact opposite of what the show sets out to do… CHECK!!!
We can all agree that “Glee” is a fantasy. It doesn’t even have a basis in the typical high-school reality. The notion of inclusiveness is a noble fantasy that will never ever exist in a world with human beings. The actuality of it is far more sinister and dreary. Racism is rampant. Homophobia causes some of the ostracized to attempt suicide. Fat kids sit alone, downing twinkies in the corner of the cafeteria. The handicapped ones get the token sympathy without ever being included. All the while, the gorgeous rich elite go about their privileged lives filled with puppy dogs and ice cream. A cheerleader’s biggest worry is whether Kristy made a snarky comment about her Prada clutch at the winter formal. A football captain’s biggest worry is whether Kristy found out about his latest blowjob sandwich.
What bothers me so much about “Glee” is that it sells an impossible fantasy of happiness to kids who will never experience it in real life. It is tantamount to setting a song and dance routine in an Auschwitz gas chamber. Inclusiveness is a pipe dream that the “normal” kids like to sell in order to make themselves feel better. It is rather like Bill Gates working at a soup kitchen once a year… not quite enough to matter.
Giving false hope is a cruel joke.
All of that fails to even mention the “American Idol” or “X-Factor” style of music — a karaoke simplification and bastardization of already generic pop hits. Every number sounds like the opening medley sung at the beginning of those atrocious “popularity contests”. Listening to this crap is like stabbing my ears with vanilla flavored dildos.
You may not want to hear it, but people are cruel. Kids are even worse. A show about the kids excluded from glee club or cheer camp who go on to commit mass murders later in life… Yeah, lets do a song a dance number about that.
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Darren Aronofsky (“Requiem for a Dream”, “The Fountain”, “The Wrestler”) is a special talent. His films are unique and daring, quirky and thoughtful. He is one of only a dozen or so directors on the scene today whose films are mandatory viewing. “Black Swan” is no exception. It is one of the most extraordinary motion pictures of 2010. You should make a special effort to seek it out at your earliest convenience.
The film tells the story of Nina (Natalie Portman), a young ballerina who gets her big break as the new ballet season opens in New York. She is cast as the Swan Queen in the upcoming adaptation of “Swan Lake”, replacing the outgoing star who is deemed too old for the part. However, Nina is a nervous, tense and paranoid young girl who doesn’t seem to enjoy the success at all. She is pressured by a domineering mother and an imposing artistic director. Nina is also very suspicious of the other dancers, especially a new girl named Lily (Mila Kunis), who is cast as her alternate. The tension and paranoia keep mounting as the weeks of intense rehearsals take their toll or her, physically, mentally and emotionally. “Black Swan” is the story of a young woman’s descent / transformation into delirious madness.
As much as I admire Aronofsky’s talent… This is Natalie Portman’s film. Her performance is nothing short of miraculous — a career defining role that ranks as one of the finest of the last decade, male or female. I have always been a huge fan, but this elevates my admiration to another level altogether. If she doesn’t win the Oscar for this effort, then there is no justice in Hollywood. I am simply in awe of the transformation she undergoes here. Physically, the part is one of the most difficult I can imagine. She, quite literally, becomes a ballet dancer in this movie. Aside from a few wide angle long shots where she has to maintain “en-pointe” for long periods, she was required to do all of the dancing you see on-screen. Couple that with the emotional turmoil her character must endure and it ranks as one of the most demanding roles I have ever witnessed. Portman transcends the film in ways that reminded me of Marion Cotillard in “La Vie En Rose” (Oscar Winner 2008).
I also want to mention the supporting actors. Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder and Barbara Hershey are all perfectly cast in one of the finest ensembles in recent memory. The movie is beautifully shot and confidently directed. I really felt that I had a grasp on the behind-the-scenes world of ballet. It is a secretly gruesome, but outwardly gorgeous art-form that punishes the performers more than I ever fully appreciated.
This is an intense film, mesmerizing from start to finish. It is clearly one of the best films of the year and should be seen by anyone who loves the arts. It is both lovely and horrific. It is both triumphant and tragic. It is both intimate and grand. I loved it and give it my highest recommendation.
How is it possible not to appreciate this movie? A Fellini homage filled sprinkled with some of the most beautiful women in film history singing beautiful songs and wearing couture lingerie. “Nine” is a delicious film, less concerned with a formulaic narrative than with the worship of aesthetic. I don’t have a problem with that at all. It is a sensual extravaganza that celebrates Italy, Women, Film and Music.
I loved Rob Marshall’s “Chicago” — a deserved Oscar winner and a film that isn’t so different from this one. The only thing missing from “Nine” is the familiarity of the musical material. These are “new” songs to most in the audience… so the sing-along, toe-tapping factor is gone. Nevertheless, I really believe that the two films are companion pieces and a special brace of movies for the talented director.
The most outstanding moments belong to Marion Cotillard (my future wife and my choice for the best actress in the world today) and Penelope Cruz (who sizzles with one of the opening numbers). However, each of the actresses on parade have their musical moment and each delivers beautifully. “Nine” may not be a truly great film, but it is a decadent indulgence filled with an endless circle of passion and regret, passion and regret.
Probably one of the most moving pieces of cinematic art you will ever encounter in your life!!! The performance by Knife is quite simply astonishing. Rock delivers a touching and understated effort that will surely garner Oscar consideration. All in all, this is easily the best movie of 2010. Get the tissues — there will be tears!!!
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