Lame Year November 17, 2009
Posted by Patrick in Cinematics.Tags: amy adams, Cardiff, Dublin, leap year, Matthew Goode
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Let me preface this post by assuring you that I am a big Amy Adams fan and I do not have my doubts about this film just because I didn’t get a callback to be an extra in the film. It has nothing to do with that whatsoever.
Leap Year is a romantic comedy starring, as you may have guessed, Amy Adams, as a woman who “has an elaborate scheme to propose to her boyfriend on Leap Day, an Irish tradition which occurs every time the date February 29 rolls around, faces a major setback when bad weather threatens to derail her planned trip to Dublin. With the help of an innkeeper, however, her cross-country odyssey just might result in her getting engaged.”
That’s fine, it all sounds like a very pedestrian rom com that just might be watchable and half-decent due to the presence of Oscar-nominated Amy Adams. But then you watch the trailer and em…she’s actually hitching a lift from Cardiff, Wales to Dublin, Ireland. Considering that this is actually an American-Irish co-production I really hope that there’s a ferry journey included in there somewhere.
The rest of the film looks fairly unfunny, with the usual slew of Irish stereotypical characters and awful accents (although Matthew Goode manages to do marginally better than Gerard Butler did in P.S. I Love You). Any Ireland-set scene in the trailer looks like a carbon copy of something from P.S. I Love You (which wasn’t great in the first place), or the Irish scenes from Marley & Me.
I’m disappointed that Adams signed on to something that really doesn’t seem to have much going for it. Hardly a great follow up to Doubt, or even Sunshine Cleaning. Although, I’ve never not liked an Amy Adams film, so who knows.
Maybe if my expectations are this low I might actually enjoy it. After all, I liked Bride Wars…
Leap Year is released, at least in the US, on January 8th. Maybe for the Irish release they’ll do it around the end of February. Because that would make sense.
Mariah in Barefaced Shocker November 16, 2009
Posted by Paula in Cinematics, Muzak.Tags: mariah carey, precious, push novel
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Following in the footsteps of Charlize Theron in Monster, Mariah Carey will reveal herself without make-up to filmgoers everywhere. A ticket to her new movie Precious is all you need to see Carey, hideously underlit, looking decidely worse for wear.
The film, released here in February, stars Carey as a counsellor who helps a sixteen-year old mother of two to get her life back on track. Precious is based on the 1996 novel by American author Sapphire. The film’s executive producers include Oprah Winfrey and Mary J Blige.
Carey says that with some persuasion, she was happy to go without make-up. “It was cool because a lot of people say they don’t recognize me in the film. They don’t know it’s me and, to me, that was a great gift that [director Lee Daniels] gave me to be able to really go that far away from who I am.”
Whether or not the chance to escape from her diva persona was the real motivation behind Carey’s decision to bare all remains to be seen. In an interview in this week’s Sunday Times magazine, Carey discusses her new marketing and promotion model, with which she aims to sell herself to fans all over again. Her plans include strategic leaking of information over the Internet, product endorsement deals, and a number of Mariah’d product lines. Perhaps the bold choice to leave mascara and blusher at home is just all part of the plan.
Sometimes I feel like I live in Grand Central Staaayshun November 15, 2009
Posted by Patrick in Muzak.Tags: beyoncé, britney spears, lady gaga, telephone, the fame monster, video phone
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Lady Gaga and Beyoncé have teamed up for not one but two tracks together, one Beyoncé feat. Lady Gaga and one Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé. If that wasn’t confusing enough, both songs have ‘phone’ in the title.
Video Phone, the Beyoncé feat. Lady Gaga effort is actually nothing really too special, simply a slightly remixed version of one of Beyoncé’s album tracks with a bit of Lady Gaga thrown in. The two were spotted last month filming a music video for this song, but it’s unclear as to whether the second track, Telephone, will get a release.
Telephone, which is Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé (how confusing) was actually offered to Britney Spears for her last album. And then she almost appeared on this version but that obviously didn’t pan out. It’s hard to see why she turned it down since it’s an almost guaranteed hit, and far better than a lot of the filler on Circus, and indeed Video Phone. Whereas in Video Phone Lady Gaga doesn’t really add anything spectacular to the song, Beyoncé’s section of Telephone is actually probably the highlight of the song.
Both songs are being released as each singer’s next single, so prepare for more confusion in the coming weeks.
Listen, compare and contrast below.
Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone (download)
Beyoncé feat. Lady Gaga - Video Phone (download)
Marina and Miike Snow in eh…Carlow November 13, 2009
Posted by Patrick in Muzak.Tags: concert, digitalism, dinn ri, gig, heineken green spheres, live music, marina and the diamonds, miike snow
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We at Make and Deux made the trek to the Dinn Ri complex in Carlow (not just five but seven venues in one, we’re told) last night for the Heineken Green Spheres Digitalism, Marina and the Diamonds, and Miike Snow show.
Now, unfortunately we didn’t make actually make it to Digitalism’s set (we were pleased to find out that it had only been a DJ set in the end), but we were front row centre for both Marina and Miike Snow’s sections of the night.
The venue itself was amazingly decorated by the Heineken folks, with a predictable green glow all over the venue and less predictable men dressed in what looked like either a green screen body suit or a gimp costume. Dinn Ri itself is absolutely huge, big enough to have two stages in fact; one for Marina and Miike Snow, and another for Digitalism.
Although we missed Marina at her show in Dublin’s The Academy just one night before, she didn’t hold back for her show in Carlow. Her set was a mixture of stuff from her Crown Jewels EP and a ton of new stuff that will likely feature on her forthcoming album.
She even treated the audience to two versions of Mowgli’s Road; one a stripped down piano version and the other in its release form. Apparently the Irish fans, or ‘Emeralds’ as we’re now known, thanks, apparently to Joey Kavanagh, get the Mowgli’s Road single first for some reason. Sadly Marina didn’t play my favourite Simplify, but, shit happens.
Miike Snow opened their energetic set with Burial (not Silvia as I thought in my drunken stupor), and only actually played about four or five songs (or seven, but who’s counting?) Fan favourites like Animal and current single Black & Blue were there, but a good 50% of the set was actually made up of the members just jamming with no clear end in sight. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I’d have liked to hear more from their debut album in the mix.
We stumbled upon/followed some of the members of Miike Snow after the gig, and managed to get Paula into a photograph with them (below). Despite claiming they were looking for somewhere that did ’shots’ (the bar menu for the night was Heineken or, well Heineken), the band retired to their room, or indeed ran away from us.
[Some images: Heineken Green Spheres]
Unisexual American Apparel November 12, 2009
Posted by Patrick in Misc.Tags: american apparel, Fashion, unisex
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[Originally published in edited form in Flux]
The days of contending with the tiny ‘men’s section’ tucked into the corner of a clothes shop are coming to an end with the arrival of American Apparel in Dublin.
Never before has a shop designed so many of their items for both men and women. While this is likely to lead to a lot more embarrassing ‘matching couple’ incidents, mainly it means more variety for the sadly under-appreciated fashionable male.
The selection available can be a bit daunting at first. Don’t be put off by the sea of multi-coloured leggings on the shop’s ground floor – they’re not for us, thankfully. But venture to the upper floors of the shop and things begin to improve.
The fact that sizes are also unisex means that you’ll have to be pretty picky about what one to buy. Guys who are a small in every other shop may find themselves buying medium, or even extra-small, you never know.
T-shirts are available in every colour and style under the sun, and the same goes for hoodies. One of the only items reserved just for men is American Apparel’s range of pants, centred mostly around their basic ‘slim slack’, and available in colours from bright purple to classic grey and black. Track pants and cords are also in plentiful supply.
While I found it a bit ridiculous that the picture American Apparel used in their Dublin shop for ‘men’s briefs’ actually showed a female wearing them, their selection of underwear is vast, although they’re only available in block colours.
The company’s Circle Scarf, which can be worn 12 ways for a girl can sadly only be worn two for guys (unless you like hooded scarves or shawls). It is perfect for winter even though the extreme amount of material can be initially terrifying.
Now’s probably the time to get down to the Dublin store (or online), as they’re currently offering 30% off men’s socks. Can’t argue with that.
An Education November 10, 2009
Posted by Paula in Cinematics.Tags: An Education, Carey Mulligan, Lone Scherfig, Lynn Barber, Peter Saarsgard
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Terming this as a “coming-of-age” film makes me think of The Karate Kid, but the term definitely suits An Education. Based on the memoir of English journalist Lynn Barber, An Education is an example of the immense personal growth that occurs as we enter adulthood.
16-year old Jenny (Carey Mulligan) wants nothing more than to be mysterious, to speak in a sultry French accent, and to spend all day smoking cigarettes. The problem is, she’s a schoolgirl living in a decidely unglamourous London suburb. It’s 1961, the Swinging Sixties have yet to start swinging, and Jenny has nothing to look forward to but Latin tests. Mulligan was 22 at the time of filming, but she slips comfortably into the role of a bright-eyed schoolgirl, playing it with charm and wit.
When Jenny meets the older David (Peter Saarsgard), she is convinced that he possesses every quality that is missing from her life. And for a while, we are convinced too. David is smooth-talking, professional, wealthy, and best of all, he can speak French. He succeeds in seducing not only Jenny, but her parents, who warm immediately to David’s flattery and his fast car.
A short time into the relationship, David’s sparkle begins to fade. After a few shouting matches and some signs that his wealth has been earned by suspicious means, David no longer seems charming and mysterious, but slightly unnerving. Jenny is clearly out of her depth, but is happy to go along with anything if it means she is that bit closer to living out her dream as a French sophisticate. Orlando Bloom was originally set to play the part of David, but got cold feet at the last minute. The more reserved Saarsgard seems a better fit for the role.
Though Barber’s memoir mentions that her parents practically “threw” her into bed with this older man, Nick Hornby’s screenplay interprets the situation a little differently. The affair, though engineered by David, is aided greatly by the naievté of Jenny’s parents, who believe everything they are told by their daughter and her suitor. Hornby’s writing captures the early sixties as an age of innocence, but risks being a little hammy at times. Luckily the roles of Jenny’s mother and father are saved by the skill of Cara Seymour and Alfred Molina.
An Education is directed by Danish director Lone Scherfig, and it set off a huge bidding war between production companies when it premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. On seeing the movie, it’s easy to see why Sony Pictures were so eager to pay an advance of millions to purchase the distribution rights. It’s a beautifully shot, beautifully acted film, and captures perfectly the youthful belief that one is always right.
An Education is currently showing in the Irish Film Institute, Templebar
“You get to strangle puppies and kill young children.” – The Airborne Toxic Event Interview November 8, 2009
Posted by Patrick in Muzak.Tags: adam clayton, don delillo, mikel jollett, pitchfork, the academy, the airborne toxic event, u2, white noise
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[Originally published in Flux]
Things could have turned out a lot differently for The Airborne Toxic Event’s lead singer Mikel Jollett, if three years ago he hadn’t had the worst week of his life. In a single week, while working on his novel, he found out that his mother had been diagnosed with cancer, his girlfriend dumped him and he was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease which left him with Alopecia areata and Vitiligo.
It was at some point during that week, or in the surrounding weeks, that Mikel turned his attention to songwriting for the first time, putting his career as a music journalist and novelist on hiatus.
“I think it sort of gets played up about what happened that week, as if it was some sort of lightning,” Mikel explains. “It was more like I had been playing a little bit of music, and then I kind of started playing a little bit more music and then I kind of started playing a lot of music. It really wasn’t an overnight kind of thing…
(more…)
Sweet Cody High November 8, 2009
Posted by Patrick in Cinematics.Tags: diablo cody, eating disorders, jennifer's body, juno, random house, sweet valley high
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Back in September, it was announced that Diablo Cody, of Juno and Jennifer’s Body fame, will be adapting the Sweet Valley High book series into a film. The prospect is quite intriguing, considering the fact that the last time Sweet Valley High made it on to our screens was in the form of the 90s television series of the same name.
With Cody’s involvement I imagine something a little more self-mocking and snarky will be the end-product. However, judging by what Cody has written in her EW column about the project, it looks like she is desperate to stay true to the world of the books – not that I especially care since I’ve never read one, but I’m sure there are thousands of rabid fiercely protective fans out there.
A few months ago, I sat down with Sweet Valley High creator Francine Pascal. I wanted to write and produce a movie based on the books, but I could never do that without the involvement of the twins’ ”mom.” I’ve gotten somewhat proficient at keeping my s — – together during business meetings, but this time, my heart was pounding against my ribs. I wanted so badly for Francine to see how much I enjoyed her creation and how for me, Elizabeth and Jessica were guides to another universe, a place full of possibility and good hair. Luckily, she listened patiently to my excited babbling, and we found ourselves on the same page. All I have to say is: RADICAL. Wish me luck, people. Sweet Valley High is fantastic, fabulous, a little bit campy, and — dare I say it — cinematic.
I wonder whether Cody will include some of the changes that were instituted for the books’ re-releases last year, some of which are detailed below, extracted from a letter sent by the books’ publishers, Random House Children’s Books.
I guess size 6 isn’t perfect enough for today’s standards? I’m surprised they got away with this change, considering the amount of press devoted to eating disorders these days. And the ‘anonymous blog’ sounds like an unnecessary copycat of Gossip Girl. Oh well, whatever it takes to stay relevant.
Watching the American Dream October 28, 2009
Posted by Patrick and Paula in Televisual.Tags: Glee, Melrose Place, Modern Family, The Good Wife, The Vampire Diaries
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[Edited version published in Flux, 28/10/09]
With nothing but The Apprentice to entertain us on homegrown television these days, here’s a few shows from across the pond that you’re sure to be addicted to for at least a few episodes. None of them feature Jackie Lavin, but you’ll have to make do.
The Vampire Diaries
Irish Airdate: Should be appearing on ITV2 early next year. No Irish station has made any comments about buying the show yet. But you never know.
The premise: Stop me if you’ve heard this one before – boy meets girl, boy turns out to be a vampire. They fall in love.
The talent: Lots of unknowns with one familiar face, Ian Somerhalder, Lost’s Boone, as evil vamp Damon.
What’s it like? This series was inevitably going to be compared to that other teen vampire series, Twilight. But The Vampire Diaries, the book series, was written in 1991, long before Twilight.
This led us to expect a little more originality, and we had to groan in certain scenes that were a little too Twilight-esque to be mere coincidence. It’s a shame too, since it seems like The Vampire Diaries has at least some potential.
For a start, the central character Elena is a lot less annoying than Twilight’s Bella, and more happens in the pilot episode than in the entire first Twilight film. But enough with the Twilight comparisons.
The first episode isn’t too bad, and sets up a few interesting mysteries for the weeks to come, such as Elena’s potentially psychic friend, an evil vampire doing the rounds in town killing people and the like, and a dead parents back-story to be explored.
Curious? http://bit.ly/fluxvampire
Melrose Place
Irish Airdate: Haven’t a literal clue. Catch it online for now.
The premise: Vapid materialistic twentysomethings living in an LA apartment complex. Oh, and there’s a murder mystery too.
The talent: Ashlee Simpson-Wentz makes her “long-awaited” return to TV, and Cloverfield’s Jessica Lucas also appears.
What’s it like? American network The CW are following their 90210 reboot with this one, a retread on the popular 90s drama.
The murder mystery at the centre of the show feels a little uninvolving, since most of us have only known the character for the guts of half an hour. Then there’s a bizarre subplot with one of the characters doing some part-time prostitution to pay for college.
The original was successful for its outlandish, ridiculous plot twists and overblown storylines, but since most of us were too young to have seen it back then, do we really care?
Ella, a ‘high profile’ publicist, appears to be a hybrid of Ari Gold and Tara Reid. Ashlee Simpson-Wentz’s Violet is just plain irritating and whiny. Both characters are utterly underdeveloped and scarcely likeable.
It’s pure guilty pleasure material, and we’ll probably tuning in again, if only to see where it goes next.
Curious? http://bit.ly/fluxmelrose
Glee
Irish Airdate: E4 announced last month that they’ve bought Glee and will be airing the first series early next year.
The premise: Idealistic teacher Will Schuester forms a ‘glee club’ – a show choir full of misfits in this musical comedy.
The talent: Role Models’ hilarious Jane Lynch stars, and Heroes or Ugly Betty fans will recognise Jayma Mays. Broadway vets Lea Michele and Matthew Morris also take centre stage. The show’s creator, Ryan Murphy, has a proven track record with shows like Popular and Nip/Tuck under his belt.
What’s it like? Before episode two had even aired, Glee attracted a global cult-like following, who call themselves Gleeks. And it’s easy to see why.
The highlight of any episode of Glee, eight of which we’ve seen, is Jane Lynch as the coach of cheerleading team, the Cheerios. She tries at every turn to thwart the glee club, with, as she says “a conviction that can only be described as religious.”
The other characters are just as interesting, including a closeted gay kid, a stuttering Asian girl, an abstinent cheerleader and an all-singing, all-dancing wheelchair user to round off the cast.
In the first episode alone we’re treated to covers of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ and Amy Winehouse’s Rehab, which could be hits in their own right.
Curious? http://bit.ly/fluxglee
The Good Wife
Irish Airdate: The show is part of RTE’s Autumn/Winter schedule for this year.
The premise: Alicia Florrick is forced to take up her old job as a defence attorney while her husband sits in jail following a very public sex and corruption scandal.
The talent: ER’s Julianna Margulies stars as the ‘good wife’ of the title. Sex and the City’s Chris Noth is billed as a ‘Special Guest Star’, though we hope he’ll stick around.
What’s it like? The Good Wife could easily have been ‘just another legal drama’, but it’s saved by the political scandal at its core.
The fast-paced pilot throws Florrick back into the world she left behind with barely a chance to catch her breath, finding out in the process that she is vying for a position at the firm with young gun Cary Agos, played by Matt Czuchry (Gilmore Girls).
The cast do a fine job in the first episode, bar Archie Panjabi as the firm’s in-house private investigator. If we had the choice, she’d be gone by episode two.
Outside of the courtroom, Margulies struggles to deal with two children and an intrusive mother-in-law, all of whom have felt the after-effects of Noth’s playing away from home. The drama refreshingly adds more character development than is usually expected from a weekly courtroom drama, and the pilot left us eager to hear more.
Curious? http://bit.ly/fluxwife
Modern Family
Irish Airdate: It’s already started on Sky 1. Catch it on Thursdays at 8pm.
The premise: A mockumentary about three modern families, all of whom are dysfunctional and all of whom make for great viewing.
The talent: Married With Children’s Ed O’Neill plays the newly married Jay, who is often mistaken for his wife’s father. She (Sofia Vergara) is Latino and beautiful. He is not. Ty Burrell, of Black Hawk Down and Dawn of the Dead fame, also stars as father-of-three Phil.
What’s it like? Three separate storylines mightn’t have worked, were it not for the fact that each family is equally hilarious. Phil and Claire have elements of Jon and Kate Gosselin about them, and their relationship is just as mismatched. Gay couple Cameron and Mitchell have just adopted a baby girl, but are as unsure as everyone else if they are ready to be fathers. One if the best moments of the pilot is Cameron’s unveiling of baby Lilly to the couples’ extended families. Never has The Lion King’s Circle of Life been put to such good use.
The show is as cringe-inducing as The Office and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and the triple storyline means that the gags just keep on coming.
Curious? http://bit.ly/fluxfamily
What’s This? October 28, 2009
Posted by Patrick and Paula in Cinematics, Muzak.Tags: Ian Dempsey, michael jackson, Michael Jackson death, This Is It
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Make and Deux were lucky enough to get tickets last night for an early screening of This Is It, a cinematic tribute to The King of Pop. And when we say early, we mean early. Or late, depending on how you look at it. The film began at 4am, with an introduction by Today FM’s Ian Dempsey.
The film, which goes on general release today, is mainly made up of rehearsal footage for Jackson’s This Is It tour. But it is no Live in Concert, straight-to-DVD fare. Even had the concerts gone ahead, the film would have been a must-see for any Jackson fan. It’s a telling insight into how Jackson acted when he wasn’t putting on a face for the press. None of the footage was ever meant to be made public, except some of the visuals for certain numbers.
Jackson’s 50-date tour was due to open in London’s O2 Arena last July. The film is hard to watch without thinking about what a spectacular tour it would have been. From Chicago-style scaffolding to huge CGI visuals and onstage fireworks, the shows would have been about much more than Jackson’s music.
This Is It opens with a short set of interviews with Jackson’s principal dancers. Having travelled across the globe to audition, these dancers are not only the best in their field, they are all die-hard MJ fans. From listening to the interviews, it’s clear that the chance to dance with Jackson is a dream come true for every single one of them. No footage is shown from after Jackson’s death, but just knowing it was going to happen was enough for us.
Though it doesn’t give any concrete details about the circumstances of Jackson’s death, the film still answers a lot of questions about it. In complete contrast to what we were expecting, Jackson was obviously extremely physically fit during rehearsals- his dancing and singing were flawless. Though he struggled to express his ideas coherently at times, Jackson knew his set inside out and was praised by the tour’s musical director for being “really hands-on” when it came to the minute details of each number. There are no obvious signs of the mental or physical deterioration that have been so widely reported over the last few years.
Though the impact of Jackson’s death on his family and fans is obvious, it’s easy to forget how important Jackson was to the hundreds who put their life on hold to help him put together what would have been a spectacular final tour.
[First image from here]
Patrick and Paula
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