Amazon Music Bestsellers and Deals

Tuesday 3 January 2012

"Four Lions". A Review Of The 2010 UK Film Now On A 2011 BLU RAY.

"…You Can't Do A Jihadi Video With A Box On Your Head!"

Five twenty-something lads from Sheffield wanting to be Afghan terrorists on British soil is not exactly an easy sell for a film - even for the most liberal minded of viewers. This is the kind of material that walks a thin line between black humour and the need to tell the truth - no matter how offensive or uncomfortable it may be.
But "Four Lions" 'so' works. Written and Directed by CHRIS MORRIS - his debut is an edgy risk-taking movie - and absolutely chockers full of laugh-out loud moments - and for all the right reasons...

It goes like this - the constantly babbling, but worldly naïve Waj is easily influenced by the disillusioned but far more radical Omar (Kayvan Novak and Riz Ahmed). Both 'brothers' want to do 'God's will' - which they believe is to become Mujahideen soldiers and start their own Islamic Jihad somewhere in affluent materialistic England. They essentially want to blow something up. Helping them away from Chicken McNuggets to a place of religious nirvana is Barry (a fantastically funny turn by a scene-stealing Nigel Lindsay). Barry rabbits on about ‘surveillance protocols’, eats SIM cards and once planted a ‘twin towers’ cake in a local mosque to incite the faithful. Rolling under garage doors like an SAS commando and sidling up to people's porches likes he's Jason Bourne - Barry is convinced that a passing mother and child is a cop and the American Feds are watching him on satellites in space. Barry is the worst and most boorish of the five. A converted white man and bearded radical, he is full of nice things to say about open-mindedness like "...we've got women talking back bruv! We've got people playing stringed instruments!"
Barry orders silver nitrate from Amazon and wants to "Boom! Fast track to final days! Proper war!"

Thrown into this pool of misguided idiots is the slow and permanently bewildered Faisal (Adeel Akhtar) - a hapless bomb-maker who stashes thousands of bottles of hair peroxide in his lock-up. Fassal wants to attach detonator devices to crows and fly them into Government buildings (hence the poster). Last but not least is Hassan (Arsher Ali) - an on-the-fence believer who wants to go 'proper' Afghan. Hassan talks the lingo about 'a new purpose in life' but Omar suspects that maybe he doesn't have the balls to actually do the dirty deed. None of them do. It's all a big game to the other four and Omar will need to make it 'real' this time. Plots are hatched in the bedsit above the men's shop Bolby Tailoring, rocket launchers go off backwards and Omar's microwave oven gets sacrificed in the name of the ‘cause'. And on the mayhem goes to the London Marathon of 2010 where they're dressed as chickens with something more than lean cuisine beneath their feathers. But of course it stops being funny very, very fast when the consequences and repercussions of what they're doing becomes all too real...and they get more than hurt...

How do you deal with extremism - humour is one weapon - Chaplin knew this. But part of this script's genius is to go deeper into the monster's psyche - to show us how 'religion' seriously screws with a person's moral compass - especially if that belief system has an 'our way is the only way' core mentality. There is also the lure of power - the power of a gun - how it gets you noticed - even respected. And of course that's amplified if you're prepared to have a bomb strapped to you and seek martyrdom.

The danger in all this is that despite the film's best intentions Muslims are tarred with a terrorist brush - but the writing is smart enough to address this - and even deal with racism among their own ranks by slagging both off with real skill. Subtle touches include Omar receiving an e-mail at work (he's a security guard) telling that his trip to the Pakistan is in 2 days time (spy talk for a training camp). He tells his boss he's attending a 'shotgun wedding' and if you look real close you'll see that the e-mail address is hilaryclinton055.

Housed in a fetching book package, the BLU RAY picture quality varies from very good on the indoor sequences (bedrooms, cafes and sheds) to crystal clear and superlative on the outdoors shots (Afghanistan hills, London streets). As the dialogue is all Sheffield in Northern England and comes at you fast and furious, the lone ENGLISH SUBTITLE will probably be more than handy for overseas viewers.
The extras include DELETED SCENES and 2 featurettes. The deleted scenes are short, but wickedly funny, while the 2 featurettes are unrelated to the film itself, but act as background to the project. First is a real-life documentary called "Lost Boys" which follows 4 Pakistani lads in a car as they drive around their hometown of Nelson in Lancashire. They talk of fights, racism and persecution - nothing to do every night. You can just see how they're ripe for recruitment. The 2nd is even stranger - an interview with Ahmad who is a white lad accused of Muslim extremism and arrested under the Terrorist Act. He shows paintings that express what he feels about Islam (deeply loves it). Neither feature makes judgements - but they do give you insights into why stuff happens...

To sum up - with our media and politicians locked into a sort of sickening and stifling political-correctness of late - material like "Four Lions" is refreshing to say the least - and even a bit brave.
And the fact that you're laughing so much for three quarters of the movie, but hurting with sadness at the end - is testament to its heart. It elevates "Four Lions" above clever froth into the realm of something that stays with you - and makes you think - and reassess...

I loved this film. And Film 4, Wild Bunch and Optimum Releasing - and all associated with "Four Lions" - are to be praised to the nines for it.

Sunday 1 January 2012

Bright Star on BLU RAY. A Review Of The Jane Campion Movie Now Issued On A European BLU RAY.


"…A Thing Of Beauty…"

*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE DVD and BLU RAY VERSIONS ***

"Bright Star" opens with a close-up of a thread being needled, but the pull and placing of the wool is not methodical nor part of some daily Nineteenth Century drudgery, it's being done carefully - almost as if there's tenderness being sown into each cross-stitch. We then see that the seamstress is a 20-year old lady sat by a window in the early hours of the morning in her bonnet and ribbons - she is Fanny Brawne (played by Abbie Cornish). Her younger sister Toots (Edie Martin) then wakes up in the bed nearby and sighs at Fanny - Toots may only be 6, but she knows exactly who all the 'just so' work is for...

Jane Campion's 2009 re-telling of the mercurial love affair between the struggling English romantic poet John Keats and Fanny Browne has been accused by historians and purists as being historically inaccurate and frankly hogwash. But I feel this is to miss the point. This is a movie - and some artistic allowance is to be expected. But more importantly, Campion absolutely makes it work - and for the whole journey too. You care about these idealistic people - you are enthralled by their short but oh so sweet shot at happiness - and Fanny's destruction at her soulmate's loss is one of the most powerful scenes committed to celluloid in decades.

The setting is Hampstead Village, London in 1818 - and Greig Fraser's Cinematography puts huge amounts of detail on screen. This is a world of Inky Quills, Scullery Maids and Pantaloons - where men smoke cigars, gulp brandy and sing chummy Acapella songs for the gathered Ladies and Gentlemen at society parties. A triple-pleated mushroom collar is a clothing advance and a man who is dying of consumption (Keats' brother) is described as 'diminished'.

Words are all in this society and Campion's script revels in it. Keats' poems "Endymion", "Bright Star" and "When I Have Fears That I May Cease To Be" are all quoted - and the dialogue inbetween is just as elegant and insightful. But of course the movie lives and dies on the dance of love between Cornish and Whishaw - and that courtship and deepening of feeling features so many great moments... a look she gives Keats in the woods as they walk and exchange ideas, her reaction to Tom's death - create something of beauty to remember him by - an embroidered pillow case that she sat up all night making - her feet curling on a bed as she devours one of Keats love letters - her tender kisses on the paper as she posts her reply... It could all have been so terribly corny, but both the actors and the script give it life and a genuine beating heart. Mark Bradshaw's music is also used sparingly and with great effect - and when it isn't there - the silence engenders a terrible feeling of foreboding (sickness, death).

Special mention should also go to Paul Schneider who is exceptional as the arrogant and obsessive Mr. Brown - supposed friend and fellow accomplice in poetry with Keats. Brown does everything to thwart the burgeoning romance between Keats and Brawne - feeling her a distraction from their lofty writing and a danger to his talent - even coveting her as his own. His vehemence forces Keats to step up to the plate and Fanny is well able for him. The core 3 actors here are fabulous together. Special mention should also go to Kerry Fox as Fanny's practical mother and Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Liam Neeson's son in "Love Actually") as her younger brother Samuel - also quietly superb.

The extras include (a) Working With Jane Campion Documentary (b) Behind The Scenes Featurette (c) Deleted Scenes (d) Photo Gallery and (e) Trailer
The lone subtitle is 'English For The Hearing Impaired'. My only real gripe is that it's not on BLU RAY - a format that would surely make this beauty shine like a diamond (due in 2011 apparently).

Campion and her exceptionally talented cast are to be congratulated - "Bright Star" is a literate, sensual, beautifully staged and gushingly romantic tale - and proud of it.

They did a great job and I for one was deeply moved...

PS: the BLU RAY Issue…

As you can see from the photo provided by Amazon – this appears to be a GERMAN issue on BLU RAY – but the copy I received this morning (Dec 2011) is in fact a FRENCH Pathe issue with that language used for all cover artwork.

There are 2 audio tracks – ‘both’ FRENCH and ENGLISH DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. It is obviously defaulted to play in French when you start the disc, but a simple flick of the audio button brings in the English version. The extras on the DVD (including the “Working With…” making of) are all intact - but there are also some totally unrelated Australian Black & White shorts tagged on (God knows why).

But the big news is the picture improvement - which at times is simply breathtaking. The outdoor Hampstead scenes, Fanny sowing her garments in her home, Keats lying on top of a tree with its flowering buds beneath him, Fanny walking through a field of bluebells, the child Toots and the cat Topper in her room full of butterflies, the intricate costumes – so many things and scenes are improved - and beautifully so.

A gorgeous film made better by BLU RAY. Seek it out in this form.

Wednesday 28 December 2011

"Chuck Berry Rocks" aka "Rocks" by CHUCK BERRY (2011 Bear Family CD Compilation Of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...


This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my
SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites
BLUES, VOCAL GROUPS, RHYTHM 'n' BLUES and ROCK 'n' ROLL ON CD   
Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95
Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 
(No Cut and Paste Crap)



"…Dancin' And Hummin' A Rock 'n' Roll Melody…"

With the US reissue label Hip-O Select having filled the marketplace with 3 x 4CD retrospectives in 2005, 2007 and 2009 covering 'all' of Chuck Berry’s Chess recordings – and with endless cheapo Universal double CD sets that will offer the same material and more - then this 2011 Bear Family single CD might seem superfluous to requirements. But I'm glad to announce that it isn't. The big draw here for collectors will be Bear’s top quality remastered sound and a thoroughly researched booklet. Here are the details…

Released November 2011 - "Chuck Berry Rocks" by CHUCK BERRY on Bear Family BCD 17139 AR (Barcode 4000127171399) stretches to a chunky 80:01 minutes and features 32 tracks. 

All bar one were Chess 7" singles - from his first "Maybelline" on Chess 1604 in 1955 to "Dear Dad" on Chess 1926 in 1965. The only exception here is "Betty Jean" which featured on the 1960 LP "Rockin' At The Hops". Most of the Fifties recordings are MONO while the Sixties stuff is in STEREO (neither the booklet nor the outer card wrap indicates which is which).

1
Maybellene
2:20
2
Thirty Days (To Come Back Home)
2:23
3
You Can't Catch Me
2:43
4
No Money Down
2:57
5
Brown Eyed Handsome Man
2:16
6
Roll Over Beethoven
2:24
7
Too Much Monkey Business
2:56
8
School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)
2:42
9
Rock And Roll Music
2:32
10
Oh Baby Doll
2:36
11
Sweet Little Sixteen
3:03
12
Reelin' And Rocking
3:16
13
Johnny B. Goode
2:39
14
Around & Around
2:39
15
Beautiful Delilah
2:08
16
Carol
2:47
17
Memphis, Tennessee
2:14
18
Sweet Little Rock And Roller
2:21
19
Run Rudolph Run
2:43
20
Little Queenie
2:41
21
Almost Grown
2:21
22
Back In The U.S.A.
2:28
23
Betty Jean
2:30
24
Let It Rock
1:45
25
Bye Bye Johnny
2:04
26
Jaguar And Thunderbird
1:50
27
Go-Go-Go
2:33
28
Nadine (Is It You?)
2:33
29
You Never Can Tell
2:42
30
Promised Land
2:23
31
No Particular Place To Go
2:43
32
Dear Dad

"Chuck Berry Rocks" comes in Bear's now standard packaging for this series – a 3-way foldout card digipak containing a detachable oversized booklet inside (52 pages for this issue). The CD itself repros the "Around & Around" 45 on Chess 1691 with it's famous Blue label. Pages 5 to 40 feature an in-depth essay on the American Rock 'n' Roller by noted writer and musicologist BILL DAHL whose affection and awe of Berry’s influence seem to know no bounds (in a typically scholarly way he cites both book and internet 'sources' for his liner notes). Pages 31 to 49 have a full Discography on all 32 recordings by label boss RICHARD WEIZE with contributions from BILL DAHL and FRED ROTHWELL. The text is peppered with black and white photos of the great man doing his trademark 'duck walk' on Television and Live settings, some Tel-Mar Studio shots of recording sessions and one particularly tasty moment where he shares a 'Love You' card from two female British fans at the Lewisham Odeon in London in the Sixties. 

While it’s the usual classy act from Bear, I’d have to express extreme disappointment in not seeing any COLOUR photos of either those stunning album sleeves or Berry in action. Apart from one colour photo that begins the Discography – I’d confess that the endless black and white shots give the booklet a rather monotonous look that somehow undermines Dahl’s great written work. But that’s quickly forgotten once you start playing this baby…

I’ve raved about JURGEN CRASSER and his mastering work before (see my TAG for him and reviews for the astonishing "Blowing The Fuse" series (16 compilations) and the "Sweet Soul Music" series (10 discs). The best way to describe the sound here is 'clean' – Berry’s Chess recordings are for the most part notoriously 'lo-fi' – but here there is very little hiss on any of the tracks. The recordings are still suitably ramshackle and even crude, but there’s a power in them now that 'just' pips the otherwise superlative remasters Erick Labson did for those 3 Hip-O Select tomes (and Universal's "Gold" double CD set).

Another nice aspect to the sound achieved here is that Chuck’s in-house musicians gave his records a certain glorious Rock ’n’ Roll feel – and principal among them is the mighty JOHNNIE JOHNSON. His rattling and fabulous piano playing is now a little more to the fore – and what an audio treat that is (he passed away in 2005 – inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 as one the great sidemen).

Highlights – I loved rehearing the lesser-heard "Dear Dad", "Let It Rock" and "Sweet Little Rock And Roll" (lyrics above) which Rod Stewart covered so well on his underrated "Smiler" album in 1973. And the STEREO takes are particularly alive too – the Leroy Davis and James Robinson brass/Johnnie Johnson piano on "You Never Can Tell" and the wonderful "No Particular Place To Go" which still sounds so totally kicking ("…stole a kiss at the turn of a mile…") And on that point – the lyrics – witty, smart, full of cool Americanisms – he really did chronicle the teenage experience (and thankfully no dire "Ding A Ling" to pollute the proceedings).

The incomparable Bear Family folks – class and quality - they may cost you – but the best always does.

PS: The "Rocks" Series by Bear Family features the following artists:

1. Chuck Berry [see REVIEW]
2. Pat Boone
3. Johnny Burnette [see REVIEW]
4. The Cadillacs
5. Eddie Cochran
6. Bobby Darin
7. Fats Domino
8. Connie Francis
9. Don Gibson
10. Glen Glenn
11. Bill Haley
12. Roy Hall
13. Slim Harpo [see REVIEW]
14. Dale Hawkins
15. Ronnie Hawkins
16. Screamin' Jay Hawkins
17. Wanda Jackson [see REVIEW]
18. Sonny James
19. Buddy Knox & Jimmy Bowen with the Rhythm Orchids
20. Sleepy LaBeef
21. Brenda Lee
22. Jerry Lee Lewis
23. Smiley Lewis [see REVIEW]
24. Little Richard
25. Bob Luman
26. Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers
27. Carl Mann
28. Amos Milburn [see REVIEW]
29. Ella Mae Morse [see REVIEW]
30. Ricky Nelson
31. Carl Perkins
32. Roy Orbison
33. Lloyd Price
34. Piano Red (aka Dr. Feelgood) [see REVIEW]
35. Charlie Rich [see REVIEW]
36. Jack Scott
37. Shirley & Lee
38. The Treniers
39. Big Joe Turner [see REVIEW]
40. Conway Twitty
41. Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps
42. Rusty York [see REVIEW]

The Bear Family "Rockin' Rollin'" Series features:

1. Johnny Horton
2. Marvin Rainwater
3. Marty Robbins Vol.1
4. Marty Robbins Vol.2
5. Marty Robbins Vol.3

Sunday 25 December 2011

"Beautiful Girls". A Review Of The 1996 Film Now Reissued On A 2011 BLU RAY.

"…Let's Walk This World Together…"

A should-be-doing-more-than-this-with-his-life Willie Conway (Timothy Hutton) takes a wad of crumpled notes out of a beer glass - slurps down his last whiskey of the night and closes the lid on the bar's battered upright piano. With his dollar tips firmly wedged in his pockets, he then trudges through the cold streets of New York heading for the Port Authority building on 6th Avenue.
Onboard the Greyhound bus and bound for his hometown in Massachusetts, he looks out through the neon-reflected glass and ponders what lies ahead. First will be his slightly loony family (Robert Bright and David Arquette play his monosyllabic Dad and simpleton brother) and worse – a high-school reunion full of memories, achievers and awkward questions. The big city boy who left Hicksville in the dust finally returns triumphant...or maybe not…

But while the seasons change in snowbound Knight's Ridge – it seems little else does. Willie is met at the other end by his sorry-assed crew of former college buddies. Paul obsesses over his ex-vegetarian girlfriend Jan who is are now dating a meat-cutter (Michael Rapaport and Martha Plimpton) while his best buddy Tommy pushes a snow plough in suburban driveways which he quickly follows with some pushing of another man’s wife (Matt Dillon and Lauren Holly). Watching all of this from the sidelines is Maz Perlich as the permanently squinting hat-wearing Kev who doesn’t seem to want much from life except maybe a beer with his mates and a good hot meal - while the unexciting but steady Michael (Noah Emmerich) is a genuinely nice guy trying to hold down his job and keep his marriage together. Even Willie’s 13-year neighbour (a cleverly cast Natalie Portman) acts weird towards him – developing an instant crush on the thirtysomething to the point where she asks him to wait 6 years until she's 18 and they can "...walk the world together…" Willie is so confused about his place in life and women in general - at one point - it’s an offer he seriously considers…

Then there are the other side of the relationship coin – the town’s long-suffering women. Michael’s wife is Sarah (a lovely Anne Bobby) - who is ever understanding and supportive. In fact most of the ladies of the town seem to exude stoical patience - they simply sigh and put up with their men’s shortcomings and immaturity. Miro Sorvino’s character Sharon loves Matt Dillon’s character Tommy - but dies inside just once too often as he deposits his cockiness in someone else’s bed. Michael Rapaport’s character Paul festoons his walls with pictures of lingerie models because he is convinced they represent some kind of love nirvana – ladies who can do no wrong and bring only joy into your life simply because they’re "…beautiful girls".
The scene where Rosie O’Donnell bawls out the boys in a supermarket about obsessing over these fake fantasies in glossy magazines – is both brilliant and ball-breakingly funny. She makes a good point too. The boys do need to "...get a grip!"

And into this heady mix is thrown some genuine temptation – a visiting Uma Thurman who effortlessly knocks all the boys for six (even the faithful ones) as she wanders into their regular waterhole Stinky’s bar (Pruitt Taylor Vince). The habitual womaniser Tommy and smooth musician Willie fancy their chances with her – while the less-attractive boys just fancy her but would never have the nerve to do anything about it. There later follows some delicious dialogue moments - Hutton’s character half-heartedly wooing Thurman in the bar and ice-hut afterwards – and especially when Hutton is sparring with Natalie Portman about how she will grow up anyway and have a great life with her own memories to savour (even at 13 she showed extraordinary star quality and acting chops).

But when Willie's classy girlfriend Tracy finally flies in from New York to meet his family – she quietly wows them all. In fact they want to touch Willie to see how in God’s name he got this lucky – she’s a lawyer, she’s warm-hearted, she’s got the ‘boob thing’ going – Tracy is a catch and the clan Conway knows it (a lovely turn from Annabeth Gish). So Willie finally has to be mature now and decide…and on it goes to a wholly satisfying ending…

Directed by TED DEMME and written by SCOTT ROSENBERG - as you can see from the names above – this 1996 movie featured an extraordinarily good ensemble cast – and each of them given real meat to work with. It was popular at the time – effortless hip too – and is a smart choice for reissue on BR.

Transfer-wise - the BLU RAY picture is defaulted to fit the entire screen and is a vast improvement over the DVD (even if the opening credits to David A Stewart’s score contain a few scratches and glitches). Once it gets to the snowbound town – day or night – the clarity is lovely and blemish free and really adds to the film’s homely vibe. The outdoor sequences on the ice-rinks are particularly clear and eye-catching. It’s a damn shame there’s no extras though – a real let down.

To sump up - “Beautiful Girls” doesn’t really seem to be about anything in particular, but nonetheless you enjoy its company immensely. It’s like a good night out with the boys – or girls – or preferably both. “Beautiful Girls” is like life itself – enjoyable one moment – heartbreaking the next. It’s just working out which one to side with…

Recommended.

PS: Blink and you’ll miss it cameo is by JOHN SCURTI as a Greyhound Bus Ticket Dispenser at the beginning of the movie (barely gets 2 lines). He later became the leading character Kenny Shea in Denis Leary’s superlative “Rescue Me” TV series about New York firemen post 9/11.

Monday 19 December 2011

“Breakfast At Tiffany’s”. A Review Of The 2011 BLU RAY Reissue.

Beautiful Blu Ray Picture Quality - But A Dreadfully Dated Film - Even With The Ethereally Beautiful Audrey Hepburn...

If you're a fan of "Breakfast At Tiffany's" then this 2011 BLU RAY reissue will knock your socks off. For the most part, the fully restored print is glorious to look at - even in the scenes where too much sepia shading is placed on the leads for effect. The outdoor sequences with Peppard and Buddy Epstein are faultless, full of colour and incredible detail (clothing, scenery) - and look like they were filmed yesterday. There's decent extras too (interviews with Director Edward Blake, members of the cast) and the dreadfully washed out old stock print used in the "Making Of" segment gives you a very good comparison as to just how improved the restored version really is.

But for me - that's where the good news ends. I watched this with my wife - and even with Audrey Hepburn exquisite throughout (especially on the balcony-outside-her-window scene where she is strumming her guitar and singing Mancini's famous theme song "Moon River") - the film is staggeringly dated - and at times terribly leaden. The party sequence in her New York apartment is awful - with square types trying to be cool. And the amount of times the word "darling" and "baby" is said will make you cringe and not giggle with affection. I can't help but think that Capote's novella about a socialite/hooker got seriously watered down into forced farce because that was an easier sell. And while George Peppard looks the handsome leading-man part - there's little real bite in him. The Chinaman impression by Mickey Rooney (even by Edwards own admission) is a derogatory mistake that rankers even to this day. But it's the vapid pointlessness of it all that leaves you cold. OK - Hepburn could light up any shot - even when she was overdoing the “darling” dialogue. But quite why this Sixties tosh is considered a classic is beyond me - because re-watching “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” in 2011 is a painfully strained experience – and not nearly as loveable or as romantic as you remember it to be.

The bottom-line is this - if you're a fan - or have any love for this 1961 kooky movie - then you NEED to own it on BLU RAY.

But if you're undecided - then I'd say rent it first – before a nostalgia urge costs you a purchase you’ll look at once and never watch again…

INDEX - Entries and Artist Posts in Alphabetical Order