Friday, January 10, 2014

Thursday, January 09, 2014

Behind The Candelabra (2013)


Classic example of a movie that I haven't seen in time to include on my "Top 10" list of 2013... but let me tell you now: This would feature pretty high in the list.

Behind The Candelabra (2013) is a movie directed by Steve Sodenbergh that depicts the last 10 years of musician / entertainer Liberace, played brilliantly by Michael Douglas. It is heavily based on a book written by Scott Thorson, who just so happened to be his lover. His role was assigned to Matt Damon, who also delivered a very strong performance, contributing to a wonderful on-screen chemistry between the two leads. But more than the strong roles that are featured in this movie, one of the key elements to its success is the story-telling... and it just so happens that this is no ordinary story. In my eyes, it's a dark, twisted, secret love story, centered in one of American's big pop culture icons.
Not only the movie can be perceived as funny and entertaining, it almost should be viewed as educational. I mean... I barely heard of Liberace until I saw this!

And to think it struggled to get produced because most Hollywood studios thought it was "too gay".

Really?

You say no to a film directed by Steven Soderbergh, featuring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon because you think its "too gay"?

Thankfully, HBO was able to recognize serious potential in this project and stepped up to make it happen. 

It just baffles me that several movie companies weren't able to finance something that featured one of the best directors out there, plus an ensemble cast led by two of the most charismatic and talented actors around. I always knew Michael Douglas was good.... but I was used to watching him play "the stud", so you can imagine how "strange" it was to see him play Liberace. Not necessary because he was gay, but because it was quite the opposite of the character stereotype he used to take on. But that's the ability of great actors... the power to metamorphose into whole different creatures. Mr. Douglas did just that...

Aside from those two, it was a pleasure seeing on screen names such as Dan Aykroyd, Rob Lowe (he's hilarious!) and Paul Reiser (who I haven't seen for years!!). Big fan of all three of them!

As Liberace famously said:

Too much of a good thing is wonderful!

Wednesday, January 01, 2014

Best of 2013 - From my perspective

It's that time of the year where I compile my top 10 movies, albums and tracks of the year. Like previous years, I will make a list with no specific order...

As always, you should keep in mind that there's a lot of things that I haven't seen or heard... because I was lazy, because I didn't have the time, because I didn't know about it or simply because it hasn't been released in the UK, where I currently live... So feel free to make suggestions.

With that said, let's proceed...

TOP 10 MOVIES

*apparently released before 2013

TOP 10 ALBUMS*
 
Arctic Monkeys - AM
Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
 Haim - Days Are Gone
The National - Trouble Will Find Me
White Lies - Big TV
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Kings of Leon - Mechanical Bull
Atlas Genius - When It Was Now
Foals - Holy Fire
Kurt Vile - Wakin on a Pretty Daze


* I wasn't really convinced with I've heard this year so far... out of the 10 albums, only 6 or 7 actually were great. The others, good, but in an "average way" if that makes any sense.

TOP 10 SONGS

Daft Punk - Get Lucky
Kings of Leon - Wait For Me
White Lies - Change
Atlas Genius - If So
Haim - Don't Save Me
Laura Marling - Where Can I Go
Woodkid - Run Boy Run
Klangkarussell  ft. Will Heard - Sonnentanz
Deerhunter - The Missing
The Strokes - Slow Animals